Book Title: THE PURSUIT OF ELENA BRADFORD Character Name: Elena Bradford Welcome, Elena. My name is Rebecca. Thank you for talking with me about your stay here at the Grahams Springs Hotel. If you agree, I want to take some notes of our conversation to share with Dr. Graham. He likes getting to know his guests here at Graham Springs and how we might make your stay even more enjoyable. Elena: That would be fine. It’s a pleasure to talk to you about this beautiful resort. Rebecca: Oh, thank you, dear. Dr. Graham does want everything to be perfect for those who come to take the waters here. Let’s see. It appears that you arrived on June 7 this year. Let me make a note of today’s date, June 12, 1844. That means you have been here five days. How long do you expect to stay? Elena: We hope to stay throughout the summer season. Rebecca: Yes, of course. We are always pleased when our guests can enjoy all summer with us. Tell me a little about your family. Elena: I’m here with my mother, Juanita, and my younger sister, Ivy. Ivy is having such a wonderful time, especially at…

Book Title: LITTLE GREAT ISLAND Character Name: Mari McGavin How would you describe your family or your childhood? When you are young and live on an island, you think your whole world is thewhole world. You think everyone waves to everyone else (and if someone doesn’t, either you’ve pissed them off in a big way or they’re having a really bad day); that weather and tide rule and not politicians; and that the “natural world” isn’t something other than you. It is you. I really didn’t get why anyone would live with school shootings and seventy-car pileups or even traffic lights and driving around hoping for a place to park. I mean: why?  Then you get to be a teenager, and an island this small and this remote starts to feel constrained. You wish you could put a streak of color in your hair without it being a major conversation topic…never mind kissing someone or…whatever…without everyone knowing and commenting. What was your greatest talent? “My mother would say that my greatest talent has always been pissing her off. She’d tell you I worked hard to perfect that skill, but I always saw it as just me trying to be me….

For the better part of two centuries people from all over the world have been drawn to the American dream. In the late 1860’s, arguably the most transformational decade in American history, Europeans flooded into New York Harbor with the hope of finding freedom, opportunity, and land – all forbidden the common man enslaved by European aristocrats rushing reckless and unrepentant into the industrial revolution. To escape this debased human bondage, desperate men, women, and children from all over Europe came to America. In the late 19th and early 20th century, they came in greater numbers than at any other time before, leaving behind starvation and industrial slavery. And though they brought with them differing cultures and prejudices, they came with a common belief that anything was possible in America. These poor, wretched, huddled masses hungering to breathe free passed through that golden door in quest of a common goal – to be stakeholders in the promised land founded on the principal, “. . .that all people were created equal, endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights to life, liberty, religious freedom, and the pursuit of individual happiness.” They came with the hope of equality for all, for land…

Music is a huge part of my writing process. I build a playlist when I’m in the early phases of drafting a new novel, using the songs to unlock the emotional truth of tricky characters and capture the mood of pivotal scenes. A great playlist helps me zoom back into the heart of the story after time away too. I added songs to my playlist for WHAT COMES AFTER as the story developed, and I love the resulting mix: There’s playful pop reflecting the story’s humor, heart-wrenching tunes that speak to Mari’s grief and healing, and gritty songs of rebellion that set the stage for major plot points that I won’t spoil here! Here’s a quick sampling. Find the full playlist on Spotify. New Soul (by Yael Naim): Mari is literally a new soul in a strange world, making every possible mistake. When she awakes in Paradise Gate—an experimental afterlife community— she’s in total shock. Her confusion builds as she learns about the bizarre rules souls must follow to process their pasts and move on. This song’s poppy, off-kilter energy reflects the campy, slightly creepy side of What Comes After. Each time I listen, I think of the Catherines, a…

Capture the Moment: From Zoo Laughs to Bear Tracks By Kate Cunningham, (hopefully) former zoo photographer turned wildlife photographer A few years ago, I never would have guessed that I’d be making a name for myself in wildlife photography by working for a zoo. Or that my reputation would take off because of one perfectly-timed shot: a lineup of five dignified giraffes—and one rogue monkey hanging upside down, photobombing the moment. I stared at the picture for a long moment. It needed a punchline. And one came to me: The relative no one talks about. That post went viral. Then came the otters. A pair floating belly-up in perfect symmetry, paws clasped together. Relationship goals: Clingy but adorable. And my personal favorite: a lone tortoise staring wistfully at a flock of flamingos. When your invite gets lost in the mail. Being a zoo photographer has taught me so much. I’ve learned how to take really, really good pictures of animals. I’ve learned to observe. To understand animal behavior. To wait patiently for the right shot. The best moments came when I stopped forcing the shot and let the animals show me who they were. I have loved being a zoo…

