Kelly Romo's Blog, page 2

The research for book two of my Whitewater Thriller Series took me into the Cascade Mountain Range and to the headwaters of the Deschutes River, which begins at Little Lava Lake. I drove along the ,Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway , where some of the volcano peaks still have snow in the summer. There are fourteen different lakes, as well as inactive, extinct, and active volcanos with large swaths of lava flows that go on for miles.

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On my first visit, I cheated and "glamped" at Elk Lake instead of bringing all my own camping gear—but hey, it was the end of the school year, and I was exhausted. "Glamping" is luxury camping, but still a few steps down from a Motel 6 since there is no running water, and you need to use a porta potty. It is much easier than camping because it is already set up, and the futon is much cozier than a cot or a sleeping pad. Elk Lake Resort provides a propane heater, but the tent is so large I had to point it directly at the futon and my sleeping bag to keep warm enough.

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Five miles down the byway from Elk Lake are Lava Lake and Little Lava Lake. At one time, they were a single lake until a lava flow separated them. Lava Lake has a small campground, store, and marina. The owner of the store is second-generation and very friendly. Of course, I gave him a DEAD DRIFT book, and we had a great conversation about serial killers. Apparently, there was a real-life serial killer at the lake in the winter of 1923/1924.

Three trappers, who lived in an isolated cabin by the lake, were murdered. Someone shot and bludgeoned them with a hammer before dumping their bodies into a hole in the frozen lake. The incident was called the ,,Lava Lake Murders . A former Elk Lake Lodge employee was blamed for the murders, but he disappeared. He was found five years later in Montana, but there was insufficient evidence to convict him. To this day, the murders remain unsolved.

The second book in my Whitewater Thriller Series is titled I AM THE RIVER. The very first photo in this blog was taken at the headwaters of the Deschutes, where my serial killer sits to contemplate his fate at the end of part one. Two significant things occur at this point in the novel that forever alters the lives of the characters.

All three lakes, Elk Lake, Lava Lake, and Little Lava Lake, appear in my novel. If you are ever around the Bend, Oregon area, I highly recommend the ,,Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway . It is one of the most beautiful drives I have ever taken. I have already returned several times and will continue to explore the fourteen lakes and countless hiking trails. Next time, I'm bringing my kayak.

Meet the amazing and talented Talon David and Ryan Hougen who narrated my thriller, DEAD DRIFT.

I had over 80 auditions for the audiobook of DEAD DRIFT. I used ACX and was immediately impressed with the level of talent. At first, I was thinking of having a single female narrator read the entire book, but the female voices just did not sound right for my serial killer...and the men reading "At least I'm not pregnant," was not the angle I was going for.

Two narrators stood out above all the rest. Talon had the youthful voice I needed for my 18-year-old main character, Emmy...and she has an expressive reading style and flow that pulls you right into the story. When I was editing the final version, I had to keep remembering that I was supposed to be editing it.

For the serial killer chapters, I needed a powerful younger male voice, and Ryan nailed it! His chapters will absolutely give you the chills.

These two were highly professional and brought my story to life. I am beyond thrilled. I hope you will check it out on Audible.com.

TALON DAVID

Growing up, I loved reading aloud--it became a game with myself to see how long I could go without making any mistakes. I used to read books to my sister while Mom was driving us around, and she would laugh and laugh at all the different voices I did. I absolutely loved bringing the story alive for her. It wasn't too long after that I realized professionals made a living reading books aloud, and I realized getting into the VoiceOver world would be a childhood dream come true. Since then, I've spent some time in the professional theatre world, doing local shows around Nashville, while studying popular music performance at Belmont University. This array of experiences has given a lyrical quality to my narrating voice and a particular courage in trying out new character voices. My aim is to entertain and I would feel so, so blessed to be a part of your book's journey!

Credits

Plot Twist by Bethany Turner

Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks

The Harlequin & the Drangue by Liane Zane

Kimber (The Elyrian Chronicles) by LK Hingey

The Vow that Twisted Fate by Katherine D. Graham

Christian Marriage Devotional for Couples by Teri Reeves

Girl One: Murder (Maya Gray Mystery Series) by Molly Black

Roar Like a Lion by Levi Lusko and Tami Fortner

Game Over by Mina Skye

Little 15 by LD Wosar

Aurelias Diaries (#1-4) by Benjamin Thurber

Check out Talon's website.

