Showing posts with label Jodi M. Webb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jodi M. Webb. Show all posts

Hummingbird Moonrise: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, November 02, 2026
Hummingbird Moonrise by Sheri Dodd

Are you sad that Halloween is over? Or eager for the winter holidays? Either way, the final book in Sherri Dodd's Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy could be your ideal next read. We're celebrating the launch of Hummingbird Moonrise, another adventure of modern witch Arista that happens during the winter season. Join us for a special giveaway and an author interview! 

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

Still, 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?


Publisher: Black Rose Writing (October 9, 2025)
Audiobook: B0GXPSGKDD
ASIN:  B0FB5QV948
ISBN: 1685136583
ISBN-13: 978-1685136581 
Print length:  305 pages

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

About the Author, Sherri Dodd

Sherri grew up in southeastern Texas walking barefoot and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore, inspiring her first short story about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto curious children. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. Not long after, her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. She has explored the vast area ever since, using it as a catalyst to her writing, from journaling to fitness articles to fiction. She holds a bachelor’s degree, and is pursuing her master’s, in holistic theology and believes this helps her to see the world through a more colorful and accepting lens. 

In writing, her publisher labeled her 2024 debut novel as a paranormal thriller. She would have described it as a cozy murder mystery with generous dashes of magic realism, showing that she loves to merge genres. Her trilogy — Murder, Tea & Crystals — released book one - Murder Under Redwood Moon in March 2024; book two - Moonset on Desert Sands in March 2025; and the final book in the series- Hummingbird Moonrise released October 2025! All three books became an Amazon #1 Best Seller in the Occult Supernatural genre.


--Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: Your third book Hummingbird Moonrise happens during the winter holiday season. How did you manage to balance a witch with a very significant religious holiday season?

Sherri: Perhaps I would think differently living in another state, but as a Californian for the majority of my life, and as an ordained minister in holistic theology, I aim to weave together the different faiths and find commonality within their philosophies. I first encountered interfaith when my Christian father married my Buddhist stepmother as a teen. Again, I saw the joining of two religions when my son entered kindergarten, and I met a Jewish mother married to a Catholic man. I found the ability for them to raise their children in both faiths quite inspiring. In both examples, I witnessed a cooperative acceptance with the edges softening to allow for special events of each faith to be celebrated out of respect for the other. I worked toward this unity within my trilogy with Shane and Arista being of different faiths – Catholic and a modern-day witch. While not all will agree, it is possible for different faiths to collaborate and fall in love.

I have a superb reverence for Christmas based on my Episcopalian upbringing. December 25th has been given as the time when Jesus was born, making it the most joyous time of year. Around this same time, an authentic modern-day witch reveres the ancient Germanic (English, Norwegian, Swedish, and Dutch to name a few) tradition of recognizing December 21st and 22nd as Yule. During Yule, the winter solstice brings in the longest night of the year. Like the Christian faith, it is a time of great anticipation of what lay ahead. However, for those celebrating Yule, that anticipation is rooted in their ancestors’ eagerness for the longer days to come, bringing forth renewed warmth as the ice melts, blossoms pushing upward, and eventual crops that will grow in the fields. Britanica further reports that these traditions – Christmas and Yule – merged in the tenth century when King Haakon Haraldsson visited England and became Christian. When he returned to Norway, he put into law that Yule and Christmas would be celebrated together. True to his Norse custom, ale flowed in abundance to celebrate this merging.

Not one to usually answer questions such as this, I do believe religion and politics have and always will be best avoided in general conversations, and the intricacies of a true education on these matters could fill volumes and ranges far beyond my brief explanation.

WOW: In Hummingbird Moonrise you took on a challenge that frightens many writers - accents. Was it difficult finding the right way to portray the words they way you want them to sound in your reader’s head? Why did you do it? Do you feel the accents add something needed to the characters?

Sherri: This variety of accents is a realistic setting for me as diversity enriches my life on a daily basis. My best friend since age thirteen is Scottish. Her accent was so thick when I first met her that not only did she learn to speak with an American accent, but within a year, I spoke with a Scottish accent when at her house talking with her parents. Thank goodness, the accusations of cultural appropriation did not exist back then! Even today, I may say ‘coo’ instead of cow in conversation, based on our friendship. Also, I love the Cockney accent in movies. Gene from Hummingbird Moonrise is modeled after an actor in Guy Ritchie’s Snatch that left such a comical impression on me with his accented incredulousness that I wanted him in my book. Finally, I had already written Arista, as Stevie said in book two, as a little Celtic goddess, so I could not ignore adding a bit of Irish in the mix. For all of these, I consulted books, YouTube tutorials, and as referenced in my book, The Irish Cultural Center out of San Francisco, for actual translations. While I had read that accents slow down the reader, I took my own experience with sounding out accents and decided to move forward with it. Frankly, I enjoy accents in text. Yes, I slow down and iterate the words until they roll off my tongue. Then, I reread the sentence without interruption. This process has never taken away from the overall reading experience. Hopefully, my readers were not adversely affected either.

WOW: Since you’re working on your fourth novel, we’d like to know all your secrets! Tell us a little about your writing habits. Do you write daily? Are you a pantser or a plotter? Are you a “write anywhere” type of gal or do you have to be in your writing space?

