Book Tour & Giveaway: No Straight Lines to the Stars by Ken Kisco

 

An Unlikely Journey from Lifeguard Tower to Launchpad

 

Narrative Nonfiction/Inspirational

Date Published: August 4th, 2026

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

No Straight Lines to the Stars is the inspiring true story of a young lifeguard who dared to believe his life could reach far beyond the horizon.

On the beaches of Southern California, Ken Kisco learned that preparation saves lives. From rip-current rescues to split-second emergencies, he discovered that courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to act in spite of it. Those early lessons in resilience and composure pushed Ken to believe he could accomplish anything . . . including his lifelong dream of reaching the stars.

Through relentless perseverance and unwavering faith, Ken rose into the heart of America’s most advanced space and defense programs, contributing to human spaceflight initiatives and supporting groundbreaking technologies. His unusual start as a lifeguard helped advance his career, distinguishing him from his Air Force and Navy peers. Yet, his toughest challenges were personal—he faced deep disappointment when a space mission was canceled and learned lessons about trust and integrity from a romance-turned-ruse.

Ken’s journey reveals that success is rarely linear. Setbacks became launchpads, adversity became refinement, and purpose became a compass. Part memoir, part inspiration, and part behind-the-scenes look at America’s quest for the stars, this is the unforgettable story of a man who proves that bold dreams, combined with grit and heart, can launch an ordinary life into an extraordinary one.

 

Author Interview

Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?   
I'm a California native whose journey has taken me from serving as a California Ocean Lifeguard to supporting America's space program as an engineer. Along the way, I've been fortunate to combine my passions for science, leadership, and helping others. No Straight Lines to the Stars is the story of that journey—one shaped by unexpected opportunities, remarkable mentors, and the belief that perseverance can lead to destinations we never imagined.

Favorite sports.  
Swimming and water polo have always been my favorite sports. They taught me discipline, teamwork, resilience, and how to remain calm under pressure—qualities that shaped not only my years as a California Ocean Lifeguard but also my engineering career supporting America's space program.

 What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?  
Because No Straight Lines to the Stars is a memoir, I began with the experiences that had the greatest impact on my life. From there, I organized them into a journey rather than a simple timeline, making sure each chapter offered a lesson or insight readers could apply to their own lives. My goal wasn't just to tell my story—it was to inspire others through it.

What would you tell a writer who is just starting out? 
Start writing before you think you're ready. Don't wait for the perfect first sentence or the perfect outline. Your first draft won't be perfect—and it isn't supposed to be. Write honestly, revise patiently, and remember that readers connect with authenticity far more than perfection. Most importantly, tell the story only you can tell.

Can you describe a typical day in your writing life?  
A typical writing day begins by revisiting what I wrote the day before. I spend as much time editing as I do writing because every chapter needs to feel authentic and meaningful. Some days I write several pages; other days I refine a single paragraph. For me, the goal has always been quality over quantity.

About the Author

At ten years old, Ken Kisco dreamed of becoming a rocket scientist, a goal that shaped his life. He earned multiple degrees, including master's degrees from the University of Southern California in systems management and from San Jose State University in industrial psychology.

As an aerospace systems engineer for NASA, Rockwell International, and Boeing, he developed new technologies and earned recognition as an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Fellow.

Ken now shares his passion by mentoring USC engineering students, inspiring them to dream boldly. When not traveling, he and his wife enjoy San Diego's beaches, where they live.

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Instagram: @Kennasaman

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Book Tour and Giveaway: Twin Flames by Beth D. Carter

 

Sons of Sin MC

MC Romance

Date Published: 02-24-2026

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

The Sons of Sin Motorcycle Club are a force to be reckoned with. Led by Saint and his twin brother, Sinner, their bond is unbreakable. They run the Cheyenne Chapter with respect and unwavering allegiance.

What starts out a lucrative deal with a rival club suddenly erupts into chaos when shots are fired, and the money mysteriously disappears. Frustration and suspicion fester because it becomes very clear that there is a traitor amongst them.

Across the street, Kira is an unwilling witness, and she knows where the money has been hidden. Terrified, she returns it, but her actions spark Saint’s mistrust, and he orders Sinn to keep a watchful eye on her.  A fragile bond begins to form, woven from threads of shared trauma. The line between loyalty and betrayal is razor thin. Can three seemingly different souls find healing from their intertwined destinies?

 

Author Intervieew

Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? 

BDC: I’m from many places. I’ve lived in eight states and in Paris, France. Funny story about my birth. My mom was 3 weeks overdue and decided she wanted me born in Dover, DE (because she’s from there) so my parents took a long road trip from the Midwest and…she didn’t make it.  I was born in Maryland. 

