Thank you all for taking the time to spend Around the Fire. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I’m heading for Lancaster, PA, with friends tomorrow. We plan to spend a lot of time sitting around a crackling fire and discussing everything. We’ll spend time at Farmer’s Markets and may even take a train ride through the countryside. But today, we’re relaxing around the virtual fire with my guest, Caryl Janis. Caryl, why don’t you introduce yourself while I pour us some coffee? Who are you other than your bio?
A wife who gets to spend more time with my wonderful, now-retired English teacher husband. (And, yes, he reads my drafts and makes good suggestions!) We have a terrific grown daughter who lives cross-country-- we try to see her often. The piano is also a big part of my life. I enjoy all music and especially like playing old pop standards and ragtime pieces. I’m also a part-time church organist.
 
I’ve always dreamed of playing the piano. After several attempts, I now just listen. What interests besides writing do you enjoy? For instance, what do you read or hobbies do you have?
I love reading mysteries. But I also like biographies, particularly those of people who are not quite as well remembered these days. Their lives are so interesting and inspiring. I also collect old sheet music – the kind with the beautiful covers and songs that can be anywhere from 25 to a hundred years old. And then there’s baseball – I’m a NY Mets fan!
 
You and my hubby should talk. He’s a stalwart Mets fan. I’ve collected old hymnals for years. My oldest is from the 1800s. You mentioned your husband as an early reader of your books; who else are your supporters?
My husband and daughter have always been my cheerleaders as are good friends, a critique group, and writing organizations (Liberty States Fiction Writers and SinC/NYTriState). And everyone at The Wild Rose Press (Rhonda, RJ, my wonderful editor Dianne Rich, fellow authors) has been beyond supportive and helpful. I’m grateful to be one of the Roses.
 
As a Wild Rose author, I agree. Authors need to be readers, too. Who or what books or authors are your inspiration?
There are so many – fiction authors like Ann Patchett and Barbara Kingsolver, mystery/suspense writers from Hank Phillippi Ryan to David Baldacci, and nonfiction authors including Susan Orlean and Pamela Paul. Each one is so different and has a unique approach. Their writings are inspiring to analyze and also offer a reminder of how important it is to be true to your own individual voice and style. I also love stories about authors who keep trying and never give up.
 
Do you have any fun or outrageous talent?
Oh, gosh. I guess it’s outrageous when I mess up cooking or when I try to sing, but you couldn’t really count that as a talent. But I try to find the humor in everyday things, so that’s sort of fun.
 
Janis, what is your neighborhood like? Are there any places you frequent? What makes them special?
It’s pretty busy here – a mix of the urban and suburban with lots of traffic. But the best place to get away from it all is our local park. It’s huge and beautiful with lots of walking paths and playing fields and trees. I like to walk there with friends or just sit on a bench and enjoy the fresh air. It’s a great place to watch the change of seasons, especially in the fall. I also like some of our little restaurants. There’s an old-fashioned ice cream parlor that’s the best. Their homemade candy and ice cream are worth every calorie.
 
It sounds lovely. We often visit our local park to walk the paths, especially this time of year. If you could time travel, where would you go and when? Why?
I’d go back to 1880s/1890s New York. It seemed like such an innovative and exciting time. And I would love to see neighborhoods I know now and find out what they were like when some of my ancestors lived there. Sort of like Jack Finney’s Time and Again.
 
What was your first job?
I was a secretary in a small legal office. During the first week, I put a hole in a letter I was typing when trying to erase and correct my mistakes and, also, managed to burn the bottom of the coffee pot. My boss reacted with extremely good humor. When I left a few months later, he wished me well – and hopefully hired someone more efficient.
 
Let’s talk about writing some more. Does it energize or exhaust you?
Usually writing energizes me. I love the challenge of working on a few pages and then going back and reworking them and seeing how I can do it better. It’s sort of like figuring out a puzzle. You know, maybe this paragraph should be first instead of that one – or some dialogue would be better than a description somewhere else. It’s all a process of discovery for me, and I love it.
 
What would you do if you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult?
Oh, wow. Good question. I would have ignored my insecurities and feelings about not being good enough, and I would have written more and tried out for the school newspaper or entered a local essay contest. I think I would have learned more about the writing process and would have gained a little more confidence earlier in life.
 
How do you select the names of your characters?
It’s pretty random. I listen to my car radio and an announcer will mention a name -- or I’ll read a magazine article or something on the internet, and a name or two will grab me. (Or I’ll overhear a name at the next table in a restaurant!) Then I mix and match these names and often come up with variations. And I have to feel as if the name fits the character and that’s just instinct, I guess.
 
