1–What is the title of your latest release? MURDER AT THE PUMPKIN PAGEANT 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Running a bakery in a hunted lighthouse, Lindsey Bakewell loves fall baking but dreads Halloween, and this year the Halloween antics are ramping up. Someone keeps hanging hideous dummies from her tree, kids keep trying to break into the lighthouse to see her resident ghost, and her best friend, Kennedy, surprises her by announcing a livestream ghost host hunt on Halloween night. Just when Lindsey believes she’s successfully made it through Halloween, the ghost hunt takes a deadly turn, and a body is discovered. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant is the 4th in my Beacon Bakeshop mystery series. In the first book my protagonist, Lindsey Bakewell, is a Wall Street investment banker who desperately needs a change of pace. She ends up purchasing a lighthouse in Michigan on the internet and decides to move there and open her dream bakery. That’s basically the gist of the series. When I was trying to come up with this series, I knew that I wanted to set it in a…

Prison of Loneliness by Yuki Carlsson Bram & Thea by R.E. Butler The Passion of Ivan Rodriguez by Hayden Trenholm Shadows Approach by Tracy St. John Doc, Book 8, Desert Rebels MC Series by Tory Richards Bad Luck Charm, Book 1 Witch City Series by Julie Johnson Gemma Halliday Publishing 10 Year Anniversary Collection by Gemma Halliday, et al. Murder or Margaritas by M.E. Clayton Blood and Starlight, Book 2, Australian Supernatural: High Country Series by Nicole R. Taylor Forged by Fate: A New Adult Fantasy by Stacy Von Haegert     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 Indie…

The Ford Brothers Series Box Set by Sandra Alex I Hate You by Sam Crescent Harvest Dance, Book 2, The Bell Family of Bluestar Island Series by Jennifer Faye Flash Point, Book 1, The High Sierras Series by Diane Benefiel Expired Getaway, Book 7, Last Chance County Series by Lisa Phillips Missing Evidence, Book 3, The Crown Ranch Series by Valerie J. Clarizio Warden, Book 1, Elemental Paladins Series by Montana Ash Kings of the Fire Complete Collection by Lily Cahill The Art of Dying by Jamie McGuire Game Changer, Book 2, Vancouver Orcas Series by Amy Aislin Star Kingdom Box Set (Books 1-3) by Lindsay Buroker Retribution by TurtleMe Straight Fire by Abbi Glines The Housemaid by Sarah A. Denzil The Score, Book 3, Off-Campus Series by Elle Kennedy The Witch Collector, Book 1 Witch Walker Series by Charissa Weaks What the Fang?, Book 1, Undead Ever After Series by Stacey Kennedy Tail and Claw: Books 1-3 by Nancey Cummings The Greatest Gift by S.L. Sterling Scandal on His Doorstep by Deborah Hale     Each Friday the Smashwords store reports the bestselling indie fiction titles based on the previous week’s sales. If an author has more than one…

1–What is the title of your latest release? COUNTDOWN 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Flight paramedic, Raina Price’s past is about to catch up with her. With US Marshal Vince Covelli’s help, she might survive to have a future with the man she’s falling in love with. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It’s book four in the series, so the setting was pretty much already determined. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. Raina would slightly infuriate me, though, because I’d be able to tell she has secrets and I’d want to know what they were. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Determined, strong, sacrificing 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned a lot about professional snowboarding. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? As I draft. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Pizza and coca cola. 9–Describe your writing space/office! A mess! Seriously. But it doesn’t bother me. As long as my laptop fits on the table, I’m good. 10–Who is an author you admire? Oh goodness, just ONE? I admire so many. But I…

1–What is the title of your latest release? KNOWING YOU 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? At the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle, two old friends are brought together after ten years to solve a mystery surrounding antique Japanese armor only to realize that the feelings they have for each other are much more than that of friends. However, big obstacles stand in their way, obstacles that only God has the power to overcome. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I learned about the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle and thought it would make an amazing setting for a 3-book series.  Knowing You is the third book in that series. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would totally hang out with May Parker. She’s half Japanese and doesn’t know a lot about her past because her Japanese mother refuses to talk about it. She longs to know about her ancestry, however. She’s also an artist and woman of Christian faith. I think we’d have a great time together exploring Japanese history. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Creative, loving and faithful 6–What’s something you learned while…

