I've written about thirty percent of the next book in the Shapeling Trilogy. This story continues with Davide as the focus. Here's a small snippet. I've had to keep it small because I don't want to give too much away.

Excerpt:

Wade lifted on his elbow and gazed at his beautiful wife. A shaft of moonlight caressed her face and he bent to kiss her cheek. She lifted her eyelids and turned her head until her mouth touched his. "I love you," she whispered.

Brushing his lips gently from her mouth to her ear, he responded, "And I love you more than life." Smoothing his hand through her coal black hair, he reveled in its silkiness. In that shaft of moonlight they lost themselves to a lovers' realm begun twenty-five years earlier.

Hours later, pink sunlight filtered through the curtains above their bed and Wade trailed the tip of his finger down Fawn's cheek. He felt a tear. "What is it, love? Something's bothering you. I've felt it for awhile, but I've been waiting until you're ready to talk. Does it have anything to do with a mission?"

Fawn sniffed and nodded. She turned her head to look into her husband's emerald eyes. "The mission was…was…Zoe's mission."

"Honey, that was years ago."

"I know. Wade, I'm worried about Zoe.

I've been waiting on pins and needles to find out the winners in the Seventh Annual Literary Harvest Writing Contest sponsored by Central Oregon Writers Guild. When I received an email that said I was one of them, I did my happy dance (kind of a twist, hip hop, tango mix--really dorky). I'll be reading my entry, along with the other winners, at a Guild sponsored event on October 14. The info can be found in a link on my "About Me/Calendar" page.

The next great thing that happened:  Hampton Reviews gave Fawn, Book Two in the Shapeling Trilogy, a 5-star review. The reviewer (Fallawolf) said some very nice things. Here's what she said about the ending of the story: Fawn is a fantastic story with a beautiful ending that brought tears to my eyes.

It made me want to cry knowing that someone else enjoyed the ending as much as I did. As for Book Three: Davide: Prince, I'm well into the writing and lovin' these characters. They've been whispering their story for weeks and I'm writing it as fast as I can.

Next month I go to the Book Fair in Central Point, Oregon to sell and sign books. This is a first for me.

This sample is from Book Two in the Shapeling Trilogy and it's part of the sequel to Book One.

Excerpt:

After Fawn left, Roth touched his lips to Rainey's ear. "Let's go home, Soiuer."

She turned her head and met his azure gaze. "I love it when you call me that."

"The term is only for you."

"I know that now, but the first time you said it, I went crazy not knowing the meaning. And you weren't any help. Every time I asked for the translation you got mad."

"That's because I was calling you my lover when I had no intention of making it a reality. I was very frustrated." He bent and whispered in her ear again, "Soiuer, let's go home and make sure neither of us are frustrated."

Rainey giggled and playfully pushed at her husband's chest. With a twinkle in her eyes, she said coyly, "Only if you shift into your shapeling form."

Roth tilted his head back and laughed. "Anything for you, love." He captured her face in his palms and planted his mouth on hers. A little sound escaped her throat as she leaned into his passionate kiss. Pulling back, she glanced self-consciously past him and into the lab. Jim grinned and gave her a thumbs-up sign.

Late that night, Roth returned from soaring over the forests surrounding the Childress estate. He landed at the open French doors of their balcony and spoke the Prayer of Secrecy, shifting from a Bald Eagle into his human form. He approached his sleeping wife, gazing fondly at her round belly under the covers.

A moan from Rainey brought his attention back to her face. She grimaced and turned her head back and forth on her pillow. Roth knew she was having the dream again. The only thing marring their happiness was her recurring dreams about the hieroglyphs from the Sacred Cave in Egypt.

According to Tahnoon, leader of the Bedouin tribe who had led them to the cave, the ancient etchings contained the secrets of sound.

Roth heard Rainey moan again and sat on the side of the bed, stroking her forehead. "Soiuer, it's okay. It's only a dream." Roth waited for her to awaken and thought about the translation of the hieroglyphs.

Amun, Lord of silence, without mother, without father, being everything, creates nothing. Mut, Lady of Heaven, without mother, without father, balances everything with a feather. Khonsu, great snake, son of Amun and Mut, fertilizes the cosmic egg with disharmony to create.

He trailed his fingers across her cheek. At first she had scoffed at the poetic words having relevance to anything. However, upon their return to the United States, the dreams had begun. She said the dreams were always similar; she was in a black void consumed by thought forms. At first, the thoughts passed slowly through her mind, but then began speeding up until she waited for the inevitable explosion because there was no release for them.

Roth continued stroking her forehead and she relaxed and opened her eyes. He bent and softly kissed her lips. "It's only a dream. I'm here."

He looked at the strange expression on her face. "What is it?"

With a quick intake of breath, she said, "I understand the dreams, Roth. I know the secrets of sound."

I'm "tickled pink" that the Shapeling Books One (Roth) and Two (Fawn) are both showing up in the top 100 on Amazon in the category: Fiction/Fantasy/Series. I've been working diligently on Davide's story, the third book in the trilogy. DAVIDE is a dream and I'm madly in love with him; I hope you will be too! Of course, he'll be traveling to some exciting and exotic locations. Half the fun of writing a story is searching for that perfect spot. Here's a hint about one of the locations: it's a continent that starts with an "A". Mmm...could be Asia or Australia or Antarctica.

Anyway, after the trilogy is complete, I'm going to keep working on a sweet romance between a younger man and an older woman. It's called Dream Kisses and it's been a dream to write. I kinda work on it when the mood hits. I'm hoping to have it out by next spring.

Thank you Readers!

Six-Sentence Sunday--Follow the fun! You can navigate to other six-sentence authors from the SSS website.  Better yet, join the fun with your own six sentences!

This snippet is from my just released fantasy romance: Shapeling Trilogy Book Two: Fawn: Master

Planting the Stetson on his head, he tipped the brow with his index finger, and smiled. "I'll check in on you later." He left the kitchen.

Fawn wanted to melt. Never had her emotions been in such turmoil. Don't let me fall for a human, she begged her heart.

Thank you reading my snippet. It's much appreciated!

So...I've got Shapeling Trilogy launched. And, as always happens, I've had to work out a few bugs the first days after publication. Now the bugs are taken care of and I'm happy with the ebook. I've got the paperback in process and great ideas for the third book swimming in my head, and ...I haven't cleaned my bathrooms in six weeks! So...instead of going directly to the bathrooms (I hate cleaning bathrooms), I scrubbed the kitchen (even cleaned the refrigerator), then grabbed the vacuum and hauled ass around the living room. Suddenly, my writing addiction made itself known. What's an addict to do? I fought the urge, but to no avail. Alas, here I sit writing this ridiculous blog.

Just to satisfy my habit, I guess I'll write some goals for the rest of this year and next. First, I'd like to finish the edits on a middle school novella I started about three years ago, entitled Restoring 'Tween Time. I'm so close. It just needs  edits and a cover. Next, I want to begin the third book in the Shapeling Trilogy, which is Davide's story. The plot is intricate and the locations fantastic. It's going to take a lot of brain power, which I'm kinda low on right now with all the effort I've put into the first two books. I also have a gem of a story I started about four months ago entitled Dream Kisses. I just love this story about an older woman (45ish) and a younger guy (35ish). It's not fantasy; it's contemporary romance. There's a unique twist that I think readers will love. The story keeps calling and I keep ignoring the call.

In November, I'm participating at a book fair where I'll be selling paperbacks of Shapeling Trilogy books one and two. If Restoring 'Tween Time is ready, I'll also be selling it. The Oregon Book Fair's location is Padgham Pavilion at the Jackson County Expo Park in Central Point, which is near Medford, Oregon. I'll post more about this as the time approaches; very exciting for me!

In the midst of pursuing my goals and cleaning house occasionally, I'm editing a book for Sarah Schofield. It's a fabulous YA novel with an awesome cover. We're aiming to have the book published by the end of the year.

Well, having written the above, I feel better. I guess I can face the bathrooms now.

The book cover for Shapeling Trilogy Book Two is almost complete. Elaina Lee has done it again...another fabulous design. I love the way she creates a cover that tells a story. When I look at the pictures, I'm immersed in Fawn and Wade's story. I can't wait for the unveiling.

The paperback ended up being 177 pages. I had hoped for at least 200, but the stories write themselves and when they're done; they're done. I'm aiming to have the ebook posted on Amazon the first week of September and the paperback shortly thereafter. This release date is a month earlier than previously anticipated. My fingers are numbs from typing so much!

I've been pleased with the sales of Book One, Roth's story. I hope Book Two, Fawn's story, is as well received.

Here's an excerpt of Wade taking Fawn on a tour of Dream Catcher Ranch:

Wade opened the kitchen door and waited for Fawn to exit. Her glossy black hair in its pony tail bounced back and forth. He wanted to reach and circle his fingers around it to see if it felt as silky as it looked.

