Be My Guest - Darlene Deluca - Hard Lemonade

Today, I'm happy to welcome a good friend and fellow author, Darlene Deluca. Darlene's new book Hard Lemonade (what a cool title) just released on October 1st. This book sounds so interesting, I'm going to stop talking and let Darlene take the floor.

     "Let’s see…will today be a writing day? Or should I focus on editing? Researching? Networking? Promoting? A lot of parts and pieces go into launching a new book. Each element is important. But some are more fun than others. 

     One thing I like to do is create a Pinterest board for my book. It’s fun to pick out faces/people who fit my vision of my characters. Or put together a wardrobe for my heroine. Or find photos that capture the setting and scenery. It helps the book come alive for me if I can visualize the components. The visual snippets can represent a scene, a hobby or a theme inside the book. For my new women’s fiction novel, Hard Lemonade, the title lends itself to visuals—lemons, lemonade. Those were easy. Some of the others aren’t so obvious. 

     The board is like a little sneak peek into the book. Hopefully, with enough intriguing tidbits to spark the interest of readers. What does a Scrabble game have to do with the story? Read it and find out. Why strawberry Pop-Tarts? Those are actually very significant to a specific element of the story. Libraries? Those are a big deal. A green glass bowl? Symbolic to the main character. Look for Hard Lemonade in eBook or paperback Oct. 1."

Back Cover Blurb:

Her husband fails. Her marriage fails. Does that make Emily Sherridan a failure? 

With high hopes and rose-colored shades, Emily Sherridan leaves her family and friends to build a new life with her screenwriter husband in sunny Los Angeles. There, she learns that love conquers all…until the rent is overdue, the rejections pile up, or the test is positive. As months, then years, go by and Eric’s career fails to launch, Emily is determined to hold everything together. But when he brings danger into their lives, it’s over. When the cops arrive at her doorstep, anguish mixes with anger. She wonders how low they can go—until one of the officers hands her the number to a women’s shelter. 

Broke and broken, her dreams are dashed and her confidence is shaken. With Eric’s taunt about running home pounding in her ears, Emily pushes forward though she’s unsure of her direction. She cannot give up. Her daughter deserves more. From rosy dreams to real-life roadblocks, Hard Lemonade is a compelling story of friends, family, and fierce sheroes. 

Excerpt:

     Julia Nickels ended the call with the hotel in Pasadena and gazed out the window, drumming her fingers on the desk in their home office. She’d expected to be going on a trip this month, but the situation and destination had changed dramatically.

     Instead of a fun mother-daughter getaway to see friends on Mackinac Island in Michigan, she was heading west to help Emily set up an apartment—a place Julia had only seen through virtual tour. She hoped the reality would at least somewhat resemble the pictures in the video. 

     The abrupt change of plans still sent jolts of shock through her. She’d expected to have her daughter home for the summer between her sophomore and junior years of college. Still expected her to walk through the door and chatter about her classes and campus activities—to share her world. Just last night, Julia had started to set the dinner table for three before she remembered Emily was two thousand miles away. 

     Pressing her lips together, she sagged into the chair and gave herself a minute to mentally regroup. Then she switched out the light and wandered from the office into the kitchen. As she poured a fresh glass of tea, her glance landed on the pile of home magazines stacked in the family room. She could start a project. She had a list—always had a list of home improvement projects awaiting their turn. She had to do something besides mope around the house or bother her friends or sister. No doubt they were all tired of hearing her worries and woes. Heck, she was tired of it, too. But she hadn’t yet figured out how to move on—how to be mother to an adult child who with the speed of whiplash didn’t want to be mothered. 

     The rumble of the garage door interrupted her thoughts, and she straightened, prepared to greet her husband, and at least pretend everything was fine. When the side door opened, she forced a smile. Fake it ’til you make it. 

    Joe loosened his tied as he entered the room then planted a light kiss on her lips. “How was your day?” he asked. 

    It was a standard question, but these days Julia had to try and read his mood and discern whether he wanted the truth or a shallow everything-is-fine response. 

    “Nothing too exciting,” she told him. 

     He opened the refrigerator and took out a beer. “Yeah? You get the trip worked out?” 

     Okay, they were going for real tonight. “Yes, everything’s booked.” 

     He took a long pull on the beer. “Want to trade places?” 

     Julia choked out a laugh. Neither one of them had a carefree couple of days ahead of them, but she agreed Joe got the short stick. “No, thanks. I want to see this apartment. I suppose the fact that she’s letting me go out is a good sign.” 

     “Yeah, I have a hard time feeling grateful about any of this.” 

     Julia let out a long sigh. “Me, too. But it could’ve been worse. They could’ve eloped or run off to California together. At least we got a wedding. That shows commitment.” 

Author Bio: 

Darlene Deluca writes contemporary romance that feels real and women’s fiction that explores relationships – what brings people together or keeps them apart. Her intent is to bring to life interesting characters that readers can relate to in real-life situations that combine a little fun, plenty of drama, and big helpings of friendship, love, and self-discovery, and will leave readers either cheering or sighing with a satisfied smile as they turn the final page. The Kansas City author enjoys getting lost in a good story with a glass of tea, a bit of dark chocolate and a warm, sunny beach.

https://darlenedeluca.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Lemonade-Darlene-Deluca/dp/B0HH85XNL4/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6879809.Darlene_Deluca

Be My Guest - Ashlyn Chase - Autumn L.A.W.

