C.D. Hersh's Blog, page 8
May 29, 2025
Friday Feature Turning Stone Chronicles World
Yes, dear reader we’re going to do a little self promotion and sharing from behind the screen.
The computer screen that is not the other, get your minds out of the gutter. So what shall we talk about?
How about why we write as co-authors?
The easy answer is that it is fun. The other answer is that we always have something to talk about. Now that doesn’t mean we don’t have anything other than our stories to talk about but when the mundane, everyday things become boring we can go off into our writing world and have fun. We are never going to be like those folks you see in restaurants who just sit there eating not saying a word to each other. We have romance and romantic settings to create and enjoy, mysteries to solve, and people to kill, on paper (LOL). Just hope the wrong people are not eavesdropping on our conversations.
In our Turning Stone Chronicles, we have a unique take on shape-shifters.
As we developed the concept we decided that we wanted something different than the normal were-shape shifters. In reality, we can thank Donald’s psychology courses for the idea of the various forms of shifting. One of the psyche theories is that we all have three parts to our psyche, commonly called id, ego and super-ego. We added a twist to that theory using male, female, and animal egos, and a magic ring that could tap the various forms. So our folks have various forms to take but, there are some consequences if you are doing evil.
In the first book of the series, THE PROMISED ONE, the partnership between Rhys and Alexi has been described as extremely powerful and that hits you immediately from the beginning of the book. So here is a brief excerpt that shows that partnership.
Tucking his gift under her arm, she started to leave.
“Hey.” He pointed at the other gifts. “Aren’t you going to add yours?”
“Nope. I’ll give it to you later, when we’re alone.”
“Ooh. Something special. Mineral or animal?” His right eyebrow raised, his smile growing.
Alexi laughed. “Just embarrassing.”
“For you or for me?”
“I’m not telling.”
Sidling close to her, he backed her against the wall. “Come on. Just a hint,” he said, a purr in his tone as he placed his hand on the wall next to her shoulder and moved into her personal space with the ease of a lover. One of his famous melt-the-girl looks smoldered in his gaze. The golden flecks in his green eyes lit up like fireworks. Hot fireworks.
Enjoying his closeness and the raw sensuality emanating from him, she lingered for a minute, then slowly moved away. Standing this close she could get burned, and she wasn’t ready to play with fire . . . not yet. She shook her head. “Not a chance.”
He crossed his arms, obviously irked that she hadn’t succumbed. “My irresistible charms work on everyone else. Why not you?”
Oh, if you only knew. She had to fight to resist him. She flashed him a smile. “Because I’m special. And I’m your partner. Keeping your back safe is more important than getting you on your back.”
He laughed, a deep, throaty, and utterly sexy sound.
She locked her knees to keep from melting into a puddle.
“I like the sound of that.”
Of course you would. She felt her face flame.
The series is a paranormal romance about folks who use magic to shape shift, and it is not the ordinary animal shape shifting. We think readers will be surprised. Amazon reviewers have called the story line “totally unique,” and “a book that keeps you turning the pages to the end.”
InDtale Magazine review said “The Promised One” takes paranormal and turns it on its ear, taking shape-shifting to a whole other level. The bad guy perspective is particularly unique and fun, and the characters three-dimensional. . .”
The series is currently four books with the fifth one being written. Here is a little more about the series and each book.
TITLE: The Turning Stone Chronicles
GENRE: Urban fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
HEAT LEVEL: Sensual
BLURB:
Three ancient Celtic families. A magical Bloodstone that enables the wearers to shape shift. A charge to use the stone’s power to benefit mankind, and a battle, that is going on even today, to control the world. Can the Secret Society of shape shifters called the Turning Stone Society heal itself and bring peace to our world?
Find out in The Series The Turning Stone Chronicles
Book one of the chronicles titled “The Promised One”:
In the wrong hands, the Turning Stone ring is a powerful weapon for evil. So, when homicide detective Alexi Jordan discovers her secret society mentor has been murdered and his magic ring stolen, she is forced to use her shape-shifting powers to catch the killer. By doing so, she risks the two most important things in her life—her badge and the man she loves.
