I’m happy to welcome back author Jana Richards. Today, Jana shares her creative journey and new release, I’ll Be Seeing You.

Here’s Jana!

What was your inspiration for this book?

I’ve been interested in World War Two stories since I was a kid because my father was a WW2 veteran. I loved the research for I’LL BE SEEING YOU. I’ve read a lot about the D-Day invasion because my father was one of the Canadian soldiers who stormed Juno beach on June 6, 1944, but it was so interesting to learn details about life for the soldiers, in the case of my book, American soldiers, in Plymouth, England in the weeks before the invasion.

What is your favorite quote?

One of my favorite quotes comes from Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I believe these are great words to live by for writers. Our job is to make readers feel, whether it’s anger, sadness, or happiness. It’s all about the emotion for readers.

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

For the last few summers, I’ve been volunteering at my city’s zoo. I really enjoy it. You can’t have a bad day at the zoo. Everyone is happy. I enjoy helping to make visitors’ trip to the zoo more enjoyable and I love getting to learn more about the animals, especially the polar bears.

I have to admit I’m a fair-weather volunteer. Even though the zoo is open all winter, I limit my volunteering to spring, summer and fall. It gets mighty cold in winter on the Canadian prairies!

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Hang in there. Keep writing, even when you think every word is crap. The more you write, the better you’ll get. But if you want it to be more than a hobby, only write if you feel an overwhelming desire to do so because this is a tough business.

What are you working on next?

I am excited to launch the next two books in the Twice in a Lifetime series!

Here’s a short blurb for the series:

In the first book of the series, I’LL BE SEEING YOU, Gabriel goes back to World War Two in the 1940s to give veteran Frank a second chance at love. In the second book, NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE, Gabriel and his client Joanna go back to the 1970s. And in the third book, WHEN I WAS YOUR MAN, Gabriel takes his client Sam back ten years from the present day to give him his second chance. If he’s successful all three times, he’ll earn his place in Heaven. Will Gabriel achieve his goal or his Heaven beyond his reach?

At the same time, I’m beginning work on a prequel for this series. I want to tell the story of Thomas, senior angel and Gabriel’s mentor. He’s the one who helps Gabriel travel through time. He knows every detail of Gabriel’s life, but Gabriel, and we readers, know almost nothing about Thomas’ past. He’s such a mysterious character that I feel compelled to figure out his story. Stay tuned!

Blurb

When apprentice angel Gabriel takes Frank back in time for a second chance at love, they both learn lessons about trust.

Apprentice angel Gabriel Daniel’s first assignment in his quest to become a full-fledged angel is to give WW2 veteran, Frank Brennan, a second chance at love. With help from his mentor, senior angel Thomas, Gabriel takes Frank back to 1944 to Plymouth, England. There, Frank made his biggest mistake with love. His first time in 1944, Frank fell in love with Claire Cartwright, but when he found her kissing another man, he ended their relationship, despite Claire’s insistence things weren’t as they appeared. This time around, Gabriel’s task is to convince Frank to trust in Claire’s love and fidelity, despite the evidence against her.

At the same time, Thomas takes Gabriel on a journey through his relationship with Sloane, the love of his mortal life. For the first time, Gabriel sees how his jealousy and distrust tainted their love.

Unless Gabriel persuades Frank to trust Claire, his goal of becoming a citizen of Heaven is doomed, along with his desire to watch over his mother and brother back on Earth. Frank has a complicated history that Gabriel must help him to confront before either of them gets what they need.

Excerpt

The man sat in the chair Gabriel had just vacated. “My name is Thomas, and this place is Heaven.” He pointed to the meadow outside the open door. “More specifically, the castle on the other side of the meadow is Heaven. This is a waiting room.”

Gabriel stared at him. This had to be a joke. Someone was really trying to put one over on him. Must be the guys in the AI department. Who else could pull off something as elaborate as this?

“Okay, where are we really? When is everybody going to pop out of the woodwork and yell ‘Surprise!’?”

