I’m happy to welcome author Morgan Blake. Today, Morgan shares her new release, The Cherry Trees of Rosings.

Blurb

A Pride & Prejudice variation with a slightly paranormal, mainly comic twist!

When Elizabeth Bennet visits her newly-married friend, Charlotte Collins, at the Hunsford parsonage, she has no idea that Mr. Darcy (he of the arrogant demeanor and perpetual cause of annoyance!) shall turn up to ruin her blissful, idyllic days.

Only, Mr. Darcy is not himself. And then Elizabeth stumbles straight through him one day… like one would an apparition! Goodness gracious!

“Mr. Darcy, I do not know what you mean, but I would appreciate it if you would desist from haunting me!”

“I apologize, Miss Bennet, for scaring you,” Mr. Darcy said, almost regretfully.

To solve her haunting problem, Elizabeth must team up with Mr. Darcy to find out what happened to him, and along the way discover that maybe he is not all that he seemed at first. And that maybe… she doesn’t hate him after all.

“You wish to write the letter now?” he asked as she moved past him with the candle.

“Well, to be honest,” she glanced at him. “I would prefer to sleep. But since you are here, I do not see why not.”

From the antics of Lady Catherine de Bourgh to the hilarity of Mr. Collins’ advice on staying fit, The Cherry Trees of Rosings shall make you laugh and cry in equal measure. And wonder: Will our favourite couple find their happy ever after?

Spoiler: Yes, they will!

This Pride and Prejudice variation features our favourite Regency romance couple from Jane Austen’s original classic in a somewhat spooky setup. ✨ But fear not, dear readers! ✨ This story is not scary in the least. Prepare for a chuckle fest and abundant cups of tea!

Excerpt

It was three days since her encounter with Mr. Darcy’s apparition. Elizabeth was not certain if what she had experienced was a dream or real.

Perhaps she had fallen asleep on that iron bench in that chestnut copse. Perhaps it had been nothing but her overactive imagination.

Yet, she had not gone for her usual walk since that day. Not since the news.

A shiver crept up Elizabeth’s spine at the thought. She shook it off as best as she could and went back to tossing feed to the Collins’ chickens.

“Are you real?”

Elizabeth screamed—nearly jumping out of her skin!—and dropped the bowl of feed. Mr. Darcy was standing a few feet away from her.

“Mr. Darcy…” she said in a hush. Eyes wide in horror.

“Why do I see you, Miss Bennet?” he asked, voice soft and melancholic.

It was almost as if he was speaking to himself, not her. Elizabeth could only stare at the man.

Her heart thumped loudly within her chest. Blood thundered past her ears, and within her veins. He was still dressed in the same clothes as the day she had spoken to him under the cherry trees.

Author Bio and Links

Morgan Blake writes regency romance novels and Austenesque variations of Pride & Prejudice that are sometimes steamy, sometimes not. Satire is the name of the game and happy ever afters the goal!

Morgan loves exploring themes of personal identity, inner strength, social discourse and hope alongside enduring love in her stories. She also believes that strong heroes and heroines are not enough to make a tale worth telling. They need a supporting cast of good and not-so-good characters that add more punch and vibrancy… and some dramatic ridiculousness!

Morgan is a cat friend, tropical girl who prefers winter clothes, perennial fantasy/historical fiction nerd, and a night owl.

Author Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | UBL

What reviewers are saying about The Cherry Trees of Rosings:

“When an author marries two of your all-time favourite stories, this is it! Morgan keeps some Austen language but makes it palatable for modern audiences. It was witty and beautifully descriptive.”

— Nicole Curls Up to Read

“This variation mixes the absurdity of Mr Collins, the entitlement of Lady Catherine, the scepticism of Colonel Fitzwilliam, with the awkwardness and humour of Darcy and Elizabeth’s interactions. A good combination of humour, romance and angst.”

—My JAFF Obsession

“The story was really captivating, especially as Elizabeth tries to figure out why Darcy is an apparition and how to help him back to his normal state. At some points the story was also a bit sad because it seems that there can be no future for Darcy and Elizabeth. Fortunately that is not the case and in the end (*spoiler*) they find their happily ever after.”

—Melanie Reads JAFF

“That was fast reading in one day, but I just couldn’t stop reading!”

—Eileen Smith, Goodreads

Giveaway

Morgan Blake will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome romance author D. Taylor. Today, she shares her new release, By Chance.

Blurb

Charlotte Douglas has spent far too long trying to stitch her life back together after a single betrayal shattered her place in the community that once adored her. With every polite nod and measured smile, she shoulders the same whispered story: she is not the young lady she ought to be — and certainly not the kind any respectable man would escort into a ballroom.

Then a flat tire on a warm afternoon brings Elias Navarro to her gate.

A hardworking mechanic with steady hands and a restless heart, Elias has lived safely, sensibly, and without surprise. Until Charlotte. With her quiet fire, careful poise, and eyes that dare him to look closer, she becomes the first woman in years to make him want more than the life he knows.

What begins as a returned plate and a shared cup of coffee becomes something neither expected: late-afternoon walks, borrowed laughter, the charge of almost-kisses, and the slow, undeniable pull toward something tender.

But Charlotte’s past is a room full of watching eyes—and the Winter Soirée is coming.

When Charlotte hesitates to invite Elias, terrified he will judge the truth she’s never said aloud, he mistakes her quiet fear for rejection. And when cruel words at the ball turn her reputation into spectacle, Elias steps into the fray without hesitation—proving himself steady, fierce, and nothing like the man who once broke her heart.

What follows is a reckoning of truths:
her fear of being unworthy,
his fear of not belonging in her world,
and the choice they must face—
whether love found by chance can become love fought for on purpose.

Excerpt

Charlotte shouldn’t have taken the car—not with the sun already dipping low behind the rooftops, not with rush hour thickening, and certainly not in that dress.

By morning, the dread had rotted into something uglier. Louder. She couldn’t sit with it anymore.

So she took her father’s automobile keys and drove—south past the quiet boulevards and polished shopfronts her mother preferred, into a stretch of narrow blocks where everyone knew your name and no one asked questions. An hour later, she left with her long curls on the floor and tight ringlets pinned close to her scalp, neck bare, shame and freedom crawling the same path down her spine. The gold flapper dress shimmered when she moved—too beaded, too clingy, and entirely deliberate.

If they were going to whisper, let them whisper for something new.

The light shifted—amber, then rose-gold. She should have turned back.

She didn’t.

A delivery truck pulled too wide at the corner. She swerved—too fast, too sharp—and the front tire struck something jagged. The pop split the air, sharp and final. The car shuddered, then sagged, boneless as a broken doll.

Charlotte’s hands clung to the wheel. Her chest cinched. Heat pressed behind her eyes.

“Oh, isn’t this the bee’s knees,” she said thinly. “Just grand.”

She stumbled out, skirt snagging, heel catching, dignity unraveling by degrees. One look at the tire and the world tipped.

Then a voice—low, steady.

“You alright, miss?”

She startled, spine lifting as if she could will herself composed. A man stood nearby—tall, broad-shouldered, sleeves rolled, eyes warm and unguarded. He looked at her like the street had gone quiet.

And she didn’t look away.

“I wish I could say I was,” she said softly. “But I’m afraid I’ve made rather a mess of things.”

Amazon Buy Links

By Chance | Reckless | Allied Hearts | Rescued

Author Bio and Links

D. Taylor is a passionate storyteller with a love for multicultural romance, adventure, and historical fiction. She independently wrote and toured with her novel Allied Hearts, a compelling romance that explores love, identity, and the strength of human connection.

Beyond writing, D. Taylor is a devoted wife of 18 years and a loving mother who cherishes time with her children. She finds joy in cooking, creating delicious meals that bring her family together. When she’s not writing or in the kitchen, she enjoys researching history, discovering new cultures, and embracing the ever-changing world of storytelling.

D. Taylor believes that every story has the power to transport, transform, and inspire. Her work celebrates strong heroines, captivating heroes, and the resilience of love in all its forms.

Find out more and get bonus book material or join my mailing list @dtaylorwrites

Website | Facebook | Amazon Author Page

Giveaway

D. Taylor will award a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly selected winner. Find out more here.

Follow the author on her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author Victoria Weisfeld. Today, Victoria shares her creative journey and new release, She Knew Too Much.

Here’s Victoria!

What was your inspiration for this book?

A beautiful city I love—Rome—had great appeal as the setting for She Knew Too Much, which features my character, travel writer Eugenia Clarke. Genie is so curious about the world and so observant that she sometimes sees and hears things she shouldn’t. A not-quite-overheard conversation among four mafia gangsters starts the story, but their violent reaction to realizing she’s heard them proves how important the conversation was.

The major subplot of the story involves the frustrations of a medical scientist, tempted to a risky decision because his work isn’t going well. A character like that is one I knew I could write about, having known a great many biomedical researchers and the difficulties they face.

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

The best part is the sense of discovery I feel, as the story unfolds on the page. I also enjoy the editing process, where I make sure the characters and scenes are fully developed. There are times when an idea for a scene or an event will come to me, and I put it into the story, not knowing whether it will be useful in the long run. If it’s superfluous, I can always delete it, but more often than not, these ideas turn out to be quite important, even if their significance was unexpected at first. In She Knew Too Much that certainly happened.

It takes time to get everything right—making the characters clear and consistent, giving them distinctive personalities, making the dialog natural, describing places and objects accurately. Most of all, being sure the actions characters take are believable while I everything moves forward. I’m in awe of people who can write a book—or several!—every year. I could never do that.

Once the book is finished, there’s the whole getting it into print phase. This involves searching for an agent, trying to find a publisher, debating whether to self-publish, and handling all those details when another book is forming in my mind. Many authors have horror stories about this part of the process, and for me, too, that’s the worst part. I’m very thankful that Audecyn Books took on She Knew Too Much. They have been very easy to work with.

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

A few years ago, I decided to look into my mother’s father’s family. The Edwardses had always been spoken of in the family with great admiration as these nearly mythic characters. Well, this project hooked me on genealogy and, even better, has helped me understand history in a way I never did before. When I finished with the Edwardses, I thought, “Oh, OK, now I’ll work on my mother’s mother’s family.” I didn’t know much about them, but it turned out they were far more interesting! I recently finished a chapter on our family in the Revolutionary War. Several members of a Huguenot branch in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, were noted rifle manufacturers. Lancaster rifles and the men who knew how to use them let George Washington fight the war in innovative ways.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

There’s a lot of wisdom in the advice to “write the book that you want to read.” As a new writer, you will likely find that a good book takes a long time to write, edit, and bring to market. If you want to latch onto what’s trendy, bear in mind that trends change. What seems new and sexy now may be old hat by the time the book appears. Writing a book that speaks most powerfully to you, one that you really care about, will give you the impetus to keep at it. Who knows? Maybe you can start the next trend.

What are you working on next?

Genie Clarke is going to Egypt!

I hope your readers take the opportunity to read She Knew Too Much. I think they will find it a fast-moving story with touches of romance, humor, and a big dose of humanity. I welcome their responses. Thank you for inviting me to share these few words about the inspiration for this story.

Blurb

Travel writer Genie Clarke arrives in Rome seeking inspiration, but her trip turns deadly when she overhears two mafia operatives discussing a secret “Project.” Before she can escape, she’s attacked and left for dead. Awakening in a hospital-alive but hunted-Genie finds the police unwilling to believe her. Only Detective Leo Angelini takes her seriously, uncovering ties between her assault, a murdered woman, and a powerful criminal network.

With the threat escalating, Leo moves Genie into hiding, where she becomes both key witness and prime target. Cut off from safety and unsure who to trust, Genie must outthink the conspirators determined to silence her.

From Rome’s bright piazzas to its shadowed alleys, she faces a terrifying fight for survival-and an unexpected connection with the detective risking everything to protect her. She Knew Too Much is a lean, suspenseful psychological thriller about fear, courage, and the price of knowing too much.

Excerpt

I crossed the one-way traffic to reach the Piazza del Popolo’s spacious central rectangle. People ambled toward one or another of the half-dozen streets that converged on the Piazza or to the steps leading up to the Villa Borghese Gardens, where I’d spent the afternoon. I was aiming for the Via del Babuino, street of the Baboon, which got its name from a particularly hideous sculpture. In a few blocks, that street ended at the Piazza di Spagna and the always-crowded Spanish Steps, a half block from my hotel.

On the far side, I again negotiated the circling rush of traffic and chanced a look behind. What the hell? The spiky-haired blond had crossed the first stream of traffic. Now he jostled through the crowd, coming straight my way. He was tracking me, and he didn’t care if I knew it.

I was in trouble. And, if I didn’t want to believe my eyes, the hair on the back of my neck confirmed it. I picked up my pace, walking as fast as I could in my flimsy sandals.

Dozens of times I’d traveled the few blocks connecting the two piazzas. Now this familiar street radiated hostility, and the stones of the Sunday-shuttered buildings reflected no warmth. Surely something, some business, would be open. I sped past my favorite stationery store, the gallery whose owner I’d interviewed. Shut tight as oysters.

Why hadn’t I asked someone near the piazza for help? Could I have made myself understood? Would they have agreed to get involved? I shook my head in frustration.

Author Bio and Links

Vicki Weisfeld is a Midwesterner (Go Blue!) transplanted to New Jersey. Her short stories have appeared in leading mystery magazines, including Ellery Queen, Sherlock Holmes, and Black Cat. Find her work also in a variety of anthologies: Busted: Arresting Stories from the Beat, Seascapes: Best New England Crime Stories, Murder Among Friends, Passport to Murder, The Best Laid Plans, Quoth the Raven, and Sherlock Holmes in the Realms of Edgar Allan Poe. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, which awarded “Breadcrumbs” a best short story Derringer in 2017, and the Public Safety Writers Association, which gave a similar award to “Who They Are Now” in 2020. She’s a reviewer of New Jersey theater for TheFrontRowCenter.com and crime/mystery/thriller fiction for the UK website, crimefictionlover.com.

Website | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

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

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

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

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bluesky | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon Author Page | Amazon UK Author Page | Newsletter Signup

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

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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.

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author R.F. Whong. Today, Ms. Whong shares her new release, Fire Between Two Skies.

Blurb

Across centuries—power and peril—one fire endures.

Two eras. One relentless quest for truth amid desires and temptation. Across the centuries, two men are bound by parallel destinies that echo through time. Book 3 of this dual-time odyssey delves deep into the passions and struggles that connect their worlds.

In 2022 Hong Kong, Jason Guan, after losing his job as an assistant supervisor for wetland conservation, joins his uncle’s real-estate business. A chance meeting with his high school classmate, Vivian Jiang, draws him into a web of secrecy, seduction, and moral compromise. Amid the chaos, he and his wife, Debra, read an unpublished manuscript by her father, a celebrated writer, about the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864) and a man’s futile pursuit of justice and peace on earth.

In nineteenth-century China, Zhang Xin, an orphan saved from the streets by Missionary Issachar Jacox Roberts, is swept into the fiery rebellion of the Taiping movement. Torn between the dream of a just kingdom, his forbidden love for Miao Lan, and his loyalty to his ruthless brother, Xin reckons with doubt, conscience, and the cost of faith.

When greed and exploitation eclipse justice, both men must navigate their respective perils. Will they prevail or be consumed?

At once a political thriller and a historical epic, this novel tracks the embers that survive every age.

Excerpt

Even in October, humidity seeped in. In the sea of pedestrians with face masks, Jason Guan trudged ahead. The city hadn’t been the same since the pandemic. Being a Realtor after he lost his job as an assistant supervisor for the Mai Po wetland conservation turned out to be tougher than he’d anticipated. The property market had become a temple. Some arrived to worship, others to offer sacrifices, while most lingered at the margins. The value of stability spiraled into abstraction.

He ducked into Le Jardin, a French café everyone Instagrammed. It had just reopened. Inside, the scent of baked croissants swirled around.

In the corner window, a woman sat, poised as if she were a sculpture poured into a tailored charcoal suit, all clean angles and an odd, quiet gravity. The hairs along Jason’s arms lifted. Instincts prickled. His mind skidded from face to memory to name while the rest of him stood there like an idiot. He stared too long. Time kinked. “Vivian Jiang?” The name scraped out before he knew it.

She looked up from her phone. Her jaw dropped. “Jason Guan?”

How many years had it been? Ten? Longer? He stepped forward.

Vivian stood, graceful and confident, but a tautness coiled behind that poise, as if she were ready to spring. He touched his chin. An old image from his high school days at the Methodist Academy flashed in his mind. Didn’t she always hide at the back of the class?

Author Bio and Links

From a young age, I cultivated a profound love of reading and writing. I would spend hours at the library, devouring every book on a single shelf before moving on to the next. It seems I have a longing that can’t be satisfied by reality. Immersing myself in literature allows me to escape into worlds where I could become someone graceful, witty, and popular.

Currently, I work for a small biotech company and have published 120+ scientific books and papers. As a latecomer to the world of creative writing, I’ve released several books under different pen names. R. F. Whong is the pen name used for publishing fiction titles, whereas Ruth Wuwong is the chosen name for non-fiction books. I’m delighted to share that I’ve been named a Featured Author by the Minnesota Anoka County Library in 2025 and by the Suffolk Virginia Authors Festival in 2026. One of my books, Echoes over Stormy Sea, won a few awards, including being chosen by readers as a winner in the 2025 HOLT Medallion Contest.

I’m married to my wonderful husband, a retired pastor who encourages me to pursue my dreams. We served together at three different churches from 1987 to 2020. Our adult son works in a nearby city.

Amazon | Goodreads | BookBub | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website | Tiktok | YouTube

Giveaway

R. F. Whong 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 her Goddess Fish tour here .

I’m happy to welcome back author Gail Koger. Today, Gail shares her new release, Undisciplined Catalyst.

Blurb

I was sixteen when I found out not only am I an alien hybrid, but monsters called the Tai-Kok were getting ready to invade our world. Guess who gets to stop them? Me! How?

My uncle, the mad scientist, created a machine called the portal that instantaneously sends a test subject from one location to another by converting them into energy. His idea is to port me onto a Tai-Kok ship. All I have to do is leave a bomb, hit the retrieval button on my spiffy traveler’s belt and poof! I’m back on Earth before the Tai-Kok ship goes kaboom. Sounds simple, right?

Wrong. Uncle Ben doesn’t have a clue where I’ll actually appear on the ship. It could be the engine room, the crew quarters, or even the bridge. It’s like playing Russian roulette. The Tai-Kok don’t like surprises or uninvited guests.

To make things even more fun, I have an alien battle commander stuck in my head and I’m related to a powerful Coletti warlord. Yippee. The chances of me living to see eighteen aren’t good.

Excerpt

“Give ‘em hell.” A wild look in his eyes, Uncle Ben tapped on the console.

The circles of light surrounded me, but this time it felt like a zillion fire ants were crawling over my body. Holy hell! Something had gone wrong! I appeared in midair and dropped like a rock. Smack! I slammed into someone, and my Glock went flying.

My eyes bugged. I was on the bridge of a futuristic warship, and the viewscreen showed one hell of a space battle going on. To make things even more fun, I was lying across the lap of a huge, muscle-bound male wearing black battle armor. Since he was sitting in the captain’s chair, I was assuming he was the boss.

A very angry-looking boss. I blinked. Holy cow was he good-looking, if you were into the whole merciless predator thing. Huh? The red chains woven into his black warrior’s braids matched the communication device on his left wrist. Who knew aliens accessorized and why did I care? I took a deep breath trying to control the panic streaking through me.

A low growl rumbled in his chest.

One look into his disturbingly hostile amber eyes and I knew I was in big trouble. I reached for my retrieval button.

His arms clamped around me painfully, and he spat a bunch of gobbledygook.

“Sorry, I don’t speak that language,” I replied mentally. Somehow, I knew he was psychic.

A harsh voice sounded in my head, “How did you get through our shields.”

“Dunno. My uncle is the scientific genius, not me. I’m just the delivery girl.”

“What do you deliver?”

Did I look stupid? The minute I told him bombs; he’d kill me. I pasted a friendly smile on my face. “Stuff. I’m Lexi and you are?”

“Battle Commander Kaelen. I serve Zarek the Coletti Overlord.”

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/X | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Gail Koger will award a $15 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly selected winner. Find out more here.

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