Brenda Whiteside's Blog, page 12

Reading and Reviews (Cooper and Winters)

I'm an author, but I'm also a reader. From time to time, I'llshare my reviews of present and past reads. My available time to read islimited because I write, but I love to curl up with a paperback or an eBook atnight for the last hour of my day. 

I tend to read what I write, but not exclusively. BesidesRomantic Suspense, I read crime and law novels, once in a while a true story, WWIIhistoricals, mysteries, and mainstream character driven books.

Here are some of the books I've read recently or in the not-too-distant past.Maybe you'll discover a new book or author.

After the Fact by Jeff Cooper 

When Jack Collins leaves asmall Connecticut law practice to join one of the nation’s most prestigiousfirms, he trades a nondescript office for an elite one in a gleaming New YorkCity skyscraper. He basks in the pride of working with people far more glamorousthan those he left behind, including a famous boss, an alluring coworker, and awell-known client, Abigail Walker, the wealthy widow of a senator.

Jack thinks he’s on the path to glory, but he’sreally a victim of deceit, a pawn in a game he doesn’t even know he’s playing.His new boss harbors deep secrets, his seductive coworker is not the person hethinks she is, and his new law firm is at the very center of a blackmail plotinvolving the widow Walker.

Blinded by the allure of wealth and power, Jackdoesn’t see the danger around him. Time is running out for him to figure outthe truth before he loses everything: his career, his marriage, and maybe evenhis life. 

MY REVIEW

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The main character, JackCollins, isn’t a perfect human being. He’s a good man, and I routed for him,but his faults made him that much more interesting. I feared he’d succumb tothe seductive coworker and ruin his marriage. I’m not saying he doesn’t…don’twant to spoil it for you. There is a villain of sorts who I was happy to see takea dive. I applaud Mr. Cooper for good characterizations. To me a good story isincomplete without standout characters. And the plot is twisty enough to keepyou guessing. 

AMAZON BUY LINK

 

Deadly Evidence (Jessie Black Legal Thrillers book 3) by Larry A Winters 

When a massacre at an eliteprivate high school leaves seventeen dead and a city reeling with horror,Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Jessica Black will stop at nothing tofind justice for the victims. But doing so will require facing an adversaryeven more terrifying than the teenage shooter.

Lurking insecrecy is an evil voice known only as True_Man. True_Man haunts the Internet,befriending the lonely and the frustrated, turning adolescent emotions towarddestruction. Jessie believes True_Man is just as guilty of murder as theteenager he manipulated, but finding him—and proving his guilt in the courtroom—willtake all of Jessie’s formidable legal skills and more. 

MY REVIEW

I’ve read several Jessie Black novels by Mr. Winters. I’veenjoyed all of them including this one, although I don’t rank this as one ofthe best. Her partner, Graham, irritated me a few times with his phone. I thinkyou’re supposed to get irritated and feel Jessie’s frustration, but it seemed abit overdone. Jessie hunting down True_Man seemed forced at times to make itwork. But don’t get me wrong. This is an entertaining novel which is the purposeand appreciated.

AMAZON BUY LINK

How I Became a Cozy Mystery Writer by Susie Black

MUSE MONDAY

It's so fun to have Susie Black back for Muse Monday on Discover... And has she got something special for you. Did you know there's a whole method to choosing the right swimsuit for whatever body shape you possess? No kidding! Here it is readers, in time for summer. CLICK HERE and then read on for a fun post. And thanks, Susie!

Like theprotagonist in my Holly Swimsuit murder mystery series, I am a ladies’ apparelsales exec. The most critically important skill a sales exec must have tosucceed is to be a good storyteller. Fortunately, I’ve been telling storiessince I learned how to talk. One thing I’d been told over and over as a salesexec was to know your product inside out. I heard the same thing when I started writing cozy mysteries: writewhat you know. If you don’t know it, either do the research and learn it ordon’t dare to write it. Whether you’re an author or a sales exec, you’reselling yourself, and readers, like buyers, can sniff out a phony in aheartbeat, and then you and whatever kind of story you’re telling are toast.

I came to write inthe cozy mystery genre because I love solving puzzles. My parents wouldcertainly confirm I have always asked a lot of questions, and I am naturallycurious (some narrow-minded people say I am nosy…go figure…LOL). So, writingmysteries was the natural

next step for me to take. Since I’d never written anovel before, the only thing I knew to do was to apply the same story-tellingskills I’d successfully used hawking bikinis to writing a tale. So, where didmy story ideas come from? From the start of my career, I have kept a dailyjournal that chronicles the quirky, interesting, and often challenging peopleI’ve encountered as well as the crazy situations I’ve gotten myself into andout of. The journal entries are the foundation of all my writing. With a dollopof imagination, a pinch of angst, and a decades-long career chocked to thegills with juicy characters, I had more stories itching to be told in my dailyjournal than time to write them.

Who could push asales exec to dream of murder and mayhem? Who else but a buyer?  After completing a rather challengingconversation with an important, but difficult account, I imagined how good itwould feel with my hands around her scrawny neck, squeezing the life out ofher. While the notion of knocking off my annoying customers was wildlyappealing, a horizontally striped prison uniform making my four-foot, nine-inchbody look like a barbershop pole and a fire hydrant had a child wasn’t a prettysight. The viable alternative?  Writinghumorous murder mysteries set in the Los Angeles garment center. Brilliant andcathartic! In one fell swoop, eliminate a pain-in-the-patootie buyer, avoidlife in prison, and still get the order. It doesn’t get any better than that.

DEATH BY CUTTING TABLE BLURB

Butch Oldhamdidn’t have an honest bone in his body. So, the question wasn’t who wanted thebastard dead. The question was, who didn’t.

This isn’t the first time I’d been the only one withno power. When I first bought the boat, I learned the hard way don’t let thecoffee maker, microwave oven, and television run at the same time or thecircuits overload. But in the middle of the night with no appliances running oran electrical storm to cause a power outage? The blood froze in my veins. Theanswer isn’t inside the boat. I hoisted myself over the forward deckonto the dock with my heart in my throat.

A faint hint of smoke wafted from the breaker box andpower outlet as I reached the end of the dock. I yanked the damaged plug out ofthe outlet and threw it in the water. I blasted the dock power outlet andbreaker box with the fire extinguisher and pulled the other end of the powercord out of my boat power outlet. Eight minutes after my nine-one-one call, thecavalry arrived in force and all hell broke loose.

****

The psychedelic light shows of the emergency vehiclesflashing strobe bubbles created an eerie specter as they bounced off the wallsof the apartment buildings across from the marina. While the firemen examinedthe breaker box, two LA County Deputy Sheriffs kept my dock neighbors at adistance from my houseboat now swathed with yellow crime scene tape.

After the Deputy Sheriffs arrived, Antonio, thesecurity guard, called the Dockmaster to bring her up to speed. Twenty minuteslater, Dock Mistress Audrey Camarillo showed up at my slip to consult with meand the first responders.

A fireman squatted in front of the breaker box andelectric outlet. “See this?” Siggie sidled over next to the fireman and thenosy parker hound rested his head on the guy’s shoulder for a closer look. Thefireman laughed and gave my curious canine a howdy-do scratch behind the ears.

The fireman pointed to the marine power cableconnected from the outlet to my boat. The interior guts of the marine cable arecovered by a protective rubber encasement. The cable was slit open, exposingthe wiring inside mid-cable to the prongs of the tampered plug. Several stripsof aluminum foil anchored in place by a fistful of pennies laid on the dockadjacent to the breaker box.

The fireman said, “Whoever did this is no amateur.They knew exactly what they were doing. If they hadn’t been interrupted, theywould’ve jammed the pennies in the breakers and wrapped the breakers with thealuminum foil. The breaker would’ve blown and ignited a fire. With therubber-coated power cable serving as a connector, the fiberglass boat would’veburned to a crisp in a matter of minutes.” He stroked his gloved hand acrossSiggie’s head. “It’s a darned good thing Ms. Schlivnik’s dog scared them off.”He turned a one-eighty around the basin. “With all the gasoline-powered motors,they came within a hair of blowing up the dock and burning this entire basin toashes.” The fireman shoved his helmet to the crown of his head and whistledthrough a gap in his front teeth. “Somebody wanted Ms. Schlivnik dead. Theycame mighty close to succeeding.”

The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department detective turnedto me and asked, “Any idea who is responsible?”

I motioned to the gate above the gangplank. “That’s asecurity gate. You need a key to get into the basins. Every tenant has a key tothe gate and their key works on every gate in the marina. I’m not sayingboaters don’t let outsiders in, because we all do. But this time of night, Idoubt if a boater is still out, and if someone was, they certainly wouldn’t leta stranger in.”

Audrey shrank back in horror. “You’re saying one of ourtenants is responsible?”

I nodded. “Yeah, and I’ve got a pretty good idea whichone. She was aboard her boat last night.”

BOOK LINKS:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C62HRJXM

Barnes &Noble:  Death by Cutting Table by Susie Black | eBook | Barnes &Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Book Bub:  Death by Cutting Table (Holly Swimsuit Mystery Book 4) bySusie Black - BookBub

Goodreads:   Death by Cutting Table (Holly Swimsuit Mystery Book 4) bySusie Black | Goodreads

SUSIE BLACK BIO

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights BookHeaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Applebut now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her HollySwimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susiebegan telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all thestories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with anaccent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and istrying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as hercore food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep hergirlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susielives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy butsmart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inheritedgenetic defect.

Looking for more? Contact Susie at:

Website: www.authorsusieblack.com

E-mail: mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

Also Find Susie here:

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/susieblack.com

Facebook:    https://facebook.com/TheHollySwimsuitMysterySeries

Instagram:   Susie Black(@hollyswimsuit) • Instagram photos and videos

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/authorsusieblack-61941011

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/hollysusie1_saved/

Twitter:    http://twitter.com/@hollyswimsuit

Getting Wicked With Trevor by Amber Daulton #romance

WICKED WEDNESDAY

It's so much fun when a character jumps from the page to visit us here on Discover... This hero is a criminal so he's got a little wicked to fill us in on this Wicked Wednesday. Thanks, Amber Daulton, for bringing Trevor to us.

Hi, guys! What’s up? I’m TrevorMadero, the protagonist from Amber Daulton’s new romance, Trevor’sRedemption. Catch how I didn’t use the word hero? I don’t feel muchlike one, but my girl, Shea, would probably disagree. Anyway, I’m visiting withthe lovely Brenda Whiteside to talk about the wicked stuff in my book.

