Not to fret, Monkey Soul is on the way. I’m hoping to get it done in time for Mother’s Day 2026. It may be late, but by mid-summer if not May. Meanwhile, I’ve just published the latest collection of short stories. This is truly a collection of misfits. As I’ve done before, each story has a note about its inspiration. And while all my stories are all my babies, I confess I have some new favorites in this bunch. This is the most eclectic I’ve gone to date: one story verges on horror, one is almost a folk tale for children, one involves a bicycle messenger who enters a time travel machine–and I even stuck two true stories into the mix!
I’m excited to be a guest on The Fiction Writer’s Podcast!
Hosted by Lana McAra, this podcast gives you powerful and easily actionable tips, tricks, and ideas for fiction that is #Unputdownable.My episode is called “Two Directions: Humorous and Spooky”. I can’t speak for Lana, but I sure had a blast. Once we got to talking, we were laughing and swapping stories about everything from writing styles to blurs between fiction and real life, to personal ghost stories.
After you listen, be sure to “LIKE”, “COMMENT” on, and “SHARE” this post.Be sure to subscribe to the show and share it with anyone who may benefit!
As mentioned in the podcast, book #4 is in the works. This time, Haint’s boyfriend, Buster is off at a Fortean convention in Idaho. {“Fortean” refers to Charles Fort, who like the better known Ripley, was intrigued by the unknown or unexplained from aliens and cryptids and supernatural events to frogs and fish raining from the sky.} A nearby VIP is killed and Buster is a main suspect. Haint hosts a group of mystery writers at her retreat. Hearing about Buster’s true crime case, they are eager to puzzle out who dunnit.
Interview with Caitlyn Adams in her shop Heart Mind Healing in Gainesville, Florida.
Wait… what’s with the portable outhouse? Find out in the interview!
Need crystals? Incense? Books? Yoga? Meditation? Check out Caitlyn’s shop Heart Mind Healing in Thornebrook Village in Gainesville: https://www.heartmindgnv.com/
But I’ve been thinking about Haint and Catfish Springs and where to go next.
I’ve GOT IT!
But lets’ do a quick review of what we’ve got so far:
Monkey Mind was modelled after a cozy mystery. Haint opened a meditation retreat in September 2014, thinking it would be all peace, love, and yoga, but instead, murder. Woopsie.
Monkey Heart picks up just after Monkey Mind. It’s now Halloween. Guests go missing. Murder again? How about French farce. Possibly funnier and definitely zanier than Monkey Mind.
By this time, we were in the throes of a pandemic. I felt we needed humor more than anything. HBC is just a Christmas candy–funny mayhem with a bit of mystery. Buster is incommunicado. Why? Where is he? And who keeps leaving mysterious presents for Haint?
So what’s next?
A locked-room mystery!
Meet Scruffy Nobthatcher.
He’s made a name for himself in the cryptozoology world, but not a good one. A master con artist who has been just lucky enough not to be exposed yet, he propounds wild claims and fakes evidence to the delight of his cult following. He’s a social media phenomenon. But those who know him, hate his guts.
He’s a headliner at a the Annual Cryptic Convention in Hog Wallow, Idaho.
Many of the other headliners would love to see him get taken out by a cryptid, and it seems their wishes come true. He’s found slashed in his booth.
Haint’s love interest, Buster is the prime suspect.
But how could it have happened? With only one door and people everywhere, how come no one saw his attack?
I’m reading up on the genre, and plotting!
Here’s the VIP room!
While Buster is stuck in jail, his assistant Selene will pass information along to Haint who happens to be hosting a group of mystery writers. These senior armchair detectives eagerly assist in the investigation.
It’s Christmastime in North Central Florida which means temperatures vary in a day like seasons– wintery in the morning and summery by mid-day.
Haint wants to go to the beach–take a break from running her retreat. Relax. Instead, merry mayhem comes for her like an avalanche. Her retreat fills to capacity with friends and strangers.
Haint Blue Christmas is loaded with pictures, and as a holiday book, it seemed only right to publish it in color. It is available in color, black and white, and in Kindle (unfortunately not compatible with a Paperwhite–not my fault, grumble at Amazon–it was the only option to keep my Christmas fonts.)
I know, nothing says holiday cheer like a QR code, but you are a scan and a click away from downloading the book–FREE if you have Kindle Unlimited.
Most of the time, monkey mind is annoying. You know, that blah-blah chatter in your head all the time. But you’ll enjoy this Monkey Mind, a funny murder mystery. Join me, Haint Blue, at my retreat in Catfish Springs, Florida. You’d think it would be all tranquil abiding, meditation and yoga, nature walks and gourmet food. Trust me, things get tense when the weather, feisty wildlife, and difficult guests, make for a killer weekend.
Monkey Heart picks up where Monkey Mind left off. After a totally dead month business-wise, bookings suddenly pick up for Halloween.
preppers
a weight loss club
a group of Wiccans
cryptozoologists
and drag queens
on Halloween?
You get French farce, Monkey Heart. Guests go missing. Uh-oh. Did they leave on their own? Were they murdered? Abducted by a Skunk Ape?
While worrying if someone or something may have absconded with my guests, Buster, the Bigfoot hunter, was stealing my heart.
And coming this winter:
I thought I was going to run off to the beach to unwind for the holidays. Everyone else had holiday plans. I just wanted to disappear. Sit on the beach. Read a book. Nap. Binge-watch cold case file shows.
Well.
You know how there’s what you plan, and then there’s what happens? Aunt Moira tried to warn me. “I had a dream you needed to stock your pantry. You’re going to have guests.”
I didn’t believe her at first. Silly me! An interstate accident, a plumbing backup, a testy gas stove, a trailer fire, a visiting pregnant alpaca–just a few of the elements that made Christmas in Catfish Springs something quite memorable.
Haint Blue needs a vacation. It looks like she’ll be alone for Christmas. Her relationship with Buster is in limbo. Why not slip off to the beach? She can almost taste the fish tacos and fried shrimp. But before she can make a motel reservation, psychic Aunt Moira calls. “I had a vivid dream this morning. There was a bright Christmas tree…children laughing…an empty deep freezer in a garage. You were wringing your hands in a red apron. Some weird nursery rhyme repeated ‘the larder was bare’. The dream tells me that you need to stock your pantry; you’re going to be a busy hostess this Christmas. Get your holiday cookbooks out, Sweetheart.”
Surely not.
As the 25th approaches, the phone calls begin.
“Haint? This is Yolanda, from Paco’s. Our restaurant stove–something is wrong. It’s gas. Sometimes it works and then suddenly nada. Sometimes I swear I smell gas. I’m not going to play with gas. I’m afraid of gas. We were wondering if you had a few cabins?”
“Haint? Max. Listen, my sister Nellavon thinks I’m dying. She’s got this hairbrained notion to get the family together. I can’t talk her out of it. I know business has been slow, and I was wondering, you gonna be open for the holidays?”
“We’re travelling with rescue alpacas… do you have space to exercise them?”
“We’re the Lame Brain Zombie LARPers…party of seven, do you have a cabin?”
“My client wants privacy.”
The calls keep coming. And odd little gifts keeping showing up and disappearing. What’s that about? As the retreat fills to capacity, strangers become family for a Haint Blue Christmas.
Looking for a funny, feel-good holiday romp with a bit of mystery? This is the one.
Now available in paperback in full color (it’s chock full of pictures) or black and white and as an eBook.
Full color paperback link: (extra bling for Christmas!)
Haint's Retreat 