books | Chelsey M. Ortega

What Catches a Reader’s Eye? A Reflection on how people find and choose books.

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Chelsey M. Ortega

One day, during my sophomore year in high school, a classmate grabbed my arm and said, “I just finished the most amazing book, you have to read it!” That book was Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I trusted this classmate’s opinion, asked my mom for the book, and it ended up being my Easter present that year. I read it in one day, bought the second one and read that in one day. Then I had to wait a couple months for the third, but I was hooked.

Two years prior to that, in eighth grade, a friend of mine found her mom’s copy of The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, read it, and passed it around to the rest of our group. She had us write our names inside the front cover when we finished it to make it our own “sisterhood of the traveling pants”, but with a book. From there, I sought out other Nicholas Sparks’ books (Safe Haven is my favorite).

That same year, I checked out a copy of A Dance for Three by Louise Plummer from the school library, and recommended it to my friend. She checked it out next and loved it so much, she made her mom hunt it down so she could own a copy. (And let me tell you, that book is hard to find in a traditional bookstore. This was 2004.)

What is the common denominator in those three tales? Word of mouth. Most of the books I have read, I came across via recommendation: a friend, a family member, maybe facebook ads, etc. And according to many blogs, podcasts, and seminars; word of mouth is still the best way to sell books.

Even so, authors are also told that online reviews are important because the algorithms on those websites recommend books that have a lot of reviews. But even though that’s what the algorithm does, is that really how potential readers find books? And do readers read reviews before deciding whether to read a book or not?

I created a Google Forms survey, and 76 people responded. Here are the results:

What helps you learn about and choose to buy a book?

*Note: This was a “Check all that apply” question, so all numbers together will go beyond 76

Recommendations from family and friends	58
Window shopping in brick and mortar bookstores	36
Online ads (i.e.facebook, instagram, etc.)	18
“Also bought” on Amazon	19
“Readers also liked” on Goodreads	12
Searching a preferred genre/trope on Amazon	27
Other	25

Surveyors got to type something if they clicked other, and here are the common “others” summarized into general categories:

Book influencers/reviewers on Instagram, TikTok, and blogs
Websites like Bookbub
Libraries
Events like festivals
Book clubs
Gifts

So, like my own experiences, most people still rely on recommendations from trusted people. But a decent number of people are also using the internet in some capacity (Amazon, social media, etc.)

Forms response chart. Question title: Do you read the reviews on sites like Goodreads or Amazon BEFORE buying a book?. Number of responses: 76 responses.

Forms response chart. Question title: If you read the reviews, do they affect whether you buy the book or not?. Number of responses: 75 responses.

These next two responses totally threw me. Because I don’t read reviews before buying a book, I erroneously assumed most people were like me. And this has completely turned my marketing world upside down.

Forms response chart. Question title: What number of stars do you personally think is a positive review? (check all that apply). Number of responses: 76 responses.

I was not surprised by these results. For me, 3 stars means that I enjoyed the book enough to finish, and I don’t regret spending my money on it. So I consider 3 stars a positive review. But at the same time, I know on the marketing side, you don’t choose a 3 star review to highlight. You choose 5 star reviews to highlight.

At the end of the survey, I provided space to type anything they wished to add, since I often struggle with multiple choice, because I want to explain my answer. With respect to transparency, I did use AI to help me find commonalities in the 49 responses, and come up with categories based on those commonalities. AI discovered 5 categories, and as I went through them, I deleted two of AI’s category and created a two of my own, moving some of the responses around to the following:

Category 1: Preference for Cover, Blurb, and Initial Impressions – 14 people expressed this was important to them in selecting a book.

An attractive cover and a strong blurb on the back will get my attention. I’ll read a page or two (unless it’s by an author I’m already familiar with) to see if they can get my interest. It’s rare that I will read a review first.

By far the first thing that gets me to look at a book is the blurb and a cover, and from there, I will look at reviews or recommendations before I decide to buy.

Sometimes I get recommendations from word of mouth, but not often. 95% of the time, I’ll see an ad on FB or IG. If the blurb is interesting, I’ll click on it and go to the Amazon page and read through that. If it still seems worth getting, I’ll read the sample. If it still seems good, I’ll get it on Kindle Unlimited. If I absolutely love it, I’ll buy the ebook. Even rarer, I’ll buy the physical copy. Occasionally I’ll buy books not on KU, but that’s even more rare. That only happens when an author I already trust has a new release. And right now, that’s…. one, but used to be two. But I stopped liking that author’s books, so it seemed silly to spend money on a book when it was a “maybe I’ll like it.”

I usually choose a book based on the blurb, the cover, and the genre.

Cover and genre recognition are big factors for me – the “catch your eye” thing.

I read the synopsis or hook that is on the back or inside of the cover of the book to see what it’s about most of the time and if it captures my attention then I read it. A quick little summary of the story over reviews is usually what helps my decision more than book reviews. How I find out about the book is in all sorts of ways, wandering through bookstores, Amazon, Facebook, and every other way to find new books.

Most times it’s the blurb. If it reads like it’ll be an intriguing story, I’m in.

Cover and blurb is what usually leap out at me. Also read the first pages.

Excerpts on Facebook ads and catchy stock pics or video grab my attention.

Cover art then blurb.

I read a few reviews, but they don’t carry much weight. I mostly rely on the sample pages. If they grab me, I buy, if not I pass for now.

I usually read the jacket cover before buying.

I rarely read reviews because I like to make up my own mind. I look at the cover, read the blurb, read the author’s info, and read the first couple of pages.

If a book catches my eye, I read a page or two of the preview. If it intrigues me and is not full of typos, grammatical infelicities or clunky writing, I’ll buy it.

Category 2: Number of Stars Matters – 5 people explained how they use stars and averages to help them decide whether to read a book or not.

I would select a book with four stars and above. If there are a lot of reviews, I don’t pay attention to negative ones since it may just be a personal opinion.

If there’s a few 1 or 2 star reviews but the rest are 4 and up, I usually disregard the lower reviews. It’s simply the taste of the reader. I sometimes seek out books because of something I’ve heard or read in the media about a book or author. For instance, I recently read my first Emily Henry book because of an article I read online.

Sometimes reviews affect whether I will purchase a book, but if a book has been recommended by someone I know personally, that would have more weight, even if the reviews aren’t outstanding. I’m also more likely to look at the number of reviews and the average rating than to read individual reviews.

I use book reviews, but I don’t read them. Spoilers being what they are, I don’t want anything to color my expectations. If a book has a 3.5/4+ out of 5 stars, and a number of reviews north of 10, I’ll likely pick it up.

I think any number of stars is a positive review. It really depends on what the actual review says. After all, you can give a 5 star review, but then in the post, the reviewer can list more negative things they thought about the book than positive.

Category 3: Mixed Feelings or Limited Reliance on Reviews – 7 people shared their reluctance to trust reviews 100%.

I take all reviews with a grain of salt. I usually never agree with movie reviews. I do look at the reviewer’s bio information, if any, such as age and gender. I really try to take information from multiple sources.

I read the reviews, but if the blurb and book cover attract my attention, I will make up my mind based on what I think, not what a stranger says.

I rarely read reviews because everyone has different tastes and the people who write reviews tend to be the angry rude people. I don’t like to support that kind of negativity toward someone’s art. More often than not, I have a different opinion from the reviewers, so it does me no good to read them first.

I don’t always read reviews, especially if I’m familiar with the author’s work. Reviews are just opinions, and whether or not I buy a book depends on if it sounds interesting to me, and is the type of story I like to read.

I dislike and ignore the value of 1- or 2-star reviews without text. I think Amazon does a disfavor to authors when they allows this type of review since it pulls down your score with no reason why the book was rated so low. For example : “2 star – Clear filter – 1 total rating, 0 with reviews” – Are these trolls?

Reviews are all over the map. Often the text doesn’t match the number of stars I would think it merits. Some get low stars because the Reviewer has an axe to grind like doesn’t one of the characters because they are multiracial or something that has little to do with the quality of the story. I rely a lot more on friends and family recommendations.

I’ve worked in the publishing industry as a marketer and am wary of the techniques used to sell books, many of which are hollow and baseless, including book reviews. A positive book review is practically a given to most reviewers who receive a free copy.

Category 4: Looking for specific info. in reviews – 9 people said that the purpose of reading reviews is to look for specific good or negative hints on whether the book will be worth it.

I tend to read the actual review rather than just go by the star rating. I will disregard one or two negative reviews (there is always someone who likes to destroy an author’s confidence) but if there are a lot of negative reviews saying a similar thing, I will probably pass on it.

