Hale of a Blog

New Release - Ruff Around the Edges Limited Edition Anthology

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 03:14:28 GMT

Grab this limited edition anthology!

I'm so excited to announce I'm a participating author in this new anthology Ruff Around the Edges! This fun collection of romantic comedy short stories from several best-selling authors will give you ALL the feels.

Look for it now (August 15th,) and grab your e-book or paperback copy now!

https://books2read.com/ruffaroundtheedges

About the book:

A diamond in the Ruff…

He’s All bark and the best kind of bite.

Let’s face it, size matters.

Every girl knows big things come with little packages!

Chiseled bikers with tiny chihuahuas, massive marines with malti-poos, players with pomeranians— and giant hearts searching for “the one.”

Combining steam, humor and heart, this collection is full of hilarious, side-splitting, laugh out loud moments with all the feels.

When it’s time to pounce, will puppy love be enough to win her heart? Or, will he be left in the doghouse? One click to find out.

With contributions by:
Beth A. Freely
A.N. Stauber
Ellie Clark
Jenna Fields
April D. Berry
Skye Turner
Tich Brewster
Ashley Amy
J.L. Baldwin
Ashley Zakrzewski
Amy Stephens
Kindra Woods
J.S. Wood
Haley Rhoades
Jaime Russell & Melissa Filla
Quinn Ryder
Amy Hale
Eve London
Remy Reigns
Jodi James
Cerise Rose
Dana Fraser
D.M. Earl
Liz Crowe

My story in this anthology, titled Stay , has been a big hit so far with beta and ARC readers alike! Here's a sneak peek for my story in this book:

I had to tease him. “Why? You don’t think you can learn?” I placed a hand on his knee. “I can teach anyone. Nothing is unlearnable. I mean… look how I helped your dog.”

We both glanced over to see Ivy humping a pillow.“Okay, so that was impeccable timing. Not what I taught her, but still impeccable timing.”

I laughed while Joss wore a half-horrified, half-amused expression on his face.“Why is she doing that? I thought only male dogs did that.” His voice was distressed.

“Nope, women like sex too.” I chuckled.

Big River Comic Con 2022 Recap

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 02:54:22 GMT

Lots of fun and great people!

The 2022 Big River Comic Convention was an outstanding success, not that I'm surprised by that. It's been a phenomenal event from the very beginning. Deb and her volunteers did a great job on this year's event. The guests, the vendors, and the attendees all had a wonderful time. I sold out of my Havenwood Falls title Somewhere Within, and only have a couple of copies left of my other Havenwood Falls books. I also almost sold out of my newest book Neurosis.

Celebrity guests included actor Michael Biehn , voice actor Austin Tindle , and UFC Champ Matt Hughes .

Fellow authors Brian K. Morris and John L. Davis were also in attendance. As well as the amazing charity organization Heroes For Kids . There were so many talented vendors and artists as well! Make plans to be there next year. I have no doubt it'll be an amazing time!

HIghlights from this year's event:

A young reader and her mother came to my table and told me that Somewhere Within was one of her favorite books. So much so that she dressed as Zoey for Halloween and even won two costume contests from it! She carried the book with her to show people who she was dressed as. They showed me video of the costume, complete with working dragon wings! It was amazing and I was so honored. They then bought a copy of Blood & Iron and I let them know that they completely made my day. If you love an author's work, let them know. It may be the encouragement they need to keep writing!

Two young readers told me they had seen my books in their school library.

I got to spend time with some of my favorite people. (See pics below of just a few of those we got to hang out with.)

My daughter joined us and had a great time. We loved spending the weekend with her.

I saw old friends and met knew ones.

I sold a good number of books.

Pics from the event:

Neurosis is now Available!

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 18:06:45 GMT

Neurosis is now available on all ebook retailers!

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!

✰✰✰NEW RELEASE✰✰✰

Neurosis by Amy Hale

Cover Designer: Artist Regina Wamba

Grab your copy here: https://books2read.com/u/3LRjDX

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/da6v79ZLqhE

Seeing isn’t always believing.

