 What a gorgeous romantic adventure! Inga and Steinar are both strong, fierce, powerful characters, enemies, too. While they are drawn to each other immediately, their feelings unfold subtly at first, almost as natural and irrepressible as breathing. But it doesn’t take long for the force of their passion to rival that of the sea.
With the Wolves of Clan Sutherland, Mary Morgan has conquered another facet of medieval history and lore – the Vikings and Norse gods. She spares nothing, describing both ship and isle so distinctly you can smell the sea, feel the barrenness of the land, and dread the wrath of the gods. The characters are all strongly drawn. Several favorites from previous books in the series make an appearance or two (hint: swoon). There are twists and turns as the plot surges forward. I held my breath through half the book! The other half was spent sighing over some of the most beautiful love scenes I’ve ever read. As ever, Mary Morgan masterfully sweeps the reader away, back through the mists of time and history, to a place where love, honor, and selflessness prevail despite harsh circumstances and the cruelties of life. Many thanks to the author for this brilliant escape.
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 I'm so excited! We have Book Two in the Gothic Gwyn Mysteries series! I can hardly wait to read Let No Clan Put Asunder by the talented Judith Sterling. In the meantime, I thought you'd enjoy a look at this new cozy mystery. This time around, there's a Scottish vibe to the story. Really, what more could we ask for? “It was no small thing to marry into the Donnachaidh clan, and there was nowhere to hide from its past. So states the tagline of the gothic mystery Gwyneth Camm discovers out of place—not once, but twice—inside her newly inherited Salem home. Her deceased Aunt Ethel seems determined she read the book, and once again, Gwyn finds herself sucked into a gothic romance, inhabiting the body of its heroine. This time, she’s a young bride in 1970 on her way to a clifftop castle that harbors secrets, Scottish legacies, hidden malice, and…a vampire? Only by learning the truth can she return to her own life, where yet another puzzle awaits. Excerpt Just before midnight, I tiptoed across the darkened drawing room. Anyone might be hiding in the shadows, including the black obscurities high on the vaulted ceiling. Those in particular could cloak something inhuman. A shiver trickled down my spine, and I paused. Do I really want to do this? The bottom line: I had to if I wanted to further the plot and solve the mystery of Alistair’s disappearance. I continued to the chapel. Once inside, I reached for the brass light switch on the wall to my right—the same switch Fiona used while playing tour guide—and flicked it. Nothing happened. Darkness reigned supreme, apart from two small flames in a votive candle stand near the altar. Had the lightbulbs burned out? Did the circuit breaker trip? No. Someone planned it. Not a comforting thought. I dared not dwell on it, or I’d lose my nerve. Determined, I hurried to the arched portal that led to the crypt and tried the light switch Garrett had used earlier. It, too, refused to work. An unbridled shudder ran through me. There was something creepy about a church at night, especially one flooded by darkness. Donnachaidh’s chapel was no exception. The absence of light seemed to twist the sacred into the profane and awaken primal fears. What manner of evil, arcane and unseen, slithered along the stone and woodwork of this lonely place? All right. That’s enough. I squared my shoulders. The lights don’t work? Fine. I’ll use a candle. I hastened to the votive stand. I wouldn’t take either of the lit candles; not only did they represent someone’s prayers, but the glass vessels were likely too hot to hold. I grabbed a fresh candle, held the wick to one of the flames, and put it into an unused vessel. Light in hand, I returned to the archway and padded down the spiral stairs. I hesitated at the bottom. Beyond the limited scope of my candle, the crypt was pitch-black. The air was charged with an ominous silence. Nerves aflutter, I cleared my throat. The sound seemed as loud as an avalanche. “Is anyone here?” A silly question, really. If someone were there, they’d let me know it. Unless they wanted to scare me. Or harm me. I swallowed hard and crept forward. David Robertson’s tomb. The thought popped into my head and wouldn’t be denied. Intuition or something more? Whatever the case, I obeyed, veering to the right. As I neared the tomb, I halted. The black bouquet was still there, but someone had altered it. Every last petal had been plucked and strewn around the base of the sarcophagus. I inched closer. No, not plucked. Torn from the stems and ripped to shreds.  About the Author Judith Sterling is an award-winning author whose love of history and passion for the paranormal infuse everything she writes. Through gothic cozy mystery (The Gothic Gwyn Mysteries), medieval/time travel romance (The Novels of Ravenwood), and young adult paranormal fantasy (the Guardians of Erin series), she loves to whisk readers away from their troubles and remind them of the hidden magic all around us. Her nonfiction books, written under Judith Marshall, have been translated into multiple languages. She has an MA in linguistics and a BA in history, with a minor in British Studies. Born in that sauna called Florida, she craved cooler climes, and once the travel bug bit, she lived in England, Scotland, Sweden, Wisconsin, Virginia, and on the island of Nantucket. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and their identical twin sons. 
 And Patrick went forth to the summit of the mountain, over Crochan Aigli, and he stayed there forty days and forty nights. And mighty birds were around him, so that he could not see the face of the sky or earth or sea. For God had said to all the saints of Ireland (past, present, and to come): Go up, o' ye saints, above the mountain which towers and is higher than all the mountains that are towards the setting of the sun. Go up to bless the peoples of Ireland. -- from the Collectanea of Tirechán, c. 600s It was just one of those random wanderings down a medieval lane. I was reading the introduction to a version of St. Patrick's Confessio and was impressed by the drama and beauty of the passage. As noted, it was not written by Saint Patrick, but about him, and in reference to the beloved pilgrimage site now called Croagh-Patrick in County Mayo, Ireland. Every year since medieval times, pilgrims have climbed to the summit the last Sunday of July in honor of Saint Patrick, and masses are held in the chapel. Who wrote the passage? An Irish monk by the name of Tirechán penned it in Latin in the mid to late 600's, in a book entitled Collectanea. It's the only book we have from him. Interestingly, the full work is included in another medieval book, The Book of Armagh, which is on display at Trinity College in Dublin. Talk about rabbit holes! One moment I was reading Saint Patrick's memoirs and the next I was learning about a holy mountain and becoming acquainted with medieval manuscripts I hadn't known existed. I will leave you with a quote from Saint Patrick's Lorica (a hymn). Personally, I find it a great way to start the day.  I arise today
In the might of Heaven, Brightness of Sun, Brilliance of Moon, Splendour of Fire Speed of Lightening, Swiftness of Wind, Depth of Sea, Stability of Earth, Firmness of Rock.  Medieval Monday -- way more fun than the average, run-of-the-mill Monday!
While researching medieval diaries, I discovered an extraordinary website. Epistolae: Medieval Women's Letters Professor Joan M. Ferrante, Professor Emeritus of Columbia University, has collected hundreds of letters to and from medieval women, 4th to 13th centuries, and translated them from the original Latin. There are 83 pages of links on the website at present. For each letter, Professor Ferrante provides her English translation, followed by the original Latin text, a brief explanation of the letter, and her source(s). If so inclined, you can search for letters by both sender and receiver. I stopped at page 15 or so, having found the following letter from the year 1104. It's from Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, to Matilda of Scotland, Queen of the English. He is maaad. He and Queen Matilda's husband, Henry I, had some serious differences of opinion. You will note that at the end of his epistle, he prays for the queen and her children -- not the king! I realized only after reading the letters and doing a little more research that Matilda of Scotland was Good Queen Maud and that Archbishop Anselm was eventually canonized. They are both fascinating figures. Here's the letter, copied from the website: To his reverend lady, his dearest daughter Matilda, by the grace of God queen of the English: Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury, sending his faithful service, his prayers and the blessing of God and his own, if it is worth anything. I give boundless thanks to your Highness by loving and praying for you for the magnitude of your holy love towards my humble self which I perceived in your letter.(1) In it you clearly displayed with what affection you love me when you received and treated my parchment in the way you describe. Your dignity raised my spirits so much by declaring that what nature denies me your grace bestows, that those who are mine by kinship are yours by adoption and love.(2) By trying to soften the heart of my lord the King towards me because of your desire for my return I perceive that you are doing what is fitting for you and advantageous for him. For if he has any bitterness of heart towards me I am not aware of ever having deserved it in any way at all, as far as I can see. If at any time I served him he knows it, and I think he will not consign it to oblivion. If in some respects he dislikes me without cause it would be advantageous for him to drive this rancor away from him lest he sin before God. You promise me that the King will in future grant me better and more abundant access to our revenues, of which at present he allows me a small amount.(3) I should not be ungrateful to your benevolence because you are doing this, as far as you are able through your goodwill. But it should not be necessary to make me such a promise because no confiscation or decrease of them should take place against my will. Whoever advised him to appropriate any of these revenues advised him to commit a sin which is no slight one, nor one that should ever be tolerated. For whoever despoils a bishop of his goods can in no way be reconciled to God unless he restores to him all his goods intact. You should know that however small a part of these goods I am deprived of, it is as if I were deprived of everything. I do not say this for love of money but for the love of God's justice. Your kindness prays me not to take my love away from my lord the King but to intercede for him, for yourself, for your offspring and for your realm. I have always done this up to now. But as to the future I commit myself to the providence of God, with whom "the son does not bear the iniquity of the father"(4) nor the wife that of her husband. I hope in God that I may not harbor any rancor against anybody in my heart which could separate me from God. May almighty God guard you and your offspring(5) forever in his grace.(6) Epistolae is a wonderful resource. Many thanks to Professor Ferrante, her colleagues, and Columbia University for making it available to the public. If you visit the website, along with the letters, you will find a few short, excellent videos with the professor. She is enthusiastic, generous, and clearly loves what she does. Amazing.  I'm delighted to welcome one very interesting lady today! Meryl Brown Tobin, multi-published, multi-genre author, launched her beautiful romance Broome Enigma back in November. I was unable to host her then, so I am especially thrilled to be able to share her work with you now. But first, let's get better acquainted with this talented author. Welcome, Meryl! 1) What sort of books did you enjoy reading as a child? Did you have a favorite book or series? I was an Enid Blyton girl and read every book of hers I could. I especially loved the Famous Five series. 2) What sort of books do you enjoy reading nowadays? I read a variety of books including ones about First Nations people and books by them. ‘The Dark Emu’ by Bruce Pascoe and ‘Talking to My Country’ by Stan Grant are two I found illuminating. I also like Australian historical fiction, especially books by Chrissie Michaels. As I have a lot of writer friends I try to support, I read whatever they write, which includes poetry, short stories and novels in various genres. 3) Around what age did you realize that you liked to write? And when did you know that you wanted to write books? In early primary school, I started to write. When I was about eight, I joined several children’s clubs attached to newspapers and contributed to them. In my mid-twenties, I wrote my first novel. While the theme was noble, the writing was very amateurish. When I was about 50, I was keen to try again but couldn’t get in the mood until I could see a long stretch of time in front of me. Then I was offered a voluntary redundancy package from my day job and saw that as my chance. Bravo! 4) What’s the first thing you wrote that you remember being proud of? When I was 11, I wrote a short item for a short story journal to which my mother subscribed. I described our family’s visit to a nature sanctuary. 5) Tell us about the creative force within you. What inspires you to write, to create? I write because I have a mind made up of jigsaw pieces of thoughts and memories. Every now and again the pieces fit together and insist I write them into a story, a poem or some other piece of writing – even a cartoon. 6) What’s your writing space like? When I first started writing, my writing space was the end of our kitchen/dining room table. Because it was very frustrating clearing away my typewriter (in those days) and relevant paperwork at mealtimes, I yearned to have my own den. Eventually I got a small one which I soon filled with filing cabinets and magazines and other publications which had published my writings. Once our children left home, I spread into one of their bedrooms. That’s now full of writing paraphernalia including a desk, computer and printer, boxes of magazines containing my published pieces, boxes of travel material, notes and papers I might need for my writing one day. It sounds like a great space! 7) Do you have a favorite time of day to write? Any habits or little rituals that put you in a writing mindset? After doing what else I have to do for the day, I write. At night I prefer to watch TV though. I do two mornings of exercises a week and try to do an early morning walk the other days if I am not going out or doing heavy housework. If the weather is bad, I do a half-hour exercise session on TV at 8.30 am. Then the day is clear for my writing apart from regular breaks from the computer. 8) Time to talk about your latest release (rubbing hands together). First, how did you come up with the idea for Broome Enigma? Are there any interesting tidbits you’d care to share with us? My family and I love travelling around Australia, and Broome, an Outback cosmopolitan town in Western Australia is one of our favourite places. On one trip we met a handsome young man working in a caravan park. Dressed in only jeans and sandals, he had a tanned torso with muscles showing and looked as though he had just stepped off a film set for a surfing movie. However, he had a damped-down personality that didn’t match his looks. I played the What If? game to try to come up with a reason as to how he came to be working in the caravan park. After some years a story started to formulate and develop. Fascinating! The man that day became one of your characters! 9) Now let’s hear more about Broome Enigma! Broome Enigma came out on November 20, 2023. It’s on sale on at least 33 websites in at least 16 countries including Australia, Austria(?), Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India(?), Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, The Netherlands, Switzerland, UK and USA. Many people have now read my book and many comment on the setting, Broome in 1986, and how it brings back memories of their visits there or how it has inspired them to want to go and visit. For individual readers’ comments, see https://sites.google.com/site/merylbrowntobin - NOVELS. Action in the novel also takes place between Broome and Perth. As I am also a travel writer and wrote ‘Exploring Outback Australia’ for which my husband, Hartley Tobin, did the photographs and maps, and we have travelled the route a number of times, writing accurately about the areas covered was relatively easy. 10) I comprehend that you’ve just recently published a book. Still, I can’t help but ask – do you have anything waiting in the wings? Yes, more novels. My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, goes out of its way to help writers. Thanks to Val Mathews, TWRP editor who first encouraged me, and Ally Robertson who helped me ‘get over the hump’, I was able to rewrite ‘Broome Enigma’ in a style favored by them. With the publication of the book and numerous comments from readers, I now know what works with them. Now I shall apply all I have learned and rewrite all my other novels so they ‘get over the hump’. I agree. I love The Wild Rose Press. It's a wonderful publishing house. 11) Is there anything else you’d like to share with us? Although ‘Broome Enigma’ is my first published novel, I have been writing for most of my life and have published fiction for adults and children, non-fiction, especially travel, poetry and educational puzzles. I have had 21 other books published, including two poetry books with other poets. My published books also include puzzle/activity books, black-line masters books of educational puzzles, work books for primary students, a travel book, a children’s picture storybook, a poetry collection. In total nearly 300,000 copies of my first four puzzle books were sold in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Hundreds of my poems and puzzles, scores of my short stories and travel and other articles, and some cartoons have appeared in more than 150 magazines, newspapers and anthologies in Australia and elsewhere, including the US. For more details see https://sites.google.com/view/merylbrowntobin-author. It's been an honor hosting you, Meryl. Thank you for sharing your time with us. Congratulations on Broome Enigma!  On a working holiday in Australia's cosmopolitan Outback town of Broome in 1986, Jodie, a young book designer and artist is open to romance and adventure. At the holiday village where she is staying, she meets Joe, a young man who works there. Despite the strong attraction between them, the many unknowns about his earlier life keep them apart. To try to uncover his mysterious past, they travel to Perth and back to Broome and are drawn into not only bizarre but also dangerous situations. Is Joe the person she thinks he is, or is he some alter ego? Can Jodie and Joe stop their relationship from developing until they have answers and know if he is free to love her? Excerpt A big gust of wind rocked the van and flung Jodie hard against Joe. He pushed her off. “Joe, it’s me, Jodie! Wake up, wake up!” “Jodie, is that you?” He threw his arms around her and buried his head in her chest. She brushed his hair back from his sweating face. “Take it easy, Joe. Take deep breaths. It’s okay. It’s going to be okay.” He stopped shaking and pulled back from her. “What’s happening?” “It’s the cyclone. Don’t you remember?” Another huge gust shook the van and sent Jodie sprawling on Joe’s bunk and into the wall. “Ow, that hurt!” She picked herself up and rubbed her head. The van rocked violently again. Joe and Jodie grabbed for handholds. “Quick, come into my bed with me, Joe. It will be safer there.” Tripping and feeling their way along the wall, the two made their way to the double bed and clambered in. Her breathing coming in short spasms, she lay on her back and took deep breaths. The storm whined and screeched about her, and the roof creaked and scraped. “Oh, my god, the roof’s going to take off any minute!” Joe’s arms enveloped her. “Hush, everything will be all right. But will you be okay if we have to make a run for it?” “Yes.” She let out a sob. “But I like our chances better in here than out there.” Joe kissed her forehead. He pulled her closer and they lay locked against each other while the storm raged around them.  