What genre do you read? Who's an author you read? Name your top 5 authors.

I read romance. I love stories that break my heart and then put it back together by the last page. Most of the time I read when I lay down to sleep because I rarely have time in the day. My top five favorite authors are: Elizabeth Dear, Cambria Hebert, Ashley N. Rostek, Tessa Hale and Sam Crescent. However, there are many favorite books that are not from these authors that I love. To name a few: Bad Alibi by Jessica Prince. Her Ruthless Warrior by R.G. Angel, Bonded Beyond Lies by Ember Davis. 

Favorite sports.  

BDC: Hockey. I lived 10 years in Las Vegas (I miss it!) and was there for the creation of the Golden Knights. My husband and I are ride or die fans. We were even at a game on the night of October 1, 2017, and as we drove home, I remember pointing out that there was a concert going on. Little did I know about the horrific nightmare that was about to be unleashed. 

Favorite thing about your state you live in.

BDC: I don’t want to say what state I’m in now, because I had a stalker who doxxed me when I lived in Vegas. It was really bad, so I scrubbed myself from the Internet. I’ll just say my favorite thing about where I live now are the sunsets. They’re very beautiful. 

How long have you been writing?

BDC: All my life. My mom allowed me to read her Harlequin Presents when I was about 10 or 11. (still boggles my mind at that young age), and before long I was dreaming up stories and blurbs. My first book was published in 2009 and I’ve been at it ever since. 

What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?

BDC: I’m a hybrid of both. I don’t create a full outline but I do plan where the story is headed. That being said, sometimes my characters take over the narrative and down paths I never thought of taking. It’s always fun when that happens. 

How do you celebrate finishing a book?

BDC: By starting a new one. I don’t let myself stop writing to take a break. There are too many stories going on in my head. Too many characters demanding their time in the spotlight.

What would you tell a writer who is just starting out? What program do you use for writing? What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What’s your writing software of choice? 

BDC: I always use the analogy that writing a book is like building a house. The first thing is laying down the foundation you are going to build upon. It can be the MacGuffin or getting to know the MMC or MFC. From there, you build up the frame, and the end is when you get to decorate. If you’re a new writer, I always warn about going back to edit your first draft as you write it. You’ll never complete it. Write it all out, in all its messy glory, and when you type the words THE END, then go back and do your edits. 

I only use Word to write. I don’t have any kind of specific program. 

How do you organize everything and finding the time to sit down and write?

BDC: It’s difficult. After I moved from Vegas, I didn’t have a daytime job for about six months and that was pure heaven. I was able to write a lot of books, mainly from the stories I had started but couldn’t finish for some reason or another. That time allowed me to fully think the plots through because I didn’t have the stress of working full time and getting my son to school. (Side note of a proud mom) He won the lottery to get into the high school of his choice. It was a vocational school and his major was in Digital Game Development. He graduated in 2024 with honors, and his diploma has the DGD certificate on it. Now, he’s working on two YouTube animated series as a storyboard artist for one, and a Co-Director on the other. He’s a storyteller like me.

Thanks for letting me gush a bit…I’m working full time and it’s a little more challenging. I mostly write in the mornings before I have to get ready and put on my uniform. I also write on the weekends. 

As an author, what would you choose as your spirit animal? 

BDC: My spirit animal is the Great Horned Owl. I have one tattooed on my left arm with its wings spread out.

How do you name your characters?

BDC: I don’t know if other authors do this, but when I’m plotting a story out, I get this feeling of the letter I want to use for the names. So, I scour baby names until I come across one that just feels right. I’ve also gotten some name from movies or television. For instance, the name Kleya in His Sacrifice came from a character in the tv series Star Wars Andor. 

AA: Thank you for joining me here at Always Reading!-Melissa

About the Author

 

I’m passionate about weaving tales of romance and connection, inviting readers into worlds where love conquers all. Crafting heartfelt stories and steamy scenes that make the pulse race, as well as taking readers on swoon-worthy adventures. I try to weave emotions into my stories that punch you in the gut because I love stories that break your heart before putting it back together. I try to write characters who aren't cookie cutters and push myself to write complicated situations that I have no idea how to resolve, forcing me to think outside the box. I strive to create characters who are complex and full of flaws. Deep passion romance between heroes and heroines who find redemption through love.

