While reading the description of your book ONE OF US IS DEAD, I was reminded of my favorite Real Housewives. What was your inspiration for this thriller? I actually came up with the idea for ONE OF US IS DEAD when I was sitting in a salon chair. My hairstylist had mentioned something personal I had previously told her (I don’t even remember what it was), and I was like, “Wait, I told you that? I can’t believe I told you that.” She replied, “Yes, you wouldn’t believe the things people say while sitting in this chair.” That was a lightbulb moment for me, and I immediately felt a salon was the perfect setting for a thriller. By the time I got home, I had half the book plotted out in my head. As I drafted the novel, I was definitely inspired by the Real Housewives as well as the book BIG LITTLE LIES.   Is this story divided up and alternating between the perspectives of several different characters? Yes, there are five points of view which was quite the undertaking to ensure they were unique voices and readers wouldn’t be confused by the multiple perspectives. Thankfully, early reviews gush…

How much research goes into one of your books? A: It really depends on the book. If I’m not familiar with the area, I’ll do a lot of location research, but I try to write books in places where I’ve been or where I know someone. For crime details, I have a lot of people I can call upon for help, or I can post a question in the Crime Scene Writers group. I’ve also done a lot of research over the years that’s become my own knowledge base — I’ve gone through the FBI Citizen’s Academy, gone on ride-alongs with local police, toured the morgue and viewed an autopsy, visited Quantico, and participated in training drills with SWAT teams. All that informs my books. For THE SORORITY MURDER, which came out at the end of 2021, I reached out to the head of the Criminal Justice department at Northern Arizona University as well as someone from the campus police department because I had very specific questions. But most of the forensic and psychology details I researched in books I own. For THE WRONG VICTIM, I reached out to a former ATF agent for information about bombs to make sure…

1–What is the title of your latest release? TO CATCH A KILLER 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A woman on the run from a killer. A US Marshal determined to protect her. Will these former lovers lose their hearts in the process? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I set the Heartland Heroes books in rural Kentucky because it’s such a beautiful area, full of small towns and good people. And someplace the wilderness is always just a stone’s throw away. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely! I write women-next-door heroines, because I want readers to easily walk in their shoes and experience the adventure right along with her. My heroines are always smart and resourceful, which I also adore. And there’s nothing they won’t do to protect the people they love. I would be any of their best friends in a minute. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Honorable, courageous, capable 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? My heroine is a budding chef with dreams of opening her own restaurant. More specifically, she wants to honor her family. Her mother is…

SCARLET CARNATION is set in early twentieth-century America. What made you decide to choose this period? After writing MUSTARD SEED, the companion to YELLOW CROCUS, I got the idea in my head that I would return to the descendants of these characters every twenty years or so until I got to the 2000s. SCARLET CARNATION is the fourth in the series. I enjoy starting a novel with the constraint of knowing a rough period and the main character(s) and then researching the geographical and social setting shaping their current lives. The thematic through line in all of my novels is “How does the American caste system harm my characters and how do my characters create beautiful, faith-filled and open-hearted lives despite disappointments, while challenging the oppressive structures they were born into.”   How much historical research did you do for your books? Are you a history buff? I do a lot of research. My favorite way to learn about the era is to read the newspapers from that time. Newspapers.com is by best friend. While I also read non-fiction books for my research, I prefer the raw, happening in the moment information that I get in the newspaper. I’m fascinated by…

1–What is the title of your latest release? My next release will be on April 26th, A MARGIN FOR MURDER book eight in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Bookshop owner Addie Greyborne must put the brakes on a killer after a death occurs behind the wheel of a bookmobile . . . 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Before I wrote my first cozy book, I conducted extensive research into the history of various locations that would work well with what I had in mind writing and found Massachusetts to be perfect. It’s an area steeped in history that goes back well before the 1600s and is easily accessible to hundreds of other cultural and historical sites. It made the perfect setting for a cozy murder mystery series. 4–Would you hang out with your sleuth in real life? Most definitely!  To me, when developing a character, it’s about keeping an element of reality in a fictional world. My development of Addie Greyborne is no exception. I write her to have good days and bad. She can be serious, and then silly—some say she acts…

Jennifer Vido: What inspired you to write EVERYTHING MUST GO? Camille Pagan: I’m the eldest of three sisters, so I’ve always wanted to write a novel about that complicated but often-wonderful dynamic. As Laine observes, “Being raised by the same parents at the same time was like being the last few to speak a dying language.” That’s how I’ve always felt when my sisters and I have had to deal with stressful family situations. The novel is also about the choices we make at midlife (I’m there now!) and the difficulty of dealing with dementia, especially in its early stages when it’s not always apparent there’s a “real” problem. Not all of my novels are inspired by my life, but this one definitely was.   Jen: What’s happening in Laine’s marriage that causes her to question the future? Camille: Laine and her husband Josh have been together for years, and they have a comfortable if staid relationship. But when Laine’s beloved dog, Belle, dies, she realizes that she actually isn’t happy with Josh—who is absentminded about everything, including their marriage—and is tired of being the one to keep the status quo for everyone in her life … including Josh. The…

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 Kristen McKanagh! Writes: Kristen McKanagh writes sweet contemporary romance & Amish romance that is filled with home, heart, and humor…and best of all, love.   About: Loves plots that make you sigh, feisty heroines with sass, heroes with heart, a dash of humor, and oodles of HEAs! Other titles include wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, spreadsheet lover, eMBA, organizational guru, Texan, Aggie, and chocoholic.   What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: My ideal reader match for my latest book, THE GIFT OF JOY, must love… Sunshine heroines with a heart for others Best friend heroes who won’t know what hit him Proposals to marry for convenience A cast of family and friends who you’ll want to have their own HEAs Swoon worthy moments of a friendship that turns to love A sweet escape into a world of kindness, hope, love, and faith…   What to expect if we’re compatible: If we are compatible, you’ll want to go back and read ALL my other sweet…

1–What is the title of your latest release? WEDDING SEASON   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Mariella Jacob and Alex Ralsten are sworn enemies but when they end up working together in the quaint town of Magnolia, North Carolina, something shocking happens—they form a connection that startles them both…daring them to admit that a rocky past might lead to something unexpectedly wonderful.   3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It was an easy decision because this is the third book in The Carolina Girls series. I loved returning to Magnolia, North Carolina.   4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely. Mariella Jacob is fun, feisty and a little bit snarky. I appreciate a bit of snark in my friends. She’s also really loyal, which is important to me. Plus, she owns a clothing store – I’m a terrible shopper so I could use some inspiration!   5–What are three words that describe your hero? Strong, steady, honorable   6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I guess this shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but although Mariella is tough on the outside, she has a tender…

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 Auralee Wallace! Writes: The second book in the Evenfall Witches B&B Mystery series, WHEN THE CROW’S AWAY, catches up with young witch Brynn Warren trying to help the ghost of a recently deceased chocolatier. Helping spirits pass on to the other side is usually a piece of cake for ghost-whisperer Brynn, but this normally sweet situation is a bit sticky this time around given the late candy-maker is convinced he was murdered. Brynn will need to use all her skills—both magical and mundane—to uncover the truth behind this demanding ghost’s bitter end.   About: Hi! My name is Auralee Wallace, and for as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a witch. As a kid I loved playing in the forest behind my house, pretending to fly on broomsticks (which were really just sticks) and whipping up magical mud-potions in the creek. While none of my spells ever came to fruition, I now get to fulfill all my enchanted imaginations through the Witches of Evenfall…

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 Cate Conte! Writes: Hi! I write the Cat Cafe Mysteries and the Full Moon Mysteries, and as Liz Mugavero, I write the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries. All my books feature strong female protagonists who have all had their lives upended in some fashion but are still rocking it—and they are all animal lovers. WITCH TRIAL, the second in my Full Moon series, was released in January 2022. This is a paranormal cozy filled with cats, crime, and crystals—and lots of witches! Protagonist Violet Mooney finds out she’s a witch in her 30s and has to adjust to living in two completely different worlds. Add in a long-lost mother and a half-sister she didn’t know she had, and the potential for mayhem is off the charts! About: I love murder! I’ve been obsessed with crime for as long as I can remember, which admittedly was disturbing to my parents. I have also been writing since I could hold a pen. When I’m not writing, I’m trying…