House of Cards: Surviving Munchausen by Proxy and a Mother’s Web of Lies by Phillippa Mann – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 13, 2026 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Phillippa Mann 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.

A raw and unflinching memoir of survival, truth, and transformation. Phillippa Mann takes readers deep into the fractured world of a girl who grew up living with a monster–a world where love and fear shared the same face, and silence became a means of survival.

Through heartbreak, chaos, and betrayal, Phillippa’s voice emerges from the shadows as she begins to piece together a life that was never hers to begin with. Her journey is one of courage and reckoning, of facing the unbearable truths that shaped her, and finding strength in vulnerability.

More than a story of pain, House of Cards is a testament to the power of healing and self-forgiveness. It reminds every survivor that bringing hidden truths into the light is not the end – it’s the beginning of reclaiming your story and rebuilding the foundation of who you were always meant to be.

Enjoy an Excerpt

As I embarked on this new chapter of motherhood and marriage, I began to re-evaluate some of the stories I had been told since childhood. How could my dad have been in bed with another man if he was married to my mother? And if he was gay, why would he marry my stepmom and then later adopt my little brother, further building a life with her? It didn’t even make sense in my mind.

He often reminisced about our family camping trips and his visits to us. I recall wondering whether his twin brother had merely shared those memories with him and why he had not wanted to see us when we were little, as it was obviously my dad I was visiting as I got older. Eventually, I mustered the courage to initiate a conversation with him. When my baby was approximately six months old, I wrote a letter to my dad expressing my need to ask him some questions and inquiring if he would be willing to visit for a discussion. He promptly called me upon receiving the letter to arrange a time for his visit.

I had prepared a list of inquiries, including whether he had been unfaithful to my mother, if she had discovered him in bed with another person (I lacked the courage to specify it was with a man), and whether he had a twin brother named Christian. He firmly denied all these allegations. Part of me wishes I had probed further or engaged in a more profound dialogue regarding my concerns; there was so much to unravel from those topics, yet at that moment, I felt content with the answers I received. For a while, I did not dwell on it too much, as I was preoccupied with my new baby.

I returned to work a few afternoons each week, and my nan would take the bus to my home to care for my son. I recall one day returning home to find his diaper on backward, and I thought about how challenging it must have been for her to fasten the sticky tabs at the back. My nan was an incredibly kind woman, and my son was undoubtedly the apple of her eye; she clearly cherished her time spent with him, and I wish she had been around longer to watch all my children grow up.

About the Author Phillippa Mann is a Canadian author who is passionate about helping others find healing through shared experience.

Her memoir, House of Cards:
Surviving Munchausen by Proxy and a Mother’s Web of Lies, explores the emotional journey of growing up in chaos and reclaiming strength through forgiveness and self-discovery.

Family is at the heart of everything Phillippa does. She and her husband share a love of creating together, and their children and grandchildren inspire her every day to live with gratitude, laughter, and purpose. When she’s not writing, Phillippa can be found playing with her Corgi, Glenn, crafting handmade gifts, baking cookies and cupcakes for her family business, Sweet Lavender Designs, which she started in memory of a dear friend.

She is currently working on her next creative project, a heartwarming children’s book titled Hop Hop and the Great Garden Adventure, inspired by the wonder and imagination of her grandchildren.

Website | Instagram

Buy the book at Amazon.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

Practical Tips on How to Write like an Austenesque Darling by Morgan Blake – Guest Post and Giveaway

April 9, 2026 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Morgan Blake 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.

*****
Hello readers of Long and Short Reviews! I am happy to be here as part of my book tour for The Cherry Trees of Rosings, and I hope to leave you thoroughly entertained by the end of this guest post—much like my intentions with my book, which is a comic relief variation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice with a slightly spooky plotline.

So how do I intend to do the entertaining?

By giving you some practical tips on how to write like an Austenesque darling—who is completely, entirely, and quite ardently obsessed with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy!

Step 1: You will need a good cup of tea.

Preferably one that has been made the *proper way* by boiling water in a kettle, over fire. No microwave shenanigans, thank you!

Then—it is important to note that this is still Step 1—stand by a window and gaze longingly at the trees, bees, and pastoral greens outside.

All while sipping from said cup of *properly prepared* steaming tea.

In case one finds oneself stuck in concrete quagmire with not a single tree in sight, this is the point where the tea drinking and longingly gazing routine must be turned towards one’s computer so one can vicariously watch a tomato gardener (with a side hustle of growing giant pumpkins) wax eloquently about their little patch of backyard greens on Youtube.

How else is one supposed to channel their inner 19th century British, sharp-sighted and quick-witted, satirical Austen?

After all, too much grime and not enough greens has been known to cause one’s writing spirit to enter a Dickensian realm. Or find itself in the gothic archways and airs of faraway moorlands and meadow deeps, à la Emily Brontë.

No, no! One must go pastoral to get the austenesque spirit just right.

And bonus points if said pastoral quest becomes a momentary escape from squabbling neighbors or family members who just cannot keep their opinions to themselves if their life depended on it!

Step 2: (Of course) deals with the above-mentioned squabbling neighbors and family members.

…because one cannot write Austenesque romance if there isn’t a healthy dose of ridiculousness occurring everywhere at once!

After all, to have incisive wit, one must first be in the presence of people who demand your wit to rise to the occasion. Perhaps with perfect politeness, much like the British. It’s the dealer’s choice.

Step 3: Sit down and write a basic plot outline.

Well, the procrastination had to end at some point and matters taken into hand.

And the best way to do so is to channel your favourite Austen novel, without forgetting that you are to bring something new to the table, for the delight and fascination of an ardently engaged Austenesque community all over the world.

Fear not though!

Austenesque folks will gladly attend a Regency ball, as they would show up for a lecture on the parallels between Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice and Mr. Knightley in Emma, as they would rewatch their favourite Austen BBC series for the thirty thousandth time, or visit Bath or Chatsworth House or Lyme Regis, like they would read genre-bending stories about their favourite Austen characters from new authors, both historical and modern alike.
The only requirement is that one retains the Austenesque spirit while one ventures into realms heretofore unexplored, or re-explored.

