Posted in writing inspiration, Writing tips

Let’s Talk About Setting

Setting is more than just a place. Often where a story is set is more important than even when it takes place. A romance set in New Orleans would be very different from one set in New York City. When we think about horror it is often in a small rural setting but when it’s done in a suburban setting or in a city, it takes on a different feel.

I love any story set in Louisiana or North Carolina because I’ve lived in both places. I also love to read a lot of westerns both modern and historical because of my travels. Feeling a connection to the places I read about is part of the fun, but I also love to read about the highlands of Scotland and Regency or Victorian England even though I’ve never been there.

Part of what I love about reading and writing about different places is becoming immersed in the setting. Victorian London fog evokes danger and mystery. A stone castle alone on a windswept mountain can give you the feeling of strength and solitude, or if viewed during a storm, fear and uncertainty.

Setting combined with weather, time period (era), season and the emotions of the point of view character can influence the reader’s feelings. If a determined optimist arrives during a terrible storm to a cold, ancient stone castle, they might be glad to be out of the storm and notice all the faded beauty and majesty of the castle, thankful for a fire in a hearth to chase away the chill. On the other hand, a grumpy, pessimist might see the same castle with its cold stone and faded glory as another burden to bear. Someone who is a bit melodramatic and fearful might view it all with a sense of foreboding and fear.

To give the reader the most accurate version of what you wish them to know and feel about the setting, be sure to have one of your point of view characters react to it that way. If you wish to surprise your reader or mislead them, do just the opposite. Remember in jaws, the characters are all reacting to a day at the beach. They are mostly happy, excited, having fun…until disaster strikes.

With hurricane Idalia just making her way past North Carolina, I wonder how writers might portray this event differently depending on their experience. Here we had little more than a tropical storm but down in Florida the experience was a bit different. Using natural disasters in a story, severe weather, even terrible events, can add another layer of drama, fear, and even depth to the setting, time period and even the characters’ growth. How a character reacts to these things can tell us a little more about them.

How do you feel about setting, weather and events in your stories? Do you like to read about them? Do you write about them?

Posted in event, my books, News, poetry, promo, road trip

Over 30 Local Authors with Over 100 Titles

Join Us Sunday, November 20th from 1 to 4 pm at the New Bern Farmers Market

Thanks to the efforts of author Sarah Maury Swan, she has brought together an eclectic group of authors and poets for a one-day only sale at the New Bern Farmers Market, 421 South Front Street, New Bern, NC. Sarah was featured on my Creekside Cafe author interviews.

I met Sarah many years ago at a Pamlico Writers’ Conference and later we attended a Carteret Writers’ Meeting together. Sarah is a vibrant woman with so much passion for life and writing that just being around her is inspiring. While many people would make excuses not to do things, Sarah looks for ways to get them accomplished. If she doesn’t know how, she calls on her friends and she has a lot of them which is evident by the number of people who have signed up for this event.

Bill, or W. C. Furney is one of Sarah’s posse, he might even be the sheriff of this motley crew. It is thanks to his efforts that we have the poster with all of our covers. I have used his work to make a few of my own, thanks Bill for helping to promote this event. I am looking forward to a drink with Bill and a chance to pick his brain.

The list of authors attending the Sunday Author Event is astounding. We have authors who are award winning like Sarah and Eileen Lettick, Leslie Tall Manning and Michelle Garren Flye, we have professors, researchers, therapists, poets, leaders in the local arts, and more. Whether you are looking for non-fiction, poetry or genre fiction, something for yourself, your spouse, grandma or your children, we have something for everyone. Come check out our books and get a signed copy for the holidays. I will even have gift wrapping available.

If you are unable to attend the New Bern Farmers Market Authors’ Event, you can still connect with these authors and buy their books through these links.

