Ketch-Up Day

 

I took the dog out to do her business Sunday morning and she was assaulted by raining leaves.😆🍂🍁🍂 So now I'm raking ...next step mulching them with my new toy.

The roses and Irises are still holding on. The iris pic was taken at night.

 

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From FL

Thanks, Shane.

 

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Will she com back dry? 

 That's it for today, Blogger Buds. Hope to cyber-see you tomorrow.

When There's Only a Christmas Wish

  

I'm thrilled to have good friend and talented author D.L. Finn with us today sharing information on her new Christmas release.  I read it and loved it. A perfect read for the upcoming season.

 

Thank you for having me on your blog today, Sandra. I appreciate your amazing support!

 As you may know, animals usually appear in my stories. This one is no different. We meet a fluffy black cat that lives by the garbage bin. Ana makes sure the cat eats, even when she can barely feed herself. The cat’s a friendly stray, probably dumped there. Ana can’t turn away when the cat needs her help, and that sets off a series of events for her and the cat. I have a feeling a lot of us pet owners would do the exact same thing Ana did. I know I would, and I had a cat that was left to me when my roommate moved out years ago. No, animals weren’t allowed, but I kept the kitty anyway. 😊

Blurb

Can a Christmas wish—and the kindness of strangers—save Ana from a past that refuses to let her go?

Ana Castle stopped believing in Christmas wishes long ago, but desperation drives the young widow to make one by a store’s festive twinkling tree. After barely escaping a fire meant to kill her and losing her parents, best friend, and husband, all Ana wants is the opportunity to start over. Instead, sickness forces her to miss work, and her next paycheck will barely cover the rent. She must make the long, cold walk to a local food bank. There, an unexpected act of kindness from a grandmotherly volunteer named Carla gives Ana her first glimmer of hope in a long time. But that hope quickly fades when a black SUV begins appearing wherever she goes. Ana fears her late husband’s criminal past has caught up with her. To add to her worries, she must break some rules to follow her heart, and that decision changes her life. Anna soon learns surviving will take more than just a Christmas wish. She’ll need to accept a dash of trust, friendship, and love before the past takes away her last chance at a future.

  Excerpt

(Ana) She had the day off and would head to the food bank, a resource used when her earnings proved insufficient. Only a year ago, she’d been on the other side, donating like her mom.

 Ted’s frown always deepened when she spent any extra money, especially on charity. “They should find a job. Lazy bums. I can’t afford to support them too.” He would roll his brown eyes. She imagined they held so much love, but he never directed that love toward her.

In response, she’d let a smile spread across her face and give a slight nod. After he left, she donated some of her allowance.

 Now a heavy sense of guilt accompanied the food bank bag, which usually contained rice, beans, bread, eggs, tuna, peanut butter, apples, carrots, and miscellaneous canned foods. The food banks were struggling to keep up with the demand, and she was part of the problem. She promised herself that when a better job came along, she’d go back to helping, not taking. Even though she knew it was temporary until she got on her feet, Ted’s words wounded her. His arrogance had come at a cost to both of them.

 She removed the flannel sheets and replaced them with the white cotton ones reserved for sweltering summer weather. She scrambled the last egg but missed having coffee to go with it. That treasure had vanished two weeks prior, with no surplus funds for replacement. Luckily, there was coffee available at work, usually the bitter stuff they were going to throw out to make it fresh. She spent the rest of the morning deep-cleaning her apartment. Later, she’d do laundry in the basement with her saved quarters.

 Noon arrived quickly, and the food bank was scheduled to open at one.

 She bundled up, switched off the lights and heater, and locked the door behind her. Quickening her pace, she rushed past Mr. Anderson’s scarred red door with the faded Resident Manager plate he was so proud of. Fortunately, the lobby was vacant, allowing her to avoid any encounters with him. She wound a yellow knitted scarf around her neck and stepped out into an icy day framed by heavy gray clouds over the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The five-block stroll to her job served as a free gym alternative. The food bank was seven blocks away, still doable.

