What is the title of your latest release?WHERE WE BELONG What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?Hester’s fondest dream fulfilled is Callum’s worst nightmare. But God can redeem…if Callum will let Him. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I love setting stories in my home state of Kansas, and Kansas was a regular stop for directors of New York orphanages that sought to place children away from the big city into rural communities. Consequently, I researched small Kansas towns to which children were brought on the orphan trains and chose Marion, which is near where my father grew up. Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?I would absolutely hang out with Hester. She is modeled after my dear step-grandmother who had the most unselfish, giving heart. Hester would be an ideal friend. What are three words that describe your hero?I would define Callum as hardworking, stubborn, and a “get things done right” man. What’s something you learned while writing this book?The orphan train movement was the springboard for the national foster care system. For some reason, I’d never really made that connection and found it interesting. Do you edit as you…

Excerpt from HOOKED by Caitlin Rother: Inside the glass doors, she kissed him one last time before taking his hand and leading him toward the front door, where she stopped and whispered in his ear. “Goodnight, Surfer Man.” With her left hand on the doorknob, she turned to look up at him, waiting for him to move. But he stood there, frozen, holding her other hand. Transfixed by those eyes. She seemed so intensely present and in control. She had him. And he couldn’t let go of her. His mind was fuzzy, and his body felt like one big, aroused nerve, buzzing with sensation. He slowly pulled her hand behind her and kissed her gently. Then harder. As her other hand fell from the knob, he took it and put it behind her as well. Easing her back against the wall, he leaned into her, letting go of her hands and pressing his hips into hers. Her hands fell to her sides as she rolled her head back seductively. She wrapped one of her legs around his thigh, tilting her hips tighter against him as they began to rock back and forth. He grabbed her around the waist with one…

Welcome to Where Everybody Knows Your… Alibi— where we get to know the fictional towns we’d happily move to… if they didn’t have such a suspicious body count (but does that really matter?) My April guest is the lovely Jackie Layton, cozy mystery author of spunky Southern sleuths. Jackie has three… three!… charming series that feature strong women, inviting settings, and twisty mysteries. Honestly, I still can’t pick a favorite. Jackie is also a founding member and contributor of the Facebook group, Murder, They Write, and you won’t want to miss her website for her delightful blog, where she shares a mix of interviews, stories, and reviews. This month, we’re heading to Fox Island, Georgia, the seaside setting of her An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery series. So pour a glass of sweet tea and settle in as we visit the place Kate Sloan calls home. Welcome, Jackie!Tell me, what’s the very first thing a newcomer learns about this town… whether they want to or not?The most obvious thing you’ll notice when you go to Fox Island, Georgia, is that it’s an actual island off the coast of Georgia. The most unpleasant things are the heat, the humidity, and the mosquitoes….

What was your inspiration for FLIRTING WITH MURDER?FLIRTING WITH MURDER was born from my love of outspoken women, colorful living arrangements, and mysteries that don’t take themselves too seriously. In the description, it says that Virginia and Felix go “from rivals to co-detectives”. How quickly would you say their relationship evolves? How high is the snark factor?The initial hostilities fall by the wayside as soon as they have to unite against a common enemy (or three), but the banter never stops. Teasing is their love language. Snark-wise, they are on par with most of the teens of my acquaintance, which is to say: devastating. FLIRTING WITH MURDER is described as a “comedic mystery” (which I love). Is there kind of an even balance between comedic elements and suspense?I think if you put the comedy on one side of a seesaw and the suspense on the other, comedy would have its feet on the ground and suspense would be dangling in mid-air calling for help. But I did try to throw in some aha! moments amid the jokes, and I hope that the puzzle pieces of the mystery are satisfyingly twisty. What do you like most about writing YA fiction? Is…

Excerpt from THE HOSTESS by Courtney Psak: Luke was right. The weather today isn’t anything but pleasant. We step up to the wraparound porch, supported by Corinthian columns, with unobstructed views of the endless ocean ahead of us. White cumulus clouds float like whipped dollops in the sky to complete the picturesque scene. My eye follows a boardwalk that edges the property and bridges over the thick covered dunes. Off to the corner, I notice a gas firepit elevated on pavement stones with four white love seat couches surrounding it, the dunes backdropping it into a picture-perfect scene. I even imagine myself and Luke snuggled up under a blanket on a cool night, the fire dancing in front of us, until my mind wonders what sort of creatures could be hidden beneath the brush. The backyard, while spacious and well manicured with corduroy lines of freshly cut grass, still doesn’t feel as private as I would’ve initially thought. There is a garden hedge squared off in the middle of the property that seems to act as a privacy wall, but it can’t be more than a hundred feet, which on a property as large as this, doesn’t do that much….

