Twelve years ago on St. Patrick’s Day, my daughter was born, cursing herself to a lifetime of green birthdays. As my family has a long-tradition of eating corned beef for the holiday (due to my mother being an excellent cook), we have generally rolled my daughter’s birthday into the holiday. However, for the first time this year she suggested that maybe everything didn’t have to be green. Cue horror for the rest of us who want our corned beef with the special sauce. All was saved when we negotiated a separate eating holiday, but that left me and the green dessert I had already picked out in limbo. However, just because my daughter doesn’t want green brownies doesn’t mean that I can’t make and enjoy them.
This year, I’m trying Matcha brownies from Spatula Desserts. And while I enjoyed the recipe, I have to admit the website is upholding the fine tradition of recipe sites and it’s nearly impossible to find just the recipe. So if you want the recipe but don’t want to the work of reading through the ads and life stories, don’t worry… I got you.
And Thing 1 and Thing 2 were not blue-haired pranksters. The things were both writing. Last year, I blithely signed a contract with Varus Publishing to provide 4 books in 2026. I had exactly 1.5 books of those four written when I signed. Well, if you want to meet editorial and layout schedules, then you must turn in your manuscripts at a date that is not the last minute. Then I took on teaching a new writing workshop (which means developing the workshop), being the Treasurer for the Mystery Writers of America Northwest Chapter, volunteering my design skills to a worthy-cause website, supporting my brother’s new business, and oh, yeah, my daughter’s birthday is in a week. Keep reading for the news breakdown.
The Workshop Thing
The workshop “Murder Boards & Master Plans: Brainstorming Your Mystery” went from being hybrid to being all virtual due to the possibility of snow in the forecast. While a bit of a curveball, the workshop still went well as we discussed how to pick which information we need to start outlining (or if you’re a “pantser – how to just start writing) and then broke it down to have some fabulous shared moments and help each other move our stories forward. It was so fantastic to see attendees have a lightbulb or a breakthrough moment on their plot.
The Treasury Department
Being a Treasurer is not particularly difficult. What’s challenging is the bank who, despite non-profit boards routinely rotating all across the US, seem shocked that there is a new treasurer literally every time. But it’s not my first time being a treasurer so I just gathered up all my bits and went down to the bank and talked to real person until it was mostly straightened out. Sadly, I’ll be doing it again this week in order to set up online banking. It never seems to happen all in one visit. However, the rest of the job is going fine, and we’ve already started our programming for the year – Check out Mystery Manon as she discusses social media for mystery writers!
New Website Thing
As part of our MWA Chapter’s mission to support writing, this year we took on the support of Noir at the Bar Seattle. While a fixture on the Seattle literary scene since 2014, NATB has never had it’s own website. Until now. With some graphic design wizardry and a little tech know-how, I was able to put together a NATB website. It’s main goal is to share news of upcoming events, and keep track of past performers. You can also sign up for the mailing list and listen to recordings of previous readings. To learn more visit: https://www.noiratthebarseattle.com/
Birthday Wishes
My daughter’s birthday is on St. Patrick’s Day and as per usual, we have picked out and tested a green dessert. This year it’s… Greenies. Because they can’t be brownies if they’re green. If you’re interested in getting the recipe (and news about new books, giveaways, and author spotlights) then sign up for my once a month newsletter! Visit: https://bethanymaines.com/connect/
And now… The Book Thing!
Book 1 of the 2026 novels is now out in the wild and being read and reviewed by real human beings – ack! Look for Book 2 – Forged in Flame – June. This one is a perfectly delicious second chance romance with dragons because… of course there are dragons in Hawaii — it’s got a volcano.
Heart’s Curse
Writing under the pen name Sirena Corebeau for Varus Publishing, Heart’s Curse is about Lucas Kane, a hotel boss who’s on his way up the ladder and his first shot at the big time in Vegas is The Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino. There’s just one tiny problem… it’s cursed. Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray has always been told she’s nothing special—just the magicless daughter of a powerful witch family. But when a disastrous spring break lands her in Las Vegas, she stumbles into the path of Lucas Kane, a dangerously magnetic casino boss with secrets of his own. Lucas is juggling mob ties, a cursed hotel, and powers he can never reveal. What he doesn’t need is a heartbroken college girl counting cards at his tables… or kissing him in front of her cheating ex. But when blood rains from the showers and guests descend into madness, Charlie proves she sees what no one else can—the curse that haunts the Lucky Heart’s Casino. To break it, she’ll have to embrace her hidden magic and trust Lucas with her heart. Because in Vegas, the stakes aren’t just money—they’re life, love, and destiny.
