Time for a reboot!

It's been far too long since I've posted on this sadly neglected blog.  A lot of things have changed since my last entry--Bub was born in October, I had a book come out this March, and I have another book due out in September!  Here's the cover and blurb, if you're interested:

Can they stay one step ahead of a serial killer?

A Rangers of Big Bend thriller

FBI profiler Rebecca Wade is used to tough, gruesome cases. But a serial killer targeting women in Big Bend National Park gets under her skin in a way she never anticipated. Alongside her unexpected partner—enigmatic park ranger Quinn Gallagher—Rebecca must race against the clock to prevent more innocent lives from being lost and achieve justice at last.

You can pre-order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or the Harlequin website!

This is the first book in my Rangers of Big Bend series, so I'm pretty excited about it!  I hope you'll give it a try!

In other news, I'm working on a totally different type of project--a children's book!  I've written the text and my talented cousin is providing the illustrations.  It's a musical fairy tale about Beethoven...  Stay tuned and I'll post updates as we get closer to publication time!

How have you been?  What's going on in your world?  Staying cool this summer?

Celebrate the Small Things - Dear Cat edition

Dear Toby Cat,

When I get up early, it's because I'd like to write without interruption.  I want to spend a little time getting my words in for the day before Little Roo wakes up and I have to turn into 'Mom'.  It's not that I don't love being Mom, but it can be hard to give Doodlebug the attention she deserves and write at the same time.  This is my solution.  Plus, if I'm able to make my word count in this morning writing session, I can actually spend some time with Mister tonight, snuggling on the couch and watching a movie, instead of frantically pounding away on the keyboard in the hopes of hitting my goal before falling exhausted into bed.  You understand.

So I would appreciate it if you didn't zoom up and down the hallway outside Little Roo's bedroom, yowling at the top of your kitty lungs for who knows what reason.  I need her to sleep right now, and you doing your level best to wake her up is in direct opposition to my goals for the morning. Keep it up, and I'm going to rethink this whole 'two cat household' thing.

(Oh, who am I kidding?  You know your position is secure.  It's a good thing you're so cute.  Still, keep it down, okay?)

Love,

Me

(Today, I'm celebrating the fact that Little Roo did indeed sleep through the feline shenanigans, and I was able to make my word count for the day early this morning.  Yay for progress!)

If you've been reading my blog, you know that Fridays are reserved for a post where I celebrate the little things that have happened during the week. This is a blog hop created by Vikki and now hosted by Lexa Cain, and it's one of my favorite blogging things to do.  I encourage you to check out her blog and the full list of participants, because who doesn't love reading about good things? 

Celebrate the Small Things - Conference edition

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope you all had a nice week.

Lots of activity here this week.  Little Roo started school on Tuesday.  She's going 3 mornings a week, and it has been hard for me to let her go.  She's never been away from me or her dad or grandma before, and it's tough to leave her with strangers.  I know this is what is best for her, and I know it won't take long before we all adjust, but right now I'm probably having more trouble than she is with the change.  I thought I would relish having some uninterrupted time to write, and part of me does, but a bigger part of me can't stop worrying about her while she's at school.  I guess that's just life as a mom though--there's always something to worry about.

On a lighter note, we're in Scottsdale right now for the Desert Dreams conference.  I'm participating in the Reader Experience on Saturday, and I'm really excited to meet readers and hang out with fellow book lovers.  If you're in the area, I hope you'll stop by the book signing on Saturday night. It starts at 4:30 pm, and you can find more details about the conference, the reader experience, and the signing here.

That's it for me this week.  What's new with you?  Any big weekend plans? Let me know!

Celebrate the Small Things - Return to normal edition

Happy Friday everyone!  I know it's been a while since I've posted, and I'm sorry to have fallen off the wagon of this hop.  Please take me back! :)

I have a confession to make.  I turned in my last book on February 15, and I haven't really written anything since then.  Oh, I wrote a proposal for a new series, but that's about it.  I normally take a week off after turning in a book, but this time life got in the way.  I got really sick (wound up in the ER for dehydration after passing out in the bathroom.  Fun times.), found out I'm pregnant, and then the first trimester blahs set in.  I know some women are glowing goddesses during their entire pregnancy.  I am not one of those women.  The first trimester is HARD for me.  I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but there were some days when my biggest achievement was taking a shower.

So my writing got pushed to the back burner.  And every day that passed, it grew easier and easier to let it stay there.

