Behind The Words With Julie Klassen

4 December 2024

Behind The Words welcomes Julie Klassen to the blog. Thanks for joining us, Julie! Your current series, ON DEVONSHIRE SHORES, is now on its much-awaited third installment. Where does The Seaside Homecoming pick up with the Summers sisters?

Julie Klassen: The Sea View guest house is well established and two of the sisters have married, yet something is missing—their eldest sister, Claire, who left the family a few years ago under a cloud of secrecy and disgrace. She has been living as a companion to an elderly relative, and news of that lady’s death spurs the sisters to renew their efforts to reconnect and reestablish bonds—despite their mother’s determination to honor her husband’s edict to sever all ties.

Before we dive in deeper, for readers discovering this book mid-series, can these stories be read separately or would you recommend they be read in order?

JK: I have certainly heard from readers who read book two first and still very much enjoyed it, but for the full story, I recommend reading the books in order.

In The Seaside Homecoming, readers will dive deeper into the nuanced character of Claire Summers, who has long been distant from her mother and younger sisters. Can you share a little bit about what her relationship with her family is like?

JK: Claire had once been the admired and esteemed eldest sister who doted on her younger siblings. But after a scandalous failed elopement, she loses her place in the family. She lives with a stern, elderly relative in Scotland, but dearly misses her mother and sisters and hopes to one day be forgiven and reconciled with them.

Like in many families, the Summers sisters—Claire, Sarah, Viola, Emma, and Georgiana— have distinct personalities and each play a different role in family. If you could pick up to three words to describe each sister, what would they be and why?

JK: Claire, the estranged eldest, is nurturing, maternal, and regretful.
Sarah, left to fill her older sister’s place, is responsible, hardworking, and loyal.

Viola, born with a defect that left her scarred is reclusive (initially), fiery, and determined. Emily, the pretty sister who had her heart broken is impulsive, spirited, and talented. Georgiana, the youngest who is only now learning why Claire really left is loving, good- natured, and athletic.

How do you think readers will relate to the family dynamics, especially the ups and downs of sisterhood, in this series?

JK: No family is perfect, and I think readers will relate to both the problems and frictions that sometimes occur in sibling and parent relationships, as well as the joys of loyal love, pulling together in a crisis, and wanting the best for each other.

Is there one sister in particular who you resonate with?

JK: I did not pattern any of them after myself; rather I created the sisters I would have liked to have! They are all very distinct from me, though I do share some characteristics with them, like Sarah’s determination to help her family and Emily’s love of books and writing.

What elements of this novel do you think loyal regency fiction fans will pick up on and appreciate?

JK: Many things! This is a sweet, “forced proximity” romance inspired by a historical newspaper advertisement placed by a man seeking a female partner in a boarding house, which sends Claire to live under the same roof as a handsome widower and his daughter. The novel also includes Regency-era favorites like a seaside picnic, balls, secrets, and nods to Jane Austen.

What do you hope readers gain from reading Claire’s story?

JK: I hope readers will be reminded that our burdens—and secrets—only grow heavier the longer we try to bear them alone. We have all made mistakes, but our loving, merciful God offers us forgiveness and second chances.

Can you share with us what you’re working on next?

JK: I am writing A Sea View Christmas, the fourth and final installment in the series, which releases in September 2025.

And finally, where can readers go to connect with you and purchase their copy of The Seaside Homecoming?

JK: My books are available from bookstores or online retailers. Readers can interact with me either by email or social media. I am involved in a fabulous Facebook group called Inspirational Regency Readers and would love to chat with readers there.

Julie, thank you so much for joining us today. Reader’s, The Seaside Homecoming just released. Here’s a quick look:

Disgraced eldest sister Claire Summers has been living in exile as companion to a stern great-aunt in Scotland. About to become homeless and longing to be reconciled with her estranged family, Claire answers an advertisement from someone looking for a “respectable female partner” in a Sidmouth boarding house. Is it a sign or another reckless mistake? When she meets the handsome, secretive proprietor, she wonders what he’s hiding and if he’s any more trustworthy than the nobleman who betrayed her years ago. Even as she is drawn to him, she fears he will reject her when he discovers her genteel façade hides a less-than-respectable past.

