Will this month ever end? February always feels like it goes on forever. I’m tired of the cold and looking forward to the daffodils popping up in the yard. There were some in a yard near the library yesterday, so I’m hoping to see mine real soon.
Speaking of the library - this is the view from the library parking lot. Pretty amazing, huh?
I’ve been working on two stories - Remington and Rowan. Remington will be in Marked by the Wolf - an anthology later this year. You’ve met them both in Fate or Destiny, so yes - there will be more coming.
There was a post in a group for subscription authors that said it so perfectly - they gave us permission to use it. This is why I do subscriptions here - and on Ream.
“My paid subscriptions and membership exist for the benefit of my readers. In a publishing market that rewards the new over everything else, whether that be new books, discovering new readers, or new opportunities, I want to create a place that gives me the opportunity to put you first – my existing fans that make doing what I love possible.
In an industry where publishers, platforms, and advertising eats into most of the revenue authors make from their books, having a subscription allows me to build a sustainable business model and thus create more and better experiences for all of you, whether you are a paid subscriber or not.
By having a space where we can have a direct connection on the internet, I always vow to put my Readers First and shape the future of this membership together. Thank you for supporting me and thank you for being a part of our story as one of my readers.”
Did you know that February 20th was National Love Your Pet day? The boys are loved every day - but I made them homemade dog cookies. They’re a healthier alternative for them - and a lot less expensive than store-bought treats.
This is the recipe I used - I forget where I got it (sorry!) - and I substituted chia seeds for the flaxseed meal because I had chia and no flax. They absolutely love them - and my house smelled like peanut butter cookies.
Dog Cookies
3/4 c canned pumpkin
1/4 c peanut butter
1 1/3 c oat flour
2tbsp flaxseed meal
350F for 30 min - Mix dough, roll out and cut into shapes.
Oh, and there was a survey in the last newsletter - I’d REALLY appreciate it if more of you could go take it. It helps me learn more about who reads my books and how I should be marketing things. Please, PLEASE go take it? You can find it in this newsletter. Thank you.
And So It Begins - Chapter Six - College Park, MD 2021
Slowly, some groups of people were beginning to meet in person, but those at risk were still staying isolated. The pandemic had changed life for everyone, even though vampires and shifters seemed to be immune. The human assistants, the hunters and witches, had suffered some losses, but most had taken advantage of the spells and protections the magical community had created – as well as taking basic human precautions of masks, distancing, and sanitizing.
Jo couldn’t catch, or give anyone, the disease, but she still wore a mask in public places. Less questions, particularly in Maryland, Virginia, or DC if she was wearing it than if she did not.
She’d lived through the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, when hundreds of thousands of people had died in the United States, and around fifty million worldwide. The Yellow Fever epidemic is what took out her family, but that had been eclipsed by the Spanish Flu. She’d watched human friends lose their whole families to the disease – but it had not been close to the same as this new pandemic.
With Covid 19, the whole world shut down. Streets were empty and people learned how to use technology to stay connected. Even she had learned how to do video conferencing and all of their board meetings had been virtual, to lessen the chance of the human staff being exposed. It had brought out the best in so many people who stepped up to take care of each other – but it had also brought out the worst in some others.
They were currently dealing with a rise in hate crimes. Groups of shifters against witches, witches against vampires, vampires against hunters – you name it, there were conflicts. A rumor that the witches had created the virus had spread almost as fast as the virus itself. It was fake, of course, but with the rise in disinformation campaigns by mass media, no one knew who to trust.
Everyone turned to the Network to find out what was going on and to get them some answers – and the truth. Jo had done a video that the PR team had been sending out everywhere, telling them that the witches did not create the virus, but they were creating protections that could help people stay safe and healthy. It had helped – somewhat.
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