Dear Reader, Love Author: mystery

Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts

Dear Reader, Love Jean Hackensmith

Dear Reader,

I cannot express how honored I am that you decided to pick my book, "A Dream In The Wilderness" (Book One in The Wilderness Saga) out of the millions of historical romances out there. It sometimes seems that everybody and their brother are writing books these days, and yet you chose mine. There are even AI books arriving on the market as we speak, and I have to warn you. Be careful. As an experiment, I plugged an idea into an AI program one day just to see what it would spit out, and it was atrocious. (Thank God!) It takes a human to write about humans. To express the emotion; the love, the hate, the jealousy, the envy, the complacency. AI can capture none of that, because it is not human.

I began writing over 40 years ago, when I was 22. (And, yes, I'm disclosing my age.) It all started during a phone call with my mom. I was, is, and always will be a doodler and, among all the curly cues, smiley faces, and thingamabobs that appeared on the paper in front of me there mysteriously emerged this line. One sentence. I read it to my mom, and her response was, "Man, that would make a great first line for a book." I still remember it today: "Jenny McCall awoke with a scream on her lips." That was it. I was hooked.

My favorite author at the time was Kathleen Woodiwiss. She wrote steamy historical romances. And I mean STEAMY. So, naturally, that's where I began my career as well. Thirty years and eleven novels later, frankly I started to get tired of writing basically the same old story over and over again, just in a different locale with different plot twists and different characters. So, I tried my hand at several other genres, including science fiction, mystery, thriller, and even a political novel. I enjoyed writing every one of them, but I had still not found my niche; that one book that would break through and actually get noticed--until "The Promise."

The idea for "The Promise" actually came from my sister. She helped me plan the basic plot, which took place during the 1930's and the Dust Bowl era--and then she passed away. I had about half of the book written by then, and just couldn't make myself pick it up again. It was HER book, not mine. Then one day, I realized I needed to finish it FOR her. "The Promise" was released in early 2024 and has sold over 20,000 copies to date. I cannot help but think that Sue is sitting up in Heaven right now nudging people to buy her book. After all, the most copies I'd sold of any one book before that was around 1000. What would you think?

Anyway, to make an already long letter a little shorter, I had discovered my niche. "The Promise" is basically a "sweet" romance (although it does have one steamy romance scene because, when polled, readers told me that's what they wanted and like a dummy, I listened.) They also wanted a sequel. So, I did a sequel AND a prequel. (I'm an author. What can I say?) Both of those are totally absent of graphic love scenes and contain only mild profanity. What a refreshing concept! To actually just tell your characters' story, throw in a lot of history, some humor, heartache, suspense, and sometimes greed (gotta have greed for a good book) and, for me anyway, it was the magic potion that worked. Every book in THE WILDERNESS SAGA, which is now four books strong, has those components. What they don't have is a lot of unnecessary sex and profanity that I finally realized just turns the majority of readers off.

So, if you're looking for a good, family-oriented, history-packed series set in the wilderness that was Superior, Wisconsin in the 1840s and will probably run close to 20 books before I'm done, check out THE WILDERNESS SAGA exclusively on Amazon. You won't be sorry you did. Oh, and if you do happen to enjoy those "steamy" romances also, check out my other books at www.jeanhackensmith.com.

Thanks, and happy reading!

Sincerely,

Jean Hackensmith

I have been writing since the age of twenty. (That’s 47 years and, yes, I’m disclosing my age.) I am the proud mother of three and grandmother to four wonderful grandchildren. After losing who I thought was the love of my life, my late husband Ron, in November of 2011, I met Rick. So, it is definitely possible to have more than one “love of your life.” Rick and I were married in July of 2018 and are still going strong today. He is my soulmate, my confidant, and my biggest fan. He has read every book I have ever written (even the romances!)

Next to writing, my second passion is live theater. I founded a local community theater group back in 1992 and directed upwards of 40 shows, including three that I authored. I also appeared on stage a few times, portraying Anna in The King and I and Miss Hannigan in Annie. I am sad to say that the theater group dropped its final curtain in 2008, but those 16 years will always hold some of my fondest memories.

