New Release Coming October 1, 2020

 It's coming!!!! It's coming!!!

I am so excited to finally have the concluding book to my Storm Series. It will be available on October 1, 2020 in both Kindle e-book and print. Check it out: Freedom Storm.

But don't worry, this isn't the end end of the Storm Series. I'm working on a few side Storm Projects. Stay tuned for further information, or just sign up for my newsletter. If you sign up, you'll also get a free book. Check out the details here.

Happy Reading!!!

Melanie

On the third day of Christmas an author gave to me...

Quick and Clever Kids’ Crafts by Deb Graham

A go-to for any parent, teacher, scout leader, or friend of children. Loaded with easy crafts a child can do with little or no assistance, unleashing creativity with materials you probably already have on hand.  Bonus: a whole section on swaps,  little pieces of artwork on a safety pin! Quick and Clever Kids' Crafts is just what you need for long wintery days.

Deb Graham is an author of twenty books, with a background in scouting and stand-up comedy. Be sure to check out the other books in the Busy Kids, Happy Kids series

To purchase, click on the title or the link below.

Amazon Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Clever-Kids-Crafts-preschool-ebook/dp/B00DBMR1IS

On the first day of Christmas an author gave to me...

Ideal High by Valerie Ipson

a tragic fire
a grieving student body
a class vice president forced to read the names of the dead at a memorial

What a way to start a senior year…

Taryn’s decided there’s no way she’s taking her late boyfriend’s place as president of the student body. As soon as the memorial for him and six of their friends is over, she’s resigning as VP. Really. 

Until someone scribbles a disturbing list on a bathroom wall: WHO DESERVED TO DIE IN THE FIRE? The bullied Tim Jenks’ name tops the list, but more are quickly added. Taryn knows what it means. To get to the truth she has to come out from under her paisley comforter where she spent all summer, and go from grieving girlfriend to leading the fight against lies and bullies. 

But, seriously, what stage of grief says Taryn has to be the one to fix what’s wrong at Ideal High? Maybe she’s the one who’s broken.

To purchase, click on the title or the link below.

Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-High-Mystery-Valerie-Ipson-ebook/dp/B00U1Q0QO8

As Time Goes By

Yes, here we are again, several months later...again.

I thought it would be good to post with my latest recommendation for reading. This is a fantasy series of five books. The first is only $0.99 on Amazon and the rest of the series are on Kindle Unlimited.

The Glass Gargoyle by Marie Andreas

Archeologist Taryn St. Giles has spent her life mining the ruins of the elves who vanished from the Four Kingdoms a thousand years ago. But when her patrons begin disappearing too—and then turning up dead—she finds herself unemployed, restless, and desperate. So she goes looking for other missing things: as a bounty hunter.  
Tracking her first fugitive—the distractingly handsome and strangely charming Alric—she unearths a dangerous underworld of warring crime lords, demonic squirrels, and a long-lost elven artifact capable of unleashing a hell on earth.
Chased, robbed, kidnapped, and distressingly low on rent money, Taryn just wants one quiet beer and to catch her fugitive. But there’s more to Alric than his wicked grin—is he a wanted man or the city’s only hope? With menacing mages in pursuit and her three alcoholic faery sidekicks always in her hair, Taryn’s curiosity might finally solve the mystery of the elves… or be the death of her and destroy her world.

The Obsidian Chimera

After the destruction caused by the discovery of the glass gargoyle, the last thing archeologist Taryn St. Giles needs is another elven artifact capable of obliterating the world. But her eccentric new patroness seems hell bent on finding exactly that. An unholy companion piece to the glass gargoyle, the obsidian chimera may be far worse, and it may be more than just an artifact. It also could prove deadly to anyone who finds it.

Struggling to unearth the connection between her overzealous patroness, an outbreak of zombie trolls, and an infestation of flying snakes, Taryn also stumbles upon proof that the elves are still alive. She’ll need all the help she can get from old friends and an old adversary who might be more than a friend, because the elves have changed in the thousand years they’ve been missing. Unfortunately, their murderous spells are not a thing of myth. They want the obsidian chimera back. And they won’t let anything, or anyone, stop them from reclaiming it—and the rest of Taryn’s world.