Sherri: I have a general idea of where I want to go, but the paths that I create to get there take me in exciting directions. Similar to setting goals, I have learned over the years that you simply write down what you want. No need to worry about how you will get there; just where you want to be. It is then that fate brings it all together for you!

Regarding where I write, I must be in front of my MAC with my gurgling fish tank and a trusty feline within reach. Though, I am always catching snippets of input during my time outdoors, such as when I’m on a date with my husband, and we talk about something that triggers an idea. Many aha-moments come while on hiking trails, and they are common in the wee morning hours as well.

WOW: Do you have any beta-readers, a writing group or editor? How have they helped you polish your books?

Sherri: I have a small group of beta readers – three women, one man, and one non-binary individual. I hired them online with the first book and found their feedback and challenges so refreshing that they journeyed through the trilogy with me. However, it is my New York Times Best-Selling Editor who has helped me grow the most as an author. Upon my debut draft of Murder Under Redwood Moon, she red-lined, commented, and guided so much it took me a month to revise. Even now, I get the itch to rewrite certain sections, but ‘let it go’, realizing I had to start somewhere! By the second book, my editor marveled at how much my writing had improved, so with Moonset on Desert Sands and Hummingbird Moonrise the edits became fewer with no requirements for added scenes.

WOW: To me, your books are just one cliffhanger after another. There’s always something ominous happening. Do you plan your books to offer those “What next?” moments throughout your book or did they just evolve naturally as you wrote the story?

Sherri: I aim to open with a punchy scene and leave each chapter with a question to push the story forward. In a trilogy, I believe it is important to have a cliffhanger at the end of each book. While it is not a literal character hanging from a cliff, Will they survive? kind of moment, I do intend to cast a thrilling new development at the reader that feels like a Pandora’s box of possibilities for the next book.

WOW: You’re promoting your paranormal trilogy while writing your next book. How do you find time to do both?

Sherri: That is tedious to say the least, especially with the changing of the genres. But I believe my multi-tasking background in corporate – Cisco Systems, Inc. at the height of their success – helps this juggling act. At Cisco, our VPs claimed we worked in cheetah yeas, and I would agree. Head-spinning chaos, yet you looked cool and collected while executing your responsibilities. Then, I left corporate to become a full-time, at-home mother, and while my firstborn indulged in more artistic pastimes, my second son had me running him to all kinds of sport conditioning classes, games, and team gatherings on a regular basis. It did not help that we lived an hour from his school, especially during his football season throughout summer when we would make up to three trips a day to different events. Sometimes it’s physical, and sometimes it’s mental. Both can be exhausting, but the bottom line is that I am experienced in multi-tasking, and promoting, writing, and planning books takes exactly that ability!

WOW: Thanks for sharing and now I can thank my kids for all those basketball, cross country and track meets, play rehearsals, music lessons and choir practice. Who knew they were training for being an author?

Hummingbird Moonrise Blog Tour

--Blog Tour Calendar

November 2nd @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of the final book in Sherri Dodd's Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy: Hummingbird Moonrise. Read an interview with the author and enter the giveaway.

November 4th @ Boys' Mom Reads!
Get a sneak peek at the final Murder, Tea & Crystals book with an excerpt of Hummingbird Moonrise.

November 5th @ Knotty Needle
Judy reviews Hummingbird Moonrise, a magick realism mystery.

November 6th @ Chapter Break 
Sherri Dodd shares what it's like when an author comes to The End of A Trilogy. 

November 7th @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
Author Sherri Dodd takes a break from writing to share how Yoga Can Improve Your Life.

November 9th @ A Storybook World
Ready to meet the Paws of War? Don't miss the intro by animal lover Sherri Dodd.

November 10th @ Words by Webb
Jodi writes about favorite holiday reads and an unexpected addition: Hummingbird Moonrise by Sherri Dodd.

November 11th @ All Things Writing
Get hooked on Hummingbird Moonrise with today's excerpt.

November 13th @ A Wonderful World Of Words
Welcome to WERC. Intrigued? Author Sherri Dodd reveals what WERC is today.

November 15th @ World of My Imagination
Don't miss Nicole's review of Hummingbird Moonrise and your final chance to enter the Book + More giveaway.

November 16th @ News and Notes
Sherri Dodd, author of the Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy, writes about the challenges & rewards of switching genres.
https://www.kaeceymccormick.com/newsandnotes

November 18th @ Word Magic
Author Sherri Dodd tells us what she learned from James Nestor's Breath.
https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/

Hummingbird Moonrise Giveaway Package

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY PACKAGE *****

TWO WINNERS! Enter to win an amazing Murder, Tea & Crystals prize that includes Hummingbird Moonrise by Sherri Dodd as well as lots of other witch themed gifts including candles, gemstones, soap, lip balm, Oracle cards and more. Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends November 15th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw TWO winners the next day and follow up via email. Good luck! 

Hummingbird Moonrise Package Giveaway
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A Story of Two Photos

Thursday, October 29, 2026

 


Let's start with a story of two photos. The first was a headshot of son in a suitcoat, dress shirt and tie. It was the "official" senior photo the school demanded for the yearbook, the local newspaper and other press releases. He didn't look like himself and yet he looked just like every other boy in his class. An uncomfortable teen masquerading as a businessman. The photos are...forgettable.


