CJ and I are in the home stretch, putting the finishing touches on the Nevermore audiobook. When I write, I see scenes playing out like a movie in my mind. From the beginning, I always thought Peregrine had that Lucifer, Tom Ellis, devil-be-damned snark. Over the course of the series, he becomes Neve’s ultimate wingman and is one of my favorite characters I’ve ever written. (See what I did there? Wingman? Giant dork over here, and proud of it.)

The Nevermore audiobook is expected to release in mid-August. Pre-order your copy now so you’ll be among the first to listen.

P. S. When you purchase directly from tealbutterflypress.com, you’re getting the best retail price (40% LESS than Audible) plus you’re helping me create more magical stories set in this beloved universe. Thank you for making these magical midlife adventures possible!

LAST CHANCE to read Nevermore in Kindle Unlimited.

I’ve made the decision to pull the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series out of KU. Nevermore comes out August 8th, Never Lose Hope August 11th, Never Alone August 15th, and Never Enough September 28th. Download now so you don't miss out! Once it's in your Kindle library, you can read it anytime for free with Kindle Unlimited.

I Burned the Boats! What’s Next?

On Friday, I resigned from my part-time job. Publishing has been a rocky road for the last almost eight years, and the part-time job helped even out my income, but it finally made financial sense to take the chance and go all in (again, IYKYK) on this dream.

For the next four months, I will be working with CJ to produce the rest of the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series in audio. She is a DREAM to work with and has infused these lovable characters with so much life that the audio is becoming my favorite way to enjoy the series. I am also hard at work on the third series set in the Aura Cove Universe, Dort Knows Best. She’s been a lot of fun to write. Look for that late this year or early 2027. I am also brainstorming a magical realism romance series. It’s too early to comment on when the first book will be available, but it is fun to think about.

I also joined a gym. I want to suffer less from psoriatic arthritis, so that means I need to hit the weight room. Losing mobility is terrifying for me, so I have been going every other day (for almost two weeks) and already feel stronger. Next week, I plan on being so swole I have to turn sideways to fit my body through the door. #goals

Fall in LOVE with Katie & Arlo the Wonder Dog!

Get swept into a magical world where women conspire with Karma, revenge is covered in chocolate, and the bad guys get what they deserve. The Midlife in Aura Cove series is pure, wicked, fun! Binge the complete series today.

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

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Chapters of Dort Knows Best are now live in The Book Club!

This third series in the Aura Cove universe is a hilarious paranormal romp. It follows Dorothy "Dort" Castillo, a brutally honest 68-year-old former advice columnist. After an HOA infraction lands her the job of editing her retirement community newspaper, she stirs up magical mayhem and retirement-community drama with her no-holds-barred "Ask the Crone" advice column. All with a little help from her smack talking sugar gliders.

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me gain independence from Amazon and other major retailers.

Follow along as I write my next book. {Unedited} chapters 1, 2 and 3 of Dort Knows Best are live now. Be part of the process. Read and let me know what you think!

The first draft is almost complete. New chapters will be releasing every 4-5 days starting the week of August 10th!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

As a Book Club subscriber in good standing, your name will be included in the dedication for “Dort Knows Best” when it goes to print (and immortalized forever. :) )

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for August 2nd is: da*id*mommy*8@ yahoo. net

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

CJ and I have been hard at work bringing the characters of Nevermore to life, and I’m so excited to finally share a sneak peek with you. Press play below & enjoy this exclusive audio clip!

The Nevermore audiobook is expected to release in mid-August. Pre-order your copy now so you’ll be among the first to listen.

When you purchase directly from tealbutterflypress.com, you’re getting the best retail price (40% LESS than Audible) plus you’re helping me create more magical stories set in this beloved universe. Thank you for making these magical midlife adventures possible!

Aura Cove is NOT pretentious literature. It’s pure fantasy escapism, easy to follow, and pure FUN!

Get swept into a magical world where women conspire with Karma, revenge is covered in chocolate, and the bad guys get what they deserve. The Midlife in Aura Cove series is pure, wicked, fun! Binge the complete series today.

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

Thanks for reading Teal Butterfly Press! Subscribe to The Wing for your weekly shot at winning our bookstore gift card. Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won this week.

Subscribe now

Chapters of Dort Knows Best are now live in The Book Club!

This third series in the Aura Cove universe is a hilarious paranormal romp. It follows Dorothy "Dort" Castillo, a brutally honest 68-year-old former advice columnist. After an HOA infraction lands her the job of editing her retirement community newspaper, she stirs up magical mayhem and retirement-community drama with her no-holds-barred "Ask the Crone" advice column. All with a little help from her smack talking sugar gliders.

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me gain independence from Amazon and other major retailers.

Follow along as I write my next book. {Unedited} chapters 1, 2 and 3 of Dort Knows Best are live now. Be part of the process. Read and let me know what you think!

Chapter 4 is coming next week!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

As a Book Club subscriber in good standing, your name will be included in the dedication for “Dort Knows Best” when it goes to print (and immortalized forever. :) ) (See below.)

