Who is the Monster in the Dark?

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Boooo...A Haunting We Will Go

 

Who is Dr. Tullah Holliday and What is She Up To Now?

 

Hello Readers,

Technically it’s still Summer for just a little longer, but it’s safe to say there’s already a busy feeling in the air as we leave the beach behind and look ahead to cooler weather, and the Fall. I hope you find some time to unwind in these next few months as best you can. If that happens to be with a book, I’m pleased to share the news that 8 Seconds to Die is available in paperback and ebook. The book finds Dr. Tullah Holliday as a guest on a ranch in Oklahoma to solve the suspicious murder of a former school bully’s father. But can she uncover the truth before she becomes the next victim? 

8 Seconds to Die is book #5 in the Doc Holliday Mystery series. In fact, now is a perfect time to catch up on all of Dr. Tullah Holliday’s adventures – because she’ll be back in my next release, To Catch a Killer, coming November 11th and available for preorder now.

COMING SOON

TO CATCH A KILLER

For fourteen years, Dr. Tullah Holliday has waited to use her empathic abilities to avenge her mother’s death by neophytes who kill indigenous women as part of their gang initiation.

When Tullah arrives in New York, she encounters a biased police captain that she suspects is in league with these gangbangers.

By coincidence, Detective Clay Wolfchild Bannister has escorted a prisoner from Texas to New York. The intriguing veterinarian he met two years ago is a breathtaking woman and he wants her back in his life. He’ll do whatever he can to help uncover what really happened to her mother.

After Tullah sends Clay away, she realizes she is the killer’s next target. The truth about the night her mother died in a dark alley is—deadly. And a second chance for love between her and Clay could end before it’s even begun.

Whether you’re reading this series for the first time or catching up, I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can find me on Instagram @rogers.loretta2018, and FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/loretta.rogers.3591/

Until we meet again,

HAPPY READING!

Loretta

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Books A Million

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Copyright 2024 by Loretta C. Rogers. All Rights Reserved.

The Magic of Reading

 

So often, I hear people say, “I don’t read. It puts me to sleep,” or, “I don’t read because it’s boring.” As a writer, I try to be opened minded to such comments, especially when a part of me wants to take offense.

As a child, who grew up in an abusive home, reading was my safe haven, a place where I could immerse myself in different worlds and live exciting adventures. I was the proverbial bookworm. Throughout the course of my career as a teacher of children, young adults, and senior adults, those who were avid readers enjoyed immersing themselves in the lives of fictional characters, their triumphs, their tragedies, their joys and sorrows, all which contributed to shaping a reader’s emotional intelligence.

In this article, I’m putting aside my writer’s hat and donning my teacher’s hat. Bear with me. I promise not to bore you to tears.

It doesn’t surprise me when those who grew up reading fiction have a knack for empathizing with people. Readers have been practicing it for years, one book at a time by laughing and crying with fictional characters.

As a multi-published author, I can personally vouch for this. As child who devoured fiction books when growing up, I found my writing skills evolving with every page I turned.

The more I read, the more I was exposed to different writing styles, narrative structures, and evocative language. All these elements silently seeped into my own writing. It’s like I had a constant tutor guiding me through the art of storytelling, helping me paint vivid images with words.

I used to tell my students that I had traveled through time and space. I loved the awed expressions on their faces. As an example, I’ve never actually visited Africa. However, I’ve traveled to the Dark continent in books such as Barbara Kingsolver’s “The Poisonwood Bible,” “Tarzan and the Apes,” by Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Out of Africa,” by Karen Blixen, and “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” by Earnest Hemingway.

My point being, that when I wrote my Historical romance, “Taming the Lyon,” I had never visited Africa, but the knowledge I had gained from reading such wonderful fiction novels, that a reader from South Africa, contacted me, asking how long had I lived in Africa because I had painted such beautiful scenes with my words. Wow! What a great compliment.

Life is full of twists and turns, much like a good fiction book. Readers who grew up navigating their way through intricate plot lines and surprising story arcs naturally develop sharp problem-solving skills. How, you say?

Because they’ve witnessed characters facing dilemmas, making tough choices, and finding innovative solutions to their problems. This constant exposure to problem-solving scenarios in fiction can subconsciously train the reader’s mind to think critically and creatively in the face of real-life challenges.

