Writing Bios for #Cat #Rescue ~ My New #Volunteer Job! #pets #adopt #adoptdontshop #cats #catlife #catsrule #love #catrescue #amwriting

My two rescue cats, Max and Jinx,
taking over my writing space
to alert me they're in need
of some treats!

I've been taking a break from writing novels, so I'm putting my creative writing energy into a cause I feel strongly about ~ pet adoption!  I found a position that is a great fit for me at Forever Fortunate Felines, through a site called Volunteer Match.  I'll be writing biographies for cats needing forever homes, and these bios feed to the FFF website as well as Petfinder and other rescue sites, along with pictures, videos, and medical info I'll be in charge of organizing and posting.

My 3 furbabies, Jinx, Max, & Otis

I'm thrilled that the bios make it to Petfinder, because I found my two cats - Max and Jinx - there, as well as a number of dogs over the years, including my current border collie mix, Otis.

Forever Fortunate Felines has rescued over 5,000 cats since its formation in 2019.  FFF rescues cats in urgent need (often from high-kill shelters) and brings them into foster care until they are healthy, socialized, and ready for adoption.  This amazing organization currently works with shelters in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky, and is a 501c3 not-for-profit that vaccinates, spays and neuters, and microchips each cat during their time in foster care. 

Please consider pet adoption, and if you'd like to learn more about Forever Fortunate Felines, click here.  There are links for volunteering and donating as well - any and all support is very much appreciated!  Each cat adopted from FFF makes room for another cat to transition from a cage in a shelter to foster care and a forever home!  

"Hard to Put Down..." GHOST MOON made a "Notable #Romances" List! Romantic #Suspense + a #Haunting Mystery #Book #Review #amreading #paranormal

It pays to Google your book titles once and a while!  Somehow, I missed this review and list from September 2020 ~ yes, 2020!  For many people, including myself, it wasn't the greatest of years.  But I did have my 7th novel, Ghost Moon, published that April.

While book signing events were out of the question that spring, I did as many virtual events as possible.  But as the pandemic wore on into fall and new and extensive back-to-school preparations were required, I had to push writing and promotion to the back burner.

But today I found Ghost Moon on a list of "New and Notable Romance Novels", along with a fabulous review!  It was so exciting to see my novel in the company of some very well-known authors!  I love the end of the review: 

"I got caught up in Lark's story as well as that of the ghost, and I found it really hard to put down.  I had to race through to the end to find out what happened..."

You can see the list here and read the full review, and please check out the Ghost Moon blurb on Amazon here if you're in the mood for some steamy romance spiked with a haunting mystery!

It's the perfect time to grab your next beach read!

Why We Fear the #13 and #Fridaythe13th ~ #FridayMorning #Superstitions #Friday13th #FridayFeeling

I embraced the number 13 long ago, since it is the date of my birth...and this is hardly the first time my birthday has fallen on a Friday the 13th!  I do sometimes wonder if being born on the 13th has anything to do with my love of all things spooky, though.  Most of my novels incorporate some type of supernatural suspense, whether it's a mystery surrounding a haunting (HAUNTED SOULS, GULL HARBOR, THE HAUNTING OF HILLWOOD FARM, GHOST MOON, and SILVER LAKE) or a quest for revenge undertaken by the world's last half-angel (DIVINE FALL).

Some of my most popular posts discuss the reasons behind our superstitions.  This one delves deeper into the number 13 - while I consider it a lucky number for myself, many people don't!

A fear of the number 13 is known as Triskaidekaphobia.  I actually once worked in a building that lacked a 13th floor.  To me, this made little sense...did the people on the 14th floor not realize they were actually on the 13th floor?  Still, the button in the elevator did not exist.  Why does the number 13 get such a bad rap, anyway?

Some reasons stem from various religions.  In Christianity, for example, 13 people sat down to The Last Supper: Jesus Christ and 12 disciples.  The last to sit down, the 13th, was Judas Iscariot, who would betray Jesus. 

da Vinci's The Last Supper - Judas (fourth head from left) in the only one with
an elbow on the table, his face is shadowed, and he is clutching a bag

According to Norse legends, the 13th (uninvited) guest to arrive at a banquet of the gods was Loki, who then killed another god and set in motion a series of tragedies.

Historically, condemned people climbed 13 steps to the gallows.

A coven was traditionally made up of 13 witches.

In the deck of tarot cards, XIII is the card of death - a pale horse and rider.

