Jackie Layton's Blog

Creative Juices

The Desert Sleuths chapter of Sisters in Crime hosted a conference this past weekend, and it was amazing. There was a panel led by Rhys Bowen with Edith Maxwell, Catriona McPherson, and Lois Winston. The topic focused on staying creative. If you’ve read many of my posts, you know I enjoy setting goals. After attending… Continue reading Creative Juices

Fall is the Season to Fall for a Good Book

The days are cooler and shorter. What’s cozier than curling up with a good book? If you haven’t read all my books yet, this is a good season to catch up. In a few months, Killer Secrets, the third book in An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery Series will release. Stay tuned for a cover reveal… Continue reading Fall is the Season to Fall for a Good Book

National Hug & High 5 Day

It’s been a tough week in the United States, and I wanted to do an uplifting post. I discovered it is National Hug & High Five Day and the National Day of Encouragement. Mark Twain said, “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Let’s find ways to be… Continue reading National Hug & High 5 Day

September is the New January

In August, I joined a small group of friends, and we looked at our goals from January. We discussed how we were doing on our 2025 goals. We also talked about new goals for the rest of the year. We discussed other goals, like family, health, and spiritual goals. One of my goals is to… Continue reading September is the New January

Editing and Such

I’ve been busy the past week working on Developmental Edits for Killer Secrets, the third book in An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery Series. I can’t wait to share this book with you all in the next few months. This is not the cover, but there may be a kayak in the story. Meanwhile, is anybody… Continue reading Editing and Such

All This Could Be Yours

The first time I met Hank Phillippi Ryan was at Malice Domestic. I was so nervous and excited, and I could barely say a word. Gracious is a good way to describe Hank. She is kind and gracious. She’s an encourager, and she remembered me the next year when we crossed paths. Her newest book… Continue reading All This Could Be Yours

Save the Date(s)

I hope you’re all having a great summer. I’ve been busy, including a trip to Gatlinburg to celebrate the birthday of my sister-in-law. It takes a special event to get this beach girl into the mountains. The beauty of the Smoky Mountains was breathtaking. We hiked, we got rained on, we played mini-golf, we got… Continue reading Save the Date(s)

Happy 4th of July

I hope you have fun plans for the holiday, and I hope you find time to read a good book. We’re celebrating my sister-in-law’s birthday this week by hiking, playing games, and laughing a lot. Happy birthday, Carol! In book news, I’d like to introduce you to Annie McEwen’s book, Dead, White, and Blue. It’s… Continue reading Happy 4th of July

Packing for Vacation

I don’t know about you, but the first thing I pack when preparing to travel is books. Sometimes I’ve bought a book and saved it for the trip. And I always want to include a visit to at least one bookstore when I travel. I enjoy exploring the world. I enjoy mountains, big cities, and… Continue reading Packing for Vacation

It’s a giveaway

This week I’m participating a blog tour and a giveaway. Thanks to JustRead for hosting the tour. Here’s the landing page with the stops. Be sure to enter the giveaway. https://justreadtours.com/2025/05/19/... May 19Reading Is My SuperPowerMrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie ReviewsMusings of a Sassy Bookish Mama May 20Beauty in the BindingLife on Chickadee LaneA… Continue reading It’s a giveaway