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
Going to conferences is one – there are lots of panels, speakers, new perspectives to discover, people to talk with – it’s all a learning experience and most conferences have been well worth it. The other thing is taking writing workshops in a supportive environment. These types of opportunities have made me think about and analyze my writing in different ways, and then I can better figure out what I’m trying to do with any given project.
 
What does literary success look like to you?
If just a few people read my books and tell me they enjoyed them, or a scene or a character diverted, touched, or inspired them somehow, then I consider that success. Connecting with people through my writing is, to me, the most important thing. And the journey of getting to a finished manuscript is a joy and success in itself.

Caryl, thank you so much for joining me Around the Fire. You have some exciting news I hear. A new book coming out October 20th. Can you tell us a little and how to get a copy? 

To Sketch a Killer
by 
Caryl Janis
An urban cozy mystery 
October 20,2023

​Sarah Quinlee needed a change. She sublet a tiny Manhattan apartment, took a new job, and rekindled her passion for sketching. But after accidentally stumbling on a murder victim outside the church next to her workplace, change proved far riskier than she'd anticipated, even for the crime-ridden 1970s. Sarah is quickly pulled into a tangle of neighborhood secrets involving an enigmatic homeless woman, a menacing street punk, a quirky assortment of locals, and coworkers with a past. Her perceptive sketches of them raise some serious questions—and some serious danger. Unable to resist playing sleuth, despite the profound concern of a very attractive police detective, Sarah is soon up against a killer desperate to hide the crime at all costs.
 
Amazon: To Sketch a Killer: Janis, Caryl: 9781509251926: Amazon.com: Books
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/to%20sketch%20a%20killer

  More about the author.
Caryl Janis has been a fan of mysteries since childhood and now writes her own.
To Sketch a Killer is her first. Research Can Be Murder will be available soon. She
is also a freelance musician and nonfiction author who enjoys theater, museums, and spending time with family and friends. You can find her online at: www.caryljanis.com
or at 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarylJanis

About the Author
​A high school dropout at 15, ML Barrs started in TV as a 'one-man-band' reporter. She worked her way up to News Director at KDFW which, under her leadership, became the most successful news station in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX. She wrapped up her local TV career as General Manager at KXTV-TV in Sacramento, CA, and launched into writing mysteries.
Her debut novel, Parallel Secrets, is the first in a series featuring Vicky Robeson, a TV news journalist, travel writer, and fierce seeker of truth—who has trouble facing her own.
The oldest girl of 13 children born to the son of a coal miner and an immigrant from The Philippines, ML traveled the country with her family in a converted school bus. She called 19 places home by age 20. Her somewhat chaotic upbringing helped prepare her for the challenging world of TV news.
​After 30-plus years covering stories—big or small, devastating or joyous, complicated or simple—she believes that everything comes down to understanding people. What drove her as a journalist is what drives her heroine, Vicky Robeson—a deep longing to find truth, and to understand why people make the choices they do.
Find out more by following the author.
http://www.mlbarrs.com
mlbarrs@outlook.com
LinkedIn.com
Facebook.com
Instagram.com
Threads.net

I don't get to read as often as I would like. You know how it is. Life and busyness get in the way. I love when we go on long trips and can enjoy audio books. Sometime I also have difficulty finding books that catch and hold my attention. A couple of pages in and often I end up DNFing a book. DNF? Did not finish. But scrolling through the other day I found The Witch’s Lens by Luanne G. Smith.
I liked it very much and finished it in two sittings.
Quite a unique story. Paranormal? Yes. Historical? Yes. But not what I expected. The world-building took me to a place where I wasn’t familiar. The location and time period from references would have been WWI Eastern Europe. I haven’t read many books from this era.
The main character is Petra, a woman and witch whose human husband has gone to war. She is left in dire straights of poverty and fear. Though many witches have been conscripted into the fighting, she hides her magic from those who would use it for personal gain.
A camera, a gift from her husband before he left, exposes her not only as a lone woman in the city. One unique paranormal talent she has enables her to see ghosts when she develops the film. Dressed as a man, she prowls the streets at night, taking pictures.
Josef is searching for those witches who have gone into hiding to build a special team to turn the tide of the battle where revenants are being used against them. Though he appears human, something is off about him.
Petra must decide. Does she continue in her miserable state and try to elude authorities and those who would use her other powerful magics or join the group of men and try to turn the tides of war both of mortals and paranormals.
The harsh reality of WWI and the difficulties of women left behind when men go off to war is revealed through the pages of this story. It is also how people can make a difference when they choose to use their strengths for the greater good. 
I do recommend this story. 

