National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) ends on Friday…Will I hit the goal on time?  We’ll see I guess, but since I’ve been writing so fervently, I thought this might be a good time to give you a sneak peak of what I’ve been working on.

Summer Alcott is a fifty-eight year old woman who still feels young and vibrant inside, and wants the world—her husband especially, to see her that way, as well. She meets a younger man, whose wife died tragically, and they begin an online romance.

This book has been harder for me to get into  than the AMI Series, but after months of no desire to write, I’m back in the grove, and loving Summer as I did Charlotte! I hope you will enjoy this preview of The Four Seasons of Summer.

 

Prologue

Summer picked up her phone with nervous apprehension, hoping there would be a message, even after she had just prayed for the strength to end the relationship. Relationship? Could it even be called that? It was really just two people chatting back and forth on a social media app, so why did her heart and her stomach hurt so badly?

Seeing that there were no new messages she laid her phone down and headed to the laundry room. Grabbing a pair of her husband’s jeans to throw in the wash, she could feel the tears coming, and was totally out of control to stop them. How did this happen? She asked herself through the sobbing. She had heard about women who got caught up in a social media romance, but she never believed it could happen to her.

The laundry going, Summer grabbed another cup of coffee and sat down to think about the past few months. Her hand was trembling from too much caffeine and feelings that she wanted to express but couldn’t, so like a spy in the night she picked up her cell phone and pulled up Jake’s Facebook page, looking for any new friends or posts about women. Because that’s what he was looking for, a woman to share his life with, and it couldn’t be her, they both knew that.

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Well, what do you think?! Summer is a different character than Charlotte (Lottie) Luce, but still has the same kind heart and longing for passion that Charlotte did.  I love romance, and I write what I love!

Until we read again,

Dana L.📚

 

 

Last week I shared with you three young adult authors who write amazing stories for your 8-14 year old children. This week I have three more names of authors, and they write inspiring and delightful books for your little ones. The holidays are upon us and what makes better gifts than ones you can be a part of? The best memories of my girls childhood is when we read together.

Hayley Rose is an National Award Winning Author, and the books she writes about Fifo are nothing more than genius! She incorporates learning and fun, and reading her books to my granddaughter brings a smile to both of our faces.

Fifo’s Today I Feel Emotion won a Silver Medal at the recent Readers Favorite Awards in Miami for best preschool picture book, and I bought it for my youngest granddaughter’s first birthday.

For more charming books and information about Hayley visit:

http://booksbyhayleyrose.com

 

Many of you know that my three youngest grandchildren are adopted. I couldn’t love them anymore than if my daughter was their birth mother, but she’s their mommy in every way that counts. While I was at the Florida Authors and Publishers Awards in August I met author Silvia Lopez, and purchased her kid’s book on adoption.

Just Right Family takes you into the life of Meili, adopted from China, and her struggles when her parents tell her they are adopting a baby from Haiti. It’s a heartwarming story of what makes up the perfect family, and it’s a perfect book for adopted children. In fact, I’m giving a copy to my grandson today to celebrate his “Gottcha Day”.

Learn more about Silvia at:

http://www.silvialopezbooks.com

Jayne Rose–Vallee writes an aptly titled series Dinosaurs Living in My Hair, about Sabrina, the girl with the uncontrollable curls who has dinosaurs living in her hair! This delightful celebration of diversity is so relevant in today’s world, and I love the lessons about bully’s, and how to deal with them. Rose-Vallee’s rhyming text flows in perfect rhythm, and her vocabulary is unique and comfortable.

To find out more go to:

http://www.rosevalleecreations.com

I hope you won’t ever miss out on an opportunity to read with the kiddos in your life. It’s priceless for them and everlasting for you.

Until we read again…

Dana L. 📚

 

I love sharing authors with you, especially when I have a personal connection with them. Two of the authors below publish with the same publisher as I do, SYP Publishing, and the other is a guy I met at Book Expo 2017, and immediately bonded with.

Let’s start with him.

Paul Aertker is a children’s travel book writer and teacher who frequently speaks at elementary schools. His debut novel, Brainwashed, from the action-packed Crime Travelers Series, is an Amazon Best Seller. Here’s a sneak peek….

