Diane Bator's Blog, page 22

J.S. Marlo launches her newest novel Wounded Hearts, Book 2 in her Love & Sacrifice Series.

 

Welcome to fellow BWL Publishing author, J.S. Marlo! 

It's a pleasure to feature you on the blog!

J. S. Marlo grew up in Shawinigan, a small French-Canadian town in Québec. She attended military college for a year, then married a young officer and raised three spirited children. Over the years, she enjoyed many wonderful postings in many different parts of Canada. She isn’t sure where time flew, but decades later, she ended up in Alberta under the Northern Lights, spoiling two gorgeous little granddaughters.

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/jsmarloauthor/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005715001393

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2079858.J_S_Marlo

How many hours a day do you write?

I know how many hours a day I would love to write, but life gets in the way. I don’t have a fixed schedule. I write around my family activities. When I’m in the creative stage of a new story, I set myself a goal of 4,000-5,000 good words a week. I will write until the wee hours to achieve my weekly goal (even if I have to get up at 6:30 to babysit my granddaughter). It keeps me focused.

What is your favorite childhood book?

I started reading to my children and granddaughter when they were infants. They’ve grown up loving books. To this day, the Robert Munsch children books are the ones I enjoyed reading to them the most. I would have loved these stories as a child.

Ironically, I don’t remember my mother reading to me, or me reading books as a child, except for school. As a teenager, Barbra Cartland, Ian Fleming (James Bond), and Maurice Leblanc (Arsène Lupin) were among my favourite authors.

What inspired you to write this book?

In Seasoned Hearts (Love & Sacrifice 1), my female protagonist has two young-adult children. One of them is a daughter, Rowan, who decides to go to university in Iceland. Rowan has a very small role in that book, but I grew attached to her, so I decided to make her the female protagonist in Wounded Hearts (Love & Sacrifice 2), except I couldn’t come up with an idea. Besides, she was in Iceland, falling in love with some dude named Bjorn.

My husband and I just happened to go on a two-week vacation on Magdalen Islands, a small archipelago in the gulf of St. Lawrence. We stayed in a cozy Bed & Breakfast on one of the smaller islands while we tour the archipelago with our own young-adult daughter who actually surprised us by going to university in Finland a few years later. (And, no, I didn’t know about daughter’s Finland when I sent Rowan to Iceland.)

Back to our B&B’s hosts/owners... those two guys were as charming as the old school building they had transformed into a very unique Bed & Breakfast. They were curious about all their guests, but I was the first author they had ever met, so they became even more intrigued. One of them suggested I wrote a story taking place in a B&B on the island. I loved their idea! By the time I flew back home, I had a draft written in my head, but I chose a different island in the gulf of St. Lawrence, one more accessible from the mainland.

So, this is the reason why Rowan inherits a B&B on Prince-Edward-Island from an estranged aunt who died under strange circumstances. Now, if you’re curious to know who Rowan welcomes at Buccaneer B&B, and what happens with the dude named Bjorn, you’ll have to read the story.

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?

I would like to have a few more books published, but I’ve also been toying with the idea of writing children mystery chapter books (8-10yrs old). In five years, I would like to have one written and published.

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I have ten published books, two more scheduled to be published in 2023, and one half-finished book. The half-finished book is more like a tenth-finished, but I’m working on it.

Was there a person who encouraged you to write?

Between you and me, I never thought I would become an author. I’m a Math/Science girl who was never particularly fond of language, not that I wasn’t good at it, I just didn’t have any interest in it. That being said, while I was in high school, I enjoyed rewriting the ending of books or new short stories of my favourite television shows. At lunch time, my friends would take turn reading the “new” endings or episodes that I’d written. Looking back, I guess you could say they were my first “fans”.

Fast forward twenty-five years, I went to the hospital for what should have been a routine surgery and ended up fighting for my life. I was in bed for six months. To stop me from being bored, my hubby bought me a laptop, and I began writing again. I posted these beginners stories on a free online site where I befriended three amazing women who wanted to become published authors. We formed a group, some would call it a critic group, but it was more than that. We learned from each other, we encouraged each other, and we helped each other. These three women are the ones who fired up my secret dream of becoming an author. One of them also became an author while life took the other two women in different directions. It’s been more than fifteen years since our last group chat, but I still think of them fondly.

WOUNDED HEARTS – Love & Sacrifice 2

Faced with the impossible choice of hurting the man she loves, or leaving him forever, Rowan Kendrick flees Iceland for Prince Edward Island, Canada. Heartbroken, and unable to forget him, she finds refuge at The Buccaneer, a bed & breakfast recently willed to her by an estranged aunt.

Haunted by a fatal shooting, Avery Stone seeks his escape in Buccaneer's attic room. Despite himself, he is drawn into the peculiar circumstances behind the previous owner's death and the strange bones exhumed by Rowan. His dislike for the doctor befriending her turns to mistrust as matters unravel.

Rowan struggles to cope with difficult guests, the puzzling Mr. Stone, and her increasingly complicated family secrets. When she unearths a murderer, is she doomed to death like her aunt? Or will the men in her life, including the love she left behind, set aside their own troubles and band together to help her?

Where to buy: https://books2read.com/Wounded-Hearts

SEASONED HEARTS – Love & Sacrifice 1

Explosion, arson, and murder play an integral and entertaining role in Actor Blythe Huxley’s life, but when his wife is shot, the tragedy becomes real and the decisions heartbreaking.

Love, sacrifice, and duty aren’t empty words that Riley Kendrick writes in her television scripts. They are the threads weaving her life together—a life marked by the loss of her husband in the line of duty, the hardship of raising two children alone, and the strength to move on.

As Riley offers a friendly ear to the actor’s difficulties, an arsonist strikes close to home, casting a shadow on her husband’s death and forcing her to revisit her past. Meanwhile, another bullet flies in proximity of the television studio, entangling her life with Blythe’s tragedy.

Can she and Blythe stop the arsonist threatening her family and the killer set on destroying his life before they each lose another loved one and have their hearts shattered beyond hope of repair?

