I’m happy to welcome psychologist and author Susan Harris Howell. Today, Susan shares her debut novel, The Spirit of Vanderlaan.

Blurb

When beloved professor, Samantha Hayes, learns that her favorite four students live in as many of her old dorm rooms, she wonders how it happened and for what purpose. As she and her student entourage explore the possibilities, they uncover a death years ago and what appears to be the ghost of the dearly departed. All of this stirs up Samantha’s long-held fear that she was responsible for that death, challenging all she thought she knew about herself and the work she holds dear. They must figure out what happened before Samantha gets fired for “dabbling in the paranormal.”

Excerpt

As she walked to her first class of the day, Samantha congratulated herself that for the first time this semester she would arrive at her own class on time. A glance at her watch revealed she even had five minutes to spare. With Douglas Hall in sight and her classroom on its main floor, she was sure to make it on time—

“Samantha!”

Grrr! So close. Although showing up late for class frustrated her, she was mostly annoyed by the person who was about to detain her. If I ignore him, maybe he’ll go away.

“Samantha!” This time he was more insistent.

Samantha released a breath of resignation. She should have known better. He wasn’t the kind to be ignored. Samantha turned to face him as she reached the door of the building. She hadn’t been at Vanderlaan long enough to flout someone who carried the weight around here that he did. “What can I do for you, Len?”

Dr. Len Titus stood before her, dressed as always, in a suit with a starched white shirt and tie which he would loosen by afternoon. His graying hair with a precise part on the side had become his hallmark, along with his hands-on-hips pose and gravelly voice. Levi’s imitation of each was spot on, although professional decorum required that Samantha refrain from the encouragement her laughter would ensure. Since Len Titus was of slight frame, someone unfamiliar with this man might assume passivity or weakness. Not Samantha.

“I see we’re both teaching in Douglas Hall this semester,” he said. “Hope I won’t be in your way.” He peered over his wire-rimmed glasses. “Or you in mine.”

Samantha took a breath, gritted her teeth, and walked through the door. She would use the back entrance next time.

Author Bio and Links

I am a psychologist, speaker, and author of The Spirit of Vanderlaan, my debut novel released in December of 2024. This book is a fun, cozy, ghost story featuring a professor, Samantha Hayes, and her lively band of students who get caught up in solving a campus mystery. This book draws on my teaching career of over thirty years to capture the camaraderie and warmth between a professor and the assortment of personalities which inhabit her office.

I have also published extensively on equality between women and men. My first book, Buried Talents, explores the subtle ways women are discouraged from entering male-dominated occupations. Buried Talents was named a winner in InterVarsity Press’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards.

My husband and I have two grown children, a daughter-in-law, one adorable grandson, and an incorrigible beagle named Doc. While Doc doesn’t understand a word I say, he fully supports my books and their content.

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | BookBub | Email List & Monthly Blog | Amazon Buy Link | Barnes & Noble Buy Link

Giveaway

Susan Harris Howell will be awarding a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome award-winning, best-selling author Patricia Leavy. Today, Patricia shares her creative journey and new release, Shooting Stars Above.

Interview

What was your inspiration for this book?

When I was ten years old, I tried to write a novel. I don’t remember all the details, but it was a love story about two people who help each other heal. I wasn’t able to finish it at the time, being that I was only ten. One night in late 2019, I stepped out onto the balcony of my home office and looked up at the stars. Like a bolt, Shooting Stars Above came to, as a complete book, which was different than my previous novels. I wrote the first draft in only ten days, completely immersed in the story world. It was magical. I believe Shooting Stars Above is the novel I tried to write at the age of ten. I think the seed lived inside of me my entire life. It took years of writing other books to develop the tools to actualize that bolt of inspiration. There’s a saying that “hurt people hurt people,” but sometimes that isn’t true. Sometimes people in pain are able to love others in extraordinary ways. That’s the core inspiration for the book. Really, it’s about the healing power of love and learning to balance darkness and light in our lives.

What is your favorite quote?

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost

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

I love art. I spend most of my time at art museums, art galleries, watching films, and listening to music/going to concerts. I also love travel and I’m a total foodie.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Develop a relationship with your work that isn’t dependent on anything external—positive or negative. That’s how you protect your creativity.

What are you working on next?

