Author: Chelsey M. Ortega

New Release: Death by Surfboard by Susie Black

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

Susie Black’s complimentary Swimwear Fit Guide will certainly come in handy with summer just around the corner. Click the link at the bottom to grab your copy!

Death by Surfboard is the third book in The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series. The submitted manuscript took me about five months to complete. Set in the competitive Los Angeles apparel industry, Death by Surfboard is the story of how one man’s life of lies, delivered by smoke and mirrors, cost him everything. No one is more stunned than Mermaid Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik when a fisherman hooks her unscrupulous colleague’s battered corpse attached to a surfboard and hauls it onto the Washington Street Pier. The ME ruled Jack Tyne drowned, but “had help dying”, and Holly’s boss is wrongly arrested for the crime. To save the big cheese from a life behind bars, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur detective dons her sleuthing hat to find Jack’s real killer. But the trail has more twists and turns than a pretzel, and nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent for revenge.

Like the protagonist in my Holly Swimsuit Mystery series, I am a ladies’ swimwear sales exec. From the beginning of my career, I have kept a daily journal that chronicles the quirky, interesting, and often challenging people I’ve encountered as well as the crazy situations I’ve gotten myself into and out of. The journal entries are the foundation of all my writing. The most critically important skill a sales exec must have to succeed is to be a good storyteller. Fortunately, I’ve been telling stories since I learned how to talk. Since I’d never written a novel before, the only thing I knew to do was to apply the same story-telling skills I’d successfully used hawking bikinis to writing a tale. Lucky for me, both types of stories require the same construction: A beginning, a middle, an ending, and most important of all…a point of view.  So, it turns out that showing a line of swimsuits is no different than plotting a manuscript. Both need some planning, but there is a need for flexibility. So, I am neither a planner nor a pantser. I am in between. I plan the beginning and the ending, but I allow my characters to take the storyline from the middle to the end. Of course, the characters know they must not monkey with the ending I’ve devised. Generally, they behave…or face being written out of the story or worse…killed off.  

One thing I’d been told over and over as a sales exec was to know your product inside and out.  I heard the same thing when I started writing cozy mysteries: write what you know. If you don’t know it, either do the research and learn it or don’t dare to write it. Whether you’re an author or a sales exec, you’re selling yourself, and readers, like buyers, can sniff out a phony in a heartbeat, and then you and your story are toast. So, where did my story ideas come from? I paid attention to the mantra. Write what you know. With a dollop of imagination, a pinch of angst, and a decades-long career chocked to the gills with juicy characters, I had more stories in my daily journal than time to write them.

I don’t have a set writing schedule. I write when my creative juices start flowing. I sometimes write for four hours straight and other times only for an hour. Since I am a night owl, I rarely write in the morning. I came to write in the cozy mystery genre because I love solving puzzles. My parents would certainly confirm I have always asked a lot of questions, and I am naturally curious (some narrow-minded people say I am nosy…go figure…LOL). So, writing mysteries was the natural next step for me to take. Who could push a sales exec to dream of murder and mayhem? Who else but a pain in the patootie buyer or an unscrupulous colleague? After concluding a rather challenging conversation with a co-worker whose ill-conceived actions had put both me and our company in a precariously dangerous position with our biggest customer, I silently wished him a slow and painful death as I imagined how good it would feel with my hands around his scrawny neck, squeezing the life out of him. While the notion of knocking off a colleague whose carelessness threatened to destroy the company we worked at was wildly appealing, a horizontally striped prison uniform would make my petite body look like it was the product of a barbershop pole and a fire hydrant having a child. The viable alternative?  Writing humorous murder mysteries set in the Los Angeles garment center. Brilliant and cathartic! In one fell swoop, eliminate a pain-in-the-patootie colleague, avoid life in prison, and still get the order. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

Looking for more? Contact Susie at:

Website: www.authorsusieblack.com

E-mail: mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

As a thank you for reading about Susie and her debut series, here is a free swim suit fit guide:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7lerp4cy1al2j0l/CHOOSING%20THE%20RIGHT%20%20SWIMSUIT.pdf?dl=0

A Mother’s Day Highlight in Pick of the Litter by M. Culler

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

Thank you for letting me introduce a Mother’s Day rom-cozy (a romance/cozy mystery) to your readers!

Pick of the Litter is in the Holiday Pet Sleuth series, which includes authors from across the globe. Each story centers around a holiday mystery where a pet plays a big role.  I’ve actually written three of them, A New Year’s Cat-aclysm (New Year), Pick of the Litter (Mother’s Day), and Framed by the Fireworks (Fourth of July). 

Pick of the Litter is about Fiona Milton, a widowed history professor in her thirties. As Mother Day approaches, she learns that her plans to adopt have fallen through. Fiona feels like her life has derailed—until one night when she and her faithful terrier Macbeth discover an abandoned litter of purebred pups in suspicious circumstances.

Hunting down the owner of these puppies gives Fiona a mystery to solve and a much needed distraction—but that’s only the beginning. When Fiona discovers that the puppies were stolen as an act of intimidation against Blake Wells, a reclusive craftsman, she is determined to find out what he has that would invite such an attack.

Blake Wells is hiding something precious. Someone precious—Hannah, a beautiful little girl Blake is fostering and hopes to adopt. She means everything to him, even more than the puppies he breeds. He’s willing to lose everything to keep Hannah safe from a dangerous criminal claiming to be her father. When Fiona and Blake work together, they uncover the secrets of Hannah’s past and help piece together their own furr-ever family.

This story highlights the different ways we can form a family, especially at a time of the year, Mother’s Day, when people struggling with loss or infertility might feel like something is missing in their lives. With a strong message of faith and a Hallmark-worthy happy ending, this story solves a mystery, helps a mother dog reunite with her puppies, and gives Fiona, Blake, Hannah, and even Macbeth the family they were looking for. If you’re a fan of Jan Karon, Debbie Macomber, or the Hallmark channel, this one’s for you.

I personally was inspired to write this particular world and characters after growing up with my mother, a young widow, in a college town. I can relate to Fiona myself as I’m a history-teacher in my thirties who also struggled with infertility and would feel so alone and miserable on Mother’s Day. But, just like Fiona, the heroine of this cozy mystery-romance, I poured my heart into my passions and was eventually blessed with two wonderful children through adoption and medical treatments.