Rhys Temple always knew his fiery cop partner and would-be-girlfriend, Alexi Jordan, had a few secrets. He considers that part of her charm. But when she changes into a man, he doesn’t find that as charming. He’ll keep her secret to keep her safe, but he’s not certain he can keep up a relationship—professional or personal.
Danny Shaw needs cash for the elaborate wedding his fiancée has planned, so he goes on a mugging spree. But when he kills a member of the secret society of Turning Stones, and steals a magic ring that gives him the power to shape shift, Shaw gets more than he bargained for.
Book two of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “Blood Brothers”:
When Delaney Ramsey is enlisted to help train two of the most powerful shape shifters the Turning Stone Society has seen in thousands of years, she suspects one of them is responsible for the disappearance of her daughter. To complicate matters, the man has a secret that could destroy them all. Bound by honor to protect the suspect, Delaney must prove his guilt without losing her life to his terrible powers or revealing to the police captain she’s falling for that she’s a shape shifter with more than one agenda.
The minute Captain Williams lays eyes on Delaney Ramsey, he knows she’s trouble. Uncooperative, secretive, and sexy, he can’t get her out of his mind. When he discovers she has a personal agenda for sifting through all the criminal records in his precinct, and secretly investigating his best detective, he can’t let her out of his sight. He must find out what she’s looking for before she does something illegal. If she steps over the line, he’s not certain he can look the other way for the sake of love.
Book three of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “Son of the Moonless Night”:
Owen Todd Jordan Riley has a secret. He’s a shape shifter who has been hunting and killing his own kind. To him the only good shifter is a dead shifter. Revenge for the death of a friend motivates him, and nothing stands in his way . . . except Katrina Romanovski, the woman he is falling in love with.
Deputy coroner Katrina Romanovski has a secret, too. She hunts and kills paranormal beings like Owen. At least she did. When she rescues Owen from an attack by a werebear she is thrust back into the world she thought she’d left. Determined to find out what Owen knows about the bear, she begins a relationship meant to collect information. What she gets is something quite different-love with a man she suspects of murder. Can she reconcile his deception and murderous revenge spree and find a way to redeem him? Or will she condemn him for the same things she has done and walk away from love?
Book four of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “The Mercenary & the Shifters”:
A desperate call from an ex-military buddy lands a mercenary soldier in the middle of a double kidnapping, caught in an ancient shape shifter war, and ensnared between two female shape shifters after the same thing … him.
May 27, 2025
Wednesday Special Spotlight Clothing Shapeshifters
Paranormal worlds are fun to create, but one of the biggest issues writers have to deal with when writing about were-animals is the clothing problem.
Traditionally, were-animals remove their clothes, or shed their skins if they are animals changing to humans, in order to accommodate their human/animal shifts. In the case of some, like selkies (seals who become humans), they also have to have their clothes (or skins) back in order to change back to humans.
Having to remove clothing before shifting into animals can be advantageous when the author wants to get the couple together, naked. Needing one’s clothing to return to human form can also create humorous situations, especially when the shifter is trying to hide why they are running around in their birthday suits.
When we began to develop our world of shape shifters, we had to address the clothing issue, in more than one way. Not only do our shifters become animals, but they can take other human forms, too. So, clothing created an additional challenge for us. Should we take the traditional route and have the shifters hide their clothes before becoming animals? Or should we just let their clothing disappear and reappear without explanation?
After bouncing several ideas off each other we decided that we would utilize the magic of the magical bloodstone ring, that is primarily responsible for the shape shifting in our world, to our advantage when addressing clothing issues, with a few twists. The magic in the ring would allow an animal shift to absorb the wearer’s clothing. The ring would become an integral invisible part of the animal, as would anything else on or in the shifter’s body or clothing. Except for the ring’s magic, nothing on his human form would be accessible to the shifter when he was in animal form. This rule allowed the shifter to be able to blend rapidly into the animal or human world and thus keep the action scenes moving. Unfortunately, this meant no humorous birthday suit scenarios or convenient naked scenes, but that was okay, since we decided to make the human shifting follow different rules.
