Something to do. Someone to love. Something to hope for.

Immanuel Kant's Rules for Happiness

Dear friends,

    As I prepare to begin my fifth line of treatment this summer, Immanuel Kant’s ‘Rules for Happiness’ keep coming back to me...quietly, insistently, like a compass pointing home:

Something to do...

Books, books, and more books!

    If you know me and Jim at all, you know we pour ourselves into our work...and we’ll have a lot of exciting news to share about what’s coming in June.

    First, we are so grateful that our publisher has returned the ebook and print rights for three beloved Nik James novels, which we are now bringing home to our May McGoldrick readers. Beyond the Silver Moon, Beyond the Eclipse, Beyond the Christmas Star are retellings of the Caleb Marlowe novels...this time told through the heart of his relationship with Shiela. Revised as historical Western romances (PG-rated), these three books follow Caleb and Shiela from their first meeting all the way to their ‘happily ever after’.

    Also, the next installment of our cozy fantasy mystery Second Street is coming in June. Ocean, Skye, and the full cast you fell in love with in First Street return to Harbor View with another mystery to unravel. We cannot wait for you to read it!

    And this Saturday, we have a BookBub special deal on The Promise. The book that first put us on the USA Today Bestseller List over twenty years ago. It remains the best-selling novel of our career, and it holds such a special place in our hearts. If you haven't read it, there has never been a better time. We’ve down-priced it for you right now!

Someone to love...

You already know who you are!

    Jim, my sons, my daughters-in-laws, and our grandchildren are the light of my life — every single day.

    And then there is you. Our readers. Some of you have walked alongside us for over thirty years, through books and through life, through the highs and the lows, and you have been a true rock in our career and in our hearts.

    We love you more than words can convey.

Something to hope for...

A cure — for me, and for every cancer patient.

    I hope for a cure, not just for myself, but for every person living with cancer. And as I've always believed, actions speak louder than words. If you feel moved to do something, please consider supporting cancer research. That is where change is made.

That is where hope becomes possibility.

    Thank you for bringing so much happiness to our lives.

I Had No Idea… (They Actually Surprised Me!)

Hello dear friends—

     They surprised me!

  And if you know me at all, you know that’s nearly impossible.

   Jim always says I can read his mind (and it’s true). So planning anything behind my back? Nearly impossible.

   But my suddenly very sneaky husband somehow did it. With the help of two of our friends, he did it. For weeks, Jim apparently walked around the house saying “la-la-la” in his head whenever I tried to mind-read him.

   When I entered the room that night and saw everyone, I had to walk right back out. Tears. Overwhelmed. Grateful beyond words.

   Have you ever been truly surprised like that? 

Over the years, we’ve tried to surprise you too.

  Not with parties…. but with our stories.

   Somehow, over three decades, we’ve written in just about every genre imaginable:

✨ Young Adult
✨ Fantasy & Time Travel

✨ Pirates
✨ Cozy Ghost Stories
✨ Scottish Historical Romance
✨ Contemporary Fiction
✨ Thrillers

✨ Warriors
✨ Lawyers

   There’s something here for practically everyone.

   If you haven’t explored our backlist in a while, this might be the time.
   We’ve included a 25% off coupon in this newsletter — and if you’d like to share it with a friend, that would mean the world to us.

   (Word of mouth is always magic.)

On the health front…

I had another stent replacement last week. I try to put up a brave, positive face — but I won’t pretend each surgery isn’t getting harder to recover from. Next week I begin radiation. We’re hopeful it helps with the bone pain.

   As I travel this cancer road, people often ask, “What can we do? How can we help?” Jim and I are deeply moved every time.

   In December, a young author friend of ours, Elizabeth Briggs, died of colon cancer at just 45. Her family shared words that struck straight through us:

   “If you would like to support Elizabeth’s family, please honor her by buying her books… Some part of her will always be alive as long as her stories have readers.”

   Cancer robs us of so much — our energy, our plans, sometimes our identities. It takes from families emotionally and financially. It interrupts the work we love.

   So I’ll say this gently, while I’m still kicking around (slower, but still kicking):

   If you’re an author, maybe one day there’ll be a ‘Nikoo’ character in your book.

   If you’re a reader, maybe you'll recommend one of our stories to a friend or share this newsletter.

   If you're looking for a book for yourself or a friend, you'll use the coupon at our bookstore.

          Here's the 25% off coupon code…    THJVU9Y9I0  

   And you'll keep reading our stories…   

That’s how a writer will always remain alive. 

Thanks!

Taking Steps — Empower, Educate, Advocate…

Fifteen months have passed since my life took an unexpected turn with a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer. Since then, anytime there is silence on our social media accounts, I get private messages asking, ‘How are you doing?’ And it warms my heart to know that you're with me on this journey.

My weeks are a symphony of scans and appointments, a continuous rhythm that has become my new normal. And yes, I will always be on one or another type of chemo. And no, I won’t be done with it. Ever. When it comes to discomfort, I have pain. I’ll always have some pain, but I can live with it.

To those friends and family who have followed my journey through this blog, you remember the challenging six months leading to my diagnosis. The confusion, the fear—those emotions were all too real. And the emotional toll that followed was profound. The statistics were terrifying.

“Only one-third of women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in the U.S. live for 5 years after diagnosis.”

I needed some space to get comfortable with my diagnosis. I needed time to find my strength and search for a purpose for the time I have left. Yes, writing is our profession. It pays the bills, so that had to continue. But there were deeper questions that kept me up at night.

What more can I do with the time I've been given?

How can I help people who are going through the often scary stages of diagnosis?

How can I support others living with MBC, now and in the future?

Jim and I have always believed in the power of giving back. Early in our marriage, our wise landlord, Tom Kepple, shared a lesson that stayed with us: "Always give more than you take." In a way, his words were an echo of Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?"

With those words as our guide, Jim and I decided to dedicate our time and energy to advocacy. I found my calling in patient advocacy, while Jim is getting involved with caregiver advocacy.

Advocacy starts with each of us, as individuals, speaking up. It's when the appointment schedules don't align with our lives, when medications bring debilitating side effects, when second and third opinions are essential. And later, it’s when we share our experiences, offering empathy and practical insights.

Breast cancer is a multifaceted challenge, and my focus is on helping patients ask questions and finding resources. I decided early on to share my journey, and hopefully, to inspire others in embracing life fully.

The realm of advocacy is vast and unending, but I'm committed to immersing myself in it, learning, and being a voice for change. As I prepare to attend my first in-person medical conference as a patient advocate, I'm mindful that there are no long-term guarantees for MBC patients like me. However, I refuse to let statistics define my path. I am a unique statistic, ready to empower, educate, advocate…and live.