Too old for an adventure? NOT ME, by J.C. Kavanagh

 

To purchase this award-winning series, click on the link below:

https://www.bookswelove.net/kavanagh-j-c/

Well, another adventure has begun. An adventure that will take us about 3,000 nautical miles from home, and - get this - we're getting there on our sailboat!

Yes, I know - crazy - but to me, it's a "WOW, that's crazy awesome!"

For years, me and my partner, Ian, have been dreaming of taking our sailboat to the Bahamas. Finally, this is the year we're making it come true. Ian retired last year and me, I've been writing from home for 10 years. We're doing everything we can to keep our bodies and minds fit for this rigorous undertaking. 

Outfitting our 43' sailboat has been it's own 'adventure.' We installed four 220 watt solar panels; a custom davit to keep our dingy out of the water; four 314 amp lithium batteries; a new Genoa (head sail); stereo and amp to keep the other boats at bay (insert winky face here :)); internet capability, and a watermaker to 'make' potable water from sea water. It's been a long and expensive 'to do' list but hey, making a dream come true will always make you B O A T (Bring Out Another Thousand) (insert another winky face, only this one with empty pockets ;)

Me applying Cetol to the teak cap rails

Wax on / Wax off. Big job for a big boat!

Part of this adventure, for me, is writing my next novel, The Deepest Divide. The plot has been outlined, months of research completed, and the characters have become 'real' in the playground of my mind. So, while we're sailing through the Great Lakes, down the Hudson River and the Intercoastal Waterway,  then across to the Bahamas, I will be having an adventure within another adventure. What new scenes will I add to the plot, which already has lakes and waterways as the main backdrop? 

Oh, the excitement!

Yeah, old-fashioned I am. I like 'real' books!

Research materials in two binders

Copies of The Twisted Climb trilogy on board? Yes!

 

Captain Ian and I 

If you want to read about adventures in the water, be sure to check out The Twisted Climb trilogy. The main characters, Jayden, Connor and Max, have multiple 'wet' adventures that could only take place in a dream world (or unWorld). Summer reading at its finest :)

Stay safe 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

The Scents of Summer

 

                                                             Frind me among our authors

Summer has finally arrived here in beautiful Vermont! 

My garden is producing snow peas, tomatoes, raspberries, corn, beans, squash, herbs, peaches and flowers I can trim and set in a vase on my dining room table. Oh, the joy!

I recently joined our daughter Abby on the coast of central California where I assisted her classes at an acoustic music camp. It was right on the Pacific Ocean. Sage and wildflowers were growing among the sand dunes. Each morning we awoke to the smell of fresh-brewed coffee and sage! Those scents will forever remind me of our mother/daughter time together.

What are the scents of summer like where you live? Is it the smell of vinegary barbeque sauce? The pine of a cabin's surrounding trees? The fresh and briny scent of the ocean?

Hope you and yours are enjoying our precious summer season, dear readers, and that it includes a hammock and the scent of a fresh cracked open book!

Do The Happy Hollisters Stand the Test of Time?

 Please click this link to learn about A Killer Whisky - BWL Canadian Historical Mystery Series

When I was a child, I devoured novels about children and teenagers who solved mysteries and crimes. The Bobbsey Twins, The Happy Hollisters, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden. I loved them all and passed the books down to my two sons who enjoyed reading them. Since my granddaughter loved Robert Quackenbush's series of Sherlock Chick mystery picture books that I got from the library, I wondered if she'd like these classics for older readers now that she is almost eight.   

The Bobbsey Twins were my gateway mysteries, but I could only find one Bobbsey book in my house. My granddaughter liked reading it with her dad, so I thought of trying her on a mystery series for the next reading level: The Happy Hollisters. 

The Hollisters are a family of five children aged four to twelve. People they meet in the stories always comment on their happiness. The siblings never quarrel or pick on each other or complain about doing household chores. Their parents are equally happy. They don't yell or punish their kids who constantly get into dangerous situations.  

Since the novels were published between 1953 and 1970, I decided to read the first book in the series to check that it wasn't too dated for modern children. 

Naturally, the story reflects the times. The Hollisters live in a "white" middle class world. The two boys play Cowboys and Indians. Only the girls (cheerfully) help their mother make sandwiches for a family picnic, and all three love playing with dolls, even "tomboy" Holly. The boys tend to be more rambunctious and daring than their sisters and take on the leadership roles. 

