As many of you know, my next book MEANT TO BE is set in Ocean City, a small beach resort town in Maryland. I took a short trip there last week to finalize some of the launch plans, and discovered I was just in time for the 25the anniversary of SpringFest.

Oh boy, was that fun! There’s nothing like browsing through American-made arts and crafts with the sound of the Atlantic Ocean right outside the tent.

One of my favorite finds was handmade soap made from Ocean City seaweed by a business called Inner Ocean. To make it even better, Inner Ocean is  owned and operated by the Worcester County Developmental Center, which empowers adults with intellectual and physical disabilities by giving them opportunities for meaningful employment.

The soaps are absolutely beautiful. Not only are they decorative, but the glycerin soap can help exfoliate and unclog pores. Seaweed soap is reportedly full of vitamins and does not result in dry skin since it’s free from man-made chemicals like other soaps.

The fact that the soap is made by a team of adults with disabilities, makes it an even more worthwhile purchase.

Take notice that I bought the sand dollar soap. Once you read MEANT TO BE, you’ll understand why! This romantic military suspense novel has been called everything from “heart-rending, moving, and uplifting” to “captivating and mesmerizing” from early reviewers.

My favorite review is from an active duty military member who says: “Reminds me of American Sniper and Lone Survivor, but accompanied with an epic and beautiful romance that is completely unforgettable.”

I’m looking forward to sharing it with you on June 6. You can use the “Contact Me” button to make sure you get notified of giveaways and sneak peeks.