1–What is the title of your latest release? THE WARRIOR KING 2–What is it about? The third of four phoenix sisters will give herself to a dragon king to help defeat a common enemy. But when his best warrior and personal bodyguard turns out to be her fated mate, things get…complicated. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  These books are set all over the world, mostly in mountains. I am very much a mountain girl. Now, on top of the settings I’m personally familiar with, I can wait to visit the various locations I’ve only visited in research. 4–How did your heroine surprise you?  Meira is the quieter sister, softer and more afraid. But what I found is that a quiet person can also have a backbone of steel, especially when it’s important. 5–Why will readers love your hero?  Samael is made of honor from head to toe. A true warrior, the only thing that can throw him for a loop…is Meira. 6–What was one of your biggest challenges while writing this book (spoiler-free, of course!)?  Moving Samael and Meira’s relationship from denied wanting—because she’s supposed to marry his king—to trust and relationship was a slow…

1–What is the title of your latest release? SURVIVING SAVANNAH 2–What is it about? The Titanic of the South — the true and untold story of the sinking of the luxury Steamship Pulaski.  3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  Savannah, Georgia past and present!  4–How did your main character(s) surprise you?  I have three main characters and they all surprised me with their utter resilience! I spent a lot of my time wondering — would I have been as strong as they were/are? 5–Why will readers relate to your characters?  They must survive to live a deeper life, and who doesn’t want to do that? 6–What was one of your biggest challenges while writing this book (spoiler-free, of course!)?  What people chose to do with their survival! It varied so much.  7–Do you look forward to or do you dread the revision process?  Half and half. Part of me loves revision and getting my hands back into the clay of my story, and the other half of me dreads the very hard work of digging out the weeds.  8–What’s your favorite snack to have on hand while writing?  Popcorn!  9–Where would you go for an ideal…

As I researched my latest time-slip novel, The Curator’s Daughter, I spent almost a week immersed in the culture and history of Nuremberg, Germany. While I learned an enormous amount during this trip, here are my top five takeaways from my time in this old Imperial City: 1) Hitler chose to launch his Third Reich in Nuremberg because this city was once central to the First Reich, also known as the Holy Roman Empire. After the immense Nazi Party rallies held in Nuremberg, Allied forces selected its courthouse for their postwar International Military Tribunal. The justice served there symbolized justice for everyone hurt by Nazism. 2) Below the medieval streets of Nuremberg is a network of tunnels used long ago as beer cellars. Because the city housed treasured artwork and crown jewels, locals created a secret art bunker in these tunnels during World War II. Even though 90 percent of the city was destroyed during the bombings, the artifacts from the German National Museum and the Imperial Castle were recovered safely from these tunnels. 3) Nuremberg is famous for its seasoned link sausages, but I’m a much bigger fan of the soft pretzel sandwiches! My new favorite is the bretzel…

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 Alexia Adams!  Writes: I write escapist contemporary romance featuring feisty heroines who bring alpha heroes to their knees and make them realize that all their money means nothing without the right woman at their side. In OVER HER WED BODY, my latest release, the heroine Corazon Dela Cruz sends every spare penny she has back to her family in the Philippines. When her latest nursing client offers her $25,000 to fake an engagement so his overprotective son will return to Dubai, she’s torn. Her family desperately needs the money but getting Beckett to leave is the last thing her heart wants. The hero Beckett has had enough stepmothers to spot a gold digger when he sees one. But the more he gets to know Cora, the more he realizes she’d be the perfect next Mrs. Samuelson–if he was the intended groom. About: I’m looking for readers to join me on vicarious romantic adventures around the world. My wings have been clipped by four children so now I’m…

I have a confession to make. Not only do I read spoilers for movies, books, and tv shows, I also peek at the end of books. If I don’t like the outcome, I stop reading or watching at the spot that seems “safest.” I’ve always enjoyed spoilers, but it was Stephen King’s novella, “The Mist” that started it all for me. That cliffhanger ending haunted me for years. What happened next? Did the people survive and repopulate the earth? Did the scary mist ever dissipate? I came up with my own stories to answer those questions (which is part of the purpose of open-ended cliffhangers like this novella had) but I wanted a sense of finality… until the movie for THE MIST came out. No spoilers, but that is one movie that I definitely stop watching and leave the cliffhanger ending in place without seeing the new conclusion to the tale–my own imagination has clearly been less horrifying! The final Harry Potter book, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, is another book that I refused to finish until I knew who would live and who would die. Despite standing in line at midnight and immediately starting the book as soon…