Today, chatting with me in the den by a cozy fire, is friend and fellow author, Ashlyn Chase, who is celebrating the release of her final book in her four book series, League of Amazing Witches (Winter L.A.W., Spring L.A.W., Summer L.A.W., and Autumn L.A.W.) Each book can be read on its own, but if you like stories about witches, shapeshifters, vampires, romance, and humor, we recommend reading the whole series.

Let's get to know more about book four - Autumn L.A.W.

Autumn L.A.W. Part 1 

The Dangerous Duo

Sahara Nadir trusts history, logic, and ancient languages. Lioness Graves trusts visions, instincts, and whatever wild idea pops into her head next. Working together has never been their strong suit, but dark humor gets them through. 

When a mysterious obelisk erupts beneath Central Park, the League of Amazing Witches discovers it isn't just an artifact. It's a prison, and something inside is trying to break free. 

Sahara, with the help of an unshakably calm mage, and Lioness, with a fearless firefighter who insists on returning her life-saving protection, must put aside their differences before an ancient evil possesses a human host. The future may depend on the one thing they've never mastered: teamwork.

Autumn L.A.W. Part 1 - Excerpt
     The world lurched. Not a rumble. More of an honest-to-Goddess tremor that made the trees shiver and sent a flock of birds blasting upward like confetti out of a cannon. 

     Lioness stumbled forward, catching herself on the caution tape that she and Sahara had not been authorized to put up but did anyway. Her sketchbook slipped from her fingers and flopped onto the grass. 

     “Okay,” she said aloud, because sometimes narrating her life helped. “That was not normal. That was ‘something is waking up, and it’s out to get us’ levels of abnormal.” 

     The cracked earth in front of her split again. A sharp seam zigzagged across the ground like a lightning bolt. 

     “Lioness!” Sahara called, barreling toward her from the far side of the site, ponytail whipping. “Back up. Now.” 

     Lioness didn’t argue. Mostly because the ground was shifting under her boots and arguing required stability. She hopped backward just as the crack widened and released a gust of air so cold it slapped her across the face.

Autumn L.A.W. Part 2 

Crossing the Wrong Witch 

Victoria De La Fontaine is a glamorous witch, helicopter pilot, and proud member of the League of Amazing Witches… until a dry-cleaning dispute goes spectacularly wrong. One magical mishap later, she’s trapped in a stranger’s body, wearing stained sweatpants, while the thief runs around in her long legs and designer wardrobe. 

Determined to reclaim her identity, Victoria sets out on a globe-trotting search for six rare spell reversal ingredients. Her ally is Duke Masterson, the league’s occult librarian with access to some of the world's rarest magical secrets and a few mysteries of his own. 

As the stakes grow higher, Victoria discovers that reversing an ancient curse and getting her body back may be only part of what she needs to do. Learning and liking who she really is could be the life-altering challenge.

Autumn L.A.W. Part 2 - Excerpt
     "My mother was keen on my being in beauty pageants. My father wanted nothing to do with that and wanted me to concentrate on my mind, not my body. That was a bone of contention between them. Eventually, they let me make up my own mind about it."

     Duke waited, and when she didn't continue, he prompted, "What did you decide?"

     "I tried pursuing it and became Miss Québec one year, but the reality wasn't for me. Men leering at me, trying to grope me when my handler wasn’t there. I had to agree with my dad that developing my mind and my magical abilities was far more important than my looks."

     Then she laughed hysterically and almost fell off the rock she was sitting on. "You never know what you've got till it's gone."

https://www.amazon.com/Autumn-L-W-Amazing-Witches-ebook/dp/B0H51WHVHH/

 

Author Biography: Ashlyn Chase describes herself as an Almond Joy bar. A little nutty, a little flaky, but basically sweet, wanting only to give her readers a satisfying experience that leaves them smiling. She earned a degree in behavioral sciences, worked with children with disabilities, then worked as a psychiatric RN for fifteen years, and spent four more years with the American Red Cross. Her jobs were great for character building, both as a person and an author. Most authors, whether they know it or not, have a theme… something that unifies their whole booklist. Ashlyn has identified her theme(s) as found families, where being different makes no difference, and characters who reinvent themselves. As an artist, nurse, hypnotherapist, and interior designer, she has reinvented herself many times. Now she is a multi-published, best-selling, award-winning author of humorous paranormal and contemporary romances. And she writes fantasy adventure/magical realism books for young adults and children as E. B. Lorow (Elisabeth Lorow.) She lives in Florida with her true-life superhero husband, who looks like Hugh Jackman if you squint. She and Mr. Amazing have been adopted by two adorable cats.

 
For more adventures, check out Ashlyn Chase’s website or sign up for her newsletter by scrolling to the bottom of her home page.
Website: https://www.ashlynchase.com/
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorAshlynChase
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ashlynlaughin/

 
There’s still time to join Ashlyn's Booksprout Campaign!

Get a free copy of Autumn L.A.W. in exchange for a review. https://booksprout.co/reviewer/review-copy/view/313518/autumn-law-league-of-amazing-witches

Be My Guest - Liz Flaherty with Shades of Green

I'm sitting on the porch today with my writing friend, Liz Flaherty, who is celebrating the release of the third book in her Colors, the Harper Loch Trilogy. We're going to chat a bit about Shades of Green and share a little teaser so you can go grab a copy of this fabulous book, which is now available.

Shades of Green, Book 3 of Colors, the Harper Loch Trilogy

Romance or Women’s Fiction? Inspirational Romance … Or Not?

I made a discovery when I went digging through Cari’s story to find suitable excerpts to go on blog visits with. Although Shades of Green is—to me, anyway—very much a romance, it dives way over into the women’s fiction aisle when it’s relating what happens in the book. A part of me thinks I should apologize for this in case any of the readers are disappointed, but the bigger part isn’t at all sorry. While I understand that in many people’s minds, there’s a big gap between romance and women’s fiction, I don’t even think it’s a crack in the sidewalk. Unless the romance is MM, it is the woman’s journey. That’s what I like to write, including all the backroads and bumpy spots. Also … now, you’ve got me started … Cari is a pastor at Harper Loch Community Church. She is religious. Her life is one of service. But Shades of Green is not an inspirational book. It is a love story, but it is not Christian fiction. It is not her journey in faith. She lives that one every day, but it’s hers. It’s not the hero’s or anyone else’s. She does get asked to pray for meals and for other things, no one swears (much) in front of her, and no one has any idea she might know what sex is. But that’s not the story, either. The story is, as I said above, one woman’s journey. It was so much fun to write. I hope it’s fun to read, too.

Blurb:
    Pastor Cari Newland’s life is stuck in the middle.
    Her friends and parishioners at Harper Loch are mostly older than her thirty-two years… or they’re younger. While she likes being a single minister, she would also like to meet someone who sees her as someone besides “Preach.” She gets hugged a lot, she realizes, but she never gets held.         She’s never been the daughter her parents wanted or the woman her long-ago fiancé needed. Her life is good, but it’s lonely. Enter handsome navy pilot Zack Grant. Visiting his parents at the lake, he attends a wedding Cari officiates. They talk and they dance and they are … interested. But Zack’s life is a thousand miles away and Cari’s life is firmly in Harper Loch. When interested begins to grow into something more, Cari and Zack must decide how to fit into each other’s world and whether or not they can make a long-distance romance work. 

    But Cari’s life is in the small lake community in Michigan. Zack’s is in the Florida Panhandle. And neither of them has any intention of changing locations.

Buy links:
Amazon: https://a.co/d/0dKnw8fA
D2D: https://books2read.com/u/3RRAgL

Excerpt:
    I called Zack.
    “How did it feel?” I asked when he answered. “Losing your mother before you actually lost her?”
    The question was awkward at best, thoughtless at worst. I hoped he knew what I was asking.
    He was silent for a moment, then he said quietly, “Her eyes still smiled, even when she couldn’t anymore. Her expression changed when she looked at each of us. She and Pop could always talk, even without words, and they kept us aware of what was happening the whole time. He had to work a lot, but my grandparents helped—Mom’s parents and Pop’s stepmother—and they managed things so that—”
    He stopped, and I could almost feel him choosing his words. “We remained a family throughout,” he said finally. “We grieved. Of course, we did. But it wasn’t just Mom who was sick; rather, we were a family with ALS. I can honestly say that as rough as it was, there was good in almost every day.”
    I thought of Adria and Dad laughing together while he held the yarn and she rolled it into a ball. I could say that, too; moreover, I should say it. Of course I had issues with my growing-up years, but those issues were way beyond their expiration date by now. Besides, didn’t everybody have issues with how they’d grown up?
    Zack chuckled, and his voice was soft with memory. “The year before she died, when she was in a wheelchair, but could still talk some, she wanted to go trick-or-treating with us even though we didn’t do that anymore. So Lessie, Pop’s stepmom, dressed Mom up like Whistler’s Mother in that painting and had Luke and me decked out like Santa’s elves, only we were whistlers instead of elves, and we whistled all over the neighborhood. There are pictures, but you wouldn’t want to see them.”
    I laughed, trying to picture the Grant brothers as elves.
    “Pop and Mom went into marriage with lessons learned and crazy in love with each other,” said Zack. “It wasn’t all that long before they found out their forever wasn’t going to be very long, so they made every day count.”
    I knew how important that was. I preached how important it was.
    Cemetery lanterns danced in the breeze outside. I didn’t like them much when they started showing up. I felt like they took away from the peacefulness of the burial place, but I got used to them.
    DeMaris had sat at her daughter’s grave for a long time when she was here. When I finally asked if I could help her, she shook her head and reached to touch the lantern that hung on a sturdy shepherd’s hook. “John got this,” she said. “She was always a little afraid of the dark.”

    After that conversation, I liked the gentle lights; I didn’t just tolerate them. I made sure they stayed lit when it was dark.

    I couldn’t do that much for Dad and Adria, but I could make sure the lights she needed in the house stayed on at night and I could find the good. 

    “Thank you, Zack,” I said, missing him. “I think you just got me through something.”
    “Good.”
    I wanted to ask when he was coming. Again. I seemed to want to do that a lot. But I didn’t want to sound too eager, much less needy. 

    “I’ll be in Friday night,” he said, reading my mind again. He seemed to do that. “Luke and I are both working till noon and we’re flying out at three. Pop and Ellie are picking us up. See you Saturday?”
    I was still smiling when I hung up a few minutes later. Finding the good in this day didn’t take long.

About Liz:
Retired from the post office, Liz Flaherty spends non-writing time thinking about writing and wanting to travel. The author of 20-some books and her husband Duane share an old farmhouse in North Central Indiana. They do think about moving from there, but they have literally decades of stuff, and they’re just not ready! She thinks one of the things that keeps you young when you quite obviously aren’t anymore is the constant chances you have to reinvent yourself. Her latest professional incarnation is as a fledgling women’s fiction author and she is enjoying every minute that she’s not scared to death. You can connect with her at https://linktr.ee/LizFlaherty She’s always glad for new friends—and to see her old ones!

Be My Guest - Ashlyn Chase

Today, I'm happy to welcome a friend and fellow writer, Ashlyn Chase, who is celebrating the release of her new book, Winter L.A.W - League of Amazing Witches on June 21, 2026. Just the title of this book is intriguing, so let's grab a beverage and a comfy chair and get to know more about Ashlyn and her new book...which is part of a four book series!

Ashlyn Chase rides again!

Hi, folks. It’s been a minute since I wrote anything new. To be honest, the pandemic really knocked the creativity right out of me! I couldn’t write a new word for 3 years! To stay in the game, I rewrote some of my older books that needed updating. That was good for me in a couple of ways. First, I reread my words and thought to myself, “Hmmm… That’s not half bad.” The other way it helped was to give me some confidence re: the Indie business. I got my rights back for nine books from my traditional publisher. They were good. They just needed a few tweaks to get rid of old tech, like discs, landlines, etc. I have since republished those books as two series. Boston Uncommon and Boston Dragons. Yippee! They’re out in the world again, and I was able to put them there myself. But… Indie publishing is A LOT of work! And even though I’m willing to do my part, I really prefer the power of a publisher behind me. 

Now, I’ve dusted off my broomstick and my creative brain is soaring again! I had thought about turning an old novella into a series for a while. I loved the premise of a found family of witches covertly fighting supernatural crime, with lots of quippy humor. (Think: X-Files meets Hocus Pocus.) In my world, mundane law enforcement can’t or won’t deal with the supernatural. Most don’t even believe it exists. That’s where the League of Amazing Witches (L.A.W.) comes in! 

Each witch has their own specialized talent. They train in their sentient mansion on Long Island to weave together their strengths when a coordinated response is required to save the world—or just a corner of it. And they can get around those pesky laws that tie the hands of police. 

Each novella features one witch’s love story arc with a happy, not sappy ending. Included are 8 pagan sabbats (holidays, approximately 6 weeks apart), 8 witches, with a prequel novella. For print length, I’ve combined two novellas in each book. I’ve been published for 20+ years, and I have to say, this series is one of my favorites!

Winter L.A.W.; part 1 (Yule) and part 2 (Imbolc) 

Spring L.A.W., part 1 (Ostara) and part 2 (Beltane)

Summer L.A.W., part 1 (Litha) and part 2 (Lammas) 

Autumn L.A.W., part 1 (Mabon) and part 2 (Samhain) 

What will I do when the last book comes out? Well, an author friend has asked me to write a screenplay with her. Since I wrote screenplays first and switched to print publishing when I couldn’t break into Hollywood, I was interested! She is attending UCLA and has some connections, so who knows? I think the League of Amazing Witches would make a fabulous Marvel movie!

Back Cover Blurb:

Winter L.A.W. Part 1

The Lonely Wiccan’s Yule: A prequel to the League of Amazing Witches series.

    Freya Suretti used to love Yule. Now it’s just a reminder that her grandmother and sister vanished without a trace nearly a year ago. Alone in a too-quiet New England cottage, she’s running out of hope… until a wounded, charming Brit appears, seeking magical healing—and finding far more than he expected. 

    Devon knows magic is real. He’s from Avalon. But even he isn’t prepared for Freya… or the pull between them. As snow falls and sparks fly, Freya’s search for answers takes a turn neither of them saw coming. Because her family isn’t just missing. They’re lost in time.

Winter L.A.W. Part 2

Emails from the Future: A League of Amazing Witches novella.

    Brianna Suretti is a CPA and a witch with a very inconvenient quirk: accidental time travel. When a looming magical crisis hits, she’s forced to partner with Chad—an old friend and English professor the League is rapidly training to survive the supernatural deep end. 

    Chad’s new reality involves decoding magical chaos, dodging danger, and pretending he’s not completely captivated by Brianna. Together, they must unravel cryptic emails from the future, stop interdimensional pirates, and keep their growing chemistry from wrecking the timeline. Because if they get it wrong, there won’t be a future left to fix. 

Excerpt From Winter L.A.W. Part 2:

    "Your task now is to reanimate this plant.” 

    “Whoa. Are we talking about raising the dead?” 

    Bas chuckled. “No, my friend. It’s still alive, but barely. See if you can heal it.” 

    Holy shit, Chad thought to himself. Could I become a healer too? Not just a protective warrior, but someone who can help people? He wanted to find out, and he wanted it badly. 

    He closed his eyes and pictured nutrients pouring into the plant. He had heard the witches pray to the Goddess and knew that the Goddess liked rhymes. The room was full of witches, all tuned into the Goddess. “Okay. Let me try something…” 

    Bas nodded, giving him the go-ahead. 

    “Goddess of nature, and of life. End this plant’s dying strife.” 

    The plant wilted, turning brown and brittle. Completely dead. 

    The other witches tittered, some placing their hands over their mouths to hide their smirks. Brianna shot them a dirty look. 

    He turned to Bas, throwing his hands in the air. “What did I do wrong?” 

    “Well, you ended its strife all right,” she said. “But calling on the Goddess was smart. She heard you. Unfortunately, your wording matters quite a lot. She can take things notoriously literally. 

    Chad groaned. “I’m never going to get this, am I?” 

    “Yes, you are,” Bas said forcefully. “You have to.”

About Ashlyn Chase:

Ashlyn Chase describes herself as an Almond Joy bar. A little nutty, a little flaky, but basically sweet, wanting only to give her readers a satisfying experience that leaves them smiling. She earned a degree in behavioral sciences, worked with children with disabilities, then worked as a psychiatric RN for 15 years, and spent four more years with the American Red Cross. Most authors, whether they know it or not, have a theme… something that unifies their whole booklist. Ashlyn has identified her theme(s) as found families, where being different makes no difference, and characters who reinvent themselves. As an artist, nurse, hypnotherapist, and craft maker, she has reinvented herself many times. Now she is a multi-published, best-selling, award-winning author of humorous paranormal and contemporary romances. And she writes fantasy adventure/magical realism books for young adults and children as E. B. Lorow (Elisabeth Lorow.) She lives in Florida with her true-life superhero husband, who looks like Hugh Jackman if you squint. She and Mr. Amazing have been adopted by two adorable cats. For more adventures involving witches, shapeshifters, vampires, and plain old humans, check out Ashlyn Chase’s website, or better yet, sign up for her newsletter - just scroll to the bottom of her home page. 

Website: http://www.ashlynchase.com

Blog: http://ashlynchase.blogspot.com

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2iJtqVi

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ashlyn-chase

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorashlynchase

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

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorAshlynChase

Facebook Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/419246578123187

Be My Guest - Liz Flaherty

I am happy to welcome back, my dear writing friend, Liz Flaherty, who is celebrating the release of her book, Patches of Red...which I've read and highly recommend.

Have a seat and a glass of lemonade, and let's get to know more about Liz...and Patches of Red.

OKAY, FINE … 

When Ellie Wentz, whose best friend Maggie’s story was told in Pieces of Blue, pushed herself into my mind as someone who might have a tale of her own, my first thought—and likely my thirty-first as well—was No. A rather resounding one. While I’d loved writing Blue and I really loved Harper Loch, its setting, I had no intention of writing a sequel. 

None at all. Although I like series, I think there are a lot of them out there. A lot! Could I really focus on another book in the same place with some of the same people? I just didn’t really think so. 

But there was Ellie, with her long red ponytail and melty chocolate eyes and her streak of pain-in-the-tush OCD. And then she got a little heart-shaped mole on her face, sprinklings of freckles, and an awful singing voice. 

In Blue, she was a nurse practitioner who’d lived in Muskegon, Michigan, her whole life. She was funny and strong, but her life was settled. She was a nana, for heaven’s sake. She owned her own home and had a guy friend. There was no story to tell, right? 

Except that she quit her job. Broke up with the boyfriend. Sold her home to her son and his wife. Went to Harper Loch to visit Maggie and met handsome Jess Grant. 

Okay, fine, fine. She had me.

I hope she captures your imagination as she captured mine. As much as I loved writing Maggie’s story is how much I loved writing Ellie’s. I hope you love reading it that much. 

Patches of Red Blurb:

 

    He’s handsome but couldn’t even remember her name. She’s pretty, but her finickiness drives him crazy. And yet … 

    After twenty years as a nurse practitioner in the same practice, Ellie Wentz gives notice. When office politics interferes with her job, it’s time to get a new one. When her son and daughter-in-law buy her house and she has sold and given away everything else that’s not attached to her heartstrings, she packs up what remains and goes to Harper Loch to spend time with her best friend. She’ll decide what to do and where to go from there. No matter how much the handsome friend of her friends annoys her. 

    Jesse Grant comes to Harper Loch to help out his niece for a few weeks. He’s retired from the navy, his boys are grown, and he’s at loose ends. But he really likes the little lake community in Michigan—he thinks he might stay. Long widowed, he has no interest in getting married again, and neither does the redhead he can’t seem to avoid. And yet … again. 

Buy links: 

Amazon: https://a.co/d/09fZR7ntD2D

https://books2read.com/u/mZ98YJ

Patches of Red Excerpt:

    On her last day at the practice, after cake and gifts from the people she’d worked with for twenty years, she loaded her personal items into her car and went to Black Dog Coffee, where beer and terrible wine were served in addition to wonderful coffee. She sat at a tall table with Scott Johnson, the owner and her one-time significant other, drinking the red wine her friend Maggie called fermented food coloring and bemoaning her very existence. 

    “That must be why you broke up with me,” she said. “I’m such a loser.” 

    “You broke up with me,” Scott corrected, “and the suggestion was that I was a loser and also a slob. I think it was the slob part you couldn’t take. So what are you going to do now?”

    She wondered if she looked as blank as she felt. “I think I’ll be a bartender. Will you hire me?”

    “You going to drink on the job?” 

    “Possibly.” 

    “Then no.” 

    “Okay, I won’t drink on the job.” 

    Still no.” 

    Later, at home in the bungalow her parents had flipped and then sold to her and Gavin when their family outgrew the apartment they lived in, she called Maggie and related the events of the day. “What should I do now?” 

    “Come to the lake until you decide. Your room’s always ready.”

    “That’s too easy, Maggie.” 

    “Struggle is overrated. Just come.” 

    “I haven’t even told the kids I quit my job.” 

    Maggie’s voice softened every time she talked about Bryan and Selena. It had made sense that Ellie’s best friend from second grade on would be the godmother to them both. It was a job she’d always taken seriously. She loved them almost as much as Ellie did, and it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility that they loved their godmother more than their mother. 

    “They want you to be happy, El.”

    “They’re just scared I’ll want to move in with them and will go around cleaning out the refrigerator and reminding people to take off their shoes when they come into the house. Even if it’s their house.” 

    “And then there’s that.”

    They ended the conversation on laughter, as they always did. When Ellie hung up, she FaceTimed with the kids and told them she’d had a midlife crisis and quit her job. When they finished making dementia jokes and asking if she wanted the grandkids for the summer, she said, “What would you think of me selling the house?”

    Bryan looked over his shoulder, talking to Jan, his wife. When he turned back, he said, “To us?”

    It was amazing how quickly life could change. 

About Liz:

Liz Flaherty thinks one of the things that keeps you young when you quite obviously aren’t anymore is the constant chances you have to reinvent yourself. Her latest professional incarnation is as a fledgling women’s fiction author and she is enjoying every minute that she’s not scared to death.

Website: https://www.lizflaherty.net/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lizkflaherty

Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Liz-Flaherty/author/B001J919R4

Be My Guest - Amber Daulton

Today, I'm pleased to welcome fellow author, Amber Daulton, who's new book Corrupting His Wife, just released yesterday! Let's get to know a little about Amber and book three in her Lozano Cartel series.

Redemption through Corruption 

When we think of a mafia or cartel romance, we usually expect power struggles and gunfire. But in my latest release, Corrupting His Wife, the war isn’t happening just on the streets. It’s also happening behind closed doors between two people who were never supposed to belong to each other. If you’re looking for a story where the chemistry is so thick you can feel it, and the hero’s possessiveness is matched only by the heroine’s awakening, this is the book you’ve been waiting for. Enrique Briceño isn’t a knight in shining armor. He’s the second-in-command of the Lozano Cartel, a man who lives in the shadows and takes what he wants. When he abducts Lourdes, he claims it’s to save her from a forced marriage, but his true mission is far more intimate: he wants to corrupt her. He wants to be the man who shows her exactly how well a woman deserves to be treated and how much pleasure her body can handle. Lourdes Villegas has spent her life being a pawn, so she’s used to men who use force and mockery. When Enrique claims her, she expects another monster. Instead, she finds a lover who offers her something she’s never had: agency in and out of the bedroom. In a world built on violence, Enrique and Lourdes find their sanctuary in each other’s arms. The romance in Corrupting His Wife excels in tension and trust despite the darker themes. While Enrique is the one who took her, he’s also the first man to step back and let Lourdes take the lead. The dark romance genre isn’t for everyone, but if you can look past the danger and deceit, you’ll find love worth fighting for.

Corrupting His Wife
Series: Lozano Cartel (book 3)
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Dark Romance
Five Flames Heat Rating
Tagline: When his abduction scheme goes awry, he’ll have to prove himself worthy of the woman he craves.
Blurb:
    Kidnapping a reluctant bride is easy. Staying off her jilted fiancé’s radar is tough.
     As the second-in-command of the Lozano Cartel, Enrique Briceño always gets what he wants. So when Lourdes’s father demands she marry another man, Enrique makes his move—abduction. Vowing to corrupt his sweet little captive in every wicked way imaginable, he doesn’t expect her to fight him with fire.
    Cartel princess Lourdes Villegas longs for peace. Freedom. A chance to let her artist soul breathe. Yet once again, a man is pulling her strings. In Enrique’s arms, she trades one ruthless capo for another. His touch sets her ablaze, but she’s already plotting her escape.
    As political alliances crumble and the streets run red, Enrique must prove he’s more than just another monster in Lourdes’s life. Because this time, love might be the most dangerous thing of all.

Book three in the dark romance series, the Lozano Cartel. All the books can be read as a standalone, but are part of an interconnected series. – Scenes featuring kidnapping, violence, and miscarriage (discussed) may be uncomfortable for some readers. – No cheating. HEA guaranteed!

Excerpt:
    We need to be married. She heard his unspoken words loud and clear.
    Manipulated into one marriage after another. Why couldn’t she choose who she wanted, or better yet, stay single? The four years she’d spent under Jacobo’s thumb were enough to last a lifetime. Only, would she have such a terrible fate as Enrique’s wife? Even though he’d kidnapped her, he hadn’t technically hurt her. Terrorized and angered her, sure. But that was the extent of his cruelty. If he were Jacobo or Diego, he probably would’ve assaulted her by now.
    Of course. Now she’s rationalizing Enrique’s male-chauvinistic actions just as she had Jacobo’s when he hit her while drunk. She was stronger than this. No matter what happened, she couldn’t lose herself in fear and self-pity as she had before. Whether she married Diego, Enrique, or someone else, she had to be strong and resilient. She had to survive.
    Lourdes pulled from his grasp. Enrique’s heart was in the right place, though he was going about saving her all wrong. She had to protect him from his foolishness. Somehow, she had to escape and beg her father to grant him mercy.
    “If I had the chance to go back in time and stop myself from doing this, I wouldn’t.” He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “Give me time, Lourdes. You’ll see I’m right. I will make you happy.”
    Happiness, hope, love—those were dangerous words. Everything she’d ever wanted.
    Too bad it wasn’t meant to be.

Only 99 cents for a limited time!

