Category Archives: Author Feature

Meet Tule Publishing’s First 10 Authors as Part of our #Tule10 Anniversary!

September 2, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Tule Publishing has hit a milestone 10 years and we’re celebrating all month long with showcasing some of our first 10’s! Learn more about our first 10 authors, meet our first 10 cowboys, and maybe find yourself wrapped up dreaming of the holidays with our first 10 Christmas stories!

We are so thankful for each of you for continuing to put your faith in us to continue bringing you amazing reads. You are a crucial part to our success and we couldn’t have made it to our 10th anniversary without you! We hope you stick around all month for more celebratory blogs and are looking forward to another 10 years – cheers!

Meet Tule Publishing’s First 10 Authors

Meet Megan Crane

USA Today bestselling, RITA-nominated, and critically-acclaimed author Megan Crane has written more than seventy-five books since her debut in 2004. She has been published by a variety of publishers, including each of New York’s Big Five. She’s won fans with her women’s fiction, chick lit, and work-for-hire young adult novels as well as with the Harlequin Presents she writes as Caitlin Crews. These days her focus is on contemporary romance from small town to international glamor, cowboys to bikers, and beyond. She sometimes teaches creative writing classes both online at mediabistro.com and at UCLA Extension’s prestigious Writers’ Program, where she finally utilizes the MA and PhD in English Literature she received from the University of York in York, England. She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with a husband who draws comics and animation storyboards and their menagerie of ridiculous animals.

Meet Lilian Darcy

Lilian Darcy was born on Valentine’s Day. This auspicious date, as well as a love of reading, set her destiny as a writer of romance and women’s fiction from an early age. She has also written extensively for Australian theatre and television, under another name. Her plays have been professionally performed by some of Australia’s most prestigious theatre companies, and have received two award nominations for Best Play from the Australian Writers Guild, while in 1990 she was the co-recipient of an Australian Film Institute award for best TV mini-series. She has now written over eighty romances for Harlequin, as well as several mainstream novels, including Cafe du Jour, originally published by Mira Books Australia.

Meet CJ Carmichael

USA Today Bestselling author C. J. Carmichael has written over 45 novels in her favorite genres of romance and mystery. She has been nominated twice for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award, as well as RT Bookclub’s Career Achievement in Romantic Suspense award, and the Bookseller’s Best honor.

She gave up the thrills of income tax forms and double entry book-keeping in 1998 when she sold her first book to Harlequin Superromance. Since then she has published over 35 novels with Harlequin and is currently working on a series of western romances with Tule Publishing. In addition C. J. Carmichael has published several cozy mystery series as an Indie author.

When not writing C. J. enjoys family time with her grown daughters and her husband. Family dinners are great. Even better are the times they spend hiking in the Rocky Mountains around their home in Calgary, and relaxing at their cottage on Flathead Lake, Montana. Visit C.J.’s website at http://CJCarmichael.com

Meet Jane Porter (Founder of Tule Publishing)

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 70 romances and fiction titles, Jane Porter has been a finalist for the prestigious RITA award six times and won in 2014 for Best Novella with her story, Take Me, Cowboy, from Tule Publishing. Today, Jane has over 13 million copies in print, including her wildly successful, Flirting With Forty, which was made into a Lifetime movie starring Heather Locklear, as well as The Tycoon’s Kiss and A Christmas Miracle for Daisy, two Tule books which have been turned into holiday films for the GAC Family network. A mother of three sons, Jane holds an MA in Writing from the University of San Francisco and makes her home in sunny San Clemente, CA with her surfer husband and three dogs.

Meet Melissa McClone

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!

Meet Katherine Garbera

Katherine Garbera is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 115 books. She is celebrating her 25th year as a published author in 2022 and is still thrilled to bring stories of happily ever after to her readers. Her books are known for their emotional impact and sizzling sensuality. She lives in the midlands of the UK (aka not London) with her husband and sweet miniature dachshund.

Meet Kim Boykin

Kim Boykin is a women’s fiction author with a sassy Southern streak. She is the author of The Wisdom of Hair, Steal Me and Palmetto Moon. While a piece of her heart will always be in the South Carolina Lowcountry, Kim fell in love with the red rocks in Sedona, Arizona and is living happily ever after in the creative center of the universe – or her universe.

Meet Kelly Hunter

Accidentally educated in the sciences, Kelly Hunter didn’t think to start writing romances until she was surrounded by the jungles of Malaysia for a year and didn’t have anything to read. Eventually she decided that writing romance suited her far better than throwing sterile screw-worm flies out of airplane windows, and changed careers. Kelly now lives in Australia, surrounded by lush farmland and family, 2 dogs, 3 miniature cows, a miniature pig, a 3-legged cat and a small flock of curious chickens. There are still flies, but their maggots don’t feed on flesh. Bargain. Kelly is a USA Today bestselling author, a three-time Romance Writers of America RITA finalist and loves writing to the short contemporary romance form.

Meet Trish Morey

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.

Meet Sarah Mayberry

Sarah Mayberry is the award-winning, best selling author of more than 30 novels. She was born in Melbourne, Australia, and is the middle of three children. Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers and has always wanted to be a writer. In line with this ambition, she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Writing and Literature. It took her ten years and multiple attempts before her first book was accepted. During that time, Sarah worked in magazine publishing and the television industry, contributing to the internationally known Australian serial drama “Neighbours” and co-creating teen drama series “Karaoke High”. Sarah currently splits her time between writing for television and writing novels. She lives in Melbourne by the bay with her husband and a small, furry Cavoodle called Max. When she isn’t writing, she loves reading, cooking, going to the movies and buying shoes.

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Thanks for stopping by to meet the first 10 authors of Tule Publishing! Here’s to a great year of #Tule10!

A BABY FOR THE BILLIONAIRE COWBOY – Release Day Blog Post Featuring Author Kris Bock!

August 8, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Kris Bock has A Baby for the Billionaire Cowboy

One of the fun things about writing a series is how minor characters start to develop strong personalities and demand bigger roles in later books. Rhonda appears in book 1 as part of Ava Tomlinson’s knitting group – a group that also buys weekly lottery tickets intending to split the proceeds if they win. She’s something of a villain as she leads the group to turn on Ava, insisting that the winning lottery ticket should have gone to the group instead of Ava’s family.

I didn’t have future plans for Rhonda at that point, but she stuck around, grumbling and occasionally acting outrageous. In book 4, a sheltered young woman is lured into a relationship with her boss and winds up pregnant. When she runs away to an aunt and Last Stand, Rhonda volunteered to step into that role. I think she simply wanted more page time and a chance to show the heart of gold under the crusty exterior. She’s exactly the kind of person who would take in a girl running away from her wedding when every other family member is pressuring Daisy to marry. But she’s also the kind of person would be bossy, meddlesome, and exhausting as a housemate, encouraging Daisy to grab the chance at a job that comes with lodging at the Tomlinson’s ranch. And thus this tale gets off to a Cinderella start …

Quick Peek:

Xander spun her again and shifted so they were facing each other. Daisy felt like she was floating. The music, the soft night air, the semidarkness, the cicadas singing—they all combined to turn the moment into a dream. Maybe she was dreaming—she’d fallen asleep and she would awake to find—

“Daisy Mae!” The voice boomed from the building entrance.

Daisy flinched. She’d never gotten Auntie Rhonda to remember that she no longer went by Daisy Mae. Oh well, it was a small price to pay.

She smiled at the man, even though he might not be able to see her expression in the darkness. “Thank you for the dance.”

He gave a small jerk of a bow and headed back inside. Rhonda watched him go with a considering look as Daisy headed toward her great-aunt.

Rhonda turned the considering look on Daisy. “Oh, honey, you look like chewed twine. Here now, child.” She held out her arms.

Daisy fell into them with a shudder of relief.

Praise for the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series:

“I enjoyed myself so much with The Billionaire Cowboy’s Christmas. I had fun here, this is one of those unexpected windfall stories that was handled very realistically, but also with a good bit of laughter, confusion, family, and a town that just wants to celebrate one of their own making it big.” – Happily Ever After Romance

“I really enjoy this series. It is well written and the characters are very likable.” – GoodReads review

“I love returning to this little Texas town and the Tomlinson family. It’s like reconnecting with old friends. This is such a fun book series.” – BookBub review

Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. Her 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. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get a free 30-page story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café, a printable copy of 22 recipes mentioned in the cat café novels, and an Accidental Detective mystery short story. In the future, you’ll receive fun content, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

About the author.

Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance. She has lived in ten states and one foreign country but is now firmly planted in the Southwest, where many of her books are set. Her romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.” Learn more at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page.

Kris’s 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. Get a free 10,000-word story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter.

Kris writes for children under the names Chris Eboch and M. M. Eboch. She has published over 60 books for young people, including ghostwriting for some famous mystery series. Her novels for ages nine and up include Bandits Peak, a survival thriller; The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery that brings ancient Egypt to life; and The Well of Sacrifice, an action-packed drama set in ninth-century Mayan Guatemala, used in many schools.

Kris lives in New Mexico, where she enjoys hiking, watching the sunset from her patio, and hanging out with her husband and their ferrets.

THE RACHEL EXPERIMENT: Release day blog post featuring Lisa Lin!

