Welcome Sue Coletta

Sue and I have been friends for ages. She recently became one of our partners over at Story Empire. She also has a new book to tell us about.

I’ve read many of Sue’s books and enjoyed every one I tried. Make her feel welcome today. Don’t be afraid to use those sharing buttons so she gets maximum exposure.

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Thank you for hosting me today, Craig! I appreciate your kind invite to help me share the news of my latest eco-thriller, Savage Mayhem. The first few chapters of Savage Mayhem take place in Alaska shortly after their previous mission to save orca from evil animal traffickers. Though each novel starts where the previous one left off, every book can stand alone. I write them that way, so readers don’t have to read eight novels to understand the ninth. Hope you enjoy it. ☺

Behind a typical Alaskan cabin, dark reds burned the horizon, embered like coals in a fire, hastened only by dark charcoal clouds. Stripes of salmon interspersed through deep purple bands that warned of turbulence.

Hints of amber kissed the treetops, limbs reaching for Father Sky to celebrate the birth of a new day, the chance to fix yesterday’s mistakes, the future full of possibilities. But darkness still cloaked the street. The in between time, as Shicheii called it, when the night yearned to reign longer.

From the passenger seat, I marveled at the riches of Mother Earth. “It’s so beautiful.” When I turned, I startled when Mr. Mayhem wasn’t beside me. “Running Bear?” My gaze zipped across the front seat. “This isn’t the Caddy.”

He smiled.

“Whose vehicle is this?”

He pointed at the unfamiliar house.

“Say something.”

Another smile.

“Why aren’t you talkin’ to me? Did something happen?” I twisted to peer into the backseat. “Where’s Shadow Wolf?”

His lips moved but no words escaped.

“What’s wrong with you?” A realization flooded my eyes with tears. “Is he dead?” I wailed. “Break it to me gently.” I hiked my knees to my chest and rocked, my heart shredded like meat through a grinder. “Oh, God, he’s dead. Isn’t he?”

Running Bear tapped my shoulder. He said something, but I was so hysterical I didn’t catch it.

“What?”

“He—”

Shaking my head, I fingered my right ear. Blood. What the hell?

He leaned closer, hot breath striking my left cheek. “He’s not dead.”

“Really? Then where is he?”

Again, he leaned forward. And I leaned back.

“What’s up with you?”

Closer and closer, he moved. “Ghost Dog—”

“What?”

The hand signals confused me. What’s wrong with him? I was this close to giving him a piece of my mind when my door flew open. Mr. Mayhem said something, but I didn’t catch it. “What?”

He smiled. I smiled back. Then all the blood registered, his chiseled torso and one cheek bathed in crimson.

“Are you alright?”

Nodding, he swayed an opened hand out the door.

“Say something.”

The hand rolled as if he wanted me to hurry, but I held firm.

“Tell me what’s goin’ on first.”

“Cat, please.” His lips formed the words, but no sound escaped.

Confusion rocked my senses. “Say that again.”

“Cat, please.”

“Why can’t I hear you?”

I swear he rolled his eyes, like this wasn’t news to him. When I parted my lips to question him again, he scooped me off the passenger seat, ushering me into the Caddy.

His lips mouthed, “I. Will. Explain. Later.” He jutted a stiff finger downward. “Now.” He motioned between us. “We.” Two fingers waved down the road. “Must. Leave.”

What’s with the hand signals?

Book description:

Amidst the wild and unforgiving landscapes of Yellowstone Park, join Mayhem, a fearless Apache warrior and champion of the Natural World, and his partner and protégé, Shawnee, as they race against the clock to protect an American Buffalo herd from the ruthless Killzme Corporation.

With a massive bounty on their heads and an army of killers on their trail, Mayhem and Shawnee must use all their cunning and survival skills to outsmart their enemies. They will risk it all to preserve the sacred lineage of the Innocent Ones.

There is no line Shawnee and Mayhem won’t cross.

Even murder.

As the danger intensifies and the clock winds down, will they be able to save the herd? Or will this be the mission that finally breaks them?

Preorder for 99c. Sale ends on release day, April 11, 2024.

 

Find all my books here. Join my newsletter here. Free monthly giveaways!

Let’s all welcome Mae Clair

Mae is one of my oldest author friends, and she always writes a great story. Let’s all make her feel welcome, and if you can’t pre-order her newest, make sure to use those sharing buttons. Welcome, Mae.

Hi, Craig! Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog today. I’m delighted to be here, sharing my upcoming release The Keeping Place, a dual timeline mystery which is now available for pre-order! Most readers know me as someone who loves weaving urban legends and threads of the supernatural into my stories. The Keeping Place took an entirely different turn.

