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Judith Sterling

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Judith Sterling

Tag Archives: mystery

MALL GIRL MEETS THE SHADOW VANDAL by Kimberly Baer

15 Thursday Apr 2021

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

inspiration for setting, Judith Sterling, Kimberly Baer, Kirkus Reviews, Mall Girl Meets the Shadow Vandal, middle-grade mystery, middle-grade novel, mystery, new release, The Wild Rose Press

Say hello to Kimberly Baer! She’s a talented sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press), and her new release, Mall Girl Meets the Shadow Vandal, has received some great reviews. Let’s learn how an unusual house inspired this middle-grade novel. Take it away, Kimberly!

I used to work in the downtown area of a small city. My parking lot was several blocks from my office, so I had a pleasant trek to look forward to twice a day. (Unless it was raining. Or snowing. Or really windy. Or really, really hot. Then it wasn’t so pleasant.) My route included a street with a row of old houses that had been converted into businesses—dental offices, accounting firms, insurance agencies, and the like. Smack-dab in the middle of that row was a single residential house, complete with a front porch swing and a small, grassy yard. For whatever reason, it had never been repurposed as a business.

I used to wonder about the occupants. Why would they choose to live in a business district? Were they as rebellious as their house? What would it be like to grow up there? Eventually, a story took shape. I pictured a pre-teen girl in the starring role. I imagined the challenges she would face growing up with office workers for neighbors instead of families. And at some point I thought, what if her house wasn’t downtown? What if it was in the middle of a shopping mall?

Bingo. That was the twist that launched Mall Girl Meets the Shadow Vandal. I mean, what kid wouldn’t love living in a shopping mall? I thought this would make a really fun setting for a middle-grade mystery novel.

I guess just about anything can spark a story—a daydream, a night dream, a newscast. A person, an experience. And, yes, even a kooky old house that doesn’t fit in with its neighbors!

A little more about Mall Girl Meets the Shadow Vandal:

“A lively, jaunty mystery with a terrific cast of characters.” – Kirkus Reviews

Chloe Lamont doesn’t live in a neighborhood, like most kids. Her house is in the middle of the mall. And now someone is stealing items from her house and using them to vandalize stores. Who is trying to frame her? And how are they getting into the house? 

Desperate to catch the real vandal and clear her name, Chloe seeks help from the kids in her Mystery Reading Group at school. While searching for clues, the Mystery Groupers make an astounding discovery. And then things get really crazy…

A peek between the pages:

I hate getting up early, so it’s a blessed relief when Saturday morning rolls around and I get to sleep in.

Then I wake up and find out there’s been another egging.

Mom tells me about it when she comes home at lunchtime. This time Maynard’s Shoes was the victim. A bunch of shoes on display out front got hit. Like last time, the police think the crime took place in the middle of the night.

“How many—” I begin.

“Eight. They used eight eggs.”

We eye each other uneasily. Outside the living room window, a lady says contemptuously, “She acts like she’s the first woman on earth to ever have a baby.”

Mom turns abruptly and heads into the kitchen. I’m right behind her. We park ourselves in front of the refrigerator.

“I bought a new carton on Thursday,” she says, twisting her opal ring around and around on her pinkie. “I haven’t used any eggs at all. If you haven’t either, there should still be a full dozen.”

“I haven’t used any,” I tell her.

She takes a deep breath and tugs open the refrigerator door. She has the grim demeanor of a fourteenth-century villager about to open a vampire’s coffin. She takes out the egg carton and places it on the counter. Gingerly, she lifts the lid.

There are four eggs inside, crowded together at the left end of the carton. The rest of the carton looks starkly empty, like eight tiny bird’s nests emptied of occupants.

“Oh!” Mom clamps a hand over her mouth. “How can this be?”

I can only stare at the carton in silence, dazed by the undeniable truth. Somebody is taking our eggs and using them to attack mall stores. I just don’t know who or how or why.

Mom is looking desperately at me. “Did you drop the carton and maybe break some? It’s okay—I won’t be mad.”

“I didn’t break any eggs. I haven’t touched the carton.”

She paces around the kitchen, taking short, quick steps because it’s a tiny room. “I don’t understand. What’s going on?”

