Old Books and Faded Dreams
October 16, 2025 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Rabt Book Tours tagged as #RABTBookTours, @RABTBookTours, DL Norris, historical fiction, new release, Old Books and Faded Dreams
Date Published: September 14, 2025
family as suspect. The startling discovery of a sinister family secret locked away for decades in an old attic trunk threatens to overshadow a highly esteemed familial image and cherished legacy. Can relationships be salvaged?
grief, reconciliation and ultimately, unconditional love.
About the Author
D.L. Norris is a notable author and motivational speaker who has written numerous short stories and articles on health, emotional wellness, family, and cultural history.
Norris’ novels, The Long Way Home and Where the Heart Is, capture in colorful, humorous style the actual events and cultural mindsets surrounding her Scandinavian family and personal life experiences.
Norris’ expressive writing style quickly engages her readers and encourages them to sit back and enjoy a nostalgic, magical journey.
She and her husband are happily retired in beautiful Hartford, Connecticut.
Contact Links
Purchase Links
Tracy Reed: Our October Featured Author
October 15, 2025 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month tagged as Beautiful Men, fashion, Sophisticated Romance, the Big Apple, Tracy Reed
Tracy Reed: Our October Featured Author
A California native, novelist Tracy Reed pushes the boundaries of her Christian foundation with her sometimes racy and often fiery tales.
After years of living in the Big Apple, this self proclaimed New Yorker draws from the city’s imagination, intrigue, and inspiration to cultivate characters and plot lines who breathe life to the words on every page.
Tracy’s passion for beautiful fashion and beautiful men direct her vivid creative power towards not only novels, but short stories, poetry, and podcasts. With something for every attention span.
Tracy Reed’s ability to capture an audience is unmatched. Her body of work has been described as a host of stimulating adventures and invigorating expression.
Find Tracy on Social Media
Books by Tracy Reed
OCRW Birthday Celebration
October 12, 2025 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as Contests, Denise M. Colby, OCRW Birthday BashMany of us on this blog originated from OCRW, which once was called OCC. Today was the annual OCRW birthday celebration and it was fun to gather and celebrate the BBB winners, the BIAY celebrants, and those that earned roses.
There were baskets for raffle, a book cover contest, a speaker, potluck, and lots of catching up and fellowship.
I’ve been a member for over twelve years and I remember this meeting be a highlight every year. I don’t think this year was any less. Much kudos goes to our board and all the hard work behind the scenes to pull this off.
I thought I would share pictures I took. I wish I could’ve gotten a big group photo since there were many there you would all recognize (and some on zoom). It was nice to see familiar faces. The meeting was jam-packed full of lots of great things.
The Birthday Bash Itself
Here we are listening to our speaker of the day, the baskets for the raffle, and the food table.
Book Cover Contest
This year instead of large printed covers, it was all online. With a monitor to showcase them during the meeting. There were a large selection of covers to choose from with 5 different categories.
MOST ROMANTIC: Worth the Risk by Liz Durano
BUY IT NOW (Best Cover): What Happens At the Beach by Skye McDonald
SEXIEST COVER: Blue-Eyed Jacks by Calia Wilde
BEST TITLE AWARD: Where She Belongs by Liz Durano
BEST IN GENRE: A Slight Change of Plans by Denise M. Colby
Other OCRW Activities and Announcements
We have an active online book club that meets monthly for different topics. We also have Book in a year to encourage writers to finish their book. If you are interested in learning more about the Orange County Romance Writers group check out our website. (which we will be updating soon).
Book Buyers Best Contest Winners
Winners were announced during the meeting. My debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, placed in 3rd place in the Historical Romance category. Congratulations to all the winners.
It was a lovely day. I’ve been so blessed to be a part of this organization for so long and make lifelong writing friends here.
If you notice the vase of roses, it has been tradition as long as I’ve been here to receive a rose for published work. I remember sitting in my chair dreaming of the day I would receive a red rose (for traditionally published).
I’ve written about it in this blog post about my debut novel and all the firsts that came with it.
Now I have my first novella publishing in November and I’ll be receiving a white rose. I’m a little excited about that too. And now I realize I haven’t written about this book at all here on this blog.