Well… there is a small thread that does involve an old town legend and a ghost, but nothing that takes center stage as in my other books. This one is about relationships, and what happens to an estranged mother/daughter when the remains of the youngest daughter are discovered ten years after she disappeared. It’s more of a “quiet” mystery than what I usually write.

In the excerpt below, Nicole Seabrooke returns to her hometown of Hornwood, PA. She’s been estranged from her mother, Glory Larkin, for ten years. A former B-movie actress, Glory now owns a restaurant in Hornwood that has been in her family for generations. This is Nicole’s first glimpse of the restaurant after ten years away:

EXCERPT:

Main Street still looked the part of proverbial small-town U.S.A., with benches shaded by leafy elms, and baskets of pink and yellow petunias hanging from curved streetlamps. Even when Nicole was a kid, the town council ensured there were sufficient funds to present that storybook image. Tourists expected a welcome mat when they arrived in search of Hornwood’s leading lady.

Glory Larkin brought money to the town. From the looks of the splashy new sign on her restaurant—gold serif beside a full body silhouette rendered in black—she still did.

Nicole recognized the silhouette immediately. The shot had been lifted from the best-known scene in Fifth Street Sundown—Glory turned in profile, clutching a cat, her flirty above-the-knee skirt caught by a breeze. In the movie, she’d watched Bryce Keller’s character drive away, a pivotal cliffhanger moment leaving the audience hinged on whether her tough-cop lover would ever return.

Nicole popped the door on her Ford Fiesta and stepped outside.

Ten full years since she’d stood on this street. Since she’d spoken a word to her mother, Chelsea, or Vin. She couldn’t be sure any of her old friends still lived in Hornwood, even if she found the courage to look them up. Many people moved on, settling in Bottleneck or one of the larger towns like New Station or Codswell. Others clung to their small-town foundation. Vin always made it clear his roots were in Hornwood, much as his parents had been.

She once thought she’d loved him. Back in the days when dating was a Friday night movie with a tub of buttered popcorn at the Big Five Theater in Bottleneck. If his life had gone according to plan, she’d find him at City Hall in the police department. Instead, she chose to face a bigger hurdle and crossed the street to Glory’s Place.

Like diving into a pool of cold water, Nicole hesitated only a second before thrusting inside.

The scent of the place struck first—simmering spices, floor polish, the flowery peach blossoms of her mother’s signature scent. The hostess stand was currently empty, but several tables and booths were occupied by noonday diners. Old photos lined the walls, some dating back to when Nicole’s grandparents owned Larkin’s Restaurant. As a child, she’d once asked her mother why she’d changed the name since the business had been in her family for generations.

It’s different now, honey. My name draws people.

Nicole’s gaze swept behind the bar where publicity stills from Fifth Street Sundown were given center stage. Her mom had them produced in black and white because she thought they looked more glamorous.

Like Old Hollywood. The gilded age.

Most prominent of all was the shot of a misty-eyed Glory clutching a cat as her lover drove away.

“Be right with you.”

Nicole immediately recognized Phyllis Maren’s raspy voice. The woman breezed past carrying a tray of beverages. At the last second, she wrenched to a halt, her mouth dropping as her gaze locked on Nicole.

“By all the saints and Lettie Boone’s ghost!” The tray slipped from her hands, plastic glasses, soda, and ice splattering at her feet. She didn’t so much as flinch. “Nicole Seabrooke, is that you?”

Nicole looked from the mess to the woman who had been like a second mother. Speechless, she nodded. A second later, Phyllis swept her into her arms, blubbering on her shoulder.

“Hey, what about this mess?” someone called.

“It can wait five minutes.” Phyllis fished a tissue from her pocket and blew her nose. “Don’t you know who this is? Glory Larkin’s precious girl has come home!”

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As in most dual timeline mysteries, The Keeping Place delivers a mystery in the present as well as the past. I hope the blurb will tempt you further:

BLURB:
In the town of Hornwood, the past is always present . . .

Nicole Seabrooke has been wracked with guilt since the night of her younger sister’s disappearance ten years ago. Her mother, Glory, tasked her with watching over Janie. Instead, Nicole dragged her to a high school party, then failed to keep an eye on her. Police believed she drowned, but her body was never found.

A decade later, her remains are discovered.

Nicole returns to Hornwood when new evidence indicates Janie’s death may have been a homicide. With the help of Detective Vin McCain, her high school boyfriend, Nicole begins to piece together what took place the night her sister disappeared—a task that further complicates her relationship with Glory and places Nicole in the crosshairs of a killer. One who will do whatever it takes to keep the truth about Janie’s death from being revealed.

Even if it means killing again.

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Thanks again for hosting me today, Craig. I appreciate the opportunity to share The Keeping Place with your readers. I’ve held onto this novel for two years, uncertain how I wanted to publish it. As an author, I naturally like every book I’ve written, but The Keeping Place is my personal favorite—perhaps because it’s so different in tone from my other mysteries.

