Archive for the 'Author Friend Promo' Category

6 Steps to Bolster Your Self-Esteem

April 16, 2026 | Author Friend Promo

From Sharon Ledwith

Set Big Goals! I’m not kidding. Make plans to carry out how you’re going to achieve your humongous goals. This is so important. Think about it. If you’re going on a trip, you enter all the info in your GPS or purchase a map to mark out your destination. Businesses need business plans or the bank manager will look at you sideways when you come asking for a loan.  What’s the difference when it comes to planning out your life goals?

Measure your Successes! This is so important. Define what the standard is for YOU, and no one else. Understand your strengths and weaknesses, and use both to help you accomplish your goals. Form alliances with other like-minded individuals or groups and delegate when necessary.

Recognize your Accomplishments! When someone you admire pats you on the back, don’t shrug it off. Take it. Embrace it. It’s
good for you. People have a habit of fluffing off compliments, especially when they’ve earned it. So my take advice and savor that pat on the back for a job well done. Besides, it’s good for us to stand in the spotlight—it makes us shine all the brighter!

So, how do you bolster your self-esteem? Love to hear your voices…

Depending on the time of day, pour your favorite beverage then head to your comfy reading spot and all a good book to seep into your soul. May I suggest a visit to mysterious Fairy Falls, or if you’re feeling really adventurous, a trip back in time with The Last Timekeepers? Whichever you choose, either series will transport you to another time and place, taking you away from the troubles of the real world.

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the award-winning teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, reading, researching, or revising, she enjoys anything arcane, ancient mysteries, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada with her spoiled husband and is happy to spend many hours with her amazing grandson.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHOR page for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.

BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE

A Behind the Scenes Look

March 9, 2026 | Author Friend Promo

at Creating a Book Series…

from Sharon Ledwith

Did you ever wonder what goes through an author’s mind when trying to create a book series? Doesn’t matter the genre, there’s still so much planning around building a series’ premise, creating the main (and secondary) characters, doing all the needed research, plotting the stories, and finally sitting down to write the books. Actually, it’s exhausting just thinking about all those steps, but truly worth it if you want to leave behind a piece of your soul to the world.

I thought I’d give you a peek at the process of writing a series, so I decided to compile a list of questions I was asked by different interviewers about my teen psychic mystery series, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls. I follow up each answer with a ‘behind the scenes tip’ to drive home the messages I want to convey, and to help writers get a sense of what I went through to develop this particular book series.

What inspired you to write Lost and Found?

During my year-long stint as an animal care attendant, I learned so much about the procedures and daily routines of working in an animal shelter. Then, one day, I found myself wondering what the animals would say if they could talk? How they would act and sound? What did they really think of humans? So, chasing down the animal voices frolicking in my head, I decided to write their story. The result is, Lost and Found, the first book in my teen psychic mystery series, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls.

All the shelter animals in Lost and Found are based on an animal I cared for in some capacity at the shelter. Now, trying to come up with each animal’s unique voice wasn’t that hard for me, since I went by the personality of the cat or dog. I observed certain quirks, how each animal behaved, what were they afraid of, what they liked, and so on. What I found was that every animal (even kittens born in the same litter) was different. Just. Like. People.

When I was ready to sit down and write their story, I compiled a list of shelter animals that readers would emotionally relate to and connect with. Many came to me as a surprise, while others were firmly planted in my imagination from the very beginning.

Behind the Scenes Tip: Write what you know. Yes, you’ve heard that old song before, but I knew the ins-and-outs of how an animal shelter operated, so I applied that knowledge when it came time to plot the story and create the setting.

On Blackflies and Blueberries, how did you decide to bring blueberries and blackflies into the story?

We lived in Ontario’s cottage country for almost twelve years, and each May we had to deal with those pesky blackflies. In fact, I owe the experience of living in a small, tourist town environment to creating the Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mystery series. The second book in the series, Blackflies and Blueberries, came about while I volunteered to be a tutor at the local literacy council. I’ve always be drawn to the occult, paranormal, and supernatural, so I got the idea of a teen psychometrist (the psychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them) who could ‘read’ objects, but was essentially illiterate and couldn’t read most words.

I wanted the book to span through a summer season in the fictional tourist town of Fairy Falls, so I started with blackfly season (May) and ended with blueberry season (August). The title fit in so well with the theme of blackflies pollinating blueberry bushes to yield fruit, so I went with my intuition. Plus, I absolutely love blueberries!

Behind the Scenes Tip: Setting is important. Build your series world from the ground up using what you’ve experienced in real life. Use your interests and opportunities as background information for your characters. Being a volunteer for a charity or cause can give your story great bones and authenticity.

What was the biggest mental/writing challenge you faced along the way while writing Lost and Found?

I’ll give you three:

First—could I pull this book off, and make the animals sound authentic?

Second—did I do enough research on what it was like to be an animal communicator (the psychic ability featured in this book) to make my main character (Meagan Walsh) believable to readers? Then, I realized that after doing the needed research on animal behaviors and finding enough facts on animal communication, I was well on my way to writing what my heart so desperately wanted me to share with the world. I learned that animals are so empathic. They feel our energy. And sometimes, they know us better than ourselves.

Third—to create the small, tourist town of Fairy Falls—the setting that would glue this entire teen psychic mystery series together. I didn’t have to stretch my imagination that hard since I wrote what I knew based on where I was living at the time—in the heart of cottage country. So I took in the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, emotions, and feelings of this beautiful place, and added the challenges and obstacles of what it would be like for an uprooted teenager possessing a psychic ability to adjust to the day-to-day living in Fairy Falls.

Behind the Scenes Tip:  Self-doubt will always creep in from time-to-time. It’s normal. Feel it, let it go, then imagine what it would be like to walk in other people’s shoes. You’ll create some awesome characters if you can do that.

Aunt Gertie is such a colorful character in Blackflies and Blueberries. Will we see more of her in Fairy Falls?

Definitely! She’s such a unique character, and is loosely-based on my mother-in-law. Since each book is set in Fairy Falls, but with a different cast of characters dealing with a psychic ability, I write in cameos for the characters of my previous book. After all, it takes many characters to create the essence and environment of a small, tourist town like Fairy Falls, so I want readers to expect the unexpected every time they pick up one of my books.

Behind the Scenes Tip: Become an observer of people. Aunt Gertie’s character was based on my deceased mother-in-law (with a few quirks added), and if you do it right, readers will want to continue seeing them throughout the series.

How did writing Lost and Found change you as a person?

Realizing that we (including animals) are all here to serve in some capacity. Whether that’s through our experiences, creative expressions, careers, professions, being parents or caregivers, we’ve all got something to contribute to this world while we’re alive. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a big or small way, we all matter, we all have voices, and we need to be brave enough to use them.

Behind the Scenes Tip: Writing and publishing a book is a humbling and exhaustive experience. Every book you write will change you in some manner. That’s the beauty of creating something from nothing, of becoming a butterfly from a caterpillar.

Diana MacGregor’s little sister Nancy is a perfect sidekick in Blackflies and Blueberries. Her addition was truly brilliant. Were you as curious as Nancy when you were a child?

Yes. I always wondered what went on beneath the surface. Once a guidance counsellor suggested that a career as a detective might be a good fit. Can you imagine? LOL! I guess I was always an intuitive child, but didn’t realize this as an adult. It took me a long time to uncover this ability again, and thankfully I found it when I started writing in my mid-thirties.

Behind the Scenes Tip: Never underestimate the power of your intuition. It will lead you to create amazing characters that readers will relate to.

What have you found has been the most effective marketing technique for Lost and Found so far?

I reached out to couple with two animal rescue organizations at a few of their events when Lost and Found came out, and gave a portion of my book sales to help with the care and needs of the dogs and cats they had rescued. In a way, I felt by writing this book, I was being a ‘voice’ for the underdogs/cats in shelters everywhere, bringing awareness to the plight of animal shelters, and the continual need for fundraising, adoption, and spay and neuter programs.

I’ve also managed to get my book into a pet food store chain, and attended a literary event to promote Lost and Found, while sharing the spotlight with the manager of our local Humane Society. Of course, never underestimate the power of social media, and all those animal lovers out there!

Behind the Scenes: There’s always a way you can promote your book series through your community, especially at fund raisers or charities that your characters are invested in. Go deep, and pull out those promotional golden nuggets.

What advice would you give other writers now that you’ve been through this process?

Trust that inner voice of yours that’s telling you to write her/his/their/your story. Write what’s important to you, what you want to say, in whatever genre you’re compelled to write in. Don’t follow trends, they change. Know that you’ll be in it for the long haul if you want to make it as career writer, so don’t give up on your dreams. And the most important: please, please, please don’t compare yourself to other writers. They’re on their own journey, and you’re on yours, so put your blinders on and follow your heart.

Behind the Scenes Tip: Be authentic in every story you pen, and remember that patience is truly a virtue. You’ll get there, word by word.

Is there one thing you’d like readers to know about you?

I love to uplift people, even if I just get a smile out of a person. I use humor in all my books as a way of connection, and to hopefully make a reader’s day better and brighter. I guess it’s the way I can serve authentically and just be myself!

Behind the Scenes Tip: Always add value to others. After all, we’re built to serve.

I hope you’ve gleaned some value from this Q&A, and if you have any further questions about developing a book series, please leave them in the comments section, and I’ll answer them in a timely fashion. Cheers and thank you for reading my post!

Here’s a glimpse of the premises of both my young adult series:

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventures…

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers—legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial—five classmates are sent into the past to restore balance, and bring order back into the world, one mission at a time.

Children are the key to our future. And now, they are the only hope for our past.

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mysteries…

In the small, quiet tourist town of Fairy Falls, a new-to-town teen, an unlikely hero who possesses an unusual psychic ability, is drawn into a mystery and is tasked with uncovering corrupt truths that threaten the town’s future.

Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expect the unexpected.

Buy Links:

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventure Series:

The Last Timekeepers and the Noble Slave, Book 3

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, Book 2 Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, Book 1 Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Legend of the Timekeepers, Prequel Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mystery Series:

Lost & Found, Book One Buy Links:

PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Blackflies & Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:

PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the award-winning teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, reading, researching, or revising, she enjoys anything arcane, ancient mysteries, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her spoiled hubby, and two shiny red e-bikes.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHOR page for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.

