by Debbie Wiley I miss attending book conventions. I’ve been lucky enough to attend quite a few in Orlando, Florida over the years, including Romantic Times (now known as the Booklovers Convention), RWA, and the Shameless Book Con. Memories of attending RT and RWA with my mom often pop in my head when reading certain authors because some of those authors are ones my mom introduced me to  their books when I was a teenager. Nora Roberts and Jayne Ann Krentz will always be loved by me not only for their books, but for the memories Mom and I are even now still making as we share a love for their writing.  Just this morning, Mom and I were chatting about the time she met Nora Roberts at RT. Her hands were shaking as she clenched a book in her hands hoping to meet Nora Roberts and get a signature- and she did, making a memory that lasts even now when she’s not as mobile and Covid has her stuck in her home most of the time. Books can tie us together in more ways than stories, but here are a few recent books from authors Mom and I have…

In the narrow streets of Solus, the soldiers in red made their assault on the Harkan kingsguard, hurling spears, pressing forward, arrows raining down from every direction. The soldiers in black did their best to arrest the charge of the red army. Shield pressed shield. Shoulders butted. Iron screamed against bronze. The kingsguard fought back against their attackers, but there were simply too many soldiers in red and not enough in black. Hands flailed and shields crumpled. “We’re digging in our heels,” said Gneuss. He huddled alongside Ren, keeping his head low. “But we can’t hold out for long. Sooner or later these sons of bitches are going to break through our wall. So when the boys in red make their push, we’re going to give them a surprise. They’ll expect us to hit back. Instead, we’ll retreat into that open space, the one up there,” he said, pointing to the place where the street emptied out into a wide plaza. “It’ll look like chaos when we hit the clearing.” Gneuss wrapped his fingers around the neckline of Ren’s tunic. “They’ll expect us to fan out like a bunch of fools, but we’re going to do the opposite. The men’ll…

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Janet! Congrats on your new novel, THE JUICE. Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your book?  Thank you so much for featuring me! I’m thrill-honored. I kind of live a double life. On the one hand, I’m a longtime journalist who fell into writing about media companies a long time ago. They are constantly changing, and utterly fascinating to me. On the other hand, I have been a teller of fictional tales ever since I was a little girl in a tiny upstate New York village called Franklin. (Now I live in the Bronx, and I can pull out the attitude to prove it!) I like to write fantasy and sci-fi stories that take conditions present in the world today and play them forward, into another space and time. That’s what I did with THE JUICE, which is a cyberpunk sci-fi tale about a secret substance that makes people incredibly charismatic, with god-like abilities. They are “used” by a media company to bend public thought to its will. Three unlikely allies try to stop this: a dirt-poor, homely teen who becomes a sort of Cinderella when she takes the Juice; a…

Today’s recipe is perfect for a date-night-in! While the characters in TO LOVE AND TO LOATHE by Martha Waters have known each other for years and spent most of that time arguing, they are about to spend a ton of time together at a country house party—the perfect place for shenanigans… Tomorrow is the last day of the Valentine’s Day Recipe Roundup! Come back for one more day of fun! Jeremy, the Marquess of Willingham, and Diana, Lady Templeton, have known each other for years, and have spent much of that time at each other’s throats. They are famed among their friends for their bickering, and no one is surprised when they agree to an impetuous bet: Jeremy will be married within the year, or Diana owes him one hundred pounds. What is a surprise is when Jeremy, after receiving some unflattering commentary on his bedroom skills, proposes a no-strings-attached affair with Diana for the duration of a country house party—both to get feedback on his performance, and to dispel the inconvenient attraction that has plagued them for years. This frenemies-with-benefits arrangement quickly becomes more complicated, and both Diana and Jeremy drink a good deal of wine over the course…

Welcome back to Fresh Fiction, Allie! Please tell us about yourself and your Magic in Manhattan series.   Thank you so much for having me! I’m Allie, a Cuban-American author, attorney, parent, spoonie, and occasional oversharer of cat pictures. The Magic in Manhattan series is a blend of urban fantasy and romance set in 1925 New York City. It follows an “opposites-attract couple” through three books: Arthur, a non-magical WWI soldier from a political family who hunts supernatural relics, and Rory, an immigrant’s son hiding his ability to see visions of objects’ pasts by working in a Hell’s Kitchen antiques shop.   WONDERSTRUCK is the final book in your Magic in Manhattan series. What is it like bringing a series to an end? What are some of your favorite things about writing this magical series?   Endings are hard! It’s bittersweet to say goodbye, but at the same time, it was really nice to finally be able to give Arthur and Rory their happily ever after. Some of my favorite things about writing this series were learning about New York’s history, and coming up with ways to intertwine magic and history and romance all together. I love that these books…

