January Update

Hello everyone!

As the first tumultuous month of the new year draws to a close, it is time to update you once again on what’s been happening in the den.

Mainly I’m doing lots of reading. I signed up to be a judge for a book competition, so I’m more or less glued to dead trees right now. It’s been far too long since I’ve power-read my way through a mountain of books, and I’m enjoying the process immensely.

On the flipside, more reading time equals less writing time, even though my tight schedule can’t readily absorb delays at the moment. After all, you’ve been waiting patiently for book 3 of The Silverton Chronicles, but no reason to panic just yet, because it is chugging along toward the finish line.

In my spare time, between watching TV and reading, I also made up a new bunch of puzzles for the kids’ version of A Knight’s Quest. Kids are going to love it (I hope). They’ll get brand-new mazes, logic puzzles, math and word games, brain teasers, and even a code-breaker marathon. Not sure about the publication date yet. First we need to ‘hire’ young volunteers who won’t sugarcoat their opinions.

Concept cover; not the final product.

That leaves Moon Promise (working title). It’s missing about three scenes at this stage, but this novella is definitely novel-length now. After editing, it will be around 60,000 words, or about 6 hours’ reading time. Oh my, I’m so pumped about this. It’s a paranormal romance, not an urban fantasy, but it’s still stuffed to the rim with plenty of plot. Unfortunately we are missing a good title for the series–but trust me, this shifter world has huge potential for more crimes and frolicking.

But Moon Promise won’t be released until the end of 2017. Come what may, Book 3 of The Silverton Chronicles will get prime billing this year.

I don’t often give specifics about my projects, and I understand it’s sometimes tough for you to share in my excitement. I’m sorry about this. But my secrecy is for your benefit. The greatest value of a book lies in its discovery. Newsletter subscribers get the scoop first, but not even they know the title of the next book or its plot yet. All I want to say is that readers who will join the Silverton crowd in book 3 will have an entirely different experience from readers who have been with us from day one.

As for Moon Promise, I don’t have a blurb or a tag line yet, but a provisional description might read something like this:

Kensi is not a sassy, kick-ass chick. She’s an alpha.

Until next time.

The End Is Nigh

Hello and welcome to the end.

As the year is drawing to a close, so is my novella at long last. I got to say, I’m in love with it. Kensi, my main character, is slapping me and her fellow werewolves from here to Saturn without breaking a sweat. Yup. Some readers might think I have finally gone too far and created a woman who is “too strong.” But to me, she’s perfect. Best of all, despite her alpha tendencies, she’s not a bitch. She only acts like one, occasionally.

What am I going to do with my masterpiece? Well, I have several options. See if I can find a home for it in a shifter anthology/collection next year, or serialize it on my website, so you get to read one chapter a week.

So here is the reason finishing it has taken so long: I’ve been distracted by a new venture, i.e. making a puzzle book. It’s a special kind of puzzle book, and I believe you’re going to like it. Don’t believe me? Well, keep your eyes peeled, because I’ll introduce it properly soon.

Once my novella is done (only a few chapters left), I’ll be going full-steam into book 3 of the Silverton Chronicles. Despite the many diversions I’ve taken recently, the book should be ready for you by April 2017.

The Bound audiobook made many listeners squeal with excitement, and even though the review count does not yet reflect this, I’m confident that it will.

Speaking of puzzle books, Smart Heart Publishing has just released perfect stocking fillers in the form of two Sudoku books, styled as a “brain flush” for women and a “power plan” for men. They contain 70 puzzles each, split into two and a half months, with plenty of opportunity to go “head to head” with your better half. Both books come in an awesome portable size, unlike most Sudoku books that require a crane or The Hulk to lift.

If you’re interested, they’re called “Lilly’s One-Month Sudoku Brain Flush for Women” by Lilly Palmer, and “Manfred’s One-Month Sudoku Power Plan for Men” by Manfred Palmer. Both books are also available in German.

That’s it for now. Now that I’ve shared my favorite distractions with you (puzzles), why don’t you tell me yours?