RYAN HAUGEN

Ryan Haugen is a narrator and voice-over artist from Iowa. He can be heard in everything from audiobooks, audio dramas, video games, e-Learning, YouTube videos, Graphic Audio productions, and more. His youthful, warm, and dynamic approach to narration has helped him to specialize in the Young Adult and Science Fiction genres in particular.

Producer of more than 60 audiobooks on Audible, Ryan is also the narrator of 2020’s Indies Today Book of the Year, “One Hit Away: A Memoir of Recovery”, written by Jordan Barnes.

He is a frequent collaborator with Audivita, Silverton Audio, and The Talking Book.

Engaged, passionate, and dedicated to consuming media as much as he is producing it, Ryan utilizes his lifelong passion for animation, cinema, and video games to inform his voice-over approach.

Ryan can be found on Twitter @rhnarrates or www.ryanhaugen.com He is always hunting for new projects to hone his craft and looks forward to hearing from authors and rights holders who wish to collaborate with him."

Writing, ghosts, bubble baths, and soaking pools.

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WRITING

Whenever I need to get my head wrapped back around my story or I need to do a final edit, I head out for a DIY writer's retreat. Two of my favorite places just so happen to be haunted. They are both in Oregon and part of McMenamins' hotels and restaurants. One is Edgefield and the other is The Grand Lodge.

McMenamins refurbishes and converts old buildings into hotels and restaurants. Edgefield used to be a poor farm along the Columbia River. It is now a large hotel with a golf course, movie theater, eleven different restaurants and bars, a spa and soaking pool, and a concert venue. The Grand Lodge used to be a Masonic and Eastern Star Lodge. It is now a hotel with two restaurants, three bars, and a movie theater.

I usually work on my writing until my head feels like it's about to cave in, then I enjoy some of the amenities.

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BUBBLE BATHS AND WANDERING THE HALLS IN A BATHROBE

Many of the rooms in McMenamins' hotels do not have their own bathrooms. There are shared baths for hotel guests, complete with showers and bathtubs. I love taking bubble baths when it is cold and stormy outside. The creepiest time I took a bubble bath was during a weekday when the hotel was practically empty. The picture of me above with my hair wrapped in a towel was taken that evening. I half expected to see a ghost in the photo behind me.

If you are interested in reading about some of the paranormal experiences of McMenamins' guests, here is a link to the McMenamins Blog.

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SOAKING POOLS AND GHOSTS

Both hotels have soaking pools. The photo below is of the Edgefield soaking pool next to the spa. It is warm and steamy, and I usually get a cocktail at the Tea House bar while I soak.

THE ACCIDENTAL FIRE

The only damage I have done in one of the McMenamins' hotels is to set fire in one of the hotel rooms. I was given a room in the basement with the older wiring. I plugged my MacBook into the wall socket, and flames started shooting out and up the wall. I pulled the cord out and the electricity popped off, making the flames go away. I called the front desk to tell them what happened since I was afraid the fire could still be burning inside the wall or in the next room. I packed up my belongings and my melted cord and moved to another room, right next to an exit--just in case.

If you are ever in Oregon or in need of a great DIY retreat, I highly recommend one of McMenamins' hotels.

How I transitioned from me to HIM...in a fictional sense.

Fly Fishing

For me, as I'm sure with most people who tie flies, it all started with fly fishing. I love standing in my waders with the water rushing against my thighs and feeling one with the river as the water boils against rocks and pools in eddies. There is a natural peacefulness and release to standing in a rushing river and casting a fly. Sometimes it's like hunting. You watch the water, spot a fish or its disturbance on the surface, and drop your fly right in front of it, hoping it will strike. Other times, you dead drift, making your fly mimic an actual insect on the current, drag-free with no tension on your line, which is challenging.

Fly Tying

Flies are little works of art. I enjoy creating them. When you catch a fish on a fly, the land, air, and river are all bound together with thread and copper wire.

The transition to HIM

Once I decided to write a thriller on the Deschutes, I wanted to capture and incorporate the different elements that make the river special. I included whitewater rafting, the smell of sage and juniper, the sounds of the railroad chugging along the bank, and the buzz of cicadas. I needed a serial killer, so why not a fly-tying serial killer who wraps a single strand of his victims' hair into each of his flies?

