Author: Chelsey M. Ortega

Favorite Reads from 2023

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

I read 88 books in 2023. And of those 88, I would like to highlight 24 of them (don’t worry, 21 of those are in 3 series).

Bridgerton: When He Was Wicked, It’s in His Kiss, On the Way to the Wedding

I finished the final three books of the Bridgerton series at the start of 2023. They were the perfect way to end the series. Julia Quinn got bolder with the three younger Bridgertons, and it paid off. Francesca is a widow who is fighting her feelings for her deceased husband’s cousin. Hyacinth is an independent woman who doesn’t want to fall in love, so when Lady Danbury’s grandson catches her eye, she doesn’t know what to do. And Gregory… Gregory, Gregory, he’s going to go after a young woman promised to someone else. Hyacinth’s and Gregory’s stories had action and danger that I loved. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses – A Court of Silver Flames

When your editor recommends a book to help with your writing, you follow through. When I finished the first draft of Bondwitch: Hybrid, I asked my editor for advice on a specific plot point. She recommended I read A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and the subsequent novels. I have never gobbled up a series so quickly. And a quick paragraph won’t do the series justice. Lucky for you, I already have a detailed analysis for each book right here on the blog. Check them out:

ACOTAR: Beauty and the Beast Meets the Goblet of Fire

Mist and Fury: A Perfect Redemption

Wings and Ruin: The Cost of War

Frost and Starlight: Diversity in Healing

Silver Flames: Overcoming Toxicity

I will say overall, the world building is superb; and Sarah J. Maas gives JK Rowling a run for her money when it comes to morally gray characters. Everyone is flawed. Everyone makes astronomical mistakes. Everyone lies and cheats and steals. And almost everyone earns their redemption. 

Warriors of Sangrin

This series I also wrote a deeper post on. This is a SciFi Romance series by Nancey Cummings. In this world, Earth was invaded by alien invaders called Suhlik. The Suhlik’s enemies, Mahdfel come to Earth’s aid… for a price. That price is in the form of brides as Mahdfel only produce sons, so they must mate with females from other planets. There are 11 stories in the main line and 3 side stories, so far. This series opened me up to alien romances, and I’m addicted. 

The Alpha and Her Hunter

The is one of the best fated mate, werewolf stories I have ever read. The author, Lauren Rutherford, created a unique world building that worked so beautifully. Female werewolves are bigger, stronger, and the leaders of the packs. Hunters have their own powers that differentiate them from regular humans. And if you haven’t figured it out from the title, we have a Romeo and Juliet story going on. Forbidden love. My favorite trope. A female werewolf and a male hunter fall in love, and have to fight their families to be together. It ends on a cliffhanger, and I’m anxiously awaiting the sequel.   

The King’s Curse

This was the final Plantagenet/Tudor book left for me to read by Philippa Gregory. It’s Margaret Pole’s turn to tell her story, and I’d venture to say that this is one of Gregory’s longer books in respect to how much time is covered (it’s still her typical 600-page novel). We jump into Margaret’s story around the time that Princess Katherine from Spain is arriving to marry Arthur, following her life to the day Margaret was executed. Her execution was confusing to the court and historians. Catherine Howard had recently been executed for adultery, and Margaret had not been close to being involved in that. The most probable reason is that Henry still felt threatened by her and her sons since they were the remaining York family, and could distantly claim the throne. I really enjoyed learning about Margaret’s life through Gregory’s historical fiction. She’s always been a side character with few notable moments in the other novels, and with The King’s Curse she gets to take center stage. I loved seeing a human side to her, rather than the perfect ally to Katherine and Mary that she is usually depicted as. Though she did stay loyal to Henry’s first family, she still had her own trials that she had to focus on and make difficult decisions to protect her name, family, and property. And now, it’s the end of an era. 15 years, and I’ve finally read about the main Plantagenet and Tudor women.  

The Lycan Prince’s Huntress

This is the the prequel to a fated-mate-werewolf romance called Prince Reagan. In some omegaverse world building, there is a shifter called a lycan. Lycans are a more powerful version of werewolves. Depending on the author and their imagination, lycans can walk on their hindlegs in their wolf form (I kind of imagine Remus Lupin from Harry Potter, but more muscular), they live longer (or are full on immortal), they are the royal pack/family that regular werewolf packs have to bow down to, etc. The Lycan Prince’s Huntress can be found on the reading app Dreame. In this story, the FMC is the daughter of the head hunter; and their clan hunts werewolves and lycans. The MMC is the crowned prince of the Lycan Kingdom. And these two are fated mates. Forbidden love, enemies to lovers, Romeo and Juliet. And since those are my favorite tropes, I lapped this story right up. Also, it was an added bonus that the FMC wasn’t a sniveling weakling who becomes a jellied donut in the presence of her mate. 

