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 Yosha Gunasekera! Writes:Traditional mysteries with heart, sharp humor, and a side of social justice. My debut, THE MIDNIGHT TAXI, is a love letter to immigrants, service workers, and New York City with a dead body in the backseat.When Sri Lankan–American cab driver Sirirwathi Perera picks up a passenger, she’s hoping for a decent tip. Instead, she reaches the destination and discovers he’s been murdered – and she’s the only suspect. Now she and her public defender, Amaya, have to race through all five boroughs to solve the crime themselves before the legal system locks in the wrong ending. About:By day, I’m an attorney at the Innocence Project, fighting for people serving significant prison time for crimes they didn’t commit. Before that, I was a public defender, and those years in the trenches heavily inspired the legal reality behind this book. Yes, my mystery requires a little suspension of belief, but I tried to be honest about how the system can stack the odds against…

What is the title of your latest release?DEAD FIRST What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?A private detective is hired by an eccentric, seemingly unkillable billionaire to find out why he can’t die. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I live in Texas and always imagined the book taking place in various parts of the state. Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?Absolutely. What are three words that describe your hero?Loyal. Secretive. Witty. What’s something you learned while writing this book?I’ve loved the idea of combining horror and crime fiction for longer than I initially thought. My first exposure to something approaching this combination came when I read the H.R. Wakefield short story “Used Car” when I must have been about seven or eight years old. Likewise, I saw the film Angel Heart when I was far too young, and my first attempts at writing short stories as a ten-year-old kid centered on an undead gangster returning from the grave to avenge his murder. I somehow never really considered truly how much these things influenced me until I wrote this book. Do you edit as you draft or wait until you…

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 Gemma Amor! Writes:Gemma Amor writes horror, speculative and crime fiction, has penned many audio drama scripts for podcasts and live performances, and has begun learning how to write for screen. Her work often features complicated protagonists, discussion of sensitive themes including mental health struggles, trauma, feminist narratives and other darker, serious topics. She is extremely interested in examining what happens to ordinary, everyday people placed into extraordinary circumstances and many of her characters have difficult backgrounds to contend with. Gemma veers into the paranormal, wyrd, strange side of writing but several of her novels are true-crime inspired with no supernatural aspect. About:Gemma Amor is a Bram Stoker and British Fantasy Award nominated author, voice actor, editor and illustrator based in Bristol, in the UK. She was named one of the ‘Writers Shaping Horror’s Next Golden Age’ by Esquire Magazine, and recently featured in Ellen Datlow’s prestigious Best Horror of the Year anthology, Vol. 15 and 17. She self-published her debut short story collection Cruel…

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.

Excerpt from Chapter 3 of MARRYING THE MATCHMAKER: “You told me you could help me with Deirdre.” His voice was soft and free of the arrogance that usually filled it. “I’m sorry I turned you down. I could use your perspective, if you’re willing to give it.” A tiny needle of guilt pricked Zaira. She should help him because it was the right thing to do, not because she needed something in return. But she had only three days left to rewrite the next segment of the story that included the kiss. And she had to get everything right or perhaps lose out on her chance to continue publishing. Slowly she pushed up, shaking out her now-damp skirt. She didn’t hassle with donning her stockings and shoes, but she did make a point of tucking her feet out of sight underneath the hem of her skirt. She wasn’t sure why she was bothering, especially now that he’d already seen not only her feet but also her calves. “You do actually know who Deirdre cares about, do you not?” His voice contained a note of exasperation. “I’m running out of time to make the match, so if you’re not knowing, be…