There are certain things that really bug me when I read books, and if reviews mention any of those things, I tend to avoid the book. Sloppy prose is one of those things. Most books I read nowadays are on Libby, but I will occasionally buy a book if I want to read it sooner than it will be available to check out.

I depend heavily on reviews to decide whether to try a book by an author unfamiliar to me. A well-written review will give me a general idea of the plot and tell me whether I would probably like the book. Even if the reviewer disliked it, a good review will explain lucidly exactly what the reviewer disliked — and it may be a feature that would appeal to me. For example, if a review complains about a story being too “slow,” with too much dialogue and not enough action, I know I’ll probably enjoy it.

I like when recommendations or reviews compare the books to other popular books or series that I may have read

I’ll look at reviews depending on how I found a book. If it’s an online recommendation I don’t know anything about, I’ll always read a review. If it’s the author or a friends recommendation, I’ll never read a review.

I read the reviews to see if they tick any of the boxes of my likes and dislikes. For instance, I won’t read/buy a book with a cliffhanger ending, and I’m leery of books with poor editing.

Book reviews give me a better idea of what the book is about. Blurbs aren’t always great.

Re reading reviews, I read them sometimes, but if I’m in a physical bookstore I wouldn’t. When reading a review, I don’t take it for being 100% accurate but allow for any bias I see creeping in. I like a reviewer who spells out what sort of reader would like a particular book and what sort might not.

I often read reviews after I’ve started reading a book, particularly one I either love or hate just to see if other people thought the same.

Category 5: Reliance on Recommendations or Familiarity -11 people explained they have specific trusted sources to help pick their next book.

I often take recommendations from the Today Show.

If I have read and enjoyed something else in that author’s backlist, I will often be on the lookout for a new release. I will sign up for their Bookbub or to follow them on Amazon.

There are certain authors I follow and their books are usually the first I gravitate toward. Also, many of the books I read are the next month’s selection for my book club. Before choosing a book, I read a few of the reviews, both the good and the bad, just to get other peoples’ opinions. What the reviewers liked/disliked may not be what I look for in a book, so I won’t not read a novel based solely on someone else’s rating. I then read the blurb and the first couple of pages and give a thumbs up or down based on how I like the book’s opening.

I sometimes read reviews from instagrammers with similar taste in books.

I am more likely to read a book based off recommendations of people I know than reviews, but I do read reviews periodically, and factor them into my considerations.

Authors I follow

I choose books when I see an across the board popularity

I don’t always read reviews, especially if I’m familiar with the author’s work. Reviews are just opinions, and whether or not I buy a book depends on if it sounds interesting to me, and is the type of story I like to read.

As a former librarian, many of the patrons I talked with chose books to read based upon book cover, familiarity with the author, recommendations by library staff and viewing displays in the library. As for reviews, I am somewhat cynical about Amazon and other larger online entities because many of the reviews appear to be a trade (I will give you a good review if you give my book a good review) or manipulated by larger publishers to get their books out there–to make money, of course.

I am generally searching books by favorite authors. I also tend toward books carried by my library. Ebooks there are acquired through Amazon.

Final Reflections

To be honest, I did not get the results I wanted and thought I would get. Reviews really are just as important as all the marketing articles and webinars have been telling me. But I think I needed this wakeup call. One of my weaknesses is I can get prideful and not accept information if it doesn’t match my personal life. I’m going to have to do some soul searching for my next marketing endeavor. 😂

What responses stuck out to you or surprised you?

Anything you connected with or feel like it didn’t match you?

How do you choose books?

Let me know in the comments!

Meet Elizabeth Packard: Women’s Rights Activist

Posted on June 30, 2024 by Chelsey M. Ortega

Elizabeth Wells Packard is not on the list of “25 of the Most Influential Women in American History” She’s not on the list of 41 women, 50, or even 125 women. But her name needs to be known. And you need to know what she did for you, your mothers, your wives, your sisters, and your daughters.