When our characters shift from male to female, their clothing does not change. This rule has created its own set of problems. We have to be careful that we choose appropriate clothing when our characters are going to shift. A rapid exchange of clothes had to be written in once scene when one shifter mimicked another shifter and was about to be caught. We also had a few interesting male /female shifting scenarios created by this rule, especially when a male shifter ends up in decidedly female clothes. It’s not often that you see a male walking down the street in a dress, or tottering on high heels. Fortunately, with the unisex nature of clothing today, this shifting rule hasn’t created a huge problem for us the writers.
However, it did create a conundrum for the police and our main characters in our first book The Promised One. In this story a shape shifter is murdered and returns to the natural persona: a man. The problem was he had been shifted into a smaller female whose dress did not fit will over his muscular male body. Trying to keep the police from drawing the wrong conclusions keeps the main characters busy coming up with plausible explanations for a man in a dress that is too small for him.
The following is the excerpt from The Promised One that points out the issue:The woman stared at him, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. “Return the ring, or you’ll be sorry.”
With a short laugh he stood. “Big words for someone bleeding to death.” After dropping the ring into his pocket, he gathered the scattered contents of her purse, and started to leave.
“Wait.” The words sounded thick and slurred . . . two octaves deeper . . . with a Scottish lilt.
Shaw frowned and spun back toward her. The pounding in his chest increased. On the ground, where the woman had fallen, lay a man.
He wore the same slinky blue dress she had—the seams ripped, the dress top collapsed over hard chest muscles, instead of smoothed over soft, rounded curves. The hem skimmed across a pair of hairy, thick thighs. Muscled male thighs. Spiked heels hung at an odd angle, toes jutting through the shoe straps. The same shoes she’d been wearing.
The alley tipped. Shaw leaned against the dumpster to steady himself. He shook his head to clear the vision, then slowly moved his gaze over the body.
A pair of steel-blue eyes stared out of a chiseled face edged with a trim salt-and-pepper beard. Shaw whirled around scanning the alley.
Where was the woman? And who the hell was this guy?
Terrified, Shaw fled.
The dying man called out, “You’re cursed. Forever.”
As you can see the change can be quite startling when not expected. Shape shifters can have a rather costly garment expense unless they are careful.
May 26, 2025
Tell Again Tuesday why readers read
A Hidden Reason Why Readers ReadBy Donald Maass
When asked why stories are read, fiction writers offer high-minded reasons:
• Fiction is the tale around the campfire: a celebration of our heroes.
• Fiction whispers cautions: warnings about our enemies.
• Fiction affirms our values.
• Fiction challenges our values.
• Fiction is a mirror: how we are.
• Fiction is inspiration: how we can be.
• Fiction takes us through our fears.
• Fiction brings us hope.
• Fiction reminds us of what matters.
• Fiction instructs.
• Fiction entertains.
• Fiction makes us wonder, dream and imagine.
And so on. Those may all be true, but those are stronger reasons to write fiction than to read it.
When readers are asked the same question, many . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:May 22, 2025
Friday Feature The Poppie
Memorial Day, observed in the United States on the Last Monday in May, is a solemn occasion dedicated to honoring the men and women who gave their lives while serving in the US military.
The Red Poppy: This Flower became a symbol of remembrance after World War I, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields” by poet and soldier John McCrae. People often wear or display red poppies to honor fallen soldiers, and the American Legion distributes them every Memorial Day.
May 20, 2025
Wednesday Special Spotlight Keeping Britain Tidy
One of my favourite activities isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, although I wish more people would take it up. Once a week, I join a couple of neighbours and we go litter picking in our local area.
There’s an expression in the UK – “It’s like painting the Forth Bridge.” Said bridge spans the Forth Estuary in Scotland and is so big a structure that, in the days before new tech, painting it was a question of getting to the end only to have to start again at the beginning. It was a task that was never finished and so it is with litter picking.
