I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Liz Crowe. Today, Liz shares her new release, Win Place Show.

Tag Line

Win Place Show: All bets are on!

Blurb

Start with a perfect spring weekend full of pretty dresses, high heels, fancy hats, horse races, and bourbon.

Combine with a friends-from-childhood couple whose ongoing misunderstandings have led Lucy Granger to swear she’ll never move back home.

Mix in a splash of combined family pressure for Lucy and Nate Hawthorne to be The Golden Couple.

Pour over crushed ice and garnish with plenty of hot, secret hookups.

Win. Place. Show.

A funny sort of romance chock full of dressing up, mint juleps, an axe-throwing bar, and a huge winning bet at the big race.

Excerpt

Lucy dropped the phone to her side, wishing she could sleep another three hours to skip the whole still-a-tad-drunk part of the hangover. She had, indeed, made some poor choices the night before. Beginning with thinking she could slide back into easy, sexy time with Nate. She’d already more or less decided against it before he’d gotten there. But, of course, he’d shown up looking so flipping edible in a pair of dark jeans and a form-fitting purple polo with the Trifecta logo stitched where the little polo guy usually sat. Damn the man. He had no right to go around being so…hot.

He’d always been vain about his hair, something he’d discovered was a featured benefit about the same time he decided she no longer deserved his friendship. It was a wavy strawberry blond, cut just short enough so he didn’t have to use any products while it was full and tempting to female fingers. His eyes were so green, people accused him of wearing contacts to make them that way. Someone had obviously told him the trick about green eyes, that wearing purple made them even more striking.

“Some woman, I’m sure,” she said, lying flat on her back a few more seconds before hauling herself up and limping toward the shower.

Maintaining her anger at Nate was easy. She’d been ready to outright reject him. But when he’d shown up looking like some kind of a male model, turning every damn female head in the place, she’d stumbled. He was such a good dancer, not to mention a top notch kisser. So she’d gone with it, fueled by too much booze, ready to leap back into bed with him as if no time had passed since they last hooked up.

Thankfully, he’d given her an out by going all talkative. That was the last thing she wanted from him. So she’d walked away. And subsequently had a lot more to drink, hence her current condition, ergo she planned to lay blame for her pounding head and queasy stomach at his feet, too.

So there, Mr. Perfect.

The shower transformed her from being a woman with a hangover into a clean woman with a hangover and many regrets. She glared at her bloodshot eyes in the foggy mirror, hating herself for being here, in her stupid bathroom where she’d spent so many hours as a little girl and later a teenager, second guessing herself and her relationship with Nate.

She slapped on some rudimentary makeup, dried and styled her hair enough to pass her mother’s scrutiny, then stood in front of the dresses hanging in her closet. A line of matching shoes were on the floor beneath them. Several hatboxes stacked on the shelves to one side. The floral-patterned one made her headache worse, so she chose a light blue option, with a halter neckline, tight-fitting bodice and skirt. It was a beautiful choice, as they all were. One thing she could never accuse her mother of was shopping poorly.

She slid her feet into a pair of cream-colored high heels, then pondered the hats with a sigh. When they were little, she and Mimi loved this weekend more than any other. The opportunity to put on a pretty new dress, hat, and shoes had been the highlight of their year. The hours spent at the track over the course of Derby weekends were some of her best memories.

Buy/Read Links

Amazon | Universal Buy Link | Goodreads | ARC Sign Up

Author Bio and Links

Liz Crowe is a Kentucky native and graduate of the University of Louisville living in South Carolina. She’s spent her time as a three-continent expat trailing spouse, mom of three, real estate agent, brewery owner and bar manager, and is currently a digital marketing and fundraising consultant, in addition to being an award-winning author. With stories set in breweries, on the soccer pitch, inside fictional television stations and successful real estate offices, and even in exotic locales like Istanbul, Turkey, her books are compelling and told with a fresh voice. The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight and linger in the imagination long after the book is finished.

Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Chat Room | Instagram | TikTok | BookBub | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads| Website | Newsletter & Free Book

I’m happy to welcome back multi-published author Winona Kent. Today, Winona shares her creative journey and new release, Ticket to Ride.

Here’s Winona!

Q. What was your inspiration for this novel?

A. The idea actually came from Lost Time, the novel I wrote just before Ticket to Ride. Normally, my main character, Jason Davey, can be found at the Blue Devil Club in London’s Soho, where he has a permanent gig with his jazz combo. But in Lost Time, Jason has taken a leave of absence from his Blue Devil residency, and is rehearsing for a tour of England with his mum’s old folky-pop band, Figgis Green, while he solves the mystery of a young woman who went missing in the 1970s.

I had so many notes left over, and so much wonderful research that I hadn’t used, that I thought it would be a great idea to write a book about the actual tour. So in Ticket to Ride, Jason and the Figs are on the road. While they travel around England, Jason tries to get to the bottom of who his maternal grandfather really is—and at the same time deals with a series of seemingly-unrelated mishaps that eventually lead to a deadly encounter at a concert in Tunbridge Wells.

