A Letter to My Pre-Published Self [GUEST POST]

Tools of the trade — Historical mystery writer E.M. Powell offers words of encouragement to unpublished authors everywhere, including her younger self, in this candid letter. (Photo by Chris Blakeley, Flickr)

If you enjoy reading mysteries just as much as you like historical fiction, we bet you’re really going to take a shine to the work of E.M. Powell. Her new novel, The King’s Justice (published under Amazon’s Thomas & Mercer imprint) starts a thrilling new series of medieval mysteries you won’t be able to put down. But like many writers, Powell’s career wasn’t an overnight success. Find out what she overcame on the road to publication in her guest post, “A Letter to My Pre-Published Self.” Enjoy! —J&H Continue reading “A Letter to My Pre-Published Self [GUEST POST]”

E.M. PowellJune 13, 2018June 12, 20181 Comment

Books, Contest

‘The It Girls’ Lived Life on Their Own Terms [REVIEW]

Elinor Glyn and Lady Lucile Duff-Gordon — They may have started out poor, but the Sutherland sisters knew they were something special. (Left: Elinor Glyn; Right: Lady Lucile Duff-Gordon, Photo by Arnold Genthe)

Long before Joan and Jackie Collins became two of Britain’s most celebrated sisters, another amazing sibling duo set the world on fire, making headlines as they boldly broke the rules and lived life on their own terms. Discover their incredible true story in Karen Harper’s new novel, The It Girls. Continue reading “‘The It Girls’ Lived Life on Their Own Terms [REVIEW]”

Jathan FinkOctober 31, 2017December 25, 20173 Comments

Books, Family & Pets

On A Good Marriage [GUEST POST]

Randy and J.T. Ellison on New Years Eve 2017. (Photo courtesy J.T. Ellison)

As I write this, I am three days shy of my 22/25th anniversary. We share our wedding date with the date of our first kiss, hence the dual year celebrations. We’ve had a long and happy life together, and anticipate many more years to come. I fell hard the night we met, and those feelings haven’t gone away. Continue reading “On A Good Marriage [GUEST POST]”

J.T. EllisonAugust 29, 20179 Comments

Books, Contest

NANCY MEHL: Writing About Serial Killers [GUEST POST]

Do serial killers belong in inspirational suspense and mystery? Some say yes, some say no. I just wrote Dark Deception, where I took on a serial killer for the first time. Why? First of all, serial killers exist. We can’t just pretend they don’t. Actually, many writers include serial killers in their novels without assigning them the title. If the bad guy in a mystery or suspense novel kills more than one person, we could call him (or her) a serial killer, couldn’t we? Of course, these villains are usually trying to cover up a crime – they don’t kill for some kind of perverse gratification. But murder is murder, right? Continue reading “NANCY MEHL: Writing About Serial Killers [GUEST POST]”

Nancy MehlJune 28, 2017July 5, 20171 Comment

Books, Interview

Work in Progress: A Conversation with Author Glen Erik Hamilton [INTERVIEW]

Glen Erik Hamilton is one of our favorite new authors. Creator of the thrilling Van Shaw series, he catapulted onto the scene in 2015 with his debut novel Past Crimes, which was quickly met with critical acclaim by some of the publishing industry’s biggest names. J.A. Jance calls him “a gifted writer with a sure hand,” and Lee Child says, “this guy has got what it takes.” We wholeheartedly agree on all counts!

Recently we had the good fortune to catch up with Hamilton in the midst of the publicity campaign for his sophomore title, Hard Cold Winter, which released in March. We took the opportunity to find out the real story behind his success, who inspired Van Shaw, and why we should all be concerned with what is happening to our veterans. We hope you enjoy this rare insight into the man behind the pen. Continue reading “Work in Progress: A Conversation with Author Glen Erik Hamilton [INTERVIEW]”

Jathan FinkApril 13, 2016June 29, 20171 Comment