Excerpt from DAUGHTER OF CROWS by Mark Lawrence: 1 Molly Plight The calm before this particular storm had lasted ten years, much of which Molly Plight had spent knitting. Trouble had arrived in the shape of a man of no great height, road-dirty and weather-beaten. Save for the cruel curve of the knife at his hip and the dull glint of mail beneath his fleece, there would have been nothing to mark him. But when he paused in the inn’s doorway and smiled that smile, Molly knew that the peace she’d thought would claim her final days was over. She knew what a predator’s hunger looked like. “That bull the Millers have won’t last another season.” Jayne Clay, the tiny old woman on Molly’s left, was given to predicting the death of prized livestock. That topic and regaling anyone who so much as paused in her vicinity with the doings of her two dozen towheaded grandchildren constituted the majority of her conversation. Molly’s needles and ball of yarn lay on the table before her, abandoned in favour of a pipe and a drink. The village children said the pipe smelled like a burning midden heap, perhaps not unfairly, but good…

My novel probably could not avoid some comparison to the song, Yellow, by Coldplay. And once my main character decides to name the slime mold just that, the song worked its way onto my Yellow playlist, of course! Here are a few others that I found influential, inspirational, or just kept me writing pages. My main character Eliza discovers Yellow, the slime mold of the title, on a fallen log in her backyard one steamy Louisiana summer in 1973. She’s 12 and as she watches its growth, the organism attracts her in a very mystically moody way (as artistic pre-teens are geared to be). It just so happens that I’d been deep into the music of composer Ludovico Einaudi—having chanced upon his album Time Lapse by way of some algorithm or other–and so three of the albums’ songs  “Walk,” “Run,” and “Discovery at Night” (ironic, since this is what happens to Yellow) set the pace as I  imagined one fantastical night when Eliza feels an ineffable connection with the slime mold. The orchestral weave of these songs, for me, imitates the prose style of Yellow. Our lives are woven with historical context, our parents’ burdens, lovers’ expectations as well as…

Music has always been an important part of my storytelling. While I mostly listen to instrumental movie soundtracks when I am writing, my novels reference a wide range of pop songs. Since I always have a song in my head, it’s only fair for my characters to do the same. Stella Stark is a private investigator-turned-dispenser of poetic justice, a.k.a. Little Miss Petty. Malone is her hot neighbor who’s impervious to her attempts. Here are six very different songs you’ll find in LITTLE MISS PETTY: “Man in Finance” – Girl on Couch, Billen Ted, David GuettaWhen Stella bumps into Malone, he’s wearing an expensive suit. He’s also tall. She quips “Are you that man in finance I ordered? That was a fast delivery.” When Megan Boni aka Girl on Couch created these lyrics, she was poking fun at unrealistic expectations. Don’t worry. Malone may not be 6’5″ with blue eyes, but he’s really the kind of guy we’re all looking for. Also, you’ll have that song stuck in your head for a while. Oops. “All Too Well”- Taylor SwiftStella’s upstairs tween neighbor is prone to melodramatically playing the ten-minute version of this song on repeat. Stella’s concerned about her well-being….

Book Title: STORM WARNINGCharacter Name: Alex Carter How would you describe your family or your childhood?I had an unusual childhood. My mother was a pilot in the Air Force, and so we lived in many different places as I was growing up. She liked to play survival games with me, wanting to prepare me for any kind of situation. Sometimes she’d drop me off in the woods and I’d have to navigate back home alone. She taught me resourcefulness, how to use anything at hand as a tool or a weapon. She was tough, but creative and loving. I lost her when I was 12, when her plane went down during a mission. I was devastated. My father is a landscape painter and is one of my best friends. He’s jovial and curious about life. Whenever we moved to a new airbase, he’d get a stack of field guides, and we’d go out and learn all the local flora and fauna. What was your greatest talent?My resourcefulness has come in handy on myriad occasions. I can fix machines and improvise solutions to complex situations. I’ve had to fight and think my way out of some seriously dangerous circumstances. Significant other?No….

Sweet Nothing by Taylor Swift Tess Lee, the protagonist, is a world-famous author. She’s been on the covers of magazines and on morning and late-night shows. People recognize her all the time. Her books tap into people’s pain and offer hope and inspiration. Because Tess’s books mean so much to her fans, they have huge emotional reactions to meeting her, often sharing their own stories of trauma. Tess is generous to a fault, so she feels obligated to make each person feel seen. But Tess has never been comfortable with fame and feels the weight of others’ pain. She longs to be safe and alone with her beloved Jack, in their private little bubble. “Sweet Nothing” captures this perfectly and was an inspiration while I was writing the novel, especially the chapter that begins with Tess and Jack cuddling in bed, then overwhelmed by Tess’s fans in a store parking lot, concluding with them back at home and Tess just wishing they could be alone and normal. Harleys in Hawaii by Katy Perry TWINKLE OF DOUBT opens with Tess and Jack getting back from a sexy vacation in Hawaii in celebration of their second anniversary. Tess tells her bestie, Omar,…