 The Emerald Dragon

After surviving two previous encounters with ancient relics of mayhem and destruction plus saving her friends and her whole damn city, archaeologist Taryn St. Giles thinks she deserves a beer and a break.

Then her world starts to tear itself apart, literally.

Earthquakes are unheard of in quiet, sleepy Beccia, but sadly, doomsdays are not, and Taryn is getting uncomfortably familiar with both when she discovers the existence of more pieces of the dangerous relics. With old friends and even older enemies -- and friends who might be enemies after all -- Taryn races against bloodthirsty relic hunters and nightmarish monsters to find a legendary creature carved from a single, giant gemstone. 

The upheaval rattles her team, tears apart her city, and unleashes a creature that should have stayed dead and buried. And that wants Taryn's blood. Now she'll unearth her biggest adventure yet.

Assuming she survives...

The Sapphire Manticore

Taryn St. Giles thought she knew all about elves. She dreamed of the long vanished elves as a child and has spent the past fifteen years digging through their abandoned ruins in Beccia. Six months ago, Taryn found out everything she thought she knew about the elves was wrong.

Two weeks ago she found out how very wrong she’d been.

Taryn and Alric have been captured to answer for crimes against a long lost people. Crimes that could bring down an entire kingdom and revolve around a small, glass gargoyle. Part of a weapon that destroyed an extremely powerful race, now only known as the Ancients, it, and its fellow pieces are deadly to any who have them. Knowledge of the relics found by Taryn and Alric have spread far. Dangerous bands of long dead creatures, ghosts, and nightmares out of myths are waking up and hunting for the relics. And Taryn.

The Golden Basilisk

A long-lost elven kingdom, body-swapping ghosts, walking weapons of mass destruction... Archaeologist and part-time bounty hunter Taryn St. Giles has had a Very. Bad. Year. Ever since she and her trio of singing, drunken faeries started digging into the mysteries of a certain handsome elven lord, she's been up to her nose in explosions, slavering monsters, and assorted other dangers. Now Taryn and Alric, their friends and more than a few enemies are racing across the desert to find the last pieces of a lethal relic so they can save their world and finally share a quiet pint of beer.

But some secrets are buried deeper than a millennia, and this time, Taryn might not escape unscathed. Actually, she might not even be Taryn anymore...


So, I have really been enjoying this series. I'm just starting the fifth and final book of the series today. I like Taryn's spunk and how full and interesting all the supporting characters are. If you like fantasy and are willing to explore a new world, this is a great series to dive into. I have devoured the last four books in the series since I signed up for Kindle Unlimited.

I do want to give a warning. There is mild swearing (No F-bombs!!! I don't tolerate those) and some mild suggestive language. So this may not be appropriate for younger audiences. I would probably rate it between a PG and a mild PG-13. There is violence, but not in gory detail.

Enjoy!!!

Storm Fans

I know it's been a while since I've posted. This summer has been busy. Waaaaaaay too busy for my liking. I always get determined to write more often on my blog and then suddenly life sets in and my goals fly out the window like Harry Potter's broomstick.

Recently I received an email from a friend that made my day. This friend has read Storm series books 1 and 2 and loved them, but not only that, she gave copies to her grandkids and they loved them too. It was awesome to hear that I have some new fans.

Whenever I receive notes like this, or reviews on Amazon, or comments to newsletters it makes me so happy that I have this gift of storytelling and that I am able to share it with the world. World seems like a big goal and my audience isn't quite worldwide yet, but I hope that someday I can touch lives all around the world. My writing has blessed me in so many ways and pictures like this are better than making a best seller list.

Thank you to all my fans who have stuck with me through the thick and thin and who wait anxiously for the next book to come out.

Seasons

So I've noticed on social media there are a lot of complaints about the weather this spring . . . or is it third winter? Anyway, I thought I'd put in my two cents, since that is what a blog is all about and of course the winter of my procrastination is finally ending.

Aren't the seasons amazing. We get to watch the world around us course through the cycle of life.

Spring is a time of rebirth. The flowers bud, pollen fills the air (and my lungs), tulips and daffodils grace us with their cheerful presence, and the sun peeks out once in a while (amidst the rain showers of Portland, OR).

