Where did you come up with the idea for A BIG FAT GREEK MURDER? I was sitting in the chair at my hair salon watching in the mirror as my stylist wielded her long sharp scissors. I started thinking about scissors as a murder weapon, and since my main character Athena’s sister Selene is a hairstylist, it seemed like a great idea to use her in a plot. As I watched customers walk past my chair, I realized how easy it would be to snatch a pair of scissors off a tray at an unmanned station and stuff them into a purse. Because the other stylists are busy with their customers, talking, snipping, blow drying, etc., no one would even notice. Naturally, it would take advance planning. Timing would have to be right, so the perpetrator would have to know the stylist’s schedule. But as I plotted out the story, I realized that a determined murderer would be able to pull it off. Then it would be a matter of wiping the scissors clean and incriminating the stylist, leaving misleading evidence in places like a dumpster behind the salon. There’s more, of course, but you’ll have to read the book…

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 Nadine Gonzalez! *** Writes: SCANDAL IN THE VIP SUITE: How did it get so scandalous? A missing diary sets it all in motion. But first, meet Julian Knight, a British-Jamaican actor, maligned as the face of toxic masculinity, and Nina Taylor, a Haitian-American writer, at a career impasse. Their paths cross over a holiday weekend in Miami, Florida. When Nina peeks into the luxury hotel suite that should have been hers, she’s caught by the room’s occupant, Julian Knight. The Hollywood bad boy quickly offers a compromise: why not share? But soon, the paparazzi is jumping to scandalous conclusions. Even as the world speculates about them, they manage to carve their private little oasis. Until the entries of a lost diary leave them exposed and rips them apart. About: Enjoying life. It may be the Caribbean in me, but I am all about good food, good books, good times with family, wine, chocolate, coffee, and cocktails. I enjoy dressing up even if it’s just to stay in….

Ten Famous Kisses, from fictional to real–how would you put these in order? The Obamas on Kiss Cam–simply adorable when they kissed on-screen at a basketball game in Washington DC. Ghost–very sexy, despite the super-fake spectral mist between Demi and Patrick. Lady and the Tramp–iconic noodle-slurping kiss. So cute. Madonna and Britney Spears–this kiss between pop goddesses was shocking at the time! Princess Diana and Prince Charles–their wedding day was very romantic and sparked an interest in all things royal. Sleeping Beauty–the prince brings Aurora to life! Gotta love the guy for that. Romeo and Juliet–young love. So young. Too young? Titanic–doomed love. Rose should have made room for Jack on the door. V-J Day in Times Square World War II–a kiss of peace and hope and joy. Terrific shot by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt! Scarlett and Rhett from Gone with the Wind–a primal kiss. I really feel for Rhett. Scarlet needed a little more time to grow up 🙂 Possible number eleven? Grace and Sawyer in JUST ONE KISS–check out the kiss in the Ferris wheel! <3 In JUST ONE KISS, Grace Sheldon is a freelance photographer with a laid-back lifestyle put to the test in order to pay the…

Today, we are celebrating one of our long-time reviewers, Anneta Sweetko! Check out the reviewer spotlights on the FF blog all month long to get to know our lovely reviewers and find out their favorite book recs of the last year!  Your Name Annetta Sweetko How long have you been a Fresh Fiction reviewer? July 2012 What are your favorite genres to read and review? Paranormal, suspense, erotic, romance – really anything that is well written and takes me away from my everyday life. What are your TOP 3-5 Books of 2020? This is like asking which child is your favorite, but I will try! Shadows In Death by J.D. Robb (anything in that series and by Nora Roberts herself)  Dark Song by Christine Feehan (all her series are great) Deadlock by Catherine Coulter The Jackal by J.R. Ward Joy to the Wolves by Terry Spear What do you like to do outside of reading? I do crafts! I like to make Christmas gifts for co-workers, jigsaw puzzles are relaxing, and baking –nothing fancy and mostly box items. What are some of your holiday traditions? My daughter and I try to pick a day to go Christmas shopping together and…

by Fresh Fiction Senior Reviewer Debbie Wiley My Great-Aunt Katherine shared her love for cooking, crafting, and reading with me in the form of gifts highlighting each of these hobbies of hers. I still treasure the first cookbook I ever used (with an inscription from her inside) and I have a lifelong love of reading fostered by her (as well as my mom and grandmother!). The crafting part, however, sat mainly dormant for years. She gifted me with a macramé kit I never figured out and then a knitting loom that I easily learned to make double knitted figure 8 stitch scarves. I lost interest in the scarves over the years, only finishing a handful, until several years ago when my interest was reignited… and a love of loom knitting sprang to life! Loom knitting is my form of self-care, and in these tumultuous times, self-care is a priority to cope with all the negativity and fear that surround us. Whether it’s concerns over long-ignored social justice issues, fears about Covid-19, or the violence erupting after an election, self-care has become a buzzword many are looking into. Some are using mindfulness techniques (GROWING UP MINDFUL by Christopher Willard, PsyD has…