…and that one do so decisively, wittily, intriguingly, and intelligently!

Step 4: Read something Austenesque.

Because of course I have to shamelessly plug my book The Cherry Trees of Rosings in my book tour!

How else is one to make a living?

To be clear though, the slightly spooky plot of The Cherry Trees of Rosings is my version of bringing something new to the table. (As mentioned in Step 3.) All while mashing my favourite trope of ghost x human romance to Austen’s Pride and Prejudice… where the ghostly Mr. Darcy is not a ghost at all, but simply stuck between life and death in an unfortunate string of events.

I mean, can it get hotter than a handsome Mr. Darcy popping out of the blue in the most inconvenient of places right beside Lizzy?

Or any more slow burn than Lizzy finally developing feelings for the man, but neither being able to touch the other, or even hold hands?

All of which occurs while Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Mr. Collins keep up their endless shenanigans and petty villainy. (Oof!)

The Cherry Trees of Rosings is a novella-length quick read for all who love themselves an Austenesque good time, complete with a happy ending and an intense kiss.

You can grab yourself a copy for your home library, or borrow to read The Cherry Trees of Rosings on Kindle Unlimited.

A Pride & Prejudice variation with a slightly paranormal, mainly comic twist!

When Elizabeth Bennet visits her newly-married friend, Charlotte Collins, at the Hunsford parsonage, she has no idea that Mr. Darcy (he of the arrogant demeanor and perpetual cause of annoyance!) shall turn up to ruin her blissful, idyllic days.

Only, Mr. Darcy is not himself. And then Elizabeth stumbles straight through him one day… like one would an apparition! Goodness gracious!

“Mr. Darcy, I do not know what you mean, but I would appreciate it if you would desist from haunting me!”

“I apologize, Miss Bennet, for scaring you,” Mr. Darcy said, almost regretfully.

To solve her haunting problem, Elizabeth must team up with Mr. Darcy to find out what happened to him, and along the way discover that maybe he is not all that he seemed at first. And that maybe… she doesn’t hate him after all.

“You wish to write the letter now?” he asked as she moved past him with the candle.

“Well, to be honest,” she glanced at him. “I would prefer to sleep. But since you are here, I do not see why not.”

From the antics of Lady Catherine de Bourgh to the hilarity of Mr. Collins’ advice on staying fit, The Cherry Trees of Rosings shall make you laugh and cry in equal measure. And wonder: Will our favourite couple find their happy ever after?

Spoiler: Yes, they will!

This Pride and Prejudice variation features our favourite Regency romance couple from Jane Austen’s original classic in a somewhat spooky setup. ✨ But fear not, dear readers! ✨ This story is not scary in the least. Prepare for a chuckle fest and abundant cups of tea!

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Mr. Collins, you know how I despise green beans!”

Lady Catherine’s brows drew down with annoyance as she looked over the tiny list Charlotte had handed her a few moments ago. It was about the gift baskets the Collinses were tasked with distributing for Easter; one of the yearly tasks of the parsonage.

“You shall not present that vegetable to the congregation,” she emphasized, mouth twisting into a moue of distaste.

Mr. Collins nodded his head vigorously. “Indeed, your ladyship.”

“Potatoes will do very well. Very well, indeed…”
More head nodding from her cousin.

Elizabeth held back a chuckle as the spectacle unfolded before her.

She had been somewhat right in her estimation of Lady Catherine from Mr. Collins’ extensive effusions. But once the introductions were made, she was pleasantly surprised to find that the great lady was even more ridiculous than she had imagined. Her father would be dearly entertained by such human folly once she wrote to him.

“Potatoes are vegetables for the hard-working,” Lady Catherine continued sagely. Then she picked up a cream tart from the platter before her and bit into it.

“You are quite right, your ladyship, as always,” Mr. Collins said. “I merely wished to place the beans in the baskets for the sick—”

“You should speak on the virtues of potatoes in your sermon, Mr. Collins,” the lady said, dusting off the crumbs from her fingers before fixing a glare on her parson.

About the Author Morgan Blake writes regency romance novels and Austenesque variations of Pride & Prejudice that are sometimes steamy, sometimes not. Satire is the name of the game and happy ever afters the goal!

Morgan loves exploring themes of personal identity, inner strength, social discourse and hope alongside enduring love in her stories. She also believes that strong heroes and heroines are not enough to make a tale worth telling. They need a supporting cast of good and not-so-good characters that add more punch and vibrancy… and some dramatic ridiculousness!

Morgan is a cat friend, tropical girl who prefers winter clothes, perennial fantasy/historical fiction nerd, and a night owl.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads
Buy the book at your favorite online venue.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: , , ,

A Real Collusion by Stu Strumwasser – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 6, 2026 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Stu Strumwasser 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.

A Real Collusion is about the secret conspiracy between the Republican and Democratic parties to control the US government through an illegal duopoly.

From the author of the bestselling novel, The Organ Broker, (hailed by Lee Child, New York Times # 1 bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series as, “Exciting and thought-provoking–the perfect package”) comes, A Real Collusion, a stunning political thriller and expose.

A Real Collusion is a David Vs. Goliath(s) story about a man who accidentally becomes the leader of an independent political movement that nearly takes down the two-party system in America, while exposing a conspiracy that affects the results of the 2016 election. It explores universal and deeply human themes of loss, and the tension between justice and power. In the opening sentence the narrator points out that, “Ordinary people often do extraordinary things.” The characters in the book do, and the action is driven by the fantastic events of a unique political satire. It is also the heartfelt story of regular people struggling with lost love, alienation and nearly universal disaffection who find strength in enduring loyalty and friendship

This is the story of John Campbell (a regular guy from the lower east side of Manhattan) as recounted by his friend Skip Winters. Skip becomes John’s campaign manager and later, a congressman in his own right. He narrates the stunning-but-plausible story of how John Campbell and The American Coalition race to popularity, raising over a hundred million dollars from grassroots contributors—and become a threat to the political duopoly of the Democratic and Republican parties. The book sprinkles in references to real events from recent history, and real political leaders including Trump, John McCain, and more. This imbues the novel with a sense of realism, albeit one of an alternate reality. Skip discovers a deep-seated conspiracy within our political system whose leaders orchestrate a murder, destroy his friend and tip the scales of the election. The novel turns out to be Skip’s exposé of the secret collaboration between the two major political parties in our country—a cooperation to protect the duopoly that is, in part, real.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Fenterman and I are forever bound by the one and only direct interaction that he ever had with John Campbell. The tragic events of that day ruined all of our lives, and I will never forgive him for it. Or his handlers.

