I just looked up and saw it was the 20th of the month. Where did February go?
SHADOWING HER STALKER will only be on store shelves for a few more days, so if you want a paperback copy, be sure to grab it now.
CATCHING A HACKER will hit shelves next week. Yay!! As always, if you spot one of my books in the wild, be sure snap a pic and post/send it along. I love seeing your faces and “visiting” new places!
Here’s one Fodder took of me and my book in my hometown B&N.
My sourdough journey continues…
The fact that I used sourdough and journey in the same sentence tells you I have been fully indoctrinated in the cult. Last weekend, I made 3, yes 3, loaves. A boule, sandwich bread, and, of course, banana bread. I had ripe banana
If anyone needs me, I’ll be over here in a bread coma.
I meant to post on Monday, but it’s Tuesday and welcome to a new week! I spent all day Sunday baking and reading and baking and reading… It was heavenly. 🙂 Here’s this week’s sourdough:
I also made some yummy muffins to use up some ripe bananas and some of my sourdough discard.
Between rises, I kicked back in my reading corner and devoured the latest in Sarah Adams’ When In Rome series.
And now I’m treating myself to Loretta Chase’s new release, My Inconvenient Duke.
Thank you all for your good wishes on the release of SHADOWING HER STALKER. I appreciate your support!
How about you? What are you up to this week? Reading anything good?
Release day for SHADOWING HER STALKER is here! Be sure to pick up a copy at your favorite e-book or print retailer!
She’s running for her life
And he’s her only safe haven.
Protecting a woman who jumped from a speeding car to avoid being kidnapped is not Special Agent Wyatt Dawson’s usual assignment. But after internet personality Cara Beckett cunningly escapes a carjacking, she needs safeguarding. After accompanying Cara to her family’s quiet Arkansas farm, Wyatt’s simple task grows more dangerous once he discovers a cyber stalker is intent on cornering Cara. Reaching out to anyone could alert her stalker, which means Cara’s safety is solely in Wyatt’s hands. And that mission is more personal than he could have ever imagined.
As, always, if you happen to spot one of my books in the wild, I’d really appreciate a photo. You can post it here or email me at maggiewells1@gmail.com.
I have never been a big TikTok user. I mainly went there to watch videos of people making sourdough bread or scrambled eggs. For this reason, the short blackout of that platform didn’t have a big impact on me, other than to reinforce the mercurial nature of all social media/sharing platforms.
Remember Napster? Yeah. I do too.
They can disappear at any time. Add that to the fact that what we see is controlled by an algorithm and our feeds are flooded with ads, and I find I am losing interest.
And for that reason, I really am going to making an effort to post to social media less, and concentrate on sharing things here and in my newsletter more.
So, here is what I did this weekend…
I made sourdough!
After weeks of voyeuristic video watching, my starter, Suzanne, was finally bubbly enough to jump in and join the cult of cultured bread! I wasn’t quite ready to go full nature-girl on this outing, so I followed Paul Hollywood’s step-by-step and used the KitchenAid.
And look what happened!
Isn’t she lovely? I plan to try different techniques and I’ll have to get a better handle on my timing, but overall, I am pleased!
In other news, I have a new book coming out this week. My latest Intrigue series kicks off with SHADOWING HER STALKER, and should be available wherever Harlequins are sold!
We had a big (for us) snow here in Arkansas last week, and I tell you, I had the best snow-weekend. I read, watched my first K-Drama (The Extraordinary Attorney Woo), read, and napped. I wore soft pants for days and admired the view from my window, It was glorious.
So that’s what I’ve been up to this week. What’s new with you?
2024 was a challenge (to put it mildly), but I still managed to find one little #happything each day this year. Here’s hoping you and yours have a year filled with #happythings in 2025!
January 2024 #happythings
A lovely sunny day. A little productive, a little lazy, a little silly. I begin as I mean to go on.
Rock Hudson was blasted by a laser beam. Jewels shall overcome! 🪨
Sunshine ☀️and Secret Santa 🧑🎄 with the ISU girls.
Letting my characters take me along for the ride.
A warm, snuggly home with a warm, snuggly man and beasts on a cold, slushy day. 🏠❄️🌨️
Wise women lunch and pedi with Kelli.
MedExpress, anti-virals, a sweet guy taking care of me, and Nurse Timber by my side. 😷🤒🤧
Holed up with warm puppies on a cold, wet day.
Twelve hours with no fever.
The sun is out again, and Nurse Timber is taking good care of me.
Bill passed his test!
Pizza night with man and beasts. 🍕
Returned from exile! My bed! I love my bed, 🛌
Cold weather coffee cake on a snowy day!
Greco-Roman wrestling is better than gecko-romaine wrestling… 🦎🥬
The sun appears… 🌞
Back to life, back to reality. 😀
Arron is 30! 🎂 Sally, Timber, and I took a nap in his honor.
Turned in a book! 📚 💻
Saturday afternoon steak 🥩 date!
Meringue fail, but pudding triumph.
Leftover smorgasbord.
St. Vincent’s ER staff is awesome.
Home, schnitzel, and snooze. So grateful.
Holding hands with my honey at Home Depot. ❤️
Turned loose in Target. 🎯
The sweetest puppy pile ever! 🐶
Visited Planet Fitness again! 🪐
A walk and dinner at David’s Burgers. 🍔
“Yeah, I ate ‘em. I ate them all just to see ‘em die.” 🍫
It’s Julie Day! Celebrating the end of a month that has been 55,000 days long. Hello, February! 🗓️
February 2024 #happythings
Warm day, backyard strolling, and big doggo energy.
I’m just a really good expressionist jazz vocalist. 🤷♀️🎶
Rainy Saturdays are improved by Italian beef sandwiches.
Fresh haircuts and Whopper 🍔 coupons.
Tacos, snoozles, and words, oh my! 🌮
Sunshine and clean teeth! 😁
Massage day! Jewels and I are in a roll! 💻
A delicious dinner at East End Cafe. 😋
A delicious dinner at The Pantry and home safe before the worst of the storm. ☔️
Monster nachos and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
A breakfast date with my guy. 🍳🥓🥯
The rain stopped and all my assignments are turned in.
Organizational frenzy and Galentine’s Day with the ISU OGs.
Pretty flowers, a box of dirt, and the promise of spring in the air. 🌷
Safe surgery for my guy. 🙏
Home recuperating and all is well. 🤞
Word wrangling and roaming with my guy. 🎯
So many words!
A beautiful day to shop for fleas with my fella.
A warm, sunny 😎 day!
Food truck burgers 🍔 Yum!
Mucho nachos with my muchacho ❤️.
Grilled hot dogs, daffodils, and Drive To Survive 🏎️
A beautiful day to have both our chicks and our chickadees in the nest. 🪹
Celebrated Kevin Kidwell day with a nap and an ice cream drumstick.
Bill’s ocular pressure is down to 15 & he saw fingers…and I don’t mean the middle one! 👁️
A life well lived and a proposal completed.
Puppy snores 😴
Steakburgers for dinner. 😋🍔
March 2024 #happythings
“I would buy you breakfast and drive you home because I am a gentleman.” A beautiful day for Sue. ❤️
Homebodying. 🏡
A house call from Dr. Umstick.
A good report from the Optometrist.👓
Working out, exercising my right to vote, chowing down like a real American.🌭🍔
Chatting with my girls before Jewels’ great adventure.
Lazy girls night with Sally and Timber. 📺
Nachos, nap time, and lap times. 🏎️
Hanging out with my three best guys: Bill, Big Dan, and Trader Joe.🍕
A sunny day for work and play. ☀️
Settling in on a busy Monday.
Bill tried to steal my jeans. 👖😂🤣
Kayson is 11! Beautiful pink tulips! 🌷
Hunkered down with our beasties. ⛈️
This toaster is REAL nice. Marauding The Container Store.
Kaden is 7! Shaking It Off in my living room.
Call the Midwife is back! 👩⚕️
Nacho typical Monday puppy pile!
Mmmm shells stuffed with all the cheese 🧀.
A quiet night.
Green light therapy with Sally and Timber.
“…discussing affairs of state in moist repose…” 🛀 Kayson is a future forecaster! 📺
Easter bunnying, and bringing home the first hanging baskets and annuals of the season. 🐰
Lemon butter pasta with grilled chicken. 😋
I was crushing it for about half the day today.🫤
BBQ chips 1 – Margaret’s will power 0.
