Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
S.B. Caves | Seven Days. Six Strangers. One Experimental Drug.
Author Guest / July 8, 2024

1–What is the title of your latest release? HONEYCOMB 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Seven Days. Six Strangers. One Experimental Drug. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I really liked the idea of writing something about a bunch of strangers meeting in an old mansion. I thought there was a lot I could do to play around with the setting; the shadows in the corners, the draughty corridors, the cavernous rooms. Plus, there’s something so fun and spooky about the idea of being essentially alone in such a big, unfamiliar place. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I think the problem is, she wouldn’t want to hang around with me! Amanda is a recovering drug addict, but she’s also recovering from the effects of being very famous overnight, and then being banished from the limelight. So she doesn’t trust anyone, and is always on edge. But really all she wants is a hug and to be told she’ll be alright, and I think we’ve probably all felt like that at some point. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Determined, vulnerable, cagey 6–What’s something you learned…

Smashwords Top 20 Bestselling Indie Fiction Books by Units (June 23 – June 29, 2024)
Author Guest / July 5, 2024

Storm by Abbi Glines Nighthawks MC Entire Series by C.J. Pinard The Chase, Book 1, The Steel Pack Alphas Series by Reece Barden Her Wild Cowboy Billionaire, Book 6, Montana Billionaires Series by Cynthia Woolf Banic, Book 1, Alien Berserkers of Izaea Series by Mina Carter Shot Taker, Book 2, King of the Court Series by Piper Lawson The Bodyguard, Book 2, Black Hawke Security Series by Juliette N Banks Molly Molloy & the Angel of Death by Maria Vale No Safe Place by Barbara Ellen Brink The Immortal Relics Books 1-3, Immortal Relics Series by Stephanie Mirro The Perfect Brew Collection, Book 1, Mystic Keep Box Sets by Jo-Ann Carson The Woman by the Lake by Kristen Ashley Steel Wind by Jeff Edwards Sharing Shane by Hannah Murray First Strike – The 21st Spider Shepherd Novel by Stephen Leather Savage, Book 3, Shadows of Fire Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon You’ll Get Yours, Derry Murder Mysteries by Gerald Hansen Her Sexiest Mistake, Book 1, The Sexiest Series by Kaylee Monroe Damaged Mate, Book 1, Immortal Wolf Shifters Series by Nikita Slater The Embalmer, A Steve Jobz Thriller by Vincent Zandri     Each Friday the Smashwords store reports the bestselling…

Tracie Peterson | The lure of Cheyenne
Author Guest / July 5, 2024

1–What is the title of your latest release? A CHOICE CONSIDERED, book 2 in the Heart of Cheyenne series. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Heroine, Melody Doyle is tired of traipsing around following her beloved father from one railroad job to another. She wants to settle in Cheyenne where’s she’s made good friends. Her father is willing to agree to this, but only if she finds a husband first. What’s a girl to do? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It’s part of a series set in Cheyenne, Wyoming (Dakota Territory in my time period which is 1868) Cheyenne is so full of history and it’s really an amazing place to visit. I’d been there many times and thought it was about time to share their story. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely I would hang out with Melody Doyle. She’s so down-to-earth, not at all pretentious and speaks her mind. She loves God completely and has an amazing relationship with her earthly father. She’s quite a special lady. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Melody is confident, enthusiastic, and sensible. 6–What’s something you…

Nicole M. Miller | Saving horses and finding love during wartime
Author Guest / July 5, 2024

1–What is the title of your latest release? UNTIL OUR TIME COMES 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? The German invasion of Poland derails Adia Kensington’s plans to learn from the greatest breeders of Arabian horses in the world but brings a British spy to her aid. Amidst the Blitzkrieg and a tense occupation, the two clash over everything—except their efforts to save the horses. Based on true events. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The story is based on true events in WWII, so the setting came to me because the true story and the unique circumstances became something that I couldn’t let go, and it became a story I just had to write. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely—she’s as horse-obsessed as I am and also cares deeply for the helpless. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Stubborn, hard-working, passionate. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned a lot about Polish history and Polish culture and became quite entranced with the country itself. It’s on my bucket-list to visit Poland and Janów Podlaski (the stables where the book takes place)…

Michelle M. Pillow | Author-Reader Match: MERELY MORTAL
Author Guest / July 4, 2024

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Michelle M. Pillow!   Writes: Looking for a thrilling escape? Meet Michelle M. Pillow, bestselling author who seamlessly blends urban fantasy, romance, and the supernatural. Her latest book, MERELY MORTAL, dives into a world of magic, danger, and forbidden love. Perfect for readers who crave adventure and heartfelt stories. Swipe right to start your next book obsession!   About: Age: Timeless storyteller Occupation: Bestselling Author Location: Worlds beyond your imagination Hey there! I’m Michelle, a lover of all things magical, romantic, and adventurous. By day, I create intricate worlds where supernatural beings roam, and love stories unfold. By night, I sit in my pajamas and watch TV. My latest passion project, Merely Mortal, blends urban fantasy with heart-pounding romance. When I’m not lost in my writing, you can find me traveling, indulging in new experiences, or getting lost in a good book. I’m passionate about crafting tales that transport readers and make them feel deeply connected to the characters.   What I’m looking for…

