Tag Archives: award-winning author

December 16, 2025 · 7:25 am

Author Interview with Maxine Douglas ~ Deceitful Promises ~ American Historical Romance

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.”

Buy links:

Amazon KU US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPGL6NCT

Amazon KU UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FPGL6NCT

Print: https://books2read.com/u/baQRp8

Goodreads: Deceitful Promises by Maxine Douglas | Goodreads

BookBub: Deceitful Promises by Maxine Douglas – BookBub

About the Author:

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.

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September 1, 2025 · 5:39 am

Author Interview with Meg Benjamin ~ New Release: The Wine Jelly Murder #CozyMystery

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Meg Benjamin…

What book have you read that you wish you had written?

Right now I’m obsessed with J.D. Robb’s Eve Dallas series. J.D. Robb is, of course, Nora Roberts writing under a different name. The Dallas books are detective stories set in the near future, and my fascination comes from the way Robb/Roberts juggles all the plot elements. Dallas is a quirky, introverted, solitary type who improbably marries an Irish billionaire but continues to work as a homicide cop. The books usually have simultaneous romance and crime plots, as well as a host of eccentric supporting characters you get to know as you go along. I love them, and I can only wish I had Roberts’s gift for creating lively plots and characters you care about.

Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?

Once upon a time I taught English and writing at Enormous State University in Texas. I’d always wanted to be a college professor, from the time I was a little girl, so it represented a dream job in a way. There were things about it I loved and things about it I didn’t, but I will say it taught me to establish a writing routine (publish or perish is real), which has stuck with me to this day.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read The Wine Jelly Murder?

I hope you’ll enjoy the story and get involved in the characters’ lives. The great thing about writing a series with the same characters is the way you can show them growing and changing. I try to do that, and I hope readers will want to find out more about Roxy and her friends and family. There are five books in the series available now, with a sixth on the way in January.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

I love, love, love regency romances, but I doubt that I’ll ever write one, just because they require so much research and attention to historical detail. But I’ll admit I actually created a regency-style hero in one of my paranormal series: The Folk. Prince Bertie comes as close to being a regency character as I’m likely to get, and I loved creating him. I hope I get a chance to revisit that world and bring Bertie back for a few more adventures.

What character in your book are you least likely to get along with?

I hate to admit it but I probably wouldn’t get along with the Shavano, Colorado, police chief, Ethan Fowler. Don’t get me wrong: I like Fowler a lot. But he’s the closest thing to an alpha male in the Luscious Delights series, and alpha males usually make me nervous. Plus he’s got that chief of police thing going on, which heightens the nervous factor. So although he’s a nice guy deep down, he’d probably not be a bestie.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

Back in the day, I used to go to RWA and RT conventions (both of them now defunct), and at one of them a friend and I recognized Jo Beverly standing by herself at a publisher’s reception. Jo Beverly, if you don’t know, was a terrific English regency writer and one of the publisher’s stars. My friend and I went up and introduced ourselves, and I told her I was a big fan. Beverly, who was probably in her seventies at that point, was very nice and told us she was a little nervous about the length of her skirt (sort of a mini, but not really). “You’re rockin’ it,” my friend told her. And she was.

How did you come up with the title?

I always name my books after a jam Roxy is struggling with in the story. This time I had to come up with something that was both festive (it’s for a wedding) and appropriate for the holidays. After rejecting a lot of cranberry possibilities, I went with wine jelly.

Weddings can be murder, and Roxy’s trying not to be the next victim.

Roxy Constantine and Nate Robicheaux are into weddings, both for work and family. But when the obnoxious father of the bride is murdered at the engagement party, they find out more about his business than they bargained for.

Now someone wants to stop Roxy from investigating even as she pulls out all the stops on a super New Year’s Eve wedding celebration for her uncle.

She’ll need more than wine jelly favors and wedding cake to stop the killer.

Excerpt:

As I stepped onto the landing, I heard something that sounded like a sob. “Did you hear that?”

“What?”

“That sound. It was over…” As I started across the landing toward the stairs, I heard another sob, much louder this time, coming from the stairs leading down to the lower floor. “Is anybody there?” I called.

“Roxy?” It sounded like Thalia, but a very different Thalia from the normal, terrifyingly efficient woman we’d been working with. I stepped quickly to the landing and peered toward the lower floor.

And saw Thalia Rosenberg leaning over Emerson Pollack, who lay spread-eagled on the concrete floor.

From where I stood, he looked very dead.

I ran down the steps. The stairwell was very dark although the light from above streamed down on Pollack’s body where it lay. Nate was at my heels.

Thalia knelt beside Pollack, her face the color of the snow still falling outside. “We need to call an ambulance,” she said. “He’s…hurt.”

Judging by the way Pollack was splayed on the floor, I didn’t think an ambulance would do much good. I put my hand on her shoulder. “Come on, Thalia. Step away from him now.”

Nate had climbed up the stairs and was now speaking urgently into his phone. I heard the words “accident” and “serious injuries,” which might well be true, as far as the “serious injuries” went. I was less certain about the “accident” part.