Where to buy: https://books2read.com/Seasoned-Hearts

 

Author and Former Realtor Nancy Lynn Jarvis launches The Glass House

 

Welcome to fabulous author Nancy Lynn Jarvis!

Nancy Lynn Jarvis was a Santa Cruz, California, Realtor® for more than twenty years before she fell in love with writing and let her license lapse.

After earning a BA in behavioral science from San Jose State University, she worked in the advertising department of the San Jose Mercury News. A move to Santa Cruz meant a new job as a librarian and later a stint as the business manager for Shakespeare/Santa Cruz at UCSC.

Nancy’s work history reflects her philosophy: people should try something radically different every few years, a philosophy she applies to her writing, as well. She has written seven Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries; a stand-alone novel “Mags and the AARP Gang” about a group of octogenarian bank robbers; edited “Cozy Food: 128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes” and a short story anthology, “Santa Cruz Weird;” and even done a little insider’s book, “The Truth About Hosting Airbnb” about her first year as a host.

“The Glass House” is the first book in a new series, PIP Inc. Mysteries. Currently she’s working on the fourth book in the series which should be read in order titled, “Dearly Beloved Departed.”

Website: www.nancylynnjarvis.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2918242.Nancy_Lynn_Jarvis

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nancy+lynn+jarvis&i=stripbooks&sprefix=Nancy+Lynn+Jarvis%2Caps%2C450&ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_17

That's where people should go to see all my books and buy any they want to read in either print or ebook format

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nancylynnjarvis/

 

Tell us about your life outside of writing. 

My life is finally put back together post CZU Fire in Santa Cruz County that happened two years ago. I’ve been writing during that time, but it’s been difficult because concentrating while first being displaced for eight months and then living in a construction zone with air compressors, contractors, and a constant barrage of, “Hey Nancy, what do you want us to do about this?” made focusing difficult. I did manage to write one short story, The Pool Guy, about the fire’s aftermath and finished The Corpse’s Secret Life, book three in my PIP Inc. Mysteries series, but it’s been a challenge.

Right now, I’m getting brave enough to start resorting my gardens which were also burned, and just had a talented young artist turn my propane tank into the Beatles Yellow Submarine, something I promised I would do as the last bit of restoration.

Do you have a work in progress? 

I always have a work in progress, sometimes on paper and sometimes in my head. The works in my head often don’t ever get written, though. Pesky life gets in the way, and I’m not disciplined, so I don’t force myself to write. On paper, I’m working on book four in the PIP Inc. Mysteries series. It’s tentatively titled, Dearly Beloved Departed. In this book, men who have weddings coming up on Christmas Eve are being shot, which is especially troubling to my protagonist, Pat Pirard, because she and her fiancé, Sheriff Sargent Tim Lindsey have a wedding planned for that day.

What was the most difficult section/piece you ever wrote? What made it difficult? 

May I tell you about two very different difficult pieces? The first one was killing a favorite character in the first book I wrote, The Death Contingency, book one of my Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries series. When I started writing, I’d act out scenes before anyone except my cat was awake. I danced around what had to happen for days, but finally had to do the deed. When my husband found me in my office, I was sobbing and shaking, killing my character affected me so strongly.

The second most difficult scene for me to write was in the last book of that series, The Two-Faced Triplex. I’m a very visual writer; I have to see my characters before I can write them. Often I begin writing by using someone I know as a character. Tom Kiley, my protagonist’s husband, began his existence as my husband, Craig. Of course, once I moved into the book, Tom was no longer Craig, except for one thing. I always saw Craig’s intensely blue eyes as Tom spoke.

After my husband died, I still saw his eyes in Tom and it became increasingly difficult to write the series. I decided the seventh book would be the last. As I neared the end of the story, Tom was in extreme jeopardy. Would Regan McHenry, who started her life as Nancy―me―be widowed like I was? Some readers told me they could tell I wasn’t sure whether or not Tom would survive. Making that decision and writing the final scene was incredibly difficult.

What sort of research do you do for your work?

Doing research is often the most entertaining part of writing. I interview people and ask for tips about how to kill people and what to do with bodies. You’d be amazed how forthcoming people are with suggestions. I spend a considerable amount of time researching details for books such as how to tell an ancient burial from a modern one, how redwood trees water themselves, how bodies decompose under various situations, to name a few bits of research I’ve done, and my favorite: the evolution of cat litter that I used to date a partially mummified body discovered in a wall anomaly in Buying Murder.

Which books and authors do you read for pleasure? Is there an author who inspires you?

I read broadly. Sone of my recent favorites have been A Tale for a Time Being by Ruth Ozaki and more cozies than I can mention because I know so many other writers of that genre. I love non-fiction writers, the late David McCullough, and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin are two of my favorites.

Was there a person who encouraged you to write? 

I’m going to reframe the question so it reads who discouraged you from writing and what was their impact on your writing.

Mrs. McNabb, my high school AP English teacher comes to mind. I worshipped her, so when she told the class to write something highly personal just for her that she wouldn’t share with anyone, I did. She read my story aloud to the class. I was mortified and never wrote another thing until I was in my late fifties.

The other major influencer in making me write was a friend, Charlotte Bridges. She was an IT person who would get up every morning before work and write. She was a wonderful writer; the only problem was that she never finished anything.

 I started working on my first book as a game, never intending to do anything with it other than keep myself entertained. She was visiting and caught me in one of my early morning writing sessions and asked me what I was doing. When I told her I was writing a book, she became outraged and told me I couldn’t do that. She said I had to take classes, find a mentor, join a critic circle, and “suffer for my art.” I told her I was just goofing and never intended to do anything with what I wrote.

I finished my book, not my best effort for sure, but I learned a lot. Then I put it on a shelf and started working on another book. (Writing is an addiction; you never stop at one book.) I got a call from her a few months later. She said she was dying of brain cancer and her one regret was that she never finished anything and seen her name in print.

The first book was published and dedicated to her just before she died. If she hadn’t insisted that I couldn’t write just because I wanted to, I might not have finished The Death Contingency.

 

THE TWO-FACED TRIPLEX

Regan signs on to play consoler-and-chief after the body of Martha Varner, one of her favorite clients, is found and the woman’s distraught daughter begs Regan to stop escrow from closing on a purchase her mother was about to make.

