Guest Post: Watching My Husband Read My Book by Elizabeth Pantley

Can Hayden and sidekick, Latifa unscramble this mystery before someone else turns up dead? — The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic Series by #ElizabethPantley
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Watching My Husband Read My Book

For the past twenty years I’ve written parenting books as we raised our four children. My husband rarely read my books because he lived them. I’d pop in when the youngest was dawdling when getting ready for bed and suggest that Daddy offer him a choice, “What do you want to do first, put on your PJs or brush your teeth?” A few minutes later I’d hear the sounds of teeth-brushing in the bathroom. The many ideas in my parenting book series made their way into our home on a daily basis, so Dad didn’t have to read the actual books to know the material.

This time around it’s very, very different. I’m writing paranormal cozy mysteries, so the only way to know them is to read them. And so, my husband of over-thirty years asked to read my first fiction manuscript. Now, this is a pretty big deal. He doesn’t read this kind of book. Not even close. Business books, biographies, and science fiction are his choice. He never even knew what a cozy mystery was!

So, on that eventful day I made him a cup of tea and handed him a printed copy of my book. Then I sat on the sofa across from him and opened my laptop to work, so I could allow him the privacy to read.

Only I didn’t really work. I opened my manuscript on my computer and tried to read along to see what he was reading. Would he laugh at the funny parts? Would he gasp at the surprises? Would he be interested enough to keep reading page after page?

The first time he laughed out loud my heart burst with joy. He really laughed! It’s funny! Oh, joy! Then I casually walked past him and glanced at the pages to see what part made him laugh.

Night after night he read the pages and I stealthily followed along as best I could, hiding behind my computer so I wouldn’t be so obvious. Though by now I suspect he knew darn well what I was doing. That didn’t seem to stop his enjoyment. He laughed, he gasped, he cheered. Watching someone you love read your labor of love and find it worthwhile was a new and glorious experience.

I’m happy to report that my business-biography-sci-fi-fan husband absolutely loved my book. He proclaimed himself a fan and gave me the burst of confidence I needed as I launched into this new world of fiction. I can’t wait to watch him read the next one.

I am so excited to go back to Destiny Falls.

Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic tells the story of Hayden, a young woman who has been transported to a magical dimension to find that she has a family she never knew and a destiny she never dreamed of. While ostensibly these are cozy mysteries, the true story is Hayden’s missing mother. She left Hayden with her grandmothers not long after she was born, but as we have learned through the books of this series, that is not entirely accurate.

Here in book 3, The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales, Hayden along with her siblings investigate information that could finally lead her to her mom. Though, it comes with the admonition not to trust anyone.

While Hayden and feline bestie Latifa investigate a new death on the island while trying to find out more about the mysterious letter from Emily, a ghost with a penchant for storytelling brings Hayden to his world. She must decide whether his stories are for fun or more historical in nature, and what do they have to do with her investigations.

As I said, it is so great to be back. The great recurring characters of Hayden’s family, the local townspeople, and of course the wonderful animals of Destiny Falls, which in itself is a magical wonderful place, pick the story up right where the last book left, without a moment’s pause in the action. Romance takes a step up and Latifa and her extended cat family prove why cats will someday rule the world. We finally get to learn secrets, but then there are always more questions than answers, so of course I can’t wait for the next installment.

I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

If this series is new to you, immerse yourself in the world of Destiny Falls with an interview, excerpts, and guest posts by author Elizabeth Pantley.

Falling in Magic, Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic, 1
Inspiration from the Best Family BBQ I ever Attended by Elizabeth Pantley

The Disappearance of Emily, Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic, 2
The Beauty of Sisterhood by Elizabeth Pantley
A Conversation with Elizabeth Pantley

A ghost, a witch, a sassy cat, and a mystery. Hayden’s adventures in Destiny Falls continue when a mysterious old man keeps popping up to tell her a series of tall tales. Who is he? And is he actually glowing? Are his stories fiction, or is he telling her the history of her family, the enchanted islands, and the witch? And why did a dead body show up . . . of someone who is already dead? Can Hayden and her brave, quirky sidekick, Latifa unscramble this mystery before someone else turns up dead?

Purchase Link Amazon

Elizabeth Pantley is the international bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and eight other books in the No-Cry Solution series of books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She is also the author of the well-received magical cozy mystery series, The Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic books. She lives in the Pacific Northwest.