Miracles and Ghosts: The Christmas Eve Walk #excerpt #preorder #christmasstories #secondchances #writingcommunity #readersoftwitter #holidayreading

Hi!

Today I’m sharing the second story The Christmas Eve Walk and an excerpt from Miracles and Ghosts. Linda’s still reeling after her boyfriend broke up with her instead of the expected proposal. Her ex unexpectedly texts and asks if he can pick up his snow boots—because he’s going on vacation with his new girlfriend. To find some perspective, Linda takes her dog, Bubs for a walk in the forest. As the first snowflakes blanket the forest she hears a young boy calling out. He needs her help with some kittens he just found. This leads to a vet visit and an unexpected discovery.

Excerpt

The Christmas Eve Walk

The house was deep-cleaned, the decorations were up, and presents had been mailed to her sister. Linda Jones glanced out the window at the neighborhood’s festive glow. There was magic in the air tonight—that was what her mother used to tell her and her sister. If she had a wish, what would it be? The man of her dreams? He definitely hadn’t been Curt.

“Well, can’t hurt. I wish for my soulmate to find me under the Christmas Eve star I can’t see.” Linda grinned, proud of how well the holiday season was going, especially after the unexpected breakup. A familiar bolt of anger coursed through her like a bad burger. After all, she had expected him to propose, not end it.

“Nope. Not going there,” Linda informed her current best friend and furry companion, Bubbles. The shepherd mix had belonged to her sister until she moved out of the country to start over after her husband moved on from her. Must be a sibling thing, Linda thought. So she had inherited the poorly named dog, who she now called Bubs.

A beep came from her phone. A text from Curt.

I hate to bother you, Linda, but I believe I left snow boots at your house. On my way to Tahoe and hoping you are home so I can swing by and pick them up.

Without thinking, she responded.

I’ll be here.

She stomped off, Bubs following close behind. “Can you believe him? Some wish that was, and now he’s on the trip we were supposed to take. They’ve only been officially dating for six weeks, Bubs. We were together for two years. I had to earn my vacation with him, and that woman gets to go right away. Maybe she’s paying for it, because he sure never wanted to part with his money.”

Bubs sighed and sank onto his bed.

Linda quickly located the black size 10 men’s boots in her coat closet, glad to get them out of her house. Curt wore them the first year they were together when they went to cut a Christmas tree. The tree that she paid for had ended up at his house.

Blurb

Miracles and Ghosts: A Christmas Collection’s eight tales bring light in the darkest of circumstances. In the novelette, A Perfect Ghostly Christmas, Julie has survived the foster care system and finally comes home. She now owns her grandparents’ house and has received an offer that appears too good to be true. On top of that, the family she felt had abandoned her during her difficult times has reentered her life. But it’s the otherworldly experiences that lead her to something her grandparents left behind. This discovery changes everything and opens a door to danger. The seven short stories explore fractured families, a widower’s loneliness, a mall shooting, financial struggles, strained relationships, woodland kittens, and a woman haunted by a red truck. Whether it’s a ghost, an angel, or Santa, some unseen force is there to provide help when needed. A reminder in the busy holiday season or anytime we are never alone, and miracles are possible.

PREORDER:

AMAZON US

AMAZON UK

Blog Tour Schedule for Miracles and Ghosts

Sandra Cox: November 1^st A Perfect Ghostly Christmas

Liz Gauffreau: November 5th Miracle in ER

John Howell: November 6^th A Man and His Cat

Colleen Chesebro: November 7^th At the Mall & video

Jacqui Murray: November 12^th The Red Truck

Jan Sikes: November 13^th Christmas Reunion

Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L. Finn

Miracles and Ghosts: Words Hurt #excerpt #preorder #christmasstories #family #writingcommunity #readersoftwitter #holidayreading

Hi 🙂

I’m doing a short tour for the Miracles and Ghosts release and have included the stops at the bottom of this post.

During the tour, I will discuss six of the stories and release a new book trailer, but that left two stories not covered. So I’m going to do that here.

Today I will be covering Words Hurt and an excerpt.

Sally is estranged from her family after some hurtful words were said during the Thanksgiving dinner. She’s also lost her boyfriend through that. This leaves her and Ellie her bichon frise alone Christmas Eve. Her plans for a quiet holiday though are interrupted with bad news.

