Hi, everyone, I’m so glad to be here today. It’s March! The month of spring. I don’t know about you all, but I have had enough of being isolated. Between winter and covid, the days seem to drag on endlessly. I, for one, am ready for a fresh start. It’s a new year, full of new possibilities, and brand-new books! DARK SEAS (Coldwater Cove book 1) comes out on March 8th. The book takes place in a fictional little fishing village called Coldwater Cove in Maine. I’ve never lived in Maine, but I’m fascinated by the majestic state. I love the rugged coastline and cliffs, the powerful ocean, the quaint towns, the harbors filled with fishing boats, and the lighthouses. Maine lends itself as the perfect backdrop for a suspenseful book. I set Coldwater Cove to border Canada, with Nova Scotia right across the bay. With so much of Maine being remote, there aren’t enough border patrol agents to plug all the holes. Inspection stations and checkpoints are so spread out that many sections are unmanned for hours. Even with cameras and motion sensors in place, if an illegal immigrant, trafficker, arms dealer, or terrorist slipped through and was seen,…

As an avid romance reader, I see these “Colton” books advertised everywhere, and I know they’re not all written by the same author. What’s the deal? Do the same group of characters show up in each book? Does each work as a standalone? The Colton books are known as continuities, usually a series of about six to twelve books. Each continuity features a family branch of Coltons and each book is written by a different author. We are given guidelines to write the book. Usually characters from previous books do make appearances in the subsequent books. For example, Colton 911: Chicago, Under Suspicion, is my book. It’s Book 12 in the continuity. Sean from Book 1 is friends with Harry, the hero of my book. Sean and his wife January make a few guest appearances in Under Suspicion. I do know my book can be read as a standalone, but it’s more fulfilling to read the previous 11 books in that particular continuity. How would you describe your latest book in the series, Colton 911: Under Suspicion? Would you say there is an equal amount of action, mystery, and romance – or does one dominate more than the other? In…

I went to Booklovers Con a few weeks ago. Yes, right before Christmas but not a moment too late. I had a great time.  It is true I pretty much have a great time everywhere I go, but this Con was valuable because it reminded me of how important readers are to my creativity. First, I don’t want to write in a vacuum.  When I’m in my office, struggling with all the crazy doubts writers have, I start to wonder what good all this plotting and thinking is. What does story matter when life seems upside down or sideways? Nor do I think writers are the only ones who question themselves when left alone too long. We all do. Daily routines keep me going but they can also be stagnating. What plugs me into life is when I take time out for a bit of adventure . . . which, when I think about it, is exactly what I ask the characters in my books to do.  After all, when did Belle become interesting enough to have her own story?  When she was going to the bookstore again? Or when she went to rescue her father?  The Beast reminds us…

From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley comes an all new thrilling romantic suspense guaranteed to have pulses rise, and readers begging for more. Renowned author Delphine Larue needs a haven. A crazed fan has gone over the deep end, and she’s not safe. Her security team has suggested a house by a lake. Secluded. Private. Far away. In a beautiful area of the Northwest close to the sleepy town of Misted Pines. It’s perfect. So perfect, Delphine has just moved in, and she’s thinking she’ll stay there forever. Until she sees the girl in the mist. After that, everything changes. Delphine quickly learns that Misted Pines isn’t so sleepy. A little girl has gone missing, and the town is in the grips of terror and tragedy. The local sheriff isn’t up for the job. The citizens are up in arms. And as the case unfolds, the seedy underbelly of a quiet community is exposed, layer by layer. But most importantly, girls are dying. There seems to be only one man they trust to find out what’s happening. The mysterious Cade Bohannan. On Sale January 4th Amazon Amazon Worldwide AppleBooks Kobo Nook Amazon Print Barnes and Noble Print About…

Reid felt his phone buzz and expected to see his brother’s name flash across the screen. But he was pleasantly surprised when it was an unknown number, suggesting they meet up in a few days at the Rookery in the Loop so they could start scouting locations. This is Cassie, by the way. Reid felt himself smile, which he tried to tamp down into a smirk, but he knew he was grinning at his phone like some kind of giddy loser. Reid: Does this mean you’re going to do the campaign? Cassie: I suppose you’ll get to see me in caution tape lingerie after all. He wondered what changed her mind. From what little he knew, Dana could be convincing, but he also suspected that Cassie knew an opportunity when she saw one, even if it wasn’t exactly what she wanted. And he’d be damned if he didn’t take the opportunity to work with Cassie, wearing next to nothing. Knowing that James would tell him to keep his money if he tried to pay for the beer, Reid quickly finished his beer and left enough cash to cover the drink, a normal tip, and then some, and headed down the…

