I’m doing a book tour! 🎉 Completely online, and only the third time I’ve ever done this.
The tour is organized by Maia of Silver Dagger, who goes above and beyond to showcase books, supporting not only the authors but also the book bloggers who participate. The packet of materials that Maia sends to the hosts is vast! She provides custom graphics (examples shown here), plus docs and html code — all designed for ease-of-use by the bloggers who host the tour. It’s quite the impressive operation! 😍
Tour Schedule & Giveaway
Click here for the schedule, and follow the tour as it runs almost daily from April 10 through May 10, 2026. To enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the book (U.S. only) or a $20 gift card, click here and scroll down below the schedule to find the giveaway form.
Pulling this kind of thing together and keeping up with all of the moving parts take real organizational skills. I’m grateful to the amazingly energetic and efficient Maia, who puts in long hours to support authors and champion reading, in all genres. Thanks, Maia!
A big thank-you, also, to every host who signed up to participate in the tour. 42 of you! 💙 🎉 And to every reader and book lover who has posted a comment about my new book, Adverse Reactions: A Novel of the Paranormal, I’m so grateful for your support! If you could share a review of the book, at any bookseller’s site or on Goodreads, you’ll have my eternal thanks. 💙
Authors, have you added A+ Content to your book pages at Amazon?
When Amazon first introduced that feature, I didn’t do it because I thought it made my book pages look junky. But recently I read a newsletter article, The Amazon A10 Update: 3 Things Every Indie Author Needs to Know, by Ferol Vernon at Written Word Media. Among the topics discussed, “Why A+ content and dwell time are suddenly critical ranking factors” caught my attention.
To quote from the raw transcript of the podcast (with some editorial cleanup for readability):
A-plus content is becoming more important because Amazon is wanting their readers or their consumers on the platform to dwell on a page longer. So this metric of dwell time, how long does somebody actually spend on a page, being engaged by the page? That is more important now.
A-plus content is a really great tool for you to be able to do that because if you don’t have it, somebody looks at the description, they scroll to the reviews … maybe they’re on the page for five seconds. If you’ve got the A-plus content, there’s more to read. You maybe extend that dwell time by two or four times as long.
Long is cool again, right? So short and snappy used to be what we would recommend for that description. And that still applies to some extent, but for this A-plus content, [you want] long. Lots of content, lots of images, lots of things that hit on the book’s themes, protagonist, and characters, to keep the reader or potential reader scrolling and dwelling. The dwell time and the scroll time are going to help your book.
Long, eh, Ferol? I like long. 😃
Enthused, I went to KDP and clicked on the Marketing tab, and then on “Manage A+ Content.” My enthusiasm grew when I saw all of the new layouts (what Amazon calls “modules”). Many of the new templates are well suited to my books and to my temperament. I chose three different modules to present A-plus content on my book pages. In them, I included review excerpts along with cover images and brief descriptions. Below are screenshots of each module. (In real life, the A-plus content looks sharper on the actual book pages at Amazon. These screenshots are a tad fuzzy. Clicking on each image will take you to the actual book page, where you can scroll down to see what shoppers see.)
Adverse Reactions: A Novel of the Paranormal
The Original Waterspell Quartet
The Waterspell Linked Sequels
Showcasing a Series
I seldom find any reason to praise Amazon, but I do like the new modules that authors can customize for our books’ A-Plus Content. The ability to assign multiple ASINs to each module is extremely valuable for showcasing a series. The four-book image, WATERSPELL Fantasy Series, shows up on each of those four individual book pages and also on the related page for the boxed set. The two-book image shows up on The Karenina Chronicles page and again on The Fires of Farsinchia page. Grouping the books in this way gives the reader a visual summary of the quartet (which is really one long story told in four volumes), and then the two-book image ties together the linked sequels that tell of Nina’s homecoming and her further adventures.
