A new year, a wonderful travel insight

Travel broadens your perspective and opens your heart. It's almost like reading a novel - you step into a new world and by the end, you've learned about yourself, about others and hopefully, you're grown. Our recent trip to Cuba was no different. My family and I arrived on Christmas Day, not sure exactly what to expect. We'd visited the Carribean before, but never a place like this one with a grand past and a very hopeful future. Cuba is so much more than the fabulous 1950s American cars you ride in as you visit Havana. Start with Havana: it is historic, with an immense Spanish and European influence, like a street in any European city, just crumbling a bit. Music follows you everywhere in Havana and beyond and so does a bourgeoning sense of possibility. New restaurants - called paladars - are the most tangible, and gourmet, examples of the bubbling entrepreneurial spirit you feel everywhere. While people had warned us the food would be only rice and beans, we found the food in these family-run places to be fabulous. 

We had a chance to ride alongside the Cuban National Cycling team, exploring beautiful countryside filled with fields of tobacco and dotted with limestone mountains. (The painting below is by a local artist who lives in this majestic scenery.) My kids took a turn at bat at the world's oldest baseball stadium in the city of Matanzas, and surprised the Cuban team with a few impressive hits. We met farmers, tour guides, athletes, artists, musicians, shop owners, hotel clerks and chefs and without exception, they were welcoming to us Americans and hopeful relationships continue to thaw. I hope so, too.

I'll always remember the colors of Cuba and the people who live there. The chance to see a country stuck in time - but hoping for a bright future - is strangely apropos to the time we find ourselves in at the moment, this in-between president time. Like the Cubans, I will hope to be pleasantly surprised by 2017. 

On branding and going a little darker

The interesting thing about having a background in branding is that it's fairly easy for me to see other people's brands, and help them bring them to life. In fact, I wrote a whole book - REAL YOU INCORPORATED - about the process. But, just like the cobbler's children, when it came time for me to take a look at my brand, I froze. I mean, my stories have been "Sparkling with humor and heart" since 2011. I loved that tagline, and my happy Gerbera daisy, too. 

But, change can be good, too! I'm beyond excited for next September when my second domestic suspense novel, BEST DAY EVER, arrives in the world. I say second because it is. ALL THE DIFFERENCE was my first domestic suspense novel, but I've been forcing it under the "sparkling" branding all this time. (Sorry, ALL THE DIFFERENCE characters.)

But now, it's time for a change, a darker change. After consulting with my awesome agent, Katie, and my fabulous editor, Margo, I've figured out my shift and the stories I love to write. I am fascinated by what goes on behind closed doors in seemingly perfect lives. And truly, I've been writing about this all along: entitlement, narcissism, the push to overachievement, the destructive power of affluence and keeping up appearances. In HERE, HOME, HOPE, Kelly faces a midlife crisis and the novel also deals with eating disorders, adultery, suicide and ultimately, self empowerment. The young mother in IN THE MIRROR has her perfect life put on pause by a deadly disease. Themes include mental illness, the power of celebrity, divorce, adultery and attempted rape. As for THE GOODBYE YEAR, the question is about what it means to be a couple once your last child goes to college. Darker issues include divorce, bullying, drugs in school and the empty nest syndrome. The black widow in ALL THE DIFFERENCE is, obviously, a dark character. Even my short story, A MOTHER'S DAY, deals with one tragic event that changes the lives of three mothers forever. When I think about the story lines of my romance novels, of course there is darkness. How else can we appreciate the light, the happily ever after?

So, I guess, I've been sparkling and looking at the dark side of people all along. Suburban people, with strong women protagonists who overcome a lot to find real, true purpose. These places, these lives of luxury, can make you lose your anchor, your moral center. And that's where good stories begin.

BEST DAY EVER's arrival next year will signify an even darker shift, but hopefully, the light will sparkle through the story, too. My new tagline: Behind closed doors of seemingly perfect lives. My new imagery is a closed door. I like it. I hope you do, too.  

Gratitude

When Andrea Katz asked me if I’d write a gratitude post for Great Thoughts, Great Readers I was honored. Especially in these tumultuous times, it’s important to focus on what is right in the world, what blessings we can count with glee. So in that spirit, here’s a round up of sorts of what I am thankful for this year. Hopefully, some of these are things blessing your life, too.

• My family comes first. I’m blessed to have four amazing, creative, world-changing kids and a supportive, golf-obsessed husband who gave us a scare this summer with a health crisis. All’s good now, but it was a great reminder of the love that flows through our family, that we are a great team, and that good health is a blessing we too often take for granted.
• I’m thankful for the ability to realize success is a continuum of highs and lows, and to act accordingly. It might just be maturity, although I hope I’ve always possessed the grace to celebrate other’s triumphs, because I know other authors’ successes don’t diminish my own. And I’m thankful for the ability to celebrate with joy when the publishing stars do happen to line up. Because again, overnight success is a misnomer and perseverance is the key to the writing life.
• A renewed awakening of the women’s movement is an unexpected blessing this fall. Women’s rights are human rights. We’re galvanized as never before. I see it in my daughter’s eyes. The fire has been lit.
• I’m thankful for the support of friends in my life. Life would be empty without them. In particular this year, my friend (and yours) Andrea who read a manuscript I was excited about, but that my literary agent wouldn’t read. Her positive push forced me to beg my agent to read the book, and a deal with Graydon House for BEST DAY EVER ensued. Of course, a note of thanks to my literary agent. I’m grateful to Katie, who stayed awake all night once she agreed to read the book, and submitted the next day.
• Friends rock. And they are the foundation, to me, of blessings. Especially in hard times – empty nest, elections, you name it – I’d be lost without my girlfriends.
• What can I say? Without you, this career wouldn’t exist. Your positive feedback, your support on social media, and your kind critiques make this writing life grand.
• Writing THE GOODBYE YEAR helped me through my first empty nest year, and I’m so grateful for that. The publication of the novel in May provided me with the ability to focus on a book tour. An added blessing was focusing on the characters’ crazy messed up lives helped me talk less frequently to my dogs. I’m not saying I talk to my dogs during the day now that the four kids are off in the world. Well, maybe I am saying that. So I’m very thankful for my dogs, too. #emptynest
• As I write this I’m at Miraval, a spectacular spa in Tucson, Arizona. In front of me, the Santa Catalina Mountains rise up to the sky, cacti of all types cover the grounds and a fountain gurgles in the courtyard. The entire focus of the place is life in balance. I believe balance is something you swing through on the way to something else, but stepping into a world devoted to peace, reflection and personal growth is perhaps one of life’s biggest blessings. The gift of time and reflection is something we, as women, don’t give to ourselves. Especially during the busy holiday season, take some time for you. You are your own biggest blessing. Treasure yourself.
• I’m blessed to be a part of the amazing community of authors. It’s without a doubt the most incredible network of people I’ve had the opportunity to get to know ever. I’m astounded by your intelligence, creative insights, collaboration and support. Whether it’s the Tall Poppies, WFWA, or any number of social media groups I’m a part of, wow. It’s spectacular and I’m honored to consider you friends. Keep shining, even in the face of this new reality. We are stronger together, and we’ll prove it now more than ever.

