A special treat: we have another lovely article from fresh fiction reviewer Miranda Owen, all about historical mysteries. Enjoy, and be sure to check back soon for more from Miranda and other reviewers soon! Nowadays I generally read contemporary cozy mysteries, but I have a fondness for Golden Age mysteries. Some of the first mysteries I ever read were set in England during the 1920s and 30s written by Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. Although it may not be what I usually read, I’ve recently enjoyed a crop of fascinating and incredibly varied collection of historical mysteries. THE MURDER AT MANDEVILLE HALL by Stephanie Laurens, AN ACT OF VILLAINY by Ashley Weaver, BRIGHT YOUNG DEAD by Jessica Fellowes, BLOOD IS BLOOD by Will Thomas, and NAUGHTY ON ICE by Maia Chance are all entertaining stories but with sleuths, settings, and tone that differ wildly from each other. I love a hint of romance in a mystery, so I adore Stephanie Laurens’ mysteries and the Amory Ames mystery series by Ashley Weaver featuring Amory and Milo Ames. These authors’ books are totally different but each does an exquisite job balancing mystery with a hint of romance. THE MURDER AT MANDEVILLE HALL…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Denise Swanson! Writes: I write contemporary romance. I would say they are sexy, but sweet. I like to include lots of feels, but not too much angst. I want to warm your heart more than rip it to pieces. My most recent book is Dangerously Delicious a Delicious Love romance about a nightclub owner who has recently decided he wants to find his forever woman, and a wildlife veterinarian who loves her furbabies more than most people. About: Country girl seeks fans of sweet sexy romances who appreciate strong heroines, and the alpha heroes who are smart enough to love them. Author writes such stories because she has been fortunate to live her own happily ever after with her hero husband who she met in high school. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Knows that strong women aren’t weakened by loving (and learning to lean on) the right man. Has a weakness for hero and heroine who…

My new novel THE CHRISTMAS LAYOVER is about friendship among strangers. While the terms friendship and stranger seem more like antonyms than synonyms, that is (happily) not always the case. In my book, a small town opens its arms to an airliner full of strangers at Christmastime, and, in my own life, I’ve had similar experiences. On more than one occasion, those that didn’t know me from Adam reached out with the hand of friendship and drew me into their lives just when I most needed to feel included. One such occurrence happened long ago in a college town called Athens, Georgia. I’d like to share it with you.  I’d seen her around campus long before I pledged the Kappa Sigma fraternity the winter of my sophomore year. I’d admired her from afar—the epitome of the untouchable college beauty. I’d decided that if I were forced to choose one perfect girl, she would be the one. Even though our paths crossed several times a day, I felt as if she lived in some remote corner of a distant universe. I was sure she had no clue I existed. She was there the night, several weeks into my pledgeship, when I was invited…

Before KNOCKED-UP CINDERELLA, I published four YA novels, three of them rom-coms. I’d always seen myself as a young adult writer, because I’d always idealized teen romance, with the heady, all-encompassing first loves and epic mistakes. Teenagers are blessed with time–time to obsess over minutiae, whether that means longing looks from a hot guy in calc class, perceived slights from a best friend, or every lyric from their favorite band’s new album. For most of my twenties and thirties, I continued to romanticize teen love, probably because, for me personally, those decades were not about looking for romance and dating, but marriage and parenthood. And most of my circle of friends were in the same place. But now that I’m approaching forty (in a little over a month *cough*), I’ve started to focus more on mature romances. I have friends who’ve found love after thirty-five–after they’ve settled into careers and their single lifestyles. They’re learning how to let a new person–with their own careers and baggage–into their already established existences. I know people who have divorced and found themselves single for the first time in two decades. They have to figure out the dating game in a whole new millennium….

Please welcome Fresh Fiction reviewer Debbie Wiley, who is discussing military heroes! Everyone loves a good hero with a happily-ever-after, but what happens to the heroes who experience debilitating injuries or disabilities while doing their heroic deeds? As a social worker for over twenty years, I love when authors tackle social issues in a rewarding way. I’d like to share a few books and authors I’ve discovered along the way who address heroes with disabilities in ways that showcases their strengths without discounting the challenges the characters have faced. J.R. Ward originally started me thinking about this theme as I was reading her new and powerfully intense romantic suspense novel, CONSUMED. Anne Ashburn is a firefighter, a woman who has dedicated her entire life to her career. All it takes is one fire and suddenly Anne can no longer do her job. One of the things I love most about CONSUMED is that we see a heroic woman in an unconventional job role facing her most difficult moments with honesty and strength. Anne struggles to adjust to her new reality as she deals with such a life-altering disability and J.R. Ward doesn’t flinch away from showing us just how potentially…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with Bridget Blackwood, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. The World in Shadows series offers a variety of paranormal characters with the story always told from the non-human perspective. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? I would want to meet Varian Caina. He’s my resident mad, bad vamp. We would go get high tea at the fanciest place you can (I’d have to ask Sara Reyes). No one would dare bother to tell us we could have seconds of anything, especially the desserts. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? When I am brainstorming, I need music. More often than not, I am not brainstorming at all, but listening to music in the car when ideas hit. Most inconvenient. Which part of Readers & ‘ritas…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with Zoe Parker, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. DECEPTION: Monsters and mayhem all wrapped up in sexy darkness and feisty claws. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? Iza from the Facets of Feyrie series, because she’s so much stronger than anyone realizes. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? Anything. I have a character based off a worm I saw in a mudhole, lol. Which part of Readers & ‘ritas are you most excited about? Seeing some of the faces behind the books. Meeting readers and having them share their own stories. We’re all romantics here, so we need to know—what is your all-time favorite love story? PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. There’s a lot of angst in it but it shows that love finds a…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with S.M. Butler, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. HIS LAST BREATH: Former Navy SEAL must protect a secretive senator’s daughter from her own family while sexual chemistry combusts between them. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? If I had to choose only one, I think I’d meet Jordan Levi, from my upcoming Reapers Strike Force series. He’s patient, easy-going, and loves to laugh. He’s also sneaky, violent, and adventurous. I’d actually like to go parasailing with him because it would definitely be an unforgettable experience. Then after, we’d hang out at the bar and he’d dazzle me with his charm while we drank a beer together. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? New characters. They always start as a small little nag in…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with cozy mystery author Kym Roberts, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. The Book Barn’s book club is stirring up a list of suspects from its latest read, and the store’s owner, Charli, finds herself defending her friend from a murder that may be fictional, but in reality is just as deadly . . . If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? Princess the armadillo. I’d give her a bath and play with her before sending her back to Charli so she can sleep on Charli’s pillow—not mine. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? Dreams—I literally wake up and start writing. The length of what I write depends on how strong an adrenaline dump I experienced 🙂 If I’m deadline driven, I talk to my number…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with Piper J. Drake, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. K9 handler Arin Siri and security specialist Jason Lande join forces to take down a human trafficking ring in the Hawaiian islands in FIERCE JUSTICE. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? I’d love to meet King, Arin Siri’s canine partner from FIERCE JUSTICE. We’d take my Corgi, Corbin, and go for a long doggy play date. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? Music and movement help my thoughts flow. I put together playlists to listen to, dance alone in my apartment or hotel room, or go for long walks. Which part of Readers & ‘ritas are you most excited about? This is my first Readers & ‘ritas and I’m very excited to meet all…