BWL Publishing New Releases August 2025

 

Finding killers is Calgary Police Detective Janice Maidstone’s job, for now, but her parents want her back on the short-grass prairie in southern Saskatchewan to take over the ranch. Janice must choose between the police service in a job she loves, or the life as a rancher to carry on the family legacy. 

The decision hangs over her head while she and her partner investigate their latest case involving a pregnancy, a playboy fiancé, a greedy business partner, and a jealous bride. 

 

Editorial Review 

Nancy M Bell 

 

The Aquamarine Necklace is great read. The murder of a local restaurant owner sets our detective off on a complicated search for justice that takes her behind the scenes of the restaurant business. Ms. Beswick does a wonderful job of combining excellent writing with the gritty business of solving murders while sticking to the laws. Our heroine is not our typical detective, but a lovely mix of tough cop with certain vulnerabilities underneath.  A must read. 

A stirring coming-of-age family saga about resilience, forgiveness, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and child 

Living in the vast beauty of the Saskatchewan prairie, fourteen-year-old Eden English finds herself pregnant and unwilling to name the father. Her parents send her to a maternity home in the city where she is forced to give up her newborn daughter for adoption. 

Years later, Eden is trapped in an unhappy life marked by poverty, addiction, and haunting visions of a child she feels certain is in danger. When a chance encounter sparks new hope, she is determined to rescue the little girl who was stolen from her. 

 

Eden’s dramatic search for her daughter—and the unexpected friendship and love she finds along the way—is set in the 1970s, when women’s roles and rural communities in Canada were slowly but inexorably changing with the times. 

 

Editorial Review by Nancy M. Bell  

Eden's Daughter by Katherine Maitko  5 Stars 

 

Teenage southern Saskatchewan farm girl, Eden finds herself pregnant and fighting to keep her unborn child. It's the 1970's and unwed mothers are not looked upon with any favour in the small farming community. Eden's parents insist she have an abortion, but Eden is convinced her unborn child is a daughter and there is no way she is going to terminate this pregnancy. She bolts from the hospital and hides on the streets of Regina before returning to her family the next day. Instead Eden finds herself in a home for unwed mothers. She is determined to keep her daughter, but politics and some underhanded dealings conspire to take that choice away. Eden goes on with her life but is plagued with dreams of her daughter living in less than desirable conditions. Her quest to find and reclaim her daughter is wonderfully depicted in Matiko's sensitive and evocative text. A must read.  

 

It is 1803 at the Hudson’s Bay post of York Factory and fifteen year old Elias Gunn faces a dilemma. His grandfather wants his sons and grandsons to accompany him inland to Fort Edmonton to deliver the supplies the men at the fort will need to survive for a year. Elias has heard the stories about the months’ long, arduous trip by York Boat and has no desire to go. But he is forced to agree by his Uncle Jonas. Elias’ nemesis, his cousin, Nathaniel, who continuously picks on Elias, is also going. But he finds there is more than just rowing the boat in store for him. 

Martha lives with her family in the Cree village near Fort Edmonton. She is waiting for Nathaniel to return and marry her so she can realize her dream.  

 

Editorial review by Renee Duke 

5* COMPELLING TALE OF A GRUELLING JOURNEY 

With the recent demise of the famous Hudson Bay company adding to its relevance, this YA novel is one that will easily hold the attention of teens interested in how goods were transported to and from various outposts back in the early 19th century, as well as those who might wonder if they would be up to such a challenge. Well written and meticulously researched, West To Fort Edmonton is sure to have readers feel as though they are making the arduous cross-Canada trip right along with the young, definitely not-happy-to-be-there, protagonist, Elias Gunn.  

Mike Gouchie is an Indigenous Nashville Country Recording Artist.  

Over his musical career he’s had the privilege of opening for country legend George Jones on a cross Canada tour and has shared stages with Alan Jackson, Lonestar, Billy Currington, the Neville Brothers, Jo Nichols, and many others. 

He has lived the kind of life most only sing about. 

A ten-time award-winning Country Recording Artist with deep Indigenous roots, Mike’s journey through the highs of the spotlight and the lows of life behind the curtain is as real as it gets. In Shattered Glass, he shares his raw and riveting story—an unfiltered look at the pursuit of a dream in an industry that rarely plays fair. 

