FreshFiction asked why my heroes often lose their moral compass or, in the case of my latest novel, SCOUT’S HONOR, have it ripped from them by outrageous fate. In Scout’s, young Eddie Kawadsky is a straight A student—Annapolis bound—until he loses everything, his parents, his home, and his place in the world. Forced to live in his van, he is seduced into crime. The tale is at heart, one of redemption, of Eddie’s struggle to regain his sense of honor, of his finding the strength to atone for his sins through the love of a good and noble woman. But why do I write about characters who make immoral choices? Because the truth is that at some point in our lives, we all do. Have you ever met a true saint? Many years ago, a cynical old friend scoffed, “People are as moral as they can afford to be.” He was referring to a friend who had deeply disappointed him, a business partner whose financial collapse had revealed his moral bankruptcy. In Les Miserable, Jean Valjean is imprisoned for stealing bread to feed his sister’s starving children. Upon his release from prison 19 years later, Jean promptly steals a bishop’s…

1–What is the title of your latest release? BODIES TO DIE FOR 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? The body image war is moving offline – And fit girls are dying. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Originally, I had it set at a local bodybuilding show. But then to up the stakes, I moved it to the biggest bodybuilding show of all, the Olympia, which was in Orlando, FL at the time that I wrote BODIES TO DIE FOR (it’s bounced between Orlando and Las Vegas recently). 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I actually have two protagonists: bikini bodybuilder, Gemma, and diet culture dropout, Ashley. And yes, I would love to hang out with them! This was important to me since they essentially took up residence in my head for a few years. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Gemma: Fit, insecure, driven. Ashley: Fat, frustrated, smart. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That, by my estimate, writing the book is 1/6 of getting a book traditionally published. Here’s what I think the breakdown is: 1/6: Write, rewrite, and polish the manuscript as much as you can on…

SEAL’s Sunset, Book 2, Alpha SEALs Hawaii Series by Makenna Jameison Sizzling by Abbi Glines The Savage King, Book 3, The Dark Kings of NYC Series by Juliette N Banks Wild Card by Alexa Riley Paper Crafts Club Mystery Box Set Book 1-3 by Emily Selby A Scot’s Pride, Book 1, Distinguished Scots Series by Eliza Knight Appointment in Bath, Book 4, Somerset Stories by Mimi Matthews The Shadow Sorceress Books 1-3 by Bilinda Sheehan Little Stolen Memories, Book 9, Georgiana Germaine Series by Cheryl Bradshaw His Sacrifice, Book 3, Banachi Family Series by Winter Travers The Burnett Brides Box Set Books 1-3 by Sylvia McDaniel His Secret Son: A Romance Mystery by Jacqueline Diamond Shitamachi Scam by Michael Pronko A Little Hotel in Cornwall (Books 1-8) by Laura Briggs The Sunshine Court, Book 4, All for the Game Series by Nora Sakavic Handfasted to the Bear, Book 2, Reformed Rogues Series by Elina Emerald Highlander The Conqueror, Book 3, Blood & Honor Highland Trilogy by Donna Fletcher The Haven Island Series Complete Box Set by Isabel Jolie The Witch Collector, Book 1, Witch Walker Series by Charissa Weaks Guided by the Giant by Evangeline Anderson     Each Friday…

1–What is the title of your latest release? SERENDIPITY 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A group of friends decide to rent a share house in Ocean Beach, Fire Island for three weekends over the course of one summer. Drama ensues! 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? After setting my debut novel in the titular community of Kismet, Fire Island, I knew that I wanted my second book to be a return to the beach. Fire Island is actually comprised of seventeen different, distinct towns, and while I spend the majority of my summertime in Kismet with my husband’s family, I had a very memorable experience in Ocean Beach in 2018, when my friends and I rented a share house in that buzzy, renter-friendly community a few towns down, for three weekends over one summer. When it came time to write Serendipity, I immediately had the idea to use those three weekends as a three-act structure for a friend group novel. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes! My protagonist Maggie and I have a lot of similarities: we both hate showing up anywhere empty handed, can find…

Scott Fitzgerald is quoted as saying to Ernest Hemingway, “You know the rich are different from you and me.”  Novels, movies, and streaming series are often focused on the rich and powerful.  As a reader I almost always enjoy them. Their characters lead lives we dream of.  They often face “first world” problems: “Darling, the maid quit without giving notice!” or “I can’t possibly wear that old Dior gown to the party.  Everybody saw it at the Metropolitan Ball.”  We folks may fantasize about those challenges, maybe even envy them, but then return to figuring out how to pay for the new furnace. Often the problems faced by the wealthy can and are solved with money.  Hire a new maid.  Buy a new dress at Neiman-Marcus.  But in the best stories they inevitably face problems that wealth alone cannot solve: betrayal, infidelity, scandal, and reputational ruin.  They’re often ill prepared to deal with their own “real world” problems.  Simply writing a check doesn’t work! Wealth, power, betrayal and romance are powerful themes that intrigue and satisfy readers.  Those elements combined with the story of a rich family in turmoil can make the narrative all but irresistible. That prompted me to begin writing the five-book Feldman Family saga well before the launch of the hit series Succession, which…

