They call it the “Paris of the East”, and for very good reason. The states of Eastern Europe often get a bad rep for their cold and stark, communist-era landscape, but the Hungarian capital of Budapest is truly a shining jewel among the granite. You only have to walk down its wide Parisian-style boulevards, with icing-on-the-cake décor on the pre-20th century buildings, to appreciate its draw, alongside the opulent (and very beneficial) thermal spas. And oh! The coffee shops – old-style kavehas that have entertained dignitaries, dissidents, royalty and tourists for centuries. Not to mention a good many spies. You’ll guess by now that I’m a firm fan of this city dating back to the Roman and Ottoman eras; my first visit to Budapest was as a tourist well over ten years ago, bowled over as I was then by the stunning spas and cafes, plus the blunt contrast of Soviet-influenced statues chipped into municipal buildings. In certain places, you can still see bullet holes from wartime and the peoples’ uprising of 1956, swiftly crushed by the ruling Russians. It’s a city of two halves, not least because it’s spliced by the beautiful river Danube, which is not actually blue,…

By scheduling vacation during the summer, we speed up the shortest season. Of course, the weather is nicer, and the kids are out of school, so it makes sense. But Memorial Day to the Fourth of July to Labor Day seems like three weeks. Taking a week to ourselves is a tight squeeze. Many years ago, a man my father worked with owned a cottage on a lake in Wisconsin. He loaned it to us and we eight would stay for a week. My mom would buy groceries and make all our meals, just like home. There weren’t enough bedrooms, so my brothers slept on the open-air porch. They woke up to many chilly mornings. The lake was cold too, so we rarely went in the water. Our dog loved it. I didn’t know she could swim. I dug up a lot of sand on the beach and built leaning castles.  I trekked quite a bit of sand back to the house too. Those were my main activities. I was a city kid. Without streetlights and traffic, those nights were so dark, making a perfect contrast between the dazzling moon and the stars. They glowed and fascinated me. Still a…

Welcome back to Jen’s Jewels, where I uncover the reads that will keep you turning pages long into the night. Today’s spotlight is on ENTER THE NIGHTMARE by Jayne Castle – a thrilling blend of paranormal suspense, danger, and sizzling chemistry. With a mysterious hotel, missing memories, deadly secrets, and a heroine fighting to reclaim her life, this Harmony novel pulls you into a dark and electrifying world where nightmares don’t just haunt you… they come alive. LIGHTNING ROUND What’s your favorite way to spend a slow July afternoon?Reading a Gothic novel with a glass of cold iced tea. If your main character could plan the perfect summer getaway, where would they go?Illusion Town on Harmony. Think, Las Vegas, only seriously weirder. What’s one thing that instantly helps you slip into a creative mindset?Boredom. If I’m bored, I start plotting. THE SUMMER SPARK What was the very first image, line, or idea that sparked this book?A dust bunny, a dead body and an antiquities thief at a classy reception. What could possibly go wrong? Tell us about a scene that changed significantly from your first draft to your final version. What made you rethink it?In the story, the hero and…

What is the title of your latest release?THE LOST CHATEAU What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?A Chateau reveals its secrets: stories of forbidden love, devastating betrayal, and a child who vanished years ago. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?The Dordogne in France is a timeless region packed with Chateaux dripping with historical secrets. During a visit there I knew it would be the perfect place to set my story of love, moral dilemma, and mystery. Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?Absolutely. I always feel as if I am hanging out with my characters as I write, and I miss them when a book is finished. It would be fun to gather the heroines from all my books and sit them down with me, plus a few bottles of wine, good food, music. Let the conversation flow! What are three words that describe your heroine?Brave, passionate, resilient. What’s something you learned while writing this book?That female resilience is a consistent theme in my novels and this one is no exception. Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?I do a bit of both as…

Each Friday the Smashwords store reports the bestselling indie fiction titles based on the previous week’s sales. If an author has more than one title eligible for the list, only the highest performing title will be included. This ensures high-performing titles receive the accolades they deserve, while providing up-and-coming authors the visibility they have earned. Don’t miss Monday’s Top 10 Hot Preorders List, where Smashwords will provide a list of the most highly anticipated ebook preorders.

