Fox Hill, Maine as described by Lucy Webster Fox Hill, Maine is the perfect summer vacation spot. The lake sparkles. I swear the sunshine feels more golden here. And I wish nobody had ever heard of it. With just over a thousand year-round residents, it’s supposed to be a tiny town. Instead, legions of summer people flock to their lake houses every year. They’re not bad people — my dad was one of them. But they’ll never really love this place as much as I do. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine the sound of birds chirping over a trickling creek. Smell the five o’clock barbecue smoke and acres of freshly cut grass. See the soft brown dirt roads winding through thickets of pine. (Did you know Maine is the most forested state in the country? We have one and half million people and 24 billion trees.) In the summers, it’s lush. Outrageously green. In the winters, when the old colonials and cozy cabins are draped with snow, it’s like a Christmas movie. The radio has more static than channels, and the busiest intersection in town doesn’t even have a stop light. There are no boutiques or impossible-to-get-into…

This week on Jen’s Jewels, I’m thrilled to welcome bestselling author Sarina Bowen to talk about her suspenseful new novel, DYING TO MEET YOU. Known for her compelling characters and emotionally resonant storytelling, Sarina steps into the world of domestic thrillers with a chilling premise rooted in modern-day tech obsession. In this page-turner, architect and single mom Rowan finds herself caught in a web of secrets, suspicion, and murder—all sparked by a seemingly innocent tracking app. In our conversation, Sarina shares the inspiration behind the story, her love of Maine, and the delicate balance of trust in our most intimate relationships. Jennifer Vido: What inspired the premise of Rowan tracking her ex through an app—and did you draw from any real-life tech or trends when creating that plot point?Sarina Bowen: When my older son was 16 years old, I opened the location app on my phone for the first time. I just wanted to make sure he got to soccer practice safely. But then I found myself opening up this app with more frequency, even though it felt a little eerie watching his avatar biking down our dirt roads. And I started to wonder… what is the creepiest thing that…

Book Title: CALL OF THE OWL WOMAN – A Novel of Ancient Peru Character Name: Yantu Q: So, Yantu. Everyone’s been talking about Patya stopping Achiq from sacrificing her little brother. According to what we’ve heard, you were there when it happened. Is that correct? A: Yes. Her family was doing a ritual before Achiq arrived. I was with my uncle, helping him repair his house after the earthquake when he got the news, so we all went to support the family. Q: And you were one of the drummers who played for the ceremony? A: Yes. Q:  How do you know Patya? A: My cousin Faruka is her best friend. Q:  But you live in different valleys? A:  I am from the Palpa Valley, but my mother was from the Nasca Valley. We live about two days away from her brother, but we go there for special occasions. You know, solstice gatherings, weddings, funerals, the usual stuff. So, I guess you could say that we’ve been friends since we were small. Q: Rumor has it that you are more than just friends. A: (hesitates) Really? Q: Come on. You must know what people are saying. A: …I drum, she…

Excerpt from THE LADIES ROAD GUIDE TO UTTER RUIN by Alison Goodman In this extract from THE LADIES ROAD GUIDE TO UTTER RUIN, Lady Gus and Lady Julia––spinster twin sisters who are investigating a long-ago murder––are trying to find the location of a notorious gentlemen’s club in London 1812. Before long, our carriage turned into King Street. The dwellings and shop fronts were small and the pavements busy with gentlemen on their way, no doubt, to the nearby pleasures of Covent Garden and the ladies from Harris’s List who worked there. On one corner, a balladeer sang for pennies, a small group clustered around him, and the patrons of a gin shop had spilled out onto the road, yelling their own raucous songs. We turned into the wider part of Bedford Street and I rapped upon the wall for John Driver to slow our momentum. “What are we looking for?” Julia asked, peering out her window at the passing frontages. A good question. The street was ill-lit and I did not want to draw attention by ordering Samuel to walk alongside with a lamp. “I’m not sure. Something that looks like a gentlemen’s club.” Julia looked back at me with…

