I have a tonne of news for you ...

Jun 04, 2025 11:31 am

G'day, ,

We've had some excitement in our house that I'd rather not have. We've been noticing holes in our ceiling where the screws hold the ceiling to the beams in the roof. We didn't think anything of it.

Then we started hearing noises coming from the roof cavity above the kitchen and dining room and thought we had something living in the roof.

But the thing that tipped us off we had a problem was the large crack that appeared in the ceiling. We had people come out to look and discovered that the ceiling was close to collapsing.

As you can image, that news sent us into a bit of a panic. We madly called ceiling fixers to quote us on the repairs, only to discover the ceiling couldn't be repaired and had to be replaced.

Here are some pics ...

I'll be so happy and relieved when it's all done!

In other news, I had a great time at Wild Out West. I got to meet some of my loyal readers, which was fabulous as well as a tonne of new readers who were excited to pick up a blind date with a book boyfriend.

It was so good to see my books making their way into new homes and hopefully new hearts!

As usual, I forgot to take photos. I really must get better at recording memories.

Next week, I'm having minor surgery to remove a basal cell carcinoma from my scalp. I kept feeling a change in the skin and I could see a patch of skin that didn't look right. So, at my last skin check (something we do regularly in Australia and I'm particularly strict about since losing my sister to melanoma in 2023) I pointed it out to the specialist, and she took a biopsy. Sure enough, the results came back positive, so it has to be removed.

I'm a little nervous about the procedure. I know it needs to be removed, but there's a tiny part of me that's vain and worries how it will heal and if the scar will come down to my forehead or if my hair will regrow properly.

So, if you wouldn't mind keeping me in your thoughts, I'd appreciate your support.

Thank you 💜💜💜

I currently have two projects on the go!

I know, right?

This is highly unusual for me. I generally struggle to write two stories at the same time.

I finished the first draft of Loving Roman and have sent it to my trusty beta readers. They are loving it so far! Roman is totally swoon worthy! Yet another delicious cinnamon roll book boyfriend.

The second project is Nix's story.

I woke one morning with the opening scene in my head and now I have the first 10,000 words down and a reasonably clear plan of where I want this book to go—provided Nix and Abbi play nicely. 🤣

Here's the first little bit ...

1 Nix

Abbi’s heels click on the hardwood steps as she makes her way downstairs. I drop her coffee pod into the machine and let it do its thing as I check emails on my phone.

As the sound of her footsteps grows closer, I monitor the kitchen door with my peripheral vision, waiting to lay eyes on my wife. My breath hitches when she comes into view, wearing a pale pink skirt, a white silk blouse, and a smile that seems more forced than usual. Even though there’s strain around her mouth and eyes, she’s more beautiful today than when I first laid eyes on her over 30 years ago.

The subject line of the next email captures my attention, and I see her fake smile drop when I continue to focus on my phone. I click on the email to open it.

“Morning,” Abbi says softly as she grabs her cup from the coffee machine and adds sugar.

“Morning,” I murmur distractedly while reading through a proposal for a job that would bring big dollars into Steele Security.

I hear her sigh and feel the energy surrounding her shift from something that felt hopeful to something that feels more like defeat. I sip my coffee and keep reading, calculating in my head if I have enough men to cover this job.

“I want a divorce.”

Everything freezes, like someone’s hit the pause button on a movie. My breath stalls and every sound mutes, except for the thumping of my heart against my sternum and the blood rushing through my ears like white water rapids of an out-of-control river. I clench my jaw and my knuckles turn white as I grip my phone tighter, the words in front of me blurring.

She opens a drawer and slides an envelope across the counter, which I choose to ignore.

“Did you hear me?” my wife murmurs.

I’m usually gone by the time she comes downstairs for breakfast. I’m not sure why I lingered this morning and now I’m wishing I hadn’t. I swallow the bile that’s creeping up my throat and lift my eyes to hers. A single tear tracks over her porcelain cheek, leaving a path of silvery destruction. Instinctively, I reach up, cup her face, and wipe it away with my thumb. She presses into my hand, closing her eyes like my touch pains her.

“I heard you,” I whisper around the tightness in my throat.

She promised me forever. When did she decide it was okay to break that promise? Why?

“Why?” she huffs.

Let me know what you think!

Each month, throughout 2025, I'll be sharing a free

Cinnamon Roll Book Boyfriend for you to add to your collection!

This month's boyfriend is ...

Claim Him

I felt like I'd had a slow reading month until I made my tracking graphic. I was surprised that I'd managed to fill the top row.

I found Come Break my Heart Again on TikTok and thought it sounded good. I'm glad I picked it up. It's more angsty than what I normally read, but I enjoyed it. There was a lot of time jumping back and forth as well as in dual point of view, to boot. I sometimes found it tricky to keep track of the storyline, but it all came together in the end. A satisfying read.

Then, I've been going down a Mackenzy Fox rabbit hole. I read her first book, Steel, some time ago and I've been meaning to get back to the series, but my TBR is out of control. If you're remotely into motorcycle clubs, you might want to check her out. These guys have cleaned up the club and don't do anything illegal (mostly). But they are highly protective of their women and the intimate scenes are hawt! 🥵

I picked up Natasha Maddison for the first time after a reader at Wild out West said I write in a similar fashion to her. The book I read was her debut (because I like to start at the beginning. There is a lot of *ahem* heat in this book. 🔥🔥🔥 I look forward to reading the rest of the series over time.

How was your reading month?

I love to support other authors, so please click to learn more.

A compilation of short stories within the Nephilim world!

You know how much I love this author. ;)

Grab it here!

An MMA fighter who thinks he doesn't have a heart.

*Spoiler alert* He does.

Grab it here!

If you'd like somewhere to hang out and talk about my books, come and join my Facebook Group, Deb's Bibliomaniacs. Be sure to answer all the questions because I'd love to see you there. Just click on the image below. ⤵️

If you'd like to join a reader group that focuses solely on Cinnamon Roll Heroes, come and join Cinnamon Roll Book Boyfriends. Be sure to answer all the questions. Just click on the image below. ⤵️