Winter's Embrace by Pamela Ackerson, Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe, Cindy Lewis Smith, and Jae El Foster

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. A print copy of 'Winter's Embrace,' autographed by author Jennifer Patricia O'Keeffe. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Embrace the joy of Christmas and some yuletide cheer in this collection of five sweet holiday romances from four of today’s most entertaining authors! Featuring brand new stories from Pamela Ackerson, Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe, Cindy Lewis Smith, and Jae El Foster, this anthology will help you hold the spirit of Christmas and the magic of true love in your heart the whole year round. Meant to Be by Pamela Ackerson: Single and starting over in tiny Lorman, Mississippi, teacher Faith Anjos dives into home renovations with tools in hand and a boat from her late dad's fishing Sundays. Realtor Gabriel White becomes her unexpected ally, sharing lunches, family barbecues, and stolen kisses under patriotic park lights. But when a sassy ex-roommate stirs trouble and life's curveballs hit hard, Faith learns that true love thrives not just in perfect houses, but in the messy magic of Christmas cheer and forever promises. Window Shopping by Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe: Single and sentimental, Whitney dives into downtown's dazzling displays—animatronic toys, frosted windows, violin carols—chasing Christmas cheer alone after helping coworker Chad remotely. Fate intervenes with a literal bump into charming Chad, leading to diner laughs, Santa's lap shenanigans, and hand-holding revelations. As they embrace kid-at-heart traditions amid bustling streets and Santa's sly matchmaking, a parade invite blossoms into dinner-and-movie dreams. Proving the season's sparkle uncovers love when least expected. Mr. Hollister’s Christmas by Cindy Lewis Smith: Thirty-three and resigned to spinsterhood in Goldfield, Josie channels her Georgia Christmas memories into a perfect Eve nuptial for Rose and Hank, footed by taciturn rancher Clint Hollister. Their prickly partnership blooms amid pine boughs, fiddle waltzes, and whispered regrets from a saloon-fueled mail-order mishap. When a wheel-wrecked ride home unveils Clint's hidden role in her arrival—and his lingering loneliness—snowy revelations ignite a romance as timeless as the stars above the Llano River. What the Snow Blew In by Jae El Foster: Snowbound in Deerborne, Connecticut, during a record-breaking blizzard, editor Carina Whitaker hunkers down with wine, her cat Tom Boy, and cherished Christmas ornaments—until a shivering mailman named Jerry delivers a package and seeks refuge from the storm. As power flickers out and drifts bury her home, candlelit evenings spark unlikely conversations, shared meals, and cozy traditions that warm more than the gas fireplace. Amid reading aloud by firelight and piano carols, holiday magic proves that what the snow blows in might just be the love she's been waiting for. The Magic of Mistletoe by Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe: Sarah's winter break turns into survival mode: dodging doll-throwing dollops, sweeping glass shards, and sacrificing her office sanctuary for peace between battling children. Amid cold coffee confessions and contract close-calls with hubby Thomas, festive fumbles—from runaway pillows to reluctant photos—test their bond. Yet as grilled cheeses soothe tears and starry-eyed surprises arrive post-midnight, mistletoe weaves its spell, transforming holiday havoc into heartfelt harmony and impossible dreams come true.

Read an Excerpt from Meant to Be by Pamela Ackerson

Faith Anjos pulled into the driveway of the house she recently purchased. She groaned when the tires hit a deep hole. Her truck responded in kind, letting her know it objected to the rut she’d drove it through. The boat she was pulling didn’t exactly like the driveway either. She white knuckled the steering wheel as the hole rocked both vehicles.

Faith gritted her teeth. Just what she needed. Give the new neighbors a show of incompetence as her boat tipped over.

Bloop. Bye, bye boat.

Nope, not going to happen today.

Pulling back out, she turned the vehicle around and backed the boat onto the grass on the side of the house.

She stood on the walkway, leading to the front door staring at the wood-framed structure. Her dark hair pulled in a ponytail, swayed in the welcoming wind.

This was hers.

Website: http://www.thedarkcastlelords.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarkCastleLords
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/dclpublications
Twitter: http://www.x.com/DCLPublications

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G5LVHXK2
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1919104
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/winters-embrace-pamela-ackerson/1148900744
Apple: http://www.books.apple.com/us/book/winters-embrace/id6756240259

The Christmas Cardinal by Aïda Juodis

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Aïda Juodis will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Christmas Cardinal, written by Aïda Juodis, is a soft and whimsical tale that was gently crafted to help provide children who have lost a loved one with comfort and warmth during the holiday season.

Read an Excerpt

Remember, the cardinal is always there. It’s your loved one who will always care.

From the North Pole and from close by they’ll watch over you with gentle eyes.

So, when you hear the cardinal sing…

remember you’re protected under your loved one’s wing.

About the Author: Aïda Darija Juodis is a storyteller who blends comfort, wonder, and gentle magic in her writing. The Christmas Cardinal reflects her belief that love endures, guiding us from near and far.

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1834185319
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/61688402.A_da_Juodis

The Art of Human Connection by Adir Biniamini

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Adir Biniamini will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

In an age of extreme technology and growing separation, we've lost our way. We've traded authentic human connection for a world of aggressive tactics, self-serving behaviors, and fleeting transactions that leave us feeling isolated and unfulfilled.

The Art of Human Connection offers a powerful and ethical alternative, a return to our shared humanity.

This educational book is your essential guide to mastering the simple yet profound skills that form the bedrock of true success. Through a series of practical insights and transformative principles, you will learn how to:

- Cultivate Self-Awareness: Understand your own emotional landscape and its impact on every interaction.

- Build Authentic Relationships: Master the art of empathy and genuine communication to forge instant rapport and build lasting trust.

- Navigate with Confidence: Learn to move through professional and personal challenges with less friction and more grace.

"The truest version of a person is never who they perform to be, it is who they become when they forget to perform!"

This is a powerful call to action, inviting you to reflect on your own experiences and visualize a clear path to improvement. By embracing this approach, you will discover a liberating truth: your greatest success and most profound connections begin the moment you stop performing and simply start being.

Read an Excerpt

The Ultimate Hack to Connecting: Forget the Script and Just Be Real

I remember a colleague sharing with me about the recent time walking into a boardroom once where the air felt heavy. Everyone sat stiff, guarded, waiting for the “pitch.” You could almost hear the silent checklist in their minds: Is this person credible? Are they trying too hard? Can I trust them? In that moment, he felt the old instinct to perform, to tighten my shoulders, polish my words, and deliver the perfect script. But then he remembered a truth from The Art of Human Connection:

“The truest version of a person is never who we perform as, it is who we become when we forget to perform.”