About the Author
Alana Lorens (aka Barbara Mountjoy) has been a published writer for over 45 years, including seven years as a reporter and editor at the South Dade News Leader in Homestead, Florida. Her list of publications includes the non-fiction book 101 Little Instructions for Surviving Your Divorce, published by Impact Publishers in 1999, stories in A Cup of Comfort for Divorced Women, in December 2008, and A Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Parents, in June 2009. 
Her Clan Elves of the Bitterroot series (as Lyndi Alexander) is available from Dragonfly Publishing; THE ELF QUEEN in 2010 and THE ELF CHILD in March 2011, THE ELF MAGE in 2012, and THE ELF GUARDIAN in 2013.
Her release (as Alana Lorens) is ENCOUNTER, from Dragonfly Publishing, as well. A freak snowstorm strands a group of high-priced lawyers, a truckload of illegal Mexicans and a killer in a New Mexico retreat. Who will survive?
http://alana-lorens.com

Hard to believe it’s September. My summer flew past, and not totally in a great way. Of course, there were ups and downs. We don’t camp as much in summer as in spring and fall. I love the crisp nights sitting around a fire. We usually do that when we’re home around the firepit. Since returning home from our winter digs in Northern Florida, we’ve only gone out a few times. Once on grandkid babysitting in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, it rained the entire week. We did go on an overnight trip to Connecticut for a writers’ event. It was so blasted hot that we bailed right after the conference finished. And last but not least, a two-day trip to Newburgh, NY. Um, it rained again the entire time. But as I tell the campers at my part-time job, I’d rather camp in the rain than not camp in the rain at home. Oh, did you notice what I said? My part-time job.
Retirement didn’t pan out the way I’d hoped. Initially, I dreamed of making enough money to supplement my social security. Hah! One of the first things people ask when they find out I’m an author is, “Do you sell a lot of books?” I do sell books. Not tons. But some. What they and I didn’t understand back when I’d made my plan is that a writer makes pennies on the dollar. That is unless you are one of the fortunate ones. I don’t begrudge them a bit. I want to be one of them. Writing is hard. Think of all the hours spent filling the pages—then editing, etc.
 Take Rock House Grill, for example. It lists at seventeen dollars at online retailers, but after everyone gets their share, the publisher, the printer, etc., then little ole me at the end receives about one dollar and thirty-eight cents. eBooks are where most sales are, so let’s take a peek at that. We’ll stick with Rock House for a minute. The eBook retails at $4.99. In the end, my royalty is $1.05, a little better than the hard copy because of printing costs. Unless a library orders a copy. Guess how much I’ll receive then? About 6 cents. Don’t get me wrong, I love having my books in libraries. It’s an honor, really. I mean that. I’ve donated books to libraries.
Let’s talk about indies. Independents or self-published do get a higher royalty, but most books are eBooks or, in certain cases, with independents on Kindle Unlimited. I’ll explain about KU in a second.
Royalties are definitely higher with eBooks, that’s good. But, and it’s a big old junk in the trunk, but the costs to publish fall on me and me alone. What does this mean? My publisher pays the editor, cover artist, printer, etc. For self-publishing, all that falls on the writer. The most significant chunk is probably for an editor. A good editor can cost ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on how long the book is, what type of editing is required, how many rounds of editing it takes, the size of the manuscript, etc.
Advise from me. Don’t scrimp or overlook editing. It’s so important to have a good editor. When I do interviews or panels, I’m often asked where a writer should invest with a limited budget. My answer is to obtain the services of the best editor you can afford. It’s that important. Then you need to have a great cover. Again, this can run into hundreds of dollars. And let’s not forget a marketing budget. According to Reedsy, the costs associated with publishing a manuscript are between $500 and $4,800.
I mentioned Kindle Unlimited. All my independent books are KU. That means a reader joins for a yearly fee. The annual fee lets them choose any book listed as KU. There are boatloads. Then, the author gets paid for the pages read. The KDP per page payout as of July 2023 is  $0.003989. Let’s say you have a three-hundred-page book. If the reader reads the whole book, the writer will receive about $1.20
Do the math. Years ago, I owned a coffee shop. Pricing is tricky. Too high, no one buys. Too low, and you make no money. How many $1 cups of coffee does it take to cover the rent?
So, what is the moral of this story? Yeah, it’s a bit of a gripe. I hated going back into the workforce. But I love writing. Like children, sometimes your books are a pain. They can cost a lot. Often, you feel like walking into a closet and screaming with a pillow over your mouth. In the end? It’s worth it. Realistically, I’ve been in the author world since 2016. I have nine published books, inclusion in one anthology, and a bi-monthly column in Still Moments Magazine. Six books are in various stages of development.
To anyone reading this, be assured I don’t want to discourage new writers. Your path may be totally different than mine. Others, if you’ve been in this game for a while and are struggling, don’t feel like you are alone. Readers? I just wanted to give you a peek behind the curtain. And especially to myself, D. V. Stone, like one of your favorite characters, Dory, just keep swimming. 
mailchi.mp/18125bb60cc5/dv-stones-news-bulletin

