Old is the New Pretty by Julie Christen

 

I've decided. I'm going to start the latest trend. Just like in the fashion world, where "Silver is the new gold," or "Leggings are the new jeans," and "Gray is the new black," I hereby declare ...  

"Old is the new pretty!"

It really is just a mindset, isn't it? After every new trip around the sun, my friends tell me, "Age is just a number." I smile and nod in my typical, agreeable fashion. It's how you feel that matters, right?

Well, some days, I feel old. And some days, I look old.

I try my darndest to combat it, what with expensive wrinkle creams that promise to "take years off," cure-what-ails-you morning drink mixes that will make me "feel twenty years younger," a yoga mat laced with good intentions of helping me touch my toes again, and a LOT of BioFreeze Roll-on gel. I watch celebrities age with grace and beauty because they do "this ONE thing."

I say enough already. 

When I look at my favorite antiques, I think their rust and scratches and dents and dings are part of what makes them special. The tarnish on my grandma's silver is just a coating of nostalgia that revives visions of holidays past. Those rustic, run-down buildings in the middle of abandoned farmland look like amazing stories yet to be told. 

When I pull on a pair of old, out-of-style jeans and they curve loosely around my rear and bear memories of caught fences, party stains, or glitter craft remnants, why would I ever say goodbye? 

When I run my hand along the sway back of an old horse, the gray muzzle of a senior dog, or the mottled fur of an aging cat, all I see are the sure-sign markings of beloved, faithful friends who have gifted endless smiles, wisdom, and comfort. 

That's pretty.

So when I feel aches and pains, I will celebrate the hard work I'm still capable of doing that makes them so. When I look at my reflection, where some would see blemishes, I will choose to see beauty marks. When I draw a comb through gray hair and see crinkles at the corners of my eyes, where some would see flaws, I will choose to see high fashion. When I hear creaks in my bones and pops at my joints, I will choose to hear the rhythm of time and the wisdom that comes with it.

So say it with me, and repeat it often. 

"Old is the new pretty!"

And we will consider ourselves in good company.

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Research like a detective by Donalee Moulton

 

Hung Out To Die- A Riel Brava Mystery, by donalee Moulton — Books We Love Publishing Inc.

In historical settings, investigators often have limitations modern detectives don’t—and this goes well beyond technology. Everything from restricted travel, class barriers, rigid gender roles. These limitations can be opportunities to connect with your reader. Lean into them; they nudge creativity and add tension. 

 

The sleuth’s personality and background should also reflect the era while also offering traits—curiosity, stubbornness, empathy—that transcend time. 

 

Research like a detective, not an archivist  

If your detective needs to walk down a street in 1912 Montreal, you should know what that street smelled like, whether cobblestones rattled under carriage wheels, and how likely your character was to meet someone selling newspapers on the corner. 

 

Sources for rich and authentic detail include: 

• Newspapers and periodicals from the time (full of language, concerns, and advertisements) 

• Diaries and letters for personal perspectives (where possible) 

• Historical maps for accurate geography 

• Material culture research—what fabrics, foods, and objects were common 

 

The goal is to take readers into this world by recreating it for them without overwhelming them with facts that will weigh your story down and bore readers. Instead, let historical details work like seasoning—enhancing the flavour without overpowering the dish. 

 

Layer in historical conflict 

The best historical mysteries don’t just place a modern crime in an old-fashioned setting—they weave the mystery into the fabric of the time. A theft in 1920 might be tied to Prohibition smuggling. A murder in 16th-century Spain could intersect with religious persecution. These historical tensions add stakes and make the story more than a puzzle; they transform it into a lens through which readers experience the era. 

 

Make dialogue a cornerstone 

Language is one of the quickest ways to immerse readers in the past, but it’s also a common pitfall. Too much archaic phrasing can make dialogue stiff and hard to follow, while overly modern speech breaks the illusion. 

 

The key is selective authenticity: 

• Use period-appropriate vocabulary for objects, occupations, and social customs. 

• Avoid slang that didn’t exist yet (dictionaries can help here). 