I missed writing, but I'm glad I took a break.  I got to really focus on my family (inasmuch as I was able to: see above, First Trimester Blahs), and it was nice to take some time to just breathe.  I think I was on the verge of burnout, to be honest.  I turned in four books last year, which is a crazy pace for me.  I'm grateful for the work, but in the future I think I need to do a better job of self-care so I don't hit the wall again.  When I figure out how to do that, I'll tell you my secret, deal? ;)

I'm happy to report that I started writing again this week.  It's a bit slow going, but I'm working to make daily writing a habit again.  It's my job after all, and not everyone gets the luxury of an almost 3 month vacation!  To be fair though, no writing = no money, so it wasn't all beer and skittles (which is not an appealing combination!).

So all of this is to say I'm back, and I've missed you all!  Thanks for sticking with me, and if you have any tips or tricks on the self-care front, I'd love to hear them!  Have a great weekend!

P.S.  I'm blogging over at Get Lost in a Story today, and giving away a copy of my latest release, Pregnant by the Colton Cowboy.  Stop by and say hi?

If you've been reading my blog, you know that Fridays are reserved for a post where I celebrate the little things that have happened during the week. This is a blog hop created by Vikki and now hosted by Lexa Cain, and it's one of my favorite blogging things to do.  I encourage you to check out her blog and the full list of participants, because who doesn't love reading about good things? 

Giveaway alert!

Just popping in to say that I have a giveaway running on Goodreads right now for my May release, Pregnant by the Colton Cowboy!  Head on over and enter for your chance to win!

Here's the back cover blurb:

A cowboy puts his life on the line for the woman expecting his child in The Coltons of Shadow Creek! 

Determined to steer clear of the horrors his villainous mother brought on his family, rancher Thorne Colton keeps to himself. That means resisting Maggie Lowell. The last time he succumbed, passion took control. But when an explosion nearly claims her life, Thorne discovers their night together yielded more than sizzling memories. 

Pregnant and under Thorne's protection in Shadow Creek, Maggie isn't sure where the bigger threat lies. Out in the open, she's a killer's target. On his ranch, she's in close quarters with the man who's driven to keep her and their child safe but broke her heart once and might do it again…

Have a good weekend!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Pregnant by the Colton Cowboy

by Lara Lacombe

Giveaway ends April 20, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Celebrate the Small Things -- Catching up edition

Happy Friday!  It's been a pretty standard week here, but I'm glad we've made it to Friday.  We don't really have any big weekend plans--we're having a game lunch with friends on Sunday, which is always fun.  I recently bought the game Organ Attack and have been looking forward to trying it out.

In other news, I finally got the official cover for my July release (Her Lieutenant Protector) and just bought new bookmarks and excerpt brochures that I'm going to take to the Desert Dreams conference in June. I'm really looking forward to this conference, and I hope the swag looks nice!  I'll post pictures when I get it.

What are you up to this weekend?  Any fun plans?

If you've been reading my blog, you know that Fridays are reserved for a post where I celebrate the little things that have happened during the week. This is a blog hop created by Vikki and now hosted by Lexa Cain, and it's one of my favorite blogging things to do.  I encourage you to check out her blog and the full list of participants, because who doesn't love reading about good things? 

Celebrate the Small Things - Birthday edition!

Hello, everyone!  It's my birthday--woo hoo!  Unfortunately, I have to work today (ugh, adulting!) but I'm looking forward to dinner tonight and frozen custard for dessert.  My Mom wanted to make me a birthday cake, but I'm trying to cut back on my sugar and I know if I have a cake in my fridge I will eat it all.  I'd hate to waste food, you know. ;)

We have a busy weekend planned.  I'm getting my nails done with Mom on Saturday afternoon, and Saturday night Mister and I are going over to a friend's house for game night, which is always a fun time.  Then it's the symphony on Sunday for our dose of culture.  I'm looking forward to it all!

Before I go, I'm hosting a giveaway over at Get Lost in a Story--two signed books and a gift card to Starbucks.  Head on over and enter for your chance to win!  It runs through Sunday.

What are you doing this weekend?  Any fun plans?

If you've been reading my blog, you know that Fridays are reserved for a post where I celebrate the little things that have happened during the week. This is a blog hop created by Vikki and now hosted by Lexa Cain, and it's one of my favorite blogging things to do.  I encourage you to check out her blog and the full list of participants, because who doesn't love reading about good things?