Last weekend I scooted over to Portland for the Maine Writers’ Retreat, an annual gathering of about 40 writers at all stages of their careers. Great fun! I’ve spent a lot of time in Maine, especially along the coast (“down east” of Acadia) but also inland, with friends who have a “camp” on Rangely Lake. Maine has served as a setting for a number of my romantic suspense novels:

On Fire

The Harbor

The Widow

Rival’s Break (releases August 27)

Southern Maine is FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan’s home base in the Sharpe & Donovan series, which launched in 2011 with Saint’s Gate and continues in late August with Rival’s Break. Emma and Colin are in Rock Point for a family wedding on a beautiful autumn weekend. Of course it’s not uneventful! If you haven’t read Declan’s Cross yet, its pages introduce Colin’s brother Andy and Andy’s on-again/off-again relationship with marine biologist Julianne Maroney. Most of this story takes place in Ireland, but the two other Donovan brothers play a role back in Maine (complicating Colin’s life!).

Joe and I will be back in Maine again soon. Hiking, writing, friends, family, dining, shopping, kayaking, exploring—it’s all great fun and there’s always something new to discover.