Laurel McHargue — Author/Podcaster/Public Speaker

Category: Books

Laurel McHargue’s books and publications, fiction and nonfiction, fantasy, adventure, Grim Tales, poetry, scifi, short stories and more!

Kathleen Kaska Knows Sherlock Holmes!
Award-winning author Kathleen Kaska entertains me with Sherlock Holmes trivia and updates on several other works in progress!

Audio-only version of my visit with Kathleen Kaska!

Show Notes with Links:
- Kathleen Kaska returns for an interview about her latest release: The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book
- She talks about her life as a multi-genre author
- Here’s a link to our visit from February 2019 when we discussed her awesome book A Two Horse Town: https://youtu.be/wkqtbNjBDcM
- She has three books of “triviography” on her favorite authors and characters: Agatha Christie, Alfred Hitchcock, and Sherlock Holmes (the character!)
- Kathleen discusses her research methods and her biggest challenge
- She discusses what makes Sherlock Holmes seem so “real,” and the idea that his character is portrayed with an imbalance between logic and emotion
- The many “Hollywood Holmes” characters and her favorite
- We discuss fascinating facts about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and what he has in common with Kathleen
- Kathleen talks about animal rights activism and the remarkable book she wrote about “The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane,” and I tell her about my ducks
- She gives shout-outs tells us about several books currently in progress and the Sherlock Holmes society she established ten years ago
The author with her latest release

Discover more about author Kathleen Kaska, follow her, and order her books here:
Cheers to you, author Kathleen Kaska! Brava!!!

Meanwhile, I’m working on a new science fiction series! (Photo Credit: Elise Sunday)

Find my other work here!
- Laurel’s Amazon Author page
- https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
- https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
- https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
- https://soundcloud.com/laurelmchargue (my podcast)
- @laureltheduckwrangler on TikTok
Please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!

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Laurel
February 19, 2021
A Waterwight Christmas: Beyond Book III
A new take on a story old as time!

I hope you might listen to this special Christmas story!

With Christmas Eve just a week and a day away, I decided to listen to the story I wrote a year ago about what Christmas day might be like in the aftermath of events in my Waterwight trilogy. It was a fun way to bring back favorite characters from the series . . . and I discovered that I missed them! Spoiler alert–if you listen, you will discover some plot details.

To prevent spoilers, you may want to read the series first! It’s available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions, and Book I is available in audiobook with narrator Sandra Murphy.

We’ve almost made it to 2021. Hang in there, my friends.

I’m working on a new science fiction series! (Photo Credit: Elise Sunday)

Find my other work here!
- Laurel’s Amazon Author page
- https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
- https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
- https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
- https://soundcloud.com/laurelmchargue (my podcast)
- @laureltheduckwrangler on TikTok
Please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!
December 16, 2020
Do You TikTok Too?
I may have lost my mind!

https://www.tiktok.com/@laureltheduckwrangler/video/6904647712608767238?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6904717374089758213&is_from_webapp=1
Yup. I’ve gone and done it.

Don’t judge me! Or do. It’s all okay. As this most insane year comes to an end, my goal is to find something beautiful and something to make me laugh every day. If I can make you laugh . . . or smile . . . too, then what I’ve done was worth doing!

Enjoy my duck wrangling adventures. I even talk about them in my latest book collaboration Peace by Piece: 10 Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle!

Peace by Piece: 10 Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle!

“Pair it” with a real jigsaw puzzle for a holiday gift this year! It’s filled with humor and life lessons and puzzle lore and, you know it, ducks!

We’ve almost made it to 2021. Hang in there, my friends.

Hope you all have a “5-egg day” today!

Find my other work here!
- Laurel’s Amazon Author page
- https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
- https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
- https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
- https://soundcloud.com/laurelmchargue (my podcast)
- @laureltheduckwrangler on TikTok
Please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!
December 10, 2020
Read a Book!
or two or three or . . .

Author Laurel McHargue is working on a new science fiction series!
(Photo Credit: Elise Sunday)

Check out the many multi-genre offerings from award-winning author Laurel McHargue HERE!

If you enjoy an author’s work, would you let them know by taking a few minutes to leave a review? Positive reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are important…and so very appreciated…by indie authors (like me)! Thank you!

In honor of those looking for a quick, fun, unique “escape” this holiday season, co-authors Laurel McHargue and Nadine Collier are offering their book Peace by Piece: 10 Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle! as a free Kindle download from November 25 through November 29. They hope you will enjoy this jigsaw-inspired self-help book and will find humor and helpful suggestions for ways to cope with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (If you enjoy this free gift, please share with a friend and post a quick review on Amazon!)

Peace by Piece: 10 Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle! (available SOON in audiobook!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Find my other work here!
Please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!
November 25, 2020
All Out of Fudge
… is what my husband heard!

Elk Hunting in Colorado, 2020

Here’s what really happened!

Show Notes with Links
- Listen to my episode to hear how a misunderstanding led to hilarity during this year’s unsuccessful hunting season!
- For more stories about the magnificence of the Colorado outdoors and the struggles I’ve endured while hunting with my husband, check out my book Hunt for Red Meat (love stories)!
- This piece is published in the November issue of Colorado Central Magazine! You should subscribe!
Hunting the wily elk with my tireless husband!

NO TOUCHING!

Find my other work here!
Please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!
November 18, 2020
“Peace by Piece: 10 Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle!”
Fun lessons about life in an age of pandemic

The 2,000-piece “monster” I talk about in the book! So many memorable lessons!

Mark Lumb hosts this interview with Nadine and me about our new book! FUN!

Show Notes with Links:
- Mark Lumb, creator of the Jigsaw Chill Zone Facebook page and YouTube channel, interviewed Nadine and me about our entertaining new book Peace by Piece: 10 Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle! Please follow Mark and share his links with anyone you know who enjoys puzzling. Mark’s YouTube channel showcases time-lapse photography of puzzle completions set to original music…very peaceful!
- You may pre-order the Kindle version now, and the paperback version on September 7th! Our book is entertaining and informative with lessons about: patience and persistence, time, walking away, the sum of our parts, the little things, asking for help, focusing, seeking a different perspective, looking below the surface, and celebrating!
- You’ll discover far more than 10 lessons in this relatable book!
- You do NOT have to be a puzzler to enjoy our book!
- Here’s the puzzle you see above: Coastal Escape
- Please share with friends who enjoy self-help books and those who might benefit from some humor in this time of uncertainty!
NO TOUCHING!

Find my other work here!
Please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!
September 3, 2020
Peace by Piece:
10 Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle!

Nadine Collier, book co-author, and her daughter, Sarah Collier, our cover designer!

My Michigan best friend and her daughter, Sarah, spent the past week with me finalizing our new book: Peace by Piece: 10 Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle!

We hope you will enjoy this “lite” life lessons book! It’s based on my experience completing my very first monster jigsaw puzzle, and every chapter ends with reflections from Nadine based on her years of experience as a licensed professional counselor! There’s something for everyone in this book, and you don’t need to be a puzzler to enjoy it!

Pre-order the e-version today! Both e-version and paperback will be available by Labor Day, so stay tuned for updates!

This is the puzzle that started the discussion about writing a book! It’s a CEACO brand 2,000-piece monster called “Coastal Escape,” and it proved to be a worthy challenge!

NO TOUCHING!

If you enjoy my podcast episodes, you might enjoy my books!
- Laurel’s Amazon Author page
- https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
- https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
- https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
- Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music
If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!
August 20, 2020
In Flight!
Wish I had wings!

My ducks have discovered their wings!

Listen to my latest COVID and Khaki Campbell Duck update!

The girls are still working on sticking their landings!

NO TOUCHING!

If you enjoy my podcast episodes, you might enjoy my books!
- Laurel’s Amazon Author page
- https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
- https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
- https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
- Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music
If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!
July 30, 2020
“Choices”
— a new microfiction story for my next DARK EBB: GRIM TALES collection!

Faced with an unbearable situation, a daughter must make a decision.
- This is a 100-word (microfiction) short story! Please let me know what you think.
- Find other short stories of horror, intrigue, aliens, and bizarre elements in my book DARK EBB: GRIM TALES
- I’d love it if you’d leave a short review! Please let other readers know what you liked!
NO TOUCHING!

If you enjoy my podcast episodes, you might enjoy my books!
- Laurel’s Amazon Author page
- https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
- https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
- https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
- Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music
If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!
June 21, 2020
Meet Adam Ross!
A Positive Man Doing Great Things for his Community!

Author, entrepreneur, Star Wars fan, coffee lover Adam Ross!

Visit with us on YouTube!

“Just audio” here!

Show Notes with Links
We agree on some favorite TV shows!

Adam Ross agreed to be my first COVID-19 interviewee!
We discuss coffee–and different strokes for different folks!
Adam’s online shop: RosscoLorenzo
Adam’s entrepreneurial venture, including event planning for authors: RL Productions
We discuss the importance of having a positive attitude, particularly during troubling times
We talk about how many unique ideas exist in the universe and how every…single…person has their own voice!
We talk about NaNoWriMo and other motivational writing platforms
What has been Adam’s most difficult transition during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Lots of shout-outs to local business owners in Parker, CO who have helped him get established, and laugh about the hair dresser (because, well, as you can see in his profile photo…!) Specifically, Lynne Hurlburt of Parker Hair Xpress and Susan Bertolicchi of Kilwin’s Parker
I ask how his job as a paper salesman at Dunder Mifflin has interfered with his day job!
Find Adam across social media platforms by searching on RosscoLorenzo!
NO TOUCHING!

If you enjoy my podcast episodes, you might enjoy my books!
- Laurel’s Amazon Author page
- https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
- https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
- https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
- Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music
If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!
May 29, 2020