Kristy McCaffrey's Blog: Author Kristy McCaffrey, page 17

Creativity ~ Part IV: Forbearance

Creativity: An 8-Part Series

By Kristy McCaffrey

Don't miss:
Part I ~ Imagination
Part II ~ Domestication vs. Wildness
Part III ~ Shape-Shifting



Forbearance is the act of patience, restraint, and tolerance. To forbear is to endure. Another interpretation is to refrain from a harsh judgment. In the Old Testament, one translation of forbear is ‘to keep silent or to be still’.

How does this relate to creativity?

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1



Creation can’t be rushed. It must unfold in its own time. It’s the difference between ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’. When a creative endeavor has been given the proper time to percolate, a depth and authenticity will emerge that will be undeniable. If rushed, the project will only be a toe-dip in the soul-creating cauldron. The result will be a pale façade, a shallow rendering, and one that is easily consumed and digested, leaving no lasting fullness.

How long is long enough? Only you can know this. However, understanding the need for forbearance can ease the stress of thinking I must get this done NOW. For the painter, the writer, or the filmmaker, this time should be spent learning the fundamentals. Then, when the BIG story comes, or the BIG canvas, the skills will be in place to filter the highest quality of work.



In today’s world, there’s a need to rush. We’re all guilty of it. We release a work, an idea, before it’s reached fruition. Learning forbearance is a crucial skill if we hope to fully develop our talents, and even more importantly, to understand the way our process unfolds, for this is as individual as the person.

Don’t miss Part V in the Creativity series: Maiden/Mother/Crone

Until next time…

BIG EVENT!! Western Historical Romance Book Sale, Oct. 17 - 20, 2014

Another interruption to my blog series on Creativity, but I think you're gonna like this. The Pioneer Hearts group, a dedicated spot in Facebook cyberspace for readers and writers of Old West romances, has come together to offer an awesome sale. This 99c Western Romance Event will run from October 17th - 20th. Browse the selections and snap up some new reads. Most are available at Kindle, Nook and iBooks. My book, The Dove, is included. Now, you can get both The Wren and The Dove (Books One and Two in my Wings series) for only 99c each!









This sale includes dozens of books for your Kindle, and a selection for your Nook or iBooks libraries, as well. And you know what else is fun? You can win some pretty snazzy prizes!







Want to win one of two $10 Amazon gift cards? Share our sale and follow our authors!



You could also win signed books, a beautiful turquoise pendant necklace (voted a favorite by the Pioneer Hearts Readers Group!), and more!



See Rafflecopter here and win!



See Nook links here (THE DOVE isn't listed, but it's 99cents at Nook also)



See iBooks links here

Creativity ~ Part III: Shape-Shifting

By Kristy McCaffrey

Don't miss:

Part I ~ Imagination

Part II ~ Domestication vs. Wildness



While shape-shifting is often associated with evil and deception, it can be thought of most easily as a way to incorporate the qualities and sensory perceptions of a particular animal. Shape-shifting allows the navigation through different levels of consciousness, both awake and dreaming, and along the astral plane.

In the iconic King Arthur story "The Sword in the Stone" by T. H. White, the wizard Merlin transforms young Arthur into many different animals to aid the boy in learning how to be king. When Arthur finally pulls the sword from the stone, the animal kingdom relays many mystical messages, giving him strength and courage to grow into the man he needs to be.

In shamanic realms, one must master energy to become a shape-shifter, and thereby learn to shift situations.



Shape-shifting goes hand-in-hand with totem animals. In many cultures, association with an animal is a means of navigating the world—Coyote energy is mischievous, Raven energy is cunning and otherworldly, Rabbit energy is quick and alert. If one has an affinity for a certain creature, why not imagine what it would be like to be that animal? What might this teach you?

Wilderness is not a luxury, but a necessity of the human spirit. ~ Author Edward Abbey



Each animal has its own gifts, which are accessible to us. Bear teaches us to set clear boundaries and balance activities with periods of rest. Butterfly embodies transformation from one state to the next. Whale calls to deep creativity and the ability to sing your intention into the landscape.

Shifting focus has long been an avenue to unlock creativity. While running along the terrain as a bobcat, what wondrous things will you see?

Lots of people talk to animals. Not very many listen, though. That's the problem. ~ Benjamin Hoff




Works Cited
Billington, Penny. The Path of Druidry: Walking the Ancient Green Way. Llwellyn Publications, 2011.

Carson, David. Find Your Spirit Animals. Watkins Publishing, 2011.

Farmer Ph.D, Steven D. Animal Spirit Guides. Hay House, Inc., 2006.

Myss, Carolyn. Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential. Harmony Books, 2001.



Don’t miss Part IV in the Creativity series: Forbearance

Until next time…

October New Releases ~ Kristy McCaffrey

I'm interrupting my blog series on Creativity to share some book news.

Several months ago, I gained back the rights to my Wings of the West series from my publisher. It was the perfect opportunity for me to give the books a general clean-up and fresh look. If you've already read them, nothing has changed in the storylines, so no need to again. But I was glad to re-edit the manuscripts, since I've hopefully become a better writer in the last ten years.

The series is only available in digital at this time, but I'm pleased to offer THE WREN at the low price of 99 cents, and this won't change.



Ten years have passed since her ranch was attacked, her folks murdered and Molly Hart was abducted. Now, at nineteen, she’s finally returning home to north Texas after spending the remainder of her childhood with a tribe of Kwahadi Comanche. What she finds is a deserted home coated with dust and the passage of time, the chilling discovery of her own gravesite, and the presence of a man she thought never to see again.

Matt Ryan is pushed by a restless wind to the broken-down remains of the Hart ranch. Recently recovered from an imprisonment that nearly ended his life, the drive for truth and fairness has all but abandoned him. For ten years he faithfully served the U.S. Army and the Texas Rangers, seeking justice for the brutal murder of a little girl, only to find closure and healing beyond his grasp. Returning to the place where it all began, he’s surprised to stumble across a woman with the same blue eyes as the child he can’t put out of his mind.

Kindle
Nook
Kobo
Smashwords
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Disappointment hits ex-deputy Logan Ryan hard when he finds Claire Waters in the midst of a bustling Santa Fe Trail town. The woman he remembers is gone—in her place is a working girl with enticing curves and a load of trouble. As a web of deceit entangles them with men both desperate and dangerous, Logan tries to protect Claire, unaware his own past poses the greatest threat.

Plagued by shame all her life, Claire is stunned when Logan catches her on the doorstep of The White Dove Saloon dressed as a prostitute. She lets him believe the worst, but with her mama missing and the fancy girls deserting the place, she's hard-pressed to refuse his offer of help. As she embarks on a journey that will unravel the fabric of her life one thing becomes clear—opening her heart may be the most dangerous proposition of all.

Kindle
Nook
Kobo
Smashwords

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In 1877, Emma Hart comes to Grand Canyon—a wild, rugged, and, until recently, undiscovered area. Plagued by visions and gifted with a second sight, she searches for answers about the tragedy of her past, the betrayal of her present, and an elusive future that echoes through her very soul. Joined by her power animal Sparrow, she ventures into the depths of Hopi folklore, forced to confront an evil that has lived through the ages.

Texas Ranger Nathan Blackmore tracks Emma Hart to the Colorado River, stunned by her determination to ride a wooden dory along its course. But in a place where the ripples of time run deep, he’ll be faced with a choice. He must accept the unseen realm, the world beside this world, that he turned away from years ago, or risk losing the woman he has come to love more than life itself.

Kindle
Nook
Kobo
Smashwords

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The series is also available on iBooks. For the life of me, however, I can't figure out how to obtain those links. If you have an account with Apple and use your iPad or iPhone to read novels, a search of my name should bring them up.
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I also wanted to share the release of a new Halloween-themed Old West anthology, out today in digital AND print.



Includes my short story The Crow and the Coyote

In Arizona Territory, Hannah Dobbin travels through Cañon de Chelly, home to the Navajo, in search of a sorcerer who murdered her pa. Only when she retrieves the silver cross taken from her father's corpse will she be able to free her pa's spirit, and allow him to be at peace.

Bounty Hunter Jack Boggs—known as Crow—is on the trail of a vile Mexican bandito when he discovers Hannah and her companion, a superstitious old Navajo woman. He knows he must protect them, but with the shadows of Hallowtide descending, more dark magic is at hand than any of them know.

Kindle
Nook
Smashwords
Trade Paperback

Creativity ~ Part II: Domestication vs. Wildness

There are beautiful and wild forces within us. ~ St. Francis of Assisi



When I was very young, I had a powerful dream. Young women dressed in white—clearly some type of initiates—filed forward to be approved by a Head Mother. One, a scraggly and unkempt girl, didn’t fit. Two guards forcibly dragged her along in line.



The dream was simple and vivid. It was my wild nature fighting against domestication. And often, that domestication is governed by you, not an outside force such as parents, teachers, or a religious institution. We often suppress our wild nature because in its wake comes chaos—or so we think. In truth, wildness opens avenues. In wildness lies curiosity, compassion, and a connection to the rhythms of life. All life. The trees, the plants, the animals, the Earth. Without this connection something in us will die.

But the good news is that no matter how long the wild nature has been abandoned, it can always be brought back to life.



In Women Who Run With The Wolves, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés states, “Once [women] have regained [wild woman], they will fight and fight hard to keep her, for with her their creative lives blossom; their relationships gain meaning and depth and health; their cycles of sexuality, creativity, work, and play are re-established; they are no longer marks for the predations of others; they are entitled equally under the laws of nature to grow and to thrive. Now their end-of-the-day fatigue comes from satisfying work and endeavors, not from being shut up in too small a mind-set, job, or relationship. They know instinctively when things must die and when things must live; they know how to walk away, they know how to stay.”



Kali is a goddess of destruction and creation who predates Hinduism. Sometimes known as the 'forbidden thing', she shines a light on the dark places that keep us from total liberation, shadows that encompass our authentic sexuality, our rage, our killer instincts, our animalistic natures. These are often suppressed, but they wield power by allowing our fears and anxieties to flourish. Kali represents the Divine Feminine, and she doesn't do well with domestication. By confronting the terror that Kali illuminates, we slowly become unfrozen. We are able to speak, live, and create in a divinely natural way, following the rhythms that course through each of us. We become wild in the truest sense, deeply connected to our soul-selves, following the path we're meant to pursue.

How might we recover our wildness? One age-old way is through stories.

It’s been my experience that when I tell others that I write romance novels, 1) women giggle with delight and quietly share with me how much they love such books, and 2) women tell me how they long to write and hope one day to share a story with the world. (I will also add that men are generally supportive, but there is also that small minority who have no interest. When done with respect, there is no harm in this.)



Why do I write romances? Because in a majority of these stories, whether they be historical, contemporary, futuristic or paranormal, the heroines are women in search of the core of their wildness. By the end of a story, they will become brave enough to not only face the villain and love the hero, but they will also find a strength that is soul-deep, soul-knowing, and a piece of themselves they can’t live without.

This is why women giggle when they learn my profession, because despite the stigma associated with reading frivolous romances, they’re drawn to the myth and power woven into these tales. Stories transform the teller and the listener. Stories light the way on the darkened path into the hearts of women (and men), illuminating the pitfalls but also the guideposts along the way.

There have been great societies that did not use the wheel, but there have been no societies that did not tell stories. ~ Author Ursula K. LeGuin



I’ve always enjoyed the game of finding which female character in Greek mythology most draws you. Is it Athena, filled with wisdom, or Artemis, who runs among the animals in the woods? What about Aphrodite, the seductress, or Persephone, the innocent who succumbs to Hades and takes springtime with her? (There are versions in which Persephone willingly binds herself to the god of the underworld. A simple shift in intention can change everything.)

What stories resonate with you? Those that do are engaging directly with your wild self. Don’t ignore the connection, but instead actively explore what bubbles forth from inside you.

We have an archetypal need to be spoken to through stories because they bring us into contact with our inner being. ~ Carolyn Myss, medical intuitive and author



Works Cited
Beak, Sera. Red Hot & Holy: A Heretic's Love Story. Sounds True, Inc., 2013.

Estés, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola. Women Who Run With The Wolves. Ballantine Books, 1992.


Don’t miss Part III in the Creativity series: Shape-Shifting

Until next time…

Creativity ~ Part I: Imagination

Creativity: An 8-Part Series

By Kristy McCaffrey

When I was in the final stages of completing my third book, The Sparrow, I had a strong sense of cultivation, as if I were gardening. As I strove to refine the story and add more details that would, hopefully, enliven the tale more deeply, I could literally feel the soft, sweet, moist earth fall through my fingers as I scooped it up and packed it into the world I'd created.

In moments like these, the creative life fully connects with ordinary reality. It's why painters paint, sculptors sculpt, and writers write. It's why we, as humans, create. We want to bring meaning to our lives, and art—in any form—presents an outlet for us to express this yearning.

We all create, whether you label yourself an artist or not. Decorating your home, landscaping your yard, crafting long letters to friends and family—all are forms of self-expression, a deeply-rooted desire present in all of us.

Artmaking is making the invisible, visible. ~ Marcel Duchamp

Studies have shown that activities such as writing, drawing and even knitting reduce stress and increase serotonin levels. A UCLA study found that when young people engaged in artistic pursuits from a young age, they outperformed their peers in categories ranging from academics to life skills.

Cross-cultural anthropologist Angeles Arrien states that in many traditional cultures, a healer will ask an ill person four questions: When did you stop singing? When did you stop dancing? When did you stop telling your story? When did you stop sitting in silence?

We need our creativity to survive. And we need to move through our creativity ourselves.

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught. ~ Oscar Wilde


In this series on Creativity, I'll be discussing the following, each in a separate post:

I. Imagination
II. Domestication vs. Wildness
III. Shape-Shifting
IV. Forbearance
V. Maiden/Mother/Crone
VI. The Virgin and the Sacred Prostitute
VII. Synchronicity
VIII. Magic

Let's get started.

I. Imagination

Imagination is when you step outside of time. I've often thought that imagination is less something we create and more something we tap into. As a fiction writer, I most definitely conjure ideas and make-believe people to fill the pages of my stories. Or do I?

I wrote my very first novel, The Wren, based on an idea that came to me when I was 15 years old. It was at that time I first became acquainted with my heroine, Molly Hart.

Years later, as I drove cross-country with my mother and sister--a leaving-the-nest move from Phoenix to Pittsburgh—we pulled off at a rest stop outside of Amarillo. It was a desolate place, with wide-open sky and the endless flat expanse of the Texas Panhandle. And that's when I felt her, standing in the tall grass, watching me. It was Molly.

I was about 22 years old at the time. I didn't write Molly's story until I was 33, but in that moment it was as if she breathed her spirit into mine. For a while, I tried setting her story in Arizona, but it didn’t come together until I moved the tale back to Texas. It's been said that stories chase the right person to tell them. On that day, Molly most definitely pursued me, conveying in no uncertain terms that’s where she belonged. It was my job to pay attention. So, perhaps imagination is less an activity of making something up and more a sense of remembering.

How might you trigger this remembering?

1. Playing. Children know it, and animals do as well. When children play, they follow their innate talents. It simply doesn’t occur for them not to. Playing is any activity that disengages the rational mind—for some it may be sports, or sewing, or playing a musical instrument. As adults, we often encapsulate play into vacations, but it should really be present each day. How can you add more play to your day? Think about it, and then let go and just have fun.

A Labrador retriever plays through its lifetime and dies a child. ~ Dr. Stuart Brown

2. Dreams. Whatever your personal beliefs about dreams, and why we have them, there is nothing better at shining a spotlight into your life than your dreams. The key is learning to work with the imagery. Renowned dream archaeologist Robert Moss suggests keeping a dream journal to begin understanding the messages relayed. Working with dreams isn’t a passive endeavor. Everything around us is alive with meaning; all you have to do is pay attention. For further guidance, read Moss's Active Dreaming—Journeying Beyond Self-Limitation to a Life of Wild Freedom (New World Library, 2011). If you’re still not certain that there’s something to be gained from this dreaming thing, check out his book The Secret History of Dreaming (New World Library, 2009) in which he elaborates on the dream lives of Joan of Arc, Mark Twain, and Winston Churchill.

In dreams begin responsibilities. ~ William Butler Yeats

3. Solitude. Numerous studies tout the benefits of meditation, but even if you can’t quiet your mind enough for a deep practice, time alone can trigger a rush of ideas, from planning dinner parties to writing a book. Immersing yourself in the words of others can offer additional stimulus. Perhaps you’re inspired by perusing the latest fictional tale, or devouring Deepak Chopra, or quietly absorbing passages from the Bible. Or perhaps soothing music does the trick, or a hot bath and candles. A practice of daily solitude will fine-tune your access to imagination.

To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work. ~ Mary Oliver

Imagination is the act of creating new ideas. The key is learning to open the floodgates within the mind that can hold it back. Playing, dreams, and solitude are three ways to allow the remembering to enter your life.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. ~ Albert Einstein

Don’t miss Part II in the Creativity series: Domestication vs. Wildness

Until next time…

My Fourteen Rules Of Writing

Many an author has posted such a list, and there's much good info out there if seeking guidance in the writing arena. I've been at this inscribing thing now for over ten years (more like thirty if you consider my childhood scribbles—yes, they do count), so it goes without saying that I've learned a few things along the way.

Here they are.

—Watch 'Romancing the Stone', a wonderful movie about romance author Joan Wilder. It's incredibly accurate, right down to the sticky notes all over her kitchen reminding her she needs to do this and that. When writing, we writers forget everything.

