Hi there, guys and dolls! Hope 2016 is treating you right. This week, Andrea and Heather are taking over the blog (as they so frequently do), talking a bit about what has been going on for them over the past year or so.

It certainly has been a bit of everything. There has been some amazingly wonderful times. We were very happy with A NATE TO REMEMBER, and are pleased with the progress of the fourth novel in the Poppy Cove Mystery series. We’ve also been planning out some other series that we want to write in addition to telling our Santa Lucia tales, and considering when, what and how we want to do them.

We chose to make writing our priority, and at that time it meant we shifted out of our day jobs. We are still both very glad we did. There were some fantastic things we would have never had if we had not done that. Our lovely book signings, workshops and library tour were experiences that will go down in our personal history books. There were so many wonderful people and the traveling was such food for our minds and hearts. We feel so blessed that we were presented the opportunities and we ran with them. Once we settled down a bit, we realized that we really enjoyed having other influences in our lives. Now we have settled in to other part time jobs that feel good, with purpose and add color to our creativity, and the structure and balance feel right. We have to admit it does feel better to have a little financial pressure off. As much as people don’t want to talk about it, at least for us it feels more fun and creative, more expressive when you’re not as concerned if the next word will put groceries on the table. Might be okay for some, but we’re happy how we are going about things.

We had so much more that went on as well, and some of it was a little more personally challenging, but they gave opportunity to grow in love and strength for our lives. Helping aging family members adjust to new living arrangements, as well as assisting them cope with some serious health issues, in addition to one of us now discovering that we have a matter that is thankfully non-life threatening, yet needs to be taken seriously that most likely will involve surgery and recovery, along with a rather lengthy waiting time to get the proper care is something we have to take in our stride, with reverence but in perspective is something that is happening for us now.

Anyway, rest assured, we will continue to tell our tales and carry on swimmingly, even if sometimes it feels like there’s one change or disruption  to accept and handle. We’ll privately and quietly throw the occasional ‘oh seriously, what next?’ hissy fit, deal with the delays and realize it’s all good, and enriches our humanity and compassion for ourselves and others. Then we’ll pick up and get back on the page.

Some of you have been with us since the beginning and we thank you. There is so much more to come and we will be certain to make it happen, just as it should in the grand scheme of things.

Warm Regards,

Andrea & Heather

aka Barbara Jean