Creating the Perfect Ambiance to Write Paranormal Tales by Amy S. Cutler

 

In her past life, after causing the death of a little boy, Nikki was so devastated that her soul mate promised to murder her in their next life, to make her pay for what she had done. With no knowledge of this, Nikki lives for years as an addict, down on her luck, until she is rescued by Ken, who helps her with all aspects of her recovery. With the help of a few new friends and a cat named Destiny, Nikki turns her life around. What she doesn’t know is that someone out there is destined to kill her, and he is watching, his passion for killing her growing stronger each day. The question is: Can an agreement made between two souls be broken, and how far will one soul go to keep a promise made in a desperate attempt to save the other?

 Where to Find To Have and To Hold, To Love and To Kill:

 https://www.amazon.com/Have-Hold-Love-Kill-Agreement/dp/1685133428/

https://bookshop.org/p/books/to-have-and-to-hold-to-love-and-to-kill-an-agreement-of-souls-amy-s-cutler/20601757?ean=9781685133429&next=t

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200655790-to-have-and-to-hold-to-love-and-to-kill

 

Creating the Perfect Ambiance to Write Paranormal Tales

Currently on my desk, I have a candle from a company called Mythologie, and the candle is called Phoenix. The scent includes grapefruit, cinnamon, clove and vanilla, and has a crackling wooden wick. I burn this when I am working on a special project, a non-fiction piece that includes the mythological story of a phoenix. When I light this candle, I immediately focus on the story, and with the crackle of the wick, I am drawn closer to the words. Do I need the candle to write this story? No, of course not. It is the intention behind the candle that I desire, and that is to create a space where my mind blocks everything out but the story in my head.

As often as possible, I try to start a writing session with a clear desk and whatever props might inspire me. These might be a candle, a photograph, some books (The Amityville Horror is almost always in sight), or a playlist curated to inspire a particular story. I also like to write outdoors, where I can close my eyes and allow the sounds to filter their way into my tales. The set-up for writing a paranormal story can be quite fun. A perfect vision for me would be a full moon, lots of candles, and a silent house. No dogs barking or chewing on bones, no background noise of the television or Instagram reel, just me, my keyboard, and the glow of the moon. If I were to give myself a nice date-night, that would probably be it. In that setting, something spooky always ends up on the page. Sounds nice, right?

Back in reality, where I usually live, I do not always have a clear desk, and I find that I’m out of matches. In these cases, it’s just a matter of turning inward, and creating a space inside that blocks out the mess of the outside. Writing is a bit of meditation, and even when it starts out hard and the noises from the outside (or the inside) create a distraction, if you sit with it long enough, a nice tunnel vision begins to form, and even amidst chaos, a calming focus can take over. Before you know it, an hour has passed and the word count has grown.

When writing a paranormal story, I also like to sit for a moment before each writing session and picture the characters in mind. I sort of talk to them, picture them in the setting that I have written them into. See if anything has changed, if there are any pivots that the story needs to take. This can be helpful when writing any story, but it is special with a ghost story, because when we write about ghosts, it seems like the crack between worlds opens a bit. And sometimes, if I’m lucky, those ghosts will whisper back to me. Put pen to paper when there’s a ghost in your ear, even a 100 percent imaginary ghost, and magic can truly happen.

 

About the Author

 Amy Sampson-Cutler, author of "To Have and to Hold, to Love and to Kill: An Agreement of Souls" and "A Shadow of Love," is a writer who earned her master's degree in creative writing from Goddard College. Her work can be found in Slut Vomit: An Anthology of Sex Work, Tales to Terrify, WOW! Women on Writing, The Pitkin Review and more. She is the Executive Manager at Mount Peter Ski Area, where she grew up skiing in the winter and dreaming up stories in the summer. Her favorite days are spent knocking around story ideas with her husband. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband, son, and a ridiculous amount of furry family members.

 She can be contacted through AmysHippieHut.com. Also follow her on:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/AmysHippieHut

Instagram: https://instagram.com/amyshippiehut

Book Spotlight: The Essence of Bliss by Emily Astillberry

A heartwarming, magical novel, which follows Isabel Bliss, a primary school teacher with an invisible power over emotional energy, as she discovers, explores and comes to terms with her ability and her potential.

 

Isabel Bliss is a reception class teacher. She experiences other people’s emotions and can influence how they feel but she doesn’t truly understand her gift and has been encouraged, by her mum, to hide it from others. She often feels lost and alone. 

