Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Meet Mercy Kilpatrick (of self-named series by Kendra Elliot)
Interviews / January 15, 2018

A MERCIFUL SECRET is the third book in my Mercy Kilpatrick series about an FBI agent who was raised in rural Oregon by survivalists. In SECRET, Mercy is caught up in two related murder investigations hundreds of miles apart. Here’s an interview with my heroine: How would you describe yourself? Mercy Kilpatrick: I’m independent and strive to be prepared for everything. Rational. Reliable. You were raised ‘off the grid’ with your family. How did this influence the person you have become? Mercy: Being raised off the grid, taught me that I am the only person I can rely on. People forget that grocery stores can run out of food, power can be permanently cut off, and that when desperate, your most trusted neighbor will turn their back on you. I never forget. You left home in order to become an FBI agent. This had to be a pretty big change for you. What made you want to join the government? Mercy: I saw it as a challenge. I’d been raised to believe that government constantly oversteps its bounds and that our population should never trust it. I was taught that the world was black and white. When I left home,…

Sara Baysinger | Why Being “Heard” by A Love Interest Matters in Books and IRL
Author Guest / January 15, 2018

The main theme of my newly released YA/SciFi novel, THE VANISHING SPARK OF DUSK, is to “Be Heard”. While that mantra is primarily focused on my main lead, Lark (who’s naturally quiet and reserved), this theme is also geared toward the romantic relationship in this story. There are SO. MANY. BOOKS. out there. Thankfully they’re starting to encourage people to love and listen and respect each other, but there are still those books hanging around that might have a controlling partner be the “hero”. (Trust me, I’ve read them. *puke*) And I’m not talking “Christian Grey” control. In that book Anastasia has a safe word, and it’s HANDS OFF the moment she uses it. Even when she doesn’t use it, Grey respects her and listens to her. I’m talking about the subtle control. The cloaked guilt the controlling party gives their partner when they don’t get what they want. The anger that results when the partner stands their ground. I’m talking about emotional abuse, which can sometimes lead to physical abuse if the controlling party still doesn’t get what they want. As someone who used to devour these sorts of books and idolize those “heroes,” I now get super triggered…

Cozy Corner | It’s a Cozy New Year!
Cozy Corner / January 15, 2018

The new year is always filled with fresh prospects, new beginnings and hope for a better tomorrow. Yet sometimes, you just want to hang onto what made you comfortable last year. The time-tested and proven. As a mystery reader, its no different. Your favorite sleuths hold a special place in your heart you aren’t about to give up. And why should you? Yet you still can’t resist the shiny and new cozy that holds so much intrigue—so don’t! This week I have some great return heroines, one that’s new to me, but she’s been around for three previous books (which gave me a backlist to check out) and a bonus mystery of a brand new series that will have you looking ahead for more! If you know these authors, check out their latest mystery and return to what you love. If they’re new to you, celebrate the beginning of a new relationship with a tried and true series. And don’t forget to check out an up and coming series you’re sure add to your list of favorites. CRUST NO ONE by Winnie Archer A Bread Shop Mystery #2 Business is booming at Yeast of Eden. But with a deadly mystery…