I know for the first half of 2026 I have been a bit silent, but I’m back now! And I’m back to writing too! I’ve started writing the first in a three part high fantasy series. I spent a lot of time building the world of Mournia and I’m excited to share it with you all one day!
This is not the official cover, but a placeholder for my current work in progress. It’s the first in my high fantasy trilogy, and I am very excited about this one! What can you expect from this series? Extensive world building, adventure and long journeys across fantasy lands, heated romance, magic, myths, and more!
Life So Far This Year
It’s been a never ending busy year for me so far. 2026 is flying by so fast! My work with horses has kept me very busy. Things at the riding school have been ramping up with the summer season, so the students are all keeping me on my toes. My husband has made the career change from finance manager to flight instructor while he works on accomplishing his hours to fly commercially. This has shaken up my routine quite a bit. It’s been difficult to find time to care for family, home, and horses while still finding time to write. But, I think I’ve finally figured it out!
My horse, Captain, has had some troubles with his hooves this summer, so he’s on a summer vacation (much to his excitement). While his cracks grow out he is enjoying green pastures, hosing off to keep cool in this heat, and lots of love and grooming! I miss riding, and we just moved to a new home that has a beautiful apple grove we could be riding through! But Mr. Captain is the sweetest horse I’ve ever met and his time off is much deserved and needed.
The Hunt Begins
Another exciting aspect of working on this new series is that I will start the search for an agent once its completed! As much as I love being an independent author, being in charge of my own story, my own covers and layout, I am ready to take the next step in working with an agent and a publishing house for this series. I’ve had the idea for this series for a long time and I have put endless time and effort into building the world and characters. I would love the series to reach more readers, and I feel this would be accomplished best through traditional publishing and the support of a team. I’m a little nervous because my only experience working with a publisher was not a very good one, but that was fifteen years ago and I’m hoping having the expertise of an agent to help me through the process will make it a more enjoyable experience this time around.
What I’ve Been Reading
Part of the reason I didn’t have time to write is because any spare moment I had I was either catching up on my reading with some series that were impossible to put down! Call it research for writing my own un-put-downable series. And I’ve also been knitting a lot. I learned how to make my own tank tops for summer and now I am addicted to making them in every color! With the busy summer ahead of us I am finding it hard to sneak in as much reading time as I’ve had over winter and spring, but I try to at least get a half hour in every day!
Right now I am very much into female protagonist fantasy series and small town cozy witch/fantasy books. Think Practical Magic! If you have any recommendations for these genres please share them!
I’m excited to dive back into the book scene and to keep in touch with all my readers more regularly. Have a great summer!
Don’t forget to pre-order my latest release and first historical fiction, “When Dealing with Horses”! It will show up in your Kindle Library early Christmas Eve morning for you to enjoy over the nice long holiday break.
It’s been a good year for reading for me! I had a lot of historical fictions, a ton having to do with Scotland and America, some fantasy, some horse related, and so much more! Here is the list of books I read in 2024. I didn’t read a single book I didn’t like, so I highly recommend them all! Be sure to follow me on Goodreads and Bookbub for reviews.
“Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics” by Chris Grabenstein
“Highland Healer” by Florence Love Karsner
“The Two Towers” by JRR Tolkien
“The Lily of Ludgate Hill” by Mimi Matthews
“The Giver of Stars” by Jojo Moyes
“And Echo in the Bone” by Diana Gabaldon
“The Spellshop” by Sarah Beth Durst
“The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel” by Alyssa Palombo
“Midnight Sun” by Stephanie Meyer
“Twilight” by Stephanie Meyer
“New Moon” by Stephanie Meyer
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by JK Rowling
“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott
“The Muse of Maiden Lane” by Mimi Matthews
What I’m Working On
All of 2025 I will be writing and editing my next historical fiction, which is also a twist on the classic “Little Women”, one of my favorite books of all time. I reimagine the ending of the story and continue on in a new on as if Jo HAD said yes to marrying Laurie. I’m so excited to work on this and be a contribution to the classic tale. Look for it coming out November of 2025!
Hello all my reader friends! Have you been having a wonderfully spooky October this year? I love everything about autumn from its magnificently colorful sunrises and sunsets, to the changing of the leaves, the blustery cool breezes, and walks through the crunchy woods. And I always have fun picking out my spooky reads each year! This October I was able to squeeze two in.