First things first—I’m nottelling you everything. I can’t. I won’t. You won’t pull it out me. All mymistakes and choices have made me into the man I am today, but some of them arejust too personal to share.

I’m no hero. I’m a criminal, butlet me back up. Have you heard of Onyx? It’s a US-based criminal organizationthat manufactures and distributes drugs through several smaller sets. Capulariais the set I run with. I’m an enforcer, and when dealers don’t pay up or try tosteal, my buddies and I have a talk with them. After that, they alwayspay up. Believe me. My mentor is a ruthless, brilliant lieutenant who wants meto rise through the ranks and take on a pivotal role in the organization at hisside, but I’m doing my best to stay on the down low and only deal with streetscum. I hate office politics, and that’s what the Onyx higher-ups are allabout. Yeah, no thanks.

Everything was running smoothlyuntil I met Shea. She’s my light in the darkness, and the things I’ve alwayswanted but never thought I could have, I kept associating with her. Wife, kids,house, dog—I want that stuff, despite the things I do after hours. My life ismessed up, but Shea showed me how different things could be. It’s never easy tobreak away from a life of crime, but for Shea, I’d bloody my knuckles for her.And I did. More than once.

That’s enough for now. Thanksfor reading. If you want to know more, my book is now available for download.Make sure you let Amber, my author, know what you think. She loves checking outreviews and hearing from readers.

Later, dudes. It’s been great!

 

Blurb

 

Thedanger and lies are more than she can handle.

Shea O’Bannon feels like a fifthwheel around her romantically paired-off friends, but there’s too much slime inthe dating pool for her to bother with it. Then she sees her two-timing ex,Trevor Madero, serenading the mostly female crowd at a live-music bar. Godknows trouble follows him around, but her desire for him rushes back in anyway.After he rescues her from a handsy drunk, temptation takes over.

Determined to prove he neverstepped out on Shea, Trevor slides back into her life—and her heart—withforever in mind. Even with the wall he keeps up to protect her, his secretcriminal life weighs heavy on his soul and drives a wedge between them.

Whenthe truth comes out and his enemies target them both, they’ll have to fight fortheir love, or kiss it goodbye. 

– Book 3.5 in the sexy romanticsuspense series, Arresting Onyx. 

Tagline: Will the truthsend her running, or will she fight for the man she loves? 

Add to Goodreads – https://bit.ly/TrevorsRedemptionGoodreads

Check it out on BookBub – https://bit.ly/TrevorsRedemptionBookBub 

DownloadTrevor’s Redemption Today 

Universal - https://books.amberdaulton.com/trevorsredemption 

About the Author

 

Amber Daulton isthe author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and severalstandalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, TheWild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print ondemand, audio, and foreign language formats.

She lives inNorth Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

 

Social Media Link

 

Universal link – https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton

It's All About Setting by Gayle M. Irwin #SweetRomance

MUSE MONDAY

Creating the perfect setting for my stories is one of my favorite things to do. My guest today, Gayle M. Irwin, has a great post to share about setting. Enjoy!

Setting plays a vital role in my sweet, contemporary romancestories. Montana is one of those places.  I resided there for nearly 14 years, and it’sthere where my love for writing, nature, and outdoor photography took deeperroot. Observing bison lounging in my yard, trumpeter swans flying overhead,sandhill cranes dancing in courtship, and colorful wildflowers blooming –including yellow balsam root, purple lupine, and crimson fireweed – graced mylife. 

Known as The Treasure State and the Big Sky State, Montana’s gems
remain endless, including Yellowstone and Glacier national parks and numerousnational forests and wildlife refuges and its vast skyline. Colorful sunrisesand sunsets in shades of peach, rose, lavender, citrus, and cherry envelopehorizons, and daylight brings azure and turquoise with wispy clouds that floaton the breeze. Even nightscapes sparkle as millions of twinkling stars dance onthe inky floor. 

My newest book, released last week in e-book format, istitled “Love Takes Flight.” The setting is western Montana in an area known asthe Mission Mountain Valley, which I’ve fictionalized as Merritt MountainValley. I patterned the area after the real one, with craggy mountains on bothsides, a meandering river, and lush pastures and wetlands, which draws numerousspecies of wildlife, including sandhill cranes. These birds bring my characterstogether. Their connection to Ellie’s deceased grandfather also plays a strongrole. 

I enjoy bringing readers to Montana’s magnificent landscapeswith the hope their journey through the pages will captivate them through thelarger, overall story. 

Blurb

Events from the past could destroy their present andfuture.

 

Ellie Davisinherited her grandparents' farm in western Montana. Her vision, to continuethe fruit and vegetable growing and selling legacy and to add a rescued animalprogram, is threatened by her dad, who wants to sell the property. The riftbetween them widens after Ellie discovers her money-driven dad attemptedto obtain the land in secret. When she connects with a local wildlife biologistover a mutual love for the land, Ellie discovers an ally in her quest to keepthe farm ... and maybe something more. However, an event from herpast adds to Ellie's concerns about the future.

