June 2025 – Ruff Drafts

Spotlight and Blog tour for Mystery at an Irish Wedding by L. C. Winters

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Debbie

Mystery at an Irish Wedding: Half Moon Bay Mysteries
by L.C. Winters

About Mystery at an Irish Wedding

Mystery at an Irish Wedding: Half Moon Bay Mysteries
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Ireland
Independently Published (January 13, 2025)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 378 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DT1CVWLM

“Wedding dresses, ex-fiancés, and a whole lot of murder—just another day in Half Moon Bay”

Therapist Clementine Moriarty thought her return to the whimsical seaside town of Half Moon Bay, nestled in cozy Donegal – would be a chance to reconnect with her roots, spend time at her parents’ charming little seaside art gallery and heal from heartbreak. But her homecoming is anything but peaceful when she stumbles upon an unwelcome surprise—her ex-fiancé, Greg, is getting married to her best friend, Charlotte, on the very beach where Clementine was supposed to say “I do.”

Through a series of unexpected twists and turns, what starts as a personal nightmare soon spirals into an intriguing mystery. An anonymous email had lured Clementine back home, but who sent it and why? As the wedding unfolds, tensions simmer, secrets surface, and Half Moon Bay’s picturesque façade begins to crack. When someone turns up dead with a series of baffling clues and puzzles, Clementine finds herself the role of unlikely detective as she becomes the prime suspect.

With the help of a heartwarming, blue-haired artist and her sharp intuition, Clementine must navigate a maze of jealous exes, local gossip, and buried betrayals to uncover the truth amid the charming and Whimsical backdrop of Donegal. But in a village where everyone has something to hide, will this quirky crime-solving team be able to unmask the killer before it’s too late?

Perfect for fans of small-town mysteries, vibrant characters, clever clues, and a touch of romance, Murder at an Irish Wedding will keep you guessing until the final page.

About L. C. Winters

L.C. Winters is the pen name for Laura Cavanagh & Colin Vaughan. We are from Ireland, and we aim to bring our culture, cozy Irish atmosphere, legends and history into our stories. We write cozy mystery romance novels. Our focus is on creating a set of clever clues with twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very end. Our first series is called ‘Half Moon Bay Mysteries and it is set in a small, seaside village in Ireland. Our stories promote a romanticised view of small-town life with a host of eccentric, lovable characters.

As avid mystery fans (we love the classics like Agatha Christie as well as modern cozy authors like Richard Osman), we love deciphering clues and trying to beat the detective to figure out who commited the crime. So we decided to create mysteries with a complex set of interrelated clues which are delivered in an easy to follow story. We hope that the ending of each of our mysteries is both a surprise and, at the same time, feels inevitable and ‘right’.

Laura has a degree in Psychology and this is reflected in our protagonist Clementine who uses her Psychology know-how to figure out the motives, secrets and inconsistencies in each suspect.

With our cozy fiction, we aim to create heartwarming stories with lovable, quirky characters in a nice, soothing environment. Wherever you are when you are reading our stories, we hope to whisk you away to beautiful, picturesque Ireland to the seaside county of Donegal!

Author Links

Webpage – lcwinters.com

Blog – https://lcwinters.com/blog-home/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LCWinters/

Twitter/X – https://x.com/L_C_Winters

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lcwinters_author/

BlueSky – https://bsky.app/profile/lc-winters.bsky.social

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/53784435.L_C_Winters

Purchase Link – Amazon

Series Purchase Link – Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 12 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 12 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 13 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 14 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 15 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

June 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 17 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 18 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 19 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

June 20 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW

June 20 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 21 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 22 – Frugal Freelancer – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 23 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

June 24 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

June 25 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST

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Guest Post and Blog Tour for Camping Conundrum by Stacy Wilder

Posted on June 22, 2025 by Debbie

A Camping Conundrum: A Liz Adams Mystery
by Stacy Wilde

About A Camping Conundrum

A Camping Conundrum: A Liz Adams Mystery
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – Poinsett Park, SC
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wild Hawk Press (April 28, 2025)
Number of Pages : 137 Pages
Hardcover ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8990783133
Paperback ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8990783126
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F6MCFQFT
Audio ASIN B0F7GMFQ58

A heart-pounding cozy mystery filled with twists, turns, and canine charm. Perfect for fans of page-turning whodunits and outdoor adventures!