1*Hope Andersen https://www.amazon.com/How-Remodel-Life-Hope-Andersen/dp/1734707577

2*Mike Barton xflier@yahoo.com Fantasy

3* Nathan Black Poetry https://www.facebook.com/wherethebreezechapbook

4*Phil Bowie Mystery www.philbowie.com

5* Rosemary Klim Bricker Non-fiction https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Rosemary+Ann+Bricker&i=specialty-aps&srs=17143709011&crid=2AQVZ3NJX7LU5&sprefix=rosemary+ann+bricker%2Cspecialty-aps%2C78&ref=nb_sb_noss

6*Chris Brown  Self Help

7 *Paloma Capanna Eclectic http://www.DowntonBeaufort.com  

8*Heather Cobham www.heathercobham.com

9*Karen Dodd Eclectic kedodd2@gmail.com

10 *Bill Furney https://www.billfurney.com/

11 *Michelle Garren Flye Poetry https://michellegflye.com/ & https://shelleygee.com/

12*Beth Garver Cozy Mystery/Fantasy The Java Tavern Series

https://DrunkBeth/wordpress

13* Diane Gray Non-Fiction finding her birth familyfhpspeaker@yahoo.com https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Hope-Perseverance-Adoptees-Biological-ebook/dp/B089T5YSFC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=R66VPHZH39UL&keywords=Faith%2C+Hope+and+Perseverance&qid=1666814386&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjUxIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=faith%2C+hope+and+perseverance%2Cspecialty-aps%2C729&sr=8-1-catcorr&srs=17143709011

14* Sherri Hollister Cozy Mystery https://sherrilhollister.com/

15* Nicole Kerr NF Self Help www.nicolekerr.com

16*Deirdre Kiernan PB Deirdrek45@gmail.com 

17*Jo Anna Kloster MG https://www.emptycagespress.com

18*Veronica Krug Fantasy https://krugbooks.com/

19* Eileen Lettick Children’s eileenlettick@gmail.com https://m.facebook.com/eileenlettick/; https//www.linkedin.com/in/eileen-lettick-347174aO

20* Julie Lombard Eclectic https://www.you-niqueproductions.com

21*Leslie Tall Manning Eclectic http://www.leslietallmanning.com

22*Nina Makhatadze Eclectic https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nina+makhatadze&crid=1NOXDC1RNGYP0&sprefix=%2Caps%2C216&ref=nb_sb_ss_recent_1_0_recen

23*Barbara McCreary MG Historical https://www.facebook.com/ebbandflowshackleford

24 *Murinda MacDonald nonfiction

25 * Sue McIntyre: email: suemcintyre10@gmail.com 

26 *Cheryl Meola non-fiction https://manesourcecounseling.com/

27*Margaret Pollock MG https://margaretpollockwrites.com

28*Timothy Reinhardt Fantasy https://timreinhardt.com/

29* Robert Reinschild/DeForest Shields Fiction https:// deforestshields.com

30* Natalie Singletary ? Eclectic www.obconwriting.com

31*Blaine Staat Sci-Fi, Dystopian https://www.staatsbakery.com/blaine-s-books

32*Cyrus Spears (a.k.a. Sirius) Fantasy www.uncrownednovel.com

33*Sarah Maury Swan Children’s YA & MG https://sarahmauryswanlovesbooks.com

34 *Sev Tok Spiritual https://planetsev.com/

35* Stanley Trice Eclectic https://stanleybtrice.com

Children’s Books

Hope Andersen

Deirdre Kiernan PB

Jo Anna Dressler Kloster MG

Eileen Lettick MG & YA

Barbara McCreary MG Historical

Margaret Pollock MG

Sarah Maury Swan MG & YA

Eclectic

Paloma Capanna

Karen Dodd

Michelle Garren Flye

Julie Lombard

Nina Makhatadze

Leslie Tall Manning

Sue McIntyre

Natalie Singletary

Stanley Trice

Fiction

Fantasy

Mike Barton

Veronica Krug

Timothy Reinhardt

Cyrus Spears a.k.a. Sirius

Blaine Staat Sci-Fi, Dystopian

Fiction

William Charles Furney

Heather Cobham

Robert Reinschild/DeForest Shields

Mystery/Suspense

Phil Bowie

Beth Garver

Sherri Lupton Hollister

Non-Fiction

Memoir, etc.

Rosemary Klim Bricker

Cheryl Meola

Murinda MacDonald

Adoption

Diane Gray

Self Help

Hope Andersen

Chris Brown

Nicole Kerr

Spiritual

Sev Tok

Poetry

Nathan Black

Posted in contest, event, promo

The Americans are Coming host Shopping Spree!

Win a $500 Amazon Shopping Spree!

Who’s ready to SHOP? If you’re like me, the holidays are rushing towards us and I need to get busy buying Christmas gifts. I am proud to join Kindle Book Review as they offer their annual Black Friday Giveaway awarding one lucky reader with a $500 Amazon shopping spree just in time for Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year. This could be a game changer for one lucky reader, and we hope it’s you! But don’t forget to support the authors presenting this giveaway.

WHAT: $500 Black Friday Giveaway

PRIZE: WIN a $500 Amazon shopping spree (1 winner).

WHEN: Nov. 4-23, 2022.

HOW? Go to Kindle Book Review and scroll through the book covers to find your next favorite author, or a book the strikes your fancy, and enter the Rafflecopter form. You may enter everyday to increase your chance of winning. There is no purchase necessary to enter or win, but by supporting the authors below The Kindle Book Review can continue running these amazing giveaways. Yes, you can BUY our sponsor’s books! Good luck, and thank you!

http://ow.ly/XAN750LuO3i

Hey, Readers. Here's a chance to win a $500 Amazon eGift Card just in time for BLACK FRIDAY from The No. 1 Site for #Reader Giveaways~~The Kindle Book Review. Just click the link and enter (everyday if you want). It's easy & fun. If you love #reading, enter now; giveaway ends November 23, 2022. Click here for details ~> http://ow.ly/XAN750LuO3i
Posted in promo, Story, writing inspiration

The Making of a Novel

The Making of The Americans Are Coming

The making of The Americans Are Coming didn’t just happen overnight. In fact, this book has been simmering for several years. I have taken countless classes through Romance Writers of America and my local group, Heart of Carolina on everything from Horses in Literature to Writing a Historical Novel. I have also been focusing more on the cozy mystery aspect of writing. I have really enjoyed following YouTube Author, Jane Kalmes aka Fiction Technician. Jane had a mystery writers’ course recently I really wanted to take but with my responsibilities with the Pamlico Writers’ Group and the Heart of Carolina, the timing didn’t pan out. But I am really thinking about taking it the next time she offers it.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXiBaSKGlgEFoRW_gKpvF8Q

The kernel of an idea came about thanks to my husband, actually his grandfather. In our home that burned David had a whip that once belonged to his grandfather who’d been a performer in a wild west show. When I heard the story, I knew one day I’d write a character who was a performer in a wild west show. Incidentally, David’s grandfather did an act where he snapped quarters tossed in the air with his whip.

Winnie’s name took several metamorphoses. I originally planned to name her Willowmina but since I used Willow in my contemporary story, Willow’s Retreat, I did not want to confuse myself more than normal. Keeping my characters’ names straight is almost as bad as keeping my children’s names straight. Unfortunately, readers don’t like it when you call the role in a story. My kids probably don’t like being called by the other’s names either but oh well.

Winnie, a nickname for Winona, and Harry her love interest were inspired by good friends I’ve known since my childhood, the parents of one of my dearest friends and school mates. They also became close with my youngest son when he began working with Mr. Harry at the museum. Our backyards connected and so much of our lives intertwined. They always seemed to have a good time together and made being around them fun. I couldn’t think of a better couple to inspire my young sleuths.

As the story came together, Winnie became half Lakota and as I began describing her appearance, I used my granddaughter Phalha to help me get an image of the character. You can see a slightly younger version of the character and Phalha in the original artwork painted by Susan McIntyre. Sue used photos I had of Phalha to create the cover of the book. While Phalha is half Cambodian, not Lakota, looking at pictures of Lakota women, I felt she closely resembled them and gave me a more personal connection to the character.

Since I am not a horsewoman, I needed expert advice to help me flesh out my character as Winnie is a trick rider and caregiver to the animals. I turned to another of my granddaughters, Hailey. Hailey is an accomplished horsewoman who trained her horse Cooper whom others felt was untrainable. Not only did she train him, but she’s won countless awards with him. Hailey answered all of my crazy questions and she inspired much of Winnie’s relationship with her horse and the other animals.

