Spring. My front yard. Thinking of Anne Lamott: “I am going to try to pay attention to the spring. I am going to look around at all the flowers, and look up at the hectic trees. I am going to close my eyes and listen.”

This recently floated across my Twitter feed, and I stopped and stared — intrigued, amused, and a little perturbed all at once. I still don’t know what I think about it. Which, I reckon, is a compliment to the artist(s).

via Helen Warlow on Twitter

I admire and adore the Ripped Bodice bookstore, so I’m thrilled they’re carrying You May Kiss the Bride! Plus, they’re offering a special gift with purchase for the first ten people who order, whether in store or online. Click here to visit their beautiful website.

The gift includes this necklace – which has a special meaning you’ll understand when you read Chapter 5 – and two postcards, one of which is stamped if you’d like to tell a friend about You May Kiss the Bride. The rumpled bedsheet, however, isn’t included. ;)

It’s release day for You May Kiss the Bride, the first book in the Penhallow Dynasty series! Picture me throwing huge handfuls of confetti up into the air!

If you’ve preordered — thank you! — you’ll be able to start reading/listening today. And if you’d like to order You May Kiss the Bride, click here to see your various options for print, ebook, and audio.

Now that’s a book signing.

Actually this is an amazing photograph, “O Russet Witch,” by Ryan Schude. Inspired by a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, it was created in 2015 at the Last Bookstore in Los Angeles. More about Schude here.

I’m a little afraid of heights, but I’d gladly change places with the person in this photo. Just to be surrounded by all this amazing, epic, bookish goodness.

The old Cincinnati main library. Via History in Pictures on Twitter

A fire marshall would not approve. But I would. I do.

via Goodreads

This image floated across my Twitter feed, and I had to stop and stare at it in admiration.

Via Traceyanne McCartney on Twitter

Of course, I spent some time wondering if I could somehow write in a bed like this into one of my books. Nothing immediately springs to mind, but you never know . . .

Then I had to learn more. This is an amazingly teeny-tiny little bed, the artist is Michael Reynolds, and he is evidently a member of the International Guild of Miniature Artisans which has a bewitchingly fascinating Instagram. Enjoy!

I was fascinated to read an article about the Museum of Broken Relationships, which houses “artifacts from failed unions, most of them mundane under ordinary circumstances. A single stiletto heel. A wine opener. A worn old Snoopy doll. But when isolated in a glass case or hanging on a white wall and accompanied by a caption, the objects become imbued with heartache or regret. Or freedom.” As an avid museum-goer, I’d love to visit.

via the Museum of Broken Relationships

Of course, one of the great joys in my profession is to ensure that no matter what obstacles my protagonists encounter, all will end well. Hmmmm. Maybe they should stock some romance novels in the gift shop . . . ?

More about the “brokenships” museum here.

Oh my goodness, You May Kiss the Bride is on Snapchat! And all dolled up, too.

Just so you know — those aren’t my kiss-marks there. But they might have been if I’d had the chance. ;)