Book Blast: Spiral

I’m happy to welcome author Randy Dean Noble. Today, Randy shares his new release, Spiral.

Blurb

They’re in the number one watched game in the world… or so they were told. But they have no memory of who or where they are. Something beyond their wildest imaginations awaits to mercilessly strike them down. And looming in the darkness is something worse… much worse.

Green—named after the color of car he’s driving—awakens on the side of a dark highway surrounded by dense forest. And he’s in an old muscle car with no way to tell time, no cell phone, and the radio doesn’t work. When he encounters others like himself, they have to join forces to unravel the mystery surrounding them. Yet, trust doesn’t come easily—someone amongst them is a saboteur.

With their lives at stake, they are compelled to engage in a race where being last means certain death. They must disentangle the truth that threatens to consume them, before they spiral out of control.

Spiral is a gripping tale of survival, coalition, and the terrifying secrets that lie hidden in the shadows.

Prepare for a rip-roaring, adrenaline-fueled ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

If you enjoy books by authors like Dean Koontz and Blake Crouch that involve supernatural thrills laced with fast-paced action, then check out Randy Dean Noble’s exciting horror thriller, Spiral, today.

Excerpt

Have you ever had an instinct so strong that you had to comply? It’s all I had. An overwhelming feeling to run.

I woke up in a car I didn’t recognize, seated behind the wheel, with no memory of how I got there, no idea what day it was or what time other than I could clearly see it was night. I had no watch and no cell phone. The engine idled with a deep rumble, the gear shifter in neutral, and the emergency brake had been depressed. It was a standard transmission. Did I know how to drive a standard? I couldn’t remember.

And when I woke, every part of my being screamed at me to go, to just drive. The longer I contemplated, the sweatier my hands got, sliding on the hard, cracked green steering wheel. My heart palpitated faster and faster.

It was dark out, like really dark. A moonless night. Initially, disorientation didn’t register where I was, but it didn’t take long to see I was pulled over on the side of a highway.

My heartbeat thumped in my chest like it was trying to escape. Wide eyes greeted me in the rearview mirror, eyes I didn’t recognize, nor the sweat-beading bald head reflecting back.

Who was I?

A flicker of movement caught my attention—in the ditch, near the line of pine trees. The headlights were on the high setting.

When I turned my head to look, nothing was there, but I swear I saw… something.

Author Bio and Links

Randy Dean Noble is a supernatural thriller kind of guy. He grew up in Canada on a slew of movies and books (action/adventure, horror, sci-fi, and fantasy), all of which have inspired his writing interests. Working a plethora of minimum wage jobs took Randy into computer science and a career in I.T. (because he didn’t want to eat PB&J for the rest of his life). But his passion has always been writing, and his dream is to be a full-time fiction author. He writes stories he wants to read, which end up as fast-paced thrilling escape stories meant for one thing: to entertain the reader from beginning to end. His most recent work, Spiral, is a horror thriller wild ride you won’t soon forget.

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Giveaway

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

Follow the author on the rest of his Goddess Fish tour here.

Interview with Petie McCarty

I’m happy to welcome author Petie McCarty. Today, Petie shares her creative journey and the novels in The Cinderella Series.

Here’s Petie!

What was your inspiration for this book?

First, allow me to thank you, Joanne, for your kindness in showcasing my Cinderella series today on the Goddess Fish Promo Tour. Ahh, this is an easy question. Disney Princesses are beloved by children and adults worldwide, and the all-time favorite princess is Cinderella. I keep up to date from my years working at the Most Magical Place on Earth. When you drive by Cinderella’s Castle every day on your way to work, the inspiration sort of falls into place.

What is the best part of being an author? The worst?

Telling stories is the best part. When you write, you can get so wrapped up in your plot, that your characters end up actually directing you. That’s the coolest surprise of all. The worst is all the typing and formatting.

Describe your writing space.

Would it be more fun to have a picture?

Which authors have inspired you?