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you count your blessings this holiday season and that you have a chance to celebrate with those you love. Life, my friends, is a miracle.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~ Albert Einstein.

Laguna Beach Kindle World, Second Wave!

I'm so excited to welcome another group of authors who are writing books set in beautiful Laguna Beach! Each of these stories share one thing in common: setting. They also will relate to the original Laguna Beach series so you'll find your favorite characters making new friends! If you're looking for a great beach read, well, look no further than below! Enjoy!

The Lovely Laguna Beach Kindle World!

If you're feeling stuck, head to nature

I just returned from a week in Yosemite National Park and if you haven't been, please put it on your bucket list. There really are few places on earth where reality exceeds your imagination - and this is one of those spots. Truly, it's hard to even express it in words.

     "At its best, the national park idea connects us to something larger than ourselves. To a gigantic living organism or the sweep of eons written in the sculptured granite of a beautiful valley."  ` Dayton Duncan

Remembering every minute counts

We've had a long summer at our house. I won't bore you with the details, but we've had a string of medical issues that have made me realize the blessing of good health. Sure, I have my issues - we all do - but when a near-death experience hits close to home, it gives you pause.

So this isn't a post about a new book or really anything book related. This is a post reminding you, if you are like me and forget sometimes, to cherish every day. Breathe deeply. Be thankful for the little things, and the big. Your heart. Your lungs. Your ability to read and to talk, to think and to love. These are the things we can take for granted, until we don't have them any longer. 

One of my son's best friends was in a catastrophic accident this spring, leaving him confined to a wheelchair (for now) but determined to make a full recovery. In a blink of an eye it happened. My sister-in-law's sister, a non-smoker, was recently diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. Lung cancer is underfunded because people think all lung cancers are caused by smoking. In fact, non-smokers lung cancer is the fastest growing cancer among women and it is a deadly, diabolical disease. My husband went in for scheduled surgery and contracted the fastest spreading hospital-born superbug, C Diff, and almost died. The wife of a friend, a mother of four, is killed by a distracted driver. 

These things and more weigh on your heart. The near-misses, and the direct hits. There are more sorrows to share, but I won't. We all have them. So feel that breath you take, just now, and treasure it. When life gets busy, try to remember it's a gift.

All of it.

Every minute of it.  

The Laguna Beach Kindle World is out today!

Welcome back to Laguna Beach and to Kaira Rouda's Laguna Beach Kindle World! Introducing TEN brand new stories set in my favorite beach town! Each of these books has been written by a wonderful author friend. You'll want to read each and every one of these stand-alone stories. I LOVE the BEACH, don't you? Here's a rundown of each story! Enjoy!!

Reckless in Laguna by Barbara Ankram

He was the gardener’s brilliant son. She was the rich girl who loved him. But when Nio Reyes mysteriously left Laguna Beach ten years ago without a word of goodbye, he broke Becca Howard’s heart.  

Now, with Becca’s once wealthy family in ruins, their money gone, the ever sexy Nio has returned on the eve of their old friends’ beach wedding to undo the damage he left behind. With secrets and family lies still standing in their way, Becca has quit believing in happily-ever-afters.  

But one reckless, long-overdue weekend just might change everything. 

Lucky in Laguna by Rachelle Ayala

Dog walker Tally Tallahan has tried out for every reality show on the planet, but she’s never made the cut. She visits a former client, Laguna Nights star Laura Kincaid, to ask her to pull some strings.

Lucky Lenigan is lucky in everything except love. The shy scriptwriter writes for reality shows, but he is tongue-tied when it comes to romance. He bumps into Tally when she’s buying a lottery ticket with his lucky numbers.

Tally recognizes Lucky as the genius behind a number of high profile reality shows, and gets close to him so she could land a role. When a bigshot actor’s eyes and hands land all over Tally, Lucky is torn between wanting success for her and keeping her for himself.

Will Lucky be more than Tally’s lucky break? Or will she abandon him for a slice of celebrity life?

Laguna Beach Series Tie-In: Laura Kincaid and Tucker from Laguna Lights and Scott Cassidy from Laguna Sights appear in Lucky in Laguna.

Last Night in Laguna by C. M. Albert

Bexley Rue’s gypsy soul has always chased after her heart’s next fleeting desire, until her sister Vaughn’s terminal illness brings Bex’s carefree lifestyle to a screeching halt. 

Kai Donovan has only ever craved stability and love over everything else. His trip to Laguna Beach suddenly has him throwing caution to the wind for the one woman who could capture and break his heart—all in one night. 

Knowing she’s leaving the next day for a cross-country move, Bexley’s only looking for fun on her last night in Laguna. Until she meets Kai, who sparks such an intense attraction it has Bexley questioning everything. When Bexley’s world is cracked wide open with surprises from the past and complications for her future, are Kai’s feelings enough to finally get Bexley to face her fears and allow true love in for the first time? Or will her gypsy heart win out and have her chasing shadows once again? 

A Treasure in Laguna by Heather Hiestand

Add a dose of treasure hunting danger, mix in the excitement of finding true love when you least expect it, and you have A Treasure in Laguna ...

Failed teen reality TV star Crowe Erickson comes to Laguna Beach looking for gold, redemption, and a new treasure hunting reality TV show. What he finds is another kind of treasure: Jenny Craft, the sexy television star who was his first crush. 

While intrigued by his hunt for gold, Jenny left Hollywood and its shallow people far behind and is now running a successful restaurant of her own. She wants nothing to do with a younger, fame-seeking man. One bad day in front of the cameras cost Crowe his first career. But he’s determined that this time it isn’t going to cost him the girl.

One Night in Laguna by Melissa Keir

Schoolteacher, Melanie Whitman’s dating life is in shambles when her boyfriend and former boss dumps her. Her best friend arranges for Master Draikoh San, matchmaker extraordinaire, to provide her with a night to remember.

