Sloane Taylor's Blog, page 14
August 31, 2023
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A Groom for Mama is a well written, delightful romantic comedy penned by author Catherine Castle. The story takes the reader for a ride—literally halfway across the country in search of the perfect man for Allison Walters.
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Connect with Inspirational and Sweet Romance Author Catherine Castle on these social media outlets:
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August 27, 2023
Woodstock wasn’t at Woodstock!
.
from C.D. Hersh
Woodstock 1969 is an iconic music festival that celebrated its 50th anniversary in August 2019. So, since our book, Can’t Stop the Music, begins at the famous Woodstock Festival August 1969, we’re taking some extra time to talk about Woodstock and our book.
In Can’t Stop the Music we mention that the heroine, Rose, has a festival flyer and her tickets hanging on the wall of her home. We thought it would be fun to show some of the various posters that were printed for the music festival.
Notice the posters have different locations for the festival. That’s because the Woodstock organizers, had some issues with the locations they choice. Originally, they wanted the venue to be near take place in Woodstock, NY. After residents opposed them, they thought they’d found a second location in Saugerties, NY. That, too, fell through. Another search brought them to the town of Wallkill, NY. But then the town board passed a law that required a permit for an assembly of more than 5,000 people. The estimated attendance the organizers were tell authorities was about 5,000, but in reality they expected 150,000 to show up. The organizers of the concert applied for the permit but ended up being turned down because the number of portable toilets were deemed to be inadequate. A dairy farmer, named Max Yasgur, heard about the festival and the problems the organizers were encountering and he offered his dairy farm, in the town of Bethel, near White Lake, NY, as an alternative site.
The concert was fraught with problems, ranging from an unexpected, massive attendance (500,000 music loving hippies showed up); running out of food; traffic jams that delayed the performers; and a weekend of rain that turned the entire field into a giant mud puddle. Even with all those problems Woodstock was a peaceful concert, which according to historic reports, has not been duplicated since.
Here is a little about out shapeshifter series that will be five books with four already out on Amazon.
Three ancient Celtic families. A magical Bloodstone that enables the wearers to shape shift. A charge to use the stone’s power to benefit mankind, and a battle, that is going on even today, to control the world. Can the Secret Society of shape shifters called the Turning Stone Society heal itself and bring peace to our world?
Find out in The Series The Turning Stone Chronicles
Book one of the chronicles titled “The Promised One” available on Amazon
In the wrong hands, the Turning Stone ring is a powerful weapon for evil. So, when homicide detective Alexi Jordan discovers her secret society mentor has been murdered and his magic ring stolen, she is forced to use her shape-shifting powers to catch the killer. By doing so, she risks the two most important things in her life—her badge and the man she loves.
Rhys Temple always knew his fiery cop partner and would-be-girlfriend, Alexi Jordan, had a few secrets. He considers that part of her charm. But when she changes into a man, he doesn’t find that as charming. He’ll keep her secret to keep her safe, but he’s not certain he can keep up a relationship—professional or personal.
Danny Shaw needs cash for the elaborate wedding his fiancée has planned, so he goes on a mugging spree. But when he kills a member of the secret society of Turning Stones and steals a magic ring that gives him the power to shape shift, Shaw gets more than he bargained for.
Book two of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “Blood Brothers” available on Amazon.
When Delaney Ramsey is enlisted to help train two of the most powerful shape shifters the Turning Stone Society has seen in thousands of years, she suspects one of them is responsible for the disappearance of her daughter. To complicate matters, the man has a secret that could destroy them all. Bound by honor to protect the suspect, Delaney must prove his guilt without losing her life to his terrible powers or revealing to the police captain she’s falling for that she’s a shape shifter with more than one agenda.
The minute Captain Williams lays eyes on Delaney Ramsey, he knows she’s trouble. Uncooperative, secretive, and sexy, he can’t get her out of his mind. When he discovers she has a personal agenda for sifting through all the criminal records in his precinct, and secretly investigating his best detective, he can’t let her out of his sight. He must find out what she’s looking for before she does something illegal. If she steps over the line, he’s not certain he can look the other way for the sake of love.
Book three of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “Son of the Moonless Night” currently available on Amazon.
Owen Todd Jordan Riley has a secret. He’s a shape shifter who has been hunting and killing his own kind. To him the only good shifter is a dead shifter. Revenge for the death of a friend motivates him, and nothing stands in his way . . . except Katrina Romanovski, the woman he is falling in love with.
Deputy coroner Katrina Romanovski has a secret, too. She hunts and kills paranormal beings like Owen. At least she did. When she rescues Owen from an attack by a werebear she is thrust back into the world she thought she’d left. Determined to find out what Owen knows about the bear, she begins a relationship meant to collect information. What she gets is something quite different love with a man she suspects of murder. Can she reconcile his deception and murderous revenge spree and find a way to redeem him? Or will she condemn him for the same things she has done and walk away from love?
Book four of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “The Mercenary & the Shifters” available on Amazon.
A desperate call from an ex-military buddy lands a mercenary soldier in the middle of a double kidnapping, caught in an ancient shape shifter war, and ensnared between two female shape shifters after the same thing ... him.