 

NathanFord's job as a federal biologist involves behavioral studies of the wildlifefound at two different refuges in the region. He discovers more sandhill cranesthan previously documented in the area during the past 20 years, and that workbrings Ellie into his life. Nathan falls fast for the granddaughter of a friendwhose funeral Nathan could not attend because of something he prefers to leavein the past. When he learns of Ellie's desires for the farm and the oppositionshe faces from her father, Nathan determines to help her fulfill her dream –but revealing a part of his life he would rather forget is a task he's hesitantto tackle.

 

When theirchallenging pasts are finally revealed, will Ellie and Nathan's new-found loveshrivel like a prairie flower during a drought or grow, strengthen, and takeflight like a young bird?

 

A sweet,contemporary romance about forgiveness and healing that weaves pet rescue andfamily saga into the love story. 

Excerpt:

“Cal really loved thesehorses,” Nathan commented.

“Yes, he did. Grace inparticular.”

Nathan looked at her.

“Are they adjusting? Tohis absence, I mean?”

Ellie shrugged.

“I think so, little bylittle. They stayed at the Flannagan place over the winter. Abby is going tofoal in a few months, so I’ll be giving Mr. Flanagan the youngster when it’sold enough to leave its mother. He’s giving me two bum lambs to start my littlepetting zoo. I’m getting chickens for eggs, so I hope a few of them will bekind enough to tolerate kids.”

Nathan studied her.

“Petting zoo? Kids? I sensea story there.”

Ellie chuckled.

“Yeah. Variety is thespice of life, they say, so, in addition to the normal fruit, veggies, and herbofferings at the Davis Family Farm, we’re going to have naturalist-styleprograms for families, including a petting zoo.”

“Wow! Sounds incredible.And it sounds like you have a lot in the works already.”

Ellie nodded.

“I started working on theplan in November. I had hoped at Thanksgiving to help my dad see theopportunity to make this place fun and profitable with the various ways ofbringing in money.”

“No go, uh?”

Ellie shook her head.

“He said my business planwas a pipe dream and doomed for failure.”

“I’m sorry, Ellie.”

Nathan couldn’t imagine afather not encouraging his child in her dreams, especially someone like Elliewho was not only passionate about her goals, but realistic and intelligentenough to draw up a business plan.

“I’ve come to expect suchthings from him. Still, I can’t say I wasn’t disappointed.”

Their eyes met and heldfor a moment. 

Buy Link:

Available on several e-book platforms, including Amazon,Barnes & Noble, and Kobo through this link: https://books2read.com/u/4AADBe 

Print version to release on Saturday, August 26, 2023 –National Dog Day! 

Author Bio:

GayleM. Irwin is anaward-winning Wyoming author and freelance writer who has been recognized byWyoming Writers, Inc. and the Wyoming Press Association. She is a contributing writer in eight Chicken Soup for the Soulbooks and the author of many inspirational pet books for children and adults.She writes sweet contemporary, small-town romance set in the Rocky MountainWest, where she has lived for more than 40 years. An animal advocate, sheweaves pet rescue and adoption into her stories and donates a percentage of booksales to animal rescue organizations. Gayle enjoys traveling, naturephotography, and spending time at her mountain cabin with her husband and theirrescued dogs. Learn more about her at her website: gaylemirwin.com. 

Social Media Links:

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/GayleMIrwin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wycabinlady/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wyoauthor1

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/gaylemirwin

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/gayleirwin

Wicked Cream Puffery by Mickey Flagg #WickedWednesday #Recipe

WICKED WEDNESDAY

Don't we always love a wickedly good recipe? And read to the end about a wickedly good book too. Please welcome my guest, Mickey Flagg. 

Ihave a delicious dessert to share along with a bit of a story about thosewickedly important holiday bakes that become tradition. Every Christmas, mymother baked a particular Italian cookie. One or two of my aunts always came tohelp. She had a large Sicilian family, and this recipe called for 14 eggs, 5lbs. of flour, a pound of butter, and so on. I’m sure you get the picture. Withno bowl big enough, the flour formed a well on the kitchen table, the eggs andeverything else went in the middle, and strong arms kneaded the cookie doughuntil they were ready to be rolled and shaped into mounds. The result? Cookieson every single flat surface available. Then the icing and sprinkles… anothermulti-hour task filled with love. 

Inever mastered those traditional cookies, although I bake them every Christmas.But one of my mother’s cookbooks ended up in my hands some 25 years ago. Woman’sDay Collector’s Cookbook of 1960, priced at 95 cents. The book, its pagesbrown with age, had never been opened. One recipe called to me. Hmmm…. momnever made cream puffs. Neither did my 17 aunts (7 on my father’s side and 10on my mother’s). So, I began a new tradition.   

Forthe past 25 years, I can’t show up to Christmas dinner at my sister’s homewithout a large tray of petite cream puffs. It’s a game with my nephews… howmany can they pile on their plates and consume after a scrumptious meal. We alllaugh. I beam with pride. This year, our newest family member, only months old,had a taste of the cream filling. Her eyes brightened and everyone witnessedthe next generation of traditional cream puff fans.

 

MakingPetite Cream Puffs can be a bit complicated, but a wickedly delightful dessert. 