So, he dropped the act. He softened his posture, smiled, not the rehearsed kind, but the kind that comes from seeing the people in front of him. He asked a question and let the silence linger. And something shifted. The room exhaled. People leaned in. The barrier dissolved.

That’s the real hack to connection: not perfection, but presence.

Drop the Act: Your Silent Superpowers

Before you speak, your body and voice are already telling your story.

• Body Language: Open posture, relaxed shoulders, and a genuine smile signal honesty and collaboration. When you’re real, others mirror it back.

• Voice: Let your tone carry warmth and variety. Use pauses like punctuation, moments that invite attention and reflection.

The Detective Mindset: Reading the Room

Connection isn’t just about what you say, it’s about what you notice.

• The Pause: After asking a meaningful question, resist the urge to fill the silence. Watch what emerges in the stillness.

• The Cues: A drop in energy signals resistance. A nod and steady eye contact?

That’s your green light to go deeper.

The Liberating Truth

You don’t need to be flawless. You just need to be real.

When you stop performing and start observing, when you trade polish for presence, you become magnetic, not because you’re perfect, but because you’re human, and in a world full of scripts, nothing is more refreshing than someone who simply shows up as themselves.

Ditch the Baggage: Forgive Past Flops

Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes, a conversation just feels clumsy. But dwelling on past perceived failures leads to Self-Condemnation and overthinking, hindering your ability to connect now. The solution is simple but hard: don’t let past perceived failures sabotage your present interactions. Remember, failure happens only when we quit.

About the Author:

Adir Biniamini is a visionary coach and the author of The Art of Human Connection. His journey into coaching began after a long and successful entrepreneurial career where he learned firsthand that genuine connection is the cornerstone of success.

From working at a flea market as a teenager to launching multiple businesses, Adir quickly discovered the power of authentic communication. A pivotal piece of advice, "Be exactly who you are . . . real, friendly, inviting," became his guiding light. Thirty years and successful businesses later, this commitment to genuine human connection remains the cornerstone of his success.

Adir's unique philosophy, forged from a lifetime of business and personal challenges, is built on the belief that a deep connection to ourselves is the key to creating meaningful relationships with others. Through his work, he helps clients master the essential skills of emotional intelligence and rapport, empowering them to navigate challenges and create lasting success in every facet of their lives.

Website: https://adirbiniamini.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/60102851.Adir_Biniamini

The Hotel Guru's Journey by Robert Rauch

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Robert Rauch will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

For over half a century, Robert Rauch, referred to as "The Hotel Guru", has witnessed and made history within the evolution of modern hospitality. From performing night audits on Sweda cash registers in the 1970s to utilizing AI-enabled revenue strategies today, he has seen it all. The Hotel Guru's Journey combines his fascinating behind-the-scenes narratives with proven operating insights.

This unique operations guidebook shares both the "war" stories and the systems that matter. Rauch shares lessons learned the hard way in trust, crisis management, technology adoption, and leadership. And aside from the entertaining personal experiences, you'll gain access to tried-and-true frameworks, in-the-trenches checklists, and practical guidance for all aspects of hotel operations.

Whether you're breaking ground on your first property, expanding a hospitality portfolio, or seeking to avoid costly mistakes, Rauch's five decades of experience provide your competitive advantage in building a successful and sustainable hotel.

For up-and-coming hoteliers, veteran general managers, and hospitality investors, The Hotel Guru's Journey is your map to long-term success.

Read an Excerpt

When there’s a solar eclipse or event that takes place every decade or so, hotels will typically block those dates from regular rates and wait for the money to come in. For some reason, perhaps the lack of social media at the time, Halley’s Comet didn’t get the juice that eclipse events receive. Appearing approximately every 75 years, Halley’s Comet last appeared in the inner parts of the solar system in 1986 and will next appear in mid-2061. Back in 1986, I was the General Manager of the Hilton Pavilion in Mesa, Arizona. We’d just opened and needed publicity, so our team came up with the idea of a watch party for the coming comet. During its 1986 visit, Halley’s Comet became the first comet to be observed in detail by a spacecraft and was also observed by our hotel guests. The hotel industry had always been driven by art, not science. Computers were very new to hospitality back in the 1980s, and there was no internet, so spreading the word about an event was simple but not easy. We chose to advertise the event in USA Today, a gamble as the ad cost us $10,000, but it was worth every penny. We had 282 rooms and an average rate of about $150 at the time. And we had no choice as to when we had the viewing party because it was whenever the comet would be most visible, which happened to be at 3:30 A.M. on February 9, 1986. At the time, I was studying for my master’s degree at ASU. I contacted a professor who’d been quoted in the local newspapers about the comet. I asked him if he was interested in taking a group out to the desert for a viewing party. He was ecstatic about being involved and said he’d bring all his equipment and would only charge us a modest fee. We booked up the hotel with two busloads of guests, approximately 100 total viewing party guests. We woke them up at 2:30 A.M., and the buses left at 3:00 A.M. for a 30-minute ride into the middle of nowhere. With no lights around, everyone was able to view the comet through a high-powered telescope, which was way beyond the clarity that binoculars provided. We were out there from 3:30–4:30 A.M. Did we make money? Not really, as 50 rooms and 100 people equated to about $7500, and the ad had cost us $10,000, but the press coverage that followed was invaluable.

About the Author:

With a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Administration from Western International University and a master’s degree in Tourism Administration from Arizona State University, Mr. Rauch has served as president and on the board of numerous tourism organizations. Mr. Rauch is a recently retired faculty member at Arizona State University and taught Tourism Industry Entrepreneurship. He is widely quoted on television and radio and in numerous publications, including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Los Angeles Times. He speaks at industry conferences regularly and has developed several leading brand hotels, three of which the firm still owns and manages, and has been a finalist for CEO of the year in San Diego, CA, and Phoenix, AZ.

Mr. Rauch currently utilizes his private company, R. A. Rauch & Associates, Inc., to provide management services for his owned hotels, consulting services for various Wall Street firms and selected litigation support clients, and asset management services designed to provide hotel owners with oversight and review of potential and currently operating hotels. He also serves as Chairman and Chief Strategist of Brick Hospitality, a company formed by his management team to operate hotels in California. Mr. Rauch recently sold RAR Hospitality, a leading hospitality management firm with 20 hotels under management or development, retaining management of selected hotels where he serves as an owner in San Diego. As a student, teacher, and mentor in the hospitality industry over a six-decade period, Mr. Rauch continues to be active at industry conferences, in key meetings, and when needed to support the hospitality sector.

