My Favorite Books of 2016

I only completed 78 percent of my Goodreads reading goal this year - there were a lot of unexpected interruptions in my regularly scheduled life. I shot for close to one book a week and didn't quite make it. However, for the books that I did read, I wanted to share with you my definition of "The Cream of the Crop."

I'm ranking these based on when I finished them, and on the basis that I gave each of them 5 stars at Goodreads. I give books 5 stars if I would happily read each of these books a second time. There were many excellent books that didn't get 5 stars, which doesn't mean they aren't worthy of the list, but there has to be a line of demarcation. You can find out more about the books I read at My Goodreads Review Page. So now, for your consideration, the books I most enjoyed in 2016:

Accidentally on Purpose - Jill Shalvis*

Doubtful Relations - James M. Jackson

Any Duchess Will Do - Tessa Dare

Anything for You - Kristan Higgins

Reckoning and Ruin - Tina Whittle

How to Capture a Duke - Bianca Blythe

Nobody but You - Jill Shalvis*

Sweet Little Lies - Jill Shalvis*

My Kind of Wonderful - Jill Shalvis*

The Duchess Wars - Courtney Milan

*(I should probably note that I'm an ARC reader for Jill Shalvis, so I might be slightly biased there - although I have NOT rated all of her books 5 stars)

My Cover Model is Cheating on Me!

Scrolling through my news feed this morning (and I have a lot of authors in my news feed) I found one of my favorite cover models on someone else's cover.

When I was working up a composite for HEART FOR RENT, WITH AN OPTION, my cover artist found his face and sent it to me to approve, I was all thumbs up. Hey, he's a good looking man! Clearly, I'm not the only person who thinks so.

Just this month, I saw a new release that had the same cover couple that one of my writing buddies used on one of her books. Same people, same pose. How does that happen? Easy enough to explain.

Unless we're "A-list" authors who can justify custom cover shoots, most authors select their cover art from stock photos. There are cover artists who do their own shoots (shout out to the fabulous Killion Group) and offer exclusive rights, but that comes at a price. From the hundreds of thousands of stock photos, the chances of someone else picking your models, or designing it just the same way, are pretty slim, and yet it happens. For some of my books, I use my own background - and that writing buddy I told you about? She does the same. That option assures us that at least part of our cover is exclusive.

Back in "the day," romance novels all had the same model (well, not all of them, I'm using a broad, sweeping generalization). Remember Fabio? There was a time he was the hero ideal, and his face and flowing locks were on dozens of covers. Yes, I'd like my cover to be distinctive, but the cover is a first impression, something to draw you in. As a reader, once I start reading, I seldom go back to the cover to see if it matches the picture I draw in my mind (although other people might).

Big publishing houses are about the image, what the cover projects, and less about how well it matches the characters in the book. For them, its more about composition. The immediate impression telegraphs the genre, and it sometimes doesn't bear any resemblance to what's between the pages.

So my cover model is cheating on me. Considering my job is to objectify these people to sell books, I guess I'm okay with that. Every time I see this guy's face on someone else's book, I smile and pat myself on my back for my good taste in handsome men.

Merry Christmas (Happy Holidays)

Thank you to those of you who stop by to read my blog every week, and thanks to everyone who supports my writing by buying my books. You are the people who motivate me to continue in my pursuit of happiness.

With EPITAPH scheduled for release in a couple of weeks, I'm taking a breather for the holidays. Working on edits for Epitaph 2, but also stopping to enjoy the season, which means I'm not working quite as hard as I probably should be! Never fear, Epitaph 2 will be ready for its release date.

Let me take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas or, if that isn't the holiday you celebrate, Happy Holidays--which includes a Happy New Year.

"May the new year be blessed
With good tidings
'Til the next time I see you again" -- Amy Grant

Writing problem of the day

I've been working on EPITAPH 3, and I'll admit to struggling with the ghost part in this one. I knew what/who the ghost was and his part in the story, but I was missing pieces of how he was doing the haunting.

