My Writing Process by Jessica Rakus – Guest Post and Giveaway

May 6, 2026 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jessica Rakus will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

I started writing as a teenager, the summer before I started high school. It was a magical time where I could write instead of paying attention in class, bring my notebook to my evening job at Walmart and jot some lines when things were quiet in the fabric department, and stay up until three in the morning reworking random scenes. Those were the days!

Now, in my mid-forties, with two busy kids, finding a single moment to even breathe is special. Hearing my own thoughts, let alone the thoughts of my characters, is a bonus.

This has obviously changed my writing process – I take the chance to write any time I can get it, including jotting down a few lines on my phone or writing on the back of a receipt I dug out of my purse. But since that becomes a disaster, I have to corral myself a bit.

I’m very much a pantser when it comes to writing, so while I have a general idea of where I want the story to end up, I mostly just let the characters get there how they want (or sometimes they end up somewhere completely different, and that’s okay). This means I can’t just write scenes willy nilly as they come to me. This has ended up in so many situations where I write a scene I love, and I can’t make it fit with where the story starts going, and then I have to set that scene aside and just read it by myself and think of what could have been. I have to write the whole story in order, beginning to end. Once that’s done, I can slow down and go back in and find moments that need more and let myself toss random lines in, or remember that I really wanted a scene where two of my characters meet for the first time simply because I think that moment would be funny, even though it doesn’t serve the plot, given that the whole story happened without it.

I do find that I hit a wall around the 75% finished first draft stage, which I think is tied to writing the story start to finish – I would argue the 75% mark of most books is where the book hits a wall. It’s usually a moment of calm before the storm that is the climax of the book. The climax is the fun part! The part where everything is going well for the characters is boring! Let’s ruin their lives, come on! But all in all, this process works for me, and it got me here to Haven Strong. I hope you love the book, and the journey they took me on.

Josephine Grant lives a charmed life – a husband, three perfect children, strong bonds with family and friends in the small town where she’s lived her entire life. She’s the helper, the hostess, the one who always shows up. The person who can do it all.

Then the bus carrying her son’s basketball team crashes, and Jo’s husband and son are among the lives lost. Now she has a new identity. Widow. Single mother. Woman who lost everything. Grief begins to tear apart the place that’s always been her home. Infighting among friends. Gossip and rumors. Wounds that may never heal and bonds that just might.

Now Jo has to rebuild her life, but as the person who thinks of herself as the helper, asking others to help hold her together is impossible. Jo must learn to lean on others as she learns to stand on her own.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Josephine Grant?”

The grocery bag in my hands threatened to fall. He was here for me.

I’d known it since I first saw him, and praying I was wrong had done nothing.

I swallowed hard before turning. “Yes?”

He didn’t speak again until he’d navigated the driveway and stood in front of me. I set down the bag of groceries; my shaking hands and knees had rendered holding things impossible.

“Could we step inside for a moment to speak?” he asked.

I glanced toward the door. “My daughters are inside.”

He nodded, seeming to understand my concern. Whatever he had to say, he didn’t want them to overhear any more than I did.

“Mrs. Grant, I’m so sorry. There was an accident earlier today involving a bus. Two of the people on the bus were identified as Stephen and Matthew Grant.”

No. No no no.

“We’re still trying to figure out exactly what happened, but emergency personnel at the scene did everything they could for everyone. I’m sorry to tell you they passed away at the scene.”

My legs gave out and I collapsed to the ground. Cold seeped through the knees of my jeans, but I didn’t care. My head dropped, my forehead settling into the gray slush that lined the driveway.

The officer crouched beside me as a sob burst from my throat.

“Is there someone who can come stay with you?”

Crumbled on the ground, I struggled to extract my cell phone from my back pocket, but I lacked the strength to pull myself up. Finally I got it. Through the blur of tears, I fumbled to find the button to make a phone call. Instead I landed on random apps, frustration adding to the crush in my chest.

The officer took my phone gently from my hand. “What name?”

“Esther Franklin,” I replied. “My mother.”

He stepped away, and without someone standing over me, I could no longer stop the tears. I sobbed into the cold gray concrete, praying my daughters wouldn’t come looking for me.

About the Author Jessica Rakus is a debut novelist, after many, many years of writing practice. She currently lives in Louisiana, after living briefly in seven other states.

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Code One Club series by Alison Naomi Holt – Spotlight

May 4, 2026 By Leave a Comment

Some relationships are built on balance. Others take shape through contrast, where power meets vulnerability and certainty meets hesitation. The Code One Club series by Alison Naomi Holt leans into sapphic stories that live in that tension, where connection forms between women who are not easily changed.

The world of the Code One Club brings together women whose lives are shaped by power, survival, and emotional restraint, where connections form beneath the surface and often carry more weight than they first appear. These stories explore how opposing forces, from control and chaos to grief and desire, shape relationships that are difficult to ignore.

In The Inheritance, Phyla McGuire is powerful, controlled, and emotionally untouchable, while Ash Redux is a former Army K9 handler barely holding on, navigating life on the streets while battling PTSD. When their lives collide, what begins as circumstance becomes something deeper and far more dangerous, forcing both women to confront what lies beneath the roles they’ve built.

Whiskey-Colored Eyes follows Jude Lorcan, a grieving widow moving forward one careful step at a time, and Dr. Noémi Boudon, whose quiet search for something real brings them into each other’s orbit. Their connection develops slowly, shaped by grief, hesitation, and emotional restraint.

In Melt for Me, Alléandra Alfieri has built her life on control and distance, while Maren Tempest introduces unpredictability and intensity. When they collide, control is challenged and completely undone, shifting the balance between them in ways neither can ignore.

Enjoy an Excerpt from THE INHERITANCE

Allegra studied the portfolio as though it were a disgusting piece of gutter trash. Her lips twisted only slightly before she composed her features. She’d turned sixty-five the previous week and had immediately booked an appointment with her plastic surgeon to discuss the slight lines she imagined had appeared in her upper lip in the twenty-four hours between being sixty-four and turning sixty-five. She had no intention of adding to them simply because Harcourt Langdon needed to make changes to a perfectly good trust.

She should know. She was the one whom Langdon had insisted prepare it nearly twenty years earlier. She grabbed the document and strode purposefully into the elevator, punching the button for her floor and seething as the doors closed much too slowly on the only man in the company who could and would make her life a living hell if she lost the Langdon account.

Her heels clicked decisively on the marble floor as she stepped out of the private elevator onto the floor immediately below his. This was her domain, where conversations stopped when she walked in and her people stared at their desks or shoes as though she would bite their heads off if they made eye contact. As she passed her assistant on the way to her office, the woman—she couldn’t remember her name since the chit had only just begun the job the week before—fell in behind her. Allegra held up a finger. “Stay.”

The woman immediately stopped and whispered, “Yes, Ms. Saint-Germain.”

“And tell Jon to have the limo ready in thirty minutes.”

“Yes, Ms. Saint-Germain.”

Honestly, Allegra didn’t think she’d heard the woman utter any other words than, “Yes, Ms. Saint-Germain.” It wasn’t as though Allegra was a monster like Harcourt Langdon. That thought bothered her for precisely one second before she banished it from her mind. “And change that awful-looking sweater before I leave. Heaven forbid I have to walk past it twice in one day.”

Allegra rolled her eyes as her door shut on the woman’s “Yes, Ms. Saint-Germain.”

Her go-to place of comfort was the rather worn, multi-colored wingback chair her grandmother had left her when she’d passed away on Allegra’s twenty-fifth birthday. When Allegra’s parents had died in a car accident on her first day of sixth grade, it had been her beloved grandmother who’d picked her up from school and taken her to a nearby park where she could give the little girl the news that her parents were dead.

About the Author Alison Naomi Holt writes bold, emotionally charged sapphic fiction centered on powerful women who refuse to be diminished. A former police officer, she brings grit, realism, and a sharp sense of humor to stories that explore love, resilience, and identity.

Her books often feature commanding “ice queens,” fiercely independent women, and unexpected connections that challenge both. Whether set in high-powered boardrooms, dangerous streets, or intimate emotional landscapes, her stories blend intensity with vulnerability, creating characters who feel as real as they are unforgettable.

Holt is also an advocate for literacy and believes deeply in the transformative power of stories to inspire confidence, connection, and change—especially for women. When she’s not writing, she’s often riding horses or chasing the next story idea demanding to be told.

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Versions of Nirvana by H.C. Turk – Spotlight and Giveaway

May 4, 2026 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. H.C. Turk will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

In order to save her family, an 18th-century witch entertains suicide, thereby entering a coma-like trance that lasts 300 years. In this magical state, she reaches into the future to guide other people who long for redemption.

England, 1710. Young Alba knows she is a witch, but the term means nothing until her mother is executed for witchcraft. Then Alba enters a trance that causes everyone around her debilitating emotions, just like Alba’s. The trance, which is Alba’s magic, does not appear again until years later when her mentor is arrested and sentenced to death. Panicked, Alba stabs herself in the heart. Instead of dying, she enters a “false sleep” (coma), a state of spiritual consciousness. Hoping to find peace for others, she seeks similar souls in the future.

Germany, 1942: An American soldier is mortally wounded. In his final moment, he experiences the glory of a beautiful life, if only in his dreams. He enters a spiritual realm filled with warm family adventures, metaphysical escapades that are alternately hilarious and horrific, yet always lead away from anguish. Directed by Alba’s unseen influence, Andrew fights for solace, and wins.

Indonesia, 2003: A young American woman on a Western Pacific island must relive an ancient, tortuous journey through a primitive environment in order to redeem the foreigners in the country. Influenced by a power she can only sense in her heart (Alba), Connie seeks a solution of acceptance instead of rejection.

