An Open Letter to Stiletto Gang Readers from Debra H. Goldstein

Dear Stiletto Gang Readers,

I’m one of those people who still writes Holiday Letters and shoves them into my Seasons Greetings cards that are sent to friends I haven’t seen in years, but still feel close to. You are a different breed of folks, but I, as well as the other members of the Stiletto Gang, have a special affinity with you.

 

You fulfill our dreams by reading the words we write. At the very moment we feel down or lost, one of you posts a good review, sends a postcard or e-mail, or makes a social media comment that lifts our spirits up. Your support of our work keeps us actively involved in an unpredictable business world.

 

It is a world of editor and publisher subjectivity balanced by dollar signs. Very few of us become New York Times bestselling authors, but you give us the incentive to continue writing even if our expenses outweigh our profits. All writers want to make money, but the reality is that they don’t. In fact, many authors could make far more by ignoring the voices in their heads that demand to be expressed. Are we insane or, as some think, simply stupid?

 

I think the answer boils down to one word: passion. We have a passion to write that can’t be quelled. Luckily, when it does dim, you rekindle it. Thank you and happy holidays. Debra  

Welcome to the Holidays!

We here at the Stiletto Gang love our readers and hope that you're all healthy and happy this holiday season. We've put together a list of our recent works to inspire you during the gift shopping free-for-all of Black Friday.  Aside from some fantastic sales many of the gang are offering giveaways and free books. So do a little shopping, but don't feel guilty if you snag a few presents for yourself as well!

Thank you for being our friend! 

