Welcome to my website!

I'm re-publishing my YA fantasy novel, Fairyeater! And today, I want to share the FABULOUS new cover artist Kim Sponaugle designed!   www.candlerealmstudio.com 

Back Cover Copy

All fifteen-year-old Akeela has ever wanted is an ordinary family who will love her. But the only mother she has ever known is the old hag, Krezma, who berates her night and day. Why did the old woman even take her in?

But Krezma knows her charge is no ordinary child. She can see the auras surrounding living things and can communicate with fairies. And the birthmark on her palm reveals a secret Krezma must hold close for the child's safety.

A secret that the witch, Tzmet, hunts for night and day, drying and eating fairies for the power they contain. When Akeela discovers her fate lies in being the next Fairy Guardian, all hope for an ordinary life dissipates like the dreams they were. She must protect the fairies from the witch--and an even darker power that threatens them all.

Akeela is unwillingly thrust into an adventure that will not end until she decides to accept her fate and give up on her dream.

Maybe even her life.

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Are you ready for the FABULOUSNESS??

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Here it comes!!

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WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

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I am freaking out over this!!  The previous book cover had Tzmet’s Window, but Kim redesigned Tzmet to be more mysterious and dark. She’s the Fairyeater, after all!

Fairyeater will be releasing in early December through Pageant Wagon Publishing https://www.pageantwagonpublishing.com/  but you can preorder it now!

I’ll be sharing information on the book party at a local bookstore soon!

I don’t know any parent of a special needs child that doesn’t have this fear. What if she outlives me?

What do we do with this question? For Daryl and I, we have our younger daughter, Mary, who will step up and do what’s needed for Anna. But not every family has someone they can depend on to do the right thing for their special needs child or children.

Can I tell you how God has taken care of Anna over the years? I’ve seen “normal” and supernatural care for her, and I thank God often for that care. Sure, there are times when Anna will have a seizure and fall or hit her head and off to the ER we go. She has always received great care. If you’ve been reading this blog, or if you’re friends with me on Facebook, you’ve seen that.

About 7 ½ years ago, Mary joined the New Life Drama Company. She traveled all over the country, telling people about Jesus through drama, music, and testimony. I was ridiculously proud of her! When Covid hit, that all shut down. Mary is now working full time for Oasis Community Church in Scottsdale, AZ. It has become her home. She has friends who love her deeply, and the only things she misses about the East Coast is family, friends, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Daryl and I take turns flying out to visit her. Just a few weeks ago, I went out because Mary was in a play; Pride & Prejudice. And she had the fabulous part of Mrs. Bennet! (If you’re a Jane Austen fan, you can relate to my excitement when she got that part!)

I flew out on a Wednesday. Thursday morning, Daryl called me to say Anna had a seizure in the driveway with Bonnie, and she had fallen and hit her head on the cement. They were off to the ER. This is not the first time it’s happened. Not even the second or third time. What you need to know about Anna’s seizures is that there is literally no warning for them. And you can have both hands on her and still lose her. It’s crazy!

I have been there every single time … except this one. I was almost all the way across the country. I can only describe the feelings as uncomfortable and awkward. Did Anna wonder why I wasn’t there? Would Daryl let the doctors do whatever they wanted? Was she in pain? Just how bad was it? I had no choice but to trust God.

I emailed and texted friends to pray, then I went to the pool and swam laps while I waited to hear something. Anna ended up with 10 staples in her scalp. She did great! They did a CT scan without sedation, and they even put the staples in without numbing shots (which can be worse than the staples).

I praised God over and over. And I enjoyed my visit and the show and came home without any other incidents.

I was home about 2 weeks when God nudged me. What if Anna outlived me? He would continue to take care of her. He doesn’t change. I was all the way across the country, and He was with her and took care of her. Can you say peace of mind? How kind of God to show me that! He didn’t have to. He could have let me get to the end of my life and wonder. But that’s God. He loves me so much, He showed me that Anna will be cared for if she outlives me.

I’m listening to Jordan Feliz’s song, Witness, on YouTube right now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgD92xLlNGs    Can I get a witness from anyone reading this??

Friends, God does not change. He loves us, our children, and our grandchildren waaaay more than we can ever begin to understand. He loves Anna. She loves Him.

What if Anna outlives me? She will continue to be in God’s hands and His care. Glory to His Name!

hey, FFFers! So, y’all know I’ve been contributing to anthologies for the last few years. I’m in LOTS by now! 

I missed telling you that last spring was the first time I co-wrote a short story with my friend, Rosemarie DiCristo. Rosie is a regular contributor to Havok Magazine, which is for flash fiction. It’s really cool! https://gohavok.com/ 

Anyway, I’ve been writing stories alone for Ye Olde Dragon Books, FCL Books, and the Whitstead anthologies, but last fall, I asked Rosie if she wanted to try co-writing. We’ve known each other since 2002 and have been in the same writers group since 2003. We know each others’ writing well. 

She said, SURE!

So we brainstormed a story for the Little Red Ridinghood theme. I started the story and emailed it to her. She added to it and emailed it back. We wrote the story like that, round robin style, until we got near the end and then I went to her apartment and we finished it. And our story, The Case of the Missing Legs, got accepted!

It. Was. So. Much. Fun.

I didn’t know what she was going to write. She didn’t know what I was going to write. We had such a blast, we decided to do it again for the fall anthology based on The Invisible Man. We got accepted again!  Squeeeeeeee!!

Here’s the cover for Tales From the Forest. You can buy it on Amazon or on Ye Olde Dragon Books website.

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/anthologies/          

And now the cover for The Invisible Files!

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No, it’s not invisible. Keep scrolling.

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Isn’t it so cool???

THE INVISIBLE FILES
CLASSIC MONSTERS ANTHOLOGY #4

Now you see them … now you don't…

Who hasn't dreamed of being invisible, either to play a trick or to escape or to get revenge? For greed or power or justice?

Who hasn't felt invisible, at one time or another?

What if it became real?

What if you dreamed of the power of invisibility, and achieved it at too high a price?

What if you became invisible by accident? What would you do with that power?

These eleven stories explore what it means to fade utterly from view, by choice, by accident, by need, through pain or greed.

Which story could be your story … but for the grace of God?

In my and Rosemarie’s story, The First, we have invisible aliens on Earth. This story plot didn’t come as easily as Missing Legs, but we still wrote in the round robin style, and we still had a blast!

The Invisible Files releases on October 15^th!

And since you’re still reading, you get the first sneek peak … the spring anthology will be based on The Three Little Pigs. Rosie and I have already started brainstorming. While we sat on the beach in Ocean Grove, NJ, during our free time at a writers retreat! heh, heh, heh …

It’s good to be a writer.