Contrary to what you may be thinking, I haven’t fallen off the planet, although the past fifteen months or so have been a bit of a challenge. It all began in October, 2024. I’d just returned home from my high school reunion and experienced a serious health challenge. I had a minor stroke. Turned out I had A Fib and didn’t know it, so I won myself a few day’s stay in the hospital. Thankfully, it wasn’t life threatening, and I’m okay now, but the experience was a bit traumatic. So much so that my creativity when on a hiatus. Or maybe I was a little burned out. Whatever it was, I took a time out and did other things.
First, I got a new dog. Her name is Trixie. She’s a beagle mix, and, like me, she has also had some challenges. Her mama was a stray that my cousin had taken in. A short time later Mama Dog got hit by a car and had to but put down, so I offered to take one of the orphaned puppies. I’d barely gotten home from the hospital when my cousin emailed me to let me know she was on her way with the puppy. A few days later I took Trixie to the vet for her first check up. She had what I thought was a bladder infection. It wasn’t. Turned out she had a birth defect. Her urethra was too short, and she would need specialized surgery to correct it. The nearest veterinary hospital that could perform it was at Texas A&M, about a four hour drive away.
One of my friends offered to go with me, and we had a lovely trip. College Station reminded me of what Phoenix was like when I was growing up. A small city with lots of amenities, but no urban sprawl. Trixie’s surgery went well, and we had a pleasant drive home. We ditched Google Maps, which never takes you the scenic backroads, and drove north on the first highway we found. We went through a lot of little towns, and even though it was after dark, it was still a fun adventure. Until we got to Dallas and had to go through the mixmaster, but we made it. Trixie is doing fine. She’s all grown up now. She loves her treats, especially at Christmastime, and nothing gets past her. She’s a very smart dog and a very good companion.
In the meantime I’m enjoying a drama free life, as I prefer to keep my drama in my novels. I’ve finally started working on my next contemporary romance novel. The working title is Diversions. It’s a spinoff, of sorts, from Rivalry. The intended leading man in Rivalry was a young engineer named Drew Grayson. But then Bill, who was meant to be a minor character, hijacked the story. This sometimes happens. A character turns out better than expected. In the original draft Bill was written out after a few chapters, but once he left I had a big hole to fill. Drew was likable, the chemistry between him and Jenna, the female lead, just wasn’t there. Thus Drew’s role was reduced to a cameo appearance. This time around he’s the leading man. I’m only a few chapters in, and he’s turning out to be a really interesting character.
And that’s about it for now. It’s been a strange year, and I’m afraid I spent most of it watching YouTube videos. Maybe my brain just needed a break, but I finally feel like I’m back on track. Here’s hoping 2026 will be a better year for all of us.
Marina Martindale
Rivalry is available on Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, and with other online booksellers.
Marina Martindale writes and edits all of her blog posts herself. She does not use AI software or images of any kind. No part of this blog may be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form, or used in any matter by AI, without the express written consent Good Oak Press, LLC. Requests for permission must be addressed to Good Oak Press, LLC, P.O. Box 51244, Denton, TX 76206-1244