Excerpt

Words Hurt

Sally MacNei decorated the white-lit faux tree with blue ornaments while listening to her favorite Christmas album. She found comfort in savoring her hot chocolate topped with marshmallows from a Santa face mug decorated with sparkles. Nevertheless, no matter how festive she made it, the holiday season was destined to be anything but normal. Not after what had happened at her sister’s Thanksgiving table.

She sighed, finished her beverage, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand like her niece, Maggie, did. Maggie was the only person she missed, but she’d make it up to her if they let her.

“I sent Maggie the gifts, anyway. Plus, I’m sure that family we adopted this year will enjoy the little extra gifts we sent them, right, Ellie?”

The little dog peeked from behind the Christmas tree. She blinked her gentle brown eyes and settled in for a nap like a fluffy snowflake. “Glad you agree. Don’t knock anything off the tree,” she cautioned the impeccably groomed bichon frise with the fake diamond collar.

Sally placed the blue snowflake gift bag full of new squeaky toys for Ellie under the tree. That bag wouldn’t make it until morning. Her coworkers had given her gifts, but the absence of the presents she had bought for her family made the tree feel incomplete.

Although it wasn’t her fault, she’d make the best of it. Being alone had its benefits, like eating whatever she wanted. She was looking forward to the organic Christmas feast for two she’d pick up later. It came with a turkey breast, mashed potatoes, and gravy. She’d skipped the green beans and gone with double stuffing and real wheat rolls. The dessert was her favorite apple pie instead of traditional pumpkin. She planned on lots of leftovers.

“It will be fun, Ellie.”

The dog’s ears perked, but she didn’t open her eyes.

“After dinner we can watch all the sappy holiday movies we want. Perfect day, if you ask me.”

She pushed down the thought that “sad” might be a more accurate description.

Blurb

PREORDER:

AMAZON US

AMAZON UK

Blog Tour Schedule for Miracles and Ghosts

Sandra Cox: November 1^st A Perfect Ghostly Christmas

Liz Gauffreau: November 5th Miracle in ER

John Howell: November 6^th A Man and His Cat

Colleen Chesebro: November 7^th At the Mall & video

Jacqui Murray: November 12^th The Red Truck

Jan Sikes: November 13^th Christmas Reunion

Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L. Finn

New Release! Tracks of Infinity by C. S. Boyack @Virgilante #writingcommunity #readersoftwitter #whattoread #newrelease

I’m thrilled to have Craig here today to share his latest book, “Tracks of Infinity.” Here’s my five-star review: LINK

I really appreciate the invitation today. I haven’t done anything like a blog tour for a long time, and it’s nice to chat with everyone on the road.

I have a new book out and I want to tell everyone about it. In my last solo title, I wanted to challenge myself to include more sensory things in the descriptions. I chose the sense of smell and gave my main character some enhanced abilities along those lines. They were well received, so I decided to try something similar.

Most of us are visually oriented, and when we read it is generally with our eyes. (Audiobooks excluded.) I didn’t see trying to incorporate more visuals into my fiction, so this time I settled on sound.

Cody Hughes is a co-main character in this story. He is a young man, still living at home when this story opens. He’s struggling with college, because he’s doing what is expected. He studies business, but also takes classes that could lead him to becoming an audiology technician.

His mother, (The other main character) keeps telling him he can always use a business degree. She thinks maybe a doctor of audiology might be a better path for him.

Cody is all about sounds, and has recorded and cataloged sounds since a very young age. His biggest dream is to become a foley artist one day. You might not know the term, but these are the people who work behind the scenes of film, radio, and advertising to put the sound effects into various media. When someone spills something in an advertisement for cleaning products, the sound of it hitting the floor is the work of a foley artist.

Cody sells the occasional sound effects to various podcasters, but never seems to find his stride. He is 21 in this story and I tried to demonstrate the way young people get pulled in multiple directions. Different people have his best interests in mind, but some of this isn’t his first love. Then there is his actual first love in the form of a girl from Hong Kong.

Part of the challenge was to use sound in ways that influence the story. I really enjoyed this part, and Cody even gets to save the day at one point. His biggest break might be doing the foley work on his mother’s documentary.

