1–What is the title of your latest release? THE BOOKLOVER’S LIBRARY 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of books that brings them together 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The Booklover’s Library is set in Nottingham, England, which not only offers a different landscape than London, but has a system of caves beneath the city, which helped shelter Nottingham’s residents during air raids. The city is also where the first Booklover’s Library opened. The Booklover’s Library was a real place – a lending library set inside the Boots’ Chemists all throughout England. This was during the time of the marriage bar (when women had to quit their jobs when they married), and the women who worked as librarians in the Booklover’s Libraries loved their jobs so much, they had longer engagements than any other profession! When I found that out and read about their many quirky customers (many who inspired characters in this book), I knew I had to set this story in Nottingham, in the flagship store for the Booklover’s Library. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in…

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 Aurora Palit!   Writes: fun, compelling romance full of laughter, hope, and big love. Aurora adores tender, romantic moments and banter as a love language, and her debut, SUNSHINE AND SPICE, has plenty of both: when two complete opposites agree to fake date in order to solve their cultural dilemmas, they find the only force more powerful than an immigrant mother’s matchmaking schemes might just be true love.   About: Swipe right if you can handle a dessert-obsessed South Asian Canadian who loves dancing, apologizing (it’s the Canadian way), Caribbean music, and travelling (unique architecture makes me swoon). I also like unhinged humor (think Parks and Recreation), books with spice, elastic waistbands, delicious one pot recipes, and impulsive decisions at the hair salon that turn out right. Let’s skip the small talk and dive into meaningful conversations about Bridgerton, millennial trauma, and how the world needs more happily ever afters.   You’ll love SUNSHINE AND SPICE if you’re into: opposites attract a grumpy hero…

1–What is the title of your latest release? Fast & Reckless   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Six years ago, Mira made a mistake that forced her exile from the world of Formula One. Now she’s back as her father’s assistant and determined to make up for the past. Will, the talented new driver for her father’s team, flamed out early in his career and is battling his way back to the top. He’s the last man Mira should want, but giving in to their undeniable attraction could spell disaster for both of them.   3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Formula One is an international sport, with every race taking place in a different country. It sets the stage all on its own!   4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Oh, for sure. She and I would probably be great work friends. We’re both hyper-organized and take everything way too seriously.   5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Determined, hard-working, and vulnerable   6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Oh, what didn’t I learn? Formula One is a highly technical sport. There…

1–What is the title of your latest release? HOW TO HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? The runaway youngest child of a big, wealthy, dysfunctional family returns to their private island for a wedding and is forced to reckon with the family she left behind, the OCD that has plagued her since childhood, and a first love she thought long over. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I based it on an area where my family spent a lot of time when I was growing up. It’s a part of Ontario that’s close to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful and magical places in the world. And I chose to set it on a remote island because it is a location the main character cannot escape—which is exactly how she feels about her own mind. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I already do! Eliot’s brain is my brain, and I’m forced to hang out with my brain all day long—for better or for worse. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Creative, afraid, loving…

1–What is the title of your latest release? NEGATIVE GIRL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Former punk-turned-PI Martin Wade and his hipster assistant, Valerie Jacks, have to each reckon with their brutal pasts when the daughter of Martin’s old bandmate is found dead in the river. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The earliest drafts took place in New York City, similar to my first novel, The Big Rewind. But I found that the city couldn’t give me the atmosphere I really needed to make the book sing, so I relocated it to Perrine, a fictional city in Upstate NY, where the characters had a little more room to maneuver and breathe. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely! I’d probably bug Martin with all my questions about his past life as a musician, and Valerie just seems like she’d be really fun to have tacos with. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? For Martin: Stoic, smart, charming. For Valerie: Loyal, scrappy, intuitive. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Patience! I wrote The Big Rewind, in eight months while working full time.  Negative…

