While I like to write romantic suspense, sometimes a story comes to me that is less about love and more about  good people in bad situations.

That was the case with ENCOUNTER.

Teo Haroun and the other lawyers in his firm look forward in varying degrees to the retreat at the Sherman Ranch in northern New Mexico. The boss has laid down some rules: no phones, no computers, no communication with the outside world. That makes them uneasy. But the corporate team-building exercises are necessary for this firm to survive its inner sniping and turmoil— and to protect the secrets they hold.

Inez Suela and thirty other Mexicans have paid a coyote hundreds of pesos to take them across the border into the United States, where they hope to make a better life. The crowded truck heads north into New Mexico to meet their local driver, the occupants unaware that a freak March snowstorm is waiting in its path.

Jake Patrin, the caretaker of the Ranch, fights demons of his own as he struggles daily with addiction. Working far from the city on the lonely Ranch, hosting those who rent the facility, is his protection and solace. But he’s about to lose the only peace he’s been able to grasp.

Davi Pilar needs to make some fast money to appease a couple of St. Louis loan sharks, so he agrees to pick up a truckload of illegals and take them to St. Louis. He drives to New Mexico, not knowing that Inez, the woman who rejected him years before, is one of those on that truck.

The intersection of these people, the collision of their cultures, the revelation of their secrets — all these things lead to violence, death, and even redemption in their New Mexico ENCOUNTER.

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I was asked a few years ago by Alliteration Ink Press to be part of a short story collection that had a very interesting premise.

Sidekicks: We know them, and we ignore them. They sit court side, they wait in the shadows, they ride on the coattails. They have nothing to offer. Or do they?

Heroes and heroines perform world shaking deeds, but sidekicks? Sidekicks are the unseen glue holding those powerhouses together. They are the backbones. They are the voices of reason. 

It’s long past time for them to shine.
Here, the fangirls, the trusted associates, the loyal assistants, and the imperiled wards have their moment in the spotlight. Join them as they shake up the world in unexpected and understated ways.

Let the heroes sit this one out. Celebrate the Sidekick!

My story is entitled A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS, and tells the story of a very ambitious second-in-command at a bakery. The other stories are great, too! Buy now at: AMAZON

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I was invited again to be part of a short story collection, and this one was for Christmas.

The proceeds go to fight domestic violence and help its survivors, which I always find to be a great cause.

My story is titled KEEPING CHRISTMAS and tells the tale of a long time minister who is about to give his last sermon on Christmas Eve, before his retirement.

But the lesson awaiting him for the holiday takes place far from his church and much closer to home.

Buy now at Amazon

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Back in 2020 (I know we’re all trying to forget that year!) one of the major tragedies was the wildfire situation in Australia.

The Wild Rose Press organized a bunch of authors to contribute stories to an anthology that raised money to help out our friends Down Under. The result was a three volume set with all sorts of stories, from sweet romance to the bizarre and wonderful.

As you might surmise, my contribution was on the bizarre end: Home, Sweet Mobile Home.

Set in the near future, when technology allows a house and contents to be digitized and transported to any locale one chooses, one woman struggles with her nostalgia for the old neighborhood. Chaos results.

Buy now at Amazon