Years back I wrote what was to be the first novel in a mystery series. It featured a amateur sleuth by accident that didn’t fit the parameters of a cozy, detective, legal/medical, police procedural, romance or suspense. None totally. Nada.

The manuscript won awards and was debated over by agents for the better part of a year. Nothing came of it. Nobody’s take on it was the same, nor where the suggestions for rewrites. Even hiring an editor to give an in-depth look gave me a solution that differed. So I shelved it.

But I could never get it out of my mind. I wrote romances for two houses and enjoyed it. But my life took a curve along the way and I began to struggle. For the first time in my life I couldn’t write a sentence. A sentence! It was painful. Humiliating.

As I battled major writers block, I remembered when I sat down to originally pen the mystery I was only interested in pleasing me and I half way succeeded. Face it, I had been an unpublished novice trying to break in to this wondrous world of publishing. And I did it. My own way with the help of an amazing group of writers I love to this day, and an incredible editor who believed in me.

After a long draught I broke the dreaded writers curse and got a novel published. And when it was done I sat down to update this novel that wouldn’t leave my mind. I changed names, places, and location to reflect what I was shooting for the first time but didn’t quite make it. My heroine had grown up during that hiatus and now I knew she secretly hoped to find out what happened to her mother and learn the identity of her father. Then some mistakes she made along the way come back to haunt her. Big time. Shit happens. And the series begins.

So from now until I finish this work, I’ll think about who and where to send it or self-pub which I’m totally ignorant about. Yes, I’ll admit it. I cringe thinking of all I would have to learn in able to do this great publishing thing and freeze, which I don’t want to do. Ever again.

In the meantime, I’ll slowly get other committed works out there, enjoy life with my husband in the country, and write on with the mystery.

I’m way late posting an update out our trip to NOLA, arriving several days before the RT Booklovers Convention 2014. Of course I’d signed up to go, and since we hadn’t been away on a real normal trip, we thought why not do it now.

Upon arriving early, we checked in, unpacked quickly and hit the streets. Bourbon St to be exact. It was everything exciting I thought it would be plus everything icky creepy mixed in.

The soulful jazz and blues oozing from dives amid the French Quarter make it heavenly magic. I liked it and wanted to see more. And we did!

NOLA is easy to get around, either by trolley, bus, taxi or on foot. We walked more than I thought he’d be able to tolerate.

He surprised me with a romantic dinner cruise with jazz on the Mississippi. All over the Garden District, downtown and the French Quarter, we ate, we drank, we relaxed. He flew home on Wednesday, leaving me to do the convention.

RT outdid itself again by putting on a great convention, and NOLA was a great venue. I signed and gave out all of my swag and free books. And too soon the week was over and I flew home.

And I got right back into writing a book that’s due at on the editor’s desk.

So would I mix business and pleasure into one trip again? Yes, it can work. Would I return to NOLA? Anytime.

I just received the cover for my July Presents. Love it!

Who knew I could juggle? Certainly not me. Yet I’m writing another intense romance for Harlequin Presents while Gina and Luke, the heroine and hero of my upcoming RS, sit suspended in danger.

With luck and a lot of work, my first hybrid novel, will release in May. Edging up to that time, I’d love to have a street team in place.

Any takers?

Email me please. I’d love to get my dedicated readers on board first.

More to come next month.

My amazing Harlequin editor offered a two book contract, acquiring Luciano’s and Caprice’s romance in this deal.

Pending title: Bound by The Italian’s Contract.
Release date: July 2014