For the month of romance, we’ll look at stories set in lush and unusual locales. What could be more symbolic of Valentine’s Day than chocolate?  So it’s fitting to begin with THE SPANISH DAUGHTER by Lorena Hughes, which explores the delights of chocolate and a city that became renowned for its production.  Growing up in Spain, Puri developed a love of chocolate she inherited from her estranged father.  To her surprise, she finds upon his death that he has left her his cocoa estate in Vinces, Ecuador.  Excited to claim this legacy, she convinces her husband Cristobal to close their chocolate shop and leave World War I-devastated Europe behind to begin a new life on the estate.  But someone doesn’t want her to arrive; on the voyage, an assassin tries to murder her, killing her husband instead.  To protect herself, Puri adopts her husband’s identity and continues on, still determined to settle in Vinces.  Once arrived, she discovers a family she knew little about, half-siblings from her father’s bigamous second marriage, with three sisters now vying to control the business, while the person who wanted her dead is still at large.  Incorporating facts about the history of the real Vinces,…

February, the time our thoughts turn to roses, chocolate, and true love. Sadly, this month is also the time when so many of us fall prey to the various colds, flus, and tummy bugs circulating in our closed-up homes and workspaces. Feeling rotten is not fun, but if you’re sick enough to get away with pampering yourself, bundling up with a warm drink and a good book or audiobook may just make your malaise more bearable. And what better way to forget the world and celebrate the month of February than with a new J.D. Robb book? BONDED IN DEATH, number sixty in the series (!!), is an unusually poignant volume that among other delights, lets us better understand and love Summerset, Roarke’s butler/father figure and usually Eve’s nemesis. It turns out Summerset had a more complicated youth than we knew, and the people he fought together with during the Urban Wars have remained bonded in friendship. When one of them is murdered, the group comes together to launch their own search for justice even as Eve searches for the killer. I always enjoy J.D. Robb’s books, but this one was especially touching. Author Jewel E. Ann has been writing…

For this month’s Mondays are Murder, I want to talk about mysteries set in other countries. When I travel, I read mystery authors from the places I’m going to visit. So when I went to Scotland and the Shetland Isles, I looked for authors who’s books would give me a sense of place. If you’re a fan of the Shetland TV series, you’ve probably heard of Ann Cleeves because it’s her books that the series comes from. Her first book in the series is Raven Black, the first time we meet one of my favorite detectives of all time – Jimmy Perez. The best part of Cleeves’ books is that, in a way, she makes Shetland itself a character. You’ll see what I mean if you read the series. Start with RAVEN BLACK. Ann Cleeves – RAVEN BLACK – Shetland Island Mysteries It is a cold January morning and Shetland lies beneath a deep layer of snow. Trudging home, Fran Hunter’s eye is drawn to a splash of color on the frozen ground, ravens circling above. It is the strangled body of her teenage neighbor, Catherine Ross. The locals on the quiet island stubbornly focus their gaze on one man–loner…

Hello! I’m Annie McEwen, author of the Northwoods Mysteries, a cozy mystery series set in Northern Wisconsin. SNOW TIME TO DIE is the third book in my series. Get ready for lots of snow, cozy fires, hot chocolate, snow, snoop… I mean, sleuthing, more snow, and oh, yeah… a MURDER! Here’s a little acrostic poem to give you a taste of what to expect! Happy Reading! Storm clouds gather, winds begin to howl,Night falls frigid with danger so foul.Over Lake Covington, snow whips across the ice,Wisconsin Northwoods winter isn’t playing nice. Trapped in a blizzard with nowhere to run,In the middle of it all, the mystery’s begun.Memories surface, grudges still burn,Everyone had a reason, everyone wanted a turn. Twists and turns keep Emmy on her toes,Old enemies still act like petty, bratty foes. Deeper the secrets, colder the lies,Is Cooper’s Cove in danger?Emmy must solve it—or someone else dies! SNOW TIME TO DIE by Annie McEwen Northwoods #3 Winter has wrapped the Wisconsin Northwoods in a bitter chill, and Emmy Cooper’s family lake cottage resort, Cooper’s Cove, is no exception. But it’s someone from Emmy’s past who’s about to bring the real frostbite! A stormy mix-up at a local hotel reroutes an…

1–What is the title of your latest release? ALL THE CAPTIVE GIRLS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A serial killer uses artificial intelligence to place the reporter who outed him at crime scenes while hiding in plain sight, dressed as a phantom pirate, during Tampa, Florida’s infamous Gasparilla Pirate Invasion and Parade. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I always wanted to set a book during Gasparilla. The month-long celebration, based on the infamous pirate Jose Gaspar, is cinematic and unique to the Tampa area. It’s flamboyant and fantastical, with people dressing as pirates and wenches celebrating with parades, festivals and other activities for four weeks in January and February each year. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes, she’s feisty and determined but also loyal and well meaning. She’s uptight but learns to let go and have fun. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Smart, feisty, determined. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned more about Tampa’s shadowy history, including the underground tunnels of Ybor City reportedly used for transporting alcohol during the prohibition. I also learned so much about artificial…

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.

1–What is the title of your latest release? STORM WARNING 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Remi must recall the danger that sent her into hiding at a coastal storm-watching lodge before it’s too late. When the most ferocious storm in a decade hits the coast, she’s forced into survival mode with a mysterious stranger, and together, they battle an unknown adversary that tries to silence Remi forever.  3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Setting always inspires me. I’ve long wanted to set a series along the dramatic Washington coast of the Olympic Peninsula. Even better, add in a storm-watching lodge to ramp up the chills and thrills. I love that nature can play a huge role in the suspense genre, and Olympic Peninsula offers it all with the rocky coastline, high winds and storms rolling in from the Pacific, a temperate rainforest, designated wilderness areas, and the Olympic Mountains, all in a place so remote there’s limited or no cell coverage. Even satellite is spotty. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I think Remi might be too intense for me, considering her background as an army photographer,…

What is the title of your latest release? THE MOONLIGHT HEALERS What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Multiple generations of women in one family with a magical, secret ability must contend with what it means to be a healer. How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I chose Crozet Virginia because I moved there in 2020 and was so inspired by the beauty. I chose Normandy, France because I spent time there in college and loved the stories of its beauty and resiliency. Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes definitely! Louise and Helene are both strong, smart women who I’d love to know in real life! What are three words that describe your protagonist? Strong, resilient, healer What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned so much about folk healing traditions and about WW2 era France. Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? Edit as I go! What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Oysters-the saltier the better! Describe your writing space/office! Always shifting! I have an office but often have to write on the go between school pickups and drop-offs, so…

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? ONLY IN DARKNESS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? ONLY IN DARKNESS is based on an actual Mayan legend. It is a story of love, blood lust, and the horrors of coming of age. The novel is a multi-cultural horror story based in modern-day southeastern Idaho with a twisting back story in ancient Central America and the emerging drug war of the 1970s. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I live near the Massacre Rocks area of Idaho and have always found the dark lava formations and cliffs to be beautiful but also haunting. I traveled to Guatamala and was intrigued by the area and the Mayan culture of the past. It was fun to weave the two areas together in this story. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? He is a young man I admire, and I feel a great deal of empathy for him. He is trying to get through life as a young man who is going through significant changes and feeling like he doesn’t belong in the world. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?…