Ingredients

1cup water                 ¼ cup of butter           ¼ teaspoon salt           1 cup sifted flour

4large eggs beaten     Cream filling              Confectioners sugar 

In asaucepan heat water, butter, and salt to a full rolling boil. Reduce heat, andquickly stir in flour, mixing vigorously with wooden spoon until mixture leavesthe sides of the pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat, transfer the ball intoa large mixing bowl, and add beaten eggs in 6 additions, beating after eachaddition (electric mixer at low speed makes this easier). Make sure your ovenis very hot, so pre-heat and bake at 400º F. Drop dough from a metal spoon ontogreased baking sheets, forming mounds 1” apart. For petite cream puffs, measurea little less than a heaping teaspoon of dough for each. This will make about24 puffs. Bake until they are golden brown so the shell will be hard and hollow.Remove to racks. The puffs are cooled completely before you fill them. I oftenwait a day to let them dry out.  

 

WhippedCream Puff filling: In a cold mixing bowl, add a pint of heavy or whippingcream and mix on high. Add confectioners sugar to taste (I prefer the whippedcream moderately sweet). It must be very stiff so that the beaters stand ontheir own. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for a few hours to get thewhipped cream very cold before filling the puffs. 

Whenyou’re ready to fill the puffs, cut them open and pull out any soft center.Fill a large Ziploc bag and cut a small tip out of the bottom if you don’t havepastry filling bags available. Generously fill cream puffs so the cut-off lids looklike little hats on each one. Generously sprinkle with confectioners sugar.Refrigerate until serving.  

Justlike the main character in my novel, Petite Cream Puffs are wickedly complicatedas well as wickedly good! Here’s a little info about The Vampire’sRetribution:

Dreams are often hidden desires… even if they areterrifying. Michael Malone, a mystically enhanced vampire, destroys threeimmortal sorcerers and begins an unprecedented battle. Poisoned and captured, he’sleft to rot in a cell beneath the city. Guided by the heavenly entity known asHelena, he spins a complex fantasy of survival. Michael’s fading mind creates emotionaltwists and unexpected turns, passionate highs and very realistic lows. Is theredeliverance or the end to his immortal existence at its conclusion? Eachrevelation offers hope. Yet Michael’s last words doggedly remain “Let me die.”His original reasons for the singular battle are noble. One is retribution. Theother is love.

Buy links: Amazon.com:The Vampire's Retribution (The Champion Chronicles Book 1) eBook : Flagg, M.:Books

Barnes & Noble: TheVampire's Retribution by M. Flagg, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®(barnesandnoble.com)

 

AboutMickey:

Always an avid reader, the realm of paranormal fictionis the perfect landing point for Mickey Flagg. After a successful career as amusic teacher and an urban school administrator, she continues to spin storiesof passion, love and redemption. She’s been a contributor in a book on urbanmusic education and has also authored an article for Still Standing, aweb-magazine about loss and healing. Named a Distinguished Music Educator atthe 2010 Yale Music Symposium, Mickey is a life-long New Jersey resident, amember of Liberty States Fiction Writers, and a Professor in Residence with alocal university.

Good Enough to be Fearless by Tammy D. Walker

 FEARLESS FRIDAY

Tammy has a great fearless post for us. She looked those naysayers in the face and fearlessly pursued her dreams. 

I'd heard it again and again from teachers and fellowstudents: "You're just not good enough."  I'd heard it often enough from other peoplethat I even began telling myself "You're just not good enough."  So I'd always taken the safe route. 

The safe route, for me, did not involve anything to do withmath or science, even though I'd loved those subjects when I was younger.  When I reached high school, though, somethingabout my connection to math and science changed.  I don't know if it was just the usualadolescent social and emotional upheaval, that teaching styles changed, or ifmy inability to memorize seemingly unrelated numbers and facts and formulas caughtup with me.  It didn't help to hear mymath teacher--I had the same one the last three years of highschool--constantly remind us that if we couldn't do math as well as anengineer, well, we were all failures in life.  

And when my high school computer science teacher told methat I'd asked a "stupid question," well, that pretty much ended myinterest.  Which was devastating on somelevel.  I'd spent a lot of timeprogramming the family Commodore 64 when I was younger, and I'd enjoyedbringing together my love of computers and my love of music. 

 

So, when I went to college, I studied "easysubjects," psychology and sociology. (My favorite psychology class was, you guessed it, statistics.)  And then, during my last semester, I took aclass on Shakespeare.  My professor toldme I was more than good enough at writing analyses of plays, so why not be anEnglish major?  So after a year of notfinding a suitable job with my psychology BA, I enrolled in a master's programin English.  Because I was good enough atthat. 

Studying English boosted my confidence--here was something Iwas more than just "good enough" at! And I discovered that maybe I was also good enough at creative writing,too.  So after I finished up my master'sdegree, I enrolled in a PhD program, studying poetry, both as a critic and awriter.  

All the while, though, I kept my connections totechnology.  I created websites forstudent groups.  I studied more about thedatabases I used to organize submissions to the literary magazine I workedfor.  And, after I graduated, I took ajob at another university that involved administrative tasks for their distanceeducation.  Which meant more databasesand, even better, course management systems. 

My manager at that job asked me where I saw myself going ina few years.  The only way up was topursue management positions, and I knew that wasn't for me.  I also enjoyed teaching, but I didn't want todo that full time.  I was involved intechnology upgrades in that position, and those upgrade projects fascinated mefar more than any of my other tasks. 

So, I did some research and discovered that I could takeonline computer science classes through a community college.  I could learn more about databases andsoftware development. 

