*The Scavenger Hunt does not start until August 30 at noon EST. We are testing the links to make sure we are ready for you tomorrow.*

Welcome to the inaugural Back to School Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt. We hope that throughout this hunt you discover some new books and get to know a little more about us.

A few things before you begin:

This hunt is a blog hop. Collect the “clues” (pieces to the longer phrase) at each stop. Enter the individual giveaways along the way, then click on the link to the next stop and repeat until you reach #28, where you will input the full phrase as your entry to the grand prize drawing.

The hunt begins August 30, 2023, at noon EST and ends September 4, 2023, so you have plenty of time to visit each stop. If you need to step away and come back later, make a note of the last stop you visited, and go to this post with the list of all stops on the hunt.

If you are having trouble viewing the posts, you may need to switch browsers. Chrome and Firefox sometimes work better than Microsoft Explorer or Edge.

Welcome to my blog! I hope you’ve enjoyed collecting all the clues so far on our Blog Hunt!

Today, I want to talk about a subject that isn’t always top-of-mind when we think of “back to school”.

Back to school memories are bittersweet for me. I’m old enough to remember when school yard bullies stole your lunch money and gave you black eyes. And going to the principal’s office for “fighting” got you a phone call to your parent’s office and then a meeting with the principal.

In middle school, I was a skinny-minny kid and prone to being bullied. I was in the “accelerated” class, which means I was a grade ahead of my age, and some older kids who were a lot bigger than I was took exception to it. I spent a couple of years getting “beat up” on my way home from school. My parents expected me to stand up for myself and fight back. I was furious with them because I thought they didn’t care about my bruises and scrapes. Eventually, I learned to physically fight back. No more scratches or stolen lunches.

That’s an unheard of proposition these days. When my own children were in grade school, people thought that bullies had disappeared by magic, fighting wasn’t allowed, and everyone had to get along. There was (ha-ha) zero tolerance for bullying, even though any kid with a brain knew bullies lurked outside at recess.

My children have Down Syndrome so were supposed to be in a different part of the school yard under supervision. However, I had always told them that if any kid hit them, they were to hit back. One day at lunch hour, a “regular” boy decked my son. My son, who was about 9 yrs. old, got up and hit him back, except the other boy ran away. The teacher couldn’t catch him, so only my son was dragged into the principal’s office. I was called to the school and asked to explain my stance on allowing “bullying” behavior.

When the principal said he might have to suspend my son for a day, I shrugged my shoulders and said I’d take him home right then, along with his sister. I had already stated that if someone hit my kids first, they would hit back and explained why I thought it was beneficial for special needs children to know how to defend themselves. I suggested he might want to question the teacher about her lack of supervising skills, and he backed down on the one-day suspension.

I’m grateful that despite how scared I was of the bullies who terrorized me in middle school, my parents taught me how to stand up to them, and to stand up for myself. However, bullying has taken a much darker turn nowadays than simply stealing lunch money or your backpack.

Bullying now includes cyber-stalking/bullying/extortion. It’s not true that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”.

If your own child, regardless of age because high school is a dangerous place for bullies to lurk about, shows signs of anxiety, withdrawal, unexplained headaches, injuries they can’t explain, etc. please speak to them about being bullied.

Don’t let the symptoms go by or shrug them off. Cyber-bullying can lead to self-harm and suicides. Let them know that they can tell you *anything*, even if they’ve been conned into sending compromising photos of themselves to someone via their cell phones.

Here are some resources to read and share with your child/teen:

https://www.stompoutbullying.org/helpchat

https://www.cyberbullying.ca

https://www.cybertip.ca

https://www.crisistextline.org/topic/bullying

I hope these are helpful for your school year.

Here is my book, NORTHERN DECEPTION (Heroes of the Tundra Book 1) which is part of the Grand Prize package:

Reunions can be deadly.

After a savage attack in university, Kira Summers fled to the safety of northern Canada and her work as a polar bear scientist. But when her whistleblower brother dies in a mysterious car crash, she must return home to bury him and pack his belongings. Unaware she’s carrying explosive evidence someone’s willing to kill for, she has no choice but to rely on the one person she never thought she’d see again.

Lukas Tanner, a widowed single father of a special needs toddler, moved to Churchill five years ago. As the proud owner of Guiding Star Enterprises, a wilderness tour company, he and his daughter lead a simple life. But when Kira comes crashing back into his world, he realizes God has other plans. Now, Lukas and Kira must confront a merciless killer as their past and present collide in a deadly race – a race they must win if they have any hope of a future together.

If you can’t wait to see if you win, you can buy it here: https://amzn.to/3Iq6EsT

NORTHERN HEARTS (Heroes of the Tundra Book 2) is here: https://amzn.to/33CFJeE

NORTHERN PROTECTOR (Heroes of the Tundra Book 3) is here: https://amzn.to/32qDKK4

AND the next book in the series, NORTHERN REDEMPTION (Heroes of the Tundra Book 4) is coming out October 10, 2023! Here is the blurb:

Runaway bride Lise Dumont has escaped back to Churchill, Manitoba to reclaim her job as a Conservation Officer. She’d rather face down polar bears than marry her abusive ex-fiancé. Once she’s back home in the small town, the peace of the tundra soothes her spirit.

