NOVEMBER 16-20, 2026

  Monday, November 16 - TV TIME:

The Martha's Vineyard Mysteries

(Hallmark Channel) 

Tuesday, November 17 - BOOK REVIEW:

The Little Cottage on the Hill

by Emma Davies

Wednesday, November 18 -  INTERVIEW:

Wednesday Interviews

Thursday, November 19 -  TV TIME:

Blade Runner 2049 (Paramount+)

Friday, November 20 - BOOK:

Waterfalls Point

by Carol Ann Kauffman

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BOOK: November Chill by Carol Ann Kauffman - Excerpt

Chapter 1 

Back Home 

My name is Cat Collier. Well, Mrs. Mary Catherine Collier Paxton, to be more precise. I run a research service called Red Cat Investigation from inside the beautiful Palazzo Castellano. It’s a high-end hotel and long-term residency in the small, quiet, picturesque town of Heaton Valley nestled in northeastern Ohio. I live in the penthouse apartment. Up until recently, I had a second office in the Cardinal Park area of New York City called Cay Cosa Investigation Service. When shopping in Italy, sellers will ask you ‘Che cosa?’ (pronounced Kay Ko-za). It means what thing, or what are you looking for, what do you want to buy. So, when I was naming my new office in the middle of an old Italian neighborhood, I thought it fit. What thing do you need me to find out for you? What thing do you want to know? Most of my work is online research. Almost everything is available online. There is no such thing as privacy anymore. Do you want some background information on that new guy you’re dating? Give me a name, an internet connection, some time, and a little luck and I can get you his address, phone number, age, marital status, driver’s license number plus year, make, and model of his vehicle, any criminal record including traffic citations, his taste in music, his job history, hobbies and interests, his social media relationships, and what brand of toothpaste he buys. But occasionally I have to do some actual physical investigating that involves stakeouts, tailing suspects, eavesdropping, and disguises. And sometimes, the work can be dangerous. My life has just recently been turned upside down. My children, Poppy and Dougie, and I recently moved back to Heaton Valley. I sold my interest in New York City office to my business partner Matteo Skampotti. Our life in New York is over and I never want to go back. My sweet, handsome, lovable, blond Scandinavian husband, Spencer Paxton, was gunned down in the street near our home by his batshit crazy sister. October 28. I will hate that day for the rest of my life. It was the worst day I was ever forced to endure. Detrick Bittmor threw himself a giant masquerade ball to celebrate his seventy-fifth birthday at the Palazzo Castellano in Heaton Valley. At the party, I was abducted by a couple of professional assassins. There was a shoot-out. A bullet grazed my forearm. But Detrick’s son and only child, Erick ‘Carter’ Larsen, was shot and seriously wounded defending me. Carter and I, well, you could say we have a history. I was madly in love with him. There is an outside chance I may still be, but I ignore it as best I can. We were engaged to be married. He had sex with his ex. In his office. On his desk. Four feet away from the door adjoining our two offices. With that adjoining door open. And me standing there. To say the least, it ended badly.  I was crushed. Heartbroken. I wanted to die. Carter refers to this episode as ‘the thing.’ The day after the shooting at Palazzo Castellano, while recuperating from my arm wound and with Carter still in serious condition in intensive care, I got the call that my husband, Spencer Paxton, had been shot. His condition was critical. I flew to New York immediately.   My husband was older than I am. Seventeen years older, to be exact. He was my landlord. I met him when I went up to his penthouse apartment to ask him for some modest improvements in the office I was renting in the Paxton Building in Cardinal Park in New York City. Simple things, like cleaning the dirty, dingey hallway and replaced the broken light bulbs so my clients could feel safe and see where they were going. At first, he was surly and defensive. But the more I got to know him, the more I found him to be a warm and wonderful man. No, not the sexy heart throb of my life who turned my brain to mush like the marvelous, gorgeous, take-my-breath-away Carter Larsen. But unlike Carter Larsen, Spencer Paxton understood the meaning of the word ‘faithful.’ His behavior wasn’t ruled by his sexual appetite. He was honest and dependable and he never cheated on me. He was also moody and reclusive. He never left the penthouse apartment that was his childhood home. He suffered from severe panic attacks. His father was a wealthy textile tycoon. Although Spencer had siblings, he alone inherited everything because of a horrific childhood incident orchestrated by his older brother. He spent his days managing his stock portfolio and watching the financial channel on TV from the safety and comfort of his home office. I’m the one who coaxed and encouraged him to leave the safety of his castle. I’m the one who ignored warnings that he might still be in danger from berserk family members. I’m the one who wanted him to ‘be normal.’ So, I feel I’m the one who got him shot. I carry that guilt around with me like a bag of rocks tied to my neck. Speaking of rocks, the last two years with Spencer were anything but smooth sailing. He filed for divorce. He filed for custody of the Poppy and Dougie. His slick New York lawyers slipped in here, handed me a fistful of papers, and scooped up my kids, even though my hot shot lawyer Detrick Bittmor was standing at my side. I was helpless. Hopeless. The lesson I learned that horrible day was simple. Never do battle with a millionaire who’s one goal in life is to punish you, because no matter what it costs him, he will win. But in the hospital that night, right before he died, he told me he didn’t want the divorce. He told me he wanted us to be a happy, little family again. He told me we’d live together as a family wherever I wanted. He told me he loved me. And then he died. The nightmarish events that transpired the night of his death were a gut-wrenching blur of grief and agony. I wanted nothing more than to drown myself in that bottle of scotch I kept in the bottom drawer of my office desk and never, ever come up for air. But I have two adorable, brilliant, beautiful children. And for the sake of my two kids, I needed to pull myself together and give them the emotional stability they needed. After all, they just lost their Daddy. Lucky for me, I have a deep and loving emotional support system at the Palazzo Castellano in beautiful Heaton Valley, Ohio. It’s the best hotel with the swankiest bar in town. It has long-term residency on the upper-level floors. Retired lawyer Detrick Bittmor, owner of the hotel and the best legal mind I’ve ever known, is always in my corner. My family: my parents, my sister Pat, and my brother Dane, are always there for me. And my friends. That’s what’s nice about small town living. Everyone shows up for you in your hour of need.