Bestselling author M. Culler can’t stick to just one genre. She writes fantasy, mystery, and all flavors of romance. M.Culler lives in historic Chester County, Pennsylvania, where potentially haunted battlegrounds and 18th century buildings serve as never-ending inspiration. M.Culler lives for her two brilliant children (mini-bookworms), her gorgeous husband, her endlessly entertaining students, and her wonderful community. If she’s not hunched over a laptop, you’ll find her baking up a storm in the kitchen, playing board games, or watching Brit Coms.  Soli Deo Gloria.

You can check out M. Culler’s other books and writing journey here: https://ghostsintheink.wixsite.com/mculler

A litter of puppies. A mysterious craftsman with a beautiful secret. A stubborn, spunky terrier. Can Fiona solve a Mother’s Day mystery?

Spring means it’s time to bloom, but Fiona Milton is stuck in “blah.”  Her love life has stalled, her dreams are on hold, and even Macbeth, her faithful terrier, can’t tug her out of this rut.

But a litter of puppies left in her yard might just do the trick! The hunt to find their rightful owner soon has Fiona helping a handsome stranger with a precious secret he needs help to protect. Could Fiona’s life be back on track—or will disaster rip it away just as she opens her heart?

Join Fiona and Macbeth as they solve a mystery that will lead to adventure, romance, and a new chance at finding a fur-ever family.


Pick of the Litter by M. Culler is a cozy mystery with a twist of holiday romance that you’re sure to love! Check out the other books in the Holiday Pet Sleuths series!

Pick of the Litter can be purchased here: https://books2read.com/b/bOnKlK

Favorite Fictional Moms

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

For Mother’s Day each year, I’d like to highlight three amazing fictional moms/mother figures. This debut year I’ll be showcasing Molly Weasley, Linda Belcher, and Violet Bridgerton.

Molly Weasley comes from the Harry Potter series. On the surface, Molly appears to be the typical frumpy housewife. She’s popped out seven children on her quest to give birth to the coveted daughter. Her husband, Arthur, works a dead-end job while she runs their magical household. And their wild children are constantly getting into trouble. But underneath all that stereotype, Molly loves her family fiercely and will do anything for them. She is also kind and compassionate to those in need

Despite their poverty, the Weasleys never go hungry. Molly is an amazing cook, and her magical talents allow her to summon, transfigure, and multiply enough food to feed an army. She figuratively adopts Harry in the Chamber of Secrets when her sons bring Harry to their home in a flying car. From that book on, Molly makes sure that Harry has a place in her family.

Molly’s biggest flaw is her refusal to support Fred and George’s dream of opening a joke shop. In the Goblet of Fire, she does something that is very hard for many parents: she apologizes. She yells at the twins about their attempt to sneak joke supplies out of the house on their way to the Quidditch World Cup. Disaster strikes the World Cup, and fearing for her family’s safety, Molly feels guilty that the last thing she said to her boys was negative. When they get home safe and sound, Molly hugs them and apologizes. She still isn’t perfect as the Order of the Phoenix is full of drama, but she ultimately supports Fred and George dropping out of school and opening their joke shop.

Molly’s hidden strength is showcased in the Battle of Hogwarts in the Deathly Hallows. Up until that final battle, Molly has been the one staying home having a hot meal ready for the surviving warriors. Not this time. She is there fighting alongside her family for the survival of the wizarding world. It is Molly who vanquishes one of the most evil characters in the entire series, Bellatrix Lestrange. And what did Bellatrix do to earn Molly’s wrath? She threw the killing curse at Ginny, Molly’s daughter.

I could write several posts on Molly’s character alone, but I’ll leave it at this for now. To dive deeper into Molly’s character, read the books!

Linda Belcher is not a literary character, but I love her so much, I had to include her. She is one of the main characters on the TV show Bob’s Burgers. Linda and her husband, Bob, own a struggling burger restaurant somewhere on the east coast. They have three children, Tina, Gene, and Louise, who work in the restaurant after school. 

The reason why I love Linda so much is because she is so positive and supportive of everything her kids enjoy and want to do. She attends all of their extra curricular activities: capoeira classes, school musicals, and street bands. She showcases her children’s art during Art Crawl, defends their “abnormal” creative writing projects to the school counselor, and coaches their independent study swim class.

Even though Linda focuses on her kids the majority of the time, she also has her own passions and believes she deserves to be happy and fulfilled. Linda loves to sing, so she writes a short musical and gets her children and their neighbor to perform in it with her. The show is a disaster, but Linda has a blast and feels successful at the end of the episode. She also drags her family through an attempt to run a Bed and Breakfast, mother-daughter bonding, and the perfect Christmas party. 

Linda Belcher is my soul sister. The similarities between her marriage and mine have my husband and I cracking up every time we rewatch the series – which is often. She has moments where she goes overboard, but her energy and passion make her so likable.

Violet Bridgerton is the mother of eight energetic and cunning children. She is the dowager Viscountess Bridgerton. In the original eight books, she is already a widow, so we only know her in her later years. Her husband, the late Viscount, died from anaphylactic shock to a bee sting; but this was before allergies were understood so his death remains a mystery. Violet was pregnant with their eighth child, Hyacinth, when her husband died; making her oldest, eighteen-year-old Anthony the new Viscount.

The Bridgertons reside in London during the early eighteen hundreds, and upon reaching adulthood, participate each year in the courting culture called “the Season”. The purpose of the Season is to find a spouse by attending as many balls, musicals, and other parties as possible. With eight children to marry off, Violet is a very “determined mama”. However, unlike most of the other mamas of the ton, Violet is not as concerned about status and wealth in the spouse of her children. Kate’s meager dowry and bottom of the totem pole status does not prohibit Violet from accepting her as a daughter-in-law and the new Viscountess. Sophie’s unsavory parentage (her mother a servant and the mistress of her father) doesn’t even make Violet raise an eyebrow – though she is matter of fact with Benedict that he and Sophie will never be accepted by London society, so she supports their need to move to the country after they marry.  And though Hyacinth never tells, I am sure that Violet would not have cared that Gereth was the product of his mother’s affair with her brother-in-law.   

Because Violet’s marriage was a “love match”, she desires the same for all of her children. Even though she desires her children to find true love, her wish for them to find it quickly, and to give her grandchildren, causes her to sometimes jump the gun and encourage matches her children have no desire for. Though every once in a while she hits the mark – like her constant push for her sons to be nice to Penelope Featherington. 

