I Failed a Lie Detector Test

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I’ve confessed this to only a couple of people, but I’m now making it public: I failed a lie detector lie detector (polygraph) test.

This happened in the early ’80s, when I was young and naïve—long before I began writing crime fiction. Back then, I believed lie detector tests were infallible. When I failed, I didn’t just feel embarrassed—I questioned my own sanity. Was I a chronic liar and didn’t know it?

Years later, as a mystery writer, I know better.

It started when a friend asked me to bartend Sunday nights at a pricey hotel in downtown Austin. Someone had quit without notice, and he was in a bind. I’d bartended in college, so I agreed to help.

There was just one catch: new employees had to take a lie detector test.

No problem, I thought. It might even be interesting.

It was—but not in the way I expected.

I was sent to a private company across town. My internal alarms went off the moment I saw the man who would administer the test. “Creepy” is putting it mildly. He had greasy, dyed-black hair, dirt under his fingernails, and a stained dress shirt unbuttoned halfway down, exposing a thicket of chest hair. Cheap rings crowded his fingers.

At the time, I didn’t yet have the instincts of a crime writer—but I had enough sense to feel uneasy.

When he took my hand to attach the sensors, I shivered.

The questions began.

Had I ever stolen from an employer? No.
Had I ever been convicted of a crime? No.
Had I ever taken illegal drugs? No.

Then he lingered on the drug question, circling back again and again, rephrasing it each time. Today, I’d recognize that tactic immediately—pressure the subject, unsettle them, look for physiological spikes. But at the time, I was simply confused.

Finally, he asked if I was currently using drugs. I said I’d recently taken antibiotics and occasionally used Motrin.

He moved on, then returned to the same line of questioning.

If I were writing this scene today, I’d have my detective note the repetition, the shifting language, the way the examiner controlled the rhythm of the interrogation. I’d build tension there—because that’s where it lives.

But back then, I was just irritated—and certain of one thing: I had told the truth.

The following Sunday, as I was getting ready for work, my friend called.

I had failed the test.

If this were fiction, that would be the inciting incident—the moment everything tilts. The innocent protagonist accused. The system revealed as flawed. The first crack in what’s supposed to be objective truth.

My friend told me not to worry, said I could come to work anyway, maybe even retake it later.

I told him not to bother. I wasn’t coming back.

Years later, after writing crime novels and researching investigative techniques, I learned what I wish I’d known then: lie detector tests don’t always detect lies. They detect stress.

And stress can come from many places:

  • Anxiety
  • Fatigue or illness
  • Medication
  • Confusing or manipulative questioning
  • Even the examiner’s own bias

In other words, the very conditions designed to “find the truth” can distort it.

That realization changed the way I think about interrogation scenes. In fiction, a lie detector can be a powerful tool—but not because it reveals truth. Because it reveals vulnerability. Because it can be wrong.

And wrong can be dangerous.

I recently discovered that lie detector tests were actively used in courtrooms in the 1950s—the world of my Sydney Lockhart mysteries. Which raises a delicious possibility.

What happens when Sydney—sharp, observant, and far less naïve than I was—is strapped into that chair? When she knows the machine is flawed, but the people watching believe it isn’t?

That’s not just a test.

That’s a setup.

And in crime fiction, setups are where the real story begins. I can’t wait to put Sydney in this uncomfortable situation and then watch her wiggle out of it. She’d do a much better job than her creator.

Have you ever been falsely accused?

 

Spamalot (Not the Musical)

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I’m thinking about venturing into a career as a stand-up comic.

I already have a enough material for a routine full of laugh-out-loud absurdity, delivered to me in the form of dozens of spam emails that arrive in my inbox every month, specifically, the ones that offer me fame and fortune as a best-selling author. All for a handsome fee, of course.

I could riff on every one of their offers, like the one from “Elena” that promises Category optimization | Review velocity strategy | Long-term discoverability.” Wow, she’s really got her corp-speak language down!

*Chloe” tells me that my readers are in the “wellness and niche communities,” whatever that means.  “Lewis,” from the Author Credibility Society, says he’s “creating meaningful conversations in my field.” And “Tim,” from The Philosophical Zurich Club, “an international literary community,” is deeply moved by my writing.