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Audiobook Tour and Giveaway: Forest Legend: The Tale of Ol' Split Toe by Dan Ellens

 

The Tale of Ol' Split Toe

Action and Adventure Fantasy for teens

Date Published: 03-31-2026

Narrator: Dan Ellens

Run Time: 10 hours 6 minutes

Mother Nature struggles to maintain equilibrium in a changing world while fire, disease, logging, human displacement, and war repeatedly destroy forests of centuries-old trees. Split Toe, a deer chosen at birth for a unique education, travels through time to understand the interconnected workings of a Michigan forest. He meets humans along the way: Ice Age hunters who trap and kill a mastodon; Mukwoh, a young Ojibwe hunter who stalks Split Toe through swamp and forest; loggers clearcutting Michigan’s white pines; Edra, a woman advocating for the trees; Angus and Grace, pioneers who become a first generation of family farmers; scientists from the future studying the impact of nuclear radiation.

Split Toe witnesses two hundred years of conflict building between modern humans -- who fight to control the natural world -- and Mother Nature, who repeatedly reaches for balance. He wonders whether human ways will ultimately overpower Mother Nature, until he meets a boy who changes everything.

Author Interview

Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? 

DE: I am a Michigander, though I have traveled extensively. I lived in Germany for several years as a child and in India for three years as an adult. I am retired from a full career in industry and am now caretaker of Winterfield Pines Nature Sanctuary in Clare County, Michigan.  I live in the sanctuary’s forest half time (all seasons), in an electricity-free treehouse with woodstove heat, handpump water, and oil lamp lighting.

What genre do you read? Who's an author you read? Name your top 5 authors.
DE: I read first-hand historical accounts (often from the shelves of second hand bookstores or antique shops).  I also read historical or literary fiction, poetry, and occasionally humor. I like frontier novels and stories about the struggles of exploration.  I have read most of the books by Simon Winchester, Larry McMurtry, Wilbur Smith, Allen Eckert and Louis L’Amour (several times). Many other authors captivate me, such as Arturo Perez-Reverte, Carlos Ruiz Zaron, and Elizabeth Kostova.

What book are you reading right now, and what do you like about it?
DE: I am reading Devouring Time: Jim Harrison, a Writer’s Life, by Todd Goddard. This is a biography of Jim Harrison, a naturalist, poet, and novelist.  The book has helped me to understand and appreciate free verse poetry in a deeper way. It also provides Jim Harrison’s backstory and the struggles he faced throughout his life as a writer. Buckle your seatbelt for this one!

Favorite sports.  
DE: My own favorite sports have to do with the outdoors – hiking, canoeing, bicycling, mountain trekking, camping, hunting. For competitive spectator sports, I like ice hockey best – a true Michigander!

Favorite thing about your state you live in.
DE: Michigan is blanketed with beautiful countryside (agriculture and forest), and many, many opportunities for outdoor recreation – iconic rivers and lakes, state and national parks and forests, trails for walkers, bicyclers, and horses. There are also trails set aside for snowmobiles and ATVs. I like Michigan’s seasonal change. My favorite National Park is Isle Royale in Lake Superior.

How long have you been writing?
DE: I began writing in the mid-1990s and was first published in 2000. Forest Legend: The Tale of Ol’ Split Toe is my fifth book. It is my debut into the world of fiction. I write books to connect people with nature, inspire adventure, and promote self-sufficient lifestyles.

What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
DE: I spend a good deal of time thinking about my topic before I begin writing. When I wrote Forest Legend, the plot was not planned in detail, but the message I wanted to get across was clear in my mind. When I sat down to write, I wrote, and wrote, and wrote, day after day, until a draft was complete.  The writing drew me in. Everything else faded into the background until the first draft was complete. It took six weeks. I remember my mind racing ahead to the next chapters as I worked through current settings and characters. Because Forest Legend steps through time, I was continuously thinking about new characters and landscape description.
When the first draft was done, I picked it apart. I read it and reread it. I asked myself, “Where will a reader put the story down?” Too slow. Confusing. Repetitious. I found the problematic spot and rewrote it. Then I asked the question again, looking for what the most vulnerable place was now where a reader might drop it.  I improved the that spot. I did this over and over until I was satisfied that the story would hold the reader from beginning to end. The story did not change, but the pace, intensity, and clarity did. 

How did you come up with the ideas for your series?
DE: My inspiration for Forest Legend was Suzanne Simard’s book Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, which describes her research into the living connection trees have with each other below the forest floor. When I read her book I realized that, despite spending decades as an advocate for forests, I did not really understand trees. I misjudged them. I thought it was a pity that I found this information in my sixties. I wanted my children and grandchildren to fill in the puzzle piece when they were younger.  
I decided to write an adventure for a broad audience of fiction readers who might not read a book focused purely on non-fiction information. I wanted people to read the story for the adventure in a way that the environmental concepts would rub off on them. Because of my decades immersed and isolated in the forest, the contribution I could uniquely make was to tell the story from natures point of view.  I developed the character of Ol’ Spit Toe, a time-traveling deer, to help with that.

