InD'tale Magazine, April 2022 issue

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Table of Contents

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10 Christina Dodd: From Historical to Thriller, World Famous Books That Captivate and Excite!

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23 The ‘X’ Simple Ways Reading Transforms Us:

22 Mood Swings:

Andy Peloquin

S.L. Carpenter

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World Building Basics: Elise Kova 4

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Rising Star Spotlight:

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Cheryl Bannerman

April 2022

39 Poetry Corner:

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Cheryl Bannerman

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54 RONE Awards:

Reader Voting Schedule!

Reviews: Historical:

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Contemporary:

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Paranormal

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Fantasy/Urban Fantasy:

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Young Adult:

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Rachael Tamayo & Cynthia Austin

Mystery:

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Science Fiction:

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Suspense/Thriller:

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Audiobooks:

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Do Reviews Make You Cower?

Tamara Cribley

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The Victory’s Secret: Chapter 8

A New Way to Review the Best!

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TJ Mackay 5

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Our Staff: Publisher/Editor-in-chief: TJ MacKay Executive Asst./Review Coordinator: Katy Nielsen Copy Editors: Julie York, Marc Joseph, Katy Nielsen, Penny Baker Special Publications Editors: Sarah McEachron, Ryan Jo Summers Social Media: Laura Trujillo, Amanda Hupe,

RONE Awards Coordinator: Amanda Hupe Technical Editors: Gabriella Sawyer Reviewers* Amanda Hupe, Chelsea Anderson, Belinda Wilson, Lynn-Alexandria McKendrick, Tricia Hill, Viola Robbins, Emerson Matthews, Sarah E. McEachron, Roslynn Ernst, Carey Sullivan, Victoria Zumbrum, Shailyn Rogers, Marie Sanderson, Austen Grace, Joan Lai, Cara Cieslak, N.E. Kelley,, Jennifer Shepherd, Sadie Wilson, Annalee Stilove

Lynn-Alexandria McKendrick

*Please note, ALL InD’tale staff are

Columnists: S.L. Carpenter, Andy Peloquin,Tamara Cribley, Rachael Tamayo and Cynthia Austin

required at times to read and review books.

Transcription: Ralph Conley

Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission. All books and material reviewed

by InD’tale have been read by the stated reviewer and are the opinions of that reader.

Graphics: Elle J. Rossi, Rachel Rossano

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Editor’s Note For those who may be new, the RONE awards have three distinct rounds of judging - the reviewer round which determines the nominees you will see in the coming weeks - the reader voting round, where readers like you get to choose their favorites and determine the finalists - and the judging round, where qualified judges critique and rate each book on its merits.

We are just compiling and embedding each week’s genres and books into our website right now and will have everything ready for YOUR vote, beginning April 11th! Each week three genres will be open for voting. At the end of that week, the genres will change and a new group will be opened.

Oh my gosh! It’s RONE season again! I cannot believe how fast a year flies by! It seems like just yesterday I was announcing the reader voting round of the RONES - and here it is again!! We are just as excited as ever with the number and quality of books that have been nominated and will be included in each week’s voting.

SO, make sure you check out page 54 of this magazine. There you can find your favorite genres and set a reminder to pop over to the InD’tale website and let your voice be heard. It is the one time of the year where YOU determine what books are worthy of indie publishing’s most coveted award!

Smiles,

TJ Macka

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Contributors

Elise Kova

Andy Peloquin

Elise Kova is a wildly successful USA Today bestselling author whose Young Adult and New Adult Fantasy books and series have captured audiences worldwide. She enjoys telling stories of fantasy worlds lled with magic and deep emotions. Elise lives in Florida, and, when not writing, can be found playing video games, drawing, chatting with readers on social media, or daydreaming about her next story.

2017 RONE award winner for his book, “Lament of the Fallen”, Andy is, rst and foremost, an artist - and words are his palette.

Fantasy is his genre of choice, and he loves to explore the darker side of human nature through the lter of fantasy heroes, villains, and everything in between. He is also a freelance writer, a book lover, and a guy who just loves to meet new people and spend hours talking about his fascination for the worlds he encounters in the pages of fantasy novels.

Tamara Cribley

S.L. Carpenter

Rachael Tamayo

Tamara Cribley is a self-professed formatting junkie who believes beautiful books don't happen by chance. Having worked as a Commercial Photographer, Graphic Artist, and Art Director, Tamara’s unique skills enable her to put together classy and professional books that keep the reader focused on the story. She resides in Colorado where she gives back to her community by being an active Search and Rescue volunteer, and in her free time enjoys reading, gardening, and exploring with the dog.

A lifetime Californian, Scott Carpenter lives the ordinary life of a husband and father. Humor has always played a large role in his life, and he enjoys making people smile. His stories range from the outright absurd to the deeply poignant, and his mastery of the short story format is undeniable. If asked, he'll describe himself as just another guy. His many fans will tell you that his writing paints quite a different picture.

Rachael Tamayo is a former 911 emergency operator and police dispatcher. After twelve years in those dark depths, she’s gained a unique insight into mental illness, human behavior, and the general darkness of humanity that she likes to weave into her books. A formerly exclusive romance author tried her hand at thrillers and loved it so much that she decided not to turn back. Born and raised in Texas, Rachael lives in the Houston area with her husband of almost fteen years, and their two small children.

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Christina Dodd

From Historical to Thriller, World Famous Books That Captivate and Excite 10

I originally met Christina at a conference years ago when InD’tale was just getting started. She was setting up for the giant book signing and I was just wandering around (a bit starstruck). She looked up and made a sweet quip about my curly blonde hair and I returned the compliment about her edgy red hair. She laughed and joked for a few minutes with this stranger (to her). I never forgot that moment, though. To have a very big name author be so down to earth and friendly to a virtual nobody will forever be indelibly written in my heart. And because of that, she will always be a personal favorite.

That is also why I was so excited to get the chance to interview her for the magazine. Of course, she didn’t remember the exchange when I mentioned it, but laughed again and admitted she would do it with anyone. That alone says the world about the heart of this wonderful, kind, and amazing author. And, from her historical romances right through her nail-biting thrillers, that heart comes through in everything she writes. Read and and I’m sure you will agree!

InD: So tell us about you. Where did you grow up?

CD: I grew up in Sunnyvale, California, until I was 11, then we moved to Idaho, then Oregon for a while, then back to Idaho, which is where I got married and had two daughters. Then we moved to Texas and now we are in Washington state. I can look at Canada from my window.

InD: What were you like as a child?

CD: I was such a snot. My father died of a heart attack when he was 38, I have two older sisters and my mother was pregnant with me when he died, so we grew up in kind of tough circumstances. My mom was a housewife and there was no type of childcare in those days, so it wasn't until I went to school that she went to work. We lived off social security, so it was tough.

But on the other hand, I didn't know any better. Mom had taken my dad's insurance and paid off the house and car. We ate perfectly well. My sisters were the ones who were really impacted because they were going through puberty and high school without their father, so it was really tough, tough times for them. My mother ended up becoming a proofreader. I am a terrible

proofreader, absolutely terrible, so I would hand her my books and say, “Would you proofread this?” and she would be like, “How do you not see this stuff?” She was a great mom.

InD: Did you like to read when you were young?

CD: Oh, yes. From 1st grade on. The ones that sucked me in were the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I think my sister gave me my irst one in 2nd grade and I went through the entire series and I just never stopped. I was a huge reader.

InD: Did you write at a young age?

CD: You bet! I won an award in the 8th grade, but I was one of those people who thought writers are special people and live on an island and write when they are inspired. I was not that person.

I married young, had kids and had a house in the suburbs, so I wasn't at all that kind of person. It took 10 years of convincing myself that I could do this.

InD: So, what were you like as a teenager?

CD: We lived in Nampa, Idah through most of my teen years and I did not love that.

InD: What did you think you were going to do with your life?

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CD: By then, my mom and I were by ourselves.

My sisters had grown up and gotten married before that time. The main thing was, I didn't think I wanted to go to college. I didn't think I should spend four years before getting a job, so I went to Boise State Technical School and talked to a counselor. She suggested I try drafting, so that's what I did. Until our irst daughter was born, I was a draftsman. I designed roads, lines, and sawmills.

InD: Did you enjoy it?

CD: I didn't mind it, but I will say I am a much better writer than I was a draftsman.

InD: But it gave you some really good skills you could use.

CD: When I worked for Boise Cascade, we started a sawmill from the ground up. We did the foundation, the building, all the machinery... the entire thing from the bare lot up. It taught me that whatever it is, just do it one day at a time, put one foot in front of the other and you eventually will have accomplished something.

Now, I concentrate on writing one word, one page at a time. I still think it's very important to know how putting things together works, what you have to do, and that sometimes you have to go back and edit and ix things if you get it wrong, and sometimes things don't work. But eventually there you are with a building, or a inished book.

InD: So, you say you got married young, have two kids, and with your irst baby, you decided to write.

CD: Before I started writing, I was reading all of these books, thinking how hard can it be? I wanted to become an author, so I sat down and started writing. I had just had my irst baby. Then I had another child and it ended up taking 10 years and three completed manuscripts before I was published.

InD: I am amazed though, because you stuck with it for 10 years before anything happened. You really did ind out how hard it was!

CD: I was 26 when I started writing. I told my husband I was going to quit drafting because I truly thought, “How much trouble could a baby be?” Nobody would ever have children if they knew beforehand! [both laughing] InD: Absolute truth! Children, along with many other things. I often say it is amazing what you can do when you're too stupid to know any better. I believe that. If we knew how much work things are going to be

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when we begin, we would never accomplish many of the great things we do in life.

CD: I think I was a pretty good writer by year six, but I still couldn't get published. In those days, you could not self-publish, so you basically had to be lucky enough to land on the right editor’s desk. That didn't always happen. It took me six years to actually submit my work anywhere because I was terri ied of rejection. I had to get to the point where I thought, “Oh well, the worst they can say is no” and they did. I have an entire ile of rejection letters (this was before emails), I have also been rejected many times since then because editors may not want everything you write. But, it is part of the business and so you learn.

InD: What did you learn? To get a tough skin?

CD: Yes. You do learn to get a tough skin.

The only time I am bothered by a bad review is when somebody says something like, “Anyone who likes her books is obviously stupid.” or something to that effect. You may not like my books but don't screw with my readers. That really pisses me off.

InD: People don't realize how much time and sweat and effort goes in to writing a book. Even if they don't particularly care for a speci ic book, they should at least respect all of the hard work that goes into it and be considerate.

CD: Unfortunately, many people just aren't.

I recently posted on Facebook about an old review for "Dead Girl Running" where the reviewer said, “I gave it four stars because it is a really good book and I loved it, but she left such a clif hanger at the end... I am such a Romance reader, so I want a happily ever after at the end. So I took one star away.” I think that is a totally ine review. She was very thoughtful and she was very clear about what she didn't like. That was a good review and I loved it.

And I will now publish my 59th book.

InD: I just inished your 58th, "Wrong Alibis". It took me four days to read because I read in the evening and I didn’t want to go to bed and have nightmares! It was that real and scary! I read a lot of great books, but this one got me.

CD: I know. Alaska is a very dark place literally. It is completely dark for almost four

admit I haven’t read a lot of your Suspense, I got sidetracked in your Paranormal. I launched myself into that atmosphere and never came back.

CD: People love the Paranormal.

They are my cult books.

InD: You write in three completely different genres; Historical, Contemporary, and Futuristic, but all are basically Romantic Suspense Mysteries at heart, just in different eras.

CD: I originally wrote a lot of Historical Romance and I love them. The irst book I ever wrote, but was never published, was a Historical Romance. I don't know why it was never published, except that it was set in Guatemala. [both laughing]

The second one was a Contemporary and the third one was another Historical, "The Candle in the Window”. That is my irst published. So, I was never married to Historical, but once you get published in that type of genre, according to conventional wisdom, you kind of have to stick to it and I did. But I got to the point where I felt like I was plagiarizing myself and I had to do something else.

I thought, “I'm going to write Romantic Suspense”, and while I was writing Romantic Suspense the vampires were big, but I didn't like them because they were controlled by the sun and I didn’t want my characters to be so controlled, so I went to shapeshifters, and everything just blew up from there. They sold spectacularly well.

InD: So, you wrote Historical Romance then you ran out of ideas and stories and decided to try something else?

CD: I was actually writing Historical and Contemporary Romantic Suspense at the same time. Then I went to writing Contemporary Romantic Suspense and Paranormal Romance at the same time… then I did write a couple more Historical Romances.

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months out of the year so it is a perfect setting for a Thriller!

InD: At the same time, I was so impressed with that book.

There are so many moving parts, yet you still had me on the edge my seat the whole time. The reader becomes so attached to the protagonist. She was so sympathetic and that just changed the entire book.

You end up biting your nails and crying for her, but you don't want to go to bed because you just know something bad is going to happen to her.

CD: Do you remember the movie, “The Fugitive”, with Harrison Ford? It is one of the best, fastpace Suspense movies I have ever seen in my life. For years, I had been trying to igure out a way to make a female protagonist like that, and "Wrong Alibis" is it.

InD: Oh, you hit it out of the ballpark! You really had that poor girl fully convicted of something she didn’t do and her situation and innocence were so relatable and real that your heart went out to her from the very irst page and it was hard to put down.

CD: We have all been 18 years old and stupid. There is nobody dumber than a teenager.

InD: Absolutely. Doing it without any guile, but most of us are able to learn and do things better. I think of all of your books, that one is probably the best written. But… I must

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I had not written any in a while and really enjoyed writing them again, after that break of time. Then I thought I'd take a shot at straight Suspense and that is where I am now.

In these, we are not dealing with relationships all the way through. Although, having said that, in my newest book coming out, "Point Last Scene", there is a relationship. The heroine has marks on her neck and has been strangled. The hero picks her up and she throws up and comes back to life. That is how the story starts and they are a couple all the way through as they try to igure out what happened to her.

There is a Paranormal vibe, but it’s not like a Paranormal Romance. I think that I would have a much bigger career if I would just stick to one genre, but I still enjoy writing, even after 32 years. I often see people getting burned out and that is just not who I want to be.

InD: And you still enjoy it just as much as when you began?

CD: Yes. But some days are good and some are not as good. With the book I just turned in, I was wrestling it into the ground. It ended up being two months late, and at some point I igured it just has to come together eventually! I inally got it turned in and I am pleased with myself for powering through. My agent said it’s

my best book. You just cannot tell how hard a book is going to be to write or how well it will turn out.

InD: How hard is it jumping from one genre to the other?

CD: Before I was published, I would work on one story in the morning and another one in the afternoon. I found that was a really great way to go and I never got stuck in overthinking. Now, I have others to bounce problems off of. When we get stuck, we call each other and say, “How do you ix this?” and the other person comes up with something.

Your brain gets stuck in one spot sometimes and you can really brood about it. Susan Mallory writes a huge, long synopsis. She said the last one she did was over 100 pages! It’s actually more of the irst draft, and she never gets lost. But once she begins the book, she writes very quickly, 20 pages a day, which is really quite amazing, but it’s because she has done all that preliminary work. I don't do that. I usually don't know where I am going.

InD: What do you think the advantages have been with writing three completely different genres?

CD: I always feel fresh in the way that the books are going.

InD: Do you still write one genre in the morning and the other in the afternoon?

CD: No, because I am only writing Suspense. I am just writing one book at a time, but in the middle of the book I just turned in, I did have an idea for a novella, and I took three weeks off and wrote it, very fast for me.

InD: Do you ever want to go back and write Paranormal or Historical Romance again?

CD: The Paranormal I have inished, and I am really pretty de inite about them being done. I am not going to do Historical Romance again.

InD: Why not?

CD: I have written 30 books in that genre and that is enough. I don't want to plagiarize myself. I don't want to tell the same story every time. That would not work for me and I would end up being resentful.

InD: Will you keep writing Suspense until you get tired of that and then try something else?

CD: Probably. Although, everything I have written whether Historical, Paranormal, or Suspense have all had suspense plots. For me, Suspense stories are very involved and often it seems like a cast of thousands.

InD: That's a really good point because it seems like there are a lot more threads involved that you have to tie in. Other genres, from Paranormal to Historical, all have their different challenges as far as writing, but Suspense has so many moving parts, that would be a lot of work.

CD: Yes. I love Romance and still read and really enjoy it, but the stories are usually easier, at least for me. I

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usually know how things are going to go and how they will end up. It’s just iguring out how to get there. They are more linear.

InD: Anytime you are working with relationships, it’s more of an emotional commitment, you have to tie in the emotions.

With Suspense, the focus is on all the moving parts and they are physical.

CD: Right, you are saying it very well. Romance is emotional and Suspense is plot heavy. I’m not the best plotter in the world, so it does take me longer to do. A Suspense takes me about nine months to write, where I used to do three Romances a year.

InD: Do you do a storyboard or anything? Or do you just keep it all in your head?

CD: I don't do a board but I do write it down. Otherwise, I will igure out the same thing three times and that doesn't work so well, so it has to be written down.

InD: Do you start with an idea or with a character you want to write about?

CD: Sometimes it is both. A scene in "Point Last Scene", where the girl washed up on the beach dead, was originally a Historical idea but I was never able to make it work.

But, I had that irst scene rolling around in my head for 20 years.

Then, I set it in California as a Contemporary Suspense and it became great scene.

InD: Have you done any hybrid work with traditional and Indie publishing?

CD: Yes. I have self-published some of the books I have the rights for. The irst book of Romantic Suspense that I wrote was published many years ago, and that company went out of business, so that was the irst story I published on my own. It is my book and has always been my book. I published another series that was originally with Pocket.

They gave me a contract with

ebooks and then it ran out. Again, those are my books, but they hold the paperback rights for those.

InD: Do you see much of a difference between ebooks and paper books?

CD: People will read what they will read. Some people are really stuck on paper, and I am one of them. I will buy most things on paper, but I certainly do read ebooks, as well. But others prefer ebooks, usually because they are so much more convenient.

InD: You had made a comment once that cracked me up. You said you love humor so you decided to write Romance.

What did you mean?

CD: I have been married since the earth's crust cooled and there's nothing like looking at relationships, all relationships, and in my case a man and woman relationship. You think, “How in the hell is this going to work? I don't know what I was thinking. There are two different genders!” So there is a lot of humor when people get together.

InD: What are some of the biggest changes you have seen in the 32 years that you have been doing this?

CD: What is politically correct now was not before. With all of my stuff, I now have a sensitivity read before publication. For instance, in "Point Last Scene", I have a trans character that I had a trans read because I don’t want to trigger anything. It will still trigger people, don't get me wrong, but but the story had a letter from this woman that what I did was okay, so it is a different world.

