Cover Reveal and Teaser

 I'm feeling pretty good today, so I decided to let you in on a little teaser and cover reveal for Yesterday's Wishes.  I promise it is not a spoiler.  Tell em what you think.

 (Wyatt)  "Most folks love hoping and praying for something they want to come to them without any effort, so they make a wish.  There are all kinds of ways to make wishes.  And this will be one more way to add to the fun.”

Sadie frowned, thinking of Jay and what she would love to ask at a wishing well.  “What if they ask for something serious, and it never happens?”

“I don’t think they’ll blame the town.  Maybe they’ll turn to God instead, and that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

“Well, I’m not too sure.  I’d have to test it out.  And how long are you supposed to wait for your wish to come true?”

Now Wyatt laughed heartily.  “That’s the beauty of it all.  There is no answer to that question.  You could wait a lifetime, and when you finally got what you wanted, you would probably say, it must have been because of the day I threw my penny in that well at Twin Lake.”

The Golden Crystal

 I don't know how many of you have ventured into the world of Kindle Vella, but remember the first three episodes of every series is FREE.  No membership is required, ever!.  You only have to purchase tokens at very reasonable prices to continue with a story.  The only glitch for now is that these can not be read on your Kindle device even though it has the word Kindle in its name. It must be read on a computer, ipad, or the Kindle app on your iPhone.  Things will change eventually, but this is it so far, because this is a very new program for Amazon.  I'm posting a small piece of Episode 1 of my story called The Golden Crystal which is a spin-off of The Unforgettables series.  Maybe this will tempt you to try the rest while you wait for my next book to be published.  

If you want to read more go to: Amazon Kindle Vella.

Episode 1

Decisions

The young woman breathed deeply, taking in the fresh air of the Carpathian Mountains.  She had come to her favorite place in order to clear her head.  Somehow she had gotten herself into a pickle, as her grandmother used to say.  How she missed her Puri Daj, the name the Romani people gave to their grandmothers.  She had learned so much from her.  She wished her grandmother was here now to give her some sage advice, but sadly, she had passed away last summer in the year of 1855, so now Gina was on her own.  The golden crystal ball had been meant for her to bring people together, but somehow she had done just the opposite.  She had created a real mess, because she now had one foot in each world, and she didn’t know which one she preferred.  The truth was she loved them both equally, so it would be so very difficult to make a decision.  How could she let one go for the other?

When she was just a child she had learned of her gifts, and at first she was pleased that she was the chosen one in the troupe, but now she wished she had never heard of her crystal ball.  It would have been better to be like all the others and be satisfied with her life with the Gypsies.

Book 5 Excerpt

    I've been known to neglect this blog, and I'm afraid this is one of those times.  I get so involved in the marketing of the new book and then the writing of the next one that I forget some of my duties. I am full on in writing mode for Book 6, and my head gets lost in the world I have created.
    In case you have not yet begun to read Yesterday's Blood, Book 5 of A Slip in Time, I thought I should remind you of how it begins. Here's an excerpt from the Prologue.

He pulled it out to look at the blade again, and when he did, he accidentally nicked his thumb on the hand holding the sheath.  A trickle of blood began to run down his fingers.  The moment he saw the drop of blood moving, he understood what the dark stain on the leather was.  It was blood.  Maybe from a battle or a fight, or maybe a nick from skinning a squirrel; whatever the reason, Daniel instantly understood what was coming next.  He grabbed his nearby cane for balance to try to stop it, but it was too late.  He heard himself yelling, “NOOO!”

If you haven't started to read Yesterday's Hopes, here's a little peek at how a particular character was introduced.  Book Three of A Slip in Time should be available sometime in January, no date is set as of yet..

Book Two Preview

  I'm moving through book two of The Unforgettables quickly since I already had the story in my mind.  This book has almost created itself.  I'm happy to give you a sneak peek which can also be found at the end of book one, Ruby and Sal.  Maisy and Max may be ready to published as early as the end of this month or early May. It promises to take you a wild ride.  Here you go!                                                        

