Author in the Kitchen: Quench that Dog Day Thirst by Sweet Romance Author Catherine Castle...

Iced tea is summer’s classic drink. I thought it might be interesting to talk about the history of this popular drink before the summer slips away and also share my Nectarine Iced Tea recipe.

The history of tea reaches back to 2737 B.B. when, according to Chinese legend, Emperor Shen Nong accidently discovered tea when a leaf from a wild tea tree fell into a pot of water he was boiling in his garden. He enjoyed the flavor the leaf lent to the water so much that he began to brew it.

Iced tea, however, is much younger. The first recorded recipes in the U.S. for iced tea appeared in The Buckeye Cookbook in 1876 and in 1879 HouseKeeping in Old Virginia. The 1879 recipe, published by Marion Cabel Tyree, called for green tea to be boiled and steeped throughout the day. The liquid was then poured over ice and sugar and served with lemon.

The popularity of iced tea using black tea is believed to have started at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, where Richard Blechynden, the Commissioner of Tea for India and one of the fair's directors, was exhibiting hot black tea. Because the temperatures were high, hot tea wasn't selling. So, Blechynden brewed and chilled the tea, and thirsty fair visitors began buying. The trend caught on and by World War I iced tea appeared in the kitchens of Americans and in restaurants on a regular basis. Today, iced tea—black, green and herbal, in bottles, boxes and pitchers—is a staple on America’s menus.

Iced tea also appears on the tables in other countries, but many have a different take on the drink than Americans do. Here we have what most Southerners know as sweet tea, which is sugared, and regular iced tea—most common with Northerners, which is usually unsweetened. Tea drinkers have the option of adding a squeeze of lemon, or not.

In Brazil, particularly in Rio de Janeiro, mate tea, not the camellia sinensis tea associated with black tea, is the preferred drink for iced tea. Yerba mate dried leaves are boiled in water, then strained and served in cups.

Iced tea in Greece is usually flavored with peach or lemon. If you order peach tea, you’ll still get a lemon slice on the rim of the glass.

Ginger lemon, lemon and peach flavored teas are popular in India.


In Hong Kong tea is served with lemon slices that are crushed, releasing the volatile oils into the tea. There is also a milk tea version of iced tea made with green tea, flavored with jasmine blossoms and tapioca pearls. The tea is served warm and poured over ice, creating a creamy iced tea.

Taiwan has an interesting tea called Bubble Tea. This tea is usually a strong black tea, sweetened with sugar and condensed milk. It is served cold usually with tapioca pearls. Sometimes pudding, jelly, or chunks of fruit are put into it instead of tapioca pearls. Bubble tea can also be made with other types of tea.

Thailand iced tea is made from strongly brewed black tea, sweetened with sugar and condensed milk. Evaporated milk, coconut milk or whole milk are also used. The tea and milk are usually mixed together and then poured over the ice.

You might think that with tea time being a staple in the UK iced tea would be as popular there as in the rest of Europe. But not so. The popularity of iced tea in United Kingdom has only begun to rise since 2000.

Today, when you ask, “Would you like some iced tea?” Most people expect brewed black tea, with or without sugar and lemon. But plain old camellia sinensis isn’t the only option. With hundreds of flavored and herbal teas, the varieties of iced tea are only limited by one’s imagination.

At my house our favorite iced teas are decaffeinated Sun Tea, made by steeping tea bags in cold water using the heat of the sun to brew it, and hibiscus tea made from pouring boiling water over the dried flowers of the hibiscus plant. I’ve even begun putting my leftover morning tea, usually Mrs. Patmore’s Pudding Tea or Irish tea with cream, into the refrigerator and drinking it cold later on in the day. I’m surprised at how tasty it is.

For your summer tea enjoyment, I’ve included a fruity iced tea recipe I developed. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Nectarine Iced Tea
4 peach flavored green tea bags
2 cups boiling water
1 ripe nectarine
2 fresh, sweet cherries with the stem, optional
Sugar or sweetener to taste

Place tea bags in a 2-cup heat-proof measuring cup. Pour boiling water into cup and steep tea bags according to directions.