“Somebody’s stealing our eggs,” I say, and that impossible truth sounds even more impossible spoken aloud. “Did you lock all the doors and windows last night? Did you bolt the doors?”

“Of course. Do you still double-check them before you go to bed?”

“Always.” It’s something we’re both paranoid about. The mall is a creepy place at night when nobody’s around. “Were the doors still bolted this morning when you got up?”

She nods.

“Maybe the person came down the chimney,” I say. “Like some kind of evil Santa Claus.”

She takes a moment to think that over. “That would be difficult, to say the least. Going back up would be even harder. And it doesn’t explain how they got into the mall after hours. Besides, why would somebody break into our house just to steal eggs? If they’re going to go to all the trouble of breaking in, why not steal our computer or my jewelry, or—or—” She gestures toward a jar on the kitchen counter. “—the grocery money?”

Mom always makes sure there’s cash on hand in case I need to run to Shop and Save. The jar is in plain sight. I can see the green bills curled inside, two twenties and a ten.

She’s staring at me expectantly, waiting for more theories about how eight eggs just walked out of our refrigerator. But I’m out of ideas.

“That’s it. No more eggs for us,” my mother says fiercely. “I’m just not going to buy them anymore. If we want eggs, we’ll go out to breakfast.”

“Fine by me,” I say.

She pulls out a chair and plops down at the table. “Jack Caldwell will be saying we’re the prime suspects again. After all, we had opportunity.”

“But not motive,” I say, sitting down across from her. “Maynard’s Shoes isn’t your rival. You don’t sell shoes.” I gnaw at a jagged edge of my thumbnail. “This has happened twice now. Don’t you think we should tell the police?”

“No!” she says immediately. Then, with a sigh, “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Look, it’s not like we’re guilty,” I remind her. “We’ll just tell the truth and let the police figure things out. That’s what they do.”

A group of teenage girls giggle outside the kitchen window. A relentlessly crying baby goes by. A lady says, “Whatever happened with that friend of yours who found the nest of opossums in her sock drawer?”

Mom is hunched over the table. She says, in a thin voice, “I’m just afraid if the police find out how much you hate living here, they’ll think you’re the one doing the eggings. To get us evicted.”

I’m so flabbergasted, I’m speechless. For a few seconds, anyway. “I can’t believe you would even say that! You think I’m doing the eggings?”

“Not me. But the police might.”

“Oh, so now you’re playing devil’s advocate. Like Jack Caldwell.”

I know what “playing devil’s advocate” means because I looked it up after Jack said it, after Ram tried to say it. It means “taking the opposing viewpoint for the sake of argument.”

“I’m just trying to think like the police. Trying to consider all the possibilities.”

“Oh, yeah?” I stand up, shoving my chair away. “Well, I know I didn’t do the eggings, and you said nobody could have broken into our house. So that leaves you. You must be the guilty party. How’s that for a possibility?”

And I stomp through the living room and storm out the front door.

Buy the book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Where to find Kimberly:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Goodreads

Thanks so much for joining me today, Kimberly. I’m wishing you great success with your new release!

The Dog Days of Summer Reading Giveaway ~ N. N. Light’s Book Heaven

02 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

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Dog Days of Summer, Flight of the Raven, Judith Sterling, literary giveaway, medieval romance, mystery, N. N. Light's Book Heaven, romance, summer reading, The Novels of Ravenwood

August has arrived, and the “dog days of summer” are in full swing. I don’t know about you, but I am DYING for the crisp, cool weather of fall!

N. N. Light must have heat stroke because they’ve got a sizzling giveaway! You can win free books (both autographed print and e-copy) generously donated by some of their favorite authors, including me! The genres range from young adult to erotic romance to mystery to sweet romance. If you’re a booklover like me, you crave books like a dog craves a nice walk on the beach, and this is your chance to score one. You could even win an e-copy of Flight of the Raven, the first book in my medieval romance series, The Novels of Ravenwood.

If there’s a particular book or prize you’d like to win, be sure to specify which one when you enter via Rafflecopter. Enter below and good luck!