But Pam Hollister beats all the neighbourhood boys in a mini-car race, and the girls get into scrapes and contribute to solving the mystery.  

As a modern reader, what startled me most about the book was the children's freedom. Mrs. Hollister lets four-year old Sue follow her older siblings everywhere. The Hollisters live on a lake, and Sue almost drowns. (Their intrepid family dog rescues her). When the older children build a campfire, Sue's dress catches fire. Her brother Ricky burns his hands while saving her. Mrs. Hollister takes all of this in stride. 

The other adults are equally unprotective. When the children find the final clue to the mysterious thefts, they prudently take their information to Officer Cal. He invites them to hop in his patrol car and help capture the thief.  Children of the 1950s might have believed Cal would do this, but would today's more protected kids find it plausible? But if they don't, would believability matter if they're engaged in the Hollisters' adventures?  

In the end, my son felt the books were a bit too long for his almost-eight-year-old. We'll wait another year to try them on her. 

The Happy Hollister series was out of print from 1983 until 2010, when the publisher started to reissue the novels in paperback, hardcover, digital, and audio formats. You can buy the complete 33-paperback book set for $285.  The reissued books are described as faithful to the originals. I think for modern children, the stories could use some updating. For starters, I'd made the children, their parents, and their dog a little less than totally happy.      

Thank You is Timely – Don’t be Tardy / by Barbara Baker

 

 

The narrow and twisty trail through the poplar trees was quiet and the bouquet of summer flowers endless. I snapped numerous pictures of various blooms and held out in hopes I’d soon spot an elusive tiger lily.  

   

While bent over taking yet another picture, I heard the familiar sound of bike chains rattling and tires thumping from further up the trail. They were coming in hot and hard. For everyone’s safety, I took a few steps uphill to get out of their way.

  

Hunched over, gripping the handlebars of their downhill bikes to maneuver them through a rooty section, three teens flew past. The fourth was a bit further behind and seemed to struggle to keep his bike straight as it bounced over a large root. I worried about his navigational skills and took two more steps uphill, tripped over a stone and landed on my butt just as he whizzed by.

Because I’m a mom and gramma, and because I’m the one who got out of the way so as not to ruin their ride, I called out after him, “You’re welcome.”

In my heart I knew I’d hear him shout an embarrassed, “thank you,” as he tried to catch up with his friends. I didn’t get one. Instead, he shouted the ‘f’ bomb followed by ‘off’ and then the word reference for a female dog. I put my hand over my mouth and rolled my eyes.

The sequence of thoughts that ran through my head went something like this:

• school must be out
• who raised that brat? It only takes a second to say thank you.
• I’m glad they have helmets on
• thank you is timely but the lack of it is better than the response I got
• seriously, a female dog? How unimaginative.
• didn't his parents read the chapter on manners in Dr. Spock?
• do parents even read Dr. Spock these days?

Yes, I’ve been told that it must be a scary place inside my head, but I have to admit, I’m pretty proud of the rational thoughts which surfaced … even though they may have been chattier than necessary.

I stood up, brushed off my shorts and glanced both ways before I stepped back onto the path. A thin plume of dust spiraled up through the trees where they disappeared. When I passed the signs which indicate pathway etiquette I snorted, “Yeah, right.”

  

I tried to give the kid the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he was having a bad day. Current self-help podcasts encourage people to wake up and be kind. Maybe he hasn’t listened to any of them. Or maybe I’ve listened to too many.

At that moment, I decided to make it my mission to ensure my grandkids knew the timeliness of a thank you. Aren’t they lucky? I’m sure they’ll be appreciative of my wisdom and so will their parents. As I tossed around subtle ways to teach them good manners, I heard more bikes coming. I could tell by the lack of rattling and thumping that these bikers were on more of a leisurely ride. 

 

Once again, I stepped up and off the trail. Three gentlemen came into view. When the first one saw me, he slowed down even more, put his hand up and waved. As each one passed by, they smiled and said, ‘thank you.’ The last fella followed it up with ‘have a nice walk.’ My faith in people was restored.

Is it possible these were the dads or young grampas of the previous renegades? If so, what happened in their gene pool? Or were they just three men out for an afternoon ride looking for tiger lilies.

 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087956445879

Cover Reveal by J. S. Marlo

 

Red in the Snow

Coming September 2025

   

 

  

J. S. Marlo's Books

I present you "Red in the Snow", my newest mystery murder, which will be released in September 2025.

      Snowstorms blow threatening notes onto the doorstep of Raven Brook’s isolated log cabin, but the police give them no credibility. In their ears, Raven’s tarnished reputation resonated louder than her complaints.

     While on a snowmobile ride in the forest, Raven discovers the body of the disgraced officer who investigated her foster grandfather’s murder and dismissed her witness statement. Suddenly, the past she tried to escape roars back to haunt her and her young son.

     Corporal Landon Steele is posted to a remote understaffed RCMP detachment to fill the position left vacant by a dead officer. As he searches for missing evidence, he stumbles on a string of suspicious deaths linked to his predecessor. His troubling investigation throws him into Raven’s warpath.

     Trust is in short supply. Can Raven and Landon lower their guards, share their discoveries, and solve the murders before their fate intertwine in death?

There is always a story behind every story I write, so how did Red in the Snow come to life you may wonder...

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with many wonderful editors. One of them was hearing-impaired. One day, she made a passing comment about how she wished one of her authors would send her a story featuring a strong deaf heroine. Around the same time, one of my readers asked if my next story could take place in her home province.

So, this is how Raven was born and why she lives in Newfoundland.

Next month I'll give you a taste of the story.

Stay safe! Enjoy your summer! Hugs!

JS

 

 

J. S. Marlo's Website

There's Always a Silver Lining by Eileen O'Finlan

 

 

Click here for purchase information

Recently I've been dealing with some very serious health issues. In early April I was hospitalized for almost five days with peritonitis. I was released after the IV antibiotics did their work, but the cause was still unknown. After more tests, I was back in the hospital by mid-May having major surgery. It turned out that I had ovarian cancer. Thankfully, my very skilled surgeon was able to remove it all. So, now I'm off from my day job for six weeks while I recover from a full hysterectomy.

It has been a rough couple of months, but they have not been without several silver linings. First, if I hadn't had the peritonitis, I would not have had the tests that led to the surgery and I would not have known I had cancer. It was caught and removed in the earliest possible stage. Had I not had those tests and that surgery I'd still be walking around with cancer unawares, probably until it was too late. Having a very painful case of peritonitis probably saved my life. That, along with three amazing doctors who would not give up on finding out the cause and then moving on it extremely quickly. Thank you Dr. Kelly O'Callahan, Dr. Leah Rothstein, and Dr. Larissa Mattei. I am forever grateful to you!

The other silver lining is that not being able to go to work or do much of anything for several weeks means that I've been spending a lot of my time camped out on the living room couch with books and notebooks doing research for my next historical novel. I still don't have a working title, but it will follow my Irish characters from Kelegeen and Erin's Children. Like Erin's Children, it will be set in Worcester, Massachusetts but moving forward into the 1860s. This means that it will in large part include the American Civil War. This entails a lot of research for which I had previous been finding little time to accomplish. Suddenly, I have loads of time to devote to what for me is a fascinating subject.

As usual, I have Autumn Amelia, to help. While she plays nurse and hangs out with me 24/7, I am getting a lot done. No doubt she is also multi-tasking as my Cat Tales muse. I'm sure that as I read and take notes on the history of the War and Worcester in the 1860s, my subconscious mind is whirling with ideas for the third book in the Cat Tales series thanks to her constant healing presence.

Floral Fireworks

Nature's Color Bursts  

In honor of Independence Day and Canada Day, enjoy some floral fireworks from my gardens! These are the kind that won't spook your horses, dogs, or cats. No thunder jackets. No mosquitoes. No having to stay up waaaay past your bedtime.

 

 

I love gardening! Perennials, annuals, herbs, and vegetables - I love them all. I get that from my mom. My mother is a master gardener. Her green thumb is like no other. She just looks at a sickly plant and you can tell it's starting to feel better. She has that special touch you can't learn from a book or website or Facebook group. While I did not inherit that superpower, I did fall in love with being in the garden because of her. 

 

I remember weeding rows and rows of vegetables when I was little. She would pay me 10 cents per ice cream pailful of weeds. Only once did I layer the weeds light as air in my bucket to make it look full. When I presented it for payment, she gave me a dubious look and smashed them down to the half way mark. Lesson learned: No cheating.

