It's been a long summer in my house. Between author duties, my DH and I have been demoing and remodeling our circa 1970 kitchen. The old cabinets were disintegrating and falling off the wall. We were supposed to do it a few years back, but the need for a new roof trumped the need for a new kitchen. Ugh, priorities. Anyhoo, we were blessed when a friend was renovating an apartment, and they were going to throw the cabinets away. Yep, under a year and out with the old. We got them for a great price. FREE! 
What does this have to do with camping? A lot, actually.
First of all, my camper had a better kitchen than my house. (See pictures below.) But I was at work, at a campground, mind you. Everyone was walking around having a good time or sitting at fires chatting. I texted Pete. "I NEED TO GO CAMPING!"
He texted back '"Book it."
So, I did for the following Monday.
He texted again. "Just not this week." 
Nooooo! Remember Hee Haw? There was a song called Doom, Despair, and Agony on Me. That is precisely how I felt canceling the reservation and rebooking.
We went the following week for just a few days. We both needed to work, and the kitchen was ratty-tatty. Adulting is tough. But we did enjoy our little getaway to the Hudson Valley and did the Walkway Over The Hudson  
Pete was a little nervous (he doesn't do heights) but pushed through. We had campfires and met some fun folks from the Pacific Northwest who were traveling the country. I read books instead of writing them. 
Yes, it was only two days, and we were back. But that little break was enough to regain my mojo. I'm back writing and editing. So what if it's three separate books. Progress is being made, just like my kitchen. Only the walls and floors need to be done now. Even with that, it's no longer ratty-tatty, and it's fully functional. I even have a new oven and stove hooked up. I bought it scratch and dent about fifteen years ago, and it's been stored in our basement, waiting for the day. I may even start baking again.
I hope you enjoy my pictures of the kitchen and the trip. I also hope you get to take one of those little rejuvenating jaunts. 

Have a great rest of your week and weekend. I'm planning a late September jaunt ot Lancaster PA, one of our favorite close by (relatively) haunts. See you Monday for a  New Release Spotlight.

Saint Con
by 
Seelie Kay
Release Date: August 4, 2023
Romantic Suspense
Heat Level: three flames

About The Book
It was a night dreams are made of, until the man of Jessica Knight’s dreams disappears.
When self-proclaimed good girl Jessica Knight literally bumps into apparent bad boy Connor
O’Brien in a suburban Milwaukee wine bar, she is skeptical—of his intentions and the prospect
for real love. A former priest, Saint Con is now a street lawyer for Milwaukee’s homeless. After
a night of sizzling romance, Jess begins to thaw, and in the days that follow, she is so charmed by
Con that she allows herself to start falling in love. Unfortunately, on their first real date, Con fails
to appear. Jess doesn’t know if she’s been ghosted or if Con was unavoidably detained, but she
leaves their meeting spot devastated. Until she discovers that Con is missing. Really missing.
The police won’t help because he’s not a vulnerable adult nor is there proof that he has been
harmed. So, it falls to Jess and her friends to find him. After surmounting numerous obstacles,
Con is finally found, gravely injured and in a coma. Suddenly, it appears a promising love match
may be over before it really began.
More with a look inside
Her best friend, Sadie English, who had been waiting for her return, giggled. “I’ve heard about
catching diseases from public toilets, but I’ve never heard about catching a man.” A sly
expression crossed her sweet face, and she extended her hand to Connor. “Hello, I’m Sadie.
What apple cart did you fall off of?” She tossed her head of burgundy pink-tipped curls and her
stylishly trimmed eyebrows pitched up over curious brown eyes.
Connor rolled his eyes as he took the stool next to Jessica. “Name’s Con.” He shook her hand.
“Both lawyers?”
Sadie burst out laughing. “Hell, no. I enjoy my life. You won’t find me trapped in some
windowless office working sixty hours a week. I’m into bagels.” Sadie pointed at the tee shirt
she was wearing, bearing the words, bagels are my everything.
Con made a face. “Bagels?”
Sadie grinned. “My family owns Bagels & More. We make twenty kinds of bagels daily.”
Jessica nodded. “Not just bagels, but bagelwiches and bagel cakes and stuffed bagels. My
favorite is the egg-in-the-hole bagel.”
Connor studied Sadie. “I think I know your father. Tall, thin, gray hair? Name of Jeb?”
Sadie stared at him. “How the heck do you know my father? I’ve never seen you in the store and
believe me, I’d remember.”
“St. Ben’s Social Justice Committee. I’m the chair.”
Sadie’s jaw dropped. “You’re the guy with the traveling justice center? The guy who got kicked
out of the seminary and became a lawyer?”
“Or, as your father claims, got dumped into the devil’s lair.”
Sadie bounced up and down on her stool, her eyes wide with excitement. “My God, I can’t
believe it.” She grabbed onto Jessica to steady herself. “Jess, this is the guy I told you about. He
travels around Milwaukee County offering legal services to the unhoused. In an old food truck.”
She bounced again. “And you have a motorcycle. You’re a biker. Not that kind of biker, but a
member of God’s Warriors. You guys are amazing. You do so much good, but in secret.” Sadie
pounded on Jessica’s back. “I can’t believe he’s that guy.”
Jessica’s eyes narrowed, and she stared at Con. “She’s kidding, right? You’re not Saint Con.” She
shook her head in disbelief. Even she had heard of the guy. She nudged Sadie. “Trust me, he’s no
saint. He hit on me.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocq4PDUUpuk 

