Tule Author Q&A: Melissa McClone’s hometown was her inspiration!

Melissa McClone stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the fourth book in the Silver Falls series, A Sprinkle of Spring!

Where did you get the inspiration for the town of Silver Falls?

I live in a small town in Washington, very similar to Silver Falls. So let’s just say my hometown provided much of the inspiration. Instead of a First Avenue, we have Fourth Avenue. The Boo Bash in A Cup of Autumn? The shops here do something similar each year. We don’t have a Christmas decorating window competition, though.

So what I did was fictionalize my town and make it more perfect, as far as small towns go. I only wish we had the same shops Silver Falls did with those owners. I mean, who wouldn’t want one of Raine’s special hot cocoas? The yummy desserts that Taryn makes for Larsen’s Bakery (ours closed, but there is a new sweets shop that just opened.) Or buy the organic dog treats from Callie’s doggy daycare for their fur pup? 

 

What 3 words would you use to describe Flynn and Anna so readers can get to know them better?

Flynn: arrogant, generous, workaholic

Anna: kind-hearted, giving, nurturing

 

four dogs on parkThis book features a dog grooming heroine and her many pets. Are you an animal lover and do you have any pets?

I am an animal lover. I have a dog, a Norwegian Elkhound named Cato, and two black cats, Yoda and Beauty. I’ve also fostered cats and volunteered at a local animal rescue as Anna does in the book. At one point we had two dogs and eight cats with all the fosters, but it is hard to say no when there’s an animal in need of a place to recover or spend their final days.

To be honest, I can’t imagine a house without an animal. They are members of our family, only they have four legs instead of two.

 

Did you need to do any kind of research for this book?

Yes, I did! I did a bunch of research into the life of a surgeon. I realized so much depends on where they are and what they do. Some work privately and contract with hospitals, others work for hospitals. It was very interesting, but I found I could take some leeway for my story, which I did with Flynn.

I researched injuries that occur from falls (don’t want to give away any spoilers so that’s all I’ll say!)

I also went down a rabbit hole researching baby showers. It’s been a while since I attended one, so I wanted to see if they’d changed. I read articles on the games and themes and it was so much fun. Oh, boy, there are some cute baby things out there. Needless to say, I put together an entire baby shower for this book, even though I didn’t mention everything I had put down. 

 

What are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading Relationtrip by Elana Johnson. It’s a standalone travel romance written in first person POV. I’m not far into the book, but I’m enjoying it.

 

About the Author

With a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, Melissa McClone worked for a major airline where she traveled the globe and met her husband. But analyzing jet engine performance couldn’t compete with her love of writing happily ever afters. She’s now a USA Today Bestselling author and has also been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. Melissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, a spoiled Norwegian Elkhound, and cats who think they rule the house. They do!


Mystery Newsletter Giveaway

This giveaway is only open to Tule Mystery subscribers! You can subscribe HERE.

Two lucky winners will have a chance to win Spotify audiobook copies of books 1 – 3 in C.J. Carmichael’s Bitter Root Mysteries series!

To enter, comment below  what your favorite type of mystery book is. Cozy? Thriller? Psychological? Domestic? Something else? Let us know!

Giveaway is open until Monday, March 27th at 11:59 pm PT. Open internationally. 


THE PERFECTLY SIMPLE COMPLICATED LIFE OF MAGGIE HALLORAN: Release day blog post featuring Trish Morey!

Why St Ives?

The gobsmackingly gorgeous Cornish town of St Ives provides the setting for The Perfectly Simple Complicated Life of Maggie Halloran. Maggie lives there in a renovated fisherman’s cottage on Baiiley’s Lane in the Downalong (as in the down along the harbour) part of the town. But why St Ives? And what is this Aussie author doing setting a story in this far-flung part of the world?

Quite simply it’s because I love Cornwall. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to and explore Cornwall three times now (it should have been four, but I’ll just say 2020 and a certain virus intervened☹) and it never gets old.  It’s magical, mystical and more picturesque that any place has a right to be – if you’ve been there, you’ll know exactly what I mean. As for St Ives, if you’ve never been there, let me convince you that it was the perfect place for Maggie’s perfectly simple life to get suddenly complicated. Let me share with you five things I love about St Ives.

Stone terrace houses and whitewashed buildings. Cobbled laneways that draw you down. Hanging baskets overflowing with colour. And history every which way you look. 

St Nicholas Chapel atop the headland known as The Island dates back to the 15th century – it’s a landmark that you can see from all around St Ives and along the coastal walk. And it stands out gloriously in the sunset hours. 

Speaking of sunsets, this is the view from the Porthmeor Beach Café. Hubby and I plus friends enjoyed our 30th anniversary dinner there. Great food, great company, great sunset. 

The St Nicholas chapel again, a closer view this time. But that’s not my point. My point is, check out that September sky! That blue on the cover of The Perfectly Simple Complicated Life of Maggie Halloran is not a fiction☺

2pFalls! I know this is an odd-looking photo if you have never encountered a 2pFalls machine before but it’s a game with shifting platforms loaded with 2 penny pieces. It’s a four-sided machine so this is just one side of it. The object is to insert more 2p coins at just the right time to land behind the coins on the platform and push them onto the platform below and then hopefully into a chute near you. Win!! It’s a great game to play competitively as everyone knows by the rattle of coins when your rivals gets a win. 2pFalls plays a fun part in The Perfectly Simple Complicated Life of Maggie Halloran and I can’t wait to play it again – next time I get back to St Ives.

