After a very long gap, I’m back. Like most of us, quarantine slowed me down, but that is not the true reason for my absence. I have been self-publishing a series! The first two books of the Starchild Series, Taking the Stars and Taking Control, are available on Amazon in paperback, and on KDP in ebook. You can also buy them from various other vendors on the internet. Taking the World is in the process of publishing, and Taking It All, is in final edit. I have also started publishing chapters of my science fiction novel, Deformation, on Kindle Vella. The first four chapters are up. Check them out! The first 3 are free, so you can read them and–I hope–decide you want to find out what comes next! I will post a new chapter on Mondays, and I have 23 chapters in the can, so I won’t let you down! Feel free to make comments or point out errors if you find them.

Meanwhile, I am working on learning how to promote my upcoming science fiction novel, Flashing Dark. I have an amazing cover and the book is ready to go, but I plan a November 1st release, to give me time to gather some reviews. If you are interested in being part of that process, please let me know. I will send you an advance reader copy in exchange for a review. (I have yet to figure out that complete process, so we can do that together.)

I have been busy, yes, but the greatest tragedy of the past year is the loss of my husband of 49 yrs, Sam. He was the love of my life and I miss him every day. He did not die of Covid, but I feel that the necessary self-isolation it brought did not help. For those of you who were lucky enough to know him, you know how much he loved to be on stage, always cutting up and making other people laugh. I was very lucky and honored to have him in my life. He was ready to record my first unboxing and knew how much it meant to me. Unfortunately, the copy of my first book arrived in the mail hours after he passed.

So, forgive my absence; as you can see, I had good reasons for it. I promise to do better in the future. And I thank you all kindly for subscribing to Taking the Stars.

Selling books at an event at the Garden Patch in Smiths Grove this summer.