Chatting with author Susie Black

I'm delighted to welcome Susie Black back to my blog. I have a fun round of This or That with Susie, and and excerpt from her latest cozy mystery Death by Pins and Needles. Plus, Susie shared a link to her swimsuit fit guide, a handy guide to woman's swimsuits. 

Without further ado, let's start with This or That. 

Good guys or bad guys? Bad guys

Good girls or bad girls? Bad girls

Morning or night? Night

Favorite food? Pizza

Favorite beverage? Lemonade

Coffee or tea? Coffee

eBook, paperback, or audiobook? eBook

Plotter or Pantster? Combination

Favorite season? Fall

Dogs or cats? Dogs

Favorite holiday? Thanksgiving

Favorite movie? Some Like it Hot

Ironman or Superman? Superman

Wonder Woman of Top Model? Wonder Woman

Night on the town or cozy evening in? Cozy Evening In

Favorite book? A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

Favorite fictional world? The present time

Last book read? The Disappearing Names- Avis Adams

Black or white? White

Stilettos or flipflops or sneakers? Sneakers

Favorite song? Surfin’ USA- The Beach Boys

Chicken or steak? Steak

Cake, cookies, or pie? Pie

Favorite junk food? Chocolate or pretzels

Favorite thing to do to relax? Sailing

Paranormal or Historical? Historical

Favorite TV show? MASH

Hot or cold? Hot

Favorite vacation? Cancun, Mexico

Beach or mountains? Beach

I like the bad boys and girls too! Do you have anything in common with Susie?

About the book

Death by Pins and Needles

Author: Susie Black

Genre: Humorous Cozy Mystery

Who wanted Lissa Charney dead? The list was as long as your arm…

but which one actually killed her?

Blurb

Set in the heart of the competitive Los Angeles Apparel Industry, Death by Pins and Needles is the story of one ruthless woman who didn’t care who she had to step on to get to the top. Lissa Charney is the showroom manager of a ladies’ swimwear line in the California Apparel Mart. Since Lissa didn’t think any of the rules applied to her, she had no problem breaking them all. From job stealing to dumping a boyfriend when he needed her the most, selfish and self-centered Lissa’s list of enemies rivaled those of Al Capone. So, when Lissa is murdered, no one on the swimwear aisle was particularly surprised…the only surprise was what had taken so long. The last thing Mermaid Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik expected to find when she opened the closet door was nasty competitor Lissa Charney’s battered corpse nailed to the wall. When Holly’s colleague is wrongly arrested for Lissa’s murder, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth sticks her nose everywhere it doesn’t belong to sniff out the real killer.

Read it today!

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Bub ~ Goodreads

Industry Photos provided by Susie Black

Peek between the pages...

Countries were formed faster than the pace of the never-ending parade of pie charts and problems at our weekly production meeting. The endurance test snore-fest finally ended an eternity later at four-forty-five. I grabbed my purse and messenger bag, ran out of the factory as if my hair caught fire, and drove like a bat out of hell to the mart. I checked my watch for the bazzillionth time while stuck behind a local DASH bus creeping along at a snail’s pace on Main Street. I finally drove past Ninth Street and made an illegal left turn into the mart. I careened around the subterranean parking structure ramp on two wheels and screeched to a halt into the first open space. The elevator Goddess smiled at me, and I miraculously got to the swimwear floor at five-fifteen.

Fifteen minutes to prepare for my meeting with the Queen of Mean, Sue Ellen Magee -the nasty, my time is valuable but yours isn’t powerful swimwear buyer at Bainbridge Department Stores. And of course, the one available time in her majesty’s busy schedule? Five-thirty on Friday afternoon. Good thing my social life is in a dry spell. Ok, ok, so it’s non-existent, but let’s not quibble over small details. If one existed, it would not be Sue Ellen’s problem if I had to break a date. It begs the question. Did she ever go out on one? As if. Is Cruella de Ville’s dance card full? Catty? Too bad. Meow.

An empty swimwear aisle. Not a surprise. Fridays the whole industry gets out of Dodge early. Crap. In my rush to get to the mart, I left my showroom key in my office desk drawer. I didn’t remember it until I got halfway to the mart, but didn’t have enough time to turn back for it. No biggie; our showroom manager Patti practically lived in the showroom. Except for today. Fanfreakingtastic. A delivery notification was taped next to Patti’s sorry, had to leave early note. With no one else around, the guy left the package of fabric swatches for my meeting with Sue Ellen at Lissa Charney’s showroom. My heart sank. Cripes, of all the competitors to leave it with, the guy chose the one who closes shop the earliest. Unless by some miracle lazy Lissa stayed late, count me screwed.

