Tuesday Tales: From the Word SANDY

Well, here we are starting the second week of June. The weather has been good here for the most part, but in other places around the globe, it’s been insane. Hope this finds you and yours safe! This week’s word prompt for Tuesday Tales is SANDY. I’m continuing with And Justice for All. Enjoy! Harry is with Lacey, his forensic specialist.

Lacey inhaled and exhaled, calming herself, but he could see it was a struggle. She walked over to the computers and pressed a key. A man’s mugshot appeared. The guy, in his mid-twenties had sandy brown hair and deep blue eyes filled with hate.

“As requested, I’ve been monitoring the progress of all cases concerning officer-involved deaths. Three weeks ago, an off-duty officer—Greg Pershing, white male, didn’t match our parameters, but I followed the case anyway—was killed in a drive-by shooting outside at restaurant popular with members of the Islamic community. The Toronto police arrested his killer yesterday when the idiot decided to hold up a liquor store in a crowded mall, carrying the same gun. Idiot was high and probably too stupid to realize that the first thing they would do was check the ballistics on the gun.”

“So, he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.” Harry shook his head. “Why is this relevant if Officer Pershing wasn’t one of ours?”

“Nothing and everything,” she answered cryptically. “John Lennox, 28, has a rap sheet as long as your arm, but in the past, it’s been things like petty larceny, civil disobedience, indecent exposure, drunk and disorderly, and stuff like that. He’s quite mouthy one of the ‘I don’t recognize your authority’ crowd. I have a close friend on the force, so when I read that the gun was the one used, I called him for details. In addition to being a royal pain in thre ass, Lennox is a member of a pretty sketchy MMA club that calls itself White Lightning. It’s been on the Canadian Security Intelligence Service’s radar for some time. Apparently, many of those organizations attract young men who suffer from what’s been dubbed the male loneliness epidemic … guys lacking connections and emotional support. Sadly, some of those would-be alpha males are jerks and prefer to listen to like-minded influencers and blame women, minorities and DEI policies for their problems than try to change themselves and deal with their issues. The caveman tactics don’t work for most women. They’re looking for partners not chest-pounding gorillas who would lord it over them. A lot of these men find connections with incels, the involuntary celibate, and we both know innocent women die at their hands far too often. To make matters worse, CSIS has found that several of these MMA clubs have suspected links to a world-wide white supremacists organizations.”

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Tuesday Tales From the Word BROWN

Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Tales. The situation is ramping up. Time to meet the enemy. Our word is BROWN. I’m continuing where I left off last week with And Justice for All.

Harry wasn’t sure he’d followed all of that since she’d spoken rapidly, but the few points he did grasp were significant. He followed her over to her elaborate computer station with its four screens, each one on a different site or program.

The image on the main screen was now that of a man in desert camo fatigues, holding an Uzi, his face covered by a brown balaclava and sunglasses. At least half a dozen similarly clad men stood behind him. Cowards, like the KKK of old, they hid their faces from the world while they spewed hatred, racism, misogyny, and anarchy. He’d seen a few of these groups over the years, and never once had it been good.

“Another Jihadist site? So who do these guys hate? You said he was killed outside a restaurant favored by Muslims?”

“Not Jihadist. Worse.” Lacey clicked on the arrow. The screen changed. “Essentially, this site caters to Christian, English-speaking, pure-white males, and encourages violence against everyone else, especially women, what they consider the impure races, and those who defy what they accept as the right way to love.”

Words written in bold, red letters appeared on the screen. It was a call to arms, a declaration of war against anyone and anything they didn’t approve of or respect.

Harry stared at them. He read through some mumbo-jumbo meant as a preamble and the paragraphs that followed. Was there anyone these guys didn’t hate? Women, people of color, non-Christians, the LGBTQ+, immigrants regardless of their country, origins, or abilities, and at the top of the list, were police officers and those who enforced what they saw as illegal laws.

“Is this for real?”

Lacey nodded.

“Unfortunately, and that makes them very dangerous. Like the Kamikaze pilots during the war and the people who blow themselves up to make a point, there’s no reasoning with them.”

Harry ran his hand through his hair. He would find time to get a haircut if it killed him.

“They’re crazy. At least half of what’s written here is bull crap. While that might sound intelligent to someone who doesn’t know any better, everything here is a blatant lie.”

“Well, from what I can see, the site gets thousands of hits every day.”

“Thousands? You’ve got to be kidding me!”

