Wolf's Beautiful Beast - Cover Reveal

Wolf's Beautiful Beast has been a rose thorn in my side for four years. Don't get me wrong, I adore the story. It's just, Beauty and the Beast is my all time favorite fairy tale... like ever. That being said, I felt a lot of pressure to deliver an amazing twist to the classic tale and every time I put pen to paper, my brain would lock up.

I'd get a few sentences or even scenes once and a while, but what had come so easy before stopped as though it has hit a castle wall. However, the story was still alive in the back of my mind, I just needed to release it brick by brick.

After four years, countless tears, and many rewrites, I can happily announce that Wolf's Beautiful Beast is coming March 19th! 

So without further ado, let me present the cover and official synopsis!

            What harm could come from picking a rose?

Under the silver glow of the moon, Lycus was cursed to run through Blakx forest in wolf form. All that changed when Rapunzel set him free. Now, after learning she and Red plan to journey to the Land of Oz, he joins their adventure... oblivious to the darkness they will soon face.

Stranded in the land of Bruen, the trio hears whispers of a lost princess and a horrible beast. After sticking his nose where the king felt it didn’t belong, Lycus is forced to join the hunting party to kill the beast and rescue the princess.

Proving no good deed goes unpunished, Lycus is captured by the same beast he was ordered to slay. It doesn’t take long for him to realize all is not as it seems in the abandoned castle and there is far to this story than meets the eye.

Racing against the clock, can Lycus save the princess before his friends are imprisoned for his mistake? Or will he be forced to choose between his beauty and the beast within?

PREORDER TODAY! 

Want more? Join us on Facebook for the release party event that will take place March 19. We are already doing giveaways and contests, and new book teasers will be revealed between now and release day; so don't miss out!

Hook's Little Mermaid - Teaser Trailer!

With the release of Wolf's Beautiful Beast just around the corner, I felt it was time to rebrand my The Untold Stories book series to fit their genre better.

I personally illustrated each cover (which was grueling but very satisfying), giving the central mix fairytales theme the focus.

Once that was done, I felt the only way to truly showcase this change was to create some amazing teaser trailers to tickle the interest of both past, and new, readers of the series!

So without further ado, may I introduce, Hook's Tangled Tale, now available on Amazon and Audible!

What a long year it was...

I definitely know I am not alone when I say 2020 was a long year. The obviousness for me is in my silence on this blog.

In 2019 my aunt, my mother, my cat, and my grandmother all passed away. It was, to say the least, a devastating year. 

So when 2020 rolled around I knew it was going to be my year (like we all did right?). It started out great! I had two new children's books coming out. I signed up to attend three different author/book conferences. I even was finalizing 'Wolf's Beautiful Beast' which I had been stuck on (darn writers block) for a couple years.

Then it hit. You know what IT I speak of. IT which shall not be named but rhymes with Sharona Cyrus. lol

My kids' school closed, and I was thrown into homeschooling. The author conferences were canceled. Worst of all there was no toilet paper in sight!

I tried to make the best of a crazy situation. I still managed to get my Buddy the Blue Corgi children's books published, which was super exciting. I decided to enjoy my time home with the kids, instead of seeing it as an inconvenience. We played a lot of board games last summer.

Then my cousin and her husband got sick with the virus. They ended up passing away within two days of each other. More and more people I knew ended up sick; thankfully all recovered. But fear set in. My husband is an essential worker, and the main provider for our family. He had to work, but I worried for my children.

After much research, and loads more prayer, I decided to be safe but to give the worry to God. Thankfully, even though my husband is in constant contact with people, none of us has gotten sick.

This were looking up.

Then my aunt Rhoda got sick. She had a relapse of cancer. The aunt who I talked to nearly every week, now didn't have the strength to talk for five minutes. She was miserable and the chemo wasn't working. So she made a decision. She wasn't going to spend the last little bit of her life sick just to extend the misery.

She passed away just after Christmas.

I know what you're thinking. "Oh my God, this is such a downer of a story!" I apologize for that. It is actually not the intension, nor the end of the story.

You see, this is a story of perseverance. It's a story to show you that no matter what, we simply have to go on and make the most of life. And that's what I'm doing.

Last month, I got so angry at myself for not finishing 'Wolf's Beautiful Beast' that I told myself I was getting it done. So much so that I booked my editor! I knew I had to get it done then, or I'd be out my deposit.

So, I spend many overnight writing sessions writing and editing, and writing and editing, and writing some more. Then it happened. I had finished it! While it had been nearly 4 years of writers block, I managed to finish it in a few weeks!

Now, I'm busy preparing for the release party that will take place on March 19 on Facebook!

The world is still crazy, and bad things seem to keep happening, but I managed to pull the positives out and not reflect on the negatives. I encourage you to do that in whatever situation life is throwing at you right now. Whether it's personal or professional, whatever is causing you worry and grief, find the silver lining and shine.

Saying goodbye to my 'Cat on the Lap'

Many of you know, my blog is called "Cat on the Lap" for a reason. That reason passed away on Monday.

He was my constant companion (literally morning, noon, and night) for eleven years (we rescued him from a shelter when he was two).

As the family says goodbye to our beloved Donut Kitty, we want to offer some comfort to those who have lost pets.

While the Bible does not directly address whether our fur babies go to Heaven, it does promise that God knows what we need to be happy.

"What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived - the things God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)

God is preparing Heaven for each and every one of us. He knows what we need to be joyous. So, it stands to reason, not only our loved ones would be waiting for us.

Another verse that talks of the promises of our Lord is in Romans.

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32 (NIV)

God knew what He was doing when he brought that fur baby into your life. He not only hears your cries as you mourn their passing, but He feels the pain those missing paw prints have left in your heart.

So, to anyone who has lost that beloved pet, do not be discouraged. Let your heart be blessed knowing that God brought them into your life, and there are greater things we cannot even imagine, waiting for us when we arrive in Heaven.

The Bed Wife Chronicles is on Audible!

Over five years ago, The Bed Wife came to me in a dream. Three days later, the first book was written.

A lot has happened in those five years. I've published a total of nine books; lost both my in-laws, an aunt, and my mother; gone through bankruptcy; dyed my hair multiple colors; and somehow managed to raise three children and stay happily married. I can only imagine with excitement (and some anxiousness) what the next five years will bring.

The Bed Wife Chronicles has always been my baby. It was my first story I had written, but I loved it because for the first time I felt like I was making a difference to others. I never imagined how many people would respond so positively to it, and dare I say, would become "Suzanna Lynn Fans!"

So, in celebration of this five year anniversary, I teamed up with the absolutely amazing David Maxwell. Thanks to his amazing voice acting abilities, we have brought "The Bed Wife Chronicles" to life on Audible!  That's right, you can now listen to the story that started it all! No, this is not simply a guy reading a story to you. He is bringing the story to life through his awe-inspiring voice!

So, be sure to head over to Audible or Amazon, and grab your copies today!

Also, in celebration of the release, we are doing a giveaway! You could win one of MANY prizes available by entering in the Rafflecopter giveaway below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Some much needed joy

It's only Thursday but it feels like this week has drawn on for months. We were all feeling a bit down, after saying goodbye to momma. So, my sister and I hatched a plan to spread a bit of happiness to the kiddos.

We made a surprise trip to Wild Animal Safari, which is a local drive through petting zoo!

They have all kinds of animals (that drooled and spit all over my Jeep nicely), including Zebra, Wildebeest, Ostriches, Camels, Deer, Donkeys, Zonkeys (zebra/donkey mix), and more! They also have a walkabout area, where they house their big cats like Tigers, Lions, and even Ligers!

They let you feed most of the animals (obviously not the big cats) by hand, which was so fun. We screamed several times when the animals thought it would be a good idea of try to get into the car to get more food.

The temptation to grab up a white baby donkey, a couple baby goats, and a monkey were pretty hard! But we decided they would probably be taken care of better at the facility, so we let them keep them for now.

God gave us a little blessing as well. We noticed a goat was acting very distressed. It turned out she was giving birth! We stuck around to watch and another one was on the way! Twins!

We have spent so much time mourning lately, we have been lacking in the joy department. This brought us out of the gloom and into to the light. A day full of joy and laughter.

Goodbye Momma - a eulogy

It has been a very long month. Stubborn until the end, mom held on longer than anyone thought possible.

My sister and I worked tirelessly to make all the funeral arrangements. We even decided we would hold the funeral ourselves, instead of getting a pastor that didn't know her to hold it.

The day was supposed to be covered in thunderstorms, but God gave us a miracle and the clouds parted for our little graveside service.

The next blessing came in the form of guests. Mom was extremely shy, so making friends in her older years was very difficult. However, friends from her childhood and early married years showed up to pay their respects. It truly blessed me to see so many people having to stand because there weren't enough chairs.

The big event of the day was when I was chosen to give mom's eulogy. I have done plenty of public speaking, but never a eulogy. After a lot of thought, I decided that it needed to be funny. I was always able to make mom laugh, and felt this final act was necessary to give me closure as well as reflect a celebration of her life.

Here is what I had to say:

Family and friends, thank you for coming. It would have warmed mom’s heart to know each of you were here to celebrate the woman she was.

When I decided I wanted to give a speech at her funeral, I did a little research. As an author, there is always a degree of pressure when it comes to writing – but when writing a eulogy, there are certain rules one must stick to.

Rule number one - keep in broad. Too many personal experiences will weigh down your speech.

Two - keep it brief. Studies show, people stop listening after three minutes.

Three - keep it classy. Make it a dignified reflection of the person.

And four – keep it together. Composure and poise is key to your speech.

These are great things to keep in mind when writing a good eulogy. That being said, I will not be keeping to any of these rules today. While this may be a shock to some, it would be no surprise to mom. It took great pleasure in making her laugh, even in some of the more serious situations life threw at us.

So, as a tribute, I am going to tell you what I wanted to write in the obituary – but April had the sense to sensor me.
………………………………………

Mom passed away peacefully in her sleep at Magnolia Square Nursing Home on July 24, 2019. It is believed she lost patience with the nurses and deciding to push the ‘Call Jesus’ button instead.

She left behind a treasure trove of items to my sister and I, and we have absolutely no clue what to do with them. So, if you're looking for an extremely large bookcase that leans, a dusty, chipped, ceramic teapot collection, a slightly used microwave, or even a 1999 Buick with only 189,000 miles and a trunk full of 763 screwdrivers; let us know.

No, this is not an ad for a pawn shop, but a story of a great woman, mother, and grandmother.

Mom was an avid artist, especially when it came to painting and working with ceramics. She could put brush to canvas and create beautiful paintings that seemed effortless. In fact, she had a case full of every color oil paint you could ever want. However, they had to be thrown out due to an artistic family of mice who decided to take up residency in the art case, and snack on the paints. They did leave behind an array of Prismacolor droppings that would likely be considered award-winning art on the modern-day market.

In addition to art, she loved making crafts. Hobby Lobby was probably her favorite store. However, after discovering her hidden closets of craft supplies, we quickly concluded that crafting and purchasing craft supplies were – in fact – two different hobbies of hers. Sadly, these hobbies have been inherited by both April and I; as we too, have hidden craft supply closets.

Mom loved scary movies, especially the B-rated ones like The Blog, Jaws, and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. She was frequently found watching them while holding a blanket near her face (should the need arise to hide her eyes). She also found this a useful punishment for her children, whom she would force to watch said movies should we need a little discipline. To this day, April cannot look at a tomato without laughing, while I still have an unhealthy obsessed with Great White Sharks.

Once I became a teenager and the “Jaws” marathons stopped working as punishment, mom was at a loss as to what to do with me. I remember her saying “I hope you have a child just like you someday!” Obviously, this was not meant to be a compliment. Sadly, mom had not considered that when I had that child, I would still be living with her! Jokes on you mom. However, she retaliated by moving in with me and my family last summer for several months. Well played, mom; well played.

Though all three of us have led busy lives, Mom, April, and I, tried to get together when we could. Case in point, when April and I took her out for sushi one Mother’s Day. While apprehensive, she tried it and actually started to enjoy it. She even tried some of the more exotic ones that included eel! However, we didn’t realize just how adventurous she was until she yelped and said “Wow, that one was a bit spicy.” My sister and I looked around confused, as we never ordered anything spicy. Suddenly, I yelled out, “Where’s the wasabi?” Mom had mistaken the large glob of wasabi as an avocado roll. She took it like a champ though, only drinking a few swallows of water before moving on.

Once she moved to Springfield, she spent a large part of her time volunteering at local charities like Crosslines, Boys and Girls Town, and Convoy of Hope. It meant a lot to her to be able to help those in need. Even after she became unable to volunteer due to her health, she supported various charities with small financial donations through the mail. This became apparent by the stacks of “fan mail” she received from those charities. If she’d had a penny for every “complimentary” return address label she received from St. Jude, she would have retired a rich woman.

If what I’ve said has shown you anything, it is that mom had a wonderful sense of humor. She loved to laugh, and thanks to the antics of her children and grandchildren, she had the opportunity to laugh a lot. This is something we have all thankfully inherited from her.

So, in closing I will leave with the words mom said to me often when I spoke to her about my pain and problems. “This too shall pass. It may pass like a kidney stone, but it will pass.”