The Book Connection...

Book Review: Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Writing Assistant by Hank Quense

2026-09-30T20:30:40.553-04:00

Hank Quense is back with another Beginner's Guide to assist writers. The Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Writing Assistant is a helpful resource for writers who find AI perplexing or for writers unsure how artificial intelligence can enhance their business. In less than 30 pages, Quense breaks down:

How to use and talk to AI
How to plan your book with AI
How to use AI for drafting and revising
Ways AI can help you decide how to publish your book
Helpful ways to market your book using AI
How you can use AI to build your writing business
The ethics and boundaries of using AI

Quense's Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Writing Assistant touches upon important tips and considerations for writers who use artificial intelligence in their business. Where the author has written a more comprehensive title on a topic, the reader will find helpful links to those additional resources. As an author of more than 20 books and dozens of short stories, Quense has the experience, a conversational and pleasant style, and skills to guide you along your writing journey. Add the Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Writing Assistant to your library today!

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H99N32WK
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Strange Worlds Publishing
Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 17, 2026
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1.5 MB
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 25 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8996147939

I received a digital copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions. I have not been compensated in any way.

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Something I Can't Live Without and Why

2026-09-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews requests that you share your link in their weekly post on their website (which will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated.

Hey, it's Wednesday! This post means I have blogged for three days in a row. Well, Monday's post went live Sunday, but this is progress. Please be impressed. LOL!

Today's prompt for the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is "Something I can't live without and why."

I could go with the sentimental answer: family.

I could go with the identity-based answer: my Bible.

I could go with the practical answer: a modern kitchen.

But...

I think I will go with the healthy answer: sleep. Considering sleep is important for brain health, immune support, heart health, and hormone balance, if I don't get enough sleep, bad stuff happens. As I age, my sleep is interrupted by bouts of insomnia. I feel like poor sleep and stress contribute to the health issues I've endured this year. So, I am doing my best to establish a regular sleep cycle, use my phone less at night, and avoid late-night snacking.

There you have my rather boring answer on a Wednesday.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books That Inspire Me to Take a Fall Road Trip & Tell Me Something Tuesday: Sweet or Salty?

2026-09-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Happy Tuesday! Seems fitting that I participated in Top Ten Tuesday on September 1 and Top Ten Tuesday at the end of the month. September certainly flew by. That's okay. I am a fall kind of girl. The garden is mostly harvested. The hoses are tucked away in the shed. I will attempt to bring the herbs into the house for the winter soon.

When this time of year rolls around, I plan to take road trips. I want to explore apple orchards, farms, and fall fairs/festivals. Do I? Rarely. Though I can say I went to The Apple Place in East Longmeadow for the first time last week. They have an Apple Fest this weekend. Olde Mistick Village also has an Apple Festival mid-October. But I digress...

With all the talk of fall, I thought it would be a great idea to share the Top Ten Books That Inspire Me to Take a Fall Road Trip. Here they are in no particular order.

Doesn't the cover of The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate inspire you to drive and find that place?

Would you travel to witness a wedding in an apple orchard like the one pictured on the cover of A Surprise Harvest Bride by Wendy Klopfenstein?

New England has lots of pretty Main Streets to explore, like the one featured on the cover of Falling on Main Street

by Tara Grace Ericson.

Doesn't Picture Perfect Autumn by Shelley Noble inspire a photo-taking trip this fall?

Would Katharine's Remarkable Road Trip by Gail Ward Olmstead encourage you to get in your car and drive down a tree-lined road?

I would drive to a place called The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, like in Laurie Gilmore's book. Wouldn't you?

October Kiss by Kristen Ethridge could inspire a hand-in-hand walk through the park after you've driven to your destination.

And If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia might encourage you to load your furry friend in the car to go and explore a walkable downtown.

A fall road trip to a unique venue like you see on the cover of Autumn at the

Star and Sixpense

by Holly Hepburn might be fun.

Though many of us get away during the summer, an Autumn Getaway like Jennifer Gracen writes about might be just the thing to refresh your soul.

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

This week's prompt for Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is all about food, a particular kind of food--snacks. I've always been a huge snacker. Inquiring minds want to know whether we prefer sweet or salty snacks.

I am mostly a "sweet snack" kind of person, because I don't allow myself many sweets these days. I can't eat the way I used to, but a piece of dark chocolate dipped in peanut butter is a nice treat after supper. I also love chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, and strawberry rhubarb pie. Not that I have them very often.

I'm prone to eating salty snacks more often: various nuts, potato chips, and pretzels are almost always in the house.

How about you? Do you like your snacks sweet or salty?

Looking forward to visiting blogs today.

Book Review: Massawa by Pam Webber

2026-09-28T17:01:54.345-04:00

In Massawa by Pam Webber, espionage, danger, and love swirl during World War II as OSS agent Kit Thomas and British M16 agent Mark Williams team up in North Africa to investigate the theft of millions of dollars from the military payroll, engaging in a mission to unravel a conspiracy by Nazi sympathizers to shut down the only Allied naval base protecting the Suez Canal and the rich oil fields of the Middle East.

Fresh out of her first OSS training camp, Kit is tasked by her boss, Jake Morgan, with uncovering what’s happening to millions of dollars in military payroll destined for Massawa—the only American naval base on the Red Sea—which is somehow being diverted. Joining her is MI6 agent Mark Williams, a former Royal Air Force pilot, who’s quietly evaluating whether Kit can handle what lies ahead.

Kit’s cover is that of a courier, but between the threat posed by the Vichy and the oppressive Massawa heat, she must stay sharp or risk being exposed. As she and Mark close in on the truth, danger tightens around them, forcing both to rely on every ounce of their training if they hope to make it out alive.

Massawa slowly unfolds like a mirage forming on the horizon. You follow Kit into the desert of Massawa, a coastal port city in Eritrea, where high heat and humidity, combined with little rainfall, make the environment almost as dangerous as her mission. As a novice agent, she is critiqued with and without her knowledge. As events unfold, the line between who you can and cannot trust is blurred, and she must tamp down her feelings for Jake and ignore the chemistry between Mark and her as she focuses on the mission.

When I start an espionage novel, I typically expect a fast pace with tons of action. Massawa bloomed more slowly, like a spring flower, which allowed for deep character development, a focus on main character relationships, and exploration of the setting. Most of this I enjoyed. The abundant details, the constant reminder of needing water and salt pills to survive there, and the numerous times characters regrouped to discuss what they learned during the investigation also hampered the pacing of the story. While the danger increased over time and there were tense moments, this methodical plot approach left me feeling as if I wanted to edit away some of the extraneous material to get to the level of action I sought. Now, the publisher did not categorize this as a thriller. Webber is an award-winning author of historical fiction, which is where this story falls. Based on the book's description and title, however, I would have expected more action, a faster pace, and a bit more romantic tension.

Massawa is a book I enjoyed from beginning to end, but it did take a commitment to refocus my brain on the fact that this was not the type of espionage novel I typically read. If you relish stories that dive deep into their characters, explore unique settings, and end with the hint of new adventures, then Massawa is a novel worth exploring.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FWZXTSLQ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ She Writes Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 23, 2026
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8896360988

I received a copy of this book from the author through their publicist. This review contains my honest opinions. I have not been compensated in any way.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - Sep 27

2026-09-27T22:12:02.124-04:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and are about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Happy Monday! Glad to have you here. Hope all is well. Can you believe that September is almost over?

