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A Day with Heather Frost: Author Interview

Author Heather Frost has set the release date for Royal Spy: Fate of Eyrinthia Book Two, for May 20, 2021, and I couldn’t be happier to interview her as part of the Royal Spy blog tour. I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you how excited I am to read her new book, too! I only wish time had allowed me the opportunity to read it before this post. That said, be watching for my review. It is coming!!! Until then, please enjoy learning more about Heather.

Heather’s Bio

Heather Frost writes mostly YA fiction and has a soft spot for tortured characters, breath-stealing romance, and happy endings. She is the author of the Seers trilogy and the Fate of Eyrinthia series. She has a BS in Creative Writing and a minor in Folklore, which means she got to read fairy tales and ghost stories and call it homework. When she’s not writing, Heather likes to read, travel, and hold Lord of the Rings movie marathons. She lives in a beautiful valley surrounded by towering mountains in the wilds of Utah.

Heather Frost: InterviewWhat is the first book that made you cry?Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I was so sad when Harry couldn’t go live with Sirius! Ironically enough, the book that made me cry the hardest was The Order of the Phoenix, when Sirius dies. I was crying so hard, I couldn’t even see the words!Does writing energize or exhaust you?Generally, I find it very energizing. Some days it can be draining, but it is truly one of my favorite things to do.What are common traps for aspiring writers?I think a common roadblock for new writers is not writing because the words aren’t coming out perfectly. It can feel like your first draft needs to be perfect, and that’s really an impossible goal. Every first draft is rough. Don’t let your perfectionism stop you from writing that first draft! You can’t improve the words until they’re written.

4. Have you ever gotten reader’s block?

Yes, usually if I’m in the thick of editing, I can’t stand to read other books. I’m too critical. And after I finish reading a really good book, I can have a hard time finding a new book to love.

5. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?

I love a good series, so that is mostly what I write. I think it’s fun to really explore more of the world, and to spend more time with characters!As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?Probably a dragon. One that spends most of their time curled up in their cave, surrounded by the things that make them happy! I feel like my writing style is fierce, stubborn, and dedicated. And when I’m in the thick of writing, the rest of the world disappears, and I’m quite the hermit.How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?At last count, I have 15 finished and unpublished books, and about 50 in different stages of completion. A lot of those are ideas that were going well, but I hit a wall, or I’m not sure about their marketability, and other projects took over my attention.Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?I do read some of the reviews because I do think they can be helpful! Early in my writing career, I received this advice: read the 5-star reviews when you’re having a bad day and you need positive reinforcement.  The 4- and 3-star reviews are perfect to look at when you want to see what you could improve on. 2-stars should only be read if you’ve got your tough skin on; you might learn something you can improve upon, but it’s also possible the reader just doesn’t like your style. 1-star reviews mean the audience wasn’t right; reading them will only hurt, so it’s probably best to skip over those. Remember, there is not a single book out there that EVERYONE loves. So don’t take it personally if someone didn’t like yours!What was your hardest scene to write?Near the beginning of Royal Spy, we learn there will be a prisoner exchange. I won’t give any spoilers, but that prisoner exchange was my most difficult scene to write. One beta reader imparticular, my dear friend and talented editor/writer, Anna, spent hours helping me and pushing me to keep rewriting until I got it right.Does your family support your career as a writer?Yes! My family is SO supportive of my writing, and I’m so blessed to have their love and support.Official Royal Spy Blurb[image error]

A DECOY recruited to be a spy.

A PRINCE compelled to become an assassin.

A SERJAH pressured by an unwanted crown.

A WORLD covered in shadows.

Mere months ago, Clare was just a kitchen maid. Now, she is a decoy for Princess Serene and a novice spy, caught in the royal family’s web of secrets. While journeying to Mortise to finalize the princess’s betrothal to Serjah Desfan, Clare lives for the stolen moments she has with Bennick, the bodyguard who is quickly claiming her heart. But when a notorious assassin is hired to kill her, Clare’s life and the alliance hang in the balance.

In Ryden, Grayson prepares to leave for Mortise with his brother, Liam. Their orders are to ignite a war between their enemies, and Grayson has been tasked with assassinating Princess Serene. It may cost his soul, but he is ready to comply, as long as he gets something in return: freedom for Mia, the girl he loves. But the more time he spends with his brother, the more he begins to wonder if Liam is what Grayson wishes he had the courage to be . . . a traitor. 

