Cover Reveal for Jessie's Cafe by Nancy M Bell

 

Very happy to reveal the cover for my new novel coming in Spring of 2026. The image is an actual building in Castor, Alberta which was built in or around 1910. It has had many names over the years, Jessie's Cafe, The Royal Cafe, The Queen's Cafe, The Golden Crown. It was also known locally as Lewies and Andy's over its storied past.

The building has intrigued me ever since I move to Castor and it seemed natural to set a novel within its precincts. Sadly, the building is in sad need of restoration and as a heritage building I hope that someone will take on that task. Someone with very deep pockets. LOL

My story starts in 2026 but to do the building's history justice I have created a time travel journey with some interesting twists and turns. Another interesting thing about the building is the tiny shed that is clearly visible perched on the flat roof of the cement block addition at the back of the original structure. It looks suspiciously like an outhouse although I have been told it served as a garden shed at some point in its career. That humble shed plays an integral part of my plot...so stay tuned...

I love uncovering and discovering the legends and tales that seem to cluster around old buildings, as if they are just sitting and waiting to share their stories with anyone who is willing to linger and listen. So if you are ever in Castor be sure to stop by Jessie's/Andy's and then wander down the street to visit the other venerable building - The Cosmopolitan Hotel. This is also a 1910 structure that was in use up into the early 2000's. I'm sure if those walls could talk there is a plethora of stories regarding adventure and misadventure that has occurred over the years. Interestingly, there used to be another hotel directly across the street where the ATB bank is now. The National Hotel which burned down in 1924. Can you imagine the brawls that might have occurred with denizens of the two establishments duking it out in the middle of what was then referred to as Grand Avenue.

Until next month be well, be happy. Oh, and Happy Valentines Day even if it's a bit late.

Tuesday - Writing VS Olympics #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Skiing #Winter #Olympics

 

I'm always interested in the Winter Olympics and have written between watching a lot of athletic events. I really enjoy watching the contests and especially the skating, something I have absolutely no talent in doing. Only once have I tried to ice skate. This was way back when I was in nurses' training and my roommate invited me to her house for a weekend. Now ice skating was something I had never attempted. I was a failure at roller skating as a kid and have the scarred knees to prove my lack of dexterity. Ice skating was even harder. My roommate handed me two ski poles to help me balance myself. Worked for about 2 minutes and then down I went. Thank heavens my ski pants were well padded. The entire afternoon was spent with me more on the ice than in the air. 

So now I watch the events on the Olympics and sigh with envy as the skaters do their thing. Now sking is another of the events I envy. Here, I have managed to go down the bunny hill and remain standing but when I went up higher. I spilled my way down with frequent stops to regain my position on the skis and standing.

I will say sled riding was fairly good but that's because my friends and I used a long sled where four of us fit and at least one of the riders had some skill.

So here's kudos to all those winter athletics. May they continue to enjoy their sport. I will enjoy watching.

The 5 Fs, by J.C. Kavanagh

To order your copy of the award-winning Twisted Climb series, click on the link below!

 https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/series/the-twisted-climb 

There are so many 'never-have-I-ever' moments since last July that I've lost count. We sailed from Georgian Bay, Canada, through three of the five Great Lakes, through the United States waterways and canals, and reached the Bahamas four months later. Last week, in order to retreat from gale force winds and 3-4 metre waves (12-16 feet), we anchored beside the wee island of Little Farmers Cay. It is the second smallest isolated community in the Exumas, part of the Bahama islands.

The 'never-have-I-ever' moment came when my partner and I were invited to participate in the local 5 Fs.

Um, hello? Five what?

The male locals are not averse to using the 'F' word. It's a favourite verb, adjective, adverb, noun - well, you get it. So you may understand my hesitation to participate in the 5 Fs. Nonetheless, I nudged my partner, Ian. "You might be good at it," I said, smiling sweetly.

Ian gave me the side-eye but the local man gave Ian a huge smile. 

"You'll be on my team, then," he stated. "You are a sailor, right?"

Ian nodded.

"Have you raced boats before?"

Again Ian nodded. In Ontario, he raced sailboats for many years. 

The man continued. "We race 10, maybe 15 other boats this coming Saturday. They'll be coming from islands all over the Exumas. It's our annual 5 Fs."

