I was a theatre major and still a big theater nerd which means I included a ton of musical Easter eggs in Something Cheeky. The novel’s backdrop is a feminist retelling of Vietnamese Cinderella—but as a rock musical. It’s too hard to pick specific songs so I’m sharing five musicals that inspired the novel. Into the Woods music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine: Best friends-to-lovers Zoe and Derek reconnect after years apart. They reminisce about their college production of this fractured fairy tale musical. Specifically she designed its Southern-and-vampire inspired costumes, including Derek’s, who played the Wolf. The image of him in a spandex suit with a big fluffy tail and a codpiece makes Zoe a bit flustered. SIX the Musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss: This heart pounding musical is basically a ninety-minute rock concert about Henry VIII’s six wives. I walked out of the performance completely inspired by how they modernized the story. I originally conceived my fictional musical with rock music, but seeing this show live showed me how exhilarating it could be. Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda: I couldn’t discuss modern musicals without mentioning this cultural zeitgeist. While I love Miranda’s…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE VANISHING KIND 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Intrepid wildlife biologist Alex Carter encounters anti-immigrant vigilantes, rugged terrain, and threatening intruders in search of a sleek, powerful, and furtive animal—the jaguar. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I wanted to address jaguar conservation in this novel. Because jaguars once roamed throughout New Mexico, I chose that setting, as I’ve done species presence studies there, putting up remote cameras and bioacoustic recorders in the hopes of detecting them. Having spent time there, I wanted to use that experience to really bring the setting to life – the scents, the feel of the air, the sound of bird song. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. Like me, Alex Carter is dedicated to preserving endangered species and loves to spend time outdoors in the wild. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Determined, resourceful, dedicated. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I knew that jaguars were endangered here in the U.S., but in writing this novel, I learned about the myriad causes of their decline and what we…

Book Title: DEAD MAN’S LIST Character Name: Detective Kit McKittrick How would you describe your family or your childhood?  Not great, to be honest.  I grew up in foster care and I was in a lot of homes.  I wasn’t the easiest kid to manage, usually mouthy, and I never liked rules that didn’t make sense.  I had a few close calls with predatory foster parents and, when I was twelve years old, I ran away with Wren, the girl who was my sister in all but blood.  We ended up hiding in a barn to get out of the cold—and it changed my life.  The barn belonged to Harlan and Betsy McKittrick and, over time and with a lot of patience on their part, I became their daughter. What was your greatest talent?  I’m logical and I can tell when people are lying. Lie detection was a useful skill when growing up in foster care.  It’s also useful now that I’m a cop. Significant other?  No one at the moment, but there’s this guy named Sam who … likes me.  I have no idea why.  He’s wonderful, really. He could have anyone—which is what everyone tells me.  “Snap him…

            Wouldn’t it be wonderful if two different schools of thought could marry into one perfect union? To compromise and meld together to create the perfect blend of thoughts. Romance authors love to push the most unlikely characters together who must overcome fates determined to keep them apart. Mystery authors, however, like to create mayhem and consequences to everyday actions and heroes and heroines who must step up to solve the crime and calm the chaos. Fuse those two talents together and you have the perfect partnership—two entities that compliments the other—and a splendid new series guaranteed to captivate and intrigue readers.             Bestselling author Darcy Burke has conquered the challenge of marrying two genres and created a magical, sexy new duo of Victorian crime fighters and she graciously accepted my invitation to sit down in my very own cozy corner to discuss her new Raven and Wren series. Kym: Welcome to The Cozy Corner on Fresh Fiction! Darcy: Thank you so much for having me, Kym! Kym: In July 2024 you released your first historical mystery, A WHISPER OF DEATH. As a prolific historical romance writer, why did you want to delve into a new realm? Darcy: I’ve written…

Buried Dreams dream series by Natasha Madison Switching for Her Blasphemy by Laura Kaye Rage Book 3 Grim Sinners MC (Second Generation) by LeAnn Ashers Season of Gifts Book 8 Neighborly Affection by M.Q. Barber Duke of Dalliance by Shannon Gilmore Cody: Billionaire Contemporary Western Romance Book 13 The Burnett Brides by Sylvia McDaniel Vampire Legion Book 4 The Shadow Order: Vampire by Kristin Kova The Villain’s Vixen Book 5 Wanton Wastrels by Tabetha Waite His Unforgettable Bride Book 4 Bride Ships: New Voyages by Jody Hedlund and Patti Stockdale The First Play 0.5 Nolan U Football by Katy Archer 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…

What is THE QUASI-CRYSTAL about? The book is about relationships, but not just interpersonal ones, it’s about the big issues we face in society. How we interact with each other. More specifically, the book is about two lands, Bracat and Ognita. Bracat has changed since the Moment—the collective joining of minds—opened up new possibilities of peace for its people. Even the rogue wizard Malzus is seeking forgiveness for his past sins. But this new feeling of unity is tentative, and the future is never certain . . . In the midst of this change, gem cutter Theb discovers something curious: it looks like an ordinary stone, but he knows it is something extraordinary. A crystal that exists in two realms at once, but only Theb can see how unique it is. Then Theb begins to have dreams of a woman, calling for help from a deserted island far away from Bracat. An impenetrable fog is threatening the island, and the strange crystal seems to be the only answer. There are others who hear the woman’s call. To find the source, Theb joins with a reformed wizard, a former thief, and an old enemy. Together, they vow to find the voice,…

This month, I’m delighted to have author Shara Moon as our guest on Fresh Fiction’s monthly Women’s Fiction column. Shara is a first-generation Haitian American writer and amateur historian who enjoys exploring black world history then writing about it. An alumna of the University of Central Florida and the City College of New York, she is a former writing instructor who now writes about unsung women and their forgotten stories. The publication of her inspiring novel, LET US MARCH ON, published by William Morrow/Harper Collins, marks her historical fiction debut. Q 1: Thanks for joining us today, Shara! Please give us a quick synopsis of your wonderful new book, “Let Us March On”. Let Us March On is about a little-known woman in history named Elizabeth “Lizzie” McDuffie who proclaimed herself FDR’s “Secretary-On-Colored-People’s-Affairs”. She was a White House maid who leveraged her position to get important—often neglected—issues in the Black community in front of the president. Essentially, the book is about a woman who went into the White House as a maid and left there as a trailblazer. Q2: Where and when did you first learn about Lizzie McDuffie? What was it about her that made you think her story…

In this week’s Jen’s Jewels, bestselling author Sally Page invites readers into the captivating world of THE SECRETS OF FLOWERS, a novel that beautifully intertwines history, mystery, and the transformative power of flowers. Inspired by her own passion for floristry and a lingering question about the Titanic’s floral arrangements, Page crafts a dual-timeline narrative that follows Emma, a grieving widow, as she embarks on a journey of healing through flowers, and Violet, a stewardess aboard the ill-fated ship. In our conversation, Sally shares the fascinating research behind her novel, the challenges of balancing historical and contemporary storytelling, and the writing rituals that fuel her creative process. Grab a cup of tea and settle in for a delightful glimpse into the world of THE SECRETS OF FLOWERS! Jennifer Vido: What inspired you to weave the story of the Titanic’s floral arrangements into the narrative of Emma’s personal journey? Sally Page: I have always been a flower lover and ran a flower shop in London when I was in my twenties. I had some thought of writing a book about the importance of flowers in history – history being another passion, but in the end, I realized I had neither the time,…

For Black History Month, I thought I’d recommend some amazing romances by Black authors. There’s something for everyone in different subgenres and a mixture of well-known authors and hidden gems. ZETA RODGERS NEEDS TO RELAX by Elana Moon I’ve recommended this one before and I will again because I loved it so much. After a night together that was as steamy as it was endearing, there was the most delightful spin on the surprise baby trope. The circumstances of their reuniting had me giggling with glee, and Ash’s handling of the situation and lovestruck ways had me sighing with bliss. ETERNAL LIGHT – Hounds series, book 1 by Layla J. Omorose Paranormal romance fans will enjoy this spicy, unconventional romance featuring Cerberus-shifters, strong women, and a messy Hades-Persephone subplot. DOWN SOUTH BAYOU – The BR Bayou Series, Book 1 by Aricka Alexander  A fun Black Sapphic Romance with a fun and flirty friends to lovers dynamic! MORE TO LOVE by Georgina Kiersten A plus-size, MM Interracial Romance between a nerdy, handsome Black bookstore owner and a Korean former Olympic wrestler. ALL THE PLEASURE –  All The Ways Duo, book 1, by Kelly Violet Interracial steamy contemporary romance that starts with a…

Fight Song – Rachel Platten This song so sums up Selene Genji’s journey.  Like that “small boat in the ocean” her mere presence in the past keeps sending out “big waves” of changes in the history she knew.  Her actions create other waves with unpredictable results, meaning she might be the “one match” that “creates an explosion” decades before it should have happened.  And despite the odds, despite the doubts that assail her, she keeps fighting.   It also applies to Kayle Owen, whose own decisions may also help change the fate of the Earth as well as his own fate.  He’s going to believe, even when no one else does.  No matter what happens, they’ve both “got a lot fight left in” them. Anti-Hero – Taylor Swift In the first book of the series (In Our Stars), Selene Genji actually says “Me.  I’m the problem.”  (This was written before Taylor Swift’s song Anti-Hero was released.  Two great minds, I guess, hers obviously a lot greater than mine.)   Just as the song talks about self-doubt and how others see us, Selene has to deal with the reality that her mere existence causes serious problems because of how others see her.  To…