Northern Lights Helicopter Tour owner, Rory Gallagher, isn’t looking for any relationship deeper than the one he has with his pet cat. He enjoys being single and footloose, despite his family’s desire for him to settle down and produce grandchildren. Scarred by memories of not being able to save his father from drowning seven years ago, Rory’s fine with being alone.

Until Lise blazes back into town and helps talk him down from a helicopter crash. When two hardened escaped convicts take them hostage just as a blizzard closes in, it forces the two to rely on each other to survive. They each must face their past before they can have a future.

Can a relationship born out of life and death stakes be enough to last for a lifetime?

I have a Canadiana Gift Giveaway especially for you! Here is a photo of your Prize Package, available only from me.** This is open to US and Canadian readers:

INCLUDES:

Polar Bear Unisex Socks (because all of my books have a polar bear in them!)

Canvas Book Tote Bag, 14.5″ high, 12.5″ wide

Book Journal for those of you who love to record your book reading! 8.5″ x 11″ soft cover

Genuine Canadian Tim Horton’s Maple Flavoured Coffee 300 gm bag

A print copy of NORTHERN DECEPTION

**Book cover may be the original green cover.

Please fill out the Rafflecopter at: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/38979fb2342/

Thank you SO much for being here today!

Here is your next clue: SOMEONE ELSE,

Next stop: 

https://tabithabouldinauthor.home.blog/2023/08/29/back-to-school-christian-fiction-scavenger-hunt/

The post BACK TO SCHOOL CHRISTIAN FICTION SCAVENGER HUNT appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

Northern Hearts (Heroes of the Tundra Book 2) is my Christmas novella set in the real-life town of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. It’s called the Polar Bear Capitol of the World. I set my entire series there, and my husband and I flew up in 2019 so that I could do proper research on the town and its polar bear research facilities.

I set this story during the Christmas in between Northern Deception (Book 1) and Northern Protector (Book 3). The inspiration for the story came to me out of the blue—I love it when my brain and creativity strikes like that—because I was thinking about family situations and secrets.

I had the vision of a rich young woman with every advantage she could have in her life, but still yearning for more. And her family held a long, dark secret in the past. She’s about to find out about a family member she had never known existed before, and how that person had been following her life from afar.

The hero is the opposite. He’s grown up without a proper family in the foster care system and the unknown family member of the heroine has been a stand-in mother figure for him. When the hero and heroine meet and are forced to work together for thirty days to meet the legal requirements of the family member’s will, they have to examine what their relationships mean to them and learn to work together.

Being a romance, they will fall in love, but I include some real-life festivities that take place in Churchill, and some traditions that I wish I’d done myself over the years. I believe that family traditions keep memories alive and serve the purpose of keeping families intact, especially when children are young and growing up. Once they’re grown up, some traditions need to change to facilitate the changes in the family make-up, for example, adult children marrying and the “family” enlarging.

Like the Sabbath being made for man, not man for the Sabbath, as Jesus taught us, I think that family traditions like every person being present at Christmas dinner when that may not be feasible, need to be looked at in the light of love and common sense. Christmas dinners may need to be done rotationally. Traditions may need to grow and change as the years go by.

That doesn’t mean that our Christmas excitement and celebrations of our one true King shouldn’t take place or be enjoyed. They just may look different from year to year, and that’s all right. The true meaning of Christmas is that Jesus is the Light of the World and our Saviour. I wish you all a blessed Christmas!

Here is a quick excerpt from Chapter 1 of NORTHERN HEARTS:

Wild and dangerous and the town has nothing of significance…

With that ringing in her ears, she grabbed her soft-sided hot pink suitcase and hauled it upright beside her. The clock read 9:45 a.m., so she was right on time. Her ride should be here any minute. Gazing around the tiny, one-room airport, she noticed a twelve-foot-high polar bear skin hung spread out in a wooden display case. The sheer height and width of it gave her pause.

“It’s nothing but snow, ice, and polar bears,” her dad had said. She rolled her luggage over to the huge case and checked out the five-inch claws on the paws of the polar bear skin. Its teeth were three inches, at least, bared permanently in a snarl. The entire fur from side to side had to be four feet wide.

She drew in a breath to calm her nerves and turned to read the huge blue and white sign on the wall.

“Welcome to Churchill, Manitoba–Polar Bear Country,” it read.

“NEVER–

Go beyond a polar bear alert warning sign

Approach or feed a bear for any reason

Walk at night after 10 p.m.

“Always be alert and aware of your surroundings,” said a deep voice from behind her left shoulder.

Adrenaline rippled through her veins. Kali gasped and jumped. “Excuse me?”

“Sorry.” The man who’d spoken loomed over her. His fur-lined green parka hood, which he shoved back out of the way, framed his brown hair and beard scruff. His brown, almost black, eyes didn’t look the least bit sorry. His thick, longish hair poked up in an unruly fashion and curled around his ears. He grinned, showing white, even teeth she couldn’t help but stare at for a second. Handsome. Unbelievably handsome.

“Sorry, that’s the next line on the sign—you are reading the sign, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I mean, I was… I just…” Kali stopped. Get a hold of yourself! You’re babbling.

“The most important thing to remember is that bears can be in town at any time of day or night,” he quoted from the sign. “I’m assuming you’re Miss Kali McIntyre?”

She drew herself up to her entire 5’ 1” height. “You can drop the Miss. And yes, I’m Kali McIntyre.” If this guy was her ride, she’d just hit the lottery.

