I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Cindy Causey. Today, Cindy shares her new release, Sensible Shoes.

Blurb

At her fiftieth birthday party, Tess Thomason, a plain-Jane, divorced mother and decidedly unprepared women’s newspaper columnist, is blindsided by her well-meaning family with a stack of gift cards she interprets as meaning she’s fat, frumpy, and wrinkled. Facing a lonely future and failing career, Tess embarks on a journey of self-discovery, taking her readers along for the ride. But her resolve is nearly derailed by a hilarious season of family chaos that includes a surprise pregnancy, rushed wedding, and unexpected houseguests. In the midst of it all, Tess is drawn into a confusing new relationship with a man who is impossibly perfect for her. But if she can keep herself, her family, and her willpower firmly seated on the crazy roller coaster of her life, maybe Tess will find her own self-worth and a new love in the bargain.

Excerpt

“Tess, Tess, I’m not expecting you to write like Sylvia. I’m not even expecting you to write about fashion. What I have in mind is a column to women, for women, about women. Real women. Like one of those influencers on the Internet. You know…funny, wise, poignant, and… relevant.”

The creeping dread, now fully formed, tossed a grenade into my stomach. She might as well have asked me to write like Shakespeare. “You want me to be funny, wise, poignant, and…relevant? Are you insane?”

Okay, I may have stepped over the line with that last bit, because Ruth’s face twisted a little in the ominous way I had seen so often just before she pounded her fist on the desk. “Just write the damn thing, Tess. I don’t care if you’re funny, wise, poignant, or what was the other thing?”

“Relevant,” I murmured.

“Relevant, for God’s sake. Just do it. I need a column for the women’s page starting next week, and you’re it. Write about what you know. Family. Food. The laundry. You’ve got family. You’ve got laundry. It’ll be a cinch.”

“But—”

“No buts. Just do it. It’ll be good for you. You need to get out of your rut.” She turned her attention to her computer screen.

As if in a trance, I rose from the chair and turned to leave. “Oh, Tess?” she said without looking at me.

“Yes?” Maybe she’s changed her mind; she saw my outfit, and she changed her mind.

“Happy birthday.”

Author Bio and Links

Cindy Causey taught herself to type in the 8th grade because she couldn’t write in her diary fast enough in longhand. A degree and career in advertising were the result. A fifteen-year stint as a copy chief at JCPenney Catalog led to the position of Internet Marketing Manager for JCPenney.com.

After 20 years at JCPenney, Cindy retired in December, 2007, and began working full time with her husband Scott in their multi-media production company, Dallas Media Center. They specialized in audio/video production and editing, vintage media transfer to DVD and CD, as well as website design and hosting. Cindy shuttered the company in 2021, three years after Scott passed away.

After her first book, a non-fiction work called Cherish the Gift: A Congregational Guide to Earth Stewardship, was published, Cindy began writing fiction. She found her voice in romance, the stories of the struggles two people endure on the road to happily ever-after. Her debut novel, A Different Drum was published in May 2009 by The Wild Rose Press, followed by A Hot Time in Texas that same year.

In early 2025, her latest novel, Sensible Shoes, a humorous look at a woman struggling with life after 50, was published by The Wild Rose Press. It will be followed in late 2025 by a romantic suspense novel entitled Saving Samantha.

Cindy makes her home in Dallas, Texas. In addition to writing, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her 5 grown children and 4 grandchildren. She would like to see the edges of the entire world from the deck of a cruise ship.

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Giveaway

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

Follow Cindy on the rest of her Goddess Fish Tour here.

I couldn’t put this book down and stayed up two nights in a row to finish it. An expert storyteller, Ms. Causey writes with passion and skill, bringing the topsy-turvy world of the protagonist, Tess Thomason, to life. I found myself rooting for Tess as she embarked on a journey of self-discovery and transformation, all while navigating an avalanche of challenges—from a surprise pregnancy and a revolving door of houseguests to complicated romantic entanglements. All of this unfolds against the backdrop of Thanksgiving and a whirlwind wedding.

Even days after finishing, I’m still marveling at the twists and turns in Tess’s remarkable story. Sensible Shoes is beautifully written and a must-read for fans of women’s fiction.

I’m happy to welcome author Lisa Ard. Today, Lisa shares her new release, Brighter Than Her Fears, based on her great-great-grandmother’s experience in 19th century North Carolina.

Blurb

The 19th century women’s rights movement and the rise of public education intertwine with one woman’s story of struggle, perseverance, and love.

When her father dies and the family inn falls to ruin in 1882, western North Carolina, thirty-year-old Alice Harris is compelled to marry Jasper Carter, a Civil War veteran twice her age. Far from home and a stranger in a new family, Alice remakes herself. She learns to farm tobacco, mothers her stepson, and comes to love her husband.

However, Alice uncovers pending trouble with the family’s land holdings, which threatens their livelihood on the farm. The growth in Asheville promises a different future—one of manufacturing, transportation, tourism, and wealth. Alice believes this future demands an education and she rebels against the limited rural instruction. She joins forces with other women campaigning for Asheville’s first public schools. Her actions spark the rebuke of the Carter men.

Tragedy strikes and Alice’s newfound security is ripped away. The family challenges her property rights and files for guardianship of her stepson. Battered but determined, Alice turns to the law—and a friendly court clerk—to fight for her independence. Will Alice lose everything? Not if she can help it.

Lisa Ard’s debut historical fiction novel will resonate with readers for its parallels, between then and now, on women’s rights, inequality, and racism.

Excerpt

The dressmaker probably saw every kind of bride—joyful, nervous, excited, even frightened, yet rarely two sisters on the same day and seldom ones of our advanced age. At thirty years old, I’d long since abandoned the idea of marriage. The War had ended when I was thirteen and with battlefields turned to cemeteries, the marriage prospects in the South had dimmed considerably. I didn’t favor the title spinster, but I valued my independence. Especially now, as it slipped from my grasp.

“Shorter, Miss Harris?” Miss Shackton asked. “You might wear it after the wedding.”

“Yes, thank you. It’ll make a fine church dress.” My cheeks warmed at the suggestion for thrift. My thoughts thundered over my family’s losses. A hastily arranged marriage to a man I barely knew was my only option.

While Miss Shackton circled to pin the dress’s hem, my eyes swept the neatly kept shop. It was narrow, not two wagons’ breadth across with a front counter crafted from a rich, dark slab of wood laid on top of postmaster shelving. The many nooks and crannies held the dressmaker’s tools of the trade: threads, spools, pin cushions, bolts of fabric, scissors, and more. The orderliness soothed me.

“I’m almost finished here. Be with you in a minute,” Miss Shackton announced to my sister.

Jennie slumped on a faded settee and dabbed her eyes with a damp handkerchief. She’d always been delicate and our rushed marriages, and that of our two sisters, Louise and Ina, didn’t help.”

Author Bio and Links

Lisa Ard is the author of the new historical fiction novel Brighter Than Her Fears, which is based on her great-great-grandmother’s experience in 19th century western North Carolina. Her previously published children’s books include Fright Flight, Dream Team, and the Kay Snow award finalist Saving Halloween. When not writing, Lisa enjoys reading, hiking, golfing and sharing her love of history as a bike tour docent with the Palm Springs Historical Society. She and her husband live (and golf) in both Palm Springs and Portland, Oregon.

Website | Shepherd | Goodreads | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Giveaway

Lisa Ard will award a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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

Ms. Ard has crafted a powerful novel set against the backdrop of the post-Civil War period in western North Carolina.

Thirty-year-old Alice Harris (the author’s great-great-grandmother) faces an uncertain future after the sudden death of her father and the family’s subsequent financial ruin. She enters a marriage with Jasper Carter, a Civil War veteran who is twice her age, with low expectations. To her astonishment, she survives and thrives as she learns to farm tobacco, love her husband, and raise her stepson. When tragedy strikes, she is forced to reinvent herself once more and fight for her independence and property rights.

Told in the first person, we are privy to Alice’s innermost thoughts and feelings. The use of letters between Alice, her sister, and her friends further advances the plot and provides insights into the lives and motivations of the secondary characters.

If you enjoy reading historical fiction about women who persevere despite their circumstances, you will love this book.

I’m happy to welcome author Bobbie Candas. Today, Bobbie shares her new release, Welcome to Wonderland.

Blurb

A recently fired biologist with mommy issues, a successful entrepreneur with a dead wife, and an immigrant hiding from gang violence…These three have only one thing in common.

They’re all screwed up

Biology researcher, Violet Hill, was just let go and is devastated. She found the solitary lab and long hours the ideal respite for her anxiety issues–doing meaningful work while avoiding people and conversation. Now unemployed, with diminishing finances, Violet is forced to face the enemy, her mother.

For years, Turner Cooper was consumed with building his company’s client roster, until the sudden death of his wife throws him totally off kilter. Now, instead of work, Turner’s guilt and alcohol issues consume him.

Living a reclusive life in Dallas, Rosario Guzman is hiding from a Mexican cartel while working in the shadows at three part-time jobs. Finally, the item she covets the most, a Green Card, arrives in her mailbox. But Rosario quickly realizes the paper card doesn’t solve all her problems.

While navigating social issues, private demons, and nightmare memories, these three lives collide as they find each other at a place none of them ever imagined they’d be working at. As their mutual relationship evolves, Violet, Turner and Rosario lean into each other and unexpectedly find their lives unfurling in remarkable and magical ways.

Excerpt

The Gladiator
Turner Cooper

The landline was ringing again but I didn’t bother to pick up. Letting it go to voicemail, I listened to my wife’s warm Texas accent roll softly through the office over the speaker of an antiquated answering machine.

Hi, there. It’s Allie. Turner and I aren’t here. You know what to do; bye now.
Sighing, I ruffled the soft shiny fur of our Irish Setter, Blaze. Leaning back on my leather sectional, I stretched my legs out over the ottoman, closed my eyes, and wondered how many more hours it would be before I could go back to bed without seeming too pitiful. Perhaps a half-tumbler of Dewar’s Scotch and a movie would help pass the time. I silenced my cell and closed the office door so there would be no interruptions. Amazing how many solicitations there were after you signed up for the no-solicitation list. I never realized before… because I rarely was home to hear them. I smiled, recalling a recent conversation with Allie.

‘I swear, Turner, we need to get rid of that phone. Unless you’re in the market for a time share or extended car warranty, it’s useless. No one we know has a landline anymore.’

‘But Allie, what about missing out on the all-expense-paid cruise of our dreams, or lending my social security number to a Nigerian prince?’

‘Uh, those guys don’t call much anymore.’

‘I promise, babe… I’ll get around to it.’ But there it was, still ringing.

Petting Blaze’s head again, I said, “Yeah bud, you get what they say about old dogs and new tricks, don’t you Blaze?”

Hearing his name, my dog looked over at me expectantly, and then laid his head down on the thick rug. Back to a movie choice. I could punch up something on Netflix, but lately, most of those movies were lame. Either stupid rom-coms or crazy fantasy. How about an old favorite instead?

I got up and perused our shelves of old DVDs on either side of the six-foot screen. “Here’s a good one, Blaze. Haven’t watched this in years. You’ll love it.” I popped in Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe, sat back down, put my feet up and took a deep sip of Scotch. It was a long film; maybe it would require a full tumbler. Or two.

Three hours later, I’d surprised myself, managing to remain awake through the entire film, and on this viewing I saw the story so differently. That happens sometimes when rewatching a film. My previous memory of it was all about warring strategies, power struggles, and grisly scenes of bodies being torn apart. But this afternoon, I realized the gladiator’s greatest desire was to leave all power and politics behind him and return home to his wife and farm. Somehow before I’d totally missed that aspect.

I got up and stretched, checking my watch. “Well, boy…time for that walk now, right? Let’s go.” Blaze was ready. Hearing the word walk, he began looking anxiously about. “Come on, downstairs. She’s not here today.” I walked through the utility room, switched from bare feet to slip-on tennis shoes, attached his leash, and left through the garage.

The sun was still thirty minutes away from sizzling into the lake, with the air feeling less humid than usual. Even in September, Dallas weather could be brutal. “So, what are you up for? Long one or short one?” I looked at the dog’s inquisitive golden-brown eyes. “That’s what I thought too.”

We headed down our street, turned at the corner and walked down to the bike trail. Under the shade of trees, wearing a loose tee-shirt and shorts, it actually felt good to be out. We walked the half-mile to the large dog park by the lake. I unleashed Blaze, sat down on a bench, and watched him run, dodge, and scamper with joy among the wide range of large breeds released for play by their work-a-day parents.

Eventually, another guy came and sat down next to me and, like a proud papa, pointed. “Mine’s the Goldendoodle. Which one’s yours?”

“The Irish Setter with all the pent-up energy. He’s used to getting out more.”

“Oh, yeah. He’s a beauty. Wait…is that Blaze? Man, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize…your Allie’s husband, right? She was up here with Blaze all the time. Great lady. I’m so sorry, dude. I’m Kevin. Kevin Wells. My wife and I live nearby.”

I nodded, smiled stiffly, and stood up. “Good to meet you, Kevin. Thanks. I’m heading out now.”

I walked toward my dog, knowing he’d hate being pulled out so soon, but it was time for us to leave. Kevin got up and called out after me, “Hey, if you ever need to talk or anything, I’m here most evenings. Allie, she was awesome. Really gonna miss her around here.”

I nodded, putting the leash back on the setter. “Sure, thanks man.” We weren’t ready for those conversations yet. Blaze and I were damaged goods.

Author Bio and Links

Bobbie Candas lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, Mehmet Candas, a stray gray cat, and a jealous tabby who does not enjoy sharing affection with the interloper. Bobbie attended The University of Texas in Austin, earning her degree in journalism. She took a detour with a career in retail management, and found her happy place when she returned to writing fiction about nine years ago.

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Giveaway

Bobbie Candas will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

I immediately connected with the three characters and couldn’t read fast enough to discover what awaited them in this well-plotted and well-researched novel. An expert storyteller, Ms. Candas has a gift for creating a strong sense of place. I was impressed by the descriptions of the exotic plants, colorful trees and flowers, and water elements that populate Botanicals United of Dallas (BUD). I didn’t realize that BUD was fictional until I read the Author’s Note at the end.

Well done, Ms. Candas!