On a recent trip to Barnes & Noble, this title caught my eye:

After reading the blurb, I didn’t hesitate to purchase this gem of a biography. Kate Moore weaves an emotional and beautiful narrative of Elizabeth Packard’s strenuous life during the 1860s. A woman whose only crime was to have a different religious and political opinion from her husband. Such absurdity at the time was medically considered insane, imprisoning Elizabeth behind the walls of the Jacksonville Asylum. Elizabeth spent several years trying to get out, and once she was out, she was not done fighting. Her next goal was to get the laws changed that put her there. Ms. Moore writes in the style of narrative nonfiction, giving us the facts in the form of a story. My blood boiled for the majority of the book, but Elizabeth’s triumph made the emotional rollercoaster worth it.

So, let’s meet Elizabeth Wells Packard. (Note: Everything written below comes from what I learned in Kate Moore’s book. All credit for deeper research goes to her.)

Elizabeth married a man fourteen years her senior – which wasn’t a cause for raised eyebrows at the time, but certainly led to her husband’s erroneous belief that he could spend his marriage days controlling her.

Theophilus Packard was a preacher, which allowed Elizabeth a religious education. Shouldn’t the preacher’s wife know the Bible? In her studies, Elizabeth went beyond her husband’s teachings and explored other philosophies (this is at the tail end of the Second Great Awakening, afterall). Elizabeth thought it would be okay to share her new thoughts in her Bible Studies class. What Elizabeth didn’t know was Theophilus was receiving pressure from his financial backers to preach certain agendas in the wake of the looming Civil War. (Isn’t communication in marriage a beautiful thing?) Those agendas were the exact opposite of Elizabet’s new beliefs.

As tensions in their home rose, Elizabeth left her husband’s church, and began attending a church across town. This was the final straw for Theophilus. He locked Elizabeth in the nursery, and got two doctors to sign a certificate stating that Elizabeth was insane. On the day he planned to move her, he sent their 6 children on different errands and to different babysitters so they would not see their mother cartered off, and so the older ones could not come to her defense. He then brought in several trusted minions to manhandle Elizabeth out of her home, to the train station, and onto the train. Elizabeth was smart. She knew if she fought, then the unintelligent society she lived in would believe her insane. So she remained calm, stoic, and gave her kidnappers her dead weight as they carried her through the town.

Theophilus accompanied Elizabeth to the Jacksonville Asylum in Illinois, and after dropping her off, would not see her again for quite some time. Theophilius placed her in the hands of the resident doctor, Andrew McFarland.

Dr. McFarland was smarter than Theophilus. After meeting with Elizabeth, he led her to believe that he did not think her insane, and that she would be out in a few months. During those few months, Dr. McFarland met with Elizabeth every day, letting her talk herself into a deeper hole (unbeknownst to her).

According to Dr. McFarland, Elizabeth was not insane due to her religious beliefs. She was insane because she hated her husband. A sane woman would obey her husband. A sane woman would love her husband. A sane woman would forgive her husband for putting her in an asylum and agree to obey him in order to be released from the asylum. Elizabeth would do no such thing, so she remained there for about three years.

During her time there, Dr. McFarland tried to break her by preventing her letters being delivered (both written to and by her), taking away her nice clothes, books, and writing supplies, and eventually moving her to the worst part of the hospital for women: 8th Ward. While in 8th Ward, Elizabeth experienced emotional abuse from the staff, and physical abuse from specific patients (these were the only patients that Elizabeth truly believed were insane). She also witnessed horrible physical abuse given to the other patients.

Elizabeth was really good at making friends. And so, over time she was able to convince staff members to sneak her reading and writing materials into her new room. And during this time she wrote two full length books. One was all about the sins of Dr. McFarland, the other about the problems of her modern-day mental health system, religion, and women’s rights.

Elizabeth requested a meeting with the Board of Trustees, and was surprisingly granted a presentation with them. Dr. McFarland came, and so did Theophilus. But just like with the other patients and staff, Elizabeth won the Board over, and they commanded Dr. McFarland to release her within the next few months. Her release date came and went, but Elizabeth continued to write and pester Dr. McFarland.

Eventually, Dr. McFarland admitted she was more bothersome inside the Jacksonville Asylum than he could handle, and he released her. Theophilus dropped her off with her cousin and forbade her from visiting him and their children. Elizabeth planned to do no such thing, and took out a loan from her friends to take a train to her hometown. She walked right into her old house, and it was a giant mess. Her only daughter was forced to become a homemaker at 11 years old, and is now a traumatized 14 year old. Theophilus had brainwashed their children against her, and they would only obey their father. Elizabeth became an invisible nuisance in her own home.