New in Favorite Reads : Once and Again

Rebecca Serle is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She has a gift for taking a single thought-provoking premise and exploring it in ways that feel both magical and deeply human. If you’ve ever wished for a do-over or found yourself wondering how your life might have unfolded if you’d taken a different path, this book will pull you in from the very first page. Lauren comes from a family of women who each get a magical ticket. It has the power to reverse a single moment in time, and as she’s faced with infertility, and reunites with her first love, she has to decide whether the past is really something worth changing.

As an ocean lover, I loved the Malibu setting. The three generations of women were wonderfully distinct, and their motivations became deeper as the story unfolded. If you enjoy emotional stories that leave you questioning the roads not taken, read this one.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for July 26th is: jo*dr*per@ comcast. net

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

Meet Peregrine the Sassiest Sidekick I’ve Ever Written. He’s over-the-top and extra in all the right ways. He’s Tom Ellis’s Lucifer in feathered form.

Remembering Peregrine had made two food references in the span of five minutes, she thought it might be a way to win him over. “Okay, okay. I’ll be making my weekly Wednesday grocery run later today. Do you know what is safe for you to eat?”

He preened in front of her as a look of bored resignation took over his features. “The safe route was never my forte.”

“Let’s consult the Google machine.” Neve slid her phone out and opened a search tab. A few minutes later, after speed-reading four articles, she pulled her focus away from the phone and said with a grimace, “You’re not going to like this.”

“Pray tell what fresh hell awaits me.”

“It says to feed you sixty percent pellets, twenty percent veggies, and twenty percent select fruits, with a few seeds and nuts mixed in.”

Peregrine hung his tiny feathered head and let out an over-the-top, melodramatic sigh. “Great, I’m trapped inside the body of a vegan.”

Every Day in Aura Cove, Ordinary Women Are Doing Extraordinary Things

Get swept into a magical world where women conspire with Karma, build lasting friendships, and prove that their lived experience is their superpower. The Midlife in Aura Cove series is pure, wicked, fun! Binge the complete series today.

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

Thanks for reading Teal Butterfly Press! Subscribe to The Wing for your weekly shot at winning our bookstore gift card. Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won this week.

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Chapters of Dort Knows Best are now live in The Book Club!

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me gain independence from Amazon and other major retailers.

Follow along as I write my next book. {Unedited} chapters 1 and 2 are live now. Be part of the process. Read and let me know what you think!

Chapter 3 is coming next week!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

Enjoy this Exclusive Excerpt from Dort Knows Best.

Coming Late 2026. Pre-Order Here.

“Well, that’s two hours of my life I’ll never get back,” Dort announced, dropping her bag on the counter with a mellow dramatic thud. “Magpie delivered an Oscar worthy performance. I’m talking crocodile tears, foam-core posters, the whole nine yards. Clearly, the woman is unhinged.”

Piper pulled the sharpie out of her mouth, and managed a small smile that fell flat before asking, “But did you win?”

“Not exactly,” Dort moved to the coffee maker, noting the pot was empty. “I had to pay for Mr. Peepers’ anxiety medication, which I was happy to do, because god knows any creature that lives with that nut job needs to be medicated. But there were a few caveats. I’m on probation for ninety days, and my golf cart has to pass a noise inspection.”

“That doesn’t sound too terrible,” Piper said, sealing another box.

“Oh, but wait, there’s more!” Dort said with the forced excitement of Billy Mays hawking OxiClean during his infamous infomercial career. “The pièce de résistance of their ruling is that I’ve to take over the Golden Gazette for the next year.”

New in Favorite Reads : We All Live Here

Read My Full Review Here.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for July 19th is: *hir*yn4*s @ sbcglobal. net

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

At 2:00 PM CST today, the price jumps back to $4.99.

This is your last chance to escape into Book One of the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series at the discounted price. If you’ve been waiting to begin this time-bending adventure filled with mystery, magic, and an unforgettable parrot sidekick, this is your last chance.

Grab your copy before 2:00 PM CST. Once the clock strikes 2, the deal is gone!

Ready for a Good Laugh?

Press play for an exclusive clip from the Midlife in Aura Cove Series Audiobook. It’s sure to quiver your liver!

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

Thanks for reading Teal Butterfly Press! Subscribe to The Wing for your weekly shot at winning our bookstore gift card. Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won this week.

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Chapters of Dort Knows Best are now live in The Book Club!

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me gain independence from Amazon and other major retailers.

Follow along as I write my next book. {Unedited} chapters 1 and 2 are live now. Be part of the process. Read and let me know what you think!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

It’s My Birthday Weekend!

I turned 51 yesterday, and despite eating my body weight in chocolate, I have yet to report any magical powers kicking in. But I won’t let that stop me from trying again. :)

So, I’m taking a little time to enjoy some of my favorite things: pickleball, fried buffalo cauliflower, Costco cake, and spending time with the best husband a girl could ask for. New old lady achievement level UNLOCKED!

That means this newsletter is a little lighter than usual, but don’t worry, I have some exciting projects in the works that I can’t wait to share with you.

