I’ve heard rumors that there are writers in the world who can write without music, but I have to confess I’m not usually one of them. Perhaps it’s the lack of quiet spaces living in the heart of a city, but I’ve always found it difficult to summon fantasy worlds when all I hear are the sounds of planes taking off, fire trucks hurrying to the rescue, and my neighbors re-shingling their houses. On an almost daily basis, I put my headphones in and let the music transport me to wild worlds filled with magic. CHILDREN OF LIGHT AND SHADOW by Ryan Kirk The Legend of Adani #4 A new generation of warriors arises Two generations have passed since Elian, Samora, and the united wandering clans fought against the greatest threat their world had ever seen. The land has known peace, and in that peace, humanity has flourished, regaining much of what had been lost during the endless years of war. Now an elder of her own clan, Samora has never believed the war against the Debru was over, but even she isn’t prepared for the overwhelming strength of the foe that appears one sunny day to enslave humanity. She…

1–What is the title of your latest release? QUEEN OF DIAMONDS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Peaky Blinders but with women thieves, who discover a life of crime in 1920s London is about love, loss and loyalty to the gang. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Alice Diamond and The Forty Thieves belong in London so that was easy! The timeline of the 1920s is to reveal how she put her gang together – plus, the Roaring Twenties in London has such a great juxtaposition of poverty and glamour, it’s just irresistible. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes, and it would be a wild ride. Although, I’d draw the line at stealing, so I probably wouldn’t last long in Alice Diamond’s criminal gang. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Dangerous, determined, diva 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? The secrets of the gang’s true criminal history in Victorian London and in the 1920s. These women were notorious! 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I tend to edit as I go along, writing chronologically, combing back…

1–What is the title of your latest release? LAST TWILIGHT IN PARIS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? In 1953 London, Louise finds a half heart necklace in a thrift shop which she recognizes as the one she saw her friend Franny, an entertainer, holding hours before she was killed when Louise was volunteering in Europe with the Red Cross during World War II.  Louise traces the necklace’s origin in a desperate attempt to find out the truth about what happened to Franny and discovers a mysterious connection to a department store in Paris with a tragic wartime past. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? When I learned the history of Levitan, the furniture store in central Paris where Jews were imprisoned and forced to sort, and in some cases sell, plunder from Jewish homes to the Germans, I was astounded. I knew the location would be central to my next book. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Definitely. But would she hang out with me?? 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Searching. Curious. Determined. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? In addition to…

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 Helen Hardt! Writes: Dark and passionate romance with heart-wrenching emotion and twists that will keep you turning the pages. ALWAYS is book six in the Follow Me series, and it’s an emotional rollercoaster you don’t want to miss! About: #1 New York Times bestselling author seeks passionate readers ready to dive into steamy romances and heart-stopping twists. As a master storyteller with a love for brooding heroes and resilient heroines, I’m here to bring you emotional depth, intense chemistry, and unforgettable plots. I’m a sucker for well-crafted characters, unexpected twists, and stories that leave you breathless. If you’re ready for late-night binge reads and a rollercoaster of emotions, let’s create some sparks on the page. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: I’m looking for readers who crave emotional intensity, heart-pounding passion, and characters with deep, dark secrets. If you’re someone who loves steamy romance, unexpected twists, and stories that keep you up until three a.m., we might just be a perfect…

Lisbon, Portugal, is a city of spies, and I’m one of them. I came here to escape the confines of my life in Boston. It’s 1943, and many women are wearing apron strings, carrying babies on their hips and unfulfilled dreams in their hearts. Not me. It might’ve been foolish to break off my engagement to my odious fiancé, especially since my family disowned me for it, but I don’t have any regrets. I couldn’t spend another minute working at the library, either. My best friend Bea loves being a librarian. I have her to thank for getting me that job in the first place, but it wasn’t for me. Books are Bea’s passion; mine is breaking rules, and there were just too many of those for my taste back home. So, here I am—Selene Delmont—an Allied spy tasked with stealing secrets from Lisbon’s elite. Lisbon is beautiful—a pastel confection of buildings with red-tiled roofs nestled in the hills near the briny Tagus River. Most days, the air is filled with the scent of the sea and orange blossoms. Yellow trolleys wind their ways up and down the narrow streets. Lisbon is a port town bustling with fishing boats and…

Hi! I’m Jen Haymore. I’ve written adult historical romances as Jennifer Haymore for years, but I’ve always wanted to write YA—and I am so excited to share my sweet and swoony YA romance, ALL GOWNED UP, with the world! A is for ABSOLUTELY NOT…because that is how Emerald feels about being a seamstress for the rest of her life. L is for LIKE…because isn’t that how most love starts? With a crush… L is for LOVE…because that is what Emerald’s crush turns into. G is for the GLAMOROUS GOWNS Emerald sews and wears…and ruins. O is for the OMINOUS feeling Emerald has when the villain discovers her true identity. W is for WILL, our handsome hero! N is for all the brand-NEW things Emerald experiences in the story. E is for EMERALD, our intrepid heroine! D is for DANCING in a field of bluebells. U is for UPLIFTING—which is how I hope readers feel about this story. P is for all the glitzy PARTIES Will sneaks Emerald into. ALL GOWNED UP by Jen Haymore She’s not exactly a lady… Seventeen-year-old Emerald Dixon is the worst seamstress in London. Officially. It’s not exactly her fault. No matter how hard she tries, she’s lacking the skills…

Book Title: HARD AS A ROCK COWBOY (Rocky Road Ranch, Book 2) Character Name: Brody Dunn The twenty-seven-year-old cowboy dressed in a pair of jeans, blue checked buttoned shirt, and brown cowboy hat that shows very little of his sun-streaked brown hair, sits back in the lounge chair by the pool at the Rocky Road Ranch. He’s broader than the average cowboy, making me think he may work out in addition to his ranch chores. He appears relaxed, and as I discover, is quick to smile. How would you describe your family or your childhood? “It started of great!” His first wide grin appears. “I’m one of four brothers. Growing up on a cattle ranch is fun…at first. Then one of my brothers died when I was seven, and it really messed with my other brothers’ heads because they were there. I didn’t lose my equilibrium until I was twelve and my mother, my champion, died of COPD. It totally wrecked me. I lost all motivation except to pursue my calling as she encouraged me to do. But it’s taken a while for me to figure out what that is.” What was your greatest talent? A big smile appears and…

If you love small town romances, this book is for you!  Sweetwater, Kentucky has fallen on hard times, but its stalwart residents are fighting to keep it alive.  Taylor Mulvaney runs the Sweetheart Bake Shop on Main Street, making only heart-shaped baked goods.  Her best friend, Caroline Loder, owns Sweet Caroline’s Deli across the street.  And you can still get a milkshake or a cone at the Little Dipper down the road or take in the river view from the historic Sweetwater Inn.  But it’s when Luke Montgomery comes home to his family’s horse farm for this father’s funeral that things really begin to change for the little riverside town.  Whether those changes are good or bad hinges on Luke himself.  When he finds himself unwittingly holding the fate of his beloved hometown in his hands, he has some monumental decisions to make. Taylor Mulvaney isn’t your typical romance heroine.  Her freckles, red hair, glasses, and corkscrew curls always made her feel like the odd girl out, but over the course of her life she’s learned to embrace that.  And knowing how hard it can be to fit in is what makes her adopt the blind, scruffy little pooch that…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LOVE LYRIC 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A career focused young widow and beauty executive travels for work with a popular R&B singer and finds herself falling for him along the way. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? This is the third book in a series, and in book one, I’d established where the main character Iris lives, so I had to stay true to that setting in this novel. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes, I’d hang out with both Iris and Angel. I think they’re both great! 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Iris- ambitious, orderly, responsible Angel- carefree, creative, optimistic 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Sometimes with inspiration doesn’t strike, you can rely on skill to carry you through. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit as I draft and then do another edit on my own once the first draft is done. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? I love Goobers. 9–Describe your writing space/office! I write at a desk in…

AISHA AS A CHILD, Aisha opened the carved wooden shutters each morn- ing, letting light stream in. Strings of dried fish hung from the ceil- ing, glass jars filled with healing herbs sat on the shelf, and a mortar, yellowed with turmeric, lay next to the stove. She bent over the stove to light it. Flames burst forth, reaching toward her as if she were ker- osene to feed on. “Aisha.” Her mother’s voice made her jump. She hadn’t heard her enter the room. “You will go to school today. I’ll finish the breakfast.” Aisha turned toward her mother in shock. Her cousins were returning to school after the winter closure, but she’d assumed that she’d stay with her mother. “Why didn’t you tell me before?” “You’d just worry yourself thinking about it.” Her parents had always fought about school. It was the fight that caused the fire. Aisha was sure of it. Her mother’s shrill voice rose above her father’s. Her father insisted that Aisha was too young for school. Her father was right. A year after the fire, at eight years old, Aisha still wasn’t ready for school. She should stay with her mother. She’d already learned how…