And It's Off to the Races!

This is the first year we’ve been in Arkansas, so I’m trying to build new traditions and experience everything that Arkansas has to offer. One of my favorite things is going to the horse races, and Oaklawn Park is only 30 minutes away from us (traffic not withstanding).

So, last Saturday, we went to Oaklawn for the Arkansas Derby, which is a prestigious Grade 1 horse race. It is a significant race for three-year-old thoroughbreds and serves as a major race prep for the Kentucky Derby. Yeah, it’s a big deal. I’ve always wanted to go to the Kentucky Derby, and this may be the closest I’ll ever get.

I spent three days getting ready, reading up on all the horses (for all 14 races) and making my picks, plotting out my betting strategy, and dreaming about hitting the perfect superfecta. We got to the track in plenty of time for the first race, even though we had a hard time finding a place to park because of the crowds. The weather was almost perfect (rain showers notwithstanding). I knew it was going to be a long day (14 races), but what I didn’t expect was the size of the crowds. Finding a place to sit was near-impossible (unless we wanted to pay for seats inside), and the lines for everything were brutally long (the bathroom line was by far the worst). I'm an extraverted introvert, so crowds exhaust me even more.

Still, we had a terrific time, and my winnings, you ask? Well, I won money on four races in a row and also won another race later in the day. I did not hit it big, but I also didn’t go over my budget and still came home with $10 in my pocket - the total of my day’s winnings.

But I won big in other ways this week. I completed my internal edits of The Sultan’s Stone, Book 8 of The Veritas Codex series, and sent it off to the publisher. It will go to an editor from there and get another solid editing pass - or four - before we green light the project. I also sent the first draft of the cover blurb and the prologue of Book 9. I also have the cover design already worked out so it’s ready when my cover artist is.

It’s a bit early to lay odds on a publication date but suffice it to say it’s likely to be out sometime this summer. This gives anyone who needs time to get the first seven books knocked out plenty of time. My fans all say these books are page turners that can be completed in a couple of days if someone has the time to stick with it, but I’m okay if you prefer to take your sweet time. It’s not a race to the finish line, and there’s plenty more to come.

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