Mystery + Romance by Paty Jager

When I started out writing the Shandra Higheagle Mysteries I knew my amateur sleuth would need a sidekick who was in law enforcement. What I didn't know was how soon the sparks would fly between them! 

The first book the reader gets a pretty good idea that the two will be working closely together and there is a romantic connection. 

That is part of what has made writing this series so much fun. Coming up with unique murders and twisty endings, but also building the connection between not only Shandra and Ryan but several of their friends who are secondary characters.

And because life moves forward for all of us, I also have the lives of my characters move forward. In the course of my, so far, 15 book series, Ryan and Shandra and four of their friends have married. One couple has had a child and another couple has a child on the way. 

In Capricious Demise, Shandra has a dream about a boy and a girl. Because her deceased grandmother appears in the dream, she fears something has happened to the children or their parents. Every time a murder happens that involves someone Shandra knows, her grandmother shows up in dreams, giving clues to the murders. The grandmother shows Shandra where to find the children. 

In this book Shandra and Ryan take another step in their relationship.

Capricious Demise

Book 15

Shandra Higheagle Mystery Series

Vengeance…Envy…Murder

Shandra Higheagle’s deceased Grandmother enters Shandra’s dream, showing her two lost children. Her grandmother never comes to her dreams unless there is a murder to solve. But whose? The children? Or someone related to them?

Ryan is called out to a suicide, that isn’t. While contacting next of kin, he finds the victim’s husband also murdered and their two children missing.

Using her dreams, Shandra helps locate the missing twins whom they take into their home as foster children. The hunt for the reason the parents were murdered becomes urgent when the children reveal they may have seen the killer.

Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/u/b6ZJOA

So far readers are loving this latest book. If you'd like to start the series, book one, Double Duplicity is FREE at all ebook vendors.  

Home is a Place We Go When We Aren't at the Doctors by Vonnie Davis

I'm a prolific writer, so I don't have time to be sick. That's why I get a flu shot every year as soon as they're available. This year, the shot failed. Three weeks ago, in an instant, I was sick with the flu. I mean couldn't crawl out of the bed, cough up a lung, ache all over sick. I turn 70 in May and am a diabetic, so I had to take care of myself. I'm more like a tough duck than a spring chicken.

My husband's heart is pumping at 20% efficiency. He's been in and out of the hospital. He falls a lot and I struggle to pick him up. He's using a walker all the time now. The strain on his heart has damaged his kidneys. He sees two cardiologists--one for the chambers beating out of rhythm and another for the heart's lack of pumping power. He also sees a Urologist and a Kidney Specialist.

Last week, I was thrilled to learn I didn't need my monthly retina shot I'd been getting for two years. The bleeding had stopped. Unfortunately, bleeding had started in the other eye so I needed a shot in it. Some months, I'll need shots in both. Ohhhh joy!

But, you know, it could be worse.  We could be worse. No one's said life has to be fair.

Meanwhile I'm trying to finish a bear shifter romance--FINDING CAMEO.

Take care of yourselves. Avoid the flu. It's so easy to get and so hard to get over. www.vonniedavis.com

Four White Roses - by Judy Ann Davis

Can a wily old ghost help two fractured 
hearts find love? 

     I'm excited and honored to discover that my newest novel, Four White Roses," was a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards. The Book Excellence Awards were founded by Literary Excellence Incorporated. Books that have received a Book Excellence Award have been recognized for their high quality design, writing, and overall market appeal.

I decided to just post an excerpt from the books along with a few details:

       Rich continued to peer at the vacant rocker, now rocking at a faster pace. “Grandmother? Gertie? Aren’t you supposed to be dead?”

“I am dead.”
 “Then aren’t you supposed to be somewhere else? Like in another dimension?  In heaven or riding a cloud somewhere?” He pointed upward. “Or am I drunk and I don’t know it?”
     “Phfftt, you’re hardly drunk. And I’m not going anywhere while I have unfinished business here on earth.”

“Didn’t anyone tell you to go toward the Light?” His voice rose an octave now.

“Of course.” The voice was getting as annoyed as he was. “But not when I know things you don’t. Not when I need you to finish a few unresolved issues for me.”

Rich moved a little closer to the moving rocking chair and blinked, still trying to process everything. “Can you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Just waltz around willy-nilly on earth after you die?”

The rocker slowed.

Rich dropped his head in his hands and mumbled, “Please, please, please. Let this be a dream…or the effects of good eighteen-year aged Irish whiskey. I’m losing my marbles.”

The voice interrupted, “Buck up, Richard Lee. You aren’t losing your marbles, although you may have a hole in your bag. You are my last hope. You need to find your half-sister, who needs your help, and you need to find those Austrian rubies I’ve searched for my entire life. If not for me, for your daughter, Estella. It’s my great-granddaughter’s heritage and inheritance.”

“Yes, but for the record, how can I tell you’re really the ghost of my grandmother? Tell me something most people don’t know about me.”
                “For goodness sake! What is this? Jeopardy? I see you still can be a pain in the backside with your endless quest for the truth. How about this? The kids used to tease you and call you Richie Rich. And every time you got yourself tied in a sanctimonious knot over it, I used to tell you they could have chosen worse names like Dumbo or Dimwit.”
               Rich’s eyes widened as he stared at the rocker. “It really is you. Grandmother Gertie. Why me?”
               “Because you’re the only direct surviving relative, Dimwit.”
               “But I really don’t know where to start.”
               There was a long whoosh of air, like a disgruntled sigh. “Just how did you pass the bar with such a dull, negative attitude? How about some creative thinking? How about your grandfather’s study for starters?”
               “Where in the study?” he asked, but he instantly he knew he wouldn’t get an answer. The rocking chair now stood motionless.
               “Holy moly, let this be the effects of alcohol or a bad dream,” he muttered before turning and trudging inside, locking the door, and heading straight to his room to sleep.  

