1–What is the title of your latest release? THE SEPTEMBER HOUSE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A woman is determined to stay in her dream home even after it becomes a haunted nightmare. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? My book actually doesn’t take place in a specific geographic location, which was an intentional choice to allow the story to seem like it could be happening more or less anywhere. That said, I knew that the setting itself needed to be a properly haunted house, and I chose a Victorian house because: 1. I’ve always loved Victorian-style houses, and 2. Victorian-style houses seem to be just begging for a good haunting. Perhaps that’s why I love them so much. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would probably meet up with her for coffee and a chat, but I probably wouldn’t go over to her house. It’s way too haunted for me. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Can survive anything. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? It was a fun learning experience to notice the book take opportunities to write itself. I’ve…

Playing by Their Rules by Calista Jayne Homicide at High Noon, Book 2, Ghost Town Mysteries by Jamie L. Adams The Untitled Books, Book 3, The Glass Library Series by C.J. Archer Built for Temptation, Book 3, Storm Hogs MC Series by T.O. Smith Wrench, Book 6, Rolling Thunder MC Birmingham Series by Candace Blevins Accessory to Death: A Kevin Brodie Mystery, Book 3, Kevin Brodie Mysteries by Meg Perry Werewolf’s Princess, Book 5, Big City Lycans Series by Eve Langlais Ruthless Temptation, Book 6, The Dufort Dynasty Series by Juliette N Banks The Indomitable Huntress & the Hardened Duke, Book 3, Coalescence of the Five Series by Stina’s Pen A Calculated Risk by Cari Hunter     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…

1–What is the title of your latest release? RAVAGE & SON 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Ravage & Son combines the cinematic vitality of Gangs of New York with the darkness of a Jewish Jack the Ripper. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The Lower East Side was a special place to me, it’s where my parents came from – it’s my spiritual home. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would be too frightened. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Brave, foolish, loveable 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned about a special police force on the Lower East Side called the Kehilla, formed by the Jewish elite to secretly fight Jewish crime.  No one remembers it.  Even the Jewish Society of the NYPD didn’t know about it.  It’s a fascinating lost piece of Jewish-American history. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit all the time, while I’m writing and after I finish a first draft.  In some ways you’re never really finished with a book. It’s very perverse. You really write while…

Jen: What inspired your new release, MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT? Nina: This novel is a love letter to my mom and strong women everywhere. I wrote it for my mom as a way to bring us comfort and joy during a tough family health crisis. Mother-Daughter Murder Night is about the Rubicon family—a grandma, single mom, and teenage girl—who come together to solve a murder on the banks of a California marine preserve. It’s part twisty mystery, part family drama, with touches of humor along the way.   Jen: Who is Lana Rubicon, and why is she convalescing 300 miles north of LA? Nina: Lana Rubicon is the superhero version of my own mom. At the start of the story, she’s a fiercely independent Jewish businesswoman in Los Angeles. When she is diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, she is forced to move in with her estranged daughter Beth and teen granddaughter Jack in their ramshackle cottage in Monterey Bay so she can have support through treatment. Lana hates chemo, but even more, she despises being cooped up, and feeling powerless. When her granddaughter gets accused of murder, Lana jumps on the opportunity to clear Jack’s name and regain her own agency…

Whiskey Smoke, Book 6, Smoke Series by Abbi Glines Noah, Book 1, The Cowboys of Calamity, Texas Series by Lori Wilde Andrey, Book 4, Grim Sinners Rebels Series by LeAnn Ashers Octavius and the Perfect Governess, Book 1, Pryor Cousins Series by Emily Larkin The Spy Matchmaker Box Set by Regina Scott The Housemaid by Sarah A. Denzil Run With the Hare, Hunt With the Hound by Paul M. Duffy Water Witch, Book 1, Witches of Westwood Academy Series by Gina Kincade The Elven Star, Book 4, Brotherhood of Blood – Wildwood Series by Bianca D’Arc The Unrestrained Series Omnibus Collection by S. E. Lund Bitter Truth, Book, 3, Green Dory Inn Mystery Series by Janet Sketchley Bee and the Honey Crew by Mona Black Get a Room by Casey Dembowski The Edge of Mercy by Heidi Chiavaroli Alex’s Atonement, Book 2, Midnight Sons Series by Carmen DeSousa Russian and Royally Complicated, Book 2, The Crowned Hearts Series by Gwyn McNamee Bad Luck Charm, Book 1, Witch City Series by Julie Johnson Esrahaddon, Book 3, Rise and Fall Series by Michael J. Sullivan The Witch Collector, Book 1 Witch Walker Series by Charissa Weaks Forgive and Remember, Book 1, Greater…

