A Frozen Stiff: Haunting Avery Winters Cosy Mystery Series Book 4 (Haunting Avery Winters Paranormal Cosy Mystery Series)
A fun, light-hearted ghost cozy mystery series.
Solving mysteries is hard enough, but when the murder victim is a misogynistic bully, it would be easy to turn a blind eye. But, when friends are in the firing line, Avery will do what she can to solve the puzzle, even if it means helping someone who doesn’t deserve it.
Doing an early morning shop, Avery finds a corpse in the supermarket coolroom. Not exactly the way she wanted to start the day, but, as she laments, finding dead bodies seems to be her forte. The victim is a popular local rugby player, but the more Avery looks into the case, the more she realises he’s not a likeable as his friends think.
His ghost hounds her to find his killer, but the more he harasses her, the less she wants to help—the guy is not a nice person. The only thing that keeps her in the game is pressure on Sergeant Bellamy from the mayor, who just happens to be the dead man’s father. When the mayor threatens to destroy Bellamy’s career, Avery has to pull out all the stops.
Can she find the murderer without getting herself and Bellamy into even more trouble? Life’s not easy when you’re hiding a secret as huge as seeing ghosts. She’ll have to be inventive with this one because it’s not only her own reputation on the line.
Eyes as deep as the bottom of her lake. A heart as wide and alive as the forest surrounding it. A voice as soft as the wind rustling through trees and as melodic as waves on pebbled ground. A power that is rooted within her very soul, the soul of her lake. She passes time flipping stones and dipping her toes. She has never asked for anything but peace. This is her lake. The lake of dreams, the lake of truth, the lake of life. And she will do anything to defend it.
Please give a warm welcome to author Grace Nicholas
Tell us a bit about yourself…
Well, my name is Grace Nicholas. I grew up in southern Arkansas in a tiny town no one has ever heard of. 😂 I’ve lived in central Arkansas for the majority of my life. I’m a wife, mother of 2 crazy teenagers and one spoiled rotten pug, Buddy. I’ve been an avid 6-10 book a week reader since I was about 14 years old.
Have you always wanted to become an author?
I’ve always wanted to be an author, but never knew where to start. About 3, almost 4 years ago I found the Facebook reader/author community and it opened up my whole world! 😲 After bumming around, joining groups and participating in those groups, I finally got on my first ARC team. From there I moved up to beta, then eventually alpha reader for a few authors. Brandi Bell, whom you all may know as Rose Alexander, finally wore me down, after 2 years, and convinced me to write a book with her. We wrote The Storm Queen together and it was one of the best experiences of my life. She taught me so much and it was a ton of fun because we were already such good friends!
What are you working on now?
Currently I’m working on another co-write with the lovely EJ Everette called The Reapings Serial. It’s a mini-series that will have episodes releasing every month, then every so often those episodes will be put in one volume and released as a full length novel with deleted scenes and secret POVs!
I’m also working on my first solo novel which is a sweet, second chance romance novel. Honestly, the cover was the inspiration for this story. As soon as I saw it, the characters started screaming in my head and the story has been flowing almost faster than I can type! 😂 I’m hoping to release it sometime around March.
Do you have any quirks while working?
I don’t think I really have any quirks while writing, other than needing it to be quiet. I do the majority of my writing when my husband is working and the kids are otherwise occupied. Though sometimes, I’ll write at night while my husband plays whatever game he has at that time on his PS5. As long as there isn’t much talking in the game, I can deal with it as background noise. If there is a lot of talking, then I pop in my AirPods and turn on my noise app. My go-to noise is a box fan, but sometimes I’ll switch it up to rain or a thunderstorm, depending on my mood or the scene.
What are your hopes for the future?
I hope to keep writing books until I can no longer type! My husband has the lofty goal of being a house-husband within 5 years 🙄, but I’ve told him that’s unlikely considering I’m a slow writer and don’t publish full novels that often. I’ve only published one so far, plus one episode of the mini-series and I’ve got a short story being released December 1st in the Once Upon a Twisted Christmas anthology.
Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?
Being a new author myself, I don’t really have much advice for other new authors other than to write what you know. Don’t try to write what you think everyone wants, or what everyone will read. It will seem forced to you, and it will read that way to readers. I learned that lesson the hard way.
To my followers, I just have to say to hang in there! I promise I’m writing every day, I’m just not as fast as others. I still have a full time career and a family to take care of, so I write when I can. I love you all to pieces and I can’t express enough how much I appreciate your faith in me and your willingness to be patient with me. Hopefully I’ll be able to find more time to write and start publishing books more often! 💜💜💜
I have cerebral palsy. I’ve been with my fiance since high school. I love any and all pets. I’m obsessed with teal and purple. I live for coffee and Halloween. I love dragonflies and butterflies. Shockingly I hate pink. I have to college degrees an Associates in teaching with a minor in science and a bachelor’s degree in educational studies. I have a derpy Siamese cat mix named Anastasia. I hope to be expanding my pet mom portfolio soon do keep and eye out for cute pet picks. I love to read all the things but love dark romance reverse harem a paranormal romance the most. I also specially own a book blog called Begging for Bad Boy Book Boyfriends links are in my link tree.
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How long have you been a PA?
I’ve been a PA since December of 2019. It seems like it’s been way longer though.
How did you get started as a PA?
An author I reviewed for lost her PA and I offered to step in for bit since I had a lot of tech experience from the classes I was taking for my degree at the time after that it was word of mouth that got me where I am now. With my 5 full time ladies Emma Luna,K.L. Humphrey, Lexi Noir, Annie James, Mikki Noble, and Lark Anderson. I also have a few temp clients on and off as well.
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What do you do as a PA?
So much more than people realize. I manage multiple schedules at a time. I run reader groups as well as Arc and street team groups when asked. I find reviews and distribute Arcs. I do daily or weekly check-ins. I make graphics although I still need work here but you can always learn new things. I beta read their books and promote them. I make all their forms and sheets for things such as sign ups or giveaways. I sort newsletters so that includes finding swaps for them as well as the basic formats. I also keep track of social media and messages so that everything gets updated or answered in a timely manner. I close giveaways and send prizes as well as find takeotaks and spotlight opportunities. Then if your anything like me you send up doing random task for your authors like sorting through reviews, sending messages to people, or just totally off the wall things you’d never thought you’d ever need to know how to do.
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Do you have any quirks while working?
I have to have coffee first. If I work before my first cup it’s not pretty lol. I talk to myself constantly while I work. It drives everyone around me crazy lol. I also tend to use voice to text if I’m multitasking which leads to the most random typos which my authors lovingly refer to as their daily game of what dose Sam really mean lol.
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What are your hopes for the future?
I would love to still be a full time PA in the future because I absolutely love my job. However I like to keep an open mind because you never know just look at me I never even knew this job existed and now I’m over the moon to have it. I’ve had a revolving door of clients and I never thought I’d have so many but I love them all so much.
Do you have any advice for new PA’s?
Really think about what you want out of the job first. Talk to a PA so you’re not blindsided when you’re in the deep end. I’m always open to prospective PAs doing it alone sucks don’t Be afraid to reach out to us. We were you once too heck we still are some days. Be fluent in all things Google and book jargon. You’ll pick it up fast if your a reader. Be honest and ask questions no question is a dumb question. Don’t be afraid to learn a new skill if you stick around long enough it’ll be a daily thing and it keeps the job exciting.
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Are you available for new work or booked solid?
As of right now I’m booked but I’ve said that before lol. It never hurts to ask me or any PA for that matter we do take clients on monthly basis and sadly sometimes we part ways with a client or they need to take a break from our services it’s like a marry go round where you get to help tons of amazing people everyday.
I’m so happy to introduce you to my publisher – Butterdragons Publishing. Please give a warm welcome to BDP.
Tell us a bit about yourselves…
We are a relatively new publishing company, consisting of a small team of professionals and we aim to give our readers great books. We publish a limited number of books per year so that each of the books can get a full attention and be the best version possible. Our readers deserve the best stories we can give them.