May 16, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Sequel Bait-Or When Secondary Characters Take Over

Experienced romance readers are experts at sniffing out sequel bait. They can tell instantly when a side character-whether it’s the heroine’s best friend, the hero’s brother, or the mysterious widow/single mom who shows up in town with her little girl and catches the eye of the local beloved pediatrician -is destined to get their HEA next in the series. It’s definitely one of my favorite aspects of reading a romance series, trying to figure out whose story is next and the ways the author is laying groundwork for future couples down the line.

As an author, I have enjoyed creating the From Sunset Park, With Love universe and having characters and previous couples pop up in later books. But one of the unexpected surprises I’ve discovered is how I sometimes don’t have control over those side characters. While writing this series, there were characters who appeared on the page, announced themselves, and took over. “Hey I’m here! And by the way, I’m getting a book, just so you know.”

Luke and Rachel, the hero and heroine of The Rachel Experiment are a perfect example. We first meet Luke Trudeau near the end of The Year of Cecily when Cecily goes on a blind date in an attempt to move on from Jeffrey. An attempt that fails spectacularly, even as Cecily acknowledges that Luke is funny, handsome, smart, charming, and ticks all the boxes. But as I was writing that scene all I could think was, “Hmmm, he’s such a nice guy and was such a good sport about the blind date. I really should make it up to him.”

Rachel Bai was a character who appeared later on in the editing/revision process as I was writing Cecily. So often, when a heroine in a romance has a nemesis/enemy, the “other woman” is almost always a Mean Girl and awful. Instead, I wanted to turn that trope on its head. What if instead of remaining nemeses, the two women actually became friends? I have to say, the minute Rachel appeared on the page, I fell in love with her. She was so funny, refreshingly blunt and direct, and the scenes between her and Cecily were a joy to write. I immediately thought about a book for her too.

After The Year of Cecily was done, it was time to figure out whose book was next, and Luke immediately came to mind. At first, I considered pairing him with Adrienne, Cecily’s BFF. But the more I thought about it, the more it didn’t feel right. I kept trying to figure out how their story would work, but it just wouldn’t gel. It wasn’t working. I realized what the problem was-in my mind, Adrienne and Luke were too similar, it would be boring. There was no story there. Then I thought to myself, “How about Luke and Rachel?” Charming, people person, smooth talker Luke with awkward, blunt, decidedly NOT a people person Rachel? I could just picture those opposites attract sparks flying and I was off to the races.

The Rachel Experiment wasn’t necessarily an easy book to write-I made some missteps along the way and had to correct course, but in the end, writing Rachel and Luke’s journey to HEA was an incredibly rewarding experience and I’m so happy with how it turned out. I learned a lot and grew as a writer. And one of the main things I learned is that sometimes, if you’re doing your job right, the characters take over and the only thing you can do is buckle up and go along for the ride. I hope you all enjoy Rachel and Luke’s story. Here’s to those secondary characters and sequel bait!

Are you a fan of series and revisiting characters from previous books or do you prefer the focus remain on the main couple in each book? Are you good at sniffing out “sequel bait” and figuring out who will be paired with whom?

About the Author

Lisa Lin headshot.

Lisa has been an avid romance reader and fan since she read her first Nora Roberts novel at the age of 13 after wandering the aisles of her local bookstore. Lisa loves that romance has the power to inspire, and believes that HEAs are for everyone.

Lisa writes light contemporary romantic comedies with a liberal dash of snark and banter. She enjoys delving into the complexity of Asian and immigrant family experiences, and celebrates female friendships in her trademark dry, witty style. As an Asian-American author writing own voices Asian American stories, Lisa hopes that her books will show the diversity of the Asian-American experience, and the importance of every reader being able to see themselves represented on the page.

Having grown up in Pennsylvania and helping out at her parents’ restaurant, Lisa has never bothered to learn to cook. She has two liberal arts undergraduate degrees and a J.D, and in her former life she was an intern, then Legislative Assistant for a PA State Representative. She also worked as a paralegal at a boutique law firm. Lisa is a politics junkie (don’t get her started on the wonder that is The West Wing!), indulges in naps whenever possible, and believes Netflixing in her pajamas and ordering take out qualifies as the perfect weekend. As a self-described Twitter addict, you can tweet her @laforesta1!

HAVE YOU SEEN SARAH BAKER?: Release Day Blog Post from T.A. Cruz

May 4, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Qualifications To Write

If you asked any of my high school teachers to guess which of their students was going to publish a novel one day, I can assure you I would’ve been somewhere at the bottom of the list. English was never a fun subject for me. No, I was reeling for art. For music. I didn’t want to read Animal Farm or Lord of the Flies, I wanted to draw something. Create something. Drum something serious! Who cares about words? Grammar? Worst of all… Punctuation? Yet, here I am, three and a half novels later, and a brain chalked full of story ideas to work on in the future.

I’ve always been artistically inclined, more so with drawing and music. There’s a few people I could thank for that and probably the right side of my brain. I was never the studious one in my family, no, that distinct award is held by my older brother, and when we had the same teachers they expected another nose in the book student in their classrooms. Well, I was more than happy to disappoint. I’ve always done what makes me happy. What keeps me focused. If it’s a fifty-hour painting that I carve out a few hours each day to finish, or a song I just haven’t gotten right yet, I will ignore the noise around me and do what I do best. Create.

So why books? I know, I know. I just said I wasn’t a fan of all the words, grammar, and punctuation. Well… to be honest. I wasn’t at first. Hell, when I started writing my first novel (I’ll spare you the boring details), I probably hadn’t read a book in ten years besides work manuals and the occasional video game guide. No, I just wasn’t ready to conquer my first story despite the wonderful idea I came up with or thought I did at least. The tools weren’t there. “’If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”—Stephen King On Writing. I was missing a few steps here. No, this first attempt was the epitome of a car wreck, everyone will want to watch from their windows, but no one will stop and offer a hand. I tried querying for the first time with this story, and oh boy, this was a mistake. The rejections pouring in week after week stung to say the least.

So, pack it in right? Load up the trunk and get the hell outta dodge? Abandon the quest to publish a book? I couldn’t do it. Something drew me to writing. It wasn’t a homework assignment. Not some 1500-word paper, double spaced of course, to be turned in after a long holiday weekend. No. This was for me. And like with everything creative, I started ignoring the noise around me and focused. I studied everything I could. Grammar. Prose. The oxford comma (look it up, it’s a life changer). I did all I could to learn. I read. I read as much as I could ranging from best sellers to self-published works. In the span of a year my reading list easily tripled the number of books I had read throughout my lifetime. Somewhere along this journey I wasn’t doing boring English stuff… I was creating again, this time using the stories from my head.

Here’s a good question you might be asking. Where do my stories come from? I don’t have a concrete answer, sorry to disappoint. I don’t stand in the corner beating my head against the wall trying to come up with something compelling enough to entice readers to buy the damn thing. Although, that’s not a bad idea should I ever hit a lull in the idea department. Let’s hope it never gets to that point. My stories can come from anywhere. Dreams. Interactions throughout the day. Stories in the news. I’ll generally see something and think to myself, “What if…” and I’m off to the races, a new story idea in tow. My next release, HAVE YOU SEEN SARAH BAKER? was a simple thought that flourished into a full-fledged novel set to release with Tule Publishing on May 4th, 2023. I am extremely proud of this book, as it took a few years to finish and couldn’t be happier to share it with all of you.

Back to the main point of this story. THERE ARE NO QUALIFICATIONS TO WRITE! I barely passed high school English. I am a college dropout without a degree to my name. By all standards I have zero credibility to write stories according to some people. My response? My two traditionally published books and active membership to the International Thriller Writers association say otherwise. Don’t ever let someone tell you that you aren’t qualified to write or do something you aspire to do. Learn your craft. Hone your skills. You can’t control what others think, but you can control what you put down on the page. That determination—to me at least—isn’t given to a graduate with their diploma.

Do what makes you happy.

Don’t be afraid to dream.

And for God’s sake, use oxford commas.

-T.A. Cruz

About the Author

black and white headshot photo of author, T.A. Cruz facing camera Raised in a small California farming town, T.A. Cruz spent his childhood honing an imagination as vast as the wheat fields stretching around him for miles. With 6 years of military service and passport stamps from around the world, part of him will always be in that little town with a single stoplight and a population of 1500.

A lifelong lover of horror and things that go bump in the night, T.A. Cruz decided it was time to take that passion to the page and shock and terrify others for a change. When not diving face first into another project, Cruz enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter, two dogs, and axolotl.

THE FIREFLY JAR: Release day blog post featuring Laurie Beach!

April 27, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Chances Are

Chances are, we have all wondered if our writing is good enough. We’ve questioned our story lines, berated ourselves for forgetting our plot after three days away from the computer, or read someone else’s book while comparing it to our own in a less-than-healthy way. What if we listened to our doubts and fears? What if we never opened ourselves up to the world through a publisher? Would we know that there is an audience for us—that we are capable of transporting other humans to interesting places through our story-telling? Chances are we might never recognize our own talent if we didn’t have the courage to try. So I thank God for our ability, and pat us all on the back for actually doing it.

Our own badassery aside, I guess you can say that this blog post is an ode to Tule. It’s a gratitude post for Jane, and for the team who polishes our work and launches it into the book-osphere. I worked on this debut novel for fifteen years. I queried agents, paid for writer’s conferences, and received rejection after rejection after rejection. I was disillusioned and beginning to think that the hobby I loved so much was a massive waste of time.

Free Clear Long Stem Drinking Glass Stock Photo Then, I went to a Christmas party that changed my life.

While wearing festive jammies and sipping on a glass of wine, I met a woman named Susie. She is a cancer-survivor, an empathetic listener, and the most gracious kind of human. When she discovered that my hobby was writing books, she asked to read one. I emailed her The Firefly Jar. Less than a week later, she called me, raving about it. “Do I have your permission to send it to my friend in the publishing industry?” she asked.

We all know what my answer was.

Enter Jane Porter. It took one person in a position of power to believe in my work, one person to change my perception of myself, my talent, and my contribution to the world. Now the Crickley Creek series exists and is about to be launched into the world. As a newly-minted author, I am fulfilled in more ways than I can identify. It’s a dream come true to live the old cliché about not working a day in your life if you’re doing something you love. We are a fortunate group, here at Tule. Life is just a little better for us.

And so, as my debut novel moves from being alone in my imagination into the expansive anything-can-happen world of humankind, I pray it makes a difference—even if it is just to entertain. I’m wearing a silly grin these days because I’m in awe of my life. Look what Tule authors have accomplished! Is it possible that life gets better than this? Can we write more books? Will they be even better than the ones that came before? Well, past experience has taught me that chances are, our chances are awfully good.

About the Author

Laurie Beach is a former news reporter, advertising producer, and political press secretary who, after raising four children, is parlaying her love of reading and writing into a career as an author. She is a sucker for elderly people, grumpy animals, and happy endings. Having grown up in Alabama, she loves novels set in the South. Laurie now lives in California with her husband and their spoiled old dog.

A MID-SUMMER MURDER: Release day blog post featuring Geri Krotow!

April 25, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

A Stroll Through Stonebridge

It’s release day for A Mid-Summer Murder, book two in my Shop ‘Round the World series. This often humorous, with a good dose of warm fuzzy, cozy mystery series takes place in fictional Stonebridge, Pennsylvania, and I’m delighted to take you on a mini ‘tour’ of retired Navy helicopter pilot Angel Warren’s hometown today. Fun author fact: Stonebridge is loosely based on the south central PA town I live in.

Angel hung up her Navy flight suit and moved back to her native town to open a very special international curio shop, where she strives to share some of the joy she’s experienced while living a global Navy lifestyle for over twenty years. Stonebridge is a quaint town that was founded by Jacob Stoner back in the eighteenth century. Here’s a Christmas time shot. You can imagine the fun shops, cafes, and restaurants that occupy each historical building. An added bonus: spectacular sunsets!

Next up, the building that Angel purchased (and um, finds her first dead body in). The main floor is where Shop ’Round the World is located, and the second and third floors are where Angel and her twin daughters live when the girls aren’t away at university. I picture it next to the building with the belltower in the downtown pic above. You can see Angel’s building’s top floors, from across the street in where I imagine Eloise’s yoga studio. It offers a great view for any dead bodies that show up on Main Street. 😊 This loft is actually where I had the A Santa Stabbing book release party!

There is no shortage of hiking and outdoor activities in Stonebridge, including a spooky old cemetery.

Perhaps these next two aren’t part of a tour, but they are big parts of the Shop ‘Round the World series. Meet Machiatto aka Mach, Nate the silver fox barista’s big Shiloh Shepherd doggie, and Ralph, Angel’s yellow nape Amazon parrot. Because, what’s a cozy mystery without beloved pets?

Thanks for coming along on this tour with Angel! Please connect with me at my website, where you can sign up for my newsletter and site news. And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Bookbub while you’re at it—I have so much fun cozy mystery coming your way in 2023!

Let’s keep the fun quaint town vibe going—what’s your favorite historical town that you’ve ever read about, been to, lived in, or want to visit?

About the Author

Geri Krotow is the bestselling author of over 25 novels of romantic suspense, contemporary romance and women’s fiction. A US Naval Academy graduate and Navy veteran, Geri’s strong heroines are reader favorites. Geri’s Shop ‘Round the World series with Tule is her cozy mystery debut.

A KISS FROM THE PAST: Release day blog post featuring Kelly Cain!

April 20, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

What if you found out you’re adopted?

Thank you so much to the Tule blog for allowing me to write about the backstory behind my new release, A Kiss From the Past. This story is very personal to me because, like Nichelle, I found out I was adopted later in life. Much later for me than Nichelle, and I didn’t inherit a pricey heirloom ring, but the outcome is mostly the same.

It’s so interesting to look back now at how everything unfolded: a home DNA test just for fun, being stumped why my ethnicity results didn’t align with what I knew about my family, not matching to any family members I knew had taken the test, putting together that my father wasn’t my father, and finally realizing I’m adopted.

Nichelle is fortunate enough to be able to talk it out with the only parents she’d ever known, but I’m left to guess why my parents made the decision to keep the truth from me all those years. There may be a little bit of role playing involved with Nichelle and her parents, me wondering what those conversations may have been like, but in the end, I’ve accepted my parents made the decisions they thought were right. They certainly loved me enough that I never had a clue of my adoption.

The newfound family of Nichelle’s mirrors my own. I grew up mostly as an only child but now have siblings. Siblings! It’s been the most positive result of all of this, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I only wish I had more time with them, but we’re making up for what we’ve missed.

So, if you read A Kiss From the Past, keep me in mind as Nichelle goes on her journey, but have fun with her budding relationship with the buttoned-up Clark. That part is completely fictionalized from my imagination.

And if you ever decide to take one of those home DNA tests for fun…I hope you’re prepared there may be a surprise waiting for you on the other side.

About the Author

Kelly Cain is a native Californian but has spent the last couple of decades in Texas, currently residing in the live music capital of the world, Austin. Consequently, most of her books are set somewhere between those two locations.

Kelly writes multicultural romance with determined women directing their own fates, and the swoon-worthy men who adore them. She loves reading most genres but please don’t ask her to pick just one. However, she can pick her favorite book boyfriend – Will Herondale.

When she isn’t reading or writing, Kelly is most likely using a genealogy site to research her extended family, both old and new. Or cooking/baking something delightful.

She has two adult daughters, and a new granddaughter. Visit her website kellycainauthor.com for more info.

HOME TO RIVER’S EDGE: Release day blog post featuring Nan Reinhardt!

April 18, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Sisters, Sisters…

The Weaver sisters started clamoring for attention—popping up in my head before I even got through Max Lange’s book. That was how I knew their stories were next, and the concept of a family that owned a marina on the Ohio River so intrigued me that I tucked Jo and Jenny into Max’s story just for fun. When I finished Beck Lange’s story, the what-ifs began for the Weaver sisters. What if the family that owned the marina had three daughters? Oh, and what if they were triplets? Identical triplets! And what if one of them had moved away for her career, but had come home. But where had she moved and why was she home?

Suddenly, Jasmine Weaver, who hadn’t appeared in any other River’s Edge books, began telling me her story. Her love of all things political. The move to Washington, DC, after college to pursue a career with her heroine—a congresswoman from their district in Indiana—and her strong belief that she was working for the good of the nation and her own state, only discover, after ten years, that the people she thought were honorable were not.

Jazz returns to River’s Edge, dejected and feeling like a real loser, but her sisters are there to shore her up. They always have her back and isn’t that what sisterhood is all about? For Jazz, the sisterly connection goes beyond being siblings, because I imagined the bond that is formed by sharing a womb is a strong one. More than merely being born to the same parents. Turns out I was right about that—multiples often share a unique bond.

Identical triplets are the rarest kind—the odds of having identical triplets is somewhere between one in 60 thousand and one in 200 million. In other words, it doesn’t happen very often. I read voraciously about multiple births and how those children often form bonds so tight that they feel one another’s pain, can often read one another’s thoughts, and know, instinctively, when each other is in trouble.

However, to give each woman her own unique story meant that I couldn’t focus on the triplet thing too closely, so at age 34, Jazz, Jo, and Jen have outgrown dressing alike and trying to fool people. Each heroine has her own distinct personality—Jazz, career-driven, Jo, laidback and easy, and Jenny—domestic and loving her life as a wife and mom. For each, there is an inciting incident—something that turns her life upside down and causes her to turn to her sisters to cope. But the triplet bond—the almost mystical link between them—is a thread that runs through all three books.

More than sisterhood, the Weaver triplets share a special group dynamic that comes from their childhood and being raised by parents who understood the natural attachment they would feel to each other as multiples. An attachment that was encouraged, but not pushed, so the girls became individuals and not simply part of an oddity of birth. My own relationship with my two sisters came into play here—realizing that the closeness I share with my sisters ebbed and flowed as we matured and went our separate ways, but the knowledge they were always there for me (and I for them) was never in doubt.

I hope you enjoy getting to know the Weaver Sisters and have fun with their stories, starting with Jasmine’s Home to River’s Edge. And just for fun, tell me about your siblings. Are you a twin or a triplet or like me, just one of a clutch of kids who are bound together as family?

About the Author

Nan Reinhardt has been a copy editor and proofreader for over twenty-five years, and currently works mainly on fiction titles for a variety of clients, including Avon Books, St. Martin’s Press, Kensington Books, Tule Publishing, and Entangled Publishing, as well as for many indie authors.

Author Nan writes romantic fiction for women in their prime. Yeah, women still fall in love and have sex, even after they turn forty-five! Imagine! She is also a wife, a mom, a mother-in-law, and a grandmother. She’s been an antiques dealer, a bank teller, a stay-at-home mom, and a secretary.

She loves her career as a freelance editor, but writing is Nan’s first and most enduring passion. She can’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t writing—she wrote her first romance novel at the age of ten, a love story between the most sophisticated person she knew at the time, her older sister (who was in high school and had a driver’s license!), and a member of Herman’s Hermits. If you remember who they are, you are Nan’s audience! She’s still writing romance, but now from the viewpoint of a wiser, slightly rumpled, post-menopausal woman who believes that love never ages, women only grow more interesting, and everybody needs a little sexy romance.

MAKING THE MARQUESS MINE: Release day blog post featuring Karla Kratovil!

April 13, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Have you ever wanted to run away with the circus?

In my newest installment of my Maidens of Marbury series, Making the Marquess Mine, the heroine does just that. Well, she hitches a ride with a travelling circus more than runs away to be part of said circus. Susanna is on a mission to do a good deed and reunite two long lost lovers. In her mind, the only way to travel safely to her destination is to travel with thefriends she’s made at Astley’s Amphitheatre (London’s most famous circus) as they take their show on the road for the summer. Her friends, when they figure out her plan, fear for her safety and send our hero after her in an attempt to save her reputation and bring her home. And the chase is on!

Now, a Regency era circus was quite different from what you’re probably thinking. No tigers or elephants or pyrotechnics ala Ringling Bros. This type of circus would become popular in the late 1800s and the first half of the 20th century. A Regency era circus included acrobats, jugglers, rope dancers, clowns, and strongmen. But the main attraction was the trick riding!

Philip Astley, a British ex-cavalry man, is often credited as the ‘father of the modern circus’. In 1768, he and his wife Patty established Astley’s Riding School in London, where Philip would teach riding in the morning and perform equestrian tricks in the afternoon. Both Philip and Patty were expert riders. One of Patty’s popular tricks involved her circling the ring on horseback at high speed, with swarms of bees covering her hands and arms as if she was wearing a muff!

Astley’s unique mixture of equestrian and acrobatic acts, followed by a pantomime was a huge success. In 1795 Astley opened the Royal Amphitheatre. The Royal Amphitheatre had a stage in addition to the circus ring and the two were interlinked by ramps. This enabled audiences to sit close to the ring. It was said that patrons could feel the horse’s tails swishing by their faces. He is credited with discovering that the ideal size for a circus ring is 42 feet in diameter. This was the optimum size that enabled him to use centrifugal force to help balance on a horse’s back. But it was Mr. Astley’s rival Mr. Charles Dibdin, who first coined the word ‘circus’. Dibdin copied Astley’s formula of theatrical equestrian entertainment by opening The Royal Circus a short distance from Astley’s.

In Making the Marquess Mine, Susanna becomes entranced by trick riding after attending a show at Astley’s theater. In fact, she becomes friends with many of the performers and of course gets into some trouble! The book is a rollicking friends-to-lovers, road trip romance that includes all sorts of shenanigans; long lost lovers, a travelling circus, an attempted kidnapping, obsession, trick riding, amnesia, scandal, and of course falling in love.

About the Author

From the time she read fairytales as a child, Karla Kratovil was hooked on stories that ended in Happily Ever After. Now as an author of sexy historical romance she gets to craft her own happy endings. Karla lives right on the edge of Northern Virginia’s wine country with her college sweetheart, two terrific teenagers, and two blond terriers. She is a Taurus. Like any good earth sign she loves good food, good wine, and getting her hands dirty growing things in her garden.

To keep in touch, sign up for her newsletter on her website – www.karlakratovil.com

THE BILLIONAIRE COWBOY’S PROPOSITION: Release day blog post featuring Kris Bock!

April 10, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

The Billionaire Cowboy’s Proposition releases today!

She’s ready to put on the performance of a lifetime.

Cody Tomlinson and Mallory Moore have struck sparks off each other since high school theater, where she was sunny and talented while he was injured and angry. A decade later, Mallory is working to save Last Stand’s movie theater and convert it into a performance space for live theater and music. Thanks to his family’s lottery win, Cody has plenty of money to help. But Mallory’s the only woman in town who doesn’t want Cody’s charity.

It’s bad enough that Cody is sexy as sin with his tough, scarred cowboy looks. Now he’s rich and Mallory refuses to be another woman fighting for his attention. She won’t accept a financial gift for her business, but she’s not above a fair trade. Mallory offers a deal: Cody can invest in the theater if he volunteers on the renovation. Meanwhile, she’ll play the part of his fiancée to ward off fortune hunters.

But Mallory immediately realizes her mistake. Cody’s always driven her crazy, and now they’re spending all their days—and nights—together.

Praise for The Billionaire Cowboy’s Proposition

“It was so much fun to read.”

“This whole series has been fun, but this story really made me think.”

“I love returning to this little Texas town and the Tomlinson family. It’s like reconnecting with old friends.”

“The writer makes this a wonderful edition to the series, don’t miss it, it leaves you with ‘ the feel goods’!”

The Billionaire Cowboy’s Proposition is book 3 in the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series.

I like to include food in my books, because who doesn’t like a good meal or tasty snack? This book features a busy teacher, so she likes simple dishes that make for good leftovers. Here’s an excerpt from the book, and read on for the Slow Cooker Lasagna recipe below.

For a moment there, she’d almost thought . . .

But no. He saw her as a friend at best, and he was clearly struggling with his newfound fortune and fame. She’d gotten her wish for him to move back, but she’d been careless. She’d forgotten all the rules of fairy-tale wishes, all the warnings to be careful with the wording, lest the thing you wanted most become the very thing to hurt you. She’d never considered the possibility that the thing to bring him home would be an outrageous lottery win that had half the women within five hundred miles throwing themselves at him. She wouldn’t be one of them.

Well, she could be a good friend. She’d been on the receiving end enough that she owed he universe some payback.

“Let’s go to my place.” She kept her voice casual. Good thing she was an actor. “I don’t want to compete with every woman in a restaurant for your attention.”

He grimaced. “I know what you mean. Privacy has become an issue since the lottery for sure.” He flashed the smile that made her knees weak. “But don’t worry. You’ll have my full attention.”

That could be dangerous. He needs a friend. If she kept repeating it, she might forget she’d ever dreamed of anything else.

He followed her through town in their separate cars. The route to her house took them past some of Last Stand’s nightspots, which weren’t particularly happening on a Wednesday evening. Still, chances were high that some people they’d known in high school were in one of those bars and would be astonished to know cool cowboy Cody was going to mousy Mallory’s house. A few would even be envious.

Not that Cody and Mallory would be doing anything deserving of envy. And not that anyone would ever know. As a teacher, Mallory had a reputation to maintain. She didn’t have to be a saint—teachers deserved lives too—but she preferred to avoid people gossiping about whom she brought home.

Mallory pulled up to her cottage and headed for the door as Cody parked behind her. Her house was tiny, but it was hers, and it was all she needed. She had a few seconds to glance around and make sure nothing embarrassing was visible. Not that she typically left her bras and panties on the coffee table, but it was nice to be certain.

Cody followed her in and sniffed the air. “Something smells amazing.”

“Slow cookers are my friend.” For a moment, she couldn’t remember what she’d put in the pot that morning, so many hours ago. The smell tipped her off. Slow cooker lasagna. That would do nicely. She always made enough for leftovers, so she had plenty for the two of them. She’d just have to adjust her weekly meal planning.

Tiny claws scratched at the other side of a closed door. Cody’s eyes widened. Then he glanced at Mallory as if debating whether he should mention the small animals infesting her house.

Mallory opened the door and looked down at two furry faces. She scooped up the ferrets.

Cody stepped up next to her. “Who do we have here?”

“This is Titania, Queen of the ferrets. She’s one and a half pounds of pure attitude.” The little cream-colored girl was already trying to squirm out of Mallory’s hand, ignoring the four-foot drop to the floor. “And this is London, after Jack London.” She held up the big silver ferret with white paws.

Find all the books in the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Note: I call this lasagna because the original recipe called for no-bake lasagna noodles. I find it simpler to use any small pasta I have on hand. It’s a flexible recipe. You can adjust it to suit what you have on hand or your personal taste. Just make sure you have enough liquid to cook the pasta. Here it comes from the tomatoes. If you prefer a white lasagna, leave out the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, and add 1 cup of milk.

one package (16 ounces) pasta such as rigatoni or spirals

1/2 cup chive-and-onion cream cheese spread

2 cans (10-12 oz) creamy mushroom soup

1 large can (16 oz) diced tomatoes

1 large can or jar (22-30 oz) tomato sauce

1-2 packages frozen spinach

Plenty of spices of your choice – oregano, basil, paprika, cayenne etc.

Optional: other veggies, crumbled Italian sausage or another meat.

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (1 oz)

Spray 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients except cheese and stir.

Sprinkle with the cheese.

Cover. Cook on Low setting 6 hours. If possible, stir once or twice while cooking and make sure there’s enough liquid to get everything bubbling.

You might have also noticed the ferrets Mallory has. I’ve been waiting for a chance to use ferrets in a story. Here are mine, with Panda (Princess Pandemonium) hugging Bear Bear.

About the Author

Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her 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. Get a free 30-page story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. You’ll also get a printable copy of 22 recipes mentioned in the cat café novels and a selection of mystery short stories. In the future, receive fun content, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Kris also writes mystery and suspense novels. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven. If you love romantic suspense by Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, try Kris Bock’s stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue in the Southwest.

Find Kris:

GoodReads Author Page

BookBub

Amazon US page or Amazon UK page