Meanwhile, the Summers family learn their great-aunt has died and Claire has disappeared without a word. The sisters rally together to find their lost sibling, but will their unexpected reunion heal old wounds and rekindle their bonds . . . or widen the divide?

Return to the picturesque Devonshire coast as the Summers sisters navigate romance, second chances, and the enduring strength of sisterhood in the face of adversity.

Behind The Words With Pip Drysdale

Jocie McKade

3 December 2024

Today, we welcome author Pip Drysdale to the blog. We’ll be talking about Pip’s latest release, THE CLOSE-UP. First, tell our readers a little about yourself.

Where you’re from, where you live? Is writing your full-time job?

I grew up in Africa, Canada and Australia and became an adult in New York and London. I currently live in Sydney and yes, writing is my full-time job!

How long have you been writing?

My first book came out in September 2018 but I started writing that in 2015… so it depends when the clock starts. I mainly wrote songs and poetry before that. But I did study Creative Writing at University.

What does your typical writing day look like?

I wake up, put on coffee, and write for an hour or so before my inner critic can wake up and ruin everything. Then I go for a walk, have some breakfast, write some more. Do some research. Go about my day. Write some more. Watch TV. Fall down a google-rabbit-hole. It’s all quite flexible really throughout the first draft. Rewrites are another story altogether. At that point I work solidly from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to sleep.

Tell us about your latest release? Where the idea came from? Perhaps some fun moments, or not so fun moments?

It’s called The Close-Up and it centres around Zoe Ann Weiss, a struggling novelist living in LA. Once billed as the next big thing as a writer, things have not gone to plan. Her first novel—a thriller—failed and now she’s stuck in a dead-end job. To make matters worse she has writer’s block. But everything changes when one night she runs into an old flame— Zach Hamilton—who is now a movie star. They start dating in secret but soon Zoe’s face and name are leaked to the press and her first novel goes viral… But Zoe is about to learn that when it comes to fame, sometimes it’s a case of being careful what you wish for. There’s a dark side to everyone knowing your name. Like Zach’s stalker who wants her out of the picture. The stalker who has now read her first novel and is enacting all the creepy plot twists in it… except now Zoe is the victim.

The most fun part of writing this book was probably going back to LA to do research. I spent a lot of time around where she lived in West Hollywood and where she worked on Abbot Kinney in Venice, together with spending time in venues where specific scenes take place. I also really loved exploring some of the books Zoe loved, like Eve Babitz and Didion and Bukowski, together with many more.

Could you share one detail from your current release with readers that they might not find in the book?

There are a couple of nods to The Great Gatsby in there which astute readers will pick up on (and which is why Zoe is reading that book at the beginning of the novel). The Close-Up (like Gatsby) is a dark critique of the modern American dream—the search for fame. I loved exploring the underbelly of LA and celebrity through Zoe’s story—how much she’ll sacrifice for success, but also how far others will go too in their relentless search for fame.

Who has been the most difficult character for you to write? Why?

Hmmm, I find them all difficult until I understand them properly. I know I’m not ready to write a character if I’m judging her choices in any way shape or form. It needs to feel like it’s me. Like I’d do what she’s doing too. Then I know I understand her, and I’m ready to write her.

If you could spend the day with your character, what would you do? What would that day look like?

If I could spend the day with Zoe we’d hang out by Zach’s pool all day, talking about books. Then we’d go past the florist and get some flowers. And then I’d suggest we quickly get on the first flight to London before things get… complicated…

What’s your take on research and how do you do it?

I tend to immerse myself fully in my characters. So I choose a perfume for the character (in Zoe’s case it was Killian’s Good Girl Gone Bad), read all their books, eat their food, hang out where they hang out, watch their TV shows etc. I tend to base my books in places that I know and then I travel there again to make sure I get the sensory details right. It helps me to write a book when I can mentally ground myself in the character’s apartment, when I have walked on the soil. When it feels real to me.

Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write?

Every book I read, every TV show I watch, every interaction I have influences how I write.

Do you have a secret talent readers would be surprised by?

Well if I told you it would no longer be a secret!

Your favorite go to drink or food when the world goes crazy!

Coffee. Always coffee.

