BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! *and some itty bitty prizes*

Helloooooo, everybody! 
I'm so sorry I haven't been in here for a while. As per my last post, I've been... busy. Writing, learning, writing, revising, napping, writing, eating, writing. (Ok, that got old fast. Wow, nothing more depressing than seeing your life spelled out in gerunds.)

 Christmas happened and my own group of little lovelies were on hand to celebrate. This is our table topper. I wish I could have left it up all year, but it started to get a little dry by Jan 15th.

 Some mod podge and paper punch snowflakes and I finally escaped from the land of Pinterest fails.

 Of course, there were cookies. Lots of cookies.

As for writing, I've been immersed in another Austen Takes the South story.

Getting lost in history...

                                                    
Pausing to revel in Southern beauty and grandeur...
                                                
 And emerging to take a breath of Southern style...

(Oh, wait. Rupert Penry-Jones has come to pay us a visit!)
Can you guess which Austen story I'm working on now? Yes?

Well, before we go there, I need to tell you something very exciting. In October, Beth Adams of Howard Books contacted me, wanting to know if I was open to selling this self published series.

                                                 (This is me. A happy writer, pecking away at my keyboard and dropping books into Kindle land. Awwww....)


  As a contented little indie author, it certainly gave me pause. What would it mean to have a traditional house heading this project? What kind of changes would there be? Were there limits to my story lines now? It was a big decision and we talked it over thoroughly. I knew this series needed serious editorial help. I also have always known that self publishing on Kindle doesn't reach the majority of readers. Some authors have successfully sold print on demand books in large quantities, but my earnings in paper were modest. I also knew my paper books weren't as polished as they could be, but I wasn't sure how to make them better. I knew it could be done, but I just didn't have the knowledge, or the time to invest in learning how to make it happen.

  In the end, I realized that I wanted to partner with an editor who loved Austen and understood this series. After much thought and prayer, I felt sure that Beth and Howard Books would bring new life to my quirky little romances. I loved them and wanted the best for them... and I took a chance.

And has it been an amazing journey! In just a few months we've edited both Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits AND Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs. The second of the series had some holes in plot and character motivation that needed to be filled, and it was a blast to dive back into that story. Beth Adams has an amazing gift for seeing a story from several different directions. Her questions always set me thinking on ways to bring the characters into tighter focus. I loved the stories before, but I'm very proud of them now.

The new ebooks became available on Amazon on the 14th. So far, more than ten people have contacted me to say they love the new edition more than the original, saying the story truly shines now. I agree!

So, all of this is to announce that this series is now part of Simon and Schuster/ Howard Books! And to celebrate, we're going to have to give away prizes. Since Rupert Penry-Jones was not available as a rafflecopter prize, I've had to settle for Austen movies. I tried to buy several different editions because I KNOW there is that tiny disagreement between fans over the 1995 and the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movies. (I would tell you which one I love the most, but I don't want to start a food fight on my first day back on the blog.)
                                        
I WILL tell you that Persuasion is my next book in the series! Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and Cracklin' Cornbread has been a thrill and a half to write.

Here's a peek at the (brand new, of course, since I have my own copies) movies I'm giving away. There are four, so enter often! Tell your friends and family!
Or not. If you can keep the entries down, you might just win THEM ALL.

And the typewriter is not for sale. She's my lovely baby and comes with me to book signings. Also, she weighs approximately a hundred pounds and I would be poor if I tried to ship her anywhere.
The giveaway ends on the 27th. Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway