Hi guys! welcome, and I hope your 2020 is off to a great start! First, I have two big news items to announce this month, and then, farther down the page, you'll find my January Musings, where I share some thoughts about opening new stories. But first, the news!

News Item #1:

Amazon has picked DUKE OF SECRETS (Moonlight Square, Book #2) as a Featured Deal for January in both the US and Canada. It'll be just $1.99 throughout the month of January!

About the Book:
This is a wintry gothic-style romance with one of my most enigmatic heroes.

​If you've read the Inferno Club, then you'll remember that the heroes in that series were members of an elite secret unit of warrior-spies fighting for the Crown, called the Order of St. Michael the Archangel. You may recall that their age-old foes were a sinister secret society of international elites called the Prometheans.

Our good guys in the Order finally defeated these bad dudes by the series' end. But I always wanted to explore the idea of a good man born on the wrong side of that fight: a potential hero who, through no fault of his own, is born as the heir to one of these evil, rich, powerful, Promethean families. Duke of Secrets is that story.

Azrael, the Duke of Rivenwood, is the heir to a dark heritage. His evil father (who named him after the angel of death! thanks, Dad) was the terror of his childhood, so he's kept his distance from all efforts to reestablish this sinister, high-level cult. But he has to keep a low profile, or he knows the few remaining stragglers who managed to survive will kill him without a second thought. As a result, he's become known as an eccentric recluse who prefers the company of his pet black leopard to that of humans.

But when the beautiful Lady Serena Parker finds out that her family was tied up in this dark stuff, too, (she had no idea!!) she is determined to find out whatever Azrael is willing to tell her about it. Together they have to fight their way through the aftermath of this darkness they've inherited and reach a future together of love, light, and redemption.

Intrigued? You can get your copy of Duke of Secrets on Kindle now for just $1.99.
Amazon US
Amazon CA

PS: If you do decide to read this book, keep an eye out for the  settings ! Just a writing-wonk sort of note, but I worked extra-hard to come up with cool settings for many key scenes in this book (especially the Guy Fawkes/Bonfire Night stuff!) and I've gotta say, I'm actually kinda proud of how they came out. ;)

News Item #2:

I'm delighted to announce that HarperCollins/ Avon has decided to reissue ROYAL BRIDESMAIDS in mass market paperback, hitting shelves near you on Tues, Jan. 25!

This is an anthology of three novellas centering around royal weddings, and featuring the wonderful storytelling of "the" Stephanie Laurens, "the" Loretta Chase, and your 'umble author.

You can order ROYAL BRIDESMAIDS online or keep an eye out for it at your local bookstores or at Walmart, Target, etc. Enjoy!

And now, on to the topic of the month....

The start of the new year and a whole new decade has me thinking this month about one of my favorite aspects of writing: starting a new book! 

In a romance, of course, that means setting up an engaging and memorable “first meet” of our two new, destined lovers. Writing romance is so much fun. :)

When I first start a new novel, it’s true it can be daunting to realize I’ve got 500+ pages to produce. I try not to think about that too much, though, and just take it one scene at a time.

Interestingly, it doesn’t seem to matter if I outline the story beforehand—it still takes me a good hundred pages or so before I feel like I really know my characters. That’s why I always end up going back to make two or three more (many more, lol) passes over the opening chapters before I’m happy with them.

Most authors will freely admit that setting up the story in those first three to five scenes can be extremely tricky. It’s a balancing act between getting the hero and heroine firmly established in their own separate lives, and then getting them onto the page together as quickly as possible so the story doesn’t drag.

After all, their “first meet” is the true start of every romance. It seems like once you get the opening right, writing the rest of the story just flies.

Not long ago, I was having a conversation with some fellow authors about the challenges of writing novel openings. Some of them felt that showing the hero and heroine separately (before the first meet) was just fluff, and that it’s best to bring them together ASAP. (This was the advice several of them had received from agents and critique partners, fwiw.)

But, for me, after reflecting about it, I realized that my preference, as both a reader and a writer, is to have at least one scene of each lead characters in their “single” lives, before they meet their future spouse.

It’s kind of like those dramatic “Before/After” pictures you see of someone who has gone on a drastic diet (speaking of New Year’s Resolutions! haha) or has undergone a big makeover.

When a character falls in love, it’s like they’re going to get an emotional or psychological makeover by the end of the story. So if we don’t get to see the “Before”, how their lives are before they meet that special someone, then the “After” loses a lot of its impact.

“The healing power of love” is one of the main themes of all my writing, so I like to see my hero and heroine up close and personal before they meet that special someone, when they’re still kind of a mess inwardly, lol.

I don’t know about you, but I can relate to characters who don’t have everything figured out in life, who carrying emotional wounds or baggage. I don't generally enjoy sad books, but it’s okay to have that angst or suffering at the start of a romance because I know everything’s going to be all right for them in the end. That the suffering character will be able to let go of old wounds and heal (at least partly) by the end of the story.

So, I, for one, I would hate to miss out on those messy, sharp-edged “Before” conditions of the characters just for the sake of having a rushed, gimmicky first meet. Openings like that tend to lack depth for me as a reader.

That said, the danger is not to go overboard and start explaining every tiny detail of a character’s past. Ugh, BORING. Nobody wants to read a giant “info dump.” The trick is finding a happy medium so that the story will have emotional richness without sacrificing a nice, quick pace.

Have you read any books lately where the opening really grabbed you? Please share in the comments below! 

My readers and I all love to hear good book recommendations from like-minded people, so if you have any to share, don’t be shy!

Also, what books are you looking forward to in 2020? Any upcoming releases already on your radar? Comment below.

Thanks for visiting ~ and I hope your 2020 is off to a great start!

Happy December! I cannot believe 2019 is almost over. Wow. I hope you had a great year, and I want to thank you once again for your support. I truly appreciate it. Wishing you & yours a very Merry Christmas ~ Happy Holidays ~ and a wonderful New Year!

As you may have noticed, I'm making some changes on my website for 2020. Namely, my "Blog" has been renamed "News," and this is where you will find the latest updates in future, rather than cluttering up my homepage.

In a follow-up from last month's note, *CONGRATULATIONS* to the winner of my big November giveaway, exclusively for my newsletter subscribers! This lovely person has been notified, but, my dear lady, you need to check your email, lol. I want to send you your prize! :)
​
Moving on...

Have you heard I now have my own little GF online bookshop? I'm terribly excited about it. *g* If you are interested in autographed copies of my latest books, or are looking to save some money on the Moonlight Square paperbacks, go and have a look around! All transactions are securely processed through Paypal; I think you'll find it pretty straightforward. Click to visit the GF Online Store. 

Love a good Victorian Christmas tale that's fun for the whole family? Then download the eBook of this magical holiday adventure for your kids ~ and yourself! ~ as a wee gift from Eric and me.
​
JAKE & THE GINGERBREAD WARS by E.G. Foley
will be FREE on Kindle from
THURSDAY, DEC. 12th - MONDAY, DEC. 16th.

​Instead, she finds herself embroiled in a treasure hunt (!!). When the action-starved military man next door discovers her quest, he demands to be a part of it. Coming out sometime in Spring, 2020.

As a music-lover, it's my annual Christmas tradition here on my website to share one of my favorite carols with you. This year, I chose a 17th-century French carol, "Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella," sung by Callie and Collette Crofts. I love singing with my sisters and our dad, but we're nowhere in these girls' league, lol.

Hope you enjoy their charming rendition of a so-French Christmas song that we don't hear as often here in the States. I personally can't even sing along without getting choked up, lol. Enjoy!

~ Until next year!
​Gaelen

November can be dreary, but the warmth of Thanksgiving season turns my thoughts with gratitude to all the people who have been so important in my life ~ especially my readers! You mean more to me than you will ever know. :)

Since November is also my birthday month, it's the perfect time for me to give one lucky person a very special gift. I've decided to do a giveaway via random drawing out of all my newsletter subscribers, and the prize is a real collector's item.

To celebrate my birthday and say thank you to my readers, I'm giving away a complete, autographed set of my bestselling, award-winning Knight Miscellany series ~ ALL FIRST EDITIONS ~ ten books total.

Make sure you're signed up for The Gaelen Foley Newsletter if you want to win. U.S. only, must be over 18. Winner must respond within 10 days or forfeit the prize to an alternate winner. Click here for complete Giveaway Rules.

I know a lot of you are moms, grandmas, aunts, teachers, and school librarians who have introduced your kids to The Gryphon Chronicles fantasy adventure series I co-write with my husband, a former middle school teacher (and former chiropractor, but that's another story, LOL. He's a man of many talents!)

At any rate, the kids have been waiting a loooong time for Book 6 in the series, but I'm thrilled to say that the epic Black Fortress is finally here. Plucky young Jake Everton's saga continues, along with his Gryphon and his trusty band of friends. The whole series is now in Kindle Unlimited, so if you enjoy Victorian-era fantasy, check it out! For Ages 10 to 110. :)

Behind the iron gates of The Black Fortress, evil gathers its forces, preparing to strike…

Three months ago, the horrible news that the Dark Druids captured his beloved pet Gryphon sent thirteen-year-old Jake Everton reeling—especially since he knows he’s the one the warlock brotherhood really wants. It’s a trap, and poor Red is just the bait. Well aware of the threat, the Elders have forbidden the daring boy hero from taking any action to rescue his faithful companion. Instead, Jake and his friends must cool their heels at the Order’s palace headquarters, where they’ll be “safe.”

But treachery stalks the hallowed corridors of Merlin Hall. Palace intrigues abound as a traitor makes a secret pact with the enemy. And when a terrifying prophecy emerges with Jake at the center of it all, the full-scale magical war between good and evil that the Order has long dreaded only needs one spark to explode…

This is a bit personal, but I know I'm not alone in sometimes finding it tough to maintain my usual happy-go-lucky attitude once the gray days and early darkness of November settle in. As a writer, I can't afford to let wintertime zap my energy and creativity.

​Fortunately, I've learned to take a few simple, proactive steps that really seem to help, and I start them as soon as the calendar changes from October. This month, I thought I would pass them along, since this has been really important in life to keep me productive and happy (and the two sort of go hand in hand!).

Obviously, I'm not a doctor and this is not medical advice, nor would I presume to refer to those suffering from clinical depression in any of my simple tips below, but when it comes to the more garden-variety S.A.D. symptoms (Seasonal Affective Disorder), here's what I do to stay a step ahead of the winter blues. (And, fun fact: my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA officially gets more gray days than Seattle. Ack!)

1. Sit in front of a sunlamp for 30 minutes shortly after waking. I have my sunlamp on my desk and sit here drinking my coffee, doing some journaling, and planning out my day. (Here's a list of the best-reviewed sunlamps, if you're on the market for one!) 

2. Vitamin D3 (in the morning) balanced with Vitamin K2 (in the evening). Apparently, you have to take K2 when you're taking D3 so you don't harm your cardiovascular system with excessive calcium absorption from the D3. Or something like that, lol. (I take 10,000 IU of D3 in the A.M. balanced by 15 liquid droplets in a spoon of the K2 at dinnertime.) 

3. Lots of B vitamins. I understand they're very important for helping the nervous system handle stress and anxiety, which can build up when that seasonal melancholia comes along.

4. Bundle up and get outside for at least a 15-minute walk during daylight hours (such as they are this time of year!).

5. Exercise (Booo! Just kiddin. Gotta be done. Seratonin might be low this time of year, but at least we can boost our endorphins with some vigorous physical activity.) At the very least, I stick to a daily stretching routine so that I don't, you know, forget I have a body, and start to think I'm just a life support system for a head. :P

6. Schedule fun! Put some activities on the calendar throughout the winter months so you always have a few things to look forward to, especially getting together with people you enjoy.

7. Comedy and music! Keep it light! There've been studies proving that laughter really IS good for the soul (here's one from the Mayo Clinic!), so go out of your way to add a dash of funny to your life & keep it light! Turn off the stinkin' news. Did you know there are comedy channels on Pandora? (Spotify, too, I would imagine.) Put on upbeat music or some smart-aleck comedian's jokes to listen to while you're doing chores around the house. I like the PG-Comedy channel on Pandora. One of my favorite music channels to listen to in the winter is the Cuban music channel. Makes me  dance around like I'm in sunny Havana under the palm trees! :P

9. And speaking of palm trees: greenery! Bring home some easy-care houseplants like palms, bromeliads and cacti to keep you company indoors for all those months when there's no sign of green outside. Baskets of mums here and there in the house in the autumn, poinsettias as the holidays approach...

10. Go cozy! Embrace the dark season with candles, a fireplace if you have one, a selection of cold-weather beverages like specialty coffees and teas or mulled cider, and a go-to favorite: MAKE SOUP!

11. Winter is also a great time of year for crafts and home projects. On my agenda is creating a family photo gallery on my hallway wall. Another idea might be homemade Christmas gifts as a fun craft project to work on. A lot of people go crazy with the baking, which is one option, but consuming too many carbs can lead to weight gain, and that can be really depressing if you're already fighting the winter blues.

12. READ! "Well, duh, Gaelen, of course I'm going to read," you say. *grin* Good! But you could make it even more fun by creating a reading challenge, "game-ify' it, as they say. Or join a bookclub -- even an online one or a Facebook group so you can still chat with other bookworms, even when you have NO intention of driving out there on a pitch-black, icy night.

A final thought: One of the best ways to lift your heart is to remember those who are less fortunate. As bad as we might feel now and then when the seasonal symptoms hit, it helps, I think, to remember that, in reality, most of us are SO lucky.

There are literally millions of people around the globe who would kill to have our "first-world problems." So instead of giving in to the temptation to wallow or ruminate, it's better to chase those scary phantoms away by thinking of others' needs instead. Of course, most of my readers are bighearted people, so most of you already know this ~ probably better than I do! But it's easy to forget about others when the bad feelings creep in and start preoccupying our thoughts with ourselves and our own situations.

From checking on an elderly neighbor to serving at a soup kitchen, to pitching in on the annual Toys for Tots drive or your church's angel tree ~ or my family's tradition, of singing carols at the VA Hospital to spread some Christmas cheer to our heroes who've served ~ it's ALWAYS a good time to remember others and count our blessings.

Side note: November is National Adoption Month. It's a great time to consider doing something nice for kids in the system who don't even have a home or a family of their own. For more info, check out this list of ideas of how to help:
https://www.kvc.org/blog/5-ways-to-help-a-child-in-foster-care/

So there you have it. My go-to strategies for keeping my head on straight during the dark & dreary months. One last tip? Just, you know, be nice to yourself! If you won't, who will? *g*

What have YOU found that works well for you to stay cheerful during fall and winter? Did I miss any good suggestions? Please share! You might have a tip that makes all the difference for other blog visitors here. 

(PS: Good luck on my Knight Family November Giveaway!)