Universal: https://books2read.com/CorruptingHisWife
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3H7ssPi
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/corrupting-his-wife-amber-daulton/1148037918?ean=2940184521732
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/corrupting-his-wife

About the Author
Amber Daulton is the author of the Lozano Cartel, the Arresting Onyx, the Embracing You, and the Ramseys in Time series, as well as several standalone novellas. Her books are available in ebook and print on demand while select titles are also in audio and foreign language formats. She lives in North Carolina, USA, with her husband and demanding cats.

Social Media Links
https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton
Daulton Publishing: https://amberdaulton.com
Sign up for my Exclusive Newsletter (free ebook to new subscribers): https://amberdaulton.com/newsletter-signup/

Be My Guest - Liz Flaherty

I'm happy to welcome a dear friend, Liz Flaherty, to the Be My Guest Studio today! Liz is sharing her new release Pieces of Blue, which I had the pleasure of reading. My five-star book review can be found on Goodreads.

Let's get to know more about Liz and Pieces of Blue.

Moments and Possibilities
     Thanks for having me today, Darlene. I’ve been trying to think of something to write about, since I’ve been blogging all over the place, doing the Hey, look at me? See my book? trek through the wilderness of indie publishing. 

     And I thought of Still Moments. It’s my favorite e-zine and I have written for it in the past, but the very title of it is what holds me. Still moments are just what I need when I sit down to read it. 

     In all honesty, those easy, quiet times are what I seek out often. Not just times, either—I need places and conversations, memories and daydreams. And possibilities—always possibilities. 

     All of those things I just listed are what made me write Pieces of Blue, and they all found places there. There were also some things that weren’t still at all, nor quiet, Maggie thought sometimes that her possibilities had passed. 

     Had they?

     I hope you like Maggie’s story. Books Two and Three will be out later this year, so keep them on your list, too. More about them later. For now, meet Maggie and Sam.

Blurb:

Life comes in shades of blue...

Self-imposed loner, Maggie North, has worked for bestselling author Trilby Winterroad her entire adult life, starting as simply his assistant and ending up as his ghost writer. Through ups and downs--including a divorce from an abusive husband--he has been the one person on whom she could always rely. So when Trilby dies suddenly, Maggie finds herself adrift, not sure what she’ll do or where she belongs in the world any longer. And the confusion continues when she discovers he’s not only left her his beloved dachshund, Chloe, but a house she knew nothing about, on a lake she’s never heard of.

It only takes one visit for Maggie to fall in love with both the house and the small lakeside community. The longer she’s there, the safer she feels and the more her life begins to expand...as do her feelings toward her friend and Trilby’s attorney, Sam Eldridge. 

But is she really safe? Or are the glistening pieces of her new life about to shatter as an old danger returns?

Buy links:
Amazon: https://a.co/d/0ixtBrUq
D2d: https://books2read.com/u/491qMp

Excerpt:
     I think I’m more all right than I’ve been in years, which I feel bad thinking so close to the time of Trilby’s dying, but I also know about honeymoon periods. I understand that I’m enthralled by the newness of the Burl specifically and Harper Loch in general, but I would tire of the smallness soon enough if I stayed. I’d mind having to drive a half hour to find the ingredients I want for a recipe that falls outside the norm of rural central Michigan. I’d miss Muskegon’s library and its parks and going to the Black Dog with Ellie. I’d miss Ellie, too, and Sam. 

     I had to admit, though, that it was fun seeing them here. I’d loved discovering Placer with Ellie, and Sam fit into this house as if he belonged here.
     Maybe he did.
     “So, tell me about the Burl,” I requested. “My mind’s been busy enough that it’s kept my curiosity on the back burner. But you know this house, the lake, some of the people here. How is it that in all the years we’ve known each other, you’ve never mentioned Harper Loch?” 

     “We’ve known each other, but only in relation to Trilby. You were his assistant, I was his lawyer, and we both loved him. Although you and I saw each other enough that we became friends, we leaned more toward just being acquaintances. Sometimes it was strictly professional, too. I was your lawyer. You helped my office staff sometimes if they were swamped.”
     I was unexpectedly hurt by being thought of as a mere acquaintance, but he was right. I frowned at him. “You’re not answering my question.” Realizing I sounded grumpy and he couldn’t possibly know why, I stretched my hand across the table. “Hello. My name’s Maggie North. I’d like to be friends.”
     When he took my hand, I understood what I’d read in romance novels about frissons—isn’t that a cool word?—of feeling going right up my arm. I’d read a few where that particular shudder of feeling was an open invitation into bed. That wasn’t happening, but still…a frisson is a frisson and I was going to enjoy it. And remember it.

Bio: 

Liz Flaherty has spent the past several years enjoying not working a day job, making terrible crafts, and writing stories in which the people aren’t young, brilliant, or even beautiful. She’s decided (and has to re-decide most every day) that the definition of success is having a good time. Along with her husband of lo, these many years, kids, grands, friends, and the occasional cat, she’s doing just that. Find her on Facebook or her blog, Window Over the Sink. A girl just can’t have too many friends! https://linktr.ee/lizflaherty

Be My Guest - Jana Richards

Welcome back to Be My Guest!

In the Be My Guest studio, I invite friends to stop by for a chat and to share their work.

Today in the Be My Guest studio is Jana Richards. Jana is celebrating the release of her book, I'll Be Seeing You. Jana is going to tell us a little about her new book, and answer a couple of questions for us. Let's start chatting...

