1–What is the title of your latest release? FAIR HAVEN 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Fair Haven: A picturesque riverside town. A safe, friendly place. And then, one summer afternoon in 1994, Sally Ann Shaffer is electrocuted in her hot tub. Who did it? One of her many lovers? Her husband? A thief? A jealous colleague at her tennis club? The town is suddenly embroiled in suspicion, interpersonal conflict, blackmail, fraud, and murder.  3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Fair Haven is a town near me, plus I loved the idea of murder and intrigue taking place in such a safe place. A bit of authorial irony. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. Chris Clarke shares many of my interests: photography, cooking, opera, sailing. We would have a great time together, and I believe readers will like this talented woman. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Handsome, artistic, brave 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I hadn’t realized how old the Lenni Lenape Indian settlement in Fair Haven was. Very surprising! The area was carbon-dated using oyster middens. 7–Do you edit as…

Is there anything better than curling up with a glass of wine and a hilarious mystery? No, I didn’t think you’d disagree with that. Who would? Okay, if you don’t drink wine, tea or hot chocolate will work…or anything you deem a magic alone time elixir. No judgement here! In December, I took you to the Arkansas small town of Maggody for Joan Hess’ laugh-out-loud series. This time, I want to introduce you to funny lady Donna Andrews. She writes the hilarious Meg Langslow Mysteries. There are 38 books in the series, each with a bird in the title. MURDER WITH PEACOCKS, the first in the series, is a great, giggly introduction, and the second, MURDER WITH PUFFINS is my favorite – mostly because I’m a bit obsessed with puffins (okay…a LOT obsessed with puffins). At any rate, all the books are wonderful and amateur sleuth Meg Langslow passes the SIWTDWW (sleuth I want to drink wine with) test. Give her a try with your own litmus test with whatever beverage you prefer – again, not judging!   MURDER WITH PEACOCKS – When Meg Langslow is roped into being a bridesmaid for the nuptials of her mother, her brother’s fiancee,…

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.

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE GUILT PILL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Maya Patel has it all—her own start-up, a sexy, doting husband, influencer status, and now, a new baby. Or does she? Because behind closed doors, Maya’s drowning. Her newborn’s taking a toll on her marriage, her best friend won’t return her calls, and her company’s hanging on by a thread. The worst part? It’s all her fault. If she could just be a better boss, mother, wife, daughter, friend… Maybe she wouldn’t feel so guilty all the time. Enter: #Girlboss Liz Anderson, who introduces her to the “guilt pill,” an experimental supplement that erases female guilt. At first, it’s the perfect antidote to Maya’s self-blame and imposter syndrome, and she finally becomes the unapologetic woman she’s always wanted to be. But there’s a catch: for Maya to truly “have it all,” she needs to be ready to risk it all. And as Maya falls deeper and deeper down the pill’s guilt-free rabbit hole, her growing ruthlessness could threaten everything she’s built for herself—and the family she’s worked so hard to protect. Electric, taut, and sharply observed, The Guilt Pill is a…

Book Title: MIDNIGHT PROMISES Character Name: Felicity Ward How would you describe your family or your childhood? Wow. Well, my family and my childhood were really … weird. My father, a Nobel Prize-winning Russian physicist defected from Soviet Russia and we were placed in Witness Protection. I was strictly forbidden from saying anything true about my family. We spoke Russian at home but I wasn’t allowed to show I knew Russian. My family was one big secret I had to keep, even as a child. It was hard and I had to learn to operate at several different levels of secrecy. What was your greatest talent? School. I was really good in school, really good at University. At school everything made sense, unlike my family which was permeated with dark secrets. And as an adult, my greatest talent is computers, the digital world. Until I met Metal, the love of my life, computers were my greatest companions. Significant other? Before Metal, you mean? I had, like, a few flings with fellow nerds. In the dark, under the covers. Then separating immediately. Totally unlike my relationship with Metal, which was and is both warm and hot. Biggest challenge in relationships? I…

