Jill Piscitello

Guest Post with Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Please join me in welcoming Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy. I’m delighted to share her guest post on Herman, Missouri and a behind the scenes glimpse into how this story idea was developed. Cozy up for Christmas in July with this festive spin on a new Scrooge in Scrooge and Marlee.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Scrooge And Marlee

Author: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Genre: Contemporary romance/sweet romance

BLURB:

Theo Scrooge, like the fictional Ebenezer, isn’t fond of Christmas. Any resemblance ends there for the chef and proprietor of Bah Humbug! but his love life is almost nonexistent until he meets a teacher who plans to relocate to the small German flavored town in the Missouri Rhineland. When Marlee falls into the turbulent Missouri River, Theo rescues her. As their relationship grows, so do the obstacles in Theo’s life until his worries about making money and his profit margin overshadow their romance. He’s changed but it’s not an improvement. On the eve of Christmas, Marlee offers him an ultimatum and a copy of Dickens’ book to read. Whether or not Theo will reorganize his priorities will affect if Marlee and their love can both survive.

Scrooge And Marlee is available from World Castle Publishing and most online retailers in eBook format, hardback, paperback, and audio.

Although Christmas does figure into the plot, it is a story for all seasons!

GUEST POST:

The German Town in Missouri

Tucked away in the hills above the Missouri River as it ambles through the center of the Show-Me State is a small town with a German flavor. Hermann, Missouri was founded by German immigrants. Vineyards surround the city and there are numerous wineries, some within the city limits and more just outside in the surrounding countryside. The original town lies adjacent to the river with architecture that evokes a European flavor. Several restaurants offer up German cuisine and there are multiple festivals, many imported from the old country, each year including Oktoberfest and Maifest.

My latest release, Scrooge And Marlee, is set in Hermann. Because the place is one of my favorites to visit within my home state, I loved the idea of setting one of my novels in the picturesque area.

Like most of my novels, the inspiration began with a “What if?” question. Dickens Christmas Carol is one of my favorite classics and so I wondered what if there was a young man who happened to have the surname Scrooge. I pondered how it would affect him – especially if he had a reason not to like Christmas. As Theo Scrooge came to life in my imagination, I decided he should live in Hermann. Despite the English surname, I gave him a mother and extended family with a German heritage. I also decided that some of the locals would tease him about being Scrooge.

As the story began to build in my mind, I decided Theo was a chef. Although he once wanted to travel the world, he instead returned to his hometown where ten years earlier he opened a little pub/bistro he named Bah Humbug! As the novel begins, Theo is established but he’s also lonely. He’s close to his family and best friend who happens to be the local sheriff but he would like to find a lady to love. A past relationship ended badly and he’s yet to recover.

I also have a partial German heritage so I delighted in Theo cooking German dishes and adding just a little bit of German to the conversations in the novel. Once he meets a schoolteacher who hopes to relocate to the small town, Theo is smitten but he has to save her from drowning in the river before he can meet her.

Their love story isn’t without obstacles and one of the largest is his dislike of all things Christmas. Second to that, he’s preoccupied with making money and that eventually rubs Marlee the wrong way.

AUTHOR BIO:

Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy grew up in an old blue collar neighborhood in her hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri, the place where the short lived Pony Express began and where outlaw Jesse James met his end. Her love of reading was nurtured by a steady supply of Little Golden Books and books from the neighborhood Washington Park Library. At the age of nine she wrote a poem, her first publication, that appeared in the local newspaper and from then on, she wrote.

When her family relocated to the Ozarks, she discovered a new community in Neosho, home of the real Camp Swampy of Beetle Bailey comic strip fame. After graduating from two colleges with degrees in journalism, English, and history she worked in radio, education, and became a newspaper reporter, then editor.

