Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Victoria Davies | 5 Tips to Shake Things Up This Summer
Author Guest / July 5, 2019

When I sit down to write, usually it’s the hero I love to dream up. What perfect mix of sexy and maddening will this book need? But with Betraying the Billionaire, as much as I love my tasty hero, it’s my heroine I had a soft spot for. Holly has gone through life as an overlooked younger twin trapped in her shell and it’s a feeling I, and hopefully the readers, can relate to. So like Holly who managed to shake up her life, if you find yourself stuck in a routine while the sun shines here are my best tips to give your summer a little boost. 1) Take a road trip Trips take planning, right? Instead of researching the perfect place to stay, why not throw caution to the wind and see where you end up. All across the country there are great attractions and camping locations. Beg, borrow, or steal a sleeping back and a tent, grab your best friend (or partner), jump in a car, and see what you can discover. Some of the best trips are spontaneous ones! 2) Channel MasterChef and dial that romance up Who doesn’t love a home cooked meal? It’s a…

N.J. Walters | Top 5 Romantic Suspense Series for your Summer Reading Pleasure
Author Guest / July 4, 2019

Summer is a great time to catch up on your reading. Relax on the patio with a cool drink and a book and let your problems drift away. Maybe you’re doing your reading at the beach or at a secluded cabin in the woods. The days are longer and most of us will take some time away from the job to recharge. And even if you decide to stay at home, a good book is the ideal way to unwind and enjoy a few summer hours. It’s also the perfect time to dig into a series. Read the first book and get hooked, and you have time to devour the rest of them. There are so many wonderful series out there to enjoy, but here are a few suggestions to get you started. These are my FIVE picks. All are great romantic suspense series that will leave your heart pumping and you needing a fan to cool down. The KGI series by Maya Banks. The KGI (Kelly Group International) series is centered around the six Kelly brothers, all of who served in different branches of the military. They now have their own elite, top secret business. This is romantic suspense…

Jennifer Ryan | Exclusive Interview: THE ME I USED TO BE
Author Guest / July 2, 2019

Welcome back to Fresh Fiction! Can you tell readers a little bit about THE ME I USED TO BE, and what inspired it? Thank you for having me back! THE ME I USED TO BE is a big family drama with lots of intense suspense, betrayal, and a budding romance between Evangeline and Chris, the cop who arrested her. It’s a lot of what I do in my romance series all wrapped up in a single book, but you get a glimpse of how all the family members perceive what happened, even though what they think happened wasn’t the whole truth. The book was inspired by something I’ve come to realize in my own life – People say beware of strangers, but family are the ones who can hurt you the most. I loved Evangeline Austen – a woman who is recently out of prison for a crime she didn’t commit. She comes home only to find out she’s inherited the failing family ranch, and even though they don’t want to, everyone is relying on her to pick up the pieces. What was the hardest thing for Evangeline to accept as part of her normal life once she got out?…

Katy Ames | Author-Reader Match: ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE
Author Guest / July 2, 2019

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 KATY AMES!  What I Write About: Contemporary Romance. Sometimes sassy, sometimes angsty, always with top-notch steam and a swoon-worthy HEA. About Me: Boy mom. Bourbon drinker. Binge-reader since I could hold a book. I love adventure, on and off the page. But I love naps even more. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Someone who loves getting swept up in a romance. Someone who’ll binge-watch every episode of Jane the Virgin because the love is epic and the #girlgang is strong (and because Jane writes romance, too!). Someone who’ll read their favorite books over and over because the characters are real, damn it, and you have to check in every once in a while to see how they’re doing. What to expect: Heroines learning to be brave. Heroes who fall hard and love forever. Flirty banter, toe-curling steam, and sweet as sin heat. Romances that get a little messy before ending happily ever after. Giveaway: Comment to Win $10…

Nika Dixon | Top 5 Great TV Shows with Horrible Endings
Author Guest / July 2, 2019

Since very few people enjoyed the last season and most importantly, the last episode, of Game of Thrones (myself included), I started thinking of all the other shows I have watched that had equally terrible endings. These weren’t as high on the ratings scale as Game of Thrones of course, but they were still good shows with multiple seasons that finished on a sour note. These are my personal top 5 shows with absolutely dreadful endings. THE SOPRANOS This show was six seasons of crazy—death, backstabbing, lies, violence, drama—then along comes the final episode. With the family enjoying one of a few happy together moments, the screen goes black just as a shootout starts—with no resolution on who lived or died. After dutifully following the show for the full six seasons, the ending was a major let down. TRUE BLOOD This show was absolutely brilliant. It was one of the few shows where it didn’t matter what gender, race, or sexual orientation you were or weren’t—it was equal parts vampire campiness for everyone to love. Not to mention lots of Alexander Skarsgård! After all the twists and turns through seven seasons, it wrapped everything up in a pretty little end-credits…

Olivia Sands | Exclusive Excerpt: COLTON
Author Guest / July 2, 2019

If she was going to build a new life in Elm Ridge, she needed to become a social animal again. Basically, she needed to get a life, and that wouldn’t happen if she remained hidden under the covers. The invitation won over the impulse. “Boys,” Ashton said to his two assistants, “meet Grace Baker. She joined my firm a few weeks ago, and I still can’t get over how lucky I am to have snatched her away from the big city.” “Thank you, but I’m the lucky one.” This time she meant it. Desperate to get away from Manhattan, she’d had no idea where to go. And then, by accident, she’d stumbled onto his ad. At the time, she’d thought it divine intervention. Incredibly, there was a human-sized law firm in a small town looking for a non-belligerent general practitioner. Yep, the ad was every answer to her prayers. “Grace, these handsome devils are two of my nephews,” Ashton said. “This is Jaxon. He’s a horseman.” She shook the hand Jaxon extended. Rough and calloused, just how she’d imagined a cowboy’s hand would feel. His sky-blue eyes shone with kindness. “Nice to meet you, Grace.” He flashed a magnificent smile…

Tara Johnson | The Inspiration Behind Where Dandelions Bloom
Author Guest , Giveaways / July 1, 2019

Inspiration can come from the most unusual places. As I began to lay the foundation for my latest novel, Where Dandelions Bloom, several factors were easy. I already knew I wanted to base the heroine on the story of real-life Civil War hero and spy Sarah “Emma” Edmonds. Cassie Kendrick was birthed from Emma’s struggles . . . running from an abusive, alcoholic father determined to marry her off to an even more abusive man. To escape a fate that seemed worse than death, Cassie dons the uniform of a soldier and enlists in the Union Army. The hero, Gabriel Avery, was completely fictitious but inspired by Civil War photographers like Mathew Brady and Alexander Gardner, whose work completely changed how war was reported to the public. Gabriel is running from the darkness of his past by trying to find his worth in recognition. I came up with the idea for young, precocious Jonah Pfifer when I stumbled across some fascinating research. The youngest soldier in the American Civil War was only nine years old! Most people assume children were only used as drummer boys and buglers, but as the war dragged on, and casualties increased by alarming numbers, recruitment offices became desperate….

Elizabeth Heiter | Interview with Kensie Morgan of ‘K-9 Defense’
Author Guest , Interviews / July 1, 2019

Fourteen years ago, Kensie Morgan watched helplessly as her younger sister was abducted in front of their house. Ever since, her life has been filled with dead-end leads and false hope. But then a note surfaces in Desparre, Alaska, claiming to be from her sister. Kensie ignores the advice of everyone around her and travels to the remote town. Desparre Herald Reporter: Before we get started, I just want to let you know what to expect… Kensie Morgan: I know how this goes. I’ve been talking to reporters about my little sister since I was thirteen. Desparre Herald Reporter: But wouldn’t your parents… Kensie Morgan: After few years go by, a missing child is old news. No one wanted to interview my parents anymore. They couldn’t get attention for her. But talk to the older sister who watched her get taken? That was still newsworthy. Desparre Herald Reporter: Sounds like a tough way to grow up. Kensie Morgan: If any of this means I can bring Alanna home, it will all be worth it. Desparre Herald Reporter: Okay, then, let’s get to why you’re here. Most of the people who come to Desparre are looking to get lost. Either from…

Michele Pariza Wacek | 5 Reasons Why We Love Ghost Stories + Giveaway!
Author Guest , Giveaways / July 1, 2019

Who doesn’t love an old fashioned ghost story? Whether it’s something scary on Halloween or a frightening tale told late at night sitting around a campfire, ghost stories have been around for as long as humans have been telling stories. In fact, I’m such a fan of ghost stories I created a whole series “Secrets of Redemption” that combines the psychological thriller genre with a haunted house. (Because who doesn’t love a haunted house? Except … is the house even haunted? Hmmm.) And, to celebrate the launch of the 3rd book The Evil That Was Done in my award-winning “Secrets of Redemption” series, I thought I’d dive into the question of why ARE we so obsessed with ghosts. Below are five reasons to help explain our ghostly fascinations: 1. Overall, stories provide a safe container for us to feel our emotions. So many of us spend our lives trying to push our uncomfortable emotions away (such as sadness and worry and shame), or numb them or run away from them or whatever it takes to not feel them. The problem with that is if we aren’t feeling our difficult emotions, we also aren’t feeling our joyful, happy emotions. And, as…