Life's "have-tos" have a way of encroaching on the "want-tos". I'd rather be writing than doing almost anything else. I love getting caught up in a fictional story and solving the problems of the characters. 

I've been working on the Jake and Amanda story for four years. I love these characters. I know them well. I look forward to the day when I can put them to rest on the page and share their story with you.

It started out as a high school first love story, but I wasn't done with them when they graduated. So what started out as a one-book novel has turned into a two-book series: The Edge of Love and A Matter of Love. I hope to finish their story this year and get it in the stores! In the meantime, I can't wait to see what happens!

So the writer's conference turned out to be just what I needed to boost my writing career!  

• I met a handful of new writers who understand what it means to live in a virtual world of fantasy, while trying to carry on with our families in the real world. The two worlds collide more often than not - almost daily.
• I met some of my most favorite authors: Sara Eden, historical romance; Heather Moore, contemporary romance author/editor; Lisa Mangum, Young Adult romance author/acquisitions editor for Shadow Mountain, and Brandon Mull, author of Fablehaven and other young reader stories. 
• I learned the technicalities of writing a better story from some amazing writers.
• And the best part, I pitched my story idea to one publisher and one literary agent and THEY BOTH WANT TO SEE MY MANUSCRIPT.  I've been working feverishly since February to revise and perfect it. It is currently with my editor for one final round of "clean up" before I submit the entire work. I have high hopes they will want to publish it for me this year. 

Wish me luck....and a few prayers wouldn't hurt either! 

It's been a long road of writing and rewriting my third novel. What started out as a "first love" high school story has developed into a more mature after high school love story between Jake and Amanda. 
My third rewrite starts three years after high school graduation when Amanda sees a billboard announcing that Jake is in her college town to compete in a national race. They are reunited only to be faced with the same dilemma that kept them apart at graduation. 

I got some good comments and insights from my "pre-readers" and made some improvements and clarifications. I have now submitted it to editors for further review. I'm also taking the manuscript with me to a writer's conference in Arizona in February, which I'm so excited about. I will have the opportunity to pitch my story to three different agents/editors in hopes of finally getting it published through traditional methods. 

I love the creative writing process! Working with these characters for a year or more makes them feel like part of my family. I smile when I think of Jake bantering with Amanda. He teases her and pushes her out of her comfort zone. I feel the longing that Amanda has to be with Jake when he is away.  I can also relate to her emotional turmoil when she can't have what she wants most. I'm excited to get this book out to my readers, and to add it to my collection on my own bookshelf. I'm ready to begin my fourth story about Prince Redrick and Princess Maura!

As you can see it's been a while since "Finding Kate" was published. I began working on my third story while marketing  "Kate" and finished it shortly thereafter. However, it's not what I wanted it to be. I put it away and began reading other books to find my vision. Since then, the story has been swirling in my head for months, never too far away, and now I'm facing multiple story options. I feel like I know these characters very well and now have to decide where to start telling their story; in high school where they met? After college where they were reunited? I suppose every author asks these same questions. I do plan to rewrite and publish the story of JAKE AND AMANDA at some point - they won't leave me alone. The longer I wait, the bigger their story gets. It may become a series!