She met the man she married when she was thirteen and he was fifteen, but she didn’t settle down to married life until her early thirties. They raised three children before her husband passed away in 2019. Her first novel was published in 2010 and she continues to write with a growing backlist of more than thirty titles. Her favorite places include anywhere with beaches or mountains.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Website: https://leeannsontheimer.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leeann.sontheimermurphy and https://www.facebook.com/leeannwriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/leeannwriter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LeeAnnWriter/?hl=en
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/leeannwriter/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Ann-Sontheimer-Murphy/e/B004JPBM6I?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4543214.Lee_Ann_Sontheimer_Murphy

PURCHASE LINKS:

Smoother Than Spumoni, by Marilyn Barr

I am delighted to share this unbiased review for Smoother Than Spumoni, by Marilyn Barr.

BLURB

Susie Larkin is a dolphin shifter and heir to the humble Larkin’s Dairy Dip on Seagrass Island, FL. Pedaling ice cream from bicycle carts on the beach is just a stepping-stone for this future CEO of a frozen confection empire—or so she hopes.

Frank Paulino Jr. receives his first taste of freedom from Strawberry, KY in a summer internship at Bart’s Oyster bar. His pasta creations save the restaurant when red tide poisons the fresh fish of the bay, making him the most popular werewolf on Seagrass island.

Frank and Susie uncover a conspiracy that threatens not only the wildlife of the area, but also their lives. Can these two shifters put their ambitions aside long enough to give their relationship a chance, or will Frank pay the ultimate price to protect Susie and the island she loves?

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK

https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/6d883a68-d766-11eb-92b4-0f32c89b9c50

LOVE LIST

I loved that my first dive into a world of shifters broadened my list of enjoyable genres.
I loved how Susie’s experience transforming from human to dolphin and back again leapt off the page.
I loved the small town, Florida beach setting. This was a perfect read to welcome summer.
I loved how the author’s vivid details bring this world to life. The descriptions of food will leave readers craving a long list of menu items.
I loved how the author evoked both the thrill and sweetness of first love. Readers can expect more than tagging along with Susie as she navigates decisions, danger, and dreams. The excitement and uncertainty of being a young adult comes flooding in as we experience Susie’s journey through her eyes.
I loved that Susie puts her future first. She is a strong heroine with goals and wants a partner in life to share achievements with.
I loved the bit of mystery interjected into the storyline.
I loved that this book is part of the Strawberry Shifters series. Readers will definitely want to revisit these characters and their world.

REVIEW SUMMARY

Smoother Than Spumoni is an enjoyable story that will drop readers into a world of shifters and young love. Although this was the perfect book to kick off my summer reading list, the story will please readers year-round. Vivid details bring this small town, Florida beach setting to life. The descriptions of food will leave readers craving a long list of menu items.

The author expertly evokes both the thrill and sweetness of first love. Readers can expect more than tagging along with Susie as she navigates decisions, danger, and dreams. The excitement and uncertainty of being a young adult comes flooding in as we experience Susie’s journey through her eyes.

Susie is a strong heroine with goals and wants a partner in life to share achievements with. The bit of mystery interjected into the storyline is an added bonus. I’m so glad this story is part of the Strawberry Shifters series. Readers will definitely want to revisit these characters and their world.

Book in the Spotlight: Bridges, by Linda Griffin

Please join me in welcoming Linda Griffin. Today we are spotlighting Bridges. I’m always excited to welcome a fellow Scrabble enthusiast! More importantly, I’m sold on the book blurb. Get ready to add to your TBR pile.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Bridges

Author: Linda Griffin

Genre: Sweet Romance

BLURB:

In 1963, Neil Vincent, a middle-aged World War II veteran and “Christian atheist,” is working at Westfield Court as a chauffeur. He likes the peace and quiet after his military career and the abundant free time, which he spends mostly indulging his passion for books. He is in an ongoing casual relationship, but not interested in a commitment.

Mary Claire DeWinter is a young, blind Catholic college student who comes to Westfield Court when her grandfather is dying. To her shock, he leaves the entire estate to her, but to secure the inheritance, she has to marry within a year. Her domineering aunt pressures her to marry a rich man who teased and bullied her when she was a child.

Neil and Mary Claire are divided by age, status, and religion, but they begin an innocent friendship based on a shared love of books and ideas. Neil wants to help her chart her own path, even though he will be out of a job if she doesn’t marry. Can they maintain their friendship and perhaps cross the bridge to more?

AUTHOR BIO:

Linda Griffin is a native of San Diego and has a BA in English from San Diego State University and an MLS from UCLA. As soon as she learned to read, she knew she wanted to be a “book maker” and wrote her first story, “Judy and the Fairies,” at the age of six. She retired as fiction librarian for the San Diego Public Library in order to spend more time on her writing. Her stories have been published in numerous journals including, Eclectica, Thema Literary Review, The Binnacle, and most recently The Adirondack Review. Bridges is her fifth novel from the Wild Rose Press, after four romantic suspense titles, Seventeen Days (2018), The Rebound Effect (2019), Guilty Knowledge (2020), and Love, Death, and the Art of Cooking (2021). In addition to the three R’s—reading, writing, and research—she enjoys movies, Scrabble, and travel.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Blog: https://www.lindagriffinauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindagriffin.author

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindagriffinauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaGriffinA

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QXQJFNT

Barnes&Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bridges-joy-griffin/1102348389

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/bridges/id1606565402

Book in the Spotlight: Hidden Gem: The Secret of St. Augustine, by M.S. Spencer

Please join me in welcoming M.S. Spencer. Today we are spotlighting Hidden Gem: The Secret of St. Augustine.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Hidden Gem: The Secret of St. Augustine

Author: M. S. Spencer

Genre: Cozy Mystery/Romantic Suspense

BLURB:

Barnaby and Philo’s story begins with very bad chili and a dead body.

Barnaby is in St. Augustine, Florida, to teach a college seminar, and plans to use The Secret—a treasure hunt book—as a framework for his class. He enlists Philo Brice, owner of an antique map store, to aid him in seeking clues in the historic sites of the ancient city.

Together they face murderers, thieves, thugs, and fanatics, heightening their already strong attraction to each other. Can they solve the puzzle and unearth the treasure before the villains do? Philo and Barnaby pursue several twisting paths and false leads before arriving at a startling conclusion.

AUTHOR BIO:

Librarian, anthropologist, Congressional aide, speechwriter—M. S. Spencer has traveled the globe. She has published fifteen romantic suspense or murder mystery novels, with two more on the way. She has two fabulous grown children and an incredible granddaughter. She divides her time between the Gulf Coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Blog: https://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencermysteries

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.S.-Spencer/e/B002ZOEUC8/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-s-spencer

PURCHASE LINKS:

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/mZZ2Ry https://books2read.com/Hidden-Gem-The-Secret-of-St-Augustine

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Gem-Secret-St-Augustine-ebook/dp/B09QJHCB4V

Barnes&Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hidden-gem-m-s-spencer/1140893266 /BIN ID: 2940161144589

ITunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hidden-gem-the-secret-of-st-augustine/id1605417704

Rakuten/KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hidden-gem-the-secret-of-st-augustine

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=g25mEAAAQBAJ

Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/hidden-gem-the-secret-of/9781509240364-item.html

Angus & Robertson: https://www.angusrobertson.com.au/books/hidden-gem-m-s-spencer/p/9781509240357

Author Interview with Josephine Strand for Misty Dreams

Please join me in welcoming author Josephine Strand. Misty Dreams is a perfect pick for readers of sweet romance.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Misty Dreams

Author: Josephine Strand

Genre: Sweet Romance

BLURB:

“As a child, she filled his void. As a woman, she completed him.”

Clare has lived on St. Isabel Island all her life, except for a few months she can’t recall. A traumatic childhood experience has left a blank spot in her memory and a lingering feeling of having lost more than just a small, painful piece of her past. When the enigmatic Dr. Richard Kelly shows up on her island, she feels whole for the first time. Yet she’s certain the man is a stranger to her, until she discovers he’s been hiding something from her, a secret that reawakens her childhood fears and threatens to upset her life again.

