November 13th is not only the release date of Always and Forever.  November 13th has always been a very special day in my family.  On November 13, 1922, my grandmother, Miriam Janderup Dalton or Mim, was born. 
My grandmom and grandpop were always very influential people growing up.  Very much people I looked up to and respected deeply.  My grandfather passed away a little over five years
ago and my grandmom has continued to be a beautiful and strong person who sets an example for all of us in the family. 


My grandparent’s house in Mantoloking, New Jersey, was my favorite place to go growing up.  The second I got to the bridge leading into Bay Head, my stomach would always flutter with butterflies with the excitement of knowing I was almost there. 
In the summer, the first thing my sister, brother, and I would do was check the crab cage to see if Pop would have some delicious shell fish to  cook us a treat.  Grandmom would always greet us with a smile and a loaf of bread, looking impeccable… always the picture of class.  We loved to feed the ducks and sit on the deck with our grandparents and chat about what we had been up to. 
My grandmom always lets me know how much she loves me, how proud she is of me…she is always interested in what we all have to say and gives the best advice.  Our many nights on the deck or sitting by the fire, having a nightcap, are memories that fill me with happiness.
Now that my grandmother is turning 90 years old, I hope she knows the influence she has had on my life and how much I look up to her and the strength she continues to show.  On November 13th this year, my grandmom will get a special gift from me. It is the day my first novel, Secrets of Shadow Hill: Always and Forever will be released waiting for her on the doorstep.  I know I would have never accomplished what I have
in my life, if she was not a part of it. 
So on November 13th, as you get your copy of Secrets of Shadow Hill: Always and Forever , I hope you all will
send a happy 90th birthday wish to the greatest grandmom in the world, Mim Dalton!!!


 

It is hard to believe that in less than a month one of my dreams will have come true! It seems like a lifetime ago when I started writing Always and Forever. I was 7 month pregnant with twins and on bed rest when I first started writing about Ava and Shadow Hill, trying to keep my mind active and focused on something other than the uncomfortable aches and pains in  my legs from being on bed rest.

Now, 3 years later, Always and Forever is the first book of a series. I started back into writing the third book in the series a month ago and have been getting chills as I determine the future for Ava and Shadow Hill. I have am filled with excitement thinking of my readers taking this journey with me, and hope that while reading these stories you will all become as connected to these characters as I have. 

If nothing else, this experience has taught me to be brave. I have always been stifled worrying about what others will think of me, never taking risks, rather making choices I know I would be successful at. Life is easier that way, right? As I have gotten older, and dare I say wiser, I realized I want to be a role model of confidence for my children. I am pretty good at "acting" confident, but that was because I always try to be in situations where I knew what to expect, not leaving my comfort zone. The process of getting a book published has definitely been outside of my comfort zone.


Every time I write, every time I edit my stories, I feel proud. Writing a novel is not easy, and certainly takes time, and I am proud that I have been able to balance being a loving and present mom for my kids, a partner
to my husband, a prepared and engaged teacher, all while writing a story about characters that I have grown to love. I tell my kids and my students each day to believe it themselves, that they can do anything they can put their mind to. I know that no matter what happens, I did just that, and will never look back
again and wonder "what if?" 

I would love to hear your experiences of a time when you took a chance, went out of your comfort zone, and reached for the stars!

I hope you all will enjoy reading Always and Forever as much as I loved writing it!