1–What is the title of your latest release? EDGE OF THE KNOWN WORLD 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Edge of the Known World is a near-future love and adventure story about a brilliant young refugee caught in era when genetic screening tests – like 23And me, or Ancestry.com – make it impossible to hide a secret identity. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The story was always international in scope. I was an economic geography major in college, which gave me a lifelong fascination with the great upheavals and migrations in history, and the impact of those global forces on private lives. The novel puts a very appealing human face on a diaspora and Cold War in a realistic near future. While the story is grounded where I grew up, in San Francisco, it was huge fun to draw on my travels and misadventures in Asia, the (then) Soviet Union, and Russia, as basis for Alex’s journey. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely! We’d laugh all night, cry a little, and definitely get in some trouble. Alex Tashen (23) is a comic and prankster; also empathetic,…

It’s a Wednesday night in 2005. You’re patiently waiting for your favorite TV show to come on because last week’s episode ended on a cliffhanger, and Netflix is still a mail-based DVD rental service. In fact, the word binge is only used in reference to your Cheetos eating habit. You are in your skinny jeans. You don’t even know if they’re cool or not yet, and you’re listening to tunes on your first-generation iPod shuffle filled with songs illegally downloaded from Napster. First up is Gavin DeGraw. His hit I Don’t Want to Be is mainstream famous because it’s the opening credit song for One Tree Hill. However, you listen to the version from the stripped album (an edgy, less produced compliment to the original album that is just Gavin’s raspy tenor and a guitar.) Gavin croons, and you dream about a life with Chad Michael Murray, except it’s the Chad Michael Murray from A Cinderella Story, and you’re getting married in Hillary Duff’s iconic dress—mask and all. Next, you play Hand in My Pocket by Alanis Morissette. You love this song because all your BFFs are into Ironic, so to be ironic, Hand in My Pocket is your jam….

Mr. Nice Guy – Suriel Hess I don’t think anyone expected Jaxon to be who he was, and that’s why this song felt so perfect. In the previous books, we see an arrogant playboy who isn’t interested in settling down and has such a blasé exterior, but it really takes no time at all to realize that our man is hiding a lot of big emotions, fears, and insecurities beneath his mask. Jaxon is, I think, the most beautifully layered character I’ve ever written. There is so much more to him than what he gives the world, and he is truly terrified to let people see and know the real him. This song made my chest hurt the first time I heard it. Not only did it feel like it was made just for Jaxon, but as someone who masks a lot, it hit me hard.   Feel Like This – Ingrid Andress This song feels exactly like Lennon’s internal monologue as she slowly heals from her past relationship and falls in love with Jaxon. She met her ex-fiancé in high school and ignored the little red flags that slowly popped up and took over, turning her excitement over her…

1–What is the title of your latest release? AFTER THE RED CARPET 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? After falling madly in love while on a film set (The Location Shoot), movie star Finn Forrester proposed to philosopher Ella Sinclair on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. Now it’s time to build a life together. Ella moves into Finn’s Beverly Hills mansion and must adjust to his Hollywood world. Can Ella retain her own identity and still love Finn with all her heart? Find out if Ella and Finn live the life they’ve imagined, after the red carpet. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? After the Red Carpet is a follow-up to my novel The Location Shoot. At the end of that book Ella and Finn decide to build a life together in Los Angeles so that dictated the setting. I do love to mix it up though, so I found a way to get them to London for one of my favorite parts of the book. That was a bonus for me as I traveled to London to do research. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real…

1–What is the title of your latest release? FUREVER AFTER 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Kathleen Paulson is busy running the library and planning her upcoming wedding to Detective Marcus Gordon when early one morning she discovers the body of a past nemesis in the library. It seems he was trying to steal one of the paintings hanging near the checkout desk. Kathleen can’t imagine what the dead man wanted with it. But then an art history expert called in by the police identifies the watercolor as a piece that was stolen in a high-profile art heist. With some help from Owen and Hercules, her very clever cats with some very unique skills, Kathleen works to catch a killer before she ends up painted into a corner. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? This book is part of a series. They’re all set in Mayville Heights, Minnesota. Mayville Heights is very loosely inspired by Red Wing, Minnesota. By chance I found a video tour online about Red Wing and fell in love with the place. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would. Kathleen is a loyal friend….

