THE BOOKSHOP ON BLOSSOM STREET - an interview with Kay Parquet

Hello Kay, and welcome to Broad Thoughts!  What prompted you to first start writing? What was the first thing you wrote?

Honestly, it all started with my love of stories. Books raised me, shaped me, and whispered, “Hey, you could do this too.” So I did. I dipped my toes in with Star Trek fanfic (because of course I did), and once that door cracked open, the stories just… spilled out. Eventually I figured it was time to stop hoarding them on my hard drive and let them loose into the world.

Can you summarise your latest work in just a few words?

My romance books are heartfelt small-town stories where messy, lovable humans stumble their way into second chances, real connection, and the kind of love that actually feels lived-in. Expect humor, heart, a dash of chaos, and characters who feel like the neighbors you secretly adore.

What was the inspiration for this book?

Honestly? This book was born from me reading a craft book on short stories and then spiraling into my own brain, which is always a fun little adventure. I have ADHD, and yes, the Shiny Object Syndrome is absolutely real. Writing short romance just fits; under 15k, boom, done, dopamine achieved, and I’m off chasing the next sparkly book in the series.

Did you do any research for the book?

Aside from the usual craft books, nope. I didn’t dive deep into research for this one. I only look things up when I absolutely have to, like in Book 3 where my character’s in the military and suddenly I needed to know the correct plane terminology so I didn’t have them flying home on “that big metal bird thing.”

How do you decide on the names for your characters?

I usually hunt for character names by wandering through baby-name sites until something jumps out and smacks me with the right vibe. Either that, or I shamelessly borrow real people I know and slip them into the book; names changed to protect the guilty, of course.

Do you plot your novels in advance, or allow them to develop as you write?

Oh, I am a complete pantser, capital P, thriving chaos gremlin energy and all. I don’t plot so much as I just… follow the characters around and hope they make good choices. My stories unfold as I write, which means half the time I’m discovering the twists right alongside everyone else. Honestly, it keeps things interesting.

Now the book is published and ‘out there’ how do you feel?

Putting my books out there always makes me nervous - like releasing my little paper children into the wild and hoping they don’t immediately fall into a mud puddle. I genuinely care about how readers feel when they pick up one of my stories. My hope is always the same: that someone out there sees themselves in these pages, or at the very least gets that familiar, cozy-warm-hug feeling we all secretly crave.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

I always tell new writers the same thing: keep going. Keep writing. Keep spilling your soul onto the page even when it feels messy or weird or too much. And above all, write for you first - because the moment you try to make everyone happy, you end up pleasing exactly no one, including yourself.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I’ve got an entire series mapped out for this world. Each book can stand on its own, but you definitely don’t want to miss the happy endings, side stories, and all the little cameos that make the town feel like home. I love writing a shared world where familiar faces wander in and out of each other’s stories. As for how many books are coming… let’s just say enough to keep me happily busy for quite a while.

 

More about Kay:

Meet Kay Parquet, a Southern gal with a heart full of stories and a passport full of stamps. Growing up with a military family, Kay’s childhood was a whirlwind of new places and exciting adventures around the globe. She’s seen a lot, and all those experiences pour into the pages she writes.

Books have always been Kay’s faithful companions, her escape into worlds of magic, mystery, love and machines that run on steam and spells. She’s got a soft spot for stories where fantasy meets the future, love conquers all, and where heroes have big hearts and even bigger adventures. Her first loves were comic books, cartoons, and Star Trek fanfic.

Away from her books and stories, Kay’s just a regular girl who loves gaming and has a serious love for dogs. She’s convinced they’re the secret rulers of the world (sorry toe bean overlords). With her easy-going Southern charm and a touch of playful sass, Kay’s writing is all about sharing the magic she’s seen and felt in her travels.

 

Link:

https://linktr.ee/kayparquet

 

More about the first book in the series (Bookshop):

Sometimes love shows up between the pages ... and far too many coffee refills.

 

Emma Carter is a curvy, quietly stubborn bookshop owner in the heart of Maplewood who is perfectly content with her shelves, her solitude, and her zero dating life. Thank you very much.

 

But when Nathan Reed, the town’s handsome new librarian, proposes a joint book event, Emma reluctantly agrees. What begins as a professional collaboration quickly turns into something else … with sparks, shared glances, and small-town gossip thrown in for good measure.

 

Can Emma trust what is growing between them, or will the age gap, public whispers, and her own fears close the book before it even begins?

Huge thanks to Bittersweet Book Tours for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour.

