Welcome to Linda's Literary Lair.

The beginning of a story I always wanted to tell.

2026-07-30T18:15:04.411-07:00

Sometimes, the beginning of a story hits my brain and just...sits there. It's the start of a cool book, but I have no idea what happens next. With no further ado, here comes the brain worm.

What was her family's pet assassin doing in Coco Bristol's boss' florist shop?

It was 5pm on a Friday night and Coco was sweeping the plant cuttings off the floor. The bells on the door rang cheerily. She glanced up. Her hands gripped the broom handle when she recognized one of Seattle's most deadly men.

"Frank Rectory," the gentleman in question said. "I'm here to see Nicole Gomez."

Coco had left the family behind years ago, but she retained the sangfroid necessary to survive in a gun merchant's family. Her thorn-scarred hand knocked on Nicole's office and with a cool voice, she announced the visitor.

"Oh, let him in," Nicole looked like a Playboy Bunny with big blonde curls and a body made for wiggle dresses. Her voice naturally sounded like Jessica Rabbit, but she was the sweetest thing Coco had ever met. She'd thought it was impossible for someone to be so unjaded, but Nicole Gomez was the real thing. Whatever 'Frank' thought he was doing with her, Coco was there to protect her friend.

Frank, real name Jonas Squire, maintained his perfect kill record by not being what anyone thought of as assassin. He wasn't tall, dark, tattooed, and dangerous. He was medium height, with a disarming, "Aw, shucks" smile, and sea-green eyes. At least, that was his Frank Rector persona. Jonas had dozens of looks and the ability to kill in hundreds of ways.

If he were here, it meant that Coco's mother had an idea of how to use a four shop florist chain.

"You can go home, Coco," Nicole said. "Mr. Frank and I have private business to discuss."

Coco slipped on her hoodie, grabbed her purse, and left the shop. The Seattle rain soon swallowed her from view. She could leave Nicole to her fate. But the woman had been a good friend. Unless Jonas/Frank was honestly here for a friendly booty call, there would soon be a nasty surprise for everyone involved.

But Coco had her own surprises.

She pulled out her insurance policy - a sniper rifle she'd hidden in a secret compartment of the flower shop's brick walls. She hadn't forgotten a thing she'd taught Jonas.

A letter I never sent.

2026-06-03T12:46:11.450-07:00

Pamela Des Barres runs writing workshops for women. Once a year, she holds Doll Con, where her Dolls from all over the world join together and write.

Last year, she asked us to write a letter to our father. Now that my father has passed, I will finally share the letter I wrote to him.

Dear Dad,

This is a letter I will never send, so I will finally be honest with you. We've spent our time together dancing on the edges of truth neither of us want to admit.

Truth: I am living a life you would not approve of. In fact, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't approve of me being at DollCon this weekend.

Truth: You treated your children badly. In fact, you still treat my brother - who had a PhD and three post docs and is over 60 - like everything he does is a mistake. What made you do these things. Why were you so hypercritical? Remember when you told me I was breathing wrong?

Who hurt you, Dad? Who taught you that this is how you treat people you love? Who were your role models?

Truth: You were horrible to my mother. I don't think you remember, but I do. I remember how you yelled at her and threw a butter knife at her. Remember how it hit her?

Truth: When you were in a good mood, you could be so much fun. I still love museums and zoos and amusement parks. You would ask where would we get the most acceleration on a rollercoaster? Where would you get the most lift against the safety bar? We had fun talking about the physics of thrills. I think you bored easy, so you happiest surrounded by stimulation.

Question: What was up with you listening to a football game on the radio while you had the same game on the TV while you were grading papers? It was a terrible cacophony. To this day, I don't like watching sports due to all that noise.

I will never send this. Mom used to say to let sleeping dogs lie. So I will.

Living it Up is out!

2026-03-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

I just released a brand new book in the Auntie Vamp series! Please welcome Living It Up to the world.

If you read romance, you know there is a sub-genre of billionaire men falling in love with women. There are often BDSM clubs attached to these stories.

I am thoroughly sick of these stories.

Imaging wealth is awesome, but these heroes were awful people. I wondered what it would be like if there were stories of wealthy women. In the real world, wealthy women like Mackenzie Scott lead the world in philanthropy and stimulating change.

