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
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mjladow/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/59810192.M_Jayne_LaDow
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@m..jayne.ladow
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@mjladow

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>