Sunday Scenes: THE KEEPER'S SECRET

THE KEEPER'S SECRET was released by Prism Lux on October 11, 2024. It is the story of Bryce and Evie. They grew up in the small town of Shucker's Point. She went on to become the park ranger at the lighthouse while Bryce went on to become a state trooper. When Evie's husband goes missing, Bryce believes the worst of Evie. 

Here's a short excerpt from the end of Chapter Three.

     Evie swallowed hard as she stood under the slanting porch roof and knocked. Nobody answered. She shone her flashlight in the windows, but nothing showed other than a dusty floor and walls with peeling paper hanging down in strips. The woozy sensation hit as apprehension wound through her. She put a hand on the doorknob and turned it. Lord, this is where I need

a gigantic dose of courage. Please help me out. Thanks. 

     She pushed the door open. Shining the flashlight all around, it appeared to be a living room with a few beer cans piled in one corner. Evie stamped loudly on the floor as she headed toward the next room. If any animals inhabited the place, they would hear her coming and run away. A dusty table, a refrigerator with no door, and a sink full of beer cans adorned the old kitchen. 

     "OK, the only animals here have been party animals," she muttered to herself.

     Less afraid, she walked into the next room. A filthy mattress was on the floor and right next to the mattress, lay Jack’s flashlight. Dizzy, with a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead, Evie sank down beside the flashlight and stared at it. 

     She’d bought it for him for his birthday a few years ago. It still had a nick in the side where it hit the steps when he threw it during one of his angry rages. She glanced at the mattress. Did he meet up with his teenage lover here? Evie closed her eyes. Lord, where did Jack go from here?

     The creak of a floorboard behind her made Evie freeze. Terror rose as she turned, only to be blinded by a bright lantern. She cried out and lifted her arm as a shield.

     A cold, contemptuous voice ground out the question. "Is this where it happened? Is this where you killed him?"

⛯ ⛯ ⛯ ⛯ ⛯

You can find the book at all the major distributors of ebooks.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213812722-the-keeper-s-secret?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=dLjU29olFY&rank=1

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-keeper-s-secret-by-penelope-marzec?source=link_share

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Keepers-Secret-Penelope-Marzec-ebook/dp/B0D4MKRR93/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-keeper-s-secret-1?utm_source=google_action

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?pcampaignid=books_read_action&id=Xk4JEQAAQBAJ

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-keepers-secret/id6502920754

A Lot of Marsh and Me

    That's me at a clam festival in southwestern NJ many years ago. The town had set up the easels, providing watercolor and brushes for anyone who wanted to try their hand at making a painting of the marsh. I thought it was great fun. Although, the scene was mostly sky, mud, a little water, and lots of grass. Of course, there was the aroma of the marsh, too. Since I grew up near a marsh, I don't mind that odor at all. The festival did not include a ferris wheel, it did have a boat show, and lots of seafood. There was also a giant frog. 😂 It was a wonderful adventure.

    While New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country, it has plenty of empty areas, too. One of the largest is the Pine Barrens, which covers 22% of the total land area and includes portions of seven counties. 

    When I wrote THE KEEPER'S SECRET, I decided setting it in a very small town would be ideal. Small towns are rife with gossip and everyone knows everyone, but some people are very good at keeping secrets hidden. 

    I hope you'll take a look at THE KEEPER'S SECRET. It's available for pre-order now. It will be released on October 11th. 

💖 💖 💖 💖 💖

    

THE KEEPER'S SECRET Is Coming In October!

I am so delighted to announce that THE KEEPER'S SECRET will be released in October. As someone who grew up in New Jersey and who has visited many lighthouses along the coast, I always wanted to write a book featuring a lighthouse. So, I did. 😀 And Pelican Book Group has given me a fantastic book cover as part of their Prism Lux line. I love it. 💖 

As soon as I receive the ARCs, I'll be asking for readers to review it. It is a Christian romance and faith is a very important part of the theme. You won't want to miss this one!

Here's the blurb:

Shucker' s Point, New Jersey never had a murder until now. Jack St. Marie, a well-known research scientist is missing, and Trooper Bryce Johnson believes the worst of Jack' s wife, Evie. 

In high school, Bryce loved Evie--enough to want to marry her, but that was before he witnessed her phone in a bogus bomb scare. And only two months before Jack disappeared, Bryce saw Evie aiming a gun at her husband. Can Bryce believe in Evie's innocence when her husband' s body is found in a fishing dredge twenty miles out at sea? Could the most beautiful woman in Shucker' s Point be capable of such a heinous crime? He doesn't want to believe it.

Bryce refuses to let his heart guide the investigation...until someone shoots at Evie. Then he must protect her. But can he protect his heart?