And those were my favorite books I read last year. What are your favorite books from 2023? Let me know in the comments! 

If Sookie Stackhouse Could Talk to Ghosts: Spirit in Tow

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

If Sookie Stackhouse could talk to ghosts and spoke her mind the first time, you’d have Marni Legend, the star of Spirit in Tow by Terry Segan.

I originally went into this book blind, and was hooked on the first page, having no idea what kind of story I was getting myself into. Marni is in the over 40 club, a divorcee, and she can see and talk to ghosts. Spirits visit her for help with unfinished business so they can move on. Her newest client appears when she’s trying to go to her own mother’s funeral. 

This opening scene shows us how her gift works. She can see and talk to ghosts when they make themselves known and visible to her. As her mother’s funeral gets underway, we learn that her brother can hear ghosts, just not see them. Her sister cannot see or hear ghosts, but believes they are there when her siblings talk to and about them. This is an inherited gift that Marni’s grandmother also had. Also, Marni and her sister being on the opposite ends of the ghost communicating spectrum has put them at odds for years, and there’s a lot of sister drama throughout the story. 

Marni’s newest client is named Gus, and it took him a long time to figure he was dead, decades to be exact. So Marni gets the pleasure of solving a cold case. Gus is selfish, crass, and as emotional as an overgrown toddler. He also gets Marni tangled up in a crime ring. But Marni has been given this responsibility to see souls to the other side, so she is firm and patient with him as she tries to help him – God bless her.   

While trying to help Gus figure out how he died, Marni meets a new paramour, Jake, who happens to be Gus’ older brother. Jake is the best written character, in my opinion. Every new scene with him gave me whiplash, but once again, in a good way. Terry Segan did an excellent job with him. She kept me changing my mind about him and guessing to the very end.  

Marni also has the chance to rekindle her relationship with her high school sweetheart, Kendal; creating a love triangle between her, Kendal, and Jake. Both Marni, and Kendal were burned by their previous spouses. They know each other, they are comfortable with each other. 

And I’m honored to end this review with a Q&A with Terry Segan herself.

I haven’t read very many ghost stories, so I had no preconceived expectations on world building. Can you walk us through your world building when it comes to what ghosts can and can’t do, who gets the gift, and how do ghosts find them?

Having read several books involving ghosts, I’ve noticed one thing each author does—set up their own set of rules. With so many paranormal stories available, I find it refreshing when a writer can add a new twist. The key is to remain consistent throughout the book or series. For my Marni Legend series, I wanted
the interaction between a ghost and the humans who see them to have a natural feel to the situation. Since I chose to have this as a family trait and occurring in every other generation, this enabled Marni to have knowledge of how to react. Since my character is in her late forties, this has given her decades of practice and self-assurance in her gift. In my books, the ghosts are able to recognize people possessing the ability to see them and vice versa. As far as finding the ghosts, the living come upon them in the general area of either their death or where their body lies.

As a reader, I found Gus extremely frustrating (but I DO love flawed characters, they keep the story full of promise). If I was Marni, I would have told him to take a hike and solve his own death. How did you create Gus as a character, and how did he influence the plot from your end as the writer?

Since I’m a pantser and not a plotter, I didn’t have a full picture of Gus’ character when I began. I knew there would be verbal sparring between Marni and Gus, and he would want to come off as a tough guy. I agree with you, Marni should have told him to take a hike more than once when he withheld important (read life- threatening) information on purpose as opposed to details he couldn’t remember. As his character developed throughout the book, I also wanted Marni to see his occasional soft side, that we know almost every tough guy has, despite trying to hide it. It’s those cracks in his armor that kept Marni wanting to solve his murder and free his soul. With Gus’ cast of associates still alive and kicking, it allowed
me as a writer to put Marni into a number of comical or dangerous situations that kept the story moving forward.

I see that your latest book, Manatee Soul, is a continuation of Marni’s adventures. How many adventures do you have planned for Marni and her siblings?

Manatee Soul has Marni and her sister, Gloria, going on a girls’ trip to Crystal River, Florida. While still told from Marni’s point of view, both sisters get equal appearance time. Right now, I don’t have a set number of books in mind. As long as I can conjure up fun storylines, I’ll keep the series going. I’ve begun writing the third Marni Legend book, and this one will feature her brother, Calvin, while Gloria takes a back seat. The story also returns to Marni’s hometown of Northport where there are plenty of stories to tell from past and present characters.

What’s next in your writing career?

To keep writing, of course! My next release is another stand alone entitled, Five Steps to Celestia. It comes out this spring and will take readers on the journey of a woman trying to piece together her past. After losing her memory twenty-two years prior, a little mysticism, a string of odd occurrences, and a menacing
stranger prompt her to remember—and not all of her past is hearts and sunshine. Look for it in May 2024.