• Keep sentence structure readable for modern audiences. 

 

Keep pacing tight 

While the past moved at a different pace, your plot shouldn’t drag. Balance richly detailed scenes with moments of action and revelation. In historical mysteries, tension often comes from the slow build—delays in communication, the time it takes to travel, the risk of misinformation spreading—but every delay should raise stakes, not stall the plot. 

 

End on a deeper note 

When the mystery is solved, consider how this crime fits the morality of the era. Would a killer from a higher social class face justice? Would certain motives be more understandable—or unforgivable—back then? The ending of a historical mystery should leave readers feeling they’ve solved more than a crime, but that they’ve understood something about the world that once was. 

Tis the season by donalee Moulton

The holidays are around the corner. Despite the constant rushing, the jam-packed schedule, and the endless traffic, this is a time to celebrate the warmth and wonder of our lives. I’d like to share with you an excerpt from my new book Melt.  It captures the peace and joy my three main characters find at this miraculous time of year.

ORDER HERE

Twas the day before Christmas

By three o’clock on the 24^th everyone descends at Charlene’s. Lexie drops by to walk Madoff. Woo Woo has holiday pajamas for her friends—a Christmas Eve tradition. Terrell comes by with gifts. Boone is right behind him. Benjamin shows up about 20 minutes later. (Terrell texted him.)

Just as the group is trying to decide what to eat for supper, the doorbell rings. It’s Beast and his grandmother. (Benjamin texted them.) They’ve brought Stephanie, Luke, Brandon, and Mirabelle with them. Charlene wonders if she should move to a bigger house.

“We wanted to say thank you.” This is from the mother and the grandmother in the room. It’s echoed by Luke and Mirabelle. (Brandon is too cool for unbridled emotion.)

Almost everyone in the room waves away the thank you. “We didn’t do anything.” “This was you.” “You made your own way.” Boone says, “You’re welcome.”

Amid the laughter the doorbell rings. It’s pizza. Twelve pies from Kimolos with garlic fingers, Greek salad, and fruit pizza for dessert. “From dad,” says Mirabelle. (She texted her father.)

The group is starting to wind down. Benjamin is walking the dog. Boone is washing dishes. Lexie is drying them. Woo Woo is putting leftover bags together for everyone.

Terrell is clearing the last remnants from the table. Luke comes over to help. It’s not really why he comes over. “Everything okay?” Luke is not asking about the table.

“Everything is okay—for you and your family. Pappas has some decisions to make. As do you, I would guess.”

“I’ve made it. I don’t have the original anymore.”

“Who does?” This is not Terrell. This is Mirabelle. She has come up behind them. They jump.

“Scared the crap out of me.” Luke is watching his language. He leans in for a kiss. Mirabelle leans away.

“You have to stop treating me like a kid.” She turns to Terrell. “You both have to stop treating me like a kid.”

“Fair enough,” says Terrell. He hopes this ends the conversation. It doesn’t.

“I know what my father does for a living. I know what my brothers do. You can stop protecting me.”

“I will never stop protecting you,” Luke says. And everything is right with the world.

From the doorway to the kitchen, Woo Woo watches the hug that turns into a group hug. She texts Pappas. “It’s time.”

    

 

BWL Publishing New Releases December2025

 

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/tread-on-kings

                    

     1402: After leaving war-torn Wales, Sir Harry Percy, Hotspur, faces fresh threats at home. King Henry IV again fails to fund defense needs and the Scots invade. Nonetheless, at Homildon Hill, Harry triumphs and the Scots lose nearly all their army to death or capture, including their wounded leader, Douglas. Yet, in London, Henry berates Harry for not relinquishing the prisoners: Violating chivalric-military ethics, Henry wants the captives’ ransoms for himself. When Harry objects, Henry tries to stab him, labeling him a traitor.

