Something strange is happening in the mountains of Sanctuary
Veterinarian Ember Burns makes a grisly discovery and it leads authorities to the body of a man in the woods above her home. Although the circumstances are suspicious, the only witness is her dog and the death's ruled a suicide.
But things aren't that simple. When Ember looks into the man's local connections, it creates more questions than answers. Including the source of an unusual rock, and what he was really doing in the mountains.
As a mysterious illness sickens the local animals, Ember's battle to save them leads to a startling discovery. She races to prove both the cause of the animals' symptoms and how the man died, but will it be too late?
How does a $25 Amazon gift card & 16 eBooks sound?
At nineteen, I was recruited into a secret government program, where my memory was erased .. wait -- that's the outline for a potential book. Sorry, my real biography isn't quite as interesting, but I'll give it a shot!
I live in the Pacific Northwest, and when I'm not writing, I'm out beach combing with my dogs for sea glass, or hiking in the rugged Cascade Mountains. It's the perfect backdrop to fuel my creative genius. *rubs hands together evilly*
You'll find all my adult romantic suspense and cozy mysteries here, and on my OTHER profile (secret identity ;)) Tara Ellis, I keep my middle grade and young adult books. Check them out, You might like those, too!
This summer has been all about closing out chapters and starting a new one. Or, maybe I should say finishing one book and starting the next! After a lot of soul-searching, our home was put on the market and my husband moved back to his home state while I stayed here in Washington. My son was already away at college, and my daughter, after turning 18, has ventured out to be her own adult/person. So. Here I am.
Where, exactly is that? Well, at the moment, I'm sitting in my beach cottage on the shores of the Pacific Northwest, facing the glorious San Juan Islands. After owning my own home since I was 19, I am renting this gem for the next ten months. Finding myself? Maybe. Although, I think at my age I am already quite confident in who I am. It's more of a slow metamorphosis into singleness. ;) My goal is to eventually write full time, and I think this beach house is the perfect setting!
This is literally my backyard (don't hate me)
This is why I've been lacking the past few months in both posts and publications. However, I plan on changing that! Starting with a free run for book #7 in the Samantha Wolf Mysteries!
The next best thing to owning your own dog is having a job where you get to take care of them. That's what Sam figures when she, Ally, and Cassy all volunteer at a local animal shelter. But they don't expect the trouble that comes along with the work.
When dogs start showing up at the shelter with odd symptoms, the director doesn't seem concerned. However, strange coincidences start to happen and Sam doesn't believe that they're random.
Confronted with the hard decision of following either her heart or her nose for a good mystery, Sam faces an emotional dilemma. Sometimes, the right path is the most difficult and this is one challenge that's going to take all of her friends to help solve.
Now, while this is book #7 in the series, it can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. If you would like to start with book #1, The Mystery of Hollow Inn, take a peek at my author page where you have a couple of options. (individual ebook @ 2.99 free w/Kindle Unlimited OR a box set)
100 combined reviews with a 4.5 rating! - An endearing series perfect for fans of Nancy Drew!
Whether you're craving a good, old-fashioned mystery or you're looking for a clean read for your child, this is the series for you!
Sam and Ally are two twelve-year-old girls growing up on the coast of the Pacific Northwest, in Washington State. While they encounter and battle all the normal, preteen issues in today's world, they also manage to always find a good mystery to solve!
Unlike so many of the novels and series out there on the market, The Samantha Wolf Mysteries are clean, light-hearted tales that involve likable, realistic characters. Sam and Ally prove that you can be a good friend, have sibling rivalry and family issues, while at the same time being intelligent and kind. Not only that, but they use their uncanny intuition for trouble to help others, and have a good time while doing it!
Get the first three books of this fun, mystery series! The Mystery of Hollow Inn - 151 pages 5-star Reader's Favorite *Winner, Gertrude Warner Book Award! The Secret of Camp Whispering Pines - 216 pages 5-star Reader's Favorite The Beach House Mystery - 225 pages 4-star Reader's Favorite
With eight books now out in the series, this is a great way to start! Then, pick up the next three in a set for under six dollars! The Samantha Wolf Mysteries is fun for the whole family, both young and old.
I'm happy to introduce this new, clean romance by my friend, and author, Krysten Lindsay Hager!
Dating the It Guy
By Krysten Lindsay Hager
YA contemporary romance
Published by Clean Reads
Blurb:
Emme is a sophomore in high school who starts dating,
Brendon Agretti, the popular senior who happens to be a senator's son and
well-known for his good looks. Emme feels out of her comfort zone in Brendon's
world and it doesn't help that his picture perfect ex, Lauren seems determined
to get back into his life along with every other girl who wants to be the
future Mrs. Agretti. Emme is already conflicted due to the fact her last
boyfriend cheated on her and her whole world is off kilter with her family
issues. Life suddenly seems easier keeping Brendon away and relying on her
crystals and horoscopes to guide her. Emme soon starts to realize she needs to
focus less on the stars and more on her senses. Can Emme get over her
insecurities and make her relationship work? Life sure is complicated when
you're dating the it guy.
Excerpt:
He
put the magazine between us, and when I moved forward to see it, he put his arm
across the back of my chair. Now lots of guys did put their arms on chair
backs, even Kirk did that with Rory, and he definitely wasn’t interested in
her, but I couldn’t help but hope it meant something. I got this shivery
feeling, and he asked if I was cold. I shook my head. I always got a feeling
before something major was about to happen, and it has nothing to do with being
cold, but I didn’t know why I got the feeling. Grandma used to do the same
thing and always said, “Somebody just walked across my grave.” Somehow I didn’t
think Brendon would understand if I told him I needed to move my future burial
plot to a less high-traffic area.
“Are we still on for the art fair?” he asked.
I had only been circling it with hearts on my calendar since
he asked.
“Sure, I think I’m still free,” I said.
We finished up our work, and he walked me out to meet Kylie.
“Okay, I’ll pick you up at three tomorrow,” he said, walking
off.
“Can I ask a stupid question?” Kylie asked as soon as
Brendon was out of earshot. “What’s he like? Because he’s so well-known, and I
can’t imagine what it’d be like to grow up with your whole life under a
microscope. I mean, my mom remembers his first birthday party pictures being
shown on the news. And he’s hot, but he’s not like I-know-I’m-a-hottie hot, but
more like a confident, ‘Yes, I am hot. Any questions?’ I mean, he has to have
noticed there aren’t any guys who look like him walking around.”
“I should tell him what you said.”
“Don’t you dare,” Kylie said.
“I get what you mean—he’s grown up with everybody knowing
his dad and watching him, but he’s pretty down to earth.”
“So what’s up with you two? You guys didn’t do any work last
Saturday, and now you’re going to an art fair.”
“I dunno. He just asked me to go with him.”
“Asked you to go with him as his study buddy or asked you to
go with him because he’s desperately in love with you?” she asked.
I said we were just friends, but she wouldn’t let it go.
“Okay, duh, obviously I like him, but let’s be honest. He’s
out of my league. He’s out of most people’s league. It’s weird because normally
if I like a guy then one of two things happens—either he likes me and asks for
my number…or I find out he’s not into me and I cry in my pillow and listen to
man-hating music for at least three days,” I said. “But this time’s different
because he’s, I dunno, not just ‘some guy.’ I mean, I’m not putting up a shrine
to him in my room, and I haven’t rooted though his garbage can, but I have as
much chance of going out with him as Kirk does of getting an ‘A’ in this
class.”
“You listen to man-hating music?” she asked, and I narrowed
my eyes at her. “Whatever. Anyway, Em, he’s asked you out once already, and you
are seeing him tomorrow. Plus, he’s always staring at you.”
I said he was probably just bored in class today, but she
wouldn’t let it go.
“I’m not just talking about today. When we watched the movie
on Monday, he watched you instead, and whenever I see you guys, he acts like
there’s no one else in the room,” she said.
I couldn’t hold back the big, stupid smile spreading across
my face. “He does? For real?”
She nodded. “You know, it’s weird. Here you were all upset
you didn’t have a partner at the beginning of the semester, and then you ended
up with like, Mr. Perfection, as your partner.”
Bio: Besides
mining her teen years and humiliating moments for her novels, Krysten is a
also a book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked
as a journalist and writes young adult, middle grade, new adult, and adult
fiction as well as humor essays. She is originally from Michigan and has lived
in Portugal, South Dakota, and currently resides in southwestern Ohio where you
can find her reading and writing when she’s not catching up on her favorite
shows (she's addicted to American Dad to the point where she quotes episodes on
a daily basis and also loves Girl Meets World). She's also a third generation Detroit
Lions fan.
Krysten writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in,
frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True
Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, and Competing with the Star
(The Star Series: Book 2). Her debut novel, True Colors, won the Readers
Favorite award for best preteen book. Krysten's work has been featured in USA
Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the
Bellbrook Times and on Living Dayton.
Praise for Dating the It Guy:
“A sweet, endearing story—you’ll fall in love with Emme just
like I did!” --Kimber Leigh Wheaton, YA/NA author
"Hager's authentic characters will resonate with
readers of all ages as they are immersed in the story - complete with teen drama and angst, but
also the relationships which make it all worthwhile." -- Leslie L. McKee, book reviewer, Edits and
Reviews by Leslie
What people are
saying about Krysten’s work:
From Teenage Book
Recommendations in the UK: "This is a fantastically relatable and real
book which I feel captures all of the insecurities and troubles which haunt the
modern teenage girl. It is about a young model who has to go through tough
times when she is torn between a life as a model and managing her friendships.
You learn which friends she can most trust and which will create the drama
typical of teenage life. Follow the life of Landry and try to see if you can
find out which are her true friends before their true colours are revealed.
This book is all about relationships, hopes and truth. I loved this book!"
From Books &
Authors Spot: “This book is such an inspiration for those who just care about
their looks and are tensed about them. This thing is looks aren't everything.
This book is related to every teen's problem. Hager has written a very
inspiring novel.”
“Krysten captures the teenage girl today. The struggles are
real, the issues are something children have been dealing with since before I
was a teen, and oddly-Krysten captures the readers! I was prepared for another
"Mean Girls" story. This is NOT that. This is the real story of
teenage girls! You watch Landry flower into a young woman who finds out trust
is an invaluable item to find, and friendships are hard to seek genuine realism
in. You will learn about relationships with not just friends, but peers, boys,
and others. The details put into the book will draw you, and make the story so much
more realistic. Krysten expresses emotions beautifully through her writing, and
the story flows flawlessly…” By Candice
J. Conway Simpson
“True Colors, is just a dazzling story of how middle school
kids show their true colors of jealousy, drama, loss and gains of friendship.
However, the way Krysten wrote her story; she wrote it with passion, creativity
and honesty that this story line could be placed in anyone's life at any age.” Review by Double Decker Books
“Krysten Lindsay
Hager understands what it means to be a teen today, and she writes with an
authentic voice. Landry, the main character, is funny, lively, and very real.
Readers will relate to her struggles with friends and family, self-esteem and
self-discovery, boys and school and life in general. It's fun to read about
Landry's blossoming modeling career and the changes it brings.” Review by Author Diana Jenkins
What could be better than hiking, swimming, and horseback riding? Having a mystery to solve, of course!
When Sam and Ally go off to summer camp together, they discover the secrets of Camp Whispering Pines. Set in the beautiful, rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest, the clues are slowly revealed and it's up to the two girls to figure it out.
New friendships are formed, while at the same time enemies lurk nearby. The closer they get to uncovering the truth behind the camp, the further they are pushed into danger and deceit. Can Sam and Alley put all of the pieces together before it's too late? Follow them on another thrilling tale filled with excitement and adventure, along misty, high mountain trails, and deep ravines, where the answers wait to be found!
This fun middle grade series is being called a modern-day Nancy Drew. It will take you back to your Trixie Beldon days, but are in current social settings with real issues relevant to today's teens and pre-teens. They're clean, wholesome stories that you and your kids will devour!
Tara Ellis, an Amazon best selling author, lives in a small, rural town in Washington State set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She enjoys the quiet lifestyle with her two kids and several dogs. Tara was a firefighter/EMT, and worked in the medical field for many years, before committing herself to writing young adult and middle grade novels full-time.
Do you like epic medieval fantasy with dragons of all sizes and a sweet romance? Through October 28, the award-winning YA Christian fantasy Mercy’s Prince is only 99 cents. Although the first of a trilogy, this book can stand alone.
An alien plague. A sixteen-year-old girl. A fight to save the world.
When a rare meteor shower unleashes a mind-altering infection, the people Alex loves begin to change. They're smarter, faster, emotionless, and they have a plan. One that doesn't include her.
Guided by cryptic clues left behind by her deceased father, Alex follows a trail of increasingly shocking discoveries. Earth's history isn't what she learned in school, and a new hive mind threatens to rewrite the future.
Alex is a fighter, but pursued by both friends and an unknown enemy, it will take everything she has to fulfill her destiny. Desperate to save her little brother, she flees to the mountains surrounding her home, where the only chance for humanity has lain hidden for thousands of years.
Twelve-year-old Samantha Wolf, and her best friend Ally, are excited to spend part of their summer break in the mountains of Montana. But unbeknownst to them, Hollow Inn is bathed in mystery and legend. After arriving, they soon discover that things are not going well for Sam's Aunt and Uncle, who own the Inn. There's vandalism, ghostly sightings, and rumors of lost treasures. Determined to help, Sam and Ally embark on a challenging journey to discover the truth.