BONUSES:

Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE

Download the free PDF writing resource Tips, Tools  & Tricks for the Tenacious Writer HERE

A CAT, A BOY, A BOND

February 23, 2026 | Author Friend Promo

From Anne Montgomery

There was nothing extraordinary about the cat that stared at me from the pages of my local newspaper. He was black. Gold eyes. His name was Westin. He’d been at the Humane Society way too long. His $20 price tag a clear indication that if he did not find a home soon, well…

I called my son to come look at the picture. I told him about Westin. “Should we go get him?” I asked. His eyes lit up.

Within the hour we bounded through the door at the shelter, waving the newspaper article. “We’re here for Westin.” We grinned at the receptionist. A woman standing nearby frowned. I pointed at the picture again, wondering at her odd reaction.

“The story did not tell you everything,” she said, leading us toward a glassed-in enclosure, a place called the Campus for Compassion, where hard-to-adopt animals are placed for one last push to find them a forever home.

My son and I glimpsed Westin briefly through a large window as the woman ushered us through a doorway, around a corner, and through another door.  We somehow missed the sign that would have tipped us off that Westin was no ordinary kitty. The woman escorted us into the tidy room scattered with cat toys and shelves ascending one wall, where Westin quickly displayed his climbing skills. I sat on a small couch. Westin stared at me, then bounded into my lap.

“You get acquainted. I’ll get Westin’s records.” She left, closing the door behind her. A short time later, a young volunteer appeared, bearing a thick folder.

“Where did he come from?” I asked, as Westin head-butted my hand for a rub.

“He was one of thirty cats found abandoned in a hotel room,” she said. “We named them all after hotels.”

The thought that there were kitties nearby named Radisson, Hilton, Sheraton, and Howard Johnson made me want to laugh. Perhaps she read my mind.

“They’re all gone. They’ve been adopted. Westin is the only one left.”

I stared at the cat, now happily ensconced in my son’s lap. “Why?”

“Westin is sick.”

My son and I simultaneously stared at the cat, who appeared quite healthy and happy.

“When he came to us, he had lost a lot of his hair. We almost put him down. The vets here did a lot of testing and, well, Westin has horrible allergies. He’s on daily medication and will be for the rest of his life. He has to be fed special food that’s about $60 a bag.”

I stared at my son, a first-year college student who’s living at home while he studies to be a chef.

“I’ll leave you two to think about it,” she said, a hint of sadness in her voice. “He’s been here a long time.”

“It’s a lot of money,” I said when my son and I were alone. “And a lot of responsibility.” We already had three cats, two of which came to us as strays and which live on the front porch, just wild enough still that being inside upsets them. We also have an indoor cat that my son raised from a kitten. And a cattle dog.

When the volunteer came back, I asked if anyone else had ever wanted to adopt Westin.

“Oh, yes,” she said. “Until they found out about his problems.”

I turned to my son. “You said we’d split the costs,” I reminded him. He nodded, considering.

The boy with the blue eyes stroked Westin’s head. “He’s just like me, Mom. No one wanted me either.”

I stared at the ground. Troy is my third son. All of my boys spent time in the foster care system, before entering my life when they were teenagers, having been shuttled between group facilities and foster homes too many times to count, clearly understanding that there didn’t seem to be a family that wanted them.

I can’t say it hasn’t been a struggle. Westin suffered a ruptured ear drum and only wants to eat food that he’s allergic to. Still, he gets along fine with the other animals and is under the watchful eye of our vet. We are hoping that, someday, he can go without the daily doses of medication and the special expensive food. In the meantime, Troy takes care of Westin. They seem to have an understanding.

Now, six years later, while Westin still has allergies, we manage them. He and his brother Morgan are best friends, and we can’t imagine life with him. That’s Westin on the right.

My son Troy takes care of Westin, a cat found abandoned with 29 others in a hotel room. They seem to have an understanding.

Here is a peek at Anne’s Historical Fiction novel based on a real soldier.

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to the Graves Registration Service where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Lorraine, a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose secretive nature and shadowy past leave many unanswered questions. When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. Bud is beaten down by the gruesome demands of his job and losses in his personal life, but then he meets Eva, an optimistic soul who despite the war can see a positive future. Will Eva’s love be enough to save him?

Praise for Your Forgotten Sons

“Although a deftly crafted work of original fiction, “Your Forgotten Sons” by Anne Montgomery is inspired by a true story. An original and inherently interesting read from start to finish, “Your Forgotten Sons” will prove to be an immediate and enduringly appreciated pick.”  Midwest Book Review

“This was a quick, riveting read that really challenged me to think differently about our servicemen and women, especially those who take on the jobs that don’t get heroically depicted in the media or news…I really highly recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a different take on American history. I left it with a newfound appreciation for the unsung heroes.” Bekah C NetGalley

“This is the truth. It’s gritty and painful and bittersweet – and true.  When you think you’ve read every perspective of WWII, along comes Bud to break your heart.” Bridgett Siter Former Military Reporter

“Anne Montgomery writes a strong story and I was hooked from the first page. It had a great concept and I enjoyed that this was inspired by a true story…It was written perfectly and I was invested in the story. Anne Montgomery has a great writing style and left me wanting to read more.” –  Kathryn McLeer NetGalley

Available at Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Kobo

Anne Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She worked at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter, and ASPN-TV as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.