From standing ovations to slammed doors, from almost making it to almost giving up, this memoir is a heartfelt tribute to resilience, faith, and the power of never letting go. Along the way, Mike lets you in on the backstage moments, the near-misses, and the personal struggles that shaped the man behind the music. 

Because sometimes, the ones who almost made it are the ones with the most powerful story to tell. 

A dedication to those who fell short on fame,   yet remain large at heart   

 

 Mike Gouchie is an Indigenous Nashville Country Recording Artist.  

Over his musical career he’s had the privilege of opening for country legend George Jones on a cross Canada tour and has shared stages with Alan Jackson, Lonestar, Billy Currington, the Neville Brothers, Jo Nichols, and many others. 

He has lived the kind of life most only sing about. 

A ten-time award-winning Country Recording Artist with deep Indigenous roots, Mike’s journey through the highs of the spotlight and the lows of life behind the curtain is as real as it gets. In Shattered Glass, he shares his raw and riveting story—an unfiltered look at the pursuit of a dream in an industry that rarely plays fair. 

From standing ovations to slammed doors, from almost making it to almost giving up, this memoir is a heartfelt tribute to resilience, faith, and the power of never letting go. Along the way, Mike lets you in on the backstage moments, the near-misses, and the personal struggles that shaped the man behind the music. 

Because sometimes, the ones who almost made it are the ones with the most powerful story to tell. 

A dedication to those who fell short on fame,   yet remain large at heart   

 

Editorial Review for Shattered Glass, by JD Shipton 

 

Editorial Review 

JL Cartwright 

Mike Gouchie is a ten-time award-winning Country Recording Artist with deep indigenous roots and his  musical journey is filled with the exciting highlights and soul tearing low lights of his experiences as he travelled the road that brought him to such places as being the opening act for George Jones's  Canadian tour, and sharing stages with Alan Jackson, Lonestar, Billy Currington, the Neville Brothers, Jo Nichols and many more. 

A breathless adventure story of courage and survival in a warming climate, from the multi-award-winning author of Refugee 87

Yutu lives in a remote Arctic village with his elderly grandmother. Their traditional way of life is threatened by the changing snow and ice, which melts faster every year.

Bea is trying to adapt to yet another new school. Worse still, her father's new job takes up any spare time, and his behaviour has become odd and secretive. On a trip she hopes will fix things, their fates take a drastic turn and Bea's life becomes entwined with Yutu's in a way she could never have imagined.

Together, they become locked in a desperate race for survival.

Gotta Have Some Maple Syrup by Eden Monroe

 

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/dangerousgetaway

Dangerous Getaway is set in Elgin, New Brunswick. Situated in the Caledonia Highlands within the Appalachian Mountain range, it is an area known not only for its beauty, but also for its prodigious maple sugar production.

And while the unforgettable adventure experienced by Rhone Alexander and Grace Upton in Elgin has nothing to do with sugar making, those gorgeous highlands still bring to mind the delicious pleasure of maple syrup given its vast stands of sugar maple trees. Nature at its most beautiful and productive best.

Actually, trees are perhaps what New Brunswick, Canada does best considering that eighty-five percent of the province is covered in them (globalforestwatch.org 2020). According to www2.gnb.ca, New Brunswick’s vast forests contain over twenty species of trees, “which is remarkably diverse among Canadian forests given the province’s small size.” Of that number nearly 70% (as represented by tree volume) are softwood trees (conifers) – the remaining species being hardwood (deciduous). Included in that number is the sugar maple with its luxuriant shade-producing crown, one of the most important hardwood species in the province.

The maple itself is no one trick pony, in fact there are 150 species of maple trees. As Canada.ca points out, of those 150 species, only ten are native to Canada: “the sugar, black, bigleaf, silver, red, mountain, striped, Douglas, vine and Manitoba maples.”

Not surprisingly the maple sugar tree is the most well known of all the species of maple trees. Interestingly, Canada’s arboreal emblem is of course the famous maple leaf — it’s even on our flag, although that image is actually a generic mock up of all Canada’s maple species.

The sugar maple is valued for it’s fine lumber (arboristhalifax.ca). “For hardness, strength, beauty and longevity, sugar maple surpasses all other species. Its wood is highly valued by furniture builders.”

However chief among its winning attributes is its delicious sap from which is made maple syrup, and while there are certainly other places in the world that also produce maple syrup, New Brunswick remains a key player. Says tourismnewbrunswick.ca: “Maple syrup has a long history in our province, and New Brunswick is now the second largest maple producer in Canada (third in the world), with a production of over four million kilograms (eight million, eight hundred thousand pounds) of maple syrup per year, some of it exported to 35 countries.

