#SaturdaySpotlight is on Hywela Lyn & The Matchmakers Mare!

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! I absolutely LOVE books about horses and today's guest has a doozy for us!

Good Morning, Friends and welcome to the last edition of Saturday Spotlight before we get into our "All Christmas thru Christmas" Feature beginning next weekend. 

Hwyela Lyn is brand new to our blog (don't know how that happened as I've known her for years!) with her book, The Matchmaker's Mare, so tighten your cinch and let's get a peek into this novel.

Thanks for joining us Hywela, tell us why you wrote The Matchmaker's Mare and what makes it special...

My previous books for the Wild Rose Press, who have published all my books to date, are fantasy and futuristic romances, so this story, set in my native Wales, mainly in the present time, is a little different. As a Christian, I try to incorporate Christian values into my stories, hopefully without being ‘preachy’, but I do think love and marriage, honesty and fidelity are qualities to be valued in an ever-changing world, and I’ve tried to incorporate all these in this little tale of friendship, love and second chances. 

I’ve had a passion for horses for as long as I can remember. The Matchmaker’s Mare evolved from a short story I wrote years ago, although it has changed considerably from the original. I usually manage to sneak a horse or pony into all my stories somewhere, and this one allowed me to indulge my love of horses more fully.

When I left school, I saved up for five years to purchase Flicka, my first horse, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge several years ago and is also featured in The Matchmaker’s Mare, along with Flying T’pau (aka TipTop) although the actual ‘Star’ (Seren) was a gentle 15.2 hands high bay mare I bred myself from Flicka, rather than a feisty little chestnut pony, but she did have a perfect star in the middle of her face! Although horses are important in this story, I hope it will appeal not only to horse lovers, but to anyone who enjoys a gentle, uplifting  romance with a touch of mystery – not to mention a couple of friendly ‘otherworldly’ spirits.

Oh wow, what a beautiful reason to write this one, Hywela. Give us more please...

Here you go...

Blurb: When Megan Johnson inherits an old cottage in the Welsh countryside, she seizes the opportunity to cut ties with her past life, after a broken romance. Her nearest neighbour, a horse trainer, is also something of an enigma. Single dad Glyn Phillips does his best to balance his love of horses and hard work, with his devotion to his son. When he meets his new neighbour, he knows he should resist any attraction. A feisty pony mare which mysteriously appears on his land adds to his problems, but another, larger problem lies ahead. Two matchmaking spirits find their carefully laid plans may not go as smoothly as they hope.

Excerpt: The memory of Glyn Phillips’ smile stayed with Megan all the way home. The handsome, quietly spoken horse trainer she’d just met was so charismatic. He obviously doted on his son, and she could understand him being worried about him handling the wild little mare, even though she’d seemed to calm down for the boy. 

She could not help wondering about the boy’s mother. The village shopkeeper had informed her Glyn Phillips and his son moved into the farm about three years ago, but made no mention of anyone else. Well, it wasn’t really any of her business. She would hate to be thought of as a typical ‘nosy neighbour.’ Still, it was difficult not to feel a bit curious. 

By the time she drew up outside Ty Gwyn, the daylight had faded, and a young moon filtered through the grove of trees next to the cottage. The newly whitewashed walls which gave the cottage its name, reflected back the gentle moonlight. She couldn’t help a little rush of pride. All the time and effort she’d spent on the cottage over the last weeks had been worth it! 

She gave a sudden start. Was that a shadow moving in the darkened window of the kitchen? She left the car and fumbled in her bag for her keys, her hands shaking a little.  She needed to invest in a sensor light. Apart from the practicality of having such a light, she always felt a little nervous in the dark. Of course the moonlight played funny tricks sometimes, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling of someone watching her.

THANK YOU! Now tell us more about yourself and where we can find you AND get a copy of The Matchmaker's Mare...

Sure, Pam, below are my official bio and social media links...

Award-winning U.K. author, Hywela Lyn spent most of her life in Wales, whose beautiful landscapes and wealth of myths and legends inspired her to write. A horse and dog lover, she weaves fantasy romances set in her native Wales, and romantic Science Fiction adventures set in the future. She loves dreaming up characters who overcome the odds, and go on to find deep and enduring love. However difficult the journey, in the end love will always win. She hopes her stories will truly take you 'out of this world' and beyond. 

She is a member of The Romantic Novelists' Association and her local writing group, Chiltern Writers. Beloved Enemy, the third book in the Destiny Trilogy, was shortlisted in the Paranormal category of the prestigious Romantic Novelists Association RoNA awards and was a Runner up in the U.S. RONE Awards in 2017. Circumstances prevented her writing since the Release of Beloved Enemy and she is excited to now be able to announce the release of her new novel The Matchmaker’s Mare, featuring her other great love, horses, and the area in Wales where she grew up.

When she is not writing or reading, she can usually be found enjoying the outdoors with her rescue dog Choccy, who rules the house and keeps her sane (nearly) anything involving horses or dogs, or just eating chocolate!

Website:   https://Hywelalyn.co.uk

Blog:         https://Hywelalyn.blogspot.com

Blue Sky:  https://bsky.app/profile/hywela-lyn.bsky.social

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/HywelaLynAuthor/

‘X’:            https://x.com/Hywela_Lyn

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1422651.Hywela_Lyn

You can get The Matchmaker's Mare at Amazon UK and US and through other online retailers HERE.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight as much as I do, Friends! This book is definitely on my wish list! 

