Interview with Sherri Dodd, author of Moonset on Desert Sands

 

With a traumatic year of fending off a serial killer behind her, Arista has settled contentedly into her temporary home with Auntie in Sedona, Arizona. She enjoys her new job selling all things metaphysical and even has her eye on the hot security guard, Dakota, after her recent breakup with Shane. But a series of new fainting spells has her worried, and when Auntie witnesses one, they decide the answer lies in her home of Boulder Creek. However, returning means not only dealing with her breakup and its heartache but also the possibility of drawing her bloodthirsty Uncle Fergus to her once safe haven in the redwoods. And this time he has recruited an even more dangerous alliance. Arista's closest bonds will be strengthened, but the mounting tension of a death in the desert, a stalker on the streets, and the relentless pursuit of Fergus puts her in dangerous territory, and escaping sorrow proves impossible.

 

Interview With Author Sherri Dodd 

·       It’s time for the fantasy dinner party – but you must invite only writers (living or dead). Who are you inviting?

J.R.R. Tolkien (surely, the greatest trilogy ever written), Beatrix Potter (not only lovely stories but she created her own illustrations), Alice Hoffman (brought witch-lit to the mainstream), Thich Nhat Hanh (to bring the calm), Miyamoto Musashi (because I believe it would be quite ‘novel’ to have a military warlord adept at martial arts and penning strategy), and Robert Langdon, as he was my father’s favorite author. It would be interesting to watch them interact, and thereafter, I could have a one-on-one with each of them for in-depth learning.

·       What made you decide to write about modern day witches?

I studied Wicca as a late-teen and found it fascinating, however, life went on and I confirmed as a Catholic when I met my husband. Many moons later in 2023, I was shopping in a crystal shop in Los Gatos, CA and overheard a customer hounding the cashier. “How into this stuff are you?” The cashier answered in a wry undertone, “Well, I’m a witch, so …” I do not remember the rest, but I got to know the cashier over my next few visits, then took her to lunch to better understand and appreciate modern-day nature-based witchcraft. At that time, I was also experiencing much grief with the passing of my father, and between the two – the story poured forth. I had plenty of time on my hands since my youngest child had just left for college, making me a 100% empty nester.

·       Do you consider your Murder, Tea & Crystals series to be New Adult or YA?

Arista’s age puts Murder, Tea & Crystals in the New Adult category, but the sexual content is tame enough for Young Adult. Also, my writing style is fit for someone with a shorter attention span. I like dialogue and even use onomatopoeia to break up large monotonous paragraphs of text. In school, it was overwhelming for me to flip the page and see no paragraph breaks! A definite candidate for ADD, but in that era few adults wanted to hear excuses for poor schoolwork. Luckily, by college, I found reading time more enjoyable, but if I’m being honest, I still like a bit of space on the page – ha!

·       How important do you think setting is to a book?

A setting for me is crucial for a fine reading experience. Make it a natural setting and I’m hooked even more so. Haunted house settings are enjoyable, too. It adds another layer to the storyline. I appreciated when a few different reviewers commented that my redwood forest reads as another character in my trilogy.

·       You’ve working on your fourth novel now. Do you feel it gets easier? Do you learn things from each book that make the writing process more streamlined?

It definitely became easier for me! Murder Under Redwood Moon, book one in my trilogy, was my debut into fiction writing. I spread myself a bit thin on the plot and had quite a bit of supporting cast! By the second book, I found that my plot tightened, grammar improved, and the conveyance from my pared-down characters was better understood. It can be a little painful to return to that first step you took, no matter what your artistic endeavor, and see the discrepancy to perfection. Though, I also believe Murder Under Redwood Moon will always be my sentimental favorite!

·       What are you reading now or what’s on your TBR list?

Falling back on my martial arts recently, I just re-opened The Book of Five Rings. It may seem bizarre for an aged female writer to read such a book, but strategy can be relatively used in everyday life. Also, my current reading consists of research for my Master’s Thesis, so a lot of scientific studies pertaining to wellbeing - diet, exercise, sleep, breath, and even pet ownership. Very informative and even a little fun with the latter!

 

About the Author

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.