Private Investigator Liz Adams isn’t thrilled when her husband, Brad, suggests a camping getaway to South Carolina’s picturesque Poinsett Park. The mention of camping brings back a haunting memory of a childhood Girl Scout trip that went terribly wrong. But for Brad, the park is a refuge—a chance to relive happy moments from his past.

The long weekend escape takes a dark turn when Brad discovers a woman’s lifeless body in the park’s peaceful lake. The victim, the landlady of a strip center in the neighboring town of Sumter, was notorious for making enemies among her tenants. With no shortage of motives but no clear suspects, Liz and her truth-sniffing Labrador, Duke, embark on a quest to identify the culprit.

As Liz races to uncover the truth and put the killer in jail, the couple experiences one camping disaster after another. Will justice be served? Or will an unexpected twist of karma change everything?

GUEST POST

Here’s an excerpt from the story, based on a real experience I had when I was ten years old:

During a Girl Scout trip to Audubon Park in New Orleans, we stayed in a cabin, and on the first night, men with pantyhose over their heads pressed their faces against the cabin’s windows. The camping trip was cut short, and I remember sitting in the car, trembling, while we waited for our counselors to finish speaking with the police.

My favorite Girl Scout counselor navigated the highway that led to the campground outside of Atlanta where we’d pitch our tents. Inside the van, the mood was festive, and I couldn’t wait to add the coveted camping badge to my collection of awards. The noise level escalated as the rowdy group of ten-year-olds chatted about our latest crushes and favorite TV shows. Our chaperones told us to keep the racket down several times.

After we arrived, we unloaded the camping gear, and the counselors demonstrated how to set up our tents. My friend and I wrestled with the poles for half an hour before we claimed victory. By dinner time, I was starving. Our troop collected logs, built a fire, and roasted a feast of hot dogs, baked beans, and corn on the cob. As a magical golden full moon rose, we sang songs and toasted marshmallows over the flames. I licked the melted chocolate that oozed out the side of a s’more, and my tastebuds tingled.

When it was time to clean up, clouds drifted overhead, and the sky darkened. Two men with pantyhose over their heads appeared out of nowhere. I trembled at the sight of their mushed faces. While they waved knives at the counselors, the men demanded money and food. The adults motioned for us to sit on nearby logs while they emptied their wallets into a paper sack. Several girls screamed, and the men shouted at us to shut up. My heart pounded in my chest. I clamped my hands over my ears and squeezed my eyes shut. When my friend nudged me and whispered, “They’re gone,” I lowered my shaking palms.

The adults called the cops and then ushered us into the van, where we huddled together until the police arrived. The sound of sobs filled the space, and I couldn’t stop shaking. We never completed the trip, so I never earned that badge—and I never went camping again.

About Stacy Wilder

Stacy Wilder writes mysteries, children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. Her mission is to deliver a delightful story to readers of all ages while benefiting a larger community. She donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of her books to causes that help the homeless, both people and pets.

Beyond writing, Stacy is deeply devoted to her faith, family, and her beloved Labradors. She is also enthusiastic about the causes she supports, the beauty of art, the serenity of the beach, the adventure of travel, and the joy of reading.

She and her husband live in Houston, TX, with a totally spoiled Labrador named Eve.