My grandsons Psi and Jack were great about helping me with Riley and Harry, inspiring looks as well as some of the fun things they do from the inventions to their reactions. My husband and my sons were also on hand to answer questions about ‘would this work?’ It’s great to have people around who know things or are willing to research them. My husband has become my accomplice on many of my adventures from helping me plan my murders to planting evidence. If our family decides to turn to crime, it could be bad…really bad.

A lot of research went into this story but I’m sure I didn’t get everything just right. I mean sometimes you have to bend things to get the story to work the way you want it to work.

I am so thankful for my friend Cyn Hayden who gave me information on steamer ships for that one little piece I needed to make the story believable. The ending wouldn’t work without it.

I am also thankful for my local library and the women who work there: Robina Norman, Denise Toler and Myra Shields. These ladies are great at finding things I cannot find online. They are my research assistants, my Beta readers and proofreaders. I cannot thank them enough for always supporting me. They have hosted my book signings and even suggest my books to patrons.

I have several Beta readers who make the story better, stronger, less filled with errors. I said less errors, not error-free, I still manage to get a few of those, sorry. Everyone who reads and gives me feedback, everyone who reviews the stories, they all help me make a better story and I appreciate all the love and support, the encouragement and the occasional kick in the butt I need to get these stories done.

The cover design is by my friend and fellow Pamlico Writers’ Group member, Sue McIntyre. Sue is the author of a memoir, Outside Heaven: An Afghanistan Experience and she is also an artist in residence at the Lemonade Gallery in Washington. She has done two paintings for me for this novel. The first based on a photograph I sent her with just a few ideas. I loved it but as I was finishing The Americans are Coming, I realized I needed to represent the main character better. Since she was half Lakota, an obviously white woman would not be representative. I also wanted the first book to give more of the feel of the wild west show. Using photos of my granddaughter, Sue did a lovely job of depicting Winnie.

https://books2read.com/u/m2dKP6

While she is younger on the cover than in the story, I still feel it is a great depiction of what the beginning of the series is about. Winnie isn’t exactly innocent, her life even before joining the wild west show was hardly easy, nor was she protected from the harshness of life. But Winnie’s outlook is one of hope and love. Everything she does from trying to solve the murder to breaking up her father’s relationship with one woman and pushing him into a relationship with another, is about love and hope for the future.

The Americans are Coming is a murder mystery, but it also has romance, family drama, friendship and a view into living together harmoniously with diverse characters. Fiction should entertain but it should also make you feel something. I hope when you finish this book you feel the connection and understanding I was trying to convey. Happy reading, y’all.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGN94H4F

Print books are suppose to arrive today but they won’t have this cover. If you want books with Sue’s original artwork, they are available at Amazon, and I hope to have them available elsewhere very soon.

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-americans-are-coming-3

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-americans-are-coming-sherri-lupton-hollister/1142368992;jsessionid=EA734F1B7C7C7CCC42A62D5D2AA34625.prodny_store01-atgap02?ean=2940166302335

https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6443589675

https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1066449310

https://shop.vivlio.com/product/9798215340196_9798215340196_10020

Posted in backstory, character interview, Creekside Cafe, interview, promo

On the Porch with Damian and Marble, a Creekside Cafe Chat

Damian is the hero of K.B. Davenport’s new adult fantasy novel, Magic in Autumn Springs. Welcome Damian Baxter to Creekside Café. 

Damian: Thanks for having me, Sherri! The café is beautiful. Reminds me of home! 

Sherri: Damian it is so good to have this chance to get to know you better. I enjoyed reading about your adventures in Autumn Springs. Have you always lived in Autumn Springs? You went to college there as well? Have you ever wanted to travel? Did you ever want to leave Autumn Springs? 

Damian: Thanks for reading my story! I have always lived in Autumn Springs. Born and raised! I love my hometown. It’s a friendly place (mostly), and there’s always something brewing. After I graduated high school, I went to Autumn Springs College. I wanted to stay close to home, despite not having the best relationship with my parents. The town always had a pull for me, though, so I couldn’t bear to leave it. I guess, after reading my story, you know why! There was something waiting for me there, I just had to figure out what it was. 

I’ve traveled a few times. Mostly to surrounding states and tourist destinations near Autumn Springs. Never too far. But I’ve always wanted to go to Switzerland. It’s so beautiful, I feel like it’s the only place that could rival my love for my hometown. Springtime there seems like a fairy tale! 