A FIGHTING CHANCE - an interview with VAL PENNY

Today my guest is my friend and fellow-writer Val Penny.  We've known each other for years, and have even worked together a few times!

Welcome, Val.  What prompted you to first start writing? What was the first thing you wrote?

I first started writing novels when I was recovering from breast cancer and couldn’t stand any more day-time TV! As I was reading a great deal, my husband challenged me to write a book. Challenge accepted! 

My first book, Hunter’s Chase, established my main protagonist, DI Hunter Wilson, as leader of a team of dedicated police officers who are determined to solve a series of murders that take place in Edinburgh.

Can you summarise your latest work in just a few words?

My new novel, A Fighting Chance, is the second book in my series of Jane Renwick Thrillers. It sees DS Jane Renwick and her wife, Rachael Anderson, work to solve a series of murders and catch drug vying drug lords in and around Stirling in Central Scotland.

What was the inspiration for this book?

I like Jane and Rachael and the dynamic between them and wanted to set the story in Stirling to share a different part of Scotland with my readers.

Did you do any research for the book?

Yes. I had to research the construction of The Wallace Monument and the history of Stirling Castle. The use of county lines to distribute drugs and the women’s prison, HMP Cortonvale also contributed to my research.

How do you decide on the names for your characters?

I research some of the names, especially foreign names. For example, DI Regina Jallow in A Fighting Chance is of Gambian heritage and I had to find her a name that realistically reflected that. Otherwise, when I have created a profile for a character, I choose a name I think will suit their character, bearing in mind their age and background.

Do you plot your novels in advance, or allow them to develop as you write?

Probably a bit of both. I have a detailed outline of my story prepared in advance, but sometimes my characters go off on a tangent and I have to adjust my framework to account for that.

Now the book is published and ‘out there’ how do you feel?

I am excited. I hope readers will enjoy this new novel and take Jane and Rachael to their hearts in the same way they have enjoyed the DI Hunter Wilson Crime Thrillers.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Enjoy your writing and sharing your stories, but writing is neither a way to fame or fortune. If you want to make any money from your work, promotion will take as much time as writing the novel.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I am currently writing the third book in the series of Jane Renwick Thrillers, North by North-East, and thereafter the new DCI Hunter Wilson Crime Thriller, Hunter’s Festival, will follow.

Wow, that's impressive.  Best of luck!

Val's website is - www.valpenny.com

The buy link is - https://mybook.to/FightChance

Thanks to Bittersweet Book Tours for the opportunity to take part in this tour.

SPARKS AND SHADOWS - an interview with Trisha Thacker

 

Welcome, Trisha!  What prompted you to first start writing? What was the first thing you wrote?

I read stories that I thought should have better endings and I would write stories about those stories. The first thing I remember writing was something dealing with ww2. I was very into the history of the time period.

 

 

Sounds fascinating.  I've actually done much the same thing myself for Romeo & Juliet, and also a character in an old French legend.  

Can you summarise your latest work in just a few words?

 

Shadows are scarier than you think.  

 

 

What was the inspiration for this book?

 

Interestingly enough, a prompt for a short story. I wrote the story and realized I could write a whole book from it. 

 

Did you do any research for the book?

 

I did research on Wales and Japan, as well as the weather in various places. Lots of little details that never made it into the book.

 

 

How do you decide on the names for your characters?

 

They come to me in dreams, then I would do research on the meanings of names and tried to make it meaningful. 

 

Do you plot your novels in advance, or allow them to develop as you write?

 

I do some plotting,  I make a basic outline that id effectively chunks of the book,  then I run wild. 

 

 

Now the book is published and ‘out there’ how do you feel?

 

I wish I had more people who noticed it. I love my book and I want to share it!

 

Is there a message for the reader?

 

Be careful of who you trust, but allow yourself to trust your instincts.

 

Do you have any advice for new writers?

 

Don't give up! It's hard to get the words from your brain to the paper, but out there is someone wanting to read your story.

 

What can we expect from you in the future?

 

More in my series and some vignettes about individual characters 

https://shop.trishathacker.com

 Huge thanks to Bittersweet Book Tours for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour.

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING GHOST - an interview with Michele Pariza Wacek

Welcome, Michele!  What prompted you to first start writing? What was the first thing you wrote?

I taught myself to read when I was three years old because I wanted to write stories so badly. Honestly I can’t remember the first thing I wrote. My earliest memory is before I could read or write, I would “tell” my stories by drawing dreadful little pictures, and the pictures would prompt me so I could verbally explain my stories to my parents. That method used to frustrate the heck out of me, because I knew I wasn’t telling the story the same way each time, which is why I was so driven to learn to read and write.