Charm City Crab Puff
by 
​Pamela Kyel
A Cozy Mystery Coming in 2024 
From
The Wild Rose Press

The smell of humidity, trash, and car exhaust greeted me the second I stepped outside. The Baltimore Harbor was a quick drive away, and with it, the Chesapeake Bay, which meant humidity was abundant here. July and August found us perspiring faster than a Pimlico racehorse the second we went outside, so I didn’t go outside. 
Hopping into my car, I congratulated myself again for stopping by the local convenience store and grabbing their second-largest cup. I snagged my drug of choice from the cup holder and slurped down a hefty dose of sweet tea. The sugar rushed in and eased the tight chest and stomach I got from seeing Zach on the table. I would need a pitcher to deal with seeing Desio. Nothing prepared me for seeing Zach this morning. I knew coming in, there was a good chance it was him, but still—dude, I was not ready. When Colonel Waters couldn’t reach Zach once the Air Force notified us, I knew something was up. We even tried Zach’s current duty station, but no one there had seen him—at least, that’s what they said. 
I wrestled into my place in line on I-95 and thought about what brought me back to Baltimore. This was my first assignment to bring me home—which I fought for six months. There was nothing but painful memories here, but after I spoke to Colonel Waters, I knew this was what I needed to bring closure. I just wasn’t expecting to be confronted with it so soon. 

From the Author
Three years ago, in the middle of Covid, I decided it would be fun to write a novel while trying to manage my sanity and teach my then-six-year-old her remote school lessons. I was reading a cozy series then and thought, I can do this. 
I finished my first novel in a matter of months, and through research, I learned the next step on the journey would be querying. I was sooo not ready for the reality check that came next. I joined Mystery Writers of America and signed up for their beta reader option. The feedback was startling. Didn’t my friend and beta reader tell me how great my book was? Who was this person, and who did she think she was to tell me how much I needed to fix? Oh, how much I had to learn. 
I queried around eighty agents, and every single one laughed in my face. Well, not really, but they may as well have. My naiveté was as evident as my ignorance. I had no clue what I was doing. It was an incredibly humbling experience. However, it didn’t diminish my desire for writing. Instead, I chalked it up as a learning adventure and moved on to another project. I was a woman on a mission now—a mission to get my book published. 
Fast forward two years and countless queries later, I realized it’s okay if my end goal changes. I went from dreaming of an agent to simply wishing to hold my book in my hand. I knew in my heart, though, that if I didn’t try the agent route, I would always wonder. 
My book, Charm City Crab Puff, drops in 2024. I will post more information on my webpage and Facebook page, so be sure to join me there.
Heat level:
PG/PG13 for occasional language.

About the Author
I am Baltimore (pronounced “Bawlmer”), Maryland, born and raised. Life has taken me from Maryland to Montana to Italy and points in between, courtesy of the US Air Force. Being a military spouse, I have had a front-row seat to the workings of the military, and I use that in my Charm City series.
Follow Pamela at
www.PamelaKyel.com
www.Facebook.com/PamelaKyel

​​Caleb
by
Kate Hill
Series: Romantic Moments
Heat Level: Mild
Werewolf, Hurt and Comfort, Urban Fantasy
Length: Short Story
Released September 1, 2023
www.amazon.com/Caleb-Romantic-Moments-Book-2-ebook/dp/B0CD9G6XL5

I'm a powerful and respected Alpha, but the wolf Mette covets my leadership. I'm injured when my conniving enemy challenges me. 
After losing my pack and nearly my life, I go to lick my wounds in the human world, but my beloved mate Tia knows that a wolf's broken spirit can heal, and there is only one true leader of our pack.
 
From the Author
​Caleb is a very short werewolf action romance story with a mild heat level, moderate violence, and a HEA. This Romantic Moments story is the perfect length for a lunch break, before bed, or any time you want a quick, romantic read.