What I’m Working on This October
I worked all this year on my first Historical Novel, “When Dealing With Horses”. I got all the way up to the final edit, and then the spooky season hit and I had to follow my inspirations where they took me. I decided it was time to power through and finally wrap up Zooey Zombie’s story. A few weeks ago I released the fourth book in the series, “Wanted Undead or Alive”. This short novel was action and emotionally packed so it was really fun to write. The story just flowed out of me effortlessly. I truly love Zooey and her friends, so I never have a difficult time jumping back into their post-apocalyptic world.
Once I finished and released the fourth book, I jumped right into continuing the story with the fifth and final book, “The End of the Undead”. This story is coming to me effortlessly and it’s so exciting to see it come to the culmination of everything Zooey has been dealing with as a member of the Undead race. The villain, Ren, is out of control as he tries to create an army of new zombies, ones that can think and talk and have inhuman strength and capabilities. Does humanity stand a chance as he tries to wipe it out? You’ll just have to see! I most likely won’t have it released by Halloween, so we’ll keep the spooky season going into November.
For the holiday season I will also be releasing the Zooey Zombie box set! A new character makes a brief appearance at the end of the final book, one that will have the honor of claiming their own series from the same world. Could it be a different breed of monster on the loose now? Could be! I have not settled on the series covers yet, but this image is in the running and it makes a great teaser!
October Book Reviews
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Rating: 4 out of 5.
This was my choice for this year’s Halloween read. In that alone, I was disappointed but only because this is more of an epic love story than a creepy legend come to life like I thought it would be. That being said, it was still a really amazing book that dove deep into an imagined love tale between the familiar Ichabod and Katrina of Sleepy Hallow. Immediately after, I reread Washington Irving’s original story. The author of this retelling did a great job staying true to the original while incorporating her own spin on things. It’s a bit 🔥 spicier than I like my novels but it worked. I highly recommend this for a fun romance mystery, any time of year! There were several postings on Facebook reading groups and Instagram about it, but the cover and the fact that it’s a spin off of a classic is what sealed the deal for me.
Now for the next book review…DON’T LAUGH!
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
I actually just finished it early this morning so my review is not even posted to Goodreads or Bookbub yet. Yes, I gave it five stars. It was about 650 pages long and I devoured it in about a week. If you know me at all, you know that is very unlike me. It’s hard in my busy life to find long stretches to read, so I am typically a one book a month reader. (Plus I’m a slow reader by choice. I like to savor my books and really picture the scenes in detail in my head.)
I don’t know how Twilight popped into my head this spooky season but it did. The series and I have a love/hate relationship. I have always loved monsters, scary movies, and classic vampires. Vampires were actually my favorite of the classic monsters, mostly because I grew up watching Lost Boys on repeat. When I turned twenty I even got a vampire tattoo on my forearm. It was the iconic vampire barring his teeth with a female victim in his clutches. I loved it! Drew it myself even. And immediately after…the Twilight movie came out. Now, I hadn’t heard of it until the books had the theater covers already on them. I was working in a minimart and happened to be bored and looking for something to read to pass the time when there was no customers. I saw a pale Robert Pattinson paired with Kristen Stewart and thought “Hm, I’ll give it a try”. Shortly after, I was relentlessly teased for my “Twilight tattoo”. I hated it! And the worst part of it all? I actually loved the books (and let’s not lie, I love the movies too). I am not a fan of the glittering vampire, that part is cheesy, but I love star crossed lovers who overcome their obstacles together. I’m a romantic sucker.
Fast forward seventeen years, my vampire tattoo is now a garden of hibiscus and roses. And the curiosity to revisit an old favorite stirs within me. I searched Amazon for the box set to lose myself in, and then found this! Twilight told from Edward’s thoughts and perspective! I ordered it as well, and have been shamelessly binge reading while binge watching the movies.
This book is a bit darker than Bella’s perspective. I didn’t realize just how much murder Edward really thought about, and in such great detail. I am now reading this as a Christian and can see the author’s Christian inspiration woven throughout. I know that was a huge complaint of the novels over a decade ago, but honestly I really liked it. Carlisle is obviously a Jesus parallel. He goes about life different than everyone else and he gains followers who are wanting to live life in his different way too. Edward uses Carlisle to draw strength to be good and deny his vampire urges. Drinking blood represents sin, and he notes that everyone has slip ups, we all make mistakes, including vampires trying to be “vegetarian”. The vampires who still drink human blood represent worldly people still living and reveling in their sin. Anyway, I could appreciate her Christian roots to the story. If you’re not a Christian and know nothing about Christianity, you probably wouldn’t pick up on it at all.