Cody was a lot of fun to create and I hope I’ve intrigued some of you with his character. Let’s get to the cover and blurb.

Blurb:

Jenny’s life is in upheaval. Her only child, Cody, is getting on with his young adult life, and has a girlfriend Jenny is unsure of. Her career at the news station is in jeopardy in a push to get more diverse and younger at the same time.

She wants to be an investigative reporter, but it seems they’ve been relegated to the Stone Age. Gossip, celebrities, and local interest is the order of the day.

In desperation, she accepts an off-camera job to retain her paycheck at all. This is when she discovers that mergers and acquisitions over the decades have left the station with a long history of old news tales in the basement. Could a cold case be something she could focus on in her spare time?

She and her son glean through ancient manila envelopes to find something of interest. Cody needs to make a drive in the country to pass college geology, and decides they might as well go to the location in one of the old stories. Mother and son make a day of it.

What they discover isn’t something either of them expected. Who can she turn to for help and guidance in the dying art of investigative journalism? Will Jenny be able to market a story like this at all? Who are the strange thugs that seem to be tracking their every move, and what are they up to?

The answers to these questions and more are revealed in Tracks of Infinity.

Tracks of Infinity is at all your favorite booksellers.

***

Cody helps bring an additional sensory level to this story. He was a great challenge to write and I hope you enjoy him.

I also hope we get some fun comments today. I’ll be checking them sporadically for the next few days.

New Release! “And the Grave Awaits” by Roberta Eaton Cheadle @bakeandwrite @RobertaEaton17 #writingcommunity #newrelease #whattoread

I’m thrilled to have Robbie Cheadle here today to talk about her latest release, “And the Grave Awaits!” It was a great read 🙂 Here’s a link to my review on Goodreads. LINK

And the Grave Awaits

by Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Climbing boys and the origin of my short story, An Eye for an Eye.

My photograph of a building with chimneys in the UK

During the 1700s and 1800s, mainly male children often performed an occupation known as a climbing boy or chimney sweep. Many of the climbing boys were orphans, and in Great Britain many came from workhouses, and some were as young as 3 years old. As the child needed to be quite small to climb up the chimneys of the time, most climbing boys outgrew this occupation by the time they were nine or ten years old, although due to poor diet, some worked until they were as old as fourteen years.

The life of a climbing boys was dangerous as they climbed hot flues that could be a mere 7 inches square, although 14 inches by 9 inches was a common standard, and they could get jammed in the flue, suffocate or burn to death. The children developed raw, red skinless patches on their bodies from climbing up and down the stacks. These only went away when the climber developed calluses or the skin was hardened by their master applying an application of strong brine, which was placed on them in front of a hot fire.

The boys also frequently fell, and this resulted in deformed ankles, broken legs and twisted spines. Eye and respiratory problems also plagued climbing boys. The deadliest condition that affected climbing boys was called chimney sweeps’ carcinoma which was caused by the fact that soot is carcinogenic, and the boys slept under the soot sacks and were rarely washed. Chimney sweeps’ carcinoma is a cancer that results from squamous cells which form on the surface of the skin and the lining of hollow organs in the body and line the respiratory and digestive tracts. Warts on the skin of the scrotum, caused by the irritation from soot particles, developed into scrotal cancer which ultimately invaded the abdomen and killed the sufferer.

The climbing boys were apprenticed to a master sweep who was paid by the parish to teach the orphans or paupers the craft of chimney sweeping. The boys signed papers of indenture, in front of a magistrate, which bound them to the master sweep until they were adults.

Climbing boys in literature

Charles Dickens featured a particularly horrible master sweep called Gamfield in his book Oliver Twist. Gamfield wants to take Oliver as an apprentice but, at the last minute, the magistrate refuses of sanction the apprenticeship as “Mr Gamfield did happen to labour under the slight imputation of having bruised three or four boys to death already.”

Oliver escapes being bound apprentice to the Sweep. Picture credit: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/47529/pg47529-images.html

The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby, written by The Reverend Charles Kingsley, was published in 1863 and told the story of a young chimney sweep, Tom, who finds redemption from the horrors of his work by becoming a water baby. Kingsley was appalled by the social conditions during the Victorian era and he wrote this book to draw attention to the horrific fate of climbing boys.

