Book Title: GLITCH GIRL! Character Name: J— How would you describe your family or your childhood? Hi! I’m J— and I just turned 12 on December 9, 2005! My name is crossed out like that because it doesn’t feel like me anymore, but I haven’t thought of a better one yet! Last night I had a dream that I wrote down after! Here’s what I wrote: A dark ocean, like a sphere, that’s just hanging in the air, the air is neon colored, the colors are slowly changing, and there’s these WORLD-sized clear glass cups, one above the ocean (just poured out) and one below it (empty for now). It was the only time I think I ever had a dream with no people in it, at all. Well, sort of. Birds were coming out from the ocean’s water sometimes. They lived in there. The birds were blue and had my face mostly. My face but with long long long long hair and pretty makeup! I don’t know if birds with faces count as people. Sometimes the birds had Junie’s face. Garrison’s even. And Mama’s and Papa’s faces too. But I’m getting off track. I’m sorry! So, about my family!…

I, famously in my friend group, do not process lyrics when listening to music. It’s a bit of a running joke. I’m just not good at auditory processing, for whatever reason. So when I’m putting together playlists, it tends to be very vibes-based and then I have to go back after the fact, and read the lyrics online to make sure that I’m not selecting songs that are totally mismatched with my intention for the characters before sharing them publicly. That said, I do like to have a playlist for each of my POV characters because I write dual POV romances and I need to be able to switch between those character voices’ pretty quickly when I’m drafting. I find that listening to their playlist can help with that. I’m gonna share with you a couple of songs from each of the characters’ playlists for FAN SERVICE and you can see how they melt together and also how they deviate. First up for Alex, I have The Grudge by Olivia Rodrigo. This song is in perfect alignment with the prologue which takes place seventeen years before the main events of the story when the characters meet for the first time….

Step into the captivating world of storytelling with Jen’s Jewels, your go-to destination for intimate author interviews and behind-the-scenes insights into the latest must-read books. This week, bestselling author Patti Callahan Henry takes us on a mesmerizing journey through THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND, a novel woven with mystery, love, and the power of words. Inspired by the real-life disappearance of literary prodigy Barbara Newhall Follett, Patti masterfully crafts a tale of a daughter’s search for truth hidden within an invented language and the remnants of a mother’s past. Don’t miss this exclusive conversation where we uncover the magic behind her storytelling, the historical threads that shape her characters, and the surprises that emerged along the way! Jennifer Vido: What inspired you to weave a story around a legendary book and a mother’s disappearance? Was there a particular moment or idea that sparked your creativity? Patti Callahan Henry: For me, stories begin with a curiosity, a question that won’t let me go. For THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND, that question was: What happened to Barbara Newhall Follett and her language?  I was captivated by the real-life mystery of this child prodigy who published a fantasy novel at twelve years old,…

Book Title: ENCHANTINGLY YOURS Character Name: Gemma Solace How would you describe your family or your childhood? My childhood was very happy. I had two parents who loved me. My mother would read me stories before bed which started my love of books from a young age, and my father was a talented musician. He would play me his latest song on his magical lute. That is, until my mother was corrupted by an evil Senator who wants to bring magic to Earth to rule over it. To escape prosecution, she fled to the surface, and I haven’t seen her since. I wish I could change her mind and bring her back. What was your greatest talent? If reading books is a talent, then I’d win a gold medal! There’s nothing I love more than getting lost in a good story. Bonus points if it’s a fantasy romance, my favorite genre! Significant other? Oh, I wish! I’m so jealous of Princess Esme who just found her soulmate and got married. Maybe, with a little bit of luck and magic, I’ll find my dream guy one day too. For now, though, falling in love with fictional characters is good for me!…

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.

