1–What is the title of your latest release? FRAGILE DESIGNS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When Carly’s grandmother proposes she and her two sisters restore the family’s large Beaufort home and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast, she gets to work clearing out the house. In the attic, she uncovers a family secret her dead husband kept hidden. And an heirloom that the wrong person wouldn’t hesitate to kill for. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I love seaside settings and fell in love with Beaufort SC. The gorgeous historic homes charmed me, and I picked out one that Carly’s grandmother might own. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would love to! She’s smart, vulnerable, and family-oriented. Plus, she has a baby – and I love babies. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Widowed, new mother, antique dealer. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned so much about Faberge eggs! I’ve been obsessed with them for decades but hadn’t really researched them. The surprises inside are all unique and beautiful. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally…

1–What is the title of your latest release? PUBLIC ANCHOVY #1 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A modern “dark and stormy night” whodunnit that winks at a lot of classic mystery tropes. Oh, and there’s pizza and cats. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? My series is set in a very thinly-veiled version of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, a resort town with an interesting history as a mob hideout and millionaire’s playground. Playing off of that, I chose a real location for the main location in Public Anchovy #1—a turn-of-the-century lakeside mansion called Black Point that was built by a beer baron. I lightly fictionalized it, transforming it into the isolated “Bluff Point.” 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely! Delilah O’Leary amps up some of my own personality traits, which is both good and bad. She’s very type A, but also funny and brave. Plus, since she’s a chef, whenever she’s around, there’s always good food. I would love to get together with her and the entire staff of her restaurant for “family meal,” the simple, homey staff meal that’s often dished up before or after service….

1–What is the title of your latest release? My new book is HAPPILY EVER ALASKA, book #3 in the Sweet Home, Alaska series. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Lolly Crocker certainly knows how to bake up warm desserts in her chilly Alaskan village, but she has no idea how to handle the reigniting of an old flame, when her ex comes back to town. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? My wonderful editor, Tracy, asked me to write a proposal about small town Alaska and that’s how the Sweet Home, Alaska series was born. I was super excited to write the Alaska books because I have friends in Alaska! 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes, I would hang out with Lolly Crocker…in her kitchen with us baking up all kinds of goodies, while The Great British Baking Show played in the background. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Obedient to her mother’s wishes (at least in the past), Practical (the reason Lolly became a teacher, though, she’d always dreamed of being a baker), Caring because she bakes for those that need cheering up. 6–What’s…

From SECOND DUKE’S THE CHARM by Kate Bateman. Copyright © 2023 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.     Chapter 4   Was she really doing this? Tess shook her head in disbelief as she followed the handsome stranger through the crowded rooms. The force of her attraction was both wonderful and terrifying. His opponent had called him Thorn, but was that his surname, or a nickname? Either way, it seemed oddly appropriate. There was a sharpness about him; a dangerous kind of beauty, like the perfectly-honed edge of a blade. Perhaps it was better not knowing his name. He still held her hand. He glanced over his shoulder with a smile that made her belly flutter. The crowds thinned out as they ventured deeper into the house. Couples pressed together in darkened alcoves. Tess glanced around for Ellie and Daisy, but there was no sign of either of them. The first room they entered was occupied. Tess heard a male bellow of outrage as the door slammed shut again, and she sent a silent apology to whomever they’d inadvertently interrupted. The second room was empty, lit with a solitary lamp. She glimpsed tall…

Book Title: WHAT WAITS IN THE WOODS Character Name: Esmé Foster   How would you describe your family or your childhood? Complicated. My mom and dad were complete opposites. My dad was a solid, hard-working man, while Mom was something of a glamor girl who seemed stuck in our rural community on the edge of suburbia. When I was little, I didn’t see that they were completely incompatible. Dad worshiped Mom and tried to make her happy, but she always seemed to be looking elsewhere for fulfillment. She loved me and my brother in her own way, and eventually I became the center of her world, or so I thought.   What was your greatest talent? Without a doubt, dance. When Mom enrolled me in ballet lessons, I found my passion and I excelled. And Mom was thrilled too.   Significant other? In high school, I had a close group of friends but not a serious boyfriend. When I moved away to pursue my dance career, I started seeing Kevin and eventually moved in with him.   Biggest challenge in relationship? At first, things were great with Kevin. My career was going well, and I LOVED his family. They took…

1–What is the title of your latest release? Thank you so much for hosting me on Fresh Fiction.  My latest release is HARD DOUGH HOMICIDE. It’s the second book in my Spice Isle Bakery Mystery culinary cozy mystery series, which I write as Olivia Matthews   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Here it goes: When her mother’s former boss is poisoned at an event catered by their family-owned bakery, a baker leads an investigation to uncover who had the ingredients for murder and the appetite to frame her mother.   3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Great question! Like me, my protagonists are West Indian Americans, so it seemed perfect to set them in the Little Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. That’s where I grew up.   4–Would you hang out with your sleuth in real life? Absolutely! Especially if she brought me pastries from her bakery. Ha!   5–What are three words that describe your sleuth? Only three? OK. Loyal. Smart. And, although she’d disagree with me, brave. The reason she’d disagree is that she views herself as a scaredy cat, but it takes courage to face your fears….

Book Title: THE DOG ACROSS THE LAKE Character Name: Holly Miller   How would you describe your family or your childhood? I have a big, wonderful family, but it hasn’t always been that way. For starters, my parents were still in high school when I arrived. At the start, no one except my mom and dad were excited about me. I’m told I was everyone’s little princess when I was born, though. How could the first grandchild on both sides not be everyone’s favorite? Years later, my parents divorced, married other people, and had more children. That was a tough time for me. I spent most of my holiday vacations in airports, trying to fly across the country from one family to another. And I had half siblings whom I barely knew. I was older and never spent much time with any of them. It was awkward at best, and I was usually uncomfortable because I felt like an outsider. On the other hand, when I was a child, my parents sent me to spend my summers in Wagtail with my maternal grandmother, whom I call Oma, German for grandma. Those summers were the best. My aunt sent my cousin,…

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Holiday Kisses by C.D. Gorri Dukes for Dessert by Tanya Anne Crosby Wickedly Tainted, Book 2, The Wicked Series by A.E. Nalle Match Box Murder, Book 60, Merry Wrath Mysteries by Leslie Langtry Once Upon a Betrothal, Book 9, Scandalous Seasons Series by Christi Caldwell Midnight Creed, Book 8, Ryder Creed Series by Alex Kava Terror, Book 5, Grim Sinners Rebels Series by LeAnn Ashers Falling For a Cowboy: 3 Book Western Romance Boxset by Kristi Rose Instalove Christmas by Hope Ford Get In My Swamp: An Ogre Love Story by G.M. Fairy Hacking IT, Book 1, The Hackers Series by Kimberly Dean Coral Celebration, Book 5, Coral Cottage Series by Jan Moran SEAL’s Command, Book 7, Alpha SEALs Coronado Series by Makenna Jameison The Witch Collector, Book 1, Witch Walker Series by Charissa Weaks The Prince’s Dearest Guards by Beau Van Dalen The Namatjira Connection, Book 16, Genevieve Lenard Series by Estelle Ryan Christmas In Jubilee, Book 3, The Jubilee Series by Rachel Hanna The Housemaid by Sarah A. Denzil Unforgivable, Book 4, Love and Light Series by Tina Wainscott Dignified, Book 11, Beginning’s End Series by W.J. May     Each Friday the Smashwords store reports the bestselling…

1–What is the title of your latest release? CHRISTMAS SECRETS – Book 5 of the Secrets of the Heart Series 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A secret garden is where a runaway serf and a lord running from himself meet and fall in love one Christmas. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The Secrets of the Heart Series all feature a secret garden with a cottage. Since this is book 5 of the series, it was easy to decide it would take place here. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Well, since this book is medieval, and my heroine is a runaway serf – if I lived back then I would have been noble – so I’d have to answer no. (Smile) 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Caring, stubborn, and extremely-handsome. (Ok, I hyphenated that last one to make it one word.) 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Things don’t always turn out the way you think they might, and people are not always what or who you expect them to be. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you…