The Search for a Proper Tagline and a New Release with Strong Sense of Place

This month I'm working on putting together my author website and getting a newsletter going. Did you know that many authors have taglines for their websites?  I didn't, but I do now, and let me tell you, authors are a creative bunch!  So many great taglines that nail their brand. 

I am in awe, and at the same time, I need to come up with my own gem! When I write the Marley Creek series my goal is to write a romance that gives the reader those Hallmark vibes along with some spice. Now the question is, will Hallmark appreciate me using them in my tagline? I'm just a teeny tiny writer in a sea of authors, so maybe it doesn't matter. I don't want to find out after I finish my website and get some fun merch made, so I need to go back to the drawing board.

Here are my rough drafts:

Cozy Romance With A Kick.

Cozy Romance Sprinkled with Some Spice.

Steamy Small Town Romances You'll Stay Home For.

Cozy Comfort Reads.

Cozy Vibes with a Dash Of Spice.

Please let me know your favorite! I need some feedback!

As I mentioned in The Sunday Post, I picked up a new release from Kindle Unlimited. This is the second book in this series. It's set in a town a few hours away from New Orleans and the book is filled with the sights, sounds, and tastes of Southern Louisiana.  Gelly the lead character in this book is a dancer so the book is also filled with many music references. Dance of Love has a HEA for the main characters in this book but has an overarching mystery so it's best read after the first book Learning to Love which is also on Kindle Unlimited. The third and fourth books in the series will be out before the end of the year!  

If you like books with an immersive setting, a light dusting of spice, and romantic suspense, check this series out! 

Here is a link to the book: https://a.co/d/9juFCZ5

Can We Start Fall Now Please? The Sunday Post!

   

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. you can write about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

What I'm reading this weekend: 

I don't know about you, but I am excited to have Monday off! A three-day weekend after a couple of weeks of school!  I'd be more chill about everything, but it's been so hot we haven't even had outside recess. I am ready for sweater weather! I am also ready to break out my fall-themed shirts. Going through my closet I realized I've added four new fall t-shirts over the summer!  I'm going to kick off fall by wearing my Halloween Town shirt.  Do you enjoy the autumn season?

Yesterday I brainstormed with an editor for my upcoming book It App-ened One Night. The brainstorming session was very helpful; now I know I can make this book a satisfying story. I would love for you to join my newsletter. I'll share a prequel to the Marley Creek Series, doing cover and blurb reveals, and ARC sign-ups. Plus I'm commissioning some fun stickers to give to my subscribers! 

Thanks so much! 

The Marley Creek News!

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Are You A Mood Reader? Is It Time for Fall Books?

 I, of course, have started reading fall books. The latest book I've gotten my paws on is Haunted to Death by Frank Polito. When it comes to fall books what are your must haves?  Here are some things I love to see in a fall book:

A fall festival!

Fall food or beverage talk, especially if it involves pumpkins and apples!

References to leaves falling or chilly nights!

Kids or pets or really anyone in costume!

Hints of magic! 

Would you agree with this list or is there something different that gives you all the cozy fall reading vibes?

Covers that have hints of fall are also always appreciated by me if it is a physical book! My love of the fall season is why my first book takes place in October. 

And lucky for me, this week I'm starting to write my next book which will take place a year after the first book. This time around my main character is Donnie. He owns a bakery that is also a bookstore. Can you imagine?  How amazing would that be? He doesn't realize it but he's about to find love! 

If you are in the USA, I hope you have a wonderful Labor Day weekend! I'll be writing and reading, and I'm planning to take some time to go to a craft market at a local brewery! 

Short but Packed with Paranormal Cozy Goodness! Available on KU!

 

This is the first book in Beth Dolgner's Nightmare, Arizona's Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series. It's on the short side, but I didn't find the story lacking or rushed. I enjoyed Olivia embracing her new environment and coming to conclusions about certain things we, the readers, knew right away. 

There are some good red herrings in this book and lots of room for growth. The location is fun. I read Beth's bio and discovered she lives near a Wild West tourist town, so this series is sort of set in a real town—minus all the paranormal elements, of course.

As soon as I finished this book, I returned it to KU so I could pick up the second book in the series. If you are looking for something fluffy and fun, this is an enjoyable read! 

Four Stars for this fun book!

This week our temperatures have been incredibly hot and we even had to cancel outdoor recess at school Last night the heatwave broke, but we also had major thunderstorms.  A large elm tree crashed down onto one of our neighbor's garage and car.  Fortunately, everyone is okay! The holiday weekend is almost here in the USA and I can't wait to do some reading and go for a run! 

Dead and Gondola: A Must Read For Agatha Christie Fans and The Cozy Mystery Book Club Book of the Month!

 

This book takes place in an imaginary Colorado ski town that gave me Apen vibes, but it could be a nod to any of the towns in Colorado where there is a cute downtown and lots of rich people who own third, fourth, or fifth homes there. 

I listened to this book on audio and I had some trouble staying engaged in the story during the first sixty percent. I didn't guess who the killer was and I was impressed by who the killer was, an excellent choice. The book has a lot of Agatha Christie references, so if you love Agatha Christie novels, you have got to read this book! 

Over all the book is a 4 star read for me. I didn't connect much with the main character, at this moment I can't remember her name, but the mystery was solved so well that the book goes from three to four stars for me. 

Want to hear more about this book?  Join us for the Cozy Mystery Book Club Live Stream tomorrow, Tuesday August 27th at six p.m. central time zone.

