Karen Docter's Blog, page 4

Karen’s Killer Book Bench #Readers #Giveaways: Mark Your Calendars for THE SUMMER READING ESCAPE Party!

KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench, where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site, so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!

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Mark Your Calendarfor Friday’s SUMMER READING ESCAPE PARTY

Join us all day on Friday, August 15th, for the Summer Reading Escape Party with the host paranormal & romantic suspense authors at Midnight in the Garden group on Facebook! Authors will drop in throughout the day with fun games and maybe some giveaways, too! If you have a friend who loves to read, be sure to invite them to the group!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/194345948124864/

Happy Reading!

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with THE TUTOR #Psychological #Thriller by Courtney Psak #Recipe ~ After School Granola Bars

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with COURTNEY PSAK!

Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, instead of one of my recipes, I will introduce you to a new author who will share a favorite recipe. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll also get a chance to check out some fantastic authors. Introducing author COURTNEY PSAK and her favorite recipe for AFTER SCHOOL GRANOLA BARS!

THE TUTOR
Psychological Domestic Thriller
BY COURTNEY PSAK

Blurb

An utterly gripping psychological thriller with a heart-stopping twist, perfect for fans of Valerie Keogh and Daniel Hurst.

“Twisting, propulsive, and unsettling, The Tutor is a haunting reminder that sometimes the greatest dangers come from the ones we call family. Courtney Psak has crafted a dark, crafty tale of deception and redemption you won’t soon forget.”
— Carter Wilson, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of Tell Me What You Did

Letting her into your home was your first mistake…

Rose is a dedicated wife and mother to her husband Grant and her son James. Having recently moved to a grand mansion in Florida, Rose is keen for James to fit in with his new life and hires a tutor.

Isabel is young, smart and beautiful, and not only gets along with James, but she gets results.

But when Isabel starts to get too close for comfort, Rose can’t help but think that Isabel is looking for more than just tutoring.

Can Rose uncover who exactly she has let into her house, or will this lesson be deadly?

THE TUTOR
Psychological Domestic Thriller
BY COURTNEY PSAK

Excerpt

Isabel knows she shouldn’t be in here. It is, after all, a private office. But she knew he would be out for lunch, and that it would be empty, and she saw her opportunity. She puts her hand on the door, already slightly ajar, and it makes a slow creaking noise. She gives one last glance back to the sure no one is coming before she steps inside, closing the door behind her with a slight click. She flicks on the light, bringing the dark shadows into focus. A cherry-wood desk as old as the school itself rests in front of a large window that overlooks the campus quad. She can see some eight-grade students eating their lunches on the benches that line the walkway, while others throw a football, their suit jackets laid flat on the grass, yellow and blue striped ties flung over their shoulders, enjoying the last few days of school before summer begins.

A prickle of heat dances on the back of Isabel’s neck as she lowers her head to avoid detection. Her long, jet-black hair falls forward as she gingerly pulls at one of the desk drawers. Her fingers flip through the files, but she doesn’t find what she’s looking for. She tries several others but still comes up empty. She shoves the last drawer closed with a huff. The head of the school, Daniel Lopez, is a very clean and organized man. Nothing is askew on his desk. He has a green Tiffany lamp that sits to the right of his brown desk pad, which he balances out with a family picture in a gold frame on the opposite side. She eyes the portrait with a twinge of jealousy at the image of him with an arm wrapped around a man she assumes is his adult son in a stadium at a baseball game. She finds herself imagining she too is at the game and wonders what Dan would be like as a father. He does seem to have a paternal instinct around Isabel, but she figures it’s because she’s barely out of college, graduating only a year ago. Isabel takes in the familiarity of Dan’s features and feels that with her tanned olive skin, broad face, and espresso almond eyes, she too could look like a member of his family. A glint of light reflects off the frame, pulling her from her daydream. Something silver among the gold. She flicks her eyes down at the desk pad and pulls it slightly back. The sound of metal scratching against wood lets her know that there is something underneath it.

Picking up the mat, she spots a key, then turns her head towards the locked cabinet on the bottom of one of the matching bookshelves. Isabel kneels in front of it, inserting the key. With a slight twist of her hand, the lock releases. A stack of manila envelopes sits in a neat pile and she pulls them out, noting the names that are labeled until she sees what she’s looking for.

James Clark.

About Author Courtney Psak…

 Courtney Psak is a mystery thriller writer whose novel The Tutor will release August 7th, 2025, with Hodder and Stoughton, with whom she’s signed a three-book deal. The follow-up thrillers are expected for release in 2026. 

Courtney graduated with a degree in Communications and Journalism from Monmouth University, followed with a master’s degree in Publishing from Pace University.

She started her career writing for magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Self and Modern Bride. In 2015 she wrote her first novel, Thirty Days to Thirty, and sold thousands of copies while working as a project manager for Viacom in New York.

Courtney currently lives in Palm Beach, Florida with her husband and two sons. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, the National Writers Association and the Mystery Writers of America.

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Links to Courtney’s website, blog, books, #ad, etc.:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/45FAMyT
Official Website: CourtneyPsak.com
Facebook: /Courtney.psak
Instagram: @courtneypsak_

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I hope you enjoy Courtney’s recipe today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy Eating!

