And in what is the most fun news, THE WIDOW, my next suspense novel coming your way this fall, will have a cover reveal with Bookish on Thursday, March 24th! I cannot wait for you to see it. It’s stunning! Big thanks to Thomas & Mercer and cover designer Damon Freeman for another amazing cover.

If you haven’t yet, there’s still time to sign up for my newsletter and receive a free copy of the prequel to SOMEBODY’S HOME, called OVER THE EDGE. It’s only available to newsletter subscribers so I hope you’ll join the fun.

Over the weekend, my son proposed to his girlfriend and she said yes! We are beyond thrilled to be welcoming a new daughter to the family.

Happiness overload!

And as always, thank you for reading my stories!

The Prequel to Somebody’s Home!

I’d love for you to add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads and BookBub, and a preorder would be great. Here’s a little more about the book!

A quiet neighborhood. A lovely home. A promising new beginning. In a heartbeat everything can change in this propulsive novel of suspense by USA Today bestselling author Kaira Rouda.

Julie Jones has left her suffocating marriage. With her teenage daughter, Jess, she’s starting over. Their new house in Oceanside is the first step toward a new life. Even if it does come with the unexpected. The previous owners, a pastor and his wife, have left something—or rather someone—behind…

Tom Dean has a bitter hatred for the father who considers him a lost cause, and for the woman who’s moved into their family’s house. The only home he’s ever known. He’s never going to leave. She thinks he’ll be gone in three days, but Tom has the perfect plan.

For a newly single mother and her daughter, a fresh start is the beginning of a nightmare. Before the weekend is over, somebody is going to get exactly what they deserve.

I hope you’ll give it a look, and a read. I love the cover, too!

Thank you so much!

I’m thrilled to say that more than 20,000 reviews have been left for the book so far. Would love to hear your opinion! Thanks and happy summer!

Photograph by: @Wherethereadergrows

Yippee! She’s finally here. The trade paperback of THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER is out in the world. My publisher kept the same cover and I love it, so I’m very glad. And, for a limited time to celebrate, the ebook is only $1.99. I am grateful to have a release after a year of pandemic delay. If you haven’t read THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER yet, I’d love for you to consider it.

Happy reading!

I was cleaning out a storage closet last weekend and found a lot of things. Call it my New Year’s clean out. Among other things: An article about my husband and I written in 2007 when we were building the Real Living brand together. Seems so long ago, but then again, like yesterday. I also found a printed copy of one of the speeches I gave when I was traveling the country after my first book, REAL YOU INCORPORATED: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs came out in 2008. I travelled all over the country to promote the book, speaking to groups of women entrepreneurs. It was fabulous. I often ended my talks by urging people to put their passions into action, and that it’s up to you to live the life of your dreams. And I took my own advice. In  2009, we sold our company, moved to the beach and in 2011 my dream came true when my first novel, HERE, HOME, HOPE, came out!

Pick up your copy of Real You Incorporated on major retailers!

Kindle | Hardcover | Nook | Kobo | Apple Books | Google Play

And the White House is no exception. Last year was my first chance to experience the Executive Mansion decked out for the season and it was spectacular. No matter your politics, it’s important to note that for florists and designers across the country, the chance to be selected to decorate one of the rooms is a career highlight. Of course, the California tree was my favorite!!

So as you go about your day, stop to think about the people who are bringing beauty to the holidays behind the scenes: the window designers, the florists, the decorators and the rest of the creative people who help us all get into the mood. Happy holidays!

It’s Santa Ana wind and wildfire season out here in California and I must admit, it’s terrifying. My home burned down when I was in high school. The fire started early in the morning and my whole family was asleep inside at the time. I’ve always been afraid of fire–but now, with these catastrophic episodes igniting all around me, it’s a whole new level.

I very much feel for all who have been in these fires paths, and for the first responders working so hard to keep them contained. I’m also asthmatic, so the smoke from these immense fires sends a cloud of particulate pollution into the air that lurks around for weeks, even after the flames are doused.

So what does this have to do with writing? I’m forcing myself to imagine this edgy time as being filled with creative sparks. (Non-combustible and imaginary of course.) When you can’t breathe the air outside, you have no excuse but to hunker down and write. And I have been. That’s the good side of this weather, this season, this air. I just typed THE END on another novel. It’s a first draft. It has a long way to go. But it did keep my mind engaged, my fingers typing, as we all hoped for the best. Sometimes creative sparks come from the strangest places.

Have you read my free book for authors? If not, click here to download it. Maybe it will help your creative spark! Take care!