Too many to count! Like the bacteria in a petri dish (*I once worked in a micro lab. 😊)

Suzanne Brockmann
Jayne Ann Krentz
Linda Howard
Jennifer Crusie
Rachel Gibson
Sarah MacLean
So many many more . . .

What is your favorite quote?

My favorite quote is: “The only difference between published writers and unpublished writers is the published ones never gave up.” I think Stephen King said that in his book, “On Writing”—my favorite writing text of all time.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

A magic wand to pop in and stop bad guys in their tracks, all kinds.

Besides writing and reading, what are some of your hobbies?

Golf and bike riding. I LOVE my electric bike. I do about 10 miles a day when I ride. And I hate rainy days now because I can’t go.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

See #5 first. Don’t ever give up. Each book you write makes you better. READ a lot, every day! I’ve learned more from reading good and especially bad books (so I know what not to do) than I ever did from my twenty or so writing texts (most written by folks who have never written a novel.)

What are you working on next?

Cinderella on the Rocks, Book 4 in my Cinderella series.
A beautiful Yank is hired by the wicked stepmother of a hunky Highlander whisky distiller in Scotland to steal his proprietary recipe for single malt. The sexy Highlander, Ian MacVicar, appeared in Par for Cinderella.

Blurbs

The Cinderella Romances…Fall in love with the fairy tale all over again.

Modern-day Cinderella stories that provide unlimited opportunities to retell the classic fairy tale, happily with returning characters to share in these adventures.

Cinderella Busted

Once upon a time, in Jupiter Island, Florida . . .

Billionaire developer, Rhett Buchanan, is forced to inspect a shipment of priceless trees and meets the girl of his dreams instead. A bit jaded where women are concerned—since most are gold diggers—Rhett falls head over heels for the Jupiter Island socialite who only wants him, not his money. Except she isn’t the glamorous socialite she appears to be.

She’s the gardener . . .

Betting on Cinderella

Once upon a time in Biloxi, Mississippi . . .

Garrett Tucker inherits his grandfather’s casino empire and steps into the reclusive billionaire’s shoes as the new “Prince of Vegas.” Discovering embezzlement in his newly purchased casino in Biloxi, Garrett goes in undercover. His prime suspect? The new finance supervisor . . . a feisty brunette who stole his heart at first sight.

Andi Ryan moves to Biloxi to care for her godmother. Taking a job as finance supervisor for the renovated Bayou Princess casino, she discovers someone is skimming from the till. Andi starts her own investigation, worried she will be blamed for the theft when the handsome new owner discovers her godmother likes to gamble.

Industrial espionage is afoot at the Bayou Princess, and Garrett and Andi are soon forced to work as a team to prove her innocence and save the casino before it’s too late.

\This swoonworthy modern-day fairy tale joins the other stories in the Cinderella Romances series. Each provides a new opportunity to retell the classic fairy tale, happily with returning characters to share in these adventures.

Par for Cinderella

Once upon a time in Cedar Key, Florida . . .

Golf resort developer Aidan Cross is at loose ends. Something feels missing from his life, but that something isn’t women. He has too many women chasing him now. To confuse things even more, his yacht breaks down off-shore of his next project site in Florida, and Aidan falls for his only competition in the small town—a woman who wants nothing to do with him or his rakish charm.

Casey Stuart is stuck living in Cypress Key, unwilling to abandon her uncle or the golf course they manage together. She doesn’t quite trust the stranger Aidan who shows up in town looking for work, and she vows to steer clear of him and the danger their intense chemistry provokes. Aidan’s stay is temporary, and falling for him promises only heartbreak.

But Casey needs Aidan’s help when she discovers Cypress Key’s mayor is making underhanded business deals, and she ends up on the wrong side of the powerful crook. Aidan steps in to rescue her, but secrets from his past threaten to bogey their new-found affair.

This swoonworthy modern-day fairy tale joins the other Cinderella stories in the series. Each provides a new opportunity to retell the classic fairy tale, happily with returning characters to share in these adventures.

Excerpt

From Book Three Par For Cinderella

Silhouetted in the outside light, Aidan looked big . . . and dangerous. Over six feet of pure sin. Too much for her to handle, and Casey officially changed her mind. Turned chicken.

