Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle by Celeste Fenton: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, November 10, 2025


Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle by Celeste Fenton

What could be better than reading and loving a book and then finding out there's more? Characters that feel like old friends are off to have more adventures! And it's happening today with a welcome back visit from author Celeste Fenton with the second book in her Mysteries of a Heart series, Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle. More suspense, more romance, more mystery and a new twist...Scotland. Join us as we celebrate the launch of this book with a giveaway and an interview with the author.

But before we get to that, here's more about her book:

Two mysteries. One fight for survival. And danger closing in from both sides of the sea.

Gabby Heart travels to a remote Scottish castle with her best friend, Abe-a bestselling children's author-expecting misty views, historic charm, and quiet time to plan their next book series. But Brantmar Castle holds more than ghosts of the past. When the women are taken hostage, Gabby must rely on her instincts, her resilience, and the help of men who may not deserve her trust to survive. Meanwhile, on Dost Island, young residents are vanishing without a trace. As those left behind scramble for answers, unsettling clues emerge-leading to a dark motive no one could have predicted. From the storm-swept highlands of Scotland to the rocky shores of New England, Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle blends mystery, emotional grit, and simmering romance in a story where secrets run deep... and time is running out.

Publisher: Independently Published (September 22, 2025)
AISN: B0FNLY4WXK
Print length:  384 pages

Purchase your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You'll also want to add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Celeste Fenton

Celeste Fenton holds an M.Ed. and Ph.D. in education and has over thirty years’ experience in higher education. Her writing is fueled by a lifelong love of mystery, a fascination with the complexities of the human heart, and just enough real-world experience to keep things interesting. A widow, mother of adult twin sons, proud grandmother, dog lover, and semi-retired professor living in Florida, she weaves imagination with insight to create stories that are both emotionally rich and laced with suspense.

When she’s not writing, reading, or plotting her next twist, she’s often off exploring small towns across America—setting out solo for month-long adventures, much to the awe (and occasional alarm) of friends and family. Her latest obsessions include escape rooms, mastering the perfect miter cut for a DIY bathroom remodel, and making the impossible decision of where to travel next.


--Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: Welcome back, Celeste. We can't wait to hear about your second book Captive Heart at
Brantmar Castle. 

Celeste: Jodi, first, thank you for the wonderful blog tour you arranged for Lost Heart in King Manor and now for Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle! Women on Writing (WOW) is an amazing resource and support for writers.

WOW: We do love writers, especially meeting them and getting to know how they work. So tell us, did you plan the Mysteries of a Heart series from the beginning or did it grow from Lost Heart in King Manor?

Celeste: When the idea for Lost Heart in King Manor first started chirping—demanding to be freed from my brain cage—I was only focused on one book. (It was originally titled Mystery at the Manor. Yawn!) But as I got to know Gabby, she made it clear that one-and-done wouldn’t cut it. She had opinions, adventures to survive, and a lot more to say. I just followed her lead—and suddenly, I had a series.

WOW: Some characters just can't be contained in one book. Many of the characters from Lost Heart in King Manor return in Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle. How do you keep them fresh and evolving?

Celeste: It’s easy to keep the characters fresh because—now, don’t call the help line—I do know they’re fictional… I just don’t tell them that. These characters are growing, learning, making mistakes, finding purpose, falling in and out of love, and sometimes tripping over their own emotions. In other words, they’re human.

Abe Tuff (Abigail) takes a much bigger role in Captive Heart, reluctantly dragged into another one of Gabby’s “adventures.” There are fun and touching moments with the people Gabby and Abe meet in Scotland; Rick and Jay continue their bickering but have to press pause long enough to survive a disaster; Connie’s on her deathbed, Val comes home, Gail and Lola serve up sass, Beth and Roman feed everyone, and Anna—bless her—holds them all together. Whew! There’s a lot going on in Captive Heart!

WOW: That is a lot of drama. But we also enjoy the budding romance (actually, multiple romances). Many authors say romance scenes are hard to write. Do you find them challenging?

Celeste: Oh, absolutely—I was blushing writing my first steamy scene in Lost Heart in King Manor, where Gabby and Rick are in the tunnels and Jay catches them mid-make-out. Hells bells! But Gabby and Rick are in their forties—hello, they’re not exactly innocent—and it felt honest and natural for the moment. Plus, it gave Jay a perfect comedic reaction.

My advice? Don’t write sex scenes for shock value. Make them earn their place in the story. The intimacy should move the characters forward—emotionally, narratively—and feel real, not gratuitous.

WOW: It was enjoyable to read sexy scenes that had a tinge of humor, that gave them such a real feeling. So, two books released and more to come. Did you learn anything while writing Lost Heart that made the books that followed easier to write?

Celeste: I’m a lifelong educator who believes we learn with every breath we take, and writing is no exception. My action beats are stronger now, and the characters have greater depth (they talk to me more—but I’ve learned to put up a “Do Not Disturb” sign in my head at bedtime, though Gabby, Lola, and especially Jay, love to ignore it).

I dove deeper into research—Scotland, planes, tides, COVID, even mass shootings. Every new detail enriched the Captive Heart world and, frankly, taught me a lot about resilience—both theirs and mine.

WOW: If your research is any clue, there are going to be lots of challenges in Captive Heart. You’ve been promoting the Mysteries of the Heart series for several months. Are you tired? No, seriously, what’s your best advice for book promotion?

Celeste: Marketing is the hardest part of being an author. It’s exhausting, endless, and requires strategy. Let me share a cautionary tale: I signed up for a “Feel the Heat” book conference in Tampa, Florida. Perfect, I thought—just a few miles up I-75 from home! When I arrived, I was thrilled to see my table near the entrance. No competition in sight. Then I wandered into the main area and—gasp!—whips, chains, and dungeons. Turns out “Feel the Heat” was code for erotica, not the Florida sunshine.

Moral of the story? Do your research.

Make sure every dollar and every hour you invest in promotion is aligned with your genre, your audience, and your stage of authorship. A debut indie author and a New York Times bestseller have very different needs.

WOW: Book promotion is always an adventure, but your misadventure wins the prize. Maybe Gabby will wander into a Feel the Heat conference in a future book! Do you draw from your life for your writing? Do your travels inspire your writing?

Celeste: Absolutely! I adore exploring—small towns, college towns, big cities—all of it. Travel recharges my imagination, fills my creative well, and helps me craft richer settings and characters. A 2023 trip up the eastern coast of Canada and across to Greenland inspired several key scenes in Captive Heart and the book I’m writing now, Broken Heart at Avalon Chateau, which finds the gang sailing up the eastern coast of Canada!

WOW: I'm looking forward to traveling with Gabby and the gang. But you often travel solo. What's the appeal of traveling alone?

Celeste: Solo travel isn’t for everyone, and for some, it may not be feasible. But for me, it’s freeing. I can go where I want, when I want. It’s liberating, refreshing, and yes, occasionally lonely. But in that quiet, I think deeply, soul-search, and plot without distraction. My limit is about thirty days—after that, I miss my loved ones too much, and I know it’s time to for Gemma and I to head home. 

WOW: How is it solo traveling if you travel with Gemma?