InD: In what ways do you think it is better or worse since you irst started?

CD: It gets more dif icult with every book to know what people are going to be offended by and my books are written a year

ahead, so by the time the next year rolls around something else has popped up.

InD: I would think that would be very dif icult!

CD: The upside in Suspense nowadays, you don’t have to jump through hoops trying to hide the gender of who is doing the bad stuff. Now you can use “they” and “them” and that makes life easier.

My old Historical Romances are beyond politically incorrect and really offend some people. As a matter of fact, the old books are coming out in audio and in my newsletter I warned, “These are

horribly politically incorrect and will offend many people and you need to read the critiques before you buy them.”

InD: That is interesting because that was one of the conversations that I had with Susan [Elizabeth Phillips]. I loved what she said, “That book is re lective of the era it is set in.

I’m not going to change that.” I loved that answer because it is true. If we try to rewrite everything, no one ever gets to understand what it was like at that time.

CD: Exactly. Mine are sexually incorrect. There are forceful seductions and many other politically incorrect situations, but it is not like these characters are so dumb that they go out and look for abusive men because they wouldn't.

When I was signing one of my Historical Romances at the bookstore, which is always a dif icult thing, I asked a man if he would like to buy a book for his wife and he looked at it and said, “I would get it for her but she might think that is what real life is like.” I was speechless!

That is like if Tom Clancy was signing one of his submarine books and I say to him, “I might get this for my husband but he might think this is what real life is like.” It doesn't translate like that. People are always telling women how to think, and I don't do well with that.

InD: I don't either. Women know what is real and what is fantasy. It is not that hard.

CD: When I am cleaning the toilet, I am not thinking there's going to be this knight coming and sweeping me off my feet.

InD: We really can distinguish between the two. [both chuckling] Amazingly enough.

InD: What you think has been the most frustrating part about writing books?

CD: For me, it was the publishing part because I knew I was a good writer, but for so long, I just wasn't getting published. That was huge.

In traditional publishing, they really like you to stick a to lane, and as we already discussed, I am not very good at that.

InD: What is the most rewarding part about writing?

CD: There is just something about having books published and in peoples' hands! One thing that is very interesting with having a very long career is, I have been

looking at my old books and I started reading them. I realized I really like them! They are all Historical Romantic Suspense, and I'm reading along thinking, “I wish I could remember what happened and who the bad guy is.” [both laughing] InD: Really? That is hilarious.

CD: It’s nice to read your stuff so far back that you don't actually remember and to be pleased with what you wrote, because when you are in the middle of wrestling a book to the ground, you start to think you are not much of a writer.

InD: With all of your background, what would you like to see happening in the future of publishing?

CD: The thing about publishing is that it is ickle. I am a friend of a big reviewer, who is also bookseller and he reads a lot. He made a prediction that Paranormal Romance is coming back. He said that the smaller paperback books, mass-market, are going out, and trade paperbacks are coming in, and that mass-market is gradually going to vanish. I think that is probably true.

InD: I can understand why. I especially agree with him about Paranormal making a comeback. One of things I love most about this magazine is that we serve both readers and authors, so I get to see trends rising long before most.

Recently, I’ve been watching readers come back to Paranormal. Fantasy has been really huge over the past few years, and I think it’s bringing the readers slowly back to Paranormal.

CD: I think you are absolutely right. Especially when you watch what is streaming with Fantasy, it is just spectacular. There is just a lot of Gothic Romance out there now, as well, and I remember that the irst time around.

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InD: They forget that there is that one girl in the room when they start talking with the rest of them. So, what did you learn?

CD: You know I grew up without a father, I had only 13 a mother and two sisters, and so it was all a complete surprise to me. I had no idea, so everything was an education.

InD: Was that a shock?

CD:I don't think I was shocked so much... when you are young you are just pliable and observant, and I listened.

InD: What is one of the biggest differences between men and women that you learned?

CD: I would say that would probably be the language they used. I don't ever remember my mother or sisters ever saying anything about men, the way men said things about women, at that time… but things have changed.

InD: Do your kids or husband read your books?

CD: It depends. My younger daughter and my husband frequently proof for me and they are both really good readers, so that is very helpful for me.

InD: Line editing, content reading, or both?

CD: Basically, it is whatever they notice along the way as they read. For instance, one of the big things my husband noticed with the one I just turned in, a character who was very important in the beginning just disappeared at some point. She was such an interesting character but she wasn't the main character, and I had her getting hit on the head with a shovel and going to the hospital because I had to get her offstage or I was going to write the whole book on the wrong person.

There was a wrap up party at the end of the book, so I had to bring her back in because my husband said, “That was just not right. We need to know what happened to her.” He is usually spot on. When I was irst writing, he would read Romance of all kinds

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InD: That's interesting, I remember reading a few Gothics the irst time around, but now it is like this is a new thing, that is so true.

CD: It is much more psychologically Gothic now, though, it is more twisty.

InD: Okay. Looking back at your career, would you do anything different if you had it to do over again?

CD: Oh my gosh, most de initely yes. I am really good at putting my foot in my mouth or going the wrong direction at the wrong time, but you can't really do anything to change that, so there’s no point in regretting.

InD: I want to hear about your romance story. How did you meet your husband?

CD: At trade school. He was a drafter with me in class and he owned his own business. Then he became a vice president of a structural engineering company.

InD: So in drafting class, was he that cute guy across the room?

CD: My dear girl, I was the only female in the class!

InD: My gosh, you chose the best business in the world to go into!

CD: It was always fascinating. When I was working, I would go into the draft room and they were always talking about females. One of the things I know is what men say once they let their guard down!

just so he could help me write it well. He also supported me for those 10 years before I was making a dime. And only one time did he say, “If you don't get published pretty soon, I think you’ll have to get a job.”

InD: He sounds like an amazing and wonderfully supportive husband.

CD: Yes, he really is. He is a great guy, but we have always supported each other.

InD: So, you have two children?

CD: Yes, we have two daughters.

InD: One daughter helps you proof, what about the other one?

CD: She read my books early on, mostly because she was a teenager when I irst published so she wanted to see what her mother was writing. I think that she got a horrible education in what her mother knows about. [both laughing] She doesn’t read me anymore because she doesn’t like Suspense. She does not like to be scared.

My mother once told my girls, “Everything your mother knows about sex, she learned from your dad”, and they were so horri ied!

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They still talk about what grandma said.

InD: That is hilarious.

CD: My mother was very funny.

She was just wonderful.

InD: Okay, let's do some fun stuff! First, what is your favorite color?

CD: Blue.

InD: Why? CD: Because it makes my eyes look good. [both laughing] InD: What is your favorite food?

CD: Wow! That is a good one because I really like food. I do love cheese. I remember when we lived in Texas, they have really good ice cream. When my daughter was a teenager, one day she said, “Shouldn't we be worried about our cholesterol with the amount of ice cream we eat?” And I said, “Oh Honey, it is not ice cream that's going to kill us, it is the cheese”.

InD: That is wonderful! I just look at cheese and think, "I am eating protein today.”

CD: Other than cheese, my favorite thing in the world is probably very odd because I love fresh shelled peas.

InD: How about dessert?

CD: Ice cream. I am a good cook and I make a really great pie, I have to admit, as well. I love pie.

InD: What kind of pie?

CD: Lemon meringue. In California, we had a lemon tree in the backyard so my mom would make a really good lemon pie.

InD: I love pie, but for me though it has to be homemade. I don't like them frozen from the store. Maybe it is because we were spoiled by our mothers who baked fabulous pies.

CD: I don't want the store-bought pie crust either. I make my own pie crust, but I will warn you that it looks awful. I have never made a pretty pie in my life, but who cares if it taste so good?!

InD. What is your favorite time of day?

CD: Well, it is not the morning! I would say sunset. I just love the sunset. Here in Washington, sometimes in the winter, we only get about eight hours of sunshine, that’s all, so I am occasionally up at the sunrise. On the summer solstice, it is almost 16 hours of sunlight, but the winter solstice it is about eight. That was quite the shock for us when we moved here from Texas.

InD: Yes, I would imagine. I knew Alaska and Canada were like that, but I never

thought about Washington. Okay, your favorite place in the world?

CD: I love California because there are always echoes from home there for me. I love the beach. But there is so much beauty in so many places. Almost all of western Washington and western Oregon is just eyepopping.

InD: Your favorite book or movie?

CD: Have you seen “Come from Away”?

InD: No. CD: We saw it on Broadway with my kids, and then I saw it again with my friend. They made it into a movie after Broadway shut down, and Apple+ has it, so we watched it two nights ago and it is absolutely fabulous.

It is about 9/11. In Newfoundland, they brought down 38 planes at this old airport, so these little tiny towns took in 7000 people! It so inspirational and so great.

InD: I will absolutely look into that one! What is the best advice that you have ever been given, both professionally and/or personally?

CD: The advice I hand out to people who want to write is to just sit down and write! That is what I did. The second part is, are you writing because you love to write or because you want to be successful?

If you want to write a book so you can be successful, you should forget it because it is too hard to do, if that is your only reason. People are not going to like your books and they will review them badly. People are going to be jealous. It is a tough business and if you are in the business long enough, success will go up and down, so you better love what you're doing.

I think that is true with any profession, but with writing especially so, because people have exaggerated ideas of what kind of life you'll have as a writer, but

realistically, you just sit alone in a room and talk to imaginary people.

InD: You have to love writing and not do it for the money, is that what I'm hearing from you?

CD: Yes, you have to be able to do it for years and not make any money and still keep doing. Also, things happen when you are a writer. Your parents can get sick, children and other family can die, and bad, bad things happen, where you can no longer write or you don't have the time or the energy or the emotions to put into the writing, and when you feel better and have the time you can pick it up again, it can be hard to do.

These are things to remember because people can give the stupidest advice I've ever seen my life. I have seen people on Twitter say if you don't write every day you're not a real writer. Well, then I am not a real writer. Don't tell me that stuff and don't be ridiculous.

It makes writers who are poor, like I was for the irst 10 years, have unrealistic expectations of what they "should be" able to do... because there are times when it is really hard to write.

There are times when you have to put the pen down or shut down the computer and go on to something else.

And if you're not getting anywhere, that is sometimes the best thing you can do.

InD: What about personal advice that someone may have given you?

CD: My mother, she said so many wise things. But the one thing she said that has really stuck with me was— and remember, we had it really tough growing up— “Look around, you can always ind somebody who is worse off than you.” That is a good thing to remember on the occasions when you are feeling sorry for yourself.

InD: She sounds like a wonderful lady. You smile every time you talk about her. Most of us know it, but don't always remember that there are always others worse off than we are. Thank you for reminding us of that nugget of wisdom.

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The ‘X’ Simple Ways Reading Transforms Us How many times have you heard someone say, “Oh, reading 'X' book changed my life!”

You might be surprised to ind that it’s not all hyperbole and exaggeration. Let me give you an example.

When I was young, I devoured "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis. It was my irst exposure to Fantasy, and it sent me down the road to being a lifelong Fantasy reader—and author. Already, that’s ONE big change affected by reading a book or series.

In "The Last Battle", there’s a scene where a soldier from the enemy (read: wicked) army is lamenting over not being able to get into “heaven” because he served the wicked god Tash, not Aslan.

Aslan tells him, “For I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him.

Therefore, if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves, and by Tash his deed is accepted.”

That blew my mind, and changed my perception of religion, belief, and divine retribution/karma. To this day, this passage still guides my actions and in luences my decisions in every aspect of my life.

See, it’s not hyperbole!

A book really did change my life. I can only begin to imagine what other life changes have been affected because of something I read, some character I fell in love with, some fascinating world setting, or some game-changing discovery I made through the pages of a book.

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By: Andy Peloquin

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It encourages growth.

As we follow the characters through their stages of growth, so too, do we grow. Our evolution may not be as dramatic or visible as those on the page, but it is impossible to walk away from a well-crafted story without some degree of growth as a human being.

It creates instability in a safe environment.

The characters we’re reading suffer instability in dangerous environments that lead to their growth and evolution. We, the reader, are safely sitting in our chairs, so there is no real danger to us, and yet, the instability we read on the page is what leads to our evolution and betterment as human beings. The growth is small, but present.

It creates empathy.

Think about it—throughout the entire book, you are putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and thinking, acting, and feeling the way they are. That is empathy at its inest! The more you do that, the easier it becomes to empathize with real-life people.

It creates understanding.

What could I, a 6’ 6” tall man, understand about the struggles my 5’ 3” wife deals with on a daily basis?

What could I, a cisgender heterosexual Caucasian male understand about the experiences of people who aren’t the same gender, sexuality, or race as me?

Without books, that is.

Fiction puts us into the minds and lives of people who are different from us, and shows us their experiences in a way we could never understand outside the con ines of iction. It creates a degree of understanding we couldn’t possibly possess otherwise.

It breeds social awareness.

When the character on the page suddenly gets idgety, stops meeting the gaze of the person across from them, and starts being verbally evasive, it’s easy to understand that they’re hiding something because you’ve read the story and know exactly what they’re hiding.

When you encounter a similar or identical reaction in real life, you can better understand what is happening, and why. Reading encourages better social awareness on a conscious level because you have read someone else (or multiple someones) in exactly the same situation, and you know how that ended for them.

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Fiction truly has transformative powers, and it can change us in a surprising number of ways.

It teaches us about ourselves.

There is a lot we don’t know about ourselves until we’re confronted with the truth. The way people responded to the pandemic, lockdowns, and vaccines proved that who we think we are may not always be who we really are.

Fiction is a sort of mirror that shows us who we are, based on how we react to certain circumstances. By putting the characters into a ictional scenario, it forces the reader to confront how they feel about that scenario, showing them—in a safe, consequence-free way—how they might respond. That breeds a degree of self-awareness we could all stand to possess.

It develops personality.

How many of us have personalities shaped, either directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, by some TV, movie, or book character we've encountered? The number of people who still say “My wife!” or “Dude!” prove that we are all in luenced to varying degrees. Our personalities are not ixed things; they’re constantly evolving and changing based on our surroundings and the people we interact with.

That includes the people we interact with through the context of iction, too.

When we see something we like in a ictional character, we try to take on those aspects. And when we see something we dislike, we make an extra effort to avoid those aspects.

The truth is, no matter what you’re reading, it is changing you in some way. It may be a small change (such as adding a new word to your daily lexicon or some new quirk to your personality), or a large change (such as choosing a new career path or adjusting your fundamental belief system).

Whatever the size of the change, it’s enough to know that reading will have that effect, and that’s something to be excited about and embrace in every book you read!

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World Building Basics World-building is the process of creating the world your novel will occupy, and then explaining that world to readers. It's the people, rules, places, magic, politics, histories, religions, laws, and any and everything else that creates the framework a story exists within… systems and naming cities, doesn't mean your book is exempt from this process. It is still your job as the author to create, deeply understand, and explain the place and time your story occupies, and how it impacts your character.

A story set in 'New York City, 2010' has a de ined place and time that means something to most people, but what does it mean speci ically to your character?

New York City, 2010, looks very different for a waitress barely making ends meet in Brooklyn when compared to a socialite in the Upper East Side. Maybe your reader has never been to New York City, therefore, none of that means anything to them. It's your job as the author to explain your character’s world.

Every novel, regardless of genre, requires some amount of world-building - even books that are set in our world. Just because you're not building magic

Regardless of the type of book you're writing, spending time exploring your character's world is critical. Now, with all that said, I will disclose that I am personally a Fantasy author, so my presentation of these concepts will be skewed in a fantastical direction, because that is how world-building applies to me.

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By: Elise Kova

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However, I hope you can ind something that works for you in my basic principles and apply them to you and your stories.

Where to Start?

World-building can be daunting because you're making a whole world. Where do you start? What's most important? There can be a thousand questions running through your mind when you're just starting, and the process can easily become overwhelming.

As with most of the tips, tricks, and techniques I share with writers, I want to say upfront that there's no “wrong” way to world-build. I'll outline some strategies and give some suggestions based on what works for me, but when it comes to writing, it's always about inding what works for you.

I usually ind world-building can have its start anywhere. It can even be the kernel of inspiration your story spins out from. If you already have an idea for some component of your world, then that might be a natural place to evolve from.

However, if you're at a loss, here's my suggestion: When starting to build a world, everything comes down to power.

Human history is often dictated by power. Who holds it? Why? What do they do with it? How do they get more? Power is usually gained, earned, stolen, or given through one of three means: 1. Economics 2. Religion 3. Physical Force These are not in any speci ic order, and there's usually a combination of all three happening within a world, but it might be helpful to start with one of these broad topics when trying to get a handle on your world.

Let's explore what I mean within each of these.

Economics

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Economic systems touch every member of a society.

Unless you're writing a story that focuses on a single, self-sustaining individual or immediate family, there is always at least some kind of buying and selling happening within a world.

Which begs the questions: Is there a currency for your world? If so, who backs that currency and what is it backed by (gold or another resource)?

If your world operates on a barter system, what things are the most valuable? What are the least?

Why? Is the most valuable thing(s) in your world a tangible item(s)? Or is it services (like magic)?

Are there different types of workers? And if so, how are they treated? Are some workers considered more valuable than others, and why?

Who controls access to these goods/services that hold value? (These are usually the people who end up with the most power.)

What is the most valuable, tangible good to my main character, and why?

Economics can also help inform the geography of your world.

Cities/towns positioned in vital trade locations are often times wealthier. Mountains, rivers, and oceans have all historically impacted the economic prospects of cities, and this might inform your map.

People will also generally choose to settle near fertile land, so if they choose an inhospitable environment, then you might want to place some kind of rare and valuable resource there.

Religion I want to say upfront that it is completely okay to not have religion play any role in your story. This section

Religion can offer an explanation for the unexplained.

It can provide comfort when looking at life's great unknowns or facing times of hardship, and it can craft moral systems for both individuals and societies.

Religion has immense power over people, so understanding the religion(s) of your world and iguring out how much power they have is critical.

Here are some questions to begin asking yourself when starting this process: • Is my society religious? If not now, were they ever? If they were before, what changed?

• Is(Are) my god/goddess/pantheon actual characters who are able to interact with the world? Or are they only ever spoken of?

• Is the religion(s) structured? And if so, what's the hierarchy?

• How has the religion impacted societal norms, morals, and expectations?

• What is the relationship between the religion(s) and government?

• Does my main character have any religious beliefs they revere or fear?

Religion can also inform important locations within your world. If your government is a theocracy or ordained monarchy, then the capital might be close to an important holy site, or towns could be centered around places of religious worship. People might

migrate during certain portions of the year for religious pilgrimages.