I don’t know whether this new A-plus content will make the books more visible at Amazon, or affect their ratings, but I like how the modules look on the individual book pages. Over time, I may further refine the content. As a product of a couple hours’ work, however, these three modules present my books in a way that satisfactorily makes the connections among them more obvious to the casual book-shopper. That’s a plus, indeed.
When you’re stretched a little too thin, this is the sort of thing that happens. The president of an organization in which I’m active asked if I would update the design for a billboard that our group intends to display in October. In October! That’s so far in the future, it’s barely on my calendar. When I got her message, I sort of lost it, and I texted her back in a tone that was about as snappish as I’m able to be with such a good friend as she is. I wrote:
Yes, I’ll update the billboard design, but later. My March priorities:
😊 Support the March 18 launch of my new book. Social media, blogging, creating “Buy” links to the various retailers for both editions, ebook and paperback … the to-do list is long. 😵 Shepherd a $300 box of the paperbacks through UPS so the driver doesn’t leave the box sitting on the country lane outside my gate, in the rain this week. 😍 Wish for a friend to organize a book-launch party for me, maybe after the County Convention on March 21. I should have books in hand by then, and will be ready to sell and autograph them. $15 each, and each comes with a lovely print of a professionally drawn map of the book’s setting. (They retail for $18. For everybody who gives me $18, I’ll donate $3 to the scholarship fund.) Know anybody who might organize a book-launch party for me? 😉 🙏 Recruit more Safety & Security volunteers for our local No Kings protest on March 28. We have a Safety Lead plus ONE de-escalator. We need more people with the ability to stay calm and collected around MAGA hecklers. Know anybody with calmer-downer skills? ClearChannel won’t need the new billboard design until September. We have all summer on it. Let me survive March before I give it any more time or attention. 🙏
One Step at a Time
Happily, my friend was not offended by my somewhat snappish, whiny response. 😊 And after a good night’s sleep, I can tackle my to-do list in a calmer, more methodical manner. One step at a time.
Social Media: For me, that’s pretty much Facebook and Instagram, where I’m constantly stymied by the algorithms. If my post mentions “pre-order” or “where to buy” or “available wherever books are sold,” the algorithms cut the audience to nothing. I’m sure I should be more active on Goodreads and BookBub, but neither of those stir my interest. I tend to forget about my Amazon Author page, and I’m not convinced that many readers ever look at it. Any and all advice is welcome — let me hear from you if you’ve solved the puzzle of social media.
Blogging: That’s this, my scattershot blog which serves more as an online diary, a collection of random thoughts that are of limited interest to anyone except me, I fear. But I keep on, because some people do find and appreciate my annual reports about the effectiveness of book-promo sites. Those summaries are my small contribution to the writing community.
“Buy” Links: For my new book, those may be found at Books2Read.com/AdverseReactions. The ebook edition is currently available at 10 retailers. The paperback is available from Bookshop, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
My $300 Box of Books: It’s on the way! UPS tells me it’s on the truck for delivery today. And though the sky is heavily overcast, the soaking rain from last night has stopped. A cold front is due through by midday, which will clear away the clouds but bring gusty winds. If my luck continues to hold, I’ll have the box of books inside and safely dry before the front arrives. 🙏
UPDATE ON THE BOX: The Universe continues to smile on my latest endeavor! 💫 My big box of author’s copies and pre-orders arrived this morning AFTER the rain had stopped and BEFORE the cold front comes to blow us off our feet this afternoon. 🎉 That perfect timing, combined with the snakeskin which was earlier shed in my garage (a hat-tip to my male-main-character’s hatband), makes me think the great grand Universe might be on my side with this book. 😁
Paperback Sales and Very Little Profit: I paid $300 for 24 books, ordered direct from the printer. If I sell them for $15 each ($3 off the list price) I’ll make a grand profit of $60 on the carton. That’s $2.50 a book. And people wonder why writers are poor.