Violet is loving, kind, and compassionate; but when her children mess up, she’ll let them know. She doesn’t raise her voice or demean them. But presents a loving sternness when they need a lecture or advice. Her children love her and know she loves them. The Bridgertons are a tight knit, loyal and protective family, with Violet at the center.  

Happy Mother’s Day! Give some love to the women in your life.

Wings and Ruin: The Cost of War

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

A pattern I have noticed in Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series is that the subplot from the previous book becomes the main plot of the next book. In A Court of Thorns and Roses, Feyre’s relationship with Rhysand is the subplot of the Under the Mountain part of the book. In A Court of Mist and Fury, Feyre’s relationship with Rhysand becomes the main plot, and preparing for war against Hybern is the subplot. We get to A Court of Wings and Ruin, and preparing for war becomes the main plot. And if Mist and Fury’s big theme is redemption, then Wings and Ruin’s big theme is the cost of war.

What are the costs that our favorite characters have to pay as they prepare and fight in war? The four main costs I saw were betrayal, desensitization, difficult alliances, and sacrifice. 

Betrayal

The betrayals start in Mist and Fury before the war even begins. There is an object called the Cauldron which is the creator of the universe. It can be welded by any being powerful enough, but it also has some form of awareness to it. A book of spells was ripped in half centuries before and separated. This book is needed to control the Cauldron. One half is at the Summer Court. Rhys and Feyre do not believe the High Lord of the Summer Court, Tarquin, will willingly hand it over; so Rhys distracts the guards, while Feyre sneaks into the room the book is hidden in. Their plan is successful, and they immediately feel guilty when they return to Velaris. Tarquin sends them blood rubies with their names engraved on them, announcing them as enemies to the Summer Court. 

The second half of the book is under the guardianship of the six human queens. The book has a protection spell on it that makes it so the book must be freely given. Five of the six queens refuse to give the book to Feyre and Rhysand. The sixth queen sneaks it to them, betraying her “sister” queens. In return, they betray her by handing her over to Hybern, who kills her. Another queen, who is on the fence about this whole thing is handed over to a sorcerer and a curse is placed on her and leaves her a prisoner to him. In fact, the human queens are just full of betrayal. In an effort to convince them that he is trustworthy, Rhysand shows them Velaris. They tell Hybern about Velaris and where it is; Hybern then attacks Velaris. Luckily, Feyre, Rhysand and their court are able to defend Velaris, but the damage is done. Velaris has been exposed to the rest of the world. 

The most heartbreaking betrayal between the two books is probably Tamlin’s betrayal. Shortly after Rhysand rescued Feyre from the Spring Court, Feyre sent a letter to Tamlin saying that she left willingly and she wasn’t coming back. Tamlin refuses to believe this and goes on a crusade to find Feyre and “free” her from Rhysand. Tamlin allies with Hybern in capturing Feyre and Rhysand and splitting them apart. His high priestess, Ianthe, takes the betrayal one step further and hands Feyre’s human sisters, Nesta and Elain, over to the King of Hybern. Hybern uses the Cauldron to change Nesta and Elain into High Fae. 

What’s a betrayal without revenge? Feyre’s about to dish it out. In Wings and Ruin, she pretends that Hybern was successful in breaking her mate bond with Rhysand and returns to the Spring Court with Tamlin. While there, Feyre spies on Tamlin’s alliance with Hybern and sends that information to Rhysand through their bond. She also breaks Ianthe’s hand beyond repair, plants false stories into Ianthe’s head and a few others, and kills Hybern’s visiting generals. By the time Feyre escapes the Spring Court, Tamlin doesn’t have much of a court left.  

Tamlin ends up being the poster boy for a turncoat. He switches sides so frequently that it gives the reader whiplash, and even at the end, it’s still hard to know whose side he is truly on. I personally think he’s on Tamlin’s side. Whatever is going to help him come out alive and still in power. Shortly after Feyre returns to the Night Court, Rhysand invites the other High Lords to a meeting to form alliances and create a game plan against Hybern. Tamlin is invited and he does show up. The next day, he goes running back to Hybern and discloses everything from the meeting! Then when Feyre has snuck into Hybern’s camp to rescue her sister, Tamlin is the one to help her get out when she is about to be caught by Hybern’s beasts. With that betrayal, the question remains, whose side will Tamlin fight on? At first, Tamlin doesn’t show up at all. When things get dire, he shows up with Beron (High Lord of the Autumn Court), and two more surprise armies.   

And our final betrayal is Jurian, the human from the original battle five hundred years previous, brought back to life by Hybern. Hybern underestimated how much Jurian hates faeries. While Hybern is focusing on ripping Feyre and Rhysand apart, Jurian sneaks off to the human lands and raises a human army under the queens’ noses! 

The examples of betrayal in A Court of Mist and Fury and A Court of Wings and Ruin are definitely complex and diverse. Some can be argued as justifiable, others may start out justified and end badly, while others are just downright nasty. And I’m willing to bet  the betrayals I justify could be different from yours. Ms. Maas does an excellent job of making the reader question everyone’s choices. 

Desensitization

Most of the violence that Feyre has participated in has been self defense. When she killed Hybern’s visiting generals, they were trying to prevent her from leaving the Spring Court. The battle of Velaris happened suddenly and Feyre was too pumped up on adrenaline – and revenge, because the Attor is there – to really take in the blood and gore that was flying around. The battle of Adriata is Feyre’s first time preparing and marching into battle. It is quite a different experience for her, and when the fighting is over, Feyre throws up. Mor tells her they were all like that after their first battle; showing that over time, soldiers become desensitized to the horrors of war – not that they necessarily enjoy it, but they are able to glaze over or at least put on a facade that they are. But we’ll learn in the fourth book that being desensitized on the battlefield does not equate to being desensitized once you return home. 

Difficult Alliances

When a war involves more than two nations, the right alliances are paramount to success.

Hybern wants to have access to and control of the human lands. To do so, he reaches out to some very desperate characters: the human queens and Tamlin. Hybern promises the human queens immortality and a promise not to invade the continent, if they step back and allow Hybern to take over the human section of Prythian. Hybern gives Feyre to Tamlin if Tamlin will allow Hybern’s army to use the Spring Court as their path into the human lands. The plot never gets around to showing it, but I firmly believe that Hybern was going to betray the human queens as soon as he had the human lands in his grasp; had he lived long enough to do so.  