1–What is the title of your latest release? MEET THE PARENTS   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? After falling in love with her boyfriend Owen, Gina visits his parents, where she learns that they hide a secret just as dark as hers.   3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Secluded settings where nobody can hear you scream are my favorite. Growing up in Western North Carolina, I’ve spent my fair share of time in secluded, wooded areas, and I knew immediately this story would work well in a location like that. It was really fun imagining this gorgeous house deep in the woods by itself and letting the story flow from there.   4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Oof, that’s a tough one. I think I would, I’d just always be very careful not to make her think I slighted her in any way.   5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Driven. Focused. Enraged.   6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned how many wonderful female rage revenge songs there are on Spotify! I have a great playlist of songs that…

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 Olesya Salnikova Gilmore!   Writes: Speculative historical fiction inspired by Eastern European history and folklore. I love to blend the supernatural with the real to create largely true-to-life stories that reflect my Russian heritage and have a dash of the magical or the ghostly, sometimes both. THE HAUNTING OF MOSCOW HOUSE is a gothic horror tale set in post-revolutionary Moscow, in which two formerly aristocratic sisters race to uncover their family’s long-buried secrets in a house now haunted by a past dangerous—and deadly—to remember.   About: I am a mama/wife/author/ex-lawyer living in deep suburbia but dreaming about exotic locales where I like to set my books and make my characters mostly miserable. I love: last minute travel to places I had no idea I wanted to go to; taking walks along the lake while my toddler daughter speeds by on her scooter, screaming for mommy to run; all the art projects with my daughter, though I get major OCD with some of her more…

Remy & The Wildcat, Book 7, The Wolf’s Mate Generations by R.E. Butler Alpha’s Rejected Mate, Book 22, The Alpha Shifter Collection by Sam Crescent Secrets of the Lost Ledgers, Book 5, The Glass Library Series by C.J. Archer Buying the Omega, Book 2, The Sanctuary Series by Jade Marshall A Sister’s Amish Courtship by Jennifer (J.E.B.) Spredemann A Grave Affair (Fox Point Files #2) by Emma Hart Belinda’s Doctor, Book 2, Love on the Oregon Trail by Mildred Colvin Homicide at the Hotel by Kelly Hashway Cinder’s Trial, Book 2, Fairytale Bureau Series by Eve Langlais Lexie by F. Paul Wilson     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…

Hard to Take, Book 2, Denver Kodiaks Series by Piper Lawson Cowboy Confidential Five Book Collection, Book 6, Cowboy Confidential Series by Lori Wilde Twisted Therapist, Book 1, Dominating Desires Series by Mahi Mistry The Bear Claw Tales (Book 1-4) by C.D. Gorri Impulse Control by Becca Vale The Housemaid by Sarah A. Denzil Regi’s Crew, Book 3, Gods of Misfortune Series by Lyn Gala A Soldier Finds His Way, Book 1, Forever a Soldier Series by Irene Onorato August, Book 2, Chosen Few Series by Samantha Wilde Our Chance, Book 33, Curvy Women Wanted Series by Sam Crescent Timeborne, Blade Of Shadows Series by Sara Samuels Diamond Kisses, Book 4, Jewelry Box Series by Pepper Winters Tangled Webs, Book 2, Acts Of Misfortune Series by Stephen John Loved by the Alpha, Book 2, The Alpha King’s Breeder Series by Bella Moondragon A Novel Way to Die, Book 6, A Bookish Cafe Mystery Series by Harper Lin Ruining the Rake, Book 5, Wright Bastards Series by Amy Sandas To Yield to a Highlander, Book 3, The Sutherlands of Dornoch Series by Callie Hutton The Daunting Greystoke, Book 1, The Brothers Greystoke Series by Samanthya Wyatt Trident Security Series, Book 6,…

1–What is the title of your latest release? HOUR OF SURRENDER 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? An ex-CIA agent falls in love and must return to the service he’d left in order to protect her from a vengeful enemy. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It takes place in Pasadena, California, which is my hometown. The house featured in the story actually inspired it – a very old Mission Revival that was overgrown and gorgeous. It was fun to give that old home new life – even if it was fictional! 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Oh, absolutely. I don’t write characters that I wouldn’t want to either be best friends with or marry. I’ve left my husband many a time for a fictional hero. He’s used to it by now. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Loyal, handsome, dangerous 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Surprisingly, I learned a lot about architecture and the particular style of the house. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? Edit as I draft – that way, when I’m…