Does it need a trailer hitch?

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Quote from Bookshelf.com about Elevator Ride featured in the book trailer of this post.A Trailer & More

Recently, I’ve been working on some marketing items including a book trailer for Elevator Ride from my Valkyrie Brothers series. Creating a book trailer is a challenge! It’s like condensing the soul of an entire book into just a minute or less of video magic. The first hurdle? Finding the perfect way to visually represent the story, oh, and also do it in a way that I can either afford or can do myself.

We Have the Technology

Then there’s the creative juggling act. Music, voiceovers, text, and pacing all need to work together harmoniously. Too dramatic? It feels cheesy. Too subtle? It risks being forgettable. Finding that balance is like trying to walk a tightrope in gale-force winds. And don’t forget the tech side! Editing software, sourcing content, and tweaking everything to perfection can be daunting. And while I have picked up some skills editing videos, they aren’t necessarily skills I wanted to have! But I do like having the ability to put some basic things together.

What’s New

This time I worked with a new voice over talent who was looking to see if voice over was really something she could or wanted to do.  It was fun to work with someone new and help them explore their talents.  I liked what we accomplished and I hope she ends up pursuing vocal work.  Here is the result of our collaboration.

Are Trailers Worth It?

In our social media driven world, having video as part of the marketing package is increasingly important.  People and search engines react positively to video.  It can’t be the only thing in the marketing arsenal but it does mean that more marketing avenues are open to me. So while it might be hard work, it does have a positive impact.

And here’s the silver lining: when it all comes together, there’s a magical sense of accomplishment. A great book trailer isn’t just an advertisement; it’s an invitation to readers to dive into a world they didn’t know they needed.

Want to see some of my other book trailers?  Check out my book trailer page: bethanymaines.com/book-trailers/

About the Valkyrie Brothers Series

The Valkyrie Brothers trilogy is a laugh-packed series of connected romantic mysteries starring the Valkyrie Brothers–Rowan, Forest, and Ash–as they struggle to find love AND stay alive in Seattle.  LEARN MORE: https://amzn.to/3XEL9id

Learn more about other books from the Stiletto Gang: www.thestilettogang.com/books/

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Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of action-adventure and fantasy tales that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind end. She participates in many activities including swearing, karate, art, and yelling at the news. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter, or glued to the computer working on her next novel (or screenplay). You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

 

Got Your Card?

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My husband is a fan of television games. His favorite? Jeopardy! He likes to record new episodes for us to watch together whenever there’s a half-hour break in our day.

Lately, I’ve noticed that librarians are among the more successful contestants. It makes sense, I suppose, because a primary requirement for both jobs is to love the knowledge that books impart to us.

This is National Library Week in the U.S., and today is National Library Workers Day. Librarians have recently been on the defense, having to fend off a posse of self-appointed book-ban vigilantes. So, let’s all sound the clarions for librarians, those dutiful guardians of our collective cultures.

Librarians these days perform a variety of useful services that go way beyond sorting and cataloguing books. Chances are that your local library offers internet access, dvds, video games, board games, city passes, discounts to other venues, community meeting rooms, research assistance, lectures, craft lessons, Bookmobiles, and more.

And it’s all free and available to everyone.

My brother and his wife take their grandkids to the library every week for story hour and games. It’s a great way to introduce the young ones to books and the comforts a library can provide.

In our neighborhood, there’s a branch  that specializes in family history research. They’ll even help with access to certain genealogical sites and publications that may hold the key to your Great Grandpa Jedediah’s war record or criminal record, as the case may be. I’ve donated a few items to them, and there are plenty more to give, including high school and college yearbooks from the last century. I also have boxes of fiction and non-fiction books ready to drop off at our central library donation center. Even if they already have enough copies of a book, they can add them to the inventory for the next fundraising sale.

My guess is that if you’re still reading this post, you may have a few tomes crowding your shelves that you could donate, too. At any rate, in an increasingly cluttered world, getting rid of excess stuff feels like a much needed catharsis to me.

