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 you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Ann Marie Walker!  Writes: I’m the author of 9 novels, ranging from romantic suspense to romantic comedy. My latest release is LUCKY LEAP DAY a rom-com about a woman who gets caught up in the Irish tradition of women proposing to men on Leap Day and ends up bringing home a husband instead of a wool sweater and a set of souvenir pint glass. About: I’m a fan of fancy cocktails, anything chocolate, and ’80s rom-coms, and my superpower is connecting any situation to an episode of Friends. You can find me on Facebook or Instagram and at AnnMarieWalker.com, where I would be happy to talk to you about alpha males, lemon drop martinis, or Chewbacca, the Morkie who is kind enough to let me sit on his couch. I attended the University of Notre Dame and currently live in Chicago. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: My ideal reader * loves to laugh * is a sucker for a guy with a hot accent and…

The days when you could walk out of the Louvre with the Mona Lisa under your arm are over. There are all sorts of safeguards now—electric eyes, pressure sensors, lasers, which in the movies at least, must usually be overcome by dangling the thieves from the ceiling. I love art-heist stories. They always pose a question: what’s real and what’s fake? What’s the difference between an original and a copy? They also sketch out over the years not only a change in technology but a change in ethics. Here are five of my favorites. How to Steal a Million–1966 We start with the soufflé, extremely light, and, as you would expect of any film starring Peter O’Toole and Audrey Hepburn. It just oozes charm. Surprisingly, under its candy coating, it also oozes authenticity. The forger(Hugh Griffiths, Hepburn’s papa) has made certain to dig up authentic dirt from Arles to add to his Van Gogh forgery. And it takes only a chip of paint from said forgery undergoing chemical analysis to prove it’s a fake. And it’s the forger’s hubris that places him in danger, which is often the case in real life, where it’s the risk of being discovered that…

Danielle Jackson: Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Lizzie! Congrats on the publication of YINKA, WHERE IS YOUR HUZBAND?. How does it feel to have your debut novel out in the world? Can you tell us about your journey into publishing?  Lizzie Damilola Blackburn: Thank you! It feels absolutely insane. (In a good way!) A few years back, no one, not even my other half had read YINKA, WHERE IS YOUR HUZBAND? in its entirety, so it’s kind of surreal that people, complete strangers, will now be reading it. It’s also very exciting because when I was writing YINK, I used to wander around bookstores and visualize my book on the shelves, and now, I’m a published author!  In terms of my journey to publication, it took me roughly five years. YINKA started off as a short story on a blog that I ran in 2014-15. The decision to turn it into a novel came after I met an incredible author called Jackie Ley. She felt as though the concept – a British Nigerian woman feeling the pressure to settle down – would make a brilliant novel. However, I had no formal writing experience, so I took on the challenge, blindly. As…

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 you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present KATEE ROBERT! Writes: Spicy romance versions of your favorite Greek myths. In Electric Idol, Psyche and Eros get brought into a contemporary setting. She’s a plus-sized influencer, and he’s the hitman tasked with bringing Aphrodite her heart. He can’t quite go through with it, so Eros decides to do the one thing guaranteed to keep Psyche safe. Marry her.   About: I’m all about the inside kid activities. Knitting, reading, video games, and baking take up most of my time. You can usually find me curled up with a good book and my two Great Danes who are convinced they’re appropriately sized lap dogs.   What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: – Must love their Greek mythology to be more reimagining than strict retelling. – Needs to have a soft spot for murdery, monstrous heroes who are gone for their heroines from the word Go. – Enjoying high heat and explicit spice is a definite requirement! – Be ready for a cunning, savvy heroine who’s no one’s…

“Sorry I bitched about the seats,” Marissa said, sipping the foam from her beer. I shook my head. “Totally fine, they were expensive tickets.” “It’s just, I wanted the full experience, you know? Front row, being sung to, eyes locking. The whole rock and roll fantasy.” “Oh, I get it—more than you know.” Again, she raised an eyebrow. “Do you, now? Please elaborate.” I smiled wickedly. I wasn’t embarrassed of my days following this band, so why had I acted like I was? I opened my mouth to share the story, but then the drum solo started winding into a guitar solo, and I turned back towards our seats. It was calling to me, like a siren song. I glanced back at the bouncer who stood guarding the floor area, his nose buried in his phone. This was our one chance. I reached back to grab hold of Marissa’s hand and stepped down towards the stage, one foot in front of the other, fully expecting to be stopped at some point…but nothing. Not when we reached the back of the crowd, not when we approached the velvet rope of the floor seats, and not even when we reached the opening…

Exclusive Sneak Peek of Playing Dirty in Alaska for Fresh Fiction Bridget and Archer’s first kiss in four years …. *** “I’m still waiting for that kiss hello.” Bridget looked up at him, eyes hot, slashes of color riding high across her cheekbones. “That’s not fair. You lost the bet.” “All’s fair in love and war,” Archer informed her. She poked a finger into the center of his chest. “There’s no love here.” Another poke. “And I’m not looking for a war. All I want is to be left —” He caught her hand before she poked him a third time. “This isn’t about what you want, remember? This is about what I want.” “Why?” She punctuated the question with a stomp of her foot, followed by a swift breath of pain. Frustration got the better of him. “For fuck’s sake, Bridget, just stand still for thirty seconds and you’ll have what you want, including an answer to that question.” “Ten seconds,” she countered. He rolled his eyes skyward and fished his phone out of his pocket. “Twenty seconds. Final offer. Otherwise, I knock on that door loud enough to wake the whole god-damned town.” “Jesus. Okay.” She shoved a…

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 you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Mimi Matthews! Writes: I write USA Today bestselling, award-winning proper Victorian romances, rich with history, emotional passion, and lush period detail. I’m known for my vivid settings, strong characterization, and attention to social issues of the day. I’m also known for writing about regular people—lawyers, tailors, clergyman, parish orphans, and other untitled heroes and heroines. Though my stories are closed-door (i.e. no sex on the page), they’re charged with sexual tension, where even the brush of a skirt against a trouser leg or the touch of an ungloved hand can turn the temperature up several degrees. This is especially evident in my latest Victorian romance, THE SIREN OF SUSSEX, in which bluestocking equestrienne Evelyn Maltravers and habit-maker Ahmad Malik spend countless erotic-tension-filled hours together as he fits her clothes. About: Raised on the California coast, I grew up reading books, riding horses, and shopping way too much for pretty clothes. After earning an undergraduate degree in English, I went on to law school where I obtained my Juris…

1–What is the title of your latest release? TEMPTING THE VICAR 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A tenacious vixen, a vicar in disguise, a tangled web of seduction and lies. TEMPTING THE VICAR is a Regency romance about an unconventional miss who falls for a countryside clergyman forced by mishap to pose as his worldly twin. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? London always provides a glittering backdrop for romance, but especially during the Regency. The English countryside also has a lot of appeal, however, so I decided to use both settings! 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely! I’m sure we’d be best friends and get into all sorts of trouble together, so it’s probably a good thing Olivia only exists in Times New Roman font. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Loyal, altruistic, tender 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? While researching London’s social clubs, I learned the Duke of Wellington was once refused entry into Almack’s because he was wearing the wrong kind of pants. Those Almack’s matrons certainly were strict about enforcing the dress code! I also learned how…

The corridor that led to the cellar came alive with memories as she crossed it. The door was propped open. Emmitt must’ve forgotten to shut it when he left. Careful to leave it open, she stepped into the chill of the limestone floored room. The scent of cork and wine hung in the air. Stocked wooden racks and steel and glass coolers lined the walls. At the center of the room, under an abalone chandelier, stood a tasting table. Her eyes landed on the lacquered mahogany surface, knots and nicks marking the single piece of wood. The height had been just right for— “Ayesha?” She stumbled back, hand pushing against the door as she caught her balance. The click of the lock filled the silence that followed the sound of her name in his voice. No, no, no! She spun around and rattled the handle. It didn’t budge. He came up behind her, their hands meeting on the cool metal, the impact making her so lightheaded she pressed her head into the door. His hand trembled over hers, his body looming beside her, his presence wrapping around her. They were locked inside. She pulled away. From the door, from him,…

Time to start fresh. A brand-new year of possibilities. That got me thinking about New Year’s Resolutions. Some people are for them. Some people are against them. Where do you stand on the matter? I, for one, am for them. I like to reflect on the past year both personally and professionally. I like to think about goals I set the previous year and see if I met them. If I didn’t, then I reflect on why not and what I need to do to differently? Life is complex. It can get busy and crazy and a jumbled mess if we let it. Happiness is about balance, or so I’m learning 😉 I’m finding the older I get, the more balance I need to be happy. The older we get, the wiser we get. As cliched as it sounds, it’s true! I no longer need all the things I once thought I did to be happy and fulfilled. It’s taken me years to realize my success isn’t based on the accomplishments of anyone else. It’s based on my own goals and working hard to meet them. 2020 hit hard for us all. I never in my wildest dreams imagined we…