When I was younger, I wanted nothing more than to leave Autumn Springs. From around ages ten to seventeen, I dreamed of moving far away and living a fast-paced life in a city somewhere. I was convinced that Autumn Springs was only for people who wanted big families and small lives. It took some time to realize how mistaken I was. Something clicked one day, and I’ve been happy there since. That’s not to say I won’t let life take me to other places. Who knows where I’ll end up now that Bartley and I are together! He’s much more of a traveler than I am. 

Sherri: You had a special relationship with your grandmother. What connected the two of you?  

Damian: Granny Sue was an interesting person. She had a steadfastness that I admired from an early age. I also felt her sadness about not being able to connect with her daughter (my mother), and I think it helped me deal with my own pain. But beyond that, she was an immensely creative and talented person with lots of stories and love. She would paint, sing songs, grow beautiful gardens, and it all came so naturally. I was her only grandchild, too, so I was a bit spoiled, I guess! 

Sherri: How old were you when you started experiencing strange things? Magic? Dreams?  

Damian: I think I was around seven or eight. At least, that’s when I have conscious memories of things happening.  

Sherri: What was your first magical experience? 

Damian: Just little things at first. Like, I’d be thinking about a snack I wanted in the kitchen and wishing it was in front of me. I would concentrate hard and try to move it, but the best I could do was lifting it an inch or so off the counter. I think wish fulfillment is every young witch’s first experience with magic, though! 

Sherri: Who started calling you Kachoo? Where did the name Kachoo come from? 

Damian: Granny and Grampa had an ornate toy train at their house when I was little. I’d always play with it when I visited them. Granny always called it a choo-choo, but I had trouble saying it. I would say “ka-choo” instead, like a sneeze, and Granny always laughed. It stuck around as my nickname as I got older. It was sort of an inside joke between us.  

Sherri: You spoke of the men you’ve dated just passing through, only in Autumn Springs for school. What type of man are you attracted to? What is the most important element in a partner?  

Damian: I love bookish types with a bit of a roguish side. A guy who can quote Shakespeare and swashbuckle pirates would be ideal. I mean, essentially that’s who Bartley is. He surprises me every day with new adventures. We just went spelunking a few weeks ago! The caves near Autumn Springs are spooky and mystifying. 

I hate to sound cliche, but communication is really it for me. If we can talk through what we’re feeling, no matter how silly or childish we may be feeling, we’ll get through any problem. A lot of guys in my past weren’t the best communicators, despite being in college. It’s like they spent all their time expressing themselves at school and wanted to shut off when it came to romantic involvements. Bartley is so much different from any other guy I’ve met. He listens to me ramble on and on and pretends like it’s the most interesting thing he’s ever heard. I’m lucky to have him! 

Sherri: You and Granny Sue share a love of plants, what are your favorites? One of my favorites is rosemary but I’ve never had much luck raising it. I have some monster aloe plants though. 

Damian: Rosemary can be a bit tricky! I love herbs as well. My herb garden gets a lot of my attention, since I cook with them so much. Aloe plants are great! I love succulents, especially for the porch so I don’t have to spend too much time caring for them. I’ve been pretty busy lately, so I’d hate to let a more complicated plant suffer. I love my spider plants and rubber plants, too. I like classic and simple things. 

Sherri: Tell us about Marble, she is a bit of a diva, but she is more than a pet, isn’t she? 

Damian: Marble is… 

Marble: Marble can speak for herself, thank you very much.  

Damian: I guess I’ll let her share the spotlight! 

Marble: I was Granny Sue’s familiar for many years. I was assigned to her by the Elder Witches after my previous caretaker passed. I was sad and lonely, and so was Granny Sue after Grampa passed away. She volunteered to take on a familiar, and I was the one she got! I couldn’t have been happier. My time with her is something I’ll cherish forever. Although, Damian treats me pretty great, too. He even lets me help fish when we go to the river. I caught a huge salmon this spring. 

Damian: It was a tiny mosquitofish. But it was pretty feisty! 

Sherri: Were you a human at one time Marble? Where or when were you from?  

