Happy Earth Day and Happy Passover. In celebration my picture book about a little dragon who can do big things is free today and for the next five days on Kindle. Pick up your copy here!
Also excited news. I’m working on an Adana the Earth Dragon card game that should be ready by the end of the summer. Here are the pics so far of some of the cute dragons that will appear in the game. I’m having so much fun putting this together and I hope you’ll enjoy playing too!
Great news! You can now listen to my evil fire spirit in a new wonderful audio book recorded by the immensely talented Patti Hunninghake. I had so much fun listening to Patti bring my characters to life and hope you will too.
Akash is book 8 of my P.A.W.S. Saga and Patti is continuing her recordings with Rhyfedd (Book 9) that will hopefully be out by the end of the year.
What reaches everywhere and never tires? Pulling on feathers and galaxies alike? Holding the mighty Milky Way together? Gravity, of course!
Told in lyrical, riddling first-person narrative, Gravity boasts of its essential role in life as we know it–from the pulling of the ocean’s tides to the vastness of the stars in the sky.
I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Henry Herz’s new picture book I Am Gravity.
I Am Gravity follows in the footsteps of Herz’s acclaimed lyrical picture book, I Am Smoke.
The book is beautifully illustrated and I predict will be enjoyed immensely in classrooms by teachers and children embarking on their educational journey through the wonders of science. The back matter of this full color book includes information about the science of gravity and major historical discoveries.
Henry Herz (San Diego, CA) authored ten picture books. His children’s short stories have been published in Highlights for Children, Ladybug Magazine, and in anthologies for Albert Whitman & Co. and Blackstone Publishing. Henry also writes adult science fiction and fantasy short stories. He holds a BS in Engineering from Cornell, an MS in Engineering from George Washington University, and an MA in Political Science from Georgetown.
Merce López graduated from Llotja Art School in Barcelona and has illustrated for design, theater, and film as well as twenty children’s books for Spanish and international book publishers. Her 2019 title Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons by Laura Purdie Salas received multiple starred reviews and was named a Center for Children’s Books Gryphon Honor Book, an NCTE Notable Poetry Book, a Kirkus Best Picture Book, and a Parents Magazine Best Kids’ Book, among other accolades. In a starred review of I Am Smoke (Tilbury House, 2021), Kirkus called her illustrations “Lustrous” and “Exquisitely beautiful.” In his 100 Scope Notes column for School Library Journal, Travis Jonker called I Am Smoke “One of the most astonishingly unconventional children’s books of 2021. Here’s to children’s books that expand our assumptions of what a children’s book can be.”
Henry also has a story in the charity anthology Catstruck!
Hi folks, I’m done! Actually finished writing book 11 of my series and sent it off to my beta readers. I’ll be so excited to share it with all of you in June.
In the meantime here’s an opportunity to catch up on the story so far. For a limited time all of my P.A.W.S. saga are on sale for either 99 cents or 1.99.
Over the last few months I’ve been helping a friend get ready for publishing her first book and here it is.
Poppy is the story of two women and the rescue dog that brings them together.
Patricia Rueben is a vibrant and eccentric woman trapped in an unhappy marriage. But one evening her life is turned around when she encounters a stray dog in a busy parking lot.
Melody Malley is a middle-aged librarian grappling with the recent loss of her father and her strained relationship with her mother. When news of her mother’s cognitive decline shifts their relationship, Melody finds herself teetering between empathy and unforgivingness.
The two women’s worlds are entwined, brought together by a very special dog, who helps them find the courage to once again embrace their true selves.
Poppy is a story of a lonely stray who brings healing and hope to the life of one wayward woman and one broken family, all the while bringing awareness to a misunderstood breed and their rich capacity to love unconditionally.
Hi everyone, I’m excited to share my brand new cover for the next episode of P.A.W.S. that will be releasing this June. The cover was designed by the ever awesome Rachel Bostwick.
So without further ado here it is:
Isn’t it beautiful? So what’s it about? Well …
Many years ago, Kiana, the builder of the stones, fashioned two precious cotulae, one with chestnut strands, the other with gold. The stones foretold a prophecy, one that was destined to change the course of history.
Today Kiana has a new task. She is to fashion seven unique cotulae, one with each color of the rainbow, and imbue each with a spell. Then she is tasked with distributing those spells to the important players in the prophecy.
Problem is one of the most important players is trapped in Umbrae in the Dominion of the Tegs. How will Kiana complete her crucial task?
The P.A.W.S. Saga continues with Kiana.
The book will be released in June and you can preorder your copy today from Amazon.
Also if you have read all the previous P.A.W.S. books I’m looking for a few more beta readers to join my beta reading team. All betas who read and give feedback receive a signed paperback on release and have their names in the acknowledgements.
