You are tipping your toes into paranormal romance with your newest release Layla. How would you describe this story? What is supposed to be a short, romantic getaway for new couple Leeds and Layla turns into an extended vacation full of bizarre occurrences. But no matter how much Layla wants to leave, Leeds is more focused on finding answers for the unexplainable. What paranormal fiction and paranormal romance books, TV shows, and/or films inspired Layla? I’ve honestly only ever read books about vampires. I don’t read paranormal. I’ve read maybe two or three in my entire lifetime, so I had to really tackle this one from a point of not really having a prior notion of what paranormal books feel like. It’s what I do with every genre, really. Before I wrote my first novel, Slammed, I wasn’t a romance reader. I mostly read non-fiction, true crime, biographies. And then when I wrote Verity, I wasn’t much of a thriller reader. So I figured I’d have the same approach with Layla. The less thought I put into “rules” of a genre, the more freedom it feels like I have when I write. Layla goes through an incredibly tragic event that nearly kills her. This leads to…

Debbie Wiley is a senior reviewer at Fresh Fiction.  The last days and weeks of 2020 are thankfully drawing to a close, leaving folks with a lot of emotional turmoil. Yes, 2020 has been challenging at best, and heartbreaking if you are one of the many directly impacted by Covid-19. In the midst of the pain and distress, we’ve seen heroes rise to the occasion. First and foremost, our health care workers, but also the many grocery store workers, teachers, food bank volunteers, and so many others who have quietly provided essential services to people in the midst of a global pandemic. It makes me reflect about the heroes and heroines of the urban fantasy, fantasy, and steampunk books I read, and I’d like to share a few of those heroes and heroines with you today. THE AWAKENING by Nora Roberts, features Breen Kelly, a young lady who has lived her life feeling “less than”. Her mother constantly berates or belittles her, she works a job she hates, she has a mountain of student debt, and she even hides her flaming red hair under dark hair dye to keep from being noticed. All of that is about to change, however,…

The first thing you need to know about me is that I LOVE Christmas. I love. . .  well, I guess I should save that for my Top 5 list, huh? Lol. The other thing you should know about me is that I love romances. So when you combine the two, well, what could be better than a Christmas romance? And that’s why I have not one, but two new Christmas romances out this year, CHRISTMAS IN BAYBERRY and FAIRYTALE CHRISTMAS WITH THE MILLIONAIRE. The first is a small town romance and the second is a big city romance because Christmas happens everywhere. So not only do I get to enjoy the holiday traditions with my family, but I also get to research what other people do for Christmas. Doing research for a book can be so much fun. I’m always learning something new. Now for my favorite things about Christmas. . . My family. . . without them, well, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas. I’ve been known to switch our Christmas celebration to Black Friday just so the whole family would be together. And you know what, it was just as fun because it’s the people who make it…

It’s time for another Fresh Fiction Reviewer Spotlight! This holiday season and into the New Year, we’re celebrating our reviewers, who day in and day out, review books for you to check out. Enjoy today’s chat with Kim Roller! *** Your Name Kim Roller How long have you been a Fresh Fiction reviewer?  It was 2 years in Feb. 2020 What are your favorite genres to read and review?  Any type of Romance be it Suspense, Historical, Modern, Paranormal Western What are your TOP 3-5 Books of 2020? Deadlock by Catherine Coulter Once in a Blue Moon by Sharon Sala The Friendship List by Susan Mallery Desolation Road by Christine Feehan Whiteout by Adriana Anders What do you like to do outside of reading? Go to concerts and take photos, spend time with my family, quilting, baking. What are some of your holiday traditions? Going to my sister’s house for Christmas Eve where we get together with my aunt and her family and what friends & family want to come and Day (Day is just family). We have chili, chicken noodle soup, oyster stew and sandwiches, and snack type foods. Christmas Day, we have prime rib, mashed potato, scallop corn,…

CHRISTMAS ON PEACH TREE LANE is definitely a book based around holiday traditions. That’s actually the crux of the issue between the hero and shero regarding the annual Tinsel Tour. I love holiday traditions. I think a tradition just gives families and friends a special bond and something a little extra to look forward to. It almost makes those other people in your life feel special to know they share something so valuable with you. Especially in this crazy time, I think if we can continue to hang onto those traditions, that is so important for peoples’ mental wellbeing. In my family, we started something special about ten years ago. We do a Christmas morning breakfast that has blown into an event that everyone loves and talks about all year long. You know how sometimes you would have to try to fit in all the family visits and all the important dinners? But then you would be too full from one family, so you wouldn’t eat at the next house. It all just seemed so rushed and not what you want during a holiday. You want to be able to enjoy your family and friends. That’s where the special memories…

