Ashleigh Stevens's Blog, page 3

More Questions Answered

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What's new with Ashleigh?

Last time, I started answering questions from an interview I had done in one of my writing server. This is a continuation of that interview.

If you were starting your draft for the very first time today, what would you do differently?

I'm not really sure. I was really happy with the way things turned out. Even though I developed my magic system about three-quarters of the way through the book, I was still happy with it.

I guess the only thing I wish I could have done better was to have this next book better planned out. Knowing where the book is going helps me figure out where my book needs to be now. I probably could have developed Gil better in the first book had I finished this sequel first. Do you have a question you would like me to answer?
Reply to this email and I will answer it in a future email.

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Arctic Lynx
An Arctic Druid Short Story

Can a single hunting trip change the future of an entire village?

After a week of hunting, Gil spots an arctic lynx. No one in his village has ever killed one. They believe doing so would bring bad luck.

Gil is determined to challenge their superstitions. Surely returning to the village with a lynx will show them he is ready to join the hunters as an adult.

But when Gil finds his village is not as he left it, he wonders if his lynx is responsible.

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Virus Attack
Cataclsm in the Cosmos

Two separate cat species collide in the cosmos to tackle one shared mission: survive deadly virus attacks while thwarting the tyrannical schemes of power-hungry leaders. Zahra and Orion have misled the felidors of exoplanet Kapteyn b, assuring them they can achieve immortality if they merge with a different species to counteract the virus. Felidors are more advanced than felines and have achieved intergalactic space travel along with language assimilation skills.Meanwhile, felines on planet Earth face a horrible virus themselves. Their future is just as dire as the felidors. Now, only one shelter houses cats that are still infection free, but time is running out. Inside this facility are two caged cats. Donovan from Kapteyn b and Khan from planet Earth. They become fast friends and allies. What will happen to them?Five extraordinary felidors are led by Artema in a fight to maintain goodness and equality on their home planet and beyond. Follow the action in this explosive novella series as Rhea, an almighty cat god of the universe, battles her evil sister Hecate’s takeover attempts!

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Date Night

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This weekend, my husband and I did something we haven't done since our anniversary (three months ago!).

We went on a date. Just the two of us.

On my way home from Mommy Taxiing, I picked up pizza for the kids. While they played video games and watched movies, Mr. Stevens and I tried a new restaurant. Well, new to us. Apparently, the coffee shop closed several years ago and a Thai restaurant took its place. We were super excited to try it.

Whenever I try a new restaurant, I like to order the same thing. It probably comes from all my years in the science lab. If researchers changes too many variables at once, how will they know which variable affected the results of the experiment? In order to decide if I like a new restaurant (or which restaurant is better), I need to be able to compare the food, right?

So, I went with my favorite: drunken noodles. Mr. Stevens, however, is not a scientist. He decided to try a new food. And, even after being together for over 21 years, I learned something new about my husband. He has never had curry.

His curry dish was good, although he wasn't thrilled that it was very soup-like. Not that he didn't enjoy it. He just wanted it to be more noodley. And mine? Fantastic. We definitely found a new favorite restaurant.

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Caught and Bowled
A sports romance ready to take off to exotic places.

Cricket star and sports writer? What could go wrong?

Gina Elliot wasn't looking for romance when she attended a cricket match. After all, she plans to finish her studies before embarking on a brilliant writing career. Yet, star player Storm Jones is hard to ignore and resist.
Storm has time for a summer fling before taking up a lucrative professional contract in England. Gina fits the bill.
But, as the African summer draws to a close, both have tough choices to make. What will they choose?

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Duping Cupid
A Winter Short Story

Because sometimes, even Cupid needs a little help...

Vivi and Bass have built the perfect business together. Now Bass is about to destroy everything by telling his best friend he's in love with her.

While he suspects Vivi feels the same way about him, she’ll need a jolt to face the truth.

Will Bass's plan get Vivi to open her eyes, or will their worlds - and their dating service - fall apart in three short months?

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I'm Freezing!

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While some people (I'm looking at you, Mom) may think it's too cold when temperatures hover around freezing, I'm usually okay with it. A native New Englander, I love the cold and snow.

