Midnight Reading

Here on the farm, the days are jam-packed. Canning, freezing, harvesting, mowing, weeding, working on a new book... The hours fly by. Really. Jam-packed.

You'd think I'd fall into blissful, deep sleep at night, wouldn't you? It would be great if that was happening, but this journey I'm on has different plans for me. I twist. I turn. I'm aggravated by this new found insomnia.

Then, I rise. It's just past midnight, but rolling around alone in our bed just annoys me.

Insomnia has been my companion for months now. Every few nights I am just so bone-weary that I actually sleep. Until then, I've just got to deal with this.

But, the silver lining to last night's sleeplessness? It's got me smiling this morning, so rather than grump about tossing and turning, I'm going to share something lovely with you.

A few weeks ago, I was the lucky winner of a fabulous book at the Avalon authors blog. I left a comment and--lucky me!--won a copy of Sandra Carey Cody's new release, Left at Oz. I was tickled, and put the book on the coffee table in our family room.

Just past midnight, I picked it up. And, two cups of hot chocolate and a half-bag of cookies later, I closed the book. Just before sunrise. And, I'm still smiling because my sleepless night was a good one! Finally!

Left at Oz is part of Sandy's Jennie Connors Mystery Series. I haven't read any of the other books but it didn't matter at all that I hadn't "met" Jennie before. This book is so well written that it's great as a stand-alone.

I liked Jennie Connors from the first page. She amuses me because I can see myself doing some of the things she does! For instance, the book opens with a search for her stolen car. She's gotten a mysterious phone message and, like so many of us might do, she enlists the help of a good friend to follow the few clues she has. When her friend asks how Jennie's husband reacted to the news her car's missing, Jennie admits she didn't tell him. Don't you just love that? So real, because honestly, I'm not sure I'd be so quick to let on that my car turned up missing. You?

Left at Oz is a solid mystery, with enough clues to keep the reader turning the pages and such heart that it's almost impossible not to fall in love with the characters. I confess, I didn't solve the mystery. I had suspicions but when the truth came out I loved the twist. It, like the rest of the book, was a perfect fit.

So, my sleepless night turned out to be wonderfully entertaining. I hate it that I'm plagued by this insomnia, but I'm very grateful that there are authors who write books like Left at Oz--books that can capture my attention, soothe my heart and entertain me even in the long, dark hours when everyone else is soundly sleeping. Thanks, Sandy!

What about you? Have you read any fabulous books lately? I'm looking for a couple of new books to set on our coffee table. Any ideas?

Wishing you a peaceful weekend.

Exciting News!

This week I got a call from my editor at Avalon Books letting me know The Christmas Bargain, my Regency romance, will be released in October 2010. I am so thrilled!

All the books I've written are special to me in one way or another but I've got to admit this one holds a dear spot in my heart. Maybe it's because this book was written amidst emotional chaos; several times I thought of closing my laptop and walking away because there was so much else going on here but I didn't do it. I couldn't leave the heroine with her predicament unsolved, so I pressed on. And now? The book will be available in bookstores and on library shelves by Christmastime!

So that's some of our good news this week. Anything exciting happening in your neck of the woods?

Have a great weekend!