Please help me welcome today’s guest, Marisa Masterson. She is one of the authors in the Mystery on Lilac Lane cozy mystery series. I’ll be sharing additional books in the series in upcoming posts…
Limburger & Larceny by Marisa Masterson
Fun (and Smelly!) Fact: Domestic Limburger cheese is only produced in one town in Wisconsin. I used that fact to create the Limburger factory in my story.
As winter hangs on in northern Wisconsin, Julia Arnold arrives in Wisteria. She inherits the Clover Blossom Cheese Shop, a place that screams for renovation as well as for her very special brewed coffee. By day, customers come for the coffee and cheeses, while stranger things happen in the nighttime. From roaches to mice to late night intruders, why is someone attacking her business? And what’s the deal with the treasure supposedly buried in her basement?
EXCERPT
She wasted no time getting back on the road. This time, she headed north. Skirting the lake, she pushed the Le Sabre’s large engine. Perhaps speeding would catch her up with the man she wanted to see.
Really, everything she needed from him waited back at the farm. He would not have more Limburger or the accountant ledgers in his truck. Chasing him was ridiculous.
And yet, she had to know why he went to the town where Bingle’s pawn shop was located. Was he meeting the man? Perhaps he was conspiring with the shop owner, even though two people already had assured her that he would never do that.
If she could catch him in the act, even photograph him with Bingle, the chief might take her concerns more seriously. With that thought, her aching toes pushed harder on the gas pedal. She had to reach Deer Crick.
At the town limits, she slowed the car. No sense speeding in town. Nothing was worth hurting someone. She was not that type of driver.
Her gaze took in the line of taverns. It was not unusual to find several in a small town. Wisconsinites seemed to enjoy their beer. Beer, brats, and cheese—state favorites.
Where was Bingle’s shop? And then she spotted them. Two men stood near the tailgate of a black Ford pickup.
Alex glared at the man, Bingle. She recognized him from the website. The pawn shop owner scowled back at him, shaking his head. He held up a hand, palm out, while his head moved from side to side in denial.
Whatever Alex said next upset the man. He turned and stomped away, sending slush flying upward. Her partner allowed him to leave, his own arms crossed as he leaned on the truck.
The scene played out as she watched. When Bingle reached the door of his business, Julia gave a small screech. She forgot to photograph them together!
All she had were suspicions and her partner’s odd behavior. Well, she also was forewarned. Alex was involved somehow with Bingle. And Bingle wanted to hurt her business, or so she decided. That must be true since his employee was involved in the petty vandalism.
She knew without a doubt not to trust Alex Simmons. And why did her heart hurt when she realized that?
Marisa Masterson is the author of sixty-five books. She and her husband of thirty-seven years make their home in Saginaw, Michigan. They have two grown children and a precious granddaughter, Hunny, who keeps Grandma happy and busy.
She is a retired high school English teacher and oversaw a high school writing center in partnership with the local university. In addition, she is a National Writing Project fellow and a regular contributor to the Sweet Americana Sweethearts blog.
You will find Marisa hanging out in theSweet Wild West Reads group on Facebook. She invites you to join that group and get to know some of your favorite authors.
If you like this book, please take a few minutes to leave a rating today! Marisa appreciates it and you may help a reader find their next favorite book!
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
I was born and raised in a small town in Ohio, but I have lived in numerous other states during my adulthood: Virginia, Washington, Oklahoma, New York, Texas, Colorado, Florida, and now North Carolina. In addition, my husband and I lived on a sailboat and sailed around the eastern Caribbean for three years after we retired.
I have two sons by my first 20-year-long marriage, and I inherited two bonus sons and two bonus daughters with my second marriage. All the children were adults when we got married, but we were both graciously accepted into each other’s family. Unfortunately, my husband passed away in 2022, before What Might Have Been had been accepted for publication.
Where did you get the idea for What Might Have Been?
Actually, the title came to me after I had finished writing the book. It is a question asked by one of the protagonists toward the end of it. I wished afterwards I had done some research first. As it turns out, there are several books currently on the market with the same title, some fiction, some non-fiction.
Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)? Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?
When I was a little girl, I was enthralled by stories of my paternal great-grandfather. He grew up on a Virginia plantation, and his family owned slaves. As the story goes, when he was five years old, he saw his father tie his black Mammy to a tree and beat her for some unknown offense. He said he loved his black Mammy as much as he loved his own mother and vowed then and there that if he could ever help the slaves, he would. And so, when the Civil War broke out, he joined the Union forces while his father and brothers fought for the South.
I had always wanted to write a novel that included this bit of family history, so that pretty much defined the genre I would be writing in. As it happened, I was never interested in history per se; I was a cram-and-flush kind of student, so that was going to make it difficult. However, when my career took me to Colorado, I became intrigued with the rich history of the area. Having grown up in Ohio, I had no idea the War had extended that far west, and I had never heard of the Indian uprisings taking place in the western region of the country at the very same time. I joined the Colorado Historical Society (now called History Colorado), and the plot for my novel spilled forth from the articles I read in their publications. This said, not being a history buff to begin with meant I had to do a lot of research even after I began writing.
Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?
I had another occupation prior to retiring early to pursue my lifelong dream of writing a novel and having it published. I was a teacher. I began teaching math at the secondary level, went on to get an MBA with a finance emphasis, and ended up teaching finance to both undergraduate and graduate students at a few major universities. I really enjoyed both the students and the scheduling flexibility that career offered. I actually began writing What Might Have Beenwhile I was on the faculty at the University of Colorado at Denver. The problem was that major publishing companies were hiring me to review, edit, and write finance textbooks as an independent contractor, and that was money in the bank—which paid the bills!
What is your favorite quote?
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” ~Albert Camus
I find that inspiring on so many levels.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
When I submitted the first several pages of my manuscript to my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, the editor to whom it was assigned replied with a number of unexpected criticisms. One of my undergraduate majors was English, and I had taken two post-graduate creative writing courses, so I wasn’t expecting any grammatical-type issues. As it happens, she taught me more in her semi-rejection letter than I had learned in all those courses.
She told me I was going to bore my readers to death with my sentence atructure: subject/verb, subject/verb, subject/verb, etc. She also sent me a list of things to avoid, such as the unnecessary use of the word “that,” among other things. She said if I wanted to make the recommended changes to my entire document, I could resubmit those first several pages for her to reevaluate. Otherwise, she suggested I might go with another publisher or choose to self-publish.
