MAKING LEMONADE

I've been writing up a storm, and keeping up with the weekly newsletter, but I've failed at keeping the blog going, so here's a little repentance post to keep everyone posted on what's new over here.

First of all, life has been a bit crazy. Much like this pic I took at an intersection in downtown Salt Lake, we've had some unexpected detours, diversions, crashes, and U-turns. The move to Utah during the Pandemic has been sweet and delightful--smaller yard, easier house to maintain, more family within minutes, and beautiful mountain and lake vistas.

But once the Pandemic eased, and life normalized, the hectic old pace returned with lots of new opportunities, twists and upsets. I had three books queued up in various stages of production. Cross Country Christmas, book one of The Silver Buckle Brides Series launched in October of 2021, Revenge Never Rests, (sequel to Secrets Never Die), was accepted by Covenant to be published in October of 2022, and I was shopping The Letter Carrier around to agents and publishers while I worked on the next SBB book. SWEET! Life was rosy!

Then our beautiful daughter found out that her transplanted kidney was dying and she had to go on dialysis. That was not unexpected, but it still knocked us all back a few steps. My sweet hubby took sick at the same time, and we've collectively been loving and nursing each other back to health.

The Letter Carrier received an offer but the deal and the timeframe for getting it on the market didn't feel right to me. Meanwhile, Michelle Naget, the courageous lady whose life inspired the book, was getting weak and not expected to live much longer. I wanted to get this book into her hands while she was still alive. I did get an early ARC to her, but the race was on to get the book published.

My critique buddy, Beth Bentley, an extraordinary author, publisher, and the amazing editor of my indie books, urged me to just go ahead and publish it myself, on my own timetable. I had reservations about the first cover Sheri McGathy and I created, so while I sent the manuscript back to Beth for a final edit, Sheri and I worked on this new, exquisite cover.

And then the world changed.

The Russian invasion into Ukraine seemed like a chapter pulled from WWII, and The Letter Carrier. I've always loved this book, and consider it to be the most important book I've ever written, but now it felt even more so. Between the infighting in America, and our loss of lives in the Afghanistan retreat, I felt America needed to read Michelle's story of courage and sacrifice, and to remember how quickly freedom is lost, and the aching cost to reclaim it once it's squandered.

So we're set for a July 20 launch with a public cover reveal in June. I'll have a pre-order link up soon. I hope every family in every freedom-loving nation reads Michelle's story. As it says in the book:

"My name is Michelle Naget Rogers. I came here today to tell you a story. My story. A story I tell because I don’t want it to ever be your story.”

The book is being proofed and then formatted one last time before I set it to pre-order. In the meantime, family life carried on.

Amanda and her family bravely adjusted to the changes home dialysis brings, and she invited us to head to St. George to watch her son's baseball tournament. We actually had two cute grandsons on that team so it was a blast to head to southern Utah and see Zion's National Park where this fun pic was taken.

But, while we were enjoying the scenic vistas, someone was breaking into our house. They literally carried our safe out along with most of my jewelry. I didn't have blingy diamonds, but I did have a few heirloom pieces set aside for the girls. The losses hurt, but coming into your house and finding your personal things strewn across the floor sliced into our security and peace. Everyone says I should use that experience in a new book. Maybe. . . .

We're turning our home into a fortress now, but we feel safe again, and we're moving on. That's what's happening here. I hope all is well and safe and sweet where you are, but each day, the news reminds us to be more aware citizens who are more devoted to the cause of freedom and peace. And more generous to the victims of aggression. Have a great day!

Laurie

If you'd like to join my Willowsport Crew and get on the review team and/or the Scream Team to spread the word about The Letter Carrier, please send me a note at laurielclewismail@gmail.com, and please use the heading "Sign Me Up."

Please also consider joining my VIP Readers Club to get in on all the launch fun and giveaways! https://www.laurielclewis.com/newsletter

"CROSS-COUNTRY CHRISTMAS" is LIVE! Here's how you can win a free copy!

It's been a busy few months, but we have lots of news. "Cross-Country Christmas," the first volume in the SILVER BUCKLE BRIDES Series is live.