Explaining this key thing to crabby Sue Ellen ought to be scads of fun; the same as an appendectomy with no anesthetic. Then I remembered. Lissa and Patti exchanged keys in case of an emergency. I walked to Lissa’s in case God made a mistake, and by some miracle, she’d stuck around. For giggles and squeaks, I pushed on Lissa’s door. Remarkably, it opened. Hot Diggity Dog. Amazingly, the fabric Goddess covered my play. My envelope with the fabric swatches lay on the first workstation table. Now for the key, and I’d be all set.

“Lissa,” I called out, “It’s Holly from Mermaid. I came for my package. Thanks a bunch for accepting it. Listen, Patti left early and I forgot my showroom key in my desk drawer at the factory. Can you give me my spare?” Dead silence. Weird. Maybe she’s on the phone with her office door closed?

“Lissa,” I funneled my hands around my mouth into a megaphone and yelled, “It’s Holly Schlivnik from Mermaid.” Still a whole lotta dead air. God short-changed me in the height department at four feet nine inches tall, but the Good Lord compensated for it by blessing me with a strong set of pipes. Unless the woman was deaf as a post, no way she couldn’t hear me.

I went back to Lissa’s office. Lights are on, but nobody’s home. Where the Sam Hill could she be? Not in the showroom. Not in her office. Not in the kitchen. Not in the copier room. In the ladies’ room? Abducted by aliens? Hiding in a closet?

I was out of options and time; so, for giggles and squeaks, I pulled open the doors to the enormous sample closet that stretched across the back wall and peered inside. Good news. I found Lissa Charney. The question was; did she have my key? A dozen swimsuits picture -framed Lissa’s battered, bloody corpse like a museum exhibit. She’d been shot through the heart with a nail gun and hung crucifixion style by her appendages to the back of the closet.

Naturally, I burst out laughing.

Ladies, 

Susie Black is offering you her Swimwear Fit Guide. No mater if you are tall, short, thick, thin, buster or not, there is a swimsuit for you, and Susie's guide will help you find it. 

Grab your swimsuit guide!

About the author:

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

Looking for more? Contact Susie at:   Website ~ E-mail ~ Linktree

Blog Tour & Giveaway: City Spies: City of the Dead by James Ponti

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the CITY SPIES: CITY OF THE DEAD by James Ponti Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: CITY SPIES: CITY OF THE DEAD

Author: James Ponti

Pub. Date: February 7, 2023

Publisher: Aladdin

Formats: Hardcover, ebook, audiobook

Pages: 400

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/CITY-SPIES-CITY-OF-THE-DEAD 

In this fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies go codebreaking in Cairo in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls.

Codename Kathmandu, better known as Kat, loves logic and order, has a favorite eight-digit number, and can spot a pattern from a mile away. So when a series of cyberattacks hits key locations in London while the spies are testing security for the British Museum, it’s clear that Kat’s skill for finding reason in what seems like randomness makes her the perfect candidate to lead the job.

And while the team follows the deciphered messages to Egypt and the ancient City of the Dead to discover who is behind the attacks and why, Kat soon realizes that there’s another layer to the mystery.

With more players, more clues, and involving higher levels of British Intelligence than ever before, this mission is one of the most complex that the group has faced to date. And it’s also going to bring about a change to the City Spies…

 

Grab the rest of the CITY SPIES BOOKS now!

 

Book Trailer:

Peek between the pages:

British Museum
LONDON, ENGLAND—PRESENT DAY

ON A SLATE GRAY NOVEMBER DAY, ONE hundred years after the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb, a group of five young people converged in a part of London known as Bloomsbury. Like Howard Carter, they were looking to recover treasures of Egyptian antiquity. Except they weren’t going to dig a tunnel in the desert, they were going to sneak through one in an abandoned section of the London Underground. And the artifacts they sought weren’t concealed in some long-forgotten tomb, they were on display at one of the busiest museums in the world.

This was no excavation. It was a heist.

“Testing comms, one, two, three,” Kat said into the microphone hidden in the red remembrance poppy pinned to her lapel. “Can everybody hear me?” “Loud and clear,” said Paris.

