We had an absolute blast during our Fresh Fiction Video Book Club with the witty and wonderful Jessica Anya Blau, author of SHOPGIRLS—a charming, chaotic, and delightfully fashionable novel inspired by her real-life experiences working at the iconic I. Magnin department store in the late 1980s. Set in the glittering world of luxury retail, SHOPGIRLS takes readers behind the scenes of a San Francisco department store full of unforgettable saleswomen, loyal customers, and a main character named Zippy who’s just trying to keep it all together—while making paper dolls on the side. Yes, that part’s true. Jessica really did that. From praying in the fitting room to surviving on rice and buying her first blouse with a commission check, Jessica shared the real stories that inspired her novel—including tips from cosmetic counter queens (always moisturize up!) and a sweet tribute to her favorite co-worker, Miss Nina, who helped her see the magic in the madness. We also dove into her screenwriting work (Love on the Run, MARY JANE), her unique storytelling voice, and the challenges of writing fiction that’s rooted in truth. And if you’re wondering about her glam beauty routine, just know it involves night cream and good lighting……

1–What is the title of your latest release? SOULGAZER! It comes from the name I gave my middle niece when she was a baby, who’d stare into your eyes like she could spell out your whole history in a blink. She’s also who this book is dedicated to! 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? On the eve of her wedding to a cruel king, Saoirse runs away with a rakish pirate who swears he can get rid of her deadly magic if she uses it to find a lost isle of myth first. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Three things: 1) I was obsessed with Gráinne ní Mháille (Grace O’Malley) throughout high school thanks to the musical, The Pirate Queen. If you listen to the keynote song, “Woman,” you’ll see Saoirse from my book! 2). Song of the Sea was my comfort movie during the pandemic, which brought the purest, sad girl, Irish coastal vibes with whimsical animation and lyrical storytelling. 3). It came to me in a dream (I wish I was joking). But while I was heavily inspired by Ireland, the Irish language, the landscape, and its roots in…

1–What is the title of your latest release? MUTED: VOLUME ONE! 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? An emotionally guarded lesbian blood witch learns how to feel again thanks to the efforts of a charismatic fire witch as well as the flower demon that she accidentally summoned and is trying to hide from her family. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? New Orleans and swamps are inherently powerfully magical places so to me having it as a city that has a tie to a magical parallel world makes sense. Also setting it in the modern day I felt would help the audience slip right into the core of the story without having to explain too much! 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would hang out with her, sure. I think the issue is that Camille wouldn’t want to hang out with ME, haha, at least not in volume one since she is at her most reserved and introverted. And also, I don’t have the same level of convincing charm that Nyra has to pull her out of her shell and get her to experience things. 5–What are…

When summer rolls around, there’s nothing better than escaping into the pages of a book that feels as magical and transportive as a vacation itself. Romantic fantasy novels offer a perfect blend of spellbinding world-building, heart-stopping romance, and characters whose stories stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Whether you’re lounging on the beach, sipping iced tea on your porch, or retreating from the heat in an air-conditioned nook, these stories promise a getaway into realms filled with intrigue, passion, and a touch of the extraordinary. What makes romantic fantasy such a perfect companion to summer reading? These novels transport readers to magical lands, whether they’re inspired by mythology, fairy tales, or entirely unique universes. With sweeping love stories as their heart, they promise drama, danger, and the thrill of possibility. Most of all, they give us characters who feel so real, their emotions and challenges resonate deeply. Below are some standout books to bring along on your summer escape and each offers something unique, whether it’s lush prose, irresistible romance, or unforgettable twists. THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN This novel whisks readers into a world inspired by Indian mythology, filled with celestial magic and fated love. Maya, cursed…

Cody, Wyoming is the most patriotic town I have ever been in, with five days of celebrations around the Fourth of July. The first time we celebrated the 4th in Cody was in 2021 on our big 109-day go west trip. The second was when we lived in downtown Cody in 2023.   Here in North Carolina this year, we’re celebrating the fourth of July this weekend along with the release of my newest book, Montana Delta Rodeo Cowboy: Bodyguard Protector which has a scene which puts reader right into the stadium at the big rodeo stampede in Cody, WY on the fourth of July with the hero and heroine. Now let me take you back to our 2021 experiences. June 30th was the start, with the Extreme Bulls rodeo. We got tickets, and on the advice of a local, also got tickets to a nearby chuckwagon supper and show. After we ate, we could walk from the show to the stadium for the rodeo. Everything about the evening was amazing and I highly recommend this experience. There are three parades annually in Cody to celebrate the Fourth. One on the 3rd, one on the 4th, and they even have…