February is the month of love, and we’re kicking it off with HEARTS ON THE FLY by Toni Shiloh. In this week’s Jen’s Jewels feature, Toni dives into a fun lightning round, shares heartfelt insights, adds a personal touch, and gives readers a peek at what’s coming next. If you love friends-to-lovers stories, this swoony sports romance is definitely one to add to your list. LIGHTNING ROUND THE DEEP DIVE THE PERSONAL TOUCH LOOKING AHEAD BONUS: The Author’s Playlist Thank you so much for sharing your insights and creativity! I can’t wait for readers to discover your new release. Happy writing! HEARTS ON THE FLY by Toni Shiloh Narrator: AhDream Smith, Hassiem Muhammad A Christian African American & Black Hockey Romance of Forbidden Love and Friends to More When the game changes, love finds a way to score.Jabari Hall has spent his entire life chasing victory on the ice—but one devastating hit leaves him benched, not just from hockey but from the future he thought he had. Now, as he struggles with deteriorating eyesight, his well-meaning teammates set him up on a date, hoping it will cheer him up—only the date they choose is none other than Val Elliott, his ex’s sister. Val never…

Book Title: MISTS OVER THE CHANNEL ISLANDSCharacter Name: Dr. Ivy Picot How would you describe your family or your childhood?I can’t imagine a happier childhood, growing up on the beautiful island of Jersey with my wonderful family. My father always encouraged me to follow in his footsteps—and the footsteps of my grandfather and great-grandfather—and become a physician. Although many told me a woman doctor wouldn’t be accepted, my father always believed in me. However, I never had a great crowd of friends like my older sister Fern. What was your greatest talent?People say I see “behind the seen.” I don’t think of it as much. I simply notice the way people move and hold themselves and react to what others say. I’ve been that way since I was a child. Significant other?My sister Fern says I’m a spinster and lost my only opportunity when I was at Oxford. But how could I have married a man who loved London more than he loved me? Or when I loved Jersey more than I loved him? Biggest challenge in relationships?I’m not beautiful or vivacious like Fern, and men rarely notice me. If they do, they’re often thrown off by the “Dr.” in…

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 title eligible for the list, only the highest performing title will be included. This ensures high-performing titles receive the accolades they deserve, while providing up-and-coming authors the visibility they have earned. Don’t miss Monday’s Top 10 Hot Preorders List, where Smashwords will provide a list of the most highly anticipated ebook preorders.

Book Title: A STAGE SET FOR VILLAINSCharacter Names: Riven Hesper (18); Jude Stepharros (Immortal) I wince at the piercing spotlight clapping on overhead as I follow Jude past the curtain and onto the stage, to a set of chairs set arranged at the center of it. Sil said the stage would look better in any images of us that appear in the papers, so here we are. The reporter seems nice enough and waves us over, but the walk from our dressing rooms gave me far too much time to harp on what they might ask. And Titus’s interview advice about how to “answer without answering” has long since fled my mind. JUDE: “Heart, it’s an interview, not an interrogation.” He glances at me over his shoulder and adds in a whisper, “Stop dragging your feet. You’ll scuff up the stage.” Jude promised he’d handle most of the questions and I took that as a threat. I lower myself into the chair Jude pulls out for me before seating himself, crossing one long leg over the other and looking far too comfortable as he says, “You’ll have to forgive us the delay.” As if we aren’t late because he threw…

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 Braidee Otto! Writes:Looking for a literary soulmate? Hi! I’m Braidee Otto, a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic with a passion for writing heartfelt narratives that sweep readers off their feet one page at a time. My debut adult romantic fantasy series, Myths of the Empyrieos, kicks off with SONGBIRD OF THE SORROWS, a tale brimming with espionage, trials, secrets, and just the right amount of heartbreak. It follows the story of Aella, an outcast princess-turned-spy who is sent to infiltrate a rival kingdom by competing in a series of high-stakes bridal trials. But when the trials turn deadly and her former flame – now the leader of her team – reignites old feelings, she must navigate the tangled web of duty, desire, and danger to decide whether to follow orders or risk everything to defy them. About:I call Adelaide, South Australia, home, where I live with my partner, two lovable dogs, and a cat who wandered into my life on the winter solstice and never left…