 

“During the season (late winter into spring), one tree can produce about 40 litres (just over ten gallons) of sap, which equals one litre (0.264 liquid gallon) of maple syrup.”

 

When the sap is running, sugar shacks (camps) and sugar farms are a favourite destination for delicious maple-themed cooking and treats. As well they offer family fun activities like making candy and witnessing the entire maple syrup making process in motion.

 

 

While writing this piece I just had to treat myself to pancakes with butter, drowned in maple syrup, pictured above, because writing about it made me hungry. In a sugar camp the standard fare would be flapjacks with butter and maple syrup, maple-flavoured sausages, and warm baked beans sweetened with maple sugar.

 

According to albertcountymuseum.com: “The Mi'kMaq were the first to harvest maple syrup in this area.  To extract the syrup from the maple trees, the natives would cut an upward slash in the tree and place a reed or sliver of wood in the cut.  The sap would run up the tree, get stopped by the reed then follow the reed out and drip into a birch bark cassa.  The cassas would also be used to evaporate the sap down to make syrup.  They would heat rocks in a fire then place the cassa on the hot rocks to heat the liquid inside.  It was a long process but eventually enough of the water would evaporate away leaving a delicious sweet syrup.

“When the French and then subsequently the English settled in the area, natives taught them how to extract maple syrup and use it as food.  The first commercial production of maple syrup in Albert County was in the early 1840’s by the Colpitts family.  In their first year of production they gathered enough sap to produce 6200 pounds of maple sugar.  All the sap was gathered in birch bark cassas!  The annual output of maple sugar from the Parish of Elgin was approximately 80,000 pounds.  (1851 Census data.)  It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup.  It takes one gallon of syrup to make 8 pounds of Maple Sugar.  When you do the math that means that 400,000 gallons of sap were collected to make the 80,000 pounds of sugar.”

Again, according to albertcountymuseum.com, the cassas were replaced with tin in the 1800’s. But since ordinary tin rusts, that too was replaced with English tin. Of course the lead welding and lining in the English tin cans were problematic, so that was eventually replaced with galvanized metal developed in the 1900’s. Lids for these receptacles followed shortly after. The sap collected in the cans was poured into larger buckets; the buckets emptied into a gathering tank sitting on a horse-drawn sled. Filters removed any twigs or debris — the tank shaped to prevent splashing out of the top opening during transport over uneven snowy terrain.

Today, for the most part sap cans are used by hobbyists. For large operations sap (accessed through inserted spouts) is collected by plastic tubing systems connected to trees and conveyed either by vacuum or good old-fashioned gravity directly to a central collection point into storage tanks. The sap is then transferred to an evaporator, the sap flowing through the pipe to boil in a large vat. As the water in the sap evaporates, more tree sap is allowed to flow in as it continues to boil down, and is subsequently moved to a smaller vat. The process continues in the smaller vat until the sap reaches the required density and is ready to be bottled.

Another rendering method is by way of a cauldron over an open fire.

Once the syrup is complete it can be further boiled down to make maple candy or maple sugar. The good news is that all of the aforementioned, including the making of syrup, can also be accomplished on a much smaller scale in a large pan on a cook stove.

Additional tools of the trade include: (Again from albertcountymuseum.com) a maple sugar masher because “when making maple sugar it naturally wants to form lumps”; one and two pound maple sugar moulds, and wooden paddles used to work the maple sugar into the desired moulds. The site also points out that maple sugar and maple cream are actually the same thing, because “when rationing of sugar was introduced in Canada during WW II sugar camps decided to change the name from sugar to cream so that it would not be subject to rationing.”

Says tourismnewbrunswick.ca: “Whether drizzled over pancakes, added to a smoothie, frozen into candy, or used in a cocktail, maple syrup is a distinctively delicious way to add some sweetness.”

Highly versatile, maple syrup can be used in a plethora of culinary dishes, both sweet and savoury, as well as standing nicely on its own. Maple candy, ice cream and gelato are perennial favourites, as are baked goods, and caramelizes and glazes for just about everything, including roasted nuts. You can even drink it — from sweeteners in coffees and teas to actual maple tea itself. There’s also a variety of maple beers, wines and spirits. You can also drink the sap right out of the tree!

It’s easy to make maple candy once the syrup reaches a specific boil temperature. Simply take the prepared syrup outside and pour it on snow. It’s basically the same principal as making fudge, when the candy has reached the desired consistency on the snow, this one-of-a-kind late winter/early spring treat is ready to enjoy.

Needless to say, New Brunswick loves its maple syrup. We practically swim in the stuff – and you can never get enough. So for the ultimate maple experience, grow a tree (or several), tap a tree (or several) and create your own supply. Just try it, you’ll be back for more. In fact there’s a store that specializes in maple products not ten miles from where I’m writing this. Think I’ll drop by later this afternoon.

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/boundforsomewhere

 

 

 

 

Calendars - fantastic facts

 

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The month of July always causes me to think about our calendar system. By the original Roman method this is 2778 A.U.C. (Ab urbe Condita = from the city's founding) The "Julian" calendar was Rome's first calendar reorganization and took place during the rule of Julius Caesar, in the year 45 B.C. The lunar/solar cycles don't mesh, because the moon goes from dark to full in 29.5 days and this does not match the observable solar year. At first, it is not a large problem, but as years advance, the discrepancy becomes a problem.  

This "Julian" notion was adopted from the Egyptians. Perhaps Caesar learned of this from his mistress, Cleopatra, who was highly educated and surrounded by a court that included mathematicians and astronomers, as well as the usual priests, historians and linguists. The result was a 12 month, 30 day system, with a day added to adjust the discrepancy between solar and lunar cycles. An extra day resulted in a 366 day leap year which occurred every four years. 

The next Western calendar was introduced by Papal Bull during the time of Pope Gregory in 1582, to better align with what the mathematicians reckoned was the sun's orbit around the earth. (They were taking more accurate calculations/observations, but still fitting it into the Church-approved Ptolemaic interpretation of our solar system.) This correction involved a ten day addition to the year. The Gregorian calendar was first adopted by the European Catholic countries.

European Protestants suspected a "Popish Plot" and did not adopt the new calendar until a century later. The English-speaking world only caved to astronomical reality regarding the calendar during mid-18th Century. By this time, Galileo's 1632 assertion that Earth revolved around the Sun was widely accepted. In 1752, England and her colonies finally adopted the Gregorian calendar, adding those ten days. This adjustment kept to the formula of "every four years, a leap year with an added day", but also eliminated leap years on Century years that are not divisible by 400. For instance, the year 2000 had a leap year, while 1900 and 1700 did not. 

I have read that George Washington, among others, refused the change on a personal level by retaining their original birthdate, out of synch with the new dispensation or not. This is personal, as he and "share" a birthday. I thought, when I first heard this story that his attitude was rather backwards. :)

It may be 2025 by our Julian/Gregorian Calendar reckoning, but it's rather different in other parts of the globe.

Jewish A.M. year = 5786 (A.M. is Anno Mundi, Latin) "year of the world's creation"

Islamic = 1447, which is the year of the Hegira of Mohammad, his escape from Medina to Mecca, along with his followers.

Chinese = 4728. The Chinese have an interlocking "lunisolar" type of reckoning, where the Sun determines the seasons and the Moon determines the month, using 29.5 days a month, with an Intercalary month inserted occasionally to keep the solar and the lunar in synch. They also have a zodiac of twelve. As we may know, 2025 is The Year of Wood Snake. 

 ~~Juliet Waldron

  

In an Era of Fake Alpha Males, Cowboys are Sexier Than Every, By Connie Vines #Sexy Cowboys, #Alpha Males, #Rodeo Romance

 Have you noticed? The times are a-changing.

In an Era of Fake Alpha Males, Cowboys are Sexier than Ever.

The cowboy fantasy isn't just about romance. When men in power are unserious and unworthy. Or when the media depicts all men as deadbeat dads with inflated egos, there's nothing hotter than a symbol of quiet strength, reliability, and competence.

Do you recall the classic 1999 country song by The Chicks? 

The song informs everyone that a rugged man sweeps a woman away to the freedom of the wide-open plains.

That fantasy --- the allure of a cowboy and the promise of escape -- has endured for generations. Woven into country songs, fashion, romance novels, movies, and all eras of pop culture alike. 

No matter how much the world may change.

The cowboy endures.

The era of the itinerant cowboys driving cattle herds through Texas lasted 25 years. However, the cowboy in our hearts has been around much longer.