💗 💗 💗 💗 💗

 

Another Piece of the Story for ANGEL OF THE L TRAIN

     That’s my mom in her younger days. She thought she could be a star. She liked to sing and some folks said she looked like Barbara Stanwyck, a well-known actress in the 1930s and 1940s.. My mom and her sister went to New York and would have starved if it weren’t for a kind restaurant owner who gave them food—and a job. He also gave my mom her famous, secret rice pudding recipe. 😊

     Mom never became an actress or a singer—though she sang to me and my siblings all the time. But what if she had found fame? Would she have met my dad? Probably not. What about her art, which was what she loved? Would she have given that up for the glamor and glitter of Hollywood?

     I don’t know, but that idea was one of the pieces that fit into ANGEL OF THE L TRAIN. In my book, the heroine’s mother once was a famous, Oscar-winning actress. However, she vanishes from the public eye and nobody has any idea what happened to her. 

     When the heroine’s daughter helps to save the life of a man in the New York subway, she becomes the victim of a media frenzy. Almost identical to her mother at a younger age, the heroine’s life is upended by the unwanted and unrelenting attention.

     At any rate, I’m glad my mom was never picked to be a movie star. But the idea that she might have done so made this book fun to write. 

You can pre-order the book now at:

Amazon 

Kobo 

Barnes&Noble 

Google 

Apple 

 

     

Guest Post: FOLLOWING THE SPARROWS by Karen Malley

My guest today is Karen Malley. She lives in Southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. She works full time as a scientist, but enjoys writing in her spare time whenever she can fine some! When not writing (with her left hand), she enjoys baking, volunteering at her church, camping hiking, playing board games, and reading. She loves reading faith-based stories, because we can all use a happy ending.

Karen's latest release from Prism Lux is FOLLOWING THE SPARROWS.

It's the story of Kathryn Baker who is trying to escape her past...

After the tragic death of her husband, Kathryn throws herself into her scientific career. She hopes to right the wrongs of her past before they catch up to her. But when she runs into a handsome stranger, she discovers that he just might hold the key to her future.

Adam Harrison is tired of running from his past ...

After losing everything he worked for in life, Adam is finally ready to follow the path God has for him. When a series of chance meetings brings him to Kathryn, he considers the possibility of loving again. But Kathryn is still on the run from God and from her past.

Can Adam convince Kathryn to stop running and trust him with her secrets, or will her fear make it impossible for them to have a future together?

Now for an excerpt!

The smell of burnt coffee intruded into Kathryn’s thoughts. She crossed the room and poured herself a cup. The frozen pizza she’d eaten earlier twisted around inside her. She gulped the coffee to try to settle her stomach, if not her nerves. Normally caffeine at this time of night was forbidden, but she needed to stay alert. A series of commercials played across the TV screen. Trailers for movies she’d never see, commercials for drugs she didn’t take, and promos for shows she didn’t watch. Nothing else in the world mattered right now. Only Robert. Oh, if only their last conversation weren’t a fight.

She walked over to Anne, who sat with her head propped on her hands, hair covering her face. Sitting as quietly as possible, Kathryn tried not to disturb her. She glanced at her watch. When would they finally come tell them something? The minutes dissolved into an ever-deepening puddle that threatened to drown her. 

She got up again. 

She paced. Twenty-four steps to the far wall, twenty-four steps back. 

By the time Kathryn convinced herself they forgot them, a man in green scrubs approached them. “Are you the family of Robert Baker?” Anne and Kathryn nodded in unison. 

“Walk with me.” He guided them down the hall toward the ICU, keeping a continual narrative as they went. 

 “Robert’s condition is critical. He sustained numerous lacerations and fractures, including a complete break of his left humerus and multiple ribs. One of the ribs punctured his right lung, which collapsed. We’ve set the bones, and surgically repaired his lung, but he also suffered massive head trauma. Our biggest concern is the cerebral edema. We’ve put in a stent to relieve the pressure, but it’s touch and go. We’ll know more if he makes it through the next twelve to twenty-four hours.”

Kathryn stopped in her tracks and stared at him. “Wait, what? If he makes it?”

The doctor turned toward her, and the harsh lines around his face softened. “Brain injuries are impossible to predict. He may not make it through the night. I’m sorry. Even if he does wake up, he may not be able to communicate again.” 

“Can we see him?” Anne asked, her voice trembling.

“Yes, but I wanted you to be prepared. I’m sorry there isn’t more we can do for him.” 

Kathryn leaned against Anne to stay upright. Half her life. Half her life she’d been with Robert. Stable, predictable Robert. He was the one thing she thought she could count on in life. She took a deep breath and followed Anne into the hospital room.

You can more information about Karen and her books at any of the links below:

 

Website:

https://www.KarenMalley.com

 

Blog:

https://www.KarenMalley.com/blog

 

Amazon author page: 

https://smile.amazon.com/Karen-Malley/e/B08HRDQ4QW/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

 

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20700661.Karen_Malley

 

Link to buy the book: 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HQZRF8J/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/KarenLMalley