Blurb Blitz: Tamari Island

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Joy Allyson. Today, Joy shares her new release, Tamari Island.

Blurb

Emmie Prescott, the smart, pretty granddaughter of a United States senator, leaps at an offer to work on Tamari Island, a remote South Pacific island after a disastrous family exposé crushed her dream job aspirations. Her first day on the island sparks fly when she meets handsome Jack Manderly, a reporter who works on ambiguous stories for the same paper that sabotaged her career hopes. Once serious problems emerge in her new role at the designer silk plant, Emmie chooses to ignore the man whose very presence leaves her breathless.

Jack harbors a bitter sense of betrayal against Washington politicians who pressured his editor to exile him to Tamari after he linked stories of Emmie’s grandfather’s alleged activities while posted in D.C. His new assignment, tracking rumors in Southeast Asia years after the Vietnam ceasefire, is increasingly perilous. Embroiled in a dangerous mission where love and sacrifice can’t coexist, Jack strives to erase Emmie from his mind.

Despite their intentions and forced proximity, Emmie and Jack’s attraction deepen as alarming incidents occur around the island. Amidst the swirling chaos, Tamari Island deals her own hand. Will Emmie leverage her fashion connections and escape to Paris or go home and grow her political roots? And will she ever forget the man who makes her body and soul sing?

Excerpt

Every cell in Emmie Prescott’s body slammed into a wall. She stopped running and bending, placed her palms on her knees, and took slow, measured breaths to calm her racing heartbeat. Glancing back, she checked for anyone behind her.

Only her lone deep impressions in the sand followed her. She straightened, hands on hips, and scanned the horizon. Foam-crested waves battered the shoreline as the afternoon tide rolled in. Clear skies and blinding sunshine magnified the dazzling white beach. She swung her arms, crisscrossing, stretching the muscles as she studied the different seascape for the first time since landing.

Too late to back out now.

She swiveled her head from side to side, working out the slight crick in her neck. Sitting on a plane for thirteen hours was murder on her butt, too. Moaning, she rubbed her backside. Minutes earlier she had abandoned her unpacked suitcase in her appointed room and startled her hostess and servants, escaping through the butler’s pantry and pushing open the outside service door.

“Where are you going?” Charlotte Amhurst had demanded. “Our guests will arrive in less than an hour.”

Pleading jet lag, she flew down the rock steps to the beach for a quick jog. Charlotte, her mother’s closest friend and whose hospitality she currently benefitted from, threw up her hands. “Stay where you can always see the house,” she warned. “You’d think with the war over, it would be safe out there. It’s not as harmless as it looks.

Author Bio and Links

As the daughter of a United States military officer, Joy Allyson grew up with a deep appreciation of history and a love of travel. A former teacher-turned-writer, she has an unquenchable thirst for historical romances in her reading choices and loves inserting historical nuggets in all her romances. Her favorite characters–are rebel heroines and salvageable scoundrels. She believes the best romances are the ones you want to read over and over again.

Whiskey Love, her debut novel, was selected as a 2023 Killer Nashville Best Historical Silver Falchion Award Finalist. Whiskey Secrets was chosen as a Top Pick for the 2024 Silver Falchion Awards. She has just published her third novel, Tamari Island, which has a South Pacific Island setting, and is currently writing another story to complete her Whiskey Love Trilogy.

Joy loves classic movies, chocolate, coffee, cards, and carbs. She and her husband call the beautiful hills of Tennessee home, and her two daughters and six grandchildren are nearby.

Website | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

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

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

In Service of Your Writing

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 latest book, Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life, New York Times bestselling author Maggie Smith breaks down creativity into ten essential elements. Here’s an uplifting excerpt:

Taking care of yourself is taking care of your creativity. Taking care of yourself as a whole human being is taking care of the writer in you.

But if you still have that “you should be writing every day” voice in your ear, do it! Write every day if you can. If you’re someone who benefits from ritual—same time, same place, same beverage, same music—then lean into that! But if you can’t work in such a regular way, for whatever reason—whether you’re feeling depleted or uninspired, or life’s rhythms and demands aren’t conducive to it right now—I’m inviting you to try this instead: Commit to doing at least one thing in service of your writing every day.

