AN INTERVIEW WITH SISTER BERNADETTE OHLSON FROM AUTHOR MELISSA WESTEMEIER'S NUN THE WISER MYSTERIES

Today we sit down for a chat with Sister Bernadette Ohlson, AKA Bernie, from author Melissa Westemeier’s Nun the Wiser Mysteries.

What was your life like before your author started pulling your strings?

I taught middle school language arts at St. Alyosius and after retirement I spent a few years traveling the world with friends and colleagues before returning to Eugene. By then the parish was converted to senior apartments. I was pleased to move into The Abbey: Senior Living, even though Rin Sato got here first and took occupancy of my former classroom—I wound up with the former 6^th grade classroom. Frankly, before Melissa showed up with AJ Lewis, I was getting bored with my daily routine and looking for a new hobby.

 

As for that daily routine, it’s my habit to do stretches and devotions before tying my sneakers and walking around the neighborhood to get my steps in. I’ll spend the rest of the day reading, running errands, doing puzzles, and visiting with whoever’s in the common area. Dinner’s served at 5pm most nights, and I join neighbors in the dining room to eat. I like going to movies and plays, traveling when I can, and corresponding with friends and relatives. I remain a very active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

 

What’s the one trait you like most about yourself?

I’m a take-charge kind of lady. Some people call me bossy, but who does everyone turn to when they need advice or direction? Me.

 

What do you like least about yourself?

I’m not crafty. I like to read and do jigsaw puzzles, but that’s about the extent of my hobbies, and it bothers me to have so much time on my hands and very little to do. I need a sense of purpose or a side hustle. Everyone else here at The Abbey has one. 

 

What is the strangest thing your author has had you do or had happen to you?

She sent me on vacation with my best friend Eleanor to Portland during a Comic-Con. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Grown-ups wearing costumes, talking about comic books and video games, the place was swarming with monsters and aliens and robots. I wound up trapped in an elevator that weekend, too…

 

Do you argue with your author? If so, what do you argue about?

Sometimes she suggests I’m wrong, and of course I’m never wrong. Well, almost never wrong. 

 

What is your greatest fear?

Irrelevance. I worry people might stop asking for my advice or someone moves in and starts running everything wrong. People need good leaders, and I know I’m skilled at running things. If others fail to recognize that quality in me and stop listening to me…well, it’s a terrible thought to contemplate. Things would go south very quickly.

 

What makes you happy?

Knowing I’m right. And having people depend on me to help solve their problems.

 

If you could rewrite a part of your story, what would it be? Why?

I’d have spoken to Cliff sooner instead of ignoring and avoiding the old crank. I really had no idea…

 

Of the other characters in your book, which one bugs you the most? Why?

Rin Sato can push people’s buttons sometimes, but I do consider her a good friend. Also, she’s cheap. You ever wonder where all the sugar and jam packets disappear to when we go out to eat? Check her purse. No, I’m not joking. 

 

Of the other characters in your book, which one would you love to trade places with? Why?

Taylor Jones, only because I think it must be thrilling to be a detective. 

 

Tell us a little something about your author. Where can readers find her website/blog?

Bless Melissa. She sent her sons to Catholic school, but she’s not even Catholic! Her heart’s in the right spot, though. She writes about all sorts of topics at www.melwestemeier.com. 

 

What's next for you?

There’s a developer interested in buying the properties down the block from The Abbey. Ethan told me Vision Co. wants to tear down the existing buildings and put places like the Pharmers Market and In Stitches out of business. What will happen to our neighborhood if those places close? It’s terrible to think about, so I’m organizing opposition to that project.

 

Old Habits Die Hard

A Nun the Wiser Mystery, Book 1

 

Meddling and murder can both be deadly sins

 

When retired nun and teacher Sister Bernadette returns with her fellow residents to The Abbey: Senior Living, she is the first to discover the body sprawled in the hallway of the converted school where she once taught English and now lives. Instead of freezing with horror, Sister Bernie has questions. Lots of them. Why does Toni Travi, the bedazzled and bejeweled resident from apartment 218, have so much chest hair? Did anyone at The Abbey know Toni was a man? Was Toni’s death related to allegations that she cheated at cards? Where’s the murder weapon? Who had motive? And did someone kill Toni, or the man hiding beneath the Revlon foundation and blonde wig?

 

Detective AJ Lewis is in charge of the investigation, though Sister Bernie acts as if he is still her student. With unholy stubbornness, she dogs his every step, eavesdrops, sneaks beyond the police tape and offers unsolicited conjecture and clues. He wants to keep her safe, but she’s determined to lend a helping hand—it’s her habit, after all!

 

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HISTORICAL MYSTERY AUTHOR MJ FINN ON DESIGNING AN HISTORICAL MYSTERY SERIES

M.J. Finn is an armchair pilot with a life-long interest in the Golden Age of Air Racing. Growing up in Chicago led to basing leading character TJ O’Connell there and provides an opportunity to describe the vibrant, growing city in the heart of the United States that was more than the stomping grounds for Al Capone and other famous criminals.

There are thousands of new books published every week on Amazon and other sites. This makes coming up with a unique story within the Mystery, Thriller, Suspense (MTS) category challenging. I was working with a writing coach who emphasized the need to come up with something that would stand apart from other books but still fit within genre expectations. His other advice was to write what I knew.

What did I know? I’m an avid reader of history and historical fiction, so setting the series in an historical period made sense. I also like thrillers and mysteries, so that meant fitting into the historical mystery/thriller space. But where and when to set the story so that it didn’t get lost in an ocean of books that had already been published? The Prohibition era in America was popular, especially for cozy mysteries, and many people identified Chicago with the era due to Al Capone and the gang wars. I grew up on the northside of Chicago, so setting the story there was an easy choice. Not only was Rogers Park a growing section of the city in that period, Al Capone had actually lived there for a year or so.

 

One of my other passions is flying and airplanes. The 1920s and 1930s have often been called the Golden Age of air racing, with plenty of unique characters, planes, and races. The National Air Races for 1930 were held north of Chicago, the only time they were held in that area. By making my protagonist a pilot, I could move him around the country for different settings, mysteries, and antagonists in future books. The possibilities were only limited by my imagination.

 

So now I had a basic concept for my series:

·      A young barnstorming pilot from Rogers Park in Chicago.

·      The first book would revolve around the 1930 National Air Races at Curtiss-Reynolds Field near Chicago.

·      Something forces this young pilot to solve a mystery that he’s involved in.

·      There needs to be life and death stakes and one or more mobs involved.

·      Many mysteries set in this period have protagonists from the upper class, who don’t seem to worry about money. This detective is from the middle class, and money will never be far from his thoughts.

 

A side benefit of writing historical fiction is doing research for each of the books. While some authors may see this as a chore or a necessary evil, I enjoy exploring different times and places and learning new things. While it was tempted to go too far down the rabbit hole of research, placing myself on a schedule to complete the first draft kept those temptations in check. I was lucky to discover the Rogers Park Historical Society and their series of books on the history and development of the neighborhood. The information and pictures were extremely helpful, and volunteers from the society answered a number of questions that came up as I wrote the first draft.

 

Curtiss-Reynolds Field later became Glenview Naval Air Station in WW II, so there was a lot of information about the field during that period available. Finding information and photographs from 1930 was more difficult, but cruising through newspaper archives and websites dedicated to air races uncovered a few gems. My home library was filled with books on racing planes and races from the period, so that was one of the easier research areas to complete. Then I ran into my first obstacle.