I fell so deeply in love with the characters in Shooting Stars Above that it became a series called The Celestial Bodies Romances. There are six books written to date and I genuinely love each more than the one before. We’ll be releasing one each spring. Shooting Stars Above includes the first chapter of the next book, Twinkle of Doubt. Each novel takes place a year after the last and follows the same characters, although some fun new characters are introduced across the series too. Each series title explores love and a different theme. The first book is about love and healing. Other topics include doubt, intimacy, trust, commitment, and faith. While there are different kinds of dramatic events that happen in each book, I can promise you each is filled with love, a few laughs, and hopefully a bit of inspiration. While each novel is a contained stand-alone book, and there are no cliffhangers, if you read the entire series there is also a larger narrative arc. Really, the series is about learning to balance lightness and darkness in our lives so that we may live in full color. Before the next series book comes out, I’m releasing a different novel called Cinematic Destinies on September 2, which is already available for preorder. It’s a romance with multiple love stories and a fun film shoot in Iceland. It’s a total feel-good for readers who enjoy Hollywood love stories with heart. I loved writing it.

Blurb

For fans of Colleen Hoover comes an emotionally charged contemporary romance about a internationally best-selling novelist and a federal agent fighting to heal past wounds.

Tess Lee is a world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore people’s innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel—but despite her extraordinary success, she’s been unable to find personal happiness. Jack Miller is a federal agent working in counterterrorism. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. He’s dedicated everything to his job, leaving nothing for himself.

The night Tess and Jack meet, their connection is palpable. She examines the scars on his body and says, “I’ve never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides.” The two embark on an epic love story, but old traumas soon rise to the surface as Jack struggles with the death of a loved one and Tess is forced to confront her childhood abuse. Can unconditional love help heal their invisible wounds? Together, will they be able to move from darkness to light?

Excerpt

“So, what do you do?” she asked.

“I’m a federal agent with the Bureau—counterterrorism. I joined the military right out of high school, Special Forces. I was in the field, often deep undercover, until about a year ago, when I took a desk job as the head of my division.”

“Wow, you’re like the real-life Jack Bauer. You even look a little like him, with that whole rugged, handsome hero thing you have going on,” she said.

He blushed and ran his hand through his light brown hair. “I promise you I’m no Jack Bauer, even on my best day. People thought that character was so tragic, but the real tragedy is that Jack Bauer doesn’t exist, and you’re stuck with guys like me.”

She smiled. “What made you choose that line of work?”

“My parents raised me and my siblings to value community, to be patriotic. My father was in the military and then became a firefighter. The idea of service always seemed important. I wanted to serve my country, to protect people. It’s hard to explain, but when I see someone innocent being threatened, I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to protect them. I know it sounds cliché, but I feel like it’s my purpose in life.”

“That’s noble,” she remarked.

He shook his head. “The lived reality often isn’t. When you spend most of your life in the abyss, it gets pretty dark.”

“A residue remains, right?” she asked.

He looked at her intently, a little surprised. “Yes, exactly.”

“I understand. You convince yourself it’s all been for something that matters more than you do, that whatever part of yourself you sacrificed was worth it, because it simply has to be.”

He looked at her as if she had read his innermost thoughts. “Yes,” he said softly. “Tell me, what do you do?”

“I’m a novelist.”

“What are your books about?”

“That’s a difficult question to answer. I guess I wanted to write about everything: what it means to live a life, why it’s so hard, and how it could be easier. To walk people through the darkness, in a way. Perhaps my goals were too lofty, and in that respect, each book fails more spectacularly than the one before.”

The bartender smirked.

Tess wistfully said, “Maybe reality can never live up to our dreams.”

Author Bio and Links

Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than fifty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book honors. Recently, her novel The Location Shoot was featured in Ms. Career Girl’s “10 Perfect Books to Get Your Fall Reading List Started” and She Reads in “Novels to Read if You Love Classic Movies” and was the 2024 Best Book Awards First Place Winner in Women’s Fiction. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Patricia lives in Maine and serves on the board of the London Arts-Based Research Centre. In addition to writing, she enjoys movies, art, reading, and travel.

Website | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Patricia Leavy will be awarding a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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

Patricia Leavy is giving away copies of CINEMATIC DESTINIES, her upcoming romance from She Writes Press. How to get yours? It’s easy… just complete the Rafflecopter below and you’ll receive one from the author! Plus, one lucky entrant will receive a $150 Amazon gift card!

So, what’s the book about? Here’s the info:

For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, Cinematic Destinies is a feel-good, contemporary romance about a trio of adult children searching for love and beauty in the shadow of their parents’ legendary Hollywood fairy-tale romance.

Legendary actor Finn Forrester and his wife philosopher Ella Sinclair Forrester met on the location shoot for Jean Mercier’s film Celebration. The world has been captivated by their fairy-tale romance since Finn famously proposed on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. As the couple now prepares to celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary, they wonder if their children will ever find love.

Eldest daughter Betty is excelling in a medical residency program in New York City—and has convinced herself that distancing herself from emotions is the path to success. Youngest son Albert, a recent college graduate, is trying to find his footing in Boston as he struggles with his identity. Free-spirited Georgia, her mother’s spitting image and an actress following in her father’s footsteps, has been cast in Jean Mercier’s final film, mysteriously titled Beauty. When she arrives on set in Iceland and meets her costar, sparks fly. Is history repeating itself? How has growing up in the shadow of the world’s most iconic love story affected each of the Forrester children?

Reviews

“If you’re a romantic with a brain and a heart, this is your jam . . . I closed the book with a full heart and a goofy grin.” Literary Titan, 5-star review

“Cinematic Destinies is a stunning and poignant celebration of romance, the magic of movies, and life itself. The exotic Icelandic film set, well-drawn characters, and smart writing make this book impossible to put down . . . This is a gorgeous novel.” —Laurel Richardson, author of Lone Twin

“Overall, the writing, the characters, the little nods of sizzle, and the brilliant family dynamic make this book a winner. Very highly recommended.”—Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review

“Leavy’s latest must-read novel features a trio of romantic storylines about the quest for love and identity in the shadow of a Hollywood fairy tale . . . Cinematic Destinies is a spellbinding ode to love, art, and what it means to live.” —Mary E. Weems, author of Blackeyed

About the Author:

Patricia Leavy is an award-winning, best-selling author. Formerly Associate Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College, she has published more than fifty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book honors. Her most recent novel, Shooting Stars Above, was featured on People “10 Romance Books to Read After Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry.” She has also received career awards from the National Art Education Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, and other organizations. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” In 2024 the London Arts-Based Research Centre established “The Patricia Leavy Award for Arts-Based Research.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cinematic-Destinies-Novel-Carpet-Romance-ebook/dp/B0DWNGNM1Z/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

Patricia Leavy will award a free digital copy of her upcoming book CINEMATIC DESTINIES to the first 7500 people who enter the Rafflecopter and one lucky entrant will receive a $150 Amazon gift card.

Rafflecopter Giveaway: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f5181/

I’m happy to welcome award-winning mystery author B.T. Polcari. Today, he shares his creative journey and new release, Lucky Secrets.

Interview

Describe your writing space.

In my house I have a downstairs 300-square-foot office 100% dedicated to my writing plus a walk-in closet with a bookcase and shelving attached to the walls. In the office is an 8×12 Turkish rug (reds and blues); a fully-connected desk set lining two walls comprised of a six-foot red-maple desk, a side return, corner computer work desk (with computer and family photos), and side credenza with file drawers (on it sit a TV, printer, and mementos); two red-maple bookcases full of books, awards, and mementos on a far wall; and two red-maple visitor chairs with black fabric. On the walls my desk unit spans are two white boards with scrawled notes and reminders plus framed awards and mementos.

Where my office differs from others is it has a treadmill, an electronic stringing machine for tennis rackets (I have strung my own rackets for the last 25 years), and a battered orange traffic cone that was given to me years ago as an inside joke (no – it wasn’t because I ran over it). Hanging on the other two walls are awards and photos from my pre-writing career.

Most important of all – on the floor in front of the credenza are two dog beds with blankets for our three pups, all rescues. Every morning, they follow me downstairs to work and sleep almost the entire time I am working, and then follow me back upstairs at the end of the day to settle into their big fluffy beds while I go for my walk.

What is your favorite quote?