I’m thrilled to announce that I have a story in this anthology of local St. Louis writers. My contribution is my memoir about my time going through breast cancer treatment, The Big C.
You can pick up your copy on Amazon in ebook or paperback.
Hi folks, it’s my birthday! So to celebrate I have put ALL ten of my P.A.W.S. books on sale this week for 99 cents/99p each including my newest title, MADARAK.
Plus I’ve got together with some other awesome indie fantasy authors who are also all selling their books at 99cents this week. Click the banner below to check them out!
It’s that time again, when I look through my Goodreads Year of Books and choose my favorites. According to Goodreads I read 31 books this year that’s almost 10,000 pages! I read a lot of cozy fantasy this year (my new favorite genre) and a mix of indie and trad published books. Here are my favorites:
I began the year with this wonderful book that I picked up from the library —The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. This is a book for those who love books. It is powerful and sometimes heartbreaking.
Another book which features books! I whizzed through this magical series filled with whimsy and gentle characters and cats. Of course there had to be cats. The Magical Bookshop by Liz Hedgecock is a perfect series set in one of my favorite places in the world, London’s Charing Cross Road.
If I had to pick my favorite book of the year, it would be The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. Set to be one of my all-time favorite books, it’s filled with love, hope and found family. I actually ended up reading this book twice this year, once by myself and once together with my son in the summer when he was home from college. This book feels like a gentle hug.
I’m excited that next year I get to meet Travis Baldree, the author of Legends & Lattes as he’s going to be the guest of honor at my local sci-fi convention, Archon. This is pretty much the book that defines cozy fantasy, my favored genre this year. Would love to hang out in this coffee shop — could almost smell the beans as I read this lovely book.
Another cozy fantasy with a little higher stakes than Legends & Lattes, but with warm characters that I really wanted to spend time with. I lived in the world of these books, going straight from one to the next Recommend The House Witch by Delemhach and look forward to reading the others set in this world.
An unusual title by Charlie Holmberg, one of my favorite authors. In The Hanging City was compelling. The Trollis who appeared harsh at the offset felt far more human by the end of the book. Definitely a worthwhile read.
I ended the year with another booklover’s book — The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods. A wonderful read that blends romance and magic realism.
What was your favorite book of 2023? I’d love to hear your responses in the comments, oh and do check out the Smashwords End of the Year Sale going on now. Many of my short titles are free at the moment while others, like Catstruck are 50% off.
Happy Last Day of Chanukah everyone. Let’s keep the light going a little longer this year. I’m proud to be part of the “Artists Against Antisemitism” online auction which is raising money for Project Shema.
My donation is a signed copy of Esmeralda’s Chanukah and is part of a Chanukah kids book bundle.
Artists Against Antisemitism is a group of diverse artists who came together after witnessing the sharp rise of antisemitism in the United States in the wake of Hamas’s October 7th attack in Israel. Our goal is to raise awareness of antisemitism, promote education about Jewish history and culture, and work to help build a kinder, brighter, more understanding future. We believe the best way to offset hate is by spreading light.
ABOUT THE AUCTION
The Artists Against Antisemitism Auction (bit.ly/KeepTheLightGoing23) starts on the last day of Chanukkah (December 15th at 12pm EST) in an effort to keep the light going.
With over 400 items, the auction boasts one-of-a-kind items and experiences including 15-minute Zoom calls with Mayim Bialik and Henry Winkler, lunch with Mark Feuerstein in New York and LA, many signed books by authors including Chelsea Clinton, Jennifer Weiner and Idina Menzel, original pieces of fine art and custom jewelry, plus vacation packages and VIP tickets to talk shows, sporting events and concerts like New Kids on the Block and Bruce Springsteen.
Bidding closes on Friday, December 22nd at 4pm EST (before Shabbat) and all proceeds from the auction will benefit Project Shema, an organization committed to building bridges through understanding. The funds will be used to subsidize essential training on select college campuses to help students understand anti-Jewish harm and allyship in this difficult moment.
MORE ABOUT OUR BENEFICIARY Project Shema trains and supports the Jewish community and allies to understand and address contemporary antisemitism, with an emphasis on how anti-Jewish ideas can emerge in discourse around Israel and Palestine. Founded by Jewish leaders with deep ties in social justice movements, Project Shema brings a fresh and humanizing approach to these challenging issues. Named after the Hebrew word Shema, which means “to hear,” “to listen,” or “understand,” Project Shema works to deepen understanding and build compassion and bridges across communities. They provide a truly unique, nuanced approach to antisemitism education for those working to ensure inclusive spaces for all Jews. Since its founding, Project Shema has supported Jewish institutions and major corporations, locally and globally, to explore these complex issues. www.projectshema.org
Paws4Thought 