Aidan must have sensed her decision to flee like a timber wolf senses his prey. “What are you doing down here?”

The deep sensual timbre of his voice vibrated along her spine and created tiny pinpoints of desire along its length. Her mouth had that dry feeling she got at the end of her tour spiel—dry and raspy.

“I-I was just going up to bed.”

“No, you weren’t.”

“I-I was too.”

His sexy chuckle rumbled in the darkness, and her skin prickled with anticipation. She couldn’t fool Aidan or herself.

Her brain taunted, Flight or fight, make up your mind.

She suddenly recalled her earlier decision following Janie’s call—to grant herself the month with Aidan. Better for her to have him than let Deedee steal him away. Casey had fully intended to enjoy every single minute of that month with Aidan before she’d chickened out just now. Instead of running away, she could enjoy the feel of those broad shoulders and muscled arms presently filling up the doorway. She could also allow herself a good long stare at that perfect butt when he turned, and maybe even enjoy that kissable mouth with those please-never-take-them-off-me lips.

“Stop looking at my mouth,” Aidan growled, “or you’ll be sorry.”

Her heart ended her dilemma. Go for it.

She could feel his unseen eyes track the movement of her chest, rising and falling with each hard-won breath. Time to force the issue for them both.

“K-Kiss me,” she whispered. Frozen in place, she left the outcome up to Aidan.

He didn’t move a muscle for three lifetime-lasting heartbeats.

One . . . he doesn’t want me.

Two . . . he’s still angry.

Three . . . my own fault.

She turned for the stairs, and he had her in two strides. His arms snaked around her waist and yanked her tight to his chest as his mouth took hers. This was no tender, make-up kiss. This was all need and desire and maybe a little punishment too.

She didn’t care. Her fingertips had gotten their Christmas wish, and Casey buried them in the silky hair at his collar, luxuriating in the soft texture and wanting to keep him close. Even that didn’t stop the tingling in her fingertips.

Aidan’s tongue teased at her lips, then swept inside and tangled against hers. She grew lightheaded as she reacquainted herself with the moist sweetness of his mouth, tinged with a hint of beer. A joyful reunion after the fear of separation, and she intended to savor every sexy nuance of flavor.

He growled low in his throat and turned his head to deepen the kiss. Casey just prayed he wouldn’t stop kissing her. Aidan had to care about her. He didn’t, couldn’t kiss another woman like this. Could he? An image of Deedee flashed behind her eyelids.

She pulled back, but her fingers refused to relinquish their hold on his soft curls.

“What was that for?” he asked, his voice rough with desire. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you.”

“I don’t want to be just friends,” she whispered.

“Thank God.”

Author Bio and Links

Petie spent a large part of her career working at Walt Disney World—”The Most Magical Place on Earth”—where she enjoyed working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her new series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said good-bye to her “day” job to write her stories full-time. These days Petie spends her time writing sequels to her regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and her cozy-mystery-with-romantic-suspense series, the Mystery Angel Romances.

Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy who made a cameo appearance in No Angels for Christmas.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon

Giveaway

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

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

Cinderella Busted

A natural storyteller, Ms. McCarty skillfully drew me into the narrative and held my attention until the very last page. I felt an immediate connection with the protagonists—Lily and Rhett—and was eager to discover their fate in this well-crafted, character-driven novel. While reading, I found myself shaking my head in amazement at the many unexpected twists and turns in this modern-day fairy tale.

Highly recommended!

Blurb Blitz: Stilettos and Gunpowder

I’m happy to welcome author Gail Koger. Today, Gail shares her new release, Stilettos and Gunpowder.

Blurb

My name is Gemma Stone. I’m a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy and not only must I deal with the sweat-soaked misery of the Arizona desert, I get to respond to a bunch of crazy 9-1-1 calls all day long. Like a parakeet up a tree, or a car accident where a tractor trailer full of fireworks is hit and the 4th of July comes a bit early.

