M.K. Dymock's Blog, page 2

5 Tips for a Better Ski Day No One Has Told You

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You’ve learned how to ski—or at least get down the mountain in once piece—but there are a few things that you’ll spend years figuring out. And some things you never figure out at all. From getting the right gear to the actual skiing, these tips will help you ski better and have a more fun day.

5. The Wrong Gear

I know, I know. You just dropped a good chunk of change on the latest powder skis. Of course, they’re the right skis. Or, you bought a new pair of boots and they fit in the store so you’re good to go. You’re not.

I took a few lessons as a beginner and then not again until I spent a few years stuck as an intermediate. When I finally took a class, the instructor told me to press my foot forward and I told him every time I did that my foot popped up. The following conversation ensued.

Instructor: You’re boots are too small.

Me: No, my boots are so tight they hurt my toes.

Instructor: No, you’re boots are so big that your feet are jamming forward when they should stay in place. Your heel should not pop out.

I went to the boot fitting shop a day later and found out I’d been skiing in boots three sizes too big for years.

I bought a pair of powder skis a few years ago and found them too stiff for me and decided to sell them. A guy showed up with his girlfriend to buy them for her. When I found out she was a beginner skier, I actually tried to talk them out of it. I was an advanced skier at the time and found them stiff. But he was adamant, if his girlfriend was going to ski, she needed powder skis.

I’m not going to lie, I hope that relationship didn’t last and she eventually found a better fitting guy and skis.

You can’t ski in a wedge as a beginner on expert skis and expect to progress. You also can’t ski on beginner skis as an intermediate and expect to progress.

After several skis not working for me, I never buy until I try. Luckily, my resort has a few shops slopeside. I pay for rentals for the day but can take out as many different skis as I want. Last time, I took out four pair and knew immediately when I found the right ones.

4. The Wrong Boots

You ski from the foot up, meaning your boots matter more for a successful day than your skis. I talked above about skiing in the wrong boots but there’s more to it than the right size. Most people need some degree of fitting to get the right boot for you. My left foot is a size bigger than my right so I buy tight and then the boot fitter punches out the left to fit me. Custom footbeds molded to your feet make a world of difference in skiing.

Even if you can’t afford custom fitting, at least go to a boot fitter and make sure you’re in the right boot for you—size, flex, all make a difference. Your local ski shop may not have this ability and will throw you in whatever you say feels good. Also, always buckle your boots. It doesn’t matter if you’re skiing easy, walking up to the resort, or even have your boots off your feet. Keep them buckled! If you’re in your boot and it’s unbuckled, you are punching out your fitting. Your boots will wear out more quickly and you’ll be back to the shop to buy more.

3. Dealing with Flat Light

I hate skiing in flat light. You know when the sky matches the snow and you can’t see a bump two feet in front of you until you hit it. There a couple of tricks for dealing with that. One, which is the most obvious is to buy googles specifically rated for flat light. They come tinted, which adds texture to the snow. While these help, skiing in or near the trees helps a lot more. The trees help define the snow and add a degree of contrast.

2. Stay In the Trees or Bumps

Confession: I used to be terrified of trees and bumps. But do you know what isn’t in the trees and bumps? Everyone else. You know where the soft snow when the runs are iced over? In the trees.

I’m not going to pretend skiing either of those places are easy but make getting there a priority. If you ask around, you can find easy versions of off-piste terrain to help you learn. Of course, you can take a lesson and ask for those skills specifically. Here are a few tips to get you started:

When skiing the trees, look between the trees and not right at them. Our bodies naturally follow our eyes. If you stare at the tree, you hit the tree. I’ve felt my feet course correct, the second I forced my vision on the gap and not the tree.

When skiing the bumps, really pull your hips forward and up and rotate on the top of of the mogul edge and not down in the trench.

1. Take a Lesson

I can hear all your protestations. I’m a good skier. You could be better; take a lesson. They’re so expensive. They have group options; take a lesson. I don’t want to look dumb in front of other people. Everyone in your class will be at your level; take a lesson.

For an outdoor adventure without ever having to get outside, check out the Lost Gorge Mystery series!

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5 Tips for Adults Learning to Ski

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Some people might tell you learning to ski as an adult is just as easy as learning as a kid. Those people are wrong—and probably learned to ski as a kid and have no idea how tricky it is. As a former instructor and someone who learned as an adult, I’m in a special position to help all you new skiers.

Yes, it’s harder to learn as an adult. You’re not nearly as rubbery as the little ones and you’re a lot further away from the ground. It’s totally possible to learn as an adult and have a fun time doing it. These five tips can help your first season go better and more safely.

Leave Your Pride at the Bottom of the Hill

Learning to ski as an adult can be humbling, terrifying, and a little embarrassing if I’m being truthful. You’re surrounded by people who glide past you (including tiny children) as if it’s the easiest thing on earth while you’re bumbling and falling while standing still. You’re out of control and running out of patience. You might also be scared and insecure and feeling all sorts of unexpected things. But you have to accept looking bad.

I learned my senior year in college. I stood at the bottom of the kiddie hill with about a hundred other students. A few instructors called out, “Everyone get on the lift and ski down this hill. We’ll sort you into the proper class.”

In front of my peers, I had to raise my hand. “I’m in the group that can’t ski down that hill.” I was promptly sorted into the super beginner group where I fell over standing still, fell off the rope-pull, and took out a group getting of the chairlift—all on day one.

Don’t worry what anyone else is doing on that mountain. The only thing that matters is the ten-feet in front of you.

My mom learning at fifty-eight.Get A Lesson

Do not listen to your friend, spouse, partner, or relative’s promise they can totally teach you to ski. Teaching someone to ski is a really different skill than skiing. Most people underestimate how difficult a ski run is and can’t break down skiing into learnable skills. All they can do is yell out, “make a wedge.” They also get bored quickly and are more worried about enjoying their day than teaching you.

One poor woman I taught was taken to the top of a very long and technical green run by her husband. He gave her a few tips and sent her off. After a few bad falls, they finally had to call ski patrol to carry her down in a sled behind a snowmobile. As she got to the bottom, her husband slid to a stop beside her and joyfully called out, “Did you see me go off those jumps?” As of our lesson, they were still married.

Getting the Right Gear

When I was a poor college student, I bought skis at a garage sale and figured anyone could learn on anything. I’d inadvertently bought race skis twenty years old. Spoiler alert, I sucked and those skis sucked. They were way wrong for a beginner and I hardly progressed that first winter. The next year I bought a cheap pair of beginner skis and actually linked turns without falling.

You don’t have to break the bank when learning. Many ski shops offer rentals for the entire season and specialize in beginner packages. Rent a pair for a season to see if you actually like the sport, and then you don’t have to buy a new pair when you progress.

I spent days on this beginner hill. A lot of resorts offer limited lift tickets that only access one run. This is a great way to learn at a discount.Spend Some Time on the Flats

Proper balance is key to skiing but can be very difficult to master. Take your skis to a flat place where you feel save and secure. Put on one ski and move around like you’re on a scooter. Switch legs and repeat. This helps you get used to the sliding, slippery motion of the ski. Balancing on one leg on the flats will serve you well when balancing on two skis on the hill. Depending on where you live, you can try this long before hitting the slopes.

Ditch the Poles

Poles get in the way at first. First-timers use them as a sort of crutch but a crutch that actually makes it harder to ski. Poles can throw you off balance and take your attention away from where it needs to be—your feet. I’ve also seen too many people use them as brakes in place of their skis, which can lead to injury. Set them aside and stick your hands out to help you balance.