The story was familiar, like coming home. I don’t really know what it is about Stephanie Meyers’ writing, but I love it and can’t get enough of it. She has a wonderful way of describing something in great detail, but making it sound like a love poem. It draws me in and keeps me reading. There were many times I could feel my emotions taking over me to match the intense feelings of the characters. She is not a spicy writer by any means, but the slow and painful drawn out aching first kiss, now from Edward’s perspective, still had me sighing aloud.
Go ahead. Laugh. That’s fine. But I stand by my guilty pleasure in the Twilight Saga!
It only took me ten years, but I finally finished my vampire cover up. In 2013 I covered the vampire with a rose, but left the lady thinking I could be okay with that, but I just never really liked it. Now I’ve added the hibiscus, as a remembrance of my years spent living in Hawai’i. Pink for my daughter, blue for my husband, and purple for me. I love it! But now that the Twilight mania has passed I do find myself kind of missing my original vampire tattoo.
Free and On Sale eBooks from Talented Indie Authors!
It’s not too late to get some last minute Halloween reads into your eReaders this October! You’ll find hundreds of books by dozens and dozens of talented indie authors. You’ll even find a few of mine in there if you’re missing any. Enjoy and Happy Reading!
I love interacting with other readers, especially those who have enjoyed my books. I am active on Instagram! @horsey_bookworm is my handle. Give me a follow. I try to follow back any reader friends so we can keep in touch and exchange our awesome reads with each other.
Have You Had the Chance to Read any of my Books Yet?
I absolutely love hearing what readers think of my beloved books! If you’ve read any of them, I urge you to please please leave a review. Amazon is most important for authors, obviously, but Goodreads and Bookbub and even social media posts help other readers find us. If you could leave a review of any book of mine you’ve read I would GREATLY appreciate it! Thank you.
Today is the release for the Zooey Zombie series’ Fourth book, “Wanted Undead or Alive”! You can get it for $2.99 on Kindle or $9.99 in paperback.
Zooey goes through the motions of her life as she lives trapped in the Undead town of Mattapan, Massachusetts. The Z-shots that keep her from turning back into a zombie work less each time she gets one, and she’s worried what will happen once they stop working altogether. Her best friend, Elizabeth, is working together with the renowned Undead lawyer, Christine Moore from Chicago, to fight for Undead rights. The trials go well until the bodies of two college boys are found in a sunken car in the Boston harbor. Now, the fight against the Undead is stronger than ever as peoples’ fears grow. Zooey remembers fragments of that night, but not enough to be sure she wasn’t the one who murdered them. With the help of her human boyfriend, Miles, Zooey and her friends try to figure out who the real murderer is. But what Zooey doesn’t know is her boyfriend is hiding a massive secret from her, one that would reveal who truly killed the two men. Will Zooey be able to solve the case before the police do and clear her name?
This is a series of quick reads under 200 pages each. These fast- paced mystery/dystopian/zombie/young adult books are perfect for a bit-sized Halloween thrill. If you’re tired of the same old zombie stories then you should give Zooey Zombie a try! The story doesn’t end with the apocalypse. Her story is what comes after, when zombies not too far gone are changed back with a government created shot. These transformed zombies are referred to as the Undead, a new race of human that has to go through a stripping of rights and judgment as fear in society spreads like a disease.
I don’t know how September was for you all, but it flew by for me! It’s been a very hectic time as I settle into my new job as barn and business manager at a local horseback riding school. And now that we are back to school with my nine-year-old and she in involved in riding lessons, guitar lessons, and an afterschool running club, man does the time get away from me! It can be hard to find time to read, but I always make sure to get up a half hour earlier than needed during the week just to make sure I have time to sip my coffee and read my book.
Book Reviews
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
I did finally finish the 7th book in the Outlander series, “An Echo in the Bone.” It feels like forever ago that I finished it, and I haven’t been able to keep up with my reviews, so I will do my best now with this one. This was the first book that the series really added Jamie’s illegitimate son, William, as a main character. A lot of the book was spent following him through the wilderness as he met new Amish characters who eventually became important parts in Jamie and Claire’s life as well. Of course, by the end the two separate stories of William and Jamie collide, and it was a great and exciting story the whole time. It kept my interest and had great intricate details that I still scratch my head and wonder how the author could possibly have discovered it in research. It’s like she’s from the 18th century herself! This series is huge and its a daunting commitment that will most likely take you years to get through. There is one more book that has to come out to complete the series at ten, but if you love Scottish and American history with a little romance thrown in here and there, then you will love this!