Told with humor and compassion, the heart of the book is the longing to find peace despite haunting failure, and finding joy in helping others achieve the same.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Though I am obligated to share my story of survival, the forces compelling me to do so are impossible to suss, being infinite and immortal. Hereby accept my testimony, which I create for the benefit of my peers, on behalf of the Creator.

By “Creator,” I do not refer to the deities worshiped by the world’s disparate cultures. Understand that the greatest creative force in the universe is not all gods, but all goodness. My story is additionally difficult to convey because there you are, believing that witches are atheists. You would know more about God if He had given you the power of magic as He did me.

We need not begin with my appearance, though people expect this. What we see of others is the first thing we know of them, prior to grasping their generosity or avarice. Very well, then, I am average in appearance for a British lady in her teens. My mother, even at her end, was average in appearance for a British wench in her eighties, though her true age was half that again.

“At her end.” We are getting to that. Only now can I get away from that, after being blessed with redemption, which is a most holy form of magic.

I was born on Man’s Isle in the Irish Sea, sinners’ names used by witches, who are too naive to invent languages or coffee houses. (“Sinner” is the name witches have for those people of societies and cities.) Witches celebrate neither anniversaries nor holidays, and since our calendar consists of the seasons about us, I know not my date of birth, my numerical age. Suffice to say that the year of our Lord is 1700 and something, the “something” part a variable when the future is no different from today.

About the Author: H. C. Turk is a writer, sound artist, and visual artist. His novels have been published by Villard and Tor. His short fiction, sound pieces, movies, and visual art have appeared in numerous magazines, websites, podcasts, and film festivals. He used to paint houses (not as an art form.)

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Five Summers from Now by Michelle Dayton – Spotlight

April 30, 2026 By 1 Comment

A breakup on the way to a Fourth of July getaway was supposed to be the end for Merritt and Ben until a strange accident sends them five years into a future neither of them remembers. No longer together and surrounded by lives that have shifted in unexpected ways, Merritt and Ben must piece together what went wrong between them and their once-tight friend group. As old feelings reignite and hidden truths are exposed, the past and present collide in ways they never anticipated. Readers who enjoy heartfelt second-chance romances, stories with emotional time slips, and a love that refuses to fade will devour Five Summers from Now, a steamy new romance from Michelle Dayton.

They were supposed to spend the Fourth of July weekend with their closest friends—fireworks, laughter, traditions. Instead, Merritt Sullivan and Ben Samuels broke up on the drive to the lake, before the first spark lit the sky.

But after a strange accident on the dock, they wake up to find that everything’s changed. It’s five years later. They’re no longer a couple. Their friends’ lives have shifted in ways they never saw coming. Careers, relationships, even loyalties have rearranged—some for the better, some painfully worse. And neither of them remembers the years in between.

Forced to navigate a future they don’t recall, Merritt and Ben must work together to understand what fractured not only their relationship, but their entire friend group. The only way back—if going back is even possible—is to face the heartbreak they once tried to outrun.

As old feelings resurface and new truths come to light, they’ll have to decide: is the future worth keeping…or worth rewriting?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Tears formed and slid down my cheeks. I dashed them away with one hand, silent, not wanting to break the spell. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ben’s right hand jerk in my direction as if he wanted to touch me, needed to touch me, but then realized he shouldn’t.

Oh, to hell with it.

I reached over, grabbed his hand, and pulled it to my heart. I bent my head and pressed my lips to it. He’d said his brother’s name to me, for the first time ever.

A broken sound escaped his mouth at the feel of my lips on his skin. The next thing I knew, he was pulling me into his arms, the tight confines of the car be damned.

He pushed the driver’s side seat back, settled me onto his lap sideways, and held on to me for dear life, panting into my neck.

“It’s okay,” I murmured, winding my arms around his neck and stroking through the hair on the back of his head. “It’s okay.”

I closed my eyes and breathed him in, the Downy fabric softener and chlorine scent of my Ben. His arms tightened around my waist, and I let myself luxuriate in his embrace. God, I hadn’t felt this safe in ages. I’d been so angry with him for so long. Even when we hugged, it was perfunctory and quick. I hadn’t let myself cling or need him. Hadn’t let him hold me or need me.

I’d taken his hand because he needed comfort. We both did. This was his body’s response to my earlier apology. He didn’t have the words, so holding me like this was his way of showing me he forgave me.

But now, the embrace was changing for me. It was becoming about need. All about need. I needed to feel his chest expand and contract, needed to feel his breath against my bare neck, needed his hands tugging on the strands of my hair.

I was suddenly hot all over, despite the air-conditioning. It’d been so many months since he’d touched me, and even if this embrace was simply in the spirit of forgiveness and comfort, my body was responding in a very not-PG way.

