1–What is the title of your latest release? MARGUERITE BY THE LAKE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? An atmospheric, tense novel about the death of a glamorous garden designer, a widower trying to keep his secrets buried, and the beautiful young gardener who finds herself entangled in their lives. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I had a conversation with a friend that stuck in my mind. She told me about an argument with a family member; she described being so upset one night that she left her house at midnight and walked by herself in the dark around the lake near her house. That stayed with me—the image of a woman walking on a dark, deserted lakeside road in the middle of the night. And that was the very first scene I wrote. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would hang out with her because I was intrigued by her, but I wouldn’t become friends with her. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? resourceful, disciplined and desperate 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I took a gardening class early in the…

1–What is the title of your latest release? A LESSON IN PROPRIETY 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? With her father dead, her fortune stolen, and her fiancé casting her aside, Miss Drusilla Merriweather’s privileged life has been upended. She is left with only one option: to provide for her family by opening a finishing school in the allegedly haunted castle she’s inherited from her eccentric aunt. However, her plan is immediately threatened by unscrupulous developers keen on claiming the coveted estate for themselves by any means necessary. Mr. Rhenick Wittenbecker, a dashing architect with a tendency to charm his way out of trouble, is convinced he can protect Drusilla but is challenged by her fierce independence. Yet when strange occurrences–walking suits of armor and unexpected ghostly visitors–arise within the castle’s grounds, Drusilla must decide whether to risk her family’s safety and her school on the gallant architect who seems to have found his way into her heart. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I needed a place where a member of the upper echelons of New York high society would shudder at the mere thought of living, so – Chicago it…

Although SLIPSTREAM is a book about a documentarian and the Formula 1 driver starring in her film, music is a pretty big part of the book, too! The heroine, Lilah Graywood, is a major britpop fan, and often wears old band T-shirts while running around the F1 circuits with her camera. And well before any of the big love confessions, our hero Arthur admits that he’s looking up the bands on her shirts. So here are four of the songs I imagined they’d both listen to in the book, based on Lilah’s wardrobe! When The Sun Hits by Slowdive Slowdive is the first T-shirt of the book, and one of my all-time favorite shoegaze bands, so I had to work them in somehow. I can totally imagine this song playing during the rooftop scene. Arthur is an F1 driver and has to travel the world. Once Lilah stops making the documentary about him, they won’t be around each other. At all. Slowdive puts it so simply in this song: “It matters where you are.” Linger by The Cranberries The second T-shirt of the novel! This song is about being so tenderly annoyed by having feelings for someone, an emotion that…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE HEART’S CHOICE, Book One of the Cotton Cops Mysteries series. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Amid the tensions of a murder enquiry and the Lancashire cotton famine, the story explores the simmering, restrained passion between two very different people who fall in love in spite of themselves. Will they attain their happily-ever-after or will the greed of a jealous cousin endanger the heroine’s life and keep them apart? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I chose Bolton, a cotton mill town in Lancashire for two reasons. Firstly, I was born there and many of my ancestors worked in cotton mills during the Industrial Revolution. It’s an area and a historical era I know well. Secondly, I wanted to set a Victorian murder mystery story far away from London. BTW, “Cotton Cops Mysteries” is a play on the word “Cops”. A cotton cop is a spindle wound with cotton, and, of course, “cop” is slang for a policeman. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonists in real life? Edouard Deschanel is a handsome and successful tradesman. Plus, he’s French. What’s not to like!!…

Step into the tantalizing world of Anthony Horowitz’s MARBLE HALL MURDERS, where literary estates guard deadly secrets and past sins refuse to stay buried. In my latest Jen’s Jewels column, I sit down with the master of mystery himself to unravel the inspiration behind his newest novel, the evolution of beloved protagonist Susan Ryeland, and the intricate art of crafting a whodunit that both honors and subverts classic detective fiction. With insights into his writing process, a glimpse at his next project, and even a real-life mystery from his own past, this is an interview you won’t want to miss! Jennifer Vido: In your latest novel, you’ve again brilliantly blurred the lines between fiction and reality. What inspired you to write MARBLE HALL MURDERS? Anthony Horowtz: MARBLE HALL MURDERS is the third book in a series that began with MAGPIE MURDERS and MOONFLOWER MURDERS. We successfully filmed both of these and our star, Lesley Manville (who plays Susan Ryeland) asked me to do a third. How could I refuse? Jen: Susan Ryeland has become a fascinating protagonist across multiple novels. How has her character evolved from MAGPIE MURDERS to this latest work, and what challenges did you enjoy presenting her…

Each Monday the Smashwords store lists the top ten most highly anticipated indie fiction ebooks based on the previous week’s preorder accumulations. Each title on the list is scheduled to release within the next week. To help the talented authors on this list accumulate even more preorders, click the title of the book. The hyperlink will bring you to a Books2Read page where you can order from your preferred ebook retailer. If the preorder is part of a series, click the hyperlinked series title to learn about the other books in the series. Be sure to check back Friday for a list of the Top 25 Bestselling Indie Ebooks.

Book Title: MURDER AT MABLETHORPE CASTLE, Book 1, A Harlowe & Fitch Historical Mystery Character Name:  Lady Vivienne Harlowe How would you describe your family or your childhood? My mother was a noblewoman, but my father was a common footsoldier. My childhood seemed pretty normal to me and my younger brother, Adrian. Even though we didn’t live in a castle in Somersby, we often traveled to my aunt and uncle’s castle in Mablethorpe. I stayed there often, and befriended the son of the town’s sheriff. His name is Zachariah and now he is the sheriff of Mablethorpe. What was your greatest talent? I’m not sure if most people would consider it a talent, but I was always a curious child and loved to learn. Everything. That includes fighting with a sword, using a bow and arrows, and riding a horse astride. Yes, things a lady is not supposed to do. I was also always pretty observant which comes in handy for being an investigator, working with Sheriff Zachariah Fitch. Significant other? I was married at a young age, but my husband died in a horrible accident. He never even saw our young son who was born after his death. I…

1–What is the title of your latest release? TOM CLANCY LINE OF DEMARCATION 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Russia and Narco Terrorists try to pull off another Crimea, snatching a strategic slice of the world as a fait accompli.  This time it’s in the Western Hemisphere.  Everything is going the villains’ way until Jack Ryan Jr. sniffs it out.  Can he marshal the forces to stop it before it’s too late? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I look at flashpoints around the world.  Right now, Venezuela—backed by Russia—is nervous about a major oil/gas discovery in Guyana, a small, American-allied English-speaking country that borders Venezuela.  Not long after I began the book, Venezuelan tanks rolled into the disputed region.  Just last month, the U.S. Secretary of State visited Guyana with a warning to Venezuela not to interfere in its issues.  I saw all of this happening and thought it would make for an interesting setting. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would, but I think his energy might outpace mine.  He would certainly have some entertaining stories to tell… 5–What are three words that describe your…

I like unusual cozies – mysteries that push the boundaries of the normal canon of the genre, while still being cozy. I was at Cozy Con (a conference for cozy writers) in St. Paul a few years back, and stumbled on this book in a bookstore there. The moment I started it, I couldn’t put it down! There’s something wonderful about a forest communities of animals, where the sheriff is a bear, and the amateur sleuth is a journalist vixen, with her best friend being a bookstore-owning raven. These books are my favorite escape into a world where all animals in the forest live together, work together, and occasionally, murder each other. There are five books in the series, with the sixth coming in October. Trust me on this, you’ll love Shady Hollow! SHADY HOLLOW by Juneau Black Shady Hollow Mystery #1 The first book in the Shady Hollow series, in which we are introduced to the village of Shady Hollow, a place where woodland creatures live together in harmony—until a curmudgeonly toad turns up dead and the local reporter has to solve the case. Reporter Vera Vixen is a relative newcomer to Shady Hollow. The fox has a nose for news,…

Each Friday the Smashwords store reports the bestselling indie fiction titles based on the previous week’s sales. If an author has more than one title eligible for the list, only the highest performing title will be included. This ensures high-performing titles receive the accolades they deserve, while providing up-and-coming authors the visibility they have earned. Don’t miss Monday’s Top 10 Hot Preorders List, where Smashwords will provide a list of the most highly anticipated ebook preorders.