Connections eMagazine July 2025 Edition by Connections eMagazine

Connections eMagazine

Message from the Editor

The purpose of this eMagazine is to connect readers and bloggers with authors. This is a FREE eMagazine that is published quarterly. It’s hard to believe that 2025 marks a full decade of producing the magazine. We’ve grown, endured many changes, and continue to succeed in delivering high quality stories, articles and reviews for our readers. To celebrate this achievement, we thought we’d take a moment to honor the previous winners of our annual competition and their work. I hope you’ll take a minute to look around — you just might find a new favorite.

While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe. You’ll receive an automatic email with a link to each new edition. Just click the box below and fill out the form. Be sure to include all required information. Don’t worry, your information will never be shared or sold.

Melanie P. Smith

…

Get to know the editor, photographer, and multi-genre author who founded this magazine. Get exclusive insight into her stories and what motivates her to spend so much time helping fellow authors. (Page 6)

Author Interviews…

Meet critically acclaimed authors Don Sawyer (Pg. 54), SA Schneider (Pg. 84), Tara Hodgson (Pg.102), and Tricia Copeland (Pg. 140).

Editorial Team

EDITOR –IN– CHIEF

Melanie P. Smith

https://melaniepsmith.com

CONTENT EDITOR

Sylva Fae

https://www.facebook.com/SylvaFae

COPY EDITOR

LaPriel Dye

https://dyenamicsediting.com

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Emalee Jensen

CONTENT MANAGER

Lyssa Medana https://alwaysanotherchapter.co.uk

REVIEWS..

Kaye Lynn Booth Writing to be Read https://writingtoberead.com/category/writing/book-review

Sassy Reviews https://sassyreviews.data.blog/category/book-reviews/ The AR Critique https://elarcritique.wordpress.com/free-book-reviews-for-authors

Author Anthony Avina’s Blog https://authoranthonyavina.com/category/reviews

PUBLISHER..

MPSmith Publishing

PARTNERS

Creative Edge Publicity https://www.creative-edge.services

MPSmith Publishing and Connections eMagazine does not endorse any information contained in the articles or advertisements throughout this magazine. All contents are Copyright © by the individual authors and used with their permission. All rights reserved.

Celebrating Melanie P. Smith

Melanie P. Smith is an American, multi-genre author of Paranormal, Criminal Suspense, Police Procedural and Romance novels. She is also the founder, editor, creator and writer of Connections eMagazine, and she runs an indie author group.

Despite dedicating her time to supporting and promoting other authors, Melanie is reluctant to promote herself, hence my insistence that we celebrate her work in this special awards edition.

Interview by Sylva Fae

Melanie P. Smith’s Background

(Being a humble soul, Melanie’s husband offered to write this bit, and she reluctantly agreed.)

‘Melanie was born and raised in Utah by a loving LDS family. She attended Dixie College and the University of Phoenix where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. She also earned a Postgraduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution and Negotiations from the University of Utah. One summer, she got a part-time job as a Student Intern for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office; she never left. In 2016, she retired after serving most of her career in the Special Operations Division. For many years, she was part of the support staff for the SWAT team and responded on call-outs to man the radio in the SWAT Command Post.

She was also a member of the Logistics Unit of the Child Abduction Response Team and worked closely with Search & Rescue, the Mounted Posse, K9 and the Motor Unit.

She has always had an adventurous spirit and has been sky-diving and rappelling. She owns an ATV and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Melanie is patriotic, defends the Constitution and believes in honoring our flag (a symbol of American freedom and sacrifice).

One day out of the blue, she started writing. She didn’t just write a book like any other aspiring writer might, she wrote a seven-book series. A paranormal romance series. I asked her where this was coming from. She said she had been thinking about a story for a long time and she finally decided to write it. She didn’t intend to let anyone read it. I, of course, as her husband, was expected to read it.

Now, no man wants to be put in a position of having to tell their wife she should stick to scrapbooking or needlepoint. As I started in on the first manuscript stressing over how I was going to get out of this one alive, I found myself eagerly turning the pages. I couldn’t believe it, this was good stuff. Not just kind-a-good... it was really good. I snuck a copy to Melanie’s mom, she thought the same thing “This needs to be published!”

m very thankful for Melanie’s husband’s insistence that she publish her books.

The Interview

I first met you through the indie author group we’re both part of, and I have to admit, I was a little in awe of you back then and appreciated your help to grow as an author. What prompted you to support other authors?

That’s very kind of you and humbling. Why do I help fellow authors? I guess the simple answer is that’s how I was raised. My parents taught — by example — how rewarding it is to help those in need. So, when I encounter an author struggling with something, and I realize I can easily help, my instinct is to offer assistance. I guess you could say it’s in my blood.

You founded Connections eMagazine ten years ago, with fellow author Rhoda D’ettore. Tell me about how it started and how the magazine has evolved over the years.

When I began my professional writing career, I made a lot of mistakes. Some, I’m still working to correct. There was a point, after I trusted the wrong person and paid a significant amount of money for horrible work, that I wondered if it was all worth it. As I was contemplating my next steps, I met some amazing authors that had been-there-and-done-that. They helped mentor me, gave me some great advice, and dragged me out of my funk.

A short time later, I met Rhoda and we became instant friends. As we talked, we realized we both wanted to do something significant to help fellow authors — the way others helped us when we needed it. One common obstacle all writers struggle with is exposure. I have a degree in marketing and Rhoda was a people person with a lot of contacts in the writing community. The initial idea for the magazine was Rhoda’s. But once she suggested it, I was completely onboard.

We’ve come a long way since that first publication. Rhoda has moved on and no longer writes or participates in the magazine. I’ve assumed the role of Editor-in-Chief and we have an amazing group of industry professionals that help produce each edition. We’ve definitely taken the magazine from a rough idea to a professional publication that is enjoyed by thousands of readers around the world.

Being in it’s 10th year, this is a special awards edition. Why did you set up the Reader’s Choice Awards? Do you have a favorite winner?

I don’t have one favorite winner. There are so many amazing books, it would be impossible to choose just one. In addition to being a writer, I love to read. Many of the books nominated over the years have found their way onto my reading list and I’ve loved every one of them. I would encourage everyone to skim through the categories, I bet you’ll find a new favorite book if you do.

I guess the reason I started the competition was similar to the reason I started the

magazine. There are so many competitions out there, but I wanted to create something meaningful as a way of giving back to a community that has been friendly, welcoming and always willing to help. Our competition is judged by professionals within the industry. The books are scored on the quality of the work formatting, grammar, world building, cover art, etc. It is our hope that when you win the gold medal, it’s an achievement you can be proud of.

I first encountered your writing through the Paige Carter stories that were

I suppose you could say my career influenced the storylines. Paige Carter is the easiest stories for me to write. The hardest part is deciding what crime to cover in each episode.

Once I’ve determined the crime, I try to visualize how a deputy would handle the case, then I write. After nearly three decades working behind the scenes in law enforcement, the details come pretty easy for me.

When I started this series, I worried it would feel like work and I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy writing it. I quickly discovered it's actually fun and rewarding to conjure stories about an intelligent, savvy police woman and the lovable people she calls family.

https://melaniepsmith.com/paige-carter-series

https://melaniepsmith.com/warrior-series-2

As your husband wrote above, you started your writing career with a paranormal series. This surprises me given your actual career background. Where did the inspiration for this come from?

I have always loved reading mysteries, but I also enjoy getting lost in a good paranormal romance. I love the humor in Lyndsay Sand’s Argeneau series. Nora Roberts has always been a go-to of mine, even though her paranormal stuff is sometimes hit and miss. And Catherine Coulter’s Bishop Series combines mystery with the paranormal which is definitely a plus for me.

I had just finished the latest Sand’s novel and was searching for something new, but every book I read left me disappointed. As I skimmed through listing after listing, the idea of seven warriors began to develop in my mind. At first, I ignored them, but my warriors were persistent. Finally, I decided to start writing for fun again and the storyline followed. I’ve always been a writer, but college, then my career pushed my fictional writing aside so I could focus on professional business projects like brochures, annual reports and website articles.

Once I got started, I couldn’t stop. I visualized

my warriors at two in the morning driving home from a SWAT callout, on my way to work when I was stuck in traffic, and late at night while watching some random show on tv.

My seven amazing warriors and the women who love them spoke to me. Finally, I pulled out my laptop and the stories followed. The series ended up with seven full-length novels and two novellas. I’m in the process of re-publishing this series to fix some issues and update the covers so I haven’t been pushing them for a while but the series will always hold a special place in my heart because they were the first. I currently have a promo running on Dusk. For a limited time, you can get the ebook for $1.99

My favourite is your criminal suspense Thin Blue Line series. As a multi genre author, which is your favourite genre to write, and why? Are there any other genres you would love to write in the future?

I get this question a lot, but it’s impossible to answer. It’s like asking which one is your favorite child. Paige Carter is the easiest by far. I don’t base an episode on reality, but the foundation does come from my time working in law enforcement. The paranormal and fantasy novels are fun because, while I try to make them as realistic as possible, they are fantasy so, the only limits are the ones I put on myself. I can be creative and imaginative as I create fantastical worlds where anything is possible. I have always loved criminal suspense, so those are challenging but enjoyable to write because I can throw in a few red herrings as I leave subtle clues for the reader to follow.

I can’t think of a genre I would write in the future, but if an idea hits, I’m open to trying anything. I did venture into the world of psychological horror a few years back.

https://melaniepsmith.com/mybooks/thin-blue-line-series

What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

I have a lot of hobbies too many, actually. I own a Harley and enjoy the freedom of exploring backroads and off-the-beaten-path towns and communities. I also love to camp and venture out into the wilderness on my ATV with my husband. In addition to writing, I’m also a photographer and; when I can talk my husband into a road trip, I enjoy visiting rural towns, waterfalls, and mountain lakes where I can capture nature’s beauty and memorialize it in a photo.

Are all your characters fictional or does a bit of your real character sneak into the book characters? Which of your characters is most like you? I imagine you as a Paige Carter type person, am I right?

My characters are fictional, but I imagine some of my personality seeps in from time to time. My friends tell me Paige Carter’s sarcasm and attention to detail reminds them of me. I have also had people ask me if Alex from my warrior series is based on me. Although, I don’t really see that much of me in Alex it would be awesome if I had her magical abilities though. What are they? You’ll have to read the story to find out.

If you could create the perfect writing den, where would it be? The beauty of mountain lakes and forests, peaceful sea and sand, or the energy of a big city?

I think my perfect writing den would be a secluded cabin in the mountains overlooking a peaceful lake. In fact, I always take my laptop with me when I go camping and have written many stories lounging under a tree in the shade, sipping a cold drink and enjoying the cool mountain breeze.

Although, I think I would also find solitude and inspiration relaxing on the deck of comfortable beach bungalow with the sound of the ocean echoing around me.

A big city is a definite no.

You’ve definitely been an inspiration to me but did you have a mentor who helped or encouraged you to follow your dream of writing?

This is an interesting question. I remember hearing a story about Elvis where he went to record his first song. The manager at the recording studio told him he couldn’t sing, and he should go back to driving a truck. I’m not saying I’m as good as Elvis, but I did have a similar experience. For some reason, I still don’t know why, but I had an English teacher in high school that hated me. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get a good grade in his class. When it came time to sign up for my senior courses, I wanted to get into an AP (college level) creative writing class. Unfortunately, this required the approval of the very teacher that hated me. I approached him after class and asked him to sign my paperwork. He refused to sign the form and proceeded to explain his reason to put it bluntly, I couldn’t write. I accepted his assessment and focused my efforts on another interest of mine business.

Fast forward two years and I was attending college, taking my required English course and the professor approached me. He wanted to talk to me about my writing and encouraged me to sign up for his creative writing course. I relayed my experience in high school and reluctantly admitted I was a terrible writer. He was angry not at me, but at the teacher that convinced me to abandon my talent. Over time, Professor Bennett became a mentor to me. By the time I graduated, he was not just a teacher, but also a friend. He eventually convinced me I did have talent — and writing was something I should pursue. It took a long time for me to gain the selfconfidence to publish my first novel. For years, I considered my writing a hobby, not a profession.

Ultimately, my husband pushed me to publish my paranormal series, but Professor Bennett is the reason I never stopped writing. I don’t know where he is now, but I owe him a huge thank you for his kindness, insight, and encouragement.

What was the best piece of advice you got as a new writer, and do you have any advice for other writers?

Don’t stop. If you love to write — write. Being an author is not a get rich quick scheme. I create stories because I have to. It’s relaxing and can be rewarding, but I would continue to write even if I never sold another book. If writing is your passion, don’t let anyone stand in your way.

An author told me once, never read reviews. I thought that was odd advice at the time, but now I understand. Everyone has an opinion, but if you try to write for your fans, your voice, your talent will eventually be muted to appease others. It’s your story, tell it how you see it and someone, somewhere, will love it just the way it is.

What are you writing at the moment?

I grew up working hard and playing hard; so, I get bored easily. My husband finds my writing style perplexing, but I always have at least three books in progress at any given time. Currently, I’m working on the third book in my Immortals (mythological) series, the second book in my Vigilante Justic Series, a contemporary romance that will be the first book in a trilogy, and a new police procedural series. I will also be publishing the seventh and final season of Paige Carter at the end of this year and should have a collection of short stories ready to publish in the next few months. For me, working on several different projects each a different genre allows me to write continually without getting stuck or having writers block. I know this strategy isn’t for everyone, but it works for me.

Can you share a sample of your current work?

Sure, just keep in mind this is a very rough draft and will likely change before the book is published. The scene is taken from my new police procedural, Quinn Macord series. Book one, Silenced, is scheduled to be released in 2026.

Chapter One

Quinn groaned and blindly searched for the bouncing phone on her nightstand. She set it to vibrate on purpose; it was the only way she’d wake up if there was an emergency.

Her palm collided with the lamp; the bottle of painkillers she left partially opened the previous evening when she woke from another stupid dream with a headache; and, finally, landed on the electronic device that was interrupting her peaceful morning. “Seriously, can’t people die at a reasonable hour?” She mumbled from under her pillow. Just once, one time, it would be nice to get the call at two o’clock in the afternoon instead of she peeked out and glanced at the clock four twenty eight in the fricking morning. On a Saturday!

She shoved the blanket that had seen better days aside one she would never throw out no matter how battered and worn it became and forced her body into a sitting position. With a sigh, she rubbed her hands over her face, pushed onto her feet, and zombiewalked to the bathroom. Someone might be dead, but she needed a hot shower.

Eighteen minutes later, she was dressed in a black tee — it matched her mood today — her favorite jeans with her badge pinned to her belt; hair pulled into a ponytail and tucked beneath her ballcap. She dropped onto the couch, yanked on her boots, slid into her police jacket and headed for the kitchen. Once she grabbed the two tall containers of coffee she prepared, she darted out the door.

The sun was just coming up over the horizon, thick fog blanketed the ground and danced over the cool lake water, and the seagulls were chirping happily as they glided through the mist headed for the shoreline. Quinn stepped from her car, paused, and surveyed the area for her partner. She spotted the body immediately, it was sprawled out over the boardwalk, face down, fog eerily circling above her, giving the illusion it was floating on the surface of the large lake. Quinn frowned. Where was the victim’s coat? It was still chilly in the crisp morning air; last night, it would have been frigid. Well, cold for San Diego, that is.

She approached her partner and handed him the second thermos, knowing he’d be grumpy if he didn’t have his morning brew.

“Thanks, Mac,” Travis Duke absently took the offered drink. “You ready to head over?”

“Yeah,” Detective Quinn Macord Mac to those she worked with surveyed the scene. The park was nearly empty this time of day. The scattering of curious onlookers that had begun to gather were being held back by two uniformed officers and a strand of wellplaced police tape. A third officer stood next to a bench where two women were seated, crying. “What do you know?”

“Not much,” Duke started for the boardwalk. “I pulled up a few minutes before you did. Those two,” he pointed to the women huddled together, clearly in distress. “They jog

here, not every day but often enough. They were halfway into their standard routine when they spotted the body. After some debate, they decided to cautiously head over and take a closer look. They claim they didn’t touch anything. In fact, they said they didn’t even go out there. They made it about halfway down that boardwalk before they knew she had to be dead. That’s when they headed over to that bench, called it in, and waited.”

“Early for a morning jog, isn’t it?” Quinn mused. “Especially on a Saturday.”

“Anything before eight is early for you, Mac,” Duke laughed.

“I’m sure you were trying to make a point there, but I don’t see it,” Quinn shrugged.

“Nobody in their right mind would go jogging before five. Eight is better.”

“They have kids,” Duke explained. “The routine is pretty basic they start it off with an early morning jog, head home for a shower, settle into the kitchen to make breakfast for the family, and finish up just in time for the kids to wake. It’s the weekend, kids get bored and need constant supervision. Anyway, their story seems legit. I don’t think they had anything to do with this, but we’ll run them just to make sure.”

“I agree,” Quinn crouched next to the body and frowned. She pulled on gloves and leaned forward, why was the woman’s hair moving like that? She leaned closer but couldn’t see what was ruffling the silky brown strands. When she reached out, something latched onto the tip of her finger. She screamed, jerked her hand back, jumped to her feet, and paced the area shaking her hand while she cursed.

“Are you a girl or a cop,” Duke moved closer. “Seriously, Mac, that prissy squeal was embarrassing.”

Quinn pointed to the creepy looking, tiny lobster thing, and scowled.

“Crawdad,” Duke laughed and kicked the small crustacean back into the lake. “I hate those things. They look like tiny, creepy bugs.” The Crawdad flew through the air and hit the water with a low plop before it disappeared below the surface.

“What if that was evidence?” Quinn demanded.

“Evidence the girl was killed at the lake,” Duke glanced around. “Take a picture, we’ve got that covered.”

“What if it ate some of her flesh,” Quinn challenged. “What if a tiny chunk of that girl’s ear or her cheek is currently lodged in that bugs sharp little monster teeth?”

“Okay,” Duke grinned. “I’ll bite. What if it is? We have her body right here. We don’t need the miniscule piece of flesh that little bugger might have ripped off before we intervened.”

“What if it bit the only area that had the killer’s DNA?” Quinn challenged.

“Uh-huh,” Duke grinned. “The big bad bug is gone now, get back over here and do your job. We have a body to examine and a crime scene to process. Move her hair to the side for me.

Looks like she has severe bruising around her neck.”

Where can readers find your books?

My books are pretty much anywhere books are sold. The best place to find links is through my website. However, I also have a Books2Read account and most of my books are listed with that service under my author name.

https://melaniepsmith.com/

https://books2read.com/ap/xdZb6W/Melanie-P-Smith

And finally, readers are probably not aware of the amount of behind the scenes work that Melanie puts into the Reader’s Choice Awards – the organization, the judging and then compiling the winning books in the magazine. Despite all of her books being worthy winners of awards, she quite rightly doesn’t include her own in the competition, and for that reason I would like to create a special award just for Melanie.

In recognition of all your hard work, support and efforts to promote other writers, I present you with an Inspirational Award!

Sylva Fae owns a wood where she and her husband run survival courses and woodland craft days. She escapes to the woods at every possible opportunity to enjoy the peace and fresh air. She takes the girls off on adventures in their own enchanted woodland, hunting for fairies and stomping in muddy puddles.

You can connect with Sylva through Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SylvaFae

Karen Dustman is a former prosecutor and the author of over 25 books ranging from nonfiction history to Southern mysteries and timetravel romance. In addition to her books, she has penned more than 200 freelance articles for a wide variety of national, regional, and trade publications.

Karen’s adventurous spirit has swept her along a decidedly off-the-beaten-path career. She’s crewed on a square-rigged sailing ship; ridden crosscountry on a motorcycle (one she reassembled herself from a basket case); graduated from UCLA Law School; built and renovated houses; and spent nine years as a criminal prosecutor. But what she loves most of all, Karen confesses, is writing.

Karen’s first book was a how-to on home repair for women, inspired by her own hands-on experience renovating “too many” run-down homes and apartments with a boyfriend. That happy debut landed her on nationwide media, including Discovery Channel, HGTV, Good Day New York, and the Howie Mandel show. Since then, she’s written books about a long-forgotten California ghost town; a helpful how-to book on writing memoir and family history; two fiction series (mystery and time-travel romance); and more. Karen’s latest book (launched in March 2025) shares gripping true personal stories from the 1926 Miami Hurricane, a catastrophic Category-4 disaster, in which her father was a survivor.

These days she’s busy writing a fourth Southern mystery; researching more true stories for future books in her historical “bad boys” series; and wrangling a history blog for her indie imprint, Clairitage Press.

One hundred years ago, an unexpected tempest roared ashore in Miami, leaving destruction in its wake. Through gripping personal stories and rare vintage photographs, this book brings the forgotten hurricane vividly to life. Survivors recount moments of terror, resilience, and hope as they braved the storm's wrath and its aftermath. This devastating event proved to be a watershed moment for Miami, abruptly ending its overheated real estate boom and sending the city spiraling toward the Great Depression.

Blending history with deeply human experiences, this powerful narrative reveals how one devastating day reshaped a city and the lives of those who endured it. An invaluable resource for Miami enthusiasts interested in exploring the city’s turbulent past, it’s also perfect for history fans, weather buffs, educators, and anyone drawn to stories of survival, courage, and resilience.

https://bit.ly/Miamisgreathurricane

Perfect for readers of Miami history, hurricane studies, and Florida culture, this book brings a forgotten piece of Miami’s past to light, just in time for the storm’s Centennial Anniversary (September 2026)

Overall Winners

Books are judged on cover design, character &/or world development, good flow & compelling intro, presentation, and Reader’s Choice. This year, we’re going to revisit the past and honor the Gold Medal Winners from our previous contests. Hope you enjoy this Gold Medal Edition, and the amazing books we’ve highlighted.

Gold Medal 2018

Darkly Wood II by Max Power

This chilling sequel to Darkly Wood brings us back to the mysterious wood perched above the sleepy village of Cranby. The mystery returns with love and terror walking hand and hand through the seemingly innocent paths of the place that has generated many fearful tales. This time however, there is an even more sinister presence. Much time has passed since Daisy escaped the terror of the wood and on the surface little has changed. But behind the tree line, a new danger lurks. Fans of the original will be taken to darker depths and first time readers will discover the true art of storytelling from the mind of the award winning author Max Power. Heart stopping, fast paced, unrelenting danger lies waiting for you between the pages. Sometimes love is all you have. Sometimes, love is not enough. Darkness is coming…

Intro: Great intro, strong & Interesting Descriptions, draws you into the story and the folklore of the story .

Character/World Development: Unique and compelling characters, entertaining and disturbing

Cover: Excellent, Professional, mysterious background w/ optimistic foreground, uncluttered

Presentation: Professionally edited, No obvious typos, professional grammar, formatting and overall presentation

Prize: Gold in Overall and Thriller Categories Buy

Gold Medal 2020

Written in Water by Lesley Hayes

The swinging sixties – a time of peace, love, violence and revolution. In 1962, as the Cold War erupts in sudden crisis over Cuba, Cordelia, Beatrice and Rosalind are fourteen. Dubbed by their English teacher the three witches from Macbeth, they have already recognised one another as outsiders, with no idea that their alliance will turn out to be a lifelong friendship. Their personalities and choices lead them along very different paths, but they never lose the strong thread of their connection. Through the passions, disappointments, losses and triumphs of their lives the trilogy of novels follows them through the years, reflecting the many changes that have taken place for women over six decades. Exits and Entrances chronicles the eventful era between 1962 and 1972 as they grow from girls into women.

Written In Water

Intro: Great intro with good flow.

Cover: Excellent, Professional, Mysterious, clean and eye-catching.

Character/Wrold Development: Believable and well crafted characters that have realistic reactions and emotions.

Presentation: Professionally edited, No obvious typos, excellent grammar, formatting and overall presentation

Prize: Gold in Overall and Other Fiction Categories

Other Fiction

Gold Medal

Children’s Books 2021

Informative Intro: Pulls you in from the first sentence. Sweet message about friendship and nature.

Cover Design: Cute, age appropriate and well balanced.

Bea

& Bee

by Sylva Fae

Prize: Gold Overall / Gold Children’s Books

Character/World Development:

Fantastic story, great information with enough action to keep children interested.

Bea loves tending the flowers in her little back yard but what she’d really like is a pet to care for. The yard is too small for a pet, or is it? When Bea finds Little Bee, she finds the perfect pet for her tiny garden. Can Bea convince Mummy to let her keep a pet bee?

“The illustrations are cheerful, colourful and varied so that the book remains engaging for younger readers throughout the story.”

Gold Medal

The Fool: New Beginnings

by Val Tobin

Fantasy 2022

She believes vampires are monsters. So why is she risking her life to help one?

After a divorce and much soul-searching, Kelsey Davis opens a bookstore café at the crossroads where several hypernatural communities converge. She’s ready to find herself and prepared to face her fear of those who aren’t human by living and working in the heart of their communities. But she’s not prepared for the tall, snarky vampire who bursts through her door and demands to talk to her son.

When Kelsey learns the vampire’s daughter is missing, and her own son isn’t where he’s supposed to be, she frantically gets involved in the search. Following one clue after another, they confront the man who can lead them to the missing girl a mistake they may not live to regret.

The Fool: New Beginnings is book one in the Tales from the Unmasqued World urban fantasy series. If you enjoy the paranormal, the magickal, and the mystical, then you’ll love Val Tobin’s thrilling world.

by Sylva Fae

Time to Shine

Children’s Picture Books 2023

Lumi the firefly was sad. All of her friends had lights that sparkled and glowed, but her light was small and dull. No matter what she tried, Lumi just didn’t shine as brightly.

Can Lumi learn to shine like her friends?

“A sweet little story about friendship and working together. The little fireflies come to Lumi's aid and tell her the secret that will make her shine. Adorable pictures to accompany the tale.”

- Amazon Customer

Lenny's Lavvu Adventure

by Sylva Fae

Lenny is off on an adventure, but as night draws in, he needs somewhere to sleep. He stumbles upon a campsite, but no matter what he tries, none of the tents are suitable for a sleepy squirrel. They’re too closed in, too noisy, too big… Will Lenny ever find a cozy, safe place to snuggle down to sleep?

Children’s Picture Books 2024

"Lenny's Lavvu Adventure" is a delightful book for small children and beginning readers. The story features the outdoor adventures of Lenny, a young squirrel full of energy and curiosity, and his search for a comfortable place to sleep for the night. Colorful illustrations serve to maintain interest and visualization for young ones. A perfect "sit on your lap" book to read with little ones. In the end, the story sets up the hopeful possibility of more adventures for Lenny and the human he befriends along the way.

Everyone has heard the saying A Picture is Worth 1000 Words. Well, Connections eMagazine decided to put that to the test. In each edition we post an image and ask authors to tell a story in approximately 1000 words. Then, a poll is posted on our website and Facebook page and readers get to choose their favorite.

We’d like to introduce you to our previous winners. Each story is unique, compelling and interesting. It just goes to show, the picture might be worth a thousand words but, those words can be as diverse as the author who writes them. https://www.facebook.com/ConnectionsEMagazine

https://melaniepsmith.com/1000-words/

Rapid Release By

Val Tobin

Published May 2024

Daphne took a seat on a bench under an old oak tree to wait for her best friend, Beth, who’d called to say she was running late. Daphne hadn’t sat there long when a giggle made her look up.

The child, about five, a baseball cap covering her golden curls and wearing jeans and a T-shirt, smiled and held her arms out to Daphne. “Follow me.”

“Are you lost?” Daphne stood and stepped toward the girl, who immediately retreated.

The kid grinned. “I have something you want.”

“I don’t think so.” Daphne shook her head. “What’s your name? Where are your parents?”

The girl giggled again, turned away, and strode toward the trees.

Daphne couldn’t remember giving chase, but somehow, likeAlice rushing after the White Rabbit, she had. The pursuit ended at the river’s edge, moss-covered rocks roiling the rushing water into rapids.

The child entered the water, sure-footed in her sneakers.

Daphne gasped. “Come back! You’ll fall.”

The girl glanced over her shoulder. “It’s right here.”

Daphne stared down at her shoes low-heeled but inappropriate for navigating moss-coated, water-slicked rocks. She kicked them off, dropped her purse, and entered the river, carefully stepping on the largest and most exposed rocks.

Are you insane? She wasn’t dressed for this. Her navy, off-the-shoulder blouse and matching miniskirt were more appropriate for dinner at the pub with Beth than chasing a kid through rapids.

It wasn’t until she reached the mid-point that she realized the kid had vanished. She’d heard no splash or scream, so the child hadn’t slipped in. Even if she had, Daphne would spot her.

Daphne lost her footing and dropped into the icy water, but only to her calves. She sat on an exposed rock and scanned both directions along the river.

No sign of the child.

I imagined her? That had to be it. What alternative existed? Aghost? Ludicrous.

Water, fresh and earthy, splashed her. She sucked in a breath, invigorated.Awave reared up, and on it rode a laptop, silvery and new. Instinctively, Daphne grasped it and tugged it to her chest.

I have something you want.

Daphne stared at it.An overwhelming urge to power it up had her heading to shore, all thoughts of meeting Beth gone.

She set the laptop on the grass and turned it on, not registering the impossibility of it all.Ablue desktop appeared, only one file icon visible: a video titled “Watch Me.”

Daphne did as directed.

At first, the scene was blurry, but the moans accompanying the two people frolicking in bed were unequivocal. The picture gained focus. Daphne recognized the woman as Beth. She caught the man’s face and, in horror, realized Beth was in bed with Edward, Daphne’s husband.

I have something you want.

Beth and Edward.An affair. Daphne tried to think. Had she missed the clues?

She shook her head vigorously. No, he loved her. Beth loved her. They were like sisters.

“Daphne?” Beth’s voice cut through Daphne’s shock.

She looked up and met her friend’s gaze. “Hello.”

Beth shifted from one foot to the other and tugged at her miniskirt. She’d worn an outfit similar to Daphne’s. They could’ve been sisters, except Daphne’s brown locks contrasted with Beth’s blonde ones.

“What are you doing here? I almost left when I couldn’t find you,” she said.

“Watching a video.”

Beth’s eyes widened. “What video?”

Daphne waved a hand toward where she’d left the laptop, but when she glanced down, it was gone.

That means nothing. I saw them.

“What’s wrong?” Beth squatted next to her friend. “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.” Her tone was light, and she smiled, making the statement a joke.

“How’s Ed? Seen him lately?”

Beth’s expression turned to puzzlement. “Not since we got together last weekend.” She and her husband,Andrew, had joined Daphne and Edward at the movies for a double date.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. What’s going on?”

Daphne stared at the empty grass. Was she losing her mind? If the laptop wasn’t real, then the video couldn’t be real. Could it?

She stood and smiled reassuringly. “Nothing. It’s fine.” She slipped her shoes on and picked up her purse. “Let’s get to the pub.”

Dinner with Beth went splendidly, even though Daphne’s mind kept returning to the video and the disturbing images it had shown her. She convinced herself she’d imagined it, but at home, she watched Edward for clues. Every time he called to say he was working late during the following week, she made a point of calling Beth to chat.

Each time, Beth cut the conversation short with an excuse.

Daphne’s dreams more nightmares, really woke her often during the night with scenes of Beth and Edward coupling. Daphne couldn’t even tell where.

At the end of the week, she met withAndrew, who worked with Edward at the law firm, and told him their spouses were cheating. He accepted the accusation without question over beers at the pub where she and Beth had eaten dinner that fateful day.

“We need to do something about it,” he said, and when he handed her a gun under the table, she slipped it into her purse. “It’s Edward’s fault, which is why you bought this gun,” he added, and she accepted that.

Two days later,Andrew watched the news. Of course, the police arrested her. Daphne had never been too bright. Now that his greatest rival was out of the way, he’d make partner. Get the money and recognition he deserved. He only needed to do one more thing to gain complete freedom. Andrew went to the basement and stood in the centre of the pentacle he’d set up.

Footsteps upstairs told him when Beth arrived home.

He concentrated, calling the demon to him. He heard the child’s voice.

“I have something you want.”

“Who are you?” Beth replied. “Where are your parents?”

“Downstairs.”

Andrew smiled, picked up a butcher knife, and waited.

Storyline:

Easy to read and understand, good message

Illustrations:

Professional, good contrast

Cover :

Appealing to small children

By Millie Slavidou

Sparky is a newly-hatched dragon with a problem: he can't breathe fire. Not wanting to stand out from all the other dragons, he leaves the nest and sets off on an adventurous journey to solve his problem. Finally, he meets Nicky, who is determined to help him on his quest to find the secret of fire. Will Sparky ever discover how to breathe fire?

Character/World Development: Great fantasy with enough action to keep children interested.

This is a beautiful children's story. A tale of love, acceptance, and individuality. Millie Slavidou's dragon, Sparky, is a touching and inspiring character. Sylva Fae's illustrations are wonderfully done and engaging. This lovely tale is suited for all ages. This is a dragon your children will love!

Intro / Content: Pulls you into the world of dragons from the first sentence. Great message of and embracing and cherishing individual differences.

Sylva Fae

Informative Intro: Pulls you in from the first sentence. Sweet message about friendship and nature.

Cover Design: Cute, age appropriate and well balanced.

Character/World Development:

Fantastic story, great information with enough action to keep children interested.

By Sylva Fae

Ayla and her puppy, Willow loved playing out in the woods. One day, she asked her mummy if she could learn how to do bushcraft. Mummy agreed it was a great idea and gave Ayla some tasks to do around their camp. Ayla was keen to help but there were so many tasks to complete, that she wondered if she would ever get a chance to learn some bushcraft skills.

Join Ayla and Willow (and a sneaky little mouse) in the woods, as they have fun finding out what bushcraft is. You too can become a Woodland Warrior.

Character / World Development: Great intro. Cute and eye-catching illustrations. Match the story perfectly

Overall #1

Character / World Development:

Great intro. Cute and eye-catching illustrations. Match the story perfectly Prize: Gold in Children’s Picture Books and Overall Gold Medal winner

Lumi the firefly was sad. All of her friends had lights that sparkled and glowed, but her light was small and dull. No matter what she tried, Lumi just didn’t shine as brightly.

Can Lumi learn to shine like her friends?

A sweet little story about friendship and working together. The little fireflies come to Lumi's aid and tell her the secret that will make her shine. Adorable pictures to accompany the tale.

By Sylva Fae

2023

Go on an Adventure

By Steven Kelly

Character / World Development: Really great suggestions and information.

Intro / Content: It has a very strong hook

Prize: Gold Medal in Children’s Picture Books, #4 Overall, #6 Popular Winner, #2 in Cover Design

Survival Ste and Benji the toy poodle are venturing through the woods when oh no! Benji runs off with the map!

Can Survival Ste navigate the dangerous forest and make it to his fluffy companion safely.

Find out in this exciting adventure.

A fab read for kids who enjoy adventures and fun!

A great read for kids and adults too! A good way of teaching children about the outdoors and the issues they may encounter. The book comes with a story and puzzles too for the kids to enjoy when they have completed their reading. Definitely worth purchasing. Read to 6 & 8 year old boys who loved it!

REVIEWS

The Wise One

by K.T. Anglehart

The Review

The Wise One” is a captivating young adult urban fantasy novel by K.T. Anglehart. The story centers around McKenna O’Dwyer. Seán, an Irish artist who moved to Massachusetts in his twenties was her biological father. Seán fell in love with his immigration lawyer, Andre, and together they decided to have a child through surrogacy leading to McKenna’s birth. This was the story Mckenna was told until now.

Since childhood, McKenna has been haunted by unsettling nightmares, including a recent one in which she is burned alive. As she begins to feel increasingly out of place, Seán reveals the truth about her birth mother, Abigail, and the mysterious letter she left behind. McKenna learns that Abigail was a mystic, and had asked that her daughter be named “Wise One McKenna.”

Meanwhile, a powerful High Priestess has long been searching for the elusive Wise One. However, Abigail had cast a protective spell over her daughter making McKenna undetectable to all but Wise One. Now, as McKenna sets out on a journey to find her mother, the question remains: what truths and dangers await her?

This is an enchanting tale filled with memorable characters and a richly imagined world. K.T. Anglehart’s writing is engaging, and her creativity shines through every page. The cover art is beautiful, and the plot moves at a thrilling pace. I’m excited to read the next installment in this series!

Reviewed by Sassy Reads:

https://sassyreviews.data.blog/2025/06/22/the-wise-one/

"If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book."

The Ascension by

J.M. Shaw

The Review

The Ascension by J.M. Shaw is the gripping first installment in the Callum Walker Series. The story centers around Callum, a humble maintenance worker who lives a quiet life—until rumors surface of a monstrous, wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes attacking people. Instead of returning home one night, Callum sets out to track this terrifying beast. Endowed with the rare gift of psychic perception, Callum uses his abilities to battle evil. He eventually defeats the creature, Amarok, and learns of a greater threat: Amarok’s master, Kincaid, whose dark plans are already unfolding. Despite his victory, Callum decides to keep his powers hidden, hoping for a chance at a peaceful life.

However, trouble brews at work. A new colleague, Liam, is determined to uncover proof that Callum is using magic. This suspicion arises from a vision seen in a “sight stone” belonging to Quinn, a high-ranking governor within an organization known as The Order. Quinn is eager to expose Callum, believing his powers could be instrumental in fighting an oncoming darkness.

Through a mystical encounter with a fairy, Callum hears a chilling prophecy: “A human with natural magic will arise at the darkest hour. This person will end the war and save us all.” But Callum feels unworthy of such a destiny he knows nothing of any war and doesn’t believe himself to be powerful enough. The novel features rich world-building, a fast-paced plot, and a cast of intriguing characters. Magic and mystery fill every chapter, leaving no room for dull moments. Callum is a compelling protagonist, and I found myself thoroughly invested in his journey I can’t wait to dive into the next book in the series.

Reviewed by Sassy Reads: https:// sassyreviews.data.blog/2025/06/09/ the-ascension/

REVIEWS

Divided by CC Robinson

Divided by CC Robinson is the first book in a series a dystopian thriller. This is the first of her works that I have read. It reminds me of Grapes of Wrath in a way that the family leaves one tragic situation and heads into another. Divided is also like the Odessey in that the main protagonist escapes from hell only to land in dire situations. His journey takes him from hell and back as he and his friends find their way through a dangerous yet risky journey. Taking down the corrupted leadership leaves me wondering in suspense on how their journey was going to turn out as it progressed. A little bit like Fahrenheit 451 in a lot of ways. Going against the current government-fighting for freedom. CC Robinson created a read that is intense, action-packed, and thrilling from beginning to end. I highly recommend it to all. Freedom and survival themes at their greatest.

Reviewed by Danielle Urban at AR Critique

https://elarcritique.wordpress.com/2024/08/01/review-divided/

Nuggets of Hope: Cultivate Kindness by

Kim Lengling

This is a memorable and heartfelt read. The author writes honestly and compellingly, allowing the reader to feel the emotional impact these acts of kindness can have on others. The fast pace of the book and the relatability of the author’s writing allows readers to connect to the themes and heart of this book instantly.

The author’s use of hope as a driving force in the book stuck out to me. The way hope is linked to a light in the darkness is an essential message that has always driven me in my own life, making the author’s work so much more relatable. Whether you are a religious person or not, the message of kindness and hope that each chapter perfectly captures will stay with readers long after the book ends.

Honest, compelling, and engaging author Kim Lengling’s “Nuggets of Hope” is a must-read nonfiction and inspirational book. The author poured heart and passion into this book, and the balance of lesson-building with personal anecdotes allowed it to shine.

Reviewed

Anthony Avina

https://authoranthonyavina.com/2024/10/01/nuggets-of-hope-cultivate-kindness-by-kim-lengling-review/

"The man who does not read good books is no better than the man who can’t."

Finding Color by Candace MacPhie

The Review

Finding Color, the first book in the Back in a Year series, is a hilarious, heartfelt memoir by Candace MacPhie. It’s a true story of her journey set against the backdrop of the 1990s.

After the loss of her mother, Candace found herself adrift, unable to fill the emptiness left behind. In a bold move, she quit her job and set off on a three-week backpacking trip to Greece. There, she met Josh, a fellow traveler from Colorado. Candace made plans to see him again in Crete and took a ferry to reach there.

Upon returning to Canada, her wanderlust and emotional curiosity took her to London to reunite with Josh. But things didn’t go as hoped. Things took a turn when Josh delivered some surprising and hurtful news about his travel plans and accomodation. Watching Candace navigate the ups and downs of job hunting and adapting to life abroad made the story even more compelling.

I particularly appreciated how the author didn’t shy away from sharing the low points of her journey. It made the memoir feel authentic and relatable. Her candid storytelling is inspiring, especially for anyone contemplating stepping outside their comfort zone.

I also loved the thoughtful design of the book cover—it perfectly captures the spirit of the story. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books in this series.

Reviewed by Sassy Reads:

https://sassyreviews.data.blog/2025/06/22/finding-color/

REVIEWS

Death’s Intern by DC Gomez

The Review

If you thought working for Death was a dead-end job, think again. *Death’s Intern* by D.C. Gomez is a wildly imaginative, sharp-witted urban fantasy that turns small-town boredom into a supernatural battlefield starring a no-nonsense veteran, a sarcastic ancient cat, and Death herself in desperate need of HR.

Meet **Isis Black**, a tough-as-nails Army veteran who’s returned to sleepy Texarkana only to find herself plagued by loneliness, boredom, and the world's most paranoid friend, Bob a homeless vet. Life seems stuck in slow motion until Isis is literally *chosen by Death* to be her new intern… a job she didn’t apply for and definitely doesn’t want. The kicker? Isis accidentally killed the previous intern, which kind of sealed the deal.

What follows is a deliciously strange and darkly funny ride involving **soul-stealing**, **evil forces**, and the unraveling of a mystery targeting the town’s most vulnerable people. When Bob becomes the latest victim, Isis sheds all reluctance and rises to the occasion not as a superhero, but as a deeply human woman who refuses to stand down.

D.C. Gomez delivers a story that blends **humor, heart, and horror** with ease. Isis is a standout protagonist tough, sarcastic, vulnerable, and real. The side characters, including a 10-yearold genius and an immortal talking cat named Constantine, add flavor without turning the story into pure comedy. At its core, *Death’s Intern* is about **purpose**, **redemption**, and **what it means to fight for the forgotten**.

The pacing is sharp, the dialogue crackles, and the emotional beats land without feeling forced. Whether it’s a confrontation with demonic forces or a quiet moment of grief, Gomez knows how to keep the reader invested.

*Death’s Intern* is a **fresh, fast-paced fantasy full of soul (literally)**. It’s quirky, dark, and unexpectedly heartfelt, with a protagonist you’ll root for and a world you’ll want more of. If you're a fan of **The Dresden Files**, **Good Omens**, or *The Mortal Instruments*, this one's for you.

Reviewed by Shubham Lakhina

"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."

:05 Seconds to Die by Bob Brill

The Review

Bob Brill’s “:05-Seconds to Die” is a pulse-pounding thriller that grabs your attention from the start. The story centers around Casey Order, a former reporter turned private investigator, and Ginger Queen, a former movie star. Ginger confides in Casey that she has been romantically involved with Gerry Artimian a notorious mob boss for the past two years. Artimian is one of the most ruthless Armenian gang leaders in the nation.

According to Ginger, several of the world’s most dangerous criminal syndicates are coming together, planning to use advanced technology to orchestrate a major heist during the summer games. Artimian is involved in everything from drug trafficking and prostitution to murder, loan sharking, and laundering millions of dollars.

To navigate this dangerous world, Casey seeks help from Rigo Rodriguez, a young tech whiz. Rigo told him about Taco Miller, the legendary hacker known as the “God of all hackers.” When Casey infiltrates Artimian’s organization as the head of planning and transportation, he discovers that Taco Miller is the mastermind behind the tech side of the operation. The scheme? To siphon off $80 billion by hacking into the credit card or other devices transactions of unsuspecting spectators—every time someone buys a ticket, souvenir, bottle of water, or beer.

This story had me on edge the entire time. With every chapter, my anticipation grew I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. The book’s cover is striking and well-designed, and I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between Casey and Ginger. The atmosphere is taut with tension, and the backdrop setting is well done.

Reviewed by Sassy Reads:

https://sassyreviews.data.blog/2025/06/05/05-seconds-to-die/

REVIEWS

Runes of the Dokkrsdottir (Outside the Thalsparr Series

by Bjorn Leesson

The Review

This was such a compelling and gripping read. The rich blend of historical fiction meets fantasy and the immersive way the author uses imagery draws the reader into the sea-faring settings of this novel, making the world-building feel larger than life on the page. The author’s use of mythology and detail in the narrative allows the reader to feel transported back to the Viking age, keeping the reader invested in the story.

Yet, it was the dynamic development of the protagonist that fueled this story. The rich and thoughtful detail that went into the protagonist’s backstory, from the tragic circumstances that brought her father over to live amongst the Norse people as a child to the tragedies she faces and the supernatural prophecy that hung over her head as she spent her life struggling to balance the light and darkness within her, made her character arc and journey so much more impactful and engaging.

The Verdict

Remarkable, thoughtful, and entertaining author Bjorn Leesson’s “Runes of the Dokkrsdottir” is a must-read historical fantasy. The shocking events, significant narrative twists, and open ending leave readers wanting more from the author’s “Outside the Thalsparr” series. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Reviewed by Author Anthony Avina

https://authoranthonyavina.com/2024/05/27/runes-of-the-dokkrsdottir-outside-the-thalsparrseries-by-bjorn-leesson-review/

"A book is a gift you can open again and again."

Writers of the Future Volume 41 by L. Ron Hubbard

The Review

Another intense and captivating collection of artwork and stories, this collection perfectly balances rich storytelling with engaging action and worldbuilding. Each author found a means of bringing their unique voice and mythos to their respective worlds, and the range of artwork for each story, from classic fantasy art to more realistic sci-fi depictions, made these worlds feel alive and vibrant on their respective pages. A standout story for me was The Rune Witch by Jefferson Snow. The dark fantasy tale tells the story of a rune witch and new mother, who must keep a demon barricaded behind a magical barrier while trying to raise her daughter for the same task someday. The story played a lot of themes well into the narrative, from the lengths a parent will go to to give their child a better life, to the responsibilities a person has to family versus their responsibilities to the world, and so much more. The emotional depth of these characters and their rich world reflected the overall grand nature of this anthology and how inviting these stories became.

The Verdict

Between an entertaining assortment of stories, beautiful artwork, and even powerful and moving essays and insights from people like artist Tom Wood, this anthology collection of science fiction and fantasy is a must-read book. The twists and turns each story takes, and the fantastic pacing keeping readers invested in each tale, made this one collection readers will refuse to put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Reviewed by Author Anthony Avina

https://authoranthonyavina.com/2025/05/29/l-ron-hubbard-presents-writers-of-the-futurevolume-41-review/

Aero trembled as she held the box sealed inside black paper. The dilemma was a difficult one – her mum had told her the box contained secrets she might not be ready for. Once she opened it, there would be no going back…

Aero has always felt like a misfit and an outsider. Thankfully, having a best friend like Lilly, along with a grandma like Joanna, makes life worth living. But a terrible event tears her world apart, and Aero Westwood is about to discover that her family has more secrets than most.

Intro: Good flow. The fantasy feels normal and mundane as it’s told through the eyes of a teen, like a casual family gathering that is anything but typical.

Character/World Building: Great world building and development. You get a sense of the magic and the family dynamics from the first page.

The plot of the book delivers a gorgeous world or shall we say two worlds with both myth and magic as well as secret organizations and government cover-ups. “

- Amazon

2020

Great world-building, political intrigue, and adventure

This was a great addition to the Spellster world! I read the first book in the series a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Although this is the second book in the series, you don't need to read the first one to understand what's happening since it takes place in a different country with different characters (although I would still highly recommend it). It was great to see other parts of the world, and I'm really looking forward to seeing Udynea in the next book!

How can he win with the odds stacked against him?

Prince Hamish has no interest in fulfilling his duty of marrying. Not to a woman, at least. That doesn’t stop his mother, Queen Fiona, from presenting him with every eligible noblewoman that enters their castle. He’s certain it’ll be no different with the representative of the Udynea Empire.

So when they do arrive, Hamish is relieved the imperial prince, Darshan, is not the woman everyone expected. Until the man kisses him and Hamish is confronted by the very emotions he has been forced to conceal or be punished for. Emotions he is eager to explore.

But the kiss proves to be a little too public and leads his mother to take drastic measures to ensure Hamish adheres to her family vision. The contest of arms will force Hamish to make a choice: give up his happiness for convention’s sake or send the kingdom spiralling into civil war for the right to love his own way.

“Wonderful story! Definitely recommend “

‘Tis the Season for Vampires!

Character/World Building: Great character development from the beginning. You immediately feel like you understand the challenges of a strange new world, new family and the struggle to succeed.

When the days grow shorter and dusk comes earlier, we may spend our time decorating with holly and mistletoe, drinking cider, and playing in the snow. But the creatures who stalk the night are in their element and while visions of sugarplums dance in our heads, they're lurking in the shadows, knowing there's nothing so delicious as a vampire's kiss.

All Isom could think about was blood. He could smell it everywhere. This new existence was a daily struggle. One that he was not sure he would survive. With the Christmas season coming to early 20th Century Boston, Isom finds himself alone.

With only the remnant memories of his past life as a prodigy violinist, this new vampire must strive to adapt to his new immortal existence. Though, this isn't easy.

A series of unfortunate circumstances places him in the position of being drawn to the perfect prey. Can he overcome his darkest desire on Christmas Eve?

New Beginnings

Tales From The Underground World

She believes vampires are monsters. So why is she risking her life to help one?

Cover: Love the colours, the layout of the image works well to make the gold text stand out. It has a magical feel to it.

Intro: Immediately I'm introduced to a different world and intrigued to find out more.

Character/World Building: World was instantly relatable, but with the addition of vampires, werewolves and other supernatural beings.

Theresa Jacobs

“Excellent imagery and superb characterisation make this an enjoyable read. The reader rapidly becomes absorbed in the mysterious characters and locations as the intrepid young journalist, Harlow, pushes everyone’s buttons to get answers. “

Abandoned as a baby, Harlow spent her life asking unanswered questions. Who was she? Where did she come from?And why was she plagued by dreams of drowning?

As she matured, the torturous dreams lessened. Becoming a reporter, Harlow is sent to the deserted towns bordering the Salton Sea. Upon her arrival, the unwelcome dreams awaken, drawing her into the toxic water.

Something in the depths yearns for her.

But when secrets about her past start coming to light, she can’t leave until she finds the answers. Will she be able to piece together her lost history before it’s too late?

Or will the Salton Sea be her undoing?

Cover: Love the image, the color scheme, and how the title blends with the image.

Intro: Very compelling start. I was hooked from the first paragraph.

Character / World Development: The world described is intriguing and vividly described. I'm interested to find out more.

By Ben Monroe

Intro: Very smooth writing, flows well. Kept my interest to the point where I really wanted to buy and finish!

Character/World Building: Any of us could step right into the book and be right at home. We know these characters they're our friends, our family, our neighbors and we know this world. And when the supernatural horror aspect appears, it's one most of us are all too familiar with.

A family's relocation looked like a chance to relax and regroup but as they settle into their new home, teenage Kimmie Barnes’ special senses make her the target of something primordial, evil, and utterly malign. Darkness… Golden Oaks, California is a sleepy town on the shores of Oro Lake, and the residents have no idea what horrors lurk below the glittering waters. Beneath the waves… One by one, as people begin to disappear, the once quiet town is soon in the grips of a waking nightmare. An unimaginable horror consuming everything before it. Hungry… All while echoes of an ancient evil spread out like malignant spider webs, like dead hands reaching, grasping…

Cover: An eerie looking cover that gives vibes of paranormal activity

Allaigna's Song: Overture

You can’t hide from magic when it’s in your blood

WhenAllaigna was seven she almost sang her baby brother to sleep forever. She may be heir to neither her mother’s titles nor her secrets, but she has inherited her grandmother’s dangerous talent for singing music into magic.As her education proceeds from nursery to weapons ground to the rank of royal page, it becomes increasingly hard to keep her heritage and abilities hidden.

Secrets, it seems, are stock-in-trade for her family, and asAllaigna works to keep her own, she uncovers two that will affect both her life and the unstable peace of the Ilmar nations. One is the fate of her grandmother, who married a prince, turning the gift of the Sight into a double-edged weapon of state. The other is the truth behind her mother’s two-week disappearance following an ambush by outlaws en route to her wedding.

As she discovers who she is,Allaigna must decide what to become: the skilled courtier her mother wants her to be, the political chess piece her father bargained on, or the hero her grandmother foresaw.

Intro: The story and writing style drew me in from the first paragraph. The descriptions were excellent, and the protagonist was realistic and nuanced. The birth scene was particularly compelling

GrandTour



In a fantastical steam-powered world, eccentric aristocrat and secret arms dealer, Miss Constance Haltwhistle, has been blackmailed into stealing alien artifacts from the crown heads of Europe. Only the shady but annoyingly handsome US spy, “Liberty” Trusdale, can help her execute her perfect palace heists. As Constance creates chaos and mayhem across the Continent, monstrous creatures are plotting an interdimensional invasion of Earth. Will Constance and Trusdale stop bickering long enough to end the war of the worlds before it starts?

Development: Best thing I've read in quite awhile! Great characters, interesting world.

The main character is well drawn and has a number of personality quirks. She's quite identifiable and the world compliments the characters well.

Cover: Colours blend well, clear cover. Good layout.

Intro: The intro immediately sets up not only the untold dangers awaiting the protagonist, but the weight of responsibility thrust upon her shoulders.

Don Sawyer

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Interview by Melanie P. Smith

An educator and writer, I grew up in Michigan and came to Canada in the 1960s, where I more or less flunked out of my PhD program in Modern Chinese History at the University of British Columbia. This turned out to be a blessing as it opened up a world of unexpected opportunity and experiences. From teaching in a small Newfoundland outport to training community workers in West Africa to teaching adults on a First Nations reserve in British Columbia to designing a climate change action course for Jamaican youth, I have worked with youth and adults from many cultural backgrounds and in a variety of locales.

Inevitably, these experiences have made their way into my writing. I’ve authored over 12 books, including two Canadian bestsellers: the YA novel Where the Rivers Meet and the adult non-fiction Tomorrow Is School and I Am Sick to the Heart Thinking about It. The first book in my Miss Flint series for children, The Meanest Teacher in the World was translated into German by Carlsen and Ravensburger. My articles and op-eds have appeared in many journals and most of Canada’s major dailies.

I currently live in St Catharines, Ontario, with Jan Henig Sawyer, my very tolerant wife of 54 years.

Are you a multi-genre author or a single-genre author? How did you decide what types of book you would write?

I’ve written in about every genre imaginable –adult non-fiction, children’s chapter books, YA fiction, novels for adults with limited reading skills, and even a book of lunch bag jokes. I am an educator who writes, and my writing has always drawn from my experiences and what I am passionate about.

Other than writing do you have any hobbies?

Any author who doesn’t list reading should look at another profession. But I also love hiking (as much as my hips will allow), boxing training, travelling, biking and spending time with my terrific daughters.

If you write in multiple genres, do you have a favorite, or is one type of book easier for you to write than others, and why?

I have particularly enjoyed writing YA fiction. I think it fits my personality: emotional, open to possibilities, reactive, angry, idealistic and straightforward. As one reviewer put in her review of my first YA novel Where the Rivers Meet, “One of the things that puts YA fiction into a category is the burning sense of justice you can have at that age, and this will light it. We need to have outrage, and the book will fuel it.” My books are fueled by passion, but not always the same one. My non-fiction account of our first teaching experiences in a rural Newfoundland was really a work of love and respect, for the kids who taught me how to teach and the community who tolerated me. I’ve also enjoyed working in the urban fantasy genre. In the case of The Burning Gem and The Tunnels of Buda, urban fantasy allows me to create a compelling narrative and alternate reality that provides a mirror so we can better see the forces at work to divide and disempower us. In our world, as in the built world, these forces can only be overcome with cooperation, wisdom and courage. And a little magic helps too.

When did you start writing? Did an event or person prompt you to take that leap?

School was so boring, my friend Bill Schreffler and I completed a three-act play by passing notes in the back of our English class for a semester. I had three poems published in the school paper. I still have them. They’re not bad. My first book, Tomorrow Is School, grew out of the richness of two years we lived and taught in Newfoundland in the 70’s. A friend convinced me that all those letters I had sent him while teaching could be the basis of a book. Really? A book? But I knew I had a story I wanted to tell, a story that needed to be told to honour the students who had taught me how to teach. I left the small indigenous community where I had taught for two years to be with my father, who was dying of cancer. I had most of the days to myself. The experiences in Newfoundland were still fresh and strong, demanding to be written and shared. So I wrote a book. And it became a Canadian best-seller. And I was amazed. And then it was used in teacher training programs, and I realized my creativity could not only entertain, but have an impact, contribute to change for the better.

What are your current projects?

I am currently working on the third book of The Soul Catcher series, tentatively titled The Order of the Golden Soul as well as editing a memoir of a wildlife biologist who worked in the North for 45 years. It is tentative titled A Wild Life and will be forthcoming from Pemmican in late 2025.

If money was no issue would you prefer a cozy beach bungalow or a rustic cabin overlooking a mountain lake?

I’ll take both, but at different times of the year and in different countries.

How / where do you find the plots you write about?

I have had the good fortune to work with youth and adults from many cultural backgrounds and in a variety of locales, including Newfoundland, Jamaica, West Africa, and First Nations reserves in Canada. Those experiences have made me aware that we have far more in common and that by emphasizing our commonalities while celebrating our differences, we are all enriched. At the same time, these experiences have broadened me personally, they have also given me a world of brilliant settings, fascinating characters and endless story lines.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Here we are facing the prospect of destroying the world we all share and depend on – and taking a lot of our fellow animals with us – and instead of coming together as single species to combine our skill and knowledge, we prioritize personal identity and group affiliations. To solve the issues that have us teetering on the brink of destruction, we must get past our primitive and counterproductive instincts to default to tribalism, which evolutionary biologist David Samson says is “the greatest threat of our species in the 21st century.” The Burning Gem and is sequel, The Tunnels of Buda, shows the origins of these outdated attitudes and how they can be overcome through love, compassion, cooperation and courage.

Mark Twain said “Write what you know.” Tell us about your writing process. Are you a plotter or a panster? Do you plot, plan, and conduct hours of research; or, do you just sit down and write whatever comes to mind based on your personal history and knowledge?

Both. The Burning Gem and The Tunnels of Buda incorporate hours of research into everything from the New York subway system to wave theory and metallurgy and Hungarian history. I like to have a basic outline (with lots of notes in the margins) that establish major plot points. I would never use chapter headings as I have no idea at the outset how the story will play out and where the natural breaks will occur. I have written character sketches as prewriting to establish a mental understanding of who my characters are and how they think, sound and act and what motivates them. But once I get started, I try to keep the narrative flow going with as few interruptions as possible.

https://bookgoodies.com/a/B0CTXPWZLT

Tell us your latest news

The sequel to The Burning Gem, The Tunnels of Buda, will be released May 27 of this year by Castle Bridge Media. I am very excited about having the second book in The Soul Catcher series on sale soon, and am looking to promoting it and talking with reviewers and writers. The book launch will be here in St Catharines on June 1 at the Mahtay Café, and will feature a real magician, Ken McReedy. Should be fun. Running, a YA novel that has been out of print, has been picked up by the Metis house Pemmican Publications and is expected out in May as well. I think it’s one of the best things I’ve written, and I’m delighted that it will be back in print.

Do you have a mentor that helped or encouraged you to follow your dream of writing?

I mentioned that a friend encouraged me to consider making my first teaching stories into a book. That was 50 years ago, That was my long-time mentor and friend Tom Wayman, one of Canada’s most celebrated poets. Without his encouragement and support, I would have never written my first book -- or believed that I could.

Can you share a sample of your current work with us? (From The Tunnels of Buda)

promising you power beyond your wildest dreams! The money you realize gem sales will be all yours—no more secret accounts, no more cuts for Mester.”

cheer rose from the agents.

is just a start, gentlemen,” Justin went on, his voice lower. “With your gems, your independence, my support, ah!”—his hands flew outward—“there is no stop”

slowly rose from his chair and faced the man on the dais. The noise died and the men looked at Zoltan, then shifted their gaze back to Justin.

Is that what you are offering us, sir?”

smiled broadly at Zoltan. “That’s right, Mr. József. Power, as I said, beyond wildest dreams.”

Or nightmares, perhaps?” Zoltan commented evenly. “This power, sir, how is it to be used? I have seen elements of your ‘operation,’ as you call it. It seems steeped in darkness, violence. It seems committed not to good, but to promoting ruthlessness, supremacy of a few; domination of many.” He drew himself erect and nareyes slightly. Barbara could feel his stare cut through the murk of the I believe, sir, that you are deceiving us. I believe that you have...”

Justin shouted. He shook his head in exasperation. “Good,” he said again, more quietly. “Mr. József, don’t you get tired of these simplistic distinctions? You speak as if ‘good’ is some sort or absolute. A morality passed down from heaven ” he asked derisively. “Or is it just the refuge of the weak?” He turned to the rest of the group. “You can see this, can you not? It is the nobles like us that are tasked with keeping order. Can you imagine the chaos if the weak, the stupid, should prevail?” He thumped his chest. “It is we who define what is good!”

He stopped and glared at the faces around him and pointed to each man individuYou, you all of you. I chose you all to be the nobles in a world without nobiliWithout heroes.” He leaned closer. “I want you to occupy your birthright. I want you to be happy!” He threw his hands above his shoulders, his eyes alight. “Have you been happy in your lives? No, you have not.” leaned forward conspiratorially. “And do you know why?” he asked softly. “It is of one simple truth.” He paused again and smiled at the men, his blue eyes dancing. “Happiness increases only with power. That is all.” He stood and his face became solemn. “Whatever makes you feel more powerful you happier.” He nodded slightly. “You men know this. You know what I is true. Now I give you a chance for unlimited happiness.”

Zoltan was still on his feet. “I do not know this, nor do I believe it.” He turned toward the men spread to his right. “Nor do you, my friends. In your heart, you know a lie. You know that a world without compassion, a world where only the powerful prosper is a...”

Justin gave a sharp nod in Zoltan’s direction, and his voice froze in mid-sentence, and he stood rigid, unable to move. Only his eyes flashed frantically. Barbara heart jumped and she silently pulled further into the shadows.

Friesen and Malik stood up, looking angrily at Justin. “What have you done József?” Friesen demanded.

Justin glared at them, and they too froze, their voices muted.

Justin smiled and turned back to the rest of the men. He smiled broadly and shrugged. “Perhaps I misjudge occasionally.”

Raucous laughter rose from a few of the men. Garripoli strode to the dais and stood just to the right of the brown-robed man, now sat in his red leather chair.

“Gentlemen,” Garripoli began. “We have seen a vision, have we not? A vision der, power, wealth and happiness.” The men thrust their fists into the air and cheered. “And who do we have to thank?”

“Justin!” Meijer called out.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Check why you want to write and what your expectations are. It’s easier than ever to get a book published today (nearly 4 million last year – 2/3 self-published) but harder to get your books noticed and achieve significant sales. If you enjoy writing, go for it. If you don’t mind putting hours, maybe years into a book that might not be a commercial success, go for it. If you are looking to writing, especially fiction, as a career, well, go for it, but first take some writing classes and be prepared to supplement your income.

Pick one of your characters and share some of their backstory that didn’t make it into the novel.

This is part of a preliminary sketch I wrote on the Mester, whose real name was Gavrilo:

Gavrilo. I was an orphan. Of course I was an orphan. If I had parents, they saw my hideousness immediately. I wonder if they screamed when they first saw me? What do you think? I like to imagine the look on my mother’s face when I popped out. Jesus, the horror, the horror. Damn, that would have been good. Now that’s assuming I had a mother. Yeah, fuck you. Go on and laugh. But I’m not so sure. Weird shit happens. I mean, I was in Serbian orphanage in 1898. Who knows where I came from. But that I know. 1898. See, it’s the only document I have. Not a birth certificate. A file card. I went back when the place was still standing. 1919. The country was in chaos. Can you imagine? 2/3 of the whole army dead! A million men! Half the men of Serbia killed! It was glorious! I stayed in the background, of course. Stealing from corpses. A small shadow. Listening. I had already formed a troop of orphans. Really, there were so many, living like starving dogs on the street. Orphans have no past, no hope for the future. They live for the minute. They don’t fear death because they have no life. We were ruthless. We stripped corpses. And if they weren’t quite dead, we helped them along. Jewelry, rings, guns. We slipped into houses, occupied or empty, and stole – food first and then what we could sell. We were jackals. And we ruled much of the city. No one came near us. And I became rich. We set up headquarters in an abandoned mansion. I lived in the master bedroom. A vast bed, I remember. We stole a car. I had one of my boys drive me to the orphanage 60 miles away. It was a dark place, red brick blackened by soot and time. My men walked with me to the front door. It was locked. We shot off the locks and I went in. It had been abandoned for years, but the office was still like the day the staff had left. I went through the files for hours. What to look for? No last name. I finally found a file box. There were a hundred cards in it, each with a single name arranged alphabetically. Gavrilo. I pulled the care and studied it on the desk. It was blank. No mother’s name, no father’s. Age at time of arrival – blank. Birth date, blank. Family members, blank. There was only one note, penciled at the bottom: “Grotesque. Unplaceable.” You see, all of that is quite hazy. I have little memory of any life before the orphanage and only snatches of when I was there. Stealing food. Hiding to watch the staff grope each other in the hallways. Listening, always listening. Watching other children leave with families. Overhearing their remarks –“he is so monstrous!.” Yes, I began to say, I am monstrous, monstrous in ways you nor I understand. I embraced it, you see. What else was there to do? The first person I remember killing was the director. She was kind to others in the orphanage, but to me, she sneered. Her looks were full of disgust. One night I slipped into the hallway. She was walking toward the stairs, great flights of marble stairs.

I am small but surprisingly strong. And quiet. I kicked her in the back and watched as she fell screaming down the stairs. And then the screaming stopped. I killed a kitchen maid when she caught me stealing bread. She began screaming at me. I do not like people to scream at me. I took the bread knife and cut her throat. Then I finished eating the bread.

What do you want written on your headstone and why?

Tom Wayman says he wants the words “At least he got a book out of it” on his tombstone. Well, I have certainly managed that to a great extent, whether taking scribbled bedtime stories I created for my daughters and turning them into the Miss Flint stories for kids, venting my anger after confronting the devastation of colonialism while working in a predominantly Native school, or telling the remarkable, moving stories of my adult students who returned to school with a combination of weariness and hope and rich and complex lives. For me, creating is preferable to consuming. For me, it is necessary. It sustains me, but it also dries up if not used. I’m older, so maybe it doesn't burn quite as brightly, quite as fiercely, but it’s what I do. It’s what I make that wasn’t there before. It is my craft, like leatherworking or knitting. Of course, all I have to work with are words and blank sheets of paper. But when I’m done, it’s something. That’s why it’s called creative writing.

Can you share something personal with your readers? Do you have a favorite author?

While I’ve written a bunch of books in several genres, this is the first time I tackled an adult fantasy. But I have always loved fantasy. Growing up in my own suburban desert, Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy transported me from the sterility of life in the suburbs to magical places. (I love a comment by Ursula LeGuin, one of my favourite authors: “When you are reading, you are temporarily psychotic. You have lost touch with reality and are living in another world.”) Other authors who have entertained and informed are Ken Kesey, Farley Mowatt, Neil Gaiman, Erin Morgenstern, and a Pueblo writer who has been largely forgotten, Leslie Marmon Silko, whose book Ceremony turned my world upside down.

One final question...Do you have a blog/website? If so, what is it? Do you have a social media platform where your fans can go to interact with you and follow your progress?

Web site: www.donsawyer.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558529432508

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donsawyer47/followers/?hl=en

Castle Bridge Media: https://www.castlebridgemedia.com/

Book Page: https://www.castlebridgemedia.com/product-page/the-tunnels-of-buda-soul -catcher-book-2-by-don-sawyer

Write me at don@donsawyer.org

https://valtobin.com/wp

Lonely at the Top

Val Tobin

Story Published September 2024

Barefoot, her long brown hair cascading in tousled waves down her back, the woman in the black dress ascended the stone staircase one slow step at a time. Dirt smudged the bottoms of her feet. Grubby soles aside, she could’ve come from an evening at a fancy dinner or a wedding. Black satin ribbons belted her waist, cinched the material at her knees, and draped down the ivory skin of her back.

Moonlight cast an eerie glow onto the walls bracketing the stairs. Ivy clung to everything, even encroaching on the steps themselves.At the top, a row of lighted candles beckoned before a pair of heavy wooden doors set inside a carved archway. The scent of dirt, decay, and dampness wafted through the air.

My presence, next to a tree at the edge of the forest, didn’t register with her maybe never would. I’d tried to interrupt her nightly journey twice before but had failed each time. Mustering my courage, I bounded up the steps, the air growing chillier the closer I got to her.

“Maura,” I called.

Almost at the top, she didn’t pause in her steady climb.

This time, I’d brought a trinket she’d owned, a gift from her sister. I clutched the locket in my fist, the Claddagh’s crown pressing almost painfully into my palm.

“Maura.”

She reached the landing. Pressed her hands against the doors and pushed. I had to be quick. If she didn’t notice me, it would end tonight the way it had before, in an airless nothing and frustrating failure.

“Janice sent me. She gave me this.” I held the necklace in front of Maura’s face and swore her eyes widened.

For the first time since I’d tried to reach her, she paused her endless quest and faced me. Our eyes met. Hers flashed fear at the sight of the tall, bulky man before her. My appearance frequently intimidates women, and we were in a secluded spot at night. I didn’t let her reaction offend me.

She sucked in a breath, and the temperature dropped another few degrees. I shuddered. My mind had blanked, so I said, “Look,” and held up the bauble.

“Mine?”

“Yes. Do you know what happened?”

“I must hide.” She tried to shove the doors open, and this time, she succeeded. When she moved to step over the candles, I knew she was fully present. I’d placed them there. She’d tried to step through, not over, them on my prior attempts to waylay her.

“Stop!”

She froze at my command but remained facing the space beyond the doors. Soft yellow candlelight spilled inside, illuminating only a dank stone floor and an obviously empty room.

“Do you know what happened? Why you’re here?” I asked.

Her voice held uncertainty. “I had to get away. I wanted to find Paul.” She meant her boyfriend.

“That’s not quite correct. Think. Remember.” I searched for something more helpful and blurted out, “I can help you.”

She turned to me then. “How? Who are you?”

“Afriend of your sister’s. She asked me to come.” I hesitated to say anything more. It could startle her into regressing, and I’d have to repeat the whole thing tomorrow.

“Janice?”

“Yes. She loves you and wants to help you.”

Maura’s gaze softened, and her expression turned to relief. “We argued, you know.”

“I do.”

“I ran out on her. From the …” “Go on.” I nodded encouragement.

“Wedding. Her wedding.”

“She’s not angry, Maura. You’d both had a lot to drink.”

For the first time, she took in her surroundings. Really looked. “He … Oh, God. I was in a car. I …” She stared down at her bare feet. “I got away.” I’d never met Maura, but my throat constricted at her loss.

“I’m sorry. You didn’t,” I choked out.

“No. I escaped. I ran up the stairs, hid here.”

“I’m sorry,” I said again because I truly was.

She whirled away from me and entered the room. “I made it. I shut the doors.”

I let silence fall, afraid if I spoke, she’d lose the memories. We’d come so far; I refused to start over.

She moaned, a gut-wrenching cry of anguish. “Someone else was here. He herded me here.” She hunched forward, bracing her hands on her thighs. Maura raised her head, meeting my eyes again. “Why? On the night of my sister’s wedding?”

“Opportunity. You and Janice argued, and you walked out angry, drunk, ready to accept help from a stranger. He saw you walking and pulled up beside you.”

Memories flooded into her then. “He told me my boyfriend sent him.”

“Except he hadn’t, had he?” I had to be careful. I had to help her remember, not force her to. She shook her head. “He chased me in here. He knew I’d head for the door when I jumped from the car.”

With another moan, she sank to her knees. Pressed her hands to her throat. In a whisper, she said, “They killed me.” Asob escaped her, and she pressed her palms to her face.

I dropped to the ground beside her, daring to place my hand gently on her shoulder. “The police caught them, Maura. They’re in prison.”

“I’m dead.” She dropped her arms, but when she met my gaze, her eyes were dry. “Who are you?”

“Apsychic medium. I’m here to help you.” “To remember?” she asked in a tiny voice.

“To cross,” I whispered. “You’re ready now.”

I took her hands in mine and closed my eyes. In my mind, I filled the room with light and called on her departed loved ones. I kept my lids shut tight and only opened them when I heard her cry out in delight.

“Grandma, it’s beautiful.” She faded from my grasp.

I remained standing there for a long time, my hands holding only air.

Steve Hardiman has worked as an IT and communications consultant, and talkradio host and producer. His writing includes ghost-written nonfiction articles selected as cover stories in multiple industrial trade publications and scripts for over seventy instructional videos. This is his first work of published fiction

Two cousins. Two paths. One unforgettable era.

All the Broken Angels is an award-winning historical fiction novel that follows the transformative journey of Cate and Albie. Cousins and best friends, they are raised in 1960s New Jersey under the watchful eyes of their family and strict Catholic school nuns. Their bond seems unbreakable. Then the Vietnam War erupts, tearing them apart.

Albie, driven by faith and patriotism, enlists in the military and is stationed at a base along the South China Sea nicknamed Paradise.

Cate challenges her upbringing, protests the war, and escapes to New York City, immersing herself in the counterculture of Greenwich Village and Hell’s Kitchen. When tragedy strikes, Cate's world unravels. Yet, with the support of an eclectic group of friends artists, activists, and veterans she embarks on a journey of resilience and self-discovery.

All The Broken Angels is a profound exploration of love, loss, and the indomitable spirit of a generation that resonates far beyond the final page

Pat Black-Gould is an award-winning author, speaker, and clinical psychologist. Her novel All the Broken Angels, co-written with Steve Hardiman, is a family saga set during the Vietnam War era. As a psychologist, Pat specialized in working with Vietnam Veterans, and the novel pays tribute to those who served and their families. Her children’s book The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey, tells the story of a hidden child of the Holocaust.

Pat’s short stories have appeared in literary anthologies and online journals. Pat’s writing explores themes of compassion, inclusion, and diversity, and she conducts presentations nationally on these topics. WSRE PBS TV featured her on the program Conversations with Jeff Weeks. As a speaker, Pat also conducts workshops on marketing and the craft of writing. In the theater world, Pat was a theater director and producer of a New England summer stock company and a murder mystery dinner theater.

https://bit.ly/AllTheBrokenAngels

The Drowned Phoenician Sailor by Lesley Hayes

Fynn is resolutely unromantic, a bit of a loner, and sceptical about life before death, never mind after it. And yet since she was fifteen her dead sister has been visiting her on a regular basis. Fynn doesn’t believe in ghosts so is she crazy? Three years after starting psychotherapy with Paul, she arrives for a session and finds him lying dead on the couch. But this is just the beginning... The same night she gatecrashes Paul’s funeral he turns up in his newly disembodied form and her dilemma takes a different turn... And when she meets the enigmatic Jack, washed up like driftwood on a beach in Cornwall, she begins to revise her jaded beliefs and expectations, discovering that life, and death, is far more mysterious and intricate than she imagined.

Intro: Draws the reader in from the first page. Intrigue, drama and suspense and absorbing

Cover: Mysterious, Unique, Appealing

Character/World Development: The character are complex and extremely well-developed, keeps you guessing

Presentation: Professionally edited and formatted, great presentation

Intro: Compelling intro. Story begins with a difficult birth. The doctor is unable to save the mother and the baby barely survives. The reader is pulled in immediately.

From the day she was born, Grace Clifton has navigated a life of loss and heartbreak, without a mother to guide her and through the ravages of two World Wars. With England in the midst of a Second World War, Grace experiences the excitement of love and romance, but all too soon, it turns to heartbreak. Through it all, Grace is sustained by her unwavering faith in God, but when all she holds dear is ripped away from her, Grace is left devastated and doubting everything she’s ever believed in.

Character/World Development: Emotional and compelling from the very start. Great character development.

Grace in Mombasa by

Tracy Traynor

Cover: Mysterious, clean, eye -catching and grabs your attention.

Characters: Believable and well crafted characters that have realistic reactions and emotions.

This is a tale wrought from memory, forged with imagination and skill, and told with a deep understanding of time and place. I absolutely loved reading every word in this book. Written in Water demonstrates the true art of storytelling at its finest.

Sun, sex and satire.

If you were conscious during the eighties, well at least some of the time, into music, hot women, flaunting the law and raucous drug-fuelled love sprees, then these tales might just tickle your tastebuds.

A hot and spicy, melodrama under scorching skies, based on fact, crammed with hilarity and pathos, that will beg the question why did you never do this yourself?

Cover: Simple and clean, eyecatching and grabs your attention.

Characters: Characters are colorful and interesting and draws you in from the very first paragraph

”Gangsters, Sex, Drugs, Rock-nRoll, and the occasional Mullet! If you lived through the 80's or are just a fan of small town mobsters, skinny ties, good music, and bad hair choices... you'll love this book! “

Intro: Riveting and mysterious. The story begins by describing a couple of employees and a difficult boss something anyone who has ever held a job will understand.

In this tale, apart from the revenge highlighted by the title, you’ll find love, loss, fear, courage, betrayal, and much more besides. As with all of the author’s work, you’ll be absorbed rapidly by the plight of those in need, and the inhumanity and greed of those who have plenty. When those lives become interconnected in unexpected ways, within is a great story. Highly recommended.

The most heinous act of treachery in Scottish history and piracy on the high seas bind the lives of strangers, Tom and Andrew, inextricably together.

Tom is a young Englishman trying to prove himself worthy of the girl he loves. Andrew, a Scot, hopes to build a better life for his family in New Caledonia, a Scottish trading post on the Darien Isthmus. Driven to revenge, because of England’s stranglehold on the trade routes, the merchants of Scotland bring England and Scotland to the brink of war. Tom and Andrew are on opposing sides when they are thrust together by a chance meeting. Will one of them have to die before England and Scotland can unite in peace?

Revenge

Delilah

2023

Her homecoming from prison quickly turns into a quest for vengeance when she is brutally raped and left for dead, and her fourteen-year-old ward is abducted. Sheer will and determination take this tough and gritty heroine up against wild beasts of the forest, Indians and outlaws to Leadville.

Can the colorful inhabitants of the Colorado mining town work their way into Delilah's heart, offering a chance for a future she thought she'd lost along with her innocence?

Intro: a compelling introduction and I found myself wanting to read further.

Character Development: Great character development. From the very first page you get to know Delilah, her childhood and the conflict to come.

Intro: I loved the two very different stories, connected by the harsh conditions and tenacious workers, toiling hard just to keep food on the table. The writing flowed well and kept my interest throughout.

Prequel to the Wales Rising series. Evan and his parents endure the dangers of work in a slate quarry in Wales, while Elen’s family ekes out a meagre living spinning and cloth finishing in rural Yorkshire. When their lives and livelihoods are threatened, desperation forces them to seek work in northern England’s new industrial heartland. Will their hopes of a better life turn into a nightmare?

Break it Down

Development: Both the adults and children were well written and three dimensional. Their characters felt authentic, and there was clear progression even within a short space of time.

I found the characters from both storylines compelling. I quickly settled into their worlds and got a feeling for how difficult their lives were.

The Dungeoneers and the Treasure of Roan

A new direction for awardwinning author Joel

McKay

Wincott is a washed-up burglar with a bad back, frozen toes, and a goblin kill count that’s making his life very complicated. When he flees into the longabandoned mountain city of Roan just ahead of a bloodthirsty goblin horde he finds himself knocked out cold by none other than his estranged son: Sish Torren, a fast-talking rogue with a short sword, shorter temper, and a talent for backstabbing... sometimes literally.

Roan is rumored to house an ancient treasure. It’s also filled with deadly traps, crumbling ruins, and the kind of secrets that swallow people whole. Wincott and Sish reluctantly join forces not out of love, but because no one survives Roan solo for long.

Joel McKay is an award-winning author, journalist and executive from Northern British Columbia. His fiction includes the horror comedy novella Wolf at the Door, the anthology It Came From the Trees and Other Violent Aberrations and a host of short stories published in various anthologies and online.

Especially not with mercenaries, monsters, and a certain vengeful former crew barreling toward them.

The Dungeoneers and the Treasure of Roan is “Dungeons & Dysfunction” meets Ocean’s Eleven if everyone in the crew had unresolved trauma and zero impulse control. A darkly funny, fast-paced fantasy adventure full of sharp blades, sharper tongues, and just enough heart to keep you rooting for the worst people to do the right thing... eventually.

By Melanie P. Smith

https://melaniepsmith.com

Det. Kirby stood in the center of the road and studied his surroundings. It was a cold night. So cold, he could see his own breath and every time he inhaled, the fine hairs inside his nose froze then slowly thawed only to freeze again with his next breath. He pushed it aside, irritated at the distraction. He jerked his head to the right when he heard a slight sound in the distance. Maybe Blu wasn’t full of shit this time.

Kirby took a step forward and waited, hoping to hear the noise again. Instead, he heard the distinct sound of a car approaching. He ignored it, knowing it was his partner. Once she parked her car, she’d join him armed with a dozen complaints.

Detective Macord Mac to her colleagues shoved open the door, grabbed her tepid mug of coffee and climbed from her vehicle. The road was solid ice, dusted with a thin layer of snow that crunched beneath her boots as she walked. “You know,” she greeted, “if I wanted to hang out in the snow, I would have stayed in Utah.”

Kirby ignored her.

“What are we doing here?” Mac demanded.

“I got a call from Blu.”

Mac groaned. “Not another wild goose chase. Honestly, you need to cut that guy loose. His tips are innocuous at best. He’s annoying and ambiguous. He’s never reliable. Plus, every time he gives you a lead, you drag me along with you. I need coffee.” She plucked the lid off her now cold coffee, flung the liquid into a snowbank, crumpled the cup, and shoved it into her pocket.

“Have I ever mentioned you talk too much?” Kirby glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

“Not in the last five minutes,” Mac grinned. “What was it this time? Injured squirrel? Did the little guy gorge himself on nuts and fall out of a tree?”

“I think the last thing you need right now is more coffee,” Kirby observed. “Listen.”

Mac opened her mouth to harass her partner further then stopped when she heard something, off to the right. “What is that?”

“Blu’s clue?” Kirby smirked.

“Ha,” Mac punched his shoulder. “You know, I’m slightly concerned that you’re watching a clever blue dog created for preschoolers.”

Kirby shrugged. “My nephew wants to grow up to be just like me. It’s a good start.”

Mac turned in surprise when they heard another louder noise to the right, but it sounded closer this time. “Was that a whimper?”

“It sounded human,” Kirby agreed. “Let’s go.”

They left the road and paved their own trail through the snow and thick pines all cop now, and on the hunt. Several yards from the road, the terrain morphed into a gradual incline. They were both winded by the time they reached the top.

Kirby scanned the area, determined to solve the puzzle. Blu was a little annoying and his tips rarely amounted to more than a petty theft or trivial crime of passion. Still ”

“Over there,” Mac pointed to the edge of a tree line on the other side of the clearing. “It looks human.”

“Ambush or victim?” Kirby wondered.

“I think victim, but we need a plan in case I’m wrong,” Mac suggested.

“I’ll approach head on,” Kirby decided.

“No, I will,” Mac interrupted. “You head left, approach from the shadows just inside the trees. Don’t worry, old man, I’ll be careful.”

Kirby frowned, then nodded. “Give me five to get into position, then head down. Take a direct route, act casual so you appear oblivious and eager to help.”

“I’ve got this,” Mac glared at him..

Kirby grinned. Mac hated his protective side what she deemed fatherly, but he couldn’t help it. He turned, descended the ridgeline and cautiously made his way to the left of their target. Then, he darted over the embankment, crossed the edge of the meadow and slipped into the shadows. Moments later, he was standing behind a large pine tree a few feet away from a woman. She was young and she wasn’t moving. He took another tentative step forward and waited.

Mac rushed forward but stopped a few feet away. They were both ready to react if this was a trick. “Hey, you okay?” Mac called. The woman didn’t move. “I’m Detective Macord, do you need help?”

The girl tried to push her body upwards with shaky arms, then tumbled back to the ground.

“Help, please.”

“What’s going on?” Mac crouched to get a better look, still out of harm’s way in case the woman was faking for some reason.

“He’s going to kill them,” she choked out. “They’re in the cave,” she raised her hand a couple inches from the ground, then dropped it just as quickly.

Mac glanced up when Kirby emerged. “Are you familiar with this area?”

“I am,” Kirby approached the woman. “Who’s going to kill them and who are they?”

The woman shrunk into herself and began to shake from the cold, but also in fear.

“He won’t hurt you,” Mac assured her. “He’s with me. We’re cops and we’d like to help. Do you know the man?”

“Bobby Dickson,” she whispered. “He has two other girls, in the cave. They’re prisoners, like I was, but I escaped. He’s coming for me, then he’ll kill all of us.”

“Bobby Dickson?” Mac locked eyes with Kirby. “Judge Dickson’s oldest son?”

“Yes,” the woman was crying, enormous tears streamed down her face. “You don’t believe me, do you? He said you wouldn’t believe me.”

“I believe you,” Kirby crouched. “Is the cave near the water? The river that runs just east of here.”

“Yes,” her entire body sagged in relief. “You need to hurry.”

“We need to get her back to my vehicle,” Mac decided. “We’ll secure her, call for help, then go after the others.”

Kirby hesitated, glanced away, then nodded.

It took longer than either of them liked, but they finally got the woman secured inside the car.

“What’s your name?” Mac flipped on the heater then reached for her police radio.

“Amelia White,” she wrapped her arms around herself and enjoyed the heat.

Mac called for backup and informed dispatch they were leaving their victim locked inside her vehicle while they searched for their suspect and two additional victims.

“Car Delta 15,” ClayAnderson called over the air. “I just passed Pauma Valley, ETAtwo minutes.”

“Copy that,” Mac smiled. Anders would handle the victim better than anyone she knew. He was a good cop and had a way with people. Mac slammed the door and approached Kirby. “Ready?” Kirby spotted the headlights, waited a few additional seconds to make sure it was a patrol car, then nodded.

They silently made their way through the woods. Suddenly, Kirby motioned upwards, and Mac spotted the mouth of a large cave.

“You go left, I’ll go right?” she suggested.

“Wait for my signal,” Kirby warned. “The cave veers left. You go first, I’ll have your six.” They entered, veered to the left and silently made their way through a narrow tunnel. Before long, the tunnel fanned out to create a tiny alcove. Mac spotted two women immediately but there was no sign of Bobby.

“It’s clear on the right, but watch your left, he could be hiding,” Kirby warned. “I’ve got you.”

Mac took a half step forward, hesitated, peered around the edge of the opening, then rushed forward in relief. She had a clear shot to the girls.

The group emerged from the cave and immediately spotted Bobby. He was stomping toward the cave, cussing with his head down, oblivious to their presence.

Kirby shoved the women toward Mac and bolted. He slammed into Bobby before the guy even realized they were there. Within seconds, Bobby was handcuffed and screaming.

“Hey,” Mac crowded Bobby’s personal space. “You have the right to remain silent. Do us all a favor and shut up.”

“I’ll have your badge, you whore,” Bobby screamed.

“Doubtful,” Mac motioned to the women. “Come on, we need to get both of you to the hospital. You can give your statements after your checked out by a doctor.”

“Keep your mouth shut,” Bobby warned.

“Good advice,” Kirby shoved Bobby. “You should take it.”

An hour later, Kirby and Mac stood outside the sliding doors of the hospital. Kirby raised his head, stared into the darkness and inhaled a deep cleansing breath. “Another one closed.”

“I guess you should keep the annoying Blu around,” Mac smirked. “He grates on my last nerve, but he just tossed you a big fish. One the brass will notice. One that could get you that promotion. Sgt. Kirby has a nice ring to it.”

“Bite your tongue,” Kirby grinned. “Karma might be listening, and she tends to hate my guts.”

Informative: First sentence clearly identifies the topic of this book. The author immediately makes a connection with her target audience... fellow survivors.

Coping Mechanisms

by Tracy Black

Intro: This is a difficult but compelling topic written by a survivor. From the first page, it is clear the book will deal with coping mechanism (also clear by the title) and how to deal with triggers as an adult .

Cover: Cover is professional, eyecatching and intriguing

Coping Mechanisms demonstrates how adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse can cope with stresses that occur in their everyday lives.Adult survivors can find life to be a bit more difficult, and feelings of isolation, fear, loneliness or being frozen in time are not uncommon. The casual or innocent things which trigger flashbacks bring back painful and unwanted memories. Asimple sound or a smell can trigger the brain and transport you to ‘that’time or ‘that’place.Anumber of survivors have contributed by writing about their personal experiences and how they cope. They bravely share their stories and explain how motivational exercises and self-help have made their lives manageable. Coping Mechanisms examines the practical ways of coping and explains how you can implement them. Don’t allow the demons from your past to haunt your future.

Light Love Rituals

by Ronesa Aveela

A book the whole family can enjoy. Take a journey and discover Bulgarian folk tales, legends, and mythology. Whether you want to learn a little about their ancient Thracian origins, or you want to experience rituals practiced throughout the year with a fictitious Bulgarian family, or even if you’re only interested in traditional Bulgarian cuisine, this book has something for everyone.

Bulgarian culture is rich in folklore and traditions surviving since the days of the ancient Thracians. As pagan and Christian religions collided, many celebrations merged into one. Light Love Rituals will take you on a journey to discover these unique festivals.

Content: Beautiful pictures, crafts, recipes and fast facts . Brings Bulgaria to life. A great book to discover ancient times, traditions and rituals.

Kisses From Sardinia

by Laurie Pillia

Laurie Henry is referred to as an “all-American girl”: an exceptional student raised in central Ohio by hard-working, conservative Christian parents. When she learns a secret about her past, she rebels as only a teenage girl can, marries the proverbial “bad boy”, and has his baby. Just how is it, then, that this struggling single mother on food stamps goes from teary-eyed desperation on the beaches of Emerald Isle, North Carolina, to the verdant green hills of THE “Emerald Isle”? How does she go from the nightlife of Dayton to dancing in the clubs of Temple Bar? How does she go from serving plates of eggplant parmesan in the Buckeye State to being served delicacies on the island of Sardinia? How does the girl in sweats go from hoodies to Hermes?

Kisses from Sardinia has all the makings of a novel, but it’s a true story—a story of chance, romance, and happenstance that every woman, young or old, should read and thus be inspired. Laurie’s tale of adventure will awaken young readers, both male and female, to their potentials no matter their circumstances, and also remind parents of impetuous daughters that it’s best to leave them to their dreams they just might come true beyond anyone’s imagination.

This book kept my attention start to finish. Well-written and optimistic, Laurie’s story will inspire one to keep their faith in the worst of times

77 1/2 Magical Healing Herbs

by Ronesa Aveela

Venture into the magical, healing world of herbs and embrace the power of nature. The book is an introduction to herbs found in a special Midsummer’s wreath. This is an especially enchanting time of year. Among the Bulgarians, the day is called Eniovden. You may think herbs are only for spicing up food and healing the body and mind, but they have other uses, as well.

Intro: Flowed well and promises a mixture of factual information and fascinating folklore, plus the illustrations are stunning.

Cover: It's a beautiful cover and suits the subject perfectly. The title is intriguing.

Informative:

Book is very informative but also whimsical. It gives the facts, with an image but also includes folklore and myths to keep the readers attention before it moves on to medicinal uses. Great layout and clear ideas on each page.

THINK YOURSELF Confident

Nathalie Plamondon-Thomas

Statistics show that 85% of people suffer from a lack of self-confidence in at least one area of their lives. Draining negative self-talk creates procrastination, stress, anxiety, and burnout. People know what they want or need to do, and yet they do the reverse they resist change and can’t adapt to the fast world we live in. That makes them feel powerless, frustrated, and insecure. In a work environment this can lead to a demotivated and unhappy team, low overall performance and a high employee turnover rate. With the layers of stress people are already buried under, important decisions are clouded by emotions or limiting beliefs, instead of being based on skills and experience. Bottom line: whether on a personal or professional level, most people admit to not working or living at their full potential.

Intro:

Engaging writing style

Anneke Lucas Quest for Love

This memoir invites the reader into the heart and mind of a young Belgian girl as she shares events out of one year of her life, her voice supported by the vocabulary and understanding of the adult author. The child’s circumstances are brutal; she is being sold by a mentally ill mother into a murderous pedophile network. She desperately clings to the belief that in spite of all appearances, true love does exist, and searches for the faintest sign of it in the midst of hell. When her blind love for her mother is transferred onto a charming perpetrator, she experiences romantic passion, but is soon cast into abject betrayal and violence, ultimately leading to her certain demise. In the darkest of circumstances, a near-death experience shows her the truth underlying her phenomenal world, and she is given a glimpse of that great love for which she is so desperately seeking.

2024

I hate to say this is a good book because it's real. The abuse is real. The stories are true but it's really well written and captivating. I read it in 3 days and cannot stop thinking about it and praying for all children and predators. It also helps me to reflect on my own life. How am I trapped in unhealthy habits or thought processes. Anneke is so strong and empowering. I recommend that everyone read this book and share it with others. I pray one day God will bring an end to all of this evil but until then I hope people open their eyes to the reality of this world.

S.A. Schneider has a wolf, so of course he writes middle grade fantasy, wouldn’t you? Since his Lego and action figure days, he’s crafted worlds and stories within those worlds. This pursuit continues into his middle grade fantasies.

He doesn’t stop with inspiring kids to write linear stories. Oh no, no. S.A. shows kids how storytelling in video games work and how they can learn to write those. He wants others to join him and delve into creating fantastical worlds.

Enjoy the Adventure!

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am a father of two now grown children and a computer consultant. I’ve been writing for several years, which started while I was still involved with my kids in Scouts, band, and sports. I enjoy many of the fantasy type pop culture out there – movies, games, books, comics.

Interviewed by Melanie P. Smith

Are you a multi-genre author or a single-genre author? How did you decide what types of book you would write?

I write middle grade fantasy. When I started, I tried to write adult thrillers, but it never seemed to click. Then a couple author friends, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, suggested I try writing for a middle school age audience. That clicked and its what I’ve been writing since then.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

When did you start writing? Did an event or person prompt you to take that leap?

I was a Girl Scout leader for my daughter’s Girl Scout troop. I noticed most of the girls read, but all the books had male protagonists. I wanted to write a book that the girls could enjoy because it had a female lead. Since then, there are quite a few books that have female protagonists, but it’s what got me started.

Tell us your latest news

I have a great new series coming next – The Oddish Questors. A group of sibling investigators that check out stories of Bigfoot and such. Think of X-Files meets Scooby-Doo. Or Supernatural meets Scooby-Doo, which already happened.

How / where do you find the plots you write about?

The same place Stephen King jokes about buying them. Really, most of the story ideas start as just a bit of an idea or character and grow. The plot develops from there. There are some pretty familiar ways that plots progress, and whether we like to admit it or not, most of our own plots follow that. The ones that don’t tend to not feel ‘right’.

The newest book, Transgressions of Magic, is that parents aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. But parents need to understand how everything they do, good and bad, affects their kids. How much of the book is realistic?

It’s set in a world with goblins and people can channel magic, including our hero. But, he does deal with the same issues kids on our world deal with, which is the part of the story I want kids to understand.

Mark Twain said “Write what you know.” Tell us about your writing process. Are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you plot, plan, and conduct hours of research; or, do you just sit down and write whatever comes to mind based on your personal history and knowledge?

I try to get a general idea of the plot so that I make sure to include everything needed. But they have changed as I’ve worked on them, and new ideas were added while taking out other thoughts. The direction may change drastically for a variety of reasons. I don’t plot out as well as Patterson (which could arguably be why he is so much more popular), but the system I have works the best for me.

Do you have a mentor that helped or encouraged you to follow your dream of writing?

I’ve had several. J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon have been very supportive and helpful along the journey. J. quite often has answered many of my questions. James Rubart and his son offered me a lot of advice on my stories. And there have been other writers and family members. All have been supportive and helped when I needed it.

What books have influenced your life the most?

So many. So, so many. Growing up, The Dragonlance Chronicles, especially Dragons of Autumn Twilight, and The Shining were my faves. I read so much. Tons of Star Trek books. I remember the Illustrated Classic books, those squat square books with pictures every other page and condensed classic. Like Reader’s Digest for Kids. Those got me loving some of the classic literature.

What are your current projects?

As mentioned, the Oddish Questor series. Along with that, I have a kid’s picture book that focuses on Conor at a younger age. I am going to many cryptid festivals for those books. It’s a whole thing with the Oddish Questors. Besides books I have a young cryptozoologist field kit and guide, I have a young Cryptozoologist Membership ID Card they can earn, and I have a hotline exclusively for kids where they can ask any questions they want about cryptids and the Oddish Questors will answer them.

I also have been teaching a class on videogame storytelling, and have a series of books coming for that also.

Can you share a sample of your current work with us?

This is from Transgression of Magic

“I give you the Table of Death!” He said it so they heard the capital letters. “Honored magicians of old have passed down this table to new generations for centuries. Only the bravest Town Magicians attempt its horror, because no man has ever survived.” The reactions pleased Rory. Everyone knew the story, because he told it last month at the pub. The entire town re -told the tale of the ancient magician who performed an escape trick on the mysterious table - but didn’t succeed. Instead, the rock fell and crushed him. Rory spread a rumor about the magician’s spirit still haunting the rock, prepared to smite any unworthy magician. The story turned out to be malarkey, but the anticipation enhanced the trick. Plus, with Samual using magic, the trick would be far beyond what any magician without magic hoped to perform.

“But wait, ladies and gentlemen, what may astonish you is the gnome engineer who created this trap possessed even more devilry within him. A system of gears and pulleys lowers the crushing rock as time slips away.”

A loud clack startled the audience members, and the rock dropped several inches. Their tricks surpassed those of other Town Magicians in the province. Hours were spent to align the gears for this trick.

“Before we proceed, I must warn you. This isn’t for the faint of heart. If you have a young bride with you or impressionable children, shield their eyes, as I cannot be responsible for what may happen - or not happen - next.”

Pick one of your characters and share some of their backstory that didn’t make it into the novel.

Oh, but I can’t do that. I still have two books (at least) that I’m working on for the Town Magician series, and some of those secrets and backstory will come out. If you’ve read Embracing the Magic, there are already lots of revelations in backstory coming out in Transgression of Magic, I wouldn’t want to spoil the book – especially as we leave Toby hovering on death. Oh, did I give a cliffhanger spoiler?

Other than writing do you have any hobbies?

Playing board and card games. Playing and making video games. Reading. I have a horror movie podcast with a buddy, and so I watch a lot of horror movies.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write. Forget all the books and videos. Forget the conferences and classes. I see too many people buying tons of books and courses and attending too many conferences because they feel they need it to get better. The best thing is write more. Any books and courses you get will make a ton more sense to you, and click in a good way, if you’ve written a lot more than you already have.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Read. That’s why all these writers are writing! Especially kids. If you’re a parent or teacher and not encouraging kids to read, you’re doing them a disservice. And if they don’t like what you’re trying to force down their throats, let them read stuff they want. Many an avid reader started by reading comic books. Jeff Strand has some great feedback of teachers who say they had kids that hated reading – until they read one of Jeff’s books. Just let the kids read.

What do you want written on your headstone and why?

Enjoy the Adventure. It has multiple levels of meaning and its how I sign all my books.

Is there one person past or present you would like to meet and why?

Well, honestly, I’ve met quite a few great people and have some great stories. I still wouldn’t mind meeting Stephen King – maybe at a baseball game. Or have him over for a hot dog roast and beer. Maybe Nathan Filion, but also need Alan Tudyk. I did have a chance to meet Tudyk and regret that I couldn’t. Weird Al.

If money was no issue would you prefer a cozy beach bungalow or a rustic cabin overlooking a mountain lake?

Definitely a rustic cabin. Where I live, our upper acre is wooded and I have a small cabin there. Love to sit and listen to nature and read.

Can you share something personal with your readers? Do you have any holiday traditions? What kind of music do you enjoy? What kind of movies do you prefer? Do you have a favorite author?

I have a wolf. His name is Hunter Moon Moon. He’s big and scary looking, but really the goofiest animal. He’ll roll over for belly rubs and we tell him all the other wolves are laughing at him. He’s a rescue because he has a bad paw and they were going to put him down.

Holiday traditions – I watch scary movies in Halloween season (you know, August through October). Then I have favorite Christmas movies I watch in December. To make the transition from October to December, I watch Christmas horror movies in November

One final question...Do you have a blog/website? If so, what is it? Do you have a social media platform where your fans can go to interact with you and follow your progress? Sure do:

https://sa-schneider.com

https://facebook.com/SASchneiderAuth

https://clcannon.net/bookfair/#fantasyadventure

Children’s | Young Adult Nathaniel Teen Angel

by Patricia Puddle

Cover:

Intro: Entertaining, great hook, draws you in from the start

Character/World Development: Character flaws are well developed from the beginning. Alternate world order is easy to follow and understand

Cover: Eye-catching, Genre specific, Intriguing

After accidentally possessing a young man's body, Nathaniel finds himself in the arms of the beautiful girl he's supposed to be guarding. Though he didn't intend to break God's rules, his wings are burnt off and he's dumped naked in the freezing ocean, and not just for kissing Eloise, but for wanting more. Cold, injured and bleeding, Nathaniel has only one thing on his mind as he drags himself out of the treacherous surf, and that's to see if Eloise feels the same way about him. As he runs naked along the shore to look for some clothes, he’s approached by Lucifer and offered a happy life with Eloise if he sells him his soul. When Nathaniel refuses, Lucifer threatens to give the deal to Devlin, Nathaniel's nemesis.

Pondlife: Blue Moon Eclipse

By Patricia M. Ahern

Fantasy tale of a young girl, her brother and friends who find themselves in a world of magic, shapeshifting, fairies and monsters and a battle between good and evil. Issie Hartford’s dad has been missing for three years, yet she clings to the hope that he will return. Her family are forced to move to Meadowstream Manor, her dad’s family home, after a very peculiar meeting at Newton and Roach solicitors. Finding an old map and book sets Issie on a journey of discovery which leads her, her brother and three friends to Meadowstream Pond. They find themselves drawn into the mystical world of Pondlife and a battle against time to save the pond and its inhabitants. Will they be in time? Hope is all she has…

Intro /Character/World

Development:

It has all the ingredients of a magical adventure but is also well-grounded in real life values. It teaches children the importance of caring for the environment, respecting nature and working together to achieve a greater goal.

Presentation: Professionally edited, No obvious typos, professional grammar, formatting and overall presentation

This is the story of Earth in the fifth millennium. Vrail has developed unusual powers. He uses his ability to read minds to locate dangerous criminals.

He is a Truth Finder and explores the joys and dangers of his powers as he finds his place in a violent and unstable world.

By Penny Luker

Intro: Emotional beginning with a son communicating telepathically with his dying father. Great beginning. Plot was easy to follow with good flow.

Character/World Building: Excellent character development. You get a sense for the main character immediately and find yourself developing an emotional connection due to his strengths and his struggles. World building also done well.

“Thought provoking, stimulating. and futuristic with enough modern touches to make it feasible.“ -Amazon

Character/World Building:

Great world building, tumbleweed, scorching heat, and music in the background. The author pulls the reader in from the very first sentence.

Would you ride your precious horse too hard, just so you can beat your best friend?

Joanna did, driven by the ghost of her highly competitive mother. Remorse and fear engulf Joanna when she finds her best friend, Diane had disappeared on that same day. Joanna walks away from everything to do with horses to run the county show with her Dad.

Years later, Challenger returns, bringing to a head the series of events that has burst Joanna’s little bubble. He seems determined to savage her, every time she goes near him. Diane also returns, but Joanna cannot quite trust her. Does she really want to re-kindle the friendship or does she have an ulterior motive?

Joanna’s worst fears are realised on Christmas day when Dianne makes the ultimate betrayal. Her life must be rebuilt once again. Is all as bad as it seems? Will the horses and dogs she meets on her journey help her to heal and finally find love? Can Challenger forgive her?

A high school nemesis. A misuse of powers. An Unexpected Consequence.

Sixteen-year-old Charley Cooper is furious when her cousin Danu uses her powers to get back at a high school nemesis without considering the consequences.

When someone attacks the other girl and she ends up in a coma, Danu becomes the prime suspect. As annoyed as she is at her cousin, Charley doesn't want her to go down for something she didn't do.

Even though Charley has never had magical abilities of her own, when she has what she believes is a vision about an attack on Danu, she's forced to investigate. Can she find the guilty party before her cousin pays - one way or another?

If you enjoy magic, quirky characters, and small-town mysteries with a touch of romance, you're sure to enjoy A Witchy Mistake!

Overall 2021 #8

“Fun magic and suspense mixed with some laughs and sass “

“This book had me hooked and I will be reading more in the series. Author tells a fantastic story - well written.”

Character / World Development:

Interesting and detailed descriptions, vivid characters.

Cover: Charming and appealing cover inviting, age appropriate, fits the story well

Intro: Great setup for a cozy mystery.

Theodore Reed seems destined to suffer, surviving one harrowing dilemma, only to find himself marooned in quite another. Worse still, his young sister, Minnie, has vanished.

He has to find her, no matter the cost.

Theodore's frantic search leads him deeper into a remarkable, uncharted realm concealed from the outside world, filled with dark magic, mystery, unspeakable jeopardy, and heart-stopping creatures.

Can a thirteen-year-old orphan boy from beyond the shores of Karadas possibly survive such a perilous quest?

The Veiled Realm

Intro / Content: Instantly compelling! It's straight into the action as two young children are thrown into a seemingly impossible survival situation

Character/World Development: Shows depth and strength of character very quickly . Excellent character development with good hook at beginning.

Cover:

Beautiful scenery, Great scenic image and seems to fit the title, colors are soothing

J.T. Mather

Is it science...or strange and ghostly?

Asim's new town is freaking him out! There are weird noises at night, eerie lights, and now an evil tree that is growing way faster than it should. he's sure there's something supernatural going on.

His friend Rokshar believes that everything can be explained by science. But even she's worried when the tree takes control of their teacher! It's starting to look like an evil spirit straight out of Guyanese folklore is to blame. Can Asim and his friends save their teacher and the town from the ghost tree?

The Ghost Tree

Find out...if you dare! It's a new spooky series based on ghost stories from Guyana.

Natasha Deen

Intro / Content: Love the spooky intro that quickly sets the scene. Strong hook and great illustrations

Character/World Development: Great illustrations and descriptive characters

The Ghost In Me

The tale is bitter-sweet, and by the end, I felt satisfied that everything was as it ought to be. There are times when the reader might change their mind about certain characters. Karma plays a key role more than once and balances the scales. The imagery and dialogue are good, and although I’m from the other side of the pond, I understood terminology accepted as normal by someone in the US. An entertaining read

Intro: Completely hooked from the start. The opening sentence sets the scene then the story backtracks to explain how it came to be.

Development: I immediately identified with the character. Great back story.

My best friend Carly went missing, and I was frantic. When twentyfour hours later, her spirit entered my body, it devastated me. How did she die and why did no one know about it?

Unable to tell anyone Carly was dead; I went on a mission to find out what happened and learned secrets that made me question our friendship. Can Carly’s ghost help me find out what happened to her?

What will happen to me if we don't? But what will happen to her spirit if we do?

Cover:

Captivating colors and good complimentary flow

Character / World Development:

The Introduction was descriptive with visual imagery that established the setting and characters and enabled the reader to become immersed in the world.

How do you learn from the past if there isn’t one?

Sixty years ago, something awful happened. Something that killed everyone except the people at Blue Ring. Something that caused the Headmasters to appear. But Maple doesn’t know what it was. Because talking about the past is forbidden.

Everyone at Blue Ring has a Headmaster. They sink their sinewy coils into your skull and control you, using your body for backbreaking toil and your mind to communicate with each other. When someone dies, their Headmaster transfers to someone new. But so do the dead person’s memories, and if one of those memories surfaces in the new host’s mind, their brain breaks. That’s why talking about the past is forbidden.

The Headmasters

By Mark Morton

Mark Morton

Mark Morton is the author of The End: Closing Words for a Millennium (winner of the Alexander Isbister Award for nonfiction); The Lover’s Tongue: A Merry Romp Through the Language of Love and Sex (republished in the UK as Dirty Words), and Cooking with Shakespeare. He’s also the author of more than fifty columns for Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture (University of California Press) and has written and broadcast more than a hundred columns about language and culture for CBC Radio. His young adult science fiction novel The Headmasters came out from Shadowpaw Press in early 2024.

Mark has a PhD in sixteenth-century literature from the University of Toronto and has taught at several universities in France and Canada. He and his wife, Melanie Cameron (also an author), have four children, three dogs, one rabbit, and no time.

“A whimsical, side-splitting, erudite, and sometimes cheeky book.” – The Globe and Mail

Amusing, acclaimed, and erudite Cupboard Love: A Dictionary of Culinary Curiosities

From everyday foods to exotic dishes, from the herbs and spices of medieval England to the cooking implements of the modern kitchen, Cupboard Love is a sumptuous feast that explores the fascinating stories behind familiar and not-sofamiliar gastronomic terms.

Who knew that the word “pomegranate” is related to the word “grenade”? That “baguette” is a cousin of “bacteria”? That “soufflé” comes from the same root as “flatulence”? Who knew that “vermicelli” is Italian for “little worms,” that “avocado” comes from an Aztec word meaning “testicle,” or that “catillation” denotes the unseemly licking of plates?

Addictively readable, it takes us on a journey across cultures and history to arrive at the explanations behind some of our favourite culinary words and phrases, answering along the way those questions we’ve always had about food but were afraid to ask the cook.

Interviewed by Melanie P. Smith

Tara Hodgson has been teaching junior high for the past sixteen years. She spends her days surrounded by teens and has witnessed the changes that technology, especially social media, has had on the teenage experience. She lives on an acreage in Sturgeon County, Alberta with her husband, two children, and a crew of cats and dogs.

@tarahodgsonauthor

http://www.tarahodgson.ca/

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I tend to start with the titles when posed this question: I am a mom, a junior high teacher, and an introvert through and through. I have always been a voracious reader, growing up in libraries and devouring books. Being an introvert in such an extroverted profession, when I have down time, I prefer it to be quiet, so I love writing, reading, walking, swimming. Anything where I can just be in my head in silence.

Tell us your latest news

I am currently preparing for the fall release of my second YA Contemporary novel, and I’m incredibly excited about it. I can’t wait to share it with the world!

How / where do you find the plots you write about?

So far, all of my ideas have come from current events. My books center around the theme of tech in our lives and the potential implications of it. I see stories on the news, hear my students talking about their lives, or stumble across information on my own social media feed and that sparks the ideas I’ve had so far.

Are you a multi-genre author or a singlegenre author? How did you decide what types of book you would write?

So far, I am a single-genre author. I prefer to write contemporary, but who knows! Maybe one day I’ll dabble in something else. I love dystopian fiction, so I can see myself moving in that direction one day. My first novel, Chasing Through Time, is YA Contemporary as is my second. The third that I’m just working through now is Adult Contemporary, however, and I’m having fun with that.

When did you start writing? Did an event or person prompt you to take that leap?

https://bookgoodies.com/a/ B0D2DXY8TF

I have always loved writing. In fact, I come from a family of artists. My Auntie, Barbara Hodgson, is an author, and I always looked up to her growing up. I became a teacher right out of university; however, and never really thought about becoming a writer myself until 2021. I started to notice significant changes in my students, primarily due to social media. A story popped into my head and I decided to give it a shot!

I am a little of both! I try and outline (very simply - subtitles and point form notes) but sometimes when I start writing, things happen that I never could have anticipated. This is my favorite part of writing: when I get lost in the world of my own creation and my mind just takes me where it wants to go.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Absolutely. As I said previously, I write books about how technology is affecting our lives. For Chasing Through Time, this is specifically in regards to teens and their mental health. I hope it sparks conversations about teen tech use and how maybe having the world in their back pocket isn’t what’s best for them.

How much of the book is realistic?

A significant portion of the book is realistic. It is contemporary with a science fiction twist. The emotions and challenges experienced by the two protagonists are very much based on what I’ve experienced myself as a teen and what I’ve witnessed students experiencing.

What books have influenced your life the most?

There are so many. In terms of my writing, books like Looking for Alaska by John Green, You’d be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow, and All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven have been incredibly influential. I look up to these authors so much.

Is there one person past or present you would like to meet and why?

I would love to meet Dolly Parton! I love her so much and would love to hear about all of the charity work she does. I know she does a lot of work with children’s literacy and I think hearing her story would be fascinating.

Do you have a mentor that helped or encouraged you to follow your dream of writing?

My Auntie, Barbara Hodgson, is an author. She was supportive through the process and gave me advice based on her experiences. My husband though is my biggest supporter. He truly believes that I can do anything and will help in any way he can.

Can you share a sample of your current work with us?

This is from my upcoming YA Contemporary release (the title will be unveiled on Instagram in the next week!)

Pick one of your characters and share some of their backstory that didn’t make it into the novel.

In my latest novel, the main character, Reese Muller, is a perfectionist to the extreme. I wanted to include more of her time spent on the volleyball court with the pressure from her parents to never mess up, but I ultimately had to cut some of that out. The pressure she feels is crippling and ultimately leads to her downfall.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

I would give them the advice I wish someone had given me: Why not? Don’t wait to chase the dream, don’t question your worth, your voice. Just sit down and write because you never know where it can take you.

What do you want written on your headstone and why?

What an interesting question! I don’t know if this is morbid or not, but one of my favorite sayings is: Silence is Luxurious. It basically sums me up in three simple words.

What are your current projects?

My second YA Contemporary will hopefully be out in the fall and I am currently halfway through my third manuscript which is an adult Contemporary.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I just want to say thank you. Hearing from strangers that they loved Chasing Through Time and reading their reviews has meant more than I could have imagined. I wrote this book for myself. To show that I could, to say what I wanted to say; I didn’t realize how much I would love hearing reader feedback. So to any of my readers, thank you for taking a chance on a new, unknown author and reading the book! I have a pile of stories that haven’t been written yet and I hope you stick with me on this journey!

Other than writing do you have any hobbies?

Again, anything that is quiet. I love working out, going for long walks outside, hiking, camping, swimming in the lake. I am a certified yoga instructor as well, so moving my body is key to my mental health.

Can you share something personal with your readers? Do you have any holiday traditions? What kind of music do you enjoy? What kind of movies do you prefer? Do you have a favorite author?

I love music and listen to it all the time. My favourites are Taylor Swift, Dermot Kennedy, David Gray, and David Kushner. I spend way too much money on concerts; I have seen David Gray nine times already! I don’t watch a lot of movies, but my son and I are obsessed with anything Jurassic. Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday. I decorate in mid November simply because it brings me so much joy. On Christmas Eve my entire family wears my deceased Nana’s old Christmas sweaters and we have a big party with fireworks and food. My favorite author is Taylor Jenkins Reid.

If money was no issue would you prefer a cozy beach bungalow or a rustic cabin overlooking a mountain lake?

I wish I could pick both! Beach bungalow through the winter and summer, and rustic cabin in only the fall. I am a summer girl though, so if I can only choose one it’s the beach. I come alive in the sunshine and in the water.

One final question...Do you have a blog/website? If so, what is it? Do you have a social media platform where your fans can go to interact with you and follow your progress?

Yes! My website is www.tarahodgson.ca and I can be found on Instagram and Facebook @tarahodgsonauthor. I will be revealing the title of my second book there next week! www.tarahodgson.ca

Kat Riesling spends her days serving up delicious treats with a side of sass at her beloved cafe.

However, her life is turned upside down when she finds herself as the newest target of the city's largest crime boss.

Ian O'Dell, the newest detective on the Chicago police force, only wishes to serve and protect the quirky cafe owner.

By Tom Benson

But as bullets fly and emotions tangle, he finds himself torn between what his heart wants and what his duty demands.

This year there are two Gold Medal winners in the Romance Category. They also take Gold and Silver in the overall competition. Both books are professionally edited, have eyecatching covers, a great hook and were the clear and overwhelming contest winners.

Romance

Intro: Great visualization. Grabs your attention & draws you into the action from the first paragraph.

Character/World Development: Characters are masterfully described in a way that makes you feel as if you know them the instant they are introduced

Cover: Excellent, Professional and eye-catching

Presentation: Professionally edited, No obvious typos, professional grammar, formatting and overall presentation

Prize: Gold in Overall and Romance categories

Val Tobin Nothing hurts like the truth

Intro: Great hook, draws you into the story from the very first page

Character/World Development: Characters well-developed, complex and a little tragic

Cover: Simple, Genre Specific, soothing

Presentation: Professionally edited, Great presentation, and formatting

Prize: Gold in Romance, Silver in Overall

Actress Daniella Grayson puts herself in the spotlight, hoping to attract the attention of the father she believes abandoned her when she was five. Dani’s world falls apart when her father’s remains are discovered, and her mother is arrested for the murder.

In a moment of vulnerability, she turns to the handsome and caring Robert “Cope” Copeland, her limo driver, for comfort and support.

Can the budding relationship survive betrayal, Dani’s shameful past, and her obsessive exboyfriend?

Into:

Interesting start, good flow, great detail. You feel like you are visiting a small New Mexico town from the very beginning.

Presentation: Overall presentation is excellent, no apparent issues

Cover Design:

Good use of color, good contrast, well put together and attractive. Black creative title stands out against desert pastel background

Beautiful Fury

by Katherine E. Hamilton

Caroline Pritchard strives to showcase the most unique artists at the Daulton Gallery, but the elusive glass artist known as F.W. proves to be her most difficult undertaking. Renown for his privacy, Caroline discovers F.W.’s true identity only to find the man behind the art lives a reclusive lifestyle with no wish to display his art in a gallery.

Finnegan Walsh dislikes distractions. And he extremely dislikes having people in his workshop. He loves working with glass and creating pieces of art. Simple. However, since meeting Caroline Pritchard, his space is threatened, and the quiet life he strives so hard to maintain is immediately disrupted. Can Caroline convince Finn to take a chance on her with his art and his heart?

Character/World Development:

Great Character development, great descriptions of the area / town. Right from the start it has a rustic, desert feel.

Character / World Development: Great character development. The characters come to life from the very beginning

Secret Angel

by Cherry Christensen

Doctoral student Hannah Wagganer has big dreams of leaving her hometown of Glen Arbor behind to teach at a large university. That is, until Jasper Morgan, the new mail carrier, arrives in town. Not only does he send Hannah’s heart racing, but he creates an instant bond with her cat, Jingles.

While Hannah is busy preparing for the church’s candlelight Christmas Eve service and running the family store, she keeps bumping into Jasper—right in front of the prying eyes of the locals, who suspect there’s more going on than business as usual.

Cover: Clean, looks like a fun, lighthearted romance

But then, a series of unexpected blessings occurs that changes the town’s focus: first, an anonymous donor pays to have the church furnace repaired, and then other locals suddenly find solutions to their problems. Is it coincidental, or the work of a secret angel?

“Perfect. Just perfect beautiful clean love story.”

This is a sweet, heartwarming book with a hint of mystery. The faithbased characters are lovable and funny. And who could resist the antics of Jingles the cat? A great, clean read!

Tossing her belongings into a suitcase and escaping heartbreak seemed like the best idea for Rhea Conners. She’d simply travel across the ocean to visit her grandfather in Ireland and heal. Then she’d come back. Simple. But what she doesn’t expect is to find solace and healing in the form of the O’Rifcan family. One member in particular: Claron.

Cover: Clean, looks like a fun, lighthearted romance

Claron enjoyed his life farming the land his grandparents gifted him. He lived his life quietly and contentedly, until Rhea arrived. He’d steered clear of relationships and entanglements since his last heartbreak, but something about Roland’s granddaughter twists him up inside. Something about Rhea has him rethinking his life of solitude.

Two hearts. One chance. Can Rhea and Claron overcome past hurts to make a new beginning?

Intro: Good hook, flows well and draws you into the story immediately

Character/World Building: Sweet Romance Draws you into the story and makes you feel like you’re in Ireland

Presentation: Professional formatting.

Cover: Genre specific and fits the story, good contrast and well-balanced

Receiving a frantic call from her friend Alice, Julia McComas packs her bags and heads to a ranch in Texas where she encounters critters, cows, and a handful of handsome cowboy brothers. Her presence interrupts their daily routine, and one brother in particular makes his annoyance well known: Graham.

As the oldest of seven brothers, Graham Hastings takes his role as leader of the family business seriously. Not only does he keep the family ranch running, but he also keeps a tight rope on all his brothers. But when Julia McComas winds up living in his guest house, her presence shakes up more than just ranch life. It shakes up his heart.

Can Graham let go of the reins enough to let love into his heart?

Intro: Great writing, flowed beautifully. Very compelling. Grabs your attention and draws you into the story immediately.

Cover: The picture tells a story, you get a feel for the style of the romance and the setting.

Character / World Building: The world description was built intrinsically into the narrative and I had a clear picture as I read. Overall #4

Can Julia learn the ways of the ranch?

Hawk is a wounded doctor bent on losing himself on the Chippewa reservation in Minnesota.

Jesse’s a vegan nature photographer trying to find herself on that same wild land.

When Hawk shoots the deer that Jesse’s photographing, passions flare. Then Jesse hears that Hawk’s friend is dying and sets off alone on horseback to warn him. He deserves the chance to say goodbye she never had.

But danger lurks everywhere near the small Midwestern town of Lure River.

Jesse’s just discovered the twenty-year-old bones of a missing Indigenous girl in her shed and drawn the unwanted attention of two local men.

Can Hawk find Jesse before they find her?

Ruby Little Bear's tragic tale weaves through the narrative, reminding us that one moment can change everything.

Romantic Suspense—Small Town Grit

Lure: Jesse & Hawk

Character/World Building: Good character development, really intriguing story about a man surviving heart ache, grief, and pain.

By W. L. Hawkin

"Haunting, thoughtful, and passionate . . . a must-read romantic thriller" Anthony Avina

"A reverence for Indigenous culture" Gail M. Murray, Blank Spaces

Living La Vida Mocha

By H.M. Shander

Brewing Up Second Chances and Love in the Heart of the Rockies

Cara Gallagher had it all: the perfect apartment, a charming plus one, and a dreamy marketing job. Until, in the blink of an eye, she had nothing. Fired and dumped in a matter of minutes, Cara finds herself at rock bottom. Desperate for a moment of respite, she stumbles upon the Coffee Loft, hoping for a burst of sugar and caffeine to mend her wounded heart. Instead, she walks straight into the unexpected - the person she never thought she'd encounter again, the one who had always held her heart.

Characters/ World Development The descriptions of the "Hallmark" town and the coffee shop were very well written. The story is very relatable to anyone that has had an extremely bad day.

Prize: Gold Medal in Romance, Overall #6, Popular Winner #8, #9 in Cover design

Broken Promises

By Sarah Stuart

Sarah Stuart has done it again! When you think that the previous book was a page turner you will find that she has out done herself with a masterful addition. This book is a five star fantastic must read.

DCI Croft has his work cut out for him. Do yourself a favor and check this book out ~

Political pledges – inheritance expectations – marriage vows… Broken promises can end in loss of power, disappointment, and divorce, or assassination and serial killing. In Garton Borough, London, promises are like pie crusts, made to be broken, and DCI Croft is left to sweep up the toxic crumbs. Duty rocks his marriage and endangers his life.

https://mybook.to/brokenpromises

DCI Gerald Croft series — DCI Croft is back New Release

Readers' Favorite - Broken Promises by Sarah Stuart is part of the DCI Gerald Croft series. DCI Croft is back, this time to investigate betrayal and murder. Garton Borough in London is a hotbed of broken promises – political, marriage, and inheritance – and each one could turn deadly. Croft heads the investigation, uncovering secrets that have the potential to destroy lives, but the stakes are raised when a high school student is murdered. Promises and lies must be sorted through and untangled before Croft can track down the murderer, but with his marriage falling apart and his life under threat, can he succeed, or is this the end of the line for him?

It’s edge-of-your-seat stuff as you try to figure out who did what, when, and why, and every chapter will make you want to read “just one more” before you put this book down. This whole series is perfect for readers who love suspenseful stories with a great plot and plenty of mystery.

This is the fourth DCI Geral Croft book, and I must say, the series just keeps on getting better. I’ve read the previous three books, and each one ramps up the tension just a little more than the previous one. You could read this as a standalone, but if you really want to understand what makes the main protagonist tick, read the series in order. The plot is nice and twisty with plenty of threads that all pull together in the end, but they’ll keep you guessing right to the last page. There are some graphic descriptions, but they fit the story perfectly, and there’s plenty of action and drama to keep you reading.

Book 1

Prologue

Trevor Keen dumped a pile of books on the hall table. Home, tired and sweating, he made for the kitchen. No beer in the fridge, and the sun trapped in the new classroom built on to Garton South Primary and Secondary School held the heat. To think he’d been pleased when it was allocated to him, senior teacher of his year group. The original thick old walls and high windows defied whatever the weather threw at them. He swore and slammed the fridge door.

His dumpy wife appeared from the front room. ‘Fordham Supermarket substituted three items in this morning’s delivery.’

‘And one of them was my Heineken, I suppose. What did they send, Nicole?’

‘Oh, the same brand, but it was alcohol free. I sent it back. Go to the off-licence and get me cheese and chilly chutney crisps while you’re there.’

If the lazy bitch had walked to the corner shop, his beer would be cold by now. Oh no. They lived in the poorest part of the borough, but he was the only one with a steady wage. Childless, despite him wanting kids, Nicole was free to work, but she never stuck at a job more than a few weeks, days sometimes, or hurried to look for another.

Stamping fury into the pavement, he clenched sweating hands. How much longer would Nicole’s blasted uncle last? Grant Ledbetter was over ninety! He lived in a huge house in Garton North and the last time he’d checked its current value on Zoopla, it was worth millions. Could he hasten the old dodderer’s end so Nicole got her inheritance before he lost his rag and she rebelled, grabbed the house, and left him paying the mortgage? Knowing her, she’d “make up” until she was pregnant to be sure of it. No chance to be a real dad, but stuck with child maintenance. Cool it, Trevor. He’d invested five years of his life in marriage to Nicole after she got tipsy down The Dog and Duck one Friday night and showed him a copy of her uncle’s will. And he’d persuaded her into a prenup that gave each of them a half share of their combined money if they divorced. Essential! Only thirty-two, tall, with a full head of dark, curly hair… Decent looking judging by the school secretary’s flirting, and wealthy, he could do better than Nicole – he couldn’t do worse!

Home, he showered while his beer cooled and settled on the sofa with the kids’ books. They’d be happy if he lost them, but their parents wouldn’t. Or those that took an interest, anyway. Come parent/teacher meetings, they expected to see ticks and crosses, and notes he’d made about remedial action.

‘Trevor, there’s post for you.’ Bills. Sure to be. ‘Open them…’ Careful, Trevor. Upsetting her prematurely could cost him a fortune. ‘Please, Nicole.’

She plonked herself beside him, crunching. ‘Phone – gas and electric… Oh, my God! This one’s for me.’

Nicole had no friends – never received birthday cards except the one he bought religiously along with a gift – and her only relative was Grant Ledbetter! ‘Give it here.’

Hall and Schieman Solicitors

29 Primrose Parade Garton North Garton Borough London

Dear Mrs Keen

We are writing to inform you of a bequest made to you by your late uncle, Mr Grant Ledbetter. Namely, the sum of fifty thousand pounds (£50,000).

We would be obliged if you would make an appointment at this office to settle the matter. Please bring with you proof of identity and your address.

Suitable documents are a passport or driving licence, and a utility bill in your name. We can also accept a rental or loan agreement, or a bank statement.

Kind regards,

Simon Smith

Mr S Smith, Clerk

Nicole pointed at the third paragraph and shrieked. ‘I don’t have any of those papers. Everything is in your name, Trevor.’

He’d barely read beyond fifty thousand pounds. The will in his bedside cabinet floated before his eyes.

“The whole of my residuary estate to my niece Nicole Ledbetter.” He’d checked, and it meant the lot after any debts and funeral expenses were paid.

“A bequest” sounded like money a man might leave to a housekeeper. Grant Ledbetter must have changed his will but who benefited? School books swept to the floor, he Googled on his mobile. After probate, which must be sorted or the solicitor wouldn’t have contacted Nicole, wills were made public, and anybody could get a copy, so he could find out.

He’d researched everything he could think of before he’d said, “I take you, Nicole, to be my wedded wife” and the rest of the crap the registrar needed to declare the marriage legal. A blood relation had first claim on an estate, and he’d pay what he must to help Nocole challenge Grant Ledbetter’s will. The greedy bitch would do exactly as he told her.

Glowering at the discarded bills, sweat soaked him again. Every penny he earned was already spent. He had none to pay a lawyer, or any way to borrow it. Most of the mortgage was still owed to the bank. If Nicole had a relative she hadn’t told him about, the beneficiary was living their last days. He’d earned this money living with his useless slut of a wife, and he’d kill to get it.

Kill who? A man or woman must already be living in the house scattering dough left right and centre on luxuries, and he or she would have relatives entitled to inherit. He pushed wandering bits of curls out of his eyes.

There was no way he could get his hands on millions, but fifty thousand was more than he earned in a year!

Nicole was still wittering on about papers she didn’t have, crisp crumbs flying. ‘Fifty thousand pounds would stop you nagging me to get a job, Trevor, and it’s your fault I can’t claim it. I haven’t even got a bank account.’

Why would she? When she did work, she was paid in cash she spent on herself. Calm down and think Trevor. ‘You’ve got birth and marriage certificates. I’d come with you and bring the rest. Them being in my name wouldn’t matter.’

She squinted at the letter. ‘How do I make an appointment?’

He pointed at the fancy heading above the typed letter – names of the partners and their qualifications – website – email address – telephone number. ‘Phone would be quickest. I’ll do it for you if you like.’

Nicole did like. Two days later, convinced by their combined presence and the papers, Simon Smith handed over a cheque.

Thrusting it into her bag, Nicole practically dragged him to the bank, asked the cashier for instructions, and pushed it at him. ‘I’ve signed it over to you, like this man said. Pay it in and get me a hundred in cash, Trevor.’

‘It takes time for a cheque to clear, Nicole, and I’ve got bills to pay.’ ‘How long?’

The cashier leaned towards the glass screen. ‘I see you don’t have an agreed overdraft, Mr Keen. Allow a week or you might end paying interest if you overdraw.’

Nicole scowled, but it suited him very well. He needed time to find out which of his colleagues owned the rusty old Suzuki Carry van he’d seen parked near the school. The hundred quid would cover filling the tank with petrol before he returned it – the tempter he intended to use for the loan of the keys overnight.

Exactly a week later, as the summer darkness fell, he parked the van on the drive. He’d already hurled stones at the three nearest streetlights, so all that drew attention to it was the brightly lit hall behind Nicole when she appeared. ‘Have you got my hundred pounds?’

He patted his pocket as he walked in and closed the door. ‘Of course, I promised.’

‘I want it now. The corner shop stays open until midnight.’

If he gave it to her, she’d barge past him, and goodness knows how much she’d spend. Cigarettes – anything edible she fancied… ‘After dinner, Nicole. I went to the bank in my lunch break. I’m starving.’ ‘Fordham Supermarket had a three-for-two offer on frozen chips. Turn the oven on and I’ll stick them in.’

Chips were all he was getting? Most of them would be piled on Nicole’s plate and stuffing them would add to her rolls of surplus fat. She’d been attractive at nineteen, but now – she’d had her wedding ring cut off when the GP told her it was so tight she’d end having the finger amputated, and even her fair hair was an unwashed mess. Dropping his case full of books awaiting marking, he closed his hands around her pudgy neck and squeezed. Flailing arms and kicks did her no good: he held on and gripped until she went limp.

Before he opened the front door, he switched off the lights in the front room and the hall. Outside, he listened. A couple of cars passed, but there were no approaching footsteps. Dragging Nicole’s dead weight strained muscles his sedentary job gave no exercise, and heaving her into the van was worse. Done!

Wiping sweat from his forehead he went to the kitchen. Hand hovering over a cold beer, he paused. Being stopped and breathalysed would spell disaster. He slurped water from the running tap and eyed the kettle. Coffee – could wait.

They – he had no garden, just a tiny back yard. He wrapped the axe he used to chop wood, and the spade he used to shovel coal, in sacking and lodged them in the passenger footwell where the long handles stuck up over the seat. They were covered and handy, and he could hear a group of people coming, probably on their way home from The Dog and Duck.

Why had Nicole, who came from money, been in a Garton South pub? Driving, he shrugged it off. Fifty thousand wasn’t the life-changing amount he’d waited five long years to get his hands on, but it was all his.

When he reached the wasteland that edged the wealthier part of Garton Central, he drove slowly past tracks that crisscrossed it until he found one that was quiet. No teenagers who might stop snorting crack or having sex long enough to see him.

Three feet down, the spade hit rock wherever he prodded. It would have to do; he still had to drag Nicole from the van, roll her in, and shovel the soil over her, and dawn came early in summer.

He was shaking with exhaustion when he’d finished. One. Last. Effort. He uprooted a small shrub and carefully replanted it – tough, it was likely to grow, not die, like the rest of the trees and bushes that crowded the area. His footprints were everywhere. A broken branch swept around, and then behind him, as he backed off removed the tracks. He reversed to the road and did the same with the van’s tyre marks.

Sarah Stuart lives in County Durham, NorthEast England, but London is her "second home". She loves the theatre - musicals, plays, opera, and ballet - and her knowledge of England's capital shows in the background of her books.

Sarah Stuart's first crime thriller was written with the generous help of John Nicholl, bestselling author of psychological thrillers. He had read her romantic suspense novels and suggested this was the next logical step. Always up for a challenge, Sarah created the world of DCI Gerald Croft in the fictional London Borough of Garton.

Books in Series

Done. Another hour’s driving and he could put his feet up with a beer and plan his future as a wealthy man. By Garton South standards, he was rolling in money, and he had no Nicole nagging about how she wanted it spent. Friendless – jobless – rarely seen in the corner shop thanks to Fordham Supermarket deliveries. Nobody would miss her.

https://mybook.to/brokenpromises

James L Hill, a.k.a. J L Hill, is a native New Yorker from the South Bronx, Fort Apache, of the turbulent 60’s. He earned a degree in computer programming, his other love. A multi-genre author, his experiences seasoned his novels and the worlds he imagined. James started RockHill Publishing LLC to publish his own work and give others access to the literary world.

The Ruby Cradle

Book 2 of the Gemstone Series

It is the turn of the nineteenth century. The industrial age has begun. Steam powered ships have taken over the oceans. Factories are going up across Europe and America. There is a resurgence of activity in the castles in the mountains and when the Crimean War breaks out Zabella is sent to her grandmother, Rehema to learn about the dragons.

Rehema mentally transcends the girl to the First Split (1000 A.D.), the wars her mother, Apollonia, fought to destroy the dragons as they had spread across Asia, Africa, and Europe. It began as they built castles and started controlling men with gold. The dragons led the Romans, Egyptians, and Chinese empires over the centuries. The dragons turn Molytans into Ogres as their generals that lead huge armies and protect them when their powers wane at night.

New dragons come to power in Europe and now threaten the balance of power in the world. The world of dragons is one of total destruction. They take over an area and cause wars until the world is in ruins. The dragons can't be killed but can be drained of power causing them to turn into rubylike stones. Only a dragon can consume another dragon, increasing its power.

Apollonia becomes a sorceress and can retain her power for years out of water with the help of her sisters. She raises a champion in France to battle the dragons' growing threat of England's Vargrerot and Russia's Deyhezas. After destroying a Castle in the Alps and capturing its dragon in the Ruby Cradle, Napoli, the Dragon Killer, confronts the English at the Battle of Hastings. Apollonia returns to the sea and spawns two more mermaids. Afterwards she returns to the world of men to continue the hundred year war and is burned at the stake as Joan of Arc

Zabella knows she must prepare men to fight and destroy the dragons before the world is at war once more. She knows dragons can be killed.

https://bookgoodies.com/a/1945286814

Siren Song

By Val Tobin

https://valtobin.com/wp

Published February 2025

The rowboat at the ocean’s edge attracts me before the woman does, though I spot her almost simultaneously. She’s sitting far up on the dune, almost at the edge where the sand sprouts weeds and grasses. Though the light is dying, she’s illuminated as if caressed by the last rays of twilight.

I turn my back on her, the boat’s presence more incongruous. Could it belong to her? If so, she rowed it herself, and that seems doubtful. I scan the horizon, but nothing else is out there, not even gulls. Certainly not a larger vessel from which she could’ve originated.

Humming, soft and melodious, reaches my ears, and I turn to face the source. The woman, of course. She’s not looking my way. Her eyes cast down, she strokes a hand along one shapely ankle. One leg, bent at the knee, crosses her other leg. Is this sexy display for me?

Her bare shoulders glow white in the growing darkness. The black dress she wears resembles taffeta, but what do I know? I’m a man.

Her long brown hair drapes over one shoulder, the breeze gently lifting it away from her face. Ruby lips part, revealing even, white teeth.

I take a step toward her.

Waves crash along the beach, almost drowning out the woman’s soft hum. My feet sink into the sand, making progress difficult. I kick off my shoes and rip off my socks, leaving them behind.

I glance once in the direction from which I came. The resort is a faint shadow in the distance, lights in windows and on the grounds twinkling in the distance.

The breeze wafts ocean scents my way, a combination of earthy sand and salty sea and briny fish.

Her song grows louder the closer I get to her, but it’s not proximity that does it. She’s raising her voice, and it compels me to walk faster. I think I hear my wife calling, but it can only be a trick of the night. Casting aside all thoughts of her, I rush toward my target.

Darkness descends, and I welcome it.

Wobble and salt spray awaken me. I sit, peering into the starlit blackness. I’m in the boat. White hands, tipped with long, dirty fingernails, push the vessel forward at the stern. I don’t have to check even though they look different now, soiled and vile. The hands are hers.

Weak, dizzy, I sit. Search for oars. There aren’t any. I clamber to the back and stare overboard. My gaze meets two dark pools. The hair is black now, straggly as seaweed. Her lips, once red, are thin and black. When they part, she flashes equally black teeth and fangs.

She propels the boat with a swish of a fishtail.

This can’t be right. I’m dreaming.

I search the boat, but there’s nothing in it except me. I can’t even use my shoes to batter those hands away. Why did I take them off?

Loath to touch her, I have no other option.

I lean forward and attempt to pry her hands off, finger by finger. Her flesh is slimy, making me wince in disgust, but I refuse to give up. Wherever she’s taking me, I don’t want to go.

Suddenly, I remember my wife. Our anniversary. What was joyous turned sour when we argued about money, of course. It’s always about money, which seems so stupid now. She wanted to get a dress.Astupid dress. Not in the budget, I said, and it escalated from there.

The creature in the water hisses at me and her grip tightens. She gives the boat a solid shove, and I hurl backward with a cry.

My head cracks on the bow. My vision darkens but doesn’t fade. I struggle to my feet and consider leaping overboard, but when I search for the shore, I don’t see it. My heart pounds. Despite the chill air, sweat beads on my brow and trickles down my spine.

Fury replaces fear, and I snarl at her. Shoes or no, I can still hurt her.

I brace myself with one hand on each side of the stern. Lifting one leg, I aim at that hideous face. I’m not swift enough. She tilts the boat. I tumble again and am saved from a dunking by grabbing the seat’s edge.

I didn’t even cry out.

The shrew gurgles with laughter.

I sit up on the seat, gripping the sides.Asudden light throws my shadow before me, and I whirl around to see what cast it.

We’re heading to a rocky shore, a small island that shouldn’t exist and shimmers in the mist that almost cloaks it. More of these creatures await our arrival. Their mouths gape open. Saliva drips from their fangs.

When the boat strikes the shore, they cheer.

The police knock on my hotel room door. I identify them through the peephole. My heart almost stops. They look grim.

I fling open the door.

“You’ve found my husband?”

The taller one nods. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Parker. He still had his wallet on him, but you’ll have to identify the body.”

That task seems to take forever, but at last it’s done, and I recognize him despite his ravaged body. The police suspect a shark, but the locals stare at me with pity and an eerie knowing in their gazes. They avoid talking to me, offering polite condolences and nothing more.

They’re hiding something, and a quick Internet search reveals the urban legends.

I buy a hunting knife with a sheath I attach to my belt. That night, I retrace his steps, heading in the direction in which they found his body.

I spot the boat almost at the same time I spot the man sitting at the edge of the dune. My breath catches as a soft, deep hum reaches my ears. Involuntarily, I step toward him, but as I do, I draw the knife out. It feels like victory.

DIAMOND ON THE ROCKS

Diane Bator

Diane Bator is an AwardWinning Canadian mystery writer based in Alberta, book coach, editor, and mom of three. She is the host of the Escape With a Writer blog, and started her own publishing company, Escape With a Writer, in January of 2024 to relaunch her previous 15 novels as well as newer works.

Website: https:// dianebator.ca/ Blog: http:// dbator.blogspot.ca/ Website: https:// dianebator.ca/ Newsletter: https:// dianebator.substack.com/

Book Two in a new Mystery Series by critically acclaimed mystery writer, Diane Bator

When A. J. (Alison Jane) Cadell took over Thistlewood Manor, she fully intended to turn it into the bed and breakfast Grandma Bebe dreamed of before her death – except for a few minor hurdles.

Not only does Alison have a new romance novel to finish, a Writer-in-Residence gig to get through, visitors coming from Toronto, and a party to help organize, the caterer has gone missing. More specifically, Blair Diamond who is catering the McKittrick Christmas Ball in less than two weeks.

When Alison and her boyfriend, Mac, find Blair’s body on the beach behind Thistlewood, she’s dragged into the rat’s nest that made up Blair’s life.

https://bookgoodies.com/a/B0FCQXCGQ2

Darkly Wood by Max Power

Intro: Great hook with snippets of folklore and legend to get the reader interested and yearning for more

Character/World Development: Main characters come across as charming & inquisitive. The setting, a dark wooded area, is masterfully depicted - a little sinister, a little spooky and unnerving.

Cover: Simple but intriguing, Genre specific

Presentation: Professional

Prize: Gold in Horror/ Thriller/Mystery

When a new arrival to the village of Cranby discovers a small leather bound book called 'Tales of Darkly Wood' she soon discovers that not all of the stories within are as fantastic as they first appear.

The book tells of supposedly terrible events which have occurred in the Wood that overlooks the village. What begins as an innocent stroll with her new admirer up by Darkly Wood soon turns into a nightmare for young Daisy, one from which it seems impossible to escape.

The line between reality and fantasy soon begins to blur, as a fledgling love affair is tested in the most terrifying circumstances. Swept up in her emotions, the young girl soon discovers that while sometimes love is all you need, sometimes love is not enough. There is something wrong up in Darkly Wood, and soon Daisy has to fight to save more than her life.

This spine chilling love story builds momentum and maintains excitement and pace right to the astonishing and jaw dropping climax. Along the way stories from the book 'Tales of Darkly Wood' help reveal the strange truth behind the mysterious Wood high on the hill above Cranby.

If you like a thrilling ride and enjoy storytelling at its best, Darkly Wood will keep you on the edge of your seat and lead you into a wonderful world of storytelling all at the same time.

Character/World Development:

Unique and compelling characters, entertaining and disturbing

Cover: Excellent, Professional, mysterious background w/ optimistic foreground, uncluttered

Prize: Gold in Overall & Thriller Categories

Darkly Wood II by Max Power

Intro: Great intro, strong & Interesting Descriptions, draws you into the story and the folklore of the story.

Mrs. Fitzroy by Rachael Wright

Brash, streetwise, Captain Alexander Savva of the Hellenic Police is called to investigate the crumpled mess of a car, and the body inside it, being battered by the sea. With the brakes compromised, John Fitzroy had no chance of surviving the steep roads along the coast. Where many investigations struggle for suspects, Savva has no lack of them.

“What a wonderfully crafted thrill ride.”

- Amazon

The characters were developed so well that I would get lost in the world that was created on the pages of each chapter. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time trying to figure out where the story was going to take me!

-Amazon

Intro:

Compelling intro with very vivid and detailed descriptions, draws you into the story .

Character/World Development:

Compelling characters, great world development and a lot of emotion

Poison Pen by Val Tobin

Intro:

Entertaining, begins with a well thought out murder and flows smoothly into the investigation.ly

Character/World Development: Quirky characters that are lovable, delightful and sometimes delusional but immediately feel like old friends.

The Killer

Success has eluded aspiring author Conrad Barnes, and he blames Leon Patterson, his close friend and greatest rival, for all his woes. He has the perfect solution: rid the world of the egotistical bastard and he knows the perfect person to frame for the crime.

The Victim

Leon Patterson has it all: fame, fortune, adoration from fans, and respect not only in his small town of Niagara-on-the-Lake but also around the world. He’s a pillar of the community and a leader in the writing group he organizes. He’s generous with his time, helpful to his friends and fellow authors. Life, for Leon, is perfect until Conrad arrives at the door one fateful morning.

The Three Authors

Robin refuses to leave the house, Daphne has OCD, and Beth falls asleep at the most inopportune moments. When the evidence in Leon’s murder points to Beth, the three decide there’s only one thing they can do: catch the real killer. All three find themselves caught in a cat-and-mouse game where anything can happen and no one is safe. Can they overcome their fears and phobias before Conrad claims another victim?

The Detective

Detective Jacob Turner is a modern-day Columbo in search of a clever killer. Logic tells him that to catch the murderer he must follow the evidence, but instinct tells him something doesn’t add up. Then, the case becomes personal and the hunt is on ...

A Year in the Life of Leah Brand

By Lucinda E. Clarke

Intro:

Compelling intro draws you into the story from the first sentence. "The nightmare began the day the dog died."

Superb mystery and suspense

Here is a tale of mystery and suspense with more twists and turns than a plate of spaghetti. The imagery, characters and sub-plots are all created with the same deft touch as in the author’s super adventure tales.

Character Development:

Compelling characters, full of emotion

Prize: Gold in Thriller } Mystery | Horror

A few years earlier a fatal car crash took the lives of Leah’s beloved husband and their two babies, leaving her disabled. Life looked bleak. She was approaching forty, unemployed, broke and desperate. Then she met Mason. He was charming, charismatic, persuasive, and a successful businessman, well respected in the community. His teenage daughter did nothing to welcome Leah into the family, but life is never perfect.

Then, two years into her second marriage, Leah Brand’s world is turned upside down; inanimate objects in the house move, her clothes are left out for the rubbish collection, pieces of furniture change places, there are unexplained noises and hauntings.

As the disturbances increase, everyone accuses Leah of losing her mind. Soon she begins to doubt herself and she starts to spiral down into a world of insanity. Is she going mad, or is someone out to destroy her? And if so, why?

Thriller | Mystery | Horror

The Architect by Lesley Hayes

Six sides to a house. Six sides to a story. Six people linked by fate and family. One of them is dead. Is one of the others a murderer? They all have motives. But is that reason enough to kill? It is September 2020, and Covid has swept the world with devastating consequences. In England, after months of lockdown followed by a cautious loosening of restrictions, friends and family are now allowed to gather if they abide by the government’s 'rule of six'. Ric is an architect, both by profession and by nature. He has invited guests he refers to jokingly as 'the usual suspects' to celebrate his son Noah’s thirtieth birthday. His crazy ex-wife Allegra will be there, and his dependable business partner Jake, together with his nubile girlfriend Eden, and of course Ric’s longsuffering partner, Sally. Secrets and lies and the bitter taste of corruption are items on the menu, and they all have reasons to be suspicious and resentful. Not one of them is exactly who they seem to be. Can anything they say be trusted? Will this be the occasion when one of ‘the usual suspects’ is pushed too far?

Cover: Interesting, clean, good contrast and well balanced

Character/World Development:

Descriptive and realistic. Makes you feel like you are walking through the building taking in the rooms from the very beginning.

Intro: Great world development. Draws you into the story from the very first page.

“Secrets, deceit, jealousy, greed, misfortune, loyalty, love and hate all feature.

This is a spellbinding tale that unravels at a sufficient pace to keep the reader hooked.”

Intro: I was hooked from the start. I like the style of flicking back and forth between characters with each chapter, and the gradual build of their stories.

World

/ Character Development: The two different worlds complimented their characters well.

It's our darkest parts that know us best.

Alex Alpine is unhappy with her life—a deadend job, a marriage that's falling apart, and a failed string of self-published books. In an effort to better her life for her and her daughter, she makes the decision to quit writing in order to get a second job. Jamie, a recovered addict and Alex's only fan, can't bring himself to accept her decision.

Convinced he can fix her, he kidnaps her and holds her hostage in his home in the woods.

As Alex's captivity extends from weeks to months, Alex finds herself torn between her duties to the daughter she left behind and the life Jamie has made for her. To figure out where her true priorities lie, she must dive into not only her own past traumas but Jamie's as well.

Summer Camp Culprit

by C.K. Fyfe

Camp Starfall is closing. But that doesn’t mean the past is going with it.

Despite her misgivings, Lindsey returns to the campground she last left as a broken-hearted teen. She’s determined to spend Camp Starfall’s farewell weekend focusing on the good memories she has of her time as a camper. But fate has other plans.

Lindsey’s teenage sweetheart Tyler shows up, stirring up feelings in her that had long lain dormant. Too bad she doesn’t have time to dwell on him. Someone is breaking into the cabins, and if she doesn’t find the culprit, more than her heart will be at stake.

*A romantic cozy mystery short story*

Intro: Great intro, captured my attention and kept me interested throughout. Dialogue felt authentic.

Mystery

“The story is a quick clean read with a mystery, a reunion of friends, and memories of the past. The story offers views into the past and the present day's actions. Mischief, antics, snarkiness, friendships, sleuthing, and wonderful characters kept the pages turning as the story unfolded. “ - Amazon

World / Character Development: The dialogue allows the reader to understand the characters in great detail, whilst also giving a clear impression of the current events. The exquisite detail of the characters, their mentalities and preferences as well as appearance is crucial to allowing the reader to navigate the book and gain a deep knowledge of each character.

Detective Sergeant Jason Knight knew who murdered his partner and mentor. In court, he saw the three killers smile as they walked out, freed on a technicality.

Within weeks Jason would resign from the London Metropolitan Police, and what he planned wasn't in a handbook. All of the training and advice he'd received from his old boss would prove useful.

“When policeman, Jason Knight, sees his partner shot down in cold blood, revenge is uppermost in his mind. Turning vigilante, with the help of his new partner, Constance, he sets out on a cru-sade to bring the underworld gangsters to book. I have to say that the story is somewhat violent, but it’s meticulously plotted and kept me glued to the pages. I loved the settings in London and Glasgow, the characters, and the hint of a romance between two cops who were determined not to have a relationship of that kind. I was really rooting for them. A real page-turner.” - Rebecca Bryn

Intro: Immediately the writer throws the reader straight into the action whilst simultaneously introducing the character.

Circle of the Red Lily Book 1

Intro:

Wow! A chilling start, followed by an intriguing story. Gripped from the start.

As old secrets are revealed, Quinn and Riley find themselves targeted by members of a secret society that has long maintained violent control over Hollywood’s powerful elite. A society that, until now, has remained hidden in the shadows. A society that will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.

This goes beyond what I've read in the past and is a fabulous romantic suspense story...with the emphasis on suspense.

Mystery & Suspense

Cozy Mystery

Murder in the Bluegrass

Janet is invited to stay with the billionaire O’Sullivan family in Lexington, KY, for Keeneland's spring racing meet. Shipping her horses to the track, she arrives at the O’Sullivan estate only to discover it resembles a castle in a horror movie, complete with a dark and eerie tower.

Jealousy, rage, and sadness reside in this mansion. Sudden death and unraveling secrets leave Janet fearing for her life. Can she save herself or will a killer destroy her?

Character Development:

Great character development. You get a feel for the family dynamic immediately and can feel the tension and mystery building.

“A page turner that caused me to binge read the book. A great depiction of the rich in Kentucky. Sasscer Hill comes through again”

Almost forgot to feed the dog, once I got started! Luxurious backgrounds are carefully described. Fast action, beautiful horses. A great read, enjoy it!

Intro: Great intro, from the opening sentence it draws the reader immediately into action. Nice descriptions.

The Baby

There’s a baby in your house. It isn’t yours…

Intro: The intro does a great job of infusing tension and adrenaline right from the start.

Cover: Great thriller cover

The day I was told I’d never be able to have a child, my world came crashing down. My husband says he still loves me but I lie awake at night, wishing we could have a family.

One morning, my husband’s side of the bed is cold and empty. I hear a noise and head downstairs.

In the middle of the rug in my living room is a wooden drawer. Swaddled inside, with perfect rosy cheeks and beautiful round blue eyes, a baby gazes up at me.

Prize: Gold in Horror, Thriller, and Mystery, #4 in Cover Design, and #9 Overall

Tricia Copeland

Tricia Copeland believes in finding magic. She thinks magic infuses every aspect of our lives, whether it is the magic of falling in love, discovering a new passion, seeing a beautiful sunset, or reading a book that transports us to another world. An avid runner and Georgia native, Tricia now lives with her family and fourlegged friends in Colorado. Find all her titles including contemporary romance, now penned under Maria Jane, young adult fantasy, and dystopian fiction on her website.

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ TriciaCopelandAuthor/

Interviewed by

Melanie P. Smith

Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ authortriciacopeland/

YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/ @triciacopelandauthor

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a romance, fantasy, and dystopian author with soon-to-be twenty-three novels who’s been publishing for ten years. I love all things books, characters, stories, and writing.

Are you a multi-genre author or a single-genre author? How did you decide what types of book you would write?

I’m a multi-genre author and began my author journey in the women’s fiction genre with a series based on my experience with developing and recovering from an eating disorder. Penning a fictionalized account of my path to overcoming anorexia grew a strong love of writing. My favorite genre to read has always been fantasy so a young adult fantasy made the most sense for my next step in writing.

https://bookgoodies.com/a/

B0DC24DW88

Do you have a favorite, or is one type of book easier for you to write than others, and why?

To Be a Fae (Realm Chronicles Book 5) Evil lurks in unexpected places.

Writing in the YA fantasy genre and becoming immersed in my worlds and enmeshed with my characters feels very heavy at times. In my fantasy worlds the characters constantly face dangers and several experience painful and intense situations, some leading to deaths. The best fix for my fantasy gloom hangovers seems to be writing a fun romance where the worst thing that can happen is the love interest decides they’re just not that into you.

When did you start writing? Did an event or person prompt you to take that leap?

I began writing over fifteen years ago when I decided to create a fictionalized account of my experience with anorexia. Initially I didn’t plan on publishing the manuscript, but one-hundred-eighty thousand words later and with some huge pushes from my sister and an editor friend, I decided the stories needed to be out in the world. The first manuscript become my first two novels in the four book Being Me series.

How / where do you find the plots you write about?

My plots come from many different inspirations from anthology themes to images.

The last of her line, a faerie princess prepares to take the throne. But multiple forces plot against her, some trusted friends…

https://bookgoodies.com/a/ B08YH8N6Y5

My writing process usually begins with an idea for a character. With the character formed, I create their challenges and a world that will showcase their aspirations and qualities. After the world building, I form a plot structure including a beginning scene, the plot hook, some ups and downs to form the middle of the book, the climax, and the ending for the story. If I need to research, I’ll do so at these phases. Once I have the characters, world, and a loose plot line, I start writing. Individual scenes are created as I write to get my characters from one plot point to another.

Tell us your latest news

My latest news is that I will be releasing the finale to the Realm Chronicles young adult fae (fairy) fantasy series, To be a Fae, on July 29, 2025. I’m super excited to share the conclusion to this series with readers. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Each of my novels contain different ideas including themes like faith, hope, perseverance, trust, and acceptance.

Other than writing do you have any hobbies?

I need motion so my hobbies include running, hiking, and walking my dog. I also love being outdoors so enjoy planting and being in nature.

How

much of the book is realistic?

To be a Fae, the finale to the Realm Chronicles series, takes place in contemporary time but in a fantastical realm just under our bedrock, the Realm of the Fae. My fae, or fairies, do sometimes travel to the human realm, especially to help a special set of witches in their quest to rid the realms of an evil spirit.

What books have influenced your life the most?

The first fantasy series I read as a young person was Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz. It changed the way I viewed reading and I began to read all the time. I sought out more fantasy books reading the Arthurian legends, The Lord of the Rings, and some horror genre books.

Do you have a mentor that helped or encouraged you to follow your dream of writing?

When I started writing one of my best friends was an indie published author and editor. She inspired me to publish my first book. Without knowing her or having her encouragement, I’m not sure I would have had the confidence to jump into the author world.

What are your current projects?

My current project is launching the finale to my fae (fairy) fantasy Realm Chronicles series, To be a Fae. I finished the book and have been working on outreach to set the book and series up for success. My next writing project will likely be a rom com because I like to alternate genres.

Is there one person past or present you would like to meet and why?

I have hosted so many amazing authors on my Finding the Magic podcast from Jennifer L. Armentrout to J.D. Barker. My fan girl heart would love to meet Stephenie Meyer author of the Twilight series. https://bookgoodies.com/a/ B09L7B6P9C

Can you share a sample of your current work with us?

Here is an excerpt from the first book of the Realm Chronicles series, To be a Fae Queen, taken from the first lines.

I glance up at my crystals as the last rays of the setting sun cause splotches of amber to dot the stone walls and ceiling. It is my favorite, yet saddest, time of day. I dread and cherish my next task in equal measure and linger at the window to relish the last bit of sun on the meadow.

Forcing myself to turn from the scene, I raise my wings. Light from the window shines through them, causing the room to glow with a slight green tinge.

Crossing to my doors and opening them wide, I scan my ceiling to savor the dimming light illuminating my prisms. I close and open my wings, rising into the air and exiting my room. Flying through the castle to my parents’ chambers, as I do every night, I alight in their study.

Mother sits in front of the fire, harp on her right,

Father on her left. Seeing his chin dip, I approach Mother.

I kiss her cheek. “Mother, will you play for us, or shall I?”

She blinks, and I think I see the edges of her mouth turn up just a hair. Sitting on the hearth before her, I await a reply. Had I imagined a slight smile, or was it wishful thinking? Her gaze shifts to her lap.

“Perhaps you could play, Titania. Your mother loves hearing you.” Father stands and wraps his hands around her shoulders.

Mother’s eyes stay trained on the flames in front of her while I slide the stool to the harp and begin a tune. After years of lessons, I play well, but nothing like Mother used to. She could draw tears from a crowd with one pluck of a string. Father retakes his seat, and I note his furrowed brow. Laying a hand across the strings, I halt my song.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

My top advice for other writers is if you love it, keep writing. My number two is surround yourself with quality partners in your editor, cover illustrator, narrator, and other support people.

Pick one of your characters and share some of their backstory that didn’t make it into the novel.

Brynja is a Nix character in the finale of the Realm Chronicles series, To be a Fae. Without giving too much away Brynja takes actions against our protagonist, Titania, which could be interpreted as aggressive and hostile. But in To be a Fae I don’t explore all of Brynja’s reasons for her actions. Could there be more to her story than simply obeying orders from her commander? Why would she risk making an enemy of Titania? What could she be trying to escape in her current situation? All great questions I’m mulling over in my head.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I love hearing how readers experience my books. It makes my day when I get an email with views on what they like about a character or a plotline, and even what they wanted to see but didn’t.

Are you stalking me on my vacations? I love visiting cemeteries and reading tombstones. My goal in life is to love others as they want and need to be loved. I think I’d want my family and friends to write “She loved and is loved” on my headstone.

Can you share something personal with your readers? Do you have any holiday traditions? What kind of music do you enjoy? What kind of movies do you prefer? Do you have a favorite author?

My little people are all grown and our holiday gingerbread decorating morphed into a decorating contest this year. We each decorated a house and our wider family voted on the winner. We also like to complete puzzles together around the holidays. What do you want written on your headstone and why?

https://bookgoodies.com/a/ B0BYWF5Z1J

What kind of music do you enjoy? What kind of movies do you prefer? Do you have a favorite author?

My running playlist includes artists like Imagine Dragons, OneRepublic, The Fray, Bastille. Lord, Twenty One Pilots, Lifehouse, Coldplay, Daughtry, and Mumford & Sons. My favorite artist might be James Taylor. My favorite movies are not surprisingly Twilight, anything vampires, and I absolutely love The Vampire Diaries. I’ve watched the TVD series at least ten times. My favorite author is a hard question. I recently read Holly Black’s The Folk of the Air series that was wonderful. I also love Mary Clark’s books about Merlin.

https://bookgoodies.com/a/B0DC27FBGX

If money was no issue would you prefer a cozy beach bungalow or a rustic cabin overlooking a mountain lake?

I love hiking in the mountains, but mountain climates can be cold and I don’t like being cold, so I would have to pick the cozy beach bungalow, unless it’s a cold beach, then take me to the mountains.

One final question...Do you have a blog/website? If so, what is it? Do you have a social media platform where your fans can go to interact with you and follow your progress?

Of course! Go to my website to find my blog, book trailers, books, and to get two free short stories delivered to your inbox at https://www.triciacopeland.com. You can also find me at the following social media and book sites with the links below.

https://www.facebook.com/TriciaCopelandAuthor/ https://www.instagram.com/authortriciacopeland/ https://twitter.com/tcbrzostowicz

https://www.tiktok.com/@triciacopelandauthor

https://www.youtube.com/@triciacopelandauthor

https://www.pinterest.com/triciacopelanda/ https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tricia-Copeland/author/B00YHN5Q4G

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14055439.Tricia_Copeland

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tricia-copeland

Affordable Editing

“It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.”

— Oscar Wilde

The web is a wonderful tool. There’s instant access to a wealth of knowledge on any topic - including Self-Publishing. Here are a few examples to help authors along the way.

How I Sell 20 Books Per Day with BookBub Ads

After creating 1,144 BookBub Ads over the last six years, I’ve learned that surgically precise targeting and a low-priced first book are the two most important factors in my ads’ success. And I’ve learned when to scale my campaigns up and down to see consistent daily sales.

https://insights.bookbub.com/how-i-sell-20-books-per-day-bookbub-ads

How to Protect & Monitor Your Author Brand

Imagine if you had the ability to find out every time someone mentioned your name or your book on the Internet. This would give you access to reviews, or even a random comment on X/Twitter. You could find situations in which to engage with those that think positively or negatively about your works.

https://kindlepreneur.com/protecting-monitoring-author-brand

Why Authors Should Self-Publish Audiobooks

At first, the idea of paying to self-publish audiobooks may seem daunting. Not to mention expensive. But there are a few key reasons why indie authors should consider this additional medium.

Why Authors Should Self-Publish Audiobooks | Barnes & Noble Press Blog

How to Write an Author Bio

When you set up your Amazon book page, how much thought did you give to your author bio? Did you slap together a few quick lines just to get it over with? Or maybe you skipped it entirely? Here’s the truth Unless your name is Stephen King, Tim Ferriss, John Grisham, or Seth Godin, most readers won’t buy your book based on name recognition alone.

https://kindlepreneur.com/write-author-bio

Connections eMagazine July 2025 Edition