It’s also much easier to get off the chairlift when you’re not carrying poles. One last tip, to get off the chairlift, scoot to the edge of the chair, place one hand on the seat and one on the armrest and push off. When you lift off the chair, throw your hands in front of you to get your weight forward. Never make a wedge when getting off the chair as this will trip up your neighbor. (Don’t ask me how bad this can go.) Keep your skis parallel as you exit the ramp.

For an outdoor adventure without ever having to get outside, check out the Lost Gorge Mystery series!

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One Week and Counting

One week and counting until my book, MOUNTAINS AND MISTLETOE releases on Amazon. And one week and counting until my local ski resort opens! I mention this because my new Christmas romance takes place at a ski resort between two ski instructors.

Fun fact: I worked as a ski instructor for ten years (I didn't find love but a whole lot of friends).

The below image was taken slope-side at the world cup trial runs. Nia, my main character, was on the U.S. Ski team until injuries took her out. Ever since, she's been on the run from her old dreams. Is she finally ready to dream again?

Get Over Your Fears and Get Out Adventuring

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When folks find out I ski, hike, and other outdoor stuff, they say, “Wow, I wish I could be that athletic.” Here’s my secret, I’m not athletic. It took months for me to get up on water skis. My triathlon swims end with me in last place. The first season I skied, I tipped over standing still. Here are a few tips to get you out there.

Embrace Looking Stupid: Sometimes we as adults aren’t willing to look stupid or silly. We hold on much too tightly to our dignity. I can’t go the gym, we think, all the in-shape people will judge me. I’ll look dumb doing that race at a walk. Five-year-olds will pass me skiing.

So what, dignity is overrated. I powered down the hill in a huge wedge my first ski season as every stupid little kid shot by me. I resisted the urge to trip them with my pole and now I pass them, ha!

My first tri. The helmet in the bottom left is my neighbors. I managed to kick it a good ten feet while I was trying to get my own stuff on.

Embrace Falling: When I went paddle boarding for the first time, I was nervous about falling. Totally ridiculous as I was four inches above the water. I finally fell on purpose to get the worry out of my mind. The first thought I had when I fell biking with clip-in pedals was, wow, that didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would. Falling (or messing up) is inevitable so get it out of the way first and you can enjoy your experience.

My nephews’ first hilarious attempt at paddle boarding. When you’re feeling embarrassed or silly, channel all the confidence of a teenage boy.

Get a Lesson or Find a Group: I teach adult women to ski who thought they hated to ski. Why? Their husbands had dragged them up a mountain and gave the minimum of instruction before ditching them to go show off. Once they got in a class with others at their level and a teacher who was patient, they finally started to enjoy themselves.

Get the Right Gear: Nobody really loves the cold. But us lovers of winter have acquired the coats, pants, even electric boot warmers to overcome most cold days. Yep, I sucked my first season skiing. Turned out my skis were twenty-year-old race skis (purchased at a garage sale) that no beginner should’ve been on. Turn to the classifieds to find stuff cheaper. Places like REI rent a surprisingly amount of gear as you learn what you like and what you need.

After my first disastrous lesson as adult, I never thought I’d be here.

Embrace Risk: Fear of injury is a valid concern. I fully expect one day my knees will have to be rebuilt (already have one new ACL, which I blew out getting off a lift) but I’ve accepted this as the price I pay. However, usually when I meet people with injuries, they’ve acquired them doing something stupid (see above): taking out the garbage, running between rides at Lagoon, heck, I’ve fallen harder at work on three steps than any ski slope. Injuries may happen but being athletic actually makes them less likely in your day-to-day life. And if you do get injured, better to be doing something cool and have a story to tell then having to say you fell off the toilet.

At the age of sixty, my mom learned to ski. She’s done it a few times over the years but never really picked it up. Her first day, she wore herself out on the conveyor belts before we even got on a lift. When she took off her helmet at lunch, her hair was matted with sweat and she had a total ski head. I’ve never been prouder. The first time I took her on a large hill, she had an awkward cartwheel fall and managed to give herself a black eye with her eye glasses. I thought she might give up, but she just bought contacts. She usually hates the cold but last year she cussed the warm March temps for melting the snow. I told her she was officially a skier.