The second photo is the "fun" senior picture. Same teen outdoors lounging on a fallen tree, wearing his favorite jeans, Vans and gray fedora. He looks like he's enjoying the day. It is not like any of his classmate's photos.  Looking at this photo, you might think "I'd like to meet that guy." 


Why am I thinking about Senior class photos? Because I've had writer pics on my mind. Most people refer to them as author pics, because once upon a time they were slapped on the back of a book jacket. Book authors needed photos. 


But today, all writers need at least one good writer pic. We're constantly asked for one by editors (especially when we do online writing), we need them for our own social media presence, for workshops we lead, and yes, one day for that book we write. And truthfully, it's often a mad scramble of "Oh no, do I have a recent photo that looks half-decent?"


Let's be honest...is your writer pic more like my son's first photo or his second photo? I'll go first! Mine is definitely a boring, looks like a thousand other writer pics, forgettable headshot. Because that's what I thought a writer pic should be.


Plus I don't really like getting my photo taken. Something about facing a camera makes me lose the ability to smile naturally. My smile comes out as "I'm being kidnapped but trying to make the best of it."


But Kristan Higgins has become my new inspiration. When I was sent her writer pic for a recent book promotional tour I loved it. It felt like a candid someone had snapped in her living room, full of action and personality. Immediately I thought, "Every writer pic should be like this." It should say more about the writer than, "This is me dressed up and trying to look professional."


In my opinion, we should all have a few writer pics, especially if we do a variety of writing work. Maybe we'll always need that bland headshot but we should have writer pics with more personality to offer. The writer pic for your personal essays should be different than your writer pic for your true crime writing and different from the one for your travel writing. After all, you wouldn't use the same bio for all those outlets, so why use the same photo? 


So take a good look at my writer pic below. Hopefully, it'll be the last time you see it. I'm going to be snapping some shots that feel more like me for the future. Won't you join me?


Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about everything from

apple pie to consignment shops to travel. She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. Follow her writing (and reading) life at Words by Webb. 






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Beyond Depletion Book Blitz

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Beyond Depletion by Toni Curtis

I'm excited to announce the launch of a book blitz for Beyond Depletion: A Nutritional Therapist's Guide to Postpartum Healing.  We want everyone to know about this book to empower women in their birth experience. It's not too late for you to join the blitz and share this great book on your blog, Facebook, Twitter or other social media channels. If you participate, you'll be entered to win a $25 Amazon Gift card. For more information contact, Jodi at jodiwebb9@gmail.com Join us in celebrating this amazing book with a book giveaway.

Book Summary:

After years of being dismissed by the medical system, nutritional therapist and doula Toni Curtis discovered the truth: postpartum depletion is real, it is measurable, and it does not have to be your new normal. Beyond Depletion is the guide she wishes someone had handed her — a fusion of ancestral wisdom, functional nutrition, and modern science built specifically for the fourth trimester and beyond.

Inside, you'll find a complete roadmap for postpartum recovery, including the science of postpartum depletion, nervous system healing, global herbal wisdom, nutritional information, sample recipes, guided journaling pages and a 42 day recovery plan.

Whether you're newly postpartum, years past delivery and still not feeling like yourself, or preparing for birth and want to protect your recovery in advance, this book meets you where you are.

Publication July 26, 2026

ASIN: B0H8XSZMP6
ISBN-13: 978-8187173648
Print length:  121 pages

Purchase your copy on Amazon. You'll also want to add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Toni Curtis


Toni Curtis is a certified birth doula and childbirth educator. Her work in maternal support began in 1996 when she volunteered as a peer educator while in high school. In addition to teaching classes about safe sex practices, she supported teen mothers who needed prenatal care, labor and delivery support and postpartum care. For years, she continued to stand with and advocate for young mothers who were underrepresented and in many cases, simply not heard.

Since the birth of her own children, Toni has been on a mission to equip herself with the knowledge that she now shares with her clients and fellow doulas. Recently, her wealth of knowledge and passion for this work has led her to become a mentor to doulas across the country. She is passionate about her work and prides herself on being patient, empathetic, kind and always willing to learn. Her mission is to educate, support, advocate and even make policy changes surrounding implicit and cultural bias about equitable maternal care.

When she is not taking a class or supporting moms, Toni enjoys spending her time with her husband and their two children. She enjoys learning about different cultures, watching Japanese anime and most recently, taking roller skating classes so she can refresh her skills.

Instagram: @birthwisedoulas
Twitter/X: @BirthWiseDoulas

Beyond Depletion by Toni Curtis Book Blitz

--Blitz Calendar

Thanks to all our friends who are helping by sharing information about Beyond Depletion, their thoughts about life after baby's arrival, excerpts from the book and links to enter the giveaway and purchase the book with their followers.

October 21st @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of the Beyond Depletion: A Nutritional Therapist's Guide to Postpartum Healing by Toni Curtis. Learn more and enter the giveaway.

October 21st @ Tracey Lampley

October 22nd @ A Storybook World

October 23rd @ Boys' Mom Reads!

October 26th @ Words by Webb

October 27th @ A Wonderful World of Words


October 29th @ Chapter Break

October 30th @ World of My Imagination

November 2nd @ One More Chapter Reviews

November 4th @ Nikki's Book Reviews

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a copy of  Beyond Depletion: A Nutritional Therapist's Guide to Postpartum Healing. Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends November 4th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck! 


