Like catching up with old friends - Down the River by J. Scott Coatsworth

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you had a good holiday season. As you can see I’ve been quiet for a while, but that doesn’t mean I’ve been busy, it just means I haven’t had a lot to share (and I took a bit of a break). Today I’m back and I’m here to share my thoughts on Down the River by J. Scott Coatsworth (learn more here).

Here is my review:

I read The River City Chronicles a while back, and today I finished Down the River (the second book in the series), both by J. Scott Coatsworth, but I have to say that this didn’t feel like a typical book two. Reading the story was more like catching up with old friends whom you haven’t seen in a while. You jump right into the story, and never once did I feel like I missed something or needed to go back and check what happened in the first book. What I kept thinking as I read was; yes, this is a sequel, but it feels more like a standalone novel. And I loved that.

The characters felt so real and honest. And life had certainly moved on for all the characters, which I appreciated. Not everything was perfect for the characters either, which again I really liked. This story has some magical elements, but it’s not a magical book (if you’re looking for a magical fantasy or urban fantasy with magic this isn’t the book for you), in fact for me, the story read more like fate ensuring that things happened the way they were meant to. Coatsworth is a master at writing about the human experience and giving each character a unique voice so you never have to think about who you are reading about (there are several characters, and that can be a bit much, but not in this case).

What the story boils down to for me; friendship, love and life. And there is nothing more beautiful to read about (especially these days). I didn’t want the story to end, and I wanted to keep reading. My only criticism of the story is that the world created in the book was almost too ideal. Maybe I’m a cynic. Maybe I’m jaded by our current reality, or maybe I’m jealous that I don’t inhabit the world that Coatsworth created. Either way, I want to live in this world, and I want to visit Ragazzi for a meal and see these wonderful people living and loving.

This is a must read, if to just take a break from what is happening around us right now.

Well those are my thoughts on Down the River (by it here), I hope you’ll check it out. Until next time have a great week.

Review: Heart of the Wren by Glenn Quigley

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you’re having a wonderful day. Today I want to share my review of Heart of the Wren (find it here) by the incredible author Glenn Quigley (find him here).

Here is the blurb:

In Ireland, Wren Day comes right after Christmas, and should be a time for music and merriment, but for burly gay farmer Lorcan Fitzgerald, it might just be the last day of his life.

When he unearths an ancient Celtic brooch on his remote farm in 1980s Ireland, he becomes plagued by mysterious fires, breakages, and disappearances. His beefy new lodger and farmhand Dara might be able to help — after all, he is a witch.

Accustomed to a solitary life on the road, friendly Dara must navigate life in the small village while drawing closer to lonely Lorcan, who carries an old pain that threatens to keep them apart.

Encountering a young woman with ESP, a terrifying spectral horse, and a fateful game of Hurling, can the men put a stop to the increasingly sinister supernatural forces gathering at the farm before Lorcan meets his final, horrible fate on Wren Day?

Here is my review:

Heart of the Wren is a lovely story. As someone from the US I was not at all familiar with Wren Day or a lot of the local mysticism from Ireland. I was hoping that Quigley would spell out all the details in his story so I didn’t miss anything and through context and wonderful dialogue I learned a lot about Wren Day and the Fae that inhabit Ireland, which made the story a lot of fun to read.

The characters, of course, are charming and sweet, and Quigley does a masterful job of making them rich and full of life. Which I always appreciate. What I love about Quigley’s stories is his characters, they are never the typical 20 somethings that you read about in all other books. These are adult men who have seen a few years and have history making them to much more relatable. His characters also aren’t what most people would consider ‘beautiful’ they represent most of us in society and I love that. I love seeing real people having wonderful adventures and falling in love.

If you want to read something that will give you a blast for the past (the 1980s) and give you an even bigger smile, then run, do not walk, and buy a copy of Heart of the Wren, it’s totally worth it.

That’s all I have for this week. I hope you’ll go and pick up Heart of the Wren by Glenn Quigley, you won’t be disappointed. Until next time have a great week.

Review: Skin Sessions: All Hell Breaks Loose by J.P. Jackson

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you’re having a wonderful day. Today I’m here to share my thoughts about J.P. Jackson’s (learn more here) newest short story Skin Sessions: All Hell Breaks loose (find the book and the series here). So, without further ado here is my review:

Skin Session: All Hell Breaks Loose is the seventh installment in the series, and like the others, it’s a short story. A quick read but filled with atmosphere. As always, Jackson delivers dark, sensual writing that pulls you in. This particular entry doesn’t dive as deep into plot, which makes sense as we near the end of the saga. I believe there’s only one more installment to go.

While this wasn’t the most interesting chapter, it serves an important purpose: setting the stage for the finale. It’s more about positioning the characters and preparing for the finale. I’m especially eager to see what happens to Gavin as he’s the one character I feel the most connected to.

Jackson continues to impress with his ability to juggle a large cast without losing track of anyone. Every character gets some screen time, and the continuity across all seven stories is seamless.

I’m genuinely excited for the conclusion. I’m hoping the end will deliver and be dark, sexy, and unforgettable.

Well done, Jackson. Well done.

Well, there you go! If you haven’t checked out J.P. Jackson’s you really should (click here). Now go get your copy of Skin Sessions: All Hell Breaks Loose (click here). You won’t regret it. Until next time have a great week.

Haunted Hearts - Season of the Witch

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you’re having a great week. Today I’m thrilled to share that in October 2025 I’ll be participating in Haunted Hearts–Season of the Witch. What is Haunted Hearts, you might ask, well I’ll tell you. Haunted Hearts is a collection of eleven OwnVoice Authors who have written MM Paranormal Romance novels celebrating the theme of male witches. Each story is different and unique, however they are all romance and all involve witches (and there might be one or two other surprises that link all the stories together). The book I’ll be contributing to the collection is Currents of the Heart. And I’m excited to be able to share the cover with you today. Check it out:

Magic was never part of Regan’s grief—until it became his destiny.