Ah, I thought. Not a swearing contest.

The man pointed to his t-shirt. "5 Fs" was blazoned across the front. Below it, in smaller letters was the meaning behind the 5 Fs: First Friday in February Farmers Cay Festival. The highlight of the event was the sailing races - three categories. The first category was for non-residents to race in their own sailboat. There are no restrictions or handicaps. All you need is your own sailboat, whether it be a catamaran or a monohull. Unfortunately, due to the gale force winds, this Class was cancelled. What a relief. While I love my boat, as does Ian, he would use every trick in the racing book to pull out a win. That means all the other sailors are in trouble. 

The second category (C-Class) is for young, teenage sailors. The sailboats are all home-made, using material from the Bahamas. There are no motors and only one sail. These youngsters race in a wooden, 12-foot boat, a crew of just two in each boat.

E-Class represents a 17.5 foot vessel, each with a crew of five. As with the C-Class, the boats are handmade in the Bahamas. After all, sailing is the national sport of these beautiful islands. Similar to the C-Class, there are no motors and only one very large main sail. In fact, the boom which supports the sail from the mast, is almost twice as long as the boat. Crew use two 8x12 wooden beams to 'hike' out and, for additional ballast, ingots of lead are placed in the hull. The boat on which Ian was a crew member, named "Miss Rowie," had 600 pounds of lead! 

An E-class sailboat (one of many) delivered/lowered by crane at Little Farmers Cay for the annual race.
Note the full ocean-style keel, painted white, on the bottom of the boat.

The sliding boards used for the crew to 'hike' out and prevent the boat from tipping :)

The crew of Miss Rowie prepping for the race.

Ian and a second crew member (Scott) hiking out on the boards

The proud crew of Miss Rowie. 

With a 4th place finish out of 12 boats, I'd say they had much to celebrate. They were in second-last place after the first leg of the race, so kudos to their sailing (and hiking) skills. 

In The Twisted Climb trilogy, many adventures take place in a watery environment. I have to admit the sailing knowledge I've learned from Ian ensured the water scenes were genuinely accurate, and in some cases, frightening. If you haven't checked out this award-winning series, now's your chance. Click on the link below for your purchase choices!

And don't forget to tell the ones you love that you love them :) 

J.C. Kavanagh, author of
The Twisted Climb - A Bright Darkness (Book 3) Best YA Book FINALIST at Critters Readers Poll 2022
AND
The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends (Book 2) voted BEST Young Adult Book 2018, Critters Readers Poll and Best YA Book FINALIST at The Word Guild, Canada
AND
The Twisted Climb,
voted BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers Poll
Voted Best Local Author, Simcoe County, Ontario, 2021
Novels for teens, young adults and adults young-at-heart

Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com 

www.facebook.com/J.C.Kavanagh 

www.amazon.com/author/jckavanagh 

Instagram @authorjckavanagh 

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/series/the-twisted-climb

For the Love of Reading

find the Navajo Code Talker Chronicles here

February is a month that cherishes love---love of all kinds, including one dear to my heart...the love of reading.

When my children were in school, they participated in a program called D.E.A.R.....standing for: drop everything and read.  The whole school...students, teachers, office staff, maintenance, cafeteria workers and visitors alike took a daily half hour to read.  Silence would come over the whole busy building.  Everyone entered the reading material of their choice. What a lovely tradition. What a way to celebrate and treasure the ability to read. We all entered new worlds of knowledge and imagination.

In short: We were not given rewards for reading...reading was the reward!

My children have gone on to be life-long readers, a wish I have for all their friends.

Readers are life-long learners too. And, in my humble opinion, more interesting people. They are able to juggle many different ideas and viewpoints, and to think in new and creative ways.

So in this month of love, let's celebrate the act of reading and all the treasures it brings!

 

Travel & Historical Research - A Fun Combination

                                    Please visit my website for author and book information

I'm planning a trip to Karlovy Vary, Czechia (aka Karlsbad, Czech Republic) to do research for my historical novel-in-progress. My initial idea was to visit the locations in the story. take numerous photographs and notes, and soak in the atmosphere to make my novel more vivid and authentic. 