The Swag: In my snippy response to my friend, I mentioned “a lovely print of a professionally drawn map of the book’s setting.” Here’s the map, by Tiffany Munro, cartographer, of Feed the Multiverse. I’m having the map printed on heavy, glossy paper, and everybody who buys a book from me in person will get a copy. 😍 It’s quite a lovely piece of work.
Fighting Fascism:ADVERSE REACTIONS: A Novel of the Paranormal is “Dedicated to every antifascist who joined the fight, from 2025 on, to defend American democracy against would-be dictators.” From that, readers may safely assume that I’m an antifascist, and I’m in the fight. Of course I’ll be in the street protesting the current badministration.
Is one actually allowed to “review” their own book at Goodreads? Well, after a fashion. There’s a space for the author to leave comments, but it’s considered bad form (by most people, anyway) for the author to give the book a star rating. (I’d five-star it, naturally, but I’m biased.)
Here’s my “review,” copied from the book’s Goodreads page:
Adverse Reactions is the only true standalone novel I’ve ever written (although the fifth book in my Waterspell series, The Karenina Chronicles, reads as a standalone). Adverse Reactions: A Novel of the Paranormal began life in 2005 with a 24,000-word partial manuscript that stayed in a file cabinet for 20 years. The story never let go of me though, and finally I’d lived enough life and learned enough craft and gained enough understanding of people and history to finish what I’d started. I would really love for people to read this book. I’m proud of it. 😁
“This novel is immediately immersive, with an opening scene that sucks readers in with vivid sensory detail and a great sense of suspense.” —The Black List
“Thematically rich, as Devin faces constant self-doubt but eventually comes to find empowerment in the unique abilities that have made her an outcast.” —The Black List
“Relevant to the current situation in the world. Ostracizing others who are different out of fear and ignorance. Cruelty and inhumanity.” —ARC Reader
Now that I have a cover for my new book, I can do a cover reveal. Which will have to be on Bookstagram and here on my scattershot little blog since everybody in my personal Facebook world has already seen the whole cover uncovered, along with every draft of the surprisingly difficult process (beginning unsatisfactorily with one designer and ending, much more happily, at a completely different studio) that led to a usable image. Long ago, I learned a maxim, and life continues to prove its truth: Things take longer than they do.
Do you find these teasers intriguing? I would really love for people to read this book. Adverse Reactions is the only true standalone novel I’ve ever written. It began life in 2005 with a 24,000-word partial manuscript that stayed in a file cabinet for 20 years. But the story never let go of me, and finally I’d lived enough life and learned enough craft and gained enough understanding of people to finish what I’d started.
*The short blurb:
In the town of Purity, mental gifts earn you a bullet or a lingering death by mind-torture. Devin Perridin is the Syke who survived the horrors of the psych ward. Now the “One Who Got Away” is back for a reckoning. To defeat her tormentors, Devin must reclaim her shattered mind, aided by a denim-clad desperado and a generous helping of Old Magic. Survival was just the beginning: vengeance is next.
*The back cover copy:
In the remote prairie town of Purity, there are some who possess extraordinary powers of the mind. Their fate, if they are discovered, is death by a bullet to the brain. The wealthy, however, have an alternative way to die: they may submit to “therapy”—torture—at the Peaceful Hills sanatorium. For most of the inmates, it is a worse death than a sniper’s bullet. The asylum is brutally designed to snuff out every spark of psychokinetic power, turning a Syke’s brain to mush. Few inmates survive.
Devin Perridin does. She’s the One Who Got Away. But can she find her way back into her right mind? And bring a long-overdue reckoning to the town of Purity and its house of horrors? To exact vengeance on those who put her in the asylum, and avenge the murders of her fellow Sykes, Devin will need the aid of a denim-clad desperado—and a generous helping of Old Magic.