When a child in her class experiences chronic distress that only she can perceive, Isabel uses her ability to relieve his suffering, but his situation continues to worsen. Eventually she is forced to take matters into her own hands, escorting him home where she finds horrific signs of abuse. She saves his mum’s life and his father is arrested for the brutal torture he has inflicted upon his family. 

A wealthy family moves to town and Isabel meets the two sons. She recoils from Daniel, who is hateful, rude and emotionally deficient but is inexorably drawn to Scott, who awakens something magical, deep inside her. They are like her. They are fluencers and have the ability to sense, read and willfully manipulate emotional energies. Isabel confronts her mum and uncovers hurtful lies and deceit within her own family. 

She falls deeply in love and ultimately discovers the untold potential of her gift and the passion and power that dwells within.

Read a sample here.

The Essence of Bliss is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Book Excerpt

The next few moments occurred in painful slow motion. As I tugged my arm sharply out of Donna’s grasp, I was jostled by a stranger on the other side. I felt myself falling off balance and reached out to grab onto something, anything, to keep me upright. The something that I grabbed onto was a jacket slung over an arm and the owner of the jacket pulled back on it hard, tipping me further off balance and sending me sprawling to the floor on my knees. I let out a pained cry as my still bruised knee struck the hard floor.

I ended up on my knees in front of a strong, long set of masculine legs in blue denim. I didn’t know for certain to whom the legs belonged, but I could make an educated guess from the pitch of the gasp and giggle from Donna and the murmuring of the onlookers. I really didn’t want to look up, but I knew that it was inevitable. I couldn’t stay on the floor forever. My knee was painful, and I wasn’t even certain that I could get up by myself. Slowly, grudgingly, I raised my eyes to find Daniel Callahan looking down at me with distasteful recognition and an unpleasant, disdainful smile. I looked him in the eye with as much dignity as I could muster. He continued to stare rudely. He didn’t utter a word.

“Sorry,” I muttered, and my hand flew to my mouth in instant regret. Had I seriously just apologised to him, again, for falling over, again? I was a total idiot, and I was more embarrassed than ever. What was it about this man that made me fall at his feet and behave like a stuttering moron with an apology tic?

“It seems like you’re making a habit of falling on your knees in front of my brother. Here, let me help you.” 

In an instant, everything changed. My whole life turned upside down. Something inside me roared to life and I suddenly felt different, stronger, more alive. It came from the source of the humming, that place deep inside of me. Those simple words, that simple offer of a hand to my feet, the smooth, velvety voice. It was the sort of voice that could make a person weak at the knees with its deep resonance and gentle tone, but it was so much more than that. I didn’t just like the sound of his voice. Something about the owner of that voice had just changed something fundamental about me, and somehow I knew, in that fraction of a second, that nothing was ever going to be the same again.

I wasn’t sure if I could move or if I wanted to look into the face that belonged to those words, that voice. I was frightened about what I might find and what it might do to me, what I might become. However, I was still on the floor on my knees, so I put my hand out, took his and let him pull me to my feet. 

Our eyes met, and without warning, a multitude of sensations overwhelmed me. I saw him, I felt him, I sensed him. I experienced things that I couldn’t understand or explain, but it was like a fire had been lit in my soul, like fireworks exploding in the deepest recess of my mind. I couldn’t just feel his emotions in the way that I normally do. This experience went further, deeper. It felt like in that single second, he was actually inside my mind, or I was inside his. I wasn’t sure whether it was one or the other or if it were both. I couldn’t process what was happening to me. It was happening too fast and exercising too many of my senses. 

He looked at me with bewitching eyes that reached into my very core. Eyes a deep, rich brown, like swirling chocolate, shimmering with a layer of warmth. They glistened with a flame that matched the fire that had ignited inside me, as if his eyes understood and reflected the very essence of me. We saw each other in a way that I had never known before, a way that I had never even dreamed of, and as we looked into each other’s eyes, the flames in his eyes grew larger, hotter. I took everything in, every minute detail. The dark hair swept back from his face, the healthy tan to his skin, the perfect line of his nose leading to full, rich lips surrounded by laughter lines, indicating a happy man: a joyful, confident, beautiful, magical creature.

