FOCUS ON BOOKS SERIES: AUTHOR REED STIRLING AND MYSTERY NOVEL: A BOUQUET OF DARTS

 

Focus on Books Series

Hello and welcome to FOCUS on BOOKS, a series sparked by my love of reading. We explore fascinating, familiar, and new worlds created by authors. 

Every third Wednesday of the month, join us for a celebration of storytelling—spotlighting books, conversing with guest authors, and sharing my reading recommendations.  Giveaways, surprises, and games will add to the fun.

Please welcome accomplished author Reed Stirling. He said,"Intrigue is my primary interest, with romantic entanglement an integral part of the action." 

You will find this in Reed's latest release, A Bouquet of Darts.

A Bouquet of Darts by Reed Stirling
A European Travel Mystery

Reed, thank you for being my guest this month on the Focused on Books series. I love the premise of your mystery novel. What sparked this book filled with intrigue and romance?

Thank you, Janet. The reason I wrote a Bouquet of Darts is because travel inspires. Put a group of people with common interests into a confined space, for instance, a tourist boat plying the canals in the Netherlands, introduce conflicting points of view, and what results is potential for an interesting plot. Add Eros, the mischievous mythological god of love with his gold and lead-tipped arrows, and the plot thickens. Insights into the nature of love from different perspectives could develop thematically. A year ago, I entertained these thoughts over a beer on the outer deck as our boat sailed out of Amsterdam. 

I agree, travel does inspire an interesting plot! This one sounds like a fun, entertaining read.

BACK OF THE BOOK--A Bouquet of Darts

Leaving Amsterdam, twenty engaging personalities begin a seven-day bike and barge excursion through the Netherlands. Allegiances form, love interests develop, conflicts arise, and a cyclist’s lifeless body mars their arrival in Maastricht.

      Who is responsible? The insulted chef? An angry deckhand? The most antagonized among the guests? Everyone onboard, the result of a well-wrought plot?

Eros? Could the culprit be the god of love whose arrows never miss their mark and whose intentions never falter?

Click the link to download A Bouquet of Darts at major online booksellers. 

Also available in Paperback.

 Buy link

ABOUT AUTHOR REED STIRLING

Reed Stirling lives in Cowichan Bay, BC, and writes when not painting landscapes, or travelling, or taking coffee at The Drumroaster, a local café where physics and metaphysics clash daily. Before retiring and taking up writing fiction as a past time, he taught English Literature. Several talented students of his have gone on to become successful writers. He is a member of the Cowichan Writers Association and the B.C. Federation of Writers. Book We Love Inc. has published his novels.

Author Reed Stirling

Shades Of Persephone, published in 2019, is a literary mystery set in Greece.

Lighting The Lamp, a fictional memoir, was published in March 2020.

Séjour Saint-Louis (2021) is set in Montreal and dramatizes family conflicts.

The Palimpsest Murders (2023) is a European travel mystery set in the Lowlands.

A Bouquet of Darts, featuring Eros the god of love, was published in 2024. 

Reed Stirling’s shorter work has appeared over the years in a variety of publications including Hackwriters Magazine, Dis(s)ent, The Danforth Review, Fickle Muses, The Fieldstone Review, Humanist Perspectives, StepAway Magazine, and Mediterranean Poetry. 

 Click here to read Reed's guest blog post in 2020

To all who celebrate, Happy Easter and Joyous Passover from J.Q. Rose!!

Focus on Books Series: Guest Susan Calder's New Book Release, A Killer Whisky

Focus on Books Series

Hello and welcome to FOCUS on BOOKS, a series sparked by my love of reading. We explore fascinating, familiar, and new worlds created by authors. 

Every third Wednesday of the month, join us for a celebration of storytelling—spotlighting books, conversing with guest authors, and sharing my personal reading recommendations.  Giveaways, surprises, and games will add to the fun.

I am delighted to welcome back my friend and skillful storyteller, Canadian author, Susan Calder. Susan has graced the pages of the Focused on Story blog in previous posts. She brings excellent stories to share with you.

