1–What is the title of your latest release? FAKING CHRISTMAS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Laurel tells a little white lie that makes her boss think she owns a farm that’s actually owned by her twin sister. When her boss invites himself over for Christmas, she has to pretend that she can cook, care for animals, and be married to her nemesis, Max. Faking Christmas is inspired by one of my favorite movies, the 1945 comedy Christmas in Connecticut. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I set all my books in Ohio because I live here and I love it, so it was an easy decision to set this one in Columbus and rural Ohio. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. Laurel may not know how to cook, but she’s a lot of fun. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Determined, loyal, optimistic 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned way more than I ever expected to about goats, because Laurel’s sister owns a few and Laurel has to pretend she knows how to feed and milk them. 7–Do you edit…

Hi! I’m Sarah Fox, author of the True Confections Mysteries. BAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT is the second book in the series and I’m excited to share more about it through this title challenge!   B is for Becca, the series protagonist, a chocolatier A is for actress, Becca’s former profession K is for kitties named Truffles and Binx I is for in the Venice of North America, a canal town in Vermont N is for nefarious intentions of a killer on the loose G is for gondolas on the canals in spring, summer, and fall   S is for Sawyer, a local cop and Becca’s life-long friend P is for Pops, Becca’s beloved grandfather I is for ice slide, like the one in Snowflake Canyon R is for recipes for truffles and bonbons I is for intrigue, wrapped up in a mystery T is for Twilight Hills, the TV show Becca once starred in S is for Shadow Lake, located at the western edge of town   B is for baking competition, one that turns deadly R is for red herrings mixed in with clues I is for ice skating on the frozen canals G is for Gossip Grannies, who spread…

What is the title of your latest release? TEMPTED BY EDEN   What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Tempted by Eden is a contemporary enemies to lovers, erotic romance with a hint of kink, a touch of angst and includes a happily ever after. It’s centered around a woman named Cora who finds herself living a double life as she works at a kinky gentlemen’s club by night and as a PR specialist by day. It includes some of my favorite tropes to read and write; enemies to lovers, boss/employee, billionaire boss and alpha hero.   What are three words that describe your protagonist? Cora is sassy, strong and a survivor!   What’s something you learned while writing this book? Everyone’s author journey is different, there is no ‘right’ path. After speaking to fellow romance authors, every single one of their experiences have been unique to them. Some have written eight manuscripts before feeling ready to submit and pitch to a publisher. Others have received many rejection letters, before landing a contract. And others have seen huge success self-publishing and have bypassed the traditional publishing route. I’m a firm believer that everything will happen when it’s supposed to….

1–What is the title of your latest release? A HOLLY JOLLY EVER AFTER 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Good Girl Winnie Baker is ready to reinvent herself on the set of a spicy Santa Claus movie, but it turns out filming fake sex scenes is really hard when you’ve never had good sex in real life.  Enter Winnie’s co-star, Kallum Lieberman, former boy band member, current Midwest pizza mogul with a dad bod, who is more than willing to give Winnie off-camera lessons in spice.  For art, course!  They say practice makes perfect, but what happens when the practice feels too good to stop? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? We created the small town of Christmas Notch, Vermont to escape the year that was 2020.  Our first book in this series, A Merry Little Meet Cute, showcases this twee, forever-Christmas town with its quirky cast of characters, and we were excited to return in A Holly Jolly Ever After to some of our favorite haunts (including our Christmas-themed strip club, The North Pole). 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Kallum is the pizza-slinging, former Funny One…