Want to read more? 

https://www.amazon.com/November-Chill-Cat-Collier-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CL9SYP7G

TV TIME: Lanterns (HBO Max)

 What we need right now in this country is a Superhero Detective TV series! 

And HBO Max delivered this quirky DC Universe neo-western police-procedural crime drama starring the versatile Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre.

I will admit, I signed up for HBO Max just to see this series because it looked so good. I am not disappointed.

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INTERVIEW: Urban Fantasy Author Spencer Hixon

 

                                             Spencer Hixon

Mishawaka, IN

USA

 

Good morning, Spencer, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for 

Art and authors. What have you written? 

A Sinister Love and Fate & Fortune. The sequel to Fate & Fortune (A 

Date with Destiny) comes out soon.

 

What is your favorite genre to write?

 

Urban Fantasy, but I am also working

on a romance, a children’s dinosaur book, 

and a piece of creative nonfiction.

 

Favorite food. 

Sauerkraut, though I am a lover of all 

food(except raisins)

 

Tea or coffee?

 

Tea (my go-to is Earl Grey)

 

Pizza or ice cream?

 

Ice cream, particularly peanut butter and 

chocolate

 

Wine or beer or soda or what? 

Beer (except for IPAs—sours are my favorite)

 

Where would you like to visit?

 

Ireland, Japan, and Greece

 

Favorite musical artist. 

It’s a toss-up between Dream Theater and Ayreon. And Queen.

 

D

What makes you laugh?

 

It’s pretty easy to make me laugh. I like the Office, SNL, Colbert, and 

puns.

Knock knock. Who’s there? To. To who? Actually, it’s, “To whom.”