“Perfectly,” answered Rio.

“All good on my end,” Brooklyn replied.

There was a pause as they waited for a final voice to check in.

“Sydney, are you not responding because you can’t hear me?” Kat asked. “Or is it because you’re still pouting?” After a moment, Sydney replied, “I’m sorry. I was under the impression nobody cared what I had to say.” “So, pouting,” Paris commented.

“I’m not pouting,” Sydney said defensively. “I’m just . . . disappointed. All I asked was that we slide the break-in a couple hours so we could see the fireworks at Battersea Park. You know how much I love Bonfire Night. It’s going to be huge and everyone’s going to be there.”

“Which is exactly why we’re going to be here,” Kat said. “The police will be spread thin, and there are no celebrations scheduled for Bloomsbury. That means they’ll be elsewhere, which dramatically improves the probability of us not getting caught.”

Kat was the alpha on this mission, which meant she had to come up with the plan to break into the British Museum. She’d studied dozens of famous robberies and noticed that many took place on holidays or during special events, when police and security altered their nor mal patterns and were understaffed. She picked this date because of its connection to one of the most infamous figures in British history.

On November 5, 1605, a soldier-turned-radical named Guy Fawkes was captured before he could exe cute his plan to use thirty-six barrels of gunpowder to blow up Parliament. Ever since, Britons had marked the occasion with raucous public displays that included bon fires, burning effigies, and fireworks.

For Sydney, a born rebel who loved “making things go boom,” it was as if Bonfire Night had been created specifically with her in mind. And here she was in Lon don, so close to some of the biggest celebrations in the country, yet she was going to miss out.

“Just tell me this,” Kat said. “Are you good to go with the mission? Or is this going to be a problem?”

“Of course, I’m good,” Sydney replied. “I never let anything affect our work.”

“Excellent,” Kat said. “And if it makes you feel better, I’ll try to find something for you to blow up.” “I really appreciate it,” Sydney said. “That means a lot.”

Rio cleared his throat and said, “Now that we’ve got everybody’s feelings sorted, can we please get started?” “Yeah,” Brooklyn said, “you know we can’t do anything until you give us the word.”

As the alpha, it was Kat’s responsibility to say the good luck phrase that kicked off every operation. “Okay then,” she said, surveying the museum entrance from her vantage point in the Great Court. “This operation is hot. We are a go.”

And just like that, the City Spies were in action. The five of them were an experimental team of agents, aged twelve to fifteen, who worked for MI6, British Secret Intelligence. They were called in for assignments in which adults would stand out but kids could blend in.

In this instance, the job was to steal two items on display in a special exhibition called “Wonderful Things: One Hundred Years of Tutmania.” They didn’t know why they were stealing them; after all, spies weren’t supposed to ask too many questions. All they’d been told was that it was in the best interests of the British government for them to do so.

Kat had never been the alpha for a mission this big, and she’d prepared for it like she did most things, as though it were a series of complex math equations. She split the heist into two parts so they could, in her words, “isolate the variables.” The theft wouldn’t happen until after the museum closed. But now, while it was still open, they had to set up things for later.

“Everyone good with what they’re supposed to do?” she asked.

“Yes,” Rio said with a groan. “We’ve gone over it and over it and over it.”

“Good,” Kat said. “Repetition leads to fluency, and fluency leads to confidence. It’s a cornerstone of executing complicated mathematical processes.”

“Except this isn’t math,” Rio said. “It’s a break-in.” “You’re so funny,” Kat said. “Everything’s math. Now blend in and disappear. Do your best to stay invisible.” “Don’t worry,” Sydney replied. “We’ll be ghosts.” “Yeah,” Rio added. “Math ghosts.”

With so many kids at the museum, they had no trouble blending in as they went to work on their specific assignments. Kat had even managed to get uniforms which matched those of schools visiting on field trips. This let them enter with large student groups which bypassed the normal security line.

“We’re at the west stairs, and there are no surprises,” Sydney informed the others.

She and Rio were double-checking the route they needed to take later that night. The team had plotted it using a virtual tour of the museum they found online. This let them carefully study every room and look for vulnerabilities. Now, they had to make sure that nothing had changed or been added in the time since the tour was filmed.

“There’s a CCTV camera on the ceiling,” Rio said. “And the entrance to the Egyptian gallery is protected by a roll-down gate that’s operated by a keypad next to the doorway.”

“We’ll be able to control those once Brooklyn hacks their computer system,” said Kat.

“Grab a photo of the keypad,” Brooklyn said. “Make sure it shows the name of the manufacturer so I can download an operator’s manual.”

“Got it,” Sydney answered.

She motioned for Rio to stand near the pad so it would look like she was taking a picture of him and not the device.

“Smile,” she said, and he flashed a goofy grin. Next, they walked through the Egyptian sculpture gallery, where they noted and took pictures of three different security features. There were motion detectors along the wall, closed circuit television cameras on the ceiling, and sensors eighteen inches above the floor that were part of a laser trip-wire system.

They made special note of these locations because, unlike in the movies, there wouldn’t be brightly colored beams of light they could dance around. The lasers would be nearly invisible and tripping any one of them would mean disaster for the mission.

As they mapped the location of two sensors near a giant statue of Rameses II, Rio noticed a security guard standing nearby. His nametag read officer hawk, although his droopy moustache and lumpy physique seemed more walrus than bird of prey.

“Target acquired,” Rio said in a low voice to Sydney. “Why him?” she asked.

“Two things,” Rio answered. “He’s friendly and he’s awkward.”

Sydney gave him a curious look.

“Security guards are supposed to be standoffish to intimidate you,” Rio said. “But notice how he smiles and makes eye contact with people. He wants to connect and be liked.”

“And awkward?”

“His tie’s crooked and his shirt’s tucked in unevenly,” Rio explained. “Not only that, but his ID badge is clipped to his belt instead of his shirt pocket, which makes it easier to lift.”

“It’s scary how well you read people,” Sydney said. “I’ve got skills,” Rio said. “Nice of someone to notice for a change.”

For years, Rio’s ability to read people had been essential to his survival. He’d lived on the streets of Rio de Janeiro and made money by performing magic for tourists on a sidewalk near Copacabana Beach. To do that, he had to know how to read an audience and be able to perform amazing sleight of hand maneuvers. He was about to do both to steal a security card they’d need later.

The lift was a two-person job that they’d done many times. Sydney’s role was to be the diversion. “Excuse me,” she said, approaching the guard. “Do you think you could take a picture of me with this statue in the background?”

According to regulations, the guard wasn’t supposed to do anything except keep an eye on the gallery. However, like Rio said, he was friendly and had trouble say ing no. “Of course,” he replied with a smile. “Let’s make it quick.”

She handed him her phone and struck a pose. He snapped the shot and gave it back to her, but when she looked at the picture, she frowned.

“Ugh,” she said. “I’m sorry could you do it again. My eyes are closed, and it’s backlit so you can’t see my face.” She directed him to move over a few feet, and as she became more difficult, the guard became more distracted. This was when Rio brushed past him and deftly slipped the badge off his belt. Next came the tricky part. Rio had to copy the badge and put it back before the guard noticed it was missing. If it was reported lost, the protocol was for that card to be deactivated, which would render it useless.

Rio slid it into his pocket and pressed it against his phone, which had a built-in scanner and cloning app. After a few seconds, he heard a single beep that told him it was done. Then he moved back to them, where Sydney was unsatisfied with another picture and the guard’s patience was running thin.

Rio nosed into their conversation. “The problem is the light from that window,” he said pointing at the photo on Sydney’s phone. “You need to be on the opposite side of the room.”

The guard wanted no part of this. “I’m not moving to . . .”

“Why don’t I take it?” Rio offered.

“Good idea,” said the guard.

As he handed Sydney’s phone back to her, Rio clipped the ID badge back to the guard’s belt.

“Here you go,” said the guard.

“Thank you for your help,” said Sydney.

They walked away, and once they were out of earshot, Rio whispered, “friendly and awkward, my two favor ite traits.” They crossed the room to take the picture with better lighting so as not to draw suspicion from the guard, and then they went directly to another gal lery and found a door marked staff only. They waited until no one was around, and then Rio held up his phone next to the ID sensor. A light on the sensor turned from red to green and they heard the lock click open.

“We’re all set with the security doors,” Rio said proudly.

“Nice job,” answered Kat.

Excerpt from City of the Dead by James Ponti. Text copyright © 2023. 

 Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

About James:

JAMES PONTI (he/him/his) is the New York Times bestselling author of three middle grade book series: City Spies, about an unlikely squad of five kids from around the world who form an elite MI6 Spy Team; the Edgar Award–winning Framed! series, about a pair of tweens who solve mysteries in Washington, DC; and the Dead City trilogy, about a secret society that polices the undead living beneath Manhattan. His books have appeared on more than fifteen different state award lists and he is the founder of a writers group known as the Renegades of Middle Grade. James is also an Emmy– nominated television writer and producer who has worked for many networks including Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, PBS, History, and Spike TV, as well as NBC Sports. He lives with his family in Orlando, Florida. Find out more at JamesPonti.com.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway Details:

1 lucky winner will receive a finished copy of CITY OF THE DEAD, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One: 

1/23/2023	Mythical Books	Excerpt/IG Post
1/23/2023	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
1/24/2023	YA Books Central	Excerpt
1/24/2023	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post
1/25/2023	Log Cabin Library	Excerpt
1/25/2023	Kim"s Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post
1/26/2023	Blog Write. Read. Live	Excerpt/IG Post
1/26/2023	Lifestyle of Me	Review
1/27/2023	YA Book Nerd	Review/IG Post
1/27/2023	onemused	IG Post

 

Week Two:

1/30/2023	Nerdophiles	Review
1/30/2023	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Review/IG Post
1/31/2023	Wanderingwitchreads	TikTok Review/IG Post
1/31/2023	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post
2/1/2023	@ChristenKrumm	IG Review
2/1/2023	Two Points of Interest	Review
2/2/2023	Book-Keeping	Review/IG Post
2/2/2023	@bookmama85	IG Review
2/3/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post
2/3/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review

 

Monday, February 7, 2023 at 6:00pm CT

Virtual launch event hosted by Blue Willow Bookshop (Houston, TX)

In conversation with Kelly Yang (author of NEW FROM HERE and FINALLY SEEN)

 

Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 7:00pm ET

In-person event hosted by Little Shop of Stories (Decatur, GA)

In conversation with Laurel Snyder (author of ORPHAN ISLAND and CHARLIE & MOUSE)

 

Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 6:00pm ET

In-person event hosted by Malaprop’s (Asheville, NC)

In conversation with Alan Gratz (author of REFUGEE, GROUND ZERO, and TWO DEGREES)

 

Friday, February 10, 2023 at 5:00pm ET

In-person event hosted by RJ Julia Booksellers (Madison, CT)

In conversation with Lauren Tarshis (author of the I SURVIVED series)

 

Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 3:00pm ET

In-person event hosted by Books of Wonder (New York, NY)

In conversation with Sayantani DasGupta (author of THE FIRE QUEEN series), Chris Grabenstein (author of DOG SQUAD and THE SMARTEST KID IN THE UNIVERSE), and Karina Yan Glaser (author of THE VANDERBEEKERS series)

 

Sunday, February 12, 2023 at 2:00pm CT

In-person event at St. Louis Public Library hosted by The Novel Neighbor (St. Louis, MO)

In conversation with George Jreije (author of SHAD HADID AND THE ALCHEMISTS OF ALEXANDRIA)

 

Monday, February 13, 2023 at 7:00pm CT

In-person event hosted by Wild Rumpus Books for Young Readers (Minneapolis, MN)

In conversation with Jacqueline West (author of THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE and LONG LOST)

 

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 5:30pm ET

In-person event hosted by Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, NC)

In conversation with Kwame Mbalia (author of the TRISTAN STRONG series)

 

Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 10:30am ET

In-person event hosted by Politics & Prose (Washington, D.C.)

 

Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 2:00pm ET

In-person event hosted by The International Spy Museum (Washington, D.C.)

 

Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 2:00pm ET

In-person event hosted at Lake Highland Prep School hosted by Writer’s Block Bookstore (Orlando, FL)

In conversation with Jerry Craft (author of NEW KID and CLASS ACT)

Holiday books filled with mystery and suspense

Tis the season to treat yourself and the book lover on your holiday shopping list, and what better way than with a book set during the holidays? Stop by frequently this month, because I'll be sharing books for the whole family.

Today's books are filled with mystery and suspense, plus each author answered a round of This or That.

Happy browsing!