With a boyfriend and a good job, she enjoys her blooming independence. Then she sees her.

The woman that looks exactly like her

This mirror image plagues her life in a way that she would never have expected. And when it all unravels, she won’t be the only one left wondering what is real and what is imagined.

Surprise Christmas Release!

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 21:43:36 GMT

Surprise Christmas Release!

Excited to announce that we put together a Havenwood Falls Holiday Anthology just for you! Here's all the info you need:

The third annual Havenwood Falls Short Story Anthology brings all-new holiday romances to warm you up on these cold winter nights.

Prepare your warm drink, grab your favorite blanket, and settle in for a heartwarming and romantic read of several short stories about some of your favorite Havenwood Falls families.

Join the Blackstone witch hunters as they try to connect with their ancestors; find out if Curtis Parker, a gay witch who just can’t seem to find love in his small hometown, can get lucky when a leprechaun walks into his office; help Rusty, the sexy wolf-shifter ranger, find out what happened to his human bride, Sherry, who literally disappeared in thin air; find out if Old Man Mills can learn his lesson and become less of a Scrooge; go back in time to the 1980s with the Kasun family; and wrap it up where it all began, with the moroi vampires, Michaela and Xandru, who just might finally get their wedding day—until the biggest blizzard of the decade blows in.

As always with Havenwood Falls, several of your other favorite characters make appearances as they all come together for the holidays.

These short stories are all about love, friends, and family, brought to you by USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning authors in the Havenwood Falls Collective.

Authors in this anthology include:

Kristie Cook

E.J. Fechenda

Morgan Wylie

Kallie Ross

Amy Hale

Susan Burdorf

Read for free on Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: http://havenwoodfalls.com/hfa3-zon

Amazon UK: http://havenwoodfalls.com/hfa3-zonuk

Paperback Sale!

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 21:35:57 GMT

Paperback Sale!

Hey everyone! I wanted to let you know about a sale I'm running from now until the 22nd! All paperback bundles are 10% off, come with a swag pack, and *FREE shipping! So grab yours while supplies last!

*(Christmas delivery not guaranteed due to COVID slowing delivery times.)

Don't let this sale pass you by!

Neurosis Cover Reveal

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 20:30:10 GMT

Neurosis Cover Reveal

Neurosis

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Author: Amy Hale

Cover Designer: Artist Regina Wamba

Release Date: Winter 2020

Subscribe to Amy Hale's Newsletter to be alerted when Neurosis is available.

Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55309462-neurosis

Seeing isn’t always believing.

Trapped by her past trauma, Macy McCall worked with a variety of therapists and medications- most yielding minimal results. Her newest doctor, Daniel Yates, helps bring forth her biggest breakthroughs and she believes she can see the light at the end of a very dark and scary tunnel. With a boyfriend and a good job, she enjoys her blooming independence. Then she sees her. The woman that looks exactly like her.

This mirror image plagues her life in a way that she would never have expected. And when it all unravels, she won’t be the only one left wondering what is real and what is imagined.

Please Vote! I’m a Penned Con Nominee!

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 20:24:15 GMT

Please Vote!

ey everyone! I’m honored to be one of the top 5 nominees for “Most Love-To-Hate Villain” at Penned Con this year! (It’s a virtual event for 2020.) If you’re read any of my Havenwood Falls stories, then you know Lawrence Mills, or Old Man Mills as many call him, is a real piece of work. He deserves a punch in the face or a kick in the junk, but I promise that if I win, I won’t share it with him. He can suck it! If you’d take a moment and vote for me, I’d love you even more than I already do. (And that’s a lot… so… ya know. It’s gonna get freaky.) Nominations are by fellow authors, but now it’s up to the public to make the final decisions. Please vote and spread the word! There is only 1 vote per person allowed. Any duplicates or obviously fake email addresses are discarded and all of their votes are removed. Voting runs through September 14th. The virtual awards will take place Sat. 19th in the evening. Time TBD. Vote here: https://forms.gle/awjUG1YVzCxD7yhh9 Thank you! You all are amazing!

