robinmaderich

Sharing my excitement

[Apologies, all. I apparently tossed away a year, by putting 2026 instead of 2025 in all the book signing dates listed below. I have adjusted them now. One wonders where one’s head has wandered off to, for sure!]

I know I post about upcoming events on my News and Events page, but I figured I’d mention the below in a blog post, in case you never get as far as my News and Event page, lol.

This Fall is going to be a busy time for me (I’m hoping). There will be book signing events at multiple places, and not only at bookstores, so please check the News and Events page in the upcoming days. Meeting my readers, or just readers in general–whether they’re mine or not–is always an exciting time for me.

The signings are going to be taking place in Bucks County, Lehigh County, Carbon County, Berks County, and anywhere in that vicinity. So, if you have a hankering to meet little ol’ me, or to purchase a signed copy of any of my books, please feel free to stop by and of these events.

And if you need any further inspiration to do so, books signed by the author make great holiday gifts for the readers in your life!

Book Signing – Local Author Event at Quakertown Alive! October 18, 2025, from 10:oo a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Broad Street, Quakertown PA. I will be selling and signing copies of all four books in the Connor Falls Christmas series, Hurry Home for Christmas, I Knew in a Moment, and When the Heart Brings You Home. The fourth book, The Garland Ball, does not officially release until November 4th, but you will be able to buy copies at the event, as well! My fellow author, Autumn Jordon, will be sharing the table with me, selling and signing her books (romance and romantic suspense–and yes, they’re good!).

This is an outside event. In case of rain, the event will take place on October 25, 2025, same place, same time.

Review – River Bodies by Karen Katchur

(Note: I just realized I hadn’t finished this review. When I saw the date of the draft, I knew why. It was shortly after I began this review that my life changed following a frightening, horrible motor vehicle accident. However, more than five years later, I’m happy to get on with it–the review, I mean. After a long recovery, I did get on with my life, and am quite thankful I was able to.)

Today I finished reading Karen’s third book, River Bodies. This morning, as a matter of fact, when I should have been attending to so many other things.

The author sets many of her books (I think perhaps all?) in Pennsylvania, and it is clear she knows the area well. She also knows her characters equally as well, and pens a story rich in raw emotion and mystery.

Christmas in July, anyone?

Christmas in July. Some folks scoff at it, but those of us who recognize the early draw to the upcoming holidays revel in these days when we start readying for and looking ahead to the Christmas season—despite the awful heat.

Stores take advantage of “Christmas in July” by touting sales, but what we early birds revel in is not the bargain found. It is the thought that soon, relatively soon, less than six months away, Christmas will come again. The season of joy

Celebration!

July 14th is the third anniversary of the first book’s release in the Shadow Journey series. The Shadows We Make made its debut on that day. I can’t believe it’s been three years since this journey (no pun intended) began!

Since then, The Thrice-Gifted Child, The Sleeping Myth, and the fourth and final book, In Darkness We Break have been released. This YA series–although not only for the teen audience, which many can attest to–has been a source of excitement and joy for me. I LOVE these characters in ways I’ve never fallen for any of my characters in the past.

Many people have asked if there will be more books in the series. I’ve talked about doing a collection of back stories, but I’ve delayed, because honestly, I think they need a whole new quest in their lives.

Not right now, though. I have several other books I am working on. But I am, indeed, teetering on the edge of a return to the strange, alien world with ties to our own in which the Shadow Journey series is set. It’s calling me more strongly than I would ever have expected.

However, I’ve gotten off topic. I was talking about an anniversary celebration. There is, of course, another anniversary in the near future. The anniversary of the last book’s release. But that’s a discussion for another day. As far as this one, the covers for all the e-books in the series have been remade with illustrations by a talented young illustrator named Hampton Lamoureux. So, I am sharing them here with you all. The more I look at them, the more I think they are FABULOUS! 🙂

And if this post has inspired you to read the series, please let me know what you think of it! You can also find out more at my Jo Allen Ash website (joallenash.com).

Christmas thoughts in May

Anyone who’s read less than half my blogs will still recognize how much I love the Christmas holidays. It’s May now. May 22nd, to be exact, and the temperature at 12:06 is still 49 degrees. I’m debating with myself as my fingers grow chill and I put tights on under my sweats, whether I should turn the heat back on. It is in the low 60s here in the house and the temperatures aren’t going to get any better outside over the next several days. And it’s raining. Did I mention that?

I’m thinking I wouldn’t be too off-base saying it’s darned chilly. In the meantime, my darling cousin Pattie is lounging outside in shorts and a tee shirt expecting a high of 91 (in Georgia, before you get too excited).

Fun news

On Thursday, June 5, 2025, 5:30 to 7:00, I will proudly be one of the many authors attending the Local Author Reception at The End: a bookstore at The End: a Bookstore (3055 W. Tilghman Street, Allentown PA). This is a unique opportunity to meet with local authors, not behind a table, but mingling with the readers who come seeking new books to read. It should be loads of fun, as there are quite a few authors who write on a variety of topics attending.

My Christmas-themed book, I Knew in a Moment, (light romance, heavier on family dynamics, friendship, Christmas) will also be for sale at the store that evening for me to sign for you or as a gift for someone. Since the book is part of the Connor Falls Christmas series, you can save it to savor during the holidays or give it to a friend as a special gift. Better still, enjoy the book yourself in the heat of summer! As you all know, I love Christmas-y things any time of the year!

Some additional news: I’ve started a Connor Falls Christmas website (which is more active as books comes out and, of course, closer to the holiday season). You can check it out at Connor Falls Christmas.com

Thought for the Day

Oh, yes! (Thanks for the affirmation, whoever posted this on FB.)

Pirates and Thieves

We, as writers, have it tough enough. Depending on the writing we do, we work for hours, days, even years to bring to light a single article, screenplay, book. Only to have them stolen by piracy sites like LibGen and others. And now of course, Mark Zuckerberg (for Meta), is the most recent subject of a class action suit regarding the theft of authors’ hard work, for the purposes of training Artificial Intelligence.

In essence, the pirated work has infringed on copyright and taken money directly from our pockets, and will continue to do so, because as you will see in the articles below (links attached), despite court rulings and settlements, not a cent is being received from the criminals. Please read these articles, share them, search for others—because they abound.

A Tisket, a Tasket, a…

Not a green and yellow basket (although you might find one in a thrift store), but many basket ideas! I’ve been, as usual, behind on my posting, but I came across this great article and thought I’d share it 🙂 (use the embedded link beneath the photo below).

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/home-and-garden/14-creative-ways-to-repurpose-thrifted-baskets-around-your-garden-and-yard/ar-AA1AVeB9?ocid=socialshare&pc=HCTS&cvid=d35b72f28ee14f3ea059879eff566e5e&ei=36

Listen to the Quiet

This is worth a watch. It is a beautiful, touching, heartrending reminder of what we stand to lose if we don’t wake up and accept the responsibility of stewardship, of caring, of realizing we are not the only ones in this world who matter.