The first four books of their paranormal romance series entitled The Turning Stone Chronicles Series page are available on Amazon. Their standalone novella, Can’t Stop The Music, is in the Soul Mate Tree collection with twelve other authors from various genres.
Putting words and stories on paper is second nature to the husband and wife co-authors whose pen name is C.D. Hersh. They’ve written separately since they were teenagers and discovered their unique, collaborative abilities in the mid-90s while co-authoring a number of dramas, six which have been produced in Ohio, where they live. Their interactive Christmas production had five seasonal runs in their hometown and has been sold in Virginia, California, and Ohio. As high school sweethearts, Catherine and Donald believe in true love and happily ever after. Which is why they write it!When they aren’t collaborating on a book, they enjoy reading; singing; theatre and drama; traveling; remodeling houses (Donald has remodeled something in every home they’ve owned); and antiquing. Catherine, who loves gardening, has recently drawn Donald into her world as a day laborer. Catherine is an award-winning gardener — you can see some of her garden on their website.
They are looking forward to many years of co-authoring and book sales, and a lifetime of happily-ever-after endings on the page and in real life.
You can see excerpts of their books, connect with, and follow C.D. Hersh at:August 22, 2023
WRITERS – GET YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD
from Sharon Ledwith
Tips, Tools & Tricks for the Tenacious Writer is the perfect resource for writers who want to know the ins and outs of what it takes to be a published author. Available Free for download… https://www.sharonledwith.com/tips-tools-tricks-for-the-tenacious-writer/
Forward…
It begins with INTENT. Back when I started blogging, I was so green and didn’t have much to offer writers or even knew what to say. I was scared, insecure, and filled with tons of self-doubt. BUT I moved forward with tenacity and embraced the desire to be a published author, and dare I say, Bestselling author. I’ve built my blog, and my writing career brick by brick, word by word until I’ve amassed quite a collection of helpful and heartfelt content to assist anyone who is remotely interested in delving into the murky, yet exciting world of writing and all the challenges a writer might face. Today, I still have a long way to go, but I’m definitely on the right track with my goals and aspirations as a young adult author.
It is my hope that you find the following compiled content insightful, inspiring, and illuminating as you begin your writing journey or just need some tips, tools, or tricks to help you shine in this crazy publishing business. All the best. All the success.
All Systems Go…
First, let me introduce myself—my name is Sharon Ledwith and I write young adult fiction. My genres include: time travel mysteries (kind of like a mesh of fantasy with a splash of sci-fi meets Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys), as well as paranormal stories where teens deal with psychic powers like psychometry, telekinesis, animal communication—stuff like that.
My intention of this blog is to:
#1 Get you to know me as a writer, and post my experiences as an indie publisher of eBooks.
#2 Introduce and showcase my stories and characters.
In a nutshell—market myself and promote my work.
That’s it really. You see, writing is all about the reader. My goal is to influence and empower today’s youth—the next generation—through the stories I create. I believe everyone is here at this time with a mission and a purpose, and every child has something to add to our evolutionary advancement. Children truly are the keys to our future. It is my hope to unlock this portal.
To Grow or Not To Grow…
I am a dinosaur. I freely admit it. No, no, not the kind with fangs and scales—although my kids may have something to say about that—I’m talking about keeping up with the times. Technology is my biggest and scariest hurdle. It is harsh, unknown territory, and yet without computers, the internet, social networks, texting—I could go on, but you get the drift—there would be no growth, no challenges for our wonderful evolving lives. And let’s face it technology DOES make our lives a heck of a lot easier! Dinosaurs had to make way for humanity (actually, they had no choice in the matter), and so, I too must bow to the changes and challenges technology offers OR become like the scaly beasts of the past and disappear forever.
Here's a glimpse of the premises of both my young adult series.
The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventures
Chosenby an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers—legendary time travelers sworn to keephistory safe from the evil Belial—five classmates are sent into the past torestore balance, and bring order back into the world, one mission at a time.
Children are the keys to our future. And now, children are theonly hope for our past.
Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mysteries
Imagine a teenagerpossessing a psychic ability and struggling to cope with its freakish power.There’s no hope for a normal life, and no one who understands. Now, imaginebeing uprooted and forced to live in a small tourist town where nothing muchever happens. It’s bores-ville from the get-go. Until mysterious things startto happen.
Welcome to Fairy Falls.Expect the unexpected.
The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventure Series:
The LastTimekeepers and the Noble Slave, Book #3
MIRROR WORLDPUBLISHING׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀
The LastTimekeepers and the Dark Secret, Book #2 BuyLinks:
MIRROR WORLDPUBLISHING׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀
The LastTimekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, Book #1 Buy Links:
MIRROR WORLDPUBLISHING׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀
MIRRORWORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES& NOBLE׀
Blackfliesand Blueberries, Book Two BuyLinks:
MIRRORWORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES& NOBLE׀
SharonLedwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventureseries, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the award-winning teen psychic mysteryseries, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, reading,researching, or revising, she enjoys anything arcane, ancient mysteries, andsingle malt scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern touristregion of Ontario, Canada, with her spoiled hubby, and a moody calico cat.
Learn moreabout Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZONAUTHORpage for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.
BONUS: Download the free PDF short story TheTerrible, Mighty Crystal HERE
August 20, 2023
NEW RELEASE FOR EMMA LANE
Soul Mate Publishing is happy to announce they released an intriguing Recency romance from noted author Emma Lane. Here's a little to pique your interest.
Lord Sutcliffe meets a pretty miss on a dusty country road and rescues her from an embarrassing dilemma. It must have been magic as his intention was only to steal a quick buss. Instead, he is astonished to find himself involved in a passionate kiss which leaves him shaken to the core.
Frances, the vicar’s eldest daughter, should have put that impudent, frivolous lord in his place. Why she responded to his kiss the way she did, she’d never know, only that the feelings were too delicious to resist.Frances, consumed with prejudice, and the baron, filled with pride, enter a relationship that begins with them both skeptical they would ever measure up to the roles they are destined to play.
What did he know of estate matters? He was born a military man. How could he convince a vicar’s daughter to join him and fill his lonely days as well as the long nights?
Will Frances’s quest to fill her mother’s shoes cause Frances to turn away from a passionate, happily-ever-after love of her own so freely offered?
BUY LINK
Janis Lane is the pen-name for gifted author Emma Lane who writes cozy mysteries as Janis, Regency as Emma, and spice as Sunny Lane. She lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous in color. At long last she enjoys the perfect bow window for her desk where she is treated to a year-round panoramic view of nature. Her computer opens up a fourth fascinating window to the world. Her patient husband is always available to help with a plot twist and encourage Emma to never quit. Her day job is working with flowers at Herbtique and Plant Nursery, the nursery she and her son own.
Look for information about writing and plants on Emma's new website . Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.
Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter . Be sure to check out the things that make Emma smile on Pinterest .
August 15, 2023
It's Wednesday, So What's Cooking?
Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella½ package any curly pasta3-4 plum tomatoes, diced
¾ cup olive oil
fresh basil leaves
1 clove fresh garlic pressed
fresh mini Mozzarella balls quartered
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cook the pasta al dente.
While the pasta is boiling, sauté garlic in olive oil for 1 – 2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn or your dish will be bitter.
Drain the pasta. Place pasta in a serving bowl.
Add the oil/garlic mixture, Mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Toss well.
Serve the Parmesan on the side.
May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!
Sloane
Sloane Taylor is an Award-Winning author with a second passion in her life. She is an avid cook and posts new recipes on her blog every Wednesday. The recipes are user friendly, meaning easy.To learn more about Taylor go to her website Stay in touch on Blogger , Twitter , and LinkedIn .
Taylor's cookbooks, Hot Mean Wear Aprons, Date Night Dinners, Date Night Dinners Italian Style, Sizzling Summer, and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire are released by Toque & Dagger Publishing and available at all book vendors.
August 13, 2023
COVER REVEAL for EMMA LANE
Regency romance author Emma Lane and Soul Mate Publishing are proud to share the cover for an exciting book, The Baron and The Vicar’s Daughter. Here's a peek at what's coming soon.
Lord Sutcliffe meets a pretty miss on a dusty country road and rescues her from an embarrassing dilemma. It must have been magic as his intention was only to steal a quick buss. Instead, he is astonished to find himself involved in a passionate kiss which leaves him shaken to the core. Frances, the vicar’s eldest daughter, should have put that impudent, frivolous lord in his place. Why she responded to his kiss the way she did, she’d never know, only that the feelings were too delicious to resist.
Frances consumed with prejudice and the baron filled with pride enter a relationship which begins with them both skeptical they would ever measure up to the roles they are destined to play. What did he know of estate matters? He was born a military man. How could he convince a vicar’s daughter to join him and fill his lonely days as well as the long nights? Will her quest to fill her mother’s shoes cause Frances to turn away from the passionate, happily ever after love of her own so freely offered?
Janis Lane is the pen-name for gifted author Emma Lane who writes cozy mysteries as Janis, Regency as Emma, and spice as Sunny Lane. She lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous in color. At long last she enjoys the perfect bow window for her desk where she is treated to a year-round panoramic view of nature. Her computer opens up a fourth fascinating window to the world. Her patient husband is always available to help with a plot twist and encourage Emma to never quit. Her day job is working with flowers at Herbtique and Plant Nursery, the nursery she and her son own.
Look for information about writing and plants on Emma's new website . Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.
Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter . Be sure to check out the things that make Emma smile on Pinterest .
August 8, 2023
Blueberries – the Favorite Fruit of Fairy Falls
Blueberry bushes can be a tad tricky tofind in Fairy Falls. Normally, when you want to seek out this delectable bluefruit, all you need to do is take a walk along any trail or on the edge of rockoutcropping and shorelines where enough sun reaches the forest and you’re boundto find the lowbush blueberry plant, with glossy, green canoe-shaped leaveshugging the ground. Roadside ditches are another common blueberry hideoutbecause of the ideal combination of moisture and sunlight. And, of course,there is that odd field along the back road, lush with fruit. So, where are they?
Gertie Ellis will never tell. Neither willHart Stewart. And most of the residents of Fairy Falls are keeping mum. One canonly imagine some incredible untapped stores deep in the wilderness, favored byblack bears and birds.
