Happy March!
We've had so many signs of an early spring here in the southern part of Central New York that we're all grumbling now that it has turned into winter again. (Wind, snow, cold, brrrrr!) But the cold snap is going to be a short one, and then it's back to the earth's quickening once again. We've had Canadian geese flying north, redwing blackbirds in the treetops, trilling their mating calls, new grass sprouting, new leaves leafing, and last night after a day in the 60s, I heard the first spiring peeper singing.
Springtime News
The McIntyre Men in Audio
McIntyre Men, Book 1, OKLAHOMA CHRISTMAS BLUES is available now at Amazon and Audible, and will soon be on iTunes as well. My voice actress Traci Odom is working on Book 2, OKLAHOMA MOONSHINE as we speak, and we intend to do OKLAHOMA STARSHINE next, and the rest of the books as they are released.
Audible sets the price, and I have no say in that. It's about the only negative I've encountered in this whole process so far, which is very new to me. Right now they have it priced at $14.95, although Amazon discounts it quite a bit. However, everyone who signs up for a free trial membership at audible.com can get it FREE.
In the coming weeks I'll be giving away 25 FREE downloads of the Audiobook to my newsletter subscribers!
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Traci Odom, Narrator for the McIntyre Men series audiobooks
My voice actress, Traci Odom, is so wonderfully talented, easy to work with, and completely in tune with me. She understands the rhythm of my prose and voices it exactly as I would do myself, and the way she portrays Vidalia is as if the character just came to life and read her lines herself. You can learn more about Traci by clicking on the image which will take you to her page.
The entire experience has been so much fun. I had a blast listening to actors audition for the part, and I very quickly realized that there's a wide range and you get what you pay for. I was so pleased with Traci's audition and how easy it is to work with her, that I quickly asked her to commit to the entire series, and she just as quickly agreed.
She is doing this series justice, and I think you're really going to enjoy listening to her read it.
More McIntyre Men News
I was very stuck on book 4 until I had a sudden flash of insight, an actual epiphany, as I realized that Jason and Sunny's book, OKLAHOMA SUNSHINE is actually Book 5. Book 4 wants to be Kendra's tale. You remember Kendra, Kiley's twin sister from OKLAHOMA MOONSHINE. She's a darker, edgier character who is wanted by the law, has faked her own death, and is presently running cons with her handsome charmer of a con-man dad. And thanks to the readers on my Facebook Readers Group, we've chosen the title: OKLAHOMA MIDNIGHT. Look for it this fall.
Kindle Unlimited Experiment for the Brands
We have just released the entire TEXAS BRAND series in special exclusive 2-volume Kindle Unlimited editions. This means Amazon KU members can read them for free. We're running this test for a period of 3 months to see whether it's more or less beneficial to us and our readers, and at that point we'll decide whether to continue.
For right now, the books will remain in KU through Mid-April, so KU members, get 'em while they're hot.
Shattered Sisters News
We have two new titles in the SHATTERED SISTERS romantic suspense series. We changed the order of the planned sequels just a little. You can probably tell by now that I'm at the mercy of my muses when it comes to what to write and when to write it. I make my plans, but then she intervenes. So, HOLLOW, which was going to be a prequel, is now Book 4, because the suspense plot ties it into Book 5.
HUNTED, which was going to be Book 4, had to become Book 5.
HOLLOW will be going on sale within a few days to a week from now, and HUNTED is going up for pre-order around the same time with a FIRM on sale date of May 2nd.
I can't yet say whether there will be another book in this series, but I'd very much like another story or two.
Wings in the Night News
I have found the most amazing inspiration for the new sub-set of stories, THE FIONA FILES. Just to catch you up if you missed it, FIONA is this year's FREE serial that goes out to newsletter subscribers only. Yet another reason to
SIGN UP. She's had two episodes already, but new subscribers get links to anything they've missed in their welcome edition.
Anyway, I was looking for a cemetery on the shores of Loch Ness as a setting for a scene in the story, and I stumbled upon the most amazing place. Boleskine Burial Ground near Foyers Scotland is rife with legends. The house overlooking it, Boleskine Manor, was once owned by Aleister Crowley, who summoned up demons and neglected to dismiss them. But the legends go back farther, as the house is said to have been built upon the site of a 10th century kirk that burned with its congregation all trapped inside. Chilling. It burned in 2015, but I know some fictional characters who're going to want to rebuild it.
Instead of just a place to set a touching funeral scene, I've decided this location is going to be a huge part of the series going forward. Fiona will feature heavily in at least 3 novels, and will tangle with Rhiannon at some point in the not too distant future.
Happy Springtime, Everyone!