You don’t have to be naturally gifted or talented to do something new. You just have to want to do it.

My mom catching her breath after a gnarly green.

For an outdoor adventure without ever having to get outside, check out the Lost Gorge Mystery series!

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Top Survival Books and the Best Tips from Each

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Lots of books will teach you how to build a fire, but not all survival scenarios can be prepared for. These books talk more about the psychological aspect of survival. I’ve listed the top tips from each and how each one has or could save me. Apparently, I’m ripe for dying based on some psychological factors I’m working to fix.

Deep Survival: Who lives, Who Dies, and Why Having a Plan: Will it Save You or Kill You?

This one definitely struck a chord with me. I am a total Type A person who always has a plan and will make sure I see it through. While this has helped me have a lot of success in life, it could also kill me. You see people who have a plan are not flexible and they are rigid in their actions. We are so focused on making the plan happen we don’t notice that conditions may not be right or that we’re not quite prepared. Nope, the plan must be followed.

Plan or rule followers aren’t flexible with their thinking and, the more things go wrong, the more we may hold tighter to that plan for security. Four climbers learned this lesson the hard way. They had a plan to climb Cathedral Peak and be down by the afternoon in case thunderstorms came through. But then a bear stole their breakfast, delaying them as they searched for food. Then the weather posted had yesterday’s forecast and not the day-of, but how much could things change in a day? Eventually, they started their climb under sunny skies but those conditions wouldn’t last. Before the day was out, one member would be struck by lightning and almost killed.

How This Book Helped Me

I still hit the trail with a plan but accept that the plan can and will change and I can be flexible. There have been more than a few summits I’ve turned away from and trails I’ve waited another day to venture up. At one hike with a new group, I turned around rather than summiting the peak when the thunderstorms rolled in. While most continued on, I walked down with one guy who told me of being on a peak in the high Unitas when electricity coursed through his body and he quickly descended before the strike. He now turns back early as well. It’s not worth the risk.

After witnessing the fury of a flash flood in Goblin Valley, we always check the weather the day-of before venturing into the slots. We’ve changed our plans more than once.The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes Group Think: When It Saves and When It Kills

During times of disaster, people turn to others around them for help and guidance. Many times these tragic times help others unite and offer aid to each other. In the 70s, a massive fire at a country club in Cincinnati, Ohio, killed 167 people. Some survived by relying on their group while others died for the same reason.

Back then there were no fire alarms chirping their annoying warning and most guests had no clue the raging inferno advanced through the building. Many workers walked around trying to find the owners and supervisors to tell them what to do. Even when many of the guests heard there was a fire, they still remained in their seats enjoying dinner. They took their cues from those around them and no one else seemed to be panicked.

In other rooms, stronger warnings went out and people took it upon themselves to get the group moving. One bride took responsibility for her guests and ushered them out the door. The few who were reluctant to take action were pressured by the group. Others in her party tended to the wounded or drove people away from the site. They united in a common goal.

The New York Times did an in depth piece I highly recommending reading (and Pulitzer prize winner) on an avalanche that killed three extremely experienced skiers and injured several more. A part of what led to those deaths was that no one wanted to be the person who backed out first. The group made the decision to ski in very risk conditions even while individuals knew it was a bad idea.

See the guys up on the middle left? Yep, their group was encouraging each to jump off the edge into the pool. There would be a death in that spot before the week ended. Denial: That Beguiling Mistress

When disaster first strikes, there’s a sense of disbelief, that what’s happening really can’t be happening. We waste precious moments (like the diners above) unwilling to deal with catastrophe at hand. On 9-11, building occupants waited an average of six minutes before beginning their evacuation. Why? Because most of us have been in ominous situations that turned out to be nothing so we assume each new situation will have the same results. We also don’t want to risk social embarrassment. How many alarms have we heard in our life and how many of those actually meant something dangerous was happening?

But one man evacuated immediately from the towers and screamed at others to the same, pulling them out of their denial. Why did he react differently? Simple, he’d already survived a fire and knew that ominous situations can turn deadly.

How This Book Helped Me

I was working at an office in Burbank, California, as an intern a year or so after reading this book. As an intern, I had no influence and wasn’t even working with my team who were on the other side of the office. One afternoon the fire alarm went off and no one responded. For a second, neither did I. After all if everyone else wasn’t worried, why should I be? Then I remembered the book. I still didn’t act as quickly as I could, not wanting to risk social embarrassment. My desk was near the stairwell so I decided to duck my head in and check if others were reacting.

The stairwell of my office was full of smoke.

I called out to a few deskmates around me and told them there was smoke. I then left without worrying about anyone else. Once evacuated, we found out the building was not on fire but had filled with smoke from a brush fire in the nearby Hollywood Hills. I often wonder if my response was quicker than others since I wasn’t native Californian and wasn’t used to the almost constant wildfire smoke.

A few years later I was back in Utah and working at a downtown high rise. One morning the power went out and we all popped up from our cubicles, looking around to see what others were doing and if anyone knew anything. Our office admin quickly came over and told us the fire alarms were going off in the stairwells (still not sure why they weren’t operating right on our floor). In a single second, I grabbed my laptop and headed for the door. This time (because I actually had a team around me), I encouraged others to do the same. Still, we all thought it was a malfunctioning alarm.

Much to our surprise when we finally emerged from the lobby, black smoke billowed out of the basement. This time there really was a fire and had been a minor injury (a power maintenance worker who’d made the mistake that caused the fire).

Now when an alarm goes off, I go out immediately.

The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life Positivity: Powerful or Dangerous

Most people harp on the power of positivity, but extreme positivity in the face of dire circumstances can kill. Positivity takes a great deal of energy that would better be spent assessing one’s circumstances and determining what to do. He quotes the book Good to Great and the POW survivor, Admiral James Stockdale who said,

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality.”

He also points out and I want to reiterate who survives can determined by some “cosmic coin toss.” There are people who will die instantly during any calamity and are never given the chance to fight their way through. I add this because I see a lot of victim blaming when bad things happen. It’s human nature to wonder what someone could’ve done to avoid the bad thing. It makes us feel safer because we think we’ll never make that mistake. Yet, so much of life is up to chance.

How This Book Helped Me

When COVID-19 swept through the world in 2020 so many of us thought that it would be a few weeks, then a few months, and most of us weren’t prepared with how long it would be. I was one of these at first. The week my work shut down, I stupidly bought a trip to Mexico for that June at a discount. After all, things would be better in June. In my defense, the much-feared swine flu had merely been a blip. Of course, that trip never happened.

Early that summer when most people were celebrating the end of COVID, I took stock of situation and realized we were in for a long haul (I work in healthcare analytics and was tracking the data). Going by the status of the vaccines and the nature of viruses, I figured we were in for a rough year before things got better and even then we were in for a new normal. As I watched other people respond to the changing requirements, I saw so much anger and hate.

For an outdoor adventure without ever having to get outside, check out the Lost Gorge Mystery series!

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Mesa Verde National Park in One Day

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Mesa Verde is a hidden civilization amongst the mesas of southwestern Colorado. These ruins were homes to the ancestors of the Pueblo Indians a thousand years ago before disappearing from the area. The remnants of this large and advanced civilization can still be accessed and enjoyed.

Contrary to popular believe, researchers do know what happened to this ill-fated society. Starvation drove them from the area south to where they merged with other settlements. The ruins at Mesa Verde are absolutely stunning and awe-inspiring. Cliff Palace (above) is the largest of the ancient settlements. Spruce Tree House (below) was constructed in the 1200s. Being afraid of heights, apparently, had no place in this culture. The villages were accessed by ladders from above.