Julie Mulhern	CONNECT AT: www.juliemulhernauthor.com
	Fields' Guide to Abduction Poppy Fields is a Hollywood IT girl with big problems. Bodies are popping up like daisies, the Mexican police have taken her passport, and, when she runs for the border, a cartel makes her their unwilling guest. Surrounded by trained killers, Poppy will need charm, intelligence, and a killer Chihuahua if she hopes to escape. #FREE on your favorite e-reader GET NOW: Amazon
Paula Gail Benson	CONNECT AT: www.paulagailbenson.com
	Love in the Lowcountry These 14 tales by members of the Lowcountry Romance Writers take place in Charleston, S.C., during the winter holiday season. My story, "Wisest, Swiftest, Kindest," is about Mel, an English graduate student who is better at literature than life. She is unexpectedly thrown back in time to 1936, where she meets the subjects of her thesis, Dorothy and DuBose Heyward. What she doesn't anticipate is for her fellow grad student Will to follow her. Can Mel and Will make it back to present day Charleston in time to spend Thanksgiving with Will's young daughter? BUY NOW: Amazon
J.M. Phillippe	CONNECT AT: www.jmphillippe.com
	The Christmas Spirit Charlene Dickenson didn't think that some minor stalking of her ex-boyfriend would lead to her untimely death. And she really didn't think that because she died in a Christmas-related accident, she would end up in the Hall of Christmas Spirits. But a Christmas death means that Charlene must discover if she has what it takes to be a Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, or Future—helping mortals transform their lives like Ebenezer Scrooge—or end up like Jacob Marley and spend the rest of her existence in chains.  Only Charlene has no intention of letting unknown forces control her life…death… after-life.  Charlene figures that with a little ingenuity and pluck, she can surely figure a way out of this situation.  But finding out how to win may just mean giving up everything she loves.  Stuck in a place where the Christmas music never ends and the holiday treats will never make you full, Charlene is going to have to figure out how to let go of her mortal life and embrace the Christmas Spirit. BUY NOW: all locations
Barbara Plum	CONNECT AT: www.barbaraplumauthor.com
	Crazy Daze & a Knight Hop off the fast track. Buy a boat. Write the great American novel. Forty-four-year old Susanna Walker knows about taking risks and dreaming big. Mother of two grown kids. Former CEO of a Silicon Valley PR firm. Ex-wife of a still present, former compulsive gambler, Susanna ignores their objections to her life and refuses to accept she may be perimenopausal. As with all well-laid plans, hers quickly derail when the hunk from the boat next door drops by and invites her to supper on his vessel, Camelot. The boat's name, his boyish appearance, and the medieval armor leave Susanna a bit dazed. Against all reason, she agrees to inspect the armor more closely whle he puts the touches on fresh pasta, shrimp, and a cheeky Chardonnay. When she wakes the next morning, her clothes neatly folded on the chair next to her bed, she's butt naked. And mad. He suckered her with his knight-in-shining armor disguise. But does he think he can steal her underwear without consequences? Unfortunately, the Bold Knight rejects the consequences and issues his own challenge. BUY NOW: Amazon
Bethany Maines	CONNECT AT: Goodreads
	The Second Shot A drunken mistake in college cost US Marshal Maxwell Ames the affection of Dominique Deveraux and six years later, he’s determined to fix the slip-up. But there’s just one tiny problem—someone wants the Deveraux family dead. Dominique Deveraux never expected Max to reappear in her life, let alone apologize, but as Dominique investigates the mysterious attacks on her wealthy family Max quickly becomes far more than her one time college classmate. Now, Max and Dominique must dodge mercenaries and bullets as they try to make sure that they’re the only ones who get a second shot. BUY NOW: all locations GIVEAWAY: Get a free Christmas ebook at... http://bethanymaines.com/free-e-book/
Kay Kendall	CONNECT AT: www.AustinStarr.com
	After You've Gone During Prohibition a small Texas town's deadly secrets are revealed by a sheltered, yet enterprising young woman. Plus puzzling disappearances and lethal grudges, twenty-three-year-old Wallie MacGregor uncovers it all. Evils of the outside world change her life when her father's rum-running brother Rory lands on the MacGregors' doorstep. Absent for decades, Rory says he's fleeing enraged bootleggers. His tales of adventure—and the natural charisma of a born ladies' man—charm Wallie. Yet, this long-lost brother appalls her father, a respected judge. Soon a family tragedy gets deemed an accident by the local sheriff. Yet Wallie believes she sees a crime scene showing foul play. Annoyed that no one agrees with her, she sets out to prove her theory. She snoops into her family's past and finds gangsters, flappers and floozies. When her daring lands her in danger, she wonders if she's really meant to be a female version of Sherlock Holmes, her literary hero. Then again, she knows she must persist. BUY NOW: Amazon GIVEAWAY: Win either a paperback or E-book copy of After You've Gone. Enter to win by commenting on & liking the author's page at www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor
Sparkle Abbey	CONNECT AT:  www.Sparkleabbey.com and www.MaryLeeAshford.com
	Two #Giveaways - Latest Books - The Dogfather (Sparkle Abbey) and Risky Biscuits (Mary Lee Ashford) Who knew the world of designer purses could be such a dog-eat-dog business? When a local, designer handbags store owner is found dead, the police first believe it’s an unfortunate accident. But the evidence doesn’t lie. Before you can say "wiseguy," Bow Wow Boutique owner, Melinda Langston’s, former fiancé and undercover FBI agent, Grey Donovan, is the prime suspect. Now the two are working side-by-side to prove Grey's innocence— nothing personal, just business. Or is it? Suspects are piling up, family secrets are exposed, and no one is who they appear to be, including Mel’s newest employee. Time’s running out. Mel better sniff out the killer before she and Grey end up sleeping with the fishes. The Dogfather BUY NOW: Amazon Risky Biscuits BUY NOW: Amazon GIVEAWAY: Winner’s choice of any print or e-book Sparkle Abbey book AND a Mary Lee Ashford book.  To enter simply sign up for either Sparkle Abbey OR Mary Lee Ashford's newsletters. www.Sparkleabbey.com and www.MaryLeeAshford.com
Cathy Perkins	CONNECT AT: www.cperkinswrites.com
	In It For The Money Holly Price traded professional goals for personal plans when she agreed to leave her high-flying position with the Seattle mergers and acquisition team and take over the family accounting practice. Reunited with JC Dimitrak, her former fiancé, she’s already questioning whether she’s ready to flip her condo for marriage and a house in the ‘burbs.        When her cousin, Tate, needs investors for his innovative car suspension, Holly works her business matchmaking skills and connects him with a client. The Rockcrawler showcasing the new part crashes at its debut event, however, and the driver dies. Framed for the sabotage, Tate turns to Holly when the local cops—including JC—are ready to haul him to jail. Holly soon finds her cousin and client embroiled in multiple criminal schemes. She’s drawn into the investigation, a position that threatens her life, her family and her increasingly shaky relationship with JC. BUY NOW: All locations
Debra H. Goldstein	CONNECT AT: www.debrahgoldstein.com
	Two Bites Too Many Things are finally looking up for Sarah Blair following her unsavory divorce.  Settled into a cozy carriage house with her sassy Siamese cat, RahRah, she has somehow managed to hang on to her law firm receptionist job and – if befriending strays at the local animal shelter counts – lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end…  When the president of the town bank and city council is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands – the twins’ sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle.  Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice. But as neighbors turn against her family, can she pare down the suspects before another victim lands on the chopping block. BUY NOW: Amazon • Barnes & Noble One Taste Too Many For culinary challenged Sarah Blair, there’s only one thing scarier than cooking from scratch—murder! Married at eighteen, divorced at twenty‑eight, Sarah Blair knew starting over would be messy, but things fall apart completely when her ex drops dead, seemingly poisoned by her twin sister’s award-winning rhubarb crisp. Now, with RahRah, her Siamese cat, wanted by the woman who broke up her marriage and her sister wanted by the police for murder, Sarah needs to figure out the right recipe to crack the case before time runs out. Unfortunately, for a gal whose idea of good china is floral paper plates, catching the real killer and living to tell about it could mean facing a fate worse than death—being in the kitchen! BUY NOW: Amazon • Barnes & Noble GIVEAWAY: a print copy of One Taste Too Many to U.S. readers sign up for my blog via www.debrahgoldstein.com
Shari Randall	CONNECT AT: Facebook
	Drawn and Buttered is the third book in a wonderfully satisfying cozy mystery series set at the Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack in coastal New England. The Lazy Mermaid’s business has slowed to a snail’s pace—until a monster lobster claws his way onto the scene… With high season behind them, ballerina on-the-mend Allie Larkin and Aunt Gully are finally lying low. But then an unexpected guest arrives at the lobster shack: a crustacean so huge he’s dubbed Lobzilla around Mystic Bay and on social media. Soon, with everyone showing up for a peek in their tank, Allie and Aunt Gully have more on their plate than they can handle. Meanwhile, another local establishment finds itself in hot water. In exclusive Rabb’s Point, a strange burglary breaches the elegant home of Royal Parrish. Allie takes it upon herself to help with the investigation but, before she can get to the bottom of the case, another alarm sounds: the Lazy Mermaid’s Lobzilla has gone missing and is on the loose! And bodies are beginning to pile up. . . “Delightful…Full of New England coastal charm…and clever sleuthing [that] will keep you turning the pages.”—Krista Davis, New York Times bestselling author of the Domestic Diva mysteries BUY NOW: Amazon
T.K. Thorne	CONNECT AT: www.tkthorne.com
	House of Rose When rookie patrol officer Rose Brighton chases a suspect down an alley, she finds herself in the middle of every cop’s nightmare—staring down at a dead body with two bullet holes from her gun . . . in his back. He’s dead and now she has to explain it, which is going to be a problem because what happened was so strange, she doesn’t understand it herself. Rose must unravel the mystery of what happened and who she really is—a witch of the House of Rose. If she doesn’t figure it out fast, there will be more bodies, including her own. BUY NOW: all locations

