Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Emily Carpenter | There’s more to this town that meets the eye
Author Guest / March 24, 2025

1–What is the title of your latest release? GOTHICTOWN 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When a New York restauranteur moves her family down to a small town in Georgia in response to an economic incentive, she learns there’s more to the town that meets the eye, and she’s put her family in grave danger. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Most of my books are set in either Alabama, where I’m from, or Georgia, my home of over 30 years. I adore the South, and I’m both fascinated and repelled by it. In the end I’m a Southerner, my books all grapple with what that means. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Totally. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Smart, loyal, resourceful. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? How hard it is to run a restaurant. I was working as a host at my friend’s breakfast/brunch/lunch place during the time I was concocting the book. It was my first time working in the service industry and it is truly noble work. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally…

Smashwords Hotlist Top 10 Preorders Releasing Mar. 25 – Apr. 01, 2025
Author Guest / March 24, 2025

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.

C. I. Jerez | Author-Reader Match: AT THE ISLAND’S EDGE
Author Guest / March 21, 2025

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 C. I. Jerez! Writes: C. I. Jerez writes award-winning contemporary/women’s fiction. Her website highlights “Storytelling That Makes an Impact.” And it’s an idea that remains at the forefront of her mind as she sits down to entertain and highlight important themes that can be explored from multiple angles. AT THE ISLAND’S EDGE tackles a woman’s identity in the military, Post Traumatic Stress associated with combat and how women process things differently, and raising a young child with special needs. She covers all of these areas beneath the umbrella of the Latino culture, highlighting the beauty of life in Puerto Rico when Lina, the book’s protagonist, returns home with her young son. About: I’m a clandestine introvert, secretly operating as an extrovert at various book related events. I love deep reflections on normally mundane topics and the kind of witty sarcasm that tells you how smart someone really is. I love to laugh, but I’m not afraid to cry in front of others, should the…

Shana Youngdahl | Welcome To Sierra, California
Author Guest / March 21, 2025

From Caprice Alexander’s App Prototype Notebook AKA: Project Bring Tourists To Sierra OR At Least Get A Scholarship Out of Here Home Screen: Welcome To Sierra, California Sierra is one of those hidden northern California gems. A mere three and a half hours from the bay area, this town is a quiet escape into pine-scented air and vistas without the crowds. It completely delivers on old California feels. But it’s far from a ghost town. Come to Sierra and vacation where the vistas are for everyone. The Dam Sierra’s history is linked to the building of the historic Plumule Dam and the series of smaller dams to control flow along the Plumule river. The reservoir offers boating, fishing and swimming. Apparently this was quite the party destination in the 70’s. Rumor has it the banks still host the occasional keg party, and several houseboats are rentable for tourists like yourself. Come to Sierra and stay on the water. I promise it will be way cheaper than anything you can find in Marin! Flumes and The Plumule River  (I know Beckett says we shouldn’t include this)   A favorite for local adventure seekers, the north fork of Plumule River snakes its…

Jennifer Vido | Jen’s Jewels Interview: KATE LANDRY HAS A PLAN by Rebekah Millet
Author Guest / March 21, 2025

Get ready to fall in love with a heartwarming romance set against the vibrant backdrop of New Orleans! This week on Jen’s Jewels, I’m chatting with Rebekah Millet about her latest novel, KATE LANDRY HAS A PLAN. From a fiercely independent café owner juggling life’s unexpected twists to a charming “hunky librarian” who just might rewrite her plans, Rebekah’s story is packed with humor, heart, and the magic of second chances. Join us as we dive into the inspiration behind Kate and Micah’s romance, the rich culture of the Big Easy, and what’s next for this rising star in Christian fiction! Jennifer Vido: What was your inspiration for Kate and Micah’s story? Did you start with the setting, a character, or a specific scene that sparked the idea? Rebekah Millet: After finishing my first book, JULIA MONROE BEGINS AGAIN, I knew right away I wanted to write two more books based off of secondary characters from it. Kate (the best friend of the heroine in that first book), was who I felt the most led to write first. I also wanted her love interest to be a new character to readers, and to be the total opposite of Kate’s Type…

Paul Tallman | Exclusive Excerpt: THE BOOK OF DAYS
Author Guest / March 20, 2025

An excerpt from THE BOOK OF DAYS: Ren headed for the tent door. The stench of death and decay stopped him in his tracks. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as the canvas flaps parted, revealing a towering, wraithlike creature wrapped in a tattered black cloak. The monster ducked under the doorway and floated inside. All that was visible under the dark cowl was a jutting jaw of bleached bone and a hideous perma-grin. His presence seemed to fill the room and made Ren’s stomach roil. The Grimm Jester’s black hood brushed the tent ceiling. Ren backed away as the monster approached. Claymore stood his ground, unintimidated by the sudden appearance of the physical embodiment of Death. The hooded wraith glanced down at Ruddy’s corpse, then over to the dead Wolf. Ren had dealt with the monster before. They had met, days earlier, in a hidden alleyway behind a teahouse in Rogue Destiny. The Grimm Jester had saved Ren’s life from a night of torture and death, and now considered the trickster in its debt. “The aroma of death is in the air,” he hissed. The barely audible words escaped through yellowed teeth, like dust blowing through…

Mary Robinette Kowal | Elma York is on Mars preparing for the first wave of permanent inhabitants
Author Guest / March 20, 2025

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE MARTIAN CONTINGENCY 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Elma York, the Lady Astronaut, is on Mars preparing for the first wave of permanent inhabitants. She is tasked with building an infrastructure and thriving community on alien soil—before time on Earth runs out due to an extinction-level warming event. Elma encounters disturbing signs of a hidden disaster kept out of the official transcript of the First Mars Expedition, and she must bring the truth to light, before the ripple effects leave humanity stranded on a dying Earth. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I was excited to return to the story of Dr. Elma York, the Lady Astronaut. When we last saw her in The Fated Sky, her crew was touching down on Mars—the first humans on the Red Planet. THE MARTIAN CONTINGENCY picks up just minutes later. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Oh, absolutely. Elma is based on real astronauts mixed with friends and family members. She’s flawed, but she’s witty and dedicated—two qualities I adore in friends. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Determined, brilliant,…

Ava Morgyn | Conversations in Character with Piers Corbin
Author Guest / March 20, 2025

Book Title: THE BANE WITCH Character Name: Piers Corbin How would you describe your family or your childhood? I grew up without a family really, just the disjointed relationship I had with my mother and eventually her husband, Gerald. I’d call him my stepfather, but he wasn’t a parent or a role model. He was just there, soaking up my mother’s attention along with his beer. He did move us to the forest house though, where I found my way back to the deadly pokeweed berries, I would come to love so much. I never knew grandparents or siblings or cousins. Just an aunt who came calling one time and one time only. My mother didn’t appreciate the visit or what she had to say, but her towering height and intense gaze haunted me for years. Finding Myrtle again saved my life. She was more family to me than anyone else I know. What was your greatest talent? My clients would say it’s my eye for design, but they’d be wrong. Those who aren’t of my magical line might say it’s my ability to ingest poison without consequence. That’s closer to the truth, but still not it. My greatest talent…

Patricia Leavy | Exclusive Excerpt: SHOOTING STARS ABOVE
Author Guest / March 19, 2025

Excerpt from SHOOTING STARS ABOVE by Patricia Leavy (She Writes Press, 2025) Tess and Jack meet at a bar “So, what do you do?” she asked. “I’m a federal agent with the Bureau—counterterrorism. I joined the military right out of high school, Special Forces. I was in the field, often deep undercover, until about a year ago, when I took a desk job as the head of my division.” “Wow, you’re like the real-life Jack Bauer. You even look a little like him, with that whole rugged, handsome hero thing you have going on,” she said. He blushed and ran his hand through his light brown hair. “I promise you I’m no Jack Bauer, even on my best day. People thought that character was so tragic, but the real tragedy is that Jack Bauer doesn’t exist, and you’re stuck with guys like me.” She smiled. “What made you choose that line of work?” “My parents raised me and my siblings to value community, to be patriotic. My father was in the military and then became a firefighter. The idea of service always seemed important. I wanted to serve my country, to protect people. It’s hard to explain, but when I…

Cheryl Terra | Title Challenge: HEARTS AT PLAY
Author Guest / March 19, 2025

Hello all! I’m Cheryl Terra and I write happy endings for hot messes – aka, spicy love stories and romcoms told by quirky and flawed characters who make you feel like you’re talking to your new best friend. I’m here to give you a little look into what you can find in my gamer girl + hockey boy romance, HEARTS AT PLAY! The special edition of this book features eight pieces of original character art and a steamy new clinch-style cover, so it’ll look just as good displayed in your ebook library as it will on your shelf. I can’t wait for you to meet these characters and find out how two childhood friends from a small Canadian town reconnect during one steamy summer! H – is for hot hockey players who can only be described with a desperately needy “unghhh” sound E – is for eyebrow piercings (which are totally allowed because your mom only said no NOSE piercings) A – is for Ashton Halliday (see also: H, above) R – is for rule followers with a repressed rebellious streak, aka Ramona Roth T – is for Toyota Corolla, which has a surprisingly roomy back seat S – is…