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Brace Yourself

I decided to pull out all the stops and have fun with this novel. I wrote the story as I thought it should be written without worrying about what people may think of me (Okay, I do worry, but I did it anyway. Please don't judge). I am trying to find creative ways to bring readers to my book and have fun things for people who have read it. DEAD DRIFT is the first book in a three-book series, so brace yourselves; it will be a wild ride.

Of course, my serial killer opened a real Etsy Shop. If you would like to check it out, here is the link: I AM THE RIVER, Hand-Tied Flies.

The world may never know...For me, writing is not done in isolation. These amazing people helped me create an accurate and polished novel. I am forever grateful.

Craig Lesley

Craig was one of my advisors at Pacific University's MFA program. He has remained a friend and mentor ever since. I was honored to have him edit my novel that was set on his home turf in rural Oregon. He is also a fly fisherman who spent a lot of time on the Deschutes River.

Craig is the author of four novels and a memoir, along with numerous other works. Along with his wife, Katheryn Stavrakis, he has also edited two anthologies of short fiction. Twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, he has received three Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Awards, the Western Writers of America Golden Spur Award for Best Novel, and an Oregon Book Award. He has also been the recipient of several national fellowships and holds a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Whitman College.

Diane Peters

Diane is a former coworker whose editing is invaluable to me. She has been my beta reader for all three of my novels.

Reading has been Diane's passion since childhood. Her favorites were Nancy Drew, Five Little Peppers, and Louisa May Alcott's books. She currently reads women's fiction, science fiction, romance, mystery, and paranormal and urban fantasy. She taught reading for thirty-seven years, among other classes.

Diane loves introducing people and children to new authors. She discovers new authors and books through her twelve years of being in a book club. She even invited me to their meetings when they discussed my books, WHISTLING WOMEN and WHEN SORROW TAKES WING. Diane loves to pass on her passion for books. Now, she gets to find books for her grandkids, who love being read to.

Serina Savage

Serina is a beautiful soul who came into my life several years ago. While writing DEAD DRIFT, I wondered why my main character, Emmy, would stay in Lodell. After learning more about Serina and her experiences growing up in Foster Care, I knew I wanted Emmy and Amber to be foster children.

Serina not only shared stories of her experiences with me, but she also did a content edit for accuracy and point of view. She is an amazing woman who has overcome much in her lifetime.

Mark Overholtzer

Mark is a pilot and retired Air Force Colonel. He not only helped me with my flying scenes for the historical fiction novel I am working on, but he also helped immensely with DEAD DRIFT. Mark is a thorough copyeditor who can spot a misspelled word or grammatical error at 30,000 feet.

Mark also keeps me grounded when I need it--and he puts up with all my crazy ideas.

Mica Fish

I met Mica in the Rainbow Tavern in Maupin, Oregon. I could tell she was a whitewater rafting guide, so I approached her and asked if she would be willing to talk to me about her experiences. She agreed, and we talked many times.

Many of the scenes in DEAD DRIFT were based on our conversations. She took me down the river on a whitewater trip, and she is the guide who invited me to the rodeo I wrote about in my "If It Smells Like Bull..." blog post. Once I finished DEAD DRIFT, she also agreed to do a content edit for me. Mica helped me at the beginning and at the end of this novel.

Mica is now the owner of Hot Yoga Northwest in Vancouver, Washington. Here is the link if you want to check it out.

Corey Talbott

Who would have guessed that the brother of my cousin's wife was a guide and fly fisherman on the river where I set my novel? Once I found out, I called Corey. He agreed to do a content edit for me, helping me with my scenes from a male river guide's perspective. Corey is also a writer who loves the history of the Deschutes River and Maupin.

Corey contributed greatly to the atmosphere of the whitewater guides on the Deschutes--as well as the history and fishing of the area.

Jayson Janes

Jayson is a Sergeant for the Deschutes County Sheriff's Department. I had some questions I couldn't find online, so I emailed the Sheriff's Department asking if someone would be willing to meet with me. Jayson called, and we set up an appointment.

Come to find out, Jayson is also a fly fisherman who recently started tying his own flies. Once I finished my novel, Jayson read through my scenes related to law enforcement and gave me the thumbs up.

The man, the myth, the citrus.

WHEN SORROW TAKES WING and Farmer Tony

When I needed help with my research on the citrus industry, Farmer Tony came to my rescue. My novel opens on a citrus ranch in Southern California, where Mariana's father is the foreman. Her brother and cousins are pickers, and she just got a job in a packinghouse. I exhausted my research and still needed help, so I went online. I found Farmer Tony's blog, so I reached out to him. He quickly responded and answered all my questions over many emails as I wrote.

I learned that most of the activity on a citrus ranch is during spring, bloom, and harvest. He explained petal fall, smudge pots, pruning, pests, red scale, and cottony cushion scale. With Tony's help, I pulled off a full-fledged citrus ranch--which will also be in my next historical fiction novel. It is a companion novel to WHEN SORROW TAKES WING. For those of you who have read it, it is Jenny's story.

Tony was friendly and open to any and all of my questions. He even sent me a shipment of oranges over Christmas. I highly recommend them! They were like little orbs of sunshine in the cold and dreary Oregon weather. If you are looking for some fresh hand-packed citrus straight from the ranch to your home, check out their website. ,http://www.pearsonranch.com.

About Farmer Tony...

Tony Marquez certainly has farming in his blood. His grandparents having immigrated from Mexico in the early 1930s, worked side by side with their children in the field labor camps as "campesinos" up and down the San Joaquin Valley of California. Tony (having taken his name from his grandfather Antonio) originally had other interests outside of farming, having been an"on-air" radio personality and voice-over artist, as well as having been a licensed insurance agent, finally saw his career path return to his roots of farming.

In 1996 he had the opportunity to learn the citrus business and eventually take the reins of Pearson Ranch. In 1998, Pearson Ranch became one of the first (if not the first) online retailers of citrus when they launched their first website! Skip ahead to the year 2022, and you will find that Pearson Ranch continues to be a leader in the world of online citrus sales, and has branched out to include sales of not only their early and late maturing variety of California Navel Oranges and Pomelos, but has crafted partnerships with other local citrus farmers in order to sell highly prized specialty citrus-like Yuzu, Buddha Hand Citron, Meyer Lemons and a lengthy list of other unique citrus varieties. You can find "Farmer Tony" and Pearson Ranch at ,http://www.pearsonranch.com, ,Facebook, and ,Instagram. And "Farmer Tony's" accounts on ,Facebook and ,Instagram.

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Little did I know that Maupin had a serial killer who got his start on the Deschutes River...

ISRAEL KEYES

Israel Keyes is considered one of the most prolific serial killers in the U.S. He lived in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. By studying other serial killers and learning from them, he stashed kill-kits all over the U.S, murdering people in at least ten different states. The F.B.I believes he killed at least eleven people between 2001 and 2012. He also traveled to Canada, Belize, and Mexico, where he could have committed more crimes.

KEYES' CONNECTION TO MAUPIN

In the summer of1997 or 1998, Israel Keyes lived in Maupin, Oregon. He stalked and abducted a young girl between fourteen and eighteen years old who was tubing down the Deschutes River near Maupin. After kidnapping and sexually assaulting her, he let her go and sent her back down the river on her tube. The assault was never reported to law enforcement and is believed to be the beginning of his violent attacks.

MY CONNECTION TO MAUPIN

I frequently visit Maupin to fly fish, go whitewater rafting, or take a writing retreat. I initially came up with the idea for DEAD DRIFT while on a trip to Maupin. At the time, I was working on historical fiction, not thrillers. For some reason, the idea of a thriller with a serial killer centered around whitewater rafting and fly fishing came to me.

I didn't want to curse Maupin with a serial killer, so I created the fictional town of Lodell. One day after my first draft was already written, I went to the fly fishing shop in Maupin for some tying materials. Of course, I was talking about my book when the man working there told me that a real serial killer lived in Maupin. I was surprised I hadn't found that through my research, but I never did a specific search for that. Since the town is so small, what are the odds? Both Israel Keyes and the serial killer in my novel got their start on the Deschutes River.

Maybe instead of me cursing Maupin, Maupin cursed me...