Halve the nectarine and peel⅔ of the fruit. Reserving 2 peeled slices for garnish.

Slice the peeled nectarines into sections. Place ½ the sections into a bowl and crush the fruit to break down the flesh and release the juices.

Drop ¼ of the crushed nectarine into two 16-ounce glasses and stir well. Add ice and then remaining peeled nectarines.

Pour cooled tea over the ice and fruit in the glasses.

Garnish the glass edge with the unpeeled fruit and drop a fresh sweet cherry with the stem on into the top of the tea.

Add sugar or sweetener to taste. The riper the fruit the less sweetener you’ll need.

How about a peek at my latest sweet romance while you sip your refreshing tea?

One date for every medical test—that’s the deal. Allison, however, gets more than she bargains for. She gets a Groom for Mama.

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

EXCERPT
With a sweep of his hand, Jack spread the photos out on the table in front of Allison and Beverly. “Here’s a few I just grabbed from the database. Any of them interesting?” He studied Allison’s reaction. She didn’t bat an eyelash as she scanned the men’s pictures. Then, without warning, she scooped them up and shoved them at him.

“I told Mama I wasn’t going to do this. It’s a stupid idea.”

“I’ll admit it’s not the ‘some enchanted evening, see a stranger across the room’ romantic way to find a husband, but it’s not totally unacceptable. Several of the couples my company has brought together have married.”

“And lived happily ever after?” she retorted.

“It’s a new company, Allison. I don’t have the stats yet.” He pushed the photos across the table. “Just take a peek. What harm can it do?”

Beverly grabbed the photo of a particularly handsome man. “How about this one? His coloring complements yours. You’d have beautiful children.”

Mama!” Allison snatched the photo away. “We’re not going to discuss my possible, yet unlikely, progeny in front of Jack.”

A flash of Allison kissing this guy flew through his head. He grabbed the photo from her. “He’s not your type anyway.”

“And just how do you know?” she asked.

“I dated you, remember? You ditched me for some suave, corporate hotshot. At least it’s what you said.”
“Allison!” Beverly exclaimed. “You never told me that.”

Allison shot him a fierce scowl. “I’m not comfortable discussing my love life with you, Mama. Besides, what’s done and over with should be buried . . . in the past.” She picked up another photo. “What about him? Or him and him?” She pointed to two nerdy-looking fellows. “They seem corporate.”

Mama leaned over and checked out the pictures Allison had indicated. “Too ugly,” she said. “He’s got to be handsome. Like Jack. I want to know my grandbabies will be as beautiful as you two.”

He grinned. “Thanks for the compliment, but I know I’m not your daughter’s type.” He laid a sheet of paper on the counter. “Fill this out. Then I can get a better idea of what you want in a husband.”

“I don’t want—”

“I know,” he interjected. “But, for your mom’s sake, just pretend you do.”

Second Edition Coming Soon

Multi-award-winning author Catherine Castle has been writing all her life. A former freelance writer, she has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit (under her real name) in the Christian and secular market. Now she writes sweet and inspirational romance. Her debut inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from Soul Mate Publishing, has garnered multiple contests finals and wins.

Catherine loves writing, reading, traveling, singing, watching movies, and the theatre. In the winter she loves to quilt and has a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place to be is in her garden. She’s passionate about gardening and even won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.

Learn more about Catherine Castle on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out Catherine’s Amazon author page and her Goodreads page. You can also find Catherine on Stitches Thru Time and the SMP authors blog site.

Guest Post: KEEPING BRITAIN TIDY a Never-ending Task by Fantasy Author Carol Browne...

One of my favourite activities isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, although I wish more people would take it up. Once a week, I join a couple of neighbours and we go litter picking in our local area.

There’s an expression in the UK – “It’s like painting the Forth Bridge.” Said bridge spans the Forth Estuary in Scotland and is so big a structure that, in the days before new tech, painting it was a question of getting to the end only to have to start again at the beginning. It was a task that was never finished and so it is with litter picking.

Have humans become more thoughtless with their rubbish over the years? It does seem so. There’s more packaging on everyday purchases too, and people eat fast food on the go. When did everyone start taking bottled water and cans out with them wherever they went? What is the mentality of fly-tippers who are happy to make their rubbish someone else’s problem rather than dispose of it responsibly themselves?

