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Cover Reveal for Book 2 in the Finding Home Series

I do love this cover! One of my favorite aspects of writing a book is finding the pictures for the cover. I spend hours combing sites selling pictures. Sometimes a photo jumps out immediately, as did the "Fancy Woman" I chose for Lilah. Other times, it may be weeks before I come across that special photo; which is what happened with the picture of the Rio Grande. I had actually selected and paid for another picture that was perhaps more dramatic, but the river scene I had written just didn't match the photo. So, I went back to the drawing board and discovered this one. I've been preparing the cover for the print book and I can't wait to get a proof copy.

Click to read an excerpt from Rescue on the Rio: Lilah

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Candy Kisses (Romance on the Ranch #4) receives five stars from Readers Favorite Reviews!

Click book to go to Amazon

Dirk Branigan's latest bull riding competition has left him flat on his back with a busted leg. After meeting his new "domestic help," he decides Sage Tanner and Miles Brightman, close friends that talked him into hiring the woman because she's destitute and pregnant, are going to owe him big time. His new employee is spoiled, temperamental, frustrating, and yes, occasionally, endearing. Thankfully, his daughter Tessa takes to her immediately. As for Dirk, his heart urges him to discover the woman behind the facade.

To read an excerpt click here, or go to Excerpts page.

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REVIEW:
..."I was so excited to see that Verna Clay has written another book in this series! I have loved the first three books and it was great to become immersed in the characters’ lives again. I love how previous characters play roles in this book as well. I immediately felt bad for Monica and found myself rooting for her throughout the story. Miles and Tooty’s love story was a favorite of mine, but now Monica and Dirk may have topped that! I found myself being transported to the ranch and into the midst of a sweet love story that had me smiling and sighing as Monica and Dirk find love on the ranch."  --Kristie Ingerto

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Released 1/4/13!
Cry Of The West: "Hallie" (Finding Home Series Historical Romance)

click on picture to go to Amazon

Writing Hallie's story has been a labor of love. For a long time I had contemplated writing a book encompassing the Oregon Trail, and the more research I did as the story unfolded, the more I fell in love with the pioneers who gave up everything to follow their dreams and the Native Americans adversely affected by westward migration. The hardships endured by both groups are unimaginable.

In writing this story, I am in no way attempting to typify the lives of those who braved the Oregon Trail or the Native Americans affected. My story has been written solely as romantic entertainment, but with the added aspect of research.

I have entitled this series Finding Home because that's a wonderful place to end each story. Since many of the reviews I receive on my other books request longer stories, I made sure to give these characters lots of adventure, romance, and challenges to lengthen their tale. As far as a rating, this story is considered a sweet romance with some language.

With that being said, I hope you enjoy your journey from Westport Landing in Missouri to the Willamette Valley in Oregon.

Excerpt:

"Mr. Jerome, would you be interested in driving my wagon to Oregon? I would pay you well."

Cooper blinked, forcing himself to look away from the pleading in her eyes. "Uh, well, ma'am…" He glanced back. She looked like she was about to cry. "Uh, ma'am, now that would take me away from my place through planting season and harvest, and longer." He dreaded her expression if he flat out refused.

"I would pay you whatever you would make during harvest and more." She blinked and brushed at a tear that kept welling up in one eye. "Mr. Jerome, I'm desperate. I have no home. I have no husband. I have no family to turn to. I have a young son to care for. And I have very little time to prepare before departure. The wagon train leaves the end of April. Believe me, if I were capable of driving the oxen myself, I would do so. But, as you can see, I am neither large, nor strong. I fear I would kill myself and my child. Besides, I doubt the train master would even allow me near the team after he saw me crack a whip." She gave a pathetic smile at her attempt at a joke.

Cooper forced his eyes away from hers and glanced down the street at the big SALOON sign. He wanted that drink. Stalling for time, he removed his Stetson, slapped it against his thigh, replaced it, scratched his neck, and finally met her gaze again. "Give me some time to think about it."