Feisty Heroines Collection

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 21:17:02 GMT

My newest project~

This is the newest project I’m excited to be involved in, and we have a stellar group of authors. These stories are going to be amazing and you won’t want to miss this deal!

If you could do me a HUGE favor and preorder for just 99 cents, I will love you forever.

We’re going for the USA Today badge, so we need our friends support!

Get your 99 Cents Preorder of Feisty Heroines Romance Collection of Shorts and then Claim a Bonus Bundle!

The preorder link is on the page with the bonus book bundle info below.

Until the collection goes live, we’re offering a bundle of books as a gift for your support, click the below link, add your name, email and confirmation number to Claim Your Book Bundle and start reading books from our Feisty Authors!

https://www.subscribepage.com/s7r6b2

Feisty Heroines Collection of Shorts feature over 35, pulse-racing shorts to capture your heart with USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Award-winning authors in the mix for just 99 Cents!

Paranormal, Contemporary, Fantasy, and Historical Romance that will whet your appetite with titillating, heart-pounding tales you’ll want to read again then beg for more. Fall in love with your next book crush!

Authors include:

D.F. Jones, Dawn Jones,Tia Didmon, Margo Bond Collins, Dariel Raye, Miranda Lynn, Ruth A. Casie, Savannah Kade, Stephany Tullis, Suzanne Cass, P. T. Macias, Teri Riggs, Donya Lynne, Ashlee Price, Brenda Trim, Tami Julka, Claire Angel, Lauren Wood, Angela Sanders, Sheri-Lynn Marean, Maggie Adams, I. D. Johnson, Felicity Brandon, Kayla Wolf, Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell, Ellen Mint, Lane McFarland, Tess St. John, C. G. Blaine, D. B. Sieders, Rachel Tsoumbakos, Maria Vickers, Theresa Hissong, Allie Marie, Amy Hale, Renee Regent, Barbara Bettis, Karen Muir, Ana Morgan

#FeistyHeroinesRomanceCollectionofShorts #FeistyHeroinesEbook

Thank you! Much love, hugs, and kisses! (In a totally non-creepy way.)

My Mental Health Story – Book Lover’s Unite

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 20:08:47 GMT

My Story

Please note – This post will be discussing depression and suicidal ideation.

Today is September 3rd, 2019. As proud member of the Book Lovers Unite for World Suicide Prevention event as organized by the amazing Eva Pohler, this is the day I’m on the schedule to share with you my story and why this event is so important to me. This is also a day to celebrate – because despite all I’ve gone though, I’m still here. I was going to do this as a video, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew there was no way I’d get through it without becoming a blubbering mess. I already tend to trip over my own tongue when speaking so defaulting to my preferred method of communication is probably best.

Let me first say that we are doing this to raise awareness and money for this misunderstood and stigmatized cause. You can help by ordering a t-shirt and showing your support here: https://www.bonfire.com/world-suicide-prevention-day-2019/

Participating directly here: https://www.iasp.info/wspd2019/

Or even just sharing about our event on your various social media platforms: https://www.facebook.com/events/388388565311132/

On September 10th we will have an all-day event on Facebook complete with giveaways, live videos, and more. I hope you’ll join us!

Now to my story…

Most of the time people see the smiling, laughing, goofy side of me. It’s my public mask, and I’m very good at wearing it. I’m not saying it’s not real. It very much is. I love people, for the most part. Despite being somewhat introverted I love chatting, laughing, and just being with others. My smile is real. My laugh is real. My joy in that moment is real. So, it often surprises people when they learn I struggle with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideations. I recently had a conversation with a friend who seemed totally blown away by that revelation. She said that my husband, kids, and I all have this brightness that shines from within and lifts people up by just being around us. I pray that is true. It makes the struggle easier at times knowing that there are moments when I might be making things better for someone else, in some way.