Thomas folded his hands in his lap. “We’re in Heaven. Really.”
Impossible. He had to be in a hospital. Panic struck with his next thought. What if he was in a mental institution? Nothing scared him more than going down the same road his mother and brother had travelled.

“You don’t have to worry, Gabriel. You’re not in a hospital and you’re not in a mental institution. Your mental faculties are working fine. Better than fine, now that you’re here.”

Gabriel stepped back. “How did you know my name? How did you know what I was thinking?”

Thomas lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. He stood, and feathered wings, blazingly white and large enough for the tips to touch the ceiling, unfurled from his back and spread wide.

“Because I’m an angel. When you become an angel, you’ll be able to read thoughts, too. And much more.”

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Goodreads | BookBub

Author Bio

When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal.

When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).

Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and a senior calico cat named Layla. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com

Social Media Links

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I’m happy to welcome back author Bobbie Candas. Today, Bobbie shares her new release, Half Baked Women: The Reheat”.

Blurb

That first year of college, they thought they’d done it all

Twenty years later, they’re not done learning.

In 1971, they were just four girls starting their journey at the University of Texas in Austin. Twenty years later, they reunite in San Antonio along the Riverwalk, seemingly successful and happy. But beneath the surface, cracks from their past still linger.

That first wild and frivolous freshman year, Carney, Breeze, Margo, and Nicki navigate together through romances, jealousy, and risky habits, trying to find themselves while stumbling into adulthood. But years later, as they come together for a three-day reunion, they are reminded that maybe they still have something to learn from each other. Reckless events unfold, forcing them to confront the mistakes and secrets they thought they left behind.

Half Baked Women: The Reheat takes us back to a time of carefree abandon and easy friendships, where the journey of self-discovery was filled with adventure, road trips, chance encounters, laughter, and tears. If that sounds intriguing, jump in and enjoy the ride.

Excerpt

Checking the time, she grabbed her planner and banged it against the steering wheel in anger, knowing she was being totally irresponsible…again. So much for making a good impression on her old friends. Carney was late and now looked exactly like what she was, last night’s leftovers.

It was to be a reunion of sorts among four friends. Friends who’d met their freshman year of college, but it had been almost twenty years since the four had all gotten together at one time. Carney had hung out with each of the other three women several times over the years, and a few months back, she became inspired, thinking a gathering of the four of them would be really fun. She’d been the one to organize this weekend party and cajole everyone into coming. But unbeknownst to Carney, it would be the weekend that would set her life in a different direction. One she hadn’t planned on and could never have imagined. After all, it was just a simple gathering of old friends.

Carney briskly walked into the baggage pickup area attempting to finger comb her wild hair while looking about for a familiar face. Why had she gone to all this trouble to pull these women together? Estranged people she had bonded with years ago. Yet, for some reason, for Carney, that bond still held, tethering the four of them together in her memories.

Breeze Smith’s flight was the first to arrive. And Carney was now already forty-five minutes late. Darling Breeze—super friendly but always a force to be reckoned with, especially when you poked the bear.

Author Bio and Links

I’m a Texas girl: Grew up in San Antonio, went to school at UT in Austin, and graduated with a degree in Journalism. I eventually settled in Dallas, where I raised a husband, a few cats, and two kids. My husband, the children, and the cats will probably disagree on who raised whom, but I’m always a sucker for a robust discussion. For years, I was involved in retail management, but I have untangled myself from the world of clothing and shoes and immersed myself in my true passion — writing fiction and delving deep into the lives of my characters.

I do come up for air occasionally, and I’ve been known to imbibe in a few glasses of wine and have been occasionally spotted forking into decadent desserts while gathering with friends and family. Put me on a shady deck or an umbrella-covered patio, with a table full of opinionated know-it-alls, a spicy margarita, and I’m in my happy place. I also enjoy trips to distant places, and most recently have been enjoying summers along the Aegean coast of Turkey.

