May Update

Finally, spring is arriving...and I'm getting back on schedule.

A long snowy winter means a lot of shovelling. This year, it also meant a lot of writing for me: in four months, I’ve written as much as I usually write in six. That’s an excellent accomplishment, yet there has been a small price. My socials are languishing, and my monthly updates haven’t been happening.

Let’s catch up.

In February, Just Trouble was published. That’s the first contemporary romance in my new series, The Carpe Diem Café, which is set in a fictional small town in Canada. I really like this book - the bad boy comes back to town to make things right, and the good girl who has a crush on him in high school is the only one who can make his plan work. Luke and Daphne are fun together, almost as if they’re perfect for each other. (Ha.)

Book two of the series, Just Like Starting Over, is on pre-order for July. Mike and Sylvia’s story is a second chance romance with a secret baby - all the secrets unravel when Sylvia comes back to Empire to make a fresh start. Does it include Mike? I know what Mike thinks, but can he convince Sylvia to give him another chance?

These books have two covers - one with the photograph of the hero, as shown above, and a second illustrated cover with the couple. That’s a bit of an experiment, although it’s working out as I anticipated - the edition with the guys sell better in ebook, while print book readers reach for the illustrated edition.

While Empire is a fictional town, it’s inspired by a number of real places in my corner of the world. The mister and I have been taking road trips for the past year to explore. I love planning fictional realms, so there’s a map of the town of Empire (available for download on my site) and Pinterest boards of inspiration.

These books are also written in first person and present tense, which might seem like a change for me but actually it’s a return to my original impulse. My first contemporary romance, Third Time Lucky, was written in first person, and so was the next one, Double Trouble. I switched to third person for the rest of that series at my editor’s recommendation, and have stayed there ever since. Twenty years ago, romance readers weren’t so fond of first person POV, but I really love its immediacy, especially in present tense, so I’m enjoying these books a lot.

My sale contemporary romance for May is Just One Christmas Night, the series finale for Flatiron Five Tattoo. This is a later-in-life, love-unexpected romance set at a Christmas wedding at a resort in Maine. I love Chynna and Trevor’s fresh start and hope you do, too. The book is just 99cents through the end of May. If you like print editions, there’s a trade paperback of the entire series which I think is just the right size - satisfyingly chunky but not too heavy to read. :-)

I have a release coming up this month from my alter ego, Claire Delacroix.

The Duke’s Desire is book six of my Regency romance series, The Ladies’ Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction. It’s Esmeralda Ballantyne and the Duke of Haynesdale’s story. These two have been at odds throughout the series and battling their mutual attraction - will either be satisfied by an affair, or will their relationship become more? (I think you can guess.)

I had expected The Duke’s Desire to be the series finale, but my characters had a surprise for me. There will be a Christmas romance coming later this year, featuring Ophelia Pearl, the actress who helped contrive Esmeralda’s disguise as Mrs. Oliver. Ophelia is no stranger to secrets and hidden identities, and I’m looking forward to writing her story. There won’t be a pre-order on this until it’s written.

To celebrate the publication of The Duke’s Desire, book one of the series, The Christmas Conquest, is on sale through the end of May for just 99cents.

I do have a medieval romance pre-order listed for December, too. One Knight’s Bride is book four of the Rogues & Angels series, which fell by the wayside a few years ago when I was having trouble getting the words on the page. I’m looking forward to finishing up this series of knights and comrades returning home from crusade, often to find more than anticipated. Good thing they were given a gift from that innkeeper in Outremer, an item that helps them triumph over adversity. You can read that scene on my website, right here.

The Crusader’s Bride, book one of The Champions of St. Euphemia medieval romances is on sale for 99cents for the month of May as well. Come meet Gaston, Ysmaine, and the knights entrusted with the delivery of a Templar treasure…

And then there are the dragons. (There are always dragons in my office…)

The other series that dropped off my schedule is the DragonFate Novels, and I’ve listed a pre-order for the fourth novel in that series, Dragon’s Wolf, for next March. I couldn’t see the way forward, with several series meshing together in the timeline of this book, at least not until I wrote Kiss of Enchantment. Now I can envision it, and it’s entwined with the plot for Kiss of Twilight.

Kiss of Twilight will be available first at Kickstarter, then will be published later at the retailers. I’ve run into complications planning for special editions with the new and evolving tariff situation, so it’s entirely possible that Dragon’s Wolf will make it to retailers first (even though Kiss of Twilight will be written already.)

Speaking of Kickstarter, the next campaign will be for Kiss of Twilight, in ebook, trade paperback and shiny hardcover, as well as new print editions of Kiss of Enchantment. This is the cover for the new editions of Kiss of Enchantment by Malice & Mayhem Book Covers. I have a July booking with the designer to create a series cover for Kiss of Twilight in this style and finish out the details of both.

My plan is for this design to be on the dust jacket of the hardcover, with foil on the dust jacket. The case laminate will have a different graphic design, also with foil, and there will be pretty end-papers as well as printed edges. The design for Kiss of Twilight will have similarities - two dragons on that cover, as both the hero and heroine are dragon shifters. These blingy editions will have to cross borders to get to most backers, as they will be printed in the UK. The printer will drop-ship them individually though (not all do, but this one does) so there will be a page in front for my signature, and I’ll mail backers signed bookplates to put in their books. That will save one tier of shipping.

There will also be a trade paperback without foil. These can be printed in several geos (US, UK, AU and EU) which will make them a more affordable option. This design will be on the outside cover, with the case laminate design on the inside of the cover (duplexed) and the same interior details including the page for the bookplate. We’ll likely do a shiny bookmark so there will be bling for everyone, and maybe some character illustrations and cards. I’m hoping this will be a good compromise. :-)

You can follow the Kickstarter campaign here to be notified at launch.

I’ve also been rebuilding my online store. This time, it’s set up with WooCommerce and I’m much happier with the result. I also (finally) put my publisher name into action, so it’s called Hazel & Honeysuckle Press. Digital products are fulfilled by BookFunnel, and right now, print books can be pre-ordered for local pick-up. I still have more books to add to the store, but I’m getting there. :-) I will configure the shipping module once all the books are listed.

Finally, this year, I started to do local signings again. It’s really good to get out and talk to people about books again, so I’m enjoying these events. You can find the current list on my website, on the Booksignings & Workshops page. The events also appear on the dropdown list of pick-up locations in the online store, if you buy physical books.

I think that’s about it for this month, although I may have missed something. Look for a post later this month about print editions and Kickstarter plans.
Happy reading!
All my best,
Deborah