There’s something about this season that pairs perfectly with cozies. Here’s a list of some favorites: It’s the season of fresh starts… and sometimes, long-buried secrets. March Cozy Mysteries to Add to Your TBR Here are two new and trending books that cozy readers are loving right now: BURIED IN A BOOK by T.C. LoTempioA bookshop setting, a lovable sleuth, and plenty of literary charm make this a must-read for cozy fans who adore book-themed mysteries. COCONUT CONFESSIONS by Addison MooreSet in a sunny Hawaiian backdrop, this new series starter blends tropical vibes, humor, and a puzzling mystery that’s perfect for spring reading. Reader Picks & Trends This month, readers are especially loving: Bookshop and library settingsFood-themed mysteries (especially bakeries!)Light paranormal elementsStrong female sleuths starting over If you’re looking for your next favorite series, these trends are a great place to start. Stay Connected I’ll be sharing more cozy mysteries, hidden gems, and reader favorites. So, you’ll always have your next read lined up. And if you’re like me, your TBR pile is growing faster than you can keep up… but that’s part of the fun. Until next time, happy reading and happy sleuthing! Warmly, Jamie  P.S. Have a favorite…

One overprotective father. Eight, curvaceous, beautiful sisters all raised to be modest, proper young ladies. Kept secluded for years, invisible to society, the Harrington sisters were raised to keep their voluptuous forms hidden least they end up scandal plagued and fodder for the gossips. The sisters are happy but chafe against their gilded cage. But after their father’s death, the lives of the Harrington sisters will change forever. He leaves them each a note, a quest to be completed, one that will take them out of their comfortable, if isolated lives, to experience the world. One that must be completed or they will not receive their inheritance. On the surface, the tasks are simple. Paint a duke. Start a charity. Live humbly. Retrieve a family heirloom. Every task is different, but their father’s last wish for all of them remains the same; live boldly, love recklessly, and never again hide the curves of your lives—or your bodies. The Harrington sisters will embark on their own journey to find passion, possibly scandal, invite defeat and…love. I present to you The Busty Bodice Club, a shared world revolving around the voluptuous Harrington sisters written by some of your favorite historical romance authors;…

Book Title: WHEN THEY MET AGAINCharacter Name: Joanna Grebel How would you describe your childhood?There were certainly positive things about my childhood, but overall, my experience wasn’t the idyllic one you may have read about in other Amish stories. I’m the second born and only daughter in a family with an impulsive father, a depressed mother, and seven children born in eleven years, including two sets of twins. There was a lot of chaos in our household, that I often tried to control. Thankfully my oldest brother, Leon, was a shining light in my childhood – he taught me how to swim, took me kayaking, and convinced me I was both brave and could meet any challenge I faced with thoughtfulness and determination. What was your greatest talent?Trying to minimize risks and ensure our home was safe. But that talent didn’t keep our house from nearly burning down. Significant other?I courted Jacob Byer off and on for three years. Ironically, I met Jacob two days after I met Adam Slaybaugh, who asked me to court him even though we’d just met. I said no, that we had to be friends first. As it turned out, I thought I was friends…

What is the title of your latest release?THE DELIVERY What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?In this ticking clock thriller, the latest attempt by freelance mailman Mercury Carter to make a simple delivery goes awry when he stumbles across a missing woman whose fate is tied to a major criminal conspiracy. How did you decide where THE DELIVERY was going to take place?I have long wanted to base a novel in and around Providence, Rhode Island, our home for a few years in the 1980s and a place we have enjoyed visiting since. It’s a rich and diverse city with a colorful mob history. Would you hang out with Mercury Carter in real life?We would definitely take in some baseball games together. What are three words that describe Merc?Determined, focused, capable. What’s something you learned while writing THE DELIVERY?Some scary things about the vulnerability of personal information stored by health care institutions such as hospitals. Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?I begin each day reading over pages I wrote the day before, which I lightly edit before starting new material. Once the first draft is done, it undergoes several edits. What’s your…

What is the title of your latest release?SOCIETY WOMEN What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?When Ellie is invited into an elite secret society for women, she discovers it isn’t a philanthropic club – it’s a revenge engine built to destroy powerful men who’ve escaped justice. And the woman pulling the strings has a connection to Ellie that could shatter everything she thought she knew. Now Ellie has to decide: protect the life she came from… or become the weapon the society needs. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I spent a lot of time in New York City the last few summers and I think it’s the perfect setting for a psychological thriller. It’s such a diverse setting and so many people are transplants from other places looking to chase their dreams. I love that! Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?Absolutely! Ellie comes from privilege but is deeply aware of the people around her. What are three words that describe your hero?Defiant. Haunted. Dangerous. What’s something you learned while writing this book?One thing I learned while writing SOCIETY WOMEN is how thin the line is between justice and vengeance…