My next published book releasing November 4, 2025
Sometimes the best life is the one we never planned.
Sarah Anne Baker never wanted to be anyone’s burden. But hours after losing the Godmother who raised her, she faces an impossible choice: marry her late fiancé’s brother—or flee into the unknown. With fear as her only companion, she places her trust in the one man leaving town that night—the enigmatic traveling peddler known only as Mr. Smith.
Alexander Sinclair walked away from his noble title in Scotland to live a quiet, hidden life. Peddling wares from town to town has given him peace, free from the weight of expectation. Until a desperate young woman crosses his path. He can’t turn her away… no matter the cost.
Together, Sarah and Alex set out on a journey through loss, healing, and a bond neither expected to find. But as secrets surface and choices demand to be made, both must decide: cling to the lives they planned—or risk everything to embrace the future God has written for them.
A tender tale of courage, redemption, and love strong enough to change the course of two hearts forever.
You can preorder the e-book here on Amazon for $3.99
0 0 Read moreWhen the world was black and white but the circus was a colorful place by Jina Bacarr
October 11, 2025 by Jina Bacarr in category circus, Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as cirucs, Paris, thriller, trapeze, writing, WW2
Hitler loved the circus.
According to classified reports uncovered after the war, the Fuehrer would sit in the front row of the circus and cheer on the performers he perceived to be ‘working class folks’ putting their lives on the line.
He loved the ‘woman in danger’ element in the acts, as my heroine Lia di Montieri discovers when she appears in a circus in Germany in the 1930s. I shan’t spoil the surprise, but we follow Lia’s career, her heartbreak over losing her baby, and how she makes a daring leap to join the Resistance to save Jewish children.
I’ve always been fascinated by circuses since I was a little girl. Especially the trapeze. We had a swing set in the backyard when I was growing up and I’d try every crazy trick I could think of, pretending I was flying under the big top, that I was ‘an angel without wings’ until one day the swing broke. Then we moved. As we did a lot in those days.
And so ended my circus dreams.
Finally, I can fly again! In my Boldwood Books upcoming WW2 novel about Occupied Paris and the circus.
‘The Stolen Children of War’ is…
The heartbreaking story of Lia di Montieri, Queen of the Flying Trapeze, who loses her own baby and risks her life to save innocent children from the Gestapo.
An adorable baby elephant named Bebe.
And lurking in the background is a serial killer preying on circus queens who threatens to destory what Lia holds most dear.
I wanted to write a story about circuses with a twist — there’s danger under the big top at every performance… lions, tigers… knife throwers… high wire walkers, trapeze artistes flying 100 mph from the flybar to the catcher, but what if there was also a killer watching their every move, ready to strike?
You’ll find all that and more at Le Cirque Casini!
It’s a psycological thriller with a mad doctor serial killer, beautiful circus queens in danger, heroes willing to die to protect them, baby animal ‘cuteness’, and ‘stolen children’ who will steal your heart.
Step right up, ladies and gents, and let’s go to the circus!
Now on NetGalley for all you book bloggers and reviewers.
Tracy Reed: Our October Featured Author
October 1, 2025 by Tracy Reed in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month tagged as Beautiful Men, fashion, Sophisticated Romance, the Big Apple, Tracy Reed
Tracy Reed: Our October Featured Author
A California native, novelist Tracy Reed pushes the boundaries of her Christian foundation with her sometimes racy and often fiery tales.
After years of living in the Big Apple, this self proclaimed New Yorker draws from the city’s imagination, intrigue, and inspiration to cultivate characters and plot lines who breathe life to the words on every page.
Tracy’s passion for beautiful fashion and beautiful men direct her vivid creative power towards not only novels, but short stories, poetry, and podcasts. With something for every attention span.
Tracy Reed’s ability to capture an audience is unmatched. Her body of work has been described as a host of stimulating adventures and invigorating expression.
Find Tracy on Social Media
Books by Tracy Reed
Featured Books
LILIANA’S LETTER
Hired to help an heiress snare a titled husband, a down-on-her-luck lady dodges her own shadowy past and the titled Lord determined to uncover it.
More info →
COVERT ALLIANCE
Passion flares between a mysterious woman and a covert investigator who knows her secret…
More info → 