Many of these locations are tourist sites, such as the Elisabeth Spa, where my novel's protagonist works. Austrian Emperor Franz-Josef built the opulent baths to honour his late wife Elisabeth (Sisi). The spa opened in 1906. My novel takes place in 1914 during the months leading up to World War One. On my short visit to Karlovy Vary thirteen years ago, I saw the Elisabeth Spa building and its gardens and park setting. On this refresher trip, I'll get a peek inside by enjoying swimming and relaxation pools. Research is tough work.

 

During my trip planning, I discovered that Karlovy Vary has an excellent museum with exhibits on the history and development of the town since the 15th century, famous Karlovy Vary doctors and visitors, and local crafts, art and historical collections. Might the museum have archives that I could view with advance notice? It also occurred to me that the municipal library must have books of local interest not available elsewhere. I emailed both institutions about my research trip and explained that my novel was inspired by my 2013 visit to Karlovy Vary and my maternal grandparents who immigrated to Canada from Czechia shortly after WWI. I received helpful and enthusiastic replies.

Librarian Kateřina Krieglsteinová advised me to check the Karlovy Vary Library’s online catalogue and send her a list of books that interest me. She will have them available when I arrive and supplement them with other relevant books. In addition, she offered to arrange a walking tour of the city with an English-speaking guide knowledgeable about local history, a visit to the Karlovy Vary Museum exhibits, and, as a benefit to the library, an informal, evening talk about my writing and ancestors in Czechia for their readers. Since I don't speak Czech, she'll try to find a translator.     

David Čech from the Karlovy Vary Museum replied that he and two historians will be available to show me their museum archives that include old maps, photographs, postcards, and official documents. He supplied the historians' email addresses so I could contact them directly and about a dozen links to websites with historical information. One of these was the “Kurlisten,” which lists every spa guest in Karlovy Vary from 1795 to 1949. I had recalled reading that Sigmund Freud was in Karlovy Vary at the outbreak of WWI and made him a character in my novel even though I couldn't find confirmation of his visit anywhere on the internet. I asked David about this. He sent me an article stating that Freud "took the cure" in Karlovy Vary from July 13 to early August, 1914, as well as the "Kurlisten" page that records his arrival on July 13, 1914. My novel had Freud arriving a month earlier, but now I've altered the timeline to make his story appearance historically accurate. This will involve a number of changes, but at this first draft stage of writing, the revision isn't drastic.  

I also asked one of the historians about current spa culture in Karlovy Vary. It's still a thriving industry, but the pictures I've seen show treatments done in modern facilities. I like to experience one in a historical atmosphere. The historian said I'd be disappointed; the old ways are all gone. He suggested I visit the building of the former imperial spa, which has been renovated into a cultural centre and museum. I hadn't known this building existed. I emailed it and learned the facility offers guided and audio guide tours of its displays of the golden era of the spa industry in the early 20th century. I'll definitely add this to my itinerary.

My research trip idea began as a relaxing jaunt through the footsteps travelled by the characters in my historical novel. I'd stroll down the river promenade, enjoy leisurely lunches at cafes to gather details for my story's fictional cafe, and hike to historic viewpoints. I'll still do all these things and more -- library and museum visits, guided tours, evening talk with readers who don't speak my language. It feels overwhelming but exciting.        

Imagine Karlovy Vary in 1914

   

A New Year and the Swear Jar – by Barbara Baker

 

My New Year’s Resolution was to stop using my favourite word - the f-bomb. Just so you know, the resolution was a suggestion from a loved one.

At first, I balked at the idea because, darn it, it’s my favourite word. But then, I do like a challenge. And really, how hard could it be? It’s not like I’m a potty mouth and drop the bomb into sentences inappropriately. I only use it when the situation warrants special effects or to get my point across. Although … there have been occasions when I’ve been told in private (by loved ones) to read the room before dropping said word into a conversation.

When I told people what my resolution was, the first response I got was ‘you’ll never do it Gramma.’ What kind of support is that? That night I fell asleep with visions of soap bars hovering over me.

Ground rules were established. I could not say the word, but it was agreed I could use versions of it in writing and texting. Hello texting – my new best friend.

January 1^st did not go well and I must admit, I was embarrassed how easily the word slipped out of my mouth. Maybe I am a potty mouth.

January 3^rd found me texting more than talking. I know, it’s hard to believe.

January 5^th a swear jar appeared on the kitchen table. What? No way. I don’t need that.

My husband said, “$20.00 for each f-bomb.”

“What? That’s outrageous.”

“It is what it is.” He grinned, winked and pointed at the jar.

I can stop. Just watch me.

That night there was $60 in the jar. A family member mentioned we’ll be able to go on a holiday in a couple weeks. Oh, ye of little faith!

January 9^th no more funds added to the jar. Look at me, I’m rocking it! I will mention that I stopped using any version of my favourite word in texts. It was just too tempting.

I rode the wave until January 14^th when I slammed my funny bone on a sharp corner. The word flew out of my mouth before I could stop it. Honest. I didn’t stand a chance. Even though its use was totally warranted and I apologized profusely, waving my injured elbow in the air, a finger pointed at the swear jar. Who the heck named it a funny bone? And why? It’s a nerve, not a bone. I didn’t have any cash, and the jar didn’t accept debit or credit, so I slipped in an IOU and made a mental note to go to the bank tomorrow.

In order to recover my dignity, I coerced my teeth into supporting me. Game changer. Nothing like a good chomp on the tongue to make me rethink word choices. Teamwork. I’ve got this!

January 19^th I lost our evening scrabble game (which isn’t uncommon) but for some reason it ticked me off and the word blurted out before my teeth could engage. My husband eyed the swear jar. After I added my donation, I told him, “It costs way more than what’s in that jar to go on holidays." He just smiled.

New data states it takes from 66 to 254 days to break a habit. What kind of margin is that? It used to only be 21 days to break a habit. What happened to that data? Quite possibly I’m doomed.

January 24th I was in a rush and got angry at the dishwasher because it wouldn’t do the right cycle. I pushed enough buttons to get an error message. I never knew it gave error messages. I f-bombed an electronic message on an appliance. I’m hopeless.

January 31^st - $180 in the swear jar and one IOU. I guess I had a few more slip-ups than I remembered. FYI - no big holiday plans yet but the year is young. 

Fear not. I’m determined to ride this out until I break the habit. The next time we meet, I hope the soap ring around my lips has disappeared.

What resolution did you make? How’s it going? Current research states only 9% of people succeed in keeping their resolution. That's a daunting margin. 

Baker, Barbara - BWL Publishing Inc. (bookswelove.net)

Barbara Baker Author Page Facebook

 

 

Summer of Lies by Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing

What About Me? by Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing

Jillian of Banff XO — BWL Publishing

 

 

Customs, Cameras, and Comic Relief by Naguib Kerba

https://www.nkerba.com/ordinary-people-extraordinary-lives

 https://www.nkerba.com/blog/customs-cameras-and-comic-relief-part-one

The story behind my latest series by J. S. Marlo

 

Wide of the Mark

(Coming in March 2026)

   

 

  

To buy any of my books, visit

J. S. Marlo's Books

I'm presenting you my latest series: Indomitable Spirit

    They possess the mental strength and the discipline to get up when it’s hard, when it hurts, and when they can’t, but in the face of insurmountable odds, they will need an indomitable spirit to survive, to prevail, and to give love a fighting chance.

The first instalment of the series, Wide of the Mark, is coming next month (March 2026).

    Assisting with the capture of a military doctor who kept a dead woman in his house is a thorn in Colonel Amelia Matheson’s side compared to the devastating news of her daughter Hope’s disappearance.

     On the hunt for the perpetrators who kidnapped her deaf daughter from the groomed trails during a solo biathlon training session, Amelia enlists the help of Morgan Anchor, a local sheriff who once sold her out. To find Hope, Amelia and Morgan must untangle a web of secrets, including their own, and trust each other again. 

     Held captive in a remote cabin in the mountains, Hope fights the storm of her life using her wits and her skills. Scared but unafraid, she sets out to escape and save the man that her mother sent to rescue her – a man who is not who he appears to be.

The second instalment, Blown Away, will be released in the Fall of 2026, and the third, which is currently untitled, in 2027.

So, what possessed me to write that series?