Celeste: Gemma is my little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that is almost always glued to my side. She’s up for almost every adventure and a great sounding board!

WOW: I have three black cats as my sounding board but they are definitely home bodies. If a mysterious millionaire offered to fund a trip anywhere in the world, where would you (and Gemma) go?

Celeste: Oh, what a setup for a novel! Let’s see… I’d pick Tasmania.

Two reasons: I just finished watching The Survivors on Netflix—filmed there, and the locale was absolutely stunning. Coincidentally, my fourth book, Deserted Heart at Crest Edge Villa, takes
place in Tasmania.

It would be the perfect chance for “on location” research. So, if there are any generous millionaires reading this… Hello! Call me! (My editor said not to forget her.)

WOW: And me! After all, it was my question.  So tell us what's next. We’ve had a manor, a castle...will there be more Mysteries of the Heart or something new?

Celeste: Right now, I’m laser-focused on Mysteries of a Heart.

The third book, Broken Heart at Avalon Chateau, finds Gabby and the gang in the summer of 2020, sailing on Jay’s not-so-luxurious yacht to Canada to inspect his newly inherited chateau—one that may hold a cache of stolen Nazi gold. Meanwhile, back on Dost Island, Gabby’s daughter Val investigates the murder of the town librarian with Gail, Connie, and Lincoln (Connie’s maybe love interest). Secrets unravel, loyalties are tested, and the group must face their own demons to survive.

The fourth book, Deserted Heart at Crest Edge Villa, takes Gabby and friends to Tasmania, where they investigate the mysterious death of Anna’s half-brother. A letter sends them on an RV trek through the wilderness—but when they become stranded, they must rely on old traditions and each other for survival while being stalked by a sinister presence.

And finally, unless Gabby and the gang have other ideas, Rescued Heart at Water’s Edge wraps the series. Shipwrecked on an uncharted island after fleeing Tasmania, Gabby and her companions must fight the elements—and each other—as strange forces push them to the brink of madness. Only by shedding old grievances and rediscovering faith in one another can they hope to make it home.

WOW: Shipwrecked! What an amazing ending (maybe) for the series. Well, we should let you get back to writing. Someone has to get Gabby off that island.

Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle Blog Tour

--Blog Tour Calendar

November 10th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of the second book in Celeste Fenton's Mysteries of a Heart series: Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of her book.

November 11th @ Reading Is My Remedy
Celeste Fenton, author of Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle  believes there is Power In the Past. today she tells us how backstory can make (or break) a story. 

November 12th @ Just Katherine
Katherine has a review of Celeste's latest novel: Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle. Also, author Celeste Fenton shares thoughts about the power of friendship later in life. 

November 14th @ Books R Us
Learn about emotion wildfires with author Celeste Fenton's guest post about Writing Through the Flames of Grief, Anger and Longing.

November 17th @ Chapter Break 
Ever wonder about The Frizzy Side of Murder? Celeste Fenton, author of the Mysteries of a Heart series, shares thoughts on blending suspense with romance.

November 19th @ Words by Webb
Need a fun & adventure-filled read? Jodi reviews Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle.

November 20th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Sometimes writing is Too Hot to Handle. Author Celeste Fenton shares The Art (and Awkwardness) of Writing Intimate Scenes.

November 22nd @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
Ever wonder about a day in the life of an author? Learn more in today's interview with Celeste Fenton.

November 25th @ Other People's Pets
Novelist and animal lover Celeste Fenton shares five things everyone should know about Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

November 28th @ Your Weekend Care Package
Author Celeste Fenton is a guest contributor with her ideas about the perfect weekend care package.

December 3rd @ Word Magic
Author Celeste Fenton writes about how Creativity Has Gone to the Dogs. Learn about the key influence her dogs have on her writing process.

Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle Giveaway

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card and a print copy of Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle by Celeste Fenton! Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends November 23rd at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Gleam and follow up via email. Good luck!

Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle Giveaway
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Interview with Tracy Buckner, First Place Winner of WOW! Q4 2025 Creative Nonfiction Contest

Sunday, November 09, 2025
Tracy's Bio: Raised in the hollers of Southern West Virginia, Tracy Buckner has been weaving stories since she could speak. Now living in Raleigh, NC, she is a mom and grandma who works in the tech world. She channels her love for storytelling into writing, drawing inspiration from her Appalachian roots and the rich tapestry of everyday life. This is her first published flash piece.

--interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Q4 2025 Creative Nonfiction essay competition! What prompted you to enter the contest?

Tracy: Thank you so much! I’ve followed WOW! Women on Writing for years and have always admired how the website celebrates women’s voices in all their raw, messy, beautiful forms. I’d entered before but never placed, so this time I told myself I’d do it for the joy of sharing — not the outcome. “Two Lost Souls” had been sitting quietly in my folder for months, waiting for me to be brave enough to send it into the world. I finally realized that if a story keeps tugging at you, it’s probably because it still has something to say.

WOW: “Two Lost Souls” is a powerful essay, and a bit unsettling. What inspired you to write this particular piece?

Tracy: The piece grew from a memory that never quite let go. One of those moments that feels ordinary on the surface but haunts you years later. I wanted to explore the intersection of compassion and regret, the way we sometimes recognize pieces of ourselves in someone else’s pain. Writing “Two Lost Souls” was my attempt to make sense of the helplessness I felt as a young woman who wanted to save someone but couldn’t. It’s about loss, yes, but also about empathy—how seeing another’s struggle can awaken something deep and enduring in us.

WOW: Do you have any thoughts or advice for writing about difficult things?

Tracy: Write it before you’re ready. You’ll never feel perfectly brave or perfectly healed, and that’s okay. I learned from Chelsey Clammer to start with what you can bear to say today, even if it’s only a sentence. Later, you can shape it into something truer and stronger.

For me, writing about hard things isn’t about reliving the pain. It’s about reclaiming it, giving it form so it can finally breathe outside of me. And if you’re scared, that’s a good sign. Fear usually means you’ve found the truth worth telling.

WOW: What writing projects are you working on right now? What’s next for you?

Tracy: I’m currently revising several essays and developing a humor-infused collection of Southern stories called Spillin’ the Sweet Tea. My focus right now is consistency. I am learning to show up for the page every morning, even when the words come slowly. I’m learning that writing is less about waiting for inspiration and more about keeping the door open so it can find you.

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Tracy. Before you go, can you share a favorite writing tip or piece of advice?

Be curious and kind — especially to yourself. Don’t rush to judge your early drafts; they’re just your heart clearing its throat.

And I have to quote one of my favorite books, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. He says, “Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.”

So write the story only you can tell, in the voice only you have, trust that someone out there needs to hear it, and most of all…get happy!

***
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Holiday Giveaway & Review of Hummingbird Moonrise

Friday, November 07, 2025
The holidays are right around the corner! Cocoa, carols and snowmen. If you like your holidays with a twist that includes witches, murder and family curses this is the Holiday Giveaway for you. Author Sherri Dodd is offering a unique spin on a holiday read with Hummingbird Moonrise, the final book in her Murder, Tea and Crystals trilogy. Check out my review below.

