Author Archives: Joanne Guidoccio

Book Blast: Mean Cuisine

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author Wendy W. Webb. Today, Wendy shares her new release, Mean Cuisine.

Blurb

Beluga Stein is taking a cooking class and it’s a real killer. This time she’s traded her signature loud muumuus for ill-fitting chef attire, including a toque the size of her ego.

A well-liked chef is found dead and it’s up to Beluga and her feline familiar, Planchette, to investigate. There’s no recipe to follow, only the hope that her erratic psychic ability will hit the spot. Is a supernatural entity stirring up trouble, or something far more dangerous?

Beluga and Planchette can’t stand the heat, but there’s no way out of this kitchen while murder is the main dish.

Excerpt

Beluga Stein’s Diary

Such a day.

And while Chef Pernod tried mightily to restore order with an impromptu lecture on the differences between Grande, Classic and Nouvelle cuisines, I’m afraid the distinctions were lost when the frozen body was wheeled past us to the waiting ambulance.

The sight of such a spectacle took a toll on the chef as well, I should add. Fortunately for me there was no mention of Planchette in the kitchen, but for the rest of us the chef’s well-practiced lecture took a sudden nosedive into a stream-of-consciousness series of French words. I think I heard her say that a traditional kitchen brigade had positions with names sounding something like “poisoner,” which is rather ominous if you ask me, and “chefs who party,” which might warrant further investigation if things start to get dull. Or one finds herself in immediate need of hors d’oeuvres and a tropical cocktail.

Author Bio and Links

Wendy W Webb (aka one of the many Wendy Webbs) has published dark fantasy short stories and novels, co-edited anthologies, and has had productions of stage and radio plays. After a hiatus as a doctoral student of emergency management and as a disaster responder, she welcomed the return to fiction with The Wild Rose Press writing the gothic Widow’s Walk, and two updated books in the Beluga Stein supernatural-humor-murder mystery series, Bee Movie and Mean Cuisine. Sunbury Press under the Milford House imprint published the paranormal, travel, “memoir,” Eye of the Gargoyle. She adores her husband; two dogs, one of which turns on iTunes whenever Wendy leaves her office; dry red wine; theatre; and travel as long as she doesn’t see any more ghosts!

Barnes & Noble Paperback | Barnes & Noble eBook | Amazon Paperback | Amazon eBook

Giveaway

Wendy Webb will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Wendy on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

10 Things I Learned During One Elevator Ride

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Bethany Maines. Today, Bethany shares her new release, Elevator Ride.

Here’s Bethany!

In my forthcoming novel, Elevator Ride, Rowan Valkyrie has put in his twenty years of service with the Marines and retired to start his own security firm. Rowan has been the stable “adult” of the family since he was eleven, but that kind of responsibility means there isn’t a lot of time to focus on his own needs. At forty-four he’s never been married and isn’t sure how to deal with a life where his brothers are successful, his mother is stable, his business is booming, and basically everything is… fine. Which of course means it’s time for the author (insert me cracking my knuckles) to introduce a love interest. Vivian Kaye – spit fire paralegal – is also searching for how to craft the next phase of her life. Vivian feels stymied at work, but also doesn’t know how to take her volunteering with a veteran focused non-profit to the next level. Together, Rowan and Vivian have to figure out where they’re going as individuals and as a couple, and of course, where to hide from the bullets when the villains show up.

Here are ten things I learned doing research for Elevator Ride:

1. The Veteran suicide rate is too damn high. One is too many, but we lose over 17 a day to suicide. My heroine volunteers for a non-profit focused on veteran’s mental health and my research was smack in the face. The numbers are staggering. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in veterans under 45 and suicide among veteran women is nearly double that of non-vets. Learn more here: https://stopsoldiersuicide.org/vet-stats

2.Nobody wants to make their will, but we all should. Part of my plot hinges on whether or not a will got signed. Don’t be a plot point. Get a will – https://www.freewill.com/

3. How to open an elevator door from inside the elevator shaft – So it turns out that the movies lied to us. You can’t just pry open doors from inside the elevator shaft. Which makes sense because otherwise idiots would pry them open from the front side, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed.

