Category Archives: News & Updates

Out And About

In October I attended the InD’Scribe conference in Burbank, California and the Florida Writer’s Associaton Conference in Orlando. One of the nice things about attending a conference in the Los Angeles area is I can catch up with old friends. I met some at various restaurants across the city and one friend came to the conference to see me. The Florida Writers Association Conference gave me an opportunity to meet fellow authors and attend workshops. My day begins at 7am with breakfast and runs until around 10pm with workshop after workshop!

Here I am with my good friend, Jackie. She’s read all my books and has vacationed with me for years. Her husband hates hot weather, so she’s the perfect person to go down to Mexico with. It’s hard to believe she was once my apartment manager in Encino, California. How do you like the new table cover? I guess this is my unofficial cover reveal for Drake’s Nightshade. Sorry, no publication date on that book. Blame it on Hurricane Irma!

Here are a couple of photos from the Royal Palm Awards night at the Florida Writer’s Association. The woman at the bottom left corner is Carol Post. She won the award for Best Romance. I attended a fabulous workshop she put on and ended up buying her book. Carol is a super lady!

‘Selected’ Wins 1st Runner up RONE Award for Best YA Scifi/Paranormal/Fantasy

At the InD’Scribe conference in October, I was thrilled to received the 1st Runner-up RONE Award for ‘Selected’. The 5-star review I received from InD’Tale Magazine made the book an automatic Finalist. I put on a fancy dress and attended the ceremony. It was surreal hearing ‘Selected’ announced.

The book is specially priced at $2.99 in honor of the award. Click here to purchase or gift. It’s a Young Adult book, but adults can enjoy it as well. Of all the books I have written, it is the most personal. No, I was not selected by aliens to leave Earth and travel to Zaratan, but I put 14-year-old Evelyn in the position of my main character. What would I have done facing what Kara had to face alone?

I Attended the Once Upon A Book Convention


Here I am with Laura Hawks at the Once Upon A Book Ball. I was the Mad Hatter w/my signature purple hat and the purple cape my sister, Laura got me.


Here I am with author Candy Ann Little. She is always a joy to be around. We met at UtopYA last year and she told me about the fun convention in Frankenmuth, MI. Yes, I will be back next year.


Here I am with Super Reader Tina. It was so much fun visiting with her again. She left with over 100 books, including The Nightshade Saga series.


The ball was visited by Dino and his twins. It was hysterical to see the dinosaurs dancing. Once Upon A Book Convention was a family friendly event.

Selected is a RONE Award Finalist

Selected is a RONE Award FINALIST for Best Young Adult Novel of 2015. Just received the news. It’s very exciting. Since the book received a 5-star review from InD’Tale Magazine, it automatically moves into the FINALIST category.

Another great piece of news. I FINALLY get to meet my awesome cover artist, Fiona Jayde when I am at RT in Atlanta next month. She provided an awesome cover for my book.

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays to all my readers. I hope you all have wonderful memories of 2016 to look back on and you are excited about 2017.

2016 allowed me to meet a number of readers who have enjoyed my books since the first one, ‘The Chameleon Soul Mate’, was published in August 2014. I used to go to conventions to meet my favorite authors and now being on the other side is AMAZING!

The Chameleon Soul Mate will be .99 cents through the end of the year so if you haven’t read it yet, don’t delay in snapping up  this great opportunity to treat yourself.

I’d love to meet each and every one of you and renew friendships in 2017. Happy New Year!

2017 Conferences and Signings

5/3-5/7: RT Convention, Booksigning, and Round-up signing
Saturday May 21st: I ❤️ Books Signing – Boca Raton, FL
Saturday June 10, 2017: SWFL SpaceCon2017: Panel and booksigning – Ft. Myers, FL (Book 1 & 2 of the Zaratan Trilogy only)
Wednesday July 26th: RWA Literacy Singing- Orlando, FL
RomCon – I will publish Romcon dates as soon as I get them.
2018
9/7-9/8 Show Me Your Books – Kansas City, MO
TBA Replacement for Authors After Dark – Savannah, GA

Magic New Mexico with Evelyn Lederman and S.E. Smith

I sat down recently with S.E. Smith who wrote the Magic, New Mexico series and who asked me to write a story for her Magic, New Mexico Kindle World series. I love this world and it was interesting to find out more about the world from Susan.

Please watch our video by clicking below:

Interview with Terry Spear

I had the pleasure of enjoying lunch with Terry Spear and several of her readers at the recent Coastal Magic Con. Terry writes shifter romances and shared with us more about her urban fantasy worlds and the characters in them.

I met Terry originally at Romcon2013 where I was her scribe during a Armageddon workshop where we were wolf-shifters. I have since seen her at Readers & Readers and Coastal Magic. When we can, we have lunch or dinner to catch up.

Writers & Readers Intimate Retreat Roundup

I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural #WRIR Writers and Readers Intimate Retreat on the weekend in Orlando, Florida and had so much fun. I did my first Periscope and was thrilled to interview Michele Callahan.

Michele has heavily influenced my decision to become a writer; in fact, it was after attending RomCon, which Michele organizes, that I decided that I could be a writer.

In our interview, I ask Michele how she writes 50,000 words a month and manages a family of three kids and a hubby. Watch the video for her answer – it’s so simple but effective!

Click here to watch my video with Michele.

Here are a couple of pictures from WRIR:

IMG_7075
#WRIR Book Signing

Mandy-Chris Kenison-Evelyn Lederman-Chris Mum-Linda Dean
Mandy, Chris Keniston, me, Chris’ Mom, Linda

Geri Foster and Evelyn Lederman
Me and Geri Foster

Evelyn Lederman and reader Mandy
I love meeting readers like Mandy!