I feel bad for not blogging like I used to. I really do. It’s not that you don’t matter. You’re my Swarm, of course you matter!

You matter so much, that I’ve been putting my efforts into the bigger projects. I know you’re just waiting for NOLA to be finished, and that’s my focus right now.

A photo collage of online resources to inspire me while writing my story set in New Orleans, Louisiana.

NOLA Inspiration

And here you are, checking your inboxes every day, patiently waiting for news.

Have you joined the Facebook NOLA Swarm group? That’s where you’ll find most of my updates.

In the meantime, here’s a little bit of what’s happening:

NOLA is about two-thirds rough drafted, and half of those pages have already gone through some deep edits. That means I’ve only one-third left to write. It’s getting pretty exciting. Last week I dreamt the final scene. So this week, I’m finishing the deep edits and writing what comes next.

In just a few weeks, I’ll be at this year’s Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, and network with other writers, agents, and publishers. I’m looking forward to connecting with known friends and discovering new ones.

So I figure it’s about time y’all met NOLA’s protagonist, Penny Jo Embers. She goes by “Josie” but her new friends call her “Penny”.

When she first arrives in New Orleans, she finds a place to stay.

Red-Headed Embers

Red-Headed Embers

Later, she meets characters, mystery, and food. Oh, the food! [Note: You didn’t hear it from me, but it’s quite possible a NOLA Companion Cookbook is in the works, as well.]

She’s not sure what she’s supposed to do. Her life feels over. Or unstarted. Or just messed up. Is she running away from it, or is she taking a break to gather her thoughts?

Torn between a home she doesn’t love and a place she loves but isn’t home, she manages to find a moment of peace with her new friends.

Josie the Firefly

Josie the Firefly

Of course, that’s just a snippet of what happens. Let’s be real. She’s in New Orleans. It’s not just about the food and the fireflies.

Want more? I was hoping you would. Join the Facebook NOLA Swarm Group and be a part of the fun.

NOLA should be released later this year.

And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!

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