But that’s the thing about depression. It’s an invisible monster that has burrowed in your head, waiting to emerge at any given moment. There is no rhyme or reason – no logic to its madness. There doesn’t have to be a trigger to set off a downward spiral. Your life could be absolutely amazing, and depression can make you feel like it isn’t worth living. It’s completely ludicrous. A good example is actor Jared Padalecki. Here’s a talented, successful, handsome actor who seems to have it all. A successful TV show that’s now one of the longest running series in its genre; a beautiful wife; three gorgeous kids; and some side hustle that’s working out well for him. Adoring fans all over the world. (And yes, I’m one.) But during the 3rd season of filming he was fighting emotions he couldn’t understand. After having an emotional breakdown, he was diagnosed with clinical depression. When he bravely made that information public, it was met with support and skepticism. Critics, those who obviously don’t understand how depression works, said there was no way he could be depressed. He had nothing to be depressed about. His life was amazing and only regular people understood the depression battle. Those critics couldn’t be more wrong. If recent years have taught us anything, it’s that what you see on the surface is only one layer of a very complicated issue. Robin Williams, Anthony Bourdain, Chris Cornell… a small sample of people who, if you only observe the exterior, appeared to have everything a person could want. Depression and anxiety are illnesses that don’t care if you live in a mansion, or a box in the alley. We all have the same basic biological and chemical construction, and that’s where the monster resides.

But let me get back to my personal story.

My second child was born in 1998. I was happy and mostly healthy. I’d put on some weight after having two kids, but nothing to worry too much about. I was a stay-at-home mom with two beautiful children and a loving husband. We had our issues, like all young families. Money was tight at times. The kids exhausted me some days. But we pushed through and at the end of the day were thankful for what we had together.

Somewhere between 1999 and 2000 my moods started to change. It was subtle at first. I thought it was just exhaustion and some stress. I have no doubt that contributed. But it began to be overwhelming. The constant racing thoughts and worry. Weird little moods swings that I’d struggled with off and on as a teen were becoming intensified and magnified. There were times when panic over the tiniest things would send me into full blown hyperventilation. Other times I’d be so sad that I saw no point to even getting out of bed. And I didn’t know WHY I was sad. I didn’t understand it and I was ashamed. I berated myself for being so emotional. I had children to care for. A house to maintain. A husband to love. I needed to pull up my big girl panties and do what I had to do. I’d try to shoulder through, but the more I pushed back, the worse it often got. It all came to a head one horrible day. I’d been having these odd pains in my wrist. I couldn’t even wash my own hair because moving my wrist hurt so bad. I hadn’t recalled injuring it, but surely, I must have. I needed to have it looked at, but without insurance we really couldn’t afford the doctor visit and any possible tests that might go along with it. I was already very low. I’d been spiraling emotionally for a while. I started to panic thinking about the bills and the pain. Before I knew it, I had shoved my face into a pillow on my bed and started screaming and crying uncontrollably. I’d thankfully had the forethought to use the pillow so I wouldn’t scare my napping children. But I couldn’t stop. The more I screamed, the more I felt I needed to scream. I was becoming manic. It terrified me. The thoughts running through my head were horrifying. I wanted to die. I didn’t want to feel like this anymore. I didn’t want to try anymore.

I’m crying as I type this, because thinking back, it still hurts so much. Remembering how that felt and how scared I was. I can’t adequately describe that kind of terror – to be afraid of yourself. While my kids were perfectly safe, I was a danger to myself. The flashes of ways I could end my own life were coming faster than I could comprehend them. I managed to calm my breathing enough to call my husband at work. I more or less told him I needed him to come home now. That I was scared of myself and I didn’t understand what was happening. He heard that panic and fear in my voice and left work immediately.

