Welcome to Fairy Falls! Don't Forget to Pack the Bug Spray...

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:

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What If Shelter Animals Could Talk?

If you had the ability to talk to your pet, would you? Most people would probably jump on board and say YES! Some maybe not so on board. It all depends on the person and their relationship with animals. In Lost and Found, the first book of my teen psychic mystery series, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, I introduce Meagan Walsh, a fifteen-year-old rebel without a cause. She has the ability to communicate with animals telepathically. However, she’d buried this psychic gift after her mother died tragically in an auto accident and was only stirred to use it when confronted with a crusty shelter cat named Whiskey.

Fairy Falls was bores-ville from the get-go. Then the animals started talking.

The Fairy Falls Animal Shelter is in trouble. Money trouble. It’s up to an old calico cat named Whiskey—a shelter cat who has mastered the skill of observation—to find a new human pack leader so that their home will be saved. With the help of Nobel, the leader of the shelter dogs, the animals set out to use the ancient skill of telepathy to contact any human who bothers to listen to them. Unfortunately for fifteen-year-old Meagan Walsh, she hears them, loud and clear.

Forced to live with her Aunt Izzy in the safe and quiet town of Fairy Falls, Meagan is caught stealing and is sentenced to do community hours at the animal shelter where her aunt works. Realizing Meagan can hear her, Whiskey realizes that Meagan just might have the pack leader qualities necessary to save the animals. Avoiding Whiskey and the rest of shelter animals becomes impossible for Meagan, so she finally gives in and promises to help them. Meagan, along with her newfound friends, Reid Robertson and Natalie Knight, discover that someone in Fairy Falls is not only out to destroy the shelter, but the animals as well. Can Meagan convince her aunt and co-workers that the animals are in danger? If she fails, then all the animals’ voices will be silenced forever.

Excerpt:

Beep, beep, the front door sounded again. Sighing, Whiskey lifted a back leg in the middle of the hallway and proceeded to groom herself. She heard a familiar voice. The Kind One is here. Good. I’ll get my litter box done first. She stopped grooming and instantly regretted the extra mess she’d made. Then Whiskey heard another voice. This one belonged to a human who was younger and female, yet there was a rough edge to her voice, like she had just swallowed a handful of litter. Curious, Whiskey sauntered over to the reception area, jumped on the grey chair that waited there for her, and proceeded to do what she did best—observe.

“Stop whining about it, Meagan, or suck it up, as you would say. You’re doing these hours and there’s no getting out of it.”

“Isn’t there a child labour law on this?” the younger human asked.

“You’re not being paid.”

“Okay, isn’t this considered some kind of abuse, then?”

The Kind One smiled. “Only if I feed you to Mary Jane.”

“Mary…who?”

Whiskey snorted in laughter, but to a human, it would sound more like a strangled meow. The Kind One jumped and turned around. She giggled, and then moved to scratch Whiskey under the chin. “Good morning, Whiskey-girl. I hope you didn’t leave too much of a mess for me this morning.”

The girl’s face twitched. “That cat is named after booze? Nice.”

“She was found near the liquor store,” the Kind One said, smiling. “It seemed appropriate.”

Whiskey sneezed, causing her collar bells to jingle, and purred to appease the Kind One. She was Whiskey’s favourite human and she didn’t like it when the felines of the shelter made more of a mess than usual for her to clean up. However, last night, a full moon had graced the skies. Tempers were higher at this time of the month, so it wasn’t unusual to find upturned litter boxes, vomit in the cages, or clumps of fur all over the floor. The pull and power the moon had over animals was out of their control, so when it waned, things got calmer, and their home was kept cleaner.

“Mary Jane is our pit bull,” the Kind One was saying. “She’s the last one left in the shelter since the government banned the breed. I wish we could find her a suitable home. I think she’s going a bit bonkers being in the shelter twenty-four seven.”

The girl’s mouth fell open. “I don’t do dogs.”

The Kind One shrugged. “Fine. There are over seventy cats that need attention and care. I’m sure you won’t be bored.”

The girl frowned. “I don’t do cats, either. I’m...I’m allergic.”