He drew off his enormous fur-trimmed gauntlet and thrust his right-hand forwards to shake her hand. “Excellent. I’m Jake Miller, from The Great Northern Lodge.”

©Laurie Wood 2019

If you visit my website at https://www.lauriewoodauthor.com and sign up for my newsletter, you’ll receive a gift. Thank you for being with me today.

You can buy Northern Hearts here: https://amzn.to/33CFJeE

Northern Redemption (Heroes of the Tundra Book 4) will come out in 2023.

The post Christmas Blog Tour – Hello from Churchill Manitoba Canada appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

Excerpt #7 – Chapter 2:

When she turned towards him, he recognized Connie Baker, who ran one of the gift shops on Kelsey Boulevard. He put his hands flat on the counter.

“Hey, Connie. Everything all right?”

The woman stopped pacing and leaned her upper body on the countertop. “Oh, Ben.

I heard you’re back.”

“Wow, that got around fast,” he said.

Her swollen eyes were red-rimmed, and she grasped shredded tissues in one hand. She wiped her nose before speaking again.

“It’s my daughter, Izzie.” She looked down at her hands, and tears rolled down her chin onto her fingers. She wiped them away and cleared her throat. “Izzie and her cousin.

They didn’t come home the last night. I’ve called all her friends.”

Ben grabbed the box of tissues from Trudy’s desk and passed it to her. He flipped the inner lock off the hidden gate on the counter to open it, so it made a pass-through. “Why don’t you come in here, and I’ll take the report?”

Connie seemed to shrink into herself as she entered the bullpen. Ben knew it could be intimidating for some townspeople, making a police report. Zack hovered nearby.

Ben motioned to the chair beside his new-to-him desk. “Can we get you a coffee?

Water?”

Connie sat on the edge of the chair and shook her head. She kept wiping tears from her cheeks with the back of one hand. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “My husband said to wait another couple of hours, but I don’t know. Izzie always stays over at her friend Jolene’s place and now…” The tears started up again.

“And now?” Ben probed gently.

“I phoned Jolene this morning, and she said she never saw Izzie or Sherida last night or the night before. It was a lie Izzie told me. There was no party at Jolene’s, so I have no idea where they went. Jolene was home ‘cause she was grounded.” Connie sniffed and wiped her nose again. “Her mom told me that, so I know it’s true.”

Ben looked at Zack and said, “Can you please get Mrs. Baker a glass of water?” He raised his eyebrows until Zack got the message and left for the water. Then he turned to his computer and pulled up a missing person’s form. “Let’s start with your daughter. I’ll need a few particulars. What’s her full name?”

“Isabella Dawn Baker. She goes by Izzie.”

“And her date of birth?”

“February 5, 2002. She just graduated high school this June.”

“Okay, does she have any identifying marks or tattoos?”

Connie sniffed and then thanked Zack as he handed her a glass of water. She took a small sip and placed it on the desk. “No, nothing. We would never let her get a tattoo.

Her ears have five piercings in each of them.” “Height and weight?”

Connie began crying again.

“I’m sorry,” said Ben. “I know these questions are upsetting, but we’re going to find her. It’ll be all right.”

Never make promises to citizens, he heard his training officer’s voice in his head from years ago. Never promise them you’ll find a loved one. But Churchill was a small, remote, place. How far could two girls have gone in one night?

“She’s about 5’2” and 120 lbs. She’s always worrying she’s too fat.” Connie sniffled again. “She was wearing green khaki shorts and a camo tank top with a lavender hoodie last night. And she had a ton of makeup on.”

“Thanks, Connie, that’s really helpful.” Ben typed it all into the computer report.

“When was the last time you saw her?”

“She and her cousin left just after nine-thirty last night. She said they were going to Jolene’s, but they…” She stopped and clenched her fists in her lap. “They never showed up there. I have no idea where they went, and Jolene said Izzie hadn’t told her anything. Her mother put the fear of God into her to tell me the truth.”

“And what’s Jolene’s full name and address?”

Connie took another sip of water. “Jolene Shaw. They live at 42 Edge Street.”

“Has Izzie ever not come home before?”

“A couple of times, but she was always at Jolene’s place.” Connie raised her tearstained face to his. “She’s a bit wild, but not this wild. And my niece…” She stifled a sob.

The post Here’s an Excerpt from NORTHERN PROTECTOR (Heroes of the Tundra Book 2) appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

Excerpt #6 – Chapter 2:

Ben held Connolly’s gaze. He’d had two plastic surgeries already and figured he’d eventually deal with the rest of the scarring, but cosmetic surgery didn’t come cheap in Canada. Anyway, up here, it would be a badge of honour. If he’d taken a southern posting, people would have stared relentlessly, and working in the field would be insufferable.

Connolly broke away first, much to Ben’s satisfaction. “I’ve got something I want you to look into, a cold case from Winnipeg they want us to go through again.” He passed a thick manila file folder over his desk to Ben. “She was from here and turned up dead in Winnipeg three years ago. I figured you could reinterview the relatives, see if they remember anything new. Get your feet wet again.”