Back in Northumberland, Harry and Douglas become friends and create a plan for peace on the northern border, while increasing England’s territory. Supported by his sweetheart, Ciarry, and others, from all social ranks, Harry also renews calls for royal reform. Fuming, Henry schemes to destroy him, as Harry ponders troubling questions:

EDITORIAL REVIEW by Victoria Chatham

To Tread on Kings – Book III in the Epic of Hotspur trilogy by Liz Sevchuk-Armstrong

In this final book of Armstrong’s Hotspur trilogy, the pace established in the previous two volumes remains relentless. Sir Harry Percy’s doubts about the actions – or lack thereof – of King Henry IV grow increasingly intense with each erratic decision or breach of trust by the monarch. As king, Henry demonstrates that he is as unscrupulous and selfish as his cousin, King Richard II, and the man whose throne he seized.

While Richard was never a skilled politician, Henry had the ability to win people over, including the Percy family. However, after Henry became king, many of the issues evident during Richard’s reign surfaced again in Henry’s rule, to the point that Harry could no longer trust or support him.

Still a man of honour, Harry tries his best to avoid battle with Henry at Shrewsbury, but once again, the king proves his treachery. This was the first battle fought on English soil where the renowned longbowmen faced each other, and Armstrong’s battle scenes clearly depict the blood, brutality, and bravery of war.

There is no secret that Harry loses his life at Shrewsbury, but what follows reveals how deeply Henry hated and feared the one man who was bold enough in his convictions to challenge him. Armstrong has crafted another outstanding retelling of a part of English history to conclude the story of Hotspur.

Is the king above the law?

Does a knight owe fealty to a ruler, or to the realm itself?

And should he be faithful to the Crown if it means he must be unfaithful to his conscience?

Answering them might change destiny—and cost Harry his life…     

   

                                    https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/recipe-for-love  

Scarlett Collins has a rule: never mix business with pleasure. As an ambitious event planner, she has her sights set on a promotion—and the grand opening of Scottsdale’s hottest new spot, the Eclipse Lounge, could be her ticket. Keeping her focus on success should be simple…if only the lounge’s irresistible manager wasn’t so distracting.

Dante Rivera has a reputation for being a playboy, but now everything is on the line. If he can turn the Eclipse Lounge into a success within a year, his father will finally back him in opening a restaurant of his own. The last thing he needs is to fall for the woman determined to keep him at arm’s length.

Yet Scarlett and Dante’s undeniable chemistry burns hotter than either of them planned. When Scarlett begins to believe love might be worth the risk, a woman from Dante’s past arrives with a shocking claim—one that shatters Scarlett’s trust and threatens everything.

Dante knows the truth, but can he prove it before Scarlett walks away forever?

Editorial Review 5 Stars, Nancy M. Bell

Ms Petrone has crafted a lovely romantic tale flavoured with the rich scents of fine dining unlaid with just enough confusion and angst to season the mix. You'll enjoy every sensory moment of Recipe for Love. Nancy M Bell

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/links-the-witchs-prophecy

Four teens. One cursed town. And a time portal straight to 1689—where witchcraft isn’t a secret, it’s a death sentence! Marcus Ballantyne the rebel with a sharp tongue, Chad Zuzansky the tech wizard, Jillian Marshall the beauty with the brains, and Peyton Sansavong the rich girl with an attitude, are four modern day teens who are dragged into a world of witches, whisperings and curses. Each must overcome their own personal demons by travelling back to history’s darkest hour, for the sake of their futures. Guided by their enigmatic teacher, Ms. Imogene Pratt, the teens must learn to better understand themselves and each other in order to confront the evil that lurks in Salem—and survive. As they embark on this spellbinding journey, the lessons they learn will be etched forever on the bones of time.

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/barclay-bear

Barclay Bear was a content young grizzly bear playing in the forest where he lived with his mother and father. He became fascinated by the other forest animals playing a curious game using sticks and blades on their feet that they called ‘hockey,’ and soon tried it himself. As he got better, the other animals invited him to play with them, which led to his invitation to play in the ‘Reindeer Games’ hockey tournament. But there was a dilemma – could he join the Forest Rangers team or did he have to hibernate for the winter?