I’m so thrilled to see book one of the Montanari Universe – Heart’s Curse – finally in the hands of readers. This is my first foray into using a pen name and I’m excited to see if Sirena Corbeau with her horror-tinged take on paranormal romance can connect with readers.
The Montanari Universe
Each book in this series is connected through the character of Dante Montanari—a wealthy CEO and dragon-shifter whose actions impact everyone around him. And while some of his decisions are benign, others have unintended consequences, and yet still others can spell for trouble. You can expect 3 more books in this universe in 2026 – Forged in Flame, Curselocked, and Swamp of Shadows. This fun, steamy series will serve up the Hawaii based dragon-shifter (+baby!) romance in June—perfect for summer beach reading. Learn more:Sirena Corbeau
Heart’s Curse
In Heart’s Curse, Lucas Kane has worked for Dante Montanari ever since the day he tried to pick the dragons pocket. But with the acquisition of the Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino, this one time street kid is now poised to be the head of the Montanari Corporation’s Vegas division. There’s just one teeny tiny little problem… It’s cursed. Fortunately for Lucas, there just happens to be a gorgeous witch checked in on the third floor. Too bad for him Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray has no magic. But as the curse sends guests running and blood pouring from the faucets, Charlie may be the only one who can save them. In Vegas, the stakes aren’t just money—they’re life, love, and destiny.
This week, I taught a workshop for the Pacific Northwest Writers Association called Brainstorming Your Murder. This was a new workshop for me, and as always, I was struck by a case of nerves because I hate the idea of under-delivering. The workshop evolved out of what I call my “Plotting Parties” – backyard get-togethers to co-write with author friends. But I soon saw that what started as spontaneous processing of our projects could be systematized to move a novel forward. And while for me, it seemed like a natural outgrowth of my process, after talking with several writers, I realized that the groupthink of auxiliary brains was not a natural part of their creative process. So I created a workshop to teach my system and then practice the skills we discussed.
Bravery in the Face of Strangers
Sometimes it can be incredibly difficult to share an undeveloped story even to other writers, so I was also worried that the class attendees might not want to participate. Then there was the fear that people would be like “yawn, I already know this.” So while my attendees had to share their ideas, I had to make sure I was giving fresh new thoughts. It was a time for bravery all the way around!
Brainstorming Success?
For me, despite being moved to strictly virtual due to potential inclement weather, the evening was a wonderful success. Several authors walked away with solutions to their novel problems, gut-check reactions to their proposed formats, and some lightbulb ideas on how to shape their novels in progress. To see someone’s face light up with an “OH! THAT IS IT!” moment is gratifying. So thanks to the PNWA for hosting me and making those moments possible and I hope to be able to share this workshop with others in the future!
https://bethanymaines.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Maines_Brainstorming-Workshop-InstaGraphic.jpg10801080Bethany Maineshttps://bethanymaines.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Aug2016-Logo-op3-300x69.pngBethany Maines2026-02-20 14:58:492026-02-20 15:07:42Brainstorming Your Murder
To the Board of the Northwest Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America! As a cross-genre writer who bounces between mystery and romance, I’m subject to imposter syndrome in every genre I touch. Is this enough of a mystery? Is this romance-y enough? Someone give me a kiss-o-meter! So when a friend reached out and suggested I run for the Board I thought… eeee, I don’t know. What if someone finds out that all my mysteries have kissing in them? Then I realized that was probably the silliest thing I’d thought lately and I said we could maybe think about it.
And now I’m Treasurer.
Where’s that facepalm emoji when I need it? Although, to be honest, this is also how I ended up as the Treasurer of my local business district a few years ago. And that turned out fine. (We held a wine walk and a farmer’s market!) So I suppose we shall see if I can figure out how to make the MWA hold a wine walk. What’s the author equivalent of a wine walk? Now I need the heavy thinking emoji.