“Oh, haven’t you heard, my dear? There are pills for that,” the Kind One said, laughing. “Go into my car’s glove compartment and grab a couple of allergy pills, and then get your lily-white butt back here so you can help me start cleaning.”

The girl moaned. She pulled at the oversized pink scrub top she wore as if protesting the Kind One’s orders, and then opened the door to go outside. Beep, beep.

“Well, Whiskey, shall we get this party started?”

Whiskey meowed, and then stretched before getting down off the chair. She ran straight to the door and let out a long-winded meow. She wanted out so she could roll on the driveway to loosen any fur the Loud One had not purged from her. Two beeps accompanied her departure. Whiskey heard a car door slam and looked across the lot. The young girl had a white stick stuck in her mouth and was heading for the side of the building, near to the dog runs. Whiskey watched as she snuck behind the lone shed and sat down.

Interesting, she thought. I wonder if the Kind One trusts her?

Whiskey decided to observe this young human. Carefully, she skulked over to the tall grass that was never cut and pushed her way through it. Closer, closer, closer she got, until she was about a stone’s throw away. The dogs were barking like the lunatics they were. Louis was in the run closest to the forest that backed onto the building, while a new dog, a Lab mix, she guessed, was in the middle. The run next to the driveway had always been reserved for Mary Jane. Whiskey glanced back at the girl who was sucking on her white glowing stick. Whiskey sniffed, and then sneezed. Her bells tinkled. Poison, she thought, pawing her face to dissipate the stench.

“Who’s that?” the girl asked, quickly removing the white stick from her mouth.

Whiskey sneezed again, sounding off her bells as she jumped out of the long grass. She gave the young human a long look of disdain, like one a cat might make while having the squirts in a litter box.

“Oh, it’s just you,” the girl mumbled, and then resumed sucking on her white glowing stick.

Silly, stupid human, Whiskey thought. She turned to saunter away.

“I’m not silly, and I’m certainly not stupid,” the girl responded nastily.

Whiskey froze and then sat down. She turned her head around to watch the girl blow smoke out of her mouth. Her long legs were stretched out in front of her and she seemed relatively relaxed. Whiskey shook her head. Had she imagined it? Did this girl really pick up her thoughts? This was a real conundrum. No human had ever come as close as this one to understanding her; to actually communicating with her. The exception, of course, had been the Kind One’s instinct to know when a cat was ill and take care of the matter, but instinct was instinct and this was something more.

“What’s the matter, Whiskey?” the girl asked, sucking on the white stick once more before rubbing it into the ground. She blew out ringlets of smoke. “Cat got your tongue?”

Lost & Found, Book One Buy Links:

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Creating a Marketing Campaign for a Book Series…

In January of 2026, just before my knee replacement surgery, my publisher at Pandamonium Publishing House and I had a meeting to ‘plant seeds’ as she put it, for the spring and summer book marketing seasons. My chin trembled. “Umm. Wait. You know that I’ll be out of service for 6 to 8 weeks, right?” I asked her with the calmest voice I could muster. Honestly, I could sense her grinning back at me through my cell phone. She casually went on to explain that I’d only had to post twice a week, and they would supply the images I’d need to pull off this Fairy Falls Narrative Campaign, as I dubbed it. “Fine,” I moaned. “What does this campaign entail?”

The goal was simple. To position Lost & Found and Blackflies & Blueberries—the two books I have published so far in Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mystery series—as dark, perceptive, outsider-driven stories set in a town with secrets. Not cozy. Not gentle. Not seasonal fluff. I was instantly engaged. My publisher went on to say that these books are not: cute animal stories, cozy small-town tales, or gentle mysteries. They are: animals as witnesses, psychic intrusion into hidden crime, corrupt systems inside “safe” spaces, and outsiders seeing what insiders refuse to. “Basically,” she explained, “It’s perception vs. reality.” It was my turn to grin. This marketing idea sounded fresh and out of the box. Better yet, it was doable while I recovered from surgery.

So, how did we go about creating this framework? By choosing the appropriate campaign style. This was narrative marketing, not polite promotion. The tone is unsettling, observant, and atmospheric. We are creating intrigue, not asking for attention. Then the fun began for me with just under two weeks before surgery, as I had to create the content needed to commence this campaign. My publisher gave me a template to follow with examples of what was to be expected, and I worked diligently on these six key strategies until I had enough narratives to run. To give you an idea, these are the content types I had to follow:

·         Fairy Falls Incident Posts, that had to look like town notices, alerts, or reports.

