Spotlight on Terry Segan

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Terry Segan. Today, Terry shares her creative journey and new release, Precious Treasure.

Here’s Terry!

Thanks for hosting me today, Joanne. My writing journey is a true example of how the twists and turns of life can surprise you. I only began writing about fifteen years ago. (And I’m approaching the big 6-0 this year—that’s still considered middle-aged, right?) While I’d attempted crafting stories before, it was never the right time.

I’ve worked as a secretary all my life in several different industries (movie studio, airline, office of a large theme park to name a few), but it wasn’t until I became a stay-at-home mom that my fingers flew across the keyboard for pleasure. My first jaunts were a couple of articles for an online travel newsletter, which led to my creating short fiction stories. My venture into a full-length novel came shortly afterward.

About six years ago I joined a local writers’ group, and that’s when things got real for me. I guess you could say I found my tribe. They’ve given me inspiration, guidance, and friendship. Getting together with other writers, all in different stages of their writing careers, was the component I’d been missing. Now, at any given time, I’m juggling two or three projects, while getting great feedback from other authors.

If you were to pin down my genre, I fit best in the paranormal mystery section. My first book, Photographs in Time, involved matchmaking mixed with time travel and murder. Just released on March 9 by The Wild Rose Press is my second book, Precious Treasure. You can read more about this one below.

Tagline

Eight years ago her husband disappeared. Does a hundred and fifty-year-old journal hold the answer as to why?

Blurb

Janie Holcomb prays for closure once the courts declare her missing husband dead. Instead, she’s sent spiraling down a dangerous path.

When her lawyer delivers a package held in trust, she finds a cryptic warning along with a Civil War journal promising buried treasure. While seeking a connection between her spouse and the decades-old diary, Janie attracts the spirit of a Confederate soldier pleading for help.

Enlisting her brother’s assistance to chase down clues, they discover that not everyone they know should be trusted. Janie overlooks potential threats when the promise of new love stirs her emotions. Will her digging uncover the answers she craves or doom her to a similar fate?

Sneak Peek from Precious Treasure

Janie dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom. Turning on the tap to fill the sink, she bent over and splashed cold water on her face. The refreshing drops rolled down her forehead, cheeks and chin, pulling her out of her funk. Sightless, Janie reached for the hand towel hanging nearby and dried her face as she stood upright. Opening her eyes, she leaned in to examine the damage of the late night on her complexion. Her reflection looked back, as well as that of a young man standing behind her. Janie’s heart leapt to her throat as she whipped around and found no one there. Looking back in the mirror, she saw only herself.

This is too much, she thought. First nightmares and now hallucinations. Janie shook her head. With the assault of information thrown at her in the last twenty-four hours, her imagination cartwheeled out of control.

Knowing the visions were a result of the wine, newspaper articles and journal, didn’t calm the raised hackles on the back of her neck. The foreboding in Brian’s letter snaked its way up her spine threatening to encircle her throat and squeeze tight. His writing had a tone of uncertainty and fear—uncharacteristic of the man she had married.

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Author Bio and Links

Terry Segan resides in Nevada. The beach is her happy place, but any opportunity to travel soothes her gypsy soul. The stories conjured by her imagination while riding backseat on her husband’s motorcycle can be found throughout the pages of her paranormal mysteries.

Author Website | Facebook Page | Instagram | Twitter | Amazon Author Page

The Good Years Are So Good

Posted on March 7, 2022 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome best-selling author Liz Flaherty. Today, Liz shares the two acts of her life and her new release, A Year of Firsts.

Here’s Liz!

My first act was my life’s dream. I had a family I loved, a job I liked a lot, a house, and friends. It was, like everyone else’s dream-come-true, if one likes roller coasters. Fortunately, I do—or did then. Although the years were happy, there were also the days of being overwhelmed, of sitting alone in the bathroom wondering what to do, of having three teenagers in the house. In the middle of it was a year of “can this marriage be saved?” (It could.) I had months of hating the job and wept a gazillion tears over the kids. I couldn’t wait for it all to be over.

Until it was. Act One, Scene Two came with the empty nest. It was okay, much less hectic. Not nearly as much fun, but I had more writing time. I had a book published. Then a few more.

Then I retired, and Act Two happened because Act One ended.

It’s been such a surprise. Writing fulltime doesn’t mean I get more written—it means I waste more time. Marriage in retirement age isn’t easy—it’s hard! Losing friends no matter how you lose them, with death, dementia, and lack of interest taking center stage, is painful.

But those are the bad days. The good ones…no, the good years… are so good they’re hard to describe. The marriage is more fun, as is traveling, having remarkable grandchildren, and laughing with friends and family until your stomach hurts. The good days are most of them.

And then there’s the writing… And that’s where I am now. I’ve never been one to keep count of things, so I’m not sure how many books and novellas (and rejections) there have been, but, like I said before, they’ve been good years.

A Year of Firsts, Book One in the Second Chances series for Magnolia Blossom Publishing, is the story of Syd and Clay, whose own Act Twos are up the air and—for Clay at least—might be doubtful. I had so much joy and not a little angst writing this story. I hope you have that much pleasure in the reading, too.

Blurb

Widow Syd Cavanaugh is beginning a “year of firsts” with the road trip she’d promised her husband she’d take after his death. An unplanned detour lands her in Fallen Soldier, Pennsylvania, where she meets the interesting and intelligent editor of the local paper.

Television journalist Clay McAlister’s life took an unexpected turn when a heart attack forced him to give up his hectic lifestyle. He’s still learning how to live in a small town when meeting a pretty traveler in the local coffee shop suddenly makes it all much more interesting.

While neither of them is interested in a romantic relationship, their serious case of being “in like” seems to push them that way. However, Clay’s heart condition doesn’t harbinger a very secure future, and Syd’s already lost one man she loved to a devastating illness—she isn’t about to lose another. Where can this relationship possibly go?

Excerpt

If I fall in love again, this will be how it happens.

