Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Kelley Armstrong | 20 Questions: A RIP THROUGH TIME
Author Guest / May 31, 2022

1–What is the title of your latest release? A RIP THROUGH TIME 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? After responding to a cry for help in modern-day Edinburgh, a Vancouver police detective ends up in the body of the house maid who’d been attacked there…a hundred and fifty years earlier. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I wanted my narrator to be a “fish out of water” in every possible way, which meant setting it abroad. Victorian Edinburgh—known for medical research—is the perfect place for her new employer to live. He’s a doctor who had to take over his family’s undertaking business and uses it for early forensic science. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely. I can’t say that about all my narrators, but Mallory would be very easy to get along with. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Brilliant, driven, guarded 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Too many things! This was endless research (still ongoing as I work on book 2) One of the joys of time travel is that the narrator takes that journey with you, learning about this new…

Nora Murphy Interview – The Allure of Domestic Thrillers and Psychological Suspense
Author Guest , Interviews / May 31, 2022

For readers, like me, who normally don’t read it – can you describe what “domestic suspense” means? In my mind, I picture poster for the film Serial Mom, with Kathleen Turner in a 1950s outfit, holding a pie in one hand, and a knife poised to stab somebody in the other. When I think of “domestic suspense,” I think of a genre of thrillers that are set in a neighborhood and focus on the relationships between family members or neighbors. I think of taut pacing and lots of secrets. Pies and knives most certainly could feature in these stories!   From THE FAVOR’s description, it sounds like there is an element of psychological suspense in your novel. Is that right? And what makes that possibly more interesting to write about than more obvious murder and mayhem? I think that’s right, and I think the hidden, simmering nature of psychological suspense makes it interesting to me. In particular, THE FAVOR tells the story of two women trapped in abusive marriages to men who are highly successful and credible. The nature of the abuse they suffer is, at times, coercive control, which can be more hidden, secretive, and difficult to prove. The…

S.R. Lane | Exclusive Excerpt: EIGHT WEEKS IN PARIS
Excerpt / May 31, 2022

It was possible that his timidity and reserve weren’t just for show. The first four takes came out flawlessly; Chaudhuri re­quested they try again from a couple of different angles, but The Throne was off to a rocking start. A subdued thrill was running through the crew, like a shared fever. Crew knew immediately when they held on to a winner. Crew recognized talent. They recognized it now. Andrée, waiting on the sidelines for her cue, had her mouth set in a curious frown. Chaud­huri’s face was grave. Across the set, actors and DAs and cam­era crew were all looking at Chris. Nicholas was looking too: the trouble was looking away. Chris was enthralling. His Angelo was by turns infuriating and lovely, selfish to the point of loss and charming to the point of disbelief—his hands nervous, his body active and mobile, his face changing emotion in a flash. Nicholas kept breaking off, catching onto a different thread of action, meeting Chris’s motion with his own. Like a dance. He wasn’t used to being led. But this was not quite like being led. It was moving in one direction, and finding the movement echoed in another body. It was like…

Candace Camp | 20 Questions: AN AFFAIR AT STONECLIFFE
Author Guest / May 27, 2022

1–What is the title of your latest release? AN AFFAIR AT STONECLIFFE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? In AN AFFAIR AT STONECLIFFE, a fast-paced story of romance and intrigue, Noelle, a young widow, must turn to her greatest enemy for help. Carlisle Thorne can protect her from danger, but can she protect her heart from him? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? All my Regencies are set in England. However, in this story, I added a bit of Paris and the Continent in the opening because her dead husband was an artist. In England, the gorgeous country estate where they spend much of their time is reasonably close to London so readers get to experience a little of the social whirl the city was for the ton. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely! She’s determined, brave, and loving—definitely the kind of person I’d want to have on my side. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Loyal, proud, strong 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned how very much British law ignored women’s rights at this time. I knew everything a woman…

Barbara Dunlop | 20 Questions: STRANGERS IN PARADISE
Author Guest / May 27, 2022

1–What is the title of your latest release? STRANGERS IN PARADISE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When Alaskan business mogul Parker Hall comes looking for investment opportunities in the small town of Paradise, Alaska, he runs afoul of local bush pilot Hailey Barosse. Parker’s suave sophisticated takeover approach reminds Hailey of her wealthy cutthroat family back home. To save Paradise businesses, she sets out to thwart his plans. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? STRANGERS IN PARADISE is Book #3 in the Paradise, Alaska series. I moved to the far north from a major metropolitan center, and I’m fascinated by the contrast in the two lifestyles. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely. Hailey is smart and feisty with a great sense of humor. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Hardworking, protective, loyal. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I’m married to a northern bush pilot, and he answered a whole lot of technical questions about bush flying. I only used about a quarter of what I learned. But I still ended up with so much detail that my editor asked me to…