But some days crime takes a deadly turn. Police cars are suddenly blowing up. Detective Sergeant Dante Delgado, the love of my life, was assigned to track down and stop the bomber. Am I worried? You betcha. There’s a madman on the loose and he is very, very good at making bombs.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, the Feds think I’m in cahoots with an Iraqi warlord who deals in stolen antiquities, Ichabod, my murderous ex-dance partner, escapes from prison and I’m suddenly in everyone’s crosshairs.

Excerpt

“Damn!” Frank spat and slammed on the brakes.

The seatbelt abruptly clamped around my chest. “Holy crap!” The skinny, white male with the feathered headdress and loincloth was doing his war dance in the middle of the road. I keyed my mic, “Charlie-23 show us out at 85th Avenue and Bell Road with a male dancing in the middle of the street.”

“Copy, Charlie-23,” the dispatcher responded.

A truck narrowly missed the demented dancer. Did he notice? Nope. With his loin cloth flapping in the wind, he shook his hips in what looked like a weird belly-dance. Then he switched to the Texas two-step.

“Ugh. I really don’t want to make another arrest today,” I grumbled.

Frank nodded. “Me, either.”

“Stay with our prisoner. I’ll handle the boogie man.” I got out of the car before Frank could protest and approached the moron. “Sir, if you feel the need to dance, could you do it on the sidewalk?”

He took one look at me, shrieked and bolted down the roadway, yelling, “It wasn’t me. It wasn’t me.” Horns honking, cars swerved around him.

“Aw, c’mon! It’s too dang hot to be running.” Did he listen? Hell, no. I trotted after him. It wasn’t like he could run very fast in flip-flops. “Stop! Now! You’re gonna get hit!”

The overhead lights flashing on the patrol car, Frank followed behind us.

The fool lost his flip-flops and did a crazy hippity-hoppity dance over to a circle of grass on the highway median.

I picked up his flip-flops. The pavement was about 180 degrees, and he wasn’t going anywhere without his shoes. “Why are you running?”

“I don’t want to go to jail,” he wheezed.

“And I don’t want to arrest you.”

“You don’t?”

“Nope. What’s your name?”

“Tim White.”

“Okay, Tim, what’s up with the dancing?”

He shrugged. “I’m just trying to spread a little joy.”

“Un-huh. Does it look like it’s working?”

Author Bio and Links

I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Book Bub |
Amazon Author Page | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Gail Koger will be awarding a $15 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Find out more here.

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

On Defining Success

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.

Librarian and author Terah Shelton Harris shared the following thought-provoking advice in a recent post on the Writer Unboxed blog:

As a published writer, how do you define success?

That’s the question I posed to myself and two of my writing besties, Jason Powell, author of No Man’s Ghost, and Meagan Church, bestselling author of The Girls We Sent Away. Their answers, as well as mine, truly surprised me.

There are thousands of authors who never get their books in front of audiences. And thousands more who do, but never get any acclaim, Powell says. He believes it’s a cliché to tell an author that just being published is a victory and a mark of success if that author doesn’t yet feel accomplished. And some may feel a sense of accomplishment for having finished a book they felt comfortable sending out, because that was their goal.

“Make a list, no matter if it’s one item long or a hundred. I think even if one of those things is checked off, you’re a success,” he said.

Powell says his book is successful because people he didn’t send it to have read it. “It’s a weird feeling opening up something you’ve created to public opinion, but not a totally unpleasant one. I wanted this opportunity and I’m thankful to God and so many people that I’ve had it. It’s such a win to have someone pay money to read my thoughts.”

For Church, success for her as an author is if her books are widely available in stores and libraries, well received by readers, and bring financial returns for her.

“My goal is to write emotionally charged stories that engage the reader,” she says. “So, to be successful, I need for my books to have the opportunity to get into the hands of readers who will connect with them and do so in a way that I can afford to invest more time into writing more stories.”

Both of Church’s books have enjoyed wide distribution in bookstores and libraries and have certainly gotten into the hands of readers who are connecting with the stories on deep levels and in favorable ways, she says.