What is your writing kryptonite?

I can’t check my phone before I write in the morning otherwise it throws off my whole day. I have to force myself to write first, while I’m still in that half-dream state.

Thank you so much for joining us today, Pip, and sharing a fascinating insight in your latest book. Readers, here’s a quick look at THE CLOSE-UP which releases today!

A struggling author discovers the dark side of fame when a stalker begins reenacting violent events from her thriller in this electrifying and twisty new novel.

When Zoe Ann Weiss moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, her whole future is wide open. But then Zach, the bartender and aspiring actor she’s falling for, ghosts her. Her debut novel, a thriller, fails. And she has writer’s block worse than ever before. Now, three years later, Zach is famous and Zoe is…not.

She’s facing her thirtieth birthday, a dead-end job at a flower shop, and a demanding agent, terrified she’ll never get her life back on track. But when she goes to make a flower delivery and Zach is at the address, it’s like no time has passed at all. They start casually dating in secret, her writer’s block disappears, and Zoe begins to wonder: Zach inspired her first novel, so why can’t he inspire her second?

But then the inevitable happens and photos are leaked, landing Zoe in the press. Her first novel goes viral, and now everyone seems to know her name. Except the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name—including the mysterious stalker obsessed with Zach. A stalker who begins reenacting violent events from Zoe’s book, step by step, against her…

Behind The Words With ZOJE STAGE Author of My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast

Jocie McKade

1 December 2024

Welcome to the blog, Zoje. First, tell our readers why did you decide to turn My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast—first featured in Baby Teeth— into a real book?

My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast actually predates Baby Teeth! I’d wanted to give the child character of that novel, Hanna, a favorite book—something her dad would read with her. After considering copyright issues, it became obvious that I needed to use something of my own, and I had a short story that seemed perfect. And then after Baby Teeth was published, I had a lot of readers asking me if My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast was an actual book. I’ve been trying to get it published since 2017!

What was the inspiration for the initial short story?

I was experimenting with short fiction at the time and wanted to try writing something for kids. I remembered being afraid of the dark as a child—afraid of what was behind the closet door. And to this day I’m very alert to every unexpected sound I hear in the house. I thought it would be fun to reimagine the “monsters” lurking in the dark and make them something unexpected as the source of the odd sounds—misunderstood perhaps, but friendly!

Is My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast intended for adults who’ve read Baby Teeth and/or Dear Hanna, or kids?

I’d say it’s intended for all ages. I think adult readers of Baby Teeth and Dear Hanna will get a kick out of seeing this book in real life. But I also feel like it fills an important gap for young readers who are beyond picture books, but still enjoy a book with illustrations. I talked to several librarians about this a few years ago, and they were really wishing there were more illustrated books for seven- to ten-year-olds. Chapter books are great, but who doesn’t enjoy some cool pictures?

Some of the illustrations are like a visual treasure hunt of classic toys—how did that come about?

Artist J.E. Larson was so dedicated to the creative details in this book. Early on, we had Zoom meetings with publisher Doug Murano, and in every meeting the three of us ended up reminiscing about the toys we remembered from when we were kids. We collectively wanted there to be toys from many different decades represented in the book, so readers of all ages could spot things they’d once played with.

Were all of the illustrations hand drawn?

Yes! They were sketched first, then inked, then painted. 100% hand created. (Bad Hand Books is committed to never using AI.)

Thank you so much for joining us today! Readers, here’s a quick look at My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast:

Nine-year-old Pru has many hobbies: inventing things, collecting stuff, and learning new and interesting words.

But her newest passion is discovering the source of the weird sounds she hears at night-coming from beneath her bed. Ever since she was very little, Pru suspected there might be a special kind of creature making a home in her room. But because UnderSlumberBumbleBeasts only come out in the dark, she had never seen one.

That all changes one day after Pru’s mom asks her to clean her room-an ordinary request that sets off an extraordinary chain of events. And Pru’s life will never be the same.

First depicted in the international sensation Baby Teeth, a novel for adults, My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast is a quirky and charming story about a girl with a most unusual way of making new friends. Watch what grows underneath the bed…

Behind The Words With Jan Gangsei

Jocie McKade

20 November 2024

Today we’re welcoming DEAD BELOW DECK author Jan Gangsei to the blog! Let’s start with learning a bit about you. Tell our readers a bit about yourself. Where you’re from, where you live? Is writing your full-time job?

I grew up in Vermont (though I was born in New Hampshire because the closest hospital to my house was across the Connecticut River!). After college, I worked as a journalist and photographer in northern Vermont, and then landed a job for a resort in Key West, Florida. That’s where I met my husband, a Coast Guard officer who was stationed there. After we got married, we moved several more times—to the DC area, New York City, Barbados, and Vermont. We’re now back in northern Virginia, where I write full time!

How long have you been writing?

Wow, as long as I can remember! I’ve been inventing and entertaining myself with stories since I was a little kid, although I didn’t start seriously pursuing publication until I was an adult (not counting my best efforts to win a statewide writing contest in fourth grade about the misadventures of Fluffy the cat).

What does your typical writing day look like?

Once my family is off to school/work and the dog has been walked, I’ll have some toast and a café con leche and dive into writing (with the dog curled up next to me—and occasionally on me, which complicates matters as he doesn’t make a great table ;). Typically, I’ll draft in the morning while my thoughts are fresh (and the coffee is working its magic!), and then I’ll focus on revision in the afternoon.

Tell us about your latest release? Where the idea came from? Perhaps some fun moments, or not so fun moments?

My newest book, Dead Below Deck, is a YA thriller told in reverse chronological order about a spring break yacht trip that ends (or should I say, begins) with murder. The story was inspired by a cruise my family and I took right before the pandemic hit. It was an amazing trip, and one that wound up being a stark line in the sand between the before Covid-times and after Covid-times. During lockdown, I found myself desperately wishing I could rewind time and be back on a boat in the middle of the ocean, blissfully unaware of what awaited our return. Maggie and Giselle’s story evolved from there.

Who has been the most difficult character for you to write? Why?

Answering this broadly to avoid spoilers! For me, I think the hardest thing—particularly when writing a thriller—is the fact that I grow to like my characters (even the difficult ones!), which makes it hard to kill them off or make them do awful things. That said, I prefer writing morally gray characters—so if it pains me a little to have my antagonist shove someone overboard, then I’m doing what I set out to do!

If you could be one of your characters for a day which character would it be?

I might like to be Giselle for a day, mostly so I could do something positive with her immense wealth that would make the world a better place. Not sure I’d like to be her for more than a day, though, because even though she seems to have everything, at her core she’s a pretty lonely person.

If you could spend the day with your character, what would you do? What would that day look like?

I’d definitely join Vivian on her (off-page) summer trip to France so I could eat all the food, see all the sights (and zip around the cobblestoned streets of Paris with Raphael on his Peugeot—well, if he’s real, of course!).

What’s your take on research and how do you do it?

I think it’s safe to say between my internet searches for Dead Below Deck and Zero Day that I’m on a watchlist (or three ;). But worth it, because I like to get the details of a story right! For Dead Below Deck, I did quite a bit of research online and kept a nautical map bookmarked for reference as I plotted the yacht’s location. I also talked to subject matter experts (aka my Coastie husband for all matters search and rescue!). And, luckily for me, I’ve lived in Key West and Vermont and have visited Nassau and Grand Cayman, so that was helpful when writing scenes in those locations.

Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write?

I grew up reading Judy Blume’s books and Nancy Drew mysteries and have always loved a good thriller. I’m also a sucker for stories that don’t wrap things up with a perfect little bow but leave something open for the reader to interpret. Newland Archer sitting on the bench at the end of The Age of Innocence is one of my favorite book endings ever. I have a number of auto-read authors, as well, including: Ruth Ware, Gillian McAllister, Tana French, Karen McManus, Tiffany Jackson, and Maureen Johnson, to name a few.

Do you have a secret talent readers would be surprised by?

I can wiggle my ears (which is not really a talent and serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever, but apparently only 10-20% of people can do it, and my kids found it hilarious when they were toddlers!)

Your favorite go to drink or food when the world goes crazy!

A grilled Vermont cheddar cheese sandwich on thick-cut sourdough bread with a warm chocolate chip cookie!

What is your writing kryptonite?

Probably my dog, who has a habit of requiring a walk right-this-very-minute whenever I get into a good writing groove. On the plus side, I do get time to brainstorm while he’s busy standing around intently sniffing a single blade of grass for ten minutes…

What is the one question you never get ask at interviews, but wish you did? Ask and answer it.

Nobody’s ever asked me to wiggle my ears (and to be honest, they really don’t need to, either. But if you have a toddler that needs a good laugh, hey, I’m game! ;).

Be warned, I will ask you to wiggle your ears if I catch you at a booksigning! Thank you so much for joining us today, Jan.

Reader’s here’s a quick look at Dead Below Deck

When an heiress disappears from her superyacht and security footage shows her getting pushed, the main suspect has to prove her innocence in this thrilling mystery at sea told in reverse chronological order, perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Genuine Fraud.

It was supposed to be the best-ever girls’ trip: five days, four friends, one luxury yacht, no parents. But on the final night, as the yacht cruised the deep and dark waters between Florida and Grand Cayman, eighteen-year-old heiress Giselle vanished. She’s nowhere to be found the next morning even after a frantic search, until security footage surfaces . . . showing Maggie pushing her overboard.

But Maggie has no memory of what happened. All she knows is that she woke up with a throbbing headache, thousands of dollars in cash in her safe, a passport that isn’t hers, and Giselle’s diary. And while Maggie had her own reasons to want Giselle dead, so did everyone else on board: jealous Viv, calculating Emi, even some members of the staff.

What really went down on the top deck that night? Maggie will have to work her way backward to uncover the secrets that everyone—even Giselle—kept below deck or she’s dead in the water.

Jan Gangsei crafts a compulsively readable tale of privilege, family, and identity wrapped in a wholly original mystery that will keep readers on the edges of their seats until the final twist.

Behind The Words With Tessa Afsfar

Jocie McKade

19 November 2024

Welcome to Behind The Words. Thanks for joining us, Tessa! Your book, The Queen’s Cook, kicks off your new series titled QUEEN ESTHER’S COURT. Can you tell us a little bit about where this series will take readers?

Tessa Afshar: The Persian court is a place of opulence and beauty. It is also rife with intrigue. Queen Esther has been married to the king for five years when her world is shaken by an incomprehensible edict against her people. As Esther navigates through heartache and danger, she finds friends in unexpected places. The QUEEN ESTHER’S COURT series recounts the story of three of Esther’s friends. Through the series, we occasionally hear from Esther herself as we read entries from her secret scrolls.

Esther is a familiar touchpoint for those of Jewish heritage and Christians alike. What led you to center the series around her reign in Persia?

TA: I grew up in Persia, where Esther lived and reigned as queen, and where her simple tomb still survives to commemorate the life of an extraordinary woman. Esther’s life, the people who surrounded her, and the world they occupied together present an irresistible fascination that I could not resist!

Other authors have written novels on the life of Esther—after all, her story is intriguing and has so much to teach us. What sets The Queen’s Cook and the rest of the series apart from these other novels?

TA: Although we hear from Esther through her secret scrolls, this series actually focuses on three of Esther’s fictional friends. Each book introduces us to a woman with a unique profession whose life is changed by Esther.

Your main character in The Queen’s Cook, Roxannah, is the daughter of a highborn Persian lord, but hard times lead her to pursue a job working in the queen’s kitchens. Can you elaborate on where readers find Roxannah at the opening of the book?

TA: When Roxannah’s impoverished father, Lord Fravartish, suffers a head injury, Roxannah asks the Jewish physician, Adin, for help. There is an instant attraction between the two—an attraction that Adin, a committed Jew, cannot allow. When a terrible edict gives Persian citizens the right to attack the Jews and seize their property, Lord Fravartish decides Adin would be the perfect target. Now Roxannah must decide between the loyalty she owes her father and her desire to protect Adin.

Your previous novels have been praised for impeccable research and vivid storytelling that allow the reader to really put themselves right into the story as they read. Can you set the historical scene for this first book? What might readers need to know about this historical time period in the Persian kingdom and how it affects the story?

TA: Thank you! It’s a privilege to write these stories for my readers. Let me try to set the scene of The Queen’s Cook for you.

Picture yourself in a sprawling palace complex surrounded by breathtaking gardens. The bricks are glazed in a hundred shades of blue, and when the sun shines on the walls, you feel as if you are surrounded by endless waterfalls. Rulers and officials from 127 provinces and nations visit the palace at Susa to present the king with gifts and tribute, and to seek his favor. The Achaemenid dynasty was the largest empire the world had ever seen at that point in history, spanning 2.1 million square miles.

King Xerxes was the grandson of Cyrus the Great, and the son of the famed Darius, who had managed to expand the borders of an already extensive land. To everyone’s surprise, Xerxes had chosen an unknown woman of little influence named Esther as his queen.

Far from all that opulence, in a hot, plain kitchen, you will find our heroine, Roxannah, who is trying to survive the malicious ploys of the other cooks. To Roxannah’s amazement, she earns the trust and friendship of Queen Esther.

Roxannah is Persian born while the Jewish physician, Adin, is not. The two couldn’t be more different, yet they initially connect over shared meals, thanks to Roxannah’s hospitality. What is it about food that brings people together, like it did for Roxannah and Adin?

TA: Food is one of the basic common denominators of life. We all need food to survive. At the same time, food can be a delight to our senses. When someone goes to the trouble of providing for us not only what we need but also what we enjoy, and adds to that the pleasures of companionship, something touches our hearts and binds us together. There are few things in life as sweet as sharing a meal with a dear friend.

Like Roxannah, you certainly know your way around a kitchen. What inspired you to write about a daughter of Persia who has a talent for making delicious foods?

TA: I love puttering around the kitchen, and my Middle Eastern background gives me a special affinity for Persian food. Making one of my heroines a Persian cook seemed like a no-brainer.

What are the defining characteristics of Persian cuisine? How is this incorporated into the story?

TA: Persian cuisine uses exotic spices like saffron and cardamom and fresh herbs like mint, tarragon, and parsley to intensify flavors. Dishes use delicious ingredients like pistachios, pomegranate, honey, and rosewater. Lamb and beef braises, along with vegetarian stews and legume-enriched cutlets, are often elevated in flavor by the use of caramelized onions, verjus, or pomegranate paste.

Roxannah’s cooking talent and creativity open the doors of the royal kitchens to her. Here, she finds the friendship of a queen, the joys of love, and the power of faith. You might say food is the bridge to fulfilling her destiny.

Do you have a favorite recipe to share?

TA: It will be my pleasure. I am going to share the recipe for an herb kuku, which Roxannah prepares for Queen Esther. You can view the recipe or download a copy for yourself at the link below.

Recipe for Herb Kuku

What do you hope readers gain from reading The Queen’s Cook and the rest of this series?

TA: The Queen’s Cook is the story of a woman who has never learned what it means to feel truly safe. As the novel unfolds, Roxannah discovers that while she can’t forge her own security in this broken world, she can find the inner peace she has always longed for. God himself is able to give her the sense of safety that childhood wounds have robbed.

I hope readers will enjoy the adventure and romance in Roxannah’s story. But I also hope that they will find a more profound sense of safety in God, even when the world around them is shaken. Each of the heroines in the series will fight their own battle with something hard that I pray will encourage my readers as they face personal challenges.

Can you share with us what you’re working on next?

TA: I am working on the second book in the QUEEN ESTHER’S COURT series. Sazana is an artisan whose exquisite pottery graces Susa’s households. But her master, Lord Haman, does not know her secret: Sazana is really Shoshana—one of the Jews he loathes so much. Only Arta, Sazana’s guardian since childhood, knows her secret identity. All seems lost, however, when Haman discovers Shoshana’s true identity and threatens her life.

When the king condemns Lord Haman to death and transfers the ownership of the pottery workshop to Queen Esther, Arta and Sazana assume their troubles are over. But tragedy strikes when Arta is murdered. In desperation, Sazana asks for the queen’s help. The following day, Jadon, a former member of the king’s elite guard, arrives at the workshop. Jadon, who works for Esther, is the man who broke Sazana’s heart years ago. Now Sazana and Jadon must set aside their personal heartaches and unite to discover the mystery surrounding Arta’s death.

Together, they uncover an astonishing secret: the object that Arta has been hiding for a generation can help Queen Esther protect the lives of the Jewish people as dark battle approaches.

And finally, where can readers go to connect with you and purchase their copy of The Queen’s Cook?

TA: Please visit me at TessaAfshar.com. To receive a free short story as well as monthly devotionals and book news, please sign up for my newsletter. You can purchase a copy of The Queen’s Cook at your favorite book retailer.

Thank you for joining us today, Tessa.

Readers, here’s a quick look at The Queen’s Cook which releases today!

“A tender and touching tale. Tessa Afshar has given us two wonderfully charming heroines.”–ANGELA HUNT, New York Times bestselling author of The Emissaries series

In the heart of ancient Persia, the empire’s Jewish citizens face an ominous edict that threatens their very existence. Roxannah, the daughter of an impoverished Persian lord, is devastated by the news but feels helpless to come to the aid of her Jewish friends. Desperate to support her family, Roxannah approaches the royal physician, Adin–the man whose kind eyes haunt her–and seeks his help to find employment in Queen Esther’s kitchens.

In the opulent palace of Susa, Roxannah tries to survive the spiteful ploys of the other cooks as she ascends through the ranks. Her loyalty earns her the trust and friendship of Queen Esther, who is navigating dangerous politics with wisdom and grace. When Roxannah and Adin uncover a sinister plot against Amestris, the king’s most powerful wife and Esther’s archenemy, they find themselves tasked with the impossible job of discovering the culprit. As secrets unravel and alliances are tested, the fate of Esther’s reign hangs in the balance.

Sneak Peek: THE SILENT WATCHER by Victor Methos

Jocie McKade

18 November 2024

THE SILENT WATCHER by Victor Methos

The bestselling author of A Killer’s Wife delivers a haunting legal thriller, plunging the reader headlong into the search for a deadly stalker—and a quest to bring a young victim peace.

Far from the neon glare of the Vegas Strip, attorney Piper Danes walks away from a hotshot law firm to work as a guardian ad litem (GAL). Piper was once a vulnerable youth herself, and a GAL gave her hope when she needed it most. Now she’s committed to paying it forward.

Her latest case is unlike any other: fifteen-year-old Sophie Grace is the sole survivor of a gruesome family murder. Teaming up with the formidable Judge Hope Dawson and enigmatic Detective Lazarus Holloway, Piper delves into a world more sinister than she could have imagined.

Their hunt for the truth leads to a serial killer known only as “the Creeper,” a predator who hides in the shadows. But as the team inches closer to unveiling the murderer, they find themselves in the crosshairs. Trapped in a web of lies, Piper will do anything to protect Sophie and stop the killer…before she becomes his next victim.

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Learn more about the author:

Instagram: @victormethos
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Sneak Peek: THE CLOSE-UP by Pip Drysdale

Jocie McKade

15 November 2024

THE CLOSE-UP by Pip Drysdale

A struggling author discovers the dark side of fame when a stalker begins reenacting violent events from her thriller in this electrifying and twisty new novel.

But then the inevitable happens and photos are leaked, landing Zoe in the press. Her first novel goes viral, and now everyone seems to know her name. Except the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name—including the mysterious stalker obsessed with Zach. A stalker who begins reenacting violent events from Zoe’s book, step by step, against her…

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Sneak Peek: BEAUTIFUL BROKEN LOVE by Shanora Williams

Jocie McKade

14 November 2024

BEAUTIFUL BROKEN LOVE by Shanora Williams

From New York Times bestselling author Shanora Williams comes an emotional page-turner about two people still reeling from tragedy who look to each other for the strength to move forward.

It’s been months since her dreams of forever were brutally shattered. Seven long months since her husband and soulmate, Lew, died in her arms, leaving her to carry on. Alone. And Davina Klein-Roberts still isn’t sure how to move forward.

To escape her anguish, Davina throws everything into work, pushing Golden Oil Co., her self-built skincare line, to become a viral success. Now she’s poised to clinch a major endorsement deal too. But it’s bittersweet without Lew by her side.