Sam bounded around the side of the house and ran straight to Fawn. She knelt and scratched him behind his ears. He barked his 'happy bark'. Wade shook his head at the dog's antics.

Fawn looked up and said, "Your land is beautiful, Wade. How many acres do you own?"

"Around two thousand, give or take. The house faces north, so we're looking south toward New Mexico; southwest is Arizona, and west is Utah. The Four Corners area is where the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet. We're about forty miles from there."

"It's where the Anasazi lived, correct?"

"Yes, their ancient dwellings are scattered throughout the area. I've even found some in a canyon on my own property." The minute Wade said the words; he'd wanted to take them back. If the information got leaked, he'd have archeologists and government people swarming his land. He cleared his throat and said, "Uh, Hidden Canyon is not public information and I'd like to keep it that way."

"No problem, I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks. Come on, I'll show you the stables and living quarters for the ranch hands." He walked the length of his two-story ranch house and into the blaze of a late afternoon sun setting the gradually rising western hills aglow with myriad shades of pinks and reds. His great-grandfather and grandfather had cleared the surrounding land with its outbuildings, corrals, and pastures with their own hands. He led Fawn to the stable, with Sam at her heels. He turned to Sam and ordered, "Go guard the house." Sam looked innocently at him and whined. Wade couldn't believe it. The dog never disobeyed him.

Fawn knelt before Sam again, and said, "You know you're supposed to follow Wade's orders. We'll spend time together later."

Wade's mouth dropped when Sam turned, with his tail between his legs, and slowly walked back to the house.

Leading Fawn inside the coolness of the stable, he walked to Misty Morning's stall.

Rubbing the mare's head, he said, "Hello, girl." When Fawn patted Misty's shoulder, he introduced his horse. "This is Misty Morning; I rescued her from ending up at the glue factory. She'd been mistreated and looked nothing like she does now. She's the best horse I've ever owned. I call her Misty Morning because I was driving past an old farm house at dawn and almost didn't see her because of the mist. I made some inquiries about the owner of the farm and got some bad vibes, so I went back and purchased her from the old tyrant."

"Hello, Misty Morning. I'm happy to meet you." The horse whinnied and turned her head toward Fawn.

"Looks like she's takin' a liking to you. She's usually skittish around newcomers."

"I have a way with animals."

Obviously, thought Wade as he watched Fawn lean her forehead against Misty's snout. He'd never seen his horse or his dog bond so quickly with a stranger.

Wade motioned past the stall. "We'll leave the stable through the back entrance. The kitchen building and living quarters are just past it."

Fawn gave Misty one last pat and followed him. He said, "The guys are out repairing fences, looking for strays, that kind of stuff."

Fawn chuckled, "Doing 'cowboy' stuff?"

Wade smiled. "Yeah, 'cowboy' stuff. They'll be returning in an hour for supper." He opened the door to the cafeteria style room. As if to underscore his words about supper, they heard a loud clang, and what sounded like French cursing coming from the kitchen.

Wade sighed. "Prepare yourself to meet Pierre. For the last ten years he's done nothing but complain about having to prepare 'American slop'. Every now and again, he sneaks in some fancy French dish which the guys razz him about. Pierre claims all cow hands have no 'palette discernment'. The fancy dish usually ends up being fed to the hogs." He laughed. "The hogs love Pierre."

Leading Fawn down the length of the room and past two rectangular dining tables pushed end-to-end with benches for seating, he held open a swinging door. "Hey, Pierre, watch your language, we've got company."

"Que? What? Company?"

Fawn entered the kitchen. Looking over her head, Wade saw Pierre quickly adjust his chef's hat that had fallen cockeyed across his forehead. The stubborn little man refused to cook without that damn hat, even though he was cooking for cowboys.

"Pierre Dubois, I'd like you to meet Fawn Woods. She'll be taking care of Zoe and the household."

Pierre started to roll his eyes, but caught himself. "Mademoiselle Woods, or is that Madame?" he asked with a slight bow.

"Monsieur Dubois, je suis Mademoiselle Woods."

"Parlez-vois Francais?"

"Oui. Je suis heureux de vous rencontrer."

Pierre's eyes rounded and his middle-aged but smooth baby features lit with a big grin. "Ah, finally, we are blessed with culture in this cowboys' den. I am happy to meet you, too."

"What's for dinner, Pierre?" Wade asked.

Pierre gave him a sour look and said, "Beans, beans, and beans, of course, but with the most heavenly cornbread in the State of Colorado. And, of course, the boring American apple pie for dessert."

