New Year, new opportunities!

New Year, new opportunities!

New Year; new ambitions and the best of intentions.

As I sit here belting out the Hamilton soundtrack and going through manuscripts, I have many updates! First up, I’d like to thank those who reached out to me on social media, even when my response time was turtle slow. To be truthful with you, I suffered a serious concussion in June, and then, in October, had an accidental trip down a staircase (picture a log rolling, and that’s about what it looked like). I did not come out unscathed; my right wrist was injured and it  took months to heal. Additionally, it was very difficult to concentrate on anything, sadly including writing which I was trying and mostly failing to do with speech-to-text  tech.

Now that I am healed from the trip down the staircase (I just need some minor oral surgery to be fully back to normal), and my concussion has improved, I am finally ready to return to writing! I find myself with a few problems: one is a lucky overabundance of ideas, and having so many manuscripts started that I find myself wondering which one to continue with first.

As this post has become a bit of a confessional, I will admit that I have uncovered a major problem with my story set in Sweden. Sometimes, these things happen–you’ll have a third of a book written and then realize that you just can’t go forward without making significant changes. In my case, it involves a main character of a different race than myself and despite years of studying Japanese culture and language in University, I am not an expert and I don’t like the way I think I may have relied on stereotypes or appropriation in crafting this story. I will not put out a book I can’t stand 100% behind and say I’ve done my absolute  best, including due diligence when it comes to BIPOC characters.

Another story I have is set in Canada, because it is what I know (I’m Canadian!) and involves discussions which are a hot button topic at the moment in the United States, such as abortion. It may raise a bit of controversy, but I am keen to write a book involving pregnancy loss as I have experienced a miscarriage and I think writing the story will  be a bit of catharsis for me.

Finally, another book on my agenda is a tale of a boy from the wrong side of the tracks (literally) and the struggles and triumphs he faces in a very small area (too small to be called a village, even) and would span his childhood until he meets the love of his life. This is the book I am most excited by, and while it is far from a romantic comedy, there is romance of different kinds in the tale. 

My New Year’s resolution was to get two of these written this year. If I put work into it every day, I should be able. The other exciting news I have is that I have gotten engaged! If you look into the dedications of my two existing books, I dedicated them to a “Pat.” Well, in early October Pat asked me to be his partner for life, and I gladly accepted. We marry in the early summer of 2024. To further spill some tea, my Alpha/Beta reader is my Maid of Honour.  🙂

Okay, that’s enough for now. I just wanted to add that I am going to be a signing author at The Steamy Lit Con (formerly Rom Con) in Anaheim, California, from August 18-19. Pat will be in attendance with me, likely in his lumbersexual look of plaid shirt, red beard and mustache (and yes, he is a twin. I didn’t seek out a Winston brother, but here we are, lol).

As this post has gotten quite long, I’ll stop here. Thanks for coming by! If you made it this far in the post, I am sending you an imagination cookie. <3

 

1 day…

1 day…

★★We’re heading back to the library!★★
Green Valley Public Library fans: TOMORROW (April 21st) ‘CHECKING YOU OUT,’ a new, standalone book in the GVPL series is being unleashed, and I hope you are ready! It will be available on Amazon exclusively, and will be enrolled in #KindleUnlimited!
 
★★⁣⁣Reserve your copy TODAY!★★⁣⁣
 
★ ★ BLURB ★ ★
Lois Washington is at the end of her rope. Struggling as a single mother in an apartment the size of a closet is not the New York City adventure she dreamed of in her starry-eyed youth. When her job goes on the chopping block, she is ready for a major life change. Joining her best friend in Tennessee to become the newest employee at the Green Valley Public Library isn’t exactly where she thought life would take her, but she feels up for the challenge. Only this relocation comes with more than she bargained for.
 
Norman Grant has had a string of online dating disasters back in Florida. Dealing with chronic pain, he’s concluded that finding a woman who is understanding about his war wounds just isn’t in the cards. That is, until he becomes quite taken with the single mother who’s also a new arrival in Green Valley. The catch? Things are not quite what they seem.
 
When the past and present collide, Norman and Lois must face painful reminders from their youth. Now, at twenty-seven, Norman’s about to find out just how deeply the wounds he left behind cut.
 
‘Checking You Out’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #10 in the Green Valley Library series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Univer
3 Days…

3 Days…

It’s release week! I am so excited to bring you Lois and Norman’s story.