1–What is the title of your latest release? SUGAR PLUM POISONED 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? It’s Christmas time and a country singer’s manager is murdered. Because she’s friends with the cupcake bakers, they feel that they have to prove her innocence before her career is frosted for good. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It’s a series, so Scottsdale, AZ is where the bakery is located and where the mysteries take place. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. She bakes cupcakes for a living. She has to be my friend! 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Smart, talented, and funny. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Sugar plums are not plums! Who knew? They’re actually little oval or plum shaped candies. I had no idea! 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I wait until the manuscript is done. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Cake. Always cake. 9–Describe your writing space/office! I have an office in my house that is full of bookcases and my desk is set so that I can look out the…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Chloe Liese! Writes: Chloe writes contemporary romances affirming her belief that everyone deserves a love story. Her stories pack a punch of heat, heart, and humor, and often feature characters who are neurodivergent like herself. About: Chloe enjoys walks in nature, the smell of new books, and the sound of rain. She takes her coffee hot and black, and is both a dog and cat person.   What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: enemies to lovers steamy slow burn romance feisty banter and simmering tension characters with real-life conditions like neurodivergence and chronic illness rom-com laughs and comedic hijinks paired with emotional depth and sensual physical intimacy What to expect if we’re compatible: tearing through an interconnected standalone series (once you finish the Wilmots, there are 6 Bergman Brothers to read!) a heightened appreciation for the payoff of prolonged sensual tension in slow-burns a newfound love of dirty talk nicknames and cute, romantic nicknames BETTER HATE THAN NEVER by Chloe Liese Childhood enemies discover…

1–What is the title of your latest release? WHEN THEY BECKON 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A con artist must navigate the schemes of a criminal organization and burgeoning dark magic while facing demons, witches, and love. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I love fantasy stories and I love stories with characters and settings beyond the plethora of European-inspired ones. But as the child of immigrants, I ached for a character I could relate to. Someone who was born and raised away from their family’s homeland and has to navigate a place where she doesn’t fully belong, while longing for the homeland as some far-off place that exists in her dreams. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Probably not. Salome is a big rule-breaker while I am more of a rule follower. She’s trouble, and I’m cozy at home. She’s… so much that I’m not and that’s why I love writing her. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Bold, adventurous, passionate. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned just how much I longed to see the diaspora experience in a fantasy…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE CAT WHO CAUGHT A KILLER 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A cozy crime story featuring Conrad, a talking calico cat. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I have set it in and around Little Venice in London, where I live. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? OMG yes. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with a talking cat? 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Charming, Charismatic, Calico. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That lilies can be poisonous for cats. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit as I go. Very little rewriting is necessary when I get to the end. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? A great British fried breakfast – eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, mushrooms, black pudding, fried bread. 9–Describe your writing space/office! On a sofa, in front of a coffee table, facing a big screen TV, close to a window. 10–Who is an author you admire? Agatha Christie. So prolific, and such great mysteries. 11–Is there a book that changed your life?…

1–What is the title of your latest release? ALWAYS SOMETHING SINGS. The title is from the Ralph Waldo Emerson poem. And that poem, or a portion of it, provides an important clue to solving the mystery. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Nothing ever happens around here; Ada Reed was told when she agreed to step in as “acting” sheriff. But the murder of a young woman at a gold mine was hardly part of the bargain, nor was the troubled soldier who admits to the crime. Disrespected, unprepared, but undaunted, Ada must find and bring to justice the real killer. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Time is an important part of the setting: 1951. America in the post-war years was suddenly safe and prosperous but frozen with fear over atomic bombs and flying saucers. It was a time of innocence, but also of deep prejudices. Narrowly defined women’s roles, disproved by war-factory work, were still being pushed in movies and magazines. We were on the cusp of the modern age, but barely on the cusp. My own family’s campfire stories seemed to be set in those years, as well, and…

Sunshine Avenue, Book 2, Crown Island Series by Jan Moran Monster Mash Murder, Book 28, Merry Wrath Mysteries by Leslie Langtry Haunted Sweets, Book 17, Samantha Sweet Magical Cozy Mystery Series by Connie Shelton Trevor Takes Care by R. Cooper Bratva Bully by Sam Crescent Queen of Chaos, Book 5, Legacy of the Nine Realms Series by Amelia Hutchins The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson Mail-Order Escape, Book 3, Mail-Order Matchmakers Series by Mildred Colvin Shadows in Amber by Thomas K. Carpenter Hollow Stars, Book 3, The Hollows Series by Amanda Hocking   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…