Making the words again. 🖥️
A sunny walk and some yummy tacos. 🌮
Sharing a Big Bopper with my guy. 🍧 Kaden is a TV star too! 📺
Getting the flower beds ready for patio season. 🌸🌺🌼🪻🌹🌷🪴
A lovely Easter weekend. 🐣
April 2024 #happythings
A festival of leftovers. 🍽️
Super cute puppies and their super cute dreams. 🐶
13 years smoke free! 🚭 Celebrating with a massage.
I am officially an eclipse prepper. 🕶️
Bobcorn 🍿and Fargo 5.
Bill brought his new Trophy Wife home. 🌺
An all muffin morning! 😋Fuel for running with Rylee and Sawyer.
An amazing eclipse! So happy we were able to see it + ice cream! 🍦
We are tramps for our taco truck! 🚚
“I have no restrictions. I told you, I have no restrictions. I have no restrictions.”
Video catch up with Jewels. 💬
A Pantry date and yadda yadda yadda…
I blew my retirement money on plants and croissants. No regrets.
Plantsing in our little plot. 🪴🌹🌸💐🌺🌷🌻🌼
Puppy snuggles and 🦫 beaver dams.
Becky behaved herself. ❤️🩹
Wording like a wizard. 🪄
A peony! A peony for me! 🌸
Spent the day in The Tortured Poet Department. ⌨️💬🎵
Revisiting Seinfeld with my guy. Yadda yadda yadda.
Solo shopping my way! 🥤🥖🍞🥐🥯🍫and🧀
Tracking my peony progress. 🔎
I talked to my sister today!!!! ❤️☎️ 💬
Wednesday wording and a chat with Jen & Christopher. 💕
Stroganoff with paper shredder noodles. 🤣
Being Invited to be inviting with Kelli Reep.
Lunch with THE Brinda Berry!
Nesting on a rainy Sunday. 🪹
Renee Day! 🎂
Took our puppies for tater tots . 😋
May 2024 #happythings
Nacho-fueled wordsmithing.
I’m A Delicate F-ing Flower bubble bath 🛀
Cuddle puppies. 💤
Sharing some chips and salsa with my little buddy, Sawyer. 💃🏻
Traipsing in the rain with Kelli Reep. Fresh tortillas for everyone!
Monday night hot dog 🌭 date at Sam’s.
Riding shotgun for my man.
Schnitzel nacht! 😋
I’m in my writing Era. #swiftyenergy
Closing in on the key 🗝️ to this story. 💻
Yellow tulips 💐 bundts 🍥 and Chinese food 🥠
Typed The End on #52. Time to polish it up! 📚
Stop. Revision time!
My guy scored me tacos. 🌮
Turned in #52! 📚
Girls night! Bridgerton Season 3 part 1 with Sally & Timber.
Date night with no puppy curfew.
A fun day with Joey and her boys!
Home to our puppy loves. 🐶
Rekindling my love affair with the hydro-massage chair. 🧘♂️
A bubble bath with a good book. 🛀🏻
Hot dog! It’s death row dinner night!🌭
Cute boy shoe shopping binge. 👟
Sawyer’s pre-K graduation! 🎓
Socializing at the Salem Dairy Bar and picking up some purple hull peas.
Started writing a new book today! 📕
A productively lazy holiday. 🇺🇸
Wording, then sharing a drumstick with my puppers.
MasterChef is back! 👩🍳
34 counts of guilty. A little faith in my fellow Americans restored. 👩⚖️
Rainy evening lazing.😴
June 2024 #happythings
Panera date with Kathy Bates! Family nap time and half-price milkshakes. 🥤
All the good doctors and nurses a pins put Humpty Moogie back together again. 👨⚕️👩⚕️
I’m up. 💫
Got to go home.
Getting Hobbled Girl Manor situated. 🏡
Reclining chairs and handsome nurses.
Door Dashed Larry’s Pizza 🍕. I opted to ad peanut butter to the chocolate chip dessert pizza for the protein.
Enchiladas a La Joey and a fun day singing with my little guy.
Sunday morning naps. 💤
Taking more steps. Unfortunately, some feel like a step backward.
Rewrapped and feeling stronger.
Mr. Chen’s dumplings delivered to our door. Door Dash FTW!
Achievement Awards from Gabi!! ❤️ Coached Fodder through the creation on my special banana 🍌 muffins. Yum!
A fabulous dinner catching up with Betty and Dale. ❤️ Enjoyed a lovely gift basket smorgasbord for dessert.
Hanging with Kelli Reep, vegging on Bridgerton, book club discussion, and chatting with my girls.
Father’s Day with a guy who reminds me of my own daddy in all the best ways. 💕
A good follow up. Healing well so far! ❤️🩹
Kelli came to babysit me and I had a huge nap.
Toll House cookies 🍪 turtle 🐢 power and I took a shower! 🚿
A visit from Cara!
Mein Schatz hat für mich Schnitzel gemacht. 💕
An outing to do all the things, and then a nap. 🚙💤
Quiet Sunday.
Healing well. A good visit and a donut 🍩 as a reward.
Today’s assignment: bending my knee. I’d say I scored about 75%. I am a WIP.
MasterChef with Jewels and Lulu. 📺
Bill has turned into the Muffin Man. 👨🍳
Hanging with Cara while Bill goes into the world.
Pre-anniversary date – car wash and cheese curds at the DQ.
23 years married to the best guy ever.
July 2024 #happythings
First day of Physical Therapy. I now have a plan, and a spreadsheet. 📋
Larry’s Meat Madness and dessert pizza!
Everything is getting just a little easier. 🤞
Celebrating Independence with Kelli Reep and The Music Man. 🥁
It’s hard to believe I’ve been doing this long enough for some of my books to become teenagers.
Having raised a couple kids through their teen years, I can say fairly confidently, the books are less worrisome. I never have to badger CONTENTMENT info putting the laundry away. The ghosts in PARAMOUR and INAMORATA don’t have to be reminded about bed times. Thankfully, I’m not in charge of the logistics for Ellie & Jack’s LONG DISTANCE LOVE. And worrying about Maggie from COMMITMENT is enough to keep any mother awake at night.
Last week, BoobBub (a book lover’s newsletter service) featured SEDUCING STEVE. Good old Steve is on sale at most US retailers for 99¢, and my favorite red-haired hunk still has it! He was even flagged as a Barnes & Noble Nook bestseller!
Way to go, Steve! Not bad for a book who is a teenager!
I’m always happy when someone discovers some of my older works. If you’ve never read Steve, you can still get a digital copy for 99¢, so click now!
If you’re interested in buying ebooks of some of my re-released material, you can buy direct from me at my PayHip store, MagsRomance, or at your favorite online retailer.
At the moment, I’m working on having my 50th book published. I’m also working on writing books 51, 52, 53 – the upcoming Arkansas Special Agent: Cyber Crime Division series. Book #1 – SHADOWING HER STALKER – will be the 15th book I’ve written for Harlequin.
So many milestones!
Thanks so much for coming with me on this ride. It certainly has been — and continues to be — a roller coaster, but it’s been great having you beside me!
I’m not anti-social, but I am becoming more and more anti-social-media. It’s definitely an “It’s complicated” relationship.
meme by someecards
We’ve been hearing about the perils and pitfalls of social media for years now, and yet…
I still have a Facebook account and author pages. It’s where I tend to connect with family and other people I know IRL.
I’m also on Instagram and by association, Threads. I like to post pics of the dogs or flowers or my cute grandsons, but my feed on Instagram is now mostly ads, inspirational memes, and videos reposted from TikTok. The impermanence of Stories just makes me sad.
I had high hopes for Threads because I miss engaging with other in the author community, but its taking what now seems to be the inevitable turn. Why can’t we have nice things?
Scrolling TikTok left me annoyed by the amount of time I’ve wasted, so I deleted it. I’m also one of those people who hated watching people stage fake oopsie-daisies on America’s Favorite Home Videos, so… Not my thing.
Once upon a time, I signed up for a LinkedIn account, but I don’t use it. Nor do I consider it social media.
I cut ties with The App Formerly Known as Twitter in 2019. What a cesspool.
But authors are encouraged to be everywhere.
They say we never know where we’re going to find our next avid reader, so we cast our nets wide. We ask engaging questions, post endless game memes, and generally do things that don’t suit our personalities on the off chance we might reach new readers. I have watched people I know personally create a whole new “author personna” for social media, and I’m telling you, it’s freaky.
I just…can’t. It’s exhausting. I’d rather be writing.
I’ll keep my accounts, of course, but I am going to curate them more. Some I’ll use purely for book-related promotion, others for more personal reasons. But I’m not going to do the thing where I post to social media to let people know I won’t be posting to social media, though.
Links to blog posts and newsletters will auto-post to some accounts, but if you’re looking for me, you can always find me here.