Links:
Website: https://kate-hill.com/
Blog: https://kate-hill.com/blog/
Newsletter: https://kate-hill.com/index.php/newsletter/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kate-Hill/e/B002BLS7OW
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-hill
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16157.Kate_Hill
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katehillromancewritingandmore/_saved/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/katehillromancewritingandmore
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateHillRomance

Max - Canine Concierge of Love
by 
Mariah Lynne
Contemporary Romance
He’s got fur; they have broken hearts.
A canine concierge named Max helps four lonely guests at a beautiful island resort leave their pasts behind and open their hearts to a second chance at love. In this sweet contemporary romance, Max’s sometimes clumsy, sometimes humorous, but always intentional ways of introduction will make you smile and tear up with joy!
A reader wrote, “Reading ‘Max’ is like watching a Disney romance. I loved it!”
More!
“Hi! My name is Max. Yes, I’m a dog and you’re probably a human reading this. Sure, I flunked out of guide dog training for disobeying commands, but did get high marks for personality, tail wagging, and my specialty - making humans happy. I’m so good at those, my favorite human Nate Pierson Innkeeper of The Two Turtles Inn, Sanibel Island Florida, named me Concierge in charge of Guest Happiness!
I love every human I meet like Dr. Aaron Swift who stayed here after his fiance, Beth, dumped him for his best man right before their wedding! Aaron cancelled his honeymoon too late to get his deposit back so he stayed here for his “non-honeymoon.”
As Concierge, I took him for walks and listened to his feelings before putting my own plan into action to mend his broken heart! I just happen to know a beautiful divorcee who might want to stroll with us.
My friend Mariah wrote about Aaron and my ‘other adventures.’ She says I have a lot of complications to solve like Beth who keeps trying to make Aaron unhappy.
Nate says I have a talent for this concierge business. So if you want to walk on the beach and chat, I’m the best dog for the job. You’ll see when you read my story!
As Nate says ‘Always Bet on Fur!’
Thanks for listening! I’ll see you at the Two Turtles Inn!
Your Friend,
MAX
Get your copy today!
smile.amazon.com/Mariah-Lynne/e/B00AYH099G
https://books.apple.com/us/book/max-canine-concierge-of-love/id6446376154​
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/MARIAH+LYNNE

The Inspiration for the story.
The character of Max is based on my real-life Max who like the dog in the story loved people and other
animals. Like the real Max, the Max in the story performed magic shows at our island rec center, served
as a demonstration dog for talks by a representative from the no-kill shelter with which I was affiliated
on the benefits of adopting a shelter dog, and loved to play with doggie toys. He shared his love with
everyone. In the book, his love and loyalty made good things happen romantically for four couples.
I sure could have used some of his unconditional love these past two years. 2022 and 2023 proved to be
some of the most difficult to date. Hurricane Ian took a direct hit September 28 , 2022 sending a fifteen-
foot storm surge to engulf the island we called home for over thirty years. We along with most islanders
lost our home and everything in it. But even though many memories and personal treasures cannot be
replaced, it’s the people, our family and friends and our pets, that are most important to our lives. My
sweet Max would remind all of us to hold our loved ones close, to be kind and caring, and help those in
need. Everything else will fall into place.
I hope you have fun reading about how Max helps people fall in love! I sure had fun writing it!

About the Author
Enjoy stories packed with mystery, history, and romance? Mariah Lynne writes stories that take her readers along on exciting journeys to distant times, with mysterious plot twists, and set in beautiful places. Her heroines are fearless, strong-willed, independent women whose memorable tales are sure to entertain you.

In SHADOWS ACROSS TIME, antique dealer Danielle deForet is tricked into an appraisal by an odd client who casts a spell sending them both back to a French castle in1559. Danielle must escape to save her life. She meets a handsome guard, falls in love, and together they plan a risky escape. THE LOVE GYPSY, in e-format and on audible, boasts unique characters, a murder, and just a touch of the paranormal. Her newest time travel adventure, THE DUCHESS' NECKLACE, in e-book and print format, tells a tale rich in Romance, Revenge and Royal Jewels. Claws For Justice, a short story murder mystery about cats, is included in NINE DEADLY LIVES. 

Mariah Lynne weaves the local flavors and characters of Southwest Florida into her stories. Living on a barrier Gulf Coast Island with her husband and dog, Max, a shelter adoptee, she loves the feel of sand under her feet as well as the animals and sea life that surround her. Max, a dolphin hunter, barks at dolphin sounds he can hear under the water before they surface. As a puppy, he jumped off the dock into the muddy waters of the back- bay hoping to connect with one. When he did not resurface, Mariah had to jump in quickly and save him. Because of Max, all of her heroines have pets. Show Less