Website: https://hotelguru.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertrauch/
Twitter: https://x.com/truehotelguru
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20244045.Robert_Rauch

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hotel-Gurus-Journey-Excellence-Industry/dp/B0FQBTH878/ref=sr_1_1

1833 Brothers & Sisters by J.A. Boulet

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. J. A. Boulet will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I write in the historical fiction genre mostly because I am a history geek as well as an author, but there’s more to it than that. I have two unfinished manuscripts. Contemporary romance and futuristic wars. What I have found is that I need the element of actual historical events to break up the monotony of the story. I know this sounds odd, but I get bored when I am writing about mundane things. Don’t get me wrong, I love my romance scenes and family sagas. I just can’t write an entire book solely upon these things.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

I learned from my heroine, Zee Eastman, that long-term marriages lose their luster. I had a long-term marriage, so I guess I knew this. But Zee embarks on a path to rediscover herself and search for the true meaning of her marriage’s downfall. Sometimes, it is easy to blame your partner for the unstable marriage, but often we need to look at ourselves and how much we’ve changed as well.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I am definitely a plotter. I write an outline before writing the book. Once I start writing and finish a chapter, I will even include notes to remind myself about what to write about next.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

My next book will either be about the Gold Rush 1850s, or I will break free and write about something completely different, a European historical novel about the Holodomor.

Do you have a question for our readers?

My question to readers is, which story would you like me to write next?

A peek into the Underground Railroad and the tumultuous period before the American Civil War.

In 1833 Philadelphia, the northern states of America were changing, and not everyone was keen on altering the status quo. Black slaves were being freed, and new slaves were no longer allowed.

But the southern states didn't always agree. Natives were being thrown out of their homes for living too close to gold, and escaped black slaves were being hunted down. Jesse Eastman controls the affluent Eastman Empire and frees a former slave, his half-sister Georgina. But some family members don't like it.

When an estranged brother gets the idea to let a ruthless gang of property buyers initiate a takeover, all hell breaks loose.

1833 Brothers & Sisters will pull you into an old western-style family saga, filled with greed, marital love, family conflict, and smoking gun shootouts

Read an Excerpt

Jesse grasped the large oak front door. “You are no longer an Eastman,” Jesse stated angrily. “Get out.”

“I live here too,” Billy stated incredulously.

“Not any longer,” Jesse replied.

“I have my belongings here.”

“I will have the servants collect your belongings and deliver them to you by carriage.”

“You can’t do this!” Billy yelled, indignantly.

“I sure can!” Jesse shouted back, systematically rolling up his sleeves. “I noticed that you signed this agreement today, probably at Bartholomew’s office, and you came here right after. Big mistake, Billy. You are officially estranged from the Eastman Empire as of today. Get out and don’t come back. Your signature officially means nothing as of today.” Jesse straightened his shoulders and braced himself for the physical fight. “We have witnesses to attest to this.” Jesse waved his arms around the room.

Billy’s eyes darted toward the stairs where Zee was watching the entire event unfold, and to the hallway where several servants gathered from the kitchen. Almost ten people stared at Billy, waiting for his next move.

“You always were the one that Father hated,” Billy sneered, hoping that his brother would do something stupid.

Jesse leapt at Billy. The younger brother took a few steps back and narrowly escaped the range of Jesse’s arms.

Jesse came closer and growled in Billy’s face angrily. “If you don’t leave now, I will pick you up myself and throw you out.”

About the Author:

J. A. Boulet is a passionate historical fiction novelist weaving tales with strong romantic themes. Raised in a Hungarian refugee family, J. A. was born and grew up in Canada with strong moral convictions, which she has stood behind all her life. Ms. Boulet began writing poetry at a very young age and progressed to short stories and novels easily. She quickly became a history geek and became fascinated with ancestry and the rough path of immigration. Her university studies ranged from photojournalism to accounting. After decades of working in accounting, J. A. published her first book in 2020 and has since published one to two books annually.

She lives in the Niagara region of Canada with her two sons, a crested gecko, a large Doberdor dog, and a small orchard of fruit trees.

Website: https://jaboulet.ca/
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/1833-Brothers-Sisters-Eastman-Saga-ebook/dp/B0FSGYDF5B
Twitter link: https://twitter.com/love_walk_life
Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/jabouletauthor/
YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/@jabouletfiction8059/videos
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242036807-1833-brothers-sisters

Shooting at Shadows by Forest McMullin

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A photograph can tell the truth. It can also get you killed.

Ethan McGuire’s relentless pursuit of explosive stories has cost him his family, his integrity, and now–possibly–his life. While documenting the rise of white supremacist movements in Western New York, Ethan encounters a world of neo-Nazis, heavily armed survivalists, rogue FBI agents, and violent criminals, all with something to hide. But when a crew of ruthless bank robbers starts hunting him for photos he doesn’t even know he has, the stakes turn deadly.

As his enemies close in and his family becomes a target, Ethan must expose the truth–before it buries him. Shooting at Shadows is a relentless thriller and chilling cautionary tale, inspired by the author’s real-life experiences as a photojournalist. It exposes the darkness lurking beneath the surface of American extremism–and the cost of bringing it to light.

"One hopes that McMullin has further adventures planned for his unlikely hero." –Kirkus Reviews

"...a provocative thriller exploring highly pertinent themes in American culture today..." –Fredrick Soukup, author of Blood up North

How I Wrote the Book

I had a fairly unusual method for completing Shooting at Shadows. Most people don’t know that about three quarters of it was written in two-week blitzes once a year over almost a decade.

I started writing about 1999 when I learned that a group of racist skinheads I had done a story on five years earlier had been convicted of robbing twenty-two banks across the Midwest. Adding to my astonishment was my suspicion that they had started their spree while I was spending weekends at their rundown compound in Macungie, Pennsylvania.

Although my photography agent had success syndicating those pictures internationally, I felt this new information deserved revisiting the subject. I decided I wasn’t interested in spending the time necessary to create new photographs with these people, so I began experimenting with writing about them. I soon realized a non-fiction treatment of my story wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped it would me. A literary agent friend of mine suggested turning it into a novel. He told me my research was done–now I just had to use my imagination to make it a thriller. I loved the idea.

