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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?

New Year's Rituals

The end of the year and beginning of the next is always a bit cathartic for me. Some years were good, some were bad, but I often have a sense of ridding myself of the baggage I acquired during the year. 2016 hasn't been so good for me or my family, or a lot of people I hold dear, so I'll be celebrating its demise!

As I leave one phase behind, like many people, I try to rid myself of any negative energy from the previous year, so one of the things I always do before the clock strikes twelve on December 31st is to make sure that all of my laundry is washed. Symbolically, I don't want to leave carry any 'dirt' with me into the new year.

It's nice to make a fresh start with all things clean and fresh. In fact, I also run my dishwasher, whether or not it's full. All trash is taken outside. If I had my way, I'd order a garbage pickup for every December 31st. But alas, I don't make those rules!

I even do a virtual clean-out of my computer files, deleting anything I'm sure I won't need, and eliminating any saved links I haven't used for a while. Basically, if it is clutter, it goes.

Several friends eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day, although that isn't something I do. Where I live in the south, the tradition is thought to bring prosperity in the year ahead.

There are many other rituals and traditions that are more widespread -- kissing your sweetheart at midnight is said to bring good luck; popping the cork on a bottle of champagne has its roots in the Christian ritual of consuming wine during the Eucharist. Singing Auld Lang Syne began as a British and Scottish funeral mainstay, but came to the US when the Guy Lombardo Orchestra played it on New Year's Eve at a bash in a New York hotel.

It wouldn't be New Year's Eve without the iconic ball dropping in Times Square. That tradition comes from sailors who, in the old days used 'time balls' placed in various harbors at certain times to set their own time pieces while at sea.

And fireworks? Well those were first created in seventh-century China with the express purpose of warding off evil spirits.

However and wherever you celebrate, I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2017.

Emerging from the Cave

2016 has been a crazy year for me. Along with the usual family stuff, social obligations and the like, I've been writing my tail off! With the holidays approaching, I am just emerging from my writing cave having typed those last two wonderful words on a book that is due to my publisher this week -- The End!

The best thing about being productive is having the perspective to look back and see all that I've done. Another wonderful part is that in the coming months I'll have some brand new books out there that some readers have been clamoring for!

Next up is the follow-up book to The Surrogate Husband, which is the story of Lucy's younger sister, Niki. That will be released in February from Entangled Publishing. Then in May I have my story out in a new-to-me series as a guest author. More about that as soon as I am able to discuss it. (Yes, it's still a bit hush-hush). Late May or early June will bring the third in my Entangled series, which stars Lucy and Niki's friend, Amy. Then in November The Jewel Box Authors will put out the third book in our series, Charmed by a Sapphire.

I still have to write a couple of these books, so as soon as I get through Thanksgiving it's back into the cave for me.

If you happen to be searching for holiday gifts soon and want to impress those on your list, I hope you'll think about giving them ebooks. Not only do books enhance the reader's life, but electronic ones are better for the planet than the paper ones.

Warmest wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving!

Teaser from Spirited Seduction!

Here's a snipet from my contribution to Once Upon A Midnight...

Ryan peeled back the sweat-damp sheet, set his feet on the wood floor then switched on the bedside lamp. Eerie moon shadows danced beyond the window but it wasn’t anything outside that concerned him. This wasn’t the first time he’d felt a haunting presence in the room, hovering near him. The air grew thick, rank and damp. He got up to open the window but stopped dead.

What the hell?

A woman all in white stood at the edge of the woods just twenty yards or so away. His body went rigid with terror. There was something ethereal about her but his mind refused to accept the familiarity of her features.

Couldn’t be. He quietly eased open the window to get a better look. She stared right at him and his knees went weak.

Becky?

He fisted his hands and dug his fingernails painfully into his skin to confirm he was truly awake.

The spirit seemed to float next to the black oak tree. “Heed your vision.” Her lips hadn’t moved yet he’d heard her voice all the same.

“Becky!” He stumbled backward until he crashed into the bed.

The apparition was gone as suddenly as it had appeared. Gulping for air, he grasped the footboard, sure he must still be dreaming.

“Becky…wait!” He lunged toward the window but she was gone before he could ask who’d killed her. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he wondered if he’d lost his mind.

Could someone be playing a cruel joke on him? Who would do such a thing? And how would anyone know about the visions he’d been having? He hadn’t told a soul for fear he’d be committed.

He yanked on jeans then shoved his .45 into his waistband and headed downstairs. Armed with flashlight, he searched his property, calling her name, but he found nothing.

I didn’t imagine her.

This might have been the first time he’d actually seen her since she’d passed away, but deep inside, he’d sensed her presence for weeks now. He’d shrugged it off as part of his frustration over not knowing who’d murdered her. He wasn’t ready to admit he’d seen a ghost but he was positive some unknown force was at work.

Had his mental images of Emily been a dire prediction for her? Maybe she was really in danger. Desperate as he was to learn the identity of Becky’s killer, the more urgent issue was to warn Emily she might not be safe.

He’d read an article in the paper that she’d helped the police over in Raleigh with a murder investigation last year. His rational mind told him nothing paranormal was real but he couldn’t deny what he’d just witnessed with his own eyes. Like it or not, he had to look into it.