Theophilus locked her in the nursery again, and she discovered he’s preparing her a place in another asylum, this time, for life. If she enters those doors, she isn’t coming out until she is dead. Her friends got the legal help that was denied her three years prior, and her sanity was officially on trial in the county court.

This is one of the most amazing court cases I’ve ever read. And I can’t do it justice. Just read the book. In the end, Elizabeth won. She won against all those men who wanted to lock her away for life. BUT she is only free in the state of Illinois, and Theophilus still has legal control over their children. Ever the sore loser, Theophilus took off with their children and moved to Massachusetts.

Elizabeth would then spend the next several years lobbying state government after state government to get the laws changed across the country. After another showdown with Dr. McFarland, she was successful. And because of Elizabeth Packard, women cannot be placed in asylums just because their husbands wish it. Because of Elizabeth Packard, women received a huge step in progress to their legal rights over their mental health and personal property. Because of Elizabeth Packard, the treatment of mental health patients started the process of improving.

Elizabeth would get reunited with her children, and begrudgingly, her husband. They never divorced, but they also remained in separate dwellings for the rest of their lives. They stayed cordial in order to both have access to their children. The two books Elizabeth wrote while imprisoned got published and she lived off the sales of those popular volumes and the charity of her adult children. She is an amazing example of determination, passion, and perseverance.

Have you read about Elizabeth Packard before? What are your thoughts on her accomplishments? What other biographies would you recommend? Let me know in the comments!

New Release: Fox Tale by Karen Hulene Bartell

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Chelsey M. Ortega

Karen Hulene Bartell is back to talk about her newest release: Fox Tale. Before we dive into this captivating title, let’s get to know Karen.

Plotter or Pantser: I’m a pantser, no question about it. I do make short outlines of what happens next, but I’m too spontaneous to follow any extended framework. Besides, when I “play dolls” with friends, that is, brainstorm my plot, I often prefer their ideas to mine, which makes for far more interesting plot twists than I’d devise.

Does It Come to Me, or do I Struggle?: It’s usually a combination of the stories coming to me and me struggling to conclude the chapters. I’m inspired to begin each book, but occasionally I grapple with twists or turns of the novel, trying to patch the sections into the greater story, as well as smoothly transition the reader to the next chapter.

When did I Start Writing?: An only child, I began writing my first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating my own happy endings…However, I got four pages into my first “book” and realized I had to do a lot of living before I could finish it!

Reading is the entry to writing. Born to rolling-stone parents who moved annually–sometimes monthly–I found my earliest playmates as fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became my portable pals. Ghost stories kept me up at night–reading feverishly. Novels offered an imaginative escape, and the paranormal was my passion.

So here I am all these decades later, still creating my own happy endings…

What is the Most Powerful Challenge of Authoring a Novel?: IMHO, marketing is the nightmare to the dream of writing! Promoting my books is the hell to the heaven of authoring them. I’d much rather keep “plugging away” at finishing a chapter than “plugging” myself on social media 😉

Background of Fox Tale

My husband works for a Japanese company. When he was instructed to meet with his Tokyo team, I leapt at the chance to accompany him. The next thing I did was research Japan’s cryptids. What appeared were Inari’s kitsunes or fox spirits—and voilà, the idea for Fox Tale was born.

What are Inari’s kitsunes? Japan’s history of foxes is complex. According to Fox Tale’s leading man, Rafe, “Originally, Inari was the concept of a successful rice harvest. Over time, devotees fleshed out that belief, and Inari became the androgynous god of wealth.”

“And the kitsunes?” asked the protagonist, Ava.

“The relationship has always been cooperative…Initially, foxes kept rice fields free from rodents, ensuring good crop yields. Eventually, people humanized the foxes into guardians and agents.”

While my husband attended meetings, I explored Tokyo, sometimes alone on foot and sometimes with a group tour. I took copious notes, and each site I visited became part of my developing story. With the supernatural element, as well as the locale established, my imagination began taking flight.

I spoke to locals as often as possible, asking if they believed in kitsune–or if their neighbor or grandmother believed in them. (Luckily, many Japanese speak English!) Not one admitted to believing in the old superstitions, but almost all knew of someone who did.

Said Fox Tale’s antagonist, Ichiro, “Most Japanese live in concrete canyons, and rational university educations replace superstition. Still, fox stories persist through theater, festivals, language, and literature…or kiterature as I call it.”

“Despite a waning belief?” I leaned closer.

“Even today, some believe in fox possession…although believing in kitsunetsuki might not be fashionable in this age of supercomputers and artificial intelligence, stories still circulate in the tabloids and mass media.”

“For example?”

“In 2019, a doomsday cult member rammed his car into pedestrians on Takeshita Street, then pled not guilty on the grounds that the cult was fox possessed. And as recently as 2022, the Sessho-seki split in two.”

Skeptical, I squinted. “The what did what?”

“The killing stone…according to legend, it imprisoned an evil nogitsune vixen. Her spirit escaped when it split in half and began spewing sulfur fumes, killing anyone that approached…For over a thousand years, Japanese medical practitioners considered kitsunetsuki a disease. Even into the twentieth century, psychologists believed fox possession caused mental illness.”

“But not anymore…” Crossing my arms, I hugged myself, seeking reassurance. “Right?”

“Today, therapists consider kitsunetsuki a psychosis or a culture-bound syndrome. Although”—he shrugged—“its symptoms can extend to people familiar with the Japanese culture.”

Gathering all the information I could from locals, as well as researching online, the plot for Fox Tale began to take shape. Once I had the realistic component that tied the supernatural to the natural, I had the storyline. Then the characters emerged as the story unfolded in my mind.

When my husband finished his meetings in Tokyo, we visited Kyoto, where we toured Fushimi Inari. The mountain is sacred in the Shinto religion, a place where “deities coexist with nature” and where, some believe, Inari resides. Fushimi Inari has an ethereal presence. Its otherworldly aura and scenery are difficult to describe, but if anything supernatural could occur, it would happen on that mountain. While at that shrine, the various parts merged into the basis of Fox Tale: the supernatural element, general locale, plot, characters, and finally the specific location for the otherworldly activity.

Lo and behold, a novel was born.

Chase is seemingly the villain of Fox Tale, yet from his perspective, he’s…

“A guardian? Yes, but an angel…?” His lips rose in a sly smile. “I’m also a male with physical needs.” The smile faded. “I’m lonely without a woman’s company. I yearn for a woman’s touch.” The corners of his mouth drooped, and he spoke in a flat monotone. “Which brings us full circle to where this conversation began. You remind me of a woman I almost married—”

Chase has objectives, but he acts and reacts according to his own code of honor.

The true villain is Atsuki, however, with his expensive suits, chauffeured cars, and Yakuza tattoos. Atsuki is an old adversary of Chase. Though his superficial generosity and lavish gifts fool many, Atsuki bends time and shapeshifts to attain his goals, then lures his pawns to their demise.

Meet Karen: Author of the Trans-Pecos, Sacred Emblem, Sacred Journey, and Sacred Messenger series, as well as Kissing Kin, Fox Tale, Wild Rose Pass, The Keys: Voice of the Turtle and more, Karen is a best-selling author, motivational keynote speaker, IT technical editor, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life. She writes multicultural, offbeat love stories steeped in the supernatural. Born to rolling-stone parents who moved annually, Bartell found her earliest playmates as fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became her portable pals. Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading feverishly. The paranormal was her passion. Novels offered an imaginative escape. An only child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating her own happy endings. Professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin, Karen resides in the Texas Piney Woods with her husband Peter and her mews—three rescued cats and a rescued *Cat*ahoula Leopard dog.

Follow Karen at her website: https://karenhulenebartell.com/

Fox Tale can be purchased here.

Heights terrify Ava. When a stranger saves her from plunging down a mountain, he diverts her fears with tales of Japanese kitsune—shapeshifting foxes—and she begins a journey into the supernatural.
She’s attracted to Chase, both physically and metaphysically, yet primal instincts urge caution when shadows suggest more than meets the eye.
She’s torn between Chase and Rafe, her ex, when a chance reunion reignites their passion, but she struggles to overcome two years of bitter resentment. Did Rafe jilt her, or were they pawns of a larger conspiracy? Are the ancient legends true of kitsunes twisting time and events?

New Release: Kissing Kin by Karen Hulene Bartell

Posted on March 14, 2024 by Chelsey M. Ortega

Maeve Jackson is starting over after a broken engagement—and mustering out of the Army. No job and no prospects, she spins out on black ice and totals her car.