4. The cost of apartments in Seattle – Since it’s been a hot minute since I was a renter and I never rented in Seattle (it was too expensive back then and it’s even worse now!), I spent a lot of time on the real estate websites looking at apartments. Conclusions… My rich characters would live in some pretty swank places, but my poor characters would definitely be sweating the rent. The rent levels are comparable to New York City!

5. How to make paper poppy flowers. The problem with being a writer is that once you dream up a craft for your gala planning committee to do then you have to go see if they could actually do it. Which then resulted in me making poppy flowers because… crafts!

6. Nicknames for Marines. There are a lot. Jarhead, grunts, leathernecks, gyrenes… the list goes on. Who knew?

7. Chipped Ham. And speaking of Marines, they eat something called Chipped Ham. Why? Possibly as some kind of ongoing torture experiment. Research is unclear. However, research is clear on it being disgusting.

8. Texting styles. Since my characters cover a spread of years, they have different generational habits regarding texting and their mother uses the dreaded Boomer Ellipses. My hero, Rowan, being the tail end of Gen X likes to use punctuation, while his youngest brother can’t figure out why Rowan is being so passive aggressive.

9. The cost of lingerie. My heroine enjoys wearing fancy lingerie and since I work from home in my sweats that took some research. Surprisingly, a fairly fancy set can still be had for the $75 or less range.

10. Monster Energy Drinks. This one was a bit weird, but soldiers seem to exist on caffeine and nicotine, and at some point several of my veteran characters ended up commenting on their favorite Monster flavor. Since I prefer more authorly caffeine like tea and matcha, I had to go look up what I was missing. That led down a rabbit hole of how much caffeine is too much. For the record the USDA recommends no more than 400 milligrams.

About the Book

Elevator Ride – Vivian Kaye has been tasked with serving a cease-and-desist letter to Rowan Valkyrie—the most hated tenant in Seattle’s Hoskins building. But when the ambitious paralegal ambushes the seasoned security expert in the elevator, she ignites a powder keg of tempers and attraction. Rowan and Vivian clash like only a twenty-something progressive and a forty-something ex-Marine can, but when one misstep sends Vivian flailing into Rowan’s arms, the pair also find themselves tumbling into a secret office romance. Vivian is soon head-over-heels for the older CEO, but worries that he might not take her seriously. But before Rowan can fix things, a shocking attack puts Vivian in the cross-hairs of a mysterious assailant. Heartbroken, Vivian is determined to deny her feelings and put all her energy into catching her attacker. And Rowan is desperate to protect Vivian because unless he can push all the right buttons, this elevator ride might be going straight down.

Amazon Buy Link

About the Author

Bethany Maines is the award-winning indie and traditionally published author of romantic action-adventure and fantasy novels that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind-end. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel or screenplay.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

All About Pi (π)

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Today is Pi Day, a celebration of one of the most fascinating mathematical constants: π (3.14159265358979…). Defined as the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, pi has intrigued mathematicians and scientists for thousands of years.

Pi Day is observed on March 14 (the 3rd month) since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant figures of π.

Ten Fascinating Facts About Pi:

1. The first recorded estimate of pi dates back to around 1650 BC, when the ancient Egyptians approximated it as 3.16. The Babylonians had a similar value, while the Greek mathematician Archimedes (c. 250 BC) was the first to accurately calculate pi using a geometric method.

2. Pi plays a crucial role in physics, astronomy, and mathematics. It is also essential in architecture and construction, influencing designs from bridges and arches to the Pyramids of Giza.

3. Welsh mathematician William Jones introduced the π symbol in 1706, though it wasn’t widely adopted until Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler popularized it in the 18th century.

4. Albert Einstein, one of history’s greatest physicists, was born on March 14, 1879—making Pi Day even more special!

5. Physicist Larry Shaw organized the first official Pi Day in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium, where it has been celebrated ever since. The holiday has since gained worldwide popularity among math enthusiasts.

6. During World War II, the Allies used pi to encode secret messages between the U.S. and the U.K., replacing letters and numbers with digits from pi.

7. The world record for reciting pi’s decimal places belongs to Rajveer Meena of India, who recited 70,000 digits on March 21, 2015. Wearing a blindfold, he maintained perfect recall for 10 hours!