A meeting with Deke Bishop, the hot NBA star she’s courting for her brand, leaves Davina flustered. With his dimpled smile and warm handshake, Deke’s a natural pitchman. And he’s clearly interested—not only in her lotions.

Davina soon discovers that Deke’s more than just another player and carries his own pain. But as her feelings for him grow, so does her guilt. Will the pain of a future already lost keep her from embracing hope for a new one?

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Learn more about the author:

Website: www.shanorawilliams.com
Facebook: @ShanoraWilliamsAuthor
Instagram: @reallyshanora
X: @shanorawilliams

Sneak Peek: TRIAL BY AMBUSH: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth about the Case of Barbara Graham by Marcia Clark

Jocie McKade

13 November 2024

TRIAL BY AMBUSH: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth about the Case of Barbara Graham by Marcia Clark

In this dramatic true account about the power of sensationalized crime, one woman’s case is exposed for its sexism, flagrant disregard for the truth, and, ultimately, the dangers posed by an unbridled prosecution.

Unwanted and neglected from birth, Barbara Graham had to overcome the odds just to survive. Her beauty was both a blessing and a curse—offering her too many options of all the wrong kind. Her innate sensitivity left her vulnerable to the harsh realities of the street, where she was left to fend for herself before she reached double digits. Her record of petty crimes spoke to a life that constantly teetered on the brink of disaster.

But in 1953, a catastrophic twist of fate would catapult her out of obscurity and into the headlines.

When a robbery spiraled out of control and escalated into a brutal murder, Barbara became the centerpiece of a media circus. Her beauty enraptured the press, and they were quick to portray her as a villainous femme fatale despite abundant evidence to the contrary—a fiction the prosecution eagerly promoted.

The frenzy of public interest and willful distortion paved a treacherous path for Barbara Graham. In Trial by Ambush, author and criminal lawyer Marcia Clark investigates the case exposing the fallacies in the demonizing picture they painted and the critical evidence that was never revealed.

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Learn more about the authors:

Website:www.marciaclarkbooks.com

Facebook: @thatmarciaclark

Instagram: @thatmarciaclark
X: @thatmarciaclark

Sneak Peek: My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast by Zoje Stage illustrated by J.E. Larson

Jocie McKade

12 November 2024

My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast by Zoje Stage illustrated by J.E. Larson

Zoje Stage’s debut, Baby Teeth was a breakout psychological thriller when it was published in summer 2018. It was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award, a Goodreads Choice Award (and came in second behind Stephen King!), became a USA Today and international bestseller, named one of the best books of the yer by Forbes Magazine, Library Journal, PopSugar, Barnes & Noble, Bloody Disgusting, and Book Bub, named a People Magazine Book of the Week, a Publishers Weekly Best Summer Book, awarded four starred trade reviews, praised by The New York Times Book Review, Entertainment Weekly, Forbes, PopSugar, HelloGiggles, and others.

In Dear Hanna, published August 2024, fans of Baby Teeth finally got the follow-up novel they’d longed for from “master novelist” (Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle) Zoje Stage. Dear Hanna —”one of the best, most squirm-inducing portraits of a deviant schemer this side of GONE GIRL” (Nat Cassidy, Mary and Nestlings)—also marked the return of the UnderSlumberBumbleBeasts. For the first time in MY UNDERSLUMBERBUMBLEBEAST (Bad Hand Books; Dec. 3, 2024) these misunderstood “monsters” are the stars of their very own book.

Nine-year-old Pru has many hobbies: inventing things, collecting stuff, and learning new and interesting words. But her newest passion is discovering the source of the weird sounds she hears at night—coming from beneath her bed.

Ever since she was very little, Pru suspected there might be a special kind of creature making a home in her room. But because UnderSlumberBumbleBeasts only come out in the dark, she had never seen one.

That all changes one day after Pru’s mom asks her to clean her room—an ordinary request that sets off an extraordinary chain of events. And Pru’s life will never be the same.

Adult readers of Baby Teeth and Dear Hanna will delight in seeing this book-within-a-book finally come to life, and young readers will fall in love with this imaginative girl and her strange but wonderful friends. (Grade level 2 – 5; Enjoyment level ages 5-125)

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