·         Anonymous POV Drops, in an animal’s POV, a townsperson’s POV, an observer’s POV, or a killer’s POV.

·         If You Lived Here Series, where I’d post a narrative stating something like, ‘If you lived in Fairy Falls, you’d trust the wrong people.’

·         Watcher Imagery and Cryptic Lines, using normal, peaceful photos, then overlay narrative like ‘Fairy Falls sees everything’. That’s it. No sales language. No calls of action. Just atmosphere.

·         Urban Legend and Myth Framing, using Fairy Falls legends, things people say but can’t prove, or stories no one wants to repeat.

·         Outsider Perspective Content, where outsiders would always see the cracks, or it takes someone who doesn’t belong to notice, or no one inside Fairy Falls wanted to see this.  

All these narratives I had to create must align with teen identity, alienation, and distrust of authority.
Easy-peasy, right? Well, it was a challenge, but I managed to conjure exactly what my publisher was looking for. Yay, me! I also had fun learning how to add type to an image and pick that atmospheric music to go along with it on Instagram, and then share on my social media accounts. I know from past experience that when doing a campaign like this, you must show up consistently, however choosing to take a week and a half off to recover from my surgery was a no-brainer for my health and well-being. Once rested, I jumped back on the book marketing bandwagon with a renewed sense of excitement, knowing that I am indeed planting seeds that will hopefully sprout into connections with future readers. And in the grand scheme of things for authors, it is all about connecting with readers. That, and have a supportive publisher who pushes you out of your comfort zone. Wink.

If you’re an author, have you run any interesting book marketing campaigns? If you’re a reader, what kind of campaigns draw you in and get you excited enough to read the featured book? I’d love to read your comments. As always, thank you for spending your time reading my blog, and I hope that I’ve added value to your day! Cheers!

Lost & Found, Book One Buy Links:

PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Blackflies & Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:

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Expect the Unexpected this Holiday Season...

We’re now full throttle into the holiday season, and I’d thought I’d share an interview I did with my Canadian publisher, Lacey Bakker, who owns Pandamonium Publishing House, and just celebrated their 10^th Anniversary this past October. Woohoo! Congratulations to Lacey, and all the authors and staff for this amazing accomplishment! This interview was originally done live on Instagram, so below is the transcript. Enjoy…

1) When you started writing Lost and Found, did you immediately know you were going to write a series or did that happen later in your process?

You know, I thought I might be writing a series with the same group of characters, but the original idea took a turn for the better. I wrote Blackflies and Blueberries first, which was inspired by my experience as a tutor for the Muskoka Literacy Council, and a real-life psychometrist who my daughter personally knew. I was going to play off this series (think like Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys). Then, I got a job at the local animal shelter, and everything came together. This was the book that needed to go first in the series, needed to be told, and comes from my heart.

2)  Why did you choose to set multiple stories in the same town, and what makes Fairy Falls special as a backdrop for your stories?

This town is really the attraction of the series, and the glue that connects all the stories. Fairy Falls seems to bring out the latent or dormant psychic abilities in the relocated teen characters of each book. There’s a reason for that, which I explain more in the third installment, Sticks & Stones. Let’s just say that the Druids who founded Fairy Falls in the 1800s had something to do with harnessing the power that lies underneath this quiet tourist town.

My intention for this series is to pass the baton to a new generation who are more plugged in or in tuned with their intuitive and psychic abilities. It’s kind of like ripping the veil away from what’s been there all along.

3)  Animals play a huge role in your first book. How do you capture their personalities so vividly, and are any based on pets or experiences from your own life?

Actually, I based all the animal characters in Lost & Found from my job as an animal care attendant, and searched for any small quirks in their personalities to create the unique furry characters you see in my book. While tending to the animals at the shelter, I found myself wondering what they’d say? How would they act and sound? What did they really think of humans? So, chasing down the animal voices frolicking in my head, I wrote their story.

4)  If you suddenly had a psychic power from one of your characters for a day, which one would
you pick and what would you do first?

