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Today's the Day!

It's finally here! Today is release day for THE BEST MAN'S PROPOSAL. And I've got a lot in store!

Aside from hanging on my own Facebook page, I've got a Thunderclap campaign running (feel free to throw your hat into that ring ;-). There's a Book Release tour through Book Partners in Crime, and I am doing an interview at Get Lost in a Story blog on Wednesday (with giveaways)!

Tonight, I will be at the online release party hosted by Book Nook Nuts. And there will be fun and more giveaways from 7 - 9 pm. So join the party!

Seriously - what are you waiting for. Hop over to one or all of these events and join the fun.

I hope to see you there.

Hurricane Prep is my Bitch!

So here comes Hurricane Irma! Living in the Sunshine State, we're used to tropical storms and hurricanes, but I have to say, Irma does seem to look like the mother of all storms!

I'm trying to get some work done today, but alas, my brain won't stop buzzing with tasks that need to be done in the next day or so. I've got all the usual suspects taken care of -- water, non-perishable food, cars filled with gas, generator ready, outside items inside, etc.

But having ridden out several big hurricanes a decade ago, and the resulting week-long power outage, I am a much smarter, savvier hurricane prepper. And chances are that we will lose power for a while.

Back then, we didn't have a generator, so we lost everything in the refrigerator. And after days of Florida heat and humidity, we ran out of clothes. Also, my house got dirty very fast due to people tracking in wet leaves and dirt. Without a vacuum cleaner, I was forced to sweep -- and sweep and sweep and sweep!

So this time I'm prepping smarter. Along with the usual safety checklist, I've added the 'Mom's OCD List' which includes: Doing all laundry in the house, vacuuming the entire house, and cooking food that either doesn't require heating, or that can be heated on the grill.

Aside from helping me to stay away from the constant doom-and-gloom weather reports, the tasks actually help me retain some sense of control in a situation that is mostly not in my control.

If you're in the storm's path, here's the non-OCD list: Stay safe!

The Countdown Begins

September is a crazy month for this author! Book releases are always busy times, but when you have two in one month -- look out.

First up is THE BEST MAN'S PROPOSAL, a fun, contemporary romance that takes up where THE SURROGATE HUSBAND left off.

Here's a little about the story:

Niki Hamilton had her hopes pinned on moving to Europe with her boyfriend. But then he dumped her. By text message. Just before her sister’s wedding. Left dateless in a flamingo-pink monstrosity of a bridesmaid dress, she decides to drown her sorrows in a glass of tall, dark, and handsome.

Firefighter Grant Powers has been burned by love, but when his best friend’s new sister-in-law falls into his arms—and stays there for one sexy night—he enjoys the experience a little too much. Then a rental snafu leaves Niki temporarily homeless. So, gentleman and masochist that he is, Grant offers his spare bedroom. Despite the smoldering sexual tension between them, starting anything would be playing with fire.

Now, they just have to survive living together for a few weeks…

Each book in the Hamilton Sisters series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.

Series Order:

Book #1 The Surrogate Husband

Book #2 The Best Man’s Proposal

To celebrate the release, I'll be doing several events (yes, there will be prizes). There'll be a Takeover at Book Nook Nuts on September 18. On September 20th, I'll be over at Get Lost in a Story for some more fun, excerpts and a giveaway.

Speaking of giveaways, my publisher is hosting one on Goodreads for this book! Enter to win today. 

The best part is that THE BEST MAN'S PROPOSAL is on sale for only $.99 for a limited time. But wait, there's more! I'll be blogging soon about my other September release, my next contribution to the Nocturne Falls Universe. Stay tuned for updates. 

Conference Goodness

So a couple of weeks ago I attended the Romance Writers of America national conference, which was conveniently held in a Disney hotel in my hometown of Orlando. The workshops were top-notch this year, featuring the likes of Damon Suede, Kristan Higgins, and my very own agent, Jill Marsal, just to name a few. I learned a lot, networked, and generally had a wild and crazy time. As a bonus, I got to hang with some awesome ladies.

For the first time ever, I shared a room with three other lovely romance writers. I was sure that was going to be a bit claustrophobic, but it was just fine. Amazingly, we're all still speaking! Actually, we're closer ever.

And did I mention the parties? I got to meet many of my fellow Entangled authors, some of the other Nocturne Falls Universe folks, and some of the hugely talented authors who are also represented by my agent's literary agency.

One of the highlights for me was meeting up with my good friend, Cynthia Eden, and going to a very cool bar with her on Disney's boardwalk -- AbracaBar.

Another fun part was taking photos for my friend and street team leader, Tammy, of Book Nook Nuts. She said she'd love photos of me with Laura Kaye and with Krystal Shannon.

The only down side was coming home with bronchitis after five days of frenetically keeping up with my schedule.

All in all though, the RWA conference was a good time, and well worth the splurge.

Renovate or Die

I've been putting off certain home maintenance projects for a while because I knew they'd become headaches. Well, I say a while, when what I really mean is more like a decade!

So last year we replaced the kitchen counters, finished replacing the windows, and had the last of the ugly wallpaper removed in the family room.

But as we thought about enhancing our yard by enclosing the pool, we wondered if we'd be better off to sell our current house, and find a new one that already had a screened pool. It wasn't like we had fun neighbors, since all our friends on the next street had moved out years before. The only thing was my husband's attachment to the backyard, which he'd made into an urban oasis.

 I assured him we'd find something he could turn into a new paradise. But after wading through the local real estate market, we realized that with all the improvements we'd already made, we'd be foolish to get into another home and have to redo so much of it. Plus, we met a great couple who'd recently moved in directly behind us. The wife is an artist—another creative soul. We became fast friends with them, and in weeks we were seeing them at least every other day, either going to the gym together, or to a social event, or just hanging out over drinks. In short, they tipped the scale the rest of the way toward staying put.

So - 2017 is the year of the backyard. In the next two months we'll have a crew here for a couple weeks to screen in the pool, replace the roof over the lanai with one that will eliminate the open-air oven we now use as a screened patio, and extend the deck.

Somehow, I will have to squeeze in writing my next Nocturne Falls Universe book, and a 4-day long writers conference at Disney World. Wish me luck.

What big plans do you have this summer? Whatever they are, I hope you keep cool.

General Gratitude

You may have read some of my Gratitude posts. I have a lot to be grateful for, believe me. Last night, watching the last episode of The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu, drove home to me how fortunate I am to live in the society that I do, at the time I do. Sure, it has its problems, particularly now, but those issues can't compare to having absolutely no freedoms.

As frightening as this dystopian story is, there are actually places where women, in particular, have no rights at all, even in this day and age.

The story made me contemplate all the freedoms I take for granted. It also got me thinking about things like, how easy would it be for a large government, like in the US, for example, to suspend the constitution, and declare martial law because of some perceived threat to our security.

That accomplished, would the majority sit still if the rights of certain minorities were then taken away.

Oh, wait a second. That happens all the time, and not only in third-world countries. Until very recently, LGBTQ people were denied many rights here in the USA. Not long ago, certain races didn't have the same rights and privileges as the majority in this country. So yeah, it totally could happen. Pretty scary.

All that aside, I highly recommend this show. It is some of the best TV I've ever seen. And it definitely gives lots of food for thought.

Release Day!

It's finally here! I've been working on my first contribution to Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls Universe since February, and now it's all ready with its pretty pink cover. Isn't it gorgeous.

Here's a little about the story:
Palm reader Darcy Kumar is cursed. She'll be dead within a year, so why bother with love? After a brush with death she resolves not to squander what little time she has left. So when sexy firefighter Aiden Becker asks her out, she accepts. As long as she doesn't have a child, the curse will end with her demise. 
A Kachina healer and the last of his line, Aiden is compelled to pass along his gift to future generations. He doesn't believe in the curse that Darcy thinks will finish her, but he has second thoughts after she has several close calls. He starts suspecting that her near misses aren't accidents at all. 
When they enlist the help of a powerful local witch, they learn there are even more sinister forces at work than just a curse. Someone's gunning for Darcy. Will they find out who before it's too late?

And here's where you can get it:
Amazon: hyperurl.co/l8gaia
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fortunetellers-folly-kristen-painter/1126309164?ean=2940157424114
Kobo:https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-fortuneteller-s-folly
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/…/the-fortunetellers…/id1231773069…
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34845704-the-fortuneteller-s-folly

In the interest of having a fun release day, I've arranged a Scavenger Hunt! Here's how it works -
Collect points by answering questions and by stalking me. 1 answered question = 1 point. 1 stalking step = 2 points. For every 5 points you accrue, you get a chance at winning an Amazon gift card or a prize pack that includes a cat shoulder bag stuffed with swag! You can email me with your answers and the URLs of your Stalker Steps at WynterDaniels at gmail. Winners will be drawn on Friday, May 26th, so get those points in!

Here's one Stalker Step  - Follow me on Twitter and post a teaser about the release: A palm reader fights her own destiny! #TheFortunetellersFolly @WynterDaniels #NocturneFallsUniverse - http://amzn.to/2pnVrDt
If you're already following me on Twitter, just Tweet the message for 2 points.

Have you 'Liked' my author page? Do so and let me know in your note for another 2 points! https://www.facebook.com/Wynter-Daniels-Romance-Author-112308715446045/

And here's a Question: What is Aiden's supernatural power?

Hint: Find more ways to win on my Facebook Author Page.