As I sat down to write my new novel, THE ORCHARD HOUSE, I couldn’t help but think about the inspiration behind it—Louisa May Alcott and her timeless classic, Little Women. Louisa captivated readers around the world with her seemingly simple domestic tale filled with honesty, complexity, and ultimately, joy in the messiness. But something else has us captivated. Or rather, someone else. Namely Jo March. When I was a girl, I wanted to be Jo. She was feisty, bold, but also incredibly caring and tenderhearted. She stood up for what she believed in and she was determined to be a writer one day (as was I!). In short, she was a tremendous and gigantic female character that readers fell in love with. But why is it that we appreciate strong female protagonists such as Jo March? Here are five reasons I think a gutsy female lead is likely to win us over: 1–We can relate to them in their shortcomings. Strong female characters aren’t perfect. Think of Jo’s struggle to control her temper. Katniss Everdeen’s rashness. Scarlett O’Hara’s lack of empathy. Sometimes, though, these flaws can be avenues to actually help them—either in their physical world or in their internal…

Looking for a Galentine’s Day treat? Author Olivia Blacke has a vegan-friendly cake ball recipe that is sure to delight. KILLER CONTENT’s amateur sleuth, Odessa, works at a bookstore/cafe and has a great group of co-workers and friends to share this with during after-hours fun.  Of course, we’ll be back tomorrow with the next featured author during the week-long Valentine’s Day Recipe Roundup—hope to see you again!  KILLER CONTENT’s (Feb 2, 2021, Berkley) Odessa Dean isn’t much of a cook. When she decides to leave her hometown of Piney Island, Louisiana for a summer in the trendy Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg, she’s overwhelmed by the unique and ever-evolving flavors of New York City. From food trucks to pop-up eateries to the eclectic menu at Untapped Books & Cafe where she works, there is always something new for her to taste. As much as she loves sampling unique dishes, she doesn’t have a lot of experience in the kitchen. Not that it would stop her from trying to make something fun and tasty for her friends when they decide to throw a Valentine’s Day party after hours at the cafe! While cake balls and cake pops might be blase in Brooklyn…

From Chapter 6 of THE DIABOLICAL BONES Anne Anne felt no small amount of apprehension as she followed the rest of the party, led by Liston Bradshaw, into the oldest and, until recently, locked- away part of Top Withens Hall. It was the dense and sorrowful atmosphere that weighed the heaviest on her slender shoulders, for there were ghosts in every corner–of the spectral sort that Mr. Dickens liked to write about, but rather the remnants of memories that told of a distant, happier life. A group portrait of Clifton, his wife, and Liston, even from beneath the veil of cobwebs and dust shrouding it, showed a close family full of pride in and warmth for one another. On a windowsill a vase was placed, surrounded by scattered desiccated petals; a shawl was draped over the end of the bannister as if it had been left there only a few moments before, its owner expecting to return to gather it up at any moment. It seemed to Anne that the moment Mary had died thirteen years ago, Clifton Bradshaw had locked away every trace of the cordial family life that had lived there and buried it along with his wife….

Thanks so much for having me on Fresh Fiction! My debut romcom, MY SWEET ENEMY, just came out yesterday, so I’ve been eating celebratory chocolate cake and toasting with some bubbly. I’m thrilled to continue celebrating here with you all! My enemies-to-lovers romcom features a sweetheart chocolatier and a stiff MBA competing in a reality contest for a position at a luxe chocolate company who find the only thing tempering their insta-hate is their heart-melting attraction. Bitter rivalry, sweet attraction! Oo la la! And here we go with the title challenge. M-My inspiration: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory inspired this story of a gourmet chocolate company that offers 5 social media applicants an internship and a competition between them with the winner getting a high-level job. Y-Yummy treats: I adore chocolate, and there are a lot of scenes where the characters are eating truffles, chocolate bars, and other confections. My research at two local gourmet chocolate companies (with samples) was pretty amazing. * S-Stuck in a walk-in cooler: In my favorite scene, the hero and heroine get stuck in a walk-in cooler together and have to snuggle to preserve body heat. Why wear a sweater when a hunky man will…

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 Laura Brown! Writes: I write romances featuring characters with hearing loss. ABOUT THAT NIGHT is an unplanned pregnancy romcom between a hearing heroine and a Deaf hero. Izzy never caught the name of her one-night stand, due to her newbie ASL status. A year and half later she finally finds him, in the role of her new boss. She not only has to figure out how to tell him about the son he doesn’t know he has, but also navigate their agency’s no dating policy. About: A homebody by nature, I love curling up with a good book. Coffee dates are a must. As I’m Hard of Hearing, ASL knowledge is a bonus. Besides books, my conversations will include my three cats, kid, and the current state of my out of control TBR list. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: *Fan of the unplanned pregnancy trope *Enjoys a diverse cast *Funny bone intact *Enjoys some realism mixed into the fantasy and comedy of romance What to…