Book Title: UNIVERSE OF LOST MESSAGES Character Name: Shakespear (Shake) Cardinale   How would you describe your family or your childhood? Mind-blowing, on both counts. My life began in the greater Boston area a couple of decades after the time you’re living in, during the 2040s. My family was really poor, and very close knit. We became friends with a certain rebel named Jarat, who had some powerful enemies. Our house was attacked by the people who were trying to destroy him. The only person who survived was a terrified four-year-old kid—me. Thanks to Jarat, I was adopted by a lonely woman named Petra. She happened to be the CEO of one of the most powerful media companies on planet Earth. It was a kind of pauper-turned-prince situation for me, and really weird at first—not only because of the wealth, but I was deeply traumatized. Around the time when I started to feel relatively stable, life got a lot stranger. My little sister, Izzie, arrived. Izzie isn’t normal. She is what’s known as a Charismite. In other words, she has extremely powerful gifts of charisma and can get people to do almost anything with very little effort. As a kid,…

Book Title: HIGH PRIESTESS AND EMPRESS, Book Two, Arcana Oracle Series Character Name: Ellen Terry   How would you describe your family or your childhood? My renowned actor parents had 11 eleven children, nine of who grew to adulthood. Five of us, myself, Florence, Marion, Kate, and Fred, all became stage actors, so it was a chaotic household when we were children touring the provinces. I will admit there was some rancor when I became the most celebrated actress of the age, but being generous with my purse has helped melt some of the jealousy.   What was your greatest talent? Oh, some would say that it’s my Shakespearean interpretation of Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing or Portia in The Merchant of Venice, but truly I believe my tact and diplomacy are my greatest talents. Otherwise, having two illegitimate children would have immediately disqualified me to be presented to Queen Victorian, much less be considered for the title of Dame Ellen Terry.   Significant other? Which one? There have been so many, but I suppose when you get married at sixteen to the famous painter George Watts, it’s an indicator that there will be many significant lovers in your…

1–What is the title of your latest release? BEACH CUTE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Three girls end up on the same holiday, swapping their problems for some Spanish sun… and an accidental digital detox! It’s coming-of-age story about female friendship, and a romance with a sexy Spanish bartender! 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I love the idea of “the geographic cure” – that people think a change of location will fix something. And, really, is there much that some seaside and sangria wouldn’t fix…? 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Definitely! I love to write flawed characters, but that’s because it makes them feel more human and relateable. And maybe I’m biased because I wrote their jokes, but I think they’re pretty funny, too. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Since I’ve got three protagonists, I’ll go with one word for each! Luna – gentle; Rory – chaotic; Jodie – driven. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Definitely that while you can’t actually run away from your problems, sometimes you need a change of pace or some outside perspective to help…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LIBRARY THIEF 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A bookbinder’s daughter solves a mysterious death in the late 1890s. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? There is always someone I love from the places I write about. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. We would get our hair braided together. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Audacious. Canny. Vengeful. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? My primary school is on the same road where transgender icon Stella Boulton was born. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? Totally done… Most of the time. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Korean fried chicken. 9–Describe your writing space/office! In an alcove of my living room, next to a walnut bureau where I still handwrite my letters and postcards, I have an L-shaped white desk with a monitor in the middle and a laptop on either side for different purposes. On the wall I have pictures of Grace Jones, Muhammad Ali, Emma Hamilton, and a photograph of myself wearing matronly nightwear in…

1–What is the title of your latest release? CORNERED AT THE CORRAL is book four in the Ghost Town Mysteries series. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Manager of a ghost town, Lily has found fulfillment and even rekindled a romance with her high school crush. Trouble during a festival sets off a chain of events, thrusting her into yet another mystery. When a body is discovered in the river, Lily embarks on a secret mission to protect the matriarch’s grandson from being wrongly accused. As Lily delves into a century-old family feud, she stumbles upon a secret so well-hidden that someone is willing to kill to keep it buried. Lily must use all her wit and cunning to unravel the truth before it’s too late. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I grew up in California and enjoy visiting ghost towns. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes, she would make a great friend especially in times of trouble. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Determined, trustworthy, and dedicated. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Amateur sleuthing is not for the faint-hearted. 7–Do…

