An illustration of a laptop with a spam email

AI Ruined My Spam

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Where Has All the Good Spam Gone?

We’re all familiar with spam emails. I doubt there’s an adult in America who hasn’t received an email from someone letting us know that THERE ARE SINGLES LOOKING FOR SEX NEAR YOU. However, since the rise of AI I’ve noticed a shift in my inbox. Gone are the days of Nigerian princes, IRS agents demanding gift cards, and fake invoices for an iPhone you never ordered (Quick! Click on that link!! It’s so, so urgent!). Now I get personalized emails talking about my books in breathless terms and low-key requests to contact them if I’m interested.  It’s so clear that someone has had AI scan my website or Amazon page to create personalized content that I can delete the emails without getting through the first paragraph.

Isn’t AI Personalized Spam Better?

Like a lot of AI slop, personalized spam is not better than good old-fashioned crap.  The compliments, syntax, and tone are entirely lacking in authenticity.  And while I suppose it’s possible to feel complimented by a machine, the platitudes carry all the heft of Pete Hegseth’s compliments on leadership—I don’t believe them, and they devalue the speaker for their blatant lack of any real knowledge on the subject. And aside from simply sounding implausible and obviously lacking in sincerity, since AI, authors have become a specifically targeted group.  Where once we were hard to pin down or gather information on, AI has turned mass data consumption and website scanning into a breeze.  The scammers no longer have to put in effort to learn about us or our books and can pump out email after email promising things that authors want (reviews, sales, readers).  But that lack of effort shows, and frankly, it’s insulting.  Scammers need to do better.

I took a brief poll of the Stiletto Gang, and we all agree that the spam rate increased to a deluge once AI took off.  And of course, we’re worried about deleting that one real person who emails, but many of us are deleting as fast as our fingers can click.  As Lois Winston said, “I always trash them and empty my trash immediately.” And while we all understand that the end goal is always money, many of us are puzzled by their low-pressure techniques.  Why do you want me to tell you where to leave a review?  Why are you wasting my time telling me that you love my work, but don’t want to leave a review without permission.  No one in the history of reviews has ever had this worry.

Screencap of a spam email with the words "AI has ruined my spam" over the top

So What Does the Spam Look Like?

Here are just a smattering of examples that I and other members of the Stiletto Gang have received:

Example 1: I can help you!

“I recently came across Eye Contact and it’s a gripping contemporary novel that blends science, mystery, and authentic representation. Following Lexi Byrne, a neurodivergent graduate student developing cutting edge bionic eye technology, the story explores her challenges with relationships, friendship, and ethics, all while navigating a high-stakes theft that puts her work and loved ones at risk. With its mix of science driven intrigue, relatable character dynamics, and emotional depth, Eye Contact has strong discovery potential through Goodreads Listopia lists such as Mystery & Thriller, Contemporary Fiction, Science & Technology Fiction, and Neurodivergent Protagonists.”

TRANSLATION: They want me to pay to get my book on a list on Goodreads which is something I can do for free.  (And if they made you interested in Eye Contact – you can check it out on Amazon and all major retailers.)

Example 2: We’re big & famous, so of course we’re emailing YOU!

“At Simon & Schuster, we are committed to publishing fiction that resonates with readers while delivering a strong and memorable narrative experience. Based on what I’ve read, I would be very interested in exploring whether there might be an opportunity to work together.”

“As one of the most influential literary platforms globally, The New York Times Book Review reaches a vast and engaged readership of book lovers, critics, publishers, and industry professionals… If you are interested, kindly respond by [date], and I will provide the next steps and scheduling options.” (Thanks to Judy Penz Sheluk for this gem!)

TRANSLATION: We’re going to ask for money to include you in this very special offer.  But pro-tip: Simon & Schuster doesn’t use Yahoo email accounts and the NY Times Book Review doesn’t solicit out of print books or forget to include the [date].

Example 3: Visit Our Book Club for Free!

