Tule Publishing GroupAlpha Off Limits - Tule Publishing Group

Katja Desjarlais talks latest projects and creative sparks, plus how a heartfelt gift turned into a new passion.

Tule Publishing — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:00:02 +0000

My mom never had a dollhouse. I had one, her grandchildren had one, but she never did.

This past summer, I decided to rectify the situation and in doing so, unlocked a whole new hobby.

The dollhouse was an intense first project. I found a partially-built, hand-made house second-hand and got to work on wiring, sanding, painting, and adding trim. Every step had a steep learning curve, from which tools I could use with the delicate bamboo trim to the creation of functional light fixtures. My husband lent a hand with the mitre saw. Our three teens helped build the fireplaces, bead the chandeliers, recovering the sofa, and sewing the bedding.

In the end, we had a family project my mom loved. Once we added two resin cats to the house and she plugged in the USB to light the home, she deemed it perfect.

After the glue and paint finally scrubbed of my hands and all the tiny cuts and scrapes on my fingers healed, I realized I really enjoyed the project.

This led me to my next venture: book-based miniatures.

The first one I did was for my novel Ragdolled. Using one of those lovely little faux storage books, I wandered into my new project with a Pinterest board, a vague idea of where I was going, and a lot of confidence in skills I had yet to demonstrate.

Apparently being a pantser is not limited to my writing.

Unlike the dollhouse (which was a 1:12 scale), this new piece was 1:16. Everything was miniscule. Everything was fragile. Everything was sticky and delicate and frustrating. My Modge Podge abilities were tested, my fine motor skills were refined with hours of aligning tiny beads with even tinier beads, and my patience was tested by the fine wires needed for the lighting. But I did it. I did it, and I was addicted.

This brings me to my most recent completed project: Serpent’s Tongue Ink. It’s the home-away-from-home for the Baker brothers, the gathering place where stories are shared, reputations are rebuilt, and unbreakable bonds are formed.

I decided to bring the town of Epson into the front flap, showcasing the water tower which loomed over the Baker brothers and divided the town between the haves and the have-nots. But I also wanted to bring the beauty of the town and the land around the tower to life around Birch Baker and Jocelyn Carter. This scene took a lot of time to layer, and I often had to walk away and return the next day to view it with fresh eyes.

Next came the inside of the tattoo parlour. My Ragdolled project had taught me a valuable lesson in figuring out the wiring and flooring system before getting into the fun details, so those were the first things I attacked. The battery-operated system is hidden under the floor, with the wires slipped discretely behind the shelving and wallpaper and an access panel rigged up with the tiles.

Another thing I learned with my first book nook was how to source, scrounge, and manufacture. Miniature kits were great for baseline items like the sink station and the cabinet, but dollhouse tattoo parlours require a lot of improvising. Felt squares folded and rolled made great towels and washcloths. A toothpick wrapped with tissue was a perfect paper towel roll. A sewing machine charm cut in half made for a decent tattoo machine. Beads of all sizes and colors brought elegance and detail, while wood shards with painted tips were ideal stand-ins for pencils.

Once it was complete, this project gave me a tangible piece of the Serpent’s Tongue Ink series. Through every step, I had to consider what Birch would hang on his walls, what colors he would choose, and how he would prep his work space. In the future, I’ll be creating miniature book nooks for River’s, Grey’s, and Winter’s stories and I already know each one will bring another piece of their world to life.

Who would’ve guessed when I jumped into an impromptu birthday gift for my mom that I would open up an entirely new creative outlet?

About the Author.

Katja Desjarlais is a music teacher by day and a paranormal romance writer by moonlight. She is an unapologetic music addict with an obsession for bad Bach puns despite her irrational aversion to Baroque. Her favorite words include ‘plethora’ and ‘dapper’, and she is physically repulsed by the word ‘moist’. Katja’s interest in the paranormal can be traced to her early childhood movie choices and to the collection of books she has stored on her phone for reading emergencies.

Desjarlais lives in northern Canada with her husband, three children, and polydactyl cat. Her summers are spent driving across North America with her family, while the long Canadian winters are made more bearable by attending heavy metal concerts.

Loving our newest release line up for February (Plus, our monthly ebook giveaway!)

Tule Publishing — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 13:00:44 +0000

GIVEAWAY: Because who doesn’t love FREE books?

We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book copy of one of our February 2026 releases!

Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected and announced at the end of the month.

Good luck and happy reading!

