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Interview with Karen Kay, Author of She Captures My Heart

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write She Captures My Heart?

The Native American Medicine Man has always intrigued me because he was known to be able to heal people with natural remedies, as well as to help them become well by means of rhythm and song. Sometimes the medicine man was known to be able to see into the future and often he was aware of what was in the environment for many miles around him. The old Native American Scout also had this ability. There is a lot we don't today know about these gallant men and it intrigued me to be able to research this and write about it.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of She Captures My Heart, what would they be?

For the heroine, Amelia McIntosh, I would pick the song, "A LOVE SO BEAUTIFUL," by Roy Obison. I would pick this song because she brings beauty and love into the hero's life. For the hero, Gray Falcon, it would be "HEART TAKER," by John Trudell. This is a beautiful and romantic poem/song by John Trudell.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Romance, of course. But I also enjoy Fantasy, Paranormal, and Adventure. But with other genres, for me, it must have a romantic element. Also, I love reading Native American history for my stories. This research, as we call it, is truly the icing on the cake.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Mostly I have research books on my TBR list: AN INDIAN WINTER by James Willard Schultz; THE SUN GOD'S CHILDREN, by James Willard Schultz; IN THE GREAT APACHE FOREST, by James Willard Schultz; FOOLS CROW by Thomas E. Mails; BLACKFEET AND BUFFALO, by James Willard Schultz. There are others but, at present, these are what I have waiting for me.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

There's a scene in the book near the middle of it where the heroine "comes clean" with the hero and confesses not only what's in her heart, but the terrible problem she is facing and how she hopes it might affect him and her. I didn't really know what his reaction was going to be to this. At first he was a little angry with her, but then, when he began to tease her and to court her for real, his antics made me giggle a little

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Hmmm. I like to be warm when I write, especially I like warmth on my feet. Must have my coffee handy, also. And, when I am creatively writing (not editing), I love to have music playing in the background.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Another hmmm moment… I guess when it comes to writing, it might be "finish what I start." Also, it applies to other things, like housework…finish what I start. Sometimes not easy to do, but if I don't do it, my mind seems to get cluttered. So the motto, "Finish what I start," would work well, I think.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I think I might like for people to think about this: that people are people regardless of color. An Apache Medicine Man once said that we are all one race, the human race, and it comes in different colors. I think he was very wise.

 

Karen Kay is the author of the new book She Captures My Heart

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Interview with C. A. Phipps, Author of Gingerbread and Gunshots

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Gingerbread and Gunshots : A small town culinary cozy mystery.?

This is book 7 in the Maple Lane Mysteries and I had recently written the prequel about my bakers time living in Manhattan. The story of her friend coming to visit Maple Falls just came to me.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Gingerbread and Gunshots : A small town culinary cozy mystery., what would they be?

Definitely something from Agatha Christy! Theme from "Agatha Christie's Marple" - Dominik Scherrer

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love all sub genres of cozy mysteries.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Witch Swindled in Westerham by Dionne Lister is up next, but I have so many, I can only look at the next in line!

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The epilogue! Spoiler alert - The sheriff has a secret that only Gran knows about.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I shift from room to room over the course of the day. A different position and outlook helps my mind and body reset. And I love writing in cafes - people watching is research, right?

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Love what you’re doing. (If you don’t how do you expect to be happy?)

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Maple Falls. Her characters and the sense of community.

 

C. A. Phipps is the author of the new book Gingerbread and Gunshots : A small town culinary cozy mystery.

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New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | December 20

Hold on to the edge of your seat as we hunt for clues and solve the case with these exciting new mystery and thriller books for the week! There are so many bestselling authors with new novels for you to dive into this week including Thomas Scott, C.A. Phipps, Toni Anderson, and many more. Enjoy your new mystery, thriller, and suspense novels. Happy reading!



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New Romance Books to Read | December 20

Looking to fall in love with some new romance reads? You’ll adore these exciting new novels! This week you can get your hands on books by bestselling authors Karen Kay, Virginia'dele Smith, Marie Force, and more. Enjoy your new romance books and happy reading!