This year… 2024 has been a bit of a rollercoaster in my household, but I wanted to take a minute to catch up. I used to laugh when my mother would complain about time moving too fast as she got older, but now… Sorry, Mom. I totally get you.
How is it we’re more than halfway through March? I kicked off the year with my first case of COVID, and things have been a bit bumpy ever since.
But Spring has sprung, and rather than complain about the pollen, I’m basking in the sunny days and blooming flowers. And though things have not been optimal, all is well. I’m finding I’m becoming more and more about the big picture these days.
My mom-com manuscript is currently on submission with a number of editors. It’s a story about a single mom and her fabulous support network of family and friends. Cross your fingers!
Speaking of friends… I’m planning some trips to visit girlfriends this year. We’re spread out geographically, but somehow have managed to remain in one another’s pockets for decades. I’m feeling the need for a little time with my ladies.
On the homefront, the grandsons are growing and thriving. The house is a mess, but it’s our mess and we can live with it. It’s almost time to start haunting the garden centers – yay! But mostly, the dogs still rule our lives. Our sweet Sally has not been feeling well lately, so we’re spending some extra time on the puppy cuddles.
Can you blame us? Look at these big babies! Fodder turned from his desk and caught his co-workers slacking off. It happens most days. As a matter of fact, he snaps a pic and sends it to me with the caption: Daily Dog. I smile like a goof each time I get a new one.
I’ve been listening to a ton of audiobooks. I’m on book 17 of Louise Penny’s fabulous Three Pines books. I’m trying (and failing) to pace myself. My favorite read so far this year has been The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston. It may not be for everyone, as there’s some time travel involved, but I really enjoyed it.
How about you? How is 2024 treating you so far? What are you reading? Catch me up!
Preparing for the sojourn 🧳and celebrating Sawyer’s birthday a bit early. 🎂
Lucca Grill with Bill and Renee. 🍕🍺
Christmas in July 🎄🌴🎁 with the Kidwell clan.
A smooth trip home and puppies to greet us!
Frito pies and an easy night.
Sawyer Day! 🎂
MasterChef and Smartless. 📺
Thursday night snoozles.
Chimichanga and discount roses. 🌹
Homebodying.🏠
Words, glorious (?) words!
Welcome to Wrexham!
Executive dinner decision: Pizza pizza!
Hot guy in a Razorback shirt and cutoff shorts.
A fresh bedspread.
I lived in the same world as Tony Bennett. 🎤💔
Revisions, Mexican food, and Shine-Ola.
Falling I love with my book. ❤️❤️❤️
The boys are back! New house, new room!
Moogie didn’t miss the boat the day she bought Boz tickets…. 🎶
A good check up at the dentist. 🪥
Cool banana pudding on an oppressively hot day.
Monster pencil bags. 👾
Being Barbie girls with Brinda and Kelli – pink margaritas for everyone! 🍹
A quiet Sunday, just drifting along.
A festival of meat and The Great. 👑👸
AUGUST
Writing my love of cheese into a book. 🧀 Because I can. #MoogiesWorld
Pizza date with my guy. 🍕
Off to Michigan! ✈️ An evening with Kat, Jeff & Carol. Two Tonys for pasta and Tony Bennett, then the Front Porch 🍦 for dessert.
The perfect day! A walk with Kat, beautiful beach 🏖️ time, scaling the dune with Carol, and Renee made it in time for happy hour 🍹. Capped it all with good music, good conversation, and…blue ice cream? 🤷♀️ My heart is as full as my belly.
Pub grub, Barbie, and Flamingos in the can! 🦩
Hugs, kisses, a few tears, and a happy homecoming. ✈️
8 minutes in an exam room. Healthcare by the Flash! ⚡️
Bagging up some goodies and solving the world’s problems with Kelli Reep.
Carne asada nachos. Yum!
Keep the Beat testing ❤️ my heart is practically perfect in every way!!!
New 🍎 watch.
A puppy snoozle and a dipped cone. 🍦
Arkansas Special Agents featured in review by the Arkansas Times! 📰
Monday nap day.
Putzing about getting a little done here, a little done there. ☑️
Massage day – rubarub-rub!
Thumping speaker dance party with the puppies.
Riviera Maya for Friday refreshment!🍻
Joey & Ben’s mojo dojo casa house 🏡 and three sweet boys! 😍😍😍
Soft clothes Sunday.
Sometimes, I just open a can of Hormel chili and a bag of Fritos. #notevenmasterchefnight
A visit from Arron and Sawyer. 😀
A new chair for my command module. 🖥️
Flying Fish 🐠 and Kilwins with my guy. 🍨
Party prep and pizza with Kelli.
Pool party at Brinda’s! Drumsticks 🪘 in the shallow end and rom com afternoon! 🥰
Closing in on an ending!
Made it through Monday. Chicken, bacon, provolone sandwiches as a restorative.
A warm welcome and delicious dinner at the Santa Fe Mexican Grill. 🌮
Eliminating that’s, reallys, justs, and verys.
A big, beautiful moon followed me to work this morning. 🌝
SEPTEMBER
The Pantry and a fresh new Apple 🍎.
Date night – pizza 🍕, beer 🍺, and new Razorback gear.
Typed “The End” at last! 🖥️
Miller time on a Monday. Sent my manuscript off!
Time dinner with our boy before he hits the road again. 🚛
Puppy snuggles and tacos.
Nurse Sally helped with my upset tummy.
A bountiful bouquet of beautiful basil.🌿
Three boys filled with boundless energy. #wrecked 🥱
I did a whole lot of nothing today, and I was damn good at it.
Positive feedback!
A great chat with Sara. Excited about this book! 🖥️
Pasta e fagioli and MasterChef.📺
Home alone. 😀😱🤣
A hot date to Sam’s Club.🛒
A little adventure on an ordinary day with you. 👩❤️👨
Turned my Restorative skills loose on my manuscript. ⚒️
Downloading WatchOS for Snoopy’s sake.
Warm chocolate chip cookies 🍪 at work!
A nap and the Masterchef finale.
Ricotta stuffed shells. 😋
Called it Easy Friday, and we took it easy.
Hatching 🐣 plans with Kelli and Brinda.
A field trip plus croissants!
Lounging in bed long before bedtime. 🛌
Crinkle cut French fries.
Catching up with the Wrexham guys.
A nice guy who pumps my gas.
A big, beautiful morning moonset. 🌕
Caulk talk and taco truck.
OCTOBER
Fun, food and fellowship at the RSG family picnic! 🧺🏐🎈
Mmm. A particularly tasty Homer’s burger. 🍔
Bill Ethridge: Man on a Mission
Massage day! I am the rubber band wo-man.
Dictation, Schmicago with Jewels, and a little Superstar. 🌟
Shots 💉and sopapillas.
Meandering words and lazing with dogs.
A beautiful day to pull some weeds. 🌱
Snuggle pups and stroganoff.
Watching Jewels shoe shop – a spectator sport. 👟
Everything can be fixed with a truckload of fries. 🍔🍟
Ringo!!! ✌️❤️⭐️🎤🥁
Road tripping. Glad we don’t drive a grassfed Telluride. 🤣
Fire in the hole!!! SDC with my big boys. ❤️
Home to our canine overlords. 🐶
Street tacos 🌮 to the rescue!
A proposal proposed. ⌨️
Talking things out. Making a plan. 🗒️
Italian pastry cookies and a fabulous plot bunny! 🐰
Baking with my guy, our pups and Elizabeth Zott. 📺
Plants, puppy naps, and pizza. 🍕
A shrubbery!
Tub jamming Taylor Swift, much to Fodder’s chagrin. 🎤🎶
Sunshine and a festival of meat! 🌭
Dipped into The Gilded Age.
Making words while the guitar man plays. 🎸
A B&N date. 📚
Rainy day puppies don’t mind days spent in jammies, they just keep snoozin’ on. 🎶
SIX with my partner in crime, Kelli Reep. 👑
FRIENDS reunion rewatch. Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion. 😂
Passing out the Halloween goodies to all the kiddos at Joe & Deb’s.🎃 Have trick or treaters, will travel!
NOVEMBER
Kicked off NaNoWriMo strong. 💪
Taco 🌮 truck fueled typing.
Holding hands on Friday night errands. 🤝
A pursuit of, uh, for the ages.
A sunny Sunday. Off to the races with Sawyer and Rylee! ⏱️
Billy cracks pecans and roasts them in butter! 😋
Mainlining Selling Sunset for a brain break. 📺
Massage day!
Girls night with Timber and Sally.💤
A brewski and a Big Dan pizza. 🍺🍕
Rizatriptan to the rescue. 💊
Belting out some classics with Tony Bennett on the way home from Kroger. 🎤
A snoozle and some schnitzel.
