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Website for author Vicki Stewart

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New Novel My Fortune Lies with You

As a young girl, if I wasn’t holed up in my room with my nose buried in a book, I was likely lying on the floor in our living room in front of the television, fixated on a black-and-white science fiction movie. One of those movies left a lasting impression on my memory, about a widowed woman with a young daughter who moved into a house haunted by the former owner. It was the first time I’d ever seen a love story between a human and a ghost, and to this day, it remains at the top of my favorites. That movie was The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, based on a story written by Josephine Leslie.

I recently rewatched the movie after not having seen it for many years, and later that night, while I slept, my mind created a beautiful story of an aristocratic family living on the cliffs of the English coast, fraught with betrayal, murder, and unrequited love. The protagonists from my dream remained in my consciousness in the days that followed, and I began formulating conversations between them. Before long, I had composed a full outline for a new story and written the first two chapters. Inspiration had struck!

I’ve titled the new novel ‘My Fortune Lies with You’ and am dedicating it as an homage to Ms. Leslie in honor of her beautiful story.

Here’s a teaser and a working draft of the book cover to get started!

A father murdered by his brother.

A nephew murdered by his uncle.

A family’s fortune in jewels and gold hidden in a secret burial chamber.

Murder, mystery, and intrigue are all storylines that romance and mystery writer Elise Ashby has incorporated into her novels for years. Imagine her surprise when she discovers those same storylines are historical facts in her late husband’s family legacy, recently passed down to her young daughter, Anna.

After discovering a painting of a descendant named Oliver, who bears a striking resemblance to her late husband, Elise begins dreaming of Oliver, and he tells her his story. A story so startling and unbelievable that she begins to believe the rumors of an Ashby family curse.

In a quandary about whether it’s her vivid imagination or the plausibility of being haunted by a ghost, Elise explores the places Oliver shows her in her dreams, uncovering deadly secrets that the family has kept hidden for generations.

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From MO to CO, and the Prolific Mr. King

My devoted and observant readers. You noticed that I didn’t publish a book this year. All is well. Thank you for checking in. This year was one of many changes for my family and me, the biggest being fulfilling a five-year pursuit of our dream retirement home in southwestern Colorado.

Initially, I didn’t foresee how difficult it would be to leave behind our former home in Missouri and the accumulation of twenty-five years of memories. It was the home where we brought our daughter home from the hospital after she was born, where we hosted countless birthdays and dinner parties, and where our beloved dog, Cooper, whom we were blessed to have with us for sixteen years, would lay at my feet in his favorite sun spot while I wrote. Memories I will forever cherish.

As we began settling into our new mountain home, I realized for the first time in ten years that I didn’t have a new story in my head. I was a bit surprised, but with everything going on, I wasn’t worried. I knew in time the story would come. Meanwhile, I decided to do something I hadn’t done in a while, my first love, to pick up a book and allow my imagination to be lost in someone else’s story.  

My fellow book nerds will understand the logic of this next part when I say the first thing I did, even before getting my new driver’s license, was go to the local library and acquire a library card. I immediately went to my favorite section of fiction books, ‘King, Stephen.’

While scanning the shelves, I came across the first volume of The Dark Tower books and realized I had never read them. Mind you. I am not big on Western-themed books or movies, but it was Stephen King. I had to give it a go. It took a couple of chapters to catch on to the story, but after that, I was hooked. I read through the entire seven-book series in just under five months. Partly because the books are very long (as Stephen King’s books frequently are) and because I had to wait for my holds to be fulfilled by neighboring libraries across the state.

As I finished the series, I was simultaneously frustrated and satisfied, as many of King’s stories do. Then I discovered a list, which, as it turned out, was a highlighted compilation of Stephen King’s novels that referenced The Dark Tower series in one form or another. And I thought to myself, “Of course he did. He wrote himself as a character in The Dark Tower books. Why not thread connections to the series in his other novels?” I marveled at its genius and his admission that there is a place for all his characters in Mid-World.

As you can imagine, I felt compelled to spend the rest of the year re-reading the highlighted books to find all the references to The Dark Tower series. It’s been maddening but more fun than I could have imagined! If you also enjoy reading Stephen King, I encourage you to read The Dark Tower books. I believe they are his best work, have not received the recognition they deserve, and are well worth reading.

Please forgive and indulge me in this additional quest. Once this compulsion is out of my system, I believe my imagination will be restored and ready to write again.

Many blessings to you in the upcoming year. Long days and pleasant nights.

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Remains is Now Live on Amazon.com and Receives Readers’ Favorite 5-Star Review!

I am so blessed and pleased to announce that not only is ‘Remains’ now live on Amazon.com, it received a 5-star review from Reader’s Favorite! Thank you so very much, Alma Boucher, for your review!

Reviewed by Alma Boucher for Readers’ Favorite

Remains is an excellent crime novel. Vicki Stewart planned and executed a brilliant plot with Remains. She kept me on the edge of my seat with her writing style. I was guessing the whole time but could never predict who the killer was. It was a major twist in the story that I did not see coming. The story was fast-paced and action-packed. It was a page-turner that kept me up through the night. I could not put it down, not even for a minute. I had to know who the killer was. The characters were excellently developed and authentic. They could have been any of my friends. The friendship between Greyson and her friend is unusual. The book is well-written and impressive, while the unexpected twist at the end was a shocker.

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Remains Coming Soon!

The story for Remains is complete and currently in the editing stage! Look for it to be available in paperback and Kindle in the next couple of months.

Here is a teaser for you in the meantime!

Detective Greyson Wilder has always fought for the underdog. But her convictions are challenged when people start going missing and gifted sculptor Kayden Wesley suddenly becomes her prime suspect.

He has lost everything and has every reason to be angry with those who turned their back on him, but could he be capable of murder?

With the help of Greyson’s partner and the Chief Medical Examiner, they discover a second suspect who seems likelier to be responsible. A talented painter who bears a striking resemblance to Kayden and signs his canvases, Phoenix.

The team is running out of time and needs to find the mysterious connection between the artists before someone else goes missing.

Without indisputable evidence, no lead can be ignored, no matter how insignificant.

Sometimes the only clues are in the remains.

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New Novel – Remains

                Paranormal fiction character development sometimes takes my mind to dark places. Everyone has had to decide to turn away from evil at some point, whether it be a thought, an action, or a spoken word. Darkness lies within us all, and there can be no light without it. Ultimately, we choose to be what I call ‘a good human’.

Another challenge we humans struggle with is the concept of an existence beyond death. Over the years, I’ve had quite a few conversations about the subject with fellow believers, and I respect what others believe as long as they extend me the same courtesy. My convictions lie in the belief that there’s more to our existence than what our eyes can physically see, and just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Otherwise, I would not be able to embrace the existence of the Holy Spirit.

During the onset of the pandemic, I found writing a challenge. My thoughts started to go too dark, which I attributed to our world’s immense tragedy. So I hit the pause button. Toward the end of 2021, when things were becoming more optimistic, I decided it was ‘safe’ for me to start writing again.  For those of you who’ve asked me if I’m working on anything new, the answer is yes!

My new novel explores the paradox between good versus evil from a moral perspective based on a choice. It’s about a talented, successful young artist who has everything in life going for him, and one small change made by someone else, entirely out of his control, wholly derails his life, and he ends up with nothing. The path he takes afterward is where the suspense begins and how circumstances alter behavior out of desperation from adversity.

The story continually evolves as I write, so I’ll share more when I’m further along.

Until then, I pray for you all to be safe and happy. God bless.