Q.Are any of your characters inspired by real people?

A. I actually originally created the character of Jason Davey about ten years ago in a standalone novel called Cold Play. Jason was working an entertainer on board a cruise ship in Alaska. My husband and I had taken a Holland America cruise that followed the same itinerary as the one in the novel, and we spent a lot of time in the lounge at the top of the ship. There was a guy performing there every night with his guitar—his name was David Alan Oates. My husband got into some great conversations with him. I decided to use David as the basic inspiration for Jason. A couple of years ago, my sister and I went on a short Princess Cruises repositioning cruise from Seattle to Vancouver. While we were sitting in the atrium on the ship, we were entertained by a very good guitar player. I did a double-take – it was David! I ran up to him and introduced myself and told him about how he’d been the inspiration for Jason—and, amazingly, he remembered my husband—without me even mentioning him.

I can also tell you that Figgis Green, Jason’s mother’s band in both Lost Time and Ticket to Ride, was inspired by a couple of real-life bands, the Seekers (from Australia), and Steeleye Span (from England).

Q. What’s the best part of being an author? The worst?

A. Honestly, being a writer has given me the opportunity to play at being someone who has far more courage and confidence than I do. I do have some things in common with Jason, but I could never do what he does to investigate the mysteries he’s presented with. I’m actually quite a timid person, and while I’m ok pursuing stuff by email or text, if I have to ask questions in person or on the phone, I tend to run away and hide. In fact, I almost have a phobia about talking on the phone. I’m not sure how it happened, but I suspect it has to do with my years working as a travel agent. Jason has no qualms about using whatever means he has at hand to contact people to get to the bottom of things—phone, public postings on social media, private messages, texting, and of course, straight face to face conversations. And I love exploring all those platforms. In Ticket to Ride, I brought back a character who I’d first created in Cold Play—Jilly, who is Jason’s self-appointed “guardian angel”. In Cold Play, she communicated with him via private messages on Twitter. In Ticket to Ride, she reappears on Instagram—much to Jason’s complete surprise.

The worst thing about being an author…to be honest, I don’t feel anything negative. I guess it’s because for most of my career, I’ve had to write in my spare time, in order to accommodate my full-time job. I retired in 2019 and finally became a full-time author, and I’m enjoying it so much, I wish I’d been able to do it earlier. But my financial situation would never allow it. If there’s anything negative about being an author, it’s probably the effect it has on my family. I tend to spend long hours immersed in research and correspondence and actual writing, and while it suits me perfectly, my husband and my sister sometimes find it annoying and frustrating that I’m so distracted.

Q. Describe your writing space.

A. It’s a little IKEA desk, just large enough for a laptop and a coffee cup. It sits next to my balcony window, which opens onto a wonderful little potted garden, complete with lavender, solar tiki lights, a hummingbird feeder (and hummingbirds), miniature gnomes, fairy lights, and little lighthouses which have lights which, at night, rotate just like real lighthouses. The balcony is seven storeys up in the air, and has an unimpeded vista view of the Fraser River, which is busy with marine traffic 24 hours a day. I should also add that I have a little glazed clay pot out there which contains some of my mother’s ashes. She died last May—and very soon afterwards, I started to be visited by those hummingbirds. It’s the most perfect writing space—and so inspiring.

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

A. I have a few interesting hobbies. One of them is family tree research. I have a very mysterious great-grandfather whose birth record I can’t find and whose parentage is quite murky. I’ve done the DNA test and plunged into genealogy head-first. My Ticket to Ride hero, Jason Davey, shares that interest with me—and it actually figures quite importantly in the storyline. My other passionate interest is the London Underground–and more specifically, abandoned Underground stations. A few of my novels and short stories have included current and abandoned stations in their plots. And, finally, I knit. I’m almost ashamed to admit it. When I’m trying to work up my next storyline, or I’m stuck on a particularly tricky plot development, I resort to knitting tams and berets. I have quite a collection now, as you can imagine!

Q. What are you working on next?

A. I’m just starting to research and outline my next Jason Davey mystery, Bad Boy. It has a rather startling opening, involving The Shard in London. In fact, I’ve just got back from England. The original purpose of the trip was to scatter my mum’s ashes in her birthplace (she died in May 2021) but while I was there, I took the opportunity to conduct a lot of first-hand research—which included going up The Shard and taking part in a 4 ½ hour walking tour of Soho’s Musical Venues—Soho being where Jason works, in the Blue Devil jazz club. I also plan on taking Jason to Derbyshire, which is where some of my cousins live, in a lovely little village called Winster. I got some amazing ideas for the book on this trip, which will feature the return of one of my favourite all-time baddies, Arthur Braskey (from Notes on a Missing G-String).

Blurb

In Lost Time, professional musician / amateur sleuth Jason Davey was rehearsing for Figgis Green’s 50th Anniversary Tour of England. Now they’re on the road.

But when a fortune-teller in Sheffield warns them of impending danger, the band is suddenly plagued by a series of seemingly-unrelated mishaps.