Until next week, take care, God Bless and...

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Amanda Uhl & Healing Kiss

Good Morning from San Angelo, TX.

My honey and I drove up from Bandera yesterday for drag boat races and we'll be heading out Monday morning toward NM. But enough about me.

Today's guest is brand new to our blog so please give Amanda Uhl a huge W-E-L-C-O-M-E!

Thanks for visiting with us today, Amanda. Please tell us a little about Healing Kiss and why you wrote it...

Thank You, Pam for inviting me to be in your spotlight. My inspiration for writing my paranormal romance, Healing Kiss, stems from a profound personal experience I had at a baby shower. My older sister had invited me to help out, and, being unfamiliar with the guests, I struck up a conversation with a stranger—a young woman at the event. As we delved into the topic of the paranormal, I shared some of my past experiences, including a curious ability I had to draw energy from someone’s arm and hand, causing it to feel numb.

Intrigued, the woman asked me to hold her hands. Once I did, I closed my eyes and was immediately met with a vivid vision: an orange light pulsing around a shadowy form. As I breathed, the light became more vibrant. Thinking that perhaps I was alone in this experience, I eventually released her hands and opened my eyes. To my surprise, she looked at me dazed and remarked, “Wow. It felt like someone hugged me.”

Two weeks later, I learned the incredible outcome of our encounter—this woman had been trying for years to conceive without success. After our meeting, she discovered she was pregnant and excitedly called my sister to share the happy news, insisting, “It was your sister who held my hands that made it happen.”

This remarkable incident inspired Healing Kiss. In the first chapter, when I portray the heroine’s attempts to heal her sister, I draw heavily from this authentic experience.

Oh My Goodness, what an incredible story! Give us more please...

Yeah, the memory still gives me goosebunps. Here are the blurb and an excerpt for Healing Kiss...

To save her dying sister…

Lillian Milano channels energy from the healthy to heal the sick, which makes her an incredible nurse. But her gift puts Lillian and those she loves in danger from an organization that will stop at nothing to exploit her talent. When her sister becomes gravely ill, wealthy computer genius Tristan King is the one man with enough vitality to save her sister’s life. But being near him threatens to expose her secrets and destroy the walls she’s built around her heart.

She bargains with a billionaire.

Tristan doesn’t believe in the supernatural and is wary of emotional entanglements. But his beloved mother is dying, and his lying ex-fiancée won’t leave him alone, so he strikes a deal: In exchange for his help, Lillian must pose as his date for a hospital fundraiser. As the pair work together to save their loved ones, they confront a spiraling web of secrets that threatens their growing feelings for each other. The choices they make will either destroy their lives or heal their hearts.

Excerpt: Lillian glanced at the woman, who stopped in front of Tristan. She had high cheekbones and long red hair pulled into a sleek ponytail and wore a navy dress with an open neckline and cream-colored heels. Something about her polished, model look made Lillian suspect the woman was used to attracting attention.

The woman placed a slim hand with French-manicured nails on Tristan’s chest and removed a piece of non-existent lint from his black shirt. Tristan’s expression didn’t change, but somehow Lillian sensed his laser focus. Whoever this lady was, she was important to him.

Now was the perfect time to make her escape. Lillian took a step, but a long arm snaked around hers, pulling her backward, so she nearly tumbled into him.

He caught her, his hands snagging in her hair. “Not so fast.” Tristan smiled down at her, softening his harsh features. He winked, the movement so quick, she might have imagined it.

He turned to the lady. “Hello, Angelina.” Tristan’s sounded bored. “The fundraiser is still on. I only came to visit a friend. I’m heading out now.”

Angelina ignored Lillian, leaning in close to whisper in Tristan’s ear and giving him a good frontal view of her chest. Lillian could only imagine what she said. A promise of what might happen after the party?

Tristan wrapped his arm around Lillian’s shoulder and tucked her into his side. He smelled of the sea and something else, something otherworldly, something magical, like tall evergreens under a full moon in a fierce winter snowstorm. He tilted his head and angled his face toward hers. His dark-blue eyes were the night sky, swallowing her whole.

My God, what was happening?

And then she felt it. It began where his fingers grazed her arm, traveled along her spine, caressed sensitive nerve endings, and ignited a shivering, shaking, blazing trail through her entire body. White-hot scorching energy lit the space between them. His warm breath caressed her skin.

So energetic. So thrilling. So full of life.

Lillian stood transfixed under the enchanted spell he cast. Excitement curled and unfolded in her veins. She’d found a burner—the term her mother used to describe someone with immense vitality. Someone with so much natural power, he vibrated with it. Someone who could cure a room full of invalids if he’d let her.

Someone she could use to cure Hannah.

Wow, wow, wow, what a thrilling excerpt! Please tell us a little more about yourself and where we can find you and Healing Kiss.

Award-winning author Amanda Uhl has always had a fascination with the mystical. Having drawn her first breath in a century home rumored to be haunted, you might say she was "born" into it. After a brief stint in college as a paid psychic, Amanda graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in theatre and a master's degree in marketing. Over the past twenty years, she has worked as an admissions representative and graphic designer, owned her own freelance writing company, and managed communications for several Fortune 500 companies, most recently specializing in cyber security and data. Amanda is an avid reader and writes fast-paced, paranormal romantic suspense and humorous contemporary romance from her home in Cleveland, Ohio. When she's not reading or writing, you can find Amanda with her husband and three children, gathering beach glass on the Lake Erie shoreline or biking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Visit her online at www.amandauhl.com and follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amandauhlauthor.