The loner. The protector. Core values: Hard work, independence, courage, honor, and freedom. His word is a solemn vow, and... cowboys ride horses.

He'll love animals and probably have a dog or two. 

A cowboy's got to be tough to ride the land, but he might have a heart of gold beneath that rough 'n' tumble exterior. He's willing to tame the harsh elements around him to get what he wants.

There's a hint of a gentleman about a cowboy. He'll tip his hat and be respectful.

Every woman loves a cowboy.
(connie's Canva photo)

A cowboy's got to be willing to take on danger and have endurance. After all, he's got to keep on working, whether he's running a days-long cattle drive, barrel racing, or sticking to a rebellious steer's back on the PBR.

A Stetson, flannel, buckle, and denim look good pretty much any guy...whether or not he can dance.

There is a cowboy for every era.

Some may save a 1800s town from a tyrannical railroad baron, a working ranch hand, or a sensitive soul crooning a country tune. 

Do you reach for a Cowboy Romance?

If so, who's your favorite on-screen cowboy? Or your Favorite movie?

Mine:

Dances with Wolves (1990) and Quigley Down Under (1990).

Favorite Western actor: Sam Elliott (love his gravelly voice).

Best Cowboy song: Should've Been a Cowboy by Toby Keith.

My Favorite Cowboy Motto:  "Don't Corner Something Meaner Than You". 

I hope you enjoyed my post.

Please add your list of "Faves" in the comment area (my cowboy heroes love to please the ladies 😉🤠 🐴).

Please visit my links and follow my website and blog. 

My links: 

https://connievines-author.com

https://mizging.blogspot.com

https://books.apple.com/us/author/connie-vines/id624802082

barnesandnoble.com/s/connie%20vines

And, of course, at your favorite online book seller!

The tidy corner of my office 

My awards and some of my research materials.

Spending quality time at my PC at 1:00 AM

Happy Reading,

Connie

The agony of picking graphics for a book cover - by Vijaya Schartz

Find it at BWL Here
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An unruly Valkyrie on a flying tiger, a stern angel in love with the rules, and evil pounding at the gate… What could go wrong?

Riddled with survivor’s guilt after Ragnarök, Valka wanders the universe as a bounty hunter. But when hired by angels to recruit warriors for the final battle against evil, she welcomes a chance at redemption.

General Konrad Lagarde, First Mate of the angel ship Blue Phantom, strongly rejects Valka’s methods. A stickler for discipline, he also considers this fascinating woman hazardous to his sanity, as she could make him forget all the rules.

Evil from another universe has infiltrated a secret society of former dictators hungry for power. Having massacred all the angels in his former world, the evil one wants to do the same here. The angels of this universe face their greatest challenge yet… destroy the evil one and avenge their fallen brethren… or the bringer of darkness will enslave us all.

Picking the elements of this cover was easy as the sci-fi background was the same for the entire series, and I only had to choose a big cat fitting that story. But my current project CHI WARRIOR presents bigger challenges.

We authors have images in our heads when we write, and the book cover should reflect these images. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to make suggestions to my publisher’s (BWL Publishing) art department, as I’m the only one who knows the world I created. I fancy myself as an artist, but I’m not a professional cover designer. I understand my suggestions might be rejected if they do not fit the current trends or the marketing needs.

Sometimes, the cover artist will take inspiration from the image I suggested and find something similar but better suited to the project.

What are the colors of the created world? What is the mood? How does it make you feel? The challenge is to create an image to make the reader feel, “I want to discover this world, these characters, I want to spend time in this atmosphere, I want to read this story.”

But it also has to reflect the actual setting, story, and characters. You cannot manufacture a tantalizing cover image and not deliver the same flavor inside the pages.

As an added challenge, except for specific historical period novels with costumes, the BWL Publishing covers no longer portray the main characters. Actually, this is a good thing. It’s almost impossible for a writer to find the perfect picture of their hero or heroine in stock photos. And if by miracle you find it, you might soon find another book out there with the exact same picture on the cover. It happened to me once, and I found it frustrating. It also must be confusing for the readers who saw your cover once in passing and are looking for your book.

Looking for these images can also be time consuming, even with the fancy search words and filters. I spent many hours looking at thousands of images… and I am still not happy with what I found.