After Jason is attacked and nearly killed in Cambridge, and a fire alarm results in a very personal theft from Mandy’s hotel room, it becomes clear they’re being targeted by someone with a serious grudge.

And when Figgis Green plays a gig at a private estate in Tunbridge Wells, that person finally makes their deadly intentions known.

Jason must rely on his instincts, his Instagram “guardian angel,” and a wartime ghost who might possibly share his DNA, in order to survive.

Ticket to Ride is the fourth book in Winona Kent’s mystery series featuring jazz musician-turned-amateur sleuth Jason Davey.

Buy Links

Amazon CA | Amazon US |
Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Kobo

Social Media Links

Website | Figgis Green Tour Website | Blue Devil Books | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Vicky Burkholder. Today, Vicky shares her creative journey and new release, Lost Among the Stars.

Interview

What inspired the story?

That’s probably the hardest question to answer. I was just “what iffing” and went through the “what if you were really rich (I wish!) and everyone thinks you have everything going for you. What if you don’t? What if there’s a madman who wants what you have and will do anything—including killing—to get it? What if this all happens on a spaceship so there’s no escape? What if…? Like that. I do a lot of that kind of thinking when I’m working on a book.

In writing Lost Among the Stars, what was the most fun?

I’ll admit it, I’m a nerd. So the research on what makes a planet livable for humans was the most fun for me. I have a master’s degree in library science and absolutely love doing research. So much so that I often get lost in the world building. But… how far does it have to be from a sun? What are the climates like? The land forms? The animals? And so on. I love that stuff.

Are you working on other books in this series?

Yes, definitely. I have two more books to come in this series: “Searching Among the Stars” and “Found Among the Stars”

Did you ever have a character surprise you?

Yes. All the time. I think they’re going to do one thing and…there they go, off on some tangent I never had in mind. And it usually works out better.

Who is your favorite character and why?

It depends on the story I’m writing. In one of my books, “Revenge Among the Stars”, SAMI, the AI, was actually my favorite character because he’s so…human. He’s a computer with attitude. In another (a fantasy with dragons), Crumb is my favorite. In another book, it will be someone else. Each book has someone I love. Someone who will stick in my mind.

What was your funniest moment as an author?

Weird as it may sound, a vacation I took with my family to the ocean. I was in the middle of creating the world for another book and just couldn’t figure out the landscape, so, my kids and I sat on the beach and built a world out of sand, kind of like the guy in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”. We built mountains and rivers, towns, everything. People looked at us kind of funny, but it all worked out. The kids and I had a ball and I got my world built. I took pictures of it all to take home before the tide washed it away.

What do you find more challenging about writing than you expected?

Two things: the actual writing and the promotions. I have a ton of stories in my head, but actually sitting down and putting them on paper is often a challenge. There are some days when the words just won’t come. When you stare at the blank screen and wonder what the heck you’re going to write that’s new and different and exciting. If you’re not careful, you can become jaded after a while. And then there’s promoting your books and yourself. For a strong introvert like me who doesn’t travel, this can be the hardest thing in the world to do. But it’s necessary.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

A little of both. I don’t plot the entire story out, but I know where I’m starting and where it’s going and a little of what happens in the middle. It’s a very loose sort of plotting.

What time of day do you feel most creative?

Very early in the morning. I’m definitely a morning person—I’m usually up around five or five-thirty (with no alarm clock) and use that time before my husband is up to write and work. The dark hours before dawn are the best time of day for me. But don’t ask me to do anything after 9:30 p.m. Not going to happen. 😊

When you’re having a problem with a book, what do you do to solve it?

I have an amazing group of writing friends. We call ourselves the Boot Squad because we kick each other’s butts if we’re not getting the work done. Of the five of us, two are my best friends and I can turn to either one of them for brainstorming. They are my worst critics and my best supporters. I’d never be able do what I do without them.

Tagline

How do you escape death when you are lost in space and a killer is aboard your ship?

Blurb

Amanda Ki’s humanitarian trip to Xy-Three is fraught with assassins and saboteurs who are popping up faster than she can deal with them. Caught up in a web of intrigue, kidnapping, and terror, Mandy joins forces with the captain of the Phoenix, Declan Chalmers. Declan is tall, dark, handsome, and probably the most arrogant, dictatorial man she has ever met. He’s also one of the few people she can trust. Declan doesn’t know what to expect from the VIP who heads up a million-dollar enterprise, when she boards his ship. The tiny, exotic, and packed full of grit woman is not only drop dead gorgeous and smart, she’s also deadly when it comes to martial arts. A skill he wants on his side when the space craft is sabotaged. Thrown together, the two form a tight bond, but if they aren’t careful, they could end up dead.

Excerpt

Declan took in the woman sitting in front of him, from the long, coal-black hair held back with a tie, to the expensive, but practical jumpsuit. She was everything Declan disliked—a bureaucrat of the worst type—stubborn, fiery, and determined. Revising his earlier thoughts, she was neither old, nor wrinkled, but Dec wasn’t sure about the coddling yet. “There’s no need to thank me. You handled the situation exceedingly well. However,” his voice changed from silky smooth to one of warning, “in the future, please don’t give my crew any orders without checking with me first.”