Dead Zone

by Bethany Maines

Welcome to the day where no one is on-line, but everyone is at the grocery store. Hopefully, you are successfully home from such an excursion and have yet to launch into the holiday madness of bake, travel, eat, travel, flop face first onto the pile of laundry on your bed because you didn't have time to put it away before you left. My hope for you, dear reader, is that your home with your feet up reading a good book and sipping hot cocoa, cider, or the nog of your choice. That is also my dream for myself, so let's dream the impossible dream together.

The dream starts with good books. Check this space on Friday for a Stiletto Gang book guide featuring some awesome giveaways, sales and just a general list of good things to read. But here are some of mine that you can snag for a quick, easy and cheap!

Blue Christmas - Want a hilarious romantic holiday thriller? Simply join my newsletter and get this one for free. It's as easy as that.
Link: bethanymaines.com/free-e-book/

An Unseen Current - Murder, mystery, a hunky Sheriff's Deputy, a granddaughter / granddad detective duo, oh, and there's a dog.  The third in the series, An Unfamiliar Sea, comes out in January.  Grab book one for $.99!
Link: Amazon

Shark's Instinct - Crime, humor, and a heroine and hero that are more than they seem, the Shark Santoyo Series follows a duo that have the odds stacked against them.  Buy book one for $.99 or check it out on Kindle Unlimited.
Link: Amazon

  

Now let's talk Nog.  I personally do not believe in egg nog.  Too much egg.  Not enough nog.  But I do believe in cocktails.  So with that in mind I suggest the Moscow Mule.  Served in a festive copper cup (but really can be drunk out of anything) try this drink with a slice of lime as a garnish.

