First, I wanted to thank everyone for the words of support during my mom’s illnesses this month. She spent half the month of February in the hospital, and I think both she and I hope not to see the inside of a hospital for a good, long time.

But now on to better news. I have a new cover! A few weeks back, I got my cover for my May Harlequin American release, Her Very Own Family, and I love it! What do you think?

I’ve been so MIA from my blog lately, and there are two reasons:

1. Pressing deadlines

2. My mom had a heart attack last week, so I’ve been spending a lot of time at the hospital.

Needless to say, the blog is way down the list of things to do, but I wanted to pop up a post so people didn’t think I fell off the face of the earth. I hope you’re all reading lots of good books and writing tons if you’re writers.

I’ve missed a couple days on the blog. I’m sure many of you have seen the news reports about the horrible ice storm that hit several states, especially Kentucky. My mom had to go to a shelter when she lost power, so I trekked up to get her and bring her down to my house until my hometown’s power is restored. And based on what I saw, who knows when that will be. I literally looked like a gigantic tornado had hit every tree in the county. Tons of ice had broken or felled tens of thousands, everywhere you looked in different directions. I dodged trees sticking out in the roads and drove over downed power lines and under others that were sagging low because of utility poles about to topple. Officials are saying it could be many weeks before power is restored throughout the county. Hopefully, since Mom lives in town, it’ll be back on withing the week.

I’ve never seen such a mess in my life, and even my 71-year-old aunt said she’s never seen it this bad in her lifetime. The hospital in my hometown even had to ship all its patients to other hospitals. When we drove through town yesterday, only two businesses were open — one gas station and one pharmacy, both running on generators. By the time we left town, the gas station was closed. It was weird to drive out in the dark with not a single light on anywhere. As one woman who was interviewed for the local paper said, “We’re living like the pioneers.”

I’m thankful the ice storm didn’t come this far south, and I truly hope this is the last of the bad weather for this winter. I think everyone has winter fatigue — in Kentucky from all the ice and snow, and here from all the gloom. Mom and I sat on the front porch today to soak up some sun because we knew it’s supposed to be colder and bleaky tomorrow. The only good thing about yet more cloudy weather — maybe Punxsatawny Phil won’t see his shadow.