I moved from Superior 15 years ago, seeking the serenity of country living. I also wanted to get away from the natural air conditioning provided by Lake Superior. We moved only 50 miles south, but the temperature can vary by 20-30 degrees. I guess I’m a country girl at heart. I simply love this area, and am lucky to, once again, have someone to share its beauty. I love the solitude, the picturesque beauty of the sun rising over the water, the strangely calming effect of watching a deer graze outside your kitchen window. Never again, will I live in the city. I am an author, after all, and what better place to be inspired than in God’s own backyard.

Let’s Connect!

Website: https://www.jeanhackensmith.com.

X: https://x.com/Author911

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/jean-hackensmith-61554012674412/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/32957713?ref=nav_mybooks

Unable to find a teaching position in the flooded job market that is New York City, twenty-one-year-old Sarah Bentley accepts the position of nanny to Caleb Wachsmann’s three children after the farmer’s wife, parents, and infant son die in the Cholera epidemic of 1834. The twist? The job is in Superior, Wisconsin in the Michigan Territory, an unsettled wilderness located on the northwestern tip of Lake Superior.

Caleb is not looking for love; his heart will always belong to his beloved Annie. What he does need is a woman to watch after the children while he toils in the fields making a living for his family. Sarah turns out to be that woman. She raises his children with a gentle and loving hand and also helps Caleb to overcome an unbearable loss. As Wisconsin vies for statehood, the young couple will face challenge after challenge as they struggle to tame a wilderness that really doesn’t want to be tamed at all.

A Dream in the Wilderness is available at https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Wilderness-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B0DJS19HMH.

Dear Reader, Love JB Miller

Dear Reader,

As you open the pages of Is Truth Greater Than Fiction? You Decide..., I want to share with you the journey that led to its creation. This book is more than just a collection of stories; it’s a reflection of the moments in my life that have left indelible marks on my soul. I wrote it for those who, like me, believe that life’s most pivotal moments shape who we are and that sometimes, reality can indeed be stranger than fiction.

When I sat down to write, I didn’t intend to create just another book. I wanted to craft a narrative that would challenge readers to think critically about the way they perceive the world and the people in it.

The first story, though particularly challenging to write due to its sensitive subject matter, is meant to make you question how we perceive public figures. The nuances of perception and identity often mask the realities behind public facades, and this story attempts to peel back those layers, inviting you to think critically about the image versus the person behind it.

The second story dives into the depths of unfiltered emotion. I felt compelled to include it because it shows that confronting uncomfortable truths is sometimes necessary for personal growth. By delving into raw emotions and unmasking them, I wanted to create a story that resonates deeply and encourages readers to reflect on their own truths.

The third story is meant to captivate you with its fast-paced twists and turns, mirroring the unpredictability of life itself. It’s a high-speed chase that embodies the chaos of life’s most intense moments. The urgency of the narrative is designed to keep you on the edge of your seat, just as life’s twists and turns often leave us breathless.

As you read these stories, I hope you uncover the connections between them. These connections were intentional, meant to offer you a deeper experience that goes beyond the surface level of storytelling.

My goal was to create a puzzle that challenges your perceptions and invites you to unravel the intricate links between fact and fiction.

Thank you for taking the time to read this book. I hope it challenges, inspires, and resonates with you as much as it did with me while writing it.

Love,

Jody B. Miller

JB Miller is a best-selling author of many books of fiction and non-fiction. Miller has a background in television, is a TEDx speaker, top podcast host and writer of numerous articles and blogs. She resides in Oregon and California.

The MISOGI Method

From Drift to Shift

Hired!

No Time for Love

The Perfect Gift

The BIG Little Book of Happiness

The BIG Little Book of Work Happiness

Psyche (coming soon)

Nike (coming soon)

Victory (coming soon)

Praise for J. B. Miller’s work

“Miller is a master storyteller, weaving together complex characters and compelling plot lines with ease.” – NY Book Reviewer

“Miller’s writing is intelligent, engaging, and always thought-provoking.” – Online Book Review

J.B. Miller is an accomplished author, TEDx speaker, thought leader, podcast host, and founder of Reel Media Agency. Contact her at: miller.jody@icloud.com

Visit JB Miller on the web:

Website: www.truth-or-fiction.com and www.jodybmiller.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JBMillerAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JodyBMillerAuthor

In Is Truth Stranger than Fiction . . . You Decide, J.B. Miller takes readers on a captivating journey through the world of storytelling. The three stories in volume one explore the fascinating intersection of fact and fiction.