Main alcohol: Vodka
Ingredients: 4 oz Ginger beer, 1 1/2 oz Vodka, 1/6 oz Lime juice
Preparation: Combine vodka and ginger beer in a copper mug or highball glass filled with ice. Add lime juice. Stir gently and garnish with a lime slice.
Served: On the rocks; poured over ice.
Drinkware: Copper mug or highball glass

Good luck out there my friends. Don't let the holidays be anything less than jolly!

***

Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, San Juan Islands Mysteries, Shark Santoyo Crime Series, and numerous short stories. When she's not traveling to exotic lands, or kicking some serious butt with her black belt in karate, she can be found chasing her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel. You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

Peace to one and all

By Barbara Plum aka AB Plum

At this time of year, my cul-de-sac hops with holiday celebrations:

• ·         Dewali (November 7)
• ·         Hanukkah (December 2-10)
• ·         Yule (December 21-January 21)
• ·         Christmas (December 24-25)
• ·         Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1)

I’m aware many people don’t celebrate at this time of year—for a variety of reasons. But. For family, friends, strangers, and non-celebrants, I send out a personal hope for peace to shine—if for only a moment—in your lives wherever you are.

**** Barbara Plum aka AB Plum lives off the Silicon Valley fast lane but in the shadow of Google. She writes light, funny paranormal romances and dark, gripping psychological thrillers. Both genres provide escape on long winter nights. Find her books here on Amazon and here.

Holiday Gift Guide

Dear Readers,

It's Thanksgiving and that means that the commercial holiday known as Black Friday is upon us. Today we have a great list of books to give or GIVEAWAYS to snatch up for yourself. So if you'd prefer to stay in your jammies and read or just order books from the comfort of your own home, then we have the reading list for you! Peruse our holiday book list and pick up all your favorites!
Thank you to all our readers - we hope that you're all warm and safe and that your To Be Read pile is within easy reach!