Healing Kiss can be found at Amazon and Other Online Retailers including Kobo, GooglePlay, Apple, etc., HERE.

Well, wish I'd realized last year I was in your neck of the woods, Amanda, I'd have sure tried to look you up.

Thanks Again for visiting. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with Healing Kiss.

Hope you enjoyed Amanda's visit as much as I have, friends and that you'll drop by every week for another edition of Saturday Spotlight. Be sure and check out the featured book, Austin's Ambition by Susan Anne Mason in the sidebar!

Until next time, happy reading.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Joie Lesin & The Passenger!

 Good Morning and Welcome to the first non-holiday edition of Saturday Spotlight in 2025!

I hope you enjoyed the All Christmas thru Christmas posts and that you are ready for some non-holiday books.

I know I am LOL! I DO love Christmas but with all the year long hype, it's not as fun for me as it used to be.

Anyway, what better way to begin a new year than with an author who is brand new to our blog? 

Please give Joie Lesin a huge SW Louisiana Hoo-Ra!

Tell us a little about your brand new book, Joie...

The Passenger, a 1940s ghost story set in the California wine country, tells a tale of family connections, life-changing choices, and love—lost and found.

Blurb: Burdened with her empathic gift, Elizabeth Reilly wants to be free of it and fit in with normal people. Nevertheless, when the spirit of an old man asks for her help, she travels across the country to help him return home. Gio Clemente is still angry with his father who abandoned him as a child. To help the father pass on, Elizabeth must persuade Gio to let go of his anger. Though he resents her intrusion, they are both stunned to find themselves fighting a profound attraction. Elizabeth can accept his headstrong brand of love, but can Gio accept her gift—and believe in her?

Excerpt: Elizabeth’s stomach churned in nervous knots. She squirmed on the cloth seat, and her foot twitched. If he heard her erratic heartbeat, he’d realize how frantic she was—and hot. Perspiration built up on her forehead. Grabbing the metal handle, she rolled down the squeaking window, and inhaled the pure air. The fragrances of the forest filled her senses—the resinous scent of pine, the earthiness of soil, and damp detritus of fallen branches and decaying leaves. The surrounding land was alive, vibrant, and something more she couldn’t quite identify. Somehow, the vehicle they drove in and the path it traveled seemed out of place.

Gravel on the uneven road crunched and ground under the truck’s tires. Elizabeth sat straight in her seat and stole stiff, awkward glimpses at Giovanni. A frown marked his lips. His lean, well-defined face held soulful eyes bringing to her mind images of the sad little boy he must have been.

A thin red scar stretched down his right cheek and she itched to run a finger along the faded edges. She’d caress his stubble-shadowed chin and tell him how terribly his father missed him. Instead, she stared out the truck window.

**Oh WOW, Joie, if this blurb and excerpt doesn't get readers' attention, I don't know what will! What makes this book special for you?

Perhaps, it’s a bit cliché to say this is the book of my heart, but I can wholeheartedly tell you that it is. To understand why I say this, I need to take you back to the distant (or not-so-distant depending on how one looks at it) past when a girl (that’s me) of sixteen first met the character that would become Paolo Clemente, my ghost from The Passenger. Okay, so I didn’t meet him in the actual physical sense. No, in fact, I was on the bus on the way home from school entertaining myself with my “what if” game where I imagined lives for strangers—complete with backstories. This is where the idea for the character that launched this story first came to life for me. 

Now keep in mind, I’d drafted more than one treatment for this story. Names changed and so did the plot, but what remained constant was Paolo and the woman who would become the main character, Elizabeth. It wasn’t until sixteen years later, that I finally sat down to write what would become book we have today.

So, you see, I had no choice other than to write this story that has lived in my head for so long. What’s more, I now delight in sharing these characters that have become so near and dear to my heart with readers.

**Yep, I think we can all relate to that! Such great inspiration for a story though. Thanks for sharing. Where can readers find The Passenger?

Published by The Wild Rose Press, The Passenger can be found at Amzon in Ebook and Print, B&N, Apple Books, and GoodReads. OR it can be purchased directly from the Publisher.

**Perfect! Do you have a bio, website and links for readers to find and follow you?

Yes! Below are my bio and links...

Award-winning author, Joie Lesin is a life-long fiction writer and poet. She is most recently the author of The Passenger (The Wild Rose Press, 2024). She has long been fascinated by anything otherworldly including mermaids and ghosts. Joie writes character-driven, emotional, atmospheric tales about heartache and hope.

Originally from Massachusetts, at six years old, Joie moved to her mother’s birthplace, Minnesota. By eight, Joie lost her New England accent, however, it's gradually returning as the years go by. She grew up in Minneapolis but now resides in St. Paul with her husband and their blended family—which includes a rambunctious grand-corgi.

Joie misses the ocean, but she often finds herself walking by one of Minnesota’s many lakes and travels to one of the coasts as often as she can. In fact, she considers California her home away from home. When she’s not writing, reading, or walking, you can find her listening to music. She absolutely loves music—especially live—and songs have sparked most of her story ideas.

Find and follow Joie at her Website, Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok

THANK YOU SO, Much, Joie for sharing with us today! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your books.

Well Friends, I hope you enjoyed this week's spotlight. Join us every week for a new author and his/her book(s).

Until next time, be blessed and keep reading.

PamT

PS: If you love to travel, check out my travel blog Bathroom Blues as I reminisce over the places I've been. AND if you love spiritual development and growth, follow my journey on Rainbows, Potholes & Nuggets of Gold!

#SaturdaySpotlight is on @TenaStetler & A Witch's Holiday Wedding!

 

Good Morning and Welcome to the another All Christmas thru Christmas feature for this holiday season!

Today we bring Tena Stetler back with her book, A Witch's Holiday Wedding.

Thank You, Tena for joining us again this week. Tell us what makes this book special for you....

I had so much fun writing this book. With ghosts running amuck spilling family secrets and making roses bloom in the dead of winter. The werewolf pack creating havoc everywhere they went. Then there is the matter of the military mission. It's a wonder Pepper and Lathen didn't elope. But they didn't, so pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and come along for the hilarious ride of A Witch's Holiday Wedding.   Go ahead you, know you want to, grab a copy and join the #magical #fantasy, #adventure today! You'll be so glad you did.

Sounds like a fun read! Give us more...

Blurb: Elemental witch, Pepper McKay and former Navy SEAL, Lathen Quartz have built Lobster Cove Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on enchanted McKay land. During a romantic interlude on Halloween night, Pepper happily agrees to become Lathen’s wife. What better day than Winter Solstice for their wedding in a town that loves celebrations and Christmas. However, planning a wedding and operating their wildlife center takes a toll on both Pepper and Lathen. 

 When the couple takes a much-needed break for Thanksgiving with family in Colorado, a Maine snowstorm fills the center with injured wildlife. Lathen finds himself drawn into a covert military mission, while trying to deal with issues concerning friends and family. Pepper wants to cancel the wedding. Is she having second thoughts? Will the nosy McKay ghosts, Lathen’s werewolf pack, Pepper’s parents, and her best friend help or hinder the wedding and holiday plans?

Excerpt: After she set her glass down, Lathen brushed a couple strands of hair out of her eyes and searched her face. “Are you all right?”

“I’m tired, my wedding is in a couple weeks, I have ghosts fighting over who is going to do what. Guests that have no idea the place is haunted and… Your family and pack, my parents, Gwen… To top it all off, the head of my clan, Aidan, who is a ghost, is sitting in front of me wanting to know who is coming to the wedding and whether the ghosts will be outed. How could I possibly be all right?”

“When you put it that way.” Lathen chuckled. “It sounds just a bit… I don’t know…crazy?” His right eyebrow winged up. She saw mischief sparkle in his eyes. “We could still elope,” he offered.

“No sir. Not after all the trouble—Not on me watch.” Aidan shook his head so vehemently his upper torso blurred.

Pepper smiled, glanced at Lathen. “What do you think—about twenty-five to fifty close friends and family at the ceremony?”

“I doubt the pack will be there, they’ll be more interested in the food and tall-tale telling at the reception. Not to mention questioning why the dinner wasn’t before the ceremony. So you are close on that count.” He snatched the wine glass from the table and took a gulp.

“The seating area should be at the end of the pond by the benches. Ashling mentioned purple rose bushes around the pond. Lathen and I are going to get the arbor first thing in the morning, weather permitting.”

Lathen’s stomach gurgled. “You know the timer for the meat pies went off a while ago.” He glanced toward the kitchen. “Want me to go get them?”

“Oh crap, I forgot. They’ll be ruined, all dried out.” She thought for a moment then waved her hand toward the kitchen. “They’ll be fine.”

“I’ve got what’s needed.” Aidan rose from the chair, lifted his hand in a wave and faded away, the mist crawling along the floor disappeared entirely.

“Never a dull moment around here.” Lathen took the tray of pies from Pepper and set it on the coffee table. The silverware clattered as he slipped the napkins out from under them, inhaling deeply. “I’m starved.”

“Marrying a McKay witch may be more than you bargained for,” she teased. “Too late to change your mind.”

“Don’t intend to.” He forked up a bite of meat pie, blew on it for a minute as the steam rose, and popped it in his mouth. “Mmmmm. Delicious! Life with a witch can be quite satisfying. 

GREAT Excerpt! Thanks. Where can we find A Witch's Holiday Wedding?

The book is available at Amazon, B&N, Audible, Kobo, Google Play, iTunes and other online retailers.

Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal tales. Some call her crazy others creative. She deals with the voices in her head by writing them down and creating a fantasy world and characters you won’t soon forget.  Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure, magic, and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.

Colorado is home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a fifty-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors.

Find and Follw her at the following Social Media Sites:

Website: https://www.tenastetler.com

Authors’ Secret’s Blog - https://www.tenastetler.com/category/authors-secrets-blog/

My Say What Blog - http://www.tenastetler.com/category/my-say-what-blog/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author

Twitter Page: https://www.twitter.com/TenaStetler     

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14187532.Tena_Stetler

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/author/tenastetler

Newsletter: https://www.tenastetler.com/newsletter-signup/

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/tenastetler

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tena-stetler

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenastetler/

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tena-stetler-10057978/

THANK You so, much, Tena for sharing your Christmas books with us. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings on your sales in 2025!

Friends, check out Tena's other Christmas book featured this holiday season HERE.

Hope you enjoyed today's post. We'll conclude our Saturday Spotlight's All Christmas thru Christmas next week with DV Stone and her book, A Christmas Storm.

Until next week, take care and God Bless!

PamT

#WednesdayWordwithFriends welcomes Diana Rubino @DianaLRubino

Good Morning!

I am home. Returned from my son's house Monday afternoon and let me tell you, it's nice to go but it's always good to be home. I'm sure many of you understand and relate. No matter how much I love to travel and enjoy staying at my son's house and helping him out, I love being home too. I went to his house to help take care of his animals while he was in FL for national dance & cheer competitions. He came home with 3 1st place championships and 3 2nd place and I got a couple thousand words added to my current WIP. Great week!

Anyway, today's guest has visited before so please welcome Diana Rubino back as she shares some words with us on A Necessary End.....

Hello, readers. One hundred fifty-six years ago today, President Lincoln was shot in Ford’s Theater, in the back of the head by a deranged coward, John Wilkes Booth. I’ve been a Lincoln buff since childhood, and in 2006, I decided to combine my love of Lincoln and the paranormal. I began researching A NECESSARY END, my paranormal twist on Booth's insane plot to assassinate President Lincoln. It contains no fictional characters.  

Abraham Lincoln has fascinated me since I was eight years old. I don’t know what got me started, but it might’ve been a book which I still have titled The Life of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 1, written in 1895. When I was in 3rd grade, in the mid-60s (which shows how long I’ve been a Lincoln nut), my teacher asked us to bring a book to school from home, for a show & tell. My mother suggested I bring this Lincoln book, which even in 1966 was in bad shape—yellowed, stiffened strips of Scotch tape barely held the covers to the spine. With the wisdom of an 8-year-old that sadly, all of us outgrow, I demurred, saying, “This old book? She’ll think we’re poor!” My mother corrected me: “No, she’ll think we’re rich. Books like this are rare.” Then she proceeded to tape it up some more. Those 47-year-old Scotch tape fragments adhere to the book’s spine and pages to this day. My teacher, Miss Cohen, was duly impressed. I treasure that book to this day, and it’s one of many on my “Lincoln shelf” which holds books about our murdered president, his wife Mary, his assassin John Wilkes Booth and his family, the “Mad Booths of Maryland” and the conspirators who faced the gallows or years of hard labor because Booth, their charismatic leader, sucked these poor impressionable souls into his insane plot. 

After writing 8 historicals set in England and New York City, I wanted to indulge my passion for Lincoln-lore. I began researching in depth about Lincoln’s life, his presidency, his role in the Civil War, and Booth’s plans to first kidnap him, and then to assassinate him. A NECESSARY END combined two genres I’m passionate about—history and paranormal. I joined The Surratt Society, based in Maryland, and attended their conferences and tours. Through the Surratt Society I met several Lincoln/Booth/Civil War experts. One lady I’ll never forget meeting is Marjorie “Peg” Page, who claimed to be John Wilkes Booth’s great granddaughter. My trips to Lincoln's home and tomb in Springfield, Illinois, Gettysburg, Ford’s Theater, and the house he died in, Petersen House, brought me close to Mr. Lincoln’s spirit. My travels also acquainted me with Booth’s brother Edwin, the most famous actor of his time, and his unconventional family.  A recording of Edwin’s voice reciting Shakespeare on one of Edison’s wax cylinders still exists at  http://www.britannica.com/shakespeare/browse?browseId=248018 

Tragically, we’ll never hear Abraham Lincoln’s voice. But his spirit lives on. In my book, which is fiction--but we all know that novels are fictionalized truths--I gave Booth what was coming to him. He got his justice in real life, but in A NECESSARY END, he also got the paranormal twist he deserves.

And I enjoyed sticking it to him!

I paralleled the Shakespeare play Julius Caesar in this story because in the play, Caesar was known as a tyrant to the Senators, who feared losing their power, as Booth feared losing the Confederacy. Booth always considered Lincoln the tyrant, hence his proclamation ‘sic simper tyrannis’ (be it ever to tyrants) when he jumped to the stage after shooting Lincoln.

Caesar’s Senators, Brutus and Cassius among them, conspired to stab Caesar to death on an appointed day. Booth recruited a group of like-minded disciples to aid him in his insane plot, at first to kidnap Lincoln, then to kill him.

By day, Booth was a Confederate spy and courier, taking dangerous missions so that his beloved South could fight the North in the war that tore the nation in two. But in this story, an even darker secret plagues him–he believes he’s the reincarnation of Brutus, the man who slew the tyrant Caesar, and Booth’s destiny in this life is to murder the tyrant who’s ravaged the South—Abraham Lincoln. In obeying the spirit of Brutus, Booth devises a plot to assassinate the tyrant. 

I wrote it as a paranormal instead of a straight historical novel because spirituality was extremely popular in 1865 and all throughout Victorian times. Mary Lincoln was a staunch spiritualist. So stricken with grief after the deaths of her boys Willie and Eddie, she hired mediums such as Nettie Maynard to visit the White House and hold séances in attempts to contact her boys from beyond the grave. 

The extent of séances, table-tapping, Ouija boards, Tarot cards, and otherworldly activities in this era fit perfectly with the story I wanted to tell. We could never enter Booth’s head, but his insane behavior begs the question: was he truly haunted by a spirit who drove him to his heinous act that changed history forever?

Or was he simply insane? 

Excerpt:

“And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I; Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus!" Booth declared to the proud reflections in his three facing mirrors.

The center mirror clouded over. Puzzled, he leaned into it to peer closer. His reflection faded as if the mirror were clear glass, and another human form took shape, becoming sharper as the mist faded. He was astonished to be looking into the face of a man whose eyes bored into his, pinning him with an unnerving stare. Booth took a step back, glancing to the left, then to the right, but his own reflections were moving right along with him. He focused once more on the stranger in the center, the Roman nose giving the weathered features distinction. He’d seen this face before, but where? 