“How are you doing ? I’m reaching out because of how strongly your book has resonated with readers in our community. As we read and discussed it together, one thing became very clear to us. This is a story that was written to be felt, reflected on, discussed, and shared, not simply read and put aside.”

“Readers will enjoy dissecting the layers of suspense, from the stolen SUV with a dead body to the cache of jewelry and the ongoing threats Anastasia faces, while also appreciating the lighthearted elements that make the series so engaging.” (Kind of makes you want to read the Anastasia Pollack mysteries, doesn’t it? Learn more at LoisWinston.com)

“Based on your catalog, I would be very interested to know which of your books you feel would create the most compelling and thought-provoking discussion among a community of dedicated readers like ours. Would you be open to having one of your preferred titles considered for this upcoming Networx London – Connect & Grow feature and allowing our members to explore and discuss it together?”

TRANSLATION: We failed to realize that we’re emailing about the third book in a mystery series but we’re going to talk about how it’s SO IMPACTFUL and later probably ask you to pay for the venue on a virtual book club.

Example 4: Authors like other authors, right?

“I recently came across your work, and I was really struck by the honesty in your storytelling and the way you blend personal experience with universal truth. As a fellow author, I deeply appreciate writing that challenges and moves readers the way yours does. I just wanted to reach out to say how much I admired your work. It’s inspiring to see writing that’s both fearless and artful.”

TRANSLATION: I’m looking for someone who has too much time on their hands and will email me back which means they’re probably a sucker.

Example 5: Errors Detected!

“I spotted a few issues that could be impacting your website’s performance. I captured screenshots for clarity. Reply “OK – SEND” if you’d like to see them.”

TRANSLATION: We know you’re a creative and don’t know much about websites and we’re depending on that to bilk you out of money (oh, and also… click on this link).

Spam for All

I think for many of us in the writing community, the new downpour of spam is shocking.  Perhaps there are other groups who are being similarly targeted now that new tools are available, but this seems like a new development in the scammer landscape.  And the truth is that I’m not falling for anymore scams now than I used to, but now I have to have someone blowing smoke up my skirt while I delete them. It’s infuriating. How about you?  Are you seeing a new rise in of junk mail and in your inbox?  And do you find the insincere adulation as annoying as I do?

**

Bethany Maines drinks from an arsenic mugBethany Maines is the award-winning author of action-adventure and fantasy tales that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind end. She participates in many activities, including swearing, karate, art, and yelling at the news. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel (or screenplay). You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.  She has also writes under the pen name Sirena Corbeau for spicier paranormal romance novels. Learn more at: bethanymaines.com or sirenacorbeau.com 

See more books from the Stiletto Gang: BOOKS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before the Internet Search by Saralyn Richard

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When I was a junior in college, as an English major, I was required to take a course in John Milton. Taught by a professor who had made Milton  his life’s work and who strove to model himself after the legendary poet, the course had the reputation for being the hardest one on campus. I believed it at the end of the first session of class, when Professor Boyette gave us more than fifty topics to research at the library for homework.

The topics were as pedestrian as the Elizabethan world order, the cycle of sin and redemption, Christian  allegory, Dante’s circles of hell, and many others I can’t recall. If the assignment were made today, the homework could be done in an hour or so, courtesy of the Internet, but then we had to trek to the library and find reference books, drag them to the carrels, read about the topic, take notes….you may remember those days, not so fondly.

Image by alison updyke at Pixabay

            The research paid off, back then, and the Milton course became my most intellectually challenging and charming—a favorite. In fact, I chose to write and defend an honors thesis on Milton as a capstone course my senior year.

Not surprisingly, then, when I had an opportunity to visit England the summer after graduation, I became fixated on finding things that related to Milton. I saw his bust, but no grave, at Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey. I saw his famous mulberry tree on campus at Cambridge University. I asked around and nobody seemed to know where Milton was buried.