I have spoken to Father MacCauly about this. I am not a particularly religious man and yet I have prayed—I have prayed less for John, or myself, or our country, than I have prayed, truthfully, for the strength to stop despising Steven Fenterman, to let go of the hate that consumes me, even now, years later. I cannot. Nonetheless, beginning around a year after it happened, every few months I got in the car and somberly headed up the Taconic Parkway toward Ossining. I made those drives alone, leaving the radio off, preferring to listen only to the rasp of the wind upon the windshield and frame of my car. I drove, deliberately and obediently, to Ossining Correctional Facility, otherwise known as Sing Sing. I went to visit the man who was the object of more of my hatred than any other person or thing I have ever been repulsed or angered by. I am probably the only visitor who saw Steven Fenterman who didn’t fall into three distinct categories: media, Secret Service, or women obsessed with murderers on death row.

The first time I made the long, quiet drive to Sing Sing, past the suburbs and through the tree-lined stretches of highway in Westchester and Putnam counties, I was shocked that Fenterman agreed to see me. It was the summer of 2016. Trump had clinched the Republican nomination in May and Hillary clinched for the Democrats a few weeks later. I was running for Congress at the time but was still largely unrecognized out in public. I fully expected to be denied access, turned away at the rifle-guarded gates, pointed back to the city after having accomplished nothing more than sending a signal. Still, I wanted him to know that I had been there. I wanted that vermin to think about it—alone in the worn bed of his barren cell—that I had driven an hour along that tree-lined stretch. I wanted him to know that I was thinking about him, that I remained committed. I wanted him to be reminded, every god-damned day, that someone hadn’t forgotten, and to be afforded constant reminders of the fate that he was slipping forward toward there on death row. He should know that I want to confront him, I had thought. He should never stop thinking about all of it, not for one second, never be allowed the respite of a lapse in those memories—just like me. However, the irascible bastard admitted me.

About the Author: Stu Strumwasser is a modern-day muckraker who writes literary novels that address important sociopolitical issues. His first novel, The Organ Broker, was published by Skyhorse (distributed by Simon & Schuster) and shortlisted as one of five finalists for the Hammett Prize for literary excellence in crime writing. Strumwasser was also the primary songwriter and drummer for the indie rock band Channeling Owen. He is a longtime investment professional (investing in sustainable technology that improves the manner in which we make food) and hails from Brooklyn NY. His new novel, A Real Collusion, is both an exposé and analysis of broken government and a fictional David Vs. Goliath(s) story of the man who almost took down the two-party system in America.

Read his recent op-ed piece in Fortune Magazine.

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | TikTok

To read the first two chapters of the novel.

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google Play Books, Apple Books, or Payhip.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

God’s Surprising Way: The Path to Lasting Joy, Healing, and Love by S. Jeyran Main – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 19, 2026 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. S. Jeyran Main 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.

God’s Surprising Way: The Path to Lasting Joy, Healing, and Love guides readers into the upside-down kingdom of God, where human expectations are consistently overturned. In this transformative journey, the humble are exalted, the last are lifted, and true greatness is found through servanthood, surrender, and sacrificial love. Through Scripture, theological insights, and historical reflections-from Augustine and Luther to Bonhoeffer and Nouwen-readers discover how God’s surprising ways cultivate lasting joy, deep healing, and authentic love.

Each chapter explores a distinct paradox of the gospel, demonstrating how humility, generosity, and obedience can transform relationships, communities, and personal faith. Practical reflections and prompts invite readers to integrate these principles into daily life-choosing forgiveness over resentment, service over recognition, and trust over control.

With accessible scholarship, devotional insight, and concrete application, this book reveals the practical power of God’s reversals. It challenges conventional assumptions about success, power, and happiness, inviting believers to live counterculturally in alignment with Christ’s teachings. God’s Surprising Way is both an invitation and a roadmap: to encounter God’s transformative presence, embody the values of the Kingdom, and experience joy, healing, and love that endure.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Jesus captures this dynamic in the Beatitudes, declaring, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4) and “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). At first glance, these promises seem upside down: mourning is not usually associated with comfort, and meekness rarely leads to inheritance. Yet Christ reframes human experience by grounding joy, healing, and love in God’s character and purposes. By letting go of pride and self-reliance, believers open themselves to God’s transformative presence (Augustine 1998, 72).

The parables of Jesus illustrate these principles. In the story of the lost sheep, the shepherd rejoices over the one found, highlighting that God’s joy is relational and restorative (Luke 15:4–7). Similarly, the parable of the prodigal son demonstrates that love often precedes merit: the father restores the wayward son, celebrating his return rather than condemning his failings (Luke 15:11–32). These narratives show that God’s approach subverts human expectations, creating spaces where joy, healing, and love coexist with brokenness and humility (Nouwen 1981, 52).

Historical theologians have reflected on this paradox. Augustine notes that “joy is the reflection of God’s eternal delight within the soul, not the applause of men” (Augustine 1998, 72). Bonhoeffer emphasizes that discipleship requires surrender: joy and peace emerge not in controlling life, but in trusting God even amid suffering (Bonhoeffer 1959, 112). Nouwen extends the idea into relational terms: when we embrace vulnerability and minister from our wounds, healing flows both inwardly and outwardly (Nouwen 1981, 52). Together, these voices remind us that the kingdom’s blessings are cultivated in hearts surrendered to God’s reversal of worldly values.