Think about your society’s norms, superstitions, traditions, holidays, and morals. Does your society eschew all violence? Or does a bloodthirsty god demand regular sacri ice? Will your main character stop before they eat, in order to pray? These are all the little ways that religion can impact both world, character, and story.

Physical Force This is the broadest and possibly the most loosely de ined of the three main pillars of power in your early world-building. When I say “physical force”, I don't just mean someone's literal physical strength, though it can be. What I mean by this is the ability for a character, or group, to wield control through tangible forces.

This can be through magic. It can be through an army or militia. It could be one man with a death ray.

Anything that gives a character or group the ability to wield harm, or the threat of harm, is included within the idea of physical force. Now, let's break it down further with - you guessed it - some questions to consider: • Does your government/ruler have an army? And if so, who controls it? How are they compensated?

What keeps them loyal?

• What is the main source of power in your world?

Magic? Science? Technology? Money? (See: Economics) • What is the scope of that power? Can it destroy a town? The world? How easily and from how far?

• What are the limitations on wielding the power?

Does it require rare resources or special training?

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is not intended to imply that secular stories can’t, or shouldn’t, exist. However, throughout the course of human history, religion has played a major role in societies and across all walks of life for a reason.

• How is that power hoarded? Because if everyone could gain that power, it inherently wouldn’t be powerful.

• What makes your main character feel powerful? Or, what are they afraid of? Who has control over them?

And why?

What to Include Right Away It is natural, while world-building, for your world to begin to feel unruly as you go through this process.

There is always more that could be considered, leshed out, or expanded upon, and it's natural for your planning to snowball.

over their heads, and the next big event in their community.

Whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed by the process of world-building, it's a good idea to put all the big picture notes aside and return to your character.

Get in their head. What are they paying attention to?

What immediately impacts them? Look at all these big picture ideas through their eyes.

Build your character’s immediate world irst, because that is how your reader will experience and learn about the world.

How Much is Too Much?

For example, when you're working on the economics for your world, you might decide on some geography for different regions to explain the distribution of resources, which impacts their power dynamics. This might also inform what types of religions they have, as a seafaring trader town might worship an ocean-bound god.

Even if you try to keep a handle on your worldbuilding, chances are, it's going to run away with you.

When you go to write, it's very normal to have the urge to throw everything you’ve developed into your book because it's so cool and you spent so much time working on it.

And so on… And so on…

World-building is often times like an iceberg. Readers really only ever see the very top. There's an immense amount of information that is con ined to the depths that only you’ll see.

By the time you're done, you're going to end up with all this world-building and you'll likely be left wondering, “What do I put in the book?” Or, “What's the bare minimum I need to plan about my world to start writing?”

Like with most things, my advice is: Start with your main character.

Focus on the things that are important to the character(s) your reader experiences the story through. Most people aren't paying attention to nuanced geopolitics, or the ebb and low of economics.

They're focused on the food on their tables, the roofs

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Remember, you're not writing a textbook.

But that's okay. Even if you never explain everything to your readers, I promise your world will feel richer to them because of all the work you put into it.

How to Stay Organized I admit I can be the absolute worst at this, so I don’t have the best advice here. There are authors who are much more fastidious than I about organizing their “World/Book Bibles” and keeping track of them.

• People • Places • Organizations • Magics The biggest thing I can say here is, experiment with what works for you. I tried to have fancy, detailed character sheets that were beautifully labeled and organized… and then was too exhausted to keep up with them. What's ended up working for me is a mess of bullet points, notes, and text copied while writing.

to your main character, and critical for your reader to understand to grasp the stakes and circumstances of the plot, you'll be able to get through it.

If I had to make one inal note, it's that you can expand upon and deepen your world-building at any time. You don't have to have all the answers upfront.

Never let world-building hold you back from actually writing your novel.

Now, go forth and build incredible worlds to house your big story ideas!

Probably the best advice I have here, other than inding what works for you, is to update while writing.

You will absolutely continue building the world as you write. There's no way you'll make every decision upfront, so even if it's as simple as copy/pasting sections verbatim from your story to your worldbuilding notes so you don't break your writing low, do it! You'll be so much happier later on, if you update as you go.

In Summary World-building is an essential, but often times, unruly process. It's okay to feel overwhelmed by it, but as long as you stay focused on what's important

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For myself, I try to divide my notes into four primary categories:

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Mood Swings

You wake up.

Looking outside, you see the sun slowly rising in the distance. Beams of By: softly colored light begin to shine through your window.

Marc Sanderson It’s breathtakingly beautiful.

This, you realize, is one of the most amazing beauties of life.

You’re lying with your head on the pillow, a cat sprawled sleepily around your feet, and you think to yourself, “I don’t want to get up. I’m so warm and comfy; I think I’ll stay here for the rest of the day.”

Then, the sun inally rises above the treetops and starts shining directly into your eyes. You lower your eyelids, remembering your husband opened the blinds when he got up to go to work early this morning, in the hopes of beating the worst of the traf ic.

The cat decides to get up from the bed and dig its claws in your leg while it stretches, clearly unhappy that you dared to interrupt its nap when your leg jerked because of a cramp in your big toe.

You reach down to rub the scratches and start getting out of bed to close the drapes, only to slide your foot into your favorite furry slippers and feel something nasty between your toes. It’s a hairball that must have been quietly deposited there while you slept.

You squish into the kitchen and turn on the coffee maker, cleaning off your foot while it brews, then breathe in a sigh of relief when the fragrance of that miraculous caffeinated brain juice drifts into your nose.

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Pulling your favorite mug from the coffee maker, you grab your container of creamer and tilt it over your coffee.

Too bad you forgot how slippery it is, and it refuses to stay in your hand, dumping almost a full eight ounces into your coffee, splashing and spilling over the sides like lava from a volcano, all over your countertop. Then, of course, the lava brain juice cascades over the edge like Niagara Falls, catching your bare legs and making you yelp as it scorches your skin...

Your mood is now ruined, and you want to shriek, curse, or hit something.

***** One of the fun things about being a writer is taking readers on a journey. Not just in their minds, but also in their hearts.

Right there, in those irst paragraphs, we went from a calm relaxing morning where we felt the sunshine on our skin, to a nasty slap of reality upside the head. After that, I was kind enough to take us into another happy place (coffee has that effect on so many of us), and then I ruined it for us by making all of us seriously frustrated.

You’re welcome.

While discussing with my editor the idea of writing about mood swings, she seemed a little reluctant. I received “Uhhhhhhmmmm…” as a response. I think she was worried I was going to talk about road-trips with the missus.

Those tend to be quite the roller coaster of moods, and probably de ine one meaning of that particular expression. I reassured her I was looking at mood swings from a different perspective.

As I see it, they’re one of the fun things about reading. Each story isn’t only a tale of adventures and escapades - it’s also going to take you through a range of emotions with its characters.

As a writer, you have to imagine the scenes, the dialogue, and every aspect of the characters, describing them only with words.

It’s very different to watching a movie where everything is clearly there on screen, no description needed.

When writing a novel, you have to set the mood with your words. In a romantic scene, for example, you have to describe the surroundings; calm, soft lighting, gentle music

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in the background... you have to “paint a picture” of the moment with your words.

Simply saying “it was a romantic setting” doesn’t really put a reader into the scene. For all you know, they could be picturing the back seat of a Chevy, with candles in the cup holders, while you’re thinking of

an elegant suite in a fancy hotel, complete with expensive chocolates on the pillows of an indulgent king-sized bed.

Horror stories are excellent examples of where an author needs to keep his readers’ nerves on edge. Take a chainsaw killer on the hunt... you have to help the reader feel the uncomfortable dampness of mist on their skin and the sounds of the night around them - crackling twigs beneath their feet as they run in terror, the shriek of an owl, the distant rumble of thunder...

Tiffany’s lungs gasped for air between her sobs of terror, and pain shot through her feet as she tried to escape. The screaming whir of the chainsaw echoed through the dark silence of the damp forest. No matter which way she looked, there was nothing but blackness... only a slight gray glow when the moon emerged from behind its cloudy veil.

She tripped, (people always trip while running in a horror movie), and her head hit the ground, face-planting into the slimy, stinking swamp mush. Her head began to ring and she barely managed to roll over.

Exhausted, in agony, and terri ied, her heart pounded like a drum in her chest, she knew it had to be giving her position away.

The noise she dreaded grew closer and closer until she could stand it no longer, screaming helplessly into the darkness.

Cold whirling air hit the bare skin of her thigh a second before cruel chainsaw teeth…

Okay, I think you get the picture.

Music would help, but books don’t have a soundtrack where you can listen to the sounds around you. As nice as that would be, you don’t get the spooky, or romantic, vibes playing in the background of appropriate scenes. Although, I suspect it won’t be too long before someone comes up with that addition for eBooks.

You may not have thought much about it, but you have mood swings too, and you probably share them with anyone reading the same book. If we authors have done our job right, then everyone picking up that story will ind their skin breaking out in goosebumps, or their heart pounding as the action nears its peak.

And with luck, you’ll also ind yourself laughing, smiling, and perhaps even wiping away a tear as the hero grabs the love of his life and plants a smashingly great kiss on her lips, right before those inal words...

THE END.

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Rising Star Spotlight Cheryl Bannerman

Tell us about your childhood.

I grew up in the white suburbs of New Jersey in a middle-class home with two working parents. I was spoiled most of my life being the only girl with three brothers who were signi icantly older, and I attended all white private schools. I never knew what racism was until I became a teenager and I started recognizing all the micro-aggressions occurring around me and then towards me. Some of my experiences are covered in Black Child to Black Woman. My parents took me traveling all around the world and taught me all about surviving in this world as a black woman. My dad taught me how to survive in business how to manage a business, how to act, what to say, and all of that made me into the successful businesswoman I am today. I'm so glad they were able to see what I have accomplished for myself before they passed.

What prompted your love of reading and writing?

As a child, my parents illed my room with books. My mother read to me all the time and I was in one of those book-of-the-month clubs as well as the Highlights magazine (I know I'm dating myself). I would always come up with these elaborate stories, and my mother encouraged me to write them down. Very soon after that, I was writing short stories and poems all the time, publishing my irst poem at only 13 years old in a poetry book collection.

You mention even as a pre-teen you were an "old creative soul" What do you mean by that?

Well, one of the things the publication mentioned in their award letter for the poem when I was 13, was that the topic and writing seem to be of someone older and of the world, meaning someone who had experienced a long, tough life. They could not believe it was coming from a teen. I also recall as a teen my parents' friends (who I thought of as old at the time) always saying they couldn’t believe how comfortable I was talking to adults

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and how I was so mature for my age, and they always called me an ‘old soul’. At that age, I wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or not. LOL You are also an award-winning poetess. What draws you to writing poetry?

Poetry is another way to express the vast emotions a person experiences throughout life. It doesn't have to rhyme, it doesn't have to have perfect sentence structure, but I do feel it has to have rhythm. So, if a person reads it aloud, the ‘cadence of their heart is beating to the rhythm of your emotions’. There's nothing more divine than that.

How did your irst experience writing a full-length book go?

I'm probably the only author that's ever going to say this, but it was rather easy. For over a decade I had been saving all of these stories from my life, from my experiences, as well as those heard along the way.

And I know I'm dating myself again, but all of them were on loppy disks. I can't believe I'm sharing this, but I had to extract all that data and put it on my PC at the time. Once I had everything extracted and put it in order, it was easy for me to come up with the diary/ journal style of writing that is incorporated in my irst book, Black Child to Black Woman.

Along with all of your writing, you run your 25 year old virtual "B2B Training and Development company" What is that?

Learn2Engage takes up a lot of my time, which unfortunately hinders me at times from my passion of writing iction. However, I do get to write at work as well! I take a corporation’s content used for training for their employees (in any format and any topic, such as Con lict Resolution or Managing Unconscious Bias) and convert it into an online module, called elearning. I utilize audio, video, custom graphics, and so much more, to make it interactive and fun. And in

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those courses, I ‘tell a story’ throughout the course that keeps them engaged!

You also incorporate hard and sometimes personal subjects into your novels. Why? If you are not sharing a piece of yourself in every book, what's the point? Don't we want readers to get to know us and who we are and what we've been through? Regardless of whether it's iction or non iction. I forget who said this, but our job as a writer is to “bleed onto the page, one after the other”.

What are your dreams for the future?

I think my dream is shared among all writers who write part-time... We would love to write full-time, book after book, from a house on the beach. Ha! I also have future plans to delve into even more genres. I absolutely love being a multi-genre author, even though I've been dissuaded to NOT do this, even being told that it could damage my chances of being noticed or sponsored. But I must write what drives me, what the characters inside my head have to say… you know, the things that keep you up at night. I'm doing this for my readers, that's the bottom line.

By: Cheryl Bannerman

W ho A

I?

Staring at photographs trying to nd a match.

The marking did not align. More lies.

Do I stand my ground? Or let it go?

Can I live with the truth I may never know?

Do I go by the name on the green hospital form?

A black face, unknown, has returned. Who am I?

Words Never S oke EXCERPT from “The Bathroom Floor”

The S on my chest was itching more than usual on this day Another ‘side chic’ has surfaced I am not a Superwoman, but a Scarlet A Scarlet branded with a hot iron of re Verbal lashes of the whip leave imprints on my back No salve could heal my wounds I was mentally trained for this challenge From a girl of youth to adulthood It was my destiny A kindness smelt from a mile away I was easy prey A good girl some would say Yes, the S on my chest was itching more than usual on this day As I shudder from the cold tile The razor beside me … n

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Do Reviews Make You Cower?

Making the Most of Read Feedback When we write to be read, getting feedback is an important part of the publishing process—hopefully before and after publication—but ltering through it can be challenging.

Feedback can be invited or offered, and may be based on personal opinions, or industry standards. It sometimes can be intended to build you up or, unfortunately, tear you down. Asking for feedback makes us vulnerable.

We open ourselves up to hearing that our writing needs improvement, but we also invite the opportunity to bask in praise for our achievements. This month, I want to talk about evaluating feedback. I’ll touch on professional versus amateur reviewers, managing expectations, leveraging feedback, and what to do with negativity.

Most authors will ask for feedback from friends, family, colleagues, critique groups, and more during the writing process. If your goal is to have a professional looking publication, or submit to a publishing company, you’ll probably work with at least one professional editor, maybe several, including a proofreader.

Alpha, Beta, and ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) readers might be strangers, or may only know you through your writing. Reviewers and readers of your published book will post reviews, engage with you on social media, or contact you directly.

Each of these audiences will approach your book from a different perspective, and should provide you with different types of criticism that you can

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By: Tamara Cribley

leverage in different ways.

At the highest level, we can categorize reviewers as professional or amateur. While the de initions of each can vary, I generally consider a 'professional' to be someone who can demonstrate their experience working in the role. They can provide examples of their work, client references, and testimonials. These individuals are nearly always paid for their services.

Professionals should have a solid understanding of publishing, and be able to evaluate your work based on your intended audience, not a personal af inity for, or dislike of, your writing.

An amateur may be an avid reader or have adjacent professional experience. They are typically unpaid for their services, and usually provide feedback based on personal opinions or experiences.

Feedback from each of these audiences is vital for balance in your writing. Each approaches your book from a different perspective. Professionals will help ensure that your book structure and content meet your goals. For example, if you’re writing to inspire social change, professional editors work with you to craft your message and your call to action for your speci ic audience. They may address reader comprehension levels, sentence structure, and word usage, among other things.

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An amateur reviewer who comes from your target audience will be able to tell you how they received your message. They’ll share how it made them feel and any challenges they faced when reading your book. They’ll also be your cheerleaders. Reviews on Amazon, and most other retail book platforms, come from readers - your amateur audience. Their opinions can be the loudest voices that potential readers and followers hear when considering your work. As a result, a reader review can signi icantly impact your book’s success.

Because both professional and amateur feedback is essential, how do you decide what information is valuable and actionable? You set and manage expectations. What information do you want, and how would you like to receive it? For example, before beginning work with an editor, it’s crucial to have a conversation about what type of editing you expect, how they’ll provide feedback, and what support you can expect from them throughout the process.

Maybe you’re looking for a heavy developmental edit that you’ll work on together, collaborating in a shared document. Or you might be on the other end, looking for a corrected proof to be handed back to you, ready for formatting. Whatever your needs, be clear before you begin work. If you’re open to recommendations or

questions outside of the work that you’ve de ined, share that information as well. You may not realize that there is a missed opportunity or a critical concern outside of the scope of work you requested.

When working with Alpha, Beta, ARC readers, and/or reviewers, it’s also necessary to set clear expectations.

Based on how you intend to use their feedback, you may need to set deadlines. Ask readers to ill out a form to vet their experience or quali ications and ensure they it into your target audience. Should they focus on story structure, character development, low, or something else? Consider if you’d like feedback about typos, spelling errors, and punctuation.

Do you expect a review on a speci ic platform within a certain period? Will you use their feedback as a testimonial in your book or your marketing? When you set clearly de ined expectations, your readers are free to focus on the exact aspect that needs their attention.

Now that you’ve received the type of feedback you requested, you can evaluate its usefulness. Valuable and actionable feedback should contain three things: 1) Objectivity, 2) Clarity, and 3) Completeness.

Feedback that does not contain these three elements warrants further investigation. Ask questions until you have the information that you need.

Once you have actionable feedback, you must decide if it’s appropriate for you and your book. Not all actionable feedback requires action, but you’re equipped to make rational decisions when you have the three necessary elements.

Is the feedback appropriate for your book? Is it consistent with your voice and style? Is it suitable for your audience? Will the changes add value or improve clarity? Will a change have implications for other parts of the book?

For the most part, we’ve covered invited feedback, where you’ve decided that someone is quali ied, in some way, to be part of your writing and publishing journey. Now, after publication, you may receive offered feedback: reader reviews, social media interactions, or direct contact. Both invited and offered feedback can be positive or negative. However, because you have set expectations with your invited readers, you have appropriate information with which to make decisions.

Offered feedback may not have all the information you need. It may be based solely on opinion. When feedback is positive, you can take joy in it. You can use it to help build your audience or engage your readers.

When feedback is negative, you must decide what to do with it. Remember that doing nothing is a valid option.

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Your audience is not everyone. You do not need to please everyone. If you decide to address negative feedback, but it is not objective, clear, and complete, you might consider going back to the source for more information. Once you have it, you’re well equipped to make decisions. If you’re unable to reach the source, you’ll need to decide if you have enough information with which to work. If a reader has posted a negative review that is an opinion based on personal preferences, that reader may simply not be your intended audience, and that opinion may not be valuable enough to take any action.

