January Update

Time for my first CAREER UPDATE on the blog.

January has been a crazy month so far when it comes to my writing, and all of those related activities that come with being a writer.

First, I've signed on to be a presenter at a group of conferences (see the sidebar for dates and topics). I'll be speaking to the Salt Lake Scribes Chapter of the League of Utah Writers, on several panels for the Life, the Universe and Everything conference, teaching a class at LDStorymakers, and another at the first Indie Hub Publishing conference. Most of my presentations are already written, which is a good thing, but there is always last minute polishing.

Walnut Spring Press will be publishing my next non-fiction book, Men of Destiny: Abraham Lincoln and the Prophet Joseph Smith. We are expecting a March release, which means I'm working on gathering endorsements, getting a new author photo taken, and drafting articles for Meridian Magazine and TheFamily.com about the research. Once the revisions are done, I have permission from my publisher to post a sample chapter here at my blog, so you'll have the chance for a first look.

I'm currently working on revisions for the first novella in the Always a Bridesmaid series, Grace. My graphic artist is starting to look for ideas for the cover design and I'm hoping for a February release on this one. Grace will not be the only book in the series this year. Two more novellas and a full length novel are almost ready to go.With this series, I've decided to start using a pen name--Marie Ellsworth. I've long intended to write under this name, which is the middle names of my mother and my father combined, but now I have a reason to. Since my other published work has been either non-fiction or written for middle grade and young adult readers, I wanted to keep the branding of the romance separate, thus the use of a pen name.

But those are not the only books on my release docket for 2014. A non-fiction memoir, Living in an Osmond World is nearly done, as is Carny, the next book in the Small Town U.S.A. series, and there is a possibility I'll finish the middle grade novel, Ebenezer, in time for December.

But the biggest news of all--I've signed a contract to write a Christmas novella for an upcoming Timeless Romance anthology! These anthologies have become bestsellers, and I'm thrilled to be invited to participate along with Heather B. Moore, Annette Lyon, Sarah M. Eden, and two other authors.

So, as you might imagine, I'll be spending lots of time this year, working on my computer, but I also hope to hear from YOU!