I’m happy to welcome bestselling author A.C. James. Today, she shares her new release, Nerd Meets Curvy.

Blurb

Coralie dreads starting over, but Mystic River beckons her home like a siren’s call. Armed with determination and a toolkit full of DIY magic, Coralie sets out to revive her grandmother’s worn-down house. If anyone can breathe new life into the old walls, it’s her. And with lifelong friendships awaiting her, she has a support system as sturdy as a bear shifter’s embrace.

Little does she know that her homecoming will launch her into the wildest roller coaster ride of midlife dating and a mating bond that makes her head spin faster than a tornado. Coralie certainly hadn’t signed up for this level of excitement, but here she was, courtesy of the enigmatic mastermind herself, Mrs. Wilde. The queen of matchmaking and the architect of the notorious Peculiar Hearts Dating Agency promises Coralie a spicy rebound for her upcoming high school reunion.

Enter Jax, a scorching hot bear shifter haunted by a love that’s gripped him since high school. Just when he finally has a shot at settling down, a pesky ex-harpy swoops in, flapping her wings and causing more drama than a forest full of squawking birds. Tired of the chaos, this bear is ready to throw in the towel and hibernate for good!

But as they say, fate has a wicked sense of humor.

Beneath the surface of his chance to make things right and rewrite history are secrets that could detonate like a ticking time bomb, threatening to shatter their fragile bond. Coralie holds a haunting secret buried deep within her heart. It shapes the choices that molded her into the fierce, curvy woman she is today. As for Jax, his past is a murky labyrinth of pain and darkness. Lives and love swing on a high-stakes pendulum as danger closes in.

Can Coralie and Jax beat the odds, untangle the mystery of the danger stalking them, and build a future that defies the limits of their pasts?

Excerpt

Coralie smoothed her hair, taking a deep breath to gather her courage before rapping her knuckles against the door. This whole situation was stupid-crazy, maybe even certifiably insane. She couldn’t believe she allowed Jessie to convince her to go along with it. She mentally questioned her sanity and wondered how she always found herself in these absurd situations.

The door swung open, revealing a pint-sized dynamo with a fabulous white bob that would make Cruella de Vil jealous. Except this woman’s hair was tinged with a hot pink streak, and her beaming smile could power a small city.

“Well, hello there, honey! I’m Eleanora, but you can call me Elle. And goodness gracious, you’re even more stunning than Jessie’s wild exaggerations. Step right in, my dear. I was just about to have a cup of tea. Care to join me?”

Following Eleanora’s lead, she found herself in the heart of the home—the kitchen. The bubbling pot on the stove released a fragrant symphony of tea leaves.

Eleanora gestured towards a chair with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Darlin’, have a seat, and let’s tame those wild thoughts with some good ol’ tea magic. Milk, sugar, or a dash of devilishness?”

Before Coralie could respond, Eleanora poured two cups with practiced precision. She handed Coralie a cup, the warmth radiating through the porcelain. “Here you go, love. Sip away your worries.”

Coralie’s nod was accompanied by the comforting warmth of the teacup cradled in her hands.

“Thanks,” she murmured, cautiously taking a sip from the oversized cup. The rich, flavorful tea danced across her taste buds, offering a soothing embrace like a warm hug on a chilly day.

Author Bio and Links

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author A.C. James writes paranormal romance and erotica, including Eternal Ever After (rebranded as Eternal Lover), featured in the bestselling Spice Box anthology. Her Ever Dark Immortals Series, which begins with Eternal Lover, has been described as “brimming with sensuality” and “romantic and sizzling hot.” The Isle of the Horse Shifters series starts with Ride: Awakening and is “lighthearted,” that is a “joy ride from beginning to end.”

She resides in the Philadelphia suburbs with her adoring husband Ron (aka Mr. A.C. James), who loves her imaginative yarns and punny sense of humor. She’s also a domestic violence advocate and discusses intimate partner violence and addiction to raise awareness on social media and through her writing. Many of her books include themes like alcoholism or addiction. If you love books that feature underdogs and redemption, her stories will capture your heart.

She spends most of her time drinking large vats of coffee while wrangling kids by day and writing by night. Recovering video game beta tester and tech geek who grew up going to cons and watching SmackDown. There’s probably some cosplay pictures around somewhere of her dressed up as Bloodberry from Saber Marionette J. Just don’t tell anyone.

