Big Feelings, Big Writing, and Even Bigger Mistakes đź’›
Nov 25, 2025 2:11 pm
Friendly reminder from your chaos-prone author: Ellie vs the New Year’s Kiss is still $2.99 until tomorrow. After that, she goes back to $4.99 like a responsible adult. Grab her now if your wallet appreciates a good deal!
Hey friend,
I hope you’re doing well and staying far, far away from any emotional turmoil of your own this week—because I’ve had enough for both of us.
I just wrapped up the final chapters of my space opera series and… whew. When I tell you I’m emotionally drained, I mean "I-need-a-teddy-bear-and-a-nap" levels of drained. Everything came to a head: the hero saving the day, the heroine holding herself together by sheer force of will, the big bad being Extra Evil one last time—even the loose ends needed a group hug and therapy session before they agreed to resolve themselves.
Honestly, writing those final pages felt like sending my kids off to college. I’m proud. I’m wrecked. I’m dehydrated from feelings. And I did all this while my sister and brother-in-law were visiting, which meant I was working with divided attention and the chaos levels of a gremlin fed after midnight.
Which leads me to… the Great Ticket Debacle.
So. I bought a pair of Mamma Mia tickets as a Christmas present for my sister. Thoughtful, right? A bonding moment! A sister date! Except… instead of buying tickets for TPAC in Tennessee (where she lives), I somehow managed to buy tickets for a totally different TPAC. In Oklahoma.
Listen. I don’t know whether to blame perimenopause, my chronic inability to read what’s on the screen, or Google's location services, because I DID click Tennessee Performing Arts Center. However, I did play on the Tulsa Performing Arts Center website for 30 minutes without catching a clue. Sigh
So now I’m back to square one on her gift. If Santa would like to step in, I’m open to delegating.
After I recover from this emotional rollercoaster and the upcoming turkey coma, it’ll be back to “butt in chair, head down” mode as I dive into writing the last Sugar Creek story. And here’s a fun bonus: my brother-in-law is a huge Penn State fan—exactly where JD (my male MC) goes to school in the next book. Research assistance has never been so enthusiastic. Or loud. (I have now witnessed Penn State fans in their natural environment. They are… committed.)
Anyway, that’s my week in a nutshell. Writing, feelings, accidental Oklahoma tourism, and football.
Thanks for being here for the ride. I’m sending you a virtual plate of snacks and a reminder to read something beautiful this week.
With love (and a side of chaos),
River đź’›
Now for the book shares!
One titled wildcat. One rugged cowboy. And a dangerous holiday they'll never forget.
Lady Madeline Wycliffe may be a duke’s daughter, but she’s no damsel in distress. Banished to the Wyoming frontier by her father to break her spirit, Maddie is determined to choose her own future. When she learns her brother is already en route to drag her back to England, she makes her own wild marriage gamble.
Sometimes the hardest road to travel… is the one that leads you home.
Silas Zook returns to Snow Ridge after four years away, forced to face the community—and the girl—he left behind. Lena Lambright has survived loss and heartbreak, but seeing Silas again stirs feelings she thought were gone. When a blizzard hits days before Christmas, they must work together to protect their village…and discover whether love can heal what was broken.
A fantastic feel-good holiday box set of four sweet novellas to warm your heart this holiday season.
Come home this holiday with stories filled with the Blessings of Christmas when unfailing love surmounts life’s challenges and childhood dreams come true. The “characters you’ll want to meet” are waiting on the very first page of this clean and wholesome collection!
Free books to browse!