Hummingbird Moonrise by Sherri L. Dodd - Quote


First, a bit about the book:

The past two years have taken their toll on Arista Kelly. Once an eternal optimist, now she has faced the darkness and must recalibrate what true happiness means for her. Meanwhile, Shane, her ex-boyfriend, is pulling all the right moves to help keep her sane from her heightening paranoia. But it doesn’t help that Iris, her Great Aunt Bethie’s friend, has disappeared.

Hummingbird MoonriseStill, one additional trial remains. While searching for Iris, Bethie and Arista stumble upon a grand revelation in the eccentric woman’s home. With the discovery, they realize their run of chaos and loss of kin may have roots in a curse that dates back to the 1940s—the time when their family patriarch first built Arista’s cottage in the redwoods and crafted his insightful Ouija table.

This pursuit will not follow their accustomed recipe of adrenalized action, but the high stakes remain. Will the mysterious slow burn of unfolding events finally level Arista’s entire world or be fully extinguished, once and for all?

And don't forget, this is all happening in November and December. Talk about family drama just in time for the holidays!

Publisher: Black Rose Writing (October 9, 2025)
ISBN-10: 1685136583
ISBN-13: 978-1685136581
ASIN: B0FB5QV948
Print Length: 303 pages

Purchase a copy of Hummingbird Moonrise at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Bookshop.org. You can also add it to your GoodReads list.

About the Author, Sherri L. Dodd

Sherri L. Dodd
Sherri was raised in southeast Texas. Walking barefoot most days and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds, she had a love for all things free and natural. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore. This inspired her first short story for sale about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto children as they smelled it. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. It was not long after that her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. She has ping-ponged throughout the area ever since.

Her first real step into writing was the non-fiction fitness book, Mom Looks Great – The Fitness Program for Moms published in 2005, and maintaining its accompanying blog. Now, transmuting the grief of her father's passing, she has branched into Fiction, specifically the genre of Paranormal Thriller with generous dashes of Magick Realism! Her Murder, Tea & Crystals Trilogy released book one - Murder Under Redwood Moon - in March 2024. Book two - Moonset on Desert Sands - released in March 2025, and the final book in the series – Hummingbird Moonrise – became #1 New Release in Occult Supernatural on Amazon in October 2025!


Review of Hummingbird Moonrise

Since I don't normally read books with a paranormal element, I wasn't sure what to expect from Hummingbird Moonrise. This story of old family curses, frenemies and yes, romance drew me in from the very beginning. Sherri Dodd so skillfully weaves her world of magic and non-magic people coexisting that you quickly accept the magical elements as just a part of life. It was fun seeing non-magic characters mulling over certain events wondering, "Hmmm, is that little old lady more than I thought?"

Many of the characters have paranormal qualities but it was the construction of the story that was the real magic. Dodd is a master of foreshadowing. Her subtle hints were like edging to the top of the roller coaster and just waiting to fly down the hill. At times the story left me breathless. I was rooting for Arista and her friends—even the frenemy. Would she be a good witch or a bad witch?

I broke one of my rules by reading this series out of order. And I'm happy to report that, although initially I had a few questions, I learned enough of the backstory to enjoy Hummingbird Moonrise (the third book in the trilogy). If you're new to the paranormal world, check out the word glossary at the end of the book. So, if you want a holiday read with a twist try Hummingbird Moonrise which takes place in November/December. —Jodi M. Webb

Murder, Tea and Crystals Trilogy Holiday Giveaway

***** HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY *****

Our holiday winner will receive the entire Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy by Sherri Dodd: Murder Under Redwood Moon, Moonset on Desert Sands, and Hummingbird Moonrise. But that's not all - their prize package will also include a $50 Amazon gift card, crystals, a candle, a canister of Republic of Tea, and Three Sisters Apothecary essential oil & travel soap. Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends November 28 at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

Murder, Tea and Crystals Holiday Giveaway
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The Sky is the Limit: Nonfiction for Young Readers

Thursday, November 06, 2025

In her most recent Muffin post, Ready for November, Jodi M. Webb wrote about the many types of nonfiction books that you might consider reading this month. If you are one of those writers who read through the list and thought, “Oh, I love memoir! I have two histories in my TBR pile and a biography . . .” Maybe just maybe you should consider writing nonfiction for young readers. 

In my own writing for the school library market, I have touched on every type of writing Jodi listed except humor. I’m not telling you this to brag. I want you to know about the vast range of books this field covers. 


The first thing that Jodi discussed was history. My earliest titles for this market included The Bombing of Pearl Harbor and Trench Warfare. I’ve even been lucky enough to get to write about archaeology starting with my very first book, The Ancient Maya, and then more recently adding The Formative Period. 


Although my passion is history, I’ve also written biographies (Ariana Grande and Emmanuel Macron), hobbies (Hobbies if You Like Nature), travel (Gettysburg National Military Park), self-help (Earning, Saving, and Investing), and sports (Women in Sports). But that’s not all. I’ve written science (Evolution of Mammals), pop culture (Spider-Man), geography (New Zealand), and even true crime although the publisher called it American Crime Stories (The Assassination of John F. Kennedy). 


There are so many possibilities in writing nonfiction for young readers. Don’t panic if you aren’t interested in writing school library books. You can write for magazines and websites. I got my start writing for Young Equestrian Magazine. I wasn’t an equestrian, young or otherwise, but as a historian the editor know I could write breed profiles which are essentially breed histories. This is also where I started science writing and how-tos as well as columns for parents. 


After Young Equestrian folded, I wrote educational how-tos. This was when one of my editors taught me to take my own photos. She told me that if I could make oatmeal look appealing, I would have nailed the skill set. She wasn’t wrong! 


There are so many nonfiction markets for young readers that I still haven’t mentioned all of them. There are writers who create lesson plans and educational materials for teachers. Still other writers write test questions. My test questions are embarrassingly bad. No, really.  They are frightening. Trade publishers also publish a wide range of nonfiction. A trade publisher is a publisher that sells their list through bookstores and other outlets that sell to the non-school consumer. 


If you are someone who wants to write a wide variety of things, consider nonfiction for young readers. There are so many ways to get your work out into the world. You just need to find one or more that are a good match for you. 


--SueBE


To get a free copy of Sue’s book, What to Do When Your Book Is Banned, subscribe to her newsletter, One Writer’s Journey, here.

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 80 books for young readers.  

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin on the first Monday of every month. She teaches:
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Interview with Lufrancia: Spring 2025 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Tuesday, November 04, 2025
Lufrancia’s Bio: Before she could even speak, Lufrancia was taught the alphabet by her mother—a gift which kicked off her literary journey. From that moment on, words became her world, and she dedicated time to studying seven different languages to explore it more fully. Lufrancia can't recall a time when she wasn't lost in a book, and her love of reading naturally evolved into a similar passion for writing. At eight years old, she repurposed a wide-ruled homework notebook to capture her first story. Her inaugural work featured best friends, horses who were also best friends, and (because what makes more sense?) a car crash, creating a two-page epic so theatrical it made soap operas look dull by comparison. When she isn't wandering through a library, Lufrancia enjoys writing in memoir style and experimenting with essays and screenplays. Her belief in the beauty of humanity—and in womanhood especially—forms the basis of her work. Lufrancia has come a long way since her first forays into writing, but her youthful taste for flair in storytelling has only evolved into a drive to create compelling narratives. Earlier this year, her story, “Who’s A Good Girl,” was selected as a finalist in the Next Generation Short Story Awards. 