If thousands believed this and openly followed the nonsense, how many others were hiding in the weeds, ready to join the cause?

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Week Six Complete: On the Road Again!

For those who’ve been following the progress of my hip replacement surgery, I’m pleased to report that after six weeks, I’m truly almost back to normal. For the first time in more than three years, I’m walking without a cane or a walker. I have a slight limp, but that will resolve itself in time. The best news? Not only do I have no pain, I have permission to drive again.

I never realized how liberating it is to be able to come and go as I pleased. The past six months, I’ve relied on others to drive me around, especially before the surgery when moving my right leg was slow and painful and made driving dangerous for me. Now, I’m almost back to normal. I’m still not allowed to bend over from either a sitting or standing position, climb a ladder, run, or use a trampoline, but I’m getting good at using the grabber. Since I can’t bend, I still need help with groceries–little short T-Rex arms can’t grab what’s in the bottom of the cart– laundry, making meals, and cleaning up, but I gain more mobility each day. It’s been interesting watching my husband master the jobs I’ve done for so many years. I hope he continues to help out when all this is over.

So, later today, I will go pick up a prescription by myself. I will make a quick visit to the market for a charcuterie tray for the company coming tomorrow. Next week, I will make appointments with the hairdresser, the manicurist for a mani-pedi, and see about renewing my driver’s license and health card which are up for renewal on my birthday. I may even just get in the car and drive around because I can.

Each day, I do my exercise and walk as required. Life is wonderful again. Now, if we can only get some decent summer weather!

Have a wonderful weekend.

IWSG Monthly Blog, June 2025

Welcome to my post for the IWSG’s monthly blog. I’m pleased to report that my hip surgery was successful, and that I am on the mend, pain-free, and walking without any aids. Spring has tried to bring warmer weather, but I’m hoping summer will do the trick.

This month’s question: June 4 question – What were some books that impacted you as a child or young adult?

I was a big fan of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys for as long as I can recall. I also read about the adventures of the Bobbsey twins, Annette, Donna Parker, and many others. Perhaps that’s why I inevitably add suspense of some sort to all my books regardless of the genre.

When I got older, I drifted toward historical romance and books about Ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt, but there was always a dash of suspense in them ae well.

What about you? What kind of books made an impression on you?

Check out what others have said here. https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Tuesday Tales: From the Word HAPPY

Welcome to June, 2025 and this week’s Tuesday Tale scene based on the word HAPPY. I’m continuing with my Romance/Suspense, And Justice for All. Enjoy!

“It was only going to be for a few months, while Liam recovered from the surgery, but then COVID hit, and I couldn’t risk my son being around too many different people. She worked for a private nursing agency. I offered her full-time work, with room and board, and she took it. She’s the grandmother he never had—hell, she’s a better mother than the one who walked out on him. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her around to look after him during those critical months, and given the hours we work … He’s happy with her, and what pleases him makes me happy, too.” He rubbed her shoulder, wishing he could pull her into his arms, but while they may have cleared the air on this, there were still a lot of issues to deal with before he could open his heart to her and hope hers wasn’t permanently closed to him. He smiled down at her. “If and when I get married again, I guarantee that you’ll be the first to know. Are we good?”

Her green-gold eyes seemed to grow two sizes larger.

“Of course,” she stammered. “I don’t know why I thought…” She chuckled nervously and caught her lower lip in her teeth. “I really need that shower. My brain is fried. In the state I’m in, I’ll be leaping to conclusions and making assumptions … An hour should be plenty of time for me to get into gear. Can we get my stuff from the car now?”

He watched the red creep into her cheeks. She was flustered and confused. Was that a good thing?

“Why don’t you get in, and I’ll drive over to the room and park in front of it?”

She nodded and hurried to the vehicle. He walked by her side, but didn’t say anything or touch her again.

He would love to know what she was thinking. He put the car in gear and drove up the slight incline to the room he’d checked out earlier. According to the manager, it was the best room they had to offer, more spacious than the rest.

“Here we are.” He parked the car and opened his door.

Maggie reached into the back seat and grabbed her suit jacket and the purse she’d left their earlier. He opened the back and removed the backpack that held her computer. Normally, he would offer to carry it in for her, but at the moment he was sure she just wanted to be alone.

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Tuesday Tales: From the Word CUP

Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Tales. Our word prompt is CUP. I’m continuing with And Justice for All, my Romance/Suspense novel. Enjoy.

“I hope you aren’t going to catch cold.” He sounded like Jac admonishing Liam. “A warm shower and clean clothes will help. There’s a coffeemaker in the room with some tea bags. Make yourself a cup. My mom always swore by a cuppa. I checked on the room when I talked to the manager. Nice guy. Doing his best to be accommodating.” He handed her one of the old-fashioned brass keys. “Unit twelve. It’s the last one at the far end of the parking lot. While you clean up, I’ll go see Lacey. Apparently, she has urgent information for me. Maybe she found something else on that dark website she discovered. I’ll see you in an hour or so. Will that give you enough time?”

She nodded. “That should be plenty.”

“Do you need anything from the vehicle?”

“Yes. I want my purse and my laptop. After I feel human again, I’ll start looking up information on Clayton Moore, the Zondervan family, and Joachim Plume. I’d love to know more about the man with such an unusual name. I’ve seen Joachim used as a surname, but not a first one.”

Harry chuckled. “He probably made it up specifically for his business. Someone looking for a realtor might be attracted to the unusual name. Clay gave his first name a Hispanic pronunciation, but it could easily be French. Jac would know. She has a cousin named Isadore Joachim who has a farm outside Marionville, a commuter village on the outskirts of Ottawa. We took Liam to the sugar bush last spring.” He shook his head. “The kid loved it. I believe the man’s last name, Plume, means feather. He could be Metis—half French, half indigenous. Since I make a point of not discussing any aspect of my work with her, I’ll wait until Gabe gets back. He’s from the St Jean de Beauce region in Quebec. He’ll know.”

She frowned. “I can understand wanting to keep the uglier side of this job to yourself, but it must be awkward keeping everything bottled up inside. Cliff used to bounce ideas off his wife Mary every now and then.” She stopped speaking and looked away.

He stared at her, her words and the sorrow he’d recognized in her eyes, catching him off-guard. His breath caught in his throat. She thought he and Jac were married? How had she gotten that cockamamie idea? He put his arm on her shoulder. “You’ve got this all wrong. Jac isn’t my wife, Maggie. Hell, she twenty years older than I am. She’s Liam’s nanny.”

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Four Weeks and Life is Getting Back to Normal

Unlike the horse on the left, I am thrilled with my new hip. For the most part, I am pain free, except at the end of the day when I’ve overdone the stairs, but that’s just a minor muscle ache reminding me that months of laziness take a toll. It feels good to be getting back to normal or at least closer to normal than I have been in years.

I managed a few 4000 step days last week before the weather turned on us. Now, it’s up and down the hall on my own. Mother Nature definitely needs mood stabilizers. It was warmer at the end of December than it was yesterday–drier, too. Unfortunately, the unseasonably cold, wet weather is due to stick around until the beginning of June. I suppose it could be worse. At least we aren’t worrying about forest fires and tornadoes in my region, and my heart goes out to those who are.

I’m back to work a few hours each day, and my novel And Justice for All is coming along nicely. I hope to have it finished by mid-June. It will be released as part of a box set first, and then by me in August. Watch for the release date here. Once it’s done, I will finish putting a couple more books on Audible, and get Book 2 of Listen to the Stones ready for release. Then, I’ll see what tickles my author fancy. Maybe a holiday book.

So, while I still can’t bend over, I am now resuming some of my normal duties as it were. I make meals–with John’s help, and he cleans up. I straighten my bed, but he makes his, and he still does laundry and loads and empties the dishwasher. I go with him for groceries, but he still has to do all the driving. I’m hoping for permission to resume that activity when I see the doctor in early June. I need a pedicure and a manicure as well as my hair trimmed. Otherwise, all is good.

So, that’s it. Operation a success, and it’s time to get back to normal. Have a wonderful weekend. See you here on Tuesday for the next peek at And Justice for All!

Tuesday Tales: From the Word MACHINE

Welcome back to Tuesday Tales. This is the first Canadian long weekend of summer, and the weather sucks! It was so cold out that I needed my winter coat and gloves to go for my daily walk. Whatever is going on with Mother Nature must be serious. On a side note, my story, And Justice for All, takes place at this exact point in time, only in the story, the weather is hot and sticky like it was last year. What a difference a year makes! Our word prompt this week is MACHINE, but I’m using MACHINERY, a form of the word and I’m a few words over to complete the scene. Sorry about that! Enjoy!

“Damn it, Maggie. You’ve got it all wrong. I’m not using you to bait a trap. I’m trying to protect you,” Harry growled, slamming his fists against the steering wheel. “When I heard that the officer who’d been shot was you … Do you honestly think the RCMP would approve of me using either one of us like that? The government machinery doesn’t work that way, and neither do I. Beside, Morris would never have agreed to it. He called me on it before I left his office. I laid my cards out for him. He did say you wouldn’t be happy being protected, but dammit, I lost you once. It isn’t going to happen again.”

“I’m quite capable of protecting myself, thank you.” She sat up straighter, her green-gold eyes flashing fire. “As for losing me before, you can’t lose what you never really had or even wanted. So, if I’m not here to bait a trap, why am I here?”

Harry sighed. “This is the worst possible time for this discussion.”

“And yet, here we are.”

“Fine. We have eleven dead officers, and two survivors. The only one of those who was where she was supposed to be on the day of the attack was you. I wasn’t supposed to be working with Brent Singh the day we were ambushed. I’d been on vacation. I’d taken Jac and Liam to Disney World. I was in line to take over an investigation into foreign interference in the last election. Peter Malloy was Singh’s new partner. He had a family emergency, so since I was just kicking around, I filled in for him. Before you even ask, Malloy’s Irish Canadian, and no, he doesn’t fit the profile either, but then we’ve never looked into him. I will now. Does he have something in his background we didn’t suspect? As far as I know, he’s a bilingual Roman Catholic, but would that be enough to make him a target?” He hit the steering wheel again. “I’ve been playing catch-up with this since day one. Until today, I never considered that the reason I might be alive was specifically because I wasn’t Malloy. If Malloy was the target, then there was no bounty on me. As a rule, assassins don’t do freebies. The shot made me unable to defend myself, but had he wanted me dead, all it would’ve taken was a twenty-foot walk and a bullet between the eyes. So, let’s assume I’m alive because I’m the ideal, the Anglo-Saxon male Christian police officer who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. What’s your excuse? Why are you still alive?”

“Do you think I haven’t asked myself the same question?”

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Three Weeks Today! Absolutely Amazing!

May 15, 2025. Well, here I am, sitting at my desk, getting back into the swing of things. My hip is pain free, and it’s hard to believe, but I’m walking inside the house without any aids. That’s right. Not even the cane most of the time, although I do hold both rails to go up and down the stairs, and use my wheeled walker for my outdoor walks. I managed 2,893 steps yesterday, and I’m aiming for the full 3,000 today.

One of the side effects of healing is that without the constant pain, I look and feel happier than I have in years. It’s amazing how much constant pain takes out of you, but it has given me a new appreciation for those who suffer in silence with conditions that can’t easily be cured, changed, or controlled. I feel ten years younger.

On another note, I’M SO NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU (All You Need Is Love Book 2) Kindle Edition is live. Last month, I mentioned that I was working on From Paris With Love, and some of you gave me ideas in your posts that ended up in the book. This is an eBook box set for only 99 cents, USD, or free to read on Kindle Unlimited.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE
But I’m SO not in love with you…

At least that’s what these soon-to-be couples are thinking when they’re first paired up. But little do they know…when the chemistry’s there, there won’t be much choice.

Maybe they’re avoiding love because they’ve been burned in the past, or they’ve decided there’s no room in their life for a significant other-especially if that person is downright annoying, The problem might be simple when opposites attract, and sparks are flying, so they’ve decided a long-term relationship is just too much work.

But this happily-ever-after collection of SEVEN NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED SWEET AND STEAMY STORIES – from New York Times and USA Today International bestselling, award winning authors – will be sure to bring a smile to your face until the very last page.

TWO HEARTS’ AMBUSH by Tamara Ferguson, USA Today Bestselling Author: Lara Loughlin is taking a break in her hometown of Crystal Rock before returning on tour as up-and-coming rock star, Lainie Reardon. When wounded warrior Captain Zachary Nash decides to make a move because of their sizzling attraction, she decides to play a long, since he has no idea who she is. But there’s a new threat to the tourism driven community – two women have been assaulted. And then Lara makes a horrific discovery – the serial rapist could have ties to her past. She could very well be the next target…

CAFÉ AU ROMANCE by Kim Hornsby, USA Today Bestselling Author: The last thing Ferry Boat Captain, Sammy Austin needed was the involvement with a man. Especially as she prepared to adopt the baby of her dreams.

HOPING FOR A FAMILY by Mona Risk, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author: After being bullied by her college roommates for her weight and naivety, Lisa has built a life as a busy pediatric nurse. When her late roommate’s children are abandoned, she feels compelled to care for them. Witnessing her struggle, the older and reserved Dr. Wade Wolf steps in to support her, challenging both their guarded hearts.

WON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN by Katie O’Sullivan, International Bestselling Author: Holly MacDonald is done with cheating, lying men. Finn Kensington is on his first undercover gig, so everything about him is a lie, except for the sparks that fly when the pair meet. Can he convince her to give him a chance, even if he can’t tell her the truth?

LEO – Loving a Lancaster, Book 1 – by Stacy Eaton: USA Today Bestselling Author: When widow Heather McClain joins a girl’s trip to Lake Tahoe, it gets a little out of hand, but Leo Lancaster manages to come to the rescue. Is Heather ready for romance after three long, lonely years, or will her teens have something to say about that?

UNFORGETTABLE TOUCH by Allyson R. Abbott, International Bestselling Author: Never again! That was Sue’s mantra, and she really meant it after two failed marriages. James thought women were fickle and unreliable…however…

FROM PARIS WITH LOVE – Cocktails for You series – by Susanne Matthews, International Bestselling Author: Paris Galanis’s short story, Captive Hearts, written under a pseudonym, wins a writing contest. What should be a dream come true becomes a nightmare when the town’s most eligible bachelor, and her nemesis, offers a reward to the person who can identify the author.

Pick up your copy today. https://www.amazon.com/NOT-LOVE-Need-Love-Book-ebook/dp/B0F3SKLNPG

Have a great week. Looking forward to whatever Mother Nature sends my way and continuing to improve. Who knows, by the end of the summer, I may be managing 5,000 steps a day, and wouldn’t that be incredible?

On a less than pleasant note, I have to report that while I don’t sell a lot of paperbacks, I do sell a few. Unfortunately, Amazon has increased the cost of printing and changed the royalty rates, which means I have had to raise the price of my paperbacks if I want to at least make a buck on them. The more pages in a book, the more it’ll cost. I’m sorry if this affects you, but like the tarrifs which are part of life now, there isn’t anything I can do to change this. E-books and audio booksare your best bets, and I will be working on adding to my audio book selection over the summer. Thanks for understanding. You can check out the status of things here: https://mhsusannematthews.ca/

Tuesday Tales: From the Word WATER

Welcom to this week’s Tuesday Tales. The weather is cooperating for a change and I’ looking forward to walking outside and sitting in the sun today. Our word prompt this week is WATER. I’m continuing with And Justice for All, my romance suspense. Enjoy!

With sirens blaring and lights flashing, the SUV ate up the highway as it returned to the scene of this morning’s crime. Harry’s focus was on the road ahead, but she doubted he saw anything through those chocolate eyes of his. He was driving on instinct, his mind processing everything that had happened. Here and there, puddles of water dotted the sides of the highway, a reminder that the rain hadn’t ended all that long ago.

“A penny for your thoughts.”

His words made her jump.

She shifted her gaze and examined his chiselled profile. There was no denying that the last eight years had been kind to him. Sure, there was a touch more gray in his hair and his beard, and the character lines at his eyes might be deeper, but he was still a man who could smile despite everything the world had thrown at him. She didn’t doubt he was as physically fit as ever, although, he would have a scar just as she did, a reminder that someone didn’t want either of them to be alive.

“I doubt my thoughts are worth a penny even if we still had that coin. I was just thinking about how different this day has turned out. When I went into the office this morning, I went through my usual actions, mired in self-pity at finding nothing new, more or less the way I have been for the last few months … and then Lieutenant Morris called me into his office. The next thing I know, I’m gone without even the time to say goodbye to anyone, and here I am now. I can honestly say, this is the very last place I ever expected to be. What happened to me, to Cliff, to you, was horrible, but what happened on that river this morning is a thousand times worse. So the only thing eating at me is this … why am I on this task force, Harry? You have all kinds of experts at your disposal. What do I bring to the team? I’m not a forensic expert, not a techie, and certainly not a body retrieval diver. I’m a small-town cop.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. You’re smart and you’re observant. People confide in you, the way Kelly did. You learned more about one of our victims as a person than I did examining all the evidence. Now that Daniels called with the information about what he found on the island, something we might’ve missed if the weather had persisted, what you learned could make all the difference.”

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