The Stiletto Gang

Black Friday Gift List

	Sparkle Abbey Buy on: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Kobo • iTunes Barking with the Stars Lights! Camera! Murder! It's a star-studded event and tongues are wagging. Laguna Beach pet therapist, Caro Lamont’s, ex-husband Geoffrey is spreading rumors and snuggling up to the biggest stars, including Purple - the temperamental diva, who's the lynchpin of the celebrity line-up. All too soon, Caro is losing clients, her reputation, and patience with Geoffrey's shenanigans. More trouble is unleashed when the high-strung headliner is found dead and Geoffrey was seen leaving her hotel room. With a potential killer on the loose, Caro is hounded by questions about who had reason to want Purple out of the picture and though all the evidence points to her ex, Caro believes the police are on the wrong trail. Even if her sleuthing puts her in the doghouse with Detective Judd Malone, Caro must dig up the truth before the real killer gets away with murder.
	Juliana Aragon Fatula Buy at: Bower House Books • Many Blankets Press The Colorado Sisters and the Atlanta Butcher (forthcoming)— Atlanta billionaire and big game hunter, Reggie Hartless is found murdered, butchered, and frozen.The Colorado Sisters work undercover to solve the homicide and to unravel the legend of the Ute curse. In Crazy Chicana in Catholic City, Fatula writes histories so terrifying they feel as if they were written with a knife. She writes with craft and courage what most folks are too ashamed to even think about, let alone talk about. Her fearlessness is inspirational. This is the kind of poetry I want to read; this is the kind I want to write. — Sandra Cisneros In Red Canyon Falling on Churches, Fatula’s poems are gifts from the desert: nopales, chile ristras, and coyote tricksters offered with reverence to the earth and ancestors. Aztec goddesses speak, as do memories of star filled nights, and the love that remains from those we have lost in a tri-lingual, tri-cultural Chicana Azteca voice that reveal desert ways, the men, the women, tamales, beer, y la muerte. – Adela Najarro
	Debra H. Goldstein Buy on: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Walmart Should Have Played Poker When attorney Carrie Martin’s mother reappears twenty-six years after abandoning her family, she leaves Carrie with a sealed envelope and her confession she once considered killing Carrie’s father. Before Carrie can find answers about her past, her mother is murdered. Although instructed by the detective assigned to her mother’s case – Carrie’s former live-in lover - to leave the sleuthing to the professionals, the investigative efforts of Carrie and her co-sleuths, the Sunshine Village Mah jongg players, quickly put Carrie in danger and show her that truth and integrity aren’t always what she was taught to believe.
	Kay Kendall Buy on: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • iTunes Kay Kendall’s Rainy Day Women is the second book in the Austin Starr Mystery series. In 1969, during the week of the Manson murders and Woodstock, the intrepid amateur sleuth, infant in tow, flies across the continent to support a friend suspected of murdering women’s liberation activists in Seattle and Vancouver. Then her former CIA trainer warns that an old enemy has contracted a hit on her. Her anxious husband demands that she give up her quest and fly back to him. How much should Austin risk when tracking the killer puts her and her baby’s life in danger? Learn more: AustinStarr.com or follow Kay on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor
	Bethany Maines Buy on: Amazon $9.99 The Carrie Mae Mysteries Boxed Set The Carrie Mae Mysteries - 5 stars, 2 books, 2 short stories, 1 low price Q: What do you get when you cross Avon Ladies with Charlie’s Angels A: A world-class intelligence organization run by women who really know their foundation. You get CARRIE MAE. These make-up ladies aren’t just selling lipstick – they’re packing heat and saving the world. Join Nikki Lanier and her team of kick-ass friends as they take on gangs, drug smugglers, arms dealers, and internal politics, all while looking fabulous or at least trying to remember clean underwear. Featuring the short stories Supporting the Girls, Power of Attorney and the novels High-Calbier Concealer, Glossed Cause. HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!! Shark’s Instinct Fresh out of prison and fresh out of luck, twenty-something Shark wants back into The Organization. But when Geier, the mob boss with a cruel sense of humor, sends Shark to the suburbs to find out who’s been skimming his take, Shark realizes he’s going to need more than his gun and an attitude to succeed. With the clock ticking, Shark accepts the help of the mysterious teenage fixer, Peregrine Hays, and embarks on a scheme that could line his pockets, land him the girl and cement his reputation with the gang—if he makes it out alive. FREE DOWNLOAD!
	Julie Mulhern The Deep End Buy on: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • iBooks • Kobo Swimming into the lifeless body of her husband’s mistress tends to ruin a woman’s day, but becoming a murder suspect can ruin her whole life. It’s 1974 and Ellison Russell’s life revolves around her daughter and her art. She’s long since stopped caring about her cheating husband, Henry, and the women with whom he entertains himself. That is, until she becomes a suspect in Madeline Harper’s death. The murder forces Ellison to confront her husband’s proclivities and his crimes—kinky sex, petty cruelties and blackmail. As the body count approaches par on the seventh hole, Ellison knows she has to catch a killer. But with an interfering mother, an adoring father, a teenage daughter, and a cadre of well-meaning friends demanding her attention, can Ellison find the killer before he finds her? Cold as Ice Buy on: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • iBooks • Kobo Ellison Russell’s life resembles a rollercoaster ride. And rollercoasters make her ill. Her daughter Grace has a crush on a boy Ellison doesn’t trust and she’s taken to hosting wild parties when Ellison goes out for the evening. Worse, the bank which represents Grace’s inheritance from her father may be in trouble. When a meeting with the chef at the country club leads to the discovery of a body, Ellison can’t afford cold feet. She must save the bank, find the killer, and convince Grace (and herself) that powerful women don’t need men to rescue them.
	Cathy Perkins Buy on: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Kobo • iTunes Double Down Every family has challenges. The Kaufman’s might include murder. Murder isn’t supposed to be in the cards for blackjack dealer Maddie Larsson. Busted takes on a new meaning when her favorite customer, a former Poker World Tour champion, is murdered. His family claims—loudly and often—Maddie is the gold-digging murderer. She better prove she’s on the level before the real killer cashes in her chips. If the victim’s body had been dumped five hundred yards up the road, Franklin County Sheriff’s Detective JC Dimitrak wouldn’t have been assigned to the Tom Tom Casino murder case. Instead, he’s hunting for suspects and evidence while dealing with a nemesis from the past and trying to preserve his own future. He better play his hand correctly and find the killer before an innocent woman takes the ultimate hit.
	J.M. Phillippe Buy on: Amazon • Barnes & Noble Perfect Likeness Perfection can haunt you. Quick-witted 24-year-old Allyson Smart is the perfect woman -- in her dreams. In real life, Ally has to deal with the clumsiness of her size-16 body, the good intentions of her over-achiever best-friend, and the condescending attitude of her too-cool little sister. But when the fantasized version of herself shows up in her bathroom mirror, calling herself Allison (with an i because she says it’s prettier), Ally discovers how cruel perfection can be. In this contemporary fantasy novel, Ally learns that perfection really can haunt you. HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!! Plane Signals Round one winner of the New York City Midnight 2017 Short Story Challenge, Plane Signals by J.M. Phillippe features a guy, a girl, and the four inches of space their arm rest shares at twenty-thousand feet. Is he interested or is it just the airline shoving him into Meagan's personal space? If only she had some...Plane Signals. FREE DOWNLOAD!
	AB Plum The Reckless Year Buy on: Amazon Against all reason, ruthless Silicon Valley tycoon Michael Romanov, becomes infatuated with a totally unsuitable, but bewitching woman. Her loser boyfriend leaves no doubt money and power can’t derail real love. He laughs at titles, prestige, and good looks. Threats and bribes don’t work. He refuses to step aside. Will Michael stop at murder to sweep his first love off her feet? The In-Between Years Buy on: Amazon In exchange for saving you from kidnappers and probably death, what if your father grooms you to become a murderer? What if he promises to make the risks you’ll take worth a small fortune? How long would you hesitate? HOLIDAY CONTEST!! Sign up HERE for a chance to name two characters in The Broken-Hearted Many, Book 5 in The MisFit Series, releasing in early 2018. Deadline for signing up: Midnight (PST), November 30, 2017. One winner randomly selected.   Winner announced on my Stiletto Gang blog, December 12, 2017.  Names submitted must avoid slandering or defaming living or dead persons, avoid racial and ethnic slurs and cannot be pornographic. Author reserves the right to decide if submitted names meet all guidelines. One submission per reader, please.
	Linda Rodriguez Buy on: Amazon Plotting the Character-Driven Novel In Plotting the Character-Driven Novel, Linda Rodriguez turns her sought-after writing course on using depth of character as a springboard to a strong plot into a book designed to help the aspiring writer who wants to tell a story made compelling by the truth and complexity of its characters. She provides examples of actual documents she has used in creating her own award-winning books to demonstrate the methods she teaches. Great plot springs from character and the motivations each character has for taking or not taking action. With this book, you will learn to create an exciting and complex plot, building from the integrity of the characters you create.
	Judy Penz Sheluk The Hanged Man’s Noose: A Glass Dolphin Mystery #1 Buy at: Barking Rain Press Small-town secrets and subterfuge lead to murder in this fast-moving, deftly written tale of high-stakes real estate wrangling gone amok. Journalist Emily Garland lands an assignment as the editor of a magazine based in Lount’s Landing, a small town named after a colorful 19th century Canadian traitor. As she interviews the local business owners, Emily learns many people are unhappy with real estate mogul Garrett Stonehaven’s plans to convert an old schoolhouse into a mega-box store. At the top of that list is Arabella Carpenter, the outspoken owner of the Glass Dolphin, who will do just about anything to preserve the integrity of the town’s historic Main Street. But Arabella is not alone in her opposition. Soon, a vocal dissenter at a town hall meeting about the proposed project dies. A few days later, another body is discovered. Although both deaths are ruled accidental, Emily’s journalistic suspicions are aroused. Putting her reporting skills to the ultimate test, Emily teams up with Arabella to discover the truth behind Stonehaven’s latest scheme before the murderer strikes again. Skeletons in the Attic: A Marketville Mystery #1 Buy at: Audible What goes on behind closed doors doesn't always stay there. Calamity (Callie) Barnstable isn’t surprised to learn she’s the sole beneficiary of her late father’s estate, though she is shocked to discover she has inherited a house in the town of Marketville - a house she didn't know existed. However, there are conditions attached to Callie’s inheritance: she must move to Marketville, live in the house, and solve her mother’s murder. Callie’s not keen on dredging up a 30-year-old mystery, but if she doesn't do it, there's a scheming psychic named Misty Rivers who is more than happy to expose the Barnstable family secrets. Determined to thwart Misty and fulfill her father’s wishes, Callie accepts the challenge. But is she ready to face the skeletons hidden in the attic? HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!! Sign up for Judy’s newsletter by November 28, 2017 11:59 p.m. EST for a chance to win an audiobook copy of Skeletons in the Attic from Audible.com OR an e-book copy (Kindle, Kobo or Nook) of The Hanged Man’s Noose (Winner’s choice). Three winners will be randomly selected and announced (first names only) on my post, Monday, December 4th. SIGN UP HERE
	T.K. Thorne Noah's Wife Buy on: Amazon “. . . a novel of epic sweep, emotional power, and considerable beauty.”—Ron Gholson, The Blount Countian Na’amah wishes only to be a shepherdess on her beloved hills in ancient Turkey—a desire shattered by the hatred of her powerful brother and the love of two men. Her savant abilities and penchant to speak truth force her to walk a dangerous path in an age of change—a time of challenge to the goddess’ ancient ways, when cultures clash and the earth itself is unstable. When foreign raiders kidnap her, Na’amah’s journey to escape and return home becomes an attempt to save her people from the disaster only she knows is coming. Angels at the Gate Buy on: Amazon “A fantastic story about the mysterious woman who, until now, was simply a shadow among biblical heroes…The story is so compelling that I could not wait until I could read the next part of the adventure.” —San Francisco Review ANGELS AT THE GATE is the story of Adira, destined to become Lot’s wife, the woman who “turned into a pillar of salt.” A daughter of Abram’s tribe, Adira is an impetuous young girl whose mother died in childbirth. Secretly raised as a boy in her father’s caravan and schooled in languages and the art of negotiation, Adira rejects the looming changes of womanhood that threaten her nomadic life and independence. With the arrival of two mysterious strangers, her world unravels. She alone can solve the mystery of what happened to her father and the abduction of one of the strangers.

Celebrated by Americans since 1884

By Kimberly Jayne

"All other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day... is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation."

~ Samuel Gompers

Founder of the American Federation of Labor

Happy Labor Day! It's not just for traditional American workers — those 8-to-5'ers who bring home a regular paycheck and enjoy the benefits of paid vacations, sick days, and coworker relationships. It's for everyone who works hard at their craft too, alone in their struggle, like writers.

I always wonder if the broadest section of society that does not write books understands the labor that goes into it. Countless people remark, when they learn I'm a writer, that they could or want to write a book too. Or they offer me a great idea for a book, which is not such a good idea because it's something that doesn't fit me; it fits them.

The truth is most people will never write a book. I think on some level, they must have an inkling of the time, energy, persistence, dedication, and honed talent it takes to finish a project of that size and scope. And for most writers, the ROI for our hard work is abysmal. It truly is a labor of love.

I think we all have a book within us — certainly, we all have stories within us. But it's those who do the work, who push beyond the self-doubt, who churn out the paragraphs and pages and plots that make magical worlds come to life inside the reader, who can be most proud of their achievements.

This holiday weekend alone, I've written about 2,500 words, which is hard to accomplish during the regular work week where I am a writer and editor for a trade publication and where I enjoy all the perks of more "traditional" workers. 

So to all you writers out there who toil in the spare hours of your day, the weekend warriors who fast-write while they have free time away from the J.O.B., those who overcome the obstacles and blast through the blocks, and those midnight-oil-burners who punch those keys long after everyone else is asleep, I celebrate you! I hope you're celebrating your successes on this Labor Day too. 

________________ 

Kimberly Jayne writes in multiple genres including humor, romantic comedy, suspense, erotica, and dark fantasy. Her latest foray into a dark fantasy released in episodes is as much an adventure as the writing itself. You can check her out on Amazon. Find out more about her at ReadKimberly.

Books by Kimberly Jayne:

Take My Husband, Please! A Romantic Comedy

Demonesse: Avarus, Episode 1
Demonesse: Avarus, Episode 2
Demonesse: Avarus, Episode 3

Watch for Episode 4, coming soon!