But I was reminded of deadlines. The art department needs my suggestions now, so I sent what caught my attention so far. I also suggested bright red Asian letters for the main title. I hope the talented Michelle Lee who supervises the cover art, will make something wonderful with it... she always does.

The book, CHI WARRIOR, Protectors series Book One, is scheduled to be released November 1st. Now, back to the finishing, editing, and rewrites… if my kitty cat lets me see the pages.

Happy Reading.

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author
Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats
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Paranormal Sightings by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

 

www.bookswelove.com

Coming June 2026

Paranormal Sightings

In the past, my publisher, BWL Publishing, has brought out the Canadian Historical Brides Collection and the Canadian Historical Mystery Collection. There are twelve books in each Collection, each one set in a province or territory of Canada. Starting this year and continuing into 2026 and 2027, BWL Publishing is publishing the Paranormal Canadiana Collection.

I chose the Yukon for each Collection and wrote Romancing the Klondike for the first and Sleuthing the Klondike for the second. I am now researching and writing Haunting the Klondike for the third.

As far as I know, I have never seen a ghost. However, I did live in a haunted house, although without my knowledge. When my husband and I and my brother and sister-in-law first moved to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island we bought a house that had been converted into a duplex. My sister-in-law told me that she was continually seeing a man coming and going from their side. I saw no one on our side.

When I returned to Alberta to visit family and friends I described where our place was to a friend. She began asking questions about it and said that a friend of hers had lived in that house years earlier. She also asked me if I had seen the ghost who occasionally wandered through the house there. I said no, but my sister-in-law had.

My friend said a man had died in that house and her friend had seen his ghost often while living there. I wondered if that was the same man who my sister-in-law was seeing.

I’m not sure if the reason I did not encountered that ghost nor any other ghosts in my life is because I don’t believe in them or because I have been lucky. So I have nothing personal on which to base my novel. I will have to do it all by research.

However, if a ghost is reading this, this is not an invitation to come to me and tell me your story or start moving things around to prove you are real.

My Favourite Character by Victoria Chatham

 

AVAILABLE HERE

I was recently asked which is my favourite character out of all my books, and why. It was a thought-provoking question, one I couldn't answer immediately. It’s that classic dilemma: you shouldn’t favour one of your children over the others; you should love them all equally. Sometimes you might not like them, or they might not like you, but that love remains the solid foundation upon which you build.

But, the characters in my books are not my children. My heroes tend to be the strong, silent types—disciplined, no-nonsense men with a natural sense of duty. They can look after themselves, but they truly thrive when they have a lady in their lives. My heroines challenge what has traditionally been regarded as societal norms. I strongly believe that, in every era, there are individuals who stand out, and this is crucial for all of my heroines. I have no hesitation now in choosing Emmeline Deveraux, the heroine from my first Regency romance, His Dark Enchantress. 

With the Napoleonic Wars raging across Europe, they created the perfect environment for Emmeline’s secret life as a spy. Her equestrian skills developed from my passion for everything related to horses, but I also drew on records from Astley's Amphitheatre, which opened in 1768. Philip Astley is widely regarded as the father of the modern circus. He initially ran a riding school, but later, he and his wife Patty Jones performed trick riding shows. Their acts became more popular when Philip decided to combine his riding expertise with clowning.

Astley's Amphitheatre

Besides Emmeline being an excellent horsewoman, she could also drive a team of horses, for which I drew on the expertise of Mrs. Cynthia Haydon (1918-2012), who, with her husband Frank, bred, trained, and exhibited the naturally high-stepping Hackney Horse. Their Hurstwood Stud in Sussex, England, was renowned worldwide and many of their horses were exported, especially to the USA. The Hackney Horse is now regarded as a rare breed.

Mrs. Cynthia Haydon

 When I first envisioned Emmeline, she wasn't neat and tidy like a proper Regency lady would have been. Her long black hair was loose, she was barefoot, and astride a black horse. It was pouring with rain, and she was soaked to the skin. Her eyes were blue, and one reader mentioned she sounded like Elizabeth Taylor, which had never occurred to me. However, as a twelve-year-old, Elizabeth Taylor played Velvet Brown in the 1944 film ‘National Velvet’, so it might have been an instinctive rather than deliberate choice. Although Emmeline would have preferred to stay at her grandfather’s home in Devon, he sent her to London for the Season, ostensibly to find a husband, as was the custom.

In her rural surroundings, Emmeline was in control. In London, she worried that someone from her past might recognise her, risking her chances of a favourable marriage. It is when she is kidnapped that Emmeline’s true character reveals itself. Fearful but resolute, she fights with all her might for survival. Emmeline can be forceful, funny, loving, but most of all, a woman with a mind of her own. Dare I say a gal after my own heart?

Victoria Chatham

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Images from the public domain.

 

Were you sober when you wrote this?

 

While promoting books, I get many questions. Some are funny: "Are you any of your characters?" The answer is no, the characters are all younger, smarter, and better looking than me.

The question that gave me pause was, "Were you sober when you wrote this book?"

Replaying that question caused so many thoughts to surface. I read that Robert Louis Stevenson wrote "Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde" while on a twenty-four-hour cocaine binge. Having read that book as a naive high school student, I wondered what crazy visions Stevenson must've had to dream up something so twisted and diabolical. As an adult I think, cocaine seemed a likely contributor.

William S. Burroughs was known for missing deadlines. It's rumored that his agent resorted to locking the author in a room and only supplying him with a bottle of booze after Burroughs passed another chapter under the door.

An upstart Nevada distillery uses a tagline: "Drink bourbon because no good story ever started after a kale salad." The reality of that ad might be balanced by a quote from Jimmy Breslin: "Don't trust a brilliant idea until it survives the hangover."

 I embrace this great quote from Ring Lardner, "No one, ever, wrote anything as well after even one drink as he would've done without it."

The answer to that original question; "I was stone cold sober". The questioner's reaction was to recoil. His unspoken follow-up question was probably, "You have thoughts like that when you're NOT drinking?"

Each of my mysteries is a collection of sometimes crazy sober thoughts, strung together by the dialogue between the fictional characters. Writing fiction allows me to release all those crazy thoughts that pop to mind, like when some idiot cuts you off in traffic.

Check my publisher's website for links to "A Bourbon to Die For" and all of my other books.

Authors — BWL Publishing

A haunting excerpt from Secrets of Lakeluster House, by Diane Scott Lewis

 

To purchase this novel, click HERE

 For those of you who like spooky stories, but not overly so, please enjoy this excerpt from my young adult novel. It's also a coming of age story for my protagonist.

Editorial Review by Renee Duke A YA novel that will definitely appeal to young teens who like scary stories, Secrets Of Lakeluster House successfully conveys the insecurity and emotional turmoil of its adolescent and preteen protagonists as they find courage they didn’t know they had.

An excerpt, the children are exploring a secret passage:

Sage stopped and raised her light; the hall appeared to curve. She couldn’t see Patrick anywhere. She was about to call out for her cousin. Something materialized in front of her, shifting hues of white and beige, transparent, yet slightly solid.

She froze, mute, unable to turn her head to see if Nate was there. Alarm rushed through her.

The woman in the long apron morphed out of the floating material. She turned her pleading eyes on Sage. “He no longer loved me,” she murmured. “We had plans.”

“Grandma Esther?” Sage thought she said the words aloud, or were they in her head? Had she really heard the woman speak?

The young man who resembled Huntley in a thinner version appeared beside the woman. “It was over, Essie,” he said with a British accent. "We had a bit of fun. Let’s remain friends.”

Sage’s stomach tightened into a fist. Why couldn’t she speak?

The man then stared right at Sage, his eyes black holes, which suddenly changed to ice blue. “Sage, you must go back.” His voice was so familiar. “You aren’t safe.”

He’d said her name! How was that possible? The woman nodded.

“He’s right. Leave us, dear. Be a good girl.” Then she pulled something from her apron pocket. The pistol.

Sage shuddered and nausea rose in her throat.

To purchase my books, visit my publisher's author page:

https://bwlpublishing.ca/lewis-diane-scott/

Diane lives in Western Pennsylvania with one naughty dachshund.

The Art of Diplomacy

 

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I have lovely neighbours, and I'm not just talking about the ones who live next door but those in half a dozen of the houses and bungalows up and down the lane. Because we all live opposite fields that lead to woods and then on down to a wild beach, we often bump into each other when we're walking our dogs and stop to chat. And some of these meetings have led to close friendships over the years, friendships that always make room for new people when properties are sold. We're a mixed bunch too, with ages ranging from the thirties to the eighties, and yet that never seems to matter. Impromptu suppers, invitations for drinks in the late afternoon that go on until almost midnight, coffee at the end of a dog walk or just because. 

