1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LIES AMONG US   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? It’s about sisterhood, grief, and the corrosive nature of lies, as seen through the eyes of a woman who does not exist.   3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I live in Long Island, and I’m fascinated by how multifaceted it is, with the congestion and crowds the closer you come to NYC and the expanse of beaches, orchards, and vineyards as you head farther east, and then suburbia in the middle, with towns that bleed into other towns, no distinction between them. It felt like the right place for Hannah, a woman who is, for the first time, exploring her place in the world.   4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? It would be exceedingly difficult — no one can see, hear, or touch her.   5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Loving, innocent, nonexistent.   6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned to trust myself more. This book was a new direction for me — it’s filled with themes and emotions that…

1— What is the title of your latest release? PLAY OF SHADOWS   2— What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A swashbuckling fantasy in which a misbegotten troupe of actors stumbles upon a hundred year old secret that spark a revolution in their once-peaceful city.   3— How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I wanted the setting for Play of Shadows to be a city that I’d want to visit myself, to marvel at its baroque architecture while strolling down bustling boulevards and across its beautiful canals, visiting magnificent theatres and operas, and, of course, steering clear of its many dark alleys filled with pickpockets, jackblades, alley-rats and murderers. Jereste is a kind of fantastical Venice in which both the wonders and dangers are magnified tenfold.   4— Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Damelas Chademantaigne is the sort of fellow you can’t help but both admire and want to shake all at the same time. He counts himself a coward, yet often gets himself in trouble sticking up for those worse off than himself. He’s loyal and tenderhearted, but sometimes in need ot a good smack to…

1–What is the title of your latest release? DAUGHTER OF A PROMISE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? What happens when a relationship written about thousands of years ago is retold in a contemporary setting? Better yet, what happens when that retelling is from the perspective of the once-voiceless female?  The answer is a novel that explores the timeless nature of the human struggle as well as the individual powers possessed by women. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I always envisioned the story of this unorthodox relationship being set on Wall Street.  I saw the King David character as one that translated well to a “Master of the Universe” and the Bathsheba character being his young, beautiful, whip-smart protege. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? The main character in Daughter of a Promise is Betsabe Ruiz. She is young, cool, sassy, and determined. I would definitely hang out with her. The question is whether she would hang out with me!! 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Intelligent, loyal, a dreamer 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? My character possessed everything she needed to…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE SWEET BLUE DISTANCE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? From the author of the international bestseller Where the Light Enters comes a sweeping Western saga centered around a young midwife who journeys from New York City to New Mexico in 1857. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I had been thinking about the story setting for at least ten years. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes. They are generally easy going and interesting people 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? cautious, skilled, courageous 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? The Kiowa, a native nation of the Great Plains, used symbols and drawings to record important events, a kind of calendar. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I’m always editing. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? hazelnuts, gianduja 9–Describe your writing space/office! Small study, piles of books, lots of maps, generally messy. 10–Who is an author you admire? Just one? Really?  Okay, so here you go: Thomas Hardy. 11–Is there a book that changed your life? When I was…

1–What is the title of your latest release? FRIENDS IN NAPA 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? The White Lotus (HBO) meets Friends from College (Netflix). I pitched the book I wanted to read — privileged people behaving badly in wine country. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I’ve been to Napa and the wine regions that surround it more times than I can count. Napa Valley looms large in the popular imagination and while it can be all romantic, rolling hills and resplendent wine tastings and meals, it can also get messy. I wanted to spotlight both sides of Napa, as it pertains to tourists. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? FIN has several protagonists and they’re all problematic. Maybe V. At least she’s a good yoga teacher. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonists? Gutsy, gregarious, delusional. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? If I don’t have a deadline, it doesn’t get done. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I line edit as I draft but more substantive stuff happens afterwards. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?…

You describe your female protagonist in A SPARTAN’S SORROW as “a mother, a queen, a villain”. I’m intrigued. Can you elaborate on that? As an author, what kind of women are you most inspired to write about? Who are some of your favorite female characters in literature? So often, people in general are given a single title. Sometimes this is linked to their professions, a teacher, a nurse, a diplomat. Sometimes we describe them by their appearance, or a single personality trait; the shy one, the redhead, etc. Even when describing friends or close acquaintances, we choose this single word, when in truth there is no person in history who can be defined in such simple terms. Though I used three terms here for Clytemnestra, she was so much more, and all those complex aspects of her are deeply interwoven. I am most inspired to write about the voices who have not been heard enough. Those that are subplots in another story when in truth, they deserve their own. I am drawn to characters who break the molds like the Amazon Queens did. In more modern literature, I love characters who fight on moral ground, like Kathy H in Never…

Below are some songs that the author was inspired by or feel capture her book THE BOOK OF THORNS.   Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush This Kate Bush song from the 80s had a huge resurgence last year thanks to the show Stranger Things and then on TikTok. But it also was on the soundtrack of the 2018 miniseries adaptation of Vanity Fair. It’s no secret that my book was heavily influenced by Thackeray’s novel, and I have watched every movie and television adaptation of it. This song plays during the pivotal scene of the British army departing from Brussels to meet Napoleon on the battlefield at Waterloo. It imprinted on me while I was watching the miniseries, and subsequently became a staple of my writing playlist. It definitely fits with how Cornelia feels when Henri goes into battle, wishing that she could take his place to save him.   Cam Ye O’er Frae France – Steeleye Span I love Steeleye Span. I love their folk-rock takes on medieval and traditional songs, and Maddy Prior’s beautiful voice. So I’m always looking for an excuse to play their music, and one of theirs in particular kept running through my…

1–What is the title of your latest release? RELATIVE STRANGERS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Relative Strangers is a modern-day homage to Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility featuring two half-Korean sisters, their former hippie chick mother, and a deliciously diverse cast of potential love interests. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Inspired by the country cottage in Sense and Sensibility, I wanted a bucolic setting where my characters could find peace, love and happiness. Fun fact: Arcadia is based on a real-life cancer retreat center in Northern California. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely! Amelia is loosely modeled after my younger sister, who happens to be my favorite person on earth to hang out with. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Adventurous, impulsive, voracious. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That sex scenes make me squirm! The first draft of the book included a couple of steamy moments, and I edited them out. I’m definitely a PG-13 kind of gal. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I’m constantly editing and re-editing even though I know…

Avenging Angel by Kristen Ashley Kash & Bella, Book 6, The Wolf’s Mate Generations Series by R.E. Butler When Ben Loved Tim by Jay Bell A Wedding in Wildflower Lane by Laura Briggs Shadow’s Whisper by Nicole R. Taylor The Star of Senegal by Richard Turner An Englischer’s Amish Courtship by Jennifer (J.E.B.) Spredemann Impurrfections by Kaje Harper Morphotrophic by Greg Egan Missed in Texas by Sandy Appleyard     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 Indie Ebooks.

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE DIE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Scaffolded on three realities—the ancient wisdom of the Mahabharata, our current sociopolitical reality, and the near future—The Die is a fast-paced story about friendship, courage, and democracy. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It’s set in Silicon Valley because that’s a place that already has one foot in the future. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Of course. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Courageous, compassionate, caring 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned it is possible to write about things before they happen. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit as I write, then edit more later. Writing is just a process of editing and re-editing. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Chocolate 9–Describe your most interesting writing space/office! I often write in bed, as I fall asleep. I’ve also been known to write while dreaming. 10–Who is an author you admire? David Levithan 11–Is there a book that changed your life? Memories, Dreams and Reflections, by Carl Jung…