Litter isn’t just unsightly; it poses serious danger to wildlife and the environment. Broken bottles can injure dogs’ paws and start forest fires. Plastic can holders trap and strangle animals – they should be cut up before disposal. Plastic that is loose in the ecosystem breaks down into tiny fragments that enter our food and water and, eventually, our bodies.

In past ages, rubbish was biodegradable. Forest floors were littered with dead leaves not crisp packets. Broken clay pottery returned to the earth from which it was made. Textiles were mended and reused. Leftover food items became compost to grow more food. There were no cigarette ends ground underfoot, no plastic bags taking flight over windswept fields.

So, my neighbours and I do our bit to clean up the detritus of modern life. We have fun doing it – you’d be surprised what we find! It’s a satisfying pastime because we can see that we’ve made a difference to our neighbourhood, and it sets a good example to others – litterally! Imagine if everyone just kept the area outside their own home litter-free, wouldn’t that be something!

The characters in my epic fantasy trilogy The Elwardain Chronicles would be horrified to see the rubbish-strewn vistas of the 21st century. They would be appalled by our carelessness and lack of respect for nature. Their 6th century world is unspoilt and unpolluted. If you would like to escape to a cleaner, simpler time, why not take a trip through my trilogy and walk into a world of beauty and magic.

The journey begins now with Book 1, The Exile of Elindel, available in eBook and print.

Banished from Elvendom and forced to seek refuge among the Saxons, young Elgiva faces a grim future - until she crosses paths with Godwin, a Briton enslaved by the people she must now call allies.

When a dark power rises to claim dominion over Elvendom, Elgiva and Godwin set off on a dangerous quest for the legendary Lorestone: the only thing that can stop the looming darkness. With a reluctant elf boy as their guide and a stubborn pony by their side, they must navigate the treacherous land and harness ancient magic before it’s too late.

As battle lines are drawn, Elgiva must embrace her true heritage, and Godwin must learn to wield the secret power he possesses. But can they find the Lorestone in time - or will Elvendom fall forever?

An historical fantasy adventure set in 6th century Britain, THE EXILE OF ELINDEL is the first book in Carol Browne's The Elwardain Chronicles series.

UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK

Once upon a time a little girl wrote a poem about a flower. Impressed, her teacher pinned it to the wall and, in doing so, showed the child which path to follow.

Over the years poems and stories flowed from her pen like magic from a wizard’s wand.

She is much older now, a little wiser too, and she lives in rural Cambridgeshire, where there are many trees to hug.

But inside her still is that little girl who loved Nature and discovered the magic of words.

She hopes to live happily ever after.

Stay connected with Carol on her website and blog, Facebook, and Twitter. 

Author in the House: Interview with Middle Grade Fantasy Author Kathryn Rossati...

Welcome to my virtual hub! Today I’m featuring middle grade fantasy author, Kathryn Rossati, who is a fellow author-mate with Next Chapter, and also writes time travel tales. We’re definitely kindred spirits! I loved the questions that she sent me to answer for her blog post recently, so I asked Kathryn if she’d like to be a guest on my blog, and answer those same questions. She loved the idea, so without further ado, here are the results of this collaboration. Enjoy…   

Welcome, Kathryn! When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve loved writing down stories since I was very young, as I daydreamed a lot and wanted to keep those daydreamed worlds safe. In terms of writing professionally, as soon as it dawned on me that people actually wrote books for a living, I knew that’s what I wanted to do – so perhaps age eight or nine.

What's your latest book about?

My latest published novel is an upper middle grade time travel story, called Naturally Nic/k. The story focuses on an autistic girl called Nic, who ends up back in time along with two of her bullies, who immediately vanish in the bustle of the Thames Tunnel Fancy Fair. Nic bumps into a young magician, Nikolai, whose brother has gone missing, and decides to team up with him to find out where her bullies and the missing kids from all over London have been disappearing to.

The story is written in dual point of view, with chapters alternating between Nic and Nikolai’s perspectives, and it was great fun to create their individual voices. It’s also the first novel I wrote after receiving my autism diagnosis back in early 2019, and I drafted it at a time when my mental health was really quite low. I’ve very proud of how Naturally Nic/k turned out considering that, and it feels wonderful to have written a character that young autistic people can connect with.

Where do you get your ideas from?

My ideas for books and poems can come from anywhere. Naturally Nic/k was inspired by my husband, who practices card tricks as a hobby, but some of the things that sparked my other books and poetry collections have been turns of phrase, being out in nature, mishearing something, a specific piece of artwork, and other forms of media like TV series and films. Music always fuels my creativity too.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I like to write once all the housework is done for the day, so it’s not cluttering up my mind. (I have ADHD as well as being autistic, so my mind is rather cluttered and busy anyway.) I like a quiet space to write in, though that’s not always possible if my parrot and budgie are playing a game of ‘who can shout the loudest’ – fortunately, I’m used to their shenanigans, so that doesn’t tend to distract me too much (plus I have ear plugs if they or any sounds from outside get too overwhelming). I’m also a fan of having a good cup of tea next to me, though I often forget about it and only remember when it’s gone cold.

What do you hope readers will gain from reading your work?

Escapism, first and foremost. I’m a huge reader myself, and I know the power of settling down with a good book after a stressful or overwhelming day, so my hope is that my books can provide that comfort and enjoyment for someone, if only for a short time.

I also hope that readers will really connect with my characters and the worlds they live in, and particularly in the case of Naturally Nic/k (and a few of my upcoming books), find themselves represented in the narrative.

Who are you favourite authors?

It’s so hard to choose, because there are so many authors whose books I love, but as of this moment, I can think of:

Diana Wynne Jones, whose books cover just about every type of fantasy you might imagine.

Thomas Leeds, who is a spectacular writer and the first author I’ve read who wrote a fantasy adventure trilogy featuring a main protagonist with a brain injury and epilepsy (starting with Jayben and the Golden Torch).

Alan Gibbons, who wrote the amazing Legendeer series which completely blew me away when I read it as a child, and which I still adore now.

Jonathan Stroud, who wrote the excellent Lockwood and Co. series which really got me into paranormal fiction.

Do you have any dreams about where you'd like your writing career to go? (like film adaptations, merchandise, having your book on everyone's shelves?)

It would be lovely to see a stage or screen (either film or series) adaptation of any of my books, but what I would really like is just for more people to discover them.

What's your favourite book/film/song/piece of art?

It’s tough to decide on what my favourite book is, but I’d say Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. I love the characters, the world, and just the cosy vibes it gives off while reading. It’s one of those books that I can read again and again and always find something new to love about it.

My favourite film is probably The Mummy (1999) which I’ve loved ever since it came out. I’ve always had a fascination with Ancient Egypt (even though I’ve never delved deep into researching it – not yet, at least), and I love a good adventure with some humour, so those things make a winning combination for me.

For music and songs, I think The Mummers’ Dance by Loreena McKennitt is my favourite; I even had it playing at my wedding! It always makes me think of long treks, adventure, and being swept up in a story, and it’s one of the songs I turn to if I’m having a bad day and need something soothing.

My favourite piece of art is by surrealist artist Max Ernst, and actually has a few different titles as it was renamed a few times: The Angel of Hearth and Home/Fireside Angel/The Triumph of Surrealism. I first came across it when I was researching surrealist painters for my art G.C.S.E. many years ago, and something about it really captured me. The story behind the painting is actually about the chaos of politics (or there abouts), but I didn’t know that until recently. I think the reason why I like it is that there’s this fierceness and confusion surrounding the figure, but also a sense of deep pain. It’s very thought provoking.

Any hobbies or things you love to do?

I’ve been learning to paint with watercolour and gouache for the past two years, which I very much enjoy, and I also love to go for walks in nature. Unfortunately, as I have a dynamic disability (hypermobility spectrum disorder and dysautonomia, for anyone who’s curious), I’m not able to go out for walks as often as I’d like. Fortunately, the house my husband and I rent has a lovely garden and we have a birdfeeder, so I often watch the birds outside. I also like playing computer games, mostly fantasy adventure games like The Legend of Zelda (which I’m a huge fan of).

