Long before I started writing, I was a voracious reader of cozy mysteries (I still am, but sadly I don’t have as much time to devour them like I used to). There was this great mystery bookstore in Madison, Wisconsin, where you went in and told them what you liked, and they presented you with books. One of those books was MALICE IN MAGGODY, by Joan Hess. From the first page, I was hooked. Recuperating from a disastrous marriage in New York City, Arly Hanks, returning to her hometown of Maggody, Arkansas, to become its first woman sheriff, is shocked when murder and mayhem turn the town upside down. Maggody, a small town of about 700 peculiar residents, sets a hilarious backdrop for Arly’s investigations. I found myself laughing out loud many times as I worked my way through all sixteen books in the series. The first book came out in 1987, with the last book in the series, The MERRY WIVES OF MAGGODY coming out in 2009. If you love to laugh and want to escape into a small town filled with quirky characters, this is the series for you. I own all the books and one day, hope…

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.

Get ready to cozy up with a delightful holiday romance that blends the warmth of fresh-baked treats with the magic of Christmas matchmaking! In this week’s Jen’s Jewels column, I sit down with New York Times bestselling author Liz Johnson to discuss her charming new novel, MEDDLING WITH MISTLETOE. Set in the enchanting Red Door Inn on Prince Edward Island, this heartwarming tale follows aspiring chef Whitney as she finds herself caught between helping the well-meaning Aretha Franklin (no relation to the singer!) match her nephew Daniel with a local businesswoman and confronting her own unexpected feelings for him. Through our delightful chat, Johnson reveals the inspiration behind her festive story, shares a mouthwatering family recipe, and gives readers an exclusive peek at her upcoming return to the Red Door Inn in 2025. Whether you’re a fan of holiday baking, sweet romance, or both, this interview is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite Christmas cookie and a steaming cup of cocoa. Jennifer Vido: What inspired you to mix baking and matchmaking into a festive Christmas tale? Liz Johnson: I always think Christmas is such a romantic time of year, and I think people deeply in love want to see their…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE CHRISTMAS STAR, Love in Brighton Village Book 4 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A missing magical star. A treasured job on the line. Three weeks to pull off a Christmas miracle. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I knew it would take place in my fictional town of Brighton, NH, right from the start. This village somewhere in the middle of New Hampshire is a great place to get away from all the chaos of real life. I built it to feel a bit like being inside a snow globe and love spending time there because of the great sense of community and cooperation. The Love in Brighton Village series is linked by the village, so the books don’t have to be read in order. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I’ve been hanging out with Allegra for months and really like her. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Driven, kind, and a people pleaser. Her greatest yearning is to belong. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Like Allegra, my confidence can be shaky,…

Don’t get me wrong, I love a Christmas romance as much as the next Hallmark junkie. But my favorite holiday reads are books that include a little something extra – found family or family reconciliations, characters who find a way forward in a difficult season of life. Bonus points if those books include an armchair journey to another country or time. Women’s fiction with holiday themes can to find than books that go heavy on the romance. But they’re definitely out there, and well worth reading.  Here are a four titles I highly recommend: THE CHRISTMAS BOOKSHOP by Jenny Colgan A couple of months back, one of my friends said, “I can’t believe you’ve never read anything by Jenny Colgan. She’s right up your alley.” Boy, was she right! Set in a Scottish bookshop and peopled with flawed but basically good-hearted who need each other, and a fresh start, The Christmas Bookshop is one of the best Christmas books I’ve read in a long, long while. It’s the delicious kind of book that you hate to see end. Fortunately, there’s a sequel – MIDNIGHT AT THE CHRISTMAS BOOKSHOP.  Laid off from her department store job, Carmen has perilously little cash…

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? INSANE POSSIBILITIES 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Toby Kellerman spends a summer immobilized in a bed for a broken neck, having to reflect on who may have pushed him down a well. On family vacation, the only people with him were his younger sisters, ages 15 and 11. But local lore tells of an accused witch who jumped down the well to end her life. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I enjoy the intrigue of putting together things that don’t seem to belong together. Hospitals are all about fact and science, so it is like me to set a potential haunting in one, to blend the supernatural with science, as this seems very natural to me. I don’t see any line in the sand between what is factual and what is spiritual. I’d like to help others to slowly get rid of that line, too, if they are looking for that sort of worldview.   4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Of course. (I hung out with him for six months while writing his story). 5–What are three…

by CJ Holmes As a Brit, I’m obsessed about the weather, and winter has set in here. The nights are dark, the evenings are cold, and the mornings are frostbitten but the ice looks rather beautiful in the sunrise. It’s the perfect season for snuggling up inside with at least one good book, and I’m spending my evenings curled up in front of a fire with some spectacular reads. It’s also the time of year for gifting, and with Christmas on the horizon (where did the year go??!!?? And how are my kids growing up this fast??!!??), I thought I’d focus this month’s column around some fantasy romance gift recommendations that will make the dreams of fantasy and paranormal romance readers come true. You can expect captivating worlds, enthralling plots, and romance that’ll sweep you off your feet and leave you more than a little breathless from all of these series – and they’re a guaranteed hit with any romantasy reader. They’re also a great place to start if you’re dipping your toe into the water or want something to try. I own a lot of these books and I’m a huge fan of many of these authors… so just…

Book Title: MAYBE THIS TIME Character Name: Rose Schafer Hello! I’m Rose, and I’m ready for your questions. Fire away. How would you describe your family or your childhood? Messy. My parents worked a lot and used much of their free time partying and fighting with each other. They didn’t spend much time with me or my sister Vi. She’s five years older and pretty much raised me. Mom and dad divorced when I was nine. Finally! Our gran moved in with mom and us girls, and things settled down some. Next question. Who is your significant other? I had my share of boyfriends before I met Peter. He’s a respected surgeon at Port Simms Hospital. A workaholic, too. I’m his third wife, and we’ve been married almost two years. But now, he … (sniffles) Never mind. Can we please move to the next question? Where do you live? In Port Simms, Washington. I’ve lived here the entire twenty-six years of my life. It’s a small town in the Pacific Northwest on the east side of the Olympic Peninsula and about two hours’ drive north of Seattle. It’s beautiful here. You’d love it. How do you feel about the place…

I’ve never been someone who can listen to music while writing, so the following songs are less of an author-curated track list than they are a collection of tunes that go along with the events and personalities of the characters in BENEATH THE POET’S HOUSE. Enjoy, and be warned, the vibe is suitably dark and overwhelmingly emo… what else would you expect from the Poe-and-Whitman-inspired tastes of main characters Saoirse White and Emmit Powell?  “Helena,” My Chemical Romance Are you even allowed to be a writer of dark thrillers and horror novels, set your opening scene in a graveyard, and not chose “Helena” as the first track on your novel’s playlist? I think not. I have a theory that fans of MCR’s music and Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry overlap significantly, so I’m confident “Helena” (named after band members Gerard and Mikey Way’s late grandmother, Elena Lee Rus, or, “Helen,” as she was known, similar to Sarah Whitman being called “Helen” by her friends) sets the stage for the themes explored within Beneath the Poet’s House. The music video’s black and red aesthetic are a perfect match for the novel’s cover, and its subject matter, about a young woman (the “queenliest…