Montgomery has been a freelance and staff writer for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces.

When she can, Anne indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, football refereeing, and playing her guitar.

Learn more about Anne Montgomery on her website and Wikipedia. Stay connected on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

Celebrate a Bewitching February

February 16, 2026 | Author Friend Promo

from Leigh Goff 

February’s Featured Book is a witchy young adult historical fiction with more than a hint of romance thrown in the mix. Disenchanted is the perfect book to keep you spellbound through the rest of winter!

A forbidden love. A dark curse. An impossible choice…

Descended from a powerful Wethersfield witch, sixteen-year-old Sophie is struggling to hide her awkwardly emerging magic, but that’s the least of her worries. When a dangerous thief tries to steal her mysterious heirloom necklace, she is rescued by the one person she’s forbidden to fall for, a descendant of the man who condemned her ancestor to hang. He carries a dark secret that could destroy them both unless Sophie learns how to tap into the mysterious power of her diamond bloodcharm. She will have to uncover dark secrets from both of their families’ wicked pasts and risk everything, including her soul to save them from a witch’s true love curse, but it will take much more than that.

February is for bewitching romances–get Disenchanted, a YA witchy fantasy romance inspired by the historic Wethersfield Witch Trials–available in paperback and e-book at Amazon!

 

Leigh Goff writes young adult fiction. She is a graduate from the University of Maryland and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).

Born and raised on the East Coast, she now lives in Florida with her husband, enjoying the sun and surf.

Learn more about Leigh Goff on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

 

DESSERT – An Expression of Love

February 9, 2026 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

from Sharon Ledwith

This dessert is a real crowd pleaser at small gatherings such as Valentine’s Day dinner, book clubs or intimate bridal and baby showers. This chocolatey, sweet treat will tempt even the most disciplined of us. If cherry is your go-to fruit that makes your mouth think you’ve swallowed a piece of heaven, then read on if you dare to concoct this sinful chunk of bliss.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHUNK LOAF

A bit of butter for greasing the loaf pan
1¼ cups + 1 tsp. all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup granulated or caster sugar
1 cup cherry yogurt
3 large eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup mild vegetable oil
1 cup cherries
¼ cup sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped, use less if you prefer

Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C or 165° for fan ovens, Gas Mark 4).

Grease a 2 lb. (8 ½ x 4 ¼ x 2 ½ inch) loaf pan.

Remove the pits from the cherries and cut each one in half. Place cherries in a small bowl, sprinkle the 1 teaspoon flour over top and toss gently.

Sift 1¼ cups flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.

Stir in sugar, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Set dry ingredients aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and oil.

Add yogurt mixture to dry ingredients. Beat with a wooden spoon until all the flour is mixed in and the batter is smooth.

Gently fold in the flour-coated cherries.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then remove cake and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.

THE GLAZE
1 cup icing sugar, confectioner’s sugar
2 tbsp. maraschino cherry juice
1 tbsp. water
Drop of pink food coloring, optional

Pour icing sugar into a bowl. Whisk in maraschino cherry juice.

Gradually whisk in water, a drop or two at a time, until a smooth, drizzle-able consistency is reached.

Whisk in the food coloring, if using.

While you’re waiting on your loaf to bake and cool, how about taking a break by delving into one of my books? May I suggest a visit to Fairy Falls, or if you’re feeling really adventurous, a trip back in time with The Last Timekeepers? Whichever you choose, either series will entertain and engage, pulling you into another time and a different place.

Here’s a glimpse of the premises of both my young adult series:

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mysteries…

Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expect the unexpected.

Imagine a teenager possessing a psychic ability and struggling to cope with this freakish power while trying to have a normal life. Now, imagine being uprooted and forced to live in a small tourist town where nothing much ever happens. It’s bores-ville from the get-go.

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventures…

Children are the keys to our future. And now, children are the only hope for our past.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers-legendary time travelers sworn to keep history from the evil Belial-five classmates are sent into the past to restore balance, and bring order back into the world, one mission at a time.

NOVEL SETTINGS

January 19, 2026 | Author Friend Promo

By C.D. Hersh

One of the most asked questions to authors is, “Why did you set your book there?” For us it started with a car commercial. In the commercial, a grandmother is telling her granddaughter that she met grandpa under a tree. Then the two hug the tree and in a subsequent scene are joined by the child’s parents. As they leave the area, the car passes a sign marked Woodstock.

Honestly, we don’t even remember the make of the car that was being advertised, but we did remember the tree hugging scenario and the Woodstock sign. When Donald proposed the setting of Woodstock to me (Catherine) I was like, What???? It wasn’t a place I expected him to go. But the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. After all, who doesn’t like a walk down memory lane? I was into folk music in the Sixties. I sang and played Peter Paul and Mary songs on my guitar so many times I could have done it in my sleep, and I liked rock ‘n’ roll. And maxi coats and the cool threads. Since we’re both musicians, it was a short leap to making our hero and heroine musicians, too.