His sister deserved justice and her friend needed to know she could be in trouble.

Collaborating for a Cause

I'm so thrilled to be a part of a multi-author paranormal anthology, which is now available for pre-order. Even more exciting to me is the fact that ONCE UPON A MIDNIGHT is a collection of stories that will benefit a charity. And not just a portion. That's right -- a hundred percent of the proceeds go to the Epilepsy Foundation.

What makes that even more personal is that the organizer of the anthology chose that charity because her daughter suffered from frequent seizures before she had brain surgery in 2015.

Who has a story in this awesome collection? How about Dakota Cassidy, Renee George, Claudy Conn, Kelly Cozzone, A D Justice, Gena D. Lutz, Aubree Lane, PM Briede, Amanda Washington, Nicole Garcia, Stephanie Rowe, Melanie James, Toni Aleo, Tracey Jane Jackson, Julia Mills, Diane Rinella, A K Michaels, Jami Brumfield, moi - Wynter Daniels, and Michele E. Gwynn.

So if you're in the mood for a really awesome deal, think about pre-ordering ONCE UPON A MIDNIGHT today. You'll get a taste of 20 terrific authors in one book. This collection is only available for a limited time. For only $.99, you can't go wrong!

Add it to your TBR ~>
https://www.goodreads.com/…/s…/31139021-once-upon-a-midnight

Amazon :
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IL888AG
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01IL888AG

Win-Win!

For the past two years, I've been a reading tutor at the Adult Literacy League in my hometown of Orlando. I'm such a big believer in the organization's mission that I've become more involved and have participated in some of their fundraising events. So I was over the moon when a new grocery store opened its doors in town and popped into the office with a hefty donation check! They also offered to host any events the ALL needed.

Long story short, Lucky's Market is hosting a book release for me and my fellow Jewel Box Authors  in their cafe on July 21! We're donating a portion on the proceeds to the Adult Literacy League. So you see, it's a win-win!

If you happen to be in the Orlando area, come by Lucky's Market cafe on July 21 between 6:30 and 9:00 pm, meet me, Catherine Kean, Caro Carson and T. Elliott Brown. Pick up a copy of Charmed by a Ruby (and you can also buy Charmed by an Emerald, which we're also donating part of the proceeds for) and you can check out the terrific new grocery store in east Orlando.

Radio personality Erica Lee will be the emcee and there will be wine and beer tastings, free appetizers and chocolate. Did I mention chocolate?

Gratitude Post #14 - My Writing Buddies

On a long drive home from a writers' conference in Atlanta, four of us came up with the idea -- a collection of stories in several genres, covering a long period of time, but revolving around a single enchanted gemstone, a magical emerald. The Jewel Box Authors were born.  Charmed by an Emerald was to be our first venture.

The collaboration was great. We picked each others' brains, bounced ideas off one another, supported other releases we all had along the journey as well as life events in the process.

Working with a group of such talented ladies was energizing, and just plain fun. The finished product is something every one of us is proud of.

When time came to start planning the second book, we decided to go with a ruby. Next up - Charmed by a Ruby. You can expect to see that book released in the spring of 2016. I can't wait. Working with some talented ladies who happen to be my friends is such an awesome experience.

Very soon I will share the cover of Charmed by a Ruby. As I write this, I am working on formatting that book. And it's going to be great!

Gratitude Post #13 - My Street Team

My very own Wenches! Yeah, it's okay for me to call them that. What are Wenches? According the dictionary, a wench is merely a young woman -- a lively or buxom one. But for our purpose here, we're talking about Wynter's Wenches, a group of dedicated women who help me with promoting my books. And let me tell you, they are the absolute best! 

If you're not sure what a Street Team is, allow me to enlighten you. It's a group of people who, out of the goodness of their heart, pimp a writer's work. They are not paid, although the author does often give them incentives like contests in which they can win books, gift cards or other prizes. But for the most part, they do what they do because they enjoy the writer's work. They share news and events, and generally spread the word about the authors books. And I am extremely blessed and profoundly grateful to have the most awesome team out there! 

How great are they? Well, when I had a personal crisis last year that coincided with a book release, the wonderful lady who serves as the 'team captain' for lack of a better term, stepped up and ran a release week promo campaign. She is supremely amazing, and a person for whom I am especially grateful. 

So I raise a mug to my very own Wenches. You ladies rock!!

Gratitude Post #12 - My Country

I'm so glad that we have holidays like Memorial Day, a time to stop and reflect on just how fortunate we are as Americans that we live in a place where we have the right to vote, the right to protest when we see injustice, where we won't be tossed into a jail cell and forgotten for speaking out against policies we don't like.

It's hard to believe that there are still many places where such things take place, yet much of the world's population lives under that type of governmental control.

Thanks to the sacrifice of the men and women of our armed forces, we have so many freedoms today. Certainly, our democracy isn't a perfect one, but it's a hell of a lot better than most. So I'm supremely grateful for those who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep the United States safe and secure.

At 3 pm local time today, please take a minute to reflect on those who died in military service to this country. It's the least we can do.