Thalia looked like she might faint or have hysterics, neither of which I wanted to deal with right then.

She leaned toward me, her brown eyes huge in her pale face. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “My God. He’s dead, isn’t he?”

Buy link(s):

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FCVCRC6S/thewildrosepr-20

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wine-jelly-murder-meg-benjamin/1147592049?ean=2940184558462

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-wine-jelly-murder/id6747186348

About the Author:

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

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meg.benjamin1/ (personal)

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063609878239 (author)

Instagram: @meg_benjamin

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@meg_benjamin

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/meg-benjamin.bsky.social

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2869971.Meg_Benjamin

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/meg-benjamin

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/megbenjamin/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Meg-Benjamin/author/B0030F12FY?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@megbenjamin1396

Website: http://www.MegBenjamin.com/

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July 14, 2025 · 9:07 am

10 Moments That Changed My Life with Lynda Rees ~ New Release: The Attic

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Lynda Rees, The Murder Guru, with…

1.         In our tiny coal mining town near Hazard, Kentucky, every man I knew was either a coal miner or a retired miner. My first memories are of moving into a bigger house than the two-room cottage we lived in. I recall vividly asking my dad about a conversation he and my uncle had as they moved our furniture inside. He explained what a president was and that Eisenhour had been elected the new one. This sparked my interest in the world outside of our home.

2.         Mommy disappeared for a few days and thrilled me when she returned with my new infant  brother. In my mind Ernie was my baby, though I was only four-years old at the time. We are forever connected in our souls, though he is no longer on this earth.

3.         As a child, I was free to roam the hills and holler where we lived. The neighbors were family and friends. I knew to beware of rattlesnakes and copperheads but had no fear of anything or anyone. My days consisted of visits to the homes of friends and family, finally ending at my grandparents’ farm, where I followed and learned from them as we did whatever chores made up their schedule.

4.         At the age of four, I learned to read with my grandpa, Daddy Lida, sitting on the porch, each of us deep into our Bibles. He was infinitely patient when I asked him to explain confusing words.

5.         We moved to Indiana for a summer when I was five. I had my first experience riding a bus instead of walking the mile to school in my Kentucky home. Indianapolis was my first big city. Suddenly confined to a tiny yard and not allowed to venture on my own, I learned I should be wary of strangers. It was a shock to me.

6.         We moved to Cincinnati when I was in the third grade. Talk about culture shock! I became ‘the new kid’ with a funny accent. I learned if you laugh at yourself, others stop bullying you and give you a chance to become friends.

7.         I fell in love with the boy across the street. He was a few years older and didn’t notice me until my pigtails were gone and I developed a girlish figure. He nearly scared me to death when after our first date, he told his mother he was going to marry me someday. He wasn’t wrong. Hunky Hubby and I have been happily married for fifty-two years.

8.         I’d given up on being a mother when I became pregnant. The births of my miracle son and sixteen months later my beautiful daughter were the most wonderful days of my life. I’ve achieved many notable things in my lifetime, but raising my family has been the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done. They are my heart.

9.         I am so fortunate. My children are the best people I know. They also graced me with the greatest gift ever—three grandchildren, each bringing their own special gifts.

10.       Writing is my second career. After thirty-six years in the corporate world as a marketing and global transportation manager in a Fortune 500 company, I turned my focus to publishing my stories. My biggest thrills:

1) A fan told me she was on a waiting list at the library to read my newest publication.

2) A fan told me she reads every book I write, and that I have changed her life for the better. Wow! What a compliment. It humbles me.

GIVEAWAY!!! I would love to provide a reader who comments and joins my VIP group (link below) the giveaway of an eBook copy of my latest book.

Join my VIP group at: https://preview.mailerlite.com/t1a6j6

Love is a dangerous mystery. Enjoy the ride!

Rehabbers Charli Owens and fiancé, Eli Lange, remodel an historic mansion suspected of being haunted.

Secret tunnels, hidden chambers, unexplained happenings, and a killer on the loose ignite Charli’s curiosity. Enlisting her ex-rock-and-roll singer grandmother’s help, she delves into clues police ignore.

Unravelling the property’s notorious history, they become embroiled in a murder case and a major criminal operation that puts Charli’s life in danger.

Rehabbers Charli Owens and fiancé, Eli Lange, remodel an historic mansion suspected of being haunted.

Secret tunnels, hidden chambers, unexplained happenings, and a killer on the loose ignite Charli’s curiosity. Enlisting her ex-rock-and-roll singer grandmother’s help, she delves into clues police ignore.

Unravelling the property’s notorious history, they become embroiled in a murder case and a major criminal operation that puts Charli’s life in danger.

Excerpt:

Chapter One

She showered in the mansion’s crude, plastic, one piece bathroom stall, trying her best to wash guilt and terror from her pale skin. Red goo on her flesh mingled with water flow, her tears, and then drizzled in streaks down her legs into the rusty drain. The warmth eased her sore muscles. She closed her eyes, trying to block out memories straining to take possession of her spirit. Someone stole part of her soul. She desperately wanted it back.

