Hey there! Not too much happening right now, as I'm getting multiple books finished and preparing for the upcoming summer conventions. But I do have a few bits of news to share in the meantime.

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The Chikara Press bookstore has been revamped/soft-launched! You can now get all of my ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks directly from the store, all in one place. There is also bookwear/book-related merch available on the site as well! You can pick up sweatshirts, pint glasses, mugs, bags, and more! More items will be frequently added to the store, so keep checking back.

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I am planning for the next book in the Plainclothes Tootsie mystery series to be released probably in the fall, maybe around the same time that The Blackmail was released last year. This is mainly because I have several other releases happening in the summer, as well as conventions and other events. I'm trying to prioritize everything, so The Contractor will probably be my last release of 2023. Cover reveals and preorders will go up as soon as they are ready.

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Spring is just about over, and the summer vacation season will soon be upon us. That also means book convention season will be coming, too! The first con I will be attending is Spacecoast Booklovers, in Cape Canaveral, FL. I hope to see you there!

Here's the cover reveal of the book I will be debuting at SCBL! Let me know what you think!

Personal trainer Diesel Reed desires a mate who can meet the insatiable demands of his inner tiger. Unfortunately, none of the women he trains spark a challenge.

Until Carina Parker, his curvaceous new client, walks into his gym.

Carina has given up on conventional love, thanks to her lousy luck with dating apps. Her sexy new trainer flutters her heart, but he's way out of her league.

Diesel thinks Carina is the perfect woman he is looking for, but Carina seems to be training hard to impress someone else. Frustrated, Diesel turns to his sister, Cammy Reed, for advice.

But instead of answers, Diesel's encounter with his eccentric kid sister leaves him reeling in shock.

A threat from Diesel's past traps Carina in the middle of a deadly family feud. With love and honor hanging in the balance, Diesel is faced with a bitter choice: duty or happiness?

Pinstripes releases exclusively at Spacecoast Booklovers and will be available at the Chikara Press website on 6/24. The book will then be widely released at the other major retailers on 7/28.

If you are going to be attending SCBL, you will be the very first reader to get the book before anyone else. Otherwise, you can preorder the ebook and paperback from your favorite retailer(s) here (www.books2read.com/ml-pinstripes).

Pinstripes is not really a re-release of the book of a similar name when it was in the PDA shared world. Much of this book has been rewritten and expanded to an even better story. There are also new characters introduced. I hope you will have a chance to check it out!

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A new chapter of my ongoing gothic fantasy Patreon story, Daggaxiy'lion, has been posted. I'm really enjoying writing this story, and can't wait to have it all out in print! Check it out and leave your comments and feedback on the story. If you enjoy old school high fantasy stories like Dragonlance or any of the older TSR D&D books, then you might enjoy Daggaxiy'lion!

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If you are going to Literary Love Savannah in August and are in the dedicated Facebook group, preorders are open! I am offering some preorder bundles this year, including special editions, as well as a new book release bundle! Looking forward to hanging out with more readers in August!

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-Love, hugs, and lots of cookies

Marie

xo