New Book By Beth Ciotta!

Friends, I am delighted to announce a terrific new book by the fabulously talented Beth Ciotta! 

How do I know it's terrific?  Beth is one of my dearest friends and I read this book right when she finished it, so I have first hand enjoyment and knowledge.

You don't have to take my word for it.  Here's what some other folks have said:

“Rich with emotional complexity and a cast of wonderfully rich characters, Fool for Love is an absolute treat.”—Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author

“Ciotta writes with style, wit and heart. Can’t wait for the next one!”
—Susan Andersen, New York Times bestselling author

"Ciotta’s wit adds spark to this tale of extended-family joys and sorrows, smalltown living, and complicated characters with secrets that will keep readers waiting eagerly for the next Monroe family story."—Publishers Weekly on Fool For Love

Fool for Love is available for sale tomorrow, August 28th.  You can pre-order it now in print or for your e-reader at Amazon.  Just click here!

Congratulations, Beth.  Here's wishing you great success, my wonderful, sweet friend!

A Whale of a Time!

I've been away from this blog for months.  I apologize, but I've been blogging regularly about my journey post-weight loss surgery over at my other blog - Weighty Matters.

It was never my intention to slight you here, and I promise to soon post with greater frequency.  I'm about to launch myself back into more fiction writing, beginning with a graduate course on Writing Romance that's being taught through McDaniel College by the incomparable Jennifer Crusie and Dr. Pamela Regis.  Ideas, characters and scenes for a new book are bubbling in my brain.  It's exciting!

Life has really been terrific for the last seven months, not that it was bad before!  I feel great and my spirit is invigorated.

I just returned from my annual vacation to Cape Cod where I had a wonderful time with family and friends.  I also took a whale watching trip out of Barnstable Village to Stellwagon Bank.  We saw at least a dozen humpback whales, including a mother and calf, as well as two minke whales.  I was able to get some cool photos and a couple of videos.  Since the last time I posted I showed you dolphin shots from the Keys, I think sharing whale pics today is in order!



Humpback whale surfacing to breathe.



A different humpback diving down to feed.



Humpback calf (probably around 8 months old) breaching.



Adult humpback slapping its huge pectoral flippers.