The Roach Family and Other Stories releases today, Wednesday February 21, 2024. It is published by DarkWinter Press.

I can’t wait for you to read it. For print or digital versions, head over to Amazon.

I’m so excited to show you the beautiful and intriguing cover of my second collection of short stories, The Roach Family and Other Stories, published by DarkWinter 2024. Here it is!

What does the cover featuring a pink doll house and roach make you think of? What kinds of assumptions do you make about the stories after viewing this cover?

Here’s hoping you are so interested in the cover that you can’t wait to dip your toe into the nineteen stories therein. Happy reading in a few short weeks.

The Roach Family and Other Stories

Releasing a book into the world is both exhilirating and scary. The thrill comes from finally getting the work in good enough shape that it’s in book format, something tangile a reader can hold in their hands and dip their toe into. The trepidation comes from wondering how said readers will respond. Will they like the stories? Will they tell other people about the book? Are the reviewers going to say nice things about it?

Book two’s release is somehow less frightening than book one. Call it ‘been there already’ feelings. With book one, everything was uncharted territory. With book two, I feel confident that my readers will grab the second book because they enjoyed the first book. Time will tell, won’t it?

Stay tuned for book events, the launch, and other wonderful news about The Roach Family and Other Stories, published by DarkWinter Press spring 2024.

As I type this on the final day of 2023, I can hardly believe I have another book coming out. Stay tuned for event and release details. Suffice to say, The Roach Family and Other Stories will be in readers’ hands by April 15 2024. Thank you Suzanne Craig Whytock of DarkWinter Press for taking on this project and believing in its possibilities!

Between 2:00 and 5:00 on Sunday September 24, count on lots to entertain you at a bookish afternoon in Alton Mill. Max Wallace and I will be the authors on site. Learn more in this article from the September 14th edition of the Orangeville Citizen. Refreshments will be included with your ticket.

Why? I’ve been busy promoting both my visual art and my book. Summer has been sliding through my slippery fingers!

Latest news:

Check out this fabulous review of Took You So Long (pub. Porcupine’s Quill, 2022) in Rrampt Magazine.

This beauty is available to view / purchase this weekend until the end of June, 2023. As a member-artist, I am pleased to have been invited to be part of this group art show and sale.

Back in December 2022, I did a book talk about my short story collection Took You So Long for Bruce County Public Library at the Chesley branch library. The video is back from editing and is now available on YouTube. Check it out right here. Let me know your thoughts about the video by leaving a comment.

A lot has happened since the release of my debut short story collection Took You So Long.

I attended a number of author events last fall including but not limited to:

• special events such as the 125th Anniversary of Victoria Jubilee Hall in Walkerton
• book talks at libraries
• retired teacher luncheons and book signings
• multi-author events like one in Hamilton attended by ten authors!
• the making of a book trailer (thank you Jenni Welsh)

Here is your opportunity to view the book’s trailer.

Check out my personal and professional Facebook pages to learn about upcoming book events scheduled for a location near you. If you want to arrange a book event, just contact me by using the CONTACT FORM on my website, through email or through Facebook.

If I were to ask a younger version of myself how she feels about what is happening in my life as I approach my 65th birthday, that youngster would say she doesn’t believe that I wrote a book, never mind launched it, had a book trailer made, did a reading at Victoria Jubilee Hall in Walkerton, and presented the book in the company of nine other authors at the Staircase Theatre in Hamilton. Pinch me!