B is for Books, which Dakota specializes in. O is for Oh no, which is what the criminal will say when Dakota solves the crime. O is for Octave. Dakota isn’t much into poetry, but she recognizes a good one when she reads it. K is for Killer. We know they won’t get too far with Poppy on the prowl. C is for Clever. Poppy and Dakota both fit this bill! L is for Library. In this mansion, Dakota gets to explore a wonderful one. U is for Unique books and rare manuscripts. B is for Brazen. The criminal thinks they’re in the clear… B is for Bookish, the theme of the retreat. A is for Antagonist, who creeps through the night. I is for Icy. It’s the storm before Christmas, and all through the night, everyone is slipping because they can’t see a thing. T is for Tiny Terror. Poppy in a nutshell. A is for Agile. You can’t be a cat and not have agility in spades. N is for Night, as in things that go bump in the night. D is for Deadly. Things may take a turn if Dakota can’t solve the crime. S is for…

Book Title: MARRYING THE MIDWIFE, Book 10, Below the Salt Series Character Name: Maggie Whitlock How would you describe your family or your childhood? My name is Maggie Whitlock. My childhood was normal, but my life has changed drastically since I birthed my daughter. What was your greatest talent I learned the skills of being a midwife from my mother. I used to work at her side. Significant other? I was married young to a man named George. He died before my daughter was even born. Biggest challenge in relationships? I don’t have a lot of experience with romantic relationships. Although, since meeting Lord Evan Blake, I feel as if his presence has ignited something in me that has been dormant for many years. I find it hard to trust nobles, so I am not sure we belong together. Where do you live? I don’t stay in one place long. Sir Evan offered me a job at Saltwood Castle in Hythe taking care of his pregnant cousin. I live here for now with my daughter and younger brother too, thanks to the kind lord. Do you have any enemies? Yes. There is a noble family who blames the death of…

Book Title: THE SCARLET SPY Character Name: Deverill Osborne How would you describe your childhood? “In a word?” Deverill Osborne paused for a moment, eying his interviewer with a quizzical look. “Why, it was rather . . . perfect. I had all the luxuries of being born into an aristocratic family—and as I was a younger son, I had none of the responsibilities of being the heir.” A sunny smile. “It made for a very pleasant, carefree existence.” What is your greatest talent? Well, in all modesty, I’m considered to be a good friend and a very charming fellow.“ A cough. “Perhaps a tad feckless, but charming—just ask all the ladies of the beau monde.” After reflecting for a brief moment, he added, “Granted, I don’t have a serious bone in my body. But where’s the fun in life if one has to think too hard?” You left out mentioning your handsome phiz, but I give you credit for that. But given your charm, I assume you have a significant other? “Ah, well. I confess that’s a difficult question to answer. Several weeks ago, I would have cheerfully answered ‘none whatsoever!’ You see, relationships aren’t conducive to a devil-may-care existence,…

1–What is the title of your latest release? ONE DEATH AT A TIME 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A cranky former actress teams up with her Gen Z sobriety sponsor to solve the murder that threatens to send her back to prison. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I love Los Angeles, where I live, and have set all my books there. LA is a city of many subcultures, ranging from the obvious, like the movie business, to more obscure, like burlesque. I wanted to draw on all of them, and tried to do so. Plus, I didn’t have to go anywhere for research, which is always a plus for this lazy broad. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Definitely, but I might not be cool enough to do so. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Julia Mann is misanthropic, sarcastic and underwhelmed. Natasha Mason is irascible, spontaneous and temperamental. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That plotting mysteries is really hard. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit as I go and then start…

1–What is the title of your latest release? WHO WILL REMEMBER 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When a duke’s son is found hanging upside down in a pose copied from the Tarot’s Hanged Man, a former cavalry officer must uncover a diabolical killer stalking both the rich and the poor of Regency London. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? My hero, Sebastian St. Cyr, has been solving murders in Regency England for twenty years now, so that was kinda a given. But next year, he may go someplace quite different . . . 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would dearly love to hang out with Sebastian. Oh, the questions I could ask him! 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Courageous, honorable, empathetic. I know honor and empathy have both been kinda out of fashion for a while, but maybe it’s time to bring them back? 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Sebastian has dealt with the Society for the Suppression of Vice before, but they really come into their own in this murder investigation. These self-anointed “saints” were determined to rid…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE MURDER SHOW 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A television showrunner looks for next season’s story by investigating the real death of a high school friend. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I set most of my books in the upper Midwest. It’s the place I know best, which means I can write with authenticity and do as little research as possible. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Definitely. We have a few things in common. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Honest. Hard-working. Second-guessing. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Happy endings are two-sided. Solving the mystery may not be the best outcome. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I do edit as I draft in the beginning. It’s important for me to feel the those first several chapters are solid. Once I’m happy with them, I tend to write straight through to the end and then edit on the second pass. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Dark chocolate peanut butter cups 9–Describe your writing space/office! A…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE CURIOUS INHERITANCE OF BLAKELY HOUSE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A brilliant young clockmaker inherits an industrialist’s estate, but there’s something odd about the inheritance, and about the eclectic island home full of gadgetry that seems to have a mind of its own. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I fell in love with the eclectic, innovative mansion of industrialist William Armstrong. It was the first home to be powered by hydroelectricity at a time when electricity itself was new. Brimming with odd gadgetry and mechanical brilliance, it just glowed with steampunk vibes! 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely! Sydney is quirky in the best way, and incredibly brilliant. I loved watching her get excited or worked up about something, and even better when she so easily stood her ground and rebelled against a group of men. She’s got an unusual strength. Besides that, she’s head over heels for books, and we could talk stories all day. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? quirky, resourceful, curious 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Honestly?…

Spring has sprung in my part of the world, and I am all about sitting outside on my porch in a hoodie, reading in this beautiful weather with a cup of tea. So I thought why not give you a leaf or two to try out? I thought about owning a tearoom or coffee house years ago, but ultimately, I ended up going back to my roots as working in the medical field and writing after work. I still dream about being able to have a wall of tea leaves and mugs covered in all different kinds of sayings and paintings, chatting with people who are regulars and strangers who just dropped in for a shot of the best brew. So let’s dive in to some good reads that pair well with a hot drink. I’ll take mine with cream. First up is a great book by Lynn Cahoon. Lynn and I just did a cozy con event recently and as always it was a blast to get to hang out with her. Seeing her books on the table right near mine reminded me how much I love this her characters! VOWS OF MURDER (A Tourist Trap Mystery Book 17)…

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.

Excerpt from SIX DAYS IN BOMBAY by Alka Joshi They had brought Miss Novak to Wadia Hospital around eleven o’clock at night. She was feverish and agitated, cradling her stomach with her arms. The back of her skirt was soaked with blood. Her husband, a pale man with broad shoulders, said she’d been complaining of pain for a few days. The husband hadn’t stayed. He left shortly after bringing her in. When Dr. Holbrook, the house surgeon, finished tending to her—she’d needed a few stitches and quite a bit of morphine—Matron assigned me to nurse her. This was not unusual. Patients who were the least bit foreign were assigned either to me or to Rebecca, the other Anglo-Indian nurse on the night shift, because we spoke fluent English. In the daytime, Matron would assign another Eurasian nurse or take care of the patient herself. “She may be here awhile,” Matron whispered, with a meaningful glance at me. We’re a small hospital, and the patient had been given a private room. It did not escape my notice that she could have been taken to a larger hospital popular with the British but, apparently, there had been need for discretion. Even so,…