“Merritt,” Ben whispered.

I pulled my face back, brushing my cheek against his on my way to eye contact.

He stared up at me, at my mouth, his pupils expanding and obliterating the blue. When I sucked in my bottom lip, he groaned in the back of his throat. “If you don’t want to be kissed, you better get the hell off my lap.”

Instead, I gripped the seat behind his shoulders and used it as a brace as I twisted my body upright and carefully brought my right leg over to straddle him.

Later, I’d probably kick myself for this. Escalating things with Ben at this moment made about as much sense as the defeat of the aliens in Independence Day, but common sense didn’t stand a chance against the desire in Ben’s eyes, my racing heart, and the singing sense of rightness in my veins every time his mouth was on mine.

Ben’s body was taut with restraint as he waited for my right knee to find purchase on the seat cushion between him and the door. The very instant my weight stabilized, he cupped the back of my neck and drew my face to his, claiming my mouth.

About the Author: There are only three things Michelle Dayton loves more than sexy and suspenseful novels: her family, the city of Chicago, and Mr. Darcy. Michelle dreams of a year of world travel – as long as the trip would include weeks and weeks of beach time. As a bourbon lover and unabashed wine snob, Michelle thinks heaven is discussing a good book over an adult beverage.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy

The Art of Book Covers by Raven Howell – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 29, 2026 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Raven Howell will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Art of Book Covers

During childhood, I fell in love with Shel Silverstein’s books. Even at a young age, I was conscious of how appealing his book covers were. Most of them taunted the reader’s curiosity with stark, playful black and white artwork involving kooky, wiggly drawn children and other magical meanderings. Even the font styles had a consistency throughout his book catalog.

As an adult and full-time writer, I understand how these imageries on the Silverstein book covers set expectations for what was inside. His covers displayed consistent author branding designed in intriguing, creative ways. And if font styles communicate tone, his suggested a mix of zany and comedic.

You may know that book covers are key to snagging a potential book buyer’s attention. Up to 75% of consumers decide on purchasing a book based on its cover design. And we’re talking the artwork has a mere 4-5 seconds to garner attention, so you can imagine how important it is if you’re a book creator.

Professional illustrations on the outside usually indicate high-quality on the inside, but the opposite is true also. Amateur artwork can deter a book buyer. The psychological impact of several elements makes a profound difference. Things like the typography, colors used, the imagery, and even the hierarchy (like the areas your eye is directed to first) all determine whether the book will sell or not.

As a children’s author, I enjoy watching and following along the trends in current book cover art for the kids’ communities. My recent picture book, WORD UP! was illustrated by Joe Rocco. Joe’s a professional American illustrator and designer with 25 years of experience in editorial publishing, animation, and work centered on children’s publications. His experience and sophisticated sense of using high-impact vibrancy birthed an eye-catching and fun electric blue/neon yellow, quirky book cover for us.

Children’s book covers in general used to have a much more cluttered feel and look. Today the trends in books with children in the story line are toward authenticity – depicting diverse ethnicities and abilities, and a wider variety of emotions.

Books with environmental themes lean toward expansive landscape (or seascape) imagery. Many have a hand-drawn effect, artwork with a tone of warmth.

For humorous books and early readers, the trend is toward standout characters paired with character expression, and abstract images. And I love the kids’ books with interactive fonts – they’re integrated into the artwork itself.

Designers are using more white space to aid in visual clarity. Neon-pastel shades are taking over the traditional primary colors, and many book covers are created for phone scanning, allowing characters or story sequences to animate.

We’ve come a long way from when Shel Silverstein was writing and illustrating books, but regardless of technical advances, and creative evolution, if a book touches your heart, whether that’s because the cover invited you into the story or not – I hope you revel in the inspiration!

Words are the windows through which children view the world. Familiar, uncommon, short and sweet, long and quirky; words make all the difference.

In Word Up, discover how a word packs a punch and possesses the power to heal, hurt, help, and humble. Watch children learn how to choose words wisely, and to recognize that sometimes, the simplicity of kindness itself is expressed in gentle silence.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Words are mighty!
Words are strong!
We write them,
Speak them,
Sing our song.

I hope you learn new words today,
And think about the ones you say.

About the Author: Raven Howell is the author of over 25 picture books for children. She’s a writer for several children’s magazines. Raven contributes The Book Bug column for Story Monsters Ink magazine, is the Arts & Crafts Director of Kids Corner, and Publishing & Creative Director with Red Clover Reader. She is a contributing author for Reading is Fundamental SoCal and I Am a Promise Books, and a story book writer for world-wide educational programs.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , ,

Fake It Until It’s Real by Tina Gallagher & Cissy Mecca – Spotlight

April 28, 2026 By Leave a Comment

Jess Harper finally has the fresh start she was looking for until she needs a fake date to survive her ex’s wedding weekend. Caleb Ward is the reliable, closed-off man who agrees to help, expecting nothing more than a favor. But when their pretend relationship starts to feel real, they’ll have to decide if they’re brave enough to risk everything for something neither of them believed they deserved. Readers who enjoy steamy fake dating romances will devour Fake It Until It’s Real by Tina Gallagher & Cissy Mecca, a small-town, forced proximity romance.