I had a closing on Friday. Two closings are scheduled for Wednesday, and I just put a property under contract, which means I already have two closings scheduled for October. It is good to be blessed.

I took part of Saturday and all of Sunday off because I am tired. The hubby has been sick, so I also wanted to keep him out of the rain and from walking the dog as much as possible. I made the mistake of going to the grocery store on Saturday and forgot how much the news scares everyone when bad weather is on the way. Granted, many areas of the Northeast were hit hard by this storm, but we live miles from the closest river.

Here are some recent photos:

The Lil' Diva and the Lil' Princess at The Big E

My new book table from an estate sale

French toast with homemade

whipped cream and berries

Dwight boldly slept on Theo's bed

Theo and Paddy walking

Travis supervising me switching my

seasonal wardrobe

Lots going on in my reading world.

I should be getting back to The Eyes of River soon.

Finished Staged by Caitlin Rother. You can find my review here.

Finished Massawa by Pam Webber. Look for my review soon.

I enjoyed Cratchit: A Christmas Carol Continues by R.M. Bouknight much more than I thought I would when I started. Check out my review here.

Finished Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Assistant by Hank Quense. Look for my review soon.

I have also read the following children's books. Look for those reviews at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection over the next couple of weeks.

Luna and the Lost Cove by Aria Joy Prichard

Day in the Snow by Fiona Craig

Turkey's Fall Fumble by Wendi Silvano

Counting Winter by Nancy White Carlstrom

Upcoming Events

She Forgot She Was Free by Giselle Mascarenhas - Oct 14 (Review)
Still Wild: Poems from the Bear Shack by Suzanne Sunshower - Dec 14 (Review)
Starry-Eyed for Christmas by Sheila Roberts - Dec 16 (Review)
Sugar Sand Land by Patricia Leavy - Dec 17 (Spotlight & Giveaway)

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach.

I downloaded two books from NetGalley recently.

Harboring the Enemy: The Civil War Heroine History Forgot by R. C. Duffy

The TV MBA: Business Lessons from Popular Culture by Rhymer Rigby

I also received Still Wild: Poems from the Bear Shack by Suzanne Sunshower for review.

Christmas Year Round

Journey through Christmases Past dove into snowstorms that happened around Christmas. You can read that post here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

Posted my review of The Boy Behind the Wardrobe by Suzanne Poulter Harris this weekend. You can read that here. Earlier in the week, I reviewed Evan's Stormy Voyage by Karen Charles. You can read that here.

Laura's Little Houses

This weekend, I posted the next chapter in my Season 9 rewrite of the first episode, "Times Are Changing." You can read that here if you are interested.

Finally feeling like I am catching up. Remind me of that if you see me taking on too many more books to review. LOL! Looking forward to visiting your blogs today.

Audible Book Review: Cratchit: "A Christmas Carol" Continues by R. M. Bouknight

2026-09-27T13:56:09.826-04:00

What happened to the Cratchit family after Scrooge's enlightenment? Was it all sunshine and roses? Cratchit: "A Christmas Carol" Continues by R. M. Bouknight gives the reader a what-if story set more than a decade after the Christmas that changed Scrooge forever.

Thirteen Christmases have passed since three ghosts visited Ebenezer Scrooge and saved his soul. Once Scrooge "adopted" his lowly clerk and his family, the Cratchits ' lives changed forever. Under Scrooge's tutelage, Bob Cratchit might have become a successful man of business... but what did it cost him? His integrity. His family. His self-worth. So the ghosts of Christmas Present, Past, and of Christmas Yet to Come have returned to bring hope, love, and redemption to a family in peril.

If you have read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, you will feel at home with Cratchit, but make no mistake: this isn't a retelling of the original story. Like young Scrooge, Bob Cratchit has lost his way, but the events that unfolded in the last thirteen years are much darker.

Bob has been seduced by a world he was ill-prepared for, leading to the ultimate betrayal.

Peter has survived his service in a war, but returned a changed man.

Belinda's dedication to her father impacts her future.

Tiny Tim is no longer the sweet, young boy he used to be.

All this and more has been hard on a wife and mother's heart.

An Emmy-nominated writer, Bouknight brings his talents to this continuation of Dickens's classic Christmas tale. Formatted similarly to the original, it displays the crises that have befallen the Cratchit family as a result of Bob's change of character. Readers should be warned that while the source material portrayed the main character's life dismally, Cratchit has characters who endure PTSD, self-harm, suicide attempts, and the fracture of their beloved family.

Narrator David Sweeney-Bear brings Bouknight's offering to life with his voice talents, captivating the audience from the very beginning. In the early portions of this book, his narration is what kept me engaged, because the experiences of the characters were troubling to wade through. However, I am glad I stuck with it, because Cratchit holds within its pages a tremendous surprise as well as a phenomenal ending. Believe me, it will be worth reading through those darker moments.

If you are looking to indulge in a seasonal story that is familiar yet uniquely new, Cratchit is an excellent choice!

Listening Length ‏ : ‎ 3 hours and 46 minutes
Author ‏ : ‎ R.M. BOUKNIGHT
Narrator ‏ : ‎ David Sweeney-Bear
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 21, 2026
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hollybridge Books
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0HFXRFG8H
Version ‏ : ‎ Unabridged

I purchased this audiobook with an Audible credit. This review contains my honest opinions. I have not been compensated in any way.

Book Review: Staged by Caitlin Rother

2026-09-24T22:09:13.776-04:00

Katrina and Goode are back in Staged, the second installment of Caitlin Rother's thrilling series, where the investigative reporter and detective team up to solve crimes.

Investigative reporter Katrina Chopin returns to San Diego to dive back into the cold case of her parents' murder and her brother's alleged suicide. Meanwhile, Detective Ken Goode is looking into a string of recent deaths with causes that don't add up, bringing Katrina back into his world. But she knows that dating the sexy surfing crime fighter can only complicate things. Teaming up, Katrina and Goode slowly put the pieces together, leading to discoveries and consequences that could be dangerous for both of them.

If you enjoyed the first book in the series, Hooked, you will love its sequel. Katrina and Goode are amazing together. The romantic tension adds to a story in which long-held secrets are revealed, Katrina works hard to get that byline, and she and Goode dig deeper into the corruption hidden in La Jolla, hoping to bring down the cabal.

Rother's background as an investigative journalist shines through the character of Katrina Chopin. With this series, she takes what she knows and turns it into a fictionalized mystery. For someone who has read several of Rother's true crime books, I can't help but feel more connected to the author through Katrina, because in some ways it feels like getting to know Rother on a more personal level, despite knowing Katrina is make-believe.

The pace at the beginning of the story is slower than I like in this genre, but as the pieces carefully fell into place, the stakes rose, the tension over the investigation and between the two leads ramped up, and the conclusion to Staged felt highly satisfying. I wonder what Katrina and Goode will be up to next.