 

Can you summarise your latest work in just a few words?

 

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Ghost is Book 3 of The Redemption Detective Agency, which is a romcom cozy mystery series. Emily and the rest of the gang at the Redemption Detective Agency are trying to help an elderly widow from losing her home, and in the process they must locate a missing ghost.

 

Sounds fascinating!  What was the inspiration for this book?

 

The inspiration for the book is similar to the inspiration for the whole series. I wanted to try my hand writing a light, funny, romance-heavy cozy mystery. My other cozy mystery series, The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries (The Redemption Detective Agency is a spin-off from the Charlie Kingsley Mysteries) is a much more mystery-forward series. While it still has the small town, quirky characters, pets, tea/baking and humor of a cozy, the mysteries are far twistier. By contrast, this is a much lighter series with far more emphasis on the humor and romance. 

 

Did you do any research for the book?

 

Not really, other than to make sure I’m not too far off with the facts. It takes place in the 1990s, so I will check to make sure it fits the time frame.

 

How do you decide on the names for your characters?

 

The characters more or less tell me. If the character doesn’t outright tell me, I go to one of those baby name sites, and mess around trying out names until the character tells me that’s the one.

 

 

Do you plot your novels in advance, or allow them to develop as you write?

 

I’m more of a develop-them-as-you-write kind of gal, although I do need rough outlines to at least get me started.

 

 

Now the book is published and ‘out there’ how do you feel?

 

It’s always a mix of excitement and relief to release a book. It’s also good to celebrate publication days as well. I think sometimes as authors we don’t stop and celebrate the milestones more, and it’s important to do that.

 

 

Is there a message for the reader?

 

If you’re looking for a light, fun and funny book to brighten your day, I hope you give The Redemption Detective Agency a try.

 

Do you have any advice for new writers?

 

Write a lot and read a lot (which I know is the same advice Stephen King gave, but as he is the master it’s probably a good idea to listen to him). Also if you want to be a published author, then be a published author. Hit Publish on your book. Don’t be like me and keep procrastinating the way I did. I believe there’s no mistake you can’t come back from, you just need to do it.

 

 

What can we expect from you in the future?

 

I’m going to be writing a Christmas crossover cozy mystery. It’s two novellas, one from The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries and the second from The Redemption Detective Agency, and they both take place during the same Christmas season. That will be out in November, 2025.

More about Michele:

A USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author, Michele taught herself to read at 3 years old because she so badly wanted to write stories. It took some time (and some detours) but now she does spend much of her time writing stories. Mystery stories, to be exact. They're clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix.

Michele grew up in Wisconsin, (hence why all her books take place there), and currently lives there after spending nearly 30 years living in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona, with her husband and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.

When she's not writing, she's usually reading, hanging out with her dog, or watching the Food Network and imagining she's an awesome cook. (Spoiler alert, she's not. Luckily for the whole family, Mr PW is in charge of the cooking.)

 

More about The Mysterious Case of the Missing Ghost:

Emily Hildebrandt is learning to settle into some of the very strange cases that come through The Redemption Detective Agency’s door.

Like Aunt Tilde’s friend Ruth who claims she’s lost a ghost.

How does one lose a ghost? Apparently when the ghost decides to walk out the door.

But, to make matters more complicated, it’s not just any ghost but the ghost of Ruth’s dead husband. Who was murdered decades ago under very suspicious circumstances.

Emily has no choice but to go back in time and figure out what really happened to Ruth’s husband, in order for everyone to rest in peace.

 

Links:

Website: MPWNovels.com

Book link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJ7WTMS2

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/michelepw

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/michelepw

Facebook: https://facebook.com/michelepwauthor

Instagram: https://instagram.com/themichelepw

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelePW

Huge thanks to Bittersweet Book Tours for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour.

SECRETS UNDERGROUND - an interview with Jenna Maeson

My blog guest today is Jenna Maeson, who is here to talk about her latest book, Secrets Underground.

Welcome, Jenna!  What prompted you to first start writing? What was the first thing you wrote?

I've been telling stories to myself for as long as I can remember.  

I like to say I've been writing stories since before I could write words. At about four, I would draw stacks of pictures and give them to my mom, then I would dictate a story to her about them and she would write them down.  I've always loved stories and had an active imagination.  I learned to print my name legibly when I was four because I wanted a library card so badly.  And I know from kindergarten on I would tell people I wanted to be an author when I grew up.

Can you summarise your latest work in just a few words?