Beyond Depletion Giveaway
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Toward the Light: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, October 19, 2026

Toward the Light by Deborah Svec-Carstens

I'm thrilled to be announcing a blog tour for a memoir that relates a tale of resilience in the aftermath of trauma. Deborah Svec-Carstens brings us her debut book Toward the Light: A Year in Paris. Although this story will resonate with survivors of sexual violence, there is also a universal message of hope and courage for everyone. Join us in celebrating with an author interview and book giveaway.

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

At twenty-two, Deborah Svec-Carstens leaves small-town Iowa for Paris, hoping a year abroad will bring adventure, independence, and a fresh start. But just as she begins to feel at home, a morning run ends in sexual assault.

Every instinct tells her to leave. Instead, she chooses to stay.

As the months pass, Deborah leans on an unexpected community of friends, wrestles with questions of faith, and finds purpose in caring for Lily, the young girl entrusted to her care. Slowly, she discovers that healing is not a destination, but a path taken one step at a time.

Set against the cafés, parks, and neighborhoods of Paris, Toward the Light is a coming-of-age memoir of trauma, resilience, and the courage of simply staying.

Spiral Staircase Press (September 15, 2026)
Audiobook: 979-8-9958853-2-0
ASIN: 979-8-9958853-0-6
ISBN-13: 979-8-9958853-1-3
Print length:  308 pages

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

About the Author, Deborah Svec-Carstens

Deborah Svec-Carstens, JD, MTS, is a writer, book coach, spiritual director, and former lawyer whose work explores healing after trauma, embodiment, and spirituality. Her debut memoir, Toward the Light: A Year in Paris, traces her search for meaning and connection in the months after a traumatic assault in Paris in her early twenties. 

Her writing has appeared or is forthcoming in bioStories, the Brevity blog, the Des Moines Register, and Ember & Vine
Nonfiction Anthology. Her work has received recognition from Writer’s Digest, WOW! Women on Writing, and Memoir Magazine. Deborah writes The Spiral Staircase on Substack and offers
workshops and presentations. She lives in Central Iowa with her husband, where she writes and accompanies others in their journeys of healing and story. 


--Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: What made you decide to write a memoir? Was it part of a healing process? 

Deborah: I started writing Toward the Light ten years ago, but the idea had been with me far longer. At first, I wondered whether there might be another layer of healing to uncover through the writing. As I continued to write, my “why” for writing the book grew. I wanted my nieces and nephews to know what I’d experienced and, more importantly, that I’d moved forward. I was resilient and courageous—and they could be, too. As the story took shape, so did a deep desire to share my story with other survivors, and publication became a goal. I wanted to give other survivors and their loved ones hope. I wanted readers to know that my darkest moment was not the end of my story, but an invitation into community, connection, and faith.

WOW: Your book explores two very personal topics: recovery after sexual violence and searching for a spiritual relationship. Was it difficult to share this with the world?

Deborah: At first, yes.

My Paris journals, where I’d written prayers, scripture passages, and questions, helped me remember my spiritual wrestling but also made me cringe. My faith had changed drastically since those initial months after the assault. As hard as it was to put some of those pieces in the book, I knew the faith journey was part of the story, and I had to be true to who I was then.

My writing group, who eventually read every page of the book as I drafted and revised, didn’t know at first that I’d been sexually assaulted in Paris. It took months before I could write the chapter detailing the assault and share it with them.

As the circle of people I’ve shared my story with has widened—including a local storytelling event before an audience of more than 1,200 people—talking about my experience has become easier. Getting the story out of my body and onto the page has helped me gain some distance from it and release the shame I’d carried for years afterward.

My desire to share my story outweighs the moments of vulnerability. I hope it might help someone share their story—whether that’s with a friend or family member, a therapist, or a wider audience.

WOW: When writing, we live and breathe our topic. Did you ever feel that in writing this
memoir you might find yourself down the rabbit hole into the fear you felt after your assault? 

Deborah: Enough time had passed by the time I started writing that I wasn’t worried about slipping
back into the fear I felt after the assault. But I also made sure I had the support I needed to write, including a therapist, a spiritual director, and a supportive writing community. Drawing on what I’d learned about trauma, I made it safe to write the hard scenes by taking a few deep breaths, feeling my feet on the floor, and using other practices to stay present and grounded in my body. Still, there were times when I had to take breaks from the memoir and write other pieces that had nothing to do with France, trauma, or healing.

WOW: What is an idea you hope readers will take with them after reading Toward the Light?

Deborah: I hope readers walk away with two ideas: that their darkest moment is not the end of their story, and that surrounding themselves with community during challenging times makes all the difference.

WOW: Tell us a little about how you became a book coach.

Deborah: When I wasn’t sure how to begin writing, I turned to a coach. She offered a safe space to share my experience of sexual assault and believed in my story even when I didn’t. She helped me envision how it would resonate with readers and guided me in shaping it into not just a recounting of events, but a book with a narrative structure, central themes, and a clear overarching point. She encouraged me to dive deeper into the emotional heart of the story and wouldn’t let me quit writing when I wanted to.

My experience working with a coach inspired me to become an Author Accelerator certified book coach in memoir. I want to be for other writers the coach that I was fortunate enough to have.