If you enjoy thrillers, police procedurals, and hard-boiled mysteries, Staged needs to be on your list of books to read.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FN4KLN9M
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas & Mercer
Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 16, 2026
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 7.6 MB
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 407 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1662532375

I borrowed this book through my Kindle Unlimited subscription. I also own it on Audible. This review contains my honest opinions, and I have not been compensated in any way.

Interview with Tara Badstubner, Author of Every Room Remembers

2026-09-24T16:30:00.000-04:00

Tara Badstubner lives in Pennsylvania and is busy creating her next novel surrounded by her husband, children, grandbabies, and several silly dogs. Every Room Remembers is her debut novel, releasing in September 2026 from Sibylline Press. A former Artist-In-Residence for Bookgardan, Tara can be found at tarabadstubner.com and on Instagram @tarabadstubner.

What inspired you to write Every Room Remembers? How did you create your protagonist SJ?

The novel began to take shape during COVID. The exceptional loss that we all absorbed daily put me in a tough headspace. A dear mentor suggested I write into my fears instead of trying to ignore them. Her suggestion allowed me to feel the loss and heartache deeply but through the safe guise of my fictional protagonist, SJ.

Do you believe the natural world sends us signs?

I feel I’ve benefited many times from signs appearing at just the right moment, encouraging me or comforting me. For me, signs often come through cherished songs that hold significance, through the appearance of certain animals, and through numbers.

What is the significance of the animals portrayed in the book?

Each animal in the novel represents something unique. For instance, the book opens with the appearance of a black snake. The snake in some cultures is a harbinger of change or transformation. Right after this scene, SJ’s and Wyatt’s lives experience the ultimate transformation. If we can attune our senses to the more subtle communications all around, then we’ll be amazed how much the mystical world is trying to engage with us.

What inspired you to write about “the other side of grief” from Wyatt’s perspective?

We always think of grief in terms of the one left behind, and that’s so strange to me. An unanticipated death is bound to affect both the living and the deceased, as so much remains unresolved. I wanted to give the dead a voice beyond being mourned and canonized. They were imperfect; they had struggles and foibles, and death doesn’t negate their humanity.

How do we cope with the feelings of regret and lack of resolution that often come with great loss?

In my novel, my characters are good people in a loving but flawed marriage. They didn’t always get it right, and there was much left unresolved. Who among us always gets it right? But gradually, SJ and Wyatt learn to recognize and have faith in the extraordinary tenacity and goodwill of life. Yes, there is heartache and punishing turns, but I do believe that love has the final word, whether in this life or what lies beyond.

What is the significance of setting this story in Beaufort, SC?

The region of Beaufort, South Carolina first appears on maps in the 1500s as Santa

Elena, so it has seen a lot, experienced a lot. I wanted a place where one senses that compressed energy of many lives lived, all the joys and all the heartaches. Practically everyone in Beaufort has a ghost story they’ll gladly tell you. It’s part of the fabric of the town, this fragile veil between the living and the dead.

Are you interested in interior design like your protagonist?

Yes, SJ and I share a love for interior design. I consider it to be a kind of artistic expression. I grew up with a mom who loved making her home beautiful and welcoming, and for better or for worse, I’m the same way. For me, home can be a refuge.

What do you hope your readers will take away from the book?

I hope that those who experience deep grief feel seen and held with love. Grief can be so isolating and sometimes the only thing a person has the bandwidth for is a book—not texts, lunch dates, or visitors at their door, but the humble book that one can pick up and put down at leisure. I want readers to experience the slow resurrection of SJ’s life and through her imagine a life for themselves where there are still one or two wonderful surprises waiting for them.

Every Room Remembers

Tara Badstubner | September 25, 2026 | Sibylline Press | Literary Fiction

Paperback | ISBN: 9798897409167 | $22.00 Ebook | ISBN: 9798897409150 | $5.99

Purchase from Amazon

Interview with Glenn R. Miller, Author of Rough Cuts

2026-09-23T22:03:07.314-04:00

Glenn R. Miller is the author of the forthcoming novel, Rough Cuts (Koehler Books, September, 2026), and of the critically acclaimed and award-winning novel Doorman Wanted (“A comic novel that doffs its hat to master humorist P. G. Wodehouse”—Minnesota Star Tribune; “…sly, sophisticated wit…” The Miami Herald). Miller launched his professional career by working on television soap operas and game shows on the back lots of NBC Burbank. He holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and has served as a CBS-affiliate news producer, public television producer, and creative director at production agencies within the Twin Cities. Glenn and his wife live in Minneapolis, MN, and are the parents of two grown sons.

Website:

glenn-r-miller.com

Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/glennrmillerauthor

https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennrmillerauthor

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Edina, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis.

When did you begin writing?

I have been writing professionally my entire life, but my creative writing began in 2012.

Do you feel your hometown influenced your writing?

Possibly. One of the best writing exercises I ever had sticks with me to this day. It was an editing technique taught by my 9^th grade English teacher. She was young, ruthless, and brilliant.

Do you write every day or when you can sneak in time?

At this point in my writing ‘career,’ I attempt to carve out 2-3 full days per week that are dedicated solely to writing. And when I’m not actually sitting and writing, I’m thinking about writing. I need large chunks of time to immerse myself in whatever story I’m working on. As more of my days are filled with presentations, book-related activities, or marketing related to the upcoming book, those designated writing days have become that much more important to me.

What is your best advice for creating the time and space to write?

Yes, good question. I treat writing like my previous client work, where I simply put it on the calendar and that assigned time becomes sacrosanct. I used to regard a writing day as, essentially, an open day. That mindset allowed far too many interruptions to creep in. No more. Now, with blocked-out writing days, I shut the office door and tune out all interruptions. The only thing that allows me to leave the desk is a walk or a bike ride, both of which I find to be surprisingly productive. I have worked out countless plot or dialog issues while walking along the river or sitting atop a bike.

My other bit of advice? Put the phone and all its app-induced interruptions far out of reach.

What is this book about?

My description for Rough Cuts:

In Rough Cuts, the world of film in 1926 is about to change forever. On the cusp of “talkies,” directors and actors fear their greatest days might soon be behind them. Patrick J. Shepard, a director at the end of his career, has just completed his masterpiece, his vehicle for eternal fame. But there’s one problem: Ohio.

Harold Dawdry, the young, second-string minister at a small church in a corner of Ohio, has been appointed to the State Film Censorship Board. He regards this appointment as his ticket to the power and relevance he desperately craves. There is one director who has particularly rankled his delicate sensibilities: Patrick J. Shepard. The minister feels Ohio is best served if Shepard makes drastic cuts to his final film.

The silent film era is about to get loud.

What inspired you to write it?

The idea came like a lightning bolt. One day a few years back, my mother-in-law told me that she had been going through her grandfather’s files. Included amongst his papers were two long boxes containing 4X6 notecards. On each card were notes of changes that needed to be made to Hollywood films issued in 1926 and 1927. Turns out Grandpa – who was professionally a minister in Marietta, Ohio – had been assigned to the Ohio Film Review Board. Though I had vaguely heard of the Hays Office, I was unaware that a handful of individual states had their own review (read: censorship) boards. That a small-town Ohio minister had the power to alter Hollywood films fascinated me. I immediately jumped into research on this issue and committed to writing Rough Cuts in 2023. It is a satire that looks at power, legacy, and the fragility of creative expression in an ‘open’ society.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

It actually was quite smooth. Because of the success of my first novel, Doorman Wanted, my publisher, Koehler Books, signed on quickly for this second novel. Compared to Doorman Wanted, which took ten years to write, Rough Cuts gushed out of me. I had a polished draft in 18 months.

If you knew then what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?

This may sound harsh, but I would not have spent the time I did in looking for an agent. I haven’t cracked that code yet, nor am I spending any more time trying to do so!

What is up next for you?

I have attended more than 80 book clubs and made dozens of presentations around Doorman Wanted since its publication in 2024. At every one of them, I receive two questions from attendees: When will the movie be made, and when will the sequel come out? From what I can tell, I have control over only one of those two. Initially, I was saying ‘no’ to a sequel, but by the twentieth time I heard the question, I started to think, ‘Hunh. Well… maybe there IS a sequel!’ So, I am currently about 3/4s of the way through writing my further adventures of the Doorman. As I tell audiences, I’m having a great time revisiting my cast of characters, my ‘imaginary friends.’

Purchase Links:

Publisher: https://www.koehlerbooks.com/writer/glenn-r-miller/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rough-Cuts-Glenn-R-Miller/dp/B0GXNDYXSV/

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/rough-cuts/388b5b16c8b5f574

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rough-cuts-glenn-r-miller/1149931154

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Sept 14

2026-09-14T00:06:12.404-04:00

Happy Monday, everyone! How did your week go? Feels like forever since I posted one of these. I'm not sure how much I will post the rest of this week because my schedule is jam-packed. No day off for me this past weekend, but the Rick's Place Golf Classic is September 19, and the Lil' Princess will be home for The Big E on September 20, so I will have a day off.

Lots going on in my world. Several closings coming up. More new listings. No real medical answers. Feel like a bit of a hamster in a wheel right now. However, I did get to spend some time in the kitchen this weekend and enjoy the outdoors for a bit before our very rainy Sunday when I had back-to-back open houses.

Chilling at home after work

Bought myself a larger Crock-pot

Made butter (saved the buttermilk), sour cream, and whipped cream

Finally wrote my review of The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller. You can read that here.

I should be getting back to The Eyes of River now that some reviews are done.

Finished Staged by Caitlin Rother. Look for my review this week. Fingers crossed.

Loving Massawa by Pam Webber.

Wrote my review of Food is Medicine by Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DRPH. You can read it here.

Finished A Christmas Carol Devotional: 25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens's Beloved Classic by Rachel Dodge. Fabulous! You can read my review here.

Check out my review of The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson here. Loved this one!

I am listening on Audible to Cratchit: A Christmas Carol Continues by R.M. Bouknight. Not sure how I feel about it yet. It's dark.

Up next is the Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Assistant by Hank Quense.

Upcoming Events

Evan's Stormy Voyage by Karen Charles - Sep 24 (Review at TC&TBC)
She Forgot She Was Free by Giselle Mascarenhas - Oct 14 (Review)

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach.

I ordered Stupid TV, Be More Funny by Alan Siegel last week. I've wanted it for a while. Right now, it is sitting on my coffee table.

Not sure how often I share my Booktrovert shelf, but here are the latest additions:

Mark Twain for Book Lovers edited by R. Kent Rasmussen

In These Hills by Tamera Alexander

Chapter One Again by Keelia Clarkson

And Then We Saw the Bag by Emma Adbage.

Christmas Year Round

Journey through Christmases Past explores the Christmas of 1813, which was a tough one for many areas of the world. This post also shares some of the decorations and what you see now. You can check it out here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

Shared some new book arrivals from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers that I will be reading soon. You can see them here.

Laura's Little Houses

Haven't had time to work on this blog lately. Maybe next week.

That's it for me. It is now midnight, and I need to get Theo to the vet at 9, followed by a full day of appointments. Such fun!

Book Review: The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson

2026-09-13T23:11:23.336-04:00

If you enjoy heartwarming holiday romances, then The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson must be on your reading list this season.

Chloe Hollis has always been a people pleaser. But no more! Having left her job, she is making her way back home to West Virginia with a plan to collect ten nos from strangers by asking them to do ridiculous things.

Her plan is easy until she meets James Stone. This charming guy says yes to every silly thing she asks, and Chloe can't figure out why. Little does she know, James has a reason for saying yes. As their worlds collide, Chloe finds it harder to protect her heart, leaving her wondering if rejection really isn't the biggest risk after all... but saying yes to something real.

Melissa Ferguson is a new author to me, and after The Christmas Yes List, she needs to be added to my favorite romance authors list. This story of two people from different worlds meeting on a plane as they are unknowingly traveling to the same place is brilliant, funny, and romantic. Chloe is beside herself as James agrees to the zaniest ideas she comes up with. She figures she is safe because she won't see him again, but then she learns James is going to the same small town she is. Yikes! And the more they get to know each other, the harder it is for Chloe to keep James out of her head and her heart. It won't be a smooth ride for them, but you are rooting for them to end up with a happily ever after.

This is such a sweet story, and I loved it so much that I wish I could go back and read it all over again. Luckily, it will premiere on Great American Christmas this season as a movie starring Danica McKellar and Sam Page. Read it before the movie comes out! The Christmas Yes List is destined to be a Christmas romance classic.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GRGKTWM9
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Nelson
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 6, 2026
Language ‏ : ‎ English
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400356720

I downloaded this book on NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions, and I was not compensated in any way.

Book Review: A Christmas Carol Devotional: 25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens's Beloved Classic by Rachel Dodge

2026-09-13T22:40:04.983-04:00

A Christmas Carol Devotional: 25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens's Beloved Classic by Rachel Dodge is a unique and insightful devotional. Whether you have read A Christmas Carol by Dickens or not, you will find much to enjoy. However, fans of the classic Christmas story are certain to find wandering through favorite moments from the book in a new way just as touching and wonderful as their first read-through of A Christmas Carol.

Cleverly, Dodge uses the five-stave format that Dickens used to pen his well-known tale of Scrooge's transformation in her devotional. Each day opens with Scripture and a quote from Dickens's story. Then readers find a "Prepare Him Room" section for reflection, followed by "A Christmas Prayer."

The book's format has pages of stunning artwork that remind us of the story and the season. The author dives deeply into A Christmas Carol, providing insights and helping the reader uncover even more treasures from the beloved classic along the way. What is most beautifully done, however, is how Dodge connects Scrooge's tale with Scripture and God's love for us, helping the reader to focus on the true meaning of the season. In her Introduction, the author says, "When seen through the lens of Scripture, his story reminds us that each day is a gift, that the hardest hearts can soften, and that God can redeem and restore even the most broken parts of our lives." This made me love A Christmas Carol even more than I did before and encouraged me to see Dickens's beloved classic in a new way.

This is one of the most beautiful and touching Advent devotionals I've had the pleasure to read. A perfect gift for you or someone you love, A Christmas Carol Devotional is a wonderful way to reclaim your focus and intention this holiday season.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zondervan
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 8, 2026
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0310468035
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0310468035

I downloaded this book from NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions, and I have not been compensated in any way.

