Endings and Beginnings

 

It has been a strange couple of years, full of changes many of us could never have predicted. For me, it has just gotten stranger, although not in a bad way. Tuesday, March 15^th marks my last day as manager and executive director of The Artisans’ Guild, the artists’ cooperative shop my friend Ellie and I started over 22 years ago. As of Wednesday the 16^th, I will officially be a full-time writer.

The Guild has been the center of my universe for a long time, and I have been blessed to have a job that I loved (most days), and to have spent my life surrounded by beautiful things and fabulous, creative people. But in the end, trying to balance the demands of the shop and the demands of writing because impossible, and I had to make a choice. Thankfully, we were able to find someone to step into my shoes who I believe can help the Guild to continue to prosper and grow.

People have asked me how I am going to celebrate leaving the shop, and to be honest, I don’t really feel like celebrating letting go of such an important piece of my life and my identity. It is, I won’t kid you, a loss in many ways. Instead, I will celebrate embracing my role as author, and hopefully, my increasing success in the days ahead. I guess we’ll see, won’t we. Life is full of difficult choices, and there is no progress without change.

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Fingers crossed.

 

Doggone Deadly Release Day Giveaway

 

 It's here! After a two week delay (due to supply chain issues, of course), DOGGONE DEADLY is finally out in the world.

 

 

 I'm so excited to share this second book in my Catskills Pet Rescue series with you. Hopefully you've already read and loved the first book, FURBIDDEN FATALITY featuring Kari Stuart, her friends at the Serenity Sanctuary, and of course, her feisty little black kitten Queenie. In the second book, Kari's friend Suz is accused of murder at a dog show, and things, well, go to the dogs.

 

Here are some handy buy links:

Amazon |Amazon Print |Penguin|Nook |Kobo |Apple

To celebrate the book release, I'm going to be doing a fun giveaway, as usual. (You know I love giveaways.) Since so many of you loved the pictures I posted of the amazing tiny painting my tarot illustrator Elisabeth Alba did of me recently, I've ordered a cool totebag from RedBubble with that picture on it.

Inside the bag is going to be this fabulous gift pack of an Amazon Fire 7 tablet, a signed copy of the book, a cute stuffed kitten and a white dog (there are Bichons in the book), a pen, a bookmark, and a magnet. Who wouldn't want that? 

 

All you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Obviously, I'd love it if you would buy the book (or ask your library to buy it), spread the word far and wide, and of course, put up a short review once you've read it. But either way, feel free to enter. Happy book day!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DOGGONE DEADLY is Out in One Month Giveaway

 

 I've been so busy with my new Llewellyn book, The Eclectic Witch's Book of Shadows that I didn't realize until this week that we're ONE MONTH AWAY from the release of DOGGONE DEADLY, the second book in my Catskill Pet Rescue series!

If you read the first book in the series, FURBIDDEN FATALITY, you know that there are lots of dogs, cats, and fun quirky characters to look forward to. Here's the cover and the blurb.

 

 

 

Kari Stuart is roped into helping out at a dog show--but soon finds she’s bitten off more than she can chew when her best friend is framed for murder in this new Catskills Pet Rescue Mystery.

When the woman who is supposed to run the local dog show calls out sick, dog groomer Suz is asked to take over. But it's too much for her to handle by herself--especially with the president of the kennel club, Olivia Weiner, criticizing her at every turn--so she calls in her best friend, Kari Stuart, with the promise that Kari can set up a fund-raising and kitten-adoption station at the show.

A long and stressful day goes from bad to worse when a local breeder's body is found in the supply tent, with Suz's signature purple-handled shears embedded in her chest. Kari doesn't think for a second that her friend is capable of murder; the police aren't so sure. But trying to run a dog show and investigate a murder at the same time is like herding cats, and Kari will have to rely on the rest of the Serenity Sanctuary staff to keep things running smoothly while she--and her beloved and clever kitten, Queenie--sniff out the truth.

 And if you have been following me at all, you know that being a month away from a book release can only mean one thing... GIVEAWAY TIME!

I'm giving away a $25 Amazon gift card (so you can buy all the books), plus a cute cat and dog to go with the theme of the series, a fun notebook from the first book, and a pen. Check it out.

All you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Of course, I'd kind of love it if you would preorder the book (so I would look good to my publisher) but that's completely up to you. Here are some buy links if you are so inclined. And don't forget that you can always preorder through your local independent book store.

Buy Links

Amazon |Amazon Print |Penguin|Nook |Kobo |Apple

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The While We Wait Book of Shadows Giveaway

 We're hoping the many boxes of The Eclectic Witch's Book of Shadows will land in the Llewellyn warehouse by late today or sometime tomorrow, and soon be speeding on their way to everyone who ordered them (and me!). But in the meanwhile, I thought I'd do a fun "While We Wait" giveaway to keep everyone entertained while we wait.

Obviously, since it includes a signed copy of the new book, I won't be able to send to winner their goodies until I get my author copies, but at least they should be worth waiting for. The giveaway includes a signed book, a signed mini Everyday Witch Tarot, a cool pen, a bookmark, and a beautiful bag (created by illustrator Mickie Mueller) to hold a quartz crystal. So much fun!

All you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Obviously, I'd love it if you would spread the word far and wide (and tell all your friends about the book, if you haven't already). Thank you all for your encouraging words!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy Links

Amazon |Amazon Print |Llewellyn|Nook |Booksamillion |Kobo