The Prologue and Chapter One can be read by clicking here or on the "Excerpts" tab above.

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Ryder's Salvation (Unconventional Series #3) Released!

The third book in this series has been released. I love this story! For those of you who haven't read book one (Abby: Mail Order Bride) or book two (Broken Angel), Jenny Samson is ten years old in book one and twenty-one in book two. Book one is her father and stepmother's story and book two is her brother and sister-in-law's story. The time lapse between book two and Jenny's story is only a few months, so she is still twenty-one.

Jenny lives for her art and it is while she is attending Jake Ryder's Academy of Art in New York that she meets the great painter. Unfortunately, their first encounter does not go well. (Unfortunate for them, but fortunate for us because it creates lots of romantic tension.) Click here to read!

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Abby: Mail Order Bride receives 5 stars from Readers Favorite Book Reviews

Here is a portion of the review by Joy H.:

...Author Verna Clay has written an interesting and intriguing story about Brant and Abby. With unique, believable characters who develop so well, I couldn’t put this book down until the last word. I loved everything about them including the meeting of Brant and Abby, the family and Abby getting to know each other, and both the happy and difficult times. If you enjoy a good historical romance, this story of true unconditional love is the one for you. With the twists and turns in the story to keep your interest, you will not be disappointed. Just have a tissue ready because you will definitely need it as you go forward!

Click here to read entire review.

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Collection now available in paperback for the Romance on the Ranch Series

The Romance on the Ranch Collection of three stories: Dream Kisses, Honey Kisses, and Baby Kisses is now available in paperback at Amazon and other retailers. The book size is 6 x 9 and 370 pages. I'm very happy with the way the book turned out and thrilled to have it in a tangible form. Eventually, I hope to have all of my series in paperback collections.

Click here to go to the Amazon page.

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Broken Angel (Unconventional Series) -- Now Available at Amazon!

I'm happy to announce that Broken Angel has been released.

In this second book in the series, Luke is baffled and amused by Mrs. Angel St. Clair's classified advertisement in the Dallas Morning News. However, after meeting her, his heart will let him do nothing less than help her.

"Mrs. Angel St. Clair, a widow, is seeking a husband to accompany her to California. Said husband will be paid handsomely for the escort and then released from matrimony after safely depositing Mrs. St. Clair at her destination."

Click here to read the first chapter or click the "Excerpts" tab above.

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Abby: Mail Order Bride (Unconventional Series)

The first book in my latest series is now released. I'm calling it the Unconventional Series because the romance themes are not typical.

To read the first chapter, go to the Books tab, or click here.

As for the next book in the series, Broken Angel, it's another unconventional romance. Luke, the son of Brant Samson is all grown up in this story and has no intention of marrying any time soon. That is, until he meets Angel St.Clair, a woman seeking a mail order groom for the sole purpose of offering his protection in accompanying her to California. After that, she wants them to part ways. Angel's difficult life has hardened her heart. Can Luke's love heal a broken angel?

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Dream Kisses, Honey Kisses, and Baby Kisses each receive 5 Stars from Readers Favorite Book Reviews

I'm thrilled that each book in the series received 5 stars from Readers Favorite Book Reviews. Dream Kisses was reviewed by Lisa McCombs and here is my favorite part of her review:

..."Dream Kisses" is a pleasant piece of pastry on a rainy day. It is that forbidden square of chocolate that gives hope to the hopeful romantic. Verna Clay has woven the perfect amount of words into the perfect start to her new series.

Honey Kisses and Baby Kisses were both reviewed by Kristie I. Here are excerpts from her review:

Honey Kisses: This book is a wonderful continuation of the series! Annie and Jackson are both lovable characters from book one, "Dream Kisses". ...This is a wonderful romance series that will have you loving the characters, and wishing to join their lives on the ranch!

Baby Kisses: ...This is a series that any romance reader is not going to want to miss out on as it is filled with lovable characters who are so realistic. They experience love and heartache and are trying to move on from past hurts to rediscover the joy of everyday life.