“Easy reading is damn hard writing.” Nathaniel Hawthorne

I love this quote so much, it is written at the top of one of my whiteboards next to my desk. While I don’t necessarily like Hawthorne, his quote resonates with me because it is very true. During the editing phase of a project, I work so hard to make sure the prose flows and is not continually chopped up by long, complicated sentences or overuse of certain words or dialogue tags. I make sure the dialogue flows with just enough action or dialogue tags to ensure the reader knows who is talking without slowing down the scene. Michael Jordon made playing basketball look easy. But when nobody was watching, he was putting in the work.

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

I enjoy my 3-4 mile walk each day after a full day in the office. It is great to get outside, breathe fresh air, and clear my head. I also enjoy bowling (career-high season average of 226), tennis, and fantasy football. And this past year, I tried my hand at fantasy hockey (I don’t know much about the NHL) and really enjoyed it (finished 4th out of 10 teams), so I’ll be back playing it again this year! I also enjoy watching college and pro football, college basketball, and the grand slam tournaments for tennis and golf.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Write every day, even if for only 30-60 minutes. Writing every day builds momentum, and if you consistently do this, you will improve. “Practice makes perfect” is an adage for a reason.

Speaking of perfect, don’t let perfection get in the way of progress (paraphrasing Winston Churchill). First drafts are all about getting the story out of your head and onto virtual paper. Don’t get caught up trying to make that draft perfect by agonizing over sentence structure, pacing, word choice, etc. Later during the very important editing process these things will be identified and addressed. It is during editing that a book goes from good to great (hopefully).

Find a writer’s critique group. There are plenty online and possibly in your own town. When I started writing in 2013, I honed my skills in critique groups on Wattpad. I learned a lot from some talented people in a certain “by invitation only” group on the site. Accept criticism in these groups for what it is intended to do – make you a better writer. But if the feedback isn’t supportive and instead just mean or rude, then simply find another group.

What are you working on next?

I have several projects in various stages of development. One is a YA mystery for boys after an agent expressed an interest in me giving it a shot. I have the next Sara book fully plotted and ready to write – I just need to decide how I want to go about it (yes, I understand, this is intentionally vague – sly wink). I am in the early stages of fleshing out a spinoff with Mrs. Majelski – she is a huge favorite of my readers, my editors, and myself. The enigmatic old lady is such a blast to write into my stories, so why not write a story with her as the main character?? I also have the first seven chapters of a political satire written, and have been querying agents for a completed police/crime/detective murder mystery and an international historical thriller. So, just a few things going on.

Blurb

College student Sara Donovan is in the homestretch of graduating when a mysterious package arrives with an invitation to an exclusive contest. One that will drastically change the winner’s life. Included are unsettling photographs from forgettable chapters in her life and a threatening note strongly suggesting she participate.

With no good options, Sara enters the contest and finds herself at a fabulous mansion up against eight formidable opponents, each with a dark secret and all racing to solve seven levels of riddles and puzzles.

After a contestant’s body is discovered, Sara contemplates dropping out when another package arrives, its chilling contents making clear she’s at the center of a dangerous game with deadly consequences if she quits. But what it doesn’t say is—what happens if she wins?

Excerpt

Winston forced a smile. “The founder imparted to me that every contestant was personally selected because each of you has a secret that absolutely must remain—a secret. Especially from law enforcement.” He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. “Since the winner of the contest will become fabulously wealthy, it would seem, everyone is here because of a potentially—lucky secret.”

Zoe’s head whipped toward me. With eyes wide, she mouthed law enforcement. I threw her a little headshake, even as my body exploded in tingles. I have no such secrets—anymore. I think. A picture popped in my head of the open safe-deposit box with the gold artifact, gold bar, and emeralds. With my name on the signature card. Somebody obviously manufactured a secret for me. But why? And is it the same for all the contestants? Were they also blackmailed into coming for something they didn’t do? Or were they…

Buy Links

Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | Signed Copies

Author Bio and Links

B.T. Polcari is a graduate of Rutgers College of Rutgers University, an award-winning mystery author, and a proud father of two wonderful children. He’s a champion of rescue pups (Mauzzy is a rescue), craves watching football and basketball, and, of course, loves reading mysteries. Among his favorite authors are Richard Osman, D.P. Lyle, Frederick Forsyth, and Michael Connelly. He is also an unapologetic fantasy football addict. He lives with his wife in scenic Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Website | Facebook Page | Instagram | X (Twitter) | Goodreads Profile

Giveaway

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

Visit the author on the rest of his Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press Susan Dalessandro. Today, Susan shares her new release, A Whisper in the Trees.

