Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Kimberlee Turley | Exclusive Excerpt: CIRCUS OF SHADOWS
Author Guest , Excerpt / May 12, 2022

Auction Scene from chapter XIII © 2022 Marcella.  https://www.instagram.com/mariamarcelw/   # Chapter XIII excerpt#   For the entire morning, Gracie could not be found without a gaggle of women around her. And she took a circuitous route wherever she went, further hindering his chances of finding an opportunity to deliver a private apology. Jack had considered giving up until Harris and Gracie entered the big top, her small hand tucked in the crook of his elbow. She wore a pale pink dress trimmed with white bows and black ribbon. In her free hand, she carried a black umbrella. If Gracie could forgive Harris enough to let him escort her to the auction, it seemed reasonable that she could overlook whatever Jack had said to offend her yesterday and last night. Squaring his shoulders, Jack marched in after them. The tent was filled with a brown fog from the fine dirt kicked into the air by the patrons who’d come for the auction. Jack signed his name to a wooden bidding paddle while the Colonel stamped his hammer to close the sale of a gilded mirror. The small herd of auction attendees stirred a little in the break before the next…

Kelsey Kicklighter Interview – Fairy Tales and the Fae
Author Guest , Interviews / May 12, 2022

Faye, your female protagonist, is half-faerie. As a writer, what is your fascination with all things fae? (I ask as somebody who is more interested in vampires and werewolves). Honestly, my obsession with the fae started when I was about four or five…with the movie Thumbelina. I know I burnt through at least one of those VHS tapes. But it wasn’t enough. I started searching for books on faerie tales–I was very much a library kid. I got hooked on the old school stuff, especially The Six Swans, East o’ the Sun, West o’ the Moon, and The Ballad of Tamlin. I liked that the fae weren’t really heroes or villains, but somehow both. And that to survive them you had to be very, very clever. But I’m also a fan of vampires and werewolves! Anything mythological or lore based, I’m usually 100% in.   How would you describe Faye? Faye is first and foremost, a protector. That’s who she is at her core. She has a good head on her shoulders but has a tendency to make rash decisions when the fate of those she loves is hanging in the balance. She tends to shield herself with sarcasm and…

Jenn Burke | 20 Questions: OUT OF THE ASHES
Author Guest / May 12, 2022

1–What is the title of your latest release? OUT OF THE ASHES. It’s the third book in the Ashes & Dust trilogy.   2–What is it about? It’s the culmination of the story that started in book 1, when someone was threatening to expose the existence of Toronto’s paranormal community. Evan, a vampire PI who deals with chronic depression, and Colin, a creature known as a phoenix who can control fire and magical energy, thought they found out who was behind everything in book 2, but this one throws a few curveballs their way. They’ve got to work with former enemies to truly solve the mystery – but first, they have to deal with the repercussion of Colin’s decision at the end of book 2 to dissolve their forced bond against Evan’s wishes. There are lots of up and downs in this one, but a very firm happily ever after!   3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  Toronto is such a great mix of diverse settings. You’ve got the old-fashioned, touristy promenade of the Distillery District, industrial areas that make for great locations for out-of-sight paranormal shenanigans, and lakefront beaches for quiet moments. In this book,…