I turned in the final revisions for The Body in the Cornfield - Rose Creek book two. Whew! Now on to book three!

These are the top choices of my writer girlfriends and my husband for my updated author photos. I will use the hair-blowing-at-GOTG-overlook for my official Encircle Publications photo. The red sandstone background will be my local writing organization photo. The rest will be used for blog guest appearances and writing events like book signings. 
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All photos by photographer Susan Green

Photographer Susan Green took me on a photo shoot Friday in the Garden of the Gods and the Colorado College Botanical Gardens. Now I have to choose a few to use for my author promotional materials. 

As an introverted writer, I am squeamish about looking at photos of myself over and over. And yet, I must decide the images to use, representing my writing.

Susan told me she could make me look fabulous. I responded, "I want to look natural. Like my real self. Please don't try to make me look younger or better look-... oooh, I like this one." She did a fantastic job of showing what I actually look like on a good day, while not departing from reality.

This photo is a favorite of my husband's and mine. I'll be seeking the opinions of family and friends, and then revealing the choices.

I've been watching the cattails grown on my walks along a creek. They started out looking like thick blades of grass. Now the "tails" are forming. The cigar-shaped ends are actually the beginnings of flowers.

In my new release, The Body in the Cattails, this plant plays a role.

Have you seen painted rocks beside walking trails? Perhaps tucked into the crook of a tree? The rock might have a single encouraging word, a phrase or sentence. Colors may be bright, designs fanciful.

The mini artworks are meant to encourage, brighten a day, bring a smile to a stranger. The artist will most likely never know who found their art.

In her novel The Springs, Anne Britting Oleson shows the process from creation, to releasing into the world, to discovery. The rock art is a minor plot thread, but one that caught my attention.

I love finding rocks. Sometimes I leave them in place. I might take one home for a while before re-releasing it. I also paint rocks. 

​719 Rocks! is a group on Facebook devoted to rock painting.

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I am delighted to report The Body in the Cattails received a stellar review from Mark Baker at Carstairs Considers.

Five out of five stars. Mark is a tough and honest reviewer, so this means a lot to me.