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.

This week on Jen’s Jewels, I’m thrilled to welcome Audrey Lancho, whose heartfelt new novel THE SILVER LINING captures the power of healing, hope, and fresh beginnings. Set against the backdrop of North Carolina’s beautiful foothills, Audrey’s story follows Farrah’s inspiring journey as she rebuilds her life after unexpected heartbreak. From charming ranchers to the deep ties of family, Audrey weaves an emotional, uplifting tale you won’t want to miss. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in for our heartwarming chat—you’ll be glad you did! Jen: What sparked the idea for Farrah’s story, especially her journey through heartbreak and healing? Audrey: Typically, when writing a book, I get a seed of an idea and the story builds around that. My first tiny spark was a main character who works in a memory care nursing home with older individuals. These are people who are not going to get “better”, and this was a nice juxtaposition for Farrah, who is young and healing from her trauma, but also a contrast that tugs at the heart, and my main goal is always to make my readers feel when they read. Jen: Farrah’s shift from managing an art gallery to working as a…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE TRAITOR OF SHERWOOD FOREST 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Peasant girl Jane Crowe agrees to spy for Robin Hood, but she soon realizes that the charming hero isn’t what he seems. As Robin’s tricks grow increasingly sinister, Jane grows more and more entangled in the dark web of Sherwood Forest—and with Robin himself—until there’s no easy way out. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Plenty of British regions lay claim to Robin Hood, but I decided to set the action in Nottinghamshire locations, including Mansfield (where there was a medieval market), Clipstone, Sherwood Forest, and a royal residence known in the Middle Ages as “King’s Houses.” The residence was essentially in Sherwood Forest, and that allowed me to build Robin’s life around it. This also helped me find a home and a workplace for Jane, my protagonist, who takes a position in the King’s Houses kitchens. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I’m pretty sure Jane and I would be pals, although I would probably annoy her. She’s much more serious than I am! 5–What are three words…

Iris by Goo Goo Dolls I love this song because it fits the main male character, Christopher, perfectly. He’s the illegitimate son of a duke, considered an outcast by society. When he meets Elizabeth, the daughter of an earl, he’s struck by her compassion and bright character. He would give anything to be with her, but it seems impossible. The song is about an immortal angel who is ready to give up his immortality to stay close to the woman he loves. It can’t be more romantic than that! Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds This song became the theme of the Peaky Blinders, and it fits the mood of the show perfectly. I love it because Christopher, after his father’s death, is shun by his half-brother, who is the legitimate heir to the dukedom. Alone and with no protection, he joins a gang in Whitechapel and become a famous gangster, the King of Whitechapel. Hopelessly Devoted to You by Olivia Newton-John Grease is one of my favourite musical. Old but gold, and this song is perfect for Elizabeth because she’s in love with Christopher even though her parents and everyone around her keep telling her…

1–What is the title of your latest release? WHEN STARS ALIGN 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Three 2000s era starlets reunite twenty years later–will their friendship hold up against all the secrets and betrayals of their youth? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The idea came first, so Hollywood was natural location for it. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Of course! All three are fun, flawed and wonderful humans. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? This applies to all three protagonists: Resilient. Talented. Loving. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That the media landscape of the early 2000s was so harmful toward young, vulnerable women. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit as I draft. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Sushi omakase. 9–Describe your writing space/office! The Royal Tenenbaums style with Scalamandre Masai wallpaper, Hermes fringed fabric shades, 18th and 19th century collection of female portrait paintings, posters from my TV show, a portrait of Truman Capote gifted to me by a fellow writer, Eames womb chair and ottoman, fabulous marble topped standing desk,…