I normally rotate through a few books at a time. But Spirit in Tow was so captivating, that I paused my other reading to finish this one. If you like murder mystery with a dash of paranormal, then I highly recommend Spirit in Tow. 

Follow Terry at her website: https://terrysegan.com/

My Favorite Christmas Decoration is the Nativity Scene

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

I would be remiss if I didn’t get at least one Christmas post up this holiday season. Life is super crazy right now between my day job, my kids’ extra curricular activities, and other duties. And with 2 days until Christmas, I really want to take a break from all of that and write. So I’m going to take the time to write about my favorite Christmas decoration: Nativity Scenes. 

Nativity Scenes show the core of the Christmas season for those who are religious: the birth of Jesus Christ. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, the first Nativity scene was displayed in 1223 in Italy. St. Francis of Assisi set up a manger with hay, an ox, and a donkey in a cave and invited people to come and view the display. During the viewing, he preached about the birth of Christ. From there, Nativities spread, eventually including live performers as Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels, and the wise men. My own family has the young children perform the Nativity each year. 

Growing up, my mom had a frosted glass nativity set that sat in the center of the dining table every Christmas season. I thought it was so beautiful. It was my favorite decoration. I positioned it so the figurines faced me where I sat to eat. And as I studied those glass followers of Christ, I began to plan and dream. 

I have envisioned and designed the perfect Halloween House and perfect Christmas House since I was a preteen. Now that I have been in my own home for four years, both are slowly coming to fruition. 

The inside of my home will be covered in Nativity Scenes. All available space will one day sport a nativity scene, and no number is too many (though my husband may disagree with that second statement, but he just sighs and lets it happen). I currently have 21 and counting! 

I enjoy a diverse style and size. I have “traditional” sets, themed sets (i.e. snowmen), large sets, and small sets. Each one makes me smile as I unbox them, and throughout the month look at them. 

What’s your favorite Christmas (or other winter holiday) decoration? Let me know in the comments! And have a wonderful holiday season.

Powerful Women in Winter Solstice in the Crystal Castle

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

“Well behaved women rarely make history.”

Princess Gabrielle is not well behaved. She is a skilled archer, can fight any man with her own sword, and gallops across the French countryside to her heart’s content. The ladies of Paris cannot fathom such a lifestyle, nor do they think it’s acceptable for a princess and future queen to be acting in such a manner. 

But it’s this unladylike behavior that will allow Gabrielle to save her own life, twice. In a time when Gabrielle must obey her father, and then her future husband, she is determined to forge her own destiny, and that destiny lies in the arms of Basiten; the Master of Horse, and her combat trainer turned personal guard. 

“Behind every successful man there stands a woman.”

Bastien has two women other than Gabrielle working behind the scenes to ensure that he wins Gabrielle’s hand in marriage, and the kingdom of Finistere. His mother, Laudine, uses her Winter Solstice wish for her son rather than herself. Then we have Beatrice, Gabrielle’s great aunt, and a powerful socialite in Paris. Beatrice will play an important role protecting Bastien’s legal right to marry Gabrielle.

If I’m going to read historical fiction, I want to read about powerful women – or at least women who created their own power in a world trying to stop them. Jennifer Ivy Walker does this masterfully with her female characters, particularly with Gabrielle and Beatrice in Winter Solstice in the Crystal Castle. 

Gabrielle is the only child of the King of Finistere. But since this is medieval France, she can’t inherit her father’s throne on her own. The king’s health is failing, and he needs to choose his daughter’s husband, who will also be his successor. One particularly unsavory nobleman wants Gabrielle for nefarious reasons, and in order to stop him, King Guillemin plans a tournament; where the winner will be given Gabrielle’s hand and Guillemin’s kingdom. But Gabrielle can only imagine marrying one person: Bastien, her father’s master of horse. Bastien has trained Gabrielle in archery and hand-to-hand combat; and the only thing keeping them apart is Bastien’s lack of a noble title. Luckily, a moment of foul play from another contender provides Bastien with the opportunity to be ennobled, and eligible for Gabrielle’s hand. But will the official documents arrive in time?  

And for the second half of this review, I’m pleased to announce that the author herself, Jennifer Ivy Walker agreed to an interview!

What time period is this supposed to take place in?

This trilogy is set in the HIgh Middle Ages in medieval France.

And can you explain how the politics and culture worked in multiple smaller kingdoms dotting the area that is now modern-day France? How does that fit into your story?

During the Middle Ages, there were many separate kingdoms and duchies in France.  The region of Brittany was separate from the rest of France until 1532, well after my trilogy takes place.

