Spring Bling and Book Things!

My Favorite Author Things

Meeting and talking with readers is by far the most rewarding aspect of book publishing. I have met so many wonderful people I would never have met had it not been for my books. Fellow authors, avid readers and casual readers alike, librarians, bookclub members, marketing and promo folks, podcasters, designers and social media bloggers. Yes, the joy of reading is alive and well!

My Spring book tour has sprung and I’m enjoying every minute of it!

If there is one thing I never want to lose sight of it’s giving my reader audience what they are looking for. To help them escape. To make them laugh. And sometimes cry. To make them fall in love. And to entertain them for a while. That’s what it’s all about. If I succeed in doing that, then I consider it a success.

Lunch Tales: Suellen gets a new look. Let me know what you think!

I’ve been escaping too…

Here are just a few of the books I’ve enjoyed reading in the past couple of months in varying genres:

Miranda Writes is a feel-good story with a really likeable protagonist aimed at one thing—doing good for others. Selfless and kind, but not a pushover, Miranda (Randi) is the daughter of a retired cop who takes on a tough challenge when a sexual predator strikes again. Putting her new television career in jeopardy, Miranda gets involved as a former DA, determined to protect the star witness and see justice finally prevail. The dialog is believable, the coastal Connecticut town inviting, and her relationships are so authentic, she could have been someone I knew. Or certainly someone I would want to know. She is that good!

Author O’Harra’s novel, Sayonara, My Sweet, has all the elements of a good crime mystery, and kept me guessing as character after character entered the story. Plagued by a lovely young woman’s mysterious death in Murota, Japan, Chief Inspector Ito’s investigation crosses into coincidences too peculiar to ignore. Coupled with good writing and a thick plot, I kept up with the traces of clues here and there, and the personalities of each of the characters, making this a fast page-turner for me with a determined aim at one thing—finding out the murderer’s identity! A thrilling, suspenseful read.

I love it when a book takes you to a place you’ve never been and always wanted to go to. Author Richardson not only took me to the great outdoors of South Dakota, but also to Montana. She took me fly-fishing and running a marathon and encounters with a grizzly and snapping turtles! Her characters were believable in all ways—the bad-ass grandma who does Tik Tok moves, the boy next door testing the more-than-friends-waters…so real. Natalie’s journey of moving from Chicago to Rapid City and making new friends is one kind, but when you’re fifteen and finding yourself, a more poignant journey is the internal one. As Natalie navigates her new world, she often talks to herself by saying, “Note to self...” This is a wonderful story that will resonate with those in their middle school years who are looking for something fun and relatable and even a bit scary. Note to readers: you will enjoy this one!

A Week of Warm Weather is one of those books that will resonate with anyone who’s ever lived a pretense, who’s ever said ‘everything’s great’, or hid their true feelings. We’ve all been there at some point or another in our lives and can empathize, but when the façade goes on for years, when it damages your self-respect, it not only depletes you, it changes you. In this story, the covering-up lies for her addict husband thrust Tessa into a life of loneliness and isolation. She carries the burden alone for so long that she becomes a sufferer. Addicts will use every manipulative tool at their disposal to get what they want. Threats, trickery, promises upon promises. And when the stakes get really high and ultimatums are voiced, they may even resort to violence. The lengths they’ll go to so they can have their ‘one thing’, as Tess’ husband kept telling her, is boundless.

Author Bukowski’s novel is relatable and realistic in its telling. Emotions run the gamut of shock to submission, sadness to hopefulness as Tessa tries to forge a new life for herself. Tessa is a character I couldn’t help rooting for and I felt myself going along with her every heartrending step of the way as she sought redemption and her “week of warm weather in a cold, rainy spring”.

Until next time, thank you for spending some time with me. I appreciate you all.