Because Rose, our heroine, is a music teacher, who plays several instruments, we decided to give her a love of all music, including classical. To broaden her horizons, we introduced classical music rebels into her music lexicon.

In one of the scenes, she is wandering around the festival grounds when she happens on another female hippie playing her flute and twirling to the melody. Rose decides to join in and plays a counter melody on her flute. Then the hippie begins playing “Bach’s Minuet in G”, to which Rose creates a counter melody.

We were so intrigued with the idea of two flutes playing Bach’s Minuet in G that we decided to compose the counter melody Rose played. If you click on the audio link below, you can hear what we heard in our minds when we created this scene.

Now that you’ve heard the music in our heads, we hope you’ll enjoy an excerpt from our story.

The Soul Mate Tree . . .
An ancient legend spanning eras, continents, and worlds.
To some, it’s nothing more than a dream.
To others, a pretty fairy tale handed down through the generations.
For those in critical need of their own happy ending, a gift.

Our book, Can’t Stop the Music, is a blast back to the Sixties and Woodstock.

For college senior and hippie wannabe Rosemary—Rose for short—a teaching job is within her grasp, but she wants more. She wants love, the kind of love that has bound her parents for so many years. When she’s dumped by her current boyfriend because her morals can’t bring her to give in to free love, she finds herself at Woodstock in the middle of the biggest free-love, music festival of the Sixties. Alone, again. Until a magical tree grants her wish and she finds the man of her dreams—and loses him before she really knows who he is.

Dakota meets the girl of his dreams at Woodstock, but a jealous wannabe girlfriend drives them apart before he can discover Rose’s last name and where she comes from. After he sees a disappearing tree that promises him true love, a frantic search to find Rose comes up empty-handed.

For college senior and hippie wannabe Rosemary—Rose for short—a teaching job is within her grasp, but she wants more. She wants love, the kind of love that has bound her parents for so many years. When she’s dumped by her current boyfriend because her morals can’t bring her to give in to free love, she finds herself at Woodstock in the middle of the biggest free-love, music festival of the Sixties. Alone, again. Until a magical tree grants her wish and she finds the man of her dreams—and loses him before she really knows who he is.

Dakota meets the girl of his dreams at Woodstock, but a jealous wannabe girlfriend drives them apart before he can discover Rose’s last name and where she comes from. After he sees a disappearing tree that promises him true love, a frantic search to find Rose comes up empty-handed.

Magic and music brings them together at Woodstock in 1969. Misunderstandings tear them apart. Will two flower children find one another again, or live with missed opportunities?

Short Excerpt:

As they made their way to the festival site, Rose and her friends grooved to the music coming from the stage.

When they reached the makeshift bridge over the road, someone yelled, “Hey beautiful! You with the red hair.”

She looked around to see if there was anyone else with red hair. Then she glanced up and spotted two guys, one blond and the other dark-haired, leaning over the side of the bridge.

“Yeah, you,” the blond called out as he caught her gaze.

Willow halted beside her. “He’s cute. How about him?”

Rose looked away, her gaze landing on the other guy.

He jabbed his companion in the ribs. “Quit trying to pick up every girl you see.” Then he leaned farther over the rail. “Don’t pay any attention to him. He’s high.”

“So she’s not beautiful?” Willow yelled to the hippie.

She poked her friend. “Stop it, Willow, you’re making a scene.” In spite of her protest, her gaze remained on the dark-haired guy.

He rested his elbows on the rail and stared back at her. The intensity of his expression shot heat into her belly.

“I didn’t say that, just that she shouldn’t pay attention to him.” He flapped a hand at his blond buddy, then tapped his own chest with his thumb several times as if to say, ‘Choose me!’

Does he want me to pay attention to him? Her heart thumped in rhythm to his jabbing thumb.

“Take that one,” Willow whispered. “He’s the real cutie.”

Before she could respond, the crowd pushed them forward. When they reached the other side of the bridge, she looked back, searching for the dark-haired hippie, but the spot where he’d stood was empty.

Just my luck. I see someone who’s intriguing and he disappears.

With a sigh, she continued the trek to the festival grounds.

Putting words and stories on paper is second nature to co-authors C.D. Hersh. They’ve written separately since they were teenagers and discovered their unique, collaborative abilities in the mid-90s. As high school sweethearts and husband and wife, Catherine and Donald believe in true love and happily ever after, and that’s why they write romance.

In addition to writing Catherine and Donald love antiquing, traveling, singing, and going to the theatre. Catherine is also an avid gardener and has drawn Donald into her garden as a day laborer. They figure the couple who plays together and works together, stays together—and that’s just what they aim to do.

Second Editions Coming Soon:

Ghosts and Gardenias

The Promised One The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 1
Blood Brothers The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 2
Son of the Moonless Night The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 3
The Mercenary and the Shifters The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 4

Social Media Info:

Cut-Above Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

December 8, 2025 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

From Sharon Ledwith

Got a party to plan for your kids or family members? What about a special treat for your Holiday hostess? Bake sale you signed up for? Need a quick fix for a shower, book club, or potluck engagement? Got. You. Covered.