A word about the author…

 Judy Ann Davis began her career in writing as a copy and continuity writer for radio and television in Scranton, PA. She holds a degree in Journalism and Communications and has written for industry and education throughout her career.

Over a dozen of her short stories have appeared in various literary and small magazines and anthologies, and have received numerous awards. She is published in multi-genres, including romance, mystery, western, and comedy. Four White Roses is her fourth novel to date.

When Judy Ann is not behind a computer, you can find her looking for anything humorous to make her laugh or swinging a golf club where the chuckles are few.

She is a member of Pennwriters, Inc. and Romance Writers of America, and divides her time between Central Pennsylvania and New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

                             Four White Roses Amazon Buy Link: 

https://www.amazon.com/Four-White-Roses-Judy-Davis-ebook/dp/B06XPBKY7F/

Visit her on: 
Blog: www.judyanndavis.blogspot.com 
The web: www.judyanndavis.com

Facebook: Judy Ann Davis Author 
Twitter: JudyAnnDavis4 
Pinterest: JudyAnnDavis44/

Author Page: Amazon Author Page 
Goodreads Author Page 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4353662.Judy_Ann_Davis

Other Judy Ann Davis titles 
KEY TO LOVE
RED FOX WOMAN
UNDER STARRY SKIES
SWEET KISS [A Novella]
UP ON THE ROOF AND OTHER STORIES

 

 

It's Summer!! by Suzanne Rossi

Hi everyone.

June ushers in my favorite season of the year. As a kid, summer meant riding my bike with friends to the local drug store for Archie and Little Lulu comic books, and waiting impatiently in the afternoon for the ice cream truck to finally appear so I could savor every bite of that Drumstick or Eskimo Pie. My teenage tastes were more refined. I could drive to the local pool and eat those Drumsticks and Eskimo Pies with my friends under the covered pavilion. Sometimes, we'd swim, sunbathe, and of course, flirt with the boys. And then there was that week or so when my parents packed up and off we'd go on vacation. It didn't matter where we traveled--to Pensacola Beach or a relative's house--it was an adventure, not to mention a change of scenery.

Once I became a parent myself, summer meant vacations with grandma and grandpa. They spoiled the kids rotten allowing my husband and I relax without having to do much of anything. Eventually, we'd have to deal with the results of all that spoiling, but it was worth it.

Today, summer means something else--construction. The contract for the addition and kitchen renovation was signed three weeks ago. Last week the men showed up to demolish the useless pergola and warped deck. It turns out part of the deck was built over an existing patio, so much of that had to be broken up, but the good news is we can keep an 8 x 15 foot section for grilling and sitting. This afternoon, they will be digging the footings for the 12 x 16 foot addition. In a couple of days, the concrete will be poured for the pad, new pool steps, and walkway. Then I'm told the framing can begin. Naturally, all of this is going on while I have company. Plus, my editor sent me the final edits for "Point of View." Just little bumps in the summer road.

The contractor will do the outside first so we can use it for cooking/eating while the kitchen is in shambles. The timeline is ten weeks, but this isn't our first renovation rodeo. I'm figuring closer to twelve--maybe fourteen, which means summer will be almost over. I will not allow this to interfere with my pool time. If the workers can't deal with my fat body in a swim suit, then too bad. They can look the other way. LOL.

And speaking of the pool, it is now open for business. I went out a couple of weeks ago and bought a three-seat covered swing, new chairs, and oodles of pool toys--including a giant floating flamingo--for the grandkids to play with when they come over. They seem to enjoy the water cannons the most. My favorite part of it all is I can sit in the swing and watch them having fun. But then, that's what it's all about. Right?

Yep, summer is here and in between the jack-hammering, nail guns, cement trucks, and whatever else is thrown my way, I intend to enjoy it. Hope you all have a great summer, too.

See you next month.

Suzanne

FOUR WHITE ROSES - May 17th Release Date

by Judy Ann Davis

"Can a wily old ghost help two fractured hearts find love?"

  

FOUR WHITE ROSES  is now available for Amazon Kindle Pre-Order for $4.99

https://www.amazon.com/Four-White-Roses-Judy-Davis-ebook/dp/B06XPBKY7F/

BLURB:

     When widower Rich Redman returns to Pennsylvania with his young daughter to sell his deceased grandmother’s house, he discovers Grandmother Gertie’s final request was for him to find a missing relative and a stash of WWI jewels.

     

     Torrie Larson, single mom, is trying to make her landscape center and flower arranging business succeed while attempting to save the lineage of a rare white rose brought from Austria in the 1900s.

     

     Together, the rich Texas lawyer and poor landscape owner team up to rescue the last rose and fulfill a dead woman’s wishes. But in their search to discover answers to the mysteries plaguing them, will Rich and Torrie also discover love in each other’s arms? Or will a meddling ghost, a pompous banker, and an elusive stray cat get in their way?

AUTHOR NOTES:

"Four White Roses" was a fun book to write since it's a sweet romantic mystery with lots of comedy. It's the story of two people, Torrie Larson, a widow landscape owner,  and Rich Redman, a widower Texas lawyer, who reunite in their small hometown. They each have a small daughter, but Rich's daughter, Estella, is an eight-year-old who can give anyone around her a run for their money.