Practically, living this paradox involves embracing small, intentional acts of faithfulness. Choosing to forgive a persistent offense, offering service without recognition, or loving those society deems unworthy cultivates resilient joy, deep healing, and love that endures. Paul exhorts, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Romans 12:10). When we act according to God’s upside-down principles, we participate in the tangible expression of the kingdom, where the last are lifted, the humble are exalted, and the surrendered heart is filled with grace (Packer 1973, 215).

The story of Joseph illustrates the paradox of God’s kingdom. Betrayed, imprisoned, and overlooked, Joseph experienced pain and injustice, yet God’s providence turned his suffering into a means of salvation for many (Genesis 50:20; Owen 1677, 121). Similarly, David, overlooked as the youngest son, was raised to kingship according to God’s plan (1 Samuel 16:11–13). In both cases, joy and love were inseparable from humility and trust, while healing emerged through God’s providence.

The paradox of joy, healing, and love challenges human intuition but aligns with divine order. Living these truths requires surrender, humility, and attentiveness to God’s ways. Each act of humility or service becomes a conduit for divine joy, a channel for healing, and an expression of love, reflecting the radical, surprising ways of God’s kingdom in everyday life.

About the Author

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Jeyran Main has spent years immersed in the world of books as an editor and publisher. She is the author of The Radical Realism of Jesus: A Framework for Living in the 21st Century and serves as Editor-in-Chief of Living in the Light of the Cross magazine. Through her platform, HeavenlyHarmonyHub.com, she provides resources that encourage thoughtful engagement with faith. Guided by a passion for seeking truth, Jeyran explores how God’s counterintuitive Kingdom wisdom overturns human expectations and invites readers into a life marked by joy, healing, generosity, and love.

Website

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

Laughing Through the Storm by Jane Rogers – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 18, 2026 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jane Rogers 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.

Diagnosed with epilepsy at 13, Jane’s life took a wild turn full of seizures, specialists, and some seriously strange hospital adventures. But instead of letting it break her, she learned to laugh—at the chaos, the cringe, and even the curveballs. Laughing Through the Storm is a hilariously honest memoir about finding resilience, ridiculousness, and unexpected joy in the middle of life’s messiest moments.

Enjoy an Excerpt

It was a frosty January morning in 1981 when I decided to make my dramatic debut in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. As the latest addition to the family line-up, I was a calm and easy-going baby, quietly lulling everyone into a false sense of security. Classic me— always setting up for a twist.

My dad worked for the Health of Animals, a branch of the Canadian federal government, as a veterinarian in Prince Edward Island. They were responsible for the control, prevention and eradication of certain animal diseases. As the district veterinarian for the entire province, he had responsibilities for the health and well-being of all livestock, from pigs and cows to chickens. His days were a mix of travelling to farms to test animals for serious diseases like tuberculosis and rabies; visiting auction houses to ensure only healthy animals were sold; attending meat-packing plants to collect samples; and making safety diagnoses to ensure that animals entering the food chain were safe for human consumption.

When I was two, my parents decided to move us to Riverview, New Brunswick, a town that became the stage for my happiest childhood memories. We lived on Hamilton Court, a little slice of suburban heaven with one particularly glorious feature: hills. Our backyard sloped gently, but our neighbours’ yards were even steeper, perfect for sledding. Every winter, kids from all over the neighbourhood would arrive armed with sleds, ready to turn those snowy slopes into the ultimate playground. We would shriek with laughter as we careened down the hill and tumbled into a snowbank. Gravity may have been our accomplice in the winter, but in the summer, it was the architect of our joy. My friends and I would roll down those same hills, giggling uncontrollably, dizzy from both the spinning and the laughter.

About the Author:Jane Rogers is an accidental expert in epilepsy, diagnosed at 13 and living with it ever since. She’s spent over three decades navigating seizures, side effects, and hospital adventures with grit, sarcasm, and a solid sense of humor. Laughing Through the Storm is her first book—a tribute to resilience, ridiculous moments, and finding light in the darkest places.

She lives in Ottawa with her supportive husband, Pascal, and their two mischievous chihuahuas, Junior and Bailey.

Fun Fact: Jane once had a seizure during a comedy show— and still insists the comedian owes her one.

Instagram | Facebook

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

Ten Things Most People Don’t Know about Me by Intensia – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 16, 2026 By 1 Comment

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

Ten Things Most People Don’t Know about Me

1. I have always been a sensitive, thoughtful person. As a kid, I was convinced that the blue ice cream flavor they called “Smurfs” was actually made from those little creatures. I would cry every time I saw it. I was probably the only unhappy kid in a store usually filled with joy.

2. Even if music is my vocation, silence is something very precious to me. It is not stagnation but regeneration, respect, serenity, effortless understanding and intimacy instead.

3. I am a plant-based person and have been for a long time. Even when I was little, I would refuse to eat animals, and growing up I tried to reduce this kind of things from my diet whenever I could. I do not miss anything. Quite the opposite. It is very satisfying to create new recipes and tasty ways to veganize dishes. If done consciously, it is good for the environment, the belly and other beings too.

4. To me, art is made to inspire, connect, unite, and entertain. I create for the resonance of souls, not primarily for the ego. That is also why I do not appear personally in the visuals related to my music. It allows me to focus on the message, the vibe, and the emotions I would like to evoke. There is no need to put my face forward or place myself into roles for music videos. I trust that my fans will remember me and recognize my style anyway.

5. Besides being a singer, songwriter, award-winning author and music artist, I am also an award-winning vocal coach and an officially recognized vocational teacher for singers and songwriters in Germany. My boutique flagship label and publisher, Intensia Music International, is dedicated to releasing my art and supporting upcoming artists in developing their professional skills and craft online. This might be the one and only music label that nurtures control and strategic personal alignment through education, instead of signing people.

6. Intensia is my legally recognized stage name. In Germany, the European Community country where I live, it can be officially acknowledged and registered in personal documents under certain artistic criteria. My inner voice whispered it to me a long time ago. It means an intense intention, in tension. I like it so much, and it describes me so well that I sometimes forget I was ever called something else. That given name belongs more to the person I had to be in order to become who I truly am. Some artists build stage personas for themselves. For me, it is the other way around. Intensia is who I really am, both as artist and human being.