If you haven't done so already, check out Lufrancia's award-winning story "Atonement" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Spring 2025 Flash Fiction Contest! What excited you most about writing this story? 

Lufrancia: I love anything related to the paranormal. I remember in third grade checking out a book of ghost stories from the school library because there’s something so delightful about that tingle of my hairs standing on end while reading an eerie tale. I also lived for several years in a house that frequently had paranormal activity, so I was excited by the idea of writing a story about an entity that lives in such a house, and exploring what view they might take of other, more malevolent visitors. 

WOW: That’s wild that you have lived experience of paranormal activity, and that you could use it to harness an award-winning story! What did you learn about yourself or your writing while crafting this piece? 

Lufrancia: While writing “Atonement,” I learned just how much filler goes into my writing and how much a story can be pared down while only improving its quality! This story was initially much longer, but I distilled it down to fit within the word count of the flash fiction contest. I was concerned that the story would suffer by having all the fat trimmed off, but instead I found that the heart of the story was only strengthened by being more concise. 

WOW: Isn’t it amazing how the process of paring down a piece can really chisel it into a gem? I’m so impressed that you’ve studied seven different languages! Which languages have you studied, and in what ways do you think studying languages has affected your writing? 

Lufrancia: First, thank you! I’ve always been fascinated by words. English was my favorite subject in school, so it made sense to explore the beauty in other languages as well. I’ve studied Spanish, Italian, Croatian, Latin, Greek, Hawaiian, and most recently, Turkish. I believe the time I’ve invested in study has helped my writing because languages open up cultures. Writing, especially fiction, is all about finding the heart of people; what motivates them. And culture, or the identity of people, really plays into their goals and desires. The better I understand humanity, the more accurately I am able to get into a character’s heart and head and write from their point of view. 

WOW: Those are such interesting connections between language, culture, writing, and humanity. Thank you for sharing that insight with us. What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it? 

Lufrancia: I am currently reading Schulz and Peanuts by David Michaelis. I chose to read this biography of Charles Schulz because as a writer, I am fascinated by people, and I relished the chance to learn more about the genius behind my favorite comic strip. I am inspired by how driven this man was. He always knew he wanted to cartoon, and he did not let negativity or setbacks discourage him while he worked toward that goal. His drive inspires me, since I can relate to that feeling of knowing from childhood what you want to do. Writing satisfies a deep need in me, and reading this book has helped me realize that this must be what is meant when someone says they have a calling to something. 

WOW: I have had Charles Schulz’s biography sitting on my shelf for a few years, but you may have inspired me to read that next! If you could give your younger self one piece of writing advice, what would it be and why? 

Lufrancia: I wish I had some lofty, profound advice I could give to my younger self about writing, but in reality my advice would be very prosaic. Use beat sheets! Beat sheets improved my craft exponentially. I discovered them while dabbling in screenwriting, and they changed my writing game. I use them for everything now. Beginning with a structure helps my writing process. I invariably have so many ideas when I start a project that it helps to be able to put them into a timeline. Once the story is fitted into beats—or acts—I can then bend the rules as my story needs. 

WOW: That’s such a great idea! Anything else you’d like to add? 

Lufrancia: It is such an honor to be a part of this fantastic writing contest! The critique from the editors is invaluable, and placing in the contest has been so validating to me. Thank you so much for everything you ladies do! 

WOW: You’re so welcome! Thank you so much for sharing your story and your thoughtful responses with us. Happy writing! 


Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, founder and editor-in-chief of Sport Stories Press, which publishes sports books by, for, and about sportswomen and amateur athletes. Connect on social media: @greenmachine459.
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Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, November 03, 2025
 
Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy

I'm excited to announce a blog tour for author, Shirley Miller Kamada, and her young adult historical fiction novel, Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy. This book is perfect for anyone interested in U.S. history and the history of WWII. Join us as we celebrate the launch of her book and interview her about her writing journey. You'll also have the chance to win a copy for yourself.

Before we get to that, here's more about her book:

Zachary Whitlock knows sheep. He knows farming and knows what it’s like to have his best friend forced into an internment camp for Japanese Americans. What he does not know much about is goats and traveling by sea on cargo ships, yet he makes a decision to go with a group of volunteers to Japan to help deliver a herd of more than two hundred goats, many of which are pregnant, to survivors of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Goats will provide much-needed milk and nutrition, and people living in the bombed ruins are sick and hungry.

What he also does not know at the age of seventeen is what it means to be seasick, how to navigate the personalities of seasoned seamen, and how to keep not only goats but himself alive during a typhoon.

A fascinating follow-up to No Quiet Water, Shirley Miller Kamada's well-received novel about the WWII internment era, A Seagoing Cowboy is a story full of adventure, human connection, and a young man's coming of age.

Publisher: Black Rose Writing
ISBN-10: 1685136400
ISBN-13: 978-1685136406
ASIN: B0FGVFJGVG
Print length: 135 pages 

Purchase a copy of Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy on Amazon, Bookshop.org, or Black Rose Writing. Be sure to also add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Shirley Miller Kamada



Shirley Miller Kamada grew up on a farm in northeastern Colorado. She has been an educator in Oregon, Idaho, and Washington, a bookstore-espresso café owner in Centralia, Washington, and director of a learning center in Olympia, Washington. Her much-loved first novel, NO QUIET WATER, was a Kirkus recommended title and a finalist for several awards. When not writing, she enjoys casting a fly rod, particularly from the dock at her home on Moses Lake in Central Washington, which she shares with her husband and two spoiled pups.

You can follow the author at: 


---- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: Congrats on your novel, Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy! You have such great character development in your novel. How do you create such realistic characters and cause them to shine through?

Shirley: I think it has to do with the fact that my characters feel real to me. Although they are imagined, when I decide to write about a particular thing, the characters present themselves to me as if they are truly alive. That phenomenon is hard to explain. Perhaps it comes from the fact that, growing up on a farm, imagination was our foundation for almost everything. We had to be able to imagine solutions to problems as they presented themselves, and on a farm, there are always problems. 

Also, having been an educator, I have lived a life of helping young people build character through education. Not just year by year, or even day by day, but minute to minute, the character of individual humans changes and grows. I believe a reader should see these changes, whether positive or negative, and how change affects a life. Some people are overwhelmed by even the smallest changes. Others see change as positive, a thing to be embraced. If a person possesses a negative trait or attitude, I believe I have a responsibility to show that as much as I believe I have a responsibility to show good qualities. In the case of Zachary, he is someone who early on showed a propensity to accept responsibility as he took on care of the family’s sheep. In my imagination, that translated to him being willing to board a ship and manage a herd of goats. A negative trait? If Zachary has one, it is a tendency to overthink, to go beyond a question’s creditable answer and continue to worry over it. (I can relate.)

