Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Lindsay McKenna gives readers a sneak peek at NEVER ENOUGH
Author Guest / March 1, 2017

This is a sample of Lindsay McKenna’s latest romantic suspense, NEVER ENOUGH, the novella sequel to FORGED IN FIRE. Both are part of the Delos Series. Can a vacation in paradise heal her trauma and allow love to shine through… Matt ambled down the busy hall of the Delos Charity in Waianae, Ohau, Hawaii. There was nothing but women here, and he liked the low-key, warm, nurturing energy that pervaded the place. All of the people he saw were women working under Alani’s direction. Running this place took a lot of paperwork, a lot of people who knew the law enforcement and other governmental systems that were in place to help women who were trying to escape abuse. He located the examination room and saw ten women with squirming babies or toddlers in hand, waiting patiently in line. They gave him a wary look, and Matt felt bad for them. He was male and a stranger to them. Therefore, a potential menace and threat. He saw the door to the examination room open as a mother with a six-month-old baby in her arms left, smiling, relief in her expression. Matt smiled and nodded hello in her direction as he came…

Coleen Kwan | Goal, Motivation, and Conflict in KISSING HER ENEMY
Author Guest / March 1, 2017

One of the first things an author learns when creating her characters is the concept of GMC, or Goal, Motivation, and Conflict. Goal is simply what the character wants. Motivation is why he or she wants that goal. Conflict is what’s standing in the way of that goal. The goal of a character is something to be achieved in the future, whereas motivation is rooted in a character’s backstory or past. In my new book, KISSING HER ENEMY, backstory plays an important part in both my heroine (Amber) and hero (Logan). Amber grew up in a trailer park, raised by her single mom, whereas Logan was born into one of the wealthiest families in town, wanting for nothing. Amber quickly learned to fend for herself, using her natural feistiness as a defense against bullying and put-downs at school. But then she met Logan in her senior year and developed a secret crush on the rich and popular jock. Against all odds, it seemed Logan liked her too. Until she caught him with his girlfriend and caused an almighty public scene that had Logan embarrassed, seething, and avoiding her like the plague. Twelve years later, Amber is the proud owner of…

My Recent Tailspin by Jade Lee / Kathy Lyons
Author Guest / March 1, 2017

A few days ago, a friend of mine sent me a political cartoon. She was blithely unaware that our politics are polar opposites. Usually I ignore her political commentary, but this cartoon hit a nerve. It insulted President Obama and glorified Trump’s pussy grabbing comment. I emailed back that she needed to stop sending me such things because I don’t consider sexual attacks funny, and certainly not ones bragged about by our current president. She responded by saying that was rich considering the trash/filth I write. This woman has known me for years, has read my books and said she liked them, and I even named one of my heroes after her husband. Her one emailed comment destroyed me. I know she was lashing back, I know it’s a reflection of her generation and upbringing. I know that, but she sent me into a tailspin nonetheless. Why? There’s the obvious dismissal of my life’s work, but that’s not unusual. The world is full of people who dismiss romance novels as porn for silly women. They’re wrong and I’m not going to waste my breath arguing with them. There’s the unexpected attack from a friend, but let’s face it, we’re not…

Rhys Bowen Takes Us Back in Time to Bletchley Park
Author Guest / March 1, 2017

One of the fun things for me about starting a new book is the research. When I started IN FARLEIGH FIELD, my stand-alone novel set in WWII, I knew the story would involve Bletchley Park. In case you don’t know, Bletchley Park was the headquarters of British code breaking, where the German Enigma code was cracked and the first computer was invented. I was top, top secret. If you worked there you signed a paper saying you would never reveal to anyone what you did. Not anyone, husband, mother, lover. That ban was only lifted in the 1990s and I find that sad. Think of all the parents who died never knowing that their child had done something game-changing and heroic when all the time they thought he or she was a slacker, not fighting but doing office work. I spent a fascinating couple of days at Bletchley, examining the code breaking machines, seeing the dismal conditions the code breakers worked in and admiring the main house of the estate, such a contrast from the dreary huts around it. I even saw Alan Turing’s teddy bear that he kept on his desk! So you can imagine how excited I was,…