Grab a copy today
www.extasybooks.com/Saint-Con
www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDW5SXDZ
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143889596
​www.goodreads.com/book/show/186313179-saint-con
www.bookbub.com/books/saint-con-by-seelie-kay

An interview with Seelie Kay
Q. Why do you write romance?
It began as a way to relieve the stress of a career as a lawyer/journalist and dealing with MS “on
the side.” Writing has always been my outlet and the best way to break away from reality for a
bit was to write romance. Plus, I love happy endings. I get rather emotional (yes, I’m a crier) but
it’s a wonderful release.
Q. Do you prefer a certain type of romantic hero?
I adore smart, dashing gentlemen who aren’t afraid to live on the edge. They can be a lawyer, a
bad boy, a billionaire, a prince, or a secret agent. That hint of danger just hooks me! However,
they have to be paired with strong, independent women who aren’t afraid to fight for what they
want, even love. And brains over brawn, every time!
Q. Why did you write “Saint Con?”
It all began when I woke up to an AMBER and SENIOR alert on my phone. For some reason, I
began to wonder why I never saw an alert for an able-bodied adult gone missing. I did a little
research and found that in WI, only proof of harm or the passage of 72 hours will trigger a
missing person’s investigation. The burden of finding an able-bodied adult falls on friends and
family. That just seems wrong, because most people don’t have the skill or resources to conduct
an investigation. However, as you learn from crime shows, the first 72 hours are critical to
gathering evidence and finding a missing person. Suddenly, I had the plot, and I knew I wanted
to incorporate a character I had been playing with, a street lawyer for the homeless. “Saint Con”
was born.
Q. You pretty much use lawyers as your main characters. Why?
It’s what I know. After 30 years, the law and the legal world are so firmly embedded in my brain
that I can’t flush them out. That has become the lens through which I view the world and that
naturally guides my characters and plots. Injustice infuriates me, but it also leads me to great
stories. Even in this book, I find a way to explore social and criminal justice issues.
About the Author
Award-winning author Seelie Kay writes about lawyers in love.
Writing under a nom de plume, the former lawyer and journalist draws her stories from more
than 30 years in the legal world. Seelie’s creative pen has resulted in more than twenty tales of
contemporary, erotic, and paranormal romance, and romantic suspense.
Find out more by following Seelie at
Website:  https://www.seeliekay.com
Blog:  https://www.seeliekay.blogspot.com
Twitter: @SeelieKay https://twitter.com/SeelieKay
​Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/seelie.kay.77
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/seeliekay51/
Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Seelie-Kay/e/B074RDRWNZ/
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/seelie-kay
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16492565.Seelie_Kay
TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@authorseeliekay
Newsletter sign-up:  https://rb.gy/w69pim