That shocked me. One of the most famous Renaissance poets in the world, and I couldn’t find out where he’d been interred. The British are essentially friendly to tourists, and almost everyone I asked had a theory. And every theory sent me on a wild goose chase all over London.

In the end, I had to leave England before finding out the truth. A few years later, my in-laws went to England. They asked me what I would like them to bring back for me, and I replied, “The location of John Milton’s grave.”

Sure enough, when they returned, they had brochures and pictures of themselves next to Milton’s grave, which is in the churchyard of St. Giles without the Cripplegate, Milton’s father had been the pastor of that church. Thus, a three-year treasure hunt came to a successful end, and I had my destination. (I was able to visit, myself, a few years after that.)

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

            Today, just for kicks, I consulted findagrave.com and asked for John Milton’s gravesite. This is what it gave me in a matter of seconds:

John Milton Famous memorial

Birth

9 Dec 1608

Bread Street, City of London, Greater London, England

Death

8 Nov 1674 (aged 65)

London, City of London, Greater London, England

Burial

St. Giles Cripplegate Churchyard

London, City of London, Greater London, EnglandShow MapGPS-Latitude: 51.5187642, Longitude: -0.0938894

            Oh, the power of the Internet, and how it’s changed our lives! One last example—I’m writing the historical mystery I started researching at the library when I was fifteen years old. The aftermath of the Great Storm of 1900 is a big part of the setting, and I had extensive notes taken from primary sources over a ten-year period. For various reasons, I was unable to complete that novel until now, and ta-da! The Internet is such a boon to the story-telling. For example, I can find out how many kopecks to a ruble or what a person could buy with five dollars in 1903 in a New York Galveston minute!

The experience makes me wonder—all the time—what we would do if we lost the Internet, the ability to ask Siri or Alexa, or even the ability to photograph objects for later use.

How about you? Do you have a favorite pre-Internet search to share? I’d love to hear about it.

 

 

Saralyn Richard is the author of The Detective Parrott mystery series, The Quinn McFarland mystery series, A Murder of Principal, and the children’s book, Naughty Nana. Subscribe to her monthly newsletter for contests, prizes, surveys, and other fun content at https://saralynrichard.com.

Kathleen Kaska

Treasure Hunt: A True-Life Indiana Jones Saga

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Treasure Hunt: 

A True-Life Indiana Jones Saga

When you hear the phrase treasure hunt, you might imagine a chest of gold or a legendary artifact. But what if the treasure was a bird—and the hunter an ornithologist?

In the mid-1990s, I joined a field trip to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas coast to see the endangered whooping crane. That experience changed my life. I became captivated by the crane’s story—and by the man who saved it from extinction. That fascination grew into a seven-year research journey and ultimately my book, The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: The Robert Porter Allen Story.

In the spring of 1941, the whooping crane population had dropped to just fifteen birds. Written off as doomed, the species survived because one man refused to accept extinction as inevitable. Robert Porter Allen, an ornithologist with the National Audubon Society, launched a conservation campaign unlike anything America had seen before.

Long before television or the internet, Allen ignited a nationwide media blitz. Posters flooded public schools. Children wrote letters to lawmakers. Radio stations tracked the cranes’ migration from their winter home near Austwell, Texas, to a mysterious nesting site somewhere in Canada. Life magazine published a rare photo of a whooping crane family, and even an oil company altered its operations to avoid disturbing the birds.

By 1947, fewer than thirty cranes remained. Their nesting grounds—hidden somewhere in northern Saskatchewan, possibly near the Arctic Circle—had never been found. Without protecting that site, the species would vanish. After two failed searches, Audubon turned to its most tenacious ornithologist: Robert Porter Allen, newly returned from World War II.

What followed was a real-life treasure hunt—one that helped save a species and changed the course of conservation history, ultimately paving the way for the Endangered Species Act.

The story of Robert Porter Allen is best described as Indiana Jones meets John James Audubon—and it remains one of the most inspiring conservation adventures ever told.