Website | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Reader Group | Newsletter | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

The author will award a winner a book box with the stunning hardback special edition with sprayed and stenciled edges, a dual-sided dust jacket, and custom swag. Please include this link with your post for her giveaway: https://acjames.com/blogs/news/nerdmeetscurvystories-hashtag-challenge-special-edition-book-box-giveaway

Find out more about the author’s Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome poet Paul Guerin. Today, Paul shares his new release, Poetry from My Heart.

Blurb

“Poetry: writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm.”

“Poetry: a literary work in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm.”

Poetry means different things to different people. For me, it is all about feelings. If it captures the emotions of the reader, a poem will resonate and fill the soul. It can mean everything to one person and not much at all to another. The mood of the reader, and no one else, determines the outcome.

For example, love poems are wonderful when you are in love, and their passion is amazing. If you are facing adversity, however, love poems likely will just annoy you.

In this second book, Poetry from my Heart: The Journey Continues, I have again divided the poems into categories which will fit your mood no matter what you are experiencing at the time you choose to explore them. There should be something for everyone, whether you are in love, out of love, hurt, lonely, angry, abandoned, or facing other challenges in your life.

Poetry has a healing power that nurtures the soul and quietens the mind and so I hope that whatever your situation is in life, you have found something here that helped you safely on your own journey.

Excerpt

Silent sentinels

We’re rocky Sentinels in the trees
With mossy heads and jagged knees
We’ve stood here silently for years
We feel no stress we have no fears

A thousand years or more we’ve stood
Deep within our woodland world
Our greenly forest neighbourhood
With silent meaning still unfurled

With heads of moss and cobweb beards
We look so strong and brave
We have no needs, we know no fears
This forest home is all we crave

We proudly lay beneath the trees
Our walls are hard we feel no pain
We’re Stoney Sentinels on our knees
We guard our world of wind and rain

We have no roots we have no heart
We’re solid in the ground
We’re stony stoic works of art
We’re lurking here without a sound

When next you walk our forest floor
Remember not to make a sound
We’ll stare at you but won’t say more
Just Silent Sentinels in the ground

Author Bio and Links

Paul Guerin is an Irishman. He was born in September 1946 in Castletownroche, a small townland village in County Cork, Eire.

It was there in Castletownroche that his romantic imagination was sparked as he came to love and appreciate the magic of his surroundings. Those early experiences were the genesis of his poetry that emerged in later life.

As a young adult, Paul lived in London, England, where he became a chartered accountant.

At age 25, restless for adventure, Paul moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where he still resides today.

Paul is happily married and is a proud father and grandfather.

Paul writes poetry as the inspiration comes to him. As long as his mind, body and soul are willing companions and his spark of inspiration remains alive, he will continue to write.

This book is Paul’s second publication in his Willing Heart series. His first book was published in the Spring of 2022 and is called Poetry from My Heart: A Journey through Feelings. The book reached #1 on Amazon’s Kindle chart in British Poetry and #2 in Poetry Anthologies November 2023.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Paul Guerin will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author and poet Rachel Dacus. Today, Rachel shares her new release, Return to Lerici.

Blurb

A suspenseful, uplifting story of second chances, family bonds, and redemption.

Sisters Elinor and Saffron rarely see eye-to-eye, but they agree that an unknown half-brother appearing in their lives can only spell trouble. The Greene sisters want to support their ailing mother, Betsy, as they gather in their cottage in Lerici, Italy. But they don’t want Betsy to keep searching for Baby Boy, the only name they have on faded adoption papers.

While the Greenes debate, Baby Boy finds them. A rough childhood has led Daniel to a life as a thief. When he learns of his connection to the wealthy Greenes, he decides to scam them. He goes to Italy and using a fake identity observes them at close range. Watching these people makes him ache for what he never had—a loving family.

Betsy is touched by the young man’s story and guesses their hidden connection. Discovering his true identity, she asks the family to help him. But Daniel’s shady past is catching up and putting the Greenes at risk. Should they bring their lost lamb into the fold—and can he claim his heritage if it endangers his family?

Excerpt

Robert sang a few words. “How about this?”

“I don’t know it, but it sounds good.”

“It’s my own. I wrote it.”

He began to strum, accompanying his soft voice, and Betsy had another jolt of recognition. It was the voice. There was so much of a similarity in the timbre that it made her ache. She wondered what Elinor would think if she came in while he was singing and heard Nathan’s singing voice coming out of this young man.

The song soothed her every aching muscle and bone. It did her body good and her nerves too. Like a fond memory, it wrapped her in the sensation that life was good and harmonious, that there was honey in every breeze and heaven just around the corner. He had a gift, this fellow. He definitely had talent. So how had he wound up tinkering with plumbing in Lerici? Maybe her intuition was true, and he had come for them.