Blurb

For Gabby Patterson, a dedicated, but sometimes obsessive, cross-country runner, junior year is her time to shine. She has to start thinking about tomorrow: the future college recruiters and scholarship offers. But today means beating her impossibly skinny rivals any way she can.

Then eerie encounters in the woods and a cute secretive guy with the same quirky musical tastes interfere in Gabby’s plans. Sweet CJ is connected to the forest mystery… and to what’s happening to Gabby. But hard truths aren’t that easy to run from…

Excerpt

My stomach groans and I brace my hand on the trunk of a small tree, a sudden bout of dizziness overwhelming me.

I can’t stand here all day, so I proceed into the woods, beneath the canopy of tall, sturdy oaks and sheltering pine trees. Fallen leaves crunch underfoot as I follow the dirt path, narrowing as it skirts the edge of the cliff. Hurrying, I push deeper into the heart of the forest before I steel myself and take the plunge into the clearing, the place that’s caused me such angst these last few weeks.

I pause as a breeze splays loose strands of my ponytail across my face. The cool air refreshes as it passes through my nose and my mouth, filling my lungs. Okay, this isn’t so bad. But as I shuffle to the other side, a fog descends upon me like damp, heavy drapes. Dizziness slams me and I lose my balance, my vision blurring. I slump to the ground, fatigue sinking into my bones. That’s when the music cues and the song streams through me. An ache throbs in my head. My empty stomach groans as I rise off the grass and brush myself off. Just leave me alone.

Author Bio and Links

I’m a lifelong lover of books and storytelling and hold an M.A. In Applied Math, a subject which finds its way into many of my stories.

I live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with my husband, two sons and two dogs. I gather story ideas as I run in the early mornings with my dogs. Running is the perfect environment for me to think and create.

My debut novel, Complex Solutions, a YA coming of age thriller, released March 16, 2021. Strong Enough, a YA novel, part of the Play Like A Girl series, came out on August 8, 2023. My latest novel, A Whisper In The Trees, a YA romance with paranormal elements, releases on June 30, 2025 with The Wild Rose Press.

Instagram | Bluesky | Buy Links

Giveaway

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

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

I’m happy to welcome back author Gemma St. Claire. Today, Gemma shares her new release, An Armor of Petals, Book Two of Daughters of the Duchess.

Blurb

Fans of Keira Montclair will love this sweet medieval romance.

She wears a shroud of guilt she didn’t earn. Raised in a tavern, Beverielle is an illegitimate daughter of Duke Philip III. But the Duchess Isabella seeks to right Philip’s sins. When she brings the lass home to the castle to raise as a lady, Bevvie’s hope sparks. Sadly, her life’s choices are not hers to make. The duke weds her to an Italian merchant: a reluctant bride, then soon after, a widow.

Beverielle’s Scottish roots rise to the surface when she meets the brawny Highlander. Her hopes for love renew—until she discovers she may be carrying the Italian’s child. Knight Ròidh Keegan has been called back to Scotland when the flame-haired girl arrives at Germolles Castle.

Can the knight, soon to be laird of his own castle, consider a pregnant widow for his bride? His heart says aye, though a long journey and many obstacles lie in their path.

Excerpt

Lifting her heavy black skirt, Bevvie crouched to peer through the tangle of treacherous, thorned branches beneath the white rose bush. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dimness, but then she saw them.

At first she thought it was a nest of mice, and shrinking back, she nearly landed on her bottom on the path. But then a mouse did appear—swinging dead from the jaws of a striped, gray cat who picked her way along the stone wall lining the garden. The creature dropped its quarry just outside her nest, then hopped in to nuzzle her babies.

Kittens! It had been over a year since Beverielle had seen a cat, since none seemed to reside at either Coudenburg or Germolles. They had been treasured wards of the Beguines in the convent at Antwerp, where the felines kept the complex free from the vermin perpetually creeping up from the docks at port. Bevvie remembered one she favored, a brown tabby and white male she’d named Adam. Sometimes, when the prioress wasn’t watching, she’d snuck the furry bundle up the steps to her sleeping quarters, which she shared with several of the other postulates. Fortunately, none of them paid the cat much mind.

