March is all about beginnings...

Beginnings. They can be as profound as the birth of a new child or grandchild, though that can come at any time of the year, as can the heady sensation of beginning a new friendship or affair. So what happens in March that signifies beginnings?

I have to say, it's the first day of spring, with a welcoming sun beaming down in place of dark, forbidding clouds, even though they're usually not all that forbidding here in subtropical Florida. March is a time when my family members traditionally trek to the famous Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida, to partake of huge, calorific strawberry shortcakes and stock up on some new and different flowers for our yard that grows more like a jungle every year.

Along with spring comes my renewed enthusiasm for the fresh characters and new situations that will face them in my two new series for Ellora's Cave. The first is a contemporary western saga in the tradition, more or less, of the old nighttime soap opera, DALLAS, which I understand is starting a new generation this year on one of the cable channels. Each of the three books will feature one of the heirs to a Texas dynasty--the son and daughter of a JR-like patriarch and his bastard son who obviously wants a piece of the pie. Throw in a little BDSM play, some hot cowboys and a century-old feud. I'm excited about this series, and my beginnings this month will include putting together LOVERS' FEUD, the first of the three full-length books I hope will be coming out throughout this spring, summer and fall.

Meanwhile, since I've promised myself I'll make the books in this series longer than my usual offerings, I've already begun my year of releases by bringing out another short story as an Amazon exclusive. It's "Blood Gift", an erotic urban fantasy that's a real bargain you can read in an hour or so, for just $.99.

Watch my Facebook page for announcement of a couple of days this month where you can get "Blood Gift" free--and a month-long contest where my publicist is planning for me to give away a Sony Reader (Reader Edition). These events--beginnings of what I hope will be a productive promotional effort--should be happening this month.