It’s the Fourth of July weekend in Lake Waluga and all eyes are on the twilight sky for the start of the laser light show. Mary, Ned, and their dog, Chompers, float in a rowboat on the lake. Then, Mary sees a body fall from the cliff and plunge into the water. But no one else sees the splash, and some think it could have been a tree limb, bird, or something else.
Mary launches an investigation the next day to ensure all her friends and loved ones in her sphere are safe. But her world gets upended when her decades-long secret gets revealed.
This second story in the series is being edited, but check out the early reviews:
“What a ride! I really enjoyed it … Throughout the book, I encountered story turns that surprised me … I found myself really invested in what would happen to them [the characters]. The writing has good energy and provides effective pacing throughout the story.” ~J.D.
“I absolutely loved this as a second book in your series. It keeps the series-level plots and subplots moving while setting up a great mystery for the next book … Mary is such a great character, and I love that she grows throughout the series.” ~J.B.
“I found I wanted more and was a little sad when I finished it!” ~A.M.
Follow me on Instagram, Threads, YouTube, or here to know when Twilight Splash gets released. For fun, check out this blog/video of me at PDX airport doing “research” for the Twilight Splash. If you love llamas like I do, it won’t disappoint.
Swirling Truths
But wait … There’s more!
The Lake Waluga Cozy Mystery Series in a nutshell (in order):
Willful Obsession – this is the novella (short novel) that started it all. I wanted to write a story about my hometown, Lake Oswego. I changed the name to Lake Waluga so I could use artistic license. This is a standalone story.
Twilight Splash – this novel jumps months into the future but with the same quirky, lovable characters (not to mention the irrepressible Chompers). Whereas Willful Obsession is a complete story, Twilight Splash ends on a cliffhanger. Never fear, because the third novel wraps everything up.
Swirling Truths – This novel, the longest of them all, picks up right where Twilight Splash drops off. Not only does it resolve the lingering mysteries, it completes the story arcs for the plots and characters. This story is set to be released in 2027. (It’s going through the editing process.)
Thank you for your interest and for reading!
Books I Love
Why I love them
Howards End
Without giving anything away, this is from the ending.
“Margaret was silent. Something shook her life in its inmost recesses, and she shivered.
“I didn’t do wrong, did I?” he asked bending down.
“You didn’t, darling. Nothing has been done wrong.”
Oh, the understatement! Read this remarkable novel again with the epigraph, “only connect” firmly in mind.
Persuasion
It’s a love story that keeps you on the edge of your seat till the end. The Captain writes to our heroine Anne the best love letter of all time that includes this line:
“I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever.”
So are we, dear readers!
Stoner
I was reading Steve Almond’s book about writing, Truth is the Arrow, Mercy is the Bow, and on page 8 he said that Stoner was his favorite novel.
What? A book I’ve never heard of.
I put aside Almond’s book and read Stoner. And then I knew why. Stoner is a literary masterpiece. The story peels away the layers slowly like an onion, and I never wanted the story to be over.
It’s not fast paced. It’s literary and oh so good.
“All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath.” ~F. Scott Fitzgerald
