And my next book is (drumroll, please)

On the Shores of Carolina

That's the title for now. That could change at any time, but I'm pretty sure that's what I will end up calling it. I've heard of authors changing the working title many times during the writing process, or still struggling to come up with one after the work is finished. Not me. I need a title before I can even begin to write. So far, however, I have yet to change a title once I've made the decision.

After much thought, and countless hours I should have been sleeping, I finally decided on how I thought the book should start. So, first thing this morning, I started writing On the Shores of Carolina in earnest.

The first sentence is always the hardest. The entire book will flow from that one, simple thought.  I consider it as critical as the very last sentence, and perhaps even more so ... the first page or two have to pique the curiosity of the reader enough to care about the characters and the story they have to tell. If you don't hook your reader in the first paragraph or two, chances are that book is going back to the library or given away ... unread ... and they'll never see the last sentence.

Today I wrote the first chapter and part of the second.  So far, I like it. I usually have several false-starts when working on a new novel, and On the Shores of Carolina is no different. I think I wrote the first chapter of A Summer in Ocracoke a couple dozen times before I finally hit on one I liked. Hopefully I won't change my mind, and I won't have to rewrite the first chapter of Carolina a dozen or more times to be satisfied with it.

Speaking of A Summer in Ocracoke, I finished my latest round of edits and the jacket cover design, and have ordered my first proof. I had to order three proofs of Boomerang before I hit the "approved" button. My goal is to have A Summer in Ocracoke available for sale on Tuesday, September 9, 2013. With any luck it will be available before then!

And speaking of Boomerang ... my oldest daughter lent her copy to a co-worker.  According to my daughter, this woman loves to read, and romance novels are her favorite. When she gave the book back to my daughter, she said she loved it. She also asked "Is this a local author?"  My daughter replied "Yes! My mother!" It made me feel good that she said she loved Boomerang before she found out my daughter was related to the author.

My goal is to release On the Shores of Carolina in September of 2014. I'm hoping it will be sooner, but for now, September of 2014 is the goal.