Crime’s of the Heart
But as I ponder if I’m mystery enough for the mystery crowd, or romance enough for the romance crew, I realize that I couldn’t have written my most recent book without my mystery and crime fiction background. The idea was simple enough—I hate The Shining. (Confession: I’ve never read the book.) The movie bugs me. It’s stylish, terrifying, and (for me) the characters behave in completely unbelievable ways. Every time I’ve seen it, I think… why would the caretaker leave? Why would she not leave her husband prior to going to a snowed-in hotel? Why has no one ever noticed the creepy ass shit before this? What kind of hotel owner would let a hotel be empty for six months of the year? And then I had the action movie thought, that this could be solved a lot of ways that weren’t… any of this. It’s like how most action movies could really be avoided if someone just shot the bad guy the moment he started pontificating. Which led me to think that this kind of nonsense wouldn’t fly in Vegas. Cursed hotel? Oh, hell no. The mob is not standing for that—they would be getting in a priest the first time some evil twin ghosts interfered with a slot machine. Crime families cannot be having blood dripping from the walls. That would cut down on the profits. And then I said, “Ooooooh. I might need to do something with that.” And since I’m an adult and I can give in to all of my intrusive thoughts if I want… I did just that.
Heart’s Curse
Writing under the pen name Sirena Corebeau for Varus Publishing, Heart’s Curse is about Lucas Kane, a hotel boss who’s on his way up the ladder and his first shot at the big time in Vegas is The Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino. There’s just one tiny problem… it’s cursed. Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray has always been told she’s nothing special—just the magicless daughter of a powerful witch family. But when a disastrous spring break lands her in Las Vegas, she stumbles into the path of Lucas Kane, a dangerously magnetic casino boss with secrets of his own. Lucas is juggling mob ties, a cursed hotel, and powers he can never reveal. What he doesn’t need is a heartbroken college girl counting cards at his tables… or kissing him in front of her cheating ex. But when blood rains from the showers and guests descend into madness, Charlie proves she sees what no one else can—the curse that haunts the Lucky Heart’s Casino. To break it, she’ll have to embrace her hidden magic and trust Lucas with her heart. Because in Vegas, the stakes aren’t just money—they’re life, love, and destiny.
Heart’s Curse releases March 3, 2026! Whether or not my reign of terror at the MWA treasury position goes as well as the romance for Lucas and Charlie remains to be seen.
https://bethanymaines.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/HeartsCurse_DarkWitch5-1-scaled.png25602560Bethany Maineshttps://bethanymaines.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Aug2016-Logo-op3-300x69.pngBethany Maines2026-02-11 05:00:152026-01-06 10:33:37Blessing or a Curse?
St. Patrick’s Day
/in General Writing, LifeThis year, I’m trying Matcha brownies from Spatula Desserts. And while I enjoyed the recipe, I have to admit the website is upholding the fine tradition of recipe sites and it’s nearly impossible to find just the recipe. So if you want the recipe but don’t want to the work of reading through the ads and life stories, don’t worry… I got you.
Download the 7″x5″recipe card here: Matcha Brownies
Every Little Thing
/in General Writing, Life, Marketing, Romance, Sirena CorbeauQuarter 1 had a lot of things…
And Thing 1 and Thing 2 were not blue-haired pranksters. The things were both writing. Last year, I blithely signed a contract with Varus Publishing to provide 4 books in 2026. I had exactly 1.5 books of those four written when I signed. Well, if you want to meet editorial and layout schedules, then you must turn in your manuscripts at a date that is not the last minute. Then I took on teaching a new writing workshop (which means developing the workshop), being the Treasurer for the Mystery Writers of America Northwest Chapter, volunteering my design skills to a worthy-cause website, supporting my brother’s new business, and oh, yeah, my daughter’s birthday is in a week. Keep reading for the news breakdown.
The workshop “Murder Boards & Master Plans: Brainstorming Your Mystery” went from being hybrid to being all virtual due to the possibility of snow in the forecast. While a bit of a curveball, the workshop still went well as we discussed how to pick which information we need to start outlining (or if you’re a “pantser – how to just start writing) and then broke it down to have some fabulous shared moments and help each other move our stories forward. It was so fantastic to see attendees have a lightbulb or a breakthrough moment on their plot.
Being a Treasurer is not particularly difficult. What’s challenging is the bank who, despite non-profit boards routinely rotating all across the US, seem shocked that there is a new treasurer literally every time. But it’s not my first time being a treasurer so I just gathered up all my bits and went down to the bank and talked to real person until it was mostly straightened out. Sadly, I’ll be doing it again this week in order to set up online banking. It never seems to happen all in one visit. However, the rest of the job is going fine, and we’ve already started our programming for the year – Check out Mystery Manon as she discusses social media for mystery writers!
