Okay, I didn’t really run away, but I did make a short trip to spend a little responsibly managed together time with my friends Holly and Brinda.
We rented a place on the edge of the Hot Springs National Forest and took a couple of days to think, talk, and type. Yes. A mini writing retreat! We each had our own space, plenty of room to spread out to work, and the nice people at Bite Squad and Grubhub kept us fed. Just look how sad we were to be together after all these months…
I promise, this is the closest we got all weekend!
There may have been a tad more talking than typing, but it was all good. Words were achieved, brainstorms were set awhirl, and best of all, we had a chance to reconnect. There’s nothing like time spent with other writers to help get the juices flowing.
I’ve started work on the second book in my Harlequin Intrigue series, and I’m super-excited!
How about you? Are you finding ways to stay connected to the people who bring you joy? I sure hope so!
I hope you all are happy and heathy. I appreciate you!
Today, I have a fun surprise to share with you…I’ve teamed up with 50+fantastic authors to give away a huge collection of Steamy Romances to two lucky winners!
Oh, and did I mention the Grand Prize winner gets a BRAND NEW eReader? You can win TO MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE, plus books from authors like Dylann Crush, Lorelei James, Dakota Davies, and Emma Vikes.
Enter the giveaway by clicking here 🔥bit.ly/SteamyRomance-Aug2020
I know my adopted home state takes a lot of knocks. When it comes to poking fun at places, Arkansas is considered an easy target. I’m guilty of taking a few potshots at it over the years too.
But as far as most Arkansans are concerned, that’s fine. Go on thinking what you’ve been thinking and fly right over us.
We know what you are missing…This place is beautiful.
They call Arkansas the Natural State. Not because we all run around naked, but because so much of the land is preserved and undeveloped. The place is lousy with trees, creeks, free-flowing rivers, and lakes brought to us courtesy of the Army Corps of Engineers. With all that on our doorstep, it seemed only, well, natural for us to wander the backroads a bit.
Fodder and I ran away to a little cabin in the Buffalo National Forest to celebrate Independence Day. If you have never been to the Buffalo, put it on your must-do list. It truly is a national treasure.
Our home away from home – built @ 1939 by the Civilian Conservation CorpsStaying socially distant, but loving every minute of it!Buffalo National River
This past weekend, our daughter introduced us to Lake Greeson, a place we never knew about, even though it was only 2 hours from our house! On our way to and from, we passed through the little town of Delight, Arkansas – home of Glen Campbell. I’ll let you guess where the road trip playlist went from there.
We love a scenic overlook!
We’re already plotting and planning where to go next.
How about you? Have you been able to get out and about? I hope you and yours are finding ways to get out and enjoy your summer!
It’s been a long time. Over 18 months, since I finished TO MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE. I’ve started and stopped three other novels since then, but nothing stuck. Time and again, I dove in again. Over and over I hit a wall.
I thought very seriously about quitting. After all, there’d be no shame in that. I’d written forty complete works. I’d signed with my top pick of literary agents. I’ve been contracted by a half-dozen publishers, earned starred reviews, and had a book named Amazon book of the month.
I knew I could write, I just couldn’t…write.
By the middle of 2019, I’d stopped even attempting. Then I stumbled across some YouTube videos produced by author coach, Becca Syme. Everything she said clicked with me.
In February, I met with my agent while at my agency retreat and we discussed possible projects. I could tell none of the ideas I pitched were working for her, but she knew I was ready to dive back in, so I started toying with one of the ideas. But all the while, I was wondering if I was done.
Then she asked if I wanted to write something completely different. An opportunity to submit a proposal to Harlequin Romance’s Intrigue line. For those of you not familiar with the line, Intrigue specializes in gritty romantic suspense – something I’d never attempted before.
I had a vague idea for a story, so I ran with it. I wrote two chapters and a detailed proposal for three books in a series that would revolve around small town law and justice.
Three weeks later, I had an offer and a contract.
And as of Saturday, I have a completed manuscript.
Screenshot of actual manuscript. 🙂
There’s still a lot of work to do, but for the first time in a long time, I’m excited. I hope you will be too!
I baked another loaf of bread yesterday. I think I may have a problem.
It’s nothing fancy, and I certainly don’t make ’em pretty, but yum!
It’s an easy white bread recipe I found online. I think it’s even titled ‘Easy Homemade Bread‘. We’re totally hooked. As soon as it cooled the teensiest bit, we sliced into that loaf and slathered our victim with softened butter.
My only regret is that I’ll never be able to enjoy a slice of gold old Wonder bread again.
Hello, friends. How are you? I am well and hope you and yours are too! If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, you’ll be glad to know I’m back in the saddle again.
That’s my daddy on that pony!
Except my saddle is a desk chair, and I’m trying to rein in the first book in my upcoming series with Harlequin Intrigue. I’m closing in on the last 10k or so words and boy are things happening! This has been such a fun experience for me.
Contributing to the fun aspect of cranking out a whole new book in just a couple of months is the 30 for 30 challenge issued by Better-Faster Academy. Becca Syme and her team challenged us all to spend thirty minutes per day working with our manuscripts for 30 days in a row.
Well, you know Team Awesome was all over that.
Team Awesome
Jewels and I love a competition, and if there are prizes, well…watch out! We’re 20 days in and churning out the words like maniacs.
Hey, did you remember that To Make You Feel My Love is out there in the world looking for some love? Grab a copy today! If you already have your copy, don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon, GoodReads, Book Bub, or wherever you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts.
It’s a tough market these days, and my algorithms need all the help they can get!
Finally, we’ll be wrapping up the Hometown Hope collection giveaway. Last week, this collection of seventeen full-length novels (including my Home In Heartsfield) was the #1 free download in its category on Amazon. If you’re looking for an easy way to find some new-to-you authors, grab a copy now!
TO MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE is live on all platforms! Don’t forget, you can order digital copies directly from me by clicking the Buy Direct button on the menu above. Use this coupon code to get 25% off your direct purchase: 25OFFMAGGIE
Brittany Owens is a young woman on the brink. As Brit’s career soars past up-and-coming and hurtles toward the stratosphere, she feels like she doesn’t have any control over its trajectory. Her grandfather is country music royalty. Her momager is determined to get Brit to the top at all costs. And then, there is the man she fell for when she was far too young to know any better. Cash Dorsett once had stardom within his grasp. But the excesses that come with a life in the spotlight had him landing flat on his face when he reached for the success he craved. Clean and sober now, he doesn’t let himself think about the blue-eyed girl he left in the wreckage of his career. Much. A chance encounter leads to an intense collaboration. But can Brit and Cash find a way to make beautiful music together without allowing her rising star to burn their love to the ground?
And I have big news!
I have a new book deal! Here are the deets:
Women’s/Romance Maggie Wells’s Pine Woods trilogy, about local law enforcement, prosecutors, lawyers, and DEA agents who combat drug trade in small-town Southern USA, to Denise Zaza at Harlequin Intrigue, in a three-book deal, for publication in September 2021, by Sara Megibow at kt literary.
I‘m super-excited to dive into writing romantic suspense. I hope you all will enjoy the ride too!
So this little bit of news dropped in Publishers Marketplace today:
Women’s/Romance Maggie Wells’s Pine Woods trilogy, about local law enforcement, prosecutors, lawyers, and DEA agents who combat drug trade in small-town Southern USA, to Denise Zaza at Harlequin Intrigue, in a three-book deal, for publication in September 2021, by Sara Megibow at kt literary.
That’s right, I’m diving into the world of romantic suspense! I’m thrilled and terrified, and so very grateful to have you all along for this ride. Buckle up!
I have a new release this week! TO MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE will be live on all platforms on Thursday, May 14, 2020. Be sure to mark your calendar or pre-order now! Don’t forget, you can order digital copies directly from me by clicking the Buy Direct button on the menu above. Use this coupon code to get 25% off your direct purchase: 25OFFMAGGIE
Brittany Owens is a young woman on the brink. As Brit’s career soars past up-and-coming and hurtles toward the stratosphere, she feels like she doesn’t have any control over its trajectory. Her grandfather is country music royalty. Her momager is determined to get Brit to the top at all costs. And then, there is the man she fell for when she was far too young to know any better.
Cash Dorsett once had stardom within his grasp. But the excesses that come with a life in the spotlight had him landing flat on his face when he reached for the success he craved. Clean and sober now, he doesn’t let himself think about the blue-eyed girl he left in the wreckage of his career. Much.
A chance encounter leads to an intense collaboration. But can Brit and Cash find a way to make beautiful music together without allowing her rising star to burn their love to the ground?
On Friday, our friend Michelle lost her battle with cancer.
This isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with grief. I’ve lost grandparents, both my father and mother, all but one aunt and uncle, a few co-workers and acquaintances, and grieved each and every one of them.
But this one is hitting me hard.
There are a lot of reasons why I may not be dealing well. It happened too soon. The disease progressed too fast. She was too young, too bright, too vibrant, too determined. All of those toos and too many others.
Her family asked if I would write something about her life, not knowing that she was the reason I became a romance writer. She loved the fan-fiction I wrote and was always after me to write something original. She gave me her story, and I gave her a prologue for her birthday in 2009. She read it, liked it, and then pushed me to write the rest of the story which would become the first novel I wrote, Contentment.
Here is the last thing I wrote for Michelle:
Michelle Kelly lived a life filled with passion and unmatched generosity ofspirit. Family, friends, acquaintances – no one was immune to her bright smile or the mischievous twinkle in her eye. She had a laugh that drew people to her and used it well and often. Michelle will forever be known as a determined shopper, willing and able volunteer, world-class adventurer, and master of all things organizational. Her wit was stealthy and her humour good-natured. She frequently amused her friends by misappropriating words with intent to tickle.
But mostly she loved. Michelle loved her family and friends with unreserved gusto. Shakespeare had the measure of Michelle Kelly when he wrote, “And though she be but little, she is fierce.” Our Michelle was the fiercest of women – bright, beautiful, and brave.
How do you say goodbye to someone who altered your life in such a profound way? Someone who shared your highs, lows, passing enthusiasms, and enduring loves?
The truth is, I have no idea.
So I’ll just sit with it a while. Feel all these feelings, and cry all these tears. The only way forward is through, right? I do know one thing for certain. Kelly Clarkson was right, my life will suck without her.