Of course, I was nervous at first.  After all, I wasn't good enough at math,science, and especially computer programming. Except I did really quite well at my online college classes.  And I remembered how much I loved writingcode.  Plus, I was able to get a goodprogramming job not long after graduation. 

If I hadn't taken that risk, I don't think I would havetaken other risks later on.  Proving tomyself that I could successfully study computer programming and then work as asoftware developer gave me the confidence to take chances in other areas of mylife. 

After finishing up my PhD in English, I stopped writing foryears.  I never felt "goodenough" at that either, in spite of publications and positive feedbackfrom professors and peers.  Afterchanging careers, though, I went back to writing.  Four published books in, I'm grateful that Ifelt confident enough to try writing (and submitting my work to publishers)again. 

This taking-a-chance theme stayed with me as I wrote mydebut cozy mystery, Venus Rising. In the book, Amy Morrison leaves her small Texas town to work as alibrarian aboard a luxury British ocean liner. And her risk pays off: she gets to experience the glitter and adventureof life aboard ship as well as friendship with people she might not have methad she stayed home.  She loves both hersmall town roots and her new life, and I feel the same: I love that I studiedEnglish, because I adore reading and writing, but I'm also grateful that Itransitioned to a career as a software developer, because the work wasinteresting and it gave me such a confidence boost.  (It also helped me to create the IT staff andtheir work aboard the ship, too!) 

Like Amy, I'm still working on figuring out what "goodenough" means for me.  Also, likeAmy, I'm glad I've taken the risks I have.  

When the manager at my last software developer job told methat I was one of the best programmers he'd ever worked with, well, I think Ican say I've officially reached "good enough." 

Almost as soon as recent divorcee Amy Morrison begins her dream job as librarian aboard the world’s most expensive luxury cruise liner, she nearly sinks it. She’s tasked with hosting the debut of a painting celebrated but hidden for nearly sixty years. But the artist claims the painting isn’t hers. And then, the artist goes missing. With the help of a retired academic couple lecturing aboard the ship, a dashing IT manager, and a housekeeping staff with a love of literature, Amy tries to solve the art fraud and kidnapping while rediscovering the adventurous side of herself. 

Buy links are the top of my website: https://www.tammydwalker.com/ and below 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Venus-Rising-Tammy-D-Walker-ebook/dp/B0BKYG5J6Q/

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/venus-rising-tammy-d-walker/1142600228

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/venus-rising-tammy-d-walker/19256882

BAM: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Venus-Rising/Tammy-D-Walker/9781509247080

Tammy D. Walker writes cozy mysteries, poetry, and sciencefiction.  Her debut cozy mystery,Venus Rising, was published in 2023 by The Wild Rose Press.  As T.D. Walker, she’s the author of thepoetry collections Small Waiting Objects (CW Books 2019), Maps of a HollowedWorld (Another New Calligraphy 2020), and Doubt & Circuitry(Southern Arizona Press 2023).  Whenshe’s not writing, she’s probably reading, trying to find far-away stations onher shortwave radios, making poetry programs, or enjoying tea and scones withher family.  Find out more at herwebsite: https://www.tammydwalker.com 

Inspiration by the Sea by Jennifer Vido

MUSE MONDAY

Please join me in welcoming Jennifer Vido to Discover... She has a great post for Muse Monday on the inspiration for her sweet romance.

Serendipity by the Sea

Will her wanderlustex-boyfriend’s return allow a hopeless romantic a second chance at love? 

Cate Ainsworth is poised toland her dream job when an ex-boyfriend—the guy she once loved who left townwithout explanation—returns to their Lowcountry hometown. Their long-deniedattraction tugs her in a new direction, but will she risk everything for asecond chance at love? 

A freelance photographer,Knox Price seeks adventure, not commitment. Back in town to care for his unclegets complicated when he crosses paths with Cate, igniting a spark he can’tignore. But can he confess the truth about why he walked away?

The inspiration behind theGull Island series came from a family vacation to Fripp Island, South Carolina.As a frequent visitor to coastal Carolina, I am fond of the Lowcountry,especially the people who call it home. Fripp Island is a small barrier island,rich with natural beauty and history—the perfect backdrop for my fictionaltown, Gull Island. My childhood experiences growing up on the Jersey Shorefilled in any missing blanks about living near the sea. 

The importance of communityis the common thread weaving the Gull Island stories together. The seriesconsists of three novels: Serendipity bythe Sea, Serenity by the Sea, andSimplicity by the Sea. Thesestandalone books are interconnected with recurring characters, familiar facessearching for their happily-ever-afters. The series features three strongwomen, each at a crossroads in life, both at work and in love.  

I hope readers will gain anappreciation for small, coastal towns—tight-knit, Lowcountry resort areas
like Gull Island—where kindness is theheartbeat of the community. When I visited Fripp Island, I was struck by theisland’s warm hospitality and how locals seamlessly interacted with visitors,sharing the island’s history and natural beauty. Gull Island has a story,including historical landmarks and meeting places where the locals like togather. Each of the three books introduces the reader to a different part ofthe island, providing a glimpse into Lowcountry living at its best.