The thought came from nowhere she could identify, although she knew deep in her soul that it had to do with the tall man in shorts and a polo shirt walking up the incline of her yard to meet her. The man whose heart would likely not last as long as her own, whose every wince made her fear he was having a heart attack. His attitude toward exercise and diet was that of the middle-aged man in perfect health he appeared to be, not one who had a zipper-like scar up the center of his chest.

But just the sight of him, with his light brown hair that needed cutting blowing into his eyes even though his graying beard was as always short and neat, made her heart beat harder and faster. She smiled, remembering his explanation of why he had a beard.

At first he’d said it was because he had a weak chin he didn’t want anyone to notice, but then he’d admitted it had been an ongoing struggle between him and a producer of his show. “He was pushy and I was usually compliant. It was a great gig and I knew it. But it got to where he wanted to…create the brand he wanted me to be, I guess. I mostly went along because he was a pretty smart guy who knew his stuff, but when I came back from vacation with a beard and he gave the order to have it gone before I went on the air, it became the proverbial last straw.”

Everyone had last straws sometimes, she thought abstractedly, stopping and waiting for him to join her. “Rehearsal was okay, wasn’t it?” she said, thinking her voice sounded horrifyingly breathy. It went along with the movie scenario. “I didn’t make a complete idiot of myself, did I? Or mess things up for other people? I never want to do that. Where’s Toby?”

Of course, she didn’t. People who were pocket protectors protected not only themselves, but others from themselves.

During all the long months of his illness, Paul had never seen her angry. She’d confined that to times alone. She’d hidden her anger to protect him, yet it had probably created a chasm between them. She should have let him see her last straws sometimes.

“He’s asleep. Braxton is staying the night.” Clay didn’t hesitate as he joined her, just put his arms around her and led her into a dance. “You were great.”

Syd wasn’t a good dancer, by any means. When friends used to tell her to “listen for the beat,” she always said, “what beat?” because she could never hear it. But she’d loved to dance anyway. It was emotion in motion, and sometimes…sometimes after Paul got sick it had been better than running screaming into the woods behind the house, which had been both an alternative and a temptation. Abba and Billy Joel and Journey had often brought some semblance of peace to the crashing cacophony of her anger.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d danced in a man’s arms—probably at the girls’ weddings, when Paul was already having trouble moving but had been determined to dance not only with Haley and Shiloh but with Syd as well. It had been excruciating, the fear that he would fall and be injured or become so exhausted he couldn’t stay to enjoy the receptions.

The memory was fleeting, and of happy times, and then it was just Clay McAlister. Taller and more muscled than Paul had been, his arms creating a circle of light for just the two of them as they danced across the grass.

When he kissed her in the shade of the willow tree, she wasn’t sure where the stars came from, only that they filled her eyes and, for a long and tender moment, her heart. She’d been so tired when she came outside, but weariness gave way to the magic of the clear night and being in Clay McAlister’s arms. She’d set her glass down somewhere, or he had, leaving her arms free to go around him.

It couldn’t go anywhere, whatever “it,” this meeting of hearts and minds, was. She couldn’t go through it again, the caring for and ultimate losing of a man she loved. She didn’t think Clay wanted to settle into a committed relationship, either, and she didn’t know how to have any other kind.

“Boat ride?” he said quietly, meeting her gaze in the dim lights from the deck.

She nodded. That much, she could do. Saying no never even occurred to her.

Buy Links

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (AU)

Bio

Retired from the Logansport post office, Liz Flaherty spends non-writing time sewing, quilting, and doing whatever else she wants to. She and her husband Duane live in the old farmhouse in North Central Indiana they moved to in 1977. They’ve talked about moving, but really…40-plus years’ worth of stuff? It’s not happening. It would require removing old baseball trophies from the attic and dusting the pictures of the Magnificent Seven, their grandchildren.

Virtual Book Tour: Secrets of a River Swimmer

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author S.S. Turner. Today, he shares his favorite films and new release, Secrets of a River Swimmer.

My top ten favorite films (it will become very clear who my favorite director is from this list!):

1. Vertigo

2. North by Northwest

3. To Catch A Thief

4. Rear Window

5. In Bruges

6. Lord of the Rings trilogy

7. Being John Malkovich

8. Hot Fuzz

9. Man Up

10. Notting Hill

Blurb

As Freddy gazes at the majestic river gushing past him in the depths of a Scottish winter, he’s ready to jump in and end his life. But what happens next is not what Freddy expects. From the moment he enters the river, Freddy starts a journey which is more beautiful, funny, and mysterious than he could have imagined. And through this journey Freddy’s story becomes interweaved with a cast of unforgettable characters who are equally lost and in search of answers. Eventually they all unite in their quest for an answer to the biggest question of them all: will the river take them where they want to go?

In the tradition of inspirational works of fiction like The Alchemist and Life of Pi, Secrets of a River Swimmer is at once a profound exploration into living with meaning and an affecting story of people on the cusp of change.

Excerpt

From Page 21-22

My thoughts drift to picture what life as a gillie must be like. I imagine you start the day by carrying all the fishing equipment your fat and wealthy clients will need for a day of luxurious and fully-catered fishing. You carry everything while they take it easy, and you locate the best spot to fish for the largest possible salmon. Your local knowledge about fishing spots has to be extraordinary. You then set up the fishing rod, position your client in the right spot, and talk them through what they need to do to catch that magic fish they’re all searching for. Of course, your clients are always searching for the largest catch of the season, so they can go home and brag to their friends and family about what skilled fishermen they are. It’s obvious to you, if not to them, that the subtext is being able to sing to the world that they have massive willies, bigger than everyone else’s.