Lancelot makes an appearance in the first chapter. He is the only character I am familiar with. Who else is based on European mythology? Are there any characters that are based on historical figures?

Nearly all of the characters in my trilogy come from the original medieval French legend of Tristan et Yseult (Tristan and Isolde in English). The characters of King Marke of Cornwall, King Hoël of France, Prince Kaherdin, Lady Gargeolaine, and the Morholt all come from that French legend as well. Some of the characters, such asViviane (the Lady of the Lake) and Morgane la Fée come from French versions of Arthurian legend.

I know that you are a French teacher. Is the French used in the book modern-day or medieval?

I used modern French with medieval phrases and terminology, for authentic medieval French would be even more difficult to understand than medieval English. (Imagine reading Shakespeare, but in French!) 

The second book in your Wild Rose and the Sea Raven series is titled The Lady of the Mirrored Lake. Is Viviane that lady? And if so, should your books be read in a specific order?

No, Viviane is the Lady of the Lake–le Lac de Diane in the enchanted Forest of Brocéliande. My protagonist and heroine Issylte becomes the Lady of the Mirrored Lake (Le Miroir aux Fées–the lake known as the Fairy Mirror) when she becomes a Priestess of the Tribe of Dana (the Goddess of the Earth). Yes, the books should be read in chronological order since they are a continuing trilogy and not stand alone novels.

What are you currently working on? And what’s next to be released from you?

I have three new releases:  Winter Solstice in the Crystal Castle–a stand alone novel that involves many of the characters introduced in my trilogy. It’s a medieval romance between a fiery French princess descended from Viking Valkyrie and the chivalrous knight who suffers an impossible love for her.

I also have two contemporary novellas which are steamy romances set in modern-day France. Amour in Avignon (releasing November 29th!)  is a Cyrano de Bergerac inspired love story set in the south of France during the world-famous Festival of Theater in Avignon. 

Flames of Flamenco (releasing December 27th) is a fiery romance set in Montmartre– the bohemian heart of Paris–between a skilled artist who melts the frozen heart of the American heroine with the flames of his passionate flamenco dance. 

I have also written a World War II historical romance,The Witch of the Breton Woods, which will be published in early 2024. It’s the story of a reclusive, traumatized young woman who heals and shelters a wounded American paratrooper, keeping him hidden from the Gestapo and la Milice–the local French paramilitary organization that collaborates with the Nazis. She introduces her soldier to the underground French Resistance (of which she is a member) and together, they join forces with the Allies to fight in the Battle of Saint-Malo.

I have just completed another stand alone spinoff of my trilogy, entitled A Celtic Yuletide Carol, which I hope will be published for the holiday season in 2024. And I am currently working on a Viking trilogy set in Normandy during the tenth century–the ancestors of my French Viking princess from Winter Solstice in the Crystal Castle. I have also outlined another three book series introducing the next generation of characters from The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven trilogy. I hope to write those three books in 2024.

I rate Winter Solstice in the Crystal Castle 5 stars. If you like medieval folklore and romance check out not only Winter Solstice, but Jennifer’s other books as well.

New Release: Fireflies at Dusk by Mike Torreano

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

I’ve always been a fan of history, and the Civil War in particular, so when I first decided to write a novel, I picked one of my favorite CW personalities to focus on-George McClellan.

So in thinking about how to showcase McClellan, I decided to create a character to see McClellan through, hence Jonathan Gray, a young lieutenant on McClellan’s staff. To fill Jonathan out, I created his childhood, and that’s where the story really took off in a different direction.

Jonathan was raised in a pacifist family in Ohio, part of the Underground Railroad. When slavers took a runaway family away from the Quaker meeting house, Jonathan was crestfallen that no one tried to stop them. He rejected his father’s pacifism, which started a thread of conflict between them that ran the length of the novel.

Finally away from the family farm at college, Jonathan’s youthful arrogance led him far astray from the solid values he was raised with. He behaved with reckless abandon, further distancing him from his family, his childhood sweetheart, and his faith.

With great disdain, joins the Union Army when the War breaks out. At first an entitled junior officer on McClellan’s staff, he’s later sent west to join General Sherman’s army. His commander’s ‘welcome to the fightin’ side of the Army, son’ sends him on his way.

There, he joins a Company of combat-hardened veterans who’ve gotten wind of Jonathan’s prideful attitude. Forced to lead battle-hardened men who would just as soon see him dead, he must decide whether or not to undertake what promises to be a grueling journey to regain his self-respect amid continual harsh fighting.

Bottom line-While I started out thinking I’d be writing about McClellan, Jonathan pushed him clearly into the background, which was an interesting twist for me as a new writer years ago.

Back in 2014, I shotgunned this manuscript out to agents and editors with no luck. I did get one rejection which gave chapter and verse about what it needed. The editor was right, Fireflies wasn’t ready then. Months later I emailed the same editor and asked if anyone wanted to see the western mystery I was writing at the time. She said, ‘Send it to me when it’s ready.’ I polished and polished The Reckoning, and it became my first contract with The Wild Rose Press.

I now have five books with them, the latest being Fireflies at Dusk, which I decided to finally pivot back to last fall. After much revision and polish, I sent it in to TWRP and got my latest contract. So a rejection led to my first contract, and then years later, to this, my latest one.

As for my writing process, I’m not one other writers should emulate. I’m a total pantser, and I only write when I feel like it, which isn’t daily which also means I don’t have an organized schedule. I oftentimes get stuck in a scene and then take some time to percolate on things. Sometimes days.

While it’s not a method I’d recommend it seems to work for me. What also seems most important is that a writer discover how they best work. There’s no one right way, ultimately just what works.

This latest novel, Fireflies, has taken an unusually lengthy path to publication, but most of my novels take about a year and a half.

Mike Torreano is an award-winning author of traditional western mysteries set in Colorado and New Mexico Territories. In the fifth grade he read his first Zane Grey novel and has been hooked on the Old West ever since.

His debut western mystery, The Reckoning, was released in 2016 by The Wild Rose Press and the sequel, The Renewal, was released in 2018. Both are set in South Park, just west of the Rampart Range. He’s now finishing up the third in the South Park series, The Return.

An interest in the Goodnight-Loving cattle trail inspired his first stand-alone western, A Score To Settle, which was set on that trail and came out in 2020. A friend’s suggestion prompted Mike to write his latest western mystery, White Sands Gold, which was released in September 2022. It has received four literary awards.

His first historical novel, Fireflies at Dusk, is due out this month and is a coming-of age tale about a young man torn between his pacifist family and his urge to fight against slavery with the Union Army as the Civil War breaks out.

Mike also speaks at clubs and organizations about the timeless values of the Old West and The Code of the West, and how those values are still relevant today.

He can be found on Facebook, LinkedIn, Bookbub, and Goodreads, and his website: https://miketorreano.com/

As the Civil War looms, a young Ohio farm boy comes face to face with the injustice of slavery—an evil that tears at his very soul. In his callow youth, he rejects his family’s pacifism after runaways are cruelly seized from his Quaker meeting house. His anger causes him to turn his back on everyone who ever loved him. When the War breaks out, Jonathan joins the Union Army, making this rift complete. Will he ever turn back to his family, his sweetheart and his faith? Or has Jonathan drifted so far away that he can’t find his way back?

Check out the book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKVlj4InOMo&t=7s

Holiday Highlight: Mistletoe in the City by Amber Daulton

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

It’s Christmas and holiday cheer is in the air, but Krista Hartley and Derek Weston from my steamy New Adult romance, Mistletoe in the City, are too stressed to care. She needs a breather from her overbearing parents, so she’s out apartment hunting and spending the weekends at a craft fair to make some extra money. Derek is super busy as the groundskeeper and handyman at his mom’s apartment complex to even worry about decorating his own place. When Krista winds up as his new tenant, he’s determined to right the wrongs from his and Krista’s shared past, but will they find a happily ever after this snowy holiday season?

Hi, everyone. I’m Amber Daulton, the author of Mistletoe in the City. Christmas is my second favorite holiday, right behind Halloween, so I was thrilled to write this hot holiday novella. Actually, I wrote it several years ago as part of a Christmas anthology with my former publisher, but the rights have reverted to me, so I’m re-releasing it with a fresh edit, blurb, and cover. Also, it’s twice as long as it used to be and now clocks in at about 35,000 words with new scenes, subplots, and revised characterizations.

Krista and Derek are your average young twenty-somethings struggling to make their way in an uncertain world. From overprotective parents and peer pressure from some not-so-good friends, they have their work cut out for them in trying to build a real relationship. With Christmas right around the corner, they’re each trying to live up to their family’s expectations and still be true to who they are. That’s not always so easy, and I’m sure readers can relate to feeling stressed and wishing the holiday season would fly by sooner rather than later.

For good or bad, Christmas is here again. Let’s hunker down and brave the wintery chill as best we can, hopefully with a new book to keep us grounded and relaxed in our off-time. Thanks for reading!

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats. Follow and connect with Amber at her website: https://amberdaulton.com/

Derek’s world is about to change forever—again.
After his father’s stroke, Derek Weston dropped out of college and returned home to help his parents
with the family business, Oak Landing Apartments. Now living on the premises as the groundskeeper
and handyman, he never expected the girl he’d secretly crushed on in high school to move into a unit
right before Christmas or stir up desires he thought long gone.
Krista Hartley needs a fresh start away from her overbearing parents, but falling for the tattooed hottie
who ignored her back in school wasn’t in the plans. Despite old hurts, Derek’s hot kisses and strong
arms offer the shelter she craves.
When another woman sets her sight on Derek and drives a wedge between him and Krista, they’ll have
to decide if their relationship is real, or just a winter fling.

Add to Goodreads – https://bit.ly/MistletoeInTheCityGoodreads
Check it out on BookBub – https://bit.ly/MistletoeInTheCityBookbub

New Release: Cruel Lessons by Randy Overbeck

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

Cruel Lesson is an atmospheric, amateur sleuth mystery, the first in a new series set in schools called “Lessons in Peril.” The story involves a rogue, hallucinogenic drug being pushed in a middle school and, after it results in the death of four students, the rush to stop the drug pusher before more children die. The narrative takes place in a small Midwest town during October, 1995. All of these literary choices—the year at the height of the “Just Say No” Anti- Drug campaign and right in the middle of time for the D.A.R.E. program, the anonymous Midwest setting and the school as the battle ground—are deliberate and carefully chosen.

This novel is a work of honor and recognition as well as a work of art. As a long-time educator, I saw the ravages of student drug abuse and addiction up close. Over more than three decades as a teacher and school leader, I witnessed kids’ lives shattered and ended from their abuse of drugs, both legal and illegal. I crafted this story—while completely fictional and about an imaginary drug—as an homage to those educators who battle this very real problem everyday in our schools. Though set in the recent past, the scourge of student drug abuse today is frighteningly similar to my tale, only with a new generation and new drugs. In addition to being a pulse-pounding thriller, I wanted the narrative to honor the children we’ve lost to drugs in the almost thirty years as well as those educators committed to doing everything they can to rescue kids at risk.

I don’t want to give the wrong impression. This novel is hardly didactic. According to early reviews, Cruel Lessons is “Brilliant from start to finish…Impressive storytelling left me with a racing heart and shivers. One of the best thrillers I’ve ever read.” ★★★★★+++—N.N. Light’s Bookheaven.

ReaderViews called the novel “a thrilling murder mystery…with an immersive plot, steady pace and stellar character development…one of the best mysteries of 2023.” ★★★★★

Literary Titan wrote “Cruel Lessons is “masterfully written…Each new revelation adds to the suspense and keeps the reader on edge, eagerly anticipating what further secrets the story holds…a gripping crime thriller and amateur sleuth mystery.”

Wow! I am thrilled and humbled by these incredible reviews. Still, I hope the message about saving children will come through loud and clear. To help amplify this message, I’ve decided to use the novel to partner with NaturalHigh.org, a national drug prevention program for youth. This non-profit provides evidence-based resources for parents and children to use in talking with students about the dangers of experimenting with drugs and at no cost. I’m so committed to this cause, I’m donating a portion of the profit from the sale of every copy of Cruel Lessons to Natural High.

Check out Cruel Lessons yourself. You’ll not only get a great read. You’ll be helping to provide parents and teachers with resources they need to talk with children about drugs.

Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author and speaker. As an educator, he served children for more than three decades and has turned that experience into captivating fiction, authoring the bestselling series, the Haunted Shores Mysteries, winner of nine national awards. This fall, the Wild Rose Press will release his newest work, an atmospheric amateur sleuth mystery, CRUEL LESSONS, the first installment in a new series set in schools, “Lessons in Peril.” He is the host of the popular podcast, “Great Stories about Great Storytellers,” which reveals the unusual and sometimes strange backstories of famous authors, directors and poets. He is also a speaker in much demand, sharing his multi-media presentations, “Things Still Go Bump in the Night,” “A Few Favorite Haunts,” and “Everything You Wanted to Know About Publishing” with audiences all over the USA. As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Sleuthfest, Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop. Follow and connect with Randy at his website: https://www.authorrandyoverbeck.com/.

Four kids dead. Can Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks unmask the drug dealer poisoning his students before more kids die?

On a school camping trip, fifth graders experiment with a dangerous new hallucinogen and die in a horrific accident, their deaths shattering the quiet town. Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks, hoping to redeem a fatal mistake from his past, grasps the opportunity to conduct the district investigation of how students are getting the drugs. Almost before he begins, the cops make a stunning arrest. But Parks battles on, convinced the real pusher is still out there, poisoning more kids until he receives an anonymous threat: if he continues, those close to him will pay. Is Parks willing to risk those he loves for a chance at redemption?

Cruel Lessons can be purchased here:

https://www.amazon.com/Cruel-Lessons-Peril-Book-ebook/dp/B0CDJ6GL5W
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143862801?ean=9781509252138
https://www.bookbub.com/books/cruel-lessons-by-randy-overbeck

New Release: Stonebridge by Linda Griffin

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

Linda Griffin’s latest book, Stonebridge, released November 1st. Get to know Linda and her paranormal romance:

Stonebridge Manor is a Georgian mansion in Virginia, owned for centuries by the somewhat reclusive Demeray family. In 1958 Edwina Demeray lives there with her disabled scholar great-grandson Ted and has commanded her great-granddaughter Rynna to join them. One more resident may be present too—the ghost of Rosalind, the murdered cousin of Rynna’s mother.

I enjoy ghost stories and always wanted to write one. I’m also intrigued with characters who come to live with strangers. When I put the two ideas together, Rynna’s story began to take shape. It changed direction, though, when I fell in love with the man the character of Ted was based on, and he took over the story.

I am very much a pantser. My characters have minds of their own and take me where they will. It took me about a year to write Stonebridge, and then I spent another four months obsessively re-writing the ending. The only way I could get myself to stop revising was to wonder what came next and start writing the sequel, Beyond Stonebridge, which is also under contract with the Wild Rose Press. Ideally, I would prefer to write in the morning, but my characters laugh at schedules. Unfortunately, they prefer to talk to me in the evening, often when I’m trying to sleep, and I have to keep a notebook by my bed so I can take dictation.

An earlier version of Stonebridge was published by Winston-Derek Publishers, Inc. in 1994. It’s been out of print for a long time, but I was only recently able to regain the rights. I’ve learned a lot since then, so I think the new version is better written. The story is the same, but some details have been changed, and while the first version was vaguely set in the post-Vietnam era, the new one starts in 1958, a better fit for Rynna’s somewhat unliberated attitude.

Linda Griffin decided to become a “book maker” as soon as she learned to read and wrote her first story when she was six. She retired as fiction librarian for the San Diego Public Library to spend more time on her writing. Her short stories have been published in numerous journals, and Stonebridge is her eighth book from the Wild Rose Press. Connect with Linda at her website: https://www.lindagriffinauthor.com/index.htm

After the death of her mother, Rynna Dalton comes to live with her imperious great- grandmother and her bookish, disabled cousin Ted at Stonebridge Manor. Almost immediately she is aware of a mysterious presence, which she believes is the spirit of her mother’s murdered cousin, Rosalind. Rynna is charmed by Rosalind’s lawyer son Jason Wyatt, who courts her, and she agrees to marry him. Meanwhile Ted and Rynna become good friends. But Stonebridge holds secrets that will profoundly affect her future. Why is Ted so opposed to the match? Why does Rosalind seem to warn Rynna against it? And how far will Jason go to possess Stonebridge—and the woman he professes to love?

Stonebridge can be purchased here:

https://www.amazon.com/Stonebridge-Linda-Griffin-ebook/dp/B0CGG1TN31
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1000585740
https://books.apple.com/us/book/stonebridge/id6463164419

An Oldie, but a Goodie: From Here to Fourteenth Street by Diana Rubino

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

From Here to Fourteenth Street was re-released in 2015 with The Wild Rose Press, after I revised it and gave it a new title. It was originally titled I love You Because with my first publisher. It’s the first in a trilogy, The New York Saga, featuring 3 generations of the McGlory family. Tom McGlory, an Irish New York cop, and Vita Caputo, an Italian immigrant from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, meet and fall in love despite the overwhelming odds against them in 1894. They overcome economic hardship, prejudice, hatred, and corruption in this tumultuous world.

Book Two, Bootleg Broadway, is set during the Prohibition era and features Tom and Vita’s son Billy, a scatterbrained musical genius. My objective was to get him into one mess after another, and had no trouble doing that, once I got to know Billy.

In Book Three, The End of Camelot, Billy’s daughter Vikki is the heroine. Set around the assassination of President Kennedy in November 1963, Vikki realizes her husband Jack was embroiled in the plot to kill the president, but his mission was to prevent it. Jack was found dead in the bathtub of his hotel in Dallas, the same day of the assassination. When the Dallas police rule his death accidental, Vikki vows to find out who was behind the murders of JFK and her husband. With the help of her father and godfather, she sets out to uncover the truth.

My inspiration for From Here to Fourteenth Street was my great-grandmother; businesswoman, politician, small-time bootlegger, wife and mother. She was way ahead of her time. I modeled Vita after her, and since 19th Century New York City history always fascinated me, it came naturally to weave her story through that world, brining sights, sounds and smells of the streets and tenements to life.

I am a strict plotter – I work out a detailed outline, and for the last few decades, I’ve been using the Donald Maass workbook Writing Your Breakout Novel. It contains questions to ask your characters and explains how to outline your story. I find it invaluable for structuring my stories.

