Most likely to be her own worst enemy? Restaurant owner Delilah O’Leary’s perfectionism and relentless work ethic make her a force in the kitchen, but a bit of a disaster when it comes to her personal life. Oddly enough, getting dragged into murder investigations has been a kind of therapy for her. Her need for control and her obsession with details—while tough on relationships—make her personality perfect for cracking tough cases. Most likely to be an agent of chaos? Butterball the cat! This chonky orange mischief-maker is a staple in every book. Whether he’s knocking over crucial evidence in SIX FEET DEEP DISH or unexpectedly leading the way to a clue in ASHES TO ASHES, CRUST TO CRUST, Butterball’s accidental heroism is legendary. Just don’t be fooled—his real priorities are snacks and snuggles, solving murders is just a side gig. Most likely to find the truth at any cost? Detective Calvin Capone, Delilah’s complicated love interest. In SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PIZZA, he convinces her to team up with him to uncover the killer, even when it may spell trouble to those nearest and dearest to her. Capone carries the baggage of being a direct descendant of a man whose name…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? It’s a soulful holiday romantic comedy with a bit of a satirical twist. Similar to the movie “The Holiday,” the premise is two desperate women (of completely different ethnicities and backgrounds in this book) swap homes over the Holiday and learn an important lesson about where they truly belong.  3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I picked two settings that had distinct character.  I’m from Michigan, so Chicago was familiar but also a city I wanted to learn more about in writing it. And I live in Los Angeles, so Malibu is close enough to know, but so insular that it’s also a completely unfamiliar world that I thought would be perfect for this book.  Both settings play an important role in the story, so each city needed to feel like you were actually there.  It was a lot of fun bringing to life the ocean breezes of Malibu and the intense winter cold of Chicago within the pages. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I absolutely would hang out…

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 TRIP 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Four friends take the vacation of a lifetime to Thailand, only to discover someone has been following them…It’s a thriller dealing with themes of class, friendship, status, domestic abuse and con artists. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I wrote a lot of THE TRIP in the covid lockdown, and at the time I was desperate to be out of my apartment and somewhere exciting! I did a lot of research into Bangkok and Koh Samet, and ended up taking a vacation there this year, after the book was finished – I prayed I had got the details right! I loved it there – it’s a real sensory experience, and I hope I did it justice. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? My novel has four protagonists – Holly, Saskia, Theo and Lucas, and the book flits between them. I enjoyed writing Saskia the most; I’m not sure I’d hang out with her, she has a pretty troubled past, but I might hang out with Lucas. He’s overall the nicest of the…

Who’s most likely to be impulsive? Answer: Willa. My cheesemonger protagonist doesn’t stop until she solves the case, even if it means jumping into some precarious situations. Who’s most likely to break a serious mood with a joke? Answer: Baz. The local handyman and Willa’s next-door neighbor quickly becomes like a brother to her—sometimes annoying but always able to make her smile. Who’s most likely to be the first to want to investigate? Answer: Archie. Willa’s cheesemonger-in-training also has a penchant for investigating. In CASE OF THE BLEUS, he suggests naming their Scooby Doo-like sleuthing group, hence Team Cheese was born. Who’s most likely to be overlooked and underestimated? Answer: Mrs. Schultz. Willa’s Curds & Whey crew member and friend, she’s smack dab in her sixties and knows this often allows her to go unnoticed—all the better to eavesdrop, like she did in CHEDDAR OFF DEAD. As a retired drama teacher, she’s also quite good at putting on a performance, as she did when they needed a diversion in CASE OF THE BLEUS. Who would suspect a nice older lady of faking a sprained ankle? Who’s most likely to want Willa to stop sleuthing? Answer: Detective Heath doesn’t like when…

My name is Theodora Wainsworth. Everyone calls me Teddy because in Texas no one is called Theodora. I say Texas, but I grew up in Bird Isle, an island village off the Texas Gulf. We call the Gulf the third coast which is practically a state of its own. We are famous for Whooping Cranes, deep sea fishing, kite surfing and hurricanes. Every year thousands of visitors come to our town to enjoy the miles of beaches, the warm water, the gentle waves.  The sand sculpture competition is held annually. I’ve never entered the contest, but my friends have. I have this thing about sandcastles—most of the time they’re ruined by the tide. That’s why I wish I’d had a chance to tell my mother that the saying on the beach is “tide and chance happens to us all”, not “time and chance.” She might get a kick out of the quip.  Back to business, Bird Isle hosts a Whooping Crane festival in February each year. The last wild flock of the endangered Whooping Cranes migrate to their wintering grounds to enjoy the company of Winter Texans aka Snowbirds who flock to the Gulf each year as well. The birds—Avian…

For the “scary” month of October, we look at several novels set in the growing-anxiety era of the 1930’s, where even the members of the upper class British society portrayed in these stories sense that a fractured world and a fragile peace are threatened—and worry how that will affect the rest of their lives. We begin with fictionalized accounts of real people in Emily Hourican’s AN INVITATION TO THE KENNEDYS.  The story is told in alternating viewpoints between Kathleen ‘Kick’ Kennedy, daughter of the new US ambassador to England, and Honor and Lady Brigid Guinness, scions of a socially prominent family.  “Kick” is delighted to be in England; with the older brothers on whom Joseph Kennedy normally focuses back in the US, she dreams of winning her exacting father’s attention and approval. Her social success pleases him, marked by her invitation to a select house party at Kelveden Hall, where she becomes friends with Lady Brigid, the niece of their host “Chips” Channon and his wife, Brigid’s sister Honor. Chip has great plans of matching his niece with fellow guest Prince Frederick of Prussia, heir to the German emperor, whom he thinks might make a bargain with Hitler to share…

Get ready to immerse yourself in the heartwarming magic of the holiday season! In my latest Jen’s Jewels author interview, I chat with bestselling author Jenny Hale about her enchanting new release, THE NOEL BRIDGE. This moving tale, set in the Smoky Mountains, weaves together themes of healing, hope, and the power of love—perfect for cozying up with this Christmas. Discover the inspiration behind the magical covered bridge, dive into the emotional journeys of Alicia and Leo, and learn how Jenny masterfully balances mystery, romance, and a touch of holiday wonder. Jennifer Vido: Your holiday stories always evoke such strong emotions. What inspired this novel’s magical idea of a covered bridge that heals the sick and mends the broken? Jenny Hale:  While maintaining a secular story, I wanted to build a novel that asked people to assess their own beliefs by posing a question: Is there a place anywhere that could help us find our connection to our beliefs? Christmas is already a time when we turn our focus toward our faith, so I figured it would be nice backdrop for a book like this. Then, I needed a place. And what’s more romantic and Christmassy than a covered bridge?…

1–What is the title of your latest release? INTO THE SUNSET, it’s book #3 of the Western Light Series 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Maeve O’Toole gets asked to help babysit while her friend faces her deepest fear-being locked in an insane asylum. Dakota Harlan gets asked to come along to fight on their side. He needs to get away as he’s got a feuding family of hillbillies trying to kill him. He ends up doing a lot of babysitting and she ends up shooting someone. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The book is mostly set in Wyoming because my secondary character needs a place where women’s rights are respected as her tyrant husband wants to lock her in an insane asylum until she agrees to hand over the money her daughter inherited. Wyoming was the first state to grant women the right to vote and give them full legal rights, so she’s hoping that helps protect her. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. Maeve would make a loyal friend. Dakota has learned to be very tough but he’s got a soft heart that he’s…

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.