Every space under the large overhang was utilized completely. The details that went into each dwelling are inspiring. Below you can see the tiny rocks that were placed in the mortar to add stability to each brick.

I’d planned to camp in Mesa Verde for two full days and three nights. According to their website, there are several good hiking trails in the park. We figured one day to check out the ruins and another day of hardcore hiking. Turns out while the ruins are amazing, the surrounding country isn’t as much. It’s mostly just grass, juniper, and scrub oak — not the red rock we were expecting. Plus a fire had destroyed much of the trees in the park.

If you go, plan on spending a full day seeing the ruins and the museum. The campground is a great place to recharge as it has showers, laundromat, and a small store. But head out the next morning to your next stop. Summer is a good time to visit the area. Although it’s more south, the mesas are high enough in elevation to stay cooler.

For a an outdoor adventure without ever having to get outside, check out the Lost Gorge Mystery series!

A Weekend Itinerary for Goblin Valley State Park

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Goblin Valley is my favorite state park. If you could do me a solid and stay away, I’d appreciate it. This incredible place makes you feel like a five-year-old again. Most folks drive past the turn-off on their way from Capitol Reef to Arches or on their way to Lake Powell. It’s well worth a a stop and a long weekend.

The Main Valley

I was eight the first time I visited this place. I had only one day there as we stopped on our way home from Lake Powell. I remember it being the most magical place on earth (sorry, Disney). The next time I visited, I was an adult with nephews. Would it be as remarkable and fun as I’d remembered? So many things on a second visit aren’t how you idolized them. I dropped my fears in the dirt as I ran full-out down the trail, outpacing my nephews. We scrambled over, under, and around the monster rock formations.

What’s makes this place so much fun for all ages is you don’t have to hike miles up a mountain to get to the fun part. It’s there at the edge of the parking lot.

Goblin Valley is actually separated into three valleys and now that I’m a little more experience, I head south until I hit the wall that marks the edge and then make my way west until the crowds start to thin out. Last time I visited, the kids were old enough to start scrambling up the walls, which is how we got the below panorama shot. Very rarely in life do we see something that stops us short and all we can say is, “Oh.” Topping out on this ridge did that to me.

The Goblin’s Lair

It’s easy to spend an entire day in the main park. On your second day, try out some of the many nearby trails.

There are few actual trails in the park, but one of which is the Goblin’s Lair. This trail is 3 miles round-trip without a lot of elevation gain. The hike itself is a bit boring but well worth the ending. The huge cavern can be accessed by one trail around the front of the valley, marked on the park maps or from the top, where people can repel down through a hole in the ceiling.

The last bit requires some scrambling into the cavern but nothing that requires ropes as long as you take the main trail. Once you hit the floor, turn left and you’ll find a hole in the rock with more cave to explore. This is much more what you expect a cave to be and requires flashlights to sufficiently explore because it goes about thirty yards back.

Little Wild Horse Canyon

While not in the state park, a few miles outside the park sits one of Utah’s most popular slot canyons, Little Wild Horse. The majesty and power of the water that formed these unique desert landscapes can be fully appreciated here (see safety note below). Check out a more detailed guide.

A note of safety. This area, especially the slots, can turn deadly in a second. A few years ago, a family lost two little girls in a flash flood on a day where thunderstorms weren’t predicted. Never go in if rain is in the vicinity and always check the weather at the ranger station the day of.

On one visit, I witnessed the absolute power of a flash flood in the area—from a safe distance. As we pulled into Goblin Valley parking lot, the rain fell so hard and fast we could see the rain drops before the storm hit us. We huddled in the truck to wait it out. Within ten minutes, rivers formed where there had been only dry sand before. The rain retreated but the flood remained a while longer to remind everyone the power of Mother Nature and to always be vigilant when in the back country.

Camping

Camping in the park itself is hard to come by during peak periods (March–May and September–November). The earliest you can reserve a spot is six months ahead of time. You have to be online making the reservation the second the spots open and not a second later. Luckily, there are miles of BLM land surrounding the park you can camp on, just be sure to bring the necessities.

