Hey there happy reader!

New York City is buzzing with the basketball championships… the Knicks have moved forward for the first time in fifty years, and the excitement is palpable!

It reminds me of my college days, covering women’s basketball for our campus newspaper. 

Every shot, every missed pass or three-point play is cause for either elation or defeat. And the last five minutes of the game are stomach-churning! Combine the NBA playoffs with this week’s Manhattanhenge, and you can understand why New York is the city that never sleeps!

Of course, Manhattanhenge brings me around to my work-in-progress about the OG… Stonehenge! 

I’ve been working away at this book, and I must admit… it’s the most complicated and detailed novel I’ve ever written.

It’s turning out to be part historical, part suspense, and part romance. There are two female protagonists, an uprising of a society, a race against time to uncover the truth of what happened to the original inhabitants of Salisbury Plain, and the reveal of a secret that impacts the past and the present. Whew!

Luckily for me, I’m heading to reunite with my “Guatemala Girls” at the end of the month. 

This group of talented writers – we met at Joyce Maynard’s writer’s workshop—is reconvening in Colorado for an intensive four days of writing, meditation, and yoga.

I’m looking forward to sharing creative energy with these women. When we are together, we are a force of nature. There’s lots of idea sharing, constructive critiquing, and tons of laughter. It’s the recharge we all need! And as soon as I’m back, I plan to share an excerpt or two with you!

What do you do to refresh your own batteries? Garden? Bake? Visit with friends? We all need a way to shed the overwhelming responsibilities of our lives and find the thing gives us the “jolt,” or the little bit of magic that keeps us sane… wouldn’t you agree?

Happy Memorial Day!

Hey there happy reader!

So here we are… just when we thought winter would never release us from her grasp, it’s summer! In the northeast, we always seem to pass through spring without noticing – except for the torrential rainstorms and inhumane amounts of pollen drifting in through every open window!

The thing I like best about summer is the excuse to tuck a novel into my beach bag and sit in a chair at the shoreline. 

I’m lucky enough to live on an island, and while I don’t frequent the infamous Hamptons (too much traffic to get there, as well as twenty-five-dollar cocktails) I do head out to the shore often (we have lots of beaches here!)

Plus, I am lucky enough to spend time up on the National Seashore in Cape Cod, which might be one of my favorite places on earth!

If you’re looking for the perfect beach read, here’s a good one – Emily Henry’s “Great Big Beautiful Life.” 

It’s two separate stories about a journalist competing for a job to write the memoir of a very famous person. There’s the plot line about the famous person, then there’s the plot line about the journalist. Both are compelling, twisty, and all together enjoyable. High recommend!

And of course, if you’re looking for a series romance set in a beachy small town, there’s always mine…

“The Gypsy Moth Chronicles” will transport you to the sand from the first page to the last!

I hope to sneak out some time away from working on my Stonehenge book to sit on the beach, but I am committed to finishing this draft by summer’s end, and when I do, I’ll post some excerpts here first!!

Hey there happy reader!

For as much as I love the current season, it often brings a flurry of weddings, communions, graduations, and BBQs. Sometimes my calendar fills up so fast that I can’t find a spare minute to sit down, not to mention a solid hour to write!

I’m easily overwhelmed, so I have to remind myself to leave some blank space in my schedule to accomplish the things most important to me. Yesterday, I put away my laundry list of responsibilities and planted some pretty flowers outside in my yard.

I love planting! 

It’s creative, it’s relaxing, and it gives me permission to dig in the dirt for a bit. It also helps me clear my head. I was grappling with a roadblock in my Stonehenge book and by giving myself the opportunity to be outside in the sunshine and allowing my mind the chance to wander while I dug trenches for my pretty flowers, I found a way through the problem. It was a win-win all around!

I remind myself that there’s a good reason why children enjoy being outdoors so much more than being confined inside the house. That sunshine really elevates your mood and makes the whole day better!

A big thank you to all those who grabbed a free copy of my romantic suspense novel, “Question Everything.” 

It was a very successful weekend for this title – over 2500 downloads, lots of new readers! And if you’re a member of a book club, this story would make for a lively discussion.

I’d be happy to Zoom with you and your group to chat about this (or any of my books) this summer. You can let me know via email: hilari.mpp@gmail.com.

I already have a number of these fun events on my calendar, but I’d love to add yours to my list!

Hey there happy reader!

To help me celebrate my birthday this month, I’m giving you the chance to download my romantic suspense novel, “Question Everything” for FREE this weekend! 

That’s right… for the next three days – today, tomorrow, and Saturday, this title will be available for download on Amazon and The Fussy Librarian for ZERO DOLLARS!

This twisty, spicy tale will take you on a roller coaster ride… 

Mia has a car accident and loses her memory. Kyle has a past that he’d like to forget. When they meet, sparks fly. He’s determined to help her regain her identity, but when all is revealed, the truth may shatter them both!

I had a blast writing this story… honestly, I feel as though I should apologize to you up front. This novel will leave you with a book hangover! All these months later these two protagonists are still living rent-free in my mind…

And spread the word! 

Call your friends and let them know that they can get a free book as well… the more the merrier! The story is as engaging as a good game of tic, tac, toe, lol! Plus, I’m hoping to shatter my own download record. I’ll let you know if that happens.

On a more serious note, I know that Mother’s Day can be tricky for some of us. Just know that whether you celebrate or not, it’s the perfect spring day to do something outdoors. Take a walk, go to the beach, or read a book under a tree. We all do so much for the other people in our lives that we often forget that it’s best to take care of ourselves as well! Whatever you do, enjoy the day…

Hey there happy readers!

I am so excited that beach weather is almost here that I wanted to kick off the season with a gift for all of you. If you haven’t read my romantic suspense novel, “Question Everything” yet, you’ll be able to download it for FREE on May 8th, 9th, and 10th on Amazon. It will also be free on The Fussy Librarian site on May 9th as well!

As you may know, the plot for the story came to me in a dream, and I just scribbled it all down! 

I wrote this book in tribute to my dear friend who is suffering from memory loss. For those of us touched by this terrible illness, it can be both heartbreaking and scary for the patient and their loved ones. I wanted to capture the fear a person faces when she can not remember her past, or even her own true name. And while this book does have a happily ever after, I’ve come to understand that we need to live each day of our lives to its fullest; tomorrow is not a guarantee.

And if you’re looking for something to get your mom this Mother’s Day, tuck a digital link to the book you download into her email. I think both you and she will enjoy Mia and Kyle’s twisty, steamy story… and of course I hope you’ll let me know if you do!

In other book news…

I’ve gone back to the beginning of my current work-in-progress, “The Stones” and rewritten the opening. When I attended Joyce Maynard’s writer’s intensive workshop, Joyce offered her opinion on what I’d written. While she was intrigued by the story, she thought I needed a more gripping beginning. After much thought, I have to say that I agree. UGH!

While writing full-out is a creative joy, revising is where the truth happens. It’s so hard to be hyper-critical of your own words, but I’ve learned that one needs to be unsympathetic and ruthless when revising.

Sometimes when I delete full paragraphs, I store them in a file and tell myself that I should save them for future use. It’s like when you clean out your closet. You know that the dress you’ve kept in a size you’ll never fit into again stays tucked into a corner is just mocking you. It’s best to donate it to someone who can resist dessert – and that person isn’t me.

I realize that the sun is just starting to rise over my Stonehenge novel now. Truths are being told. I promise a sneak peek of the new opening very soon…