“Because my books released in 2023 and 2024, and taking into account the pace of reporting, we are still early in the financial part of the equation, but I was thrilled that I earned out my first book on my first statement. Now, future royalties will be earnings, giving me the ability to keep writing.”

The definition of success differs from writer to writer. It’s not always what you think it is. It could be as lofty as making the New York Times bestselling list or earning out an advance or simply finishing a book. Armed with their answers as well as my own self-reflection, I was finally able to define success and it’s what I originally imagined it to be.

My book is successful because it exists, because people have read it, and that’s enough for me.

Read the rest of the post here.

Interview with Amethyst Drake

I’m happy to welcome author Amethyst Drake. Today, Amethyst shares her creative journey and new release, The Scheme.

Here’s Amethyst!

Q: What is the best part of being an author? The worst?

A: The best part of being an author are the moments when inspiration flows and ideas come together smoothly. It’s exciting to solve plot holes and uncover surprising connections between characters. Getting lost in the story and letting the characters take over is an indescribable experience. Dealing with feedback and waiting for reviews are the worst parts. I’ve poured my heart and soul into creating a captivating story. The silence between submitting my work and receiving feedback can be deafening. Wondering whether my story connects with readers leaves me feeling anxious and uncertain. The minutes feel like hours, and the weeks feel like months.

Q: Describe your writing space.

A: My writing space is a cozy room with pale lavender walls. My adjustable writing table faces a window, giving me a peaceful view of the big tree in our front yard. I can adjust my table and office chair up and down to suit my needs, allowing me to work comfortably for long stretches. The walls are adorned with colorful landscape paintings. Water scenes in particular inspire my creativity. I designed my office to feel different from the rest of the house so I have a retreat without leaving home. It’s a special place where I can fully immerse myself in storytelling.

Q: Which authors have inspired you?

A: One author who has truly inspired me is Agatha Christie, a trailblazing writer who broke barriers in a genre dominated by men. She was both a a strong, independent woman and a remarkable writer who created her own path and made a lasting impact on mystery and detective fiction. Her daring plot twists keep readers on their toes even today, showcasing her skill and creativity. Who can forget Hercule Poirot, with his famous mustache and “little grey cells”? Her clever use of plot devices, like the locked-room mystery, has influenced generations of writers. Christie’s work remains iconic, reflecting her innovative spirit and commitment to her art. She continues to motivate writers and readers, standing as a true giant in the world of literature.

Q: What is your favorite quote?

A: I collect quotes so it is hard to pick a favorite! One of my favorites that has influenced the themes in The Scheme comes from Agatha Christie’s autobiography.

“Loyalty and courage are two of the finest things there are. Any kind of courage, physical or moral, arouses my utmost admiration. It is one of the most important virtues to bring to life. If you can bear to live at all, you can bear to live with courage.” – Agatha Christie: An Autobiography

Q: Besides writing and reading, what are some of your hobbies?

A: My hobbies help me relax and explore my creativity. Crochet is one of my favorites. I mostly make hats and blankets, but I just took a class at the local yarn store to make little pumpkins and I am obsessed. I also love cross-stitching and diamond painting. These crafts take patience and attention to detail, but it feels great to see the beautiful designs come to life. Basically, I love all kinds of crafts, anything that involves turning one thing into something else that is more beautiful or useful.

Q: What are you working on next?

A: I’m currently working on a companion story to The Scheme. It will be a cozy read that dives into the secondary plot we introduced in The Scheme and follows Margaret Mitchell, a lawyer and Katherine Carson’s best friend. There are several fun new characters that I think readers will enjoy. The ebook will be available to my newsletter subscribers as soon as it is finished later this year.

I’m also busy with the second book in the Carson Crime Files series. I’ve had many fans asking about its release! You can find the prologue for Framed included as a final chapter in my current novel. In this installment, Carson Investigations will take on a murder case in order to prove the accused widow is innocent. I can confirm that it will be released in 2025, but I’m still finalizing some details before setting a specific date. Thank you for your patience and support!

