I was taken a little by surprise today when someone said to me, “Have a great Labor Day Weekend!” I knew somewhere in my mind that Monday was Labor Day, because the kids don’t have school (remember when we didn’t START school until AFTER Labor Day?), but I hadn’t really thought about it being a Holiday Weekend. 

This isn’t new. Even when I had a job that forced me to leave my house every day (oh the horrors!), I didn’t make special plans for Labor Day weekend. I was just thrilled to have a day off! Now, of course, working at home, I realize that weekends, holidays, and other assorted days off have all lost a bit of their glow.

After all, I’m always here. So is my desk. So is my work. This is where I work, so it doesn’t matter if it’s an official holiday, if I have work to do, I’m working. And then I wondered if maybe I should change things. Give myself actual holidays. I mean, I am the boss, I can do that! But I’m too much of an achiever (okay…worrier) to sit here and not do things that need to be done.

So, what I’m doing this holiday weekend is the same thing as I do most every weekend, and the same thing I’ll be doing come Monday (Labor Day)-working, writing, being a mom, etc. And really, for the flexibility I have, it’s all good. But I’m thinking maybe, just maybe, we’ll do something a little more spcial this weekend.

I have a bottle of very excellent champagne that a very excellent friend sent me right after I sold A Taste of Magic. I’ve been waiting to officially celebrate, and now that the contract is signed, sealed, and delivered, I’m thinking maybe that will be the special thing this weekend. Um-not the ENTIRE bottle, but a glass or two. I do know how to share!

What about you? What are YOUR plans this holiday weekend? Anything special, fun, exciting going on for you? Or are you like me, and just happy to have a day off come Monday? Regardless, I wish you a very restful, relaxing, pj wearing, Labor Day weekend!

By the way, I have a fun announcement on Monday, so be sure to check in!

Have you been looking for a great book to read? I have NINE for you to choose from! Dorchester Publishing has some of the most amazing authors in the biz, so each month I’m going to highlight them and their books during their release month.

Some of these are re-releases, but most are new releases, and all are guaranteed to give a fantastic read! Whether you prefer historicals, contemporary, suspense, humor, paranormal, or a combination of elements, you’ll find it here. Click on the title for purchase information, the author name for the author web site, the book cover for more info on the book, and at the bottom, I have links to reviews and author blogs (if I could find them!). Have fun!

In alphabetical order by author, Dorchester’s September releases are:

Destiny Bay by Sarah Abbot 

Love Spell Romantic Suspense – New Release

Someone who knows what happened twenty years ago, when Abrielle Lancaster’s mother first came to St. Cecelia island. What caused the vivacious, sensuous girl who lived and loved in the tiny, picturesque Artist’s Cottage to leave it a broken woman? That’s what Abby has traveled to Maine to learn, for in the heart of her, she knows the seed that led to her mother’s tragic death was planted right here, in Destiny Bay, and neither Peeping Toms, nor threatening notes, nor half-imagined sightings of the mysterious White Lady are going to frighten her away. For Abby has fallen in love with the island’s dangerous beauty, with its quirky customs and warm-hearted inhabitants. But most of all, she’s fallen in love with enigmatic, charismatic Ryan Brannigan, the one man who has every reason in the world to hate her. Is he the one who’s been lurking outside her bedroom window in the dark? Is he the one who’s painstakingly plotted every move to recreate a relationship so twisted and terrifying it will never, ever die?

Reviews for Destiny Bay 

Immortals: The Redeeming by Jennifer Ashley 

Love Spell Paranormal Romance – New Release

For centuries they have walked among us—vampires, shape-shifters, the Celtic Sidhe, demons, and other magical beings. Their battle to reign supreme is constant, but one force holds them in check, a race of powerful warriors known as the IMMORTALS

He is going to take her. And it won’t be gentle. After all, the last 700 years of torture and captivity haven’t been gentle on Tain. This woman, this half-demon who leaves him burning with desire, is pretty tough herself. She needs to be, for the world is not safe for demon-kind these days. A violent backlash has disrupted the balance of power, and now Tain finds he may have to rescue the dark ones instead of fight them. He feels compelled to protect the alluring Samantha—whether she wants him to or not—but all he can think of is seduction. Ultimately, she’ll either destroy him or bring exactly what he needs most…THE REDEEMING

Reviews for Immortals: The Redeeming

Jennifer blogs HERE and HERE

Come to Me by Lisa Cach 

Love Spell Paranormal Romance - Re-Release

Samira is the lowliest creature of the Night World: a mere succubus, a winged spirit bringing dreams of passion to sleeping men. She knows every wicked wish that lurks in their hearts, and yet she has never felt the touch of a man’s loving hand. Nor has she wanted to . . . until now. Shattered by war and banished to a crumbling fortress, Nicolae turns to the dark arts. He plans to use Samira as a tool to find a means to oust the invader from his lands and regain all that he’s lost. When she arrives on his doorstep in human form, his long-sought vengeance is lost. What happens next will change their worlds forever.