Book Review: Food is Medicine by Dariush Mozaffarian, MD DrPH

2026-09-13T22:03:33.857-04:00

Food Is Medicine is a book that hits squarely on a topic I care deeply about. The ideas in it genuinely made me want to start a farm, grow my own food, and rethink the way nourishment fits into everyday life. The subject matter is compelling, timely, and somewhat revolutionary.

Mozaffarian brings an extraordinary level of expertise to the table, weaving together nutrition science, medicine, and public policy. His argument is clear: the food we eat is making us sick, not because we’re eating too much, but because we’re eating too little of what actually heals. The book lays out how the right foods can prevent illness, treat chronic disease, and reduce the enormous cost of poor health in our communities. It also explores how we can transform the entire food system — from farms to grocery stores to legislation — to make nourishing food accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

That said, this is a highly academic read. It’s dense, wordy, and packed with research. I found the content absolutely fascinating, but it’s not a breezy book you can casually flip through. It requires focus and patience, and at times feels like a textbook.

Still, the payoff is worth it. Mozaffarian’s blend of science, storytelling, and optimism paints a powerful vision of what food could be — medicine, yes, but also pleasure, abundance, and a path toward a healthier future.

If you’re interested in nutrition, food policy, or the future of health, this book is an eye‑opening resource. Just be prepared: it’s a lot to digest.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Henry Holt and Co.
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 20, 2026
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250394287
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250394286

I downloaded this book from NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions, and I have not been compensated in any way.

Book Review: The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller

2026-09-13T21:33:21.803-04:00

Women ahead of their time, living in a world that doesn't accept them, forging new paths that change the world for future generations of women, is the story you find in Vanessa Miller's The Ladies Hall.

When Mary Church Terrell and Anna Julia Cooper enter Oberlin College, they soon learn the promise of equality doesn't match reality for Black women on campus. Mary and Anna enter the men’s academic track and immediately face resistance from classmates and faculty who doubt they belong. Joined by the quiet and steady Ida Gibbs Hunt, the three women navigate academic pressure, social hostility, and the unspoken rules of the Ladies Hall, where every interaction tests their resolve. Their shared fight for dignity and opportunity transforms them from isolated students into a united force, proving that progress is built through courage, intellect, and sisterhood.

What an amazing story. Vanessa Miller’s The Ladies Hall is a compelling blend of history and heart, offering readers an intimate look at three Black women determined to claim their place in higher education during the 1880s. Miller’s storytelling shines in the way she balances fact with emotional depth, giving Mary Church Terrell, Anna Julia Cooper, and Ida Gibbs Hunt distinct voices that are authentic and deeply human.

The novel’s greatest strength is its portrayal of sisterhood. Through moments of quiet support, shared frustration, and hard‑won triumph, Miller shows how these women shaped one another as much as they shaped history against the vivid backdrop of Oberlin College and the Ladies Hall. Their progress is constantly tested, making every victory resonate.

For lovers of character‑driven historical fiction, you will find a touching story of three women who come together against odds they refuse to let defeat them. The Ladies Hall is an inspiring novel that is rich in history. It’s the kind of story that you won't be able to put down and won't stop thinking about even after you've turned the last page.

Publisher: ‎ Thomas Nelson
Publication date: ‎ August 11, 2026
Language: ‎ English
Print length: ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10: ‎ 1400351103
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1400351107

I downloaded a copy of this novel from NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions, and I have not been compensated in any way.

Unwinding and Getting Back to the Grind

2026-09-07T21:33:28.489-04:00

What is it they say about the best-laid plans of mice and men? Yeah, I intended to blog today. I also intended to get a blog post ready for tomorrow. So, needless to say, I did not participate in It's Monday! What Are You Reading? or Mailbox Monday today. Nor will I have a post ready for Top Ten Tuesday and Tell Me Something Tuesday tomorrow. I might make it for the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge, but that all depends on how tomorrow goes.

Hope you enjoyed your Labor Day Weekend. While it didn't turn out the way I had planned (still need to write those overdue reviews), I can say that it was the first time I stood firm and didn't answer work calls when I said I wouldn't. I even put an out-of-office message on my phone. Here's to boundary setting.

Here are photos from the weekend.

Theo stole a cat toy

My move downstairs gave Travis a

new napping place

Chef's salad from The Earlee Mug in Granby

Two new children's book arrivals

Spent some time in the kitchen

Walked two days this week

I am preparing two rental listings and reactivating a multi-family listing tomorrow. Then I have a listing consult in the afternoon. I will pay for those two days off, but it was worth it.

Reviews that I promise are on the way:

The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller - Excellent

Food is Medicine by Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH - Superb information and very academic

The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson - Loved this so much I would go back and read it again if I had time

How to Train Your Mind by Chris Bailey - Excellent resource on meditation

Still reading or to read:

Massawa by Pam Webber

The Eyes of River by Cindy K. Sproles

A Christmas Carol Devotional by Rachel Dodge, which I am loving so much.

Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Assistant by Hank Quense

Evan's Stormy Voyage by Karen Charles

She Forgot She Was Free by Giselle Mascarenhas

I also downloaded an audio version of Staged by Caitlin Rother because I promised her a review in June. When I have books in PDF format, it is harder for me to read them. NetGalley and Kindle files get read first, and printed books are even better since I can take them with me in the tub. I have muddled through the PDF, but to finish, I will listen in the car.

I shared The Labor Day and Christmas Connection at Christmas Year Round this week. You can find that post here.

Hope to be blogging with all of you on Wednesday. Take care!

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: One Sci-Fi Item or Ability I Wish Really Existed

2026-09-02T13:39:19.856-04:00

Here we are at Wednesday again. Many school kids in our area are back in the classroom. The weather continues to cool down seasonally. And I am ready for a slower schedule--not that it is coming--and for the leaves to change.

The prompt for this week's Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge asks us to share a sci-fi item or ability I wish really existed. While sci-fi is totally out of my league, I guess I would say traveling back in time. I've always been fascinated by shows like Quantum Leap and Voyager, whose premise involves traveling to the past. For me, it would be a neat way to see loved ones again.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books with Nationalities in the Titles and Tell Me Something Tuesday: Which books are you looking forward to reading this Fall?

2026-09-01T00:42:08.787-04:00

Welcome to Tuesday and the first day of September. I am ready for fall, y'all! My mantle has been cleaned off and is just waiting for me to have time to decorate it. My fall decorations can't quite rival my Christmas decorations, but they are trying.

No real news from the doctor, so more bloodwork tomorrow. How fun.

Let's talk books. Such a neat topic this week. I will do my best with it.

Top Ten Books with Nationalities

in the Titles

French Letters: Virginia's War: Tierra Texas 1944 by Jack Woodville London

(Makes this list because I despised every character)

French Illusions by Linda Lovic-Skow

(Loved working as an editor on this project)

Loss of Innocence: A Novel of the French Revolution by Anne Newton Walther

(One of the first books I reviewed)

American Prophet by Jeff Fulmer

(I enjoy politics)

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

(An online quiz said I wrote like him. LOL!)

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

(One of the books I still desperately want to read)

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

(The title alone makes me want to read it)

Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis

(Might be the most used cookbook in my house)

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

(This one sounds adorable)

Under a Greek Sky by Francesca Catlow

(If I didn't have a Greek book on the list, the family might disown me)

Tell Me Something Tuesday's first prompt of the "ber" months asks us to share which books we are looking forward to reading this fall. Honestly, with my schedule lately, any book will do. I've been sneaking in moments here and there, but certainly not enough. Though it might seem like I am rushing the holiday season, here is what I want to read.

A Christmas Carol Devotional by Rachel Dodge

The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson

A Castle Christmas by Jimmy Bennett

Belle's Christmas Carol by Michelle Griep

Looking forward to reading your lists today!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Aug 31

2026-08-30T23:26:11.819-04:00

Welcome to the last Monday and the last day of August. How quickly that happened. Hope you had a nice week. I worked and worked and then worked some more. No day off for me, but I'm looking forward to a day or two off this coming weekend. I did, however, get to spend some time in the kitchen.

Cookies!

Green beans and potatoes like my MIL

used to make

Chicken cacciatore, which my MIL

enjoyed cooking

Today is filled with medical appointments and work appointments. Would appreciate your prayers, as I have a suspicion based on recent bloodwork that I won't like what the doctor has to say. Hopefully, I am wrong.

In my blogging and reading world, I still need to write my review of The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller. Amazing book!

I didn't read The Eyes of River last week.

Almost done with Staged by Caitlin Rother.

Loving Massawa by Pam Webber.

I still need to write a review of Food is Medicine by Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DRPH.

I am reading:

A Christmas Carol Devotional: 25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens's Beloved Classic by Rachel Dodge
The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson
Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Assistant by Hank Quense

Upcoming Events

Evan's Stormy Voyage by Karen Charles - Sep 24 (Review at TC&TBC)
She Forgot She Was Free by Giselle Mascarenhas - Oct 14 (Review)

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach.

I am still pretending I have self-control by not ordering or buying anything new. Of course, I haven't done much other than work, so that has helped.

Christmas Year Round

Journey through Christmases Past explores what might be the last analog Christmas in 1994. I will let you decide if that's true. You can read my post here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

New feature alert! What Do You Think? will be reaching out to readers to ask their opinions on things. It might be very quiet, but we will see how it goes. Talking about author newsletters this week. Check it out here.

Laura's Little Houses

Nothing new this week, but ideas are always brewing. Season 2 of the new Little House on the Prairie is in production. I always have a hard time investing in a Netflix series because they cancel them so easily. I hope this series gets a longer run.

That's it from me. I look forward to visiting you later today.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Bookish Places I’ve Visited

2026-08-24T23:38:14.370-04:00

Happy Tuesday! Hope you are having a great week so far. I am on the road early today, taking photos of a new listing. Not to be confused with the new listing that is launching tomorrow. Real estate is a crazy, crazy world. Sometimes you are slammed, and sometimes you are begging for the phone to ring.

Let's talk books. Today's Top Ten Tuesday is about bookish places I've visited. I'm not much of a traveler, so this list might be shorter than usual.

The Wicked Press, South Windsor, CT. Coffee, tea, and books all in one fun store. This place is owned by a local home inspector's wife. I went for the grand opening. It was amazing. She had started as an online and pop-up bookstore before opening her brick-and-mortar.
Downtown Books, Manteo, NC. Our annual visit to the Outer Banks would never be complete without a couple of visits to Downtown Books in Manteo, pronounced by the locals as "man-ee-ow." Never understood why the "t" is silent. It has changed owners several times through the years. Back in 2011, Hurricane Irene destroyed its inventory, but it still stands strong. It features books by well-known authors, many local authors, cards, and other neat bookish gifts.
The New York Public Library, New York, NY. We made time to visit this beautiful library in the city. Online photos don't do the architecture justice. It is stunning in person. It's also has an impressive collection of historical items.
Boston Public Library, Boston, MA. Proving Massachusetts is a state of firsts, Boston Public Library was the first free municipal library in the United States. It also lays claim to some other firsts on their About page. The McKim Building, designated a National Historical Landmark in 1986, is “the first outstanding example of Renaissance Beaux-Arts Classicism in America.”
Johnson's Bookstore, Springfield, MA. If you loved the smell of old books and old buildings, then a trip to Johnson's Bookstore was just what you wanted. Housed in the Charles Hall Building on Main Street, visiting Johnson's was an adventure because it had new and used books, gifts, toys, and greeting cards. The selection seemed endless. As a kid, I used to take a bus to get there with my uncle. It closed in 1997, but the memories live on.
Newstand, Springfield and West Springfield, MA. Originally a print and magazine seller, this company's black and white logo had a font that looked like newspaper print. I remember my husband stopping into the Springfield one every morning to buy the daily newspaper on his way to college and then work. It's probably where he grabbed his Hockey Digest, too. The West Springfield location closed decades ago, and the location of the Springfield one is called Acres Newstand, which is more of a convenience store that sells smoke and cigar products.
Books to Be Red, Ocracoke Island, NC. This is another bookstore on the Outer Banks that we visit occasionally. It is located an hour and half drive and a 40-minute ferry ride away from where we stay, so we don't get there every year. Ocracoke is not exactly Mackinac Island, because you can drive your car there, but when traversing the center where many of the shops and restaurants are, you usually park your car and walk, bike, or ride in a golf cart. It's a fun place to browse for books, handcrafted items, and other nice gifts.
Travelers Restaurant, now Blondie's Travelers Diner, Union, CT. When we visited with my in-laws, this place was called Travelers Restaurant. Every meal comes with a book. Their sign literally reads, "Food and Books." This is Blondie's Diner's third location. While we haven't been there since it changed hands, if you blend two of my favorite things, I am happy.

So not quite ten, but still more than I thought when I started.

Tell Me Something Tuesday is on hiatus until September. Check back for more prompts then.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Aug 24

2026-08-24T00:12:11.461-04:00

Welcome back! Hope you had a great week. We are creeping closer to the end of August, and I am ready! Not that I have time for it, but I really want to decorate for fall. I actually listened to Christmas music last week. I bought some new flour to try out different recipes, and this weekend, I made a bunch of chicken broth and banana bread.

Shifting to reading...

Hope to write my review of The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller this week.

I didn't read The Eyes of River last week.

Dived into Staged by Caitlin Rother.

Loving Massawa by Pam Webber.

I need to write a review of Food is Medicine by Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DRPH.

Also need to read:

A Christmas Carol Devotional: 25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens's Beloved Classic by Rachel Dodge
The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson
Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Assistant by Hank Quense

I have 45 days on this devotional.

I only have 14 days left on this one. Yikes!

Upcoming Events

Evan's Stormy Voyage by Karen Charles - Sep 24 (Review at TC&TBC)
She Forgot She Was Free by Giselle Mascarenhas - Oct 14 (Review)

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach.

Nothing new this week. I am pretending to behave.

Christmas Year Round

Journey through Christmases Past explores Christmas 1954. You can read that here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

Nothing new, but I will post something soon.

Laura's Little Houses

Sharing my thoughts on the Netflix adaptation of Little House on the Prairie today at Laura's Little Houses. Check that out here.

Photos for a new listing, therapy, and a final walk-through today. I will check in as I can.

Interview with Ellen Rachlin, Author of Enheduanna's Song From the Sands

2026-08-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

Ellen Rachlin is the author of the historical fiction novel Enheduanna’s Song From the Sands (Histria Fiction) and five poetry collections. Her most recent collection, Permeable Divide, received the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Award and was a finalist for other awards. Her poetry collections also include Until Crazy Catches Me, Captive to Residue, Waiting for Here, and At the Big Bang Resort (Red Hen Press, March 2027). Her writing has appeared widely in journals, anthologies, and books. During her financial career, she also authored textbook chapters (Wiley and McGraw Hill), along with journal articles on investing and finance. You can find her at www.ellenrachlin.com and @ellenrachlin on Instagram.

Where did you grow up?

Buffalo, New York

When did you begin writing?

I began writing poetry nearly a decade after graduating with my MBA. Shortly afterward, I began writing textbook chapters and journal articles on finance.

I attempted fiction for the first time seven years ago. I had known for some time that my first novel would be historical fiction.

Do you feel your hometown influenced your writing?

It did in the sense that my experiences are always present in my writing. I think that’s true for any writer. My high school emphasized creative writing and literature, and that early influence stayed with me as a seed that took a while to take hold.

I’m currently working on a literary novel set in Buffalo about a private investigator who loses faith in herself. At first, she doesn’t realize that her self-confidence is eroding, and her journey becomes one of reclaiming her life.

Do you write every day or when you can sneak in time?

I write most days. But between projects, I might take up to a month off.

What is your best advice for creating the time and space to write?

Write even when you don’t have a good idea of where you are going. I never know when I’m inspired, so I write consistently, even if much is discarded.

What is this book about?

Enheduanna's Song From the Sands follows Enheduanna, the world's first named author, through her rise as High Priestess of Ur, her exile at the hands of the rebel Lugalanne, and her mythic descent into the underworld. It is a story of power, resilience, and the enduring strength of words that will appeal to readers of Madeline Miller, Natalie Haynes, and readers who enjoy myth-infused historical fiction.

What inspired you to write it?

Enheduanna inspired me. I read the surviving hymns attributed to her, and I felt as though I could hear her voice. In one, The Exaltation of Inanna (Nin-me-šara), Enheduanna pleads to the god, Inanna, to restore her from forced exile to her former place as high Priestess of Ur. It is a poem about betrayal and justice. She begs the one god whom she believes has the power to accomplish it. The voice is both desperate and powerful.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

I had to find the right home for my novel, and as a debut novelist, that’s not easy. I spent a great deal of time researching publishers to identify ones whose lists reflected the kind of historical fiction I had written. That process takes a lot of time and patience. I felt this way about my publisher, Histria Fiction, and was very fortunate that they offered publication.

What is up next for you?

I’m enjoying my writing journey. While I’m currently working on a literary novel set in Buffalo, I’m researching ideas for another historical novel. I loved writing between the sizable gaps in what we know and may never know about the ancient world, so I’ll probably return there.

Links to buy:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1592117546

https://bookshop.org/p/books/enheduanna-s-song-from-the-sands-ellen-rachlin/82d7f4bb2f36b2da

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Enheduannas-Song-From-the-Sands/Ellen-Rachlin/9781592117543

Book Spotlight: This Never Happened: A Call Girl in D.C. by Kent Heckenlively

2026-08-19T01:30:00.000-04:00

Can a call girl enter politics and escape with her

life and morals intact?

Heidi Scherzinger is just a typical working girl in Chicago in 1972. Well, maybe not so typical. In fact, she’s running Chicago’s most successful independent call girl outfit when she’s summoned to meet with Sonny Battaglia, the country’s most powerful Mob boss.

The other local call girl agencies are complaining about her success, so Sonny offers her a deal: either she gets whacked, or she relocates to Washington, D.C., where she’ll be working for the “Agency” under the control of the creepy Sidney Gottshalk, the resident blackmail specialist.

The Agency wants blackmail material on all the horny Democrats flooding the Capitol in the run-up to the presidential election, trying to defeat President Nicholas Dixon as he runs for a second term.

The always efficient Heidi quickly sets up a first-class operation, aided by the quietly competent Milton Greenbaum. What follows is a Florence Gump-style adventure through a 1970s Washington, D.C., that might be just a little different than the version you read about in your history books.

This Never Happened: A Call Girl in D.C. is available at Amazon.

Watch the Book Trailer at https://f.io/rLzZemf1.

Excerpt

My Life Now – November 21, 2024

Most of those who’d want to kill me for telling this story are either dead or living in a nursing home.

I’m not dead, I’m not in a nursing home, but I am living in a “senior community.”

I’m the kind of woman you’ll often see is such a setting, teaching a morning and afternoon Pilates class, then checking out a lecture or play in the evening with her friends. I dress immaculately, my hair and makeup are always perfect, people often wonder if I’m in my mid-fifties or early sixties, (seventy-six, thank you very much) and truth be told, often getting propositioned by the Viagra crowd of men convinced they’ve still got it.

The truth is I’ve always loved sex and I’m pretty good at getting men and women to fall in love with me. But I’ve also mastered the art of convincing a person I’m fascinated by them, while at the same time remaining just out of reach. They know I’ll come and play for a few hours, especially if the money and conversation is good.

And there’s nobody better than me, man or woman, at listening to what the powerful are really saying while they’re trying to get me into bed, or do the commitment thing (no, thank you). That’s why I was on the payroll of the Agency for such a long time, although, truth be told, most of them are a bunch of psychotic morons.

You might call me a prostitute, call girl, hooker, or even a whore if you’re feeling particularly righteous, but I prefer the term courtesan.

Everything in life can be done poorly, or with style.

For example, President John Francis Fitzgerald did everything with a certain devil-may-care nonchalance, from bedding beautiful actresses to getting himself shot in Texas.

By contrast, President Nicholas Milhous Dixon could find the grey cloud on the

sunniest of days, and that partially explains how he went from winning the biggest landslide in American history to resigning in disgrace a year and a half later.

I say only partially, because there’s the part I played, that nobody’s ever really understood. You see, I’m the woman who’s been whispered about for years, the main player in the story you thought you knew, protected by forces more powerful than you can imagine.

But was it really my fault?

Maybe after fifty years it’s time to finally tell the story.

I’ll let you be the judge of whether I’m a hero or a villain.

– Excerpted from This Never Happened by Kent Heckenlively, Manhattan Book Group, 2026. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

Kent Heckenlively is an attorney, science teacher, and two-time New York Times bestselling author. He is best known as coauthor of the Plague series – Plague, Plague of Corruption & Ending Plague) with Dr. Judy Mikovits and Dr. Francis Ruscetti, winner of the Distinguished Service Medal from the National Institutes of Health. His book, Plague of Corruption reached #2 on the New York Times Bestseller list in June of 2020, has sold more than 200,000 copies to date, and is being turned into a documentary narrated by Liam Neeson. Kent has published numerous non-fiction books, focusing on the tech sector, controversies in medicine, and media bias.

His most recent two books,Twilight of the Shadow Government and Catastrophic Disclosure, focus on government corruption.

This Never Happened is his third novel and reflects his belief that we all need a fun book for the summer. With more than 15,000 Amazon reviews, a 4.7 average ranking out of 5.0 stars, more than 750,000 of his books in print, critical praise from Kirkus Reviews, including a highly coveted, “Kirkus preferred review” for his book on interferon, as well as his books being translated into ten languages, Kent is quickly becoming a powerhouse in the literary world.

Visit his website at www.kentheckenlivelybooks.com.

Connect with him on X at https://x.com/KentHecken.

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Foods From Massachusetts That I Don't Like

2026-08-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hey, it's Wednesday! This post means I have blogged for three days in a row this week. That's a win. Today's prompt for the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is "Foods from my geographic area that I don't like."

I consider myself a diverse eater, probably because I enjoy cooking and baking. I will try just about anything once. Two things I definitely don't like are oysters and steamed clams. I like fried clams, but they are too slimy otherwise. Though coffee is not what Massachusetts is known for, Dunkin' Donuts started in Quincy, Massachusetts. I don't drink coffee at all. Yuck!

That's it for me today. Looking forward to reading your posts.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Book Series I Want to Catch Up On or Start

2026-08-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

Tuesday has come around again. We only have two more Tuesdays before August is done. Then my favorite months, the "-ber months," arrive. Here in New England, we are blessed with four seasons. There is something magical about watching nature's transformation from winter to spring to summer and fall that reminds me that life is always renewing itself. Just as invigorating as it is to haul the tools out after the long winter and spend time in the garden, harvesting the fruits of your labors and preparing the beds to rest as the weather grows colder is a reminder that every season offers its own kind of beauty and gentle transition.

Let's talk about books. This week's Top Ten Tuesday is about book series, those we want to catch up on or start. This is a hard one for two reasons: there are series I will never catch up on, so I don't know that I want to try, and I tend not to read as many series books as I used to. I will give it a shot.

Cedar Cove by Debbie Macomber - Discovered this one thanks to the Hallmark Channel series, but there are enough books that catching up is unlikely right now.
A Prairie Legacy by Janette Oke - This is a four-book series that continues with the saga of the Davis family, whom we meet in her Love Comes Softly series. I bought these books on eBay in 2024. Would love to read them next year.
Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - I read the first two books with my girls when they came out. Not my typical genre, but I enjoyed them. Complete with four primary books, a prequel, and an anthology, I could probably read this one. It's just not on my mind these days.
Caitlin Strong by Jon Land - When Land was touring with his Caitlin Strong novels, I read some of them. However, life got in the way, and I never finished reading this eleven-book series. I own several of them. I don't read as many books like this these days, but they are superb.
Deputy Tempe Crabtree by Marilyn Meredith - I can't believe I am even admitting this. Marilyn, I hope you're not reading this. Marilyn and I met when I worked with Dorothy, owner of Pump Up Your Book. I ended up promoting several of these books and creating video trailers for some of them. I just never went back and read the books before Smell of Death, even though I own them.
Daughter of the Mayflower by various authors - I loved everything about this series, but I couldn't keep up with how quickly the books were coming out. So, I stopped requesting them. I think I own the entire series. Really need to make time for them.
Murder, She Wrote by Jessica Fletcher et al. - I loved this as a television series, so one would think I would have discovered the books decades ago. Nope. I only own three of them--the last two that Jon Land wrote and another that I picked up from a library book sale. I've read Land's books. Considering there are now 64 books in the series, there is no way I will ever read them all.
Lighthouse Library Mystery by Eva Gates - I bought the first two books in the series because they are set on the Outer Banks. Have I read them? No. My schedule is always so crazy. With 13 books in the series, it is not looking good for me.
Lucy Stone Mystery by Leslie Meier - I met this author at a local writers conference decades ago. I bought one of these books, but have never read it. So far, there are 32 books. No hope of catching up with this one.
Secrets of the Blue and Gray by Vanessa Lind - This one caught my eye recently, and I would love to read these four books. Have you read them yet?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is on hiatus until September. Check back for more prompts then.

Book Blast and Giveaway!: The Call to Authorship by Tim Lindsay

2026-08-17T01:00:00.000-04:00

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tim W. Lindsay will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Embrace the call to authorship: 10 steps to leverage the power of a book!

Books help people—they inform, inspire, and engage. Books are also a powerful force for those who write them. Publishing a book builds your authority, sharpens your thinking, and opens doors to media exposure, speaking engagements, partnerships, and more.

Despite the greater accessibility of publishing than ever before, many would-be authors hesitate. They get stuck with self-doubt or believe producing a book is incompatible with a busy life. They may start writing but don't finish. Or they finish but don't publish or market their books.

The truth? With a little dedicated time, consistent effort, and the right guidance, anyone can publish a book that changes lives for the better. And they should.

Put down your phone. Take the leap from consumer to creator!

This step-by-step guide will show you how to:
- Use a one-page tool to clarify your goals, target audience and plan.
- Craft an outline that drives your manuscript forward.
- Overcome mental roadblocks and craft habits to finish your first draft in months, not years—even with a busy schedule.
- Select a publishing model, refine your manuscript, and make informed design and distribution decisions.
- Employ promotional strategies to achieve goals that transcend royalties.

Become more than you are. Have courage. Commit to growth by authoring a book, strengthening your ability to serve. Write with purpose. Publish for impact!

Bonus for book professionals: Special content for book coaches, editors, and ghostwriters—those helping ordinary people become extraordinary authors.

Read an Excerpt

We live in an age of swipes, scrolls and soundbites, where attention is fragmented and surface-level engagement is the norm. In such a world, choosing to sit down and write is bold indeed.

Writing a book is an act of meaning-making. It’s how we wrestle with ideas, make sense of experience, and speak into the noise with words that are considered and enduring. It takes courage to believe that your words matter. It takes character to see them through and shape them into a book.

That journey often begins with a spark. Maybe you’ve been through something, built something, learned something—and now you feel the quiet tug: This should be a book.

But with that tug often comes hesitation: Who am I to write this? Will anyone care? I’ve heard those doubts from countless aspiring authors through my work at Tellwell, where we’ve helped thousands turn that first spark into a finished book. And I’ve watched them write anyway. What followed was often extraordinary.

For Cindy Cherry, that moment came unexpectedly. For years she resisted writing a book about her father, Don Cherry, the outspoken hockey commentator who became a household name in Canada. She feared a memoir about her dad might seem biased, or worse, opportunistic. But everything changed when a Google Alert lit up her phone screen: a news organization was praising the Western Hockey League for cutting ties with Don following what she calls “Poppygate,” and for erasing his name from an organ-donation campaign he had helped champion, raising nearly half a million dollars. This cause was close to Cindy’s heart. As a teenager, she had donated one of her kidneys to her younger brother.

She realized that the public narrative was being written in a way that dishonoured the man she knew and loved.

About the Author:

Tim Lindsay founded Tellwell in 2015. Since then, he and his team have guided some 5,000 authors, including entrepreneurs, professional speakers, coaches, consultants, experts, course creators, community builders, religious and nonprofit leaders, Indigenous organizations, athletes, influencers, and everyday citizens.

Website: http://www.Tellwellpublishing.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tellwellpublishing/
Tellwell - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tellwellpublishing
Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1834180422

Follow the tour and comment for more chances to win!

Tim's tour dates can be found at: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2026/07/book-blast-call-to-authorship-how-and.html