Authors' Secrets Blog Archives

Oct 25th Spooktacular Tips for Pet Halloween Safety

Since I’m a big animal person, I’ve complied a few Spooktacular Halloween Safety Tips for Pets on Halloween.

It’s almost time for another spooktacular sequel in the annual Halloween tradition. A holiday beloved in countries around the world, appealing to people looking for fun and thrills– But for their pets…not so much! Halloween festivities can be stressful to say the least and downright hazardous at times. A few tips to keep everyone safe and enjoying the holiday!

Treats – Chocolate is poisonous to cats, dogs and parrots. The darker it is the more toxic it is. One ounce of dark chocolate can poison a 50-pound dog. Keep these treats out of your pets’ reach. Make sure everyone in your household understands, especially children, how crucial it is that no human treats are given to pets.
Alarming sounds and sights – The constant doorbell, ringing, unfamiliar guest and little monsters running around is a recipe for disaster for your pets. They could try to escape or display unexpected aggression. Keep your pet sequestered in a section of the home where they can avoid this anxiety-causing activities. Provide food, favorite toys and check on them often.
Don’t leave pets outside! Pets have been known to be abused or killed on Halloween night by cruel people. I owned a black cat, Panther, for twenty-two years, he was the best cat ever. But we made sure to keep him inside several days before Halloween and several days after. Yep he was not pleased!
Never take your dog trick or treating for all of the above reasons. Dogs can easily be spooked by all the Halloween hubbub. If they run away or bite someone it will end your evening of fun.
Dangerous Decorations – Electrical cords and batteries used to operate the exciting Halloween decorations can be hazardous to your pets. Chewing on cords can cause electrocution, chewing on batteries can cause chemical burns, if swallowed can cause intestinal blockage. Artificial cobwebs look cool as heck, but they can also present a choking or entanglement hazard to curious pets
1. Nightmarish Pet Costumes – Most pets are happiest in the skin they were born in. LOL Yet pet owners will dress their fur, scaled, or feathered babies up for Halloween. Don’t put your pet in a costume unless they are completely comfortable with it. I admit I dress up my dog and parrot for Halloween. I choose costumes they’re comfortable in, do not hinder movement, sight, hearing or ability to breathe, bark, scream, or meow.
One last thought – Opening the door repeatedly for trick-or-treaters creates the possibility of pets to slip outside. Collars and tags work if someone locates and collects your wayward pet. Make sure the information on the tags is up-to-date. Microchips offer permanent identification. Just make sure your information is correct with the company who supports your pet microchips.

Now it’s time for a Halloween themed book from my collection. You do know I write paranormal romance/mystery. Right? This week, we are talking about Demons and witches! What’s Halloween without witches, spells, demons, curses and things that go bump in the night? A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance is this weeks feature. So hurry grab your copy and join the #fantasy #adventure! You won’t believe the battle between good and evil.

A little about A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance – Not what you’ve come to expect from a Vampire Tale! Join Stefan and Brandy on an exciting Romantic Fantasy that begins in Glacier National Park, winds through Australia. Will they make it to Ireland in time?

Stefan is a Native American vampire, former assassin for the Vampire Council. In a twist of fate, he now DJ’s the midnight shift for a small radio station in Whitefish, Montana, on the edge of Glacier National Park where his secret is safe until…

Born in Ireland, Brandy now works as a park ranger and trail guide in the park. During a full moon, Stefan and Brandy’s paths cross in a near physical collision on a trail. Their attraction is immediate and undeniable, almost as if fate demanded it.

Their union was foretold long ago in Irish folk tales where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries must work together for the good of man and magic kind. Is a trip to Ireland the key to unraveling secrets and returning the magic?

A sneak peek between the pages of A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance!

Jumping down from the boulder, he landed silently on the balls of his feet and took off at a dead run, too fast for the human eye to detect. Tonight, his run covered several trails as the full moon rose over the mountain tops. Croaking frogs settled at the edge of a pristine mountain lake while an owl screeched overhead, winging its way through the night sky. This tranquil existence was very different from his previous life. Nevertheless, the premonitions that kept him alive as an assassin made him feel that things were about to change.

It was nearly midnight when he cut across the Sun Road to another trailhead, so intent on his goal that he nearly collided with an attractive young woman. He skidded to a stop, spraying gravel, rocks, and small twigs down the road in front of him. A pinecone dislodged and bounced along the road past her. Tall and slender, she had miles of fiery-red hair that hung down her back in a cascade of curls. Intense emerald eyes stared back at him as he attempted to regain his composure, not to mention balance. What the hell was she doing here at this time of night?

“Whoa.” She stepped lightly to the side to avoid the flying debris. “You really should watch where you’re going, especially at that speed.” Her voice scolded, but the smile on her lips teased. “Someone could get hurt.”

Available at Amazon Amazon UK , Amazon AU, itunes, The Wild Rose Press, Walmart.com and Barnes & Noble.

Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Demon's Witch, costumes, ghosts, Halloween, masks, Pets, Safety tips for pets by Tena Stetler with no comments yet.

May 11th Where Have I been?

First of all, I want to apologize to everyone for just kinda disappearing. After my husband’s retirement and our wonderful trip of a lifetime, I returned home, and terrible things began to happen. This is not a poor-me post; this is a life-happens post, and you have to live with it.

First our companion dog of 13 years became really sick. She could no longer walk, had to be carried everywhere, even outside to go potty and upstairs to go to bed.. She’s a 50 lb chow chow so none of that was easy. Eventually, she was in so much pain we had to let her go on October 6, 2025. A terrible day.

Then we discovered that my husband had to have four major surgeries. September, November of 2025, then April 2, 2026. One surgery is still pending. Hoping to put it off till 2027. This is a man who was rarely sick for most of his life and never complains. He is my rock and knight in shinning armor.

A bright light in our lives happened December 14, 2025, A new chow chow puppy entered our life. She is an unbelievable puppy, no house breaking problems, rarely chews on anything she shouldn’t, learned her commands, sit, stay, down, stand, come, and place very quickly. She is now just over 7 months old and much bigger than the picture.

Then disaster struck again. On April 29, 2026, our 28 year old companion parrot had a seizure. We did everything we could to save her. Rushed her to the vet. He tried life-saving procedures for three hours. She passed in our arms. The shock and hurt is still terrible. She was integrated into every aspect of our lives and travels. From keeping my husband company when he shaved, to playing backgammon in the evenings and of course our many RV trips. I realize she had a good life, but still doesn’t help. We are just lost without her.

All these things have affected my ability to write and do promo. I promise that soon, I will complete the book that’s been waiting for over a year, and the other two in the pipeline.

For the first time in over a year, I will be making a public appearance at the Pikes Peak Public Library Mountain Of Authors. Colorado Springs, CO on May 16, 2026, from noon to 5:00 p.m. I hope you’ll come see me! I’ll have all my books with me for sale.

Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged family tragedies, pet loss, PPLD Mountain of Authors, Writers by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.

Oct 17th Lost in His Spiderwebs

This week I have a treat for you. Give a big welcome to Amber Daulton. She has a new release, Lost in His Spiderwebs, book 2 of The Lozano Cartel Series. All books can be read as a standalone.

Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got lemonade, iced tea (various flavors), and soda. Choose your poison, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Let’s see what Lost in His Spiderwebs is all about. Thanks for joining us!

Amber, tell us about your new release.

Kidnapped by the enemy. Bought by the jefe. Will his smoldering touch thaw her frozen heart?
Rubén Lozano, the new leader of the Lozano Cartel, craves peace amidst a legacy of bloodshed and death. He never expected to find his ex-lover, Drina Cabrera, in the clutches of his vicious rivals. Her haunted eyes compel him to rescue her, but freeing her is another matter.
After five months of captivity, Drina trades one captor for another. Though she succumbs to Rubén’s masterful touch, the bittersweet memory of her daughter and the life she was stolen from is a constant wedge between them.
When Rubén’s darkest secret comes out, he will have to wash his hands in crimson. Will Drina let her king face the danger alone, or stand at his side as his cartel queen?

How about a sneak peek between the pages of Lost in His Spiderwebs?

(Background Info on Scene: Rubén is hosting a fundraising gala at his home. He’s waiting for Drina to appear, who’s running late.)

Rubén’s words cut off as Manuel whistled. Drina stepped into the room with a confident, fluid grace that masked the uneasiness and tension narrowing her eyes—but he saw it. Her soul was his to bear free.

The chatter dimmed. Heads turned her way.

Dios mío. He couldn’t blame the men for ogling. Her emerald-green satin gown clung to her curves and pushed up her generous cleavage past the heart-shaped neckline. The cap sleeves flared out with sharp, stiff, brocaded wingtips that only a powerful woman could pull off. She did it in spades. From her diamond earrings and black velvet choker to her hair pinned up on one side with jeweled clips and flowing loose on the other, she was sex incarnate. A goddess. Male pride surged right to his core.

Drina strode toward him without gifting her admirers a glance. “I’m sorry I’m late.” She shifted her gaze from Rubén to Enrique and back again. “I had the hardest time deciding if I should wear this. Is it too much?” She slid her hands down the bodice of her gown.

As Enrique laughed, Rubén choked and swallowed hard to find his voice. “No, no. It’s perfect. You look like a queen.” My queen. “The only thing missing is your crown.”

“Thank you for the jewelry. I didn’t see the box until I sat at the vanity to do my makeup.” She fingered her teardrop diamond necklace, then patted her blemished cheek. Foundation and rouge smoothed out the pinkish-brown discoloration. “My scar isn’t fully covered. You’re welcome.”

Sassy woman. What he wouldn’t do to take her upstairs, bury himself between her thighs, and banish his regret for hurting her days earlier? Patience—he needed patience. Once she healed, he would treasure her body so thoroughly he’d wipe their last encounter from her mind.