Oh, that’s easy! I’d love to communicate with animals like Meagan does. I know it’s an attainable skill if you study under someone who teaches this ability. Maybe one day, I may take the course and see what materializes.

As for what I’d do first? Be of service to a local animal shelter. I’d read as many of the animals’ energies as I could. I’d try to bring some comfort, healing or peace to them, and find out how they came to arrive at the shelter. I’ve seen so many stressed out or fearful animals, it may help to walk in their paws, and see how I can help them adjust to a situation they did not ask for.

5)  Your books feature such distinct characters. Do you start with the story first or the characters, and how do you bring them to life on the page?

Both, actually. The seed idea comes from either an experience – like the animal shelter or being a tutor for literacy – and then the characters arrive, ready to go, and let their story be told. I used to live in cottage country, so I had the perfect backdrop and experiences for the series. I do have a rough idea of the story, and where it’s going, but it is a process, and sometimes those characters can take over and run the show.

Bringing characters to life is actually easy for me. However, put them in with other characters, and you need to make each voice unique and believable. So, I give my characters’ flaws, challenges, and adversities in their day to day lives. These are the traits readers need to connect with, feel their pain, and relate to, or you’ve lost the point of telling a story.

6)  Do you have any unique habits, rituals, or quirky tricks to get into the “zone” when writing your books?

A dram of scotch. Just kidding. I used to light a stick of incense before I sat down to write, but my hubby complained of the smell. LOL! I still do it when I can, and sage my room once a week when I’m in the writing mode. Call me eccentric or call me a witch. Either way, I’m good with that. Calling in any angelic or esoteric help works for me too.

7)  What’s the strangest or most random source of inspiration that ever sparked a scene, character, or book idea?

A dream gave me the idea for the first young adult series I created which I called The Last Timekeepers. However, for Lost & Found, it was a cat we had named Shadow who set the stage for the lunging scene in the book. Trust me, when you need to use welding gloves to transfer a cat from a dirty cage to a clean one, your anxiety level goes ballistic. Another scene that comes to mind is getting revenge on my son’s then-girlfriend by, let’s just say, getting baptized by a murder of crows. It was so satisfying to write!

In Blackflies & Blueberries, the strange dome-like house that the main character’s great aunt lives in, is a source of inspiration because it was a real cottage on the lake where we used to live. Life imitates art, right?    

8)  If someone is curious about starting a series or writing their first novel, what’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you?

That the whole writing process is a journey, not a destination. Cliché, but true. Whether you’re writing a series or a trilogy or a stand-alone novel, be in it for the long haul. Book series could take you well over two decades or more. Trilogies, maybe one decade or more. Even that stand-alone novel could take you years to write, depending on the genre and research needed to fill its pages. Check in with yourself every so often by revamping your writing plans, getting real about what kind of writer you want to be, and how to show up in the world. Remember that slow and steady progress assures success, and to be your authentic self. Always.

If these books piqued your interest or you know of a reader in your life who’d love to dive into this series, and discover Fairy Falls for themselves, please check out the links provided. Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expect the unexpected.

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 ׀

Wishing you and your family a safe and happy holiday season. Cheers, and thanks for reading my blog! You can connect with me, learn about my books, grab some free downloads for a short story, writing tips, or fun family recipes at my website: www.sharonledwith.com

Let Your Summer Reading Begin with a Visit to Fairy Falls…

It’s been eleven years since we moved from our cottage-turned-lake-house to the burbs of a historic southern Ontario town on the Detroit River, yet I can still feel the pull of the former cottage country lifestyle reel me in, especially during the summer months. Why? It wasn’t because of the blackflies! LOL! The truth is I found that life was slower up there in retrospect, and getting to live so close to nature was a privilege and blessing. However, Hubby and I knew the time was ripe to move, and let someone else enjoy the home we built by the lake. So, we sold the old homestead, complete with a westerly view to die for, pulled up our stakes, and moved to a warmer climate to be closer to family, and new opportunities for us.