The seven courts of Prythian stand between Hybern and the human lands. Rhysand is determined for all seven High Lords to ally together to stand against Hybern. He successfully gets the Day Court, Dawn Court, Summer Court, and Winter Court to agree – though it was not without difficulty. Big headed and powerful men who are used to being solely in charge? Yeah, it took a lot. The Autumn Court outright refuses, and Tamlin goes running off to Hybern as soon as the alliance meeting is over. Rhysand knows that they cannot beat Hybern without all seven courts on board, but he is determined to try.   

These shifty alliances are what lead to many of the betrayals discussed in the first section. 

Sacrifice

In my opinion, personal sacrifice is the biggest cost of war. Everyone who heads onto the battlefield knows there is a chance they won’t come home. And sacrificing one’s life is not the only form of sacrifice. 

Feyre believes that they need a powerful being called the Bone Carver to help. His price? A very special mirror. The only way to get the mirror is to look into it and master whatever you see. It has been centuries since the last time the mirror had been mastered. Most beings who try go mad. The night before the final battle, Feyre decides the risk is worth it; even if she goes mad, Amren can use her body to weld the Cauldron’s magic. Feyre does master the mirror, but she went in not knowing if she could. She was willing to sacrifice her mind for her friends and family.  

Also before the final battle, Azriel helps Feyre rescue Elain. They are viciously attacked, and Azriel’s wings are severely injured. Rhysand orders Azriel to stay behind in the final battle. This infuriates Azriel. Their forces are spread thin as it is, even his injured self is better than having a hole in the line. He obeys his high lord, but as the battle worsens, Azriel joins the fray. During the battle, Cassian is greatly injured to the point of being immobile. The King of Hybern descends upon him and Nesta tries to stop him with the power she stole from the Cauldron, it is not enough. Nesta throws her body on top of Cassian’s and they accept death together. Before the King of Hybern can deliver the fatal blow, Elain stabs him in the neck with Azriel’s favorite sword, Truth Teller. When Azriel had been ordered to not fight, he sacrificed his hold over his sword to Elain so she had something to defend herself with. Even then, Elain was too frail and innocent to weld it, and she accepted it begrudgingly. Elain sacrifices her innocence to save her sister from the King of Hybern.  

While the battle is raging on, Feyre and Amren sneak over to the Cauldron to use its magic to stop Hybern’s power. The only way to do this is to put Amren in the Cauldron and relieve her of her bound form. This is risky because Amren may not remember the love and loyalty she feels for the Night Court and she could accidentally attack everyone (she reminds me of Calypso from Pirates of the Caribbean). Feyre and Amren take the risk. Not only does Amren let go of her “humanity”, but she also sacrifices her life. She is not going to survive this transition once she is done fighting.   

And the final sacrifice comes from Rhysand himself. Amren’s exit from the Cauldron breaks it, creating a blackhole that is sucking everything in. The Cauldron created life, so its destruction ends life. Feyre is the only one powerful enough to fix it (she has all seven High Lord’s powers), but even then it’s not enough. Rhysand transfers all of his energy and power into Feyre so she can finish fixing the Cauldron. This transfer kills him, and even though it saved Prythian, Feyre is inconsolable. She demands that the remaining High Lords help bring Rhysand back like what they did for her when Amarantha killed her. At first they disagreed, saying the situation was different because Feyre had been human. She begs and pleads, and they give in. One by one, each High Lord sacrifices a bit of his life force and magic to bring Rhysand back. It works doubly well, and not only does Rhysand come back to life, but he brings Amren with him. 

No one walks away from this war unscathed. Everyone whether human or faerie, High Lord or lesser faerie has mountains of healing to do, which is what the next book is about. I rated A Court of Wings and Ruin 4 stars. I thought the war plot was excellent (if you can’t tell by the once again long blog post); though a little lengthy. Rhysand and Feyre’s relationship strengthened and Rhysand continued to trust Feyre and allow her room to make her own choices – and mistakes. The only thing I struggled with was the lack of character growth from Nesta and Elain. We are three books in and they are still the same selfish idiots they were in the first book. Though, I did just start the fifth book, which is Nesta’s and Cassian’s story; so I’m crossing my fingers that Nesta has an acceptable redemption arc, because I currently do not like her at all. 

But before we can dive into Nesta’s head, there is a Solstice celebration to attend in A Court of Frost and Starlight. Stay tuned for that post, coming soon!

New Release: Something Wiccan This Way Comes by Michalea Moore

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

Not Your Grandmother’s Cauldron…

The Tarot has spoken: Love and murder are in the cards.

A Tarot-reading witch and a high-tech billionaire combine their talents to solve crimes, clear their names, and find true love. Something Wiccan This Way Comes from Eloquent Peasant Books combines romance and magick with a witchy flavor and a hint of Tarot wrapped in a mystery. Think J.D. Robb’s Eve Dallas meets Practical Magic.  

Something Wiccan is the first book in an eight-book series, The Wheel of the Year Mysteries. Many witches celebrate the eight Sabbats, known as the Wheel of the Year. Each book is centered around a Sabbat. 

Something Wiccan takes place in the near future in a world riddled by pandemics. Maren Lilienthal, a rebellious heiress and witch, is cheated out of her fortune and forced to return to her wealthy family and hometown. A town where old secrets, ghosts, lovers, and enemies never die. Maren believes the safest place for her might be the broom closet. Cyrus Harper, a sexy billionaire who made his fortune with virus-scanning technology, charms her into coming out. Not everyone falls under the spell of the town’s newest couple or wishes them well. When Cyrus and Maren are framed for a ritual murder on Imbolc, the Wheel of Fortune Tarot reading holds the answer to what happened. Will white magick, Tarot, and technology save them or make things worse? Something Wiccan is definitely not your grandmother’s cauldron.

Something Wiccan was inspired by a managers’ meeting from hell. Our division VP called someone’s presentation “a mishmash of voodoo ideas” and the presenter “a crazy witch.” Despite a salvo of gasps and disapproving snorts, he persisted, calling her ideas a miscarriage; the woman had returned from leave following a stillbirth. 

A coworker whispered, “I wish she was a witch; she could stick some voodoo pins into him and finish him off.” I replied, “Then we’d have the Salem witch trials in our very own conference room.” She said, “You should write a novel about that.” Thus, the seed was planted. It germinated a decade later and flowered into an idea for a series of novels with a modern witch as the protagonist.

