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How is it possibly May already? 2014 is rushing by in a blur, and I’m caught up in the tides as well. Lent is over, and I successfully stayed off social media for 40 days, which, while I missed everyone, did a lot for my creative state of mind. And I just had a major birthday, one of those that causes much introspection — Am I doing what I love? Check. Am I surrounded by wonderful people? Check. Am I creatively satisfied? Well, no, never. But that’s okay. If I was, I wouldn’t have anything left to write.

So — two major announcements. First, do you want to win the rights to a character name in my next Samantha Owens novel? Brenda Novak’s Diabetes Auction is underway, so hop on over and enter. You’ll also win a signed set of Samantha Owens novels — the perfect gift for your reader friends with upcoming birthdays...

And... I promised in the last newsletter to share the stunningly fabulous cover of THE LOST KEY, the 2nd Nicholas Drummond and Mike Caine novel, coming September 30, 2014. So here you go, with a brief peek at the storyline, too!

Freshly minted FBI agent Nicholas Drummond is barely out of his Quantico training when he and his partner, Mike Caine, are called to investigate a stabbing on Wall Street.

Their investigation, however, yields more questions than answers. It quickly becomes clear that the victim, John Pearce, was more than the naval historian and antiquities dealer he appeared to be. What Drummond doesn’t know is that buying and selling rare books was Pearce’s cover, and that he had devoted his life to discovering the whereabouts of a missing World War I U-boat concealing a stash of gold bullion, and an unexpected surprise that only raises more questions. When Drummond and Caine find both of Pearce’s adult children have disappeared, the case assumes a new sense of urgency. The FBI agents know their best lead lies in the victim’s cryptic final words—“The key is in the lock.” But what key? What lock?

The search for Adam and Sophia Pearce takes them on an international manhunt, which threatens to run them afoul of an eccentric billionaire industrialist with his own plans not only for the lost gold, but the creation of a weapon unlike anything the world has ever seen.

Sound good? I’m telling you, this book is insanely fun. And one last bit of housekeeping, a heads up. The mass market paperback of WHEN SHADOWS FALL will be out August 26, 2014, and right on its heels, the paperback of THE FINAL CUT will be out September 2. How’s that for news — three books releasing in the span of one month! You’ll be happy to see the list price of SHADOWS is only $5.99. Now THAT is a bargain.

Pre-order both books now: WHEN SHADOWS FALL | THE FINAL CUT

Finally, thank you to everyone who’s rated and reviewed SHADOWS since it released! Y’all are the best!

Tours

Things are rather quiet for the next couple of months while I beaver away on the new Sam book. If you’re in San Antonio or thereabouts, I will be attending RWA this year, and signing at the “Literacy for Life” event July 23. See my site for more deets.

Get Thee to a Bookstore

I felt like I read a ton, but my list is rather short this month. But good stuff regardless:

Diana Gabaldon — THE FIERY CROSS (yes, again)
Lauren Oliver — REQUIEM
Lauren Oliver — PANDEMONIUM
Donna Galanti — THE HIDDEN ELEMENT
Carla Norton — THE EDGE OF NORMAL

I’ve made a commitment to track all my reading this year, so if you’re on Goodreads, friend me, and follow along. I’m always interested in what you’re reading, too!

Contest

The May contest is live now, enter to win a signed paperback edition of the UK version of EDGE OF BLACK plus a $10 gift card (winner’s choice of Amazon or Barnes & Noble).
Enter here to win.

May Recipe — The Easiest Goat Cheese Appetizer Evah!

I am a huge goat cheese fan, and I’m always looking for easy ways to incorporate it. I even stumbled across a cookbook that specializes in goat cheese recipes — TASIA’S TABLE: Cooking with the Artisan Cheesemaker at Belle Chèvre. I’ve tried making fried goat cheese, but it doesn’t like to hold together. So in searching for another delivery mechanism, I give you, baked goat cheese.

This is the simplest, best tasting appetizer you will ever serve. A version of this is on the menu at The Pub in Nashville, an awesome, authentic British pub downtown.

Ingredients

• 1 small brick herbed goat cheese
• 1 small brick regular goat cheese
• Your favorite marinara (I love Mezetta’s)
• Fresh pita bread
• Basil
• EVOO

• Preheat over to 350 degrees
• Mix the two bricks of cheese together in a bowl
• Spread into a baking dish, a medium ramekin is perfect
• Run a thick line of Marinara along the top — keep some for later
• Drizzle with EVOO
• Bake for 25 minutes
• Top with 2 leaves of fresh sweet basil
• Cut pita bread into small triangles and start dipping

And with that, I’ll see you in June — do try and make time slow, will you? Jameson and Jordan send kitty kisses, and encourage you to read as much as you can get your hands on!

xoxo,