recede

(Women’s Fiction with Gothic Elements, written and editing)

Becca McBride thought she had left the past behind—until the past showed up in the form of a phone call. Her estranged father is dying and asks her to return home to her family’s remote ranch in Central California. Out of money, desperate for a fresh start, and hoping to offer her troubled six-year-old daughter, Sadie a safe place to grow, Becca reluctantly agrees to move back to the vacant 100-year-old farmhouse.

But the house is not as empty as it seems.

At night, doors creak open, lights flicker, and wet footprints appear in the hall. It doesn’t take long for Becca to realize that this house is hiding a dark secret. One night, she’s woken by a strange figure at the foot of her bed—a girl in a soaked white nightgown, begging, "Help me." Becca's fear turns to fascination as she becomes determined to uncover the story behind the ghost of Michaela, a 1950s debutante whose tragic fate is linked to the house and its long-buried history.

As Becca digs deeper, she finds herself not only unearthing dark secrets about the town and her family, but also rekindling a romance with Chris Maybin, her childhood sweetheart turned local farmer. But something much darker than a ghost is lurking in the nearby walnut orchard, and Becca soon realizes that Michaela’s death is only the beginning of a far more sinister mystery—one that could put her daughter in the crosshairs of an evil presence determined to finish what was started long ago.

To save Sadie, Becca must uncover the truth before it’s too late. But the deeper she goes, the more she wonders: is she trying to save her daughter, or is she trying to save herself?

BEN L.

(current work in progress)

Ben L. is women's fiction with elements of magical realism, blending the romance of Twilight with the heart of E.T. and intensity of The Terminator. Set in the near future as the country teeters on the brink of civil war, this story explores family, love, and the unknown, while addressing themes of grief, healing, and the extraordinary.

Myra and Josh O’Connell live a peaceful life on their century-old farm nestled between the Sierra Nevada foothills, trying to carry on despite the painful loss of their son, Paul, an Air Force pilot whose jet mysteriously crashed during a secret mission. As the couple waits for answers that never come, their world is shaken one frosty December night when a meteor fragment and an eerie black craft zoom past their property.

Soon after, Myra notices strange occurrences—a food supply mysteriously dwindling—and assumes a homeless person is responsible. She begins leaving food out by the Rocky Meadow. When their estranged daughter Katie, a business lawyer recently fired from her prestigious job, returns home, a walk through the meadow leads to a startling discovery: Ben, a mysterious young man who has been living there. Ben is no ordinary transient—animals are drawn to him, he seems to have no need for food or sleep, and his touch has the ability to heal. Even more mysterious are the lights that flicker from his room in the barn.

As Ben becomes a part of their family, and Katie’s feelings for him grow, the situation grows even more complicated when mysterious men in black suits arrive, searching for him. In a race against time, the O'Connells learn that Ben’s connection to their son Paul is more profound than they ever imagined, and they must help him return to his home—wherever that may be—before it’s too late.

Ben L. is a character-driven novel that blends heartwarming family dynamics with suspense and magical realism. It will appeal to readers who enjoy emotional, book club fiction with speculative elements, like The Midnight Library by Matt Haig or The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

SENSELESS

(Women’s fiction, completed and editing)

Ellie Dashiell has abandoned the idea of love, focusing instead on caring for her ailing mother and helping her father run Orange Blossom Ranch. After her mother passes away from cancer, Ellie promises to watch over her grieving father and impulsive sister, Annabeth. Three years later, Annabeth makes a reckless decision to buy their father a single ticket for a seniors’ cruise, leading to a shocking return—he’s engaged to Fanny Dockerman, a flamboyant sweet tea heiress.

At their garish wedding, Ellie, overwhelmed by the situation, drinks more of Fanny's infamous sweet tea than she intended and confides in a bartender with mesmerizing eyes. The next morning, she’s stunned to learn that Annabeth has eloped with the wedding singer, country music star Chandler Chamberlin, and the bartender is actually Fanny’s wealthy nephew, Edward Ferrier.