                                          Maisy and Max

                                                                  Prologue, 1889-1890


     Edward was eager to leave London.  The circus had been here almost two months, since the beginning of November, and even though the weather had been a little more agreeable the last few days, it was still cold and damp.  He was told the temperatures would continue to climb away from the 5-7 degrees Celsius it had been hovering at, but numbers didn’t really matter when you were cold.  Cold was cold.  He was looking forward to the crossing to New York, and then P.T. Barnum would take its winter break in Connecticut, before starting on their scheduled route again in April.  Edward didn’t usually mind traveling, but this year it had been wearing on him a little more than it usually did at the end of the season.  The extended months for the European tour had been difficult.  Maybe it was because he was without a mate.  A nice woman would have done wonders to keep him warm at night, and the companionship would have been a whole lot better than the roustabouts he usually chummed with.  The simple fact was that Edward was growing up and ready to settle down, something he never would have thought about himself in a million years.
     A walk in the rain was probably a bad idea, but Edward needed some time alone.  He had to think about his future and ponder what was to become of him if he ever left the circus life.  He roamed from street to street, each one more dismal than the last.  London was a dark and dreary place in the 1890s, especially if you were poor.  He stopped for a minute to look around and get his bearings, trying to decide if he was lost, when a shop window decorated with brightly colored scarves caught his eye.  The festivity reminded him of circus colors meant to attract attention.  He crossed the street to see what it was about, and as he drew near he could read the letters painted on the glass -- Fortune Telling.  See Your Future.  Edward smiled to himself because they had the same type of fortune tellers at the circus, and he knew they were all a sham.  He had been in on some of the shake downs himself, helping a poor soul who only wanted some answers to feel better about herself.  Some marks were more difficult than others, but they all caved eventually.  Out of curiosity as to how they did things here in England, he entered.  His experience would be good for a laugh when he retold it back at the grounds.
     A small bell tinkled when he opened the door, and shortly after a striking woman dressed in a turban and a long loose kaftan came to greet him.  Her makeup was exaggerated, and she wore an excess of jewelry – huge gold hoops in her ears, and several necklaces around her neck.  The colors of the gems flashed in the light.  Her expression was blank as she beckoned him to come behind the curtain of beads; the bracelets on her wrist clinked pleasantly with the movement of her hand.  Edward smiled to himself when he saw the traditional crystal globe on the table with a burning candle beside it.  It was exactly the way the circus fortune teller was set up, but when he sat down across from her, he felt the hairs on his arms stand up.
     “So, you Want to know your fortune?” she asked in a sultry tone, as she leaned forward and stared directly into his eyes.
     “Uh, yes,” said Edward.  He was a little shaken, and he had no idea why -- he knew the drill.  “I am trying to make a decision, and I thought I could use some help.”
     There was silence as she studied him, making him feel very uncomfortable.  “You want a mate?” she asked in her thick accent.  “Yes, I can see it clearly.”
     Edward wondered if she was trying to sell herself to him.  He turned a deep shade of red.  She laughed making him feel embarrassed; he was not an innocent child; he had had experiences – just not any kind of permanent relationship.  “Yes, actually,” he stuttered.  “Perhaps, I am looking for a wife.”
     She smiled for the first time.  “Now we are getting somewhere.  Give me your hands.”  Edward reached across the table and took both her hands in his – she gasped, and pulled back.
     “What?  What happened?” he asked.
     “I think you are a very special man.  I think you are the one.”
     “What do you mean?”
     She reached up to her neck an unclasped what looked like a ruby and diamond necklace, but as he well knew, it was the same kind of fake paste that all the circus performers wore.  She wrapped it around her fingers and closed her eyes, then she took his hands into hers once again, with the necklace touching them both.  Edward felt a warmth and tingle right down to his toes.  He smiled, relaxed and closed his eyes; it felt like home, it felt like comfort; it felt like love.
     “What is your name?” she softly asked.
     “Edward.  Edward Woods.”
     Her eyes widened.  “You are Gyspy?  You speak Romany?”
     “No, I don’t speak Romany, but I have been told that my ancestors are Romani from Wales.”
     “Of course you are.  So I thought.  Here, take this.”  She separated her hands from his and pushed the necklace into his hands alone.
     “Why?”  Edward was completely puzzled.  He had come here for a reading, not a piece of jewelry.
     “This necklace has special powers.  It has been waiting many years for you.  It wants to be with you and you only.  It will bring you the answers you need, and when you know the time is right, you will pass it on to the one you love and receive wondrous results.”  Then she smiled a very seductive smile.  “would you like to try it out?”
     Edward did not have a clue what she was talking about, and beautiful as she was, he had no intention of doing what he was sure she was suggesting.  Besides he couldn’t afford to buy the necklace, anyway.  After last night’s card game, he was flat broke.
     She laughed out loud, as she read his mind.  “No, there is no need to pay me for the bauble.  It is yours, as it should be.  I have only been the caretaker.  It is my pleasure to find the rightful owner.  Now, go and find your woman; she will be much more eager than I.”
                                                               ---------------------------------