But that’s not all, here is the blurb for Currents of the Heart (that will be out on October 4th, so mark your calendars):

Regan Cruz thought grief was his greatest battle—until his late husband Max’s secrets shattered everything he believed about their life together in San Jose, California. When the family attorney calls him in, Regan learns that Max had been hiding a fortune in money and property. Even more shocking is a cryptic letter instructing him to visit a secluded cabin in Boulder Creek, California, where a journal and a man named Lutin will explain everything.

At the cabin, Regan encounters an eccentric old man who seems unhinged. Brushing off the bizarre meeting, he discovers Max’s journal, only to find claims that defy reason—Max’s family were Hereditary Witches, and Regan himself is an Elemental Witch. Feeling like the world has gone mad, Regan attempts to leave—until he meets a handsome man who introduces himself as Lutin. As inexplicable events continue to unfold around him, Regan begins to suspect that reality is far more magical than he ever imagined.

Can Regan, with Lutin’s guidance, control his newfound elemental powers before they consume him? As the two grow closer, will they remain strangers or become something more? And as Regan comes to terms with his abilities, he may realize there’s more than magic at play—it might be fate.

I’m very proud of this new novel and I can’t wait for you all to meet Regan and Lutin. If you’re as excited as I am you can pre-order the book here.

As I mentioned there are eleven other books in the Haunted Hearts-Season of the Witch collection, so you’ll want to get them all. Here is a list of the authors and the books they will be contributing (click on the title to pre-order these books as well, you won’t be disappointed).

Memories in Bone - J.P. Jackson

Andalusia Dogs - Christian Baines

Currents of the Heart – M.D. Neu

Grayson’s Magical Mishaps – Kevin Klehr

Heart Shaped Wreckage – Shane K. Morton

I Will Always Find you – Ryan Lawrence

Heart of the Wren – Glenn Quigley

A Tall Cup of Joe – Matti McLean

The Bairwick Witches – Eric David Roman

Jade Lion and the Witch Boy – CD Rachels

Rift Witch – Tal Frost

As you can imagine I’m pleased to be included in this collection of books. I hope you’ll all go out and support each of the authors and help us make Season of the Witch a huge success. Now go out and pre-order all these wonderful books today, so you’ll have them right when they launch! Until next time have a great week.

When Book Events Go Wrong

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you’re all having a great week. I once spent four days at a Con (including travel, hotel, meals, plus Con expenses) and sold one book. One. It was brutal-but also one of my most educational experiences I’ve had. Book Events and Conventions are the best way to meet readers and sell your books. There’s no denying, if you’re an author, the best way to engage your fans is to attend book events and conventions. People might tell you there are other ways, and they may be correct, however most authors will concede engaging at events is the top way to reach and build a readership. So, what happens after you’ve researched the best book events and cons for you to attend, spent the time and money to travel, and ensured you have your books (in some cases ordering more books) and ‘poof’ you don’t sell anything? Or, readers for your books aren’t there? What do you do? How do you justify doing an event again? You had huge expanses, and you had next to no return. How do you overcome such an awful experience?

The short answer is you don’t.

The Long answer (and better way to evaluate the event) is you focus on the experience. Let me explain.

Each event you go to is boiled down into did I sell books? And, did I make my money back? But there’s more to a successful con than book sales (I know crazy right). Here are ways I look at events where I didn’t sell anything:

  1. Allow yourself to be upset, hurt, and angry. Feel all your feelings, but don’t take out your frustration on others. This is difficult, I know. But denying yourself the moment to vent (privately) will do more harm than good.

  2. When you’re at the event and you notice sales are going to be bad (and you can always tell within the first day of a multi-day event or the first couple of hours of a single day event), practice different elevator pitches for your book or books. (don’t have an elevator pitch for your book, you need one and I did a whole separate article on the topic you should check out). Use the downtime to audit your display- is it cluttered? Are your Book Inserts clear and useful (Book Inserts are a snapshot of your book’s genre, heat level, series number, type of story, etc.)? You can learn a lot about your book display by observing other vendors. If you’re around other authors, see what they’re doing? Look at how they display their books. Listen to how they speak about their books? If you’re not selling, then spend time absorbing and learning (this never stops, even if you’ve been doing events for years, there is always something to learn).

  3. Use this opportunity to try different ways to sell and market your book. Maybe put together a book bundle to drive sales:

    Offer any two books for ‘x’ amount of money. Giving folks a discount

    Offer a series at a lower price

    Do you have a book you want to get rid of, maybe offer the novel as a freebee?

  4. Next up, talk to the other vendors, get to know them (especially if they are other authors) ‘dead’ events are a great place to network and build relationships. The down time gives you a chance to compare notes and ask questions. If you’re having a bad selling event, chances are so are they, so talk (avoid venting publicly-save those moments for private) to them and ask questions:

    Have you been to this event before?

    Is it always this quiet?

    I really like your display. How did you do it? Where did you get your racks from? Where can I find a banner like that? I love your bookmarks; did you create them or have them created for you?

    Talk about their books and listen to what they have to say.

    If you like their cover, ask about their cover artist (even if you are with a publisher and they have an in-house cover artist, you can still get the name).

  5. If you’re at the event alone and you can’t walk around, you can still chat with the surrounding folks, which brings me to my next point.

