Top Secret! *Shh!*

 Hi everyone! I’m so sorry about not posting any updates lately, not since I announced my tour with Silver Dagger Book Tours a few months ago. It’s been absolutely bananas here, between work for Veridian Rose Designs, real life, and writing two manuscripts.

Before I begin, Tina Haveman, who owns eXtasy Books and Devine Destinies, has decided that we needed a *new* combined site for both divisions. So we're eagerly anticipating this new, improved and *working* website. Apparently, the "Send to Kindle" function on the main site has been down for some time, and recently, the carts haven't been clearing as they should be.

So use up all of your store credit, download everything you've purchased and just delete anything that remains in your cart after it's been already paid for... And hope Tina's new web guy has the new site up soon. Knowing our beloved Tina, it's going to be *gorgeous!*

Logo ©2021 Veridian Rose Designs.

I’m pleased to announce I’ve added covers to the menu at my graphics design company. I can do custom – either with graphics I already own or ones I have to purchase full licensing for – or premade. I have only four premade covers up at the moment, but that will change over the next few weeks. I’m trying to create a few between writing and doing work for a few friends.

Check them out on my Veridian Rose Designs Facebook Page.

I did a few promo posters for my friend and fellow eXtasy Books author, Maggie Blackbird not that long ago. They are in the gallery on my website’s page, but I’ll show them here so you don’t have to go looking for them.

(All three were commissioned by a client. They are NOT for anyone else's use without her permission or mine - NO sharing or downloading them please!)

I’ve also made a few new ones for my own books… I found out where Martine gets her stock photos and actually found two of the ones she used – the couple on the cover of Under Your Scars, and the background of Lunenburg for Away to Me. I’m so happy a “little birdie” told me which site Martine uses. Tee hee! I also found the perfect couple to represent Ewan and Marti - a certain model that is now out of favor was on the cover of Stricken, so I had to get creative. Thankfully I found one during a search. He looks so much like Ewan, and the woman with him is a dead ringer for Marti. I love it!

ALL PHOTO DESIGNS ARE COPYRIGHTED. Please do NOT download them or share them without my written permission.

Background: Crescent Beach, near Petite Riviere, Nova Scotia, taken just after sunset.
Photo taken by Valerie-June of Veridian Rose Designs.

Same background of Lunenburg used on Away to Me!

Background is Grand Pre Church, site of the Acadian Expulsion. 
Photo taken by Valerie-June of Veridan Rose Designs.

Same couple that is on the cover of Under Your Scars, different pose.

 

Same background Martine used on the book cover.

It's not hard to tell I've been having tons of fun in Affinity Photo, is it? It was the best thing I could have done for my graphics design... And the new drawing tablet! I am so happy my friend and fellow Scotian girl K. Logan told me about Affinity. I have Photo and Publisher... I plan on getting Designer too, so I can do even more cool things. 

I’m now considering becoming a contributor to one of the stock photo sites.

*A HUGE thank you to my graphics design mentor and dear friend - she knows who she is!*

Real Life!

 

Hubby is working full tilt – sometimes over 40 hours a week – in his new job at the grocery store. He loves his coworkers in his department, which is great. He also gets along with a lot of the other workers around the store. It’s one of the biggest stores in the area. I am so proud of him. It’s about time he got out of the gas station rigmarole, and into something that paid better, with better hours and better benefits. He’s only working till 9 or 10 most nights, instead of midnight, which is a big boon to all of us.

 

Son is on the way to being an honor student again this year. His first semester in high school was phenomenal, and he’s on track for another great semester. He’s doing wonderfully despite being in a new school with new teachers, and unfamiliar students from other feeder schools. He made the track team AGAIN this year, meaning I’m looking forward to the district track meet, and seeing a lot of my friends who also have kids in his school, along with his old coaches and some of his old teachers from junior high. Track day is always fun, despite it being in the height of gnat season. Yeah, I always have to take an allergy pill due to wearing sunblock and fly dope – I’m allergic to both – but it’s worth seeing how much fun the kids are having and chatting with all of my friends too.

I’m back to hosting webcam chats in the VIP Lounge. We had one this past Friday night, and it was so much fun! I’m in a group called the Alpha Society (Authors) and I met a couple of my new friends from there via webcam, and my good friend Jon was in there too. It was a hoot. We were talking BDSM, paranormal romances, writing techniques and so many other shop talk topics. Marnie wasn’t around for this one, but we’re hoping she’ll be along during the next one which is happening on April 23, at 9 AM Eastern – Coffee Chat! Maybe everyone will hear her singing this time.

The next chat happens in my Facebook group, V.J.'s VIP Lounge over coffee. I hope to see some of you there! 

 

Writing Update!

 

Yes, the rumors are true. I’m currently working on two manuscripts right now – Feathered Tartan 3 (Dana’s story) and one that is Top Secret! I don’t share any excerpts unless I’ve signed the contract, or even what the story is about until then, and I’m not allowed discussing the Top Secret one – aka “Super-Secret Project” until we’ve decided to share it. Yes, it’s a group effort – of a type. And that’s all I’m allowed to say.

As for Feathered Tartan 3…Dana is another Campbell, the youngest of Ewan’s cousins. She does show up in Stricken and Sweet Child of Mine… I thought she should have a story of her own, that’s why I’m writing it. For the record, this one isn’t a conventional romance. Only a few people know how it isn’t, and they are hush-hush about it.

And that’s all I’m saying about that one. I’ll say more if the eX gang accepts it when the time comes. I hope to have it drafted by the end of the year.

That’s all for now. Have a great day everyone! I leave you with some old time Skid Row – In a Darkened Room.