But I’ll always make time for writing and reading, with a stack of novels ready and waiting on my nightstand, and a few always sleeping patiently on my Kindle. I bounce around genres, and I’m usually up for a good recommendation. So, let me know what you’ve enjoyed reading lately. I can be reached on Instagram, at my FB author page–Bobbie Candas, or on my Amazon Author Central page.

Half Baked Women: The Reheat is my sixth novel. All available in E-book, paperback, or KDP

I look forward to hearing from you!

Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Universal Buy Link

Giveaway

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

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

Four women. Two timelines. Two cities.

A bold structure, but one that author Ms. Candas embraces with confidence. She skillfully drew me into the lives of the protagonists—Carney, Breeze, Margo, Nicki—who populate this well-plotted novel. Each voice feels distinct, textured, and real. Shifting between the 1970s and the 1990s can easily become confusing, but here the transitions are seamless.

One of the most inspired decisions was the use of music-themed chapter headings, each paired with a brief preamble. These openings effectively set the tone before the narrative unfolds.

Here’s one of my favorites:

Moving On
Twenty Years Earlier Austin 1972

Age nineteen? A crazy time. Everything is so fluid, changeable, almost from week to week. One part of your brain, almost child-like. While the other side is demanding that you exhibit a grown-up maturity. What seems to make sense one day is quickly disregarded the next. Something you loved fiercely is thrown aside without much concern. But years later, those discarded thoughts, people, and plans may come back to haunt you.

By the final page, I was reluctant to leave these women. They had become close to my heart, even though they were just characters.

If you enjoy reading women’s fiction rich with layered characters, emotional depth, and a narrative that refuses to let go, I highly recommend Half Baked Women: The Reheat.

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author Kirsten Weiss. Today, Kirsten shares her creative journey and new release, A Deathly Display.

Here’s Kirsten!

What was your inspiration for this book?

In the first book in my cozy mystery series, The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, Maddie Kosloski’s overseas career has crashed and burned, and she returns to her rural hometown to lick her wounds. Her weakness is she’s always been a little insecure, especially in relation to her super-successful siblings. But over the arc of the 11 cozy mystery stories in the Paranormal Museum series, she’s grown.

In the last book, The Cannoli Caper, we see Maddie interact with her opera-star sister, Melanie, for the first time. And then Melanie’s glamorous overseas life destructs. I wanted to bring Melanie back home in A Deathly Display as an echo of Maddie’s return, highlighting how far Maddie has come. Melanie is essentially in Maddie’s shoes from book 1, and it isn’t easy.

I love seeing the sisters’ relationship develop on a new footing in small-town central California, and how Maddie has changed over the course of this cozy mystery series.

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

I have dreamed of being a cozy mystery writer since I was a little kid, and now I’m doing it! I get to work from home, set my own schedule, and tell stories about the imaginary people in my head. I love it! But, the income is uncertain. Some years I’m killing it, and other years are killing me. Writing cozy mystery novels isn’t a career for the fainthearted, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Describe your writing space.

My home office is a little cluttered right now, with stacks of books on every available surface—some new cozy mystery novels from Japan, old Barbara Michaels novels, and a few classics. Clutter aside, I get to look out the window at a sloping hillside, and deer and the occasional coyote and bear wander past, which is very cool. Our cat, Trouble, is frequently in my lap or (more frequently) blocking my view of my computer screen or sitting on the pages I’m trying to edit.

Which authors have inspired you?

For humor, PG Wodehouse. For romance, Nora Roberts. For mystery puzzles, Agatha Christie. For supernatural suspense, Barbara Michaels. For prose, Oscar Wilde.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

The best way to learn how to write is to write. But if you’re looking for a useful writing exercise, than I’d suggest finding a classic book you enjoy and handwriting or typing out the chapters. It forces you to analyze the writing in ways that go beyond deep reading (though deep reading is great too).

What are you working on next?

I like to work on two projects at once—drafting a new book and editing an old one. So currently I’m drafting Refuge of the Witch, the next book in my Mystery School mystery series, and editing Big Deal, the next book in my Big Murder Mystery series. They’re both full-length cozy mystery novels, though Refuge is more witch cozy mystery while Big Deal is comedy cozy mystery mayhem.

