In today’s episode, I’m joined by bestselling author Neil Plakcy, whose books span mysteries, romance, and adventure—but today we’re diving into something extra special. We’re talking about Neil’s heart-warming Smiling Dog Café novellas where healing, kindness, and second chances are always on the menu.

We chat about magical pups (including one very good dog named Cooper), the inspiration behind the café, writing emotionally honest stories, and why these books feel like a warm hug when you need one most. If you love dogs, community, and fiction that heals, this episode—and these books—are for you.

Bonus: Listeners can grab a free copy of Neil’s first Golden Retriever mystery, In Dog We Trust, here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3tpfoiob3x

For more information on Neil, visit: mahubooks.com

For more about my K-9 books, visit: kathleendonnelly.com

Sit. Stay. Read. is a proud part of the Authors on the Air Global Network.

In this episode of Sit. Stay. Read., I’m joined by author Sharon Marchisello, creator of the DeeLo Myer Cat Rescue Cozy Mystery series. We chatted about her Claymore-finalist novel Trap, Neuter, Die, how real-life rescue work inspired her sleuth, and why Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return (TNVR) plays such a powerful role in the story.

Sharon also shared how her life experiences shape her writing, the real cats who inspire her characters, and her next books.

If you love feline mysteries with fun twists, this one’s for you.

For more information on Sharon, visit: smarchisello.wordpress.com

For more about my K-9 books, visit: kathleendonnelly.com

Sit. Stay. Read. is a proud part of the Authors on the Air Global Network.

USA Today best-selling author Letizia Lorini joins the podcast to talk about her latest release. A Killer Kind of Romance is a clever, witty genre crossover packed with romance, mystery, small-town secrets and Sherlock—the fun and mischievous feline.

With a slow-burn romance and the lingering question of “What if the one who got away might be a serial killer?”, this story keeps readers guessing, provides great laughs and fun bad boy/good girl love story.

Whether you’re a romance reader craving something fresh or a mystery lover who enjoys passion with your suspense, this episode—and A Killer Kind of Romance—is not to be missed.

For more information on Letizia, visit: letizialorini.com

For more about my K-9 books, visit: kathleendonnelly.com

Sit. Stay. Read. is a proud part of the Authors on the Air Global Network.

Havoc: Trouble on the Trail is a thrilling page-turner. For this week’s episode, author Cam Torrens shares how his background in the military and Colorado search and rescue led to the story idea.

When a Black Hawk helicopter goes down in the unforgiving Colorado backcountry, Deputy Tyler Zahn is thrust into a desperate search for survivors. But the mission quickly turns deadly. The stakes skyrocket when Zahn discovers his daughter and girlfriend, an FBI agent are hiking the Colorado Trail in the vicinity of the crash. Unaware of the danger stalking them through the wilderness, they’re on a collision course with men determined to leave no witnesses behind.

Though Havoc is the fifth book in the Tyler Zahn series, it stands powerfully on its own—delivering nonstop action, emotional stakes, and a chilling race against time.

For more information on Cam, visit: camtorrens.com

For more about my K-9 books, visit: kathleendonnelly.com

Sit. Stay. Read. is a proud part of the Authors on the Air Global Network.

Can you ever truly escape your past—or does it always find a way to haunt you? Author Elena Taylor joins me to discuss her chilling new thriller, The Haunting of Emily Grace.

Emily Grace is desperate for a fresh start and even more desperate for a job. So when locals warn her away from the isolated house and the land she’s been hired to care for, she ignores them. But as the days stretch on, unease settles in. Her employer’s wife vanished without explanation, and the house seems steeped in secrets that refuse to stay silent.

Who can you trust? That question becomes increasingly dangerous as Emily begins uncovering a past someone is willing to kill to protect.

In this episode, Elena shares the real-life house that inspired the novel’s eerie setting and the deeply personal animal connection behind the story reflected in the book’s dedication.

For more information on Elena, visit: elenataylorauthor.com

For more about my K-9 books, visit: kathleendonnelly.com

Sit. Stay. Read. is a proud part of the Authors on the Air Global Network.

Who Can You Really Trust? You’re former teacher? Maybe. Maybe not. In Mrs. Oliver’s Twist, Quinn McFarland is thrilled that so many of her dreams have come true. She’s been accepted into medical school, married the love of her life and has adopted some sweet pups that bring joy to her every day. But then a sinister twist happens while working at her family’s funeral home.

Quinn realizes after seeing a familiar tattoo on a deceased woman that her past may not be what she thought. Is the deceased her former teacher? Could the person who inspired her to follow her dreams be hiding dark secrets?

Saralyn reveals the inspiration behind this clever mystery, the real-life dogs that have inspired the four-legged characters in all her books and discusses her love of writing.

For more information on Saralyn, visit: saralynrichard.com

For more about my K-9 books, visit: kathleendonnelly.com

Sit. Stay. Read. is a proud part of the Authors on the Air Global Network.

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend, editor and The Writer’s Dossier blog creator, Jeff Circle to discuss Myopic Duplicity. Myopic Duplicity is a crime fiction anthology that explores moral gray areas and the deadly choices people make under pressure. We focus on They Eat Their Own, a chilling story set in an exotic animal sanctuary where survival of the fittest and betrayal collide.

Jeff shares insight into the chilling stories that push characters—and readers—to confront uncomfortable truths about a haunting question: when everything is at stake, do the ends ever justify the means?

For more information on Jeff, visit: jeffcircle.com

For more about my K-9 books, visit: kathleendonnelly.com

Sit. Stay. Read. is a proud part of the Authors on the Air Global Network.

It’s another paw-liday special! I’m joined by Paula Munier, USA Today bestselling author of the Mercy Carr Mysteries, to talk about her holiday thriller The Snow Lies Deep.

When Northshire’s mayor—dressed as Santa—turns up murdered after the town’s Solstice celebration, Mercy Carr, Troy Warner, and their K-9 partners, Elvis and Susie Bear, must hunt down the Yuletide Killer before another prominent citizen is targeted. With many surprising twists and lots of holiday cheer and tradition, The Snow Lies Deep is a thrilling holiday read.

Paula shares how her love of New England, rescue dogs, and real-life K-9 heroes inspire her stories, along with insights into blending holiday traditions with high-stakes suspense.

For more information on Paula, visit: paulamunier.com

For more about my K-9 books, visit: kathleendonnelly.com

Sit. Stay. Read. is a proud part of the Authors on the Air Global Network.