When I was very young, I remember watching a movie on television with my older sisters, and as part of my research, I wanted to go back and find that movie. Ultimately, it is the inspiration for this book. Guess what? I can't find it anywhere! I have no idea what the title was, no idea who was in it. I only remember the plot, and as it was so many years ago, even that is a little fuzzy. The movie was about a ghost in a mirror, and for years after (and even to this day to a certain degree) I won't look into a mirror when I walk past it at night. If anyone knows anything about my very vague description of said movie, let me know. I'd still like to track it down.

In the meantime, I tapped one of my very dear friends, who has a brilliantly creative mind, and told her I was thinking in three directions and asked her to help me brainstorm. Asked for her opinion--or a fourth direction. She never lets me down. (Thanks, Jen!) She voted for door #1, with a couple of suggestions.

I've given final approval to EPITAPH, and if you pre-order, it will wing its way to your e-reader on January 10 so you don't have to remember then. (you can find the links to pre-order here). I'm working on edits for EPITAPH 2, and then I can get back to my ghost in the mirror in EPITAPH 3. Doing lots of figurative juggling with these books, but since they all work together (even though they are all stand-alone stories), I think I'm keeping track of all those balls in the air. So far...

It's that time of year ...

Yes, it's closing in on Christmas. Yes, I've loaded up my listening devices with Christmas music (I change the playlists after), and yes, I've been watching Christmas movies. I know, I'm annoying. A lot of this is facilitated by the fact that I've been ill, so I've been holed up with nothing else to do. You know how it goes. Winter breeds germs, family gatherings mean sharing them (no worries, I'm nearly better, now). I have yet to bring out the decorations.

One of the things that has been amazing me this year is that my dear husband has been giving me complete control over the remote. The man who HATES Christmas movies (and we've seen some lulus). I keep asking him if he's okay, or if he thinks I'm dying, or why he's watching this drivel with me. The man who, when the family plays Christmas trivia and I know all the answers asks, "Why do you know that?" (not "how" mind you, but "why"). So yes, I've been taking the opportunity to see "new" movies, but the quality has dropped so low, that I can hardly watch them, let alone subject the saint of a man who suffers through them beside me.

Or maybe it's because he doesn't want to watch my old standbys. I have a collection of DVDs that are "my favorites" that I've seen a million times (only a slight exaggeration). He's not one to watch a movie a second time. "I've already seen it." Which brings me to the question du jour. Do you have a favorite Christmas movie?

Cover Art

Without further ado, I introduce you to the new cover for Epitaph!

I may have mentioned, putting together covers can be tricky, and as you saw a couple of weeks ago, the models seemed right, but getting the right pose along with the write fonts and colors... not to mention this model for "Kevin" looks better when he's not smiling. Not sure I'm 100% sold on the "Amy" model, but sometimes you gotta take what you can. At the end of the day, I'm happy. What do you think?

The new release is expected January 10, but with the holidays, you can pre-order the electronic version so you don't forget! (Or add it to your wish list for someone else to pre-order for you). Pre-orders will automatically download to your e-reader on January 10.

Want more information? Visit my Epitaph page, and make sure you've signed up for my newsletter (check the menu above) to be reminded when Epitaph goes live.

GMC for ghosts

With the holidays approaching, I'm reminded of some famous ghosts in literature. The first that comes to mind is Marley from A Christmas Carol (thank you, Mr. Dickens). "Marley was dead to begin with...."

As I look into the backstories of the ghosts in my Epitaph series, I am reminded that ghosts, even as secondary characters, need goals, motivation and conflict. They have a full character arc, much like the main characters do, especially since the reader needs to know how they died, why they died, and why they haven't moved on to the next realm.

In A Christmas Carol, Marley died an unremarkable death, but it was his life that draws the focus. As a miserly sort, he forged a chain of all his misdeeds and his inattention to human need where he might have made a difference. His appearance in the book - his goal - is to convince Scrooge to pay attention. His motivation: there's still time to make a difference in the world. The conflict: Scrooge doesn't/might not believe him. And then, of course, there are the three Christmas ghosts, each of which serve a purpose in Scrooge's life. These ghosts aren't trapped on "the wrong side," but are sent as messengers.

If you were a ghost, what would keep you from moving on? What would send you back among the living? What's your favorite ghost story trope?

Next week -- cover reveal for Epitaph 1!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. In addition to all my other blessings, I am thankful for the readers who share my journey with me!