My children were athletes. For nearly two decades, I drove them to the pool and the hockey rink almost every morning, every evening, every day, and every month of the year. They learned to do their homework on buses or planes, and have breakfast or supper in the car. Camping trips and vacations were scheduled around their training camps, competitions, and tournaments. I sweated on hot and humid pool decks and froze in unheated hockey rinks. I watched them push their endurance to the limit, achieve thrilling victories, and suffer heartbreaking losses.

They eventually stopped playing competitive sports to build careers and families. I thought my “driving/watching years” at the pool and at the rink were over, but was I ever wrong! My oldest granddaughter, who lives five minutes away (eight minutes if I hit all the red lights),  followed both in her mother’s and her uncle’s footsteps. Driving her to the pool and the hockey rink, and watching her win a breaststroke race and score a goal brings back lots of wonderful memories.

One day, a good friend of mine asked why none of my fictional characters were athletes. I'll admit that it was a fair question, which got me thinking...

And this is how the Indomitable Spirit Series was born.

Stay Warm & Happy Reading! 

Hugs!

JS

 

 

J. S. Marlo's Website

To Thesaurus or Not to Thesaurus by Deb Loughead

https://www.facebook.com/people/Debra-Loughead-Author/61577095528637/

How much do I love the online thesaurus? I remember a fellow participant in a writing class once upon a time back in the mid 90s, telling me that a good writer would never need to use a thesaurus. Because using one for some reason makes you less authentic. Or something absurd like that. I begged to differ then and I still do now, scoffing at her claim as my well-thumbed and dog-eared Roget’s awaited my next writing session on my desk at home. 

Roget’s Thesaurus has been around forever, created way back in 1805 by Peter Mark Roget, who was a lexicographer and physician, among other things. It has been the go-to for synonyms for actual centuries! It became a bit of a debate at the time, but most classmates agreed that having a thesaurus on your desk could be extremely helpful, if you didn’t let it bog down your writing with uncommon, pompous or pretentious words a là Conrad Black. 

I’m not sure about you, but whenever I’m deep in writing mode, I don’t have time to stop and think, which sounds bizarre, but it’s true. When my busy brain is leaking words and I’m forced to start wracking said brain for a synonym, well that’s just counter-productive to the task at hand. When brilliant words and sentences are flashing out of my fingertips like Captain Marvel’s cosmic energy blasts, I don’t have a lot of time to pause and figure out a substitute for a word I might have already used too often. Especially since there are so  many possibilities floating around out there. So I turn to my smart phone, tap in the word that requires a synonym, and presto, dozens of words fill the screen instantly, saving me so much precious time. 

Back in the day, of course, you actually had to open a book and turn the pages to locate the word that needed an upgrade. Hence my poor, tattered, and now apparently entirely vanquished Rogets Thesaurus, probably discarded during one of my mad book purges, some of which I still regret. I actually just looked up synonyms for the word ‘vanquished’ to see if I could use it appropriately in that previous sentence, and yes, it really kind of works in a variety of different ways. I might have also chosen to use ‘demolished’ or ‘pulverized’ or ‘destroyed’ or ‘annihilated’. Then again, I might have used jettisoned. I’d better look up synonyms for that one. 

Hmmm. There’s ‘relinquished’ or ‘abandoned’ or ‘forsaken’ or ‘ditched’.

And wow, here I am, lost yet again in the black hole of the internet, overthinking, wasting time doing deep searches that aren’t even necessary. Might be time to head out and buy myself an actual brand new softcover edition of the good old Roget’s Thesaurus. 

Might just turn out to be a time saver in the long run!

https://www.facebook.com/people/Debra-Loughead-Author/61577095528637/

 

Small Packages

Good Things Come In Small Packages

My husband says, "You know, Julie, it IS possible for the UPS or FedEx guy to drive PAST our house once in a while." 

And I say, "Oh, but how fun is it when he doesn't!"

With the exception of bills (which are mostly online anyway) and junk (bonfire fodder), getting mail is usually fun for me. It just isn't quite what it used to be, I guess. I mean, I have to send myself packages, which isn't the same as getting something unexpected from a friend or family member. Buuut, if an Amazon order happens to get backordered long enough, I might forget about it, and when it suddenly shows up, it's a fun surprise then!  

Getting mail as a kid was so different. I remember writing to my cousin in North Dakota every week and anxiously awaiting her reply. We were the same age and had EVERYTHING to talk about. Long-distance phone bills, however, were a thing. A not-okay thing for families living on a budget. A tight budget. 