Earlier, in the late 1700s, William Blake wrote poetic depictions of the lives of climbing boys which were published in two books of poetry, Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience.

Here are the first two stanza’s of The Chimney Sweeper: When my mother died I was very young by William Blake:

“When my mother died I was very young,

And my father sold me while yet my tongue

Could scarcely cry ” ‘weep! ‘weep! ‘weep! ‘weep!”

So your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep.

There’s little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head

That curled like a lamb’s back, was shaved, so I said,

“Hush, Tom! never mind it, for when your head’s bare,

You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair.””

You can read the complete poem here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43654/the-chimney-sweeper-when-my-mother-died-i-was-very-young

What do climbing boys have to do with my writing

My story, An Eye for an Eye, features climbing boys who are apprenticed to a vicious female master sweep called Mother Abigail. This supernatural murder story illustrates the terrible plight of climbing boys during that period in history and the possible repercussions of such abuse.

About And the Grave Awaits

And the Grave Awaits book cover with red roses against a mainly gray backgroun.

The cover of And the Grave Awaits featuring a cross-shaped gravestone with a bunch of roses on top. Cover artwork in charcoal and coloured pencil by Robbie Cheadle.

A collection of short paranormal and dark stories.
Includes the award-winning short story, The Bite.

A group of boys participate in a reality television challenge; to the death.

What does it mean to be a Canary Girl? One young woman is about to find out.

Where is the bride? A beautiful young woman goes missing during a game of hide and seek on her wedding day.

Some stories will make you cry, some will make you gasp, and some will leave you believing in vigilante justice. All will end with a grave.

Amazon USA pre-order link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7745TZB

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Picture of Robbie holding a book

Picture caption: Author photograph of Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Award-winning, bestselling author, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has two published novels, a collection of paranormal and historical short stories, and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She and is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta also has sixteen children’s books and three poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle and has poems and short stories featuring in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Website

https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

Blog

https://roberta-writes.com/

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19631306.Roberta_Eaton_Cheadle

Twitter

https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites/?modal=admin_todo_tour

TSL Publications

https://tslbooks.uk/product-tag/robbie-cheadle/

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

Sounds in the Silence Blog Tour Day 5! #NewRelease #writingcommunity #mystery #ghost #historicalfiction

Hi!

Today is the fifth and final day of the Sounds in the Silence Book Tour! I’m visiting amazing writing bud, Sandra Cox. Please check the end of this post for some exciting news. BLOG TOUR LINK

But before you mosey along, have you read any of the prolific Sandra Cox books? Known for her westerns, she also writes paranormal, romance, crystal, gardening, and animal stories. A little something for everyone and I can claim to have read everyone of her published books. Some more than once. I’m including her Amazon Author Bio and a link to go check out her books. AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Sandra, who also writes as S. Cox, is a vegetarian, animal lover and avid gardener. She lives with her husband, their dog and several cats in sunny North Carolina.

An award-winning author, her stories consist of all things Western and more.

Foodie Facts:

She spent a number of years in the Midwest chasing down good Southern BBQ. By the time she moved to North Carolina where Southern BBQ is practically a staple, she’d become a vegetarian.

Pineapple is a must-have on pizza, along with black olives and onions.

She loves pumpkin waffles. Pumpkin cream cheese, not so much.

NOTE: I didn’t mention this in my posts but I will be choosing two random comments and gifting two lucky winners a $10 or $5 Amazon Gift Card.

Sounds in the Silence Blog Tour Day 2! #newrelease #mystery #ghost #historicalfiction #writingcommunity

Hi!

Today is the second day in the Sounds in the Silence Blog Tour. I’m very happy to be visiting with Colleen Chesebro. I’d love for you to stop by and say hello as each day is different. See note at the end of this post for some exciting news! BLOG TOUR LINK

But before you go, if you haven’t read any of Colleen’s beautiful and thought-provoking poetry collections, I highly recommend them. Plus, don’t miss her Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenges, too. Here is her author bio from Amazon along with a link to check out her available work you don’t want to miss. AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE LINK

Colleen M. Chesebro grew up in a large city in the Midwest. Keen on making her own way in the world, she joined the United States Air Force after graduation to tour the world and find herself. To this day, that search continues.