Susan Speranza | Exclusive Excerpt: ICE OUT
Author Spotlight , Excerpt / May 27, 2022

Francesca watched in horror as her husband ran from the lake, from her, and from Addie, disappearing into the advancing shadows. For a moment, she comforted herself with the belief that he was going for help, but the moment faded as quickly as it had come. Hope dissolved into panic and despair. In her heart, she understood the truth. He had answered her tearful pleas with nothing but a hurtful, intractable silence. A silence that flew over the lake toward her, landing like a purposeful blow, striking her to her core. A silence that inflicted a mortal wound from which she knew she would never recover. He hadn’t once looked back at her or the lake. He just ran. Away from her and Addie, leaving them both to die. She was overcome with sorrow and a crushing fear. She wanted to find Addie, to help her and to save her, but she felt her physical self weakening. The more exhausted she grew and the more fearful, the more she thrashed about in the water. — “No, no,” Dominic cautions as he tries to stop her. “Don’t struggle so much. You need to just relax. Relax.” “It’s too deep,” she frets as Dominic puts his arms around her and guides his six-year-old daughter to the middle…

Elizabeth Camden | Author-Reader Match: WRITTEN ON THE WIND
Author Guest / May 27, 2022

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 Elizabeth Camden! Writes: I write gilded age romance novels featuring smart characters and deeply romantic, emotionally turbulent love stories. I make my characters earn their happy ending, like in Written on the Wind where they must travel to the ends of the earth before accomplishing their goal. The novel features a Russian count whose long-distance friendship with an American heiress is the only lifeline he has left after the czar strips him of his lands, title, and fortune. He escapes into the Siberian wilderness with nothing but the clothes on his back and his determination to reach New York and Natalia …. where the real battle will begin.   About: I was a college professor and research librarian before making the shift to becoming a full-time writer. My time period is gilded-age America, and the backdrop for each novel is a real-life historical advancement like water purification and how it allowed for the development of modern cities, or the development of steel and its…

Susanna Haymond | Author-Reader Match: PREMEDITATED
Author Guest / May 27, 2022

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 Susanna Haymond!   Writes: Christian Suspense with romantic elements   About: Small-town author seeks readers for a page turning Christian Suspense featuring passionate anti-drug activists who will do anything to put an end to the drug war that is terrorizing their communities. This includes one couple who has been deeply affected firsthand by the evil infiltrating their lives. Through their perseverance and faith, they’ll conquer it all – together.   What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Their idea of a perfect date includes curling up and settling in for the long haul with a book that they cannot put down until, THE END. Enjoys a little mystery and intrigue. Falls for a hero/heroine that is strong in his/her faith in God and faith in his/her partner. Looks for hope even in the seemingly darkest of situations.   What to expect if we’re compatible: Stories that will touch your heart and inspire you. PREMEDITATED by Susanna Haymond Agents of Justice Series #2   Anti-drug…

Morgan Shamy Interview – YA Paranormal Fantasy and Gothic Mystery
Author Guest , Interviews / May 26, 2022

Your book SERENADE is described as a “Paranormal Fantasy”. What about paranormal fantasy inspires you as an author? Do you think you’d ever dip into a different genre or subgenre? A great question! I love books that whisk you away to other worlds—that transport you. A great book is one that makes me forget real life for a while. I hope to accomplish that with the worlds I create. And I also write Gothic Mystery! I have book I just signed a deal with that will be coming out in 2023, called THE DOLLMAKER, so be on the lookout for that! How would you describe your female protagonist, November Huntington? Does she evolve over the series, or stay the same? Initially timid but becomes stronger, or always confident? November is different because she struggles with mental health. A lot of my early readers have really related to her because of this. She grows through the series. I wouldn’t say she starts out weak—she definitely has fight and spirit and knows how to stand up for what’s right—but she learns to open up her heart and mind as the story progresses. How would you describe the dynamic between November and Vincent?…

Flora Dare | 20 Questions: HIS ROCK HARD RHYTHM
Author Guest / May 26, 2022

1–What is the title of your latest release? HIS ROCK HARD RHYTHM 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Love, Orcs and Rock-and-Roll! Take a cocky lead singer of an Orc Rock band and throw him together with a witchy tour manager to make music and magic. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? My co-writer, Josie, and I – we’ve been friends for literally decades and we knew we wanted to work on a project together. So in November 2021, we met up in Vegas for a week in an AirBnB and we adventured and plotted! 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Hell yeah! Once Alexis loosens up, she’s a good time. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Orc, rock star, cinnamon roll 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Josie Kell taught me how to tell the difference between ‘former’ and ‘latter’. Former is F-F-First and Latter is L-L-Last. It’s something I’ve always jumbled up, but now is locked into my brain! 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? Both! I am kind of chaotic, if I’m honest. I…