1–What is the title of your latest release? SOLDIER’S SECRET BABY 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A man and woman fall in love, but she disappears right before he leaves for his military service. He comes back to his hometown irrevocably changed. And she comes back with a baby. A blizzard at the local inn traps them together where they will have to work things out or lose each other forever. This is a story full of feels, set at a cozy small-town inn where everyone is preparing for Christmas. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I love writing about the fictional small town of Trinity Falls, Pennsylvania. And the historic inn on the lake seemed like the perfect setting for a Christmas story about revisiting the past in order to imagine the future. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? I would love to hang out with Grace. She would probably choose to meet at the toddler park so that her adorable baby girl, Izzy, could play while we sipped our hot apple cider. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Chris is tough, independent, and…

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 Melissa Foster!   What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Are you my match? Do you love funny, sexy, deeply emotional romance with real-life issues that might rip your heart out, but will always put you back together again with an emotionally satisfying happily ever after that will leave you breathless and nursing a book hangover for days? Then check out my stories!   The ideal reader for the my latest book likes: Ex-con, Grumpy hero Sunshine heroine, biker princess Hilarious moments Angsty moments Delicious sex that will burn up the pages Big-family moments that will make you laugh, cry, and scream A happily ever after you’ll love   What to expect if we’re compatible: A list of 100+ more interconnected stand-alone romance novels that will burn up your sheets   What to expect once you become a fan: Too many sleepless nights filled with “just one more chapter” You will likely need a 12-step program to disengage A fan club full…

1–What is the title of your latest release? MIDNIGHT CHRISTMAS WALTZ, Chronicles of the Westbrook Brides Prequel 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A dazzling new series introducing the Westbrook family. Perfect for Bridgerton fans, this saga is chock-full of humor, intrigue, heartwarming loyalty, and sigh-worthy romantic adventures, featuring charming and often scandalous rogues and the spirited and unconventional women who become the Westbrook Brides. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I love the Regency era and Christmas. What could be better than a holiday Regency house party at a ducal country estate? Family members from as far away as America make their way home for the festivities. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Well, this prequel has more than one heroine, but Grandmama, the dowager duchess steals the show. I would definitely enjoy hanging out with her. She’s a bit eccentric, spirited, and her family means everything to her. She’s not above scheming a little to get them home for the holidays, but she’s not manipulative—just good-hearted and determined. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Loyal, fierce, and passionate (ooh la la.) 6–What’s something you…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE SPICE MASTER AT BISTRO EXOTIQUE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? On the cusp of opening her flagship restaurant in Paris, an American chef faces disaster after disaster until she enlists the help of a wealthy spice master. Only caveat? She has to work with the woman’s infuriatingly talented (supremely handsome) and egotistical son. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I live in France—southwestern France, but my heart always leaps to Paris– it’s where I met my husband. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes. But only if we could belt out Taylor Swift songs while beating a hang drum and drinking red wine. (Um, I’m totally stealing this from the book.) 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Quirky. Feisty. Talented. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned how to make the best coconut ice cream ever—the recipe is included in the book. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit as I go along, which makes the writing process slower. I need those first lines, that…

1–What is the title of your latest release? The book is called PEARL SKY, and it’s part of my Elemental Legacy series. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Two mated wind vampires go home for the holidays, but home is a secretive hidden island off the coast of China. Ben and Tenzin immediately get recruited to solve an art heist that could have serious political consequences for the immortal world. And if you think finding presents for your parents is difficult, finding the right present for a 5000-year-old ancient vampire lord is way harder. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Penglai Island is a location that has shown up in other books in this series, but it was really fun to dig deeper into the secrets and behind-the-scenes of this mythic location. It’s almost like a bottle episode for TV, which felt really perfect for a holiday book. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would absolutely hang with both Ben and Tenzin in real life, but I would also expect violence or to be pulled into a questionable ethical situation. Put it this way, I’d hang with…

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 Kosoko Jackson!   Writes: Rom-coms that feature Black male protagonists.   About: Early 30s. Scorpio. Taylor Swift, Halsey, and Milkshake lover. Hails from the east coast. Loves Fantasy, YA and rom-coms. Movie junkie–always tries to see 100 movies a year; and fails. Have Golden Retriever, will travel.   What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Romance lover. LGBTQ friendly. Small town aficionado. Can quote The Devil Wears Prada, or Gilmore Girls. Newly budding chef, or “professional home chef”. A reader who won’t shy away from steam.   What to expect if we’re compatible: If we’re compatible, you should expect books with lots of heart, sass, pop culture references and love. My books take rom-coms and always try to address big world issues with a lot of emotion, love, and care. There is of course always a happy ending, but hopefully, my books will change how you look at the world at large! And help you find love along the way.   My…

This TITLE CHALLENGE is harder than it looks! I challenge readers to give it a go. I’d love to see what you come up with. I’ve got 32 books published now, and all of them are small-town love stories. You can download a free checklist from my website, along with details on all my books including this new release, THE WEDDING RANCH. I’m so grateful that you are a part of my journey. Nancy   Here we go with THE WEDDING RANCH TITLE CHALLENGE:   T is for Timing, the most important thing for these two wounded hearts. Lorri and Ryder’s paths connect at the county fair in Dalton Mill. H is for Heartwarming. A heartwarming story of love, family, and forgiveness. E is for Ex-husband. A rotten ex who has the nerve to get remarried at the fancy wedding venue in the town Lorri moved to after their divorce. Yes, really!    W is for Weddings at The Wedding Ranch—a beautiful venue built by Ryder’s twin niece and nephew on a small corner of his ranch where a few old barns and tobacco buildings find a new purpose. E is for Emotional Scars and a push and pull of…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE KIND TO KILL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Former NYPD detective Shana Merchant is a skilled Senior Investigator keeping New York’s beautiful Thousands Islands community safe. But she’s also bound by blood to a serial killer – and after months of concealing the truth from the world as she hunted Blake Bram down, her secret is finally out. Shana’s not to blame for the killer in her family, but people are starting to whisper that she attracts trouble. That A-Bay was safer before she arrived. And as her investigation into a missing tourist deepens, Shana starts to fear that they may be right. Because while Bram is gone, he is far from forgotten. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? All of the books in my Shana Merchant series are set in the Thousand Islands of Upstate New York, and I incorporate real-life islands and villages into the stories. THE KIND TO KILL plays out between an island that’s home to an abandoned mansion, and the town of Alexandria Bay, NY. I reimagined that dilapidated mansion as a posh inn, but the town’s…

1–What is the title of your latest release? HEMLOCK HOLLOW 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A college professor must reckon with her past when she inherits a cabin, and with it, the ghosts who haunted her childhood. Enthralled by the century-year-old journal of young Carson Quinn, Caroline McAlister sets out to exonerate him for the murder of his brother, only to discover a love she didn’t know she was looking for. Historical and atmospheric, Hemlock Hollow is an Appalachian requiem soaked in love, loss, and redemption. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? This novel was inspired by my family’s real cabin in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I had long been fascinated by the history and geography of the region, and much of this novel came from the historical research I did about the area. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? There are two timelines in Hemlock Hollow, so two protagonists: Caroline McAlister and Carson Quinn. Caroline would be great to hang out with. She’s an archaeologist who loves the outdoors and has a habit of dating bad boys. Carson shows up through his century-old journal…

Readers generally enjoy having animals included in their fiction, and cozy mystery readers are no exception, many almost requiring an animal in their books. For authors, adding a dog or a cat to their cast is fairly simple as well as enjoyable, since many of us have or have had pets. Writing about them therefore comes easily as we know how they behave, and we have plenty of fun memories to draw on. But how many authors have had fun times with an alpaca? Certainly not me when I began writing the Craft Fair Knitters Mysteries. So why did I choose adding an alpaca? It was a gradual but straight-lined decision. My main character, Lia, is a knitter, one who became proficient enough to sell her knitted items at a craft fair. Knitters tend to have favorite yarns, and Lia’s is the kind spun from alpaca fibers. I’ll let Lia tell you in the books about her many reasons for loving that yarn, but her favorite source for alpaca yarn wasn’t a yarn shop. It was an alpaca farm. Never having visited an alpaca farm myself, I needed to find one so that I could present it correctly to my…