About the Author Meryl Brown Tobin is an Australian writer of short and long fiction for adults and children, non-fiction, especially travel, poetry and educational puzzles. She has had 21 books published. These include puzzle/activity books, black-line masters books of educational puzzles, work books for primary students, a travel book, a children’s picture storybook, a poetry collection and a haiku collection with four other poets. In total nearly 300,000 copies of her first four puzzle books were sold in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Hundreds of her poems and puzzles, scores of her short stories and travel and other articles, and some cartoons have appeared in more than 150 magazines, newspapers and anthologies in Australia and elsewhere, including the US. ‘Broome Enigma’ is her debut novel and more novels are in the pipeline. Awards: Her work has been shortlisted in competitions run by the Australian Society of Authors Inc., Fellowship of Australian Writers (Victoria), Poetry Matters, Positive Words, Redoubt, The Society of Women Writers Victoria, Waterline Writing Competition, Woman’s Day, and Writer’s Friend. In 2011 she won The Society of Women Writers, Victoria Inc. Biennial Literary Award for Women for a short story. For more details: https://sites.google.com/view/merylbrowntobin-author https://www.swwvic.org.au/member/meryl-tobin/ From left to right: Meryl with Vision Australia radio presenter, Roberta Ashby, who launched ‘Broome Enigma’ at the Melbourne launch. With Australian author, Chrissie Michaels, who launched ‘Broome Enigma’ at the regional launch. Audience at the regional launch All photos by Hartley Tobin WHERE TO PURCHASE BROOME ENIGMA by Meryl Brown Tobin
1) Amazon.com : broome enigma 2) Amazon.com.au (Australia)Broome Enigma : Tobin, Meryl Brown: Amazon.com.au: Books 3) Amazon.co.jp: Broome Enigma : Tobin, Meryl Brown: Foreign Language Books (Japan) 4) Broome Enigma: Amazon.co.uk: Tobin, Meryl Brown: 9781509250639: Books (UK) 5) Broome Enigma (English Edition) eBook Kindle - Amazon.com.br (Brazil) 6) Få Broome Enigma af som Hæftet bog på engelsk (saxo.com) (Denmark?) 7) https://www.saxo.com/dk/forfatter/meryl-brown-tobin_17387719 (Denmark) 8) Amazon (France)Broome Enigma (English Edition) eBook : Tobin, Meryl Brown : Amazon.fr: Boutique Kindle 9) https://www.amazon.in/Broome-Enigma-Meryl-Brown-Tobin-ebook/dp/B0CHWLFTSZ (India) 10) Broome Enigma (English Edition) eBook : Tobin, Meryl Brown : Amazon.es: Tienda Kindle (Spain) 11) Broome Enigma (English Edition) eBook : Tobin, Meryl Brown : Amazon.de: Kindle Store (Germany) 12) Better Read than Dead (Sydney)Welcome to BRTD - Better Read Than Dead Bookstore Newtown 13) Barnes & Noble (USA)Broome Enigma by Meryl Brown Tobin, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com) 14) Booktopia (Australia)https://www.booktopia.com.au/broome-enigma-meryl-brown-tobin/book/9781509250639.html 15) Thrift Books (USA)https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/broome-enigma/51028362/item/61510947/#idiq=61510947&edition=69970320 16) Browns Books (UK)https://www.brownsbfs.co.uk/Product/Tobin-Meryl-Brown/Broome-Enigma/9781509250639 17) Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199746026-broome-enigma 18) Mighty Ape (NZ) https://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/broome-enigma/38222278 19) https://www.bol.com/be/nl/p/broome-enigma/9300000163632008/ (Netherlands) 20) Walmart (Sacramento) https://www.walmart.com/ip/Broome-Enigma-Paperback-9781509250639/5067638128 21)https://www.exlibris.ch/de/buecher-buch/english-books/meryl-brown-tobin/broome-enigma/id/9781509250639/ (Germany, Switzerland, Austria?) 22) Broome Enigma eBook by Meryl Brown Tobin - EPUB Book | Rakuten Kobo Canada (Canada) 23) https://bookshop.org/p/books/broome-enigma-meryl-brown-tobin/20657825 24) https://www.ibs.it/broome-enigma-ebook-inglese-meryl-brown-tobin/e/9781509250646 25) Broome Enigma by Tobin, Meryl Brown | eBay $AU57.22 26) broome enigma by meryl brown tobin on ebay $AU44.46 27) broome enigma by meryl brown tobin on ebay $AU52.02 28) broome enigma by meryl brown tobin on ebay $AU52.07 29) broome enigma by meryl brown tobin on ebay $36.77 30) broome enigma by meryl brown tobin on ebay $40.45 31) Meryl Brown Tobin Broome Enigma (Poche) | eBay UK 19.65 Euro 32) Broome Enigma by Meryl Brown Tobin - Books on Google Play US 33) BROOME ENIGMA BY Meryl Brown Tobin Paperback Book EUR 33,42 - PicClick FR On sale world-wide and also 16 specific countries selling Broome Enigma: Australia Austria? Brazil Canada Denmark France Germany India? Italy Japan New Zealand Spain The Netherlands Switzerland UK USA It’s on sale on at least 33 websites in at least 16 countries including Australia, Austria(?), Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India(?), Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, The Netherlands, Switzerland, UK and USA.  Happy Medieval Monday! I'm back just in time to celebrate with my dear friend Mary Morgan! Steinar, her latest Viking romance and third book in the Wolves of Clan Sutherland series, launches this week! Gorgeous, delicious... I'll let Mary tell you more! Plus, she has gifted us with a SNEAK PREVIEW! Congratulations and welcome, Lady Mary! Hello Anastasia! I’m delighted to be on your lovely blog for Medieval Monday! With my new release of Steinar a couple days away, I’d like to talk about an important secondary character in the book—Snorri Sturluson. His fascination with Steinar became apparent the moment they met on the ship. As writers, we know how important these characters are in adding depth, humor, and support to the main protagonists. Let me share a wee bit of historical information about the real Snorri, the Icelander. While during my Viking and Norse research, I came across an important historical person by the name of Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241). Born in western Iceland, Snorri was the son of an Icelandic chieftain. Snorri ascended to become Iceland’s richest and powerful leader. He has long been assumed to be the author of medieval Iceland’s greatest works, including the Prose Edda, which is one of Scandinavia’s vast source for Norse mythology, and the Heimskringla Saga about the history of Norway’s kings. I could think of no one better qualified to pen the fictional tale of the Pirate Wolf than Snorri Sturluson.  To save the wolf, she must renounce her love for the man. Descended from the mighty Somerled, Lord of the Isles, Steinar MacDougall’s supremacy over the seas is fierce. On a quest for King William, he is captured by the enemy and presented with a favorable opportunity. Yet Steinar soon realizes his greatest threat comes from the woman who hides behind the mask of a warrior, and the quest for control might send them hurdling into the abyss of the sea. As leader of the Serpents, Inga the Ruthless travels beyond the isles bartering for goods with her brothers. After rescuing the feared Pirate Wolf during a storm, she surrenders her trust to the man and his inner wolf in order to claim the lost treasure of Odin. Though the journey is fraught with dangers, Inga fears her heart might be the one in peril, leading her to make the ultimate sacrifice. Will the sea be their salvation or doom them to a watery grave? A Sneak Preview from STEINAR ~ Steinar raised a brow in amused contempt with the beginnings of a smile tipping the corners of his lips. “I find nae humor in this.” She pointed a warning finger at the man. “Nor should you.” He raised the jug near his mouth. “For Inga the Ruthless who has maintained a life around men, I find your response…interesting.” He then took a long draw of mead. Stunned into silence, Inga gaped at him. Then her eyes narrowed to shards of fury. Her fingers sought the brooch fastened at the top of her cloak and undid the clasp. Removing the cloak from her body, she tossed both brooch and cloak onto a nearby stool. “How wrong you were in your earlier criticism of my skills as a woman. At Rangvald’s table I was simply Inga, daughter of Olaf.” She gestured to her gown. “Can you honestly tell me I look like a woman who is a leader of men on the seas?” Steinar’s expression stilled. He wiped the back of his hand leisurely across his mouth. “Nae,” he rasped out. There she witnessed the invitation in the smoldering depths of his eyes—dark with desire luring her forward. Her heart hammered against her chest. Inga’s mind ordered her to leave—escape the temptation to feel his arms around her. But her body betrayed and overrode all thought. Slowly, Inga removed the jug from his hand and pressed it against her lips. Tilting it back, she drank deeply of what remained. After tossing aside the jug onto the ground, she smiled fully. “Then I am correct.” Steinar pushed away from the wall. “You think to claim victory?” Her breath rose heavily with each rise and fall. When did she become the prey and he the predator? “Always,” she whispered, determined to grasp any shard of control or sanity. In one swift move, Steinar clasped his hands around her waist and turned her around with her back against the wall. His body towered over her, trapping Inga. Escape not an option. She gasped. Fight or surrender? For the first time, Inga lessened the strings binding her to an oath moons ago. An oath to never let a man control her. An oath to never let a man touch her. Oaths be damned! She craved to have this man kiss her.  About the Author: Mary Morgan is an international best-selling author of award-winning historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. During her research travels with her knight in shining armor to England, Ireland, and Scotland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return. Her passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic and Norse mythology, Mary's tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of fantasy, then journey back in time within the pages of her books. Connect with Mary: MaryMorganAuthor.com Amazon Author Goodreads BookBub Audible   “Remember, God put our heads on facing forward for a reason.”
Don’t we all need that reminder? Rag Lady, prequel to Susie Black’s Holly Swimsuit Mysteries, is a wonderful, hilarious, heartwarming journey of a book. Resonating with timeless wisdom and humor, it also inspires. Instant classic. The main character is Holly Schlivnik, new college grad ready to take on the world. While Holly is charmingly relatable, loveable, and funny, her Nana is the real star of the book. Wise, caring, and all brass tacks, she calls things as she sees them, no hesitation. She also encourages her granddaughter to live her best life. Holly graduates from college with high honors, poised to be a reporter. When she doesn’t get what she expects right away, she’s disappointed. To her astonishment, she finds herself working as a traveling sales rep with her father. She doesn’t realize that the course of her life has changed. Until she does. As Nana says, “Man plans and God laughs.” Rag Lady is about Holly’s journey, her adventures and struggles as she finds her place in the world. Author Susie Black carries off the first-person narrative superbly. I felt as though I was right there with Holly through it all. It is a poignant story of familial love and loyalty, about hard work, and doing what it takes. It’s also the tale of a young woman’s undaunted spirit, determination, and success, complemented with a riotous dose of humor. At the end of this bookish journey, I was laughing through my tears. Love you, Nana! Don’t miss Rag Lady by Susie Black.  It's that lovely, cozy time of year! Hallmark holiday movies and festive reads, here I come! Yesss!
I've started early. It's been a somewhat stressful time. My foot surgeries both failed. Both! Next week, I will have semi-emergency surgery on the first foot. I will be stuck through the holiday season and, frankly, through much of the coming year. Lots of time to write, read, listen, watch... Although my Audible credits are beginning to pile up, I wanted to check the Plus catalogue first as well as Kindle Unlimited. I ended up downloading quite a bit from both as well as purchasing a few. Do you receive emails about free books and deals? I get them from favorite authors I follow, The Fussy Librarian, BookBub, Goodreads, and, of course, Amazon. I know there are a lot of excellent, bookish newsletters out there. So much to read, so little time... Amazingly (at least, to me -- where have I been?), Kate Hewitt is a fairly new author to me. What a lovely discovery! She has written several series and lots of her books are included in Audible's Plus catalogue and Kindle Unlimited, including some holiday reads. I also haven't read any of Catherine Walsh's books, but her Holiday Romance was on sale for .99 and it looked really cute, so I snatched it up. That little purchase gave me a great discount for the Audible book, so I bought that, too. It's exciting to discover new authors in one's preferred genres. It's also splendid to hear of new books from favorite authors. Not that I don't reread and re-listen. I do -- frequently! I like what I like and I love what I love! How about you? Do you like seasonal stories? Wishing you quality quiet time with wonderful books!  I'm thrilled to welcome Author Kim Janine Ligon! She is the sort of person who sends hugs when she thinks you need them (and you do) and has a kind word for everyone. Today, we're celebrating the birthday of her first cozy mystery/romantic suspense, Polly's List, which is a wonderful read, as well as her new book, Landing On Her Feet. Before we get to her latest, I thought it would be fun to learn a bit more about Kim. 1) What sort of books did you enjoy reading as a child? Did you have a favorite book or series? I loved biographies. I read all the little blue books they had in our library at school. I adored the books from The Five Little Peppers series probably because I had five little sisters for a long time. I always enjoyed historical fiction too. 2) What sort of books do you enjoy reading nowadays? My reading has expanded since coming to Wild Rose Press. I've always read classics and quite a bit of contemporary fiction but now I do paranormal and time travel and some sci-fi. I've been introduced to a whole new group of truly talented authors. I have met so many talented writers and wonderful people through The Wild Rose Press -- including you, Kim! :) 3) Around what age did you realize that you liked to write? I started writing poetry and short stories at ten or eleven. And when did you know that you wanted to write books? By thirteen I wrote my first novella. 4) What’s the first thing you wrote that you remember being proud of? I always liked to share my stuff but was most proud when my work garnered A pluses in high school and college creative writing classes. 5) Tell us about the creative force within you. What inspires you to write, to create? That's a great question. I think that I had to lean heavily on the detailed organized part of my brain in my career and my creative side had pent up demand for exercise. For years I've been making notes About my observations of behavior, great names, locations made for a story. Now those notes seem to be coming together. And I started other first time creative endeavors when I retired from my first career including getting a Spinning wheel and loom and learning how to use both. I set up my blog five years ago and slowly began to build a following. I've found doing anything creative helps stimulate my creativity in all areas. 6) What’s your writing space like? It's my writing, Spinning, reading, weaving space. It might seem a little chaotic to the untrained eye but I'm very comfortable and productive there. I've included some pictures for you. One of the writing side and one of the spinning side. I have two plaques. One says, "The joy of the journey is in the ride." The other says, "Life is too short to be anything but happy." I have lots of photographs of family and friends, bookcases, some of my favorite artwork and a view from my spinning wheel of the front yard and our cul de sac. What a wonderfully creative space! I love the sayings, too. Thank you for sharing them with us. 7) Do you have a favorite time of day to write? Any habits or little rituals that put you in a writing mindset? I'm best in the morning after a couple cups of coffee. I'm out of steam usually by early afternoon. I'm not super disciplined about it. If I'm in mid-story I might have dreamt about something I need to get on paper or I'm Spinning and looking out the window and an idea pops up that has to go on paper or the computer before I lose it. I'm a little streaky. When I'm on a roll, I write every day. When I'm letting a plot marinate,I may not write a word for a whole week. 8) Let's talk about Landing On Her Feet (rubbing hands together)! But first, how did you come up with the idea for the series? Are there any interesting tidbits you’d care to share with us? LANDING ON HER FEET is my second novel. It is set in the small town of Lansdale, Wisconsin. It's a rated G mystery with a generous splash of faith. My debut novel, POLLY'S LIST, was also set in the same place and there are some characters who will be familiar but both books are standalone and may be read in any order. I actual wrote Landing first but Polly made it to print first. Some of my family and high school classmates have found the similarities between Lansdale and the small town I grew up in, also in rural Wisconsin. 9) I comprehend that you’ve just recently published a book. Still, I can’t help but ask – do you have anything waiting in the wings? I've submitted my third manuscript and synopsis to TWRP. It's another Lansdale mystery with some familiar faces and some brand new ones. I have some other non-Lansdale based stories outlined and two fairly complete but definitely not ready for prime time yet. I'll be happy if I can continue to publish a new book each year. 10) Is there anything else you’d like to share with us? I'm excited because today is POLLY'S LIST'S first book birthday. It is still a little surreal to me that it has been a year since my dream of being a published author came true and now she has a little sister in LANDING ON HER FEET. I am forever grateful to The Wild Rose Press for giving me this opportunity. I am especially thankful for my editor, Dianne Rich. She saw potential in my first book and worked tirelessly to coax the best book possible out of me and then did it again. She is a gem! We make a great team! Happy Birthday to Polly's List! Kim, thank you for allowing us to celebrate with you, and congratulations on your new release! We look forward to reading more of your books in the future! Hugs! Wishing you all the best! And now, Landing On Her Feet!  