Fast forward ten years. I had shut my photography business down, moved from Rochester, New York to Atlanta, Georgia and started teaching photography full time at an art school. Major changes! I tried working on my manuscript a few times over those intervening years, but had stalled out at less than a hundred pages. With a fulltime job, I just couldn’t find the time or energy to write.

About 2012 I was awarded a fellowship at the Hambidge Center, an artist residency program in the north Georgia mountains. It was a remarkable experience. Each of the fellows was given a cabin in the woods and told the only requirement was to have dinner with the others four nights a week. Dancers, poets, painters, photographers, potters, composers, writers, artists of all kinds–those meals where always lively and inspirational.

That first year I worked on a project photographing portraits of vendors and customers at rural flea markets. I was lucky enough to be invited back the next year and a number of the subsequent years. The second time I was there I didn’t have a specific photo project to work on so, almost on a whim, I pulled out Shadows to see if I could get back to it. And surprise! I found that with no cell phone coverage, no TV, and no internet–no distractions of any kind– I was able to write again!

When I was home again, the same paralysis set in. But as soon as I drove on to the grounds of Hambidge, the ideas and the need to express them became imperative. Over the next six or so years I finished my novel in two week bursts and went through several drafts until I was confident it could be published.

I’ve since retired from teaching and I’m happy to report that without the energy drain of students and the daily grind, I can write at home. And I know that the follow-up to Shooting at Shadows won’t take nearly as long to complete! (Watch for Framing the Mist, the second book in The Ethan McGuire Series coming soon.)

Read an Excerpt

Someone outside began pounding on the truck in time to the chant and within moments it sounded like everyone who could reach the sides was pounding too:

“BOOM BOOM BOOM! BOOM BOOM BOOM!

“KKK! GO AWAY! KKK! GO AWAY!”

It was deafening, like being inside a giant bass drum. The thin metal walls of the truck amplified the beating and Ethan could feel the horrible reverberation in his chest. Everyone moved toward the center of the bed as if the walls could come crashing in on them at any second. The two holding the rear gate down were fighting the door as people outside tried to raise it.

Suddenly the pounding stopped and Ethan felt the truck moving. The crowd was so loud he hadn’t heard the engine start. But how could they get through that mob without running anyone over? Maybe if Kevin went slowly enough, they’d let the truck pass. Surely the police would be able to get there and see to their safety. Then he realized it wasn’t forward motion he felt. The truck was swaying side to side. The chanting changed too. “O-VER! O-VER! O-VER!” They were trying to turn the truck on its side. Ethan didn’t think it could be done, but with this many people it was impossible to know for sure.

Everyone inside moved away from the center and put their hands against the sides to steady themselves. It was like trying to stand in a boat on choppy seas. Back and forth, back and forth the truck rocked, gaining momentum every time. Ethan saw the men holding the door down lose their balance and fall. The door rose and blinded them with brilliant sunlight.

About the Author:

Forest McMullin is a writer based in Atlanta, Georgia. Earlier in his career, he was a photojournalist who specialized in photographing fringe social groups. Today he writes both long and short form fiction, Shooting at Shadows is his first novel.

Website: http://forest-mcmullin.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/forestmcm
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/forest.mcmullin
Substack: https://substack.com/forestmcmullin
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/forestmcm.bsky.social

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shooting-Shadows-Crime-Thriller-McGuire/dp/B0FC2VR1KS/ref=sr_1_1

A Pilgrimage of Whispered Truths by M. Jayne LaDow

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. M. Jayne LaDow will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I'm drawn to spicy cozy mysteries because they let me explore the darkness in human nature while still offering hope and resolution. After 33 years of teaching, I've seen how people navigate conflict, greed, and moral choices—and I've also seen the power of community to heal and support. The cozy mystery framework lets me examine serious themes (like "Radix malorum est cupiditas"—greed is the root of all evil—from Chaucer's The Pardoner's Tale) while keeping readers in a space that feels safe enough to explore those darker questions.

What research is required?

Setting A Pilgrimage of Whispered Truths in 1997 Virginia Beach meant I had to remember (or rediscover) a world without smartphones, social media, or easy internet access. I spent hours verifying what technology existed, what music was playing, what slang people used. I researched local Virginia Beach geography, the kinds of businesses that existed in the '90s, even what kind of answering machines people had. My husband, who was a radio announcer in the '90s, became my go-to source for period-specific details. I also dove deep into Chaucer scholarship to make sure my literary connections worked. For the sequel, A Masquerade of Truth, I'm researching old hotels, ghost lore, and the specific challenges of investigating a crime in a location with a complicated history.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Dani Jones taught me about agency. When I started writing her, I thought I knew exactly who she was and how she'd react. But she kept pushing back against my plans, insisting on making her own choices even when they complicated the plot. She showed me that characters with real agency don't always do what's convenient for the writer—they do what's true to themselves. Now I listen when my characters rebel instead of forcing them back into line, and that's made me a better writer.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I have to write chronologically. I can't jump around in the manuscript. Even if I know exactly what happens in chapter fifteen, I have to write chapters one through fourteen first. It's maddening sometimes, but my brain won't cooperate any other way.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

Hardcore plotter. I outline extensively before I write a single word of the actual manuscript. I know where every scene is going, what each character's arc looks like, how the mystery unfolds. Some writers discover their story as they write—I discover mine in the planning phase. The actual drafting is where I discover the voice and the emotional nuances, but the structure is locked down before I start. My teaching background probably has a lot to do with this. I spent decades creating lesson plans and curriculum maps. Turns out plotting a novel uses a lot of the same organizational skills.

Look to your right – what's sitting there?

My tabby cat, Gino, is sitting on the arm of the chair, staring at me with very wide, hungry eyes. There's a cold cup of tea I forgot about two hours ago, and a stack of sticky notes covered in cryptic reminders like "Fix chapter 7 bring more heat" and "Research Victorian séance etiquette."

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I'm currently writing Budget Cuts and Midnight Lust, the next book in The Marchfield Series—my spicy teacher rom-coms featuring middle school teachers. This book follows Max Harrison and Emma Bennett as they navigate middle school drama, forced collaboration, and their own complicated feelings. These books let me draw on all those years in education while adding heat and humor. There's something deeply satisfying about writing characters who understand the insanity of teaching—the budget battles, the parent emails, the way a fire drill can destroy your entire lesson plan. It's due out in May 2026.

