Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Liana De la Rosa | Writing about Horse Racing…When You Don’t Know Horses
Author Guest / October 31, 2019

My new historical romance, TO TAME A SCANDALOUS LADY, is set at a horse stud farm in the rolling hills of Suffolk. The heroine, Lady Flora Campbell, disguises herself as a young man to work as a horse trainer at the famed stables of the Marquess of Amstead. After a devastating fire killed his father and destroyed the paddocks at Amstead Gardens, along with the entire racing stock, Christian, the marquess, is determined to rebuild not only the stables but his family’s horse racing legacy. If the public discovered an unmarried lady is working in his stables, the scandal could alienate all the investors he has managed to court. But Flora is willing to sacrifice her reputation, and possibly even Christian’s, to see her dream of training racehorses become a reality. The majority of the action in the book revolves around Flora and Christian training the equine occupants of the stables at Amstead Gardens, but primarily Christian’s prize Egyptian-bred stallion, Asad. When I first came up with the idea for Flora and Christian’s story, I was painfully aware of one important truth: I don’t know much about horses. I could count on one hand the number of times I have…

Christine Feehan | Exclusive Interview: LEOPARD’S WRATH
Author Guest / October 31, 2019

For readers who are new to Christine Feehan and your amazing world, would you please give a little background on you and your latest release, LEOPARD’S WRATH? I have written most of my life. My first novel, Dark Prince, was published in 1999 and my first Leopard series book was published in 2002. I’ve written 7 different series and several single title books. I’m a #1 New York Times bestselling author several times over, for which I am deeply grateful to my readers. I have many children and even more grandchildren and have two great-grandchildren children as well. I love spending time with my big family. I have two huge Black Russian Terriers and live on the Northern California coast. Leopard’s Wrath is the 12th book in my Leopard series. Mitya Amurov is the hero and has been in some of the previous books. His love interest in Ania Dover, a thrill-seeker and transporter. These are suspense shapeshifter books and are my most erotic books. Where do the ideas in your stories come from? I’m especially interested in how you came up with the Carpathians? Are they pure imagination, a case of what if… with research to follow, family, or…

Jane Ashford | Exclusive Excerpt: THE RELUCTANT RAKE + Giveaway!
Author Guest / October 30, 2019

The Reluctant Rake – excerpt Sir Richard Beckwith emerged from his elegant town house on a chilly spring evening wearing a black silk domino over his dark gray pantaloons and long-tailed coat of dark blue superfine. Any one of his friends would have been astonished to see him in this guise, still more to see him out of evening dress at nine o’clock. Had they known that a pocket of the domino held a black mask, they would have been dumbfounded. None of Sir Richard’s exclusive circle was likely to see him tonight, however. When he hailed a hackney cab and climbed in, he directed it to a part of London little frequented by the haut ton. If certain of its men from time to time made their way through these unsavory streets, they did not mention such excursions in polite society. A cold mist rose from the greasy cobblestones, enlivened here and there by hoarse laughter and singing as the hack rattled past some gin mill or bawdy house. One victim of blue ruin went so far as to grab for the cab, hoping to jerk its occupant into an alleyway and fleece him. He missed his target, however,…

Kate Bateman | Exclusive Interview: THIS EARL OF MINE
Author Guest / October 30, 2019

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Kate! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, and your new book, THIS EARL OF MINE? Hello and thank you for having me! I write historical romance as both Kate Bateman and K.C. Bateman. I’m originally from England, but now live in the USA, and I’m a complete history geek! Before I started writing romance, I spent fifteen years as a fine art & antiques appraiser in the UK, running my own auction house, and I still have a not-so-secret double life as a TV antiques expert/appraiser on several British antiques TV shows. In 2011 my husband’s job moved us to the USA and I decided to try my hand at writing historical romance, (I was already an avid reader.) Now I get my history fix by sneaking real historical facts into my plots. My latest release, This Earl Of Mine, is a marriage-of-convenience with a twist. It features my favorite kind of independent-minded heroine and a sexy, snarky, Bow Street Runner who turns out to be her nemesis/perfect match. There’s lots of flirty banter, unresolved sexual tension, and a true historical plot to rescue Napoleon from exile on the island of St Helena…

Amy Sandas | 5 Tips for Writing Realistic and Believable Heroines
Author Guest / October 30, 2019

I write Romance with main characters that are male/female, so a believable heroine is vitally important to every story. She must be someone the reader can identify with. . . or at the very least, someone they’d want to be friends with. These are my tips for writing realistic and believable heroines. 1. Create a character outline or overview. I realize not all writers feel the need to do this, but for me, it’s necessary. I must know my characters inside and out before I start writing them into a plotline. A good character overview is invaluable when it comes to maintaining consistency in behavior, attitude, perspective, etc. The tools I most often use are The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes and Heroines by Tami Cowden, Caro LeFever and Sue Viders, online personality tests (such as Myers-Briggs), and detailed horoscopes. Once I have an idea of her natural tendencies, flaws, passions, strengths, and fears, I can better ensure that my heroine responds consistently to any scene or situation. 2. She needs goals and aspirations. Though love is the focus of all romance, no heroine should exist solely for the love of her hero. A realistic heroine will have personal dreams…

Spotlight on ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU
Author Spotlight / October 29, 2019

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU by Miranda Liasson Angel Falls #3 Being naughty was nice, but now these friends-turned-lovers are in for an unforgettable Christmas… The award-winning author who writes with “humor and heart” (Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author) invites you to visit the charming small town of Angel Falls. Being naughty was nice, but now these friends-turned-lovers are in for an unforgettable Christmas… Just when Kaitlyn Barnes vows to get over her longtime crush on Rafe Langdon, they share a sizzling evening that delivers an epic holiday surprise: Kaitlyn is pregnant. And if that weren’t life-changing enough, everyone assumes they’re engaged — a charade they must keep alive through the holiday season. But Kaitlyn knows Rafe better than anyone, and Rafe settling down is about as likely as Santa skipping Angel Falls this year… Rafe would rather Kaitlyn believe a lie — that their night together was a fling — than face his own dangerous truth: he’s falling for her, hard. After a devastating loss, Rafe swore he’d never risk his heart again. Yet the longer they pretend to be engaged the more Rafe starts to want the real thing. But now he has to…

Stephanie Butland | Exclusive Excerpt: The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae
Author Guest / October 29, 2019

6 October, 2017 Hard to Bear  It’s 3 a.m. here in cardio-thoracic. All I can do for now is doze, and think, and doze again. My heart is getting weaker, my body bluer. People I haven’t seen for a while are starting to drop in. (Good to see you, Emily, Jacob, Christa. I’m looking forward to the Martinis.) We all pretend we’re not getting ready to say goodbye. It seems easiest. But my mother cries when she thinks I’m sleeping, so maybe here, now, is time to admit that I might really be on the way out. I should be grateful. A baby born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome a few years before I was would have died within days. I’ve had twenty-eight years and I’ve managed to do quite a lot of living in them. (Also, I’ve had WAY more operations than you everyday folk. I totally win on that.) OK, so I still live at home and I’ve never had a job and I’m blue around the edges because there’s never quite enough oxygen in my system. But – Actually, but nothing. If you’re here tonight for the usual BlueHeart cheerfulness-in-the-teeth-of-disaster, you need to find another blogger. My…

Kim Redford | Favorite Holiday Romance Novels and Movies
Author Guest / October 29, 2019

Holiday movies and books are uplifting, heartwarming, and absolutely irresistible. Here are several of my favorites, so light a cozy fire, grab a large blanket for two, and snuggle up with one of these romantic holiday treats. Nancy Meyers’ romantic comedy The Holiday stars Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet. After romantic disappointments, Englishwoman Iris (Winslet) and Los Angeles woman Amanda (Diaz) meet on-line at a website that helps people exchange houses. They decide to switch homes for the holidays. Both women discover a fresh look at life and love in this fun and funny switcheroo. The Christmas Spirit by Elisabeth Fairchild is a perennial favorite of readers. I particularly enjoy getting lost in this story of holiday love. In Regency England, Lord Copeland’s Christmas invitations promise a frolicking fortnight imbued with Christmas spirits of every kind. Unfortunately, icy roads complicate the arrival of his guests, except the one person he did not invite. Miss Belinda Walcott, a music teaching spinster, lands on his doorstep with her own hidden reasons for weaving magic into the season to revive Lord Copeland’s flagging Christmas spirit. Christmas in Connecticut stars Barbara Stanwyck as a Martha-Stewart type who writes a column with delicious recipes about…

Brenda Jackson | Exclusive Excerpt: FINDING HOME AGAIN
Author Guest / October 29, 2019

Kaegan glanced up when a cup of coffee and a basket of blueberries were placed in front of him. When his and Bryce’s eyes met, something stirred deep within his gut and he immediately resented the feeling. He also resented that he was noticing how pretty she looked this morning. Could it be the hint of blush she’d added to her cheeks? Or that her lashes seemed a little longer than usual? In the past, Bryce only put on makeup when it suited her. Was there a reason she was wearing some now? Was there a man coming into the café that she wanted to impress? “Will there be anything else?” she asked him. He hated that his thoughts had been on a past that could never be rekindled. She was glaring at him and he automatically glared back. “From you? No.” He saw her bite down on her bottom lip, probably tempted to tell him where he could take the coffee and muffins and shove them. Instead she turned and walked off. He watched her leave and figured that even if he no longer cared one iota for her, he could still appreciate a good-looking ass in jeans. He…

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner: In the Cold Winter’s Night…
Author Guest / October 28, 2019

A murder is brewing. It’s not merry angels gathering to sing carols on this silent deadly night. It’s Laura Bradford, Emily Brightwell, Vickie Delany, Kate Kingsbury and Anne Perry weaving mysterious murders into magical reads for the holiday season. In cozy mysteries, there’s a delicate balance between the dark reality of death and a festive holiday celebration, but these women do it magnificently. From London to New York, and the English countryside to the Pennsylvania plains this season’s best are entertaining delights to be read any time of year.  The relatability of their characters draws me in every time, and this season is no exception. Regardless of the era, readers can walk the halls, shop the shops and adore the decorations in the hotel lobby as they become ensconced in the investigation of a perfect cat and mouse race to the end. Join me in a little merriment, murder and mayhem wrapped up in a cozy package for the holidays. A KILLER CAROL by Laura Bradford Amish Mystery #7 Heavenly, PA has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland, and Claire is delighted to celebrate the season. . . but a fiendish killer has other plans in this all-new installment in the…