It has taken twelve books but I think Georgie is finally learning to stand up for herself. When we first met her in HER ROYAL SPYNESS she was stuck in dreary Scottish Castle Rannoch, supposed to make a good match with one of those “half-lunatic, buck-toothed, chinless, spineless and utterly awful princes who still seem to litter Europe.” The family had singled out Prince Siegfried of Rumania as a potential spouse. It is this that pushes Georgie into her first real rebellion. She bolts from Castle Rannoch down to London to make her own way in life. There is no way she is going to marry a man she and her friends call Fish-face. And how lucky that decision was. At later meetings he makes it clear to her that if they marry she only has to produce the heir and he will never trouble her again. No thank you, Georgie says. And as the books progress it seems she has a chap of her own in mind. Not royal, not even English. An Irish rogue, living a shady life. But irresistibly handsome and oh so naughty. Then it turns out he is the son of a lord, and his…

One of my favorite romance tropes is the “fake romance-turned-real” trope. It is often called the “fake engagement” trope, but with contemporary romances it is more common to find characters who are in need of a fake boyfriend or girlfriend. A story with this classic trope can often incorporate other favorite tropes, such as “friends to lovers”, “enemies to lovers”, “marriage of convenience”, and others. I adore the farcical elements in romances that have a fake relationship that turns real. “Only the best for my fake boyfriend. Unless you’re fake breaking up with me, in which case I’ll be taking my gourmet takeout elsewhere.” – ONE OF THESE NIGHTS by Kendra Leigh Castle With traditional fake relationship stories, I put them into three basic categories: The first category typically involves a friends-to-lovers theme, or stories in which the two people involved are friendly and work together in a way that is peaceful and that they enjoy. Another category involves strangers who meet and decide to have a fake relationship out of convenience. Finally, you also have a situation in which two people have a somewhat contentious relationship but for whatever reason decide to put on a ruse of romance. In…

So you are the infamous Gray Rogers — former Navy SEAL, current “Mountain Mercenary”. What can you tell us about this group you belong to and how is it different from when you were in the military? We don’t exactly advertise our services. For the most part the Mountain Mercenaries are kept on the “down low” but we are allowed to talk about our group on an as needed basis. We all have regular “day” jobs for anyone who decides to dig into our background. The men on our team are all retired Special Forces soldiers from all branches of the military. In many ways, being a part of the Mountain Mercenaries is better than being in the military because of the lack of bureaucracy, our handler, Rex, deals with all that, we are left alone to get the job done. And we always get the job done. Your last assignment was suppose to be an information seeking assignment to gather intel on a kidnapping ring. But it turned a bit different. Give us a rundown of your mission. Right. Black and I were to intercept a boat in the Pacific and get information about a well-known human trafficker. Imagine…

Writes: Steamy contemporary romance and romantic suspense. You want to party all night (read stay awake reading until 3am) with tortured rock stars, I’ve got you covered. The Preload men can’t wait to meet you. Want to spend time with the cool kids at the tattoo studio? Let’s go to Miami and hang with the gang at Second Circle Tattoos. Or you fancy a little suspense with your steamy? Perfect! Let my Navy SEALs take you out for a ride in their hard-bottomed inflatable (that is not a euphemism!) as you dodge bullets. My latest release, DEEP COVER, even has a little Ocean’s Eleven flare to it, when the super-smart heroine, Amy Murry, finds herself undercover in a casino alongside ex-special ops expert Cabe Moss, a man she needs to keep her hands off. About: I am a Scorpio star-sign and A-Type personality author on a personal mission to fight aging, gravity, and an epic sour candy addiction. Some days it works, on others, not so much! If only I didn’t love gin quite so much! I’m fortunate enough to call both Toronto, Canada and Manchester, UK home and speak with an accent that is a mash-up of the two….

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Scarlett Peckham, whose debut novel, THE DUKE I TEMPTED, just won the prestigious RWA Golden Heart® Award in historical romance. Writes: Steamy, lush, angsty romances set in the Georgian era. Think fierce heroines, brooding heroes and erotic secrets. About: Debut historical romance novelist specializing in steamy stories about feisty Alpha Heroines seeks readers looking for women who know what they want … and fascinating men all too eager rise to the challenge of giving it to them. Must be in the market for a romance about a spinster botanist, a marriage of convenience, and a submissive duke determined to hide his craving to spend his nights on his knees…and guard his broken heart. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: You look for a bit of edge in your historical romances. When I say femdom, you say meow You don’t mind a driven heroine who seethes at her limited place in the world and doesn’t feel the need to…