Hi All! My name is Marie Bostwick. I’m the bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including my latest, ESME CAHILL FAILS SPECTACULARY, recently published by William Morrow. I am also the new women’s fiction columnist here at Fresh Fiction. I’ll be here with you every month, talking all things women’s fiction, sharing roundups and recommendations, and bringing you interviews with some of the best authors writing within the women’s fiction genre. This month, I thought I’d start by explaining what the term women’s fiction means and why so many writers are uncomfortable with the genre. (Spoiler alert – I’m among them.) Let’s go right to the source. The Women’s Fiction Writers Association (of which I am a proud member) says that in women’s fiction, “the plot is driven by the main character’s emotional journey”, and then goes on to list several other common elements of the genre, such as…. Writing is high quality and accessible Layered stories about one or several characters, often multigenerational Upmarket fiction often falls within this category, and is appropriate for book clubs Story tackles adult character’s struggle with world issues, resulting in emotional growth Can include elements of mystery, fantasy, and romance but cannot…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE SUN AND THE VOID 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A Venezuelan epic fantasy about a young woman following the ancient legend of a dark cruel god. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I was compelled to write a fantasy book that showed off the interesting settings and folklore of Venezuela. I’ve always loved secondary fantasy. In devouring such stories, I noticed how they always used Japanese, Roman, British, etc. history, folklore, and mythology as the foundation for their magic systems and secondary worlds. The idea of seeing a magical world that drew inspiration from Venezuelan history and folklore really excited me. So I decided to write it myself, for the nerds like me, who grew up loving worlds like those of Final Fantasy yet had our existence largely ignored by mainstream media. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes, but knowing how shy and duty-obsessed she is, she probably wouldn’t bother to hang out with me. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Angsty, loyal, independent 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned that…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THICK AS THIEVES 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Ryia Cautella, a.k.a. the Butcher of Carrowwick, and her motley crew have succeeded in the ultimate heist…with the most dire possible consequences. A terrifyingly powerful tool has fallen into the hands of Callum Clem, the criminal leader of the Saints, who was already one of the most dangerous men alive. With the newfound ability to force magic-wielding Adepts to his will, he is unstoppable. With their group scattered throughout the five kingdoms of Thamorr—and not all on the same side of the fight—things seem hopeless. But can Ryia get the gang back together for one last job? Or will chess-worthy power plays and shifting loyalties change Thamorr as they know it? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I created the world of Thamorr, where Among Thieves and Thick as Thieves take place, for a NaNoWriMo project back in 2015 or 2016. That project ended up going nowhere, but I still was fascinated by the world and the magic system – a world where the magically inclined are subjugated – so I found another story to…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE WEAVER AND THE WITCH QUEEN 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Weaver is a fantastical reimagining of the origin story of Gunnhild, Mother of Kings, a Viking Age queen of Norway, and her made-up sworn sisters, Oddny and Signy. While Gunnhild is off learning witchcraft, Oddny’s life is turned upside-down when her farm is raided, and Signy is kidnapped. Gunnhild and Oddny’s goal throughout the book is rescuing her and fighting off their enemies along the way—all while trying to figure out why they even have enemies in the first place (hint: I said after The Witch’s Heart I would never write another book with a prophecy in it again; this was, apparently, a lie). 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? History did that for me – I knew I was going to be doing a lot of research on tenth-century Norway as soon as I decided to write about Gunnhild! 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? In the modern day? I feel like Gunnhild would be the kind of person who always knows the hot gossip but is…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LEGEND OF CHARLIE FISH 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A found family that includes a gill-man, a twelve-year-old witch, and a pint-sized gunslinger, must survive the worst natural disaster in US History, while evading a pair of greedy scoundrels, and helping the eponymous gill-man get home to the ocean. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I knew from the start that this book would take place during the Great Storm of 1900, a hurricane that leveled the city of Galveston and killed thousands. Galveston is the heart of this story, and one of the main characters. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yeah, sure, although I feel there are a few different protagonists in this one. Let’s go with Charlie Fish, since he’s the strangest, and the book is named after him. I feel like Charlie would be content to sit back on the porch, drink some beer, and smoke a few cigarettes. Maybe play some dominoes or watch a baseball game. Charlie is quiet, so I’d be able to read a book in peace and maybe take…