The head nodded and the hint of a pleased smile curled the thin lips. Without so much as a word, the figure faded into the mirror’s eternal depths, and Booth was once again looking at his own astonished face.

“Damn you! Who are you?” He pounded the mirror and it wavered, his image jerking back and forth with the moving glass.

Exasperated, he turned away.

“I’ll find out who you are if I die doing it.” He twirled around to face the mirror, seeing only his three perplexed reflections.

Visit my Website
Stop in at my Blog
Visit my Facebook Author Page
Follow me on Twitter

Purchase A NECESSARY END
http://mybook.to/Necessary

What an interesting premise for a book, Diana! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it.

Hope you enjoyed the post friends, and that you'll check back weekly for more Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Icy Snow Blackstone & Runaway Brother

Hello December!

Not sure if I'm ready or not but this year is winding down fast. One thing I AM happy about is that Medicare AEP ends in 1 week and boy am I ready! It's been a good season but I'm ready for the madness to stop LOL!

Today's guest, brought by Class Act Books, is new to me so please welcome Icy Snow Blackstone as she enters the spotlight for today - Welcome Icy!

Icy Snow Blackstone was born in 1802, in northern Georgia where her father, the Reverend John Blackstone, was prominent in local politics.  She married a minister, raised seven children, and lived there all her life.

Two hundred and five years later, her great-great-great-great-granddaughter began using her name as a pseudonym for her romance novels. The present Icy Snow Blackstone lives far from her Southern roots in Lancaster County, Nebraska, where she continues to write romances. 

As of 2017, Icy Snow has eleven novels published by Class Act Books. Her contemporary romance, Tuesday’s Child, was given the Paranormal Romance Guild’s Reviewers Choice award for Best Contemporary Novel of 2014. A SciFi romance, Earthman’s Bride and Vietnam-era romance Jericho Road, have also received awards.

At the age of twenty-two, newly-graduated Nicolo Liguori is forced by his three brothers to become care-giver for his father, who suffered multiple strokes.  For the next ten years, Nick gives up his own ambitions , working during the day in the family jewelry business in Vanderhoek, New York, and returning to the Liguori mansion every night, to be at his father’s beck-and-call. Then Papa dies and Nick is free…or is he?  Carlo, Marco, and Pietro expect him to continue life as usual, but Nick has other ideas.  Secretly buying a motorcycle, he starts to work one day and… disappears.

Nick gets as far as the southern coast of Georgia before an accident disables his bike.  Stranded, with no idea of the South except what he’s seen on TV, Nick isn’t certain what kind of reception he’s going to get.  Then, a pretty Southern miss and a white tank disguised as a temperamental horse named Shazam change his life as they and the citizens of Oceano teach a runaway Yankee about life and love in a small Georgia town.

EXCERPT: 

The track was getting narrower, barely two ruts now with a width of slender, wiry grass separating them.  He slowed the bike.  Don’t want to get that stuff caught in the spokes and stall the engine.

Nick raised his head, looking around, then gave a loud sigh of exasperation.  Okay!  So I’m lost!  He’d just follow the road to wherever it went, probably to some farmer’s front yard.  When he got there, he’d apologize, turn around and get himself back to the main drag.  If he could find it.

A broken branch loomed ahead, and he turned his attention to it, guiding the bike around it.  

            A second branch and several twigs littered the roadway.  Nick was so concerned with maneuvering around them he didn’t see the horse sail over the fence, wasn’t even aware it was there until he looked up and found the white shape almost directly in front of him.

            He jerked the wheel to the right, forgetting to apply the rear brakes first.  The bike skidded, its back wheel rising off the ground as the front one stopped rolling.  He had a brief vision of the animal leaping forward, its rider clinging to its back, wide, frightened blue eyes, flying blonde hair...

            The motorcycle went off the road, sliding into the ditch and running up the other side, the front fender striking one of the fence posts.  It bounced and rebounded, and Nick went flying over the handlebars, flipping in mid-air and hitting the same post with his back. The bike wavered a moment, then toppled onto its side.  Nick slid down the post, landing upside down in the ditch, his shoulders crushing coffeeweed into an aromatic mass.

            The pounding hooves stopped.  He heard running footsteps, opened his eyes and saw someone running toward him.  He closed them again.

            “Are you hurt?”

            This time when he opened his eyes, he was staring at the upside-down face of a very pretty girl, at least she’d have been pretty if her face wasn’t screwed up into such a dismayed scowl.

            “Am I hurt?”  He managed a growl as he slid further into the weeds and rolled over.  “I just hit a fence and got tossed into a ditch!  What do you think?”  Clambering to his knees, while she plucked ineffectually at one arm, he jerked out of her grasp.  “I can get up by my—  Ow!” 

            He’d gotten upright, took a step, and his leg buckled, turning at the ankle   “Here.”  She slid into the ditch, offering a hand.  Reluctantly he took it, being careful not to put too much weight behind it as he let her pull him to his feet.  He could see she was worried and he really wasn’t hurt all that bad, but he was angry because she’d been so reckless.

            “What the Hell’s the matter with you?  Jumping in front of me like that!  If I’d hit that horse—”

            “What are you doing riding this road?  This is private property.”

            She was too pretty for him to pretend to stay angry at, so he toned it down, answering her question. “I got lost.  I only wanted to find the end of the road and turn around.”