She puffed an exhale and inhaled fresh oxygen to cleanse her insides. Her heart ached in her chest, trying to burst free. She held her breath for a count of four, then breathed in for a count of eight. She held it, counted slowly to four, and then breathed out to the count of six, repeating the process four times. With each repetition, her heartbeat slowed more. She’d learned the technique eased anxiety when it struck.

She scrubbed her hair for the third time with lilac scented shampoo, still pulling bits of dried leaves and twigs from the long, blonde tresses. She’d finally gotten used to the shade, which looked oddly natural on her. The lilac scent helped remove the crude odor of his heavy cologne—clearly an attempt to postpone bathing—combined with foul-smelling breath tinted with alcohol, onions, and tobacco.

She still sensed his rough, calloused grip on her bruised arms. Her hips burned from scrubbing where welts had developed from the friction of her jeans being ripped down.

She forced visions away to still her pulse and avoid another panic attack. The flow of water cooled, reminding her she’d showered long enough. She’d exhausted the supply of heated liquid from the inadequate, ancient, hot water tank.

After stepping out of the rickety stall onto a towel, she buffed her flesh with soft terry, continuing to rid herself of memories she certainly would dream about later.

She mustn’t catch a cold. The Lord knew she had enough problems. Besides, she couldn’t afford the cost of a doctor or the attention such a visit might bring to her.

A noise from the street signaled the slam of a vehicle door in front of the building. She gazed through grime undoubtedly accumulated over at least a decade of neglect on the thick pane. Voices drifted upward to her high observatory.

“Oh, crap, I’ve got to get this mess cleaned up…quickly.” She scrambled to finish drying, slid her slightly damp body into sweats and donned a tee shirt she’d brought to the bathroom. She’d been diligent about returning personal care items after they were used to the tote she’d carried them in so she could make quick work of it. Nasty clothing was crammed inside. Her tattered hoodie missed a zipper pull.

“Well, it’s trash.” Should she keep it? “Nope. You’re gone, baby.” She might like the jacket, but not the recollections that came with it.

She snatched her things and rushed to the safety of her private sanctuary.

Buy link(s):

Pre-Sale 5/8/25                Launch 7/16/25

Sale Links:

AMZ

Amazon.com: The Attic (A Flip or Flop Mystery Book 1) eBook : Rees, Lynda : Books

B&N  (ebook)           The Attic by Lynda Rees | eBook | Barnes & Noble®

            (paperback)   The Attic by Lynda Rees, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

UNIVERSAL LINK:  https://books2read.com/u/4E1DEE

Also available in audiobook at:

DIRECT         https://payhip.com/b/VN1Tl

NOOK            https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-attic-lynda-rees/1146582031

Libro.FM       https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781960763013

STORYTEL   https://www.storytel.com/se/sv/books/the-attic-a-flip-or-flop-mystery-9835875

GooglePlay                                                                                                                                                    https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/Lynda_Rees_The_Attic?id=AQAAAEDyWCIYwM

KOBO/WM   https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/attic-the-1

HOOPLA       https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/17553736

BIO: LYNDA REES, THE MURDER GURU

Lynda Rees is a multi-award-winning storyteller, horse farmer, born in Eastern Kentucky. This coal miner’s daughter, part-Cherokee Indian author’s writing is influenced by growing up in the area when Newport prospered as a mecca for gambling and sin. Her fascination with history’s effect on today’s lives works its way into her written pages.

Having traveled the world working with heads of industries, foreign governments, and business leaders during a marketing and global transportation corporate career, this free-spirited adventurer turned her workaholic tendencies to following her passion for writing.

Lynda received accolades from KILLER NASHVILLE, SILVER FALCION READER’S CHOICE TOP PICK AWARD for both Fresh Starts, Dirty Money and Flip or Flop, Murder House; from PFTH; RITA for debut novels in two genres, Gold Lust Conspiracy and romantic suspense, Parsley, Sage, Rose, Mary & Wine, Book 1 of The Bloodline Series, set in Kentucky horse country and from and Imaginarium for her 2022 launched Operation Second Chance. She’s also published in MG, children’s picture books and non-fiction.

Join my VIP group at: https://preview.mailerlite.com/t1a6j6

Website:                      http://www.lyndareesauthor.com 

Follow me on social media at:

Twitter            https://twitter.com/LyndaReesauthor

Facebook        https://www.facebook.com/lynda.rees.author/

YouTube         https://bit.ly/2HmSA9M

AllAuthor        https://allauthor.com/author/lyndarees/

Bookbub         https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lynda-rees

Goodreads      https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17187400.Lynda_Rees

Instagram:       Lynda Rees (@lyndareesauthor) • Instagram photos and videos

Pinterest:         https://www.pinterest.com/lyndareesauthor/pins/

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March 17, 2025 · 5:41 am

Interview with M. S. Spencer ~ Latest Release: In the Crosshairs: The Body on Leffis Key #Cozymystery

Please help me welcome today’s guest, M.S. Spencer…

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I once counted up the number of significant moves in my life…and stopped at twenty-five. I have lived or traveled in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the US, Central America, and South America. Florida has been my home for the last eleven years. Hurricane Helene arrived in September 2024 and flooded the bungalow built by my parents-in-law, so I am currently in a rented apartment with a fabulous view of Sarasota Bay and not much else to recommend it.