1–What is the title of your latest release? AKMARAL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A nomad woman warrior of the Central Asian steppes must make peace with making war. Akmaral is a foray into the ancient past, inspired by Greek myths of Amazon women warriors and archaeology that proves that they were real. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The setting for Akmaral was inspired by several fascinating archaeological discoveries made in Central Asia: the Ice Maiden found in the high mountains of southern Siberia, and the “Golden Man,” a warrior burial found in Kazakhstan that researchers believe might actually be a woman. These burials and many others prove that the legends of Amazon women warriors told by the ancient Greeks weren’t just fantasy. The landscape in this remote region is breathtaking—rugged, remote, and beautiful with emerald green pastures surrounded by snow-capped peaks. And the artifacts that accompanied the burials, rich with gold, weaponry, and fascinating bronze mirrors, presented a tantalizing window into a time when women didn’t have to fight for their rights or go against the norm to be powerful and respected. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist…

1–What is the title of your latest release? COLLIDE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? COLLIDE is a hockey romance that follows Summer Preston, an aspiring sports psychologist who is faced with an unexpected ultimatum from her professor, catapulting her into the world of college hockey. She must work closely with Aiden Crawford, the captain of the hockey team, to fulfill her sports psychology dream or veer far away from the god-awful sport. Aiden, on the other hand, is thrust into this research ordeal when a reckless mistake by his team jeopardizes their entire season. It’s the last thing he wants to do, especially since the girl leading the project looks like she would wield his skates as a weapon. Summer can’t stand his blasé approach to life, and Aiden doesn’t understand her uptight, scheduled one. They are off to a rocky start, and provoking each other is what they do best. What will happen when they finally collide? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? College hockey is very prominent in the east coast, so it made choosing the setting for Collide a no brainer. The setting also allows for other Ivy…

Excerpt from The Painter Takes an Earl by Misty Urban   The key to the garden gate was exactly where the gardener she’d spied on earlier that day had left it when his work was done. Harriette wouldn’t have asked someone to prop the door open for her. London’s all too active criminal element wouldn’t refrain from attempting to rob a house with dozens of people in it. The city’s thieves were wildly inventive, according to Jock, her groom. Men slid into houses during the day and then hid to let their cronies inside at night. Boys were pushed through windows to open an inside door, or lamplighters enjoined to leave ladders against the sides of houses. How Jock knew all of this, she couldn’t guess, since his former profession had been respectable. She could, of course, have chosen the simpler but more unreliable approach of milling around Grosvenor Square waiting for Renwick to step outside his house. She could still try to stroll inside with the other guests and ask the butler to announce her. And what would he say? “Miss Harriette Smythe of Shepton Mallet, presumed bastard daughter of a refugee foreigner posing as a noblewoman. Would-be painter.”…

1–What is the title of your latest release? LOVE AT FIRST BOOK 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Emily Allen, a librarian from Martha’s Vineyard, takes a job as the assistant to her favorite author in Ireland. Everyone is wonderful and welcoming except the handsome local bookshop owner, Kieran Murphy, who is also the author’s son. As much as they try to ignore the attraction between them, and they really do try, they simply can’t resist each other. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I wanted to travel to Ireland and writing a book set there seemed like a fine reason to go. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. As a former librarian myself I know we’d be best friends immediately. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Smart, fierce, loyal. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That the ones we love never really leave us. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I wait until I’m done. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Cookies. It used to be cake, but I’ve discovered gourmet cookies and there’s no going…

Samurai Squadron III: Spinward Fringe Broadcast 20 by Randolph Lalonde Cornered at the Corral, Book 4, Ghost Town Mysteries by Jamie L. Adams His Willing Wife by Sam Crescent Duchess of a Distant Realm, Book 5, Brotherhood of Blood – Wildwood Series by Bianca D’Arc Wild Magic Book Six by Odette C. Bell All the Stars in Her Hand by Laura Briggs Road Trips, Blue Skies & Dead Guys by Jennifer Fischetto In This Moment, Book 2, Heart of Vallantine Series by Kelly Moran Care, Book 5, White House Men Series by Nora Phoenix Knot Dead Again, Book 10, Yarn Retreat Mysteries by Betty Hechtman     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….