Desfan feels trapped. By his disapproving council, his impending marriage to a stranger, and the imminent arrival of enemy princes who may not want the peace they profess. When a dangerous drug threatens his people, Desfan jumps at the chance to rely on his swords instead of politics. But his investigation uncovers more than he bargained for—a plot that may destroy Mortise from within.

Eyrinthia hovers on the edge of war. Spies. Rebels. Traitors. All must choose a side.

More Info

Purchase your copy of Royal Spy by Heather Frost at Amazon (digital), Amazon (hardcover), or Barnes and Noble.
You can also add it to your reading list on Goodreads and Book Bub.

Follow Heather Frost at www.heatherfrost.com and on social media.

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Goodreads
Book Bub

PRE-ORDER GIFT: THE DECOY AND THE BODYGUARD

Pre-order Royal Spy and get an EXCLUSIVE short story from Bennick’s POV!

About the story:

Bennick is a royal bodyguard, prepared for anything—except Clare Ellington. THE DECOY AND THE BODYGUARD follows Bennick and Clare during their first day together, but from Bennick’s POV. Of course, things go terribly wrong . . .

Be sure to read my review of Royal Decoy: Fate of Eyrinthia Book One.

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Flicker of the Flame: A Book Review

Tereka wants nothing more than to live her life as a trader, but secrets, lies, and a prophesy make living nearly impossible in Flicker of the Flame.

Readers of epic fantasy can now find Flicker of the Flame, the second book in the epic fantasy series The Outlawed Myth by Evelyn Puerto. In a land literally governed by fear, Iskra once found freedom. More than a decade later, those who try are still taken–whatever that means. Now Tereka is discovering the truth about her parents and herself and the strength she has within.

My Thoughts on Flicker of the Flame

I couldn’t have been more excited when Evelyn Puerto offered me an advanced copy of Flicker of the Flame. Thanks to Puerto’s excellent world-building skills, I spent several months thinking of Iskra and Xico, the main characters in Flight of the Spark (book one of the Outlawed Myth Series). Ruled by fear, in both books, the government decides what is safe and fair. Perhaps, like me, you’ve questioned the possible miseries a life without freedom would impart. Puerto gives us a pretty good idea, and her world brings about plenty for us to consider.

In the Outlawed Myth series, the government rules over what people wear, how they work, how they speak, and how they think. The main character, Tereka, like all traders, can be punished for protecting herself from those who want to hurt her. And there seem to be a lot of those people. But, as with all good fantasy heroes, she fights back. After all, when fear controls you, it’s hard to control others.

As with most books, this one has a plethora of themes. Loyalty stood out to me. Through various scenes, readers discover supporting characters who prove their loyalty, while other characters’ loyalty is brought into question. Readers also follow Tereka as she gains loyalty in situations that seem impossible. I expect this theme to grow through book three as destiny tests Tereka’s newfound faith even more.

Flicker of the Flame does deal with some adult topics, but does so in an appropriate way.

Official Blurb:

An ancient prophecy, now an outlawed myth. Secrets, long kept, that can kill. A young girl who was never meant to be born.

Tereka Sabidur’s life has never been fair. Her brothers always went unpunished while she was mocked and abused. When her mother’s rages escalate into violence, the truth of Tereka’s parentage is revealed, and Tereka and her father end up on the street.

Undaunted, Tereka seeks to put her shattered life back together. But she soon learns everything she believed about herself, her family and her world was a lie. Between a cryptic prophecy, three magic amulets, and those who seek to murder her, she becomes embroiled in a fight for her life.

As the threats against Tereka mount, she unlocks the mysteries surrounding her birth, she is faced with an impossible choice.

Will she embrace the scandalous truth—and her impossible destiny—before the secrets of her past destroy her?

More Info

Purchase your copy of Flicker of the Flame on Amazon.

Follow Evelyn Puerto on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads

Learn more about Flight of the Spark: Outlawed Myth Book One by reading my review.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinion are honest and my own.

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The Lake Turned Upside Down: A Book Review

Twelve people dead after an F4 tornado ripped a thirty-eight-mile swath through Minnesota. Learn more in The Lake Turned Upside Down. A true account of the 1969 Outing Tornado.

Author of The Lake Upside Down Sue Dugan Moline found herself along with her family and a Bethany Resort cabin battered and drowning in Roosevelt Lake near Outing Minnesota in 1969. Fifty years later, she published the pieced-together story of the terrifying event that sent 12 people to their deaths and dozens more to the hospital.