With her trademark wit, Miller poses thought-provoking questions about the nature of reality, the power of imagination, and the enduring appeal of a well-told tale.

Each story is a mystery for the reader to decide. Is it truth or is it fiction?

Hint: There is truth in every story.

Challenge: If you can figure out how the stories connect you can be acknowledged in volume two for being spot on.

Email miller.jody@icloud.com to enter your answers and your name. By doing so, and if you are correct, you agree to have your name mentioned in volume 2.

Whether you’re a fan of literature, film, or simply mysteries of human experience, this book is sure to enlighten and entertain. A must-read for anyone who has ever wondered where the boundaries of truth and fiction truly lie.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/yfj5yk5j

Book’s Website: http://www.truth-or-fiction.com

Dear Reader, Love Mike Martin

Dear Reader…

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I hope that you will consider adding Dangerous Waters to your summer/fall reading list. I also want to thank you for being a reader. Of any and all books. As writer I need you as much as you need me. If there were no readers, all our books would be left on the shelf at the bookstore, at the library. By the side of the road in a trash bin.

Books only come alive when they are cracked open and explored. When someone joins the writer in their incredible journey of new characters and new worlds. It is a partnership, really. I hope that you will help me make Dangerous Waters come alive.

So, what’s my book like? What’s it about? Dangerous Waters is the 12^th book in the award-winning Sgt. Windflower Mystery series. How did the series get to be 12 books long? One book, one story at a time. Don’t worry if you haven’t read any of the previous books, Dangerous Waters can be read as a standalone. Although I hope if you like it you’ll go back and check out some of the stories.

But what’s the story about in Dangerous Waters. I’ll let one of the readers speak

“Another enjoyable read by Mike Martin with one of my favorite characters, Sgt. Winston Windflower. He is a kind, caring, exceptional person who puts others before himself and works tirelessly to solve another case for the RCMP. The author has created a series that is warm and comforting with memorable characters who support Windflower. I feel as if I know Windflower well and am at home each time I read a new book in the series.

The place the stories are based in Grand Bank, Newfoundland is a harsh, cold and snowy area but at the same time depicted as a family-oriented place to live and bring up one’s children. It’s a place where the people are supportive and always lend a hand for those in need. I enjoy not only the story line of each book but also the recipes that the author shares of the local fish and seafood. It all sounds wonderful to live in a place where you can get your meal fresh from the ocean.”

Thank you for your time and attention

Mike Martin

Author, Sgt. Windflower Mysteries

Mike Martin was born in St. John’s, NL on the east coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a long-time freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand.

He is the author of the award-winning Sgt. Windflower Mystery series set in beautiful Grand Bank. There are now 12 books in this light mystery series with the publication of Dangerous Waters. A Tangled Web was shortlisted in 2017 for the best light mystery of the year, and Darkest Before the Dawn won the 2019 Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award. Mike has also published Christmas in Newfoundland: Memories and Mysteries, a Sgt. Windflower Book of Christmas past and present.

Some Sgt. Windflower Mysteries are now available as audiobooks and the latest A Long Ways from Home was released as an audiobook in 2022. All audiobooks are available from Audible in Canada and around the world.

Mike is Past Chair of the Board of Crime Writers of Canada, a national organization promoting Canadian crime and mystery writers and a member of the Newfoundland Writers’ Guild and Ottawa Independent Writers and Capital Crime Writers.

His latest book is the mystery, Dangerous Waters.

You can visit his website at https://SgtWindflowerMysteries.com/ or connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.

Old habits die hard…

Sgt. Windflower tries his best to ease away from life as a Mountie, but the lure of an investigation is too hard to resist.

After a missing man turns up dead, Sgt. Windflower is pulled in to investigate. Meanwhile, the arrival of a group of unique foreign visitors during a snowstorm in Grand Bank offers up another mystery. Even with so much going on, Windflower can’t resist the enticement of a good meal and a trip to the island of Saint Pierre off the coast of Newfoundland.

But when things get rough, Windflower can always rely on Eddie Tizzard and the gang to have his back.

As always, Windflower’s wife Sheila and their daughters are beacons of love and support as he navigates dangerous waters.

Grand Bank beckons you to another great story in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series.

Book Information

Release Date: April 30, 2022

Publisher: Ottawa Press and Publishing

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1988437828; 288 pages; $16.95; eBook $4.99: FREE Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RczNNA

Dear Reader, Love F.M. Meredith

Dear Reader,

I’ve been writing the Rocky Bluff P.D. series for many years now. When I first started writing it there was no Facebook and no blogs. In the first books, none of the characters have cell phones, nor do the police cars have computers installed. As time moves on, events get modernized.

I never intended for the series to be hard-boiled police procedure, but the earlier books are a bit grittier than later ones. And for you who don’t like profanity in books, though my characters may swear, I don’t quote them. In other words, if you think someone might use a bad word, you’ll have to supply it yourself.

Because there are 17 books in this series you might wonder where all the ideas for the books came from. Initially, it all began from stories my cop son-in-law told me when he stopped by my house for a cup of coffee at the end of his shift.

From there, some ideas came from events I remembered. Stories told at our local Sisters in Crime meeting by guess speakers. One tale came from a gruesome story told by a coroner, another from a female police detective. I always took notes at those meetings—never knowing when something said would give me an idea for a plot. Once in a while, a newspaper story of an intriguing crime will pique my interest.

Because I’ve been around for a long time, I remember places I’ve been that have made great settings. I used a church I went to as a child for an important place for a dramatic ending for one of the mysteries in the series. For that same tale, I used a bit of gossip a friend who was a church secretary told me and wove it into the plot.

The series is set in a small beach community much like one where I lived for a long time. Fog plays a lot into what happens at times. Fog is scary to drive in and adds great tension to a nail-biting scene.

Once I had a fan give me a title to use—Murder in the Worst Degree. Great title. I wrote the book, but it wasn’t until I was at the next to the last chapter that I figured out how I was going to link the title into what happened in the story.

What has always been important to me in this series is the dynamics of how the job affects the family, and what’s going on in the family affects the job. When I was living in the small beach community, we had many neighbors who were in law enforcement and I saw a lot of what I’ve included in this series.

Every book has been written to stand-alone, though the characters move from book-to-book, the crime or mystery is always solved at the end of each one.

I’ve always written the kind of books I like to read. You can find all of the series in paperback or for Kindle on Amazon. I hope you’ll try one out.

Love,

F. M. Meredith (also known as Marilyn)

F.M. Meredith, also known as Marilyn Meredith, has had 48 books published as well as two short stories, most are mysteries, but also a few Christian horror, a roman with supernatural elements, and a cookbook. She’s taught writing in many venues including for Writers Digest and many conferences. She lives in the foothills of the Sierra with her husband.

Her latest book is the mystery, Reversal of Fortune.

You can visit her website at http://fictionforyou.com/ or her blog at https://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

A fortune teller is murdered in the small beach town of Rocky Bluff, California. The RBPD’s investigation uncovers several suspects—all with motives and opportunity. But which one killed her?

The body of a suspect is discovered on the fortune teller’s property. Clearly, the two killings are related, but how? Who is responsible?

Meanwhile, the mayor’s daughter, Kayla, whose best friend is Detective Doug Milligan’s daughter, is upset because her mother’s sister wants her to leave Rocky Bluff to live with her in Los Angeles. Can her friends convince Kayla’s aunt to leave her there with her father?

Book Information

Release Date: April 8, 2022

Publisher: 31 Months LLC;

Soft Cover: ASIN: B09XLQCNZB; 190 pages; $12.99; E-Book, $2.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EA50Eo

Dear Reader, Love Winona Kent

Dear Reader,

I’m so pleased you’ve decided to have a look at my latest Jason Davey mystery, Ticket to Ride! If you’re at all familiar with Jason, you’ll know he’s a professional musician and an amateur sleuth, which I think is quite unusual in the crime and mystery genre. He’s also quite different in that he doesn’t actually investigate murders. Although people do end up dead on his watch, his primary interest is finding lost people, lost objects, lost money, that sort of thing.

In my previous novel, Lost Time, Jason was rehearsing to go on tour with his mum’s band, Figgis Green while he was solving the mystery of a young woman who went missing in the 1970s. In Ticket to Ride, Jason’s now actually on tour with the band—while he embarks on a personal quest to solve the mystery of who his maternal grandfather really is. Unfortunately, he also discovers that someone following the tour seems to have a very personal grudge against him—and his mother!

I wrote this book for you because I wanted to share my love of family tree research, my ongoing interest in gargoyles and ghosts and fortune-tellers and guardian angels, my sense of fun when it comes to inventing a completely fictitious folky-pop band and sending them out on the road on a tour bus, and finally, my enthusiasm for Jason. He’s a very cool character with a dry sense of humor and a lot of vulnerabilities.

Jason didn’t actually start out intending to be an amateur sleuth! He started out as an entertainer on board a cruise ship, in a novel I wrote in 2012 called Cold Play. It wasn’t really a crime novel—at least, I didn’t write it as such—and I thought it would just be a one-off story. I went on to write three time travel novels with different characters, and then in 2017, my publisher suggested that I tackle mystery-writing and perhaps consider bringing Jason back in a very different role.

I came up with a story called Disturbing the Peace, which started out in England and ended up in northern Canada in the depths of a very cold winter as Jason tracked down a musician who seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth.

I discovered I was quite good at writing mysteries and that I really enjoyed it and, most of all, I was really comfortable inhabiting Jason’s persona once again.

The next book I wrote was Notes on a Missing G-String. It’s a clever title that people love, and it really came about as a joke with my publisher. The title stuck, and I wrote a story around it. I keep having to assure my readers it isn’t porn, even though it does involve a real missing G-string and some money stolen from a stripper’s locker.

After that came Lost Time, where Jason takes a leave of absence from his gig at the Blue Devil Club in Soho, and relocates to England’s south coast to begin rehearsals for a tour involving his mum’s old band. As usual, there’s a mystery to solve, and I had wonderful fun inventing original songs, reimagining real songs, and coming up with all kinds of band conflicts, issues and arguments.

And so, finally, here we are with Ticket to Ride. The band is on the road—and someone with a grudge really isn’t happy about that.

Brian Richardson (my publisher) and I have created a rather clever Figgis Green website which gives you the look and feel of a real touring band to go along with Ticket to Ride, the novel. Please do drop by and visit:

http://www.figgisgreen.co.uk

Out of all the characters I’ve ever created, Jason Davey is my all-time favorite. I really hope he becomes one of your favorites too! And I hope you enjoy the ride!

Winona Kent is an award-winning author who was born in London, England and grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, where she completed her BA in English at the University of Regina. After moving to Vancouver, she graduated from UBC with an MFA in Creative Writing. More recently, she received her diploma in Writing for Screen and TV from Vancouver Film School.

Winona’s writing breakthrough came many years ago when she won First Prize in the Flare Magazine Fiction Contest with her short story about an all-night radio newsman, Tower of Power.

Her spy novel Skywatcher was a finalist in the Seal Books First Novel Competition and was published in 1989. This was followed by a sequel, The Cilla Rose Affair, and her first mystery, Cold Play, set aboard a cruise ship in Alaska.

After three time-travel romances (Persistence of Memory, In Loving Memory and Marianne’s Memory), Winona returned to mysteries with Disturbing the Peace, a novella, in 2017 and the novel Notes on a Missing G-String in 2019, both featuring the character she first introduced in Cold Play, professional jazz musician / amateur sleuth Jason Davey.

The third book in Winona’s Jason Davey Mystery series, Lost Time, was published in 2020.

Ticket to Ride is the fourth book in Winona’s Jason Davey Mysteries.

