Ariella Moon's Blog, page 2
December 31, 2024
Escape Into Two Great Thrillers by Jacklyn Goldis
The Main Character, by Jaclyn Goldis
In The Main Character, Jaclyn Goldis crafts a page-turning thriller with an unusual premise. Instead of mining her own life for inspiration, Ginevra, a mysterious reclusive author, pays people to be the main character in her novels. She extensively interviews and investigates them, digs up or creates mysteries, then fictionalizes their lives. Ginevra gifts her next main character, Rory, with a lavish, all-expenses-paid trip on the Orient Express.
The mere mention of the famed train ignites mystery readers’ suspicions, especially when Rory discovers Ginevra has also assembled onboard Rory’s brother Max, her close friend Caroline, and her former fiancé Nate. Soon, long held relationships slowly unravel.
Goldis skillfully weaves red herrings and other misdirects into the story. Will there be a murder and betrayals akin to Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express?
The Chateau, by Jaclyn Goldis
In The Chateau, Jaclyn Goldis creates a tense whodunit set in a grand Provence chateau, where the owner has invited her granddaughter Darcy and three of Darcy’s longtime friends for a visit.
Paranoia sets in when Grand-mère is brutally murdered, and each woman’s unique relationship with the victim is gradually revealed. When the police order the friends to remain at the chateau during the investigation, long-simmering grievances, jealousies, and possible motives bubble to the surface.
Goldis keeps readers engrossed and guessing as relationships fracture, the plot twists, and the chateau itself is exposed as a silent secret-keeper.
Happy reading!
Wishing you all a happy, healthy, book-filled New Year!
Ariella Moon
November 3, 2024
Twentynine Palms Book Festival: Romance Books Author Panel
DATE: SATURDAY NOV 9th AT 2:45 PM
LOCATION: 29 PALMS COMMUNITY CENTER6547 Freedom Way, · Twentynine Palms, CA
CHECK THE BOOK FESTIVAL AGENDAFestival Agenda
29 PALMS BOOK FESTIVAL
Nov 9: EXPLORING THE DIVERSE APPEAL OF ROMANCE FICTION AMONG MODERN AUDIENCES.
Join Jayce Carter and Ariella Moon, two distinct voices in the world of romance fiction, as they delve into the unique allure of the genre for younger generations. Jayce, known for her contemporary and paranormal romances featuring strong-willed women and the red-flag men who love them, contrasts with Ariella, whose shamanic experiences inspire magical tales of medieval Scotland and contemporary paranormal adventures. Together, they will explore what draws new audiences to their differing styles and how romance fiction continues to captivate across different worlds and narratives.
See you there!
Ariella Moon
October 23, 2024
The Unwedding by Ally Condie: Book Review
Ally Condie did so many things well in The Unwedding, a Reese’s Book Club selection, that I didn’t expect to have any criticism. The short, crisp chapters and hook endings propel the reader through the story of Ellery Wainwright, who reluctantly takes a solo trip to the Broken Point resort in Big Sur, a trip she was supposed to take with her husband to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.
That was before Luke asked Ellery for a divorce and took up with a girlfriend.
Condie does an excellent job of depicting a blindsided woman who had maintained hope despite mounting warning signs her marriage was beyond repair. She also perfectly captures a setting I know well: Big Sur resorts and the destructive storms that too often wipe out roads and communication in the area. In The Unwedding, a storm at Broken Point echoes the tempest within as Ellery, unmoored by her husband’s actions, also remains guilt-ridden by a past tragedy.
Isolated from her family and best friend because of the torrential rain, Ellery is alone at a resort where, compounding her heartache, a big wedding is about to begin.
When Ellery discovers a dead body, she thinks, not again. But as a fellow guest warns, there is never just one murder.
Brava to Condie for creating a page-turning mystery. She left enough clues to make the eventual reveal of a murderer feasible. But a few chapters later, when what appears to be an abrupt continuity error occurs and is followed by a lot of conjecture, I was thrown out of the story.
Despite its messy third act, I still recommend The Unwedding. See if you reach the same conclusion I did.
Happy reading!
Ariella Moon
October 2, 2024
Witchcraft to Wordcraft: Saturday's Writers Forum
I look forward to seeing many Coachella Valley authors this Saturday, October 5, 2024, when Eduardo Santiago will interview Jayce Carter and Ariella Moon.