I find joy in writing romance novels about families. Showing those get-togethers, siblings that are friends, cooking in the kitchen with a family member, be it mother, father, sister, aunt… you get the idea. They are there when we triumph and when we fall. Banning together to face whatever comes. 1 Corinthians 12:26 reads…and whether one member suffers, all members suffer with it. Whether one member be honored, all members rejoice with it… Family is our foundation, our beginning. It’s the place where we learn to give and receive genuine love, support, and nurturing. You learn how to be loyal and the relationships we have with our family members shape us into the persons we are right now. For me, my family are some of the most important people in my life. I have a huge extended family with over fifty first cousins on my father’s side and fifteen on my mother’s. But I only have one sister. It’s just me and her. My mother made sure that we grew up loving each other. Telling us how important we were to one another. I also knew both sets of grandparents and loved them to the utmost. What a blessing. I…

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 Eve Morton! Writes: I love to write about LGBTQ characters as they explore new aspects of themselves, their pasts, and/or new locations, especially as they fall in love. I’m a huge fan of the vacation romance, second chance, and reunion romances, and HOLIDAYS IN BLUE falls under all three categories. Both characters return to their hometown for the holiday, become trapped there, and must work out parts of their pasts together, all while igniting old passions. In short, I think love can change someone’s life, so I try to showcase this in my novels, while also indulging in the character’s quirks and other passions. About: I am a gigantic nerd who is always reading a book and always trying to learn something new. This has caused me to complete a PhD in English Lit and teach at numerous universities and colleges, while also trying my hand at tarot card reading, memorizing random facts about the personal lives of some actors and…

It’s almost Christmas, y’all. Two of my favorite parts of the holiday seasons involve the yummy seasonal drinks and the fantastic holiday-themed romances I get to read. So, just for fun, I’ve come up with a books and holiday drinks pairings list (matching the covers with the drink). Pairings to make your holiday cheery & yummy at the same time! Enjoy! WASSAIL The best of the apple cider drinks out there because it adds additional fruit and seasonal spice flavors. The classic winter scent of apples and spice makes for the perfect holiday drink. Add a splash of rum to spice it up even more. CHRISTMAS IN EVERGREEN: TIDINGS OF JOY by Nancy Naigle Welcome back to the town of Evergreen. Katie’s initially skeptical about Evergreen’s love of Christmas; the place seems too good to be true. Meanwhile, Ben’s wary of Katie’s intentions. He’s protective of his small town, and he knows all too well how cynical the media can be. Then a hunt for a fifty-year-old time capsule leads to a remarkable discovery. As Katie and Ben get caught up in the community’s past and present, they both begin to envision new possibilities for the future. *** MULLED WINE…

Here’s another interview with one of Fresh Fiction Reviewers! You can always visit our REVIEWS page and sign up for a number of NEWSLETTERS for the latest reviews and updates!  ** Your Name Sharon Salituro How long have you been a Fresh Fiction reviewer?  Over 2 years What are your favorite genres to read and review?  Mystery, historical, romance What are your TOP 3-5 Books of 2020? Lies in White Dresses by Sophia Grant Ten Days Gone by Beverly Wong One Perfect Summer by Brenda Novak What do you like to do outside of reading? Play on my computer What are some of your holiday traditions?  Christmas Eve at my dad’s What are your reading resolutions/intentions/goals for 2021? To read more books What do you love about being a Fresh Fiction Book Reviewer? I can pick the books I want to read ** Don’t forget to check back all week for more interviews with our reviewers throughout December and January! 

Hi, Tessa! Welcome to Fresh Fiction. Please tell us about yourself and a little bit about your book, THE DEAD SEASON.   Hi everyone! I grew up in Canada and now live with my family in Connecticut. I was a freelance journalist for many years, and while I enjoyed the work, I also craved a creative outlet. That’s what led me to start writing novels. THE DEAD SEASON is the second book in the Shana Merchant series of mysteries, the first of which, DEATH IN THE FAMILY, was released in early 2020. For readers who may not be familiar, can you give a little background on the setup for the Shana Merchant series?   Shana Merchant is a former NYPD detective who narrowly escaped abduction when the serial killer she was hunting turned his focus to her. All the police know about Blake Bram is that he, like Shana, is from Swanton, Vermont. Traumatized by her kidnapping and haunted by the knowledge that she has a personal connection to the killer, she moves with her fiancé to the Thousand Islands of Upstate New York, where she takes a job with the detective branch of the New York State Police and…