 To her left was what used to be a garden, now hidden under cigarette butts and discarded bottles. If she had extra money, she’d fill the planters. The building was situated beside a smelly, overflowing garbage dumpster inside a dilapidated wooden enclosure that, like the building, needed painting. The one thing about that area that ever brought a smile to her day was a fluffy black cat. She kept a pouch of cat food in her pocket to feed it every morning, whether she was going to work or taking out the trash. Even though she was sick, she made sure the kitty ate. A loud purr was Ana’s usual reward as it gobbled down the chunky food. Today, though, the friendly cat didn’t come out to greet her.

 “Kitty?” She waited, but no green eyes peered around the dented, smelly bin. A coughing fit hit her, and when it subsided, she called again. “Here, kitty. I brought you something to eat. I hope my coughing didn’t scare you.” She searched but didn’t find the cat. With a sigh, she opened the food and placed it behind the container wheel. Still no cat. “I left food for you.” She cleared her throat and moved on.

 With the dim sky threatening snow on the way, she was glad for the tough boots she’d acquired at the thrift shop. They provided comfort and warmth as she walked despite the frigid temperatures. Back in the day, she’d worn a designer winter coat, leather boots, and top-of-the-line clothes. Now the food bank provided a worn ski jacket, a hat, scarf, and fluffy black gloves. In her new life, she didn’t need designer clothes to stay warm.

 UNIVERSAL ORDER LINK

 Finn’s Fun Facts

1.      I enjoy watching all the wildlife around me, which includes birds, foxes, skunks, bears, raccoons, opossums, coyotes, and the unseen ones like mountain lions.  My characters enjoy their wildlife too.

2.      I fished often with my grandparents growing up by Clear Lake. It seemed natural for my characters to fish.

 Author Bio

 D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

 Social media

YouTube
Amazon Page
D.L. Finn Blog
Pinterest
Instagram
Facebook
Bookbub
Bluesky
Twitter/X 
D. L. Finn’s Gratitude Store 

Chance to win one of three Amazon Gift Cards for $5, $10, or $15! All you have to do is leave a comment here, and the other stops, and I’ll pick winners from the tour.

  

IWSG Wednesday AND Did You Know Thursday

 

 The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. IWSG was formed by Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling.

 

Twitter handle: @TheIWSG  

Hashtag: #IWSG 

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The Awesome co-hosts for

The awesome co-hosts for the November 4 posting of the IWSG are Kalpana, Kim Lajevardi, Rebecca Douglass, Jennifer Lane, and Cathrina Constantine!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Remember, the question is optional.
November 4 question - As a writer, do you have favorite themes that you like to explore in your stories? If so, what are they?

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October/November Reviews in no particular order.

* Disclaimer. If I run into an occasional typo, I ignore them and don't factor them into my review

 

WHEN THERE’S ONLY A CHRISTMAS WISH by D.L. Finn

A young woman tries to build a new life for herself while running from her past.

 

Ana grew up in wealth and privilege and now she can barely afford the thrift shop.

After her house is set on fire with her in, she decides to disappear. Landing in Denver she meets a woman with uncanny abilities that introduces her to an older woman that takes her under her wing, and to a family that is bent on giving her a second chance.

I loved this story. The author managed to deftly weave a warm Christmas story and a chilling mystery together in a sparkling tapestry of hope and fear. The characters are multidimensional.  And the descriptions capture all the reader’s senses. This is a wonderful story to read at the Christmas season or anytime you just want a feel-good HEA. Highly recommended.  It is now my favorite D.L. Finn story….until the next one😊

Available at Amazon 

 

THE WIFE OF KRONSTADT BY Patricia Furstenberg
THE WIFE OF KRONSTADT is a medieval mystery novelette set in Transylvania.

With meticulous detail, the author entwines history and almost imperceptible murders to create an enigmatic mystery.