Apollo 13 was the only unsuccessful mission to the moon; the oxygen tank exploded, putting the lives of the astronauts at risk.



Finally, 12 is considered a perfect and magical number in many disciplines and traditions.  There are 12 months, 12 zodiac signs, 12 days of Christmas, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Christ, 12 principal Olympian gods of the pantheon...the list goes on and on.  It follows, then, in some people's minds, that to add a number to 12 would make it unlucky.

That Friday the 13th is particularly scary may be the result of Friday's connection with executions.  The Crucifixion took place on a Friday, which was the day of the week executions were generally carried out in Rome.  America also has a history of holding executions on Fridays; thus, a day that combines two "unlucky" features becomes even more ominous. 

Jinx and Max are my second pair
of rescued black cat brothers

I find the reasoning fascinating, but I still like the number 13, and Friday the 13th doesn't bother me a bit.  But I also have black cats, and we cross paths all day long.  But of course, I have my good luck rituals as well...I have to pick up every penny I see on the ground!

I may pick up a few extra today, just to be safe.  Have a happy Friday the 13th, and grab one of my steamy romance + ghost stories for a page-turning read that will both heat you up and send shivers down your spine!

Happy New Year 2023! Why We Celebrate New Year's Day #NewYearsDay #Paranormal #amreading

Happy New Year!  Although often bitterly cold on Cape Cod (although surprisingly mild this year so far), I like January.  It’s my birthday month, and my son’s, and it can be a chance to relax and unwind after the frenetic pace of the holidays.  Plus, there’s the whole idea of a fresh start and making resolutions.  I'm excited for 2023, so on with the post...why do we celebrate the start of a new year?  Here's a few facts I found about New Year's Day and January in general.

New Year’s Day is the first day of January according to both the Julian calendar (introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC) and the Gregorian calendar (named for Pope Gregory XIII, who introduced it in 1582).  The difference in these two calendars is a .002% change in the length of the year.

The Julian calendar was based on the Roman calendar, and the name of the month of January is generally attributed to the Roman god Janus, the god of beginnings and endings, who is depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions: into the past as well as the future.

Since the Gregorian calendar is now used, at least in practice, by most countries, New Year’s Day is considered the world’s most celebrated public holiday.

The ancient belief that the beginning of an event impacted the whole led people to offer good health and well wishes on this first day of a new year, as the long, dark days of the Winter Solstice were being left behind.  A prosperous January 1^st with plenty of food and drink would hopefully lead to the same for the entire month and year.

Of course, local traditions abound to mark this day, and one of the big ones in the United States is the making of resolutions.  If one of your goals is to reduce stress, you already probably know that reading has been proven to help with this!  What could be better after the hustle and bustle of the holidays than wrapping yourself up in a blanket, putting your feet up, and getting lost in a page-turning story?  My books are filled with steamy romance, haunting mysteries, dark secrets, and spine-tingling suspense.  Several are now available as audiobooks as well!  I hope you’ll check out my titles in the tabs below and treat yourself to a new read ~  Thanks for stopping by and best wishes for a HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND FUN 2023!

The Haunting of Hillwood Farm "I clung to my tablet"...5+ Stars at N.N. Light's Book Heaven, chosen Best Romantic Suspense of 2018; RONE 2019 Award Winner and Top 3 Book of 2019, also available in Audio! 

Gull Harbor...A dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await psychic Claire Linden in Cape Cod's Gull Harbor.  A #1 Amazon / #1 B&N Bestseller, now on Audible too!

Silver Lake...A haunting, an old flame, and secrets from the past...reunion romance plus ghost mystery.  A #1 Amazon Bestseller

Dangerous Currents...One fateful night tore them apart, will they get a second chance before a killer strikes?  Steamy second-chance romance filled with secrets and suspense.  A book store recommended read on SALE for just 99c for Kindle!

Haunted Souls...A damaged solider, a secret baby, and a haunting mystery collide in Haunted Souls.  Voted one of the Top 3 Reads of 2016 at Read Free.ly.  Available on Audible!

Divine Fall...YA Paranormal Romance...Revenge, Romance, and a Rogue Fallen Angel.  Voted Best Young Adult Novel 2014 at The Romance Reviews.

The Origins of #Halloween ~ Happy #Halloween2022 ! #paranormal #ghosts #Halloweenreads

 

The month of October conjures up images of turning leaves, hayrides, pumpkins, scarecrows, black cats, and of course Halloween decorations.  I love learning about the origin of the holidays we celebrate, and as an author of ghost stories, Halloween is one of my favorites.  So I did a bit of (admittedly rudimentary) research to discover some of the reasons we dress up and try to scare each other on October 31^st.

Originally known as All Hallows’ Eve, Halloween is linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain.  This last day of autumn was considered the time of year when the barrier between the paranormal and physical worlds grew thin. 

The Christian holiday of All Saints’ Day (All Hallows) also influenced Halloween.  It was said that the souls awaiting release on November 1^st had one last night to extract revenge on their enemies before leaving the earth.  Cautious Christians would disguise themselves with masks to avoid recognition.

The custom of carving pumpkins originated from a Samhain practice of remembering souls with turnip lanterns.  Trick-or-treating can be traced back to “souling”, a medieval practice which involved the poor and hungry travelling door-to-door and offering to pray for the dead in return for food.

My favorite Halloween tradition is visiting haunted houses (well, staged haunted houses for entertainment...I do visit actual haunted houses as much as possible at any time during the year.  And an abandoned sanatorium for TB patients...see that post here!) 

If you like spooky reads, I hope you'll check out some of my ghost mystery romantic suspense novels at the following links:  The Haunting of Hillwood Farm, Ghost Moon, Gull Harbor, and Silver Lake.  Happy Halloween and Happy Haunted Reading!

Celebrating #NationalBlackCatAppreciationDay & Researching Superstitions! Love my #blackcats #Rescue #cats

 

Max and Jinx <3

It’s black cat appreciation day!  I absolutely love black cats…I have had many in the past, and I have 2 brothers right now.  Most people ask if this is due to my fascination with the paranormal, as most of my novels involve spooky ghost mysteries.  And that’s probably part of it—but a few other things weigh in.  For one thing, I think black cats are beautiful.  But I also am a strong supporter of pet rescue and adoption, and black cats are over-represented at shelters, which could be in part because many people are consciously or even subconsciously affected by the superstition surrounding black cats.  So, today’s post is dedicated to how this idea that black cats are unlucky came about.

The ancient Egyptians believed cats had magical powers, and regarded them as sacred.  In fact, they worshiped a feline goddess known as Bastet.  On the other hand, Druids feared cats.  All cats are nocturnal and appear dark as they creep through the night, sure-footed and stealthy even with no light to see by.  This gave all cats a mystical aura, but the color black has often been associated with sinister forces.

Black cats, along with bats and spiders, have long been considered by some to be bad omens.  Some cultures believed witches could turn into cats in order to avoid capture.  Black cats were also thought to be familiars—low ranking demons tasked with serving and protecting a witch.

Even with a limited understanding of diseases, societies throughout history were also able to see the connection between cats and outbreaks of plague.  Cats control rodent populations, and rats are carriers of many diseases deadly to humans.  This added to the idea that cats had powers beyond human comprehension.

Thus, an association with witchcraft and the occult, superstition, fear, and awe combined to make black cats a symbol of Halloween, the night when the barrier between the paranormal and physical worlds grows thin.

So, there you have it…a few reasons black cats are considered unlucky by some.  Personally, I cross paths with my Max and Jinx dozens of times each day, and so far I’m no worse for the wear.  So celebrate your beautiful black cats!  

And, if you enjoy a little spooky suspense like me, check out some of my ghost mystery/romance novels…The Haunting of Hillwood Farm, Haunted Souls, Ghost Moon, Silver Lake, and Gull Harbor...perfect for this Friday the 13th...and if you're wondering why people fear the number 13 and especially Friday the 13th, see my post on that here!

The #Haunting of Hillwood Farm made a Best #Paranormal #Romance with a Ghostly Twist! #Halloween #Books #amreading

 

Need some spooky suspense mixed with romance for your Halloween reading list?  I am so excited to share that The Haunting of Hillwood Farm made author Kelly Moran's list of The Five Best Paranormal Romances with a Ghostly Twist on Shepherd Books, which you can view here.  To see my name on a list with Nora Roberts, Heather Graham, Sharon Sala, Carla Neggers, and of course Kelly Moran is quite an honor.  

It's the perfect season for some ghost stories, so check out Kelly's list and cozy up with a new read! And if you need more ghost mysteries spiked with some steamy romance, check out my titles The Haunting of Hillwood Farm, Ghost Moon, Gull Harbor, and Silver Lake.  Happy Halloween and Happy Haunted Reading!