I wanted to show what could happen if women got financial clout, and what their fantasies could be. So, I created the Fortuna Group and the Emerald Club for women to see what we could do. Like smashing the patriarchy. 🙂

Here's the teaser!

Get What You Desire.

Ten years after Holly Barros' triumphant taking over the North American Paranormal Council, she is exhausted, burned out, and worst of all, too tired for sex. This is a sad, sad place for a sexually-fuelled vampire.

Celeste Barros, Holly's great-aunt has spent the last ten years after stepping down from the Paranormal Council enjoying her retirement. She is content with her found family of lovers and friends. But she years for something more than contentment. She wants to make a difference again.

Change the World.

Holly's burnout and Celeste's restlessness come together with the idea of the Fortuna Group, an independent non-profit that will create solutions for women's issues, such as finances, environmentalism, and, of course, getting the pleasure that is a woman's birthright.

When people push back against such a wild idea, Celeste takes a risk and bets all on the chance to live it up.

Perfect for readers who need a feel-good (very good) story with lots of delight and permission for pleasure.

Talk about your books: Dracula's Secret.

2026-01-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I was meditating about my books - what I'm going to do this year, what my goals are, what I want for my writing.

I heard a very clear message that said, "Talk about your books." I thought I'd start at the very beginning with Dracula's Secret.

The idea of Vlad Tepes being born female came from a nightmare. In it, I dreamed that Dracula in a dress was talking to Napoleon's generals for the Peninsular campaign. They didn't listen to her, so she went outside, changed into men's clothes, and they proclaimed her genius.

Other than this being a weird insight to my brain (I don't normally dream about Napoleon, I promise), this image stuck with me. The folk tales of Dracula's violent behavior made sense if someone had been born a woman and was trying to keep her people safe.

From there, I wondered what kind of person could love someone like that. That brought me Lance Soliel, a man with his own darkness. I based him on Daniel Craig.

And two dark characters needed someone to bring them hope, and thus John Jante, one of my favorite characters, came to my vision.

He's based on my Charming Man, who is very pretty and smart. But he doesn't like having his picture posted, so you will just have to take my word on it. :)

If I were to jot down what tropes this story uses, I'd say:

Morally gray characters searching for redemption, age-gap relationship, international intrigue, fast burn, and fallen angels.

Photo blast.

2025-11-12T15:57:00.000-08:00


Never miss an action shot.

The Oregon Coast.

Lady MacBeth claiming her crown.

Some Weinmar Germany atmosphere.


Hi there!

Hair flips are always in fashion.

Pleasure is self-care.

2025-06-17T13:20:00.000-07:00

The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, taught that what is pleasurable is morally good and what is painful is morally evil. To quote:

Epicureanism divided pleasure into two broad categories: pleasures of the body and pleasures of the mind. Pleasures of the body involve sensations of the body, such as the act of eating delicious food or of being in a state of comfort free from pain, and exist only in the present. One can only experience pleasures of the body in the moment, meaning they only exist as a person is experiencing them. Pleasures of the mind involve mental processes and states; feelings of joy, the lack of fear, and pleasant memories are all examples of pleasures of the mind. These pleasures of the mind exist not only in the present, but also in the past and future, since memory of a past pleasant experience or the expectation of some potentially pleasing future can both be pleasurable experiences. Because of this, the pleasures of the mind are considered to be greater than those of the body. Emphasis was placed on pleasures of the mind rather than on physical pleasures.

(Yes, this is from Wikipedia. Yes, I know.)

(By Unknown artist - Marie-Lan Nguyen (2011), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1447258)

He had many more things to say, but the concept of pleasure, of the delights of both mind and body had stuck with me. I believe that pleasure can be the medicine we need to survive the dangers of life.

I seek delight through many venues and for many reasons. I have a marked tendency to melancholy and worry. If I am absorbed in the luscious sensation of the perfect red lipstick on my lips, then I am more likely to remain in a healthy mindset.

This summer, I plan on seeking delight in as many ways as possible. What could you do for your pleasure?

Love,

Linda

P.S. Don't forget - I'm still having a sale over at my website. So if your pleasure is about books, come on over. ;)

Happy Pride.

2025-06-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been a hot minute since I've been here. I have had both knees replaced since I last posted and I have energy again! It's amazing how much life changes when you are in pain every day. :)

Black History Month

2024-02-20T11:26:00.000-08:00

In order to celebrate history recognizing the influence of Black Americans, I want to share this list of 150 Black-owned businesses in North America!

Get Your Neat Stuff Here!

Also to help create a more equal society, here are my posts on writing inclusive fiction.

Don't Surf in Sewage

Okay, You Screwed Up.

How to be More Diverse in Your Writing

Well, I'm back and breathing.

2023-10-06T10:48:00.001-07:00

Hello, beautiful readers!

2023 has been, well, difficult. My beloved stepmother died in March, finally free from her dementia. I traveled to Ireland (hooray!) in May, where I promptly picked up pneumonia (boo). I spend all of June healing from that infection. I'm waiting (and waiting and waiting) to get to a surgeon to schedule my first of two needed knee replacements. I got Covid at end of August, and now, in the beginning of October, I have a cold.

So, a whole lot got put by the wayside, including you. While I've had this time to reflect, I realized that I want to make life more fun. And I thought - who doesn't like getting snail mail? I'm thinking of creating a proper, old-fashioned mail newsletter. Do you dig the idea? It would come out twice a year, interspersed with any small updates, probably sent on postcards. Tell me if you would like this!

Second, I wanted to update you on my writing. :) I'm working on two co-authored books. The first is with my long-term collaborator, Shea MacLeod, and is the fourth book in our fabulous Dream Factory series. My new co-author, April Aasheim, creates incredibly witchy novels, especially the Dark Root Series. We are working on a new series that follows her Dark Root Ancestry series. Wow! I'm so excited to work with such brilliant women.

Lastly, I'm brainstorming on a brand new book that will incorporate steampunk with my love of Middle Eastern history. It's still in the idea phase, so no firm updates yet.

Let me know if you would like to have a pretty newsletter show up in your meat-space mailbox.

I've made it to the Big Time.

2023-10-02T10:43:00.001-07:00

Be luscious now.

2023-05-01T00:00:00.001-07:00

When my mother died thirty years ago, my family burned her beloved Bayberry candles - which she had rarely used. My mother was a truly kind woman, the kind you are lucky to meet once in your life. But she didn't extend the same kindness to herself.

Now, this isn't an exhortation to, "Use the good china!", because that's pretty self evident. Today's luscious life is about taking care of yourself, no matter where you are in your journey.

I was a wreck even before Mom died - struggling in school and in my marriage with my now ex-husband. That night, I learned that I didn't have to have my life together to enjoy beauty and pleasure. Like all of us, I'd been taught about self-denial, about delayed gratification. That I had to live in my poverty and hand-me downs in misery. This mind set sucks and makes an already bad situation even worse.

You get to enjoy life, no matter where you are in your finances. Be luscious now, not later.

Little Luscious Luxuries

2023-04-03T13:10:00.001-07:00

It's the little luxuries that keep me going in my day to day life. I have been lucky enough to be able to go to wonderful locations in my lifetime and those memories keep me warm. When it comes to feeling luscious everyday, though, it's the tiny things that keep my spirits high.

When The Charming Man and I decided we wanted to be together, I asked him questions about what he felt about all the little things that can trip up a relationship- including how he felt about fruit bowls (he was totally down with it and we've been together for nearly thirty years now:).

I can't help it- I smile every time I see my beautiful fruit bowl on the counter. There is something about the colors. the scent, the shine of the fruits that gives my heart a little lift.

What are your small, everyday pleasures that make your life better?

P.S. I don't want to toot my horn too much, but I think Shea Macleod and I captured the luscious feelings that fresh foods bring us in The Cafe of Hopes and Dreams and Dream of Words.

Fun First.

2023-03-04T00:00:00.001-08:00

I'm in the middle of scheduling my fun for the year. Not just big fun like trips, but little fun, like visiting the library, having high tea with my friends, and at-home spa days. I am going to attempt to give myself something wonderful every month, if not every week.

What fun are you planning?

Buy Links:
My Web Site
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Apple Books

Living a Luscious Live: Avoiding Burnout.

2023-02-04T13:36:00.002-08:00

Living a Luscious Live: Avoiding Burnout

Little luscious acts throughout the day can really ease you, therefore, easing your burnout. Some of my favorite things:

Take one minute to sit and enjoy the sensation of rubbing lotion into your hands and elbows. Does your lotion have a scent? Does it please you? Give yourself a tiny hand massage.
I love lying with my legs up. It helps reduce swelling and is super relaxing. My mother used to call that time, "The Miser's Vacation." Five minutes (if your body tolerates it) can even help back pain.
Brush your hair, or if you are bald, rub your scalp. Ahhhhhh.
Naps. :)

None of these things cost money and can be sneaked in during a busy day.

Buy Links:
My Web Site
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Apple Books

New Covers!

2023-01-24T16:02:00.002-08:00

NEW COVERS!

Sometimes, an independent author just feels the urge to shake things up. So I got my first three books, Dracula's Secret, Dracula's Desires, and Dracula Unleashed, new covers and pretty formatting.

Amazon.com

Happy New Year!

2023-01-14T00:00:00.003-08:00

Making a Luscious Life!

Many years ago, I dyed my hair purple, wore a hot pink coat, an acid green sweater, and visited to the waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge. The air was fresh, wet, and clean. Walking around the many waterfalls in the Gorge illuminated many things I had not realized before.

I discovered I wanted to live a luscious (my favorite word) life. I didn't want to wear boring black clothes. I wanted color, exuberance, and pleasure. I didn't want to live filled with anxiety or constant worry about what could go wrong.

As part of wanting a luscious life, I took last December off. I had written eleven books in two years (one of the few bright sides of lockdown). I liked them all, but i was worn out. I had ruptured the meniscus in my right knee last year, in addition to a number of weird stresses. Over my vacation, I decided I wanted to try new things.

I want to rework how I do my outreach. I want to make it more fun for me.

I always want to bring you the very best of me and my work so I get wound up about writing meaningful, deep, thoughtful essays. My vacation taught me that I was making the stakes for my newsletters and blog waaaaaay too high. What does that mean? More pretty pictures! More talking about creating a life that makes you shine.

We are going to have so much fun.

Buy Links:
My Web Site
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Apple Books

2022-11-17T11:24:00.003-08:00

Pre-Order Here!

Why another book about writing BDSM? Because the world needs your dreams, your thoughts, and your truths. The world needs us to be honest in our writing by painting the full panoply the human experience. All of us are curious about power dynamics, sensation, helplessness, and roleplaying and how they affect our characters’ lives. Writing leather sex gives both the author and the reader a safe place to explore these experiences.

My goal for this book is that you will be able to write kink enthusiastically, with a full, rich emotional life for your characters. Everything I’m about to talk about it to reduce your anxiety or stress so you write with greater joy and clarity. If at any time, if you feel overwhelmed or like these ideas are too much work, take a breath and remember that these ideas are to keep you from writing yourself into a corner or getting stuck.

More new books!

2022-11-08T14:10:00.002-08:00

On Black Friday, November 25th, two books will go on sale. Pardon me as I dance around!

First, Start Your Life Now, is a book of affirmations based off the The Cafe of Hopes and Dreams, the second Dream Factory Book.

It contains original art by me, journal prompts, and encouraging text.

Second, Handcuffs Teach Trust; Writing the Best BDSM of Your Life, is a new companion book the Arousal to Zipper: Writing the Best Sex of Your Life! Here's why I wrote this one, from the Introdction.

The purpose of a love scene, no matter the heat level, is to reveal who our characters are at their rawest and most passionate. These scenes are the emotional dynamite for the story, where we explore the personalities and wounds of our lovely originals. There is nothing more powerful than a person stating her true desires and then getting what she wants. That is why I put together this book, because far too often, love scenes with BDSM have become a place to show off extreme actions and not about the emotions that create the true impact of what kink reveals.

Get your pre-order in now for holiday shopping.

I'm so thrilled to have so many books out this year. :)

Do you need ideas for presents?

2022-11-02T13:23:00.004-07:00

Do you know someone who needs a boost of love and warmth? Why not send them signed paperbacks of The Dream Factory series? These books are perfect for anyone who needs a break or a moment of hope.

I'm running low on signed copies so now is the time. I only have 1 copy of The Dream Factory in stock and only 4 of A Dream of Words.

Perfect for holiday gifts, or just an, "I'm thinking of you," gift.

The Dream Factory

The Cafe of Hopes and Dreams

A Dream of Words

2022-10-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

My new book is released! I love this story so much. In this third book in The Dream Factory series, Cassie Mark, the teenager who shows up in Alice's costume shop in Book One, has an adventure to discover who she wants to be.

Not everyone is cut out for living in a small town. I sure wasn't and neither was my co-author Shea. We both wanted to share a story about a young woman who had to leave the village of Gold Coast, Illinois for Rome, Italy. There is something liberating about being in a big city with a rich history. Visiting these places puts your issues in perspective and gives you endless inspiration. Writing this book gave us a chance to armchair travel to one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Also, you can buy signed copies of all three books over at my website. This is the perfect book for when you want to cuddle up with a warm beverage and a darn good read.

Buy Links:

A Dream of Words is available for pre-order!

2022-09-29T14:11:00.005-07:00

Hello, beautiful people. I stopped engaging so much here and on social media because, first, it's been a gothic novel of a year, and second, I wanted to spend my energy on actually writing books. This turned out to be an absolutely winning strategy.

As a result, I have THREE new projects up for pre-sale now. The one I want to talk about today is my latest collaboration with my incredible co-author, Shea MacLeod.

Please welcome our newest book baby, A Dream of Words!

###

Everyone knows each other in Gold Coast, a friendly place where dreams bloom. Once a depressed flyspeck on the map, the village has grown in warmth and love.

Welcome back to the magical town in Southern Illinois, where everyone glows with hope.

Alas, life in a small town is not for everyone.

Cassie Mack hated living in Gold Coast. Everybody knew each other’s business, her toxic family tried to use her as a workhorse, and there was no way romance would ever come for her. She dreamed of making a world of words, sumptuous words that described food, love, and flavor.

When the luscious words of her secret blog catch the eye of a flailing bakery in Rome, she jumped at their offer to come help them revitalize their presence.

Cassie can run from her family and create herself into who she wants to be. But the wounds still linger. If she wants a chance at a future that suits her, she will have to grow and become the embodiment of her Dream of Words.

Preorder today for the October 3rd release. This will be the perfect book for autumn, full of amazing food descriptions and learning to adore oneself. We hope it will inspire to dig into your dreams and create them even further.

Watch for the newsletters on the rest of my projects - a book and deck of affirmations based on the Cafe of Hopes and Dreams and another writing reference book. It's going to be a wonderful end to 2022.

Buy Links:
My Web Site
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Apple Books

My top five feminist books.

2022-02-09T00:00:00.002-08:00

These are books that I read to keep myself going while living in a patriarchy.

1. Against Our Will by Susan Brownmiller

This book is not a quick undertaking. It is brutal, honest, and extraordinarily painful. Do not read it all at once for it is a harrowing read. If you read the reviews for the book, though, you will see many examples of what was later labeled as #notallmen.

2. How to Suppress Women's Writing by Joanna Russ

My first foray into inter-sectional feminism, the late Russ unearths all the fallacies that people drag out to minimize women's creations.

3. Every single book by Dr. Fatima Mernissi. The late Mernissi was a Moroccan sociologist, feminist, and brilliant writer. Her work explores many of the fallacies of Islamic history and women's rights.

4. The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor. One of the finest examples of intersectional feminism, this book lays the groundwork for a more just society.

5. Afrofuturism: the world of Black sci-fi and fantasy by Ytasha L Womack. This book taught me so much the much under-represented Black experience in science fiction and fantasy. It is hopeful, exciting, and makes you want to write better books.

A few more excellent books and authors:

The Explorer's Guide to Planet Orgasm by Annie Sprinkle, PhD

Feminist Fight Club: An office survival manual for a sexist workplace by Jessica Bennet. I really like resources that give women "boots on the ground", real life suggestions on how to deal with our daily stressors.