Martha Varner’s death, at first ruled suicide, is quickly ruled homicide. The dead woman’s best friend thinks she knows who Martha’s killer is. The police have a different suspect. And Regan? Well, she has her own ideas about who killed Martha Varner.

She just can’t imagine how complicated playing amateur sleuth will make her life and how dangerous her investigation will prove to be for her husband, Tom.

 

THE GLASS HOUSE

#1: When downsizing hits her perfect job as Law Librarian, smart, pretty Pat Pirard, gets an offer to use her invaluable research skills in a local murder case.  Yes, the hunky attorney she will work for is a distraction but once Pat gets her teeth into a subject she’ll dive into this twisted murder case until the guilty party is revealed. What a ride!

#2: “Cops to dog-sitters have been sleuths in mysteries, but a Law Librarian? When Pat Pirard, Law Librarian, loses her perfect job to downsizing, she’ll use her invaluable skills in a local murder case.  Yes, the hunky attorney who hires her is a distraction, but as Pat tenaciously follows witnesses and clues, all sorts of ugly truths float to the surface, until Pat uncovers the culprit. This book has all the earmarks of a terrific new series. Highly recommended!”

#3: “Cops to dog-sitters have been sleuths in mysteries, but a Law Librarian? Soon as I read this book, I knew that Pat Pirard, Law Librarian, was going hit all the high-water mark for the perfect sleuth. This book has all the earmarks of a terrific new series. Highly recommended!”

RP Dahlke, Author of The Dead Red Mystery Series

Introducing my newest novel: Dead Man's Doll!

 

Introducing Dead Man's Doll!Coming October 2022Published by BWL Publishing 

Christmas blooms in Sugarwood in the form of a brightly lit tree in town square, colourful ornaments, and a snowstorm. It’s just Audra Clemmings’ luck that she literally stumbles over the local butcher in Miss Lavinia’s shop. Then a witch doctor arrives in town. Can Audra solve the mystery before the killer turns their sights on her? Audra Clemmings, owner of Stitch’n’Time, loves crafts and a good mystery, which often gets her into hot water. Set in the fictional town of Sugarwood, Ontario, there's never a dull moment between local developers, witches, and quilters.
 An odd combination? 
You haven't met Audra, Merilee, Miss Lavinia, or the Sewing Circle! Let me introduce you!

Excerpt from Dead Man's Doll

Chapter One

Thursday, November 24 

Sugarwood, Ontario, half an hour from Lake Huron, was known for two things:  maple syrup and the Christmas tree lighting festival that always went off with a variety of creative challenges, yet never failed to impress the semi-enthusiastic crowd. This year, fluffy snowflakes fell over the town making Sugarwood look like a Christmas card photo. They’d help make the event even more magical. As long as we didn’t end up finding a body on a bench like we did during the town’s Halloween bash.

“Do you think we have enough decorations for tomorrow?” Merilee Rutherford asked, making me jump. My partner both in Stitch’n’Time and crime solving chuckled. She’d circled November twenty-fifth with a fat, red marker weeks ago.

Where other Ontario towns held their Santa Claus parades and tree lightings a week or two earlier, Sugarwood preferred to do the whole shebang one month before Christmas. No matter which day of the week the twenty-fifth fell on. Call it one of the quirks that gave us charm and created a nightmare for those who worked out of town.

“I think Santa would feel right at home in our workshop. All that’s missing are the milk and cookies.” I grinned, gazing around the store at the large shiny balls that hung from the ceiling.

Strands of garland draped over the top of every cupboard filled with threads and every cabinet stacked with fabric. A plastic, four-foot tall, green tree that once belonged to my dad glistened in the front window. We’d spent a couple of hours wrapping assorted sizes of empty boxes to pile underneath then added needlepoint kits, fabric swatches, and sewing kits to show off our inventory and attract customers.

“Good idea,” she said. “We can put them out for the sewing circle next Wednesday.”

Drake, my Golden Retriever-slash-Husky with massive puppy paws, raised his head as though he expected cookies to magically appear.

“How about the Wednesday before Christmas?” I asked.

“Okay,” she grumbled. “I’m going to run to the bakery to grab lunch, lattes, and cookies.”

“Santa will have to bring me a whole new wardrobe at this rate.” I tucked a thumb inside the waistband of my pants which were getting snug and it wasn’t even December. I had half a mind to tell her to hold the latte. No way was I giving up cookies a month before Christmas. In the end, I kept my mouth shut.

Once she left the store, Drake returned his full attention to the heat vent and took a nap while I strung one last string of lights around the inside of the front window. I swayed to the soft Christmas music we’d discovered on YouTube that morning almost forgetting a couple times that I was on a stepladder.

Winter was off to a snowy start, I’d taken to crossing my fingers whenever I thought about the tree lighting tomorrow. Usually we got this much snow in January and February, not so much in November. I hoped the ceremony and carol sing would go off without a hitch. I could deal with spilled hot chocolate, but not another body.

I shuddered as the gloom brightened with an abrupt swirl of blue and red lights from a passing police car. Since there was no way anyone could speed on Main Street given the current slick conditions, I had to assume the police were on their way to an accident.

Drake stretched, doing a downward dog before he ambled toward the door.

“Do you need to go out?” I asked, holding the top of the three-step ladder as I descended.

Rather than paw at the glass, he sat and yawned.

“Good to know it’s not an emergency. I’ll take you out when Merilee gets back.”

Less than a minute later, she bustled through the front door carrying a cardboard tray and a paper bag. Her head and shoulders were coated with feathery snowflakes. Drake blocked her path with a string of drool seeping from one corner of his mouth.

“The weather’s getting worse,” she said. “This snow would be perfect for the tree lighting tomorrow,” she said, stomping snow off her high-heeled boots. “The bakery’s deserted, so Hilda threw in a free handful of cookies.”

I chuckled. “Ahh. He smelled cookies. What a surprise.”