By June, 2025 I will have published eighteen romantic suspense and mystery novels, the first released in 2009. I hold degrees in Anthropology, Middle East Studies, and Library Science. I’ve worked as a librarian, anthropologist, research assistant, Congressional aide, speechwriter, and nonprofit director. I have two children, an exuberant granddaughter, and currently divide my time between the Gulf Coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

I’m featuring my latest release, In the Crosshairs: the Body on Leffis Key, a Florida mystery. Like several of my books, I take as a premise something that is in the news. In this case, I’d been following the concerning trend of Chinese purchases of US farmland. I wound it into the plotline. As the news cycle moved on I was afraid that particular issue wouldn’t be relevant any more, and then bingo—it’s in the news again! The story I’m working on now had to do with offshore wind farms. It’s only in first draft so I kind of hope it continues to be controversial!

What book have you read that you wish you had written?

The Late George Apley, by J. P. Marquand (1937). It was so intricately woven between time periods. An amazing book.

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

That’s easy: snakes. I love snakes. Most humans have a primal fear of snakes. I did not get that gene, nor did my daughter, who had a sweet little scarlet kingsnake named Phoebe. They are not slimy or slippery or scary. I find them beautiful and they do make lovely pets.

Do you collect anything?

Oh my God, I used to collect all kinds of stuff. I had miniature porcelain figurines, rocks, stamps, coins, Wizard of Oz books, elephants, and more. The final straw was when I decided to collect the shells of cooked lobsters. My mother came into my room and gagged. Who knew old seafood shells stank?

What was your first job?

There was the life-guarding job at 15, but my first real job was as assistant to a professor who was writing a bibliography of works on Ethiopia in the Library of Congress. I had a desk in the library and two stack passes—which are more valuable than gold to a scholar. I could actually go in to the stacks of the greatest library in the world and browse.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why? What’s your favorite childhood book?

It would have to be Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice for its perfect prose, but I do love Douglas Adams’ A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy because it’s irreverent, funny, and original. My favorite children’s book was Frank Stockton’s The Queen’s Museum & Other Fanciful Tales, which includes such gems as “The Gryphon & the Minor Canon” and “The Bee-man of Orn.” I have the copy that belonged to my grandmother, which I read till the cover fell off.

What is your favorite quote?

“Shirley, you are one silly bitch.” This is from the movie Shirley Valentine starring Pauline Collins. It’s about a middle-aged British housewife who goes to Greece on holiday & rediscovers herself. Whenever she gets overly dramatic or introspective, she tells herself this.

Your most prized material possession? Why?

My grandfather clock. My ancestor brought it from England around 1880, at which time it was already over 100 years old. It is a simple, yellow-pine box, but represents centuries of Spencer history.

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Yes. In the heady days before computers and thumb drives, I wrote a novel set in Yorktown and Williamsburg about the murder of the first female director of the Environmental Protection Agency. I had an agent and the manuscript was well on its way when two things happened. First, my agent decided to quit agenting. Then my husband, in a spring-cleaning frenzy, threw out the one copy. That was 17 years ago. I left the dream behind.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

Prince Charles was visiting the University of Chicago & I met him. Meryl Streep was a dorm-mate at Vassar. Working at the US Senate meant that I met famous senators and other politicians on a regular basis, plus visiting dignitaries and hearing participants. I had my picture taken with Charlton Heston and met Paul Newman.

Your favorite…

Movie: Ninotchka, the only Greta Garbo movie in which she laughs.

Music: Opera

Place you’ve visited: Too many—Paris, Istanbul, the Amazon, Egypt

Place you’d like to visit: Galapagos Islands

TV show from childhood: Have Gun Will Travel

TV show from adulthood: Death in Paradise

Food: Bacon cheeseburger with lots of lettuce

Sports team: Minnesota Vikings

Thanks so much for the interesting interview. I would have been sick about that manuscript being thrown out! And, wow…snakes. Yeah, not my favorite thing. Eek!

Please tell us about your book…

Someone is killing people with a crossbow—who will be next?

Palmer Lind, recovering from the sudden death of her husband, embarks on a bird-watching trek to the Gulf Coast of Florida. One hot day on Leffis Key she comes upon—not the life bird she was hoping for—but a floating corpse. The handsome beach bum who appears on the scene at the same time seems to have even more secrets than the dead man.

His story begins to unravel as the pair search for answers to a growing pile of dead bodies. Spies, radical environmentalists, and wealthy businessmen circle around each other in a complex dance. Which one is lying? What do a seemingly random group of individuals have in common, other than being targeted by a crossbow?

Excerpt:

Palmer climbed into the bass boat, and Hooper pushed it back in the water. They motored after the skiff. Hooper gazed over Palmer’s head, his expression unreadable. She studied him. Dusty blond hair cut short, but not short enough to lose the wave. Luminescent gray eyes whose brooding depths reminded her of a sea captain far from home or a world-weary traveler. His gnarly hands plus the five o’clock shadow on his chin attested to his beach bum status. She checked out the filthy shorts and ragged shirt barely concealing the tanned chest. He must live alone. The thought had a curious effect on her. A kind of warmish, softish feeling, a feeling she was not in the habit of having, at least not since Peter died.