Breakout star of the third season of the reality TV show Laguna Nights Cole Hayes was burned by the limelight and started a family. After a messy divorce and looking to move back into the dating scene, he agrees to a one-night stand.

Can Cole and Melanie create a relationship that will last a lifetime, or will their one-night stand crash in the waves of Laguna Beach?

Lost in Laguna by K. N. Lee

Isla wanted nothing more than to return home after a bitter break-up with her fiancé. With her parents disowning her, she has no one to turn to but her best friend in Laguna Beach. A fresh start is all she needs, and time to mend her broken heart. What she didn’t expect was to return at the same time as Garrett Thorn.

Not only was he her first love, but she and his family had thought he had died while on active duty in Afghanistan. His return sparks a passion she never thought could be rekindled. They both face inner demons and their own fears. While once lost and without hope—they find themselves…together. 

Weddings in Laguna by Cheryl Phipps

Zach Dorn may be related to reality star royalty, but his life has never been an open book. Seeking security after a tour in Iraq, he follows his brother to Laguna Beach where he opens a wedding cruise business. When Blaine Carter, the curvaceous wedding planner, enters his life, Zach soon realizes his feelings for her are challenging his decision to stay unattached, and the heart he’d believed frozen is fast thawing out.

Blaine’s been burnt by love. Badly. Losing her business – her pride and joy – has scarred her. Now sexy Captain Dorn, is asking her to take a chance, on business and pleasure, and she’s running scared. How can she forget the past when it resembles the future in almost every way?

Sleepless in Laguna by Suzanne Rock

Kaylee Sharpe has one more radio interview to do before she’ll be able to leave the crazy Hollywood lifestyle behind. Normally such interviews are easy, but this one is with her ex-boyfriend-turned-shock-jock Mateo Salinas. Sexy and persuasive, he seems sincere when he tells her he’s changed. More than anything she wants to believe him, but can someone who makes a living being wild adjust to the calm, quiet world she craves?

Mateo has always regretted what happened between him and Kaylee in college. Back then, he was a first-class jerk, but now he’s different. Unfortunately, Kaylee only sees the insane radio show host, a persona he had created for his audience. To win her back he knows he must reveal the side he keeps hidden from the world, but doing so might cost him the one thing he holds most dear: his radio show.

Sunset in Laguna by Melanie Shawn

The artist who's lost her inspiration...

Cheyenne Burns is stuck. There's no other word for it. She hasn't created a new piece in over a year, and it's putting her career (and her identity!) in serious jeopardy. No matter what she tries, she just can't seem to shake free of her baggage and create. Needing a change of scenery to jumpstart her inspiration, she takes a sabbatical in the gorgeous artists' enclave of Laguna Beach. When she meets her sexy landlord, though, she realizes she might just get more out of the trip than she bargained for.

The writer who's lost his mojo...

Griff Hudson has been "working on his novel" for almost a decade, but the truth is, he's finished more bottles of Jack Daniels at his writing desk than he has pages. Guilt over his past has stolen hisvoice, and he sometimes wonders if he'll ever get it back. It's not until Cheyenne walks through his front gate that he thinks he might have finally found his muse.

Can Cheyenne and Griff let go of their pasts long enough to embrace their future—together?

True Love in Laguna by Lacey Wolfe

William Springs is jobless and single, something that would usually get a guy down, but it seems to be opening doors he didn’t expect. Visiting Laguna Beach for his cousin’s wedding, William meets a woman, capturing his interest at first sight.

Harper Powell has kept to herself since dating a reality star and getting dumped publicly. When meeting William at the hotel she works at, she is instantly attracted to the visiting stranger. He’s only in town temporarily, so this might be her chance to have some fun without getting hurt again.

When it’s time for William to leave, he isn’t sure he can. After all, there is nothing at home waiting for him, but in Laguna Beach, there is and her name is Harper.

Aren't these gorgeous? And great summer reading, too! Enjoy!

Where did the month of May go?

The last time I checked in via my blog, it was Mother’s Day, the first weekend of May. And now, it’s June. Wow! I’d love to share some of the wonderful things that happened in May. It was a great month, and I hope it was for you, too!

May 3rd: The Goodbye Year launched. And then went into a second printing. That was fun! Thank you if you bought a copy. If you haven’t, of course it isn’t too late! And while you’re at it, enter this great summer giveaway! Kate Spade beach bag and hat, The Goodbye Year, and The Admissions, by my cover blurb friend, Meg Mitchell Moore! Good luck!

May 12th: The debut of The Goodbye Year Gimlet at the Laguna Beach Books event celebrating the book! So much fun with family and friends! (We’re doing it again in Columbus, Ohio, on June 8th, sans the gimlets at the Barnes & Noble Tremont Road. Please join us!)

May 17th: Well, that was my birthday. So yay me!!  This a photo of me with my two youngest sons and my husband! They brought me a bunch of my favorite flowers! So wonderful!

May 19th: The AudioBook for Laguna Nights launched, narrated by the lovely and talented Maureen Mrozek! Give it a listen if you’d like. I’m really proud of it! This is my first romance novel to be brought to life and right now, she’s working on Laguna Heights! If you’re an Audiobook fan you can also find Here, Home, Hope, All the Difference and In the Mirror as audiobooks. Just thought I’d let you know!

May 24th: My mom and my daughter share this birthday. Isn’t that cool? They’re both exceptional people and I love them  so much! My daughter is working hard on a movie in Hollywood, so we took the party to her, eating at her favorite restaurant: Crossroad Kitchen. Guess who else was there? Warren Beatty and Annette Bening. That was cool, but my daughter is cooler ;-).

My daughter

May 27th: My husband and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary. Talk about time flying! This is a photo of us at our wedding reception.

May 31st: THE BEST DAY EVER!! I can’t tell you everything yet, but I received an email from the publisher of my romance novels and The Trouble with Christmas is being considered for a TV movie! Can you believe that?? Yes, it’s a huge long shot, but it’s so fun to dream. Then another GREAT thing happened – still top secret. Next, book blogger Courtney with Bliss, Beauty and Books sent me a make-up bag of The Goodbye Year!! And then, my elementary school librarian, Mrs. Gardier, who is now 85, reached out to say she loves my books and is proud of me. Well, day made.

I can’t wait for June to unfold!! I hope you are having a great month so far!!

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Happy Mother's Day to All Moms

New moms, grandmoms, soon to be moms, and want to be moms! No matter the season, this day is for you! Enjoy!