My Thoughts about The Lake Turned Upside DownFather’s water-skiing accident: more than two hundred stitches requiredChildhood car accident: five out of six hospitalized; three in serious; three with life-time injuriesHouse fire: family misplaced for six months

Those are the main traumas I experienced while living under my parents’ roof. “Fun” most definitely isn’t the word I’d use to describe them. In fact, for years after my family’s car accident, I struggled with flashes and memories of the accident. I was the one not hospitalized…The one who walked away.

Memories of such terrible events easily bring tears. Some bring nightmares. But it is through those memories that we begin to see the light of healing and the beauty of God’s hand in our lives. That’s the message Moline brings us in The Lake Turned Upside Down.

Moline pieced together snippets of memories from survivors.

Moline took the survivors’ memories of August 6, 1969, and recreated what happened. No one had spoken of the event for decades. Then, a half-century later, they cried together.

The Lake Turned Upside Down gives readers a glimpse into the physical and emotional tolls this particular trauma caused. Two full cabins dropped into a lake. The bottom of the lake seen by at least three witnesses. Memories of frantically swimming, hoping to reach air…

It is was a horrendous event that I cannot fathom surviving. But most did. In a matter of days following the tornado, Moline attended a funeral for seven of her family members and friends. One funeral, attended by more than a thousand people. Impersonal.

But, as bad as it was, Moline and the other survivors have been able to see the hand of God. His hand in their survival, but also in the preparation of those who died.

The book reads like a memoir and is filled with information about the 1969 Northwoods Tornado Outbreak. I’d never heard of it; you probably haven’t either. But I’m glad I know of it now. Instead of a story of death, grief, and loss, it is a story of healing. One I easily recommend.

The Official Blurb:

August 6, 1969 became the fifth deadliest day in Minnesota tornado history, killing a total of fifteen people state-wide. Eleven of the fifteen deaths occurred on the east and west shores of Roosevelt Lake at 4:55 p.m. in the tiny town of Outing. There had been no warnings.

Dozens of cabins, resorts, and vacation homes sat in the path of the F4 tornado as it blew through the Outing area, affecting countless lives for decades to come. More unbelievable than the tragedy of those who died is the miracle that anyone survived at all.

The Lake Turned Upside Down is the most comprehensive account of the event to date, compiling news reports, pictures, movies, weather records, and over one hundred testimonies from survivors, first responders, and eyewitnesses. This moving book shares the stories that have been burned on the hearts of the families in Outing that day—their lives, their unbelievable survival, and even how seven of the tornado’s victims had been preparing for heaven just weeks beforehand.

The National Weather Service called it the Northwoods Tornado Outbreak. The author calls it a miracle that anyone lived as the cabin she was in with 17 occupants was blown into deep Roosevelt Lake. Sue Dugan Moline shares the drama and hope in a tragedy that has been tucked away until now. After a half-century, it is time to pass on the memories that refused to be silenced.

More Info

Purchase your copy of The Lake Turned Upside Down on Amazon.

Follow Sue Dugan Moline on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and duganbooks.com.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Read more book reviews on KameoMonson.com.

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Fourth Sister: A Book Review

Shisei and death go hand in hand. Mother knew it when she named her. But Shisei can’t let anyone else she loves die in Fourth Sister by M.L. Farb.

Whitney Awards nominee and fantasy author M.L. Farb releases her latest Hearth and Bard Tales book, Fourth Sister, February 10th. The story, set in ancient Japan, brings new characters to life for you to love.

My Thoughts on Fourth Sister

What would you do if your two brothers died at birth and one was your twin? What if your eldest sister sent you away, claiming you were cursed to bring death? Would you return home? Would you do whatever it took to win your family back?

These are the dilemmas the main character of Fourth Sister, Shisei, has to work through. How fitting that she apprentices herself to the mask maker–also an outcast. In fact, as I read the story, I followed many threads connecting her to her sensei, who teaches much more than crafting masks.

As a fairytale retelling, Fourth Sister doesn’t dwell on heavy magic or the large amount of swordplay that many fantasies focus on. Instead, it focuses on the characters and their emotional growth.

And that’s good because Shisei has much more to do than find a way to save her sister who is accused of causing the Kazoku’s son’s death. She must discover her family’s importance in the world…her importance in the world.

Every time I read one of Farb’s books, I find myself claiming, “This is my favorite one!” Each time I mean it. The characters in Fourth Sister, as in Farb’s other books, are full of life, emotion, and most of all, growth. More than that, they make me laugh, make me worry, and make me think.

In this particular book, Farb includes a haiku at the beginning of each chapter and a few more scattered throughout the pages. Each one is beautifully crafted and helped me take a minute to ponder what I had read and what I expected to read in the next chapter.

