Well, I think we've established that I'm weird about book covers. You're probably thinking, wasn't this titled something else?

Yes, yes it was.

I wasn't happy with the title or the cover so I scrapped the whole thing and started from scratch. I'm finally happy with what I put together.

This will be my first YA. (Well, YA romance focused novel. I do have one that is a Christian Urban Fantasy, but it hasn't been edited.)

I have a sixteen (almost seventeen year old), and I tried hard to think about how I'd feel if she was reading this book geared to her age. I try to make all my books something I don't have to hide from her, but this one especially.

I care about your children too. I don't like the idea of teenagers put in situations they aren't...mentally ready for. Just because teenagers have hormones, doesn't mean they have to act on them. I'm a firm believer in letting children be children.

Which brings me back to this YA. Not saying you shouldn't read it. I'm also a firm believer that we all have our comfort zones when it comes to our kids. We have to do what we think is best. Just know, that I did try to balance reality while also honoring the trust I've been given.

I do hope you'll love it. I sure tried hard to make it awesome.

Okay, that's it for me. It's been a while since I've published a new book, and I'm still just as nervous as I was the first time I hit publish back in March of 2018. I'm not sure that'll ever stop.

Whew. Who knew nine days could fly that fast?

We left on September 5th and got back around ten this past Monday night. It was one humdinger of a trip too. Honestly, I could have stayed longer. It was so nice to get away.

The route we took basically had us going in a U-shape. Our first stop was Mount Rushmore, the Custer Battlefield was next, and we did a detour to Devil's Tower before reaching Yellowstone National Park.

On the way to Yellowstone, we were told about a little road called Beartooth Pass. Oh. My. Word.

That road.

A madman must have designed that thing. We were going around curves that were more close to u-turns than actual curves. And the things we had to look out for?

Rocks on road, falling rocks, rock slides, avalanches, bears, deers, cows, pedestrians, horses, 11% grades, and a host of other things. Good grief. And if you did happen to stray off the road, there was not a thing to stop you. You were Thelma and Louise-style-going out with a bang. It was the squiggliest road ever.

Yellowstone was beautiful though. Minus the sulfur stuff. Wow, did that stuff stink! We were at the Dragon's Mouth (I think that's what it's called.) and the wind shifted directions. That stuff was in my mouth, up my nose, and gagging me. It was then I realized that whoever came up with the bog of eternal stench had visited that area. Cause stench it was. Wowza.

We didn't see any bears, but we saw a bison on the road--and then a whole herd. Seriously, those things are huge! My husband was driving and I kept telling him to slow down. That thing gave us the side-eye. It had horns too! I kept thinking, my car is going to get horned by a bison because my husband won't stop. It didn't attack so I was grateful for that.

We saw plenty of deer. They seemed to be everywhere. Oh, and we saw Antelope too. That was super neat.

Old Faithful. What a sight. They said it'd go off at 7:42 pm plus or minus ten minutes. It went off at 7:32. What a thing to behold. That it can be counted on like that.

Kind of like Christ. We don't know when He'll come to the rescue sometimes, but we know He's there. I think knowing He's there gives peace.
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I can't begin to describe how incredible the scenery was. Hills and mountains and waterfalls. Skys painted with oranges and golds and reds. I just can't see how those things could come to be if not by the hand of a Creator deliberately shaping those things.

How's everyone doing? It's September. Pumpkin Spice has roared onto the scene. I have to admit, the number of products sporting that flavor has increased dramatically from year to year. I'm half expecting toilet paper any minute.

I'm not picking on anyone. I love my share of Pumpkin Spice too, but it does seem to be everywhere and in everything. It has lost some of its appeal now that anything and everything smells like it.

I do love the cinnamon pine cones now greeting me as I enter the local grocery store. Those things smell divine. 

There are several things to talk about this week. One, I'm still working on Bandit's story. A little slower this week as I prepare my family for a vacation involving a thirteen+ hour roadtrip. I think total roundtrip, we're looking at over thirty hours. That's a lot of hours! 
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The next thing is I've changed the Fake Marriage series...again. I know, I know. I have cover issues. I've just never been completely happy with them.  I'll be showing off the covers down below. Hopefully, they're easier to read and prettier than the last ones.