★ ★This title will release wide on all retailers excluding Amazon on April 19th, 2022. It will be removed from those retailers and be enrolled in Kindle Unlimited on April 21st, 2022. So if you’re a non-Amazon reader, be sure to reserve your copy in advance!
 
★★⁣⁣Reserve your copy TODAY!★★⁣⁣

★ ★ BLURB ★ ★
Lois Washington is at the end of her rope. Struggling as a single mother in an apartment the size of a closet is not the New York City adventure she dreamed of in her starry-eyed youth. When her job goes on the chopping block, she is ready for a major life change. Joining her best friend in Tennessee to become the newest employee at the Green Valley Public Library isn’t exactly where she thought life would take her, but she feels up for the challenge. Only this relocation comes with more than she bargained for.
 
Norman Grant has had a string of online dating disasters back in Florida. Dealing with chronic pain, he’s concluded that finding a woman who is understanding about his war wounds just isn’t in the cards. That is, until he becomes quite taken with the single mother who’s also a new arrival in Green Valley. The catch? Things are not quite what they seem.
When the past and present collide, Norman and Lois must face painful reminders from their youth. Now, at twenty-seven, Norman’s about to find out just how deeply the wounds he left behind cut.
 
‘Checking You Out’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #10 in the Green Valley Library series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.
 
2 Weeks <3

2 Weeks <3

★★⁣⁣Reserve your copy TODAY!★★⁣⁣
 
 
★ ★This title will release wide on all retailers excluding Amazon on April 19th, 2022. It will be removed from those retailers and be enrolled in Kindle Unlimited on April 21st, 2022. So if you’re a non-Amazon reader, be sure to reserve your copy in advance!
The Countdown is On!

The Countdown is On!

So much book news today! It is officially 1 month until ‘CHECKING YOU OUT’ is unleashed into the wild!

★★⁣⁣Reserve your copy TODAY!★★⁣⁣
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3s5NnaR
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3JHkCY0
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3BtU6P4
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3uXA9yI
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/35dMm7S
Nook: https://bit.ly/34UqpuG
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3LFN4v8
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3HbgzBR

★ ★This title will release wide on all retailers excluding Amazon on April 19th, 2022. It will be removed from those retailers and be enrolled in Kindle Unlimited on April 21st, 2022. So if you’re a non-Amazon reader, be sure to reserve your copy in advance!

See less
FREE book–5 days only!

FREE book–5 days only!

★★Hark! Did someone say FREE BOOK? Nab ‘DEWEY BELONG TOGETHER’ for five days only for ZERO PENNIES! If you’ve ever wanted to dive into the world of the Green Valley Library, this is your chance with this standalone enemies-to-lovers story set in the world of Penny Reid’s Green Valley. Happy March Madness, courtesy of Smartypants Romance★★

Amazon US: https://tinyurl.com/2daecanw
Amazon UK: https://tinyurl.com/yc36jwb5
Amazon CA: amzn.to/3IrYiAN
Amazon AU: https://tinyurl.com/3ax47y7c

Back to the library <3

Back to the library <3

★★COVER + BLURB REVEAL★★
Welcome back to the Green Valley Library, y’all! ‘Checking You Out’ is second-chance, small town romance and I can’t wait for you to read it!
 
★★⁣⁣Reserve your copy TODAY!★★⁣⁣
 
★ ★This title will release wide on all retailers excluding Amazon on April 19th, 2022. It will be removed from those retailers and be enrolled in Kindle Unlimited on April 21st, 2022. So if you’re a non-Amazon reader, be sure to reserve your copy in advance!
 
★ ★ BLURB ★ ★
Lois Washington is at the end of her rope. Struggling as a single mother in an apartment the size of a closet is not the New York City adventure she dreamed of in her starry-eyed youth. When her job goes on the chopping block, she is ready for a major life change. Joining her best friend in Tennessee to become the newest employee at the Green Valley Public Library isn’t exactly where she thought life would take her, but she feels up for the challenge. Only this relocation comes with more than she bargained for.
 
Norman Grant has had a string of online dating disasters back in Florida. Dealing with chronic pain, he’s concluded that finding a woman who is understanding about his war wounds just isn’t in the cards. That is, until he becomes quite taken with the single mother who’s also a new arrival in Green Valley. The catch? Things are not quite what they seem.
 
When the past and present collide, Norman and Lois must face painful reminders from their youth. Now, at twenty-seven, Norman’s about to find out just how deeply the wounds he left behind cut.
 
‘Checking You Out’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #10 in the Green Valley Library series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid book universe.