Ben opened the file and looked at the photo attached to the left-hand side of the folder. A stunning teenage girl smiled into the camera. It was a selfie taken in a brightly lit bathroom—not one of the homes up here—maybe a motel down south? She wore a yellow tank top, jean shorts, and two gold necklaces holding a tiny gold cross and a bird charm. Her highlighted lustrous brown hair curled around her face and shoulders. She playfully held up a water bottle to her lips, smiling into the camera.

He started scanning the first page: Morag Raider—Caucasian; date of birth April 16, 1999; 5’2”; 105 lbs.; light brown curly hair, medium length; blue eyes; no tattoos; appendectomy scar; ears pierced; dental records on file in Churchill. Left Churchill June 22, 2016 on the train to Winnipeg to visit her older sister. Last known address showed she was living with her aunt Ruby Gallagher at 36 Tillman St.

“Ruby’s her aunt? She lived with her for how long?”

Connolly waved a dismissive hand. “I have no idea. There are interview reports in there from us and the guys in Winnipeg who spoke to her sister once they tracked her down. The girl turned up dead quick once she hit the big city. Do a recanvas and update the file.”

Ben nodded and rose to leave.

“Try and remember your shift starts at 0645 hours. Dismissed.”

Dismissed. Like he thinks this is the military. Which I would’ve been in, except for my stupid peanut allergy. Ben fought the urge to salute him and left the office, clutching the file folder.

Morag Raider was Ruby Gallagher’s niece. Well, that was a revelation. He’d never heard Ruby refer to her before. He thought he’d known all about Ruby’s family because she was open about her husband’s accidental boating death on the Churchill River seven years ago, and her son, Rory, owned the helicopter tour company in town. He’d better swing by the café to find out more about Morag.

He grabbed his cold coffee from Trudy’s desk and headed to the break room to nuke it in the microwave. Voices carried from the cell block as Adam set about releasing their two now sober individuals. Most of their drunken fights were harmless exchanges between transient workers up here doing construction on a government project. He heaved a sigh as the microwave beeped. It felt good to be back in familiar surroundings. He held out his right hand and stared at it. No tremors. Much better.

“Hey, new guy.” Zack stuck his head in the doorway. “You survived your first interview with Connolly. That’s good news.”

“I’m not the new guy. You’re the new guy,” Ben said before taking a scalding sip of coffee. “When did he post in, anyway?”

Zack came all the way into the room and closed the door. “He got sent here from D Division, Winnipeg two months ago. Got demoted from Sergeant for some reason. He’s bitter about it.”

“Gee, I couldn’t tell,” Ben quipped. The hot coffee was waking him up nicely.

“There’s someone at the counter. Can you take it?”

“You’re the new guy,” Ben said before taking another sip of coffee. “I’ve been up here nineteen months. Why don’t you take it?”

“Because she says she’ll only speak to you,” Zack said, leaning against the door frame. “Sorry, I’m Zack Lazar.” He stuck out his hand to shake Ben’s and gave it a solid grip. “Just got in from the academy. This is my first posting.”

Ben grinned. “Well, then, watch and learn, newbie.” He headed out the door, through the bullpen, and to the front counter where a woman paced, clutching her elbows.

Do you prefer romantic suspense novels or straight up mystery novels?

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Excerpt #5 – Chapter 2:

BEN ENTERED THE POLICE DETACHMENT through the front door and walked right into the morning briefing in the bullpen. No time to hit his locker in the building’s rear, and the new Corporal was holding court waving a fist full of CPIC—Canadian Police Information Centre—notices in his hand. Short and wiry, his white hair was brush cut short, his face wrinkled and acne scarred. His name tag read “Connolly.”

Why here, why now? He’d hoped he’d never see this guy again. Ben took his seat at the only empty desk in the bullpen. A new officer he’d never seen before sat at his old desk beside the front window. The new guy gave him a quick wave while still pretending he was hanging on the Corporal’s every word.

“And another thing,” said Connolly. “I don’t want these warrants sitting around in the filing cabinet for months on end. Get them served. As for the kids ‘joyriding,’”—he made quote marks in the air with his fingers—“in vehicles, no more giving them warnings. They’ll quit doing it if we lay some charges. Dismissed.”

The officer beside Ben stuck up his hand. “Sir, we give warnings because there’s nowhere for them to go up here. This place is more of a ‘community policing’ model than a ‘strictly by-the-book’ model.”

Connolly’s neck flushed red over his open-necked uniform shirt. “Community policing is for cities that want to placate businesses and show people the police won’t tolerate gangs. The kids around here need to know we won’t tolerate them stealing someone’s truck so they can head out to the flats or the national park. Someone else’s vehicle isn’t for their own personal transportation. Maybe it helps the only tow truck service in town, but we waste our time doing the paperwork.” “Yes, Corporal,” said the officer, pursing his lips.

“You have a problem with that?” said Connolly.

“No, Corporal,” said the officer.

“Good.” Connolly turned to Ben. Recognition raised his left eyebrow. “Koper, you managed to grace us with your presence.” “Yes,” said Ben.

“Yes, Corporal,” said the Corporal. “In my office.” He jerked his thumb towards the centre office. “Adam, check the two drunks in the back cells. Zack, you can handle the phone until Trudy gets in at 9 a.m.”

Zack, who didn’t believe in community policing, nodded affirmatively, while Adam, the new guy by the front window, got up and headed back into the cell block. Ben knew they’d been watching the prisoners on the in-station camera monitoring system during the meeting, but he was impressed with how fast Connolly got rid of the other two officers.