I still utilize dual timelines, but rather than having centuries between them, my timelines are separated by a mere ten years.

It’s my sincere hope readers will enjoy the story.

RELEASE DATE IS MARCH 5TH

PRE-ORDER FROM AMAZON

Connect with Mae Clair at BOOKBUB and the following haunts:

Amazon| BookBub| Newsletter Sign-Up
Website | Blog| Twitter/X | Goodreads| 

 

Redemption. A father’s fatal decision

Let’s all welcome Gwen Plano to Entertaining Stories today. Gwen is an incredible author, and one of my Story Empire colleagues. She’s here to tell us all about her newest publication. The site is your’s Gwen

Thank you, Craig, for inviting me to your site today. It’s a pleasure to visit your readers and share a bit about my new release. I look forward to doing the same for you.

Redemption, A Father’s Fatal Decision is a mystery thriller that takes place in the Southeast corner of New York state, in the towns of New Rochelle and Cortlandt. In the excerpt below, the characters travel to Fishers Island, New York in Long Island Sound. Having spent about twenty years in and around that area, it was exciting to visit as a writer.

The book tackles themes of forgiveness and redemption through suspense. We accompany the son and daughter of the deceased as they try to uncover the reason for their father’s murder. What they discover prompts them to ask if they even knew him.

Sometimes complicated situations help us see our own challenges in a different light. That is my hope for this book. Most of us won’t experience threats like those of my characters, but pain is universal, as is joy. Seeing either in the extreme helps us recognize our own—and severe or elated, those emotions are impactful.

In this excerpt, Lisa and Trace Holmes, along with their friend Ryan, ride a ferry to Fishers Island. They go at the request of the siblings’ mother. There’s something important she wants them to retrieve, but that something is a mystery. On the ferry, Ryan and Lisa are surprised to discover a matter of the heart.

The ferry pulls away from the dock, and the trio watches the village cottages come into view. The playground near their cottage is absent of children. The only evidence of life comes from an older couple, who walk their dog on the beach. Lisa spots a blue building. “Look. Just like the one in the painting.”

“No kidding.” Trace stares. “You were right that the painting was a clue. It looks like the painter worked from a photo taken right here on this ferry. It’s a leap, but I believe we’re on the right path.”

The mainland shoreline grows more distant, and the threesome weave through groups of passengers to the bow of the boat, where they can see the approaching island.

The moist wind sends Lisa’s hair flying. She brushes it away from her face and tries—unsuccessfully—to knot it at the nape of her neck, now ruddy from the morning breeze. As the waves hit, the ferry rocks, and Lisa with it. She struggles to keep her balance. Ryan edges closer, and shoulder-to-shoulder with her, Ryan waves to the seagulls.

The ferry bumps against the dock buffers abruptly, and Ryan grabs Lisa when she staggers. She smiles, and his features light up.

An announcement sounds over the public address system: “All passengers need to return to their cars. Deboarding begins in ten minutes.”

Blurb:

Family secrets can be deadly. When Lisa Holmes visits her parents one fateful Saturday morning, she hugs her father and walks to her childhood bedroom. The doorbell rings. Her father opens the door, and one minute later, he lies dead on the floor—three bullets to the chest.

The Holmes family lives on a quiet street, but no one really knows Eric Holmes. He travels for business and comes home a few days each month. Unbeknown to all, Eric has multiple lives. 

In this fast-paced psychological thriller, Lisa and her brother, Trace, embark on a quest to solve the mystery involving the murder of their father. The journey takes them into a secret world where nothing is as it seems. As the puzzle pieces begin to coalesce, theydiscover the meaning of Redemption.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 

BookBub: bit.ly/3Y26EI5  

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3XIe6Yu

Story Empire: https://storyempire.com/gwen-m-plano

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gmplano

Blog: www.gwenplano.com/blog-reflections

PURCHASE LINKS: 

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3RebK0W

Amazon Purchase Page: https://amzn.to/3XKiLJn

Barnes and Noble: bit.ly/3JGgdbl

Check out Saddled Hearts

Let’s all give a rousing welcome to Jan Sikes today. She’s here to tell us about Saddled Hearts. This is the third volume in her White Rune series. Jan is a long-term friend, a contributing member of Story Empire, and just an all around neat lady. Please help her out by using those sharing buttons today.

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I am super excited to be visiting at your blog site today, Craig. Thank you so much for offering to let me take over. Your support is much appreciated.

Every story must have conflict. Without it, there is nothing for the characters to achieve. And our job, as writers, is to keep ramping up the conflict throughout the story until we reach the black moment.

When my protagonist, Colt Layne, is arrested and charged with murder, it increases the tension and gives him a pretty big obstacle to work through. He must prove his innocence, but the evidence against him is strong.

Today, I want to share with you the moment when he realizes he’s been framed for the murder of Jeremiah Tompkins.

EXCERPT:

“Colt Layne.”

He jumped to his feet. “Yes, sir.”

“Follow me, please.”

Colt nodded and fell in behind the young, uniformed officer.

The man stopped behind a desk in the back corner and motioned to Colt to sit across from him. He pressed a button on a digital recorder, then opened a file. “Mr. Layne, I’m Officer Daly. I understand you’re here to make a statement about the events from last night regarding the death of Jeremiah Tompkins.”

“I am.”

“Just so you are aware, this conversation will be recorded.”

Colt cleared his throat. “I understand.”

The policeman rattled off the time and date and Colt’s name in a bored monotone before he proceeded.

After Colt relayed every detail from the night before, minus his foreman being with him, he leaned back in the chair. “That’s all I know.”

The rookie officer clicked off the recording. “Okay. Thank you for your time. You are free to go. We’ll contact you if we need any further information.”

Colt had expected a barrage of questions. He breathed a sigh of relief, stood, and shook hands, then weaved his way through the desks back to the front door.

As he was about to walk out, Toby called out his name. “Hey, Layne. Wait a minute.”

He turned to see two men in suits and ties standing with Toby. “Yes?”

“These men need to speak to you.”

What now? Colt took a few steps toward them. “What can I help you with?”

One man flashed a badge. “I’m Detective Lopez, and this is Detective Roberts. I think you better come with us.”

“I’ve already given my statement. The officer said I could go.”

“Yeah, well, something’s changed. Come with us, please. Or do we need to cuff you?”

“Cuff me?” Colt frowned. “What in the hell are you talking about?”

One of the men stepped forward. “Colt Layne, you are under arrest for the murder of Jeremiah Tompkins. You have the right to remain silent…”

The thudding of Colt’s heart drowned out the rest of what the man said. What in the holy hell? This couldn’t be happening.

Over the next hour, they took Colt’s fingerprints, mug shot, and confiscated his personal belongings. His head spun. Nothing made sense.

No matter how many questions he asked, no one told him anything. Finally, he was allowed his one phone call.

“Jag.” He breathed a sigh of relief when his friend answered the phone. “This is Colt. I’ve got a problem.”

***

My late husband was arrested and convicted for a crime he didn’t commit, and that personal experience gave me fodder for writing this scene. Have you ever had one of your characters falsely charged with a crime? Let’s talk!

BLURB:

Colt Layne owns the Layne Horse Sanctuary. He lives an idyllic life between caring for the animals and playing music with his band. That is until a stranger appears with unreasonable demands. When someone murders the man, Colt is arrested. He’s been framed, but by whom and why?

He needs to talk with his deceased grandfather. But that’s impossible. Or is it?

Sage Coventry is gifted with the ability to communicate with the deceased. Skeptical but desperate, when Colt consults with her, he gets more than messages from beyond the grave as she breezes into his heart with sweet patchouli fragrance and tempting lips he longs to kiss.

The race against time to clear his name and save the ranch launches them on a mission that brings shocking revelations.

Let’s go on a scavenger hunt! Hidden within the blog posts are clues you will need to look for.

The theme is “Things You’d Find On A Ranch.”

When you find these clues, email your answers to me at

SaddledHearts@gmail.com

With CONTEST

In the subject line.

The person with the most correct entries will win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

The runner-up will receive an eBook of Saddled Hearts! 

It Pays To Play!

BOOK TRAILER: https://youtu.be/_MQ9fYH5PrI

UNIVERSAL PURCHASE LINK: https://linktr.ee/Rijanjks

SOCIAL MEDIA:

WEBSITE: http://www.jansikes.com

BLOG: http://www.jansikesblog.com

TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/jansikes3

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks

PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/jks0851/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7095856.Jan_Sikes

BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jan-sikes

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sikesjan/

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Sikes/e/B00CS9K8DK

The Stakes are High

Let’s all welcome Judi Lynn today. She’s a long-term blogger/author friend, and she has a new book to tell us about today. Please check it out, maybe consider it for your summer reading list. Before you leave make sure to use those sharing buttons. All of us struggle to get the word out and a click or two is pretty simple.

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I’ve been a fan of C.S. Boyack for a while now—his blog: Entertaining Stories | Just a fiction writer, trying to reach the world. (wordpress.com), his posts about writing on Story Empire: Suspension of Disbelief | Story Empire (wordpress.com), and his many wonderful books: Amazon.com: C. S. Boyack: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle. So, I’m happy to be his guest today to promote my cozy mystery, THE STEAKS ARE HIGH.

