After a bit of a delay caused by my move across the country, followed by another delay due to my procrastination about getting a book cover made, I’m pleased to announce that Bread and Burglary, book two in the Tales of Rydding Village series, will be published August 7, and the e-book is currently available for preorder. There will be a paperback on release day, but they don’t let you preorder those.

This book follows up on Tea and Empathy, continuing with the development of what’s going on with Elwyn and Bryn from that book, but also focusing on Lucina the baker. We find out why she has so much trouble sleeping, and finding out that the guard who stayed to become the new apprentice smith is from the homeland she had to flee doesn’t help matters. Things get even worse when items begin disappearing from people’s homes, and of course the newcomer is the first suspect. Lucina worries they’ll start to wonder about her, too, if he’s the thief, so the best thing she can do is try to clear his name. Meanwhile, he’s homesick and excited to meet someone from his homeland.

It’s my usual mix of mystery, magic, and a hint of romance. And this one will make you hungry because there’s a lot of baking. I did a fair amount of baking while I was plotting it and writing the first draft. I wrote the first draft before the move, then started revising it while I was waiting for my furniture to be delivered to my new home. Without Internet or a television, I didn’t have a lot else to do, so I spent a whole day reading the draft and making revision notes.

I already have the next book planned and partially outlined, so I hope to be able to get that one out before the end of the year.

I set August 7 as the release date because that’s my birthday. I figured I’d be sure to remember it, and it gives me something else to celebrate. I don’t know what I’ll do for my birthday, since I don’t know a lot of people here and it seems like most of the places downtown are closed on Wednesdays. Celebrating a book release helps make the day special, no matter what else I do, but I’m pretty sure cake will be involved. Buying the new book would make a great birthday gift for me. I have dreams of making it at least onto the top ten list of one of the Amazon categories.