Who is most likely to adopt a stray animal? Lupé has a soft spot for the overlooked and unwanted. She can see in people what others can’t and is always willing to give a second chance and. A little extra TLC to those who need it most.   Which character is most likely to join a protest for a cause they believe in? Zoë is a staunch feminist and would absolutely be at the front of the crowds fighting for what she believes in.   Who’s most likely to host an epic girls’ night with a surprise twist? As the sorority queen bee, Priscilla is the perfect cocktail of organization, charisma and has a special talent for making everyone feel like the life of the party.   Who is the ultimate problem-solver when it comes to drama or dilemmas? Chanel is a quick thinker. She can pull a solution out of thin air, no matter what kind of chaos or hot mess the squad gets into.   Who’s most likely to pull off an epic prank that no one saw coming? Val has the kind of creative brainwaves that no one can predict.   Who’s known for being the life…

A Tempest of Thieves, Book 2, Tempest of Shadows by Brenda K. Davies Beauty’s Beasts, Book 4, Fiercely Filthy Fairy Tales by Calista Jayne Salvation, Book 6, The Draax Series by Elizabeth Kelly Lily of the Valley by Megan Derr Buying the Omega, Book 2, The Sanctuary Series by Jade Marshall A Sister’s Amish Courtship by Jennifer (J.E.B.) Spredemann The Absent Sculptor by G R Jordan Cooper by Sandra Alex Revenge at the Rodeo by Jamie L. Adams Nobody Loves an Incubus by Dylan James     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.

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 Caroline Woods!   Writes: Historical mysteries with strong female protagonists, perfect for fans of Ariel Lawhon. My latest is a dark and cozy historical thriller with a hint of witchiness, arriving just in time for fall. The Mesmerist is based on a salacious true crime that happened in Minneapolis in 1894. It’s up to three women at the Bethany Home for Unwed Mothers—also based on a real place—to catch the killer.   About: I’m Caroline, age 41, and I live near Chicago, Illinois. I love cuddling up with great fiction in a mashup of genres, especially historical fiction that incorporates mystery, sci-fi, or time travel, which is probably why the books I write can best be described as “historical fiction with a twist.” I also enjoy taking long walks to the library to pick up my holds and visiting the dunes and beaches along Lake Michigan.   My ideal reader MUST love: Strong female characters and women helping women Mysticism and illusion: think Sarah…

Hi friend, and welcome to Spark, Tennessee. I’m Vern Jarvis and I’ll be showing you around today. Let’s start our walk at the south end of Market Street with the Curly Q beauty shop. Most of the ladies in Spark stop in for a wash and set every week. Now that Queenie has hired Evangeline, there can be two chairs’ worth of what I call visiting and others might call gossiping going on. Next door is my shop, Jarvis Emporium. It’s a this ‘n that shop where you can pick up what you need without having to make the hour-long drive into Nashville. Over there is Strickland’s Drugstore, run by Shorty Strickland. He’s got the usual medications and tonics, but he has a great collection of greeting cards. He thinks he’s pretty funny, so if you want a birthday card with the hind end of a donkey on it, or a get-well-soon card with a person wrapped up like a mummy, that’s where you should go. Shorty’s got a heart of gold though, and will run a prescription out to your house if you’re too sick to come in. That’s the Tennessee Farmers Bank on the corner, and now we’re…

Welcome to the party! Is there anywhere more thrilling than New York City smack dab in the middle of 1920s? You’d think Prohibition would make it difficult to get a cocktail, but truthfully, the bar scene became a lot more lively when drinking went underground. I’m Minnie, the owner of Minnie’s Speakeasy, and I’d love to show you around some of my favorite places in New York City. First a safety note: Make sure you don’t stray from my tour. The streets of the Lower East Side are run by gangs and if you walk down the wrong street, you’ll be emptying your pockets to the neighborhood goons. Are you hungry? Let’s stop by Moskowitz’s Roumanian at 219 Second Avenue. This is Joseph Moskowitz’s original restaurant, and if you’re lucky, he’ll be playing his cymbalom that night. (Confession: I didn’t know what a cymbalom was until my boyfriend took me to the restaurant on our first date. Imagine a table with strings pulled across the top. The player uses two sticks to make the most beautiful music. You can see a cymbalom here.) Keep your eyes open: You might spy Charlie Chaplin or Captain Dupont enjoying a Roumanian tenderloin steak…