​Thank you for joining me Around the Fire today, Ruby. While I pour some coffee, please introduce yourself. Who are you other than your bio?
I am a black woman in her mid-fifties who is finally making her dream as a writer come true. I am a wife, caregiver, friend, and cat mom. When I’m not writing or giving in to my cat’s demands, I’m a virtual assistant.
 
I, too, have a demanding cat. Baby is twenty-plus years old and deaf. She meows very loudly to compensate for hearing loss. What interests besides writing do you enjoy? For instance, what do you read or hobbies you have?
I love to read! Lately (like two years), I’ve been on a paranormal women’s fiction and interracial mafia kick. I also love watching baseball (go Orioles), football (Cowboys), a daily dose of Seinfeld reruns, and learning obscure things on YouTube with my husband.
 
Paranormal women’s fiction is one of my favorites as well. Not much of a sports fan, though. Who is your network or support system? This would be any groups/authors/friends/family who contributes to your writing career.
My husband. My friend Becky. Every member (past and present) of my local RWA Chapter, Land of Enchantment Romance Authors (LERA). My critique members: Carol Potenza and Lenette Rodriguez. Miriam Pace, Bonita Thornton, Nancy Lavo.
 
It looks like you have a great set of backup folks. Who or what books or authors are your inspiration?
Maya Angelou. There are too many books that motivated me to give writing a try.
 
Ms. Angelou was undoubtedly a great lady. Do you have any fun or outrageous talent?
None at all, LOL. Does singing Phineas and Ferb theme song count?
 
At Around the Fire, we believe singing any song in any way counts as a talent. What is your neighborhood like? Are there any places you frequent? What makes them special? 
I live in Albuquerque, NM. My neighborhood is less than an eighth of a mile from Kirtland Air Force, so I hear a lot of planes. We have an amazing view of the Sandia Mountains. My neighborhood is diverse, with a mix of races, older people, and young families. Because of the base, we have a variety of restaurants on the main drag. My husband and I are homebodies, but we do enjoy a Mexican restaurant within walking distance.
 
It sounds wonderful! I’ve heard New Mexico is a fantastic blend of people and culture. Does writing energize or exhaust you?
I’ve experienced both. After working on my editor’s feedback for Ronan’s Queen and doing new proofread edits for my first two books, I needed to take a break from working on my WIP because I just didn’t have the creative juice. I do feel energized when I’m introducing new MC and supporting characters I know will have their own story.
 
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Not taking advantage of a critique group or at least finding another writer to bounce ideas off of. Building a support group is vital even if you never publish.
 
Wise words. I’m very blessed to have not only my Wild Rose Press authors and editors support but also a close group of indie authors who have each other’s back. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
I like writing series. I generally fall in love with supporting characters and want to expand on them with their own stories. They can be read out of order, but usually, you’ll go back to see how one couple came to be.
 
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Learn craft! Writing a good story is harder than it is mentally telling yourself the story.
 
How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
It changed knowing I need to have the next book basically ready to go or at least ready to send to an editor. This is a lesson I’m still learning after three books.
 
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Wow… Three unpublished stories, one of which I have used for queries and just need a rewrite. Half-finished is close to ten. All of them were before I started studying the craft and learning the beats.
 
I’m the same. I have too many projects, including one big one with all my early writing career mistakes. Ruby, what does literary success look like to you?
My story is shared among generations.
 
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book? I’ve visited sites and museums to get a feel for several book scenes.
Pinterest is my friend. I am a visual person, and I need to see locations and character inspirations. With my new series, I am already in month two of research while I am writing my fourth book.
 
How do you select the names of your characters?
Ronan was introduced in the first book, and I researched Irish names. Keira, I saw a character on a TV show. Usually, I have a folder of baby, vintage, and surnames in my Pinterest account.
 
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Not really, but all the songs I reference in my stories are favorites.
 
My Impact series is like that. Music references. What was your hardest scene to write?
The ending.
 
Do you Google yourself?
No. My husband has.
 
What is your favorite childhood book?
“Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret” Judy Blume
 
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Staying focused. I need to write in silence.
 
What would you do if you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult?
I would have paid more attention to writing. I didn’t want to be a writer until my forties.
 
How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
Unless it’s National Novel Writing Month, about two months. 
 
What is your favorite mug or teacup?
My Marvel Avengers cup for coffee and my VW bus insolated cup for water.
 
If you could eat anything in the world right now, what would it be?
Caramel cheesecake
 
Worst household chore?
Vacuuming
 
Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants?
Unlimited international first-class tickets. 
 
What was your first job?
Cashier at K-mart when I was seventeen.

Ruby, how wonderful it's been having you Around the Fire. I'm so glad to get to know you. Before you head out to maybe that little Mexican restaurant, will you tell us about your book and where we can get more information on it and you?

​You shouldn’t be attracted to your partner in the school supply drive. Right?
Keira Hughes closed herself off after the tragic loss of her husband. Raising her two boys, work, and the
annual school supply drive were the only things that mattered. Until a cobalt blue-eyed temptation
stumbled into her life and called her ‘Queenie.’
Ronan Sullivan left his life as a literary agent to start over in Point Harbor as their new community
outreach director. Making the school supply drive a success was his only goal. Until he met Keira and her
two adorable boys and realized he needed a queen and princes in his life.
Can two people move past their old pain and loss to find a new happy ever after?
Welcome back to Point Harbor, where finding love, family, and friends and plentiful. Download this
sweet and clean single-parent, second-chance at love romance today.
Amazon Book Page
Instagram social media link
Favorite Review on Amazon

​Desert Rose ~ Blake's Folly Romance Book 1
by
J. Arlene Culiner

Released May 3, 2023
​A small town contemporary romance.

Secrets are excellent protection against love.
 
Rose Badger is the local flirt, and if the other inhabitants of backwoods Blake's Folly, Nevada, don't approve, she couldn't care less. With a disastrous marriage and a dead-end career far behind her, settling down is the last thing she intends to do.
​Newcomer Jonah Livingstone is intriguing, but with his complicated life, he's off limits for anything other than friendship. Besides, Rose has a secret world of her own-one she won't give up for any man. The last person geologist Jonah Livingstone expected to meet in a semi-ghost town is the sparkling and lovely Rose Badger. But Rose, always surrounded by many admirers, doesn't seem inclined to choose a favorite. So why fret? Jonah keeps his personal life well hidden...and that's the best way to avoid disappointment.

Grab your copy today.
books2read.com/RosesDesert

About the Author
Born in New York, raised in Toronto, Jill Culiner set out to have a life of adventure and discovery, not one of security and comfort. She has since crossed much of Europe on foot, travelled, by bus, train, car or truck throughout North and Central America, Europe, and the Sahara, has lived in a Hungarian mud house, a Bavarian castle, a Turkish cave-dwelling, on a Dutch canal, a lonely, and a very haunted stone house on the English moors. Such a lifestyle has meant staying flexible and taking up any sort of work that presents itself: belly dancer, fortune teller, b-girl, translator, fashion model, storyteller, radio broadcaster, actress, social critical artist, photographer, and writer. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest and protects all creatures, especially spiders and snakes. She particularly loves incorporating into short stories, mysteries, narrative non-fiction, and romances, her experiences in out-of-the-way communities with their strange characters, and very odd conversations.
Web sites:

www.jill-culiner.com
Storytelling Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/j-arlene-culiner

Gaelic Magic
by 
Fiona McGier
Naomi is a romance novelist. Her best-selling series is about a Scottish Thane from the past. Her other series is about a female spy. When Naomi has anxiety attacks, she seeks help from an experimental dream therapy. The doctor warns her she'll have him in her head, watching as she remembers scenes from her life. She laughs and warns him about the other voices who live in her head, always telling her their life stories. His assistant, Will, wears a kilt to meet her for the first time. They both fight their initial attraction, but it grows stronger. Finding out that Will is the seventh son of a seventh son is an amusing detail, until they discover that the unseelie have taken up residence in his head--but he has no idea why, or what they want him to do, to get them to leave. When Naomi and Will get close to the reason for her anxiety attacks, she realizes she could be in danger. Will their relationship survive? Will they?
Get your copy today!
Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/u/m2ExDr
Note: this book would be rated R—for some scenes of violence and some scenes of sexuality as the heroine and hero fall in love—on the way to their HEA. 

The inspiration for Gaelic Magic
I’ve been working on this book for a long time. First, I got the inspiration for writing about a romance author. I wanted to give readers a sense of what authors mean when we say that we hear “voices” in our heads. That’s why I can’t listen to music as I write--I need to be able to “listen” as the characters “talk” to me, telling their stories so I can write them--which allows them to “live” in readers’ heads as well. They like that. 
Second, since I knew the hero had to be a Scotsman, I had to get over my personal hang-up. Me late faither was a Glaswegian (from Glasgow.) I grew up listening to his accent. It doesn’t say to me, “Hello, sexy man in a kilt.” It says, “Hello, Dad.” Hard to find that sexy. But as the characters began to tell me their life events, it flowed well. And I was comforted hearing my dad’s accent as the hero spoke. Dad’s been gone many years. But I remember him telling me about his mother’s best friend, whom he called “Mrs. Hammie,” short for Hamilton. The hero is William Hamilton.
And third, I wanted to honor the memory of a friend who passed on way too early. I admired her strong spirit, and her love for family and life. I also loved her name. I dedicated the book to Naomi, and I’ll give an autographed copy to her sister. I gave the heroine the middle name (which she uses as her pen name) of Delu, which means the first-born daughter after three sons. My husband and I considered this name for our daughter, who has three older brothers. I hope this background will help readers to enjoy the story more!​

Dictionary
Definitions from Oxford Languages
Run amok: behave uncontrollably and disruptively.

​I think I need a border collie or two.
I’ve been a little quiet on the writing front lately. At least publicly. A few people are aware of my struggles, right, Nancy? Orsolo was giving me fits. I couldn’t get her written. Started actually. One of the biggies in writing is where the story should begin. If you’re familiar with my Shield-Mates books, you know they are about sisters. The stories run concurrently, each from a different sister’s point of view. Felice is the youngest, Kisa is the middle child, and Orsolo is the oldest of the siblings. I was trying to begin Orsolo’s story where we left off in Kisa. It didn’t work. I hated it. After much soul-searching, I realized why. I’ve set her aside for now. I know where to start, and it’s very personal to me and my own history. Stay tuned. She’ll get there.
I also pulled Kingdom at a Crossroad out of mothballs, and I’m re-editing it. But guess where I am? Does Impact ring a bell? Yep. My third installment in the Impact series is coming along, and guess what? I’m still herding cats. All the characters from Rock House and Jazz House are orbiting around Nick. He’s Shay’s ex-husband, and I do love a redemption story. But he’s been out of the picture for a while. Here’s the tentative gist

Honky-Tonk Hideaway (Working title)
Impact Series Book Three
By
D. V. Stone
A former police officer with a checkered history tries to rebuild his life after a gunshot nearly takes it. His past, however, refuses to let him succeed, and someone is out to ruin him. Then he meets a beautiful firefighter with a sweet country voice who may be the key to locking up the past and unlocking his heart.

Trying to make connections can be tricky. Some characters are in jail, and some just disappeared. The House’s, Aden and Olivia, were the easiest. I’ll figure it out. Eventually. I have a map. I have a plan. Maybe. 
What cats are you trying to herd lately?