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New Books to Read in Literary Fiction | December 20

Literary fiction readers are in for a treat. This week’s latest releases list is full of intriguing reads you won’t want to miss! The new releases list includes so many bestselling authors like Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir, Marguerite Duras, Luke Dumas, and many more. Enjoy your new literary fiction books. Happy reading!



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New Science Fiction and Fantasy Books | December 20

Set off on an adventure to new worlds this week! This selection of new science fiction and fantasy books will surely please! Science Fiction fans should be excited about the latest from bestselling authors Kyle Waller, Craig A. Falconer, Nathan Thompson, and more. If Fantasy is what your library needs, you’ll be able to pick up the latest from JD Mitchell, D.R. Perry, K.M. Shea, and more. Enjoy your new science fiction and fantasy books. Happy reading!


Fantasy


Science Fiction


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New Young Adult Books to Read | December 20

Are you an avid reader of Young Adult books? This week you are in luck! With all of these new novels, you’re bound to find a new favorite book to add to your reading list. This week includes new novels from bestselling authors Tracy Andreen, G. Bailey, David Sanchez-Ponton, and many more. Enjoy your new young adult books. Happy reading!



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New Biography and Memoir Books to Read | December 20

Looking for some new biography and memoir books for your library? There are so many new releases this week that you’re bound to find a new favorite. You can pick up new books from Matthew Hollis, Tim Tigner, Anna McNuff, and many more. Enjoy your new biography and memoir books. Happy reading!



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The Buzziest Books of December | 2022

The Buzziest Books of December | 2022

The month of December was a great time for readers with a host of exciting new releases from bestselling authors. So many page-turning novels will captivate you from cover to cover. If you want to know what new books everyone has been talking about, here are our picks for December’s 10 most noteworthy releases. Happy reading!



Uneven Futures: Strategies for Community Survival from Speculative Fiction

by Ben Abraham and More

Release Date: December 20, 2022

Essays on speculative/science fiction explore the futures that feed our most cherished fantasies and terrifying nightmares, while helping diverse communities devise new survival strategies for a tough millennium.

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Well Traveled

by Jen DeLuca

Release Date: December 6, 2022

A high-powered attorney from a success-oriented family, Louisa "Lulu" Malone lives to work, and everything seems to be going right, until the day she realizes it’s all wrong. Lulu’s cousin Mitch introduced her to the world of Renaissance Faires, and when she spies one at a time just when she needs an escape, she leaps into the welcoming environment of turkey legs, taverns, and tarot readers. The only drawback? Dex MacLean: a guitarist with a killer smile, the Casanova of the Faire… and her traveling companion for the summer...

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A Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carré

by John le Carré

Release Date: December 6, 2022

An archive of letters written by the late John le Carré, giving readers access to the intimate thoughts of one of the greatest writers of our time. This collection is a treasure trove, revealing the late author's humour, generosity, and wit--a side of him many readers have not previously seen.

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Twice in a Lifetime

by Nyla Melissa Baron Hajji

Release Date: December 12, 2022

The Time Traveler's Wife meets Oona Out of Order in this imaginative and moving debut novel of a love more powerful than time. Melissa Baron’s time-crossed romance features a quintessentially endearing and brave protagonist, and an engrossing plot that will keep you turning pages until its breathtaking finish.

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The Widowmaker: A Black Harbor Novel

by Hannah Morrissey

Release Date: December 6, 2022

A wealthy family shrouded in scandal; a detective tasked with solving an impossible cold case; and a woman with a dark past collide in Hannah Morrissey's stunning Black Harbor mystery, The Widowmaker.

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Weightless: Making Space for My Resilient Body and Soul

by Evette Dionne

Release Date: December 6, 2022

A poignant and ruthlessly honest journey through cultural expectations of size, race, and gender—and toward a brighter future—from National Book Award nominee Evette Dionne.

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Zodiac Academy 8: Sorrow and Starlight

by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

Release Date: December 11, 2022

All stars must fall. Bloody, lost, broken. We live to fight another day. But with so much stolen from us, can the fates ever twist in our favour again? My sister and I have been torn apart by shadows and despair, and now we each stand alone. Our sorrow is spun like a web, trapping us tight, and I fear our enemies will soon come to feast upon our souls. But if I have my way, the merciless sky will have dealt us its final fortune. It’s time for us to take back the power that’s been ripped from our grasp and turn the tide of this war.

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The Vibrant Years

by Sonali Dev

Release Date: December 1, 2022

From USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev comes a heartfelt novel about three generations of hilarious, unconventional, ambitious women navigating bad dates, a spiteful HOA board, reemerging exes, and secrets that refuse to remain hidden. Join the Desai women on a shared journey of self-discovery as they dare to live their most vibrant lives.

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Queen of Myth and Monsters (Adrian X Isolde Book 2)

by Scarlett St. Clair

Release Date: December 20, 2022

The next book in the vampire fantasy series by USA Today and international bestselling author Scarlett St. Clair. Isolde, newly coronated queen, has finally found a king worthy of her in the vampire Adrian. But their love for each other has cost Isolde her father and her homeland. Now, as politics in the Red Palace grow more underhanded, inexplicable monster attacks plague the villages, and a deadly crimson mist threatens all of Cordova, Isolde must trust in the bond she's formed with Adrian, even as she learns troubling information about his complicated past.

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Weightless: The Light Pirate

by Lily Brooks-Dalton

Release Date: December 6, 2022

Set in the near future, this hopeful story of survival and resilience follows Wanda—a luminous child born out of a devastating hurricane—as she navigates a rapidly changing world: A “symphony of beauty and heartbreak” (Associated Press). Told in four parts—power, water, light, and time—The Light Pirate mirrors the rhythms of the elements and the sometimes quick, sometimes slow dissolution of the world as we know it. It is a meditation on the changes we would rather not see, the future we would rather not greet, and a call back to the beauty and violence of an untamable wilderness.

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Books to Read for Fans of the Divergent Series

Books to Read for Fans of the Divergent Series

The Divergent books are some of the best-known dystopian books that have inspired a generation of readers (and writers!). If you love reading about societies on the edge of collapse with lots of twists and turns, tons of action, and maybe a little romance, you'll love these new fantasy and science fiction releases!



My Evil Eye (Furies)

by A.L. Hawke

Release Date: October 17, 2022

While shelving books at Sunland University’s library in Florida, a librarian named Medusa meets Ash. Ash takes her out to a nightclub by the beach — next, a movie. All goes well until some thug sticks a gun in his back. Well, she takes care of him. His body is no longer whole. But that puts Medusa in a whole heap of trouble.

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Drafted (Para-Military Recruiter Book 1)

by Renée Jaggér and Michael Anderle

Release Date: November 9, 2022

Julie Meadows is down on her luck when she receives an e-mail drafting her into the Official Para-Military Agency. She didn’t expect “para” to mean paranormal. Julie dives into the magical, mystical, and downright fantastic when she and her partner, Taylor are tasked with finding new recruits for the Agency. The problem? Julie is human, and the cost of failing to find a recruit is her life...

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Cut From Stone (Crafting Humanity Book 1)

by Brendan O'Meara

Release Date: September 29, 2022

Tensions mount between the Federation in the West and the BlankZone in the East. James, a seventeen-year-old in the Federation, is thrust into an inevitable war when he is drafted by the military. He is joined by a group of teenagers handpicked to defend the Federation against attack. Join their adventure and uncover the secrets of the Federation.

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The Enthronement

by Charity Mae

Release Date: September 6, 2022

Kascia's love could save her kingdom or it could tear her heart and kingdom apart. War has torn the kingdom of Purerah apart for 500 years. The solution? The Enthronement. Kascia must become a candidate to assassinate the royal family or become their greatest defender. Will she choose correctly or will her kingdom's blood be on her hands?

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No Rescue (EMP Sabotage Book 1)

by Grace Hamilton

Release Date: December 14, 2022

A rising storm. A sudden catastrophe. No power. No hope of rescue... If you like post-apocalyptic fiction with a cast of characters you can really root for, filled with prepper & survival information, compelling action, and with zero profanity, you'll love No Rescue!

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Teleport

by Joshua T. Calvert

Release Date: December 10, 2022

"Joshua T. Calvert has a gift for making nail-biting science fiction that you can't put down. Get ready for some sleepless nights!" - M.A. Rothman, USA Today bestselling author

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