Beyond fishing, you’re forced to listen to whatever the hell it is your clients want to talk about for the eight long hours you’re on the river. Your clients are all obscenely wealthy, so it’s more than likely you’ll hear a lot of moaning about all the small things in life they’d like changed. Many of them will complain about local wind farm developments, council plans to develop their neighborhood, and, of course, the big one: immigration. They all believe immigrants are responsible for all the problems in the world. These people are your quintessential NIMBYs, and will always complain about progress if it affects them in any way, no matter how minor. You do whatever you can to bring the conversation back to fishing because it’s an easier conversation for you, and less productive grounds for their complaining. They’re slowly sucking the life out of you with their negativity, so you carefully select your words to bring the conversation onto a more positive pathway. And, of course, your ultimate back-up plan, as it is for many British people, is to pull out the ultimate conversation filler when you’re at rock bottom: the weather. Yes, it’s a desperate move and the equivalent of holding up a white flag, but needs must.

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | AppleBooks | Indigo | Kobo

Author Bio

S.S. Turner has been an avid reader, writer, and explorer of the natural world throughout his life which has been spent in England, Scotland and Australia. Just like Freddy in his first novel, Secrets of a River Swimmer, he worked in the global fund management sector for many years but realized it didn’t align with his values. In recent years, he’s been focused on inspiring positive change through his writing as well as trying not to laugh in unfortunate situations. He now lives in Australia with his wife, daughter, two dogs, two cats, and ten chickens.

Website: https://www.thestoryplant.com/secrets-of-a-river-swimmer

Giveaway

One randomly chosen winner will win a $50 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card via Rafflecopter. Find out more here.

Follow S.S. Turner on the rest of his Goddess Fish tour here.

Interview with Bentley Turner

Posted on March 1, 2022 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome back author Bentley Turner. Today, Bentley chats about his writing journey and shares his new release, The Prize Winners and Other Stories.

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

A. In The Prize Winners and Other Stories, there are a few characters in two or three stories that have been inspired by actual people. In other words, I pictured these individuals when I created the characters. However, their actions or thoughts were mine, not theirs.

Q. What is the best part of being an author?

A. The best part of being an author is having a reader tell me s/he enjoyed what I wrote.

Q. What is the worst part of being an author?

A. For me, the worst part of being an author is the time I’ve wasted trying to come up with a plot that will interest readers.

Q. Describe your writing space.

A. My writing space includes several desks, a computer or two, two or three lamps, one or two dictionaries, and other reference books.

Q. Which authors have inspired you?

A. The authors who have inspired me include John O’Hara, Ernest Hemingway, James M. Cain, and several other writers who are no longer living.

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

A. Some of my hobbies besides reading and writing include walking or hiking, traveling (by car, train, or ship), and sightseeing.

Q. Any advice for aspiring writers?

A. Although aspiring writers have been told this, I’ll repeat it: don’t give up trying to get a poem, short story, article, novel, or whatever published. You may get one rejection after another, but, if you’re serious about your writing, you’ll stick to it.

Q. What are you working on next?

A. I have just submitted two novels to the publisher that is publishing my collection of stories. One of the novels is a mystery, which is what my first novel, The File on Thomas Marks, was. It concerns the murder of a successful businessman and the investigation for the culprit by his son, who is not a trained detective. The novel includes the trial of the accused, too. The other novel concerns an agent with the Central Intelligence Agency that becomes the head of a small department that investigates UFOs. Although he learns about unidentified flying objects, he also learns about another agent who he thought he knew but didn’t.

Blurb

The unique stories in the collection feature young people who have to deal with intolerant teachers, fickle girlfriends, unusual pets, and the deaths of loved ones. Other stories concern adults who have to confront loneliness, mental illness, rejection, and even murder.

The Prize Winners and Other Stories literally has something for everyone and will be available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Ingram, Smashwords, and other retailers.

Author Bio

Bentley Turner is the author of The File on Thomas Marks, a mystery that was published by the Global Publishing Group in 2021.

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.com/Bentley-Turner/e/B08WQ9HNQ3

Blurb Blitz: Honor

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome back author January Bain. Today, January shares her new release, Book 3 in the Sin City Wolf Series, Honor.

Blurb

Never run from a wolf!

Isadora Champagne is a witch on a dangerous mission to take down Lucius Luceres. That bad boy Alpha billionaire doesn’t deserve to have it all his way. Thinks he can dump her baby sister after a one-night stand and get away with it! But now that she’s met the shifter, keeping her heart safe from him is going to cost more than a curse to stop him, it just might cost her a pack with the devil himself.

Lucius of the House of Luceres is an alpha werewolf, secure in his bad-to-the-bone reputation. But when confronted by the beautiful Isadora one fateful night, even he can’t help but notice the extreme attraction that instantly ignites between them. But what he hadn’t counted on was how useful her magic gifts can be to the House of Luceres when one of their own goes missing.

Will he be able to set aside the centuries of mistrust that has existed between witches and shifters and allow her special brand of courage and caring heal even the most jaded heart?

Excerpt

Isadora

I placed an arm around Elena’s thin shoulders, my heart breaking for my younger sister who was the mirror image of me with her smooth fall of Titian hair, legs that didn’t quit and a bod that drew more than her fair share of attention. But she didn’t look like a goddess at the moment. She was sobbing as if her life were over. I’d never seen her this upset, not even when her first boyfriend had dropped her just before prom…though it had been fun enacting a spell to cause him to grow horns and a tail for the event.

Of course, I wouldn’t do anything like that again. If I’d learned anything, it was the cost of being rash in such endeavors. Everything one does has a karma attached to it, like it or not. Good deeds attract good energy. It was the way of the witch—or a good witch, which was what I considered myself. Okay, I had to work on it at times. Nobody’s perfect, right? But hell yeah, I tried to stay in the good-witch zone.

Elena turned her tear-stained face toward me. Her beautiful hair was tangled, oily from needing a washing, her eyes were red-rimmed and I swore she had lost weight in the past few days. Was she even eating? My sister, who prided herself on being well-groomed and whom I loved for her big generous heart, was beyond devastated, her eyes hopeless pools of pain.

“I know I was stupid to care so much. But he was so kind to me, so handsome and romantic. I thought we’d made a real connection. I wouldn’t have gone with him otherwise. You know that, right? I’m not easy. I’ve only been with a few guys.”