I wrote the book to pay homage to a man who was all but forgotten. My research led me on my own journey from Texas to Florida to Wisconsin and beyond in an adventure I like to call “On the Trail of a Vanishing Ornithologist.”

Excerpt:

It was April 17, 1948, in the early hours of a muggy Texas morning on the Gulf Coast. The sun at last burned away the thick fog that had settled over Blackjack Peninsula. The world’s last flock of wild whooping cranes had spent the winter feeding on blue crab and killifish in the vast salt flats they called home. During the night, all three members of the Slough Family had moved to higher ground about two miles away from their usual haunt to feed. The cool, crisp winter was giving way to a warm, balmy spring. The days were growing longer, and territorial boundaries were no longer defended. Restlessness had spread throughout the flock. 

            As Robert Porter Allen drove along East Shore Road near Carlos Field in his government-issued beat-to-hell pickup, he spotted the four cranes now spiraling a thousand feet above the marsh. He pulled his truck over to the roadside and watched, hoping to witness, for the first time, a migration takeoff. One adult crane pulled away from the family and flew northward, whooping as it rose on an air current. When the others lagged behind, the crane returned, the family regrouped, circled a few times, and landed in the cordgrass in the shallows of San Antonio Bay. It was Allen’s second year at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. He had learned to read the nuances of his subjects almost as well as they read the changing of the seasons.

            In the days preceding, twenty-four cranes departed for their summer home somewhere in Western Canada, possibly as far north as the Arctic Circle. This annual event, which had occurred for at least 10,000 years, might be one of the last unless Allen could accomplish what no one else had.         

            The next morning, when Allen parked his truck near Mullet Bay, the Slough Family was gone, having departed sometime during the night. That afternoon, he threw his gear into the back of his station wagon and followed.

The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane was published by the University Press of Florida in 2012. It’s still available in bookstores upon request, Amazon,  Barnes & Noble, and University Press of Florida. It’s also from my website: Kathleen Kaska

Contact me at kathleenkaska@hotmail.com for information on my presentation of The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: The Robert Porter Allen Story

Bethany Maines drinks from an arsenic mug

Derringer Danger!

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Short Fiction Mystery Society logo showing a Derringer surrounded by the SFMS titleI’m Being Judged… by the Derringer Awards

Every year, the Short Mystery Fiction Society holds the Derringer Awards. Judged by volunteers from the society’s membership, these competitive awards recognize short mystery stories published that year.  The judging process and program management are a lot of work and I’m always impressed at the volunteers who bring the awards program to life.

Derringer Categories

  • Best Flash Story (Up to 1,000 words)
  • Best Short Story (1,001 to 4,000 words)
  • Best Long Story (4,001 to 8,000 words)
  • Best Novelette (8,001 to 20,000 words)

Derringer Judging

Each category requires three primary and one alternate SMFS members to whittle their assigned category down to five finalists.  Each judge is provided with a criteria sheet and a batch of short stories, and then the scores are totaled by the Derringer coordinator. And having judged before, I know that the quality of the stories is fantastic and that anyone who submits is up against some top-notch writers. I loved getting to read such a wide spread of stories with different mystery sub-genres and sensibilities.  Believe me, getting down to top five is hard!

Stiletto Gang Stories

Several of the Stiletto Gang are also SMFS members and have submitted their stories.  With the array of submissions below, I’m hoping that at least one of the Stiletto Gang can take home a Derringer Award medal.

donalee Moulton

donalee has three stories in consideration.  With a 2024 finalist spot, donalee is shooting for a repeat with one of her three stories. “Bon Ami” from the Signed, Sealed…Deceased Cozy Mystery Anthology. “Maladaptives Anonymous” from the Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers Anthology.  And “Zebra Finch” from The Most Dangerous Games.

Judy Penz Sheluk

Judy submitted  “Baby, It’s You” from Lunatic Fringe and “A Foolproof Plan” from the Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers Anthology. This fantastic mystery/crime anthology features 22 tales of mystery and suspense. Last year, the previous anthology, Larceny & Last Chances picked up a Finalist spot in the Derringer’s Anthology category, so we’re all hopeful for a repeat with Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers!

CrimeucopiaDebra Goldstein

Debra has “Candy Cane on the Case,” from Crimeucopia: The Not So Frail Detective Agency and “Opera Dinner Club, ” which was both a podcast and print story in Anything But Murder: Larceny and Lies. Like Bethany, her stories are falling in two different categories.  If you visit her website you can see her extensive list of short stories! Visit: https://www.debrahgoldstein.com/short-stories/

Bethany Maines

In 2025, I wrote two mystery stories that qualify to be submitted for the Derringers – “Front Desk Staff” (published in Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers) and “Love, Lefse, & Murder” (published in Cooking Up Death).  “Front Desk Staff” went into the highly competitive Short Story Category and “Love, Lefse, & Murder,” which clocked in at 9k words, will be in the Best Novelette category.

Wish all of the Stiletto Gang members luck as our precious stories make their way across the judges desks!

Buy Now

Want to check out these award-worthy stories?

 

**

Bethany Maines drinks from an arsenic mugBethany Maines is the award-winning author of action-adventure and fantasy tales that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind end. She participates in many activities, including swearing, karate, art, and yelling at the news. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel (or screenplay). You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.  She has also writes under the pen name Sirena Corbeau for spicier paranormal romance novels. Learn more at: bethanymaines.com or sirenacorbeau.com 

See more books from the Stiletto Gang: BOOKS

 

Dead, but Not Forgotten

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Galvez Hotel

Galvez Hotel

Dead, but Not Forgotten:

Murder at the Galvez

When asked whether I use real people as inspiration for my stories, I tell folks that there are so many imaginary characters in my head vying for my attention that I don’t need inspiration from a real person. Except—there’s always an exception—right?

When I started writing MURDER AT THE GALVEZ, the third mystery in my Sydney Lockhart series set in Galveston, Texas, I used a real person in the first paragraph merely to jump-start the story.

My husband is from Galveston, and his grandfather, PoPo, who was the doorman at the Tremont Hotel, always had a pack of teaberry gum in his pocket. I’d never met him, but I couldn’t help but wonder what life as a doorman at a fancy hotel would be like. (Note: before I chose the Galvez Hotel for the book, I’d planned to set the mystery in the Tremont Hotel until I learned it was temporarily closed during the time the story takes place.) Thus, I gave PoPo the name James Robert Lockhart, made him the doorman at the Galvez Hotel, and Sydney’s grandfather.

As in all my Sydney Lockhart mysteries, Sydney checks into a hotel, someone is murdered, and she’s the primary suspect. I needed a reason for Sydney to be at the hotel, and what better reason than to visit her grandfather? But wait, he’d already passed away, so to bring him into the story, I have Sydney reminisce about the last time she saw him, when she was eleven.

When I was little, I used to run up the hotel’s front steps, and PoPo would say, “Let me get the door for you, ma’am.” He’d bow and open the door with a flourish. As I passed, he’d say, “Welcome to the Galvez, Miss Lockhart. Enjoy your stay.” I would lift my chin like a queen. Then I’d reach into his coat pocket and pull out a pack of Teaberry chewing gum.—Sydney Lockhart

Having Sydney reminisce wasn’t enough, so I had to develop this character and give him more purpose, which led to Sydney’s last visit with him being a traumatic experience.

In the 1940s and 1950s, Galveston was a rough-and-tumble gambling town that earned the title “Sin City of the Southwest.” A few powerful crime families operated illegal casinos, speakeasies, and backroom bookie joints that attracted tourists and celebrities. A hotel doorman would surely have inside information and connections to these establishments and operations. With this in mind, James Robert Lockhart began to develop.

Whenever my family came to the island for a visit, I’d make a beeline to the Galvez Hotel and stand next to Popo while he greeted guests. People who saw us together knew instantly that I was his granddaughter. We were cut from the same mold: tall, thin, and redheaded. I was proud of that fact, for James Robert Lockhart was the most handsome man I’d ever seen. When I found him crumpled on the floor in the hotel foyer, his body riddled with bullet holes, I knew my life would never be the same. Now, as I stepped into the lobby eighteen years later, the memory of that day hit me square in the gut.—Sydney Lockhart

Sydney had no intention of ever setting foot in the hotel again, but when she was assigned to write a news story about a planning conference at the Galvez involving a controversial development project on the island, she had to suck it up and go. As always, someone was murdered, but what if this murder was connected to the murder of James Robert Lockhart? Now I was building him a backstory in which Sydney suspected her grandfather wasn’t who he seemed. Soon she realized that clearing herself of murder charges meant delving deeper into her grandfather’s history.

One thing led to another, and Lockhart skeletons began jumping out of closets too close to home. So, was James Robert Lockhart a notorious con artist or someone who always did the right thing, regardless of the consequences? Either way, Sydney had to find out, and so did I.

Since then, Sydney has shared with me a few survival skills she learned from her grandfather: how to hotwire a car, pick a lock with a bobby pin, and win at five-card draw. Dead, but not forgotten, Popo’s influence and teaching made Sydney who she is.

PoPo had an unquenchable fascination with the wonders of life and had steered me toward more practical directions. He taught me to appreciate the creatures that washed ashore after high tide, the majesty of constellations as they traveled across the sky, and flocks of birds that descended on the beach after fleeing an offshore storm. He even took me on my first Christmas bird count.—Sydney Lockhart/MURDER AT THE MENGER

I’m sure the real PoPo was the benevolent grandfather my husband remembered, and if PoPo is reading this from upstairs, I hope he’s smiling down on me.

Look for my seventh Sydney Lockhart mystery, where PoPo’s lessons save Sydney’s tush once again. It’s scheduled for release in spring 2026. The hotel, and hence the title, remains a secret until pre-lease. Check out my other Sydney mysteries: https://kathleenkaska.com/

How a Real-Life “Diamond Dog” Sparked CB Wilson’s Next Cozy Dog Mystery Series

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Guest post by CB Wilson

As the author of a long-running cozy dog mystery series, I’ve learned to keep my radar tuned for anything canine. I devour dog-related articles—not because I plan to use every tidbit, but because I know that one day, something will leap off the page and knock my socks off.

Sure enough, about a year ago, a reader emailed me a headline that stopped me in my tracks: Diamond Dogs. Real, live dogs trained to sniff out diamonds buried as deep as fifty feet underground. No kidding. My head nearly exploded with ideas.

The timing couldn’t have been better. Truth be told, I’m a bit of a blingaholic. Long before I started writing mysteries, I studied gemology and earned my degree from the Geological Society of America. I’ve always wanted to write about diamonds. I’d slipped a few into the Barkview Mysteries—lost stones popped up in books four, five, and six—but it never felt like enough sparkle.

Then came the article.

Imagine it: a dog that works like a living, wagging metal detector, sniffing out missing gemstones on a beach or in a park. Anyone who’s ever lost a diamond because of a broken prong knows the heartbreak. With a dog like that, you could make a fortune—or stumble into a world of secrets best left buried.

Within fifteen minutes, Glimmer the diamond-sniffing dachshund was born. Alongside her came a new heroine: a diamond investigator with a family history that includes a notorious jewel thief. Together, they stepped into a fictional Arizona mining town filled with danger, intrigue, and just the right amount of cozy charm.

That was the moment The Gem Hunters Mysteries took shape—a blend of sparkle, suspense, and of course, an unforgettable dog.

Because in my world, every diamond has a story … and some are worth killing for.

Glimmer, the Diamond Dog, is no ordinary dachshund. With her silky, long hair and sharp instincts, she has an extraordinary gift—she can sniff out diamonds buried deep underground. Serious and focused when on the job, Glimmer is the loyal partner of diamond investigator Taylor Hunter. Together, they unravel mysteries where every gem holds a dangerous secret. Fiercely devoted and brilliantly skilled, Glimmer proves that even the smallest detective can make the biggest discoveries.

Glimmer is an Influencer with her own social media on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Glimmer for a chance to win a signed book.

The Fire Diamond

Every diamond has a story… but some are worth killing for.

When Sunset Peak’s legendary Peak Diamond disappears during the town’s glittering centennial gala, Taylor Hunter knows one thing: this was no ordinary theft. As a renowned “Diamond Detective” and reluctant heir to a family legacy of jewel thieves, Taylor has solved high-profile cases around the globe—but this time, it’s personal.

The stakes spiral when a perfect replica of the diamond is found, a notorious diamond broker turns up dead, and her twin sister Hope’s fingerprints are discovered at the crime scene. With Sunset Peak’s future—and her sister’s freedom—on the line, Taylor must partner with the one man she swore she’d never trust: Police Chief Rocky Rockman, her ex-husband’s dangerously charming best friend.

Armed with her expertise, her sharp instincts, and Glimmer, her diamond-sniffing dachshund, Taylor races to unravel a tangled web of stolen gems, buried secrets, and hidden betrayals stretching far beyond her small Arizona town. But someone is willing to kill to keep the truth buried—and if Taylor’s not careful, she could be their next target.

Perfect for fans of Janet Evanovich, Ellery Adams, and Jenn McKinlay, The Fire Diamond is a fast-paced cozy adventure mystery where family secrets cut deep, small-town gossip hides deadly truths, and every diamond comes with a price.

~*~

Award-winning author CB Wilson began her writing journey with a childhood rebellion—after finishing a Nancy Drew mystery, she decided she could write a better ending.

A passionate animal advocate, she created the beloved Barkview Mysteries, blending her love of puzzles and pups. Her newest series, Gem Hunters, shines with adventure. Drawing on her Gemology degree from the prestigious Gemological Institute of America, CB weaves authentic sparkle into every page, featuring an extraordinary “Diamond Dog”—a clever Dachshund named Glitter who can sniff out diamonds fifty feet underground.

Her most creative ideas strike while horseback riding through Arizona’s desert trails. When she’s not plotting twists, CB enjoys pickleball and indulging her chocoholic side, convinced the best stories—like the best chocolate—are meant to be savored slowly.

Learn more about CB and her books at her website, where you’ll find links to her other social media.

A Cozy Holiday Whodunnit Sale

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By Lois Winston

What’s better than a cozy holiday whodunnit? A cozy holiday whodunit sale!

Are you someone who curates your reading for each holiday? Holiday whodunnits are always a treat to pick up, especially this time of year. Not only do readers love holiday-themed cozies, but many of us also love writing them. Some authors even have holiday themed series. Although I haven’t yet penned a holiday-themed series (but who knows where my writing will take me in the future?) I love incorporating holidays into my books. The spooky atmosphere of Halloween seeps through A Stitch to Die For as well as the book I’m currently finishing.

However, Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. For that reason, there are two Christmas-themed books in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, and I’ll probably write another at some point. In Anastasia’s world, when the snowflakes start falling, it’s beginning to look a lot like murder, and she never knows when she’ll find a corpse in a sleigh. (Hint: she does!)

That’s what happens in Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide, the eighth book in the series, which is currently on sale through November 14th for only .99 cents.

Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide

An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 8

Two and a half weeks ago magazine crafts editor Anastasia Pollack arrived home to find Ira Pollack, her half-brother-in-law, had blinged out her home with enough Christmas lights to rival Rockefeller Center. Now he’s crammed her small yard with enormous cavorting inflatable characters. She and photojournalist boyfriend (and possible spy) Zack Barnes pack up the unwanted lawn decorations to return to Ira. They arrive to find his yard the scene of an over-the-top Christmas extravaganza. His neighbors are not happy with the animatronics, laser light show, and blaring music creating traffic jams on their normally quiet street. One of them expresses his displeasure with his fists before running off.