I'm also deep into plotting A Masquerade of Truth, the second book in my cozy mystery series, and a continuation of Dani and Gavin’s story. This one ups the ante with an old hotel, a ghost with a grievance, a deeper romance arc, and yes, another murder. Basically, I looked at my writing schedule and thought, "What if I made everything more complicated?"

Do you have a question for our readers?

If you could set a cozy mystery in any time period, when would you choose and why? I'm genuinely curious what eras call to readers—for me, 1997 hit that sweet spot between familiar and foreign, recent enough to remember but distant enough to feel historical.

She set out to solve a mystery, not to fall in love.

In 1997 Virginia Beach, some truths refuse to stay buried…

Dani Jones is used to lesson plans and late-night grading, not murder. But when a student’s uncle confronts her after class and then disappears, her world tilts. Days later, during a Chesapeake Bay cleanup, she is there when his body is found, hidden in the marsh. As the last person to see him alive, Dani is suddenly at the center of a mystery that rattles the quiet coastal town.

Enter Gavin Larkhurst, a sharp-tongued radio newsman with a protective streak. His feelings for Dani make him desperate to keep her safe—even when she refuses to stop digging. But trust is fragile when danger lurks around every corner, and someone will do anything to keep the past buried.

Equal parts mystery and romance, A Pilgrimage of Whispered Truths is a spicy whodunit about uncovering secrets, risking your heart, and the lessons that change everything.

Read an Excerpt

The ocean had always been her refuge. Even now, with storm clouds bruising the horizon, Dani walked the shoreline barefoot, the wind tugging strands of hair across her face. The water hissed over the sand like something whispering secrets it could no longer keep.

She tried to quiet her mind—to let the rhythm of the waves wash away the questions still circling like gulls. But the past few days wouldn’t let her rest: Carl Rendell’s fury, the burned church, Brian’s haunted silence. Each memory rose and fell with the tide, reshaping itself into something sharper.

A flash of color caught her eye—a shard of glass half-buried near her foot. She bent to pick it up. Red, warped by heat. A fragment of stained glass.

Her breath hitched.

She turned it over in her palm, the edges cutting faintly into her skin, and for a moment she imagined the flames reflected there, licking at the sky. The wind howled, cold and certain.

Whatever she’d stumbled into, it wasn’t finished with her yet.

She slipped the shard into her pocket, the salt wind stinging her eyes, and kept walking toward the dark line of the pier, where the sea met the secrets she could no longer ignore.

About the Author:

M. Jayne LaDow is a playwright and author who leapt into writing romance after thirty-three years wrangling middle school English students. Her rom-coms and spicy cozy mysteries are inspired by her years in education, where she was regularly pied in the face, sang classroom karaoke, and dressed up like characters from novels.

She’s the author of The Marchfield Series — One Night Stands and Lesson Plans, Learning Goals and Dancing Poles, Pop Quizzes and Stolen Kisses, Tardy Pass, No Questions Asked, and the upcoming Budget Cuts and Midnight Lust — and the Tides of Truth Series, beginning with A Pilgrimage of Whispered Truth: A Steamy Cozy Mystery set in 1997 Virginia Beach.

She firmly believes every great story starts with a dash of trouble and a happily ever after.

Website: https://mjladow.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/M-Jayne-LaDow/61559414725278
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Books2Read: https://books2read.com/Pilgrimage-of-whispered-truths
Crew Fiction: https://crewfiction.com/m-jayne-ladow

True Target by Austin S. Camacho

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Austin S. Camacho will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to It's Raining Books. If someone were writing a story about you, what would your blurb say?

After writing a successful series of detective novels, local author Austin S. Camacho decided to launch a series focused on a professional assassin. His new protagonist is an African American woman in Washington DC. He has poured his heart and soul into exploring this character’s damaged psyche but will his efforts result in a slew of new readers, or just turn off his existing fans?

Would you tell us a little about your newest release that isn't in the blurb?

In the new book, Skye is the consummate professional but she knows there’s something wrong with the fact that she can kill without feeling anything. So she begins therapy. The conversations between Skye and her therapist reveal much about this character, but also about the world she, lives in. Skye isn’t always forthcoming and hates it when she explains something that happened in her life and the therapist asks, “How did that make you feel?” Which of course, she always does.

What was your favorite scene to write in this story?

Without giving too much away, my favorite scene to write was the scene in which Skye finally comes face-to-face with the master villain. This is where the villain reveals his true plot, And Skye seems unable to stop him. There is a lot of emotional conflict and tension in that scene, which is why it’s my favorite. I love being able to have a lot going on in a book and then pull it all together in a big climactic scene.

If you could trade places with one of your characters, who would it be and why?

I would love to trade places with Morris, the man who drives for Skye. Trying to stay off the grid she doesn’t own a car herself, but Uber driver Morris takes her where she needs to be to ply her trade. He is in the enviable position to know Skye very well and take her to and from her dangerous assignments, but he is in no danger himself. Skye protects him by not giving details about the work she does but he’s close enough to know it’s something secret and highly dangerous.

Skye Maddox is a contract assassin driven by both personal demons and professional discipline. Hired by grieving father Milo Williams to hunt down the chain of men responsible for his son’s death, Skye takes on a mission that escalates into a war with Washington, D.C.’s most dangerous underworld figures led by a man known only as Hetman. As she climbs Milo’s ladder of revenge, Skye uncovers a web of corruption that links drug dealers, judges, mobsters, and even international crime syndicates.

The story escalates through brutal shootouts, betrayals, and psychological games, as Skye pushes deeper into Hetman’s empire. Each success makes her a bigger target. In the end, she must weigh the cost of finishing Milo’s revenge against the danger of becoming just another expendable weapon in someone else’s war.

Read an Excerpt

When Jayla stood, Skye raised a palm to stop her. “Yes. Yes, all right. I just finished an assignment, but it was part of a larger contract so I’m feeling like both the situations you mentioned. I’m on the job, and I just took a player off the board.”

Jayla jotted in her notebook. She always collected the euphemisms Skye used for her profession. “So, tell me about this latest assignment. How do you feel about this player you’ve taken off the board? Was it, in your mind, a just action?”

“You always want to go there,” Skye said, shaking her head. “What did I tell you? The first rule of the assassin’s doctrine. The target has got to deserve it.”