Everybody loves cupcakes. Even wedding planners love to suggest to the bride-to-be to serve cupcakes instead of the traditional tiered cake. Cupcakes are like having a party for one in your mouth. Seriously. So let’s get to it. These cut-above chocolatey peanut butter morsels of heaven will make you look like a five-star baker with your family, friends, PTA members or ‘fill-in-the blank’ guests.

Cut-Above Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (400 mL)
½ cup Hershey’s® Cocoa (125 mL)
½ teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda (2 mL)
¾ cup butter
1 ½ cups brown sugar (375 mL)
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream (125 mL)
¾ cup boiling water (175 mL)

Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with large, paper liners.

Stir flour with cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.

Beat butter and brown sugar in a separate bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs, sour cream and vanilla until combined.

Using low speed, gradually blend in dry mixture and mix until combined. Slowly, pour in boiling water; scrape down sides of bowl and mix on low just until combined.

Divide batter evenly between lined cups. Bake for 22 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frosting
Using a piping bag with a star-shaped tip gives these cupcakes their bakery-made look
2 cups Peanut Butter Chips (500 mL)
1 cup softened butter (250 mL)
1 teaspoon vanilla (5 mL)
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Melt peanut butter chips in the microwave on medium (50%); microwave for 1 to 2 minutes; stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

Beat butter and vanilla with melted chips until fluffy. Pipe or spread frosting over the cupcakes, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Enjoy!

Once you’ve hung up your baker’s hat and apron, how about taking a break, and delve into one of my books? May I suggest a visit to mysterious Fairy Falls, or if you’re feeling really adventurous, a trip back in time with The Last Timekeepers? Whichever you choose, either series will entertain, engage, and open your world to new adventures.

Here’s a glimpse of the premises of both my young adult series:

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventures…

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers—legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial—five classmates are sent into the past to restore balance, and bring order back into the world, one mission at a time.

Children are the key to our future. And now, they are the only hope for our past.

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mysteries…

In the small, quiet tourist town of Fairy Falls, a new-to-town teen, an unlikely hero who possesses an unusual psychic ability, is drawn into a mystery and is tasked with uncovering corrupt truths that threaten the town’s future.

Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expect the unexpected.

Buy Links:

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventure Series:

The Last Timekeepers and the Noble Slave, Book 3

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, Book 2 Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, Book 1 Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Legend of the Timekeepers, Prequel Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mystery Series:

Lost & Found, Book One Buy Links:

PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Blackflies & Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:

PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the award-winning teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, reading, researching, or revising, she enjoys anything arcane, ancient mysteries, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her spoiled hubby, and two shiny red e-bikes.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHOR page for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.

BONUSES:

Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE

Download the free PDF writing resource Tips, Tools  & Tricks for the Tenacious Writer HERE

 

Writing and Christmas are Alike

December 1, 2025 | Author Friend Promo, Holidays

from C.D. Hersh

We think writing and Christmas have a lot in common.

Preparing for Christmas is like writing a book—not that anyone gets much writing done in the weeks before the holiday. The concept, however, is the same; start early and stay on target.

For an Easy Christmas Holiday:

Plan in advance. Knowing your menu weeks in advance and looking for recipes you can prepare ahead, freeze, or have on hand reduces stress in the kitchen and lets you enjoy the holiday too. Don’t want to cook ahead? Then remodel the kitchen (not before the holidays, of course) and get that second oven you’ve been wanting so all those green bean casseroles will fit in. Better yet, let someone else host.

Shop all year long, especially on vacation where you can get one-of-a-kind items, and avoid the mall rush.

Get familiar with your Christmas dishes. Start using your Christmas dishes at the beginning of December so you don’t have to get them out of storage at the last minute. That 24-piece place setting of hollies and Christmas trees needs to be used more than once at Christmas dinner!

Get next year’s Christmas cards as soon as they go on sale. After all, you have a pretty good idea how many you will need for next year, and they never go out of style.

Begin next year’s Christmas letter now. Start in January and keep a running tally of the important things you want to include. If you bind the letters in a notebook, you have a ready-made life journal. One stone, two birds.

Make a goal list. Shopping done before Christmas, house cleaned thoroughly by the first weekend in December, trim the tree the day after Thanksgiving (since you don’t have to shop on Black Friday), Christmas cookies baked by the second weekend (or cheat and just buy them), the guest room readied right before your guests arrive, and so on. Tweak the list to fit your needs.

For Easy Book Writing:

Write all year long, every day. Then when you take all that time off in December to get ready for the holidays, you won’t feel so guilty.

Plan your book in advance. Some seat-of-the-pants writers claim too much planning takes the fun out of writing. We’ve done it both ways and have found thorough planning and plotting keeps us out of those pesky writer’s blocks. You just have to be willing to let your characters speak to you even if they don’t want to go where you’ve planned.

Get familiar with your book and characters. Let the novel and your characters live with you daily. When you are thinking about the book all the time, the words come easily to the page and your characters’ voices sound more real.