MORE ON ISRAEL KEYES

Dark Minds, Season 3 Episode 1 & 2

Signs of a Psychopath, Season 2, Episode 6

BOOKS ABOUT ISRAEL KEYES

An Amazon “Best Book of 2019” A Washington Post “10 Books To Read in July” A Los Angeles Times “Seven Highly Anticipated Books for Summer Reading” A USA Today “20 of the Season’s Hottest New Books” A New York Post “25 Best Beach Reads of 2019 You Need to Pre-Order Now” A Bustle “The Best New True Crime Books You Can Read Right Now” “Maureen Callahan’s deft reporting and stylish writing have created one of the all-time-great serial-killer books: sensitive, chilling, and completely impossible to put down.” —Ada Calhoun, author of St. Marks Is Dead

He was a hard-working small business owner, an Army veteran, an attentive lover, and a doting father. But he was also something more, something sinister. A master of deception, he was a rapist, arsonist, bank robber, and a new breed of serial killer, one who studied other killers to perfect his craft. In multiple states, he methodically buried kill-kits containing his tools of murder years before returning and putting them to use. Viewing the entire country as his hunting grounds, he often flew to distant locations where he rented cars and randomly selected his victims. Such were the methods and madness of serial killer Israel Keyes. Such were the demands of the Devil in the Darkness.

This book is the first detailed account ever published about Israel Keyes. It contains exclusive personal information about this frightening serial killer gleaned from extensive interviews with his former fiancee.

Don't mess with a lady's religion. 500 years after the death of Joan of Arc, a brigade of women fighting for their religion called themselves The Joan of Arc Women's Brigade.

HOW I CAME TO WRITE WHEN SORROW TAKES WING

While writing my female aviator story (almost done), I had two alternating points of view with Jenny and Mariana. Jenny is the daughter of an orange grower, and Mariana's father is a foreman on the citrus ranch. Mariana's brother is murdered, and her family is deported to Mexico to cover things up. During my research, I discovered the people of Mexico were in the middle of a religious war against the government.

THE CRISTERO WAR

It is still a little-known war that has been covered up by both Mexico's government and the Catholic Church for a very long time. After the Mexican Revolution, the government wanted to ensure that no foreigners had influence in Mexico, especially since the priests and Catholic Church helped the people during the revolution. Because of this, the government banned the Catholic religion.

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When all the boycotts failed, the people defied the government by still going to church, having their baptisms, weddings, and holy communions. One day, the government sent federal soldiers into a church to clear people out by force. The churches were closed, and federal troops looted and defaced them. Priests were shot in town squares and hung from the rafters of their churches. The women were not having it. They encouraged their husbands and sons to fight for their religious freedom.

It is estimated that 25,000 women were part of the Joan of Arc Women’s Brigade between 1926 and 1929, without a single recorded defection. The network of women stretched from Guadalajara to Mexico City, including fifty-four villages and surrounding hamlets who all provided monthly reports. They were professional women and rural women who fought for their religion and encouraged their husbands and sons to fight. A majority of the women were between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.

The women and girls were recruited from all social classes but were mostly working girls and peasant girls from the country. The brigades were organized in a military hierarchy with generals, colonels, majors, lieutenants, captains, sergeants, and soldiers. The women smuggled food, supplies, and ammunition to the Cristeros. They not only transmitted information but they obtained it by setting up dances in the villages for the federal officers. The women were spies and resorted to violence, kidnapping, and executions in order to protect the combatants. They also set up field hospitals and an underground hospital in Guadalajara, where many of the Catholic nuns were in hiding as nurses. They worked with the Unión Popular, publishing propaganda and running an underground press.

TWO NOVELS INSTEAD OF ONE

As I kept writing Jenny and Mariana's stories, the longer and longer my novel became. My agent kept telling me it was too long, but both stories were so compelling that I had to do them justice. My editor believed as I did and encouraged me to keep going. It got to the point that I knew my agent was right, and I had to do something. I decided to pull the stories apart and have two separate novels. They are complete stand-alone books but are what some might call "companion novels." They both start with the same beginning scenes, but from two separate points of view, then they diverge. That was when WHEN SORROW TAKES WING took off. Jenny's story still does not have a final title, but it is almost finished. I'm going to see if I can get it done this summer when I am on summer break.

MORE ON THE CRISTERO WAR

If you find the Cristero War interesting, here are a couple of places you can find out more.