Snow Kiss Cookies to Die For
Series: Christmas Cookies
by Wendy Kendall
Genre: Romance suspense during Christmas holiday

Blurb:

First grade teacher Desiree Tucker is on the brink of winter holidays with her new, romantic boyfriend when danger encroaches on her joy. Ominous, untraceable texts buzz on her cell phone. Terrifying secret Santa gifts show up for her in the classroom. As the stalker moves closer to the prey, Desiree doesn't know who she can trust. Her charming new man is a prime suspect. Is he a deadly stalker? If not him, who? What can she learn from her grandmother's legend of the snow kiss cookie? Just when she's starting to believe in magic again, she finds herself fighting for her life.

This or that with Wendy Kendall

Snow angle or Snowman? Snow Angel

Hot chocolate or Mulled wine? Mulled wine

Sweats or Sweater? Sweater

Cozy night in or Out on the town? Out on the town

Peppermint or Cinnamon? Cinnamon

Songs or movies? Movies

Read it today

Gingerbread Dead

Series: Christmas Cookies
by Lori L Robinett
Genre: mystery

Blurb:

While the rest of the neighborhood is preparing for the holidays, Jess Barker is determined to stop a murderer.

This or that with Lori L. Robinett

Snow angle or Snowman? Snowman

Hot chocolate or Mulled wine? Mulled wine

Sweats or Sweater? Sweats

Cozy night in or Out on the town? Cozy night in

Peppermint or Cinnamon? Peppermint

Songs or movies? Movies

Read it today

Scarlet at Crystal River

Series: The Haunted Shores Mysteries
by Randy Overbeck
Genre: mystery/ghost story

Blurb:

All Darrell Henshaw wanted was to enjoy his honeymoon with his beautiful wife, Erin, in the charming town of Crystal River on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida over the Christmas holidays. Only a pair of ghosts decide to intrude on their celebration. And not just any ghosts, the spirits of two young Latino children. Unwilling at first to derail the honeymoon for yet another ghost hunt, Darrell finally concedes when a painting of the kids comes alive, weeping and pleading for his help.

This or that with Randy Overbeck

Snow angle or Snowman? Snowman

Hot chocolate or Mulled wine? Hot chocalate

Sweats or Sweater? Sweater

Cozy night in or Out on the town? Cozy night in

Peppermint or Cinnamon? Peppermint

Songs or movies? Songs

Read it today

Did any of these books pique your interest? Have you started your holiday shopping yet? 

Release Day! Atticus Everheart, Fifth Grade Tutor and Monster Hunter?

It's release day! A huge thanks to my publisher for adding ATTICUS EVERHEART, FIFTH GRADE TUTOR AND MONSTER HUNTER? to their library, to my amazing editor for ushering this book through the editorial process, and to the talented cover artist, she did an amazing job of incorporating different story elements into this adorable cover.

In this middle-grade mystery, Atticus Everheart will brave monsters, something he's deathly afraid of. Will he stick around to unravel the mystery of the missing tutors? If he does, will he make it out alive? You'll have to read the book to find out! 

What readers are saying!

"It's the perfect Halloween read as it presents creepy elements without being scary or dreary. I loved the characters and the mystery." - The Real Word to Sam

Atticus is a cute kid and the other supporting characters were interesting and funny. I could totally picture this as a movie!" - Goodreads Reviewer

Sometimes it takes an ordinary ten-year-old to save the day.

Book Blurb:

Nothing frightens Atticus Everheart more than monsters, thanks to his older brothers, who often threaten to feed him to the beastly creatures.

Fearing that’s what they will do if he doesn’t replace the book he accidentally ruined, he takes a job tutoring a boy in his neighborhood.

Although nervous about the job, Atticus soon discovers there’s a lot more in store for him than teaching. Never in a trillion years would he have imagined he’d be hiding from monsters, working with ghosts, or searching for werewolves and witches. He’s not brave, and he has no plans to change.

Until he’s forced to.

Grab your copy today

Goodreads   Bookbub  

I'm celebrating the release of ATTICUS EVERHEART, FIFTH GRADE TUTOR AND MONSTER HUNTER? with a book tour hosted by Rock Star Book Tours. There are plenty of fun stops and a giveaway. 

