I am thrilled about Sally's Secret Legacy, my new steamy paranormal romantic suspense novel, releasing this week!
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Sally's Secret Legacy means a great deal to me. I spent approximately eight years working on this novel. I went back and forth over the conflict, character development, and plot for years. The only thing I knew from the beginning, and never strayed from, was the setting -- a Missouri Ozark Mountain farm.
You may or may not know this, but the farm in Sally's Secret Legacy is based on a farm my grandparents owned when I was a little girl. The tiny farmhouse was nestled in a holler, surrounded by majestic Ozark Mountains. A pristine, spring-fed creek ran through the property where my cousins and I loved swimming in that icy water during the dog days of summer.
The house was heated with a wood stove, and there was no bathroom. When on the farm, we used the outhouse, which was located next to the chicken coop. We learned not to dawdle while visiting that little shack out back.
After Grandpa passed away, Grandma had a bathroom installed. She called it her pretty pink potty room. I haven't visited that farm since I was a teen, and I'm pretty sure the little farmhouse is long gone by now. To honor Grandma and her unique senses of humor and style, I put a pretty pink potty room in Sally's farmhouse.
While the farm is loosely based on a real location, all of the characters in Sally's Secret Legacy are purely fictional. They are not based on anyone I know or have heard tell of. That means Sally's dysfunctional family is not based on any of my relatives. The names and landmarks of nearby towns are also fictional. I had a great time dreaming those up -- especially Ma's Diner. That's a place I wish was real!
All that said, I am extremely proud of my new novel. It's not perfect, but it's mine. Sally's Secret Legacy haunted my dreams, made me forget to eat, and had me glued to my computer for hours at a time. I drove my friends and family crazy with questions like "How would you react if your own cousin threatened you?"
Let's not forget the phone calls and texts to my favorite police officer asking about procedure, weapons, the law, the difference between a city police officer and a county deputy, and how different departments do things. Without him, my novel might resemble a badly researched TV show.
The paperback is currently available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. It is soon to be available at Always Buying Books in Joplin, Missouri. The e-book is currently available for pre-order at amazon.com and available on Kindle Vella. The e-book will be released September 20, 2023.
I have a couple books signings scheduled so far. I will be one of 48 authors participating in The Joplin Writers' Faire at the Joplin Public Library, located at 1901 East 20th Street in Joplin, Missouri on Saturday October 7, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
I will be having my own book signing at Always Buying Books, which is located at 5357 North Main Street Road (Yes, you read that correctly - street and road are both in the address. Don't ask me why, but it's correct.) just outside of Joplin, Missouri on October 21, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
I hope you'll check out Sally's Secret Legacy in one format or another. Whether you read the book or not, please join me celebrating this huge accomplishment. I did it!
Thank you for reading Ozarks Maven! If you have enjoyed my seeds of wisdom and joy, you can have it sent directly to your email every week by hitting that subscribe button.
Margarite! I'm so happy to hear that you've released this out into the world—I remember reading some early pages and it has stuck with me all of this time. Can't wait to read the finished version. Saw your name in the OWL newsletter and decided I needed to see what you've been up to. What a thrill to see that you've been busy getting your work published and out there! Congratulations! -Sasha R.
Congratulations! That's a beautiful cover.
Ronda