1–What is the title of your latest release? DIDN’T YOU USE TO BE QUEENIE B? 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A disgraced celebrity chef, her striving protégé, and their path through the kitchen to redemption. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Simply—I live in Connecticut. Though Rock Landing is fictional neighborhood in New Haven, it’s a city I know. My stories are mostly character-driven, so setting them into familiar places leaves me brain space to explore them rather than get sucked down the research-rabbit-hole of an unknow-to-me locale. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Queenie B in her heyday? Probably not. She was a lot of fun, if you’re into wild, drug-fueled debauchery, but her exploits ended up in the tabloids and she often ended up in rehab. Again. Regina, however? She’s a bit cantankerous, but yes. No one will ever say she wears her heart on her sleeve, but she’s got a big one. I’d love to have dinner with her…if she’s cooking. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Whether Queenie or Regina, the answer is the same—determined, ambitious, wary. 6–What’s something you learned…

This week on Jen’s Jewels, bestselling author Dani Pettrey returns with TWO SECONDS TOO LATE, the pulse-pounding second installment in her Jeopardy Falls series. Set against the rugged beauty of northern New Mexico, this romantic suspense novel follows tracker Riley MacLeod and her partner Greyson as they race to find a missing woman—only to discover they aren’t the only ones on the trail. In our conversation, Dani shares what inspired this high-stakes story, the personal ties she has to the setting, and why she still drafts all her books longhand. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at one of suspense fiction’s most beloved voices. Jennifer Vido: What inspired the storyline for this novel? Was there a particular event, place, or idea that sparked your imagination? Dani Pettrey: A combination inspired this story. The overarching story of the MacLeod family is how they were raised by cons and brought into these cons at a young age. Growing up, they’ve turned their lives around and now own a P.I. firm that busts cons and pursues justice in a wide variety of areas. Riley MacLeod is a tracker. She learned from a young age how to disappear, and in turn, how to find those…

Hi! I’m Juliette Cross, a multi-published author of fantasy romance. FIREBIRD is a dark romantasy, a reimagining of Ancient Rome ruled by dragons. It is a brutal world with a tyrannical emperor. My heroine Malina and hero Julianus bond together to fight for a new, free Rome. Please note there are sensitive topics such as a master/slave relationship, dubious consent (not between the MCs), and attempted sexual assault (not between the MCs). Fierce World Intrigue Rebellion Ethereal Bold Heroine Intense Hero Resistance Dangerous FIREBIRD by Juliette Cross House of the Dragon meets From Blood and Ash in this epic, scorching dark romantasy. A conqueror captivated…A witch prophesied to save them all…A world where dragons rule Rome. From the moment Roman general and nephew to the emperor Julianus Dakkia laid eyes on Malina, he was enthralled by the Dacian dancer. Years later, the fierce beauty stands before him on a scarred battlefield, her life in danger. He instinctively shifts into his fierce dragon form to save her, an action that may mean his head on the imperial gate. But he and his dragon know one thing: she belongs to them. Malina can’t believe that the centurion who had once bestowed a secret talisman…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE GENTLEMAN AND HIS VOWSMITH 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Nic is heir to a declining dukedom and has to marry money to save his name from ruin. Unfortunately, his arranged bride is the daughter of his father’s hated rivals, and to negotiate the contract they are coming to stay for a few weeks in the grand tumbling down mansion. You’d think it couldn’t get worse, but their head negotiator is Master Vowsmith Dashiell sa Vare, an old flame Nic has neither forgiven nor forgotten. Now they’re going to be locked in the house together, and this really isn’t the time for forbidden love. Especially once the murders start. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Initially this book actually took place in a secondary fantasy world with regency flavor, but when it was bought by Saga and TorUK, my editors suggested shifting it into the actual regency. So now it’s set in an alternate version of regency England that has magic, and I’m super pleased it is because I’ve always loved regency novels and getting to play with an alternate world and think…

1–What is the title of your latest release? ECHOES OF NIGHT. It’s book one in my new series, Daughters of the Shattered Moon. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? An underestimated pack servant with no wolf is given to a monstrous Alpha in her spoiled sister’s place and finds out her touch is the only thing that can quiet his curse. But not everyone wants his curse broken, and no one is who they seem. Daughters of the Shattered Moon is a mix of paranormal romance from the 2010s and modern romantasy that I’ve set in a sort of dystopian future where magic returned a century ago and broke everything. About half of humanity “awoke” with supernatural powers, so there are werewolves, witches, vampires, sirens, etc. I plan on the series being eight books long. It will follow the same overarching plot, but the main focus of each book is a romance between a new couple. Eight couples, eight books, one story. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Every family from the Midwest has “their” special lake that’s several hours from home (even though there are hundreds of lakes closer). For four…