"Good, I don't think the guys are ready for more Escargot," Wade laughed.

Six-Sentence Sunday--Follow the fun! You can navigate to other six-sentence authors from the SSS website.  Better yet, join the fun with your own six sentences!

Set up:  This snippet is from Book Two in the Shapeling Trilogy. Fawn is a shapeling female and she's just had a serious accident while in the form of a feral horse.Tentative release date is October 1, 2011.

Her back hoof hit a mud pocket and she went down, throwing Wade sideways off her back. Shooting pain raced up her hind leg and she squealed. Wade jumped to his feet, sluicing mud from his body. He bent over her, "My God, No! No! Please God, let her be okay."

Thank you reading my snippet. It's much appreciated! The entire scene can be read here.

Excerpt set up: Fawn is a shifter. Unknown to Wade, she is the mysterious feral white mare.

Fawn located Wade in a secluded section of the ranch; she shifted into the white mare. He whooped and pulled off his cowboy hat when he spotted her. Galloping toward her on Misty, he slid off his mount to straddle her bareback. Together they soared across his land. He called her by the name he'd given her, Sweetheart. Fawn had never shown herself to anyone but Wade. Sometimes she'd hear the cowboys razzing him about the ghost horse he always claimed to be riding.

A sudden gathering of clouds bumped each other and lightening zigzagged. The pasture darkened and rain poured in buckets. Wade, leaning low and grasping her mane, yelled for her to slow, but the feel of him on her back, and the pelting rain, excited her so much that she threw caution to the wind. He yelled again.

Her back hoof hit a mud pocket and she went down, throwing Wade sideways off her back. Shooting pain lanced her hind leg and she squealed. Wade jumped to his feet, sluicing mud from his body. He bent over her, "My God, No! No! Please God, let her be okay."

Fawn dug her hooves into the rain soaked earth and stood again. Wade rubbed her neck and tried to sooth her. He zeroed in on her limping leg, and rasped, "Please don't let it be broken." His expert hands felt the leg and he yelled above the downpour, "I don't think it's broken, Sweetheart." He reached for the walkie-talkie clipped to his belt and lightening split the sky asunder. Shaking the device, he punched the buttons again. "Shit!"

Fawn needed to find a place to shift and she started to move away.

"No! Sweetheart, don't try to walk on that leg. I've got to get a vet to you."

Fawn saw movement and looked toward it. Wade followed the direction of her head. Misty stood in the distance under the covering of a ledge. Wade whistled to her, but the storm blocked the sound. Lightening flashed again, followed by a deafening boom. Misty remained in her shelter.

Wade spat the words, "Damn! I've got my cell phone in the saddle bag. Maybe the service is working." His Stetson had flown off when he'd been thrown and he now reached to wipe rivulets of water from his eyes. He turned back to her, soothing her with words and touches. He said something that made her heart pound. "Sweetheart, we seem to have some sort of spiritual connection that I don't understand." He spoke in her ear. "Don't leave. I've got to get help." He patted her neck and leaned his forehead against it, then he turned and ran toward Misty.

With his back to her, Fawn knew what she had to do. She had to get back to the ranch before Mrs. Porter brought Zoe home. She prayed, shifted into a sparrow and flew skyward against the downpour. Wade turned back around.

"Holy shit! Sweetheart, where'd you go?"

I haven't posted anything for awhile because I've been so busy writing Book Two: Fawn, in the Shapeling Trilogy. My goal has been to publish Book Two within four months of the release of Book One: Roth. As you can see on the sidebar of my home page, I found a nifty little word meter that tracks my progress. I'm getting close to completing Fawn's story, and the twists and unexpected turns surprised even me. Of course, I couldn't leave Roth and Rainey only in Book One, so they make an appearance in Book Two. I'm aiming for a release date of October 1st. As for Book One, I must say, I've been extremely pleased with the sales. Since it's release on July 4, 2011, there have only been two days without sales.

After the release of Book Two, I told my husband I'm going to take some time off, maybe a month, from writing. Storytelling is very addicting and can consume all my free time. We'll see if I stick to my plan, because I've got a great idea for another book. In fact, I'd already written about thirty pages when I set it aside to finish Book Two of the Shapeling series. The new story swirling around in my mind is a contemporary romance without fantasy. I want it to be funny and emotional and heart shattering; but, of course, with a happy ending. I made a promise to myself that I would only write what I enjoy, whether it sells books or not, and I enjoy romance, adventure, mystery, fantasy, and happy endings.