Marble: Long ago. As a lady of class, I won’t reveal my age, but I will say I had an adventurous life. Damian knows from our recent trip to New Orleans that I lived in the French Quarter for some time in my youth. I may or may not have gotten into some trouble there which led to my current state. I had a magic show in a little café there and a stunning girlfriend named Marie. We used to cause so much havoc, like when we lured that nasty old politician into the alley way and—oh, but perhaps I should share that story another time… 

Sherri: What is the deal with your co-worker Shay? Sometimes she seems a little lazy and others more enthusiastic. Is she bi-polar?  

Damian: Shay is an enigma. She’s never told me about being bi-polar, but she has hinted at it in the past. I try to be understanding, as I’m sure she does with my inwardness and quietness. I guess we all have our own things to work on. She’s always supportive of me, though, so I can’t say too much! I think she’s misunderstood by a lot of people, especially new people. 

Sherri: If you’d have known who Bartley was when you first met would it have changed your feelings towards him?  

Damian: I don’t think it would have changed my feelings, but I do think I would have been less confident! Something came over me when we met, and I presented my best self. That’s always been a challenge for me. I feel like I often misspeak or get tongue-tied when I meet new people and try to explain who I am or what I do. With Bartley, it was so easy. After I found out who he was and how prominent his family was and is in Autumn Springs, I was even more intrigued. But I probably would have freaked out if I realized he was sort of a local celebrity before we met! 

Sherri: If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would you change? Why? 

Damian: I would change how I dealt with my parents’ passing, if I could. While we were never very close, I did love them. I felt like I tried to push them and their memories out of my life once they were gone. I wish I would have been more reverent toward them and had taken better care of my dad’s study. Who knows what I could have discovered about myself earlier in life had I connected with their memories more? That’s been my mission lately. Since everything has settled down, Bartley and I are cleaning up the study, and I’m finding great artifacts for the library where I work. 

Sherri: Do you have any regrets? Anything you wished you’d done differently? 

Damian: Pushing away my magic and my sense of whimsy at an early age. Although Granny Sue encouraged me to be myself, I had so many other influences telling me otherwise. I let the naysayers get the best of me for a long time. If I could, I would be open and free with who I really was. 

Sherri: What are your hopes or plans for the future? Do they include a hunky Irishman? 

Damian: Oh, yes, definitely! Bartley and I are talking about all kinds of new adventures. As Marble mentioned, we’ve been fishing a lot, and we visited my aunt in New Orleans not long ago to help her with a magical dilemma. I can’t wait to visit his family in Ireland! We’re thinking of going to see them at Christmastime this year. Other than that, I just hope to stay happy and healthy with my family. I love to see Marble growing closer with her new pal, Harlan, and hopefully my former rival Elias and I can be friendly neighbors one day! 

Sherri: If you liked this interview with Damian and Marble check out their book, Magic in Autumn Springs by K B Davenport and my earlier interview with author, K B Davenport.

https://sherrilhollister.com/2021/06/09/celebrating-pride-month-at-creekside-cafe-with-author-k-b-davenport/

SOCIAL MEDIA

Website: davenportbooks.wixsite.com/home

Twitter: @KBDBooks

Reddit: u/KBDBooks

Tumblr: kbdavenport.tumblr.com

Goodreads: goodreads.com/kbdavenport

Amazon: amazon.com/~/e/B08P74BMF6

Posted in my books, promo

Mystery Thrillers NEW Releases

Bookfunnel Promo

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysterythrillernewreleases/sr5heueafn

Roxy didn’t come home to fall in love. She came to betray her family. It’s the only way to save her friends.

Jorge’s first taste of freedom is Roxanne’s laughter. Discovering she is in danger he has no choice but risk it all to save her.

Will her betrayal doom them all?

