Okay, business first.

My Beautiful Enemy releases today! Yay! But very importantly, if you haven’t yet, please read its prequel/companion volume, The Hidden Blade, first. You can absolutely read MBE on its own. But because I love you and want you to have the best of everything, I am telling you that you will thank me to have read the two in order–it’s just even richer and more multi-layered that way.

Besides, The Hidden Blade is only 99 cents right now. It will go up to its regular price of $3.99 in two weeks, so get it cheap while you can!

The Hidden Blade: Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Google | iBooks

My Beautiful Enemy: Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Google | iBooks

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon meets Downton Abbey, that’s what we have in this duology.

Okay, now a few pictures from my summer.

Confession time. Until this past June, I’ve never been to the UK. But His Hawtness had a business trip there and we decided to make a vacation out of it. When I have more time I’ll do a more complete picture post, but let me just say, the highlight of our trip was the southwest coast of England.

I learned about the beauty of it during my research for His at Night. And the coast of Devon–specifically, the stretch around the Hangman Cliffs–was absolutely spectacular. I started to scheme how I can go back even before I’d left–and I haven’t stopped scheming since. I mean, look at this:

Is that not magnificent? And of course photos don’t do the scale of the place justice. Not to mention Nick and Rachel, our hosts at Blair Lodge Guest House in Combe Martin, were absolutely marvelous. If you are ever in the area, I cannot recommend them highly enough.

In July I had the good fortune of being invited to participate in a couple of events by the Irving Pubic Library in the Dallas Forth Worth area. I don’t expect big crowds at library events, but oh boy, the Irving Public Library certainly proved me wrong. Their YA events were jam-packed, and their afternoon tea for grown-up readers boasted some of the best table decorations I’ve ever seen.

Alas, my picture fails to convey the intricacy of the Sherlock Holmes-themed table–you can barely see the stickman alphabet and other intricate items that had been drawn on the tablecloth. And you can’t see at all the tweed coats that were draped over the back of each chair.

And of course, there is also the RWA national conference in San Antonio. I finished The Hidden Blade in the nick of time for me to pack for nationals–and had just a phenomenal time there. I attended a lovely dinner thrown by the fantastic Rachel Hollis of The Chic Site, witnessed my first ever game of Cards Against Humanity, and hugged more people than I can count–I have totally become a hugger in my middle age.

Wish I had more time for a more detailed post but for now I’ll just leave you with this, the gorgeous Emily McKay and I in our fine frocks for RITA night–gold glitter eyeliner all the way!

I hope you enjoy The Hidden Blade and My Beautiful Enemy!