Do I regret moving? Sometimes. That’s one of the reasons why I created the fictional tourist town of Fairy Falls. It was a place where I could set my teen psychic mystery series, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls around the beautiful Canadian cottage country landscape that I left behind. By doing this I was able to share my experiences, and expand my imagination through my psychically-gifted characters using the art of storytelling as a means of conveyance. Fairy Falls is now a place where I can visit anytime I choose, without the need of purchasing a can or two of bug spray. Wink.

Setting the series was the easy part. Write what you know, right? So I took in the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, emotions, and feelings of where I used to live, 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, then gave them a mystery to solve. Meagan Walsh, the protagonist from Lost and Found tells us what she thinks of Fairy Falls right off the bat: “This town sucks!”, and she goes on to describe it as ‘a small, boring northern tourist town’. If only Meagan knew what life had planned for her in this magical place!

Speaking of magical, if you’d like to pay a visit to Fairy Falls during this summer (or winter if you live in the southern hemisphere), and feed your need to read at the same time, please consider curling up with one of my books. Here’s a glimpse into my cottage country mysteries…

Lost & Found, Book One:

Fairy Falls was bores-ville from the get-go. Then the animals started talking... 

The Fairy Falls Animal Shelter is in trouble. Money trouble. It’s up to an old calico cat named Whiskey—a shelter cat who has mastered the skill of observation—to find a new human pack leader so that their home will be saved. With the help of Nobel, the leader of the shelter dogs, the animals set out to use the ancient skill of telepathy to contact any human who bothers to listen to them. Unfortunately for fifteen-year-old Meagan Walsh, she hears them, loud and clear.

Forced to live with her Aunt Izzy in the safe and quiet town of Fairy Falls, Meagan is caught stealing and is sentenced to do community hours at the animal shelter where her aunt works. Realizing Meagan can hear her, Whiskey realizes that Meagan just might have the pack leader qualities necessary to save the animals. Avoiding Whiskey and the rest of shelter animals becomes impossible for Meagan, so she finally gives in and promises to help them. Meagan, along with her newfound friends, Reid Robertson and Natalie Knight, discover that someone in Fairy Falls is not only out to destroy the shelter, but the animals as well. Can Meagan convince her aunt and co-workers that the animals are in danger? If she fails, then all the animals’ voices will be silenced forever.

Lost & Found Buy Links:

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Blackflies & Blueberries, Book Two:

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.

Blackflies & Blueberries Buy Links:

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Coming Soon through Pandamonium Publishing House:

Sticks & Stones, Book Three:

The healing needs to leave the circle for all to be whole.

Fourteen-year-old Thane Berg never asked to move to Fairy Falls—or to live with the father he barely knows. But when he starts manifesting strange powers—bending tools, levitating rocks, and moving objects with his mind—his world turns upside down. His psychic ability, psychokinesis, grows stronger and harder to control with every emotional spike. As if navigating a new school and a strained relationship with his gay father weren’t challenging enough, Thane must also keep his powers hidden while grappling with secrets from the past.

With the help of an eccentric neighbor, Thane begins to understand his paranormal gift. A mysterious book—tied to an ancient Druid and discovered in the school library—may hold the key to his powers. But things take a darker turn when he and three new friends stumble upon an illegal marijuana grow-op on his grandfather’s rural property. The operation is poisoning the land—and something far older and more magical than anyone suspects.

Now, Thane must harness his unstable abilities to protect his friends, heal the damage done to the forest, and preserve the mystical legacy of Fairy Falls. If he fails, he risks losing everything—and everyone—he’s come to care about.

There you have it! Great summer (or winter) reading material at your fingertips. Have you ever visited a small town while on vacation and felt at home there for some reason? If you could choose a psychic ability, what would be your choice? I’d love to read your comments. Cheers, and as always, thank you for spending your time reading my blog!

Authors: Just Keep Showing Up…

I’m the type a person who, once I commit to something, I’m all in. Especially if my heart has anything to say about it. Let’s talk writing for instance. At the beginning of 2025, I was faced with a dilemma. My publisher was closing at the end of the year, and I had to take action if I wanted my books to continue to show up in the world. So, I queried (not fun, but a necessary task) a couple of publishers based on referrals from my author friends. Within a month, I signed on with two publishers! The first publisher, Pandamonium Publishing House for my teen psychic mystery series, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls (read more about that news HERE), and the second publisher, Next Chapter for The Last Timekeepers young adult time travel adventures. Once I signed both contracts, the stress literally rolled off my shoulders. Woohoo!

