1–What is the title of your latest release? THE HEART’S CHOICE, Book One of the Cotton Cops Mysteries series. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Amid the tensions of a murder enquiry and the Lancashire cotton famine, the story explores the simmering, restrained passion between two very different people who fall in love in spite of themselves. Will they attain their happily-ever-after or will the greed of a jealous cousin endanger the heroine’s life and keep them apart? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I chose Bolton, a cotton mill town in Lancashire for two reasons. Firstly, I was born there and many of my ancestors worked in cotton mills during the Industrial Revolution. It’s an area and a historical era I know well. Secondly, I wanted to set a Victorian murder mystery story far away from London. BTW, “Cotton Cops Mysteries” is a play on the word “Cops”. A cotton cop is a spindle wound with cotton, and, of course, “cop” is slang for a policeman. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonists in real life? Edouard Deschanel is a handsome and successful tradesman. Plus, he’s French. What’s not to like!!…

Step into the tantalizing world of Anthony Horowitz’s MARBLE HALL MURDERS, where literary estates guard deadly secrets and past sins refuse to stay buried. In my latest Jen’s Jewels column, I sit down with the master of mystery himself to unravel the inspiration behind his newest novel, the evolution of beloved protagonist Susan Ryeland, and the intricate art of crafting a whodunit that both honors and subverts classic detective fiction. With insights into his writing process, a glimpse at his next project, and even a real-life mystery from his own past, this is an interview you won’t want to miss! Jennifer Vido: In your latest novel, you’ve again brilliantly blurred the lines between fiction and reality. What inspired you to write MARBLE HALL MURDERS? Anthony Horowtz: MARBLE HALL MURDERS is the third book in a series that began with MAGPIE MURDERS and MOONFLOWER MURDERS. We successfully filmed both of these and our star, Lesley Manville (who plays Susan Ryeland) asked me to do a third. How could I refuse? Jen: Susan Ryeland has become a fascinating protagonist across multiple novels. How has her character evolved from MAGPIE MURDERS to this latest work, and what challenges did you enjoy presenting her…

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.

Book Title: MURDER AT MABLETHORPE CASTLE, Book 1, A Harlowe & Fitch Historical Mystery Character Name:  Lady Vivienne Harlowe How would you describe your family or your childhood? My mother was a noblewoman, but my father was a common footsoldier. My childhood seemed pretty normal to me and my younger brother, Adrian. Even though we didn’t live in a castle in Somersby, we often traveled to my aunt and uncle’s castle in Mablethorpe. I stayed there often, and befriended the son of the town’s sheriff. His name is Zachariah and now he is the sheriff of Mablethorpe. What was your greatest talent? I’m not sure if most people would consider it a talent, but I was always a curious child and loved to learn. Everything. That includes fighting with a sword, using a bow and arrows, and riding a horse astride. Yes, things a lady is not supposed to do. I was also always pretty observant which comes in handy for being an investigator, working with Sheriff Zachariah Fitch. Significant other? I was married at a young age, but my husband died in a horrible accident. He never even saw our young son who was born after his death. I…

1–What is the title of your latest release? TOM CLANCY LINE OF DEMARCATION 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Russia and Narco Terrorists try to pull off another Crimea, snatching a strategic slice of the world as a fait accompli.  This time it’s in the Western Hemisphere.  Everything is going the villains’ way until Jack Ryan Jr. sniffs it out.  Can he marshal the forces to stop it before it’s too late? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I look at flashpoints around the world.  Right now, Venezuela—backed by Russia—is nervous about a major oil/gas discovery in Guyana, a small, American-allied English-speaking country that borders Venezuela.  Not long after I began the book, Venezuelan tanks rolled into the disputed region.  Just last month, the U.S. Secretary of State visited Guyana with a warning to Venezuela not to interfere in its issues.  I saw all of this happening and thought it would make for an interesting setting. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would, but I think his energy might outpace mine.  He would certainly have some entertaining stories to tell… 5–What are three words that describe your…