One of the most noticeable strengths of people who grew up reading fiction is their expansive vocabulary. Each book they read is like a treasure trove of words, filled with unique phrases, colloquialisms, and expressive language.

I remember as a child being engrossed in stories of magical lands, heroic quests, and brave characters who always found a way to victory, no matter the odds. These tales ingrained in me a sense of resilience and hope.

Reading a book isn’t a task you can rush through. It requires focus, patience, and the ability to drown out distractions. Those who grew up with their heads in books have been unknowingly training their minds to concentrate and focus for extended periods.

My mother would call me, and I would answer, “Just a minute.” Of course, that minute oft times got me into trouble because it equated into a half-hour or more. When in the sixth grade, I had a copy of Walter Farley’s “The Black Stallion,” tucked inside my geography book. I was so engrossed in the story that I hadn’t heard the teacher call on me to read. I nearly fell out of my desk when she touched me on the shoulder to get my attention. Boy was my face red.

However, this ability to concentrate isn’t just limited to reading. It translates into other areas of life too, be it studying for an exam, working on a project, or even listening attentively to a conversation.

And that’s the magic of reading fiction. It doesn’t just transport you to different worlds; it turns you into someone who constantly seeks to understand and explore the world around you.

So, to those who grew up reading fiction books and to those who still do – keep turning the pages. Read to your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or to clients in nursing homes. Who knows what wonderous worlds you will open for them. And what could be more magical than that?

 

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Amazon Audio Book Sample

 

 What are your thoughts about The Magic of Reading? Leave a comment. I always enjoy hearing from readers and non-readers.

Until we meet again,

HAPPY READING!

Loretta C. Rogers

 

Summer Fun and Time to Read!

 

Hello Readers,

Summer is in full swing. I hope you've been enjoying plenty of outdoor activities, and making lots of time to read.

All of my books come in print and as an Ebook. They are available at your favorite online stores: Amazon, BarnesNoble, Kobo, iTunes, Apple, and other.

If you're at outside, don't forget your sunscreen.

Until we meet again,

HAPPY READING!

Hurricane Season is No Laughing Matter!

 

It’s June. Hurricane season has officially begun, and lasts through November 30^th. As a native Floridian, I’ve lived through countless hurricane seasons—some mild and others downright scary.

Hurricanes aren’t a laughing matter, but a little humor does help. Today’s blog is about the dark side, the humorist side, and personal experiences of hurricanes.

On the dark side. Eons ago, my aunt’s first husband was an Air Force hurricane hunter. He and his crew’s job were to fly a specially equipped aircraft directly into the eye of the storm to collect crucial data that would help protect lives and property. He was stationed in the Caribbean. By the time he and his crew were in the air, the hurricane had already reach category 4 status. Sadly, this was his final mission. The aircraft, and the eleven people aboard disappeared and were never found. Very little was ever learned about the crash. My aunt had to wait seven years before she could declare her husband legally dead.

On the humorist side. Well, maybe not, especially if you’re afraid of snakes. This tidbit was taken from the Miami New Times.  “Hurricane Andrew released invasive pythons into the Everglades, thus permanently screwing up the state's already dumb ecosystem:
The Burmese python has become the national poster child for the [invasive species] problem. The snakes were first spotted in the wild as early as the 1980s, but many observers believe the current crop haunting the Everglades was tossed into the area during Hurricane Andrew. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officer Pat Reynolds was on the wildlife beat in 1992 when the Category 5 storm tore through South Florida. After the hurricane, Reynolds went to check on an animal importer in the area who was known for his faulty cages.

Inside a greenhouse near Homestead General Airport, the two owners had been using shelves meant for growing orchids to store their animals, including pricey pythons. "They put all of their reptiles on there in these Dixie cup things," says Reynolds, who retired in 2011. "There were little baby pythons — real colorful when they're that young — and they could stuff 'em in a little container and put the top on it."

When the storm whipped through, off went the snakes.

"Andrew comes, blew that place apart. All of those containers just flew out like Frisbees," Reynolds says. "The direction of the wind was into Everglades National Park — the park boundaries were less than a half-mile from there. So, all these animals blew in there. That's where the pythons came from."

My Personal Experience. Some years ago, hubby and I, along with several members of our travel group, were at a Guest Ranch. We were looking forward to some horseback riding, and the Saturday night rodeo. A beautiful weekend turned into an unexpected and very wet adventure. It began to rain Friday night. Saturday morning, we awoke to about an inch of water in our hotel room. We contacted our tour leader and was assured that management was aware that the bottom floor rooms were being flooded. She told us that we would be moved to a second story room; to place our luggage on the bed, and not to worry, that someone in an ATV would pick us up and drive us to the resort restaurant. While enjoying our breakfast, the rain became a raging storm. We had barely finished eating when my cellphone rang. Our tour host called to say that due to a hurricane and flooding from the Kissimmee River, the ranch was being evacuated. I asked if someone was coming to drive us to where our tour motorcoach was parked. The answer was, “yes.”

After waiting for twenty minutes, and several phone exchanges with our tour host, it was determined that the water had risen to the point that the ATV’s couldn’t get to us. Hubby and I pulled off our shoes and began walking. When we left the restaurant, the water had already risen to my knees. At some point during our half-mile swim-hike, hubby had to hold on to me to keep the current from sweeping me away. I’m a fairly good swimmer, however, the rushing waters were more forceful than I was strong.

I have to tell you that I wasn’t as afraid of drowning as I was being an appetizer for a wayward alligator. By this time, I was standing on my tippy-toes because the water was now up to my chin. I kept praying, “Lord, keep the gators away.”

 I breathed a huge sigh of relief when we were finally close enough to spot the red and white motorcoach. By now, the water was up to hubby’s chest, and up to my eyeballs. I could no longer touch bottom. It was a struggle to get to where the big bus was parked on a small hill. A hotel staffer handed us a towel. We were drenched to the bone and one towel between us didn’t make a dent in our soppin’ wet clothes. I said, “I’m glad we didn’t meet any gators.”

The staffer’s reply was, “Oh, it’s not gators you needed to worry about. It’s moccasins. The swamp is filled with ‘em.”

I was already shivering from being wet and cold, but his words caused goosebumps to multiply all over my body.

As soon as we boarded the coach, our tour host did a head count to make sure no one was missing. We were barely in our seats when the driver headed down the long dirt road toward the main highway. We could see ranch hands desperately trying to get the cattle and horses to higher ground. The water had risen so fast that the tops of the fence post were no longer visible, and the road had completely disappeared.

No one spoke. We watched the windshield wipers doing double time as buckets of water splashed against the windshield practically obliterating the driver’s visibility. There was a collective sigh of relief when we finally made it to the highway. Still, no one spoke. I think we were all silently sending up prayers of gratitude to our Lord and Savior for watching over us.

The next day, we learned that our motorcoach was the last vehicle to get out. The road had collapsed and became impassable. The owners of the ranch refunded a goodly portion of our money, and with an invitation to return as soon as they were able to reopen.

Over the years, hubby and I have had many hurricane experiences. I never look forward this time of year, but I always make sure to be prepared for any emergences, because we never know if we might lose power for a few days or even up to a week.

Hurricane season is no laughing matter. For those of you, dear readers, who live in hurricane prone states, be prepared, and be safe.

Until we meet again...HAPPY READING!

 "8 Seconds to Die," is one of those ideas that I had to write the moment it woke me up in the middle of the night. I was afraid that if I closed my eyes and went back to sleep that the story idea would leave me.

    "From a menacing bull breeder to a crooked sheriff, Dr. Tullah Holliday is up against formidable foes in '8 Seconds to Die.' #AmReading #SuspenseNovel ~ AllAuthors

In Paperback and Ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Seconds-Die-Holliday-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B0CTHPZVHX/

https://allauthor.com/book/87552/8-seconds-to-die-a-doc-holliday-mystery-book-5/

https://www.walmart.com/ip/A-Doc-Holliday-Mystery-8-Seconds-to-Die-Paperback-9781509254910/5512219810

https://books.apple.com/pa/book/8-seconds-to-die/id6479361219?l=en-GB

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/8-seconds-to-die-loretta-c-rogers/1145014706?ean=9781509254910