Why did you decide to create Butterdragons Publishing?
We always loved reading and collected books in ridiculous amounts, and we have been connected to the publishing world in various ways over the years. It was always our dream, so when the opportunity presented itself, we decided to turn our passion for books into a business.
What genres do you publish?
We publish a wide variety of genres, from contemporary fiction and suspense to fantasy and horror, mostly with a romantic element, as well as poetry – we hold a special love for poetry, as you might have noticed.
What are you working on now?
Currently, we have just released our second yearly anthology and we are preparing to release several poetry collections and a second book of Embers Duology by Victoria Larque, as well as a horror romance by Boris Bacic. For next year we are planning more fantasy books, contemporary fiction, as well as poetry collections, some in two languages.
Do you have any quirks while working?
This is a tough question, as we are a team and we all have our ways of completing various tasks, but no matter what, we always come together with an optimal result. Some of us prefer to work in complete silence, some prefer noise – those two groups rarely work in the same office. Then we have unusual working hours as some of us are in Europe, some in Australia, some in the United States, but we always find time to come together.
What are your hopes for the future?
We are hoping to grow but still maintain the exclusivity and not surpass thirty books a year. We plan to maintain and increase the quality of the books we publish, and of course, to win some literary awards.
Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?
Good editing is the key, as well as consistency in characters and the world building.
Do you have anything to say to your readers?
Stay tuned because we have some amazing books coming your way!
YES! I remember being in middle school and scribbling plots to love stories in a notebook. My best friend read and encouraged me to do it, and 30 years later she’s still in my corner, reading and critiquing and encouraging me to WRITE MORE! So I’ve definitely always wanted to write – and to write about true love!
What was your inspiration for your current book/series?
My K&S Securities Series came from a dream. Just one little snippet about a red-haired little girl and the much older boy who loved and protected her and POOF! Faye and Travis were born.
What are you working on now?
My current work in progress is a holiday novella. I’m hoping to have it ready by Christmas / New Year, but we’ll see. Life has been in my way lately. I’m hoping to use Nanawrimo as a kick off point to get back on track.
I’m also editing book 6 in the K&S series.
Do you have any quirks while working?
I don’t get emotional about my characters. At all. I always joke that I’m probably the only romance write who feels nothing while I write. It’s weird, because when I read I feel all the emotions.
What are your hopes for the future?
To keep on writing. I have ideas about branching out into other genres, but that’s definitely something for another day.
Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?
Just WRITE THE BOOK! It doesn’t matter if the first draft is ugly, that’s what self editing, self editing again and finding a great professional editor are for!
YOU CAN DO IT!
Do you have anything to say to your followers?
Thank you all so much for your support! (You can also find me under the pen name Josephine Andersen for something a little different from romantic suspense.)
Well, I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I have always had a great imagination, which fuels my love of writing. I am also an introvert, so I live in my head, which is also why I love writing so much. I’m a simple person and a homebody, so I just love writing and when I’m not doing that I’m watching TV, surfing the net, or researching. I grew up loving mysteries and suspense. Hitchcock and Edgar Allan Poe are my biggest creative idols. I write interracial books (black women and white men coupling) among different genres. I write romance, romantic suspense, thrillers, women’s fiction, historical, erotica, erotic romance, and paranormal (just starting with this one). I also write books of all lengths, but mainly novellas and shorts. I am a USA Today Featured Author and have been interviewed by USA Today many times as well as have had several books reviewed by them. They also made my book The Seventh District a Recommended Read. I am also the nominee of two African-American Literary Awards.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
No. I never thought about writing professionally until I was 19 and that’s when I started. I always enjoyed reading and always had a talent for writing as a child, but I never thought of it as an avenue to make money. Back then, I was just happy to write and wasn’t thinking about sharing my work. Then, when I turned 19, the dream of being an author hit me and I got into it. I started back in 1998 and back then you didn’t have the options you have now. You had to be trade published or you’d have to sell books out of the trunk of your cars. There was a huge stigma against self-publishing, so it wasn’t a valid way to be published then. Also, there wasn’t even KDP, so you didn’t have the option to publish through Amazon and ebooks hadn’t become popular yet. You had to be with a publisher and have books in stores to get anywhere. So after years of struggling to be noticed, I finally got a two-book deal from Simon and Schuster in 2007 and 2008. Unfortunately, right before the first book was released, my mother passed away. So needless to say, the experience of first being published wasn’t the happy time I thought it would be.
What was your inspiration for your current book or series?
Me. LOL! I just write the stories I want to write and whatever idea that pops into my head. I get more ideas from movies and current events than anything, but most times the idea just comes from me. I’ve always had a powerful imagination. I also get ideas while exercising and riding in a car, too.
What are you working on now?
Working on billionaire romantic thriller serial. As well as reworking some previously published standalones I’d published under a now defunct pen name.
Do you have quirks while working?
Nah. For me, I don’t mess around. I just turn the TV on mute and get to writing. I don’t do any special rituals outside of outlining my work. I just get out the laptop and get rolling and try to be as productive as possible for each session.
What are your hopes for the future?
Even though I’ve been in this game, for a long time, I just want to keep growing. Growth is constant. I also just want to be healthy and to remain in a position where I can keep writing and meeting my creative and financial needs.
Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?
The most important is to research. Don’t expect anyone to spoon feed you every bit of advice. You’re gonna have to take the initiative yourself. Course, it’s fine to ask for help, but you also need patience and to be realistic about expectations. This is not something to get into if you expect to be rich or leave your day job. Only a tiny percentage of authors are living off their book income. Most are not. So make sure you know what the real publishing life is like and don’t fall for the facade you see on TV. Being a writer in real life is nothing like it looks on TV. It’s hard work and I suggest not even trying unless you love writing. If you don’t love it to your core, then you won’t last.
Do you have anything to say to your followers?
Of course! Thanks so much for always buying my work and supporting. I appreciate all the love and you can be sure that I’ll never cheat you and with every book I give 100% because I know you guys deserve nothing less! I always got something new for you, so continue to keep up with me!
Please give a warm welcome to graphic designer Evelyne aka. Secret D’artiste
Tell us a bit about yourself…
My name is Evelyne and I am a freelance book cover designer based in Belgium (Europe). My fantasy adventure started when I laid eyes on the first Lord of the Rings movie in 2001 (I was 14 years old at that time). I was mesmerized, fascinated and loved the epic concept art so much that I started experimenting with Photoshop on my own. Until this day I have developed my own magical style, trained and improved my skills. My works are a combination of photo bashing/photo manipulation and digital painting, combining several stock photos and 3d renders into unique and finalized book covers, with a touch of magic! 😉 Besides design, I love nature, traveling (especially outside of Europe) and discovering new cultures, animals, places, etc …
Have you always wanted to become an artist/cover designer?
Actually not, it was something I rolled-in to. I practiced fantasy art for a long time as a hobby and was an active member of the photo manipulation community on Deviantart (before the change to Eclipse). I met some amazing people across the world, sharing interest in the same hobby. Only there I was introduced to the art of cover design and in 2015 I started my halftime freelance business. It’s actually until now, September 2021, that I have quit my main job and decided to become a fulltime book cover designer. And also now, I am still learning new things and that makes it so interesting 😉
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
My source of inspiration comes from fairytales, myths & legends, fae & fairies, fantasy warriors, witches, assassins, etc … I love watching TV-series and movies in those genres and even in nature (when hiking) I can find the necessary inspiration to fill my creative bank account. I also love concept art books and magazines like ImagineFX to gaze upon epic and breathtaking art from other talented artists from all around the globe.
What are you working on now?
I am currently preparing lots of new premade book cover designs (especially trilogies) which I will launch in my Facebook-group in the next couple of weeks. You are all welcome to join if you want Secrets D’artiste premade covers and you can also join my newsletter.
Do you have any quirks while working?
I always need music when I work. I can’t work without it … Let’s say, to get into the ‘zone’ I need to close the door to ‘reality’ and open a much more fascinating door to this fantasy world in my imagination. And that’s not always easy … and there comes music into place. Music helps me in the process to allow ideas and concepts for my art. I am quite a fan of movie and game soundtracks, or any other whimsical voice/band that can feed inspiration.
Do you have any advice for new artists/cover designers about the publishing world?
Yes, for beginning cover designers I would really recommend always purchasing the resources you need through legitimate stock sites and/or 3D render sites, due to copyright regulations. I know that’s not always easy because subscriptions for paid stock sites could be quite expensive and are a big cut in your budget (especially when you are a beginner), but in the end it really pays off. Not only can you make more ‘out of this world’ designs, it also helps you cover possible issues with copyright. One of my favorite 3D shops, where I shop for lots of my resources, is this one (and I can really recommend it due to good service and excellent quality): Fantasy Background Store
What are your hopes for the future?
To be honest, I really hope I can do what I love doing in life. You only live once and you have to be carefull with the time that is given to us.
Do you have anything to say to your followers?
If you are interested in going on an epic journey together, please don’t hesitate to get in touch! Or if you want to treat yourself or one of your loved ones with fantasy/gothic bookmarks or prints made by me, you are always welcome to check out my Etsy shop here (I would be so grateful for the support).
I live in wet and soggy Bristol, UK, with my husband, toddler and dog (oh and an immortal goldfish).
I have loved fantasy all my life. My favourite authors are Brandon Sanderson, Holly Black, Amy Harmon and Robert Jordan.
When I’m not off gallivanting in other worlds, you can normally find me climbing trees with my young son, working as a small animal vet for a charity that treats the pets of people who struggle to make ends meet, hanging out with my church family, or walking the best dog in the world. (And as a vet I feel qualified to say that!)
Have you always wanted to become an author?
I have written stories for as long as I can remember. My first book series was about a group of kids who ran away from home and became rulers of all the sharks in the sea. Worryingly they all got married at the age of 12-14 but that was old to my 8 year old self!
I wrote my first full length novel at 11. It was about a magician’s apprentice who was bad at magic.
Throughout my teenage years I wrote epic fantasy after epic fantasy that my poor parents had to read, even when they went over 200,000 words! As a child I was badly dyslexic and struggled with sentence structure and spelling to the extent that many of my early stories were illegible until I typed them up. It took me much longer than all the other children in my class to both write and type, but I just loved to write and have never been able to stop telling stories. Slowly, wth the support of my parents and teachers, I developed techniques to get around my dyslexia and now it never holds me back.
I now have ten published full length books and seven short stories.
What was your inspiration for your current book/series?
My current series starts with Feathers of Snow and is inspired by the German fairytale, The Goose Girl. I always loved how the original tale coupled gentleness and beauty with brutality and ruthlessness. To me, it is a very powerful tale of the power of goodness and perseverance. Though my tale flips the characters on their heads!
What are you working on now?
I am currently putting the final touches on Feathers of Blood which is the sequel to Feathers of Snow. This book has a lot more action and angst and has been great fun to write!
Do you have any quirks while working?
I often feel the need to pull the expressions my characters are making as I write them to try to work out how to describe them. I must look very strange, so it’s probably a good thing I don’t write in public!
What are your hopes for the future?
I hope to keep on doing what I love, which is being a mummy, writing and saving animals as a vet! It would be my dream to be able to earn a little more through my writing so I can devote whole days to it once my son is old enough to go to school.
Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?
My advice to authors who want to write fantasy is to read loads in your subgenre and keep writing. Never give up! Get as many fantasy lovers to read it as you can before you try to publish. Also start simple and master basic concepts in shorter books before your epic 12 book masterpiece!
Do you have anything to say to your followers?
I love you all so much! Every time I gain a follower or reader, I do a little happy dance. I couldn’t do it without you!
Helle Gade 