My audiobook narrator, CJ Locks, is sending me new chapters almost every day, and her performance is absolutely incredible. Her portrayal of Peregrine, a.k.a, the D.O.P. (Deeply Opinionated Parrot) is hilarious. I’m finding listening to Nevermore is even better than reading it! We should be completing it by early August.

I’m also deep into writing the first book in the next Aura Cove series, Aura Cove Crones. I already know you’re going to fall in love with Dort and the rest of the gang. I can’t wait to introduce them to you later this year!

Until then, thanks for being here and for coming along on this wonderfully magical journey with me. I am grateful you’re along for the ride!

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for July 12th is: *eb*olt*n @ yahoo. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

Neve was living her life on her own terms until a break-in sends her back to her childhood home in Aura Cove and a freak lightning strike during Mercury retrograde unlocks the ability to time travel. Midlife just got a time travel twist! All 4 Books of the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler Series are now LIVE and in KU.

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Six Books, One Transformative Story

Follow Katie’s hilarious and magical midlife awakening in this complete paranormal series.

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

Thanks for reading Teal Butterfly Press! Subscribe to The Wing for your weekly shot at winning our bookstore gift card. Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won this week.

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Chapters of Dort Knows Best are now live in The Book Club!

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me gain independence from Amazon and other major retailers.

Follow along as I write my next book. {Unedited} chapters 1 and 2 are live now. Be part of the process. Read and let me know what you think!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

Nutty By Nature Granola

It’s crisp, it’s slightly chewy, nutty and delicious with higher protein and good fats with lower sugar and lower carbs. Get the full recipe here.

New in Favorite Reads : The Rom-Commers

Read My Full Review Here.

The First Draft for Dort Knows Best is 40% Complete!

The Third Series in the Aura Cove Universe Introduces a Hilarious Firecracker Who’s Proudly Entering Her Crone Era. Golden Cove is just like The Villages—but with magic!

Dorothy “Dort” Castillo is sixty-eight, living in the manufactured perfection of Golden Cove Retirement Community, and absolutely done with everyone’s nonsense.

For decades, she was America’s beloved “Dear Dottie,” the advice columnist known for her gentle wisdom and kind words. But after an HOA violation lands her the reluctant job of editing Golden Cove’s rinky-dink community newspaper, Dort decides to use the skills that made her famous—with one important difference.

This time, she’s telling the unvarnished truth.

When the first issue hits the stands, Dort’s brutally honest advice in her “Ask the Crone” column begins transforming lives throughout the seaside town of Aura Cove in unexpected and magical ways. No one is affected more than her only granddaughter, Piper.

Now Dort is juggling a retirement community full of busybodies, a Botox-obsessed nemesis, and two mischievous, smack-talking sugar gliders, all while discovering that honesty may be the most powerful magic of all.

Dort Knows Best is a hilarious magical fantasy about aging, authenticity, and the power of speaking the truth in a world that prefers comfortable lies. It’s about a woman discovering that the best chapters of life might just come after you stop caring what everyone thinks.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for July 5th is: *dj5318* @ gmail. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

The Aura Cove Temporal Traveler Series is officially complete and signed paperbacks are ready for your bookshelf! All pre-orders have shipped and are on their way.

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

“A delightful time travel romp with hidden depth!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
”I laughed, I cried, and I’m already obsessed with Neve and Peregrine.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
”Funny, heartfelt, and impossible to put down!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Are you ready for a magical escape to a world where good triumphs over evil and a naughty African grey parrot is your snarky sidekick?

One of my favorite details is the back covers. They feature hyperrealistic artwork of the main character, Nevermore, bringing this fictional artist's work to life and creating a connected design across the complete paperback series.

BUY NOW FROM BLAIR BRYAN

Meet Cheech and Chong, the Sugar Gliders from Dort Knows Best

“We can see you from the window, Dort. You’re not fooling nobody.” Cheech chimed in.

Unwilling to admit it, she demanded, “Who buys the premium Madagascar crickets around here?”

“You do.”

“And who picks the organic strawberries?”

“You do.” They sighed in unison.

“Exactamente.” Dort slid into the Spanish she’d picked up from Ray over the years as easily as pulling on a warm sweater during a chill. “So maybe show a little respect before I switch you to pesticide-riddled ones.”

Chong gasped. “You wouldn’t.”

UNLOCK CHAPTER 1 of DORT KNOWS BEST

💜 Order Dort Knows Best from Blair Bryan

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Chapters 1 and 2 of Dort Knows Best are now live in The Book Club! And Chapter 3 is coming this week!

One of my favorite things about my paid Book Club is getting to share my newest books with the people who directly support my work months before publication. A paid subscription helps me keep creating stories while gaining more independence from Amazon and the big retailers, and it means so much to me. ❤️

A new first draft chapter is published every week. Dort Knows Best is underway and will be coming to retailers in early 2027.

