Tari Lynn Jewett: Featured Author
July 14, 2026 by Tari Jewett in category Charmed Writer by Tari Lynn Jewett, Featured Author of the Month tagged as #Charmed Writers, #FireworksintheFog, #HeromsaForTheHolidays, #PleaseSayYes, Love and Mud Puddles, romantic comedy, Tari Lynn Jewett
Tari Lynn Jewett lives with her husband of nearly thirty years (also known as Hunky Hubby). They have three amazing sons, a board game designer, a sound engineer and a musician. For over fifteen years she wrote freelance for magazines and newspapers, wrote television commercials, radio spots, numerous press releases, and many, MANY PTA newsletters. As much as she loved writing those things, she always wanted to write fiction . . . and now she is.
She also believes in happily ever after . . . because she’s living hers.
One of Tari’s newest title is Love and Mud Puddles, available now.
Hannah loves her accounting job, the condo that she purchased herself, and her best friend Melinda. What she doesn’t love is baking. To be fair, she’s never tried. But when her cousin shames her into bringing homemade cookies to the family Christmas Eve celebration, she begins a quest to make the perfect holiday cookie.
Paramedic Josh also occasionally teaches kids’ cookie baking classes at his family’s bakery. When a beautiful accountant mistakenly signs up for a children’s holiday baking class, he realizes immediately that she’s in the right place.
Can this local hero help to save Hannah’s Christmas? Or will it all go up in smoke?
Tari’s other Books
Mother Nature Knows . . . Best
July 13, 2026 by Bethlehem Writers Group in category From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group tagged as Bethlehem Writers Group LLC, Dianna Sinovic, eco-horror, nature
We’re in the midst of summer here in Southeast Pennsylvania, a time for hiking in the woods, camping in the forest, picnicking near a lake—even walking on the beach at the Jersey Shore. Nature is ours to enjoy, right?
We often view nature as “safe,” but seen through the lens of a horror writer, nature can also be unpredictable and dangerous. That’s the horror sub-genre of biological or ecological horror, in which nature has the final word. These days, with a rapidly changing climate, the natural world can pose an even greater threat.
Even though the term eco-horror may seem new, the idea of (hu)man vs. nature has been around for hundreds of years as a plot device. The natural world can be a pretty scary place, even when it’s not depicted as evil, and especially if you think you have it all figured out. Consider the films 27 Hours or All Is Lost.
“In eco-horror, nature isn’t good,” says JP Ruz on Slow Burn Horror. “But it’s not evil either; it just is.”
In mid-20th century films, natural horror frequently focused on creatures: Godzilla, that Creature from the Black Lagoon, giant ants (Them!). It was a way to address humanity’s fear at that time of nuclear annihilation and radiation exposure.
Creatures continue to be a common eco-horror trope because we can anthropomorphize them, from aliens (Alien) to yetis (Yeti) to sharks (Jaws)—all critters we can “fight.” Other living entities are harder to deal with (or stop) because they are so not human: plants (Little Shop of Horrors), fungi (The Last of Us), viruses (The Stand). Or they are meteorological: tornadoes (Twister), gales (Perfect Storm), snow (Avalanche), floods (The Wave).
Like life in general, humans are usually happiest when they feel in control. When they aren’t, the horror seeps in.
But author and poet Ashia Ajani, writing in Atmos Magazine, asks: “Even when there is a moral at the end of the tale, too much ecological horror begs the question: Should nature be conquered? Subdued?”
Ajani notes that “many of the movies recycle the same tropes: possessed creatures, gory vengeance, and supernatural phenomena that speak more to our own fear of annihilation instead of addressing the uneven wounds we’ve created all over the globe.”
Several recent novels that explore eco-horror include Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, also a movie; The Marigold by Andrew F. Sullivan, and The Brood by Rebecca Baum.
Naomi Booth, writing in the New York Times, adds, “In eco-horror, we witness acts of environmental violence currently hidden from sight; we might see who suffers most and who gains by that suffering.”
