In less than one week, Hope at the Crossroads, Book 2 of the Hope series, will be available to read. This book has been a labor of love, continuing Maddie’s story as a young teen mom, which began in The Road to Hope. I’ve been excited about this release since last year. And yet, it feels strange to release a book now.
My county, Sonoma County, is going through a huge fire disaster, one where many people, including people I love, have lost their homes. My parents were evacuated when this first started last Monday, and were finally able to get back in their home 2 days ago. My aunt and uncle lost their home, but managed to save their pet. I know of at least a dozen people I went to school with who lost their homes, plus 9 coworkers, plus several people I’ve become friends with over the years. One person I met because he reads my books, and now his home is gone. Whole neighborhoods are gone. Iconic landmarks and businesses are gone. Shelters are full. The air is filled with smoke. My family is safe in Petaluma, just south of the fires, but we’re all on edge as we keep our eyes on the horizon, searching for a new fire we hope well never see.
My day job is working at a newspaper. From the moment I woke up and discovered what was happening, I’ve been immersed in this fire. It’s been all hands on deck in the newsroom as we work together to keep the public informed. The first two days were chaotic, as it wasn’t fully clear where the fire was and where it would show up next. Today is Day 10 of this fire disaster, and it feels like a blur.
This is why releasing a book and promoting it feels strange. But I’m not going to put this book on hold. It is still releasing next Tuesday, Oct. 24. It will just be a slightly quieter release than usual. Once we’ve moved past this fire disaster, I’ll crow about it a little more. 🙂
The Kindle version is available for pre-order now at bit.ly/hopecrossroadskindle. The print version will be available on Tuesday, and it will be available on all eReaders soon.
Stay safe, friends, and tell those you love how much they mean to you.
Love Crissi