My friend and fellow author Kelly Reynolds is the co-host for this month's club! Fun! I can't wait ti hear what everyone thinks about the book. 

We have a three day holiday at the end of the week!  My school has a half day on Friday so me and the Hubs are planning to go to a local bar and grill for a happy hour lunch because who doesn't love a good deal! Do you like a discount dinner?

The Sunday Post-- I survived!

  

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. you can write about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

I survived the first week of pre-K, and I now have one week of working with the most delightful three- and four-year-olds!  Were there tears?  Yes. Where they mine? No!  Then when I got home from work I had a snack and took a nap. Seriously--and I bet the kiddos did the same. It's going to be such a treat to see how much the students change as the year goes on. I also look forward to getting better at my job! 

How was your week?  Can you believe this upcoming weekend will be Labor Day weekend?  I can. The summer I had was packed with travel, medical stuff, and thinking back it seems like I was working summer school ages ago. 

I just finished listening to Dead and Gondola in time to take part in the Cozy Mystery Book Club livestream on Tuesday. Speaking of the Cozy Mystery Book Club, I'm going to be doing a guest blog post for the 12 Days of Cozies in December! I'm so excited I have to turn it in by October 15! I plan to talk about a few Christmas Cozy Mysteries and share a cookie recipe I love.

In my own person book news, my latest book Is This Love Fur Real? was a sponsor on this weeks Fated Mates podcast.  You can hear it around the 45-minute Mark! Here is a link to the episode: https://fatedmates.net/episodes

Don't Let a Few Crisp Mornings Fool You!

Just in time for all the visitors to Chicago for the Democratic National Convention and the start of most schools in the area, we've had a week of blue skies, cool mornings, and best of all--low humidity.  But as someone who has spent most of my life here, I knew summer wasn't over!  

Next week our temperatures will be in the high 90F (aka mid 30C), yuck. Since I've been recuperating from the dental surgery, I haven't been able to run, and now I will need to be smart and not try to get back in the running groove when it's a thousand degrees outside.

Fans of Fall, we can turn on the air and try to carry on making soup and chili, but the weather isn't cooperating! I will focus on finishing a book set in the fictional town of Nightmare, Arizona. 

We have a fun new phenomenon in our area, local booksellers are teaming up with craft breweries for adult book fairs.  As a kid who loved book fair day, the chance to peruse books with a tasty beverage in my hand is a dream come true. I love this trend and I hope it continues!  

How about you? Did you love the school book fairs? Have you seen any adult book fairs in your area?

Are Publishing Companies Still Editing Books?

 

My youngest child is back at school and today was the first day of school for our pre-K students. It was fun to finally start working with our kids for the year. How am I doing? I'm exhausted. This is mostly due to recovering from dental surgery. I miss solid food. I have also realized at school I need to drink more water. One of the nice things about working with the really little kids is getting to go outside for recess twice a day. Give me that fresh air. 

As you can see I treated myself to a new mat for the kitchen. I'm looking forward to putting it out in a few weeks. Bowie has given the dog-themed mat his seal of approval. 

I've been reading a book that recently came out and I'm really torn about it. I know all the work an author puts into their book and I'm dismayed that this book was released. I'm struggling to stay engaged in the story because I swear it should have been edited one more time. There are tense changes, repetitive words, and filler words slowing the story down to a crawl.  I decided to put it down and switched to another book and within a few pages I was lost in this new book. The second book is self-published.  I'm very grateful for self-publishing and freelance editors, the cost to the consumer is low and the quality is as good--and can be better than big publishing company books! 

How is your week going?  

Buckle Up The first Full Week of School is Here! The Sunday Post for August18th!

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. you can write about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

Tomorrow after school, me and the hubs are going to take youngest child to her apartment so she can start her junior year of college. I don't think anything is packed as of now. Best of luck to her!  I had oral surgery on Tuesday and I'm spending this weekend recuperating. I made a grocery and Amazon order to supply her, that's an excellent contribution to the cause.

Last week at this time we were hiking up Brasstown Bald, a National Park where you can do a vertical climb to the highest point in Georgia. It was hard, but the view was amazing! 

Wish me luck this week, I'll be meeting the Pre-K kids I'll be working with this year! Fun times, and a very active job,which I am looking forward too. I swear sitting is less comfortable than being up and down all day.  

How was your week? Any back to school activity at your house?

Here is what I'm reading: 

Just In Time To Go Back To School

 

Just in time to go back to school, I have to have dental surgery. Because of a medication I take due to post-cancer treatment effects, I can only have the dental procedure timed a certain way. So it's now or wait six months and hope that the teeth at issue don't cause more problems. 

All this to say I'm going to need to use all my energy to make it through the work day and the other people in this house are going to have to pick up the slack.This means I need to stop myself from making sure the dishes are in the dishwasher properly. 

A tall order!

I hope I have an easy recovery. I do have plenty of books to read and lots of book work to do, so I should try to concentrate on that and not think about someone putting the wrong stuff on the top rack or mixing towels with pants in the washer.

How about you?  Are you laid back around household chores?

*****
I forgot that I had pre-ordered Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews until the other day. I then proceeded to read this novella. If you haven't read Ilona Andrews before, please drop everything and read them! This book features Roman who is like an intermediary between a Slavic god and humans. There is a lot of folklore in this story and I found it really interesting. It doesn't end with a cliffhanger, but it ends with the immediate danger being dealt with and more action and adventure to come. You can read this as a stand-alone, but it's more pleasing if you've read the Kate Daniels series. 

If you are a mood reader, this book takes place Dec 23-25.

Five stars of pure awesome!