In today’s episode I have a blast reading an excerpt of chapter one from Bonnie Jo Pierson’s novel, Extreme Romancing in Idaho, which is a wholesome romance set in rural Idaho. A little about Bonnie Jo Pierson. Gifted with a short attention span, Bonnie wants to experience and do as much as she can. Using the great powers of YouTube she’s taught he…

In today’s episode I read an excerpt from Seeds, which is Angie Paxton’s debut fantasy novel, that’s set in Mycenaean, Greece, and explores the relationship between Persephone and her mother, Demeter. Persephone embarks on the hero’s journey, as she overcomes other’s perceptions of herself and steps into her own power. Angie Paxton grew up in a ver…

Alexandra Isobel is a Canadian interracial love romance writer. She is full of stories and has no time to write! She mentally plots out her ideas while standing in the yard, watching her class during recess. Alexandra is an early childhood educator in her other life. Her inspiration to write alpha hero love stories and the women who can manage them…

On today’s podcast I read an excerpt from the mystery novel, A Deadly Match, Book 2 in the Rocky Nelson Boxing Mystery, written by Karen A. Phillips. Karen A. Phillips enjoys writing mysteries, MG/YA fantasy, and poetry. She resides in Northern California and is a member of Sisters in Crime and many other writing groups, and yes, she does taking bo…

In this latest episode, Joanna reads an excerpt from Niccoyan Zheng’s romance novel, Retrograde. Niccoyan Zheng is an award-winning author, a Canadian wife and mom to an amazing little guy. She loves travelling, but you’ll find her asleep en route. A lifelong reader, she loves great mysteries and epic love stories, and she’s dubbed the ‘Queen of Se…

E205 - In today’s podcast, Joanna encourages Canadians to get out to vote on April 28, in the most important Canadian election ever. Joanna talks about the power of people and lawful protests. Joanna also reads an excerpt from Selena Robin’s novel, Once Upon a Kiss. After giving up her dream of becoming a movie star, dancer, and singer, Selena deci…

E204 - In the fact portion of the podcast, Joanna discusses the difference between Canadian and American milk and references the USMCA. Today's guest author is Renée Gendron, who has written romantic mysteries, contemporary romances, historical western romances, sci-fi romances, and fantasy romances. She’s a structural editor for Fedowar Press. As …

E203 – I read an excerpt from the Farm to Foul Play anthology, Sarah Bresniker’s short story Mother Clucker. Sarah is a mystery writer and former librarian who lives in Northern California. Her Arlie Wynne stories are fun, light mysteries revolving around the definitely made-up Ocean Grove Public Library where reference questions often involve murd…

E202 - In this double feature, Joanna reads a story excerpt from Brian Shea's short story, Half a Heart. Brian once lived in the lower Sierra foothills where, through the generosity of a fifth generation rancher and his "ditch water" (irrigation allotment), he tilled and toiled on two acres of ranchland to demonstrate sustainable farming practices.…

E201 - I read Chris Dreith’s short story, Dear John Deere. Chris Dreith got hooked on writing mysteries while creating plays for her local Carnegie Library’s fundraiser, Mystery in the Library. While running her design/remodel business, she wrote several short stories, including Old Soles in the Boucheron 2020 anthology; Unknown Male and Parts of T…

E200 - “The best secrets are the most twisted.” Sarah Shepard’s quote best describes author Dänna Wilberg’s quest to unravel life’s mysteries with every keystroke, on every page. Her series, The Red Chair, The Grey Door, and The Black Dress, featuring psychotherapist Grace Simms, poses the question: “What do we really know about a person?” Dänna’s …

E199 - It's the Farm to Foul Play takeover by the Capitol Crimes chapter of SinC. In E199, I have the pleasure of reading Linda Joy Singleton's short story, Fowl Play. When Linda lived on a small farm in Galt, CA, her family had chickens, goats, and pigs. While coyotes didn't mess with the pigs, they were a danger to the goats, chickens and small p…

E198 - It's the Farm to Foul Play takeover by the Capitol Crimes chapter of SinC. In E198, I have the pleasure of reading Elaine Faber's short story, The Sacramento Truck Farm. The story is set in 1928 about a young girl who fancies herself as Nancy Drew and she’s determined to grow up and be a detective. She hears on the radio about a local bank r…