Karen

P.S. We’re at 751 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right-hand column menu,  you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: If an author’s favorite recipe isn’t their own creation and came from an online site, you will now find the entire recipe through the link to that site as a personal recommendation. Thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AFTER SCHOOL GRANOLA BARS

2 cups of rolled oats
1 cup of flour
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of raisins
3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Grease a 9×13 baking pan

Combine all the ingredients, mix well, and spread evenly into the baking pan.

Bake for 30 minutes then allow 10 minutes to cool before cutting them into squares

Happy Reading!

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Special Giveaway:  Courtney will gift an ebook copy of THE TUTOR to two lucky readers who comment on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s  blog. Good luck!

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Thanks, Courtney, for sharing your book with us!

Don’t miss the chance to read this book!

Karen’s Killer Book Bench: HIS ICE STARR, An Agents of STARR #Military #Romance by Marlie Sable

KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench, where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site, so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!

 

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HIS ICE STARR
Agents of Starr: A Military Romance Series Book
BY MARLIE SABLE

BLURB

He saved her life. Now she’s the one threat he can’t eliminate.

Alex Caden is a liability—classified, compromised, and alive when she shouldn’t be.

Rescued from a black site by a Navy SEAL team who doesn’t know what she really is, she’s forced into close quarters with the one man who sees straight through her defenses.

Slade Lake’s job is simple: protect the asset. But Alex is no ordinary woman. She’s a walking enigma with secrets that could start wars—and curves that haunt his every waking thought.

They’re trapped together off-grid, hunted by enemies and betrayed by their own. The longer they run, the hotter the tension burns. But getting close to her is a mistake. Trusting her could cost him the mission. Loving her? That could destroy them both.

Because some women are too dangerous to save.
And some men fall anyway.

~~~

HIS ICE STARR
Agents of Starr:
A Military Romance Series Book
BY MARLIE SABLE

Excerpt

Alex shifted her pack on her way down the stairs. Dodging the ice on the edges, she hummed Bach’s Third Symphony under her breath. Her boots crunched on ice with each hurried stride across the parking lot to the idling surplus Humvee.

The hairs on the back of her neck lifted. Heavy, insidious, the hatred that rolled over her sent shockwaves through her. Alex paused, and her breathing settled into a slow, easy rhythm.

Quick, assessing shifts of her eyes revealed nothing out of place in the parking lot. Cars sat beneath a blanket of snow. A rig sat running by the diner. Smoke curled upward from chimneys.

Her father’s stern lecture popped into her head. Your gut’ll tell you when something’s out of place, Alex. Pay attention to your instincts—could be the difference between getting home and bleeding out in some field. If I hadn’t listened to it, no tellin’ how many times I’d have been killed.

She reached beneath the heavy, blue parka to the holster she’d strapped on. Her fingers tightened around the butt of the SIG P226. Cold, textured steel glided beneath her flesh. Her thumb depressed the safety with a soft ping. She flexed her fingers, sliding her forefinger onto the trigger.

The sensation of eyes on her worsened. Layer by layer they seemed to delve deeper and deeper beneath her skin. “Dad, my gut’s telling me to run like crazy,” she whispered tightly.

With her empty hand she reached into her fatigue pocket and pulled out the spare truck key. She scanned the parking lot as she hurried toward the locked truck.

She eased the gun out, pressing it into the warmth of her thigh. Keeping one eye on the parking lot, she pressed the auto release for the lock. The soft click of the mechanism releasing coincided with the distinct sound of a rifle being fired. Agony lanced through the left side of her body as the bullet passed through to shatter the mirror mere feet away. Muscle memory pulled the trigger of her own weapon before it slid from her numb fingers to land beneath the running board of the truck.

Darkness swam, blanketing her vision. Warm, pulsing blood seeped through her clothes.

Her teeth chattered. Fire seared into her body. Cutting, slicing, shattering the muscle, the tendons. Her chest burned for oxygen. Metalic, acrid, the taste of blood settled on her tongue. A whimper of pain escaped as she moved, her hands scrambling in the ice. Get up, Alex!

Struggling to draw in a deep breath, Alex stared at the slow, purposeful steps that stopped before her. Who the hell wears patent leather in the Arctic in November? Twitching, the ground beneath her turning a brilliant shade of red, Alex let the darkness ease the pain in her body, welcoming the numbness and escape of unconsciousness.

About Author Marlie Sable…

“Where fierce hearts fight hardest—for love, for justice, for each other.”

Marlie Sable writes edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense where passion burns hot and danger always lingers close. Her heroines are bold, her heroes unforgettable, and her stories dive deep into the grit of trauma, trust, and redemption. Drawing on the pulse-pounding intensity of military missions and the raw vulnerability of hard-won love, Marlie crafts emotional journeys that linger long after the final page. When she’s not writing, she’s working on crafts, crocheting, or out in the garden.

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Links to Marlie’s websites, blogs, books, #ad, etc.:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4mqra0F

Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FBLJ7BY7

Author’s Links:
https://linktr.ee/marliesable

Happy Reading!

~~~

Thanks, Marlie, for sharing your book with us!