 

I u

Favorite work of art or 

sculpture. 

Does La Sagrada Familia 

count?

The church in Barcelona, 

Spain that is a beautiful 

example of New Gothic 

architecture more accurately

described as New Catalan? 

That is MOST noted as being 

unfinished still 1822, wherea 

all work is done by donation?

Yes, it counts.

 

How old were you when you 

started writing?

I submitted a poem called

 “The Windbow” to a contest 

when I was in Kindergarten 

(or possibly the year before).

Do you listen to music when you write?

I used to, but not any longer. It kept distracting me. 

Now I listen to thunderstorm recordings.

Do you plan out your book with outlines 

and notecards?  Or just write?

 

I either outline or use “guideposts” to

make sure I hit certain beats if I

necessary.

Describe your perfect evening. 

Either listening to live music with

 friends, drinking a sour beer, eating

 good local food, going for a walk at

 sunset, writing a chapter or two, 

and then spending time with my 

wife…

Or board game night with friends.

 

Where do you get your inspiration?

 

Everything is an inspiration. 

I blame my ADHD.

 

What do you do when you get writer's block?

 

I have never had it.

 

Who is your favorite author?

 

Terry Pratchett

 

Best book you ever read.

 

1984

 

Last book you read.

 

Her Unwelcome Inheritance 

by J Aleksandr Wootton

 

Diesel and Loki

What would you do for a living if you 

weren’t a writer?

 

Voice acting/audiobook narrating

 

Who is the one person who has 

influenced your personal life the most 

and why?

 My wife for supporting me 

 

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, 

living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?

 

Stephen Colbert. I’m a big fan and I think he’d be a great person to get 

a beer with.

 

What advice would you give someone who aspires to be a writer? 

Be honest with what your goals as a writer are and lay out a plan to 

achieve those goals. Don’t make excuses.

Do you have some links for us to follow you? 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yetanotherwritersblog

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Spencer-Hixon/author/B0D1TM329K?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1772502276&sr=8-1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=2a7259bf-59ba-4fa4-961f-0cc7bbcaf804

Website: spencerhixon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spencerhixonauthor/

blog: yetanotherwritersblog.blogspot.com

-Spencer Hixon

spencerhixon.com

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BOOK REVIEW: Non Human Origin by Vern David Buzarde

 

This one had me on the edge of my seat! Non Human Origin by Vern David Buzaede was a sci-fi thriller that grabbed me by my lapels and interfered with my demanding sleep schedule. It can do that same for you.

A rich techie guy hires a team of former oil rig workers to man his highly sophisticated submarine to find a secret underwater payload in faraway, dangerous waters. The pay is extremely good. The details are equally as sketchy.

Did I tell you this new, super-duper submarine is equipped with the latest AI? Yeah, well it is.

Did you surmise this mysterious payload might possibly be alien? Yeah, well, it is.

From this point, things get a little rough. A great read.

VISION AND VERSE DISCLAIMER

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BOOK: November Chill by Carol Ann Kauffman

November Chill is part of the Cat Collier Short Story Mystery Collection.  November picks up after Cat suffers a devastating loss and needs to regroup. 

VISION AND VERSE DISCLAIMER

Note:

Vision and Verse does not store any personal information, such as email addresses or home addresses. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.

SCHEDULE: November 9-13, 2026

 

Monday, November 9 - BOOK:

November Chill by Carol Ann Kauffman

Introduction 

Tuesday, November 10 - BOOK REVIEW:

Non Human Origins

Wednesday, November 11 - INTERVIEWS:

Urban Fantasy Author

Spencer Hixon

Thursday, November 12 - TV TIME:

Lanterns 

(HBO Max)

Friday, November 13 - BOOK:

November Chill by Carol Ann Kauffman

Excerpt

VISION AND VERSE DISCLAIMER

Note:

Vision and Verse does not store any personal information, such as email addresses or home addresses. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.