New Series, New Characters, and New Suspense!

Happy Wednesday, Friends!

I hope you’re having a great week! I’m excited to share that I’ve turned in my novella, The Shifting Current-–A Coastal Guardian novella. For those of you who’ve read my Coastal Gaurdian’s story, it’s Logan and Emmy’s love story. If you haven’t read the series, no worries, it can be read as a standalone. It’s available for pre-order now and releases on May 2nd! 

I’m so excited. It’s my first indie novella and I had so much fun writing it. I had no clue what I was doing with an indie novella but I’m so grateful for fellow writing friends who so graciously helped me. I love the Christian Fiction community. It’s such a blessing to me. Writing can be a very solitary endeavor but writing friends bring wisdom, guidance, and encouragement every step of the way. 

I’ve also turned in the first book in my upcoming Jeopardy Falls series. I’m loving this series. It features a new family, the MacLeods. It’s my first time writing about a family since my Alaskan Courage series, and I’m loving getting to know all of them. They own a private investigation and security firm in Jeopardy Falls, Arizona. It’s a fictional town in the Catalina foothills outside of Tucson, Arizona.

It’s a big departure from my usual locations, which are always near water. Every book has been near the ocean or the Chesapeake Bay, which is where I live in Maryland. So, why the departure? I spent part of my growing-up years in Albuquerque, New Mexico and I love the Land of Enchantment. 

I also met my husband there. It’s a funny story as we grew up an hour apart on the east coast–me in Northern Virginia and him in Baltimore, Maryland. But I’d been living in Albuquerque with my mom and was attending the University of Maryland. My husband was in the Navy and stationed in New Mexico. I know what you’re thinking… the Navy in the middle of the desert? He was stationed at the University of New Mexico working on his master’s degree while I was a sophomore. We first met when he asked me to dance, and I like to say, it’s been a dance of a lifetime. Engaged in three weeks, married a little over three months later. Sometimes you just know. We just celebrated our 30th last year. 

So between living in Albuquerque and loving so many things about it-hiking the gorgeous mountains, the amazing sunsets, New Mexican food (it’s the best), and the lights of the city from our house on the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. When God laid the MacLeod family on my heart, I just knew they’d lived in the rugged and breathtaking Southwest.   

My husband and I lived in New Mexico during our first year of marriage and my husband had a horse–a beautiful quarter horse named Wrangler. We very much lived the cowboy life for a while- felt Stetson hats, Roper boots, and my hubby rode bareback in local rodeos. We loved the lifestyle and, while we’ve been back on the east coast for decades, the Southeast still holds our hearts. 

I knew when the MacLeods came to life in my mind, they lived in the Southwest and I decided to explore Arizona instead of New Mexico. I loved my travels there. I also have family outside of Phoenix and a dear friend there as well. They’ve both been so helpful with research.  

The MacLeods own a ranch and the younger sister, Riley, is a barrel racer. It’s been so fun returning to that part of my heart. I hope you’ll all enjoy it too. It’s been such a fun adventure! 

We’re in the titling stage and there are so many options popping up. I’d love your input for book one as it’s time to stop calling it “book one.” Lol! 

Here are a few of the options: 

Nowhere to Run Drawing Dead (it ties to something in the character’s past) When I DisappearTrapped

I’d love to hear which is your favorite, and I’m totally open to title suggestions.

Thanks for taking the time to spend today with me! 

Blessings, 

Dani