***
Book #1 - The Mystery of Hollow Inn
Book #2 - The Secret of Camp Whispering Pines
Book #3 - The Beach House Mystery
Book #4 - The Heiress of Covington Ranch
Book #5 - The Haunting of Eagle Creek Middle School
Tara Ellis, an Amazon best selling author, lives in a small, rural town in Washington State set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She enjoys the quiet lifestyle with her two kids and several dogs. Tara was a firefighter/EMT, and worked in the medical field for many years, before committing herself to writing young adult and middle grade novels full-time.
My designer, Mel at Melchelle Designs, has done it again! Look at this stunning cover she made for Descent! I always liked the old cover, but this one is really a winner. My daughter, Megan, is once again the gorgeous model.
An ancient ruler returns to Earth, forcing those who remain
to choose sides. Alex, prophesized to lead the resistance, is a reluctant pawn
in a war without clear victors.
The Shiners are not only an enemy, but also an army of
emotionless killers who wear the faces of loved ones. In this twisted
landscape, it’s hard to know which side you should be fighting for.
Unsure
of what she's become, Alex battles her own tormented emotions to find the
truth. Can she rise above the darkness? Or will she ultimately descend into its
cold embrace?
Available now on Amazon!
**Update
Rather than make a new post, I'll just add the new cover for Heritage on here. I couldn't be any happier with how ALL of these new covers turned out. And did I mention that my beautiful daughter
is the model??!!
I am still trying to grasp all of the ropes holding the web of social media together, and my latest attempt is a LIVE chat!
Join me TODAY (one hour from now) at 1:00 PST, 4:00 EST HERE
to get in on the discussion. Now is the time to ask any questions, get to know me or the characters of The Forgotten Origins Trilogy better....and maybe get some exclusive, new info!!
You can also follow on #Yalitchat, or on twitter... HERE
The Secret of Camp Whispering Pines surprise me while writing it...it evoked unexpected emotions of my childhood, and for that reason...this is a special book for me. Quite a bit of the storyline was garnered from my own childhood (as far as the atmosphere at camp and friendships). It's where my lifelong friendship with my best friend was cemented (Lisa Hansen), and SO many memories created.
If YOU have been to summer camp, than you know what I'm talking about! The smells, sights, excitement and roller coaster of emotions. I went from homesick to dreading to go home. I think that a good summer camp is something every child needs to experience. Not just a couple of days either, but one or two weeks. With swimming, hiking, horseback riding, singing, etc.
I tried to capture that in Whispering Pines, and I really think that I succeeded, without realizing it. So join Sam and Ally on yet another wild, fun and exciting story as they unravel secrets, make some cool friends and learn a bit about themselves.
Now that I am in between books (but not for long) I have decided to focus a bit more on my photography for a couple of weeks. Actually, it is pretty much demanding that I do it, whether I want to or not!
I have devoted SO much of my time and mental energy into writing for the past two years, but my photography is really what's funding everything. And I'm not even trying that much. I keep finding myself, when out peddling my books, getting an art show instead.
This is what happened last week, when I went to one of our newest local merchants at the Woolley Market. They are located in Sedro Woolley, Wa and are SUCH a cool store. They focus on local, organic goods and the atmosphere is amazing. They are working on a co-op section, which I have been keeping an eye on as a possible point-of-sale for my books and cards. Well...I went in to speak with them about it, and when they saw my photography book, it opened up a conversation about showing my artwork in their new gallery area! They didn't have anyone lined up for February and asked if I was interested. My work has been up at United General for going on four months now so it is time to move on (as much as I have enjoyed having it there!).
This is a great opportunity for me to try and improve my merchandise and marketing. It also gives me a chance to spend more time planning for future marketing. Woolley Market has a country theme, with lots of rich woods, which is perfect for my landscape photography. I am going with that theme for my marketing, and I'm having fun with it! I am currently making a really cool, wooden sign, which I will share as soon as it's completed.
Today, I finishing my final edits for Whispering Pines and will have the ebook out by tomorrow! I am also going for a walk in this glorious sunshine (and maybe get some pics) and then working on preparing my photographs for my new venue at Woolley Market. What are your plans? Do you have a to-do list to make sure you are moving forward in whatever your dreams may be?
I'll leave you with my bestselling photograph, one I have shared before! This was taken at Flathead Lake in Montana. Gorgeous country!!!
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