Okay, I am officially freaking out (in a good way!)... I have decided on a book cover for my novel, Turnstiles, which means it is now in the final design stage and will be available in a matter of weeks! I am starting to plan my book launch in January and 2014 book tour. As usual, I am wrestling with my 'mommy guilt' about the idea of leaving my husband and two small boys as I venture off on short trips to... well, wherever I can... to promote my book. It will be spanned over 6 to 12 months, for mere days at a time, and I know none of them will shrivel up or starve to death... but, still, the idea of it is surreal and a little nerve-wracking. Needless to say, I am very excited to be chasing down my dream. My sweet husband asked me, point-blank, "Well, when are you going to do it? When the boys are teenagers?" In other words, just get out there and do it! I started writing Turnstiles many years before I met him, but he has seen me spend late, late nights revising, reworking, grappling with the characters and plot, and tacking on 100+ pages to what became a final manuscript worthy of submission. He's been on this journey with me for many years, too.

On the sidelines, I am striving to publish my second full-length book of poetry titled Spectrums & Apertures. I have sent my poetry manuscript out again, hoping it will find a home. I also hope to publish a book of ghazals titled A Year of Mornings and self publish a chapbook of ghazals titled Impetus. My childhood friend, Christina, who lives in Norway, is a professional illustrator and has enthusiastically agreed to collaborate with me on Impetus.

I am also eager to begin reading more work from my peers and writing book reviews. This goal is still near the top of my list -- so, if I have said I would review your book, and I haven't yet, my apologies. I am sincerely trying to get there, amidst the flurries of life! I have a raging fire in my belly.

My next fiction project will be revising the first draft of a novella, which is a prequel to Turnstiles. So many writing ideas, so much to do, and so few hours in the day!