Richard Kelly’s hard-earned career as a world-renowned neurosurgeon has been derailed by his ex-wife’s unspeakable betrayal. His entire life is on a downward spiral. In a desperate attempt to outrun his demons, he sets off to a remote island in the South to trace the origins of an anonymous painting. He doesn’t expect to come face to face with the girl he once knew as Misty, and he’s instantly captivated by her genuine charm. But if the charismatic kindergarten teacher of the secret lagoon is the Misty of his past, why doesn’t she remember him?

Misty Dreams is a heartwarming love story about second chances and the healing power of new beginnings.

INTERVIEW:

What was the inspiration behind your latest release?

The idea for the story came from a series I wrote in my late twenties. In between caring for my daughter and helping my husband in his business, I wrote several novellas set in a vacation resort on a tropical island. It was superficial, frivolous stuff that will never see the light of day. I had grown to love two of my characters so much, Clare and Richard, I wanted them to have their own standalone story. What laid the groundwork for the plot was probably my deep-seated regret for not having been blessed with a sister. In Misty Dreams, Clare’s sister plays a key role in the mystery the story revolves around.

Where do you get your ideas?

The books I read are the inspiration for my stories. I’ve been an avid reader since I was a child, and I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to write. When I’m experiencing the dreaded writer’s block, reading a good book will get me back in the mood.

Have you ever traveled when researching information for a book?

When it comes to research, I’m mostly a couch surfer, though I draw inspiration from my actual travels. Ever since I was a little girl I have loved traveling to new places. I believe traveling and living in different parts of the world have helped shape me as a person and as a writer and impacted the way I see the world.

When did you begin writing?

I don’t remember not ever writing. As a little girl I loved writing essays for English class. One of the first fiction pieces I wrote was in elementary school, a fantasy short story on book characters coming to life in the school library when the clock struck midnight.

What has been your biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge has been English not being my first language. Although I read a lot of English books, using the English lexicon in my writing doesn’t come easy to me. I worked on Misty Dreams for several years before I felt comfortable enough to send it out into the world.

What does literary success mean to you?

Literary success to me doesn’t mean monetary reward. That would be nice, of course, but just knowing people are reading my book gives me a great sense of fulfilment. Having doubted for so many years my ability to write for other people’s enjoyment, I still have trouble believing I can and did.

What writing tips or marketing advice would you like to share?

The most important advice I would give new or aspiring writers is, don’t let your insecurities get in the way of your writing. Don’t let self-doubt and lack of self-confidence hold you back. Spend time learning the fundamentals of writing and becoming more competent in your own abilities. On the marketing front, I would advise to start setting up social media platforms well ahead of a book launch to start building an audience. I was never a fan of social media, and the thought of putting myself out there for the whole world to see was terrifying. Today, I regret not having had the foresight to do that.

Which authors inspire you?

Nicholas Sparks is a long-time favorite, and the one I draw the most inspiration from. Despite his obsession for serious subject matters and less-than-happy endings, he writes books that impact me on an emotional level and that stay embedded in my memory. I’m also a big fan of Jojo Moyes since reading “Me Before You”, for the humor and warmth she infuses in her books.

What project are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on a second stand-alone novel. For a while I toyed with the idea of a Misty Dreams sequel, but I struggled to find inspiration. Not being a fan of romance series, I decided to write the story I wanted to read.

AUTHOR BIO:

Josephine Strand was born in Italy, grew up in South Africa, and is a long-time resident of the United States. She discovered her love of books when she was introduced to her town’s public library at the age of eight. At nine, she gained her English teacher’s praise with her short story The Library at Midnight. She hasn’t stopped writing since, though Misty Dreams is her first published novel. Her travels between the three continents have strengthened her love for the sea and the outdoors. When not writing or absorbed in the latest gripping page-turner, she loves to cook and enjoys long nature walks.