Author Links

Website storystacy.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wilderstacy
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/author/stacy.wilder
Instagram https://instagram.com/authorstacywilder/
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/stacy-wilder
YouTube https://youtu.be/9YYjXBUsX1Y?si=4Vz91UbbZ5D4J9_Y

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org –

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 20 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 20 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

June 21 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 22 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 23 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

June 24 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CAMPING CONUNDRUM PLAYLIST

June 25 – Infinite House of Books – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE

June 26 – Frugal Freelancer – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 26 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW, RECIPE

June 27 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE

June 29 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – REVIEW

June 30 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT

July 1 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

July 2 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

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Blog Tour, Spotlight

Spotlight and Blog Tour for Homemaker: The first Prairie Nightingale Mystery by Ruthie Knox and Anne Mare

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Debbie

Homemaker (Prairie Nightingale)
by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare

About Homemaker

Homemaker (Prairie Nightingale)
Mystery/Amateur Sleuth/Romantic Elements
1st in Series
Setting – Green Bay, Wisconsin
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas & Mercer (June 1, 2025)
Paperback Print length ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1662530900
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1662530906
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DKK5TWT5

When a former friend and devoted mother vanishes, a confident homemaker turned amateur sleuth follows an unexpected trail of scandals and secrets to find her.

Prairie Nightingale is both the midlife mother of two teenage girls and a canny entrepreneur who has turned homemaking into a salaried profession. She’s also fascinated with the gritty details of other people’s lives. So when seemingly perfect Lisa Radcliffe, a member of her former mom-friends circle, suddenly disappears, it’s in Prairie’s nature to find out why.

Given her innate talent for vital pattern recognition, Prairie is out to catch a few clues by taking a long, hard look at everyone in Lisa’s life—and uncovering their secrets. Including Lisa’s. Prairie’s dogged curiosity is especially irritating to FBI agent Foster Rosemare, the first interesting man Prairie has met since her divorce. His square jaw and sharp suits don’t hurt.

But even as the investigation begins to wreak havoc on Prairie’s carefully tended homelife, she’s resolved to use her multivalent homemaking skills to solve the mystery of a missing mom—and along the way discover the thrill of her new sleuthing ambitions.

About Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare

Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare write critically acclaimed, bestselling mystery and romance, usually (but not always) together. They are the authors of the Prairie Nightingale mysteries and the TV Detectives mystery series. If you want more of their stories, check out their queer romances co-written as Mae Marvel, as well as solo work by Ruthie Knox (het romance), Annie Mare (grounded queer paranormal romance), and Robin York (Ruthie’s pen name for New Adult romance). Ruthie and Annie are married and live with two teenagers, two dogs, multiple fish, two glorious cats, four hermit crabs, and a bazillion plants in a very old house with a garden.

Author Links:

Webpage: https://ruthieknoxandanniemare.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/ruthieknox and https://www.facebook.com/anniemareromanceauthor

Instagram: @ruthieknoxromance and @spinsterpress

Purchase Links – Amazon – Bookshop.org – Barnes & Noble –

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 17 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 18 – The Avid Reader – SPOTLIGHT

June 18 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 19 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

June 20 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

June 20 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

June 21 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 22 – Angel’s Book Nook – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 23 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 24 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Ascroft. eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

June 28 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 30 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

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Blog Tour, Interview

Interview and Blog tour for Wheeler Dealer by Rita Moreau

Posted on June 3, 2025 by Debbie

It’s my pleasure to interview Rita Moreau about her writing and her new release, Wheeler Dealer that is on blog tour with Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Hi, Rita. How long have you been published? What titles and/or series have you published and with which publisher? Have you self-published any titles? Please give details.

I have been published since 2012. Please see my website for all my published novels. ritamoreau.com

Tell us a little bit about your new book.

Mabel was married to a doctor and he dumped her for a bar fly. She decides to hit the road with her friend Lili and her husband Bob and purchases a vintage airstream. It comes with no extra charge with Irma, a ghost stuck in purgatory who needs to do good deeds for the living to get past the Pearly Gates. Seems solving murders with Mabel is very helpful.

Sounds like an interesting plot to me.

Describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

To write at least 2 novels a year. My writing to be considered for a streaming on Netflix etc. But my real goal is to give my readers a break from whatever life has thrown their way. I am writing books that can be read in 2 hours – say while you are undergoing chemo.

Great goals.

What type of reader are you hoping to attract? Who do you believe would be most interested in reading your books?

Readers of cozy mystery.

What advice would you give other authors or those still trying to get published?

