HEAT ♥️ HEART ♥️ GRIT
NEVER TOO LATE, Jake’s story which is the third book in the Barbed Sols series, is on the way. I’ll announce the date as soon as I have one, but it will be soon now.
Also on deck is a new series I’m working on under a new pen name. These stories will be focused on the town of Solito, have elements of suspense, and a younger cast of characters. I’ll be posting more on this in the coming weeks.
Read for free in KindleUnlimited!
My craft goal this month (and probably next month, etc.) is to create a Puzzle Purse. What is a puzzle purse? So glad you asked!
Here is a link to my Pinterest page that has some lovely examples: https://www.pinterest.com/paytonharlie/crafty/
To say this is an ambitious project is an understatement. There are a LOT of little sections to decorate. And the folding! The photo above is of early experiments–the struggle is real. But I fell in love with the idea after seeing one on social media and went to Pinterest to find out more.
While browsing all the amazing pins, I realized that although I’ve let my account languish, Pinterest is probably my favorite of all the social media platforms.
So I plan to spend some time learning how to do more with Pinterest. Maybe even create a few of my own pins which I had wanted to do YEARS ago.
On the writing front, I’ve been making good progress on Jake’s story which will be Book Three of the Barbed Sols series. Still tentatively titled Never Too Late, the full draft is about eighty percent complete. There is a good bit of work to be done, but I’m at the point where I believe the book will happen!
Happy February!
The universe has been busy trying to teach me lessons for the past several years, and I tend to get dark and moody about that quite often. However, a couple of days ago I did a recap of 2024 at the end of my planner. The list of things I’d gone through and handled in 2024 brought a sliver of enlightenment. A LOT of stuff has gone on. And I dealt with all of it.
In the midst of all the chaos, I finished and published Long Way Home, and Home Delivery. I also made time to go to two mixed media workshops and one journal making workshop which was the best thing ever for my mental health.
So what does any of that mean for 2025?
Possibly nothing. 🙂
But my takeaway today is to remember to give myself GRACE in this new year.
Home Delivery is the sequel to Pandemic Partner with Benefits
Sarah Richards is adjusting to her new normal. SL Designs, the interior design business she owns along with her best friend Lucy Caldwell, is finally thriving. If only she could say the same about her personal life. But maybe that’s about to change. Her new client could be just the kind of guy she needs to shake those post-lockdown blues.
Beau Hill has a secret he doesn’t want to keep. But will his new designer, a woman who is more than he could ever have imagined, feel the same about him once he tells her the truth? 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
It’s just a fling . . .
Michael
All I wanted was to get away from everyone’s pity after my long-term partner dumped me, so I agreed to do my brother a favor and drive a widow to Florida from Oregon. Only my brother left out a few crucial details. Like the 1969 standard shift monstrosity she expects me to drive. Or like the widow is a beautiful hippie off-the-grid elven siren princess who wants a no-strings fling while we’re on the road. Star is the last person I need in my life. The sooner I can get her delivered, the sooner my life will get back to normal.
Star
After almost three years of mourning my late husband, I’m ready to leave our primitive mountain cabin home, rejoin civilization, and revive my once successful career as a music producer. This is my chance to do all the things I missed by getting married much too young. Michael is gorgeous and has no interest in pursuing a relationship. In other words, the perfect man to help me make the break from my old life and bring in the new. All I need to do is keep quiet about why he’s driving me to Florida, and convince him that a road trip fling with a built-in expiration date will be fun.
Available on: Amazon
Love, Ezra is live on Kindle Unlimited
Read for free with Kindle Unlimited or purchase on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QWB6539
Enjoy!
Barbed Sols is a 1500 word vignette that takes you back in time to the night in 1980 when the four young boys fell in love with rock and the band got its name. 🫑
Lucy Caldwell may be stuck in quarantine, but she has her priorities straight. Once she’s out of lockdown, she isn’t taking any chances. Dating is fun, but safety comes first, and Lucy has a plan. 🌶️
This is a 2000 word super short story.
The big news is my debut novel is published! Love, Ezra is the first book in the Barbed Sols novel series. So who are the Barbed Sols?
Barbed Sols was a band formed in the late 1980s by four childhood friends:
Jake Taghart, founder of the band, on drums
Michael Taghart, brother of Jake, on lead guitar
Wade Duncan, best friend of Jake, as frontman
Ezra Goldman, best friend of Michael, on bass
The boys began playing in their small Florida hometown of Solito, then began traveling once they graduated high school. The band gained fame with their southern grungy sound, but then quickly dissolved just as their popularity peaked.
The four men are now in their fifties, each having taken a different life path after the band’s breakup.
The first book of the Barbed Sols series kicks off with Ezra and Lili Goldman, and a marriage in trouble.
Buy Love, Ezra on Amazon.com.