Roxy is the bad sister, the one voted most likely to steal your boyfriend. Not to be confused with her smart sister or her ambitious sister…

She’s a lying, self-centered diva, she didn’t come for a family reunion or to fall in love, she came to betray her family…

It’s not like she could ask anyone for help. They wouldn’t believe her anyway. If she was going to save them, she would have to do this on her own. Would they ever forgive her? What did it matter, she probably wouldn’t live to see it anyway?

https://books2read.com/u/boD5Na

Posted in audio books, Book Review, Uncategorized

The Last Mile

By David Baldacci, Narrated by Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy

Amos Decker, aka the memory man has a new job with the FBI. He’s facing a lot of changes in his life. On his way to Quantico to meet with his new team, he turns on the radio and hears the story of convicted murderer, Melvin Mars awaiting execution in Texas for killing his parents. Someone in Alabama has confessed to the crime earing Mars a stay of execution. Seeing similarities with his own life, Amos convinces the team to take the case.

Melvin and Amos share a past on the gridiron, both men’s families were brutally murdered and their lives forever changed, in both cases another suspect came forward to confess to the crime but the confession distorts the truth rather than enlighten it. In Melvin’s situation, the confession could be the difference between life and death, freedom and incarceration.  

What looked like a simple case of a black man being sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit turns into something more intriguing and convoluted. When a member of their team is kidnapped, it rachets up the tension even more.

This is a fantastic series. I love the characters especially Amos Decker.

Posted in Creekside Cafe, interview

Creekside Cafe Chat with Kimberley O’Malley

I’m so happy to welcome author Kimberley O’Malley to Creekside Café. Thank you for stopping by my virtual café, my dream is to someday win the lottery and build a real café on the water where I can invite writers and other interesting people to stop by and chat, but until then it’s a good thing I have a great imagination. Can I get you a drink or something before we start? 

Kimberley: I do happen to be a caffeine addict, although I don’t drink coffee or tea…which confounds most. Diet Mt. Dew of Hot Chocolate works, thanks!

Sherri: I don’t know if we can be friends. I might be able to forgive your dislike of coffee but pineapple on your pizza, I don’t know if I can forgive an offense like that. Just kidding, everyone has the right to eat their pizza however they want even if they’re wrong. We have this battle with the family all of the time. I love pineapple just NOT on my pizza. 

Are you a foodie? 

Kimberley: I am really not a foodie. And the pineapple on pizza thing is a very personal choice, so I am not at all offended… I have been eating very healthy this year, so my diet is mostly now lean protein, veggies, etc.

Sherri: You’re a transplant to North Carolina? I guess technically I’m a transplant too, I was born in Louisiana while my dad was in the service although my parents are both from North Carolina. How did you end up here? 

Kimberley: My husband’s family all lives here, although no one is actually from here. We started coming a couple times a year to visit in 2010. I was so done with cold and snow. After an 18 month campaign, I wore him down, and here we are!

Sherri: Are your books set in North Carolina? Tell us about your series. You have two series is that right? Are they both in the same genre? 

Kimberley: I currently have one finished series, one ongoing, and a brand new series. I write Contemporary Romance and Cozy Mystery. My completed series, Windsor Falls, is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains (think Asheville). My CM series has 4 books and 1 coming next week, and who knows how many more…This is set at the NC coast (think Oak Island). My newest CR series, Palm Harbor, is set at the beach in SC. The debut for that series, The One that (Almost) Got Away, released in July.

Sherri: Death by Chocolate sounds like my kind of book. Tell us about it. It’s your fifth book in your Addie Foster Mystery Series. This sounds like a fun series.

Kimberley: Fun to write!!!! So, I had the idea in my head (and notes app in my phone) for months but didn’t think I’d have time to start it. This was in 2018. The idea literally came to me at a red light. Then, I lost my Mom that July to Alzheimer’s after a long battle. I was in a hotel in Pennsylvania, trying to write Coming Back, the last book of my Windsor Falls series, but that book is about grief. And I was already living it. So, I moved onto Addie and never looked back.

Death by Chocolate is about what happens when Addie and her detective BF, Jonah, try to take a French cooking class. Addie has prophetic dreams which start each book. There are also a few backstory threads running through the series.

Sherri: You have a new book and new series coming out, tell us about The One the (Almost) Got Away. Where is Palm Harbor? Is it set in North Carolina as well?