This is the second book in my Karnie Cleaver series. Karnie works in her family’s butcher shop with her parents, brother Chuck, Aunt Aida, and Aida’s son and daughter. They not only work together, but they get together every Sunday for suppers. They like each other. That led me to write a story that focused on family dynamics, the good and the bad. When Karnie married Matt Roeback, Chuck’s best friend, his family is close, too. And she inherited his two kids, Chelsea—almost three—and Jackson—five. When Matt’s ex-wife left him, Chelsea was only six months old and doesn’t remember her mother. Jackson doesn’t want to. They’re both ready to have a woman who loves them. So was Matt. And I wanted to show how all of them bonded as a family in this book.

I also wanted to show that even when people love each other, sometimes the need to do your own thing can cause chasms. Karnie’s older brother, Porter, left the butcher shop and moved to Florida soon after he graduated high school and never looked back. He was always their parents’ golden boy who could do no wrong. He’s handsome, smart, and maybe a little too into himself. He didn’t come home for weddings and rarely answered phone calls. Until now. But when he gets into trouble, home looks better than it once did. Karnie and Chuck aren’t jumping up for joy when he wants to return to the family business, but their parents greet Porter with open arms, their prodigal son returned.

And then there’s the mystery. And it emphasizes relationships this time, too. Farley Rawlins is the victim, and people would line up who disliked him. He and his wife can barely tolerate each other, but she stays with him. Why? He’s such a pain, she doesn’t want to bother with one court battle after another to get rid of him. Then there’s his mistress, Cecilia, who’s not happy because he’s left her for someone else. Not his wife. And there’s the myriad of people who rent from him, and he’s threatening to throw them all out so that he can raise his rents.

I also wanted to show the hardship of parents who have kids with special needs. Don’t get me wrong. They love their kids with all their hearts, but they always worry what will become of them once they’re gone.

I enjoyed writing this book. I didn’t even fuss through the messy middle (and that’s unusual for me). And I thank Craig for helping me promote it. If you try it, I hope you like it.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Steaks-Are-High-Cleaver-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0B6D731ZD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=31Y3GUAIWDOR7&keywords=the+steaks+are+high%2C+judi+lynn&qid=1657829492&sprefix=%2Caps%2C53&sr=8-1

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Judi Lynn lives in Indiana with her husband, a bossy gray cat, and a noisy Chihuahua.  She loves to cook and owns more cookbooks than any mortal woman would ever need.  That’s why so much food sneaks into her stories.  She also loves her flower beds, but is a haphazard gardener, at best.   

My blog & webpage:  http://writingmusings.com/ 

My author Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/JudiLynnwrites/ 

Twitter: @judypost 

On BookBub at Judi Lynn with a link to Judith Post (for my urban fantasies): https://www.bookbub.com/authors/judi-lynn

A Voice in the Silence

It’s my honor to welcome D. L. Finn to Entertaining Stories today. She’s here to tell us about her newest publication, and it sounds pretty good to me. Denise is a friend, a Story Empire partner, and a great author. I hope all of you will make her feel welcome, and don’t forget to use those sharing buttons at the end.

***

Thank you for having me here today, Craig, to celebrate the release of A Voice in the Silence.

I’ve never had a pet who wanted a bath. Our dogs thought it was a punishment when I went from water to soap, while the cats would attempt to end all water contact with their front claws and propelling back legs. So, I had fun writing the bath scenes that included animals.

Imagine Drea’s surprise that they seemed to enjoy it, not only the dog Charlie, but the cat Jane, and rat Ben too. You’d either think they were the best-behaved and trained animals ever—or wonder. I know my mind would come up with an unusual scenario or two, but never consider these animal’s truths.

Still having a dog, cat and rat show up just when Drea needed it was an enormous boost for her in the depressed state she was in. She deserved that small moment of peace to bond in everyday chores like bathing these animals before her life, and theirs, unraveled.

Fun Finn Facts

1. Could there be labs trying to create talking animals? If they do and they escape they are welcome at my house.

2. Do our loved ones who have passed on try to communicate with us? I believe so.

Blurb

Drea Burr has experienced more than her share of loss when a stray dog, cat, and rat enter her life. Although the animals start to mend her broken heart, there is something very unusual about them. During a snowstorm, Drea discovers a chilling set of footprints leading to her front window. Both the police and a ghostly messenger warn her about a killer stalking widows. Help comes from her late husband’s best friend, Adam Hale. As the two try to discover answers, more questions arise— about a killer, ghosts, and animals experimented on in a lab.

Can Drea and Adam survive the threats coming from so many directions and save themselves and the animals they’ve grown to love? Or will more tragedy destroy her second chance at happiness? Find out in this thrilling, cozy paranormal adventure.