There’s so much more I could write about St Ives. It’s a gorgeous part of the world to visit if you haven’t already. And if you haven’t for a while or forever, then maybe pick up The Perfectly Simply Complicated Life of Maggie Halloran and enjoy a book visit. Armchair travelling can be almost as much fun as visiting in person (with the benefit of no flights, no pesky airline delays and best of all, no outrageous airfares). 

 

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author, Trish Morey has written thirty romances for the internationally bestselling Harlequin Presents line and her stories have been published in more than 25 languages in 40 countries worldwide, including being published in Manga comic book form in Japan, and as Trish Moreyova in the Czech Republic. Trish was awarded Romance Writers of Australia’s Romantic Book of the Year Award (the Ruby) for short, sexy romance In 2006 and again in 2009, as well as being a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA Awards in 2012. A qualified Chartered Accountant by trade, Trish was employed as financial manager at a major business school prior to her first sale. Trish lives with her husband, 4 daughters and assorted menagerie in the beautiful Adelaide Hills.


Tule Author Q&A: Jeannie Watt has baby fever!

Jeannie Watt stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the second book in the Return to Keller Ranch series, Her Cowboy Baby Daddy!

Where did you get the inspiration for Her Cowboy Baby Daddy?

There are a lot of babies being born in my family right now. My first granddaughter is approaching the age of two this spring, I was just blessed with two great-nieces,  and I have another grandchild due shortly. Also, like the heroine, I was told in my early twenties that I may not be able to have children—thankfully the doctor was wrong—and I know that ticking clock feeling. There hits a point where you feel like you have to either resign yourself or act. Hayley has hit this point. 

 

If you could spend the day with Spence or Hayley, who would you choose and what would you do?

I would spend the day with Hayley, working in her greenhouse, tending the plants and harvesting fresh vegetables. That said, hanging with Spence for the day would be a hoot. We’d probably ride fence or something. He’s a classic middle child, connects well with other people, and would be easy to spend the day with.

 

This isn’t your first time writing a story set in Marietta, Montana. Can you share how you manage to write stories in a town with so many different authors writing their own characters? Will we see any familiar faces? 

There aren’t many familiar faces in this Keller story, but there will be in the next in the series, Cowboy Meets Cowgirl. The way I keep things straight in the Marietta stories is by consulting A Book Girl’s Guide to Marietta, reading stories set in Marietta and, most importantly, depending on my editor, Sinclair Jayne, who also writes in the Marietta world. Sinclair really knows Marietta. It’s a wonderful community, and I love being part of it.

 

What 3 words would you use to describe Spence and Hayley so readers can get to know them better?

Spence—nomad, protector, easy going. Hayley—determined, caregiver, battling shyness.

 

What are you currently reading? 

I just started Cupid, Cupcakes and Carnage by Kaz Delaney, one of our Tule Mystery authors. I’m so excited to dive into this world and lose myself with some vicarious baking and crime solving. Next in the queue is A Santa Stabbing by Geri Krotow. I mainly read mysteries while I’m writing romance. It gives my brain a break and I love that Tule has a mystery imprint.

 

About the Author

Jeannie Watt is the author of over 20 contemporary romances and the recipient of the Holt Medallion Award of Merit. She lives in a small ranching community—a place where kids really do grow up to be cowboys—with her husband, dog, cat, horses and ponies. When she’s not writing, Jeannie enjoys sewing retro fashions, running, and buying lots and lots of hay.


Tule Author Q&A: Shelli Stevens believes in the friend zone!

Shelli Stevens stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the fourth book in the Bro Code series, Nursing the Flame!

Where did you get the inspiration for Nursing the Flame?  

Both my hero and heroine, Reggie and Amber, actually show up in book 1 in the Bro Code series, Losing It. They work at the same fire station as Blake, my hero in book 1. Reggie has a somewhat bigger role in that first book. But once I’d introduced them both, I knew they needed their own story. I kind of hinted in book 1 that Amber was nursing already nursing a crush on her superior. And I love a good age gap romance, so….Nursing the Flame was born.

 

Your characters, Amber and Reggie, are stuck in the friend zone in this book. Have you ever been stuck in the friend zone? If so, did it work out for you as well as it did for Amber and Reggie?

Ha! Funny story, or cringe maybe? But most of the guys I’ve dated over the years were my friend before they became a romantic interest. I honestly think it’s a good way to date, because in a way you already know them. No background check needed 😂 Which is why I usually maintain friendships with these guys after/if it ends. My now husband and I were friends for probably fifteen years (okay, and on and off flirting all that time) before we decided to give it an official shot and ended up married.

 

hanged bunkers suitsDid you need to do any kind of research for this book?

So much firefighter research! And, cough, research on how to have sexy times when you have a broken leg. 

 

What was your favorite scene to write and why?

I love the scene where Reggie finally sees Amber as a woman, and not just one of the guys. And oh the emotional chaos that ensues!

He grabbed a second bottle and straightened up, extending the beer to hand it to her.

She leaned against the railing on the other side of the porch, and for a moment, his mind went empty. The air locked in his lungs.


The sunlight and shadows hit her in a way that obscured her face, but made her long golden hair shine.

His gaze slid lower, past the baggy black T-shirt to her legs. The pale flesh was a mix of muscles and softness, not hiding beneath those tiny denim shorts.

At the moment, he wasn’t looking at Amber—who he literally saw as one of the guys—he was looking at a gorgeous woman.

He blinked, willing it to go away.

Come back, Amber. Please turn back into the girl that’s one of the bros.


“You okay, Lieutenant?” She stepped closer, out of the sun, her brows furrowing.

Her face came into focus, and some of the tension in his muscles eased.

She was Amber again. Thank god. What the hell had that been?


“Yeah.” He nodded quickly, thrusting the beer at her. “I’m good. And it’s Reggie when we’re not working.”

“Right. Reggie,” she said softly. “It’s habit.”

Those shorts were throwing him. Though they shouldn’t have. It was a hotter-than-usual July with the temperatures already in the low 80s. Since most apartments and homes didn’t have AC, that made it kind of brutal. So, of course, she was dressed accordingly.


They’re just shorts. Just legs.


Damn, it hadn’t gone away. He willed it to leave again—the realization that Amber was all female and entirely hot—but it lingered.


Unwittingly, his gaze fell to the cartoon of a fire hose on her shirt and the writing beneath it. Only this time, he read what it said.

I Put Out.

His breath caught and his blood quickened.

Oh hell. It was happening.

His imagination took the statement on her shirt and ran wild. Mentally stripping her out of her clothes and imagining her in his bed. On top of him. Beneath him. On her hands and knees.

Sweat beaded on his brow.

In one moment that friends only filter had been removed, and he saw her in a light that until now, he’d forced himself to ignore.

Without a doubt, he’d never be able to look at Amber the same way again.

Fuck.

 

What are you currently reading?

I just finished up Desire’s Addiction by Mari Carr and Lila Dubois (two of my author friends!) Warning, it’s HOT!

 

 

About the Author

Shelli is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author who read her first romance novel when she snatched it off her mother’s bookshelf at the age of eleven. One taste and she was forever hooked. It wasn’t until many years later that she decided to pursue writing stories of her own. By then she acknowledged the voices in her head didn’t make her crazy, they made her a writer.

Shelli is a true pluviophile (lover of rain) who currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two daughters. She loves Disney, taking sunset pics (follow her on Instagram), baking, nature walking, and spontaneously bursting into song. She’s written various genres of romance, but is most known for her contemporary series such as Marshall Ranch, The McLaughlins, and A is for Alpha.


Tule Publishing March 2023 Releases

Read more about our new releases for March!

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the March releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

 

Nursing the Flame by Shelli Stevens (American Heart)

Release Date: March 6, 2023

Bro Code, Book 4

Thou shalt not sleep with the girl bro…

Firefighter Amber Chapman has been working for the Seattle Fire Department for three years and loves the excitement of her job. She’s been single for just as long, and despite her attraction to her team leader, she knows that when you’re one of the guys, it’s hard to break out of the friend zone.

Lieutenant Reggie Andrews lives and breathes firefighting and would do anything for his station family. He’s got a soft spot for Amber, who he took under his wing when she first joined their team. She’s the “girl bro” in the group, as he affectionately calls her, so she’ll always be off limits. When a house fire engulfs them, Reggie’s quick thinking saves Amber. Except he doesn’t escape unscathed, and he’s convinced his future as a firefighter is going up in flames.

But Amber won’t let him sit around feeling sorry for himself. As Amber helps nurture his body and his spirit, Reggie is shocked to realize she’s also nursing a flame of desire that he tried to deny…and can no longer ignore.


Her Cowboy Baby Daddy by Jeannie Watt (Montana Born)

Release Date: March 7, 2023

Return to Keller Ranch, Book 2

He’s always been the love ‘em and leave ‘em type, until she gives him a reason to stay.

Former cowboy Spence Keller never puts down roots, so when he’s needed back home on Keller Ranch, he drops everything to return. After a belligerent neighbor shuts off a much-needed water supply, Spence volunteers to negotiate a water lease with Hayley Parker, another neighboring ranch owner. He and shy Hayley have a history, so it should be simple, but things are made complicated when he sees Hayley, now confident, gorgeous, and armed with a counteroffer.

Ranching is in Hayley’s blood, but after her father passes, she’s lonely. Hayley’s always wanted a child, but is too independent to run her ranch and raise her child with someone else. She’s exploring sperm donors when her handsome neighbor saunters into her barn with a proposition. Spence is perfect—he’s hot as hell and always has one foot out the door.

Spence is definitely up for a no-strings affair with Hayley, but father a child and walk away? Never. Can he convince Hayley that he’s ready to settle down and raise a family—with her?


The Perfectly Simple Complicated Life of Maggie Halloran by Trish Morey (Holiday)

Release Date: March 9, 2023

With Love, Cornwall, Book 1

Maggie Halloran’s life is finally perfect.

For recently retired Maggie Halloran, life in her renovated two-bedroom St. Ives fisherman’s cottage is picture perfect. With her daughter in London and her mother in Penzance, Maggie is free to enjoy the odd sleepover with her boyfriend, Nigel, visit galleries, or do her beloved sudoku.