The Viscount’s Duty

by Kristin Vayden

In Regency London’s glittering ballrooms, a whisper can ruin a reputation, ignite a scandalous love and set up a fierce sibling rivalry.

The wealthy, titled Allendale family teeters on the edge of ruin after Henley Allendale’s scandal last year set the Ton ablaze. This year, on the day of his sister’s, Lady Peregrine’s debut ball, Edwin, the dashing viscount whose charm blinds society to his flaws, announces his hunt for a bride, sending the ton into a frenzy. Lady Anna, her best friend, is swept into a frenzy of flirtation, deception and dark strategy.

Henley’s adored Anna for years, but his brother’s unexpected pursuit of Anna, rekindles his competitive nature and protective instincts. While Edwin effortlessly beguiles Anna with his charm and countenance, Henley knows Edwin will break her tender heart. Determined to fight for his happiness, Henley steals a pulse-racing kiss in a moonlit hall.

Caught in a sizzling love triangle and family feud, Anna struggles to understand the conflict between her head and heart as she’s attracted to the wrong brother who has awakened her mind, body and soul. Will romance lead to ruin or happiness?

Enjoy an Excerpt →

These Immortal Vows

by Kelsey McKnight

Familiars serve. Vampires command. But hearts never obey.

Cassandra Rollins was born to serve the immortal. A human familiar bound to the will of vampires, she’s spent her life walking the razor’s edge between power and peril. No creature—living or undead—has ever shaken her control. Until him.

Ruairidh Calder, a Scottish vampire forged in battle and haunted by centuries of war, is ready to abandon his wandering life. But when he settles in New York’s glittering vampire court, he’s forced to rely on Cassandra—his reluctant guide and the one human who defies him at every turn.

Their fiery clash ignites a forbidden desire neither can contain. Yet when vampires and their human familiars begin to vanish, their uneasy partnership turns into a fight for survival. In a city pulsing with dark magic and ancient rivalries, Cassandra must decide whether to trust the immortal who tempts her heart—or risk losing everything to the darkness hunting them both.

Enjoy an Excerpt →

The Bachelor’s Winning Bid

by Nicole Flockton

Sunflower “Sunny” Bloom has always been an introvert, happier working in the family flower farm than talking with people, but it’s time to step out of her comfort zone.

With her sisters blissfully partnered, Sunny enters a Valentine’s Day bachelorette auction, dreaming of her own shot at love. Worst decision ever. She doesn’t know what to wear or how to do her hair and makeup, and only one person bids on her after endless seconds of silence. Mortified, Sunny flees.

Burned-out architect Thorne Westbrook traded corporate grind for his own firm and a balanced life, but blueprints can’t fill the void. At the auction, on a whim, he bids high on the wide-eyed beauty no one else wants. She vanishes before hello, so he chases her to small-town Marietta, Montana, hungry for that date…and maybe more.

Defenses crumble over dinner confessions, fascination blooms and passions ignite. But can two wary, guarded people trust each other to finally get it right?

Enjoy an Excerpt →

Alpha Off Limits

by Katja Desjarlais

A fantasy older woman hiding her past. A younger bad boy with everything to prove. It’s wrong. Unthinkable. And irresistibly tempting.

Four months after a brutal attack and kidnapping at the hands of a drug kingpin meant to teach his notorious brothers a lesson, twenty-three-year-old engineering graduate student Grey Baker needs to seize back control of his life. He heads back to class and the gym, driven by the need to be faster, stronger, better. His smokin’ hot trainer fiercely builds his body and provides a sexy distraction through the pain. But Grey wants more from her.

Melody Zeher will never again cede control. Divorced at thirty-three and still dogged by the mental and emotional abuse of her ex, she pushes her clients to their edge and beyond and trains rescue dogs all while attempting to tamp down the burning lust her young client ignites. She doesn’t want the emotional burden of a relationship ever again.

But Grey offers to play it her way. The rules are set. Lines drawn. Limits established. What could go wrong?

Enjoy an Excerpt →

Love and Let Fly

by Kelly Cain

Can these lifelong friends risk everything for a love that could change their course forever?

Flying’s in her blood, but Miranda Hawthorne feels grounded. A former commercial pilot turned family fixer, she’s the one who keeps the Hawthorne flight school running—but never gets to chase her own dreams. Her heart’s set on her best friend, Jaden Stein, but every time she hints she wants more, he pulls back, insisting the timing isn’t right. When a dream job offer lands halfway across the country, Miranda’s torn between duty, desire, and the chance to finally soar.

Jaden has spent most of his life on the Hawthorne family compound, half family and half outsider. With his mother managing the estate and his sights set on NASA, he’s close to proving himself once and for all. The only thing left unfinished is confessing his feelings to Miranda…until she announces she’s leaving.

With family expectations and personal ambitions pulling them in opposite directions, can Miranda and Jaden find the courage to risk it all for love, and take flight together?

Enjoy an Excerpt →

The Apothecary’s Dark Fate

by Sarah Fischer

Magic, danger, and a love that could kill…

Potion master Brooklynne Belle thought she’d left heartbreak behind—until her former professor shattered her heart and used it as an ingredient in one of his deadly brews. So when her sister’s boyfriend, the Governor’s son, plans to propose, Brooklynne braces for a quiet celebration. But before love can bloom, she’s kidnapped by the Black Bird Coven, a group of rogue witches determined to bring down the government.

Enter Drake Romeo: the city’s most notorious playboy and elite magical detective. His charm masks a deadly secret—and Brooklynne is driving him wild in ways he never expected. Forced to work together to unravel the coven’s dark schemes and an underground potion ring, their chemistry sizzles even as danger closes in.

Every clue draws them deeper into a world of forbidden magic and hidden agendas. Drake’s secret could destroy them both—but their growing desire may be the only thing that keeps them alive.

Packed with suspense, forbidden romance, and high-stakes magic, this urban fantasy romance delivers thrilling adventure and sizzling chemistry for fans of witches, magical intrigue, and dangerous love.

Enjoy an Excerpt →

The Cowboy’s Least Likely Bride

by Megan Crane

She’s chaos in scrubs. He’s control in cowboy boots. And the sparks between them? Wildfire.

Tennessee Lisle has spent his life holding everything together—his family, their businesses, the town that relies on him. He doesn’t bend. He doesn’t break. And he definitely doesn’t fall for reckless, barefoot dreamers who talk to deer and smell like wildflowers.

Except…he might be falling for one anyway.

Matilda Stark has zero interest in playing by Cowboy Point’s rules. She’s a vet tech with a rescue animal problem, an ancient truck, and a lifelong thing for the brooding cowboy who acts like feelings are a four-letter word. Tennessee is quiet, steady, way too serious—and more addictive than sin.

He’s her opposite in every way. But Matilda’s sure they fit.

When she decides to take the initiative in the form of a puppy, it becomes clear that Tennessee will have to choose: keep playing it safe, or risk everything for the only woman who’s ever made him feel.

And Matilda? She’s done waiting. If this is real, she’s not letting him walk away.

Not without a fight.

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The Rodeo Cowboy’s Redemption

by Kyra Jacobs

Can they build a future with staying power?

Rodeo champion Rhett Foster walked away from Norah after one unforgettable evening last summer, vowing not to risk their friendship again. He’s parked his hat temporarily in Marietta to help his father recover from surgery, then he’s headed out to discover life after rodeo. But an emergency at Foster Construction lassos Rhett into wrangling renovations—and his feelings—on the Miles’ ranch.

Norah Miles is done putting her dreams on hold. With her family’s redesigned guest cabins nearly ready for tourists, she’s set her sights on Bozeman and a fresh start in interior design. But their magazine feature morphs into a high-stakes design contest, throwing Norah’s plans—and nerves—into chaos. To make matters worse, the only person who can help her finish the project on time is her younger brother’s best friend, the rugged cowboy she’s trying to forgive and forget.

As sawdust flies, Norah and Rhett can’t ignore the sparks igniting between them. Will they risk their hearts for a chance at love, or let fear ride them out of each other’s lives for good?

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A Texas Soldier’s Vow

by

Julie Benson

A soldier looks for a new beginning. A small-town single mom veterinarian, faces danger. A young daughter plays matchmaker…

Since being discharged following an injury, former soldier Luke Sawyer has traveled the west taking photographs. When he’s contacted by his pen pal Samantha Reardon, he can tell something’s wrong. Her clinic’s been robbed, terrifying her young daughter. Luke travels to Service, Texas.

After divorcing her cheating husband, Samantha’s worked hard to build a new life for her and her daughter. Her practice is thriving, but she’s short-handed. Having served as an army medic, Luke offers to help, and camping on the property, he can ensure their safety, but Samantha is wary to trust again.

Soon a white-hot attraction sparks leading to an emotional connection. But Luke fears putting down roots, and Samantha refuses to rely on a man again, especially a younger one. Can a pint-size matchmaking daughter bent on creating a happily ever after family, concoct a plan to keep these two strong-willed adults together?