I rubbed her back. “He’s a damn fool. And no, you’re definitely not easy. You’re the best he could ever imagine being with. It’s his loss.”

“I should have known better. He’s too good for me, being a Luceres and all.”

My ire heated. “You’re as good as any Luceres. In fact, this proves you’re better. Why, your little finger is more special than all of him put together.”

“Then why didn’t he think so?”

My stomach squeezed into a fist. “Which Luceres was it? I’ve got an idea. We’re not going to let him get away with this.”

Author Bio and Links

January Bain has wished on every falling star, every blown-out birthday candle, and every coin thrown in a fountain to be a storyteller. To share the tales of high adventure, mysteries, and full-blown thrillers she has dreamed of all her life. The story you now have in your hands is the compilation of a lot of things manifesting itself for this special series. Hundreds of hours spent researching the unusual and the mundane have come together to create books that features strong women who live life to the fullest, wild adventures full of twists and unforeseen turns, and hot complicated men who aren’t afraid to take risks. She can only hope her stories will capture your imagination.

If you are looking for January Bain, you can find her hard at work every morning without fail in her office with her furry baby, Ling Ling. And, of course, she’s married to the most romantic man! Who once famously remarked to her inquiry about buying fresh flowers for their home every week, “Give me one good reason why not?” Leaving her speechless and knocking her head against the proverbial wall for being so darn foolish. She loves flowers.

If you wish to connect in the virtual world she is easily found on Facebook. Oh, and she loves to talk books…

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

January Bain will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

Follow January on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here

Go For It!

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome back Wild Rose Press author Jennifer Wilck. Today, Jennifer shares her reinvention story and new release, Unlock My Heart.

Here’s Jennifer!

Reinvention is an awesome thing, and one I think many women find themselves doing at some point in their lives. I know I’ve done it, and for anyone who is considering reinventing themselves, my advice is GO FOR IT!

When I graduated college, I worked in public relations for several firms in New York City. I loved my job. I loved meeting people, finding out what messages they needed to convey, and figuring out ways to do that. It was exciting. I learned how to pitch story ideas to editors, how to translate complicated technology descriptions into common English that the average person could understand, and to help clients through product releases. I must confess, my favorite part was hiding behind my youth—sitting in a client meeting, quietly listening to what the men thought they wanted, and finally speaking up with an idea and watching their expressions turn from shock to acceptance to admiration. It was a nice ego boost.

Eventually, I realized I liked the writing part the best, and I moved over to the editorial side, where I worked for technology magazines. Again, I loved it. It was a bit of a reinvention, but more like flipping to the other side of the same coin. Now I sought out the companies, read the press releases, interviewed people who could have been former clients. I loved the writing, but there was less creativity involved. I had to stick to the facts, rather than coming up with marketing campaigns. My creative juices were less in demand, but I drew pride in writing for myself rather than for a client and seeing my byline rather than my clients’.

I took time off when I had children, lucky enough to be able to devote my time to them. But something was missing. I needed a creative outlet for everything that was whirring in my brain. And so, I reinvented myself again. I’d always been a romance reader. I read lots of different genres, but romance made me happy. I liked the happily ever after endings and the escapism. One day, when my girls were sleeping, I wrote down a story in my head. That story eventually turned into my first romance, A Heart of Little Faith. From then on, I was hooked. I learned everything I could about my craft—I’m still learning—as well as the business side. I entered contests, queried editors and agents, and eventually landed with my current publisher, The Wild Rose Press. I’m a hybrid author, so I also self-publish (that first romance, along with two more, Whispers in Washington and Better Together in Boston). And I was lucky enough to find an agent who I hope will help me find a home for a manuscript I’ve been working on for a long time.

Reinvention is scary. It’s easy to stay with what you know. But if you listen to your inner voice, you can do it. Talk to others. There are a lot of us out there who have done it. We’re happy to share our successes and failures.

Blurb

Abby Marlow, computer security expert, lands a job at the best IT security firm in the country. Her sole focus is financial independence so she never has to rely on others again, especially a man. But why does her boss make her wires short circuit?

Ted Endicott, CEO and founder of the IT security firm, is hard of hearing. Although an expert in his field, he’s still uncomfortable admitting his difficulty hearing to his clients or employees. So why is he willing to accept Abby’s help?

As Ted and Abby work together, barriers fall away, and soon the lines blur between colleagues and lovers. But a security glitch in a client’s system indicates one of his employees is the hacker, and all signs point to Abby. Can they get past the suspicion and find a future together?

Tagline: Can love break through their firewalls?

Excerpt

“You always run alone?”

She pointed to a nearby jogger. “I’m not alone.”

“But you’re not with anyone.”

Standing this close to him, she wished for things she shouldn’t. “No, I’m not.”

“How far are you going?”

“The end of the trail and back.” Or however long it
took to get him out of her mind.

He put his helmet on. “Come on, I’ll keep you company.”

“It’s not necessary.” Clearing her mind would be impossible with him next to her.

“It’s safer this way.” He looked down the trail. His desire to protect her sent warmth curling up and down her spine. It had been a long time since anyone was concerned about her. All of a sudden, the idea of company appealed to her. Touching his arm— and trying not to squeeze his bicep like you would if you tested the ripeness of a peach—she waited for him to turn. “You’re welcome to join me if you want. If you can keep up.” She winked and raced away, his bark of laughter a brief punch in the silence behind her.

She no longer kept an easy pace, easing into the morning. This time, she sprinted hard. The slight whir of his bike wheels warned her as he reached her a few moments later.

“You’re pretty fast, but I’d suggest you slow down.”

She turned toward him. “Out of pity for you?”

His lips twitched, and his nostrils flared, but he kept his humor reined tight. Instead, he cycled next to her, his head turned slightly toward her. “The only pity I ask for is please don’t make me carry you home when you’re too tired to continue.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, sir.” She made sure he could read her lips.

He grinned, and the last of her tension disappeared. He accepted her teasing.

“Oh, you’ll pay,” he said.

He rode ahead, and she thought for sure he would leave her in the dust. But he turned around, a gleam in his eye, and returned to her side. When they reached a part of the trail farther on, he pulled ahead a little and skidded in a puddle, splashing her legs.

She gasped and looked at her mud-spattered shins and ignored the twinkle in his eye. “You play dirty—literally.”

Ted stopped while she paused to clean her legs off. Given the opportunity—two could play this game—she took her mud-streaked hands and wiped them on his chest. She drew in a breath and realized her mistake. Sure, she’d repaid him for splattering her with mud, but a sudden awareness of his body overrode her satisfaction. His muscles were hard, and she wondered what the rest of him felt like. Her pulse pounded in her ears, and her gaze shifted to his lips. What would it be like to kiss them?

She jerked and pulled her hand away. No. She jumped at the strangled sound from the mouth she’d considered kissing and raised her glance to his eyes. His surprise mirrored her own.

Mistake, mistake, mistake! An internal voice blared a warning. She’d intended for it to be like when she and Max, her best friend from childhood, challenged each other as kids. In fact, when he teased her, Ted reminded her of Max—something about the glint in his eye and the “need to win” coupled with concern. But she hadn’t counted on the sexual component.

She closed her eyes. She was not like her mother. She wasn’t.

“Abby?”

She stilled. Maybe he couldn’t see her. Right, and maybe unicorns are real.

“Yes?”

“Open your eyes.” She opened them.

“Let’s get breakfast.”

Buy Links

Universal Link | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple

Author Bio and Links

Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.

In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate.

Jennifer Wilck is an award-winning contemporary romance author for readers who are passionate about love, laughter, and happily ever after. Known for writing both Jewish and non-Jewish romances, her books feature damaged heroes, sassy and independent heroines, witty banter and hot chemistry. Jennifer’s ability to transport the reader into the scene, create characters the reader will fall in love with, and evoke a roller coaster of emotions, will hook you from the first page. You can find her books at all major online retailers in a variety of formats.

Ten Favorite Travel Destinations

Posted on February 7, 2022 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome back Wild Rose Press author Margot Johnson. Today, Margot shares her favorite travel destinations and her new release, Let it Melt.

Here’s Margot!

Let it Melt is book Two in the Merilee Tours series.

Merilee reinvents her boring life by launching a tour business which leads to fun adventures and surprising romance. In Let it Snowball, she takes her guests to bakeries in three different towns to sample Christmas cookies. In Let it Melt, she hosts a Valentine’s Sweetheart Tour to a country restaurant and to a café in another town for dessert.

Merilee’s tours are based around the fictional town of Goldview, Saskatchewan, the Canadian prairie province where I live. Like Merilee, I love to visit different places whether close to home or farther afield.

Here are ten of my favorite travel destinations, many of them in SK, Canada’s sunniest province!

1. Moose Jaw, SK – a city with a small-town feel, I set my first book, Love Takes Flight, there. Legend has it that Al Capone hid out in tunnels under the city, and it has a great mineral spa for a relaxing soak.

2. Waskesiu, SK – This touristy town sits on the shores of a lake in Prince Albert National Park in northern Saskatchewan. Our family visits every year to breathe the fresh, pine-scented air, hang out at the beach, and watch for wildlife. Elk often cruise the town, and you might see a bear along the road.

3. Madge Lake, SK – Another beautiful lake setting in Saskatchewan where our family has started an annual holiday tradition.

4. Eastend, SK – This small town is best known for the nearby discovery of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton nicknamed “Scotty” in 1994. We stayed in a country cottage and had fun exploring the area.

5. Niagara Falls & Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario – The falls and scenery are amazing, and the area is full of tourist attractions, historic sites, and quaint shops.

6. Quebec City – My daughters and I holidayed there and soaked up some history, sampled poutine, and practiced our French.

7. Prince Edward Island – I only made a short stop there partway through a business trip, but I’d love to return. It’s the setting for the Anne of Green Gables books, and it boasts distinctive, red soil.

8. New York City – Rick and I honeymooned there, and I’ll never forget the excitement of attending Wicked and Jersey Boys on Broadway and seeing all the famous sights in person.

9. Disney World, Florida – Because who doesn’t love nonstop fun—with or without kids.

10. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico – There’s no better place to escape winter than this peaceful area with its beautiful beaches and perfect weather. I can’t wait to book tickets when it’s safe to travel.

Blurb

How on earth did Jill, a single divorcee, land on a romantic Valentine’s Sweetheart Tour for couples? Worse, she’s paired with Jack, her daughter’s brash father-in-law, and everyone thinks he’s her valentine. Stranded in a Canadian prairie blizzard, how soon can she kiss this awkward evening goodbye?

Long divorced, Jack would love to charm Jill with his toned body and dynamic personality, but his wisecracks and obsession with fitness get in the way—especially when he nabs a post at the same school where she teaches.

Even the most romantic month of the year can’t melt their differences and sweeten Jill’s feelings…or can it?

Read/Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

Author Bio and Links

Margot Johnson writes feel-good stories of dreams, family, and romance.

She is the author of two sweet romance novels, LOVE TAKES FLIGHT and LOVE LEADS THE WAY, and two novellas, LET IT SNOWBALL and LET IT MELT. Her characters can’t possibly find their happy endings…or can they?

Before turning her focus to the fun writing life, Margot held leadership roles in human resources and communications. Her motto is “Dream big and work hard.”

When not writing, she loves to connect with family and friends, volunteer with SK Writers Guild, and walk at least 10,000 steps a day (except when it’s minus 40!)

Margot lives in the Canadian prairies with her amazing husband and adorable golden retriever.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Blurb Blitz: Flower Girl

Posted on February 4, 2022 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome back Merida Johns. Today, Merida shares her new release, Flower Girl.

Blurb

Everyone wants to believe they can hold on to their anchor, the light of their North Star, and live their truth . . . Suzanna Jordan did too until she fell for a man with a movie-star presence and a dark alter ego. Losing hope of salvaging her life and gaining her freedom, an unlikely source serves up a platter of just desserts that even Suzanna’s treacherous abuser might not evade.

Excerpt

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1984

It’s five o’clock in the morning. A waterfall of worries washes over me, but one remains, one I cannot ignore, one that means my life or death—do I have the courage to stop this nightmare?

I hear muffled voices and hasty footsteps fading away in the distance. My crisis, already old news to them, cataloged on a forgotten document. They have abandoned me and left me alone with my fear.

Rolling to my side, my legs dangle off the bed, and gravity pulls my five-foot-five, slender body toward the floor. My feet rebel. They scream and cramp in pain as they hit the cold cement. My insides shake, and my body wobbles. My eyes blur, and my hands reach out to find the bed. I steady myself and count under my breath, “One, two, three . . .” The agonizing muscle spasms in my feet start to unwind.

My world plays in slow motion. My eyes drift across the brackish-beige walls, swamp-green curtain, stainless steel instruments, and electronic gadgets—my stomach knots, my heart falls, my mouth goes dry. Helplessness hits me like an animal in a snare.

I spot my possessions, swathed in clear plastic, in the chair’s seat in the corner of the room. I hobble over and open the bag and poke through it—a Victoria’s Secret midnight-blue lace bra, an OSU red T-shirt, a pair of Gloria Vanderbilt denim pants, a Coach purse, and white Reeboks. I loosen the ties of the rumpled steel-gray gown; it slips off and falls to the floor. Dressing in fancy lingerie is absurd, so I toss it on the chair and throw on the shirt and jeans.

I look down at my sneakers and stop. In my mind, I see my husband’s squinting eyes and hear his haunting disapproval. Quit wiggling your feet over the counters of your damn shoes, Suzanna. You’ll ruin them! I shake my head, clench my jaw, and disobey.

I have no strength to bend over and tie the shoelaces. Jonathan would have a nasty comment about this, too. I ignore him. My eyes close in victory. “Cherish every step. Each is a grand slam toward deliverance.”

My fingers run through my disheveled hair, soaked with sweat—my muscles loosen, my brain fog lifts, and the ache behind my forehead fades.

I pull back the curtain circling the bed and grimace—the overhead lights jar me. I pump myself up—One, two, three, go. I take off.

I shuffle through the corridor between the beds bordering the room and reach the doorway to the waiting area. If people are here, I do not notice them. My eyes fix on the escape at the end of the room—the pulsating red exit sign. The floor-to-ceiling doors open, allowing my aching body to limp toward daybreak. The heavy morning breeze hits my face, and the sickening, sterile scent covering me blows away. I clutch my heart and silently sob, Thank God I’m alive.

But the joy vaporizes into the humid air. The war has only begun. Clutching for courage, I console myself. You’ve gotten this far. You can make it! You can live your truth.

I look up above the horizon, and I see it! There’s my North Star, its five points shimmering in the dawn and guiding me toward my purpose—But before I can help others be their best, I must help myself be my best.

Outside the sterile walls of a hospital emergency room, I hold my own. I put a stake in the ground. I swear that the fight to flee my abuser’s snare, save my life, and follow the guidance of my North Star is worth it.

Author Bio and Links

Merida Johns writes about the human experience—that often is messy—and how ordinary people tackle challenges, live through sorrow and betrayal, struggle with doubt, but despite this, gather the strength to act on their aspirations and achieve flourishing lives.

“My insight into the power of fiction came during a conference call in late 2017 with a group of fellow life coaches when I asked, ‘What would it be like to help people achieve a flourishing life through storytelling instead of another self-help book?’

After that phone call, I got started answering that question. Almost three years later, the result was my debut novel Blackhorse Road, a heartfelt story of womanhood and the power of choice, gratitude, and forgiveness that was published July 21, 2020, by Coffee Cup Press. Now, I’m thrilled about the upcoming release Flower Girl—a story of a woman who must make sweeping changes in her life to live her truth.

Before writing fiction, I was a professor and author of health informatics and leadership textbooks. Later, I put my experience to use as a leadership coach, focusing on helping women break the glass ceiling and fulfill their leadership and economic potential.

My husband and I reside in the beautiful Midwest countryside. This is where I find the serenity and space for bringing to life the stories about everyday people who face and overcome extraordinary challenges by finding and following their North Star.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

Merida Johns will be awarding a $30 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

Virtual Book Tour: The Shoe Diaries

Posted on January 24, 2022 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Darby Baham. Today, Darby shares writing advice and her debut novel, The Shoe Diaries.

Advice for Writers/Writing Tips

It is only when you open your veins and bleed onto the page a little that you establish contact with your reader. — Paul Gallico

I remember hearing this quote about what it takes to be a writer long before I ever knew who said it or fully understood what it meant. At the time, I probably thought, man that sounds hard, but it’s only for people writing memoirs or heavy, deep content. However, in the decade plus that it took me to write The Shoe Diaries, I have learned that no, this is good writing advice for anything you write. Good writing, meaningful writing, requires that you dig deep and write about things that make you feel vulnerable at times, because that’s what other people connect to.

Here are five other tips I’ve learned along the way:

*You have to love it! Writing is a labor of love. You can be the most skilled and talented writer, but you will inevitably go through the same cycle we all do: loving and hating what you wrote until it’s done, and then loving and hating it while you’re editing, and loving and hating it when it’s being published. It’s not an easy process, but if you love it, if writing is in your bones, every bit of it is worth it.

*You have to make the time for it. If you have a deadline, you don’t always have the luxury of just writing when you feel in the mood to do it. There will be times where you have to set aside designated time to write so that it gets done! I won’t say that you have to write every day, because maybe that doesn’t work for you. It doesn’t work for me. But ask yourself, “What is a schedule that pushes me, but doesn’t mentally drain me?” When you have the answer to that question, it will make things a lot easier. Some people like setting aside an hour a day to write, others enjoy spending one full day a week where they write for hours and hours. It’s a process of trial and error. Figure out what works for you, and then commit to that time.

*Don’t be afraid to get it wrong. I spent years trying to make the first three chapters perfect because someone somewhere had told me that those were the most important chapters to getting you an agent. And it’s not that they were wrong, but I took that and didn’t make it past chapter 3 for years. So here’s what I learned: it’s not going to be perfect at first, you just need to get something on the paper. Don’t get stuck in the rut of editing while you write, because you’ll likely end up frustrated and won’t write as much as you were probably hoping to. If you’re holding onto “it has to be perfect” you’ll never get it done.

*Get okay with rejection. No one likes to be rejected, but the reality is you will likely get far more nos than yeses on this journey to becoming an author. One of the hardest things I dealt with was hearing from an editor a while back just how bad my version of The Shoe Diaries was at the time. It hurt. A lot. But he helped me, too, because it pushed me to dig deeper and try again. Just remember you only need one yes. Stick to that, and you’ll be golden.

*All the things you’re scared of in your real life, put them into the book. To be fair, this is my own version of the “bleeding yourself on the page” concept, but I think it’s slightly more direct. Everyone else is probably scared of those things, and that’s what they will be able to relate to. It’s the scariest thing to do, but it’s a beautiful way to create connection with your audience. People can’t connect to your book if you are guarded and holding back on things you don’t want to address, and yes that means in your romance novel too.

*Bonus: Read! Read! Read! You become a better writer by reading good writing.

Blurb

It’s never too late to put your best foot forward

From the outside, Reagan “Rae” Doucet has it all: a coveted career in Washington, DC, a tight circle of friends and a shoe closet to die for. When one of her crew falls ill, however, Rae is done playing it safe. The talented but unfulfilled writer makes a “risk list” to revamp her life. But forgiving her ex, Jake Saunders, might be one risk too many…

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

The Friendship Chronicles/Book 1: The Shoe Diaries

“Reminiscent of Sex and the City and the Shopaholic series in the best possible way. Her stories are a lot of fun and yet she still tugs at your heartstrings.”–Gail Chasan, Special Edition Editor

Excerpt

Love of Shoes

October 28, 2019

“It was barely 7:00 a.m. when I heard my alarm blasting the sounds of Nicki Minaj’s “Pound the Alarm.” “Not yet, Alexa.” Groggy and yearning for at least five more minutes of sleep, I stretched my arm over the length of my bed and pressed down on the snooze button with my eyes still closed. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to get up, necessarily; it was just that the cocoon of my comforter in my queen-size bed felt so much better than whatever could have been waiting for me outside it. I pulled the cover over my head as an extra protection against the sun.

“Pound the alarm!”

“Agh!” I screamed out as it went off once more. “Fine, fine. I’m up now.”

The music still blaring, I finally acquiesced and rolled myself out of bed, one leg coming free from my cover cocoon, then the next, and made my way to my closet for what had become my daily routine: pick out shoes for the day, figure out the outfit that goes best with them, take a shower and then, of course, post my #shoeoftheday photo to Instagram before heading to work. Conveniently, I passed right over the red pumps that spelled disaster for me the night before. “Hmm, now what do I feel like wearing today?” I questioned, dancing to my closet and scanning all the shoes I own with my eyes, from my flats to my heels, boots to sneakers, in every color one can imagine. They were all intricately displayed on the shelves—heels facing out to show the length and style of the pump, flats facing forward to make it easier for me to see if it was a peep toe, curved toe, pointed toe, or square. “Oooh, these!” Something about my deep red, almost maroon peep-toe heels from BCBG caught my eyes, and I knew they were the ones for the day. The shoes were adorned with a silver buckle on the side of each peep toe and would go perfectly with my red-and pink floral blouse, black pencil skirt and peplum blazer to match. It was amazing how the rest of an outfit could come together for me once I picked out the shoes, and today was no exception. These might even be the ones to help me finally convince my boss to let me do the article I’d been pitching to him for months. Excited about my choices, I laid them out on my bed and hopped in the shower, continuing my best rap impressions as my playlist toggled through my favorite female rappers.

It was 9:00 a.m. when I walked into work at Washington, D.C.’s premier political news online magazine, my heels clacking on the linoleum floors they must have purchased just to make it that much easier for women to alert everyone of their comings and goings in the office. Seated at her desk already was my always-early, no-holds-barred freckle twin, and the best IT specialist in the office, Rebecca, her reddish-blond hair pulled up into a loose bun and a smile on her face the size of a kid in a candy store. “So…” she said, dragging out her first word. “Tell me about last night.”

Author Bio and Links

Darby Baham (she/her) is a debut author with Harlequin Special Edition and a New Yorker of five years who sometimes desperately misses the sprawling shoe closet she had while living in Maryland. She’s had personal blog posts appear in The Washington Post’s relationship vertical and has worked in the communications industry for more than two decades. The New Orleans, LA native is also a lover of big laughs and books that swallow you into their world. Her first book, The Shoe Diaries, debuts in 2022.

Author Website | Linktree | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

NOTE: Here is the link to subscribe to receive books specifically from Harlequin Special Edition — https://www.readerservice.com/content/series/harlequin-special-edition/

Darby’s book will be included in the January edition.

Darby Baham’s Washington Post Bylines

I had the perfect date dress. Why did it hang in my closet unworn for more than a year? — March 2016

When it comes to relationship advice, sometimes it’s best to ignore your friends — February 2016

I’m the oldest sister in my family and I’m single. And that’s okay. — March 2016

I was afraid to say ‘I love you.’ Here’s how I found the courage. –

The Shoe Diaries Sales Links

Giveaway

One randomly chosen winner via Rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card. Find out more here.

Follow Darby on the rest of the Goddess Fish tour here.