On the other hand, if the reader is your target audience, and you see the opinion echoed by other readers, those reviews certainly warrant further consideration.

Offered opinions can have many motivations. Some come from readers who enjoy you or your writing and want to be helpful. Others might simply be “sour grapes”, stemming from jealousy or having negativity in their own life. Negative feedback can be invasive and defeating. It’s easy to have a powerful reaction and want to address the commentator or make rash decisions.

As with many things, time and space often provide better perspective and allow for balanced reactions

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and decisions. With distance, you can take time to process the information and review it within the context of the whole book. It may be the opinion you needed to hear—or it might just be white noise. Either way, you’ll be in a better position to decide how much of your time and attention it deserves, if any.

The ultimate advantage of self-publishing is that you are in control of your book. The decisions are yours to make. The recommendations are yours to take… or not.

Each month, I host the Professional Indie Publishing Roundtable, a casual conversation with authors and professionals. I invite you to join me on Sunday, April 10, at 3 p.m. Paci ic. Participation is always free. Bring your questions, challenges, victories, and curiosities. Visit www.DeliberatePage.com/Roundtable for access info and reminders.

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Chapter Eight Liam I turn the car toward a little marketplace on the edge of town. My mom used to take me and my sister here when we were kids. Bringing Victory here feels like sharing a part of my life with her.

It’s an old outdoor strip mall with all kinds of shops and eateries. It even has an outdoor theater, and on weekends, live performances. I had thought it would be a nice place to spend the afternoon with my new wife. But then she asks me this question and I don’t know what to say.

The more she knows, the closer he gets....

Being married to me, The Brotherhood will be watching her, and I don’t want her in danger. I’d never forgive myself if anything ever happened to her because of me.

Silence hangs between us and the sound of my breathing ills the small space. She turns away, assuming I won’t respond to her. Surrendering to not knowing. I grip the wheel and stop at a red light.

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“I remember the irst time I saw you, it was maybe two years ago. I’m not sure. I was ixing old man Barrister’s barn when you walked up carrying books and bags of food. I walked up to help you, took the bags, and carried in the groceries that you brought him.”

She wrinkles her brow, then her eyes light up. Her mouth opens, full lips parting. “I do remember you!

You asked me my name.”

I nod. “I did. I never forgot you.”

Her chest rises and falls with a deep breath. “I don’t understand why.”

He moves his hands from my cheeks, running them down my arms. The touch is simple, yet intimate.

I pull into the parking lot of the marketplace and look at her after I park the car. She doesn’t understand.

Neither do I. She’s extremely beautiful, but there are many pretty girls on this earth. There’s just something about her, something that drew me in.

Maybe it was her kind eyes, the sincerity in her gentle voice. I really don’t know. All I do know is that whatever it was, it sucked me in and fused me to her in that one chance happenstance moment. I was connected to her from that moment on because quite frankly, Victory felt like home.

“Tell me what you know of him irst,” he replies.

“Come on, let’s go walk around.”

“Victory, where do you believe the women in these brothel’s come from?”

After getting out of the truck, I reach for her hand. She takes mine without hesitation. We spend the entire day talking and laughing and shopping. She has a wonderful laugh; I’ve never heard it before today.

After watching her from afar for so long, getting to know her is even better than I could’ve ever imagined. She is more than the dream that had lived in my head. Everything about her is heartstopping.

“What do you know about William?” It’s late in the day, when she asks.

I linch. “Why do you ask?”

“Because I think you know something.”

Maybe she got to know me a little too well. I’ll have to remember that in the future. I sigh, pulling the car over at a rest stop. “Let’s go for a walk.”

I swallow as I consider his request. What do I know?

“Not too much, just that he’s a pilot. He told me while you were away that he goes to the whorehouse. I asked him why when he has a wife now and he… “ I shake my head, looking away as heat burns my cheeks. I shouldn’t be speaking of this. It’s one of those things that everyone knows, but no one will speak of. Liam blows out a breath, shoving his hands into his back pockets, eyes trained on me.

“I shouldn’t be speaking of this.

It’s one of those things that everyone knows, but no one will speak of. Liam blows out a breath, shoving his hands into his back pockets, eyes trained on me.“

I can’t talk in my truck, they might be listening. I can almost guarantee they are. Almost. I leave my phone in the car, anything that might be bugged.

She nods and unbuckles her seatbelt.

Victory Opening the passenger door, he takes my hand and helps me out of my seat. A dirt path opens at the mouth of two great oaks and we head down it, protected by the shade of the forested canopies.

Once we’re surrounded by the trees, he does a quick scan to con irm we’re alone before he clamps both sides of my cheeks in his hands, leans forward, and kisses me deeply. My heart beats as fast as a hummingbird’s wings. Feeling the kiss is more a distraction than earnest, I break away and look into my husband’s eyes.

I shake my head, confused by where he is steering the conversation. I was embarrassed to have slipped about William visiting the whorehouse. My insecurities as a woman and the possibility of not satisfying my husband were mine to bear alone. I shouldn’t have revealed this. But then I wonder, does Liam visit these women too? I blink, turning my eyes away, lushed and confused by the jealousy it arouses in my chest. It must show on my face because Liam reaches for me, and I linch— surprised by the touch.

“I do not partake in activities as such. . . My question to you was a simple one, not to be misconstrued. Do you know how the women in brothels come to work there?”

“What do you know about William?”

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I meet his hard eyes. The tightness in his jaw tells me the answer is an unpleasant one. Truth be told, I’ve never thought much about the women of the night.

My mother always said prostitution is the oldest profession. Sex for money has always been around, so why would I question it?

Because somehow, in the short time I’ve known him, he has earned it.

But why, in a country where each man is paired with a woman for the sole purpose of procreating, would sex need to be paid for, when women aren’t allowed to refuse?

“Why did you bring me here?” I ask. “I don’t understand what this has to do with my irst question. I asked about William.”

“How could their husbands allow them to be with other men?” I whisper.

“Of course he does,” I mutter even though I know it’s a lie. William doesn’t want me or anything to do with this marriage. He’s simply waiting it out. I can’t help but add, “Don’t you?”

Liam remained frozen, watching my face as he answered. “These women don’t have husbands.”

I blanch. Don’t have husbands? That’s unheard of.

Every woman in America is paired with at least two

He steps in close. “He desires the impossible. I long for more attainable goals. I will keep my bride, and nothing and no one will take her from me.”

“Yes.” The word falls easily from my lips.

He appears to study me for a moment, as if considering what to reveal next.

“He wants to impregnate you.”

He meets my eyes, his hard stare sends a chill down my back. He steps in close. “He desires the impossible. I long for more attainable goals. I will keep my bride, and nothing and no one will take her from me.”

My throat constricts. I can’t breathe. Desires the impossible? What could he mean? He can’t know.

There’s no possible way! No one knows. My parents made sure of it. If he knew, I’d already be dead.

Liam Victory’s soft ballet slippers retreat backward as her body slips from my grip. The alarm on her face signi ies I’ve said something that scares her. Before I have time to speak, she spins around, her crimson hair whipping my face as she lees from me.

“Victory, wait!”

husbands. Sex before marriage is punishable by death. There aren’t enough women around to stock brothels just for the depravity of men.

It doesn’t make sense. I knew of these . . . dens, but never put any thought into them. It’s shameful to think about such things, let alone stand here and talk openly about it.

“Victory, do you trust me?”

I blink. The correct answer would be a thoughtless, “Yes, of course”, simply because he is my husband. But I’m surprised to realize as I stare up at his piercing eyes, I actually do trust him. Not because he is my husband, but because I feel safe when I’m with him.

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My calls do nothing to slow her, so I give chase. She doesn’t get very far before tripping on a gnarled root protruding from the earth. She goes down hard, barely able to put her hands out to protect her beautiful face as it smacks against a decaying tree stump.

I reach her just in time to see the gash open across her forehead, and the thick, vermillion stream low down between her eyebrows. I don’t hesitate for a second as I rip my shirt off and place it on her wound.

She doesn’t resist, knowing she is injured and there’s nowhere for her to run.

But why run in the irst place?

I’ve asked her over and over if she trusts me, and each time she looked me dead in the eye and answered an af irmative. Had she been lying? Just

I thought I had made it clear that we don’t have to have a traditional marriage. I’m not her master, and with me, she’s free to speak the truth. I’d never expect anything less from her. Unlike many men, I want a partnership, not a dictatorship. Women are raised to expect otherwise, so I suspect she’s having a hard time with this strange truth.

“Victory, why did you run from me?”

“I… you… you know.” She looks up at me with wide eyes full of terror. “But you can’t know, how could you possibly?”

The words are said out loud, but somehow I don’t think she means for me to answer them.

I look into her eyes as I press the cloth to her

someone in your predicament. I need you to trust me.

I will not let anything happen to you. The Brotherhood will not ind out.”

But the question of William still lingers.

When I irst discovered the name of Victory’s other husband, I used all of my resources available to research him. I told myself I did it for Victory’s protection, but truth be told, my reasoning was fueled by jealousy. Jealousy or heroism, the search did not yield the results to satisfy my suspicions of the man.

Government reports showed he was a pilot for The Brotherhood. No prior jobs listed, no date of birth, and no prior address. It was as if The Brotherhood simply created the shell of a pro ile, not expecting anyone to research him. Nothing surprising there.

They can delete and create people as they wish, and the general population has no idea. They follow their rules and they are safe, or so they are told.

So we are all told.

But who is he really? I doubt he is just a pilot. But I can’t be sure of what the truth is, not yet.

“ I lean in and press my lips to her salty, trembling mouth. “I am your husband,” I say when I pull back. “And I am the man that will keep you alive.”

“Until I know who William is, you are not to trust him, do you understand me?”

Finally, her eyes move back to me. “Wh... who are you, Liam?”

I pull the cloth from her wound. It’s small, only the blood made it look bigger than it was. I lean in and press my lips to her salty, trembling mouth. “I am your husband,” I say when I pull back. “And I am the man that will keep you alive.”

She snif les and gingerly touches her forehead. “I want to see my mother.”

forehead. “Don’t ever be afraid of me,” I whisper. The words sound loud in the silence of the trees. “You have no reason to fear me.”

Rising to my feet, I hold out a hand to help her up. She rises, brushing the dust and leaves from her clothes.

“Let me get a fresh shirt and I’ll take you.”

The unspoken truth hangs on the branches the same way the mossy foliage does.

“But if they ind out… what will happen to me?” Tears ill her eyes but she blinks and looks away from me.

“How could you know?” The words are hushed as she looks around with wild eyes. “Does anyone else know?”

“No, no one knows. How I know isn’t important. Look at me, Victory.” I wait for her eyes to turn to mine, fear and the urge to run glowing in them. “You need to know something, wife. I am a safe place, especially for

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doing her wifely duty and agreeing with her husband?

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By: TJ Mackay

A New Way to Review the Best!

Professional reviewing for a worldwide magazine is a huge responsibility, one that requires a much higher level of objectivity and consistency than any other type of review out there…

That is a hard and lofty expectation when one considers we have upwards of 30 reviewers on staff during any given month!

Imagine 30 different people, with 30 different opinions, tastes, preferences, and dislikes. Yet, everyone is required to read, rate, and review, not from their personal point of view, but from a professional standard that is to be consistent with every other reviewer. See the challenge?!

In order to achieve this, as well as is humanly possible, each new InD'tale reviewer receives a set of guidelines that speci ically target how professional reviews are to be

written, and addresses any questions they may have. Then they receive a book scoring/judging sheet which includes such things as character development, technical writing, plot and con lict, arc and climax, conclusion, etc.

A number rating is given in each area, then the average scores of those areas becomes the inal star rating. This helps the reviewers stay consistent with each other and really see the bones of the story beneath the overall personal enjoyment. It also sets the requirements that must be attained, and checks that must be balanced and met in order to

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achieve the highly desired Crowned Heart (any book that is a 4.5 or 5 star rating).

This consistent scoring among reviewers at InD'tale is extremely important, not only so readers can have the utmost con idence in the reviews we provide, but also because it is those Crowned Heart reviews which become nominees for the prestigious and coveted RONE (Reward Of Novel Excellence) award.

This award was created and developed almost 10 years ago when there were no big awards to highlight the best in Indie publishing. Over the last 10 years, it has grown into the most

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comprehensive of its kind in all of publishing.

In order to maintain, improve, and perfect the highest level of quality that is required to keep that status, both for InD’tale magazine and for the RONE awards, we occasionally ind we need to update our review process.

And that is what brings us to this article! Remember above where I mentioned we all have our own likes and dislikes?

Well, we have noticed over the past couple of years, that even though we employ all the tools needed to ensure perfectly successful results, our numbers

still skewed weirdly high, as high as an overall average of a 4.25 rating during some months.

Now, we know our authors are incredibly talented and write exceptional books, but that reads more like lightening striking repeatedly each month!

Therefore, recently our staff sat down and brainstormed what the causes were and how to adjust our ratings to more honestly and fairly portray the publishing world as a whole. During those discussions, we realized that when rating a review, we tended to start with a 5 star rating, then deducted for each aspect that didn’t meet that expectation.

In using a perfect book to judge by, our reviewers were often seeing problems, but none that would drastically call for point deductions. This meant good stories, but those which may need some improvement, were given higher ratings than many of our reviewers would have given them if writing a personal review.

Then, a reviewer asked, “On our rating guidelines, aren’t “good” books supposed to be rated a 3 or 3.5? stars?”

And the light bulbs went off!

All we need to do to improve our reviewing quality is to begin each book with the anticipation that it will be a good book—a 3 to 3.5 star read—rather than a perfect book—a 5 star read.

A 3 to 3.5 star book is a solidly written book, has a good story, but may not stand out in any noticeable way, neither great or horrible, but will allow a reader an enjoyable escape. (See Three Star Wow article.)

place elements, and so on, the rating will go down from that 3 - 3.5 star base.

By incorporating this new paradigm in the way we approach stories, we hope to continue to give both authors and readers the very best information possible. Readers will have a more balanced review that aligns readily with both enjoyment of a story and the quality of the writing. Authors will receive a more consistent evaluation, while still receiving the most fair and honest review available in publishing today.

All scoring and judging changes are in effect beginning in this, the April issue, and will be used for all books going forward, and into next year’s (2023) RONE awards. This will ensure the RONE awards selection process will continue to raise the bar of excellence and truly allow the very best in Indie and small published books to shine and receive the honors and attention they so rightly deserve!

Then, if there are things which make the book really shine above the rest, such as fabulous depth within the characters that really touch a reader’s emotions, or an incredibly unique and creative plot that one hasn’t read before, etc., the rating points will rise.

This also works in the reverse, as well. If a book lacks depth and the reader is left wondering what the reasons are behind the actions, or there are plot holes that are not illed by the end of the story, or out of

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2022

RONE Awards Reader Voting Schedule

Suspense/Thriller Contemporary: Sweet Historical Ancient

Week Four: May 2-8 Mystery Young Adult Cops, Jocks, Cowboys

Week Two: April 18 - 24

Week Five: May 9-15

Week One: April 11-17

Historical Victorian-20th Contemporary: Steamy Anthology

Audiobook Paranormal: Short LGBTQ+

Week Three: April 25-May 1

Week Six: May 16-22

Paranormal: Long Historical American Science Fiction/Time Travel

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Historical Regency Suspense/Thriller: Steamy Fantasy

Guide to Our Reviews and Ratings: Our rating system is the standard 5 star rating system:

5 = exceptional 4 = excellent 3 = good 2 = fair 1 = poor CNF = If the problems in a book are such that a reviewer is unable to finish it, the book will be given to another reviewer to read. If both reviewers are unable to finish the book, it will receive the rating of “CNF” or “Could Not Finish”.

We also rate the "Steam" or sex factor so readers can enjoy whatever level they are most comfortable with.

The criteria is as follows:

1 Steam Kettle = Nothing but kisses 2 Steam Kettles = Passionate kissing, 3 Steam Kettles = Sex but the door is closed 4 Steam Kettles = Slightly steamy sex with some description 5 Steam Kettles = Steamy sex with somewhat graphic description Those books receiving a 4.5 or a 5 star review will also be awarded the "Crowned Heart" for excellence. This symbol will be seen beside the review in the magazine.

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Historical Click on any book’s image to learn more and purchase!

That's Why the Lady is a Tramp (The Unsuitable Brides Book 1) Merry Farmer

Sam Rathborne-Paxton and his three brothers are in a mess since their father, the Marquess of Vegas, lost all their funds to the ultimate villain. The brothers must put their heads together and marry rich women without letting the villain have all the power over their carefully constructed reputations. At irst, Sam seeks out Alice Woodmont, his mistress, to help him ind a bride. However, Alice may just be the key to the solution of the brothers’ power problems. Unfortunately, what Sam doesn’t know is that his dear Alice and her son Ryan are poor due to the unexpected loss of her investments. Will Sam and Alice’s love persevere when they discover the truth about one another?

Captivating, cute, and anything but clich , this novel brings a brand-new storyline that will give one a well-awaited break from the worry about reputations and simply focus on the love.

Nonetheless, issues with the plot remain, including the fact that Alice and Sam are already in love

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to start with, with no build-up in sight. It introduces a new concept, but it can be boring when readers don’t see any character development. This novel is still well-written, but the historical accuracy of everything seems to be tossed out the window. There’s some romance in worrying about just love, but in true society, reputation would not be so easily pushed to the side in the 19th century. The story of Sam and Alice still captures the attention of the readers, but the storyline moves too fast and contains too many con licts, potentially leaving the reader feeling lost on the way.

Nonetheless, this novel will still satisfy a reader’s historical cravings.

Austen Grace

Kiss or Dare (The Debutante Dares Book 3) Charlie Lane

Lord Devon Pennworthy receives a mysterious letter at a house party. Devon is able to igure out the letter was written by Miss Lillian Clarke. Devon doesn’t really care for Lillian, especially since she always seems to be underfoot. Devon stays at her house, to be Lillian’s father’s

apprentice. Devon must igure out how to make a perfect cup of coffee in order to buy a coffee house. Devon almost gives up, except for Lillian, who annoys him yet somehow inspires him too.

When Devon and Lillian kiss, the mystery is solved. When Lillian and Devon are caught in a compromising situation by Lillian’s father, they must marry. A marriage isn’t what either want.

Lillian will not be able to help the wall lowers and Devon won’t be able to get his coffee house.