When struggling vintner Luke Kaylor stops to help, they discover they’re distantly related. On a shoestring budget to convert his vineyard into a winery, he makes her a deal: prune grapevines in exchange for room and board.

But forgotten diaries and a haunted cabin kickstart a five-generational mystery with ancestors that have bones to pick. As carnal urges propel them into each other’s arms, they wonder: Is their attraction physical…or metaphysical?

The idea for Kissing Kin first came to me during 2020 because of the striking similarities between Covid and the Spanish Flu of 1918, but publishers convinced me no one wanted to read about pandemics. Time passed.

Then I noticed a handmade cookbook my grandmother had constructed during the depression. It’s made of two cardboard flaps reinforced at the edges with duct tape and held together by two metal ring binders. That book inspired me. (I used some of its recipes in Kissing Kin, for instance, Simple Sponge Cake, Mother’s Soft Gingerbread, and…the treatment of chicken lice with nicotine-sulfate.)

The general tone of the cookbook, which was meant as a Christmas present during the 1930s, was chatty. It read more like a diary than a book of recipes, and it motivated me to begin writing Kissing Kin.

If wishes were fishes, Kissing Kin would be made into a movie. I realize that’s a longshot, but it never hurts to dream. On that note, Maeve, the female protagonist for my Kissing Kin dream cast would have to be Millie Bobby Brown because of her amazing acting range. With her talent, she could pull off being an M2 Bradley driver in Afghanistan and the unwitting spectator to specters.

The male protagonist would have to be Timothée Chalamet. Not only is he a heartthrob, but he’s a versatile actor, whether the genre be drama, comedy, or action. I can see him as the struggling vintner, who makes Maeve a deal. On a shoestring budget to convert his vineyard into a winery, he offers her room and board in exchange for pruning grapevines.

And for your enjoyment, an excerpt:

Grandma’s bedtime stories echoed through my mind as I sped west on I-10. At an early age, family history had merged with myth until the name Fort Lincoln was as legendary as Avalon or Middle Earth.

But when the snow-covered peaks loomed closer, their reality was undeniable. Maybe her stories weren’t tall tales…

And what about her proverbs? “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” I winced. No job and no prospects. Mustering out after a five-year Army stint, I had to ask myself: What next? Where next?

Cody slipped into my thoughts, but I dismissed him, refusing to romanticize our breakup.

A troop of cavalry soldiers galloped toward me from the nineteenth century, but a second glance proved the images were metal cutouts–two-dimensional illusions that resembled an officer and guide leading two columns of cavalrymen.

The silhouettes evoked tales of my great-great-grandfather, Ben Williams. Beginning his military career as a scout, he’d been field promoted during combat, then commissioned as Second Lieutenant at Fort Lincoln.

I smiled, proud of our similar career paths. Maybe Grandma’s stories influenced me more than I realized.

Leaving the Interstate, I turned south. Road signs noted towns that sounded familiar from family stories but seemed as mythical as Camelot or Tintagel Castle.

Closer now, the mountains’ features came into view. No longer mere outlines on the horizon, each craggy palisade and butte towered over the highway. Fluffy hoarfrost transformed the landscape into an icy spectacle, with flaky, crystal shards overlaying each leaf and every blade of grass. A frozen fairyland! Just the way Grandma described it. Inspired by the raw beauty, I straightened my shoulders. Maybe I’m viewing my discharge the wrong way. Instead of adrift, maybe I’m free…

Kissing Kin can be purchased here: https://books2read.com/u/boXl10

Author of the Trans-Pecos, Sacred Emblem, Sacred Journey, and Sacred Messenger series, as well as Kissing Kin, Fox Tale, Wild Rose Pass, The Keys: Voice of the Turtle and more, Karen is a best-selling author, motivational keynote speaker, IT technical editor, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life. She writes multicultural, offbeat love stories steeped in the supernatural. Born to rolling-stone parents who moved annually, Bartell found her earliest playmates as fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became her portable pals. Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading feverishly. The paranormal was her passion. Novels offered an imaginative escape. An only child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating her own happy endings. Professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin, Karen resides in the Texas Piney Woods with her husband Peter and her mews—three rescued cats and a rescued *Cat*ahoula Leopard dog.98

Connect with Karen at her website: https://karenhulenebartell.com/

Favorite Reads from 2023

Posted on January 28, 2024 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 December 28, 2023 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/