Their real names should be something like A.I. Scam or Chat-Gee P. Tee.

In my new act, I could deliver zingers about the idiots who, after scraping tidbits from my website and other urls where my author info resides, still get it wrong. Yes, “Rachel,” I did once work at a prestigious film organization, but it was not the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Next comes one of my favorites so far, from “Samuel, a literary advisor at QuantumCreative.digital.”

Hi Gay,

I came across your Facebook author page and I have to say — a feature in D Magazine, an author interview, a series with a title as sharp as Sorry Knot Sorry — this is an author with genuine credibility and a clear voice. The work you have done to build visibility in the Dallas literary community is evident and impressive.”

I agree that my esteemed colleague, Lois Winston (the actual author of a book with that clever title), has genuine, award-winning credibility. However, I am the one who earned that national literary award for a series of articles I did for D Magazine in Dallas, back when I was its managing editor.

All of this seemingly unceasing, unscrupulous, and pitiful effort to scam unsuspecting authors is big a waste of time, especially my time, when I could be working on my next book instead of having to daily flush this spam down the toilet. Anyone with a working idea of how to eliminate the constant barrage, please let me know. There may even be a free book in it for you.

And, speaking of free books…

This June is the time for the Stiletto Gang Annual Summer Book Bonanza, when lucky readers can win free e-books from our participating authors. First Prize winner receives one book from each of us. Two runners-up will get 3 books by the Stiletto authors of their choosing. Just sign up on our homepage, and in July, you could be a winner!

In the meantime, if you know any of the aforesaid e-scammers personally, please kick ’em un the shins for me.

Thanks!

Read more about this award-winning author at GayYellen.com…

… and remember to sign up for your chance to sample some of our books. Winners announced next month, Happy Reading!

 

Believe in your Story and Never Give Up

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By Donnell Ann Bell

I do not consider myself a vain person. Uncertainty follows me on a daily basis. And like most authors insecurity has me on speed dial. But if I write something that corresponds with the vision in my head, then I develop a strong belief in my project. It doesn’t happen with every manuscript. I have a drawerful of attempted projects that haven’t quite measured up.

My debut book, however, the unpublished title Walk Away Joe, earned me a Golden Heart nod and agent representation. Afterward, I set to work on book two. Based on the plot, the title Deadly Recall came to me almost immediately. The story was a romantic suspense spinning off from my elementary Catholic school days and my court reporting legal experience.

The characters in Deadly Recall came to me equally fast. I was so confident in that book, I almost ignored the advice offered by Donald Maass, renowned literary agent and author of Writing the Breakout Novel. I attended a seminar in which Maass warned writers that if they knew who the killer was throughout the book, the reader would too.

What did he know? I remained steadfast in my belief I’d chosen the right antagonist for my story. Yet as my page count increased, reality intruded on my pipedream. I was a brand-new author; Donald Maass was an expert. I remember the precise moment I flipped the script and changed my killer’s identity. It was near the end of the book. To this day, I credit Donald Maass’s advice. Thanks to him Deadly Recall became a more cohesive and suspenseful story.

After I finished the novel, I entered writing contests but didn’t send it to my agent just yet. She hadn’t sold Walk Away Joe, and if Deadly Recall did well, I hoped to convince her I wasn’t a “one-book wonder.” Deadly Recall won several contests, one of which included agents and editors as the final round judges. I confess my head was the size of a pinata when one contest coordinator wrote, “This is so good. Can’t wait to see it in print.”

I was still flying high until weeks later I opened my entry to learn I’d received an honorable mention. Obviously, my writing peer judges liked the story, New York professionals, not so much. Needless to say, I was disheartened. Still, I believed in that book. So, when a well-known editor from a respected house announced she was accepting on-line pitches, I participated. Her response to my pitch? “Nice idea. But Catholic stories don’t sell. Put it under your bed and never get it out again.”

I don’t have to tell you that left a mark! At the same time, I was smarting from that rejection, my agent wrote me about Deadly Recall. She said she’d shared the book with her team, and they all agreed with her that it “wasn’t my best work.” At that, I sent her a 30-day termination notice and cancelled our agency agreement.