Release date: March 18
*From a professional evaluation: “Its accessible style of prose and teenaged protagonist would likely endear it to young adults, whereas its mature themes and technical accomplishments would likely go a long way with older readers. Because of the book’s literary merit it could definitely attract readers who would not normally consider themselves ‘genre readers.'” —The Black List on the subject of the book’s “Prospects”
Today I received some personal good news that I NEEDED! An evaluation score of 8 from an industry professional at The Black List!
To explain my thrillment, I must first explain The Black List. It’s a “prominent online platform where screenwriters, playwrights, and novelists connect with film, TV, and publishing industry professionals, allowing writers to host scripts/manuscripts, get feedback from vetted readers, and gain exposure to agents, managers, and producers, originally stemming from an annual survey of best unproduced screenplays and now a major hub for discovering new talent and projects. It helps writers get their work seen by industry insiders, offering services like professional evaluations.”
I requested an evaluation of my latest novel, the not-yet-published ADVERSE REACTIONS, and got a glowing response. “Congratulations on your recent evaluation by our reader,” said the email. “Fewer than 5% of the projects hosted on the site have received an overall score of 8 or above.”
The publishing industry professional who reviewed my book gave it an overall score of 8 (out of 10) and posted this:
Strengths
“This novel is immediately immersive, with an opening scene that sucks readers in with vivid sensory detail and a great sense of suspense. In fact, the sensory detail of the book’s prose is one of its strongest qualities … Adverse Reactions is also thematically rich, as Devin faces constant self-doubt but comes to find empowerment in the unique abilities that have made her an outcast. In some ways, the book feels like an extended metaphor about how mental illness is treated in today’s world and what it means to embrace one’s neurodivergence. There is also compelling thematic commentary on modern psychiatric practices and treatment methods, with the author skillfully exploring the negative consequences of supposedly ‘getting well.’ … This novel has few weaknesses.”
Wow! THAT is the sort of reaction that restores my faith in … well, in myself. I have agonized over this book. I started it in 2005; wrote a rough 24,000 words, then shelved it for 20 years; finally “finished” it in 2026.
Now I wait to see if any publisher or filmmaker shows interest in the book. The Black List is sending my work out for additional evaluations, and if the overall score remains at 8 or above, the book will get featured (top-listed) where more industry pros will see it. I’m not getting my hopes up, but this validation of my writing was a great thing to come home to, on the heels of my grocery run this morning.
Prospects
The professional reader’s evaluation closed with an analysis of the book’s prospects. I’m both excited and frustrated by the evaluator’s conclusion:
“Adverse Reactions would likely perform quite well among adults and young adults alike. Its accessible style of prose and teenaged protagonist would likely endear it to younger readers, whereas its mature themes and technical accomplishments would likely go a long way with older readers. It would certainly make sense to at least start by marketing the book to pre-existing fans of supernatural/fantasy books, perhaps at special conferences or bookstores that cater to these genres; however, because of the book’s literary merit it could definitely attract readers who would not normally consider themselves ‘genre readers.’ For this reason, it would be important to make sure the book receives coverage from reputable book-related publications and/or prominent figures in the literary community.”
Well, OK. I can certainly market the book to pre-existing fans of supernatural/fantasy books, most especially the loyal readers of my Waterspell series. If I self-publish, I might be able to get it into bookstores and possibly hand-sell it at conventions and the like. But how in the world do I get coverage from reputable book-related publications or prominent figures in the literary community? If I had those kinds of insider connections, I’d be enjoying a great deal more financial success in my writing career. It goes back to who you know, and I don’t know many people. I’m an introvert and a bit of recluse. <sigh>
But all of that aside, I’m absolutely delighted to get an enthusiastic evaluation from a publishing industry professional. I long ago gave up submitting my work to agents and editors, who take forever to respond, if they deign to respond at all. The Black List removes the tedium of old-fashioned manuscript submission. Their roster of professional readers will respond in one week, or within three weeks at the latest. It’s not free, nor especially cheap. Evaluations cost $150. But Guild members (Writers Guild of America or The Authors Guild) get a substantial discount. I’ve belonged to The Authors Guild since 1995, and thus I paid $120 for the pro evaluation. And because it scored an 8, The Black List is giving me two additional reviews for free! That’s a pretty great deal.
