Thank you so much for this opportunity. Below are five songs that I listened to on repeat while writing VANISHING DAUGHTERS. Many of them speak to a love that cannot exist in this reality, to the bending and blurring of reality, to memories, and finally to dreams which are featured heavily in the novel. Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi I included this on the soundtrack for Vanishing Daughters because one of the characters is in love with someone they lost, and they’ve lived their entire time on Earth grieving the ‘What if?’ of a life with them. They die never having loved anyone other than that person. Now the day bleedsInto nightfallAnd you’re not hereTo get me through it allI let my guard downAnd then you pulled the rugI was getting kinda used to being someone you loved Pictures of You by The Cure Another sad love song. I included this song because it speaks so much to the memory of someone who is no longer there. Or, to a time that cannot be repeated. All that exists are these pictures and no matter how hard you look at these photographs they are not that person. They can never…

1–What is the title of your latest release? A WEDDING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A WEDDING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY is a friends-to-lovers romance between high school friends who went their separate ways after graduation. They reunite years later and discover that their long-lost friendship is blossoming into love.” 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? That is an interesting question! I lived in Charleston, South Carolina for many years because my husband was stationed there for the military. While living there, I fell in love with the charm of the southern city. I made many friendships in Charleston, and these friendships last even today. When I decided to become a romance writer many years later, Charleston was the first place that came to mind. It is the perfect setting for creating fictional worlds that are full of hope and love. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would definitely hang out with Avila, my protagonist, in real life! We are similar in many ways. Avila is very talented and smart, but she second guesses herself and her abilities. I would encourage her and remind…

In this week’s Jen’s Jewels, I’m thrilled to welcome bestselling author Melody Carlson to discuss her heartfelt new novel, WELCOME TO THE HONEY B&B. With a deeply personal connection to the story, Melody weaves themes of caregiving, second chances, and the power of community into a touching tale that balances both heartache and hope. Inspired by her own experience caring for her late husband, she brings authenticity and warmth to this moving family drama. Join us as we dive into the inspiration behind the novel, the fascinating role of beekeeping, and what’s next on her writing journey. Jen: The theme of caregiving – particularly for a parent with early-onset dementia – is both timely and touching. What inspired you to explore this challenging family dynamic in your new release, Welcome to the Honey B&B? Melody: My husband Chris was diagnosed with Frontal Temporal Dementia (FTD) in 2022. Like my character CT in this novel, Chris was an outdoorsy, Mr. Fixit, guy’s guy… and early onset dementia was tough to take—for both of us. I was his caregiver until he passed at home, shortly before Christmas 2024. I wrote WELCOME TO THE HONEY B&B partly to inform others about this form…

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 Gourav Mohanty Writes: Epic mythological fantasies that take you through the dark and delightful nooks of Ancient India where the stakes are high, the betrayals personal, and the heists so bold they’d make a career saint consider the charms of crime. About: A connoisseur of momos and mythologies, Gourav Mohanty daylights as a lawyer, moonlights as a comic and gaslights as a storyteller. Best dumb charades player to have on your team. Books, whisky and visas will probably be the reasons he goes bankrupt in the future. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: What to expect if we’re compatible: DANCE OF SHADOWS by Gourav Mohanty A season of peace is the finest time to plant the seeds of war. A pirate-queen discovers the only gold around is in the bars of her cage. A temple-courtesan’s heart dances for the archer she was tasked to destroy. A librarian learns how to steal to save the world from an ancient plague. As the Conclave of…

1–What is the title of your latest release? DAYS OF SHATTERED FAITH 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? How long can you stay a good person if you’re working for the bad guys. A diplomat for a colonial regime falls in love with the nation she’s supposed to be softening up. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Most of the details grew out of previous writing in the setting – I do a lot of world-building work, especially in this series, and so the previous two books kind of created a space where I knew something interesting must be happening. Add to that some historical inspiration centered around particularly villainous British 1700s and 1800s overseas dealing and the book came together very well. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Unusually, yes, though I don’t think she’d hang out with me. I’m too downmarket and not dashing enough. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Conflicted, sardonic, romantic. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That the greatest love in all the world is of a man for his truly wedded centipede. 7–Do you edit as you…

1–What is the title of your latest release? COLD IRON TASK 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A government-sanctioned witch must go on a very unsanctioned heist into the Elsewhere, a magical otherworld. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? As witches are a major feature of my books, Salem, and by extension Boston, seemed to be the natural choice for a big city to set the story in. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Sure! He seems like a good kid that means well. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Idealist. Underdog. Intractable. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Not to bite off more than you can chew. The original version of this book was twenty-five-thousand words longer than the final version, and cutting words is much harder than adding them. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I tend to edit in stages. On the completion of a suitable batch of chapters, sometimes an arc or sometimes a whole act, I’ll pause writing new scenes and go back to organize things. Sort of like shuffling up a…

1–What is the title of your latest release? BOY 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Sander Coke, Shakespeare’s beautiful and celebrated “boy player,” is famous for portraying female roles, but he’s about to age out of his apprenticeship, and feels unready to face the future “as a man.” Meanwhile, his closest friend from childhood is Joan, who wants to study natural philosophy but has no access to education. Sander disguises Joan as a boy and gets her apprenticed to Francis Bacon, the father of the Scientific Method. As Sander and Joan begin to realize their own relationship is changing, their shared connection to Bacon embroils them in some of the most dangerous political intrigue of Queen Elizabeth’s final years. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It wasn’t really a decision; a story about Shakespeare’s actors has to take place in Shakespeare’s London, aka Elizabethan London – which is my fictional happy place. I love all excuses to while away the time there. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I should hope so! I hang out with them enough in my head and we all get along fabulously. One…

Hi! I’m Sarah M. Eden, author of THE TIDES OF TIME, my 79th book and my very first time-travel romance. I am so excited to introduce you to this adventurous, romantic, and history-rich story. In 1793, a storm propels Lili forward through time, kindling a love that transcends the ages. But is that love powerful enough to rewrite history? Fleeing the clutches of Robespierre’s Revolutionary Tribunal, Lili Minet makes a desperate escape on a ship headed to England, but her dangerous flight takes an unexpected turn when a violent storm catapults her off the ship and eighty years into the future, leaving her stranded in the unfamiliar world of 1873 England. When lighthouse keeper Armitage Pierce rescues a woman from the tumultuous sea, he does not anticipate her silent, cold response to his gallant efforts. Though he is wary of this woman and her odd behaviors, he finds she is just as wary of him. And he can sense that she is not telling him something of great import to her. Only Armitage’s grandfather, a man seasoned by the mysteries of the sea, can seem to penetrate Lili’s defenses to offer her support. But as Lili heals from the physical…

1–What is the title of your latest release? A DEAL IN DARKNESS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? L.O.R.D.S meets THE KINGDOM OF THE WICKED 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I chose London as a setting because I’ve lived there, and I wanted to bring its gothic beauty and hidden darkness to life in a way that feels authentic. The city’s winding alleyways, historic architecture, and eerie, mist-filled nights create the perfect backdrop for a paranormal romance. There’s a natural undercurrent of mystery to London—it’s a place where the supernatural feels like it could be lurking just beneath the surface. As for Hell, I wanted a setting that contrasts yet complements London, a realm both terrifying and seductive, reflecting the characters’ struggles with power, temptation, and fate. The interplay between these two worlds heightens the tension and deepens the romance, making the setting an integral part of the story. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Adriana? Absolutely. She’s kind, loyal, and full of light—someone who would make an incredible friend. She sees the good in people, even when they don’t see it in themselves, and I think…

1–What is the title of your latest release? A CONSTANT LOVE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A CONSTANT LOVE is an action, adventure romance that focuses on finding hope and love in the wake of tragedy and secrecy that seems necessary to protect loved ones from harm. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It’s part of a three-book series set in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I had published a previous series set in Cheyenne, and this one follows up 20 years later. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Charlotte is my heroine, and I would hang out with her. She’s been burdened with guilt and has suffered loss. She’s compassionate and understanding, but also strong and able to face adversity. She would be good to talk to about troubles. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Answer: Enduring, Hopeful and Strong 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? This book is set after the very bad winter of 1886-87. The summer of 1886 had left the area of Cheyenne in a drought. Then came early snows and deadly cold. The cattle and other livestock suffered from lack…