“While slepping on the roof of his father’s hotel-spy school, thirteen year old Lucas Benes finds a baby alone and learns that the Good Company has restarted its profitable brainwashing business.”  Whoa! That conjures up just the kind of intrigue an eight to fourteen year old reader would get into.

To learn more about Paul and his amazing books go to:

http://paulaertker.com

 

The next Author I want to introduce you to is Renee Garrison, one of my fellow SYP Publishing constituents. Renee is a former reporter for the Tampa Tribune and the Author of the Award Winning Book, The Anchor Clankers.

“What if you were the only girl living in a private boys boarding school? Suzette LeBlanc moves into the Sandford Navel Academy when her dad becomes its Commandant.  Walking through the school lobby she feels like something on a specimen slide in biology class. It doesn’t help that she’s nearsighted and refuses to wear her ugly glasses.” That sounds exactly what I would have loved to read when I was a girl. Oh who am I kidding?! I’d love to read it now

Read more about Renee at:

http://www.reneegarrison.com

 

The last Author I want to share with you is my good friend, Mark  Wayne Adams. Mark is not only the  author of the Family Tree Series, he’s a publisher, and illustrator of some amazing children’s book, and speaks regularly at schools across the country. Mark also works with SYP Publishing, and has been a great mentor to me. In fact, it was at his urging that I entered Lottite Loser in the 2017 Florida Authors and Publishers Presidential Awards.

OUTBACK Brothers & Sinisters

“Mark Wayne Adams created the award-winning Family Tree Novel series to be read and savored. This adventurous Outback coming-of-age story conjures the magical Never Never land for readers internationally. From creeks, caves, and bluffs, discover the magic of a small town with Driew Qweepie.”  Sounds like an adventure to be enjoyed by your entire family.

Connect with Mark at:

http://www.mwa.company

I hope that you investigate these authors, both on their websites and at Amazon. They are truly special people with a gift for storytelling.  You can also find out more about the other great SYP Authors at: http://www.syppublishing.com

Wishing you another day of reading, and a week filled with all the thinks you love! Like books!!

Always,

Dana L.

Last year, when I was just learning my way around Twitter, I kept seeing #NaNoWriMo in tweets, or people were asking who was participating. Not wanting to seem ignorant, I reached out to an author I was following and asked her.

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, and it’s a great way to stay accountable to writing. Last year I finished The Greysons during NaNoWriMo, and this year my goal is to complete my current WIP. Most people start with a clean slate and write a complete novel during the month of November, but since it’s not in my DNA to have two books going at once,I’m a little bit of a rogue!

Since you have signed up for my website, and been faithful readers of my books, I’ve decided to share a little bit about my work in progress with you. But please, keep it to yourselves! Membership has its privileges, right?!

The title of my new book…and this is the first time I’ve shared this…is The Four Seasons of Summer. 🎉 The main character, or protagonist, is a woman closer to my age, whose name is Summer.

Summer is struggling with getting older and yearns for her lost youth even though she feels she has the perfect life. A handsome husband of thirty-five years, two grown sons who are educated and successful, and her own web design businesses aptly named, The Four Seasons of Summer. But when a younger man, with a tragic past, emails Summer for help with his new website, her life goes into a tailspin, and she begins to question the Blessed existence she thought she had.

Is your curiosity peaked?? I hope so, although I have no idea when Summer will release. That does bring me to a good point though. Do you follow me on Amazon? Did you know that if you do they will alert you whenever I have a book release? It’s really a nice feature and very easy to do. Just go to http://amazon.com/author/danalbrown
or look my books up in Amazon, and find the Follow box. Click there and you’re good to go. My Amazon Page has all the information about my life as an author too, and I’d love for you to read it.💖

Well, I need to get back to writing if I’m going to meet my goal of finishing The Four Seasons of Summer this month.

I love feedback and you can leave it in a comment box on the website, or by responding to the Wake-up Wednesday email.

Wishing you a perfect week with no snow! Just thinking about it makes me cold!❄️

Always,

Dana L.