So, I wrote. And wrote. And wrote. And wrote.

I let my voice spill over the college-ruled paper, front and back, until I had said it all. Well, for the moment, at least. Then I counted the days. One... two... THREE days it took for a letter from Detroit Lakes, MN, to get to Enderlin, ND. With good weather. Then, at least one more foot-tapping, finger-thrumming day to give her a chance to write back. And agony of agonies! One... two... THREE more days it took for her letter to reach me. I watched out the window, waited for the mail lady to stop, then marched down the driveway as she got out of my way, opened the treasure trove, and claimed my prize. 

I devoured my cousin's words in a frenzied flash, and often finished reading it before I'd made it back up the driveway. Always wishing she'd written more (To be fair, she wrote at least as much as I did. We were both talkers.) I would re-read it and re-read it, listening to her voice, laughing with her, shaking my head at the latest drama, and seeing her sitting next to me.

What a treasure that little envelope held for me. A prize in the mailbox. A gift. Just words.

Now, I try to write my stories with the same vim and vigor, hopefully expanding my audience as I go. My second Forever Fields book is well underway and, if all goes as hoped, should be available to become a special prize from me to you in your mailbox (or your inbox) by the end of the year! 

A small package full of good things. 

 

Cod deworming, Sable Island, and the dark underbelly by donalee Moulton

 

I belong to a group of mystery writers. We’re all women, and together we share the joys and the frustrations of trying to make characters toe the line, plots hold together, and suspense build with just a little push from us. We recently posed a group of questions to each other about the writing life. My answers are below.

ORDER HERE 

1) What type of crime have you not dealt with in your stories or novels?

I don’t do gruesome, at least I haven’t to date. That is partly because I dread having to do research into some of these topics. It’s also because I would prefer not to dwell on the dark underbelly. That said, I can see a time coming when the underbelly may demand a scratch or two.

2) What is the most interesting police procedural/investigator/researcher you have encountered?

Right now, and in keeping with the times, it would be AI and how AI can be used to provide information about a crime scene. I understand this is the tip of a very big iceberg.

3) Do you prefer amateur vs. professional sleuths?

At present, I’m leaning toward amateur. I have more freedom and flexibility with how my characters do things – and how they can mess up. But there is a shift in the wind. I have been writing stories with two new main characters: one is a lawyer and the other a private detective.  Mind you, the lawyer sells sex toys.

4) Most authors have a first unpublished novel or story cavorting with the dust bunnies under the bed or in the attic. Have you ever considered dusting off that first attempt and rewriting it?

My first novel was a joint effort with a friend. We had entered a 48-hour novel-writing contest. We had great fun, but the dust bunnies are well deserved.

5) Do you have a secret passion that has lain dormant for most of your life?

I would love to be a rock star. One problem: I can’t sing.

6) If you woke to find a genie sitting on the edge of your bed willing to grant you three wishes, what would they be?

I’m assuming I can’t wish for more wishes. I’d have to consider this opportunity carefully. I don’t want to make a wish I’d regret or overlook one I’d really rather have. In the end, my wishes will deal with health and happiness. And maybe a unicorn.

7) In terms of nature, what is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?

Sable Island, Nova Scotia, a thin crescent of shifting sand at the edge of the Continental Shelf that wild horses, grey seals, and one-of-a-kind plants, birds, and insects call home. There are also more than 350 shipwrecks surrounding this Graveyard of the Atlantic.

8) Name a profession you would not want to have and tell why?

Cod dewormer. Really, really don’t want to do this.

                         

BWL Publishing New Releases February 2026

 

https://glrockey.com/books/missing/

Nashville the setting, suspense the game, TV news director Jack Carr weaves his way through a tangle of greed, country music, murder, and a knockout undercover agent, Gillian Phoenix.