7. I do not drink any coffee or alcohol. Both make no difference to me in terms of happiness or energy, but they do when it comes to nature and wellbeing.

8. Unless the restock of a certain treat is on its way, I will not eat the last one of that kind I still have at home.

9. I love collecting blank planners and notebooks. They are full of potential! I also design and curate my own lines. One is a thoughtful surprise for music lovers, singers, and songwriters. The other is an exclusive merchandise line available until the next song drops. You can find these affordable gift ideas and useful creations online on Amazon.

10. Although I do really care about a good sleep routine, I like to linger a little longer in bed in the morning. Even when I’m awake and ready to start, it just feels so cozy. Three alarms are barely enough to get me out of bed. I even have a “last call” reminder alarm for my final alarm.

Thanks so much for being here. The journey continues on Substack, where you are invited to join me as I share how the poetic excerpts from my award-winning book Words to Think. Or to Sing. come to life, one track at a time.

Have you ever wondered how your favorite songs really began?

Not with the words, not with the melody, but with a feeling.

Becoming a vision, becoming lines, becoming a complete piece of sonorous truth meant to be shared to unite people who resonate with it.

A mystical, fascinating process you can now be part of.

INTENSIA, a new heartfelt, poetic singer songwriter likely to belong with your favorite pop music companions, is turning the traditional release model upside down, inviting you to look into her soul and mind before anyone else.

Be among the first to witness this spark before her distinctive voice echoes through the world. This unique approach offers an unprecedented glimpse into evolving art, so you can feel and enjoy the essence of her songs before they are even complete.

Dive into this curated collection of lyric excerpts and emotional snapshots from pop songs in progress. Each piece stands on its own as a modern, poetic message, paired with brief reflections about the meaning or emotions behind the words.

It is more than something to read. It is a space to pause, reflect, and connect, with room for your thoughts and reflections too. Write what moves you, what you feel, what you dream. This book and its songs to be are meant to accompany you wherever you go.

For even more space to express yourself, the companion notebook PLACE TO THINK. OR TO WRITE. (ISBN 978-3-911445-02-3) is available as a dedicated space.

WORDS TO THINK. OR TO SING. out 26 June 2025 on Amazon. Paperback (ISBN 978-3-911445-00-9), eBook (ISBN 978-3-911445-01-6).

Join INTENSIA’s free Intense Inside Club at www.intensia.music and discover this special music developing experience as it unfolds, where connection begins as songs come to life.

Enjoy an Excerpt

S T A I R C A S E

I saw red while you held my hand
on that hill in a castle of sand
being nice, coming out of the blue
you were losing me, undeniably true
I was just another trophy for your shelf
overloaded by the further rusty twelve

Dissociating from this charming place
you are a mess inside, I know it’s the case
this romance had better leave no trace
but at sunset we sat here on the staircase

About the Author From Munich’s vibrant core, Intensia is sparking a poetic, tuneful movement with a unique glimpse into her evolving pop songs-to-be book, “WORDS TO THINK. OR TO SING.”. It combines lyric snippets with heartfelt reflections, inviting readers to discover her art in progress in a new and unexpected way.

INTENSIA’s story began in childhood with a simple radio cassette recorder, a portal to a mesmerizing world where her voice became a powerful way to explore emotions and transform them into melodies.

Her lyrics delve into self-reflection, personal growth, relationships, and empowerment. Themes that reflect the vision of her boutique flagship label, Intensia Music International, which is also dedicated to inspiring others to explore their creative side.

With a high art, down-to-earth attitude, INTENSIA stands for emotional pop tunes that feel like after a meaningful conversation with a good friend. Step into her world at www.intensia.music and you will find a new sonorous companion for life.

Website | Music Label | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

Find reflections, impulses, and progress on the lyric excerpts from the book as they turn into cinematic, emotional pop songs to stream and experience: Substack

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Five Must-Haves in the Cozy Mystery Genre by Kirsten Weiss – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 12, 2026 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kirsten Weiss 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.

Five Must-Haves in the Cozy Mystery Genre

If you’re a cozy mystery fan (or writer), you know the genre delivers something special: a comforting escape wrapped around a clever puzzle. Cozy mysteries aren’t about gritty realism or high-stakes thrillers—they’re gentle, witty, satisfying reads that leave you feeling good when the final page is turned. But what exactly makes a story qualify as a great cozy mystery? Over years of reading and writing in the genre (including my Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series), I’ve boiled it down to these five essential must-haves. These elements show up in the best cozy mysteries time and again, creating that signature “cozy” feel readers crave.

  1. An Amateur Sleuth Readers Can Root For:
    Every cozy mystery needs a relatable protagonist who’s not a professional detective. She’s usually a woman (though not always) with a day job that conveniently gives her access to gossip and clues—think bakers, librarians, museum curators, or innkeepers. In my series, Maddie Kosloski runs a quirky paranormal museum in wine-country San Benedetto, stumbling into murders while managing cursed exhibits. She’s smart, stubborn, a little flawed, and deeply human—making her easy to root for. The best cozy mysteries let readers see themselves in the sleuth: ordinary people using wits, intuition, and community to solve crimes.
  2. A Charming, Contained Setting That Feels Like Home:
    Cozy mysteries thrive in picturesque, small-town or village environments where everyone knows everyone (and their secrets). Though recently, these mysteries are starting to move into contained urban neighborhoods (think Murders in the Building). With quaint streets, local shops, vineyards, or historic buildings, the setting becomes a character in its own right. My fictional San Benedetto, inspired by Lodi, California, offers wine-country charm with historic downtowns, Delta breezes, and tight-knit neighborhoods. This contained world keeps suspects limited and stakes personal, amplifying that cozy, escapist bubble readers love.
  3. No Graphic Violence, Gore, Explicit Sex, or Heavy Profanity:
    This is the golden rule of cozy mysteries. Crimes happen “off the page”—the murder might be discovered, but readers don’t witness graphic details. The focus stays on the puzzle, not the brutality. In my Paranormal Museum series, the emphasis is on clues, motives, and resolution, not blood. This “clean” approach makes cozy mysteries perfect comfort reads—ideal for curling up with tea without nightmares.
  4. A Clever, Fair-Play Puzzle with Red Herrings:
    Cozy mysteries are all about the whodunit. The plot must be logical, with clues scattered fairly so readers can solve it alongside the sleuth. Red herrings (false leads) add fun misdirection, but the reveal should feel earned and satisfying. In A Deathly Display, suspects include shadowy curators and jealous collectors, with clues hidden in exhibits and conversations—classic cozy mystery structure that rewards attentive readers.
  5. An Uplifting Resolution and Themes of Justice/Hope:
    Cozy mysteries end positively: the killer is caught, order restored, and characters grow. Themes of second chances, friendship, and good triumphing gently are key. The villain often faces consequences that feel fair, not vengeful. This “feel-good” payoff is why readers return—cozy mysteries reassure us that puzzles (and life) can resolve happily.