As always, Farb includes discussion questions at the back of the book. She also delivers a perfectly clean and all-age appropriate story.

Official Blurb

Shi, shi, fourth and death
Fourth sister and twin to death
Brother born silent
 
Blamed for her twin brother’s death, Shisei, the outcast fourth of seven sisters, apprentices herself to a mask maker; but when the local Kazoku accuses the youngest sister of killing his son, Shisei must lead her sisters in a deception that will either save the youngest or condemn them all.
 
Fourth Sister is a Japanese fairy tale retelling with sparse poetry and gold mended brokenness. A Studio Ghibli type story that invokes reflection.
 
Little Women x Spirited Away.

More Info

Purchase your copy of Fourth Sister on Amazon.

Follow M.L. Farb on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and her website.

Read my review of Vasilisa: Hearth and Bard Tales Book One.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

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The Other Mrs. Samson: A Book Review

When Ralph dives into the past life of his cherished friend Katie, he discovers untold stories of those who loved her husband, Josef, beyond both World War I and World War II in the Other Mrs. Samson.

Award-winning author Ralph Webster will release his third book the Other Mrs. Samson on February 15, 2021. A dramatized historical biography, and written in similar fashion to a memoir, this book fits well with Webster’s other works.

My Thoughts About The Other Mrs. Samson

As a twelve-year-old child, and as part of a goal-setting program, I read the Hiding Place for the first time. Shortly after that, the “old” Disney Channel, the one that played the Mickey Mouse Club in the morning and afternoons and classic movies at night, showcased the 1980s version of the Diary of Anne Frank. That year, my heart was turned toward the stories of those who suffered at the Nazis’ hands.

For years, I searched for and read books, non-fiction and fiction alike, that revolved around the Holocaust. I couldn’t imagine going through what any European did during that time period, let alone what those sent to concentration camps suffered.

As an adult, I find myself still drawn to that period of time. So, when the opportunity to review the Other Mrs. Samson presented itself, I jumped on it. Two world wars, two wives, and a story of survival? How could I not?

At the beginning of the Other Mrs. Samson, we learn how Ralph met Katie–the older, yet incredible woman who became one of his and his wife’s closest friends. But before learning much about Katie, we learn about her husband’s first wife, Hilda.

It didn’t take long for me to realize the book wouldn’t move quickly. But the slow pace never once deterred my desire to learn more about these characters either. I say characters, but I mean people. Hilda, Josef, and Katie were real people as were the other people mentioned. The history, relationships, and turmoil in their lives–all of it is real. True. As the author, Webster took pieces of their history and smoothed them out, making the story flow nicely for those of us who never had the chance to meet Katie.

More than that, he fills us in on secrets that Katie never told a soul until after her death. Even then, she brushed them off as unimportant. But they are important. Important to history, but also important to remember our nature as human beings.

This isn’t a typical Holocaust-era story. But like the Hiding Place, it tells a story worth reading. One that highlights life without gun-slinging Nazis or arrogant Allies. One that highlights the tangled love one man had for his wives and the love they shared for him.

The Official Blurb

Surviving two wars, sharing one husband, searching for answers.

A secret compartment in a black lacquer cabinet left in an attic reveals the secrets of two incredible women: Hilda, born and raised in one of the wealthiest Jewish families in turn-of-the-century San Francisco, and Katie, whose early life in Germany is marked by tragedy and death. Their lives are forever entwined by their love of the same man, the brilliant and compassionate Dr. Josef Samson.

From the earliest, rough-and-tumble days of San Francisco, through the devastation of the Great War in Berlin and the terrors of Vichy France, and then to a new yet uncertain life in New York City, their stories span the most tumultuous events of the twentieth century. In the end, one of these women will complete the life of the other and make a startling discovery about the husband they share.

More Info

Purchase your copy of the Other Mrs. Samson on Amazon.

Follow Ralph Webster on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

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Merrily Yours: A Book Review

Travel back in time to when Ellie drags June to Jazzercise, and the (yet-to-be) grannies concoct a plan that brings everyone together. Minus one snowman. Merrily Yours: A Christmas Novella by Jessica Marie Holt may not be a romance and may only have one granny, but it fits right in with the totally awesome Grannie Pact Collection.

My Thoughts on Merrily Yours

Several mornings of my childhood started with Mousersize, a TV workout with leotards. dancing, and cartoons. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were always there too! I’d lay out my towel and occasionally follow the steps while waiting for the cartoon break in the middle.

That, along with headbands, doubled-up socks, and leg warmers, came rushing back in one big swoosh at the description of June’s ill-fitting leotard and shiny tights in Merrily Yours. I couldn’t stop laughing. Add in mention of Back to the Future, teen Mitch’s latest passion, and I was hooked! How could I not be?

But there’s plenty more to this book than memories of the eighties. June takes on the world and tackles Jazzercise better than Ellie imagines. On top of that, the yet-to-be grannies take on the crotchety neighbor after he…

Let’s just say the fallout snows on everyone. In blizzard fashion, it blankets their husbands and kids, June’s daughter’s friend and his dad, and even the school teacher. And yet, somehow, it all works out in (yet-to-be) Match Maven glory.

Criminally funny, Merrily Yours makes a great stocking stuffer for that special someone in your life. Or heck, get it for yourself–because it’s not only the eighties that rock(ed)! This is one rad book you won’t want to put down until the last page. Best yet, it’s short enough to curl into the couch and finish in one sitting–just scoot the kids outside to play with a reminder to shout “car.”

The Official Blurb

Before they were grannies . . . Ellie and June were suburban 80s moms, with big hair, flowered casserole dishes, and snazzy jazzercise outfits!

Shady Oaks, December, 1985–Amid tween drama, PTA meetings, Christmas shopping, jazzercise, and an endless to-do list, June is busy getting ready for one of her famous Christmas parties. The last thing she needs is trouble from Mr. Krantz, the crotchety next-door neighbor who has it out for her–and her daughter’s cat. But trouble is what he always seems to bring, every time he darkens her doorstep.

But is Mr. Krantz a true crank, or just a lonely fellow in need of some Christmas cheer?

Ellie’s worried about her friend June. At the rate she’s going, she’ll be frazzled and miserable by Christmas. Ellie’s willing to pitch in any way she can–even if it means teaming up to take down Mr. Krantz. But June is reluctant to accept her help, and too busy planning the perfect Christmas to find her Christmas spirit.

Can June slow down enough to appreciate the real reason for the season? Or will this go down as Ellie and June’s craziest Christmas ever?

More Info

Purchase your copy of Merrily Yours: A Christmas 80s Novella on Amazon.

Follow Jessica Marie Holt on Facebook , Twitter, &  Goodreads

Read my reviews of the other books in the Granny Pact Collection.
Reluctantly Yours
Accidentally Yours
Surprisingly Yours
Totally Yours

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Lucky In Love: A Book Review

Kat Ellison has every intention of catching the eye of the recently single Hunter Hayes, but with Sam Buxton around, all her plans seem to go awry in Lucky In Love by Kimberly King.

King, author of the Magical Troubles Series and Evan the Horrible, recently released Lucky In Love, a YA romance. And as with her other books, Lucky In Love delivers plenty of humor that will bring smiles to the faces of tweens, teens, and adults alike.

My Thoughts on Lucky In Love

A little story.

King and I frequent a few of the same online writing groups. While writing this book, she asked a question about pool guys. I don’t even remember the question, only that it had something to do with pool guys being cute. Why? Because pictures instantly popped into my head…of my dad vacuuming a dirty pool while dressed in his 80s Hammer pants, chlorine-bleached t-shirt, and a floppy bucket hat that shaded his face well beyond his Tom Selleck mustache. (I’m pretty sure Dad had the mustache first.) I couldn’t stop laughing at the idea that a pool boy might be cute. Then again, Mom probably disagrees.

Whether or not I would read Lucky In Love was never a question. King’s books always entertain me. And her non-existent promise of giggles that would make my husband give me questioning stares? Well…she made good on that too.

Lucky In Love deals with a seventeen-year-old Kat, who always has a cause in mind. Her current cause: make the gorgeous and popular Hunter Hayes like her in order to equalize the various social groups on campus.

As she gets to work, mishaps flourish, and each one is as hilarious as the next. Kat’s grandmother, a seemingly eccentric type, makes it all the more fun. But my favorite character is the pool boy…#2.

Clean in every way, this may be a YA sweet romance, but it is most definitely for all ages. I bit my nails, worried, and laughed with the best of them. If you need a Christmas gift for an avid reader, this is a book I 100% recommend.

The Official Blurb

Kat Ellison is sure she’s the only person on earth whose grandma still flirts with the pool boy. But she’s got bigger problems now that Sam Buxton, Senior Class President, keeps coming around. From the moment she laid eyes on him, she’s had nothing but bad luck, but there’s no getting rid of him. Gram has decided they’re a perfect match and is bound and determined to get the two together.

From her baking mishaps at home to mortifying moments in the halls of Honeyville High, Kat’s convinced Sam is a bad penny the way he keeps showing up. But she has a plan: win over recently single Hunter Hayes, convince Gram that he’s a better match, and get rid of her bad luck—and Sam—once and for all.

The trouble is her fate is written in the stars. How can she change it when everything keeps bringing her back to the one person she can’t stand?

More Info

Purchase your copy of Lucky In Love on Amazon.

Follow Kimberly King  Facebook Twitter Goodreads

Read my other reviews of King’s books

The Trouble with Fairy Godmothers
The Trouble with Prince Charming
Evan the Horrible

I received a copy of this book for free for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own.

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The Things We Love: A Short Story

The early-afternoon warmth of the rocks in the mostly dry riverbed seeped into Charlotte’s bare feet as she stepped from one to another. The nights and mornings had turned cold, and she stopped momentarily, closing her eyes and relishing the sun on her face. With a sigh, she opened her eyes and gazed at the nearby mirrored buildings that now lined the banks.

Over the years, skyscrapers had overtaken the last strips of desert along the river banks. She missed the days of her youth when she could stand in place and see nothing but open spaces, though she’d always heard the traffic of the interstate. It wasn’t like she was outside the city. It only seemed that way. The built-up banks and flood plain had made that easier.

She stepped to a small puddle, the last remaining after the release of high water from the nearest dam. Summer had been wet, but once the storms ended, the puddles had slowly evaporated—as puddles usually do.
She bent down and gingerly plucked a few blades of long grass that grew at the edges and added them to the small bouquet she carried in her other hand. Mother was getting older, but flowers still brought her joy.

It didn’t take long before the tattered blue tarp came into view. Silver threads from the underside lifted and fell with the breeze. The center sagged slightly, reminding Charlotte it might soon be time to tighten the nylon twine securing it between a couple of mesquite trees.

Grinning, she chuckled. There had been a time in her life when she’d known nothing more than huddling underneath the tarp with a blanket and the leftover sandwiches and cookie crumbs she and her mother had found in the receptacles of attractions favored by field-trip attendees. The science center and zoo were the most lucrative.

Their daily schedule had been exhaustive. Breakfast, “dishes,” and bathing came first. Then they traveled the streets, making sure their immediate needs were met. They never begged, but if someone offered them cash, they didn’t turn it down.

Along the way, Mother taught and quizzed Charlotte on a number of subjects. She had never accepted their circumstances as a reason for Charlotte to skip learning. Mother may not have wanted the usual picket-fence life, but she still had her standards. At night, Charlotte read from the books her mother had stashed away, soaking in what each taught her about the world she lived in, but on the outskirts of.

With a curved back, she shuffled under the shade of the tarp, the temperature dropping as she did.

“Mom.”

She crawled to the back and knelt down, laying the flowers on her mother’s chest and lifting her wrinkled hand to cover the stems. The fresh fragrance lightened the air.

“Mom, please come home with me.”

“This is home.” Her voice rasped as she opened her eyes and laboriously raised her hand to Charlotte’s face. “I can’t leave.”

“You can. I have a house now and a job. I can take care of you.”

Charlotte helped her sit up and lean against a large stone. Then she dug into the bag that crossed over her chest and hung to her hip. Opening the thermos, she poured the soup into the cup and spooned a bite to her mother’s lips. Chicken and Stars had been a family favorite for years.

“You do. You come every day,” her mother said before clumsily slurping the soup.

“Mom, it’s cold in here, and you’re stuck in bed.”

Mother coughed, the creases in her face deepening. “I’m not cold. Besides, I’ve always liked the cool air.”

Charlotte leaned over and grabbed a bottle of water from the supply she’d dropped off a week previous. Popping the seal, she handed it to the aged woman. “Drink.”

Mother took the water with shaky hands and lifted it carefully to her lips. As Charlotte watched, she resisted the urge to help steady it.

“You need help. A hospital,” Charlotte said. “I have a good job.” Her eyes burned, and she blinked. “You don’t have to worry.”

A soft smile lifted Mother’s lips, her eyes crinkling at the edges. “I’m not worried, Char. I’m old, and I’m dying, and I’m exactly where I want to be.”

“On the edge of a dried-up river surrounded by rocks, lizards, and rattlesnakes, lying on a pile of dusty blankets?”

“It’s the life I chose.”

“It isn’t a life. It has never been a life!” The tears fell from her eyes now, rolling down her cheeks and falling to the dirt floor.