I like unusual cozies – mysteries that push the boundaries of the normal canon of the genre, while still being cozy. I was at Cozy Con (a conference for cozy writers) in St. Paul a few years back, and stumbled on this book in a bookstore there. The moment I started it, I couldn’t put it down! There’s something wonderful about a forest communities of animals, where the sheriff is a bear, and the amateur sleuth is a journalist vixen, with her best friend being a bookstore-owning raven. These books are my favorite escape into a world where all animals in the forest live together, work together, and occasionally, murder each other. There are five books in the series, with the sixth coming in October. Trust me on this, you’ll love Shady Hollow! SHADY HOLLOW by Juneau Black Shady Hollow Mystery #1 The first book in the Shady Hollow series, in which we are introduced to the village of Shady Hollow, a place where woodland creatures live together in harmony—until a curmudgeonly toad turns up dead and the local reporter has to solve the case. Reporter Vera Vixen is a relative newcomer to Shady Hollow. The fox has a nose for news,…

Each Friday the Smashwords store reports the bestselling indie fiction titles based on the previous week’s sales. If an author has more than one title eligible for the list, only the highest performing title will be included. This ensures high-performing titles receive the accolades they deserve, while providing up-and-coming authors the visibility they have earned. Don’t miss Monday’s Top 10 Hot Preorders List, where Smashwords will provide a list of the most highly anticipated ebook preorders.

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 G.R. Macallister! Writes: I grew up reading fantasy, getting hooked on imaginary worlds when my fifth-grade teacher introduced us to Madeleine L’Engle’s A WRINKLE IN TIME, then losing myself in the endless creative possibilities of Dungeons and Dragons. Many years later, I became disenchanted with how so many fantasy worlds failed to reimagine society, clinging to the male-centric power structures familiar to most of us in the Western world. Hungry for an old-school swords-and-sorcery fantasy world that put women front and center, I read every matriarchal fantasy I could get my hands on—then decided it was time to write one myself. The Five Queendoms series imagines a woman-centric society that is neither a utopia nor a dystopia, simply a world that developed differently, led by powerful women—some wonderful, some terrible, most somewhere in between. Women are not only the rulers of the Queendoms but the world’s warriors and magicians, senators and priests, leaders and revolutionaries. The final book in the trilogy, SESTIA, is out…

This week on Jen’s Jewels, I’m thrilled to welcome Catherine Mack, the talented author behind the sharp and witty Eleanor Dash mysteries. In her latest release, NO ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO DIE AT THIS WEDDING, Mack whisks readers away to the stunning and storm-swept Catalina Island for a high-profile wedding that takes a deadly turn. With a clever nod to Agatha Christie and a cast of unforgettable characters, this cozy mystery blends glitz, secrets, and suspense in all the best ways. Join us as we chat about island intrigue, Hollywood drama, and what makes Eleanor Dash a heroine worth rooting for. Jennifer Vido: Congratulations on the release of your second Eleanor Dash mystery! Catalina Island makes for a breathtaking and secluded setting. What drew you to this specific location, and how did the island’s unique atmosphere influence the tone and pacing of the story?Catherine Mack: Thank you! It’s somewhere I’ve been a bit fascinated with for a while and I wanted to set this book on an island for reasons that are obvious when you read it. It’s a small island with challenging geography and I think that played into the story well. Jen: The stormy weather trapping the wedding…

Here’s a secret that readers may not know: coming up with the perfect title can be more agonizing for an author than writing the entire book. Titles matter. A good title hits the sweet spot between the reliable and the mysterious. On the one hand, it serves as a kind of shorthand, using familiar-sounding phrases to signal that this book will be like other books with similar titles; if I liked them, I’ll like this one too. At the same time, a title needs to offer something new and unknown, enticing the reader to read this book and no other so she can find out more. Each of my book titles has gone through its own journey—from “working title” to “final title,” with stops in-between.  And each time, just when I thought I would never find the right title, there was an AHA moment that came in a way I never would have expected. For my latest novel, Roll the Sun Across the Sky, the saga had an extra twist or two. I loved my original title. But, as often happens, another book came out with the nearly-identical title, and I had to start over.  I mulled over ideas on…