“Oh, yes,” Jayla said with a half-smile. “Your job, while criminal, does have rules

“I misspoke earlier,” Skye said, sliding a slim dagger out of her boot. “It’s not a job. It’s a profession. All professions have their rules. For doctors, rule number one is ‘do no harm’, right? For an assassin, it’s that the target has got to deserve it.” Skye began to absently flip the dagger in the air, catching it by its tip each time. “In this case, this bastard kidnapped my client’s son. I don’t know how they got him. My client kept his family totally under the radar. But once he got the ransom demand, the client agreed to pay, and the ransom money was in transit but not fast enough to suit the kidnappers. They killed the boy, I think just to make a point. Just to be snotty. The action took place overseas and no way the police would ever have gotten close to the killer.”

Jayla nodded. “I think I understand. So, you were hired to…”

“Correct the balance,” Skye said, standing.

About the Author:

Austin S. Camacho is the author of eight novels about Washington DC-based private eye Hannibal Jones, five in the Stark and O’Brien international adventure-thriller series, and the detective novel Beyond Blue. His short stories have been featured in several anthologies and he is featured in the Edgar nominated African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study by Frankie Y. Bailey. He is a past president of the Maryland Writers Association, past Vice President of the Virginia Writers Club, and one of the creators of the Creatures, Crimes & Creativity literary conference.

Website: https://ascamacho.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572508767550
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ascamacho135
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-camacho-1a5a622/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FV6FYVZK
B & N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/true-target-austin-s-camacho/1148461145?ean=9798988533351/br>

Watch Things Grow by Jay O'Callaghan

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jay L O'Callaghan will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Curious brothers Zack and Liam love healthy food—but they've never grown their own! With help from Mum and Dad, they learn how tiny seeds turn into fruits and vegetables. They discover the magic of plants, the power of patience, and why nature matters.

But will their plants really grow? And what surprises will the garden bring?

Watch Things Grow is a fun and engaging story that inspires young readers to connect with nature, get their hands dirty, and see the world in a new way. It's the first book in an exciting series that explores the wonders of nature, creativity, and the joy of learning through hands-on adventures!

Read an Excerpt

Everyone worldwide likes different types of vegetables and fruits, that nobody can dispute.

Whether crisp and hard, soft or sweet, bitter and sour, we love to devour.

Zesty Zack loves cooking broccolini and zucchini with his pasta linguine.

Mango, strawberry, and banana give him good karma in a world full of unpredictable drama.

Pak Choy, pumpkin, passion fruit, and peach, are some of his favourites he likes to eat.

Tomato and potato go great in a soup; apple and kiwi are his preferred fruit.

About the Author

Jay O'Callaghan has been crafting stories through writing, directing, and producing for over 15 years. With a Digital Media and Film & Television Production diploma he co-founded 4word Thought Entertainment in 2007, bringing narratives to life through music videos, corporate films, advertisements, and short films.

A career highlight was designing the graphic interface for the Kids B Safe smartphone application and directing its promotional campaign. Away from the screen, Jay spent 15 years as a chef in the aged-care industry, mastering the art of nourishing body and soul.

A storyteller at heart, Jay has transitioned from film to full-time writing, developing a captivating children's book series inspired by his own kids, and other books for young readers. His work blends imagination with rich storytelling, drawing from his deep interests in philosophy, history, and antiquities. Beyond writing, he is an illustrator, painter, and avid gardener, always exploring creativity in various forms. With a passion for promoting a healthy and balanced lifestyle, he brings thoughtfulness and depth to every project he undertakes.

Website: https://jaylocallaghan.com

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1764140311

SEAL Watch by Petie McCarty

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Petie McCarty will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Someone is watching Cory.
She can feel it in her bones . . . but why?

Navy SEAL Sean MacKay's teammate is murdered after stealing a deadly nerve gas formula from Syrian terrorists. Naval Intelligence believes MacKay's teammate was a traitor and shipped the stolen formula to his sister in the States for safekeeping. MacKay is ordered to find the sister before the terrorists do and to recover the stolen formula at all costs.

Foreclosure looms for Cory Rigatero as she struggles to keep her rustic resort near Mt. St. Helens afloat after her brother abandoned her to join the SEAL Teams. Cory's whole world plummets into a tailspin when Sean MacKay shows up at her resort with news of her brother's death and the shocking suspicion that her brother sent her traitorous classified documents.
r> No way will Cory ever trust MacKay—the man who once seduced her and then vanished into the night without a trace.

Read an Excerpt

Mac was nearly back at his cabin when he heard Garth’s frantic bark again. The sound didn’t come from the lake, and Garth wasn’t hunting night critters like he had earlier suspected. The bark echoed from near the barn.

“Garth!” Mac yelled into the night.

Two sharp barks burst in rapid succession from the dog. A long, piercing howl swiftly followed.

Worried the dog might be in trouble, Mac sprinted toward the barn, surprised to find all the doors shut. He forced one of the large double doors open, and Garth burst out, almost knocking him over.

Mac stepped into the darkened barn and called out, “Vern? You in here?”

Nothing.

Squatting down to Garth’s level, he got a couple of quick face licks. “How did you get shut up in the barn?” He ruffled the dog’s ears and noticed the big canine looked a little unsteady on his feet. “You okay, boy?”

Garth wagged his tail, and Mac led him out into the moonlight for a better look. A scream ripped through the night air, stopping them both.

Cory!

Mac sprinted toward the main house with Garth, breathless and struggling to keep up, already winded. Something was wrong with the big dog, but he couldn’t afford to worry about that right now.

The two tore through the border of the side garden. Mac spied the kitchen door to the main house standing wide open and raced that direction.

A second scream sliced through the air. This one sounded closer to the front of the house, and Mac changed course to race in that direction. Garth stayed straight and bounded through the open kitchen door as Mac cleared the front corner of the house.

He stumbled when he caught sight of a man in dark clothes and a black hoodie, half-carrying, half-dragging Cory down the front steps with a knife to her throat. Mac skidded silently into the rhododendron bushes lining the porch. The assailant hissed over his shoulder to someone behind him.

Okay. Two tangos.

About the Author

Petie spent a majority of her career at Walt Disney World—"The Most Magical Place on Earth"—where she loved working in the land of fairy tales by day and crafting her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said goodbye to her "day" job to focus on her stories full-time.

These days, Petie spends her time writing new tales for her Cinderella series, her new paranormal-romantic-suspense series, The Watchers, sequels to her Regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and more standalones like Any Fin For Love and Ambush in the Everglades.

Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy, who makes a cameo appearance in Christmas Watch, Book 2 of The Watchers series.

