FREE Novella starts tomorrow!

KIND EYES AND A LION'S HEART, 

a novella I wrote about two secondary characters from

 BRIDE FOR A KNIGHT 

begins posting here in installments 

Monday to Friday or Thursday 

(depending on the length of the chapter)

Monday, June 1 at 9 am.

It will also be available on my website.

The final installment 

will be posted Monday, July 20.

After that, the entire novella will be available

 for FREE on my website.

Why Write A Novella?

During the course of my career, I've written a few novellas, including the latest, KIND EYES AND A LION'S HEART, that will be posted here and on my website, in installments, starting on Monday.

Novellas hold a real appeal for me.  They can provide an opportunity to write about some characters who have the makings of heroes and heroines, but I don't really see the need (or have the desire) to write a whole book about them.  This was very much the case with  THE WELSH LORD'S MISTRESS and "COMFORT AND JOY"  in the collection entitled THE CHRISTMAS VISIT.   I was especially pleased to be able to write about Griffin in "Comfort and Joy" -- I waited a long time to give him a happy ending.

With KIND EYES AND A LION'S HEART, I really wanted to write about a hero who wasn't tall, dark and handsome, and I had my man waiting in the wings (BRIDE FOR A KNIGHT).  Melvin's short(er) and stocky, and tends to babble.  Yet his wife is calm and competent and clearly devoted to him.  How did that happen?  I really wanted to show how that could be, and a novella gave me that chance without taking too much time away from my next book.  


I'm a lean writer.  I prefer dialogue to description, for example, so a shorter length is right up my

alley.

But what about subplots and secondary characters, things that add richness to longer works?  I do love my secondary characters, so they're in anything I write.  As for more plot layers or subplots, well, there's usually some kind of external forces keeping a couple apart, so I don't feel much of a lack on that score. 

A novella doesn't require the time and effort of a longer work to write, revise and edit (or to read).  Believe me, there are times that is a real plus, depending on what else is going on with my life. 

When I consider those reasons for writing novellas, I probably should be writing more of them!

Starting Next Week - FREE NOVELLA!

Beginning on June 1, I'll be posting installments of a new novella here and on my website.  

It's FREE!

KIND EYES AND A LION'S HEART is the love story of Sir Melvin and Lady Viola,
who appear in BRIDE FOR A KNIGHT. 

I thought people might wonder how the kind, but bumbling, talkative Sir Melvin winds up with a competent, loving wife like Viola,
so I decided to write their love story.

Sir Melvin isn't the most slim or handsome of men, so he's sure a woman like the lovely, competent Lady Viola will never look at him twice. 

But with his kind and generous nature, Melvin is a welcome change from the usual arrogant suitors after Viola's dowry. 

As their growing love is threatened, Melvin reveals the courageous heart beneath his bashfulness and Viola risks scandal to marry the man she loves. 
 
The installments will be published daily at 9 a.m., a chapter a week, Monday to Thursday or Friday depending on the number of installments in a chapter, ending with the Epilogue on July 20.  

There will be links to the beginning of the novella and an installment index on each blog post and web page.

I had a lot of fun with Melvin and Viola.  I hope you like their story, too!

The Unexpected, Titles, Release Dates and a FREE Novella

I was planning to be a more consistent blogger.  Then came my husband's unexpected, fortunately successful, open heart surgery.  He's well on the way to recovery, but perhaps needless to say, the stress and upheaval has thrown a monkey wrench in my plans.

However, I'm still planning on publishing a FREE novella, in installments, beginning June 1, on this blog and my website.  KIND EYES AND A LION'S HEART is about the talkative Sir Melvin and his wife, the calm, competent Lady Viola, who appear in BRIDE FOR A KNIGHT.  I thought readers might wonder how a guy like Melvin winds up with a wife like Viola, so I decided to go back in time a bit and tell their love story.  I also really like them!

In other news, I now have a title for the third book in the trilogy that began with CASTLE OF THE WOLF and continued with BRIDE FOR A KNIGHT:

 SCOUNDREL OF DUNBOROUGH is about Roland's twin brother, Gerrard and Celeste, the sister of the late Audrey D'Orleau.  It's tentatively set for release in January, 2016.

I'm in the process of getting back to working on my next book for Harlequin Historical, a Regency.  Thankfully I have plenty of time before that manuscript is due.  As I said, things are going well, so I hope to get back to the manuscript soon.  In the meantime, I will be eternally grateful to our family doctor, the cardiologist, the surgeon, the nurses, all the other support workers, as well as our family and friends, who have all helped us throughout the past few weeks.