Reviews for Come to Me

Dream of Me by Lisa Cach 

Love Spell Paranormal Romance - Re-Release

Theron, undying creature of the Night World, knows everything about making love. But though he’s an incubus, a bringer of carnal dreams to sleeping maids, he has grander ambition. He plots to step into the mortal world and rule as king. The beautiful Lucia is imprisoned in a fortress atop a mountain. Her betrothed, Prince Vlad of Wallachia, wants her purity intact; but when the prince breaks his vow, nothing can keep her safe. In the name of vengeance, Lucia will be subjected to Theron’s seduction; she will learn all his lips might teach. A demon of lust and a sheltered princess: each dreams of what they’ve never had. They’re about to get everything they wish . . . and more.

Reviews for Dream of Me

Savage Abandon by Cassie Edwards 

Leisure Historical Romance – New Release

Proud, noble and attuned to the will of the Great Spirit, Wolf Hawk had devoted his life to leading the Winnebago people. So when he discovered two young braves killed by a trap outside the village, he vowed to bring the men responsible to justice. As he set out to track the trappers, he never expected to find a young woman at the end of the trail. An exquisite auburn-haired beauty who claimed she was innocent of wrongdoing, Mia Collins captured his interest even as he reluctantly took her prisoner. While she shared his furs, his mystic powers soared free, but if she was not the killer he sought, who was? Swift vengeance, wild passion, enduring love, he would pursue them all with… SAVAGE ABANDON.

Reviews for Savage Abandon

Double Enchantment by Kathryne Kennedy 

Love Spell Paranormal Romance - New Release

Lady Jasmina was in a world of trouble. A simple spell had gone disastrously haywire and now there was a woman running around London who looked exactly like her—a woman with no sense of propriety whatsoever. All Society was whispering, and a baronet she’d never met was suddenly acting like he knew her…in a most intimate way. To find her double and set things right, they’d have to work together—braving the fog-shrouded streets, a mysterious group called the Brotherhood, and a passion stronger than any magic.

Reviews for Double Enchantment

Kathryne blogs HERE

Stand By Your Hitman by Leslie Langtry

Leisure Romantic Mystery – New Release

Missi Bombay invents things—fatal flowers, Jell-O bullets, stroke-inducing panty hose and other ways to kill a target without leaving any kind of evidence. She’s a great asset to her family of assassins. The one thing she can’t invent, though, is a love life. Unfortunately, her mom has decided to handle that for her. Next thing Missi knows, she’s packed off to Costa Rica for a wild reality show where she’s paired with Lex, the hottest contestant on TV. Too bad she also has to scope out a potential victim. But the job becomes tougher when someone starts sabotaging the show…and love-of-her-life Lex thinks she’s the culprit!

Reviews for Stand By Your Hitman

Leslie blogs HERE

The Dragon Earl by Jade Lee 

Leisure Historical Romance – New Release

ONE MAN
A Chinese monk striding down the aisle was the first shock at countess-to-be Evelyn Stanton’s wedding. To watch him dispatch three groomsmen, unarmed, and to learn that he was white and the long-lost heir to the Earldom of Warhaven, was the second. He would be her husband?

ONE MISSION
After the slaughter of his family in far-off China, Jacob Cato found sanctuary. In a Xi Lin temple he learned to be strong, but now he had a grander goal: to reclaim his English heritage and the woman he’d left behind.

ONE DESTINY
Revenge. It poisoned everything he’d learned, everything he’d done, and yet every fiber of Jacob burned for it—just as he burned for the beautiful but very English Evelyn. Long ago, the conspiracy to kill his family had stranded him, lost Jacob in the exotic East and made him unrecognizable to his countrymen…and women. He had not forgotten that past. It was to make peace that he had returned. The manner was yet to be decided.

Reviews for The Dragon Earl

Jade blogs HERE

Razor Girl by Marianne Mancusi 

SHOMI Speculative Romance – New Release

Molly Anderson is not your average twenty-one-year-old. It’s been six years since she and her family escaped into a bunker, led by her conspiracy theorist father and his foreknowledge of a plot to bring about the apocalypse. But her father’s precautions didn’t stop there. Molly is now built to survive.

Yes, Ian Anderson’s favorite book gave him ideas on how to “improve” his daughter. Molly is faster, stronger, and her ocular implants and razor-tipped nails set her apart. Apart, when—venturing alone out of the bunker and into a plague ravaged, monster-ridden wilderness—what Molly needs most is togetherness. Chase Griffin, a friend from her past, is her best bet. But while he and others have miraculously survived, the kind boy has become a tormented man. Together, these remnants of humanity must struggle toward trusting each other and journey to the one place Molly’s father believed all civilization would be reborn: the Magic Kingdom, where everyone knows it’s a small world after all.

Reviews for Razor Girl

Marianne blogs HERE and HERE

Check out other SHOMI titles HERE

What a list of amazing books! I just have to decide what I’m going to read first…

What books are on YOUR to-be-read pile? Did any of the above pique your interest? Let me know! And for a peek at Dorchester’s October and November Releases, click HERE.

In other news, I’m enjoying the peace and quiet at my house during the day. Even better, the kids are all happy in school so far. I’m sure that won’t last long, but while it does-YAY!

Second post for the day! I’ll be skipping tomorrow (Wednesday) because I’m too excited to wait until then to post this. Lots of news…here we go…

Today, I’m writing about a couple of different things. First, I want to share that my amazing editor at Dorchester Publishing, Chris Keeslar, has been named Editor of the Year by the NYC RWA Chapter. Yay, Chris! And seriously, he is an amazing editor! I feel oh-so-lucky to be working with him.

Oh. So. Lucky. 

Secondly, I wanted to point out a fairly new web site and blog written by another fantastic Dorchester editor, Leah Hultenschmidt. It’s a FANTASTIC site, filled with information about Dorchester releases, authors, and exciting news. She also blogs about her view from the editor’s desk, giving some behind-the-scenes info on all sorts of different things. Terrific reading! I had the pleasure of meeting Leah in San Francisco, and she is sooo nice.

I’d twisted my ankle while I was there (told you I was a klutz!) by tripping over a step on a cable car. Which embarrassed my daughter to no end, by the way. Anyway, Leah–who also had a sprained ankle, and completely empathized with my pain, nicely brought me a fistful of drugs (over-the-counter!) to the Dorchester Spotlight. And let me tell you, that Aleve was SO appreciated. As was the fact she’d thought of me. Very cool on both accounts!

My third bit of news is…

Drum roll, please!

Yesterday, my editor emailed me to let me know the cover art was final, but he couldn’t send it on just yet. So I waited, worried, waited, worried–and yep, waited and worried some more. Earlier today, I received a wonderful (WONDERFUL) quote from the awesomely talented writing team of Tori Carrington about A Taste of Magic, which I then forwarded on to my editor. 

And what is that quote? Here it is:

“A Taste of Magic is a yummy concoction that will leave you craving more, more, more from exciting new author Tracy Madison!” –Nationally Best-selling Author Tori Carrington. 

I was (and still am) blown away by it. In fact, I’d actually stopped thinking about the cover, because come on–I had an amazing quote from authors I respect, love to read, who read MY book and said something great about it. And really–not much gets better than that.

But then, my editor responded to my email within minutes, and with that response, attached my cover art for the book. It was finally here! Finally ready for me to see! I was awash with nerves, excitement, and was literally shaking as I clicked the download button.

I was yakking on the phone to my friend, Steeple Hill author, Lisa Mondello, when it arrived. I think she was in the middle of a sentence, which I rudely (Sorry, Lisa!) interrupted with a shout of excitement. She waited with me, both of us breathless, as I downloaded the picture–only, at first, I couldn’t get it to open up. Lisa’s like “Send it to me. I’ll open it!” I’m like, “I want to see it FIRST!” Finally, I managed to open it correctly, but it was such a large file, the only thing I saw at first was a set of bright red lips.

Interesting, I thought. At this point, I didn’t actually have an opinion, because all I could see were those lips. As quickly as I could, I altered the size so I could view the entire cover at once. My first thought? Wow! My second? Wow! My third? I loved it. LOVED IT!