E197 - In this special episode I interview author, Angela Douglas, about her just released novel, Every Fall, and attached to this interview I’ve included the reading I did of Chapter 3 of Every Fall. Angela's writing is intense. There's a real feeling of suspense and foreboding as we step into the world of beat cop Jake Stone and his wife, Bree. T…

E196 of season 8 continues with the Farm to Foul Play anthology takeover. Today, Joanna has a double-feature. She reads her own short story, The Pink Lady, and Winging It written by Debra Henry. Joanna Vander Vlugt is an author and illustrator. As a teenager, she drew charcoal portraits and wrote mysteries. Now, she uses Copic markers to illustrate…

Season 8 starts with a Farm to Foul Play takeover by the Capitol Crimes chapter of SinC. In E195, I have the pleasure of reading Karen A. Phillips short story, The Case of the Naked Scarecrow, from the Farm To Foul Play anthology. Someone is stealing the clothes from the Brite family farm scarecrow. Is it a prank or something more sinister? Karen A…

E194 - I have the pleasure of finishing season 7 of the SAM Magazine podcast by reading two short stories by two talented authors, Margarita Escobar, the author of the story The Bridge, and Gisela Woldenga, the author of the short story The House in the Park. Both short stories involve love, friendship, and caring for our neighbours, as well as tho…

E193 – Author Sue Mell’s story collection, A New Day, touches upon innocence, heartache, love and the trials of relationships. I had so much fun reading an excerpt of the first short story in this collection, Serendipity. Listeners will identify with her characters Colleen, Rachel, Evan and Richard. A New Day was a finalist for the 2021 St. Lawrenc…

E192 - In part 3 of the Sisters in Crime - Canada West takeover, Joanna reads excerpts from two more short stories featured in the Crime Wave, Dangerous Games anthology. In today's episode, Joanna reads an excerpt from her own short story, Death at the Boulangerie, and Winona Kent makes a guest appearance and reads an excerpt from her short story, …

E191 - Part 2 of a three-part series, Joanna reads excerpts from two of the short stories featured in the Crime Wave, Dangerous Games anthology. The author's featured in today's reading are Pam Barnsley, and her short story The Seal's Deadly Game, and Mirjam Dikken's short story, Fixed. Fifteen great short stories are in this collection, involving …

E190 - Part 1 of a three-part series, Joanna reads excerpts from two of the short stories featured in the Crime Wave, Dangerous Games anthology. The author's featured in today's reading are Sandra Benson, and her story Do Not Pass Go, and Kim Bannerman's short story, Gifted Girls. Fifteen great short stories are in this collection, involving a seal…

E189 - In this episode I get to read Chapter 3 of Angela Douglas's psychological thriller novel, Every Fall. Angela's writing is intense. There's a real feeling of suspense and foreboding as we step into the world of beat cop Jake Stone and his wife, Bree. Trigger warning, this episode contains explicit language. Angela Douglas is a marketing commu…

I had the pleasure of reading a second short story written by Rohini Sunderam. This time Rohini writes about the innocence of love in La Blue Luncheonette. In a time of turbulent news being broadcasted from around the world, this short story was a pleasure to read. Thank you so much Rohini. You wrote another beautiful story. Rohini Sunderam, a Cana…

E187 - Kim Bannerman writes novels and short stories from her home on Vancouver Island, Canada. As K. Bannerman, her work has appeared in anthologies like ParaSpheres (Omnidawn Press, 2006), She's Shameless (Tightrope Books, 2009), Girl at the End of the World (FoxSpirit Press, 2014), In the Company of Animals (Nimbus Press, 2014), and When Birds A…

E186 - I had the pleasure of reading Rohini Sunderam's moving short story, Your Birth, My Death. (Warning, suicide is mentioned in this short story). Rohini Sunderam, a Canadian of Indian origin, calls four places home: New Delhi, India, Halifax, NS, Bahrain, and now Port Coquitlam BC. She is a semi-retired advertising copywriter who has published …