You’ve got questions? Librarians have answers. So let’s give a shout-out to libraries and their caretakers this week. And if you don’t have a library card already, why not get one?

Do you have memories of going to the library as a child?

Gay Yellen is the author of the award-winning Samantha Newman Mystery Series including:

The Body Business, The Body Next Door, and The Body in the News!

 

Bethany Maines drinks from an arsenic mug

What to Giveaway

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Goodreads Giveaway graphic for Elevator RideIs it good to giveaway a book?

Well, as a recipient of the occasional free book, I will confirm that yes, I think it’s great when authors giveaway books.  However, many authors feel extremely leery of giving away free books. There have been many instances of winners selling books or copying content, so that fear is not unfounded.

Philosophy

However, my philosophy is that while I can’t control the actions of others, I can be a generous person. In other words, haters gonna hate and book pirates are going to book pirate, but I can still put out the kind of energy that I would like to see in the world. Besides, if the four dollars you get from selling an advance print copy of my book is what helps you make it through the day, then take the four bucks.  Piracy of ebooks bugs me far more and is an extensive topic that I won’t get into, but in general once I hand you a print copy, you are free to read it, sell it, or pop it in a little free library.  Just don’t tell me about it.  Unless you loved it.  Then absolutely tell me all about it.  I want to hear every word.

Do you want free books?

Then sign up for Goodreads, Booksweeps, or LibraryThing.  Goodreads is now owned by Amazon, so if you’re trying to boycott or you hate them for their myriad of union busting, author scamming ways (completely understandable), then try Booksweeps or LibraryThing. All three platforms consistently gives away free books in all genres and the odds are far better than the lottery. Booksweeps works directly with authors and is a great place to find your next indie read (they’re my favorite).  Library Thing is a bit clunky, but still fun and Goodreads is also strangely clunky, but somehow has all the snarky vibes of high school and a NYT review.

Elevator Ride Book

Today’s Giveaway

Today I’m sharing my giveaway of the print copies of my forthcoming novel Elevator Ride.  This one available through Goodreads.  The giveaway runs through 3/16.  Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Enter the giveaway!

ENTER HERE: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/406074-elevator-ride

About the book:

Vivian Kaye has been tasked with serving a cease-and-desist letter to Rowan Valkyrie—the most hated tenant in Seattle’s Hoskins building—but when she ambushes the seasoned security professional in the elevator, she ignites a powder keg of tempers and attraction. PREORDER NOW

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Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of action-adventure and fantasy tales that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind end. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter, or glued to the computer working on her next novel (or screenplay). You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.  And don’t forget to check out all the Stiletto Gang authors and books on our BOOK page.

Time for a Change?

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There are two kinds of people in this country: those who love Daylight Saving Time, and those who don’t.

There’s a third group, I suppose: those who can’t decide, even though the reality of it has been around for nearly sixty years.

The U.S. tried it twice before, during World Wars I and II, in an attempt to minimize the use of artificial lighting and save fuel for the war effort. That exercise likely lay the seed for its permanent adoption by Congress in the Uniform Time Act of 1966.

And yet today, not all states have approved the legislation. 

Both Hawaii and Arizona (except for the real estate owned by the Navajo Nation) remain on Standard Time year-round. Meanwhile, 20 states have passed laws or resolutions aiming to stop the time change. However, they cannot implement the change without approval from Congress.

The debate lingers on, like an all-day hangover.

Among those in the DST camp: Golfers. The sport’s aficionados are practically ecstatic when the clock rolls back. Earlier evening hours increase playing time on the links, and players tend to hang around the clubhouse longer in the evening, buying drinks and food. Caddies, country clubs, and public courses alike make more money.

So, good for golfers. Not so good for other businesses. It pretty much killed the drive-in movie business. Remember them?

Staying neutral? The nappers.

As a consolation prize to those who still need more sleep this week, there is National Napping Day, first declared in 1999 by a married couple who sought to promote the benefits of a daytime snooze. (No word on whether they napped together or apart.) It’s no coincidence that it falls on the heels of our mandated clock regression.