That said, I know I’m in it for the long haul. As mentioned, I’ve got two young adult book series on the go—four done in the time travel series, and three completed in the teen psychic tales. What you don’t know is that I’ve got nine more to write in total. Stating this fact shows I know it’s going to take years before each series is completed. Honestly, what was I thinking?

Keep in mind I’ve had to learn that patience is my friend, not foe. I removed myself from the hustle culture a few years ago, and feel much calmer, more focused, and less stressed. If you’re familiar with the Tarot cards, there’s one particular card that I visualize in my mind to help me keep showing up. It’s the seven of wands, and the energy this card carries is one of valor, of holding firm, and of having the advantage in spite of the stiff competition facing you. I’ve embodied this card’s meaning many times throughout my author and personal life. To have the courage to work through adversity and all sorts of pressure. It’s determination, perseverance, and a sense of purpose wrapped up in a gift with a bow. This card reminds me not to give up the struggle, and that if I make the effort, I will achieve victory.

As writers, sometimes obstacles are placed in our path (like losing your publisher) just to enhance our ability to use our skills and wisdom wisely. Take the amount of times a writer has been rejected, and you get the gist. It’s a test for us to see if we can truly handle what we believe we can accomplish. To keep showing up is a testament to your dreams and goals. I mean, why did you come to the earth plane anyway? You showed up here for a reason. Figure out what that reason is, and make things happen in your life.

Sometimes just showing up means carving out that fifteen minutes a day to write your story or even a blog post. Do up a few ad blurbs for the books you’ve already written and published, and do some marketing. Back lists sell new books, right? Plot and plan that next novel. Meet with other writers and network or brainstorm. Reach out to your local bookstore, and see if they’ve got any author events planned. Jump in with both feet, and share your reading wares with the local libraries or schools. Donate copies of books to charities like Ronald McDonald House Charities to enhance their libraries and raise spirits. Be courageous and brave, like the figure on the seven of wands, who takes the bull by the horns, and soldiers on.

In this writing business, it’s easy to feel daunted, to retreat, to feel overwhelmed, and not know what the next chapter of your life will bring. I have at times too. Just take a breath, step back from the action periodically, reassess your plans and goals, then take back your place, and know you have the advantage even if you don’t realize it. Because, trust me, you do.

How about you? Have you ever let the competition get to you? Let me know if you’ve ever felt at a disadvantage in your writing life. Do you cut your losses and withdraw from your dreams and goals? Would love to read your comments. Cheers and thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate you! 

The Perfect Victoria Day Weekend Meal and Young Adult Book Series Read...

A Canadian staple, peameal bacon (Canadian bacon is a comparable substitute), and eggs have graced many a table every Sunday for brunch, including mine. However, sometimes we do things a little different in our home by cooking a peameal roast as the main course for supper. Served with hash browns, air-fryer roast potatoes, or wedge fries, and veggies of your choice (we love the garden bean medley), this meal makes extra for sandwiches or breakfast. Yum! So get your toque on, and maple syrup out of the fridge, it’s time to embrace Canada’s culture and cuisine. Can you give me an ‘Eh’?

Maple-Glazed Peameal Roast

¾ cup pure maple syrup (125 ml)

¼ cup grainy mustard (60 ml)

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme (5 ml)

1½ pound piece of peameal bacon, whole

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Gently boil maple syrup, mustard, and thyme in a saucepan until reduced to almost half and thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Brush glaze over peameal and roast for about 30 to 45 minutes, basting occasionally with the glaze, until peameal is heated through. Transfer peameal to a large plate and let stand, loosely covered with foil, for about 15 minutes.

Slice roast and serve with your choice of potatoes and veggies.

This meal is perfect at campground get-togethers or cottage retreats when you need a meal in a pinch to serve for dinner or even brunch. Once dinner or breakfast is finished and the dishes are done, it’s time to relax, kick back, and let your meal digest in peace. Depending on the time of day, pour yourself a cup of coffee, tea, or a favorite beverage, and head over to the porch, parlor, or patio and allow 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.