He placed the cupcake box on Trudy’s desk, along with the now lukewarm coffees, and followed Connolly into his office. Those two other guys were new to him. Before his polar bear “accident,” he’d held down the detachment nearly single-handedly. What a luxury to have a full complement of four officers for the summertime.

The industrial sage green walls hadn’t changed, nor had any of the government issued wildlife pictures hanging on them. The name plate on the desk now read Corporal Garry Connolly instead of Corporal Stan Baker, his last commander. He stood in front of the desk until Connolly motioned for him to sit.

“How’s the arm—shoulder—whatever?” Connolly’s eyes crinkled into streams of crows’ feet as he stared hard at Ben. “I need you in fighting shape because Zack’s leaving for five weeks holidays.”

“It’s good. The doctor cleared me. I emailed everything last week.”

“No lingering head effects, concussive disorder?”

Ben grasped the arms of his chair to hide the tremors in his hands. “I’m good to go.”

Connolly glared at him. “I won’t lie. I didn’t want you back here. I’ve seen injuries less extensive than yours foul guys up, and I need everyone in the field.”

Ben straightened in the chair. “I’ve got another year to go here. I’m finishing the posting.” He paused. “Corporal.”

“You’re all I’ve heard about since I posted in. How Ben Koper survived the great polar bear mauling last fall. You’re some kind of folk hero around here.” Connolly leaned back in his office chair, his eyes squinted up with the ready anger Ben remembered so well.

“You’d better not make me regret it. Someone in “D” Division down south likes you.”

Connolly jabbed his forefinger at him. “I’ve got no patience with weaklings.” How could I ever forget?

“As I said, I’m good to go.” Ben gripped the arms of the chair tighter. “Are we switching up our hours for the summer?”

“Regular days unless something comes up. On call for nights—seven nights at a time.” Connolly stared at Ben’s face, his gaze raking over the still-red scar snaking from Ben’s scalp through his right eyebrow and over to his ear.

Connolly missed nothing. A smaller scar might have given Ben a rakish pirate air. Instead, the bear’s claws had left him looking like someone had scraped a pitchfork along the side of his head.

Have you ever had an issue with your boss or other authority figure at work? How did you cope with it?

The post Here’s an Excerpt from NORTHERN PROTECTOR (Heroes of the Tundra Book 2) appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

Excerpt #4 – Chapter 1:

“What’s wrong with the policeman, Mommy?”

“Nothing, honey. I just had to talk to him,” said Joy. She hung a right to go north and then a left at the Town Centre.

Her ancient two-door sedan had nearly 110,000 kilometers on it. Up here, everyone drove their vehicles into the ground. The only places to go were around town, out to the airport, or along the coast twenty-three kilometers to the Arctic Studies Research Centre. She’d gotten this car from her parents when she was sixteen, but it was already well used then.

She helped Emberlyn out of her car seat and let her skip along the sidewalk towards the main doors. Her princess backpack bounced on her thin shoulders when she hopscotched on invisible squares before hitting the automatic door opener with the flat of her palm.

“His ear looks ugly,” said Emberlyn. They entered the air-conditioned building that housed every important business for the town. The Town Complex stretched for five city blocks along the shoreline.

Joy worked in the Health Centre here and loved the fact that she could leave Emberlyn in the Little Tots Day Care because it had extended hours for shift workers. They walked past the library and down the hallway towards the indoor play area, where young moms and their little kids congregated on days of inclement weather.

That’s because he got mauled by the polar bear last winter,” she said as she held the inner door open for her daughter. “Don’t say that to anyone. I’m sure Constable Koper’s self-conscious about it.”

“I won’t.” Emberlyn skipped into the day care foyer, her light-up runners flashing pink and purple lights. “Can he hear out of it?”

“I’m sure he can, or he wouldn’t be back at work.” She stood by while Emberlyn hung up her backpack in her cubby and toed off her runners. Fatigue washed over her. Her Saturday overnight shift had been busier than usual. A fight at the Legion and two domestics. It made it harder when she knew the victims.

“Okay.” Emberlyn shrugged and reached up for a quick hug and kiss. “Love you,

Mommy.”

“Love you too, baby.” She squeezed her daughter tightly. It was so hard to leave her in the care of others besides herself or her own mother. She straightened as Shannon appeared.

“Hey, Emberlyn. Are you ready for breakfast, or did you eat at Gramma’s house?”

“We had chocolate chip pancakes,” said Emberlyn, beaming. “Gramma let me pour the pancake batter because I’m six now and big enough.” She clutched her princess doll to her side. “I can help you make breakfast.”

Shannon laughed. “Well, aren’t you wide awake this morning. Sure, you can help make breakfast for the little kids.” She took Emberlyn by the hand and smiled at Joy.

“Looks like you could use a decent sleep. Rough shift?”

Joy shrugged. “Eh, rough enough. I didn’t get much sleep before I went on.” She ruffled Emberlyn’s hair. “I’ll be back to get her by 5 p.m. Bye, squirt.”

“Bye, Mommy.”

Joy watched the two of them disappear into the kitchen, then headed back out to her car. Every part of her ached from being on the run all shift. But it was the middle of summer, which meant staff shortages from holidays. After this next shift, she’d be able to collapse into sleep while her mom took Emberlyn for the night again.

