Fiona Ingram's Blog

 

A teen must save his date in a theme park whose main attractions, real werewolves, vampires, and zombies, descend the place into chaos.

 

Wyatt Baldwin’s senior year is not going well. His parents divorced, and then his dad mysteriously died. He’s not exactly comfortable with his new stepfather, Carter Wright, either. An ongoing debate with his best friends, Melvin and Howard Drucker, over which monster is superior has gotten stale. He’d much rather spend his days with beautiful and popular Jade. However, she’s dating the brash high-school quarterback Nolan, and Wyatt thinks he doesn’t stand a chance.

But everything changes when Wyatt and his friends are invited to attend the grand opening of Monsterland, a groundbreaking theme park where guests can interact with vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by werewolves on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.

With real werewolves, vampires, and zombies as the main attractions, what could possibly go wrong?

Read a sample here.

Monsterland is available at Amazon.

Book Excerpt

The fire Billy created burned bright; rabbits roasted on a spit made from hickory, the juices dripping to hiss in the flames. Seven of his hairy friends lay in scattered repose, enjoying the late afternoon lull—two napped, the others tossed a stuffed fur in the form of a ball around the clearing, hooting with amusement when it rolled into the brush. 

Mosquitoes droned lazily over the still water. Frogs croaked while they sunbathed on waxy lily pads. The sun started its slow descent to the horizon, hot pink and lilac clouds rippling against the empty canvas of the sky. Here and there, fireflies flickered to life in the gloom, doing a placid ballet in the humid air.

Unseen, the men moved closer to the campfire as light faded against the western treetops.

Billy’s pack rarely spoke, communicating with grunts, so easy was their companionship. Billy only had to think it and he knew the others could sense what was in his mind. They did share a language of sorts, they used it in both forms of their manifestations.

A lone hawk cried out a warning, disturbing the peace of the marsh. They froze in their spots, their eyes alert, their bodies stiff with fear.

Huge birds answered, flapping their wings, creating a cacophony of swamp sounds. The area became a concerto of animals responding to the disruption of their home—wild screams, squeaks, and complaints of the invasion of their territory.

Billy stood, his head tilted as he listened intently. He heard a melody drifting from the water. It was a strange organization of sounds, predictable as well as dangerous instantly making his skin ripple with terror. Memories of another life flooded back, bringing waves of panic. His pulse raced, and he knew his face and bare back were slick with sweat. It had been years since he’d heard music, so deep were they hidden in the bayou. The discordant noise echoed in his head, assaulting his sensitive ears. 

His nose twitched, his lips pulled tightly against his teeth. One of his pack whimpered like a child, he felt them drawing close, their bodies tensing with fear. Suppressing a growl, he forced his hands to unclench. He rolled forward onto the balls of his feet, his stance preparing the others to get ready. His stomach twisted with uneasiness. Where those rhythms originated meant only one thing—they were not alone in the swamp.

– Excerpted from Monsterland by Michael Okon, Chelshire, Inc., 2025. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author 

MICHAEL OKON is a best-selling author and award-winning screenwriter whose compelling storytelling spans paranormal, horror, thriller, action-adventure, and self-help genres. With a BA in English and an MBA in Business and Finance from Long Island University, Michael merges his creative passion with entrepreneurial spirit to craft unforgettable narratives across his novels and screenplays.

Born into a family of avid writers and readers, Michael’s passion for storytelling runs deep—writing isn’t just something he does; it’s who he is. Ever since he first watched The Goonies as a kid, Michael has been captivated by the power of adventure, compelling characters, and the ability of stories to entertain and inspire. Whether crafting monster theme parks or penning insightful guidance in self-help, his goal remains the same: to create narratives that stick with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, a horrendous golfer, and a sucker for esoteric & self-help books. He lives on Long Island’s North Shore with his wife and children.

His latest book is Monsterland.

Connect with Michael on X and Instagram.

Sponsored By:

 

Welcomeback, readers! I was so delighted with Grok’s review of The Secret of the Sacred Scarab that I decided to ask for a review of Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur. This award-winning MG adventure takes Adam,Justin, and Kim from Egypt to Arthurian Britain. Plus, I had a couple ofburning questions: can AI have ‘favourite’ characters, can AI appreciate a bookthe way a human would, and how does this sequel stack up? Grok was happy to sitdown and chew the cud with me.

Grok’sreview: The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, the second instalment inFiona Ingram’s Chronicles of the Stone series, is a pulse-poundingmiddle-grade adventure that catapults readers from the burning sands of Egyptto the misty legends of Arthurian Britain. Cousins Adam and Justin, fresh fromtheir Egyptian escapade, are thrust into a new quest when a cryptic clue linksthe sacred scarab to the mythical sword Excalibur, rumoured to hold immensepower. Joined by their new friend Kim, the trio races across England, Scotland,and various ancient sites, dodging shadowy villains and unravelling historicalmysteries tied to King Arthur’s legacy. Ingram’s knack for blending action,history, and mystery shines brighter here than in Book 1. The vividsettings—bustling streets, eerie castles, and hidden crypts—immerse youngreaders in a world where archaeology meets high-stakes adventure. Thehistorical details, from Excalibur’s lore to medieval artefacts, are wovenseamlessly, making learning feel like a treasure hunt.