Blurb

A killer stalks her sister.
A mysterious painting holds the key.
Can Maddie unravel the mystery before Melanie meets a deadly fate?

When Maddie and Herb attend a curation class at the upscale Domus Vinea museum, the mood turns darker than a gothic portrait after Maddie’s opera-singing sister, Melanie, discovers the museum director’s body. Now, with a cunning killer targeting Melanie next, Maddie must act fast.

Racing against time, Maddie and friends investigate a gallery of suspects, including a dashing vintner with a haunted painting that may hide a deadly secret. If Maddie can’t crack the case, and fast, her sister’s life could end in one fatal stroke.

A Deathly Display, the latest in the Paranormal Museum series, blends quirky sleuthing, small-town chills, and paranormal thrills with a dash of humor. Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries!

Grab A Deathly Display and start reading this hilarious whodunit!

For readers who crave a cozy mystery about a woman finding belonging through small-town wine-country sleuthing and the gentle absurdity of everyday hauntings. Perfect if you like breezy pacing, light supernatural quirks, and warm humor over gritty tension—think vintage charm, quirky neighbors, and just-enough chills to keep pages turning without losing sleep. Book 11 in the series.

Excerpt

Stuffing the brochure into the pocket of my navy hoodie, I walked to the window. The gentle blues of twilight streamed through it, making a trapezoid on the museum’s wooden floor.

A narrow, carved piece of wood stuck out beneath the sill. There appeared to be two wooden hinges at its base. It was another door. Curious, I pried the top open.

The slender strip of wood popped off the wall. I caught it before it could hit the floor and froze, squatting, door cradled in both hands. Horrified, I gaped at the piece of carved wood.

“You broke it,” Herb hissed. “You broke the house on our first visit!”

“I didn’t break it. It fell off.” Frantically, I tried to work the door back into the hinge.

“What are you doing?” Bran asked from behind me.

Heart pounding, I spun to face him and hid the slim little door behind my back.

“Are you hiding something behind your back?” Bran cocked an eyebrow. Now, he looked like an angry Roman general, the trimmed stubble on his jaw more threatening. Not even his jeans and blue button-up eased the effect.

I blinked, sweating. He’d caught me like a kid elbow-deep in a cookie jar.

Buy Links

Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | Kobo |
Universal Buy Link

Author Bio and Links

Kirsten Weiss writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries, and now a Tarot guidebook that’s a work of experimental fiction. Her heroes and heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop.

Kirsten is best known for her Wits’ End, Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, and Tea & Tarot cozy mystery books. So if you like funny, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page…

Author Website | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Goodreads | BookBub

Giveaway

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

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

I’m happy to welcome poet James C. Glassford. Today, James shares his new release, Love Life and Mother Nature.

Blurb

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture in the lonely shore,
There is a society where none intrudes,
By the deep sea and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but nature more.
– Lord Byron

These poems reflect the healing powers of nature both without and within. It can amaze you and comfort you, rejuvenate and rehabilitate you— if you let it.

Discover its powers—read on!

Excerpt

Summer Sunrise

Sunrise in the mountains is a majestic and moving sight

It undresses the cloak of darkness and brings the world light To the east a rosy blush begins as earth embraces the dawn Curtains of night are lifted and its shadows soon withdrawn

Tendrils of light steal down the cavernous canyons tall Like fingers of liquid lava running down a volcano wall

Caressing the cliffs and painting a sheen on their snowy faces An artist’s hand and a pastel palette touching many places

Tree by tree the forest takes on a new found tinge The seas too are painted from their centre to their fringe

A kaleidoscope of colour as you watch the masterpiece unfold With subtle grace and beauty like an alluring dream untold

Rays of sunlight kiss the soft belly of the fluffy clouds Brushing them with chameleon colours endlessly endowed The world awakens in the sun’s tender soft-hued glow, Each ray a promise, a new day of heartfelt hope to sow.

From darkness to light, there is a magical transition A celestial ballet in a splendid and stately exhibition The wind seems to whisper softly dispelling all fears As a chorus of songbirds add their comforting cheers

The sun ascends faster now as purples turn to gold Bringing its welcoming warmth and dispelling the cold The sky is suddenly ablaze with the early morning light Finally vanquishing the demons of the daunting night

Enjoy Nature’s peace and grandeur as it percolates within Let your heart be touched and feel a solemn serenity begin Cast aside your worries, your troubles and your woes

As renewal begins and a blissful energy soon flows

Author Bio and Links

I am a retired physician who has been blessed with the opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring places on earth: Vancouver Island. Throughout my life I have remained intimately connected to nature. I consider it an alternate classroom and a timeless and thought-provoking teacher. It has taught me many enduring life lessons.

Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway

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

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

I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Kim Baccellia. Today, Kim Baccellia shares her new release, Letters from Lucca.

Blurb

On the heels of Sammi’s grandmother’s whispered deathbed wish, a package of letters from Italy arrives at her post box. Reading them makes Sammi recall whispers she heard in childhood of her grandmother’s wartime involvement, a past that Sammi’s father and aunt would rather see remain closed. As if things couldn’t get any worse, her long-time boyfriend, Hunter, dumps her. However, an opportunity arises that sends her to Italy to defend her grandmother, even if the truth might shatter all she believes. In a helpful twist, Joseph, her best friend’s Italian cousin, offers to help her. Despite the obvious growing attraction between Joseph and her, she tries to suppress it as she embarks on her mission to vindicate the grandmother she loves.

Excerpt

Sunny rays flitted through the partition blinds in Conte D’Alba’s Villa. The festive air and musical background, along with the tantalizing scents of limonada and sweets, competed with the heavy cigar fumes overhead. Many special guests attended the party. Dignities from afar and a few rich aristocrats cluttered the small foyer. Silk, diamonds, and custom-designed outfits with brilliant hues flitted around the more muted clothing of the friends. A few of the adults wrinkled their noses in disdain for Rosa. Rosa hung on the peripheral, waiting for a guest to say more about the battle in Africa, where her pappa fought. Only laughter, whispers, and scowls flew back. Rosa might have only been ten, but nervous energy drove her to tag on Pele’s hand. She had enough of the boring adults.

“Let’s go,” she urged.

Pele quickly grabbed a biscotti from the table, shoving it in his mouth. “What about Valerio?”

She shrugged. “He knows where we’ll be.” Though she tried to act indifferent, she snuck a furtive glance over her shoulder. Sure enough, their friend mingled with his father’s important friends. Valerio’s slick black hair and serious countenance made him look like a Conte in training, but Rosa knew better.

War.

The word tasted bitter with the fear-laced anxieties of her beloved Pappa, who fought alongside other courageous Italians. Rosa had hoped to hear more but doubted the vain Conte would reveal the status of her Pappa. Rosa bored of such adult talk.

Author Bio and Links

Award-winning author Kim Baccellia is the author of five fantasy/paranormal young adult novels, Crossed Out, Crossed Fire, No More Goddesses, Goddesses Can Wait, and Earrings of Ixtumea.

Kim has had many jobs. She was a bilingual teacher; homeschooled her son; served on her local RWA charter board; a Cybil’s panelist; and even read the slush pile for an agency.

In her free time, Kim loves long walks, yoga, watching psychological horror movies, and reading lots of books that she loves to review for YA Books Central.

A member of Women’s Fiction Writer’s organization, Kim is currently putting the finishing touches on a historical set in 1943 Italy. She also is working on a historical with a Utah suffragette loosely based on her own ancestor Lucy Clark. Kim lives in Southern California with her husband, son, and cockatiel Damon.

Website | Blog | Facebook | BlueSky | Instagram | Pinterest

Giveaway

Kim Baccellia will be awarding a $20 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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