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.

Welcome back to Jen’s Jewels, where I love shining a light on the authors behind the stories we can’t put down. This week, I’m thrilled to feature Chelsea Bobulski, whose heartfelt historical romance A DEAL WITH A DEBUTANTE is a must-add to your reading list. LIGHTNING ROUND In three words, describe the feeling readers will have when they finish your book.Bubbly, light, and happy! What’s your favorite writing season: cozy winter, hopeful spring, beachy summer, or reflective fall?Reflective Fall for sure!! I love the changing leaves, cloudy skies, and cozy vibes! What’s one small thing that instantly puts you in a creative mood?Rain! I absolutely adore rainy days. There’s something about it that makes me want to dream up imaginary worlds. THE SPRING SPARK April often feels like a season of renewal. Did anything about this story feel like a fresh start for you as a writer?Absolutely! This is my debut adult novel after publishing 6 Young Adult novels. I’m very excited to reach a new audience with A DEAL WITH A DEBUTANTE, with a voice that will still feel familiar and approachable for my YA audience. What was the very first image, line, or idea that sparked this book?To…

Excerpt from MORE THAN FRIENDS by Denise Hunter: Chapter 1 When Jenna Greene’s boyfriend got down on bended knee in the middle of their favorite upscale restaurant, she frowned in confusion. “Jason . . .” Wow, so many ways to finish that sentence. Didn’t we talk about this? Please don’t do this. Everyone is watching. Because yes, as luck would have it, every table at The Bradley was full. The ambient noise of muted chatter and clanking silverware was outdone only by Frank Sinatra, who crooned “Fly Me to the Moon.” Which incidentally sounded like a lovely idea right now. The clamor hushed as their audience caught onto the moment. Jason gazed up at Jenna, his hazel eyes gleaming behind clear-framed glasses. “Jenna, when you first walked in the door at Fleming Orthodontics I knew you were the one—and not just for the office position.” Jenna’s heart threatened to burst from her chest. As he continued talking, her thoughts spun like a top. She should’ve seen this coming! It was the second anniversary of their first date. It was Valentine’s Day. And hadn’t he just brought up marriage (again) last week? But why was he proposing when she’d told him…

What is the title of your latest release?THE TAKE What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?Would you sell your youth for $3M? A young struggling writer decides to sell her blood and youth to an older, experienced Hollywood producer, in a new anti-aging procedure, hoping that will get her book published faster. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I wanted to write about the youth-obsessed and vampiric nature of Hollywood, so it made sense to set it in LA! Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?I would hang out with Maggie and Ingrid, but be extremely careful not to get taken advantage of by either! I would definitely keep my veins far out of reach. What are three words that describe your protagonist?Maggie: Ambitious, talented, violently impatientIngrid: Powerful, connected, will do ANYTHING to maintain her position What’s something you learned while writing this book?People in Silicon Valley actually do this kind of blood biohacking to try to look and feel younger! Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?I should wait until I’m totally done, but sometimes it’s too hard to resist. So I usually write…

Excerpted from HANDLE WITH CARE by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen: Just then the door to the post office opens and they all turn to see a woman walking in, her arms full of a large basket wrapped in cellophane and tied with a huge bow. The woman is so focused on managing the basket that she doesn’t notice what is going on at the front of the room. She doesn’t notice anything until Tommy turns the gun on her. He runs toward her, yelling, “Get the hell out of here!” Seeing Tommy coming at her, gun drawn, the woman drops the basket and runs out, shrieking. The basket crashes to the floor and the cellophane pops open on impact. The contents spill out over the floor, and Tommy has to do some fancy footwork to miss tripping over the items, which is pretty remarkable considering his level of intoxication. But he continues chasing the woman, who gets away before he can reach the door. Muttering a string of expletives, Tommy shuts the door that leads out to the vestibule. He pushes a large display of greeting cards in front of the door, then reaches for another display case, this one smaller…