This one thing can be a small thing. You might scrawl some notes in a notebook or revise an existing piece. You might chip away at a book proposal. You might research journals or presses, query an agent, or submit work. You might request books at your local library for a project or do some background reading. Yes, reading counts. Thinking counts. And since I find that I do some of my best thinking in the shower, yes, showering counts too.

Or you might give yourself space—to think, to dream, to take a long noticing walk, to make connections, to pay attention.

Source: Dear Writer by Maggie Smith, pp. 7-8

Spotlight on Rufus and the Dark Side of Magic

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Marilyn Levinson. Today, Marilyn shares her new release, Rufus and the Dark Side of Magic.

Blurb

Fifth grader Rufus is unhappy when he has to attend a Samhain celebration with his mother, Grandma, and Aunt Ruth instead of going Trick or Treat with his friends. He’s thrilled when, later that night, his Uncle Hector shows up outside his window and offers to take him for a ride in the sky. Rufus’s family have told him that his uncle is evil and he should have nothing to do with Hector, but Rufus is enthralled by his uncle’s fabulous realm that includes a small zoo and a stable of horses. He’s less interested in learning about his uncle’s businesses that he, as his uncle’s heir apparent, will inherit one day. Then Uncle Hector tells Rufus he has to do something for him, something Rufus finds impossible to do. Uncle Hector wields his magical powers to force Rufus’s hand, but Rufus’s little sister finds out and encourages him to ask for help. It’s Grandma who decides what they must do, and it’s not something Uncle Hector ever thought would happen

Excerpt

Mrs. Brewster poked her head in the room to say it was time to come outside and watch the fireworks. We traipsed through the kitchen and out onto the Brewsters’ patio that faced their enormous backyard. Many adults were already in their seats, but Mr. Brewster, who wasn’t a witch, led us to the very first row. Then he went to talk to the men who would be setting off the fireworks.

The display was spectacular. We oohed and aahed as multi-colored bursts of light exploded in every conceivable shape. Ten minutes into the show, a band of yellow light more dazzling than any we’d seen so far spanned the sky. It arced over the Brewsters’ backyard and turned into a rainbow so brilliant I found myself blinking.

Silence fell. The fireworks died away. No one moved. All eyes were glued on the figure gliding through the air who came to stand atop the rainbow.

There could be no doubt he was a witch. He was dressed in black like us, except for his voluminous cape, which was bright red, the color of blood. He spread the cape wide, holding an end in each outstretched hand and bowed. A communal gasp—half-shock, half-disapproval—rose from the adults behind me. We stared, transfixed, as a young male witch fluttered about before coming to stand beside him.

“Greetings, my fellow sorcerers,” the older witch intoned. “We have come to wish you Good Samhain.”

His keen gaze sliced through the crowd seeking something, someone. A current coursed through me when his eyes met mine. He nodded, and I found myself nodding back.

Suddenly his right leg buckled and he stumbled. The young witch reached out to support him. Angry, the older witch brushed him away. His young companion vanished as awkwardly as he’d arrived.

Alone now, the older witch gave us a mocking smile as he and the rainbow faded from sight.

I was left thrilled, mystified, and frightened. Who was this powerful witch, and what did he want with me?

Author Bio and Links

A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries, novels of suspense, and books for kids. Marilyn’s middle grade novel, Rufus and Magic Run Amok, was an International Reading Association-Children’s Book Council “Children’s Choice.” A new edition, the first book in a series of four, came out in 2023. Rufus and the Witch’s Drudge, the second book in the Rufus series, was released in 2024. Her YA horror, The Devil’s Pawn, came out in a new edition in January, 2024. Soon to be published are new editions of And Don’t Bring Jeremy, which received six state nominees, and Getting Back to Normal.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | BookBub | Pinterest | Instagram | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Marilyn Levinson will be awarding a paperback copy of the book to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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

Virtual Book Tour: Father of One

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome novelist and medical doctor Jani Anttola. Today, he shares his creative journey and new release, Father of One.

How did you come up with the title for your book?

Father of One is a story about a soldier who is trapped in the war in Bosnia and who has never met his infant son. His wife was pregnant when she managed to get out. It’s a true story, and one reason why the husband survived was, in fact, that he’d never seen his child. So, the choice of words was sort of obvious. Initially I wanted to call the book Fathers and Sons, but that bloody Turgenev had already stolen the title from me a hundred and fifty years ago.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

No, I don’t see why I would. My first work was a memoir from the time I was a volunteer soldier in the Bosnian government army. It was a dirty war, but I had nothing to hide, and I believe that in the historical context, with that sort of subject, you want to stay accountable to the maximum extent. Writing under a pseudonym would have felt somehow underhanded.

What part of the writing process do you dread?

Not the writing itself, but what comes after: trying to convince someone in an agency to read more than the first line of my e-mail. If they do, then more than two lines of the synopsis. And if they continue, maybe they’ll read more than the opening paragraph of the manuscript. And if you do get published, the self-promotion. I’m not much of a talker. I’d rather just write and let my work speak for itself.

Are there any books or authors that inspired you to become a writer?

I read a lot when I was a kid, mostly classics, and I thought it was impressive how someone from a hundred years ago could speak to me that way. I don’t remember any specific author who made me want to write. Instead I just had some stories that I wanted to tell. Then, who knows, maybe I’ll also speak to somebody who comes a hundred years after me.

How can writers balance creativity with marketability?

The two don’t seem to depend on each other much, so just stay true to yourself.

Blurb

Maka, a young Bosnian soldier, has survived three years under siege. When the enemy forces launch their final attack on his hometown, he must escape to the hills. But traversing the vast woods is a task against all odds: to stay alive, and to find his infant son and his wife, he is soon forced to make a desperate move.

Set against the harrowing background of raging guerrilla warfare and the genocide in Srebrenica, Father of One is, at heart, a story of deep humanity, compassion and love. It is the account of one man’s desire to reunite his family, separated by war, and of bonds unbroken by trauma, sustained by loyalty and tenacity. Writing in a voice that rings with clarity and authenticity, Jani Anttola lays open a dark moment in Europe’s recent history.

Excerpt

They walked up to the plaza where narrow streets led from the ancient town gate towards the centre of the promontory and the Saint George’s church and its cemetery gardens that overlooked the old fishing town. Most of the shops lining the plaza were shuttered. Turning up towards the rectory, they came to the café bar. A young, lean man in a dress shirt and round eyeglasses was sitting by the window with an espresso and listening to the radio that the waiter had placed on the counter. A newscast was on and a woman newsreader was talking in rapid, tense sentences about something.

“Good morning,” said the waiter. “Lovers up so early?” He was an acquaintance of the hotel owner, a smooth-mannered boy who came from the lavender country in Istria. The old man had recommended the place for their shop-roasted coffee.

“Good morning,” Maka said. Amelia dismissed the innuendo with a little laugh. “How are you?”

“I’m good as always.”

Maka, leaning to the counter and taking off his sun hat, looked at the radio. “What’s the news?”

“Their Teritorijalna Odbrana got the orders to start a counteroffensive.”

“No,” Amelia said, looking at the grave-faced waiter.

“When was that?” Maka asked.

“Last night. There’s armoured columns advancing towards Ljubljana. Six JNA brigades.”

“It’s happening too fast. They declared independence only three days ago.”

“Well, it’s happening, all right,” the waiter said. “Yesterday they shot down two helicopters. Now there’s fighting on the Italian border. The Slovenians have bogged the tanks down and are busting them.”

“But it’s insane,” Amelia said. “Everybody’s lost their mind.”

“The generals seem to think it makes perfect sense,” said the bespectacled man by the window. He lit a cigarette and blew smoke towards the ceiling, his head leaning back, then stared out to the street, where a group of loud young men was passing, waving Croatian flags.

Author Bio and Links

Jani Anttola is a Finnish novelist and a medical doctor. In the 1990s he served in Rwanda with the French military and fought in Bosnia as a soldier of the Bosnian army. His works have been published in the UK and Finland. He has spent most of his adult life abroad, working in Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific.

Website | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Guild

Giveaway

A randomly chosen winner will receive a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card. Find out more here.

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



Learning the Right Lesson

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, Secrets of Adulthood, bestselling author Gretchen Rubin shares witty and thought-provoking reflections. Here’s one of my favorites:

Experience is a great teacher, but make sure that you’re not learning the wrong lesson.

In Aesop’s famous fable, the Hare challenged the Tortoise to a race. The Tortoise agreed, they set the course, and at the signal, they both started off. The Hare bounded ahead, but because he was so sure of winning, he stopped to take a nap. Meanwhile, the Tortoise plodded on. The Hare woke with a start just as the Tortoise was crossing the finish line.

The traditional moral of the fable is “Slow and steady wins the race.” But wouldn’t a more fitting moral be “Those with great gifts can be defeated by their own arrogance and idleness”? Or “Overconfidence fosters carelessness”? Or, as Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach wrote, “Since its famous victory over the hare, the tortoise thinks it’s a sprinter”—in other words, it’s easy to attribute a victory to our own abilities, when in fact we won due to circumstances or someone else’s mistakes.

Wisdom comes from discerning the truest lesson from an experience.

Source: Secrets of Adulthood, pp. 125-126

Get Cozy with Kate Damon

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Kate Damon. Today, Kate shares her creative journey and new release, Jury Duty is Murder.

Here’s Kate!

What was your inspiration for this book?

I’m the kind of person who goes away for a week and comes home three weeks behind. So, I’ve always wondered how jury members maintained their lives when sequestered for weeks or even months. That was the question that put my creative juices to work.

The four jurors from the book return home after the trial, only to discover that their lives have been completely disrupted. Their relationships and jobs have all suffered due to their prolonged absence. As if this situation weren’t dire enough, they learn that other members of the jury have died under suspicious circumstances.

Now, finding the murderer takes priority over trying to restore their own lives. The challenge is that these four individuals did not get along during their time on the jury, and their feelings haven’t changed since then. However, they are left with no choice but to work together in order to catch the killer before they become the next victims.

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

The best part is when a reader tells me how something I wrote touched them or made them laugh. The worst part is having to promote the book. Ugh.

Describe your writing space.

It’s a mess. LOL. Organizing my office was a New Year’s resolution like five years ago. The best part is I have a great view of my pool and the mountains. When my writing brain refuses to cooperate; I can always stare out the window. I also like that the walls are painted Monet purple, a color that is supposed to be good for creativity.

Which authors have inspired you?

Oh, my, there are so many. But the first one that comes to mind is Louis L’Amour. I met him in person when he gave a talk at a local college. I had yet to be published at the time, and he was so encouraging to me.

His advice was to write, write, write. He also said that water does not flow until it’s turned on. I’m happy to say I took his advice, and Jury Duty is Murder is published book #51 (counting fiction and nonfiction books).

What is your favorite quote?

I came across this quote years ago and it touched me so much, it’s been hanging over my desk ever since. “We’re all just walking each other home” by Ram Dass. It’s a simple quote but, oh, so powerful.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

I think Louis L’Amour said it all. Turn on that faucet and write, write, write! The only thing I would add to stay in constant touch with your characters. That means checking in with them every day.

Blurb

The verdict is in; a famed athlete is headed for prison. The jurors have done their job and are free to go back to their lives. But after being sequestered for four months, life as some knew it no longer exists.

HAROLD ASHMAN’s house is almost destroyed by a careless driver. Exotic dancer, CEECEE LAINE, discovers that her boyfriend is two-timing her, and she no longer has a job. Actor ALEX MANNING learns his career is down the tubes, and 72-year-old, HELEN RYDER, discovers her family is plotting to put her in an old folks home.

Then things take a turn for the worse. When former jurors start dropping like flies, CeeCee, Helen, Harold and Alex are convinced there’s a killer on the loose. Now the feuding foursome must find him before he kills them—or before they save him the trouble by killing each other.

Excerpt

The ringing telephone woke me up. Without opening my eyes, I felt around until I touched the nightstand and finally, my phone. “Hello.”

“Wake up.”

I groaned. “Alex, what do you want?”

“I need you to wake up.”

I forced myself to sit up. The clock on the radio said it was after ten. “This better be important.”

“Something is terribly wrong,” Alex said. “It’s the thirtieth and nobody’s dead.”

“Hallelujah.” I hung up and dived back into my pillow. The phone rang again, and I groaned. Only Alex would think that no dead bodies meant something was wrong. I rolled over and grabbed the phone. “Now what?”

“No one’s dead.”

– Excerpted from Jury Duty is Murder by Kate Damon, Wild Rose Press, 2025. Reprinted with permission.

Amazon Buy Link | Barnes & Noble Buy Link

About Kate

When Kate Damon is not writing, she and her husband enjoy spending time with family and friends, raising Monarch butterflies, and playing a wicked game of bridge.

Writing as Margaret Brownley, she has published more than 46 novels and is a New York Times bestselling author. Known for her memorable characters and humor, she is a two-time Romance Writers of America Rita finalist.

Not counting the book, she wrote in sixth grade, and the puzzle of the missing socks, this is her first mystery.

Where to find Kate/Margaret

Website | Twitter/X | Facebook (Kate Damon) | Instagram | BookBub |
Goodreads (Kate Damon)

Facebook (Margaret Brownley) | Goodreads (Margaret Brownley)


Book Trailer

Giveaway

Kate Damon is giving away one $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:
• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
• This giveaway starts May 5 and ends July 31.
• Winner will be contacted via email on July 31.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

Enter to win here.



A New Direction

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Gemma St. Claire. Today, Gemma shares an inspiring comeback story and her new release, Dreaming of the Dance.

Here’s Gemma!

Oh, how life can sometimes get in the way!

Nine years ago, I was tooling along, churning out a paranormal/ghost romance series as “Claire Gem.” The ideas just kept coming and I couldn’t type fast enough to get them down, and then…

The Big C came to call. A diagnosis of stomach cancer completely derailed my life. My doctors said it was “treatable,” and “if you had to get cancer, you got the best kind.” (Whoop dee do, I’m such an overachiever.)

But my writing life—along with lots of other things in my world, took a back seat while I endured 24 radiation treatments and the resulting burns and internal damage to my stomach and lungs.

Then, just when I thought I had this beast beat, another speed bump tripped me up (literally!), this time resulting in a fall that not only broke my shoulder but caused nerve damage—to my right arm and hand. I am right-handed… or was. For nearly two years, I couldn’t type, write, or even hold a fork with my right hand. I struggle with the residual nerve pain to this day.

“Claire Gem” got tired of waiting and drifted off somewhere. But my writing muse, sitting atop my monitor with a stern expression, demanded I continue to write. Thus, “Gemma St. Claire” was born.

To anyone who is faced with a life challenge that derails your plans, this quote by American media personality Germany Kent states my advice perfectly:

“Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.”

My new series is sweet historical romance, where I take you back to 15th C Flanders to visit Coudenburg Palace in Brussels, when Duke Philip the Good reigned. You will meet the Daughters of the Duchess, a collection of the duke’s illegitimate daughters who were sprinkled about his dukedom. The Duchess Isabella has decided (in my fanciful recreation of her personality) to gather these forgotten daughters, one by one, and provide for them a better life. And, mayhap, love.

Tag Line

She dreams of a knight, but he shuns the title. Can a flawed but proud maiden see past the façade of knighthood to recognize real valor?

Blurb

Fifteenth Century, Burgundy. Eva of Utrecht is an unrecognized, illegitimate daughter of the Duke Philip III. Flawed by a birth defect that labels her a “creple,” Eva’s dreams of becoming a knight’s lady seem impossible… until a missive arrives from Coudenburg Castle. An invitation to the May Day Festival may be her chance to win the heart of one of duke’s knights.

Mathieu of Liège is the duke’s ostler, in charge of the horses and hunting falcons, a role he loves. Although a son of a knight, Mathieu has no interest in pursuing the warrior’s path, as he bears the scar on his face as evidence of “noble” brutality.

When he is charged as chaperone to the crippled Eva, his initial resentment turns to something he doesn’t know how to deal with: an affection for this flawed but proud and stubborn young beauty. Can he break through Eva’s pride to win her heart?

Buy Links

Ebook | Paperback

News Flash: Book Two in the Daughters of the Duchess series is now on preorder! https://amzn.to/42LrkZC

Author Bio and Links

Gemma St. Claire grew up in upstate New York many moons ago. She achieved her Bachelor of Arts from the New York Institute of Technology, followed by her Master of Fine Arts from Lesley University. She married her very own, HEA husband and raised three beautiful humans before bouncing about the country. She has landed in Florida and is finally able to devote her life to her writing.

Gemma is passionate about history, particularly the Middle Ages. She’s been to Belgium once and is set to travel back there in August of 2025, where she hopes to discover even more stories to spin and share with her readers.

She loves to hear from her readers, so drop her a note! You can find her here:

Substack | Website | Facebook | Twitter/X | Instagram | TikTok

New Beginnings for Women Over Fifty

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.