Miss Ki stared at him. He could see the muscles in her jaw working. Fine, so she was angry. Dec wasn’t exactly happy with the way this trip was starting out either.

“I wasn’t aware I needed your permission to do my job. These people are my responsibility.”

“And this ship and her crew are mine. While you’re on my ship, you will follow my orders. Is that clear, Ms. Ki?”

Mandy stood, bracing her hands on the desk. “Like hell I will. You may be in charge of this ship, but I am in charge of this mission. Is that clear, Captain?” Without waiting for an answer, she stalked from the room.

Buy Links

The Wild Rose Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Books

Author Bio and Links

As her alter-ego, Vicky has multiple homes all over the universe. She looks human – for the most part – but when she starts writing about characters being able to move things or flicking fire from their fingertips, or changing the course of rivers, people tend to get a little freaked out. She found the one guy out there in the universe who loves her for who she is and they’ve been together forever and raised four wonderful (now) adults. Her career includes work as a technical writer/editor, a stringer for the local newspaper, and an editor and copy editor for various publishers. At various times in her life, she has been a teacher, a secretary, a short-order cook, a computer specialist, a DJ, and a librarian. When not editing or writing, she can be found in the kitchen creating gluten free goodies for her family.

Website | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Bookbub

I’m happy to welcome back husband-and-wife team, M.K. Scott. Today, they share their new release, Late for the Wedding.

Blurb

The Senior Sleuths don’t mind a little peace now and then, but after a long bout of nothing out of the ordinary, they’re eager for some excitement.

No one could’ve imagined it would arrive with such a bang.

A mysterious explosion has rocked the assisted living community, disrupting life for everyone.

Despite the stern warnings from authorities, one of the Senior Sleuths can’t help but get involved. This is their home, after all.

Herman, always eager to root out the truth, ignores the warnings and hunts for answers. He’s convinced the explosion was a rouse to cover up something far more sinister. But the other seniors aren’t as eager to get involved. They’re focused on Marcy and Lance’s upcoming wedding.

Without his usual sidekicks, can Herman track down the bomber and a missing veteran who no one else remembers?

Excerpt

A loud boom erupted behind Herman, resulting in him jumping to his feet, placing a hand on his

“Keep going.” A sizable woman employee, garbed in a cartoon smock that hinted at a playful personality on better days, shouted as she pointed at a thin line of ornamental trees that served as a barrier between the center and the nearby neighborhood. “Head toward the Bradford Pear trees!”

The majority of residents complied without a peep, moving as fast as they could go. As children, they must have listened to their teachers and made their parents proud. Not all of the residents qualified as rule followers, however.

One slender woman with a still firm chin turned to address the shouting aide.

“Is this a drill?” Eunice’s shrill voice carried over the hubbub. “I hate these stupid fire drills.”

A continual beep, beep, beep of an alarm carried across the parking lot as doors opened on different wings emitting a steady parade of confused residents and agitated employees. A ladder fire truck’s brakes squealed as it made a hard right into the parking lot attracting attention. The exasperated aide in the cartoon smock, probably never guessing she’d be shepherding reluctant residents to safety when she woke this morning, pointed to the fire truck. Her harsh tone conveyed her tension. “Does this look like a drill?”

Eunice swung her attention from the woman to the dire track and back to the woman again. “It could be a trick question. A while back firefighters showed up for a grease fire. Another time, when a dryer caught on fire because the lint collector was full, they came, too.”

“Go on!” the woman shouted. “My job is to make sure you don’t burn up. It’s not going to happen if you keep asking questions.”

“Geesh!” Eunice huffed, then moved to where many other residents waited. The assisted living center’s residents, some in wheelchairs and a few taking a break on their walker seats waited along the edge of the property along with the uniformed staff. A few even broke into applause as the firefighters arrived, confident that whatever happened would be put right due to the efforts of the courageous first responders.

Author Bio

M. K. Scott is the husband and wife writing team behind the cozy mystery series, The Painted Lady Inn Mysteries, The Talking Dog Detective Agency, The Way Over the Hill Gang, and Cupid’s Catering Company.

Morgan K Wyatt is the general wordsmith, while her husband, Scott, is the grammar hammer and physics specialist. He uses his engineering skills to explain how fast a body falls when pushed over a cliff and various other felonious activities.

The Internet and experts in the field provide forensic information, while the recipes and B and B details require a more hands on approach. Morgan’s daughter, who manages a hotel, provides guest horror stories to fuel the plot lines. The couple’s dog, Jane, is the inspiration behind Jasper, Donna’s dog.

All the series are full of quirky characters, humorous shenanigans, along with the occasional murder.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon

***The book will be on sale for $0.99 on the day of the tour.***

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Late-Wedding-Over-Hill-Gang-ebook/dp/B09LTCHFY3/

Giveaway

MK Scott will be awarding a $40 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

Follow MK Scott on the rest of their Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Charlene Bell Dietz. Today, Charlene shares her novel, The Flapper, the Scientist, and the Saboteur.