Get your ideas as soon as they come to you. Carry a notebook, or use your phone, to jot down everything that comes to mind about your current WIP or ideas for new books. Even if you don’t use the ideas now, they may work, with some tweaking, for something in the future. Writers are always writing, and we need to capture those ideas when they come.

Begin your next book now. Writers who don’t think about future projects while they are still working on the current one run the risk of writer’s block for their next book. A running log of ideas, thoughts, characters, or anything related to the next books will make coming up with the stories easier. We brainstorm when we drive places, capturing all our ideas, good or bad, in a composition notebook. In a single composition book, we have at least 10 new ideas waiting to be developed. Will we write them all? Maybe not, but we have ready-made journal filled with possibilities.

Make a goal list. Set writing goals for yourself. Whether it’s 100 words a day, or 20 pages a day doesn’t matter. It’s the goal that counts. Tweak your goal list to fit your needs and you’ll be surprised how quickly those 100 words will turn into pages, and pages into chapters, and chapters into a book.

So this holiday season, when you are laying your gifts beside the nativity, under your Christmas tree, give a gift to yourself. Promise to start writing early in the New Year and stay on target. Who knows, with perseverance and a little luck, you could be tucking your brand-new book under next year’s tree as a gift to someone else.

Happy Writing and Merry Christmas!

Putting words and stories on paper is second nature to co-authors C.D. Hersh. They’ve written separately since they were teenagers and discovered their unique, collaborative abilities in the mid-90s. As high school sweethearts and husband and wife, Catherine and Donald believe in true love and happily ever after, and that’s why they write romance.

In addition to writing Catherine and Donald love antiquing, traveling, singing, and going to the theatre. Catherine is also an avid gardener and has drawn Donald into her garden as a day laborer. They figure the couple who plays together and works together, stays together—and that’s just what they aim to do.

Second Editions Coming Soon:

Ghosts and Gardenias

The Promised One The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 1
Blood Brothers The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 2
Son of the Moonless Night The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 3
The Mercenary and the Shifters The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 4

Social Media Info:

From Our House to Yours

November 17, 2025 | Author Friend Promo, Holidays

by Stella May

In a little over a week, we in the United States will enjoy our Thanksgiving feasts with family and friends. It is a federal holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Outside the United States and sometimes called American Thanksgiving to distinguish it from the Canadian holiday of the same name along with related festivities in other regions. The modern national celebration dates to 1863 and has been linked to the Pilgrims 1621 harvest festival since the late 19th century. As the name implies, the theme of the holiday generally revolves around giving thanks with the centerpiece of most celebrations being a Thanksgiving dinner.

Documented Thanksgiving services in the United States were conducted as early as the 16th century by the Spaniards and the French. In those days Thanksgiving was observed through church services and feasting. Historian Michael Gannon claimed St. Augustine, Florida, was founded with a shared Thanksgiving meal on September 8, 1565.

In both Canada and America, family and friends gather for a special dinner and other celebrations on Thanksgiving. Traditional fare in the US includes turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie.

Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks. In my family, it’s tradition to go around the group and share thanks or toast to gratitude during the meal or dessert. The day offers the perfect time to look back at the past year and celebrate what you’re thankful for with family and friends.

From my family to yours, we wish you the happiness of good friends, the joy of happy family, and the wonder of the holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Stella

Here is a peek at book one of Stella’s time travel romance series for your reading pleasure. 

One key unlocks the love of a lifetime…but could also
break her heart. 

Nika Morris’s sixth sense has helped build a successful business, lovingly restoring and reselling historic homes on Florida’s Amelia Island. But there’s one forlorn, neglected relic that’s pulled at her from the moment she saw it. The century-old Coleman house.  

Quite unexpectedly, the house is handed to her on a silver platter—along with a mysterious letter, postmarked 1909, yet addressed personally to Nika. Its cryptic message: Find the key. You know where it is. Hurry, for goodness sake! 

The message triggers an irresistible drive to find that key. When she does, one twist in an old grandfather clock throws her back in time, straight into the arms of deliciously, devilishly handsome Elijah Coleman. 

Swept up in a journey of a lifetime, Nika finds herself falling in love with Eli—and with the family and friends that inhabit a time not even her vivid imagination could have conjured. But in one desperate moment of homesickness, she makes a decision that will not only alter the course of more than one life, but break her heart. 

’Til Time Do Us Part is available in Kindle and Paperback at AMAZON. 

 

Talented author Stella May is the penname for Marina Sardarova who has a fascinating history you should read on her website.

Welcome to Fairy Falls

November 3, 2025 | Author Friend Promo

Don’t Forget to Pack the Bug Spray…

from Sharon Ledwith

In book two of Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, Blackflies and Blueberries, I wrote about Hart Stewart—a teenage psychometrist who has no problem ‘reading’ the absorbed energy from an object like a ring or watch but struggles with the most basic reading skills. He finds a ring that pulls him into the past to witness a woman’s murder that has gone unsolved for over a year. That woman was Diana MacGregor’s mother, and when Diana discovers that Hart is in possession of the ring and shares the intimate details of her mother’s murder through his psychic ability, Diana strikes a deal with him. She’ll teach Hart how to read and write if he helps find her mother’s killer.