Any other fun facts you'd like to share about yourself or your writing?  

I have several writing projects in the works this year. I’m currently drafting my first ever fantasy novel aimed at adult readers, self-editing a paranormal upper middle grade book which I’m very excited about, and working on a commission involving the Isle of Wight National Landscape (which means I get to develop my nature writing). I also have a poetry collection due to be published all about nature and wildlife, which I’m looking forward to sharing.

Kathryn Rossati. is an AuDHD and disabled author based on the Isle of Wight, and writes young adult
and middle grade fiction, as well as poetry. She’s also an aspiring artist, focusing on watercolour and gouache. 

Kathryn loves most genres of fiction, with a particular soft-spot for books inspired by mythology and fairy tales, and often incorporates those ideas into her own work. She also enjoys narrative non-fiction about nature, folklore, and history. 

She always looks forward to hearing from readers and fellow writers, so if you're a fan of her books or have questions about writing and publishing, feel free to reach out with questions, feedback or just to say hello.

You can connect with Kathryn Rossati at her website: https://linktr.ee/kathrynrossatiwrites

A Recipe and a Read: Summer Brunch is Served Up by Family Saga Author Stella May...

My family loves breakfast, especially a cook one. Because we all work and are usually in a time crunch the first meal of the day is cereal or a bowl of fruit. But on the weekends the house is filled with wonderful aromas of brunch. This recipe is one of our favorites, especially mine because it’s easy to prepare and delicious.

This recipe makes 7-8 regular waffles, or 5-6 Belgium waffles, depending on your griddle.

Keto Waffles

2 large eggs

½ cup of sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. baking powder

½ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

1 cup finely ground nuts, I use a mix of walnuts, pecans, and almonds 

With a mixer, whisk eggs thoroughly until combined, then add sour cream, vanilla, and baking powder.

Manually, stir in shredded coconut and ground nuts. Let mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. 

If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of heavy cream. 

Heat up a waffle maker, brush it with the oil of your choice. Use an ice cream scoop (I use the large one) to pour on the batter. Cook per your griddle directions. 

Enjoy with cream cheese, double cream, or syrup. It is perfect for breakfast or desert.

Romance author Stella May steps away from her time travel books to share The Rostoff Saga. Here's the cover and intro for New Dawn, Book 1 of the exciting four book series.

Love wasn’t part of their agreement. Neither was being caught in a brutal web of lies.

International playboy and owner of a jewelry empire that spreads across three continents, Dmitry Rostoff holds a memory close to this heart that not even his best friend Vlad Albrecht knows. When Dmitry learns the Russian ballerina, he had a passionate affair with died in childbirth, bitterness and hate overrule all other emotions.

Taking the baby out of Russia is an impossible snarl of red tape, but Dmitry gets his way, even if he leaves a trail of chaos in his wake.

Natasha Sokolova planned to turn over the baby to Dmitry then walk away. Instead, she is on a plane to San Francisco with the baby and a cold, emotionless man who makes her heart pound with scorching attraction.

The family matriarch and evil to her core Elizabeth Rostoff plots to gain control of the baby, no matter what it costs or who it hurts, and will do anything to make that happen. She blackmails Marie Dubois, the manager of their elite Paris store, to seduce Dmitry. But Marie reneges on the deal when former Special Forces officer Vlad Albrecht storms into her life.

Once in America, Natasha finds herself entangled in a sticky web of lies created by the brutally calculating family matriarch. A web that forces Natasha to make a heartbreaking deal with the devil to protect the children—and man—she’s come to love.

 

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

Stella writes fantasy romance as well as time travel romance. She is the author of 'Till Time Do Us Part, Book 1 in her Upon a Time series, and the stand-alone book Rhapsody in Dreams. Love and family are two cornerstones of her stories and life. Stella’s books are available in e-book and paperback through all major vendors. 

When not writing, Stella enjoys classical music, reading, and long walks along the ocean with her husband. She lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband Leo of 25 years and their son George. They are her two best friends and are all partners in their family business. 

Follow Stella on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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!