Blurb

A workaholic bio-medical scientist, Beth Armstrong, is torn between saving her sabotaged ground-breaking multiple sclerosis research or honoring an obligation to care for her chain-smoking, Cuba Libre drinking, ex-flapper aunt. Nursemaid ranks just above catching the plague on Beth’s scale, yet her ex-flapper aunt would prefer anything deadly to losing her independence under the hands of her obsessive-compulsive niece. While a murderous culprit runs loose in the science institute, the raucous aunt entertains Beth’s neglected husband with nightly cocktails and stories form the Roaring twenties. The Flapper, the Scientist, and the Saboteur intertwines a corporate espionage mystery with a generational battle-of-wills story between a dedicated professional intent on fighting chaos to restore order and a free-spirited aunt who needs her niece to live in the moment.

Excerpt

“Are you making this up?” Harold frowned.

It sounded like something out of a movie, but Kathleen’s face told otherwise.

“I was still in my dance costume, so Max thought I could slip in unnoticed.” Kathleen grinned. “Now how fine was that? Two big-muscle men hide in the car while I go and get my brains blown out.”

“Did my grandparents know you were an entertainer?” Beth pictured herself with cropped hair, long pearls, and a life of pure fun. “My parents would have a cow.”

“I didn’t want to be in that neighborhood alone, day or night.” Kathleen spoke low.

“Why would your friends put you at risk?” Beth cringed. That sounded like her mother.

“They found a guy named Sullie to be my escort. But Max said we had to be careful because Sullie played both sides, which can get a person a ticket to the bottom of the river.”

Beth and Harold looked at each other, then burst out laughing.

“Child, what’s so funny?”

“Go on, we’ll be quiet—honest.”

“Sullie was waiting on the corner where they let me off. We sauntered along as if we were doing the town. We all agreed, if it was Sophie, we wouldn’t do anything, and Max insisted we leave right after her number. She wouldn’t be able to see us because of the stage lights.”

Beth could feel the cold night air, the rush of adrenaline.

Author Bio and Links

Charlene Bell Dietz writes science and historical-suspense, award-winning mystery novels and short stories. Her award-winning short stories have been published in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers 2016 Anthology and SouthWest Writers 2019 Anthology. The Flapper, the Scientist, and the Saboteur combines family saga with corporate espionage. The Flapper, the Impostor, and the Stalker propels readers back into 1923 frenetic Chicago during the Roaring Twenties. Both these novels were named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2018, and each won the coveted Kirkus Starred Review. Her latest novel, The Scientist, the Psychic, and the Nut, gives readers a frightening Caribbean vacation. Her current work in progress, a biographical historical novel, starts in England in 1638 and ends in precolonial Maryland. Charlene, a retired educator, traveled the United States as a consultant for Houghton Mifflin Publishers after a career of teaching little ones, older ones, and college graduates. Surrounded by forests and meadows, she currently lives in the foothills of the mountains in central NM several miles from the small village of Torreon. Charlene is the current president of Croak & Dagger, New Mexico Chapter of Sisters in Crime. She belongs to Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and SouthWest Writers.

Facebook | Website | Buy Link

Giveaway

Charlene Bell Dietz 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 Charlene on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome author Ainsley Keaton. Today, Ainsley shares her new release, The Nantucket Beachfront Inn.

Blurb

She’s 54, broken-hearted, and starting over….

High-powered New York attorney Ava Flynn finds herself without a job or a future. Unemployable at her age, and broken-hearted by a husband who left her in the lurch, she desperately needs a Plan B. Her prayers are answered when a wealthy benefactor wills her a large house in the ‘Sconset Beach area of Nantucket. She heads out to the picturesque New England island with her two best friends, Luna and Mila, going along for the ride.

One catch…her estranged daughter also lives there. Charlotte Killeen, Ava’s daughter, is battling a crisis of her own. Her new husband, Matthew, wants a divorce, even though the couple have a newborn baby. Charlotte needs her mother more than ever, but the two have never seen eye to eye. Her marriage on the rocks and with few prospects for income, Charlotte is near the end of her rope. Then a life-threatening illness brings into focus what’s important after all.

Ava’s other daughter, Samantha, also lives on Nantucket Island, with her best friend and roommate, Grayson. Samantha suffers from a lack of direction in her life, and longs to meet a rich prince charming who will sweep her off her feet. When she meets the man of her dreams, she’s leaving behind the one man who loves her unconditionally – Grayson.

Jackson, Ava’s son, is an aspiring actor in Hollywood. Everything has always come easy to him, that is until Willow, Matthew’s cousin, shows up. Free-spirited Willow is just the kind of girl to break Jackson’s heart, which is difficult to do, as Jackson is always the heartbreaker.