Blackflies & Blueberries, Book 2; Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls

The only witness left to testify against an unsolved crime in Fairy Falls isn’t a person…

City born and bred, Hart Stewart possesses the gift of psychometry—the psychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them. Since his mother’s death, seventeen-year-old Hart has endured homelessness, and has learned ways to keep his illiteracy under wraps. He eventually learns of a great-aunt living in Fairy Falls, and decides to leave the only life he’s ever known for an uncertain future.

Diana MacGregor lives in Fairy Falls. Her mother was a victim of a senseless murder. Only Diana’s unanswered questions and her grief keeps her going, until Hart finds her mother’s lost ring and becomes a witness to her murder.

Through Hart’s psychic power, Diana gains hope for justice. Their investigation leads them into the corrupt world threatening Fairy Falls. To secure the town’s future, Hart and Diana must join forces to uncover the shocking truth, or they risk losing the true essence of Fairy Falls forever.

Excerpt

For over a year now, Diana had wondered, prayed, and longed for any information regarding her mother’s murder. And now this guy shows up, who claims he has these psychic powers that can communicate with objects. Objects like mom’s ring. Diana pressed her lips together. An object that had been there, at the scene of the crime, a viable witness to a heinous act. It all seemed so far-fetched, so out there. Yet what did Hart have to gain from all this? This wasn’t a fortune telling session, this was real. So was Hart for real?

“Who are you, anyway?” Brook asked. “The sorcerer’s apprentice?”

Hart threw her a strange look. “No. My name’s Hart Stewart. I’m Gertie Ellis’s great-nephew.”

Diana snapped out of her self-induced trance. Gertie Ellis? Not the same Gertie Ellis who was Dan Boone’s only alibi? No. This is all too much. It was information overload to the power of ten. Diana thought she heard Donovan mumble ‘Uh-oh’ as he took a step back. He swung the golf club behind his back, as if anticipating her next move, but Donovan would have never have guessed what was about to happen next, because what came out of her mouth shocked even Diana. “Name your price, I’ll pay you whatever you ask. You can even have my car, if you want it.”

Donovan dropped the golf club.

Brook gasped.

Hart snapped his head back. “Pay me? Pay me for what?”

“To find my mother’s killer,” Diana replied. “Let’s face facts. You’re the only person who has these special psychic connections and no one else has been able to solve her murder. Look, I’ve got all the information on my mother’s murder, I’ve kept impeccable files, know the suspects, and can help you get anything you’d need. What do you say?”

“Your…your car?” Donovan muttered.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Brook asked, concerned.

Diana held her hand out toward Hart. “Do we have a deal?”

Dumbfounded, Hart looked at Diana’s offered hand, then glanced back to her face, searching for a hint of sincerity. He nodded. “I’ll help you, if you help me.”

Startled, Diana arched her thin, fair brows. “Help you? How?”

Hart took a deep breath. “My mother was murdered too. In Toronto, just over a year ago, in our apartment. Nothing was taken. She had no enemies to speak of and we weren’t rich. All I have is a letter my great-aunt kept from when mom was my age. Maybe it will help answer some questions, maybe it won’t.”

Diana nodded. “So what does it say?”

Hart cast his eyes to the ground. His face reddened, his hands balled at his sides. He took another deep breath. “I…I don’t know,” he replied, his voice cracking. “I can’t—”

Diana inclined her head. “Can’t what?”

Hart’s eyes locked with Diana’s. His chin trembled as he whispered, “Read.”

Silence, except for the sudden, chilly gust of wind coming off of the lake.

Donovan broke it. “Dude, did you just that say you can’t—”

“Donovan!” Brook elbowed him in the ribs. “Don’t be so insensitive!”

Donovan rubbed his side, and nodded. “Dude, you’re illiterate?”

Brook rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I meant, you bonehead.”

Diana ignored her friends and got straight to the heart of the matter. “Then I’ll teach you to read. We’ll help each other. That way, I’ll get what I want, and you’ll get what you want.”

Blackflies & Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:

PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Here’s a glimpse of the premises of both my young adult series:

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventures…

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers—legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial—five classmates are sent into the past to restore balance, and bring order back into the world, one mission at a time.

Children are the key to our future. And now, they are the only hope for our past.

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mysteries…

In the small, quiet tourist town of Fairy Falls, a new-to-town teen, an unlikely hero who possesses an unusual psychic ability, is drawn into a mystery and is tasked with uncovering corrupt truths that threaten the town’s future.

Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expect the unexpected.

Buy Links:

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventure Series:

The Last Timekeepers and the Noble Slave, Book 3

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, Book 2 Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, Book 1 Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Legend of the Timekeepers, Prequel Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mystery Series:

Lost & Found, Book One Buy Links:

PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Blackflies & Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:

PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the award-winning teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, reading, researching, or revising, she enjoys anything arcane, ancient mysteries, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her spoiled hubby, and two shiny red e-bikes.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHOR page for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.

BONUSES:

Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE

Download the free PDF writing resource Tips, Tools  & Tricks for the Tenacious Writer HERE