Winona has been a temporary secretary, a travel agent, a screenwriter and the Managing Editor of a literary magazine. She’s currently the BC/YK/NWT rep for the Crime Writers of Canada and is also an active member of Sisters n Crime – Canada West. She recently retired from her full-time admin job at UBC’s School of Population and Public Health, and is now happily embracing life as a full-time author.

You can visit her website at http://www.winonakent.com and connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

In Lost Time, the third book in Winona’s Jason Davey Mystery series, professional musician / amateur sleuth Jason Davey was rehearsing for Figgis Green’s 50th Anniversary Tour of England. Now they’re on the road in Ms. Kent’s fourth book in the series, Ticket To Ride.

But when a fortune-teller in Sheffield warns them of impending danger, the band is suddenly plagued by a series of seemingly-unrelated mishaps.

After Jason is attacked and nearly killed in Cambridge, and a fire alarm results in a very personal theft from Mandy’s hotel room, it becomes clear they’re being targeted by someone with a serious grudge.

And when Figgis Green plays a gig at a private estate in Tunbridge Wells, that person finally makes their deadly intentions known.

Jason must rely on his instincts, his Instagram “guardian angel,” and a wartime ghost who might possibly share his DNA, in order to survive.

Book Information

Release Date: March 26, 2022

Publisher: Blue Devil Books

Soft Cover: 978-1777329433; 230 pages; $15.70; E-Book, $3.93

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3i0xRqY

Barnes & Noble
Paperback
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ticket-to-ride-winona-kent/1141097853?ean=9781777329433
Ebook
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ticket-to-ride-winona-kent/1141097853?ean=9781777329426

Apple Books
https://books.apple.com/ca/book/ticket-to-ride/id1612423905

Kobo
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/ticket-to-ride-17

Amazon Canada
Paperback
https://www.amazon.ca/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent/dp/1777329434
Ebook
https://www.amazon.ca/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent-ebook/dp/B09SZ2LRV6

Amazon US
Paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent/dp/1777329434
Ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent-ebook/dp/B09SZ2LRV6

Amazon UK
Paperback
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent/dp/1777329434
Ebook
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent-ebook/dp/B09SZ2LRV6

Dear Reader, Love, Susan McCormick

Dear Reader…

The Fog Ladies is a cozy murder mystery with a group of spunky older women and one overworked, overtired, overstressed medical intern who all live in an elegant apartment building in San Francisco where old ladies start to die. The story morphed quite a bit as my writing progressed, but the name of the book and the idea for the group of women came to me instantly, before anything else about the story. The women call themselves the Fog Ladies because you can count on them like you can count on San Francisco early morning fog burning off by midday. I tried to create a memorable cast of quirky yet identifiable characters and concocted murders around them. Mrs. Bridge falls off a stool cleaning bugs out of her kitchen light. Mrs. Talwin slips on bubbles in the bath and drowns. Plausible, like the young intern thinks, or murder, like her feisty elders assume?

Years ago, I lived in an apartment building much like the one in The Fog Ladies, minus the murders, when I did medical training in San Francisco. Elegant apartment buildings are found throughout San Francisco, especially in Pacific Heights, where the story is set. Being a life-long cozy lover, I always thought this would be the perfect setting for a mystery, with tenants of all ages living together for years, providing a cast of characters and cozy-type enclosed setting ripe for a series of murders. The victims and the killer are all known to each other and it is hard to hide.

Though I thought I knew my characters well, during the magic of writing, the tale took unexpected twists and turns. One of my characters, Enid Carmichael, discovers Starbucks lattes at the ripe old age of eighty. She loves the bitterness, the froth. I wrote that. Then she craved more, and the next thing I knew, she was stealing Starbucks coupons from her neighbor’s newspaper to feed her addiction. She did that. Not me. A character wrote herself onto life support and expected me to cure her health issues. This is my favorite part of writing, when characters I created do unexpected things and get themselves into trouble.

The Fog Ladies’ characters and setting were planned out in advance, but I am happy I gave the ladies space to be themselves, because the surprises they brought delighted me and I hope they delight you, too.