The one thing the locals of Fairy Fallswill share with the tourists is the amazing health benefits of their wildblueberries. Known as the most antioxidant of all fruit, wild blueberries areindeed a superfood that are low in calories, but high in nutrients. Frombrain-boosting to disease-fighting, downing a handful of these little fruitfultreasures is like having a natural pharmacy in your mouth. This informationalone sells many pints and quarts of blueberries at the Fairy Falls’ FarmersMarket. Gertie Ellis with attest to that.
All Fairy Falls’ wild blueberries are hand-harvestedusing rakes to scoop berries off the bushes, working in an upward motion. Theserakes are specifically engineered for wild blueberry harvest. Typically, theharvest begins in late July and ends in early September. However, the qualityof the blueberries often depends on Mother Nature. If they’ve had too much rainthe berries will grow soft and split; not enough rain and they’ll be small andgrainy. There are no guarantees in this business, but the residents of FairyFalls are always hopeful for a good harvest. They know that a fairlytraditional winter, enough moisture throughout the spring and just enoughsunshine will yield a bumper crop of wild blueberries that will keep tourists comingback to their small, northern town year after year.The market for wild blueberries shows nosigns of anything but growth. As healthy lifestyles grow in popularity aroundthe world, blueberries have traveled from the pastry shop window into thehealth food store. The fact they are one of the healthiest foods one can eat isquite clearly only the icing on the triple-layer blueberry cake. So take sometime to celebrate this delicious, nutritional fruit—a gift that gives all yearlong!
Here's a morsel from Blackflies and Blueberries, the second installment of MysteriousTales from Falls teen psychic mystery series…
The only witness left to testify against anunsolved crime in Fairy Falls isn’t a person…
City born and bred, Hart Stewart possesses the gift of psychometry—thepsychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touchinginanimate objects associated with them. Since his mother’s death,seventeen-year-old Hart has endured homelessness, and has learned ways to keephis illiteracy under wraps. He eventually learns of a great-aunt living inFairy Falls, and decides to leave the only life he’s ever known for anuncertain future.
Diana MacGregor lives in Fairy Falls. Her mother was a victim of asenseless murder. Only Diana’s unanswered questions and her grief keeps hergoing, until Hart finds her mother’s lost ring and becomes a witness to hermurder.
Through Hart’s psychic power, Diana gains hope for justice. Theirinvestigation leads them into the corrupt world threatening Fairy Falls. To securethe town’s future, Hart and Diana must join forces to uncover the shockingtruth, or they risk losing the true essence of Fairy Falls forever. Mysterious Tales from Fairy FallsTeen Psychic Mystery Series: Lost and Found, Book One BuyLinks:MIRRORWORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES& NOBLE׀ Blackflies and Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:MIRRORWORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES& NOBLE׀
SharonLedwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventureseries, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the award-winning teen psychic mysteryseries, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, reading,researching, or revising, she enjoys anything arcane, ancient mysteries, andsingle malt scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern touristregion of Ontario, Canada, with her spoiled hubby, and a moody calico cat.
Learn moreabout Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZONAUTHORpage for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.
BONUS: Download the free PDF short story TheTerrible, Mighty Crystal HERE
August 6, 2023
GUILT - WHAT IS IT?
FromLinda Lee Greene Author/Artist
I have anenormous problem with feelings of guilt. I’m convinced it’s the bane of myexistence—my chief obstacle in life. I rationalize away too many good hours ofmy days in service to this insidious structure of my ego. I want to break itshold on me. But how? I can’t afford a psychotherapist. Maybe the Catholics haveit right—maybe confession is good for the soul! I think I’ll try it. So heregoes:
Isuck at the art of relaxation and when I try to relax, I feel guilty about iteven though in an out-of-reach region of my consciousness, I know it’s abeneficial thing. But tell that to my ego! Tell that slavedriver that notevery moment must have a purpose, some useful something attached to it.
SometimesI just feel lazy. Ahhh, laziness—not the same as constructive relaxation atall, but a SIN! If you don’t believe me on this point, ask M. Scott Peck, M.D., who wrote the definitive exposé on laziness in his groundbreaking book, People of the Lie. He theorized that laziness ismankind’s greatest evil…that it IS the very DNA of evil. My poor mother, GodBless Her Departed Soul, could only justify her need for this evil by feigningillness and going to her bed for a few hours in a week, or so. My God, I’vebecome my mother and one of Peck’s reprobates!
I’vemade mistakes with my kids—little mistakes and big mistakes. I still do. Thoseare the guilts that bore treacherous, black holes in my mind and heart intowhich I most often plummet…and yes, I lose myself there. My ego loves thoseplunges most of all because there’s no end to the ego’s guilt-affirming,mind-chatter there.
SometimesI gossip! Shame! Shame! Shame! There really is no excuse for it, but still I doit on occasion even while one part of my brain is berating me for my indulgencewhile the other is joyfully partaking of it. The gossiper-me is like a foodaddict licking a huge dome of vanilla ice cream, my taste buds blindlywelcoming as an honored guest the fat cells accumulating on my behind. Andthereafter for days, I feel dreadful about the gossiping and the ice creamorgy.