Betsy lay back as he sang, her arm across her eyes, and thought of days past when musicians sang just for her, and she went home with one of them. Days long before Nathan and his stuffy circle of academics. The music was pulling her back to a time when she could relax and be herself, and her stuffy daughter didn’t criticize her every impulse and comment. She understood that Elinor felt criticized by her; what Elinor didn’t realize is that she’d adopted Betsy’s habit of sharp comments. And somewhere—God knew where—she’d picked up that skepticism that was going to burn her sweetheart down, if she didn’t marry the wonderful Tonio soon.

Robert strummed a last chord, his voice fading into the silence.

She sat up and looked at him. They stared at each other for a moment.

“You remind me of someone,” she murmured. “My ex-husband, Nathan.”

Why didn’t Robert look surprised?

Author Bio and Links

Rachel Dacus is the author of six novels, four time travel books in the Timegathering Series and two books of women’s fiction. She has also published four poetry collections. Rachel’s work has appeared widely in print and online, in journal that include Boulevard, Gargoyle, and Prairie Schooner. Her poetry is in the anthologies Fire and Rain: Ecopoetry of California and Radiant DisUnities: Real Ghazals in English. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon Author Page

Giveaway

Rachel Dacus will be awarding a $15 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

Riveted from the start, I struggled to put down this well-plotted, character-driven novel. Set in a picturesque town on the Ligurian coast, the storyline alternates between the members of the Greene family: half-sisters Elinor and Saffron, their mother Betsy, and Daniel, aka Baby Boy. I immediately connected with all the characters. I could empathize with Elinor’s wish to live a calm, predictable life while also appreciating Betsy’s more dramatic antics. I enjoyed reading about Saffron’s relationship with the spirit of nineteenth-century poet Shelley and learning more about his connection to the Greene family. And I found myself rooting for Daniel, the underdog who struggled with a rough childhood and brief foray into a life of petty crime.

Written as a sequel to The Invisibles, Return to Lerici can be easily read as a stand-alone novel.

I’m happy to welcome novelist Diane Gallagher. Today, Diane shares her new release, A Curse of Magick.

Blurb

“A desperate princess, a handsome warrior, and an ancient magick to determine their fate.”

As daughter to the High King, love doesn’t come easily to Gráinne. Having turned down hundreds of suitors, she is being forced to marry Finn, an old, ugly yet powerful general. While outside the marriage hall, Gráinne bumps into Diarmuid, Finn’s handsome foster son. From that moment, Gráinne knows if she is to have any chance at love, he is the one she must marry. She begs him to take her away from this unwanted wedding. When Diarmuid refuses, Gráinne, desperate, places a curse on him; help her or die.

Diarmuid is a warrior who only wants to serve loyally, but when the princess sets her sights on him and casts her curse, he must make the most difficult choice of his life. Does he help her, taking their chances with a vengeful Finn, or does her refuse her, leaving her to her fate, and risking his own death?

With both their lives on the line, Gráinne and Diarmuid must fight to use Ireland’s ancient magick to escape from Finn, either bringing them together in passion or in death.

A Curse of Magick is a passionate tale of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption. A retelling of an ancient Irish myth, A Curse of Magick takes the love and romance of Romeo and Juliet, and the exhilaration of King Arthur, and mixes it together for a satisfying adventure all will love.

Excerpt

Once the cave opened, Diarmuid grinned at Gráinne in the dim light. The walls of the caves were lined with crystals. Even in the darkening light of the sunset they twinkled and reflected the deep orange glow. Gráinne gasped.

“Wait until you see it with a fire,” Diarmuid said. “I’m going to go and gather as much dried wood as I can find. Wait here.”

As he left the cave, Diarmuid listened carefully. There was no sound of Finn’s men. He didn’t expect another message from Oisin saying they were on the move. He knew they were on their own now. He gathered up a tangle of branches he found at the foot of a tree. He hauled them back into the cave and dropped them in a heap on the cavern floor.

“Hand me that bag, will you?” Diarmuid pointed to a small bag he’d left near Bran. “That’s the flint bag. We can never lose that, or we will be in trouble.”

“I know that,” Gráinne bit back. “I have my own. Look.” From just under the collar of her dress she pulled out her own leather bag.

Diarmuid grunted and turned his attention to the fire.

He piled the branches carefully so that air would draw from below and used his flint to light the fire. As the fire sparked and took, the light reflected against the crystals that covered the ceiling of the cavern, making it look like a thousand tiny stars twinkled above them.

“Oh, how beautiful!” Gráinne cried, pressing her hands together beneath her chin.