I found this photo of my mom, standing next to me, looking into our future. So weird to think about all that is planned, all the dreams you have as a mom for your children. Looking together at what will unfold, with the only known constant being our forever connection of love.

To commemorate my own current stage of momdom, I wrote a piece that appeared in Redbook magazine describing what it’s like for a newly empty nesting mom. I hope you enjoy it.

What an Empty Nesting Mom Knows About Mother’s Day

When your kids are little, Mother’s Day is celebrated with a flourish. The teachers at school orchestrate heart-felt celebrations, making sure gifts and special poems and crafts arrive home from even the tiniest of preschoolers. Maybe, especially from those little ones: I think back to all of those little handprint crafts with such a warm heart.

One of my favorite things about the kids’ preschool was the Mother’s Day tea every year. The moms were invited to join their four-year-olds in class that day. We fashioned tea hats out of newspapers, ate special snacks cuddled next to our little people, and wiped away tears as they performed the Thank You Mom song.

Just remembering those days makes my eyes misty. I hope that if you’re a mom, you have had many similar memories like those to treasure. And if you’re still in the middle of the exhausting, wonderful, and magical time of toddlers and elementary school parenting, make sure you stop and appreciate the moments of Mother’s Day as they unfold: messy, creative, adorable and heart felt.

Because Mother’s Day changes as the kids grow older. As older elementary kids and middle school aged kids, they are still forced to acknowledge the day, whether by a teacher at school, another mom in the carpool, or a thoughtful spouse. At my home as the kids were growing up, I was lucky to have a husband who made sure I felt extra love from the four kids on Mother’s Day, even if it was just having them sign their names on a card. In high school, each Mother’s Day was greeted with varying degrees of effort and thought. One of my favorites was the time all four of my kids wrote a stanza of a poem and delivered it, rap-style, around the kitchen table. Priceless.

I’ve discovered, as with many things that empty nesting brings, Mother’s Day is different now. Sure I can console myself with the fact, thank goodness, that all four kids are happy, healthy and thriving. That’s the new form of a handprint – their happiness – but now I hold it in my heart instead of hanging it on the refrigerator.

Will the kids be home this first Sunday in May? Maybe, I’ll hope to see at least one, maybe two of them if I’m lucky. We’ll go to brunch, or walk on the beach, whatever they have time for. Because that’s what Mother’s Day truly becomes once your kids are grown: any day they have time to spend with you.

I’ll take a Mother’s Day any day of the week, any time of the day. Whether it’s a quick call from my daughter when she has a break during work, or a surprise visit by my college junior bringing his friends home for the weekend, that’s a special day. Do I want more time with the kids. Always. Being a mom, though, is a process of letting go from the time your baby is born. And so this, this empty nest stage is another step in the process. I know we love each other, even if they can’t be with me on Sunday. We’ll make up for it the next time we’re together, we’ll make it a Mother’s Day. Memories and moments are what matters now to make this mom’s day. I suppose that is what has mattered all along.

Kaira Rouda is the award-winning author of  “The Goodbye Year” who lives with her husband and four kids. Connect with her on Twitter, @KairaRouda, and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books. 

How writing helped me through the Goodbye Year

It has been my experience that my best novels are rooted in the most painful real life experiences. Saying goodbye as you child heads off to college is tough, especially the first and the last child.

Since I was young the way I would deal with emotions, particularly sadness, was to write about it. I was a committed daily diary writer, and even once I was an adult, one of my first bosses, noticing my chagrin over a business associate, advised me to write down my feelings. I already had that planned. Throughout my life I’ve turned to pen and paper, and then my computer to work through things. It’s what I do.

So I guess it’s no surprise that when faced with my youngest son’s senior year in high school last year, I had no choice but to plow my emotional angst into my latest novel, The Goodbye Year. While he was at school all day – a place he commonly referred to as prison – I was in my office, crafting my story.

The Goodbye Year is about several families dealing with their youngest or only children’s senior year in high school, and the changes that impending departure means for the couples left behind. I used rotating POVs, adults and kids, and for the high school seniors, my son’s insights were critical. And that provided a great reason to connect. I mean, compared to the drama of college applications, my novel and the deadline it imposed gave us another thing to bond over.

“Dylan, would your guy friends say _____.?” I’d ask as he arrived home from school.

“No. Never. Don’t even.”

“What would they say? Come up to my office, talk to me. Please?” I wasn’t below begging.

“You just want to talk to me. Your motives are transparent. I’m tired. School sucks.” His hands would be on his hips, dramatic.

“This is our last year together, our goodbye year.” My eyes filled with tears. That wasn’t purposeful, it just happened a lot.

“Fine.” He’d stomp up the steps behind me, and provide a treasure trove of insight along the way. But only briefly, because as anyone hangs around with a teenager knows, they have the attention span of a fly.

So, I’d write some more, until it was time to make dinner or connect in whatever way . And while I wrote, I was working through my emotions about the goodbye year and beyond. I’m not finished, of course. The goodbye year is over – and the book is about to be out in the world – but personally, that was just the start of empty nesting, a stage in life that I’ve just begun reluctantly.

Don’t get the impression The Goodbye Year, the novel, is about me and Dylan. It’s about a mom named Melanie and Dane, her son, as well as four other families going through the same hard year. Is there a piece of me in Melanie? Absolutely, the most painful real life experiences make for the best novels. Is part of Dylan captured in Dane? I hope so, because that’s what makes being a novelist so much fun. A hint at real life, a flash of an experience changed and magnified, molded and mixed.

Hopefully, for a reader, it’s an entertaining look at an emotional time in a parent’s life, something everyone who’s gone through it can relate to, and many who are approaching it are dreading. Maybe this fictional romp will help ease the pain. If nothing else, it’s pure entertainment. Grown ups behaving badly. Seniors in high school trying to imagine their futures, trying to leave their last mark, trying to escape.

For me, writing The Goodbye Year during my goodbye year was a comfort, a way to express the emotions swirling around inside of me and to capture them, fictively, for all time. Now, in my too-quiet empty nest, I’m thankful to be on this path as a novelist. I published my first novel in 2011 after a long career in business, marketing and journalism, and an emotional life-change following selling our business and a move across the country. It’s been a blessing to be able to create, to do what I love, as the milestones of life roll by, especially perhaps now with the silence surrounding our home these days.

The good news is it’s almost summertime. With two of my four still in college, I expect chaos to descend at the end of the semester. And I really can’t wait.