Welcome to LEARNED REACTIONS, the second in my Higher Education series. You got a chance to meet Carlton and get a brief glimpse into Deion in LEARNED BEHAVIORS, but there’s a lot of emotional turmoil mixed up in their almost twenty-year friendship. Carlton is convinced all he wants from Deion is friendship…until Deion takes him at his word. Playing like everything is okay is the name of Carlton’s game, and as you can see below, Deion’s not sure whether to pay attention to Carlton’s words or his actions. Enjoy! Excerpt: He must’ve gotten lost in the conversation, because he didn’t hear the door open until Carlton dropped his keys in a bowl. Deion startled and dropped the phone. It landed face-up, the profile picture of the guy smil­ing up at them. Carlton frowned, crossed the short distance to the couch, picked up the phone and glanced at it, his brow furrowing slightly. “Everything okay?” Carlton asked, his hand outstretched. Deion snagged the phone and sat up to make room for Carlton next to him. “Yeah.” His voice sounded like he’d gargled with glass. He coughed, trying desperately to clear his throat, then spoke again. “Yeah, I’m fine. Really.” Carlton’s disbelief…

MIRIAM’S SONG is a biblical novel – my newest release – about one of the Bible’s most famous yet little-known women – Moses’ sister, Miriam. I had to dig into her brothers’ lives to get to know her better, and what I learned about her life, and God’s holiness and longing for us as I studied her, inspired me. I hope it does the same for you. M – is for Miriam, whom we meet in childhood in Scripture. She is the little girl who watches her brother floating in a little ark in the Nile. Her family is hoping someone will save his life from the Pharaoh’s plot to kill boy babies. A complicated job for a girl of about five, but Miriam’s life as she grows older becomes even more complicated. I – is for Independent. Miriam is a strong woman and is later listed as one of three leaders who led the children of Israel out of Egypt. R – is for Ready. Miriam is more than ready to leave the land of Egypt and move to the Promised Land as God has intended for Israel. I – is for Israel. Miriam was one of three leaders…

Hi, Cynthia! It’s been a few years since your last blog appearance on Fresh Fiction—welcome back! Thanks for having me! At the beginning of FACING THE DAWN, your lead character, Mara, is feeling burnt out. Her husband is halfway across the world, her job is demanding and unfulfilling, and her kids are trying every ounce of her patience. Do you think readers will relate to some of Mara’s early struggles? What do you hope people can learn from Mara?  I believe a lot of readers will relate to at least some of what Mara is going through early in the book. Most of us experience a season or, for some, even seemingly a lifetime of unmet expectations and challenges, struggles that appear insurmountable, concerns that occupy too much of our time and energy, or even just mundane disappointments that keep life from looking like we thought it would. My hope is that readers will accompany Mara on her journey and identify with what loss and grief can do to us. What happens when we respond in unhealthy ways or resist the help we need? Where can we find glimmers of hope when we walk through a grief that just won’t go away?…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE DEVIL IN HER BED 2–What is it about? It is about a spy and a countess who share a tragic and secret past. They’re thrown together to fight a common enemy, but what they end up fighting is their intense attraction to each other. Francesca, the heroine, has trained her entire life in weapons, combat, and revenge…and eventually, she must decide if the hero, Chandler, is her ally or her foe. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  I love that it’s set in the heart of the London elite and is still dangerous as any Scottish battlefield or wild western. 4–How did your heroine surprise you?  Honestly it was how delicate she was. She has trained herself to be bold, strong, and single-minded. But beneath all that she loves not only with ferocity, but with a tenderness and sensitivity that is singular to women, I think. 5–Why will readers love your hero?  This hero is like James Bond meets John Wick and I’m so excited for you to meet him! 6–What was one of your biggest challenges while writing this book (spoiler-free, of course!)?  Mostly it was…

Hi, Deanna! We are so happy to have you back on Fresh Fiction. Please introduce yourself to our readers.  I’m a 5 foot, 5 inch-tall Gemini, I like long walks on the beach and men who aren’t afraid to cry. (Okay, I’m a 52-year-old 6th-generation Texan married to my college sweetheart with one child and a starter pack of Australian Labradoodles. I am currently working on my 17th novel and I have a mild addiction to Twitter.) The Veronica Speedwell historical mystery series is such a fun premise and has been enthralling readers for the last few years. What do you love about the character of Veronica?   Veronica is one of the most enjoyable characters I’ve ever written because she is–like Molly Brown–unsinkable. Nothing ever seems to get her down for long. We know she’s been through volcanic eruptions, shipwrecks, kidnapping by brigands, yet she’s irrepressibly optimistic. She’s very secure in her own sense of purpose, and I love that she is so thoroughly grounded in who she is. I suspect she might be a little tiresome in real life–she’s an absolute bulldozer to poor Stoker sometimes–but on the page, she delights me.   One of my favorite aspects…