The fire isn't out. Yet

Hi frenz,

Thanks to everyone who checked on us—we’re doing fine. Our zone never got put on evacuation status, and they’ve been rolling back the others to lower levels. We have a friend who’s been almost evacuated twice (last year and this year) and he brings us his guitar collection when he hits level 1 so he doesn’t have to worry about it. So for a week, my office looked like a guitar store.

This fire was a little scarier than last year because the zone next to us went to level 1. I kept looking at those guitars, wondering which two or three I should save if we had to evacuate, too. Luckily, I never had to make that decision!

As you know, the book launch party was cancelled. Half the town was on Level 1 status, and my friend Jennifer, who owns the shop, said she had no customers after 3:45. Maybe we’ll try one more time when book 4 releases. In the fall. Late fall, after the first snow.

Speaking of book 4, I’m about 2/3 into it now, and as always, these characters are amazing and confounding. It never goes quite the way I expect it to. This one is Coral and Oswin’s story. If you’ve read book 3 (and if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?) you’ll have met them. Coral is the owner of the tea shop across the square from the book store. And Oswin is the mayor of Valebra who helps our friends with their problem in book 3. (I’d be more specific, but spoilers!)

I will tell you Coral is a mermaid, so this book has a Little Mermaid flavor. And Oswin is one quarter mountain troll, so he’s giving mountain man. Like the other books, the romance is fairly subtle, and the cozy is dialed way up.

Check out these books by a couple of my author friends.

An ambitious scribe, a cunning spirit catcher, and their arranged marriage. May they survive it.

When Mu Fanquing receives an imperial edict commanding her to marry a reclusive spirit-catcher, she thinks her life is ruined. It turns out Xiao Shu is as reluctant to wed as she is. They make a blood pact to be a couple in name only.

But they each have secrets that could get them both killed.

A no-spice, slow burn, high stakes Romantasy perfect for fans of C Dramas and Chinese mythology.

Desire of Dragons

This next one is free in exchange for your email address:

After a tragic accident, Barathea and Tuft must collect one magical craft from each of the lands in Yfasma to save a young innocent from death.

Only collecting all the magical crafts from each land in Yfasma can save Tuft's sister. But it comes with a cost: being with the most pampered, prim, and pretentious princess. But will happen when he starts to fall hard for her?

A fantasy road trip, one bed, magic systems, action and adventure story with opposites attract romance and rom-com vibes.

Free in exchange for your email!

Thanks for reading!

~ Lia

P.S. here’s that “choose your own adventure” story, in case you missed it last time:

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