In one week, my new novel, A Winter by the Sea, releases. It's book two in my On Devonshire Shores series. If you live near St. Paul, Minnesota, I hope you will join me for the biggest night of my year. Book Release Parties are always a fun time of celebration, seeing old friends, and learning about new books. Please join us! There will be refreshments and a fun gift for everyone who … [Read more...]

Recently, I answered ten questions in preparation for a podcast interview and I thought I’d share my answers here. Not because I think I’m so interesting, but because I’m at a loss about what else to blog about today. :) Anything here strike you as interesting or surprising? Either way, I DO so appreciate you visiting the blog today! Ten Things About Me Have you read Book One, The … [Read more...]

A few years ago, my husband and I made a pilgrimage of sorts to see the Sycamore Gap Tree, a popular landmark in Northern England. Daylight was fading and rain was falling as we made our way along an uncertain path that, thanks to my husband's keen navigation skills, led us up and down wet hills and slippery footpaths along Hadrian's Wall until we reached one of the most photographed trees in … [Read more...]

A few months ago, our own Karen Witemeyer wrote a great post called Word Nerd about the enjoyment she takes in learning the history behind some of the words she comes across while researching and writing her novels. I too, consider myself a word nerd, and the one tab I almost always have open when I’m writing and editing is the Online Etymology Dictionary, so I can check to see if words I want to … [Read more...]

On one of the questions I am most often asked is, "Why do you write books set in England?" And considering I am from the midwestern U.S., it is an understandable question! I truly think what we read as young people has a profound and lifelong effect. When I am asked, "Why is a midwestern girl writing about England?" the answer comes back to the books I read at a young age: The Secret Garden … [Read more...]