You can follow the author at:

Website: www.sherridodd.com

Instagram: @Sherri.Dodd.Author

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/168513579X

The Story Behind Karen Charles, the Author of the Evan’s Adventures in Africa Series

 

Eight-year-old Evan leaves New York aboard a freighter bound for West Africa, beginning an adventure of a lifetime across the Atlantic...

Eight-year-old Evan has never crossed an ocean before. Leaving behind the familiar streets of New York, he boards a massive freighter ship with his parents, bound for West Africa, where his family will live for the next four years. Excited yet uncertain, Evan watches the Statue of Liberty fade into the mist and wonders what waits for him on the other side of the Atlantic.

Life aboard the freighter feels like a floating world of its own. The ship carries only a handful of passengers, and Evan quickly befriends Mateo, another boy his age who is traveling to Ghana to live with his grandparents for a year. Together, the boys explore the ship’s narrow passageways, climb to the bridge where Captain Morales lets Evan help steer the vessel, and spend long afternoons in the ship’s library building model kits and solving puzzles while storms churn across the ocean outside.

As the days pass, their friendship deepens. Evan learns that Mateo misses his family as much as he does, and the two boys discover what it means to trust someone far from home. But when Evan’s prized airplane model kit suddenly disappears, suspicion and hurt threaten to destroy their friendship. Angry and confused, Evan must decide whether to hold onto resentment or search for understanding.

Meanwhile, the voyage itself grows more dangerous. A hurricane drifts far off its usual course, slamming the freighter with towering waves that leave passengers frightened and seasick. In the middle of the storm, Evan witnesses courage from the crew, compassion among strangers, and the quiet strength of his own parents as they face uncertainty together. Through the chaos of the sea and the heartbreak of betrayal, Evan begins to mature in ways he never expected.

When the ship finally reaches the bustling ports of Liberia, Ghana, and ultimately Lagos, Nigeria, Evan is overwhelmed by sights and sounds unlike anything he has ever known—towering cranes unloading containers, humid air thick with salt and diesel, crowded harbors alive with movement, and vibrant new cultures waiting beyond the docks. Yet the hardest moment comes when Mateo must leave the ship in Ghana. Their emotional goodbye forces Evan to confront how deeply friendship can change a person, even in a short time.

Filled with adventure, heart, humor, and emotional depth, Evan’s Stormy Voyage is a middle-grade coming-of-age novel about courage, kindness, forgiveness, and finding home in unfamiliar places. Inspired by the author’s experiences growing up in Africa, the story offers young readers a vivid journey across the Atlantic as it explores universal themes of friendship, empathy, resilience, and cultural discovery. Fans of heartfelt adventure stories will be swept into Evan’s unforgettable voyage as he learns that the greatest discoveries are often the ones made within ourselves.

Evan’s Stormy Voyage is available at Amazon.

╰┈➤Book Details
➺Author: Karen Charles
➺Genre: Children’s Series
➺Language:English
➺Pages: 72
➺Publisher: BookBaby
➺Publication Date: ‎ August 24, 2026
➺Formats: Paperback
➺Paperback ISBN: ‎979-8317844738

Excerpt:

Evan stood at the railing of the enormous freighter ship, his sneakers planted wide as the deck trembled beneath him. The engines rumbled low and deep, like a giant clearing its throat before speaking. New York Harbor sparkled in the morning sun. Restless seagulls wheeled overhead, crying out sharp and wild. Tugboats puffed along like busy little beetles, guiding the massive ship toward open water. And there she was. The Statue of Liberty stood tall against the sky, her torch glowing gold in the light. She appeared brave and steady, her torch raised high as if she were waving goodbye just to him. Evan raised his arm and waved. “Goodbye,” he whispered. The wind pressed against him harder now, flattening his shirt against his chest. It felt different out here, stronger, wilder. The water slapped against the ship’s sides with a hollow boom… boom… boom… like a drumbeat echoing from somewhere far below. Behind him was everything he had always known. He would miss this place. Ahead of him was Nigeria, West Africa, a place of bright sun, red earth, and tall palms that rustled like whispers of secrets. His parents had new jobs there, and he would be going to an American boarding school. He imagined classrooms filled with maps, new accents, new games, and nights under stars bigger than he had ever seen. Excitement fizzed inside him like fireworks. But underneath it, something else moved. A twisty feeling. Like clouds gathering where the sky had just been blue. He watched as the Statue of Liberty grew smaller and smaller, her torch shrinking to a tiny spark against the horizon. 1 The sky above the harbor shifted. A bank of gray clouds stretched low over the Atlantic, dark and quiet and waiting. The freighter pushed forward anyway. Evan gripped the railing tighter. The ocean ahead looked wide and endless, like a giant blue blanket that could shake itself awake. He took a deep breath. Adventure was calling. But far out on the horizon, where the ocean met the sky, something darker was rising. And it was coming their way.

– Excerpted from Evan’s Stormy Voyage by Karen Charles, BookBaby, 2026. Reprinted with permission.

 

The Story Behind Karen Charles, the Author of the Evan’s Adventures in Africa Series

My writing journey began at age eight during a family relocation to Nigeria in West Africa. Seeing the magnificent crowned crane for the first time left such a lasting impression that I wrote a poem about the experience. To my delight, it was published in the children's magazine Jack and Jill, giving me my first taste of sharing my writing with others.

Although teaching became my lifelong career, writing remained an important part of who I was. As I taught students the art of storytelling, I wrote stories alongside them, often casting my students as characters in our adventures. Those years nurtured my creativity and reinforced my belief in the power of stories to inspire, entertain, and connect people.

After retiring from teaching, I finally pursued my dream of writing thrillers inspired by true stories. My novels weave real events into gripping fiction, creating stories that resonate with readers long after they turn the final page. I have been honored to appear as a guest on podcasts and to speak as an author at schools, libraries, and book festivals, where I enjoy sharing my passion for writing and encouraging others to tell their own stories.

One of the greatest challenges of being a self-published author has been learning the world of book marketing. It has required persistence, adaptability, and a willingness to continually learn new skills. Despite these challenges, the overwhelming encouragement from readers keeps me motivated. Hearing how deeply readers connect with my characters and the true events woven into my stories is the greatest reward and continues to inspire me as I write the next chapter of my journey. 

About the Author

Karen Charles grew up in West Africa and traveled across Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and Europe. Her rich background and lifetime experiences are reflected in the depth of her writing. In her stories, she transforms real-life narratives into gripping thriller fiction. Her novels intricately weave threads of truth into a tapestry of suspense, intrigue, and riveting storytelling. She is the author of three children’s books in the “Evan’s Adventures in Africa” series, including Freeman Earns a Bike, Evan’s Gift, and Evan’s Stormy Voyage. Her three thrillers include Fateful Connections, set in the aftermath of 9/11, and Blazing Upheaval, set during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles and the Northridge earthquake. A Glimpse Too Far offers the mystery and heart-pounding suspense of a psychological thriller and is based on a true story. Karen Charles has two businesses—a global company that trains international teachers to teach American English and an Airbnb on a beautiful bay in Washington State, where she and her husband currently live.

Karen’s latest book is Evan’s Stormy Voyage.

Visit her website at www.weaveofsuspense.com.

Connect with her on X, Facebook and LinkedIn.

The Economy Always Gets Better by Dr. Nikki Finlay

 

For those of us who forgot what we learned years ago or never had the opportunity to take an economics class, terms like recession, depression, tariffs, inflation, and gross domestic product can make our heads spin. If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place. In The Economy Always Gets Better, award-winning economist Dr. Nikki Finlay explains the economy in its simplest terms, making it easier to understand and giving readers the tools to approach even the most distressing economic information with confidence.

Dr. Finlay combines her knowledge and years of academic experience in this practical and accessible guide for anyone wishing to better their understanding of the economy. Using personal stories, useful metaphors, visual representations, and statistical data, she makes economics accessible to everyone. Whether you’re worried about the current economic troubles or trying to figure it all out for the first time, The Economy Always Gets Better will leave you better informed and better prepared to thrive.

Purchase a copy of The Economy Always Gets Better: Navigating Turbulent Times with Confidence on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Bookshop.org. Add it to your GoodReads reading list too.

 How I Set Up My Writing Practice With Mobility Impairment In Mind

I fell down a flight of stairs and nearly broke my neck. The good news is that I’m still here. A little less able to do the things I used to do. But still here. But it cost me my academic career. It also cost me three years of coping with the depression and learning to manage the pain.

So, in the summer of 2021, I decided to do something I hadn’t done in a decade—write. I started with an idea for a memoir about my life teaching economics. By December, I’d finished a healing draft. Then someone told me this: “I just don’t get inflation.”

And I said, “I can explain that.”

I combined the bits about the economy from the healing draft with notes I’d taken while I was teaching. Notes that were always intended as a book for my students. But I didn’t have the discipline to keep at it. That’s when I found my tribe, a group of nonfiction writers who meet each weekday at 4 pm to work on their books. I finished a 35,000-word draft in three months. Writing by hand, my preference, was too difficult at this time. So, I learned to compose on the keyboard. Badly!

I did most of the work on an iPad from my bed. Then my husband set up a desk in the converted garage for my office. But we had to make modifications because the circulation in my legs and feet was poor. Probably all that writing in bed. I stuffed an ottoman under my desk. While I can only sit there for an hour or two, I can get about 400-500 words out. That’s more than enough to write a book and publish on Substack. Occasionally there will be a 1,000-word day. Those days call for celebration. But I don’t depend on them.

 

About the Author

Dr. Nikki Finlay is an economics educator and author of The Economy Always Gets Better: Navigating Turbulent Times with Confidence. She helps adults who feel intimidated by economics understand how it actually works in their everyday lives—without the jargon. With over two decades of teaching experience at institutions including Clayton State, Georgia State, and Gwinnett Technical College, Dr. Finlay has worked with students of all backgrounds and experience levels. Her approach is simple, practical, and rooted in real-life examples that make complex economic concepts easier to understand. Through her writing, Dr. Finlay translates topics like inflation, employment, and economic cycles into clear, relatable insights that help readers build confidence—not just knowledge—about the world around them. She lives just outside Atlanta, Georgia with her husband of over 40 years and enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her children and grandson.

You can follow the author at:

https://nikkifinlay.substack.com

www.linkedin.com/in/economics-for-the-rest-of-us

TV Series review: Agatha Raisin

                                                 

Agatha Raisin is a sharp-witted, very attractive PR executive who swaps her high-flying London career for a quiet life in the English village of Carsley, imbued with the bucolic charm that only English villages with extraordinarily high murder counts can achieve. The Cotswolds seem to be light years away from the hustle and bustle of London life, but Agatha is kept very busy as murders follow in her footsteps. Soon she is an unofficial sleuth, and very shortly after her talents are both recognised and deplored by the local coppers, she opens an official detective agency. The series is adapted from MC Beaton’s novels of the same name and blend quirky charm with cosy murder mystery and the unique sense of ‘Britishness’ of a typically English rural setting.

Ashley Jensen is Agatha; attractive, quick-thinking, and with a love of very expensive shoes with very high heels. I think a large section of the budget must have been devoted to the shoes. She lives next door to James Lacey, played by Jamie Glover, and their on/off love affair plays out over the episodes. He is handsome, rugged-looking, suave, and well-dressed. Even his jeans are pressed. However, he is a bit of a stuffed shirt and pretty soon I thought Agatha was better off without him. So did she. Then we have Sir Charles Fraith (Jason Merrells) who is a confirmed flirt and desperate to find love. He lives in a stately pile that any woman would be happy in. The exact opposite of James, Sir Charles always looks slightly dishevelled, as if he jumped into a laundry basket and then wore what stuck. He is so funny and disarming and is much more appealing.

The coppers mentioned above start out like the Keystone Cops so it’s easy for Agatha to run rings around them. Matt McCooey plays DC Wong, a handsome half Japanese officer who is utterly sweet and disarming. Jason Barnett plays DC Wilkes, a chubby black officer who is very officious and has a few run-ins with Agatha. These two are hilarious and prove that there are no small parts. However, the absolute scene stealer is Marcia Warren as Mrs Boggle. The name says it all; the old lady who inserts herself into every aspect of village life. She is so funny and well worth watching. There are no age barriers when it comes to acting.

The absolute joy in watching this series is the ensemble acting. The village has a great sense of camaraderie and so do the characters who make up Agatha’s team. There are a few more I have not mentioned. While there were a few determined DEI castings initially, I think soon the scriptwriters stopped meddling and the makeup of the village was determined by the stories and the situations leading to the murders. This is a great pick for weekend viewing but be warned: you will binge watch so make plenty of popcorn!