Blog Archives - Page 6 of 58 - Maggie Wells-Margaret Ethridge

October 26, 2020October 25, 2020

Hello, it’s me…

My husband would make faces if he knew I’d used the Todd Rundgren line, but he’s down there and I’m up here and he never looks at my blog anyway, so there you go.

Hi, friends. How are you holding up? I hope you and your loved ones are well. We are okay here. I have voted, but Fodder has not yet done so. Don’t worry, I’m a pro-level badgerer, so he will get it done.

We’ve been mostly holing up, which is good because someone *points to self* had a book to write. And guess what? I did!

I finished the rough draft of SMUGGLER’S BLUES (Pine Woods #2 for Harlequin Intrigue) yesterday. Yay! It’s a bit of a hot mess at the moment, but I have a month to whip it into shape before it’s due to my editor.

last lines from the book and THE END — Screenshot of the last lines typed – definitely subject to change

In the meantime, my editor is taking her first crack at book #1 – tentatively titled ABSENCE OF MOTIVE. I’m also plotting and planning to write something completely different for NaNoWriMo – a RomCom!

If you’re a writer or other type of creative reading this and flipping the bird at your screen, please know I’m not saying these things to brag. Staying busy has been the best way for me to cope with what’s happening all around us, but I know it’s not the same for everyone.

We’re over a half-year into this thing. Like the rest of you, I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss traveling. I miss going to the grocery store without suiting up like I’m touring Chernobyl. Fodder and I are still not dining-in at restaurants, but we are supporting our favorite locals. Since we live in the boonies, I bought some nifty cafeteria trays we use for our in-town car dining.

Fancy, right?

Tell me, what’s helping you get through? I’d love to hear from you. To know you’re okay and I’m not flaunting my schnitzel for naught.

Be well. And if you are one of my American friends, don’t forget to VOTE!

September 7, 2020

Monday Mayhem – Hey, it’s Monday!

What do you know? I’d completely lost track of the days.

So what have I been doing with my Labo(u)r Day weekend? Laboring.

Okay, not really doing hard labor, but I’ve been working on my next book. I tacked a couple of vacation days on at the end of last week (since I’m not going anywhere anytime soon) and decided to hunker down and get a chunk of my next Intrigue book written. And guess what? I did!

Okay, maybe it’s not quite time to pull out the confetti cannon, but as of this morning, I am over 1/3 in, and feel like I’ve got some momentum going to carry me into the workweek and beyond.

We’ve also been puttering around the house. Fodder has a project he’s been working on in the barn. Basically still trying to stay as far away from the rest of the world as possible in hopes of staying healthy.

I hope you and yours are well. My thoughts are with all of my teacher friends and pals who are wrestling with kids going back to school. Continued prayers for our healthcare professionals and first responders. Everyone is doing the best they can, and I just know you are rocking it!

So here’s a little celebration for you too. Your labo(u)rs are not in vain!

August 24, 2020August 23, 2020

Monday Mayhem – Best. Weekend. Ever.

I ran away from home this weekend.

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!

August 17, 2020August 15, 2020

Monday Mayhem – A Chance to win!

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

Good luck and enjoy!

Maggie

July 13, 2020July 12, 2020

Monday Mayhem – In our own backyard

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 Corps

Staying socially distant, but loving every minute of it!

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’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!

June 29, 2020June 28, 2020

Monday Mayhem – Onward!

I did it! I typed THE END this weekend!

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.

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!

June 22, 2020June 21, 2020

Monday Mayhem – Confessions of a carbohydrate addict

Caution: Food porn ahead

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.

Nah. I take that back. Je ne regrette rien!

June 8, 2020June 7, 2020

Monday Mayhem – Back in the saddle 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.

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.

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!

May 18, 2020May 17, 2020

Monday Mayhem – New release and exciting news!

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!

May 11, 2020

You guys!!!!!

So this little bit of news dropped in Publishers Marketplace today:

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!