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“Mysterious Goings On” Part Deux

I had the pleasure of revisiting Alex Greenwood’s “Mysterious Goings On” Podcast last week. We had a great conversation!

Visit the link to hear the full show.   Mysterious Goings On

We discussed the new book, but also my favorite holiday, Halloween. Alex and I realized we were sympatico when it comes to Halloween. After the podcast he shared photos of his front yard, that included a 12 ft. skeleton. And I have to say, I am kind of jealous. I’ve been holding off on the twelve-footer, but after seeing Alex’s decor, I may have to make the leap.  Do any of you have the twelve foot skeleton in your front yard?

Although, I don’t have a 12 foot skeleton, I do have a suit of armor in my dining room. He is named Sir Lancelot, and originally, he was supposed to just be a Halloween decoration. I have never put him in storage. Instead, I dress him up for all the holidays through out the year.

 

Ink & Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn Blog Tour

Visit the tour stops to be entered to win an Amazon Gift Card!

INK AND INTRIGUE AT IVY TREE INN TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 23 – Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense – AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 24 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 25 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

October 25 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

October 26 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

October 27 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 28 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 28 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

October 29 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 30 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

October 30 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 31 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

October 31 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

November 1 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

November 1 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

November 2 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 3 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT

November 5 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

 

Thanks Rosie, Now it’s Time to Return Home

My new novel Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn, takes place in 1958, and my main character, Ariadne Winter, faces hurdles when it comes to workplace equality. This week, I had the pleasure of writing an article for Reader’s Entertainment Magazine. It highlights the gender bias and struggles women faced  and continue to face in the workforce. Specifically detailing their forced exodus from the workforce after WWII. Below is an excerpt from the article.

 

Thanks Rosie, Now it’s Time to Return Home

World War II marked a significant turning point in the role of women in the workforce, both in the United States and around the world. Prior to the war, women were largely confined to domestic roles or certain “feminine” occupations such as teaching, nursing, and secretarial work. However, the unprecedented demand for labor during the war, combined with the absence of men who were deployed to fight, created new opportunities for women to enter industries that had been traditionally dominated by men. Yet, this period of female empowerment was short-lived, as the end of the war saw many women pushed out of their jobs to make way for returning soldiers. Since then, women have faced an uphill battle for workplace equality, especially in terms of pay and promotions.

Women’s Entry into the Workforce During WWII

With the onset of World War II, millions of men left their jobs to serve in the military, creating a critical labor shortage in industries essential to the war effort. This included manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture—sectors that had long been male-dominated. The government and private employers launched extensive recruitment campaigns to encourage women to fill these vacancies. One of the most iconic symbols of this effort was “Rosie the Riveter,” the cultural figure representing the capable and patriotic female worker, popularized by the “We Can Do It!” poster. Women were called upon to join the workforce, not just as a matter of necessity but as a demonstration of national loyalty.

Women responded to the call in large numbers. By 1944, over 6 million women had entered the workforce in the United States alone, bringing the total number of working women to nearly 20 million…

Read the full post at Reader’s Entertainment.

Charlotte Readers Podcast

Previously only available on a paid platform, this conversation is now a regular episode of the Charlotte Readers Podcast. In addition, the episode is now widely available on all major podcast platforms.

The link below will take listeners to the podcast website page where they can listen to the episode on an audio player and see the show notes.https://charlottereaderspodcast.com/traditional-versus-indie-publishing-with-internationally-bestselling-author-ellen-butler/

First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder

 

Hooray RELEASE DAY!

 My short story, “Contract Accepted” (a be careful what you wish for murder mystery) is part of the FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MURDER Anthology.
Only $4.99!
First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder features nineteen juicy tales of revenge, betrayal, bad breakups, and a few I dos and some I don’ts.
Each short story takes ruthless relationships to an all-new level in all kinds of places like destination weddings, riverboat cruises, wineries, bachelorette parties, creepy stalkers, cheating spouses, and sneaky friends trying for their own version of happily ever after. So, settle in for some love stories with a twist of revenge, infidelity, and murder.
Featuring the writing talents of Teresa Inge, Heather Heather Baker Weidner, Debra Goldstein, Grace Topping, Maggie King, Ellen Butler Books, Kristin Kisska, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Marilyn Levinson, Sandra Murphy, Mary Dutta, Diane Fanning, Libby Hall, Frances Aylor, K.L. Murphy, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Leah St. James, Sheryl Jordan and Allie Marie.

 

Williamsburg Book Festival February 24

2024 Williamsburg Book Festival

February 24, 2024 from 10 am – 4 pm in the Stryker Center and Williamsburg Community Building

The Williamsburg Book Festival’s mission is to promote and support the art of literary composition in the Williamsburg area and expose writers to the reading public.  The free event includes authors from various genres, speakers, illustrators, and publishers from Virginia and beyond.  We hope you’ll join us for a family-friendly day of celebrating books and book lovers as we fill the Stryker Center and the Williamsburg Community Building with over 40 authors.

The event is free and open to everyone. Attend one of the workshops to learn more about the craft of writing and the field of publishing. Or discover new books to read in our author showcase featuring local and nationally recognized authors.

Schedule of Events

10:00-4:00 p.m. Location: Community Building and Stryker Center

Meet the Authors & Publishers

Authors and publishers will be exhibiting, signing, and selling their books in both the Stryker Center and Community Building which are cattycorner to one another. Please stop by the festival Information booth in the Community Building for a guide outlining where each exhibitor is located and for the festival presentation schedule.

Speaker schedule:

11:00 – 11:45  Laura Elliott, Young Adult author; Sponsored by: Pale Horse Publishing and The Williamsburg Library

12:00 – 12:45   Student Writing Contest awards (sponsored through the Williamsburg Community Foundation)

1:00 – 2:00      Keynote: Mollie Cox Bryan

2:15 – 3:30        Poets Panel:

Moderator: Ed Lull, Poets: Sofia Starnes, Ron Smith, Carolyn Kreiter- Foronda, Henry Hart, Luisa Igloria.

Spoken Label Podcast with Andy

I had a lovely time chatting with Andy, from across the pond, at Spoken Label Podcast. We chat about writing, writer’s block, my process, and what’s up next. Visit Andy’s website to find links through your favorite Podcast app at https://onewriterandhispc.blogspot.com/2023/12/new-spoken-label-ellen-butler.html

Andy N. at Spoken Label Podcast

Drinking With Authors Podcast

I had such a fun time chatting with Erika Lance about Operation Blackbird, Spectral Revelations, and cocktails at  Drinking With Authors. 
You can hear the podcast on your favorite app. Links below: