Category Archives: Author Feature

Tule Author Q&A: H L Marsay Talks About Her Tule Mysteries!

Tule Mystery author, H L Marsay stopped by to talk about her recent releases, her characters, and when she first discovered her love for mysteries.

Q: What difference between The Lady in Blue and Inspector Shadow series excites you the most as an author?

A: The Chief Inspector Shadow series is set in the present day and in York, my home city, so writing those books feels quite safe and familiar. However, the Lady in Blue Mysteries are set during the First World War and I loved the challenge of writing a historic series. Also, Dorothy and some of the other main characters are based on real people, so there was a huge amount of research for each story. I immersed myself in reading books, watching documentaries, and even listening to music from the period. I also made several trips to London. Although the city has changed a lot in the last hundred years, it was still possible to visit some of the locations I mention in the books, such as the Marlborough Street Magistrate’s Court (now a very swish hotel), Caxton Hall, and Cheyne Row, where Mary and Margaret lived. It was wonderful to feel I was walking in the footsteps of all the amazing women who feature in the Lady in Blue Mysteries.

Q: Share some of your favorite feedback for The Body in Seven Dials. What do you think readers will bond with in A Death in Chelsea?

A: The release of a new series is always a nerve-racking time, but I was thrilled to hear some of my readers describe The Body in Seven Dials as “compelling,” “fascinating,” and “a remarkable story.” In A Death in Chelsea, we see Dorothy and her colleagues investigating the death of an elderly and very wealthy gentleman. Unfortunately, he was also a rather unpleasant man, so there is a long list of possible suspects. 

I hope readers will bond with my main character, Dorothy Peto, and the other members of the Women Police Volunteers. They were so brave and so determined to do something to help their country when it was at war, although they weren’t even allowed to vote. One review of the first book said, “It was inspiring to read what ideas they had to try and better themselves.”

Q: You grew up binge-reading detective series. Do you recall who introduced you to your first mystery? 

A: My sisters are seven and ten years older than me (I was a surprise/mistake depending on who you ask!) so like any self-respecting little sister, I spent many hours raiding their rooms for cassette tapes, makeup, clothes for dressing up, and, of course, books. It was during one of these raids that I discovered the complete collection of Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven books. I immediately fell in love with these stories of seven children and Scamper, the dog, acting as detectives from their headquarters in a garden shed. Once I had devoured all those books, I progressed to the Famous Five, Blyton’s other series about a group of children who spend their summer holidays solving mysteries. I should also add that I was quite ill as a child, and most photos from when I was seven or eight show me sitting on a sofa with a duvet wrapped around me, a dog at my feet, and my head buried in a book. That still sounds like heaven to me!

Q: What still holds your interest in mysteries, even though as a writer, you now have an insight into how the magic happens at the keyboard?

A: I think the appeal of solving a puzzle is timeless. Whether it’s a classic from the golden age, a fiendish “locked room,” a cozy, or a chilling psychological thriller, I love trying to pick out the real clues from the red herrings and work out “who dunnit” before the detective does. That’s what makes mysteries so popular and so enduring and of course creates the biggest challenge when trying to write one!


About the Author.

H L Marsay grew up binge-reading detective stories and promised herself that some day, she would write one too. A Long Shadow was the first book in her Chief Inspector Shadow series set in York. Luckily, living in a city so full of history, dark corners and hidden snickelways, she is never short of inspiration. She has also written The Secrets of Hartwell Trilogy and The Lady in Blue Mysteries. The Chief Inspector Shadow Mysteries have recently been optioned for television.

When she isn’t coming up with new ways to bump people off, she enjoys drinking red wine, eating dark chocolate and reading Agatha Christie – preferably at the same time!

 


WITH LOVE MONTANA – Anthology Release Blog Post Featuring Author Debra Salonen!

Hello, lovely Tuligans! Long time no hear from me, but I’m back with a fun new project called With Love, Montana – Big Sky Mavericks and Friends Box Set.

I love Montana, even though I’ve barely scratched the surface of the state map with my travels there. In 2021 and again this year, my husband and I were asked to help ferry our two youngest granddaughters home from a month-long visit with their paternal aunt, uncle, and cousins in Wisdom, Montana. We actually jumped at the chance to stock up the RV and head out.

The first trip included traveling through the eastern passage of Idaho along the Salmon River. So much green beauty and water. (Since we live above the Central Valley of California, water is a BIG deal.) We took our time, visiting Idaho Falls, Craters of the Moon, and Arco, Idaho, before quietly slipping past an active wild fire on Highway 43 to drop into Big Hole Valley.

Our second trip in late June/early July of this year included a visit to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and 4 nights just outside of Glacier National Park. I swear, exploring this gorgeous area could become a full-time job, except for the winters. ;-)

We were fortunate to book a boat ride on Lake McDonald. And, I really can’t explain how thrilled I was to include as this gorgeous lake as the background of the cover for my new box set: WITH LOVE, MONTANA

Here’s a video I tried to shoot from the boat (The wind carried my narration away much of the time).