As in the classroom, perhaps the overcoming of a negative characteristic is part of a person’s story. Particularly if a character is coming of age, and I as writer am portraying that moment in time, I find myself asking, where will the character go from here? What have these changes wrought? That is as things are in reality, and so my answer to that question becomes part of the story. Or perhaps the entire story. Being alive is to accept the necessity for change, and perhaps that is my answer to the question: I think my characters come across as realistic because they are not static. They are doing what humans do: transforming in tiny increments. 

WOW:  What a great point about creating characters that evolve! Do you plan your novel before writing or do you write by discovery (exploring the novel's plot as you go, or in other words, pantsing!)? And why?

Shirley: I do very little advance planning. I am struck by something I want to write about, a meaningful occurrence, an event or a situation in history, then I ponder how such a thing might impact the life of a person or family. My writing hews close to facts, dates in history, actual conditions. I avoid making anything happen that would be unlikely overall, but we’ve all experienced things that were unlikely but true, things that changed our life, changed our world, so that’s not entirely off the table. 

As I research a topic, I often learn about things I didn’t know happened, or I knew little about, perhaps had accepted a common misunderstanding. For example, I was stunned to learn of humanitarian Floyd Schmoe, and all he did to help the survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I knew nothing of the firebombing of Tokyo and how the fact that it had occurred was not widely known by the American people. I have long been intrigued by Heifer International, in fact have supported them through donations and purchasing gifts for friends and family—buying bees or livestock for villages in Africa, for example—but when I learned that its origins had to do with transporting goats to people who were suffering after the horrors of the various bombings carried out by my own country, I knew I had to write about it. Still, the story gave itself to me in bits, and not necessarily in order. It does feel that way—as if the story gives itself to me. I may engage in extensive research, but when it comes to the actual telling of the story, it feels like a gift that comes from outside of me. Almost as if I’m merely a channel rather than creator. 

WOW: What an incredible insight that you are a channel rather than a creator. Was there anything that surprised you while writing your book?

Shirley: Learning that Floyd Schmoe undertook the voyage to Japan was the greatest surprise. Taking the goats to Hiroshima was one thing. He was a forester by profession. He participated in the building of his family’s home, so had some building experience, but to take responsibility for Houses for Hiroshima was a big stretch, I’d think. He had to raise funds and recruit volunteers in both situations. In planning, it was his choice to consult with Japanese people in the community where the houses would be located. He did not impose his will but acted as a servant to the community. As I learned more about the real Floyd Schmoe, I came to realize that this was not surprising at all. That is who he was. And so, that is who Zachary became.

WOW: Great insight! What kind of research did you do for your novel? 

Shirley: I suppose you could say that I’m something of an independent historian. I admit I am relentless. One thing I learned in the writing of No Quiet Water is that not everyone strives for historical accuracy. I read many books set during the internment era and saw the same misrepresentations repeated over and over again. How did I know they were misrepresentations? Because as much as possible, I used archival materials and original documents. This is easy to do when writing about WWII, as archival material abounds at universities and in the federal archives. I had access to family archives as well, which included recorded interviews with family members who had been relocated to the camps. Then there is the organization known as Densho (https://densho.org), which is working to preserve as much archival material about the internment era as possible. My rule is to try to find three verifiable sources that say the same thing. I believe this practice brings an air of truth and a sense of reality to my writing and storytelling. 

WOW: It's awesome you had so much access to research. I love the historical fiction element blended with the coming-of-age theme. Why did you decide to blend these two elements?

Shirley: ​I wanted to explore the post-WWII era with few preconceived notions. It followed that I would write about it in the voice of someone experiencing it that way. Zachary Whitlock and his best friend Fumio Miyota were eleven years old when Fumio's family was forced into internment, and they were sixteen when internment was ended. I heard from readers that they wanted to know more about Zachary and what happened next. I did, too! By the time No Quiet Water was complete, I felt close to both the Miyota and the Whitlock families. Zachary had knowledge of animal care and he was a math whiz. He was a deep thinker, but also a doer, and empathetic. His family was Quaker. I learned of the Heifer Project and the mission to Japan serendipitously. Reading about the post-WWII era, I came across mention of Homes for Hiroshima, of which I had been somewhat aware. The project was conceived and directed by Floyd Schmoe, a well-known Friends Society humanitarian and activist. In that reading I simply stumbled across Schmoe's travel to Japan with the Heifer Project. And that was it! I was hooked!

WOW: That's amazing! Thank you so much for your time today! And best of luck on your tour!


Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada Blog Tour

--- Blog Tour Calendar

November 3 @ The Muffin
Join us at the Muffin as we celebrate the launch of Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada. We interview the author and give you a chance to win a copy of the book.

November 5 @ Words by Webb
Visit Jodi's blog for her review of Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada

November 8 @ Sarandipity
Visit Sara's blog for a guest post by Shirley Miller Kamada about Marshall strawberries.

November 10 @ Chapter Break
Visit Julie's blog for a guest post by Shirley Miller Kamada about owning a coffee shop and bookstore.

November 12 @ Storey Book Reviews
Visit Leslie's blog for a guest post by Shirley Miller Kamada about the day her mother took a chainsaw to their sofa.

November 14 @ Nicole Writes About Stuff
Visit Nicole's Substack newsletter for a weekend contribution by Shirley Miller Kamada.

November 18 @ Reading is My Remedy
Stop by Chelsie's blog for a review of Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada.

November 20 @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
Stop by Lisa's blog for an interview with author Shirley Miller Kamada.

November 21 @ A Wonderful World of Books
Visit Joy's blog for an excerpt from Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada.

November 24 @ Author Anthony Avina's blog
Join Anthony for an excerpt from Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada.

November 25 @ Word Magic
Visit Fiona's blog for a guest post by Shirley Miller Kamada about why so few people know about the U.S. firebombing of Tokyo.

November 27 @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdra's blog for her spotlight of Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada

November 30 @ Author Anthony Avina's blog
Visit Anthony's blog for his review of Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada.

December 1 @ Reading is My Remedy
Stop by Chelsie's blog for Shirley Miller Kamada's guest post on learning that her grandfather helped build the internment camp at Minidoka in southern Idaho.

December 2 @ CC King's blog
Join Caitrin as she features a guest post by Shirley Miller Kamada about how the character of Zachary developed.

December 4 @ Sandy Kirby Quandt
Visit Sandy's blog for her review of Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

The giveaway is open to US residents for a print copy. Enter to win a print copy of Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy by Shirley Miller Kamada! Fill out the Gleam form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends November 16th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Gleam and follow up via email. Good luck!

Zachary: A Seagoing Cowboy Giveaway
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Ready for November?

Thursday, October 30, 2025


November...a time for pumpkin spice everything, beards of all shapes and sizes and red, white and blue "I voted" stickers. But for readers in the know, November is for nonfiction books. Personally I love November because I love celebrating nonfiction books (and by nonfiction I mostly mean history). If you're out there yawning at the thought of a book about the tea trade in the 1800s or battle plans of the Civil War, remember that nonfiction encompasses so much more than just history. What else can you read?

Memoirs/Biographies - There's a newly released 900+ page book about Mark Twain on the shelves but so many more (shorter) books about random people who have led interesting lives.


Hobbies - Whatever your hobby (or wanna-be hobby), you can find a book out there. Recently,  I've read about growing dahlias, writing mystery novels, building birdhouses. What do you want to know more about? My son (a fabulous chef) has a cookbook with meals based on meals from Star Wars. See, something for everyone.

Humor - These books can range from biographies of comedians to collections of essays on specific topics to your basic joke books popular with grandfathers of elementary school children. Because every kid loves a Poppy who can tell a good knock-knock joke.

Travel - Imagine my surprise at fellow WOW blogger Renee Roberson's post about a recent trip to Greece when I'm halfway through a book about Greece that is my favorite division - 75% stunning photos and 25% text.

Sports - With cold (and rainy) weather setting in, it may be too nippy for your favored sport. But you can read playing tips, biographies, rehashes of notable games and so may "underdog wins" books.


Self-Help - What do you want to improve? Your diet? Your parenting skills? Your memory? Your home organization? You general outlook on life? Definitely a book for that!


As writers, I think we should all stray away from our favorite genres and topics. Different types of books are written in different styles and exposure to many styles can only improve our own writing. Kristin Hannah and Stephen Ambrose write about the same time period but in vastly different ways. We can learn from both authors.

Plus, nonfiction books give us so many new ideas. You never know where a book will prod you. A World War II history book held the kernel that led to my novel in progress. A quiz book about the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" led to my writing being included in a military trivia book. A Polish cookbook led me pen a listicle about stuffed pasta around the world.

Can you commit to just one book for #NonfictionNovember? I'm busy finishing up my book on Greece.


Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about everything from DIY projects to tea to butterflies.  She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. In November, she's blogging about her nonfiction reads at Words by Webb. 


Thanks to She Reads Nonfiction for the fun graphics as well as hosting a weekly catch up for participants of #NonfictionNovember on Mondays. You can just read the host's thoughts or answer the writing prompt.

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Interview with Jeanine DeHoney, Runner Up in the WOW! Spring 2025 Flash Fiction Contest

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

 


Jeanine DeHoney's writing has been published in Essence Magazine, Empowerment For Women, Tea Magazine, Mused Bella Online, Mutha Magazine, Literary Mama, Mothering.com, Please See me Literary Magazine, Jerry Jazz Magazine, Brain Child Magazine, Scary Mama, Devozine, Rigorous Literary Magazine, Soul In Space Literary Magazine, The Write Place at The Write Time, The Dirty Spoon Radio Hour and Journal, Gemini Literary Magazine (she won an honorable mention in their 2025 poetry contest), Lemonwood Quarterly Review, Five Minutes Literary Review, Sisters AARP, Mahogany Blog, Australia's The School Magazine, MER, among others. Her writing has won or been shortlisted in several literary contests including The Colorism Healing Contest and Australia's Voices of Women Embellishment Contest and The Substack One Room One Hour. She is also an essayist in several anthologies including the Chicken Soup For The Soul series, Zora's Den, Black Lawrence Press, Black Freighter Press and BLF Press. Jeanine was a 2022 Honor winner of Sleeping Bear Press Own Voices Own Stories competition and her picture book manuscript was acquired for publication. Her picture book, This Sunday My Daddy Came To Church, was published on August 1, 2025. A Mom, grandmother and great grandmother, she lives in Pennsylvania with her best friend; her husband Sam. 

 ----------Interview by Renee Roberson 

WOW: “The Stew Pot” is a powerful story of the connection and unspoken bonds between mothers and their children. How did you first get the idea to write on this topic, and how did the story evolve throughout the drafts? 

Jeanine: I had this idea a few years ago. It was first published in an anthology and I made a few changes when I submitted it to WOW’s Spring 2025 Flash Fiction contest. The topic came about because so much of our lives from the time we are children revolves around food, and the cooking and eating and gathering around meals. Often, we can close our eyes and envision the memories associated with those meals; the aromas that permeated throughout the kitchen and entire house, the conversations had, or even the silence that hung uneasily in the room, the print on our kitchen curtains and how the light streamed through and landed on our hands or legs while we sat at the kitchen table, and so much more. We can remember how not only our bellies were full if we were lucky enough not to have food insecurity, but how our soul was full, how our emotional hunger was satisfied or not. Food offers us so much comfort especially in the midst of chaos. I wanted to convey that familial and emotive chaos yet also show that strong bond between a mother and daughter using the symbolism of the stew pot and the ingredients that were in it. It was such an easy story to write that just flowed, so there weren’t many drafts, maybe one or two in which I mainly concentrated on tightening my writing, deleting redundant words, fixing my grammar, etc. 

WOW: What do you think is the most powerful line from “The Stew Pot?" 

Jeanine: “Maybe she wanted to teach me how to deal with unhappiness and pain because she knew when I became a woman it might land at my feet.” That line resonates with me the most and so many other women that I know, how our mothers mirror for us how to deal with pain, sometimes in good and not so good ways often because they didn’t have a blueprint when it came to carrying their own pain. 

WOW: You have such an impressive writing bio, Jeanine! What advice would you give any writer hoping to explore flash fiction for the first time, as the limited word count can often be tricky? 

Jeanine: Write without restraint. Write until that story that refuses to let go of you is out in all of its beautiful and messy hues and you feel spent. And then let out an elongated sigh or cry or splash water on your face, or laugh until you roll on the floor if it’s a humor piece, and then go back to what you wrote with fresh eyes. Strip it down, word by word or sentence by sentence, edit until you get to the pulse of your story and the word count needed. 

WOW: Could you tell us about the first time you had a piece of work published? 

Jeanine: My first story was published in a magazine called Black Romance but the story that made me feel really seen as a writer was in Essence Magazine. I wrote about the gap in my tooth and how I learned to embrace it after doing some research and learning that several African tribes view a gap in the teeth as a sign of beauty and spiritual strength and wisdom and good fortune. That essay meant a lot to me because my mother carried the magazine it was in folded in her pocketbook, yes, that’s what we called it back then. My mother would show it off to anyone she met, even strangers at her doctor’s office, letting them know her daughter had an essay published inside. 

WOW: You have a children’s picture book that received publication as part of a prize package for the Sleeping Bear Press Own Voices Own Stories Competition. Could you tell us more about This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church? 

Jeanine: This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church is a “heart story,” a “family story,” about accepting the different ways we all worship. It centers around a young boy who loves going to church with his mother on Sunday but his father doesn’t join them, and he wonders why. When he asks his mother about it, she explains that there are different ways we worship and also talks about faith and belief. I was so fortunate to have a wonderful Senior Children’s Editor from Sleeping Bear Press, Barb McNally, to work with who saw my vision, and the talented USA Today Best-Selling Illustrator, Robert Paul Jr., illustrate my book. His illustrations captured the characters in my story perfectly and I am in awe each time I look at them. I must admit I do that almost daily.

WOW: Thank you again, Jeanine! We are in awe of your success and can't wait to read more from you.
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Courage and a Castle by Wanita Koczka - Review Event & Giveaway

Monday, October 27, 2025
Today, I'm excited to announce a special reader review event with Wanita Koczka. Our readers will share their thoughts about her heartfelt creative non-fiction, Courage and a Castle. You'll also have a chance to win a copy of this fantastic book!