Sometimes,and sometimes for very long stretches of time, I just don’t want to write, andespecially to market my writing. There’s no limit to my guilt related to thatone because it’s directly centered on God, no less! Why, you ask? Well, becauseGod sent me here to be a writer; it’s my purpose in this life, my ticket intothis particular incarnation—and I have the unmitigated gall to ignore thatagenda, to squander my gift, to thumb my nose at God!!!
Therejust is no hope for me. Guilt has me in a firm grip and it won’t let go. Butwait a minute! I think I do feel a slight easing of my conscience. Wow! Thiscoming clean really works.
Maybeyou’d like to try it. Oh come on. You can do it. There’s a blank space justbelow with your name on it. Only you and I will ever know—I promise!
Internationalbest-selling author Paulette Mahurin had the following to say to me on thesubject at hand:
Comment:
Paulette Mahurin
Good one. We all struggle with this thing called, beinghuman. No escaping it. No switch to turn it on or off and make it do what wewant. It's a new age thing to label it "ego" and put it out there,aside from "the real me" but I've learned that it's all me, simpleole uneasy/easy imperfect me. No escaping the conditioning, programming,learning, and yeah, DNA. So what's the point? Does it even matter if there isone, it'll all change anyway. I'm so glad to see you back out among the cyberdrifters. I love you and your incredible writing. Couldn't resist stopping byto let you know.
Linda Lee Greene
Hello againPaulette. Thanks so much for keeping an eye out for me. I love connecting withyou. I love you too. Best of luck with HIS NAME WAS BEN. I meant to tell youthat your ending of that book was one of the best I've ever read.
In multi-award-winning author, Linda Lee Greene’s A CHANCE AT THEMOON, Olivia’s guilt over her involvement with her mother’s murder drives herto desperate measures that turn deadly dangerous to herself and to the only manwho has truly loved her.
A reader says: “A gripping tale of romance, vices, glamour,insecurities, betrayal, and murder written in a very descriptive and artisticmanner which paints a picture of the environment and characters. This wasclearly well-researched…”
Rich and spoiled-rotten Olivia Montoyo Simms wouldn't know how to cook up a meal even if she was so hungry that "her belly was gnawing at her backbone," to borrow an old-timey expression. But Olivia has no match in the ways of wooing a man to her risky schemes. A gorgeous stranger at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has all the goods to satisfy and girl's appetite, but unknown to Olivia, he just might be the one guy who also has what it takes to wrangle her comeuppance. Was it chance or destiny’s hand behind the movie-star and gambler’s curious encounter at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas? The cards fold, their hearts open, and a match strikes, flames that sizzle their hearts and souls. Can they have the moon and the stars, too? Or is she too dangerous? Is he? Can their love withstand betrayal? Can it endure murder?While the cards at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas fail to distract them from their troubled pasts, on the side, the actress and the gambler play a game of ‘will they won’t they’ romance. Meanwhile, an otherworldly hand also has a big stake in the game. Unexpected secrets unfold brimming with dangerous consequences, and finally, a strange brand of salvation.
Amazon Buy Links Paperback - Kindle
Multi-award-winning author and artist Linda Lee Greene describes her life as a telescope that when trained on her past reveals how each piece of it, whether good or bad or in-between, was necessary in the unfoldment of her fine art and literary paths. Greene moved from farm-girl to city-girl; dance instructor to wife, mother, and homemaker; divorcee to single-working-mom and adult-college-student; and interior designer to multi-award-winning artist and author, essayist, and blogger. It was decades of challenging life experiences and debilitating, chronic illness that gave birth to her dormant flair for art and writing. Greene was three days shy of her fifty-seventh birthday when her creative spirit took a hold of her.
She found her way to her lonely easel soon thereafter. Since then Greene has accepted commissions and displayed her artwork in shows and galleries in and around the USA. She is also a member of artist and writer associations.
Visit Linda at her online art gallery and join her on Facebook . Linda loves to hear from readers so feel free to email her.
August 1, 2023
A FAMILY FAVORITE
From Stella May
This recipe has been in my family since forever. It is a very popular dish for Georgian and Armenian people who absolutely loved their beans. My mother used to make it, but I put a little twist of my own to make it easier. Mom usually soaked dry beans overnight, then cooked them the next day. I use canned beans, and it tastes the same.
The Georgian recipe for mashed beans calls for the finely chopped walnuts. I add them on occasion.
You can eat this dish warm or cold, over bread or crackers like a pate, or just as a side dish.
MASHED BEANS1 can dark beans1 can light beans2 lg. onions, I use plain yellow or VidaliaOil Oil of your choice,I use sunflower or avocado oil1 tsp. khmeli suneli, the traditional Georgian spice, and a MUST*Salt and pepper to tasteFresh parsley, chopped – optionalFresh cilantro, chopped – optional½ cup walnuts,chopped fine – optional
Open bean cans, wash the brine off, and soak in cold water for 10-15 min.
Dice onions fine. Pour oil into a medium-sized pot. When the oil shimmers add onion and sauté until they are slightly yellow and tender, but not caramelized.
