It’s a bit ironic to talk about summer right now because it’s been rainy here in Oregon for the last week. At least it’s been a warm rain, and we needed it, so I’m not complaining…too loudly. But I am looking forward to the change predicted for tomorrow. Summer is coming back, just in time for a family reunion and camping trip.

I need a break, too. Every year I look forward to the kids’ summer vacation, thinking I’ll have lots of free time to catch up. Then we have the end of baseball and softball season, a garden to plant and get going, yard work, and inevitably lots of other things that pop up. Plus it’s hard to focus on any kind of inside work when I’m itching to go hiking, swimming and berry picking. I joined Zumba, and after only four classes, I’m addicted. I looked up videos online because two classes a week aren’t enough! I also went roller skating with the kids last night, and we want to do that more.

With so much going on, I’ve been doing more “idea work” than actual writing. Which is okay—I have a new release out! Point Hope is out on Kindle and the paperback will be available within days. The first review called it “a happy tear-jerker.”  It went on to say, “Despite dealing with issues such as death, survivor’s guilt, and PTSD, this still manages to be a lovely romantic story. You can’t help liking the family at the center of the story.” Have you read it yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts! My teenage daughter just read it and loved it, which always means a lot to me.

So I am writing here and there… I’ve worked a little on A Wedding to Remember with Trent and Molly, and it’s shaping into more than I expected. A few other characters got ideas of their own, so I hope the story will have a good surprise for readers. It’s a novella, so I’m aiming to finish it by the end of July.

And here’s my secret. I also rediscovered an earlier work that’s been waiting for me. I mentioned on Facebook that I found a manuscript on my computer and suddenly wanted to finish it. I put it aside before with the feeling that it wasn’t focused enough. Now I can see it was just too big for me at the time, with at least four point of view characters and several story lines. It’s more like Point Hope than the shorter romances I was writing three years ago.

This new story is called Costa Rica. This is a rough blurb for the book:

It’s always been Annalisa and Drew’s dream to go to Costa Rica, but it’s always been talk. They spent years trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant, which slowly killed their marriage. Now she realizes Drew is planning to take another woman there on a “business trip.”

Annalisa and Drew have been best friends with Vincent and Melinda forever. Vincent’s cancer is back – his tumor is inoperable and he won’t do chemo again. The four of them have actually talked and talked about going to Costa Rica together for years, and Annalisa realizes it’s now or never. It’s perfect timing for Vincent to ask everyone to go to Costa Rica while he still can.

Annalisa very well could be saying goodbye to her marriage, a friend and her life as she knew it. But for now, they can have Costa Rica.

 Sound interesting? I plan to work on it this summer, but I expect that the main writing will take place once school starts in the fall. I don’t want to rush it, either. There’s so many layers I want to visit. Vincent and Melinda have two children who are dealing with their father’s cancer, and there’s different and complicated relationships between all of the friends.

A few random notes:

If you haven’t read The Cowboy Kiss, it’s free all summer long. I have a sequel idea for that story too, but I’m getting way too far ahead of myself!

I have a newsletter –  sign up here.   (Different than my blog subscription.) I use it to announce new books.  I’m having a giveaway this summer for all subscribers – a beach bag full of books! I’ll include some of my books, signed, and other good beach reads. Everyone who signs up is entered to win, no matter when you sign up.

Check out my Summer Giveaways to see how you can win a signed copy of Point Hope.

Happy Summer and happy reading!