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

New in Favorite Reads : Remain

Remain blends romance, grief, and a touch of the supernatural into an easy, heartfelt read. Tate and Wren's love story is sweet, and the mystery surrounding Wren kept the pages turning, though the overall plot felt familiar and fairly straightforward. It was easy to read and like a vanilla ice cream cone. Enjoyable, but basic. I expected a better twist with M. Night Shyamalan attached to the project, but it fell a little flat.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for June 28th is: *razy*r*llz @ yahoo. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

Are you ready for a magical escape to a world where good triumphs over evil and a naughty African grey parrot is your snarky sidekick?

Do you love quirky characters, heartwarming family moments, and watching Karma do her thing? Then you will feel right at home in Aura Cove.

Meet the Characters:

Nevermore LaRue
At 47, Nevermore was diagnosed late in life with ASD. She’s a hyper-realistic charcoal artist with a soft spot for underdogs, who is living the van life.

Peregrine, the African Grey Parrot
When a mortally wounded con man transfers his consciousness into the nearest living creature (an African Grey parrot) chaos and comedy ensue. Peregrine delivers the laughs.

Talulah LaRue
Nevermore’s aunt and a celebrity spiritual medium, Talulah frequently appears in the Midlife in Aura Cove series. She became Nevermore’s guardian after her father’s death when she was fifteen.

Ellis LaRue
Neve’s father, a devoted scientist who loved her deeply. He died under suspicious circumstances, and Neve is determined to uncover the truth behind his death.

Each book centers on a neurodivergent character who’s been wronged, and Neve and Perry work together to set things right. The geode on the cover was a gift from her father. It serves as a talisman, guiding Neve as she seeks justice for those the world misunderstands.

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Meet the Animal Sidekicks of Dort Knows Best

• Cheech and Chong are sugar gliders. They are tiny marsupials that can glide up to 150 feet and carry their babies in a pouch like kangaroos.

• They are affectionate and need a best friend. Sugar gliders are highly social colony animals and should be kept in pairs because they cuddle, groom, and bond with each other and can self mutilate if they are lonely.

• The Man-cake suggested them to me. One of my favorite parts about writing a new series is long brainstorming sessions with my hubs. When he first suggested them as a possibility, I was skeptical, but the more research I did, I knew they were perfect.

UNLOCK CHAPTER 1 of DORT KNOWS BEST

💜 Order Dort Knows Best from Blair Bryan

Nevermore on Audio is going to be EXCEPTIONAL!

If you haven't read Nevermore yet, the audiobook is the perfect way to experience it. I’m working with the same actress, CJ Locks, who voiced the Midlife in Aura Cove Audiobooks. I just received the character samples and her performance literally gave me goosebumps. She brings these characters to life in a way that is immersive and absolutely enchanting. I cannot wait for you to hear it. Fingers crossed for a late July release! ORDER HERE.

Thanks for reading Teal Butterfly Press! Subscribe to The Wing for your weekly shot at winning our bookstore gift card. Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won this week.

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The ENTIRE Final Edited Version of the Finale, Never Enough, is now live in The Book Club!

One of my favorite things about my paid Book Club is getting to share my newest books with the people who directly support my work months before publication. A paid subscription helps me keep creating stories while gaining more independence from Amazon and the big retailers, and it means so much to me. ❤️

Never Enough is the FINAL book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series, and paid subscribers can read it for free inside the Book Club! The photo below is extra special because if you were a subscriber in good standing, your name was included in the dedication. I loved being able to thank this amazing community in such a meaningful way. If you want to help bring the next series to life, read each chapter as I write it, and get a shout out in Dort Knows Best, hit the Join the Book Club button below.

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

New in Favorite Reads : Culpability

Read My Full Review Here.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for June 21st is: *etsw*n*119 @ gmail. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

Ready for a sneak peek at the first chapter in my next series? Think the Villages (in Florida) but with magic, smack talking sugar gliders, and from the perspective of a retired advice columnist who thinks she knows everything. I’m heading back to my comedic roots in this new series in the Best-Selling Aura Cove Universe.

UNLOCK CHAPTER 1 of DORT KNOWS BEST

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

I’m the Good Dog, She’s the Magical Mess

Arlo, Katie’s dog in the Midlife in Aura Cove series, definitely has a lot to say. Full of opinions and never shy about sharing them, he’s somehow able to articulate exactly what’s on his mind (often with hilarious results.)

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

Thanks for reading Teal Butterfly Press! Subscribe to The Wing for your weekly shot at winning our bookstore gift card. Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won this week.

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The Aura Cove Temporal Traveler Series is COMPLETE!

If you love quirky characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and a little magic mixed into everyday life, the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler Complete Paperback Bundle is such a fun escape. This series follows Nevermore, a middle-aged heroine navigating time travel and small-town secrets with a snarky parrot sidekick stealing scenes along the way. It’s the kind of story that is heartfelt, funny, and impossible to stop reading once you start.

BUY NOW FROM BLAIR BRYAN

The ENTIRE Final Edited Version of the Finale, Never Enough, is now live in The Book Club!

One of my favorite things about my paid Book Club is getting to share my newest books with the people who directly support my work months before publication. A paid subscription helps me keep creating stories while gaining more independence from Amazon and the big retailers, and it means so much to me. ❤️

Never Enough is the FINAL book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series, and paid subscribers can read it for free inside the Book Club! The photo below is extra special because if you were a subscriber in good standing, your name was included in the dedication. I loved being able to thank this amazing community in such a meaningful way. If you want to help bring the next series to life, read each chapter as I write it, and get a shout out in Dort Knows Best, hit the Join the Book Club button below.

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

New in Favorite Shows : Shrill

Set in Portland, Oregon (one of my dream retirement destinations) this series on Hulu and Netflix offers a refreshing, hilarious take on dating in a fat shaming and body-conscious world. The characters are lovable, honest, and wonderfully quirky. It’s three seasons of hilarious one-liners and heartwarming, feel-good moments you won’t want to end. (FYI: frequent F-bombs, plus some nudity and sex.) I especially loved the friendships and the diversity of the cast.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for June 14th is: *lass*an*tic @ hotmail. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

Be among the FIRST to experience the thrilling final chapter of the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler Series! This is a TEAL BUTTERFLY PRESS EXCLUSIVE early release (Amazon won’t have it until August!)

Here she is…

I’m putting in the order on Monday. If you want this beautiful baby in your hands, now is the time to place your order.

One of Katie’s funniest new superpowers is hearing her grown kids’ thoughts. It is equal parts cringe and heartwarming. If you could hear what your children were really thinking, would you want to?

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

Thanks for reading Teal Butterfly Press! Subscribe to The Wing for your weekly shot at winning our bookstore gift card. Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won this week.

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The Aura Cove Temporal Traveler Series is COMPLETE!

I write wacky books with dynamic duos. This one features a 47 year-old woman on the spectrum and a snarky parrot sidekick.

The entire series is complete and ready for binge reading! I am so proud of it. Audio production is underway with the first book coming this summer.

BUY NOW FROM BLAIR BRYAN

The ENTIRE Final Edited Version of Never Enough is now live in The Book Club!

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me gain independence from Amazon and other major retailers.

Never Enough is the FINAL book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series and ready to read for free inside my paid book club!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

Dort Knows Best…Coming in 2027!

The Third Series in the Aura Cove Universe Introduces a Hilarious Firecracker Who’s Proudly Entering Her Crone Era

My next heroine is named Dort Castillo. “Dort” was inspired by my mother-in-law, whom I never had the chance to meet. Her name was Dorothy, though she went by Dort, a nickname that intrigued me from the moment I first heard it. “Castillo” reflects her marriage to a wonderful Hispanic man, while also nodding to my longtime fondness for Cruz Castillo from Santa Barbara, the soap opera I was hopelessly hooked on in the ’80s.

P.S. Want a first look? The unedited first chapter of this novel is LIVE in my Subscriber Book Club (it’s where I share new work before anyone else sees it. Would love to have you join us!)

New in Favorite Reads : The Storyteller

Read My Full Review Here.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for June 6th is: *may*25 @ hotmail. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

Be among the FIRST to experience the thrilling final chapter of the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler Series! This is a TEAL BUTTERFLY PRESS EXCLUSIVE early release (Amazon won’t have it until August!) Pre-order now and get your autographed copy.

The ending still gives me goosebumps! Grab this final chapter of Neve and Perry’s story. I need to place my initial paperback order next week.

Need a Light-Hearted Pick-Me-Up? Midlife in Aura Cove is ready and waiting…

The Midlife in Aura Cove series isn’t serious literature, it’s pure entertainment. A delicious, guilty pleasure packed with laughs, heart, and pure escapist fun for women 50+. Go on, treat yourself. You deserve it.

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

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Perry—Full of Pretentious Puffery

Peregrine Ashcroft was living his life as a con man until his poor decisions caught up with him, sending him reeling into the body of the closest creature: an African grey parrot.

{EXCERPT from NEVER LOSE HOPE Book 2 in the Series}

“Chill out, my guy,” Marvin said. “I’ll rustle up some munchies and a little H₂O for ya. I heard African greys are real talkers. You got any cool words in that beak, little dude?”

Little dude? I turned my back to him and scoffed a squawk in protest. I would not perform like a common circus animal for some dirty hippie. No. My silence would be my resistance.

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Chapters 1-13 of Never Enough are now live in The Book Club!

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me remain independent from Amazon and other major retailers.

Never Enough is the FINAL book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series and book club members will get to read it as I write it, comment, and become part of the process.

Book Club Members will also receive a special shout-out and thank you in the acknowledgements of Never Enough for being part of my creative process.

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

Audiobook Lovers: Production is underway!

CJ Locks is BACK! Bringing the magical world of Aura Cove to life like only she can. I can’t wait to hear her voice Peregrine, Nevermore and the gang. They will release as they are completed. Pre-Order the 1st One Here.

Book Review: June First

Taboo romance is not really my thing, but Jennifer Hartmann knows how to write a story that will tear your heart out, and she doesn’t disappoint here. Though there were some cringey moments in their childhood, and the sex scenes seemed to go on forever, it was a compelling read with characters you will fall in love with. It was a great change of pace for me.

What’s Next in the Magical World of Aura Cove? Meet Dort…

The Third Series in the Aura Cove Universe Introduces a Hilarious Firecracker Who’s Proudly Entering Her Crone Era

Dorothy “Dort” Castillo is sixty-eight, living in the manufactured perfection of Golden Cove retirement community, and absolutely done with everyone’s nonsense.

For decades, she was the beloved “Dear Dottie,” America’s sweetest advice columnist. After retirement, she secretly launches Ask the Crone, an anonymous column serving brutal honesty to people desperate for the truth.

Then the advice starts changing lives in the small seaside town of Aura Cove in strange and magical ways.

Now Dort’s juggling a viral secret identity, a nosy retirement community, a nemesis with a botox addiction, and two sarcastic, smack-talking sugar gliders with opinions on everything.

Dort Knows Best is a hilarious magical fantasy about aging, authenticity, and the power of speaking truth in a world that prefers comfortable lies. It’s about a woman discovering that the best chapters of life might just come after you stop caring what everyone thinks.

P.S. The cover is taking longer than anticipated, but it is on the way! And, as always, this book will be a TEAL BUTTERFLY PRESS EXCLUSIVE EARLY RELEASE. Available 60 days before Amazon on my website.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for May 17th is: *nita*ernazdez**9 @ gmail. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

Be among the FIRST to experience the thrilling final chapter of the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler Series! This is a TEAL BUTTERFLY PRESS EXCLUSIVE early release (Amazon won’t have it until August!) Pre-order now and dive into the unforgettable finale before anyone else!

One final time, Nevermore grips her crystal geode and jumps straight into 1992 and the heart of NovaCure’s darkest secret. Building on Dr. Elaine Feldman’s research, her father made a breakthrough that should have saved lives; instead, it triggered a cover-up with a terrifying cost. Nothing is as it seems.

With Perry’s snark and street smarts by her side, Neve navigates a sea of lab corridors, boardroom lies, and the moment her childhood ended. To bring the architects of the conspiracy to justice, she must expose the truth without shattering the future she’s finally beginning to claim.

Midlife in Aura Cove is back in Kindle Unlimited (sad trombone)

I fought hard for my independence from Amazon and lost the first battle. So my choices were pretty simple: crawl back with my tail between my legs or quit writing altogether. Obviously, I chose option A.

Maybe someday I’ll have enough direct support to finally cut ties with this corrupt company for good. Until then, I’m just grateful for the opportunity to continue to entertain you.

While the books are currently exclusive to Amazon, they can ALSO be enjoyed through many public libraries. Just put in a patron request with your local library. Your support, whether through KU, purchases, or library requests is deeply appreciated! Libraries are LIFE!

💜 Order from Blair Bryan

💜 Get the complete audiobook collection (40% less than Audible!)

Thanks for reading Teal Butterfly Press! Subscribe to The Wing for your weekly shot at winning our bookstore gift card. Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won this week.

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Perry—The Snarky Sidekick You’ll Love

{EXCERPT} He landed on Neve’s shoulder, leaning in to whisper-hiss in her ear, “For someone who is supposed to be blending in, you’re about as subtle as a drag queen. Dial back the crystal ball routine before he starts asking for lottery numbers!”

Peregrine Ashcroft was living his life as a con man until his life choices send him reeling into the body of the closest creature. An African Grey Parrot.

BUY NOW FROM BLAIR BRYAN

Chapters 1-11 of Never Enough are now live in The Book Club!

A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me remain independent from Amazon and other major retailers.

Never Enough is the FINAL book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series and book club members will get to read it as I write it, comment, and become part of the process.

Book Club Members will also receive a special shout-out and thank you in the acknowledgements of Never Enough for being part of my creative process. If you’re a member, make sure to respond to the email I sent with your information to be included!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

Happy Mother’s Day to ALL

Inspired by true events, Up in the Middle of Nowhere, is a bittersweet tribute to the empty nest. It’s based on an actual treehouse trip I took with my youngest and the lessons we both learned there.

One mother. One daughter. One adventure of a lifetime that will change their relationship forever.

Free to read with Kindle Unlimited

Audiobook Lovers: Production begins on the 2nd Aura Cove Series Next Week!

CJ Locks is BACK! Bringing the magical world of Aura Cove to life like only she can. I can’t wait to hear her voice Peregrine, Nevermore and the gang. They will release as they are completed. Pre-Order the 1st One Here.

Book Review: The Missing Half

For me to enjoy a thriller, it has to be believable. I’m okay with unlikeable characters, but a twist for twist’s sake is a deal breaker for me. It started out pretty strong, then completely fell flat on its face.

I don’t like to disparage authors because I know books are hard to write and take a lot of time. But damn, this one was a disappointment.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for May 10th is: *ulie*volle**irl @ gmail. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

Thanks for being part of my bookclub for women over 40! Subscribe for exclusive discounts and early access to my newest women’s fantasy books! Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won the bookstore gift card this week.

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This all started when my psoriasis got bad enough that I was being prescribed a biologic. A quarterly injection that cost almost as much as a used car. Sure it was covered by insurance, but with the Big, Beautiful Bill starting to strip away coverage at an alarming rate, becoming reliant on an budget busting medication right now didn’t seem like the right move, unless I had exhausted EVERY available option known to man.

I was miserable 24/7 with constant itching, flaking, and open sores on my scalp. I suffered debilitating back pain that made it painful to bend down to clip a leash on my dog. I felt exhausted and worn down, and I remember thinking, “How am I 49 years old, but feel closer to 70? This can’t be the baseline for the rest of my life.”

So I started looking for other options. Then I stumbled across a podcast that was referenced at the end of a random Reddit thread on the psoriasis board, that quickly became a deep dive.

I cleaned up my diet, cut out alcohol and inflammatory foods, focused on gut health, and spent more than I care to admit on supplements. I took curcumin, milk thistle, ox bile, and probiotics to the tune of about $150/month,

I even went to a naturopath for testing, but when I discovered their path to healing meant a $5000 investment for a mere 3 months of treatment, I ultimately decided to research what my results meant, take what I learned, and try my own approach. If It didn’t work, I’d reconsider the investment.

Over the next nine months, things started to shift. The itching went away first (which truly felt like a miracle. I was going to bed wearing an ice cap meant for chemotherapy patients to calm my inflamed scalp. Ask my husband, it was dead SEXY!), then the sores healed, and eventually the flaking stopped. (You haven’t been completely demoralized until you watch your sweet husband vacuum up half of your scalp from navy blue flannel sheets without a single complaint. He’s the best.) I didn’t fully trust that I was in remission until I made it through a long Iowa winter, because bone dry, ice cold with little sunlight is the real test.

When April came and I was still symptom-free, (and not using ANY medicated shampoos or prescription steroids at all) it felt like I got my life back. During this time, I also tapered then quit all the expensive supplements. After I was off the supplement stack, occasionally, I felt a tingle of itch, and I did use the shampoo a time or two, but never refilled the prescription. I still haven’t.

My dermatologist was in shock. She’d never seen anyone bounce back like I had without pharmaceutical intervention.

That experience changed how I think about my health. It made me more curious, more willing to experiment, and more aware of how much daily habits actually matter. Your body wants to heal. If you give it what it needs, it will amaze you.

Later, I started hormone replacement therapy (estradiol patches and progesterone), which helped with several lingering symptoms like night sweats, heart palpitations, and a bit of the memory and brain fog. Sleep was still an issue, though, I woke up every morning at 2:00 am as if I’d set an alarm. My regular doctor suggested magnesium glycinate, and that ended up being a surprisingly simple win. I took it for 30 days and started sleeping more deeply and for longer stretches, and I also felt noticeably calmer. Now I am able to sleep in until 4:30 or 5 am, most mornings. (I’m the odd duck that loves to be up early when no one else is awake, and my quiet mornings are when I write my books.)

My back pain has improved, though it hasn’t disappeared. It’s psoriatic arthritis, and at this point, it’s good enough that I’ve been able to stop it from progressing. I’ve gone from two 500 mg prescription ibuprofen per day to just one over-the-counter Aleve (280 mg), and it manages things fairly well.

Coming to terms with the fact that it won’t fully go away has been challenging, but with a heating pad, movement, and a few stretching routines, I’ve learned how to work around it.

But even then, I was still dealing with debilitating fatigue. I could get through the day, but I crawled in bed at 6pm for the night, and exercise felt draining. This is not unusual for people with psoriatic arthritis.

At my next appointment, my doctor asked if I was eating enough protein. Around the same time, I came across a few articles on Substack from Victor connecting protein intake, hormones, and energy levels. The first article caught my eye, Your Liver Is the Reason You Can't Lose Weight (And Nobody Is Talking About It). I also realized that based on how I was eating, I shouldn’t be 25 lbs overweight. Since psoriasis is directly related to liver function, it made me wonder if the two might be connected.

Then I read:

Victor

The Protein Crisis Nobody Talks About: Why Women Over 35 Are Losing Muscle, Gaining Fat, and Aging Faster — on "Healthy" Diets

You noticed it in the dressing room…

Read more

4 months ago · 163 likes · 38 comments · Victor

The article (and honestly all his posts) really resonate with me. It’s like he’s been following me around for a decade. And that’s when I decided to experiment with something called “glop” (not the most appealing name, but it gets the job done) after reading another Substack article. Below is my riff, on ‘s creation.

I’m about 10 days in on GLOP now, and the biggest difference has been my energy. Not in a jittery, over-caffeinated way, just steady, consistent energy and strength that lasts throughout the day. The debilitating exhaustion I was fighting through everyday is lifting. I have more energy and the ability to do more things around the house every day. I finished a women’s fantasy series this week that required major brain power due to the time travel aspect. I was able to find inconsistencies and create a better story because the brain fog was gone. It like I have been reset back to my 40’s brain (with some back pain, but I’m not complaining.)

My husband noticed the shift before I even said anything, which says a lot.

There have been a few unexpected improvements too. There was an open sore on the inside of my nose I’ve had since September, that I had seen both my PCP and a specialist about, and neither of their prescriptions did anything to heal it. It was cracked, bleeding, and extremely irritating. After 10 days on the glop, it is COMPLETELY HEALED.