—I've given up trying to write before I've checked email, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. I write in the afternoons and evenings, which pretty much ruins dinner every night.

—Get an iPod to block out the kids and husband. I make playlists for each story, offering me one more avenue to procrastinate on my writing.



—Buy bookshelves to hold research books, but know that it won't matter. You'll still run out of room, so make peace with tomes strewn all over the floor.

—When I'm stuck on a scene, I've found the most effective method is to stop writing and wait for inspiration. Three days later when nothing hits, I return to the computer pissed off and write a scene in frustrated anger. But, hey, I've finally moved forward.



—I rewrite any sentence that contains 'lie' or 'lay' because I'm unable to remember the rule and too lazy to look it up.

—I always keep a thesaurus and dictionary handy. My trade is words, and my work is to make 'em count. (By the way, this doesn't count for 'lie' or 'lay'—a loathsome trickery in the English language.)

—Don't name an animal after a color. If you decide to change the name later, a 'search and replace' in Word will make you realize how many times you used the word 'white' within your manuscript (because it will replace all the wrong 'whites'). Now, it becomes apparent that the thesaurus has been neglected.

—I refuse to feel guilt when I use an adverb.



—I have a tendency to put spectacles on my heroines in every first draft, which I must later delete. It's the oldest trick in the book to make my ladies appear 'smart'. Did I mention that I wear glasses?

—I've learned to trust my muse. She's a sneaky little devil, never making things clear until the end of a project. By then I've eaten too much ice cream and moped around believing I'll NEVER make this story work.



—I'm a writer, not a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist, and therefore there's no sense dwelling on bad prose (mine or anyone else's). Move on. I can always do better next time. (This is my pep talk after bouts of insecurity and lots of ice cream.)

—I obsess constantly about where to put commas, which has led to more than one restless night. I will edit year-old blog posts if I realize I missed a critical comma. And no, I'm not obsessive-compulsive, hyper-focused, or anal. (I will probably re-edit this post next year...)

—I keep writing until the heart of a story can be excavated. It always exists, and it's my job to clear the dirt and debris so that it can shine. I'm simply a translator of myth and symbolism into something others can enjoy. It's my gift, and my curse. I imagine brain surgeons feel the same way.



So, to recap. Writing is exhilarating, but also crappy. (I can't find 'crappy' in my thesaurus, so have no other word to use. Sorry.) Come join the fun!

Reverse Bucket List

Post by Kristy McCaffrey

Unless you've been living on Mars, then you've heard of a Bucket List. (And if you are living on Mars, then you win top prize for best Bucket List destination.) But what about a reverse Bucket List? I'll wager you've not penned one of those.


What is a Bucket List in the opposite direction? It's looking back on your life and shining a spotlight on what you've already accomplished. Since all you have to do is remember, it's super easy, not requiring saving money, booking an airline ticket to Africa, and working out like crazy so you won't bonk when climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. What's even more exciting about this list: you'll find yourself again. You know, that younger version of yourself, the one who faced life with uncharacteristic enthusiasm, the one who followed his/her inclinations and passions without worrying about the whys or how-to's.

Here's mine:

1. As a child, I read TV Guide cover to cover each week. I was exceptionally talented at the crossword puzzle inside due to my vast knowledge of the Boob Tube.



2. I was entranced by clouds. I studied them, photographed them, and categorized them. At school I wrote reports on them at every opportunity. Why am I not a meteorologist today?



3. When in high school, I had the same chorus teacher (Mr. Millsop) as my mother when she was in high school. This just shows how close in age my mom and I are. (Sorry Mom, your shotgun wedding is out.)



4. At age 15, I discovered the Dragonriders of Pern books by science fiction/fantasy author Anne McCaffrey. A few years later, I met my future husband: last name McCaffrey. But more importantly, I started writing fan fiction in her Pern universe, which eventually motivated me to write something original.



5. At age 17, I worked in a movie theater. Best. Job. Ever. (Free movies, anyone?)

6. In 2nd grade, I was accepted into the Gifted Program because I did exceptionally well on the placement exam. While I believe there must have been a TV Guide crossword puzzle on the test, in truth, I guessed my way through it. It really sucks to be labeled 'gifted' so young since expectations always ran high that I'd get all A's, become a fighter pilot, and whip up something tasty at Christmastime.

7. When I was about 10 years old, I put my bare feet in the ashen remains of a campfire (it looked so inviting). Shortly thereafter, I put two metal barrettes in a power socket. Blisters on my feet and electricity zipping through my body were obvious indicators of my sense of adventure and, of course, my giftedness (see no. 6).



8. When I was 9 years old, I lived on the Navajo Indian Reservation. As a writer, it's been a goldmine of unresolved issues buried in my psyche, forcing me to scratch out an essay every few years about how miserable I was. Why won't anyone ever publish these?

9. I earned a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. There were many days that I felt intimidated by the intellect around me and was certain they'd discover I was an imposter, but I'm proud to look back at all my hard work and say that I've done absolutely nothing with it.



10. My children. Thanks to my four offspring, I have a permanently flabby stomach (10-pound babies will do that and I'm too lazy to get a tummy-tuck). But, they are also the most gorgeous and fantastic creatures ever. What a privilege it is to love and fight with them (and torment them).

11. My husband. As he said to me recently, "How did you ever find a man to put up with you?" (Umm, tag. You're it.)

What's on your Reverse Bucket List? Give it some thought. In shamanism, there's a technique called 'soul-retrieval', in which pieces of the self that are lost during a lifetime are embraced once again. This exercise may just help you find long-forgotten nuggets of yourself, aspects that can help you remember that life is a playground, and it's all about playing. (Just watch out for those power sockets.)

My Latest Release~Steamy Historical Western Anthology

If you're looking for something shorter to read this summer and you like a little spice in your Old West tales, then this is the book for you.



Craving a cowboy on these hot summer nights? Here are four stories that are sure to turn up the heat! If you love tall, dark, and handsome cowboys with a touch of danger thrown in, and the ladies that show them they've met their match, Cowboy Cravings is a must-have. Fast guns, smooth action, and hot love sizzle in one delicious recipe for these spicy stories. The summer has never been hotter in the Old West than it is when you have to satisfy those COWBOY CRAVINGS!

HEARTS AND DIAMONDS—Cheryl Pierson
Revenge sets Nick Diamond after a bride, and nothing will stand in his way. But when that bride happens to be outspoken firebrand Liberty Blankenship, all bets are off. Anything can happen when Hearts and Diamonds collide!

STARR BRIGHT—Celia Yeary
A stubborn rancher, a Spanish beauty…and the Texas summer heats up.

LILY AND MESQUITE JOE—Kristy McCaffrey
Lily Kingston has long loved Mesquite Joe Riordan. Facing the truth of his past will test her resolve, but only her stubbornness can win his heart.

MAKING PEACE—Kathleen Rice Adams
A confederate soldier. A Jayhawker’s widow. An accidental passion that could mend the wounds of war.

~Now Available~

KINDLE
NOOK
SMASHWORDS
TRADE PAPERBACK

THIS SUMMER STORM ~ New Young Adult Anthology

I stepped outside my usual genre and penned a young adult short story, released today in print and digital formats.



Blurb:
A CURRENT SO SWIFT—Kristy McCaffrey
A wilderness course on the Green River in Utah has sixteen-year-old Amy Whittaker stuck on a raft with football players and cheerleaders from her high school. When a torrential rainstorm flips the boats and strands everyone, Amy is forced to take charge.

TO MAKE THE MAGIC LAST—Cheryl Pierson
When a tornado approaches, Steve Cooper and Christy Reed both run for cover—straight into the blazing guns of gang warfare in their apartment stairwell. Will they survive? What a way to start a relationship!

WAITING FOR A COMET—Richard Prosch
The papers promised death from the skies, but will wild west legend Abby Drake’s secret prove even more explosive for Jo Harper and her 1910 Wyoming town?

WEEKEND WHIRLWIND—Angel Drew
Cassie is excited to attend her first party at popular Lyndsey Stapleton’s house, but will her mother’s recent changes get in her way?

TAKEN BY STORM—Diana Stuart
Starting a new job turns into a life-changing summer for Angela Spencer, who learns who she really is and just what she is capable of.

ATLANTIS TWISTING TIDES—Allie Burton
When unrest threatens her kingdom, a mermaid princess must choose between loyalty and love.

THE LAST OF HER KIND—Cheryl Pierson
When Cassie’s new stepmother threatens their family’s well-being, Cassie enlists the help of her dying grandmother and the secret of an old Victrola—the last of her kind, as Cassie’s father says, to try to make things right again.



Amazon ($2.99)
http://www.amazon.com/This-Summer-Sto...

Smashwords ($2.99)
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...

Trade Paperback ($11.99)
https://www.createspace.com/4838282