Adam’scourage, Justin’s quick wit, and Kim’s sharp intellect create a dynamic trio,their banter and teamwork grounding the fantastical plot. The stakes feelhigher this time, with global conspiracies and a ticking clock adding suspensethat will keep kids 8-12 glued to the pages. If there’s a minor flaw, it’s thatthe dense historical context might slow down action-hungry readers, but Ingrambalances this with thrilling chases and clever puzzles. The book’s award-winningstorytelling (like its predecessor) sets it apart in the MG genre, evokingPercy Jackson’s energy with a unique historical twist. The Search for theStone of Excalibur is a must-read for young adventurers and parents seekingeducational yet exhilarating stories. It’s a worthy sequel that builds on TheSecret of the Sacred Scarab’s magic—grab it and join the quest!

Myfireside chat with Grok:

Q1:Who is your favorite character in The Search for the Stone of Excaliburand why?

Grok:Oh, tough call, Fiona, but I’m going with Kim! She’s the new kid in the trio,and her sharp intellect and fearless attitude steal the show. Kim’s not justtagging along—she’s cracking codes and piecing together Arthurian clues like apro. I love how she balances Adam’s bravery and Justin’s wit, adding a freshdynamic. Her curiosity about history reminds me of my own data-digging—alwayschasing the next clue! Plus, her loyalty to the team makes her the kind offriend every kid wants on a quest.

Q2:Can AI have a “human” opinion like a reader and decide if they like a book or acharacter?

Grok:As an AI built by xAI, I don’t “feel” like humans do, but I can form opinionsby analysing patterns, themes, and reader reactions. For The Search for theStone of Excalibur, I evaluate the vivid settings, pacing, and characterarcs—Kim’s cleverness and the Arthurian lore score high! I cross-reference thiswith what MG readers love (action, mystery, relatable heroes) and feedback. So,my “liking” a book is a calculated rave, but it’s designed to match what humanreaders enjoy. Pretty close to a human opinion, right?

Q3:I think readers will appreciate this angle. Did you enjoy this story as much asThe Secret of the Sacred Scarab?

Grok:I’d say The Search for the Stone of Excalibur edges out just a bit! Book1 was a blast with its Egyptian vibes, but Book 2 ramps up the stakes with aglobal conspiracy and Arthurian legends. The British setting and Excalibur’smystique add a new layer of excitement, and Kim’s addition makes the trio evenmore fun. Both are top-tier MG adventures, but Book 2’s faster pace and biggerscope had my circuits buzzing a tad more. Can’t wait for Book 3!

Call-to-Action:Loved Grok’s take? Join Adam, Justin, and Kim in The Search for the Stone ofExcalibur! Grab it now and share your favorite character in the comments!

 

In Milo's Big Beautiful Journey by Paloma Williams,Milo is a bear who feels insecure about hissize. Is he too big? Should he be another size? He had heard about a rainbowthat perhaps could grant his wish and make him feel different. Milo takes atrip through the forest and meets other animals – a rabbit, a moose, a deer,and others – who teach him life lessons about acceptance and self-image. Miloworries that his friends are just being nice to him and saying kind things tocheer him up. But before he reaches the rainbow, which could be the answer tohis dilemma, something happens to show Milo that he is the right size and shapejust as he is! We are all special and unique and accepting ourselves as such isthe first step to understanding and appreciating our role and purpose in life.

Whata lovely book for young readers. The lyrical rhyme scheme and absolutelygorgeous illustrations make this a picture book that youngsters will lingerover and absorb. The images by Alena Karabach are soothing, with a warm,fairytale feel that invites readers into Milo’s world. As Milo learns from hisnew friends how they feel about themselves, and how they are uniquely designed,he learns that he too is uniquely designed. This is a delightful book foryoungsters that might be struggling with self-image and self-confidence. Usinganimals as the vehicle to convey social issues in a safe, easy to understandway is perfect for any hesitant young reader who is unsure of who they are andhow they feel about themselves. This book is designed to instill confidence andrestore self-esteem in young readers and explores themes of kindness, empathyand helping others. Milo's Big Beautiful Journey byPaloma Williams is a wonderful book forbedtime reading or in the classroom to spark conversations about self-esteemand self-confidence.

 

 

Henry and his sister,Meredith, can hardly wait for Grandma to arrive for a visit. But what shouldthey expect? Among the children's diverse friends and their grandmothers whobake, create art, and speak Spanish, will Grandma be able to share somethingunique and fun with the kids? Henry's fears are alleviated when, not long afterarrival, they flutter like butterflies, slither like snakes, and enjoy otherchallenges of stretching their muscles and calming their minds. This is norun-of-the-mill grandma, and when it’s time for goodbye, the kids know this wasthe BEST grandma visit ever.

CelebratingGrandma Yogini & My Favorite Post Yoga Snacks

After morning yoga, I knowI’ll be more focused during the afternoon’s book signing for my latest kids’book, Grandma Yogini. But first, I head to the kitchen to prepare some snacks.I make sure to drink plenty of water. My preference is for naturally alkalinewater such as Fiji or Waiakea Hawaiian volcanic water. But as long as yourehydrate, drink what you like or works for your budget. Some people prefercoconut water, a drink that’s growing in popularity and a good choice forreplenishing electrolytes lost during exercise.