Kim, thank you for joining me around the fire. While I pour you a red and me a white, why don’t you introduce yourself and tell our other visitors who are you other than your bio?
A doer. I rarely sit still just watching TV. My hands are always going. Knitting,
crocheting, or crafting of some kind. I have so many projects going simultaneously that my
husband calls my recliner my nest since it’s surrounded by projects in progress. I’m a
proud wife of forty-eight years to an amazing perfect-for-me man. I’m a lifelong friend
and loving oldest sister.
 
So, you have busy hands. I crochet a bit, too. Can you talk about your interests a little deeper?
I read all the time. I usually have a book going on my filled to the gills Kindle and a
paperback on my bedside—can’t do computer reading right before bed. I spin fiber into
yarn and weave, knit, and crochet with my homespun creations. I build model buildings
for my husband’s HO model railroad in our basement. Feed and watch my
hummingbirds. Tend to the plants on my screened-in deck. Keep up with friends and
family across the country and the world.
 
My hubby is a train man, too! He even has an outdoor LG set for the garden. Tell us more about your DH and any others in your support system.
First, my sweet husband, who reads all my work and makes terrific improvements to the
plots. My friend, Millie, who is my sounding board and patiently reads and rereads my
stories. An unexpected treasure has been my fellow Roses in the Wild Rose Press
Garden. You were among the first to provide guidance and assistance when I had my
debut novel Polly’s List come out in 2022. Everyone is so helpful and kind. I appreciate
them reading my books and reviewing them, and commenting on my blog. It’s a
wonderfully supportive atmosphere, and I’ve tried to pay it forward by providing new to
TWRP authors with the benefit of what I have learned along the way.
 
You’re a sweetheart. The Garden is truly a place to grow, and I’m so happy to have met you and so many others there. What books or authors inspire you?
I learn something from every book I read. I’m especially touched by biographies or
stories of people overcoming the odds to not just succeed but to thrive. I’ve read true
stories of conquering Mount Everest, training and racing Secretariat, escaping the Nazis
and leading others to freedom. The most inspiring thing is none of those people thought
they were anything special, but they accomplished amazing feats.
 
What about your own work? Do you want to be mostly stand-alone or build a connected body of work?
I’m only publishing my second book. Both books are set in the same small Wisconsin
town. They can be read stand-alone, but there are characters that will appear in both (and
in the third one I’m currently working on.) I have had readers tell me that they love it
when someone they “Know” pops up in a subsequent book. Since the setting is a small
town, it is not a stretch to make that happen.
 
How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? 
I think it made my drafts crisper and more ready to be sent out. It also brought an added
level of pressure on my writing life. Now I have people asking when the next one is out. I
was surprised how success would weigh on me. The pressure is to make the next one as
good or better than the first one. With the first one, I wanted something good that could
be published. The first one being published raised the bar, at least in my mind.
 
I get it. I love/hate when someone asks me when the next in one of my series is coming out. It’s a lot of pressure. I have quite a few works in progress. What about you? How many unpublished/half-finished books?
I have two half-finished and about six more in various states of outlining, character
naming, etc. I also have a neon yellow folder full of scraps of paper that have ideas for
stories, general plots, names, and locations. Maybe someday they’ll grow into half-finished
stories.
 
Can you share your ideas on the best way to market your book?
I had a career in IT, and now I eschew social media and all of its security and political
concerns. My marketing has been very personal. I set up my blog four years before I
published my first book and grew a modest following reading my observations on life
and my author journey adventures. I’ve reached out to nearby book clubs and groups to
share my author story and discuss my books. That has paid off at my local book signings.
I give out my author cards everywhere to wait staff, doctor’s offices, and grocery clerks. When
I had my most recent book signing, I gave out flyers everywhere from the post office to
the dentist’s office and asked them to post them in their employee breakrooms. Next time, I’ll
add my picture because they might not recognize my name but might my face as being
one of their patrons. The local Barnes and Noble was delighted with the sales at my July
book signing and invited me back whenever I wanted to come. And best of all, they bought
the books directly, it wasn’t consignment!
 
Social media is a drain of time and energy. I’m on that hamster wheel but haven’t cut ties yet. Good for you and the personal touch. Let’s talk Easter eggs. Do you hide secrets that only a few people will find in your books?
Lansdale, Wisconsin, is the fictional small town I write about, and it is based on the small
town in Wisconsin that I grew up in. Some of my high school classmates and, of course,
my family have picked up on the places and some of the people in the stories. For
example, the town I grew up in had a drive-in called The Pink Pony. My dad always
referred to it as The Purple Cow, so the drive-in I write about is The Purple Cow. It’s fun
to get notes and emails from people who have discovered the similarities.
 
My in-laws once lived on Purple Cow Road in Virginia! I gave them purple cow knickknacks as gifts. I hate housekeeping. What’s your worst household chore?
LAUNDRY! It never ends. Hard to believe only two people can make so much
laundry. I have four small baskets in our bedroom to separate things when you take them
off into lights, darks, whites, and sheets. I have a towel basket in the bathroom. When I
do laundry, nothing looks better than those four empty baskets in the bedroom. My sweet
husband will ooh and aah when he comes in a night to empty baskets before he throws
today’s clothes in them. That helps a little to have the effort appreciated. I return the
favor and ooh and aah when he mows the lawn!
 
LOL! I hear you, sister. We also create a ton of laundry for only the two of us. One of my favorite character names in my books is Gloriana Jones. The name popped in one day and wouldn’t go away until I wrote her story. How about you? How do you select character names?
Often, I have a name I want to use before I ever have a story to go with it. With my most
recent book though, the name of the bad guy came from him. Through umpteen drafts, his
name was Danny Mercer. I had a dream one night that he wanted a better bad guy name,
one that sounded menacing. He became Dirk Crowe and never bothered my dreams
again. 
It’s a great villain name. Kim, thanks so much for this fun interview. If it’s not too much trouble, will you leave a bit about your latest cozy mystery and where we can get more information on both you and it?

​LANDING ON HER FEET
by
KIM JANINE LIGON
#romanticsuspense
Kat Russell narrowly escaped death at Dirk Crowe’s hands six years ago. He’s
out of prison. To protect her family, she must flee Philadelphia—the only home
she’s ever known—with her five-year-old son, Timmy. Is Wisconsin far enough
away to escape evil?
Chase Merrick, father of Timmy’s new best friend, wants to help. What is Kat
hiding? Why does she insist she must face whatever it is alone?
When Can Kat stop constantly looking back over her shoulder? Will secrets and
shame stop her from accepting Chase’s protection? Or unite them in the face of
danger to keep their sons safe?

 Grab a copy of Landing on Her Feet at one of these retailers. 
Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Landing-Her-Feet-Janine-Ligon/dp/15092497337/
Barnes and Noble:
barnesandnoble.com/w/landing-on-her-feet-kim-janine-ligon/1143205488
And read more at
Goodreads
www.goodreads.com/book/show/123737915-landing-on-her-feet/
Bookbub:
www.bookbub.com/books/landing-on-her-feet-by-kim-janine-ligon
And you can learn more about Kim at
Spinning Romance & Suspense Into Happy Ever Afters
www.spinningromance.com

Death by Cutting Table 
by 
Susie Black
Release Date August 2, 2023
Cozy Mystery
Humor

​About
Butch Oldham didn’t have an honest bone in his body. So, the question wasn’t who wanted him
dead. The question was, who didn’t. Mermaid Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik finds
colleague Queenie Levine standing over Mermaid CEO Butch Oldham’s bloody corpse nailed to
a fabric cutting table with a big honkin’ pair of cutting shears plunged deep into his chest. When
the cops discover Queenie’s blood-soaked sweater, learn about her stormy relationship with the
victim, and her public threats to make Butch pay for destroying Mermaid Swimwear by stealing
it blind, Holly’s colleague shoots to the top of the suspect list. When Queenie is arrested, the
wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to flesh out the real killer. But the trail
has more twists and turns than a slinky, and nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she
tangles with a clever killer hellbent for revenge.

Inspiration for the story.
The inspiration for this story regrettably came from a real-life experience I had when I was a division
president at a major ladies’ swimwear company. The CEO of our storied forty-year-old company first
stole his position from my direct boss by hoodwinking the board of directors into hiring him, then he
proceeded to steal the company blind, and ultimately drove it out of business.
Remarkably, no one actually murdered him in real life…but there are many of my colleagues and
industry leaders who dreamt of doing the deed. Writing this particular plot was cathartic for both me
personally as well as many of my colleagues. Creating a fantasy of knocking off a corporate monster who
destroyed a company and put hundreds of employees in harms’ way was a legal way to give this terrible
man what many considered his just desserts.

Grab a copy today!
www.amazon.com/dp/B0C62HRJXM
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-by-cutting-table-susie-black/1143538287​

About the Author.
Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy
mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California
home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel
sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all
the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.
She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred
from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life
without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated
walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie
lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who
inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.
Looking for more? Contact Susie at:
www.authorsusieblack.com
mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

The Vampire’s Retribution The Champion Chronicles Book I
by
M. Flagg 
July 31, 2023
N.N. Light’s Book Heaven: “A fresh voice is paranormal has arrived. Think you’ve read all the stories on vampires? Think again. At the crux of this tale is the paradox of love.” 5+ stars

Dreams are often hidden desires… even if they are terrifying. 

Michael Malone, a mystically enhanced vampire, destroys three immortal sorcerers and takes on their vengeful army of hell-beasts in an unprecedented battle. Poisoned and captured, his body is exsanguinated and left to rot in a cell beneath the city. Guided by the heavenly entity known as Helena, he spins a fantasy full of deep love and devotion to the one woman he treasures and his mystically-human, very troubled son. Helena focuses Michael’s fading mind through emotional twists and unexpected turns, through passionate highs and very realistic lows. Is there deliverance or the end to his immortal existence at its conclusion? Each revelation offers hope. Yet Michael’s last words doggedly remain “Let me die.” His original reasons for the singular battle are noble. One is retribution. The other is love.

From the author - Not suitable for readers under the age of 15. My novels have some steam, but definitely not erotica.

Inspiration for M. Flagg's writing.
Welcome to my world of mystical warriors, of witches and sorcerers, of mysterious anomalies in novels full of suspense and intrigue where love leads to redemption and passion blossoms. I write characters anyone would want on their side when evil rears its ugly head.
 I never thought myself an author. A creative person? Yes? A writer of novels? No. Fifteen years ago, when life only offered a basket of truly putrid lemons, my son told me to write a story. So on a whim, I decided to redeem a commanding vampire. Don’t ask why. Too many reasons. My creativity raced to the surface, which tuned into a paranormal trilogy published by The Wild Rose Press. Fast forward to my retirement in 2020. After twelve years of a creative drought, I revamped (pun intended) the vampire trilogy and went on in the next two years to write five additional novels in the original Paranormal Romance Suspense series aptly named by my dearest TWRP editor, The Champion Chronicles. Now wiser and much older, my journey to publishing begins again. Whoever thought that insufferable basket of lemons could be a blessing? What an amazing gift it is to live another day to write from the heart.

About M. Flagg
Always an avid reader, the realm of paranormal fiction is the perfect landing point for Mickey Flagg. After a successful career as a music teacher and an urban school administrator, she continues to spin stories of passion, love and redemption. She’s been a contributor in a book on urban music education and has also authored an article for Still Standing, a web-magazine about loss and healing. Named a Distinguished Music Educator at the 2010 Yale Music Symposium, Micky is a life-long New Jersey resident, a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers, and a Professor in Residence with a local university. 
Find out more by following on social media
Website      http://www.mflagg-author.com
Facebook    www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077462468784
Twitter         https://twitter.com/flagg_michele
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