In the excitement, the deflated lawn ornaments are never returned to Ira. The next morning Anastasia once again heads to his house before work to drop them off. When she arrives, she discovers Ira’s attacker dead in Santa’s sleigh. Ira becomes the prime suspect in the man’s murder and begs Anastasia to help clear his name. But Anastasia has promised her sons she’ll keep her nose out of police business. What’s a reluctant amateur sleuth to do?

Christmas craft projects included.

A cozy holiday whodunnit sale!

Kindle    Kobo    Nook    Apple Books

Grab a copy of Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide for yourself, then cozy up under your favorite quilt with a cup of hot cocoa, peppermint tea, some mulled cider, or even a hot toddy. But don’t forget about all your cozy-loving friends and family. Gift them a copy. They’ll certainly appreciate it more than that annual leaden fruit cake!

Are you someone who loves reading holiday-themed cozies? Or an author who loves writing them? Post a comment for a chance to win a promo code for a free audiobook download of any of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.

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USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her website www.loiswinston.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mini-Mystery.

Pen Names & Projects

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A New Pen Name for a New Project

As some of you may remember from earlier in the year, I was on a writing and submitting spree. Novella’s, short stories, writing contests—I was on a writing rampage! And with some spicier romance novellas in the collection, I asked for your help picking a pen name, so that I could differentiate between the standard spicy and the extra peppers brand.

And you came through!

Readers Helping Writers

There was a poll.  Everyone responded and the pen name Vivienne Cross was selected as the winner!  I was excited to start using it, but decided to hold off on doing any prep work until I had set on my branding strategy and had the right release to go with it.

Well, welcome to fall! Welcome to new contracts. Welcome to having the work I’ve been doing pay off.  And now… welcome to wishing I had done some additional work on the pen name.

It was the 21st of September

In September, I went to acquire the domain name (for reasons I won’t discuss until next month) for Vivienne Cross and found that it was not available.  Suspicious.  I typed in the web address and, low and behold, it was being firmly occupied by someone who had put out a new book in August of this year.  Complete face palm.  While I had done my due diligence to see if anyone was using the name when I came up with it, there is nothing I can do about someone grabbing the name before me.

Inventing the Skateboard

Once my father said he invented the skateboard.  And I know you’re thinking… No, he didn’t.  But yes, he came up with the idea of putting his rollerskate wheels on a plank all on his own.  And so did at least three other people out there in the 1950s.  So, while I could be deeply suspicious that this author stole it from me, I have to admit that my own experience suggests otherwise. Every time I’ve tried to come up with a pen name, I’ve had at least three names that I considered genuine winners only to find that someone is already using it.

Forward Momentum

But I still need a pen name!

So I went back to the list and while I liked the runner up I found that I was no longer willing to take any of the secondary names. So I went back to the drawing board and worked with my business partner and another writer to workshop a new pen name.

The Criteria

We quickly established some guidelines for what I wanted to achieve with the name and assessed which names had ranked higher in the poll to find names in a similar style.

  • Must not be in use by another author
  • Preferably uses a last name that hits earlier in the alphabet for higher billing in anthologies
  • Must resonate with the paranormal romance and fantasy genres
  • Brings main character energy

With those boundaries in mind, we developed our list, did some research and settled on (drum roll please)…

Author Banner for Sirena Corbeau, the pen name of Bethany Maines

Sirena is a name originating from the mythical sirens and Corbeau means crow in French. I liked the symbolism and I liked the sound of the name.  And yes, I threw myself on acquiring the domain name without delay. Thank you all for your help in selecting a name and I wish our efforts had not been in vain! But hopefully now we can all enjoy Sirena Corbeau and her future novels.

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Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of action-adventure and fantasy tales that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind end. She participates in many activities, including swearing, karate, art, and yelling at the news. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel (or screenplay). You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

And don’t forget to check out more books by the Stiletto Gang: BOOKS