Summer is the glory of youth and the beauty of young adulthood all rolled in one. We have the sunshiny days that make us want to get out into nature and enjoy the beauty all around us. The leaves on the trees are brilliant shades of green that produce the very air we breathe. Life seems better in the summer. Fuller. Happier.

Autumn is my favorite season. The leaves begin to change, but they still wow us with their glorious colors and the air is crisper. I always feel like fall has this golden glow to it that hangs in the very air, like that last bite of pumpkin pie that rests on your tongue long after you've eaten it. Fall is busy, with school starting, the beginning of the holiday season, and the promise of Christmas. It's also the beginning of the end of the cycle.

Winter becomes the death of the natural phenomena. There is
beauty in seeing a world covered in white like a burial shroud. I love to see the sparkles in the snow as the sun glimmers on the frozen fractals. The cold makes us hurry inside to grasp warm cups of cocoa and sit by the fire (or curled up in a heating blanket). Things can seem a bit bleak in the winter (especially when it doesn't seem to want to end, like this year), but there is the beauty and hope in the world as we see the evergreen trees pointing always heavenward. Winter also brings Christmas and the true reason we retain our hope.

The world is a fantastic place and I'm grateful to be a part of it.

Yummy snacks from my Book Launch party!!!

Almond Roca

So simple and delicious, but it can be a little tricky. Please read all of the comments and tips before attempting your first batch! We've been making this recipes for years for the holidays and we love it!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped toasted almonds, divided
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
• 4 bars of chocolate (such as Hershey's Bars)

Directions

1.  Butter a 7x11-inch pan (or 9x12 for slightly thinner roca). Sprinkle 1 cup of toasted almonds on bottom of the pan. 

2  In heavy saucepan at medium-high heat melt butter and add brown sugar. Stir until gently boiling. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and boil 12 minutes exactly, stirring constantly. *Edited to add* I made mine without a candy thermometer with success, but since some readers have noted having trouble with this recipe- you might wish to stick and instant read thermometer in there just to make sure it's about the right temperature. Pull it off the heat when it has reached the hard-crack stage (300 degrees F)- or when the mixture starts to separate (the oil starts to separate from the sugar). If it gets higher than 320, it will not remain solid.

3. Remove the mixture from heat, give it a good stir to mix up that butter and sugar one more time, and immediately pour hot mixture into pan over almonds. (see *Tips below) Place chocolate bars on top. Let them sit a minute or so until melted, then spread chocolate around carefully. Sprinkle with remaining toasted almonds and gently press them into the chocolate..

4.  Cool completely, and then break apart into chunks with sharp knife. Store in covered container

Online Launch Party This Weekend!!!

Just one more reminder for the online launch party for Storm Child.
Join us on Facebook from 7-9pm MST for a chance to win some awesome prizes and spend some time chatting with me about Storm Child.

Click here for more information.

Publishing, Blog Tours, and more! Oh my!!!

Well, I've tried to spread it around and I realized that I haven't spread it here. So here goes!!!

Storm Child (Book 1 of the Storm Series) Available October 31st in paperback and e-book on Amazon, and iBooks.

16-year-old Eridale Storm must leave the only home she's ever known and brave the dangers of the unknown wilds to escape capture by Imperial soldiers. The only safe place is with her mother, who abandoned her to lead the freedom movement when Eridale was just a child.
On her journey, Eridale learns that she holds a key role in the confilct between the Empire and the Freedom Fighters. Can Eridale face the heritage that will define the rest of her life and will her choices lead the people back to freedom or shackle them under the imperial throne forever?
Book one of the Storm Child series.

I'm so excited for this book to come out. It's been a long time in coming and it's been a crazy journey to get it out there. I hope my fans will loves this introduction to my YA Dystopia. I'm a writer that dabbles in many genres and this book is a new adventure for all of us.

Right now Storm Child is on a blog tour this week. Check out the link. There are, prizes, giveaways, and great reviews.

Please talk to your local book store after the 31st and see if they can get it in.

I'm also going to be setting up book signings at libraries in the near future stay tuned for more information.

Happy reading and enjoy the adventure!!!

Break by Jolyn Brown

Preston Bensen struggles with the same social anxiety that led his father to walk away years ago. With a younger brother who has Down syndrome, Preston has made it his job to hold together what remains of their family. 

A few weeks after he loses a friend in an accident, Preston's mother announces her decision to remarry. Now Preston must deal with a prying stepdad and three emotional stepsisters. After growing up with six neighbor boys, Preston doesn't know what to do with glitter, pet mice, drama, and nonstop chatter.

The only thing untouched by change seems to be Preston's relationship with Morgan, a girl he met during the summer. But he fears that sharing more of his past will scare her away. Juggling everything at once, he reaches his breaking point. Is Preston going to end up like his father after all?

My review: This book was an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, cried, and got angry with the characters and reactions. It is a book that digs deep and takes hold of you without letting go. Preston's reactions were to real to teenagers as well as his social anxiety. It intrigued me to see how he acted with his friends and how he dealt with the challenges that come from loss, change, and social pressure. I didn't expect the depth of the story, but it dragged me in until I finished the book. Great job!!! Highly recommend, especially for any teens who are dealing with challenges in their lives!!!

I received an ARC for an honest review.

Another book suggestion

And for those of you who are a fan of YA Paranormal Teen Romance. It's a fun superhero series with a twist and for those of you with Kindles, book one is free on Amazon Kindle.

The Jamie Baker Series by Kelly Oram

An accident that should end in tragedy instead gives seventeen-year-old Jamie Baker a slew of uncontrollable superhuman abilities. 

To keep her secret safe Jamie socially exiles herself, earning the title of Rocklin High’s resident ice queen. But during a supercharged encounter with star quarterback Ryan Miller she literally kisses anonymity goodbye. Now the annoyingly irresistible Ryan will stop at nothing to melt the heart of the ice queen and find out what makes her so special.

Unfortunately, Ryan is not the only person on to her secret. Will Jamie learn to contain her unstable powers before being discovered by the media or turned into a government lab rat? 

More importantly, can she throw Ryan Miller off her trail before falling in love with him?

Recently Read

So I thought I would post a list of books I've recently read and enjoyed, this way 

if it's something you're interested in you can find them and read them too.

Click on the link to go to the Amazon page and find out what they're about.

Cinderella by Everly Finn

The Perfect Kiss by Susan Hatler

For those Jane Austen fans who like a little variety:

The Abominable Mr. Darcy and One Love - Two Hearts -  Three Stories by J. Dawn King

One Plus One Equals Trouble by Sondra Kraak

Sanctuary Lost by Lisa Phillips

Mistakenly Married and Reluctantly Married by Victorian E. Lieske

So that's a few reading ideas. Some are romances. Some are historical romances. Some are suspense. And a fairytale rendition too. I post more ideas soon. Enjoy!!!

Sunday Morning Musings

So, I'm sitting in my living room right now thinking about what to write on my overdue blog. Outside the birds sing and call, which is great because we've had so much rain lately that the birds hardly ever come out to sing anymore. Even on this overcast day I hear the lovely twittering birdsong. Out my back door the azaleas are starting to bloom, and of course the dogwood trees that make my allergies miserable. Spring is finally here.

Last week was Easter and I probably should have post then, but hey I'm thinking about it now. What a beautiful world we have to live in. Thank you, my Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you for your Atoning Sacrifice that allows me to find joy in the crazy world we live in. Thank you for your Resurrection which gives me hope, just like the little birds sing and have hope for the day.

We have so much to be thankful for in this world and today I am thankful!

Dear Editor

Dear Characters,

How do you do it? How do you make me feel every emotion possible? How do I not explode when I read or write your stories? You make me crazy. . .  maybe I am crazy. That's it. It's official. I'm crazy!

Insanely yours,

Author

Dear Social Media Marketing,

I'm tired. I wish you would do all the work yourself, but alas, that is not possible. Now back to all that posting, tweeting, and blogging. . .  oh wait, I am blogging. Good. That's something. Right?

Exhaustedly,

Writer

Dear Punctuation,

I. Hate. You.

Enough said,

Novelist

Dear Editor,

Why do I feel like no matter how many times I go through my manuscript that there still needs to be things fixed. Will it ever be done? Will I ever finish? 

Doubtfully,

Author

Dear . . . ?

Wait. What just happened?

Sincerely,

Confused

April Fools

Have you ever thought about all the crazy holidays that we have here in America? Seriously. I want to create a holiday, and not just in one of my books. I want a holiday that will celebrate something totally bizarre. Oh wait, we already have that. It's April Fools day.

According to Wikipedia (I know, it isn't always the most accurate resource, but I'm being lazy today)

April Fools' Day (sometimes called All Fools' Day) is celebrated every year on April 1 by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools. People playing April Fool jokes expose their prank by shouting April Fool. Some newspapers, magazines, and other published media report fake stories, which are usually explained the next day or below the news section in small letters. Although popular since the 19th century, the day is not a public holiday in any country.

Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (1392) contains the first recorded association between April 1 and foolishness.

Who knew it's been around this long. But really a who day to celebrate pranks, jokes, and overall foolishness. I think it's really all about how happy we are to see spring after a long rainy winter and then the weather does a crazy turn shouting "Ha, April Fools!"

Whatever the origin, we have a crazy holiday that celebrates the bizarre. On to the next odd thing . . .

My year in a letter! Merry Christmas

 Dear Family, Friends, and Fans!!!

Wow! This year has been so amazing. I have been so blessed in many, many ways. I have had ups and downs just like every other year, but I have also been given many opportunities and blessings this year to balance it all out.

To start out 2016 I had some excellent reviews posted about The Ring of Remaliha and one was in the Deseret News. This was a fun experience to have since I didn't solicit the review.

I also had a fun book signing at the Garland Library in Garland, UT.

In May I was able to attend my first LDStorymakers Conference. I had a wonderful time with good friends and I even met a few famous ones.

Nan Marie Swapp, Me, and Michelle Wilson

Brandon Sanderson and Me

I learned so much and actually had a literary agent ask for another manuscript. Unfortunately nothing came of that, but I have lots of hope for the future.

In September I was able to take the trip of a lifetime with my best friend, Dawn, and my dad. We spent sixteen days in Europe visiting six countries. 

We got the last three premium seats (flying standby does have its perks)

and started in Amsterdam touring the city. I have never seen so many bikes in one place in my life.

welcome to Amsterdam

And then we took a tour of Northern Holland.

Zaanse Schans windmill city.

After Amsterdam we took a flight from AMS to Berlin. Our visit in this city was so much fun, more so because we got to see Li Toeppe. She was an exchange student that stayed with my family my senior year of high school and a great friend. This was the best part of Berlin.

My dad, Li, and me.

Brandenburg Gate or Checkpoint Charlie.

It was really neat to have the chance to walk from East Germany to West Germany. A humbling experience.

The Berlin wall.

After Berlin we took a train from Berlin to Prague. As cities go, Prague was my favorite. There was something about the city that I loved. I really enjoyed the architecture and history of the city.

Prague from across the river.

St. Charles Bridge 

After a day and a half in Prague we took another train to Vienna. I was really excited to see Vienna because of what I wrote about in my WW2 books. Seeing the University and the sites of the city brought my books to life.

Me at the University in Vienna.

At the train station.

From Vienna we took another train to Munich. We didn't stay in Munich, but instead rented a car and drove through the Bavarian countryside to see the castles (Schloss).

Schloss Hohenschwangau

Schloss Neuschwanstein

You could see 

Neuschwanstein from Hohenschwangau

So heading up to Neuschwanstein there is a path that goes to a bridge that gives a beautiful view of the castle. This bridge is crazy! I'm not a fan of heights, but this bridge pushed me over the edge. As soon as I stepped out onto it the boards gave just enough to put me in an absolute panic.

Schloss Lindenhof.

The Bavarian countryside and castles were one of my favorite parts of our trip. I told my dad that I wanted a castle. Don't think that will happen, at least not in this life. :)

From the castles we drove to Salzburg. Another visit that made my books come to life. I loved Salzburg. The city was enchanting and full of life.