Kat Russell narrowly escaped death at Dirk Crowe’s hands six years ago. He’s out of prison. To protect her family, she must flee Philadelphia—the only home she’s ever known—with her five-year-old son, Timmy. Is Wisconsin far enough away to escape evil? Chase Merrick, father of Timmy’s new best friend, wants to help. What is Kat hiding? Why does she insist she must face whatever it is alone? When Can Kat stop constantly looking back over her shoulder? Will secrets and shame stop her from accepting Chase’s protection? Or unite them in the face of danger to keep their sons safe? Excerpt from Landing On Her Feet The unmistakable roar of a motorcycle echoed through the diner. Kat stopped where she stood. Her lungs wouldn’t refill. She gripped the counter to steady her trembling legs. Out the front window she saw a red- helmeted rider atop a motorcycle pull out of a space in front of the diner and drive away. Impossible. Not here. He couldn’t know she’s gone. Not yet. Other people with red helmets ride motorcycles. Get a grip, girl! People are staring. Stop scowling. She wiped away the tear that slipped down her cheek, plastered on what she hoped was a pleasant smile, and resumed pouring coffee. She needed to make a good impression. She had to keep this job.  About the Author Kim Ligon has been writing stories for most of her life—some on paper and some only in her head. She has lots of source material growing up as the oldest child in a large family in a small town in Wisconsin. Her father was a veterinarian so there were not only lots of children around, but all manner of house pets and farm animals too. Her love of reading comes from her mother who was seldom seen sitting down without a book in her hand. After a demanding career in healthcare information technology, she is now getting to do all the creative things she loves which includes writing her stories to share with you. She lives with her chief encourager and personal romantic hero, her husband of almost forever, in Alabama. Please follow her further adventures at www.spinningromance.com Amazon Goodreads
 I’m thrilled to welcome friend and sister Wild Rose Press author Susie Black, whose latest book in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series launched August 2nd! Susie, congratulations on Death by Cutting Table! Sooo exciting! We have an interview with the author, an excerpt from the book, all the links you need for more. But first, we have a beautiful guest post from Susie. Guest Post: Nana the Great Communicator by Susie Black If there is an inheritable gene for story-telling, mine came from my mother’s mother. My nana should have been a writer. No one could tell a story like her. She was the eldest of six children of a modest immigrant family from Eastern Europe that settled in Boston at the turn of the century. My great-grandfather was a tailor who managed to clothe, feed, and shelter his children, but there was precious little left over for extravagances like a day at the cinema for one child, let alone for six. Nana had a cousin Jenny who played piano at the local silent-movie house and she was able to get a free pass for relatives. Nana and her next oldest sibling traded off weeks going to the serialized show every Saturday afternoon and then came home to tell the story to all the other kids. The other kids hated it when it was my great-aunt’s turn because she gave a short synopsis and called it a day. They were thrilled when it was Nana’s turn. She set up two rows of chairs in the parlor like in the movie house, served popcorn, dimmed the lights, and played background music on the victrola as she recounted the episode of the serial. Nana would take her time, slowly build up to the cliffhanger and stop talking right before the finale. Nana would wait until my great uncle Murray would yell, “Go on Rae, go on!” before she’d finish telling the story. Talk about pacing and how to build tension in the finale. Nana had it down pat. Like many families, once my nana’s siblings grew up and left home, they scattered across the country. Nana knew the importance of keeping her family together no matter how many miles separated them. Since a phone was not an option, as the oldest child, Nana was chosen to write letters to family members living far from home. With the same level of dedication as the postman; come rain, sleet, or snow, war or peace, prosperous times or the depths of a national depression, my blind-as-a-bat without her coke bottle-thick glasses nana sat every Monday night at her dining room table and wrote a letter to each of her siblings. Her letters sewed the thread that kept our close-knit tribe connected. When I was in my sophomore year of college my family moved from Los Angeles to Miami. Despite their valiant attempts to persuade me to join them, I wasn’t interested in relocating to “God’s waiting room,” and remained out west. The good news was that Nana added me to her list of weekly letter-writing recipients. Lonesome for my family, Nana’s weekly letter was an eagerly-anticipated lifeline to my family’s heart and soul. For all of us, that letter was the glue that kept our family bound together no matter how far from home one of us wandered. The designated town crier, Nana’s letters were more like a newsletter. A date with her friends at the movies? After reading her letter, I was in the seat next to her. She reported who went, what they wore if they were late or early; where they sat if they had a snack, what the snack was, editorials on how much the snacks and the movie tickets cost, and every detail of the movie that was so complete, the recipient of her letter could write a decent review based on Nana’s commentary. If she described what an attendee was wearing, I could close my eyes and picture the outfit perfectly. Her descriptions were so detailed and rich, that if she was describing a meal, I could smell the wafting aroma and taste the food. Out of sentimentality or maybe a sixth sense that someday I’d need them, I kept every one of those letters. Like Nana, they were strong-willed and hearty; surviving dogs, a child, countless moves, several major earthquakes, and a devastating house fire. I had no formal creative writing training when I decided to write my first manuscript. I had a story to tell, but no clue how to tell it. I instinctively pulled the carefully wrapped packets of letters out of the storage box and re-read every one of them. I could picture Nana at the dining room table writing the letters. I heard her voice inside my head speaking to me. My long-gone, full-service Nana had given me all the tools I needed. I re-packed the letters, started to write, and thanks to Nana, I never stopped. My debut humorous cozy mystery Death by Sample Size was published in 2021, and by the end of this year, I will have a total of five books published. I kept Nana’s communication skills and distinctive voice in mind while writing Death by Sample Size. Somewhere in the great beyond, Nana is smiling with approval.  Susie's mom and Nana Such a wonderful post. Thank you for sharing it with us, Susie. And now, let's learn a bit more about the prolific author Susie Black. 1) What sort of books did you enjoy reading as a child? Did you have a favorite book or series? SUSIE: As a young child I was given the Mary Jane series and The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew series from my mother-these were her books when she was a child, so they were of course, quite special to me. When I was older, hands down, the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series were my favorites. I also loved the biography of Amelia Earhart. 2) What sort of books do you enjoy reading nowadays? SUSIE: I enjoy reading books in the mystery genre in general but gravitate towards the same type of books I write-humorous cozy mysteries. 3)Around what age did you realize that you liked to write? SUSIE: Actually, it was at a rather young age. I can remember writing short stories in the third grade. In junior high, high school, and college, I was a reporter and wrote for the school newspapers. I was ultimately made the Editor-in-Chief of all three. I am not in the least surprised you were made Editor-in-Chief!  And when did you know that you wanted to write books? SUSIE: While writing the daily journal entries that chronicled the interesting people I encountered and the crazy things I got myself into and out of during my career as a ladies’ apparel sales exec was when I knew I wanted to turn my experiences into books. 4) What’s the first thing you wrote that you remember being proud of? SUSIE: My first column as the Editor-in-Chief of my high school newspaper. You must have been so very proud!  5) Tell us about the creative force within you. SUSIE: The creative force within me is how I see the world. That is why I write in the first person. So, it is my voice that the readers hear in their heads when they read my books. What inspires you to write, to create? SUSIE: I am a people person. People are utterly fascinating and are my inspiration to write and create. I can sit for an hour in the mall food court or an airport departure lounge and people watch and come up with hundreds of stories about the folks I observe. 6) What’s your writing space like? SUSIE: I have commandeered our family room as my writing space. I have a large-screen computer on a computer desk adjacent to a copier, a TV, and a stereo. If the writing is going well, I listen to either jazz or rock N’ roll oldies. But if I am struggling, I find music a distraction and turn it off. We live in the southern California desert on a golf course. I can look out the window onto the fairway and watch the hapless duffers whack away or observe the ducks and geese in the water hazard lounging around for comic relief. It is a very peaceful atmosphere and always gets my creative juices flowing. 7) Do you have a favorite time of day to write? SUSIE: I don’t have a set daily schedule or a set number of hours a day to write. I try hard to write at least something every day, but candidly, life often gets in the way of the best-laid plans…That said, I can tell you that I rarely write in the morning. I am a night owl and often do my most productive writing late into the wee hours. Any habits or little rituals that put you in a writing mindset? SUSIE: Before I sit down to write, I make sure there is a full pot of fresh coffee brewed and keep a jar of mixed nuts next to the computer. When I am plotting, I step away from the computer and walk. Some people do their best thinking in the shower or the car. I do my best thinking while walking. 8) Time to talk about your latest release (rubbing hands together)! But first, how did you come up with the idea for the Holly Swimsuit Mystery series? SUSIE: I came up with the idea for the series based on my career. My protagonist’s name is Holly and she is a successful ladies’ swimwear sales exec in the Los Angeles area and an amateur sleuth. Holly is the me I always wanted to be. My journal is the source of all my writing. All my characters are based on real people I have crossed paths within my apparel career.  Are there any interesting tidbits you’d care to share with us? SUSIE: I inherited my maternal grandmother’s love of perfume, jewelry, taking chances, speaking my mind, a wicked sense of humor, and regrettably, her fear of death that we both nervously compensated with by laughing whenever we heard someone died. I incorporated this weird trait into my Holly Swimsuit Mystery series by giving Holly Schlivnik, the protagonist, the same affliction and response to death. 9) Now let’s hear about Death by Cutting Table! SUSIE: Death by Cutting Table tells the story of the ultimate price one unscrupulous, power-hungry man paid for destroying a swimwear company by stealing it blind. For the record, I did not just squeal and clap my hands! That sounds fab! I can hardly wait to read of Holly's new adventures! 10) I comprehend that you’ve just recently published a book. I know what that takes. Still, I can’t help but ask – do you have anything waiting in the wings? SUSIE: I do. After Death by Cutting Table is released, I have one more, new book that will be published this coming November 15th. I also have one half-completed manuscript that candidly should have been finished long ago but kept getting pushed to the back of the “to do” pile. I have vowed to finish writing this one and submit it to my editor by the end of this summer. YAHOOO! Looking forward to your upcoming books! 11) Is there anything else you’d like to share with us? SUSIE: First, I want to thank you for hosting me on your blog and giving me the opportunity to introduce myself and my books to your followers. Second, on behalf of all authors, I’d like to ask your readers to please consider writing and posting a review for the books they read. Reviews are the life blood of all authors. Word of mouth is the most effective way to have the light of approval shined on our works. If readers aren’t quite sure how to write a review, I have a terrific guide to point everyone in the right direction. E-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll gladly send out a copy. Third, as a swimwear fit expert, I have created a Swimwear Fit Guide that I am offering FREE to your readers. Click the link and grab your copy: Swimwear Fit Guide  I wholeheartedly agree about the reviews! Susie, thank you for the swimsuit guide and for giving me a chance to share your work with my readers. Congratulations again! And now, Death by Pins and Needles!  Rock, paper, scissors…and you die. There wasn’t an honest bone in Mermaid Swimwear CEO Butch Oldham’s body. He was an equal opportunity scoundrel who screwed anyone and everyone in his wake. So, the question wasn’t who wanted the bastard dead. The question was, who didn’t? After Mermaid Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik finds colleague Queenie Levine standing over Oldham’s bloody corpse nailed to a fabric cutting table with a big honkin’ pair of cutting shears plunged deep into his chest, the cops soon find Queenie’s hidden blood-soaked sweater, discover her stormy relationship with the victim, and her public threats to make Butch pay for destroying Mermaid by stealing it blind. When Queenie is arrested for Butch’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 the way Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent for revenge. Excerpt from Death by Cutting Table I cracked open the forward door and stuck my head out. I scoped a one-eighty around the dock. The street lights were on, as well as the lights at the top of the gangplank. A half-dozen apartments were also lit. A single light shined inside a cabin cruiser two boats from mine. My boat seemed to be the only thing in the marina with no power. This isn’t the first time I’d been the only one with no power. When I first bought the boat, I learned the hard way don’t let the coffee maker, microwave oven, and television run at the same time or the circuits overload. But in the middle of the night with no appliances running or an electrical storm to cause a power outage? The blood froze in my veins. The answer isn’t inside the boat. I hoisted myself over the forward deck onto the dock with my heart in my throat. A faint hint of smoke wafted from the breaker box and power outlet as I reached the end of the dock. I yanked the damaged plug out of the outlet and threw it in the water. I blasted the dock power outlet and breaker box with the fire extinguisher and pulled the other end of the power cord out of my boat power outlet. Eight minutes after my nine-one-one call, the cavalry arrived in force and all hell broke loose.  About the Author Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries. 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 has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect. |
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