Review Snippets:
“Alcohol, sex, greed and just plain nasty human habits are the gist of this first-person account about a newscaster, his love life, kidnapped children and eviscerated organs. Readers who pick up this book will not be able to put it down.” – 4 Stars – Faith V Smith, Romantic Times

“…runs the gamut of emotions along with just the right amount of twists and turns designed to keep the reader twisting and turning -, and reading – As a serious writer, Rockey has the ability, as they might say in Tennessee, to “run with the big dogs,” when it comes to spinning the kind of yarn that could easily enter today’s best seller list.” – Peggy Russell, The Hinckley Record

https://www.amwesterling.com/index.html

Penniless and tainted by scandal, Miss Laura Courtenay must resort to any means necessary to provide for herself and her toddler brother. Coerced into participating in an ill-fated scheme, Laura finds herself in London’s Newgate prison where an unexpected visitor offers her temporary freedom if she plays the part of his wife. She agrees, seeing it as an opportunity to perhaps prove her innocence.

As stipulated in his grandfather’s will, Lord Evan Clarke must marry by his thirtieth birthday in order to become the Earl of Stonefield and take his place in the House of Lords. As the deadline looms, he concocts a ploy to fulfill the will’s stipulations. However, Evan quickly discovers his marriage of convenience includes a little boy, a growing attraction to the wife he must soon return to Newgate, and the horrifying realization he’d witnessed her father’s financial ruin.

EDITORIAL REVIEW by Victoria Chatham

A PROPER DECEPTION by A.M. Westerling

The Honorable Laura Courtenay is living in conditions no lady should endure. Responsible not only for her own well-being but also for that of her three-year-old brother, Reuben, Laura earns a small income sewing and mending for several households. The son of one of her clients lures her into a dubious scheme, promising her a tempting sum. The scheme fails, and Laura is imprisoned.

Evan Clarke needs a wife to fulfil the requirements of his grandfather’s will, not so much for the inheritance as for the title that will allow him to take his seat in the House of Lords. He plucks Laura from the horrors of Newgate Prison, makes her presentable, and introduces her as his wife to his grandfather’s lawyer, who does not believe they are married.

Within this story, A.M. Westerling not only highlights the plight of women in the Regency era but also captures the sights, sounds, and nuances of its society. Her characters are well-rounded, and the plot has several twists, making it a satisfying read from start to finish. Anyone who enjoys Regency romances in the style of Mary Balogh or Julia Quinn is sure to enjoy this one.

https://www.amazon.ca/Brewery-Penny-Cross.../dp/B0GFXSFB2V

The village of Sixpenny Cross hosts a weekend-long Medieval Fayre, but Winnie Hatherall is relieved when the knights, their companies, vendors, and visitors pack up and head home.

All notions of chivalry are shattered when Langston Oldrieve, owner of the Black Knight Brewing Company and winner of the Fayre’s jousting tournament, is found dead in his brewery. A frantic phone call from his wife when she is accused of his murder has amateur sleuth Winnie racing to Virginia’s aid. Who else might have wanted Langston dead? Local rumours suggest the brewery is struggling financially. Was that the reason for the growing resentment between Langston and his brewmaster and rival jouster, Peter Eversleigh?

Winnie and her sister, Amy, ask questions of people who are unwilling to answer, but then Wizard Lothar Goodwynne reads the Runes for Winnie. What they reveal leads her and Amy along an unexpected path.

Editorial Review by J.L. Cartwright

Once again Victoria Chatham has delighted this reader with her wonderful characterizations and the familiarity and fun of being part of the witty and humorous byplay between sisters Winne and Amy, along with Detective Inspector Anthony and his assistant Rachel. The main characters in this series have the kind of familiarity that you can only find in the best of British Detective Fiction. A Body in the Brewery is fascinating reading, and the activities in the Brewery combined with the preparation for the jousting and performing, along with the costuming required for the jousters and the squires handling the horses in the stables create the diversity of events, which effectively confuses the motivation while all the activities work together to create a complex and challenging puzzle. It is a genuine pleasure to watch Winnie as she very cleverly manages to poke her nose into the investigation while still keeping just on the right side of Detective Inspector Anthony while continuing to frustrate him with her oh so clever discoveries.

Accountant with Benefits : Tribe, Jeff: Amazon.es: Books

Sherry Strong’s coolly calculated career progression did not account for the romantic heat generated during her ‘voluntold’ assignment with Rolling L Ranch CEO Matt Logan.

All business’ was a verbal contract Sherry’s head had demanded, but one her heart refused to accept. Would that cold commitment protect progression toward junior partner, or prevent Sherry from discovering her truest life’s pathway?