After you’ve engaged in a shopping frenzy at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, located at 222 Baker Street, West London, Massachusetts, be sure and pop next door for afternoon tea at Mrs. Hudson’s. Head baker Jayne Wilson does a marvellous job of crating the perfect, fully-traditional afternoon tea. You might even be lucky enough to get one of the special Sherlock tea pots and matching cups. Occasionally, for a special occasion, Jayne is forced to reply on her business partner Gemma Doyle for help in the kitchen. And, occasionally, Gemma gets to enjoy the fruits of their labours. Fiona placed a large teapot on the table as well as a small jug of milk, a sugar bowl, a plate of sliced lemon, and two cups and saucers. She dropped a mug of coffee in front of Kevin. “What a beautiful tea set,” Linda said. The pot and cups matched: roses of pink and pale blue on fine white china trimmed with gold. “May I pour?” “Go ahead.” I leaned back to allow Fiona to place the three-tiered silver tray in the center of the table along with pots of butter, strawberry jam straight from the kitchen of a West…

When the idea for my current book, DEAD IN THE WATER, came to me I knew I wouldn’t have to do much research. And I didn’t. In June 2015, an EF3 tornado tore through my hometown of Coal City. My mother and nearly all my relatives and friends had damage to their homes. Although I had been through many tornado watches, warnings, and touch downs, this was by far the most destructive. My husband and I rode out the storm in the next town over, huddled in our laundry room desperately attempting to get information from our weather radio. The only contact I had was one cousin whose texts miraculously were getting through to my cell phone. This experience, as well as the immediate aftermath, was incredibly emotional, shocking, and more than a bit eye-opening. During the next few days, with many of the townsfolks without electricity, water, or shelter it was interesting to see how people reacted. Some were a godsend and others were sent from the other, hotter, region. As my husband and I worked the rest of the summer helping our friends and relatives with everything from removing debris to dealing with their insurance companies, I began…

Eating dark chocolate improves your focus and concentration. We know how frustrating it is when your mind is wandering all over the place (like worrying about making dinner) when all you want to do is hide in your bed and read. Chocolate releases phenylethylamine into your brain. This chemical makes you feel as if you’re falling in love. So pairing a fine chocolate with a reading will enhance the feelings of love readers already experience when caught up in a great book. Who doesn’t want that? Scientific studies have shown that eating chocolate boosts your memory. Have you ever picked up a book, read it most of the way through and then realized you’d already read it? I do that all of the time. I certainly could use more chocolate to help me remember which books I’ve already read. Chocolate makes you happy. Reading makes you happy. Doing both together should make you extremely happy. Eating chocolate releases endorphins (which releases stress) and serotonin (which acts like an antidepressant). Finally, because—come on—it’s chocolate and it’s delicious! Dorothy St. James is the author of the Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series. ASKING FOR TRUFFLE (Sept. 12, 2017) is the first book in…

Hi Everybody, I’m Melanie Jayne. I write contemporary romance featuring characters over the age of thirty-five and many of my female characters are size sixteen and unapologetic. My newest book is the fourth book in my Change Series and is called A CHANGE IN PERCEPTION. I’d describe the series’ overall theme as women starting over, this time doing it better, getting it right. My series are very woman positive; the man may step in and help, but in no way is he the redeemer. My ladies do that on their own. I published my first book two and a half years ago and I just finished the first draft on my eleventh. In October, I will be branching out to write my slightly different vision of the Lycan Nation. Let’s just say, these aren’t your mamma’s werewolves. I didn’t publish until after I turned fifty, so I’m a late-bloomer. My grandparents were both writers and making up stories was encouraged when I was growing up. I typically added a few musical numbers including tap shoes and if possible a baton for a little pizazz. I didn’t want to pursue a career in writing, but I thought that I could tell…