In present tense: I LOVE IT!!!

And then, after I forwarded it to Lisa, and we both exclaimed over it, I sent it on to a few other friends. Oh, and sent my editor a huge thank you for giving me such a brilliant and amazing and beautiful and wonderful cover. So, here it is, for the world to see (in case you haven’t already seen it on the web site!):

Isn’t it fantastic? Isn’t it brilliant and amazing and wonderful? And look at that dynamite quote on the cover that the very amazing, very talented author Annette Blair gave me after reading my book. The day she emailed me with that quote was another shiver moment in this strange, yet wonderful process of selling and publishing a book.  

In fact, each and every step of this process has been exhilerating for this newbie author, and I can’t tell you how excited I am that my book isn’t only going to be sitting on the shelves, but that it will be out there with that cover.

Of course, now that I won’t have this to worry about, I’ll have to find something else. For me, that won’t be too difficult, really. After all, my third-grade teacher wrote in my grade card, “Tracy is an excellent student, but she worries too much.”

Some things never change!

But wow. That cover. I’m going to stare at it a little longer and then get back to work. Really.

Well, eventually.

See you all on Thursday!!

I love the word “quirks.” I like how it looks, I like how it sounds, and I just like saying it. Quirks. Quirky. See? It’s a fun little word. Beyond the oh-so-coolness of its actual phonetics, I also like what it means.

Quirk has several definitions, but the one I’m talking about today is:

A peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism. 

Why do I love that so much? Because we all have them. Quirks. And your quirks are likely different than mine, and mine are likely different than my neighbor’s, and on it goes. I pay attention to quirks. They tell me a lot about a person, just as mine tell a lot about me. Here’s a random smattering of quirks from people I know (who will remain anonymous for the sake of my safety):

One of my friends…

• has a wild personality, writes erotica, will talk about ANYTHING (and I mean ANYTHING), but doesn’t like to be touched. But while she’ll happily converse with you about any topic (nothing is taboo), just don’t try to hug her. Or touch her. I mean, do not even think about laying a hand on her shoulder–for any reason! She just doesn’t like it. I’m a hugger by nature, so I’ve had to work really hard to remember this when I’m around her–but what I LOVE is the contradiction in character.

Another friend of mine…

• is happy to talk about anything, as well. But really only through emails or IMs. She hates the phone. Hates it with a passion, and while she’ll humor me and talk to me on the phone if I need her to–she’d really prefer if I just stuck to the IMs. Again, I like the contradiction. She’s one of the nicest women I’ve met, is an amazing friend, will do almost anything for people she cares about–but truly prefers to not chat on the phone.

Someone else in my life…

• is quirky as far as colors go. She’ll only wear certain colors, and out of those colors, only certain shades of that color. And trust me–there’s only a handful of truly acceptable shades and colors that fill her wardrobe. But on the other hand, the actual styles of her clothing run the gamut from understated and classy to the wildly outrageous. Another contradiction!

Finally, I have a very good male friend…

• who refuses to date any woman who’s name begins with an “S.” He’s never explained this to me, and I haven’t asked, but I have to assume he’s had very bad luck with women who have “S” names. Other than that, though, he’s pretty open to appearance, age, career, etc.  It’s just that “S” thing! I keep hoping he meets someone named Cindy, falls in love, and then discovers her name is actually “Sindy.” I know, I’m mean, huh?

I have my own quirks. Like, I refuse to watch a movie (even if it’s one I’ve seen a dozen times) from the middle. If I can’t see it from the beginning, I’m not watching it. Oh-I also hate, hate, hate sitting in a public place with my back to the room. I’m not sure where this came from, but if I can’t snag a chair by the wall, I’m uncomfortable the entire time. Drives some of my friends nuts when we go out to lunch or dinner!

Besides giving us an indicator of the person, quirks are interesting, fun, and often–downright funny. Heck, without quirks, we’d be kind of boring. All of us. Which is why I notice quirks and think about them when I’m creating my characters for my books.

My heroine, Elizabeth, in A Taste of Magic is a little quirky for sure. She has the unfortunate tendency to get stuck in interesting places, for one. But it’s her Grandma Verda who steals the show as far as quirkiness goes. She was a hoot to write and some of her quirks came from my great-grandmother Verda Jackson, so the fictional Verda is even more special to me. Let’s just say I had a blast writing her!