And speaking of Willow…she’s a feminist island witch and artist. She and Jackson have been through many, many lifetimes together. Yet, Willow wants nothing to do with Jackson in this lifetime. She has no desire to give up even an ounce of her power, not even for her soul mate. Willow also is hiding a devastating secret from Jackson. A secret that is guaranteed to upend his life for good.

Mila, Ava’s best friend, is battling a devastating illness, information that she hasn’t shared with Ava and Luna. She never wants to be a burden, so she just doesn’t ask for help. But she’s going to need all the support she can get. She finds this support in a very surprising place, and, in doing so, gets closer to her own destiny.

Ava busies herself with fixing up her beautiful new beach home, so that she can open up a bed and breakfast. Contractor Deacon Cromwell, whom Ava hires to do the renovation, is the man who might thaw Ava’s cold heart, if only she’ll let him. However, he’s almost 20 years her junior and, Ava believes, out of her league. Can Ava overcome her insecurities and allow herself to love again?

In this feel-good beach read with a touch of magick, Ava and her friends and family will become your best friends. Come and share their joys and heartbreaks, their tragedies and triumphs. For fans of Susan Mallery, Jude Devereaux Nantucket Bride series and Elin Hilderbrand!

Excerpt

As much as she hated for her work to be interrupted, she never turned anybody away. Even if the person was a walk-in, as this girl was.

She didn’t have to be thrilled about it, though.

The girl knocked, and Willow threw open the door. “Dude,” she said to the girl, whose name was Sara Delacorte, “I see you’re back. My spell worked. Jamie came back, right?”

Sara nodded her head, tears in her eyes. “Yes. He came back. But now he’s gone again, and I-“

Willow shook her head. “No. Not again. Not this time. Listen, I think you have to get it in your head that some things aren’t worth saving. I worked that spell, against my better judgment, I might add, and he came back. It was up to the two of you to keep things together once my role was done. Free will and all that. Sorry, but the universe obviously doesn’t want you with that jerk.”

“Please,” Sara said, her huge blue eyes glistening brightly.

Willow came out on the wooden porch instead of inviting Sara in. That was her way of creating boundaries with women, like Sara, who were becoming pests. Ever since word got out about her abilities, she was constantly fending off silly women like Sara who were desperate to hang onto men who weren’t worth the wax in the candle that Willow used for her love spells.

“Tough love,” Willow said as she took a seat on the stoop of her porch. She patted the space next to her, gesturing for Sara to join her.

Sara sat down next to her and put her head on Willow’s shoulder. “Please,” she said again. “This’ll be the last time, I promise.”

Author Bio and Links

Ainsley Keaton lives in Southern California with her husband and two fur-babies, Bella and Annie. When she’s not binge-watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Downton Abbey and Succession, she’s reading historical and women’s fiction or scouring the beach for sea glass and sand dollars.

Website | Facebook | Amazon Pre-Buy Link

Giveaway

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I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Cara Bertoia. Today, Cara shares her creative journey and new release, Casino Queen.

Here’s Cara!

When I was younger, I always wondered what was wrong with me. Even though I would have good jobs, friends and a beautiful place to live I couldn’t settle down. I would pack up and move on a whim. I changed careers every few years. Then I found this word, that described me perfectly, torschlusskpanik. The German word for the feeling that opportunities are slipping away. I didn’t just travel to places, I lived there. My wanderlust started in college. I spent a semester at the University of the Americas in Mexico.

I grew up in a strait-laced Southern family, but was always fascinated with casinos. In my twenties on a summer hiatus from teaching in North Carolina, I drove to California and became a dealer at Caesars in Lake Tahoe. I discovered that after teaching high school, handling an unruly gambler was a piece of cake. My mother highly disapproved of my working in a casino, “a place so bad it has ‘sin’ in the middle.”

Eventually, I succumbed to pressure from the family and returned east to take a high-tech job in Boston. I also began working on my MFA in writing at Emerson. My goal was to write the first realistic novel about casino life from the perspective of an experienced table games dealer. I am always amazed that normal and sometimes quite intelligent players become absolutely clueless in the casino. They repeat superstitious nonsense and no amount of logic can change their position, maybe my novel will.

While in Boston I was offered the opportunity to join Princess Cruises as a croupier. Jumping at the chance, I spent the next five years circling the globe. Sometimes life exceeds your dreams. I was awed by the wonders of Venice, the fjords of Norway, and the Northern Lights in Leningrad. At Princess Cruises the ship traveled across the globe, and I only had to pack my bags once every six months.

I met my husband when we worked on a cruise ship together. He jumped ship to be with me, and we moved to Palm Springs, and got married. I worked at the Agua Caliente Casino. I think life in Southern California was so exciting it tempered my wanderlust. Palm Spring was two hours to the mountains, two hours from the coast, two hours from Los Angeles and San Diego. Palm Springs was beautiful, a town in the desert filled with flowers surrounded by majestic mountains.

The best advice I ever got was from my father, a man not known for lecturing. He said, “You have to make your own mistakes, no one can make them for you.” Contrary to popular opinion, I decided that since I was probably going to fail anyway, I would try everything. Every failure was a badge of honor, but pretty soon I was racking up successes and gathering experiences. You never know things might just work out.

