Happy Valentine’s Day!
I’m so excited to share with you the cover and release date for Book 3 in the Hearts of Louisiana series, Love and Miss Fortune, which will be available on March 18, 2021.
Harley Fortune was born bass-ackwards on the unluckiest day of the year. Things have gone downhill from there. She’s been fighting to save the family legacy – a moonshine distillery – and make it a sucess but just can’t seem to catch a break. Lady luck hasn’t given up on her, however. When a bossy consultant arrives, Harley can’t decide if he’s the answer she’s been looking for, or the final straw.
Chance Gold has the golden touch when it comes to making whiskey. He’s never met a challenge he can’t meet or a competitor he can’t beat. He sees a bright future for Fortune’s Brew – if he can keep Harley’s family from pouring it down the drain. And if he can keep his mind on his job and not on Harley Fortune.
Can two people with their minds on business find time for a little romance?
I didn’t know it at the time, but the inspiration for Love and Miss Fortune has been brewing in my writer’s brain since I was 12 and visited my uncle deep in the woods of northern Louisiana. While out walking one day, we came across an old moonshiner’s shack. It still had bits and pieces of the still, terribly rusted and covered in cobwebs and dust and other things I didn’t like to think about after decades in the woods. The shack was little more than several pieces of aluminum that had been cobbled together but I was fascinated by the structure and the untold story.
The story was born from that rusted out shack and a news article I read about a lady moonshiner in North Carolina. Voila! A book is born.
Love and Miss Fortune is the culmination of several firsts for me as a writer.
First, it’s my longest book to date. I hope you won’t be disappointed in that, dear reader. I’m still in the editing process as I type this so the final word count is up in the air but Harley and Chance’s story proved a slower build than usual. Harley was different and she deserved to tell her story at her own pace. Does it seem weird to talk about a character I created in the third person? Believe me, it seems weird to me too but Harley is her own person. She would not let me tell her story how I wanted to write it. In fact, she got very stubborn when I wouldn’t listen to her! The words did not flow! I learned quickly – listen to Harley. (Chance had better luck with Harley than I did, however)
Second, this book is a little sweeter than the first two books in the series. I hope it still sizzles for you but the sexual chemistry between Harley and Chance evolved differently. I wanted to respect Chance’s professionalism and I wanted to respect the choices Harley had made. It seemed important. You’ll have to tell me whether or not it works.
Third, It’s my quickest book to date. Start to finish, this book took me about seven months to write, edit, and publish. I’m a v-e-r-y s-l-o-w w-r-i-t-e-r so this was a milestone for me. Let’s hope it’s a trend I can keep up with. Book 4 is tentatively scheduled for July so we’ll have to see what happpens! It’s already underway and I hope that’s a positive sign.
I’ve posted an excerpt on my website and hope you’ll head over to check out the little snippet. The pre-order link is also now active. Release is scheduled for March 18, 2020. Egads! That’s barely a month away! I’d better get busy.
As always, thank you for your support and readership. It means the world to know there are people out there who enjoy my stories. If you do like my books, stop by Amazon or Goodreads or wherever you buy and leave a review. And if there’s something I can do better, don’t hesitate to reach out via the Contact link or me email at maggie@awritershouse.com.
Take care!