But, I'm getting old. Today is one of those day I'm really feeling my age.

I had to go out this morning and it was freezing. Technically, it was a few degrees above freezing, but it was the first time in a while that I felt so cold. And now I have a chill.

It probably didn't help that I hadn't had breakfast. Not my fault. The reason I left the house this morning was because I had to get a bloodtest for my upcoming physical. As soon as I returned, I made both a cup of coffee and a cup of tea. (The coffee is for now. The tea is for the rest of the day.) I'm hoping I will warm up before I have to go back out.

When my husband and I were first married, we used to love skiing. I still remember the weekend we walked into the lodge to see the sign with the daily temperature. It was around 0° (Fahrenheit) at the base and something like -20° at the summit. Do you think that stopped us? Of course not. Ah, to be young again.

Now I'm cold when it's not even freezing. Sometimes I miss those days.

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Kayaks, Kisses & Monsters

A summer of kayaking sounds perfect. Until the lake monster appears.

For Ellie, getting paid to spend her summer outside sounds like the ideal internship, even if it means paddling up and down a river twelve hours a day. Sure, she's never actually been in a kayak before, but how hard could it be?

At least she knows how to set up camp at night. Unlike her co-worker. Though Clay may be captain of the crew team, she could teach him a thing or two about spending the night in a sleeping bag.

And then there's the whole lake monster thing. Of course, Ellie knows water monsters aren't real but Clay doesn't seem convinced, especially after a boater goes missing. When mysterious accidents threaten her job security, Ellie starts to wonder why the "monster" wants her gone.

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Serial Killers Incorporated
Joe The Magic Man Series

Somewhere in the north-east of America, there is a serial killer on the loose, he abducts young women and keeps them as his sex slaves for a few months, before he shares them with his associate. They then kill the girls and leave them wrapped tidily in a blanket to be found next day.

The FBI believes the killer has murdered over forty women going back some twenty years because of the same MO, and they call him the Blanket Killer.

When an eighteen-year-old girl, Natalie Lowe is abducted the FBI thinks it might be the killer’s latest victim, and they are eager to catch him before he tires of the girl and kills her and then moves on to his next victim.

Frank Brubaker the Deputy Director of the FBI decides to use his new weapon to try and catch the killer. He has formed a secret task force of just two FBI Special Agents to work with two civilians, who are, the elusive crime fighter also known as Joe the Magic Man, who keeps his true identity a secret, even from his close associate Alice Timberlake a free-lance journalist. Joe has a special gift; he can get into people’s minds and then into their dreams at night, where he can hypnotize them and once they are under his spell he can get them to tell him their innermost secrets, and they can’t lie to him. That’s exactly what the FBI wants Joe to do for them, get into criminals minds and have them spill the beans.Can Joe and his team catch the killers before they kill Natalie?

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Answering Your Questions

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What's new with Ashleigh?

This past weekend, I participated in an event on one of my writing servers where members asked questions about my (no so much anymore) recent release. I have decided to share those answers with you over the next few weeks.

What has been the hardest thing about writing this draft for you?
Where were your greatest struggles, and how did you overcome them?

Fantasy is a new genre for me, so that was really hard. But beyond that, I had a few other challenges.

Unlike my other stories, I started this with an outline. It wasn’t very detailed, but I had an idea of what I wanted to happen and when. I wanted each chapter to end in a cliffhanger, something that would have the readers wanting to read just "one more chapter". While I didn't necessarily stick to my chapter divisions, I was proud to at least get all the key story beats in. But that does't mean I didn’t have problems.

The first was the darkness. When I wrote my outline, I knew that something bad would happen that would set everything in motion. I literally wrote “the bad thing happens”. When I got to that point in my draft, I was like, uh, now what? I kept playing with the idea of a plague but I had done something similar in some other work and wanted something with a more fantasy feel. So I somehow came up with the darkness.

Then I had to figure out what caused it. That, of course, was a future me problem. Until the chapter where Eamon learns what caused the darkness and how to stop it. This related to my second hard part: my magic system.

That was another future me problem. Somewhere during the early chapters, I got the idea that everyone has magic to some degree, but there are some who can work it stronger. It wasn’t until I was trying to explain the darkness that I really developed my magic system and identified what made Eamon different from everyone else.