My Favorite Cozy Mysteries

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Nancy Raven Smith. Today, Nancy shares her favorite cozy mysteries and new release, Bushwacked in the Outback.

Here’s Nancy!

While I enjoy many mystery genres, this is a list of my favorite cozy mystery series. Some are old, some are new, and the list is in no particular order. It’s in no particular order. Things that I enjoy most in cozies are well written original characters, unusual locations, humor, suspense, adventure, and the unexpected. And of course, my top ten list should probably be my top fifty to include all the ones I truly enjoy. I hope you’ll discover a series that you’re not familiar with and enjoy it, too. Everyone has their own list of authors whose work they enjoy. Please share your favorite cozies. I’d love to discover some new ones.

1. Agatha Raisin Mysteries by M.C. Beaton

Agatha is a former ad agency owner, now retired to her dream cottage in a small English village. She’s quirky, unintentionally funny, and on the hunt for a man. She soon learns her imagined idyllic life has barnacles attached – including unfriendly villagers and dead bodies. I’ll never forget Beating About The Bush where Agatha defends Wizz Wazz the donkey and becomes a national celebrity.

Sadly M.C. Beaton passed in 2019. R.W. Green will continue the series.

2. Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries by Kerry Greenwood

Phryne is rich, elegant and smart. With her pearl handled pistol and the help of her family, adopted and otherwise, she stops injustice wherever she sees it. The stories take place in 1920s Australia, but Phryne is not boxed in by the usual conventions of her time.

3. Miss Fortune Mystery Series by Jana DeLeon

Fortune is a CIA assassin hiding in Sinful, Louisiana from an international arms dealer. But living in a small, southern, bayou town, pretending to be a librarian may be her hardest assignment yet. When bones show up in her yard, as well as two old ladies, she’s suddenly embroiled in a local mystery. And it turns out there’s more to the old ladies than she expected. Will her cover get blown?

4. The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries by Heather Haven

Lee Alvarez is the lead P.I. for her family’s detective agency located in Silicon Valley, CA. It’s called Discretionary Inquiries and it deals mainly with the theft of intellectual property and computer software with an occasional murder thrown in here and there. Each family member has his or her own special talent that makes the agency work. Like any family, each one also has their flaws and quirks.

5. Country Club Murders by Julie Mulhern
Ellison Russell has a problem. She’s a body magnet. She even swims into dead bodies at her Country Club pool. She also has to deal with a rebellious teenaged daughter, an over bearing mother, and a suspicious new detective. Her husband’s multiple affairs don’t help. Neither does the fact that she’s also a target for killers who are unsure of what she knows.

6. Poppy Field’s Adventures by Julie Mulhern

Poppy’s Mexican beach vacation is the start of her crazy new life when she’s abducted by a drug lord. She’s not prepared to rise to the occasion. She’s a rich, fashionista, with a movie-star mother, 84 million Instagram followers, and paparazzi following her every move. She has no obvious talent other than a gift for picking clothes and accessories.

Now her life has turned into one of her mother’s movies, but with real bullets and bad guys. Will she be able to survive?

7. Patricia Fisher Mystery Adventures by Steve Higgs

Discovering her husband’s affair sends middle-aged Patricia off the deep end. She empties her husband’s bank account and signs on to an around the world cruise ship that’s departing immediately. Unfortunately, she’s quickly thrown in the middle of a murder investigation where she’s the main suspect. Did she jump out of one bad situation and into a worse one? Can she solve the murder and save herself with the help of the new friends she’s made on board?

8. Murder on Maui Series – Robert W. Stephens

Edgar Allan “Poe” Rutherford has lost his job and his girl. He heads to Maui, where he’s looking forward to a vacation with an old friend. When a murder is blamed on his friend, Poe is determined to solve the mystery. He not only manages to save his friend, but he discovers two new loves – Maui and Detective Alana Hu.

9. Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery Series by Sherry Harris

Most of us know Sherry Harris as the author of the popular Garage Sale Mysteries, but she has a new series with protagonist Chloe Jackson, a former Chicago librarian. Chloe is fulfilling a promise to help her late boyfriend’s grandmother run the Sea Glass Saloon located in the Florida Panhandle town of Emerald Cove. Turns out the location is the target of land developers and vacationers. Chloe loves her new life pouring beers and mixing cocktails at the Saloon. It’s just that the grandmother and the residents aren’t what she was expecting.

10. Chet and Bernie Mysteries by Spencer Quinn

Author Spencer Quinn had me at his titles. Who can resist Dog On It, To Fetch A Thief, Scents and Sensibility, Tender Is The Bite, or It’s A Wonderful Woof? The original, funny mysteries told through Chet, the dog’s, POV don’t disappoint either.

Blurb

“If you can’t follow the money, follow the body.”

Lexi loves her job as a Beverly Hills bank fraud investigator. It lets her pursue scam artists and con men – known in the business as land sharks.

Sadly, one crook left her with a broken heart and a destroyed reputation. And the bank’s president is looking for any excuse to fire her.

Yet she risks everything when she follows a dead embezzler’s casket to Coober Pedy in the Australian outback. She knows it’s a gamble, but it’s her last hope to recover the bank’s stolen money. Unfortunately, she’s persona non grata in that country. She needs to get in, find the money, and get out before the Australian police discover her presence. But will the unexpected appearance of an ex-lover make her linger too long?

If you like cozy mysteries in exotic locations with deadly secrets and touches of humor, then you’ll enjoy the multi award winning Land Sharks Cozy Mystery series.

Buy Links

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (AU)

Author Bio and Links

Nancy Raven Smith grew up in Virginia, where she ran and participated in horse sport events. On their farm, she rescued horses, dogs, and cats and is an advocate for animal rescue. Later in California, she traded her event experience for film work. Her screenplays and novels have won numerous major awards. When not writing, Raven Smith enjoys her family and friends, travel, art, movies, and white-water rafting. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Women in Film.

Website | Facebook | The Reluctant Farmer of Whimsey Hill