The story centers around Gertrud, wife of the local physician. Gertrud along with a small group of others, begins to notice inconsistencies in the burial registers and medical records of women and children whose deaths were listed as natural causes. While the deaths don’t arouse suspicion in the physician, they do in these like-minded souls who are determined to find out the truth. Like a historical ‘Murder Club’, the group sets about tracking down how these people have died and who or what is responsible.

The writing of this medieval intrigue flows smoothly and is crafted with a touch of mysticism. If you are interested in medieval mysteries or women’s history, I highly recommend it.

Kudos to the author on her story and the research that went into it.  

Available at Amazon 

 

 

AVALANCHE-STREET RATS OF ARAMOOR: BOOK 6 by Michael Wisehart

I just finished this wonderful series about Ayrion, a young Upakan who, through no fault of his own, was banished from his tribe to make his way in the world at the tender age of thirteen. In each novel, as he ages, he finds himself in dangerous situations. But to offset these events are the lifelong friendships he makes along the way, protecting people he cares about in the process.  In each book, his status rises, especially after being befriended by the high king himself. In Book 6, as war looms on the horizon, he must walk a fine line between doing his duty to his king on the battlefront and keeping his friends at home safe.

I can’t recommend this book, and series, highly enough, especially for lovers of fantasy.

Available at Amazon. 

 

 

THE CLOCK STRIKES DEAD by Joe Congel

This is the 46th book of the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles. There are several different authors that write this series and each has to weave in the others’ worldbuilding and characters with their specific protagonist.

Joe Congel’s novel centers around Turner, a former New York police detective, who moved to the small town of Magnolia Bluff a few years ago for peace and quiet. On the heels of his move, he learns that murder is not limited to big cities and much of his time is still spent solving crime.

When his fiancée is kidnapped, this time it’s personal and the clock is ticking.

A well-choreographed mystery with relatable characters and a small-town atmosphere that makes you want to pull up a chair at Harry Thurgood’s Really Good coffee shop and join the gang for a cup of coffee.

The tension mounts as the book continues and by the end reaches an explosive and satisfying climax. A standout choice for anyone who love PI Mysteries, a well-told tale or, like me, is a Joe Congel fan.

Available at Amazon 

 

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Did you know, Jane Austen brewed her own beer AND added molasses to it.

 

100 Fun Facts About Books and Authors — Keeping Up With The Penguins 

 

 

  

Ketch-Up Day

 

Obviously, the vote doesn't apply to non US residents, but the greeting does:)  😀

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I know Spook Day is in the rearview mirror but I really enjoyed family and friends' costumes and thought you might too.

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The irises continue to bring me joy.  Apparently, this little honey bee thinks so too:)

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Which bird is the most beautiful? 

That's it, Blogger Buds. Hope to cyber-see you tomorrow. 

Weekend Wishes

 

Bye-bye, October, Bye-bye.

Writerly Wednesday AND Did You Know Thursday

 

 What's your synonym, example or sentence for:

Sentence: We could hear the susurrus of the wind through the trees. 

AND 

 

Did you know, a turtle's shell is made up of over fifty bones? 

Can a turtle tuck its head all the way inside its shell? | Live Science

  

Ketch-Up Day

 

How are you? Got your spook on?

I got a new toy.  A leaf blower/vac/mulcher.  It's not mega powerful, but it's light weight, perfect for a senior citizen and makes great mulch.

 

 IN THE GARDEN

The white Irises continue to bloom and delight me.  And the little holly tree has some red berries on it:) AND the young trees and razzmatazz (muscadine) grape vine are still holding their own:)

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Back when Frank was a young'un and his buddy Penny was still alive. 

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As always, if you aren't on the bday list and would like to be, let me know. Conversely, if you are on the list and would like to be removed, let me know that too.
 

 That's it for today, Blogger Buds. Hope to cyber-see you tomorrow:)