*Originally posted in Women Writers, Women’s Books

When the Original Real Housewife Loves Your Novel

Today was the pub day for THE GOODBYE YEAR!! It has been a great day, filled with warm wishes from family, friends and readers; from authors and book bloggers; and at the end of the day, from an original cast member of The Real Housewives of New York! Jill Zarin posted a photo reading THE GOODBYE YEAR while sitting in a window cuddling her dog, Ginger. It was so fun to see that pop up in my feed!
I hope you had a great Tuesday, too. And, if you feel like curling up on a window seat with a good read, why not follow Jill Zarin’s lead and pick up a copy of THE GOODBYE YEAR! (Here’s a link to the post!)

The Goodbye Year Pub Day is TODAY!!

Hello everybody! Happy May! It has been two years since my last women’s fiction novel, In the Mirror, came out and I’m so excited to present THE GOODBYE YEAR! This story, as with all of my women’s fiction novels, is close to my heart and sparked by my own experiences with my youngest leaving for college. (#emptynestday232) Here’s a piece I wrote for Woman’s Day on the subject, in case you’re interested. (sigh) Empty nesting: I survived my youngest child’s last year of high school. Now What? http://www.womansday.com/relationships/family-friends/a54482/empty-nesters/ As for the fictional version ☺, THE GOODBYE YEAR is the story of Melanie, a perfectionist mom who views the approaching end of parenting as a type of death, can’t believe she has only one more year to live vicariously through her slacker senior son, Dane. Gorgeous mom Sarah has just begun to realize that her only daughter, Ashley, has been serving as a stand-in for her traveling husband, and the thought of her daughter leaving for college is cracking the carefully cultivated façade of her life. Will and his wife are fine―as long as he follows the instructions on the family calendar and is sure to keep secret his whole other life with Lauren, the woman he turns to for fun (and who also happens to have a daughter in the senior class). Told from the points of view of both the parents and the kids, The Goodbye Year explores high school peer pressure, what it’s like for young people to face the unknown of life after high school, and how a transition that should be the beginning of a couple’s second act together―empty nesting―might possibly be the end. Thanks so much to those of you who have downloaded and/or preordered the book already! I hope you enjoy it! And if you do, please write a review! They mean so much! Keep reading and you’ll find a special excerpt from THE GOODBYE YEAR! Here are the links so you can grab a copy for yourself: Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |  iBooks  |  GooglePlay Huge favor! Could you follow me on Amazon and BookBub! It really helps discoverability! Thanks!! I REALLY hope you enjoy the book as much as I did writing it!!

The Goodbye Year Goodreads Giveaway ends soon!

I'm beyond excited for May 3rd, the day The Goodbye Year arrives in the world and in a bookstore near you! If you'd like a chance to win a copy before it's officially released, please hop over to Goodreads and enter the giveaway! My publisher is offering 10 print copies! Good luck!

Laguna Sights, contemporary romance novel, out today!!

I'm so excited to share Scott and Jamie's story of happy ever after in Laguna Sights, Laguna Beach Book 4! This is a stand-alone novel and here's the scoop: Once you're a star, can you trust other people’s intentions? 

Scott Cassidy has lived a blessed life. Growing up in Laguna Beach with a loving family, he was discovered in high school when he appeared on the popular reality TV show, Laguna Nights. Now cast as a doctor on the number one soap opera, his star keeps rising. Finally free from his long-term girlfriend, Scott isn’t looking for love, but when a popular dating app matches him with Jamie Kane, he can’t deny the sparks. But is she really everything she seems?

Jamie Kane isn’t lucky in love or life. Her childhood was tumultuous with a single mom who moved to Hollywood for fame but ended up waiting tables in Malibu. Certainly not one of the spoiled kids she went to high school and college with, Jamie has worked hard to achieve her dreams of being an actress, even as she begins to realize it’s not her calling. Jamie believes Scott may be the answer to everything unless a past mistake makes him doubt their future together.

Is the price of fame the chance at true love?

As with all the books in the Laguna Beach series, Laguna Sights can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story. But if you'd like to jump into the series at the beginning, Laguna Nights is FREE for a limited time only!

Grab a your copy at any of these retailers! And if you enjoy the story, a positive review means the world to us authors! Thank you!! Happy reading!

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/LagSightsAMZ iBooks: http://smarturl.it/LagSightsiB B&N: http://smarturl.it/LagSightsBN Kobo:http://smarturl.it/LagSightsKb Google Play: http://smarturl.it/LagSightsGP

Laguna Sights Chapter Reveal! Preview of book out March 29

LAGUNA SIGHTS Synopsis:

Is the price of fame the chance at true love?

Scott Cassidy has lived a blessed life. Growing up in Laguna Beach with a loving family, he was discovered in high school when he appeared on the popular reality TV show, Laguna Nights. Now cast as a doctor on the number one soap opera, his star keeps rising. Finally free from his long-term girlfriend, Scott isn’t looking for love, but when a popular dating app matches him with Jamie Kane, he can’t deny the sparks. But is she really everything she seems?

Jamie Kane isn’t lucky in love or life. Her childhood was tumultuous with a single mom who moved to Hollywood for fame but ended up waiting tables in Malibu. Certainly not one of the spoiled kids she went to high school and college with, Jamie has worked hard to achieve her dreams of being an actress, even as she begins to realize it’s not her calling. Jamie believes Scott may be the answer to everything unless a past mistake makes him doubt their future together.

Once you become a star, can you trust other people’s intentions?

PRE-ORDER IT NOW

Amazon

Chapter One

Scott Cassidy

Scott Cassidy made record time on his drive from Los Angeles to Laguna Beach. He sat in his black Prius at the end of the long driveway that led to his former girlfriend’s childhood home in Three Arch Bay, an exclusive gated community. He was early, so he rolled down his window and took a deep breath of the salt-infused air. It smelled, as always, like his hometown: warm, breezy and salty. To him, Laguna Beach was safe and beautiful, where nothing bad ever happened, except the occasional lack of a good swell to surf. He knew it probably would be the last time he’d be here, at this house, so he’d decided to take a couple of moments and breathe. A few moments to reflect on all of the time he’d spent here in Laura’s family home. He was certain Laura would be mad that he was here, but she hadn’t told him not to come. Maybe they both needed closure. Mrs. Kinkaid had unwittingly provided that opportunity in her quest to bring them back together. It was time to face them both. He drove his car down the long winding driveway, arriving at the impressive California contemporary style home Laura’s dad had designed and had built on the highest lot in the community. He stepped out of the car and felt as he always did when he arrived at the Kinkaid’s home: The feeling of being at the top of the world. He walked up the front walk and rang the doorbell. The door swung open revealing Laura’s mom, Marge Kinkaid, dressed in her typical golf attire: a bright pink golf shirt and gray golf skirt. “Scott, so wonderful to see you! Congratulations on being the new Dr. Drake! I watch Days and Nights every day, and you’re doing a great job,” Mrs. Kinkaid wrapped him in a tight hug. He could smell bacon cooking in the kitchen. His stomach growled. “You’re like a dream, son. Your parents must be thrilled.” “Yes, they’re certainly glad, although they hope I’ll keep the travel agency going.” “Where are my manners? Come in, Come in.” Scott followed her inside the home that was like a second home for him. Spectacular views of the Laguna Beach coastline spread out in front of him visible through the floor to ceiling windows. Just outside the windows was the hot tub made famous on the TV show Laguna Nights. He and Laura had a lot of off-camera fun in that hot tub, too, he remembered with a smile. “Laura’s running a bit late. She had a meeting in town.” Laura’s mom seemed nervous, embarrassed even. He suddenly wondered whether Laura knew he had been invited here. “Coffee?” Mrs. Kinkaid asked. “Black, right?” “Yes, thank you.” He pulled out his favorite chair from the kitchen table and sat down as Mrs. Kinkaid placed a cup of coffee in front of him. “So, Scott, is there a possibility that you and Laura will get back together? You always do.” She took the seat across from his. He now knew why he was here. He needed to dash her hopes now. “No, Mrs. Kinkaid, Laura and I are better off being friends. That’s how we started, and it’s what we are now.” He took a big drink of his coffee and grimaced as the hot coffee burned his tongue. Mrs. Kinkaid drummed her long, pink, polished fingernails on the kitchen table. Then, she stood up and walked to the oven. “I hope you’re in the mood for an omelet. I made your favorite ham and cheese. With bacon, of course.” She placed the plate in front of him and pulled off the aluminum foil. It was as though she had ignored everything he’d just said. “Aren’t you joining me?” Suddenly he was weirded out to be sitting at his ex-girlfriend’s mom’s kitchen table eating brunch alone. Where was Mr. Kinkaid? Where was Laura? “I’m not hungry. Please, start eating. Don’t let it get cold.” The only sound in the room was Marge’s long fingernails drumming on the table. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. As he hurried to finish his meal, Scott decided Laura was right. Her mom was crazy. He made a mental note to tell Laura that, by text, as soon as he could get out of here. “Oh, I hear a car in the driveway. That must be Laura. I’ll be right back,” she said and hurried out of the room like a frightened deer. Scott sensed Laura’s presence before he saw her. She walked into the kitchen, her blonde hair swirling around her shoulders, and froze in the doorway. It was evident she had no idea he was coming to brunch. “Hey Laura,” Scott said. Standing up awkwardly, he wondered if he should walk over to her and give her a hug, or stay put. Scott looked at Mrs. Kinkaid who nodded at him, shooting her eyes in Laura’s direction. Scott crossed the room and gave Laura a quick squeeze around the shoulders. A side hug. A friend hug. “So good to see you, Laura.” Laura laughed. “No it isn’t. Why are you here?” Scott looked at Mrs. Kinkaid. Mrs. Kinkaid looked at Laura with the odd smirk. “I asked him to come down for brunch. He has been part of the family for so long. I miss him.” Oh, shoot. Scott knew for sure Laura had been ambushed. He felt terrible. “Well, sorry you made the trip. I was on a date. Did Mom tell you that?” Laura asked. Her blue eyes flashed at him. He knew that look. She was angry. Very angry. At least she’d been on a date. That was good news. She was moving on, as he was trying to, or at least acting like it. “She mentioned you had business.” He smiled. “I’m happy for you, though. Good for you. I’m glad you’re moving on. I was just telling your mom that we’re both better off as friends.” “Yeah, well, at least I waited to move on until after our relationship was over,” she said. “How’s Tinder Jamie?” Scott felt his face flush all the way to the top of his head, which he knew from too many embarrassing experiences would be shiny and red, too. Baldness had its downsides. “Jamie’s great, and so is the new show. I love the cast and crew and there are even some new sets to go along with the new Dr. Drake. It’s all really great.” Laura glared at him, hands on her hips. This wasn’t his fault. It was her mom’s. He hoped she’d realize that. Scott wished he’d never agreed to come down here. It was awkward that Mrs. Kinkaid was standing between them, as if the force of her desires could pull them back together. “Good. Great. Well, as I told Mom, I’m selling the house. It should be listed by tomorrow afternoon. I think you got all of your stuff, but if not, please go get it by tomorrow.” Turning to her mother, she added, “Anything else, Mom?” “Look, you two have been together for so long. I know you can work things out.” Mrs. Kinkaid’s eyes were huge, her mouth turned down. She looked like she could cry. Scott needed to get out of here. “We don’t want to work things out, Mother! It’s over,” Laura said. She locked eyes with Scott and finally, he could see they both were ready to move on. He smiled. “Laura’s right, Mrs. Kinkaid. We care for each other but we’re not meant to be together. Someday, I think maybe we’ll be friends again.” Scott grabbed his keys and his phone off the kitchen table and with a quick peck on Laura’s cheek, and a quick hug and a smile for her mother, he threw out a parting shot before he scooted out the door. “Thanks for brunch, Mrs. Kinkaid. I’ve got to get back to LA.” Scott hurried past Mrs. Kinkaid, who seemed frozen in shock, and out the front door. He sensed Laura following behind him. He reached the side of his Prius and turned around. He had spent ten years with this woman. He cared about her. He always would. “Laura, I wish you nothing but the best. We had a great run together.” He slipped his sunglasses on. He didn’t want her to see his eyes misting over. He swallowed a lump in his throat. I’m a sap. Laura kicked at some loose gravel on the driveway. Then she looked up at him with a smile. “We did.” Scott felt relief wash over him. This was a much better goodbye than their last date in Los Angeles. At least Mrs. Kinkaid had enabled that. He stood silently as Laura turned around and walked inside her house, closing the door behind her. He opened the car door and slipped behind the wheel. This was what closure felt like. This was what freedom felt like. He liked it. Very much. After ten years of stops and starts, of living together and working together in two different reality TV shows, their love story was over. “Stick a fork in it. We’re done,” Scott said out loud, rubbing his hand over his bald head, an annoying habit he had developed about the time all of his hair started jumping off his head. Premature baldness. Nothing could be done about it, he’d been told by the doctor. The casting director on the soap opera said it made him look older and distinguished. Perfect to play Dr. Drake. Scott smiled at the memory. His baldness had actually gotten him the role. Who would have guessed? The thing was, even though Laura had decided he was a self-centered, non-trustworthy boyfriend, he knew he still was a good guy. Laura’s parents thought so, too, obviously. Her mom had invited him to brunch on this fine Sunday hoping to talk some sense into her daughter. On the phone, Scott had told Mrs. Kinkaid they were over. He’d moved out after their final disaster of a dinner date in LA when Laura had caught him on the dating app. Despite that, Mrs. Kinkaid had insisted. Plus, he needed a proper goodbye with Laura. He had been a jerk, he knew that, but he also was sick of being treated like he was a child. Laura was too dominant, too controlling, and he had finally rebelled. She treated her dog Tucker with more love and respect than she had Scott the past few years. He’d only recently started to see how stifled he was, and how depressed he’d been. The fog started to clear when he got the callback for the soap opera role. They’d been drifting apart ever since her reality TV show, Hollywood Nights, had been cancelled. Their relationship had been strong when they were celebrities, had been since they’d starred together in high school in Laguna Nights. When they were equals. Without the bright lights and the common show, she was a hollow shell of a person: unreachable, unfriendly and mean. Scott knew they were finished. That’s why he’d broken up with her. Not because of any real connection on Tinder. He barely knew Jamie Kane. Scott had a full life. His travel agency, an offshoot of his parents’ successful Laguna Beach agency, was booming. Now that he’d secured the role of Dr. Drake on the long-running Days and Nights soap, he also was a working actor. Laura had Tucker, her dog. That was about it. She took out her frustrations on Scott, and he knew it. He’d tolerated it for as long as he could, because he’d loved her, but he just couldn’t take it anymore. When he landed the gig on the soap opera, it had been the final straw. As she struggled to find her way as an actress, the call from his agent that he was cast as Dr. Drake had been the end of them. She’d barely covered her jealousy as her face flushed and her eyes filling with tears as he told her the news. She couldn’t help it, Scott knew. Laura had been accustomed to having the brightest star in their relationship. He shook his head at the painful memory. It was time to drive back to LA, but he couldn’t leave Laguna without stopping in to see his parents. He drove out of the driveway of Laura Kinkaid’s parents’ home for the last time and headed down the hill to Coast Highway. As always, it was a beautiful day, the sun sparkling on the ocean in front of him. Scott headed north, winding his way along the highway that connected his hometown. At Bluebird Canyon, he turned right. He decided to surprise his parents and knew they’d be home on this sunny Saturday afternoon, enjoying their day off from the travel agency. Driving into the canyon solidified the feeling of being home. Scott pulled over next to Bluebird Park nestled in the hills of the canyon. He’d spent hours playing here as a child. Later, in his teen years—when he wasn’t shooting Laguna Nights—he could be found here, with various girlfriends or partying with friends during concerts. It seemed like every sight, almost every place in Laguna Beach, held a memory for him. Even though the memories were positive, mostly happy, he suddenly felt stifled. Laguna’s sights, while beautiful, were too constricting. He took one more look around and drove up the steep canyon road to his parents’ home. He parked in the driveway, and then looked up at his childhood home, perched along the side of a cliff, its contemporary lines perfect for the rugged setting. He jogged up the two flights of stairs that led to the front door and pulled open the all-glass door. “Mom? Dad?” Once inside he had another set of stairs to climb. Scott huffed and puffed his way to the top, having little doubt why his folks were in such great shape. He reached the top step and entered the open family room and kitchen. “Scottie!” his mom, Sheila, said, hurrying from the kitchen to give him a big hug. “What a wonderful surprise!” His mom seemed even tinier than usual as she stood smiling at him, her dark eyes shining with happiness. She was a full head shorter than he was, the top of her head barely reaching his shoulder. He loved her with his whole heart. He loved that no matter what, she had always believed in him and his dreams. She’d never tried to force her dreams onto him, like Mrs. Kinkaid had done to Laura. “Great to see you, Mom.” “Are you hungry? What are you doing in town? Are you spending the night?” His mom’s shotgun questions showed him just how excited she was to see him. He knew it had been too long since he’d been back, but he’d been wrapped up in his life in Los Angeles. He resolved then and there to make sure he came back more often. “No, I was just here for a quick chat with Laura.” Scott followed his mom back to the kitchen where they each pulled out a barstool and sat down. His mom placed her hand on his. “How did that go, honey?” “Great, actually. I think we finally have some closure. It felt good,” he said. “I can finally move on.” “Yes, it’s time. You’ve got your new job and your successful travel agency. You have so much going for you right now. We’re so proud of you,” Sheila said. “What about Jamie Kane? That young woman you were photographed with?” Scott felt himself blush. He hadn’t realized the reach of that particular entertainment reporter’s story, or that his mother read the entertainment magazines at all. So much of what was in the tabloids was conjecture or outright fabrications. He’d told his parents long ago not to believe anything they read in those magazines, but he apparently needed to remind them again. “Jamie, well she’s gorgeous, that’s for sure. We had a lot of fun together.” “And?” Sheila said. She’d walked around the kitchen island and pulled out the stool next to him, sitting down. “We’ll see, Mom. She seems like she’s a happy, normal person. It’s a great feeling to be with someone who isn’t jealous and well, we’ll see,” he said. “Did you really meet through one of those dating apps?” she asked, a twinkle in her eye. “We really did, Mom.” He knew his mom was old school. A dating app match just wasn’t in her realm of understanding. For that matter, it was the first time he’d used the app to actually hook up with someone, he’d been with Laura so long. “Well, I’m glad you’re having fun, honey. Nobody says you need to be serious with anyone after such a long relationship with Laura. Take it slowly. Focus on yourself for a little bit,” Sheila said. “A brunette is different for you.” Scott smiled. His mom and Marge Kinkaid couldn’t be more opposite. Sheila only wanted what was best for him while Laura’s mom only wanted to live through her daughter. “Jamie is very different than Laura. We’ll see what happens,” he said. “I need to head back to LA. Tell Dad hello for me. I’ll be home again as soon as I can.” “I’ll be here, honey,” Sheila said, her eyes misting over as usual whenever he visited and then left town again. “Hurry home, and bring your new girlfriend?” Scott smiled. Would Jamie ever meet his parents? What was next for the two of them?