I still remember the day I figured it all out. (I was drafting while sitting at the Y, which is where I am right now!) I remember being so ecstatic that I had solved that problem.

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Reply to this email and I will answer it in a future email.

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Frigg's Journey to Anasgar
An adventurous journey for 8-12 year olds!

Invading trolls. A colony captured. And an unlikely group of friends who must save their world.

Is there such a thing as too much adventure?

When dreams come true . . .They may not be all you imagined!

Captured by ogres! Exhibited in a freak show! When Frigg dreamed of adventure, this is NOT what she expected.

After trolls attack Frigg’s colony, the young dwarf and her friends escape and embark on a perilous journey to locate the legendary dwarf colony of Anasgar for help.

Blundering Bloodstones!

Can a dwarf, a faery, an elf, and a unicorn convince the defiant dwarves of Anasgar to help fight the trolls?

Or will her friends and family be enslaved forever?

Frigg’s Journey to Anasgar is the first book of an exciting new middle-grade fantasy series, Chronicles of Nadavir, that will follow a group of magical friends on journeys of adventure and discovery.

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Dragon for Dinner
Dragon for Dinner Series

Experience the magic of reading a book for the first time.

James dreams of being a reporter, so when his sixth grade English Teacher assigns everyone to enter the Mayor’s writing competition he is confident he can win. Then he sits down to write. Nothing. Not a single idea.

James’ elderly neighbor, Stan, comes to the door with a box of old books, claiming they will cure him of his writer's block. James skeptically opens the first book and a small blue dragon appears in his room!

“Blue” has the energy of a 6-week-old puppy and a mission to complete, claiming he will be around until he solves a problem for James. However, when Blue smells James’ sister’s delicious meal cooking, things get interesting.

Will Blue help James unravel the mysterious magic of the books from Stan, or will he just ruin dinner for everyone?

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A Snow Day Delay

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Have I told you about my Friday routines? Probably not. Fridays are the one day a week we go to school. We get home a little after lunch and have a couple of hours before we need to go back out for after-school activities.

That couple of hours is when I usually send out my Friday email to all you romance readers. Unfortunately, I was unable to send it this week.

As we went to leave our co-op (school for homeschoolers), we discovered that the dusting we were expecting was actually a couple of inches of snow! Having grown up here in New England, it's not really a problem driving in it, but I do take my time and use caution. And I'm really glad we got new tires last month.

The closer we got to home, however, the lighter the snow and the better the roads. It was clear enough to attend our after-school activities, but I still got home late from the co-op. That left me not enough time to send out your reads and deals. Since my Saturday was too crazy to even sit behind my computer for a minute, this is the first chance I have had to send you this email. I will definitely try to write it on Thursday next week.

Do you want to know the worst part about this snowstorm? While the snow was light, fluffy, and copious near our co-op, the snow at home was wet, dense, and minimal. Not enough for the kids to play. Thankfully, they had some snow earlier this week to make their snowmen and go sledding. What about you? Follow the conversation on Bluesky Follow the conversation on Facebook Follow the conversation on Instagram

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Dreamer's Destiny
A sweet romance that is sure to delight fantasy fans.

Marco and Alyssa have a once in a lifetime kind of love. The problem - he is literally the man of her dreams.

Alyssa has been in love with Marco since the first time he guided her into her dreams at the age of fourteen. Now, six years later she must face the reality that he may not be real. Marco is part of a mythical race known as Dreamers. His job as a Dream Walker is to guide mortals to their dreams and Alyssa is one of his charges. He is torn between his love for her and his duty as a Walker.

Their love is threatened when a Dream Runner - those who push mortals into nightmares - finds them together in the Dream Realm. When Marco returns to Mount Tempos he must face the Walker's Council.

What will be his punishment? Will love conquer all?

Find out in this first installment of the Dreamers Saga.

Join Marco in the dream realm and Alyssa in the mortal world as they navigate dreams, nightmares, and the love that brought them together.

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Escape to Sandy Bay
A coastal romance

Alyssa needs to escape… from her job, her dreams, and her man. She flees to coastal Sandy Bay to lick her wounds. The town of her childhood holidays provides a job and a place to stay.

Her new-found sanctuary is shattered when she learns of a controversial proposal that will change the face of the sea front forever. With the sight of a man meticulously documenting soil samples and capturing images of the proposed site, Alyssa springs into action, determined to thwart the development.

Max’s focus is on caring for his young son and building the reputation of his business. He’s not looking for trouble, but in the guise of a lawyer who is quick to react, trouble comes looking for him. She stirs the emotions in ways he didn’t expect, but when she neglects his son, he is quick to lash out.

Leaving the past behind is not so easy, especially with unfinished business back in the city. Should she forgive and forget, or forge a new life so different to the one she’d always imagined? The responses of the men in her life influence the decision she needs to make, but which choice is the right one?

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When do you plan your Summer Vacation?

This week's newsletter contains the following features:
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Earlier this week, my husband and I sat down with our 2024 calendar and began planning our vacations for this year. Even though we won't be traveling until July, we have to work around so many schedules (scouts, camp, dance recitals & competitions, school) that we need to start planning now.

Our first decision was which long trip we wanted to take this year. We have a good friend who lives about 1800 miles away (27 hours driving, not including breaks) and a relative that lives 950 miles away (about 15 hours driving). We are thinking of visiting the relative, saving the longer vacation for when our children are ready to start visiting colleges.

We also had to decide which of our favorite vacations we would like to repeat. Fourth of July at the family lake house? Santa's Village in the fall? Is there a specific Six Flags we'd like to visit this year?

We're still working on the details, but we have a general idea of what we'd like to do. Hopefully, by the end of the month, we will have everything booked.

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Dark Secret Lie
A Twisting Psychological Thriller

Emma’s life turns upside down after finding her husband murdered at their home. With no evidence left at the crime scene and no known motive, Emma is determined to find the person responsible.However, her husband’s death uncovers a secret that leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about him.

Emma believed she was in a loving and trusting relationship with Kendrick.She thought of them as just another couple living a normal life.However, Kendrick had a dark secret, one that got him killed.

Detective McKinley is working the case, as he continuously communicates with Emma throughout his investigation, he pleads for her to stop trying to play detective, as every clue she finds puts her life and those around her at risk. He wants her to trust this murder case to the police before it’s too late.

Emma understands that her life is at risk, but she can’t quit now. She must find out who Kendrick was and why he got killed. She needs answers and she is willing to put her life on the line to uncover the truth.

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Broadcast Blues
Clare Carlson Mystery Book 6

Wendy Kyle took secrets to her grave—now, Clare Carlson is digging them up

New York City has no shortage of crime, making for a busy schedule for TV newswoman Clare Carlson. But not all crimes are created equal, and when an explosive planted in a car detonates and kills a woman, Clare knows it'll be a huge story for her.

But it's not only about the story—Clare also wants justice for the victim, Wendy Kyle. Wendy had sparked controversy as an NYPD officer, ultimately getting kicked off the force after making sexual harassment allegations and getting into a physical altercation with her boss. Then, she started a private investigations business, catering to women who suspected their husbands of cheating. Undoubtedly, Wendy had angered many people with her work, so the list of her suspected murderers is seemingly endless.

Despite the daunting investigation, Clare dives in headfirst. As she digs deeper, she attracts the attention of many rich and powerful people who will stop at nothing to keep her from breaking the truth about the death of Wendy Kyle—and exposing their personal secrets that Wendy took to her grave.

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Celebrating the Snow!

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This morning, we woke up to a couple of inches of fresh snow. Do you know the first words out of my six-year-old's mouth?

"Can I have a playdate today?"

Back in November, she sat down with her friend and planned a playdate sleepover for a snowday. Over the last two months, she decided to invite her new little friend she met at hte library as well as the little girl who lives across the street. Of course, none of these girls have ever been to my house, but they're planning a sleepover anyway.

While we will not be having a sleepover any time soon, and her friends aren't about to drive to our house in the snow, I did promise my daughter she could play with our neighbor after lunch. It looks like we will have more snow that the last storm, and the kids may be able to sled in our yard and build a decent snowman.