Dog Day of Summer Reading Giveaway: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db775034

Literary Giveaway Portal: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/literary-giveaway-portal

Have a beautiful day and a great weekend!  🙂

 

A “Crowned Heart” for Excellence!

06 Wednesday Mar 2019

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Crowned Heart, Guardians of Erin, InD'Tale Magazine, Ireland, Irish legends, Judith Sterling, mystery, mystical creatures, The Cauldron Stirred, The Stone Awakened, The Sword Unsheathed, YA, YA paranormal, young adult series


I got a nice surprise this morning. InD’Tale Magazine awarded The Stone Awakened a “Crowned Heart” for excellence! Here’s a snippet of the review:

“Readers will be caught up in Judith Sterling’s magical world filled with modern, relatable characters, Irish legends, mystical creatures, sweet romance, and a suspenseful mystery leaving them with hungry anticipation for the next book in the series.”

I certainly hope so!  And now, I’m off to work on The Sword Unsheathed, the third book in the Guardians of Erin series.  Have a lovely Wednesday, and in case you’re interested, here are the buy links:

Amazon https://www.amzn.com/B07K4Y7QV6

Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-stone-awakened-judith-sterling/1129823740

iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-stone-awakened/id1441253802?mt=11

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-stone-awakened

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Awakened-Guardians-Erin-Book-ebook/dp/B07K4Y7QV6

Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/Stone-Awakened-Guardians-Erin-Book-ebook/dp/B07K4Y7QV6

Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/Stone-Awakened-Guardians-Erin-Book-ebook/dp/B07K4Y7QV6

An Interview with Kathryn Hills, Author of HELLFIRE AND HANDBASKETS

21 Thursday Jun 2018

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

A Time Traveler's Journey, guest author, Haunting Highland House, Hellfire and Handbaskets, historical, interview, Judith Sterling, Kathryn Hills, mystery, New England, paranormal, romance, time travel

I’m thrilled to have my fellow author and dear friend, Kathryn Hills, here with me today. Like me, she loves romance, mystery, and things that go bump in the night! We’re celebrating her recent release of Hellfire and Handbaskets (A Time Traveler’s Journey, Book 2), and I can’t wait to read it!

Welcome, Kathryn. Let’s get this interview started!

 

At what age did you write your first story? I’m a late bloomer when it comes to story-writing. Haunting Highland House – A Time Traveler’s Journey was my first writing endeavor aside from college and career projects. I spent many years in the technology sector, writing much of that time. However, my past life wasn’t nearly as much fun as writing romance.

I read Haunting Highland House and loved it! Which genre was the first to hook you? Definitely romance! I’ve been a fan since my teen years. Expanding, I’ll say I love historicals, especially those with Gothic and/or paranormal/time-travel twists.

So do I! What’s your favorite part of the writing process? I enjoy writing most. Although, as a dedicated history junky, research is a close second. (Outlining? Please…help me!) My books are set in New England, which makes it easy to traipse around historic homes, grand hotels, graveyards, and haunted locations. All in the name of “research,” of course.

To be sure, New England is a treasure trove of such things! Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite? The setting for Haunting Highland House is my favorite because it was inspired by a real place – Highfield Hall in Falmouth, Massachusetts. I share the story on my website.

https://www.kathrynhills.com/single-post/2016/10/09/When-an-Old-House-Becomes-a-Central-Character

The gist? An unexpected visit to a Victorian-era mansion on Cape Cod inspired me to embark on a writing career. My imagination sparked with the history and beauty of the place, creating characters and a love story that spans centuries. And books! Readers return to my favorite haunted house in Book 2.

Have you ever dreamed about a character you created? Not a character as much as an essential element of a story. Rune stones! However, I will say there are odd synchronicities when I write. Fictional places and dates I create, falling perfectly in line with historic locations and events. Spooky. I LOVE it!

Cool! That happens with my writing too, and I love it! If you could travel any time and place, when and where would that be? Great question, and one I enjoy exploring with friends (typically, over wine). Now…if we had a magic rune stone we could go anywhere or when, but if I must choose… Thebes, Egypt, around 1923, when English archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the sealed burial chamber of Tutankhamen.

OMG! I would’ve LOVED to be present at that discovery!  How amazing would it be to actually meet Howard Carter? Sigh…

Okay.  Let’s learn some of your favorite things.

Sound: Ocean surf or crickets

Eye color: In a hero? Gray…like Robert Pennington’s. Or maybe warm whiskey-amber…like Rick Hauser’s. Haha I’m torn.

Song: Too many to choose, yet I’m inspired by music. How about I give you a song that fits this latest book, Hellfire and Handbaskets? “How We Operate” by the British rock band, Gomez. It’s a great representation of how Dr. Rick Hauser—an Army medic veteran—views his relationship with heroine, Amelia Pennington. Here’s a link to the band’s music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SOGwuJARHc

Cuisine: Tex-Mex or BBQ

Cookie: Chocolate Chip

Tea or coffee? Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee. This New England gal runs on Dunkins!

Cake or pie? Either, just make it chocolate.

Halloween or Christmas? Oh, jeez… Both, again. Autumn and Halloween are my jam. I LOVE FALL!! Yet my entire home switches over to twinkling lights and Christmas magic come mid-November.

Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes? Sherlock…with a side of Sam and Dean 😉

Yes, Sam and Dean from Supernatural are awesome! Jane Austen or the Bronte sisters? I’ll say Jane, because of her humor.

A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover? Vampire. Is my dark side showing?

LOL. English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy? Must I choose? That’s the beauty of “book boyfriends,” after all. 😊

Nope. No need to choose. You can have it all! Thanks so much for joining me today, Kathryn. And now, here’s a little more about Hellfire and Handbaskets:

It’s hell in the ER, but Army veteran Dr. Rick Hauser wouldn’t work anywhere else. The hardened combat medic thinks he’s seen it all. Until she storms into his life.

Amelia Pennington is not just a pretty face. She’s a time-traveler. A medical student from 1895, forced to flee a madman. She’s been in trouble before, but this time everything she loves is at risk. Can a reluctant hero be the key she’s searching for?

What’s left of Hauser’s heart is still on the battlefield. Last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a mystery woman. But when he finds Amelia on the streets, he ignores the warning shots firing off in his head and takes her home. In less than twenty-four hours, she’s upended his self-protected world. Even his dog, Rocky, is in love.

Here’s a peek inside the pages:

Hauser looked up from his work station. The blonde from the waiting room was in the ER corridor, looking crazed. Without thinking, he headed straight for her.

She rushed forward when she saw him and threw herself at his feet. “Please, Doctor, help me.”

Rick grabbed her under the arms and hauled her back to standing. She looped around his waist before he could stop her.

“Security,” someone else yelled.

An alarm code sounded.

“I got this,” Rick relayed. He captured her face and made her look at him. Wild blue eyes shot from side to side. “Hey. Eyes on me. Only me. There ya go.” His voice calmed when she complied. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Please,” she begged in a low tone meant only for his ears. “Something dreadful happened in the tunnels.”

He recognized it then, the ghost of real trauma. She’d been through something bad. “All right. You’re safe with me.” He relaxed his hold and felt her tremble in his arms. Her head came to rest against his chest. With a ragged sigh, she nestled into him.

A shudder of unfamiliar emotion shot through him. He hadn’t held a woman in years. Heck, he hadn’t even been this close to another human unless they were injured or dying.

“Tell me your name,” he insisted. Still, he held her.

Bo Peep felt good. Damn good. Slim but strong, all curves and sweet, sexy woman pressed full against him. Rick’s sex-starved body surged to life as if he’d been hit with paddles. Her blonde head rose, and she met his stare. Trust had replaced the fear. When she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, his resolve took a nosedive.

Sweet Jesus, what the hell? Rick cleared his throat and untangled himself from her. “I can’t help unless you work with me. What’s your name? I’m Hauser. I mean…Dr. Rick Hauser.”

She stood straight. “Amelia Pennington, and I need your help, Doctor.” Her voice had turned steady. Steadier than his.

“That’s why I’m here. Tell me what happened.”

“There’s a man,” she began. Her gaze snapped to those entering alongside them.

Rick held up one hand to stay the guards, twitching to haul her away. “What happened with the man?”

She didn’t answer. Her laser focus remained on the others.

“Well then, Amelia Pennington…” He took her hand and drew her back to him. “You sure know how to make an entrance. But security is gonna need to ask you a few questions before I can help.”

“No…” she moaned.

“Yes,” he commanded.

She looked to the other men again, appearing to size them up. With surprising strength, she shoved Rick and darted past the guards. And she fled into the night as if the devil himself chased after her.

A bit more about Kathryn:

The rich history and many mysteries of New England are the perfect backdrop for Kathryn’s books. Winding roads lined by old stone walls, forgotten cemeteries, grand homes with shadowy pasts… All sparks for her imagination. Whether it’s a quaint seaside town or the vibrant city of Boston, it’s easy for this “hauntingly romantic” author to envision the past mingling with the present.

Taking it further—to have her characters experience the past or present, opposite to “when” they belong—is the fun part. No surprise, some of Kathryn’s favorite stories involve time travel. And ghosts! Sprinkle in some magic, and you’re off on a great adventure.

When not writing, she’s exploring history and taking photographs of the beautiful landscape that surrounds her. Kathryn shares her colonial home with those she loves most—her wonderful husband, daughter, and three crazy dogs.

Where you can find her and her books:

Website: www.kathrynhills.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKathrynHills

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorKathrynH @AuthorKathrynH

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kathrynhillsaut/boards/

The Wild Rose Press Author Page: http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/2221_kathryn-hills

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-Hills/e/B01LBDCVVU

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15860681.Kathryn_Hills

 

The Cauldron Stirred – Giveaway!

31 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

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Tags

fantasy, giveaway, Goodreads, Guardians of Erin, Ireland, Killarney, mystery, new release, paranormal, romance, The Cauldron Stirred, Tuatha De Danann, young adult

I’m doing a giveaway of my new release, The Cauldron Stirred, on Goodreads.  Enter now through August 15, and you could win one of two signed copies.  If you love Ireland, fantasy, the paranormal, romance, mystery, or all of the above, you might want to check it out.

Good luck to all who enter!  🙂

A little about The Cauldron Stirred:

Ashling Donoghue never dreamed moving to Ireland would rock her perception of reality and plunge her into a mystery that brings legend to life.

At seventeen, she’s never had a boyfriend, but she feels an immediate connection to Aengus Breasal, the son of the wealthy Irishman who’s invited her family to stay at his Killarney estate.  For the first time in her life, a guy she likes seems attracted to her.

But Aengus is secretive, with good reason.  He and his family are the Tuatha Dé Danann, ageless, mythical guardians adept at shifting between this reality and the magical dimension known as the Otherworld.  Evil forces from that world threaten the Breasals, the Donoghues, and all of Ireland.  Ashling must open her heart, face her fears, and embrace a destiny greater than she could ever have imagined.

The Drew in the Dreams

29 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

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dreams, Guardians of Erin, Judith Sterling, mystery, Nancy Drew, The Novels of Ravenwood, writing

Yesterday, Nancy Drew turned 87.  Tomorrow, I turn 49, but many memories from my childhood are clear and indelible.  I’ll never forget the thrill of reading my first Nancy Drew book, The Haunted Bridge, when I was 10.  I’d found a kindred spirit, albeit fictional.  We both welcomed adventure and felt driven to solve the mysteries that confronted us.

Some puzzles I solved while awake; others, while asleep.  I had a number of lucid dreams (when one is conscious of dreaming while the dreams are still in progress, thereby allowing one to control them).  I also experienced what could only be called “serial dreaming” over a two-week period.  On the first night, a mystery worthy of Nancy Drew began to unfold.  I was the detective, but Nancy and her friends, Bess and George, were right by my side, investigating a haunted house.  Each successive night, I dreamed the next “chapter” of the story.  By the end of the fortnight, I’d solved the mystery.

Some of what I write today—whether medieval romance (The Novels of Ravenwood) or young adult fantasy (Guardians of Erin)—is inspired by dreams.  Sometimes the opposite occurs, and the characters I create wend their way into my nights.  But I’ll never forget the magic of those serial dreams which brought excitement and intrigue closer than fiction and made my favorite girl detective proud.

 

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