Five Things You Need to Know About the Twice in a Lifetime Series

1.      The Twice in a Lifetime Series is a time-travel, second chance at love romance, with angels. There are three books in the series: I'll Be Seeing You is book one.

2. Apprentice angel Gabriel Daniels, the main character of the series, must go back in time three times to give three mortals a second chance at love before he’s admitted into Heaven. He goes back to the 1940s, then the 1970s, and finally, 10 years before the current time.

3.      The names of the books correspond with a song of the era in which the book is set. I'll Be Seeing You was made popular in the 1940s by singers such as Vera Lynn. Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. Never Can Say Goodbye was first released by the Jackson Five in 1971. Numerous other artists released a version of the song, but probably the most famous is Gloria Gaynor’s disco take. The third book takes place about ten years before present time. I went with Bruno Mars’ 2012 hit When I Was Your Man for the title. Sloane was the love of Gabriel’s life, and he remembers a time when he was her man.

4.      Turns out that the clothes you’re wearing when you leave the Earthly plain end up being the clothes you wear for the rest of your afterlife. Gabriel was on his way to a fancy gala, so he’s stuck wearing a tuxedo. At least he looks sharp!

5.       As one of the conditions to be admitted into Heaven, Gabriel’s mentor, senior angel Thomas, requires him to examine his life, especially all the mistakes he made with love. Gabriel made many mistakes and he finds reliving them all very painful. Will he emerge from this ordeal with more understanding of the things he did?

I'll Be Seeing You

Genre: Time Travel Second Chance Romance
Themes: Time travel, angels and Heaven, second chance at love.
Keywords: time travel romance, historical fiction, WW2 time travel, WW2 love story, angel paranormal romance, second chance at love romance.
Heat Level: PG
Release Date: March 1, 2026

Tagline:
When apprentice angel Gabriel takes Frank back in time for a second chance at love, they both learn lessons about trust.

Back Cover Blurb:
Apprentice angel Gabriel Daniel’s first assignment in his quest to become a full-fledged angel is to give WW2 veteran, Frank Brennan, a second chance at love. With help from his mentor, senior angel Thomas, Gabriel takes Frank back to 1944 to Plymouth, England. There, Frank made his biggest mistake with love. He fell in love with Claire Cartwright, but when he found her kissing another man, he ended their relationship, despite Claire’s insistence that things weren’t as they appeared. This time around, Gabriel’s task is to convince Frank to trust in Claire’s love and fidelity, despite the evidence against her.

At the same time, Thomas takes Gabriel on a journey through his relationship with Sloane, the love of his mortal life. For the first time, Gabriel sees how his jealousy and distrust tainted their love.

Unless Gabriel persuades Frank to trust Claire, his goal of becoming a citizen of Heaven is doomed, along with his desire to watch over his mother and brother back on Earth. Frank has a complicated history that Gabriel must help him confront before either of them gets what they need.

About Jana

When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit

the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better). Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and a senior calico cat named Layla.

Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.janarichards.com
Blog: https://www.janarichards.com/blog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janarichards155/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Newsletter Signup: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/k2b4c3
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/janarichards.bsky.social
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274.Jana_Richards
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards

Readers Want To Know

1. When you're feeling down and/or experiencing writer's block, what do you do to pick up your mood?
I went through a period of burn-out a couple of years ago. I got to the point where I had to put writing aside for a while, at least writing in novel-length form. The constant marketing and promotion also wore me down. So, I had to take a break. I read for pleasure, did some volunteering, and enjoyed spending time with my new granddaughter. I didn't totally abandon writing and marketing; I still wrote blog posts and did a bit of social media. But it meant that the release of my Christmas themed book missed the season and I had to wait another year to finish and release it. Last year I got the rights back to five of my books and I re-released and published them myself. It was a massive undertaking. I updated manuscripts, got new covers, formatted book interiors, and uploaded the books to various retailers in print and ebook formats. With the release of I'll Be Seeing You and the other two books in the Twice in a Lifetime series, I recognized I was in danger of burning out again. So I made the decision to take it more slowly this time. Instead of being on all the retailers right away, I decided to upload only to Amazon to begin with. I'm delaying the release of the print version a bit, too. Eventually the books will be available in many locations in different formats. But right now it's more important to preserve my energy and my mental health.

2. If your life were a novel, what would the title be, and why?
My life might be a non-fiction novel entitled “Perseverance and Determination”. There have been times in my life when it would have been easier to give up but something inside kept pushing me forward. Despite painful losses, my husband and I were determined to have a family. We kept trying, and in time, we had two daughters. Then there’s my work life. I tried different jobs/careers over the years, but nothing clicked with me the way writing did. But my writing career was almost over before it began. I wrote for years before selling anything to a publisher. I’m not sure why I kept writing, but I did. Eventually that first sale happened and it gave me the confidence to continue. I’m never going to make a lot of money with my writing, but I’m going to continue until I can no longer string two words together coherently!

 
3. What is one thing that readers would be surprised to learn about you?
Maybe it would surprise readers to know I volunteer at my local zoo in the summer. Mostly, volunteers like me help visitors find their way around the zoo and hopefully make their experience more enjoyable. I’ve reconnected lost phones with their owners, distributed band-aids to children with boo-boos, and picked up litter with my handy grab-stick. It’s fun to interact with people and I love getting to see the animals regularly. I enjoy volunteering because people are usually happy. Nobody is having a bad time at the zoo!

Thank you, Jana, for sitting down with me today in the Be My Guest studio and for sharing your book and for letting us get to know a little about you!