No one applauded my career in the casino industry, but it was a good choice for me. I made a good money, lived in beautiful places, and traveled the world. Best of all I never got laid off like my co-workers in high tech. In these precarious times, sometimes the safe career just isn’t that safe.

I worked in Native American casinos for twenty years. The casino industry had been good to me, but I always witnessed an underbelly just perfect for a thriller. Millions of dollars passed through the casino every week, casino fleas operated their personal side businesses on the gaming floor, and you never know who might walk in the door itching for a fight. That is what led me to my new career as a mystery writer. My hope is that after reading Casino Queen you will never walk into a casino the same way.

I will leave you with this quote: In life as in cards, you can’t play the last hand. You have to play the cards in front of you now. Cara Bertoia

Blurb

Caroline Popov, alone, heartbroken, and deeply in debt ends up in glamorous Palm Springs, California. Native American casinos have just opened, thousands of people from all over the world came to work there, money flowed like water, and real estate became the new status symbol. And then came The Great Recession, and suddenly the partying stopped.

Alone, desperate and deeply in debt, she lands a job at the Palm Oasis Casino. She is mentored by the charismatic tribal chairman, John Tovar. Embraced by casino culture, Caroline works her way up to casino manager of the Night Hawk, in the High Desert town of Joshua Tree. There, she is responsible for managing multicultural team members, satisfying the demands of challenging guests, growing revenue while rooting out corruption. As she moves up through the ranks of management, her bond with John deepens.

In the process of uncovering the underbelly of corruption her list of enemies grows. Sometimes you have to gamble like your life depends on it. With her life on the line can she pull out a win?

Excerpt

“Why did I transfer you up from Palm Springs to be my Casino Queen?” The charismatic Tribal Chairman John Tovar asked.

“Casino Queen, really? Apparently, you are the only person in America who isn’t watching the show about the seven kingdoms on cable. The queens always get killed in the most horrific ways. They are hanged, beheaded, poisoned, burned alive in an explosion, or have their throat slit,” an exasperated Caroline Popov answered.

“I promise that won’t happen to you.” He gestured for her to take a seat at an empty ‘Mystic Mermaid’ slot machine, then sat across from her. They swiveled their chairs to face each other. John tried to act serious, but a smile kept pulling at the corner of his eyes. “According to the Mazurie decision, Native American tribes are considered sovereign nations. Therefore as leader of the tribe, I am King of the Shotowa.”

He continued. “Believe me, when I met the Queen of England I was introduced as the leader of the Shotowa nation. Let me be clear, as soon as you drove into this parking lot you entered the nation.” He gestured toward the uniformed officers standing at the door. “We have our own army.”

She decided to play along with the flow of his logic. “You mean security guards.”

“Precisely, trained courtesy of the United States Marine Corps. The tribe issues its own currency, gaming chips made of ceramic clay, stamped with our logo. At the cashiers’ cage, our central bank, those chips can be exchanged for U.S. dollars. Anyone can find food in our three restaurants or the team member dining room for employees. An underground well supplies us with water. We provide hotel rooms for shelter. Any guest who comes to stay with us will find their basic human needs covered by the Shotowa Tribe. Never forget we are a sovereign nation. I am the King, and I anoint you Queen of the Night Hawk.”

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In the News

I am being featured in the April issue of The Big Thrill. I had a wonderful conversation with Susana Kuehne about my writing process.

The Big Thrill is a monthly publication of the International Thriller Writers Association. They say they have 200,000 hits a month. But all the big names are in there. I don’t know why they picked me, but I am very happy. Most of my readers thought my novel was a suspense novel. Check it out. Here is the link. My author interview will appear April 1.
The Big Thrill

This is the link from a book blog. Little Miss Book Lover 87. Vikkie Wakeham is a member of the Squadpod a group of book influencers.
Little Miss Book Lover 87

Parting Words

My husband and I met when we were working for Princess Cruises. In April, we have booked a cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Copenhagen. The first part of the cruise is six straight sea days. One of my friends said she would jump over board if she had to be at sea that long. We can’t wait. For me there is nothing as great as standing on the deck of a ship in the middle of the ocean. After the cruise we will travel across Europe to visit his family and mine. I plan to tweet about my travels. You can follow our journey online. I know people are curious. Is it okay to cruise again? We’ll let you know.

I love to interact with my readers. Send me a picture with Casino Queen and I will post it on my social media sites.

Here are our social media links:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | BookBub | Email

Palm Springs, Where It All Started…

I’m happy to welcome author Carol Preflatish. Today, Carol chats about her creative journey and new release, Witch Hunt.

Here’s Carol!

Q. What was your inspiration for this novel?

A. One of my favorite series to read is the late Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone series. That was my inspiration for the Nathan Perry Mystery series.

Q. What’s the best part of being an author? The worst?

A. The best part is being able to create something that people like. It’s really a rush to do that. The worst part is all the work after the book is released. All the marketing there is to do. It would be great to be successful enough to just hire a publicist to handle all of that.