Book Title: DARLING BEASTS Character Name: Gabby Gunn How would you describe your family or your childhood? That is a loaded question! I grew up on NYC’s Upper East Side, with homes in the Hamptons, Vail, and a few other places. When I was eight, my mother moved to our family compound outside San Diego (Rancho Santa Fe, specifically) to recover from thyroid cancer and just never… came home. Because my dad was busy running his media empire, my little brother Ozzie and I were raised by our beloved nanny, Diane. Our sister Talia is much older so was mostly out of the house by the time Diane took charge. A lot of people express sadness for me—especially after my mom eventually passed away—but we weren’t close, and Diane was the only mother figure I needed. I was totally fine! Talia was very close with our mom, so her death hit her a lot harder. What was your greatest talent? I famously don’t have any talents, but I run an experimental theater to give my friends a place to showcase theirs. Significant other? If only. I’m not even sure whether I’m attracted to boys or girls. Biggest challenge in relationships?…

Exclusive Excerpt: HUNTED by Maggie Shayne Nighttime was different up here, she thought, gazing outside. Star-spangled and natural. Alive and real. Nothing like night had been downstate. The night up here spoke in whispers, but at least it spoke.  The house tended to creak in response to the wind outside. It was as if the night moaned a question and then the house creaked an answer. She paced away from the window, bending to stroke Jax’s head when he twisted around her calves. There was nothing out there. Just forests and lakes and the speck-on-the-map town of Pine Lake a few miles down the mountain, where old men still sat around a checkerboard in the general store. She ought to go back to bed, try to sleep, she supposed. She turned toward the curving staircase and started up it. Then she stopped dead in her tracks and listened to what sounded absurdly like an upstairs window scraping open. A heartbeat later, the doorbell chimed, and she almost jumped out of her skin. No one visited her up here. Especially not in the middle of the night. Her stomach turned queasy as she tried to decide which to investigate first. She…

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 Kelley Armstrong Writes: Just about anything. I love reading all the genres, so I write in a lot of them. One of my favorites is thrillers, and while series are a great way to dive deep into character and worldbuilding, sometimes I’m in the mood to pen a standalone tale. EVERY STEP SHE TAKES is one of those. As a teenager, Genevieve was at the center of a celebrity scandal. Fifteen years later, she’s happily living in Rome under a new name. A letter from her old life disrupts that and sends her back to New York…running from a murder charge. There’s also a romance snuck in there. About: As much as I actually do like long romantic walks, I’m even happier curled up with my dog and a book, in front of a roaring fire. I divide my time between southern Ontario and the Yukon, which means dividing it between holing up to write and getting out in nature, being a little more…

1–What is the title of your latest release?  THE VIEW FROM LAKE COMO 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A woman is forced to rebuild her life and the house that goes with it. In Italy! 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?  My husband and I were driving down the shore and came upon Lake Como, New Jersey. I was off to the races! I’m half Lombardian- Italians in the Alps- near Lake Como. It was fate. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?  Decent. Kind. Put upon. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned about gilding stone- and cutting stone. I learned that sculptors, including the great Jago, go to Carrara to choose marble from the same mountain that Michelangelo visited to choose his marble to sculpt David. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? Both. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Spaghetti. 9–Describe your writing space/office! A room with a door that closes. A room of one’s own! Thank you, Virginia Woolf! 10–Who is an author you admire? Too many!…

1–What is the title of your latest release? RELATIONSHIP GOALS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? An infamous star soccer player who is forced to fake date a Hollywood starlet, only to develop real feelings for her—just as she learns he was pretending and vows to get even. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I knew I wanted the fame aspect of this fake dating, and I couldn’t think of a better place to set a high stakes public romance than in L.A. and Hollywood. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Oh my gosh, ABSOLUTELY. Abigail and I would be chaos queens together. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Bubbly, chaotic, and kind. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I did a lot of research for this one, but the thing that I got most intense about was the real-life FIFA scandal— which I ended up not using much of at all, other than a sort of background flavor. There’s a great documentary on Netflix about it— but if you want a soccer documentary Beckham is a lot more fun! 7–Do you edit as you draft…