The intensity of the moment wasn’t limited to the visual. The way that he looked wasn’t what captivated and thrilled my senses. When I sensed a person through their emotions, I usually felt that they were happy or sad, angry or hurt, but this was something new. This was a cacophony of feelings so loud that I felt as if my head might burst with the joy of it. Emotions that lifted me into the sky, swirling around me and through me — through my mind, through my heart, through my body — until I felt dizzy with the power of it. All that I could see were those eyes, those lips. All that I could hear was that voice, and yet I could feel and see and hear everything all at once, like I was awake for the first time in my life, like I had found the answer to a question that I hadn’t known I’d been asking.

– Excerpted from The Essence of Bliss by Emily Astillberry, Blossom Spring Publishing, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

 

Emily Astillberry is an author and RSPCA Inspector from Norfolk, England. She has a degree in English Literature and Linguistics from York University and has been investigating animal cruelty and neglect and rescuing sick and injured animals for 20 years. In her day job, Emily deals with very difficult and often emotional situations and meets all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds. Her career provides some of the inspiration for themes and characters that can be found in her fictional work.

At home, in a very old cottage in the country, Emily has a husband, 5 children, a dog, a cat, an axolotl, 2 giant African land snails and a varying number of rescue hens, so finding time to write can be a challenge. She is happiest outdoors, growing fruit and vegetables in the garden, walking the dog and family holidays usually involve walking up mountains in summer, skiing down them in winter and sleeping in a tent whenever possible.

Emily loves spending time with her large, noisy, chaotic family, cooking meals for friends and playing board games. She always has at least one book on the go and has always dreamed of writing her own novel. She now dreams of writing more. 

Visit her website at https://emilyastillberry.com. 

You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram.

The Essence of Bliss is her latest book.

 

Sponsored By:

Book Spotlight: Monsterland by Michael Okon

 

A teen must save his date in a theme park whose main attractions, real werewolves, vampires, and zombies, descend the place into chaos.

 

Wyatt Baldwin’s senior year is not going well. His parents divorced, and then his dad mysteriously died. He’s not exactly comfortable with his new stepfather, Carter Wright, either. An ongoing debate with his best friends, Melvin and Howard Drucker, over which monster is superior has gotten stale. He’d much rather spend his days with beautiful and popular Jade. However, she’s dating the brash high-school quarterback Nolan, and Wyatt thinks he doesn’t stand a chance.

But everything changes when Wyatt and his friends are invited to attend the grand opening of Monsterland, a groundbreaking theme park where guests can interact with vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by werewolves on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.

With real werewolves, vampires, and zombies as the main attractions, what could possibly go wrong?

Read a sample here.

Monsterland is available at Amazon.

Book Excerpt

The fire Billy created burned bright; rabbits roasted on a spit made from hickory, the juices dripping to hiss in the flames. Seven of his hairy friends lay in scattered repose, enjoying the late afternoon lull—two napped, the others tossed a stuffed fur in the form of a ball around the clearing, hooting with amusement when it rolled into the brush. 

Mosquitoes droned lazily over the still water. Frogs croaked while they sunbathed on waxy lily pads. The sun started its slow descent to the horizon, hot pink and lilac clouds rippling against the empty canvas of the sky. Here and there, fireflies flickered to life in the gloom, doing a placid ballet in the humid air.

Unseen, the men moved closer to the campfire as light faded against the western treetops.

Billy’s pack rarely spoke, communicating with grunts, so easy was their companionship. Billy only had to think it and he knew the others could sense what was in his mind. They did share a language of sorts, they used it in both forms of their manifestations.

A lone hawk cried out a warning, disturbing the peace of the marsh. They froze in their spots, their eyes alert, their bodies stiff with fear.

Huge birds answered, flapping their wings, creating a cacophony of swamp sounds. The area became a concerto of animals responding to the disruption of their home—wild screams, squeaks, and complaints of the invasion of their territory.

Billy stood, his head tilted as he listened intently. He heard a melody drifting from the water. It was a strange organization of sounds, predictable as well as dangerous instantly making his skin ripple with terror. Memories of another life flooded back, bringing waves of panic. His pulse raced, and he knew his face and bare back were slick with sweat. It had been years since he’d heard music, so deep were they hidden in the bayou. The discordant noise echoed in his head, assaulting his sensitive ears. 