Our hotel just outside Salzburg.

View from the fortress.

We took a tram up the mountainside. Crazy high, freaky high, terrifyingly high. Yeah, after the stupid bridge near the castles, this wasn't the best experience, but the view was amazing!!!

View from the tram.

From Salzburg we drove south toward the Italian coast. We stopped off at Golling Waterfall in Austria. We also stopped at Aquiliea, Italy where they have Roman ruins that date waaaaaay back. It was really neat.

Golling Wasserfal

Ruins at Aquiliea

From Aquiliea we drove down to Venice, parked the car in the big lot right as you get on the island and took a boat bus into the city. This whole place is on the water. It really fascinated me. We had fun exploring the cities and canals.

Piazza San Marco.

Our very expensive gondola ride. 

No photos! Oops!

After a day and a half in Venice we drove across the top of Italy toward Milan. We didn't go into Milan, but stayed outside the city and spent the day near the lakes in Arona.

From Milan we took a flight to Paris. Short flight, early morning. Paris was absolutely amazing. We spent three days and didn't even see a portion of the sights. Day one we got to go up to Disneyland Paris. 

Day two we explored some of the city. We tried to go to church, which was just around the corner, but they were having stake conference later than we had time available. We had an appointment at the Louvre. We stopped at the Arc de Triumph just before our visit to the Louvre.

Arc de Triumph

The Mona Lisa. Crazy how much excitement there was over this small painting.

Day three we got a chance to see the Eiffel tower, all the way to the top. We even ate one of the best meals I had in Europe up there. The view was crazy awesome as well and of course made my stomach twist in knots from the height. I didn't think it looked so big. It is!!!

We also got a chance to see Notre Dame. The inside was amazing. There was a spirit there that I thought was missing in many of the massive cathedrals that we visited. 

Seeing the city lit up at night was a neat experience as well. We flew home from Paris and luckily my dad got the last premium seat to Seattle. We were grateful that the seats were open and we made it home.

This trip was so awesome. I wish we had more time to see more of Europe. I hope to visit more countries in the future. I am grateful for the opportunity we had to travel and I'm grateful that I could take my dad along, though we about walked him to death. I'm also very grateful for our wonderful friend, Caitlin who babysat the dogs the whole sixteen days. You are a life saver, Caitlin. It was an amazing trip!

This was an excellent start to my fall. Come October 1st my third book Crossing Lines hit the Deseret Book shelves.

On October 1st I was able to participate in a book signing at the Portland Deseret Book for ladies night. It was great evening spent with the wonderful folks there at the store.

Toward the end of October I was able to attend the Northwest Writer's Retreat in Rosario Beach, WA. I love this retreat because it's a chance to renew myself and learn more about my writing craft. I love spending these days with my writing friends.

When I got back to Portland, fall had struck leaving my car covered in leaves.

My year has been filled with flying (for my job), flying for fun, writing, conferences, and book signings. I did get some writing done between editing. For November NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) I actually met the 50,000 word goal. Though I didn't write it all in November, I did write and I have another book to add to the many to edit and hopefully someday publish.

At the beginning of December I had the chance to fly home for another signing at the Deseret Book in Logan, UT as well as spend some quality time with my family in Utah. It was a beautiful beginning to the Christmas season.

Shauna Wheelwright and Me at the Deseret Book signing. Thank you, Shauna!!!

This is the first year that I have had a line. In Flight Attendant lingo, that means I have a full schedule and no reserve days and because of how much Portland has grown I have enough seniority to get days off that I want, for the most part. This year is my first with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years off. I've loved this Christmas season and have felt the bounteous joys of the holidays and blessings of this time of year. 

I have been watched over and blessed in so many ways and I'm grateful for all that the Lord has given  me. I've been so so very blessed. My year has been amazing and full of joy. I am so glad to be here in Portland, for my friends, family, and co-workers. For my job that allows me to do the things I love and see so many awesome places. And of course my little boys who keep me warm on these cold winter nights!!!

I'm grateful to all my fans who support my writing and continue to encourage me. I hope to have lots of good things come about in the next year. Thank you all!!!

Merry Christmas! May the Lord bless you all!

Love,