While Something Wiccan germinated, I wrote two “training wheels” novels about Ancient Egypt, which may still see the light of day. But, writing a series is a different beast than writing a stand-alone novel. 

Confession time: I am not a plotter. Even during my career as a technical writer, I eschewed outlines. I have a sneaky feeling that if I outlined, I’d never write the novel, having gotten the idea out of my system. Nor am I a full-fledged pantser because I know where every novel will end. For me, the joy is in the journey. 

Still, a series requires a bit more discipline. I created a character Bible with a cast of characters, their homes, their clothes, their life events, the music they listen to, and so forth. In a series, I also realized that you must plant clues in one book that might not come to fruition until several books later. I have eight journals (one for each novel). I record ideas and scenes for future books, paste photos that inspire me, create Tarot readings, and add articles that are part of my research. 

My motto is “Aim low, achieve high.” I try to write every day. I’m mostly successful; I don’t beat myself up if I miss a day. I don’t aim for a specific word count. Some days it’s a paragraph, and sometimes an entire scene. My Egyptian novels took 10 and 2 years to write, respectively. Something Wiccan took a year; the second book, Season of the Witch coming out in May, took 9 months. My critique group jokes that I should get Book 8 out in a week. I begin each writing session by listening to what I wrote the previous day to get back into the flow; I use Word’s Review🡪Read Aloud feature.

I’ve always been a reader and a writer. There’s a well-concealed photo of me on the potty chair “reading” a picture book. I taped stories written in crayon to the bricks of my grandmother’s front porch. In 3rd grade, I published my first novel using an old typewriter. Back in the days when carbon paper was the only way to make copies, I produced three copies of a story about my grandfather teaching my cat, duck, and chicken to eat together. I received 25 cents from my grandmother, mother, and a neighbor. Magic, right?

As a child, I was the Queen of our Public Library, which looked like a castle; the children’s reading room was a tower. My favorite books were The Girls’ Book of Famous Queens and Cleopatra of Egypt. I checked out those books so often the librarian said I was depriving the other children and limited my check-out privileges.

You don’t get interested in Egypt without stumbling into its magical system. Egyptian magic led me to the world’s first and arguably greatest witch/magician, the goddess Isis. Once you find Isis, you’re on the doorstep of a great love story. Isis is the protagonist in my first Egyptian novel, Queen of Heka. I was hooked on powerful, magical women who love powerfully. . . when they find a worthy man. I wanted to write about them. Magic is the icing on the cake. Find out more about me and my books at https://www.michalea.com/. Something Wiccan and the next book, Season of the Witch, are available at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BXMY157X.

New Release: Island Heat by Debby Grahl

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

Welcome to Island Heat where Suzanna Shay and Austen Kincade take you with them on a romantic mystery cruise that goes from Costa Maya to the beaches of Hilton Head Island where adventure, danger, and romance await.

Hi, I’m Suzanna, the manager of Preston Books’ Charlotte store. I still can’t believe I won the company contest for  a Who -Done -It? mystery cruise to Costa Maya. Not only have I never been on a cruise before, but I love reading mysteries. Just think, one week where no one knows me, and I don’t have to explain my actions to anyone, including my mother.  My friend, Amy, is convinced I’ll meet the man of my dreams on the ship. We’ll see.

Hey, I’m Austen. My dream is to someday be a published author — I know, like a million other writers. I do have two completed manuscripts which I sent off to H&H Publishing. Imagine my surprise, after accepting a ticket for a mystery cruise from a friend, that H&H was one of the sponsors of the cruise. Then to make the trip complete, I find myself paired with sexy Suzanna Shay.

Passion flares when Suzanna and Austen come together, but their newfound romance is threatened by another, who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Island Heat is the second in my Carolina series; Mountain Blaze being the first. I love both the mountains and the ocean. In Mountain Blaze, the setting is the mountains outside of Asheville, NC. Island Heat is set on Hilton Head, the place I call home. I had so much  fun writing this book that I included the girls from my bunco and happy hour groups. 

Writers are sometimes asked if they are a “plotter” or “pantser”. I’m definitely a “pantser” — writing by the seat of my pants. I begin with the location for the story, create my plot and characters, and after that anything goes. Island Heat is a perfect example that what I begin to write isn’t at all how it ends. For example, the first draft of the book didn’t include the cruise. I knew I needed to find a fun way for Suzanna and Austen to meet. So, who wouldn’t like to meet a handsome man while cruising your way through the beautiful waters of the Gulf?

My stories aren’t just romance. Like Suzanna, I love mysteries. So, I combine them and hope to keep you excited and guessing.

Award-winning author Debby Grahl lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with her husband David. Besides writing, she enjoys biking, walking on the beach, and a glass of wine at sunset. Visually impaired since childhood by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), she uses screen-reading software to research and write her books. 

Rue Toulouse, a contemporary romance set in the French Quarter, medalled as second place in the Readers’ Favorite international competition, and was awarded first place in the Top Shelf Fiction for the Romance category. His Magic Touch, a paranormal romance, is also set in New Orleans. Her latest book, Island Heat, will be released May 1, 2023, and will be the second book in her three-part Carolina series. The first, Mountain Blaze, released November 2, 2020, has received a five-star review from Readers’ Favorite.

Follow Debby at https://www.debbygrahl.com/

A chance encounter leads to romance and murder.

When bookstore owner Suzanna Shay and writer Austen Kincade meet on a Who Done It mystery cruise, their instant attraction has them more interested in romance than searching for clues.  But when the leading actress in the shipboard murder skit, Austen’s publisher’s wife, throws herself at Austen, she’s furious when he rejects her advances and vows to have Austen no matter what it takes.

After the ship docks, with plans for a future together, Suzanna and Austen part, unaware vindictive lies will soon test their newfound love and entangle them in a real mystery that proves deadly.

Mist and Fury: A Perfect Redemption

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

In my post about A Court of Thorns and Roses, I said that I would not give away an important side plot. That’s because I was saving it for this post. Rhysand has a lot of sins to answer for when he reenters Feyre’s life in A Court of Mist and Fury; and I think his redemption arc is darn near perfect. But first, let’s review those sins from the first book. 