Enter the Giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy

Follow the tour:

October 24 – Two Chicks on Books – Excerpt 

October 25 – A Dream Within a Dream – Meet the Characters

October 25 – #BRVL Book Review – Excerpt /IG Post

October 26 – Nerdophiles – Spotlight

October 27 – YA Books Central – Guest Post

October 28 – Little Red Reads – Review/IG Post

October 31 – Real World According to Sue – Review/IG

October 31 – The Momma Spot – Review/IG Post

November 1 – Review Thick and Thing – Review/IG Post

November 1 – Wanderingwitchreads – TikTokReview/IG

November 2 – Pick a Good Book -Review/IG Post

November 2 – A Blue Box Full of Books – IG Review

November 3 – @wendyreadsforfun – IG Review

November 3 – @enjoyingbooksagain – IG Review

November 4 – OneMoreExclamation – Review/IG Post

November 4 – @allylubsbooksalatte – IG Review/TikTok

Are you dressing up for Halloween? What is your favorite costume? Do you a favorite treat?

Something Spooky This Way Comes: Books for Fall

Autumn is my favorite time of year. The weather is cooler, the leaves are changing colors, and Halloween is just around the corner. In honor of all things that go bump in the night, I have seven spooky reads for you. From time-traveling wizards to ghosts and werewolves. These are all on my TBR List. 

Title: Shadows Across Time

by Mariah Lynne
Genre: Paranormal Time Travel Romance

When a royal wizard casts a spell that sends Danielle deforest back to 1559, she learns she’s the crucial link for a royal spell. Her only hope is a fortune-telling mannequin. But if the wizard discovers their plans to escape, he’ll destroy them all.


Why Mariah loves this time of year: With no seasons in Florida, we love to overdecorate, have large Halloween parties, and wear costumes.

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Title: Divine Vintage

Series: First in a new series
by Sandra L. Young
Genre: Ghosts and psychic visions

Ghostly visions linked to an Edwardian bride’s trousseau drive Tess to investigate a century-old crime-of-passion. While he’s drawn to her, the handsome descendant of the accused husband isn’t thrilled at plunging into the mind-blowing images. Emotions from the past bring them together - and may drive them apart.

Why Sandra loves this time of year: Besides the beauty of fall and the tang of pumpkin spice, I love a little ghostly sizzle!

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Title: Scarlet at Crystal River

Series: Haunted Shores Mysteries
by Randy Overbook
Genre: Paranormal Mystery

Darrell and Erin thought they were heading to Florida for a carefree honeymoon, but the ghosts of two immigrants children haunt them, pleading for help.


Why Randy loves this time of year: There is no better time than when the crisp autumn air meets the foggy haunted nights of October.

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Title: Fatal Hunt

Series: The Fatal Series Book One
by Michelle Godard-Richer
Genre: Romantic Thriller

After surviving the wrath of a serial killer, Jessica believes her misfortunes are over. She's reunited with her first love, Jon, and they‚ are living happily ever after on their ranch in Montana. That is until secrets, lies, and a formidable foe from Jon's past emerge to shake the foundation of their relationship, forcing them to flee for their lives.


Why Michelle loves this time of year: Fall is my favourite time of year because the trees are colourful and it's horror book and movie season.

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Title: Haunted Serenade

Series: Haunted Harlem
by Anna M. Taylor
Genre: Contemporary Gothic Romance

What is a ghost except a longing that will not die or a love that has yet to be born? When an unseen force manifests itself during a family reunion Anora Madison must turn to the man whose heart she broke for help.


Why Anna loves this time of year: Indian summer. The unexpected warmth coupled with the colors of autumn always warms my heart.

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Title: Moonlight Becomes You

Series: The Eidola Project
by Robert Herold
Genre: Horror

The Eidola Project investigates murders in a Black community rumored to be caused by a werewolf. The KKK objects to the team's activities, and the group is falling apart. Can they defeat the evil that surrounds them? Winner of Best novel award from the Southeastern Writers Association. On sale! $0.99


Why Robert loves this time of year: I love the creative decorations and the Halloween spirit!

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Title: Spooky Tutti Frutti

by Margaret L. Carter

A midsummer sailboat race is coming to Annapolis, and Celia's 1950s-themed ice cream parlor will have a booth at the waterfront celebration. She receives unexpected help from a part-time worker who pops up out of nowhere. Suzie proves to have an almost magical gift for the craft of artisanal ice cream, yet she acts clueless about some ordinary details of everyday life. And why is she so determined to churn up the perfect batch of tutti frutti?


What Margaret loves about this time of year: Since I specialize in vampires, having written many vampire novels and stories as well as nonfiction books and articles about vampires in literature, naturally I'm a big fan of Halloween.

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Have you read any of these books? Do you have a favorite book featuring things that go bump in the night? Let me know in the comments