Blurb

Katherine Carson, a former intelligence operative turned private detective, has never been in it for the money. But when a desperate CEO offers double her usual fee to find his missing daughter, she can’t refuse.

Set in Baltimore, 2009, what begins as a simple missing person inquiry transforms into a complex case of espionage, financial crime, and deep-seated grudges. For Katherine, this case strikes a personal chord, stirring up haunting memories from her own past. As unexpected connections emerge, she must confront her unresolved guilt.

Can Katherine and her team of private detectives solve the case before it’s too late, or will the turmoil of her past consume her?

Excerpt

Katherine slowed down as she closed the final feet between them. Her target was cornered.

Lee reached up and felt the top of the door frame. “No key. I guess Ames forgot to leave it.”

“He has his own key. He just said Olivia keeps it up there.” Katherine bent down to flip back the welcome mat. Still no key. She sighed. “Should we see if the manager has a spare?”

“The manager isn’t on site.” Lee slouched against the wall. “If only we knew someone who could pick a lock.”

Katherine rolled her eyes, but smiled in spite of herself. “Breaking and entering could lose me my license.” Lee and Jake liked to tease her about some of her skills, although they always stopped short of mentioning the Espionage Services Agency.

“Sure, sure. But we do have permission to enter. And we’d have to drive to Wilmington to get another key from Mr. Ames…” Lee let his voice trail off and studied his fingernails.

Katherine chuckled and pulled out her pocket knife. “You know I don’t carry picks anymore.” She opened the knife and carefully slid the high carbon stainless steel blade between the door and the striker plate. Finding the latch, she pushed it out of the door jam and opened the door.

“Don’t tell Sammi.”

“Never.” A huge grin spread over Lee’s face.

Author Bio and Links

Amethyst Drake is a passionate storyteller. She excels at crafting delightful characters and enjoys developing com-plex relationships among them. Mystery has always been her favorite genre to read, making it a natural choice for her writing. She aims to blend her personal experience with mental health and the moral complexities of intricate interpersonal relationships into engaging novels.

Amethyst loves reading all kinds of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers and enjoys watching classic detective and espionage dramas like “Murder, She Wrote,” “Perry Mason,” and “Mission: Impossible.”

She also loves hearing from readers! Connect by signing up for her newsletter at amethystdrake.com or email amethyst@agswordsmiths.com

Author Website | Facebook | Amazon Buy Link | Barnes and Noble Buy Link

Giveaway

The author will award a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed book to one randomly drawn winner, a $10 Amazon GC and a signed book to a second randomly drawn winner, and a signed book to a third randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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



New Release – Bad Boy by Winona Kent

I’m happy to announce Winona Kent’s new release…

Blurb

Fresh from a thirty-four-day, eighteen-city tour of England, professional musician and amateur sleuth Jason Davey accepts an invitation from a fan, Marcus Merritt, to meet at Level 72 of The Shard, in London, to sign one of his band’s programs. Marcus hands him the booklet, then leaps to his death from the open viewing platform. Thus begins a week-long quest, during which Jason is tasked with retrieving a stolen collection of scores by England’s most famous composer, Sir Edward Elgar.

Marcus shared Elgar’s love of eccentric puzzles and games, and the challenging clues he’s assembled for Jason seem to mirror the fourteen themes in Elgar’s renowned Enigma Variations. Jason’s journey takes him to Derbyshire and then back to London, and a four-hour walking tour of Soho’s lost music venues where, in Denmark Street, he faces a life-threatening battle with two adversaries: a treacherous Russian gangster who is also hunting for the stolen collection, and Marcus’s sister–who holds the key to a decades-old mystery involving a notorious London crime lord’s missing daughter.

Winona describes Bad Boy as “well-scrambled” as, generically, it falls somewhere between a soft boiled and hardboiled mystery, and is served with an added dash of noir.

Buy Links

Amazon CA | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Author Bio and Links

Winona Kent was born in London, England but grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC and a Diploma in Writing for Film and TV from Vancouver Film School. She’s the author of twelve books, including Ten Stories That Worried My Mother (an anthology of short stories) and her five current Jason Davey mysteries. She’s the national Vice-Chair and BC/YT Representative for the Crime Writers of Canada, and is also an active member of Sisters in Crime-Canada West. She lives in New Westminster, BC.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Happy Release Day!

Use Positive Language and Gestures

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.

A long-time fan of bestselling authors and coaches Marc and Angel Chernoff, I look forward to reading their emails and blog posts. Here’s an excerpt from a recent post:

It’s not always what happens that determines your mood, but how you express what happens that counts. For instance, when an optimist experiences a bout of success she might say, “That’s just as I had anticipated; I studied hard and my diligence paid off,” while a pessimist might say, “Wow, was I lucky to get such a good grade on that test,” not giving herself any credit and literally snatching her own defeat from the hands of victory.

If an optimist encounters a do-it-yourself project she can’t figure out, she’s likely to say something like, “Either the instructions I’m following are unclear, or this project is going to require a bit more effort than I thought… or maybe I’m just having a rough moment here.” In other words, an optimist uses positive self-talk to keep the struggle outside herself (“the instructions”), specific (“more effort”), and temporary (“a rough moment”), while the pessimist would likely get down on herself and interpret the same struggle as internal, widespread, and everlasting.

Go ahead and follow in the optimist’s footsteps by speaking to yourself in a more positive way regardless of whether you succeed or fail, and you’ll gradually become more optimistic.

Physical body language is also important. Your smile actually influences your mood in a positive way. When you feel down, your brain tells your face that you’re sad, and your facial muscles respond by putting on a frown, which in turn conveys a message back to your brain that says, “Yep, we’re feeling unhappy.” On the average day (when nothing extreme is happening) you can flip the switch on this internal reaction by adjusting your facial muscles into a smile so they don’t correspond to what you’re feeling. This is a clever way of sending a different message back to your brain: “Hey, life is still pretty good and I’m doing OK.” And you’ll actually begin to feel a little better, gradually.

Note: I highly recommend subscribing to Marc & Angel’s

A Monarch’s Journey Inspires My Own

I’m happy to welcome author and editor Amy R. Kaufman. Today, Amy shares her creative journey and new release, The Monarch’s Message.

Here’s Amy!

I founded Stories magazine when I was 30, after making a devastating error in life. This creative venture was a way to carry on. Believing I was not ready to write seriously, I chose to edit. I drafted my concept for a national short story magazine on a piece of green paper. In reaction to trends in literature, I was seeking universal, timeless short stories. The magazine, produced in my typesetting shop in Boston, ran for 12 years.

Forty years later, during the pandemic, I began to write a story about the monarch butterfly as a gift for my niece. It was less intimidating than “serious” literature, so I assumed the children’s book would soon be finished. There was so much to learn that it took three years to complete. I realized how arrogant I had been to think I could meet the literary standards I had set for others.

It would have been impossible for an illustrator to draw the monarch with forests, deserts, and volcanoes in the background. During a thrift-store hunting trip, I discovered a 1983 photography magazine with a magnificent image of monarchs. I was able to reach the photographer, George D. Lepp, recently named a Canon Legend for his lifetime achievement, and purchased the right to publish several of his images. From thousands of portfolios, I selected 20 images depicting phases of the monarch’s life, from birth to an overwintering colony blanketed with clustering butterflies.

Everyone is inspired by the monarch; it seems to carry a message. With my book “The Monarch’s Message” I was entering a crowded field. To distinguish my concept, I made several decisions. First, the story is not merely plotted; its power derives from natural phenomena as they unfold. Second, as far as possible, the point of view is confined to the butterfly’s observations. Third, each paragraph reveals the character’s dedication to a purpose and her resilience to obstacles in changing terrain. I became more aware of my own resilience after this study, and I hope readers of all ages will experience the same awakening.