We went to the doctor the next day. The kids stayed with John’s parents so we could take time with all the issues I was dealing with. I was surprised to be diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and possible Fibromyalgia. The latter diagnosis turned out to be false and the pain in my wrist ended up being a physical manifestation of the pain in my head. We started trying various antidepressants (none at that time were particularly helpful thanks to awful side-effects), along with my personal decision to change to a sugar-free, grain-free diet (what some now call keto/low-carb) to help curb external factors that cause mood swings and insulin spikes.

For a while the diet helped more than the medications. I was taking good care of myself physically, which helped me better deal with the mental aspects of my health. But I still had very rough days. Even with meds, lifestyle changes, coping mechanisms, and therapy there will be hard days. These aren’t cures, they are survival methods. And when you struggle with depression in this way, it is all about survival.

I would love to tell you that since then I’ve never had a mental breakdown or never had thoughts of ending my existence, but that would be a lie. My last big breakdown was about 3 years ago and I almost checked myself into a hospital because it was becoming more than I could take. I went to my doctor and discussed things with her first and we changed up my medications. That went a long way to helping me get where I am now.

I want to make this perfectly clear.

NEVER BE ASHAMED OF TAKING MEDICATION TO MANAGE YOUR MENTAL ILLNESS. NEVER.

I didn’t want to need it. I still don’t. But my meds help me stay on an even keel. They are currently necessary, and there is no shame in that. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Don't let anyone use lack of faith, a need for more nature, or perceived character flaws as a way to berate you for using medication. None of those things apply. They wouldn't dump on a diabetic needing insulin, so why dump on a person with a brain chemical imbalance? This type of thinking and shaming infuriates me.

I still struggle. And it’s sometimes harder now because sadly my children have also been diagnosed with MDD, Anxiety, and Bi-Polar. They’ve both utilized medications, therapists, and hospital stays to learn their own survival techniques. My heart breaks when I think of the nights spent we've spent in the ER with them, knowing they resorted to cutting to release the pain, or that they no longer saw any hope or a reason to live. Depression is a lonely disease, no matter how many people love you and want to help. The mind is our worst enemy at times, and it lies to us often about our worth. It tells us we are a burden to those we love, and that they would be better off without us. When my kids were babies, the idea of them finding mommy dead was the only thing that kept me from following through some days. I didn’t want to scar them. But I truly believed I was a terrible mother because of my illness and they and John deserved better. Honestly, some days I still do. It’s a hard thought to swallow. But I know it’s part of the mind game that is depression. And I fight back every damn day.

My kids are doing well, by the way. They are both in their 20’s and life is confusing and rocky as all young adults that age learn. They have their rough spots, but we have plans in place for those spots. I won’t get into details, because their stories are not mine to tell. But I will say I have brave, amazing, wonderful kids who I’m very proud of. They are warriors and they kick ass.

My husband is also a warrior. He has his own battles with depression at times. But after living with us 3, it may have been inevitable. He is so strong. He is my rock and my foundation when everything else is falling apart around me. And I love him more than words can say.

I'd heard of the Project Semicolon and immediately fell in love. If you’ve never heard of it, you can learn more here. But essentially, it's a movement to remind us that our story isn't over. It means that the author chose to use a semicolon instead of a period. We chose to pause, when we could have chosen to end it. Sadly, the founder of this amazing charity organization, Amy Bleuel, lost her own battle with depression in March of 2017. Despite helping over 5 million of people, depression still took her from us. It's such a cruel disease. Anyway, variations of the semicolon tattoos began to crop up everywhere. I decided I wanted one too. No, I NEEDED one. I had to have that reminder. I finally found one I loved. And while I didn’t know what the original designer had in mind, I knew what each element meant for me. Here’s the what I did:

The semicolon means my story isn’t over. The EKG blip says that as long as my heart beats, there is hope. And the heart reminds me that I am loved.

My husband later surprised me with a matching tattoo in support of my struggle. But his had a minor modification. He had my name put in the EKG blip.

I love this man so much. I don’t know what I’d do without him.

Side by side of our matching tats.

I feel like I’ve babbled quite a bit here, but I hope I’ve conveyed my story in a way that has touched your heart and opened your eyes to the struggle so many face. We generally look normal on the outside, but on the inside there is a battle for life and death raging on a daily basis.

