“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it” — Helen Keller
Dear Cherished Readers,
For the past two months, nearly every hour of every day has felt like a dystopian nightmare. The coronavirus pandemic has plunged our world into a time of great upheaval, fear, and uncertainty. My deepest sympathies go out to those who have gotten sick, lost loved ones or become unemployed due to COVID-19. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope and pray that we will get through this unprecedented crisis in due time.
I want to salute the brave nurses, doctors, first responders, grocery store employees, transit workers, delivery drivers, and all essential personnel who have been serving on the frontline during this global outbreak. You risk your health and safety to serve the public, and for that we owe you a debt of gratitude and respect. ❤️
My family and I are doing well and sheltering in place. The kids are home from college and Mr. Smith is working from home. With a full house, we’ve been spending more time together as a family, watching movies and taking walks to the lake. That’s the good news. The bad news is that my writing has slowed down considerably. Trying to focus on writing during a global pandemic has been harder than I could have imagined. At some point I had to force myself to stop watching the news for my own sanity. I’ve been working on Hunter’s book, but maintaining a good rhythm has been challenging (having everyone home probably doesn’t help much either). But rest assured that I’m still truly, madly, deeply in love with these characters, and I look forward to wrapping up the Denver Rebels series with YES, CAPTAIN and the wedding novellas. It might take longer than I had hoped, but good things come to those who wait. ❤️
Speaking of waiting, I frequently receive emails about the continuation of the Wolf Pack series. Sadly, I have not felt inspired to write a Wolf Pack book in a verrry long time. The last time I attempted to sit down and work on a Wolf book, I couldn’t come up with anything. The well was completely dry, and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about that. As a result, I’ve decided to officially end the series. This means there won’t be any more books featuring those characters (not counting cameos). I truly love the Wolf Pack, and they will always be near and dear to my heart. But sometimes as an artist, you have to know when the time has come to move on from certain projects. That time has come for the beloved Wolf Pack. Though you may be disappointed, I hope you’ll understand and respect my decision. It wasn’t an easy one.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I should mention that I’ve never been a fan of series, as a writer or reader. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that showcasing four heroes is my limit before the muse takes a permanent detour. Hence we got Marcus, Michael, Quentin, and Manning. By the same measure, I could never extend the Rebels series beyond Reid, Viggo, Logan, and Hunter. My restless imagination simply isn’t wired for long-running, multi-character series. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I want to thank everyone who took the time to enter my “Wicked Wedding” contest, which was announced in the Denver Rebels Newsletter before the coronavirus outbreak. The contest judges and I enjoyed reviewing the lovely wedding dresses that were submitted for consideration. But after much deliberation, we agreed that we needed a broader spectrum of designs to choose from. For that reason, I’ve decided to reopen the contest later this year once things have settled down in the world.
Finally, if you’re looking for something quick and fun to read while sheltering in place, please enjoy a sneak peek from YES, CAPTAIN. To download the teaser, CLICK HERE
If you haven’t read the bonus episode “Boys Will Be Boys” featuring Reid, Nadia, and his groomsmen, CLICK HERE
Until next time, be good to yourselves and one another. And please stay safe and healthy! ❤️
Love Always,
Maureen