            “You have a way to go.  The house is about a quarter of a mile that way.”  She nodded toward a group of pines thrust into the road, hiding the rest of it from sight. Nick looked in that direction, then back at her.  She, in turn, looked at the motorcycle, still on its side in the weeds.  “You seem okay.  Is that hurt?”

            Nick got down on one knee, feeling under the bike.  His hand came away wet.  He sniffed at his fingers. 

Gasoline. He pulled off one glove, exploring gingerly.  Something had punched a hole in the gas tank and gasoline was pouring into the grass.  He had no idea how, but it didn’t matter.  What did was that he wasn’t going anywhere as long as that hole was there.

            “Well?”  She appeared to be awaiting his diagnosis.

            He wiped his fingers on the seat of his jeans.  “Gas tank’s got a hole in it, clutch cable’s severed. Is there a motorcycle shop around here anywhere?”

            “No, but Marshall’s in town can probably repair it.  He does everything from lawn mowers to farm machinery.”

            Oh Lord, deliver me from small town handymen!  He was about to tell her he didn’t want Marshall touching his bike when he realized, What else am I going to do?  Do you have a better idea, Mr. Runaway?

            “So which way is town?”  He straightened, looked around as if expecting to see the city limits a few feet away.

            “Too far for you to push that thing,” she answered, gesturing at the front wheel.  “Not with it twisted like that.”

            “What do I do then, Miss Not-So-Helpful?  Since this is your fault—”

            “My fault?”  Hands went to her hips.  And deliciously slim ones they were, too.  Nick had a moment to think she looked anything but angry, though it was apparent she thought she did.  Cute, maybe.  Hell, he might even say adorable with those blonde wisps floating around her face, but angry?  Nope!  “Who’s the trespasser?  Who had his head down, studying the ground when he should’ve been looking straight ahead?”

            “You weren’t ahead of me,” he countered.  “You and that white tank of yours jumped a fence and came in from the side.”

            “Never mind.  Just let me get the bike upright and point me in the right direction, and—” 

“I’ll do no such thing.”  That made him stare at her, wondering if she was going to walk away, mount her white steed, and leave him stranded knee-deep in Kudzu or whatever-the-Hell these weeds were.  “I’ll ride back to the house and get my grandpa’s truck.  We”ll put the motorcycle in it.”

            She clambered up the bank, running toward the horse now was grazing on the other side of the road.  Catching the reins and a handful of mane, she swung into the horse’s back—very gracefully, he noted—then turned the animal’s head and trotted it back to him.

            “You stay right there,” she told him.  “I’ll be back in a jif!”  She kicked the horse in the ribs and sent it galloping down the road.

            Nick turned his attention back to the V-Rod.  It hadn’t moved.  Did he expect it to get up and limp over to him like a dog with a hurt paw, whimpering for sympathy?  Shaking his head, he leaned against the edge of the ditch, back against a fencepost.

            Welcome South, Brother!       

Runaway Brother can be purchased from the Publisher and Amazon.

Hope you enjoyed our guest today friends and that you'll check back regularly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time good luck and God's blessings.
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Judy Ann Davis & Four White Roses!

Good Morning!

Well, we are leaving North Dakota heading to Minnesota for the last leg of our West Coast Vacation before going home. I've loved this so much I do believe I could do it full time! But enough about me. 

Today's guest has visited before; on May 18 and June 13th so please welcome Judy Ann Davis back with her latest release, Four White Roses!

 Can a wily old ghost help two fractured hearts find love? 

When widower Rich Redman returns to Pennsylvania with his young daughter to sell his deceased grandmother’s house, he discovers Grandmother Gertie’s final request was for him to find a missing relative and a stash of WWI jewels.

Torrie Larson, single mom, is trying to make her landscape center and flower arranging business succeed while attempting to save the lineage of a rare white rose brought from Austria in the 1900's.

Together, the rich Texas lawyer and poor landscape owner team up to rescue the last rose and fulfill a dead woman’s wishes. But in their search to discover answers to the mysteries plaguing them, will Rich and Torrie also discover love in each other’s arms? Or will a meddling ghost, a pompous banker, and an elusive stray cat get in their way?

EXCERPT 

When Torrie stepped up to grab the notes from Rich’s hand, he scooped her into his arms and, without warning, planted a light kiss squarely in the center of her forehead, oblivious to the dirt on her face from working at the landscape center. Before she could react, he shoved the notes and phone in her hand, spun her around, and nudged her toward the steps. “Now go pluck the local flowers and bamboozle all those poor unsuspecting customers. I have work to do.” He smiled an arresting smile.

“Bamboozle?” She turned toward him and gave him a perplexed look. Seriously? Isn’t that a word to better describe your occupation, counselor?” Forcing herself to suppress a grin, she clambered down the steps and called over her shoulder, “Don’t forget to feed the cat. Have Lulu teach you.”

She slid into the driver’s seat and tossed the phone and notes onto the passenger seat. But before she could pull away from Gertie’s house, her phone rang. This time it wasn’t her usual ringtone. Rich Redman had changed her tune from I Love the Flower Girl to the Yellow Rose of Texas.

“The audacity of that man! What a blockhead,” she sputtered aloud. How dare he toy with her ringtone? Her mother had suggested the 60’s song when she first started floral arranging at the landscape center. She reached for the phone and answered more sharply than she normally would, “What? What do you want now, Richard Lee Redman? I’m driving. I can’t talk.”