  6. Walk around the vendor's room at the con/event, if you have someone with you who can watch your books and your booth. This will give you opportunity to network with other vendors. Chatting up others is a great way to get a feel for the conference and you might hear about other events you may be interested in attending. It may also drive some sales to your booth as folks talk about the really cool author they met.

  7. At most cons/events, there will be various media walking about, they will often stop by and chat with you. This is a great time to talk up your books and to talk a bit about why you wrote your novels (don’t do an info dump on them, have your elevator pitch ready to use, if they want to learn more they will ask follow up questions). Often times the media are looking for people to interview or who will be willing to write an article for them. Almost every event (good sales or bad) I’ve been approached by a Vlogger/Blogger or traditional media who want to interview me. I would have never gotten the opportunity if I wasn’t at the event, so keep that in mind when you want to pack up your books and go home.

  8. Another opportunity for a bad selling con is to use the event as a Marketing/PR experience. You can use your social media to hype up the event and your attendance. Post images of you sharing news about the con (be positive in your posts, do not use your social media to blast the con and attendees for not buying your books.). Remember to tag the con and your publisher. If you are taking pictures with others, tag them. It may not sell any of your books right now, but you’re creating a buzz and by being positive and sounding like you’re having a great time the con may share your post and so might the other people you’ve tagged, which gets more eyes on you and your novels, which could lead to more sales. Also, by using your social media to promote the event you’re at, other potential cons/book events might take note of how you promoted the current event and invite you to be a vendor at their event.

  9. Get to know the Con/Event staff. Chances are if your sales are down and foot traffic is light, they know. Again, avoid venting about the event, however as you talk with the staff/volunteers it’s a great place to ask questions; Is the con/event always this slow? How is the con/event going to get more folks here in the future? Are there any panels I can join (you’d be surprised at how many speakers back out for one reason or another leaving a panel with an open spot)? The friendlier you are with the staff/volunteers and the more you chat them up, the more they will see what they can do to help you out and get you on any open panels (assuming there are panels at the con you are suited for).

  10. Most importantly after the con/book event provide feedback. Offer suggestions on improving the event for next year. People will listen to constructive critiques, but will shut down when they feel attacked. The more positive feedback you can offer (with suggestions on improving the event) the better your input will be received.

There are several other ways you can evaluate a low-performing book event, but the reality is you need to decide was the event, overall, worth it for you? And that is a call each individual needs to make for themselves. The information above is provided as additional ways to evaluate a book event/conference where you had next to no sales. Keep in mind some events aren’t known as large sale events, you go to them and participate for many of the reasons listed above and remember even a no-sale event can plant the seeds of future success-if you know were to look.

That’s what I have for this week. I hope it helps. Until next time have a great week.

Davis Pride 2025

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you’re all having a great day and a wonderful Pride 2025. Today I wanted to share a couple of photos from Davis Pride 2025 (learn more here). The day was warm (translate to hot) and the celebration went from 3pm to 8pm at the Davis Civic Center Park (6th and B Streets) located behind Davis City Hall. The day was filled with music, families, food, and fun. I’m so thrilled to be back at Davis this year for their pride event. As always, I was with the wonderful folks at QSac (learn more here). We had seven authors selling books from many genres: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Horror, Romance, Sapphic Romance, Mystery/Thrillers, SteamPunk, Anthologies and so much more. Here are some pictures from the day.

 If you want to learn more about these wonderful authors and you want to support queer authors, please go to QSac and learn more (click here). Until next time, have a great week and a wonderful Pride.

Elevator Pitches for Books

Happy Wednesday Scribblers and Happy Pride 2025! I hope you’re all having a wonderful week. Today I wanted to talk to you about something we authors don’t always do well; explaining our novels to potential readers. When we talk to someone about our book or books, we want to tell them the entire story. We want to explain the characters and the nuances. We are so excited to engage with someone about our novel that we ‘info dump’ on them. And that’s the best way to kill a potential buyer and turn off a potential reader. The sad truth is we all do this. I can’t count the number of times I start to explain my book to someone (including my husband) and I see the glassy look and vacant expression form. In Brittney’s words, ‘ops, I’ve done it again.”.

There is a solution.

The Elevator Pitch.

Every author needs to describe their book in one sentence (this is not a compound sentence either). You need to sum up your novel in as few words as possible. A group of us were at a book event this last weekend and we went around the group and asked each other to describe their books in one sentence. If someone struggled, we helped them. Here are some descriptions we came up with to help sell each other’s books:

  • Sapphic Nancy Drew mystery thriller with fade to black romance.

  • Contemporary historical Italian family gay drama

  • Mother Nature kills humans in thirty short stories

  • MM college roommate summer romance

  • Historical French steam punk novel where the French Revolution doesn’t happen

  • Dungeons and dragons meet AI

And the list goes on, but this should give you an idea of what I mean when I say, Elevator Pitch. Are these descriptions perfect? No. But what this information does, or should do, is peak the potential reader’s interest. The goal is for the reader to get enough information to want to ask more about your story if they’re interested. If they aren’t interested, you didn’t ‘info dump’ on them to where they will never ask you about your writing or your books again.

If you still aren’t sure what an Elevator Pitch is, this is how Harvard University, Writing and Communication Center (learn more here) defines a general Elevator Pitch:

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a compelling introduction about who you are, what you do, and why it matters. It is a teaser that lasts 60 seconds or less to begin a conversation and make meaningful connections with confidence when meeting new people.

Why Do We Need an Elevator Pitch?

First impressions matter. Impressions about people are formed immediately after meeting them.

I hope this helps. Now go write an Elevator Pitch for each of your books and practice that Elevator Pitch with your family and friends until next time have a great week and a great Pride 2025.

Sacramento Book Festival 2025

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you’re all having a great day and a wonderful Pride 2025. Today I wanted to share a couple of photos and an update from an exciting event I attended last week (well two weeks ago now). This year I was invited to be part of the Sacramento Book Festival (learn more here) this is the first book festival that Sacramento has held in eleven years and what an event it was. The festival had over 140 authors from all over Northern California and an estimated attendance in the range of 3k–4k people, but there could have been more.

The book festival was wonderful and I loved being around so many terrific authors (publishers, bookstores, and writing groups). There were some terrific panels (that I unfortunately didn’t get to see), a kids’ zone, a scavenger hunt with amazing prizes, and so much more. It really was a beautiful day and everyone who came to the event was there to support their local authors.

After the event, a few of us went to dinner and hung out for a while. The day was truly delightful.

The event organizers are already working on next year’s book festival, which will be in a larger location with more parking from my understanding. This will also allow for more authors and vendors. If you want to learn more about the Sacramento Book Festival so you plan for next year (click here). Until next time, have a great week and a wonderful Pride.

Sac ComiCon - Spring 2025

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. How are you all doing? I hope you’re all taking care of yourself this week. Today, I wanted to share on March 22nd and March 23rd I attended the Sac ComiCon (learn more here) event in Sacramento, California. I was with the QSac group (check them out here and learn more here). I had an absolute blast. Thank you to everyone who came out and said, ‘Hello’ and picked up a copy or two of my books.

Despite being a smaller event, the crowd and the costumes were fantastic.

Coming up in just a few short weeks (April 18–20) I’ll be up in Roseville at the Sac Anime–Spring Event (find out more here). If you are in the area, come on out and say, ‘Hi’. It’s always a lot of fun.

Here are some pictures from Sac ComiCon (the droids were fun, however I think my favorite were the Fembot and Austin Powers):

I hope I’ll be seeing you up in Roseville, CA at Sac Anime- Spring 2025 (April 18th - 20th). Well, that’s all I have for now, so until time, have a great week.

Romance is a Drag

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you’re all having a wonderful week. Today I’m thrilled to announce that on March 28th I have a new short story coming out. The short story; Miss Vina Volaria–A Volaria Story will be part of a new anthology; Romance is a Drag.

This is an own voices gay men anthology. All stories have been written by gay men in honor and to celebrate the lives and loves of our drag community. Drag has been around as long as humans have been walking the planet. These stories were created to celebrate the drag community and to give these artistic and creative people romance stories and to show our love and appreciation to the drag community.

Here is the link to where you can buy the anthology (click here).

About the anthology:

A queer Anthology that embraces the romantic life and happy ever afters of drag queens navigating the LGBT landscape. All stories are written by Own Voice gay authors! From small towns to big cities, drag queens are the heart of the gayborhoods they belong to. Stories by Shane K Morton, Blake Allwood, Jole Cannon, Kelvin Young, J. Scott Coatsworth, Kristian Parker, Brent Archer and M.D. Neu.

Go out and grab your copy of Romance is a Drag (click here) and kick back and enjoy some amazing stories, but some talented authors. Until next time, have a great week.

SacAnime - Winter 2025

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and your New Year is off to a great start. I’ve been a bit quiet these last couple of weeks because I wanted to finish up my next novel, Hawaiian Sun. Once I got the first draft written, I then wanted to get as much editing done as possible before sending the book off to my Beta Readers. I can’t wait for this next novel to come out. Writing the book was a lot of fun.

Also, during my winter break I went to SacAnime 2025 with the wonderful authors from QSac (find them here) and had an absolutely amazing time. I got to reunite with so many fans and I had the opportunity to meet so many folks. Overall, the con was a great time, if not a bit exhausting. Below are some photos from the event and you can see all the shenanigans we got into.

If you have the opportunity to go to one of these cons, I suggest you do; they’re a lot of fun. Well, that’s all I have for now. Until next time, have a great week and Happy New Year!!

New Books Coming in 2025

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are having a great week. Today I’m happy to share with you that for 2025 I currently have planned to release two short stories and one new novel. I’ll be sharing more information over the coming months and in the New Year, however today I wanted to offer you all a couple of teasers.

The Two Short Stories:

I’ve been invited again this year to participate in two different anthologies. The first one is Romance is a Drag. this anthology spotlights Drag Queens. I loved the idea of being in the anthology to help give some love to the drag community, especially given all the negative misinformation out there. This short story takes place in the world of Volaria, however, this is a much more fun and uplifting tale. Here is the Blurb:

Miss Vina Volaria - A Volaria Story

Being a renowned solar system Drag Queen is hard work and a great deal of travel. You’re always on the move performing and rarely get a break. Drag is made even more complicated when you’re a Lycan who can’t perform for three days every five weeks during your transition period. But that won’t slow you down, especially when you have to perform, not only on Earth, but on the Moon and Mars. So, when Miss Vina Volaria finally gets to come home to Volaria for a break, she is anxious to have some downtime and meet up with some friends. Finding romance wasn’t on her ‘Bingo’ card, especially when she meets Dura, an Environmental Services Engineer, who has a permascowl and recently relocated to the moon from Earth. Will these two make a connection, or will their differences be too much to overcome? Especially when Vina finds out that Dura apparently takes issue with not only Vampires and Arcaines but also Lycan.

The second short story coming out in 2025 will be in the anthology will be an Own Voices Gay Holiday Anthology. This short story will take place in my Golden Hills Haunting Universe, which I’m excited to explore again. As with Golden Hills Haunting, this short story will have a lot of adult content. Here is the blurb:

Whispers of the Crescent Moon

It’s the last weekend of Ramadan, and Reza wants to get away from his family while Kyle is looking for a relaxing few days with his boyfriend. These two college boys plan on a trip to a secluded cabin along the California Coast near Boulder Creek. However, when mysterious noises rumble through the house and items go missing only to reappear in strange locations, tensions flare, leading to confrontations and revelations that neither man initially had any intensions of exploring. Could these supernatural events bring Kyle and Reza closer or pull them apart? Find out in this sexy paranormal drama.

New Novel:

And last up is my next novel. I’ve been working on this novel for the last year and I’m happy to share that I’m now in the editing process. This coming novel is an alternate history story where giant airships travel our skies, taking guests to fantastic locations including the Hawaiian Islands. This is a lighthearted, fun romance story that I can’t wait for people to sink their teeth into. Here is the blur:

Hawaiian Sun:

In 1937, Fredrick Rudolf, a steward aboard the LZ 129 Hindenburg, planned to escape the German Reich with his boyfriend upon arriving in New Jersey. However, disaster struck, and as a fireball rushed towards him, Fredrick found himself transported to an alternate reality standing and waiting at the Moffett Field Airship Terminal in San Jose, California, in 2025.

In 2025, Leo Asher awaits his new butler, Fredrick Rudolf, at the Moffett Field Light Rail station. As the Concierge/Trainer for the Hawaiian Sun, one of the eleven zeppelins of the United AirShips Family, Leo is eager to finish his preparations for the eighth annual Queer Cruise. Despite a rocky start, Fredrick and Leo quickly hit it off.

As Leo gets Fredrick acclimated to the Hawaiian Sun and prepare for two hundred guests from the Queer Community, both men grapple with secrets that could impact not just their lives, but those on the cruise. With Fredrick's mysterious arrival and Leo's concealed medical condition, they must navigate their pasts to carve out a new future.

Will they each find love in the skies over the Pacific Ocean? Join the adventure aboard the Hawaiian Sun, where luxury and elegance go on holiday.

*****

There you go, my teasers, for the coming year. What do you think? Are you as excited as I am for these stories to come out? And I may have another surprise or two planned for 2025, so keep your eyes posted. Until next time, have a great week.

Happy Thanksgiving 2024

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you’re all having a wonderful day. I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a terrific Thanksgiving (for those that celebrate the holiday). I know these last few months have been stressful, I understand there is a lot of concern out there right now, however, I hope you are able to take a moment, find some peace, and enjoy this holiday and be thankful for all the good around us.

If you need something to take your mind off the real world for a little while, I would like to suggest my wonderful short story; Thanksgiving Pie, that you can pick up for $.99 (click here). It’s a short read but is filled with hope and love.

Blurb:

When the holidays aren’t what they’re supposed to be. When you’re on your last nerve because your boyfriend recently dumped you and your family lives out of state. What are you supposed to do? Sit home alone and be miserable? That’s exactly what David planned on doing this Thanksgiving. However, he needs to pick up his less than festive meal at the grocery store. While shopping, fate and the universe decide to step-in with a chance encounter placing Fernando and his pumpkin pie right in David’s path. How will this Thanksgiving remind David that events happen around us all the time to be thankful for? Will David be grateful and open to meeting someone new?

Happy Thanksgiving! Until next time I hope you have a great week.

Twisted Fates by Adam J. Ridley

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you’re all doing well. As some of you may have seen, I have closed up my Twitter/X platform. I’m still keeping the landing page, however I won’t be posting there any longer. I don’t know if I’ll be moving to another SM platform, but I’ll keep you posted. In the mean time you can still find me on Facebook (here), Instagram (here), Goodreads (here), BookBub (here) and YouTube (here).

Now onto some much more fun stuff. This week I’m reviewing another book from the Tales of Tarot Collection; Twisted Fates (find the book here) by Adam J. Ridley (find him here). Let’s get to it.

Blurb:

With his newfound powers, can the new Legacy Wizard save the man he loves, or will a backward turn of the Wheel of Fortune cost him everything?

In a world where the Wheel of Fortune spins their destinies, two souls collide in a whirlwind of magic and desire.

Damian, an ordinary taxi driver, is thrust into an extraordinary fate when a mysterious ring transforms him into a legacy wizard, bound to the eternal struggle between light and darkness.

Owen, a young lawyer, is drawn into Damian's world as he untangles the legacy left by Damian’s predecessor.

When their paths intertwine, a dangerous attraction ignites, threatening to unravel the delicate balance Damian must uphold.

With newfound powers at his command, can Damian protect Owen or will all hope for love and balance be lost to the darkness?

Review:

Another Brilliant novel in the Tales from the Tarot Collection

I couldn’t put this story down. The novel, the characters, and the writing were fantastic. Ridley is a brilliant author who creates such wonderful stories that you don’t want them to end. This was the case with Twisted Fates. I had such a good time getting to know the characters that when the story ended; I was bummed. The secondary characters were equally as enjoyable adding to the brilliance of the story.

I can’t go into too much detail about this novel without giving plot points away. There are a couple of bugaboos I have about this story that I’m going to share. First, I felt that the story was rushed to meet certain beats and plot points, which bothered me. When I enjoy a book, I want the author to dive deep so I can get to know the characters and the world. The other nit I have with this novel is that as much as I understood why things happened the way they did, I felt like the characters didn’t have much of a say in what was emerging around them, which did annoy me. However, that said, I get it and I appreciate why everything occurred the way it did. And despite this critique I really enjoyed the writing and the story. I hope Ridley revisits this world because I would love to know more and see what else these characters get up to.

That’s all I have for today. Until next time have a great week.

Larger than Love by Jole Cannon

Happy Thursday Scribblers, I hope you’re all having a great week. A special thank you and shout out to all the Veterans, thank you for your dedication and service to the our country. This week I’m back again with another book review. This times I reviewing a debut novel by author Jole Cannon (find him here) titled Larger Than Love (find the book here). Let’s get started.

