Things can go south really quickly when you’re a wolf. The wolves of the Great North Pack cannot pass as human, or at least not for long because for three days out of thirty, during what they call the Iron Moon, the Pack must be wild. With no fingers or words to protect themselves, they are simply wolves—large and self-reflective wolves—but still, a nuisance species easily killed by a bullet or a bolt or a Buick. Since settling in the Adirondacks, the Great North has survived by a combination of secrecy and careful application of human laws and human money. It worked well and they flourished over the 350 years, but then the Pack was discovered by Shifters, ancient enemies who can change but don’t have to be. The Shifters knew not only what the Pack was, but also when they were at their most vulnerable. The Pack fought back but still lost several of its most powerful wolves, a prescription for chaos in a close-knit community tied by bounds of hierarchy. Varya Timursdottir knows the price of chaos. The last of a once-great Russian pack from the rocky, wind-scoured island between the Siberian Sea and the Arctic Ocean, she…

A question I get asked from time to time is where (or when) would I live, if I could choose a place and time from one of my books. That’s a very hard question. After 36 years of writing and 69 published books, I have a really wide range of places and time periods to choose from. However, I write mostly the “Old West” and mid to late 1800’s. Since that is my favorite genre/location/time period, I would have to say that if I could pick one place, it would be Colorado – any place in the foothills of the Rockies. I love the American West and its history with a passion that shows in my books, and a great many of my westerns are set in Colorado and Wyoming. You can’t beat the breath-taking landscapes. You also can’t beat the excitement of the gold rushes, so I would likely pick the 1850’s – 1860’s, the time period most gold rushes occurred. Imagine whole towns of 1,000 or more people springing up (literally) overnight, and the wild excitement that entailed – people from all walks of life, all forms of businesses, criminals and honest people, wild saloons but churches at the end…

For March, where can we look to for inspiring historical fiction but Ireland?  And as might be expected in a land of poets, leprechauns, fairies and tragic history, Ireland’s story lends itself to passionate sagas.  The first of the two series we’ll look at in honor of this St. Patrick’s Day is a three-book historical fiction epic featuring real Irish revolutionaries Robert Emmet and Michael Dwyer. In TREAD SOFTLY ON MY DREAMS, the first volume of the Liberty Trilogy, Gretta Curran Browne introduces Robert Emmet, born of the Protestant elite who rule Ireland.  But though, as the son of the State Physician of Ireland, his place is among the privileged, he also grows up imbued with a deep love of the land and a strong commitment to justice.  Troubled by the inequities and repression he sees around him, he sacrifices his brilliant scientific future and his standing among the elite by joining the United Irishman, a society which advocates the union of Catholic and Protestant.  Deemed a traitor to his class and religion, he is forced to flee to France, leaving behind Sarah Curran, the girl with whom he’s fallen in love. He returns five years later to begin his…

A question I’m often asked is whether I prefer writing stand-alone novels or books in a series.  The Morgan Dane series was my first continuing character series, and I’ve enjoyed it much more than I anticipated. The slower, more organic progression of the romantic relationship allowed me to focus on the mystery plots in each book. I’m wasn’t forced to resolve every personal conflict in the span of one book. As a result, Morgan and Lance’s relationship feels natural and solid. SECRETS NEVER DIE is Morgan Dane’s fifth book, and I’ve recently finished book six, Save Your Breath, which releases in September 2019. Writing six books about one couple has allowed me to give my characters more complex, deeper arcs. Instead of 300 pages to develop their lives, I’ve had 1,800 pages to bring the cast of Morgan Dane to life. Their personalities are richer and their lives more realistic. If you’re a reader who must read a series in order, Say You’re Sorry is Morgan Dane’s first book. If not, begin with whichever title appeals to you the most. Each book has a stand-alone mystery plot. New readers shouldn’t feel lost if they begin in the middle. Morgan Dane…

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 Rachel Van Dyken!  Writes:  I write contemporary romance and my new book is Risky Play, a sports romance out March 19th. About: I love writing, in fact I get anxiety when I don’t write! I write in multiple genres, have listed on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists. I’m addicted to Swedish fish, and I think that life would be more interesting if we all had our own soundtracks! What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: I love making readers cry, in fact, I collect their tears. I’m often found with my Kindle app open at three am with drool running down my face. I will lie and say I’m going to the bathroom, but be reading instead. If you don’t like the smell of real books, we can’t get together. I believe historical romance is the only way to truly cleanse your soul. Mafia romance is my drug of choice. IT SHOULD ALWAYS INVOLVE…