We’ve all heard non-romance readers deride the genre, claiming it’s “formulaic,” “predictable,” and “easy.” Then it seems like every other day some literary fiction writer tries to jump on the bandwagon even as they drip with scorn for romance. They’ll crow about how their book is “not like other romance novels,” because their heroine is “strong,” not knowing that the majority of romance novels DO have strong heroines, or they claim their book has a superior writing style, missing that many of the most beloved romances have brilliant prose. Or they commit the most unforgivable sin: calling their book a romance when it doesn’t have an HEA. This is equivalent to marketing a book as a mystery, but the mystery doesn’t get solved. Anyway, I’m going to lay out a few reasons why romance isn’t as easy as the haters claim. It’s all about the journey, NOT the destination. First, let’s talk about the HEA. Romance authors fulfil a sacred promise to the reader that the characters will end up together. Non romance readers and writers think having all books in the genre end the same way is why romance novels are easy to write. Actually, the HEA requirement is…

Book Title: HOUSE OF MARIONNE Character Name: Quell   How would you describe your family or your childhood? Different, I guess. I’m not sure how much I can really say. My mom and I are very close. We left my grandmother’s home when I was 5 years old. I remember it being a dazzling place, but everything that glitters, as my mom always says, isn’t gold. When we left, we had a hard time finding a consistent, safe place to stay. So we moved around alot. 14 schools. 12 years. 9 cities. And in each my mother’s focus was that I didn’t make friends or do anything to draw attention. So I guess I’d say that I am very good at being a shadow.   What was your greatest talent? I’m equally terrified and enamored with the dark magic that trickles from my hands. If The Order of Highest Mysteries knew I possessed this forbidden ability, I’d be killed. (I’m not really sure if that’s a talent.) Can it be a talent if you don’t really know how to use it? It just creeps up from time to time, getting me into all kinds of trouble. Still, it’s kind of…

Book Title: SNAKES IN THE CLASS Character Name: Professor Gormley Grimn   How would you describe your past? I was in graduate school studying to be a scientist, high on my dreams of helping humanity. The world of monsters and demigods was right beneath my nose, but I was unaware of it. Little did I know my flunky study partner was a minor deity leaning on me to help him pass organic chemistry. I admit, he was cute and I was a flirty free-spirt but I didn’t deserve what came next. His jealous fiancé cursed me!  My strawberry blonde hair gave way to corn snakes. My professor died without explanation. I was a gorgon, a monster who killed my harmless teacher.   Biggest challenge in relationships? I’m not always safe to be around and now and then during a passionate encounter, one of my snakes will fall off.   Where do you live? What do you do for a living? I’m a professor at Manster College, a school for humanoid monster organisms, in the small town of Eerily. I teach my monstrous students chemistry and do my best to help them learn to fit in with humans so they can…

1–What is the title of your latest release? ASSISTANT TO THE VILLAIN 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A twist on a fairytale about a grumpy Villain’s office causing mayhem and the slow burn romance between him and his sunshine assistant. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I grew up on so many quirky fantasy movies. Like Ella Enchanted, Stardust, The Princess Bride, Ever After (I could go on and on and on) In a way the setting was a love letter to all my favorite comfort movies. I wanted it to be fresh, but familiar. A safe place for our characters to lead our story. A dark wood, a magical kingdom, and every amazing thing in between. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. Evie is so familiar to me in many ways, but she’s also such a mystery. She’s constantly surprising me on the page. I found Evie when I was going through a tough time in life, she felt like the friend I needed to pull me through it. Optimistic and kind, but good-humored. She made so many of my days easier during the writing…

Book Title: MY ROOMMATE IS A VAMPIRE Character Name: Frederick J. Fitzwilliam   How would you describe your family or your childhood? I think most of my family was very supportive, though I do not remember most of them very well as they died hundreds of years ago. My mother, on the other hand… well. I prefer not to discuss her so may we move on to the next question?   What was your greatest talent? I’d tell you but my friend Reginald would just make fun of me (he thinks very little of it).   Significant other? I have not dated anyone in centuries, though I have hardly been celibate. There is, however, a young woman with whom I recently became acquainted who I… No. Never mind. She would never be interested in someone like me so better not to think about it.   Biggest challenge in relationships? Recently? Age gap.   Where do you live? Chicago.   Do you have any enemies? Yes.   How do you feel about the place where you are now? Is there something you are particularly attached to, or particularly repelled by, in this place? Chicago is a wonderful, and very human, city….