Blurb:

Bernard feels like an outsider in the gay community. Thirty-five, chubby, and hairy, he doesn’t fit the image of the stereotypical gay man. Failed relationships in his past solidify the idea he is destined to be alone.

Rory is struggling with his identity. At thirty-five, he is still single. When he reunites with his childhood friend, his religious convictions and the desire to be with a man clash as he must choose between what the Church taught him is right and what his heart desires.

The two men are forced to face their fears and make a choice. Live alone and accept their fate or take a leap and challenge what they believe.

My Review:

Lovely Story. Great Debut Novel

Larger than Love is author Jole Cannon’s debut novel and, for a new author, this is a wonderful story. Reading through the book and getting to know the individuals in the story, I saw a lot of my first novel in this book. Which is to say, I noticed that the dialogue read very stilted to me in parts (this is something I had to work on as well). However, dialogue aside, this was a charming story, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I loved reading about people that are not from all the typical tropes. Bravo Cannon for tackling body image in your first go around.

This novel is a fun and frustrating read, which I’m not quite sure how to feel about. I’m not sure if the author had personal experiences he reflected in the story or not, so I can’t fault him for items that didn’t seem quite real to me. We all know people or have experienced people like Rory’s Mother, however she seemed way over the top to me, especially for someone who lives in Silicon Valley (yes, I’m counting Gilroy as part of the Silicon Valley). I’m not saying people like her don’t exist, especially in the 1990s, but I could see her more in the Southern US or even in a state like Utah. Also, some of the other characters, as lovely as they were, seemed a little to ‘perfect’ and ‘supporting’ of both Rory and Bernard. Not saying that couldn’t be the case, however, they didn’t quite feel real to me.

The other area I’m going to nit-pick is the setting. As someone who lives in San Jose and has been to Gilroy his whole life. If you are going to set your story here, then please give the reader a more detailed description of the setting. The South Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area is not well known outside of the San Francisco Bay Area and could use help when it comes to gaining more recognition. If you are going to point out locations, then point them out. Don’t shroud them in mystery or generic description. If you are going to have the characters go to Christmas in the Park, then call it Christmas in the Park. Don’t refer to the event in some obtuse way that people won’t have any idea of what you’re talking about. Same if they were going to the Holiday Lights at Vasona Park. If the story were set in New York, you wouldn’t say they went to a big Christmas Tree in Manhattan. You’d say they went to the Rockefeller Center for skating and to see the Christmas Tree. Things like this really annoy me and I find it more and more unforgivable in writing.

Overall, this was a lovely story with a beautiful message. The writing was good, and the characters were mostly relatable. This book appears to be part of a greater universe. However, the story is fully standalone and if I didn’t know that this novel is Book 1, I wouldn’t have noticed. I’ll be interested to see what’s in store for Book 2 and if Cannon is going to use other characters from this story.

This novel is worth the read especially if you enjoy romance and want to see characters that are outside the typical trope.

That’s all I have for today. Until next time have a great week.

Geist Fleisch by Christian Baines

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you’re having a great day and I hope you all had a safe and fun Halloween. Today I’m back with another book review for you. This week I’m back with another book from the Haunted Hearts Series today I share my thoughts on Geist Fleisch (find the book here) by Christian Baines (find him here). The Haunted Hearts series is a collection of ‘ownvoice’ authors who came together and created a collection of ghost stories for the Halloween Season.

The Blurb:

Drawn by promises of excitement and freedom, how could Callum resist Berlin?

It's the end of 1932 and the Weimar capital is the heartbeat of the gay world, where a man like him can find companionship and love, even in the shadow of looming political disaster.

Still, Callum feels unseen, until he discovers a place where the dead mix with the living, an organization devoted to studying the supernatural, and a man in each world that could capture his heart... or seal his fate.

Haunted Hearts – Everyone deserves a happy ever afterlife!

Haunted Hearts is an Own-Voices Paranormal Romance Series about love and the things that go boo in the night. Join us on our romantic journeys over ten books from some of your favorite authors! Be sure to read the entire series so you don’t miss a moment of falling in love, or sometimes falling into a happily ever after-life! Each book is a standalone but why not read them all? Everyone deserves the HEA!

My Review:

Historical Ghost(ish) Story… Yes Please

Christian Baines continues to impress with his take on a historical ghost story. I wasn’t sure how this book was going to work out since the tale is set in 1932 Germany during the rise of the Nazis. However, Baines is an incredible author, and I wasn’t disappointed. The story follows Callum (an English man now living in Berlin), who has a unique condition that leaves him feeling unseen. This condition isn’t his only societal concern. He is a gay man living in a time when being gay could have gotten him killed or put away, even in Berlin during the height of gay culture for that time in history. These factors make the storytelling that much more impressive since Baines tackles the subject with the right amount of realism and fantasy. Making for a fun read.

I really enjoyed this story finding that Baines really puts you in the perspective of the main character as he includes quite a bit of German, making not only our protagonist confused at times, but us the reader as well, which I found enjoyable. The secondary characters were all unique and felt grounded for the time. Another plus to Baines writing and crafting of the story.

This is not your typical ghost story; however, the book has all the dark fantasy elements you want for a creepy novel. Definitely give the book a read.

There are my thoughts on Geist Fleisch by Christian Baines. I hope you check out the book and give the series a look as well, there are eleven books to pick from (find them here) so I’m sure you’ll find something to enjoy. Well, until next time have a great week.

The River City Chronicles by J. Scott Coatsworth

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you are all having a great week and are greeting ready of Halloween. I’m back today with a review of a book that has been on my ‘to be read’ list for years. Today I’m happy to share with you my thoughts on The River City Chronicles (click here to learn more) by J. Scott Coatsworth (Find him here).

