What a Month! by Linda O Johnston
May 6, 2022 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as Bear Witness, Guardian K-9 On Call, Lark O. Jensen, Linda O. Johnston, new releases
It’s May 2022. And it’s quite a month for me. I’m having two books published!
They’re numbers 56 and 57, so I’ve been pretty fortunate in my writing. And one of them you might not recognize as mine.
Oh, really, you will. I’ve taken my first pseudonym, Lark O. Jensen. But it’s pretty obvious that Lark O. Jensen is me.
The other book is GUARDIAN K-9 ON CALL, the second in my Shelter of Secrets series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. That shelter of secrets appears to the world like a special animal shelter that takes in pets in need, and hires homeless people to help out. But it’s even more special, since those supposedly homeless folks are actually there in a special protection program where they’re given new identities and new lives. And yes, people in charge in various ways get involved in love stories. This is romantic suspense, after all. And in GUARDIAN K-9 ON CALL, K-9 cop Maisie Murran helps veterinarian Dr. Kyle Kornel, who is wrongly accused of murder. And guess what. They become attracted to one another while trying to determine what really happened.
So… Happy May, everyone! And may you also have as fun a month as I’m having.
~Linda
How’s Your Year Going by Linda O. Johnston
February 6, 2022 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as Bear Witness, Lark O. Jensen, new releases, Pets
Yes, we’re now more than a month into a new year.
Did you finish 2021 the way you wanted?
Have you begun 2022 in a way that you’re happy looking into the future?
How is your writing going?
I can answer those questions positively. I’ve been busy with my writing, working on several Harlequin Romantic Suspense books at a time, with deadlines ranging into 2024. I’ll have two HRS books published this year, including GUARDIAN K-9 ON CALL, one of my Shelter of Secrets series, plus SHIELDING COLTON’S WITNESS, one in the Coltons of Colorado series, part of the long-running HRS Colton books.
Also, my first Alaska Untamed mystery, BEAR WITNESS, will be published by Crooked Lane, only you won’t necessarily know it’s mine, since I’m using my first pseudonym, Lark O. Jensen.
Plus, I’m spending time with family and doing some traveling despite the continuation of Covid concerns. I’m of course being careful.
And you? I certainly hope all is going the way you want, and it continues!
Catching Up–and Dogs
November 6, 2021 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as Bear Witness, dogs, Her undercover refuge, Lark O. Jensen, Linda O. Johnston, new releases, Uncovering Colton's Family Secret
Can I catch up with the months I haven’t posted here? Probably not. But I missed it—and hope you missed me! 
In any case, I’ve been busy. With writing? Sure! And I still write in multiple genres, although that’s changed a little. But romantic suspense and mystery? Oh, yes.
As always, I keep on plotting. I’ve had two new books out this year, both for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. In August came Her Undercover Refuge, the first HRS book in my new Shelter of Secrets series. And yes, it includes dogs.
The Shelter of Secrets series is a spin-off from my K-9 Ranch Rescue series, since both take place in the fictional town of Chance, California. And I just received copies of a new edition of what had been the second in the K-9 Ranch Rescue series, Trained to Protect. Why is there a new edition? Harlequin is republishing some books that have dogs on the cover!
Then came Uncovering Colton’s Family Secret, the tenth in the Coltons of Grave Gulch series, which was published this month. No dogs, but I really enjoy all the intrigue and romance the wide-reaching Colton family gets into.
What’s next? Well, in May 2022 my next mystery, Bear Witness, an Alaska Untamed Mystery, will be published by Crooked Lane . . . under a pseudonym. I’ll be Lark O. Jensen then. It does include a dog as well as Alaskan wildlife, including—what else?—bears!
Also in May comes my next Shelter of Secrets romantic suspense story, Guardian K-9 On Call. Yes, a K-9 is involved.
I’ve been reading a lot, too. And I want to mention here one of the books I most recently read and really enjoyed, the first in Diane Kelly’s new cozy mystery series that starts this month: Getaway with Murder, from the Mountain Lodge Mysteries. You won’t be surprised that I’d already loved Diane’s work, especially her Paw Enforcement series, because it involved . . . what else? Dogs! And this new series is also really enjoyable, revolving around a mountain lodge that has just been taken over by the protagonist who’s gotten it refurbished and turned into a delightful place for people to visit, including special groups like yoga retreats. But who thought murders would occur there? Well, readers of Diane’s work, maybe…! A really entertaining read. And it features a cat… and includes a dog.
Do you get the impression I’m obsessed with dogs? Could be… I’m particularly obsessed with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and always love it when my Cavalier Cari hangs out with me when I’m writing, or lies on my lap when I’m watching TV. We recently lost her big sister, Mystie, and I’ve started looking for a Cavalier puppy, so Cari will have canine company again.
So—how about you? Do you like to read, or write, or both, in multiple genres?
Do you like dogs?
Do you like A Slice of Orange? Must be, since you’re here. I certainly enjoy it, and appreciate the ability to blog at you!
A Few of Linda O. Johnston’s Books
Business, Busyness and… Yay!
April 6, 2021 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Linda O. Johnston, new releases, Pets, publishing, romantic suspense
Okay, writing books is my profession these days. My business. And I figure everyone reading this blog also enjoys books. That’s what A Slice of Orange is about.
I can always keep busy writing–yes, busyness. My mind keeps plotting away, even if it doesn’t need to. Ideas keep flashing into my brain and not letting go. Good thing my computer is usually nearby so I can at least start jotting down those ideas, and potentially flesh them out later. And I’ll also bet that a lot of the people reading A Slice of Orange can really identify with that, too.
Over the time of the pandemic I haven’t had many books published–just one so far, in February 2020. I’m used to more, but that’s okay. Things have changed a lot in many ways lately.
It’s especially okay since I will have two new books published later in 2021 and at least another two published in 2022! I always say I love to include dogs in my books, and I do that as much as I can, although sometimes I may think about dogs, and obey my own dogs while I’m writing, but not all of the books I’ve been writing lately can actually include dogs.
My upcoming books? Well, first will come Her Undercover Refuge, the first Harlequin Romantic Suspense book in my new Shelter of Secrets series–in August. And yes, it includes dogs.
Next will be Uncovering Colton’s Family Secret, the tenth in the Coltons of Grave Gulch series also for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, in October.
And then in February 2022, my next mystery, Bear Witness, an Alaska Untamed Mystery will be published by Crooked Lane… under a pseudonym. It does include a dog as well as Alaskan wildlife including–what else?–bears!
I’m working on another Colton book for HRS which will be published in 2022, and there may be more books as well… info to come.
So… Yay! Yes, I’ve used this blog post to talk a lot about myself and my work, and my business and busyness. It’s all about me–but not entirely. I hope it gives other writers inspiration to leap on ideas, and encourages them to stay busy as well. Assuming they’re not already, which they probably are.
And I certainly wouldn’t mind if any of you pick up one or more of my upcoming books when available, and read them.
By the way, I’m really thrilled that I’m A Slice of Orange’s featured author this month!
Some of Linda’s Many Books
Pandemic Ideas by Linda O. Johnston
December 6, 2020 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as mysteries, new ideas, new releases, pandemic, pandemic story
I’m a writer. A fiction writer. And right now my world, and everyone else’s, has been highly modified nonfictionally by a situation I never imagined would happen: The Covid 19 pandemic.
Because I’m a fiction writer, my mind is always spiraling with ideas for new stories. At the moment I think I’ll have three new books published next year: two Harlequin Romantic Suspense novels plus a potentially stand-alone mystery that I’m currently writing.
All that keeps my mind and my fingers busy. But that mind of mine–well, when I’m not focused on what I’m writing, I’m always considering potential new ideas. They kind of just slip into my thoughts based on things I see or do, or don’t see or do but still tiptoe in and become creative plots or people or pets.
Or unusual backgrounds…
Yes, I’ve already done a blog here not too long ago about what to include, and what not to include, in stories. I focused more there on whether or not to include references in what I’m already writing to the pandemic and other current issues it has been causing.
Now, I’m wondering whether I ought to write something new that features the pandemic and how it involves a protagonist, probably in a mystery. At least my mind keeps telling me to consider it.
If I did, would people want to read it, or would they rather stay away from awful things like that which are affecting their real lives–even fictionalized versions of it?
Don’t know yet–but I’m kind of leaving my mind loose to consider it.
What do you think–would you want to read about it?
Because it’s me, the story would also most likely involve dogs, who are now being recognized as wonderful companions as we all stay far from others outside our households a whole lot more than we used to.
But of course no dogs would be harmed.
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