Courage and Castle by WJ Koczka

But first, here's more about Wanita's book:


Offering a unique and compassionate look at the human condition, this book opens with a poignant story about the author’s mother, Mary, near the end of her life and then reaches back to where Mary's memory no longer can. 

The book explores Mary's strength of character and strong work ethic that served as cornerstones for her future. Early in her marriage to the love of her life, she became the sole breadwinner for their family of eight. Through family tragedies and life-threatening conditions, Mary met life's challenges with abiding faith, resilience, and kindness. 

Despite being severely affected by a brain bleed and later Alzheimer's, Mary adapted, and her spirit, faith, and unconditional love remained constant. A heartwarming, inspirational, and, at times, humorous account of a life well lived, a life that inspired and touched many. 

Publisher:  Wood Dragon Books
ISBN-10‏: ‎1990863957
ISBN-13: ‎978-1990863950
ASIN: 1990863957
Print Length: 304 pages

Purchase a copy on Amazon. Be sure to add it to your GoodReads reading list as well.

About the Author, Wanita Koczka

Wanita J Koczka, aka WJK3, grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She lives on an acreage at the edge of the Boreal Forest near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. She recently retired from a forty-year career in Corrections management, where she refined her non-fiction writing skills.   As the primary caregiver for her elderly mother, who passed during COVID-19 in 2021, she was moved to give voice to her mother's life through an unconventional memoir. Unlike her corrections world, her writing in this memoir is rich, emotive, and sprinkled with wit.

Like her mother, Wanita cherishes family time, Christmas, and family celebrations. She is a results-oriented woman who takes pride in her hard work and the value she adds to both her family and work life. Her most significant achievement is earning a Bachelor of Social Work while working full-time and raising three children. It took her ten years of night and summer classes to obtain her degree, which was crucial to her career advancement.

Follow the author online on Facebook.

Interview by Ellen LaFleche Christian


WOW: What made you decide that your relationship with your mother was something to explore in a memoir rather than fiction or another form?

Wanita: The short answer is that my mother was an inspiration to me, and her life was so compelling and significant that I didn’t need to invent anything. So creative nonfiction memoir was a perfect match for what I wanted to write.  

As I started writing, I had to research how to craft a memoir. 

While doing that, I realized I wanted to create what I would call an unconventional memoir.

I had to break free from the traditional elements of memoir. I became adept at writing outside the box, even though it was my first work. 

The history behind my decision to write a tribute to my mother is that I retired at age 68 in 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

My mother, Mary, passed away on May 5, 2021, during the pandemic.

The last seven years of my mother's life, she lived in a personal care home in Prince Albert, near me. 

We spent a lot of time together.

She passed away at my acreage, a place she felt comfortable and regarded as a retreat, with my two sisters and me caring for her. We felt blessed. 

I felt robbed because I couldn't spend time with her as I had planned.

After her death, I experienced deep loss and grief, and I wondered how to fill the time my mother once occupied.

It came to me that I had always wanted to write. I thought, okay, I can write.

But what should I write about? I’ve always heard that one should write what they know.

It then occurred to me that I should write about my mother's life.

I felt very fortunate to have such a mother.

I decided to honour her by writing a book that celebrated the qualities that made her a remarkable woman of strength and to share her story with others.

I believe it was my mom’s gentle nudging that led me to start writing. It might have surprised her that I chose her as the subject.  

Courage and a Castle, reflects my perspective on my mother's life and serves as a tribute to her well-lived life. 

WOW: How did writing about your mother shift your understanding of her—either as a woman, a parent, or a person outside of those roles?

Wanita: I was fortunate to have resource material in the form of a series of personal video interviews my daughter conducted with her grandmother, my mother, in the early 2000s.

I watched them several times, took notes, and identified themes from her own words about what was impactful and memorable in her life. 

From the invaluable videos of my mother discussing her life and my understanding of her experiences, I began writing stories and events that depicted her remarkable journey. I gained a deeper appreciation for her courage, strength, and resilience, as I came to understand her path more fully. 

I came to understand that her original plan in the early 1940s was simple: to work hard and become the mother of a large family with the love of her life, my father. She did not aspire to have a career or be the family breadwinner. However, she took on roles that were uncommon for women at the time in the interest of our family. 

When tragedy and hardships struck, she did not play the victim nor complain that her life did not go as planned. Instead, she embraced change. I better understood that, because of her dedication to family and unconditional love, she re-imagined her life. I came to understand that despite her hardships, she lived a life of faith that was joyful and fulfilling. I admire that. 

My mother was a very humble and wise woman, accepting others and open to change. As I wrote her story, I reflected on my relationship with her and realised she was the glue and facilitator of our family. It struck me that she practised what she preached, in that she said each of her children had different needs and knew and tried to meet those needs. This didn’t mean they all received the same treatment; rather, she aimed to give them what they needed, not only as children but as they became adults, because she believed mothering was a lifelong commitment.   

I came to realize that her perspective on life and motherhood is that of a very wise woman. 

I gained a deeper understanding of my mother's work ethic as I explored its importance to her and our family, and the gift of her strong work ethic that she passed on to her children. I recognized how her hopeful thoughts about Castle on the River - the Bessborough Hotel, entered her life differently than she imagined, not as a princess but as a vital part of the hotel's operation and as her financial cornerstone as the breadwinner of the family. 

As I wrote, themes emerged, and I also realised that my mother was a fun-loving, witty, and adventurous woman, which I hadn't fully appreciated in the past. Although I couldn't recount all the stories of Mom and her own family, as well as her relationship with my father's family, I saw more clearly that she thrived on the relationships they had with them. I realized she wanted to replicate those feelings of fun, adventure and home within her own family, and that was challenging for her, given all the obstacles she faced. 

For me, sharing my Mom’s story affirmed that she was a remarkable woman, ahead of her time. I became even more inspired by my mother's life as I wrote. 

WOW: Were there stories or memories you chose not to include? How did you draw the line between what belonged in the book and what remained private?

Wanita: At times, I found it difficult to stay focused on my mother's story. She was a central part of our lives growing up and as adults, and it was hard not to veer off into other directions. There were interesting details about other family members' involvement that had to be left out, as the book would have become too large and turned into a comprehensive account of the entire family of eight, and extended family members,  rather than just focusing on Mom. For instance, her own family and my dad’s family were close-knit, and while the reader learns this, the specific details could not be included.  

WOW: Memoirs often bring up questions of perspective and truth. How did you handle moments where your memories conflicted with others’ recollections?

Wanita: As I have already mentioned, Courage and a Castle is an unconventional memoir written as a tribute to my mother.

I present my perspective alongside what I believe to be my mother's perspective.

When I was unsure about some details of events or interactions, I consulted family or others to deepen my understanding. I considered their information and perspectives, staying true to the tone of the writing and respecting others' memories of the event. For example, I shared a story with a cousin, and he responded that he recalled the event exactly as I had written it. On another occasion, I shared an excerpt with another cousin, and she correctly advised me that the information I had about her mother was not accurate. I made the necessary changes.  

Conversations with family were always interesting because their special moments with Mom and experiences with her differed from mine. As I have already noted, I couldn't include all of their treasured moments in my book. However, the family agreed that we were fortunate to have had such a mother and appreciated that I chose to write a tribute to our mother and her remarkably well-lived life. 

WOW: What do you hope readers—especially those navigating complicated relationships with their own mothers—will take away from your story?

Wanita: I hope readers will experience that Courage and a Castle offers a heartfelt and compassionate perspective on the human condition.

Often, a person or a couple, like my mom and dad, have dreams they hope to achieve together, and life doesn’t always go as planned. As my mother did, sometimes one must re-imagine oneself and their life plan as life unfolds… as it should, as my mother believed. 

The events described in my book reflect the courage, faith, and values my mother upheld. 

Her unconditional love, acceptance, and openness to change are defining aspects of her life. For readers who share a similar positive relationship and view of their mothers, it will evoke treasured memories. 

Those who lack a positive, inspiring maternal influence can benefit from hearing my story about my remarkable mother.  

I hope readers will understand that despite the challenges my Mom faced, through the phases of her life into old age with Alzheimer's, her innate optimism and faith guided her, giving her the courage to live a fulfilling life.

I hope her story inspires others to find the courage to do the same. 

Another aspect is that of place and time, as this book captures a snapshot of her life during that era, illustrating small-town Saskatchewan Prairie life where many young folks starting out in the 1940s moved to the big city to pursue their dreams together. 

We see, for example, the history and significance of the Bessborough Hotel, built during what was called the Dirty Thirties,  as well as how it later became a cornerstone in our family's life.

I trust that readers will see that, across different time periods, people still face adversity and are able to overcome life's challenges, aging with grace and dignity. 

Readers will experience that, over time, the nature of our relationships with our dear mothers evolves. Initially, my mother confidently fulfilled the roles of wife, mother, family member, and worker. As she aged and faced health conditions, including Alzheimer's, she transitioned from caregiver to care receiver. This is a role most mothers are not comfortable with. I trust that readers will take away the message that, despite the changes in roles between mothers and daughters, there is value, respect, dignity, and fulfillment in the lives and relationships between mothers and their daughters.  And in my mother's case, unconditional love for family, joy of life and faith are endearing qualities.  

It affirms that there is hope, joy and fulfillment in life, even if one's life plan is altered.  

Courage and a Castle by WJ Koczka Reader Review Event

What WOW's Readers Thought

Jodi says: I am not a big reader of memoir but a friend encouraged me to take a peek at Wanita Koczka's love letter to her mother, indeed to her whole family. I appreciated the strong links this family shared and how the author carefully revealed those relationships as well as the unflagging strength of her mother in the face of many adversities. No matter what your background, I feel any reader will identify with this family. They struggled, they tried to improve their life, they loved, they laughed, they sang.

It was divided into short but complete vignettes from throughout the life of the author's mother. These detailed musings brought this story to life. Bath night, the views from the beautiful Castle on the Hill, their mother's little habit or tapping her toes to music. They all created vivid pictures in my mind as I read. More than just being an inspiring story of a family's love perhaps it will also serve as another kind of inspiration. Inspiration to capture the stories of our own families.

Nicole says: What a beautiful book! The author did such a wonderful job capturing the life of a woman who remained true to her faith and her family while facing life's challenges with a heart of love. This is a true treasure of a daughter's love for her mother. What I love about memoirs, especially ones like these, is you really get a close inside look at someone's life and the ups and downs we rarely ever get to see. I'm so honored to have read it and that the author shared it with the world.

Charity says: This book is a divine labor of love. It truly is a remarkable story about a remarkable woman. It is a delightful tribute and a pleasure to read. Readers are honored to be brought into the world and life she lead. This is a well written book with true impact. The point of view of this memoir adds to the power of the words being written and read along with the pictures that tell the story.

It was written with vivid thought and captured the love of a family member perfectly. Even if you usually don't read this type of book it might be the one to start with as it has heart, love and is written in a way that draws readers into every aspect of this remarkable woman's life put into words. Inspiration may be what happens to readers to start writing their own family's stories too.

Katherine says: I was very absorbed by the synopsis, but the book itself was even more impactful. I identify with the challenges of having had a brain bleed, as I was born premature, and have severe disabilities resulting from one.

This memoir was told in a way that reflects love and devotion. The author had a great idea to write it.

The first person point of view was so powerful.

I really enjoyed this memoir and think it shows Mary's life in a clear and engaging way. I liked getting to know John and how he and Mary found love.

I think the book creates great awareness of the consequences of brain bleeds and their resulting disabilities, as well as of Alzheimer's. It also creates great awareness of the care system and what it's like to live in a care home. I am glad Mary was well cared for, as there are so many people who have such different experiences.

There are so many themes: love, care and being cared for, memories, good times, hard times, and the importance of life's experiences.

5 stars, but it deserves more. It's outstanding and so memorable.

Angela says: Courage and a Castle by W.J. Koczka is a deeply moving memoir that captures the essence of family love, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her daughter. The author takes us on an intimate journey, reflecting on the life of her mother, Mary, and the challenges she faced, including Alzheimer’s. Anyone who has been a caregiver will relate to the compassion, hardships, and joyful moments that come with caring for loved ones with debilitating conditions. There were moments that mirrored my own caregiving experience with my father-in-law and his Alzheimer’s, like not being able to visit him in a care home during COVID, and her mother’s vision of The Man in Red which reminded me of my father-in-law’s visions near the end of his life, and so much more. Stories like this are important to share, and I wish I’d had this book before going through the experience to provide understanding and comfort. What makes this book exceptional is the author’s heartfelt portrayal of Mary’s enduring strength and love, even in the face of adversity. 

The author’s insight into her mother’s life is something many writers spend years cultivating. Mary instilled the values of hard work and education in her children, and she was committed to their success. There were fun childhood memories, like the family fishing trips, birthday and Christmas celebrations, and her brother’s adventure with the stray dog that made the local paper. The rich history of the Bessborough Hotel, or Castle on the River, where Mary worked, and eventually, how her employment became crucial, as Mary became the primary breadwinner. Her careful planning and full-time employment allowed the family to make a big move into a new home that would better serve their lives. It’s clear that Mary’s positive outlook and guidance were their family’s foundation. 

Through life’s turning points, the author weaves a rich tapestry of stories, and her genuine respect for Mary’s legacy is felt on every page. The intimacy of the writing makes readers feel as though they’ve been part of Mary’s journey. Ultimately, this beautifully-written memoir reminds us of the power of storytelling to preserve the legacies of those we love and the importance of honoring the lives that shape us.

Ellen says: Courage and a Castle by Wanita Koczak is a heartfelt and honest portrait of a daughter’s love for her mother. The story begins near the end of Mary’s life and gently moves back through the memories that shaped her. The author writes with warmth and respect, showing how Mary’s strength and work ethic built the foundation for her family’s future. It’s a quiet, powerful book about resilience, compassion, and the lasting impact of character. Thoughtful and deeply moving.


***** BOOK GIVEAWAY ****

Open to US and Canada for a print copy. Enter to win the memoir Courage and a Castle by Wanita Koczka! Fill out the Gleam form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends November 9th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Gleam and follow up via email. Good luck!

Courage and a Castle Giveaway
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