Closing the front door behind her, I stared out the frosty glass at the snow. The meteorologist had promised—the man even pinky swore on air!—the snow would hold off until later tonight. I should’ve known better than to believe a tall, handsome man who mispronounced precipitation on a daily basis. Differently every time, too. While I itched to go down to the Toronto studio to teach him how to say it right, Merilee figured it was part of his charm. She figured he pronounced it wrong because he wanted to be the sportscaster. People never blamed the sportscaster when their team lost, but woe to the meteorologist who got the forecast wrong.

“Looks like you’ll be walking home in puffy flakes of snow.” Merilee leaned over my shoulder as a cab pulled up in front of Stitch’n’Time.

“Drake will be happy. He can eat as many snowflakes as he wants.” I glanced toward the counter where my eighty pound dog sat licking his massive paws. “Rex is supposed to be out of town today. I hope he and Andrew changed their plans to stay in the office. Or make it back to town safely.”

Merilee handed me a latte as I watched the cab driver emerge. “Figures it would snow like crazy the one day this week I have to pick Tony up from work. It’ll take a few minutes to warm up the truck. I can give you and Drake a ride home. It won’t be fun walking home in a blizzard.”

“It’s not exactly a blizzard, I can still see the real estate office across the street,” I told her. “Walking will be more fun than loading Drake into your truck. Riding in cars isn’t his idea of fun. Last time we took him to the vet, he howled all the way there and all the way home.”

“I would, too. Good thing he loves the truck. He wanted to stick his head out the window last time, but kept hitting his nose on the glass.”

“You’re right. It’s the vet he doesn’t like.”

She chuckled. “You think? Last time he was there he lost part of his manhood.”

The cab driver opened the trunk to remove a walker as an elderly lady pushed open the back door. Judy Wells, our friend Charity’s mom and a vocal part of our Wednesday afternoon sewing circle, emerged. She’d finally resorted to taking cabs since she could no longer drive nor walk as well as she used to.

Guilt seized me when she leaned on the walker and shuffled out of the way of the cab door. “I should go clear the sidewalk.”

Merilee caught me by the upper arm. “You’re not well enough to be shoveling snow. I’ll clear a path while you unpack our lunch.”

“I feel fine,” I insisted.

“You have cancer, remember? You’re tired and have bags under your eyes big enough to fit my entire wardrobe—and that’s saying something. You’re also still green, although it’s a much nicer shade today. More of a soft avocado.” She patted my shoulder. “You hold down the fort. I’ll shovel the snow.”

Breast cancer. The words still clawed their way into my soul and ate my Christmas spirit away in nibbles whenever they came up. Over the past couple of weeks, I’d blinked back more tears than Hoover Dam held water and stitched most of the stocking for Drake in one hour increments just to keep my hands busy while Rex was away at work. I will still awaiting more test results, but the doctor had already referred me to an oncologist. Just in case.

While Merilee went to get the shovel, I turned to see how far Judy had progressed. She used kind of a lift-and-lean method to inch her way toward the dimly lit curio-slash-alternative treatment shop two doors over where Miss Lavinia created salves and potions for her patients who suffered from a wide variety of ailments. Some she used on miniature replicas of her clients. Voodoo dolls to the rest of us.

Miss Lavinia wasn’t a certified physician, more like a witch. The whole town saw the voodoo dolls she’d placed in her front window on Halloween. Most people thought they were cute. I knew better. I’d discovered her massive collection around Halloween and still had nightmares.

I was happy my father’s doll and mine were safe in embroidery thread boxes in my closet at home. Somehow my father’s doll had ended up in an old box of decorations at Halloween. Miss Lavinia returned mine when I saw it in her window, but she’d kept Rex’s likeness to give him further top secret treatments. Some days that bothered me more than normal on days where my husband drove me crazy. The ones where I wanted to beg her to loan me his doll.

“Wish me luck.” Merilee brushed past me still bundled in her designer winter parka with a bright yellow shovel in one hand.

I was surprised when Drake nudged my hand with his nose. “You must be desperate if you want out now. It’s cold, your least favourite thing.”

Cold and snowy meant I’d turn the fireplace on once we got home and spend the evening working on the Christmas stocking I’d started this fall. It also meant Drake would curl up in front of said fireplace for the evening and sleep.

When my phone pinged, both Drake and I jumped turning toward the counter. I took one last glance at Judy trudging through the snow before I checked the text message, crossing my fingers it was from Rex who was more than likely working late tonight.

Or had a dinner meeting.

Or was stuck out of town after a meeting with a client.

Tonight’s message was, “Meetings in Toronto. Be home tomorrow. Don’t wait up.”

“What a surprise,” I told Drake. “Looks like it’s just you and me again. What should we have for dinner tonight?”

To my chagrin, he was already gnawing on a lovely skein of red, green, and white yarn with silver thread woven through it. I grabbed the rest before he could polish it off. Cleaning up after him was never dull. The snow in our backyard was covered in bits of red and green fabric the birds loved. I pictured quilted nests decorating our yard come spring.

Merilee thumped the snow off her shiny boots as she came back inside. Three-inch heels, ice, and snow didn’t go well together no matter what fashion designers said. “The wind’s picking up. You’re not walking home. You’ll blow away and drag Drake with you.”

“Okay. Thanks. I’m sure he’d agree. Did Judy get into Miss Lavinia’s?”

“Yeah, I cleared the path for her, which actually made her flash one of those little smiles we rarely see.” She put the shovel away and took off her coat. “She hates the snow because it makes her arthritis worse. That’s why’s seeing Miss Lavinia.”

“I can sympathize.” It made me feel worse for many reasons.

She met my gaze then said, “Let me guess. Rex is out of town tonight, isn’t he?”

“In the city. He’ll be home tomorrow.”

“Then you and I are calling for takeout. We’ll get dinner and a bottle of wine before I drop you and Drake off then pick up my sexy hubby.”

It was sweet how, after all these years, Merilee and Tony still fawned over each other. When they were over at our house for dinner, I hoped Rex would pick up on the little things Tony did for his wife. No such luck. He seemed more concerned with getting them to sell their fifty acres of prime real estate.

“You’re too good to me,” I told her.

“Don’t take it personally. I can’t run this shop on my own. Why don’t you take tomorrow morning off and greet Rex at the door in lingerie?”

