Melanie D. Snitker's Blog

NEW Release - Frozen in Jeopardy

​ Her routine night turns terrifying.

As the storm of the century howls through Destiny, Texas, Dr. Paige Wade remains at her clinic to care for any animals that might need assistance. Her quiet night is disrupted when a man dumps an injured dog on the doorstep just hours before Paige is attacked in the parking lot.

He's uncovering deadly connections.

A call from the local animal hospital where his friend works sends Police Officer Gabe Harrison hastening to respond. The crime seems random until someone starts stalking Paige. When Gabe and his K-9 partner, Loki, discover the man who dropped off the injured dog is now a murder victim, Gabe uncovers a link between the deceased and whoever is threatening Paige.

They are running out of time.

For years, Paige has ignored her feelings for Gabe. Working closely with him means gambling with her heart. As another winter storm approaches and the murderer becomes desperate, will the risks they take not only save her life, but give them hope for a future together? Amazon | Apple | Barnes and Nobles
Google Play | Kobo | Smashwords

Meet the Dogs from Frozen in Jeopardy

One of my favorite parts about writing Frozen in Jeopardy was including dog characters who play a vital role in the story. As the release of this book approaches, I thought it would be fun to introduce you to the three dogs that you'll either meet or hear about.  First, I'd love for you to meet Loki. When I originally decided to write a book about a police officer and his K-9 partner, I knew immediately that my dog (whose real name is Loki) would be my inspiration. Even though my Loki isn't a full German shepherd, his personality is what I picture in my mind when I write and talk about Loki in the book. 
​
Truthfully, I don't think my Loki could be a police dog, primarily because he truly believes everyone everywhere is potentially a new best friend. Ha! He was found wandering the streets at six months, and we took him in shortly after that. Until he came into our lives, I didn't think it was possible to become a dog person. He definitely proved me wrong. I can't imagine my life without him! 
​ Lucy, aka Jane Dog, is actually the first dog you'll meet in the book. This sweet pit bull comes to Paige injured and shrouded in mystery. 

I have personally never had a pit bull, but I think that there is a lot of stigma surrounding them. I know several people who say pit bulls are some of the best dogs. And seriously, look at that face. How could you not love that face? So I decided to include a pit bull in the book. And trust me, you'll fall in love with Lucy as soon as you meet her!
​ Finally, let me introduce you to Pepper. In the third chapter of the book, we learn about a dog that Paige used to have. She was very attached to Pepper, a Catahoula mix, who passed away nearly a year before. Paige still misses her canine friend.
​
​Fictional Pepper was a nod to our own Pepper, one of the sweetest dogs we've ever had. Our Pepper was also a Catahoula mix. The moment we saw her as a tiny puppy, she completely stole our hearts. Unfortunately, we didn't have as many years with her as we should have, but we loved her until the end. It's been years since we said goodbye, but I think of her often. Being able to honor her in this book meant a lot. 
​ I do want to mention two other dogs. Natty is another one of our dogs, and she is a full German shepherd. We got her when she was a tiny puppy, and she is super sweet. I can't imagine her as a police dog because she's very nervous around people or even animals she doesn't know. But the way she looks is how I imagine Loki, in Frozen in Jeopardy, looks. Just beautiful! 
​ The last dog I want to introduce you to is Barco. If you read my blog post earlier this year about my ride along with our local police department, you got to hear about Barco, Officer Cox's K-9 partner. It was amazing to meet them both and to learn about the kind of training that a dog like Barco goes through to work with the police department. I got to watch him conduct a search for narcotics. So when it comes to how Loki searches for someone in Frozen in Jeopardy, most of that is thanks to what I learned from Officer Cox and Barco.  

Do you enjoy reading books that include dogs in the story? Do you have a dog? Feel free to comment - I'd love to hear from you! Frozen in Jeopardy - Releasing July 25th Her routine night turns terrifying.

As the storm of the century howls through Destiny, Texas, Dr. Paige Wade remains at her clinic to care for any animals that might need assistance. Her quiet night is disrupted when a man dumps an injured dog on the doorstep just hours before Paige is attacked in the parking lot.

He's uncovering deadly connections.

A call from the local animal hospital where his friend works sends Police Officer Gabe Harrison hastening to respond. The crime seems random until someone starts stalking Paige. When Gabe and his K-9 partner, Loki, discover the man who dropped off the injured dog is now a murder victim, Gabe uncovers a link between the deceased and whoever is threatening Paige.

They are running out of time.

For years, Paige has ignored her feelings for Gabe. Working closely with him means gambling with her heart. As another winter storm approaches and the murderer becomes desperate, will the risks they take not only save her life, but give them hope for a future together? Amazon | Apple | B&N | Google Play | Kobo | Smashwords

NEW Novella - Newsletter Exclusive

Fear the Shadows , the prequel to my new Danger in Destiny series, is now available FREE exclusively to all newsletter subscribers. I had so much fun writing this book, and I hope you all enjoy it. Let me know what you think! It's the opportunity of a lifetime.
Estate liquidator Chloe Newcomb has admired Mahogany Mansion, one of the town's trademarks, for years. When she is contacted to inventory the contents, she can't believe her luck. Until she stumbles on a murder.

Someone's lurking in the mansion.
Closed off to the community, Mahogany Mansion isn't a place anyone visits. Police Chief Arnold Dolman discovers his friend, Chloe, may be in trouble. When someone continues to try and frighten her, he offers his protection.
​
​Scare tactics turn to danger.
Chloe is determined to finish the job she's been hired to do, and Arnold refuses to leave her to work alone. Together, they'll have to watch each other's backs while unraveling the secrets hidden within the mansion's dark shadows. SUBSCRIBE FOR A FREE NOVELLA!

Research: Going on a Ride-Along

I'm working on my new series, Danger in Destiny, which means I'm actively writing three different stories. 

Fear the Shadows  - A prequel novella for newsletter subscribers only coming soon
Out of the Ashes  - The first official book releases March 28th
Frozen in Jeopardy  - The second book releases July 25th

While one of my characters, Officer Gabe Harrison, is featured in Frozen in Jeopardy, he actually makes an appearance in the other two books as well. He works for the Destiny Police Department as a member of the K-9 unit. He and his German shepherd partner, Loki, specialize in tracking.  When I first started this series, I knew very little about how a K-9 unit operates within the police department. I did a lot of online research, but information wasn't easy to find. That's when I decided to reach out to our local police department. 

I spoke with Lt. Moran who not only answered some of my questions, but he suggested I go on a ride-along with one of the K-9 units and put me in touch with Officer Timothy Cox and his dog, Barco. 
​​
I was fortunate to be able to go on a four hour ride-along with Officer Cox and Barco a couple of weeks ago.

Not only was Officer Cox super helpful when it came to understanding how he and Barco are involved in the every day workings of the police department, but I got to see how their vehicle is set up, including the kennel that Barco rides in.

I also learned a lot about how police dogs are trained and even got to watch Barco perform a drug search. It gave me a great deal of respect not only for what the dog can do, but for all of the hard work that goes into what the handler does to train the dog and read his reactions in order to track effectively. 
Later in the evening, I had the chance to ask some questions directly related to a few scenes I had planned. In several cases, not only did I come away with more details, but I even had to alter the basic situation simply because that's not how it would really work. It's important to me to make the scenes as realistic as possible, so having that clarity was huge.

For example, there's a scene in Out of the Ashes where someone breaks into a house. I originally had Gabe and Loki going in and clearing the home. Instead, I learned that they would wait for backup and then go in with at least one other officer. 

I'm excited to apply everything I've learned to this series, and I look forward to being able to share the books with all of you!

NEW Novella - Coming in March

I'm working on a novella now that is a prequel to my new romantic suspense series, Danger in Destiny. This particular novella has been inspired by a mansion that stands not far from where I live and is called the White Mansion. This particular building has been empty for many years now. Photo Credit: HubPages While there are a few articles online about the mansion, as well as a YouTube video with a short tour of some of the rooms, the rest is definitely left to the imagination. 

In my novella, Fear the Shadows, Chloe Newcomb lives in the town of Destiny, Texas where she's admired one of the town's landmarks for years - the Mahogany Mansion. In fact, her childhood curiosity about the place is what sparked her interest in eventually becoming an estate liquidator. 

When the owner of the mansion reaches out to her and hires her to take inventory of the mansion's contents, it's a dream come true. 

But once she gets inside, she realizes that the mansion has been keeping a lot of secrets, and some of them are deadly. 

I'm looking forward to being able to share this novella for FREE with all newsletter subscribers!  Meanwhile, it's been a blast letting my imagination run as I write about the fictional Mahogany Mansion.  ​ It's the opportunity of a lifetime.

Estate liquidator Chloe Newcomb has admired the Mahogany Mansion, one of the town's trademarks, for years. When she is contacted to inventory the contents, she can't believe her luck. But from her first step inside, danger surrounds her, forcing her to solve a mystery before things escalate.

Someone's lurking in the mansion.

Closed off to the community, Mahogany Mansion isn't a place anyone visits. When Police Chief Arnold Dolman discovers the driveway gate wide open and his friend, Chloe, injured by someone hiding in the house, he steps in to offer her protection. As Chloe continues her work, it's clear whoever hurt her won't be stopping anytime soon.

Scare tactics turn to danger.

What starts out as menacing pranks turns to something more sinister. Chloe is determined to finish the job she's been hired to do, and Arnold refuses to leave her there alone. Together, they'll have to watch each other's backs while unraveling the secrets hidden within the mansion's dark shadows.  Interested in reading more about the White House mansion? Check out the links below:  Article on HubPages
YouTube Tour

Out of the Ashes - Available for Pre-Order!

He thought it was just a structure fire.

As a firefighter, Bryce Keyes is no stranger when it comes to running into a burning building. What he didn't expect was coming face-to-face with the woman he loved years ago. Getting her out safely is one thing, but when it looks like she was the arsonist's target, Bryce realizes he can't just let her walk away again. Especially not while her life is in danger.

She's desperate to escape.

For Megan Bristow, returning to Destiny, Texas was about saying a final goodbye to a dysfunctional family and the memories she's tried hard to bury. She planned to go in, help her mother tie up loose ends, and get out again. When someone makes an attempt on her life, Megan realizes those loose ends are only the beginning of a tangled web, and she's been drawn right into the center of it.

They'll have to put the past behind them.

Only by working together will they be able to figure out who's hunting her and why - before it's too late. PRE-ORDER TODAY!

Pet Christmas Portraits 2022

Nearly every year, I take Christmas portraits of our pets. Sometimes they are pretty or cute, other times they are just funny. 

Jessie - We strongly suspect that she is a kelpie, although we've never done genetic testing for her. We adopted her when she was six months old in 2015. She's definitely our smallest dog, but my goodness does she have a lot of attitude. She sleeps in our daughter's room, and they do nearly everything together. She loves to play with tennis balls and lives for tug-of-war.

Loki - He was a rescue in 2020, and about six months old when we saw an ad about him and decided to bring him home. He walked into our house and right into my heart. He's definitely my buddy. He weighs about 90 lbs. and is a mutt through and through. We did do genetic testing on him and he's primarily Australian cattle dog and German shepherd. He's super sweet, and I'm hoping to do obedience training and possibly some agility with him next year. 

Natty - This is the baby of the family. She turned a year old in November. We got her at six weeks - probably the youngest puppy I've ever had. It's hard to believe how fast they grow! She's a German shepherd and around 75 pounds. She's super sweet but can be a little timid. That said, she's an amazing guard dog. She and Loki love to play together!

Jasper - He's our angel. We just said goodbye to him on December 10th, and our home isn't the same without him. We found him as a puppy in 2009 running on the side of the road and brought him home. He was such a sweet, mellow guy that loved food, gave true hugs, and was always happy. We were blessed to have him in our lives for 13 1/2 years. 

Recipe: Honey Spice Cookies

I love baking cookies in December. I'm the odd one in my family in that I prefer non-chocolate baked goods. Weird, I know. LOL Of all the cookies I bake, honey spice cookies are one of my favorites. I love the combination of honey, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. They are so good!