Nearby Towns

After a long day of hiking, hit Stan’s Burger Shack in nearby Hanksville for a well-earned shake and burger. The local gas station is actually carved out of the red rock.

For an outdoor adventure without ever having to get outside, check out the Lost Gorge Mystery series!

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Campfires and Kisses: Spring Flings and Engagement Rings

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A fake engagement, two sworn enemies—what could go wrong? Rielle rarely saw her parents, but she found a surrogate father in John, the owner of a nearby children’s camp. Now he’s left half of it to her. A dream come true—except she has to share her inheritance with John’s neglectful son who abandoned his father years ago.

Sutton wants nothing more than to sell the rundown camp and its bitter memories—his dad was the perfect dad to every kid except his own son. 

The camp has fallen on hard times, and Rielle doesn’t have the money to buy out Sutton. With their last dollar, they plan a singles camp—promising adventure and love. Someone starts the rumor the old enemies are engaged, and suddenly the camp sells out.



All Sutton and Rielle need to do is fake the engagement for a week. Then they can finally disappear from each other’s lives . . . if that’s what they still want.

Harvest Ranch: A Clean, Small-Town Romance Series

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Welcome to Harvest Ranch, a small town sitting in the shadow of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Folks come here for some good Southern cooking and plenty of outdoor adventure but find love along the way—with a little luck. Fall in love with the people as they fall in love with each other. Scroll to start reading the series.

Sunsets and Stables

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After breaking up with a jerk of a fiancé, Mirabelle Mason used her life savings and then some to follow her dream hosting horseback rides in the mountains. When a social media influencer chooses her stable as a backdrop for a “surprise” marriage proposal, she’s destined to go viral.

All is likes and love until the half-million-dollar engagement ring goes missing. If Mirabelle doesn’t find the diamond in a week, the influencer will destroy her reputation, and she’ll go viral for all the wrong reasons.

Having been forced to retire from the FBI for going after the wrong billionaire, Danny Cabrera is biding his time as a small-time, small-town security guard. He needs to focus on getting his career back in New York, not on helping the chaotic woman covered in horse manure find a trinket in the wilderness. Except he’s got a knack for getting to the truth and he still likes saving the day.

Determined not to make the same mistake twice, Mirabelle has sworn off men. Only the clock is ticking, and she finds herself needing Danny—and even more worrisome, wanting him. Can she find the ring and love without losing herself?

Campfires and Kisses

Start reading on Amazon

Rielle rarely saw her parents, but she found a surrogate father in John, the owner of a nearby children’s camp. Now he’s left half of it to her. A dream come true—except she has to share her inheritance with John’s neglectful son who abandoned his father years ago.



Sutton wants nothing more than to sell the rundown camp and its bitter memories—his dad was the perfect dad to every kid except his own son. 



The camp has fallen on hard times, and Rielle doesn’t have the money to buy out Sutton. With their last dollar, they plan a singles camp—promising adventure and love. Someone starts the rumor the old enemies are engaged, and suddenly the camp sells out.



All Sutton and Rielle need to do is fake the engagement for a week. Then they can finally disappear from each other’s lives . . . if that’s what they still want.

Mountains and Mistletoe

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It’s Christmas in Harvest Ranch and couples are lining up under the mistletoe—except for Nia and Darius. She doesn’t believe in dating a guy more than three times and he’s out of the dating game for good. Maybe a Christmas miracle is in store this snowy season for this stormy couple.

Cover Reveal for Mountains and Mistletoe

Good news, my cover is finally done for my Harvest Ranch Christmas Romance, Mountains and Mistletoe. It's Christmas in Harvest Ranch and couples are lining up under the mistletoe—except for Nia and Darius. She doesn't believe in dating a guy more than three times and he's out of the dating game for good. Maybe a Christmas miracle is in store this snowy season for this stormy couple.



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