Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Sophie Irwin Book Love: A Lady's Guide to ...

 I love sharing books and authors that I've discovered, and Sophie Irwin is on the top of my list these days. (We'll get to Rebecca Yarros and her epic dragon fantasy books another time.) If you are a fan of Jane Austen but love that romance with a bit of modern sensibility, absolutely check out Irwin's two recent books. I devoured them. My 25-year-old daughter adores them. They are just outstanding. And I'll be using them for several examples of "show, don't tell" at upcoming writing conferences. She's a master. 

Let's just say I will immediately purchase the next book Irwin publishes, and I already have both of these on my wishlist for Mother's Day so I can have them in my small personal library. (The copies I read were from the Springdale Public Library). I will absolutely be reading them again over the years.

Tap on the covers to find out more about each one for yourself!


Kitty Talbot needs a fortune. Or rather, she needs a husband who has a fortune. Left with her father’s massive debts, she has only twelve weeks to save her family from ruin. Kitty has never been one to back down from a challenge, so she leaves home and heads toward the most dangerous battleground in all of England: the London season. Kitty may be neither accomplished nor especially genteel—but she is utterly single-minded; imbued with cunning and ingenuity, she knows that risk is just part of the game. The only thing she doesn’t anticipate is Lord Radcliffe. The worldly Radcliffe sees Kitty for the mercenary fortune-hunter that she really is and is determined to scotch her plans at all costs, until their parrying takes a completely different turn….

This is a frothy pleasure, full of brilliant repartee and enticing wit--one that readers will find an irresistible delight.



When shy Miss Eliza Balfour married the austere Earl of Somerset, twenty years her senior, it was the match of the season--no matter that he was not the husband Eliza wanted. Now, ten years later, Eliza is widowed. Suddenly, she is left titled, rich, and, for the first time in her life, utterly in control of her own future.  She’s always lived by society’s conventions, but now, Eliza has resolved to do as she wants.  And what she wants is to head to Bath with her cousin Margaret, pursue painting, learn to drive, and flirt with Bath’s most alluring new resident, the infamous Lord Melville.

But when the ripples of Eliza’s behavior reach her late husband’s nephew—who broke Eliza’s heart, years ago--Eliza will learn that freedom does not come without consequences. The only way to ensure she can keep her fortune is to avoid all scandal—but where’s the fun in that?







Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Happy Winter Solstice, Merry Christmas, and Blessed However You Celebrate!

 Just a quick note at the end of 2023 to say thank you to each of you for being a part of my writing and editing journey. There are SO many holidays being enjoyed over these next weeks. Whatever is celebrated in your home, I hope it is delightful and free from stress and brings joy to your heart.

Here's to a 2024 full of blessings for each of you!

Merry Christmas from Cheetara/Snickerdoodle and all of us here at Serenity Mountain Publishing!




Sunday, November 26, 2023

Happy Anniversary, Hiro!

 This month marks the 10 year publication anniversary of Vacation Hiro! Hiro thinks this means she should get all the treats and only be touched by Daddy, but that just sounds like every normal day of her life. At 17, Hiro is the only one of the original four who is still with us, so we will celebrate her however she jolly well chooses. You can celebrate by picking up a copy of her story!

Happy Book Anniversary, Hiro!!

Hiro's book at Amazon

I ran across a post on Facebook from November of 2011, when we were on holiday in Cocoa Beach, Florida, before I'd even published Why Kimba Saved The World. My head was already spinning with what else could happen to those feline characters. 

"Second book is writing itself while we are here. The first thing we saw off the balcony was a cat sitting on the sidewalk. Agents have followed us to track us on vacation. Soon there were four. One for each of us. They have been named and are gaining a backstory. Taking me on vacation where I have nothing else to think about can be dangerous and highly productive."

All of that made it into Vacation Hiro, though the journey to publication took a couple more years. Writers are always writing (mentally, at least). 

Personally, I feel like I've celebrated both Kimba and Hiro's books' 10 year anniversaries this year by publishing Book 6 in the series: Snickerdoodle's Shenanigans. It may be the last one. At least for a while. But you never know when inspiration will strike! 

It's also the last days for event prices at my Square store. You can still pick up the whole Cats in the Mirror Series for $50 in paperback. 

Tap the image to check it out.



Monday, October 9, 2023

Free Kidlit and Upcoming Events

 I have two events left for the fall season. Great chances to pick up signed and personalized paperbacks without having to pay shipping. Come by and say hello!



You can always purchased signed/personalized copies through my Square store.


And don't miss out on this fun kidlit ebook giveaway. 

Copies of two of my books are included!

October 1 - 31 only!


Happy Fall, Y'all!!


Friday, July 28, 2023

Free Books, Multiple Authors

BookFunnel and I have become great friends this year. Besides offering a clean route to a free short story at the end of The Tigran Chronicles, it's also a chance to find new readers by offering a free title or two. Check out these three promotions I joined. The last two end soon, so don't miss out! Tap on the image to review all the books offered for free in each promotion. Signing up for the author's newsletter is probably required. (That's the whole point of the promo!) 








Happy Reading!!


Friday, July 14, 2023

Snickerdoodle's Shenanigans: Almost Time!

 For fans of my Cats in the Mirror series, the wait for Book 6 is nearly over. You can even pre-order the ebook of Snickerdoodle's Shenanigans right now and have it delivered to you on August 1.


This kitty has been waiting for nine years to have her own story, and I hope you enjoy it!


Do you notice anyone else on the cover? Crossover adventure!

To pre-order the ebook at Amazon, tap here

Do not pay $15.99 for the paperback if you find it today. That's a bookstore and library version that should not be showing yet. The Amazon version will be more like $11.99. Coming soon!! 

Friday, June 30, 2023

The Most Important Animal of All: New Book Review

I had the chance to read this book before its release through NetGalley, and it is thoroughly delightful and creative. 


Seven children champion an animal for the top spot. Is it the ELEPHANT or the BEAVER, who both create habitats where other creatures can live and thrive? Is it the TIGER or the SHARK, who are both top predators, or the BAT, who keeps insect populations down? Is it the tiny KRILL, a food source for many sea creatures, or the BEE, the master pollinator? Join the children to find out how special these creatures are in this introduction to ecosystems.


My review:



I absolutely loved this delightful book exploring how different animals are vital to their environments and benefit the world ecosystem. When I was teaching preschool, I would have snapped this book up and used it to create a whole unit of study.
One thing I found really interesting was the combination of detailed illustrations and photos. That's not something you see all the time, but it worked wonderfully within this story of students teaching each other about these important animals. I especially loved including the idea of "keystone species" at the end. Great STEM material!

Get your copy here or tap the book cover above.