For fictional characters to feel real, they must have quirks. Oh, they don’t have to be anything wild or crazy…and sometimes, tiny mannerisms or actions, etc., are the strongest in characterization. But they need to have something that makes them become real to the readers. Quirks help us indentify with the characters in the books we read, they help us see them as real, live people, and that makes it easier for us to care about them.

So-if you feel like sharing, what are some of YOUR quirks? I’ve shown you mine, show me yours!

Anyone who has children knows that finding the perfect name for their son or daughter-to-be takes an extraordinary amount of time. Or, at least, for most people it does. The amount of baby name books on the market can attest to that. Though, for others, they’ve either known for years which names they were going to use, or they found the perfect name quickly. 

I wasn’t so lucky! It took me many books and many lists to name my kids, and sometimes it takes that much to name my characters. And other times, I know a character’s name within seconds of thinking about the story.

When that doesn’t happen, I begin making lists–just as I did before each of my children were born. When the name isn’t immediately apparent, I think of the story, the character, and how I expect them to behave throughout the book.  Often, this gives me a starting point. For example, if my heroine is going to be a little different, I’ll probably try to find a name that matches her quirky personality (Think Dharma from Dharma and Greg.) If my heroine is studious and a deep thinker, I might focus on names that will reflect that aspect of her life. 

Sometimes, though, I like to go the opposite route and search out a name that is distinctly different than her personality, because I think this can add an interesting edge to her characterization. Think about it! A brain surgeon named Barbie? While I’ve never written a book about a brain surgeon named Barbie, the contradiction appeals to me. Or maybe a high-fashion model named Prudence? Thinking about the stereotypes associated with each name gives a plethora of possibilities for both the character’s current life, as well as the struggles they’ve likely faced because of their name.

Because I am a sucker for all things Irish, I tend to focus on Irish names first. This is especially true for my heroes! For some reason, I love a hero with an Irish name. Ahh – Keagan, Liam, Shay, and Sean immediately come to mind. I see deep green eyes, black hair, and an irrepressible grin on any hero with an Irish name. Because of this tendency, I often have to go out of my way to find a non-Irish name I like for my heroes. I mean, they can’t all be Irish, now can they? 

Even so, choosing first names is much easier for me than choosing last names. On my want list is a book on surnames from around the world – but I have yet to find one. It wouldn’t have to be overly extensive, just a smattering of examples would suffice, but what a great resource that would be!

What I have done, with the help of another writer friend, is begin an Excel spreadsheet with surnames. Whenever I see or hear of an interesting one, I add it to my list and do a quick search to determine the history of the name. This is time consuming though, and I find I don’t add to it nearly as often as I should. But the list is steadily, if slowly, growing.

So – what do I do if a name doesn’t immediately come to mind when I’m beginning a new book? I scour through baby name web sites, to begin with. While I have a couple of great naming books, I don’t tend to use them as often as I turn to the Internet. As I see names I like, I begin to write that list I talked about earlier. I play with different combinations, and usually find exactly what I’m looking for. 

Sometimes, I begin using a name in whatever story I’m writing, only to find it isn’t quite right the further I get in. The story isn’t coming together for me, or the character isn’t working, and I can’t figure out why. When this happens, I go back to my list and try something new. This is one of those times when the Find/Replace function in MS Word is very handy! And more often than not, I’ve found by simply changing the name, everything about that character comes to life for me.

Usually, though, by the time I’m finished with my first draft – my characters’ names are exactly right. And just as I can’t imagine my children with any other moniker, the same goes for my characters. And there are characters from many books I’ve read that stand out in my memory. Partly because of the story, partly because of the character, but also because of the name.

Some of my favorite character names are:

• Harry Potter from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series
• Minerva Dobbs from Jennifer Crusie’s Bet Me
• Eve Dallas from J.D. Robb’s In Death series
• Acheron from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series
• Trixie Belden (Variety of authors) from my childhood

There’s more, but that’s what comes to mind immediately. I’d love to hear how you’ve chosen names! Whether baby names or character names, if you’d like to share – I’m all ears. And if you have a favorite character name from a book you’ve read, spill the beans! Why is it a favorite? Because the name fits the character perfectly? Because the name is opposite of the character? Or is it for another reason? 

One of my favorite things about the RWA (Romance Writers of America) national conference each year is the multitudes of free books you get to have autographed and bring home. In 2007, I brought home around 100 books (seriously). This year, I had a little more going on, so wasn’t able to get as many as last year, but I still brought home around 30 books or so.

In the midst of working, writing, and other real life stuff, I’ve been on a reading binge since I came home. Yesterday, I finished Kristin Hannah’s Firefly Lane.  Previously, I’d only read one book by Kristin (Comfort & Joy), which I loved, loved, loved. So it was with great excitement I began reading Firefly Lane a few days ago (isn’t the cover gorgeous?). I’m not a reviewer, so I’m not going to try to blurb and then review, but this book is amazing on so many levels. So many. It’s also incredibly sad, like cry buckets of tears till your chest hurts, sad. But even so, it’s also uplifting.

I’m not going to post any spoilers, because this book deserves to be read without prior knowledge of what happens. But I wanted to talk a little about the emotional journey Kristin put me through, without giving away any details. Her characterization is top-notch. I knew these characters like they were my family and closest friends in the world. I understood what made them tick, I liked them, I rooted for them, I laughed, I commiserated. In a nutshell–I simply “got” this book.

The ending is sad, as I mentioned before, and at first I was a little angry with Kristin. Okay, a lot angry. I admit it. As tears rolled down my cheeks, I tossed the book aside. But even as angry as I was (and I was angry), even as sad as I was, I still recognized one true fact. Kristin Hannah’s writing, her story, THIS story, came alive to me like (unfortunately) too few books do nowadays. I blame myself for this, not the authors. As a writer, it’s difficult for me to get truly lost in a story, as I’m almost always reading from more of a writer’s point of view than a reader’s. But this book hooked me fast, kept me hooked, put my emotions through a rollercoaster, and left me bereft when the story ended (for more than one reason!).

While I’d have preferred a different ending (I’m not going to lie), as a writer, I understand why Kristin wrote the book the way she did. It’s powerful. It makes me you think. But more than anything else, in my opinion, it makes you feel. All books have a journey of some kind, and for me, the emotional journeys are the most powerful and the most meaningful. I think they’re also the most difficult to achieve, from a writer’s perspective. So, while this post may sound a lot like a review, it isn’t meant to be. It’s more of a kudos to Kristin Hannah, for making me laugh, cry, get mad, and everything else she did within the 479 pages of Firefly Lane.

And guess what? I’ll be buying her books in the future, no doubt about that.

So, what do YOU like the most in the types of books you read? Have you read a really great book lately? If so, let me know what it was!

That’s it for this week, see everyone on Monday. Which, by the way, is the DAY before the kids go back to school. Yay!

Other than the obvious, of course, which is holding my book in my hand for the very first time. But that moment won’t happen for months and months yet, so for the more near future, here’s what I’m looking forward to:

• Quiet days when the kids are back in school.
• Cooler weather as autum approaches. I seriously can’t wait for this. I am not, in any way, a summer gal. I prefer rainy weather over hot, humid days ANY day of the week.
• The new TV season. Yes, I’m pitiful, but I love my shows. In particular, I’m looking forward to Desperate Housewifes, Supernatural, Lost (not until February, though), The Bachelor (I LOVE this show, go ahead and laugh), American Idol (I’m sadly, sadly, addicted), 24, and probably some others I’m not thinking of right now. I’m bummed to find out that Journeyman was cancelled. I really liked the premise of that show, but oh well.
• Finishing my current book and getting started on the next.
• Sleeping when most other people sleep, you know–at night.
• Seeing my cover for the very first time.
• Experiencing my daughter’s last year of high school, though this will be a bittersweet moment. How did my baby grow up so fast?
• Enjoying Christmas at home this year with my family, instead of being in the hospital.

At the moment, I think that list about does it. What are you looking forward to in the coming months? Anything exciting happening for you? Please share!

Also-just a quick mention. If you haven’t already, sign up for my filled with news, information, and other cool stuff newsletter. You can find the sign up here: Tracy’s Newsletter!

Beginning in October, I’m planning on having some really fun contests only for my newsletter members. Everything from autographed books by some really terrific authors, to gift certificates, to some other surprises. So sign up! Sign your friends up! (With their permission, of course). I promise to not spam or give your email address out to anyone else. As A Taste of Magic’s release date approaches, I’ll have more contests planned to celebrate.

Oh-if you’re a family member or friend of mine, you’re aready signed up. You can thank me later.