Ultimately, cozy is a feeling, and a cozy mystery is a promise of a certain reader experience. Together, these five must-haves create cozy magic: comfort, cleverness, and connection. They keep the genre accessible and addictive while allowing for creativity (like my light paranormal twists).

Speaking of cozy mysteries, my latest, A Deathly Display (book 11 in the Paranormal Museum series), hits all these notes: Maddie solves a museum murder with art-world intrigue, subtle haunts, humor, and heart. If you’re craving a cozy mystery with a whisper of the paranormal, grab it now!

What’s your favorite cozy mystery must-have? The amateur sleuth, the setting, or something else? Drop a comment—I love hearing from fellow cozy mystery fans!

Happy reading,
Kirsten Weiss

A killer stalks her sister.
A mysterious painting holds the key.
Can Maddie unravel the mystery before Melanie meets a deadly fate?

When Maddie and Herb attend a curation class at the upscale Domus Vinea museum, the mood turns darker than a gothic portrait after Maddie’s opera-singing sister, Melanie, discovers the museum director’s body. Now, with a cunning killer targeting Melanie next, Maddie must act fast.

Racing against time, Maddie and friends investigate a gallery of suspects, including a dashing vintner with a haunted painting that may hide a deadly secret. If Maddie can’t crack the case, and fast, her sister’s life could end in one fatal stroke.

A Deathly Display, the latest in the Paranormal Museum series, blends quirky sleuthing, small-town chills, and paranormal thrills with a dash of humor. Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries!

Grab A Deathly Display and start reading this hilarious whodunit!

For readers who crave a cozy mystery about a woman finding belonging through small-town wine-country sleuthing and the gentle absurdity of everyday hauntings. Perfect if you like breezy pacing, light supernatural quirks, and warm humor over gritty tension—think vintage charm, quirky neighbors, and just-enough chills to keep pages turning without losing sleep. Book 11 in the series.

Enjoy an Excerpt

There are a few things in life you can be sure of. Death. Taxes. And divas being divas.

“Why?” Melanie sobbed. “Why is this happening to meeeee?”

I jogged to the fallen man and knelt beside him in the courtyard. Pressing a finger to his neck, I tried to find a pulse.

“Another body,” my sister hiccupped. “Why here?”

I sat back on my heel. The dead man faced the pristine marble fountain. And he was definitely dead. Though his skin was still warm, his eyes stared, as blank as the nearby statue of Hermes.

Yanking my phone from the rear pocket of my khakis, I called 9-1-1. The scent of orange blossoms billowed in the warm night air, but now the odor seemed sickening.

My mother appeared at my side. “Oh, my God. That’s—” She gripped my shoulder, her nails digging in. Just as suddenly, she released me and edged the toe of her low camel-colored shoes away from the pooling blood.

“I just f-found him there.” Melanie pointed.

“And it’s a terrible shock,” my mother said in a low voice. “Now, we need to pull ourselves together.” She looped one arm around Melanie’s hourglass waist.

“Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?”

“Murder, I think,” I said. “My sister found a dead man. His head is—” I swallowed and looked away. “There’s a lot of blood. We’re at the Domus Vinea Museum, in the smaller courtyard.”

“Are you in danger?” the operator asked.

“No. There’s a reception going on here. There are lots of people…” I glanced toward the opening to the courtyard. Guests had begun to gather, staring, in its arched entrance.

“Why does this always happen?” Melanie wailed. “First Sicily and now this. Am I cursed?”

“No, no,” my mother murmured, touching the squash blossom necklace beneath the collar of her denim shirt. “It’s just bad luck.”

“Help is on the way,” the dispatcher said. “Is the man you found breathing?”

“No. He’s dead.” I knew dead, and I knew what came after for the people left behind.

About the Author: Kirsten Weiss writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries, and now a Tarot guidebook that’s a work of experimental fiction. Her heroes and heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop.

Kirsten is best known for her Wits’ End, Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, and Tea & Tarot cozy mystery books. So if you like funny, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page…

Website | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum on X

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Background of the Book by Victoria Weisfeld – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 10, 2026 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Victoria Weisfeld 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.

Background of the Book

Mysteries and thrillers are what I write. They’re considered a genre, of course, but as Swedish crime writer Henning Mankell said, “Every good story has a mystery in it.” It’s the unknown outcome—will the hero succeed, will the woman find happiness, who is the real enemy?—that keeps us turning pages. It’s the desire to find out “what happens next?” I like to ground the mysteries in my stories in aspects of real life that I’ve experienced, though fortunately, I haven’t experienced everything I write about!

She Knew Too Much, my new thriller, is set in Italy, mostly in Rome. Yes, I’ve been there several times, exploring the city with my husband and on my own. It’s certainly one of my favorite places, so was fun to “revisit” it by writing about it. My main character is a travel writer and blogger. I engage in both those activities, so writing about them feels natural to me. When she’s attacked, she spends a few days in the hospital—and for that I drew on an episode in which my husband’s horseback riding accident led to two weeks in an Arizona hospital. Those experiences and many, many more end up woven together (dressed in new garments, as it were) in the novel.