A Whole New World

Er...actually, a whole new universe. My latest book, THE FORTUNETELLER'S FOLLY is my first step into the Nocturne Falls Universe, stories based on Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls, a town where every day is Halloween. The tourists think it's all pretend, but the locals know better.

Today is my super secret cover reveal. Well - not so secret anymore, hmm? To celebrate, I'm giving away an Amazon gift card, so hop on over to Kristen's Facebook page and comment on my post for a chance to win.

You can also check out the pre-order and read the reviews as they come in on Goodreads!

I'm super excited about jumping on board with such a fun series, and such amazing authors. Not only do I get to write for this awesome series, but some of my besties are also authoring books for the universe. And they are all fabulous.

I know you're going to want to check out not only my first book for the series, but these other great series titles as well:

THE MERMAID CATCHES HER MATE by Jax Cassidy, and THE FALCON FINDS HIS MATE by Candace Colt. Seriously - you're going to want to read the entire NF Universe, and the whole original Nocturne Falls series. And the Jayne Frost series. Would I steer you wrong? Time to  kick up your feet, grab a latte, and load up those e-readers!

Lessons Learned

I might have mentioned that I've got a ton of deadlines this year and next. Between the books I'm writing for Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls Universe, the ones I've turned in to my publisher and am doing edits on now, I can hardly see straight.

What all that has meant for me is that I had to come up with a schedule and hard weekly writing count goals that I couldn't miss.

So I just missed one :-(  With having to re-write a couple of scenes in book 3 in a series for my publisher, I ended up spending several days longer on those revisions than I'd anticipated. Now that I'm 4,000 words behind goal, I have to really shift into high gear.

What's a writer to do?
1. I've learned that caffeine is my friend. As someone with a touch of ADD, I need the added sharpness coffee gives me.
2. Write with a friend. One of my BFFs, Jax Cassidy, comes over for periodic write-ins. Those days used to be mostly chatting, cooking, catching up, etc. But now we both have urgent deadlines and there's no time for long gabfests.
3. Eliminate distraction. As much as I enjoy socializing, I've had to all but cut out most lunches with my girlfriends, shopping excursions, and the like.
4. Cut days off. When you're self-employed, it's easy to justify taking a whole day off with your hubby or a friend. No more of those for me. I now work 6 or 7 days a week.

Hopefully all of this hard work will pay off. Time will tell. One bright spot so far has been some really nice reviews pre-release for my first Nocturne Falls book, THE FORTUNETELLER'S FOLLY. Release day is May 23.  Wish me luck!

In a Nutshell

I've been rather absent here, but I've got a good reason. Well, many of them, actually. With four books to write this year, and edits coming soon on two others, my dance card is pretty full. I've been living in the writing cave nearly every day. The good news is that I'll have three stories out between May and January with Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls Universe, one hot shapeshifter story for a yet-to-be-announced Amazon World, and one novella in the next Jewel Box Authors' anthology, CHARMED BY A SAPPHIRE. In addition, my next two books from Entangled Publishing should be released sometime this year. Does all of this tell you just how hard I've been working?

Today, the cave is a cold, cold place. Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I don't much care for chilly temps. Hence, the reason I live in Florida! But even here the mercury occasionally dips fairly low.

So what's a warmth-loving lady to do? Make a pot of soup, of course. Today's selection is Creamy Dreamy Cauliflower Soup. Since cauliflower is my very favorite veggie, this one's a winner for me. Check out the recipe HERE.

And stay tuned for the cover reveal of my first Nocturne Falls Universe book, THE FORTUNETELLER'S FOLLY. I'm super excited to be jumping into such a fun world. The entire series is light, humorous and lots of fun to read! In the meantime, try to stay warm. Happy reading.

My Mom's Visit and Other Chaos

For my family, January and February mean my mother's annual snowbird ascension to our humble abode. Of course, I love my mother, but she is a seriously high-maintenance guest who requires extraordinary amounts of my time and energy.

First of all, she has mobility issues since she uses a walker. Plus there's the fact that she's my mom and like any mother-daughter pair, we have a lifetime of guilt and other choice nuggets in our mutual toy chest that we regularly take out to enjoy!

Along with all that, I feel the need to keep her entertained. She really enjoys the arts, so I fill up her dance card with plays, concerts, art festivals and the like. Needless to say, I don;t get much work done at the beginning of the year!

This year, though I happen to have two books in the works that are in the editing stage with my publisher, another that I'm trying to finish for a March 15 deadline, and yet another to plot by April 1.

Along with writing stuff, my son just finished his training and got his certification to be a Pharmacy Tech, so we're having a congratulatory party for him while my mom's in town. I've got to schedule some time to breathe lately!

But seriously, it's all good stuff. In fact, the lovely ladies of Lorelei's Lit Lair and Orange County Library are hosting the Jewel Box Authors for an evening of fun at the Alafaya Library on February 28th! So chaos can sometimes be fun. What's new and exciting in your life?