Missing Magic and The Pack Series

Hey, since I've been getting a ton of emails asking when there were going to be more Pack books, as well as how many were in the series, I thought I'd post that here. I've tried to answer everyone individually as well, but in case you're perusing this web site and want to know, here's the answer.

In 2005, there are two more Pack stories scheduled. In October, SOUL OF THE WOLF (a novella), will be in BEYOND THE DARK (Sihouette Signature.) In December, look for SECRETS OF THE WOLF, a Silhouette Intimate Moments.

For 2006, I have contracted for at least one, possibly two (the second book in the contract might also be a Pack story.) Silhouette has indicated to me that as long as these books do so well (ie; as long as you buy them,) they want me to keep writing them. So there will most likely be two more Pack books out in 2006.

Beyond that? Who knows? I truly love the Pack and writing about my shifters.

On another topic, Missing Magic (2006 Dorchester Books) is going well.

A Good Dog Story

A good dog story. Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you don't and may decide you need one.

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog, Lucky. Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy.

Inevitably someone would forget and something would come up missing. Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's favorite toys.

Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box. It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease...she was just sure it was fatal.She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders.


The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim he was Mary's dog through and through.

If I die Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospit- alized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully but the dog just drooped, whining and miserable.

But finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap.

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called.

It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed. When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot.

Panic soon gave way to laughter though when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed in every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement and back bringing his beloved mistress his favorite things in life. He had covered her with his love.

Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every night.

It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.


Live everyday to the fullest...because every day is a blessing.

My Favorite Dog Quote

If you bury him in this spot, he will come to you when you call - come to you over the grim, dim frontiers of death, and down well-remembered paths, and to your side again. And though you call a dozen living dogs to heel, they shall not growl at him, nor resent his coming, for he belongs there. People may scoff at you, who see no lightest blade of grass bent by his footfall, who hear no whimper, people who may never really have had a dog. Smile at them, for you shall know something that is hidden from them, and which is well worth the knowing. The one best place to bury a dog is in the heart of the master.

From the Portland Oregonian, Sept. 11, 1925
By Ben Hur Lampman

In Memory of Skipper

It's almost the fourth anniversary of my Skipper's Death. I posted the folllowing on the Reader's Digest blog after reading a story about someone else's pet passing.

My Skipper, a miniature Schnauzer acted different that morning. Now, I think I should have known. But how could I? He slept in his recliner, a chair I'd bought him at a garage sale and placed in my bedroom for him. Every morning, when my alarm went off, he'd jump down and follow me into the bathroom, where he'd wait while I took my shower. That morning, for the first time in nearly eight years, he didn't. I called him. He came, reluctantly. He seemed tired. I joked with my husband that Skip wasn't feeling well. Stranger still - he didn't eat his breakfast dog food. Now, to understand how weird this is, you'd have to have known Skip. He scarfed every bowl of food like it was his last. But I put it down to his general malaise, and it didn't worry me. It should have.

That night when I got home, he could barely move. He stood still, weaving on his four little legs, his huge brown eyes confused and uncertain. He tried to take a step towards me, and couldn't. I screamed to my husband that Skipper had the same thing as Mandy, our little girl mutt who had died eight years earlier, shortly before we got Skip. He said that was impossible. Our vet had told her we should never have to go through that again. I rushed Skipper to the vet emergency clinic. Sure enough, he had the same thing. Hemolytic anemia, a disease where the white blood cells attack the red. The vet offered up a blood transfusion as a solution. $1500. But this was my Skip. How could I deny him a chance to live? Of course I said yes.

A lot of what happened after that is blurry. Makes me cry. They did the transfusion. I brought him home. Nursed him. Fed him the special canned food they gave me. Took him every morning to have his blood count done. He seemed to be improving. And when a young, rotating vet asked me why I was doing this to my dog, stating "Your dog is going to die." I was furious. I took my Skip to another vet. In the car he looked up at me. My husband said it was like he was telling me, it's all right Mom. The new vet, a stranger to me, was a woman. She told me gently that my little dog was suffering and it was time to let him go. When she said that I knew. I didn't want him to suffer.

By now his little chest heaved with his labored breathing, yet he still looked at me with love and trust shining in his brown eyes. How I loved that little guy. I held him while the vet gave him his shot. He sighed once and died. The vet didn't even have to give him the second shot to stop his heart. I think he was grateful to be put out of his misery. I spent a lot of money, but it's irreverant. He was my Skipper Doodle Dandy. It's been four years (September 27th,) but I miss him still.

I haven't forgotten

Hey there! I haven't forgotten about this blog, though it might look that way sometimes ! But I've been busy - camping, boating, fishing, working at the day job, and of course, writing.

I sent out a ton of cover flats for Lone Star Magic, the November book. I've already heard from one bookseller, who commented on how different a Western/Fantasy book was. I'm excited that she thinks this book is something new and exciting, and hope my readers agree.

After a lovely weekend at the lake, I'm home. Today I started Missing Magic, the next Fae book for Dorchester. This one is going to be a blast to write, as Denise Bishop is the first utterly damaged heroione I've written. The book is Cenrick's story (Alrick's twin brother from Lone Star Magic,) but it's as much Denise Bishop's story as it is his. I'm not sure of a release date for this one, but I'm thinking late 2006.

School started today for thousands of Texas children - and teachers! My daughter moved to a different school district, though she still teaches the same grade (4th!) I think she was as nervous this morning as one of the kids. She emailed me that she couldn't eat breakfast due to an upset stomach! I emailed back to smile a lot.

Back to work!

Reno

I'm back from Reno and the National Romance Writers Convention. The conference was a lot of fun. The hotel was wonderful - large, clean, and quiet rooms, great view (I was on the 20th floor.) The restaurants were numerous and good. They had a coffee place (which is a requirement for me at conference.) The Harlequin party was a blast (we stayed almost until the end), the Dorchester dinner was nice, I went to the forum for Harl/Silh authors and heard Randall Toye and Diane Moggy and all the other big wigs talk. The Dorchester dinner was very nice, almost all new authors. I didn't stay long - had to run to meet Lonnie's plane and then go to the Harl party. That was a blast - as usual. Good music, free drinks, and lots of dancing. I had a wonderful time.

I enjoyed seeing my editor Natashya Wilson - she's nice and cool and REAL - and we get along great. Same for my agent Lucienne Diver - we had such a nice chat over lunch, even if we did get teary eyed at moments. And I met Jessica Alvarez, who is editing my May 2006 book (a continuity called The Princess's Secret Scandal). She's charming and sweet and focused. The cocktail hour with Patience Smith, who heads up the Intimate Moments line, was fun as well.

The Rita ceremony was lovely, celebrating RWA's 25 years, though it ran over as usual. By the time Lonnie and I got to bed, it was 1:30 and we had to get up at 5:30 to catch our plane out at 7:50am.

So exhausted, I trudged back to the day job and closed out the month. Tomorrow I dive back into the writing job as well. I have page proofs to review on my December book, revisions to do on a proposal, and a book to start for Dorchester. Busy, busy, busy - that's me. And I like it that way! I even worked out tonight - treadmill, ab lounge, and swam. Gotta get those extra Reno pounds off somehow.

Until next time.