Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Holly Smale | Conversations in Character with Cassandra Penelope Dankworth
Author Guest / June 8, 2023

Book Title: CASSANDRA IN REVERSE Character Name: Cassandra Penelope Dankworth   A list! Yay! I love lists.   How would you describe your family or your childhood? Dead, predominantly. Or gone. It’s pretty much just me now. As for my childhood… I don’t like to talk about it. I was an… unusual child. That’s all you need to know.   What is your greatest talent? Probably my ability to travel backwards through time, just by closing my eyes. It’s quite a new talent, and I’m still trying to work out what to do with it. I can’t travel very far, unfortunately. The universe appears to have limited my abilities so I can’t do too much damage: like putting stabilizer wheels on my bike.   Oh, and I have an epic collection of vintage clothes, including a set of Day of the Week, color-coordinated jumpsuits. Which time travel is, frankly, playing absolute havoc with.   Significant other? Will Baker, my ex-boyfriend and hopefully my future one too. He dumped me very recently, so I’m using my time travel abilities to go back and work out what went wrong in our relationship, and make sure it doesn’t happen again. It’s nowhere near…

Polly Stewart | Uncover Secrets Behind a Friend’s Disappearance
Author Guest / June 7, 2023

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE GOOD ONES 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? The Good Ones is about a woman named Nicola Bennett who moves back to her Appalachian hometown to sell her childhood home after her mother’s death. Fifteen years earlier, Nicola’s childhood friend Lauren Ballard disappeared suddenly, leaving behind a husband and young daughter. Nicola gets pulled back into relationships from her past and then begins to uncover the secrets behind Lauren’s disappearance. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? There was never really a question about it. I grew up in a small town in Virginia, and then ended up moving to a different small town in Virginia after many years in the Midwest and on the West Coast. Even though I wasn’t living in my hometown, being back in the area where I’d grown up made me think a lot about how I and the people I’d known back then had changed, and that was one of the things I wanted to explore in the book. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes, I could definitely see us being friends. 5–What…

Phaedra Patrick | A Holiday of Hope, Fun, and Healing in Italy
Author Guest / June 7, 2023

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LITTLE ITALIAN HOTEL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When a radio relationship expert’s own marriage falls apart, she invites four heartbroken strangers to join her in Italy, for a holiday of hope, fun and healing. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I wanted to set the story somewhere I’ve personally been to and gorgeous Italy fitted the bill. I loved spending time in Venice, Bologna and Florence this time around, even if it was on paper rather than in real life. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. Ginny Splinter is the radio host of Just Ask Ginny, a show where she solves listeners’ problems live on air. She’s very caring and kind, if a little too hooked on helping others, but I’d love to share a glass of wine with her. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Caring, helpful, organized 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I leaned that Italians don’t use the letter “x” to represent a kiss at the end of a letter or message. We do this in the UK…

Katharine Schellman | Author-Reader Match: THE LAST DROP OF HEMLOCK
Author Guest / June 7, 2023

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 Katharine Schellman!   Writes: Gritty, glamorous Jazz Age mysteries filled with smart, gutsy sleuths; a tangled bit of romance; and intricate, twisting plots that you won’t want to put down until you find out who is guilty.   About: When I’m not writing or curled up with a stack of books, you can usually find me digging in my garden, drinking yet another cup of tea, or letting my kids convince me to play boardgames with all the wrong rules. I currently live and write in the mountains of Virginia, where I make the best Rice Krispie treats you’ll ever eat, take naps whenever I can, and accidentally murder all my houseplants.   You’ll love THE LAST DROP OF HEMLOCK if you’re ready for: Jazz Age glamor at an underground speakeasy known as the Nightingale Feisty, determined characters that you will root for in spite of their flaws A twisty mystery filled with murder, midnight heists, mob bosses, and the discovery that no one…

Charish Reid | He’s a Grump and She Looks for the Sunnier Side of Life
Author Guest / June 6, 2023

1–What is the title of your latest release? MICKEY CHAMBERS SHAKES IT UP 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A widowed bar owner who, upon returning to college at 42, inadvertently hires the 33-year-old woman who turns out to be his teacher to help tend bar at his struggling establishment. He’s a grump and she looks for the sunnier side of life. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Columbus Georgia was an easy choice because this story is actually based on my time working at an Irish pub there. I only lasted a year at Scruffy Murphy’s but it made a huge impact on my life. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Yes! I feel like I can learn a lot from her can-do attitude. It might take her a little longer to reach her goals, but she works really hard to get there. She asks herself “can I do it?” and then dares herself to try. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Loyal, Protective, Hopeful He’s very loyal to his late-wife, and strives to protect the legacy (bar) she left behind, but he feels increasingly…