Excerpt from Ruby and Sal

     I'm waiting impatiently for the proof of my next book to arrive, and as soon as it does, if all is well, it will be available in Kindle almost instantly and then in paperback in a few days. So while we wait, I thought I should offer you a small piece of chapter one.  It's just enough to set the stage, but believe me, the subject matter is much more than you are reading here.  Enjoy!

                         Chapter One

     Ivy stood outside the door of the nursing home and waited.  She waited for her spinning head to clear.  She waited for her breathing to even out.  She waited for her hands to stop shaking.  It happened each time she came here – the heart palpitations and shortness of breath.  She wondered if she would ever get over the feeling of loss when there was no loss as of yet.  Each and every time she needed to give herself a pep talk before she went in.  “I’m a grown woman.  I can handle this.  I can do it.”  Then she took a deep breath, and putting her own feelings of hopelessness aside, she placed one foot in front of the other and walked in.

     The lobby was bright and cheerful.  Fall decorations of leaves and mums lined the bulletin board, announcing the week’s activities; Crochet and Knitting Club on Monday at 9:30; Bingo on Tuesday and Thursday at 3:00; a Sing-a-long in the cafeteria at 2:00 on Wednesday; Wheelchair Volleyball on Friday at 10 a.m., and a Fish-fry on Friday at 5 p.m.  All-in-all it was a wonderful place.  Gone were the odorous smells of old-folks homes as in days past.  This home smelled like soap and air freshener.  The nurses and aides were always smiling, happily bringing cheer to each room as they entered.  They called each patient ‘honey’ or ‘sweetie’ and never seemed to tire of helping those in need.  In Ivy’s opinion they were God’s angels on Earth.

     Ivy walked the hallway toward room 206 and she greeted each person she passed.  Some were in wheelchairs, while others moved slowly with walkers, most likely getting in the required steps for the day.  She greeted Mrs. Moore who blew her a kiss each time she, or anyone else, passed by.  Then there was Mr. Barnes, a long-time resident, who always asked her the score of the Detroit Lions game, even when it was no longer football season.  A few residents didn’t seem to know where they were at all; they sat quietly in a perpetual doze, wrapped in blankets as their heads lolled forward.  But no matter what the level of alertness, each resident was treated with respect and given the dignity they deserved after living a long life, and being contributing members to society.

     Ivy stopped in front of the door she was seeking, took a deep breath, and with a quick knock, entered.  Her grandmother was in a tilt-back chair, watching game shows, her feet propped up on the raised footstool.  Ivy always felt awkward at this point, not wanting to disturb her grandmother’s TV.  How she longed for the days when her Nana’s face would light up as she entered the room.  “Hello, Dear.  How was your day?” she would say every day after school.  And then later, “Ivy, darling.  How are you?  Is everything okay at work?  Tell me about it.”  Her never-ending patience as she listened to Ivy’s tales and woes always amazed her.  Since she was an only child and her mother had died at a young age, her grandmother, a widow already, had moved in and helped her father raise her.  Olivia had become a mother and a grandmother all rolled up into one.  Maybe, Ivy often thought, if she hadn’t had so much attention showered upon her, she wouldn’t feel so angry at times at how things were now.  She had chastised herself many times about her disappointment in her grandmother.  ‘How dare she, leave me like this, with no one to talk to except GG,’ she would think, but immediately after, she would feel selfish and immature.

     Olivia Morton was Ivy’s grandmother on her father’s side.  Her father, Thomas, was living in Los Angeles now and rarely came to see his own mother.  Ivy understood that he had a job, a new wife, and other children – young children, but she never understood why he ignored his mother the way he did.  He said it was too hard, seeing her like this – he couldn’t handle it.  Well, it was hard on Ivy, too, but someone had to show up once in a while and make sure she was taken care of.  So she did what she always did each visit, she put on a big smile, and called out loudly, “Nana, it’s me.  Ivy.  How are you this morning?”

     The old woman raised her cloudy grey eyes, and looking straight at Ivy, she said, “Who?  Who are you, now?”