She’s afraid she’s too much. He’s convinced he’ll never be enough.

Maplemoor is Jess Harper’s fresh start. A quiet place to rebuild after a future that never happened. Now she has a book club that feels like family, a coffee shop that knows her order, and a life that finally feels steady again.
What she doesn’t have is a date to her best friend’s wedding—the one where her ex and his brand-new fiancée will also be there.

Enter Caleb Ward. Dependable. Steady. The kind of man who shows up before you even have to ask—for everyone except himself. He’s got a life in Maplemoor that works for him, but when it comes to love, he keeps his walls firmly in place—and exactly where he wants them.

Agreeing to be Jess’s date to the wedding is just a favor. Nothing more.

Until it isn’t.

One weekend together. One very convincing performance.

Turns out the line between pretending and real is thinner than either of them thought. The hard part is knowing which side they’re on.

Enjoy an Excerpt

When I finally ended the kiss, I didn’t go far.

My hands stayed where they were, steady at her waist, like I wasn’t ready to let go completely.

Her eyes stayed closed for a second longer, her breathing uneven against my mouth.

Then, slowly, she opened them.

There was a softness there I hadn’t seen before.

Not uncertainty. Not surprise. Just awareness.

Of me. Of this.

My gaze dropped down to her lips, glossy and slightly swollen from my kiss.

I brushed my thumb along the curve of her jaw, tipping her face up just enough.

And then I kissed her again.

Not hungry this time. Not searching.

Just slow.

Intentional.

When I finally pulled back, I rested my forehead against hers for a brief second, breathing her in.

I wasn’t staying long.

But I wasn’t leaving just yet.

About the Authors Tina Gallagher grew up and continues to live in Northeast Pennsylvania. As a tween, she and her best friend would create happily ever afters for their favorite soap opera couples. Eventually, the soap operas lost their appeal, but the writing never did. Before living her dream as a full-time author, she worked a spectrum of jobs ranging from baking and cake decorating to marketing and project management. In between creating memorable characters, traveling, and taking pole dance lessons, Tina enjoys spending time with her two grown children and Golden Irish named Thea.

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A “recovering” 8th-grade teacher and curriculum consultant with a PhD in Language & Literacy, Cecelia loves writing high-heat, emotionally charged romance. The Brands (The Mecca Romance Multiverse): Cissy Mecca: Contemporary Romance, Cecelia Mecca: Medieval and Scottish Historical Romance. C.L. Mecca: Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Mecca Romance Signature Style: Heroines: Bold, strong women who fall hard but never lose their identity. Heroes: High-heat, protective, and intense. Vibe: Visceral, sensory-rich escapes… from family-owned vineyards to the war-torn Anglo-Scottish borders. Other Info: Representation: Katie Reed (Katie Reed Literary) Personal: Married, two teens, Disney enthusiast, traveler, and wine lovers Authority: PhD background makes her an excellent guest for craft-focused podcasts or literacy-based panels.

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10 Things Most People Don’t Know About Me by Jenna Jaxon – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 28, 2026 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jenna Jaxon will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

10 Things Most People Don’t Know About Me

I think this is such an interesting post topic because we all want to know more of the nitty gritty details about our favorite authors’ lives, right? Well, here are some of the little known facts about Jenna Jaxon. (Some of these things you may know if you’ve read my blog over the years, but several of them are things I don’t think I’ve EVER told my readers.)

1. When I was a senior in high school, I was on the fencing team (even then I loved the romance of swordplay). The coach was technically not an associate of the school (he taught fencing at the local YMCA and all of us took lessons from him there) and so rather innocently I flirted with him and right after my 18th birthday, started dating him. He was ten years older than me (not a problem in my book as historical heroes are often much older than the heroine) and was very intelligent and good looking. We dated for about three or four months before he broke it off to date a woman closer to his age. I wasn’t really crushed, but it did sting a little.

2. This is related to number one above: after taking lessons from my fencing coach for almost a year, I qualified for and actually competed in the USA Fencing National Championship.

3. Also related to number one above: Because I was the only girl on our high school fencing team, I ended up as a contestant for Homecoming Queen that year! I’m still amazed when I look at that yearbook and I’m in the pictures with all the other contestants. (I was SO not that girl.)

4. The very first live theater production I ever saw was my high school’s production of Oklahoma! when I was about thirteen years old. A friend of mine was playing Will and I still remember the scene where Will was trying to get his $50 back so he could marry Ado Annie. Fast forward 10 years and I saw my first Broadway musical, Sweeney Todd with the original cast. It’s still my favorite musical.

5. The first time I went to Ireland, I kissed the Blarney Stone (which may have given me mono!).

6. The first story I ever wrote was a six-page masterpiece called Miss Priss Finds a Kitten. They say write what you know and I’d grown up with cats all my life. So, in the third grade, I wrote and illustrated my very own story about cats.

7. I cannot stand beer. Cannot drink it. It tastes like what I imagine swamp water tastes like. Even when I was going to England (a college class for 3 weeks in May my senior year) for the first time and the tour director made all of us try lager and lime (mine ended up half lager, half lime) I still couldn’t drink it.

8. I met my husband when I was hired to do a show with him for the Army. We fell in love working on the production and playing Space Invaders together.

9. In 2015 the university I work for did a production of Little Shop of Horrors, one of my favorite musicals. I wanted to be in the chorus, just so I could sing the song “Skid Row” but my boss, who was the director, told me I could be on Skid Row as a bag lady ONLY if I also played the role of the first customer at the flower shop—a character who had lines. I am not an actor, I don’t like being on stage at all usually, but I wanted to be in the show so badly I said yes. I had fun with it—but I was terrified every night when I went on and had to say lines.

10. This is one that actually a lot of people know: I began writing romance because I became gluten-intolerant. And when I went on a gluten-free diet, it gave me so much creative energy I had to put it somewhere. I read Kathleen Woodiwiss’s Everlasting about that time and when I finished the book I said to myself, “I could write something like this,” and sat down and started writing my first book. And the rest, as they say, is history.

A scandalous mistake…or a wicked way to happiness?

Hoping to compromise herself, Lady Amantha Easton sneaks into the bedroom of her would-be suitor only to find a total stranger there—a totally handsome, charming stranger to be sure—but not at all the man she plans to marry. She leaves his room with her reputation intact—barely—only to fall victim to the gentleman’s charms in a public place. Now Amantha must face the fate she’s tried to avoid—marriage to a man who will never love her.

All Rafael Beauregard wanted was a warm bed and a good night’s sleep…but what he got was an unexpected romp with a beautiful vixen and a fiery kiss that left him wanting more. An excellent trade, except now he’s got to marry Lady Amantha, one of the most willful women he’s ever met. So Rafe’s challenge is to persuade her that marriage to him might be the best thing for them both…once he convinces himself.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“What is it, love? What’s wrong?”

“Father,” was all she could get out at first.

“You went to see him? He didn’t agree to grant your request?”

Amantha nodded and sniffed. Rafe reached into his breast pocket and produced a handkerchief. “He g…gave me a choice. Marry you or…or be put in p…prison.”

“Prison!” What kind of monster would threaten his own daughter with prison? And what kind of power did such a man wield? “He’s going to send you to Newgate? On whose authority?”

“His own authority.” She wiped her eyes and nose then clenched the square of linen in her fist. “And not Newgate. Not a real prison. But he will turn his northernmost property, Woolston Lodge in Northumberland, into a prison. He will send me there tomorrow, with no clothes and no friends, just a jailor and armed guards for the rest of my life.” Tears threatened again and Rafe pulled her head back to his shoulder.

“Shh, love. Don’t think about it. We won’t let that happen, will we?” She shook her head and nestled deeper. The small movement of acquiescence shot straight to his heart. He could fix this. “I am afraid, though, that I’m going to have to change my mind about our marriage.”

She sat bolt upright, terror widening her eyes as she stared at him.

Damn. He hadn’t meant to frighten her even more. His own fault for drinking that second brandy.

“Shhh.” He ran a gentle thumb down her delicate jaw line, cupping her chin and pulling her face close enough that she had to look into his eyes. “Amantha, I just meant I now want to marry you more than anything in the world.”

About the Author: Jenna Jaxon is a best-selling author of historical romance, writing in a variety of time periods because she believes that passion is timeless. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all these elements into her own stories.

She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets–including Olive, an almost silent cat, Earl Grey, a very curious bunny, and a Shar-pei mix dog named Frenchie.

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The Reluctant Patriot by Susan Lohafer – Spotlight

April 27, 2026 By Leave a Comment

Not every part of the Civil War was loud or immediate. In some places, it unfolded slowly—through divided households, strained trust, and the growing sense that staying neutral might not be possible for long. In The Reluctant Patriot, Susan Lohafer focuses on that kind of tension as it builds.

In East Tennessee during the Civil War, divisions within communities created an environment where loyalties were constantly questioned. Harrison Self, a farmer determined to remain neutral, believes he can keep his life separate from the conflict surrounding him.

That belief begins to collapse when his son is linked to a Unionist conspiracy to burn Confederate railroad bridges. The resulting arrests and trials bring the conflict directly into his life, exposing him to suspicion and scrutiny.

Accused of treason, Harry is drawn into military courts where outcomes depend heavily on testimony and shifting allegiances. In a system where justice is uncertain and trust is fragile, he must navigate a reality that offers little stability. As the situation unfolds, the story explores how neutrality, once seen as protection, becomes something far more complicated.

A father. A son. A war that turns neighbor against neighbor.

In the divided mountains of East Tennessee, loyalty isn’t a matter of politics-it’s a matter of survival.

Harrison Self is a farmer who wants nothing to do with the Civil War. He believes in staying out of it, keeping his land, and protecting his family. But when his teenage son is drawn into a dangerous Unionist plot to burn Confederate railroad bridges, that distance collapses overnight.

Within days, Harry is arrested, accused of treason, and thrown into a system where trials are little more than theater and a single accusation can end in the noose.

What follows is not a battlefield story, but something closer, more dangerous. A world where neighbors watch each other too closely, where loyalties shift without warning, and where survival depends on choices no one should have to make.

Inspired by the true story of Harrison Self and the 1861 East Tennessee bridge burnings, The Reluctant Patriot is a work of Civil War historical fiction that brings to life a lesser-known chapter of American history-one where the war was fought not just between armies, but within families and communities.

As violence closes in and trust erodes, Harry is forced to confront the question he’s spent his life avoiding: what do you stand for when staying neutral is no longer an option?

Rich in historical detail and grounded in real events, this is a story of divided loyalties, moral courage, and the quiet, devastating cost of war-perfect for readers drawn to character-driven historical fiction and overlooked stories from the Civil War era.

Enjoy an Excerpt

As he stepped carefully among the saddled horses, Harry could hear them moving their hobbled weight in the gloom. Their warm breath clouded the November chill. Here and there, he stroked a muscled neck, lifting the nap of coarse hair. In the dark, he was wary of their stamping hooves. “Pay me no mind,” he whispered. Time was short, and yet he slowed in their midst, feeling their inner heat, their careless strength, their indifference to the road they traveled. They were as tolerant of him as if he’d once had four legs.

Peering up into the heavens, he lost his gaze in the liquid dark, hoping to catch God’s eye. All he saw was the paleness above the tree line. All he knew was what he’d learned in half a century. Must be about nine, he judged, as if he’d heard nature’s clock chime. Then the pain flooded back, gushing through his veins and pooling in his stomach. How much simpler it would be if his toes were mashed to pulp. His heart on a spit wouldn’t satisfy Corniah if he failed to bring their son back.

Harry crossed the patch of swept earth and mounted the single stair. He leaned into the solid wood he’d helped Jake saw and plane and settle into place on hinges strong enough to stop a bull. The planks gave an inch, then resisted, heaving with the crowd on the other side.

Harrison Self firmed his jaw. This was his brother-in-law’s house, where, on any other day, he could enter without knocking. From his own front door, it was only a mile’s walk, though tonight he’d forced Castor to a gallop that surprised them both. Nor had he expected what followed. To be standing on this doorstep, fighting to gain a toehold, was like milking a wooden cow. If you had sense, you lost interest.

But he couldn’t give up. They had his son in there, he was sure of it, and there was no going home without Hugh. When an opening appeared, he lodged his foot in the crack. They would not keep him out, no, they would not, though earlier in the day he’d refused to be one of them, said it was none of his affair. “Only a fool lights a match in his own barn,” he’d said, thinking he had clinched the argument.

Yet his son had trailed after them, so here was Harry, come to pull the child back, lest he burn himself.

No one’s fault, then, but Hugh’s, that his father looked ridiculous as he fought with the stubborn door, though no one saw him but the waiting horses. It was a sizable herd, and he reckoned most of the able-bodied men of Greeneville must be visiting the Harmons.

About the Author: Susan Lohafer is the author of The Reluctant Patriot, a historical novel based on true events from the Civil War in East Tennessee.

A graduate of Harvard University (B.A., magna cum laude), Stanford University (M.A. in Creative Writing), and New York University (Ph.D. in American Literature), she spent her academic career at the University of Iowa, where she specialized in short fiction theory and narrative structure.

Her previous books include Coming to Terms with the Short Story and Reading for Storyness: Preclosure Theory, Empirical Poetics, and Culture in the Short Story, as well as the co-edited volume Short Story Theory at a Crossroads. Her shorter works have appeared in publications such as The Southern Review, and a 2011 essay was on the ‘Notable’ list in The Best American Essays.

She lives in Tennessee.

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My Friends and I Spot Series by T.X. Troan – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 23, 2026 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. T.X. Troan will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Perfect for curious minds and sharp eyes, these interactive puzzle picture books encourage creativity and exploration while fostering a love of reading. Can you and your friends find everything that lurks in these places? Get ready for unforgettable adventures filled with magic, mystery, and a whole lot of fun!