I thought I'd share the recipe for those of you who might like to try baking them. If you do, I'd love to hear what you think. 

Honey Spice Cookies

1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup shortening (I use coconut oil)
1/4 cup honey or dark corn syrup 
1 egg
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cloves

~ Cream brown sugar and shortening in a mixing bowl
~ Add egg and honey or corn syrup and mix well
~ Combine all the dry ingredients in a second bowl
~ Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture until well blended 
~ Shape into balls
~ Fill a small bowl with water and another with sugar (I like using raw Turbinado sugar because it's courser)
~ Dip half the ball in water, then in the sugar
~ Place on an ungreased cookie sheet sugar side up
~ Bake at 350'F for 12-15 minutes

Makes about 2 dozen
Enjoy!

Marrying Mandy (Brides of Clearwater: Book 1)

Marrying Mandy is the first book in a complete five-book series. Visit Clearwater, Texas: The perfect place to discover friends, renew your faith, and fall in love. Read the first book FREE today! A marriage of convenience might be crazy...or an answer to both of their prayers.

Mandy Hudson swore she'd never marry. Abandoned by her parents and raised by her grandparents, she has a hard time trusting that real love will last. When her grandmother dies, Mandy is shocked to discover a stipulation in the will. Considering marriage to her best friend may be the only way to keep her family's beloved bed-and-breakfast.

The loss of his job threatens Preston Yarrow's shaky financial stability. Besides, he can't watch his best friend give up the only real home she's ever known. Frustrated by Mandy's stubborn refusal to let him help, he's certain they are stronger together than they are apart.
A marriage of convenience sounds like the perfect solution until love enters the equation and complicates everything.

~*~

Welcome to the small town of Clearwater, Texas:
The perfect place to discover friends, renew your faith, and fall in love.

Marrying Mandy - Book 1
A marriage of convenience might be crazy... or an answer to both of their prayers.

Marrying Raven - Book 2
Raven hates football. Too bad she doesn’t feel the same way about her football-playing ex-fiancée.

Marrying Chrissy - Book 3
Does Chrissy dare hope that a fake relationship could lead to real love?

Marrying Bonnie - Book 4
He’s falling in love with the wrong person…his son’s nanny.

Marrying Emma - Book 5
She’s afraid to plan for the future…he’s determined to show her love is worth the risk.
Read Marrying Mandy FREE from your favorite bookstore:  Amazon | Apple
B&N | Google | Kobo

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A marriage of convenience isn't exactly what she had in mind.

After a rocky start, Rachel Peters finally has her life on track. Then a tragic accident takes away her sister and leaves her to raise her niece, Kendra, alone. About to lose custody of her last blood relative, Rachel is desperate to prove she can adequately care for her niece. On the verge of running away to keep Kendra, a new friend offers Rachel an opportunity she can't refuse.

Brandon Barlow has long admired Rachel. When her world begins to fall apart, he feels led to help. A marriage of convenience would enable him to provide Rachel and Kendra with a stable place to live, proper health insurance, and a viable shot at staying together. Once Rachel gained full custody of her niece, the marriage could be annulled. His plan provides the perfect solution, until Brandon realizes he's fallen in love with Rachel.
Through love and patience, can he help Rachel realize that, even when she experiences storms in her life, she's never alone? BROWSE BOOKS TODAY! Searching for a sweet & clean romance to lift your heart?
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A marriage of convenience might be crazy...or an answer to both of their prayers. Mandy Hudson swore she'd never marry. Abandoned by her parents and raised by her grandparents, she has a hard time trusting that real love will last. When her grandmother dies, Mandy is shocked to discover a stipulation in the will. Considering marriage to her best friend may be the only way to keep her family's beloved bed-and-breakfast.

The loss of his job threatens Preston Yarrow's shaky financial stability. Besides, he can't watch his best friend give up the only real home she's ever known. Frustrated by Mandy's stubborn refusal to let him help, he's certain they are stronger together than they are apart.
A marriage of convenience sounds like the perfect solution until love enters the equation and complicates everything.
FIND YOUR NEW BOOK TODAY!