Whipping up words before marinating in Julia. 👩🍳
Hanging out in my nest watching trash TV.
Double nickel birthday! Surprise donuts and flowers, a good meeting, and Santa Fe Cafe. 🎂
Massages and madcap Christmas light shopping.🎄
Fu fu fu Fu-Lin for dinner. 🥠
On top of mount Chex Mix…
Rainy day soup and snuggles. 🥫🍲
Cranking out the goodies!
A birthday stampede through the Texas Roadhouse for Billiam.
Thanksgiving 🦃 with the Prewitt clan!
Hugs and little chatter boxes. 🥰
Working on old habits and making new plans.
Landed on Planet Fitness again. 🏋️♀️
A big, bright Beaver Moon! giggles🌕
Busy day, tasty dinner, and a few words.
Mr. Chip Hauler III 😂🤣😂
Rainy day puppies always seem to know when you’re eating nachos. 🎶
DECEMBER
Jamming my 🍎 Music 2023 playlist. Eclectic doesn’t seem strong enough… 🎶
Hanging with Sawyer and Rylee.
The Starship Enterprise tree topper never fails to delight us. 🤓
You gave me a mission this week…what was it? 🤔
A good visit with the railroad, but the pot roast was even better.
A successful state of the union talk. 👩❤️👨
Home alone for a few hours. 😱
A slow walk and fast food. 🍟
Christmas shopping! 🛍️
RSG Christmas party and my 5-year workiversary.
Lazy Monday night.
Big words! 💻
A lucky miss.
Words and Julia. 📺
Knocking the last of the shopping out and scoring 4x fuel points! 💰
Hitting the old Sizzlin’ and gawking at the Christmas lights. 🎄
Super Sunday productivity extravaganza!
Fudge and roasted pecans. 😋
Shopping out of spite due to a sleepless night. 😴
Cereal killer… qu’est-ce que c’est.
All. The. Prep. Hurry, Santa! 🎅🏻
Invasion of silly boys.
Christmas with our kiddos. 🎄🎁🎅🏻
Brunch with my guy on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Day in our pajamas. Headlamps and Doritos make the best stocking stuffers! ❤️
Puppy cuddles while feeling cruddy. 😷 And a great big beautiful moon 🌕 !
Up and about. Hopefully on the mend.
Homemade chicken soup. 🍜
Mainlining a good book. 📕
Big Dan, Trader Joe’s, Somebody Feed Phil with my guy.
Christmas with Sawyer and company. ❤️
I hope you found plenty of little things to make you happy this year.
I just wanted to pop in and share a bit of what I’ve been up to with you. As you probably already know, I’ll have another series for Intrigue coming out in 2025. I have a bit of a lag in there due to the way scheduling works in publishing and also because I had about six months where I was struggling to write anything at all.
When I shared my feelings with my fabulous agent, she told me to take my time, and when I was ready, just focus on writing a story that lights me up inside. Sounds great, right?
But after more than a decade of writing books for publication, it’s hard to ignore that niggling little voice asking if maybe I’ve written my last book.
I wouldn’t say I was blocked so much as feeling a bit empty. So I read a lot. And watched a ton of Netflix. Spent time with my family and friends. Saw a bunch of concerts.
When I felt ready, I sat down and made a list of some of the elements I like to find in stories I read:
1. A noisy, sometimes complicated, but always loving family. 2. Genuine female friendships – the kind destined to last a lifetime. 3. Heroines who may not be perfect, but are unquestionably awesome human beings trying their best. 4. Heroes who appreciate a woman who owns her awesomeness and never expects her to dimmish it. 5. Snark. Banter. Warm hugs. Hot kisses. Friends who rally. Heartfelt moments. A little more snark when things get too mushy.
Then, I wrote a book with all of those. A big book. And by big, I mean it went on and on. LOL
I call it a mom-com. It’s sort of a Mom (TV show) meets Bridesmaids thing with some single dad romance thrown in. I’d say it skews more toward women’s fiction than contemporary romance, but it definitely deals with relationships.
Who knows if it’s something I can ever sell to a publisher, but I’m glad I wrote it. It feels like me, and that lights me up inside.
I hope you’ll want to read it one day. xoxo Maggie
How about you? Are there particular elements that draw you into a book?
