An Afternoon at the Strand

It's Valentine's Day. Whether you have a love to celebrate or are actively boycotting this greeting card holiday, I've got a poem for you about my one true love--books. It comes from If It Was New York, Summer 2009 and it's a sneak peek at what the collection has to offer.

An Afternoon at the Strand

Miles and miles to keep you entertained

Practically calling out to you with all its musty glory

New and old, there's no shame in what you happen to like

Diving deep into stacks, submerged until the last call

No more room left for you to bring home another treasure

Another stack places more tension on an already worn shoulder

But it's a habit, a hobby, an obsession

You need it more than it needs you

Those words, billions of them floating around you

And a million more trying to get out of your own head

You just need to focus, focus

...focus...

Then maybe you'll find the gem you've been looking for

The one that will twist your insides, clamp down on your lungs

At just the right moment to scare yourself at the thought

A book is just a book, until it's not, then you give it life

Calmly breathing culture, giving birth endlessly to another

And another until you can't stand it—you must have them all

Maybe you'll turn into a maniac, consuming thousands of words

Bloated, but still ready for the next delicious stack

It has a different taste, and you can't wait to try some more

And you situate your tote, and you check your wallet

Another stack for home, another stack for the pleasure of it all.




Interested in more from the upcoming collection? Check out Patreon for more exclusive excerpts and extras.

It's been a busy August, but I thought I would check in to make sure that you know the next six weeks are going to be pretty awesome. As I gear up for the release of Haunting Melody in October, there's going to be plenty of fun leading up to it. Each week in September, you're going to be treated with cover releases, the synopsis, and much more. You can also be a part of the fun. If you've already read Melody of Love, I'll have a chance for you to get access to a pre-release copy of Haunting Melody (more details to come!). I may also give you a sneak peek on my next project, which I think many of you will enjoy.

Now... back my writerly juggling act!!

Quiet Weekends Always Welcome

I had a really quiet, relaxing weekend. It's usually not that way, so I was glad I had the time to reflect, unwind and work on the novel. If I had to measure the portion of it that is complete, I would say I have a solid 25% written and revised. That's a far cry from being done, but within the next six weeks, it should be completely written, even with my record of procrastination and very flexible scheduling.

I'm also still chugging away at all of the marketing issues I need to complete during the editing process and in the future. The first big step in the plan is to start a Facebook author page, followed by an actual website. While the website may take a little time to get up and running, I should have the Facebook page up very soon. I also have a little surprise planned for those who are itching to get a sneak peek at the story. Hopefully that will be accomplished within the coming weeks as well.

What are your writing plans for the week?