Reach out to those you love. Check in on them and listen. You can’t fix it, but you can love them. You can show them that you are there for them, regardless of what their mind tells them. Support their treatment options and coping mechanisms. Encourage them to seek help if they are trying to handle it on their own.

If you are battling this yourself, please know you are not alone. We are legion and we can band together to beat this. Reach out to someone you trust. Call one of the many hotlines available. (numbers below) You are loved, and your story is far from over. You have so much value to add to this world. We need you.

As a general message, we don’t know what other people are going through. Depression, chronic pain, fatal diagnosis for themselves or a loved one, financial crisis, heartbreak… everyone has a story. Please be compassionate. You don’t know what others are going through and you don’t want to be the part of their story that breaks the dam. Especially in this age of social media and instant mob mentality, please take a moment to ask yourself if you’d want the benefit of the doubt if that specific shoe was on your foot.

I don’t know who said it, but it’s my favorite quote – “If you can be anything, be kind.”

Much love to you all.

Amy

Resources and charities for those in need:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

1-800-273-8255

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide

(1-800-448-3000)

You Are Not Alone Network

If you are in crisis call the Native Youth Crisis Hotline at 1-877-209-1266.

I'm Alive

If you are in crisis or considering suicide, please click the Chat Now button to talk with one of our volunteers.

To Write Love On Her Arms

To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

Project Semicolon

Within the belief that suicide is generally preventable, the mission of Project Semicolon is to help reduce the incidents of suicide in the world through connected community and greater access to information and resources. We believe that suicide prevention is the collective responsibility of each and every person on the planet.

Book Lover’s Unite for World Suicide Prevention Day

Sat, 17 Aug 2019 18:55:16 GMT

World Suicide Prevention Day

The first annual Book Lover’s Unite for World Suicide Prevention Day Tour will kick off on Sunday, September 1st and will culminate in a twelve-hour Facebook Live Event on World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10th. I’m very proud to be a part of this inaugural event.

The purpose of this event is to spread mental health awareness among the book community, eradicate the stigmas associated with mental health, share our individual journeys in an accepting community, discuss books that effectively represent mental health issues, and raise money for the International Association for Suicide Prevention.

There is such a great line-up of authors, bloggers, and artists joining us for his event and you won’t want to miss it.

I can’t explain it any better than the fabulous Eva Pohler does on her website, so I’ll just quote her here.

"So many people don’t understand mental illness. They think that sadness and clinical depression, or nervousness and clinical anxiety, are the same things. Well-meaning people say things like, “Suck it up,” and “Overcome,” and “Choose to be happy.” Or, “Focus on your blessings,” and “Put a smile on that face.” I’ve even said things like that–before I came to understand.

And so many people feel alone and misunderstood and have given up on fighting their mental illness. They need to know about resources. They need to know to keep searching for the right meds or the right doc. In this modern day, there is no reason why anyone should be living a life of despair or debilitating anxiety. Sometimes mental illness is the root cause–a chemical imbalance. And sometimes it’s something else, like a weak thyroid. But for some reason, many people think of mental illness as a personal weakness rather than as an illness like high blood pressure or cancer."

As someone who not only struggles with this battle herself, but has also had to watch loved ones struggle, this is a cause near and dear to my heart. I hope you’ll join us for this wonderful event and help us raise awareness for an amazing cause. We can make a difference. We can save lives.

And if you want to show your support to the world you can join us in wearing one of our awesome looking t-shirts!

Get a T-Shirt!

Choose from 3 colors and raise money for the International Association of Suicide Prevention!

Get Your Shirt Here!

Book Lover’s Unite for World Suicide Prevention Day

We’ll have interviews, giveaways, live videos, and more!

Join The Event!

Betrayal Among The Frost Now Available!

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 18:40:53 GMT

I thought I'd announced this on release day, but it turned out my post didn't go through. I'm making sure it posts now.

