Welcome new newsletter readers! If you haven't yet gotten your copy of my free novella, Lions and Love at the Cat Café, you can get it here. For “13 of the recipes mentioned in Kris Bock's Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series,” go here. Coffee and Crushes at the Café (book 1) is available free for review from Booksprout or via Story Origin.

I’m working on the fifth cat café book, which will feature Diane (mother of Kari and Marley from books 1 and 2). That means I need cat names! Feel free to send me the names of your beloved cats or what you think I should name some cats.

Here's one of our ferrets, Bear Bear, the cuddle bug.

Whispers in the Dark is romantic suspense with archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. Reviewers give it a 4.3-star average: “A great read with a strong plot line & likeable characters!” Get your copy today, on sale for $.99!

Archaeology student Kylie Hafford craves adventure when she heads to the remote Puebloan ruins of Lost Valley, Colorado, to excavate. Romance isn’t in her plans, but she soon meets two sexy men: Danesh looks like a warrior from the Pueblo’s ancient past, and Sean is a charming, playful tourist. The summer heats up as Kylie uncovers mysteries, secrets, and terrors in the dark. She’ll need all her strength and wits to survive – and to save the man she’s come to love. 

Whispers in the Dark, romantic suspense set in the Four Corners region of the Southwest, will appeal to fans of Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels, Nora Roberts, and Terry Odell. This title stands alone and is not part of a series.

Cat cafés in the news: Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary Inc. is a no-kill, nonprofit cat sanctuary and adoption center (cat cafe) in Green Bay, WI. It specializes in saving kitties with physical and psychological disabilities. Check out this post with photos of a volunteer napping with cats. "Terry just came along one day and introduced himself. He said he'd like to brush cats. Eventually it became every day. He brushes all of the cats, and can tell you about all of their likes and dislikes. He also accidentally falls asleep most days. We don't mind – Cats need this!"

Auto-fill humor of the day: I was typing on my phone about my book "You Can Write for ..." and it suggested "chickens."

An untapped market, I guess.

(If you’re interested in writing Kid Lit, You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers is available for the Kindle, in paperback, or in Large Print paperback.)

It's autumn in New Mexico, which means sunflowers! These were randomly growing by a drainage ditch.

Wildlife Link: Can people change? Many romance novels are based on the idea that we can. Here's a real-life example – a man who went from notorious poacher to dedicated wildlife protector. Sometimes people simply need the right motivation, or an opportunity.

Awkward writing of the week: I read the following in a romance novel from a well-known author. We are in the hero's point of view, looking at the heroine after she crashes into him.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked, staring at his throat, always so tough on the outside, yet so soft on the inside.

This is not a vampire novel, so I was pretty sure it wasn't his throat that was tough on the outside yet soft inside, but it still took me several reads to figure out the hero was thinking that the heroine was tough/soft.

Find New Books and Authors!

Historical Fiction Reads: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/N7npV5m

Get your Kindle Unlimited Fall Reads – Lots of historical romance, some fantasy, time travel, mysteries, military fiction with Alexander the Great, and my middle grade fantasy The Genie's Gift. If you need a break from the present, you’re sure to find an interesting historical era here.

Clean, Small Town Women's Fiction & Romance: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/TwGTFYC

Fun romance books you can get for free in hopes you'll leave a review! All are sweet and clean (no sex or swearing). Reviews are not required but you can claim more free books if you read/review/share your review links on the site.

October Romance Book Fair: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/mnOTcb0

Whether you like cowboys (Yeeha!) or princes, aliens 👽 or tattooed Mafia bad boys, dog lovers or cat fans, you'll find great Fall Reads in this bunch of books! Visit small towns, beautiful beaches, big cities, Paris, a Druid's portal and more!

Books on My Radar:

Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium: A Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy prequel novel (by my brother and me) is available at various ebook retailers and in paperback. The book is also available as a free download for people willing to review it (on Amazon, GoodReads, your blog, etc.). Request a free review ebook copy here.

Remember Destiny: A Second Chance Military Romance (Healing Hearts Book 11), by Ginny Sterling: Great reviews on this series of sweet, clean romances that follow a team of soldiers once stationed in Afghanistan. “Dr. Maura Cambridge was up to her eyeballs in student loans. When the opportunity emerges to wipe the slate clean by participating in a contest, who was she to say no? A wild adventure and a chance to escape before adulting in the ‘real world’ seems ideal… until she was partnered with the brooding soldier who was scowling at her.”

Love Connection, a Romantic Comedy by Camilla Isley – Free with newsletter signup! Plus, if you like her writing, she has lots of well-reviewed books you can read. “Gemma Dawson is at the airport, staring at two plane tickets to two different cities. Two different weddings. Two possible futures. She’s at a crossroads. Be maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding or crash her ex’s? ... Love Connection is a feel-good Romantic Comedy about one woman, life’s infinite possibilities, and the destiny that lies beyond two different choices.”

Mildred Just Call Me Sheriff: A Small Town Western Clean Romance, by Rhondee Barlow: Female sheriff, anyone? Free with newsletter signup! “When Mildred moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming, she hoped for a quieter life as the Sheriff of a small town. Of course, not everyone in the west wants a female sheriff. Her biggest supporter is a tall, handsome man who also asks her to be his date to the town dance.”

Riding Past Midnight, by Ella Cooper: Another one free if you sign up for her newsletter. She also has a lot of stories in Kindle Unlimited about cowboys and mountain men. “I don’t know what it’s going to be like coming back home. The second I get into town I just want to turn back and pretend that this place doesn’t exist. There are too many hardships here and too much pain. Then I meet the most handsome man in town. When a big storm rages throughout town, I realize I can’t run away from every problem I come across. Content Warning: This story is written for Adult Readers Only.

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