Charlie Lane de initely writes a highly amusing and entertaining historical romance! The story moves luidly, with many captivating plot twists and humorous situations. The unusual romance topic of coffee and coffeehouses is brought to the forefront. Coffeehouses apparently were just as popular back then as they are today, which lends an added layer of interest to the story. Even though “Kiss or Dare” can be read as a standalone, it might still be helpful to read the previous books in the series to understand the story and really learn the true nature of the characters. The many tropes involved, from opposites attract to enemies become lovers, get a bit tedious at times. Both Devon and Lillian might be self-indulgent, but they are wonderful characters even with all the mistakes they manage to make. This unique Regency romance is truly a delight!

Roslynn Ernst

Historical

The De iant Daughter (The Ashmead Heirs Book 2) Caroline War ield

had before, with her family and her dead husband, is alluded to but never fully explained. Brynn, the ex-military hero, silently pines for Maddy but both Maddy and Brynn are simply the height of stubbornness, so for them to get together seems impossible. Given that fact, how Maddy and Brynn see each other, putting each other on a proverbial pedestal, is a bit irritating. Nonetheless, Ms. War ield still manages to write a truly interesting and enticing romance!

Roslynn Ernst

Madelyn “Maddy” Tavernash, widowed Duchess of Glenmoor, while at her brother’s wedding, is sitting alone on a bench when Colonel Brynn Morgan inds her.

Brynn offers to take her home, and Madelyn willingly goes with him. Brynn harbors a secret and strong affection for Maddy but isn’t able to tell her how he feels.

He knows he is undeserving of Maddy because her station in life is so far above his. When Maddy’s brother begs her to come to London to be a hostess for her best friend, she can’t refuse.

Maddy meets her stepson, the current Duke of Glenmoor who is being threatened by his uncle who also raised another hidden son of the dead Duke. Madelyn holds a secret about who is really the true Duke which will could destroy her entire family and upturn everyone’s life.

What an intriguing historical romance adroitly told! The story is illed to the brim with many complications and a lot of angst.

The many plot twists sure keep the reader guessing what will happen next, and yet the plot does drag at times. Madelyn, the widowed, reserved heroine, hides many secrets. Also, the life she

Delighting the Duke (Dukes Done Wrong #4) Alexa Aston

beauty and knows she must become his duchess.

Historical romance novels tend to come dry and slow, but Alexa Aston creates an engaging read.

From the irst chapter, readers are engaged in Aaron Hart ield and his family dynamic as he is accused of killing his younger brother, despite having been the one to always look out for him. As he grows up in the comforts of Turner Academy, readers get a glimpse of the other Dukes that are in the other novels. The emotion is raw and compelling throughout every chapter as readers eagerly wait for Aaron to propose to Olivia. However, it was a breath of fresh air to see a romance that isn’t forced. From start to inish their relationship is taken slowly and realistically.

Readers get a strong sense of who each character is and how their behavior will affect the storyline.

The amount of detail put into developing each character and building their relationships plays a huge role in keeping the reader engaged with the tale.

Sadie Wilson

Aaron Hart ield is sent away to Turner Academy when he is a young boy after he was accused of killing his younger brother in a swimming accident. Despite his anger, he grows fond of the academy and developes long, lasting friendships with the other boys. Years later, after being in the war against Napoleon, Aaron is told to return home to claim his title after his older brother dies.

Shortly after coming home, he runs into Lady Olivia, a bluestocking saving a kitten. He is enthralled by her con idence and

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The Sea Rover’s Curse (Pirates of Britannia #39) Katherine Bone

do the characters deserve the treasure? Merryn is the only woman aboard a ship with a shady crew. For someone who spent years on the streets, her character is very naive and lacks decision-making skills.

Christopher also lacks the skills to be a true leader. Their choices don't re lect their experiences.

While there are many lashbacks, they are properly balanced by some suspenseful twists. Readers who want to be whisked away on an adventure will want to pick up this book!

Amanda Hupe

Captain Christopher Lambrick, once a part of the British Royal Navy, is now in charge of guarding the island of Lundy. Ships often run aground near the island, but he’s unprepared for what arrives on the most recent shipwreck—a beautiful young woman who almost drowned and now is ravaged with fever. He knows he must care for her but also build up his defenses because she could be an enemy. Merryn de Marais is a Frenchwoman who was inspired by her family's legacy and curse.

To break the curse and free her grandfather from Napoleon’s prison she must ind William de Marisco’s treasure. Despite the fact that their countries are enemies, the attraction is there.

But will Merryn’s determination to ind the treasure make her lose her chance at true love?

Hoist the sails for a whirlwind adventure and an unexpected romance! This is de initely more of an adventure romance than a historical romance. While there are a few good historical details, particularly the descriptions of the French Revolution, nothing else seems apt for the time period.

Nonetheless, readers will want to join the hunt for the treasure! But

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A Rogue’s Autumn Bride (The Rogue Chronicles #6) Lana Williams

growing attached. While in the midst of planning the ball, they also ind themselves embroiled in the same dangerous scam that Sarah found herself in when she irst arrived in London. They will need each other to ind the villains and protect other women from danger.

This is one of those rare historical romances that shows the characters falling in love and truly supporting each other. It is refreshing to witness a more realistic love story that begins with getting to know each other, developing a mutual respect that leads to a great passionate love.

This book does touch on some sensitive themes such as sex traf icking, PTSD, and wounded soldiers. The suspenseful scenes make for a fast pace which will have readers reading it in one sitting! But it is the characters that truly shine. Both Sarah and Harry struggle with their pasts and how those in their family treat them. Finding each other brings about healing and recognizing their worth. Those who have not read any other books by this author will want to add all of her books to their to be read lists!

Amanda Hupe

Sarah Ramsey is very happy with her job as a lady’s companion, and she knows she should be grateful.

When she came to London, she found herself in danger that ruined her reputation. Her employer respects her and decides that she should be in charge of planning a charity ball for wounded soldiers. It turns out she will be co-planner with Captain Harry Clarke. He fought for his country and lost his leg in battle. Sarah treats him as a person and recognizes his bravery. They ind themselves

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The Wylder Rose (The Wylder West) Jane Lewis

On his way home from Wylder, Callum McPhillip comes across a woman nearly frozen to death in her carriage. He takes her and her horse home with him where he realizes she is the beauty he saw getting into a coach in Cheyenne and has been on his mind ever since. Rose is running away from her evil lover, Walker Morgan, when a snowstorm hits. Her destination is Wylder, where she will be singing in a saloon. Callum nurses her back to health and claims her for his own, although Rose is not interested in any commitments. Her ultimate goal: get to California, where Walker will never ind her. Callum goes to all of her performances and walks her to her boarding house afterwards, keeping her safe. All is going well between the two of them until one blissful afternoon, when everything falls apart.

“The Wylder Rose” is a charming story revolving around a reluctant Irish lass and a determined Scotsman. The world building is realistic, and one can almost feel the cold of the snowstorm and the warmth of the ire as Ms. Lewis describes them in vibrant detail.

Humor is scattered throughout this novel, breaking up scenes that

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might otherwise be too intense.

The story does become repetitive once Rose moves to Wylder and Callum walks her back home every night. The characters’ personalities are excellently captured, and it is easy to see what their intentions and quandaries are. Certain scenes will keep readers on the edge of their seats anticipating what will happen next. A beautifully written, highly recommended story.

Belinda Wilson

One Night His Lady: Shadows and Silk, Book 6 So ie Darling

So, off the two of them go to Gretna Green to destroy the page in the marriage book holding the damning evidence. Eva has several secrets she should tell Lucien, but she keeps them to herself, including that they have a son.

“One Night His Lady” is a pleasingly written second chance novel of star crossed lovers.

Betrayal and blackmail are at the heart of this story and keep it moving forward. The Marquis, Lucien, is a well-written hero who is likeable despite his many quirks. The world building is wonderful, and one can well imagine Lucien’s estate with its many acres of vineyards and pond. Eva is more problematic.

She keeps secrets from Lucien until just before the end. The story is emotionally draining to read because of Eva, who constantly thinks of new reasons why she is unworthy of Lucien. The plot is somewhat dif icult to follow with the many blackmailing schemes and side stories of secondary characters. Dif iculties aside, this is a truly unique read for die hard historical lovers.

Belinda Wilson

Dressmaker Eva is traveling with one of her most in luential clients, the Duchess of Uxbridge, and duchess’ daughter, Lady Portia.

Eva is inishing alterations on Lady Portia’s gown for the next night’s ball, where the Duchess anticipates the Marquis will announce his engagement to Lady Portia. The Duchess does not know Eva is already married to Lucien, the Marquis. They wed four years ago at Gretna Green followed by a spectacular wedding night, but Eva has never seen him since then—until now.

So, Eva’s question to Lucien is, “How can he marry Lady Portia when he is already wed to her?”

How to Win a Dukes Heart (Seductive Scoundrels Book 14) Collette Cameron

Sophronie Slater is an American in love with horses. Having been raised on the American continent by her indulgent father, she is a con ident woman not held back by societie’s expectations of what females should be. Sophronie gets along with most people but not the Duke of Waycross, Evan Gordonstone. Evan is trying to revive his duchy by breeding and racing horses. But horses are the only thing that Evan and Sophronie can agree on. They are constantly at odds and often vying for the same horse. When they ind themselves thrown into a whirlwind marriage orchestrated by her father on his deathbed, she intends to try it for a year with the idea that she will never stay. Her headstrong ways just might cost her a chance at true happiness.

This latest addition to the Seductive Scoundrels series can easily be read as a stand-alone.

Sophronie is a breath of fresh air in a historical romance. With her less inhibited American ways, she challenges the status quo. Every time Sophronie and Edward meet, sparks ly, and everyone—but them—can feel the heat. The character development is good, and Edward’s supportive family is

full of witty women who create a lot of laughter. There are several very strong females in this historical who sometimes even use strong language that feels foreign for the time period. The plot has quite a few slow spots.

Sophronie and Edward’s emotions pull them together repeatedly and elicit heart palpitations in everyone around.

With murder, intrigue, and a burning romance, this is a fun passionate read.

Cara Cieslak

Bridges Linda Grif in

A fatal car accident kills Mary Claire’s brother and leaves her blind and badly scarred.

Summoned to West ield Court to hear the reading of her grandfather’s will, she learns the house and his possessions are hers. Mary Clair must, however, allow her aunt to live in the house until death and she must wed within a year. Throughout the story, Mary Clair keeps a running dialogue with Neil Vincent, the chauffeur. She inds he loves to read as much as she does, and they have read many of the same works. They also talk about philosophy and theology. Mary Claire inds he is a “Christian” atheist. She is Catholic and tries to get him to come to church with

her, but he resists. Neil thinks he feels fatherly feelings towards the eighteen year old girl, because he is twenty years her senior. But he soon learns he is mistaken.

“Bridges” is the perfect title for a story which bridges so very many topics. There are the bridges mentioned on the cover, friendship, faith, love, but there is also the bridge of the age difference, a bridge burned later in the book, and the bridge of appreciating nature through senses other than sight. Ms. Grif in expertly uses a blind heroine in this novel, ably bringing the reader into her realm. Despite the story using dialogue almost exclusively, it is at times very dif icult to discern who is speaking to whom. While the characters are enjoyable, they seem one dimensional.

Connecting so many of life’s signi icant milestones, “Bridges” is a most noteworthy story.

Belinda Wilson

Baron of Rake Street (Sisterhood of Secrets Book 2) Jennifer Monroe

Lord Andrew St. John’s gambling and drinking have driven his estate to near bankruptcy.

Desperate to save it, he uses his charm to con na ve women into

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giving him both jewelry and coins.

Then he overhears a stunning young woman boast of her family’s wealth and he sets on a course to win the lady and her dowry. Miss Emma Hunter never forgot the kiss she exchanged with the infamous Baron of Rake Street. Unfortunately, her father has promised her hand to another.

But then Lord St. John requests to call on her, and the chance to make her dreams come true seems within reach. But with lies between them, can true love develop, or will their gambles ruin them for good?

An historical romance does not often involve a coming-of-age story, but in “Baron of Rake Street” that is exactly what readers will ind. As the romance continues from an encounter in the previous book, readers will want to read the books in order to avoid confusion and spoilers. This book is different from most romances in this genre in that the main characters are not the ones who drive the change and resolve con lict. Instead, the main characters are poor and hiding it.

They lie, make several poor choices, and their laws are brought out clearly. However, through the actions of the characters around them, con licts are resolved, and they both grow together. Further, there are several scenes put in place to address the previous book and start the romance for the next book. Overall, readers will either ind it satisfactory and move on, or delight in everything this book offers!

Sarah E Bradley

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Redirecting The Baron’s Greed (The Lords of Vice Book 4) C.H. Admirand

Baron Marcus Summer ield is seeking an audience with his cousin the Duke of Wyndmere hoping his cousin will ill his pockets so he may lead a life he feels he deserves. The duke agrees to lend him his townhouse and his connections to help him land an heiress. Phoebe, the duke’s sister, is just starting to come out of her shell as she recovers from an earlier attack on her family. Now Phoebe also is in London in search of a husband. The Baron, however, is the victim of an attack on his character by men who want the duke’s family so embroiled in scandal they won’t have time to see the smuggling activity happening on their land. Marcus may have inally found something more precious than money, but can he keep it when evil men want to destroy him and his family?

There is a large amount of background and characters introduced who are not integral to the story. Marcus is a hard hero to like, with his desire to ill his pockets and an “I deserve” attitude. Phoebe is easy to love and relate to. Her prior trauma gives her a vulnerability that she works hard to overcome. Their

instant love may be hard to accept. Once the plot picks up speed and Marcus starts to show some redeeming qualities the story gets interesting. The character development is good and consistent. The intrigue and plots to discredit the family lead to much growth within the family and with each character. There is enough background that this story can easily stand alone. With growth, romance, and intrigue this historical romance will surely win readers hearts.

Cara Cieslak

Unmasking Deception Mary Lancaster

Lord Dominic Gorse is the son of a marquis with a reputation as a bad boy and heartbreaker. He is falsely accused and then found guilty of murder. Dominic never got a chance to prove his innocence, and even his own family believes in his guilt. He breaks out of Newgate with the help of a prison guard who believes he is innocent. Viola Dove is only nineteen, has a lot of responsibility, and is expected to marry well. She attends the Maida Pleasure Garden with her friends and is having an enjoyable time when she is asked to dance by a masked stranger. While he initiates lirting, Viola inds

herself having fun with the stranger, and winds up helping him.

“Unmasking Deception” is book 2 in the Pleasure Garden series and is a fun historical romance. Mary Lancaster has created a very believable story with enjoyable characters and one big lovable dog who stole the story. The secondary characters have helped to bring this story to life as well, and the reader will want to learn more about the other characters in the story. Viola is an intelligent young lady who reads people well.

She lacks con idence in who she is and does not show her true self to the public because she is afraid they will not like her. Viola is responsible for her mother and siblings and is expected to marry to support her family. The reader will revel in watching Viola and Dominic connect and fall in love.

Readers may wish for more suspense, but nevertheless, one will get caught up in the action of the story.

Victoria Zumbrum

plan… to enter the Lyons Den and enlist the help of Mrs. Dove-Lyon to ind her a suitable match.

Edward Fortescue, Viscount Eskdale, has no desire to enter into marriage and only frequents the Lyon’s Den for games and female companionship.

His friend Ambrose Crossley believes Edwards’s life is headed for trouble, and the thing to pull him out would be a wife. When Ambrose solicits the services of Mrs. Dove-Lyon to ind Edward a bride, a game is set in motion. A game where the main players don’t even know they are playing.

Fans of the Lyon’s Den connected world will enjoy this latest addition as Mrs. Dove-Lyon works her magic. The relationship between Harriet and Edward is hard to accept. Harriet’s feelings are believable since she has carried a torch for him for years.

However, she is continuously described as not overly attractive with thick spectacles and horri ic allergies. Although she is alleged to be very smart, her intelligence is never seen in their limited interactions. Edward’s sudden feelings for Harriet develop without any extended meetings, only short encounters. However, the story is full of emotion and angst—a veritable rollercoaster of emotions that end as swiftly as they start. The idea of a friend soliciting Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s services for someone else is a welcome twist. A quick emotionilled read to pass the time.

Cara Cieslak

The Devilish Lyon Charlotte Wren

Harriet Hurst is tired of trying to ind a husband in ballrooms illed with perfumes that throw her into its of sneezing. She has another

Desperate Daughters: A Bluestocking Belles Collection Alina K. Field, Ella Quinn, Mary Lancaster, Meara Platt, Caroline War ield, Elizabeth Ellen Carter, Jude Knight, Rue Allyn, Sherry Ewing

ANTHOLOGY: Early 19th Century, England. The Dowager Countess of Seahaven has her work cut out for her. Fifth wife of the Earl, Patience is left with little inheritance to support nine stepdaughters after the new Earl turns them out. Patience is determined to ind a way to get all the girls properly married off.

Each story focuses on a different daughter’s quest.

The Bluestocking Belles represent a wide variety of women, the youngest in their teens and the eldest, their stepmother, Patience herself. Many of the girls are in their mid to late twenties—past marriageable age for the time.

They don’t have money for fancy gowns, so a little stitchery changes their dresses with differing trims and overskirts. The camaraderie, teamwork, and ingenuity of these ladies is inspiring.

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These novellas, although written by different authors with distinctive voices, mesh seamlessly. They are perfectly paced, and all tell a full story with a satisfying conclusion. The love scenes run the gamut from sweet to slightly spicy. The array of women portrayed, with their determination and spunk to live the lives of their dreams, is refreshing for novellas set in a time when women had little such freedom. There are some hiccups: confusion ensues since the order of the irst two pieces is not sequential—the second novella seems to come chronologically before the irst. Also, as the tales go on, how the stepdaughters are related becomes somewhat fuzzy.

All in all, this anthology represents an admirable storytelling collaboration, and is a delightful read.

F.S. Brown

and Clara is expected to marry well and be the perfect wife which will cause her to lose her independence. The reader will wish for the connection between them, but may not feel it. Despite that, Jade Lee did a fantastic job in describing that period, the dress, and the people. “Lord Scot” is a great start to the Always a Scot series.

Lord Scot (Always a Scot, book 1) Jade Lee

Lord Liam Loughton is looking for a wealthy wife with a large dowry, so he can make changes to his family’s castle and people. He thinks he has found that woman in Lady Clara. Not only does she have money, but she is stubborn, opinionated, strong, and educated. Lady Clara is a spinster and has no desire to ever marry or leave her beloved London, and ights him every step of the way.

Liam convinces Clara to go to Scotland for a visit where he plans to court her, but before he can do that, they both are tricked into marriage by his father.

“Lord Scot” is a fun historical romance that will have the reader laughing at the banter and bickering between Liam and Clara. Both are well educated, stubborn and opinionated and their personalities are constantly clashing. The reader will feel that Liam and Clara did not connect emotionally and there just was no chemistry between them, although one will love the secondary characters - especially Clara’s brother and his ianc e.

Liam and Clara are alike in a lot of ways. Both grew up ighting culture expectations from their families. Liam is the son of a laird,

Victoria Zumbrum

My Lord Protector (The Beresford Adventures Book 2) Cheryl Bolen

When Charlotte Robinson discovers her employer's murdered body, she is forced to go on the run. Entrusted with a journal kept by that lady, Charlotte knows that she could become a target of the killer.

Changing her name to Caroline Rutherford, she takes a position as a companion to the sister of the Earl of Devere. The earl is taken by his sister's new companion and intrigued by her knowledge of Whig politics. But something doesn't add up, and when mysterious happenings target Caroline, he is certain his sister's companion is hiding something.

Caroline adores her position in the Devere household and fears

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The women are all very different in other ways as well, with interests ranging from charity work to music to archaeology to herbal medicine. One is described as having an “unfashionable igure.” The twins are determined to ind brothers to marry so they will never be apart. Yet each forges her own unique journey in her search for a man to love.

Finally, Patience herself has a chance at a happy ever after.

Historical

Historical that she is falling in love with the earl. Will he be able to forgive her deception? As the earl wrestles with unexpected feelings, one thing is clear - he will do whatever it takes to protect Caroline!

"My Lord Protector" delights and intrigues with its blend of mystery and romance! The reader is drawn in immediately as Charlotte discovers her employer's body. The practicalities of disappearing and changing identities adds depth to the story, as do the historical references to political bills being debated at the time. Charlotte/ Caroline is refreshing as a young woman with understanding of the government and levels of power. Devere is responsible and caring, which comes through on his positions of various issues of the day. The attraction between the two develops naturally, and the incidents that beset Caroline add spice and mystery to the plot! "My Lord Protector" will entice readers to devour all three books in this entertaining series from the talented pen of Cheryl Bolen!

Tricia Hill

An Unfamiliar Duke (Georgian Gentleman # 4) Sian Ann Bessey

Emerson Matthews

Rosalind Ainsworth disliked Sebastian Lumley when they were children, and he refused her access to his treehouse. Now they are adults. He is the Duke of Kelbrook, and far removed from the London society scene. On Rosalind’s 21st birthday, he arrives to marry her, per the pact both their late fathers arranged when he and Rosalind were but babes. Rosalind is a true innocent and appalled at being forced to marry the rude boy from her childhood - Duke or not! Further, she doesn’t want to leave her home to travel to his home far away from her mother. Sebastian is not thrilled about returning to London to marry a woman he barely remembers, but he is loyal to his late father’s decree.

However, he has a secret that has kept him away from London all these years, and it’s a secret that can destroy their marriage before it even begins.

Regency fans, rejoice and prepare yourself for a unique, highly creative historical full of thoroughly likable characters and plenty of excitement, mixed with old-world charm! Rosalind is the sweet innocent, Sebastian is a perfect beleaguered Duke, and

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the rest of the cast perfectly lesh out the pages. The romance is very slow to build and limited to just kissing once it did develop.

The dialogue is a good representative of the era yet it seems a little bland. Con lict is real, yet the characters could face more trials both separately, internally, externally, and together as a married couple. The characters are quite amiable but could have been deeper drawn.

Aside from these minor issues, the story is a pleasure to read, and easy to immerse oneself into.

The Dark Conqueror (Battle Lords of deVelt) Kathryn Le Veque

In this latest installment of the Battle Lords of deVelt series, the reader is treated to Cassian’s story. Fostered with the deLohr family since a young age, Cassian was always drawn to Brielle, one of the deLohr children. When their young love draws Brielle’s father’s ire, Cassian leaves Lioncross Abbey Castle and sets out to make a new life for himself. After working as an aide to a now destitute Lord, Cassian turns to the tournament arena, making a name for himself as the Dark Conqueror. After ten years

Historical apart, he returns, rich and successful, to claim the only woman he's ever loved. However, a dark cloud hangs over their reunion, and his duty to another woman may be what keeps them apart.

For those who love Author Kathryn Le Veque’s medieval romances, the chance to revisit the powerful deLohr family is an exciting prospect. The story contains colorful and entertaining historical facts and descriptions, if not somewhat redundant of the previous books in the series. The heroine, Brielle, has refused other suitors in hopes of Cassian’s return - not just for herself, but for the child they share. Waiting for Cassian is her most redeeming quality. Otherwise, her character lacks emotional development.

Cassian, a ierce warrior, is weepy, and other than when trouncing his opponents, doesn’t seem all that manly. The premise of the book promises a deep, dark secret that could possibly split Cassian and Brielle apart. Unfortunately, the big reveal and ensuing resolution lack impact. But, for those who love sweeping adventure, and have followed the other stories, this book will de initely add to the series.

N.E. Kelley

Captured by the Earl (The Secret Crusaders, 2) Melanie Rose Clarke

Earl of Peyton, is a far more interesting character, despite the lack of backstory to explain how and why he became a spy. The ending seems a bit rushed, but does give the reader the coveted happily-ever-after. A reference to the Earl as a Duke in the inal gossip column scene is a bit confusing. However, that, combined with a few grammatical errors did not take away from the story. If you’re a fan of Regency Romance with a somewhat Americanized twist, you may enjoy this story.

N.E. Kelley

Lady Emma Sinclair is a woman of breeding but also one of conscience. She’s adamant about her causes even when her intelligence and willingness to speak her mind is off putting to members of the ton. When she’s caught in a misunderstanding about being betrothed to the Earl of Peyton, she’s not worried. After all, Philip is currently in America.

Isn’t he? When Philip returns to England, he’s surprised to learn of this unexpected betrothal. Yet, intrigued by the sassy, outspoken young Emma. Will his alter-ego, superhero spy persona prevent him from getting to know the lady who’s quickly stealing his heart?

Or, can he carry on with his dangerous missions and still keep her safe?

“Captured by the Earl” started off with a bang. Lady Emma’s wit and sarcasm are entertaining at irst, but quickly bog down the story.

There is no real development to her character past the quips and banter between herself and the Earl. Emma’s wishy-washy indecision between the Earl and another suitor, weakens her character, especially after she and Philip have been intimate. Philip,

The Choice: A Novel of Love, Faith and Tulmud Maggie Anton

Hannah Eisin wants to gain the respect of her male colleagues.

Stuck in a man’s world at the Daily Freiheit, she is determined to be taken seriously. This seems to be one step closer when she is able to get an interview with Talmud professor Nathan Mandel, a controversial professor who has some outrageous views. Hannah is sure that it will be a dif icult interview to participate in, but what she doesn’t expect is to be taken on a journey of discovery in text that is forbidden to women.

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Historical Convincing Nathan to be her teacher, she is exhilarated, thrilled, and inds herself learning things she never thought possible. As their secret meetings continue, both are pulled into the moment, and who knows what will happen?

The concept of this novel is awesome! The style in which Maggie Anton writes just lows so easily, and the language used is beautiful. Hannah is a character that a lot of women will ind themselves relating to, and will enjoy going on the journey with her as she learns about things she could never have comprehended. Hannah and Nathan’s character development is spot-on and progresses well throughout the book. “The Choice” is a novel that will remain with readers long after it has been inished, and it’s de initely one that will be re-read again and again. One to most certainly put on the ereader this spring. Enjoy it on the sofa with a cup of tea or outside in the spring sun!

Lynn-Alexandria McKendrick

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Lily of the Valley Sarah M. Eden

Kester Barrington met his best friends at Eton College. Adopting him into their group, they accept nothing less than his friendship.

Kester has to be dragged to social events and house parties.

When one of the group, Stanley, dies after a house party Kester missed, he vows to never again miss a chance to be with his friends - despite his need for solitude. Now Kester inds himself the host of a house party with all his friends in attendance. Violet Ridley’s fathers’ investments in iron have moved her family up in society.

Joining the gentry, they have

purchased a country estate which happens to be on the land neighboring Kester’s. The problem is that they don’t know the rules of society. When the new country estate catches ire, Kester’s band of friends rescue the Ridley’s, and he invites them to stay in his home. Kester values his solitude, but as he spends time with Violet, he begins to value her as well.

Violet is a sweet but surprisingly strong character. Her fortitude shows as she pursues her dream of improving her prosthetic arm.

As she begins to trust Kester, allowing him to help her, and then working together to make her dream a reality, their friendship begins to develop into something more. The tender relationship between Kester and Violet is sweet and endearing.

The supporting characters of their friends and family are colorful and lively. The author masterfully uses the house party to create an environment ripe for love to blossom. Filled with witty banter, colorful characters, and tender moments “Lily of the Valley” will plant itself in every reader’s heart.

Cara Cieslak

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Click on any book’s image to learn more and purchase!

Before J. Kilburn

“Before” is a coming-of-age story that follows several teenagers as they try to navigate their topsyturvy lives in a small town. Bruce, a young man who plays hockey for a local college known as the Academy, inds himself entranced by a high school beauty named Brittany. Their lives become entangled, as well as the life of Tabitha, another young woman attending the same school as Brittany. These three, plus many other important characters, set out on several wild and crazy adventures as they navigate the murky waters and world of growing from adolescence to adulthood.

Mr. Kilburn is a master at writing character development! Each and every one of the characters he creates in this story are well thought out, with an abundance of history provided. However, this makes the story too long, and at times it is dif icult to plow through. There are some uncomfortable scenes throughout the book that may trigger some readers and disgust others including sexually explicit scenes between young minors (14 and

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16), in a lesbian relationship, underage pregnancy, childbirth, and substance abuse. There are also scenes of slut-shaming and swearing throughout the entirety of this book. “Before” is a drama illed story that seems to branch off into separate backstories for each character. Mr. Kilburn deftly creates characters who are easy to understand as he delves into the intricacies of how their minds work. The relationships they have with one another are very well mapped out. This makes the story great for those who are interested in plotlines that focusses on relationship building, and encompasses teen drama, and adventures that young people experience from years in high school and into their college years.

Jennifer Shepherd

Boss Lady (Driven Women #2) Laralyn Doran

women. However, in business the road is seldom smooth. Falling for Cal, the man who’s investing in their business is not a road bump Harper wants. Similarly, the last thing Cal expected when he came to visit his brother was to ind himself investing in a new race team, but once he gets to know the snappy Harper, he simply can’t help but want to see her succeed —and maybe win her heart.

Winning the resistant Harper’s affections becomes a little more complicated, though, when family secrets and obligations cause Cal’s life to crumple around him.

Race cars aren’t the only thing that raises the heart rate in this corporate adrenaline race. The story features a swoon-worthy hero willing to show his feelings and true desire to see the women he cares for succeed even amongst the chaos of his own life.

However things get confusing fast, as hefty info dumps require the reader to get up to speed with large chunks of backstory and family dynamics within the irst few pages. While Harper’s iery, independent attitude makes her a woman you wouldn’t want to mess with, it often causes her to come off as abrasive and sel ish, making her an unlikeable character. However, the romance that blooms between Harper and Cal is beautiful in the way it develops both the characters as a couple and the dreams they share.

Annalee Stilove

Harper is CJ’s stock car manager, and best friend. They have been racing under Harper’s family team banner for years but have a desire to strike out on their own in the mostly male-dominated industry to make strides in the industry for

Contemporary

The Texas Cowboy (Return to Folly #1) Linda Nightingale

Ash has lived in England most of his life, but his heart has always lived in Folly, Texas. When his father passed away, potentially leaving him heir to Marathon Ranch, he knew it was time to go home for good. Since watching his parents' marriage fall into ruin, love has never been high on his bucket list, but then, he never counted on meeting the iery Trish, one of his new ranch hands and a true cowgirl. Now he can’t get her feisty spirit off his mind, but with the threat of horse thieves, the battle to put the ranch in the racing spotlight, and the romantic roadblocks, love seems as daunting a task as getting on the back of a wild young stallion for the irst time. But when the prize is Trish’s heart, the risk is worth it.

Horse races, horse thieves, and a good wholesome hometown love gives this country romance the comforting feeling of coming home. Ash’s passion for Texas, his horses, and his new business pours off the page, and his feelings for Trish are a swoonworthy force sure to win hearts.

Trish is just as passionate about the horses in a way that shows just how protective and

mothering she can be. While the story ensures something for every cowboy romance fan by mixing a little bit of intrigue and danger into a sweet country story, some of the pacing is lost as descriptions get a little heavy handed, and at times, repetitive.

With a little polish to the descriptions, this fresh outlook on the cowboy rancher romance will be one to remember.

Annalee Stilove

A Year of Firsts (Second Chances, Book 1) Liz Flaherty

and a great deal of “like” lingers between them. As Syd’s personal journey brings her closer to Clay, a relationship might just be a irst neither of them expected.

A sweet midlife romance, “A Year of Firsts” presents a cute story that is part romance and part journey of self-discovery. While Syd is older than the typical heroine of a self-discovery story, she perfectly portrays the idea that life is full of change, and it’s never too late to learn more about yourself. The story further explores the idea of balance between romance and life, career and family. The con licts in the story are minor and the plot is mostly driven by small choices and conversations between Syd, Clay, and their friends and family.

Yet, despite the simple plot, it engages the reader and provides the perfect story for after a hard day that requires an easy read and a happy ending.

Sarah E Bradley

Syd Cavanaugh promised her late husband she’d take a road trip after his death. With the support of her grown daughters, she makes a list of things she wishes to do or try in her “year of irsts”. Then an unplanned detour lands her in Fallen Soldier, Pennsylvania, where she meets former television journalist and current newspaper editor Clay McAlister. A heart attack forced Clay to reconsider his hectic lifestyle and brought him to live in a small town near family.

Syd is just passing through; Clay can’t promise the lovely widow a future. But interest

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Mix and Match (Heaven's Matchmaker, Book 1) Peggy Jaeger

Jasmine Green was burned badly by her ex. Forced to return home after her divorce, she retains the matchmaking service of Oliva Joyner to push through the dating scene. Donovan Boyd is doing well in his career, and after a year living and working in Heaven, NH, he decides it’s time to take the next step and settle down. When Oliva Joyner pairs him with the stunning Jasmine Green, he’s certain hiring Oliva was the smartest thing he’d ever done.

Except, the beautiful Jasmine has a different kind of marriage in mind from Donovan’s idea, and she decides friends is as far as they will get. Getting out of the friend-zone will take effort, but Donovan isn’t ready to give up on the woman who could make his future better than he’d ever planned.

A really sweet contemporary romance, “Mix and Match” takes initial attraction, adds in a healthy dose of friendship, and churns out a fantastic slow burn romance.

Both Jasmine and Donovan are lawed, and Jasmine in particular has several hang-ups that prevent her from moving forward.

However, the story involves the kind of steady build up that

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Contemporary engrosses the reader and moves so naturally that the reader inds themselves breezing through the story without realizing it. Further, the romance has a quality that seems so natural and realistic that Jasmine and Donovan’s story feels like it could almost be a retelling of a real experience. While the ending is predictable and the con lict is minor, readers will ind that this is exactly the kind of curl up and feel good read they might be looking for.

Sarah E Bradley

The Wilde Card (Ace of Hearts) Ashley R. King

bending one-night stand without regret? Or, will it come back to haunt her when she’s given her irst assignment as a new tennis coach?

“The Wilde Card” by Author Ashley R. King holds a lot of promise. And a lot of steam.

Opening with a sexy encounter never hurts. Then, coming back with the realization that your new tennis charge is the fellow who you left without so much as a goodbye, is a great set up for a sports-driven romantic comedy.

Unfortunately, the book lost quite a bit of its luster with a slow middle section, and the predictability of the plot. The characters were entertaining in the beginning, but failed to develop any further as the story went on. The exception to this was the sweet relationship that developed between Alex and Simone’s daughter, Lola. This book does feature characters from the irst story in the series, but can be read as a standalone. If tennis is your game, and romantic comedy your preferred genre, you will likely enjoy this book.

N.E. Kelly

Simone Warner is a successful businesswoman, the CEO of a hotel chain, and recently divorced from a cheating ex. She’s also a mom with a very bright eightyear-old daughter. Yet, for Simone, it’s time for sweeping change. She resigns from her position to pursue her passion for tennis and strives to become an assistant coach. However, after a tennis match of her own, Simone gets far more than she bargains for when she meets Alex Wilde, a handsome younger man who sparks her interest and rekindles a passion she hasn’t felt in a long time. Can she walk away from the mind-

The Pizza Guy from Beachside (The Beachside Boys) Piper Malone

“The Pizza Guy from Beachside” is the irst book in Author Piper Malone’s new series, The Beachside Boys. A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, this quirky romantic comedy pits rival pizza shops against one another. The Cusano and Martaluchi families have been ighting over who has the best pizza for years. When rumors hint that the elderly Gus Martaluchi may be retiring, Zeke Cusano is ecstatic. He’ll now be the king of pizza on this small town, beachside, boardwalk. Everything is perfect until Heidi Martaluchi walks into his life and throws him for a loop. Will they be able to hide their growing attraction from their families? Or, will an unlucky encounter reveal their romance before they’re ready?

First of all... pizza. Top it with some wonderfully entertaining characters, and some laugh-outloud situations, and readers are sure to be enamored. Zeke and Heidi are perfect for one another.

Both are ambitious, with their futures all planned out. The sweet moments between them are swoon worthy in an understated sort of way. However, both

characters are smart enough to keep their romance a secret, at least until they can igure out a way to end the ongoing feud between their families. The supporting characters, especially the grumpy Gus Martaluchi, and the way he ights Heidi’s every attempt to modernize his restaurant, will tickle the funny bone. Zeke’s Nana is equally adorable and both grandparents add the perfect comedic touch to an already well-written book. The story was complete and not the least bit hindered by the shorter novella length. For those readers who enjoy a quick, yet entertaining, beach read, this is the book you want to get.

N.E. Kelley

Gavel and Garland (A Dickens Holiday Romance) Kathryn Hills

Elizabeth McKenzie, Dickens young mayor has more than enough on her plate running the small, ictitious New England town. Add to that a freak snowstorm that strands her miles from home, a runaway niece, and broken water pipes and who knows what will ensue. When military veterinarian Daniel Murray arrives in Dickens to serve as best man at his good friend’s

wedding, the last person he expects to see is the beautiful redhead from the airport. Perhaps his extended visit will be even more enjoyable than he irst anticipated.

Author Kathryn Hills has written a holiday-mo vie-worthy romance. Set in a picturesque small town known for its Christmas spirit, “Gavel and Garland” adds a nice twist to the usual holiday romance formula.

Mix in some very entertaining supporting characters, including two very lovable dogs, and you’ve got a recipe even better than Doctor Dan’s spiked cocoa. Beth’s devotion to both her job and her niece is very touching and added to the development of her overall character. Dan’s habit of nicknaming everyone he meets is just quirky enough to be entertaining. When they both have parts to play in the wedding of their mutual friends, the sparks ly. Slowly, at irst, due to Beth’s professional persona, but then their mutual attraction picks up speed nicely. The inconvenience of the broken water pipes seems a bit contrived as a way to force Beth and Dan into close quarters for much longer than should have been necessary. That, combined with a really quick declaration of love, keeps “Gavel and Garland” from being exceptional. All in all, if you love movie-worthy holiday romances, you’ll really enjoy this book.

N.E. Kelley

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Contemporary

Lure: Jesse & Hawk W.L. Hawkin

After a tragic loss, Jesse inds refuge near her best friend on a Chippewa reservation in a small Midwest town. As a photojournalist she craves the

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natural beauty of all living things around her. She goes off the grid, with no power or amenities, and relies on Rainy, her BFF, for weekly visits to check in and restock. Hawk, whose real name is Jedidiah, also lives wild on the fringes of the reservation. He’s a trained physician, but when a seemingly traditional procedure goes awry, his life becomes a living hell. His escape from reality and the world is his only saving grace. When the two lone souls intersect, they relive the past pains, but now they want to live fully for the future. Can their hearts be mended and please those who have gone before them?

When life and death collide with nature, magic can and does happen in “Lure: Jesse & Hawk”.

W.L. Hawkin pens this story in a

lovely and poetic style. Readers get a front row seat to experience the pain and loss that quilts it’s way through every unforgettable character. Though second chance love is common in romances, the Native American ties with nature and spirit is beautifully portrayed, with teachings passed down through the ages lifting the story.

The sub-plots and minor characters all lend multiple layers of mystique and suspense to an absolutely beautiful tragedy. The twists and turns will keep pages lipping wildly. “Lure: Jesse & Hawk” de initely deserves a spot as a reader’s favorite.

Viola Robbins

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Fire Maidens: Switzerland (Billionaires & Bodyguards, Book #9) Anna Lowe

and likable. The love story that develops throughout the book happens pretty quickly and comes off as more of a destiny type of romance. It would have been nice to see the two love interests develop a relationship over a longer period of time. However, their relationship is wonderful to read about. Ms. Lowe writes about teamwork, love, and family in a breathtaking way. The pace throughout the book is relatively fast and engaging. With the combination of shifters (dragons and bears alike) and the hot and steamy romance, this is a story that can easily be read from cover to cover in one sitting.

Jennifer Shepherd

Claudia has always been surrounded by bodyguards. Being a Fire Maiden since birth can have its burdens. She has a one-night stand with a stranger, a way for her to feel free, and it back ires on her quite quickly when the stranger is hired as her next bodyguard. Heath, a bear shifter, was not expecting to become the bodyguard to someone as stubborn and iery as Claudia. She continuously tries to run him off, ignoring the constant thoughts she has of him becoming her mate.

Heath is also having trouble brushing off his interest in Claudia, and their relationship blossoms into something neither of them sees coming. In this series inale, they are both tested when a new evil presents itself, and they must work together to defeat it.

“Fire Maidens: Switzerland” is explosive and illed with an abundance of romance and action.

The character development is spot on, and there is a lot of insight into each character’s past, which makes them much more relatable

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Paranormal/Fantasy

The Might of the Coming VrilYa (The Watchers 3) R.R. Pearl

LGBT: Dr. Alexander Coimhead inds himself in Ludwikowice Klodzkie, Poland investigating the areas the Nazis once occupied.

One site is called “Hitler’s Stonehenge.” Alex is convinced a link exists connecting these sites to occultism. Alex is working with Jacob Einer who is an agent of the

Praesidium. When Alex’s boyfriend, Rafe, shows up unexpectedly, tensions are high.

When the explorers regroup, they are still missing something in their research. Before they can ind answers, however, they are attacked by “sstiga,” which is a type of vampire. What they don’t know is that there are other powers determined to keep Rafe and Alex apart. It doesn’t help that Rafe has secrets too. The group must band together if they want to survive.

This steamy occultist novella is a whirlwind of suspense and danger and can be read in just a few hours! Coming in at fewer than 100 pages, this book packs a punch. While it can be read as a standalone, some readers may want to think otherwise. Much information regarding the characters and their backgrounds seems to be missing when reading this book solo, and it makes for a confusing beginning. The scenes do progress very quickly though.

The main villain is evil itself, the Nazis. Speci ically, ones who studied occultism. The author does throw in a few historical details about the background of some of these secret societies.

However, the conclusion of this book seems extremely abrupt, ending almost in midconversation, with many storylines not yet complete. While a promising read, it would be bene icial for readers to start the series from the beginning.

Amanda Hupe

Taken: A Vampire Syndicate Romance (The Vampire Syndicate Book 3) Rebecca Rivard

Victoria Zumbrum

Ridley’s mother was killed by vampires which sent her on the run and into the street. She was taken in by the Slayers, who trained her, and she is now known as Reaper. She trained to be a slayer so she can wipe out all vampires and half-humans, the dhampir. Zaq Kral is her current target, a Kral Vampire Syndicate Prince. She despises the dhampir and feels that this family feeds off the humans. Zaq Kral never wanted to be a prince of this vampire syndicate but does so because of his vampire father.

Another vampire syndicate kidnaps him with the help of Reaper.

“Taken: A Vampire Ma ia Paranormal Romance” is a beautifully written story illed with action, intrigue, betrayal, twists, and steamy love scenes.

The story will grip the reader from the beginning and one will not want to put the book down!

Rebecca Rivard has created a unique story with complex and likable characters. Zaq and Ridley are such a great couple and connect on so many levels. The reader will enjoy watching both

The Bleeding Heart (The Djinn Book 2) Lizzy Gayle

Kitra’s machinations. Bad things come in threes, so add in a threat to the one human Taj would give his life for, eight-year-old magician Sophie, and suddenly Taj is a Djinn whose world is swirling out of control.

There is no greater gift to a reader than a narrative that truly challenges one’s imagination.

Lizzy Gayle brings to life the heartbreaking dilemma of the Djinn; their duality of immortal omnipotence and complete servitude. The latter puts them at the mercy of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse in the hands of sadistic masters. Snapping back and forth between past and present, Gayle conjures a tale of pain and fortitude. Within these pages lies darkness and explicit cruelty that will be dif icult for some readers. The impulsiveness and lack of coordination in the ancient Djinn is frustrating and questionable. As well, the large cast and pre-developed worldbuilding might be overwhelming for anyone not familiar with the irst book. However, these grievances are counterbalanced by the celebration of courage, resilience, and love. “The Bleeding Heart” grants life-changing magic, blood-curdling torment, and soulde ining personality in one remarkable volume.

Joan Lai

Taj is a thousand-year-old unindentured Djinn who is just trying to enjoy all the pleasures of being both free and all-powerful.

But then his sister’s magician boyfriend, Jered, comes crashing into his life with claims that Leela has been kidnapped. Soon it is clear that Taj’s old master, Kitra, and her cronies have returned and bent on re-enslaving the Djinn to further her plans of world domination. Unaccountably, his kind start dying – a revelation that is startling and yet contrary to

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go from hate to love, and completely relying on and trusting each other. Ridley is such a multifaceted character, and Zaq and his brothers being dhampir, often ind themselves despised by both human and vampire. Their father was tough and hard on them growing up, teaching them to defend themselves. This is the inal book in the Vampire Syndicate series, and the reader will want to read the series in order, enabling them to have a better understanding and full enjoyment of the story arc and delightful characters.

Paranormal/Fantasy

An Angel's Wylder Assignment Tena Stetler

distinctive voices that bring the essence of historical small town living to life. Unfortunately, the demonic villain is no more than an annoyance that doesn't inspire fear or a danger. Happily, the dynamics of warrior angels, shape shifters, and mortals working together for the good of mankind is an intriguing storyline that readers will enjoy. Ms. Stetler delivers a romantic tale with a strong woman and the alpha man willing to take her on that will leave readers satis ied and smiling!

Tonya Mathenia

Chinoah's and Killian's budding romance has a few obstacles to overcome when a warrior angel assignment interrupts their holiday vacation. Chinoah must decide if she wants to spend eternity loving Killian before they consummate their desire for each other. They are assigned to travel back to 1878, posing as husband and wife, to stop the nefarious plans of a demon in Wylder, Wyoming. Adjusting to the simplicity of the past, small town prejudice, and a lack of modern amenities are just a few things Killian and Chinoah need to work on as a team. Oh yeah, they still need to track and capture a demon before it can change the past! Will working together strengthen their bond and make an eternity of love look more promising?

A sweet romantic tale with time travel, passion, and a promise of an eternal love gives "An Angel's Wylder Assignment" all the deliciously good feels! The main characters have an undeniable chemistry that makes their presence felt throughout the complete tale. The secondary characters are genuine with

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Blood Bound (Youkai Bloodlines Book 3) Courtney Maguire

world. It’s also a long time for two partners with differing personalities to remain unaffected. Hiro and Hideyoshi suffer a relationship crisis that drives them apart, and Hiro into the arms of a spirited and exuberant human lover whose nature is completely opposite to Hideyoshi’s indifferent stoicism.

Courtney Maguire’s third book in this series is once again layered and thoughtful. What would it be like to be trapped in an immortal, but imperfect, marriage? What if time did not heal all wounds?

What if immortality secured the physical body but left the mind at risk, dooming all youkai to an eventual descent into madness?

Against the backdrop of these existential questions, Hiro and Hide navigate their own broken alliance. There is so much love and pain within these pages that a reader’s heart feels quite heavy from the experience. The multiple love stories of the two principals, and the others they love through the centuries, are beautiful in depth and symmetry. Abrupt transitions between different time periods mar the low by frequently throwing the reader off balance. The inal product is nevertheless an immortal love story for all time.

Joan Lai

The youkai are mythical creatures of darkness and death. Vampires of Japanese legend, they are immortal, yet thirst for the blood that maintains their vitality. Two hundred years ago, when their kind faced extermination, samurai Sakurai Hideyoshi and his young associate Hiro made a bargain to maintain the peace between the youkai and those who hunted them. But two hundred years is a long time, and the delicate balance between the creatures of the night and the outside world struggles to remain intact in an ever-changing

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Fantasy/Urban Fantasy independence while still striving to protect her. He also inally realizes he has a pure heart despite his servitude to one of Hell’s generals. Natsu and Nobu are a great addition to the plot. It would have been nice to see stronger descriptions of the supernatural beings, since many paranormal novels take different approaches, but the vagueness did add a sense of mystery that wouldn’t exist otherwise. Overall, Gabrielle Ash creates a complex, supernatural world, at once beautiful, mystical, and horrifying.

For the Murder Gabrielle Ash

Sadie Wilson Diana Van Doren, an exiled crow shifter, ights for her right to become part of the murder.

Unfortunately, her father tends to steal and has recruited Diana to help him. One of his schemes creates tension between him and a demon. In an effort to save his own skin and make amends with his murder, he enlists Diana to go on a dangerous journey to ind a knife that has the power to kill any supernatural being, including demons. On this journey, she runs into Sasha Sokolov, who has his own mission. The two form an alliance as they face a multitude of supernatural beings out for blood.

They encounter an unusual complication when they realize their magic has bonded, and now, they must decide if they betray each other or unite.

Every character is brought to life with brilliant personalities. Ms. Ash effortlessly portrays the heart of the characters through their thoughts and behaviors in a way extremely dif icult to achieve.

Diana and Sasha have strong character arcs bringing the story to life. It is inspiring how Diana grows into an independent woman as she discovers her real family. Sasha encourages her

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Second Star to the Left Reimagined Fairy Tales #1 Megan Van Dyke

Tinker Bell breaks an unforgivable pixie law to save another. Now she's on a quest to return home by acquiring the ruby necklace stolen from the mermaid queen by pirates. Captain Hook is intrigued by the beautiful blond he sees in the pub, so he rescues her from an overzealous suitor, buys her a few drinks, and then entices her to his ship's cabin. Imagine his surprise when he awakes from his pixie dust slumber without the ruby necklace stolen from Captain Blackbeard and twice cursed by a pixie! Arrgh! When their paths

cross again, they are forced to work together at the mermaid queen's behest. Will their mistrust of - or their attraction for each other pose an obstacle to their goal? Will their mutual or unknown enemies bring about their demise?

"Second Star to the Left" a seductive reimagined Neverland fairytale dusted with magic, passion, and adventure that will hook readers from page one! Tink is a sassy, sensual, and compassionate woman illed with a determined con idence. Captain Hook is a brave, bawdy slice of beefcake layered with a debonair pirate's swagger. The ensemble cast of secondary characters provides humorous and supportive details that help to transport readers to a fantastical world of mystical beings and landscapes. The villains of the story provide the perfect targets for readers to root against. The riddled twists and turns are scavenger hunt gold. Ms. Van Dyke's imaginative storytelling shines through this tale of seafaring escapades like a happy pixie's wings.

Tonya Mathenia

Love at 20,000 Leagues (Fantasy Resorts #1) Lizzy Gayle

Mason and Travis both have swoon-worthy moments with Sam that are very distinctive to each character and crafted beautifully. However, it does quickly become clear which man truly has Sam’s heart. This winds up decreasing the intensity of the love triangle to a point where it could cause some readers disappointment. However, the romance that is present is one that both heals and creates a dynamic new partnership. The sparks that ly as the characters ind the true killer behind the robotic mask makes this story one to remember.

Annalee Stilove

Sam wants to be by her sick mother’s side, but her family has been working on Paradise Atlantis—an advanced AI-run underwater vacation destination —for years, and her mom wants them to experience the exclusive irst stay. Sam’s fear of being under the ocean and the distasteful proximity to the room her father and the women he cheated on her mom with promises to make this trip a wet hell. Meeting Travis, a hot man who’s also there just for family, makes things a little better.

Things get even better when her long time crush, Mason, shows interest in her as well. How can a woman not feel special when two hot men ight for her attention?

When a person starts making the AI go nuts and kill the guests, Sam and her new love are forced to investigate to survive.

A stunningly written Sci-Fi romance! This story easily introduces scienti ic advancements into a beautiful love story wrapped in mystery.

Sam’s determination and bravery is inspirational in a way that will have readers falling for her.

Enchanting Fate (Fairy Tales of Gallia Book One) Ashley Evercott

woods. Henri d’Alarie, once he inherits his title, moves to Chateau d’Alarie deep in the woods as far from his vile stepmother and sisters as possible. When Henri is cursed because of his cruelty, he is turned into a beast and all his household staff into various animals. The enchanter tells them only one can break the curse and that Henri must learn to love and be loved. When fate brings Marguerite to the Chateau they have four months to igure out if he can learn to love her and she him.

This is a distinct retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Marguerite is easy to like and relate to, while Henri at the beginning seems unredeemable. There are some slow parts to this fairytale as it meanders through unexpected twists. The curse and its effects are unique in this retelling, and the descriptions are captivating.

The character growth of both main characters and several of the minor characters as well is terri ic. Details and vivid descriptions bring the world of Gallia to life. The unique twists set this story apart. Fairytale fans won’t want to miss this unique adaptation of a classic!

Cara Cieslak

NEW ADULT: Marguerite’s family is in a dire position. With her father’s merchant ships destroyed at sea, she is forced to consider marriage to Gustave Bellanger.

Mr. Bellanger, unhappy with his previous attempts to secure a marriage to Marguerite, will marry her and save her family, but only once he returns from his Navy tour. Until then the family must sell all their possessions and move to a small cottage in the

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Fantasy/Urban Fantasy

The Elven Spymaster’s Thief (Elves of Eldarlan Book 1) Elisa Rae

Avril Soleil has been sent by her master, the Warlord Grimore, to steal a very particular artifact from the Elven Spymaster Whispier. Avril is a very accomplished thief, and yet up

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until now, she has purposely stayed under the notice of the most feared spymaster. This latest assignment will undo years of determined avoidance. When Avril dutifully orchestrates the robbery, she is surprised to ind that the object of her mission is nothing but a common toy. She is further blindsided by Whispier’s detection and offer of a trade.

Whispier wants her agreement to remain at his side as a companion in exchange for releasing her brother from his spy service.

When Avril readily agrees, they both discover a friendship that is more than they bargained for.

“The Elven Spymaster’s Thief” is a delightful fusion of magical fantasy and charming character.

Avril’s bright, mischievous affect serves as a perfect counterpoint to Whispier’s sober, work-driven reticence. While the spymaster is pre-occupied by brewing regional

con licts and insidious attacks on his security, his new constant companion busies herself with getting to know his staff, the nature of his business, and the inner workings of the light elf himself. There is plenty of intrigue, but the narrative is essentially powered by the consolidating bond in their opposites-attract relationship. A human and elf would be a rare pairing indeed, as the difference in their life spans would doom the latter to a half-life once his partner was gone. Who then, could be targeting Avril for assassination? This marvelous romance leaves many unanswered questions, but opens the doors to more stories for Whispier, Avril, and those they love.

Joan Lai

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Click on any book’ image to learn more and purchase! hold onto—for example their anxiety around new people and their constant need for phones was spot on. Not to mention, the switch of point of views and short and sweet sentences allowed the novel to low better with the plot, allowing readers to take things one step at a time, the same as the characters. The initial hook into the story is phenomenal, but the plot did feel rushed at the end and the reader may have a hard time keeping up. Readers will still be begging for a possible sequel for this magni icent YA book!

The Incident Avis M. Adams

Austen Grace DYSTOPIAN: Josh and Emma are two teenagers living completely different lives. The entire world around them has been raving about a potential set of storms known as “El Primo” that could destroy everything. Josh’s father, a scientist who was trying to convince people of its arrival, fully prepared their house in case it hit sooner rather than later. Emma’s family on the other hand, was not prepared at all. When the storm does hit, Josh and Emma must ind a way to survive through the hovering obstacles of looters, feral animals, and low supplies on top of the storms. It seems it’s up to Josh and Emma to write their own fate now.

This insanely well-crafted, actionpacked novel will have all its readers obsessed, to the point of keeping them up in the middle of the night, eagerly anticipating the next crazy obstacle to come! Ms. Adams’s debut novel may just kick-start another era of survivalist novels, due to its amazing mix of the accurate emotional displays during a natural disaster, and the natural teenage responses young adults

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Young Adult

Song of Curses: The Siren’s Call Series Book 3 Kris Faryn

FANTASY: A civil war between the gods looms over the world. As the chaos begins, Korrina runs off with the intention to save her love, Jared. But Jared is still trapped under the control of Phorkys, and his love is not fully within his power to give. While trapped, Korrina discovers her mother is trapped there as well.

Phorkys gives Korrina a choice: join his side or be imprisoned forever. Can Korrina save the

people she loves—and the world —and escape eternal imprisonment? Or will evil prevail? Mnemosyne’s arrival in Phorkys’s realm makes all the difference.

Kris Faryn’s excellent worldbuilding and mythological mastery continues in this third installment of The Siren’s Call series. “Song of Curses” is best read in order with the rest of the series. The characters and plot points rely heavily upon the events from prior books. Korrina continues to show her characteristic snark and spunk and a wide array of fun characters join the cast. The book is told in alternating perspectives between Jared and Korrina, and each chapter’s voice is distinct. Overall, the story is well-paced, though it does have a few moments that drag a bit. The occasional slow moment aside, the plot twists and turns surprise the reader again and again. Kris Faryn’s use of Greek mythology is cleverly done, allowing readers well-versed in it to revel in its appearance, and those less well-versed to still follow along. Ms. Faryn’s fantastical world ties together modern teenagers and ancient Greek stories in a gripping, captivating continuation of this spell-binding saga.

Shailyn Rogers

The Cutting Edge of Friendship Khristina Chess CNF: This book has received CNF rating for a graphic rape scene which violates our steam content guidelines.

Viola Robbins

Mystery Mystery

Hush, My Darling (Benoit and Dayne Mystery Book 2) Winter Austin

In of ice only a year, Sheriff Elizabeth "Ellie" Benoit has plenty on her plate with the mighty Mississippi over lowing its banks

and looding her Iowa county.

When Deputy Lila Dayne discovers a dead body dumped in a ield, matters get worse. For Lila, the discovery sends her into a tailspin that brings ugly memories to the surface. The only survivor of a vicious serial killer, she is certain he's coming back to inish the job. The arrival of her ex-lover to investigate adds to the tension, as she closes off from those around her - including the latest man in her life. Ellie trusts in her team, but with Lila keeping secrets from her and the crooked ex-sheriff offering to help, she must tread cautiously. None of it matters when Lila disappears. It's a race against time as the sheriff’s department seeks to catch a killer while Lila desperately ights to stay alive!

Suspense, thrills, and chills will keep readers glued to this pageturning sequel in the Benoit and Dayne Mystery series! "Hush, My Darling" offers up a cast of strong, intelligent women who refuse to back down - even when the odds are against them. There's a "Rizzoli and Isles" lavor to this series that will appeal to many, but also created some predictability in the plot and characters. Nonetheless, the emotional con lict and suspense build pressure at all the right moments, and readers will feel the nail-biting tension as the clock ticks down as Lila’s life hangs in the balance. "Hush, My Darling" grips the reader from the start and never lets go in this emotionally-charged, heartstopping suspense thriller!

Tricia Hill

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Young Adult

The Andromeda’s Captain (The Andromeda Chronicles #2) Becca Fox

After Princess Kylee disappears after she was meant to have married Prince Maju, Queen Miyako can focus on one thing: where is her daughter. After sending the guards to search Kylee’s bedroom, a cellphone is discovered hidden in the bedpost unveiling hundreds of video diaries. To Queen Miyako’s surprise, she doesn’t understand Kylee as well as she thought she did. Throughout all of this, the Queen’s blames a fugitive, Taren Platinum. During this time, he is scheduled to be executed, shifting responsibility for protecting the kids to Jael, who wants nothing more than to return home. If Taren is successfully executed, he will take secrets with him about humans and Mirelings that Dr. Esabrae Mortimer desperately wants to know.

The beginning of this novel picks up exactly where the irst novel left off, so it is recommended that readers start with book one, “The Andromeda’s Ghost.” Becca Fox uses impeccable imagery that creates a world that is clearly different from ours as she describes the environment and the appearance of the Mirelings. The social hierarchy resembling medieval culture is unsettling initially, as the cover and title seem to indicate something different, but it grows more understandable as the story goes on. It is beautiful to be able to feel the characters’ emotions, especially the fear and uncertainty Queen Miyako feels while wishing for her daughter’s safety. This family dynamic is a great inclusion and will be relatable for many readers.

Additionally, this display of emotions carries over to both Jael and Dr. Esabrae, as they search for family and the answers they desperately want to ind.

Sadie Wilson

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Science Fiction

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Facing the Enemy Paige Edwards

MI6 operative Elise Taylor needs to heal from her latest on-the-job injuries. Her family’s castle in Scotland is just the place for down time, except while home she must adhere to family traditions which include using her birthright title, Lady Elise Henderson. Harry Benson, also an MI6 operative, has been recently assigned to investigate an arms dealer in Scotland. Unfortunately for Harry, not only is his father in the hospital, but Harry has no one to babysit his young son, Sammy. As luck would have it, Elise agrees to help watch Sammy—who creates plenty of havoc throughout the castle. Just as she learns how to stay on her toes with a curious child, Elise discovers Harry is going to keep her busy, too. She ights her heart’s desires for Harry From high-speed chases to formal balls, “Facing the Enemy” entices readers with the thrill of intriguing spies tempted by romance. The roller coaster rides in the opening scenes are on point. Elise and Harry effortlessly carry their own believable storylines. Elise’s medical issues

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Suspense/Thriller and heartache are relatable as are Harry’s struggles being a single father and his effort to be a caring son. Elise casually asking Harry to the family ball is a stretch since their history alludes that romance would not happen between them again. However, Paige Edwards does an excellent job of smoothing out the past to make the future romance possible. The ight scenes are hold-your-breath moments! Who doesn’t like a good romance tangled with guns and a dash of bad guys?

Moira Wolf

in her arms. All she can do is pray that Maddy is found safe and sound, and that whoever has taken her will be caught and brought to justice.

A very delicate topic is tackled in this novel. The disappearance of a child is dif icult to read about, and Lis Angus has done an excellent job of handling the subject. There is a lot of suspense throughout the book, right to the inal page. Some aspects of the story do slow down, but overall this is a page turner, and one that will have readers on the edge of their seats. The character arcs are well done, and their development progresses well throughout. “Not Your Child” is one of those reads that some may ind dif icult to read in one session. But regardless, it’s one that is gripping, harrowing, and nail biting. If this is the irst book of the author being read, there will de initely be purchasing of other books for another exciting journey.

Lynn-Alexandria McKendrick

Not Your Child Lis Angus

Susan Moss, psychologist and single mother becomes deeply concerned when she realizes that someone is following her twelveyear-old daughter. The man following her is Daniel Kazan, who is absolutely sure that Maddy is his grand daughter who was taken from them when she was just a baby. Susan has a DNA test done and is utterly astounded by the results. When Maddy vanishes, Daniel is the number one suspect, but he has an alibi. Susan is beside herself with concern, and wants nothing more than her child back

Mouse Trap - A Clay Wolfe/ Port Essex Mystery, Book 3 Matt Cost

substance to the mystery as well.

The love scenes are a little lackluster, however this may be due to a lack of real passion in the participants. The scienti ic mumbo jumbo may bring on a case of glassy eyed stupor for some, but it is necessary to the storyline. The villains provide an ominous and insidious air to the plot. The twist and turns are exciting, thrilling lures to ensnare readers and keep the pages turning! Mr. Cost's third installment to the seaside world of Port Essex and Wolfe Investigations will not disappoint!

Tonya Mathenia

Clay and his business partner Bayley are more than happy to take on the lucrative request from Johnson Labs to investigate the attempted robbery of a lab mouse and then sadly surprised when they're let go before completing their investigation. However when other suspicious and fatal activities are linked to the laboratory, they continue to investigate. Clay and Bayley also try to take their building attraction to each other to the next level. Try being the operative word! Clay's recent entanglements produce a major stumbling block to their relationship. So it's romance on the back burner because in a desperate race against time, Clay and his group of friends try to stop a heinous plan that could change mankind.

A feast of action and suspense baited with nibbles of romance, "Mouse Trap" is a fast-paced, sexy, and intriguing read! Clay and Bayley are interesting characters with chemistry. Clay's motley assortment of friends bring a uniquely familiar lavor to the storyline. The other secondary characters provide intriguing

the ex-Navy SEAL she has run into has experience when it comes to avoiding danger and staying alive.

As they run for their lives, their feelings begin to deepen for one another. The question is whether or not they will survive long enough to realize they’re meant to be together.

“Twist My Heart” has a quirky irst chapter with some amusing insight into the mind of Nikolas Steele. With decent characters and a plot that lows progressively, this novel takes the reader on a nail biting journey with a sexy as sin hero, a strong yet confused heroine, and an awesome dog. The dialogue and inner thoughts of the main characters are well written and amusing. There are some heart stopping moments and action throughout although there are some errors that could have been lagged in editing, but thankfully they don’t take away from the story. Overall, this is an enjoyable book and an excellent start to which looks to be a promising series.

Lynn-Alexandria McKendrick

Twist My Heart (Wicked Games Book 1) Brooke Taylor

Nikolas Steele is retired and has way too much time to dwell on things. When he inds himself in the midst of a storm, he comes to the aid of a woman and her dog.

She can’t seem to remember anything, but whatever is going on, it’s bringing trouble with a capital T. Thea Gale cannot remember what happened to her.

Worse still, there seems to be people after her who are determined to kill her. Thankfully,

Girl on Fire Dannielle Bannister This book has received a CNF rating due to a graphic rape scene that violates our steam guidelines.

Jennifer Shepherd

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Audiobooks

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Codename Mermaid Michael James Emberger Narrator: Kristina Rothe

HISTORICAL SUSPENSE/ THRILLER: Ben Blanchard is a former FBI Agent, who resigns after his wife, Emily, dies tragically while he is on assignment. He is called back into service for a vital role in early 1941, to work with a new partner--Victoria Sisley. He is told she is a German spy, but he must work with her anyway.

Unfortunately, she looks like his late wife, which causes Ben grief, as they must portray a married couple. They end up in Sugar Falls, Ontario, trying to stop a dangerous plot designed to kill many innocent Americans. Karl and Kirsten are two other signi icant characters in this audiobook, and their roles become clearer as the story progresses.

This audiobook is creative and inspired by Beethoven’s Ninth symphony, Ode to Joy. Insights about this music are woven throughout. With signi icant irony, the plot involves unimaginable evil, propagated by cold and uncaring villains who leave havoc, not joy, in their wake. There are inconsistencies: for instance, in a scene on a U-Boat, Kirsten sheds her coat on the deck, but moments

later, she is yanked up by the coat that has suddenly reappeared on her body. There are numerous religious references peppered throughout the story as well, which can add or detract from listeners’ enjoyment, depending on their beliefs. Nevertheless, this story pulls listeners in through the unfolding plot.

Kristina Rothe does an adequate job with the narration; however, at times, it is inconsistent.

Sometimes, Karl sounds extremely German, and at other times, he sounds like he has no accent— even when he is surrounded by Germans and should by speaking freely in his native tongue. Most of the time, Kirsten and Vicky also sound eerily similar. The recording quality is consistent in that there are no unexpected noises or unwarranted volume increases.

Carey Sullivan

Hotel King: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (California Suits Book 1) Claire Marti Narrators: Tim Paige and Vanessa Edwin

CONTEMPORARY: Ryan Michaels is an entrepreneur creating a

string of luxury boutique hotels in California with a team of military men/partners and his brother.

Charlotte “Charlie” Ray is the new VP of Sales and Marketing. She is excellent at her job, which is good because this has turned out to be her dream job. Unfortunately, Ryan harbors some resentment because she earned a promotion a few years ago that he thought should have been his. Plus, the circumstances around her hiring have caused additional strain as well. She has new ideas that are impacting his vision for the hotel.

There is a strong attraction here, but Ryan is Charlie’s boss, and that complicates everything.

Charlie is a strong and capable protagonist. She is a good match for Ryan and helps him ind some balance. Ryan has a few ego issues to navigate throughout the story, which help to lesh out his character and make him more likeable. The con licts that occur both within the story arc and between the main protagonists are resolved satisfactorily as the plot progresses. The pace is moderate, but still engaging. The tension ramps up in a few places within the story, but mostly toward the end, as the separate pieces fall together for the conclusion. This is the start of a new series, with each story revolving around opening a new hotel with one partner at the helm.

The sound quality is excellent.

There aren’t any background noises, missing phrases or skips detectable. This is a dualnarration audiobook, and it is easy to get lost in the storytelling by these talented narrators. They do an excellent job of keeping the character’s voices distinct from each other. The pacing and mood

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Audiobooks are conveyed clearly through the skillful narration of both Mr. Paige and Ms. Edwin.

Carey Sullivan

Refrain: Neriza, A Vampire Blood Courtesan Romance Susan Griscom

PARANORMAL: This audiobook uses the premise that vampires are an accepted part of normal life and that there are courtesans who are willing to supply blood and other services as needed to vampires for a fee. Lyric Rivers is a vampire, who happens to be a rock star, and he can de initely afford the fee. However, his ‘maker’ from decades ago, illed his mind with harmful ideas and practices, and he’s been ighting those urges ever since. Neriza has recently accepted a job as a blood courtesan to pay for her sister’s costly medical care. Her very irst client is Lyric Rivers, a man she had a crush on as a teen. Once Lyric meets Neriza, he decides he is unwilling to take the risk of harming her, because she reminds him of the way he used to behave when he was a new, out-of-control vampire. He wants to send her back but can’t.

This is an original story that should delight listeners. Lyric is especially interesting as a protagonist, exhibiting noble behavior and unexpected selfsacri ice. He is well-matched with

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Neriza, who puts her own life on hold to support her sister. Even though vampire stories are common, this one feels fresh, given that much of it comes from the perspective of a blood courtesan. There is an unexpected twist at the end that leads to a surprising inish.

The quality of the recording is spot-on. John York portrays Lyric Rivers as an Australian, with an accent that sounds authentic.

When Gracia Gillund speaks Lyric’s lines, she sounds authentically Australian as well.

York is able to portray different characters effectively, with vastly different accents—often within the same paragraph. There are no obvious recording mistakes to be found in the audiobook, and the sound quality is good as well.

Carey Sullivan

50 States Richard R. Becker Narrator: Brian Callanan

A man has lost his son in a farming accident and must ind a way to move on from the trauma.

Two runaways are hot to leave home, but with only one ticket between them they must ight for the chance. Two high school alumni reconnect over Facebook, sort of, as each looks at the other’s pro ile and wonders just how much of the digital persona is real

and how much of it is fake. These are just two of the ifty stories included in this emotionally charged collection of short stories that span from the USA’s sea to shining sea. Take a roller coaster ride of a literal road trip and explore the things that make not only the United States of America great, but humans as well.

Mr. Becker’s collection of short stories found in “50 States” are all moving and explore the things that make life worth living. Across the board, most of the stories are indeed quite short, capturing a glimpse into the ordinary lives of the characters. All of the people featured in the book are every day civilians, which readers will connect with. A few stories take on some tough and triggering content like death and rape. Each tale focuses on the emotions of the different characters, and it is this depth that will hook readers in! There is no overarching plot connecting the stories together.

Mr. Callanan’s narration is a solid performance! With the book being a collection of short stories, it’s important that each story has a mood and setting, and Mr. Callanan delivers! Which isn’t an easy task given there are ifty of them. His tone and pacing shifts for each new tale, and he does a masterful job at balancing the different characters. While his pitch doesn’t change drastically so that each one has their own voice, he’s still able to give them all their own personality and capture their emotions!

This is a great read for lovers of travel, adventure, and heartwarming books!

Chelsea Andersen

number of emotionally powerful scenes that will keep readers hooked!

Xen'tarza (Book Three of the Twelve Dimensions) Paul L. Centeno Narrator: Courtney Holly

Shirakaya and her crew of Shadow Mercs continue their adventure through the galaxy! Stars are disappearing across the universe, and with them the livelihoods of solar systems, and the possibilities those stars once held.

Shirakaya can’t say for certain, but she is con ident this calamity is being caused by her nemesis Ashkaratoth. In order to stop more worlds from being destroyed, she must regain her abilities as a sorceress. If only it were a simple task. The closer she gets, the more the universe is determined to throw in her way!

“Xen’tarza” is a fast paced, science iction, adventure that takes off and lies from beginning to end!

There are a lot of characters to keep up with in his book, and there are a lot of events that have led up to this third installment of the series. Mr. Centeno gives readers a quick rehash of all this information before plowing forward with the story. Because of this, readers will bene it from reading the other installments irst, but it doesn’t take long to fall into the world without doing so.

Overall, the characters are well developed and continue to grow deeper as the book progresses.

There is a lot of action and a

Ms. Holly gives an incredible performance with a large and diverse arrangement of characters! Each has their own distinct voice and personality that has been masterfully crafted.

There are a few times where it almost sounds like multiple actors are working on the production, but they are all Ms. Holly! In addition to her voice work, there are a few additional sound effects that help the ambiance of the story. The voice effects are helpful and fun, while some of the music and background sounds shift from being bene icial to distracting depending on the moment.

Overall, this is an exciting listen!

This is a great book for lovers of science iction and adventure!

Chelsea Andersen

Samurai Tales: Legend of the Great Black Bear Timothy Levester McCallum Narrator: Lauren Garvin

FANTASY: The world is at war.

Chaos reigns supreme, and a barbaric army known as The Creed is bent on taking control of the Great Continent. Only one hero is capable of saving the world from this heinous clan: The Great Black Bear. In order to do so, he must come into full power and

knowledge of the magic within him. What ensues is an action packed romp that will uncover mysteries in a fantasy world that is unlike any other. Who is The Creed? What are their goals? Most importantly, can they be stopped?

The man who is the Black Bear is going to ind out, in an adventure that will forever brand him a legend.

“Samurai Tales” is an action packed paranormal novella, full of adventure set in a unique world!

“Samurai Tales: Legend of the Great Black Bear” is a prequel to a much longer series. While it can be read on its own, this prequel also alludes to things that readers of the series will understand more. The novella takes the paranormal genre for a new spin, exploring fascinating folklore and culture! There are a few spots where more details and a deeper exploration of the narrative would help bring the book to life in a stronger way. Overall, it’s a quick and fascinating read that readers are going to crave more of until the very last page!

Ms. Garvin gives a passionate performance. She connects with the story in a way that truly helps it come to life. Her tone and pacing are a perfect match.

Despite this, it can take some getting used to for the reader to hear a female voice performing a predominantly male point of view story. Some of her characters blend together as well, making it dif icult to know who is speaking on occasion. Overall, the book is a fun listen!

This is a great listen for lovers of action, adventure, and fantasy!

Chelsea Andersen

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