Hey, amazing humans!

The sun and warmer temperatures have returned to the midwest United States, and I can't remember ever being so grateful to see it come back! We have a modest-sized cow herd, and of course a handful of our mothers chose the middle of the cold snap to have their babies. As a result of several rescues from the snowy, cold conditions, we now have five calves we're bottle-feeding. We were keeping them in a small, heated space in the barn at the farm, but this week they've been able to be outdoors getting fresh air, which makes them much happier, and also requires a lot less cleanup, which makes ME much happier.

My sons continue to exasperate and amuse me. Last night I was reading aloud to the five-year-old from a chapter book that was sent home with every elementary student as part of a school-wide reading initiative. Sitting still and listening to a book with no pictures is something that he's still learning to enjoy, but he does his best. My kids are both pretty perceptive people, but my older son is definitely more sensitive and concerned with pleasing people. My younger son has always been more self-possessed, and his dad and I also refer to him--fondly--as a wrecking ball. I didn't even bother trying to corral said wrecking ball while I read; I let him play with his craft supplies instead.

After I finished the chapter, I asked my older son a couple of reading-comprehension questions. One of them was what the character's mother's job was in the story.

My five-year-old, who had been fidgeting the entire time but dutifully sitting (mostly) still and trying to listen to me read, just looked at me blankly.

Then from across the room, my three-year-old turned, held up the safety scissors he'd been using to decimate an old issue of Ranger Rick, and said with perfect enunciation, "A veterinarian!"--which happened to be the correct answer.

Just another reminder to me that I should never relax around children; they hear it all! Also, playing and creating is good for your whole brain. <3 Next time we do this I'm going to let both of them draw or move around while I read.

M/M reads on Kobo

If you want to find a list of M/M romances available on Kobo, check these out! The list comes down today (Friday, February 26), so make sure you follow the link while you still can.

If you aren't a Kobo reader yet, and you sign up for an account through a referral link, Kobo will give you $20 in store credit after you spend $20--subject to a few requirements, like that you make the purchases within 3 months of signing up. So, if you have a friend who reads with Kobo, ask them for a referral link. If you don't, you can use mine. (Please note that I get a kickback if you sign up with that link! If that makes you uncomfortable at all, just go directly to the Kobo website, which in the US is www.kobo.com.)

I recently bought a refurbished Kobo Clara. It's the first e-reader I've had since my second-generation Kindle stopped working several years ago, and I forgot how much I love using one. The Clara is a great device, and I was very happy with the experience of buying a refurbished product directly from Kobo's store. It was packaged and cleaned and appears brand new.

What I'm writing

I'm all-in on Undertow for at least a few more weeks! I have a couple other projects I'm considering taking up after that, all of which are on the shorter side. I'm part of an anthology releasing in late spring, and I'm planning to submit a short story that should appeal to fans of the Wild Ones books. I'm still ironing out the final details, but it will take place (way) before the events of Long Winter. I'm also going back and forth on the idea of writing a considerable expansion of Jaywalking that would more or less double its length. Alternatively, I might write a short story about Jay and Emile. Or both. If I do rework Jaywalking, I'll make it available for free for a while so that none of you will have to buy the book twice!

What I'm reading

I've been withholding reading from myself as a way to have a reward when I finish a few writing projects, but I'm looking forward to The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles. I love this author dearly, and if for some reason you haven't read anything by her yet, I encourage you to start now. There are no weak links in her catalogue as far as I'm concerned, but I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for The Magpie Lord, so if you want a starting point, that's the one I'd recommend.

Chapter Sixteen of Undertow

Undertow looks like it's going to be about twenty-five chapters long, which means that we're in the home stretch. I'm definitely feeling the effects of that energy as I write; the last few chapters have come very easily. I love the feeling of a plot coming together--not to mention a romance--at the end of a story. What do you think of Undertow so far? I'd love to hear your (gentle) feedback if you want to reply to this email. <3 But first, find the new chapter as well as all the available chapters on this page of my website.