Dear Friends,

I’m a writer, a talker, and a cat lover—who would’ve guessed? That being said, I am taking the opportunity to talk about something I learned recently that I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around. The Jacksonville Humane Society (my local animal shelter) took in approximately two-thousand kittens between January and July of this year. TWO THOUSAND!!!

Where did all those little furry darlings come from? Who is dropping the ball in leaving them homeless? And finally, what can I do?

To answer the last question, I can’t take them all in. In fact, Juliette (my calico princess) says we are at one cat and holding. However, it is taking all the willpower I can muster not to volunteer to foster. Why don’t I? Because I know myself too well. Any fur creature who spends the night here, stays here. I’m a pushover with a heart that is quickly stolen.  At this point in life, the most I can do is donate, which was made quite easy by JHS. The click of a computer button sent a box of kitten formula on its way via Amazon Prime. Therefore, I urge all members of my community who love animals, especially cats, to follow my lead. If a box of formula is not in your budget, send a cash donation in the amount you are comfortable with.

Additional information is available at: jaxhumane.org.

Before anyone complains, I know that through courtesy of the almighty Internet, this message will be seen by those in many regions of the world, which begs the question of why post to so many out of the area? I post because I do not believe the problem is unique to my city and would urge those in all locales to check with their shelters. If you do, please let me know in a post to my Facebook page, Judith Erwin Books, or to this website.

P.S. Be sure to get your copy of fellow cat-loving author Karin Slaughter’s new book The Last Widow, available for pre-order now in bookstores and the standard web sites. I can’t wait.

Greetings,

How is everyone enjoying the warm summer months? In Florida, it’s HOT!

I’ve been remiss in not posting for quite some time, but I’m not going to make excuses. (However, I have been glued to the computer working on the next installment in my Shadow of Dance Series.) I am excited to report the finish line is near for The Studio with release expected in the fall.

To provide a glimpse into The Studio, Kathryn Alyssandra Connelly, commonly known as Kaci, is a former ballerina, turned ballet instructor. She is recovering from a tragedy of the most dreadful kind when Matt Emerson, a handsome commander in the United States Navy, enrolls his five daughters in her studio. However, Matt has a dark secret of his own. What comes next, no one could predict.

Fans of my last novel, The Ballet, will recognize the adept private investigator, Jake Shepherd, when he enters the picture and attempts to unravel the mystery threatening to destroy Matt, Kaci, and the Emerson children. Readers may wonder whether the self-assured, intuitively sharp investigator can succeed where the FBI and law enforcement from two states failed.

Finally, on a personal note, those close to me know that 2018 was a hard year. I lost someone very dear. We shared a love of books, photography, antiques, animals, and flowers for over thirty-five years. To quote the legendary dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky, “I am not crying, but my heart is filled with tears.”

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal.
Love leaves a memory no one can steal”

Be sure to keep an eye on this web site and my Facebook page--Judith Erwin Books--to learn when The Studio will be available.

Finally, subscribe to my newsletter in order to receive notice of not only release dates but also preorder availability, discounts, and giveaways. You have my word, I will not inundate you with communications, and you are free to unsubscribe at any time.

Dear Kind and Patient Readers,
    
    You make plans, and then life happens. It happened to me in 2014. Shadow of Doubt, Ansley Sheridan's story of recreating a life after divorce takes away a woman's foundation, was supposed to debut in December. However, I failed to factor in a persistent bout with pneumonia that robbed me of about six weeks of productive time. Thus, Ansley is now set to debut next month. However, as I reflected on a year of turmoil and wanted to have my day in the land of self-pity because Christmas dinner was from the frozen food section of Publix, I remembered how many wonderful events occurred to outweigh the less wonderful. 

    Shadow of Silence debuted in January to overwhelming reader reaction--the culmination of a lifetime dream. While I lost a treasured fur friend of fifteen years in March, I added a new one to the family in June; saw a beautiful granddaughter marry an outstanding young man in a exquisite ceremony; went on a delightful cruise with my daughter; got to spend time with my three grandsons and granddaughter-in-law to be; enjoyed wonderful lunches, dinners, and concerts with my two younger granddaughters, made new friends and enjoyed the old, saw Shadow of Doubt off to the printer; and made great progress with Shadows from the Past. Summing it all up: I wouldn't forfeit the good events to erase the bad. In the great scheme of things, I've had over seventy good Christmases, therefore, I can take in stride the one that got away. Besides, we had a great delayed celebration on January 11th, albeit the tree and carols were absent--but the Christmas bears were in full attendance. There is no doubt my blessings outnumber my challenges.

    I hope that all of you will read and enjoy Shadow of Doubt. I'm equally excited about Fury O'Quinn and her quest to unlock the secrets of her family's history in Shadows from the Past. I do believe that 2015 is to be a great year and wish the same for all of you.

Readers,

    With a heart filled with gratitude, I thank you for all the wonderful comments that Shadow of Silence has received since its release in January. Having said that, I want to apologize for not writing this sooner. Like the little demons who reside inside my computer with a sole mission of destroying my sanity, there are time-demons who steal away chunks of life.

    While Annie and Dan have been making their way around the globe (I understand that readers in Canada, the UK, and Italy have put Shadow on their e-readers), I have been toiling away at Shadow of Betrayal. Betrayal is the story of Ansley Collier Sheridan. You may recall meeting Ansley in the Atlanta airport when she and Annie engaged in a brief conversation.

    Ansley is a former ballet dancer who walked away from a major ballet company to marry Mark. As you might suspect, that didn't turn out so well. In recovering her self-esteem and forging a new life, Ansley becomes an attorney, who is intent on remaining single and independent. "Trust no man" could be her motto. However, despite her resolve, she is ill-prepared to cope with the man who unexpectedly steps into her life.

    What happens? I can't tell you that. I can tell you that the computer demons willing, Shadow of Betrayal should be available before Christmas.