The Blurb:

Everyone in the River City has a secret, and sooner or later secrets always come out. A group of strangers meets at Ragazzi, an Italian restaurant, for a cooking lesson that will change them all. They quickly become intertwined in each other's lives, and a bit of magic touches each of them. Meet Dave, the consultant who lost his partner; Matteo and Diego, the couple who run the restaurant; recently-widowed Carmelina; Marcos, a web designer getting too old for hook-ups; Ben, a trans author writing the Great American Novel; teenager Marissa, kicked out for being bi; and Sam and Brad, a May-September couple who would never have gotten together without a little magic of their own.

My Review:

A Love Letter to Sacramento

I’ve read several of J. Scott Coatsworth’s novels and I can honestly say there isn’t one I haven’t enjoyed. Coatsworth writing is honest and open as he pours himself into each of his works. The River City Chronicles is no different in that regard. However, the story is unlike the other books I’ve read by Coatsworth which tend to be fantasy and science fiction based. This is a contemporary novel set in Sacramento, CA. Not only do you get to learn a great deal about the cast of characters in the novel, you also experience Sacramento through the eyes of someone who clearly loves this community.

The story itself is a rich chronicle following the lives and loves of the people who inhabit these pages. What impresses me the most about this work is that I feel like I’ve gotten to know each of the characters so well. After reading the book, I felt like I just made so many new friends that I was sad to reach the last page (I understand there is a second book coming out at some point, which will be on my list).

Another aspect of the novel I appreciated is that this book wasn’t your typical MM Romance (which given the glut of mm stories available on the market, most of which, if not all, feel like Hallmark movies). The book housed often ignored or forgotten characters, making the characters come across as that much more real and personal.

My only real complaint about this novel, and it’s not so much a complaint, but something I noticed is that Coatsworth clearly had an affinity for all things Italian as the story is peppered with so much Italian flare, the novel can be a bit much. However, that said, the Italian slant to the book helped to ground the novel in realism and helped to tie all the characters together. This is a wonderful novel that any fan of contemporary works should pick up and read.

Well there you have it, my thoughts on The River City Chronicles by J. Scott Coatsworth. Until next time have a great week.

Medium Rare by J.P. Jackson

Happy Wednesday Scribblers! How’s your week going? I hope you’re all doing well. I’m back again with a new book for you. Medium Rare by J.P. Jackson (find him here). Let’s jump into the book and my thoughts:

Blurb:

Cade Ivanov has inherited the family curse. Ghosts are everywhere, and lately, very angry. But Cade doesn’t know why. Desperate to be rid of the apparitions, he plans to move to a rural town where he hopes to find peace.

Jay McClaren is a single dad and real estate agent. When an unexpected call comes from a big city Medium looking to purchase, he’s thrilled for the business but is skeptical about his client’s professed abilities.

When Jay’s son starts experiencing violent hauntings, Jay has no choice but to rely on Cade for help. Can Jay and Cade battle the paranormal, or will the dead create a living hell?

My Review:

A Family Drama with Ghosts, Lots of Ghosts!

Did author J.P. Jackson just write his first ever Family Drama? Did he write a novel about family and community? Did he craft a story about people and how we all rely on each other? Did Jackson share a story about love and romance between not only two men, but them and their families? Could I have possibly read a novel by J.P. Jackson that didn’t make me want to hide under the covers, leave all the lights on, and call in a local priest to vanquish evil spirits?

The answer…

Yes. Yes, he did. However, in Jackson’s style you’ll get a dose of horror and gore and a lot of well written and tasteful ‘adult playtime’. Jackson’s words, not mine.

Honestly, this is quite possibly one of the best Romantic Fantasy or Romantic Horror novels I’ve read in a long time. Typically, with Jackson, you are in for a bloody good time with a lot of ‘adult playtime’. He is one of the masters of horror and telling tales that are creepy and dark. Making you not want to turn the next page, but darn it you have to, because you want to find out what happens and you want to find out how his characters are going to get out of the mess Jackson has put them in.

Medium Rare is a lovely story about community and what two men will go through to save and protect not only their family but also their neighbors.

As always, Jackson takes you on a wild adventure through the Canadian Prairie Lands of Alberta, which grounds the story in so much realism that you actually believe these are people going through some difficult times and not a story about some characters. Our two main characters are what you would expect from Jackson; rugged, men in their thirties, who would be classified as Bears. As with all of Jackson’s books you get a healthy dose of these two characters sexual adventure, which are not just thrown into the story to shout to the reader ‘here is your sex scene’. These scenes are used as moments of peace and building connections during some difficult times. This is something Jackson does well and I wish more romance writers would pick up on. In a lot of romance stories, I find I skip the sex scenes because they don’t bring anything to the story or they go on way too long. With Jackson these scenes are crafted in a way that you don’t feel like you’re being bombarded with ‘smut’ just to get the reader off (sorry that’s crass, but I couldn’t think of a better way to explain what I mean).

Romance aside, this is creepy and sweet. You definitely care for everyone involved and you absolutely hope that everything will work out. As always, Jackson’s characters are put through the ringer and you have to worry about if they’ll make it out okay. With Jackson, you can never be too sure.

Honestly, I enjoyed this book and read it one sitting. If you want an excellent romantic horror novel, this is the one for you. Medium Rare is part of the Haunted Hearts an Own-Voices Paranormal Romance Series celebrating own-voice authors and all things creepy and spooky.

There you go, my thoughts on Medium Rare by J.P. Jackson (find out more here). I hope you’ll check it out, as well as the other books in the series (learn more here). Until next time have a great week.