My sequel to Flames Among The Frost is live!
Links are below the description.

In this sequel to Flames Among the Frost, Jetta and Conrad are planning a wedding, but betrayals might destroy them before they can say “I do.”

Jetta and Conrad’s big day approaches, and like many brides, Jetta’s feeling pre-wedding jitters, stemming from a lot of self-doubt. When her ex-boyfriend suddenly returns to town after a twenty-year absence, her concerns kick into high gear. His timing is suspicious, and her grumpy father, Old Man Mills, is unusually chipper. Something is amiss.

Jetta wants nothing to do with Turner Ireland, a fellow frost dragon. He left her years ago, and she’s so over him. She just wants to focus on her wedding and begin her new life, but he refuses to leave her alone. Meanwhile, Conrad is willing and ready to do whatever necessary to get Turner away from the woman he loves. But Turner’s determined to claim what was once his.

A unique wedding, a persistent ex-boyfriend, an untrustworthy father, a jealous groom, and Jetta’s penchant for disaster may just create the spectacle of the year—if the wedding happens at all. Betrayals and lies may just be the end of Jetta and Conrad.

Buy now on Amazon or read with Kindle Unlimited!

Cape Comic Con 2019

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 17:55:33 GMT

Cape Comic Con 2019

Cape Comic Con in Cape Girardeau, MO is an event I look forward to every year. Not only do we get to hang out with our friends all weekend, but we get to meet other amazing people and make new friends. Not to mention the celebrity guests that make an appearance every year.

For those who may not know, Cape Comic Con features 3 days of professional comic book artists, publishers, cosplay, and over 130 tables of comics, art, toys, gaming merchandise, and more for fans of all genres to enjoy. Fans from all over the region come to celebrate with us.

This year we were joined by Butch Patrick who is best known for his role as Eddie Munster in The Munster's TV show. He brought with him two very iconic vehicles from the show as well - Dragula and Coach.

Other guests included Veronica Taylor (voice actor known for Pokemon, Sailor Moon, and TMNT); Marvel Comics Artist Greg Land; Actor David Fielding from Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers; Actor Karan Ashley from Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers; Actor Walter Jones from Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers; and Professional Wrestler Road Warrior Animal (AWA • NWA • WWE • WCW.)

There were a lot of great authors and artist there as well - Nathan Bonner, Brian Rhodes, Brian K. Morris, Jason Nugent, Cathy Jackson, Kenny Sills... I'm sure I'm forgetting many.

But it was a fun time and I sold books, met cool people, and got to see some amazing cosplays. (See photos below.) I also heard there were was a record-breaking attendance this year, so that was great news! I appreciate all the effort organizer Ken Murphy and his volunteers put into making this event a success. It runs smooth and is always fun.

We've already secured our spot for next year, so if you're in the area be sure you put Cape Comic Con on your calendar. More info can be found here: https://cape-con.com

The website will update as they get closer to the event.

My recap of Big River Comic Con 2019

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 17:37:54 GMT

This was a fun event!

(Reposted from blog on old site. Originally posted on April 15, 2019.)

I'm going to start by talking about the convention itself, then I’ll jump into some fun experiences I had while there.

I’ve had the honor of sitting behind the table at many comic conventions. They all hold special memories. Some more than others, but I have to say that Big River Comic Con has raised the bar. The professionalism, kindness, and dedication by coordinators Darin and Debbie Logue, as well as the many fantastic volunteers, was evident in everything they did during this event. I spoke to many of the other guests and vendors and we all ended the day feeling accomplished and fulfilled. These events aren’t just about selling your books, autographed photos, drawings, etc. It’s about connecting with the community and the opportunity put a face and personality with the work you so passionately love to create. It’s about the joy you find in meeting others with similar interests. It’s seeing a child smile when his/her favorite character or superhero is standing before them and acknowledging his/her importance and presence at that moment. And on a personal level for me, it’s talking to readers about my characters and hearing how they loved a story or how a struggle or victory in my books may have encouraged them or helped them through a tough time.

I meet the most wonderful people at these events- no matter if they are other guests, vendors, the coordinators, or fans. I always walk away with new friendships and a fresh appreciation for what I do and for the people who love this community.

This event was absolutely one of the best we’ve attended. Hands down. Well organized, clear communication, effective advertising, and great planning. They even had a backup location in case the floodwaters were still an issue come the time of the event. Which was fantastic because the venue did indeed have to change. But not a big deal. They had it covered, announced the change two weeks in advance giving us all time to spread the word, and we still had an amazing turnout.

For a first time event, that was only 9 am to 5 pm we had an impressive 4,278 attendees! And we raised around $1700 for their local charity organization Kids In Motion ! You guys… letting our geek flags fly proudly AND helping kids? It doesn’t get any better than that.

I want to personally thank everyone involved in Big River Comic Con for their gracious attention, help, and kindness to John and me while we were there. I can’t recall a time when we’ve been treated so well. All our needs were taken care of and we were checked on regularly to be sure we weren’t lacking anything. You all did a phenomenal job on this event as a whole and should be proud. We hope to be invited back. We’d be honored to join you again.

So, I realized once I’d gotten home that I’d once again forgotten to get pics of the amazing cosplays. I often hope to take some pictures with the cosplayers but I tend to get distracted. Anyway, I have a few pics with friends to share below, as well as some pics of the town the morning we left… which had snow.

SNOW.

HBO took this Game of Thrones promotional stuff way too dang far.

But, we loved Hannibal. It’s a great little town and as we drove around I found book ideas forming in my head. I may just have to go back for some research. Darn my luck. *written in sarcasm font*

Set up and ready to go! You can see a photobomb from Green Lantern of Hero’s for Kids (our neighbors to the left). Hi Dennis! Great organization!

This was our row in the back of the building. Next to us was Comic Artist Legend Bob Hall , then you see Wrestler Dan Severn . On the other side of Dan was our friend, actor and former wrestler Bishop Stevens . And at the other end another talented friend, artist Lorenzo Lizana .

As I mentioned before, Bishop has been a friend of ours for years. We’ve attended several events together and it seems like every picture we take was the same old side-by-side thing. Last year we started switching it up. So this is just us goofing off.

I had to snag this photo from author and friend Jackie Nelson . (Thanks Jackie!) If you haven’t checked out her work, go do it.

It was great to see Lorenzo Lizana! His table was busy all day so I had to wait until tear down to get a photo with him!

The man, the legend, Bob Hall. Nicest guy you’ll ever meet. And super funny. We had some great conversations with him and a few others over dinner later in the evening.

Actor and Artist Matthew Atchley. His booth won Mayor’s Choice Best Of Show (his work is gorgeous, so I understand why!) We took this at dinner at Logue’s Restaurant after the event. Great food if you want that home cooked comfort food kinda meal. We loved it!

The one Matthew took with his phone because I have short arms. lol

Having dinner at Logue’s Restaurant after the event. Matthew Atchely had to leave before the photo was taken. They put this photo on their facebook page, which was cool. Left to right: John, Me, Kenny Sills (Author), Lonnie Johnson (Hero’s for Kids), Jessica Johnson (Hero’s for Kids) Dennis Manning (Hero’s for Kids), Alyson Kendall (Gateway Guardians), and Comic Artist Bob Hall.

After dinner, we had the opportunity to hang out with other guests and some of the hard working organizers and volunteers of the event. We met them at the Mark Twain Brewing Company for more food (I was too stuffed, but John had some wings) and drinks. This is the gorgeous BMW that has been advertising the event for months.

Lots of great conversations, a celebratory toast (I don’t know what was in that shot, but it was good!), and a few rounds of pool were the highlights of the night. This is John and me with BRCC co-founder and friend Darin Logue. He finally got a moment to slow down so we could grab a quick photo. He and his wife Debbie put their heart and souls into this event and I know that each year will only get better.

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