The Cat isn’t the only strange and unpredictable element in Stonehaven’s dense evergreen forest
A dangerous and vengeful Foe is lurking in the forest…
Book 3 in the Stonehaven Mysteries is here!
I love hiking in the evergreen forests where I live on the coast of Maine, and because of that, I just had to bring Marc and Laurel back from Bar Harbor, the scene of the previous volume in the series, and send them into the dark and dangerous spruce and pine forest of Stonehaven.
They don’t have much time to enjoy the smells and sights of nature, though. Time is ticking away and the police are becoming more and more certain that Laurel herself is a hardened criminal.
The Stag returns as guardian of Stonehaven’s forest
And Marc’s been battling his own anxieties, for there’s an unseen danger lurking deep within the forest that threatens to destroy his family estate.
Of course, the winged Cat might help Marc and Laurel with their dilemmas. He’s befriended them before.
Unfortunately, he’s got other things on his mind, for an elusive feline visitor has been hiding herself somewhere in the forest.
The second novella in the Stonehaven series is here, and to celebrate its recent publication, I’ll be offering it for FREE on Amazon this week, from February 25-27, 2021.
Another cozy paranormal mystery novella set on the rugged coast of Maine…
The autumn Festival of Music is about to begin on the stately grounds of the Golden Oaks estate near Bar Harbor. But when tragedy strikes, a rumor soon spreads that there’s a vengeful killer loose in the area, someone who’s trying to murder the owners of the grand estates.
Photojournalist Laurel Bachmann has just returned to Bar Harbor unexpectedly on assignment, and she’s determined to keep her distance from Marc Chevalier, the owner of the remote and mysterious Stonehaven estate – until Marc is attacked by an unseen visitor in his own workshop.
In case you missed the first book in the series…
It’s cold and snowy outside where I live on the coast of Maine, but I’m snug and warm indoors as I continue working on my series…
For fans of Threshold of Destiny and Every Note by Heart…
The Mysterium Secret Series, Book 3 is underway
I’ve been busily plotting Book 3 in the Mysterium Secret series and I can assure you the new heroine is about to face the biggest and most alarming challenges of her life.
For instance, she will personally encounter a few things she never knew about biorhythms, body clocks, cold temperatures and the human heartbeat.
I’ve had to read up on some scientific experiments for this, and believe me, there are some surprising facts that have been discovered about certain species!
The heroine of Book 3 will also have no choice but to join forces with the intellectually arrogant and self-assured Luke Newman to counter the malicious cunning of dark spirits like the diaboli in the Unseen World.
Check out this post if you’re looking for ways to survive a long winter!
Where I live on the coast of New England, it’s getting cold, and I know there’s no better way to face the coming chill than settling down with some new books, a hot drink, and a comfortable spot to read.
New! The STONEHAVEN Mysteries, Book 1
available November 14, 2020
If you enjoy the popular “cozy mystery” genre, check out my new series of novellas! Book 1, The Gargoyle’s Secret will be available Nov. 14, 2020on Amazon
Every Note by Heart is an immersive story of danger and romance set in a perilous dual world of light and dark spirits. Read more about it here.
Cozy up with a hot drink
What do you do when it’s cold and rainy outside? Curl up with books and a hot drink such as tea, of course. In Denmark they have a name for this notion of cozy fulfillment – it’s hygge (pronounced hoo-gah).
As a new author, I’m both thrilled and nervous in these early days as my baby- – oops! I mean my book! – slowly gains reviews. Half of the time I’m polishing the second volume in the series, and the other half I’m addictively checking on the status of Threshold of Destiny or writing more requests for those reader reviews that are so helpful and even essential to launching any book these days.
What it REALLY feels like to have finished a book
The following quotation says it better than I ever could….
Here’s part of the book’s description on Amazon:
Shrouded by the mists of an Unseen World, dark spirits lie in wait for the unwary traveler, while in the Earthly Realm, only heartache seems to be in the cards.