For this and most of my historicals, I usually spend about a year researching and writing. I write 2,500 words every day, and don’t quit until I’ve reached that goal.

Diana writes about folks through history who shook things up. Her passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her books: Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance Fakin’ It won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. With her husband Chris, she owns CostPro, Inc., a construction cost consulting business. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, practices yoga, lifts weights, plays her piano, devours books, and lives the dream on Cape Cod.

Connect with Diana at www.dianarubino.com

It’s 1894 on New York’s Lower East Side. Irish cop Tom McGlory and Italian immigrant Vita Caputo fall in love despite their different upbringings. Vita goes from sweatshop laborer to respected bank clerk to reformer, helping elect a mayor to beat the Tammany machine. While Tom works undercover to help Ted Roosevelt purge police corruption, Vita’s father arranges a marriage between her and a man she despises. The story has a paranormal twist – Vita and Tom work together against time and prejudice to clear her brother and father of a murder they didn’t commit, as Vita’s friend Jadwiga, a medium, helps them find the killer with some help from the otherworld – and some creative thinking.

New Release: Lost in Her Depths by Tabitha Emberose

Posted on by Chelsey M. Ortega

Lost in Her Depths is a Portal Fantasy Romance novel. It’s my debut and introduces readers to the planet of Sundara (although most of the book takes place on Earth 😁). It’s one of six known planets all interconnected by portals. These planets are known as the Torlana Lanak. 

There are four races that call Sundara home, and you will get to meet three of them in Lost. First we have the Takaryns (Ta-Karen-s). They’re a race of people who look like angels to us mere mortals with their white wings. They view Earth and the mortals who reside there as primitive, but this doesn’t prevent the small sect of Takaryns known as Kelaryn’s Guardians from protecting them. 

The next race is my Lamarans (La-mar-ans). They’re my wolf shapeshifters. Imagine a wolf twice its normal size approaching you through an open field. When they’re in their humanoid form, they stand at least seven feet tall and have a ripped body similar to the Rock or Jason Momoa. 

Our next shapeshifters are my Droskels (Dros-Kels). They appear no different than any other fantasy dragon we all know and love. What makes them unique is when in their humanoid form their skin isn’t smooth like ours. From a distance, they look human, but once you get closer you can see the main difference between them and us. Their skin is actually made up of interlocking scales similar to a snake, but these scales are strong enough to protect them from almost anything. 

And finally we have our Mer People. They look no different than any other mermaid with one exception. Unlike the mermaids we all know and love, the Mer People of Sundara have gills hidden on the back of their necks. No one ever sees them, because they’re covered up by the mermaid or merman’s hair. 

Lost came about after I wrote Guardian Against the Darkness. This will be book one of my Guardian Saga coming out sometime in 2024. I wanted to write a small series of novellas as an introduction to my fantasy world. I wrote Lost in a month after plotting it out. It’s gone through several beta reads and three drafts. It has expanded from the first draft, and is no longer a novella. I work a full time job, so I don’t have as much time as I’d like to dedicate to my writing. But I make due with what I have.

That being said, hello my name is Tabitha Emberose, and I live in a small gulf town in the Florida Panhandle. I’m the mom to my 15 year old fur baby Saphira (Yes, I named her after the dragon in Eragon 🤣). I’ve been a writer since a very young age. It didn’t matter how long or short the road trip was, I had to take my notebook and pen with me wherever I went. As I grew up, I turned away from writing original stories full time. Instead, I wrote fan fiction stories for over a decade while sprinkling in original stories that sadly I never finished.

It wasn’t until several years ago I got the writing bug to once again write original stories full time. Lost is the product of that dedication. My publisher is Mystic Phoenix Books which is my LLC business I created specifically for my author career.

Follow Tabitha at her Amazon Author page and pre-order Lost in Her Depths, available November 8, 2023.

He’s a Takaryn trapped in the mortal world. She’s a witch struggling to master her power.

But will their forbidden love survive in the end?

Artur is almost a Guardian who’ll be tasked with the protection of all the worlds of Torlana. When he learns of traitors on Sundara, he takes it upon himself to hunt for the guilty. He’s soon captured, tortured, and banished to the mortal world where he finds himself lost in the sky blue eyes and fiery spirit of a mortal female. But it’s her touch that sets his heart aflame. He knows if she stays with him her life will be in danger…

Twenty-two year old Ella Masterson has a secret. She’s a witch with the power over water, except she has yet to master her ability to its full potential. When she sees what looks like a warrior angel falling from the sky she dives in head first. Pulling the angel onshore, she soon finds herself drowning in his gold flecked eyes and musky scent. No matter how much he tries to push her away she’s determined to help him, knowing he’ll be taking her heart with him when he leaves…

Lost in Her Depths