All the Innuendo, Half the Fact: Reflections of a Fragrant Liar

Happy Holidays

from the Stiletto Gang

Holiday Strategy

It’s that time of year again. The holidays.  Starbucks is apparently hating Jesus because they continued their paired back design aesthetic and put out simple red cups.  (Yes, because from hell’s heart they stab at Christians with a red cup filled with the artfully foamed blood of the saints – muwahhahahahah!!) Black Friday ads are starting to pop up everywhere (stampede!!) and relatives are booking flights and scrambling to arrange schedules so that everyone can see everyone and be annoyed by everyone all in a very short amount of time.

As yet, I have made no moves on the great holiday game board. I’m still trying to determine strategy. Do I try and ride the “I have a baby” thing for another year and do practically nothing? Or do I pull out all the stops and try to get the best gifts EVER for everyone?  Should I shoot for every holiday party I’m invited to, or do I try and find out everyone’s dates in advance and RSVP according to the level of food awesomeness at each?  Generally, I try and do a really fun Christmas card, but that takes energy, forethought, and great idea for some artwork.  Maybe I’ll just skip that one and move straight to the Christmas letter stage where I make friends and relatives barf with the saccharine sweetness and absolute perfection of my life. BECAUSE YOUR ENVY FEEDS MY SOUL. That’s definitely what the holidays are all about, right?

Below are the following factors I’m using for determining my holiday event strategy:

1.  Pie. 

• Is there pie?   If the answer is yes, move to the top of the list.
• Is it home made?  If the answer is no, then I don’t go.

2.  Sleep.

• Will it cause my baby to be awake far longer than a tiny human should be?  If the answer is yes, your event will not be considered.  Unless there is enormous amounts of pie.

3.  Husband.

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how badly is he going to complain about this event?  If the answer is ballet, then he will not be attending.
• Can I bribe him with pie?

What are your strategies for coping with the oncoming storm?  Hunker down or go fly a kite?  What is your favorite way to do the holidays?

Bethany Maines is the author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, Tales from the City of Destiny and An Unseen Current.  You can also view the Carrie Mae youtube video or catch up with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Independence Day Celebrations

by Sparkle Abbey

Laguna Beach Fireworks

Around the U.S. plans are being made for the upcoming Independence Day weekend. In Laguna Beach where the Pampered Pets Mysteries are set, residents and visitors will be celebrating the 4th of July holiday with free admission to the Art-a-Fair Fine Arts Festival and a patriotic band concert at 10:30 AM by the Laguna Concert Band. Then in the evening there will be fireworks originating from Monument Point at Heisler Park. With the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop, we bet they’ll be awesome!

Yankee Doodle Pops Iowa Capitol

Here in the Midwest, there will be parades with floats, high school marching bands, kids on bikes festooned with red, white and blue streamers. Later on there will be picnics, swimming, and community fireworks.  Some of the festivities begin today with the symphony’s Yankee Doodle Pops at the State Capitol. This year’s theme is America’s Musical Heartland which includes a commissioned movement, Symphony On A Stick, which depicts in music the sights and sounds of the Iowa State Fair. (At the Iowa State Fair, which isn’t until August, you can find almost any type of food on a stick.)

We love the tradition of family get-togethers on the 4th.  Our celebrations will most likely include friends and family and fireworks. Parades, food on the grill and sparklers for the kids. What about you? What are your plans for the weekend? A cook-out or picnic? A lawn chair and a book? Check out our Pinterest board Celebrations for some other ideas for special Independence Day snacks. Leave a comment below to be entered in the #giveaway for a free Sparkle Abbey book and summer celebration reading tote!

In our latest book, Downton Tabby, pet therapist, Caro Lamont, agrees to keep an office mate’s cat while he runs home. Little does she know that charming Brit, Graham Cash, will not be coming back for his feline anytime soon. Soon there’s a dead body, a missing person, a snoopy reporter, and a mysterious SUV. In short order Caro and the rest of her crew are involved in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of mystery authors Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter. They’ve chosen to use Sparkle Abbey as their pen name because they liked the idea of combining the names of their two rescue pets – Sparkle (ML’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). The authors co-write the bestselling Pampered Pets Mystery Series which focuses on the wacky world of precious pedigrees, pampered pooches, and secrets in posh Laguna Beach, California.

They love to hear from readers so stop by their website: www.sparkleabbey.com 
Or visit them on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/SparkleAbbey

Next up? Book 8: Raiders of the Lost Bark