A Killer Whisky by Susan Calder
Historical fiction and mystery

CONGRATULATIONS on your latest release of this mystery, 

A Killer Whisky: Alberta (Canadian Historical Mysteries)

Readers, in case you questioned the spelling of whisky in the title, Grammarly explains that Whisky (no e) refers to Scottish, Canadian, or Japanese grain spirits. Whiskey (with an e) refers to grain spirits distilled in Ireland and the United States.

Susan, what prompted you to write A Killer Whisky?

Thank you for hosting me, Janet.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I became intrigued with the 1918-20 flu pandemic, which was formerly called the Spanish flu. I read several non-fiction books on the subject and thought it would be interesting to write a mystery story set during that time. My general idea was that someone dies of presumed flu, but my story protagonist suspects it was murder and investigates. When one of my writing groups, Crime Writers of Canada, decided to publish an anthology of Canadian short stories with the theme "cold," I turned my musings into a short story. 

Before submitting the story to CWC, I showed the first pages to a writer-in-residence, who suggested it could be a novel. I sent in the short story anyway and it was published in the CWC anthology, "Cold Canadian Crime." 

Some months later, BWL publisher, Jude Pittman, told me she planned to produce a series of mystery novels set in Canada's ten provinces and two of our territories. I considered ways to turn my short story into a novel, decided my plan would work, and asked to write the Alberta novel for the BWL Canadian Historical Mystery Series. 

A Killer Whisky: Alberta (Canadian Historical Mysteries) by Susan Calder

BACK OF THE BOOK        

The 1918 influenza pandemic strikes Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Great War rages overseas. While her husband fights in Europe, Katharine works in a doctor’s office to support her children and her brother, a wounded veteran. One night their neighbour suddenly takes sick and dies. The attending doctor concludes the man died from influenza, but Katharine suspects someone laced his whisky with a drug that mimics the deadly flu’s symptoms. 

 Katharine convinces the police to investigate. Worried about her brother’s involvement with a suspect, she delves into his secrets and comes to fear he’s connected to the murder. She grows disturbingly attracted to the investigating detective who returns her affections. He’s convinced her brother or someone else close to her is a killer and risks his career to pursue the crime. Katharine must discover the truth so she can move forward in a world that has changed forever.

BUY LINKS:

A Killer Whisky amazon paperback

The eBook is available at major online booksellers

JQ'S REVIEW OF A KILLER WHISKY

The historical fiction novel, A Killer Whisky, is set against a backdrop of WWI and the killer disease, the Spanish flu. That backdrop and the location of the story attracted me to the mystery. My husband and I visited Alberta a few years ago, so I looked forward to revisiting the places through this story.  Ms. Calder is an excellent storyteller. Her characters engage the reader and her narratives paint a word picture of the scenes and the era. I had many choices of who would have been the killer, but I did not know who it was until the final pages. Now, for me, that is the measure of a satisfying story. If you are a reader of well-researched historical fiction and mystery novels, I would recommend A Killer Whisky. 

ABOUT AUTHOR SUSAN CALDER

Susan Calder is the author of six novels published by BWL Publishing. Four are part of her Paula Savard Mystery Series set in Calgary, Alberta, and the fifth is a

Mystery author Susan Calder

standalone suspense novel. Her recent release, A Killer Whisky, takes place in Calgary during the 1918 influenza pandemic and the final days of WWI. A Killer Whisky is book #12 of the BWL Canadian Historical Mystery Series.   

CONNECT ONLINE WITH SUSAN

 

BWL Author Page: Calder, Susan - BWL Publishing Inc.

Website: Susan Calder | Author of Paula Savard Mystery Series & To Catch A Fox

Susan's Previous Guest Post

Readers Circle: Susan Calder's Ten Days in Summer, Blog Swap

UPDATE: I have updated my guided journal, 

Your LIfe with Jesus: How to Spark Memories and Write Your Spiritual Memoir.

The hardcover will be available later this month for Easter gifting.

Sharing your sacred story is a beautiful gift to your family, friends, and yourself. As you look through the lens of time, you'll realize God's presence in your life journey and gain new insights when recording videos or penning your memoir. 