To read the entire reviews at the Readers Favorite site, just click on the titles.

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Baby Kisses (Romance on the Ranch #3) - Now Available

Elaina Lee has done it again with a fabulous cover for Baby Kisses!

This is the love story between jaded single mom, Tooty Townsend, and successful, but bitter and wheelchair bound, Miles Brightman. There are lots of overcoming challenges in this one and a few surprises.

I've posted the first chapter under my blog Sample Sunday for 3/18/12.

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HONEY KISSES (Romance on the Ranch #2) is launched

I love love LOVE this cover! Yep, that's Jackson Martinez' ranch, The Triple T, and that's him dancing with Ann Hackstetter. I adored writing Jackson's and Annie's story and, best of all, Annie has a secret. Of course, I also had to bring everyone up to speed on Sage and Sarah from book one.

There's a lot or work involved in getting an ebook launched, but now that it's done, I can take a short break and then get started on Baby Kisses. I'm aiming to have it completed by early summer. I can't wait to tell Miles Brightman's and Tooty Townsend's love story.

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Zoe's Song

The Shapeling Trilogy is complete! The ebooks/books can be purchased separately, or as a Collection. The ebook Collection is available at Amazon and the paperback will soon follow. Originally, I created a hidden page on my website that was revealed at the end of book three. However, I had so much fun designing the page, I decided to share it with all my visitors. I found pictures that capture the spirit of the books and created a slide show. There is also a song entitled, Zoe's song. Without giving away a spoiler, suffice it to say, the song is a big part of book three. The page can be accessed by clicking here, or from the menu above.

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Davide: Shapeling Trilogy Book Three: Prince is now available at Amazon!

The Kindle version of Davide, Book Three in the Shapeling Trilogy, has been released! The paperback will be available soon. The cover is gorgeous!

Got some great news on Book One: Roth.  It won the book cover contest for November at Books in Sync. I just uploaded my winner's badge. Thank you Elaina Lee for your FABULOUS book covers!

I love...love...love Davide and Zoe's story! If you've ever wanted to visit Australia, now's your chance to do so between the pages of a book. And if you're in the mood for an endearing romance, this one's for you. Read an Excerpt.

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5-Stars for Fawn

Hampton Reviews has given Book Two in the Shapeling Trilogy a 5-star review. Here are highlights from the review:

I absolutely love this book....The characters are well written and endearing and the scenes are very well described...Fawn is a fantastic story with a beautiful ending that brought tears to my eyes...I cannot wait to read the next installment of this great series. -Hampton Reviews (5 stars)
(click here to read entire review)

This first week of October has been super. I also received notification that I was one of ten winners in the annual Literary Harvest contest sponsored by Central Oregon Writers Guild. I will be reading my entry entitled, Prison (A True Story) , along with the other winners, at the Comfort Suites Inn in Redmond, Oregon on October 14th.

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About the Cover and Setting for Fawn, Book Two: Master

I love the cover for Book Two! Fawn is lovely and Wade is Sexy. As for the white horse, what can I say: Fawn is a shapeling; she can shift into any creature. The white horse just happens to be her favorite. Not pictured on the cover is Zoe, Wade's seven year old daughter. Sadly, Wade is a widower with an emotionally challenged child.

Recently promoted to the rank of Shapeling Master, Fawn's first Mission of Mastery is to solve the riddle surrounding Zoe. Known only to Fawn and the Thirteen co-Princes, Zoe is an Indigo child. If you've never heard of Indigo children; not to worry, I explain it all in the book.

As for selecting a location for the story, I stumbled across it in a travel video about the Four Corners Region of the United States where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet, I knew this had to be the location of Fawn's story. The area is rich with Anasazi history and ruins. Anasazi means ancient ones. How intriguing is that! So, in Fawn's story, I get to combine the mystique of the ancient Anasazi people with the beauty of the Four Corners Region.

Of course, in Book Two, I tie up loose ends from Book One, but create more for Book Three.