In addition, I do a lot of research, because I love doing it. A lot of it is very specific or situational, like how long would it take to walk from x to y? And some is deep background. I stumbled on Douglas Preston’s The Monster of Florence about a northern Italian serial killer and the botched prosecutions of various suspects. This was very helpful in understanding how the Italian justice system works and how it differs from ours. I used Word Reference to help with translations and that site’s forums to interact with Italian speakers about slang and idioms.

I am an only child, so I never had a brother who was important to me, like Genie’s brother Robbie is so important to her. But I certainly have observed many siblings and how they interact. Also key to the novel, I’ve observed how people who must work together have to set aside personal feelings for the good of the project.

When people say, “It must be liberating to write fiction. You can just make it up!” I know they’ve never tried to write any. At least not the way I do. I work hard to stay grounded in a core of truth, a bedrock of shared understanding, so that I can connect with my readers. Once they trust me, I can stretch things a bit.

You might be thinking that science fiction and fantasy are two genres where the “shared understanding” idea doesn’t apply. But I believe it still does. My favorite contemporary science fiction writer is Neal Stephenson, and his science is impeccable. With that solid base, his characters can do . . . anything! Fantasy writers put people in unfamiliar worlds, with supernatural powers, but with familiar motivations and interactions: they’re on a quest, they’re fighting enemies, they’re seeking love or power. While we might not resonate with how they look or their unusual abilities, we can understand what they’re all about.

This is probably an oversimplification, but I believe it’s generally the case that people like stories and characters they can relate to. That was one of the joys of writing She Knew Too Much. I related not only to the main character, but to a good number of the diverse supporting cast, as well.

I hope your readers take the opportunity to read She Knew Too Much. I think they will find it a fast-moving story with touches of romance, humor, and a big dose of humanity. I welcome their responses. Thank you for inviting me to share these few words about its creation.

Travel writer Genie Clarke arrives in Rome seeking inspiration, but her trip turns deadly when she overhears two mafia operatives discussing a secret “Project.” Before she can escape, she’s attacked and left for dead. Awakening in a hospital-alive but hunted-Genie finds the police unwilling to believe her. Only Detective Leo Angelini takes her seriously, uncovering ties between her assault, a murdered woman, and a powerful criminal network.

With the threat escalating, Leo moves Genie into hiding, where she becomes both key witness and prime target. Cut off from safety and unsure who to trust, Genie must outthink the conspirators determined to silence her.

From Rome’s bright piazzas to its shadowed alleys, she faces a terrifying fight for survival-and an unexpected connection with the detective risking everything to protect her. She Knew Too Much is a lean, suspenseful psychological thriller about fear, courage, and the price of knowing too much.

Enjoy an Excerpt

I crossed the one-way traffic to reach the Piazza del Popolo’s spacious central rectangle. People ambled toward one or another of the half-dozen streets that converged on the Piazza or to the steps leading up to the Villa Borghese Gardens, where I’d spent the afternoon. I was aiming for the Via del Babuino, street of the Baboon, which got its name from a particularly hideous sculpture. In a few blocks, that street ended at the Piazza di Spagna and the always-crowded Spanish Steps, a half block from my hotel.

On the far side, I again negotiated the circling rush of traffic and chanced a look behind. What the hell? The spiky-haired blond had crossed the first stream of traffic. Now he jostled through the crowd, coming straight my way. He was tracking me, and he didn’t care if I knew it.
I was in trouble. And, if I didn’t want to believe my eyes, the hair on the back of my neck confirmed it. I picked up my pace, walking as fast as I could in my flimsy sandals.

Dozens of times I’d traveled the few blocks connecting the two piazzas. Now this familiar street radiated hostility, and the stones of the Sunday-shuttered buildings reflected no warmth. Surely something, some business, would be open. I sped past my favorite stationery store, the gallery whose owner I’d interviewed. Shut tight as oysters.

Why hadn’t I asked someone near the piazza for help? Could I have made myself understood? Would they have agreed to get involved? I shook my head in frustration.

About the Author: Vicki Weisfeld is a Midwesterner (Go Blue!) transplanted to New Jersey. Her short stories have appeared in leading mystery magazines, including Ellery Queen, Sherlock Holmes, and Black Cat. Find her work also in a variety of anthologies: Busted: Arresting Stories from the Beat, Seascapes: Best New England Crime Stories, Murder Among Friends, Passport to Murder, The Best Laid Plans, Quoth the Raven, and Sherlock Holmes in the Realms of Edgar Allan Poe. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, which awarded “Breadcrumbs” a best short story Derringer in 2017, and the Public Safety Writers Association, which gave a similar award to “Who They Are Now” in 2020. She’s a reviewer of New Jersey theater for TheFrontRowCenter.com and crime/mystery/thriller fiction for the UK website, crimefictionlover.com.

Website | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

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By Chance by D. Taylor – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 4, 2026 By 3 Comments

This stop is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. D. Taylor 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.

Charlotte Douglas has spent far too long trying to stitch her life back together after a single betrayal shattered her place in the community that once adored her. With every polite nod and measured smile, she shoulders the same whispered story: she is not the young lady she ought to be — and certainly not the kind any respectable man would escort into a ballroom.

Then a flat tire on a warm afternoon brings Elias Navarro to her gate.

A hardworking mechanic with steady hands and a restless heart, Elias has lived safely, sensibly, and without surprise. Until Charlotte. With her quiet fire, careful poise, and eyes that dare him to look closer, she becomes the first woman in years to make him want more than the life he knows.

What begins as a returned plate and a shared cup of coffee becomes something neither expected: late-afternoon walks, borrowed laughter, the charge of almost-kisses, and the slow, undeniable pull toward something tender.

But Charlotte’s past is a room full of watching eyes—and the Winter Soirée is coming.

When Charlotte hesitates to invite Elias, terrified he will judge the truth she’s never said aloud, he mistakes her quiet fear for rejection. And when cruel words at the ball turn her reputation into spectacle, Elias steps into the fray without hesitation—proving himself steady, fierce, and nothing like the man who once broke her heart.