Excerpt

Drea gasped and sat up on the couch. Her heart was racing like her nightmare of falling off a cliff had been real. Although it was still dark out, dawn was peeking through the veil. She had slept soundly through the night. The familiar crackling of the fire was absent. She shivered in the cold room, wrapped the blanket tightly around her, and took the simple route of turning on the central heat over rekindling the flames. This time of year, she preferred the warmth of a woodstove over forced hot air, but since becoming a widow, she chose where to put her energy.

The animals were curled up on the blue wool hearth rug and hadn’t stirred. A pleasant sensation passed through her— a sense of belonging, or being needed. That inspired her to pull on her snow boots, coat, and gloves and grab her new black fabric wood carrier. She shut the door quietly behind her without letting it latch. The garage door creaked open, exposing her to the winter chill.

The headlamp fit snuggly across her brow. A simple flick of a switch lit her path across the pristine snow to the woodshed. As the narrow beam of light guided her forward, her boots sank into the covered landscape. She quickly filled her carrier with oak and turned to go back into the house when her path crossed another set of footprints.

Her heart raced as she studied the tracks. They were bigger and deeper than the ones she’d made. The square heel left out any possibility of being a forest animal, and the tracks led away from the house into the trees. A quick scan of the area didn’t offer any answers.

She took a deep breath to push her fear away. Next time, she’d bring her gun. How stupid to go outside alone with a killer on the loose.

Charlie’s paw swept the door open, and he sprinted to her side.

She met the dog’s wide-eyed gaze. “Someone’s been here.”

Charlie sniffed the air, nodded, and fell in behind her. His head bumped against her legs, quickening her sluggish pace. Looking to her right, she spotted more footprints—right outside her front window. Time inched forward as goosebumps crawled over her skin.

Finally they were inside the garage. She dumped the load on the concrete floor and raced to the button that would shut the door and offer her protection from the outside world. Charlie stood statue-still next to the closing door, which moved at the speed of a turtle. She sighed in relief when the outer metal door thumped shut and quickly gathered up the wood.

Amazon Purchase Link US
Amazon Purchase Link UK

Author Bio

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include adult fiction, poetry, a unique autobiography, and children’s books. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

D.L. Finn Links:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

D.L. Finn blog

Author Amazon Page

Heck of a deal! #freebook #murder #mystery

Hey, everyone. A couple of years ago I got an invitation to contribute to an anthology of murder mysteries.

This is a little outside my orbit, but they didn’t care if mine was a speculative tale. I decided to give Jason Fogg another spotlight and my story came together.

Jason is a private detective who has the ability to turn himself into fog. This allows him to get inside places and poke around for evidence. Even openings like keyholes are enough for him to pass through.

Jason originated in the first Experimental Notebook, earned another tale in the second Experimental Notebook, and was part of the team in Viral Blues. I might trot him out again some day.

This brings me to Murder They Wrote. I am honored to appear beside some stellar authors in this collection. If you feel like diving into murder mysteries, this is the collection for you, and you might find a new favorite author in the mix.

The best news is this collection is absolutely free for a couple more days. Grab your copy now. I like to read anthologies as lunch-break material to stretch them out. (It’s okay if you want to read them all at once. You do you.)

Here’s the universal link and it should work no matter what country you’re in. http://mybook.to/Murder_They_Wrote

I hope you’ll check this one out. It’s rising on the list, but it will take a lot more “FREE” downloads to get us to number one.

Don’t forget to use those sharing buttons at the bottom. Maybe one of your friends might like a copy.

Posed in Death by Judi Lynn #Newbook

Let’s all welcome Judi Lynn today. She’s got a new book to talk about, and I love her explanations for how it came about. I tend to read and write like she does. Check out the book, and feel free to use those sharing buttons to help spread the word.

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I want to thank Craig for inviting me to his blog. I’ve been a fan of his writing and his blog posts on Story Empire for a long time. I’ve been waiting for the third and final novel of his Lanternfish trilogy since I fell in love with Serang in the first one.

I’m here today to promote my latest novel, POSED IN DEATH. I usually write cozies, but this time, my story is much darker. And I’m blaming it all on Louis Kincaid. I’m hooked on P.J. Parrish’s series about the P.I./detective. I don’t know about other writers, but what I read affects what I write. I read a lot of cozies, historical mysteries, and only a few thrillers. That is, until I bought my first Louis Kincaid. Now, I read more thrillers than I used to.

I can’t read any one author over and over again, back-to-back. I get more critical with each book and bore faster. I need to change things up. So, I usually read two cozies, a historical, another couple of cozies, something outside the mystery genre, then a cozy, then a thriller, and on and on. I’d never make it as a binge reader or TV watcher. And I learned that if I write the same characters back-to-back, even though I love them, I get just as bored. So, I need to switch things up. (Luckily, in real life, I don’t have this problem. I haven’t gotten bored with HH yet😊 But I do have to constantly find new recipes to make because I’ve already made some of mine too many times.)