Here are ten phenomenal woman who achieved success in their fifties and beyond:

Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director for her film The Hurt Locker at fifty-seven.

Julia Child was fifty when her first cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, was published.

Deb Haaland became the first Native-American to serve as a cabinet secretary at age sixty.

Arianna Huffington started The Huffington Post when she was fifty-five and Thrive Media at sixty-six.

Kris Jenner pitched her first TV show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, when she was fifty-two.

Toni Morrison wrote her first novel, The Bluest Eye, when she was forty. She won a Pulitzer at fifty-six, and a Novel Prize in Literature at sixty-two.

Maxine Waters was first elected as a congresswoman for California at age fifty-two

Betty White didn’t achieve icon status until she was cast on The Mary Tyler Moore Show at age fifty, and her popularity soared until her final days at ninety-nine.

Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book, Little House in the Big Woods, at age sixty-four.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer was fifty-two when she got her first radio show, Sexually Speaking.

Source: Ageless Aging by Maddy Dychtwald, pp. 37-38.

Blurb Blitz: Cowboy Watch

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author Petie McCarty. Today, Petie shares her new release, Cowboy Watch.

Blurb

The Watchers Series—Fallen angels cast out of heaven by the archangel Michael for coercing with Satan to gain control. Some of these conspirators—duped late in the game by Satan’s lies—doubled back to seek redemption for their unwitting betrayal. Offered parole in exchange for penance, these Watchers are given the toughest bodyguard missions with little leeway for success.

One last chance.

These are their stories . . .

Cowboy Watch:

Someone—or something—wants Kellen out of town . . .

Kellen Brand’s inheritance comes as a monumental shock—a rundown farm she doesn’t want and one paroled Watcher all her own. Kellen’s eccentric mother believed Watchers to be fallen angels seeking penance by guarding individuals who had lost their way. Seriously? A Watcher? Only her mother . . .

Since Kellen vows no sane woman would choose to live in Riverside, she’s on a mission to dump the old farm fast and to the first buyer who comes along. Unfortunately for her, the only buyer is a resort developer, spurned by a townful of objectors and one handsome cowboy—her neighbor, Luke Thornton. Luke must block Kellen’s farm sale or risk exposure of his own family’s secrets. He can ill afford his immediate and compelling attraction to his new neighbor.

Someone is watching Kellen, but not who she thinks. Someone deadly and intent on scaring her out of town. Or worse. Luke has a hellish choice to make—step in and rescue Kellen from her threats, or to protect his family, stand by and watch . . .

Excerpt

Without warning, a gunshot sounded, and the bullet ricocheted off a tree about twenty feet away. The Appaloosa jerked hard at the gunshot and then reared. The reins ripped from Kellen’s grasp. She grabbed the saddle horn with both hands and concentrated only on staying in the saddle. The frightened Appaloosa reared a second time, then bolted for open ground. Kellen could do little more than hang on for dear life.

Two leaping strides and Lily had surged to a full-on gallop, streaking for the open grassy hills. Windsor’s thundering hooves sounded behind them, and Luke shouted for Kellen to stop. She was helpless, too scared to even glance back at him for fear her grip would loosen. The reins trailed beneath the Appaloosa’s pounding hooves as the mare continued her panicked race to nowhere. If the mare’s hooves got tangled in the dragging reins, they would both go down.

A fallen tree appeared directly in the mare’s path, and Kellen let loose a scream as the sure-footed horse gamely cleared the tree trunk like a thoroughbred jumper. Kellen slipped to the right side of the saddle when the Appaloosa landed, and they galloped on across the open field. One leg still straddled the saddle and her other leg dangled precariously between the matched pairs of pounding hooves. She heaved her leg up as tight as she could to the mare’s belly and prayed it didn’t get tangled with Lily’s legs, but her muscles weakened with every stride and bounce she sustained. And still, the Appaloosa galloped, sheer adrenaline keeping the mare out in front of Luke’s mighty stallion.

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 new Cinderella series tales, her new The Watchers series, sequels to her regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and more contemporary romance standalones to go along with her two previous releases—Any Fin For Love and Ambush in the Everglades.

Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy who will make a cameo appearance in the upcoming Book 2 of The Watchers, Christmas Watch.

Website | Facebook | X | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon Author Page

Giveaway

Petie McCarty will be awarding a $15 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.