Melody woke shivering, with darkness pressing in all around her. And for a moment she forgot exactly where she was before reality sank in. Fuck. She blinked, but the blackness was relentless and all encompassing. And so thick she could all but touch it. Was this some kind of a joke? Nighttime had nowhere near this intensity of absolute darkness. Even under heavy cloud cover there was a hint of stars outside, a moon. Some kind of light source. How long had she been asleep? It felt like ten hours, but she guessed it had been closer to an hour or two at most. Not counting the time she’d spent trying out her supposed invisibility gift. All she’d managed was more of the same tingling sensation, and the growing suspicion the doctors had somehow bungled her DNA results. A sharp clink alerted her to the fact she was no longer alone. But she didn’t panic, her muscles relaxed on recognizing the sound of claws digging into rock. “Damon,” she called out. “Don’t move,” he bit out. “Dangerous.” “No shit,” she said softly, pushing away Damon’s wet vest that had pillowed her head. She rubbed the gooseflesh on her arms and…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE WORST DUKE IN THE WORLD 2–What is it about? A duke and a “disreputable” young woman fall in love; familial opposition ensues. So, a bit like Romeo and Juliet, but with a much more cheerful outcome (YAY!). 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  It’s fun writing stories that take place amidst the London haut ton, but it was equally fun setting this book primarily in the English countryside. People meet and interact under different circumstances than they would in London; their interests and occupations vary, too. My hero, for example, is a keen agriculturist, so for authenticity’s sake (and, often, my own amusement) I liked bringing in non-glamorous, necessary things like drainage ditches, apple blights, pumpkin patches, and so on. 4–How did your heroine surprise you?  My heroine, Jane, comes from a disadvantaged background and has endured a lot of hardship and insecurity; I knew she’d be a strong person, but as the writing went on I was surprised and pleased by the quiet fortitude and resilience she displays when, in her new life as a cherished member of the Penhallow family, the going gets tough. (It’s…

All month long, we’re showcasing some of our favorite people — our reviewers! They read books day in and day out to give you, our readers, informed and exciting book recommendations! Today, one of our reviewers and regular interviewers, Miranda Owen! Your Name Miranda Owen How long have you been a Fresh Fiction reviewer? 7 years What are your favorite genres to read and review? Romance and cozy mysteries What are your TOP 3-5 Books of 2020? Sucker Punch by Laurell K. Hamilton The Kissing Game by Marie Harte Wicked Bite by Jeaniene Frost Crossing the Line by Cynthia Eden By the Book by Amanda Sellet What do you like to do outside of reading? Shopping and writing What are some of your holiday traditions? Writing and mailing Christmas cards What are your reading resolutions/intentions/goals for 2021? To try new authors and take a chance on different subgenres What do you love about being a Fresh Fiction Book Reviewer? Getting to interview favorite authors If you’re comfortable, please share a photo so our readers can see your face! Where else can readers find you online? https://twitter.com/mirandaowen1

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 Sidney Bell! Writes: While I normally write M/M Romantic Suspense, I’m branching out a bit with a polyamorous contemporary this time. THIS IS NOT THE END is about a fiercely devoted—if untraditional—married couple and the man who unexpectedly complicates their lives. Zac and Anya may welcome other men into their bed occasionally, but they only have room in their hearts for each other. Until, that is, Anya offers her husband a threesome with his deeply reserved best friend, Cal. But what starts as an invitation for a casual night of pleasure soon transforms into something that could risk every bond that exists between them. About: Author who writes character-driven, emotionally-complicated stories is in search of readers who like same. Lovers of beta heroes, competent women, and loud arguments about alfredo (which, to be clear, are only about alfredo because arguing about your fears and vulnerabilities is way harder) should apply early and often. I’d say that I like candlelit dinners and walks…

When I was working on the original proposal for SIRI, WHO AM I? in the Fall of 2018, I went on a trip to Long Beach, California. The trip had nothing to do with the book. In fact, I was actually headed there to help my boyfriend, Terrell, file custody paperwork, and be a supportive girlfriend. It was neither glamorous nor vacation-y. However, I hadn’t been on any sort of vacation for quite a while, and there were palm trees so it worked for me. Not long before the trip, the woman who I pitched the book to (Hi Blair!), suggested I set it in New York or LA. Because I was headed there anyway, I decided to take notes. This was my first trip to Long Beach so the few places I visited turned into the setting for the story. If I stopped into a bodega for a water, it was likely to become the setting for one of Mia’s make-out sessions or a revelation about her identity. Before I go on, you should know the premise of the book: Mia wakes up completely alone in an LA hospital (in a Prada gown and a tiara) with amnesia and…