Clever, enigmatic, and dangerous: he’s a 200-year-old English vampire with a penchant for old poetry. Sensitive and psychic: she’s working for an undercover organization. And she knows his secret.
Old myths and legends must be given their due – even in the modern age of high-tech surveillance.
Curious about the story? Want to help me launch the series?
If you’re interested in reviewing this book, I’ll provide you with a free copyin your preferred ebook format. Read the story, then leave your thoughts in an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads.
Diversity in Fiction: We’re badly in need of more good Clean Reads
Writing clean romance in today’s world – not easy, but worth it
These days, it seems like everything that was once shocking now routinely appears in the pages of fiction but – no surprise! – it’s not that shocking anymore. The old forbidden fruit seems worn-out and obviously commercial, now.
Needed: good stories. Diversity in characters. New and engaging viewpoints.
It can be hard to write romances that are different when so many other novels, novelettes and novellas follow the current fads or take advantage of lucrative trends.
But – in my opinion – since writing a novel takes so much time and personal effort – why use a cookie-cutter? Better to craft something by hand and make it unique. Bonus: more choices for readers.
Whether you’re actively seeking clean romance, or you’re browsing through a range of heat levels in search of a good read, you’ll find plenty of romance in this series.
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Gandalf struggles with self-isolation during a recent Pandemic in Middle Earth
Staying home during the Coronavirus epidemic is a sudden and unexpected challenge for all of us. Maybe we can learn a thing or two from the Hobbits, those lovers of coziness, safety and the Simple Life.
Staying Home and Making Everything Cozy and Comfortable
It’s time to think like a Hobbit: Make your home cozy with books, candles, and natural light
Do Hobbits have any unpleasant reminders of tasks and chores around their homes? No. They wouldn’t dream of it!
Maybe we should take a hint from them and put away our bills and busywork and modern day distractions somewhere out of sight. Then we can schedule one time each day to deal with them.
The rest of the time, let’s revel in the slower pace. Let’s make our homes comfortable havens that make us feel good.
One good thing about staying home and self-isolating during the Coronavirus pandemic: none of us needs to worry about impressing anybody with our housekeeping or decorating!
Bring Lots of Handcrafted Items into Your Daily Routine
Here I’m enjoying some chai tea in a pottery mug that was crafted by one of my daughters
Hobbits lived in a pre-industrial age – no factories, no big business. Everything handmade.
Handmade items have such a warm and personal touch. They’re not perfect in all the little details…
… but that’s exactly what makes them feel just right in some deeper way.
Around my home I have lots of yarn for knitting, felted critters like these friendly squirrels and some large pottery mugs that are perfect for soups and stews
Write Your own Record of Surviving the Pandemic, Hobbit-style
Courage can be found in unlikely places.
JRR Tolkein, The Lord of the Rings.
Why not make your own personal Record of Survival? Maybe you’ve seen some courage in unlikely people, places, or even yourself.
Pour out your thoughts while you’re staying home for the pandemic. What a wonderful antidote to the influx of media from around the globe!
Handmade Journals
As long as you’re writing, why not use something handmade? Try out one of the 35 handmade journals at this cool site. 35 DIY Journals for You to Make
Hobbits and the Art of Staying Home: time for reading and writing
More time to read? Maybe staying home is a cloud with a silver lining
More CHOICES for readers? Find out what some readers are saying about the state of the romance novel in my post: The Devil’s Advice
Hmmm… I think I’ll take a break and pour myself some homemade Kombucha
I always feel mentally refreshed after drinking my homemade Kombucha. Why not try making this popular health brew yourself?
Its stimulating effect must come from something other than it’s caffeine content, for the small amount in Kombucha is not enough to make me jittery. That makes it a great choice for those times of day when (sadly) coffee would be too much for me. Way too much. And while I’m working on the publication details of my upcoming novel, Threshold of Destiny, anything that gives me a mental boost is more than welcome.
If you haven’t tried Kombucha yet, I can testify that it’s delicious, fizzy and full of healthy probiotics. It’s also simple to make your own at home.
Good news for the waistline:Kombucha is LOWER IN CALORIES than soda and many other drinks. If you follow a standard recipe, your brew will have around 48 calories per 8 0z serving.
The Strange Mushroom Does All the Work
A very strange-looking but perfectly benign pad called a “mushroom” (or Scoby) floats at the top of a jar of sweetened black tea. This floating pad does the job of fermenting the tea into Kombucha.
The Kombucha mushroom looks outlandish as it floats at the top of a brewing jar, but it works.
Supplies for Making Homemade Kombucha
You’ll need black tea leaves or bags, white sugar and a Kombucha mushroom.
You’ll need a gallon glass jar, black tea, white sugar and a Kombucha mushroom, along with a piece of fabric and rubber band to cover the jar
I ordered my “mushroom” online from Poseymom and I’ve been happily brewing with it for 3 years now.
As for the gallon glass jar, you can order one from many sites online, or you can use this thrifty tip I came across – Walmart carries a brand of dill pickles in an identical large gallon jar for about $5. Buy one of these jars, store the pickles in another container in your fridge, and “repurpose” the jar for Kombucha. I tried this tip myself and it worked.
Money-saving bonus: you’ll be able to reuse your “mushroom” and jar for all your batches. Set up your supplies and start production!
Have Fun with Your Kombucha: Try Some Flavor Infusions
My family loves Kombucha as much as I do, especially when I
bottle it for a second ferment. Sometimes I add a small amount of grape or
apple juice at this point, or an infusion of fresh ginger root.
Want to know more about fermenting and infusing?
All the Steps and More are Explained in This Great Resource
Instructions on making Kombucha are easy to find on the Internet. I personally got started with the tips that came with the mushroom I ordered online from Posymom.
A super-helpful book with a good chapter on Kombucha
Here’s a great book I eventually bought and can heartily recommend: True Brews by Emma Christiansen. In it you’ll find all you need to know about making Kombucha, adding flavors, doing a second ferment, etc. The author is both experienced and witty.
Walking and writing, reading and thinking, being with my kids… there are so many lovely forest paths nearby. This one leads through a coastal fog forest. I snapped the photo about 3 months ago – before it became freezing cold here on the New England Coast!
I never really planned to write about vampires, but with so many books and movies about vampires coming out, I started having second thoughts.
What could happen when a human meets a troubled soul with a past, a being who looks like a human, has thoughts and emotions like a human, but isn’t human? Secrets could be discovered – or withheld, the past could become vital, and plots could heat up. Stories could actually be exciting on their own, without the routine insertion of graphic or violent scenes. I don’t like storylines that hit you over the head with shocking elements or break a few taboos just to get attention… With paranormal characters like vampires, many authors are still racing down that well-beaten path anyway, writing about bare-chested vampires, half-dressed werewolves, and so on.
But – if you take another fork in the road as an author – you enter a mysterious and exciting region of storytelling, where some characters are human and some are not, where real emotions can live and real dramas can take place.
I’ve had such an exciting time starting the Paranormal Secrets series. Now that Threshold of Destiny is nearly done, I’m launching my author website. The second book, Every Note by Heart. is also close to completion, and the third and fourth volumes of the series are in the works.
Why do I like writing about humans, vampires, and other paranormal beings? I’m attracted to a certain something, call it a surreal feeling – a kind of light-and-shadow atmosphere that comes from paranormal elements.
I also like writing romance with a barrier between the hero and heroine that seems insurmountable, and my characters always struggle with hope and despair. Paranormal Romance is a fantastic genre because these elements can enter a story in a natural and exciting way.
I’ve had such an exciting time starting the Paranormal Secrets series. Now that Threshold of Destiny is nearly done, I’m launching my author website. The second book, Every Note by Heart. is also close to completion, and the third and fourth volumes of the series are in the works.