An avid reader, Colleen M. Chesebro rekindled her love of writing poetry after years spent working in the accounting industry. These days, she loves crafting syllabic poetry, flash fiction, and creative fiction and nonfiction.

In addition to poetry books, Chesebro’s publishing career includes participation in various anthologies featuring short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She’s an avid supporter of her writing community on her blog on by organizing and sponsoring a weekly syllabic poetry challenge, called #TankaTuesday, where participants experiment with traditional and current forms of Japanese and American syllabic poetry.

Chesebro lives in the house of her dreams in mid-Michigan, surrounded by the Great Lakes with her husband and two (unicorn) cats, Chloe & Sophie.

NOTE: I didn’t mention this in my blog tour posts but I will be choosing two random comments and gifting two lucky winners a $10 or $5 Amazon Gift Card.

Sounds in the Silence Blog Tour Day 1! #ReleaseDay @stacitroilo #newbook #mystery #ghost #historicalfiction #writingcommunity

Today is release day! Yay!

I am doing a small blog tour visiting some amazing authors. Each day is different and I’d love for you to stop by and say hello. See the end of this post for some exciting news.

Today’s stop is over on the very gracious Staci Troilo’s blog. BLOG TOUR LINK

But before you go, if you haven’t read anything Staci has written, I highly recommend her books. I have made it through almost all of her catalog and have not been disappointed in anything read. She writes a variety of genres but they always have heart and the importance of human connection. Here’s what her bio at Amazon has to say and then use the link to then pop over and check out her work. AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Staci Troilo grew up in Western Pennsylvania writing stories and poetry in her free time, so it was no surprise that she studied writing in college. After receiving creative and professional writing degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, she went on to get her Master’s Degree in Professional Writing, and she worked in corporate communications until she had her children. When they had grown, she went on to become a writing professor, and now she is a freelance writer and editor.

Staci is a multi-genre author. Her fiction is character-driven, and despite their protests, she loves to put them in all kinds of compromising or dangerous situations.

You can find out more about her on her website (stacitroilo.com).

NOTE: I didn’t mention this in my posts but I will be choosing two random comments and gifting two lucky winners a $10 or $5 Amazon Gift Card.

New Release! “A Beggar’s Bargain” by Jan Sikes @JanSikes3 #writingcommunity #newrelease #whattoread #historicalromance

I’m thrilled to have Jan Sikes here today today and share the good news of a new release, “A Beggar’s Bargain!” It was released yesterday and I have started reading it! Been looking forward to this one, and a review will follow!

I am so excited to be kicking off a blog tour for my new book at your blog site, Denise. Thank you so much for allowing me to take over.

Very often, authors are asked where the inspiration stories come from and, as a reader, I’m always interested in hearing the answers.

Therefore, I’m going to start this tour with my inspiration for A Beggar’s Bargain.

I am an avid fan of Texas music and the artists who make the music. So, anytime I am in the car, my radio is always on and most often on a local station that plays the indie artists I enjoy and follow.

Each afternoon, I drive out to my daughter’s to take care of the grandchildren for a few hours until she and her husband get off work. I was on my way out one afternoon when a new song caught my attention. I listen to the lyrics, always looking for a message or two. And this one grabbed me.

I had to pull over and jot down “A Beggar’s Bargain,” having no idea what the story would be, but I had the title. Those three words rolled around in my head for a while before the story started to form. First came the time period. It needed to be set in the 1940s following World War II. Then came the setting. Most of the stories I’ve written have been set in Texas (write what you know and all that.) But this one needed some place different. I went back and forth between Oklahoma and Missouri, finally settling on Missouri because my mother was born there. Then I got a map and searched out small towns in the southern part of the state and landed on the tiny town of Everton. Bingo! I had the time and place. Next came the characters.

But I digress. The inspiration for this story came from this song by The Damn Quails (yes, that’s their real name), if you’d like to listen.

https://youtu.be/4s8oH5Libqs?si=wrYBJtyx8ddHp22w

You never know where an idea will come from. It keeps us on our toes!

Book Blurb:

A shocking proposal that changes everything.

Desperate to honor his father’s dying wish, Layken Martin vows to do whatever it takes to save the family farm.

Once the Army discharges him following World War II, Layken returns to Missouri to find his legacy in shambles and in jeopardy. A foreclosure notice from the bank doubles the threat. He appeals to the local banker for more time—a chance to rebuild, plant, and harvest crops and time to heal far away from the noise of bombs and gunfire.

Only the banker firmly denies his request. Now what?

Then, the banker makes an alternative proposition—marry his unwanted daughter, Sara Beth, in exchange for a two-year extension. Out of options, money, and time, Layken agrees to the bargain.

Now, he has two years to make a living off the land while he shares his life with a stranger.

If he fails at either, he’ll lose it all.

UNIVERSAL PURCHASE LINK:

https://books2read.com/u/3nqqEo

BOOK TRAILER LINK:

https://youtu.be/G6vMqD4SuQ4?si=aZG6RCZbFlhJfuxB

One more thing! I will be a guest on the Fresh Ink Podcast tonight. Here is more information and the link.

LINK

AUTHOR’S SOCIAL MEDIA:

UNIVERSAL LINK: https://linktr.ee/Rijanjks

OR INDIVIDUALLY

http://www.jansikes.com

https://www.twitter.com/jansikes3

http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jan-sikes

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00CS9K8DK (Author Page)

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7095856.Jan_Sikes

New Release! “The Keeping Place” By Mae Clair @MaeClair1 #newrelease #writingcommunity #mustread

I’m excited to have Mae Clair here today to share the news of an upcoming release. I ordered my copy and look forward to what I know will be a great read.

Hi, Denise. Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog today. I’m delighted to be here, sharing my upcoming release The Keeping Place, a dual timeline mystery which is now available for pre-order! Most readers know me as someone who loves weaving urban legends and threads of the supernatural into my stories. The Keeping Place took an entirely different turn.

Well… there is a small thread that involves an old town legend and a ghost. It never takes center stage but plays more like background. This is more of a “quiet” mystery than I usually write.

Today, I want to share the legend of Lettie Boone with your readers.

Lettie was the daughter of Prosper Boone, a prominent railroad tycoon who built the town of Hornwood, PA. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of falling for a man who left her pregnant, then abandoned her. Shamed by her actions, Prosper banished her from his home. With nowhere to go, Lettie took up residence in a tiny rail shack where she lived until her baby was born. When the baby died shortly after birth, Lettie wrapped the child in blankets, then nestled it into a large oak tree on the property. Alone, destitute, and undone by grief, she hanged herself from the tree, now known as the Hornwood Oak. Some say Lettie’s ghost still haunts the rail shack.

Two boys have recently discovered the remains of a girl in the shack who went missing ten years ago. In the excerpt below, Vin McCain, a Detective Sergeant in Hornwood, spies them as he’s leaving the police station. Vin had interviewed both boys the night of the incident, but they neglected to mention something they later revealed to a newspaper reporter. Take a look…

EXCERPT:

Vin was halfway to his car in the back parking lot when he spied two teenagers on the sidewalk. A bright shock of red hair identified Jimmy Lewis, which meant the lanky kid beside him had to be Henry Sharp. Jimmy bounced a basketball with each step they took, neither focused on their surroundings.

“Hey, hold up.” Vin jogged toward them, guessing they’d come from Boone Park, across the street from City Hall. In addition to walking paths, benches, and a fountain, the park had a picnic pavilion and two basketball courts.

“Sergeant McCain.” Jimmy hooked the basketball under his arm, snug to his chest. “Um… something wrong?” He sucked on his bottom lip. Beside him, Henry paused in the middle of scrolling through his cellphone.

“No.” Vin smiled to put them at ease. “Good game?”

“Huh?” The younger of the two, Henry had thick blond hair and deep dimples but wasn’t always quick on the uptake.

“Basketball.” Vin hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “I figured you came from the park.”

“Oh… yeah.” Relaxing, Henry tucked his phone into the pocket of his shorts. He used the bottom of his t-shirt to wipe sweat from his cheeks.

“I used to be pretty good.” Vin extended his hand for the ball. When Jimmy tossed it to him, he did a couple of dribbles, bouncing it back and forth, then mimicked a shot without releasing it. He twirled the ball on his finger. “I guess you guys are glad school’s out.”