How do you celebrate finishing a book?
DE: On the day Forest Legend was finally published, I had a lovely launch party and thanked all of the people who helped to bring the book to life.

What would you tell a writer who is just starting out? What program do you use for writing? What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What’s your writing software of choice? 

I did all my writing in Microsoft Word.  It is a software I am comfortable with and was universally accepted by people I needed to interact with for proofreading or editing. Word documents are also easily converted to pdf files for submitting to agents, publishers, or people for review. 

My advice to beginning writers is not to be afraid to change and improve your story, even when you think it is finished. Help your story reach its potential as a piece of literature. Get as much feedback as you can, and resolve every feedback issue. It is likely to take many drafts for the story to be as good as it can get. 
Keep your submittal information simple and tight. Follow the submittal rules.
How do you organize everything and finding the time to sit down and write?
When I write, all I do is write. I don’t try to fit it in with other things. I am driven until I reach a stopping point. Total focus.

As an author, what would you choose as your spirit animal? 
DE: My spirit animal is a white-tailed deer. What else could it be with a story like Forest Legend: The Tale of Ol’ Split Toe to my credit? 

Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing? 

As I looked for a publisher, my sister, Rebecca, helped me get the book past a difficult roadblock.  She enthusiastically believed in the book’s potential and connected me with other people who helped me enormously.

How do you name your characters?
DE: I pick names to honor people I know. Some of the characters in Forest Legend are named after my parents or grandparents.  I pick names to fit the periods in which the scenes took place. Scenes from the past warrant old-fashioned names. Edra is a very old-style name. My maternal grandmother, born around 1900, was named Edra. Grace was the name of my other grandmother, born in 1905. Ol’ Split Toe is not a name I invented.  It is a bit like Big Foot.  Split Toe is a legendary deer talked about in deer camps throughout North America. 

Can you describe a typical day in your writing life?
DE: I write and research with intense focus. When I wrote Forest Legend, I stayed at the computer with a pot of coffee close by and a stack of reference books on the table. I ate simple meals at the computer.  I began early, often before daybreak. I wrote and researched for 12-plus hours straight. Much of Forest Legend was written while I was in the forest, in a treehouse with 360 degrees of windows overlooking the world I was writing about. The electricity-free aspects of the treehouse and the lack of connectivity added unique challenges. 

AA: Thank you, Dan Ellens for being here at Always Reading.- Melissa

About the Author

 

 Dan Ellens is an outdoor enthusiast who is passionate about connecting people with nature. 

 He spends nearly half of each year off-grid in an isolated, hand-built, electricity-free treehouse nestled within Winterfield Pines Nature Sanctuary with woodstove heat, handpump water, and oil lamp lighting.

 Dan was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and grew up in southeast Michigan. He has a Mechanical Engineering degree from Calvin University and an MBA from Michigan State University. Dan is retired from a full career in industry and international business. 

During 1996, 1997, and 1998, his family lived as expatriates in Bangalore, India, the inspiration for “A Time for India”, Dan’s second book, now in its second edition. 

 When Dan’s children were small – 10 years old - he took them each on an outward-bound, father-child adventure. The journal of those four trips became Dan’s first book, “Turning Ten: Great Adventures in the Great Lakes”, now in its second edition. 

 Dan is an accomplished woodworker and carpenter. His lifelong love for old-school carpentry inspired “Building the Bunkee: A Photo Anthology of Custom Log Cabin Construction and One Man’s Retirement Dream”. Dan is a hobby artist who is passionate about rescuing, restoring, and finding new homes for fine art. In the wilds, he sees cooking and baking without modern conveniences as their own adventure and creative expression. “Treehouse Letters: The Unabridged Michigan Forest Life Journal” includes entries about his art and his back-woods cooking … and many other things that one might think about while in a tree. 

 “Forest Legend: The Tale of Ol’ Split Toe”, Dan’s upcoming novel – his debut fiction piece written while sitting in his treehouse nest - brings experience from decades of life in the forest together with a rich understanding of mid-Michigan’s pioneer history and changing landscape. In this sweeping adventure, Dan explores the resilience of nature through the eyes of a majestic, time-traveling deer.

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LinkedIn: Daniel S. Ellens

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Virtual Book Tour: A Proof of Love by Merida Johns

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. A randomly drawn winner will receive a $25 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A fictional story with a memoir overlay as narrator Katie Blake reflects on life in small town America and the principles, influences, and big personalities she wants you to never forget.

It’s Memorial Day weekend, 2009, and the town gossips have their shorts in a twist about a mysterious newcomer who wears tie-dye, colorful headbands, clunky necklaces, and rings on every finger.“Who installs a ceiling fan on a Victorian porch?” cries Ned Boomer, Woodburg’s grumpiest man, and the town gossips concur, “She must be a hippie, witch, or maybe worse . . . a socialist.”

Hell-bent on preventing a neighborhood blow-up, precocious, nine-year-old Katie Blake launches a covert investigation to gather the truth about the enigmatic Rose. But when she discovers a decades-old secret binding her, Rose, and bad-tempered Ned Boomer, her world takes a turn.

Penning a memoir sixteen years later, Katie is forced to reconsider whether the real proof of love was in preventing a neighborhood war or finding friendship and comfort among three unlikely grief-stricken souls who should never be forgotten.

Read an Excerpt

Gram taught me to be independent, manage my anxieties, and have confidence in myself, showing me how to use my imagination to wiggle out of a jam or face the “grim crossroads” when confused or sad.

The first time I cried and lost it over a complicated computer problem, she said, “Be inventive, Katie! What can you do to calm down and think things through?”

We put our heads together to come up with ideas. Gram said she brewed herself a cup of tea when needing a break. Mom worked on crossword puzzles. Dad played solitaire. My one decadent delight was a FatBoy ice cream, and that’s how Gram and I hatched the plan of taking two ice cream sandwiches and hiding them under the frozen vegetables to create my private emergency stash.

“Close your eyes, breathe, take a bite, and replace the leftovers. No one will suspect anything. Our little secret. . .”

Author Interview

Why did you choose to self-publish your fiction work?

Most of my nonfiction work has been published through traditional publishers.  However, when I began writing fiction, I decided to take a different path and create my own team of editors, book designers, writing coaches, and marketing experts. Why did I do this?

Having worked with traditional publishers, I knew that I didn’t have creative control over the content of my work, interior design, or even cover design. Frequently, the publisher's priorities took precedence over my authorial work. Besides creative control, traditional publishers also exercise control over various rights, such as publishing, distribution, and other areas, that can severely limit an author’s further opportunities. Having to hire a literary attorney and negotiate contracts with agents and publishers wasn’t something I wanted to repeat, which would take away from my creative work as a fiction writer. In addition, speed to market was a major consideration. Traditional publishers can take years to move a work forward—at my age, I didn’t have the luxury of waiting in a queue for my work to be released.

Consequently, I created my own publishing brand, Coffee Cup Press. I hired a trusted team of developmental and copy editors, proofreaders, and book designers who supported my creative work and my authorial priorities.  Having this freedom has been one of the most valuable and fulfilling choices I have made, allowing my creative side to flourish.

What prompted you to switch from writing nonfiction to fiction?

Why would a retired university professor who has written textbooks in health information systems decide to write a novel?  Wow!  That is an off-ramp that doesn't make much sense to many folks.

 Before writing fiction, I also practiced as a leadership coach. My focus was on helping women break the glass ceiling and fulfill their leadership and economic potential. One evening, I was on a conference call discussing concepts of what makes a fulfilling life with fellow life and leadership coaches.  Bang! Like a thunderclap, I had an insight. What would it be like to help people understand the concepts of a flourishing life in a story instead of through a motivational book or text? After all, I thought, storytelling has been the most compelling form of communication for thousands of years. As far as I could recall, none of the great Profits fed up learning objectives and multiple-choice questions to their followers.  No!  They got their message across through stories.

This eye-opener was enough for me to take on the challenge of novel writing. Motivational books and textbooks give frameworks, theories, and ideas, but they don't immerse us in the human experience. They don't show us how others face challenges, embrace their passions, overcome sorrow, celebrate achievement, quash self-doubts, develop positive emotions and relationships, handle betrayal, or act on aspirations. 

 

Storytelling ignites our imagination and emotion.  We experience being part of the story rather than being served up a platter of facts, exercises, and information. As Dr. Pamela Rutledge says, with storytelling, "we become participants in the narrative. We can step out of our own shoes, see differently, and increase our empathy for others. Through imagination, we tap into creativity that is the foundation of innovation, self-discovery, and change." 

 Happily, as a fiction author, I have jettisoned learning objectives and test questions to help others catapult into the wonder of imagination and self-discovery, creating a flourishing life for themselves. 

If you had to do your journey to getting published all over again, what would you do differently?

I’ve enjoyed my journey into fiction writing and self-publishing. Because of my background in publishing nonfiction through traditional publishing houses, I had a grounding in the publishing process. I understood the nuts and bolts of publishing and the contributions of key players, such as editors and designers. One thing I would do earlier in the process is to join a critique group and also engage the services of a writing coach.

Ebook or print? And why?

My fiction is published in both eBook and paperback formats. As for what I prefer to read, I’m old-school and enjoy paperbacks. I like the feel of the paper and the way a book feels in my hand.  

What is your favorite scene in this book?

There are many favorites, but the one I’ll share is the Prologue, which invites the reader to join the protagonist, Katie Blake, through her internal conflicts and a transformative journey of understanding the inseparability of grief and love, the application of guiding principles, and the importance of remembering those who are special in our lives. 

A Proof of Love is a fictional story with a memoir overlay.  The Prologue begins the reader’s journey with the protagonist’s recollections of those special people in her life and why, as a proof of love, she feels compelled to share her story with the reader. 

About the Author:

At heart, I am a storyteller who writes women’s fiction and stories of courage and discovery, showcasing the protagonist’s journey toward a more fulfilled self.

My passion is writing women’s fiction and exploring the human experience—how ordinary people tackle challenges, endure sorrow and betrayal, wrestle with doubt, and act on their aspirations to achieve flourishing lives. My insight into the power of fiction came during a conference call in late 2017 with a group of fellow life coaches. “What would it be like to help women and men achieve a flourishing life through storytelling?” I asked them.

After that phone call, I got started answering that question. The result was my debut novel titled Blackhorse Road, a compelling story of womanhood and the power of choice, gratitude, and forgiveness, published July 21, 2020, by Coffee Cup Press, followed by Flower Girl (2022), Flawless Witness (2023), and now A Proof of Love (2026)

Before embracing writing fiction, I was the author of health informatics and leadership textbooks. Later, I put my leadership experience to use as a leadership coach, focusing on supporting others to fulfill their leadership and economic potential. My range of nonfiction is available on my Amazon Author Page.

Substack: https://meridajohns.substack.com/
Facebook: https://meridajohns.substack.com/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/MeridaJohns
Website: https://www.MeridaJohnsAuthor.com

Book Tour and Giveaway: Death and the Social Climber by Winnie Simpson

 

Ann Audrey Mystery, Book 2

Cozy Mystery / Mystery & Detective

Date Published: 06-30-2026

Publisher: Mission Point Press

Murder Is the Ultimate Power Move

When a beautiful Atlanta woman is widowed twice under suspicious circumstances, Ann Audrey Pickering finds herself drawn—once again—into someone else’s trouble.

A former lawyer who once helped the FBI convict her own husband for fraud, Ann Audrey has settled into a reclusive life, until her longtime friend Flynn Reynolds asks for help. His elderly aunts are convinced that another nephew was murdered by his wife, Kathryn, whose second husband is now also dead. Ann Audrey is skeptical. Still, she owes Flynn, and there are some odd questions. Complicating matters is Kathryn’s latest mother-in-law, a woman who rose from an impoverished background into Atlanta’s upper circles and recognizes a kindred spirit in her dead son’s ambitious widow. She doesn’t believe Kathryn is a murderer—but she has heard rumors, and she wants them stopped.

Set in Atlanta in January 2000, as the city buzzes with anticipation for the upcoming Super Bowl, Ann Audrey searches for the black widow through the city’s frenetic bar scene, private clubs, high-rise offices, and beloved local institutions like Mary Mac’s Tea Room and The Varsity. With help from Flynn and her friend Theo, along with the return of sexy detective Mike Bristol, she pieces together a twisting story of social climbing, carefully managed appearances, marriage, and murder. As the Super Bowl kickoff draws near, the case reaches a climax when an ice storm shuts down Atlanta’s roads and power, leaving secrets and murderers with nowhere to hide.

 

Author Interview

Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?  

I was born and reared (not raised – My Daddy always said “cattle are raised; children are reared”) in a small town in southwest Mississippi. I left there to go to Duke, and after graduation I headed to Buffalo, NY with husband number 1, a Marxist student radical (who was a Texas trust-fund baby.) I got an MFA in music from SUNY at Buffalo, worked for that University, before heading back south to attend law school at Emory in Atlanta, where I married husband number 2 (an Italian-American jazz musician.) I made partner in a major Atlanta law firm, specializing in corporate litigation, mainly involving securities fraud, before I left to teach at Emory before retiring to write. Along with my legal career, I married husband number 3, a lawyer, now deceased. I hate hot weather, so I relocated to Northern Michigan where I live in a renovated building that once housed the Michigan State Asylum. Make of that what you will.

What genre do you read? Who's an author you read? Name your top 5 authors.
I primarily read mysteries of all kinds. My mother introduced me to the Golden Age British mysteries, and on occasion I still read them—not so much Agatha Cristie (although she’s a great plotter), but Ngaio Marsh, Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham. I think they appeal to me now because I like historical fiction, and although they were then writing contemporary fiction, nowadays it’s historical (pre-and post-World War II.) I also like mysteries set in other countries, like Ovida Yu’s Singapore mysteries or Sujata Massey’s India and those with a lot of humor like Elizabeth Peters’s Amelia Peabody spoofing Victorian-era adventures in Egypt. Of course you can’t beat Anne Perry for historical/Victorian mysteries. Among my top writers, in addition to those above, I’d have to put Elizabeth George (for character development), PD James, and Charles Todd. 

What book are you reading right now, and what do you like about it?
I’ve just finished two series by Ashley Gardner, one a Regency era mystery and the other set during Imperial Rome. I greatly admire her research, to say nothing of her prodigious output!

Favorite sports.   
I went to Duke. It’s college basketball, naturally

Favorite thing about your state you live in.
The beautiful woods and water that are accessible with little effort.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve written since I was in grade school—poetry (very bad) and short stories (not too awful.) I started seriously writing with the idea of completing a novel after I left the fulltime practice of law.

2What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
I’m a bit of both. The books start with an idea, for example, Death and the Social Climber began with a true story of a black widow that happened in Georgia. I couldn’t stop thinking about that, and about why she did it, and what triggered the victim’s families to get suspicious. The plot grew from that, but I confess, things do change as I write.

How did you come up with the ideas for your series?
News reports, stories friends tell me about family members’ escapades, merely observing people and wondering what they are really thinking/plotting. I have too much imagination; sometimes I’m glad people can’t read my mind.

How do you celebrate finishing a book?
I clean everything off my desk, and if the weather is right, go out for a bike ride. 

What would you tell a writer who is just starting out? What program do you use for writing? What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What’s your writing software of choice? 
The old advice is really true: just go to the computer every day. Some days you may only write your grocery list, but if you sit there long enough, you’ll start noodling about that character who’s in the back of your brain. I write in Word, but I also use Scrivener. I’m compulsive, so I keep the document in two different software.

How do you organize everything and finding the time to sit down and write?
This one I’m bad about. I was a lawyer for decades, and I lived and died by court-ordered deadlines. I’m at my best when I have a writing group planned, and I know I must produce pages to read. That spurs me to get it done, so I push my writing group to get together for selfish reasons. 

As an author, what would you choose as your spirit animal? 
A Jack Russell terrier. High energy, needs exercise, curious about everything, can be trained with a lot of time and effort.

Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing? 
My two writing groups—one in Michigan, one in Atlanta—and my brother.

How do you name your characters?
I have a friend who sends me very Southern names that she sees in obituaries in small town Georgia newspapers. I sometimes just open a magazine and scroll down through the contributors for inspiration. Anywhere there’s a list of names will do.

Thank you, Winnie for being here at Always Reading! Melissa

About the Author

 

 Following her mother’s lead, Mississippi native Winnie Simpson was an avid murder mystery reader beginning in the third grade, starting with Nancy Drew and moving through the classics of British, American, and international crime. Winnie studied music at Duke University, later receiving an MFA in Music at SUNY Buffalo, where she worked as an arts administrator before throwing it all over in order to make a decent living. After finishing law school at Emory University, she became a partner in a large firm in Atlanta where her practice focused mainly on securities litigation. Retiring early, Winnie relocated to Northern Michigan where she lives in a renovated nineteenth-century building that served as a former Michigan state asylum. For more than a decade, she has taken writing classes and participated in writing groups. She is fond of opera, hiking, cycling, and Duke basketball, most seasons.

Contact Links

Website

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Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/DeathandtheSocialClimb

Amazon

Spirit Animals of Authors from the Interview Questions

 

I have finally totaled up the spirit animals from the author interview questions. I asked each other the following question: 

As an author, what would you choose as your spirit animal? 

Not all answered this question, which is okay.

Dogs win with 6!!

Foxes and cats are tied for second place with 3!!

Eagles are in third place with 2!

I will update this periodically and make a new post with the updated results.

Happy Reading!!!

Melissa

Virtual Book Tour: A Duchess with a Secret by Alix Nichols

 

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Alix Nichols will be awarding a digital box set of her bestselling series The Darcy Brothers to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

For sixteen years, they’ve hated each other...
and craved each other.

Widowed and betrayed, Eva Castellane will do anything to protect her daughter’s inheritance.
Standing in her way?
Alex Castellane—her late husband’s steely, magnetic half brother.
The man poised to take it all.
Her worst enemy.
Her forbidden temptation.

Stuck together in the family castle, their legal fight spirals into war…
until a common threat forces a reluctant alliance.
Desire blurs the lines.
Chemistry sizzles.
Rules get broken.

But as the verdict nears, one slip could unravel Eva’s explosive secret…

A Duchess with a Secret stands alone within the Montevor Royals Saga. It is a spicy contemporary enemies-to-lovers romance with forced proximity, family secrets, and a hard-won HEA.

Read an Excerpt

Alex

The air outside the basement at Mount Evor Secret Service feels colder than it did inside. It isn’t exactly chilly; just crisp enough to bite, which I welcome wholeheartedly. It clears my head.

“I’m going to walk to the hotel,” Eva says. “I need air.”

“I was about to say the same.”

She shoots me a look. “Please don’t. I don’t want to start thinking we have things in common.”

“What about the duchy?” I taunt.

“Of all the things we don’t have in common,” she quips, “the duchy is the one we don’t have in common the most.”

I smile despite myself. The pretty shell has some humor.

“May I walk beside you?” I ask.

“If you must,” she says after a beat. “But don’t think I’m warming to you.”

“Understood.”

We fall into step, heading toward the hotel located in the city’s historic center. She keeps her arms folded tight across her chest like a shield.

“I want you to know I will fight you with everything I’ve got. Dirty. No-holds-barred,” she warns. “My lawyer, Pauline, is very good at her job.”

I glance over. “So, this is your idea of small talk?”

“If you’d prefer silence…”

“No, this is delightful.”

We keep walking. Pombrio glows in the late-September dusk. The limestone facades catch the last golden rays and appear to be lit from within. Lined with old trees starting to turn, cobbled streets stretch ahead, winding gently. Cafés hum with end-of-day energy, clinking glasses, and low laughter. A faint whiff of woodsmoke rides the breeze.

I’d enjoy this stroll more if Eva weren’t so close. Her presence is magnetic and annoying in equal measures. Her perfume doesn’t help. It has none of the sugary sweetness most ladies favor. Instead, it’s seductive in a sharp, provocative way that’s so much her.

Author Interview:

What genre do you read? Who's an author you read?
AN: I mostly read romance, but I also enjoy non-fiction. When it comes to romance, I have a few all-time favourites. Jane Austen is at the very top for me. And, yes, she’s so much more than a romance writer, but Pride and Prejudice remains, in my opinion, the greatest romance of all time. I also love Kresley Cole for her addictive paranormal romance, Julia Quinn for her witty and charming historicals, and Jill Mansell for her feel-good contemporary stories that always leave me smiling.

What book are you reading right now, and what do you like about it?
AN: Right now I’m reading non-fiction: Atomic Habits by James Clear. I really like how practical and straightforward it is. It breaks down the science of habit formation into small, manageable steps that actually feel doable. As a writer, I find it especially useful for building better routines around my creative work. I’ve already started applying some of the ideas to my daily writing process.

Favorite sports.
AN: Believe it or not, it’s water polo. I even wrote a whole romance trilogy whose heroes are professional water polo players (it’s called Playing to Win). There’s something about the intensity, the teamwork, and the physicality of the sport that really appeals to me. Plus, it’s not a sport you see very often in romance, so it was fun to explore it in a series. Yay to hunks in speedos!

Favorite thing about the state/country that you live in.
AN: I live in France, and there are so many things I love about this country. But if I had to choose just one thing, I’d say it’s the cafés and the castles. Well, that’s two things, actually. I adore writing in French bistros — the atmosphere, the coffee, the people-watching, all of it. And I never get tired of visiting the beautiful historic castles scattered across the country. They’re both endlessly inspiring. The former gave me the idea for my first romcom series, Bistro La Bohème. The latter has inspired my current romance saga, the Montevor Royals, which includes my latest book, A Duchess with a Secret.

What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
AN: I try to write in the morning when my mind is at its freshest and most creative. I’m very much a plotter, by necessity. If I try to pants a book, I tend to wander so far off track that I end up completely lost and unable to finish the story. Having a solid outline helps me stay focused and actually reach “The End” without too many detours (though I still allow myself some flexibility along the way).

AA: Alix Nicholas, Thanks for being here at Always Reading.- Melissa

About the Author:

Alix Nichols is a caffeine addict, a longtime fan of Mr. Darcy. She pens sexy romantic comedies and romantasy. Her books have been described as "pure pleasure" (Kirkus Reviews) that “keep fans of romance hanging off the edge of their seat” (Romantic Times).

At the age of six, she released her first book. It featured highly creative spelling on a dozen pages stitched together and bound in velvet paper.

Decades later, she lives in France and still writes. Her spelling has improved (somewhat), she has become a Kindle Scout winner, Chanticleer First Place winner, USA Today bestseller, Book Riot's Top 100 Must-Read International Romance author, and Amazon All-Star for being one of the 100 most-read authors in Kindle Unlimited.

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/author/alixnichols
Website: http://www.alixnichols.com
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/alixnichols
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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alix-nichols
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