What follows is a reckoning of truths:
her fear of being unworthy,
his fear of not belonging in her world,
and the choice they must face—
whether love found by chance can become love fought for on purpose.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Charlotte shouldn’t have taken the car—not with the sun already dipping low behind the rooftops, not with rush hour thickening, and certainly not in that dress.

By morning, the dread had rotted into something uglier. Louder. She couldn’t sit with it anymore.

So she took her father’s automobile keys and drove—south past the quiet boulevards and polished shopfronts her mother preferred, into a stretch of narrow blocks where everyone knew your name and no one asked questions. An hour later, she left with her long curls on the floor and tight ringlets pinned close to her scalp, neck bare, shame and freedom crawling the same path down her spine. The gold flapper dress shimmered when she moved—too beaded, too clingy, and entirely deliberate.

If they were going to whisper, let them whisper for something new.

The light shifted—amber, then rose-gold. She should have turned back.

She didn’t.

A delivery truck pulled too wide at the corner. She swerved—too fast, too sharp—and the front tire struck something jagged. The pop split the air, sharp and final. The car shuddered, then sagged, boneless as a broken doll.

Charlotte’s hands clung to the wheel. Her chest cinched. Heat pressed behind her eyes.

“Oh, isn’t this the bee’s knees,” she said thinly. “Just grand.”

She stumbled out, skirt snagging, heel catching, dignity unraveling by degrees. One look at the tire and the world tipped.

Then a voice—low, steady.

“You alright, miss?”

She startled, spine lifting as if she could will herself composed. A man stood nearby—tall, broad-shouldered, sleeves rolled, eyes warm and unguarded. He looked at her like the street had gone quiet.

And she didn’t look away.

“I wish I could say I was,” she said softly. “But I’m afraid I’ve made rather a mess of things.”

About the Author: D. Taylor is a passionate storyteller with a love for multicultural romance, adventure, and historical fiction. She independently wrote and toured with her novel Allied Hearts, a compelling romance that explores love, identity, and the strength of human connection.

Beyond writing, D. Taylor is a devoted wife of 18 years and a loving mother who cherishes time with her children. She finds joy in cooking, creating delicious meals that bring her family together. When she’s not writing or in the kitchen, she enjoys researching history, discovering new cultures, and embracing the ever-changing world of storytelling.

D. Taylor believes that every story has the power to transport, transform, and inspire. Her work celebrates strong heroines, captivating heroes, and the resilience of love in all its forms.
Find out more and get bonus book material or join my mailing list @dtaylorwrites

Website | Amazon Author Page | Facebook

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Where Do Ideas Come From? by GG Calpo – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 2, 2026 By 1 Comment

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

Where Do Ideas Come From?

Coming up with an idea for a storyline is easy. Inspiration is everywhere. You find it in news headlines, overheard conversations of strangers, text messages, social media rabbit holes, your pet’s antics, your neighbor’s griping, a personal memento you thought lost but found in the most unlikely place, stories you’ve read, shows you’ve watched…I can go on and on and on.

The real challenge is putting together the pieces your imagination has come up with. And turning these pieces upside down, right side up, and inside out. Because storytelling is giving the reader that extra emotional punch they didn’t even know they wanted. It’s not just delivering on the premise but in making it resonate with the reader. For cozy mysteries, that means offering not only a whodunit but raising the emotional stakes so the mystery stops being about what happened and becomes about what it meant.

And for a writer to do that, they have to keep asking themselves why their characters act the way they do. There is always more than one choice for any action. Why did they choose that one—and what does that choice reveal about their fear, flaw, or desire? Answering this question allows a writer to go deeper into the character, becoming more creative with the character and making the character relatable, thus drawing the reader in.

Ideas are cheaper by the dozen. It’s what you do with them that makes you a writer. Because emotional honesty is what transforms a fleeting spark into a story readers truly remember.

What does Meg, a retired kindergarten teacher, do when the killer of her husband and only child still walks free a year after dirt had covered their graves? Go rogue, of course!

When the detective responsible for Meg’s nightmares takes over the murder investigation of her former student, Meg hunts the killer down with help from her friends. Their cozy lunches at Sweet Buns Café turn into tactical meetings while these retired grade school teachers get themselves in trouble better suited to those in their twenties. And to put the icing on their cream scones, someone is after Meg. Is it the killer? Or has Meg uncovered secrets better left buried with her loved ones?

Enjoy an Excerpt

The day was beautiful, with clear skies and a mild snap in the air. It was cold yet warm with the right amount of heat from the sun, making it the perfect spring day. Motorboats and sailboats dipped in and out of the water, out by Poet’s Bay. And at the edge of the harbor were the fishermen, alone or in groups of two or three, a rod in their hands and their tackle boxes opened beside them. We rounded the corner, almost done with our walk, when we saw mothers dragging their children away and fathers covering the eyes of the children in their arms. Pushing against the stream of parents scrambling away were others whose eyes were fixed on the man by the harbor’s edge. A man on whose fishing line dangled a catch with, what I thought were, red fins and a red tail swaying lazily around the hook.

Red? In the salt waters of Poet’s Bay? As I stood there trying to figure out what I was seeing, Barbara shoved her way into the crowd. I followed, my curiosity getting the better of me. Murmurs of “Good morning” and “Good to see you, Mrs. B” trailed behind me, changing to “You sure you want to see this, Mrs. B?” and “I wouldn’t go any further if I were you, Mrs. B.” We fetched up to the front and looked down on the ground before us while the fisherman beside us puked his guts out.

It wasn’t a fish he had caught.

Instead, on the ground was a hand. Just a hand. Nothing else.

About the Author A retired CPA and lawyer, GG Calpo now writes cozy mysteries and urban fantasies. She blends her experiences as a Filipino American immigrant with the everyday stories of life around her. She spends her time reading, crocheting blankets and sweaters for her five grandchildren, watching mystery TV shows and taking long walks in her neighborhood. She resides in Central New Jersey, with her husband and two corgis, Whiskey and Nugget.

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