My face burned. “I’m not sure he deserves lingerie after the way he’s been acting lately. Lunch would be nice though.”

Speaking of lunch, we dug into ours. Now that we’d taken all the decorations from the storage room, we could put away the table and chairs the sewing circle had used yesterday along with a couple Christmassy table cloths at the liquidation store outside of town when Merilee and I took a shopping trip. Two red and two green. Patterned ones would’ve made us all crazy if someone dropped a needle.

It was ten to four when Merilee turned away from the window. “Let’s lock up. The snow’s scaring everyone away.”

I called the Thai place for two separate orders. When she pulled out her credit card, I batted her hand away. “It’s on me. Tony will be happy to have his favourite tonight, too.”

While Drake filled up on dog food later that afternoon, I reached for the jar of green supplement powder from Miss Lavinia. The canister was almost empty. I’d have to drop by to order more since it would supposedly boost my immune system and help keep up my strength. With Christmas coming, I needed all the help I could get.

Our house seemed quieter than usual that night. I ate Shrimp Pad Thai on fine china by candlelight with a glass of wine and my evening dose of green sludge to wash it all down. No updates from Rex or the kids, who were making holiday plans around new significant others I hadn’t met yet. With a deep sigh, I settled to watch a movie while I cross-stitched Drake’s stocking.

My furry friend spent a couple more hours in front of the fireplace before he curled up next to me. He placed his head on my lap and closed his eyes. The warmth of his body against mine made me grow drowsy enough to give up on the movie and go to bed.

Tomorrow was the tree lighting and I wanted to be well rested. Just in case.

To Buy DEAD MAN'S DOLL:  https://books2read.com/Dead-Mans-Doll

Coming October 2022 from BWL Publishing: http://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/

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To request additional review copies or an interview with Diane Bator, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.    

We look forward to the coverage!

Introducing Best-Selling Canadian Women's Literary Fiction Author, Deborah Armstrong

 

 

I'm pleased to share a wonderful new-to-me author named Deborah Armstrong! I met Deborah at the local Summer Arts Festival and read her novel Boss, which I really enjoyed! Looking forward to book 2 in the series!

I am an Amazon Best Selling author of Women's Literary Fiction.

I'll never forget that hot and steamy summer that started me on my writing journey. 

It was June, and I celebrated a significant birthday. I couldn't settle for some reason, and all that interested me was reading my daughter's collection of romance novels. I read them all: paranormal, contemporary, historical, and chick-lit. And, I didn't read the books once; I read them repeatedly. I also began to write romance, and by the time fall arrived, I had two rough drafts ready: Forever Love and Love's Promises.

I live with my family on a large dairy farm. My writing is a romantic blend of farming, family, and fantasy. Romance and farming were never so hot, especially when a Hollywood heartthrob or rock star is involved. 

My latest release, a short story called Love's Farewell, will be available for free from October 27 until the 29th. 

I have two Amazon campaigns scheduled for Thursday, October 27. Forever Love is scheduled for a price countdown starting at $1.99 on Thursday and then increasing by $1 the following days.

Want to discuss books, cows or favourite shows on Netflix? Reach out to me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Check out my storyboards on Pinterest, too.

Links to my social media: 

Website;  https://deboraharmstrong.ca/

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/DeborahArmstrongAuthor

Pinterest  https://www.pinterest.ca/deboraharmstrongauthor/

LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/deboraharmstrong4108/

Twitter  https://twitter.com/WriterDeborah

Here is the link to my Author Page on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B008WNVMXQ

How many hours a day do you write?

I wish I had more time to write than I do. I think the average is 10 productive hours a week. I can easily get distracted, so I pick a day when I know I won't have the phone ringing or grandchildren popping over for a visit. For example, today should be free of distractions, so I plan to write once I send you this email.

How do you choose which stories you will write?

My stories choose me. I have a list of titles and 10-word blurbs. Whichever story pops out at me is the one I focus on.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

The most difficult part of my writing process is hitting that wall when the characters fall silent. I have a work in progress now where the hero, who is the strong and silent type, has gone silent. When this happens, I move on to my short stories for a while.

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?

Five years from now, I would like to be writing and publish on a more regular basis. I'd like to release a book every six to eight months. I think this is a realistic goal.

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I have no unpublished books. Everything I have written is available for sale. I have one story and one short story that I am working on now.

Was there a person who encouraged you to write?

My father was an avid reader and a stickler for proper grammar. He would tutor me in sentence structure and grammar. He kept a daily journal and enjoyed writing letters. He passed away before I published my first book, although I'm sure he would be proud of my accomplishments.

FOREVER LOVE – Book 1 – Davina & Quinn Series

What would you do if you sat next to your Hollywood crush on your flight to Los Angeles? How would you spend those few hours? What if he asks you to go on a mile-high speed date with him?

Davina Stuart is a widow, dairy farmer, and bestseller author. She isn’t looking for love, but she’ll settle for a one-night stand with the handsome Quinn Thomas. What does Davina have to lose? Once her time with Quinn is over, she can return to her farm and get back to the life she loves.

However, Quinn isn’t looking for a one-night stand. He’s looking for his forever love, and he’s sure Davina Stuart is the one for him. Quinn stops at nothing to romance the beautiful widow to win her love. She may be older than him, but age doesn’t matter when it comes to matters of the heart.

Join Davina and Quinn on their romantic journey with stopovers in Hollywood, New York City and Davina’s dairy farm in Canada. Add an unplanned pregnancy, a stalker and a fortune teller who is never wrong, and you’ve got terrific romantic suspense for your reading enjoyment.

 

BOSS – Book 1 Game Changer Series 

If you’re looking for a new series with sizzle, the Game Changer series is the one for you.

Dane Andrews, known as Boss to the men who served with him in the Canadian special elite force, has one rule. Never socialize with the women in his hometown. He can’t afford to be attached to a woman, especially in his line of work, and most of all, he can’t let anyone know about his work. 

Until —

One night Jules Montgomery walked into his bar and needed a hero. Dane stepped in to be the man that the red-headed beauty required. For one night, he pretended to be her boyfriend. He kept her company, made her laugh, and made her forget the stalker who was after her. For one night, they pretended to be lovers.

Five years later, Dane is brain injured. He has a service dog to keep him safe, his best friend to watch over him, and a housekeeper who loves him like a son. Dane also discovers he’s the father to a precocious five-year-old daughter.

Can Dane reunite with the woman who has haunted his dreams?

Can Dane break through Jules’ defences and win her love?

Can Jules reconcile the man of her dreams is also the man of her nightmares?

 

LOVE'S FAREWELL - A Short Story Davina & Quinn Series

Whose arms would you want to hold you in a love's farewell?

Foxx O'Connell is dying.

As the thorn in the side of Quinn Thomas, O'Connell's final request will deliver his ultimate revenge … to die in the arms of Davina Stuart Thomas, Quinn's beloved wife.

Will he get the chance to get the better of Quinn?

Will Davina choose Foxx over Quinn?

Will Davina bring comfort to Foxx or remind him of a life of regrets?

Even after the happily ever after ending, there is still more to the lovers' story.

Love's Farewell is a short story that brings devoted readers into a deeper layer with the main characters. For all, it's about love, death, dying, and saying goodbye one last time.

For new readers, Love's Farewell introduces you to the main characters in the Davina and Quinn series. You'll witness the strength and compassion of Davina, and you'll feel the emotions that she stirs within Quinn.

 

Big Announcement from Creative Edge Publicity and Moksha Entertainment

 

Big Announcement from Creative Edge Publicity!!

British Singer, Songwriter, Actress and Model   CHLOEY ROSE   JoinsMOkSHA Entertainment and MOkSHA Music Management

Los Angeles and London.

September 5, 2022 (Hollywood, Calif. U.S.A.) – MOkSHA Entertainment is proud to introduce British Singer, Songwriter Actor and Model CHLOEY ROSE.

CHLOEY ROSE is an artist on the way up and she’s not looking back. Her unique voice and unpretentious style of song writing reminisce of inspiration from as far apart as Kate Bush to Taylor Swift, while her dramatic, soaring, and elegant Bond-esque vocals have attracted comparisons to Adeleand Paloma Faith.

MOkSHA Entertainment and Artist Management is a Multi-Platinum, Award-Winning, boutique cutting-edge artist development entertainment company with an experienced and knowledgeable team that is dedicated to producing innovative quality entertainment that serves a greater purpose and to uplift the human spirit through entertainment via music and film.

CHLOEY ROSE is a stunning, talented, and unique Musical Artist, Actress and Model. CHLOEY ROSE's new single “Golden Sun” is out NOW on Spotify, SoundCloud and all streaming networks. Her music video for “Golden Sun”will be released September 16 on YouTube and all music video platforms.

ROSE has received significant airplay on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, BBC Radio Humberside, Lincs FM, Compass FM., Viking FM, Gravity FM, Siren FM & Harborough FM. She has also experienced international Radio airplay in Spain, Netherlands and Australia. CHLOEY also received “Best Track of 2021”from BBC Radio Lincolnshire. ROSE also received accolades from the radio show BBC Introducing for “Most Outstanding Tracks”. 

As an actor CHLOEY ROSE played the lead role in the BBC First World War Musical production of GREENFIELDS and BEYOND. CHLOEY ROSE also was Awarded “Best Supporting Actress” in Action Film Challenge for her performance in the film GRIMSBY RV, directed by Rob Smith. 

As a model CHLOEY ROSE was crowned "Miss Lincolnshire" and also was a Finalist in "Miss Great Britain". She placed 4th in the "50 Sexiest Men & Women in Lincolnshire". ROSE also placed third in “Miss Northern U.K.” and was a finalist in the “Miss British Isles” beauty pageants.

 

CHLOEY ROSE’sMusic can be heard on her Spotify channel: https://open.spotify.com/album/1fbqPkFpdzfhvBuWd4tky8?si=GKaC3tlDSuKiZDZl3gM5Ag

 

The Flower Enigma, a cozy mystery by the writing duo of Charles Breakfield and Rox Burkey

 

The Flower Enigma

A book in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles Series

 

Cyber Attacks are prevalent in this new take on the cozy mystery by the writing duo of Charles Breakfield and Rox Burkey

 

The book is published by ICABOD Press and is available worldwide across all platforms!

JJ and Jo find the ideal spot to get away from their busy work lives—Magnolia Bluff offers Flower Bed & Breakfast, a quaint country destination within the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

They pull up to the picturesque building only to discover a crowd of citizens anxiously awaiting a special podcast, created by a group of local women, to start. Flower B&B is the sponsor of today’s show in this multi-day series. The couple works through the human log jam. As they check in, they learn that a cyber-attack may prevent the show from airing.

JJ, a technology guru, is convinced by Jo to help the group meet their broadcast promise. While he’s working on the issue, Jo spots a girl in the crowd with fear in her eyes who flashes the international help sign. The teenager vanishes into the throng. Fearful young people signaling for help strikes too close to home for Jo.

Their romantic vacation becomes a journey from one crisis to the next as these vacationers help the evangelizing ladies even as risks are multiplying. Threats expand to include all the podcasters, the show location owners, and suspected missing teens.

Authorities discount the gossipy group’s allegations that Mateo Hernandez built a wall around his property for more than privacy. JJ and Jo work to assemble the necessary clues to convince Chief Jager that Hernandez is a bigger menace. Their nosing around places them both in harm’s way. When Jo is attacked it becomes personal.

This romantic getaway isn’t even close to plan. Lives are at stake, and the young couple won't accept failure. 

The Flower Enigma - Kindle edition by Breakfield, Charles, Burkey, Rox. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. 

The Flower Enigma eBook : Breakfield, Charles, Burkey, Rox: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store 

What Readers Are Saying: 

“Charles Breakfield and Rox Burkey have successfully blended three plot points aka enigmas: romance, technology hacking, and death threats in their latest literary adventure. Their novel entitled The Flower Enigma is Book Five in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles. Both Breakfield and Burkey are two of the founding members of The Underground Authors. Breakfield and Burkey write as a team and have published a series of books in their Enigma Series. The Flower Enigma is their first cozy mystery, a definite page turner, indeed”, _ Book Editor 

“This is the fifth book in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles. And like Cabot Cove in the TV series Murder She Wrote, it’s a lovely little town, but a lot of people get killed there. If you’ve enjoyed the Enigma series, here’s another to like. If you haven’t read any of those, this is a great start. I highly recommend it” _ Pennant Pub

 

The Enigma Series

About Charles and Rox

Charles Breakfield is a technology expert in security, networking, voice, and anything digital. He enjoys writing, studying World War II history, travel, and cultural exchanges. Charles is a fan of wine tastings, winemaking, Harley riding, cooking extravaganzas, and woodworking. 

Rox Burkey is a technology professional who excels at optimizing technology and business investments. She works with customers all over the world focusing on optimized customer experiences. Rox writes white papers and documentation, but found she has a marked preference for writing fiction. 

Together these Texas authors create award-winning stories that resonate with males and females, as well as young and experienced adults. They bring a fresh new view to technology possibilities today in exciting stories. Visit their website for more information and free stuff. Https://www.EnigmaSeries.com

To request additional review copies or an interview with Charles and/or Rox, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.    We look forward to the coverage!

Comanche Trace, Book Four in the Westward Sagas by author and fifth generation pioneer, David A. Bowles

 

Comanche Trace

Book Four in the Westward Sagas

 

Pure Americana of Storytelling continues with critically acclaimed author and fifth generation pioneer,

David A. Bowles

 

The book is published by Plum Creek Press and is available worldwide across all platforms!

 

Texas Ranger, Will Smith moved with his family to Texas during the early days of the Republic. Family strife is caused by the Comanche Indians who kill Will's brother James and abduct his nine-year-old nephew Fayette. Will pursues the Indians alone in hopes of rescuing the boy. Will ends up caught up in the rifts between the Republic of Texas, The Mexican government, and the Indian nation. His quest for revenge is waylaid when a Mexican beauty captures his heart. However, Will presses on and makes a frantic and dangerous journey back to Texas to warn President Mirabeau Lamar that the Mexican consider his Santa Fe Trade Expedition and armed invasion of Mexican Territory. It is a warning Lamar does not heed.

Comanche Trace: Book 4 in the Westward Sagas - Kindle edition by Bowles, David. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Comanche Trace: Book 4 in the Westward Sagas: Bowles, David: 9780999762240: Books - Amazon.ca

Books In the Series:

                         

       

Editorial:

 

"The hundred-year odyssey of the Westward Sagas is not about war, but how it affected the Mitchell family. Children of the Revolution: Book 3 in the Westward Sagas Series takes up where Adam's Daughters: Book 2 left off-in Tennessee shortly after statehood. The series continues with the next generation of the Mitchell Family. Peggy, the protagonist in Adam's Daughters, takes on a stronger role as she matures into a confident woman courted by British nobility. Children of the Revolution uncovers the untold reason North Carolina never ratified the U.S. Constitution. Adventure, intrigue, romance and tragedy are woven into the story of the first generation of Americans."

About David:

David Bowles is a fifth generation Austinite. Both parents from early Travis County pioneers. His great grandmother Elnora Van Cleve is recorded as the first birth in Austin, Texas during the days of the Republic. The author and his dog Becka travel in a class A motor-coach they call home, telling and writing the stories of the Westward Sagas. David grew up listening to stories of his ancestors told by his elders. Their stories so fascinated him that he became a professional story-teller, spinning tales through the Story Telling Network and the Tejas Storyteller Association. David entertains groups frequently about his adventures on the open road and the books he has written. The first three books in the Westward Sagas have each won awards and Beta readers have given the soon to be released Comanche Trace excellent reviews. 

To request additional review copies or an interview with David, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.    We look forward to the coverage!

The Science of Witchcraft, a novel of non-fiction analogy by Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl

  

THE SCIENCE OF WITCHCRAFT

A scientific discovery of witches in fiction—Chilled Adventures of Sabrina, Sleeping Beauty, Wicked and so many more!

 

The Bram Stoker Award nominated horror duo of Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl is back with yet another critically acclaimed novel of horror non-fiction analogy!

 

Released by Skyhorse Publishing

The book is available worldwide in digital and print format

 

Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl, authors of The Science of Women in Horror and co-hosts of the Horror Rewind podcast called “the best horror film podcast out there” by Film Daddy, present a guide to the history of witchcraft through the stories and characters we all know and love. Reveal the spellbinding science behind the legends and lore surrounding fiction’s most iconic witches, answering such questions as: 

 

·        What is the science behind divination and spellcraft?

·        When did witchcraft begin to show up in literature and media?

·        Has science made it possible to uncover the truth behind the powers of necromancy and employing familiars?

·        How has witchcraft been thought of throughout the world?

Through interviews, film and literary analysis, and bone-chilling discoveries, join Kelly and Meg as they learn about the complicated and rich science of witchcraft throughout the centuries and discover why now is the season of the witch! 

 The Science of Witchcraft: The Truth Behind Sabrina, Maleficent, Glinda, and More of Your Favorite Fictional Witches eBook : Hafdahl, Meg, Florence, Kelly: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store 

The Science of Witchcraft: The Truth Behind Sabrina, Maleficent, Glinda, and More of Your Favorite Fictional Witches: Hafdahl, Meg, Florence, Kelly: 9781510767188: Amazon.com: Books

PRAISE FOR THE SCIENCE OF SERIES:

“Through the lens of horror, Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl take readers on a thought-provoking journey through history and real-life applications on what it means to be a woman. A monstrously feminine and insightful read; the past, present, and future of horror is female.” —Meagan Navarro, genre film journalist, critic, and columnist at bloody-disgusting.com

 
Hafdahl and Florence have done it again. The Science of Serial Killers is an engaging, informative dive into the forensic, environmental, and legal peripherals of notorious crimes that have inspired the horror genre’s most celebrated films.” 
—Anya Stanley, writer and film critic for Fangoria magazine and AVClub.com

 

“Hafdahl and Florence have written a page-turner probing into the most notorious killers and their influence on film and TV. They wisely dive into a variety of fascinating angles with Hollywood’s fascination, and the psychology and science behind what made them tick. By the end, you’ll have plenty of movies to add to your streaming queue.”  —Paul McGuire Grimes, film critic and entertainment reporter

 

 

Other Books in The Series:

                        
                            
About The Duo!

Kelly Florenceis an American author, screenwriter, and podcaster. She is best known for her books The Science of Monsters, The Science of Women in Horror, The Science of Stephen King, The Science of Serial Killers, and the forthcoming The Science of Witchcraft all from Skyhorse Publishing. All of the books are written together with her co-author, Meg Hafdahl. She is also known for her podcasts Horror Rewind and Be a Better Communicator.

Horror and suspense author Meg Hafdahl is the creator of numerous stories and books. Her fiction has appeared in anthologies such as Eve’s Requiem: Tales of Women, Mystery and Horror and Eclectically Criminal. Her work has been produced for audio by The Wicked Library and The Lift, and she is the author of two popular short story collections including Twisted Reveries: Thirteen Tales of the Macabre. Meg is also the author of the two novels; Daughters of Darkness and Her Dark Inheritance called “an intricate tale of betrayal, murder, and small town intrigue” by Horror Addicts and “every bit as page turning as any King novel” by RW Magazine. Meg, also the co-host of the podcast Horror Rewind and co-author of The Science of Monsters, The Science of Women in Horror, The Science of Stephen King and upcoming The Science of Serial Killers, lives in the snowy bluffs of Minnesota.

To request additional review copies or an interview with Kelly and/ or Meg, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.    We look forward to the coverage!

A Child Alone with Strangers by critically acclaimed horror author, Philip Fracassi

 

A Child Alone with Strangers

A novel of spell-binding chills by critically acclaimed horror author, Philip Fracassi

Henry’s father tells him he will never leave him—then he holds Henry tight and steps into oncoming traffic. 

Thus begins the young boy’s perilous journey from being raised by family in San Diego to being held prisoner in a remote farmhouse surrounded by miles of forest, where he finds himself connecting with a strange force and uses that bond to wreak havoc against his captors. 

Unknown to the boy, however, is that this ancient being has its own reasons for wanting the interlopers gone—there is something hidden beneath the house, tucked away in the dark, damp root cellar... waiting for its return.

Often compared to Stephen King at peak creepiness, Philip Fracassi’s new novel Child Alone with Strangers comes from Talos Press on 10/18/2022. 

A Child Alone with Strangers: A Novel: Fracassi, Philip: 9781945863745: Amazon.com: Books

A Child Alone with Strangers: A Novel : Fracassi, Philip: Amazon.ca: Books

 “Fracassi’s novel hits me like a cross between McCammon and '80s King. Might be one of them summer blockbusters readers love.” —Laird Barron, author of Worse Angels
"A Child Alone with Strangers starts out as a slow burn procedural with supernatural elements and inexorably cranks itself into a pulse-pounding symphony of eldritch horrors and all-too-human violence. Philip Fracassi is the best sort of horror writer--one who is unafraid to hunt for light in even the darkest places." —Shaun Hamill, author of A Cosmology of Monsters

 About Philip Fracassi:

Fracassi grew up outside Detroit, MI, but moved away from home as a teenager to live in Chicago, where he managed a rock band. By the time he was of drinking age, he’d decided his future was in the movies, and moved to Los Angeles where he still resides. While holding every job from property master to locations manager, Fracassi continued to hammer out screenplays, award winning short story collections and novels. 

The result is a blockbuster lineup of chills and thrills: in addition to Child Alone with Strangers, Fracassi’s Gothic comes from Cemetery Dance in February and Boys in the Valley, the first of a two-book deal from Tor Nightfire and Orbit UK, arrives in July 2023. 

Fracassi’s distinct mix of adrenaline-pumping horror blends pulpy, traditional themes with a distinctly upmarket voice.  Among other accolades, New York Times reviewer Terrence Rafferty said Fracassi “builds his horrific tales slowly and carefully…his powers of description are formidable; and he’s especially skillful at creating, and sustaining, suspense.” 

To request additional review copies or an interview with Philip Fracassi, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.   

We look forward to the coverage!

Embracing The Magic, a stunning debut book by author and podcaster, S.A. Schneider

 

Embracing The Magic

A stunning debut book by author and podcaster,

S.A. Schneider

 

The book is published by Mind Architecture and is available worldwide in print and e-book format

 

Their hero is a fraud and only he knows it. When the truth comes knocking, can one boy conjure a way to save the day?

Young Samual longs to perform magic of his own. And what's worse, he can't seem to convince anyone that their beloved Town Magician is a trickster without an enchanted bone in his body. When a wicked wizard challenges the pretender to a duel, Samual vows keep his village safe by forcing the fraudster to rise to the challenge.

Determined to prevent disaster, he secretly shadows the phony protector during his training with the Grand Wizard. And when they barely escape an attack by dire wolves, Samual realizes he must partner up with his bitter rival. But keeping the truth hidden any longer may not help them outwit a powerful sorcerer.

With his town in grave danger, can Samual protect the ones he loves from the forces of evil?

Embracing the Magic is the enchanting first story in the Town Magician middle grade fantasy series. If you enjoy 

unlikely heroes, coming-of-age adventures, and spellbinding creatures, then you'll love S.A. Schneider's fantastical tale.

Teachers and Parents: visit sa-schneider.com for free short stories set within the Town Magician world and get a full study guide. 

Embracing the Magic: A Town Magician middle grade fantasy eBook : Schneider, S.A.: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

Embracing the Magic: A Town Magician middle grade fantasy eBook : Schneider, S.A.: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

 

About S.A. Schneider:

S.A. Schneider has a wolf, so of course he writes middle grade fantasy, wouldn’t you? Since his Lego and action figure days, he’s crafted worlds and stories within those worlds. This pursuit continues to his books today. Now he shows kids, and their parents, the joy of writing as a lifelong pursuit and how to turn it into a career. Not just books, but video game stories! He wants others to join him in fantastical worlds and possibly even delve into creating their own.  Enjoy the adventure!!

To request additional review copies or an interview with S.A. Schneider, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.   

We look forward to the coverage!