Visit Petie at her website, http://www.petiemccarty.com, or her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/petie.mccarty, to get to know her, learn about her current projects, and discover her other published works.

http://www.petiemccarty.com
https://www.facebook.com/petie.mccarty
https://x.com/authorpetie
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094579.Petie_McCarty
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/petie-mccarty
http://www.amazon.com/author/petiemccarty

https://www.amazon.com/SEAL-Watch-Watchers-Book-3-ebook/dp/B0FW5QPSB5/ref=sr_1_1

Hippie Mermaid by Joanne Guidoccio

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Joanne Guidoccio will be awarding a $10 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

From sea to shore, betrayal follows her wherever she goes.

On Christmas Eve, psychic Kendra Adams reveals the secret she’s hidden for decades—she was once Rosina, a mermaid torn between sea and shore. Betrayed in her ocean kingdom and desperate to escape banishment, she persuades a politician to smuggle her into the human world. But freedom on land comes at a cost, as she soon finds herself ensnared in another web, this one spun by the politician’s power-hungry sister.

Read an Excerpt

A smile crept up on Aunt Lina’s face. “We have seven days to captivate your human.”

“What…How?”

“I heard all about the excursion from the Ettas,” Aunt Lina said. “They couldn’t stop talking about the attention you received from those four men. And that, my dear Rosina, is why Annabella is determined to get rid of you. She doesn’t want any reminders of a competition she didn’t win.”

“But I wasn’t competing. I said nothing and let the others pick their humans.”

“Ah, but the humans wanted you. And the one called Blake was not too happy when Annabella claimed him.” Aunt Lina spoke more briskly, “You made a good impression. You stayed much longer than the others, and you risked your life for a man.”

I shook my head. “I forgot about the time.”

“Something you cannot afford to do when you go up there tomorrow night.”

“I can’t go up there.”

“Did La Bella forbid you?”

“No, but I don’t want to upset her any further.”

“If she has mentioned Crete, she has already decided. You need to find a way out of this disaster. Go up there each night until you connect with the human. Persuade him to take you with him. If a human desires you, La Bella will not interfere. She will expedite the process.”

I tried to recall scattered bits of the conversation with Lloyd. At one point, he did mention wanting to take me with him, but there was uncertainty in his voice. He already had issues with the two women in his life.

“Cry,” Aunt Lina advised. “Humans cannot handle our tears. And if necessary, beg him to take you away.”

“His life is already complicated.”

“And yours is not?” Aunt Lina grabbed my shoulders. “This human is your only way out of this mess.”

About the Author:

Joanne Guidoccio enjoyed a rewarding career teaching mathematics, business, and co-operative education courses before retiring to pursue writing. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, she writes paranormal romances, cozy mysteries, and inspirational stories from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

Website: https://joanneguidoccio.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio
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Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Joanne-Guidoccio/e/B00FAWJGCG

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hippie-Mermaid-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Hippie-Mermaid-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N

Verb Tenses by M.G. da Mota

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. M G da Mota will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Thirty-four-year-old Raquel Whiteman has it all: beauty, a high-powered career, a very rich fiancée, a loving brother and a stepfather she adores. Life is good. Until her mother commits suicide. Clearing the paraphernalia of her mother’s life she finds old photographs and journals which plunge her into a search for the truth about her real father and early childhood, forsaking everything including her engagement to travel a path she is powerless to resist. Like a giant wave the past travels fast and comes crashing down on her, flooding her mind with incomprehensible fragmented memories and continuous questions – What? Why? Why?

Read an Excerpt

Ken’s journal, December 2017

In hindsight, I would have acted differently. Hindsight is a great thing. It’s a shame we don’t have it when we most need it. We would then be able to weigh our decisions and ensure the future wouldn’t be negatively impacted. As it stands, regret sets in and regret is a useless feeling, as it always arrives too late. I wonder why we even have it within the range of our human emotions. With her strict Catholic upbringing my darling Matilde would have said that God decided humans needed to feel regret to enable them to eventually redeem themselves of their sins. She would have added that we are not to question God’s reasons, as we don’t understand them. Sadly, I don’t believe in God. I believe in Matilde and my love for her. I believe in my children and the people I care about, which is probably the whole list of my beliefs though actually that is not strictly true. I believe in science and the scientific approach. It is logical and based on fact and evidence.

All these thoughts however are irrelevant. They are just ramblings of an old man with too much time on his hands.

I continue to worry about my children even though they are now middle-aged and can fend for themselves very well. But I suppose that once a dad, always a dad.

It is a warm day for December though grey and wet. I’m sitting in the conservatory, looking at nothing in particular. I’ve tried to read but cannot concentrate. I can hear the noise from the television. It is tuned into some sports channel. Not that I care about it; it’s all white noise to me but it’s a company of sorts. A fake company of course but I got used to leaving it on all day after Matilde died and, somehow, I feel the need to hear it in the background. I dozed earlier, listening to its distant, monotonous sound. I dreamed that Matilde appeared at the door and called me in for a cup of tea. Then I woke up and of course there was no-one. Just the endless white noise of the TV. I decided to write down some of my thoughts after Matilde was gone from me forever. It’s not for anyone to read but writing my thoughts makes me feel less alone in this house. In hindsight, as mentioned earlier, I’d have done things differently.

About the Author

M G da Mota is Margarida Mota-Bull’s pen name for fiction. She is a Portuguese-British novelist with a love for classical music, ballet and opera. Under her real name she also writes reviews of live concerts, CDs, DVDs and books for two classical music magazines on the web: MusicWeb International and Seen and Heard International. She is a member of the UK Society of Authors, speaks four languages and lives in Sussex with her husband. Her website, called flowingprose.com, contains photos and information.

Website: https://www.flowingprose.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/m.g.da.mota
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mgdamota/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margarida-mota-bull

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Verb-Tenses-M-G-Mota-ebook/dp/B09ZFB4NDL

The Tomato Jam Murder by Meg Benjamin

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Meg Benjamin will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Roxy’s spending her summer with burros and jam, but there’s a murderer in the mountains.

It’s burro racing season in the Rockies, and Roxy Constantine is all for it. Now if she can come up with a good recipe for tomato jam, her summer will be complete. But when Roxy finds a body on the burro race course, she’s suddenly plunged into a murder investigation. And when her innocent friend is accused of killing her ex, Roxy must challenge a corrupt police chief who wants to shut her up. Now she needs to find the real killer and save a neighboring town from a plot to ruin its mountain magic.