That’s because climate change doesn’t treat everyone equally, Ajani says. Instead it worsens existing inequities.
This is good fodder for story creation. As Booth says, “at its most effective, eco-horror compels us not to look away. It attempts to close the distance between the reader and sufferers of environmental disaster, and when it really gets under the skin.”
Speaking of skin, author Erica Ferencik, whose novel The Blooming releases early next year, noted at a recent conference panel on eco-horror noted that our internal body temperature is cooling (it’s no longer 98.6F, but roughly 97.5F), making it easier for fungi to invade through that very skin . . .
Stories from BWG
Building a Strong Author Brand
July 12, 2026 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as Author Brand, author branding, building a brand, Denise M. ColbyOne of the things I enjoy about being an author is building a strong author brand. I love playing in this space and coming up with new ideas to create things to support my books.
What is Author Branding?
Author branding is identifying the unique promise you give to your readers. This can include your writing style, themes, your visuals, and your public identity. Readers want to know what they will get when they pick up one of your books.
To give you an idea, one of the things that is a part of my brand is journals and prayer journaling (every book has a journal entry before each chapter and I have a how to build a prayer journal website page – which gets the most clicks every month). Also a part of my brand is one-room schoolhouses (I have a website page on ones I visited) and schoolmarms.
My stories are set in the late 1860s and include schoolteachers and one-room schoolhouses. Learning about the specific rules they had to follow and what they were and weren’t allowed to do has given me plenty of material, as well as some interesting fodder for my stories and for writing blog posts to share the research I’ve gathered.
I can’t believe how much my branding has grown in the last two years.
Now that I have more than one book out, it’s been so much fun fine-tuning what I started with and building new graphics for my headers, posts, bookmarks, and stickers that support my stories, and give readers a flavor of what they would find when they read them.
Building an Author Brand
Knowing your audience is key to building an author brand that readers can connect with.
When I brainstormed my branding elements I came up with all sorts of ideas, colors, and feelings I wanted to convey, including using browns, blues, and off-white with accent colors of red, yellow, and green.
My covers and their colors tend to drive many of the graphics I’ve built, but I’ve found wood as a background theme to be the most complementary. I use both a dark wood and white-washed wood the most. One great idea is to find 12 x 12 scrapbook paper (that’s what the dark wood design is) and take pictures of things on it. Then you have a consistent background that’s inviting. I use the white-washed in most of my canva graphics. These have both worked out well.
Sometimes, I also will use a light color background to match my book covers when needed, and for my launch specific graphics, I’ve found finding a background that fits the setting and lighten it to work really well.
Building Branding Elements From Characters & Setting
For me, I’m writing western historical with one-room schoolhouses as a major setting point. This is part of my author brand. I created my logo to include a red one-room schoolhouse. I had someone ask if that’s limiting, but I’ve been using it now for about three years and if I continue this series it would be 2030 before I would even consider the next series and it still could have a one-room schoolhouse in it.
Also, one of the best things I did was create a memorable character I could build something around, including merchandise. Bert, my crazy rooster who resides in my small western town of Washton, has become my readers favorite. My son drew him for me and I have used that image in graphics and made stickers, buttons, keychains, and now a tshirt.
I also have a cool collection of rooster-oriented things friends have gifted me. The rooster on the table below was actually my mom’s. She had used it as decor, and I kept it, telling myself I would put it out once I published my first book. It was such a moment when I pulled it out. Now it sits stays out.
One of my other favorites is my rooster squish mellow. He goes with me to all my author events. Easy to pack and lightweight, he grabs attention. I’ve bought extra and gave them as launch team gifts and for drawings/giveaways.
Creating Materials from Themes
One of the other things I’ve created are Bible verse stickers that have the main theme verse per book on them. Now that I have four books, I have four stickers.
At my last two book signings, I gave the corresponding sticker along with the book they purchased. I also use these as giveaways in my newsletter. In the future I’d love to have a sticker shop to sell them, or to sell them at book signings, so if someone doesn’t want to buy a book, they may still make a purchase.
Speaking of book signings. I finally created a stand up banner and love how it came out. I designed it in Canva using all my author branding elements along with my book covers.
This easel poster was built to put at the front door of the book signing to capture interest right away.
I hope all of this gives you ideas of things you can do with to help build your author brand. Would love to hear your own ideas as well as thoughts about what I’ve shared in the comments below.
Denise loves to share about her writing journey (see all her posts here), including her word of the year (this year it is BALANCE), writing her Best-laid Plans Series, and all the things in between.
Denise M. Colby writes historical romance sweetened with faith, hope, and love. She finds history fascinating and contemplates often how it was to live in the 1800’s. Her debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, is a 2025 Carol Award finalist. Sign up for her newsletter at www.denisemcolby.com or follow Denise on Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub, Pinterest, or GoodReads.
What Would You Say to Writers in Peri/Menopause? by Kitty Bucholtz
July 9, 2026 by Kitty Bucholtz in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz tagged as It's Worth It, Kitty Bucholtz, menopause, Perimenopause, writingHalf of the world will go through menopause at some point, and all of the world will see or feel the effects of it. I’m so grateful that I live during a time when we are finally taking menopause out of hiding and finding out how to help ourselves and each other through this phase. The only thing that would be better is if I lived during a time when I knew before it happened what the heck was going on!
To that end, I’m determined to help writers who are just figuring this out. I started writing a book to help writers going through perimenopause and menopause, but over time my doctors helped me even out and I was finally feeling myself a few weeks ago. After three years, but better late than never. I began to question whether I could finish the book when I felt so good…and then I found myself stuck in a worldwide estrogen shortage!
<insert crying and swearing and anxiety and depression and brain fog again>
The silver lining in finding my body and mind going backwards is that now I know I really do need to finish this book. So here’s my question for you: what do you think should be included?
Topics so far include:
* Know what perimenopause and menopause are so you can be prepared
* Learn all you can about how your body and mind are responding
* Understand how decreasing hormones could impact your mood and creativity
* Find ways to keep your creativity going during this time
* Learn how and when to give yourself grace when you need it
What else do you think should be included? I was thinking about men understanding the women in their lives (bosses, coworkers, family, friends), how husbands and wives can find a peaceful way to get through it together, resources from doctors, etc. Think about your experience, that of your friends, what people have wished they’d known. Please leave some comments! Forward this to your friends. I’d like to make this book as helpful as possible.
Tari Lynn Jewett: Featured Author
July 1, 2026 by Tari Jewett in category Charmed Writer by Tari Lynn Jewett, Featured Author of the Month tagged as #Charmed Writers, #FireworksintheFog, #HeromsaForTheHolidays, #PleaseSayYes, Love and Mud Puddles, romantic comedy, Tari Lynn Jewett
Tari Lynn Jewett lives with her husband of nearly thirty years (also known as Hunky Hubby). They have three amazing sons, a board game designer, a sound engineer and a musician. For over fifteen years she wrote freelance for magazines and newspapers, wrote television commercials, radio spots, numerous press releases, and many, MANY PTA newsletters. As much as she loved writing those things, she always wanted to write fiction . . . and now she is.
She also believes in happily ever after . . . because she’s living hers.
One of Tari’s newest title is Love and Mud Puddles, available now.
Hannah loves her accounting job, the condo that she purchased herself, and her best friend Melinda. What she doesn’t love is baking. To be fair, she’s never tried. But when her cousin shames her into bringing homemade cookies to the family Christmas Eve celebration, she begins a quest to make the perfect holiday cookie.
Paramedic Josh also occasionally teaches kids’ cookie baking classes at his family’s bakery. When a beautiful accountant mistakenly signs up for a children’s holiday baking class, he realizes immediately that she’s in the right place.
Can this local hero help to save Hannah’s Christmas? Or will it all go up in smoke?