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 Allie York! Writes: I write sweet contemporary romance with a bit of steam. Each book comes as a standalone and with a happily ever after. About: Southern hopeless romantic seeking lovers of swoony romance staring sassy heroines and the tolerant men who love them. Ideal reader match: -Loves books set in the south (mostly) -Understands that every good love story has hills and valleys -Loves sassy heroines -Loves all kinds of heroes from the hopeless romantic to alpha males What to expect: -Swoony happily-ever-afters -couples so madly in love they can barely function *** About the 425 Madison Series Welcome to 425 Madison Ave the perfect place to fall in love. Nine delicious romances set in fast-paced & sexy NYC just waiting for you to read. The series features stories from some of your favorite romance authors: Leigh Lennon, MK Moore, Allie York, Aubree Valentine, Kay Gordon, Lauren Helms, Sylvia Kane, Katy Ames, and C. Lesbirel. Join these authors as they come…

They were always there for you, books, like a small pet dog that doesn’t die. – Ian Sansom, THE CASE OF THE MISSING BOOKS Books are my life. In addition to spending time either reading or writing about books, I have worked in various libraries for years, and even met my husband while we were both working at our local library. Books about books – specifically stories about librarians, and people who collect books, or work in bookstores – are a favorite sub-genre of mine. Then there are books that take characters from classic works of literature and put them in the role of amateur sleuth. As I’m a huge fan of mysteries, I love combining these types of characters and themes with the quirkiness of a cozy mystery. The results can be delicious. He was sick of the excuses and the lies. He was tired of the evasions and the untruths, of people refusing to stand up and speak the truth and take responsibility for their own actions. It seemed to him like yet another symptom of the decline of Western civilization; of chaos; and climate change; and environmental disaster; and war; disease; famine; oppression; the eternal slow slide…

Today, Fresh Fiction Editorial Manager Danielle Dresser chats with bestselling author Melinda Leigh about the latest book in her popular Morgan Dane Series, SECRETS NEVER DIE! Your Morgan Dane mystery series is long-running. For new readers, tell us a little bit about the series, and what inspired the creation of Morgan. Morgan was originally a secondary character in my Scarlet Falls Series. By the time I had finished writing Seconds to Live, she wanted her own story. I had been wanting to write a continuing character series for a while, and Morgan seemed perfect. She was already a complex character. I’d given her a deep backstory that begged for further development. What are the pros and cons of writing about Defense Attorney Morgan and PI Lance Kruger now that they are in an established relationship? After writing a dozen traditional romantic suspense novels, I was ready for a fresh challenge with the Morgan Dane Series. I enjoyed writing a continuing character series much more than I expected. In a traditional romance novel, the couple must achieve their happily ever after by the end of the book. Slowing down the romance to a pace that felt more organic meant I never…

Senior Reviewer Debbie Wiley has some great book recommendations for the luckiest day of the year!  St. Patrick’s Day is only a few days away and what better way to celebrate the magic of Ireland than through books! I had the good fortune to visit Ireland several years ago and St. Patrick’s Day brings back those joyous memories. So, let’s dive into the books as the allure of Ireland awaits us. Carlene O’Connor’s biography indicates she spends time regularly in Ireland and her love for the country shows in her Irish Village series. The first book, MURDER IN AN IRISH VILLAGE, introduces us to Kilbane in County Cork where we are immediately immersed into the life of a small Irish village. I love how Carlene O’Connor incorporates the inflections of speech as it makes me feel as if I’m sitting in the family-owned bistro in Ireland right along with the rest of the O’Sullivan clan. Carlene O’Connor’s sixth book in the series, MURDER IN AN IRISH PUB, delves more into the work of the Garda in a small village and is a real treat for readers. I love the direction this cozy mystery series is taking and recommend the Irish…

I’m often asked where my book ideas come from and, quite honestly, they come from too many sources to list. I’m one of those people who can imagine almost any situation as a novel. And I really do believe that every person walking the planet has a unique and interesting story . . . if you dig deeply enough. Consequently, I doubt I’ll ever run out of material to write about. And since I plan to keep writing until I’m, say, a hundred, I should have sufficient inspiration to keep me going. Speaking of growing old, the story idea of Courting Mr. Emerson was inspired by the simple fact that we are all aging. It’s simply a fact of life. As a ‘baby-boomer,’ I’m constantly confronted with this news via obnoxious email ads for anti-aging products like hearing aids or granny-diapers. I also get unwanted letters from AARP and a multitude of other “gentle” reminders that seem determined to remind me that I’m “of a certain age.” Not to mention some aches and pains I didn’t have twenty years ago. So, okay, I get the hint already. As a result, I sometimes find myself observing other aging “baby-boomers.” I probably…