Small town secrets, pets, and quirky locals.

My main character, Olivia Morgan, takes on a new mystery with her canine sidekick Elmer, this time uncovering some hidden tunnels under a rich architect's estate, and uncovering town lore that some locals would like to keep hidden.

What was the inspiration for this book?

Good question.  Most of my books don't have inspiration so much as a random thought that pops up.  Or I see something somewhere and my brain starts spinning with the what-ifs.  I think I had seen something about a secret society somewhere, and this book spun out from that.

Did you do any research for the book?

Not really.  I like to write things I don't have to do much research for, which is why I have avoided anything police procedural or medical, even though I love the topics.

How do you decide on the names for your characters?

 

A lot of the time I use online name generators if I’m stuck. Or just whatever pops into my head first. Elmer got his name because I was thinking of how my dogs are glued to me wherever I go, then I thought of Elmer’s glue, and that’s that.

 

 

Do you plot your novels in advance, or allow them to develop as you write?

A bit of both, actually. I try to have a basic outline so I can kind of keep track of where I’m going and what needs to happen between the beginning and then end. But ideas usually expand and wander as I write.

 

 

Now the book is published and ‘out there how do you feel?

I always feel relieved when a book gets published. That i actually finished it on time. Then i get nervous to see how people react to it. And go through the usual spiral of self-doubt wondering if its good enough.

 

 

Is there a message for the reader?

Not from the book exactly but from me in general - all of my books are written to give people an escape from the day-to-day of our crazy world. I give you the opportunity to stay within our reality but in a cleaner version - probably the one we’d all prefer to live in. My only goal is to make people laugh and make them wonder what if.

 

 

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Just do it. It seems silly but just write the book. Write the story that is in your heart. Publish it or don’t, but get it out. With the publishing world as it is right now, everyone has a chance for their story to be seen. Perfection is not a real thing.  Don’t strive for it, or you won’t do anything.

 

 

What can we expect from you in the future?

I have a fourth book in my current series coming out in mid-October and I have a non-cozy mystery - let’s call it a speculative rom-com - that I will be sending out on query early in 2026.  

Here is the link for my Amazon author page, which has buy links for all of my books: 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jenna-Maeson/author/B0DXRQCWWP

 

Thanks to Bittersweet Book Tours for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour.             

TANGLED MAGIC - an interview with Stefanie Santone

Today my blog guest is the author Stefanie Santone, who is here to tell us about her new book Tangled Magic.

Welcome, Stefanie!  What prompted you to first start writing?  What was the first thing you wrote? 

I've been telling stories to myself for as long as I can remember.  The first thing I ever sat down to write was an awful, awful Star Wars rip-off.  I remember writing some of it on a yellow pad of paper, coming up with some character names, and then getting embarrassed and shoving it in my closet.  At some point I'm pretty sure my younger self wanted to burn it, but I have settled with it being long, long gone. 

As for what prompted me?  I'm not sure I'll ever know.  When I say I woke up at 13 and wanted to be a writer, it's not a joke - that's exactly how it happened. 

Can you summarise your latest work in just a few words?

Supernatural detectives and shenanigans with a lot of danger.  And gods.

What was the inspiration for this book?

One day it was pretty chaotic at the bookstore I worked at, and the phone kept ringing.  It was a frustrating day, and after a while I had the urge to answer the phone and be funny and possibly inappropriate.  I don't know where "Goddesses, Inc." came from, which is the detective agency in my book, but I do know that it went from me doing it to a character, and eventually the idea became: Goddesses, Inc.  And the receptionist does not want to help.

Did you do any research for the book?

More than I planned!  To start with I was researching everything from Viking-era ships and clothing to Norse mythology.  Then I also had to learn more about my home state of Arizona, which allowed me to discover a lot more than I ever knew possible about my home.  Hopefully more of those discoveries will make it into future books!

How do you decide on the names for your characters?

It depends on the character.  Some of them I have fun with because, well, maybe the family they're in is kinda nuts and the names are slightly punny.  When I was picking Charlie's name I had their introductory scene written in such a way that their name had to be masculine, even if they might not end up being.  It doesn't make sense now, and a lot has changed since that first scene of theirs.  Now, Charlie is Charlie, for better or worse!

Other names were more or less picked for me when this began to come together with the Norse gods and goddesses.

Do you plot your novels in advance, or allow them to develop as you write?

A little of both.  I always have an outline.  My outline for my next book is almost 10K words!  But I never tie myself to it because sometimes things come out while you're writing that you don't expect.  I have to allow myself that freedom to explore what can just come out of writing without restrictions.

Now the book is published and "out there", how do you feel?

More or less?  Relieved!  Ecstatic!  Hopeful!  But also still terrified.

Is there a message for the reader?

I wrote with mental health in mind, and it's a theme in the book.  That not everyone is what they seem.  There are also other things; I think it's impossible to write a story and not weave messages and themes throughout, but what those are is often an interpretation of the reader.  It doesn't matter what I say; they'll find their own meaning in it.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Never. Stop. Writing.

Also, your work will never be perfect; you'll never deliver a perfect product to your audience.  Whether it's a typo, or a character quirk you wish you had added, nothing is perfect - and if you expect it to be, you will never publish.  Let go of that and write without hesitation.   

What can we expect from you in the future?

More books, and hopefully more series, are to come!  I've been writing most of my life, and I don't plan on stopping now.

More about Tangled Magic:

What could possibly be worse than death?  After all, Ragnarök has already happened.

Wild pixies in churches and bargaining with my soul probably weren't what my parents pictured when I told them about my new job.  And that was just Day One!

Here I am at Goddesses, Inc. - a perfectly normal PI agency.  Except it's run by literal goddesses.

That's right - I'm a (reborn) goddess.  Pretty sure, anyway.  Maybe?

And these wild cases are my responsibility.  Unfortunately, there's something causing those fae pest control issues and the overflow just got deadly.  Something is drowning swimmers days after they've left Oak Creek.  Can Goddesses, Inc. get to the bottom of the mysteries before more people, or even a probably goddess, die?

More about Stefanie:

Stefanie Santone woke up at the age of 13 and decided to be a writer.  For some reason, she thought a Literature BA looked less pretentious on paper than a Creative Writing one (which she got at Arizona State, so did she really need to worry?).  She puts it to good use at her home in Mesa, Arizona, where she spends much of her time (not) writing.  When her editor isn't whipping her into top form, one can find her reading, journaling, or playing Dungeons & Dragons while sipping coffee day or night.           

shop.stefaniesantone.com

books2read.com/tangledmagic
www.smashwords.com/books/view/1769400 (50% off until 31 July 2025)

www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8GTQYC8                               

Huge thanks to Bittersweet Book Tours for the opportunity to take part in this event.               

THE PIED PIPER OF LIMERICK

When I first started this blog, way back in April 2013, its original purpose was as a poetry blog for National Poetry Writing Month.  Its content has varied quite a lot in the intervening years, but every now and again it feels appropriate to bring it back to its roots.  And today is one such occasion.  

Fans of the English poet Robert Browning may recognise the blog's title as a nod to his nostalgic poem Home Thoughts From Abroad, but he is perhaps best known for his long narrative poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin.  This cautionary tale about the consequences of betrayal is said to be based on real events, which (according to Browning) allegedly took place "on the twenty-second of July thirteen hundred and seventy-six" in a small town in what is now northern Germany.

Postcard "Gruss aus Hameln", featuring the Pied Piper of Hamelin, 1902

Much has been written about the Pied Piper story elsewhere, and I'm not going to repeat it all here, but I've included some links at the end of this post for anyone who'd like to find out more. Instead, I'm offering you my own light-hearted tribute to this enduring classic.

THE PIED PIPER OF LIMERICK

 

A town in a faraway nation

had a terrible rat infestation,

about which the mayor

appeared not to care,

to the townspeople's rage and frustration.

 

The plague had become so acute

that the townsfolk were quite resolute:

"We must do something here!"

Then who should appear

but a man in a weird coloured suit.

 

"I see you've a problem," said he.

"Now listen: if I guarantee

to dispose of your rats,

give me one thousand crowns.  That's

my fee."  Said the mayor, "I agree."

 

The stranger, with fingers a-quiver,

piped a tune which made all people shiver.

But the hypnotic air

made the rats leave their lair

and leap to their deaths in the river.

 

Oh, great was the joy in the town!

Then the piper said "My thousand crowns?"

When the mayor, looking shifty,

just offered him fifty,

the piper's smile turned to a frown.

 

He glared, strode out into the square,

and, raising his pipe in the air,

played another refrain.

The town's children came

and followed him - heaven knows where.

 

The mayor's desperate pleas were in vain,

for the children were ne'er seen again.

So the lesson inferred

is "You must keep your word"

and to think otherwise is insane!

The full text of Browning's poem, together with a detailed analysis, can be found here.  There is also a very informative article on Wikipedia.

An excellent stop-motion animation performance of the poem can be seen here.