#SaturdaySpotlight is on Daniel Abbott and The Dark Queen!

Good Morning!

It is always a pleasure to introduce to you a brand new to our blog author and his or her books. Today's guest is just that so please help me welcome Daniel Abbott and his book, The Dark Queen.

Thanks for joining us, Daniel. Please tell us why you wrote The Dark Queen and share your blurb and an exerpt...

You're welcome, Pam! I'm thrilled to be here. I wrote my book for a myriad of reasons...

I wanted to lay the framework to tell something so much bigger and grander. To write my take on good vs evil and to impart tidbits of my philosophy about life, faith, love and perseverance against trials, troubles and the tribulations of the day to day. 

I also wanted to encapsulate so very much in my overall writing beyond merely a need to tell stories. To motivate and give hope. To inspire and draw out the best from anyone who would read them.

AND, to express my personal faith in a manner similar to Lewis and Tolkien and in such a way as to be approachable to any and all who might find themselves lost in the pages.

Here's the Blurb: A Kingdom built in–but not of–the world shrouded in a veil of secrecy.

Today is the big day for Princess Zaariah. She has her mind set to go relic hunting and to return successful, as to prove her right to inherit the throne. Never would she have guessed the chain of events that this day would set in motion for her, nor how her destiny would be forever changed. Where once she would have been content to inherit her father's kingdom one day and live a simple life as its ruler, now she will have to set out and build one of her own.

The task set before her is no small matter: Build a kingdom of such size and might that it would rival the great kingdoms of the world-all while being hidden from those very kingdoms. In the world but not of the world and shrouded in a veil of secrecy.

She'll set out, recruiting any who would align with her cause and aid in building her secret kingdom; and with any luck, somewhere along the way prove-to herself if no one else-that she is worthy to wield the dark blade of the eternals.

And an Excerpt: There was a silence as the unlit room grew dark, only to be broken by Akeer's voice. "I am never without fear; it is what keeps us alive. The Nordens have a saying 'every warrior's first battle is with fear, he is an immortal foe, and every day he comes back fresh to fight. Overcoming and subduing him gives one the power to take the glory of battle or to be welcomed in the halls of eternity'...So I ask again, 'Having second thoughts?"

Zaariah stood still as a stone, then slowly went to the vanity in front of her mirror and withdrew a note and cast it upon her bed before giving Akeer a weak smile that told him come hell or high water, she would not be beaten.

"None," she said as she grabbed her pack and armed herself with her dueling spear and dagger. 

Wonderful! Now please tell us a little more about yourself...

I am a God-fearing man. A loving father. An accomplished bartender, hobby blacksmith, amateur storyteller, and certifiable goofball, LOL!

I have been writing for several years and The Dark Queen is the first of a 3- part fantasy series. 

I love hearing from readers so feel free to reach out to me at: danielabbottpublishing@gmail.com

Thanks again for having me on your blog today, Pam. I hope your readers enjoyed this peek into my debut novel and will check it out.

We appreciate you sharing with us, Daniel and wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with The Dark Queen and the other two books in this series!

Fantasy lover Friends, grab a copy of The Dark Queen on Amazon.

Until next time take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Gail Pallotta & Dangerous Shadows!

Good Morning and Welcome to the final edition of Saturday Spotlight for January 2026!

Can you believe this month is over already? I, for one am GLAD - it hasn't been one of the better months for me and I'm ready to move out of this crazy, chaotic energy. Enough about me. I'm gonna let Gail take over and share her latest book with us. Take it away, Gail...

Thanks, Pam!

Dangerous Shadows, Discipleship Series Book 3, brings together the characters from Hidden Danger and Dangerous Detour, Books one and two. They’re all stand-alone books, but it’s three times the fun to read all of them. 

I wanted to weave the importance of Jesus’ messages of discipleship and forgiveness into these stories. He waits with open arms to forgive everyone who reaches out to Him, barring none. We know it’s important to spread the Good Word, because the Bible tells us in several places. For one, in Mark 16: 15, Jesus tells the apostles to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” 

In addition to a faith element, all three of the books contain mystery and suspense, two of my favorite genres. 

Blurb: Shaken from an assault in the library parking lot at Hilltop College in Western North Carolina, crime reporter Emily Hanover contacts her ex-fiancé, private investigator Nick Lancaster. When the college hires Nick to recover quartz and ancient maps stolen from the library, Nick insists there’s a connection between the theft and Emily’s attack. As Nick and Emily face danger from an elusive stalker, their romance rekindles. Nick’s sidekick, Hucklesford, spots two suspects, so he and Nick go undercover. While Nick’s surveillance points to illegal gambling and murder, Hucklesford’s investigation leads him to the college cross-country team. Can Nick and Hucklesford, along with Emily, connect the stalker, theft, college student, and gambler’s murder to solve this baffling mystery? Will Nick and Emily find true love? 

Excerpt: Emily Hanover walked to her sporty car in the parking lot at Hilltop College. Trees with bare limbs and evergreens in the forest beside the school spoke of winter still hanging on.

Heel clicks resounded behind her.

She peeked over her shoulder—no one, just a view of the large brick library.

Footsteps snapped in sync with hers.

She picked up her pace.

Silence fell.

She glanced back. A shadow. Checking her watch, she breathed easier. Was it the shadow of the bear? Even though she’d never seen it, she’d heard a bear’s shadow appeared in the North Carolina Mountains between five-thirty and six-fifteen in the afternoon in February and March.

The shadow of the bear didn’t follow people, but seemed to spring forward going from one hill to another. Silly her. Shadows didn’t make noise.

A man ducked behind an evergreen.

She pressed her key fob, her heart pounding as she charged toward her car. Panting, she scooted in the driver’s seat. Her finger shook as she punched the starter button. She mashed the pedal to the floor, and the engine roared. Letting up on the gas, she drove the speed limit while checking the rearview mirror. Cars, trucks, and SUVs followed her.

Dangerous Shadows can be found at Amazon for Kindle (FREE in KU!), in Paperback and Audio (FREE with your Audible Trial Membership)!

Check out the entire series HERE. 

Gail Pallotta’s a wife, Mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A 2013 Grace Awards finalist, she’s a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner and a TopShelf 2020 Book Awards Finalist. She’s published nine books, short stories and several hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She loves to connect with readers. 

Sign up for Gail’s Newsletter and connect with her through her Website, on Facebook, LinkedIn, BookBub, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Check out Gail's previous visits to our blog HERE and HERE.

THANKS Gail!

Hope you enjoyed our spotlight today and that you'll check back weekly for more great authors and their books.

Until next time, read happy!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Ida Flowers & Jessie's Passion

Good Morning!

It's C-O-L-D here in SWLA. In fact it's going to be cold for several days here and across the nation so what better thing to do than curl up with a good book?!

Although you might recognize this book from a previous sidebar ad, our guest is brand new to the blog so please welcome, Ida Flowers! 

Take it away Ida! Tell us all about Jessie's Passion, and yourself...

Thanks for having me, Pam! I write—and read—historical fiction because it transports me into the past and all its fascinations without requiring me to give up the ice in my Tom Collin’ses and my warm daily shower. I write women’s fiction because the needs and desires of women are universal across time and space, and I write Southern fiction because, simply, I am a Southerner.

Jessie’s Passion is the story of a strong-willed, impetuous young woman—much like I was at her age—who is determined to have what she wants no matter what the cost. But at the heart of her character is the knowing that she is right. She has an unshaken belief that she is meant to be with the man she loves and in the end, she is proven right. 

Jessie’s Passion is set against the backdrop of the Stamp Act and the Regulator movement in the South Carolina colony in the 1760s. I have done extensive research and much of the background of this story is based upon a book I bought at a library sale that contains the diaries of a traveling minister during the time of the Regulators. I used it to fact-check my writing when my characters were experiencing events and to see what the weather was like that season. My research contributes to the cohesion of the story and makes it believable, makes us think it could have actually happened—and probably did. 

South Carolina, 1765. A group of wealthy young friends. A colony terrorized by outlaws. A young woman obsessed.

Jessie Maclaine, the youngest of the group of friends from the Carolina Lowcountry, is a spoiled, passionate girl determined to have her own way and marry Robbie Stewart, who still sees her as the tag-along pest of their childhood. Her every waking thought is focused on making him to see her as a woman, and in her dreams, he belongs to her. Robbie Stewart is the eldest of the group and the heir to Brianag, his uncle’s plantation. He is far too occupied with tormenting the agents responsible for enforcing the Stamp Act and helping his deceased father’s family defend themselves against outlaws in the Backcountry to pay any attention to Jessie—except when he finds an opportunity to tease her. As unrest builds in the colonies and the outlaws continue their rampages in the mountains, Jessie learns that the world is bigger than youthful desire and that choices made impetuously are followed inevitably by consequences—some of which are irreparable.

Excerpt: I grew so weary at times I felt that I must get down and rest; but then I thought of Robbie, ill and calling my name, and this thought spurred me forward. The McDonald boys laughed and joked together with Kevin. The Creek boys went ahead and behind, watchful and quiet.

As the sun was setting, we reached the village. The people came forward to greet us. An old woman with gray hair and linsey-woolsey clothes, and odd ornaments adorning her neck, stood at the forefront.

At last memory rang true, and a shock thrummed through me. I remembered her now. I had been frightened of her when I had awakened at last from my illness. I remembered her blue eyes. I stared at her with confusion. She was not an Indian. Why did she live at the Creek village, and why was she called Old Creek Woman, when she was clearly a white woman?

Kevin lifted me down, and my knees gave way beneath me. He held me up on one side while Bobby held me on the other. My feet and legs tingled painfully as the blood returned.

"Robbie-Jessie," said the old woman, and I remembered that she had addressed me thusly before. 

I tried to curtsey to her with the men holding onto my arms. "Madam," I said.

"Come," she said, and I followed her, stumbling.

She lifted the curtain on one of the houses and ducked beneath it. I bent down and followed her. At first, I could see only the fire, but then my eyes adjusted and I looked where she pointed. I stumbled forward and fell to my knees.

"Robbie," I said, "Oh, Robbie, my love."

He did not respond. My heart stopped. I thought for one appalling moment that he was dead. I put my ear to his lips and felt his breath, reached beneath the skins that covered him and felt his heartbeat, rapid and thin, beneath his burning skin. My own heart began to beat again, and my tears flowed swiftly, dropping onto his face, as I kissed him over and over. "Oh, Robbie, my love, my only love," I whispered. "Oh, Robbie, Robbie."

 

Jessie's Passion can be found at Amazon and other online retailers HERE.

Fascinated by historical fiction from the time she first read about Laura Ingalls at the age of eight, Ida Flowers began writing novels at the age of eleven. She wrote dozens of stories over the years, in spiral notebooks and on the backs of discarded printed copy paper and on a word processor. She got distracted by motherhood and working for a living and hurricane survival, but being a writer was never eradicated from her dreams. 

Now an empty-nester, Ida spends as much time as possible traveling and researching the history of women in Early America while working on the series of novels set in Colonial South Carolina. 

Connect with Ida (aka: Trina Morgan) on her Website, Blog, Facebook and X.

Wonderful! Thanks again, for visiting with us today, Ida!

Until next time, stay warm Friends.

PamT