“Incoming,” Enrique murmured as Manuel, Gerardo, Ferrer, and the others drew near.

Rubén placed his hand on the small of Drina’s back. “Gentlemen, this is Drina Cabrera.” As he rattled off the men’s names and designations, he glared at each of them, silently warning them to behave.

The board members bobbed their heads in greeting, respectful as always.

Gerardo’s gaze dipped to her chest before he jerked it back to her face.

Manuel openly gawked at her and flashed Rubén a lewd grin. “You lucky bastard. How did you get this beauty on your arm?”

“Remember who you’re talking to,” Rubén bit out.

The man’s smile faltered. He grabbed a flute from a waiter’s tray and gulped it down.

Rubén snatched one for Drina and handed it over. “Excuse us while we make our rounds,” he said to the group. Clasping Drina’s arm, he guided her around pockets of his guests to the foyer. “You’re doing well,” he whispered to her. “Keep your head up and back straight. Before the night is over, everyone will know I’ve taken a new woman.”

She pursed her red lips. “Wonderful. What number am I in this long line of mistresses and whores?”

“Third.” He rounded on her and backed her gently against the side of the staircase. “After Ramona and Fay. You’re special, Drina. Everyone will see that.”

Her throat bobbed, the diamond teardrop swaying. “I see. That’s all right, then.”

About the author:

Amber Daulton is the author of numerous romantic-suspense series and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

Social Media Links

Universal link – https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton

Exclusive Newsletter (free ebook to new subscribers) – https://amberdaulton.com/newsletter-signup/

Thank so much for stopping by I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek a Amber’s newest release, Lost in His Spiderwebs.
Check back often for new releases or Sunday Snippets!

Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Amber Daulton, Dark Captivity, Lost in His Spiderwebs, Lozano Cartel, Second Chance Romance by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.

Oct 14th Halloween Hauntings Cripple Creek – Part One

Cripple Creek Mining District of Colorado is extremely rich in history and it is also touted to be one of the Most Haunted Places in the United States.
On Highway 67, at the base of Pike’s Peak, southwest of Colorado Springs, Cripple Creek sits at an elevation of 9,500 feet. There are mine shafts, head frames, miner’s cabins long abandoned tumbling down. A lonely stone fireplace may be all that’s left of a miners home. Standing among the rubble might cause the hair on the back of your neck to stand on end. A brief visit to one of the abandoned cabins still standing, gives you a window into what it was like back in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. Can you imagine a more inviting place for ghost to spend Halloween?

Cripple Creek, Colorado was the land of opportunity beckoning men from across land and sea to claim their fortune in the gold fields. Most of the men came from the east where they were farmers and had little knowledge of gold mining. Pikes Peak or Bust was their battle cry, it was painted on covered wagons and carts. But the Rocky Mountains didn’t give up its gold easily, buried deep in the mountain, it was fifty years after the first wave of gold fever hit that the mountain gave up its gold.

Many prospectors lost everything they had, some even their lives in the pursuit of gold. With the tales of fires, (Cripple Creek burned to the ground in 1896) floods, mining accidents, general lawlessness in the beginning then bloody battles between mine owners and labor unions, it’s no wonder stories abound of ghosts haunting this historic town that once boasted one murder a day.

Hotel St. Nicolas

So let’s take a closer look at those ghosts. First up, The Hotel St. Nicholas boasts a colorful history. Today its spectacular view of Cripple Creek, 15 guest rooms, furnished with elegance of a bygone era and one restored historic miner’s cottage still includes tales of the supernatural and unexplained. Originally built as a hospital that served the flood victims in the region in the late nineteenth century, it also served as a home for the Sisters of Mercy. As time went on, the hospital served prospectors and their families and then expanded adding a ward for the mentally ill. The hospital closed in the 1970’s. St. Nicholas is rumored to be haunted by several spirits including children, former patients of the mental ward, nuns and an old cantankerous miner. For more information see Hotel St. Nicholas.

** Next Tuesday, we’ll take a look at more Halloween hauntings in Cripple Creek including the Imperial Hotel where I once attended a theater production of Dracula during the week of Halloween. That was a hair-raising experience I can’t wait to share with you. Until then Happy Haunting! Bawahahaha

Speaking of Haunting, how about a peek at A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance:

Stefan is a Native American vampire, former assassin for the Vampire Council. In a twist of fate, he now DJ’s the midnight shift for a small radio station in Whitefish, Montana, on the edge of Glacier National Park where his secret is safe until…

Born in Ireland, Brandy now works as a park ranger and trail guide in the park. During a full moon, Stefan and Brandy’s paths cross in a near physical collision on a trail. Their attraction is immediate and undeniable, almost as if fate demanded it.

Their union was foretold long ago in Irish folk tales where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries must work together for the good of man and magic kind. Is a trip to Ireland the key to unravelling secrets and returning the magic?

Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Cripple Creek, ghosts, Halloween Hauntings, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Tena Stetler, Witches by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.