I hope you’re doing well! We’re deep into a Carolina summer here, and beginning to enjoy fresh vegetables from the garden. You may recall that gardening is not my gift at all, but thankfully, Brandon enjoys it. I’m looking forward to the homegrown tomatoes he’ll be ready to pick any day now. June Pinks are my favorite, and have been since childhood. My grandmother used to grow them, and I special ordered some seeds. In my view, there’s nothing better than a tomato sandwich made with a ripe, juicy June Pink.

I’m sure you’ll understand when I tell you the thing I’m most grateful for is that Brandon is feeling good and enjoying time in the garden. 

Thankfully, things are finally beginning to settle down in my world. I know you know how crazy things have been for our family over the last five years, and I have to say how much all the kind words that have come my way have meant to me. I deeply appreciate the encouragement and especially all the prayers.

Because I have the absolute best readers–and I count every one of you as a friend–I never want to give you anything less than a book that’s been professionally prepared all the way through every phase of editing, proofreading, formatting, et cetera. I want to release the audio version on the same day as all the other formats. I don’t ever want to rush a book through any part of the process. I also don’t want to release another “beach book” in late summer or early fall. 

I’m afraid I’ve been tempted to rush things so I could get this book out in July. But what I really need is a complete schedule reset, which brings me to a difficult announcement regarding TROUBLE’S TURN TO LOSE. I’ve decided to postpone its release until April 7, 2026. This allows me the breathing room to get myself back on schedule and not take shortcuts. This is the right thing for me, and it’s the right thing for this book. I so hope you won’t lose patience with my repeated delays–I really do apologize. I promise this is the last one, and this time, I’m giving myself the time I need instead of band-aiding the whole process.

This will set us up to release the next book in early November 2026, and in 2027, we’ll keep the same pattern and give readers a consistent release schedule: early April and late October / early November. Thank you so much for your patience with me. I so hope you’ll enjoy TROUBLE’S TURN TO LOSE when it finally arrives in the spring. 

Do you have a friend who enjoys ebooks, but has never read the Liz Talbot mysteries? Here’s a great way to introduce them!  The Liz Talbot Mystery Series: Volume One is now available exclusively in my bookstore. This bundle is offered at a discount and includes the first three Liz Talbot Mysteries, plus Postcards From Stella Maris AND a bonus–the first book in the Carolina Tales series, Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island!

Audio and print bundles coming soon!

If you or your friend has read the first two Liz Talbot Mysteries, the second edition of Lowcountry Boneyard is now available. The second edition of Lowcountry Bordello is still set to release in early November.

Lowcountry Book Club members…Thursday, July 31, Susan Zurenda and I will chat with Kaira Rouda about the July Book of the Month, her brand new release, Jill is Not Happy. We are beyond excited to chat with Kaira about her newest book and hope you are able to join us. 

Fellow foodies, it’s too hot to cook where I am, but I hope you’ll enjoy Hadley’s favorite smoothie. She (and I–and Brandon too) love this smoothie and it’s so good for your brain, we call it a “Brain Smoothie.” I actually developed this years ago, after Dad was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and have tweaked it over the years. If y’all make one, I hope you enjoy sipping it on the porch, or by the pool, or at the lake or the beach or wherever you love to read and sip.

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