Nappers are apparently unfazed by the time change. It’s a fact that mid-afternoon naps have been an integral part of most cultures for centuries. In many countries, businesses still close for two afternoon hours, prime time for a little “afternoon delight,” which may or may not include a nap.

Nappers point to numerous studies that tout a 10-20 minute nap as the most effective way to combat midday fatigue. Improvements in alertness, productivity, and mood—along with decreased stress—have all been shown to improve with this type of snooze. There are even guidelines for how to nap productively. Some claim that a pre-Daylight Saving Time nap can avoid any post-time-change blur.

However…

On the other side of the debate are the grumblers, who offer a multitude of objections, such as:

Why try to mess with Time? Mother Nature brings us longer sunlight hours every Spring and Summer without all the fuss and bother of DST. Why force us to reset our non-digital devices in March, only to change them again every Autumn? And where’s the romance in an evening soirée that takes place mostly in daylight? It’s too confusing, and darn it, people hate taking their children to school in the dark!

Also, even though habitual nappers think they have the time-change-induced mind fog licked, napping can leave a person feeling groggy after waking, which makes it harder to get anything productive accomplished for the rest of the day. And it may lead to nighttime insomnia—possibly with regret over things you could have accomplished instead of sleeping.

Which side of DST are you on? For, against, or somewhere in the middle?

Gay Yellen’s award-winning writing career began in magazine journalism. She served as the co-writer/editor for the international thriller, Five Minutes to Midnight(Delacorte), a New York Times “New & Notable.” The success of that book led to her Samantha Newman Romantic Mystery Series.

 

 

 

Author Lois Winston on Cozy Mystery Books vs. the Mind-boggling World of Minecraft

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By Lois Winston

Image by InoxyBuild from Pixabay

There was a time when I enjoyed fantasy, science fiction, and even some horror. The summer before ninth grade, I discovered The Lord of the Rings trilogy and read all three books within a few weeks. The books of Ira Levin, Arthur C. Clarke, and Tom Tryon filled my spare time throughout high school and into college, in-between assigned literary works like Moby Dick and The Bell Jar.

I also like to think that I have a decent knowledge of current events and trends, although I have no interest in following most of those trends. I can still kill it on Jeopardy most nights, though I’ll admit, the answers aren’t coming at the same rapid speed they once did. The brain is a muscle, and with the inevitability of growing old, all muscles, no matter how much you exercise them, start slowing down with age.

But then there’s Minecraft. My eight and ten-year-old grandsons are obsessed with it. They play it as much as they’re allowed, and when they’ve used up their screen time for the day, they either read Minecraft books or talk about Minecraft incessantly.

And I just don’t get it. Not their obsession. I get obsessions. I had plenty of my own throughout childhood and even into adulthood. My obsessions haven’t ceased. I recently became obsessed with West Wing, a show I had never watched back in the day, but I spent hours binge-watching the entire seven seasons in the autumn and early winter of 2024.

What I don’t get is Minecraft. I’ve tried. I’ve watched my grandsons play and listened to their explanation of the rules. I’ve read aloud chapters in their Minecraft books. But try as I might, I can’t wrap my brain around what strikes me as very random and odd rules concerning assorted worlds, cauldrons, emeralds, ores, ender dragons, wizards, witches, elder guardians, blocky animals, trees that don’t look like trees, and mining fatigue. And those are just a few of the oddities. It’s enough to make my head spin. It really bothers me that I seem completely incapable, even after hours of tutelage, of grasping the most rudimentary aspects of Minecraft. 😵‍💫

Perhaps Minecraft makes perfect sense to the pre-pubescent brain because they’re more open to wonderous possibilities. After all, they still believe in Santa Claus. It’s probably best that I stick to my own imaginary world of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries. The murder and mayhem I throw at my reluctant amateur sleuth in my cozy mystery books makes far more sense to me than the pixelated world of Minecraft ever will.

What about you? Is there something about modern culture or trends that leaves you stymied and scratching your head? Post a comment for a chance to win a promo code for a free download of any of the currently available Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery audiobooks.

~*~

USA Today and Amazon bestselling author Lois Winston began her award-winning writing career with Talk Gertie to Me, a humorous fish-out-of-water novel about a small-town girl going off to the big city and the mother determined to bring her home to marry the boy next door. That was followed by the romantic suspense Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception.

Then Lois’s writing segued unexpectedly into the world of humorous amateur sleuth mysteries, thanks to a conversation her agent had with an editor looking for craft-themed mysteries. In her day job, Lois was an award-winning craft and needlework designer, and although she’d never written a mystery—or had even thought about writing a mystery—her agent decided she was the perfect person to pen a series for this editor.

Thus, was born the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, which Kirkus Reviews dubbed “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” The series now includes fourteen novels and three novellas. Lois also writes the Empty Nest Mysteries and has written several standalone mystery novellas. Other publishing credits include romance, chick lit, and romantic suspense novels, a series of romance short stories, a children’s chapter book, and a nonfiction book on writing, inspired by her twelve years working as an associate at a literary agency. Her latest release is Seams Like the Perfect Crime, the fourteenth Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery.

Learn more about Lois and her books at www.loiswinston.com where you can find links for her other social media sites and sign up for her newsletter to receive a free download of an Anastasia Pollack Mini-Mystery.

The Secret to Her Success

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I’m delighted to welcome a remarkably prolific author to the Gang as our guest today. Pamela Fagan Hutchins and I met early in our writing careers. Since then, she has published upwards of 30 books, mostly novels (award-winning romantic mysteries, a couple of children’s books, and some non-fiction, too). Lately, she’s been turning out some modern tales of Western adventure.

The secret to her success? To my mind, it’s that she spins new tales faster than a bullet train, and that her stories engage readers with heart and humor.

Here is her latest OMG work schedule, in her own words:

I’m lucky that I write fast, type fast, and no longer have kids at home or a job outside of writing. I also believe that writing is something you can get more efficient at over time.

After thirty-two novels and seven nonfiction books, I’ve had a lot of practice!

But I am firm about sticking to set writing hours and setting word and page count goals to keep me focused. I eliminate most distractions, and I reward myself frequently… lots of snacks!

Way back in 2020, my agent challenged me to write Big Horn, the Jenn Herrington Wyoming mystery that ultimately won me a publishing contract with Hachette UK’s Bookouture. But my editor wanted me to change it substantially or write a different book. I was happy with Big Horn just how it was. I opted to publish it myself and write a Detective Delaney Pace novel for Bookouture.

Two things happened. First, Big Horn slayed and kept slaying for two solid years. Meanwhile had to write three Delaney Pace books and one Patrick Flint family adventure mystery during the year after Big Horn came out. And move to Denmark for my husband’s work. Then Bakersfield. Then France. Have two foot surgeries. Welcome my first two grandkids.

Ya know—life stuff.

Despite Big Horn having had the best release of any book I’d ever written—better than Delaney Pace did, originally, although it’s picked up a lot of steam!—I did not get the follow-up book out for 18 months. In indie publishing terms, that’s a century. And I had a heck of a time pulling myself out of Delaney’s and Patrick’s worlds and back into Jenn’s.

But I’d already outlined five follow-up books while I was writing Big Horn. So, the book I rolled out next was Walker Prairie. It had the planned plots and subplots and the same gritty-but-kinda-cozy feel which some people love.

Between the time I outlined Walker Prairie (2021) and when I wrote it (2024), I acquired two Alaskan Malamute sled dogs, Willett and Sibley! They seemed like the perfect lighthearted addition to Jenn and Aaron’s world, so I wrote them in, and just like in real life, they proceeded to WOO and HOWL and JUMP AROUND until they’d pretty much hijacked the book. The plot remained the same, but the adventure elements surrounding the climactic scenes changed to feature two beautiful, often-naughty, and occasionally terrifying FLOOFS (my term for fluffy goofs.)

