1–What’s the name of your latest release?  BEYOND POWER is a romantic suspense. It’s book 2 in the Florida Wildlife Warriors series, but it can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. 2–What is it about?  Here’s the back-cover copy for a sneak peek: Sultry romantic suspense set in Florida’s untamed wilderness. . . When your heart’s involved. . . If you dare venture beyond Disney’s magic and Miami’s high-rises, you’ll find yourself in Florida’s untamed wilderness. A bush pilot and officer for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Josh Tanner is one of the tough cops needed to manage these rugged areas. And the minute he finds Delilah Atwood deep in the woods without a good explanation, he knows something is very wrong… All the stakes are raised. . .                                 Delilah barely escaped her ultra-fundamental militia family years ago. Now she’s back to save her sixteen-year-old sister, and no government man is going to stop her. Josh isn’t going to stand by and watch Delilah risk her life, but unless he can get her to trust him, she may end up being the next victim. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  At first, awkward. Delilah is super-smart and much…

It can be fun to flirt. And when you know it can’t go anywhere, it can be a little more fun. You can just let loose because there’s no chance you can blow it. That’s how TEMPTING THE PRINCE starts. Two people who absolutely know they can’t ever be together, sharing a fun night. #spoiler – they do get together! #spoiler – happy ending guaranteed! So here’s a peek at an average American pushing the envelope with her *actual* Prince Charming… *** Mallory couldn’t tell if the bar was nice because everything in Moncriano’s capital was both ancient and charming–or because her bodyguard had chosen very, very carefully where to bring the princess’s sister to get wasted. Because that was, indeed, her entire plan for the night. Drink. Eat a pretzel the size of her head. Maybe flirt with the semi-hot guy who’d been eying her from the corner. Except that flirting would require conversation. That conversation. Because every conversation she’d had with a stranger since returning to the country followed the same lines: How are you? You’re so brave. What’s the princess really like? If she wasn’t fine, she wouldn’t be out at a bar, would she? As for…

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 Pintip Dunn!  Writes: DATING MAKES PERFECT is an #ownvoices Thai YA rom-com that includes heartwarming family dynamics, fake dating, and an enemies-to-lovers romance. The Tech girls have never been allowed to date in high school. But when Winnie’s college-aged sisters declare that they won’t marry for 30 years –not until they’ve had lots of practice dating, their parents decide that their youngest daughter, Winnie, must date in high school in order to gain the necessary relationship skills. They’ll pick the boy and design the dates around classic rom-com movies. The only problem is… their first candidate is Winnie’s sworn enemy. About: First-generation Thai-American author seeks devoted reader who loves to laugh and swoon. From small-town Kansas to Harvard University and Yale Law School, I’ve lived in lots of places and have had many diverse experiences. Maybe that’s why I love writing within different genres of the YA category. I’m proud of my accomplishments (NYT bestselling author, two-time RITA® Award winner), but even prouder of my stories….

9: A Murderer’s Hands Kihrin stopped. “Do you think there’s a kettle around here? I’d love some tea.” Thurvishar stared at him.  Kihrin grinned. It’s a bad habit I picked up from Janel. Anyway, it’s not like you don’t know what happened. You were there too.” Thurvishar rolled his eyes and then pointed to the end of the cluttered room. “I believe I saw a kettle on that other workbench–honestly, I have no idea how anything was ever accomplished in this mess. You’d think a wizard of his caliber would at least be organized. I suppose he must have just known where everything was.” Thurvishar started to continue, but then set his papers aside. “We should skip the rest of Serena, Talea, and Xivan’s story for now. “ Kihrin frowned. “You’re not going to finish?” “Oh, I’ll pick up again later, but in between this and when we become involved, it’s more of the same, really.” Thurvishar grimaced at his notes although the paper itself was somehow culpable. “They traveled through at least ten more city-states. Always the same story–arriving in town one step behind Suless. I believe it’s a tale that would probably grow stale with repetition.” “Oh, sure….

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  THE REVOLUTIONARY AND THE ROGUE 2–What is it about?  Perrin de Vesey, an aristocrat who is grieving the unjust execution of his lover, is recruited by his friends to help save innocents from the guillotine. But handsome Committee officer, Henri Chevalier, is hot on his trail, eager to ensnare counterrevolutionary conspirators. Attraction simmers between the two, tearing down the barricades that stand between them. 3–What word best describes Perrin?  Compassionate 4–What makes Henri irresistible?  He dreams of freedom and equality for all people and believes in fair and just trials–even for his enemies. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help?  Perrin has a strong support of friends from Crimson Rose–a club that welcomes men who prefer men. They stand together and shield one another from danger at all costs. Henri, on the other hand, finds himself unable to trust his fellow Committee officers. In a city where anyone might betray their neighbors, it isn’t easy to find good friends. 6–What do you love about the setting of your book?  I have always been fascinated with the French Revolution. Their leaders fought for many good and noble causes:…