What is the title of your latest release?My latest release is MURDER AT HADDONFORD MANOR, the first book in the Charlotte Reinford Mysteries series. What’s the “elevator pitch” for MURDER AT HADDONFORD MANOR?MURDER AT HADDONFORD MANOR is a classic British-style cozy mystery about Charlotte Reinford, a young woman who leaves the convent where she grew up for a position at a grand country estate. But her new beginning quickly turns dangerous when secrets, lies, and murder disturb the quiet world of Haddonford Manor, drawing Charlotte into a mystery where everyone seems to be hiding something. How did you decide to start writing a cozy mystery? Did you immediately envision it as a series?I have loved mysteries since childhood, especially stories with family secrets and questions no one can easily answer. When I began writing MURDER AT HADDONFORD MANOR, I was drawn to the cozy mystery tradition because I wanted to create a story with suspense, atmosphere, character, and a sense of comfort. At first, I did not think of the book as a series. I simply wanted to tell Charlotte Reinford’s story. But as I continued writing, I realized that Charlotte’s past could not be fully revealed in one book….

What is the title of your latest release?THEN HE WAS GONE What’s the “elevator pitch” for THEN HE WAS GONE?It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. Six-year-old Henry goes missing at the end of a family hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. Is he lost in the park? Or has he been kidnapped? His parents don’t know which would be worse as they are pushed to their breaking point in a desperate search for their son. How did you decide to write this book from multiple viewpoints?Some years ago, I wrote a few paragraphs in a child’s voice describing a family hike in the mountains for an assignment in a writing class. Much later, I woke up in the middle of the night thinking that that story was about a child who goes missing at the end of the hike. So, I started with the child’s voice but knowing that the novel couldn’t be told entirely from his viewpoint, it seemed natural to switch to the mother in the next chapter. And it just went from there. Would you hang out with any of your protagonists in real life? Which one are you most like? Elizabeth or Paul? Or Nick or Henry?I…

Political fantasy romance understands that love is never just love when crowns are involved. A kiss can shift an alliance. A wedding can end a war or start one. A private betrayal can become a public disaster by dawn. These are romances where the stakes sit at the council table as much as the bedside, and every vow carries the weight of land, bloodline, duty, and history. That is what makes the trope so addictive. The lovers are not only asking, “Do I want you?” They are asking, “What happens to my people if I choose you?” Power sharpens longing because desire has consequences. Oaths become romantic and dangerous at once. Crowns turn intimacy into strategy. The best books in this space do not make politics a backdrop; they make it the pressure that reveals who the characters really are. THE INADEQUATE HEIR by Danielle L. Jensen Zarrah is a soldier, a general, and the heir to an empire shaped by a brutal, endless war. She has been raised to hate the Maridrinians, to see them as the source of her country’s suffering, and to believe that vengeance and justice are close enough to share a blade. Then she meets…

What is the title of your latest release?SECRETS IN THE SAND, Book 2 in the Turtle Island Mysteries series How did you decide where your book was going to take place?Picture Tabby Island, GA. I love it there. It is the perfect setting for cozy mysteries. Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?I would most certainly hang out with Grace. She is the friend that would charge in to back you up and ask questions later. Don’t let her polished exterior fool you. She will kick those heels to the curb in a heartbeat and isn’t afraid of a “little dirt”. What are three words that describe your hero?Intelligent. Loyal. Nosy. What’s something you learned while writing this book?The characters have a way of directing the story. Where the story landed wasn’t always according to the outline. That’s part of what makes writing so unexpected. A writer experiences a rollercoaster of emotions – highs and lows – that make you both giddy and sick to your stomach at the same time. Grace’s stories are no different. I learned I am loving the cozy mystery environment just as much as the contemporary romance. Do you edit as you…

In my new book, UNSEASONABLY COLD, A socialite who writes a well-known column disappears without a trace. (An elevator is not a good place to make a pitch.) The story is first told by her best friend who had lunch with her that day and is the last known person to have seen Jane. I wanted to write about grief, loss, irreplaceable friendships. (I wish there was music in this elevator to illustrate my mood). Secrets. Scandal, Betrayal, Police Investigation. Front Page News. And oddly 1939 is very much like today, between the crazy divisions of wealth and power, fear of pending war, religious differences. And the front we all put up is a mirror of the facade many of Jane’s friends and family put up to try to hide their fear and maintain a veneer of uprightness, while underneath they’re terrified and anguished. Was Jane’s husband having an affair? Was Jane? Are there true suspects? As more comes out, almost everyone has a secret….including Liza….It gets dark…it’s also a love story. (The elevator door pings. We’re on the 14th floor. The doors open. Time to get out.) Tell me, yes, please. To my new book, UNSEASONABLY COLD. Thanks for…