So, whether you pick up Walker Prairie because you’re dying to read about or continue with Jenn, her veterinarian husband Aaron, her legal associate Kid James, and Jeremiah Johnson (the loveable skunk), or because you love gritty-cozy romantic legal thrillers, or Wyoming mysteries, or just love books with FLOOFS, I am delighted that the wait is over and Walker Prairie is finally here.

And I love the book! You can get your copy here:

USA Today bestselling author of the Detective Delaney Pace series / Host of Crime & Wine / Silver Falchion Best Mystery Winner

Published by Bookouture/Hachette UK and SkipJack Publishing

Thanks for stopping by, Pamela!

Gay Yellen’s writing career began in magazine journalism. She served as the co-writer/editor for the international thriller, Five Minutes to Midnight (Delacorte), a New York Times “New & Notable.” The success of that book led to her first romantic mystery, The Body Business, Book 1 of the Samantha Newman Mystery Series. The Body Next Door soon followed, and The Body in the News in 2023. The series has won multiple awards, including a Readers’ Favorite Mystery / Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem 1st Place / InD’Tale Crowned Heart for Excellence / Silver Falchion Finalist/ and an American Legacy Best Cozy Award. https//:GayYellen.com

Why Reading Out Loud Is Good for You

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Over the weekend, a series of New York Times articles about the pleasures of reading aloud sent me thinking backwards and forward again. Backwards to my earliest memories of listening to my Mom or Dad read Horton Hatches the Egg or some other wonderful classic to me.

Those lovely moments are imbedded deep in my bones. I’m certain my love of reading was born in those happy times.

The article stated that reading aloud benefits both the reader and the one being read to. Whether you read to a child, or a sick person in need of a distraction, it is an act of kindness—love, really—that provides a rare, intimate connection as you experience a story together.

Which brings me to another memory.

A few years back, my husband spied a 135-chapter, 615-page edition of Moby Dick lurking on our bookshelf. I’d slogged through the book in high school English class. If ever a book begged for an abridged version (I thought back then), Melville’s was a good candidate.

So I was amazed when my spouse took the book to bed with him. I figured he’d be snoozing by Page Two. But, no.

“This is amazing,” he exclaimed. “The writing is great. I feel like I’m there! Can I just read this part to you?”

Thus began a new nighttime ritual. And through his enthusiasm, the story, the characters, and the descriptions in a book that I’d found tedious and old-fashioned in my teens came alive for me, too.

I loved falling asleep to the sound of his voice as he read Melville’s words.

It turns out that grown ups enjoy hearing stories spoken out loud. An entire audiobook industry seem to be alive and well these days, and apparently some people actually enjoy falling asleep while listening to them.

The NYT piece also reminded me of my left-over to-do list from years past for my Samantha Newman Mystery Series. Only Book 2, The Body Next Door, is currently available in audio, which you can buy or sample for free on Amazon.

The first and third books do not have audio versions. This is due to: 1) a change of publishers, and 2) a voice artist who is no longer available, which means that Samantha’s “voice” would change for each book.

Producing audio books is a time-consuming, expensive effort, and I have another book or two to write.  And before you suggest an AI generated voice solution, I’ve heard a few samples, and they sound a little creepy to me. I’m still wrestling with the issue.

(Readers and and authors, I’d love to know what you think I should do about audio for the other two books. Please comment below.)

I’m a wholehearted fan of reading aloud, even if you’re only reading to yourself. Extra points if you do, because reading aloud burns more calories and tones up your lungs and voice muscles.

Like most things in life, reading a book can be even more fun when you share it with someone you love.

Gay Yellen is the award-winning author of the Samantha Newman Romantic Mystery Series, including The Body Business, The Body Next Door, and The Body in the News. She loves talking to book clubs and from readers! You can contact her here. 