On our last day in this area, we enjoyed a delightful visit with my friend and fellow Tule Publishing author C.J. Carmichael and her husband, Mike, at their gorgeous cottage on Flathead Lake. I can’t wait to go back!

The next day we headed south to Wisdom. We saw so much beauty along the way it really was impossible to adequately describe or photograph. But a fabulous landscape isn’t the only thing Montana has going for it. While in Wisdom, we were treated to a joyous small-town 4th of July celebration. It truly was community at its best, and if I let my imagination go, I could almost envision Marietta and all my characters strolling about. 

When we got home from this trip, I immediately sat down at my desk and put together a proposal for my Tule editor. “What if we make a box set of my Big Sky Mavericks (the Zabrinski family) books and their newcomer, best friends, retired smokejumpers (Love, Montana)?”  I presented my proposal at a Tule Authors’ Retreat in San Juan Capistrano a few weeks later and Team Tule said, “Yes.”

I’m so excited about this box set on two fronts: one, I love the cover because every time I look at it, I’m teleported back to Glacier NP, and, two, because backlist books are NEW to someone who hasn’t read them, yet. And, while not every author wants to commit their books to a single revenue source (in this case, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing), I’ve had good luck reaching new readers through KDP’s Kindle UNLIMITED program. Avid readers appreciate the No-risk advantage. If they download a box set and can’t get into it, they simply release it back into the wild. ;-) 

This will be a limited-time experiment, so even if you’ve read a book or two in this series, here’s your chance to fill in the gaps and hang out for an extended visit to Montana. Enjoy!

If you’d like to check it out, you can sample it for free here.

Happy reading.

Deb

About the Author.

Former award-winning newspaper journalist Debra Salonen is a nationally bestselling author with 26 published novels for Harlequin’s Superromance and American lines and one single title release for Harlequin Signature. Several of her titles were nominated for “Best Superromance,” including UNTIL HE MET RACHEL, which took home that honor in 2010. Debra was named Romantic Times Reviewer’s Career Achievement “Series Storyteller of the Year” in 2006. Debra lives in the foothills near Yosemite National Park in California with her husband and two dogs. Luckily, her two children and three grandchildren live close by to keep Debra connected to the real world.


Tule Author Q&A: Robyn Neeley reflects on “Jingle Jammies” becoming a Hallmark movie!

Robyn Neeley stopped by the Tule blog to discuss her book “Jingle Jammies” becoming a Hallmark film (Christmas by Design) and its premier this month!

Your book “Jingle Jammies” has been made into a Hallmark film, what was your reaction when you heard the news?
To say that I am incredibly excited is an understatement. I was at work when I learned the news and jumped high out of my seat, eyes wide, hand over mouth in disbelief. After a lot of cheering, I went to the Hallmark Channel website to check out the movie’s webpage. It was when I saw the character names “Charlotte” and “Spencer” next to the actors who play them that I LOST it, and the tears began to flow! That was the moment I’d been waiting for for over a year and had envisioned in 2020 when I first started writing the book. Seeing my character names next to the actors, I knew that my dream had just come true. I’ll never forget it!

 

What are you most excited to see in Hallmark’s film adaptation of “Jingle Jammies”?
I seriously can’t wait to see all the wonderful changes made to adapt this into film. Of course, I’m going to be looking out for any similarities to the book and “Easter egg” moments. I’m already doing that with the photos on the Hallmark Channel website. I spotted in one of the publicity photos a drink dispenser with some type of holiday green drink, and it just so happens I have a Grinch hot chocolate in Jingle Jammies. I also noticed that there is a Dee Dee character in a similar occupation to the one in Jingle Jammies. (I zoomed in on the actress’s name tag for that one and was pleasantly surprised that it in fact reads, Dee Dee.:)

 

How did you decide on holiday pajamas being the center focus of “Jingle Jammies“?
With the creative guidance from the Tule editorial team, we played with several elements to the original pitch including changing the occupation of one of the main characters from a handbag designer to popular sleepwear designer of the season’s must-have Christmas jammies. I thought that suggestion was brilliant and so original! People love showing off their Christmas jammies and for many families, it’s one of their time-honored traditions. You never see anyone miserable sporting their jammies! I leaned into this element of Christmas that I found super fun. I even got to design – in my head – a pajama line, which I had a blast writing. If I knew how to sew, I’d be showing them off this holiday season!

 

How are you celebrating the premier?
I’m hoping to surprise my mom who is just over the moon about all of this. She’s a huge Hallmark fan, and we’ve watched so many Hallmark movies together over the years. She lives in another state, and it would be so special if I could watch the premiere with her.

 

If not Christmas, what other holiday would you write about?
I really enjoy writing stories set around the fall season in general, but every year, just when I’m thinking about writing a different holiday romance, I see a dog in Christmas pajamas; or my town’s Christmas square strung in lights; or the Starbuck’s signature red cups and BAM; I get pulled back into the fabulous Christmas allure once again. There’s something so magical; and so hopeful; and just so perfect about falling in love during the Christmas holidays. Am I right? It really is a wonderful time.

Thank you for having me, and I sincerely hope Tule readers will tune in to watch Christmas by Design on Hallmark on October 27 at 8 p.m./7 p.m.!

About the Author.

Robyn Neeley is an east coast gal who loves to explore super cute small towns; watches way more reality TV than she cares to admit; can’t live without Dunkin Donuts coffee; and has never met a Christmas cookie she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance with heart and humor. Sign up for her e-newsletter at www.robynneeley.com.

 


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

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 Mystery Authors

Meet CJ Carmichael

CJ Carmichael headshot

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 Graves

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Jane Graves has written twenty-two contemporary romance novels. She has received Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award, the romance industry’s highest honor, and is the recipient of two National Readers’ Choice Awards, the Booksellers’ Best Award, and the Golden Quill, among others. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages.

Jane lives in the Dallas area with her husband, a highly organized engineer who keeps their lives in order because one of them has to. Her hobbies include daydreaming, avoiding exercise, and drinking cheap wine.

 

 

Meet Leslie Marshman

Award-winning suspense author Leslie Marshman is (finally) putting her psychology degree to good use, getting inside the heads of her characters and figuring out what makes them tick. She writes novels that feature kick-ass heroines, the heroes who love them, and the bad guys who fear them.

Leslie called Denver home until she married a Texan without reading the fine print. Now she lives halfway between Houston and Galveston and has learned to embrace the humidity. Her household includes two miniature poodles named Harley and Davidson, and a three-legged box turtle named Stumpy.

If she’s not at her computer making things up, you’ll probably find her camping at a lake, a fishing pole in one hand and a book in the other.

Meet Nancy Robards Thompson

Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Nancy Robards Thompson has worked as a newspaper reporter, television show stand-in, production and casting assistant for movies, and in fashion and public relations. She started writing fiction seriously in 1997. Five years and four completed manuscripts later, she won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award for unpublished writers and sold her first book the following year. Since then, Nancy has sold 30 books and found her calling doing what she loves most – writing romance and women’s fiction full-time.

 

 

 

Meet Candace Havens

Bestselling and award-winning author Candace Havens has had more than thirty novels published. She is one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. She does film reviews on Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3 KSCS.

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Katherine Cowley

Katherine Cowley’s debut novel, The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet, was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Her Mary Bennet spy series continues with the novels The True Confessions of a London Spy and The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception.

Katherine loves history, chocolate, traveling, and playing the piano, and she has taught writing classes at Western Michigan University. She lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with her husband and three daughters.

 

 

 

 

 

Meet H L Marsay

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Winter Austin

Winter Austin perpetually answers the question: “were you born in the winter?” with a flat “nope,” but believe her, there is a story behind her name.

A lifelong Mid-West gal with strong ties to the agriculture world, Winter grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around a table or a campfire. As a published author, she learned her glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller writer. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.

When she’s not slaving away at the computer, you can find Winter supporting her daughter in cattle shows, seeing her three sons off into the wide-wide world, loving on her fur babies, prodding her teacher husband, and nagging at her flock of hens to stay in the coop or the dogs will get them. She is the author of multiple novels.

Meet Melinda Di Lorenzo

Melinda is an Amazon bestselling author, whose additional work includes titles for The Wild Rose Press, Amazon Encore, and Harlequin. She writes in a range of romance genres, from heart pounding heat, to nail biting suspense, to gutsy adventure.

Melinda lives on the beautiful coast of British Columbia, Canada, with her amazing and quirky daughters and her handsome hero of a husband. When she’s not writing, she can be found curled up with (someone else’s) good book, on the running trail, or at the soccer pitch.

 

 

 

Meet Kaz Delaney

Headshot of Kaz Delaney

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.

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


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

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

Megan Crane headshot

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 headshotLilian 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

CJ Carmichael headshot

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)

Jane Porter headshot

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

Melissa McClone headshot

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

Headshot of Katherine Garbera with pink background

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

Headshot of 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

Kelly Hunter headshot

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

Trish Morey headshot

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

SarahHeadshot of Sarah Mayberry 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!

Man holding pregnant woman in his arms and kissing her shoulder

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 headshotKris 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.

Find Kris: Kris Bock at Tule Publishing | Website | BlogTwitter | Instagram | TikTok | FacebookGoodReads Author PageBookBubAmazon US page or Amazon UK page


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

Sequel Bait-Or When Secondary Characters Take Over

Book cover of Lisa Lin's release "The Rachel Experiment". Animation with man and women back-to-back holding hands.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

Qualifications To Write

Book cover with 'Have You Seen Sarah Baker?' by T.A. Cruz. Missing person poster on tree in woods.

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 cameraRaised 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!

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 PhotoThen, 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!

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.