Music has never been such a core part of my life until I became a writer. Playlists never meant that much to me, until it meant so much. I have one for each novel I write and it builds as the story progresses. I never pick my playlist in advance. It starts off with one song, then two, then twenty. Here are the top five from my newest novel, BAD INFLUENCE – K-Pop Edition (mostly). Mixtape: Time Out, Stray Kids This song is so upbeat and fun and speak about pushing forward and leaving the past in the past. It pretty much captures Charlotte’s heart as she tries to succeed as an influencer. I listened to it on repeat as I wrote scenes of her loving influencer life or enjoying beach days with Steven. It was the perfect song to listen to when drafting scenes of Charlotte feeling like her life was finally thriving (until…it wasn’t!).  Do you want to walk with me?, Jukjae This song is so mellow. Quite literally feels like a walk on a cloudy or rainy day as the last of the cherry blossoms get whisked off of their trees. There are so many times Charlotte…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LIGHT ON HORN ISLAND 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When Edie Gardner suffers a heartbreaking loss, her grandmother, Adele “Punk” Cheramie, urges her to return to Bayou du Chene, a coastal Mississippi hamlet where Edie spent many happy summers growing up. Punk and her three closest friends help Edie heal and introduce her to a mysterious antique dealer who will change her life in ways she never could have imagined. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I tend to lead with place, meaning I know where I want to take readers before I know exactly what my characters will do there. Coastal Mississippi has a certain undercurrent that you won’t find anyplace else. My fascination with this area and with the great storms that have shaped it made Mississippi an easy choice for me. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely, if I were in my twenties again! Edie is the college roommate you’d hope for—fun-loving but considerate and kind, curious, intelligent, open about her insecurities even as she encourages others. She’s not perfect, and she doesn’t have…

1–What is the title of your latest release? POLYBIUS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? After the arrival of a mysterious new arcade game plunges a small town into violent chaos, a pair of high school students, the local sheriff, and town doctor scramble to uncover where the game came from, how it works, and whether it can be stopped in this horror / thriller inspired by a classic urban legend. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The legend suggests that the game appeared in a handful of arcades around the Pacific Northwest, but since I’m a Californian and a big fan of a handful of films like THE BIRDS and THE FOG that take place in Sonoma County, I centered my story there, in the fictional oceanside town of Tasker Bay. I had a feel for the area having spent some time there over the years and wanted to capture that atmosphere in the book; it’s also my favorite part of the state. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Andi and I have a lot in common – we’re both intuitive when it comes to electronics, we…

Excerpt from Chapter 8 Music called Leon up from the deep. A series of queer notes, cycling in repetition. A harp? A lute? But the growing awareness in his body told him this could not be so. He was lying flat on his back, numb with cold.  Light seeped beneath his lashes and every half-drawn breath brought stabbing pain beneath his left arm. A bright, searing pain that eclipsed the many other pains in his aching body. His skull felt as though it had been removed from his neck. The straps for his breastplate dug chain mail into his spine. Breathing was hard, a sawing labor, rasping as he tried to fill his lungs. His jaw felt like it had been struck with a flail. His entire body felt like it had been struck with a flail. He groaned and opened his eyes. The pale sky spun slowly overhead. The strange music kept trilling and movement in his peripheral vision dragged him fully awake. Through the fog of his breath, he saw the girl.  She was splayed six feet up the slope, her tiny blue breeches bunched tight around her buttocks, her thighs trembling with the effort to climb. Her…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present LJ Andrews! Writes: LJ Andrews writes gritty, wickedly romantic fantasy romance books. You’ll find misty, immersive worlds where it’s hard to know who to trust, found families who’ll bury the body for you, and morally gray men who know when to stand back and let their love lead or burn the world for her. You deserve to escape reality, and as they like to say on team LJ: Everyone deserves to get railed by fae. Enjoy. About: USA-Today Bestselling fantasy romance author, LJ Andrews, loves writing relatable, vulnerable, and fierce characters. Miscommunications are never as prevalent as banter and unbreakable love. You’ll find heroines who know how to fight, laugh, and own their mistakes. Heroes (or villains, however we want to look at these guys) who know how to lift their lovers up and hand them the sword, but also love to show the world what happens if they get hurt. LJ also finds immense pleasure in raising four kids, kissing her husband, reading…