Don’t miss the chance to read this book!

Karen’s Killer Book Bench: FINDING LOVE AT THE COUNTY FAIR, #Sweet #Romance Collections by Becky Muth

KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench, where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site, so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!

 

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FINDING LOVE AT THE COUNTY FAIR
Sweet Romance Collections
BY BECKY MUTH

BLURB

Step into a world of lemonade stands, moonlit hayrides, and once-in-a-lifetime kisses.

The Finding Love at the County Fair series is a heartwarming collection of standalone sweet romances, each set against the nostalgic charm of a small-town fair. From cotton candy and carousel rides to pie contests and late-night music, every story is a celebration of love found in unexpected places.

With relatable characters, cozy settings, and just the right touch of magic, this series invites readers to believe that sometimes, the best love stories begin with a single summer night

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FINDING LOVE AT THE COUNTY FAIR
Sweet Romance Collections
BY BECKY MUTH

Excerpt

I have a little confession…

Late at night, after everyone’s gone to bed, I’ve been sneaking in time to write a secret passion project—short stories set at the county fair. Ever since I read Charlotte’s Web as a kid, I’ve been enchanted by the fair’s lights, laughter, and sense of wonder.

The summer I turned sixteen, I spent an entire week at the fair. My crush noticed me. Like, really noticed me. He held my hand as we wandered the midway, playing games, riding the Ferris wheel, and sharing sticky-sweet bites of candy apples and funnel cake. And at the very top of that Ferris wheel? Well, I’m not one to kiss and tell.

These stories are my way of bottling that end-of-summer magic—the cool breeze after a sun-soaked day, the stars twinkling like fairground lights, and the fireflies dancing in the fields nearby. The collection includes ten heartwarming tales.

Finding Love at the County Fair is available now for pre-order. I hope it brings a little bit of sweet nostalgia—and a whole lot of heart—into your summer reading.

Music Nights & Missed Chances

Clemmie’s clipboard rattled against her hip as she strode toward the loading bay, the sticky note still screaming CANCELED in neon pink. She was mentally scrolling through every local band she’d booked in the past five years, calculating who might answer a desperate 7:03 p.m. phone call, when a single guitar chord—low, resonant, almost lonely—cut through the backstage din.

It stopped her cold.

He sat on an upturned milk crate beside the rollup door, one boot planted on a speaker case, the other leg stretched out as if he had all the time in the world. A battered guitar rested across his lap, wood scuffed to silver at the edges, strings worn thin. The case beside him looked like it had traveled every highway in America—stickers from roadside diners and coffeehouses peeling at the corners, a faint scorch mark near the clasp.

Clemmie cleared her throat. “You’re the guy who offered a miracle?”

He glanced up. Eyes the color of river stone after rain—grey flecked with green—met hers with unnerving steadiness. A faint scar curved through his left eyebrow; another traced the edge of his jaw like a half-remembered melody.

“Depends what kind you need,” he said, voice gravel over honey. “I can fake a set list, but I can’t fake an audience.”

“I need forty-five minutes of music that won’t get me tarred and feathered by the Rotary Club.” She gestured at the chaos behind her. “Headliner’s down. You up for it?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead he played another chord, fingers moving with the absent grace of someone who’d forgotten how to be anywhere without a guitar in his hands. The sound reverberated through the aluminum walls, soft but insistent, like rain on a tin roof.

“I can fill the slot,” he said at last. “But I play originals. No covers, no requests for ‘Sweet Caroline.’ Deal?”

Clemmie hesitated. Originals were risky—people wanted songs they could sing along to. But the alternative was canned music and a very angry crowd. She extended her hand. “Deal. I’m Clemmie Monroe, stage coordinator.”

His grip was warm, calloused along the fingertips. “Kieran O’Shea.”

***

Sound check happened in the hush between day and night. The fairgrounds were still assembling: vendors shouting orders, kids darting between game booths, the Ferris wheel testing its neon heartbeat. Kieran stepped onto the main stage alone, guitar slung low, no band, no backing tracks.

Clemmie stood in the wings, headset forgotten, watching him adjust the mic stand with the same reverence she’d once reserved for Grammy’s piano.

He tapped the mic once, a soft thud. “Testing. Can you hear me in the back?”

His voice carried effortlessly, curling through the empty rows of folding chairs, sliding across the midway like smoke. A passing family slowed, parents turning, children quieting.

Kieran closed his eyes. The first note was a single, mournful slide that made the hair on Clemmie’s arms rise. Then came words—soft at first, then gathering strength.

I’ve been building bridges from the wreckage of my dreams

Board by board, nail by nail, learning what forgiveness means…

Clemmie forgot to breathe. The melody was minor-key, aching, but underneath it ran a thread of stubborn hope. She found herself stepping closer, drawn by the rawness in his tone, the way each syllable seemed scraped from somewhere deeper than his ribs.

The song ended on a suspended chord that left the fairgrounds oddly silent, as if even the rides had paused to listen. Kieran opened his eyes, met hers across the distance, and offered the smallest shrug—half apology, half dare.

“Think that’ll work?” he asked.

Clemmie swallowed. “Yeah,” she managed. “That’ll work just fine.”

About Author Becky Muth…

Becky Muth is a coffee addict who married her real-life firefighter hero. They live in South Carolina with their adult sons and many pets. She loves interacting with readers on social media and by email. When she isn’t writing, Becky enjoys hanging out at the beach with her family and binge-watching Netflix with her dog.

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Links to Becky’s websites, blogs, books, #ad, etc.:

Amazon Kindle:
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-County-Sweet-Romance-Collections-ebook/dp/B0FGWKJH5P

Learn more at: www.beckymuth.com

Contact link – https://www.beckymuth.com/contact

Happy Reading!

~~~

Thanks, Becky, for sharing your book with us!

Don’t miss the chance to read this book!

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with by THE WEIGHT OF GUILT, An Annie Collins Mystery Book 5 #Medical #Fiction by Helen Starbuck #Recipe ~ Baklava

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with HELEN STARBUCK!

Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, instead of one of my recipes, I will introduce you to a new author who will share a favorite recipe. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll also get a chance to check out some fantastic authors. Introducing author HELEN STARBUCK and her favorite recipe for BAKLAVA!

THE WEIGHT OF GUILT
An Annie Collins Mystery Book 5
BY HELEN STARBUCK

Blurb

Guilty or innocent? The verdict could go either way

Trying to deal with a difficult, evasive, entitled client and her overprotective uncle—Attorney Angel Cisneros’s senior partner who expects an acquittal—Angel fears he’ll lose the case and his job at the high-priced criminal defense practice where he works. 

Accused of stabbing a surgeon to death, operating room nurse Mia Stewart has a hard time telling the truth about what happened or her relationship with the surgeon. The circumstantial evidence is overwhelmingly against her despite Mia’s insistence that she’s innocent. Annie Collins and her private investigator partner, retired homicide detective Frost, can’t find anything to prove that. 

The case drags Annie back into the OR and its intrigues landing her in a complicated web of relationships and conflicts. As Mia Stewart’s innocence becomes harder to prove, Annie’s afraid she and Frost may not be able prevent Mia’s conviction or Angel losing his job.

If you like intriguing mysteries, twists and turns, and undercurrents of romance, The Weight of Guilt, from award-winning author Helen Starbuck, will take you on a rollercoaster ride into the OR and the courtroom. 

THE WEIGHT OF GUILT
An Annie Collins Mystery Book 5
BY HELEN STARBUCK

Excerpt

“Was Mia Stewart capable of stabbing a man to death, or had she simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time? That question colored everything about Mia from the first time I met her. She was unlikable and evasive, with the seriously entitled attitude that seemed to be the norm if you came from a rich, well-connected family. It was hard to figure out who we were dealing with.

One minute, she was teary-eyed and helpless, swearing she didn’t kill the victim and vowing to do whatever it took to avoid conviction; the next moment, she lashed out if questioned or challenged. Her claim of innocence, however, never wavered. I had to take her at her word and hope I could find a way to prove it.”

About Author Helen Starbuck…

Colorado native and former OR nurse, Helen Starbuck is an award-winning author of The Annie Collins Mystery Series and contemporary romantic suspense. Sadly, being no relation to the coffee bunch, she doesn’t get free coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her ballroom dancing and reading books about strong women and interesting men who find themselves in suspense-filled situations. 

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Links to Helen’s website, blog, books, #ad, etc.:

The Weight of Guilt can be purchased on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2SKKDSJ) in ebook, paperback, and audiobook. Paperbacks can be purchased at Barnes & Noble (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-weight-of-guilt-helen-starbuck/1147221628), Bookshop.org (https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-weight-of-guilt-helen-starbuck/22502528), and Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230893382-the-weight-of-guilt).

Follow Helen on Facebook (facebook.com/helensstarbuck), Instagram (instagram.com/helenstarbuck/), Threads (https://www.threads.net/@helenstarbuck_author), and BlueSky (@hstarbuck-books.bsky.social). You can sign up for her newsletter to be the first to hear about new books, events, and cover reveals on her web site (helenstarbuck.com). To contact her directly please email her at helenstarbuck@gmail.com.

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I hope you enjoy Helen’s recipe today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy Eating!

Karen

P.S. We’re at 750 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right-hand column menu,  you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: If an author’s favorite recipe isn’t their own creation and came from an online site, you will now find the entire recipe through the link to that site as a personal recommendation. Thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BAKLAVA

Note from Helen: My favorite recipe at the holidays is Baklava. In the past, I made this and sold it to co-workers at Christmas, and some still get in touch for a batch. I got this recipe off an Athens phyllo dough box a long ago, but this is a pretty standard recipe. Phyllo dough can be found in the frozen foods section where the puff pastry dough lives.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds walnuts, finely chopped 1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 teaspoon cinnamon2 cups (two sticks) of melted unsalted butterOne box of phyllo dough pastry sheets, thawed. Important: phyllo dough sheets are very thin and dry out almost immediately if left exposed to room air, so I leave them rolled up (as they come out of the inner plastic wrap) and covered with a slightly damp (not wet) kitchen towel. I unroll and take approximately 5 sheets out as I need them to lay in the pan, roll remaining sheets up and cover them with the towel.

Syrup

1/2 cup honey1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup water  Zest of 1 lemon

Combine walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.

Lightly brush a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with melted butter. Place 5 sheets of phyllo dough on the bottom of the pan, brushing each section of sheets generously with melted butter. Cover with 1/2 of the walnut mixture. 

Layer 5 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each section with butter. Cover each section with walnut mixture and continue doing this until 5 phyllo sheets are left. Finish the pan with the remaining phyllo sheets and brush with remaining butter.

With a sharp knife, cut phyllo into 1 1/2″ diamonds or squares. Important: this has to be done before you cook the Baklava or the baked sheets shatter. 

Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden brown. Check at 30 minutes to ensure it isn’t browning early. Baklava takes little time to cook and should be removed from the oven when browned.

While the pan is baking, combine the syrup ingredients in a small pan and heat until granulated sugar melts and all ingredients are combined. Keep warm. Cool the pan of baklava slightly and pour warm syrup over it. Cool completely and serve. If there is any left after serving to guests, keep refrigerated.

Happy Reading!

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Special Giveaway:  Helen will gift an ebook copy of THE WEIGHT OF GUILT to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog. Good luck!