Kimberley: The mythical Palm Harbor is set on the SC coast between Myrtle Beach and Charleston. The book was originally meant to be a standalone (what was I thinking?)… Like most of my books, this came to me as an idea, which I put in my notes app. What would I do without that?? It’s about Jamie, an independent woman in her 30s, who thinks about the ‘one that got away’ when she gets a reminder for her high school reunion. She joins a gym to ‘better herself’ before attending. There she meets Griff, said gym owner, who helps her out and goes as her plus one. It’s funny and a bit lighter than my first series.

Sherri: Have you always been a writer? When did you write your first stories? How long have you been published? Are you indie published or traditionally published? 

Kimberley: I am a voracious reader since single digits who never aspired to write. But writing has always come easily for me in college, etc. I am an Indie author all the way!! I wrote the very first, and terrible, version of Coming Home in 2002 while my husband and I waited to travel to Russia to adopt our daughter. Writing is therapy for me, and I poured out all of my longing, frustration, and fear into that book.

Sherri: Which character from all of your stories is your favorite and why? I know, that’s like asking which child is your favorite, isn’t it? I know for me it often changes depending upon my mood. How about you, do you have a firm favorite?

Kimberley:  Hmmm I always find this question challenging. Elizabeth from Coming Home holds a special place in my heart because she was my first and saw me through that time in my life. But I also love Addie and her ridiculous cast of characters who make me laugh as I write.

Sherri: What are three things you wished you’d known before becoming a published author? If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your pre-published self?

Kimberley: Only three? Give yourself a break! Rome wasn’t built in one day and neither will your publishing career be. Listen to others, but don’t let them talk you into, or out of, anything. Believe in yourself!!!

Sherri: Tell us a little about the settings for your stories. Why there? What makes Windsor Falls, Ocean Grove and now, Palm Harbor the right places to set your stories? 

Kimberley: I love the beach and the mountains. My Windsor Falls series was originally set in Vermont. We lived up North and loved to vacation there. The settings, like the characters, come to me. I love small towns and can almost guarantee my stories will always take place in them.

Sherri: What do you hope a reader gets out of your stories besides entertainment? 

Kimberley: I write from my heart and own life. I want others to share those things and take away what they need from each. The best compliment I can get from a reader is that one of my books touched them. My Windsor Falls series is much ‘heavier’ in that it deals with all kinds of tough real-life stuff. But each book has a guaranteed HEA; something life cannot always provide!

Sherri: Oh wow, it looks like I’ve monopolized your time enough, but it’s been so much fun getting to know you. If you’re ever out on the coast stop in I promise not to feed you mushrooms or force you to drink sweet tea. 

If y’all enjoyed our chat follow Kimberley O’Malley on social media and check out her books, I know I am. 

Thank you all for joining us and see you next time at Creekside Café. 

Bio: 

Kimberley O’Malley is a transplant to Charlotte, North Carolina from the frozen North.

She is learning to say y’all but draws the line at sweet tea. Sarcasm is an art

form in her world. When not writing, she is a full-time nurse and part-time

soccer Mom, but not necessarily in that order. She shares her life with an

amazing husband of almost twenty-five years, two teenagers, and two mischievous

Shetland Sheepdogs, Molly & Callie.

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Website: www.kimberleyomalley.com


Amazon Author Biowww.amazon.com/author/kimberleyomalley 

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Posted in audio books, Book Review

What Doesn’t Kill Her by Christina Dodd

What Doesn’t Kill Her by Christina Dodd Narrated by Vanessa Johansson

When your whole life is built on a lie and you are living a constant nightmare it is difficult to trust anyone, even the man you love. For Kellen Adams, the person she trusts the least is herself. A year-long memory gap, a nightmare and a seven-year-old daughter she never knew threaten to undermine the fragile foundation she has built after running off to join the military.

Someone wants her dead and is willing to go to great lengths to see that it happens, but Kellen Adams isn’t easy to kill. But she has a vulnerability. Though she has tried to avoid getting close to her daughter, when the little girl shows up on a job, she discovers quickly how easy it would be for someone to get to her through the child. After surviving the job, she starts planning a wedding and if she survives, she might live to see her happy ever after.

This is an awesome story, I want to go back and read the rest of the series.

Vanessa Johansson is a fantastic narrator adding her own dramatic reading to an already wonderful story. Being a fan of audiobooks, it is truly important to find the right narrator for your story, Vanessa gives Kellen the voice that rings true to character.