Since my oldest daughter moved back home and I moved from the office I’d made in her room to my original space in this house, I’ve had a stack of old milk cartons beside my desk. On the top of that stack is a manuscript that has been called Bold Bounty since it was first written way back in about 1993. Cute title, huh? It began life just like what it sounds like … a formulaic historical romance novel.

Some years later, when I was still attending Oklahoma Writers Federation Inc. conferences, I submitted that novel to the Historical Romance category of their annual contest and it placed third. It was the first time anything I’d submitted to an OWFI conference placed.

Then The Werewolf Saga became more than the single novel Shara. Before Nadia’s Children was ever written I revised Bold Bounty and added, you guessed it, a werewolf. But this werewolf is a rogue, untrained, undisciplined, of the nobility class, and just an all-around bad guy. He’s the same bad guy he was in the non-paranormal story, but the werewolf factor just amps it up … and gave me a reason for the hero to show up in other tales of my werewolves.

So, now the manuscript sits there, mocking me. Daring me. I think I’ll take that dare. It needs a new title and another good combing for mistakes, but I think before 2015 is over it will see print from MoonHowler Press.

I’m currently working on a mainstream novel tentatively titled The Teacher and am closing in on the halfway point. I want to finish that one, and the Western I began last year, called Orphan. I’d like to finish both before school starts in a month, but … I don’t see it happening. When I have drafts finished, though, I will clean up Bold Bounty.

I just finished listening to the audio of Nadia’s Children, which will be released very soon. I’m not thrilled with what I did with the ending, but what’s done is done. It made me sad to revisit it.

Next year I think I will finish a book currently called Heart of the Wolf, another paranormal historical romance, and another to take third place in an OWFI contest. It only exists as a synopsis and three chapters right now, what was needed for the contest. He’s using his Indian name, but the story is about Ulrik. Then I think I’d like to pick up my werewolves’ story after the events of Nadia’s Children.

I think Joey is maturing and has something to say.