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Roth: Shapeling Trilogy Book One: Protector

Roth, the first book in the Shapeling Trilogy, is now available as an ebook at Smashwords and Amazon. The paperback is also available at Amazon.

I love describing the characters in my books. Here's an excerpt about Roth:

Roth soared high again, intent on reaching the Cave of Thirteen before sunrise. He arrived in record time. Gently landing and pulling his wings closed, he lowered his head and prayed to the Source, repeating the Prayer of Secrecy he had been taught as a child by his Guide. Before the last word in the prayer had been uttered, he no longer had wings or talons; he now stood tall on two feet, his raven hair long and whipped by the wind. Pale blue eyes that observed everything looked upward in a gesture of respect for the Source. Wearing only white linen breeches, he flexed and stretched his lean muscular form, feeling the rush that always accompanied a shapeshift.

To me, the cover picture portrays him perfectly!

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Here's the Scoop

In my novel, 11:11 Countdown to 2012, I not only explore the mystery of vast numbers of people constantly seeing the numbers 11:11, but other mysteries. What could the Mayan Calendar, with its ending date of 2012, have in common with the Denver Airport, sun cycles, crop circles, and the Illuminati? This book is fast-paced and includes healthy doses of mystery, fantasy, and romance.

And, speaking of mysteries,The Theory of Everything, is a race around the globe in search of an equation that has always eluded the scientific community. It's the equation that ties everything together and makes sense of our world. Professor Rafe Benton has been seeking the answer for years. Mariel Dorian, a psychic, was only trying to warn the professor that his life may be in danger. It's too bad he scoffed at her psychic ability. Now they're on the run from an assassin.

Finally, have you every wanted to travel to the 19th century? Read my novella, Far Into Yesterday, and you can do just that with Ella Montclair! She's now a house servant in the employ of Lord Wallace Hastings.  This story is pure romantic fun set in the real world of Farnham Village and Farnham Castle outside of London, England.

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Looking for great romance books?
Check out the selection at Smashwords.

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May Special Pricing

Baby Kisses, one of my favorite stories, is .99 for the month of May. And because I'd love for readers to read the entire series and still save money, the Collection of the first three books is reduced to 3.99.

Baby Kisses (Amazon ebook) $.99
Romance on the Ranch Collection (Amazon ebook) $3.99
Romance on the Ranch (Amazon paperback) $13.50
Romance on the Ranch (Barnes & Noble paperback) $13.50

I've also decided to continue the discounted price of .99 on the  first book in the Unconventional Series, Abby: Mail Order Bride. Of all my books, Abby has the most reviews with an average of 4.4 from 85 ratings!

Abby: Mail Order Bride (Amazon ebook) $.99
Unconventional Series (Amazon ebook) $4.99
Unconventional Series (Amazon paperback) $13.50
Unconventional Series (Barnes & Noble paperback) $13.50

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Coming Soon! Audio Version of
Abby: Mail Order Bride

I'm very happy to announce that my most popular book is now in production to become an audiobook.  Amy Gramour with ACX is reading the story and her voice has the warmth I was looking for. Not only that, she is wonderful at portraying the personalities of the characters. A lot of work goes into producing an audio version and it will be available some time this summer. When I have a specific release date, I will update that information here. As for the cover,  I had to redesign it to meet certain specifications and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

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Lorrie Stuiff Interviewed me on her blog. Check it out.

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Some of My Books Available at Amazon

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Status of Current Writing Project

Rescue on the Rio: "Lilah"
"Finding Home Series"
Historic Western Romance
FINISHED!
GOING THROUGH FINAL EDITS!

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Request a Kindlegraph from any of my books.

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Follow @VernaClay

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Thanks, Select-O-Grafix, for designing a banner for Abby!

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Roth: Book cover winner for Nov. 2011 at BooksInSync.com

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Trailer for Jazmine
(Sweet Fantasy Romance)
short story

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Trailer for 11:11 Countdown to 2012
(Fantasy Romance)

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