I’ve been in a rather nostalgic mood of late. I started playing old songs that have marked significant events in my life. It’s interesting how music always stirs up memories, and, for me, great ideas for stories. Here are some that are very precious to me accompanied by what was happening with me at the time. You can click the links, hear the songs and read their lyrics.

You’ve Got a Friend – James Taylor
Toward the end of my first marriage I was miserably unhappy. I longed to have a friend who would say this to me. While I had many who wanted to take advantage of me, few would have been the true friend I needed in this song. So, I imagined James Taylor was that friend.

Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
I was in the middle of a divorce from my abusive first husband, a college sweetheart who had turned dark. He was stalking me, and I was terrified. He was the insanity in my head.

Diamond Girl – Seals and Crofts
After I left my first husband, my daughter Stephanie, who was just a toddler at the time, was my Diamond Girl. She brought me so much joy in a dark time and has continued to always do so.

Come and Get Your Love – Redbone
During that continued dark time, I met someone that I thought I could love. It didn’t work out. It was too difficult for me to go and get my love.

I’m Not in Love – 10 CC
I then met Mark Walters, the morning drive-time DJ in our city. He was 11 years younger than me and began to pursue me. This song embodies how I felt at the time.

Hello, It’s Me – Todd Rundgren
Mark Walters was his radio name. As it turns out, his real name is Mark McKibben. I was so conflicted at the time.

Time in a Bottle – Jim Croce
I gave into my feelings finally and spent time with Mark. This is how he made me feel when I was with him.

I Have to Say I Love You in a Song – Jim Croce
I was teaching junior high school at the time. Mark was always on the radio when I was driving to school. One night he told me to be sure to listen to him on the radio at a specific time. He said he had a song he wanted to play for me. When he dedicated and played Jim Croce’s song to “a very special teacher,” I almost drove off the road. Of course, my students all knew we were dating, and they were waiting for me in my classroom when I arrived and swarmed me with excitement. I thought it the most romantic thing a guy had ever done for me. Of course, that was 42 years ago. He still plays that song for me.

Do your songs tell the story of events in your life? They certainly do in mine. I wrote about this time period in my life in my memoir, Riding Through It.  It’s free. Grab it if you would like to read about how I took control of my life after playing the role of a victim for many years! And, share your songs with me.
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Til Next Time,
Carol

I am very excited. Snow Blood Season 3 (A Vampire Mystery Thriller) just became available in print as well as digitally!

Here’s a short synopsis:
“Return to the paranormal world of Brogio, the First Vampire…. Snow Blood, Kindred dog of Brogio, the first Vampire, has faced dangers and intrigues alongside his Master – defeating the threats that assault them time and time again.

"Now, another evil looms, one more powerful and daunting than any they have known before. This time, the threat may separate him from all he loves… forever. While fighting for the existence he has grown to love, Snow Blood is challenged to prevent a plan to enslave his family and the entire vampire nation.

"As Snow Blood’s pack struggles to uncover a mysterious disappearance, a hidden truth about Kane, Brogio’s eldest blood son, is revealed. Now only Kane is able to prevent their impending fate and reunite them all.”

And I have even more good news! It's available on Amazon or Barnes&Noble or Kobo. You can simply click on those outlets in the previous sentence, and the link will take you to the book. If you use Amazon, you will also get the Kindle version of the book for FREE!

And, you know, I am always dying to hear your thoughts about my books. Sooo, if you are inclined to post an honest review on whichever distributor’s Web site that you choose, that would be icing on the cake and much appreciated. Reviews are an Author’s life blood.

If you haven’t read the other books in the series (there are three with a fourth coming in December), click here to see all my books.

Yes, this IS a pitch to buy my book. But, please understand that I LOVE to hear from you and know your opinions about what I write. 

Also, please let me know what you'd like to read in these weekly blogs. I want to provide value always! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Til Next Time,
​Carol

Aside from the Snow Blood Vampire Mystery Thriller and Luke’s Tale, readers have been asking what would be good reading for those who can’t get enough of vampires, dogs, or just plain good stories.

Pushing aside the all-time great books, I went on a hunt for what I consider to be books more than worth your time and money. Here’s what I discovered. They are not rated or put in any particular order other than what came to mind at the moment! Not all of them are vampire books, or books about dogs. Remember, I said books worth your time!

A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forest (Series) Review: “Bella Forrest transports you into a story with many defining moments and an unlikely set of heroes. In a narrative world overrun with supernatural creatures full of angst, A Shade of Vampire puts a new spin on a crowded genre."

The Mageri Book Series by Dannika Dark Review: "This series has it all, romance, mystery, action, humor, and yes even some tragedy. You laugh, you cry and you totally immerse yourself in this extraordinary world the author has built. Urban Fantasy doesn't get much better than this!"

Moon Dance (Book 1) by J.R. Rain  Review: "I enjoyed this immensely. The protagonist, Samantha Moon, is a female vampire with a husband and children. Those predate her condition; six years ago she was attacked by a vampire and rendered into one. Now she's trying to carry on with family and private eye business, and she's a feisty, skilled person, so is doing mostly okay. It is not a horror story; she buys animal blood to eat and doesn't generally prey on humans. But her husband has an increasing problem with her coldness--not of spirit, but of body. 'You sicken me and scare the hell out of me,' he tells her. 'And when I touch you it's all I can do to not gag.' She replies, 'Words every wife wants to hear.' I love this! She really doesn't deserve to be frozen out of her marriage, yet his attitude is understandable. In the course of the novel she solves the mystery she is tackling for a client, and finds a new romantic interest. What makes it special are her character and nature." 

To Date A Dragon: BBW Dragon Shifter Romance (Weredragon Warriors Book by Natalie Kristen (Okay, love dragons. Had to throw this in.) Review: “This is the first book in the Weredragon Warriors series, and it is good. It is unique from most shifter books in that the dragon shifters are actually aliens who have come to earth. It features a hot Dragon warrior, his adorable daughter, and her likeable teacher (who just happens to also be his mate). This story does have some violence, as they are fighting another alien race that is bent on eliminating them. It is not very graphic, but there are quite a few violent scenes.”

Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him By Luis Carlos Montalvan (I adored this book.) Review: "Wow, what a book! I think I was crying on page 3. The collision of man and dog, and the unbreakable bond they form, made my heart leap. Everyone should read this book to better understand not only the ravages of war, but the amazing capacity of the human spirit to rebound. I dare anyone to read this book and not believe in the power of love to heal." 

Spilled Milk: Based On A True Story by K.L. Randis  Review: “Such a well written, heart-breaking story. For her to write this book with the intention of trying to protect someone else from having this happen to them, is truly remarkable. I read the book in one day and believe that this is a must-read for everyone.” 

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah Review: “Just what is a friend? And what would you do for your best friend? What kind of sacrifices would you make? Many of us will never find this out. But some of us will. Some of us already know. Kristin Hannah shows us with this outstanding novel what friendship really is and how it can endure over the years. She shows us the power of friendship.”

 When I’m Gone by Emily Bleeker Review: “I'm not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn't the tender, sad, angry, revelatory journey the reader shares with the central character. Anyone with a heart will come away changed.”

Vampire Shift (Book One) (Kiera Hudson Series One 1) by Tim O’Rourke Review: "Vampire Shift will leave you on the edge of your seat, gripping your Kindle." 

A Hairy Tale (The Hairy Tale Series Book 1) by Jamie Campbell Review: “This is an outstanding book! It's about a bond between animals and humans. I would definitely recommend it!!” 

Bonus Book! I can never make a book list without including this one. It is one very close to my heart. Even though I wrote, Luke’s Tale after reading Garth Stein, he has been such an inspiration to me. If you have not read The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, you are missing out on a tremendous book. "This is essentially the story of one man's life struggle, as seen from the perspective of the family dog. The dog, named Enzo, is as intelligent as a human being, and pretty much thinks like one. Most of the humor of the book comes from Enzo's unhappiness with his dog status, and his intense desire to be a human in the next life." This is one of my all-time favorites.
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Till Next Time,
Carol

I can't begin to describe the warmth that surrounds me when I know I have family, friends and associates - both clients and fellow workers - with whom I can depend. 

As human beings, we all strive for security. We find it in the dependability of those around us. That means we can count on certain factors: people keep their commitments to us; they are trustworthy with things that are important to us; they are there for us in times of need; they are honest and faithful and take responsibility for their actions. This is just as important at work as it is on a personal level. 

If you are a responsible person, you become essential to the lives of others.  Being desired and wanted is a basic human. I think that these factors are something that I try to point out in all my books. If you take a look at the Snow Blood Series, you'll see a family of vampires who rely on each other. The love they have for each other is obvious through all their actions, most of all with Snow Blood, a vampire dog. An unlikely group to consider being dependable, but that's why it makes that quality in them so much more noticeable. Would you agree?

So, let's think about ourselves for just a nanosecond. Would you consider yourself dependable. Are you there for your friends and family when they need you? Are you considered a "go-to" person at work because you always get it done? Do you keep your friends' secrets when they ask you to do so? Do you think about the needs of others more than you think about your own? That one is tough, but important if you can do it whenever you can.

I've found over the years that a few  friends and business associates have fallen by the wayside. When I think back on it, I realize it's because they weren't reliable or dependable. Some only were conditional friends who hung with me for what I could do for them. When my value to them subsided, they disappeared. Sad, but true. Recently I depended upon a business associate who had always held up her end of our dealings. Suddenly, she has fallen into oblivion, without a word of explanation. And, it has caused me distress. I am now hanging on something that I promised to deliver, and I'm scrambling to make up the difference. 

It's important to consider how our actions will effect those around us. Sometimes, it breaks our hearts. So, always consider how your actions will affect those you love, like or with whom you have business dealings. Ask yourself, "Am I dependable?"

Til Next Time,
​Carol

Hi! I'm just back from holiday and enjoyed reading several great books, including Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman. Upon my return, I found an excellent newspaper article about one of my clients It jogged me into thinking that I forget to make note that I work with a lot of really great authors who have written terrific novels. One of them is Denny Lee Penticoff.

His book is The Braverman Tablet, and it's the first in a series about Dr. Joshua Penn, an Indiana Jones-like archaeologist and professor. I was privileged to work as Denny's editor on this project. Denny's love of historical places and facts are obvious in his book.  But it contains romance, mystery, adventure and is a thrill ride. Josh Penn, and his anthropologist lover, Teresa Vega, are given an obsidian tablet engraved in Biblical Hebrew. The tablet was discovered by American tourists, Aaron and Betty Braverman, and their Mayan guide while visiting the Yucatan. The inscription on the tablet ignites worldwide speculation that it contains new revelations from God. However, it is incomplete. The Mormon Church is particularly interested because they desperately want archaeological evidence to support the Book of Mormon. 

This all plunges Josh and Teresa into intrigue and corruption, and they are stalked by a Mexican crime syndicate that tries to murder them and sell the tablet on the black market. Enter a Japanese industrialist who offers help, but Josh is suspicious of his motives.

I highly recommend The Braverman Tablet. Check out the article about Denny and his new novel from The Sentinel-Record. Don't be put off by the two questions you're asked to answer before reaching the article. 

Hope you'll read Denny's novel. He's currently working on the second installation, and I'm eager to read what happens next!

Til Next Time,
​Carol