Into the Clearing

Taking a breath and getting jazzed about books.

May 16, 2025

low-light photo of forest — Photo by Lukasz Szmigiel on Unsplash

Happy start to the weekend, Monsters!

How is life treating my favorite book lovers today? A few events are wrapping up or have already come to a close for me and mine this month and it’s given me a fresh outlook, like a good, lung-clearing, deep breath. It’s also giving me that little imp of a tug on my spirit that says, “what’s next?” Do you experience that? The restlessness that comes from finishing a thing? It always feels so good to make it to the end of a big production, so to speak, but there’s this void left with the ending that my annoying doer nature, for some reason, has to fill with activity. Kind of reminds me of trying to clean the house. No sooner do I manage to de-clutter a space than somebody finds it in their heart to start placing new items in it. If you take care of kids, you know what I’m talking about. An empty coffee table is like an invitation, know what I mean?

Here’s some actual footage of me walking in on said scene:

Anyway, I have a few things that have either come to an end now, or are heading that way at warp speed. First off, we finished our spring recital at the dance studio last weekend. Always bittersweet, it was fun to see our efforts, both students and teachers, culminate onstage. There’s the school year swiftly coming to an end for my kiddos. My two youngest are already done with their homeschool group classes and finals are looming next week for my highschoolers. Added to all that, a major accomplishment is barreling down the pipeline… Next weekend, my oldest son is graduates! We’re super proud of him, and, boy, is he glad to have made it to this life milestone.

As for the question of what’s next??? I have plans. Summer plans. Work plans. And, of course, writing plans. *wink, wink* My main thought is to slip into the lair more often with content for all of you this summer. Sound good? I have a few stories sitting in notebooks that I want to blow the dust off of and give a little life to, so you’ll probably be seeing some of those coming up. I’m still publishing chapters of Snow Maiden with commentary for paid subscribers, and will be breaking into Moontide in a bit, as well. If you’d like to access the author extras I’ll be sharing in that space here soon, I’d love to have you. (There’s also a free book on the hook for you, if you decide to upgrade. ;))

I also realized that in all the hubbub I’ve been incredibly lax about bringing you new books from author friends. I feel terrible about that, and mean to remedy my evil ways, so I’m starting right away with this pretty little find:

To Catch a Captain (The Good Ship Ghost of a Chance Book 1)

Elspeth Thistlethwaite is the perfect governor’s daughter: well-educated and beautiful. There is, of course, the slight issue that she’s a witch and her magic can go a bit haywire every now and again. And it should be noted that she has sabotaged every potential marriage that has come her way. To escape the watchful eye of her father and suitors who want to use her as a career stepping stone, she orchestrates her own kidnapping so she can finally learn more about her magic. However, she didn’t account for her kidnapper being so good-looking, something her governesses assured her wasn’t possible.

Captain Cannonball Casanova isn’t the smartest pirate on the seven seas, but what he lacks in intelligence, he more than makes up for in charm and alcohol tolerance. When he hears there’s a very kidnappable governor’s daughter, he jumps at the chance to earn the ransom. But the woman is more than she seems, and a rogue storm at sea leaves the two of them shipwrecked on a deserted Island. It also doesn’t help that she’s quite pretty, but needs to be taught a lesson in how to treat her captain. To make matters worse, a sea witch (with whom Cannonball has considerable history) wants to make a deal with them: Elspeth’s life or Cannonball’s hand in marriage.

The two of them must work together to get off the island. But first, Elspeth will have to learn to trust Cannonball’s motives, and he’ll have to learn when to give control over to Elspeth.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4NDCWX1

I don’t know much about this book, if there’s very much fantasy to it or not etc., but it looks like a cute story. And something about summer and pirate books go hand in hand, I think. Anyway, it’s only 99 cents so I think I’ll give it a try. Let me know if you’ve read it or plan to. And if you have any pirate romance book recs, do share. *insert eyebrow waggle here

Monsters & Mystics

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