Halloween is over but in these three compelling reads each featured character is haunted by their pasts.  [3 books arranged showing their front covers, from left to right: King of Ashes, Revolve, Good Spirits]  King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby  contemporary mystery suspense thriller with romantic elements  Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar, June 2025  Some legacies are deadly and finding answers to questions that have lingered for years makes it almost impossible for Roman and his sister Neveah to save themselves, their surviving family members and the business they've sacrificed to build. Threats abound in this turbulent, layered, genre mashup that mesmerizes with shock and awe as it entertains and illuminates.  This author offers characters and dilemmas with gorgeous language and brutal reality that deliver on all the book world hype. So good.  Revolve (Off the Ice #3) by Bal Khabra  contemporary new adult romance  Berkeley, October 2025...

An extra hour gives 60 more minutes of reading! (Not working on my 2 different WIPs. Not housekeeping. Not the last mow of the season. Not anything practical. Sometimes making the practical choice is over-rated.:-)  [front cover of trade paperback book "Nikki Payne, The Princess and the P.I." showing a curvaceous Black woman leaning against the front of a desk with a Black man standing behind the desk]  The Princess and the P.I. (Bennetts #3) by Nikki Payne  contemporary fiction w/suspense & romance  Berkeley, September 2025  Fiona and Maurice are determined to right some grievous wrongs and their plans go sideways when she's accused of murder. They make what each hopes will turn out to be a mutually beneficial deal. Grief, religious zealotry used to justify misogyny and oppression, complicated family dynamics and more make their quest to hold the guilty accountable a treacherous endeavor. Snappy dialogue, DMV-area Easter eggs, and lots of drama add humor an...

The countdown to Halloween adds incentive to reading scary tales, even for me as a scaredy cat.  [a bookstack of 6 books, from top to bottom: The Covenant of Blood, Blood Ties, Uncharmed, Never Been Witched, Love's a Witch, Joy Goddess]  The Covenant of Blood by J.S. Living, author & publisher  supernatural fantasy with romantic elements   2022  Liz, daughter of Vlad the Impaler and The Blood Countess, has questions. About her mother, her origins, her purpose. More than one faction wants to stop her from finding those answers. Secrets, betrayals, adventures, bloody mayhem, and more ensue across a saga offered in three intricately woven parts.  Blood Ties: A Collection of Three Covenant of Blood Stories by J.S. Living, author & publisher  supernatural fantasy with romantic elements  2024  Readers have some questions. This concise collection offers answers and deeper context for characters' motivations along with gorgeous artwork. Plus,...

Reading, writing, and eating my feelings are my default coping strategies and so far this month I've been averaging 1k+ words per day on a WIP fun idea that's been percolating in my thoughts for almost a year!  My first drafts are always handwritten, which helps me sketch out my thoughts without getting distracted by the allure of a tech device screen.      [a zippered fabric notebook case with a plastic clipboard inside showing above the top with the edge of one sheet of paper clamped under its clip; a mechanical pencil and a large rubber eraser atop a package of 150 sheets of college ruled notebook paper all slanted across the right edge of the notebook case; and all those items sitting atop a lap desk]  An inspiring read + BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) Issues [hardcover copy of Uncommon Favor... by Dawn Staley propped in front of a stack of 13 books with a trade paperback copy of To Kill a Badger spine-out to the right of it]  Uncommon Favor: Basketb...

Recording insightful virtual panel chats with a variety of successful authors and publishing services professionals as a continuation of the 6th and final The Write Women Book Fest along with mini-sodes of author interviews for The B!tchy Quill podcast inspired me to start writing every day again, which resulted in thousands of mostly usable output on two different WIPs!  https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/2025-program.html#/   It also reminded me to read J.S. Living's work.  [The Covenant of Blood and Blood Ties arranged face up next to Realm of Thieves and The Younger Man stacked]  My BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) Issues continue as seen below, where my goal was to dash into the library to pick up the one book that was on hold for me, and ended up being lured toward the "new books" shelves and found irresistible titles, as usual. That was at one branch, then the same mission at the neighboring county's branch yielded a similar outcome.   [photo collage:...

Still reading my feelings with two mysteries that include romance (of course), a romance set in the world of auto racing, and a non-fiction workout book to revamp my fitness routine since I'm also eating my feelings, and not with kale.  [4 books arranged front covers up, from left to right: How to Have a Killer Time in D.C., A Waltz on the Wild Side, Not So Fast, 7-Minute Body Plan]  A Waltz on the Wild Side (Wild Wynchesters #6) by Erica Ridley  historical romance  Forever, August 2025  Abuse of power, voting rights, artistic gatekeeping, and more themes that apply to today's real-life struggles are woven into this entertaining historical romp of a rescue turned mutual courtship. Riffs on how families and communities are chosen and created add poignant notes throughout Viv and Jacob's adventure. Absurdist mayhem involving assorted animals and dangerous, often rebellious activities add fun along with substantial social commentary.  How to Have a Killer Time...