Ready for a New Mystery?

Photo by Meyette Photography So many of you have been anxiously awaiting the next sequel to The Cavanaugh House. I know you’ve been wondering what Jesse, Joe, Maggie, and Marty have been up to. Introducing (drum roll, please) THE LAST CROSSING. And you can PRE-ORDER your copy today!   Publication date: October 31, 2018. Cover Art: Meyette Photography   The Last Crossing It was the whistle of the train at midnight that signaled another ghost. Jesse Graham wants to concentrate on planning her wedding to Joe Riley. But try as she might, she can’t escape the spirits who haunt her. Read More

Haunted by the Perfect Word

Author’s note: I originally published this Feb. 26, 2014 while I was writing The Cavanaugh House. I am now working on the third book in that series (yet to be named) and still find myself “haunted by the perfect word.” This blog popped up in a search and I still find it applicable – and fun. I did settle on the word “scritch”, and when Amy McFadden reads “scritch” on the audiobook version, it will sent chills up your spine. The Cavanaugh House is now available in most ebook retailers now, too. See the list at the end of the Read More

Folk Tales and Legends Inspire Author Zrinka Jelic

I was fortunate to visit the Adriatic Sea when our cruise ship sailed to Croatia, so I understand author Zrinka Jelic’s love of her beautiful homeland. What a treat to visit the setting for her book, Bonded by Crimson, just after I’d read it. And what a treat to have her on my blog today. Welcome, Zrinka. Talk about the books you’ve written. What was the first seed of an idea you had for your book? How did it develop? My ideas come from everyday life. It can be a dream or a segment of a dream, or from a Read More

Researching 1968 Brings Me Hope in 2016

You’re probably wondering why I’m writing about 1968. I’m reflecting on that year because I set both The Cavanaugh House and Buried Secrets in 1968. Why? For two reasons. First, I remember 1968 and they say, “Write what you know.” I loved living in that era. Who wouldn’t, what with the Beatles and protest marches and hippies and flowers in your hair?                 The second reason is because of the lack of cell phone technology. I wanted Jesse to be on her own in dangerous situations. No texting or calling for help. In Read More

Two Perfect Ghost Stories for a Dark, October Evening

Jesse Graham is a ghost-empath. What does that mean? While some psychics and those who are highly perceptive can “see dead people,” others may sense a spirit who has passed over through smell, touch, or sound. Jesse, my protagonist in both The Cavanaugh House and Buried Secrets, senses the presence of a spirit through shared emotion. In The Cavanaugh House, Jesse first hears a sound that indicates Helen Cavanaugh’s presence in the house. The “scritch, scritch, scritch” sound is not readily definable. Initially, I used “scratch, scratch, scratch,” but “scratch” connotes something different for each reader. I wanted a sound Read More