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Hartfield Chronicles

Hartfield Chronicles follows the lives of Melinda, Pat, and their friends as they navigate their way through boarding school life.

Each episode features two stories, one from Melinda's point of view and one from Pat's, along with an excerpt from Melinda's writing journal.

New episodes are published every Wednesday.

Start at the Beginning Beginning of Season 6 Episode 153:
An encounter with Pat's ex makes Melinda uncomfortable

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The Ranger's Request
An Exclusive Chapter Retelling from Ranger of Kings

The start of it all... but from the eyes of another

Ordered to accompany his best friend and the grouchiest of knights, Rowan can't help but wonder how they will make this trip into the city entertaining. There is always the promise of exploring shops, perhaps practicing sword fighting, and best yet--sneaking off to find a pastry.

But, when they reach the city, any hopes he has are dashed by the hooded figure who appears to meet with Sir Ross and orders he and Colin to practice against city boys in the common 'battle arena' set at the edge of town.

And, though it might not have been what he hoped for, Rowan has no idea that this is the day that will change the course of their lives forever.

***

There might never have been a William of Alamore if not for Rowan of Lonric... or so he would like to think.

This subscriber exclusive chapter gives insight and easter eggs to the start of the full William of Alamore series by retelling the opening chapter from the eyes of Rowan.

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Chosen
The New Order

Worlds collide as three boys find themselves sought after for abilities they didn't know they had, abilities that may yet quell the darkness that is awakening across the realm of Endland. That is, of course, if they can survive the interdimensional portal to get there.

Dubbed as Chosen, the three friends must quickly come to grips with their new reality as squabbling wizards, arrogant kings, amusing exiles, and mythical monsters vie for control of the young Chosen and their unique gifts.

Should they fall into the wrong hands, not only will Endland be ensnared in the shadow of the Grim King, but so too will the rest of the interdimensional space beyond,including Earth and the families they left behind.

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Planning Your Summer Vacations

This week's newsletter contains the following features:
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What's new with Ashleigh?

This morning, my husband and I sat down with our 2024 calendar and began planning our vacations for this year. Even though we won't be traveling until July, we have to work around so many schedules (scouts, camp, dance recitals & competitions, school) that we need to start planning now.

Our first decision was which long trip we wanted to take this year. We have a good friend who lives about 1800 miles away (27 hours driving, not including breaks) and a relative that lives 950 miles away (about 15 hours driving). We are thinking of visiting the relative, saving the longer vacation for when our children are ready to start visiting colleges.

We also had to decide which of our favorite vacations we would like to repeat. Fourth of July at the family lake house? Santa's Village in the fall? Is there a specific Six Flags we'd like to visit this year?

We're still working on the details, but we have a general idea of what we'd like to do. Hopefully, by the end of the month, we will have everything booked.

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The Green Monster Saves the World

What if you could travel back in time and stop the pandemic before it started?

School had become very un-regular! With Covid lurking around every corner, Brenden, and every kid in school, had to wear face masks to keep the virus at bay.

But when Dad pulls him from class for another timely adventure, Brenden buckles in tight for the bumpy ride.

Join Brenden and Dad on a time-traveling adventure along the Farm Roads of Texas.

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The Secret of the Magic eyePad
Putney Hicks Inventor Adventures–Book 1

She dreams of becoming an inventor. First, she has to survive middle school…

Putney Hicks just wants things to go right for once. A socially awkward girl dropped among rich kids in an experimental STEM institution, the anxious twelve-year-old can’t seem to see her own potential. But life sprinkles in a surprise when she receives a mysterious tablet housing an advanced, talkative intelligence.

Wondering if the friendly pixie in the device is alien or supernatural, Putney is determined to keep it safe while exploring its possibilities. But when competitive art and science projects lead to an ill-advised bet with a wealthy mean girl, the would-be engineer may be in way over her head.

Will Putney’s mysterious new mentor help her make it through her first week in class?

The Secret of the Magic eyePad is the award-winning first book in the Putney Hicks Inventor Adventures middle grade series. If you like girls in STEM, preteen drama, and clever innovations, then you’ll love Marsha Tufft’s lighthearted tale.

