I don’t know any author who doesn’t fantasize about their book becoming a movie. The more delusional among us dream of being asked to write the script – “Only you can bring it to life onscreen!” – having a director’s chair with our name on it, gossiping in our trailer with makeup and wardrobe. And of course, we’ll have final word on casting and become best friends with the star. I’ve cast every mystery I’ve written, and The Wharton Plot is no exception. John Lithgow for Henry James was obvious. For Edith Wharton, I dithered over Olivia Colman vs. Laura Linney. But there is only one actor I feel is crucial to the success of the film. Derek. Like other megastars – Cher, Prince, Diana – Derek goes by a single name. Also, he is a dog. Better known to the world as Tricki Woo, the pampered Pekingese on All Creatures Great and Small. In 1911, Edith Wharton was considering a number of changes in her life. Among them: what kind of dog she favored. For many years, she was a devout Chihuahua lover. But around this time, she made a radical shift to pekes. I have been wanting to…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE BREAKUP TOUR 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? The Breakup Tour is the story of a world-famous pop star who embarks on a nationwide tour of her latest album with the ex-boyfriend who inspired her hit breakup song. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? From the beginning, we knew this book was going to be about a music tour. We’ve written two romances that take place in single settings, so for this one, we were eager to tell a sweeping story across multiple cities. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Hang out with a world-famous pop star? Um, absolutely. Riley Wynn is exactly the kind of artist we admire, someone who writes highly personal music that connects with so many people. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Relentless, talented, brave. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Writing songs is incredibly hard! We included original lyrics in this book, and we have renewed respect for every musician. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? Because of our co-author relationship, there…

1–What is the title of your latest release? RADIANT HEAT 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? After a woman narrowly survives a massive wildfire, she discovers the body of a stranger in her driveway. The dead woman has her name and address but they’ve never met before. Using the tropes and tricks of a classic thriller, Radiant Heat delves into the epidemic of violence against women in Australia, and the ways grief, place and circumstance inform and shape us all. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The setting is a character in this book, so I had a very clear idea of that even before I knew what I was doing in a lot of other respects. Set in a part of Australia that has been devastated by bushfire, but also a region I got to know while working as a journalist in Melbourne, I could never have set it anywhere else. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? For sure! 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Stubborn, Strong, Self-destructive 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That no matter how much you think you know…

1–What is the title of your latest release? NEVER BLOW A KISS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Emily Leverton is a thief determined to steal a better life, but when she joins the ranks of governesses who spy on the ton to deliver justice, an insidious secret threatens her new world and the detective constable she’s begun falling for. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I based everything around the Dove! She’s the vigilante running the Secret Society of Governess Spies, and her sole mission is to hold the wealthy elite accountable. To do this, she has her governesses collect evidence, and then she anonymously informs the police in an effort to ensure justice is being served. I chose the year 1838 based on timing of the formation of the Metropolitan Police and the development of the passenger railway. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would definitely hang out with Emily, but I think she might be too cool for me. (Not that she would ever act like that.) 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Tenacious, brave, and impulsive. 6–What’s something you learned while…

Secret War, Book 3, Dark Empire Series by Tracy St. John Ouch! My Vampire Doms Stole My Heart, Book 6, My Vampire Doms Series by Calista Jayne Devil’s Last Dance by Sam Crescent Dae’mons and Doms by Evangeline Anderson Awry by Meghan Ciana Doidge Caught by Their Bosses, Book 2, More Than Two Series by West Greene Cyberevolution Aftermath IV: Hercules-500.1 by Kaitlyn O’Connor Game On, Book 3, Vancouver Orcas Series by Amy Aislin The Games Madams Play, Book 9, Assassin’s Core Series by Serenity Snow Wicked Praise, Book 8, The Dufort Dynasty Series by Juliette N Banks   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…

Montana Blaze, Book 1, Cowboy Country Series by Lori Wilde The Cowboy’s Reunited Christmas, Book 1, Cowboys at Christmas Tree Ranch Series by Danae Little City of Ruin, Book 2, Witch Walker Series by Charissa Weaks The Making of a Highlander, Book 1, Midnight in Scotland Series by Elisa Braden Vineyard Winds, Book 18, A Vineyard Sunset Series by Katie Winters Dark Surrender, Book 5, The Dufort Dynasty Series by Juliette N Banks Catching Her Bear, Book 2, Weres and Witches of Silver Lake Series by Vella Day Wistful in Wyoming, Book 2, Antelope Rock Series by Samantha Cole Tastes Like Murder, Book 1, Cookies & Chance Mysteries by Catherine Bruns The Housemaid by Sarah A. Denzil Belonging to the Rancher by Sam Crescent Waiting to Play, Book 3, Lake Spark Off-Season by Evey Lyon The Makeup Artist, Book 2, Coffee Girl Series by Sophie Sinclair Stockings, Snow, and Mistletoe by Meg Easton Implicating Claudia, Book 2, Endless Mountain Series by Elle E. Kay The Cowboy and His Best Friend’s Daughter, Book 2, Walker Lake, Texas Series by Kaci M. Rose Whispers of Ruin, Book 10, The Shadow Realms Series by Brenda K. Davies Unlikely Omega, Book 1, Hunted Fae…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE MAGIC ALL AROUND   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A treasure hunt through the past reveals one woman’s extraordinary gift for arranging the future. When Mattie’s mother dies unexpectedly, Mattie is left without her sole companion and the captain who steered her ship. That is, until she visits Ivy Ridge and learns her mother charted one last course for Mattie: a series of seemingly random tasks that she must complete to earn her inheritance. But Mattie soon realizes that if she completes the tasks, she may unearth her mother’s secrets, including the identity of Mattie’s father. She may also discover how to choose her own path, learn to keep her heart open for love, and discover that staying still long enough to sow seeds can produce a stunning garden and vibrant life.   3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I knew I wanted a Southern setting, and in my debut novel, The Baker’s Man, a fictional town called Ivy Ridge, Georgia, is mentioned, so I thought it would be fun (and a bit of an Easter egg) to place this new novel…

1–What is the title of your latest release? UNTIL THE STARS FALL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Astroengineer and witch Gemma is having her secret, dangerous magic removed when she reaches humanity’s new planet, but a sexy witch she meets on the journey – who thinks she’s his meant to be – might change her plans…and her life. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? From the moment I decided to write about witches in space, I knew I wanted Until the Stars Fall to be set sometime in the future. I wanted my witches to be from Earth, not an alien planet, and I wanted to create a different kind of spaceship than I’d read about or seen before. So I created a vintage space hotel that has long since retired from its days as a cruise ship through our solar system. It’s a beautiful old ship—on the outside, it’s reminiscent of silver 1940s rocket ship designs in early TV and movies, and on the inside, travelers can view the splendors of space through plentiful art nouveau windows and relax in style in the ship’s forest and Star Deck. But as…

What is the title of your latest release? EVERGREEN   What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A modern retelling of Rapunzel meets The Secret Garden. Quill, a seventeen-year-old powerless dryad, is locked away to tend to his family’s magical garden. Everything changes when someone breaks in, and the prime suspect becomes the very cute—and very human—boy next door. Quill must solve the mystery and save his family’s magic, but things get complicated when his heart gets in the way.   How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I wanted a small town feel to the book where everything is just cozier. In my head, it was going to be an intimate community where everyone has trouble keeping secrets. In Quill’s case, however, his is huge. His stakes just get that much bigger.   Would you hang out with your hero in real life? I would, but let’s be honest, I’d probably end up shaking him at some point and telling him to snap out of it. He gets a little too snarky at times and makes reckless decisions that jeopardize the important things. Then again, what teenager isn’t like that?   What are…

Book Title: THE LILY OF LUDGATE HILL Character Name: Lady Anne Deveril   How would you describe your family or your childhood? I had an idyllic childhood, spent mostly in the country with my (very much in love) parents, the Earl and Countess of Arundell. My father gave me a beautiful stallion named Saffron when I was a girl, and I’ve been riding ever since.   What was your greatest talent? I love riding, and I flatter myself that I’m an excellent horsewoman. I’m known throughout London for my skill in the sidesaddle.   Significant other? I suppose I must say it’s Mr. Felix Hartford. We were briefly engaged seven years ago. It ended badly. He’s been a thorn in my side ever since.   Biggest challenge in relationships? What lady can consider a relationship with a gentleman she can’t trust – or forgive?   Where do you live? Presently in Grosvenor Square, London, but our residence is of a limited duration. We’re about to be evicted by my odious cousin, the new Earl of Arundell. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. Mama has mentioned something about removing to Ludgate Hill.   Do you have any enemies? Who would dare oppose…