To learn more or to register for this free event: CLICK HERE
In the meantime, don't forget to download your FREE Kindle ebook, Spell Check, Book 1, The Teen Wytche Saga. Offer ends October 5, 2024.
Happy writing!
Ariella Moon
October 1, 2024
The Halloween I Became Radioactive
Did I mention I am deathly allergic to iodine?
I purchased bags of candy in advance of becoming radioactive. We assured our neighbors I would be quarantined in the back bedroom and bathroom, far from the Kit Kats and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.On Halloween morning, I trailed a grim-faced head of nuclear medicine down a nearly empty hospital corridor, shuffling as though bound for the gallows. We entered a small restricted chamber. After consulting my file, which I noticed had ATTORNEY stamped in red block letters across every page, the doctor used three-foot tongs to extract a radioactive vial from a lead-lined canister.
"Swallow this."
"You first."
He was not amused.
That night, my husband (the aforementioned attorney) placed a heaping candy bowl on the front porch, then took our daughter trick-or-treating. I had a vision of a giant nuclear symbol on our front door. Others must have sensed the invisible symbol, too, because even the after-hours marauding teenagers bypassed our house.
Years later, Halloween became the ticking clock in SPELL CHECK, Book 1, The Teen Wytche Saga.
The Kindle Edition of SPELL CHECK is free October 1- 5, 2024. All four TWS novels are available in Kindle Unlimited and in paperback.
Happy reading, and happy Halloween!
~Ariella Moon
AMAZON
September 7, 2024
DOES SOMEONE IN YOUR NOVEL NEED TO DIE?
DOES SOMEONE IN YOUR NOVEL NEED TO DIE?
You’re writing your fabulous novel and, as you go on, you realize you absolutely HAVE to kill someone to make the plot work. In order to bring that hero/heroine together, or tear them apart, and tangle everyone up over wills, funerals, murder, mysterious death or serious mayhem, someone’s got to die.
Once you’ve silenced that nagging dead guy, then what? You have to do SOMETHING with the body, but what? Whether or not you want the forensics, murder, death or dis-appearance to be central to your story, there is that annoying dead guy to dispose of. Discover the pernicious particulars of body disposal and how to trip up your characters, throw them together or drive them apart with the particulars of the business of death.
To learn more or register, CLICK HERE
About Jeanne Adams
Jeanne Adams writes award-winning romantic suspense, paranormal and urban fantasies, as well as space adventure that’s been compared to the works of Robert Heinlein and Jack McDevitt. She’s a sought-after speaker, teaching classes on body disposal for writers, worldbuilding and collaboration, plotting for pantzers and how to write a fight scene that works!
Jeanne lives in Washington, DC with her husband and two growing sons, as well as three dogs – two Labs and an Irish Water Spaniel. Don’t tell, but she’s prone to adopting more dogs when her husband isn’t looking.
You can find her books on all major platforms, and connect with her on the web at: www.JeanneAdams.com
To learn more or register, CLICK HERE
Happy writing!
Ariella Moon
August 8, 2024
I Loved Simply the Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Need a mental health break? Head to the library or your favorite bookstore!
Simply the Best: A Chicago Stars Novel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a fun read with a colorful cast of eccentric characters, delightful dialogue, and a murder mystery with well-crafted red herrings.
Rory Garrett is a broke chocolatier, and a rootless failure when compared to her overachieving football star half-brother. Despite their sibling rivalry, Rory still tries to protect Clint by setting a trap to expose his avaricious girlfriend, Rory’s neighbor, Ashley.
Brett River, Clint’s highly successful, hyper-focused sports agent, is wary about Ashley and warns Clint she is after his money. When Ashley breaks up with Clint, the heartbroken football player blames his agent. Brett, for whom failure isn’t an option, is afraid he will lose his high-value client, especially after Brett realizes the mystery woman he hooked up with is Clint’s sister.
On the surface, Simply the Best is an entertaining opposites-attract romance and whodunit murder mystery. But wait for it… Susan Elizabeth Phillips has a jaw-dropping surprise waiting below the surface. Once you get it, you will happily realize she did warn you. Well played, Ms. Phillips!
My Writing Progress
The third book in my Two Realms Trilogy is currently with my editor.