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Trying Something New With Your Romance Reads

This week's newsletter contains the following features:
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What's new with Ashleigh?

As you know, I usually send out my newsletter every other week, with some news about what's been going on with me, some book features, and a bunch of promotions for free or discounted books. Recently, I started sending my Choose Your Own Path stories on the "off" weeks along with the promotions for free & discounted books. However, since those stories are going on haitus for awhile, I was wracking my brain about what to feature on weeks like this.

And then it hit me. I want to feature YOU!

I know you love to read. Do you ever write reviews for those books? Or maybe you'd like to try your hand at it? I'd love to share those reviews with my readers.

How would it look? Something like this.

Cyn & the Peanut Butter Cup by Pru Warren
Reviewed by Ashleigh

When a nonagenarian steals an FBI agent's gun in the middle of the grocery store, Cyn and Rhys both wonder if their jobs are on the line. Cyn loves being Maddy's caregiver, but the old woman with short-term memory loss is proving to be more of a challenge than she expected. Rhys has wanted to work for the FBI his entire life, but he keeps screwing up. When Maddy's past comes back to haunt her present, Cyn and Rhys must help her, possibly finding some romance along the way.

While I found the spiciness of this romance a littler more intense than what I am used to, I really enjoyed this book. The author does a great job with the voice. I loved that Maddy's chapters were in the present tense while Cyn and Rhys were in the past.

I only had two minor issues with the book. The first is the abrupt change in the story around chapter fifteen. We go from a leisurely day of volunteering to a different voice in a difficult situation, presumably on another day. I was very confused. It felt as if I had missed a chapter and it wasn't until near the end of that one that I began to understand what had happened. I think maybe having one more Maddy chapter in between the Rhys and Cyn might have helped that transition.

The other other issue I had was with the ending. I would have liked a little more information at the end. Ultimately, there were a lot of players and I didn't quite figure out who all of them were and how they related to the situation. I was particularly confused about how "Oatmeal Man" fit into everything (and how he got that nickname). I would have liked to have had a brief epilogue wrapping things up for me.

However, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in this series. I would rate this story four and a half quills and place it on my top shelf.

Visit Ashleigh's website to find more reviews like this one!

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Trying Something New With Your Mystery Reads

This week's newsletter contains the following features:
(Feel free to skip ahead to what you want to read)
What's new with Ashleigh? Free Books Other Books on Sale Join My Newsletters

What's new with Ashleigh?

As you know, I usually send out my newsletter every other week, with some news about what's been going on with me, some book features, and a bunch of promotions for free or discounted books. Recently, I started sending my Choose Your Own Path stories on the "off" weeks along with the promotions for free & discounted books. However, since those stories are going on haitus for awhile, I was wracking my brain about what to feature on weeks like this.

And then it hit me. I want to feature YOU!

I know you love to read. Do you ever write reviews for those books? Or maybe you'd like to try your hand at it? I'd love to share those reviews with my readers.

How would it look? Something like this.

Louisiana Longshot by Jana Deleon
Reviewed by Ashleigh

When CIA assassin Fortune Redding's life is endangered, she sets out on her most dangerous undercover mission yet - posing as a beauty-queen librarian in the Louisiana Bayou. But maintaining her cover isn't easy when a human bone is found on her property on her first day. When the Ladies' Society involves her in the investigation, Fortune begins to wonder if she was better off as prey for the hired assassins.

I absolutely loved this book. While I liked watching Fortune bumbling in an identity that goes against her very nature, I fell in love with Gertie. I found her hilarious, especially when discussing the local laws. The Banana Pudding War (which, according to Gertie, was worse than the Civil War) had me laughing out loud. In fact, there were several pages where I found myself laughing aloud, a true rarity for me.

I did have a few minor issues with the grammar and slips in point of view, but it wasn't enough to detract from the story. There was, however, one incorrect fact. One of the characters states that Moonshine isn't illegal anymore. However, it is. According to both federal and local laws, it is still illegal to have a private distillery. While I wouldn't expect the main character to correct the woman telling her about it, I would expect her to acknowledge it in her internals.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more about Miss Fortune. I would rate this story five quills and place it on my top shelf.

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