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Thankful Thursday

Teresa’s Thankful

Teresa Trent’s with us today, and here’s what she decided to share.

Why I’m Thankful

By Teresa Trent

I’m an optimistic person, and part of that is because I’m surrounded by good things I’m thankful for in my life. Of course, there is my family, and the love of my life who I married 35 years ago, but it also comes back to the way I was raised.

I grew up in an Army family, and when you move every one to three years, things can get stressful. Still, we stuck together and found our place in every new town or city. My mother, who never swore, always tried to stay positive.

The one time when I thought she was going to let one rip, she said, “God….”

 here it was, proof she was human, “bless America.”

Seriously, that’s what came out of her mouth. 

When her body was crippled by rheumatoid arthritis, and her hands curled up, she still stayed positive. She had to be in terrible pain, but our conversations tended to be about me. That was her gift—listening. What a wonderful thing.

A child learns from the adults around him or her. Not so much what the adults tell them to do, but how those people react under stress, frustration, and fatigue. I am thankful my role model kept the rest of us calm through the storms.

She also taught me the value of resilience, which is important for a writer. Like I said, at 42, her body became her enemy, but that didn’t stop her. She decided she wanted to sell houses, and that’s what she did, eventually becoming the broker of the agency.

 I’m thankful for that example every time I get rejected for a story. Just like my mom, I don’t plan to give up. 

Thanks, Mom.

Friends, Teresa’s the author of The Swinging Sixties Mystery Series. You can learn more about Teresa and her books at https://teresatrent.com/

Teresa, thanks for sharing.

Thankful Thursday

Grateful for Hard Times

This week Rosalie Spielman is sharing her heart provoking thoughts on being grateful. Rosalie and I have been friends for a few years, and we’ve spent time together at conferences. I always enjoy hanging out with Rose.

Here’s what she shared about gratitude.

I am grateful for those hard times in life, because without them, I wouldn’t be able to recognize the better times for being as good as they are! 

I am also eternally grateful to my family. They were my rock, my hope, and my motivation. 

You can find Rosalie Spielman online many places, and you can get to know more at her website. https://www.rosalie-spielman-author.com/

Thankful Thursday

Thankful for being fired?

Today my friend, Annie McEwen, shares what she’s thankful for.

Yes, as embarrassing as it is to admit, and not many people outside my “inner circle” know it, but I was fired several years ago. I was devastated, to say the least. I’d faithfully
performed my duties and then some. Not to get into the nitty-gritty, but in my state, employers can dismiss the employee without cause. Let’s just say the whole situation was questionable. (I guess that happens when you stand up for what you believe is right…but I won’t get into all
that.)
After sobbing and sleepless nights, I realized it was out of my control, and surely there was a reason for this. I had to keep telling myself that, or else my husband Brian would find me
curled up in a ball on the couch, questioning my self-worth and watching Friends through my tears. Brian told me he’d noticed a change in me over the past year; I’d not seemed as happy or
excited about my work as before. I was constantly stressed out and exhausted. I hadn’t realized it.
Fast-forward to a job interview for a PRN (as needed) x-ray tech position. I’m talking with the managers; they have offered me the weekend tech position. I’d be paid the same as if I’d
worked five days, but I’d have the whole week off. Plus, I could work during the week if I wanted more hours. At first, I thought, no way! Weekends? But I prayed, talked to Brian, and took the
job! Brian’s police job requires him to work most weekends, and our kids are adults, so I can see them anytime.
What else did this mean? I finally had the time to pursue my dream to be an author! Five years later, I’m a published author of two books and working on my third. That never would’ve
happened with the ridiculous hours I was previously working. Bonus – I’ve met talented, lovely authors like the sweet Jackie Layton. Since then, we’ve welcomed two grandsons who spend
lots of time with us during the week. I’ve made amazing friends at my new job and have the best managers I’ve ever had, all of whom incredibly support my writing.

Do I still have a little bit of hurt about how it all went down? You could say that… but it also makes for a great storyline. (wink, wink) Was getting canned a giant punch to the gut? Yes.
Definitely. But, it was a gigantic blessing in a bizarre disguise.

Thanks, Annie.

I’m sure you all can tell how special Annie is. I am blessed to be her friend. Here are some ways you can connect with Annie.

www.anniemcewenauthor.com

Instagram

Facebook

Cozy mystery

A Party and Prizes

Tonight is the Cozy Mystery Mid Year Party on their Facebook group. Here’s the link. https://www.facebook.com/share/Zq6a1zmWxErn72rK/?mibextid=A7sQZp

If you’re not a member of the group, be sure to join. The party begins at 5:00 PM Pacific Time.

I’ll takeover at 7:00 PST which is 10:00 EST. I hope you can join us. It should be fun!

Oh, I’ll be giving away an eBook of Clutter Free.

Returning to Fox Island where she grew up, Kate Sloan begins her career as a professional organizer. When a woman accuses Kate’s police chief brother of having an affair, Kate’s priority shifts from organizing to proving her brother’s innocence. Kate visits the woman, hoping for a confession. The woman won’t admit she lied, and to make the situation worse, the accuser is found dead the next day by Kate and her business partner.

Kate has an eye for seeing what’s out of place, and she knows how to fix problems. Can she utilize her organizational skills to toss red herrings and focus on legitimate clues? Emma’s business is at risk as well as her brother’s career. The clock is ticking, and this could be the deadliest deadline of Kate’s life. She must discover the truth behind the victim’s vicious lies, but most of all, she needs to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.

I hope you can drop in tonight. Have a great week!

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday

I knew about Kara Lacey, but this spring I got to know Kara when we both attended Malice Domestic. She’s become a friend, and she’s here today to share what she’s thankful for. Here’s Kara.

Last month, I sat down to write the acknowledgements for my debut cozy, which will come out in September. As I started listing people I wanted to thank, it hit me how lucky I’ve been. When I started plotting and drafting nearly five years ago, I was under the false impression that writing a book was a solitary endeavor. How wrong I was!

I am so grateful for all the readers, writers, and friends I’ve met along the way. Whether on social media, in writing groups, Sister in Crime forums, or at conventions, I’ve found mystery readers and writers to be a wonderfully inclusive and supportive group. I’m so grateful for all the help and encouragement everyone has offered along the way. And I’m grateful to have met you at Malice Domestic, last spring. I’m already looking forward to next year!

Aw, thanks Kara. I’m excited about us spending time together next year too. And I’m excited about your new release.

https://karalaceyauthor.com/

Cozy mystery, Texas

Paperback release Texas Style

A few weeks ago, I shared the fun of having Advanced Readers Copies of Clover Covered Corpse. We traipsed around Asheville, NC with the ARC. When I heard the paperback was released, I ordered a copy for myself and had it shipped to Texas. We just spent a week in Waco, and once again, we had fun taking pictures of the paperback.

The week we were there, the temperatures hovered around 100, BUT when you added the heat index it was closer to 106. Even so, we had fun visiting the golf course, Magnolia, Fabled, Spice Village, Heritage, Common Grounds, and many more places.

It was a great week. Texas has become a special place to me, and I always enjoy my time there. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

I would love for you to tag me on social media with one of my books. There might even be a prize involved. Thanks!

https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/jackielaytonauthor.com

Thankful Thursday

4th of July and Thankfulness

Whether you say Independence Day or the Fourth of July, it’s the day Americans celebrate the Declaration of Independence and our freedom.

Happy Independence Day wherever you are. I get to enjoy golf cart parades, flyovers by military jets, time on the beach, a cookout, and all this will be followed by fireworks. I hope you are free to celebrate your freedom. I’m thankful to be an American, and I’m thankful for all the people who fought to make this a reality.

Cozy mystery

Red, White, and Blue? Wait, it’s Dead, White and Blue

Congratulations to my friend Annie McEwen on the second book in the Northwoods Mystery series.

It’s the 4th of July in the Wisconsin Northwoods, and no one is more excited than Emmy Cooper. She’s happy to be back in her hometown, settling once again into small-town living and helping her family run Cooper’s Cove, their lake cottage resort. Emmy and her teen crush, police officer Dean Erickson, are enjoying getting reacquainted, while she and bestie Whitney are closer than ever.

Lake Covington and its quaint namesake town are bustling with visitors celebrating during the annual three-day Independence Day Freedom Fest. Everything is Yankee Doodle Dandy until a local man with a reputation for trouble starts fireworks of his own. And the explosions just keep on coming when Emmy stumbles over a dead body at the celebrations!

The dead man is Jordan James, and as Emmy soon finds out, there are no shortage of people who might want him dead. From a jealous jerk to a conniving cousin and even a former friend from his past, suspects are more plentiful than ants at a July picnic! Despite promises to stay out of the investigation, Emmy finds herself smack in the middle of it. Can she and Whitney figure out the truth and find liberty and justice for all?

You can pre-order now, and the book releases on July 2. That’s tomorrow. Congratulations, Annie!

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday

Korina Moss and I became friends a few years ago, and I’m thankful she took time to share with us today.

Here’s what she shared with me.

I’m thankful for the connection I get to have with my readers. They invite me to know them on a personal level, even beyond our shared love of cozy mysteries. I feel grateful when they share their excitement about my series with others, and humbled when I receive messages of how my books have provided comfort during a difficult time. I love how books can bring people together!

Korina is the author of the Cheese Shop cozy mystery series, and if you want to get to know her better, here’s her website http://korinamossauthor.com

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Spotlight on the Queen

That’s right. My friend Connie Queen is the author of heart throbbing suspense, and her new book will release tomorrow, June 25.

Pursued in the wilderness…

Can they survive criminals and nature?

A camping trip turns into a search and rescue mission when investigator Josie Hunt’s adopted daughter goes missing. And as the only witness to her father’s murder, eight-year-old Everly is the killer’s next target. Now Josie has no choice but to accept help from her ex-boyfriend, wrongly accused fugitive Dane Haggerty, to stay alive. With threats closing in, can they outrun a killer who’ll stop at nothing to keep his crimes hidden?

Friends, I’m excited about Connie’s new book. I think you’ll enjoy it. Here’s the buying link: 

Wilderness Witness Survival (Love Inspired Suspense): Queen, Connie: 9781335598196: Amazon.com: Books