Making a place for yourself in a world where you don't belong takes courage. So does moving in with a warlock.
“Best audiobook series I’ve ever listened to.” —Google Audio
“An entertaining, fast paced, and well-plotted fantasy series. The world building is fascinating, and the characters fleshed out. Highly recommended.” —Anna Maria, NetGalley
“In this four-book saga, the author has created an epic fantasy world full of magic, danger, romance, and travel through time and space. The characters are vivid and complex. This is a most enjoyable read for fans of fantasy and fine writing.” —Shirley, NetGalley
“A riveting series. Well written, excellent world-building with an engaging plot in each book and well-developed characters. I was gripped right from the start with twists I didn’t see and unpredictability.” —Aria, NetGalley
“Addictive epic fantasy, with drama and adventure. I binged through the books, eager to see how the story unfolds. Great book. 5 stars.” —Di, NetGalley
“I was hooked instantly. I willingly gave up sleep and could not wait to get up to read more. I’m reading the whole series, and absolutely loving it.” —Sarah, Amazon
“I was HOOKED. I read until 3 am two nights in a row to finish this. The magic system is unique and the characters are as morally gray as they come.” —Megan, Goodreads
“Complicated characters, plot twists, romance, adventure, and magic — all written in a voice that immerses you in a fantasy world both foreign and familiar. Get the box set because you won’t want to leave this world.” —Beck Digs It, Amazon
“An extraordinary book, four in fact! I read these over a five-day period and found the storytelling fantastic. See for yourself!” —Michelle, NetGalley
“I absolutely loved all four books! You kept your storyline throughout the four books brilliantly. The characters were all genuine and relatable.” —Carol, Goodreads
“Such a joy to narrate this. It didn’t feel like work. The story and characters take flight so naturally and then soar.” —Simon de Deney
“A must-read for fantasy enthusiasts who enjoy immersive world-building, well-developed characters, and a storyline that seamlessly blends magic and human emotion.” —Dalton, NetGalley
“A great read that features world building with drama and magical characters. Highly recommended.” —Neil, Amazon
“Jane Eyre meets Beauty and the Beast. Amazing story, very original. Great series.” —Emma, Amazon UK
“Captivating. I loved this series from beginning to end. Complex characters who mature through the series and unexpected plot twists kept me reading far too late into the night.” —Amy, Amazon
“Lightfoot has a sure touch with regard to characterisation. Each of her characters has their own authentic and convincing voice. Narrative, description and speech are exceptionally well-balanced.” —Martin Dukes, author of the Alex Trueman Chronicles
You won’t want to leave this world.
Castles in the cornfield provided the setting for Deborah J. Lightfoot’s earliest flights of fancy. On her father’s farm in Texas, she grew up reading tales of adventure and reenacting them behind ramparts of sun-drenched grain. She left the farm to earn a degree in journalism and write award-winning books of history and biography. High on her bucket list was the desire to try her hand at the genre she most admired. The result is Waterspell, a multi-layered, intricately detailed fantasy about a girl and the wizard who suspects her of being so dangerous to his world, he believes he’ll have to kill her … which troubles him, since he’s fallen in love with her. Deborah is a professional member of The Authors Guild. She still lives in rural Texas.
Magic, mystery, murder, and romance. Waterspell: An intricate save-the-world fantasy adventure with complex characters, cosmic calamities, and the gothic sensibilities of Jane Eyre.
Mix environmental fantasy with magic, mystery, and a little slow-burning romance, add dystopian undercurrents, and that’s the Waterspell series—a cross-genre story with too many layers for a single label.
Adverse Reactions: A Novel of the Paranormal
Which will have to be on 