Mother’s blue eyes met hers, glistening, yet clear. “I’m proud of you.”

“What?” Charlotte blubbered in confusion.

“I’m proud of you,” Mother heaved. “You grew up under unusual circumstances. Not many children can say their parents chose to live on the streets.” She eyed Charlotte. “Yours won’t.”

Mother coughed again, her breathing raspy. Charlotte’s lungs squeezed painfully each time.

“Charlotte,” her mother breathed. “Was it really that bad? Being raised by me?”

She shook her head violently. “No. I don’t understand your choice, but we were different than the others. You taught me to read and write. You taught me honesty.” A slight giggle escaped her lips. “We weren’t down on our luck; we were living it.”

“You remember.”

The words were faint, more of a gasp than anything.

Charlotte nodded. “It was true, wasn’t it?”

Mother nodded. “I lived the high-paying job.” She coughed, her head lurching forward as her chest crumpled under the pressure. “Didn’t like it.”

Charlotte thought of the afternoons spent roaming the riverbed and looking for sparkling pebbles or tiny wildflowers. She remembered the “vacations” spent splashing in the trickles of water released from the dam. She grinned as she remembered Squeakers, the kangaroo rat who adopted her, sharing her sandwich crumbs and warm pockets.

“I know, Mom.” She wiped at her tears as she gazed at her watch. “I have to go.”

“Tomorrow.”

“After work.”

Charlotte lifted the frayed tarp and felt the sun touch her face. Breathing deeply, she stepped away from her mother. How could she step away? Clenching her eyes shut, she reached into her bag and pulled out her phone.
The call to her boss was fast. A family emergency. She hadn’t called in before, but this time she had no choice.

Shoulders slumped, she eased back beside her mom and took her hand. Already asleep, the aged woman’s breathing had softened, and she didn’t stir. By evening, Charlotte had managed to spoon a few more bites of soup into her mouth, then curled herself into the single blanket not in use.

The packed dirt beneath her was free from stones and burrs, but hard—different than how she’d slept in the past. Mother had always piled the blanket under and over her. Now she tugged Mother’s blankets higher, tucking her in.

She hadn’t always agreed with her mother’s methods. As a teenager, she’d nearly left, stomping up the edge of the riverbank and down the street. But she’d known enough to realize that as she sought assistance for herself, she would end up separated from her only family. As a minor, the unknown had been scarier, and she stomped back that same day.

It wasn’t until her early twenties that society pulled at her. Society and the nice man she’d met at the science center. Thank goodness, Mother had always insisted on cleanliness. It took weeks for her to tell Nick the truth. The questions had become a wedge, but the answers were nearly as divisive, at first.

Restless sleep wrapped tendrils around her sometime during the night, but as Mother’s breathing changed, Charlotte lifted her head.

“Mom.”

Shaking her gently, the realization came. Mother would never wake again.
It wasn’t until the sun reached its zenith that Mother passed peacefully in her sleep, unhindered by needles, wires, or walls. It wasn’t what Charlotte wanted, but it was right. Right for Mother.

Charlotte picked up her phone and sent a text, then scrounged around for Mother’s washcloth and brush.

The prickling in her eyes quelled as her tears mixed with the cool water of the washcloth. Gently, Charlotte wiped the dirt from Mother’s skin, then brushed and braided her hair. As she finished, she heard voices.

Within minutes, a hand touched her shoulder, and as she turned, Nick tugged her into his arms. He held her there without speaking. It’s what she needed. Pulling her from beneath the tarp, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and helped her shuffle away from the others.

“She wouldn’t leave.” Charlotte sniffled.

“She loved it here, just like you.”

“Not like me. I left.”

He hugged her tighter. “Kind of.”

She raised her gaze to his, questioning. He eyed her bare feet.

“Whenever we go for a walk, you take your shoes off. It doesn’t matter where we are. Why?”

“I want to feel the earth against my skin.”

“And halfway through, when you close your eyes?”

“The sun and breeze on my face.”

“You make a point of not finishing the best part of your lunch and dinner, and you wrap the smallest of leftovers up before throwing them away.”

“Someone might be hungry.”

“When it rains—”

Charlotte smiled. “I dance in the puddles.”

“We have a cage full of rats.” He chuckled.

“I guess I do love it. But I still left.”

“We never really leave the things we love.”

Charlotte looked at him, her chin trembling. “We don’t, do we?”

He brought her closer and tenderly kissed her forehead. “Never.”

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Sweepstakes: I Joey Release Week Celebration

What better way to celebrate a new book than with several sweepstakes? And guess what? Each one has daily options

Enter one or enter all four.