Along with the Deadly Recall rejections I was receiving, I was still hopeful for Walk Away Joe. At a writer’s conference, I pitched the book to an acquiring editor of a major house, and she asked me to send it. I sent it, knowing I was engaging in a proverbial longshot as New York publishers rarely, if ever, accepted unagented submissions.

About this time, RWA’s 2010 Golden Heart calls went out, and I was both happy and stunned to learn that Deadly Recall was a finalist in the organization’s largest and most respected contest. This was my second Golden Heart final, so some (not all) of my confidence was restored as I felt it gave me some street creds.

A short time later, I queried BelleBooks/Bell Bridge Books about Walk Away Joe and Vice President Deborah Smith wrote me back saying, “Send it. Send Deadly Recall while you’re at it.” I’ll never forget when BelleBooks sent me an offer letter for both books. I had huge respect for Debra Dixon and Deborah Smith, both legends in publishing, and decided to accept. As a courtesy I wrote the New York editor with whom I’d submitted Walk Away Joe. All my rejection bruises seemed to fade when she wrote back, “Congratulations. This is our loss. I love Melanie and Joe.” FYI, Melanie and Joe are characters from the WAJ manuscript that BelleBooks/Bell Bridge Books subsequently renamed The Past Came Hunting.

In the early days of my publishing career, Amazon, had a marketing tool called Deal of the Day on Kindle. Both The Past Came Hunting and Deadly Recall hit the top ten of the overall paid deals. I was on my way to Santa Fe when Deborah Smith messaged me to tell me Deadly Recall had hit #1 in the overall paid category! For a brief time, my book was listed alongside John Grisham and Clive Custler. Typically, I couldn’t get a signal to capture a screen shot but did manage one a couple days later in which the book still held the #1 spot in three genre categories.

I tell you this long drawn-out story to remind you that while others may not believe in your work, if you’re passionate about it, never give up. Deadly Recall remains my bestselling book. Imagine if I had done what that editor suggested and put it under my bed. Deadly Recall is one of the books in The Stiletto Gang’s Summer Bonanza. The log line is: A terrifying memory is locked deep inside her. A Killer wants to keep it that way. https://donnellannbell.net/books/romantic-suspense-thrillers/deadly-recall/   Now that you know its history, I hope you’ll give it a try. And remember this business is subjective. Whatever you’re passionate about, it’s important to believe!  Happy Reading!

 

donalee Moulton

A writing life – and a few Q&A’s

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By donalee Moulton

I’ve been doing a lot of book readings and book signings. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet readers and discuss all things mystery. They also keep me on my toes. Here are some questions I’ve been asked recently. 

5 books by donalee Moulton

 

 

 

 

 

Q: What was the first seed of an idea you had for your mystery book? How did it develop?

It started with a bath. I’m a big believer in bubbles, candles, scrubs, essential oils, and music with birds chirping in the background. Friends call this bathroom time my shrine. One night immersed in a lavender cloud I realized it was time to begin writing my mystery. Get off the pot kind of thing. That led me to a litany of possible characters and crimes. Through the mist Riel emerged. Not fully formed but outlined enough that I wrote down my ideas before I even moisturized.

Q: How did you celebrate the publication of your first book?

Sunday dinners are a tradition in our family and at our house. Over the years the faces around the table have changed, but they are all family and friends. It’s not unusual for us to have 10 or more people for dinner, and dinner is a communal process: cooking, cleaning, setting the table, making tea.

Hung Out to Die is dedicated to my 95-year-old godmother. When the first copy of the book was in my hands, three of us decided to surprise her with this inaugural copy and celebrate its publication. As we were sipping tea and finishing the last of dessert, I gave my godmother the book and directed her to the dedication page. She started to cry and without speaking passed the book to the next person at the table. They began to cry. They passed the book on. It made its way around to everyone. Most of us were in tears, even those of us who knew why my godmother cried even before the book reached them.

What a wonderful way to celebrate my first mystery novel.

Q: How would you describe your writing process? Do you outline? Let the muse lead you? Or something else?

I am not a marathon writer. I am a sprinter. I can’t sit and write for hours at a time. I break up my writing by taking a yoga class, soaking up some sunshine, checking email, doing some paid work. I do try to write 1,000 fictional words a day. Some days I achieve this. We don’t need to talk about the other days.

I love the idea of plotting out my books from beginning to end. However, the idea remains just that. I have the most basic of plot outlines and work from there, filling in and exploring options as the writing unfolds. When the characters become their own people, I know I’m on the right track.

Q: When you get the edits back from your editor, how do you work through that process?

I’m a firm believer in the importance and power of editing. When I get an edited anything back – novel, article, short story – I read through the comments and take some time to think about them. Then I dive in. Often I agree with the editor; sometimes there is a compromise. Always the writing is better for another set of eyes.

Q: What books have influenced you as a writer?

When I was about eight or nine, a next-door neighbor tossed me a Nancy Drew book. She thought I might like it. I sat on the curb between our two houses and read the entire book cover to cover. I loved the puzzle, figuring out who dunnit, and being propelled into a world outside my own.

That same year someone gifted me Charlotte’s Web, and my life was forever changed. Not only could words transport you to new worlds, they could become a part of your heart, change you in ways you could not have imagined. I wanted to do that.

Q: What is the best piece of advice about writing that you have ever heard or read? What would you tell aspiring writers today?

Write. This sounds simple. Many days it isn’t. Some call this dedication, others devotion. I’m not sure it matters what it’s called as long as it happens. You will never be a better writer, you will never write another book if you don’t sit down in front of your computer screen and begin to put words in front of you.

Fear and the Writing Habit

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by Paula Gail Benson

Just looking at the title of this message, what do you think it’s about?

Could it be about starting the practice of writing on a schedule?

Might it provide ideas on how to maintain the practice?

Could it discuss what is the most effective time for a daily writing habit: pre-dawn, morning, midday, evening, or late night—including whether or not there is a correct answer to that question other than the time that works for each individual?

Might it consider ways to return to a daily writing practice after having been away from it?

Could it involve none or all of the above?

Why is fear mentioned? Does the idea of writing each day aways involve fear?

I started writing this message because I had been able to keep a daily writing process until just recently when I became overwhelmed with other obligations. I felt very good about what I had accomplished, and I had forgiven myself if I didn’t finish all I hoped to each day.

Is a writing practice necessary to be a writer?: Duh. On some level, yes, a writer must plan to write. One cannot produce without cultivating.

Rather than saying a daily process is necessary, my answer is that goal setting is necessary for an author. To achieve goals, you need a timetable for when you plan on reaching them.

Keeping up a writing practice can be scary, but it is necessary to create and finish a story. Working toward a goal may make the process less intimidating.

How do you start?: This year, I’ve been successful in setting up and maintaining a daily writing practice. I began with new notebooks at the beginning of the year. January is always a good time to start fresh, but a new writing venue or notebook might also give the same joy of beginning.

How do you maintain?: I managed to challenge myself by working on more than one project at a time and limiting the time I had to work on each. Michael Bracken, when asked about writer’s block at the Capitol Crimes Chapter of Sisters in Crime meeting this past weekend, spoke of an author who didn’t believe in writer’s block. This author worked on several projects at the same time and would turn to another if he became stalled with one.

What time of day do you write?: The time that fits best into your schedule and keeps you motivated. I write at the end of the day because it is something I look forward to doing.

How do you return if you can’t maintain?: Recently, I literally could not write each day. As my life returned to a more normal pace, I feared I couldn’t recapture the habit.

Why is there fear?: No one wants to fail—even if its just not keeping up with a practice each day. This is when you must give yourself some grace and also remember the goal. Remind yourself that what goes on the page initially is for you to get your thoughts in order and to have something to revise. The perfecting part comes with the revision.

Fortunately, for me, when my pen met paper, it covered the pages with words. Whether those words are like flowering plants or spreading manure is yet to be seen, but at least I have the potential to prune or fertilize.

So, back to the words.

Forged in Flame character graphic showing Dalton, Ava, Nina, and a dragon

How Does a Dragon Work?

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Working Dragons

In my 2026 series of paranormal romances, each stand-alone novel is linked through the character of Dante Montanari—a mysterious dragon shifter whose interference in the lives of other characters causes the romances of each book to develop. Ultimately, the plan is to have a book devoted to Dante and his own romance, but that’s currently plotted for book 8, and we’re only on number 2. Usually, when I develop my characters for mysteries and contemporary romance, I only have to worry about the everyday getting to know you stuff—like where a character works, what they’re passionate about, why they keep finding dead bodies—that kind of thing.  But with paranormal romance, there is the added layer of world-building, which means I need to decide how dragons and any other fantasy creatures actually function. And then, even worse, I have to abide by those rules (yes, the ones I just invented) in future books.

Playing by the Rules

Once the rules are set, my life is both harder and easier.  The more I know about each character, the less I have to think about some of the background noise of setting a scene.  And this applies across all genres. In a mystery, if I know that my character doesn’t drink coffee, then I don’t have to think about their order if there’s a scene in a cafe.  In a fantasy novel, some things become more complex. For instance, if a shape-shifter changes, do their clothes shift as well?  (And we will pause here for you to have this argument amongst yourselves.) I have decided that we cannot have proper werewolf-type transformations without tearing clothes, and have chosen to have clothes NOT transform.  But that means that you have to keep track of things like “where did his shoes go” in those scenes. And inevitably, no matter how carefully I establish my rules for this creature or that, I run into a scene where I wish I’d done something else.

Choosing a Course

As it turns out the easiest way to figure out the rules is to do the most horrific of all writerly tasks… write. By writing a character and working through a story, I can stress test my rules and figure out how they apply to the world and other characters.  However, since my big dragon character doesn’t have his own story until much later, that left me with specifically dragonish questions that need to be answered NOW.  Which is why book 2 of the series focuses on Dante’s nephew – Dalton Rosetti.  Dalton and Ava’s romance was the perfect opportunity to find out what makes dragons work and how their world, magic, and culture function. And also, allow me to daydream of a vacation in Hawaii. Because in my world dragons love heat and volcanoes, so of course, they would love Hawaii. This romance was fun to write because (as with all my books) it includes a heavy dose of action and danger and that meant I had to watch Hawaii 5-0 for inspiration.  Yes, I know either iteration of the show is ridiculously not true to Hawaii, but the scenery is still great.  (I may or may not be referring to Daniel Dae Kim as scenery in this sentence.  Language is always open to interpretation.)  What do you think?  What other Hawaii specific shows should I have added to my “research”?

Forged in Flame

Ava FlynnForged in Flame character graphic showing Dalton, Ava, Nina, and a dragon grew up unaware of her dragon heritage, raised by her human mother and stepfather. That changes when Dante Montanari’s nephew, billionaire dragon Dalton Rosetti, arrives—and sparks ignite. Their one night of passion leaves Ava with a secret baby and a future she must face alone. But when deadly enemies close in, Ava and her child are thrust back into Dalton’s world. To survive, she must decide: can she trust a bond forged in flame?

Interested in being an Advance Reader of Forged in Flame?  Sign up here: ADVANCE READER SIGN UP FORM

ARC readers get a free copy of the book in exchange for leaving a review on one (or more) of the common review sites (Amazon, Bookbub, Goodreads).

**

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

What’s the big idea?

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One of my favorite lines from a film is during The Trouble with Angels when Hayley Mills who plays a troublemaker teenager says, “I have a scathingly brilliant idea!”

Mine may not be scathingly brilliant but for many a spark or an idea can be a figurative pot of gold. I got my idea for The Past Came Hunting after listening to Trisha Yearwood and Don Henley’s country song “Walk Away Joe.” The lyrics surround a seventeen-year-old girl who refuses to listen to her mother and runs off with her bad-news boyfriend. As the song goes, the girl waits in the car while the young man robs a gas station.

During a police ride-along, I asked the officer I was riding with what would happen to the girl?

“Seventeen. In the commission of a felony,” he replied. “She might be charged as an accessory—might even be tried as an adult and go to prison.” My kids were near that age at the time and I was appalled.

Later I asked him, “What’s the worst thing that could happen to you as a police officer?” Without hesitation, he answered, “If an ex-con moved next door to me.”

Boom! I had my story.

I researched how some authors came up with ideas and discovered:

J.K. Rowling got her idea for Harry Potter from a delayed train journey.

J.R.R. Tolkein, creator of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, got the idea for the Hobbit from a random sentence he wrote while grading papers.

Suzanne Collins, Hunger Games, was channel surfing and watching young people compete for a million-dollar contest.

Still, ideas can be nebulous and are often fleeting. Author Hank Phillippi Ryan and I discussed this during an interview. She said her muse show up at a restaurant. She reached for a napkin, then her pen and started writing. All I can say is if an idea or inspiration strikes, be ready to focus and find a way to jot it down.

Finally, my favorite anecdote about ideas and inspiration has to be from musician John Tesh who shared his backstory when he created Roundball Rock, the Chicago Bulls theme song, which in 2025 became the overall theme song for the NBA. The story as well as the score is breathtaking. Here’s the Youtube link and well worth a listen:

https://youtu.be/V_h7Lm7C9Nk?si=L-qVONhk5fTx3ej1

How about you? Got any goldmine ideas you’ve encountered to write a book or otherwise? Where do you get your ideas?

Authors Helping Authors: A Full Circle Moment

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AUTHORS HELPING AUTHORS

I’d been published a little over a year, maybe two, when I first met Emily Wood. I’d been approached by a regional library to talk about writing and getting published. As I recall, it was loosely related to the now defunct National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) held each November. Anyway, Emily was there, and at the time she was the Editor of the Base Borden newspaper, and worked part-time at the library.

I remember her sitting there, earnest, notebook in hand, dreams in her eyes. She asked a lot of questions. Good questions. Relevant questions. I answered them honestly, but I hoped, with cautious optimism. Yes, getting published was tough, but it could be done. And the one thing I believed in was authors helping authors. Emily might not have been a published author — yet — but in my mind, she was still an author.  I seem to recall she was writing something dystopian. The Handmaid’s Tale was big at the time, which may or may not have had something to do with it.

I went on to do a few other library events and presentations, mostly at my then-local library. Emily attended each and every one of them. I think, the first time, she was surprised that I remembered her, but I had been really impressed by her enthusiasm and ambition. I’d been her, once. Part of me still was, even if I’d become just a little more jaded. By 2018, after being “orphaned” twice, I gave up on traditional publishers (except for the odd short story) and had started my own imprint.

STEP-BY-STEP PUBLISHING GUIDES

Fast forward to late 2022. After 14 years in remission, I was diagnosed with the unwelcome return of breast cancer. Surgery followed shortly thereafter and suddenly the idea of trying to come up with a complicated mystery plot seemed impossible. Not writing also seemed impossible. But I was a former journalist. And I knew about traditional and self-publishing. What if I wrote about that, a sort of easy-to-read step-by-step guide? I liked the idea, but I knew I would need someone to work with me, an editor that was willing to review a chapter (or part of a chapter) every week. But who?

Then I remembered editor and aspiring author Emily Wood. I contacted her, and we came to an agreement whereby I’d pay her a fair hourly wage, and she’d return edited chapters to me on a weekly basis. It was a partnership made in heaven. Emily’s much more youthful perspective, and her recent efforts to find an agent, added meat to FINDING YOUR PATH TO PUBLICATION: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE, that otherwise would not have been included. That book went on to win the 2024 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Nonfiction AND the 2024 Writer’s Digest Award for Best Prescriptive Nonfiction (that one was nice because it came with a $1,000 prize). I followed up PATH with SELF-PUBLISHING: THE INS & OUTS OF GOING INDIE. Here, Emily’s lack of knowledge was instrumental in how I would explain the process that virtually anyone could follow.

A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT

Another fast forward, this time in 2024, when Emily was hired fulltime at the library AND informed me she’d landed an agent and they were shopping her book (a romance, which is what she loves to read). She signed a contract soon after and the book JUST MY LUCK, released in February 2026. You can find it on Amazon and other retailers.  And then, one day in March, a parcel arrived from Emily. Her debut novel, signed and personalized. A matching bookmark. A lovely thank you card.

And that’s what you call “a full circle moment.”

ABOUT JUST MY LUCK (by Emily Wood)

Sloan Sanders’ perfectly curated online life is in shambles. Dumped the same day her dream business collapses and rocked by a shocking DNA test, she escapes to her aunt’s farm to regroup.
Instead of peace, Sloan finds herself knee-deep in manure and butting heads with Parker, the annoyingly hot stable hand who seems determined to make her life difficult. She thinks he’s shady. He thinks she’s an entitled princess. But as sparks fly and secrets come out, Sloan realizes the line between enemies and something more is getting blurry.
When a chance comes to prove herself and reinvent her future, Sloan needs Parker’s help. Transforming a dusty hayloft into an Instagram-worthy event space might just change everything—if she’s willing to show the world her unfiltered self.
Perfect for fans of Jen DeLuca’s Well Met and K.A. Tucker’s The Simple Wild, JUST MY LUCK is a heartwarming rom-com about identity, family secrets, and finding love where you least expect it.

YOU CAN FIND EMILY WOOD ON INSTAGRAM @emilywoodwrites. 

The Past Chair of Crime Writers of Canada and a former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the multiple award-winning author of seven bestselling mystery novels, two books on publishing, and several short stories. She is also the editor/publisher of five Superior Shores Anthologies, including the 2025  Derringer- and Silver Falchion- nominated Larceny & Last Chances and the 2026 Derringer-nominated Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers. Find her at www.judypenzsheluk.com

 

Every Little Thing

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Quarter 1 had a lot of things…

And Thing 1 and Thing 2 were not blue-haired pranksters. The things were both writing.  Last year, I blithely signed a contract with Varus Publishing to provide 4 books in 2026.  I had exactly 1.5 books of those four written when I signed.  Well, if you want to meet editorial and layout schedules, then you must turn in your manuscripts at a date that is not the last minute.  Then I took on teaching a new writing workshop (which means developing the workshop), being the Treasurer for the Mystery Writers of America Northwest Chapter, volunteering my design skills to a worthy-cause website, supporting my brother’s new business, and oh, yeah, my daughter’s birthday is in a week. Keep reading for the news breakdown.

Brainstorming Your MysteryThe Workshop Thing

The workshop “Murder Boards & Master Plans: Brainstorming Your Mystery” went from being hybrid to being all virtual due to the possibility of snow in the forecast.  While a bit of a curveball, the workshop still went well as we discussed how to pick which information we need to start outlining (or if you’re a “pantser – how to just start writing) and then broke it down to have some fabulous shared moments and help each other move our stories forward. It was so fantastic to see attendees have a lightbulb or a breakthrough moment on their plot.

The Treasury Department

Being a Treasurer is not particularly difficult.  What’s challenging is the bank who, despite non-profit boards routinely rotating all across the US, seem shocked that there is a new treasurer literally every time.  But it’s not my first time being a treasurer so I just gathered up all my bits and went down to the bank and talked to real person until it was mostly straightened out.  Sadly, I’ll be doing it again this week in order to set up online banking.  It never seems to happen all in one visit.  However, the rest of the job is going fine, and we’ve already started our programming for the year – Check out Mystery Manon as she discusses social media for mystery writers!

New Website Thing

As part of our MWA Chapter’s mission to support writing, this year we took on the support of Noir at the Bar Seattle. While a fixture on the Seattle literary scene since 2014, NATB has never had it’s own website. Until now.  With some graphic design wizardry and a little tech know-how, I was able to put together a NATB website.  It’s main goal is to share news of upcoming events, and keep track of past performers.  You can also sign up for the mailing list and listen to recordings of previous readings.  To learn more visit: https://www.noiratthebarseattle.com/

Picture of a green brownie thingBirthday Wishes

My daughter’s birthday is on St. Patrick’s Day and as per usual, we have picked out and tested a green dessert. This year it’s… Greenies.  Because they can’t be brownies if they’re green. If you’re interested in getting the recipe (and news about new books, giveaways, and author spotlights) then sign up for my once a month newsletter!  Visit: https://bethanymaines.com/connect/

 

And now… The Book Thing!

Book 1 of the 2026 novels is now out in the wild and being read and reviewed by real human beings – ack!  Look for Book 2 – Forged in Flame – June.  This one is a perfectly delicious second chance romance with dragons because… of course there are dragons in Hawaii — it’s got a volcano.

Heart’s Curse

Writing under the pen name Sirena Corebeau for Varus Publishing, Heart’s Curse is about Lucas Kane, a hotel boss who’s on his way up the ladder and his first shot at the big time in Vegas is The Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino.  There’s just one tiny problem… it’s cursed.  Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray has always been told she’s nothing special—just the magicless daughter of a powerful witch family. But when a disastrous spring break lands her in Las Vegas, she stumbles into the path of Lucas Kane, a dangerously magnetic casino boss with secrets of his own. Lucas is juggling mob ties, a cursed hotel, and powers he can never reveal. What he doesn’t need is a heartbroken college girl counting cards at his tables… or kissing him in front of her cheating ex. But when blood rains from the showers and guests descend into madness, Charlie proves she sees what no one else can—the curse that haunts the Lucky Heart’s Casino. To break it, she’ll have to embrace her hidden magic and trust Lucas with her heart. Because in Vegas, the stakes aren’t just money—they’re life, love, and destiny.

ORDER NOW: https://amzn.to/49fdeli

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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 

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Down the Rabbit Hole

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By Donnell Ann Bell

I’m glad I only blog once a month on The Stiletto Gang. Mainly because when I stumble on a topic I’d like to discuss, that’s how long it takes to condense the mushroom cloud in my brain into a few cohesive paragraphs.

Case in point, I recently read an ad in American Police Beat Magazine for a device called the MX908 mass spectrometer. This handheld gadget is portable, and because of its cost, (close to $60K per unit) is currently being used by elite first responders.

What does it do? The MX908 mass spectrometer is capable of detecting real time chemical identification (such as explosives, HazMat operations and priority drugs such as fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and more). 908 Devices – YouTube

I can’t tell you how happy I was to learn about this advancing technology. During ridealongs and citizens academies, I’ve learned that while cops live daily with the knowledge they may take a bullet, they and their fellow first responders, face a greater risk known as exposure.

Exposure to explosives, chemicals and toxic drugs. I’m excited about the advancement of this mass spectrometer. I believe it will save innumerable lives.

I didn’t mean my blog to be an ad for the MX908, however. My original intent was to pinpoint how and when the technology may have evolved and how fiction authors (in particularly science fiction authors) may have contributed.

That idea proved fruitless and of little merit.

DeForest Kelly as Dr. McCoy Source: Public Domain

Lois Winston and I are critique partners, and I told her about the device and quipped something like Gene Roddenberry, screenwriter and creator of Star Trek, would be proud. If you recall Roddenberry created Star Trek in 1964. One of his characters, Dr. Leonard McCoy, aka Bones, used a medical scanning device on patients to determine illness or injury.

Still, Gene Roddenberry can’t take credit for the spectrometer. As I dove further down the rabbit hole, I learned the first mass spectrometer was invented in the 19th century and before that Issac Newton and others were delving into the color spectrum, telescope, microscope and myriad other devices. Did you know Newton is responsible for calculus?

And please don’t get me started on Benjamin Franklin!!!

I did learn quite a bit about science fiction authors while I was researching but I’ll save that for another blog. There are some amazing authors I’d like to include.

Also, during my explorations, I discovered I was attempting to engage in what is known as Synoptic philosophy, which comes from the Greek word συνοπτικός synoptikos (“seeing everything together”). Add synoptic to the word philosophy, it means the love of wisdom emerging from a coherent understanding of everything together.

Obviously, although my curiosity knows no bounds, I have much to learn.

Does your research lead you down the proverbial rabbit hole? Have you heard the term Synoptic philosophy?

About the Author:  Donnell Ann Bell is an award-winning author who began her nonfiction career in newspapers. After she turned to fiction, her romantic suspense novels became Amazon bestsellers, including The Past Came Hunting, Deadly Recall, Betrayed, and Buried Agendas. In 2019, Donnell released her first mainstream suspense, Black Pearl, A Cold Case Suspense, which was a 2020 Colorado Book Award finalist. In 2022, book two of the series was released. Until Dead, A Cold Case Suspense won Best Thriller in 2023 at the Imaginarium Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Currently, she’s working on book three of the series. Readers can follow Donnell on her blog or sign up for her newsletter at www.donnellannbell.net.

 

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