Book Title: THE RUINED DUCHESS, The Scandalous Sisters Book 1 Character Name: Nashford Xavier Harding, 8th Duke of Ross The beautiful reporter walking into his study displayed a self-assurance that was rare in his presence. Servants and the working class usually bowed their heads in deference. Young ladies of the ton blushed and curtsied. Widows…well the widows were a different story—his favorite bed-time story with their daring décolletage, knowing smiles and desire to please. This young lady, however, commanded the space despite her lack of rank, and her bespectacled paid companion walked in next to her, not behind her. The companion carried a case that looked like it belonged to his secretary. These ladies of Fresh Fiction were of a different breed all together. How refreshing. Nashford Xavier Harding, eighth Duke of Ross stood and greeted his guests in front of his desk as if they were gentlemen of the same station, an odd yet pleasant experience as they shook his hand in greeting. The younger of the two, with a mass of brown curls and freckles across the bridge of her nose, took control of the situation and he rather felt as if he had walked into her study…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE RETIREMENT PLAN 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When three wives realize the only thing standing between them and their dream retirement are their husbands, they hire a hitman to kill them for their insurance money, unaware their husbands are already up to something, and they’ve hired the same hitman for a job of their own. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The location isn’t specifically given, but the clues are there that it’s a mid-sized northeastern tourist town on the Atlantic coast. The wives dreamed of a sunny retirement, so they needed to live in the north to warrant their longing for the escape of warmer weather. As well, the husbands needed a shared interest, and place to chat and fishing and boating solved that problem. So they needed to be near water. Originally it was near a great lake (I live on Lake Ontario, and have a cottage on Lake Huron), but as the plot came together, they needed to on the ocean. (it’d be a spoiler if I explained more!) 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?…

We got a lot of April showers here in Central Pennsylvania, so I’m all about them bringing May flowers. I love the pops of flowers in the backyard as well as those I see as I drive through our town, as well as those I get to see every time I take a trip to another book signing! So let’s talk cozy mysteries that are set at flower shops or feature settings and jobs with all those beautiful blooms that not only are pleasing to the eye and the nose, but also to those of us who love the chase and puzzles that are inherent to the cozy mystery genre. I’m going to start with the wonderful MUMS AND MAYHEM: A Magic Garden Mystery by Amanda Flower – flowers by Flower? I’m here for it! I love the setting and the twists and turns in this third book in a series that I wish had continued. It came out several years ago but it was wonderful to read (and also re-read). I enjoyed the way Fiona Knox hops a plane and starts over again in book one and is growing in the other two books. Book 3 is my favorite…

Connor Book 3 The Billionaires of Whispers by Samantha Skye Rise of the Fallen Book 3 Dark Tides by Diana Bocco Choosing You Book 6 The Donovans (Sweetbriar Ridge) by Samantha Chase Ashes of Saints:  A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance Book 2 The Dark Alliance by Juliette N Banks May’s Bad Boy – Kody Book 5 Bad Boys of Mustang Mountain by Kaci Rose Mistakes and Bad Choices Book 3 Chronicles of a Misspent Youth by W.J. May The Prince of New York Book 11 Royal States by Susan Copperfield One Kiss in the Shadows Book 12 Singular Sensation by Sandra Sookoo 4ever Daddy Book 5 Blue Collar Daddies by KL Donn Rosemary and Rage Book 7 Heywood Herbalist Cozy Mysteries by Carly Winter 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…

Welcome to Clearview, Connecticut … According to the Greek MamasBy the Matriarchs of Mayhem: Ophelia Ballas, Aunt Tasoula Ballas, and Chloe Pagonis Ophelia:You can keep your big cities and fancy skylines—we’ve got charm, character, and calamari. My name is Ophelia Ballas, proud owner of Aphrodite’s, the heart (and stomach) of Clearview, Connecticut. If you’re craving spanakopita, gossip, or unsolicited advice, I’m your woman. My daughter Kalliope says we’re “too involved,” but if keeping an eye on her fashionably chaotic life is wrong, then I don’t want to be right. She’s a germophobic, OCD fashion designer with a label that focuses on luxury lingerie—which, I might add, is proudly (and tastefully) displayed at Full Disclosure, the chic boutique run by her best friend, Jaz, who happens to be engaged to Kalli’s boyfriend, Detective Nik Steven’s partner, Detective Boomer Matheson. Aunt Tasoula:Clearview isn’t just a town—it’s a mood. A whole vibe. A place where the leaves crunch under your boots in the fall and your neighbors hand-deliver baklava during snowstorms in the winter. I run Hera’s Halo, our full-service hair salon and spa, where you can get your roots done, a deep tissue massage, and the latest town scandal all in one…

1–What is the title of your latest release?   THE BOOMERANG 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?   THE BOOMERANG is a “Grisham meets Yellowstone” conspiracy/political thriller where the United States government is covering up the cure for cancer and a rogue chief of staff figures out the truth after learning his daughter has terminal cancer. In order to save her life, he blackmails the President to obtain the miracle medicine and flees to New Mexico where he and his family come under the protection of a ruthless John Dutton type land baron that the government is afraid of.  3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?   The story covers a lot of geographic ground, starting on a baseball field in Lick Skillet, Alabama and ending in the desert of New Mexico. The last third of the story takes place in and around Albuquerque, New Mexico. My wife spent much of her childhood in Albuquerque, and most of her stepfamily still lives there. The inspiration for Dale James’ stepfamily and many of the characters in the New Mexico theater of the story are inspired from my wife’s life.  4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?   Yes, I would. Eli…