I write historical romance classified as “sweet” but not religious. I don’t particularly care for the term “sweet” because of the baggage that’s been assigned to it. The term has been used simultaneously to put down “sweet” romance as yawn-inducing and to lay church lady judgment on sensual romances. That said, it is a better term than “clean” – don’t get me started there. So, for the purposes of this article, let’s stick with “sweet.” As a man writing in a space dominated by women readers and writers, I made a conscious decision to avoid writing explicit sex scenes. Don’t misunderstand me – I read plenty of spicy romance; Tessa Dare is one of my favorites. It is just my opinion, though, that for a man writing sex scenes primarily for women readers there are a thousand ways to die. I took the cowards way out. I’m not proud of it. That brings me to my question, though: does sweet romance still matter? In the beginning of the genre (or at least during the early 19th century), most romance fell into the sweet category. Spicy works were forbidden pleasures read mostly in secret, a behavior-driven largely by the prevalent religious…

As the hot breath of August inspires us to escape the heat with cold drinks, swimming pools, and air-conditioned spaces (alone or properly socially-distanced, of course) we’ll look at escapes into fascinating views of nineteenth-century life. Two of these visions focus on the California coast.  In CALICO PALACE by Gwen Bristow, two women from vastly different backgrounds arrive in California on the eve of the 1849 Gold Rush.  Kendra’s army colonel stepfather brings the family to San Francisco as commander of the city’s defenses during the Mexican War.  Marny travels from Honolulu to set up a gaming establishment.  Both end up following the gold craze into the mining camp of Shiny Gulch, where they set up the Calico Palace, a tent that evolves over time to become the most elegant gambling house in California. Rich in detail about the rapid rise of a sleepy town into a major economic powerhouse, Bristow’s tale illuminates the stories of miners and settlers, gamblers, and drifters, those dreaming of fortunes built on gold dust, and those ready to profit from those dreams. In BELLE CORA by Phillip Margulis, small-town New York girl Arabella Godwin grows up to become a woman so infamous, relatives back…

1–What’s the name of your latest release? LOATHE AT FIRST SIGHT, coming out August 18! 2–What is it about? LOATHE AT FIRST SIGHT is an #OwnVoices workplace rom-com set in the video game industry. In this novel, Korean-American producer named Melody Joo is tasked with launching a controversial video game while being antagonized by everyone around her, especially Nolan MacKenzie, the company’s new MBA intern. 3–What word best describes your heroine? Fierce. 4–What makes your hero irresistible? He’s a charming, smart, quirky, plaid-shirt-and-tortoise-shell-glasses-wearing kind of guy. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? Her best friends Candace and Jane, as well as her mentor/friend at work, Kat. 6–What do you love about the setting of your book? The backdrop is Seattle, where I lived for a long time. I love the sense of place it invokes, especially with the weather and the food and cafe scene. The work setting is also something I loved including in this book: I hearkened back to my days in tech where we had cubicles/workspaces and hard-to-book conference rooms and it was a lot of fun to describe. 7–Are you a plotter (follow an outline) or a pantser (write…

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 Hanna C. Howard! Writes: Young Adult Fantasy: My debut novel, IGNITE THE SUN, is on sale everywhere on August 18! About: Thirty-something YA author seeks readers for her fairy-tale-esque fantasy novel which includes: a heroine morphing from insecure and afraid to bold and self-assured; an ensemble cast featuring a mage, an elf, a naiad, and a banshee; a cross-map journey; lots of elemental magic; a literal spin on the light and dark theme; a splash of romance; a witchy, heart-devouring bad gal. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Loves traditional fantasy (think Tolkien, Rowling, and C.S. Lewis) Is fond of curling up with a cup of tea and a book on dark, atmospheric days Falls for best friend/boy next-door type of heroes Wants to see personal growth in their heroine Likes a powerful, strong leading lady Has dealt with anxiety, depression, or SAD Likes being outdoors Goes for fast-paced action Enjoys a complex fantasy world with a unique magic…

Daniel sighed, the sound lost to the thud of their skate blades on the rubber mats lining the tunnel. He hadn’t anticipated the chilly reception when he arrived in the Thunder’s dressing room that first day of train­ing camp–and now he finally knew why his breath had practically been fogging whenever he was in the presence of his new teammates. Apparently there was some resent­ment about his win. Probably some assumptions about his reasons for being there or how he would behave. Never mind that Daniel had worked his ass off for more than a decade before he could add Stanley Cup champ to his resume. He’d fought his way there–tooth, nail, broken bones, and bloody lips. It hadn’t come easy, and he didn’t take it for granted. Nor did he think he was hot shit now that he had a championship win under his belt. He was just trying to play hockey, same as he’d done all his life. Daniel poured onto the ice with the rest of his team­mates and sucked in a breath, the cold, crisp scent as familiar and comforting as the sound of his blades cut­ting into the ice and the roar of the crowd….