Have humans become more thoughtless with their rubbish over the years? It does seem so. There’s more packaging on everyday purchases too, and people eat fast food on the go. When did everyone start taking bottled water and cans out with them wherever they went? What is the mentality of fly-tippers who are happy to make their rubbish someone else’s problem rather than dispose of it responsibly themselves?
Litter isn’t just unsightly; it poses serious danger to wildlife and the environment. Broken bottles can injure dogs’ paws and start forest fires. Plastic can holders trap and strangle animals – they should be cut up before disposal. Plastic that is loose in the ecosystem breaks down into tiny fragments that enter our food and water and, eventually, our bodies.
In past ages, rubbish was biodegradable. Forest floors were littered with dead leaves not crisp packets. Broken clay pottery returned to the earth from which it was made. Textiles were mended and reused. Leftover food items became compost to grow more food. There were no cigarette ends ground underfoot, no plastic bags taking flight over windswept fields.
So, my neighbours and I do our bit to clean up the detritus of modern life. We have fun doing it – you’d be surprised what we find! It’s a satisfying pastime because we can see that we’ve made a difference to our neighbourhood, and it sets a good example to others – litterally! Imagine if everyone just kept the area outside their own home litter-free, wouldn’t that be something!
The characters in my epic fantasy trilogy The Elwardain Chronicles would be horrified to see the rubbish-strewn vistas of the 21st century. They would be appalled by our carelessness and lack of respect for nature. Their 6th century world is unspoilt and unpolluted. If you would like to escape to a cleaner, simpler time, why not take a trip through my trilogy and walk into a world of beauty and magic.
The journey begins now with Book 1, The Exile of Elindel, available in eBook and print.Banished from Elvendom and forced to seek refuge among the Saxons, young Elgiva faces a grim future – until she crosses paths with Godwin, a Briton enslaved by the people she must now call allies.
When a dark power rises to claim dominion over Elvendom, Elgiva and Godwin set off on a dangerous quest for the legendary Lorestone: the only thing that can stop the looming darkness. With a reluctant elf boy as their guide and a stubborn pony by their side, they must navigate the treacherous land and harness ancient magic before it’s too late.
As battle lines are drawn, Elgiva must embrace her true heritage, and Godwin must learn to wield the secret power he possesses. But can they find the Lorestone in time – or will Elvendom fall forever?
A historical fantasy adventure set in 6th century Britain, THE EXILE OF ELINDEL is the first book in Carol Browne’s The Elwardain Chronicles series.
UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK
Once upon a time a little girl wrote a poem about a flower. Impressed, her teacher pinned it to the wall and, in doing so, showed the child which path to follow.
Over the years poems and stories flowed from her pen like magic from a wizard’s wand.
She is much older now, a little wiser too, and she lives in rural Cambridgeshire, where there are many trees to hug.
But inside her still is that little girl who loved Nature and discovered the magic of words.
She hopes to live happily ever after.
Stay connected with Carol on her website and blog, Facebook, and Twitter.
May 19, 2025
Tell Again Tuesday easy writing
10 ridiculously simple steps for writing a bookBy Jeff Goins
— Mark Twain
As the bestselling author of five books, I can tell you without hesitation that the hardest part of a writer’s job is sitting down to do the work. Books don’t just write themselves, after all. You have to invest everything you are into creating an important piece of work.
For years, I dreamed of being a professional writer. I believed I had important things to say that the world needed to hear. But as I look back on what it really takes to become an author, I realize how different the process was from my expectations.
To begin with, you . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:May 15, 2025
Friday Feature Breakfast
My family loves breakfast, especially a cooked one. Because we all work and are usually in a time crunch the first meal of the day is cereal or a bowl of fruit. But on the weekends the house is filled with wonderful aromas of brunch. This recipe is one of our favorites, especially mine because it’s easy to prepare and delicious.
This recipe makes 7-8 regular waffles, or 5-6 Belgium waffles, depending on your griddle.
Keto Waffles
2 large eggs
½ cup of sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. baking powder
½ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 cup finely ground nuts, I use a mix of walnuts, pecans, and almonds
With a mixer, whisk eggs thoroughly until combined, then add sour cream, vanilla, and baking powder.
Manually, stir in shredded coconut and ground nuts. Let mixture sit for 5-10 minutes.
If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of heavy cream.
Heat up a waffle maker, brush it with the oil of your choice. Use an ice cream scoop (I use the large one) to pour on the batter. Cook per your griddle directions.
Enjoy with cream cheese, double cream, or syrup. It is perfect for breakfast or desert.
Romance author Stella May steps away from her time travel books to share The Rostoff Saga. Here’s the cover and intro for New Dawn, Book 1 of the exciting four book series.
Love wasn’t part of their agreement.
Neither was being caught in a brutal web of lies.
International playboy and owner of a jewelry empire that spreads across three continents, Dmitry Rostoff holds a memory close to this heart that not even his best friend Vlad Albrecht knows. When Dmitry learns the Russian ballerina, he had a passionate affair with died in childbirth, bitterness and hate to overrule all other emotions.
Taking the baby out of Russia is an impossible snarl of red tape, but Dmitry gets his way, even if he leaves a trail of chaos in his wake.
Natasha Sokolova planned to turn over the baby to Dmitry then walk away. Instead, she is on a plane to San Francisco with the baby and a cold, emotionless man who makes her heart pound with scorching attraction.
The family matriarch and evil to her core Elizabeth Rostoff plots to gain control of the baby, no matter what it costs or who it hurts, and will do anything to make that happen. She blackmails Marie Dubois, the manager of their elite Paris store, to seduce Dmitry. But Marie reneges on the deal when former Special Forces officer Vlad Albrecht storms into her life.
Once in America, Natasha finds herself entangled in a sticky web of lies created by the brutally calculating family matriarch. A web that forces Natasha to make a heartbreaking deal with the devil to protect the children—and man—she’s come to love.
Stella May is the penname for Marina Sardarova who has a fascinating history you should read on her website.
Stella writes fantasy romance as well as time travel romance. She is the author of ‘Till Time Do Us Part, Book 1 in her Upon a Time series, and the stand-alone book Rhapsody in Dreams. Love and family are two cornerstones of her stories and life. Stella’s books are available in e-book and paperback through all major vendors.
When not writing, Stella enjoys classical music, reading, and long walks along the ocean with her husband. She lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband Leo of 25 years and their son George. They are her two best friends and are all partners in their family business.
Follow Stella on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
May 13, 2025
Wednesday Special Spotlight Writers: Are You a Tortoise or a Hare
We writers tend to fall into two categories. You’re either a tortoise or a hare. What do I mean by that? I guess what I’m trying to get across is that some writers write fast, and can crank out thousands of words in one sitting, while other writers are slower, and write at their own speed and pace to get their books done—even if it takes them years. I’m not talking about whether you’re a plotter or a pantser (writing by the seat of your pants). I’m talking about whether a writer is prone to being a ‘hare’ (fast writer) or a ‘tortoise’ (slow writer).
So, let’s get real, and be honest. Which one are you? A hare or a tortoise?
I must admit, I’m definitely a proud tortoise. Though I mentally (and emotionally) kick myself at times for being such a slow writer. A good day of writing (3-4 hours) consists of over five hundred words—a great day is over a thousand. I know a lot of my slow-downs happen when I need to do some research in the middle of a scene. It’s been suggested to me by the powers that be (my publisher) that I should just highlight the area where the research is needed, and continue on with my writing. Of course, boss-woman is correct, and what she advises makes a heck of a lot of sense. But…um, no. I want, correction need to KNOW what happens in that scene, and if I’m using the proper terms and things found in the time period I’m writing in to move the story forward. For me, finding the historically correct information is vital to finishing the scene. Sigh. I must be built that way.
At times I envy all you, hares out there, with your nimble fingers flying across the keyboard, and your devil-may-care attitudes. You’re the writers who get more than one book written in a year. I truly applaud you for that accomplishment. You’re also the writers who probably have a messy, mucky first draft, and need to go through many drafts to get your final story. Me? I usually have a clean first draft that’s closer to publication than the hare’s speedy attempt at a novel. My mantra in this crazy writing gig is, ‘Slow and steady progress assures success’. So I plod along like the tortoise, much like the one in Aesop’s fable, who ends up crossing the finish line to win the race against the confident, cocky hare. Perseverance, after all, will keep us writers going and going—like that pink Energizer Bunny. Or is it really a hare? Wink.