1–What is the title of your latest release? DEAR DOTTY 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? In DEAR DOTTY, Rosie Benson is giving adulthood her best shot – with mixed results. She tries to please her (controlling) mother, keep up with her (over-achieving) brother and (workaholic) best friend, and pretend that she doesn’t hate selling software at a trendy start-up. When her life unravels, Rosie turns to her great aunt Dotty, a globetrotting, martini-swilling, pug-toting octogenarian for support. But then Dotty dies, and Rosie is left to pick up the pieces all on her own. As she learns more about how Dotty lived through a series of emails from her many friends, Rosie starts to think that maybe there’s more than one right way to be an adult. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I spent the majority of my twenties in San Francisco – it’s where I figured out how to be an adult (well, mostly) so it only felt natural to share that experience with my protagonist, Rosie. Rosie is twenty-four and has a lot to figure out. If you’re feeling a little lost, San Francisco is a great place…

1–What is the title of your latest release? IN A DARK MIRROR 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Lana and Maddie form a friendship with Sage, a new girl in their neighborhood, but Sage has no idea that they intend to lure her into the woods as a sacrifice to Him. Ten years later, after being released from a psychiatric institution, Maddie tries to piece her life back together but finds herself at risk of falling back into delusion when she joins an online community for fans of her crime. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The plot of the book was inspired by a real-life crime, so I knew I wanted to change the setting as a clear signal to readers that this is a work of fiction. I decided to set it in the Maryland suburbs where I grew up because I felt I could write about that setting in an authentic way that drew from my own experiences. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Probably not. In real life, I think I would be scared of Maddie. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?…

Ormonde came to a stop before her, and the breath in Tessa’s lungs became stuck. Was he here to gloat? For that was certainly triumph singing in his summer-blue eyes. Was he… oh… was he here to claim his one night? As the Duchess of Acaster began to make introductions, Tessa interrupted. “The marquess and I are acquainted.” The duchess’s eyebrows looked as if they would lift off her forehead as her gaze flicked back and forth between Tessa and Ormonde. She was adding one and one together and clearly arriving at two. And the subtle smile curved about Ormonde’s mouth… It held more than triumph. Arrogance. One would expect as much from a victor. But his smile held something else, too—something solely for her. Determination. If she’d harbored the slender hope that he would forgive her debt without claiming it, like a gentleman should, all such hope was immediately dashed. Then he bowed, pivoted, and strode away. Was that a swagger she detected in his step? Who was this Marquess of Ormonde? “You’re acquainted with the marquess?” Tessa realized she was staring at the back of the man. Or, more accurately, the backside of the man. My, but he…

1–What is the title of your latest release? IN THE HOUR OF CROWS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A woman in Appalachia can talk the death out of the dying and she uses her gift to solve the murder of her cousin. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? My stories usually have a Southern setting. It comes natural to me since I was born and raised in Tennessee. When I started researching Appalachian folklore, I knew the mountains was where I wanted to set my story. But the Appalachian Mountains sprawl up the east coast, hitting twelve states. Narrowing down to just one was a little harder. Even as a native Tennessean, Georgia felt more right for the story. The towns I write about are always fictitious, loosely based on a certain area I’ve focused on. The same goes for this book: “Black Fern, Georgia. Where death shrouds with a heavy hand.” 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? If I were in my twenties, I think I would. I didn’t smoke weed or drink whiskey at twenty-three like my main character, but I had friends who were…

Top 10 Secret Fears of a New Bride For many years, I owned a bridal boutique where I designed custom-made dresses in a quaint studio. The serene atmosphere often prompted soul-searching and, consequently, many tears were shed. I’ve been told I have that effect on people. Designing, cutting, sewing, and fittings all occurred in a tranquil environment where I spent most of my time listening. Choosing a dress was an important decision, but there were also many other concerns that sometimes surprised me. I spent so much tie listening, that I learned a great deal about the human spirit, even during what was supposed to be the happiest moment of someone’s life. I learned more than I ever expected and eventually figured out the best advice to allay those fears. Here, I’ll start with the most common and count down to the most surprising.   Mother-In-Laws There was no greater bone of contention than the worry of satisfying a future mom-in-law in choosing the right dress. The stress of wanting to be accepted is universal. The dress is the primary representation of where styles will clash. Many times, I’ve seen both mother and mothers-in-law attend the design and fitting discussion….