8. Givenchy sells a men’s cologne called “Pi,” marketing it as a fragrance for intelligent and visionary men.

9. In 2014, 589 students at a German elementary school formed the largest human pi symbol. In 2017, 520 teachers and students in Todi, Italy, created the longest human representation of pi’s digits, with the city’s mayor holding up the number three at the start.

10. Eating pie on Pi Day is a beloved tradition! Whether it’s pizza pie, pot pie, shepherd’s pie, or a classic dessert pie, the key is to keep it round—just like pi itself.



While Practicing Patience

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

In her recent release, Consider This: Reflections for Finding Peace, bestselling author Nedra Glover Tawwab shares inspiring advice for setting boundaries, rising above drama, and expressing ourselves with clarity and integrity. Here’s a thought-provoking reflection:

Time can’t be rushed.

Patience is the only choice, even when you don’t like it. People lament, “I need to be patient.” But you actually have no choice. You will either wait calmly, or you will wait in a mood. Either way, you will wait. Perhaps, what you need is to feel calmer or less moody.

Sometimes, this means allowing for extra time when you plan.

Traffic will take time.

Waiting on others will take time.

Progress on a goal will take time.

Who you become while waiting matters. Do you complain? Do you pace? Do you check the time repeatedly? Do you try to speed things up secretly, knowing you can’t? How do you handle something you can’t control?

You will have to wait on some things. Your job is determining who you will be while practicing patience.

Source: Consider This, p. 171.

12½ Writing Rules

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

If you’re stuck and need a few writing rules…



It’s National Optimism Month!

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

March is National Optimism Month—a time to embrace the power of positive thinking and its impact on our lives. Established in 2016, this initiative is backed by research in positive psychology, which highlights the benefits of adopting an optimistic mindset. Studies show that optimism can lead to improved health, increased life satisfaction, and greater resilience in the face of adversity.

Simple Strategies

1. Post uplifting quotes, stories, or personal reflections on social media. A little positivity can go a long way in brightening someone’s day.

2. Decorate your home or workplace with vibrant posters featuring inspiring messages. Daily visual reminders can boost motivation and uplift your mood.

3. Join a local charity or volunteer at an animal shelter, soup kitchen, or community garden. Acts of kindness not only help others but also bring a deep sense of joy and purpose.

4. Curate a collection of songs that energize and uplift you. Share it with friends and family, and take time to dance, sing along, or simply enjoy the feel-good vibes.

5. Jot down three things for which you are grateful. This simple daily habit can rewire your brain to focus on the good, fostering a more optimistic outlook on life.

Favorite Quotes

“I’m an incurable optimist, and I’m a great believer in never looking back. Life is too short, and new challenges are exciting.” Cherie Blair

“The difference between an optimist and a pessimist? An optimist laughs to forget, but a pessimist forgets to laugh.” Tom Bodett

“Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.” Nicholas M. Butler

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill

“I am an optimist. I choose to be. There is a lot of darkness in our well, there is a lot of pain. You can choose to see that, or you can choose to see the joy. If you try to respond positively to the world, you will spend your time better.”
Tom Hiddleston

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” Helen Keller

“Optimism doesn’t mean that you are blind to the reality of the situation. It means that you remain motivated to seek a solution to whatever problems arise.”
Dalai Lama

“Go out of your way to talk optimistically about everything.”
Norman Vincent Peale

“I am confident that, in the end, common sense and justice will prevail. I’m an optimist, brought up on the belief that if you wait to the end of the story, you get to see the good people live happily ever after.” Cat Stevens

“I have become my own version of an optimist. If I can’t make it through one door, I’ll go through another door – or I’ll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present.” Rabindranath Tagore

Any other strategies or favorite quotes to share?

Find Your Lion

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

In his recent release, The Art of Doing, Jesse Lipscombe shares simple and straight-forward tools that can help transform our lives. Here’s an inspiring excerpt:

Which lion in your life do you need to slay? So often our hesitation to say yes to a new challenge or opportunity is rooted in fear. We attach so much fear to the unknown and worry about the potential negative outcomes of trying something new. We give so much weight to events in our past, but we don’t give the same amount of weight of those possibilities in the future. We all have lions standing in our way. Now, if those lions were real, then our fear would serve a purpose, but in most cases they are imaginary. They are feelings that we didn’t like and we don’t want to feel again. We are so scared of our lion that we let it steal the joy from everything that comes after it.