Here's the first ad meme.

A vet/rancher torn by war and love. A mistrustful woman in need of hope. The wreck that brings them together. The blizzard that gives them time.

“What does the stillness bring to your mind?” He settled back into his quilt. “Ghosts.” The sorrow in his voice cut CC. She tried to lighten the mood. “Of Christmases past, present, or future?” “All of the above.”

https://www.amazon.com/Cross-Country.../dp/B096J1XNM3

In addition to the launch of "Cross-Country Christmas" there are other projects in various stages of publication.

The sequel to my political suspense novel, "Secrets Never Die," is in the hands of the publisher and going through evaluations. I'll know in about three months if it will get picked up for publication. It's working title is "Revenge Never Rests."

My WWII novel based on the life of a French survivor of the occupation of France is in the editor's hands now. We plan to have that one launch in February of 2022.

I'm currently pounding out the next volume in The Silver Buckle Brides Series. It picks up the story of Reese Brockbank's brother Reese, who takes refuge on Laramee Stone's Colorado ranch when his intended's marriage talk gives him cold feet. It's a love triangle with a touch of Cyrano de Bergerac thrown in for fun.

Help spread the word about "Cross-Country Christmas" and enter to win a free copy! Share the news about it's release and earn entries into this contest. Here's the link! https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f2bdac0f187/?

Thanks for your support!

Bloggin' It Up Here!

June 14, 2021

Forgive me. I've been terrible about staying in touch. How are you? I hope life is sweet and peaceful, and that things are normalizing wherever you are.

As for me, well . . . I've upset the fruit basket, as they say. I moved from Maryland to Utah, someone hijacked my blog, I ruptured my Achilles, had surgery, and all while we shared this little seventeen-month adventure called a Pandemic.

The blog hijacking will be addressed later, but all the other stuff has given me lots of time to write, and I've got three new books in various stages of development.

I hope you saw the beautiful cover for my October Christmas release with Covenant. "Cross-Country Christmas" is a clean second-chance romance with strong family themes that will warm hearts this holiday. I'm signing up reviewers, and book bloggers to join my social media crew to shout out about the book during it's release. If you're a book reviewer on Book Bub, Amazon, or Goodreads, and you'd be interested in reviewing this book or any of the others mentioned below, please join my Willowsport Review Crew and I'll be in touch. https://www.facebook.com/The-Willowsport-CREW-141588969753305/

If you're also a book-blogger, book-tweeter, or book-Instagrammer, who enjoys sharing great books with your followers and friends, please consider joining my Scream Team. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2424625744429757. Thanks so much!

For those of you who've asked about a sequel to "Secrets Never Die," the answer is "yes!" I was so stressed about not equaling the suspense and twists in book one that I shied away from a sequel, but I'm happy to say that I think the sequel is going to please readers very, very much.

I'd also like to tell you about my WWII novel, "The Letter Carrier." This has been a four-year love-project. It's based on the real-life experiences of a survivor of the Occupation of France. I hope it will touch tender threads of patriotism in all of us, and remind us of how fragile freedom is. Beta readers' reviews were outstanding. I'm so excited to get this book out. I'm looking at a January 2022 release, so I can dedicate the time I need to launch "Cross-Country Christmas."

Other exciting things are happening. I was invited to join an international panel on religious refugees sponsored by The Amar Foundation, to discuss ways to not only help displaced people survive, but ways to lift them and help them rebuild their social and religious cultures. Tom and I planned to travel to London this month so I could attend that discussion live, but the UK still has many travel restrictions in place so we're now relegated to watching it on ZOOM. I'm completely humbled and unsure what I'll bring to the discussion, but I've had my eyes opened to the trauma of refugee life as talked with my friend, Michelle, whose story forms the basis of "The Letter Carrier." It will, at the very least, be an amazing humanitarian experience.

As for the blog debacle. I'm surrendering the old blog and using this space instead. I also have a VIP Readers' Club and weekly newsletter where I post contests and book deals. I hope you pop over here for updates and news, and join the VIP club to get in on the deals.

Thanks so much for listening. Chat soon!

Laurie