With their parents away on an extended honeymoon, Ellie must juggle running the ranch, managing Annabeth’s celebrity scandal, and grappling with her growing feelings for Edward, the reserved and sincere man who may just be everything she never thought she’d want. But as the Dashiell sisters start uncovering secrets about their respective love interests, they’re forced to question whether love is worth the inevitable heartache.

Packed with humor, country charm, and a dash of Austen-inspired romance, Senseless in Love is a 65,000-word romantic comedy perfect for fans of sweet country romance and Jane Austen retellings.

Summer Girls

(Women’s Fiction, work in progress)

Summer Girls is a contemporary women’s fiction novel that explores the complexities of love, friendship, and personal growth across the years.

Charlotte and Jess became inseparable during their freshman year of college, and after graduation, set off on a backpacking trip across Europe. On Charlotte's birthday, they meet Will and Toby, two charming college graduates, while strolling the streets of Paris, sparking a summer of passionate romances. However, they are all already in committed relationships. Jess, swept off her feet in Rome, will later become engaged to another man, while Charlotte, in a whirlwind romance with Toby, will eventually choose him over her previous boyfriend.

Fast-forward to the present day: Charlotte is happily married to Toby, the mother of two children, and living an idyllic life on their Paso Robles winery. Jess, however, is divorced and grieving the loss of her mother. She feels unmoored, despite the years of deep friendship with Charlotte, who has invited her to join the family for her 40th birthday celebration. But there’s a surprise: Will, now a Doctors Without Borders physician, has also been invited. Jess secretly still harbors feelings for him, but over the years, their friendship has been strained, despite their close bonds with Charlotte and Toby.

As the story unfolds, we travel between past and present, discovering the history of Jess, Will, Charlotte, and Toby—from their summer romance as they backpacked across Europe to the growing tensions and unresolved emotions that shaped their adult lives. Jess and Will still share a deep connection, though their tumultuous relationship complicates things. Amid the backdrop of Charlotte’s cancer diagnosis, which brings the four friends together once more, Jess and Will are forced to confront their unresolved feelings and long-held regrets.

Summer Girls is a story about second chances, the enduring nature of deep connections, and the ways in which love—both new and old—can shape and reshape our lives.

Aurora Begins

(Young Adult, Completed, Editing)

Seventeen-year-old Aurora Castaneda, sister of Nesto and on the down low with Manuel Ramones, leader of the 15th Street Surenos, has always known the drill. Don’t get caught. Be loyal. And above all, do as you are told.

When she stumbles across a revenge killing gone wrong and watches the love of her life get gunned down, she is forced into hiding. Waking up to the foreign world of the salty air and foggy beaches of Abalone Beach, she meets Sachi, the kind and intriguing surfer, and discovers the family she never knew she had.  But when her past comes back to haunt her, she must face the most important decision of her life: be loyal to the gang, or be true to yourself.

Grande Hotel

(Young Adult—about 80% completed)

Seventeen-year-old Becca is sent to spend the summer with her eccentric aunt after her mother marries Becca’s high school science teacher and leaves for a honeymoon in France. Bored and restless, one day, Becca hikes to the lake one evening. There, she meets Jemmy, a mysterious child dressed in clothes that seem to belong to another era. Jemmy leads her to a grand hotel on the water, The Windemere, where time seems to have stopped—and where the atmosphere is thick with hidden secrets. Inside, Becca encounters Jemmy’s older brother Bastian, a brooding and handsome teenager who’s more than a little upset by her presence, and the enigmatic Man in White, whose unnervingly cheerful demeanor contrasts with the tension swirling around them all.

As Becca gets drawn into the hotel’s luxurious yet eerie atmosphere, she discovers a chilling secret: when she tries to leave, she can’t. The inhabitants of The Windemere, including Jemmy and Bastian, are trapped in a mysterious limbo. As Becca and Bastian join forces to unravel the curse binding them all, their growing feelings for each other complicate their search for answers.