Find your lion. Take the time to ask yourself what really frightens you. Locate it and slay it. Find the courage to roar in its face, “Not this time, big kitty. Not this time.” If not only for yourself, slay it for those who are watching you. Show them it’s possible to be brave in the face of fear. Let them know that even though the fearful feelings are very real, they do not have permission to rob you of the future you know you deserve.

Source: The Art of Doing, pp. 53-54

Blurb Blitz: A Killer Whisky

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Susan Calder. Today, Susan shares her new release, A Killer Whisky.

Blurb

The 1918 influenza pandemic strikes Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Great War rages overseas. While her husband fights in Europe, Katharine works in a doctor’s office to support her children and her brother, a wounded veteran. One night their neighbour suddenly takes sick and dies. The attending doctor concludes the man died from influenza, but Katharine suspects someone laced his whisky with a drug that mimics the deadly flu’s symptoms.

Katharine convinces the police to investigate. Worried about her brother’s involvement with a suspect, she delves into his secrets and comes to fear he’s connected to the murder. She grows disturbingly attracted to the investigating detective who returns her affections. He’s convinced her brother or someone else close to her is a killer and risks his career to pursue the crime. Katharine must discover the truth so she can move forward in a world that has changed forever.

Excerpt

Detective Bertram Tanner strode into Calgary Police Headquarters, his steps lighter than they’d been this morning.

“How was your walk?” Julia, the receptionist, asked.

“Reflective.”

“I often think while walking too.”

It was too soon to tell his colleagues he might be leaving the police force. “How was your lunch hour?”

“Busy,” she said. “I tracked down balloons for my son’s birthday celebration tonight.”

“Which son?”

“The oldest. He’s ten years old. We decided to limit the party to family due to the flu. He’s disappointed his friends can’t come, but it will be lively with all of us there.”

Julia, a war widow with three children, lived with her parents—the police chief and his wife.

“I phoned my mother after lunch,” Julia said. “She went to every confectionary in town and managed to find all the children’s favourite sweets despite the sugar shortage.”

The chief’s wife was a ball of energy. A leader in the local suffragette and Prohibition movements, she claimed personal credit for Alberta women gaining the vote and the province going dry in 1916.

Bertram went into his office, closed the door, and draped his coat and hat on the coat tree. What work could he do this afternoon? Reports of the Spanish flu’s arrival on a train from Eastern Canada were keeping people away from the pool rooms and dance halls. Calgary hadn’t had a brawl or knifing in a week. Even the criminals seemed to be staying home.

He took out an old file, a robbery scheduled for trial next week. A man broke into a house in the Sunalta neighbourhood and stole $2.75. Disturbed by a noise, he fled through a window but foolishly returned an hour later. Caught red-handed by three residents, the robber could be sentenced to up to a year of hard labour. Bertram tried to organize his trial notes, but his thoughts kept shifting to his plan to leave the police force when the war ended and soldiers came home to replace him on the job. After fifteen minutes, he set the robbery file aside and decided to take a methodical approach to his lunch hour reflections about leaving.

He took out a clean sheet of paper, drew a vertical line down the middle, and titled each side “pro” and “con.”

Author Bio and Links

Susan Calder lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She is the author of five novels published by BWL Publishing Inc. A Deadly Fall, Ten Days in Summer, Winter’s Rage and Spring Into Danger are part of her Paula Savard Mystery Series. The books follow the adventures of Paula, a Calgary insurance adjuster who works with the police to solve insurance-related crimes. Susan’s standalone suspense novel, To Catch a Fox takes a troubled Calgary woman to Southern California on a quest to find her missing mother. In December 2024, BWL will release Susan’s first historical novel, A Killer Whisky. The story is set in 1918 Calgary and will be the 12th and final book of the BWL Canadian Historical Mystery Series. Susan has also published non-fiction articles. Her short stories and poems have won contests and appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines. She is a member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and the Writers’ Guild of Alberta.

Website | Facebook | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Susan Calder will be awarding a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Susan on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.