Oh my! It is almost the middle of October and I haven’t posted since September! Can I just say LIFE has been getting in the way to putting up posts?

Since moving to town, I have become involved in two different, well really three, kinds of self care. I joined a strength and balance class and a yoga class at the YMCA and I make sure Nia and I go for walks nearly every day. Those take up about 2 hours of my week days. Then I have household things, and writing. with a little bit of quilting tossed in now and then.

But I also attended several large book events last month that ate up 6 days each with travel and attending.

Right now, I’m furiously trying to finish Santa’s Beard, book 9 in the Spotted Pony Casino Mystery series. As you can tell by the title, it needs to be published no later than December to fit in with the sales this time of year. Otherwise I’d have to hold it until next holiday season. So, it’s a push to get it finished. I’m on the downhill side where I’m tying up loose ends and Dela and Heath are honing in on the killer.

Here’s a peek at the cover and the blurb:

“A killer, a crooked land deal, and a Christmas that could tear their family apart.”

Newlyweds Dela and Heath want their first Christmas with Heath’s 10-year-old son to be unforgettable. A trip into the mountains for a real Christmas tree and a family outing to buy ornaments are the perfect start.

Dela is asked to look into a possible dirty Board of Trustees member. What she finds is a dead man and trouble closing in, with a powerful data center CEO pushing a controversial project near the reservation. While the CEO charms the public, he’s made it clear to Dela that she needs to back off.

Backing off when she sees an injustice doesn’t work for Dela. As she and Heath dig for the truth behind the death, they wonder if their first family Christmas could become one they’ll never forget—for all the wrong reasons

Once this book is written and published, I’ll spend the rest of the year enjoying family and start writing the next Hawke book in January. It’s going to be set around the Hell’s Canyon Mule Days, which I attended this year to learn more about the event and figure out the method of murder and a possible why someone might get killed at such an event. 😉

I had a wonderful time last night doing a Zoom with Authors Heather Doyle Harrisson and Shawn Stevens on their Facebook page In The Pages With Heather & Shawn . I like the open format and how they asked questions and let me rattle on. When I get a link, I ‘ll put it up here.

Also want to give a shout out that my book Monologued to Death, book 2 in the Cuddle Farm Mysteries is now available in eBook and print.

Can Cocoa sniff out the truth before the final curtain falls on another victim?

When Andi Clark and her therapy dogs are invited to audition for a play at the historic Auburn Opera House, she expects a fun evening of helping local children build confidence. Instead, she meets a director whose razor-sharp tongue leaves a trail of hurt feelings wherever she goes.

During a rehearsal, the director plunges from the theater’s balcony.

While Sheriff Skala follows the evidence, Andi and her best friend, Betty, trust Cocoa’s instincts. The gentle therapy dog had witnessed someone on the theater balcony before the fatal fall and caught the scent of something behind a locked door no one else thinks to question.

Between therapy animal visits to the local retirement home and hospital, Andi, Betty, and Cocoa discover a second body, proving the killer isn’t finished yet. As the suspects multiply and the danger grows, Andi realizes someone is determined to silence anyone who gets too close to the truth.

Direct buy link: https://www.patyjager.net/product/monologued-to-death-ebook/

Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/u/49zJyJ

Writing is my therapy and joy. I have ideas coming at me faster than I can write, but I still need to spend time with family and friends. And that is why I’ll take time off in December.

I’m headed to the Bruneau Cowboy Christmas event in Bruneau, ID November 6th-8th. I’m hoping it’s a good turnout since they changed the venue and people have to pay to park and attend. Love to see you there.