 

I wanted the pilot to be someone who had bigger dreams and visions than just racing planes. Someone who was an expert in one area, but who faces challenges in others. To make his financial challenges a bit more daunting, he became the first in his family to seek a college degree. It turns out they didn’t have degrees in aeronautical engineering at colleges in Chicago at that time. So, he ends up going to the Armour Institute seeking a Mechanical Engineering degree. Coincidentally, that’s where I went to school (it’s now the Illinois Institute of Technology). They have their yearbooks and school newspapers online, providing all the information needed to realistically include his college experiences. 

 

Now I was off to the races! There are currently three books in the series, with three more to follow in 2025. I hope you’ll fly along on TJ O’Connell’s adventures.

 

Fallen Aces

The Barnstorming Detective Series, Book One

 

All he wanted to do was fly his plane in the nationals, but they took that away from him. Now he’s seeking justice.

 

In the thrilling world of the 1930 Chicago Air Races, one young pilot's dream is derailed when disaster strikes.TJ O'Connell, a determined young Irish-American pilot from the north side of Chicago, aims to win the competition and fund his dream of attending college. However, tragedy strikes when a renowned American ace crashes during a practice run, and TJ is wrongfully accused of causing the disaster.

 

To clear his name and secure his future, TJ must find the truth with the help of allies he meets along the way. As they delve deeper into the aviation world, they unearth a web of secrets, rivalries, and prejudices that threaten to tarnish TJ's dreams.

 

From the gritty streets of Chicago to the dazzling heights of the racecourse, TJ must race against time to uncover the truth. Will he emerge victorious in both the hearing room and the skies, or will the shadows of suspicion forever eclipse his ambitions?

 

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MYSTERY AUTHOR SKYE ALEXANDER ON SAYING GOODBYE TO WELL-LOVED CHARACTERS

Skye Alexander is the author of nearly 50 fiction and nonfiction books. Her stories have appeared in anthologies internationally, and her work has been translated into fifteen languages. In 2003, she cofounded Level Best Books with fellow crime writers Kate Flora and Susan Oleksiw. So far her Lizzie Crane mystery series includes four traditional historical novels set in the Jazz Age with a forth scheduled for a 2025 release. Learn more about Skye and her books at her website.

Saying Goodbye

Characters in books, like aspiring actors, often push for bigger parts in a story––and they may graduate from cameos to starring roles. Sometimes, though, they’re ready to retire or the author decides they’ve fulfilled their purposes and it’s time to say goodbye. 

 

‘Til Death Do Us Part

Mystery writers specialize in killing people. Though usually we bump off the bad guys, occasionally it’s necessary to eliminate a character we––or our readers––genuinely like. Writing about the same people, from the same point of view, can grow tedious for an author over time. Bestselling author Sue Grafton admitted she wished she’d chosen something shorter than her twenty-six-book alphabet series. Of course, you can’t kill the protagonist unless you’ve decided to end the series and write something else. 

 

In one of the most famous protagonist dumps, Agatha Christie got rid of her popular sleuth Hercule Poirot who starred in thirty of her novels. Christie had tired of the man she called a "detestable, bombastic, tiresome, ego-centric little creep" and wanted to “exorcise herself of him.” Except her publishers and fans wouldn’t let her. Finally, more than fifty years after his first appearance, Christie ended her literary relationship with Poirot. He became the only fictional character to get his obituary in the New York Times. 

 

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle didn’t intend for his famous detective Sherlock Holmes to be a major player in his novels. Worried that the popular pipe-smoking character was preventing him from penning more serious literature, the author decided to kill his cash cow. But his readers weren’t having it. Under pressure, Doyle wrote The Adventure of the Empty House in which he pointed out inadequate eyewitness accounts of the investigator’s supposed death in a previous book and resurrected the much-loved Holmes.

 

Leaving the Door Open

What if an author chooses to take a series in a different direction, rather than ending it? That’s what Anne Hillerman, daughter of the popular novelist Tony Hillerman, did after her famous father died in 2008. Anne opted to let Tony’s protagonist, Navajo Nation Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, retire from the force––but he still serves as mentor to his partner Sergeant Jim Chee and Chee’s wife Officer Bernadette Manuelito. 

 

When I started writing Running in the Shadows, the fourth novel in my Lizzie Crane Jazz Age mystery series, one of the primary characters in my books asked me to relieve her of her duties. Melody Fitzgerald, a talented young flutist and violinist in my protagonist’s band, wanted to marry her sweetheart and start a family. I had to let her go. But even though her priorities have changed and she’ll no longer travel the country with her fellow musicians, Melody promises to make guest appearances from time to time. 

 

This halfway method allows the author to move into fresh territory, introducing new characters or elevating minor ones to major roles, without casting off the folks who begat the series. It’s also a more acceptable transition for readers who’ve become attached to fictitious friends and don’t want to say goodbye.

 

A Fitting End 

Cutting a character can be hard for writers––it’s like losing a friend you’ve been hanging out with for years. Mystery writer Tess Gerritsen agreed that eliminating a major character in her series was painful to write and she hesitated to do it. “But without that death, the tale would lose its power.” Sometimes it’s better to let characters die with dignity than to force them to continue after they’ve served their purpose or the author is itching to move on. 

Writing a character out of your series needs to be done carefully. Killing off a key character can be powerful, but the death needs to have meaning. In Gone with the Wind, for example, Melanie’s death awakens Scarlett to the fact that she loves Rhett, not Ashley. Maybe a character sacrifices his life to save a friend or a mother dies protecting her child. Thus, the writer makes it easier for readers to accept the loss by conferring hero/ine status on the deceased. After a respectful burial or “fare thee well” the author can open new doors and invite readers to step inside.

Running in the Shadows

A Lizzie Crane Mystery, Book 4

 

March 1926: Salem, Massachusetts

 

A spring equinox party at the mansion of a rich, flamboyant, and controversial art collector promises New York jazz singer Lizzie Crane and her band a fat paycheck, lucrative connections, and plenty of fun. She’ll also have an opportunity to reconnect with a handsome Boston Brahmin she fancies.

 

But the excitement she hopes for doesn’t turn out the way she expected. On the night of the musicians’ first performance, a naked young woman trots into the ballroom on horseback, sweeps up a talented artist named Sebastian, and rides off with him into the night. The next morning, Lizzie discovers the artist’s body tied to a tree, shot full of arrows like the martyred Saint Sebastian in Botticelli’s painting.

 

Soon Lizzie learns that her business partner, pianist Sidney Somerset, once had a close relationship with the dead man––and police suspect Sidney may have murdered him. As she tries to protect her friend and discover the killer, Lizzie gets swept up in the treacherous underworld of art theft and forgery, a world where fantastic sums of money change hands and where lives are cheap.  

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AN INTERVIEW WITH KATE GOLDSTEIN FROM AUTHOR REBECCA OLMSTEAD'S GABRIELLE DORIAN MYSTERIES

Today we sit down for a chat with Kate Goldstein (Gabrielle Dorian’s Best Friend) from award-winning author Rebecca Olmstead’s Gabrielle Dorian Mystery Series.

What was your life like before your author started pulling your strings?

I was new in Whitman, Washington, trying to make a fresh start after my no-good husband Byron left me for a barely legal piece of fluff. Having lived most of my life in Beverly Hills, California, Whitman was quite the culture shock, but Gabrielle Dorian befriended me and came to be my best friend and business partner in our fashion boutique, Belle Femme.

 

What’s the one trait you like most about yourself?

There are two, actually. Honesty. I would never lie to a client just to make a sale, and I have no problem speaking my mind. And fierce loyalty. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to protect my friends and family.

 

What do you like least about yourself?

It wouldn’t hurt my feelings if I were a little younger…It might also make it easier to find love again. A little more height would also be welcome. But what I lack in stature, I make up for in heart.

 

What is the strangest thing your author has had you do or had happen to you?

Well…there was the time I threw the plasma TV off the balcony through the windshield of Byron’s new Ferrari. But that was justified.

 

Do you argue with your author? If so, what do you argue about?

I am a caretaker at heart, and I love to spoil my friends. But the author wants Gabrielle to be a strong, independent woman. She has no clue what poor Gabrielle has been through. She needs me, and I will keep trying to take care of her regardless of what the author wants.

 

What is your greatest fear?

Gabrielle is a beautiful, generous human being, and she has a great gift—her dreams are prophetic and help her help others. When I met her, her faith inspired me. But, since losing her parents and then her husband, she seems to be angry with God. My greatest fear is that Gabrielle will lose her faith altogether.

 

What makes you happy?

Like my best friend, helping people makes me happy, like making women look and feel beautiful in our boutique, and helping Gabrielle through her grief…and helping her solve cases, and bring victims closure.

 

If you could rewrite a part of your story, what would it be? Why?

I’ve gone through a lot in my life, some good and some bad. But I don’t know that I would rewrite any part of my story. It’s all made me the person I am. And I’m pretty happy with that. Now, if only I can help young Gabrielle reach that point in her life.

 

Of the other characters in your book, which one bugs you the most? Why?

That would have to be Trevor Bruthert. He may have been Gabrielle’s husband’s best friend and business partner, but he also thinks he’s God’s gift to women with his blond hair and skin-tight T-shirts and jeans. He doesn’t fool me, though. I know a poser when I see one.

 

Of the other characters in your book, which one would you love to trade places with? Why?

Easy. Gabrielle Dorian. Tall, slender, beautiful, and gifted. But honestly, I feel blessed just to have her as my best friend.

 

Tell us a little something about your author. Where can readers find her website/blog?

Just between us, my author started this series over thirty years ago! In all fairness, she was homeschooling five children, but I think she’s on a roll, now. She also writes short stories, which have been published in numerous anthologies and periodicals, and Christian nonfiction. You can find her at www.rebeccaolmstead.com.  She loves to hear from her readers.

 

What's next for you?

I’ll be helping Gabrielle find a friend’s missing son in Dreams and Deceptions. Then, when evidence turns up suggesting Gabrielle’s husband was murdered, she becomes suspect number one! I’ll have to help her decipher her dreams to get to the bottom of both mysteries. She’ll need me now more than ever!

 

Dreams and Illusions

A Gabrielle Dorian Mystery, Book 1

Gabrielle Dorian leaves the comfort of her hometown, Whitman, Washington, to help her estranged sister, Tina, who has been charged with first-degree murder in Seattle. Will her prophetic dreams lead her to the truth? And will the truth set Tina free or condemn her?

 

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#COOKING WITH CLORIS -- PISTACHIO CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA MUFFINS RECIPE

Those of you familiar with the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries know that I can’t start my workday without an infusion of coffee and something sweet, courtesy of food editor and my bestie Cloris McWerther. Author Lois Winston recently began writing the latest installment in the series (because she takes such joy in dropping dead bodies into my life,) and she asked Cloris to come up with a new muffin recipe. (Did she really think this would make me forget she’s planning to add more murder and mayhem into my future?) 

 

I must admit, though, this muffin is delicious, and because it’s not overly sweet, I didn’t feel guilty helping myself to a second. But muffins are not just for starting the day. Grab your beverage of choice and curl up at any time with this newest baked creation and Seams Like the Perfect Crime, the latest Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery. 

 

Spoiler alert: I do survive to experience whatever torments Lois has planned for me in the next book.

 

Pistachio Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

 

Ingredients:

1-1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3 lg. ripe bananas, mashed

6 T. unsalted butter, melted

1 lg. egg, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 T. milk

2/3 C. packed brown sugar (lt. or dark)

1 C. mini chocolate chips

1/2 C. salted pistachio meats

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 12-ct. muffin tin with cupcake liners.

 

In a med. Size bowl, whisk together first five ingredients and set aside.

 

In stand mixer on med. speed, beat together mashed bananas, melted butter, egg, vanilla, milk, and egg.

 

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, beating until combined. Fold in chocolate chips and pistachios.

 

Divide batter evenly into liners. Batter should fill liners to the top.

 

Bake at 435 degrees F. for five minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. and continue baking for 16 minutes or until toothpick stuck in center of muffins comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in tin for five minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

Check out all the books Lois Winston has written about me and more at her website.

NEW ANASTASIA POLLACK CRAFTING MYSTERY BUNDLE

Guilty as Framed and A Crafty Collage of Crime, the 11^th and 12^th books in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series, are now available as a 2-ebook set.

Guilty as Framed

An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 11

 

Inspired by the true-crime cold case of the largest art heist in history

 

When an elderly man shows up at the home of reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack, she’s drawn into the unsolved mystery of the greatest art heist in history. 

 

Boston mob boss Cormac Murphy has recently been released from prison. He refuses to believe Anastasia’s assertion that the man he’s looking for doesn’t live at her address and attempts to muscle his way into her home. His efforts are thwarted by Anastasia’s fiancé Zack Barnes. 

 

A week later, a stolen SUV containing a dead body appears in Anastasia’s driveway. Anastasia believes Murphy is sending her a message. It’s only the first in a series of alarming incidents, including a mugging, a break-in, another murder, and the discovery of a cache of jewelry and an etching from the largest museum burglary in history.

 

But will Anastasia solve the mystery behind these shocking events before she falls victim to a couple of desperate thugs who will stop at nothing to get what they want?

 

Crafts projects included.

 

A Crafty Collage of Crime

An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 12

 

Winner of the 2024 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Comedy

 

When an elderly man shows up at the home of reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack, she’s drawn into the unsolved mystery of the greatest art heist in history. 

 

Boston mob boss Cormac Murphy has recently been released from prison. He refuses to believe Anastasia’s assertion that the man he’s looking for doesn’t live at her address and attempts to muscle his way into her home. His efforts are thwarted by Anastasia’s fiancé Zack Barnes. 

 

A week later, a stolen SUV containing a dead body appears in Anastasia’s driveway. Anastasia believes Murphy is sending her a message. It’s only the first in a series of alarming incidents, including a mugging, a break-in, another murder, and the discovery of a cache of jewelry and an etching from the largest museum burglary in history.

 

But will Anastasia solve the mystery behind these shocking events before she falls victim to a couple of desperate thugs who will stop at nothing to get what they want?

 

Crafts projects included.

 

Wherever crafts editor and reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack goes, murder and mayhem follow. Her honeymoon is no exception. She and new husband, photojournalist (and possible spy) Zachary Barnes, are enjoying a walk in the Tennessee woods when they stumble upon a body on the side of a creek. The dead man is the husband of one of the three sisters who own the winery and guest cottages where Anastasia and Zack are vacationing.

 

When the local sheriff sets his sights on the widow as the prime suspect, her sisters close ranks around her. The three siblings are true-crime junkies, and thanks to a podcaster who has produced an unauthorized series about her, Anastasia’s reputation for solving murders has preceded her to the bucolic hamlet. The sisters plead for her help in finding the real killer. As Anastasia learns more about the women and their business, a host of suspects emerge, including several relatives, a relentless land developer, and even the sisters themselves.

 

Meanwhile, Anastasia becomes obsessed with discovering the podcaster’s identity. Along with knowing about Anastasia’s life as a reluctant amateur sleuth, the podcaster has divulged details of Anastasia’s personal life. Someone has betrayed Anastasia’s trust, and she’s out to discover the identity of the culprit.

​

Craft projects included.

 

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COOKING WITH CLORIS--AUTHOR BARBARA PRONIN'S NEW WWII HISTORICAL NOVEL AND A RECIPE FOR CHALLAH

Brooklyn born Barbara Pronin is the author of nine novels acclaimed by such notables as Mary Higgins Clark, Tony Hillerman, and Faye Kellerman. Learn about this SoCal transplant and her books on her website.

Full disclosure: my newest novel, a WW II historical called Winter’s End, is not about a crafty killer. It is about three crafty killers, three amazing young women of the Dutch Resistance who learn to blow up trains and take out Nazi tyrants in their mission to help Jewish escapees and save their homeland from starvation in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. 

 

Led by young Evi Strobel, who, I swear, walked into my head one night and would not leave until I told her story, the three are as different as night and day, yet they work together like the tiles in a Rubik’s cube to outfox their Nazi enemies. 

 

Here is 16-yearold Evi, enticing Nazi officers from smoky taverns to their deaths until the fateful night when she is saved from rape by a downed American airman.

 

There is Dr. Zoe Visser, a veterinarian by trade, picking pockets for Dutch ID cards for use by escaping Jews, and leading frightened escapees to their border destinations in the dead of night. 

 

And here is Mila Brouwer, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy collaborator, passing secrets she learns at her father’s dinner table to waiting Resistance leaders.

 

Their stories evolve on several levels – as an unexpected love story, as a coming-of-age story, and as a tale of incredible bravery – a remarkable journey I fell in love with, from its beginnings in the cobblestoned streets of Amsterdam to its ending more than seventy years later and a world away, where one of these women learns to bake a delectable Sabbath challah from her Jewish-American mother-in-law.

 

Winter’s End will be published on May 15, but it is on pre-sale now at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com. While you wait for it, you may want to try your hand at making a golden loaf of homemade challah bread. (It takes a bit of work, but trust me, it’s worth it!)

 

Golden Challah

(makes one loaf)

 

Ingredients:

1 packet dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

1 cup warm water

1 egg

1/4-cup honey

3 tbs canola oil

1 tsp salt

4 ½ cl. Flour, approximately

 

For the egg wash:

1 egg

2 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. vanilla

 

Directions:

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/4-cup warm water in a medium-sized bowl. Let sit about 15 minutes until thick and frothy.

 

Add the egg, honey, oil, salt, remaining 3/4-cup of water, and 3 cups of the flour. Mix until a loose batter forms. Add the remainder of flour slowly. You may need all, less, or more flour, so use your hands to add it in slowly. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Once the dough has enough flour, knead it for a couple of minutes right in the bowl.

 

Cover the dough with a wet towel and put it in a warm place to rise for about 1—1-1/2 hours. Dough should double in size.

 

Punch the dough down and let it rest for 10 minutes.

 

Divide the dough into thirds and with your hands, roll each piece into a long (13-14 inch) piece. Attach the three pieces at one end, tuck the end under, and braid the dough as you would if it were Evi‘s hair. Tuck the second end under, place the braided loaf on a lightly greased cookie sheet, and let it rise for another 30-40 minutes.

 

Beat the egg with the honey and vanilla and gently brush over the loaf. Bake at 375° F for approximately 35-45 minutes. Loaf should be golden on top, and firm on the bottom.

 

Winter’s End

Luring Nazi officers from smoky taverns to their deaths was not what Evi Strobel bargained for when she agreed to join the Dutch Resistance. But that is what she did until that fateful night she was saved from rape by a downed American Airman.

 

Nor did Zoe Visser expect to be picking pockets for Dutch ID cards for use by escaping Jews, much less leading frightened enemies of the Reich toward uncertain treks to the Belgian border - nor did Mila Brouwer, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy German collaborator, expect to be passing secrets learned at her father's dinner table to help Resistance stalwarts blow up Nazi trains and meeting halls.

 

But four years into German occupation, with the Dutch surviving on boiled tulip bulbs, and Hitler tightening control ahead of advancing Allies, that is what they did. Follow them as Winter's End traces a harrowing journey from the cobblestoned streets of Nazi-occupied Holland to an astonishing finale seventy years later and a world away.

 

Preorder (available 5/15/25)

MYSTERY AUTHOR HEATHER AMES ON LIFE UPSTAGING ART

 

Image by Robin Olson from Pixabay

Heather Ames writes two mystery series (one with a paranormal twist,) standalone suspense, romantic suspense, and short contemporary romances. When she’s not writing, she’s traveling the world or dreaming up new adventures. She’s lived in five countries, seven states, hitchhiked around Europe, lived in a 6^th floor walk-up in Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower and worked as a bartender in Madrid. During a long career in healthcare, she has seen more dead and/or mangled bodies than the average person and carried pepper spray for safety when going to treat patients in the barrios of L.A., All these experiences enrich her novels. Learn more about her and her books at her website.

A Moment of Reflection

Serendipity is a strange and frequently bizarre journey into unknown territory. Sometimes it can be called karma. Other times, just plain annoying. But it’s always one of those sudden, out-of-the-blue experiences that makes anyone, even the most cynical among us, take a moment to wonder why and how it happened.

 

I had one of those moments this week. I’d worked on a blog post I thought was almost ready to roll when life lobbed one of those curve balls that, if written into a novel, would be dismissed as plot manipulation. 

 

More than ten years ago, the transmission on my vehicle started experiencing problems. First it was one thing, which was fixed, but only a couple of weeks later, a bigger problem developed. My car went into the service department and ended up staying there two weeks. During that time, I was put into a rental at no cost while a decision was made about whether the repair would be covered by the manufacturer. While I wondered whether an extremely expensive repair was going to make me purchase a replacement, I found I really liked the rental vehicle. I also found that particular model was out of my price range, even one that had been previously owned. Luckily, the repair was covered, and when I did trade in that car, it was for one within my budget, not my fanciful daydreaming.

 

Jump ahead to two weeks ago. The vehicle I now owned suddenly stopped talking to me. When I took it in for that issue and a routine servicing, I received bad news…the cost of replacing the part was not only prohibitive, but another big-ticket problem was also discovered. I opted to fix the major oil leak, but not the silence. I figured I could always tune into a radio station on my phone, and I was assured the lack of verbal communication from the car wasn’t a safety issue. 

 

But less than a week later, a warning message notified me that my transmission had failed. This time, there was no coverage to bail me out. With two big outstanding repairs, I realized I was going to have to find a replacement. While still in shock, I searched online, then tramped around a big used car lot with a hundred choices. But yesterday the dealership called. A newer version of the vehicle I had driven for two weeks all that time ago and really liked had just been traded in. It was within my price range, and it’s now in my driveway.

If I had written this story into a plotline, I know I’d have seen raised eyebrows, even eye rolls, and heard this was too much of a coincidence. Although all books in my Ghost Shop series have magical elements, I’m sure I’d have been told this particular subplot’s outcome could only have occurred as the result of using a spell or waving a wand. Detractors would tell me to rewrite the story, leaving serendipity by the wayside.

 

Sometimes, life not only imitates art, life upstages it. Those strange little unexpected, quirky moments that whisper to us from the ethers need to be acknowledged. This was one of those moments. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has experienced a momentary chill, or a moment of déjà vu. But writing one into a book? Maybe not.

 

Tapped by Fate

A Ghost Shop Mystery, Book 1

 

A reluctant psychic inherits a spooky metaphysical shop in Salem, Oregon and teams up with a retired detective who suspects his daughter’s drowning was no accident. Dark forces lead Sunny Kingston to rely not only on her new partner, Ash Haines, but her enigmatic, fortune-telling assistant, a gargoyle more animal than mineral, and a questionably human winery owner in search of redemption. Vincente Valderos has a hint of sulphur about him and a proposition that’s difficult for Sunny and Ash to ignore. But it comes with a bigger price tag than either of them may be willing to pay.

 

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