FOR GREATER GLORY , a movie with Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria, and Peter O'Toole. It is available on Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, HBO Max, YouTube, GooglePlay Movies, and Vudu. La Cristada: The Mexican People's War for Religious Liberty by Jean Meyer Saints and Sinners in the Cristero War: Stories of Martyrdom from Mexico by James Murphy

What do whitewater rafting, Cheech and Chong, special brownies, and a rodeo have in common? (the answer is below)

WHITEWATER RAFTING

I went to a little rafting town to interview whitewater guides for my novel, DEAD DRIFT. I had already taken a couple of trips down the river and wanted to learn more about what they do once they are off the river. I was interested in seeing how they handle customers and their process of putting away all the gear. I offered to pay them, but I was told that wouldn't be necessary. I just needed to bring a bottle of Jack Daniels. I brought two and was told to toss them into a cooler filled with beer.

I spent most of that time observing and taking mental notes. Once they finished with the customers, everyone dove into the ice chest. I'm more of a wine girl, but I had a Hamm's. It was the first beer I ever finished, and it was warm by the time I did. On a side note, I just learned that they call Hamm's beer a "Hamm's Canwich."

After everything was cleaned and put away in the boathouse, I figured I would head to my motel room and write everything down. Instead, the guides invited me to join them at a local rodeo about fifteen miles away. I'm always up for an adventure, so I said yes. They grabbed the ice chest filled with beer and whiskey and headed to a white van. To their credit, they did find a designated driver.

Oh...and someone brought brownies. I love brownies.

CHEECH AND CHONG

I jumped into one of those long vans that churches and correctional departments use. They let me have the front passenger seat next to the designated driver, and we hit the road. About a mile later, I smelled something coming from the back seats. Something very distinct and aromatic. Soon, the van was filled with pot smoke. I was there to observe, and everyone was an adult, so I went along with the ride. That was when I noticed the flashing red and blue lights in the rearview mirror.

I started to panic as the designated driver pulled to the side of the busy highway...which, of course, meant the officer came to the passenger side window. My window.

Remember that scene where Cheech and Chong get pulled over, and their van is filled with pot smoke? Yeah...that was me. As I lowered the window, my entire teaching career passed before my eyes. I imagined the headlines: Local teacher arrested for hotboxing in a van with a bunch of whitewater rafting guides.

I sat there, frozen stiff and staring forward, as the officer and driver talked across me. Things were removed from the glove box and handed to the officer, but I didn't move a muscle. The back of the van was silent. I imagined a guide or two with a lungful of smoke and their face turning red, afraid to breathe it out. I have no idea why, but the stars must have been in alignment, or the wind blew from the right direction because he let us go with nothing but a warning about a broken taillight.

SPECIAL BROWNIES

Remember the brownies that I mentioned above? And how I ate one? Well, I started feeling funny. At first, I thought it was from the shock of being pulled over. Come to find out, the brownie was not a regular type of brownie. They assumed I knew that. I'm used to the free brownies in the teacher's lounge, and the only thing I ever worried they may be laced with was ex-lax.

THE RODEO

We did not buy tickets and enter the rodeo like most people. We had some sort of a backlot parking pass and had to navigate fences to get in. The first fence was the racetrack fence...with a bareback race in progress. We climbed over and dashed across in-between horses. The second fence was the bullpen, where we would be watching the rodeo.

That was about when the brownie really started kicking in. I followed the guides over, and we watched the rodeo right from the perimeter of the arena. It was awesome being so close to the action that we could see the sweat on the cowboys' faces. Bulls charged and bucked so close to the rail that their spit and snot flung through onto us. The image below is a good representation. Bulls also roamed loose behind us and could charge or pin us to the rail at any time they wished. I needed to keep my wits about me, but I had no idea exactly how high I would get from the brownie.

CONCLUSION

None of my pot-brownie-induced paranoias came true. I was not arrested. I was not trampled by a bull. And the guides did not accidentally (or purposely) leave me at the rodeo. They invited me to go "naked rafting" with them sometime in the future before nicely dropping me off at my motel unharmed. I never thought I would be so grateful to open the door to the smell of stale cigarettes and clean sheets.

Finally, here is the answer to my riddle.

Q: "What do whitewater rafting, Cheech and Chong, special brownies, and a rodeo have in common?"

A: "One tired writer who wouldn't lose her day job--and loved every minute of it."

I am excited to share the cover of my new thriller, DEAD DRIFT. Now it feels real! Another exciting aspect is that my daughter, Brittany, designed it. She is a full-time, professional graphic designer. Here is a link to Brittany Romo Design if you want to see what else she creates.