It's Official

It's rainy here today, and a bit cooler, and the forecast the next few days is really more like fall, so I have a tasty celery seed bread happening in the bread machine right now, and when I finish this week's post, I'm going to start on some creamy potato soup. I can't wait! I know it isn't going to stay this cool, but it's a nice way to head into the week when the first day of autumn is just two days away. I've been working on some revisions as well on one of the short contemporary romances I've talked about since my friend Misty sent me some notes. It's a nice change from the day-job crazy of the past week. Holy cow, it was bonkers, and I stayed late nearly every day because we had people out sick all week. I'm hoping when we get in tomorrow that it's settled down a little (but not going to hold my breath, haha).

Before I start chopping potatoes for the soup pot, I have a snippet this week for you from Freeing Medusa (totally a summer story, not soup season, haha, but that's okay).

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            Katharine had had enough. Her skin tingled with need again, and her heart beat too fast. But she hadn’t seen any likely candidates–even a desperate Medusa had standards.

            Which meant it was time to go home and break out a couple more vibrators to appease her overactive hormones. Dammit. 

            She took another sip from her glass, smiling at Ramona from her post on the deck. Her friend danced with someone she’d greeted enthusiastically half an hour ago. She hated to interrupt, but it was time to go home.

            Katharine sighed and shifted her shoulders, trying to loosen the tight muscles there. She turned her gaze over the crowd one last time, and her breath caught in her chest. Him.

            He was gorgeous, in a rugged sort of way. His nose had been broken at least once, a dimple dented his chin, and he had the brightest blue eyes she’d ever seen, black hair dipping over one of them. His green shirt stretched taut over strong shoulders and a wide chest, then tucked into a pair of jeans that fit nicely on narrow hips.

            Her heartbeat quickened in anticipation.

            Then he glanced away from his conversation with a shorter man and caught her eye. A slow smile curved his mouth as his gaze slid down the front of her, making her skin heat, then back up, lingering on her mouth.

            Her lips tingled hopefully.

            She took a drink from the cup she held. Whatever frozen thing Ramona had given her was melting and slushy, but she still tasted the bite of alcohol as it hit her tongue.

            He moved away from the couple he was with, toward her, and her temperature rose a few more degrees. His long-legged stride was confident and unhurried.

            No, damn him, he made her wait, pausing once to greet someone along the way.

            She tightened her grip on the stem of the plastic cup and took a quick breath.

            He finally stopped about two feet away, and she got a whiff of cologne, something musky that made her mouth water.

            Her nipples tightened inside her vest.

            “Hi.” His low tone raised goosebumps on her arms despite the warm evening.

            “Hi.” She put out her right hand. “I’m Katharine Vardos.”

            He smiled again, a slow curve of his lips that made heat spread in her belly, from the inside out, until her panties were damp when she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

            He finally wrapped his long, strong fingers around hers. “Hunter Phelps. Nice to meet you.”

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Is it starting to feel more like autumn where you are, too, or still summery? Are you as ready for fall as I've been?

I do have one small tidbit to share before I sign off: I just got my official invitation to the 2027 A Day or Two of Wine, Romance & More event at Brook Hollow winery, and I'm so excited. That signing is always so much fun. I'll get the details added to the events page here on the site, probably next weekend, since I have a four-day weekend. You're also going to start hearing more about the November event in Reading, PA, the Yuletide Bookish Market on November 21, 2026. If you're not close enough to get there, I apologize in advance. If you are close enough to get there, I really hope you join us. We had such a good time at the March event this year, and I know this will be even more fun!

Until next week, happy reading!