Don’t shy away from self-publishing. Attempting to get an agent or publisher can take years. That’s why I decided to self-publish. I was in my 60’s and now 70s. Not a lot of time to waste on trying to get an agent or publisher.

I can relate to that, as I’m sure other self-published and Indie writers can.

What particular challenges and struggles did you face before first becoming published?

Getting to the end. My dear husband who has passed was my lighting rod and kept me going.

Awww. Sorry to hear that.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

Sisters in Crime, Authors Guild.

I’m also a member of Sisters in Crime. I’ve been thinking of joining the Authors Guild.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

I teach group fitness classes and play pickleball.

Nice. I enjoy walking, yoga, and weight training.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

Solidarity. Motivation to keep writing on a consistent basis.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

My characters have become good friends. They now write the book for me.

I know that feeling.

Can you share a short excerpt from your latest title or upcoming release?

I’ll attach in a separate file.

Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about you or your books?

I write for you and welcome feedback.

Please list your social media links, website, blog, etc. and include some book cover graphics and author photos if possible.

ritamoreau.com

Thanks so much for the interview, Rita, and best wishes on your new release. I’m sharing your blog tour below.

Wheeler-Dealer – A Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery
by Rita Moreau

About Wheeler-Dealer

Wheeler-Dealer Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Independently published (April 1, 2021)
Paperback: 332 pages
ISBN-13: 979-8676266394
Digital ASIN: B08YP5NJNV

Solving a murder might raise her spirits. But will it spring her spectral friend from Purgatory?

Mabel Gold still isn’t sure what happened. Traded by her husband for a busty bimbo the same age as their youngest daughter, the feisty sixty-something rejects the retirement community and heads west in a vintage camper. But the RV comes complete with a ghost who needs a good deed to get into Heaven, and cracking open a homicide at their first stop in Savannah could give them both a new lease on life.

Determined to dig up the dirt on the dead wheeler-dealer, Mabel and her phantom companion tackle the crime. But with two rich dudes from Dubai, a Willie Nelson lookalike mobster, and a widow nicknamed The Barracuda all on the suspect list, conjuring up the truth could take a real live miracle.

Can Mabel catch the killer before she’s the next soul crashing the Pearly Gates?

Wheeler-Dealer is the high-spirited first book in the hilarious Ghost & the Camper kooky mystery series. If you like golden-girl sleuths, zany characters, and sardonic humor, then you’ll love Rita Moreau’s witty whodunit.

About Rita Moreau

Rita Moreau is the author of two cozy with a lot of kooky mystery series: The Mary Catherine Mahoney series and The Ghost & Camper series.

A workaholic by nature, upon retirement, Rita Moreau began to work on her bucket list, writing a book. Traveling the national parks with her husband, George in a vintage Bluebird motor home (on George’s list), Rita completed her first novel, Bribing Saint Anthony. Back home, she was having so much fun she completed four more novels in the Mary Catherine Mahoney mystery series. The year we entered the twilight zone, Rita decided to put this time to good use and wrote the first two novels in a new Ghost & the Camper mystery series. She kept going. The third in the series – Murder in the Badlands released fall 2021 and Murder in the Rockies released fall of 2022. Murder in Wacky Florida in 2023 and Murder in Wacka-Doodle Florida in 2023.

Rita lives in a postcard called Florida where George, the love of her life, always had fun telling everyone he’s the author’s husband. He was her lightning rod. Rita lost George in December 2021. She honors his memory daily. He lived life to the fullest. When not writing she joins PatZi Gil on the Joy on Paper radio program with Book Buzz Mysteries, or you can find her teaching Silver Sneaker fitness classes and walking the beach. She loves connecting with readers. Visit her at http://www.RitaMoreau.com and sign up for her newsletters and download a free copy of the Russian & Aunt Sophia.

Visit her at www.RitaMoreau.com or find her on Facebook at facebook.com/RitaMoreauAuthor and say hello.

Author Links

Website – http://www.ritamoreau.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RitaMoreauAuthor/

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6587803.Rita_Moreau

Purchase Link – Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 26 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

May 27 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 28 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

May 28 – Frugal Freelancer – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 29 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW