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The process is long and expensive, but it's worth it in the end. Mason County's courthouse was in the midst of renovation when an arsonist targeted the building. See, really bad things happen sometimes during a renovation.

In Mason County's case, they had already engaged engineering and preservation experts to start their renovation. The prep turned out to be fortuitous when the building burned down in 2021. Court records, which are a crucial part of restoration, had already been removed by...

The first part of the long renovation process starts with assessing the damage.

In Verde County's case, if there was damage to the building, Andrew Kim would be called in to consult with engineers to do an assessment. Having the largest workspace available for a county's government out of commission means that the staff and services would have to be moved to temporary quarters. Many counties have their emergency services located in a courthouse building, and that could lead to nightmares in...

The Texas Courthouse resoration program has been going strong for over twenty years. But sometimes the restoration kicks off with loss or even tragedy.

Follow along as one Texas County starts their journey with loss.

In my Restoring Madison series, the long suffering people of Verde County encounter obstacle after obstacle as they work to restore their own courthouse. Personally, I didn't go with arson as a challenge, but there are any number of factors...

With no training whatsoever thanks to my horrible former employer. I cried like a baby when I got to Washington Avenue because I knew I could make it the entire way if I kept going at my slow pace.

Then I had to sober up because I worried if the officials saw me crying they'd worry I was injured and I'd get pulled from the course anyway.

Pics to follow:

Truth be told, The Texas Historical Comission, (or THC, or "the Hysterical Commission) has been doing this "help you get your (court)house in order" thing for a while. In my Restoring Madison, TX series, however, our fictional Verde County is just going through the hoops to get the funding from the state.

I put those poor people through the wringer because it's fiction, but the actual program features slightly less drama.

New year, new genre.

Welcome to Madison, Texas—where restoration reveals truth

You've just discovered the Restoring Madison, TX series—women's fiction set in a small Texas town where a courthouse restoration project becomes the catalyst for personal and community transformation.

Each book follows a different woman whose story intersects with a phase of the preservation project. An innkeeper confronting gentrification. A county clerk trapped by family legacy. A real estate agent watching her...

It's finally here! My final romace book, A Very Texas Christmas, is finally available in ebook, print and audiobook versions. It's been a long process, but I can take a quick break during the holidays.

Coming in 2026, the Restoring Madison, Texas series debuts. Check your inboxes in March. Coming Texas Independence Day, 2026!

Reading changes your brain.

Need a lift in your life? Is your Kindle looking a little sparse? We've got you covered this October with these free romance books.

Here's a sample of what you'll be getting:

Grab these quickly, because the offer is only good through the end of October.

Judge Cavanaugh makes a short appearance in Saving Madison, TX. Even if you're a native Texan, you may not know what a County Judge does. Does she actually preside over a courtroom? Can he issue verdicts? As with everything in Texas: yes and no.

Don't miss out on this chance to grab a bunch of FREE books this September. I've teamed up with several other authors who LOVE to write spicy romance to offer their books for free.

Grab them all here before it's too late!

Nerd squeal confession time: Yesterday I bought a book for researching an upcoming series I'm outlining. I read a sample on Kindle yesterday, and since it's a university press (UT), the Kindle price is SCANDALOUS! And not in a juicy interesting way.

Naturally, I looked for the hardback/ paperback version, and with shipping and tax it was a third of the price. This book will give me some great inspiration for at least two characters in the series.

I'm SO FREAKING EXCITED about getting this...

Fall hard for your next book boyfriend and fall fast with this list of FREE romance books.

Instalove is one of my favorite tropes, especially when I'm writing shorter romance. These days we all need affordable books, and there's really no way to beat A FREE BOOK!

Load up your e-reader with these free reads, but you have to do it by Sept. 30th.

Go, go now!!!!

To be honest, I just don't have room for another mug, so I decided to rep myself by special ordering a ring from Etsy. It's whimsical, but I get to look at it while I type.

Honestly, it's the little things that make me smile.

Sophie Chen has her grandmother's peach cobbler recipie, but I have to do some reasearch to learn about the ingredients and how to create one.

Today I share the recipe from Tastes Better From Scratch.

Enjoy!

I won't be able to enjoy bluebonnets at the house next Spring. Mostly because I forgot to order the seeds. By the time I get around to planting them, I'll have missed the prime planting season.

Getting this current series out and working on A Very Texas Christmas has pretty much consumed my working hours and most of my energy.

As I keep saying with the St. Jude's marathon- Oh, well- there's always next year...

Although the program has been around for almost 25 years, few people know about the Texas Historical Commission's program to help fun courthouse preservation.

Here's a comprehensive and therefore NOT short guide to THC's program.

Honestly, I'd buy a house if it already had one. It's a fetish.

The preorders are live for A Very Texas Christmas. Caleb Bauer came to Madison, TX to hide his tragic past, but he's hiding more than heartbreak. It's impossible to hide the past from a determined archivist, and Elena is on the case.

Caleb sets Elena's heart racing, but she's got more on her mind now that she's returned to her home town of Madison. A real estate developer from Houston is determined to buy up the town and destroy its heart. Can Elena solve the mystery surrounding Caleb and save...

In Texas, THC stands for a couple of things. Today, I have a short history lesson on the agency that tries valiantly to preserve the history of the Lone Star State.