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Rating: 4 out of 5.
I am just a few pages away from being done with my first falltime read, The Spellshop. This was one of those rare Instagram or Facebook finds where I saw a post and was intrigued. This usually doesn’t happen to me because I don’t spend a lot of time scrolling through social media. The cover captured me, I knew it had to do with something related to spells, and it was described as cottagecore cozy, which is right up my alley. I bought it in hardback, because I love display beautiful books on my shelves. The edges of this book is dyed a lovely lavender, giving it a nice touch. I’ve never heard of the author, but that never stops me from picking up a book and reading it.
The story is way more high fantasy than I’m used to, but it wasn’t so overwhelming that it took me out of what was going on. When characters are aliens or animals or not human I tend to get distracted by that rather than it adding to the story. If they’re human enough like elves and dwarves in Lord of the Rings then it’s all good, but animal people not so much. This world is imagined. It’s an island world, which was really fitting in with my mood lately. I lived in Hawai’i for a few years in my early twenties and I still get homesick for the island throughout the year. I just happened to enter into my island homesickness phase, so that worked out perfectly.
The main character returns to her home island as she flees the big capitol city when rebels try to burn it down. She’s a librarian and she stole a bunch of spellbooks in an attempt to save them from being destroyed. Now, she’s hiding out until the heat is over, hoping the empire is overthrown in the process so magic can be returned to the people instead of hidden from them. She’s described as having blue skin and blue hair, but its only referenced a handful of times so I found myself forgetting about it altogether and seeing her in my mind as human. She does having a magic talking spider plant as her friend sidekick, which I actually love! I have a spider plant in my office while I’m reading, so I kept finding myself looking over at it to drawn inspiration for the one in the story.
This book is full of friendships and a little romance and a lot of mystery and action towards the end. But if you are not into jam making and gardening, I’m not sure if this book is for you because the main character spends a lot of time doing this to make a living in her run down old cottage in the woods. (So, she’s basically living the life of my dream! lol)
The only turn off from this book is that there were some political viewpoints shoved in there that didn’t need to be. I feel it detracted from the story and felt like a forced agenda, which I’m getting super sick of in my entertainment. I read and watch movies to escape from this world and its problems, not to have my characters deal with it too. At least that’s how I feel about my fantasy books.
I teetered between giving it three and four stars because there were parts that were boring and it didn’t keep me as interested as I would have liked. I didn’t feel that burning desire to pick up that book and see what happened next. And also the forced agendas kind of ruined things for me and soured me on it. Other than that, it was what it said it was, a cozy cottagecore fantasy. If that’s your jam, no pun intended, then you’ll love it!
Next up I’m going to be starting “The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel”. This was another social media find (from the same post as the last book I believe). I love historicals and when its an extension of another classic, what’s not to love?
What I’m Working On
I know for the past few months you’ve heard of nothing but me talking about how I’m working on my first Historical Fiction centered on horses called “When Dealing with Horses”. I was in the middle, quite literally, of running through an edit before the final edit, when I was struck by the falltime bug. I’m a mood reader, but apparently I’m also a mood writer. I suddenly had an overwhelming desire to write another Zooey Zombie book and the story just came flowing out of me. Since these are super short reads, about 100-200 pages total, I figured I could take a break from the Historical Fiction to crank out another zombie dystopian. I’m very close to finishing writing, and then I will go through a few rounds of editing before I publish. You can expect to see it on Amazon and Kindle and Audible at the end of this October!
Zooey is dragged into the underground world of the Undead as her friend, Ren tries to create a drug to turn all the former zombies back into their zombie state…but with brains! He envisions a world full of conscious zombies to overthrow the human race, but this is not the world Zooey wants to live in. When two college boys turn up dead with their brain matter missing, the humans can’t help pointing their fingers at the Undead, hindering the ongoing trials for Undead rights. Zooey and her friends work together to solve this mystery and stop Ren before he destroys the world as we know it.
Links to Free and On Sale eBooks!
Now for the real reason you’re here! Below are links to tons of free and on sale eBooks by dozens, maybe even hundreds, of talented indie authors. Most of the links describe the genre inside. And most of these links expire at the end of the month, so get to downloading! You’ll even find a few of mine in there if you’re interested. I hope you have a wonderful end of September. It’s almost time to break out those Halloween decorations! I’m too excited!
