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Painted Visions is coming

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Painted Visions — Release Day Is October 6!

I’m so excited to share that Painted Visions releases on October 6! This cozy-fantasy installment returns to Moonlight Springs—where art, memory, and a dash of small-town magic tangle with second chances and found family.

What it’s about

Quincy Hawthorne, a quiet artist who runs the Crystal River Gallery, wakes to an irresistible pull to paint. By morning, her canvas holds the boardwalk at dawn—and a Victorian woman Quincy is certain she never painted. When the image refuses to behave like ordinary art, and a too-slick developer takes a suspicious interest, Quincy is nudged toward the Moonlight Inn and the circle of women who understand the town’s secrets. Enter Steven Zimmerman, an art restorer with a patient eye and a scholar’s heart, whose gift for uncovering what’s hidden pairs beautifully with Quincy’s emerging visions. Together, they’ll follow the clues that ripple through Quincy’s paintings—toward the truth, the Emerald Stone of Vision, and a choice that could protect (or imperil) Moonlight Springs.

Tropes & vibes readers love

  • Small-town coziness with a hint of mystery

  • Found family & women supporting women

  • A hint of romance

  • Whispers of time-slip magic through art

  • Big-bad developer threatening a beloved waterfront

P.S. If you’re new here, welcome! You can start with Starlight Antiques and binge the series. Long-time readers: watch for nods to earlier stones and a few familiar faces on the boardwalk.

Why I write Cozy Fantasy

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Why I Write Cozy Fantasy (and Why I Think We All Need a Little Magic)

I’ve always believed stories find us when we need them most.

For me, cozy fantasy arrived during a season when the world felt heavy, and I craved something lighter—not fluff, exactly, but something warm and real, with space to breathe. A place where the stakes were personal, not world-ending. Where characters didn’t need swords to be brave. Where small kindnesses mattered, and magic lived in antique brooches, forgotten recipes, and the way moonlight glints off a river at midnight.

That’s why I started writing Moonlight Springs.

I wanted to build a world that felt like a deep exhale. A place where you could walk into a bookshop and be handed the exact story your heart needed. Where a cookie might bring back your favorite memory. Where friendship, community, and unexpected second chances still mattered.

Cozy fantasy doesn’t ignore life’s struggles—but it meets them gently. It reminds us that healing can be slow, and that it’s okay to be both strong and tender. It gives us characters who feel like friends, and towns we wish we could move to. And sometimes, it slips in just enough magic to remind us that wonder still exists.

I don’t know about you, but I need that reminder sometimes.

So that’s why I write what I do. And if you’re here, maybe you’re someone who needs that kind of story too.

Thanks for walking the cobblestone streets of Moonlight Springs with me. The town is just beginning to reveal its secrets… and I can’t wait to share more.

Until next time—


Lula
Wishing you a warm cup of tea and a little starlight tonight

Welcome to Lula Ward’s Website

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Cozy women's fiction with a touch of magic and romance

Welcome to Moonlight Springs (and to My Blog!)

Hello, friend—and welcome!

I’m so glad you’ve found your way here. This blog is a cozy corner of the internet where stories, magic, and second chances come together.

If we haven’t met yet, I write cozy fantasy filled with heart, hope, and just a touch of magic. Think quiet mountain towns with secrets tucked between the cobblestones, antique shops that hum with memory, bakeries where a single cookie can bring back a forgotten moment, and bookshops where the pages might just whisper your name. That’s the world of Moonlight Springs, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

This blog will be a place for:

  • Behind-the-scenes glimpses into the stories and characters

  • Lore and little-known town secrets from Moonlight Springs

  • Cozy recipes, seasonal inspiration, and magical everyday moments

  • Updates on book releases and what’s coming next

  • And maybe the occasional surprise or giveaway, just for fun

Whether you’re already a fan of Starlight Antiques, or Sweet Memories Bakery—or you’re just dipping your toe into the waters of this quirky Ozark town—I hope this becomes a space you look forward to visiting.

Thanks for being here at the very beginning. There’s so much magic ahead.

With warmest wishes and a sprinkle of stardust,
Lula Ward
Author of cozy fantasy & guardian of small magical moments