Kristina Elyse Butke | A half-siren prince must save his family and himself
Author Guest / July 4, 2024

1–What is the title of your latest release? SON OF THE SIREN 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Stardust meets Among the Beasts & Briars with a half-siren prince who must save his family and himself from dark magic born from the seduction of a siren’s song. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I got to make up all the settings in the book, which was so much fun! I knew the story had to take place on the sea, since I was working with sirens, but also, I wanted a magical forest that walked wherever it wanted, and for my lead Lirien to pop up there at random. A lot of these decisions were taken from my time living in Japan, with real-life locations like Yakushima, Takachiho, and Karatsu making appearances in the book, only with fantastical new names. I am so grateful for my time abroad and the inspiration it gave me. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Lirien is such a sweet young man, and I would enjoy meeting him. He cares so deeply about his family and only wants the best for them. Plus,…

Elizabeth Rose | Conversations in Character with Stone Nightstalker
Author Guest / July 4, 2024

Book Title:  CHARMED Character Name:   Stone Nightstalker   How would you describe your family or your childhood? I’d have to say it was great at first. Then it became very sad. And challenging.   What was your greatest talent? I’m a tracker. A bounty hunter actually. I hunt down people and things they’ve stolen. I’m also able to see in the dark.   Significant other? I just met a witch on the other side of a portal. Her name is Persimmon and I hope to get to know her better.   Biggest challenge in relationships? Keeping them. Not many women like being with a man who is constantly in danger and at risk of being killed at every turn.   Where do you live? I come from the land of Taelgonoth, but I fell through a portal and ended up in a magical land called Mura.   Do you have any enemies? Taelgonoth has turned very dark lately. I’ve been busy at work. And with my profession, pretty much everyone I am tracking turns out to be my enemy.   How do you feel about the place where you are now? Is there something you are particularly attached to, or…

Amber Royer | How Family Gives Context to a Character
Author Guest / July 4, 2024

Do any of y’all remember a Sylvester Stallone movie called Stop or My Mom Will Shoot?  It’s everything you’d expect from a early 90s PG-13 action movie, with cheesy, over-the-top situations and tons of camp.  It was a total box-office flop, but it has always stuck with me, because it is a perfect example of how introducing a character’s family immediately changes the viewer (or reader’s) perception of them.  At the beginning of the movie, we see Stallone as a tough in-control cop dealing with a breakup.  His mom (played by the late Estelle Getty of Golden Girls fame, who is an absolute pistol here) comes for a visit to try and cheer him up after a breakup.  She starts by washing his gun, since to her it appears dirty, and once she realizes it’s ruined, she illegally buys him a new one, which gets her involved in a murder investigation.  From the minute she shows up, we see Stallone shift into little-boy mode, unable to push back against the unstoppable force that is his mother, showing a completely different dynamic than in his relationship with almost everyone else around him.  Through the course of the film, he comes to…

Matt and Harrison Query | A diverse group of teens, a remote wilderness, and a sinister truth
Author Guest / July 4, 2024

1–What is the title of your latest release? WILDERNESS REFORM 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A diverse group of teens from around the country find themselves in the remote wilderness – having been sentenced to attend a wilderness reform school for criminally “troubled” youth. Upon their arrival they find that, in addition to the danger attendant to the remote wilderness landscape, there is a sinister truth about this reform camp which will test the limits of their abilities and will to survive. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? These kinds of reform programs for kids on the wrong path – the kind where you’re snatched out of bed and sent away to the mountains for months at a time – were very familiar to us growing up. Our misbehavior was never severe enough to have us sent to a camp like this ourselves – or perhaps we were just better about not getting caught – but we had a lot of friends who dealt with this and came back with stories about these environments and the counselors who run the show. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?…

Alli Frank and Asha Youmans | Conversations in Character with Antonia “Toni” Arroyo
Author Guest / July 3, 2024

Book Title: BOSS LADY Character Name: Antonia “Toni” Arroyo   How would you describe your family or your childhood? My childhood was defined by our tight knit Afro-Puerto Rican family of five and welcoming community events. We had little money so even small affairs at our church and around our neighborhood made big impacts on me. Some of my fondest memories include sitting on the couch trying to keep my younger twin brothers quiet while my parents entertained friends and danced salsa until I thought they’d tap and flick a hole in the living room rug to the music of Martin Santiago. Before my father died, our lives were simple and safe, and I never wanted any material thing more than I wanted the love of mi familia.   What was your greatest talent? Curiosity is my greatest talent. I was a scientist even as a kid, and no one could tell me different. I remained a scientist as an adult even though I didn’t have letters of degree behind my name. Though I was forced to leave college because my family needed me at home, I never lost my sense of wonder and my urge to discover what knowledge…