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Fall and Falling Behind

Veronica Mahara

Hello Everyone!

Hope you are all doing as well as you can out there.

I feel the Fall around me now in the Pacific Northwest. We had such a long beautiful stretch of sun and warm weather. I was spoiled in its light. My roses and flowers still think it’s summer and then yesterday a wild, dark storm came through. I will be doing clean up in the gardens as soon as the rain lets up. It’s satisfying to get everything tucked away for winter. Bulbs will be going in the ground and and my cat Tommy is beginning to spend more time by the fire. It’s quite cozy.

~Beyond Diamonds~ my fourth book was on hold this summer for various reasons, one of which was Covid. I never thought I’d get it, but after a trip back East, I came home with the nasty thing! Vaxed and boosted I thought I could handle the travel without a mask…. no… It’s taken me two months to get back to myself again.

Having rescheduled my editing services, I have been tackling the rewrites. It’s pretty fun to go over my developmental editor’s comments and suggestions. Jane, my protagonist is in up to her elbows with her husband Martin’s dream- a sheep farm near the San Francisco Bay area. What can a wealthy city girl from Cincinnati in 1879 learn on a farm ? And why does she suspect there might be more to his mere devotion to it? His handsome cousin Harry poses a problem… she likes him and in way she shouldn’t. Then there’s her brother back East holding tightly to her inheritance. What if he decides he needs it for the jewelry business their father started? Will his gambling debts in Cincinnati find their way to Jane and Martin?

Lots to do still and I’m looking at a January 2024 debut. I hope you will all like it. Until then check out my ~Traveled Hearts, Sacred Terrain and Unending Trails Trilogy~ at Amazon. The love and adventures of Jessica, Jacob and Caleb are waiting for you!

Take care,

Peace and Love!

Veronica

Artist's World, Author's World, Bookshelf, Excerpts from my Novels, Gardening, Seasonal Delights, Watercolor Life

Editing Mode:Spring Clean-up

Veronica Mahara

Hello Everyone,

Spring is here! In my yard and beyond all the buds are fat and ready to burst. My yard needs some cleaning from the last wind storm, but it’s wonderful to see the plants and trees and shrubs come back to life. At this time in the world I needed to see renewal and hope for the future even if it’s only in my little patch of earth.

Beyond Diamonds, my fourth historical novel set in the late 19th century is in rewrite and editing and rewrite and … I have a deadline and it’s really got me going. So much fun to get to the end of the my book then go back and start the clean-up. My protagonist, Jane Cabot desires the things that only money can buy. What about the thing money can’t buy? The missing piece is for her to find.

My interest in gardening has spilled over into this novel as Jane becomes interested in horticulture when her parents want her to become interested in culture, society and the proper place for a woman. When she falls in love with Martin, against her parent’s wishes she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for.

I’ve found time to do a watercolor. It helps to rest my mind and spirit. I hope you enjoy. It’s my rendition of one of the botanical arts from -The Book of Flowers, Pierre Joseph Redoute.

Thanks for visiting,

Peace and Love,

Veronica

Author's World, Bookshelf, Excerpts from my Novels, Favorite Reads, Gardening

More Beyond Diamonds

Veronica Mahara

Hello Everyone,

A watercolor I did of sweet peas.

How are you all doing? Depending on your part of the world you are enjoying summer, sun and warmth or the worse cold you’ve know so far. We in the Pacific Northwest are kind of in between. Spring is hinting its arrival. I have buds on my trees and daffodil spears coming up in pots around my garden. Still cold and cloudy, but hopeful with the few sun breaks we’ve been getting. I long to work in my gardens again!

My next novel, entitled Beyond Diamonds has been great fun to write and is getting me through the winter doldrums. I’m halfway done and my protagonist, Jane is finding life’s challenges not only lie in the struggles on the sheep farm, far from her life in Cincinnati’s society, but in her marriage to Martin whose devotion to their land takes precedence over Jane. As a result, feelings between his cousin, Harry and Jane are allowed to heat up.

Her wealthy inheritance buoys her from the daily routine of country life with escapes to San Francisco society and a home unlike any in the area. But what will happen if she losses her fortune? And how will she manage without the household help and her trips into the city across the bay?

Stay tuned. Beyond Diamonds is set to publish in early 2023. In the meantime you can read my trilogy beginning with Traveled Hearts. Spoiler alert – Jane makes an appearance in the second book, Sacred Terrain.

Have a wonderful day!

Peace and Love,

Veronica

Artist's World, Author's World, Bake and Cook, Bookshelf, Card Crafting, Seasonal Delights, Uncategorized, Watercolor Life

Season’s Greetings

Veronica Mahara

Hello Everyone,

It’s been awhile since I posted. Life is busy for us all now that we are able to get back to some resemblance of normal. I’m so looking forward to this holiday season. Thanksgiving is coming up in our country and it will feel good to get together with family and friends. I’ll be preparing to bring to my daughter’s home the usual — stuffing and pies. The stuffing recipe is my Dad’s and is his version of an English recipe. It includes potatoes with the bread cubes, onions and celery and a good amount of poultry seasoning. Everyone loves it.

I’m in the middle of writing my fourth book. It takes a character from Sacred Terrain, the second in my Traveled Hearts series. Jane Cabot is her name and if you’ve read the book you know she has her eyes on Caleb. Caleb is true to Jessica even though she hasn’t been found yet. Everyone is losing hope except Caleb, but Jane is a tempting diversion.

As a character I found her so interesting but had to cut most of her life out as it didn’t pertain to the story at hand. I’m having a great time writing this and can’t wait to come to the part where she meets Caleb and we get to experience her side of that episode. For the most part it will be about her life as a wealthy woman losing what she thought was valuable to find something more real and lasting. Look for it in 2022/23.

Loads of card making. Love this hobby and all that goes with it. Still watercoloring and teaching my grandchildren art once a week. My love for reading takes its place at night cozied up to my husband who reads also. I just finished the second book in a series by Susie Murphey. A Matter of Class and A Class Entwined. If you’re looking for some good historical fiction with heart this series fits the bill. A page turner.

Until next time– Have a wonderful day (or night depending on where you are)

Peace and Love,

Veronica

Author's World, Bookshelf, Favorite Reads

Unending Trails in Paperback

Veronica Mahara

Hello Everyone,

My third book Unending Trails is now in paper back at Amazon.com or go to My Novels in my menu bar and just click on the Amazon button.

That completes the Traveled Hearts saga … for now. It’s been a nearly twelve year joy to write!

It’s also been a journey of blood, sweat and tears! (Blood being the time I got up too fast from my desk and nicked my knee!)

Seriously though, it’s been such a great writing experience and I hope to bring many more novels to you.

Thank you for your support! Happy reading!

Peace and Love,

Veronica