Everything by Jean Shinoda Bolen

Everything by Dale Spender

The Survivor's Guide to Sex by Staci Haines

Everything by Susie Bright

The Oracle Deck is out!

2022-01-28T15:37:00.004-08:00

I've worked for ages on the Affirmations for Women in Business. I had no idea what I was doing. It was a long strange road but I finally got it done.

It is available HERE at the Game Crafter. And it looks a little something like this:

And it reads a little bit like this:

Description: Half of a celadon green vase glows against a plain white background

There are people out there who can help you glue all the pieces together until your life is whole and beautiful. Find those you have a kinship with, people who believe that a rising tide lifts all boats, the ones who pop lovely fizzy beverages at your success, the ones who send you encouraging notes.

Early in my career, I discovered that the people who I thought would be my biggest cheerleaders weren’t. I’d tell them good news and then they would pick at me until I felt lousy. Not every voice around you is going to be helpful. These hurtful words sink into you.

I know it’s hard, but feel free to ask for what you need.

Journal prompts

· Where do you think you can find supportive people? Take a peek at professional organizations, groups of women in your particular business, or mentoring alliances.

· Who are your companions in power?

· Listen to your body signals. Do you get headaches or nausea when a particular person talks to you? Do certain words or situations push you into a depression or leave you struggling to find your favorite self? Practice fear management.

One after another, her family spilled their disdain into her ears. With each blast of bitterness and anger, she shrunk deeper and deeper into herself until she felt like a hollow shell of a thing.

Like she had the day she ran away.

How was it that even from over a hundred miles away, they could still make her miserable? They could still make her feel like half a person? As less than?

The Dream Factory

www.LindaMercury.com

Pre-sale available for Affirmations for Women.

2022-01-25T13:04:00.005-08:00

Hello, wonderful people. I have a couple of things on my mind today. First - did you know that you are awesome and that you can get through whatever you are currently surviving? I adore you all and want you to believe in yourself the same way I believe in you.

Second, my new book, Affirmations for Women in Business is now available for pre-order at all the usual spots that I list below. This is a big departure from my usual sexy vampires - it's a book of original art and original affirmations that I made up for The Dream Factory. Here is one of the images - this one is to help you get unstuck on a project.

There is a story behind this image.

In the middle of creating this book, I ran out of steam. I was completely blocked. I had nothing. Zilch. Zip. I had no idea where to go with his project or even how to keep going.
Naturally, this lead to me being convinced that this was a terrible idea that no one would care. My fear told me I should give up and spend my cold and lonely days sitting under my desk.
I had forgotten that we are meant to live in rich, interesting environments. Our brains and souls need stimulation and input if we are going to reach our favorite selves. Eventually, I yoinked myself out of the slump by listening to music, investigating other people’s processes, and smelling beautiful scent.
Journal Prompts:

What are your favorite things to stimulate your brain?
Make a list of interesting things that you like to do and places you want to go. Check Trip Advisor for your region, talk to your friends and colleagues, think about what feeds your spirit.
Television and movies are wonderful places to start, but they cannot be your only mental food.
What else can you do to feed your head?

Advanced Reader Copies available!

2022-01-12T12:59:00.001-08:00

Hello, lovely people.

Would you like to get an advanced reader copy (ARC) of my soon to be released book and oracle deck, Affirmations for Women in Business? I created all the art for this project, based on the wonderful affirmations from The Dream Factory. An ARC is a mostly perfect version of an upcoming release, given to select people for reviews and comments.

Each saying has one of a kind art and includes journal prompts for further brainstorming. Currently, the ARCs are only available for the book since I am still finalizing the deck and the retailers for it.

If you want an ARC, reply and I'll get the .pdf to you. I ask you to please leave a review at your favorite e-shop. If you have any comments, such as if something doesn't make sense or I missed a typo (the most persistent of all things), email me and I'll get those taken care of before the release dates.

You can also pre-order the books. I'll announce when the decks will be ready for order, too (since they take longer to publish than a book).

Thank you all so much. I can't wait to hear from you. <3
Linda