Or, maybe I should say… REintroducing Topaz Treasure!
Topaz Treasure was originally published in May, 2012, by Barbour Publishing in a four-in-one anthology called Rainbow’s End along with novellas by Nicole O’Dell, Cara Putman, and Annalisa Daughety. While it wasn’t the first story I wrote (it was the ninth, and my third romance), it was the first to be published. You can read the story of “the call” here from February, 2011! I was super excited and thought I was on my way at last. And I was, but the “way” didn’t look anything like I expected it to.
Rainbow’s End did reasonably well, but as things go in traditional publishing, it went out-of-print about five years later. By then, I was established as an indie romance author with 17 titles released. I was in the midst of the Christmas in Montana series and had begun both the Urban Farm Fresh Romance series and the Arcadia Valley Romance multi-author series. The other authors and I talked briefly about relaunching our Rainbow’s End novellas as a multi-author series, writing more stories in that world. It quickly became apparent that our schedules wouldn’t jive for a big project.
So, I decided to move the setting of my story from Missouri and write three more (longer) stories to create a series. While I was mulling over additional titles and storylines (and writing the three aforementioned series!) life got derailed by a heart attack, recovery, and then the Saddle Springs Romance series.
Topaz Treasure sat on my hard drive for several more years, until I was invited to join the Love’s Treasure multi-author box set, which releases in just a few weeks. After much deliberation and schedule-jockeying, it felt like the time was right to spring this novella and series from my keyboard to your Kindles!
The Pot of Gold Geocaching Romance series is now set in Jewel Lake, Montana. Topaz Treasure (book 1) has been rewritten (several times LOL) and lengthened by about 25%. The core of the story is the same as it was in the first edition nine years ago, though.
Ruby Radiance (book 2) will first release in Love’s Treasure on June 15. Then Sapphire Sentiments is set to release July 13, and Amethyst Attraction on August 10. Everything is written, and the final story is currently with my editor. Whew! A project ten years in the making, and it’s finally seeing the light of day!
About Topaz Treasure
Closet believer Lyssa Quinn steps out of her comfort zone to help coordinate the Pot of Gold Treasure Hunt her church is using as an outreach event. She’s not expecting her former humanities prof — young, handsome, anti-Christian Kirk Kennedy — to be in Jewel Lake at all, let alone in a position to provide sponsorship to the geocaching event, but how can she trust someone who once shredded her best friend’s faith?
Kirk’s treasure hunt takes him down a path he hadn’t intended as he searches for opportunities to connect with Lyssa and her intriguing sparkle. How can he convince her there is more than one kind of treasure? And how can she introduce him to the greatest prize of all?
Topaz Treasure is currently available only on Amazon. It will not be in Kindle Unlimited until later in June. Sorry ’bout that! But I can’t put it in until it is no longer available as bonus material for the purchase of Love’s Treasure.
Enjoy the Pinterest board for this series here.
Psst: If you want to see what’s next in the pipeline and how far along I am on the next project, keep an eye on the Coming Soon page!
Faith Posten says
This reinvented novella sounds awesome! I look forward to reading it. I was going to order it, but saw that I pre-ordered it last year! Lol
Valerie says
Hi Faith! If you pre-ordered it, it should have landed on your Kindle on Tuesday. The pre-order was up for about a month only (not last year) so you might want to double check! Thank you 🙂