We help one another too. Parcels taken in, recycling bins put out, gardens watered, information about local tradesmen shared, family successes celebrated. And most valuable of all, the knowledge that if any of us need emergency help others will be there with a tow rope, buckets, mops, candles, strong arms, repairing skills and tools, hot tea, a meal, or just a comforting hand. 

Although this all sounds idyllic, it does, however, come at a cost because, inevitably, such a divergent mix of characters means an equally divergent mix of opinions. Left wing, right wing, the fence sitters, the easily offended, the intransigent. And who is what is sometimes surprising too. Age doesn't always equate with knowledge for example. And of course there are the talkers and the listeners, the questioners and the opinionated. One is a source of jokes and some of the few slightly risqué ones can lead to a very brief pause in the general flow of conversation! And yet everyone is kind. A difference of opinion is accepted without ever leading to argument. Not in what is probably the bravest way, such as 'let's agree to disagree on this one,' but by smiling and nodding and then encouraging the conversation to flow in a different direction.

The coward's way out? In this instance I don't think so. Having good neighbours is a two-way benefit that none of us want to destabilise, so we accept our differences, know that we are not there to judge, and save our arguments for those friends and family members whose robust rejoinders we can count upon.

One other thing. So far I've only discovered one reader amongst the lot, and coming from a family of readers and writers I find that shocking. I don't say so though. Not the right place for such an opinion! A wonderful source of characterisations though although if they ever turn up in one of my books they will be heavily disguised. 

In my book Miss Locatelli, Arabella, the main character, has to learn diplomacy the hard way. She gets there in the end but it takes a while! If you like sparky personalities who are not afraid of speaking their mind and getting into an argument, then she is the one for you.

 

 

 

Gardens in Bloom by Nancy M Bell

 

What is it about a garden? Sometimes it's like hockey and farming - There's always next year- but then sometimes it all comes together so wonderfully. Gardening and getting dirt under my fingernails goes back to when I was a kid and my grandfather would spend hours in the huge garden behind our house. I tagged along behind him and by osmosis learned so much with him having to speak a word. 

To this day I think of Grampa when I have my hands full of earth or my arms full of the autumn harvest. Just last night I spent an hour or so with my head and arms buried in a red current bushes and came home with stained hands, more than a few mosquito bites and an ice cream pail full of juicy currents. Today's job it to turn those currents into jelly.

Fruit and vegetables are always a joy but my real passion is flowers. Annuals, perennials, it's all good. Although I do have to say I have a secret love of the perennials, they show up every year like old friends come to stay for the summer. While I'm pulling out the never ending weeds I talk to the plants and I do believe it does make for more blooms and vigorous foliage. My husband thinks I'm just a bit wacky. Okay, more than a bit, but hey...life is too short to worry about what others think. Even one's husband LOL. 

This is my second spring and summer in the new house and it is taking a bit to get the gardens looking the way I would like, but one step at a time. It is coming along and there is a quiet satisfaction in starting from scratch again and then seeing the yard bloom with colour and hear the soft hum of bees in the hollyhocks and  other flowers.

I'm starting work on a new book set in an abandoned restaurant in my small town. It's going to be a time travel/romance/kinda historical. How's that for a confused genre? However, I do believe it will be fun to write. The working title it Jessie's Cafe and yes there really was a Jessie way back in the day. Stay tuned for more info as the work progresses.

I thought I would share some garden pictures to close. Happy gardening. Stay well, stay happy. Until next month...

Lavatera

Sweet Peas

Sweet William

Potato blossoms 

Another Year - Slow Writing #BWLAuthor #MFRWHooks #Another year #Slow Writing #Future Projects

 

Another year has passed. I'm now working on 89. Though my writing has slowed a bit, I released a series of short stories including an Mrs. Miller novella. I also set off the first book in a new murder series The Horror Writer's Demise due out I believe in October. At present I'm working on a romance story that involves a Phone Call and A voice From Her past. I have a second idea for another book concerning a phone call. I also plan to finally write the second book in a Regency series that began with Gemstones, This one called Silks. There will eventually be a third in this grouping. There will also be a second mystery. 

The past year plus was a slow one because of some health silliness. All better now. Having ideas is great but finding all the time is sometimes not all. The writing for me goes smoothly but the typing is slow. All my books are had-written for the first and often the second draft. Looking forward to the new stories to tell.