“Yeah. We got all summer, and next year we’re kings.” Jimmy grinned at Henry. “Seniors.”

“Must feel pretty good. And you’re kind of minor celebrities now, too.”

“Huh?” This time it was Jimmy who sounded confused.

Vin tossed him the ball. “That write up by Chelsea Reinhold in the Hornwood Herald.”

The two boys exchanged a glance, the murmur of traffic from Main Street filling the sudden silence.

Henry palmed sweat from his forehead. “You saw that, huh?”

“When I interviewed you two, there was no mention of Lettie Boone’s ghost.”

Jimmy shuffled his feet. “We, uh… didn’t think we should say anything. Didn’t want people to think we were whacked.”

Interesting. There hadn’t been alcohol or drugs involved, but both had been scared witless that night. Vin had chalked their nerves up to the discovery of Janie Seabrooke’s remains. He didn’t believe in spirits, but kids could weave shadows, trespassing, and one hell of a fright into something sinister without much effort.

“What changed? Why’d you come clean to Chelsea?”

Henry cleared his throat. “I told my girlfriend what happened… with the ghost.” The words stuck to his tongue. “She thought it was cool, not stupid. Before I knew it, she shared it with some of her friends, then word started to get around.”

“We thought we’d better be upfront about the whole thing.” Jimmy picked up the slack.

“Okay, so let’s hear it.” Vin looked from one to the other. When neither spoke, he arched a brow. “I’m waiting.”

++++

As in most dual timeline mysteries, The Keeping Place delivers a mystery in the present as well as the past. I hope the blurb will tempt you further:

Even if it means killing again.

++++

Thanks again for hosting me today, Denise. I appreciate the opportunity to share The Keeping Place with your readers. I’ve held onto this novel for two years, uncertain how I wanted to publish it. As an author, I naturally like every book I’ve written, but The Keeping Place is my personal favorite—perhaps because it’s so different in tone from my other mysteries.

I still utilize dual timelines, but rather than having centuries between them, my timelines are separated by a mere ten years.

It’s my sincere hope readers will enjoy the story.

RELEASE DATE IS MARCH 5^TH

PRE-ORDER FROM AMAZON

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New Release! “The Soul Whisperer’s Decision” by Gwen Plano @gmplano #newrelease #mustread #writingcommunity

I am so excited to have fellow author and friend, Gwen Plano, here today to celebrate the release of her latest, The Soul Whisperer’s Decision. It was one I couldn’t put down and read in one evening. Here is my review: LINK

BLURB:

Sarah Jameson, a nurse at County Central Hospital, survives an accident that kills her two young children. While comatose, she travels into the heavenly realm where she visits with her precious little ones. She is given a choice – return to her husband, Jack, or remain with her children in their celestial home.

Jack was not in the fated automobile. Though he heard the crash and ran to help, there was nothing he could do. He suffers the loss of his children, fears the potential demise of his wife, and wonders about his own sanity. His struggle with PTSD from his military years has returned and at times, he cannot distinguish between the present and the past.

An accident tragically changed the lives of this young family, but out of sorrow emerges unexpected blessings.

BACKSTORY:

I have a special interest in the Near-Death Experience phenomenon. Since the 1980s, I’ve read original research of accounts, and I’ve also read numerous books by survivors. Though I’ve not experienced an NDE, I’ve had several inexplicable experiences of a loving presence at times of great duress.

For ten years, 2002 – 2012, I was an administrator at a college near Camp Pendleton in California. I worked directly with the Marine veterans and, to a lesser degree, veterans from the other branches of the military. I quickly discovered that almost all the Marines suffered PTSD and/or physical injuries from their service in Iraq or Afghanistan. I became their advocate and tried to provide a ‘safe’ place for the veterans to meet, hang out, and process. To this day, my experience with the veterans remains the highlight of my thirty years in Higher Education.

When I wrote The Soul Whisperer’s Decision, I sought to illuminate the struggles of those who have experienced extreme violence. And, as well, I tried to show the healing power of love. None of us can erase our past or another’s, but by our choices, we can carve a hopeful future for ourselves and others.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon: https://bit.ly/488Ziay

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/48aWmdu

BLOG: www.gwenplano.com ( https://bit.ly/48AKRvE )