Cats, however, were not widely favored by common folk, especially here in the southern regions. For some reason, the creatures had gotten a bad reputation as being advocates of the devil. She’d heard some of the servants gossiping about the healer who’d come to Coudenburg to treat the ostler’s wife, Eva of Utrecht. Eva had nearly died from a nasty blow to her head. But between the ministrations of the healer and the barber-surgeon from Brussels, she had survived. Some said ‘twas a miracle. Others said such an unlikely outcome ‘twas the work of the devil.

The healer, she’d been told, housed a number of cats in her small hovel at the edge of the village.

Beverielle thought it ridiculous to blame an innocent animal—and one who served a real, useful purpose—for anything. Especially for a miraculous recovery!

“Have ye dropped something?”

The booming voice behind her caused Bevvie to lose her balance, and she landed hard on her bottom in the middle of the path. She peered up to see a giant of a man standing over her. With the brilliant sun directly behind him, she squinted, but no details about him revealed themselves save for the fact that he was huge.

Flustered, embarrassed, and sweating to death under her heavy woolen mourning clothes, Bevvie struggled to her knees before she saw the man’s big paw stretched out in front of her face. Timidly, she placed her hand in his.

‘Twas rough and hard, and unusually warm. Not unnaturally so, as if he were fevered. But warm in an invitingly pleasant sort of way.

The kind of warmth that sent tingles up her arm, little shock waves. By the time she made it to her feet she gazed up into the golden eyes of a man she recognized. ‘Twas Sir Ròidh Keegan.

Buy Link: https://amzn.to/44yhYkG

Author Bio and Links

Gemma St. Claire grew up in upstate New York many moons ago. She achieved her Bachelor of Arts from the New York Institute of Technology, followed by her Master of Fine Arts from Lesley University. She married her very own, HEA husband and raised three beautiful humans before bouncing about the country. She has landed in Florida and is finally able to devote her life to her writing.

Gemma is passionate about history, particularly the Middle Ages. She’s been to Belgium once and is set to travel back there in August of 2025, where she hopes to discover even more stories to spin and share with her readers.

She loves to hear from her readers, so drop her a note! You can find her here:

Substack | Website | Facebook | Twitter/X | Instagram | TikTok

I’m happy to welcome author Amanda Capper. Today, Amanda shares her creative journey and the anthology Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers.

In 2014 my first (and only, to date) novel was published by Divertir Publishing. It’s out of print now, which is just as well. I rushed the ending and wasn’t all that thrilled with the beginning, but in the middle was some of my best writing (again, to date) so I took the advice of my new writer friend, Judy Penz Sheluk and I’m re-writing it. “Why not?” said Judy. “It’s your book.”

I’ve written all my life but rarely submit. Early on, when I did, I received back a rejection letter that was very emphatic about how horrible the main character was, especially because she was female. Well, yes. That was the point, but I put the story away, and probably burned the letter because I can’t find it.

Judy, once again, gave me good advice. “Not everyone is going to like that one story. But someone will.” I’m paraphrasing but that was the gist. She also yells at me with exclamation marks. “PUNCTUATION GOES INSIDE THE QUOTES!!!”

I’m learning a lot from Judy. Some things new, some not but forgotten for lack of use. That’s about to change.

My story, “A Time to Tell” was accepted by Judy for her fifth anthology, Midnight Schemers and Daydream Believers. The story is all about secrets. Everyone has them, and how some are told, and some are best kept for later. There are twenty-one other short stories and I’m excited to see my name included with those authors.

Until this acceptance, my only recent submissions were for our local University’s semi-annual e-zine and then only at the urging of my creative writing instructor.

One last quick story. It’s hard to shut me up once I start. It’s about Fate.

In 2012 I went to Bloody Words in Toronto, Ontario. I went alone and during a break between speakers I went to forage for food. I don’t remember where or how I struck up a conversation with a lady, who was, I believe, also looking for something to eat, but I did and mentioned my hometown. She replied she was familiar with the city, she and her husband were looking for waterfront property in the area. After polite chitchat, where I mentioned I was a bookkeeper, we parted ways.

Twelve years later, as I’m sure you’ve already guessed, our paths crossed again, only neither of us remembered the earlier meeting. Judy had moved to my hometown and was getting involved with the Northern arts community, and I asked to meet. I’d read her step-by-step guide, Self-Publishing; The Ins and Outs of Going Indie and had a few questions. We met then and a few times after as we had more in common than writing, but it wasn’t until we talked about how we both were at Bloody Words that Judy emailed me later and asked what I did for a living back in 2012. I told her I’d been a bookkeeper at a local business. Then it twigged, and here we are.

Fate. Always a surprise visitor.

Author Bio

Amanda Capper is the author of A Bother of Bodies (as A. J. Capper) and her short stories can be found in Every Day Fiction, Painted Words, and The Algomian. When she is not reading, writing, or roaming the woods, she volunteers at the Royal Canadian Legion as their treasurer. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Short Mystery Fiction Society.

Find her at http://www.amandacapper.com.

About Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense

Desire or desperation, revenge or retribution—how far would you go to realize a dream? The twenty-two authors in this collection explore the possibilities, with predictably unpredictable results.

Featuring stories by Pam Barnsley, Linda Bennett, Clark Boyd, C.W. Blackwell, Amanda Capper, Susan Daly, James Patrick Focarile, Rand Gaynor, Gina X. Grant, Julie Hastrup, Beth Irish, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Jim McDonald, donalee Moulton, Michael Penncavage, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Peggy Rothschild, Debra Bliss Saenger, and Joseph S. Walker.

Find it at http://www.books2read.com/midnight-schemers.

I’m happy to welcome author Kate Ellington. Today, Kate shares her new release, Ever Since the Ball.

Blurb

Miranda Harlake’s only chance to escape the detestable match her parents are arranging is a sham betrothal to her best friend, Peter, who proposes solely to save her from a loveless marriage. She gratefully accepts, though both know they’ll never wed.

Piqued by her parents’ scheming, Miranda secretly attends a masked ball and dances with a fascinating stranger all night. Upon discovering her partner was the insufferable George Rockford, she tries to forget the romantic evening they shared.

George, lonely despite his popularity and roguish ways, is intrigued by Miranda but she’s apparently immune to his charms.

Miranda must listen to her heart and find courage to be honest with everyone—especially herself—if for once she’s going to fulfill her own dreams.

Excerpt

As Miranda approached the drawing room she heard men’s voices, and neither of them was her father’s. She guessed Mr. Tolwood had stopped by and brought someone with him, but when she strode into the room she nearly gasped aloud.

George and Ebenezer Rockford stood chatting with her parents, glasses of sherry in their hands. So this was why her mother had insisted she change. Nobody looked Miranda’s way when she entered the room and she wanted to tiptoe out and send Cassandra down with a message that she was ill. Very ill. She sighed. It would never work. Mentally preparing herself for an atrocious evening, she walked to her father’s side.

“Ah, here she is at last!” Mr. Harlake said, taking her arm.

Miranda fixed a smile on her face as he steered her over to stand beside Ebenezer.

“You remember Mr. Rockford, don’t you, Miranda?” Mr. Harlake asked, eyes twinkling.

“Yes, of course. Good evening.” Miranda hadn’t seen him up close in a long time. He had dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a short beard. She’d never been fond of beards.

Mr. Rockford took her hand and kissed it. “Good evening to you, Miss Harlake.”

She went to pull her hand away, but he showed no sign of relinquishing it.

“Call her Miranda. So much friendlier,” Mrs. Harlake said with a wide smile.

“Then she must call me Ebenezer.” He motioned to George. “You know my nephew, George? Why, you two must have gone to school together.”

Miranda was glad to remove her hand from Ebenezer’s grip as she turned to face George.

Author Bio and Links

Kate Ellington grew up in a woodsy New England town where summer days at the lake seemed to last forever. She read her first historical romance at age eleven when a teacher challenged her to find a book in the library written by an author she’d never heard of. Thus began a life-long love of love stories.

After graduating from college with an art degree she settled in the Pacific Northwest, where she currently resides with her family.

Kate wrote her first romance when she was sixteen, then set her pen down for years until another story floated into her head out of the clear blue sky. She jotted it down, just for fun, but soon it took on a life of its own.

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Giveaway

Kate Ellington will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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