April 2012 On Sale: April 17, 2012 496 pages ISBN: 0399159126 EAN: 9780399159121 Kindle: B0074VTHBQ Hardcover / e-Book $27.95 Add to Wish List Romance Contemporary Buy at Amazon.com Top Pick by Fresh Fiction Reviewers The Witness by Nora Roberts Daughter of a controlling mother, Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever. Twelve years later, the woman known as Abigail Lowery lives on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she designs sophisticated security systems—and supplements her own security with a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. But Abigail’s reserve only intrigues police chief Brooks Gleason. Her logical mind, her secretive nature, and her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something—and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed. With a quirky, unforgettable heroine and a pulse-pounding plotline, Nora Roberts presents a riveting new read that cements her place as today’s most reliably entertaining thriller author—and will leave…

I find every aspect of the writing process challenging—but I love a challenge, so that’s what makes this profession so exciting and endlessly interesting and enjoyable. But I have to say that the hardest part of writing a book is the planning and execution of the entire first draft. It all begins with an idea, which sometimes is inspired by something I’ve read or seen, but often comes after months of determined brainstorming in search of the right idea. After a bit of initial research I scribble notes expounding on the concept, jotting down possible characters and story directions. I put the idea aside for a while, and if it still intrigues me weeks or months (or years) later, I do further research and write a detailed story outline. At the outline stage it’s a huge challenge to develop the elements that I feel are essential to any good book: the theme of the novel and the main characters’ arcs. It’s vital to me that the hero and heroine each begin with a problem, a need, a goal, and an inner wound of some kind; that the story takes them on a journey which forces them to confront and overcome…

It shouldn’t even be a question. But for me, as I’m sure it is for many whose minds are inundated with stories begging to be told, I often asked myself the very same thing. Do I do it? Do I simply go for it? And the most pressing one: When? Let me back up a little, and start from the beginning-that pivotal moment when I realized maybe I had a talent, a knack for prose. No, not trying to sound cocky, but I do believe each of us has a gift or talent that should be shared in some way. I just managed to peg mine early, first grade to be exact. That was my moment in time when I knew no spelling bee, no grammar test, and no essay would send my mind a-whirling and my a-stomach churning. Research papers beware! English was always my best subject, and my first grade teacher recognized this, setting me aside and letting me write stories while the rest of the class labored away at other subjects like math(I’m sure this is why I still use my fingers to count). And even then, the limited capacities of my seven year old mind understood…

July 2012 On Sale: July 2, 2012 320 pages ISBN: 0373837666 EAN: 9780373837663 Kindle: B007UNC40O Paperback / e-Book Add to Wish ListInspirational Fiction Amish Buy at Amazon.com Top Pick by Fresh Fiction Reviewers Dark Crossings by Patricia Davids, Karen Harper, Marta Perry The Covered Bridge by Karen Harper When Benjamin Kline returns to the fold after eight years, Abigail Baughman welcomes him with an open heart. But all is not well in their Amish village. Mysterious happenings put Abby in harm’s way, forcing Ben to run to her rescue. He’s vowed never to let anyone hurt her, and suddenly everything is at risk—their community, their way of life…and their future together. Fallen in Plain Sight by Marta Perry Childhood friends Sarah Weaver and Jacob Mast see each other in a different light when violence shatters their peaceful society. Now a series of accidents put their faith—and newfound love—to the ultimate test. Outside the Circle by Patricia Davids Isaac Bowman is an outsider, but Lena Troyer makes the widower and his daughter feel like part of the community. So when a deer-poaching ring divides the town, Isaac vows to keep this gentle woman safe from harm…in spite of the danger to…