 

 

 

Bethany Maines drinks from an arsenic mug

New Year

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New Year, New Plan

There’s a lot of “New year, new plan!” going around in January.  And to be fair I’ve been working on the plan since last year, but this month it’s time to get some of the details worked out.  I know a lot of writers like to wing their social media calendar and a few who like to plan to the last detail.  I’m somewhere in the middle. Social media works best when it’s responsive and done live. However, my life works best when it’s scheduled and I don’t have to think about it.  And marketing generally works best when it’s coordinated and scheduled in advance, so working out a calendar of what happens when becomes more crucial.

What is the New Plan?

Coming out in 2025 is the complete Valkyrie Brothers Trilogy.  This Seattle rom-com mystery series specializes in happily ever afters, witty dialogue, and bad guys who get punched in the face.  And also, somehow meeting your true love in an elevator.  Elevator Ride—Book 1 of the Valkyrie Brothers Trilogy—is an age-gap romance with a sexy ex-Marine and a feisty paralegal who may have gotten herself chin deep in trouble.  Between Floors—book 2–is an action-packed, grumpy-sunshine romance with a wealthy single dad who gets stuck in an elevator with the hippy nanny candidate he just rejected.  And Emergency Exit—book 3—is a fake engagement romance with a savvy tech investor and a quirky emergency management specialist who has a very good reason to hate jumbotrons.  Laugh along with the Valkyrie Brothers as they fend off the bad guys and find love.

And while the Valkyrie Brothers are making their debut, I’ll be working on more paranormal romances! Some of you who follow me on social media may have heard me mention this fabulous idea I had about a giant demon exploding through the floor of a charity gala.  (Trust me, it’s going to be great!)

So, the plan is to market, advertise, and shove the Valkyrie Brothers at everyone, while I type my little fingers off on next years paranormal romances.  I’m also excited to see the Stiletto Gang’s new feature “The Sisterhood of the Travelling Books” come to life as we take one day a month to feature a new book from one of our Gang members. (You can check out some of our books on the Books Page now!) And I’m hoping to be accepted into a few anthologies with some romance and crime short stories.

That Sounds Like A Lot.

It does, doesn’t it?  But, I’m hoping that by scheduling in advance and scheduling some down time in advance as well, that it won’t be overwhelming.  We’ll see what I say in June. Possibly by then I will be chucking everything out the window and heading for the beach. Wish me luck for this new year.  I’m sure I can use it!

***

Learn more about the Valkyrie Brothers

Elevator Ride, Valkyrie Brothers Book 1, a new release for March 2025ELEVATOR RIDE

Twenty-six floors. Two professionals. Sometimes love only needs one Elevator Ride…

Vivian Kaye has been tasked with serving a cease-and-desist letter to Rowan Valkyrie—the most hated tenant in Seattle’s Hoskins building—but when she ambushes the seasoned security professional in the elevator, she ignites a powder keg of tempers and attraction.

Pre-Order on Amazon: CLICK HERE

Read more: bethanymaines.com/valkyrie-brothers/

 

***

Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of action-adventure and fantasy tales that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind end. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter, or glued to the computer working on her next novel (or screenplay). You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

 

Valkyrie Brothers Book 1 - Elevator Ride by Bethany Maines - Cover reveal graphic

2025 is Coming!

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2025 is coming for me!

And I am not ready.  I’m not ready for Christmas, I barely made it through Thanksgiving and New Year’s is barreling down on me like a freight train.  In 2025, I’m trying something new as an author—a release schedule that doesn’t sync up with my work conference season, and a “long” quick release schedule.  In romance publishing it’s not uncommon to see authors releasing books in a series mere weeks or a month apart. But I tried that in 2022 and I think I’m still recovering.

In 2025 I’m planning on releasing a complete trilogy, but I plan on doing them three months apart — March, June, and September.  This will off-set them from peak seasons at work and also give me a little breathing space, while hopefully keeping readers engaged.  But that means that I’m setting up a lot of marketing now in 2024. And if I’m putting my time toward one thing then I’m taking time from somewhere else.

So what should you be doing – if not preparing for 2025?

Christmas shopping!  I don’t even have proper list or a spreadsheet!  I’m just randomly buying crap and hoping that I’m getting closer to wrapping.

Upon reviewing those last few sentences, I have come to the conclusion that I might be a giant nerd.  Does anyone else have a shopping spreadsheet?  Just me?  OK, well, if you do… nerds unite! You are my people.

But I haven’t even put up a tree.  The stockings are up, so we’re not totally without Christmas, but still… The days are ticking by too fast! Although, I can’t tell for sure if that’s true since we didn’t get an advent calendar either. How can I really tell how close we are to Christmas without small amounts of chocolate being continually fed to me?

Meanwhile, I feel like I’m ADHD as I try to wrap up all my writing goals for the end of the year.  There’s all the marketing I need to do, a contest I want to submit to that means I have some pages that need polishing, a novel that needs polishing and a paranormal romance that is begging to be written.  And every time I work on one I feel guilty that I’m not working on the others.

How am I supposed to get enough family time, let alone Christmas cookies, into my December with that many projects?  If you’ve got time saving tips or great gift ideas–I’m all ears.

Valkyrie Brothers Book 1 - Elevator Ride by Bethany Maines - Cover reveal graphic - Release date: March 24, 2025

But what I hear you saying is that there is a new series coming?

Yes.  There is!  The Valkyrie Brother’s Trilogy!  Half rom-com, half mystery and all fun.  The series features three brothers navigating reuniting their family, fighting off bad guys, and coincidentally meeting their true loves in elevators all across town.  Book 1 – Elevator Ride – will be released in March of 2025 and is currently available for pre-order.  If you want to learn more, it was recently featured over at Dru’s Book Musing Blog!  And while you’re over there check out Dru’s fabulous reviews and other content.

Learn more about Elevator Ride: https://drusbookmusing.com/cover-reveal-elevator-ride/

Pre-order: https://amzn.to/3AnaMLQ

**

Bethany Maines drinks from an arsenic mugBethany Maines is the award-winning indie and traditionally published author of romantic action-adventure and fantasy novels that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind-end. She can usually found chasing after her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel or screenplay.

See a few of her books on the Our Books page: https://www.thestilettogang.com/books/

Life’s Little Instructions

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As we complete another rotation around our sun, some of us like to make resolutions for things we’d like to accomplish in the coming year. There are lots of lists out there to guide us: new diets to try and exercise regimens to tackle. New books to read and buckets of travel options to consider. Or, perhaps we just want to work at developing a new and improved version of ourselves.

The list of 95-year-old William Snell that has been circulating across social media lately seems about right, although I wonder if he meant to number them in order of their importance. At times, his suggestions feel like sly digs at people who make such lists in the first place.

After all, while singing in the shower can truly be a mood enhancing exercise, should it really be first on the list—and followed closely by the caution to never turn down a homemade brownie?

I also ponder his #18 admonishment. Of course, at the Gang, we work to keep our stilettos (and our prose) well-polished. But maintaining shiny shoes in winter can be a challenge for those in northern climes. And in summertime, do we really need to shine our flip-flops?

Yet I heartily agree with #29. Dogs absolutely make make us better humans. And though I can’t remember the last time I waved at kids on a school bus (#33), I always wave at them when the zoo train comes around. Hopefully that counts.

I’m not exactly sure what Mr. Snell intended with #38. Life as an exclamation? Unfortunately, we can’t ask him about it. A Google search turned up no information beyond what’s on this weathered document, or exactly when the list was first written. But I hope he had a good life.

Still, if you’re looking for a few suggestions on how to live a pleasant life in 2025 and beyond, most of these tips might provide a good starting place. Especially #37.

Cheers!

Which “little instruction” would you take to heart for 2025?
Feel free to list your own tips in the Comments section below!
Gay Yellen is the author of the award-winning Samantha Newman Mysteries *
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