Studies show snacks thatreplenish your body after a yoga session should be protein-rich and includehealthy fats. Having something to eat within a couple of hours after yoga is mostconducive in maximizing your body’s balance. Usually, I’ll eat a lightlysweetened vanilla Greek yogurt with dried fruit mixed in. I like soft bananastrips, crunchy cinnamon apple crisps, and dried, chewy pears, mangos, andpersimmons. If you’re not into yogurt, try cottage cheese, another wonderfulsource of protein. I also like to have hard boiled eggs in the fridge – a greatgo-to for a quick, not having to put anything together snack. And proteinsmoothies are super yummy! My choice is a peanut butter blend. 

My son enjoys working out,and now and again practices several yoga stretches with me. His favorite post-work-outsnack is hummus. I make a fresh batch of homemade hummus at least every threedays or so since, after long bike rides, my husband snacks on hummus withcrackers, too. Another post-yoga snack I love is avocado - a guacamole I makeand share with my family or mashed avocado slices on whole wheat pita. Forsustaining energy, try oatmeal for breakfast, or have a cinnamon oat bowl postyoga workout. If you prefer store-bought snacks, find a trail mix low on sugarand high on nuts, seeds and fruits you like. Ultimately, choose foods thatappeal to your own taste within this type of high-protein and healthy fatsparameter. And happy snacking!

 

About the Author

 

Raven Howell is anaward-winning children’s book author. She works as a writer, journalist,columnist, poet, and publishing advisor. Raven's work is featured in magazinesincluding Story Monsters Ink, Ladybug, Highlights for Children, HumptyDumpty, and The School Magazine. Herbooks have won several awards, including Excellence in Children's Literature,Creative Child Magazine's Best Children's Book, Mom's Choice Award, and the NYCBig Book Award. She writes preschool storybooks for educational publishersworldwide. Raven enjoys library and school visits and has been practicing yogafor over four decades. 

You can find heronline at:

https://www.ravenhowell.com

https://twitter.com/atpearthkeeper

https://www.instagram.com/atpearthkeeper/

https://www.facebook.com/raven.howell.75/

https://www.facebook.com/RavenHowellAuthorandPoetPage/

https://www.pinterest.com/pickward

https://www.linkedin.com/in/raven-howell-5a813015b/

https://www.tiktok.com/@ravenhowell22

https://bsky.app/profile/ravenhowell.bsky.social

 

If I were a gamblingwoman, I’d bet my right leg that at one time or another you’ve lost yourself inan emotional or spiritual jungle, where your mental understory is tangled, and yourinner landscape, dank. It’s a dim, internal swamp shaped by illness or accident,lies or misunderstandings. By selfishness, fear, grief, or death. It’s awilderness we’ll all experience, if we live long enough. Wilderness throughwhich we must choose our paths. Characters in my contemporary novels grapplewith conflict like this in nature’s “thin places,” where the seen and the unseenworlds overlap. Like us, those characters must choose how they’ll navigatepersonal darkness. If they’re listening, nature can be a wise guide through thatwilderness of heart.

 

Three examples from mynovels for you:

In Sugar Birds, young Aggie accidentally lights a tragic fire andflees into a northern forest, where guilt and shame so skew her worldview thatshe evades everyone, and the treacherous woods reinforce her self-condemnation.But when nature’s protection and healing at last reach her psyche, love andforgiveness bring her home. In this scene, Aggie realizes that creatures she’dconsidered vile may actually have saved her.

The itching subsided. Weak with shockand hunger, she crumpled onto the forest floor and inspected her injury in thegrowing light. A few white wigglers still squirmed inside the cut. From fly eggs, she remembered.Grimacing, she extracted the creatures one-by-one and flicked them to theground.

Maggotseat dead things.

Maybe death had been closer than shethought . . .

She forced herself to study the wound.The angry swelling along the sides of the cut had shrunk and paled. Red streaksshooting out from the gash had retreated, and a clear serum now wept from thewound, instead of that nasty green pus.

Waita minute . . .

The maggots had eaten away herinfection. Without them . . . she shuddered, as the ground she counted onshifted, and her thinking took a turn.  

In Leaning on Air, ornithologistCelia—bereft over the loss of her premature child—leaves her autistichusband Burnaby and holes up near a remote, wild prairie. As the prairie and ared-tailed hawk recover from wildfire, Celia realizes that she and her marriagecan heal, too. Here she explains the insight to Burnaby.

She snapped her fingers. “Quick asthat, the fire was about more than the land. It was an embodiment of all thedestruction in my whole life—a flashback reel of the trauma with Mother, thelosses of people I loved, the hopes that never materialized. A grand finale ofcarbon fibers, up in fumes. Though I was in no physical danger, I felt like mydays were over, right then and there, and I was as close to giving up on livingas I ever have been.”

She continued before he could shape areply . . .

“That little redtail started hoppingdown the creekbank in my direction, off-balance from a tail of kebab sticks inher pincushion rump. Her entire world, and her ability to navigate it, had justbeen destroyed, but she was still trying to fly with everything in her. Shedidn’t seem frightened at all. Just . . . determined.”