Looking back, I suspect I simply wasn’t getting enough protein. I was probably averaging around 50 grams a day, when I likely needed more than double that. Once I started hitting those higher levels consistently, my body bounced back quickly, almost like it had been starving for it.

I believe my body has responded to the glop because I was very deficient and still struggling with (psoriasis driven) inflammation. Full disclosure: I don’t like meat, I have to force myself to eat it, and eggs aren’t very high on my desirable list either. So I was lucky if I was getting 50g per day. According to most doctors and nutritionists, you should aim for .7 to 1g per pound of your goal weight. For me, that’s about 110–145g per day. When I started hitting that consistently for several days in a row, my energy came roaring back.

I have also lost about half of my hair volume, and I’m hopeful this will improve with glop as well, but hair regrowth is slow and it will likely take a year before I really know if it’s helping.

During this journey I have discovered that gut health is the ANSWER to almost any ailment. Glop addresses it, skirting around my aversion to meat, and packs the protein punch I need for energy.

Alcohol is poison. Any amount is detrimental to my liver. If I want to be flake and itch free, I can’t drink it anymore. At first, this felt like a punishment, I was the girl who lived for tacos and margaritas. Now, my guy makes me a virgin version of a Paloma that scratches that itch so my scalp doesn’t.

Also, I hated Greek yogurt, but when it’s mixed with protein powder and wild blueberries, it becomes a lot more palatable. The prebiotics in the psyllium husk and the probiotics in the yogurt shifted my gut health in a week, and the difference in such a short time was so profound, my husband has decided undertake his own experiment. After a week, even a taste shift has happened. I now look forward to my glop, have become a glop evangelist, trying to force it on every person I know and love. It is straight up nourishing.

So if you’re tired, if you have any of the autoimmune challenges I have (or your own), or if you simply know you aren’t getting the protein you need, I urge you to give this a try. Read the articles I linked, learn more about what your body needs, and give it that. There are answers to be found if you’re willing to do the work. Do your own research, start asking questions, and understand that the healthcare system isn’t always designed to get to the root of the issue. Doctors are pressured to treat and street, even the good ones. Most people want to take the easy route, the pill, the shot, and continue eating for taste. Eating for health is a different path and now after a year and a half, I know it is the only one for me.

Have I lost the 25 lbs I’ve always wanted to? Not yet. Resetting my hormones will take longer than 10 days, and hormonal weight is often the last thing to go. But even if it doesn’t…DANG, I feel GOOD! The energy alone makes this experiment a huge success.

Every body is different, and I’m just sharing what’s working for me as a 50-year-old perimenopausal woman with psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, hypothyroidism, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. If you have similar challenges, maybe some of this will help. If not, start researching your own. You deserve to feel your very best.

XOXO,
Blair Bryan

P.S. The first three bowls of original glop I ate were ROUGH. I added high protein milk because the consistency was like eating a brick of cream cheese. It was not easy to choke down, especially first thing in the morning before coffee. Now I wake up, drink an Oikos protein shake for a quick 30g to start my day before coffee like Victor suggests, then have my coffee, and eat my glop around 10 a.m. The rest of the day, I focus on eggs, chicken or beef, real foods, to get the other 30–40g I need to hit my goal.

P.S.S I also write hilarious and heartwarming Paranormal Women’s Fiction with fierce, 50+ heroines teaming up with Karma to take down bad men. If that is your jam, order my books here.

The Weekly Gift Card Winner for May 3rd is: *ara*lo*ez*10@ yahoo. com

(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.

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The Midlife in Aura Cove series is pure fun. My readers laugh through Katie’s antics while falling in love with three generations of supernatural women who team up with karma to make sure the bad guys get exactly what they deserve. It’s a satisfying blend of humor and justice, delivering the accounta…

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• 🐶 A Good Dog

• 🤣 A Good Laugh

• 📕 A Good Book

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Inspired by true events.

In the summer of 2022, I set out on a treehouse tour with my youngest child for one last adventure before they left the nest. What began as a simple getaway turned into an unforgettable week of making memories with the bittersweet awareness that this chapter of motherhood was c…

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Escape into the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler…the second series in the Aura Cove universe.

A freak lightning strike during Mercury retrograde unlocks Nevermore’s ability to time travel, her Neve into the past with only her sharp, neurodivergent instincts and her snarky, feathered companion, Peregrine, to guide her. It’s the dynamic duo…

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Peregrine

I came to with the distinct feeling that someone had used my head as a cannonball. The world swam into…

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The finale is almost here! I’m polishing up Never Enough, the fourth and final book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series, and it’s shaping up to be the wildest ride yet.

Neve returns to 1992 to uncover a dark secret, and the truth about her father’s research, with Perry by her side.

Early release …

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A vanished father. A ticking clock. One last chance. Midlife just got personal.

One final time, Nevermore grips her crystal geode and jumps straight into 1992 and the heart of NovaCure’s darkest secret. Building on Dr. Elaine Feldman’s research, …

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