For a while, I wrote paranormal mysteries between my Jazzi and Ansel cozies, and that helped. I tried to write a few different cozies with different characters, like my Lux novels and A Cut Above, and it helped, but not as much. Those had the same FEEL. They didn’t quite do the trick. It was like reading a Lynn Cahoon Tourist Trap cozy and then going to a Kim Davis Diva cozy. They were both fun, but I was ready for something different. And that’s when I discovered Louis Kincaid. That’s also when I got the idea to write something darker. And it was wonderful. It did the trick. I’m ready to tackle another Jazzi and Ansel now.

Writing darker is a gamble. I’m not sure readers who like my cozies will want something that features a serial killer. But my agent said I had too many cozy elements in the story to call it a true thriller. And that’s true. But I wanted to focus on the theme of marriage. And this worked for me. So, it felt like a gamble worth taking.

Posed In Death: Nick and Laurel Mystery/Thriller 1 – Kindle edition by Lynn, Judi. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Thanks again, Craig, for sharing your blog with me!

Bio:

Judi Lynn lives in Indiana with her husband, a bossy gray cat, and a noisy Chihuahua. She loves to cook and owns more cookbooks than any mortal woman would ever need. That’s why so much food sneaks into her stories. She also loves her flower beds, but is a haphazard gardener, at best.

My blog & webpage: http://writingmusings.com/

My author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JudiLynnwrites/

Twitter: @judypost

On BookBub at Judi Lynn with a link to Judith Post (for my urban fantasies): https://www.bookbub.com/authors/judi-lynn

Legends of Madeira

Joan Hall is with us today to tell us about her new book. It’s the first in the Legends of Madeira Series. There is also a sidecar/prequel called House of Sorrow, that I highly recommend.

Joan is a big supporter of the independent author community, one of my partners over at Story Empire, and just and all around good person. Let’s give her a big welcome, and make sure to use those sharing buttons to help her launch this project. Take it away, Joan:

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Cold Dark Night: A Lunar Trifecta

Thank you for your generosity in hosting me today, Craig. I’m delighted to be back with you to kick off this tour for my latest release, Cold Dark Night, the first novel in the Legends of Madeira series.

As you know, I’ve long been fascinated by the full moon. Several years ago, I discovered Native Americans had names for each of them. Up until that time, I’d only heard of the Harvest Moon or a Blue Moon (when there are two full moons in a calendar month).

In 2018, a rare event occurred. January had two full (or blue) moons, as did March, meaning there was no full moon in February. This is sometimes referred to as a Black Moon.

This rarity occurs every nineteen years or so and is dependent upon time zones and leap years. But January 31, 2018, there was an even more uncommon occurrence, the trifecta of a blue moon, a supermoon (close proximity to earth), and a blood moon or eclipse.

I had an early meeting that day, and as I arrived at work, the eclipse had just begun. The event fueled my imagination. I had to write a story around this unique event. The idea for Cold Dark Night began to take shape.

Excerpt:

He looked toward the western sky. The earth began to pass between the moon and the sun, casting a shadow on the lunar surface. Before long, it would appear blood-red, the brightness completely obliterated.

The darkest hour is just before dawn.

How many times had he heard his grandmother say those words? It was years before he knew where the quote originated, or that it was metaphorical, not literal.

He’d come to a remote area of the Vaughn ranch to view this rare celestial event. Stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts gathered in various places outside Madeira to watch, but he didn’t want to be around others. He wanted to be alone, and the chances of the ranch’s owners spotting him were next to nothing.

A twinge of excitement ran through him as the lunar surface turned a coppery hue. Astronomers called it the Super Blue Blood Moon—a rare trifecta of the second full moon of the month, its nearness to earth, and a total eclipse.

An eerie stillness surrounded him. His pulse quickened—not from fear, but in anticipation of what was to come. Part of him wanted to go ahead with his plans. Too bad he hadn’t thought of it before now. A killing taking place during the blood moon would have been perfect.

But no, he had to bide his time. Wait for the natural course of events. He’d waited thirty-eight years. Another couple of weeks wouldn’t matter.

The darkest hour is just before dawn.

He would see the morning. But for some, darkness would soon last forever.

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Thanks again for hosting me today. Cold Dark Night is available on Amazon for the introductory price of .99 through the end of June. The price increases to $3.99 on June 15th, so now is a good time for readers to grab a copy.

Blurb:

New husband, new house, new town… and a new mystery to solve.

Tami Montgomery thought her police chief husband was going to be the only investigator in the family when she gave up her journalism career and moved with him to Madeira, New Mexico.

But after the historical society asks her to write stories for a book celebrating the town’s history, she becomes embroiled in a new mystery. If she can’t solve this one, she could lose everything. Her research uncovers a spate of untimely deaths of local law enforcement officials. Further digging reveals a common link—they all lived in the house she and Jason now share.

Tami isn’t a superstitious person, but the circumstances are too similar for coincidence. Then she unearths an even more disturbing pattern. And if history repeats itself, her husband will be the next to die.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0968CXZQ9

Connect with Joan:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Bookbub | Goodreads | Instagram

I Am Mayhem #newbook

I want to welcome back an old friend today. Sue Coletta writes these amazing murder mysteries, and if you haven’t discovered her you’re missing out.

Make her feel welcome, and make sure to use those sharing buttons to help with her latest release. The new book sounds wonderful, so I’ll let her tell you all about it.

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It’s impossible to talk about my Mayhem Series without the mention of crows. For those who don’t know, Mr. Mayhem has three top crows: Poe, Allan, and Edgar. When I first introduced crows into the series, they were supposed to be sidekicks—someone for Mr. Mayhem to chat with during his late-night excursions—but Poe evolved into so much more. I’ve read some reviews that say he’s their favorite character. Not the humans mind you, but Poe, the lead crow of Mayhem’s murder. In I AM MAYHEM, I introduced one more “special” crow, but I can’t tell you why without ruining the surprise.

As an aside: Poe’s based on a real crow who comes when I call.

With each new book, I take another plunge into crow research. After years of studying crow behavior, one might think I’ve learned all I could about corvids, but I always find something new.

Humans often believe we are the only species to possess certain traits, behaviors, or abilities, especially with regard to cognition. Occasionally, we extend such traits to primates or other “higher” mammals—species we share fundamental brain similarities.

Few look toward the sky. Yet, crows, ravens, and other corvids are making multipart tools like hooked sticks to reach grubs, solving geometry puzzles, and one particularly kind magpie even nudged a clueless hedgehog across the highway before it became roadkill.

A crow’s brain is enormous compared to their body, and they don’t waste a morsel of it. Crows have long impressed scientists with their intelligence and creativity.

Now, crows can add one more feather to their brainiac cap: A new study unveiled in Science magazine found that crows inherently know things and can ponder the content of their own minds, a manifestation of higher intelligence and analytical thought believed only capable by humans and a few other higher mammals.

German scientists put crows through a series of puzzling tasks. During which they measured neural activity in different types of neurons, with the goal of tracking how crows sensed and reasoned through their work. They sought to study a specific kind of thinking called sensory consciousness.

Sensory consciousness isn’t as simple as the definition: awareness of the visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, and taste qualities of stimuli. Sensory consciousness arises from specific brain processes. In simpler terms, the sensory feel of an experience is not something that happens to us, but rather, it’s a skill we exercise. It also differs from other mental phenomena, like conscious thought or memory.

Consider the difference between physically feeling pain vs. imagining that you feel pain. Or rubbing the softness of fleece between your fingertips vs. envisioning how fleece might feel. We writers use our sensory consciousness all the time.

Do crows have this ability, too?

To answer that question, we first need to understand the difference between our brains and birds lies within the design. Mammals’ brains are layered like club sandwiches, while birds’ brains are arranged more like pizza. All the pieces are there but they’re not stacked like ours.

Another important note about sensory consciousness: The ability to have subjective experiences that can be explicitly accessed and thus reported arises from brain processes that emerged through evolutionary history, and dates back 320 million years ago when birds diverged from mammalian lineage.

After the crows got comfortable within the testing environment, scientists introduced a rule—a red cue for “yes, they’d seen the stimulus” or blue for “no, they hadn’t.”

The results stunned scientists, and affirmed crows do in fact possess sensory consciousness.

To reconcile sensory consciousness in birds and mammals, one scenario would postulate that birds and mammals inherited the trait of consciousness from their last-common ancestor, and crows tucked this superpower in the ol’ memory bank for at least 320 million years. Amazing, right?

As bloody, severed body parts show up on her doorstep, Shawnee Daniels must stop the serial killer who wants her dead before she becomes the next victim.

But can she solve his cryptic clues before it’s too late? Or will she be the next to die a slow, agonizing death?

With crows stalking her every move, Shawnee can barely function. Things worsen when body parts show up on her doorstep. An unstoppable serial killer wants her dead. Mr. Mayhem threatens to murder everyone she loves, sending Shawnee a piece at a time.

As Mr. Mayhem sits in judgement, his cryptic clues must be solved before the final gavel drops. The game rules are simple—win the unwinnable or submit to a slow, agonizing death.

When Shawnee tries to fight back, she discovers her very existence is based on lies. But the full impact of the truth might become the headstone on Shawnee’s grave.

Preorder on Amazon for 99c.

Book will be delivered to your device on April 20, 2021 (release day).

You can catch up with Sue at the following places:

Website Facebook Twitter Amazon Goodreads Tirgearr Publishing Globe Pequot (Rowman & Littlefield)