Curse of the Stag's Eye by Glenn Quigley

Happy Wednesday Scribblers! I hope you are having a wonderful week. As you can tell I’ve been trying to get through my ‘To Be Read’ list and I’ve been posting a lot of book reviews. I hope you find them helpful and more importantly I hope you pick up some of these wonderful books I’ve been sharing with you. This week I’m here to share another book; Curse of the Stag’s Eye by Glenn Quigley (find him here). Let’s jump into the novel and my thoughts.

Blurb:

High on a wave-dashed cliff, the ancient standing stone known as the Stag’s Eye jealously watches over a cursed lighthouse with a grisly past. Paranormal investigator Rhys has chosen this place to hold his first-ever ghost tour. Ghost-hunting veteran Dawn and her boyfriend Nikesh are eager to go exploring, while first-timer Gaz is hoping to learn more about the spirit world. He also intends to learn more about Rhys for various reasons, not all of which are entirely innocent.

The ghost of a murdered lighthouse keeper is said to climb the stairs every night, tending to the light, but other, far more sinister phantoms may lurk in the shadows. As the night wears on and the haunting becomes more and more hazardous, Rhys and Gaz grow closer. However, it soon becomes clear that not everyone on the tour is being honest about their reasons for being there. Can the supernatural activity be blamed on the curse of the Stag’s Eye or does someone know more than they’re letting on?

Curse of the Stag’s Eye is a part of the Haunted Hearts Series. (find out more here).

My Review:

The Curse of the Stag’s Eye takes author Glenn Quigley’s love of the sea and lighthouses to the next level. The Curse of the Stag’s Eye is not a typical Glenn Quigley novel, Quigley typically writes Historical Fiction (beautifully so) and I’m excited to see him branch out into something new (to be fair over the last few years Quigley has dived into other genres’ and I highly recommend them, find more of his books here) however, if you think this a departure from his other works you are only partly correct. Quigley writes a lot about the sea and includes lighthouses in his works. If you follow him on Instagram (which I suggest you do, find him here) you’ll see he has a love for all things nautical. So why not take his love of all things ocean related and throw them into a good old ghost story? But the Curse of the Stag’s Eye is so much more. You get a romance, mystery, ghost story, and a thriller all rolled up into one and the story is utterly brilliant.

This book hits all the right pacing and checks off everything you need for a well-written tale. You also get a good dose of history and lore about lighthouses thrown into the mix, which makes the novel a fun read.

I love how Quigley goes beyond the pale and shows us people who are not typically the heroes of the story. We get to see wonderfully colorful characters that aren’t your standard archetypes (and bless him for doing this).

The story is beautifully claustrophobic, and the cast is small, which means there isn’t a wasted character or someone there to take up space and fill the page in the entire book. This is another talent of Quigley’s that I wish more writers would acquire.

Is this book scary? No, but the tale has its moments. There is no gore or anything over the top (most brilliant ghost stories don’t need to be gory). Is there a lot of romance in the book? There’s some, and it’s tastefully crafted and perfectly planned out. The mystery and the thriller aspect of the novel are what shines through and makes this story so lovely to read and enjoy.

I realize this novel is a part of a larger series of stories written by several authors following the theme of haunted hearts. I’ll be interested to read and see how the others do with the theme.

If you haven’t guessed, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend the novel. Well done Glenn, well done!

Well, there you are, another wonderful book for you to check out. Until next time have a great week.


The Cultist's Wife by B.J. Sikes

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you are having a wonderful week. Today I’m excited to bring you another book recommendation. This story is a bit different then what I typically read, but it’s worth your time and your money.

Today, let’s talk about The Cultist’s Wife by B.J. Sikes (click here to learn more about B.J.):

Gothic Thriller and Gothic Fiction for Sure

This weekend I finished reading The Cultist Wife by B.J. Sikes. This is a beautifully crafted story set in the early 1900s in the Bahamas during the height of the British Empire. The details are spot on and you feel like you are experiencing the oppressive heat along with our three main characters: Clara (The Mother), Elsie (The Maiden, more like The Child) and Irene (The Cone). I was expecting this story to be more Gothic Horror given the description, however that is not the case, so if you want Gothic Horror go read Anne Rice. What I ended up reading was this wonderfully told Gothic Thriller and fiction story, with a healthy dose of history thrown in.

My only issue with the novel (and this should be seen as a credit to the writer) is I found myself getting more and more annoyed with Clara. This really is her story, so we get to spend a lot of time with her. My annoyance wasn’t at how she lived or interacted in this world. My exasperation came from how true to life this character was portrayed. I wanted to reach into the story and yell at her for how she was acting and get on her case about the choices she made. However, Clara, like all the characters in the book, are a product of their time (and this is something Sikes does incredibly well) the characters in the book act as you would expect them to perform given that the story is set in 1908. You’re not going to have modern day characters in this setting (which is something a lot of historical fiction gets wrong), you are going to have female characters (who are strong and intelligent) acting like the subservient creatures that the men, and society, at the time expected. Which honestly annoyed me. Because Clara, as well as Elsie and Irene, are brilliant strong women. Who, if they lived today, would be fiercely resilient, powerful, independent women, and none of them would let the ‘men’ or society treat them the way that they are treated in this novel?

Is this Gothic Horror? Well, sort of, there is a cult, there is a ghost, and there is a bit of what we would call witchcraft/magic, however those items take a backseat to the meat of the story, which is a thriller and fiction adventure.

If Historical Fiction and Gothic Thrillers are your thing, then this is absolutely the story for you.

Well, that’s what I have for you this week. I hope you’ll check out The Cultist’s Wife (buy it here) I’m sure you’ll enjoy the story. Until next time have a great week.