When Maggie’s reserved mother falls giddily in love, Maggie takes it in stride. At the wedding, Maggie’s daughter, Alice, announces she’s pregnant and needs somewhere to live. Oh, and she has a new puppy, too…

Alice and Maggie have never been close, and Nigel’s allergic to dogs, but blood is thicker than your average Saturday night sleepover. Suddenly Maggie’s humouring her demanding daughter, fielding visits from her nostalgic ex-husband, and accommodating Alice’s baby daddy. And then Maggie’s mother arrives on the doorstep in tears, suitcase in hand, because she’s left her new husband. The only one keeping Maggie sane is Mitch, the builder converting the loft into another bedroom.

Maggie’s three-level terrace is now home to three generations—soon to be four—and her perfectly quiet, drama-free life is gone. The question is…does she want it back?


Kiss Me Under the Irish Sky by Karen Foley (Holiday)

Release Date: March 14, 2023

Love Always, Ireland, Book 1

She’s ready for an enchanting summer on the Irish coast.

Chicago graduate student Rachel Woods is determined to complete her degree and take her place in the family textile business. But when she learns her late father once spent a summer at a traditional weaving mill in Ireland, she decides to follow in his footsteps. Rachel’s a city girl at heart, but soon finds herself falling under the spell of the Emerald Isle—and the charming man who saves her.

Conall McDermott knows all about following your dreams. He left medicine to pursue his love of running and turned that passion into a nationwide retail business. When his local trail leads him to a beautiful American woman trapped in a bog, Conall rescues her and is smitten. She wants to learn about Donegal tweed, and since his family owns the local woolen mill, he happily introduces her to the local weavers, culture, and community.

When the opportunity of a lifetime arises sooner than expected, can Rachel ignore the powerful attraction she and Conall share, or will she let him—and Ireland—weave their magic around her heart?


Penny for Your Heart by Season Vining (American Heart)

Release Date: February 16, 2023

Romance in the City, Book 1

At fourteen, Penny Winters fell out of the closet and in love with her best friend, Misa Ito. But before they truly understood their feelings, Misa and her family were gone. Over a decade later, when Penny secures a job at a top New York advertising agency, she has a second chance at first love when she’s introduced to the lead account executive, Misa.

But the road to happiness is riddled with potholes. Misa is still impossibly beautiful, but super cold. And Misa shows no recollection of Penny—the girl who once showed her how to skateboard, make daisy chain crowns, and shared every secret with. On top of that, there’s the huge engagement ring and photo of a handsome man on Misa’s desk. The butterflies Penny feels don’t seem one-sided, and she wants answers.

Penny has no idea that she’s begging for the impossible. Getting Misa to admit anything means asking her to do the unthinkable: put aside her career and her father’s expectations to give into her heart. Which has always belonged to Penny.


A Homecoming Mantra by Sapna Srinivasan (American Heart)

Release Date: March 21, 2023

The Sood Family, Book 4

He’s a great single dad, but his family decides he needs a new wife…immediately.

No one in the Sood family has divorced—ever. But when successful mystery writer Shaan Sood’s wife cheats, he files. After his ex cuts ties with both him and their daughter, he leaves India to return to his Washington hometown and raise Misha closer to family. Shaan focuses on building a stable and loving home for Misha, but his peace is shattered by his loving family’s insistence that Misha needs a mother. Shaan is done with love, but he’d be lying if he didn’t admit he can’t stop thinking about his beautiful new neighbor.

Riding instructor Claire Wellington is everything Shaan should avoid. She’s kind, intelligent, and interested in helping Misha rebuild her confidence through riding lessons. Misha falls in love with the captivating and adventurous Claire, and Shaan’s heart isn’t far behind.

But Claire has secrets, and Shaan is a man who’s built a career solving mysteries. Can he risk his and his daughter’s hearts once again?


A Sprinkle of Spring by Melissa McClone (American Heart)

Release Date: March 23, 2023

Silver Falls, Book 4

She’s finally put down solid roots, but his are far away…

L.A.-based surgeon Flynn Andrews may be arrogant and overprotective, but he’ll do anything for his family. When his pregnant sister asks him to be her baby’s godfather, Flynn’s touched. Though he’s unhappy that the godmother will be his sister’s best friend and employee, Anna Kent. Flynn doesn’t trust her. Anna’s sunshine attitude and easy smiles must be an act.

Dog groomer Anna Kent dreams of falling in love and living happily ever after. She cherishes the life she’s built in the small town of Silver Falls, a world away from her painful childhood, but she’s missing a life partner. Her overly hyper dog, three spoiled cats, and two rescue fosters don’t count. Anna can’t wait to be a godparent, but she’s not thrilled to share the honor with grumpy Flynn.

He doesn’t like her. She’s not impressed with him. Somehow, they’ll have to find a way to plan a baby shower together. But as unexpected feelings spark and tensions escalate, the party might be the least of their problems.


Spring’s Mystical Promise by Leigh Ann Edwards (Muse)

Release Date: March 28, 2023

Maidens of the Mystical Stones, Book 3

Can she keep their magical promise without putting everything at risk?

As the frost melts and spring flowers bloom, Rhianwyn Mulryan, stuck in a binding magical pact, begins her season as Elspeth, a castle servant. After an endless winter as the frightened harlot Selena, Rhianwyn enjoys the strength of Elspeth’s tall, robust body. Never did she imagine, however, the secret horrors of her headstrong friend’s marriage to the brute Godric. Life with the sheriff’s abusive son makes Rhianwyn yearn even more for her true love, Broccan.

Broccan Mulryan, Lord of Brockwell Manor and joint knight commander, was once blissfully happy with his bride. But now Rhianwyn’s moods are baffling and unpredictable. After a winter of withdrawn frigidity, she’s suddenly forward and insatiable. Perhaps worse, he’s become unaccountably protective of Rhianwyn’s friend Elspeth…and his knightly instinct feels a lot like desire.

But as his connection to Rhianwyn wanes and his feelings for Elspeth grow, Broccan begins to suspect something unnatural has affected his wife and her friends. Could dark magic be destroying their love? Or is he losing his precious wife to something even worse?


Be My Baby by Dakota Harrison (Holiday)

Release Date: March 29, 2023

With Love, From Kurrajong Crossing, Book 8

Their timing has always been wrong, do they finally have it right?

Well-respected Kurrajong Crossing local Max Jameson has run the popular inn, the Spotted Cow, for over a decade. After losing his wife, Lucy, six years ago, Max has kept to himself. Though the relationship wasn’t romantic, Max hasn’t so much as been on a date since then…despite being in love with Millie Stevens for longer than he’d like to admit.

Millie wants a baby more than anything. At thirty-six, she feels her biological clock ticking and turns to her best friend, Max, to be the biological father of her child. He is everything she could want for her child’s father—kind, intelligent, loyal, and devastatingly handsome. And if he said yes, it could be completely anonymous, no strings attached.

Max would love to build a family with Millie, though he wishes it was because she wanted him, not just his child. But not everything goes to plan, and when feelings grow and disaster strikes, will Max and Millie’s hopes for a future go up in flames?


SOMEONE MISSING FROM MALAPAIS MOUNTAIN: Release day blog post featuring Kris Bock!

Someone Missing from Malapais Mountain: The Accidental Detective Book 4

It’s hard to chase the truth when you need a cane… 

Former international war correspondent Kate Tessler had to trade her illustrious journalism career for her childhood bedroom after a brush with death almost took her leg. But Kate is drawn back into her old world when a journalist covering a sprawling story of political corruption is the victim of a hit-and-run. Gabriella can only communicate by blinking yes or no to questions. 

Kate takes the case with her new PI partner—her sister, Jen—and their trusty senior sidekicks. Can a fifty-year-old journalist with a bad leg survive the dangers of the Arizona desert long enough to catch a killer?

Get Someone Missing from Malapais Mountain. 

 

Okay, I might have chosen Malapais Mountain because of the alliteration, which follows the series pattern of Something or Someone (maybe someday Somehow?) followed by three words starting with the same letter. 

Also, Malapais means badlands, which has a nice ominous sound. 

Arizona’s Malapais Mountain is near the Superstition Wilderness east of Phoenix. I like to hike, and this plot allowed me to get Kate and Jen into the rugged wilderness. In the southwest, the desert full of cacti and spiky plants—and maybe a rattlesnake or two. Everything wants to hurt you. I’ve hiked in the area many times (and pulled cactus spines out of various body parts more than once). But to write the book, I needed to get out to the area again and take notes and photos. Not a hardship!

Here are some views in the Malapais Mountain area. It’s beautiful:

Note the saguaro, the tall cacti, which starts growing arms only after they reach 50 years old. 

The saguaro cactus is limited to southern Arizona and northern Mexico. They’re easy to spot—it’s the little cacti that get your ankles while you’re hiking! 

If you thought the desert was flat, nope—hiking can take you up and up! And then you have to get back down again.

You can also visit a ghost town, now a tourist attraction, if you’d rather have a burger and drink than face the desert.

 

About the Author

Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. In the Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven. Find The Accidental Detective Series in ebook or print on Amazon US, Amazon UK, or at Tule Publishing with links to all retailers. 

Kris’s Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series follows a Texas ranching family that wins a billion-dollar lottery. Who wouldn’t want to be a billionaire? Turns out winning the lottery causes as many problems as it solves. The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. Learn more at www.krisbock.com. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter to get a free Accidental Detective mystery story, a free cat café novella, and more. 

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for the romantic comedy newsletter to get a short story preview, or find the books at Amazon US or All E-book retailers.

Find Kris:

Website

Blog 

Twitter 

Instagram

TikTok

Facebook 

Pinterest

GoodReads Author Page

BookBub

Amazon US page or Amazon UK page


FOUR HIDDEN TREASURES: Release day blog post featuring H L Marsay!

What’s in a name?

When I began writing Four Hidden Treasures, the first book my new series, The Secrets of Hartwell, not only did I have to come up with a village full of new characters, I also had to create the village itself. Previously, my stories have been set in real places like York, so I considered basing this series in one of the many Yorkshire villages I love such as Hovingham, Thornton Le Dale or Coxwold, but none of them were quite right. So, instead, I picked my favourite bits of each place; the beck running through Thornton, the Victorian primary school in Hovingham and the church in Coxwold, to create somewhere new.

Then, I had to think of a name for my village. This wasn’t as simple as you might think. Due to England’s long history, every tribe or invading army have left their mark when it comes to place names. The Roman word for ‘fort’ roughly translates to cester, caster or chester, so we have Manchester, Lancaster and Cirencester. The Viking influence is still strong in the north of the country. Places ending in ‘thorpe’, ‘thwait’, ‘ness’, ‘by’ and ‘kirk’ were all named by our Scandinavian invaders, so we have Copmanthorpe, Husthwaite, Skegness, Whitby and Ormskirk. The Anglo Saxon’s dominated the south and their place names ended in ‘ham’, ‘ford’ and ‘ton’, giving us Birmingham, Oxford and Boston. When the French- speaking Normans arrived in 1066, they made a few changes too. They liked to use ‘beau’ and ‘bel’ meaning fine or fair, so we get Belvoir and Beaumont.

Due to a backstory running through my series, the village had to have been founded by the Celts. They treated water as if it was sacred. In fact, two thirds of England’s rivers still have their Celtic names, such as Avon, Derwent, Severn, Tees and Tyne. My village had an old, sacred well, so ‘well’ needed to be included in the name. Certain trees and animals were also important to the Celts, but Hollywell sounded too much like Hollywood and I couldn’t use Oakwell as it’s the name of Barnsley football club’s home ground. Stagwell just sounded wrong. It was starting to drive me crazy. I would lay awake at night, coming up with names only to find they had already been taken. Then one day, I was browsing the internet, looking for a new mattress (my husband had bought one that he thought was a bargain but turned out to be only one inch deep. Neither our backs nor our marriage were going to survive it much longer!) As I was scrolling through the pages of a mattress store, I found it. Amongst the Lyndehursts, St James’s and Lichfields was ‘Hartwell’. It was perfect. Combining the word ‘well’ with ‘hart’ the old English word for stag. Finally, I had a name for my village and a new mattress. I could sleep in peace.

 

About the Author

H L Marsay always loved detective stories and promised herself that one day, she would write one too. She is lucky enough to live in York, a city full of history and mystery. When not writing, the five men in her life keep her busy – two sons, two dogs and one husband.


Tule Author Q&A: Gerri Russell loves writing strong female characters!

Gerri Russell stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the fourth book in the Guardians of the Isles series, To Claim His Highland Bride!

Where did you get the inspiration for To Claim His Highland Bride?

When I originally created Rowena as the only female MacLeod with five brothers, I knew she had to be strong-willed and perhaps a bit of a rebel to counter the dominance of her warrior brothers. The most outrageous things she could ever do would be to reach across a centuries-old divide and fall in love with her clans’ enemy. 

Marcus MacDonald is a dreamer with an explorer’s heart. He loves his clan but wants more out of life than simply feuding with the MacLeods. Marcus’s heart has always belonged to the sea, so with great joy I wrote a “pirate-adventure” story for Marcus and Rowena. 

 

Rowena is such a strong female character in a time where women are historically more subservient. Where did you draw inspiration for her? How do you relate to her? 

In my fiction world, I like to portray strong and dynamic women who seem ahead of their time. Yet to me they are only holding on to their positions as evidenced throughout history when women were warriors, powerful priestesses, and political leaders. In the early Christian church, women held positions of equal influence to men. In Medieval times, women were the healers, and their wisdom was valued in a world without medicine. I acknowledge all of that changed at different times in history for various reasons, but I like to imagine my female protagonists, such as Rowena, could stand up to their male counterparts and demand equality in their little corner of the world. 

I can relate to Rowena’s desire for independence and her need for a sense of purpose because of my own past. My father died when I was young, leaving my twenty-nine-year-old mother widowed with three children to raise in a world where her name wasn’t even on the mortgage, the bank accounts, or any of the utility bills. I watched her struggle to gain footing in a world dominated by men, to become a strong, independent, and successful woman. My sister and I are both fiercely independent as a result. (Just ask our husbands.) A little bit of my mom, my sister, and me are in every female character I write. 

 

What song would be in the soundtrack to Marcus and Rowena’s love story? Why?

Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol captures the essence of Marcus and Rowena’s relationship. 

I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

These lines capture Marcus’s guilt and grief, Rowena and Marcus’s conflict with their clans, and their need to build something of their own together. 

 

green and black mountain beside sea during sunsetAre there any settings in this story that readers could visit today? 

To Claim His Highland Bride is set on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Much of the story takes place at Dunvegan Castle which is open to the public from April 1st to October 15th each year. Approximately ten miles from Dunvegan is Neist Point, on the west coast of Skye, which is accessible by car. And finally, if you’re up for a bit of a hike, readers could visit Uamh Oir, the Cave of Gold, located about five miles north of Uig. 

 

What are you currently reading?

Just like everyone else in the world, I’m indulging in Spare.

 

About the Author

Gerri Russell is the award-winning author of historical and contemporary novels including the Brotherhood of the Scottish Templars series and Flirting with Felicity. A two-time recipient of the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award and winner of the American Title II competition sponsored by RT Book Reviews magazine, she is best known for her adventurous and emotionally intense novels set in the thirteenth- and fourteenth-century Scottish Highlands. Before Gerri followed her passion for writing romance novels, she worked as a broadcast journalist, a newspaper reporter, a magazine columnist, a technical writer and editor, and an instructional designer. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and four mischievous black cats.


Tule Author Q&A: Kaz Delaney mixes Valentine’s Day with murder + A GIVEAWAY!

Kaz Delaney stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the fifth book in the Hart of Texas Murder Mysteries series, Cupid, Cupcakes and Carnage! Plus, keep reading to see how you can enter a giveaway!

Where did you get the inspiration for Cupid, Cupcakes and Carnage and the Hart of Texas Murder Mystery series?

Hi everybody! It’s great to be here again. So while the Hart of Texas Mysteries can be read in any order, they were written to chronologically (roughly) follow the seasons. With Christmas gone, and Rosie getting more than she’d bargained for, (Murder below the Mistletoe), I was checking the calendar to set the next mystery and Valentine’s Day jumped out at me. The tiny town of Airlie Falls loves a good celebration. They go all out, no matter what it is, so this just seemed to fit. 

Story-wise, Valentine’s Day is such a beautiful time and yet the wicked side of me saw the fun(?) of juxtaposing that time of warmth and love, of selflessness, alongside the cold-hearted selfishness of murder. 

Valentine’s Day is also such a pretty time, and murder is never pretty—so, again, it was a time of contrasts. And such contrasts! I had enormous fun researching Valentine’s Day celebrations and creating such a gorgeous setting. I so badly wanted to go those parties and celebrations; the warmth of that community just keeps dragging me in, making me yearn for a community just like Airlie Falls.        

 

green metal garden shovel filled with brown soilThis installment takes place during Valentine’s Day. Are you a fan of the holiday? Do we get to see some romance between Rosie and Jonah?

To be perfectly honest, my husband and I don’t go all out for Valentine’s Day. I suspect we allowed the busy-ness having four children to push more elaborate celebrations to the side—though not once in over fifty years have we not acknowledged it between us, maybe not with a big show, but always a kiss, gratitude that we have each other and a wish for many more Valentine’s Days to come. In retrospect that’s probably the nicest way to celebrate and I guess we will continue that way because those sentiments come from our hearts.

As for Rosie and Jonah? Well, naturally finding a dead body in your backyard would put a dampener on any romantic celebration, right—no matter how young and newly in love you are. So, if ONE random body causes some distress, imagine what finding TWO bodies would do to upset your plans, romantic or otherwise? Especially as one of those bodies has been lying buried in your backyard for over ten years—and of course you had no idea.  

Making that work involved a lot of thinking, but the idea of finding a body buried in your backyard intrigued me. Yes, I’m obviously disturbed—we can agree on that. 😊 Two things simultaneously happened that led to the birth of this idea. Our national news was reporting on the outcome of a thirty year old case that had been re-opened. A husband had long been suspected of murdering his wife and the news had historic footage of where their back yard had been dug up at the time. With this on my mind, a few days later I was watching my husband dig a new garden bed, and I idly considered how awful it would be to discover long buried bones. Gruesome? Yes, somewhat, but intriguing. When those two ideas meshed, I had the beginning of a story—one that I then had to make work. Btw, in case you’re wondering, in a landmark result, despite not having ever found the body, enough evidence was found to convict that husband 30 years after his lovely young wife disappeared and after he had installed his teenage girlfriend in his home just days after that wife’s disappearance.  

 

There’s a new senior dating app in Airlie Falls. Would you ever consider using a dating app in today’s dating climate? 

person holding black smartphoneWow—what an interesting question. You know, I’m kind of on the fence. It doesn’t sound like something I would do, but then again, it seems to be ‘the’ way to meet people these days, right? And I’m going to share a secret here and I hope you keep it just between us… I’ve always been curious about who an app would match me with. True!  I’ve seen some great results but more than often hilariously disastrous ones.  That said, there’s no way I’m replacing my man, but still…curious. 

Although maybe if the situation arose and I found myself alone I should take a leaf out of the Fab Four’s book and try it! With Valentine’s Day in the air, those gorgeous rascals, average age 90, decided to get back in the ‘game’ and they tried a dating app! I had huge fun writing those scenes and I knew from the first inklings of this book that I wanted to give Lori Sue, Martha, E.T. (Ethel Therese) and Betsy the fun of a dating app to play with. There’s no use-by date on finding love, but with a lot of competition out at Riverbend retirement complex they used their cunning wiles to try to get an edge.    

 

What was your favorite scene to write and why? 

Trying to choose a favorite book is like trying to choose a favorite child. However, for reasons I can’t explain, this particular book has a firm place in my heart. I adored every moment of its creation, and couldn’t wait to get to my computer each day. And as many authors would agree, this isn’t always the case. So, bearing all that in mind, I had such trouble choosing a scene. Was it the romantic—and oh so pretty—dance night that heralded the beginning of the Valentine’s Day celebrations? The Fab Four fluttering their eyelashes (and everything else) at their chosen victim—um—date prospect? Was it the moment when Rosie finally realized she’d been looking at everything from the wrong angle? The scene with the supposed psychic who claimed to have been gifted all the answers from the spirits of the dead?

You know what? I think it should be the scene when the second body is discovered. Jonah and Rosie have been away on a short trip to an interstate baking fair and on returning to Rosie’s farmhouse they had been delivered the news of the body discovered in Jonah’s yard while they’d been away. A body that had been buried just days before. Naturally they rush to Jonah’s property just up the road.

 

The scene at Jonah’s wasn’t nearly as chaotic as I’d expected. Bobby Don, our senior deputy and arguably the best chili maker in Texas, was raking through the disturbed soil where it was obvious the body had been buried.  The other guy, Arnie Sanchez, was working in a wider arc. I’d only met Arnie a couple of times but he seemed okay. At mid-twenties he was only a few years younger than Bobby Don and Jonah, and the guys had included him in a few of their occasional trips to Dallas for ball games. 

At the moment though, ballgames were the last things on Jonah’s mind. Even in winter his tan was always evident but now he was scarily pale by comparison. His eyes roved the disturbed paving stones, his gaze darting back and forth, mentally measuring the distance between the gravesite and the house. And I knew what he was thinking—ludicrous. It was ludicrous to even consider that anyone had thought burying somebody here was a good idea. 

“They had to have thought they had no choice,” I muttered just loud enough for him to hear.

“I agree, but why were they here in the first place? I mean, sure in this town everybody knows everybody’s business, but our decision for me to join you on that trip was pretty much spur of the moment! And even we didn’t know until last night just when we were returning. At first, we were only going for two nights, remember? So, by rights, we should have been home—and chances are I’d be here because I’ve been staying close to those new calves.”

“But we didn’t recognize him Jonah, so he wasn’t local. Which means what? That it was random?”

Jonah bumped his cowboy hat to the back of his head and scratched at his forehead. “Darlin’, I always love the way you think, but to suggest that a stranger wandered onto my property, got himself murdered and buried by another random stranger at the precise time I’d be away is a stretch even for your imagination. Definitely for mine. It makes no sense…”

Clay and Fiona were heading back from the corral barn that housed the new additions to Jonah’s herd and I’d just opened my mouth to ask if they could think of anything else they hadn’t yet told us when a shout went up from the grave area.

“Sheriff! Did you notice anything odd about that guy we dug up? Like, was he missing anything?”

Frank sighed. “Bobby Don, what in tarnation are you talking about now?”

The deputy pushed up from where he’d been hunkered down close to the disturbed soil. “Well, like—did he have all his parts?”

“Bobby Don, I’m close to thinking you don’t have all your parts—especially in the head department. Do you mean body parts? If so, yes, as far as I recall he was intact.  So, what is your problem?”

It had long been accepted that Bobby Don was the most generous man you’d wish to meet, and a truly exemplary chili maker. A deputy sheriff? Not so much. But he was as honest as the day is long, and Frank appreciated honesty, so he stayed. Right then I was figuring Sheriff Frank Kinnead was questioning that decision.                

  Especially when Bobby Don added, “If he didn’t lose anything, then I suppose it’s a bit far-fetched to consider he had anything extra either, right?” I willed him to continue before Frank exploded. “’Cos I’m struggling for an explanation as to why we have an extra hand here…” He paused. “Unless…” 

“Unless we have another body,” I finished for him. I’d said the words but it was like actually uttering them made them truly real. I didn’t remember moving my hand until I felt it clasped across the lower part of my face. “Oh my Lord, Jonah. There are two bodies!”

Arnie moved closer and both Frank and Bobby Don squatted to examine the new find. Other than Fiona’s gasp, I think the rest of us simply held our breaths. One random body was unfathomable. Two was insane. 

   

What are you currently reading?

I had some time off after Christmas and have been having the time of my life reading so many titles from Tule’s Montana series. Oh my… So many great stories. Kelly Hunter, Jane Porter, C.J Carmichael, Joan Kilby. The list goes on.  And on! And I still have many more to go. Bliss!

 

Prize up for grabs!

Thank you everybody for hanging out with me. Do you love Valentine’s Day? Do you have a favorite annual celebration? Or what do you like or dislike about cozy mysteries? I don’t mind what you comment on, but if you care to leave a comment, I will randomly choose one person to win a $10 Amazon card and also an e-book copy of your choice of any of the first four titles in the Hart of Texas Mysteries.

 

About the Author

Award winning YA & children’s author, Kaz Delaney, and her alter ego, have currently sold 73 titles between them over a 26 year career.

Her books have won many awards, among them the prestigious Aurealis Award for best paranormal and ARRA (Australian Romance Readers Association) awards. Her novel ‘Dead, Actually’ (Allen & Unwin) was nominated for a Davitt Award, (Best crime novel, Sisters In Crime) in the YA section.   Dividing her time between teaching and writing, Kaz formerly tutored Creative Writing for CSU’s Enrichment Program as well as teaching and creating courses for the Australian College of Journalism.

Having always had a love of cozy mysteries, Kaz is having so much fun writing her Hart of Texas Mystery Series for TULE Publishing, that she worries it’s not legal!

With their family grown and gone, Kaz lives with her wonderful husband at beautiful Lake Macquarie, Australia, a place she describes as a strip of land between the ocean and lake.  Like Rosie, Kaz loves to bake and grow vegetables and unlike Rosie, manages to make a mess of every crochet task she undertakes.