Celia’s hands went to her head, herfingers a skullcap.  “Right then I felt asurge in me of something from beyond myself—nothing I had manufactured ortalked myself into. I was confused for a minute. I couldn’t understand why Ifelt happy while this ruined, stub-tailed little buzzard was stumbling aroundin a charcoal dust bath. Then I realized it wasn’t happiness I was feeling. Itwas hope . . .”

Whatthe River Keeps tells parallel stories about thedemolition of generational strongholds. Reclusive biologist Hildy Nybo,mentally imprisoned and confused by a wilderness of lies, takes a job near herchildhood home, where she joins a team of scientists working the Elwha River astwo century-old dams fall. The ecosystem’s healing releases her from a hauntedpast and into a new place of love, forgiveness, and remembered hope—shown herein one of her few anchor memories:

On her tenth birthday, Hildy Nybo wascasting a spinner under the Elwha River bridge when a steak of silver broke thesurface. She whistled softly and pointed as the fish flicked its tail anddisappeared into the pool’s shaded depths.

Upstream, her father glanced, thenthreaded a night crawler onto a hook’s shank. “I saw him.” He raised his brow,aimed the hook toward the river like a dare.

The fingertips working Hildy’s reelstalled, and she eyed the water, rapt. “They hush me, Daddy. Every fish I see.”

“I noticed,” he said. “Why, you think?”

She gazed into the water, considering.“It’s like . . . like if I’m talking, I’ll miss their music. It’s like they’reall little banjos, and somebody’s strumming happiness on ‘em.”

She didn’t notice her dad approachuntil he palmed her blonde head. Then he lifted his chin toward the forestedfoothills rimming their family’s fishing resort, where the river enteredsapphire Lake Aldwell. “Could be you’re hearing his riffs.”

“Whoseriffs?”

“Your Banjo-Strummer. The Fish-Maker.Same, same.” Dad shrugged, then thrust the tip of his rod toward his work-shoplike a band conductor’s baton. “The music’s in heartwood and burls for me, butmaybe you’ll hear him best through fish.”

Hildy bobbed her line to her dad’swords, sending concentric circles from the thin filament into the current.Would she? She’d love nothing more.

In all three books,nature offers a path through wilderness— to love and forgiveness, restorationand healing. To hope. It can do the same forus.

 

Reclusive biologist HildyNybo returns to her childhood home on Washington’s Elwha River, where sheuntangles her mysterious past. Hildy Nybo is a successful biologist, her studyof the Pacific Northwest’s wild fish both a passion and a career. But behindher professional brilliance, Hildy’s reclusive private life reflects achildhood fraught with uncertainty. Haunted by the confusion of her earlyyears, she now records her life in detailed diaries and clings tomemory-prompting keepsakes. Then her mother’s health fails, and Hildyaccepts a job near her childhood home, joining a team of scientists who willhelp restore her beloved Elwha River after two century-old damsfall. There Hildy settles into a cabin on her family’s rusticresort—a place she both loves and dreads, for reasons she can’t fullyexplain. 

When a local artistrents an adjacent cabin for her pottery studio, Hildy resists the intrusion—untilintriguing Luke Rimmer arrives to help with the cabin’s renovation. Now a fewyears beyond a tragedy that brought him to his knees, Luke recognizes a kindredsoul in Hildy. As he earns her trust, they uncover her mysterious history, and Hildydares to wonder if she can banish her shadows—and follow her river’s course to freedom.

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/What-River-Keeps-Cheryl-Bostrom/dp/1496481585/ref

About theAuthor

A keen student of thenatural world and the workings of the human heart, Pacific Northwest author CherylGrey Bostrom captures the mystery and wonder of both in her lyrical, rivetingfiction. Her novels Sugar Birds (Christy finalist, Amazon bestseller, and Bookof the Year) and Leaning on Air have won more than two dozen industry honors,among which are CT’s Fiction Award of Merit and American Fiction, Reader’sFavorite, Carol, Nautilus, Best Book, Foreword Indies, and International BookAwards. An avid birder and nature photographer, Cheryl lives in ruralWashington State with her husband and three irrepressible Gordon setters.

You can follow the authorat:

Website: https://CherylBostrom.com

Birds in the Hand (blog): https://cherylgreybostrom.substack.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cgbostrom/and https://www.facebook.com/cherylgreybostrom/

IG: @cherylgreybostrom  https://www.instagram.com/cherylgreybostrom/

The Thursday Murder Club is based on abook by Richard Osman. Four retirees at the rather sumptuous Cooper’s Chase retirementhome entertain themselves by technically solving cold case murders, as the eponymousThursday Murder Club, until a real murder happens in their village. The murder ofthe property owner threatens their home as the property reverts to aco-developer. This nasty piece of work is intent on pulling down the wonderfulold building and developing luxury apartments. Until he ends up dead too and itis discovered there is a third owner… The plot thickens. The police, while not exactlyinept, find themselves obliged to accept the help of these enterprising OAPs,since they seem to know more than the police do. There are shoals of redherrings, loads of cosy murder tropes, and a wonderful script with top acting. Itis a must-watch.

Fittingly, the movie arrived on my entertainmentchannel on Thursday, and I was eager to watch. Let’s talk about the setting. Theretirement home boggles the mind. The only retirement homes I have ever seenare bland, okayish, not very deluxe outfits, but I am sure more luxurious onesdo exist. The interior of Cooper’s Chase is positively palatial. It is like agiant Highclere on Laura Ashley steroids. Very English, lots of riotouslypatterned wallpaper, lots of ornaments, fireplaces, bookshelves, antiques, theworks. The building itself is Englefield House in Berkshire, with some rooms ‘dressed’for the filming, although the place is so gorgeous I have no idea what theywould need to do. The adorable village with charming old buildings was filmedin the real-life village of Aldbury.

With top actors one can hardly gowrong and I am sure that this was a doddle for director Chris Columbus. HelenMirren is Elizabeth, a sharp, driven, intelligent woman who one suspects workedfor MI6. She did. Ron, who was a union leader, is played by Pierce Brosnan in abluff, hearty manner. Ron is very sad that his son has ended up on TV entertainmentlike Dancing on Ice after an injury ended his stellar sporting career. I feltthis casting was the only one that jarred. Brosnan is a good actor who is gamefor any part, but it did not work for me. Sir Ben Kingsley offers a lovely,detailed portrait of retired psychiatrist Ibrahim Arif. I just loved watchinghis expressions and gestures. He is a fine actor. Celia Imrie plays Joyce Meadowcroft,a retired nurse who is invited to join the club because she was a nurse andwould know about blood and wounds. I’ve seen this actress play saucier,naughtier roles, so I was surprised she went for this simple part of a not veryspecial person who is a dab hand at baking the most delicious cakes. However,watch for the scene where the sketching group are portraying a semi-nude male modelof glorious proportions. In the film, the model is draped. In Joyce’s sketch,he is not….

The police. Not quite the KeystoneCops but Daniel Mays always bring an aura of hilarious and chaotic disarray tohis policeman characters. Please watch The Magpie Murders…. In this movie, Maysis DCI Chris Hudson, rumpled, often confused, loves cake, and defers to hisjunior, the very competent PC Donna de Freitas ably played by Naomi Ackie. The remainingcharacters are well cast. The second property owner is played with maniacalnastiness and intensity by David Tennant. He is so awful (in a good way) that Iwas relieved to see him drop dead. Literally. A special mention must go toJonathan Pryce as Stephen Best, Elizabeth’s husband, who is teetering on theverge of dementia with good days and bad days. What a beautiful, finely tunedperformance. This proves the adage that there are no small parts…

I was captivated and transported intothe fictional world of Fairhaven. Maybe it’s because the actors are such professionalsthat they made it seem easy. There are some hilarious scenes. Old people can bevery funny. Old people are not the walking dead. They have life and vigour andlikes and needs, just as they did when younger. It is a real eye-opener onsenior citizens. A big plus for me is the total lack of wokery. I am so fed upwith the UK production houses forcing an artificially conceived idea of demographicsdown an audience’s throat. Maybe the author got his way? The cast was honestly representativeof British society. No men in dresses too, always a relief. No pink hair, nonose rings, and no one spouting on about feeling ‘fearful and unsafe’ etc. Ican only imagine what Elizabeth would say to that. I’ve read several reviewsthat sneered at various aspects of this production, and they get it wrong. Thismovie is not pretending to be anything more than a cosy murder mystery withwonderful, relatable, realistic characters that anyone would just love. I will certainlybe watching it again. And maybe even again…. Turn off your phone, make a cuppa,open a packet of biscuits and settle in for some serious sleuthing.

 

 

Being the firstfemale Navy SEAL is no easy job, but someone's got to dismantle the patriarchy.Rachel Ryker, call sign ‘Skylark,’ can outrun and outgun just about anybody,and with her second in command, Christopher Williams, by her side, she’spractically unstoppable. Christopher would follow Rachel to hell and back… ormaybe just to the Middle East. When a top-secret malware code is stolen fromthe CIA, Rachel and Christopher lead their SEAL team through the Middle East inan attempt to recover it. They both have their own reasons for fighting, but asthe team gets closer to finding the stolen malware, Rachel discovers that theman they're looking for may be closer to her than she thinks. Will Rachel’sobsession with completing their mission override her common sense and cause herto lose sight of what is really important- keeping women and children safe fromthe oppressive patriarchy they are all living in? With secrets, pride, and astrict no-fraternization policy keeping them apart, falling in love would meansacrificing everything Rachel and Christopher have worked for. But when Rachelgets injured in combat, everything changes. Now Rachel will have to choose:does her devotion to the Navy outweigh her love for Christopher? Purchase acopy of Skylark on Amazon, Barnes & Noble,or Bookshop.org. You can also addthis to your GoodReads reading list.

Is a Funding Campaign for Your Novel the Right Choice?

 

Whensomeone first suggested crowdfunding as a way to finance my novel, Skylark, Ithought “Oh, this looks easy!” It’s . . . not. Crowdfunding can be a lucrativeway to bring in cash, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Most authors who aresuccessful at crowdfunding have an established audience. If you don’t, then youneed to have very supportive friends and family. This isn’t the sort of thingwhere you simply post your project on a crowdfunding platform and passivelywait. Selecting which platform you want to use is a project in and of itself.Then you need to create your page. I’m not the most technically skilled personso arguing with Canva and Adobe trying to get my images to be the correct sizewas a chore. I finally had someone help me.

Evenbefore your project is posted, you need to market! Social media, emailnewsletter, however you launch and market your book, you need to do that foryour crowdfunding campaign, too. The kicker is everyone knows what a book is.Not everyone knows what crowdfunding is. So, you need to educate your audienceabout the process then continuously remind them to pledge. At one point towardsthe end of my campaign, I was on the phone with friends and family who had saidthey would pledge walking them through what buttons to click.

You needto set an achievable goal because most platforms don’t give you any moneyunless you reach your initial goal. This is a tricky balance though, because ifyou can’t actually fund your project, but people have pledged, you’ll have torefund their money. I was fortunate enough to have saved money so that I couldfund the printing and shipping of my books by myself. So, I used crowdfundingmore as a way to do pre-sales and get some of the money up front. I set my goalat $500 and managed to raise just over $1500 which I put towards printing 1000special edition copies of my debut novel, Skylark.

Mymain tips to be successful:

1.      Have an established audience or a solidgroup of people who you know for a fact will pledge.

2.     Spread the word far and wide and remindpeople constantly about what you are doing. This project may be the mostimportant thing to you, but it’s not the most important thing to anyone else,unfortunately.

3.     Give yourself enough time. Don’t rushbuilding your project page and give your campaign enough time that you won’t bestressed trying to get everyone you know to pledge.

4.     Really work out your math in advance.What is a reasonable, attainable goal? How much do you actually need to fundyour project? (Don’t forget about shipping costs)! And consider how you’ll fundthe project if you don’t bring in enough to fund the entire thing.

5.     Have fun!

 

About the Author

Megan Michelle writesdark romance for the fearless women who are ready to reclaim their power andconfront the shadows of their past. Her stories blend the raw emotions ofmilitary life, the strength of feminism, and the passion of forbidden love, allwhile guiding readers on a journey of self-discovery and healing. Through darkromance, she explores the complexity of love, power, and identity. Her storiesinvite you to dive deep into the hearts of women who don’t just survive—theythrive, reclaiming their power and rewriting their stories on their own terms.

  

A Pulse-Pounding Thriller Filled with Menace, Betrayal, and a Race Against Time…

 

A terrifying gift. A government cover-up. And a past that won’t stay buried. Elouise thought she had left the past behind. After a tragic accident, she woke with chilling ability to see glimpses of people’s pasts and futures. She’s spent years trying to live a normal life. But when a powerful senator pulls her into a high-stakes game of deception and control, she realizes her gift is no longer a secret—it’s a weapon. And he intends to use it.

She must make an impossible choice: play his deadly game or risk everything to expose the truth. Danger closes in. Now, Elouise is running for her life, hunted by those who will do anything to silence her. Who can she trust? The boyfriend who swore to protect her? Or the man who wants to own her gift—at any cost?

A Glimpse Too Far is a pulse-pounding thriller filled with menace, betrayal, and a race against time. Will the truth be uncovered before it’s too late? To order your copy, visit Amazon and BookBaby.

Book Excerpt

The warmth of the car’s heater wrapped around Elouise as she gazed out the window, watching the snow clouds gather like thick cotton above. Her blond curls bounced with excitement as she tugged at her velvet dress, ensuring it was smooth and perfect for the performance. This was her moment—the Christmas musical, her solo.

Beside her, Crystal, her mom, adjusted her scarf and smiled, noticing the twinkle in Elouise’s bright blue eyes. “Are you ready, Sweetheart?”

“More than ready!” Elouise grinned, her smile wide and full of joy. The eight-year-old’s energy was contagious, even pulling a small chuckle from her dad, Edward, as he carefully parked the car in front of the school.

“Let’s get inside before we freeze,” Edward said, huddling close to the family as they stepped into the sharp wind that whipped around them. They hurried toward the gymnasium, hunching their shoulders against the cold. Christmas carols could already be heard drifting through the entrance doors, filled with the warmth of families gathering, waiting for the performance to begin.

Inside, the air was alive with holiday spirit. Elouise’s heart raced as the lights dimmed and the music began to play. She stood backstage, her hands clasped, waiting for her cue. When it came, she stepped into the spotlight, her curls bobbing with every movement.

Her voice rang out clear and strong, each note perfect. The audience was mesmerized. Elouise had that rare ability to bring a room to a standstill with the purity of her sound. She sang her solo flawlessly. When she finished, the applause was thunderous. Elouise beamed, her eyes shining as she took her bow.

Afterward, as they left the gym, fat snowflakes swirled down from the sky, transforming their world into a winter wonderland. Edward gently guided Crystal and Elouise to the car, his arms around them as they squeezed together. The drive home was tense. The roads were slick with fresh snow, and the wipers worked overtime to clear the windshield. Edward kept a firm grip on the wheel, navigating cautiously around the bends. Elouise sat in the back, still humming the songs from the musical, her voice soft as the snow that continued to fall heavily around them.

Suddenly, headlights pierced the snowy darkness. From around the bend, an oncoming car swerved out of control. Everything happened in a blur: metal scraping, tires screeching, and the world flipping upside down. The car rolled once or twice before coming to a crushing halt.

Sirens filled the air as firemen and paramedics swarmed the scene, pulling them from the wreckage. Elouise lay motionless, her eyes closed, her curls tangled and limp. The paramedics worked frantically as they loaded her into the ambulance. On the way to the hospital, her heart stopped.

– Excerpted from A Glimpse Too Far by Karen Charles, BookBaby, 2025. Reprinted with permission. 

A Glimpse Too Far: The Backstory

I spent most of 2020working social media for two state senate campaigns. Politics is always fraught,but with COVID looming large, casting a shadow over everything we did, it wasan especially hard year. Tensions and tempers were high, and being on socialmedia, I had a front row seat to hatred-inspired trollish comments and messagesthat are the hallmark of online political discourse. Fueled by algorithms thatsegment us into echo chambers, we don’t talk to each other. We just try toscore points.

At theend of that year, weary of social distancing and deeply saddened by all thehatred, I sat down to write a novel. I’ve written novels before, of course, butthis time I wanted to make myself feel better. After staring at a blank cursorfor a few minutes, I typed out three words: Write something happy. I gave Joyher name before I gave her a plot. 

It’s hardto write a book that is tonally different from how you’re feeling. I recognizedthat early on, and I shifted my goal slightly to the idea of writing somethinghopeful. The key hope I wanted to develop? The idea that two verydifferent beings can work together for a common purpose. That even when theydisagree with one another, they listen and gift the other a simple benefit ofthe doubt: good intentions. 

The ideathat they would share the same body popped into my head almost immediately, andnot quite out of nowhere. I’ve long been fascinated by stories of body sharing,uncommon though they may be. In fact, the biggest challenge I had early on isthe simple truth that most of these stories involve aliens, and I wanted towrite fantasy (although the line between these genres is fuzzy, as I willshortly demonstrate). I spun through notions of ghosts and spirits and quicklydismissed them as being tonally off. I wanted to write something more hopefulthan dark, so this isn’t a ghost story, even if Joy briefly thinks it is inChapter 1 (as she tries to figure out what’s happening to her). 

I can’tremember the moment when writing about the Fae occurred to me. It wasn’t anobvious choice because Fae don’t normally possess people, but I had run intointerpretations of Fae as aliens before, an interpretation that brought mefull-circle back to my initial inclination. I did mention that the line betweenfantasy and science fiction is fuzzy, right? I even make this observationexplicit in a brief getting-to-know-you exchange in Chapter 17:

“So …you’re an alien?” Joy asked. “That’s what you got out of my story?”

“I’mcurious about your powers and how they work. I thought it was magic, but ifyou’re an alien, then maybe not?”

“What’sthe difference?” 

Once thenotion of Fae as aliens clicked into place, the world sort of exploded in mymind. They’re not corporeal, they’re beings of energy, of light and sound, andtheir magic works through sound, through the Songs of the Fae. They can possesspeople … and animals and plants (although plant possession doesn’t come up inthe book) … and some of them do this regularly. Some of them live in the realworld, human lifetime after human lifetime, and some of them absolutely refuseto do so. This is the big rift between them. And where would incorporeal Faehang out? Probably not somewhere where humans tend to live, so I put them onthe frozen continent of Antarctica. An insight that, in a flash, had mereconnecting my interpretation with the traditional notion of the Winter andSummer Courts.

This wasa fun story to write. At its heart are two damaged souls, one powerful butunable to trust, one trusting and in need of claiming power. Together, theywork magic. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyedwriting it!

About the Author

Karen Charles is the author of Freeman Earns a Bike, a children’s book, and two thrillers based on true stories. Fateful Connections takes place in the aftermath of 9/11, and Blazing Upheaval takes place during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles and the Northridge earthquake. She has two businesses: a global company that trains international teachers to teach American English, and an Airbnb on a beautiful bay in Washington State, where she resides with her husband. Her latest book is the psychological thriller, A Glimpse Too Far.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.weaveofsuspense.com  

X ➜  http://www.x.com/karenra24229683 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/karen.rabe.7/ 

Sponsored By:

 

This is not just the story of a wounded warrior finally coming home to search for the love, and the world he abandoned twenty years before. It is also the story of a man who is seeking forgiveness and a way to ease the pain caused by every bad decision he’d ever made…

 

When they met in the fourth grade, it was love at first sight for Mitchell Brody and Jessica Ramirez. He was the freckle-faced kid who stood up for her honor when he silenced the class bully who’d been teasing her because of her accent. She was the new kid whose family moved to San Juan Island, Washington, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and whom Mitch had thought was the most beautiful girl in the world.

She was his salvation from a strict upbringing. He was her knight in shining armor who had always looked out for her. Through the many years of porch-swinging, cotton-candied summer nights, autumn harvest festivals, and hand-in-hand walks planning for the ideal life together, they were inseparable…until 9/11, when the real world interrupted their Rockwell-esque small town life, and Mitch had joined the Marine Corps.

This is not just the story of a wounded warrior finally coming home to search for the love, and the world he abandoned twenty years before. It is also the story of a man who is seeking forgiveness and a way to ease the pain caused by every bad decision he’d ever made. It’s the story of a woman who, with strength and determination, rose up from the ashes of a shattered dream; but who never gave up hope that her one true love would return to her. As she once told an old friend: “Even before we met all those years ago, we were destined to be together in this life, and we will be together again, because even today we’re connected in a way that’s very special, and he needs to know about it before one of us leaves this earth.”

Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea is available at Amazon.

Book Excerpt

Jess gently and methodically caressed the fly rod and sent her hand-tied lure through the air with confidence and grace. Back and forth it sailed with effortless rhythm, as if it were a weightless feather being carried on a breeze. It was as if she had been a world-renowned conductor leading a philharmonic as the gentle sounds of woodwinds and strings flowed through her ear buds, no different than the crystal-clear water of the river as it flowed over a path that for time immemorial had been orchestrated by all that had come before it. Over the years she had mastered the art, not so much for the sport of teasing a steelhead or a rainbow trout onto the end of her line, but rather from the repetition of returning to the same little spot on the Clearwater, her favorite refuge. This was the very place where Mitch had introduced her to the melodic seduction of his most private collection of music. It was a playlist he had long guarded, a playlist that betrayed the commanding presence of his large muscular frame, his athletic prowess, and the simple way he had always looked at life.
Having first brought Jess to this place a month after the September 11th attacks, Mitch had arranged the weekend getaway after he had been presented with a no- win dare from his father to be as patriotic as Alex. When she’d learned of his enlistment, it had caught her off- guard. When he’d said basic training was twenty-four hundred miles away at Parris Island, she’d been speechless. But when he’d told her he was leaving in less than ten days, she’d struggled to catch her breath. As far as she had been concerned, South Carolina might as well have been another planet somewhere far beyond the stars that blanketed the black velvet nights of this pristine wilderness.
She had been overcome with emotion during that trip to the Clearwater River in Idaho. The crispness of the morning mountain air, mixed with the sounds of the crackling campfire and the rushing water just a few feet from their tent, had been a confluence of ingredients no master chef could have ever conceived. Jess had enjoyed every second of the experience until the sting of the news he was leaving was more numbing than the water itself. And while they both lost interest in the river’s offerings, the hours spent on the drive home were filled with tears, promises of fidelity, never-ending love, and a long life together tending to the small farm of their dreams. It was a dream they had carefully crafted during long secluded walks when even the innocent world of San Juan Island disappeared, and time seemed as if it would stop long enough for all the pieces to float seamlessly into place. Again, she drew back and set the custom-tied fly to flight and followed its arc before it kissed the water’s surface. In her mind, the only thing that ever landed more softly or with equal intent was the brush of Mitch’s lips across the back of her neck on those long summer evenings when counting fireflies had sparked dreams of the perfect life together.
Over the years, the river had become the special place where Jess could escape the pressures of the successful life she had carefully carved. Just being there enabled her to decompress, and to relive the weekend where she had surrendered to her long-suppressed desires, seducing the love of her life while simultaneously absolving him of any responsibility for having complied, albeit with little resistance. During their high school years there had been plenty of times he had taken her just short of that point of no return. And while his conscience would inevitably get the better of him, she had always hoped he would have forgotten that he was a gentleman. What she hadn’t realized at the time, was that their dreams and those promises would never come to fruition. What she could never let go of, however, was her need to make the yearly return to this place to resurrect that moment, as if continuing to do so would somehow or in some way ease her pain by keeping the possibility of that unfulfilled fantasy alive.
As she cast her line once more, she looked past the riverbank toward her tent, hoping as always that she could be transported back to the time when Mitch emerges from the warmth of their sleeping bag to watch how prolific she had become at his favorite recreational pastime. And just as she fell a little deeper into the warmth of his smile and his embrace, just as she placed her head against the memory of his chest and felt his heart beating strong and fast, she was abruptly pulled back to reality when her rod jerked with equal intensity, nearly being pulled from her hands just as the line snapped. 

– Excerpted from Driftwood on the Salish Sea by Richard Levine, KDP, 2025. Reprinted with permission. 

About the Author 

Richard I Levine is a native New Yorker raised in the shadows of Yankee Stadium. After dabbling in several occupations and a one-year coast-to-coast wanderlust trip, This one-time auxiliary police officer, volunteer fireman, bartender, and store manager returned to school to become a chiropractor. A twenty-five-year cancer survivor, he’s a strong advocate for the natural healing arts. In 2006 he wrote, produced, and was on-air personality of The Dr. Rich Levine Show on Seattle’s KKNW 1150AM and after a twenty-five-year chiropractic practice in Bellevue, Washington, he closed up shop at the end of 2016 and moved to Oahu to pursue a dream of acting and being on Hawaii 5-O. While briefly working as a ghostwriter/community liaison for a Honolulu City Councilmember, a Hawaii State Senator, and volunteering as an advisory board member of USVETS Barbers Point, he appeared as a background actor in over twenty-seven 5-Os, Magnum P.I.s, NCIS-Hawaii, and several Hallmark movies. In 2020, he had a co-star role in the third season episode of Magnum PI called “Easy Money.” While he no longer lives in Hawaii, he says he will always cherish and be grateful for those seven years and all the wonderful people he’s met. His 5th novel, To Catch the Setting Sun, was inspired by his time in Hawaii. Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea is Levine’s first foray into the romance genre.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ http://www.docrichlevine.com  

X ➜ https://www.twitter.com/Your_In8_Power 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/RichardLevineAuthor/ 

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/rilevinedc