Book Title: IN OUR STARS Character Name:  Lieutenant Selene Genji   How would you describe your family or your childhood?     My childhood was hell.  My only real family was my mother, before she was murdered when I was seventeen because she was my mother.  Everyone else treated me as an alien on my own world.  Because in some ways I am.   What was your greatest talent?  Maybe survival.  I should have died a long time ago.  But I keep fighting.  Is that a talent?  Or is it that my mother’s guidance (and that of Marcus Aurelius) has helped me maintain my humanity despite everything?  And despite all of those who claim I’m not human at all?   Significant other?  I…don’t know.  Maybe?  There was never anyone before.  Not for an alloy like me.  But he says it’s real.  Kayl says he won’t leave.  Impossible.  But…maybe?   Biggest challenge in relationships?  I’m an alloy.  Mostly human, but with some alien DNA inserted through genetic engineering before I was born.  I can’t hide that.  Everyone knows I’m different.  Those who don’t fear me because of it are usually still…wary.   Where do you live?  Nowhere, really.  After my mother was murdered,…

Samurai Squadron III: Spinward Fringe Broadcast 20 by Randolph Lalonde Duchess of a Distant Realm, Book 5, Brotherhood of Blood – Wildwood Series by Bianca D’Arc A Reaper’s Secret by Sam Crescent Guided by the Giant by Evangeline Anderson My Enemy’s Boyfriend Book 2 The Seven by Linda Kage Road Trips, Blue Skies & Dead Guys, Book 10, Gianna Mancini Mysteries by Jennifer Fischetto Stormsworn by Eric Asher Interference by L. A. Witt Storms and Crones, Book 5, Dragon Thief Series by Mac Flynn Against the Run of Play by Kiru Taye   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…

The fictional town of Lost Beach is the backdrop for four of the books in the bestselling Texas Murder Files series, including LIAR’S POINT. Lost Beach is inspired by South Padre Island, a barrier island at the southernmost tip of Texas. I spent many summers on the Texas coast—beachcombing, crabbing, and playing in the waves with my sisters. It’s such a unique place, and I love incorporating the sights, tastes, and sounds of this setting in my stories.   Here are some of my favorite places in the Texas Murder Files novels, along with the real-life locations that inspired them. Lighthouse Point LIAR’S POINT opens with a chilling scene as a jogger discovers a body on the windy tip of the island, known as Lighthouse Point. This dramatic location features prominently in multiple Texas Murder Files books, including FLIGHT (when Miranda is trapped in the burning lighthouse) and MIDNIGHT DUNES (when Macey confronts the murderer). This fictional location is inspired by the Port Isabel Lighthouse, built in 1852, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Tourists who climb the 75 steps to the top will get a beautiful view of Laguna Madre and South Padre Island.   The…

Charlie Parker Mysteries Boxed Set (Books 1-4) by Connie Shelton The Taming of a Highlander, Book 2, Midnight in Scotland Series by Elisa Braden Gone Guest, Book 6, The Murder Mystery Book Club Series by C.A. Larmer The Spectre Series Box Set (Books 1-4) by C.W. Lemoine The Mistake, Book 3, Volkov Bratva Series by Sam Crescent Dagger, Book 1, Vegas MMA Series by S.L. Sterling He’s All In by Alexa Riley All for You, Book 5, Rocktown Ink Series by Sherilee Gray The Sunshine Court, Book 4, All for the Game Series by Nora Sakavic Jett, Book 1, Shadow Ops Team Series by Makenna Jameison Trident Security Series, Book 3, Trident Security Series: A Special Collection by Samantha Cole Enticing the Devil, Book 2, Wright Bastards Series by Amy Sandas Nora Black Midlife Psychic Cozy Mysteries Books 1-3, Nora Black Midlife Psychic Mysteries Collections by Renee George Desk Job, Book 2, London Menage Series by Lily Harlem ELITE Damnit, Guardian Elite Series by KaLyn Cooper The Moment They Can’t Forget, Book 2, The Duke Brothers Series by Lani Blake Alien Inventor’s Mate, Book 3, Latharian Mate Program Series by Mina Carter My Fair Bluestocking, Book 3, Inconvenient Brides Series…

1–What is the title of your latest release? LAVASH AT FIRST SIGHT 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Two women fall for each other at a food packaging conference only to realize that their parents are mortal enemies, owning rival Armenian food businesses. The two women, along with their nosy, scrutinous parents, are pitted against each other in a competition at the conference to win an ad in the Superbowl. Their attraction to each other and the stakes of the competition keep ratcheting up and up until it’s absolutely boiling. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I lived in Chicago for a year and fell so deeply in love with it. I knew I wanted to set a book in the Second City, and this idea for the big conference came to me. I went to ALA in Chicago at McCormick Place one year for work, so the idea of a food packagers conference being set there came to mind. The book is infused with tons of Chicago adoration from this West Coast lifer. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? By the end of the book, yes definitely!…

1–What is the title of your latest release? TIRED LADIES TAKE A STAND 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? During one unforgettable year in their twenties, best friends Emma, Fern, Carolina, and Andi make a pact to embrace whatever life throws at them, inspiring Fern to write a memoir detailing their escapades and the magical power of saying Yes. But fast forward twenty years, and they have reached their bandwidth of responsibilities, and must finally commit themselves to learning to say no. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Much of the book was inspired by the real-life “year of yes” my friends and I undertook in our twenties. It was the late nineties, and we were living in San Francisco, starting our careers, dating and breaking up, and simply trying to make our way through the world as young women. One night, probably over cocktails, we decided we’d had enough of waiting for good things to come our way and made a pact to say yes to adventure, regardless of the form. At bars, we bought the cute guys drinks. We took new risks at work. We traveled. We danced. We lived one…

Book Title: THE SONG OF SOURWOOD MOUNTAIN by Ann H. Gabhart Character Name: Ada June Barton   Why hello, we weren’t expecting someone so young to come tell us about the story of Sourwood Mountain, but welcome. Tell us your name and how old are you? I’m Ada June Barton. I’m ten going on eleven. Miss Mira asked me to come talk to you. I told her you asked for her and that you might be a little sore when I showed up instead. But she’s pretty busy right now getting things ready for school to open. I wanted to help her out even though I don’t know if anybody anywhere would be all that interested in me, but I guess I can tell you about the folks in Sourwood if’n that’s what you are wanting to know. Everybody knows everybody in Sourwood and most everything about them. I reckon there are some things I don’t know about, but could be you won’t ask about them things.   Now you have us curious, but if you want, we can stick with easy questions. What about your family? Can you talk about that? That’s some complicated and is part of those…

Byline: Nicki Clark, OutwardBound   Hey there, adventure enthusiasts! OutwardBound’s Nicki Clark here, coming to you from the super undiscovered kingdom of Ouros, nestled right beside the scenic shores of Greece. If you thought Greece was the pinnacle of Aegean beauty, buckle up! Ouros takes it up a notch with its pristine ancient temples and a vibrant vibe that will sweep you off your feet. Let’s dive into the heart of Ouros, the bustling capital city, Timiménos—this is where the royal Andris family lives, and trust me, it’s where you want to start your adventure. Imagine walking through streets lined with bright, colorful shops, flowers everywhere and food bursting with color and flavor…only to end up at the top of some promontory that just happens to sport a perfectly preserved Greek temple! Seriously, it’s as if the gods themselves had an Airbnb here and just stepped out for a coffee. So not kidding.   The countryside? Get ready to lose yourself in a giant painting that’s alive with colors and textures. Everywhere you look, there’s a snapshot waiting to happen. From the emerald green hills rolling under a bold blue sky to quaint villages dotting the landscape, Ouros is a…

All my projects have a dedicated playlist. Not only because I love listening to music while I walk or make dinner or just about any time, but because a song can really help me focus or fall in or out of a certain mood/scene. Most of the songs on one of my writing playlists are for brainstorming, meant to evoke a feeling for me about a certain character or certain scene while I chew on problems, but a few are the kind I put on repeat for hours at a time while I draft. These I’ve chosen to share are a mix of the two!   Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis — Blood & Fury is at its heart about a handful of very, very melodramatic, passionate teenagers having to be bigger than they know how to be, fix huge problems they didn’t even make in the first place (except Caspian, he also made several of the problems). To draw that out in the playlist I wanted several big bold love ballads, and this one is sooo so melodramatic I am not sure I could love it more?  www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_weSk0BonM   Fire for You by Cannons — This was the first…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE HEDGE WITCH (The Witches of Star Island, #1) 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? The Hedge Witch is for anyone who loves witches, sisters, past lives, generational curses, and soul mates. If you want a book that meshes modern witches, 18th Century ghosts, and Medieval healers, you’ve found it. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? This is a weird answer! When I first thought of this world, I was driving in my car during a summer thunderstorm and an image of a witch standing on the edge of the ocean appeared to me. From there I came up with the idea of creating a fictional island so I could play with the setting more than if it had been a real place, but I did do a quite a bit of research on Nantucket since it’s supposed to be close by. I wanted Star Island to feel rooted in the real world. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? 100%. I would get monthly tarot readings from Laurel. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Confident, magical, loyal 6–What’s…