Joy watched the two of them disappear into the kitchen, then headed back out to her car. Every part of her ached from being on the run all shift. But it was the middle of summer, which meant staff shortages from holidays. After this next shift, she’d be able to collapse into sleep while her mom took Emberlyn for the night again.

Driving back down the hill, she remembered the feel of Ben’s hard shoulder under her hand. Something about it wasn’t right. She touched her throbbing nose ruefully. Served her right for scaring the poor man. He’d been having a full-blown panic attack. She hoped for his sake, he’d had some therapy back in Winnipeg. No one here expected to see him again after his close brush with death.

They’d stabilized him with two blood transfusions and a quick surgery to put his shoulder back in place, before helicoptering him down to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg for proper reconstructive surgery. Her boss, Dr. Will Stedman knew the plastic surgeon who’d reattached Ben’s right ear and fixed the scarring on his face and right eyebrow.

Emberlyn was right. His damaged ear was noticeable—but only because as a police officer, he had to wear his hair short, and it was uncovered. Kudos to him for being brave enough not to care what people thought of his looks. And for coming back here where he was injured in the first place. She didn’t know if she would’ve had the guts to go through with it. On the other hand, her return to Churchill had taken a different kind of courage.

She wheeled around the corner of the building into the Health Centre staff parking.

Time to grab another coffee and get back to work.

Have you ever had an injury that disfigured you or disabled you in any way? How did you cope with it?

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In July, 2019, my husband and I headed up to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada so I could do summer research for my next book, NORTHERN PROTECTOR (Heroes of the Tundra Book 2). 

That sign hangs in the Churchill airport. The citizens and Natural Resources Officers are quite serious about polar bear safety and the rules are meant for everyone. When we arrived on July 8, 2019 there had only been one polar bear spotted coming in from Hudson Bay’s coast. By the time we left at the end of the week, there would be five more sighted.

When I wrote the first book in the series, NORTHERN DECEPTION, and the subsequent Christmas novella, NORTHERN HEARTS, both of those books took place during the winter time. I had over 100 photos that my husband had taken in Churchill during March, 2011, when he was up there on a Search and Rescue training mission with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He loves to take photos and so I had a good idea of the town layout, the various buildings of interest, and the topography in the winter time.

However, NORTHERN PROTECTOR takes place in the summer time following the Christmas novella and I wanted to get all the details right on the flora and fauna of the taiga – the land that is the sub-arctic which Churchill stands on – and is beside the tundra. And I wanted to see the animals in the Wildlife Management Area which is government-protected because the polar bears have their maternity dens there and return each year to have their cubs. I knew that setting a murder mystery in a small, sub-arctic town, which is a fly-in and railroad only access year round would have it’s challenges.

So, we headed up by air and signed up for a couple of tour packages through https://frontiersnorth.com/.

Here’s some photos of locations that are in the book:

These are the kind of townhouses Joy and Emberlyn Gallagher live in. Row housing conserves heat during the winter time. In the late 1950’s-1960’s, Churchill had a military installation up there that held 5000 people. Some of these row houses are left over from that era. Now, the town boasts 900 people on a good day. During tourist season – the winter time or polar bear season – it swells to over double that normally. It’s been a ghost town during the pandemic.

This is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Detachment on the main street. I wasn’t allowed to take pictures inside, of course, but my descriptions in the book are accurate. It also houses three cells at the rear for over-night prisoners who need to sober up or are being held for plane transport down to Thompson, Manitoba for court purposes. This is where Constable Ben Koper works.

An aerial shot, thanks to my husband’s trip in 2011. This is the Town Centre which is many blocks long and houses City Hall, the Health Centre which is a 100-bed hospital, the day care centre, library, recreation centre, bowling alley, movie theatre, and indoor playing area for year-round playing for kids. Due to the snowstorms and cold weather that comes down from the Arctic and the polar vortex that usually covers the town and surrounding area, everything important in the town is under this main building and inter-connected. The Town Centre and Health Centre feature in all three of my books.

This is part of the waiting area for the Emergency Department of the Health Centre, where Joy Gallagher works as head nurse. I  wasn’t allowed to take photos further into the Centre but I loved the polar bear mural.

Here’s one of the two sets of apartment buildings in Churchill. I gave both Ben Koper and Jake Miller from NORTHERN HEARTS, apartments.

This Inukshuk features in each of the three books. Here it is in winter time, facing back into town and across the thin edge of the Bay towards the Granaries. The town used to be a major shipping port for all of Canada’s western grain and it was stored here before shipping across the world. The Granaries is where Kira Summer’s from NORTHERN DECEPTION is kidnapped and held for questioning about her whistleblower brother’s evidence by the villains.

Here I am standing beside it to give you an idea of the size. Inukshuk’s are man-made stone forms to show directions for hunter’s on the taiga or tundra. In NORTHERN PROTECTOR, the high school kids have been meeting down here on the beach to drink alcohol and socialize, putting themselves in danger to meeting up with polar bears who like to hide and sleep in the warm rocks.

These tiny cabins were the inspiration for my serial killers “workshop” on the “lake”, although these ones were right on Hudson Bay. These actual cabins are for ice fishing during the winter but when I saw them, my imagination started to go into over-drive.