Over the course of eight months, I completed coursework and coached three practicum clients in various stages of the writing process, then submitted materials for certification. Today, I offer steady support, honest feedback, and clear direction to writers who feel called to share their stories of transformation, resilience, or spiritual growth, helping them move from doubt and fear to courage and confidence.

WOW: From your experience as a book coach, what do you think is the most common thing that writers need from you?

Deborah: Most of all, writers are looking for encouragement. They want someone to accompany them through the planning or drafting stages, keep them accountable, and help them discover the structure or narrative arc for the story they want to tell. As a coach, I offer suggestions and guidance, but not in a prescriptive way. Ultimately, I provide a safe, non-judgmental space where people with challenging stories to tell can make meaning of their life experiences and shape them into a book that will resonate with readers.

WOW: Any advice for our readers considering writing a memoir?

Deborah: Keep going. It took me ten years to write and publish Toward the Light. Many times, I   wanted to quit. Fortunately, I had a coach and a writing group to encourage me and keep me accountable. They refused to let me quit.

Writing may be a solitary endeavor, but bringing a story to life requires community. Find yours.

WOW: Can you share some of your favorite memoir writers/titles?

Deborah: Absolutely! Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, Maggie Smith’s You Could Make This Place Beautiful, Caroline Knapp’s Appetites, and Roxane Gay’s Hunger are memoirs I return to for their structure and for the vulnerable writing that draws readers in. I also highly recommend Mallary Tenore Tarpley’s Slip: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery. It’s an excellent example of a hybrid memoir that interweaves the author’s personal story, reporting, and research.

WOW: What’s up next for you and your writing?

Deborah: In addition to spreading the word about Toward the Light: A Year in Paris, I write on 
Substack at The Spiral Staircase and coach other memoir writers. I’m happy to join book groups to discuss Toward the Light: A Year in Paris. Free discussion questions are available to download at my website.

My award-winning essay, “Fireweed,” will be published in the Ember & Vine Nonfiction Anthology on
November 3, 2026 (Ember & Vine Press). A second essay, “Befriending Beth Ann,” will be published in Eat Me: Essays, Poetry, & Art on Eating Disorders From Midlife Women in spring 2028 (Third Rail Press).

WOW: That's so exciting. We're looking forward to reading more of your work.

Toward the Light Blog Tour

--Blog Tour Calendar

October 19th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Toward the Light: A Year in Paris by Deborah Svec-Carstens. Read an interview with the author and enter the giveaway.

October 20th @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
Looking for a new memoir? Read an excerpt from the debut memoir by Deborah Svec-Carstens,   Toward the Light: A Year in Paris.

October 22nd @ All Things Writing
Author Deborah Svec-Carstens shares her writing experience in Writing About Trauma, Not Reliving It.

October 27th @ A Wonderful World of Words
Deborah Svec-Carstens writes about the journey to release the shame after her assault, including writing her memoir Toward the Light.

October 30th @ Nikki's Book and Movie Reviews
Stop by for a review of Toward the Light by Deborah Svec-Carstens.
https://nikkitsbookreviews.wordpress.com

October 31st @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
Meet author Deborah Svec-Carstens in today's interview.

November 2nd @ A Storybook World
Find out the meaning behind the title of Deborah Svec-Carstens' memoir Toward the Light.

November 4th @ Words by Webb
Jodi shares her thoughts on Toward the Light by Deborah Svec-Carstens.

November 6th @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
Today Joan is reviewing a memoir of trauma and hope by Deborah Svec-Carstens: Toward the Light.

November 11th @ Some Thoughts: Everything Creativity
Author Deborah Svec-Carstens writes about The Keys to Memoir: Journals, Photos, Letters, Music and More.

November 14th @ World of My Imagination
Celebrate National Memoir Writing Month with Nicole's review of Toward the Light: A Year in Paris.

November 15th @ Some Thoughts: Everything Creativity
In a memoir mood? Today Kaecey review Toward the Light by Deborah Svec-Carstens.


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

Enter to win Toward the Light: A Year in Paris by Deborah Svec-Carstens. Fill out the form below for a chance to win a memoir of hope and courage. The giveaway ends November 1st at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

Toward the Light Giveaway
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Interview with Paula Kupchak Hall: Q3 2026 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest Runner Up

Sunday, October 18, 2026



Welcome Paula Kupchak Hall and her runner up in the Q3 Creative Nonfiction contest, "How Does the Heart Function?". Paula's essay reaches back in time but makes it feel as if it happened just yesterday. 


Paula writes upmarket women’s fiction and creative nonfiction. Her work often features protagonists who find humor and heartbreak in life's obstacles. She has honed her craft through her local writing community and the University of Calgary's Creative Writing Program, and is an active member of two writing critique groups. Her work appeared in the July 2023 issue of Hippocampus Magazine. Paula is currently seeking representation for her debut novel, THE SUNSHINE DIET. She is a Communications and Public Engagement Specialist, and resides in Alberta’s foothills with her husband and four children, a schnoodle named Nessa and Gary the gecko.

 

Follow Paula on Instagram: @Paulaj_hall

 

WOW: Congratulations on your runner-up place for "How does the heart function?". What made you decide to write about this powerful moment from your childhood?


Paula: Thank you! I wrote this piece shortly after my father passed away, while I was processing our complicated relationship. As I worked through the memories, I began to understand how this moment had followed me into adulthood and shaped me as a parent, highlighting how important it is to show up for your kids. Writing the piece gave me a way to make sense of the past and carry something meaningful forward.


WOW: In your essay you wrote about an event that happened over four decades ago yet it is so rich in details. How do you summon up all those tiny details from years ago?


Paula: While it’s a short piece that takes place over a very short period of time, for little me, that night was long. Waiting, watching the clock, hoping he would show up, and seeing other parents celebrate their children’s work and accomplishments - it all seemed to happen in slow motion. More broadly, though, I think that as we age, the past can become clearer. Moments we haven’t thought about, or perhaps haven’t allowed ourselves to think about, can suddenly come back into focus. Memories that have been dormant for years can resurface with a new understanding and meaning.


WOW:As an active member of your local writing community, what do you feel is the most valuable thing writers can get from gathering with other writers?


Paula: Writing, along with navigating submissions, finding an agent, and figuring out the publishing world, can be isolating. The people around you may be supportive, but they don’t always understand what you’re going through. This is where the real value of connecting with other writers lies. It's reassuring about being able to talk to people who understand the frustrations, the waiting, the rejection (so much rejection!), as well as the highs and small victories, because they’re living it, too. It reminds you that you’re not doing this alone.


WOW: It does help to surround yourself with people who understand the writing life. Tell us a little about your writing journey. 


Paula: As cliché as it sounds, I’ve been writing short stories for as long as I can remember - and thankfully, only one story from childhood survives. I chose a career that involved a lot of writing, and that constant practice kept my writing skills sharp. About a decade ago, I took some creative writing courses and quickly discovered I had a lot to learn about this kind of writing. I started with short stories and eventually began working on the novel I completed this year. When people talk about “flow,” they’re describing exactly what happens when I write. I can spend hours at my keyboard, feeling both relaxed and invigorated. I hope I never lose that feeling- or the excitement I get from learning something new about my craft. I want to keep growing, keep improving, and, most of all, keep writing.


WOW: We all know that feeling! Can you tell us about your latest project?


Paula: This year, I completed my debut novel, THE SUNSHINE DIET, women’s book-club fiction about a marketing professional who is reassigned to a project in Ireland while facing personal and professional disaster after she alters her wedding date instead of her dress. I’ve spent the past several months in the editing process, and have learned a ton. In April, I began a mentorship with Sam Hiyate of The Rights Factory, where we worked through structure, pacing, and stakes. After that, the manuscript went to three beta readers, whose feedback gave me even more to consider. I never would have thought the editing process would make me a better writer, but here we are. I’m now in the trenches querying agents while working on my second book, THE YELLOW DOOR, set in the same world. I also continue to regularly write short creative nonfiction -  it feeds my writer’s soul.


WOW: We'd love to see more of your creative nonfiction here at WOW - and don't forget to keep us updated on your querying process.

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Webb Writing Challenge - Part 2

Thursday, October 01, 2026

 



This weekend I volunteered at my church bingo - five hours of running around handing out bingo cards, prizes and remembering to never wish them good luck (apparently this is taboo in the bingo world). I got started as a volunteer because I would rather work than actually play bingo. So, when I sat down to write this month's post I had all things bingo on my mind. Naturally, with the wild way my brain works bingo cards reminded me of reading challenges on bingo-like cards which reminded me of a writing challenge I gave everyone about a year ago.


Are you done yet?


I hope so since I have a new challenge. Since that challenge focused on fiction writing, I thought I'd give you a nonfiction writing challenge this time around. Use the card above to write your way to a bingo (four corners counts), a picture frame or pull out all the stops and write your way to a cover all. It's a great excuse to stretch those writing muscles and try new things. Don't forget to tell me how you're doing with the challenge!


1. Flash pieces - Can you express yourself in 1000 words or less? WOW's Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest is accepting entries right now but there are quite a few markets accepting flash writing.


2. Hit the Road - Write something based on travel -- anything from a description of your favorite place to travel tips to an essay on your dream journey.


3. Pleased to Meet You - Chat with someone you find interesting (your favorite author, your partner, the woman who owns your local coffee shop) and create a piece based on that interview. You never know what you'll learn or what other ideas will spring from that interaction.


4. Let's Laugh - Can you make your readers laugh? It's harder than you think! Craft an essay, article or even a how-to that will give everyone the giggles.


5. Outside Your Window - Focus on nature for your next piece. Maybe a description of the beauty you see in the autumn colors, an article about gardening, or even something about surviving a hurricane.


6. Hometown Happenings - What about your hometown could be interesting to the big wide world? Maybe a quirky local event, a famous resident, a vacation destination, a local food. I've written articles for national publications about local artists, local charities, the origin of nearby town names, a high school history class that build a Viking ship.


7. Be the Expert - I've written advice based articles about saving money at Disney World, shopping at consignment shops, encouraging a reluctant reader and book marketing. Where are you an expert? 


8. Listicles - They're everywhere: the ten best chocolate chip cookies in the grocery store, five towns every Civil War enthusiast has to visit, four holiday traditions to skip and four holiday traditions you can't miss. These are quick, fun pieces to write and can often find a home with online magazines.


9. Your Mission Should You Choose to Accept It - It's a challenge to write something that will stand out when everyone else is writing about the same topic. Check out Readers Write for The Sun Magazine and call outs from places like Business Insider and All Recipes. When creating a piece based on an assigned topic, strive to find a unique twist.


10. Review - Yes, you could review a book but that's not the only review gig in town. Review music, toys, power tools, events.


11. Pick a Side - Find a controversial topic (no, you don't have to go straight to politics) and pick a side. Right now the big online discussion is "Should You Take an Iced Coffee to a Job Interview?" Maybe your writing will start the next big discussion.


12. History - Turn back the clock and find something interesting in the past to write about. It could be your personal history or something about a company, town, celebrity, sports team, even your favorite food.


13. Hermit Crab - Write a personal essay disguised as something else: a recipe, a police report, a letter to your congressman.


14. Delicious - Why are cooking reality shows so popular? We all love food! So write about it. You can teach readers how to cook, share memories of a significant food in your family, discuss the latest trend (please, can something take the place of pumpkin spice), even a humorous piece about your epic fail in the kitchen.


15. For the Kids - Turn to a younger audience and craft an article, quiz, activity, or interview just for them on your favorite topic. There are plenty of kids magazines focuses on everything from history to science to cooking to world cultures.


16. That's New - Can't think of any ideas? Learn something new! Take a class in pottery. Read a book about fly fishing. Volunteer at your poll place. Maybe you won't write about that specific topic but it may give your brain a boost to another idea.

 


Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about everything from apple pie to consignment shops to travel. She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. Follow her writing (and reading) life at Words by Webb. 

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L.S. Delorme Giveaway - Fanning Fireflies

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Fanning Fireflies by LS Delorme

I'm excited to announce another chance to dive into the Limerence universe with a visit from Lexy Delorme a.k.a. L.S. Delorme. Lexy shares a bit about the evolution of her series, promoting her writing at Comic-Con and why writers should think like business people. Don't miss a giveaway of Fanning Fireflies, her paranormal novel with a historical fiction twist.

More about the Book, Fanning Fireflies:

There is something rotting in Harrisville.

It's 1944 and Veronica works so she can afford to eat. Maybe one day she will save enough to own the home her family is living in, but for now, she doesn't have time for fanciful thoughts, or much else. She doesn't have time for the fire whispering to her, the ghosts trying to talk to her and the son of her boss, who can't stop staring at her. She definitely doesn't have time to think about Lazlo, the handsome black soldier that she processed at the draft office, but she can't seem to stop herself. As her ability to ignore Lazlo evaporates, so does her self-imposed ignorance about her hometown. There is, and always has been, something rotten in Harrisville. It shouldn't have been a surprise. After all, Veronica works in the cigarette factory, where corpses hide in the tobacco with the roaches.

Limerent Publishing
Print length: 238 pages
ISBN-13: 979-8987488041

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

About the Author, L.S. Delorme:

Author Lexy Shaw Delorme (writing as L.S. Delorme) is the award-winning author of The Limerent Series, a genre-defying collection of emotionally resonant novels that blend supernatural mystery, psychological thriller, historical fiction, and romantic suspense. With a background as a lawyer, pop musician, and science writer, Lexy brings intellectual depth and lyrical prose to every story she tells. Now based in Paris, she lives with her French husband and two very cool sons. Her work explores themes of limerence, memory, identity, and the echoes of past lives—and she’s not afraid to push boundaries along the way.

Connect with the author:

Instagram: @ls_delorme
TikTok: @LexyShawDelorme

Learn more about Lexy on Upcoming Podcasts:







--Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: You lived in France when the first Limerent book was released, recently moved to England, have heavily promoted (and won some awards) for your series in several countries and are also promoting in the US. Most authors are intimidated by the idea of promoting their book in one country. How have you balanced multiple countries? 

Lexy: It has probably helped that my life has been nomadic since I was a girl because my father was in the U.S. Navy. In my life, the longest I have lived in one place was 8 years, and that just happened with my move to Paris. However, the city I have lived in longest collectively is London. Until I was in high school, I never lived anywhere for more than 2 years. Later, I did new-country entry for a financial services company. I oversaw coordinating team members across three continents. What I learned from that, and what has stayed with me, is the importance of culture in doing anything.

I think one of the mistakes people outside of the U.S. make when marketing to the U.S. is the assumption that there is one U.S. culture. There isn’t. People wouldn’t make that mistake when thinking about the EU countries. Everyone knows that Germany and France are very different cultures. But the U.S. has something like 11 different cultures. Oregon is as different from Alabama as France is from Germany. So when you market, you need to market more regionally. In Europe, there is a huge challenge with language. I have yet to find someone to do a good translation of my books into French, and my husband is French ☺.

WOW: I think many authors in the US may fail to appreciate the different cultures within the US. How do you prepare for dealing with different likes and expectations in different regions?

Lexy: I think it’s all about knowing where you are on a cultural bell curve. And it’s about setting
expectations. When I was doing international work, one of the tools that we used to assess whether people would succeed or not was measuring them against a list of identical questions that were asked of people living in that culture. There were two factors that played in favour of sending someone on an international assignment.

One of them was that they fit very squarely in the centre of the bell curve for beliefs and attitudes of the country in question. And that seems very intuitive. The other one was less intuitive. People who did not fit in the centre of the bell curve in their own culture also tended to do well in other countries. I described it as the “I’m weird in my own country, so I’ll be equally weird in another country” strategy. There are certain adaptation skills that people learn in those circumstances.

So, when you apply that to where you want to sell your books or how you want to do your marketing, it makes sense to market to groups where your story and its themes resonate. However, you may find more passionate readers in areas where your story and themes are rarer, and you then aim for the smaller groups of readers who might exist in less likely areas or groups. I try to have an 80/20 approach to this.

WOW: Is it difficult balancing both writing and promoting at the same time? 

Lexy: Yes, it is incredibly difficult. How I have started approaching it is keeping a lot of my marketing and PR in certain seasons. I am usually asked to have a table at the big Comic Cons in London and New York. These occur in May and October, so I try to have new book releases in either May or October, and I arrange other in-person appearances to match that.

But I have to be honest, I’m still not great at the online, social media stuff. I do it, but I always feel vaguely like I’m failing at it because I just can’t force myself to post regularly. I also don’t really separate my work and personal social media presence. People always say to do that, but it feels like so much additional work to me that it doesn’t really seem needed or worth it. Maybe I will change my mind about this going forward, but for now, I’m trying to keep social media simpler. I do have chat groups with some of my more active readers and reviewers ☺.

WOW: Can you tell us a little more about appearing at Comic Con events? Having never been, I always thought of it as more comics and graphic novels. But it seems it’s so much more. What are the advantages of being an author at a Comic-Con event?

Lexy: Comic Cons are now a significant part of my marketing strategies. A lot of people who attend
Comic Cons are the sort of people who would like books. Most of the Comic Cons have a section for books and writers. At the MCM Comic Cons, these are called “Writers Block.” 

These events are incredibly popular. And it’s important to note that they are not just about comics anymore. It’s more of a popular culture celebration. There are people presenting who are from all manner of the arts: movies, TV, gaming, books, publishing, fashion, painting, drawing and a whole host of other creative endeavours. This attracts not just a lot of people but a lot of diverse types of people.

And I do mean lots. The London Comic Con usually has around 135,000 people over three days. The New York Comic Con can be up to 250,000 people over four days. So, they are very serious events from the perspective of visibility and marketing, but also sales. It is also a culture that celebrates diversity and independence. I feel very at home at them.

WOW: Those are amazing numbers! So many authors have problems with the marketing portion of being a writer, but you’ve taken to it like a duck to water. Do you have any advice for introverted writers about promoting their writing?

Lexy: Maybe I’ve taken to it because I don’t really think of it as “marketing.” In my head, I just
think of it as meeting people. Like a lot of introverts, I struggle with doing posts on social media or pushing my books to an anonymous audience. But with reviewers and with readers who show up at events, it becomes more of a personal interaction…and I find people fascinating.

It also takes making the effort to bring out the part of your personality that is more extroverted. I grew up as a Navy brat, which means we travelled a lot. I had to learn how to present in an extroverted way, even though I get my energy by being alone. So, I look at marketing as talking to people, telling them about my stories, hearing about their stories, and connecting.

WOW: That is such a helpful mindset, it makes promotion feel more personal and something to look forward to as an author. In the past, you’ve said that writers should treat their books as if they are a small business owner. How does that help authors?

Lexy: I’ve seen a lot of writers beat themselves up over sales, or lack thereof. They will put a book
out there and then be gutted when no one reads it after a year on Amazon. The problem is that nobody knows about it. That’s where marketing and visibility come in. Business people know this.

If you do a startup, which is what you are essentially doing when you publish a book, there is a life cycle to that. It is actually a pretty well-known life cycle, and it has predictable steps. At the end of the day, it takes roughly 5 years to start making profits. In the beginning, you come up with an idea, create a minimum viable product, and invest your own money to get it out there. You may get “love money” from family and friends to help. You create a marketing strategy, you find where your people are, you look for different channels for visibility, etc., etc.

You do that whether you are making a widget or selling a book. That’s why I think it’s valuable for people to read a book about creating a startup as opposed to just reading about how to publish your book. In business, I did quite a few startups. And not all of them worked. But 100% of the ones that worked were ones that managed their expectations of success and timing.

WOW: Today you're giving away a copy of Fanning Fireflies. I enjoyed the melding of historical fiction and paranormal in Fanning Fireflies. You’ve delved into your characters visiting other time periods and worlds in other books. As a writer, do you find the ability to travel between worlds/times stretches your writing abilities? Do your characters act/speak differently in different worlds, or are they similar no matter where/when they end up?

Lexy: In my series, that’s actually a remarkably interesting question because some of my books deal with the concept of whether a soul has a recognisable personality that stays the same across lifetimes. I have spreadsheets dedicated not just to a character’s behaviours and speaking patterns, but also to the patterns that appear and change over lifetimes. As the series continues, the reader sees more of the ways in which the past has impacted the present reality of existence. It also touches on the future.

WOW: I can't imagine the challenge of keeping a character authentic, not just for one book but through multiple books and future lifetimes. Speaking of the future, congratulations on the upcoming release of Mirrored Lands, book six in the Limerent series, on October 8.

Fanning Fireflies Giveaway

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win Fanning Fireflies, a stand alone title from The Limerent Series. Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends October 8th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck! 


Fanning Fireflies Giveaway
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