Today I am so happy to welcome back one of my favorite authors and people to the blog, Leona Bushman! She has a new paranormal/historical romance out that I am excited to read! Out now! You can grab your copy here: mybook.to/DarynsSlayer and read one for a little more about this release!

​A slayer and a vampire pair up and turn the supernatural world inside out. 

Daryn falls instantly in love with Ernestine the moment he meets her, despite her calling as a slayer. She inspires true feelings he’d thought lost to him after centuries on the run from a cruel and vindictive coven leader, Cassandra. 

Ernestine, a werewolf without the ability to shift, can’t deny the desire he inspires, even though her life’s work, her every breath, focused on ridding the world of the evil vampires. Together, their powers change into something new, and their mating becomes a beacon to all the supernatural beings in the area. 

Can the fight their way out, or is their union doomed from the start?

 How is it already Valentine's Day? It seems like it was just the first of the year! I just wanted to take a moment to wish each and everyone of you a Happy Valentine's Day! Whether you are in a relationship or not, I hope that you either spoil yourself or that someone special spoils you today! I had some fun doing a couple little Valentine's paintings for my nieces this past week! I hope that you spread some love today whether it's the romantic kind or not! There are so many kinds of love in the world!

Today I want to welcome one awesome author and supportive friend, Torie James! She has a steamy new release out tomorrow and I wanted to take a moment to share it with you! Just in time to spice up your Valentine's Day!

Book One: We Wear The Mask 
In a sea of burning glances, sensual disguise hides more than a lovely face and vulnerable heart. Step onto a stage of madness where seething shadows breed deadly lies and the discovery of what lies beneath unleashes a storm of merciless passion. 

Book Two: Crowning Glory 
When a cheating, shameless beauty bends men to the will of her own greedy hunger, the lust of her ever growing appetite proves to be the thorn on which they’re hung. The path to paradise leads down a ruthless road of betrayal and a loving husband’s broken heart and public pride hammer the lesson home. 

Book Three: You Never Forget Your First 
A brilliant scientist and her adoring husband recall their tender beginnings on the evening that will change the world and their lives forever. But even as joyous wonder unfolds to introduce the next stage in human technology, a chance decision will prove that the echoes of uncommon love last longer than any earthly affection.  

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MW913T3
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/mlYKqW

I had a bit of a rough start to 2019, with illness stopping me from exercising as much as I would have liked. But this is a new month and a new year being alive since I recently celebrated my birthday and I am back on track to getting in shape! I have moved on from some small one mile workouts that I could do in January and am now getting in two mile workouts, some with HIIT involved even! Next up I want to add some three mile workouts in and then get back to doing more yoga. I have been using the Walk at Home app from Leslie  Sansone for my workouts for ease and so I have a variety workouts anytime that I have to sneak in some exercise. With my health I have good days and bad days, but I am starting to get some consistency with my workouts and that is giving me a few more good days I think. Hopefully I see some pounds start to drop off soon, but being healthy really is more important than losing weight to me at this point in my life. And I am still cooking more at home and I feel that is only improving my health as well. I think that taking better care of myself is even helping my art and writing!

As the second month of 2019 gets underway, I am getting pretty focused on my writing and art. I have already written several short stories and am going to keep looking out for some more submission calls, but now it is time to focus on longer pieces. And most of those pieces are going to be in the fantasy genre! I actually just sent a short fantasy novella off to my editor and have a cover artist working on the cover as we speak, so I am hoping to have it out by March! I am now working on outlining a four book fantasy series that I am so excited to get out in the world! These will be novels and might be the biggest undertaking that I have ever had as an author. I am also working on the sequel to my romantic fantasy Quest for Redemption, Quest for Self! So I am going to be writing a lot about elves, dragons and more the rest of the year!

With my writing life centered around fantasy for the year, it got me thinking that maybe I can bring my art into that realm as well. So the rest of the year I think that most of my art is also going to focus on dragons, elves and fantasy. I might even combine both the writing and art for a fantasy based solo art show next year! I'm going to be pretty busy the rest of the year!

As tomorrow is my 41st birthday, it's the time of the year that I like to look back and look forward on my life at the same time. The start to 2019 has been a bit rough for me on the health front, so that is something that I have been thinking a lot about as I age. I have been eating much better of late simply by making sure to cook more at home and I am getting exercise in as my body allows and those are the things that I am still going to focus on. I believe that I can help my health and so I am really going to focus on that this next year of my existence. 

I am of course taking stock of my writing career as well. I have accomplished a lot as an author this far, I am published and that is more than many people ever get. Now I want to keep pushing myself and learning and growing as an author. This year I am pushing into some new genres. The main one you will be seeing if fantasy, I have several fantasy projects in the works. I am also going to keep writing horror short stories. I am proud to say that I have had 4 short stories already accepted this year when my goal was to have 6 for the whole year, so I think that I will several on the way in 2019! I want to also perhaps submit to one of the major publishing houses this year and see about maybe getting an agent so that I then can focus more time on writing.

And as always, I am going to focus on my work/life balance. I am getting there, I really am. The day job situation is great. I am getting writing done and still have time for reading and more. I am making more art. I am spending quality time with my friends and family. I know that I can be more productive but I am doing the best I can at the moment and that is all that I can ask of myself.

So these are just some of the musings I am having the eve before my birthday. I will be offline tomorrow as I am celebrating with my spouse and family. See you all later!

As I spent some time after Christmas re-reading the Harry Potter series, I am just getting back to posting some book reviews!

Leona Bushman is one of my favorite indie authors and Highland Magic is Leona at her best.  This books takes you back to historical Scotland, setting a rich backdrop for magic and romance to take place. You get thrown right into the action and it keeps going until the very end in this fantasy novella. A feisty heroine and a handsome and strong hero show us just how magical love can be in this start of what I hope is a very long series. I certainly can't wait for the second book as there are answers that I am waiting for. I give this 5/5 stars and am eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Link:   mybook.to/HighlandMagic

An evil darkness forces Mykel Campbell to reveal his magical powers.

Mykel leaves his beloved Highlands in search of a wife. He has two requirements: loyalty and comeliness. Lyall has plenty of both and more. She possesses a spirit of adventure he found appealing. His attraction to her could nae be denied. Verily, his good fortune is complete. Until the darkness strikes Lyall's village. An evil which takes magic to defeat.

Lyall resolves never to marry. She could nae imagine finding anyone who would accept her magical abilities, much less her strong skills for reading and numbers. Then Mykel Campbell visits their village, and her heart is no longer hers, her body like a foreign land. He came in search of a wife. Could she dare hope?

Then an evil shadow full of creatures of her nightmares encompasses the land, and her family is in peril. Mykel swears his sword and magic to protecting them. Would the two of them survive to have the love of a lifetime? Or would evil triumph?

 I am so happy that my first art show of the year is taking place this Saturday at the OT Circus Gallery Open House! I will have two brand new pieces there and there will also be tons of other artists there showing their work! As this is an open house, we will only be showing between 4:00-6:00 pm this Saturday the 26th! Both of my pieces will be on sale for only $20 each.
OT Circus Gallery is located at 709 Central Ave NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102.
You can get more info over on the Facebook event page: ​www.facebook.com/events/2333382293558468/