We spent a whole day outside the town in the Wildlife Management Area on a Tundra Buggy. I wasn’t allowed to use the real trademarked name in my books so I called them Arctic Rovers. It’s made from the chassis of a fire truck, with special tires made to withstand a polar bear’s claws, and you can see by our heights how far off the ground they have to be. A male polar bear can stand up to 12-14 feet tall, and they often come right up to the Buggies and check them out.

You can see the width of the polar bear’s paws compared to my head. When Constable Ben Koper is mauled by a polar bear in NORTHERN DECEPTION, he’s only saved by his best friend driving a truck at it, and a Natural Resources Officer tranquilizing the bear. Bear/people encounters don’t usually end well. The Natural Resources Officers spend most of their time patrolling outside the town limits to haze bears away from the town, which is right on their migration path from Hudson Bay, where the sea ice is, west-ward inland to where they want to spend the summer months.

Next Wednesday I’ll share photos of places that are in NORTHERN DECEPTION and NORTHERN HEARTS. If you have any questions for me, please leave them in the comments and I’ll get back to you!

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Excerpt #3 – Chapter 1:

“Mommy. I’m gonna be late for day care.”

A small, dark head with long hair poked out of the turquoise car parked in front of

Ruby’s. The child waved at them. “C’mon, Mommy.” “Perfect timing,” Joy said under her breath.

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing, never mind,” she said. “You sure you’re okay? You’re not feeling faint or anything?”

Ben took a deep breath, finally. “I’m good. Thanks for checking. Don’t know what happened there.” He put his sunglasses back on. Small comfort, but a mask all the same.

Joy gave him a slanted look. “Are you going off shift or just going on?”

“Going on, and I’m late. I’m supposed to be bringing in coffee for the guys and a round of Ruby’s cupcakes.”

“Okay, well, I won’t keep you,” she said, then started walking back towards Ruby’s and her car. The little girl was hanging out the front window of the car from her waist.

“Emberlyn Marie Gallagher. Sit back in that car this instant.”

A flash of mischief shot through deep brown eyes that were a clone of her mother’s as the little girl’s face broke into a brilliant smile, and she laughed. Joy kissed the child’s upturned face and reached through the open car window to help her back into the front seat.

“I guess I’d better get her over to day care.”

“Are you going on shift or coming off?” parroted Ben. Please don’t leave yet.

“Just going back on a double shift in the ER. Mom had her for the night, so now it’s time for day care.”

“A double? Is that normal?” You sound like an overeager teenager. Knock it off.

Her laugh made his stomach flip. Yep, definitely feeling like an overeager teenager.

Joy headed around her car and opened the driver’s door. She cocked her head to the side.

“You’re going to be fine, Ben.” Her smile shone as radiantly as the sunrise. She jumped into her car and slammed the door.

He stood at the bottom of the café steps and watched them drive away. His right shoulder throbbed. It still throbbed every day. He’d lied to his physiotherapist because his short-term disability was up. If he couldn’t get back to work, he’d have to quit The Job. He had nothing else but The Job. Not being a cop wasn’t an option.

“You’re going to be fine, Ben.”

From your lips to God’s ear, Joy Gallagher.

He headed up the steps and yanked open the door. The sweet aroma of baked goods and coffee teased his nose as it welcomed him into the café. Maybe he imagined it, but people seemed to stop talking, especially over at the “gossip” table in the far right corner. He caught the furtive glances, eyes cutting away, and feet rustling under the tables. Was it how he looked? The uniform ball cap didn’t cover his ear, but it did cover his right eyebrow and forehead.

“Hey,” he said to the air in general. He nodded towards the right and left and then walked up to the counter. Mercifully, people began speaking in low tones again, the sound washing over him like a balm. He’d expected people to react to his scars when he came back to work, which was why he flew up yesterday to minimize the contact

***

Do you enjoy reading romances or romantic suspense books with children in them? Or do you prefer your romances to only include the hero and heroine?

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Excerpt #2 – Chapter 1:

“Ben, look at me,” she ordered. That voice had a familiar ring to it. Bossy but comforting at the same time. He’d heard it before. “Let me see you without the sunglasses.”

He removed them without question, his heart slowing while sweat made his uniform shirt cling to his back. At nearly 6:30 a.m, no less. Or, what time was it now? He was inexcusably late. Not a great impression to make on the new Corporal.

The woman stood in front of him, her dark brown eyes concerned as she held him by his upper arms. He blinked twice and tried to get his tongue to work. Mortification brought a dull red flush to his cheeks. I should know her… Gah, why won’t my stupid brain work?

She wore purple nursing scrubs with sprigs of pink flowers on them. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a braided ponytail, but her eyes—they were the deepest brown he’d ever seen. Several gold earrings pierced her right ear, and one gold stud pierced her left. A delicate scrolled flower tattoo peeked out along her left collarbone. And she smelled of fresh citrus. Like a pitcher of lemonade.

All right, he hadn’t totally lost his powers of perception. A gorgeous woman had just pulled him out of a full-blown panic attack in the middle of main street. Wonderful. He might as well turn in his badge and gun, drive straight to the airport, and fly home.

“Ben, it’s me.” She put her hands on her hips. “It’s Joy.” She looked like she would snap her fingers in his face any second.

He shook his head. Cleared his throat. Wished the pavement would open and swallow him whole. “I remember.”

