Hi! I’m Aleeza Kassam! First a bit about me— I’m a first-year student at Toronto City University studying journalism because I want to be an investigative journalist one day. I love octopuses, old-school mystery novels, movies, and salad bowls (and curry bowls, grain bowls, and really any food all mixed together in a big bowl). Today I’m going to tell you a bit about the amazing city I live in, Toronto! I didn’t grow up here— I grew up in a small town— Alderville, Ontario, which is on the Bay of Quinte. My mom is a librarian there, and I spent a lot of time reading everything the library while she worked. Isn’t it the cutest library you’ve ever seen? Alderville is quiet and gorgeous, and I miss it, but I never really fit in there. Probably because we were one of the only Indian families in town, and it’s hard being one of the only person of color when you’re also kind of an awkward nerd. But I live in Toronto now. My university campus is downtown, right in the busiest part of the city. It’s just a block from Yonge and Dundas, which is the busiest intersection in…

1–What is the title of your latest release? PONY CONFIDENTIAL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? In this one-of-a-kind mystery with heart and humor, a hilariously grumpy pony must save the only human he’s ever loved after discovering she stands accused of a murder, he knows she didn’t commit. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It’s inspired by The Odyssey, so I knew Ithaca should be the ending point, though it’s Ithaca, New York, not the one in Greece. The pony travels back and forth across America, tossed on the sea of human whims, so I set it in all the places a pony might end up, from a highway rest stop in the Great Plains to an island off the Atlantic seaboard to a skyscraper in Chicago, and many more. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? LOL –  I do! After I wrote the book, I adopted an elderly retired small pony who now lives thirty feet from my back door. He has turned out to be EXACTLY like the pony in my book, right down to his grumpy obsession with carrots and a highly manipulative personality….

1–What is the title of your latest release? A VERY BAD THING 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Who Killed Columbia Jones? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? This one’s set in Colorado, New York, Nashville, and a very cool island off the coast of Maine—each chosen for the specific scenarios it provides. New York, especially—sometimes, a character just needs to get lost in the crowds! And of course, I have to have a Nashville connection. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. Killing her was unbelievably hard. Columbia was a challenge to write because she’s gone. She couldn’t speak to me in the way the other characters do. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Elegant. Driven. Duplicitous. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Oddly enough, that Mark Rothko committed suicide. I love his work, and every time we go to New York, I make it a practice to go to MoMA and look at his paintings in person. But I had no idea how he suffered for his art. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? Both….

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? THE CRACK IN THE CRYSTAL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? At the heart of the volcanic city of Kyber lies a secret that has been hidden for centuries. The clues surrounding this mystery begin to unfold when five strangers are recruited by a shadowy organization. As covert missions lead to more questions than answers, the increasingly desperate heroes seek help from unexpected sources. The key to Kyber’s secret and the truth behind each of their pasts can only be found by facing fierce stone storms, unlocking dormant fantastical abilities, and confronting past mistakes. Caught up in intrigues beyond their understanding, the ragtag band of adventurers must learn to trust themselves and each other as they reach for the stunning conclusion. This adventure fantasy — inspired by a D&D campaign—is filled with magic, missing identities, and daring escapes. Be ready for surprises at every turn with a mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? In the months after our campaign was concluded, I found myself constantly thinking about everything that transpired. It was a very…

1 What is the title of your latest release? THE TWINS ON THE TRAIN 2 What’s the elevator pitch for your new book? My agent pitched this as a hot tip for the Frankfurt Book Fair, saying: “Rosa pushes her way through the crowds and thrusts the basket containing her newborn twins at the woman closing the door to a train carriage, and prays they will reach England safely.” 3 How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The subject matter of the book determined the locations before I even started. I knew that the headquarters of the Quakers who lobbied the British government to allow the Kindertransports to happen, was in London. Although the early trains departed from Vienna, the later ones left from Berlin, so I knew that was where the Jewish family experiencing terrifying restrictions had to live and work. 4 Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I have a lot of friends who are strong independent women, so I think I would definitely form a friendship with Dora and Rosa. I think I would find Dora’s cousin Verity annoying as she is so shallow and flippant early on,…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE USUAL SILENCE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A psychologist encounters a young patient who holds the secret to her past. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? My first five novels all take place in the fictional Adirondack town of Wedeskyull, and when I launched a new series, I knew Wedeskyull would be the setting for it too. It has a remoteness, a majesty and a drama embedded in the wilderness, that accentuates suspense. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Although Arles Shepherd has some traits that make her…difficult, as Meg Ryan called herself in “When Harry Met Sally”—for instance, Arles will tell it like it is even when others might tend toward politeness—she comes by these traits honestly. She has suffered trauma, and doesn’t feel like pulling any more punches, especially with men. But she inspires a wry laugh in me when she goes off, and I would totally hang out with her and cheer her on.   5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Bold. Brave. Bruised. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That there’s…

In her haunting debut novel THE UNDERCURRENT, Sarah Sawyer masterfully weaves together the raw complexities of motherhood, long-buried family secrets, and obsession across two drastically different American landscapes. Following protagonist Bee as she navigates the fog of postpartum depression while being pulled back into the mysteries of her Texas childhood, this atmospheric thriller shifts between the scorching streets of Austin and the cold coast of Portland, Maine. In this exclusive Jen’s Jewels interview, Sawyer opens up about drawing from her own experiences of early motherhood, her meticulous approach to crafting multiple timelines and perspectives, and how her current role as a boarding schoolteacher influences her relationship with social media. Join us as we dive deep into the creative currents that shaped this compelling exploration of family bonds, hidden truths, and the transformative power of becoming a parent. Jennifer Vido: THE UNDERCURRENT explores complex themes like motherhood, obsession, and long-buried family secrets. What inspired you to write a story that intertwines these elements, and how did you balance the different timelines? Sarah Sawyer: I think that motherhood is a kind of obsession: in the early days, you’re thinking all the time about when your child eats or sleeps, and then they…

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.

“Don’t go.” I would have had a difficult time explaining why his entreaty softened me. It wasn’t spoken as a command or order. I’d certainly had plenty of those over the last year. Instead he said it like he didn’t want to be parted from me. I knew what he was doing. He was wielding his charm and handsomeness like a sword against me, and despite my earlier declaration, I felt helpless against the onslaught. Maybe I did need someone else to save me. “Why shouldn’t I go?” I asked. “Because you want me to kiss you and I would be happy to oblige.” “What?” My limbs were shaking, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I couldn’t just kiss some stranger in the courtyard of my parents’ palace. And it was humiliating that he’d correctly read my desire for him. I never would have acted upon it. I couldn’t. My mother would be shocked, my father furious. This was not how people like me were supposed to behave. The smart thing to do would be to leave. To walk away and pretend that this had never happened. I didn’t do that. He sauntered over…