I would sit in the grass-clipping-lined aisle with my little bucket and sing to myself while I picked weeds - from the root. Always go for a "good pull," that's the kind where you literally feel the hair-like roots giving way. Mom, in her sun hat, worked from the opposite end. We would meet somewhere sort of in the middle (Usually closer to my end. She was a way more efficient weeder.) and move on to the next long row. The sun bleached my hair white and browned my shoulders, but I didn't mind. When I tired of singing, the birds took over, and I dreamt up story after story. Something about the repetitive motion and satisfaction of looking back at the clean dirt lulled me into daydreams as it still does today. 

  

Though my daydreams have certainly changed, the weeds have not. They keep on coming, persistent little buggers. It makes me think of the weeds in my writing. I write a chapter, put a solid punctuation mark at the end, smile, and close my laptop, thinking, "Dang, that was good." Then I let it rest a day or so, read said chapter again, and oh my heavens to Betsy is it suddenly full of weeds. Wordy phrases, unnecessary descriptions, over-dramatic dialogue - it all needs a good editing pull. Then I read it over after I've filled my proverbial 10-cent bucket, and I get the same satisfying feeling as looking back on clean dirt in the garden. Heck, I've weeded this blog enough to go to Dairy Queen.

So everyone, happy Canada Day, happy 4th of July, happy gardening, and happy weeding!

       

Time to test yourself by donalee Moulton

 

www.bookswelove.com

I’ve been doing readings to launch my new mystery, Bind; introduce the world to Woo Woo, Charlene, and Lexie; and take them inside the hunt for an expensive watch that has been stolen. I’ve discovered one of the fun things about book readings is drawing participants into the subject matter—with a quiz. The Bind quiz has 11 questions that focus on two of the books main topics: watches and theft. Below are the questions about watches. They’re timely. Scroll down for the answers. Next month I’ll share the final questions.

 1.  When were the first portable timekeeping devices — in other words, the world’s first watches — first invented?

A.    16^th century (the Early Modern Age)

B.    18^th century (the Age of Enlightenment)

C.    20^th century (the Age when Bind’s characters were born)

 

2.  Who were wristwatches originally designed for?

A.    Men, because men get everything first

B.    Women, because they are the smarter sex

C.    Police officers, because they carry guns

 

3.  When did wristwatches gain popularity among men?

A.    During the Roaring Twenties

B.    During the Industrial Revolution

C.    During World War 1

 

4.  Which old Hollywood movie star’s watch shattered records when it sold at auction in 2017?

A.    Clark Gable, The King of Hollywood

B.    Archibald Alexander Leach (you probably know him as Cary Grant)

C.    Paul Newman aka Cool Hand Luke

 

5.  From 2021 to 2022, luxury watch thefts rose by 65% in London. And something happened as a result?

A.    A petition to ban the sale of machetes

B.    An ordinance prohibiting anyone wearing of a luxury watch in public

C.    A law forbidding anyone to take a photo of the Crown’s wristwatch

 

 

 

                                                          ORDER HERE

And the answers are…

 

1.  When were the first portable timekeeping devices — in other words, the world’s first watches — first invented?

A.    16^th century (the Early Modern Age)

 

German clockmaker Peter Henlein is credited with inventing the first watch around 1510. Because of its size (about 3 inches), it was best suited to be worn on a pendant or attached to a belt.  

2.    Who were wristwatches originally designed for?

B.    Women, because they are the smarter sex

 

Wristwatches were originally created for women. They were seen as both elegant pieces of jewelry and functional timepieces. According to the Guinness World Records, Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe made the first wristwatch in 1868 for a Hungarian Countess. Men preferred pocket watches at that time.

3.    When did wristwatches gain popularity among men?

C.    During World War 1

 

During World War I, wristwatches became a necessity because soldiers needed to tell time quickly and easily. This translated to civilian life after the war. By the 1930s, wristwatch sales had surpassed pocket watch sales.

4.    Which old Hollywood movie star’s watch shattered records when it sold at auction in 2017?

C. Paul Newman aka Cool Hand Luke

 

Movie star and race car driver Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona sold at auction for $17.8 million in 2017. The watch had been a gift from his wife actress Joanne Woodward—engraved with the words “Drive Carefully, Me.”

 

5.    From 2021 to 2022, luxury watch thefts rose by 65% in London. And something happened as a result?

A.  A petition to ban the sale of machetes

 

A London councillor launched a petition to ban the sale of machetes after having his watch stolen by a machete-wielding thief in 2022. The petition got almost 140,000 signatures.

 

I hope you were intrigued—and challenged—by the questions. Let me know how you did.