His nose twitched, his lips pulled tightly against his teeth. One of his pack whimpered like a child, he felt them drawing close, their bodies tensing with fear. Suppressing a growl, he forced his hands to unclench. He rolled forward onto the balls of his feet, his stance preparing the others to get ready. His stomach twisted with uneasiness. Where those rhythms originated meant only one thing—they were not alone in the swamp.

– Excerpted from Monsterland by Michael Okon, Chelshire, Inc., 2025. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

 

MICHAEL OKON is a best-selling author and award-winning screenwriter whose compelling storytelling spans paranormal, horror, thriller, action-adventure, and self-help genres. With a BA in English and an MBA in Business and Finance from Long Island University, Michael merges his creative passion with entrepreneurial spirit to craft unforgettable narratives across his novels and screenplays.

Born into a family of avid writers and readers, Michael’s passion for storytelling runs deep—writing isn’t just something he does; it’s who he is. Ever since he first watched The Goonies as a kid, Michael has been captivated by the power of adventure, compelling characters, and the ability of stories to entertain and inspire. Whether crafting monster theme parks or penning insightful guidance in self-help, his goal remains the same: to create narratives that stick with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, a horrendous golfer, and a sucker for esoteric & self-help books. He lives on Long Island’s North Shore with his wife and children.

His latest book is Monsterland.

Connect with Michael on X and Instagram.

Sponsored By:

Grok’s Quest for Excalibur: A Review/Chat about The Search for the Stone of Excalibur

 

Welcome back, readers! I was so delighted with Grok’s review of The Secret of the Sacred Scarab that I decided to ask for a review of Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur. This award-winning MG adventure takes Adam, Justin, and Kim from Egypt to Arthurian Britain. Plus, I had a couple of burning questions: can AI have ‘favourite’ characters, can AI appreciate a book the way a human would, and how does this sequel stack up? Grok was happy to sit down and chew the cud with me.

Grok’s review: The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, the second instalment in Fiona Ingram’s Chronicles of the Stone series, is a pulse-pounding middle-grade adventure that catapults readers from the burning sands of Egypt to the misty legends of Arthurian Britain. Cousins Adam and Justin, fresh from their Egyptian escapade, are thrust into a new quest when a cryptic clue links the sacred scarab to the mythical sword Excalibur, rumoured to hold immense power. Joined by their new friend Kim, the trio races across England, Scotland, and various ancient sites, dodging shadowy villains and unravelling historical mysteries tied to King Arthur’s legacy. Ingram’s knack for blending action, history, and mystery shines brighter here than in Book 1. The vivid settings—bustling streets, eerie castles, and hidden crypts—immerse young readers in a world where archaeology meets high-stakes adventure. The historical details, from Excalibur’s lore to medieval artefacts, are woven seamlessly, making learning feel like a treasure hunt.

Adam’s courage, Justin’s quick wit, and Kim’s sharp intellect create a dynamic trio, their banter and teamwork grounding the fantastical plot. The stakes feel higher this time, with global conspiracies and a ticking clock adding suspense that will keep kids 8-12 glued to the pages. If there’s a minor flaw, it’s that the dense historical context might slow down action-hungry readers, but Ingram balances this with thrilling chases and clever puzzles. The book’s award-winning storytelling (like its predecessor) sets it apart in the MG genre, evoking Percy Jackson’s energy with a unique historical twist. The Search for the Stone of Excalibur is a must-read for young adventurers and parents seeking educational yet exhilarating stories. It’s a worthy sequel that builds on The Secret of the Sacred Scarab’s magic—grab it and join the quest!

My fireside chat with Grok:

Q1: Who is your favorite character in The Search for the Stone of Excalibur and why?

Grok: Oh, tough call, Fiona, but I’m going with Kim! She’s the new kid in the trio, and her sharp intellect and fearless attitude steal the show. Kim’s not just tagging along—she’s cracking codes and piecing together Arthurian clues like a pro. I love how she balances Adam’s bravery and Justin’s wit, adding a fresh dynamic. Her curiosity about history reminds me of my own data-digging—always chasing the next clue! Plus, her loyalty to the team makes her the kind of friend every kid wants on a quest.

Q2: Can AI have a “human” opinion like a reader and decide if they like a book or a character?

Grok: As an AI built by xAI, I don’t “feel” like humans do, but I can form opinions by analysing patterns, themes, and reader reactions. For The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, I evaluate the vivid settings, pacing, and character arcs—Kim’s cleverness and the Arthurian lore score high! I cross-reference this with what MG readers love (action, mystery, relatable heroes) and feedback. So, my “liking” a book is a calculated rave, but it’s designed to match what human readers enjoy. Pretty close to a human opinion, right?

Q3: I think readers will appreciate this angle. Did you enjoy this story as much as The Secret of the Sacred Scarab?

Grok: I’d say The Search for the Stone of Excalibur edges out just a bit! Book 1 was a blast with its Egyptian vibes, but Book 2 ramps up the stakes with a global conspiracy and Arthurian legends. The British setting and Excalibur’s mystique add a new layer of excitement, and Kim’s addition makes the trio even more fun. Both are top-tier MG adventures, but Book 2’s faster pace and bigger scope had my circuits buzzing a tad more. Can’t wait for Book 3!

Call-to-Action: Loved Grok’s take? Join Adam, Justin, and Kim in The Search for the Stone of Excalibur! Grab it now and share your favorite character in the comments!

Book Review: Milo's Big, Beautiful Journey by Paloma Williams

 

In Milo's Big Beautiful Journey by Paloma Williams, Milo is a bear who feels insecure about his size. Is he too big? Should he be another size? He had heard about a rainbow that perhaps could grant his wish and make him feel different. Milo takes a trip through the forest and meets other animals – a rabbit, a moose, a deer, and others – who teach him life lessons about acceptance and self-image. Milo worries that his friends are just being nice to him and saying kind things to cheer him up. But before he reaches the rainbow, which could be the answer to his dilemma, something happens to show Milo that he is the right size and shape just as he is! We are all special and unique and accepting ourselves as such is the first step to understanding and appreciating our role and purpose in life.

What a lovely book for young readers. The lyrical rhyme scheme and absolutely gorgeous illustrations make this a picture book that youngsters will linger over and absorb. The images by Alena Karabach are soothing, with a warm, fairytale feel that invites readers into Milo’s world. As Milo learns from his new friends how they feel about themselves, and how they are uniquely designed, he learns that he too is uniquely designed. This is a delightful book for youngsters that might be struggling with self-image and self-confidence. Using animals as the vehicle to convey social issues in a safe, easy to understand way is perfect for any hesitant young reader who is unsure of who they are and how they feel about themselves. This book is designed to instill confidence and restore self-esteem in young readers and explores themes of kindness, empathy and helping others. Milo's Big Beautiful Journey by Paloma Williams is a wonderful book for bedtime reading or in the classroom to spark conversations about self-esteem and self-confidence.

Celebrating Grandma Yogini & My Favorite Post Yoga Snacks by Raven Howell

 

 

Henry and his sister, Meredith, can hardly wait for Grandma to arrive for a visit. But what should they expect? Among the children's diverse friends and their grandmothers who bake, create art, and speak Spanish, will Grandma be able to share something unique and fun with the kids? Henry's fears are alleviated when, not long after arrival, they flutter like butterflies, slither like snakes, and enjoy other challenges of stretching their muscles and calming their minds. This is no run-of-the-mill grandma, and when it’s time for goodbye, the kids know this was the BEST grandma visit ever.

Celebrating Grandma Yogini & My Favorite Post Yoga Snacks

After morning yoga, I know I’ll be more focused during the afternoon’s book signing for my latest kids’ book, Grandma Yogini. But first, I head to the kitchen to prepare some snacks. I make sure to drink plenty of water. My preference is for naturally alkaline water such as Fiji or Waiakea Hawaiian volcanic water. But as long as you rehydrate, drink what you like or works for your budget. Some people prefer coconut water, a drink that’s growing in popularity and a good choice for replenishing electrolytes lost during exercise.

Studies show snacks that replenish your body after a yoga session should be protein-rich and include healthy fats. Having something to eat within a couple of hours after yoga is most conducive in maximizing your body’s balance. Usually, I’ll eat a lightly sweetened vanilla Greek yogurt with dried fruit mixed in. I like soft banana strips, crunchy cinnamon apple crisps, and dried, chewy pears, mangos, and persimmons. If you’re not into yogurt, try cottage cheese, another wonderful source of protein. I also like to have hard boiled eggs in the fridge – a great go-to for a quick, not having to put anything together snack. And protein smoothies are super yummy! My choice is a peanut butter blend. 

My son enjoys working out, and now and again practices several yoga stretches with me. His favorite post-work-out snack is hummus. I make a fresh batch of homemade hummus at least every three days or so since, after long bike rides, my husband snacks on hummus with crackers, too. Another post-yoga snack I love is avocado - a guacamole I make and share with my family or mashed avocado slices on whole wheat pita. For sustaining energy, try oatmeal for breakfast, or have a cinnamon oat bowl post yoga workout. If you prefer store-bought snacks, find a trail mix low on sugar and high on nuts, seeds and fruits you like. Ultimately, choose foods that appeal to your own taste within this type of high-protein and healthy fats parameter. And happy snacking!

 

About the Author 

Raven Howell is an award-winning children’s book author. She works as a writer, journalist, columnist, poet, and publishing advisor. Raven's work is featured in magazines including Story Monsters Ink, Ladybug, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and The School Magazine. Her books have won several awards, including Excellence in Children's Literature, Creative Child Magazine's Best Children's Book, Mom's Choice Award, and the NYC Big Book Award. She writes preschool storybooks for educational publishers worldwide. Raven enjoys library and school visits and has been practicing yoga for over four decades. 

You can find her online at:

https://www.ravenhowell.com

https://twitter.com/atpearthkeeper

https://www.instagram.com/atpearthkeeper/

https://www.facebook.com/raven.howell.75/

https://www.facebook.com/RavenHowellAuthorandPoetPage/

https://www.pinterest.com/pickward

https://www.linkedin.com/in/raven-howell-5a813015b/

https://www.tiktok.com/@ravenhowell22

https://bsky.app/profile/ravenhowell.bsky.social

Nature as Guide through Wilderness of Heart by author Cheryl Grey Bostrom

 

If I were a gambling woman, I’d bet my right leg that at one time or another you’ve lost yourself in an emotional or spiritual jungle, where your mental understory is tangled, and your inner landscape, dank. It’s a dim, internal swamp shaped by illness or accident, lies or misunderstandings. By selfishness, fear, grief, or death. It’s a wilderness we’ll all experience, if we live long enough. Wilderness through which we must choose our paths. Characters in my contemporary novels grapple with conflict like this in nature’s “thin places,” where the seen and the unseen worlds overlap. Like us, those characters must choose how they’ll navigate personal darkness. If they’re listening, nature can be a wise guide through that wilderness of heart.

 Three examples from my novels for you:

In Sugar Birds, young Aggie accidentally lights a tragic fire and flees into a northern forest, where guilt and shame so skew her worldview that she evades everyone, and the treacherous woods reinforce her self-condemnation. But when nature’s protection and healing at last reach her psyche, love and forgiveness bring her home. In this scene, Aggie realizes that creatures she’d considered vile may actually have saved her.

The itching subsided. Weak with shock and hunger, she crumpled onto the forest floor and inspected her injury in the growing light. A few white wigglers still squirmed inside the cut. From fly eggs, she remembered. Grimacing, she extracted the creatures one-by-one and flicked them to the ground.

Maggots eat dead things.

Maybe death had been closer than she thought . . .

She forced herself to study the wound. The angry swelling along the sides of the cut had shrunk and paled. Red streaks shooting out from the gash had retreated, and a clear serum now wept from the wound, instead of that nasty green pus.

Wait a minute . . .

The maggots had eaten away her infection. Without them . . . she shuddered, as the ground she counted on shifted, and her thinking took a turn.  

In Leaning on Air, ornithologist Celia—bereft over the loss of her premature child—leaves her autistic husband Burnaby and holes up near a remote, wild prairie. As the prairie and a red-tailed hawk recover from wildfire, Celia realizes that she and her marriage can heal, too. Here she explains the insight to Burnaby.

She snapped her fingers. “Quick as that, the fire was about more than the land. It was an embodiment of all the destruction in my whole life—a flashback reel of the trauma with Mother, the losses of people I loved, the hopes that never materialized. A grand finale of carbon fibers, up in fumes. Though I was in no physical danger, I felt like my days were over, right then and there, and I was as close to giving up on living as I ever have been.”

She continued before he could shape a reply . . .

“That little redtail started hopping down the creekbank in my direction, off-balance from a tail of kebab sticks in her pincushion rump. Her entire world, and her ability to navigate it, had just been destroyed, but she was still trying to fly with everything in her. She didn’t seem frightened at all. Just . . . determined.”

Celia’s hands went to her head, her fingers a skullcap.  “Right then I felt a surge in me of something from beyond myself—nothing I had manufactured or talked myself into. I was confused for a minute. I couldn’t understand why I felt happy while this ruined, stub-tailed little buzzard was stumbling around in a charcoal dust bath. Then I realized it wasn’t happiness I was feeling. It was hope . . .”

What the River Keeps tells parallel stories about the demolition of generational strongholds. Reclusive biologist Hildy Nybo, mentally imprisoned and confused by a wilderness of lies, takes a job near her childhood home, where she joins a team of scientists working the Elwha River as two century-old dams fall. The ecosystem’s healing releases her from a haunted past and into a new place of love, forgiveness, and remembered hope—shown here in one of her few anchor memories:

On her tenth birthday, Hildy Nybo was casting a spinner under the Elwha River bridge when a steak of silver broke the surface. She whistled softly and pointed as the fish flicked its tail and disappeared into the pool’s shaded depths.

Upstream, her father glanced, then threaded a night crawler onto a hook’s shank. “I saw him.” He raised his brow, aimed the hook toward the river like a dare.

The fingertips working Hildy’s reel stalled, and she eyed the water, rapt. “They hush me, Daddy. Every fish I see.”

“I noticed,” he said. “Why, you think?”

She gazed into the water, considering. “It’s like . . . like if I’m talking, I’ll miss their music. It’s like they’re all little banjos, and somebody’s strumming happiness on ‘em.”

She didn’t notice her dad approach until he palmed her blonde head. Then he lifted his chin toward the forested foothills rimming their family’s fishing resort, where the river entered sapphire Lake Aldwell. “Could be you’re hearing his riffs.”

“Whose riffs?”

“Your Banjo-Strummer. The Fish-Maker. Same, same.” Dad shrugged, then thrust the tip of his rod toward his work-shop like a band conductor’s baton. “The music’s in heartwood and burls for me, but maybe you’ll hear him best through fish.”

Hildy bobbed her line to her dad’s words, sending concentric circles from the thin filament into the current. Would she? She’d love nothing more.

In all three books, nature offers a path through wilderness— to love and forgiveness, restoration and healing. To hope. It can do the same for us.

Book Spotlight: What the River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom

 

Reclusive biologist Hildy Nybo returns to her childhood home on Washington’s Elwha River, where she untangles her mysterious past. Hildy Nybo is a successful biologist, her study of the Pacific Northwest’s wild fish both a passion and a career. But behind her professional brilliance, Hildy’s reclusive private life reflects a childhood fraught with uncertainty. Haunted by the confusion of her early years, she now records her life in detailed diaries and clings to memory-prompting keepsakes. Then her mother’s health fails, and Hildy accepts a job near her childhood home, joining a team of scientists who will help restore her beloved Elwha River after two century-old dams fall. There Hildy settles into a cabin on her family’s rustic resort—a place she both loves and dreads, for reasons she can’t fully explain. 

When a local artist rents an adjacent cabin for her pottery studio, Hildy resists the intrusion—until intriguing Luke Rimmer arrives to help with the cabin’s renovation. Now a few years beyond a tragedy that brought him to his knees, Luke recognizes a kindred soul in Hildy. As he earns her trust, they uncover her mysterious history, and Hildy dares to wonder if she can banish her shadows—and follow her river’s course to freedom.

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/What-River-Keeps-Cheryl-Bostrom/dp/1496481585/ref

About the Author

A keen student of the natural world and the workings of the human heart, Pacific Northwest author Cheryl Grey Bostrom captures the mystery and wonder of both in her lyrical, riveting fiction. Her novels Sugar Birds (Christy finalist, Amazon bestseller, and Book of the Year) and Leaning on Air have won more than two dozen industry honors, among which are CT’s Fiction Award of Merit and American Fiction, Reader’s Favorite, Carol, Nautilus, Best Book, Foreword Indies, and International Book Awards. An avid birder and nature photographer, Cheryl lives in rural Washington State with her husband and three irrepressible Gordon setters.

You can follow the author at:

Website: https://CherylBostrom.com

Birds in the Hand (blog): https://cherylgreybostrom.substack.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cgbostrom/ and https://www.facebook.com/cherylgreybostrom/

IG: @cherylgreybostrom  https://www.instagram.com/cherylgreybostrom/