~~~

Thanks, Helen, for sharing your book with us!

Don’t miss the chance to read this book!

Congratulations Week 07-07-25, 07-14-25, & 07-21-25 Blog Giveaway Winners

CONGRATULATIONS WEEK
07-07-25, 07-14-25, & 07-21-25
BLOG GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!

Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Marsha Black…

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: Marsha will gift a signed paperback (U.S. Only) or ebook (Intl) to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.

Thanks, Marsha, for sharing your book with us!

WINNER: BN100!!

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Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Daco S. Auffennorde…

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: Daco will gift a paperback copy (U.S. Only) to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.

Thanks, Daco, for sharing your book with us!

WINNER: K.A. BYLSMA!!

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Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Jacinta Howard…

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: Jacinta will gift a paperback copy (U.S. only) to two lucky readers who comment on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.

Thanks, Jacinta, for sharing your book with us!

WINNER: JULIE McDONOUGH!!

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Karen’s Killer Book Bench  with Kirsten Weiss…

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: Kirsten will gift a physical copy of her UnTarot deck (the UnTarot app is included in the book to all readers) in a purple velvet pouch (U.S. only) to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.

Thanks, Kirsten, for sharing your book with us!

WINNER: LINDA ROMER!!

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Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Angel Nyx…

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: Angel will gift an ebook copy of one of her books (her choice) to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.

Thanks, Angel, for sharing your book with us!

WINNER: MARYANN CONNOLLY!!

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Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with Michelle Miles…

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: Michelle will gift an ebook copy of ONCE UPON A SILVER STRAND to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.

Thanks, Michelle, for sharing your book with us!

WINNER: JAYLEE CONAWAY!!

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DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THESE BOOKS, TOO!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Karen/K.L. Docter’s books stand alone, even in the series. You can read them out of sequence. No cliffhangers. Always Happily Ever After endings!

HAPPY READING!

(All giveaway winners are chosen by random.org from reader comments except Rafflecopter events or giveaways, which are determined and announced offsite by the publisher/authors. Thank you!)

Karen’s Killer Book Bench #Psychological #Medical #Thriller: THE DEEPEST FAKE by Daniel Kalla

KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench, where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site, so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!

 

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THE DEEPEST FAKE
Psychological Medical Thriller
BY DANIEL KALLA

BLURB

From internationally bestselling author Daniel Kalla, whose thrillers are “impossible to put down” (Amy Stuart, #1 bestselling author of Death at the Party), comes a razor-sharp psychological thriller about a CEO whose carefully curated life is falling apart. His wife is cheating, someone is stealing from his AI company, and he’s just been handed a fatal diagnosis. He’d end it all, if only he could trust his own reality.

Liam Hirsch has it all—a loving family, a thriving career as CEO of an AI company, financial security, and a bright future. But when he’s diagnosed with a terminal illness, just weeks after discovering his wife’s infidelity, his perfect life unravels. As he grapples with his fate, he prepares to face his final days on his own terms.

However, unexplained events inside his company make him question everything—including his diagnosis. In a world of deepfake videos, synthetic voices, and digital deception, couldn’t these technologies be weaponized against him? What if nothing is as it seems?

With time running out, Liam turns to Andrea DeWalt, a private investigator contending with her own feelings of betrayal, to help him uncover a conspiracy that threatens his life, his family, and their future. In a world where nothing is as it seems and every digital footprint can be manipulated, who can Liam trust?

~~~

THE DEEPEST FAKE
Psychological Medical Thriller
BY DANIEL KALLA

Excerpt

Liam Hirsch never seriously contemplated dying before his forty-ninth birthday—until today.

As he lets his electric Ford F-150 coast down the long driveway on this gray, drizzly Tuesday—a typical January afternoon in Seattle—he’s struck by the sheer size of the house he’s called home for seven years. It’s strange, this fixation on something so mundane. Am I still in shock? He wonders.

Liam grew up in a cramped rental on a cracked street lined by patchy lawns. He never imagined owning a house like this—a hundred-year-old Tudor Revival fully refurbished with white oak floors, Carrara marble, a chef’s kitchen, and three fireplaces—let alone living in Broadmoor, a gated enclave designed to keep people like him out. But none of it matters now, he realizes with a shiver. He won’t be living anywhere much longer.

He remembers the day they moved in. The twins, Ava and Cole, just eight years old, swarmed the house as though on an Easter egg hunt, their laughter echoing through the empty rooms. Celeste joined in, launching a pillow fight before helping Ava pin up posters of Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes. Even after the kids fell asleep, his wife was still buzzing with excitement. They lay together on the living room couch, surrounded by empty boxes, her legs tangled with his as she eagerly detailed the renovations needed to put “the Hirsch stamp” on their new home. But now the memory sours. Liam, preoccupied with a glitch in his company’s app, barely registered Celeste’s words or appreciated what the house truly represented: the security he had always sought for his family.

Liam parks in the four-car garage’s only empty stall and sits there, staring at the bikes, skis, kayaks, and camping gear—each item a trigger for memories of family adventures that now feel like someone else’s. He’s going to have to avoid music, he realizes, or he won’t be able to hold it together. His hand hovers over the door handle. He wrestles with the same questions that have dogged him since leaving the doctor’s office: What do I tell Celeste? How do I break it to the kids?

He wonders if he should be as blunt as Dr. Hudson Chow was. Liam hadn’t gone to the neurologist expecting good news—he knew the muscle twitches in his legs, shoulders, and, of all places, his tongue were worrisome signs. But the grim look on Dr. Chow’s face told him everything before any words were spoken.

“Mr. Hirsch . . . it’s not good,” Dr. Chow said.

“We didn’t expect good, did we?” Liam replied with a forced smile.

“True, but we didn’t expect it to be this severe,” Dr. Chow said, his eyes unwavering. “The MRIs, the EMG, the biopsy—they all point to the same diagnosis: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS.”

The words knocked the breath out of him. “Like Stephen Hawking,” he whispered, visualizing the famed scientist slumped in his wheelchair, his head and neck contorted, reliant on a robotic voice to communicate.

“Yes, but like any disease, ALS has an unpredictable course,” Dr. Chow said. “Stephen Hawking lived for decades with it.”

“I won’t?”

“Your condition has progressed significantly since your last appointment.”

“You’re saying I don’t just have run-of-the-mill ALS, I have the aggressive form?”

“We never classify ALS as run-of-the-mill, Mr. Hirsch. But yes, ‘aggressive’ would be a fair description.”

“And there’s no treatment?”

 “There are two new medications that can sometimes slow the progression or lessen symptoms. I’ll prescribe them today.”

“They’re not cures?”

“No. At best, they might prolong functionality. Delay the onset of more symptoms.”

“Delaying it is the best I can hope for?”

“There are experimental therapies emerging. We could look for a study . . .”

The hesitation in Dr. Chow’s voice was enough. “But they don’t work, do they?”

“Not so far, no.”

Liam’s head spun. “So, I have months, at best?”

“In terms of functionality, yes, probably.”

“Functionality?”

Dr. Chow finally looked away. “If the disease continues to progress at this pace, you will likely lose much of your basic motor function within the next six to twelve months.”

Liam’s hands sat still in his lap. His calmness astounded him. Would it last? Could it? “You’re telling me I won’t be able to speak, walk, or even swallow in six months? Or sooner?”

“It’s impossible to predict with certainty, but . . . yes, there’s a good chance of that kind of progression.” Dr. Chow sighed, his expression so strained that Liam couldn’t help but feel a flicker of sympathy for him. “At some point in the near future, Mr. Hirsch, you’ll need to think about life support and how you feel about being placed on a ventilator. Perhaps you could come back with your wife . . .”

The shock must have set in then because the rest of their conversation is a blur.

Stunned, Liam wandered back to his truck, sinking into the driver’s seat and staring blankly at his reflection in the mirror. The man looking back seemed much older than he felt. Anger surged—rage at the injustice, at his body’s betrayal, at the world for spinning on while his life unraveled. He wanted to scream, to hit something, to release the pressure building inside him. But all he could do was sit there, silent, as the weight of his diagnosis pressed down.

About Author Daniel Kalla…

Daniel Kalla is an internationally bestselling author of many novels, including Fit to Die, The Darkness in the Light, Lost Immunity, The Last High, and We All Fall Down. Kalla practices emergency medicine in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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Links to Daniel’s websites, blogs, books, #ad, etc.:

Amazon Kindle: https://amzn.to/3Ux3Ke0

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/45nOLcA

Happy Reading!

~~~

Special Giveaway:  Daniel will gift a print copy (U.S. & Canada only) to one lucky reader who comments on his Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog. Good luck!

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Thanks, Daniel, for sharing your book with us!

Don’t miss the chance to read this book!

Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Refreshing Social Media ~ Karen/K.L. Docter

Hello from Myrtle Beach, Everyone!

I’ve can’t believe how long it’s been since I refreshed my social media. Now that I’ve completed my review and whipped out some changes, I wanted to share my updated social media links so you know where to find me. In addition to the social media I’ve decided to keep intact, I have a couple of new things that you might be especially interested in.

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I’m now sharing  my news with my VIP READERS at DOCTER’S HOUSE OF BOOKS & MEANDERINGS on Substack. Subscribe to get all of my news and special events first! I’ve not only changed the location of my newsletter and its frequency, but it has a new “feel,” too. Less newsletter(y) and more like a diary of my week, the topics that have struck me, updates on my current WIP (work in progress), etc. To see what I do there now, here are a few samples you can check out:

Inspiration, Muses…and Raindrops June 6, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/kdocter/p/inspiration-musesand-raindrops?r=2hdl0s&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false Online Research…aka Chicken Feet & Black Holes June 25, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/kdocter/p/online-researchaka-chicken-feet-and?r=2hdl0s&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false Romance & The Rustic Potty Juy 25, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/kdocter/p/romance-and-the-rustic-potty?r=2hdl0s&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

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I’ve also rejoined INSTAGRAM. You can find me here: https://www.instagram.com/karenkldocter/

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Of course, you can find me daily at my usual hangouts, too:

Website & Karen’s Killer Book Bench & Killer Fixin’s Blogs

Goodreads

Karen Docter Facebook Author Page

K.L. Docter Facebook Author Page

Docter in the House! Facebook Group

Book Bench for Romance Lovers Facebook Group

Midnight in the Garden Facebook Group

Pinterest

X/Twitter

 

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with ONCE UPON A SILVER STRAND, Enchanted Realms: A Rapunzel Retelling #YA by Michelle Miles #Recipe ~ Instant Pot Oatmeal

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with MICHELLE MILES!!

Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, instead of one of my recipes, I will introduce you to a new author who will share a favorite recipe. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll also get a chance to check out some fantastic authors. Introducing author MICHELLE MILES and her favorite recipe for Instant Pot Oatmeal!

ONCE UPON A SILVER STRAND
Enchanted Realms: A Rapunzel Retelling
BY MICHELLE MILES

Blurb

A girl with hair spun from starlight. A fallen guardian bound to a shattered realm. And a tower that was never meant to protect her.

High above the mortal world, Ariadne lives alone in a tower touched by the stars. Her silver hair, glowing with ancient magic, is said to be cursed—never to be cut, never to be touched. But when a celestial storm rains fire across the sky, a stranger crashes into her world. Cassian is a guardian from a forgotten realm, drawn by a prophecy and the shimmering strands that hold the key to awakening long-buried power.

As Ariadne’s magic begins to stir, the truth unravels—she is not cursed, but chosen, a living bridge to the lost kingdom of Starna. And the tower that binds her is not a sanctuary, but a prison built to contain the magic threatening to tear the realms apart.

With the stars falling and darkness rising, Ariadne must decide whether to sever her past… or embrace the magic woven into her very soul.

If you love quiet heroines discovering untold power, brooding guardians with hidden hearts, and towers hiding secrets written in the stars—you’ll love this Rapunzel reimagining.

ONCE UPON A SILVER STRAND
Enchanted Realms: A Rapunzel Retelling
BY MICHELLE MILES

Excerpt

The stars whispered louder on the nights she dreamed of cutting her hair. Blinking and twinkling high above in the indigo sky, they watched through the tower window, casting pale silver light across the stone floor. And when the starlight touched her braid, her strands illuminated in that cold, silvery light.

Ariadne had never seen the world beyond her tower window. Never experienced the warm sunlight on her face. Never touched the cool grass under her bare feet. She remained hidden away from the world. Cursed—or blessed—to live her days alone.

She spent long nights gazing at the stars. She had them memorized. How they danced during summer storms and faded to ghost-like shimmers during the winters. How they seemed to give her life and energy as they beamed down into her tower window. And how her strength ebbed when the clouds covered them.

Her initial memories involved that tower, the sky, and her caretaker—an elderly woman whose face, though lined, was kind. She said her hair consisted of moonlight and starlight. Spun from the last breath of a dying star. She said her long hair tethered her to this place—this mortal realm. She said her silver strands had a curse. That severing her hair would cause her madness. That the sky would rip open, forever altering the realm.

As a child, she believed the stories. Now that she had matured, she remained unsure.

But she did not dare tempt fate by cutting her hair. What would happen if she was no longer bound to this place? What would she become? Would she be free to leave, to live a different life, no longer in solitude?

Tonight, the stars were restless. Deep within her, something ancient stirred as though her soul sensed a change. Ariadne couldn’t pinpoint the odd impulse deep within her.

But she felt restless, like the stars.

She rose from the bed and gazed up at the murals along the tower walls. These recounted her life’s journey from birth to when starlight became woven into her hair. To even the moment she was placed in the tower with the woman who was her caretaker.

When the woman died, she turned into sparkling, twinkling light and joined the stars above. The enchanted tower continued to provide for her years after her death. Palpable loneliness, memories of stories long past, and bookshelves containing fantastical tales were all that remained for her.

No end existed.

Would there ever be?

About Author Michelle Miles…

MICHELLE MILES believes in fairy tales, true love, and a little bit of magic in every story. She writes fantasy, paranormal, and young adult books packed with adventure, action, and swoon-worthy romance—because what’s a story without a bit of danger and a whole lot of heart? From angels and demons to dragons, elves, and time travelers, her books are filled with epic quests, fierce heroines, and the kind of heroes worth falling for.

When she’s not crafting new adventures, she brings stories to life as a narrator and hosts Miles Beyond the Page, a podcast where she chats with authors about their writing journeys. A Texas girl through and through, she loves getting lost in a good book, binge-watching movies, hiking the trails, and sipping a glass of wine. Come hang out with her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and more

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Links to Michelle’s website, blog, books, #ad, etc.:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3IMj4Rj

Universal Buy Link:
https://bf.michellemiles.net/d1tm74dh3f

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I hope you enjoy Michelle’s recipe today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy Eating!

Karen

P.S. We’re at 749 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right-hand column menu,  you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: If an author’s favorite recipe isn’t their own creation and came from an online site, you will now find the entire recipe through the link to that site as a personal recommendation. Thank you.

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INSTANT POT OATMEAL

1 cup low fat (1%) milk (or whatever milk you prefer)
1-1/2 cups steel-cut oats
1/4 tsp salt

Spray Instant Pot bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Add 4 cups water, milk, steel-cut oats, and salt; stir to combine. Cover and set release valve to the venting position. Select Slow Cook and cook on low for 4 hours. Let the oatmeal continue to cook on warm for another 4 hours.

I portion it out into a muffin tin and freeze it for 2 hours. Then put the little “hockey pucks” in a quart size freezer bag. Two is a good portion. Freeze up to 3 months.

Happy Reading!

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Special Giveaway:  Michelle will gift an ebook copy of ONCE UPON A SILVER STRAND to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog. Good luck!

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Thanks, Michelle, for sharing your book with us!

Don’t miss the chance to read this book!

Karen’s Killer Book Bench: SHADOWING THE PHOENIX, Angels of STARR #Military #Romance by Angel Nix

KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench, where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site, so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!

 

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SHADOWING THE PHOENIX
Angels of STARR Military Romance
BY ANGEL NYX

BLURB

When the phoenix is flying, shadow comes out to play.

Ainsley Bishop

I wasn’t always a street kid, but when my home life got dangerous, I chose the streets. They were safer. A whiz with computers, I quickly found my own way into the world of hacking.

That’s when they came. STARR. They’d heard about Phoenix and wanted her. But there were a few requirements. I had to leave my old life behind. Fine by me.

A decade later, I have no regrets. I’ve used my skills, and the ones STARR taught me, to help a lot of people.

When I come across a trafficking ring online, I make it my mission to shut it down. If only Shadow wouldn’t get in my way.

Kason Manning

Known only as 5H4D0W online, the moniker fits. I watch and wait in the shadows for the right time to pounce. I’m what we in the hacker world call a Grayhat. My methods weren’t always ethical, but they got the job done.

When I stumbled onto a trafficking ring on the dark web, I made the snap decision to infiltrate them and take them down from the inside.

That’s when I met her. Known only as PH03N1X, her fiery spirit called to me. But she has secrets she won’t share, ones I fear will burn the world down around me. But then, maybe that was what I needed-to rise from the ashes renewed.

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SHADOWING THE PHOENIX
Angels of STARR Military Romance
BY ANGEL NYX

Excerpt

By the time STARR was done molding me into a skilled agent, I’d had numerous broken bones, more than a few scars, and the girl I’d once been was long gone.

I was as deadly with a gun, blade, or poison as I was skilled at hacking. When I had to come up with an online moniker, I knew the perfect one. PH03N1X. I was like a phoenix. My old self was burned away and I’d risen from the ashes as something new.

That was ten years ago and I haven’t looked back. Why would I? There was nothing in my old life I wanted to hold on to.

When it came time for me to decide which branch of the agency I wanted to work out of, I had my pick. There were Milan, Israel, France, Egypt, several in the US, and a few other countries. I could have become an ex-pat—Egypt was very tempting—but in the end I chose New Orleans.

Why? Two words: Mardi Gras. Who wouldn’t want to be based in a city as vibrant as New Orleans that has over a hundred and thirty different festivals every year? There’s always a party happening that a person can lose themselves in for a little while if they need to. Plus, hello, goth chick here. I fit right in.

About Author Angel Nyx.

Angel Nyx is an author of paranormal, contemporary, post-apocalyptic, and reverse harem romance with some why choose thrown into the mix. Her passion for literature was instilled in her at a young age when her mother read her fairy tale stories at bedtime. Her vivid imagination helps her get in tune with her characters to bring them to life for her readers. She is also a mom, a reader, and an avid gamer chick.

When she’s not working, writing, reading, or gaming, she is usually relaxing to music, spending time with family, or finding new authors to fall in love with.

She has a long time love affair with the city of New Orleans, which is why so much of her work is set there, and plans to visit the city as often as possible in the coming years.

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Links to Angel’s websites, blogs, books, #ad, etc.:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4mcYtnV

https://authorangelnyx.com/

https://linktr.ee/AuthorAngelNyx

Happy Reading!

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Special Giveaway:  Angel will gift an ebook copy of one of her books (her choice) to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog. Good luck!

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Thanks, Angel, for sharing your book with us!

Don’t miss the chance to read this book!