The Countdown Begins

Thought for the day:  Good things come to (s)he who waits.

I sure hope that thought for the day is correct, because I'm currently waiting (and waiting...!) for the AWOL AOL to come back up so I can access my email. ARRRRRGH! Talk about frustrating.

Oh well. It's April, people! Glory be, it's time for me to consider donning snow shoes to make it easier to plow through pollen as high as an elephant's eye so I can pull weeds, dig holes, plant plants and admire the profusion of beautiful flowers on every side. Woo-HOO! It's time to breathe in deeply (while wearing a mask, of course...) and enjoy the gorgeous springtime temperatures while they last. Here in Georgia, sweltering weather is always lurking in the shadows and could mug(gy) us at any minute.

It's also time for the monthly IWSG post, which is the only reason I'm here. April is typically my month to unplug from blogging so I can concentrate on writing, do some yard work, and give the dustballs around the house a good cleaning, but I decided to hang around long enough to participate with fellow IWSG-ers first. (It wasn't terribly difficult to tear myself away from the riveting job of scrubbing and treating our kitchen cabinets...) As always, thanks to our fearless leader, Alex Cavanaugh, for founding this fine group, and thanks to all the other nurturing guys and gals who've helped turn it into the thriving community it is today. To join this super supportive group of writers and to see links to other participating blogs, please go HERE

GUESS WHAT???

Book One of the Blast Rites trilogy is almost ready to launch!

 Just LOOK at that cover! Isn't it gorgeous?

Valerie-Jael Tups took that breathtaking sunrise photo, and Anne Gallagher added the swallow silhouette and lettering  to turn it into the perfect cover to capture the essence of my story. It makes my heart sing every time I look at it. So, bottom line, in this long journey to publication, we're finally nearing the finish line.

Wanta see the back-cover blurb? (As if you  had a choice... here it comes, ready or not!)

Maybe this time will be different.

Terrible things happen to the people he cares about the most, so it’s safer for Archie Jaworski to simply stop caring. He doesn’t give a flying fandango what anybody says about him, keeps every relationship shallow, and does unto others before they can do unto him.

And then, shortly before he leaves the Army, he spots a pretty widow and her two kids, and all bets are off.

His war hero uncle says he’s not good enough for that perfect little lady, but Archie’s determined to prove him wrong. No matter how many threats his uncle and his fellow officers make to scare him away from their buddy’s widow, and no matter what it takes, he’s determined to meet that family and to seduce that skirt.

What’s more, if she’s a decent cook, he might even marry her.

Archie plans his courtship to the smallest detail, but the one thing he forgets to do is keep his feelings under wraps. He doesn’t mean to care about them, but the allure of finally being part of something normal, something good, is more than he can resist. 

Maybe this time, no one has to die.

                                                                                      

Explosive Beginnings is a thrilling roller coaster ride through the 1950s, featuring surprising twists and a shocking finish I didn't see coming. Gripping!!!    Robynne Rand, author of THE MECHANIC NEXT DOOR

***************
Once a date is set, Explosive Beginnings will be available for pre-order through Amazon, and a bunch of e-version copies will also be up for grabs through a Goodreads giveaway. (Feeling lucky?) As soon as those two things are revved up and set to launch, I'll let ya know. NOTE: Some people may be offended by the language and content of this book, but like Truman Capote said, You can't blame a writer for what the characters say. ☺


            Good luck to everyone participating in the A-Z Challenge. 
                                      See y'all next month. 

                Until then, take care of yourselves. And each other.                  

                                              Not YET... but SOON!