Jennifer J. Chow | Author-Reader Match: HOT POT MURDER
Author Guest / June 6, 2023

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 Jennifer J. Chow! Writes: Cozy mysteries filled with hope and heritage. HOT POT MURDER features Yale and Celine Yee, cousins with opposite personalities who run a food stall at a night market. When their hot pot dinner with local restaurant owners results in a – literally – shocking end, the two are ready to help serve justice. About: A SoCal gal who loves matcha hot – or on the rocks – I enjoy dolphin watching on the beach and taking copious photos of flowers. When not reading or writing, I can be found checking out new boba shops. I’m looking for readers who delight in: Fun whodunit plots Cultural tidbits and factoids Close-knit family ties Quirky sidekicks and characters Numerous foodie descriptions What to expect if we’re compatible: Punny jokes and titles Free recipes in my culinary cozies Explorations of a lesser-known Los Angeles Characters who gain much-needed insight A sweet dash of romance HOT POT MURDER by Jennifer J. Chow L.A. Night Market #2 Trouble…

B.K. Borison | A Series with Strong, Confident, and Motivated Women
Author Guest / June 6, 2023

1–What is the title of your latest release? My Lovelight series releases this summer with LOVELIGHT FARMS, IN THE WEEDS, and MIXED SIGNALS. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Business Casual is the fourth and final installment of the Lovelight series and features two opposites who want to get each other out of their systems but keep finding themselves thrust back together no matter how hard they try. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I wanted to create a cozy, happy world to disappear into when I was feeling lonely or sad. Lovelight Farms and the town of Inglewild is very much a place of my heart and I wish it were real every single day. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely. Stella, Layla, Evelyn, and Nova are all slices of myself and what I hope to be. I love writing strong, confident, motivated women. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Vulnerable, kind, besotted. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned to let my characters lead and to love the journey. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are…

Kristan Higgins | A Family Surprise
Author Guest / June 6, 2023

1–What is the title of your latest release? A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A kid walks into the cute little bookstore you own with your grandfather. Turns out he’s the son you placed for adoption 18 years ago. Surprise! Your secret is out, and all of a sudden, your whole family – and the whole town – realizes there’s more to you than they thought. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Cape Cod is the place I love best in the world. My ashes will be scattered there. As the setting for a book, well, it’s got everything – locals, summer people, the ocean, the beautiful towns, lovely restaurants. There are glacial ponds and salt marshes, glorious sunsets, whales, seals, sharks, and the sky is achingly blue. What better place for a reader to take a mental vacation? 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? OH, absolutely. She and I would slay on trivia night. We would eat, watch Game of Thrones reruns and read in her charming little bookstore. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Kind, funny, hungry. Food always…

Smashwords Hotlist Top 10 Preorders Releasing June 06 – June 13
Author Guest / June 5, 2023

Perfect Together by Kristen Ashley The Bratva’s Nanny, Book 11, The Nannies Series by Sam Crescent A Toast for Laurent by Theresa Paolo Love & Violence by Jade Marshall and Lila Fox Four for a Boy, Book 4, The Magpie Rhyme Series Louise Collins Playboy in a Kilt, Book 3, Kilted Hearts Series by Kait Nolan First Blood by Faedra Rose Seriously Dead, Book 2, Ghosts of Carrington Series by Maddie James For Love & Basketball by Nicole Vidal The Cursed Princes (The Complete Trilogy) by Jaymi Hanako   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 Ebooks.

Robert Whitlow | Death While Deer Hunting – Accident, Suicide, or Murder?
Author Guest / June 5, 2023

1–What is the title of your latest release? DOUBLE INDEMNITY 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Was Matt Thompson’s death while deer hunting an accident, suicide, or murder? Read the novel to find out. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? All my novels take place in Georgia, South Carolina, or North Carolina, which are the places I’ve lived and can describe with texture and nuance. You should feel like you’re there as you turn the page. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I’d love having lunch with Connor Grantham, the minister forced to become detective in the novel. He’s much smarter than I am so I could learn a lot from him. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Thinker, woodsman, emerging romantic. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Figuring out what really happened in the story was complicated, even for me as the creator. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? Both, but the major edit happens after the first draft is done. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Any kind of smoked meat and banana pudding that tastes…