Rhysand, the High Lord of the Night Court meets Feyre twice before she ends up Under the Mountain – where their story really begins. Rhysand snuck into Tamlin’s court during an outside celebration. Neither the reader nor Feyre know this at the time, but Rhysand has been having dreams and visions about Feyre, and he came to see her during the commotion of the celebration. Feyre is being dragged into the woods by some unsavory characters, and Rhysand saves her. He invites her to spend the night with him, and she declines. Rhysand accepts Feyre’s rejection and disappears.

The next time Rhysand visits, he is there on Amarantha’s errand. He uses his powers to read Feyre’s mind and tells Tamlin “she has such delicious thoughts about you.” This turns Feyre off to him, and she believes him to be a villain. 

The next time they meet is Under the Mountain when all seven courts of Prythian are prisoners to Amarantha. While Feyre is waiting for her first challenge, the guards force her to do impossible cleaning tasks. One such task puts her in Rhysand’s room cleaning his fireplace. Rhysand shows up and cleans his fireplace and Feyre with the wave of his hand. He then “hypnotizes” the guards into stopping such nonsense.

During Feyre’s first challenge against the giant worm, only one High Fae bets in favor of Feyre winning: Rhysand. Even though Feyre beat the worm, she did not avoid injury. Her arm was cut during the fight, and it became infected in her prison cell. The infection is killing her when Rhysand shows up and offers to heal her, for a price. The price is that when Feyre breaks Amarantha’s curse, she will spend two weeks each month in Rhysand’s home. Feyre negotiates Rhysand down to one week out of each month. He heals her and she wakes up to a healed arm and a tattoo that covers her entire arm. The tattoo is proof of the deal she made with Rhysand.

For the next two months, Rhysand’s maids collect Feyre each night, wash her, paint temporary tattoos over every inch of exposed skin, dress her in revealing clothing, and deliver her to Rhysand (major Mummy vibes here). She serves as Rhysand’s companion for the evening activities at Amarantha’s court. Rhysand serves her a very strong wine that makes her forget everything each night – though she is able to deduce that she spends her nights sitting on Rhysand’s lap or dancing for his entertainment. So, on the surface, Rhysand is not looking like a good guy, but even so, there was something about him that I trusted. I just knew there were going to be deeper layers to him. 

The permanent tattoo from their deal has an eye in Feyre’s palm, and she can feel a second presence in her mind that she believes comes from the eye. In fact, the presence helps her pick the right answer to help her beat the second challenge. 

When Feyre beats Amarantha’s final challenge, Amarantha beats up Feyre. Rhysand is the only one who tries to physically stop Amarantha. Amarantha snaps Feyre’s neck right after Feyre solves the final riddle, freeing all High Fae from Amarantha’s curse. Feyre dies, and all 7 High Lords are at full strength. Tamlin kills Amarantha, and the 7 High Lords of Prythian give Feyre’s body a piece of their magic, bringing her back to life as a High Fae.    

And that’s how the first book ends. I’m so sorry to make this so long, but I just love Rhysand. He is possibly my favorite literary character, so I need to do him justice.

At the start of A Court of Mist and Fury, Feyre goes three months without Rhysand imposing the deal they made when he saved her life Under the Mountain. Feyre’s relationship with Tamlin is not going well. He wants to keep Feyre locked up in pretty dresses planning parties. She wants to be a warrior. The day of their wedding, Feyre panics and is about to call off the wedding. Before she can, Rhysand appears and announces it’s time for Feyre to keep her end of the bargain. He whisks her away to his castle at the Night Court. 

Feyre’s wedding to Tamlin is postponed indefinitely. For two months she returned to Rhysand’s for a week. During each of those weeks, Rhysand teaches Feyre how to read and write and how to close her mind from his – and anyone else who might have that power – invasions. Feyre also meets Rhysand’s female cousin Morrigan, who goes by Mor. Mor is friendly and welcoming and is determined to be Feyre’s friend. 

When Feyre is at the Spring Court, she can tell that Tamlin is keeping something from her. He keeps leaving on expeditions. On one such expedition, Feyre asks for Tamlin to take her with him. He refuses and goes so far as to place a spell around the palace, keeping Feyre inside. She can’t even stick her hand out the window. Feyre loses it and her magic explodes and implodes. Her engagement ring melts off her finger and she gets stuck in her own mind of darkness. Mor and Rhysand arrive, breaking Tamlin’s spell and taking Feyre home with them. 

When Feyre decides that she doesn’t want to return to Tamlin and the Spring Court, Rhysand takes her to his real home: Velaris. Velaris is a secret city in the Night Court. This city shows Rhysand’s true character: The Court of Dreams. To the rest of the world, Rhysand wears a mask of cool detachment and darkness. He does this because previous High Lords of the Night Court were like that, and the reputation they created for themselves prevented other courts from trying to take advantage of and harm the lands and citizens. Rhysand wears this mask to protect his people. Velaris was the only place in Prythian untouched by Amarantha. 

It is in Velaris that Feyre is healed. She gains back the weight she lost, she starts training, and she falls in love. She falls in love with the city, the citizens, and her new friends – Rhysand’s friends. Mor, Amren, Cassian, and Azriel seem like a band of misfits on the surface, but they are Rhysand’s chosen family full of acceptance. They love and support one another, and Feyre is now a part of their group. 

Rhysand does not keep any secrets from Feyre – except one, which we’ll get to eventually. He doesn’t prohibit her from doing whatever she wants to do. He trains her to strengthen her powers and his army general Cassian trains her in combat. Whenever they go on a mission, Feyre is allowed to come and participate. Often, Rhysand uses the mission to test Feyre’s abilities so that she can know for herself that she is capable.

Rhysand tells Feyre something very important that Tamlin is keeping from her: Prythian has a new enemy, a hundred times stronger than Amarantha. Her mentor, The King of Hybern. Rhysand and several other High Lords believe that he will go after Prythian now that Amarantha has failed. Rhysand believes that Feyre is their secret weapon since she has the same powers as all seven High Lords. 

As Rhysand shows that he is everything Tamlin is not, Feyre begins to fall for him; but she won’t admit it to him or herself. Honesty forces itself on the two when Rhysand is captured by a small band of Hybern’s soldiers and Feyre saves him. The creature Feyre calls on for help, the Suriel, only tells the truth. The Suriel tells Feyre that she is Rhysand’s mate. Up until this moment, fated mates haven’t been a key focus of the story. It was mentioned a few times in conversation, but it’s not something that happens to every faerie in Prythian.