PURCHASE THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES

Laguna Nights (Laguna Beach, #1)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | Kobo | iBooks

Laguna Heights (Laguna Beach, #2)

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Laguna Lights (Laguna Beach, #3)

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Read City of Love on a $200 Kindle Fire HD! Enter to win below!

Enter to WIN A $200 KINDLE FIRE HD in the The Remington’s Kindle World giveaway!

What is Melissa Foster ‘s – The Remington’s Kindle World? It’s a Kindle World launch of 18 all-new, never published before romances spinning off from New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster's The Remington's series,  including City of Love by yours truly!

Books launching today include:

Blush of Love – Rachelle Ayala City of Love – Kaira Rouda Cooking up Love – Stacey Wallace Could This Be Love – Kathy Ivan Crazy Love – Calinda Be Faith in Love – C.M. Albert Give In To Love – Natasha Brown Harvesting Love – Christine Cunningham Love by the Ganges – Pavarti K. Tyler Love in the City – Zoe York Love on Fire – Margaret Taylor Love on the Wind – P.C. Zick Nailed by Love – Kelly Collins Pitching for Love – Amy Manemann Race of Love – Melissa McClone Recipe for Love – Jamie Lee Scott Revived by Love – Stacy Eaton Some Kind of Love – Magan Vernon Tracks to Love – Abbie St. Claire

Ready to win? GOOD LUCK!

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GOOD LUCK!!

City of Love, contemporary romance novel, out now!

I'm so excited to share that City of Love, part of Melissa Foster's Remington's Kindle World, is out now for your Kindle (Amazon only!).  The book is a part of a big release, sixteen stories all tied together. Kindle Worlds are such a fun escape for me as a writer because I have a chance to create  characters who get to have fun and romance in the city of New York, a completely different setting than my beach-based stories. It's also great to work in conjunction with all of these talented authors to grow a great world. I hope you'll give City of Love, and all these wonderful stories a read!  

                  

More about City of Love:

Her heart is empty in the new life she’s living.

Charlotte Taylor knows she’s gorgeous. She’s been told that all her life. Since she was a child, her mom, a former model and Miss Georgia, has been grooming her for a professional modeling career and tomorrow, she’ll sign with the top agency in New York City. It should be a dream come true.

Alone, and unhappy, she doesn’t know where to turn.

Hale Scott works long hours as a chef at the hottest restaurant in Manhattan. It should be his dream job, serving hip food to the coolest crowd in the city. The only problem is his boss. The highlight of his evening is the gorgeous woman he keeps making eye contact with, sitting at the table closest to the kitchen. She looks sad and lonely and he hopes she’s still there when the dinner rush subsides.

Charlotte and Hale find an instant connection but a relationship is the last thing Charlotte needs and the only thing Hale wants. Can they find a way to stay together in the overwhelming city, or can they find their own city of love?

Cameos by: Siena Remington from Melissa Foster’s Flames of Love  Olivia Larson from Kaira Rouda's The Remington's Spotlight on Love

More about Spotlight on Love:

Since childhood, Olivia Larson has dreamed of becoming a top fashion model. Recruited by an elite New York agency, she’s about to board a private plane to fly to the Big Apple. As a promise to her dedicated mom, she’s focused on her career, and nothing else, but that determination is challenged when a sexy and secretive celebrity arrives for the same flight.

Bad boy pop star Reed Ralston has been famous since he was a tween, pushed into the spotlight by an overbearing stage mom and appearing on a popular kids’ TV show as a singer/songwriter. Against the odds, and with dark secrets from a troubled childhood hidden from the press, Reed has transitioned into a successful adult star with a carefully manufactured image designed to keep him on top of the charts and in the pop-culture media.

Sometimes opposites attract immediately, as Reed and Olivia discover during their spark-filled, hour-long flight to New York. But what happens when their attraction is exposed to the harsh spotlight of fame will make all the difference in this stand alone romance.

Cameo by: Siena Remington from Melissa Foster's Flames of Love

As always, have a great day and happy reading!

xo

Kaira

Redbook magazine names The Goodbye Year one of the best books of spring!

Here's how Redbook magazine described The Goodbye Year in its list of the 20 best books you absolutely must read this spring!

The Goodbye Year, by Kaira Rouda 

Will, Melanie and Sarah are all parents in three separate families grappling with the same issue: their children are graduating high school and soon will be off to college, leaving them with empty houses and no buffer to distract them from their domestic and personal problems. Told from the perspectives of both the parents and the kids, the novel covers how the uncertainty involved with children leaving home for the first time affects family as a whole.

Why we're looking forward to it: The family dramas and dynamics are things that we can all relate to while experiencing them in new ways through the characters.

Thank you, Redbook magazine! Here's the entire list! 20 Best Books to Read This Spring!

Happy reading!

So excited! THE GOODBYE YEAR made the list!!

The Goodbye Year made the list! What list you wonder? Well, the SheKnows media list of "10 Spring Book Releases by Women We Can't Wait to Read" list!

The Goodbye Year is in GREAT company and I can't wait to read all the rest of the books on the list! So, thank you SheKnows and thank you to everybody who has pre-ordered The Goodbye Year, coming out May 3rd! If you haven't reserved your copy yet, print or digital, you are just one click away!

In other exciting news, THE GOODBYE YEAR has been receiving amazing reviews from early readers, including bestselling authors like Kate Hilton! Here is what she thought!

"The Goodbye Year is a book about the profound transition that takes place in families as children prepare to graduate from high school and begin independent lives.  Told from varying perspectives – husbands, wives, sons, and daughters – The Goodbye Year offers a fascinating glimpse behind the façade of perfection in small, well-heeled community where image is everything.  As college acceptances roll in, or don’t, and marriages evolve, or don’t, parents and children alike struggle to write a future for themselves that may not be the one they planned.  A compassionate, wise, and suspenseful tale about the end of one life stage and the beginning of another."

– Kate Hilton, International Bestselling Author of HOLE IN THE MIDDLE

(If you haven't read Kate's book, Hole in the Middle, you should by the way!)

I can't wait until The Goodbye Year is out in the world! I hope you'll add it to your TBR shelf on Goodreads, too!

In other book world news, I finally have a new headshot. Why is that process so nerve-wracking, I just don't get it? But my photographer Kristin and her partner Deseree of Blue Sky's Studio in Laguna Beach made the experience fun, and I think the photo turned out as good as it, could given the subject!

Have a wonderful day!

xo

Kaira