Glass Mask

Cinderella meets the Prince and the Pauper? Yes, please!

As Crown Prince, Johnathan leads a charmed life. At least that’s what everyone thinks. But every time society praises him for no reason or women throw themselves at his feet, Johnathan feels more unequal to his station. When he learns that the King and Queen plan to force him to wed, the full weight of his situation crashes in on him and he does what he does best. He runs away. Desperation finds him dodging the castle guards, cowering in strangers’ outbuildings, and praying he won’t be recognized.

For her part, Lucinda Williams has enough on her plate without a squatter on the property. After her father’s death, she and her siblings discovered that every penny had been frittered away. Since that realization, every moment of her life has been focused on one thing: survival. But the man hiding under a dirty pile of straw, desperate to escape detection, claims her attention. His humble plea to keep his secret tugs at her heart strings.

Even with a bride-finding ball on the horizon and Lucinda’s financial troubles looming in the background, Johnathan and Lucinda are carried away with the first stirrings of new love. They must decide if they have the courage to face their struggles together and step toward a brighter future or face reality apart.

Now available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback editions! 

Luzell Lost

At long last, I'm pleased to bring you something new! This Rapunzel retelling features Luzell, a spunky young woman inspired by my grandmother, Luzell Cahoon Boucher. Available just in time for Christmas 2021!

Luzell knows two things for certain: her parents' love story is the greatest romance ever told and her father will do anything to protect her from the world that took his wife's life.

That won't stop Luzell from slipping out from under his thumb, especially when his overprotectiveness becomes unbearable. Wandering the forest alone, she meets Matthew, a handsome stranger with mischievous eyes and a taste for adventure.

As Matthew expands her world view, her isolation becomes more stifling. Her longing for freedom forces her to face the reason for her father's restrictions. To unravel the mystery of her mother's death, Luzell must step into the world she fears and fight to learn the truth.

Luzell Lost is a retelling of the classic fairy tale Rapunzel that will make its readers fall in love with fairy tales all over again.

Available now on Amazon in Kindle and paperback editions.

Cover Reveal

For the last couple of years, I've been working on my Rumpelstiltskin retelling, Golden Gown. Inspired by the portrayal of Rumple in the television series Once Upon a Time, I wanted to create my own Rumpelstiltskin tale featuring him as the hero. My longtime love, Gilbert Blythe (from Anne of Green Gables) crept in and made the mischievous imp truly lovable. Then I make Rumple into a Spaniard and Gilberto De La Vega was born.

My heroine, Elyse Morley, is based primarily on my grammy, Elsie Caraway, and secondarily on all the Boucher and Caraway women. Elyse is patient, hardworking, talented, and has a good sense of humor. However, like all the women in my family, when Elyse is cornered, her latent temper comes out.

Here's her story:

Elyse has lost everything; her parents, her family home, and the village where she is loved and respected. Still grieving, she arrives in a new town where she must prove her skills as a seamstress. Overnight, she creates a gown stunning enough to catch the princess’s eye and win the community’s approval. With every eligible maiden clamoring for her designs, Elyse must do everything in her power to appease them. 

No one can ever know that in the moments when she doubts her abilities, a mysterious stranger with a talent for tailoring and a penchant for damsels in distress comes to her aid. If anyone ever discovers the truth, her reputation will be ruined.

Golden Gown will be available May 2019 and a number of great events will run through May and June. Stay tuned! There will be more fun to come!

Cover Reveal: Midnight Sisters

Though I'm not the type of girl who poses for Glamour Shots like those made popular in the 90's, pulling together fashion, location, and fabulous accessories for a cover shoot is totally up my alley.

I've waited since June to reveal the cover art for my second Young Adult novel, Midnight Sisters, a twist on the fairytale classic, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It is with pride and great pleasure that I finally reveal the cover for Midnight Sisters, to be released in January 2017.

An excerpt from Midnight Sisters:

Do no meddle with the Master's daughters.

The words rattle around Jonas’ head. What is the punishment again? Death? Dismemberment? Jonas, the newest addition to the gardening staff, can’t recall the exact penalty for breaking the rule. What does it matter anyway? He would never dream of meddling with the Earl of Bromhurst’s haughty daughters.

Until he comes face to face with Lady Ariela Spencer, the eldest of the His Lordship’s daughters.

Her elusive smile and open manner cause him to question his convictions. In no time, he’s drawn into Lady Ariela's world of mystery and intrigue, a world where she and her sisters will do anything—including leaving twelve empty beds at midnight—to escape their father’s strict rules.

Only Jonas can uncover the truth and save them from their father’s wrath and their own folly, if he is willing to risk everything he’s ever worked for. 

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A huge thanks once again to the amazing team who made this image possible, Cammi, Jill, Sue, and especially Cindy, my amazing graphic designer. I love you, ladies!

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A note from the author:
Whenever I mention The Twelve Dancing Princesses, there is invariably someone who is unfamiliar with the tale. By clicking the above link, you'll be taken to versions of the fairytale from all over the world. Also, if you click on the link at the beginning of this post, you'll be taken to the Grimm Brother's rendition, which is the one I followed most closely.

Cover Reveal: Becoming Beauty

Like anyone else who dumps blood, sweat, and tears into a manuscript, I've been dreaming of Becoming Beauty's cover for a long time.  Not only did I hope for something that set my version of Beauty and the Beast apart from the rest, but I wanted it to reflect the journey that transformed a flawed character into a strong heroine.  The artists at Cedar Fort Publishing and Media couldn't have encapsulated this any better:

Now comes the fun of waiting until November 11th to see the real thing!  In the meantime, here's something to whet your appetite:

Bella’s time at home has been spent fobbing off her responsibilities on her siblings, weaseling new gowns out of her father, and daydreaming about the life she ought to be living as mistress of a wealthy household.  When her father returns from an extended business trip, Bella’s life is turned upside-down and she is left with no choice but to call on the mercy of the Beast.

Refusing to be cowed, even by someone as dangerous and imposing as the Beast, Bella matches barbed comment for barbed comment while scheming to escape. Her plans are derailed when she catches a glimpse of the man behind the monster, and when Jack, the Beast’s sole companion, draws her in with his inherent kindness. With unexpected determination, Bella throws herself into her new role as the Beast’s maid and finds the work both challenging and rewarding. Surprised by the capability displayed by the “pampered princess,” the Beast begins to soften toward Bella and a tenuous relationship springs up between them. 

Since her arrival, Bella has been haunted by strange visions of a woman named Rose. When she discovers a neglected bedchamber reminiscent of the one in her dreams, Bella’s curiosity is peaked. Her attempts to discover Rose’s fate and the part the Beast and Jack played in her disappearance will cost Bella more than she can imagine.  However, if she can untangle the threads of the past, she may yet earn her own happily ever after.

Thank you for your kindness and support in making Becoming Beauty a reality!