Rhysand suspected that Feyre was his mate while she was human, and he knew for certain after he and the other High Lords brought her back to life. Feyre is furious that he kept that information secret, and after she heals him, she runs away – not forever, but she needs a few days in solitude. Mor takes her to a special cabin that’s a full-scale house version of the Room of Requirement, only this one can provide food. 

After a few days of painting and moping, Rhysand shows up and Feyre allows him in. She is ready to listen to his explanations. While Rhysand talks, Feyre serves him a bowl of soup – the traditional way to tell him that she accepts the mate bond and accepts Rhysand as her mate. Rhysand didn’t want to force Feyre to be with him. He wanted to respect her feelings for Tamlin, even though it killed him. Her panic on her wedding day called down the bond, and Rhysand took the opportunity to rescue her and begin a courtship. He wanted Feyre to fall in love with him without the bond telling her to. When Rhysand finishes his soup, he and Feyre finally consummate their bond. 

Rhysand’s redemption arc is my favorite to date. I think one of the main reasons his redemption works is because the purpose of his earlier sins was to protect the city and people he loved. Everything he did to Feyre Under the Mountain was to protect her, even though she couldn’t see it at the time. And I normally loathe the lie-to-protect trope, but this one is done so well. I knew right away there was more to Rhysand, I just didn’t know what. So every scene with him was so edge-of-my-seat as I tried to figure it out. I never did. Velaris was as big of a surprise to me as it was to Feyre. Rhysand’s past is heart-breakingly beautiful – I couldn’t even fit all of it into this already too long post. 

I look forward to the day that I write as wonderful of a redemption. 5 stars for A Court of Mist and Fury.

New Release: Healing Kiss by Amanda Uhl

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

I’d like to introduce Amanda Uhl. Her newest release, Healing Kiss, releases this Thursday April 27th and is the topic of this interview.

What inspired your story?

Once upon a time, I had a healing experience. I held the hands of a stranger–a young woman–I met at a baby shower. My older sister was hosting the shower for someone in her husband’s office, and I was there as a helper and didn’t know any of the guests. The woman and I began discussing the paranormal. I described experiences I had had in the past, including an ability to pull energy from someone’s arm and hand, so it would fall asleep. Curious, the woman asked me to hold her hands. I did as she asked, and when I closed my eyes, immediately saw an orange light surrounding a dark shape. The orange light pulsed and glowed as I inhaled and exhaled. 

Figuring I was the only one to experience the orange light, I let go of the woman’s hands and opened my eyes. The woman opened her eyes, giving me dazed look. “Wow. It felt like someone hugged me,” she said. 

Two weeks later, I learned the woman had been trying for years to get pregnant without success. After holding my hands, she discovered she was pregnant. She called my sister to tell her the joyous news. “Your sister who held my hands, she caused it to happen,” she insisted

This real-life experience inspired Healing Kiss, my newest paranormal romance. When I describe the heroines’ attempts to heal her sister in the first chapter, I’m drawing on that real-life incident to bring an authentic feel to the scene. 

What is your writing process?

I work full-time managing a creative team, so my day job often takes precedence over my writing life. The one rule I follow is to write a little bit every day, no matter how tired I feel. I am a panster, who has discovered the value of plotting, so I do a basic plot outline and write the book description before writing a single word.  

How much time did you spend on this project? 

I have written a book in as little as two months or, as in the case of Healing Kiss, four years! I am a bit of a perfectionist, which often sends me back to the drawing table as I attempt to make sense of the plot.

What is your writing schedule like?

Terrible. As I mentioned, I write a little every day. Due to my demanding day job, I do most of my writing late at night when the rest of the world is sleeping.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Healing Kiss placed in three romance-writing contests:

  • 1st place The Far Side
  • 1st place The Rudy
  • 2nd place Diamonds in the Desert

Award-winning author Amanda Uhl has always had a fascination with the mystical. Having drawn her first breath in a century home rumored to be haunted, you might say she was “born” into it. After a brief stint in college as a paid psychic, Amanda graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in theatre and a master’s degree in marketing. Over the past twenty years, she has worked as an admissions representative and graphic designer, owned her own freelance writing company, and managed communications for several Fortune 500 companies, most recently specializing in cyber security and data. Amanda is an avid reader and writes fast-paced, paranormal romantic suspense and humorous contemporary romance from her home in Cleveland, Ohio. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find Amanda with her husband and three children, gathering beach glass on the Lake Erie shoreline or biking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  

To preorder Healing Kiss, explore Amanda’s other books, and follow her journey, check out her website: https://amandauhl.com/

To save her dying sister…

Lillian Milano channels energy from the healthy to heal the sick, which makes her an incredible nurse. But her gift puts Lillian and those she loves in danger from an organization that will stop at nothing to exploit her talent. When her sister becomes gravely ill, wealthy computer genius Tristan King is the one man with enough vitality to save her sister’s life. But being near him threatens to expose her secrets and destroy the walls she’s built around her heart.

She bargains with a billionaire.

Tristan doesn’t believe in the supernatural and is wary of emotional entanglements. But his beloved mother is dying, and his lying ex-fiancée won’t leave him alone, so he strikes a deal: In exchange for his help, Lillian must pose as his date for a hospital fundraiser. As the pair work together to save their loved ones, they confront a spiraling web of secrets that threatens their growing feelings for each other. The choices they make will either destroy their lives or heal their hearts. 

New Release: The Jelly Bean Jump Project by Terry Segan

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

Thank you for hosting me, Chelsey. I am very excited to be here! Today I’m sharing a bit about my latest book, The Jelly Bean Jump Project, which releases today.

My genre of preference is paranormal, which for me is time travel, ghosts, and mysticism. The story begins in the 1950’s and involves a time travel project which recruits brilliant young minds with no family ties. The facility, located in the Pacific Northwest, has only one small town as its nearest neighbor. My main characters, Keira and Grayson, are fresh out of college and very much in love. Since both fit the criteria perfectly, they look forward to leaping through time together. Their happiness is jeopardized when a glitch in the system threatens to separate them. Add to this, Desmond, a fellow recruit who wants Keira for himself.

As someone who’s always loved travel and searches for new experiences, I wanted to insert this sense of adventure into my story. My husband and I travel to the Pacific Northwest four or five times a year, and I wanted to incorporate the beautiful scenery of the area. This was the first book I’ve written where I sketched out the storyline beforehand. I am most definitely a pantser, and while I may know how I want to begin and end a novel, it’s always a surprise to me how I get there. Characters I never thought about, ingratiate themselves into the chapters, and some get more page time than originally planned. Despite having an outline for this book, I deviated and created new plot twists often since it’s my nature to let my fingers fly over the keyboard leading me in unexpected directions.

It took me about three months to write the story and another two for the editing process. Most of my writing time happens during the week, as my husband and I are the king and queen of three-day weekends. We travel a couple weekends every month and bump it up to three weekends during the scorching summer months here in the desert. I get inspiration from our trips, and rarely do you see me without my iPad. My happy place is the beach where we set up what the hubby refers to as the “Princess Canopy.” He does draw the line at my wearing a tiara, however—such a lost opportunity. With shade, cold beverages, and a comfy beach chair, some of my best plot lines get written there. Combining two of my favorite things—beach time and creating stories—is always a winning adventure for me!

Terry Segan, originally from Commack, NY, now resides in the desert where she’ll never require an ice scraper or snow shovel again. The beach is her happy place, but any opportunity to travel soothes her gypsy soul. The stories conjured by her imagination while riding backseat on her husband’s motorcycle can be found throughout the pages of her paranormal mysteries. Growing up immersed in sarcastic humor and science fiction movies, Terry’s goals are to cause her readers to laugh out loud, cry with joy, or cower under the covers wondering if the noise under the bed was real or imagined.

Join Terry on her adventures at her website Terry Segan.

Keira longed to do something amazing with her life. When offered a chance to join a time travel program, she didn’t hesitate. With her soulmate by her side, nothing could be more perfect.

Grayson never believed happiness would find him until he met Keira. Lightning struck twice when both got accepted into The Jelly Bean Jump Project, a time travel experiment. Only a handful of applicants made the cut each year.

One of the requirements—no family ties. Keira and Grayson were alone in the world except for each other. An adventure of a lifetime awaited, until a glitch in the system threatened to tear them apart. Would they walk away from their fantasy or surrender their hearts in exchange?

An Oldie but a Goodie: The Lost Chord by Lyndi Alexander

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

The Lost Chord came out in April of 2018. The book took some time to find a publishing home, but finally landed at Dragonfly Publishing, Inc. where it has done well. I was happy to have the book come out in April, because that is Autism Awareness Month—and so is April 2023!

The Lost Chord has a unique heroine, in that she is on the autism spectrum. The inspiration for Bee Warrick is my own daughter, Tasha, who is autistic, and approaches much of life from a very different perspective than we do.  In the story, Bee is 15 years old, an imaginative young lady who spends a lot of time in her own world. She doesn’t realize that her “world” is actually made up of  spots in several different universes, and she has been travelling among them her whole life.

As one who suffers with Sensory Integration Disorder, she is overly sensitive to loud noises and often stims by running her hands through bins of rocks, feeling sand on her fingers, etc.  She is very educated about rocks and crystals and will eventually choose a talisman gem for each of the travelers commensurate with their chakra.

Corydon Briggs: Cory is 17, a minor athlete who plays on the varsity football team for his school on our Earth, in Universe E, but he’s no star, never will be.  He’d rather play in the marching band, but his brother, six years older than he, died as a rising football star so he is pressured to live up to Stan’s standard by his firmly middle-class parents.  An avid reader of sci-fi and fantasy, he’s moved on to online video games where he can become a hero, a role he believes he can’t hold in real life.

Devlynn Kayne: Devlynn comes from B Universe, where the black race has privilege and whites do not, and she is a black girl of 16. She is a star student, bound for higher education in the sciences, perhaps medicine someday. She shuns extracurricular school activities, concentrating instead on her after-school business designing web sites, which has made her quite a bit of money. She thought she had her whole life planned out before her—until she meets the quest for the Chord.

Hana Moss:  Hana is essentially a wild child, having been raised by a single dad who’s an artist and musician in the desert in Universe F. They’ve pretty much kept to themselves. She’s home schooled and never had siblings, though she has many friends through the Netlink, their version of the internet. She’s had an eclectic upbringing and has created a “family” from a number of pets, a couple of wolf-dogs and a small wildcat, but also an iguana, a tarantula and a tank of salt water fish.

Maxian: Max is tall and thin, bookish, and comes from Universe A. His eyes are startling blue, with a vertical pupil like a cat’s, and a light coat of fur that can almost pass for body hair, a trait developed by his people to compensate for the fact his planet is further from their star than Earth, with less light and heat.  He is reckoned at 8 revolutions by the ways of his people, but in Earth years would be about 18. Max’s gift is perfect pitch, and is honored among his kind for his ability to sing the Stories, the verbal history handed down from generation to generation. He carries a set of wooden runes carved into wood, and uses them to divine his choices.

The Conductor: He is the raison d’etre of the journeys of these children, coercing, teaching and leading them into position to fulfill the prophecy to unite all the “notes” or “keys” into the lost chord. A former professor of music, before music was banned on his homeworld in Universe H, he has the secret information passed to him by Ruane Alm that can heal the universe by bringing together the lost Chord.

See the book trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRTzaB5rUKo

This story was actually written for NaNoWriMo, so unlike my usual pantser mode, I needed to work the plot, characters and settings out before November 1, since I only had 30 days to complete it. I did finish on time, which I’m proud of. 😊 Probably half of my published books have started this way. I find that ticking deadline quite an inspiration.

I hope that this book opens a window into the world of how someone on the spectrum thinks and perceives, and shows that even though they may not approach life as we do, that they have unique and valuable gifts to share.

Lyndi Alexander always dreamed of faraway worlds and interesting alien contacts. She lives as a post-modern hippie in Asheville, North Carolina, a single mother of her last child of seven, a daughter on the autism spectrum, finding that every day feels a lot like first contact with a new species. Follow Lyndi’s journey at her website: Lyndi Alexander’s Worlds of Fancy.

A poisonous wave is spreading disease and discord across the eleven known universes. Seven special people, known as Keys, must strike the Lost Chord in order to restore the balance. Among those Keys is Bee Warrick, an autistic teenager from Earth who has traveled between the realms for years without realizing it.

Can Bee help the Conductor find the other Keys before a bitter enemy strikes the wrong chord and shatters the universes?