What to write next? I am torn between writing a spin-off novella for the Two Realms, a short story for The Teen Wytche Saga, or something new! Brain overload... I may need to head back to the library to clear my head.
Happy reading!
~Ariella Moon
June 26, 2024
Book Review: Another Great Novel From A.J. Finn!
END OF STORY
By A.J. Finn
I loved A.J. Finn’s debut novel THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. Now I am ecstatic over his second novel, END OF STORY.
Finn is the master of mysterious protagonists, plot twists, and surprise endings. In END OF STORY, terminally ill crime novelist Sebastian Trapp invites his longtime correspondent Nicky Hunter to visit him and write his life story. Nicky hopes the reclusive author will reveal the truth about the night, twenty years ago, when Trapp’s first wife and son mysteriously vanished.
Finn seamlessly shifts between multiple points of views: Nicky’s, Sebastian’s, Sebastian’s daughter, and his second wife’s. San Francisco and Sebastian’s eerie manor house provide palpable backdrops to the past and present mysteries. END OF STORY kept me guessing until the end, although I did figure out a major plot twist just before it was revealed. END OF STORY is a page-turning cat-and-mouse mystery that will leave you in awe of Finn’s writing.
MY WRITING UPDATE
The third novel in my Two Realms trilogy is in the capable hands of my fabulous editor, Barbara Millman Cole. Yay!
Haven't read the first two novels or the Two Realms companion novella? THE AMBER ELIXIR, and
THE VIKING MIST can be read for free with Kindle Unlimited, or purchased in ebook or paperback.
Happy Reading!
Ariella Moon
May 28, 2024
2 Events That Will Help You Market Your Books!
Upcoming Events!
Image by Survivalist Castle on PixabayAuthor Panel on Book MarketingJune Writers ForumJune 1, 2024, 11:00 AM - Noon (Pacific Standard Time)Mizell Center, 480 S. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA Presented by the Palm Springs Writers Guild
What works, and what doesn't work?
Please Join authors Ariella Moon and Joanne Hardy for a panel discussion on Book Marketing moderated by Kristina Hoffman.
Learn more or register
Image by Geralt on PixabaySocial Media For WritersAn online Zoom class presented by Ariella Moonand the Palm Springs Writers Guild.
June 7, 2024, 1:00 M - 3:00 PM on Zoom
Do you need to be on all social media platforms?Which social media platform do your readers likely use?How do you balance creating content for social media with writing your book?What is the “must have” platform for every writer?
In “Social Media for Writers,” Ariella Moon will answer these burning questions, plus give writers tips on blogging, using Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and explain how to use social media to connect with readers.
May 3, 2024
An ebook $0 .99 Sale and More!
Amazon Kindle $0.99 Sale Read For Free With Kindle Unlimited
Praise for The Beltane Escape
“Ms. Moon creates a magical world and a complex cast of characters that leap right off the page!” ~InD’tale Magazine, Crowned Heart for Excellence review.
“I want the second one, I want more of everything. More Fenella, more Wizards, more Fae, more half-Viking hotties…just more of everything! If this novel has any foreshadowing of how the rest of the series is going to be, I can’t wait!” ~Jessica, Taking It One Book at a Time
Writing News
The sequel to The Beltane Escape and The Viking Mist is EPIC! The manuscript will go to my editor this weekend. In honor of this milestone, and to celebrate the Celtic festival, Beltane, I have created a kindle $.99 sale for The Beltane Escape, good through May 7, 2024
The Beltane Escape, The Viking Mist, and The Amber Elixir, a Lady of the Lake novella, are also available in paperback, and Kindle Unlimited.
Cat Consultants
Thank you to all who heeded my call for Cat Consultants!
Muirgen, the fairy cat in The Viking Mist, returns to play a vital and sometimes humorous role in the upcoming third book in the Two Realms Trilogy. (Stay tuned for the title and cover reveals!)
When I first conceived Muirgen’s character, the only facts I knew about cats were:
1. I am allergic to them.
2. They will bypass a room full of cat lovers to rub against me.
Recently, I happily welcomed a new cat consultant team, Suze and Beanz.
Photo of Beanz by Suze.
Happy reading!
Ariella
Kindle countdown ends May 7, 2024!