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, and Torrie hoped he wasn’t going to say you—or his Friday outing with her was going down the drain.

Instead, he merely said in his low and sensual voice, “You know you have dirt on your face, don’t you?”

Torrie hung up on him.

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Four-White-Roses-Judy-Davis-ebook/dp/B06XPBKY7F/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/four-white-roses/id1222189126?mt=11

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/four-white-roses

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judy_Ann_Davis_Four_White_Roses?id=MWXODgAAQBAJ

Judy Ann Davis began her career in writing as a copy and continuity writer for radio and television in Scranton, PA. She holds a degree in Journalism and Communications and has written for industry and education throughout her career.

Over a dozen of her short stories have appeared in various literary and small magazines and anthologies, and have received numerous awards.

When Judy Ann is not behind a computer, you can find her looking for anything humorous to make her laugh or swinging a golf club where the chuckles are

few.

She is a member of Pennwriters, Inc. and Romance Writers of America, and divides her time between Central Pennsylvania and New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Visit her on:

Her blog: www.judyanndavis.blogspot.com

The web: www.judyanndavis.com

Facebook: Judy Ann Davis Author

Twitter: JudyAnnDavis4

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/judyanndavis44/

Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Ann-Davis/e/B006GXN502/

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4353662.Judy_Ann_Davis

Sounds like a great book, Judy Ann! Good luck and God's blessings with it.

Thanks for popping by, Friends. I hope you'll visit each week for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT 

#TuesdayTreasures with Judy Ann Davis!

Good Morning from Amarillo, TX!

We left Lake Texoma (Gordonville) yesterday and drove to Amarillo and to Palo Duro Canyon so we could see a performance of 'Texas'. I'll be sharing pics and details here on the blog later and on FB more often so be sure and find/like/follow me!

Meanwhile, Please welcome Judy Ann Davis back to our blog to share something she treasures with us....

MY GRANDPARENTS AND MY DNA

Treasures may be tangible or intangible. They can be held in the hand or simply stored in the mind. My treasure for today is stored in my mind.

Recently, I took the plunge and had my DNA tested. I knew all four of my grandparents emigrated from Poland to the United State shortly before or shortly after the 1900s. I found I was 98% East European/Polish and 2% Finnish. Though surprised by the 2%, I knew from research that the Finnish tribes were the first ones to settle the north Baltic coast of what is today called Poland.

Why my grandparents are a treasure is for their strength, stamina, and bravery to leave their homeland—and everything they owned—to undergo a perilous journey, not in the least comfortable, to a foreign country an ocean away. Then they had to find work, learn English, and become citizens.

Unfortunately, I never really knew three of my grandparents since they died when I was a small child. My paternal grandmother, Victoria, was only sixteen when she boarded a ship in 1906 to come to the U.S. where her sister was already located. Talk about fearless!

Both of my grandfathers worked the mines and owned farms. My Grandfather Lashinski bought a farm in Northeast Pennsylvania which my father and mother later purchased from him and where they raised my sister, brother and me.

It was on this bountiful farm where I scampered over acres of pastures, forests, and fields. A carefree child, I walked on stonewalls build by the Irish in the early 1800s. I splashed in the creek winding through our property, and I caught crayfish and minnows. I daydreamed. I stared at star-filled skies and wondered about the vastness of our universe. I smelled the sweet scent of dried hay, wild roses, and ripe blackberries. But most of all, I was always safe and never hungry--like many Poles left behind in the “Old Country.” History tell us they had to endure endless domination by other countries as well as the very sorrowful hardships of World War II where 2.7+ million perished.

Without my bold, risk-taking grandparents, I would not be the person I am today. I would never have experienced the wealth of opportunities that living in the United States afforded me. They are a treasure.

So if any of my grandparents are peering down from the heavens above, I’d like to shout out a “Thank you.” And I ask only one small favor: Can any of you tell me which side of the family the 2% Finnish comes from?

Check out Judy Ann’s latest novel:

FOUR WHITE ROSES

BLURB:
When widower Rich Redman returns to Pennsylvania with his young daughter to sell his deceased grandmother’s house, he discovers Grandmother Gertie’s final request was for him to find a missing relative and a stash of WWI jewels.

Torrie Larson, single mom, is trying to make her landscape center and flower arranging business succeed while attempting to save the lineage of a rare white rose brought from Austria in the 1900s.
Together, the rich Texas lawyer and poor landscape owner team up to rescue the last rose and fulfill a dead woman’s wishes. But in their search to discover answers to the mysteries plaguing them, will Rich and Torrie also discover love in each other’s arms? Or will a meddling ghost, a pompous banker, and an elusive stray cat get in their way?

AUTHOR BIO:

Judy Ann Davis holds a degree in Journalism and Communications and has written for industry and education throughout her career. She writes both short stories and contemporary and historical novels. When she’s not behind a computer, you can find her looking for anything humorous to make her laugh or swinging a golf club where the chuckles are few. She is a member of Pennwriters, Inc. and Romance Writers of America, and divides her time between Central Pennsylvania and New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Visit her on

Her blog: www.judyanndavis.blogspot.com

The Web: www.judyanndavis.com

Facebook: Judy Ann Davis Author

Twitter: @JudyAnnDavis4

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/judyanndavis44

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4353662.Judy_Ann_Davis

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Ann-Davis/e/B006GXN502/

How lovely, Judy! Your farm and memories are definitely something to treasure. Thanks for sharing!

Hope you enjoyed Judy's post as much as I did and that you'll join me each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT