I’m writing this on Valentine’s Day. It’s bitterly cold outside and another winter storm is headed our way. The lower level of our house is torn apart, thanks to some hungry termites. The termites have been dispatched–I’m sorry, but I can’t feel very sad about that–and now we have called in a contractor to determine the extent of the damage. Lots of surprises when you tear apart an addition that was built in the late 70s. Lots of money spent, too, but the renovated room will have some new amenities–like insulation.
My happy news: How to Manage a Marquess is finally out of my hands for good, which means I’ve posted an excerpt. The prologue and the first two chapters are here, where you can also find the links to preorder it in paperback, ebook, or audio, if you so desire. Release date is April 26, when spring will have sprung in my corner of the world and the contractor will, hopefully, have departed. I’m extremely happy to say that as a bonus, In the Spinster’s Bed, which came out as an e-novella last June/July, is included in the print version of How to Manage a Marquess. I’m still a print reader, so I’m always happy when “dinosaurs” like me can read my books.
I’ve also done a little web site updating. I’ve added a couple questions and answers to my FAQ page, including a photo of the real Poppy, here, and some events to my appearances list. While I’ll be spending most of the first half of the year holed up in my hopefully termite-free home writing, I will poke my head out occasionally. On Friday, April 29, I plan to be at the Washington Romance Writers’ pre-retreat signing in Westminster, Maryland; and on Thursday, May 19, I’ll be at Turn the Page Bookstore’s Girls Night Out. I’ll also be in San Diego in July at the Romance Writers of America’s conference. As the details are finalized, I’ll update the links.
Now it’s back to work on When to Engage an Earl, coming in June 2017, while the workmen hammer away beneath me. I can feel the vibrations on the soles of my feet! The noise-canceling headphones that I splurged on for my last trip to England are coming in quite handy.