1–What is the title of your latest release? ROMANTIC FRICTION 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A bestselling fantasy romance author’s series has become a cultural phenomenon. Another author has used AI to write like her—and readers love it. She bands together with her fellow authors to preserve their art the only way they can: by committing a felony. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The book starts in a Massachusetts seaside town, an easy choice since it’s mirrored on the town where I live. For the rest of the book—the bulk of the story—I wanted to set it in a large U.S. city. New York is used so often that I wanted to choose somewhere different. Chicago became the obvious choice as it’s a city I know and love. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely! As a writer, I’d learn so much from her. And she’d totally make me laugh. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Prickly, talented, love-starved. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That caper stories are really fun to plot. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until…

Book Title: A WAGER WITH THE MATCHMAKER Character Name: Alannah Darragh How would you describe your family or your childhood? I had a happy childhood in Ireland until I lost my mam and da. I was living with my aunt when the Great Hunger started, and we faced starvation. My brother Torin left for America, and I sailed over to St. Louis to live with him a year later, hoping for a better life. Unfortunately, when I arrived in the spring of 1849, I found myself in the middle of danger from rivaling Irish gangs! What was your greatest talent? I love editing which stems from my love of reading. But of course, in 1849, the possibility for women getting editing jobs is pretty much impossible.  Significant other? My brother is my biggest supporter and cares deeply for me. So when I find myself in danger in this new country, he asks his boss, Kiernan Shanahan to help hide me. The Shanahans are one of St. Louis’s wealthiest and most prominent families, and Kiernan is the oldest son and most eligible bachelor in all of the city. Where do you live? Thankfully, Kiernan is a kind man, and he comes…

I seem to be choosing books by authors who’ve crossed over to new genres lately, I’m not sure why I would possibly do that! Lol. Yet each one I’ve chosen to read, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the fresh outlook and writing styles. Today is no different. From women’s fiction to mystery, Abbi Waxman has transitioned into the genre with her unique creation of unconventional characters her fans adore. Mystery readers can’t help but come to love her books as well. I know I have!  Kym: Welcome to The Cozy Corner on Fresh Fiction, Abbi! Abbi: I am so happy to be here, thanks so much! Kym: When I read the blurb for your new release, ONE DEATH AT A TIME, I had to read and then seeing that you live in LA, I seriously wondered if it was inspired by headline after headline. LOL. Did local headlines inspire your characters and their bizarre-too- strange-to-be-fiction adventures? Abbi: Los Angeles inspires me every day, but mostly because it’s filled with amazing people living their dream and working towards it. Sure, there’s also a fair amount of craziness, but generally the city feels optimistic and enthusiastic, and I try to get that across in my…

1–What is the title of your latest release? WRONGFUL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Ten years after the literary festival at which a horrible event occurred, a woman returns to the site to discover what really happened and who was responsible. It’s a twisty mystery where people are behaving badly. And it’s for anyone who has found themselves being wrong repeatedly and is anxious to forgive themselves. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I needed a location with a lush, wooded area. The state where I live now, Pennsylvania, seemed perfect. Also, sink holes—or the prospect of sink holes—is a feature of the location and of parts of Pennylvania. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes! I had to hang out with her for many pages already. She’s a great companion. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Persistent, loyal, haunted 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned a bit about entertainment agents and how they book acts. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I try not to do line edits until I have completed several…

Book: CHAMPAGNE TOAST, MURDER CHASER Subject: Interview with Elise Beckett Landry and Sheriff’s Deputy Jackson Landry Delphine Chronicle Interviewer, Candice Grover: Good afternoon, Elise … Jackson. Thanks so much for sitting down with me today for a bit of a chat. I’m working on an upcoming article for the Chronicle’s Society Page, and you two just got hitched, so I’d like to get some background to go with the wedding spread I’ve got planned. Jackson: (Narrowing his eyes and looking a tad uncomfortable) Uh … wedding spread? Candice: (Grinning at his obvious discomfort) Of course. Not everyone in Bastrop County was invited to the event of the season. Though I was lucky enough to be invited—thank you very much, Elise. Elise: (Nodding) You’re very kind. Glad you could make it. Candice: Anyway, my readers will be salivating to see the photos, hear the details, get some background about the two of you. The Beckett family have been a big part of Bastrop County for a very long time, and River Bend Winery and Vineyard has always been a staple. Why don’t we start there? Tell my readers how you two met. I understand that you basically grew up together. Is…