Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Scarlett Cole | Top 5 Rockstars
Author Guest / August 30, 2017

It’s impossible to not love a rock star. At least, I think so. Charisma, stage presence, talent, and more energy and stamina than the proverbial Duracell bunny. Mix that with their ability to serenade us in their sexy voice, to move like lightning along a seven-string, or roar like thunder from the drum kit and I am completely sunk. Which is why I LOVE rock star romance. I stalk my favorite authors and scour their pages for just a hint of new material. I’ll even add their book releases to my calendar so I don’t miss a release. So, who are my favorite rockers in romance? Phew, tough question! But in compiling this list, I’ve marked quite a few books for a re-read. Therefore, in no particular order, here are my Top 5 rock star romances. THE MIGHTY STORM – Samantha Towle Those of you who know me, know I LOVE music. I’ve been known to go to over thirty concerts a year. And I love it when an author weaves music seamlessly into stories. While I could just say I love the story because of Jake Wethers, it’s the clever use of the song Hurt, originally written by Nine…

Top 5 Romantic Menu Items Created By Hero Alec Morgan by Jamie Beck
Author Guest / August 29, 2017

Thank you for hosting me today to talk about my new release, BEFORE I KNEW, in which shattering tragedies eventually lead childhood friends, Colby and Alec, to reunite in search of second chances and love. Sadly, secrets behind those tragedies threaten to destroy the new life they’ve built together. Colby is a lawyer-turned-restaurateur. She believes that the way to reconnect with others is to own a place where people come to celebrate life’s milestones and happy occasions. Of course, she has no real experience in this industry, so when her executive chef quits weeks prior to the opening, she’s in a bind. Alec, a disgraced but formerly reknowned chef, is determined to help her get her new dream off the ground. Given the story premise (and Alec’s training in New York and France), there are a fair number of menu items referenced in this story. I had fun conducting research about haute cuisine, the Michelin rating system, and some of our country’s top-rated restaurant menus. Bonus: I now have a wonderful list of places to eat if I ever get out of my office! Now, before we get to the menu, I must clarify one point. If Alec were preparing…

Tamra Baumann Author Reader Match
MatchMaker / August 29, 2017

Writes: Light-hearted contemporary romance with a little bit of danger, some hard to explain hunches, and lots of fun. SEEING DOUBLE debuts August 29th, 2017 About: Romance author seeking readers looking for a fun contemporary romance novel with a spunky heroine who has a big heart, trying to step out of her famous mother’s big shadow. Who likes to see men vying for the heroine’s love. And like me likes a good chuckle, craves a little adventure, and seeks a happily ever after with the perfect guy. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Someone who could fall for either a cocky, cowboy-boot-wearing cop or a former NFL quarterback turned lawyer who knows how to make pinstripes look sexy. Enjoys fast-paced plots with twists and turns. Wants a book that’ll make your pals want to know what’s making you grin while you read. Doesn’t mind reading about sizzling kisses, and a few naughty times. Has dreams at night that sometimes come true too. (Like the heroine) Whose idea of a perfect rainy Friday night includes an e-reader, lots of chocolate, and wine. (If that’s your beverage of choice) Likes cute kids in their stories. Looking for light entertainment,…

Becky McGraw | Meet the Author
Author Guest / August 29, 2017

Hi, I’m so glad to be here with you on Fresh Fiction. I’m really excited to tell you a little about my new release GRAY MATTER: Deep Six Security Book 5, but first let me tell you a little about myself. I write edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense stories with heat, heart and humor. If one of my books doesn’t keep you up all night, I haven’t done my job. I also write contemporary westerns, but they all include a mystery or suspense element too. My imperfect heroes are on the alpha side, gruff, overprotective and set in their ways, so sometimes they come off a little rough. But never fear, as in real life, there is always a sassy heroine waiting in the wings to meet and redeem them. My job is to throw her into his path and turn the wheel over to them to let them tell me their story. Because I like to keep my suspense plots relatable to the reader, some of the topics I tackle in my books are true-to-life, but not the pretty side. Together, though, my hero and heroine fight a good fight against evil, survive those perils, and find lasting love in the…

Top Five Reasons We Love Jocks and Nerds
Author Guest / August 29, 2017

We all know that opposites attract—King Kong and his beautiful blonde. Poor little Cinderella and her wealthy Prince. Kermit and Miss Piggy. But in the realm of opposites falling in love, there’s something special about the awkward girl and the cocky popular guy. Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club were my faves growing up. So why do we love these stories so much? Maybe they make us believe that the world can be saved one set of hearts at time. In any case, the jock-and-nerdy-chick stories are at the top of my favorites list and here’s why I loved them enough to create The OHELLNO Series! #1. The jock has a body to worship And let’s face it, no woman can resist a set of perky abs since they make us think about all of the other parts of his body that might be hard and perfect, too. (Wink, wink.) #2. On the inside, most of us feel like nerds—only some of us mask it better Let’s be honest, we have all felt awkward and left out at one point in our lives, which is why the nerdy girl is so relatable. As strong and brainy as she might be,…

The Best of Both Worlds
Author Guest / August 29, 2017

Hi! Thanks for having me back! There’s been a lot of debate over whether or not it’s better to be a plotter or a pantser. I like to think that I’m a bit of a hybrid. When I first started writing I would begin a story with characters and a vague idea for the plot and then run with it to see where it would take me. Things have changed a little now that I’m writing more and at a quicker pace. Now, in the initial stages of a book, I write out the general plot and main points in the story and fit it into a schedule that I do my best to adhere to. At least, to a point. But there is still something to be said about the mystery and adventure that comes with the unravelling of a story and the characters as I write. Part of the fun of writing for me is just that, the discovery. So, when I get the whiff of a submission call that makes my muse sit up and take notice, I just have to run with it. That’s what happened with CLAIMING ZARA. My publisher put out a call for…

Spotlight on Julie Anne Long
Author Spotlight / August 29, 2017

The third book in Julie Anne Long’s critically acclaimed, Rita-nominated, Best of 2016 Hellcat Canyon series is here—and the reviews are extraordinary: from Romantic Times… A RARE Five-Star GOLD review (a book is in a class by itself): “Just when you think you can’t fall deeper in love with Hellcat Canyon, along comes Avalon and Mac. Hilarious and touching…flawlessly executed, DIRTY DANCING AT DEVIL’S LEAP is easily the most romantic read of the summer.” from Publishers Weekly… A STARRED review: “…the best of the series so far…sparkling banter, adorable children and animals, and moments of charming hilarity will gratify both new and returning readers.” from All About Romance… A rare “A” Grade and DESERT ISLE Keeper status: “I started after dinner one evening, expecting to read a few chapters before getting ready for bed. The book gods laughed at that one, y’all, because the next thing I knew it was midnight and I was nearly hugging my Kindle for love of this book.” THE STORY… She was a naive country girl. He was a billionaire’s spoiled son. He was her first crush, her first heartbreak…and now her sworn enemy. As Avalon Harwood’s fortunes soared, Maximilian “Mac” Coltrane’s plummeted, and he…

GIVEAWAY: Wrong Side of the Paw by Laurie Cass
Giveaways / August 28, 2017

And you thought the bookmobile life would be perfect: peaceful, serene rolling around the countryside, meeting new people, giving out books. But murder? Who knew? WRONG SIDE OF THE PAW by Laurie Cass Bookmobile Cat #6 As Laurie Cass continues the national bestselling Bookmobile Cat mystery series, librarian Minnie Hamilton is happy to take her bookmobile for a spin with her rescue cat, Eddie—but her tenacious tabby always seems to find trouble… As the bookmobile rolls along the hills of Chilson, Michigan, Minnie and Eddie spread good cheer and good reads. But when her faithful feline finds his way into the middle of a murder, Minnie is there, like any good librarian, to check it out. Eddie turns a routine bookmobile stop into anything but when he makes a quick escape and hops into a pickup truck…with a dead body in the flatbed. The friendly local lawyer who was driving the pickup falls under suspicion. But Minnie and Eddie think there’s more to this case than meets the eye, and the dynamic duo sets out to leave no page unturned. Mystery Cozy | Mystery Pet Lovers [Berkley Prime Crime, On Sale: July 25, 2017, Mass Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN:…

A Puniful Name
Cozy Corner / August 28, 2017

This week I’m featuring three cozies that caught my attention with their titles. I love a good, quirky title. To be specific, one that can make me smile or release an inner snicker at the puniful twist the author used. Not only does it give a good sense of what the book is about, but it also gives the reader a taste of the author’s sense of humor. I dare you not to see the humor in these three mysteries;) MUFFIN TO FEAR by Victoria Hamilton Merry Muffin In the latest from the national bestselling author of Much Ado About Muffin, newlywed baker Merry Wynter has some unwanted guests looking for ghosts at Wynter Castle… While Merry is distracted by her quickly planned marriage to Virgil Grace and a blissful honeymoon in New York, her friend Pish invites the ghost-hunting crew from the TV show Haunt Hunt to investigate Merry’s home, Wynter Castle. Merry soon discovers that not only is the crew out of sync, there are so many feuds and squabbles, it’s a miracle they get a show produced at all. It all goes from bad to worse when the show’s psychics claim to have contact with people murdered…

Patricia Lee | Life is a Journey
Author Guest / August 28, 2017

Emily Perl Kingsley joined the writing staff of Sesame Street in the early 1970’s and is credited with creating several stories for children. What many didn’t know was Kingsley reared a son with Down Syndrome. Together they wrote a book about their experience, COUNT US IN: Growing Up with Down Syndrome. In 1987 she touched the hearts of many parents, including me, when she wrote an article about raising a child with a disability. She compared the experience of preparing for the baby like planning a trip to Italy. Getting ready requires reading travel brochures, choosing sites to see, packing your bag. All your friends are going to Italy, too, so you can share the event together. But, Kingsley states, when you get off the plane you’ve landed in Holland. There’s nothing wrong with Holland, but it’s not the trip you planned. You begin to read different brochures and learn about the place where you landed. Disabilities are like that unplanned trip. Parents must read new books and discover what makes their child unique, whether the diagnosis is Down Syndrome, Autism, Spina Bifida, or any other number of maladies that can strike without warning. Their journey will take them in…