Read an Excerpt

Kennedy leaned close, eyes bright with malice. It’s hard to loom over someone as tall as me, but he was giving it his best shot. “You don’t get it, do you? This is none of your business. You don’t even live here. And you sure as hell don’t have any right to be sticking your nose into a police investigation. If I find out you’re stirring things up around here, I’ll throw you in a cell so fast your head will be spinning when you hit the floor.”

I was pretty sure he couldn’t do that legally. On the other hand, if he threw me into one of his cells, it might take me quite a while to get out of it. Logic argued for caution. Still, I hate being pushed around by guys who don’t have any right to push me around.

“All I’ve done is pass along information I’ve heard to people who might be interested. So far as I know, that doesn’t break any laws.”

“You. Don’t. Live. Here.” Kennedy snarled. “Like I said, this is none of your business. Keep out of it and keep your mouth shut.”

I gritted my teeth as I stared at him, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t get me into deeper trouble.

Kennedy straightened, his gaze still burning, then swept one arm across the surface of the counter, sending jars of jam flying in all directions. I glared at him, furious and horrified.

The corners of his mouth edged up ever so slightly. “Oops.”

About the Author

Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance and cozy mysteries. Meg’s cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild Rose Press, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town of Shavano, Colorado. Her Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing and from Meg’s indie line). Along with romance and cozies, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogy from Meg’s indie line. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, the Carly Crown Jewel of Books from the Mid-America Romance Authors, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers.

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Extraterrestrial Noir by Rich Leder

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Any weird things you do when you’re alone?

Not that I’m aware of. I’ve been a writer all of my adult life. So I imagine I’m weird in ways that people who are not writers are not weird. Then again, I imagine those people are weird in ways I’m not. We’re all weird in the end. Hey, you know what? That’s why every character in my books is at least a little weird. Epiphany anyone?

What is your favorite quote and why?

I don’t have a favorite quote, per se. I’d have to go with everything Vonnegut has written. And everything Robbins has written. And everything Roth has written. And everything Palahniuk has written. And plenty of things Elmore has written. And tons of the things that Stephen and Richard and Carl and Christopher have written … shall I, must I go on?

Who is your favorite author and why?

All those guys I just mentioned. Plus, add John Irving to that list. And Donald Westlake. And John D. MacDonald and more than that too.

What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

Tough question. I would say “authenticity” is critical. In the sense that if the writer isn’t all honestly in on his/her characters and action and world, then how in the heck can the reader get engaged. I would say “clarity” is critical. Unless the point of the moment or character or plot or subplot or line of dialogue or whatever is to be opaque, then what in the world can be gained by confusing the reader? And I would say “confidence” is critical. If the writer doesn’t believe in their own sentence structure, their own ability to tell a tale, then that, what should we call it, that weakness will permeate the story. So, yeah, authenticity, clarity, and confidence. I’ll go with those elements for now.

Where did you get the idea for this book?

No idea, truly. Maybe I was looking for a way to satirize the suburbs. Maybe I was looking for an alien I had never seen depicted before. Somehow I landed on a molecule manipulating psychopath antagonist with a thing for film noir and tequila. From there it was a half-step to a 12-year-old, uber-genius protagonist.

A PSYCHO-CRIMINAL EXTRATERRESTRIAL ON A SUBURBAN CUL-DE-SAC

A FAMILY ON THE BRINK OF ALL-ENCOMPASSING INSOLVENCY

A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD UBER-GENIUS DAUGHTER IN THE LINE OF FIRE

CAN SHE SAVE THE FAMILY, NOT TO MENTION THE PLANET?

An extraterrestrial crashes into a suburban cul-de-sac Colonial, absorbs every binary bit of information ever chronicled in all of human history, rearranges its molecules and presents itself as a couple of late and legendary film noir superstars, then immediately displays an appetite for debauchery, depravity, decadence, and destruction, seducing the family into its psychopathic criminal orbit with irresistible Hollywood panache, alluring sexual charisma, and inconceivable intergalactic powers.…all in the name of saving the family from their emotional, marital, and financial ruin.

But uber-genius-daughter Mike Devine figures out fast that the extraterrestrial’s principal plan is to employ its unfathomable interplanetary muscle and implode the planet. Which leaves the fate of her family, not to mention the world, in her twelve-year-old hands.

Read an Excerpt

“Forget the meteor,” Peter said. “Where’s the hole?”

“There it is,” Lazlo said. But he was pointing at the ceiling, at the same size and shaped hole that ran in a line at a forty-five-degree angle through the house. The cul-de-sac husbands all looked up at the hole, through the dining room, the master bedroom, and the attic to the sky. Only Maggie followed the path down to its conclusion.

“What in the world is that?” she said.

And then the room went silent, as if all the air had been sucked out of the house through the succession of small rectangular holes.

Connie and Maggie had decided on white oak floors when they’d finished the basement, and then covered them with colorful Karastan rugs. Lying on a deep-red-and-brown rug, five feet in front of the giant flat-screen television, surrounded by debris from the various ceilings and floors that followed it down as it smashed through the house, was a silver box.

It was, like the holes it created, the size and shape of a Frye cowboy boot box, but smoother along the edges. Perfectly smooth, in fact. It wasn’t particularly polished, more matte finish than shiny, and was completely unmarked. There was simply no evidence whatsoever that it had burned through the atmosphere and smashed through a suburban Colonial at a million miles an hour.

“It’s like somebody bought a pair of boots and left the box on the floor,” Bill said.

“Doesn’t look like it came crashing down,” Peter agreed.

“Looks like it came in for a landing,” Maggie said.

About the Author:

Rich Leder has been a working writer for more than three decades. His credits include eight novels for Laugh Riot Press and 19 produced movies—television films for CBS, Lifetime, and Hallmark and feature films for Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Tri-Star Pictures, Longridge Productions, and Left Bank Films.

He’s been the lead singer in a Detroit rock band, a restaurateur, a Little League coach, an indie film director, a literacy tutor, a magazine editor, a screenwriting coach, a wedding consultant (it’s true), a PTA board member, a HOA president, a commercial real estate agent, and a visiting artist for the UNCW Film Studies Department, all of which, it turns out, was grist for the mill.

WEBSITE: https://www.richleder.com
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FBLKSK2W
BOOKSHOP.ORG https://bookshop.org/p/books/extraterrestrial-noir-rich-leder/22774708