Excerpt:

Catemaneuvered into the parking lot adjacent to the main road, jumped out of hercar, and headed for the employee golf carts used as a means to get around thegrounds. Taking the first available, she hurled the little cart in thedirection of Guest Services. Whizzing past beachgoers sporting island T-shirts,she spied customers coming out of Novel Ideas, the island’s long-standing,secondhand bookstore. 

Slowingat the curve in front of Island Scoop, Cate wished for a cool treat to rewardher sweet tooth. The strong aroma of steaming coffee alerted her to a fewvisitors coming out of The Wise Owl, sipping cups of morning brew. Blocking herview, they strolled along the path toward the boardwalk. Their telltale bronzedskin and relaxed demeanor signaled the end of their stay. Cate couldn’t blamethem for wanting to linger, but she was in a hurry. 

Whenthey finally set out, she zipped her cart into the only open parking spot. Cateentered the building and scooted by the buzzing groups now congregating infront of the shiny Guest Services counter, careful not to make eye contact. Sheshifted her belongings to cover up her navy polo embroidered with the GullIsland insignia to ward off unwanted conversation until she could get settledand prepared to offer assistance.

Links:Serendipity by the Sea

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Paperback

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BN nook

Apple Books

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Target

Bio:

JenniferVido is the author of Serendipity by theSea, the first book in the new Gull Island sweet romance series set in theLowcountry. An avid booklover, she interviews bestselling authors in her Jen’s Jewels weekly column onFreshFiction.com. A longtime Arthritis Foundation advocate, she’s been featuredby Lifetime Television, The New York Times, The Baltimore Sun, Redbook,and Arthritis Today. Recently, shewas named a finalist in the Best Local Author category in Baltimore Magazine’s2023 Best of Baltimore Readers’ Poll. Currently, she serves as the executivedirector for a legal non-profit in her community. A Maryland resident, she andher husband are the proud parents of two grown sons, two rescue dogs, and afinicky calico cat.

AuthorLinks:

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Christmas in July, Free Books, Great Reads

WICKED WEDNESDAY

Christmas in July is wicked fun, and you could score a $75 gift card in addition to scoping out some cool holiday reads. Take your mind off this hot summer! Hurry and take advantage of the Christmas in July Fete!

CLICK HERE FOR CHRISTMAS IN JULY

There are also two OTHER GREAT Promotions 

going on right now that are wicked good.

This event has a cozy mystery for you. Grab a cup and cuddle up with some mystery. 

CLICK HERE 

And you can get free reads here that will knock your socks off. CLICK HERE

 

Reading and Reviews (Winters and Winters)

I'm an author, but I'm also a reader. From time to time, I'llshare my reviews of present and past reads. My available time to read islimited because I write, but I love to curl up with a paperback or an eBook atnight for the last hour of my day. 

I tend to read what I write, but not exclusively. BesidesRomantic Suspense, I read crime and law novels, once in a while a true story, WWIIhistoricals, mysteries, and mainstream character driven books.

I'm on a Larry A. Winters jag right now with his Jessie Black legal thrillers.

Informant (Jessie Black LegalThriller Book 1) by Larry A. Winters

 

Prosecutor Jessie Black has an airtight case against TyroneNash, a gang thug who shot a man behind a bar in West Philly. But what shouldbe an easy trial turns complicated when Nash somehow intimidates hereyewitness, and he recants his testimony on the eve of the trial. Now Jessie'sonly move to stop the killer from walking is to call a witness she had hoped toavoid—Reggie Tuck, a smooth-talking jailhouse snitch who claims Nash confessedto him during a short time they shared a cell. Worse, there are other peoplewith an interest in the trial—people intent on silencing Reggie's big mouth,permanently.

Soon Jessie and Reggie findthemselves trapped in a courthouse taken hostage by armed assailants. She mustfind a way to keep both Reggie and herself alive long enough to learn who theyare, and how to stop them. But is Reggie Tuck's life worth protecting at the riskof her own?

MY REVIEW

Another fun read by Larry Winters. Jessie's personality stays true to form. Reggie Tuck steals the show in this book. The entire scenario was just a touch difficult to suspend belief, but because of the characterizations and the twisty plot, I was able to accept it. The only thing that had me scratching my head was a timeline issue for Detective Leary who's outside the courthouse and trying to find a way to help. But that's a sidebar. Overall, this is another good entertaining novel.

 

AMAZON BUY LINK

 

 

Silenced Witness (Jessie BlackLegal Thriller Book 6) by Larry A. Winters 

Life is good for Assistant DA Jessie Black. She just broughtanother murder trial to a successful conclusion. Her reputation is growing as atop prosecutor in Philadelphia. And she’s engaged to a strong, handsome man sheloves. Now it’s time to step back, plan her wedding, and look forward to abright future.

But when a young man is brutallybutchered in his own home, the courtroom calls to her. Especially when thepolice are desperate for help. Hal and Kristina Nolan, a cleverhusband-and-wife team of defense attorneys, have filed motions to block keyevidence and keep a critical witness off the stand. Jessie knows she needs togo to trial and beat them at their own game. Because if she fails, theirclient, a remorseless human monster, will stroll out of the courthouse a freeman.

MY REVIEW

This is my favorite so far in this series I will continue to read. I really need to drop back and read them in order I suppose, but it hasn't messed with my enjoyment. I'm a little lost on the relationship between Jessie and Detective Leary but not so much to disturb me. The villain in this book is complex and one we can love to hate. Jessie's personal life with her upcoming wedding causes more conflict for the story. And the clever husband/wife law team Jessie comes up against is so believable I think I saw them on a billboard in Phoenix. Enthralling read.

 

AMAZON BUY LINK

Victoria & Violet – It Started With A Dog Walk… by Rachel Brimble

MUSE MONDAY

Rachel Brimble is always a welcomed guest on Discover... Her muse really opened the door for her on this book. You'll want to read how inspiration knocked.

My new book Victoria& Violet is my 28th published novel and it also represents along-held ambition coming to life. When my first novel was accepted by The WildRose Press back in 2007, I was well and truly caught with the writer bug andhaven’t been able to shake it off since. Writing is an addiction, a compulsion,and one many published authors (myself included) have surrendered to knowingthere is very little they can do to escape the need to write…even if we do tryon a frighteningly frequent basis!

So why is Victoria& Violet a realization of a long-held ambition? Well, ever since Istarted writing novels, I vowed that one day I would write an historical novelthat included real people and real events. The trouble was, I was TERRIFIED totread this particularly treacherous path. As much as I might devour fictionwith real characters and events, I wasn’t sure how the authors went aboutcreating the story, what they could and could not assume of the real people andevents or if everything was down to poetic license.

And then Violet camealong…

I was walking my dogone day and struggling with the plot I was writing – my dog walking tends to beproblem solving time as much as fresh air time! However, instead of myimagination/consciousness solving my plot problem, a young woman startedinvading my thoughts and eventually she was speaking to me…endlessly. I knewshe was a maid, she had an area in her life where she felt entirely trapped andshe was working for a young Queen Victoria.

My heart startedpumping a little faster, my stomach knotting with a nerves and excitement – thetime had come. I was ready to write a book with real people and real events –and it would be set in the court of Queen Victoria. Violet was her housemaidand the story would revolve around the women’s relationship as well as theromance between Violet and courtier James Greene, assistant to the queen’sprivate secretary, Lord Melbourne.

The stage was set!

During the writing ofthis book there were mind blocks, moments of panic and moments of pure joy.Yet, most of all, there were days of writing like I was taking dictation asthese wonderful characters told me their stories. In fact, every scene with QueenVictoria was the easiest to write. Why? Because what I had already learnedabout her over the years, plus my intense research for this book, I felt Ireally knew who Victoria was at around the age of twenty-one when Victoria& Violet is set. At this time, Victoria was joyous, romantic and sofull of hope that she would come to be the one of the best monarchs Britain hadeven seen.

I really hope heroptimism and Violet’s determination come across on the page with as much verve,passion and love as I felt when I was writing…happy reading!

It should be a dream come true to serve the Queenof England…

When Violet Parkeris told she will be Queen Victoria’s personal housemaid, she cannot believe hergood fortune. She finally has the chance to escape her overbearing mother, aservant to the Duchess of Kent.

Violet hopes toexplore who she is and what the world has to offer without her mother’s schemesovershadowing her every thought and action.

Then she meets JamesGreene, assistant to the queen’s chief political adviser, Lord Melbourne. Fromentirely different backgrounds and social class, Violet and James should haveneither need nor desire to speak to one another, yet through their service,their paths cross and their lives merge—as do their feelings.

Only Victoria’scourt is not always the place for romance, but rather secrets, scandals, andconspiracies…

BUY: https://geni.us/u0GmS5

 

EXCERPT

“She…” Violet hesitated, feeling foolish carrying out the queen’sinstructions when James was quite clearly busy and not at all happy. “Shesuggested we take a picnic.”

“A pic…” His eyes widened before his cheeks mottled. “It’s December!”

“I can pack some hot soup and bread. It will be…fun.”

“Fun? I can’t take myself off for a picnic when there is so much to do.What on earth will the workers think of me?”

His mood made her decidedly uneasy, but she could not defer on thequeen’s request. She lifted her chin. “I’m sorry, James, but if the queencommands it, we cannot refuse. Besides, it will be last time you will see mefor a while.”

He dropped his hand from his hair, his dark eyes boring into hers. “Whatare you talking about?”

“I have to go home. My mother claims my father is ill. Not that Ibelieve a word of it, of course. But still, I must go.”

“Your mother is exerting her power again?”

“I have little doubt.”

He exhaled heavily, his gaze softening. “Give me an hour and I willcome. Where shall we meet?”

“In the folly.”

“Very well.” His gaze dropped to her lips before he reached around hertoward the door and opened it. “You should go.”

He stood so close, Violet could see flecks of blue in his eyes, smellthe subtle maleness of him. Her treacherous heart swelled with silly, dangerouslove. She forced a smile and ducked under his arm and through the open doorway. 

Rachel lives in a small town near Bath, England. Sheis the author of 29 novels including the Ladies of Carson Street trilogy, theShop Girl series (Aria Fiction) and the Templeton Cove Stories (Harlequin). Herlatest novel, Victoria & Violet is the first book in her new Royal Maidsseries with the Wild Rose Press and released 17th October 2022.

Rachel is amember of the Romantic Novelists Association as well as the Historical NovelSociety and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.

To sign up for her newsletter (a guaranteed giveawayevery month!), click here: https://bit.ly/3zyH7dt

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