Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Melissa MacKinnon | Exclusive Excerpt: THE DO-OVER
Author Guest / July 13, 2021

“Why did you marry me, Maggie?” His voice was gritty and dripped with raw vulnerability. She whipped around to face him. He stood just out of reach with arms splayed gently to his sides. Sweat and sawdust glistened on his skin and thin lines of wet dampened his shirt where it clung against the curves of his chest. “It was the first thing I ever did for myself,” she whispered to him. Her honesty hit her in the gut. Her only taste of freedom had been with him. Free to make her own choices and to love unequivocally, even in the most profound ways. “Love” was a strong word. But so was “forever.” She stepped forward. The harsh light made the edges of his face sharp and distorted, and she found herself reaching up to brush away the hard shadow from his chin with the tips of her fingers. He caught them with his own and held them for a moment, pressing them against the angle of his jaw. The hair there prickled the tender skin of her wrist and she pulled back slightly, unsure as to why she’d done that in the first place. “I’d never pushed boundaries like…

Michelle Dayton | We’re All Trainwrecks:  In Praise of Funny, Messy, Complicated Heroines.
Author Guest / July 13, 2021

My new book, DISASTER GIRL, which was released on May 20, is my favorite thing I’ve ever written.  There are many reasons I like it:  It’s set in Chicago, the city where I live.  The plot, involving revenge porn and a sleazy Internet predator, is timely and fast-paced.  The romance between mouthy, feisty Tess and brilliant, sweet Max was unbelievably fun to write.  But the real reason this book is my favorite is because I absolutely loved writing from the perspective of Tess, the main character. Right from the beginning of the project, Tess’s voice was clear in my head.  While the story took many iterations to get right, Tess herself, did not.  I knew her.  Like most of the women I know in real life, Tess is extremely independent and capable.  She’s great at her job and she’s dedicated to her friendships and family.  But also … she loves drinking bourbon at her neighborhood bar.  Sex is a priority, and she relishes her silly escapades with one-night flings.  She has a tense relationship with her mother and is overly protective of her younger sister.  Tess has a bit of a past; she’s done some not-great things that affect the…