“Yes, it was Angus that showed this to me. It is like magick, isn’t it?”

Gráinne nodded and smiled at Diarmuid, looking up at him from beneath her lashes, her momentary ire forgotten.

Author and Bio Links

Diane Gallagher is a novelist and Druid priest. She is the author of three novels: A Curse of Magick, Greenwich List, and the Bastard of Saint Genevra. She has long roots stretching into her Celtic past, although she splits her life between two islands—Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada, and Sicily off the toe of Italy’s boot. She writes young adult romance based on ancient Celtic myths of the powerful women of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. She currently teaches creative writing at Cherry Hill Seminary.

Website | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Diane Gallagher will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome journalist and author Iris Dorbian. Today, Iris shares her new release, Next Stop, Boston.

Blurb

Sixteen-year-old Geri Randall’s life is turned upside down when her late sister’s fiance, Dez Deacon, a washed-up rock star, is named her guardian. Whisked away from the only life she knew and taken on a rock and roll tour, Geri is initially desperate to win Dez’s approval. That desire hits a sour note when Dez’s treatment of her becomes too much to bear. What ensues is a battle of wills between her and her temperamental guardian, a collision course that will push Geri to do the unthinkable to get what she wants.

Excerpt

If there was one thing she’d learned with this tour, it was that time operated on a whole other scale. It wasn’t weird to go out and have a burger at two in the morning, or stay up until five, eat an early breakfast, and then crash until noon.

At first, she’d felt like a vampire, but after a month of this nocturnal schedule, she’d gotten so acclimated to the lifestyle, she wondered how she would ever be able to go back to a daily schedule that consisted of her going to sleep at ten o’clock at night, waking up at seven o’clock so she could arrive at school by 8:30, and be in classes until 2:30 in the afternoon. Then do it all over again the next day. Lather, rinse, and repeat.

“It’s a soulless existence,” Dez said to her a week into her attempt to adjust to life on the road. He was opining about the nine to five normies. “Absolutely brain-atrophying. These poor people are like ants. Hamsters on a wheel, doing the same thing over and over again. That’s why what we do is so important to these people. For two hours, Ger, we bring them the excitement and adventure that’s missing in their dull, defeated lives. We’re like saviors to them.”

Geri clicked on her personal photo gallery. She pored through an unending succession of shots of Dez, as well as shots she never would post on her account: various hotel rooms, desk clerks on phones or dealing with customers, piles of suitcases gathered in a mound in lobbies, regular people sharing drinks at a bar, working on their laptops. She loved the simplicity of these images, which captured life in hotels with an organic detail and vibrancy. She stopped at the bar shots, then zoomed in to snag a clearer view at the people in them. The barflies seemed to be swigging whiskey or scotch, she wasn’t sure—an alcohol connoisseur, she was not; however, she’d seen so many adults in her young lifetime down gallons of liquor, she might as well be.

She studied their features to see if Dez was right about these normies. No, he wasn’t. They didn’t look defeated at all, only tired.

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Author Bio and Links

Iris Dorbian is an arts and business journalist whose bylines have appeared in a wide array of outlets that include Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Crain’s New York Business, Business Insider, Buyouts, Venture Capital Journal, Investopedia, Playbill, Backstage, Dance Magazine, Theatermania and Stage Directions, where she served as editor-in-chief for eight years. Her personal essays have been featured in HBO’s Inspiration Room, Boomer Magazine, Jewish Literary Journal, Diverse Voices Quarterly, and Gothesque Magazine. Having previously published “Great Producers: Visionaries of the American Theater” (Allworth/Skyhorse) “An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps” (original publisher: Mazo Publishers) and “Sentenced to Shakespeare” (Sunbury/Milford House Prss), “Next Stop, Boston” is her fourth book.

Personal Website | Muckrack | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter

Giveaway

Iris Dorbian will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome authors M K Scott to my blog. Today, they share their new release, The Jig is Up.

Blurb

I looked forward to sipping tea and exploring Mark’s ancestral roots in Ireland, but oh, what a twist of fate!

My life as owner of The Painted Lady Inn hardly prepared me for this. With my detective husband by my side, we embark on a journey filled with mayhem, murder, and mischief.

As I savor every bite of Irish stew and soak in the breathtaking scenery, little do I know that our vacation will turn into a whirlwind of sleuthing.

Who could have imagined the secrets hidden behind Mark’s family tree? And what dark secrets lurk in this picturesque village, threatening to shatter the tranquility?

The jig is up, and it’s up to us to untangle the web of intrigue.

Excerpt

The car rental rep was definitely not a warm-and-fuzzy gal, but Donna put her money on Mark. He could be charming when he needed to be.

His lips curved up into a smile. “Surely, you have at least one vehicle. I’m not picky.”

What a fib! It looked like the rep bought it. The woman leaned over the counter and pointed to an open garage area. “Go inside there and ask for Liam. Tell him you want the emergency special. It’s a car we save for people who fail to make reservations and yet still need a car.”

Donna prided herself on reading people and knew there wouldn’t be the expected happy ending to their dilemma. Her husband, on the other hand, effusively thanked the woman and slipped her a colorful bill in gratitude. Not being familiar with euros, it could have been anything from a fifty to a dollar.

As for Liam, he must have gone on break because they toured the garage for a good twenty minutes. They commented on car models not seen in the US and speculated if they’d get the convertible, Land Rover, or the Volkswagen Golf. After asking several employees in coveralls, they finally located Liam, which was a relief since one of the wheels on her suitcase had just seized up. She couldn’t mention the issue since her husband would point out they had perfectly good, non-tie-dyed suitcases at home with wheels that worked.

Liam, a man of few words, listened as Mark repeated his story, including the bit about searching for his ancestors. Instead of commenting on how great it was that Mark could have some Irish ancestry, Liam responded with, “She said the emergency special?”

“She did,” Mark replied with a nod.

“Aye.” Liam grimaced, then yelled something to a younger employee about getting the car.

She heard the emphasis on the even if Mark didn’t. A few minutes later a bright yellow car just a little bigger than a bicycle pulled up in front of Liam. “Here ya go. She’s small. You’ll only have her for a wee bit. She’s easy to park, too.”

All in all, it was a cute car—and very different from Mark’s usual sedan. Her husband remained speechless, while Donna handled practicalities. “Do you think our luggage will fit in it?”

“No problem.” He motioned to his young helper. “Pull out the back seat.”

“It has a backseat?” She couldn’t imagine anything fitting into the back.

“In theory. With the seat gone, it makes the trunk a bit roomier.” Liam sunk his hands in his pockets and made a slow circuit around their luggage. “We should be able to cram that inside. Don’t buy anything until you move to a larger vehicle.”

Both Liam and his helper speculated on how to pack the car, while Mark finally shook off his stupor. “I never knew they made cars this small. Can it possibly be safe?”

“We’re not going that far. Isn’t their town just ten miles or so out of Dublin?”

“There about.”

While their luggage was wrestled inside the mini vehicle, Donna strolled to the front. Eyelashes decorated the round, front headlights. “How cute. The car has eyelashes.”

Mark rolled his eyes and muttered something about how he tipped for this. While her husband acted surprised, Donna wasn’t. She had summed up the counter rep as possibly in the wrong profession and not to be trusted. Not the car they wanted, but it would serve.

Author Bio and Links

M. K. Scott is the Morgan and Scott cozy mystery writing team of The Painted Lady Inn Mysteries, The Talking Dog Detective Agency, The Way Over the Hill Gang, Cupid’s Catering Company, and The Tenacious Librarian series. Morgan pens the tales, while Scott serves as first editor and webmaster. Daughter Sarah handles the social media and Jane the Lab supervises digging in the garden.

Amazon Author Page | BookBub | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter | Website | Amazon Buy Link

*************The book is on sale for only $0.99*************

Giveaway

M K Scott will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

ALSO

There is a second Rafflecopter. Find out more here.

Follow the authors on their Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome author Sarah Dressler. Today, Sarah shares interesting facts about her creative journey and her new release, Christmas Cove.

Here’s Sarah!

What was your inspiration for this book?

On the morning of July 17, 2022, I woke up from an incredible dream. It was unlike any dream I had ever had. It was the complete story of Christmas Cove as though it had been downloaded into my consciousness. I had been praying about what my next project should be, and bam! Here it was, a Christmas story. The previous three novels that I wrote were in a completely different genre, and even though Christmas is my favorite holiday, I hadn’t considered writing sweet contemporary romance. But boy, did that dream have a huge impact on me! That morning, I got my notebooks out and regurgitated every detail that I could remember, and by lunch time, I had a detailed twenty-chapter outline drafted. I dove headfirst into writing Christmas Cove and never looked back.

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

Sometimes, being saddled with so many stories in my head is a curse. Putting the scenes on paper, or screen, is a daunting task. But seeing the stories come to life, knowing that strangers will read something that I created, is the best gift. I always say that the story must be told, and I believe deep down that all the stories in my mind were put there for a reason, to share with you. The worst part about pursuing a writing career is that I have more stories than I have time to write.

Describe your writing space.

I have a beautiful office in my home where I write. A dark, moody green paint coats all the walls and highlights the ornate mouldings on the ceiling. A crystal chandelier hangs from a carved medallion in the center of the room and two large windows frame the breathtaking mountain view outside. Sumptuous velvet curtains hang from floor to ceiling and velvet upholstered furnishings provide somewhere cozy to curl up. Whether I’m writing a science fiction thriller, or a sweet contemporary romance novel, as in my debut Christmas Cove, the room evokes an old-world romanticism that allows me to step into my life as an author and leave the day-to-day grind at the door.

Which authors have inspired you?

I enjoy many types of books and authors. Some of my favorites include the likes of Dan Brown, who I credit with showing me what reading for fun feels like, Suzanne Collins, for letting me know it’s ok to break the rules, and Anne Rice, for knowing when to spice things up a bit.

What is your favorite quote?

“To a love so big, only angels can carry it.” – Christmas Cove

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

If I could have a superpower, it would be to slow down time. As a parent of two teenagers, I see the way minutes tick by. I work at being present each day, but there just aren’t enough hours to do all the things I want to do and do them all well.

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

One of my most beloved activities is making giant sand sculptures at the beach. Seeing as how I currently live in the mountains, beaches are hard to come by, but snow is a suitable yet decidedly cooler alternative material. On a more regular basis, my husband and I go for sunset walks nearly every day, no matter where we are in the world.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Aspiring writers need to know that there aren’t any rules. You have to decide the process that works best for you, know how a schedule of goals fits into your lifestyle, and you have to find your own unique voice. None of this can be accomplished by doing as you’re told. Feel free to experiment and try new things until you find yourself in your writing.

What are you working on next?

I’m thrilled to share the news that my next novel, Spring Showers, will be released in mid-2024. Spring Showers is a stand-alone sequel to Christmas Cove. It features a brand-new cast of main characters. While some of the original cast makes guest appearances, Spring Showers follows the healing journey of two strangers who are desperately running from their pasts. When they collide at a wellness retreat, their lives change forever.

Blurb

With only three weeks left in December, travel editor, America Greene, arrives in the idyllic Christmas Cove to find it… Christmasless!

America needs a story, and fast, so she teams up with the town’s good-looking (and eligible) mayor, Leo, to light up Main Street and salvage her chance at being a full-time writer. The connection between them heats up, halls are decked, sleigh bells ring, and lights twinkle. Just when she thinks the holiday is saved, a nearby city threatens the future of Christmas Cove. With her heart, and career, hanging in the balance, she must learn that Christmas is much more than just a place on a map before time runs out.

Excerpt

Night came and went with another solid sleep. America looked at herself in the mirror, unable to believe what she had done, or what she had offered to do. Sure, she knew her reasons for wanting to bring back Christmas were purely in the interest of self-preservation. Wanting to succeed with her first article assignment was a huge driving factor, but the task at hand was so much bigger than anything she should have taken on. There was no denying her reign as the office elf, and she knew that if anyone had enough Christmas spirit to spread around, she did.

Now that the offer was out there, she would need to follow through. One way or another, she was getting her Christmas Cove experience, and an article drafted to prove it. Sure, she had enlisted Leo’s help, but if she had any real chance of success, they would need reinforcements. America checked her watch. Leo would be back any minute to pick her up. In the meantime, she pulled her coat back on and tidied her hastily twisted bun atop her head.

The pine tree, so generously given to her that previous morning by Leo, stood in its bare state beside her. There is nothing sadder than a Christmas tree with no lights. Except perhaps, she thought, one without ornaments too.

“This simply will not do,” America said.

Buy Links

Amazon | iTunes | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | Google Play | 5PP

Author Bio and Links

Sarah Dressler, originally from Florida, now calls the mountains of Colorado home. Beginning her writing career as an award winning fashion blogger, Sarah now writes fiction full time. She has spent her life traveling the world, first as the daughter of a US Air Force officer, and later as a military spouse. She enjoys sunset walks with her husband of nearly twenty years, and raising two very busy teenagers.

5PP Page | Instagram Author Page | Goodreads

Giveaway

Sarah Dressler will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome author donalee Moulton to my blog. Today, Donalee shares her creative journey and recent release, Hung Out to Dry.

Here’s donalee!

Hi everyone. It’s wonderful to connect with you – and thank you Joanne for this opportunity.