Joy. When the nightmares came rushing in the night from the bear attack, it was her voice and the touch of her hands on him as she bound up his shoulder that he remembered. And her scent—that was a great memory—citrusy and fruity after the horror of the bear’s mouth and its rancid smell. She had bent over him, bandaging his head with gauze as they tried to save his right ear for the plastic surgeon.

Yes, it was all coming back to him now.

“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” Lord, just beam me a hundred miles away from here, right now. This is not how I wanted to meet her again.

“No, of course not. How are you?” She touched his forearm lightly. “I mean really, how are you? You—didn’t text me what flight you were coming in on.”

“Sorry. I got it last minute.” There. At least his voice wasn’t shaking like his knees were. Shaking like a trembling foal.

“Great.” She took a step back as if realizing she was in his personal space. “I’m so glad… you’re back. Most people would never have come up here again after what you went through.”

His right shoulder grated in its socket when he put his hand on his service weapon again. That grounded him. Although, he wasn’t sure hanging on to his gun was what his therapist had in mind when he said to find objects to fixate on during a panic attack. Time to pop another pain pill, but not with Joy in sight.

“Thanks. I don’t blame the bear. He was just being a bear.” Wow. Quit while you’re ahead. She’s more stunning in person than her texts ever let on.

****

What was the most embarrassing encounter you’ve ever had with a member of the opposite sex?

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CHAPTER ONE

Saturday, August 1

Churchill, Manitoba

CONSTABLE BEN KOPER PULLED HIS POLICE truck over to the side of the road across from Ruby’s Café & Emporium. His first day back at work in nine months, and already he was running late. He slammed the truck into park and stared up and down Kelsey Boulevard, on high alert for any movement between the buildings.

Last November, a polar bear had attacked him in this exact spot. He hadn’t been back to Churchill since then. Goose bumps skittered along his arms. Rationally, he knew that bears had been spotted along the coast and probably hadn’t made it into town yet. But his anxiety and the acid in his stomach told his brain a polar bear could be anywhere, now that the sea ice had melted.

Ben grabbed his mobile phone with the coffee orders on it and stepped out of his truck, pulling his baseball cap down to his sunglasses. He slammed the truck door and strode to the pavement of Kelsey Boulevard. The rest of the street sat quiet, while Ruby’s 6:00 a.m. crowd was hopping with its early morning breakfast specials. He could see people eating at tables through the huge front plate-glass window.

When he hit the middle of the street, his heart sped up, jackhammering in his chest. His feet refused to move past the centre of the road, like he’d struck an invisible wall. Adrenaline shot through his limbs. His vision tunneled into black holes. Sweat poured down his back and gathered on his forehead. He put his right hand on the grip of his service weapon, trying to get some equilibrium. His throat closed, and he leaned over with his hands on his knees. Deep breaths.

Deep, deep breaths Trying, trying…

Dan Sherman, his therapist, sounded in his head. “Look for five things around you to centre yourself. Repeat them to yourself. Then count them down one by one.”

Panting, beads of sweat rolled down the right side of his face over his scarred eyebrow and ear. All he could see was the concrete road and small rocks littered about.

There’s nothing but the road. Concrete, rocks, concrete, rocks…

He needed five things. His boots wouldn’t move. He stood hunched over in the middle of the street, trying not to throw up his meagre breakfast. No other objects around; nothing else to see. His feet… he couldn’t move his feet.

Running shoes, white and pink running shoes… Where did they come from?

“Ben? Ben,” a lilting, female voice broke through his fog. “Are you okay?”

A hand touched his shoulder, his sore right shoulder, and he flinched. Finally. He could move. He reared his head up and collided with the face belonging to the voice.

“Ow.” The woman let go of his shoulder and grabbed her nose while he staggered sideways.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he stammered. He reached forward to steady himself with his right hand but dropped his phone on the ground with his other hand. The woman dove for the phone and swiveled around to give it to him.

*****

My husband was in the financial investment industry prior to joining the military. He won a trip for two to Las Vegas for a four day weekend as part of a company-wide incentive plan, so off we went to Sin City. It was actually a wonderful trip as we saw Siegfried and Roy with their white tigers, and a musical that I can’t recall. (Those white tigers were my main memory and favorite thing!) However, after seeing the S&R show, the crowd spilled out onto The Strip and joined in with a huge wave of people flowing down the pavement. We were shoulder to shoulder with people and being carried along organically. People were openly drinking beer and other alcohol, and the crowd was raucous, to say the least.

We were being crushed in this crowd and even though it was going in the direction we wanted to go in, I started having trouble breathing. Then I got crushing chest pains and thought I was having a heart attack. My legs shook and I grabbed my husband because I was afraid I was going to fall down and be trampled. He managed to maneuver us over to the hotel-side sidewalk so I could take a breath. However, things just got worse. I wanted him to call me an ambulance I was so sure I was having a heart attack.

However, smart man that he is, he pulled me inside the hotel and found the breakfast cafe. (Las Vegas really is open 24 hrs a day and they were serving breakfast) He ordered me black tea and toast, rubbed my hands, and spoke soothingly to me. I gradually calmed down. It was visceral, uncontrollable body experience that I’ll never forget. I just had to ride it out. It was also the one and only – thank goodness – panic attack I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve experienced anxiety on a much smaller scale but never anything that bad again.

Have you ever had a panic attack or been with someone while they were having one? How did you cope with it?

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