Confession time! Are you a tortoise or a hare? How has being either one effected the way you approach writing a novel? Do you love the process? Does writing energize you? Would love to read your input and comments. Thank you for spending time with me by reading my blog! Cheers, and have a great week!
For your reading pleasure, may I suggest a visit to Fairy Falls, or if you’re feeling really adventurous, a trip back in time with The Last Timekeepers? Just remember to pack lightly.
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the award-winning teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, reading, researching, or revising, she enjoys anything arcane, ancient mysteries, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada with her spoiled husband and is happy to spend many hours with her amazing grandson.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHOR page for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.
BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE
May 12, 2025
Tell Again Tuesday Self Publishing
Two Bites of the Apple on Kindle VellaBy Anne Brown
If you’re considering self-publishing and wanting to maximize potential income, do yourself a favor and take a peek at Amazon’s Kindle Vella platform.
If you haven’t already heard about Kindle Vella, it’s a place where you can serialize your novel over an extended period, instead of publishing one whole story all at once. Instead of chapters, you are publishing “episodes,” much like a television series.
This isn’t a new concept. Serialized novels first popped up as early as the 17th century and really took off in England during the 19th century when novels were published episodically in newspapers and magazines.
This allowed poorer overworked readers to enjoy stories that would have been too expensive for them to read as leather-bound volumes. In the modern era, Kindle Vella readers are . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:May 8, 2025
Friday Features New time travel book
Not a time travel novel
Many readers love time travel stories! Just take a look at the success of books and movies like Outlander and The Time Traveler’s Wife. In these stories, the author shows the characters traveling back and forth in time.
The characters, not the readers.
Wouldn’t it be cool if an author could make you the time traveler?
That is my goal in my new historical romance series, “Daughters of the Duchess.” I take my readers back in time to 15th C. Flanders, to the court of Duke Philip III of Burgundy. As an earnest student of medieval history, I’ve been studying the period for decades. I feel like I lived there, 500 years ago in the region they now call Belgium and the Netherlands.
Here’s a brief peek at Book One.
A flawed, proud lady. A man with scars—inside and out. A love neither saw coming.
At a spring festival in Burgundy, a proud, disabled maiden and a disillusioned horse master are thrown together by duty. Neither expects the spark. Can two wounded souls learn to trust love?
Eva of Utrecht, at just shy of sixteen winters, had accepted her fate. She knew no nobleman, no knight of honor would ever ask for the hand of a child born out of wedlock, especially one swept aside by a powerful Burgundian Duke. Especially one who, born with a club foot only partially corrected by the healers, had been left with an uneven gait. She would remain a seamstress, a tailor’s daughter, until some man—a local craftsman, or mayhap even a commoner—grew lonely, pitied her, and took her for a wife.
If ever.
A missive from the Duke himself, however, could signal a change. A glimmer of hope sparked in Eva’s chest.
~~~
As he unsaddled his lord’s sweaty horse, anger and resentment rose in Mathieu’s chest. He was no escort, no lowly courier to be sent on missions such as these. He was a squire, the ostler and falconer here at Coudenburg. And he had many preparations to oversee at the castle for the festival—”
“Mathieu. Do not despair. This mission is no common task, but one the Duke honors you to complete. The lady you must retrieve is a very special one, indeed.”
A lady. Harumph. Probably just another one of the Duke’s mistresses.
Buy Link eBook
Paperback & Audiobook coming soon!
Bio
Gemma St. Claire is an award-winning author of romantic fiction, dedicated to crafting stories that resonate with readers, with unforgettable characters and tantalizing plots.
Her passions are writing, romance, and history, particularly the Middle Ages. Let Gemma take you on romantic journeys, back in time to when castles were called “home,” and chivalry was alive and well.
Join Gemma’s Time Travelers here:
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