Fantasyland (Book 1) Blurb

Join Evan and Page on an enchanting adventure in My Friends and I Spot Fantasyland: A Puzzle Picture Book! From creepy spiders lurking in shadowy corners to shimmering butterflies fluttering through sunlit glades, this captivating search-and-find journey invites readers of all ages to step into a vibrant world brimming with delightful surprises and mysterious wonders.

Perfect for curious minds and sharp eyes, this interactive puzzle picture book encourages creativity and exploration while fostering a love of reading. Can you and your friends find everything that lurks in this place? Get ready for an unforgettable adventure filled with magic, mystery, and a whole lot of fun!

Time Travel (Book 2) Blurb

Embark on an exhilarating journey with Jason and Mary as they navigate through unexpected challenges and captivating experiences.

This children’s book combines fun dialogues with engaging search-and-find illustrations to offer young readers an exciting exploration of imagination and adventure throughout various periods and places in time. Each page will not only encourage reading but also develop observation skills and spark curiosity about history, science fiction, and the ocean’s mysteries.

About the Author Thuan Doan is an award-winning author of the Sophia Freeman series. He conceived his first middle-grade fantasy novel, Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain, during a trip to Gabriola Island, British Columbia in the summer of 2013. Then he took his work and settled in a small town of Enderby, where it’s peaceful and quiet.

Thuan is writing under a pen name of T.X. Troan. “X” stands for Xu, his grandmother’s name who passed away. And “Troan” is a combination of his parents’ names.

“No matter how this turns out, I want my family to be a part of this wonderful journey.”

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The Process of Producing a Children’s Book by Eva Legre Zigre – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 22, 2026 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Eva Legre Zigre will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING A CHILDREN’S BOOK

As a new author, I am amazed by all that goes into producing a children’s book.

Upon my first visit to the city of Temecula, California, I was struck by the beauty and lushness of the parks and wineries, for which Temecula is known. The longer I stayed, the more I became aware of the community. The people were very friendly, and a simple conversation while waiting in line or sitting on a bench at a park gave me insight into the pride and love people had for this small inland community.

I was easily accepted as a transplant and encouraged to explore more of the city, and so I did. There were so many places, hidden and out in the open, that took my breath away or had me vowing to visit, my list of places to go to in Temecula became extensive.

I share all of this because it is the inspiration behind my new children’s board book, ‘RJ’s Adventures in Temecula’. Well, that and my son, whom the main character is inspired by.

Of the many places I visited in Temecula, only thirteen attractions are included in RJ’s Adventures in Temecula, because I didn’t want the book to intimidate young readers, and since it is a board book, the pages can get expensive. If I had unlimited funds, though, my book would have featured at least 30 different places in Temecula.
Since I wanted to keep the book about the community, I hired two great artists from Temecula; first being my photographer, who took hundreds of pictures as we searched for the perfect shot of the sites I had in mind. Second was my illustrator, who drew from the photographs I chose, adding RJ’s character as she went.

The entire time I was in contact with the various attractions to ensure that permission was granted, images were approved, and contracts were signed, allowing me to sell and promote my books using their likeness.

I was blessed to receive some advice from city officials, business owners and a few children’s book readers and writers, which opened doors with a printer, libraries, and bookstores. This kept me encouraged because, though I was able to share this in a short article, the process took close to a year.

Still, I kept reminding myself why I started this journey and what I wanted to see come out of it, and that gave me the encouragement to keep moving forward. Now I have a beautiful book that my children and others in my community can read for years to come.

If you’ve had a chance to visit Temecula, California, you’d be one of many who have had the privilege of watching hot air balloons take flight during sunrise and descend at sunset, walking the grounds of one of the most beautiful rose gardens in California, and visiting a rare and noble tree that looks to have stood the test of time. You will find some of the most popular and heavily visited sights in Temecula, beautifully illustrated and captured in child-like conversation.

RJ’s Adventures in Temecula is a vibrantly colored board book featuring thirteen of Temecula’s most visited attractions. The illustrations jump off the page, offering children fun images to look at while learning more about Temecula, California’s historic sights.

Beware. Your child may ask to visit some of the attractions presented in this 20-page book, such as Professor Pennypickles’ Workshop or the Sugarplum Zoo and Chocolates. Come visit for a week, but first, do your research and take this adventure around Temecula, California with RJ.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Hello Friend!

My name is RJ.

Welcome to the beautiful and sunny city of Temecula. Today is a great day to show you around!

Are you ready for an exciting tour?

About the Author: Eva Legre-Zigre is a children’s book author passionate about writing stories that reflect the beauty of communities. Inspired by years of experience as a nanny and a volunteer teacher, she crafts engaging stories that encourage creativity and wonderment in children. Her passion for community, culture, and finding beautiful differences in various states throughout the country gives her the desire to share those unique and exciting places with children.

A resident of Temecula, California, known for its wineries, Mrs. Legre-Zigre was inspired by her own child to find and highlight family- and child-friendly attractions in her city. Some of these attractions are featured in her debut book.

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