Prize One

A Kindle-ready copy of one of my books! Winner’s choice!

Learn more about my books on my Available Books page! This sweep is open worldwide!

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Prize Two

A Kindle-ready copy of Rebecca L. Marsh’s latest book Where Hope is Found!

Learn more about Where Hope is Found on Amazon. This sweep is open to US residents only.

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Prize Three

Win a Kindle-ready copy of Reluctantly Yours by Jessica Marie Holt.

Learn more about Reluctantly Yours and the rest of the Granny Pact Series on Amazon! This sweep is open to US residents only.

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The Grand Sweepstakes

An autographed copy of one book from the Finding Me Series or a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card!

Learn more about the Finding Me Series on my website. US Residents only.

This is the fun part.

The more entries this sweepstakes receives, the more winners there are!

For every 100 individuals (not entries)–up to 400 people–I’ll give away one autographed book or gift card! The winner(s) choose which book they want autographed, or go with a gift card. One book or gift card per winner.

How do you open the sweep up for more chances to win? Share this post with your friends! There are even social media share buttons below!

Odds of winning are 1:100. (This sweepstakes only.)

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Rules of the Game



Unless otherwise stated, all sweepstakes are open to US residents only.All sweepstakes listed on this page begin November 5, 2020, at 12:00 a.m. MST (Arizona) and end November 13, 2020, at 12:00 a.m. MST (Arizona).All sweepstakes on this page have daily entries available.Participants may enter one or all of the listed sweepstakes. Odds of winning are dependent on the number of entries unless otherwise stated.Winners are randomly chosen.Winners’ entries will be verified.Winners will be notified by email. If winners do not respond within 48 hours, they forfeit the prize and another winner will be chosen.All prizes, except for autographed books, will be delivered via email within one week of the winner’s acknowledgment and acceptance of said prize. Please allow 8 weeks for autographed books.Rebecca L. Marsh and Jessica Marie Holt are not responsible for prizes. Contact Kameo Monson if you do not receive your prize via her contact page.

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Totally Yours: A Book Review

The grannies June and Ellie, owners and operators of Match Mavens and the creation of Jessica Marie Holt, are back in Totally Yours, book four in the Granny Pact Collection. If you weren’t sure at the end of book three…it’s Mitch’s turn.

My Thoughts about Totally Yours

Do you ever look at a dating couple and think, so wrong. Have you wondered why a friend continues to date someone when it’s obvious they’re miserable? What about a family member who is one step away from getting engaged? Do you ask “have you thought this through?”

That’s the situation June finds herself in, and it only gets worse when Sarah asks her to fix her father’s (June’s son) love life. Talk about a promising foot-in-mouth situation. And that’s exactly what June’s worried about!

Such situations usually come with frustration and anger. And that’s true here too, but as a rom-com Totally Yours still has readers laughing over humorous quips and fun situations. Oh, and a little more Chilian fun!

Holt keeps this series hopping with so many fun scenarios that I jumped when I saw she’d written another one. Of course, as funny as Totally Yours is, she didn’t write unreal characters. Each one comes with real strengths and weaknesses. They yearn for a love that flows easily. Yet, every one of them understands that relationships take work.

But can a willingness to work on a relationship causes problems? Don’t worry, Holt tackles this serious topic without bogging down the story. She’s created what we all want. Totally Yours is a light-hearted romance, filled with hope. Who doesn’t love that?

As with the rest of this collection, I adored this book. Wholesome, easy-to-read, and funny beyond words, Totally Yours is totally awesome.

The Official Blurb

The Match Mavens are back, and this time, it’s personal!

June and Ellie are committed to helping the lonely find happiness.

But what about the not-so-lonely?

Unable to say no to a beloved granddaughter in distress, June has reluctantly agreed to help Sarah save her father from the terrible fate of marrying the wrong woman. The problem? June isn’t convinced that Janet is all wrong for Mitch. And even if she is, interfering in Mitch’s love life will put June at serious risk of destroying her already-fragile relationship with her beloved son.

What’s a matchmaker to do?

Well, plenty, if Ellie has anything to say about it.

But can the grannies really help Mitch find true happiness, without tearing Junes’ family apart?

More Info

Purchase your copy of Totally Yours on Amazon.

Follow Jessica Marie Holt on Facebook , Twitter, &  Goodreads

Read my reviews of the other books in the Granny Pact Collection.
Reluctantly Yours
Accidentally Yours
Surprisingly Yours

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

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