Guess what? Guess what? No, wait—you’ll never guess. But go ahead and try! …Give up? Okay, I’ll tell you. It’s this:
Isn’t it pretty?! Yer darn tootin’ it is!
So here’s the story: I’ve signed with Gemma Halliday Publishing for my sixth romcom, Your New Best Friend, which will be publishing this summer! Stay tuned for updates! In the meantime, here’s a little something about it:
Your New Best Friend
Jane Austen’s Emma made a habit of meddling in other people’s lives, but Melanie Abbott has turned it into a cottage industry.
As “modern American royalty” living in Abbott’s Bay, Massachusetts, a town founded by her ancestor, Melanie Abbott feels it’s her right—even her duty—to employ her uncanny knack for knowing exactly what everyone needs to improve their lives. She eagerly shares her wisdom and insight with her friends and neighbors…whether they ask for it or not. If only Conn Garvey, her dearest friend, agreed with her.
Connacht Garvey has been keeping an eye on Melanie since they were kids. A bit older, far more level-headed, and infinitely patient, Conn feels it’s his duty to pull Melanie back from whatever cliff’s edge she’s about to wander off. Conn thinks Melanie is egotistical, self-centered, irritating, infuriating, relentless, ridiculous…and irresistible. Not that Conn’s confessed to that last one. Yet.
When Melanie impulsively starts up a new advice-giving business, it’s an instant hit. Conn doesn’t approve, as usual, which is too bad, because Melanie’s convinced he needs her VIP package. (Of advice!) His coffeehouse is showing signs of financial trouble, plus his toxic ex is suddenly sniffing around, acting like she’s having second thoughts about their breakup. Will their friendship be blown to bits because of Melanie’s meddling…or will it become something more?
So. 2017, eh? That shouldn’t be a difficult concept to grasp. Coming year, fresh start, New Year’s resolutions, long-term plans. But for those of us who are having a hard enough time wrapping our minds around something more immediate…like…oh, I don’t know…tomorrow, maybe, or even a couple of hours from now…”next year” and its goals can be a big scary monster we’d prefer to pretend isn’t lurking in the bedroom closet. Long-term plans? I cannot even. 
I love 
When Julie Valerie announced this month’s 
Squirrelsville – An unnamed gray squirrel lashed out violently today when denied its normally easily obtained meal of sunflower seeds. 
Welcome the main character of the first Marsden novel, Down on Love: Georgiana (“George”) Down! Georgiana’s a blogger whose advice column/anti-relationship site, Down on Love, is really taking off, but she gets in over her head when she moves back to Marsden after being away most of her adult life.
Our second guest, from the second Marsden novel, Picture This: Celia Marshall! We first met Celia in Down on Love, as the former girlfriend of George’s crush from high school, Casey Bowen. In Picture This, she’s moved to New York City to be a photographer’s assistant, and she’s caught the eye of a bona fide movie star.
Our third guest, from the third Marsden novel, Lucky for You: Jordan Leigh! Celia’s younger—and much more troublesome—cousin, Jordan settles in Marsden for the first time since her family moved away when she was a child, and she’s got some baggage. Namely, an ankle monitor. She’s under house arrest, and is being babysat by straitlaced but sexy police officer Will Nash.
As is probably apparent in my previous blog post, I was livid at not only the actual choice to kill Abbie off, but also the sheer ineptitude with which it was done. As a writer, I boggled at the ham-fisted fashioning of the season finale (series finale? at this point I hope so)…actually, at the entire trajectory of the show after the creators left at the end of the first season.