“The Monarch’s Message,” a photographic storybook, focuses on the capabilities of a monarch who embarks on the migration alone. Acclaimed photographers–notably George D. Lepp, a Canon Legend–offer spectacular views of stopping places along the trail. The story depicts natural phenomena rarely seen by human eyes. Sensory impressions create the feeling of flying with the butterfly as she navigates mountain ranges and deserts. Each environment reveals an aspect of her resilience.

Author Bio and Links

Amy R. Kaufman is an author and developmental book editor in Portland, Oregon. Stories, her Boston-based magazine for the short story, received several honors during its twelve-year run.

Writings World Literature | Amazon

The book is available to teachers and librarians through Follett Content Solutions.

Ms. Kaufman has created a photographic storybook for young and young-at-heart readers who are fascinated by monarch butterflies. Proud to proclaim myself a member of this group, I enjoyed reading this inspirational tale about Lita, a young butterfly, who sets off on an extraordinary journey from her home in North America to the Transvolcanic Range near Mexico City.

A gifted storyteller, Ms. Kaufman has a wonderful eye for detail and a gift for creating a strong sense of place. I could easily imagine myself traveling with Lita as she navigated mountain ranges and deserts. Her unwavering optimism and perseverance in the face of challenges is truly inspiring. One of my favorite quotes: “Even in the desert there was nectar for butterflies. Lita drank from yellow flowers and dropped pollen into each one. For a long way there was no sign of water, only cactus on each side…She knew her home could not be in that gray wasteland.”

Kudos to the photographers who shared their breathtaking images. These images, captured in vivid detail, depict the monarch’s transformation from a tiny egg to a majestic butterfly and its awe-inspiring journey across the continent.

Blurb Blitz: Where the Stars Cross

I’m happy to welcome author Dottie Sines. Today, Dottie shares her debut novel, Where the Stars Cross.

Blurb

In the depths of the Great Depression, Ellie suffers another crash—that of her marriage. She’s left struggling to restore her shattered life, feeling as damaged as the stained-glass panels she refurbishes for Chicago’s historic structures. While visiting her aunt in Marietta, Ohio, a charming river town, Ellie encounters towboat captain Wyatt and feels a searing attraction to him. But thanks to past and subsequent wounds, her attempts at opening herself to love seem futile. Her hope for love and her determination to find the place she belongs are further complicated by her tendency to make impulsive decisions. In her journey, Ellie draws on an unrealized level of courage and learns she must identify her brightest passions in charting her course.

Excerpt

Climbing from her automobile, Ellie ambled around to the sidewalk, where she tipped herself onto her toes to stretch her legs and flung out her arms with a moan, promptly smacking a hand into what felt like a human. She pivoted.

“Oh, my goodness, I’m so…” The “sorry” came a heartbeat or two later, followed by, “Are you all right?” even though there was no way this man wasn’t okay.

Tall and sturdy enough to survive much more than a little whack in the chest, his faded blue-and-white pinstriped shirt, tan leather vest, and well-worn trousers did nothing to detract from the toned lines of his body. A sampling of gray wove through the hair peeking out from beneath his newsboy cap. Slightly wavy, sandy blond hair, which on anyone else would need a good trimming but suited him fine. He hadn’t shaved in a day or two.

“Lengthy drive, I take it?” His mouth curved into a half smile, crinkling the corners of soft, hazel eyes. “Nothing like a good punch to work out the kinks, huh, Slugger?”

Ellie drew in her lips. A laugh didn’t seem appropriate right now. “Really, I am very sorry,” Ellie said. “You are all right, aren’t you?”

“I think I’ll be fine,” he said with a nod and a languid blink of those captivating eyes. “Ma’am,” he said with a tip of his cap before he and his comrades continued toward the river.

Ellie’s feet felt their way to the door of the five-and-dime. Wowee, did that bloke look better from the front or the back? Biting her bottom lip, she reached for the door handle.

Author Bio and Links

Dottie scratched out her first fiction as a little kid transfixed by the books she read all those lazy summer days on the front porch swing. Two of her short stories have been published in The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park’s literary journal, Hemingway Shorts, having placed among the top ten entries in its annual short story contests.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Dottie Sines on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.