As part of our MWA Chapter’s mission to support writing, this year we took on the support of Noir at the Bar Seattle. While a fixture on the Seattle literary scene since 2014, NATB has never had it’s own website. Until now. With some graphic design wizardry and a little tech know-how, I was able to put together a NATB website. It’s main goal is to share news of upcoming events, and keep track of past performers. You can also sign up for the mailing list and listen to recordings of previous readings. To learn more visit: https://www.noiratthebarseattle.com/
My daughter’s birthday is on St. Patrick’s Day and as per usual, we have picked out and tested a green dessert. This year it’s… Greenies. Because they can’t be brownies if they’re green. If you’re interested in getting the recipe (and news about new books, giveaways, and author spotlights) then sign up for my once a month newsletter! Visit: https://bethanymaines.com/connect/
Book 1 of the 2026 novels is now out in the wild and being read and reviewed by real human beings – ack! Look for Book 2 – Forged in Flame – June. This one is a perfectly delicious second chance romance with dragons because… of course there are dragons in Hawaii — it’s got a volcano.
Heart’s Curse
Writing under the pen name Sirena Corebeau for Varus Publishing, Heart’s Curse is about Lucas Kane, a hotel boss who’s on his way up the ladder and his first shot at the big time in Vegas is The Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino. There’s just one tiny problem… it’s cursed. Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray has always been told she’s nothing special—just the magicless daughter of a powerful witch family. But when a disastrous spring break lands her in Las Vegas, she stumbles into the path of Lucas Kane, a dangerously magnetic casino boss with secrets of his own. Lucas is juggling mob ties, a cursed hotel, and powers he can never reveal. What he doesn’t need is a heartbroken college girl counting cards at his tables… or kissing him in front of her cheating ex. But when blood rains from the showers and guests descend into madness, Charlie proves she sees what no one else can—the curse that haunts the Lucky Heart’s Casino. To break it, she’ll have to embrace her hidden magic and trust Lucas with her heart. Because in Vegas, the stakes aren’t just money—they’re life, love, and destiny.
ORDER NOW: https://amzn.to/49fdeli
Heart’s Curse Release Day
/in Paranormal Romance, Romance, Sirena CorbeauI’m so thrilled to see book one of the Montanari Universe – Heart’s Curse – finally in the hands of readers. This is my first foray into using a pen name and I’m excited to see if Sirena Corbeau with her horror-tinged take on paranormal romance can connect with readers.
The Montanari Universe
Each book in this series is connected through the character of Dante Montanari—a wealthy CEO and dragon-shifter whose actions impact everyone around him. And while some of his decisions are benign, others have unintended consequences, and yet still others can spell for trouble. You can expect 3 more books in this universe in 2026 – Forged in Flame, Curselocked, and Swamp of Shadows. This fun, steamy series will serve up the Hawaii based dragon-shifter (+baby!) romance in June—perfect for summer beach reading. Learn more: Sirena Corbeau
Heart’s Curse
In Heart’s Curse, Lucas Kane has worked for Dante Montanari ever since the day he tried to pick the dragons pocket. But with the acquisition of the Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino, this one time street kid is now poised to be the head of the Montanari Corporation’s Vegas division. There’s just one teeny tiny little problem… It’s cursed. Fortunately for Lucas, there just happens to be a gorgeous witch checked in on the third floor. Too bad for him Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray has no magic. But as the curse sends guests running and blood pouring from the faucets, Charlie may be the only one who can save them. In Vegas, the stakes aren’t just money—they’re life, love, and destiny.
BUY NOW: https://amzn.to/49fdeli
Thanks so much to all my readers for their support!
Brainstorming Your Murder
/in General Writing, Life, Marketing, mysteryThis week, I taught a workshop for the Pacific Northwest Writers Association called Brainstorming Your Murder. This was a new workshop for me, and as always, I was struck by a case of nerves because I hate the idea of under-delivering. The workshop evolved out of what I call my “Plotting Parties” – backyard get-togethers to co-write with author friends. But I soon saw that what started as spontaneous processing of our projects could be systematized to move a novel forward. And while for me, it seemed like a natural outgrowth of my process, after talking with several writers, I realized that the groupthink of auxiliary brains was not a natural part of their creative process. So I created a workshop to teach my system and then practice the skills we discussed.
Bravery in the Face of Strangers
Sometimes it can be incredibly difficult to share an undeveloped story even to other writers, so I was also worried that the class attendees might not want to participate. Then there was the fear that people would be like “yawn, I already know this.” So while my attendees had to share their ideas, I had to make sure I was giving fresh new thoughts. It was a time for bravery all the way around!
Brainstorming Success?
For me, despite being moved to strictly virtual due to potential inclement weather, the evening was a wonderful success. Several authors walked away with solutions to their novel problems, gut-check reactions to their proposed formats, and some lightbulb ideas on how to shape their novels in progress. To see someone’s face light up with an “OH! THAT IS IT!” moment is gratifying. So thanks to the PNWA for hosting me and making those moments possible and I hope to be able to share this workshop with others in the future!
Blessing or a Curse?
/in General WritingI was elected…
To the Board of the Northwest Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America! As a cross-genre writer who bounces between mystery and romance, I’m subject to imposter syndrome in every genre I touch. Is this enough of a mystery? Is this romance-y enough? Someone give me a kiss-o-meter! So when a friend reached out and suggested I run for the Board I thought… eeee, I don’t know. What if someone finds out that all my mysteries have kissing in them? Then I realized that was probably the silliest thing I’d thought lately and I said we could maybe think about it.
And now I’m Treasurer.
Where’s that facepalm emoji when I need it? Although, to be honest, this is also how I ended up as the Treasurer of my local business district a few years ago. And that turned out fine. (We held a wine walk and a farmer’s market!) So I suppose we shall see if I can figure out how to make the MWA hold a wine walk. What’s the author equivalent of a wine walk? Now I need the heavy thinking emoji.
Crime’s of the Heart
But as I ponder if I’m mystery enough for the mystery crowd, or romance enough for the romance crew, I realize that I couldn’t have written my most recent book without my mystery and crime fiction background. The idea was simple enough—I hate The Shining. (Confession: I’ve never read the book.) The movie bugs me. It’s stylish, terrifying, and (for me) the characters behave in completely unbelievable ways. Every time I’ve seen it, I think… why would the caretaker leave? Why would she not leave her husband prior to going to a snowed-in hotel? Why has no one ever noticed the creepy ass shit before this? What kind of hotel owner would let a hotel be empty for six months of the year? And then I had the action movie thought, that this could be solved a lot of ways that weren’t… any of this. It’s like how most action movies could really be avoided if someone just shot the bad guy the moment he started pontificating. Which led me to think that this kind of nonsense wouldn’t fly in Vegas. Cursed hotel? Oh, hell no. The mob is not standing for that—they would be getting in a priest the first time some evil twin ghosts interfered with a slot machine. Crime families cannot be having blood dripping from the walls. That would cut down on the profits. And then I said, “Ooooooh. I might need to do something with that.” And since I’m an adult and I can give in to all of my intrusive thoughts if I want… I did just that.
Writing under the pen name Sirena Corebeau for Varus Publishing, Heart’s Curse is about Lucas Kane, a hotel boss who’s on his way up the ladder and his first shot at the big time in Vegas is The Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino. There’s just one tiny problem… it’s cursed. Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray has always been told she’s nothing special—just the magicless daughter of a powerful witch family. But when a disastrous spring break lands her in Las Vegas, she stumbles into the path of Lucas Kane, a dangerously magnetic casino boss with secrets of his own. Lucas is juggling mob ties, a cursed hotel, and powers he can never reveal. What he doesn’t need is a heartbroken college girl counting cards at his tables… or kissing him in front of her cheating ex. But when blood rains from the showers and guests descend into madness, Charlie proves she sees what no one else can—the curse that haunts the Lucky Heart’s Casino. To break it, she’ll have to embrace her hidden magic and trust Lucas with her heart. Because in Vegas, the stakes aren’t just money—they’re life, love, and destiny.
ORDER NOW: https://amzn.to/49fdeli
LEARN MORE: Sirena Corbeau
Heart’s Curse releases March 3, 2026! Whether or not my reign of terror at the MWA treasury position goes as well as the romance for Lucas and Charlie remains to be seen.