Q. Describe your writing space.

A. My desk is in the corner of my living room. When I first moved in, I was facing the wall when I wrote. That was a little too closed in for me. I turned the desk so I can now look out the window. I also really enjoy sitting on my couch with paper and pencil and write. If I get stuck with a scene, I can move to the couch and sometimes it helps me get my muse again.

Q. Which authors have inspired you?

A. I love Lisa Gardner. Her books are so good and I love seeing her photos of when she’s out hiking.

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

A. I’m a huge photography nut, especially nature photography.

Q. What are you working on next?

A. My next Nathan Perry book will be a modern-day retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I’m about halfway through and I’m loving how it’s going.

Blurb

Is it 1692 all over again? When a millionaire’s daughter is found hanging from a tree in the Mystic, Massachusetts cemetery, witchcraft is suspected. Police detective Nathan Perry is assigned the case and works closely with an attractive female private investigator hired by the father to find who murdered his daughter.

Mystic is known for its history of witchcraft in the area. It’s what brings tourists to town, and when another murder occurs, there is rising pressure on Nathan to solve the case quickly.
Nathan’s investigation pulls him into an unfamiliar world rife with covens, magic, and lore to find the killer. A small town gripped in fear is depending on him to prevail.

Witch Hunt is a stand-alone novel that is part of the Nathan Perry Mystery Series.

Excerpt

“Five-thirteen – Central Dispatch,” the female voice said over Hank’s hand-held radio.

Hank picked up the radio. “Dispatch – Five-thirteen. Go ahead.”

“Five-thirteen, can you and six-nineteen meet five-ten at Bridge Road at the cemetery just west of Water Street.”

“On our way,” Hank said into the radio. He looked at Nathan. “I wonder what that’s about?”

“I suppose we’ll find out when we get there, but I have a bad feeling about it,” Nathan said. The two officers stood. Nathan waved some money in the air to catch Ginger’s attention, and then placed it on the table. He took one more bite of his sandwich before leaving. Hank took half of his sandwich with him.

Bridge Road, located on the east side of town, started the rural part of Mystic. When they reached the street, they saw two Mystic Police Department patrol cars parked on the side of the road next to the cemetery, emergency lights flashing brightly.

“This can’t be good,” Nathan said. He and Hank walked up to the other officers standing by their cars.

“That uniform looks good on you, Detective. You should join us working boys more often,” Wally, the older of the two officers, said.

“You know I work much harder than you do any day of the week,” Nathan joked.

“That’ll be the day. No matter, I’m glad you’re here,” Wally replied, more serious now.

“What’s up?” Nathan asked.

“Take a look over the hill,” the younger officer said.

This was the oldest and largest cemetery in Mystic, having some historic gravestones in it. They walked through the oldest part to reach the top of a small knoll, where they stopped. Nathan looked toward the back part of the cemetery and saw it. About fifty yards away, a female body hanging from the tree.

“What the hell?” Nathan said.

“Exactly what I said. Come and see,” Wally said, leading the other two officers to the tree. “I thought it was a mannequin at first. I figured this fell under your job description, Nathan.”

“Yeah, I’m afraid it does.” They reached the tree. Nathan looked up at the body. She was young, with long black hair, and dressed in a white dress. “Anything been touched?”

“No, but I did photograph the tree and body from all sides before calling the coroner.”

“How did you find the body?” Nathan asked.

“It was a cell phone call. The dispatcher said the person didn’t identify themselves, just that something had happened out at the cemetery. With it being over the hill, we didn’t see it at first. You can’t see it from the road. Then, we walked over the hill and found her. You know, they say there’s a bunch of witches buried out here,” Wally said.

Nathan looked at Wally. “Is that true, or just a rumor?”

“It’s just something I’ve heard since I was a kid,” he replied.

“Let’s keep that to ourselves, okay?” That’s all that the public needed to think about, a witch being murdered at the cemetery.

“Yes, sir.”

Nathan heard cars stopping out on the highway. “Wally, could you check on the traffic? Your partner might need help, if word got out. I don’t want any civilians seeing this. Can you also call Mallory Duncan to come out here? She’ll need to collect evidence.”

“Yes, sir.” Wally walked back toward the road, leaving Nathan and Hank at the scene.

“What do you think?” Hank asked.

“I think we have a sick person running around here.”

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Author Bio and Links

Carol Preflatish, from southern Indiana, is the author of the Nathan Perry Mystery Series, as well as several romantic suspense novels, and two non-fiction books. When she’s not writing, she loves to read, watch Indianapolis Colts football, and do just about anything outdoors.

An avid photographer, Carol has had many photos published in her local newspaper, as well as in “Golf Journal,” the official publication of the United States Golf Association. A few little-known facts about Carol are that she’s a licensed amateur radio operator, and is a collector of celebrity autographs, stamps, and coins.

Carol is a member of Sisters in Crime, SinC’s Guppies chapter, and the Louisville, Kentucky SinC chapter.

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