His eyes dropped to hers. “Like what you see?”

Her momentary embarrassment was swiftly replaced by irritation. “You could use a wash and brush up.”

His cheeks tightened. “Last I checked you weren’t my mother.”

“True. I’m not your wife either, but one or the other should take a hand with you.”

A spasm crossed his face. Then he attempted a wry grin. “Since I currently have neither, perhaps you could do the honors.”

She sucked in a breath. “Sorry, just passing through.” Yikes. Did he think I was flirting with him?

“Oh. Well, then.” They had reached the dock. He cranked the engine down. “Hop out and I’ll tie up.”

Palmer ran over their conversation, trying to tease out any misleading statements she had made. How to explain that I’m not in the market—not so soon after Peter… She regarded the man at the tiller. Something about him… Am I attracted to him? No, it was something else, something enigmatic about him… He looked startled when he saw the dead man’s face. And he had hesitated when the patrolman asked his name. He also acted cagey when I called him a native. Why? Could he be a fugitive from justice? She sized him up. “So…what’s your real name and who are you really?”

Buy links:

Amazon  Barnes&Noble  ITunes  Kobo  Google

Books2Read  WildRosePress    AmazonCA   AmazonUK

About the Author

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. In June 2025 she will have published eighteen mystery or romantic suspense novels. She has two children, an exuberant granddaughter, and currently divides her time between the Gulf Coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.

Blog: https://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencermysteries

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-s-spencer

Shepherd: https://shepherd.com/search/author/21204

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B002ZOEUC8

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March 14, 2025 · 7:38 am

Author Interview with Susie Black ~ New Release: The Case of the Croaked Coach #CozyMystery

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Susie Black…

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

SUSIE: I grew up in the same LA suburb as the protagonist in The Case of the Croaked Coach. Now I call the California desert home. I’ve been married to the same man for 44 years who still makes me laugh every day. We have one adult son who is a linguistic psychologist and lives in Europe. No pets now. Losing them was just too painful.

Where did you get the idea for The Case of the Croaked Coach?

SUSIE: Like the protagonist, I was a high school newspaper investigative reporter. Since I am a cozy mystery author, I naturally said, “What if I had solved mysteries in high school?” Since I couldn’t rewrite history, writing a story with that premise was the next best thing.

Why did you choose this genre Is it something you’ve written in before?

SUSIE: I chose to write in the cozy mystery genre because I love solving puzzles. To date, I have published 6 cozy mysteries and number 7 will be released in May of this year.

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

SUSIE: Writing a murder mystery with a high school student as the amateur sleuth presented several plot challenges that had to be overcome to make the story believable. How would or could she approach adult suspects to question them? Would they answer her questions or blow her off? Would her parents approve of her sleuthing? Would she tell them what she was doing or lie?  Would a high school kid know how to investigate and not get herself killed in the process? To mitigate these challenges, I created two adult characters who guided her. Bart, the protagonist’s uncle and a defense attorney who takes the teenage suspect’s case, and a female licensed private investigator hired by Bart who is tasked with coming up with the questions for the teen sleuth to ask suspects and devising ways to ask them and not appear to be sleuthing. And if a suspect is the one to focus on, then the PI would take over questioning that person.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

SUSIE: I am a champ when it comes to a great beginning and a blockbuster ending, but the “mushy middle” of the plot always gives me heartburn. To avoid getting trapped in the mushy middle, I write the beginning and ending but allow the characters to direct the middle. However, they know if they screw it up, I take over, and there is a chance one of them will either be written out of the story or killed off. So, they are motivated to do a great job and they absolutely, positively CANNOT change the ending.

What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?

SUSIE: The scene where Hannah discovered her classmate holding the bloody murder weapon over the victim was harder to write than any other. While the series is based on my experience as a high school newspaper investigative reporter, I thankfully had never made such a gruesome discovery as Hannah did. So, I decided to take a risk and have her respond exactly as her wise-cracking, irreverent personality would dictate.

Are there any tricks, habits, or superstitions you have when creating a story?

SUSIE: Some writers plot their stories while driving, some while in the shower. I plot all mine while walking a 5-mile regimen during the day. I am a night owl, so the writing itself comes after dark. I always have a cup of strong, black coffee on my writing desk next to the computer and only drink out of my lucky mug that my Nana gave me when I first got into the swimwear industry. The mug says: “Things could be worse…we could be trying on swimsuits.” When I am finished with a writing session, at the end of the paragraph or chapter I stopped at, I write myself an instruction for what is to come next at that spot in the manuscript.

Do you collect anything?

SUSIE: Since I was a teenager, I have been an avid stamp collector. I have incorporated this hobby into the protagonist’s persona in The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series. I learned valuable storytelling techniques that I used in my mysteries from the wonderful stamp dealer from my youth who had a story about every stamp I purchased from him.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

SUSIE: My cell phone, the internet, and all social media.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why?

SUSIE: The Diary of Anne Frank. This book spoke to me as no other book ever has. Anne Frank was a teenager living in mortal danger who still had dreams, plans, and desires that any kid her age would. Her positive outlook on life despite her circumstances changed the way I looked at life, my values, and what was important to me. She would have been amazed at the impact she had on so many people like me.

What’s your favorite childhood book?

SUSIE: My favorite childhood books were the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries. I credit these two series with introducing me to puzzle-solving which eventually led to my writing cozy mysteries.

What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?

SUSIE:

Hannah White: Sadie Sink

MM: Jenna Ortega

Jodine: Emma Myers

Diane: Millie Bobby Brown

Cindy: McKenzie Foy

Toby: Maddie Ziegler

Donna: Kyla Kenedy

Terry: Anna Kendrick

Nana: Sally Field

Coach Bixby: Paul Rudd

Uncle B: Edward Norton

H.S: Milla Jovovich

Billy: Aaron Paul

Coach Bender: William Levy

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

SUSIE: I would rather have a bad review than no review. As a sales exec, I learned that you can’t always please everyone. I also learned how to take rejection and that I would learn more from my failures than I would from my successes. I try to learn something from the criticism and turn a negative review into a positive by improving my writing by not making the same mistake in another manuscript.

What is your favorite quote?

SUSIE: I have two: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”  “God put our heads on facing forward for a reason.”

What do you want your tombstone to say?

SUSIE: The End.

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

SUSIE: “If you can say it in five words she says it in twenty.”

What has been the best compliment?

SUSIE: “I stayed up all night reading your book. I simply could not go to sleep and not know what happened next.”

Your favorite…

Movie: Some Like It Hot

Music: Oldies rock ‘n roll: The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and Elvis.

Place you’ve visited: a tie between Cancun, Mexico, and Tahiti.

Place you’d like to visit: Alaska

TV show from childhood: Captain Kangaroo

TV show from Adulthood: a tie between MASH and All in the Family

Food: Pizza

Sports Team: LA Dodgers

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Board games.

Fourth down…you’re dead

Blurb:

There wasn’t an honest bone in Buzz Bixby’s body. The Encino High School’s head football coach was an equal-opportunity scoundrel. Bixby cheated and lied his way to the top and screwed anyone and everyone in his wake. So, the question wasn’t who wanted the bastard dead. The question was, who didn’t? Student reporter Hannah White’s interview with the coach is a nonstarter when she discovers varsity football hero Dean Snyder standing over Bixby’s battered corpse holding a bloody trophy. Despite how guilty Dean looks, Hannah is convinced he’s innocent. When Snyder is arrested for Bixby’s murder, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to flesh out the real killer. But the trail has more twists and turns than a slinky, and nothing turns out how Hannah thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent on revenge.

Excerpt:

For Donna’s sake, I wanted to believe him. But Dean’s story had more holes than a dozen glazed donuts. I framed my hands like a movie director. “So, maybe this happened? You met with him. You pleaded, but Bixby still refused your request. You got angry. You never meant for it to happen, but things went out of control.” I pointed to the trophy. “You grabbed the trophy off the shelf behind the Coach’s desk and in a fit of rage, you hit him with it on the back of his head.” 

Dean yelped, “No! I never got the chance to talk to him. I walked into the office and found him slumped over the desk with the back of his head bashed in.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Ten minutes. Maybe less. I-I’m not sure.”

“Besides the trophy, you move anything else?”

He shook his head.

“Where was the trophy?”

Dean pointed to the carpet under the coach’s desk. “On the floor next to the coach’s desk. I tripped over it when I stood next to him.”

“What on Earth ever made you pick it up?”

Dean shrugged.

“So, other than pick up the trophy for some idiotic reason, did you do anything else?”

He made a sour face.

I peppered him with questions. “Call 911? Did you try to help him or check his pulse? Perform CPR? Anything?”

Dean hung his head. “No.”

My jaw dropped. “What the heck is the matter with you?”

He bunched his shoulders.

“If you’d at least called 911 he had a chance of being saved.”

He pointed the trophy at the corpse. “Is he dead?”

It’s not as though I’m an expert on the subject. The only dead body I’ve ever seen in person was Cindy Butler’s Grandma Ethel’s at the old lady’s funeral last June.

Dean bent over to examine the coach’s crumpled body. “I’ve never been around a dead body before. How do you tell?”

Good gravy. The back of the guy’s head is smashed in like roadkill. How much more proof do you need?

I rolled my eyes. “Well, since he hasn’t so much as twitched since I got here, I’d say it’s a safe bet the next game Bixby coaches is gonna be played in the stadium located at the Great Beyond.”

I used my shirt sleeve to pick up the phone receiver.

Dean gulped. “Who are you calling?”

Is this guy for real?

“Donofrio’s Pizzeria. Dead bodies give me the munchies.” I smacked his forehead with the heel of my hand. “For crying out loud, Dean! Who do you think I’m calling? The police!” I tsked, “Something anyone with a brain does the minute Bixby’s body is discovered.”

Dean whined as cranky as a toddler who needed a nap. “Why? No one knows we’re here. Can’t we just leave and let somebody else call the cops?”

I gritted my teeth. “Because it is against the law to leave the scene of a crime.”

Buy link(s):

Amazon E-pub: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXDDK3MJ/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2NWD3P7G13BV3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TBMZYdaDu4zX3BG22VQckeie82mLtzeVAI

Amazon Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Case-Croaked-Coach-Susie-Black/dp/B0DXG8VYN2/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-case-of-the-croaked-coach-by-susie-black

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228082706-the-case-of-the-croaked-coach?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=61AIMeTJ8F&rank=1

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=The+Case+of+the+Croaked+Coach&fclanguages=en

Google Play for Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Susie_Black_The_Case_of_the_Croaked_Coach?id=v1xHEQAAQBAJ

iBooks: The Case of the Croaked Coach by Susie Black on Apple Books

A Bit About the Author: Susie Black’s biography

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, multi-award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. She has published seven books in four years and book eight is slated for release in May 2025. She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and is the mother of one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

Susie Black Social Media Links:

Blue Sky: https://www.hollysusiewrites.bsky.social

Facebook: Susie Black, author of The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series | Facebook

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheHollySwimsuitMysterySeries

Instagram: Susie Black (@hollyswimsuit) • Instagram photos and videos

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/authorsusieblack-61941011

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hollysusie1_saved/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/@hollyswimsuit

Looking for more? Contact Susie at: Website: www.authorsusieblack.com E-mail: mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

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November 18, 2024 · 3:50 pm

Author Interview with AA DaSilva ~ New Release: Periphery / Sci-fi Romance

Please help me welcome today’s guest, AA DaSilva…

Welcome, AA…Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

Thank you, Alicia, for having me on your blog today!

Born and raised in New England, my kids now attend the same schools I did growing up, and I’m happy about that. I enjoy traveling, but New England will always be home to me. After my husband retired from the Army in 2010, we settled into the Massachusetts town we both grew up in and started a family. We are blessed with two sons and a shih tzu named Didi (who clearly thinks she’s a human).  

Where did you get the idea for PERIPHERY?

The idea for Periphery brewed in my mind for decades. Growing up, I read a few books from my mother’s library about near-death experiences, and my father has a degree in philosophy, which led us to engage in a lot of existential conversations under the stars. Once I learned about the concept of the multiverse, my imagination exploded. It was a potential answer to the question I’d often pondered on about whether decision or fate determines our destiny.

Periphery was written to explore the weight of our choices—can changing one choice change everything? With that insight comes a new question to ponder: Are we given different scenarios, different choices, and ultimately different outcomes, that test our character, our strength, our virtue, all during a set of lifetimes within a multiverse? And, with that concept in mind, is it possible to seek and love the same soul across lifetimes?

Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?

I work as a clinical laboratory technician at a local hospital, and I absolutely love what I do. As a generalist, I work in the hematology, chemistry and microbiology departments where I examine blood films under the microscope, work-up blood cultures, run blood analyses on automated instruments, and perform COVID PCR testing.  Though I work behind the scenes in the laboratory, being part of the patient’s diagnostic care team is both challenging and rewarding.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read your book?

I hope Periphery is will linger in the mind of those who read it, prompting self-examination of our choices, our destiny, and our soul’s journey through life and death. The big takeaway is that our past doesn’t define us, but our ability to love and continue moving forward does.  

What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?

I’d love to see Ana de Armas as Charlotte Cardoza, Rege Jean Page as Jared Cardoza, Idris Elba as General Mitch Cardoza, and Chris Hemsworth as Simon Donovan.

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

No matter what you’ve been through, it’s never too late to choose a new path in life.

Your favorite…

Movie- Meet Joe Black

Music- I have a huge eclectic playlist ranging from classical to rock to alternative to rap. What I listen to depends on my mood, but I’m a sucker for angsty, moody music.

Place you’ve visited-  Nationally: Fort Lauderdale, Internationally: Israel

Place you’d like to visit-Norway

Thank you, AA…I enjoyed getting to know you…now, please tell us about your book!

A tragic accident. A miraculous resuscitation. A catastrophic secret. One choice can change everything.

When a young widow falls for a mysteriously familiar stranger, she’s targeted by an agency intent on exploiting the ability gained after her near-death experience. When offered a chance to reconnect with her late husband, things get complicated…and dangerous.

Blurb

 Charlotte barely survived the accident that killed her husband four years ago. Resuscitated a savant, she struggles to find meaning in her survival. When she meets Simon, a mysteriously familiar stranger, they are drawn to each other with undeniable magnetism. But Simon is contracted to a black-ops agency.

With the agency on her heels, and Simon claiming her heart, Charlotte’s past and future collide when she’s offered a chance to reconnect with her late husband.

As secrets are revealed, motives uncovered, and alliances are formed, Charlotte must choose…between the fate of the world and the fate of her heart.

Excerpt:

Sy turned to face me, and his gaze went from my eyes down to my lips. “I believe everything, no matter how painful or tragic, happens for a reason. Whether we like it or not, we have to go out and find our own healing, our own happiness, down whatever path the universe opens for us.”

I nodded, his statement resonating deeply with my own tragic story. “So, what’d you do?”

He looked away and shrugged. “I was honorably discharged after that, and Jeff’s now in the reserves.” He laughed. “Now I’m stuck working with him and nearly cutting my arm off in the process because he’s a slob, and forgets to throw away old blades.”

He lifted his arm, now un-bandaged and scabbed over, a far cry from the angry wound I’d cared for last week.

“Wow, Sy. You’re lucky to be alive.”

“I don’t believe in luck.”

“What do you believe in, then?”

“Destiny.” He winked at me and smiled.

This time, it was my gaze that dropped to his lips as he spoke. I took a deep breath, then looked up at him.

He leaned toward me, and I grasped the door handle. “Thanks for today.” I quickly opened the door and nearly stumbled out of the car.

He leaned back into his seat and chuckled. “Anytime, Charlotte.”

After he left, I showered and put on my pajamas, then snuggled into bed deliciously sore from the run. I hugged the covers tight around my body, and fell into a deep dreamless sleep, the type of sleep that had eluded me for the past several years.

Buy links:

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/author/aadasilva

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/periphery-aa-dasilva/1146224882

TWRP: https://wildrosepress.com/product/periphery/

GIVEAWAY!!!

Bookmojo is running the rafflecopter and I’ll be notified who wins 1/31. I’ll mail the package to the winner. Details below:

✦✤✦ Open to United States shipping addresses only. 

✦✤✦ Giveaway ends January 31, 2025 @ 11:59pm EST. The prize will be awarded shortly thereafter. 

✦✤✦ One winner will be chosen to receive a PR box with a signed copy of Periphery by AA DaSilva.

✦✤✦ This giveaway is administered by BookMojo on behalf of the author. The author will be solely responsible for prize distribution.

The giveaway has begun and runs through until January 31st. Giveaway Landing Page Link: https://book-mojo.com/periphery/ 

About the Author:

Born and raised in New England, AA DaSilva holds a degree in clinical laboratory science and brings her love of science and writing together via science fiction. When she’s not writing or identifying cells under a microscope, she can be found with a book in one hand, and a cup of iced coffee in the other. She resides in Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, and pup Didi (who looks suspiciously like an Ewok). Her debut novel, Periphery, is a science fiction love story that explores fate, strength, and the choices that determine our destiny, and was awarded the Literary Titan Gold Award. Book two in AA DaSilva’s Periphery series, titled The Bleed-Through Effect, is forthcoming in 2025 from The Wild Rose Press. For the latest updates on new releases, events, and giveaways sign up for email updates at aadasilva.com and follow her on socials.

x.com/aadasilva1

instagram.com/aadasilva11

Facebook.com/authoraadasilva

Tiktok.com/@aadasilva11

WEBSITE: Aadasilva.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/51913414.AA_DaSilva

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December 10, 2022 · 7:05 am

The Spotlight is on…   L. M. Gonzalez’s Chocolate Swirl Cookie Christmas ~ #WRPbks #Blog

Please help me welcome today’s guest, L. M. Gonzalez…

She didn’t believe in true love.

He vowed never to love again.

Excerpt:  

The place was decorated with twinkle lights and red, green, and gold garland. And then her eyes settled on Ray. Her breath caught in her throat as she glimpsed the bracelet of a gold watch at his wrist. He seemed a different man than the one at the Adult Center and the one in jeans who’d gone to her house. He seemed charming and sexy and likeable.

“They have a variety of entrees,” Ray said.

“Oh.” She hadn’t looked, so she opened her menu.

“What do you like?”

Jennifer stared, mesmerized with him. Oh, I don’t know—you. He grinned, and embarrassment filled her. He probably knew what she was feeling. And she

would not feel that way, not with him. Especially not with him.

“I’ll eat salad. I’m not very hungry,” she said.

“Umm…eating dinner together is the first step of the foreplay to romance, didn’t you know?”

“Romance isn’t sex.” She glared at him.

His smile didn’t falter. “Eating can be an aphrodisiac. Feeding each other can be very romantic.”

Jennifer swallowed hard at his words. “I’m not feeding you anything.”

“Jenny, this isn’t going to work if you don’t cooperate.” Ray winked at her.

Her nipples peaked at his wink, and she was glad  she’d worn a scarf. She picked up her glass of water.

“My name is Jennifer, not Jenny.”

“You don’t like nicknames?”

“Not from you.”

“I think I know now why you’re blocked in the love-and-romance thing. You’re tight. You need to loosen up.”

Buy link(s):

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chocolate-swirl-cookie-christmas-l-m-gonzalez/1142331370;jsessionid=BFF4C52033403F74F472A5BE23FC9DB8.prodny_store01-atgap13?ean=2940186597636

Bio:  

L.M. Gonzalez writes about the loves and lives of Latinas and the challenges of romance the second time around. Her stories, set against a backdrop of strong Latino culture blended with an American lifestyle, are refreshing and capture the essence of everyday Hispanic life.

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