Things have been so so busy with me lately in my personal life that it’s been a little hard to find time for my book work. At the end of July I decided to put my notice in at the Jeep dealership I had my day job at because I was hired to work full time at a nearby horseback riding school and farm as their Business, Horse, Facility, and Social Media Manager! It’s a dream job for me, though it has proven to be more physical than I’m used to in a day. I’m definitely tired at the end of the day like I’ve never been before. But on with the book news!
Book Reviews
I read some really good books this month! First up was “The Lilly of Ludgate Hill” by MiMi Matthews. It is the third book in her Belles of London Victorian Era series, and I absolutely love every book so far!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Technically, I read this one in July but since I didn’t have time to put together a proper newsletter for everyone last month, I’m including it in this month. I’ve been on a horse-centered Historical Fiction kick, which is actually a lot harder to find than I thought it would be, so that is how I came to pick up this series in the first place. This is the third book!
I absolutely love MiMi Matthew’s horse and friendship centered series! They have just the right amount of romance to keep me interested and not turn me off by being overly sentimental. There’s always an element of “will they, won’t they” to keep me guessing! You can tell the series is written by an avid horse lover, which is why I picked up the series in the first place.
I loved that this one brought two childhood friends together as lovers. Two who had almost married before but then had to overcome their past hurts from each other to find each other again. The main character had a great amount of independence and sass over her lover that it kept me laughing and say “Yes, girl! That’s right!” through the whole book.
If you love horses, friendship, and soft romance then the Belle’s of London series is for you! I can’t wait for the last book to be released.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I find it very hard to find horse fiction for adults that are of good quality, but I am really glad that I found “The Giver of Stars” by Jojo Moyes!
The story centers around a group of women who become packhorse librarians. They go into the rural mountains of Kentucky to deliver books to those too far to come to the library. Books and horses? Yes, please! Each character was so unique and had so much depth to them. I loved getting to know each of the packhorse librarians throughout the story. These women were somewhat outcasts in their town, so the fact that they could all come together and make fast friends was really nice to see.
The romance in the story was second fiddle to friendship and horses, which is just what I like. I really don’t love sappy love stories or predictable love stories. This was anything but! I was really happy with the way each romance story played out.
Reading this story made me want to learn more about these packhorse librarians, who were real women during the depression. I highly recommend this story. It was one of the best books I’ve read in a while.
I am currently reading “An Echo in the Bone” from the Outlander series as I slowly make my way through this gigantic saga. I love these books. The author does such a great job of providing so much detail that you feel like you’re there. I often find myself wondering “how in the heck would she even know that?!” So I can’t imagine the amount of research it takes to put one of these books together. Now that I am on book seven and the two main characters are older, I think in their fifties, the intimate romance scenes have dwindled down and the focus is on the family and history unfolding, which is what I absolutely love! They are in America right at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, and I can’t get enough of the drama and detail. I highly recommend this series, although it is a real huge commitment.
Writing In Progress
I am still plugging away SLOWLY on my very own and first Historical Fiction (that is horse-centered, you know…since it’s so hard to find these books!) I am in the editing process and am about 75% of the way done. Then, I will do one final read-through before publishing. I am hoping and planning to have it out this Fall 2024! Keep a look out in the next newsletter for a more accurate release date.
Anastasia feels like her life is falling apart when her lover abandons her and her baby. With her tail between her legs she returns to her overbearing mother’s home in Northwest Indiana to try to start over. Determined to provide for herself and not have to rely on anyone else ever again, she heads to her late father’s horse and carriage dealership, only to find her mother sold it along with all the horses, including her father’s prized stallion! Desperate for money, she begs for a job as one of their salesmen. As Anastasia tries to make her way in a man’s world, she vows never to fall in love again and to only focus on providing a good life for herself and her daughter, but love always finds a way. A handsome banker who does business with the dealership helps Anastasia to reclaim her purpose in this world. He not only tries to win her heart, but tries to win back the life she lost as well. Can Anastasia earn her father’s business back and find his beloved stallion before it’s too late? Find out this Fall in “When Dealing with Horses”!
I’m so excited to get this book out there. Though a lot of it is fiction, a good chunk of it is based on my own experience as a single mother entering the car dealership business as a salesman.
Free and On Sale eBooks for August
Here are the many links to the hundreds of eBooks that are free or on sale for the rest of this month. Most of these links expire at the end of August, but some continue on into September. There are so many talented indie authors out there! So, stock up your eReaders for that cozy fall reading time that’s coming up.
Thank you for reading through my newsletter! I hope you found some great books to read. Whose ready for fall?! I know I am (although we are getting hit with a 95 degree day this week, so it’s not very fall like…) Enjoy your reading!
Sorry, but this newsletter is going to be short and sweet and mostly links to free and on sale eBooks. Life has been a little crazy for me this last month and it’s only going to get crazier next month as I transition from my current job to a new job. I was hired as a Business Manager of a local horseback riding school. It’s a big undertaking to get everything set up on the business end so I haven’t had as much time for my book work. Without further ado, here are the links to your free on on sale eBooks! Many of these links expire tomorrow so get on it and fill those eReaders up quick!
Enjoy the free and on sale reads! Next month, I will fill you in with more reviews, what I’m working on, and sales and giveaways further in advance than the day they expire. Have a great last few weeks of summer, reader friends.
That’s right! I am STILL working on my first Historical Fiction, “When Dealing with Horses”. I’ve decided to slow things down from how I was producing books before. I tried to crank out three in a year and the quality was just lacking from what I would like it to be. So now the goal is to get one book out a year, maybe. And it’s going to go through several drafts of writing, several rounds of editing, and I am hoping this means the quality of work will be superior to what it was before. I love the books I wrote before and there is not much in them I would change, but when it comes to Historical Fiction I feel like things have to slow down for me and attention to detail is much more important. Plus there is so much more research that goes into it when writing so that took longer than I was expecting. The story is written though! I am in my first round of editing, and I hope to have it published this Fall. I am so excited to break into the genre of Historical Fiction/Historical Romance (although the romance will be soft and never the main focus of the story). This book is not available for preorder, but I will keep you updated on its release date. Thank you for all your support while writing and editing!
Sneak Peek Free First Two Chapters of When Dealing with Horses Just for You!
I’m giving my newsletter subscribers a chance to read the first two chapters of “When Dealing with Horses” this month! To download, click the button below. It’s going to ask for your email to download. This will not sign you up for my newsletter twice. But if you are not signed up, it will sign you up so you never miss another sneak peek or giveaway again!
May is my birthday month, and in honor of that I am giving away my Kindle box sets for free!! That’s right, you can download the entire epic six book YA Fantasy series, Chronicles of a Supernatural Huntsman, or the thrilling zombie apocalypse trilogy, Dead Soil, or both (why not?) from Saturday May 18- Wednesday May 22. Don’t miss out on this rare deal, and please leave a review once you’ve made your way through these epic adventures. I love hearing what my readers think of my stories and characters. Plus reviews are like food for an author’s soul. They get the word out to other readers so they can find our books and read them too. Word of mouth is a powerful thing.
I know, I know. I’m late to the party! Who hasn’t read LOTR?? I have to be honest, I attempted this book three times over the last few years and always got about a quarter of the way through and gave up. I didn’t understand why I had such a hard time with it when its an acclaimed Fantasy novel, a timeless classic! But in the beginning it’s a lot of description, very little dialogue, a lot of walking and eating and long winded poems. I couldn’t get into it. This time I pushed myself to finish and I am so glad I did! Once I the hobbits left Tom Bombadil’s house and made it to the Prancing Pony Inn the dialogue picked up, the story was more fast-paced than before, and it was definitely more exciting and enthralling! I looked forward to reading it every day.
Not much needs to be said of this classic because its all already been said. I loved the characters. I loved the in-depth descriptions of the elven realms of Rivendell and Lothlorien. I wish I could live in the elven tree kingdom forever! The main reason I am so glad I read the book finally is because there was so much more in the book than the movies! With the movies being SO long I didn’t think that would be the case, because the books don’t seem that big, but there was really a lot of story and detail altered or left out from the movies.
I highly recommend reading this Fantasy classic trilogy if you haven’t already. I am already into The Two Towers (book 2). The only reason I gave it four starts instead of five was because of how long it took me to get into it from the beginning.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Every year my daughter’s elementary school does a one book across the whole school system read together. Parents are to read a chapter or two a night to their kids and then the next day the kids discuss it in class and can win prizes for having the answers. It’s a lot of fun. This year was the first book in the Lemoncello series and my daughter loved it! It has some great Willy Wonka vibes, if he was in charge of a library and made games instead of candy. Lemoncello is whacky and eccentric, and what nine year old wouldn’t love that alone? And the kids in the story talk like the kids today with all their “bro”s and “whatever”s. It’s hilarious. My daughter struggles with reading. She hates it because it’s such a challenge for her. It feels like a chore. But she loves stories so much, so me continuing to read these chapter books she really likes are a great way for to stay connected to reading. And hey, who said listening to a story wasn’t reading a book? I’m sure there are a lot of audible listeners who would agree. My daughter loved the first book so much that she had me buy the second book to keep going. There are five books total and we will be reading all of them I’m sure. They’re funny to her, have good moral values in them, no goofy political agendas hidden inside, and they are fun for parents as well. I highly recommend it if you have kids (or if you like kid stories yourself!)
Currently Reading
I am forever reading Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (LOL). I will start a book, get a quarter through, take a break for a quick other read, come back to it, take a break. It’s a vicious cycle, but I’m on book 7 and I will someday get through the entire 10 book series (when book 10 finally comes out).
Highland Healer is my work read. I bought it because I love historical Scottish fiction, the fact that its about a healer means there will be some witch accusations the main character has to deal with, and Scotland! Come on! I’m more than halfway through and loving it. It has elements of real magic in it that I was not expecting! I love when history and fantasy collide.
Once I finished The Fellowship of the Ring I moved straight into The Two Towers. It’s much more fast paced, action-packed, and similar to the movies than the first one ones. I am surprised by how long the movies are that they did not incorporate more of the books into them. Tolkien definitely has a way with detail. It’s magical.
Since my daughter and I finished the Lemoncello second book and I have yet to order the third, I thought we’d take a break and shift over to some fairy tale/fantasy with The School for Good and Evil series. We watched the Netflix show and absolutely loved it. Right now, I am liking the read a lot, just for myself. I am not sure that my daughter is as enthralled with it as I am or as she was with Lemoncello. This might be more for teens than elementary or middle school. There is a lot of great descriptions. The author makes you really feel like you’re there in Gavaldon. I am a fan of their writing style and even if my daughter doesn’t want to continue the series I think I will. I bought the box set and its a fun read.
Character Profile
I decided to add something new and fun to my newsletters. Each one will have a new character profile from one of my books! I’ll talk about stats, background stories, their part in the story, and the inspiration behind the character. I love all my characters so much that I just can’t let them go even when a series is over! That’s why you’ll see Christine Moore and her sister Gretchen from the Dead Soil trilogy in my Zooey Zombie post-apocalypse series! And a Holly Everest trilogy is in the works in my brain, a spin off from my Chronicles of a Supernatural Huntsman series. These characters are forever in my heart and so they will keep popping up in my stories and connecting my series in a complex and hopefully entertaining web. So here it is. The first character profile! It’s only fitting we start with a main character.
Kamlyn Paige from the Chronicles of a Supernatural Huntsman YA Fantasy Series
I do not own the rights to these pictures. They are merely used as inspiration for the characters
Stats
Name and Meaning: Kamlyn has English, French, and Slavic origins. In French it means Young Ceremonial Attendant. In Slavic it means perfect, complete. Lyn in English means lake so it could be a combination of meanings. In English the name Cam means crooked nose, and the name Kam in Dutch means Brewery, so the meanings could be endless. Paige is Kamlyn’s Surname. It’s found in the USA, Canada, UK, and Scotland. It’s most common ancestry has origins in the ancient Anglo-Saxons of England. It’s given to someone who has worked as a servant or personal attendant to a Lord or nobleman. I chose the last name of Paige because I’m a booknerd and it’s a variant of page, like the pages of a book. Right on the nose with that one.
Age: 24
Hair: Long brown and wavy
Eye Color:Hazel (because all authors can’t help putting a bit of themselves in their characters.)
Currently Lives in:Valparaiso, Indiana
Education: High School Graduate
Income:She lives off her parent’s inheritance, which is quickly dwindling
Occupation:Huntsman for the Chamber of Darkness (In Training in Book 1)
Relationship Status: Single, though there is a man of interest throughout the series
Personality Traits: Kamlyn is a bit of a loner. She always had her one best friend and her family and that was enough. She wasn’t a party girl, but she did have a high school sweetheart. It’s because of the hurt he caused her that she has remained alone to raise her son. She is a loving mother who would do anything for her little boy, Danny. And once he is taken from her she becomes a fierce warrior who will stop at nothing to have her revenge for his death. She’s hardworking, diligent, kind-hearted, caring, and smart. She can keep her cool in tough situations and isn’t afraid to use her weapons and combat training to protect those she loves.
Story Motivators: Kamlyn is motivated by revenge in the first book, Broken Angel. Her son is murdered by a mysteriously cloaked figure in the night and she will stop at nothing to hunt it down and take its life. As the series continues she has different reasons for further revenge, now against the fallen angels. When she learns of their plans to destroy the human race, she’s motivated to save her fellow humans and the world.
Background Story: Kamlyn Paige lived with her mother and father in Northwest Indiana all her life. She had one best friend, Cara, and lived simply and peacefully. In her senior year she met Rob, a cool new kid who showed an interest in photography and her. Weeks before graduation Kamlyn learned she was pregnant. She turned to her family for support when Rob refused to help her. Just before the baby was due, her parents were in a fatal car accident. Her best friend, Cara, moved in with Kamlyn to support her and her baby. For five years, Kamlyn lived off her parent’s inheritance while Cara worked contentedly at the local diner. Life was good, until one fateful night when a cloaked figure appeared in the dark of night and killed Kamlyn’s beloved son, Danny. She was almost defeated by her grief, when a neighbor she’d never met before saw her crumpled in tears on the sidewalk. He picked her up and revealed a whole new world to her. A world that lives just beneath the surface of ours. A world of monsters and mythological beings, and a secret society that protects the human race from them all. Kamlyn is invited to joint the Chamber of Darkness as a Huntsman in the first book, giving her the chance to have the one thing she wants the most in life…revenge.
Special Abilities: Kamlyn does not have a natural aptitude for physical activity. She was always more artsy than she ever was a jock, pursuing her passion for writing through journalism with the high school newspaper. But she trains hard at the Chamber of Darkness, and eventually she proves that with hard work and determination we can do anything we set our minds to. But that’s not all there is to Kamlyn. Further into the series, without giving too much away, I can tell you she realizes that she’s not who she thought she was, and she has a whole slew of special abilities that will help her in the upcoming war against the fallen angels. She trains with various the very creatures and beings she once hunted to hone in her new magical skills. All should beware of the power of Kamlyn, that’s for sure.
Writer’s Inspiration: I will fully admit, that like most writers, that my first character I developed, Kamlyn Paige, was based a lot on myself. Not just who I am, what I look like (or wished I looked like) but also who I would like to be if put in a similar situation. Kamlyn is strong and fearless, but she doesn’t start off that way. In the beginning she is a bit of a nerd. She likes to write and tells her best friend everything, but is not the popular girl is school. She flies under the radar and stays out of trouble until she meets a boy, a fact of life I think we women can all relate to in some way or another. I love Kamlyn’s character arc of going from this bookish loner and nurturing mother to a fierce bad-a warrior. The readers seem to like that storyline as well, so I’m glad.
May Free and On Sale Book Links
I use Bookfunnel to connect with readers who like to give indie authors like me a chance. It’s a completely safe network that many of you are familiar with, but if you’re not here is how it works. Authors set up their profile, add their books and giveaway pages, and then they can join promotions with other authors. The authors then put the word out about the promo through their mailing list and social media. Most of the time the books are free to download for readers, all the authors ask in exchange is their email to add them to their mailing list. And why wouldn’t you want to be on that list? Free books! But no one holds it against you if unsubscribe, which you easily can. Other times, the links will lead you to Amazon or Barnes and Nobles where the author’s books are on a special sale for you to purchase. And that’s it! Your info and email is never shared with anyone except the author you are downloading the book from. Here are the links to the promos I am currently participating in for the rest of May. Come June there will be more!
I often think about my special place in heaven and all the possibilities it can be,
I do not think it is a palace but a cabin in the woods not far from the sea.
With a little stone pathway leading up to the door,
It’ll have a grand fire place and knotty pine floors.
It will creak when I walk and the fire will spit,
This home in the clouds is my perfect fit.
Books galore will abound my walls without a gap,
My own slice of heaven to read in while my cat takes a nap in my lap.
Every day will feel like Christmas with my Lord by my side,
And what else would we do together but go for a ride?
Oh Captain my Captain, steadfast and true,
My horse will carry me swiftly through my forest at my cue.
Snowflakes will swirl down from the black velvety sky,
And I’ll wave to the deer as they pass us by.
Night will no longer mean darkness with my Lord by me,
All fears from earth will have no choice but to flee.
No words are needed as hooves crunch the fresh fallen snow,
On our way to the sea to watch the tide come and go.
“Life’s a little like the tide” He might say, giving reference to my favorite book,
When we break through the edge of the forest He’ll give me a soft and knowing look.
And though the snow falls behind us the beach will be warm,
And the seagulls will circle peacefully and never swarm.
My whole family will be there, my husband, my daughter,
Aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, my mother and father.
We’ll frolic and play with laughter on our lips,
There won’t be a single hurt feeling between us as we go to take a dip.
The ocean will gently rock us this way and that,
And we’ll look up at cotton ball clouds as we lay on our backs.
The sun will set when we finally come to shore,
As we delight in the assurance that tomorrow will hold more.
We’ll sit by the fire while my husband sings and plays,
My daughter will join in with the sweetest of displays.
And throughout it all Jesus will be there,
While the crackling fire dries the salt water in our hair.
A sweet and silent observer who radiates love,
While the stars twinkle in the clear sky above.
And then I will return to Captain to ride back home,
To my little cabin in the woods to be greeted by a gnome.
He diligently watches over my flowers and my herbs,
With a pale and a shovel, he’s never perturbed.
No one in heaven is ever angry over the work they’ve been called to do,
Work is fruitful and each day it brings forth something new.
I leave Captain outside where he freely roams and grazes,
While I go inside to scribble some turns of phrases.
I create characters and stories that bring others delight,
The rumble of a plane overhead signals my husband’s flight.
Above the clouds he soars with the stars and the moon,
My heart softens and warms to know I’ll see him soon.
We’re not married in heaven as we were on earth,
The relationship is pure and perfect when we both feel our worth.
I write by candlelight though the glow is never dim,
Jesus is its fuel because in heaven everything is Him.
He is the sun and the ground, he is the wind and the trees,
He is the hush of snowfall when there is no breeze.
And when I lay in a bed as comfy as a cloud,
Bob will purr by my ear as I sleep soft and sound.
I’ll speak aloud my prayers and praises as I converse with my God,
In my mind I can see Him giving me a proud smile and nod.
This is my personal heaven, my castle in the sky,
Have you given any thought to yours as time ticks slowly by?
It’s delightful to think what awaits us on the other side,
Where life is not over but continues in stride.
Merry Christmas to you all, my family and friends,
Take comfort in knowing something beautiful awaits you when you reach the end.
Post Script
Poems are not my forte, so please be forgiving. I don’t know what came over me this morning as I drove into work, except that it was the most beautiful sunrise of rose and wisteria I’d ever seen and it stirred the Spirit inside me. It’s true this is something I dream of often, though I’m sure we can never in our wildest dreams imagine what riches await us when we reach heaven. This Christmas know there is hope, you can have joy and peace, and love is all around us. That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown! God bless you all! Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
It’s taken me a while to put together, but I’m happy to announce that now ALL of the Chronicles of a Supernatural Huntsman books are available in hardcover copy! And if you purchase these from this website you will receive them signed by the author at a 10% discount from Amazon’s prices (discount shipping, too!). Buy your beautiful, long lasting copies of this epic YA Fantasy today by visiting the 10% store on this site or clicking the button below to find the books on Amazon.