Your Life with Jesus
Learn how to write your spiritual memoir.

“Your Life with Jesus: Spark Memories and Write Your Spiritual Memoir” offers a thoughtful pathway for capturing your faith journey. This book combines carefully selected Bible verses with insightful writing prompts to inspire you as you share the moments that have shaped your spiritual life.

In Part One, you'll find tips on igniting your memories and crafting compelling stories that keep readers engaged. Part Two presents over 40 journaling topics, each paired with a relevant Bible verse and writing prompt to deepen your reflection. Embrace this opportunity to document your unique story and uncover new insights into the transformative power of faith.

Connect online with JQ Rose:

Email: jqrose02 @ gmail dot com

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FOCUS ON BOOKS GUEST NANCY BELL with a Romantic Christmas Story--CHRISTMAS STORM #focusonbooks

FOCUS ON BOOKS--Join us every third Wednesday of the Month

Hello and welcome to FOCUS on BOOKS, the latest series sparked by my love of reading. We explore fascinating, familiar, and new worlds created by authors. Every third Wednesday, join us for a celebration of storytelling—spotlighting books, conversing with guest authors, and sharing my personal reading recommendations.  Giveaways, surprises, and games will add to the fun.

While the purpose of the series is to offer an opportunity for author friends to shout about their books, I am delighted to meet new-to-me authors and discover their books. The best part is introducing writers and sharing their stories with you!

This month I am delighted to have multi-genre and award-winning author in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, Nancy Bell, as my guest. Nancy and I are in the same publishing house, BWL Publishing. She is quite a force within BWL and I consider her my mentor to me in storytelling. 

I invited Nancy to share this Christmas story for the December blog because I loved this story and the series, A Longview Romance. I read it in 2016 and still list it as one of my favorite Christmas stories. Such warm characters and a beautiful location for a story taking place during the Christmas season.

I asked Nancy, who lives in Canada, why she wrote Christmas Storm. She replied, "I wrote Christmas Storm for a couple of reasons. One is that I love Christmas and snow storms. Two, is I have a passion for animal rescue. Three, I love the Alberta prairies and ranch life. So, Christmas Storm takes place just before and during Christmas, on a ranch and of course there is a dog that needs rescuing and of course there is a good old Alberta blizzard."

Continue reading to learn more about the book.

CHRISTMAS STORM
Romance

BACK OF THE BOOK:

The only thing bigger than the storm in Michelle's heart is the blizzard raging across the Alberta prairie outside her window. Finding an injured stray dog is the last thing she needs. Add to the mix the handsome new vet who is taking over her beloved Doc’s practice and peace of mind is not in the picture. Cale Benjamin is too nice to be for real. Michelle is still smarting from being jilted by her high school sweetheart fiancé and not in the mood to trust any man, let alone one as drop dead gorgeous as Dr. Cale Benjamin DVM. 

The injured stray, Storm, keeps putting Michelle in Cale’s path whether she likes it or not. She is distressed to find that the handsome young vet is sliding past her carefully erected defenses and into her heart. A few well-placed nudges from Doc’s matchmaker wife, Mary, help the young doctor’s cause, but will it be enough to make the lady rancher allow him into her life? 

Christmas Storm won fourth place in the 2013 Oklahoma Romance Writers of America International Digital Awards in the Contemporary Novel category.

 Christmas Storm is available to purchase in kindle, paperback, and audio formats. 

Click here to download or order now. 

PLEASE NOTE--eBooks released by BWL Publishing are 50% off during the Smashwords Sale through December 26!! Click here to download Christmas Storm.

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ABOUT NANCY BELL

Nancy lives in Castor, Alberta. She has publishing credits in poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Nancy has 23 novels to her credit. Her poetry is

Author Nancy Bell

included in Tamaracks  Canadian Poetry for the 21^st Century, Vistas of the West Anthology and by the University of Holguin Cuba in their Canada Cuba Literary Alliance (CCLA) program. 

Connect online with Nancy:

Website: http://www.nancymbell.ca
Twitter: @emilypikkasso
Facebook: Facebook profile
Blog: http://nancymariebell.blogspot.ca/

eBook 50% off sale at Smashwords!!
Click here to download books released by BWL Publishing

Click here  to download books 50% off by JQ Rose

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IWSG Blog Hop: Besides Writing, Photography is Another Way of Expressing My Creative Self #IWSGbloghop

 

Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop

#IWSGbloghop

What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group?

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. 

To find out more, click here.

  

The purpose of the group is 

* to share and encourage. 

* Writers can express doubts and concerns 

without fear of appearing foolish or weak. 

* Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. 

*It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! 

You're invited to become a member of this supportive group. 

Click here to sign up and/or to visit the bloggers this week.

Happy IWSG Day!

Welcome November!

The awesome co-hosts for the November 6 posting of the IWSG are Diedre Knight, Lisa Buie Collard , Kim Lajevardi, and Me!

Hello and welcome to the November IWSG Blog Hop! I am thrilled to be one of the "awesome" co-hosts this month. Looking forward to visiting many of my IWSG friends and meeting new IWSG bloggers! Thank you for joining in on the fun.

November 6 question

 What creative activity do you engage in when you're not writing?

I enjoy taking photos of nature, family, and events in my "real" life thanks to my dear great Aunt Elizabeth. She was the unofficial photographer of the family. 

I was fascinated as she clutched her Brownie camera and peered into the glass viewfinder on top of the camera to frame her shot.  The strap was attached to the camera so Aunt E. could hang the leather strap around the back of her neck. This helped her keep the camera steady, but also she couldn't lose it!

Brownie camera Courtesy of Danson67 on Pixabay

In those good old days, all pictures were saved on film, not to a digital file. No filters that we use today to change the lighting or enhance the picture. She wouldn't know if the picture was in focus or too dark or light until she took the film to the drugstore to have it developed. Only one or two pictures were taken of the subject. Today we snap six or eight pictures with our digital cameras and phones because there's no charge for each photo.

With all the helpful technology, it is easier these days to be a good photographer. However, it still takes an artistic, creative eye to compose stunning images. 

I've taken many photos during our travels, but none can begin to elicit emotions when viewing the actual site, such as the majesty of the mountains, the magnificence of the architecture, or the glory of a gorgeous sunset. However, I try because memories can't be captured unless the photo is taken.

I look forward to learning about your creative projects when I visit your blog. In the meantime, please leave a comment below about your memorable pictures.

Click here to sign up and/or to visit the bloggers this week. So many amazing bloggers on the IWSG Blog Hop!!

Connect online with JQ Rose:

J.Q. Rose blog 

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IWSG Blog Hop: Remembering Casper the Friendly Ghost #IWSGbloghop

 

Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop

#IWSGbloghop

What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group?

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. 

To find out more, click here.

  

The purpose of the group is 

* to share and encourage. 

* Writers can express doubts and concerns 

without fear of appearing foolish or weak. 

* Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. 

*It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! 

You're invited to become a member of this supportive group. 

Click here to sign up and/or to visit the bloggers this week.

Happy IWSG Day!

Thanks to our awesome co-hosts for the October 2 posting of the IWSG: Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jacqui Murray, and Natalie Aguirre!

Looking forward to autumn.

October 2 question - Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What's your favorite classic ghostly tale? Tell us about it and why it sends chills up your spine.

Not all ghosts are scary, though. Personally, I prefer the friendly ones, like Casper. He was one of my favorite characters when I was a kid. I loved watching the theater cartoons that always played before the main movie.

If you haven’t met Casper yet, check out this YouTube video of the sweet ghost who’s always looking for a friend. Sure, I know ghosts are scary. But, instead of screaming and running away, take time to get to know him and you'll realize he won’t send chills up your spine—promise! 

VIDEO: CASPER THE GHOST AND THE BABY ELEPHANT

Casper the Friendly Ghost

I love friendly ghosts so much that I included a friendly, but annoying "shadow man" in my cozy mystery, Deadly Undertaking. Have you heard of shadow people? I wasn't familiar with the term until I read an article about it. 

Wikipedia's definition-- A shadow person is the perception of shadow as a living species, a humanoid figure, sometimes interpreted as the presence of a spirit or other entity by believers in the paranormal or supernatural. Wikipedia

Deadly Undertaking
Romantic Suspense

A handsome detective, a shadow man, and a murder victim kill Lauren’s plan for a simple life.

That article sparked the character, Henry, in the romantic suspense novel that takes place in a funeral home.  You can see him on the book cover. He hangs around the funeral home bothering the main character, Lauren Staab, a young woman who returned home to help in the family business, Staab and Blood Funeral Home.

It's a fun story to read and a fun one to write! Have you written ghosts into your stories and books? Please tell us about your supernatural character.

Click here to visit the bloggers participating in the blog hop this month.

Thank you for stopping by today. Have an awesome October 2024!

JQ Rose

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FOCUS on BOOKS: New Cozy Mystery Release by Susan Bernhardt, Repercussions

 

FOCUS ON BOOKS--Join us every third Wednesday of the Month

Hello and welcome to FOCUS on BOOKS, the latest series sparked by my love of reading, we will dive into the fascinating, familiar, and new worlds created by authors. Every third Wednesday, join us for a celebration of storytelling—spotlighting books, conversing with guest authors, and sharing my personal reading recommendations.  Giveaways, surprises, and games will add to the fun.

My love of reading sparked the series, FOCUS ON BOOKS. While the purpose is to offer an opportunity for author friends to shout about their books, I am delighted to meet new-to-me authors and discover their books. The best part is introducing writers and sharing their stories with you!

This month, my guest is a dear friend, Susan Bernhardt. We were with the same publisher early in our careers, and we "newbies" have continued to stick together all these years. I was infatuated by her first cozy mystery in the series, The Ginseng Conspiracy. Who knew Wisconsin, which is the location for her stories, is a top provider of Ginseng in the USA?  

I  always look forward to an entertaining read with many twists.  The action takes place in a small town populated with delightful characters and some really rotten villains. However she changes the location when Kay takes her family on a cruise in Paradise Can Be Murder. You know there has to be mystery and murder on the boat!

Congratulations Susan on your new release!

What sparked the idea for your 7th book in the series?

What sparked writing this mystery was to give my followers of this series pure entertainment. Many readers know Kay, Elizabeth, and Deirdre intimately and I wanted to write for them another exciting, thrilling, and fun mystery to read. That's it. There are many surprises in REPERCUSSIONS that will leave the reader with their mouths wide open.

Repercussions by Susan Bernhardt
Cozy mystery--Released September 17

In this edition, readers are taken to Sudbury Falls where Deirdre's tea room becomes an overnight sensation, a favorite go-to place in Sudbury Falls. Her scones are the talk of the town. 

Meanwhile, Elizabeth (Kay's friend) starts seeing copycat murders from her mystery novels everywhere.

Phil (Kay's husband) and his band get a new gig at The Purple Orchid, a dodgy nightclub downtown, where they try out their new drummer to a standing-room-only crowd.

When a murder takes place and there are absolutely no suspects at all, the new Chief of Police, along with Kay and company are stumped. Is this the perfect crime? Will the murder go unsolved?

Yet another humorous and thrilling Kay Driscoll adventure.

Welcome back to Kay's world.

Click here to download the eBook now or order the paperback version from Amazon. 

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ABOUT SUSAN:

 Susan's town in northern Wisconsin was an inspiration for the quaint setting of her Kay Driscoll novels. Like Kay Driscoll in her cozy mysteries,

Author Susan Bernhardt

Susan is a retired nurse who volunteered at her local free clinic. She also writes the Irina Curtius mysteries that take place in Manhattan. 

She lives with her husband, William, and has two sons.

An avid reader of mysteries, Susan is a member of Sisters in Crime, Inc. and the Wisconsin Writers Association.

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THE KAY DRISCOLL AND IRINA CURTIUS MYSTERIES

Cozy Mysteries by Susan Bernhardt

Thanks for stopping in today. 

Please share this blog with a reader who enjoys cozy mysteries.

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