Writing has always been part of my life. Over the years, it has become a central part of my life. Growing up I wanted to be a lawyer. I started university prepared to be a lawyer. Then I was introduced to academia and research. I wanted to teach at a university and publish papers in esteemed journals. Then I had a scholarship to get a PhD. I was thrilled. I turned it down. I had a chance to go to Harvard to research perceptions of time. I was thrilled. I turned it down. Clearly something else was at play. I finally realized what I wanted to do with my life was write.

My mother taught me to love language – and to respect it. She cared about words and getting the words right. She was my greatest influence.

When I was about eight or nine, a next-door neighbor tossed me a Nancy Drew book. She thought I might like it. I sat on the curb between our two houses and read the entire book cover to cover. I loved the puzzle, figuring out who dunnit, and being propelled into a world outside my own.

That same year someone gifted me Charlotte’s Web, and my life was forever changed. Not only could words transport you to new worlds, they could become a part of your heart, change you in ways you could not have imagined. I wanted to do that.

My first mystery book Hung Out to Die was published earlier this year. The main character is Riel Brava. Attractive. Razor-sharp. Ambitious. And something much more. Riel just wants to be left alone to do his job and one day run for president of the United States. He has a plan. Murder gets in his way. It isn’t easy being a psychopath.

My second book, Conflagration, will be released in January. It follows the real-life trial of an enslaved Black woman accused of setting much of the town of Montreal on fire in 1734. Two other books are in the works, part of a series featuring three women who meet doing a downward dog.

As I hope you’ll discover, not everything that happens in a yoga studio is Zen.

Blurb

Meet Riel Brava. Attractive. Razor-sharp. Ambitious. And something much more.

Riel, raised in Santa Barbara, California, has been transplanted to Nova Scotia where he is CEO of the Canadian Cannabis Corporation. It’s business as usual until Riel finds his world hanging by a thread. Actually, several threads. It doesn’t take the police long to determine all is not as it appears – and that includes Riel himself.

Pulled into a world not of his making, Riel resists the hunt to catch a killer. Resistance is futile. Detective Lin Raynes draws the reluctant CEO into the investigation, and the seeds of an unexpected and unusual friendship are sown. Raynes and Riel concoct a scheme to draw a confession out of the killer, but that plan is never put into place. Instead, Riel finds himself on the butt end of a rifle in the ribs and a long drive to the middle of Nowhere, Nova Scotia.

Excerpt

It’s 6:46 a.m. The plant will be in full swing in 44 minutes but right now it is in darkness except for the grow-op lights installed for the benefit of 24/7 plant profusion. My three-storey building is also wrapped in darkness, at least from this angle, which raises the question: How long has the damn security system been down?

I’m moving full steam ahead now up three flights of stairs to my office. Speed is not second nature to me. Given my state of being, caution is synonymous with survival. The faster you move, the more likely you are to misstep. Generally, that’s something I can’t risk.

I’m reaching for the hallway switch when I realize there is a light three doors down. That’s Norm Bedwell’s office. And that’s unusual. Our comptroller is typically among the last to arrive. Only a fresh honey crueller from Tim Horton’s has been known to change his

I’m running to Norm’s office now, tirade at the ready. The only thing that can prevent the outside security system from working – aside from someone hacking into our server – is if the door doesn’t latch closed behind the entering employee. A loud audible click let’s you know the system is armed and you can move forward. Employees have been trained to wait for the click. If they don’t, an alarm, albeit relatively soft as alarms go, will sound for two minutes. At this time of day, however, there is no one around to hear it.

It has to be Norm’s fault, which may mean the system has only been down for minutes if he just arrived. It’s a question I’m tossing at our comptroller even before I’ve stepped inside his office.

Norm doesn’t answer.

He can’t. He is swinging from a rope tossed over an open beam (the designer’s brilliant idea), a noose tight around his neck. He’s blue, but not as blue as I believe a dead man should look.

This poses a dilemma. I’d like a few moments to assess my options and identify the safest and most effective course of action. However, I am aware I don’t have the luxury of time. I’ve seen enough Law and Order episodes to know if you don’t call the cops immediately the time delay will be noticed, and you’re more likely to find yourself on the suspect list.

Dammit. I’m a suspect.

This realization hits at the same time I’m dialing 911. The perky young woman on the other end asks how she can help. “I’m in the administrative office of the Canadian Cannabis Corp., and my comptroller appears to have hanged himself. He is dangling from a noose and turning blue.”

“Sir, I have radioed for police; they are on their way,” she says, inhaling to continue her sentence.

I cut her off. “Look, I know I shouldn’t disturb anything, but Norm may be alive. I’m going to grab his legs so the noose doesn’t cut into his windpipe.”

Great, now she knows I understand how hanging kills someone. Doesn’t matter. I’m trying to reduce the pressure around Norms neck. His feet are tucked into the crease in my left arm, his testicles about on par with my bottom lip. I’m not a small man – 6’2” – and I work out regularly, so I can maintain this, albeit distasteful, posture for some time.

I hear sirens, and it hits me. The police won’t be able to gain access to the building without destroying a lot of expensive tech. I explain this to the 911 operator. She’s really not that interested in the cost of our tech.

“I’m going to get someone to open the gate for the police,” I tell her. “That mean’s I’ll have to hang up. I’m on the third floor of the admin building. It’s the only office on the floor with a light on. My name is Riel Brava. I’m CEO.”

I end the call, rapidly going through the list of 47 employees who work for the company. Only senior managers are likely to be in. Of those, Michael Graves, head of our legal department (well, actually, our entire legal department) is likely to be at his desk. He’s ambitious, comes out of private practice where 60-hour weeks are the norm, and has a young daughter who likes to get up at 5 a.m.

I dial his extension. Mike answers. “Mike, I don’t have time to explain, but police are on their way. Please meet them at the front gate and bring them to Norm Bedwell’s office. And hurry.”

I like to think I could hear his feet pounding one floor below, but the walls, even in the admin building, are very well insulated. Truth is, flowering cannabis stinks, and we’ve gone to great lengths to keep our facility and the nearby community odour free.

The next thing I remember is someone tapping me on the shoulder. “Sir, you can let go,” a uniformed officer says to me. I loosen my grip; Norm’s testicles inch closer to my lower lip.

“I’ve got him,” the officer says and pries Norm loose from my elbow socket. It sounds like he’s trying to be thoughtful or compassionate. I’m not sure why.

Of course. Norm is dead.

Social Media/BuyLinks

Author Website | Facebook |Goodreads | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram |
Universal BuyLink

Other Book Publications

Find out more about these books here.

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author Virginia Barlow. Today, Virginia shares her new release Once Upon a Christmas Castle.

Blurb

Lady Rosalind Chatham journeys with her family to Weston Castle to wed an ancient earl on Christmas day. Yearning for true love, she falls for the duke, her stepfather’s cousin, while preparing for her nuptials.

Lady Rosalind entrances the Duke of Weston. Concerned for her future with the tempestuous earl, he can’t afford to get involved. The fines and scandal will be too great for a man of his wealth and power.

When the truth comes to light, and he almost loses her forever, he finds he cannot afford to give less than his whole heart.

Excerpt

Careful not to make a sound, she sat on the window ledge and slipped her feet out the window. Turning to face the interior of the room, she inched her hips over the window ledge. She slipped on the ice, frozen to the brick outside the window, and slid down faster than she intended, cringing when the silk of her day gown ripped.

Panic gripped her like a cinched corset. She did not fear falling. No. The fine sheen of terror covering her brow appeared out of fear she might wake the earl.

Catching the edge of the brick where she lay against it halfway between her bosom and her waist, she sucked in a deep breath, conscious she must present a sight with her skirts bunched up and wedged between her and the window ledge. Her white pantalets and silk-stockinged legs dangled as she maneuvered her hands so she could drop to the ground. Thank the gods no one wandered the flower gardens beneath her to see her unladylike display.

Her prayer of gratitude stopped dead, and she received the shock of her life when a large pair of hands caught her about the waist!

She froze in terror, not daring to breathe.

“Lady Rosalind, how unexpected of you to drop by like this.” The duke’s deep voice laughed at her as he held her still.

She swallowed her cry of surprise and choked. God, what Cousin Lucius must be thinking about her right now.

Buy/Read Links

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads | BookBub

Author Bio and Links

I have always loved reading romance novels. I used to sneak into my mom’s room as a young girl and read them while she was gone. As I grew older, my reading and tastes expanded to sci-fi, dystopian, paranormal, and fantasy.

I considered becoming an author in my late twenties but as a busy mother with toddlers, I didn’t have the time nor the energy.

Later, in my fifties, I decided to give it a try and have enjoyed every moment of it since. I recently signed my fourteenth contract and am doing my happy dance as I type this. My husband of forty-one years is my greatest support as are all my kids. Most of them are grown and carving out lives for themselves. They are the beat of my heart and with every grandchild, the rhythm gets stronger. I enjoy every moment of my life.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube

Giveaway

Virginia Barlow will be awarding a free copy of Gamble of Hearts to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

Follow Virginia on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour