California Christmas Potatoes ala Kate Carlisle New York Times bestselling mystery author Kate Carlisle is a native Californian who worked in television production for many years before turning to writing. Kate also studied acting and singing, toiled in vineyards, collected books, joined a commune, sold fried chicken, modeled spring fashions and worked for a cruise ship line, but it was the year she spent in law school that finally drove her to begin writing fiction. It seemed the safest way to kill off her professors. Kate’s latest book, DECK THE HALLWAYS (a Fixer-Upper Mystery), is available in paperback and ebook wherever books are sold. Visit Kate online at www.KateCarlisle.com, and be sure to pop into the Secret Room, where she’s giving away a DECK THE HALLWAYS Christmas ornament every day in November! DECK THE HALLWAYS by Kate Carlisle Fixer-Upper Mystery #4 The latest mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Crowned and Moldering. Someone’s been slayed! If contractor Shannon Hammer can’t nail the real culprit in the St. Nick of time, her dad will wind up in the clink… Even at Christmastime, Shannon is more spackle than sparkle, which is why she leaps at the chance to transform…

There’s something thrilling about a bone-chilling supernatural story. From Stephen King to the television series, Supernatural, I can’t get enough. The creepier the better! Possession is one paranormal phenomenon that freaks me out the most. Be it by some spectral being or the devil, it fascinates me. I blame my obsession with the supernatural, and specifically possession, on several things in my life. The first rests firmly on my brother’s shoulders. He loved scaring my sister, our friends, and me when we were younger. Be it by playing scary pranks on us or holding séances in our shed, it gave him great pleasure to terrify us. Then there are the many books I’ve read that despite how creeped out I get, I can’t seem to put them down. I blame Stephen King for this addiction. From Carrie to It to Pet Semetery, I’m surprised my heart still works after all the heart-stopping pages in them. Another reason would be the movies I’ve watched. The first film I can remember was The Exorcist. That little girl speaking in tongues, along with her distorted face and levitating body gave me nightmares for months. And naturally, my brother decided to use that fear…

Being a writer is one of my many roles, but the most important role I play is as mom to my two boys. Sporty kids ages 9 and 14, between school, band and soccer they certainly keep me hopping. As everyone with kids knows, the whole parenting thing (especially the single parenting thing) isn’t easy. If a mom and/or dad tells you otherwise, they’re lying. Or delusional. Maybe a bit of both. Lol That’s why not a day goes by when someone isn’t posting something on Facebook about blowout diaper disasters, play date drama, or sports-related something-or-another. The non-parents roll their eyes, the grandparents laugh at their screens relieved those days are long past, and the singles just swipe on by. It is what it is, and most of us wouldn’t trade it for the world. Except the diaper blowouts. We would ALL prefer to go without any more of those. One of the hardest lessons for me as a new parent (and sometimes even as an older, wiser one), though, was learning how to be…or not to be. Working full time, doing the family thing, and writing in the rare, leftover conscious moments of the day can be a…

Historical romance – Regency in particular – is my crack. I love it. I can’t write it, but OH MY GOD do I love it – like a freak, obviously. One of my favorite kind of Regency heroes is the grumpy Duke. You know the kind. He sits in his library with a drink and stares at the fire while bemoaning (silently) about the hoyden who has caught his eye. Seriously, that guy is my catnip. I just might have married him, but without the title and lands. 🙂 So when it came time to write my hero, Lucas, in HER ENEMY PROTECTOR (Tempt Me Book 2), I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Readers met Lucas in HIS UNDERCOVER PRINCESS, Tempt Me Book 1 and he was quiet, had an overdeveloped sense of responsibility and definitely lacked a sense of humor. You see where I’m going with this right? Lucas really was a modern grumpy Duke. I couldn’t go totally old school on him, but as you read HER ENEMY PROTECTOR you’ll see all the tell-tale signs. Lucas definitely isn’t chatty. He loves to issue orders and can’t imagine someone wouldn’t follow them. He thinks he’s the smartest…

It may not be true of all novelists, but one of the aspects of storytelling I find soul-satisfying is the ability to experiment with careers I never had, visit places I’ve never seen, own businesses, experience adventures, and tackle intriguing dreams that belong to my characters. I had more than my fair share of fun inventing the storyline and setting for this year’s Christmas novel—RESTORING CHRISTMAS. I fell in love with old fieldstone farmhouses when visiting Pennsylvania last January. Assuming I’ll likely never have the opportunity to own one, I pulled out my laptop and wrote a lovely, slightly lopsided version into the novel. I could almost feel the smooth wood on the banister to the second floor, “see” the view from the front porch, hear my footsteps—or rather, the characters’ footsteps—on the well-worn hardwood floor. Since long before HGTV reached its current state of popularity, I’ve dreamed of restoring old houses—with someone else’s sweat equity and financial investment. My dream had no blisters or hammered thumbs. Instead, I’d be the one designing the restoration and supervising those who don’t mind dirt, dust, and perspiration. Have to replace the knob-and-tube wiring? Need to reorder the kitchen cabinets? My job would…

In the South, we get excited about our stories. When we hear someone shout, “Y’all ain’t gonna believe this!” we all gather round because we want to hear what they are about to tell us. This story is kind of like that. Only unlike a good Southern storyteller, I will not embellish this. It’s true. All of it. So earlier this year, I was at my desk, hard at work. Okay, I might have been doing some online shoe shopping but … I was trying to work, when I got an e-mail from Sandie Bricker. The Sandie Bricker. She asked if I’d be interested in writing a novella that would include four stories. She wanted to pitch the idea to a publisher she knew I’d worked with before. I immediately said “Yes.” When she told me that Barbara Scott and Lynette Sowell would be involved, I was even more delighted. Meantime, in a land full of brokenhearted dreams and gorgeous boots (Nashville) two very savvy publishing world women were talking back and forth and when Barbara Scott mentioned to her friend Sue Brower that she was working on this novella collection, Sue’s eyes lit up. She suggested Barbara send it…

We’ll continue our exploration of the exotic this month with a group of novels set in the Far East, in lands full of beauty, rich in history and culture. Beginning farthest back in time and at the highest social level, we have two views of the only female Chinese emperor, Wu Tse-tien. Weina Dai Randel’s more favorable picture of the Iron Empress, THE MOON IN THE PALACE (EMPRESS OF BRIGHT MOON DUOLOGY BOOK 1) begins soon after young Mei is first brought to the palace, only one of many beautiful concubines scheming to attract the attention of the One Above All with their beauty, their gifts of jade and calligraphy, or their seductive talents. Mei’s curiosity and intelligence win her few friends among the competing concubines, but they do make an impression on the Emperor. As she is poised to become the favorite, a bitter rivalry erupts that will require all her skill and wit to survive. THE MOON IN THE PALACE by Weina Dai Randel The Empress of Bright Moon #1 There is no easy path for a woman aspiring to power A concubine at the palace learns quickly that there are many ways to capture the Emperor’s attention….

I’m currently celebrating the book birthday of SNOWBOUND WITH MR. WRONG, a story in my new series, Snowflake Valley, and my thirteenth published novel. The book birthday definitely makes this a lucky week for me, no matter what popular wisdom or folklore might have to say about the number thirteen. Luck—good and bad—has been on my mind for quite a while now, ever since I began writing the Snowflake Valley books. The series starts off with stories about the three oldest sisters of a large and close-knit family. These heroines have nicknamed themselves “the bad-luck Barnetts” because each of them has had a past love relationship go wrong. And can’t ninety-nine percent of us relate to that? In romance novels, the second-chance or reunion romance is a popular storyline and one of my favorite themes. In these reunion stories, the hero and heroine have had a past relationship that didn’t work out, but then circumstances or meddling matchmakers—or just plain bad luck!—bring the couple together again. When I started thinking about this series idea, I knew that in the first story, Lyssa would take another chance on love and, willingly or not, would begin falling for a second time…with the…

Getting Cozy and Giving Thanks November is an important month for our country. It’s a month of freedom and expression. It’s a month of giving thanks to the men and women who’ve served our country in the military. And it’s a month to celebrate the unity between the Pilgrims and Native Americans—a spirit of giving that is the core of America’s foundation. I’d like to give thanks to the many authors who’ve visited the Cozy Corner this year and shared their talent and heart-filled stories that give so many readers a break from the pressures of the daily grind. This week we have three special authors who’ve gone one step further in the spirit of giving, and have shared three great recipes for you to add to your holiday feast. Three different tastes, three different cultures coming together to bring your family a cozy holiday feast. Enjoy! THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE GUACAMOLE by Rebecca Adler Taste of Texas #2 Tex-Mex waitress and part-time reporter Josie Callahan is about to serve up some Lone Star justice in this spicy Taste of Texas Mystery from the author of Here Today, Gone Tamale. Tourists are pouring into the town of Broken…

I’ve always wanted to rock climb, and when I studied the skill, I realized rock climbing and scaling heights with my hero had a lot in common. Both require a struggle against odds, guts, stamina, techniques, and training. So I compared the two arts, and this is what I discovered. Training: Your hero is constantly in training. How else can he change and grow into a better person? But don’t have him climb any higher than he needs to. He also doesn’t climb to the top the first time out. Every skill is done in steps. Through each scene, he becomes wiser and moves ahead so that by the time he reaches the climax (peak), he’s ready for the task. Remember your hero is human (unless you’re writing fantasy or sci-fi). In rock climbing, the person is either bouldering, which means he’s experienced and doesn’t use a harness, or he’s belaying, which means he uses a harness. Whatever the skill level of your character, give him the training to complete the task. Learn from an experienced climber: Your hero learns from experience, wisdom, and other people. Show his motivation from who and what has influenced his life’s decisions. Delve into…