I opted to make the edits, and I could see how much improvement even the most minor changes made. I resubmitted those first several pages, and the editor was extremely impressed. (The first word of her responding email was, “Wow!”) I was given the go-ahead to submit my entire manuscript, and the rest is history—or, to be more specific, a historical romance. 😊
It’s hard to choose between two of what I consider the best compliments. The vast majority of reviewers, both on and off Amazon, have said the book is hard to put down. Several others have told me it reminds them of a Hallmark movie.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
The hero’s background is based on my great-grandfather’s story, but I have no knowledge of his personality, or even his appearance. Some of the characters have a certain physical trait, such as a lazy eye, similar to an actual person I met at some point in my life. Otherwise, they are based solely on my imagination.
What do your friends and family think of your writing?
I’m really amazed at how well-received this first novel has been! By the time I had edited and reedited it and reedited it, I wasn’t sure it was any good at all. Regardless, I had it in mind to be a “one and done,” but numerous friends and family members have told me I must write a sequel. I doubt they would go so far as to say that if they truly didn’t think it was good. And reviews from people I don’t know at all have been equally positive.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
While the storyline takes place over 150 years ago, many of the problems the characters face are similar to the ones people face today, as are their ingrained biases. As she proceeds on her journey, Melissa discovers that good and bad cannot be defined by race, color, or gender and that her initial perception of something or someone isn’t always accurate. I would hope a lot of my readers recognize this.
How much of the book is realistic?
The majority of it. I took great pains to ensure that the details I provided were historically accurate. I even researched the etymology of some of the words and phrases my characters used to be certain they would have been used in 1864 in the western territories. (Did you know that the word “grocer” in 1864 referred to a drinking establishment?)
How did your interest in writing originate?
I’ve been writing almost my entire life. My older sister taught me to write my name in cursive before I turned five. Over the years, I have written poetry and short stories, but my lifelong dream was always to write a novel and have it published.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Elizabeth Goudge. She’s not a household name, and I think most of her books are out of print now, but when I read The Child From The Sea, her historical romance about the secret wife of Charles II, I could almost smell the salty sea air. What a gift!
Thank you for joining me today…I enjoyed the interview. Now, please tell us about your book…
Two strangers fleeing their demons. One war-torn frontier that will change them forever.
Excerpt:
A full week had passed since Nat and Melissa were rescued. After loading Nat into a wagon, Alston, Watson Calhoune, and a couple of the calvary, including a medical doctor, accompanied them back to the fort. The remaining calvary attacked the Indian village, burning their teepees in much the same way as the Indians had burnt the wagons. Melissa had heard the soldiers boasting that they had caught the savages by surprise and that most of the braves had been with the village when they had attacked that night. Mrs. Avery had been killed by one of the Indians as she ran screaming toward the rescuers. Melissa wondered about the fate of the old squaw who had taken care of her and the younger woman who had ordered her brother to let Melissa go. Were the white men any kinder in their attack than the Indians had been? Had they spared the women and children? Somehow, she doubted it, and the words of the young Indian woman echoed in her ears. Perhaps all men were savages, regardless of their color, in the throes of battle. The whites were fighting to protect their own as they attempted to make their homes in this wild country. At the same time, the Indians were fighting to protect their lands from the white invasion. And things were hardly better back east where people purported to be more civilized. There, whites fought against whites, brothers and fathers against brothers and fathers. She had heard the rumors of plantations being burned and women raped by the Union soldiers. Horrors of what befell northern women when the rebels gained ground in a battle had not escaped her ears either. While Melissa did not believe in slavery and she had not quite understood it when she had heard her father talking about how the Southern states claimed they were fighting for something called “states’ rights,” she wondered if anything was worth all the bloodshed. Everything had seemed so simple less than a year ago. The North was right; the South was wrong. The whites were righteous in driving the savages from the land they had always inhabited; the savages were, after all, a dirty, inhuman bunch—closer to beasts, really. Such were the beliefs with which she grew up. But the young Indian woman had given her back her freedom, even if out of a sense of repayment for another good deed. Now nothing seemed so black and white anymore.
After spending 25 years in academia, teaching finance and authoring finance textbooks as an independent contractor for major publishing companies, Marianne retired early to devote more time to her lifelong dream: writing a novel and having it published. What Might Have Been, her debut novel, was inspired by the rich history of the Denver, Colorado, area she discovered while living there. She currently resides in western North Carolina and enjoys hearing from her readers. Connect with her through her website: https://marianneplunkert.wixsite.com/marianneplunkert-4.
You can also find her on the following social media sites:
Please help me welcome today’s guest, M. S. Spencer…
Thank you so much for having me today, Alicia! I’d like to introduce you to the setting of my latest mystery, which happens to be my hometown!
Railroad Ties: the Marmion Grove Murders, is the only one of my novels set in my home town and in the house I grew up in. Marmion Grove is modeled after a town near Washington DC. Founded in 1891 next to the B&O railroad line, it was developed as a getaway for DC dwellers during the hot and humid summers. Filled with hundred-year-old trees, including the majestic swamp magnolias, there are no sidewalks and no through streets. Fifty-four houses, including mine, are on the National Register of Historic Places. The town is peopled by a quirky assortment of academics, scientists, and eccentrics. Writing Railroad Ties reminded me of what a great place it was to live.
Another autobiographical detail is my heroine Sophie Childress’s involvement with the Vassar Book Sale. Now closed down, for forty years it was one of the largest and most successful used book sales in the country, raking in an average of $100,000 for scholarships. The sale lasted a week, but preparations, including book pricing, had to be done year-round. Sophie follows in my footsteps to learn rare book evaluation—which draws her into the mystery.
Blurb
When Sophie Childress discovers a letter written in 1920 by the witness to a murder, she enlists Noah Pennyman—owner of the house where it took place—to investigate. Who was the victim? What did the killer do with the body—not to mention a carpetbag full of money? Together they expose a complex web of family ties and lies that has persisted through four generations in the historic village of Marmion Grove. When two more corpses are unearthed, Noah and Sophie are faced with too many victims and not enough murderers.
390 pp; 89,900 words Ebook: $5.99; Print $22.99 Theme(s): Small Town, Mystery, Humorous/Comedy, Cozy Mystery
Excerpt: Sophie and Noah Meet
She parked at the curb, where a hedge of yellow forsythia marked the property line. The front lawn led up to a porch completely engulfed in a reticulated wisteria vine as thick and complex as fine lacework. Halfway up reared an ancient tree, its knobbed and serrated trunk perhaps five feet in diameter. The pendulous branches were the size of fully grown trees and were only kept from falling by a steel chain wrapped around them. Its broad leaves were gigantic. They must be almost two feet long!
As she sat gawking, a pleasant male voice said, “It’s a swamp magnolia. At least a hundred and fifty years old.”
Startled, she knocked her knee on the steering wheel. “Ouch!”
A young man came around the car and peered in her window. “Are you all right?”
She looked up into cornflower blue eyes partially obscured by a shrubbery of sandy hair. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. It’s just… I’ve never seen such big leaves before.”
“We used to use them as dinner plates, but they’re a bitch to wash.” He leaned in. “May I help you?”
She left off gazing at him and shook herself. “Oh. Oh, yes. Is this”—she checked Connie’s directions—“Peveril Hall?”
“It is indeed.”
“Do you live here? I’m supposed to collect a load of books for the Vassar Book Sale.”
“Ah. No. I mean, no, I don’t live here. Anymore. I used to. I grew up here, but I’ve been away a long time.”
“Then you can’t help me?”
“Huh? No! I mean, yes, I can help you. This is my house.”
“But you just said…”
He pointed to his left. “Head on up the driveway there. I’ll meet you out back.” And he loped off across the grass.
Okey doke. Sophie followed a lane along the side of the house to a gravel lot fronting a two-story garage. The backyard was dotted with small buildings. She got out and scanned the area. A small octagonal hut stood near a stately sycamore. Next to it crouched a one-room shanty with a chimney. That must be the servants’ quarters. She looked up at the garage. A huge hook painted green was attached to the wall just under the gable. “I wonder what that’s for.”
Just then the young man came around the corner of the house. “Hey there. I’m Noah, by the way. Noah Pennyman. My mother was the Vassar grad. And you are?”
She took a moment to admire his mobile, angular features. He seemed always on the verge of speaking…or maybe singing. The shock of blond hair fell negligently across his brow. When he shook her hand, a very masculine aroma of citrus and spice enveloped her. She suppressed the urge to inhale. “Sophie Childress. I’m from the—”
“Vassar Book Sale. So you said.” He reached out and flicked her hair. “Nice French braid. I never could figure out how it’s done. Come on inside.”
Librarian, anthropologist, research assistant, Congressional aide, speechwriter, nonprofit director—M. S. Spencer has lived or traveled in five of the seven continents and holds degrees in Anthropology, Middle East Studies, and Library Science. She has published eighteen mystery or romantic suspense novels, and divides her time between the Gulf Coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.
The ghosts of the Pinedale High girls’ volleyball team have been trapped on campus for decades. When Ben Danvers arrives on campus, grieving the death of his twin sister, Beth, the past and present collide. Beth, now a ghost herself, vows to help the trapped players get their justice and recruits her brother’s help. During their investigation, the twins discover that even though it’s been more than forty years since the tragedy, the danger is still very much alive.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Patrick R. Field…
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
I’m a retired Neuroscience professor that has become an author of paranormal horror romantasy in his third act of life. I am originally from Annapolis, Md and currently live in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania with my husband and our pets.
Anything you’d like to tell us about your book?
The Bedfordshire Warlock is my only historical novel, and the story is inspired by the American tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials. The Bedfordshire Warlock follows my novel writing formula of having LGBTQ+ protagonists and LGBTQ+ themes built into the narrative.
My intention for this book is three-fold: 1) What if there were actual witches in colonial Massachusetts during the Salem Trials hysteria?; 2) What if one of the warlocks executed, Elias Doever, was reincarnated 300 years later as a gay man, Dorian Leeves, in the AIDS-era of the early 1990’s?; and 3) What if Dorian had to make a choice between having boundless supernatural powers or the love of his life, Toby Blessing?
This novel required a tremendous amount of historical research as I wanted to capture the era of the Salem witch trials accurately. The novel is also semi-autobiographical as I was a gay graduate student like Dorian during the AIDs-activism era of the 1990s that spurred the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?
I often create the story for each chapter of a novel while I am walking my dogs and then type the outline into my computer as soon as I am able. My website designer refers to it as “walking meditation.”
What books have you read that you wish you had written?
Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice and Horns by Joe Hill.
Do you collect anything?
I collect dolls of all types that have “speculative” origins: Native American Kachina dolls, voodoo poppets, horror-related Barbie and Ken dolls, puppets/marionettes…
What’s your favorite childhood book?
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
What do you want readers to come away with after they read your book?
Another source of the queer perspective in speculative literature that includes horror, paranormal romantasy, and thriller/suspense. A subgenre that’s increasing in visibility slowly but steadily in the marketplace.
What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?
For The Bedfordshire Warlock, I would like Jacob Elordi to play Dorian Leeves and Connor Storrie (of recent Heated Rivalry fame) to play Toby Blessing.
What is your favorite quote?
“Those who teach, must never cease to learn,” by Dano.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
My characters are physical and mental amalgams of parts of myself, traits of people in my life, qualities that I admire in celebrities of all types (actors, scientists, politicians etc.) and fantastical elements.
What do your friends and family think of your writing?
They are astonished that after teaching anatomy and neuroscience for 25 years in higher education that I’m writing paranormal romantasy horror novels from a queer perspective. Completely opposite of what I had to publish while in academia.
Thank you, Patrick…I enjoyed getting to know you!
Excerpt:
The source of light is fire, torches held by arms forming a circle around a stone well. Next to the well, a large, simply designed wooden chair with wide armrests, a wide seat, and a long plank of wood attached to the seat. The plank rests upon a raised beam of wood secured onto a wooden platform with four wooden wheels.
A man in his mid-thirties, wearing filthy breeches, is bound by thick rope on a chair. The rope burns into the naked flesh of his arms and chest as he struggles to break free. His bare feet lie flat on the muddy ground; his toes writhe on the viscous red earth. Dark hair hangs to the nape of his neck, wet and dirty, rogue strands plastered across his forehead and face. Beneath the tendrils of dark hair, there is an attractive face, albeit bruised and brandished with lacerations. Deep cuts scar his short forehead, angular cheekbones, long thin nose, thin lips, and powerful jawline. Dark, piercing eyes focus on the crowd holding the torches. His powerful, well-defined chest transitions into strong sinewy arms; the contours of muscles accentuated by his exertion to break free from the chair. Lacerations on his chest produce small rivulets of blood, coursing over the mounds of muscle and through the narrow valley between his pectoral muscles. Streams of blood flowing from the open wounds of his legs cascade over his feet and onto the ground. He is silent as he bears the pain…
“On this day of the 31st of October, in the year of our Lord 1692, the people of the village of Bedfordshire of the Massachusetts colony hereby accuse Elias Doever of consorting with the Devil. I, Sir William Putnam, constable for the village of Bedfordshire, read the following accusation.
“Let it be known that Elias Doever is accused by the gentle and Christian town folk of Bedfordshire of supernatural acts. Levitation: as witnessed by Goody Mary Parris when she saw Elias Doever raise a broom over his head in his fields without laying his hands on the broomstick and then flying through the air when sitting upon it. Enchantment: as witnessed by Sir William Putnam, when Elias Doever made a man commit acts against his Christian nature, when he seduced John Putnam to perform unspeakable physical acts with him that were against God. Clairvoyance: as witnessed by James Corey when Elias Doever predicted that Goody Elizabeth Corey would give birth to a stillborn child with a monstrous deformity of the spine.
“As has been witnessed, he will be tested by this Christian tribunal to determine if his soul remains within his body. If he has traded his soul to the Devil for the powers of the Devil, he will float to the surface when he is placed into holy water, as he will not be able to endure the grace of our Lord and Savior. If he remains below the water, then his soul is still chaste, untouched by the Devil.”
After 25 years in higher education, Patrick R. Field traded in teaching and textbooks to pursue his passion of spine-chilling fiction writing. Holding a Ph.D. in Anatomical Sciences and Neuroscience, his experience informs his writing, a unique blend of scientific knowledge with supernatural storytelling.
Patrick’s novels are inspired by his favorite authors: Anne Rice, Edgar Allen Poe, and Joe Hill. Not surprisingly, Field enjoys bending and or blending the genres of paranormal fantasy, romantasy, mystery, and horror, with a dash of humor on the side. He also prides himself on the inclusion of LGBTQ+ protagonists in each of his novels to give each of these genres an underrepresented queer perspective.
Field’s first self-published novel, The Malevolent, released in 2021 under his pen name P.F. Roquelaure for academic reasons, was re-released in 2025 by The Wild Rose Press. His latter novels, Servant (2023) and The Bedfordshire Warlock (2024) also published by The Wild Rose Press, were written throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Both Servant and The Bedfordshire Warlock were semi-finalists in the Kindle Book Review Best of Indie in the Horror/Suspense category in 2024, 2025, respectively. Up next, Bloodstone, a M/M romantasy set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina involving pirate lore and blood magic, and a short story The Strange Case of Edgar Delaney, a tale for cat lovers and paranormal fantasy.
Field is represented by the Virginia Kidd Literary Agency.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, my friend and fellow author, Maxine Douglas…
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
I am originally from Wisconsin, born and bred, but my late-husband and I moved to Oklahoma after I retired from my day job after nearly 30 years. I share my home with my shelter cat, turned cover model. Simon. Maybe I should saw Simon’s shares HIS home with me. I have one son, two granddaughters, and two great-grandchildren.
Is there anything you’d like to tell us about how this book came to be?
Deceitful Promises went through a few changes. I went from a story with two mail-order brides and two grooms, to its current version. I just couldn’t wrap my head fully around the original theme, and after brainstorming with a few friends settled on the current storyline. Plus I LOVE The Gilded Age on HBO, and it’s an era that I’d like to write more of.
What do you want readers to come away with after they read Deceitful Promises?
To never give up on love and finding your soulmate. In this story, it’s reconnecting with your soulmate. Sometimes fiction imitates life.
What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?
Actually, three of the main characters in Deceitful Promises were all inspired by actors in The Gilded Age: Louisa Jacobson as Clara Wakefield, Kelley Curran as Lydia Blackwell, and Harry Richardson as Larry Sanford. And last but not least, Anderson Reimer as Kit Dawson.
Would you rather have a bad review or no review?
I’d rather have a bad review simply because I know the book was read, or at least I hope it was. As a rule, I believe reading a book is subjective to the reader. Not every reader gets the same experience in their journey.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?
Tough question! I would want plenty of paper and pencils, as well as the good book.
Have you written any other books that are not published?
Yes! I am currently writing a small-town cozy mystery that is due to be released in April 2026. In Art of Deception The Art of Deception every masterpiece tells a story—this one whispers murder. I will also be working on my second Friday the 13th story title Lighthouse Cove set to be released on November 13, 2026.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
When I first started writing way back when, I wrote what I knew and the people knew. Now I’d like to think that as much as my characters and their situations are fictional, they do carry a bit of me in them somewhere.
What do your friends and family think of your writing?
My family is very supportive, even if they haven’t read any of my books. My brothers and my son said they don’t want to know what goes on in my creative brain. LOL Several friends continuously buy and read my books, which warms my heart in the best way possible.
Your favorite…
Movie I have so many it’s hard to choose just one, but I do enjoy the Hallmark movies from time-to-time.
Music Country or classic rock from the 1960s-1990s
Place you’ve visited My late-husband and I travelled the US a lot from coast to coast.
TV show from childhood Walt Disney’s Zorro was my first Bonafide hero!
TV show from adulthood The Gilded Age, Outlander, Bridgerton, to name a few.
Sports team Why the Green Bay Packers and the Wisconsin Badgers Football
Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? LOL All three!
This Christmas, in the heart of the frontier, promises can deceive—but love never lies.
When Kit Dawson asked for an early Christmas gift to find his way in the newly developed Unassigned Lands, he didn’t anticipate that Lydia Blackwell, a bride hand-picked by his father, would arrive expecting to immediately become his wife. Nor that a woman from his past, lady detective Clara Wakefield, on the trail of a suspected fraudster, would also land on his doorstep.
Secrets, misunderstandings, and unforeseen circumstances test and challenge them all to face their deepest desires and find the true meaning of love.
Did Santa know Kit’s dreams would clash with harsh realities, love, secrets, and unforeseen alliances?
Excerpt:
Late Fall, 1889
Wildwood, Unassigned Lands
Kit brushed off Larry’s warning once again. He knew time was of the essence to do the one thing he was far from ready to do. Find a wife and get married before his father tried to force him to come home and marry some socially acceptable woman he’d chosen for him.
“I suppose I’ve got to find someone suitable to marry,” Kit answered, looking at the landscape painting he’d been working on. Painting had been his passion in college. Here in an untouched world in comparison to New York City, it had grown, giving him peace.
“You know your father will choose for you since you’ve held up your end of the financial bargain.” Larry shook his head. “And just so you know, you’ve only got ninety days.”
“Not really enough time to fall in love with the lucky lady,” Kit muttered under his breath, adding a stroke of light blue to the canvas. Unless he finds the only one who had his heart, he’ll have to settle for companionship with someone else. “Falling in love doesn’t happen every day, my friend.”
Dawson Residence
East 61st Street
New York City
Madame Harper walked with natural grace over to the settee, sitting on the very edge of the cushion. She’d been a woman well brought up to advance in society, and she had done just that for the most part.
“I heard from your son just this morning. I received a telegram instructing me to send my selection per his instructions,” Madame Harper said, smoothing a wrinkle from her skirt. “I have Miss Blackwell, per your directive, with me. I trust it is time to send her to your son.”
“Is she agreeable to the arrangement then?” Oscar asked, hovering over one of the wingback chairs before sitting down.
“She is, understandably, hesitant and suspicious, but eager,” Madama Harper replied. “However, given her somewhat sketchy background I am convinced that she comprehends the benefit that awaits her by accepting the arrangement. Unless, of course, you find her unsuitable given her reputation.”
“I would like to talk with her alone, if you don’t mind,” Oscar said, getting up and ringing for Lewis. “I must make sure there isn’t any chance of this plan going astray.”
“Of course, I’ve done all that you’ve asked; the rest is up to you now, Mr. Dawson,” Madame Harper said, as the butler opened the door.
Madame Harper relinquished her seat, pausing only a moment before following Lewis out the door. “This is your chance, Lydia,” she suggested, turning and nodding to Oscar.
It was all Oscar needed. He’d get this little bird to bend to his will before Mrs. King arrived with the coffee.
“Miss Blackwell, please have a seat,” Oscar offered, motioning to the settee Madame Harper had just vacated.
“Mr. Dawson, I understand you have a proposition for me?” Lydia asked, the lavender silk rustling as she crossed the floor. “I’d rather get down to business, as I understand time is of the essence.”
Award-winning author, Maxine Douglas writes in many genres and found a love for western historical romance. A Wisconsin native, Maxine resides in Oklahoma. While Maxine may miss her family and friends in the north, she loves the mild winters Oklahoma has to offer.
Having found love in 2001 and then losing the love of her life in 2018 to cancer, Maxine hasn’t given up on believing in true love. She hopes that she expresses that feeling with every story she brings to life through her writing.
Maxine is a current member of the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. and its affiliations Central Region Oklahoma Writers and Oklahoma Romance Writers Guild. She is also a member of the Romance Writers of American, The Friends of the Chickasha Public Library, and serves as a Board Member on the Chickasha Area Arts Council.
It’s almost Halloween…so it’s time to grab some spooky reads…
If you want it to stay buried, bury it deep
A Friday the 13th Story, Series #7
by Alicia Dean
Genre: Horror
A tragic accident…
A fateful decision…
A horrific weekend they won’t soon forget…
Everet Holcomb is cheating with his sister-in-law, Blair, and the two sneak off for an illicit out of town getaway. While driving down a dark country road, they hit something and are horrified to discover they’ve killed a young woman. Panicked, they bury the body instead of calling the police, knowing if their spouses learn of their affair, they’ll lose everything.
When Everet’s son brings his new girlfriend home for his college graduation celebration, they notice that something about her seems…off. The odor of dirt emanates from her, but Everet and Blair are the only ones who can smell it. And when Everet almost chokes to death for no apparent reason, they start to wonder…have their misdeeds come back to haunt them?
A Friday the 13th Short Story: 13 authors ~ 13 suspenseful stories. Murder and mayhem on Friday the 13th…with a new collection released every year!
Excerpt:
Corbin guided her in with a hand at the small of her back. “Everyone, this is Mila Blackburn. Mila, meet my mom Madlyn my dad Everet, my Uncle Grady and Aunt Blair and my annoying sister Ariana.”
“Hey, jerk.” Ariana laughed and stuck out her hand. “I’m so happy to meet you. I’m excited you’re here. There’s so much to do, boating and swimming and kayaking and all kinds of things. You’re going to love it.”
Madlyn laughed. “Give the girl some breathing room, Ariana.” She held out her hand. “I’m Madlyn, Corbin’s mother. So pleased you could join us.”
The others introduced themselves, then it was Everet’s turn. He took the girl’s hand, and a shiver raced over his body. Her flesh was ice-cold, even though it was a warm June day. An odor emanated from her…something unpleasant…like damp earth.
Like the dirt they’d buried the poor girl in…
He shook himself mentally. It was just his guilty conscience. This girl was probably about the same age and was similar in size and coloring.
He went to pull back his hand, but her grip tightened almost imperceptibly, and he met her dark eyes. Something seemed to lurk in their fathomless debts. Some kind of secret knowledge…or accusation. He wanted to look away, but was unable to. Light flickered in the brown orbs and he saw a flash of a scene…just a brief moment but he could swear it was there. Headlights shining on trees, the glint of moonlight. Two figures—one thrusting a shovel into the dirt, the other holding a flashlight. The smell of dirt assailed him and, for a moment, he couldn’t breathe.
Author Alicia Dean hails from Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain, (sometimes gusting and twisting and ravaging down the plain…) She is from Moore, affectionately known as Tornado Alley, but now lives in Edmond.
She’s always wanted to be a writer and wrote her first romance at the ripe old age of ten. She still has the tattered, pencil-written copy of ‘Just Pretend,’ titled after one of her favorite Elvis Presley songs and featuring a hero who looks JUST like Elvis. (Have you guessed, she’s an Elvis fan?)
Other than reading and writing, her passions are Elvis Presley, MLB, NFL (she usually works in a mention of one or all three into her stories) and watching (or rewatching) her favorite televisions shows like Dexter, Vampire Diaries, Justified, and Breaking Bad. Some of her favorite authors are Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, Lee Child, Lisa Gardner, Ridley Pearson, and Jonathan Kellerman…to name a few.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Meg Benjamin…
Jam, Jam, and More Jam
It all started because I was being a conscientious writer. The heroine of my Luscious Delights cozy mystery series (The Tomato Jam Murder, Book 6, is available now) has a jam business she runs out of her home in the Colorado mountains. I figured if I wanted to write about Roxy Constantine’s cooking, I needed to try making jam myself. There’s only so much you can learn by watching YouTube videos, after all.
Fortunately for me, the first book in the series was The Pepper Peach Murder. Although I didn’t know it at the time, peach jam is dead easy to make. Unlike strawberries, peaches are simple to cut up. Unlike apples, they don’t need to be peeled. And unlike blackberries, they cook down easily and quickly. My first jars of peach jam were luscious, much tastier than the peach jam you buy in stores. I know now that’s because most of the jam I make is refrigerator jam, which goes straight from the jam pot to the freezer—well, I let it cool down first—retaining its fresh fruit flavor. Anyway, I was hooked. And I wanted to make more jam, lots more, of many, many different types.
I’ve tried making most of the jams Roxy makes in the Luscious Delights books, including tangerine marmalade (book 3), which is a real pain. Marmalade requires cooking down both the fruit and the rind, which has to be sliced into ribbons and added back to the jam. Tasty, but labor intensive. Like Roxy I’ve also done a lot of jam research for future books. Carrot marmalade, on the other hand, was a lot easier. This was a jam developed during the Depression when citrus fruit was too expensive for a lot of households. It sounds like a mess, but it’s actually very tasty, with a unique sort of flavor that comes from the combination of grated carrots and lemon juice. Roxy will make it in a future book where she’s trying to come up with a winter flavor. I recently stumbled upon chocolate raspberry jam, which is yummy and doubles as a dessert sauce. I’m not sure when Roxy will make it, but trust me, she will.
Not all the jams work out, either for me or for Roxy. The tomato jam, for example, never quite comes together. Roxy’s worried about ending up with ketchup, and the tomato jam I made really did have a ketchupy flavor. I had a hard time using it up, too, since my hubs really isn’t a fan of ketchup glaze on meatloaf. Wine jelly (book 5) was another jam that I probably won’t make again. It’s pretty, but it tastes a little odd on your morning toast. Roxy made if as a wedding favor, and it made sense.
There are also a couple of jams I haven’t made even though Roxy made them. Pumpkin butter (book 2) just didn’t excite me—I’m not a pumpkin fan. And Roxy makes a special rose petal jam for her Significant Other in The Pepper Peach Murder. I love the sound of it, and I do have a recipe. But gathering rose petals from our very thorny rose bushes has always seemed like more than I wanted to take on.
Jam making has lots of benefits. I’ve now got enough jam in the freezer to tide us over until spring when the first strawberry crops come in. The smells that fill the kitchen while I’ve got the jam pot on the stove are enticing, and the tastes are even better. It gives me a great excuse to visit farmers markets and farmstands in the summer, and I’ve always got a tasty hostess gift on hand. And like I said, it’s dead easy to do. No kidding. Refrigerator jam is just fruit, sugar, and lemon juice.
Finally, it’s given me a great heroine with a delicious occupation.
Roxy’s spending her summer with burros and jam, but there’s a murderer in the mountains.
Excerpt:
“Peggy Sue, don’t you dare!”
Peggy Sue turned soulful brown eyes on my friend Laurel Beacham, who was a few feet behind her. She looked like she really, really wanted to go through the gate leading to Laurel’s front yard.
“Peggy Sue, you listen to me.”
Peggy Sue took another tentative step forward. Clearly, she was weighing just how much trouble she’d be in if she kept going. The gate to the front yard of Laurel’s cabin was slightly ajar and Peggy Sue would likely be able to step through it in just a moment or two. On the other hand, based on her tone of voice, Laurel clearly meant business.
“Peggy Sue, I will lock you in the barn, so help me.”
Peggy Sue gave her another of those tragic looks that conveyed, How can you be considering something so cruel? So inhumane? All I want is some grass. And it’s just sitting there.
Laurel picked up her pace, but she was still a little far away from the gate. I, on the other hand, was right there. I quickly stepped forward just as Peggy Sue started to push the gate open. I gave it a quick shove so that the latch caught, and the gate snapped closed.
Peggy Sue stared up at me, eyes narrowing. I had no idea if donkeys bit people who annoyed them, and I didn’t want to find out. I stepped back. “Sorry, Peggy Sue, but I think you were about to get into a space where you aren’t allowed.”
Laurel moved forward and grabbed the burro’s halter. “Oh, she was definitely heading for a space where she isn’t allowed. And she knows it full well.” She pulled Peggy Sue away from the fence. Shaking her head, the burro gave my friend a look that should have broken the strongest heart. She had some of the longest eyelashes I’d ever seen, along with those great big brown eyes. Puppy eyes are nothing compared to burro eyes.
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.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Rubén Lozano…
I’m Rubén Lozano, the hero from Amber Daulton’s dark romance novel, Lost in His Spiderwebs. I don’t feel comfortable calling myself “hero.” That doesn’t fit me. Not at all. I’m an anti-hero, a villain with a decent side. If you’re someone I like, I can be a good guy toward you. Nice, funny, generous. If we’re enemies, then watch your back. That’s the only warning you’ll get.
Today, I’m going to talk about my career. I’m the leader of the Lozano Cartel, one of the oldest cartels in Mexico. It’s dark, deadly, dangerous—just like me. Being the boss is messy, and only the most fearless can survive it.
As a child, I was the forgotten second son. Papá focused all of his attention on my older brother, corrupting him and turning him into a monster. Even though I was raised in luxury, it came at a price—blood. Anyone who crossed the path of a Lozano had to pay. Everything I have, I earned with my fists. Or a knife, gun, machete—I’m not picky when it comes to weapons. Unlike my best friend, Enrique. He loves his damn blades. Anyway, I’m the third generation of Lozanos to rule the cartel, so I have some big shoes to fill. I took command last year after Papá died. My father and grandfather who ruled before me would turn over in their graves if they knew about the changes I was making to the cartel infrastructure.
No more unnecessary killing.
No more targeting civilians.
Do business as peacefully as possible.
Shed blood only when you run out of other options.
These changes aren’t popular with some of my underlings, but as the boss, they have no choice but to obey me. At least, that’s how it should be. One of my councilmen, Alroy Tenorio, and his flunkies are causing problems. A civil war brewing. With Enrique and my core group of trusted friends and confidants at my side, I’m more than capable of handling betrayers, but I’m distracted. Before you ask, yes, I’m distracted because of a damn woman.
Drina Cabrera.
Dios mío. My God. That gorgeous, infuriating woman will be the death of me. I keep thinking about her when I should be worrying about Tenorio stabbing me in the back. She’s wicked, fearless, and all mine. When I’m with her, I feel like I can do anything, accomplish any goal, become the man I was destined to be. The thought of losing her guts me. She shouldn’t have so much power over me, but here I am, telling you this when I need to staple my mouth shut. I need a son to carry on my legacy. But I want a queen, a woman to rule at my side, to advise me in tough situations. That woman is Drina. She just needs to let her down guard and accept my darker side into her life.
I’m nothing if not determined. Drina will be mine forever. The cartel will thrive under my leadership. For those who think to take either from me, think again. I’m not a man to trifle with.
Readers, if you want to know more about my business and my relationship with Drina, pick up a copy of Lost in His Spiderwebs. It’s a dark, angsty ride, so be prepared.
The cartel king has finally found his queen.
Kidnapped by the enemy. Bought by the jefe. Will his smoldering touch thaw her frozen heart?
Rubén Lozano, the new leader of the Lozano Cartel, craves peace amidst a legacy of bloodshed and death. He never expected to find his ex-lover, Drina Cabrera, in the clutches of his vicious rivals. Her haunted eyes compel him to rescue her, but freeing her is another matter.
After five months of captivity, Drina trades one captor for another. Though she succumbs to Rubén’s masterful touch, the bittersweet memory of her daughter and the life she was stolen from is a constant wedge between them.
When Rubén’s darkest secret comes out, he will have to wash his hands in crimson. Will Drina let her king face the danger alone, or stand at his side as his cartel queen?
–Book two in the dark romance series, the Lozano Cartel. All the books can be read as a standalone, but are part of an interconnected series.
Excerpt:
“Smile,” Rubén told her. “It’s showtime.”
She nodded and lifted her chin, wincing a little in the flashing camera lights.
As three hand-picked paparazzi snapped pictures of him and Drina from all angles, Rubén counted to thirty before he steered Drina past them to the music room.
“Wow,” Drina murmured as they passed the piano for the ballroom.
A massive chandelier gleamed from the lofty ceiling, its decorative crystals reflecting the soft white light and dancing spots across the ivory walls and the chattering, laughing guests. The live band played instrumental music at the far end of the rectangular room, where Esme’s team had set up fancy tables and chairs for the speech and dinner portion of the evening.
“Why do you keep this room locked up? It’s magnificent.”
He shrugged. “It’s a bitch to clean.”
His blunt answer steepled Drina’s eyebrows. “My, what consideration. I’m sure the housekeeping staff appreciates it,” she teased and pulled him onto the dance floor alongside several other couples. “Let’s dance.”
As her arms slid around his shoulders, he rested his hands on her waist. Her body heat and strawberry aroma enveloped him. Groaning, he gripped the thick fabric of her dress so hard that it bunched and the band of his rings bit into his skin. She rested her head against his chest, and her hair teased his nose. They swayed, lost in each other as though they were the only people around. A foolish notion, one he shouldn’t revel in. If he did, he would ravage her on the floor.
“You have a good turnout,” she murmured while he twirled her about. She spun back into his embrace. “Are any of these people your friends?”
“Hardly.” This was his world. Glamour, power, prestige. The public mask he wore to hide his sinister nature. “You’re swimming in dangerous waters. The sooner you realize I can buy and discard all these sharks and guppies with a flick of my wrist, the better off you’ll be.”
“I’m well aware you’re king of the sharks.”
He snorted, holding her closer. “You’re a barracuda. Lithe grace and sharp teeth.”
“Ooh, I like that.” She nipped at his chin. “I’ll never be a guppy.”
Damn right. As the song ended, he guided her off the dance floor. Duty called.
Amber Daulton is the author of the Lozano Cartel, the Arresting Onyx, the Embracing You, and the Ramseys in Time series, as well as several standalone novellas. Her books are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Randy Overbeck…
1 – My parents’ divorce—When I was 12, my dad left and my mom had to raise six boys, ages 6 to 18. (I was the middle child.) Although those times were difficult and challenging, they caused me to grow up faster and I learned the importance of responsibility.
2 – First teaching job—I was just 21 when I got my first, real adult job, what I had trained for and dreamed of. What a change, a city boy uprooted to a small rural town and school district. My days consisted of eight-hour school days and my nights of six hours of prep and grading. I loved it and decided this was what I wanted to do with my life, help kids learn and maybe achieve better lives.
3 – Getting married—A few months later, I married my high school sweetheart. Though we had dated for five years, starting life together was an interesting challenge in a new small town, on our own. I guess it worked. 54 years later, we’ll still married with three kids and seven grandkids.
4 – Birth of our daughter—My wife and I always knew we wanted to be parents and when our daughter came, I couldn’t believe how happy I was. Life pivoted with late night feedings and diaper changes. Our lives now revolved around her—and her two brothers who followed—and we loved it.
5 – College job—Even though I enjoyed teaching high school, I always thought I’d make a great college prof. I got my chance at age 29 and thrived at Morehead State University, teaching and advising students and working with my colleagues. But it was not to last.
6 – Lost my college job—I hadn’t realized it at the time but my college position had been funded with a federal grant and, after three years, the grant expired. Just like that I was unemployed in a different state, with no job, a wife and three kids to feed. But that loss changed the trajectory of my career. It took 60 applications and four interviews all over the country but I made the jump and got my first administrative position. It led me on a path where I ended up running four different school districts as superintendent and assistant superintendent for the next 28 years.
7 – Earned a Ph.D.—Even as a young man, I yearned to obtain a doctorate and finally made it at the age of 46, a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership. The doctoral program caused me to grow as an educator and person, and helped me think differently about education, leadership and my responsibility in the world.
8 – My first book published—In 2011, I retired and turned my attention to my second love—after serving kids—and had my first novel published, LEAVE NO CHILD BEHIND. It did okay—won Thriller of Year from ReadersFavorite.com—and the writing bug bit me bad.
9 – Signing with Wild Rose Press—After working with a very small press for my first book, I wanted to find a more stable home for my fiction. In 2017, I found WRP or rather they signed me. And I found the Rose Garden, a supportive group of fellow writers who helped answer my questions and provided support. They nurtured my writing bug and encouraged me to keep at it.
10 – Literary agent contract—Even though working with WRP with my last five novels has been a rewarding experience, I’ve wanted to have a chance at the “big boys” and I needed to persuade an agent my writing was at that level. This past month I signed with Stonesong Agency for my new historical suspense. At this point, I hope this is a moment that will change my life going forward.
Praise for Red Shadows at Saugatuck:
“One of the finest books ever written! A paranormal mystery that stole my soul and took my breath away.” 5++Stars—N.N. Light Book Heaven
“Complex and Captivating…mesmerized from the first page to the very last one.” 5 Stars—ReadersFavorite.com
“Overbeck is a dominant storyteller. A must read book and series.”—Still Moments Magazine
“A gripping tale of finding justice for a missing Native American teen…Overbeck kept me turning pages well into the night.”—John DeDakis, author of Fake and Senior CNN Editor for “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.”
“Thoughtful, deeply human, and low key terrifying. I recommend it readers who like their readers to feel something, not just guess whodunnit.” 5 Stars and Gold Award Winner—Literary Titan
“An exciting adventure bristling with suspense…a page turner until the very end.”—ReaderViews.com
“The mystery and suspense kept the story engaging, not to mention the numerous twists that kept popping up. I can’t wait to read more in the Haunted Shores Mysteries Series and discover what mystery awaits. I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Red Shadows at Saugatuck today!”—The Avid Reader
Blurb:
Darrell Henshaw hoped he was past it all. After all, no ghosts had visited him for years. Instead, he learns his five-year-old-son, Leo has inherited his “gift.”
Now, they both can see ghosts.
This time, Darrell drives his young family 800 miles to celebrate his Aunt Gertrude’s 80th birthday. But, once in the resort town of Saugatuck, Michigan, their participation gets derailed by the spirit of a Native teen who went missing weeks earlier. When he and Leo inquire about the girl, the locals dismiss their concerns—”Those girls run away all the time.” Still, as questions pile up and threats grow, Darrell senses they may have stumbled onto something far worse and even more evil than one missing teen.
Can Darrell continue to pursue justice for the girl if it places his wife and five-year-old son in danger?
Excerpt:
Darrell knew what was happening, or he thought he did. Sheila—er, rather her ghost—was leaving breadcrumbs and he was supposed to follow them. He followed his son’s gaze and saw the kids playing on the gazebo. He watched as a long, sleek motorboat, painted white with a rainbow stripe down the side, glided silently down the Kalamazoo River, no doubt headed for Lake Michigan. To the left, a man and a woman headed toward a building painted in a scene reminiscent of Monet or Seurat. When they disappeared inside, he realized it was likely a set of restrooms.
“There she is!” Leo pointed at the restroom building.
Darrell looked in time to see the back of a girl with long black hair walk past the gaily painted building and disappear out of sight beyond the structure.
“Come on,” Leo urged.
Before Darrell could stop him, Leo took off running in that direction. Darrell hustled after him, Erin’s hurried footsteps right behind. When his son made it past the structure, he stopped, glancing around. Ahead of them, a young family sat together on a blanket, the mother holding up a baby and the father shaking a toy in front of the infant. A pair of teens were throwing a frisbee, one tossing it in long arcs across the green grass while a second ran to catch it, often in an acrobatic stunt. On the boardwalk along the water, an elderly couple sat together, still gazing out to the water, probably the same pair who’d been there when they boarded the ferry. A second wooden bench sat empty.
He brought his gaze back to his son, whose head looked like it was on a swivel.
Then Leo turned and looked behind him, his eyes going wide. “She must’ve gone in there.” His gaze swung to his mom. “Can you go in and check?”
Confusion bloomed on Erin’s features. Darrell realized she wouldn’t want to let her son down but she knew she wouldn’t be able to see Sheila’s ghost. Why would Sheila even go inside the restroom building? Erin’s gaze went from Darrell to her son. A small smile appeared on her face.
“Sure. I can go check.” She patted her son’s shoulder. “Probably a good idea to go to the bathroom anyway.” She placed a soft hand on Leo’s cheek. “Why don’t you and Dad go do the same while I check this out?”
Darrell took his son’s hand. “Sounds like a good idea. We’ll meet you right back here in…five minutes?”
Erin glanced over at the restroom entrance as three women opened the door and went inside. “Better give me ten minutes.” She looked down at her son. “If I find Sheila in there, it might be better to talk with her in private first.”
“Got it. See you here in a few.”
Darrell pulled Leo to the other door. He practically had to drag his son who wanted to keep his eyes focused on the door to the women’s restroom. But, when they got inside the men’s, Leo was dancing from foot to foot.
“You need to go one or two?”
Leo glanced up at him. “Both.”
When they got inside, Darrell’s gaze made a sweep of the small lavatory. A row of urinals and two stalls and he was relieved to find them both open. And they were alone, at least for the moment. Inside the first, he helped Leo get situated. “You want me to stay? You want my help?”
Leo looked up at his dad like he was crazy. “I’m a big guy. I can do this myself.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll be in right next door.” Darrell backed out, closed the door, making sure it wouldn’t lock. Then he sat down in the next stall.
Darrell tried to figure out how he was going to handle this. Now, he had little choice. He was going to have to tell his young five-year-old son about the ugly side of life, at least some of it.
The sound of a flush interrupted his train of thought. It was close.
“Leo? You done?”
Another flush released a loud rush of water drowning out his son’s words.
“What? Leo, you okay?”
“I’m fine, Dad,” his son answered.
Darrell started, “Okay, stay there—” but his words were swallowed by the deafening sound of air rushing out of the dryer.
Darrell tried yelling over the cacophony. “Leo, just stay there and I’ll be right there.”
The blast of air covered most of what his son said. He thought he heard “outside” through the air noise. Darrell hurried his efforts, pulling his pants up, flushing the toilet and exited the stall. His gaze darted around. No Leo. He called, “Leo!” and listened. No answer.
God, he needed to get out there, check on Leo. He looked at his hands and the faucet. He had to wash them, had to. Turning the spigot, he splashed soap on his fingers and ran his hands under the running water. He leaned over and turned off both handles with his elbows. He stepped over to the now finally silent air dryer. He couldn’t take time for that and wiped his hands on his tan shorts as he hurried out the door, gaze darting around. No Leo. He looked at the “women’s door.
“Leo!” he screamed.
His head swiveled like it was on a pivot, right, left, right, left. Same family on a blanket and the young dad’s gaze met his. Two teens still tossing frisbee. The elderly couple hadn’t moved. The speedboat had disappeared. He glanced back toward Water Street and saw a few tourists drifting in and out of shops across the street. Three cars rolled past without stopping.
Oh, God. No bright red T-shirt.
About the Author:
Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author, speaker and podcaster. As an educator, he served children for more than three decades and has mined that experience to create captivating fiction, authoring two series, the bestselling series, “The Haunted Shores Mysteries,” and the award-winning series, “Lessons in Peril.” His novels have won critical acclaim and garnered national awards including Mystery of the Year (ReaderViews) Best BookAward (Chanticleer Books and Reviews) and the Gold Award (Literary Titan) and amassed hundreds of 5-star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. Dr. Overbeck also hosts the popular podcast, “Great Stories about Great Storytellers,” which reveals the unusual and sometimes strange backstories of famous authors, directors and poets and can be heard wherever listeners get their podcasts. He is a speaker in considerable demand, sharing his popular presentations about ghosts and the world of book publishing with hundreds of audiences all over the U.S.
As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop.
When he’s not researching, writing, speaking or podcasting, Randy enjoys traveling with his wife Cathy and visiting both his far-flung family and the scenic locations around this country, often in search of inspiration for his next great story.
Author Alicia Dean 