1–What is the title of your latest release? BLOOD BENEATH THE SNOW 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Revna is the only member of the royal family without magic. To save her best friends, she enters the competition to the death between her four older brothers for the throne. But when she’s kidnapped by a mysterious enemy general with the power to kill with a flick of his wrist, he declares he will train her to win. Because others want Revna on the throne for their own furtive reasons, and the question of who to trust is not as easy as it seems. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I knew from the beginning that I wanted the book to take place in a secondary fantasy world, but in the early renditions of the book it was a pretty vague kind of place! Once I decided on the main character’s name—Revna—I knew I wanted other character names to have a similar feel. I decided to stick with Nordic names, and that’s what sparked the idea of a wintery setting. The northern wastes specifically, where the front lines of the war in the…

For Me This Is Heaven – Jimmy Eat World LOVE AND OTHER PARADOXES is set in the early 2000s, when aspiring poet Joe finds his life – and his love life – upended by the arrival of Esi, a time traveler from the future. Jimmy Eat World is a band that defines the era for me, and I love how the syncopated drums and guitars in this song sound like a clock going backwards. The lyrics also make me think of Esi, torn between her mission to change the past and her growing feelings for Joe: ‘If I don’t let myself be happy now, then when?’ The Wrote & the Writ – Johnny Flynn At the beginning of the book, Joe is so focused on writing the perfect love poem that it gets in the way of his actual relationships. This song, about a lover who writes beautiful letters, but can’t communicate honestly with their partner in the here and now, is the ultimate anthem for him, and for anyone who tends to channel their feelings into books and writing: If you’re born with a love for the wrote and the writ People of letters, your warning stands clear: Pay…

This month’s column is all about the irresistible allure of the villain love interest in paranormal romance. Whether it’s their dangerous confidence, possessive nature, or the smoldering chemistry with their love interests, villains add a level of tension and excitement that heroes can’t match. Think of characters like Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses, Cardan from The Cruel Prince, or Wrath from Kingdom of the Wicked—all of whom combine power, passion, and a touch of danger that make them unforgettable and undeniably hot. The rise of the villain love interest in paranormal romance has captivated readers by blurring the lines between attraction and danger. These characters, often dark, morally ambiguous, and complex, bring a sense of mystery and allure to the story. Readers are drawn to the tension that arises from forbidden love and the internal struggle of loving someone who embodies danger. Villains offer something different from the typical “hero,” allowing the romance to explore themes of power, manipulation, and redemption, often with a twist of irresistible charm. What makes these villains so compelling is their transformation throughout the story. Whether it’s a cold, calculated figure or someone with a tortured past, the villain’s journey is often…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LAST DAYS OF KIRA MULLAN 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? How do you prove a murder when no-one else believes it happened; how can people trust you when you don’t even trust yourself? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Some of our books need to have rural settings; this thriller, which is about paranoia and intimate dread, had to be urban. It is set in a crowded part of London where people rent rooms in cheaply converted houses that have thin walls, where there are eyes everywhere, where strangers press up against each other and where friends can’t be trusted. We set it in an area of London called Harlesden, that has a diverse, shifting population and felt perfect. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes! Nancy is full of passion and determination. What’s more, she is a very good cook. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Stubborn, courageous, alone 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That many ‘normal’ people hear voices; it is far more common than most of us assume 7–Do you…

The ways we have traveled with our motorhome have changed in the years since 2020 when we began living our on the road adventure. One question we’re often asked is, what do you do with your car, or truck/do you pull it or drive it? Or a variation of this question. We’ve tried several ways.   The day we drove away in our new motorhome to start our adventure, my husband drove the motorhome while I drove my convertible behind him. It’s a different feeling driving away from your old land-based house while following your new home drive down the road. I felt like I was chasing it but never catching up and wanted to be in there with him, going down the road. Since then, I’ve only driven behind him when necessary. Everything we owned was either inside the motorhome or in a storage unit. Our house sold seven days after we listed it, my husband closed his business on a Friday and moved all business equipment and office things into a storage unit the following day. It would take more time to downsize everything.  We would return to finish that process. In the meantime, we were headed down…