Stir in beans. Cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 3-5 min on low to medium heat, stir occasionally. When beans are fully cooked, some will crack, remove pan from the heat. Mash beans with a potato or wire masher. The mixture should have some chunks, so be careful not over mash. Let beans cool for a few minutes, then add khmeli suneli, salt, and pepper.
Add parsley, cilantro, and walnuts if you’re using any of them.
*If you can’t find khmeli suneli then use this substitute:
¼ tsp. coriander seeds, ground¼ tsp. dried basil¼ tsp. dried marjoram¼ tsp. dried dill1 pinch dried red chili pepper
A jaded CEO. A fiercely focused ballerina. A love that defies all society’s rules.
SoHo,1962
JJMorris, successful CEO, leads a secret double life, playing saxophone to his heart’scontent in his hole-in-the-wall dive bar. Yet he can’t escape the feeling he’sslowly petrifying into just another jaded millionaire.
Then agorgeous blonde steps into his bar and shakes up his world. Certain this fiercelittle swan of a woman is exactly what’s missing in his life, he maps out aplan to wed her by Christmas. With or without his snobby mother’s approval.
Mostwomen would be thrilled to learn that the tall, handsome bar musician is, infact, a wealthy prince charming. Verochka Osipoff is less than impressed. She’sfocused on becoming a prima ballerina, and everything hinges on her next audition.She can’t afford distractions, especially a rich playboy slumming it in SoHo.
Yet theheat of their attraction melts Verochka’s heart like warm chocolate. But JJ’sworld is a cold, glittering nest of vipers. And their venom could destroy theirlove song before the first movement ends.
EXCERPT
The sound of asaxophone halted her steps. That deep, velvety voice grabbed her by her throat,and refused to let go. Holding her breath, mesmerized, Verochka stopped, then pivoted. Where did it come from? Strainingher ears, she looked around, searching the almost empty street. Guided by herhearing, she glanced at the closed doors on her right. The Broome Street Bar.Inside, the sax murmured its enchanting tale, sad, and touching, andheartbreaking.
Mon Dieu! What must one feel to play like that?
Verochkaclosed her eyesand swayed to the music. Her arms by their own volition lifted and moved in a lazy,unhurried wave. She visualized the dance in her mind, something slow andsensual. Strange, but she never paid attention to jazz before. Then again, she wasnever partial to any music except classical.
To her there was nothing and no onecompared to Tchaikovsky. But the soulful notes of that sax fascinated her asmuch as the famous opening theme from Swan Lake. When the sound trailed off,she felt almost bereft. She craved to hear more. Will the musician play again?Oh, she hopped so. She’d wait for it.
Outside?On the sidewalk at almost ten at night?
Unwise, not to mentionquite dangerous. Granted, this spot in SoHo was not prone to crime. But still.A young woman alone was bound to attract some attention. Verochkalooked at the closed door of the bar, biting her lip.
To go inside, orcontinue on her way? The wisest thing to do, of course, was to turn around, andgo home, to her tiny apartment. It was late. She must rest before her wake-upcall at 5:30 AM. All morning classes of Madame Valeska started at precisely 6AM, and God forbid if any of the dancers were late even by a minute. The wrathof her teacher definitely equaled to her worldwide fame as a former principal dancerof The Royal Ballet.
Tired after the longday of classes and rehearsals, then cleaning the premises, Verochka barely kept upright. She hated her after- hours janitorialobligations, but promise was a promise. And VerochkaOsipoff never broke her word.
No matter how spentshe was, each and every evening, after all the dancers went home, and theschool was closed, she headed to the closet for a broom and a bucket. At first,she didn’t mind it at all. It was an arrangement made in heaven. An eighteen-year-oldorphan from France, determined to reach her dream, Verochka arrived at the doors of the famous New York ballet schoolwith nothing but fifty dollars to her name and a small satchel that belonged toher father.
After her initialshock faded, the formidable Madame Valeska, the owner of the school, ordered Verochka to change into her leotards,and dance.
Her final verdictdelivered in a grumbling voice was like a heavenly music to Verochka’s ears.
“You have a potential,Miss Osipoff. I’ll take a chance on you, and let you stay for a probationaryperiod of three months. After that, we’ll see.”
Verochka’selation was huge,but temporary. The school was obscenely expensive. No way she was able to affordthe tuition. There was a stipend, but applying for it took only God knew howlong, with no guarantee that it will be granted in the end.
On top of it, she wasa foreigner, all alone in the strange country, and barely able to speakEnglish.
Madame Valeska, quicklyassessing the situation— more accurately, feeling sorry for her— offered Verochka a deal: the education inexchange for cleaning services. A tiny room in the attic as a temporary placeto live was added to that offer. To Verochka,it was like a Christmas gift she could never have dreamt about.
Overwhelmed, moved totears, Verochka grabbed theopportunity with both hands. After a while, she got her stipend for the giftedand unprivileged students, thanks to Madame Valeska’s help, and was able tocover most of her tuition.
The convenience ofliving on the premises saved her the expense of a rent, and occasionalparticipation in corps de ballet’s performances made everything elsemanageable. She didn’t need a lot of food, as her extremely strict diet fell mostlyinto yogurt and fruit category. As to clothes— she learned at her dancing parentsknee the skill to mend tears and repair pointe shoes.
Two years later, Verochka was still living in the attic,and still mopped the floors, and cleaned the premises. But it didn’t matter. Hermain goal to become a prima ballerina of The Royal Ballet took the precedenceover everything else.
Ambitious? Maybe. But,as her father always said, you must dream big. Otherwise, what was the point? So,she dreamed big, and worked like a woman possessed in order to reach thatdream. She was content, and happy, and along the way, fell in love with NewYork, her new home. Her only home. She learned English, and became quite fluentin it, even though her accent stubbornly refused to be erased.
Of course, she missedFrance, and Paris, and small street cafes, and long strolls along the Seine. Oh,the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sprinkled with powdered sugar beignets!Sometimes, she could smell them in her dreams.
But most of all, shemissed her parents. She was sure they were looking at her from heaven, smiling,proud of her accomplishments.
Her occasional nostalgiawas usually sweet, and short, like a children’s lullaby.
But not tonight.
After finishing herduties, Verochka was ambushed by a sadnessso huge, she almost doubled down with it. Suffocated in the large emptybuilding that housed the ballet school, she was lonely, isolated, until shecouldn’t bear another minute longer locked inside. Hence, her impromptu eveningwalk that brought her in the middle of SoHo, to the Broome Street Bar.
The plaintive soundsof sax reached her ears again.
Oh,yeas, please.
Listening to thoseseductive low rumbles, she wondered about the player.
Who was he? Or was it ashe? Why was that melody so sad, so sorrowful?
Available at BOOKStoREAD, AMAZON, and GOOGLE PLAY BOOKS.
July 30, 2023
KODAK MOMENTS
By C.D. HershOne Christmas season our family visited Krohn Conservatory Trains, Trestles, and Traditions holiday display. It’s amazing what a dedicated group of crafters can do with a bit of glue, flowers, and materials like twigs, moss, and bark that most people would haul to the compost pile. Using these natural materials, crafters created vignettes of Cincinnati landmarks Mt. Adams Incline, Union Terminal, the Conservatory, and international landmarks representing the Eiffel Tower, a European castle, and a Chinese pagoda, all ringed with tracks carrying trains and streetcars through the displays. It took patience and skill to create a little world that that made our family spend half of their visit to the Conservatory in the exhibit taking scads of photos, creating Kodak moments that would take us back to the enchanting display whenever we wanted. We were so captivated that we didn’t want to leave the area.
Reading a good book is a lot like our experience at Krohn Conservatory. When we find a story that transports us, we don’t want the story to end, and we want to revisit that world time and time again. Pearl S. Buck, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are a few of the writers who provided classic Kodak story moments for us. Debbie Macomber’s town of Cedar Cove has enchanted her readers. Readers love Jan Karon’s character Father Tim from the town of Mitford. And who can forget the world of Harry Potter? J.K Rowling’s stories and characters spurred young readers to devour her books, waiting anxiously for each new book to appear. Plus a whole series of movies and new stars.
As writers we strive to create characters readers will love and locations that readers want to revisit long after the book is closed. Why? Because our job is to write and write well, and because stories that remain in the hearts and memories of our readers are the books that become bestsellers and classics. Who doesn’t want that?
So how can you create stories that will leave your readers wanting more and retuning to your books time and time again? Here are some things we think are key to writing stories readers will love. Get your readers to use their senses. What sounds more interesting? Susan bent toward the rose and inhaled its sweet scent, or Susan bent toward the rose. The peppery scent, with a hint of musk, tickled her nose. If you say the vase of flowers is “lovely” do you know what it looks like? Or does the phrase, Yellow roses, fading to peach at the tips, spilled from the cut-crystal vase, give you a clearer picture? Show don’t tell. A good sentence shows the reader what is happening, revealing emotions and actions without telling the reader what is happening. Jane was angry is telling. A vein pulsed in Jane’s temple and her mouth straightened into a thin, drawn line shows what the anger is doing to Jane. The reader instinctively knows Jane is angry because you have shown her emotions, not told them. Write in active, not passive, voice. The words was, to be, had and words ending in ing are all tip offs to passive writing. Johnny was walking down the street can easily be changed to Johnny walked down the street. Change Shelia had been dusting the hall before breakfast to Sheila dusted the hall before breakfast. Scour your work for passive verbs and eliminate them whenever possible. Avoid stereotypical characters. Show more than one side of your characters. Heroes and heroines have flaws, fatal flaws that can get in the way of their goals, get them deeper in trouble, and keep them from being goody-two-shoes. After all, no human is perfect. Even villains love someone and could be self-sacrificing for that special person. If you have a stereotypical character, try turning him or her around in some way to make them less of a stereotype. Pirates are criminals you wouldn’t want to meet on the high seas, but in spite of his criminal background, you just can’t help rooting for Captain Jack Sparrow. Why do viewers love him? Because he’s a bit of a bumbler and so darned cute. A stereotype turned on its ear. Pay attention to setting. The best writers know their worlds inside out and convey them flawlessly to the reader. Pearl S. Buck brought the foreign world of China to life for a Midwestern teenager. Romance author Jean Johnson created a magical world in her Sons of Destiny series that caused us to collect her entire series. Children (and adults) love the world of Harry Potter because it is magical and different. Popular Amish romances bring the intriguing world of a reclusive religious sect to life for readers. Setting can also be important enough in some stories to be considered a character, so pay attention to the rules of your worlds. There is always a reader who will notice if you break them and they will be disappointed because you didn’t pay attention to details.Look at the books you have on your “Keep” shelves. How do these five elements play out in them? Now look at your own writing. Are you weak in any of these areas? If so, get out the editing pen and start correcting. With a little work you, too, can create Kodak stories readers will love.Here is a little about out shapeshifter series that will be five books with four already out on Amazon.
TITLE: The Turning Stone Chronicles
GENRE: Urban fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
HEAT LEVEL: Sensual
Three ancient Celtic families. A magical Bloodstone that enables the wearers to shape shift. A charge to use the stone’s power to benefit mankind, and a battle, that is going on even today, to control the world. Can the Secret Society of shape shifters called the Turning Stone Society heal itself and bring peace to our world?
Find out in The Series The Turning Stone Chronicles
Book one of the chronicles titled “The Promised One” available on Amazon
In the wrong hands, the Turning Stone ring is a powerful weapon for evil. So, when homicide detective Alexi Jordan discovers her secret society mentor has been murdered and his magic ring stolen, she is forced to use her shape-shifting powers to catch the killer. By doing so, she risks the two most important things in her life—her badge and the man she loves.
Rhys Temple always knew his fiery cop partner and would-be-girlfriend, Alexi Jordan, had a few secrets. He considers that part of her charm. But when she changes into a man, he doesn’t find that as charming. He’ll keep her secret to keep her safe, but he’s not certain he can keep up a relationship—professional or personal.
Danny Shaw needs cash for the elaborate wedding his fiancée has planned, so he goes on a mugging spree. But when he kills a member of the secret society of Turning Stones and steals a magic ring that gives him the power to shape shift, Shaw gets more than he bargained for.
Book two of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “Blood Brothers” available on Amazon.
When Delaney Ramsey is enlisted to help train two of the most powerful shape shifters the Turning Stone Society has seen in thousands of years, she suspects one of them is responsible for the disappearance of her daughter. To complicate matters, the man has a secret that could destroy them all. Bound by honor to protect the suspect, Delaney must prove his guilt without losing her life to his terrible powers or revealing to the police captain she’s falling for that she’s a shape shifter with more than one agenda.
The minute Captain Williams lays eyes on Delaney Ramsey, he knows she’s trouble. Uncooperative, secretive, and sexy, he can’t get her out of his mind. When he discovers she has a personal agenda for sifting through all the criminal records in his precinct, and secretly investigating his best detective, he can’t let her out of his sight. He must find out what she’s looking for before she does something illegal. If she steps over the line, he’s not certain he can look the other way for the sake of love.
Book three of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “Son of the Moonless Night” currently available on Amazon.
Owen Todd Jordan Riley has a secret. He’s a shape shifter who has been hunting and killing his own kind. To him the only good shifter is a dead shifter. Revenge for the death of a friend motivates him, and nothing stands in his way . . . except Katrina Romanovski, the woman he is falling in love with.
Deputy coroner Katrina Romanovski has a secret, too. She hunts and kills paranormal beings like Owen. At least she did. When she rescues Owen from an attack by a werebear she is thrust back into the world she thought she’d left. Determined to find out what Owen knows about the bear, she begins a relationship meant to collect information. What she gets is something quite different love with a man she suspects of murder. Can she reconcile his deception and murderous revenge spree and find a way to redeem him? Or will she condemn him for the same things she has done and walk away from love?
Book four of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “The Mercenary & the Shifters” available on Amazon.
A desperate call from an ex-military buddy lands a mercenary soldier in the middle of a double kidnapping, caught in an ancient shape shifter war, and ensnared between two female shape shifters after the same thing ... him.
The first four books of their paranormal romance series entitled The Turning Stone Chronicles Series page are available on Amazon. Their standalone novella, Can’t Stop The Music, is in the Soul Mate Tree collection with twelve other authors from various genres.
Putting words and stories on paper is second nature to the husband and wife co-authors whose pen name is C.D. Hersh. They’ve written separately since they were teenagers and discovered their unique, collaborative abilities in the mid-90s while co-authoring a number of dramas, six which have been produced in Ohio, where they live. Their interactive Christmas production had five seasonal runs in their hometown and has been sold in Virginia, California, and Ohio. As high school sweethearts, Catherine and Donald believe in true love and happily ever after. Which is why they write it!When they aren’t collaborating on a book, they enjoy reading; singing; theatre and drama; traveling; remodeling houses (Donald has remodeled something in every home they’ve owned); and antiquing. Catherine, who loves gardening, has recently drawn Donald into her world as a day laborer. Catherine is an award-winning gardener — you can see some of her garden on their website.
They are looking forward to many years of co-authoring and book sales, and a lifetime of happily-ever-after endings on the page and in real life.
You can see excerpts of their books, connect with, and follow C.D. Hersh at:
