Brooklyn Ann writes horror and a few different subgenres of romance. She recently experienced a tragedy when strong winds knocked down a tree and it fell onto the home she shared with her longtime partner. He was killed while in bed. It’s what everybody fears – a sudden loss that you’re powerless to prevent. Over the years, through social media (much of the time spent watching horror films in a Facebook film group – think Sci Mystery Science Theater 3000), I’ve gotten to know Brooklyn and by extension – through pictures and stories – her partner Kent. As a romance fan, I think there’s a certain level of curiosity about the type of man a writer of romance books is with. Is he anything like the heroes in their books? Is he anything like the often-idealized fictional heroes? In this instance, the answer would be “yes”. In fact, Kent and their love story inspired Brooklyn to put a version of him in one of her books – WITH VENGEANCE. Kent was a super sweet guy who helped at author conventions and other author events. He was a strong and steady support and a benevolent presence wherever he was. Devoted cat…

Hi Cozy Mystery Friends, I’m Jamie Adams, and as the holiday season settles in, with twinkling lights, warm mugs, and extra moments for reading, I find myself reaching for one thing more than ever: A good clean holiday mystery. It might sound odd to say out loud, but cozy mystery readers understand. There’s something especially comforting about a holiday mystery, one where the snow is falling, the town is decorated, and even a murder can’t dampen the spirit for long. So why do Christmas cozies work so well? For me, it’s because they offer everything we crave this time of year:• A puzzle that keeps our minds engaged• Familiar, festive settings that feel like home• Sleuths who rely on heart and common sense• And the promise that justice will be served before the final carol Holiday cozies remind us that even when something dark intrudes, light always wins. This month, I wanted to spotlight two mysteries that capture that comforting, clean-murder spirit and are perfect for curling up with on a cold winter evening. GIVING UP THE GHOST by Marilyn LevinsonWhile not strictly a Christmas story, this cozy mystery is ideal for winter reading. Retired teacher Gabbie Meyerson moves into…

I can’t believe that 2026 is almost at an end. Where did the time go? How did the months pass so quickly? Over the last year, I’ve had so much fun sharing my book recs with you all.  We’ve gone through lots of great romance tropes, we’ve hit multiple sub-genres, and we’ve always valued our happily-ever-afters! For my final post, I thought I’d revisit some of my absolute favorite books from this year.  If you haven’t read these books yet, you could totally curl up with one of them as the year winds to a close! First up, if you’re looking for fun, don’t miss THE WORST WEDDING DATE by Pippa Grant. You just can’t be in a bad mood when you read a Pippa book. She is hilarious, and her stories are delightful. Another book that I adored? THE WITCH QUEEN OF HALLOWEEN by Kresley Cole.  The bonus with reading a Kresley Cole book is that she has a whole series of amazing paranormals you can explore! You start with one book, and then you find yourself completely addicted to ALL her books. And, book number three from my “favorites” of the year…SHATTERING DAWN by Jayne Ann Krentz. I…

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.

Book Title: LOST WITHOUT YOUCharacter Name: Shane AdamsSeries: Adams Cosmetics How would you describe your family or your childhood?My childhood was amazing. My mom was always home and there to lend to an ear. My dad was always working and trying to build his business. I didn’t see him as much as I would have liked but I could see he was trying to build a legacy for me and my sisters Kayla and Courtney. What was your greatest talent?I have a great nose and I can smell different natural smells, essential oils, synthetics and more. Significant other?I’ve always been the love ‘em and leave ‘em type, but ending my relationships with aplomb and a fancy trinket to remember me by. Biggest challenge in relationships?My biggest challenge is finding anyone who can live up to my mom. She stood next to my father, but not behind him. She was his partner in every sense of the word and I never thought I’d be able to find that. Where do you live?I know this might surprise most since I’m a ladies man, but my primary residence is my family mansion, but I do own a condo in the city. Do you…

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.

For this month of festivity, lights and decoration (and because I’m currently re-watching The Tudors) thoughts turn to another era resplendent with fetes, frolic—but also danger, especially for those close to the throne. We’ll explore the lives of some real queens and one view of the Tudor world through the eyes of a fictional court observer. Setting the frame of excess and drama, we begin with MURDER MOST ROYAL by Jean Plaidy, who focuses her story on Henry’s two executed queens, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. The women are cousins, both related to the powerful Howard family headed by the Duke of Norfolk, both used as tools to forward their families’ desire for wealth and power, but their personalities are nearly polar opposites. At first a resistant participant, the clever Anne becomes a determined and ruthless schemer in her pursuit of a crown, while the simple Catherine, guileless and willing, falls victim to her own voluptuous pursuit of pleasure. When the king’s eye falls on the passionate and intelligent Anne, angry at being prevented from wedding Henry Percy, the man she wants, she rejects her family’s plotting to make her the king’s next mistress. She will not be used and…

Do you freak out at the thought of aliens (intelligent nonhuman life) visiting earth? Maybe you think they do not exist. Many lifetimes and ages ago, I got my answer to the question of nonhuman intelligent life. A rip-roaring yes, they are real. And they have visited earth over a vast span of time. One alien has an important role in my high fantasy series, Stoneslayer. The series is based on four of my past lives and the past lives of family and friends. I encountered this alien, Maguari the Mist-Weaver, during those past lives. Alien wisdom master Maguari. Art by Christine Miller. In having an alien key character, Stoneslayer is part of a long tradition of speculative fiction based on the premise of aliens. Most alien-inclusive books, films, or TV shows, however, offer one or two versions of the nonhuman others. First version: The good alien, like the Vulcans of Star Trek or the Newcomers of Alien Nation. Second version: The very bad no good evil devouring alien, as in Alien(s), Independence Day, or War of the Worlds. (Kind of like how women are depicted in so much of the fiction written by men. Virgins or whores. But I…

What is the title of your latest release?THE GINGERBREAD THIEF What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?A grumpy wizard and a chatty widow are thrown together on a quest to win a wish promised as the prize in a magical baking contest. The wish would give Ansgar the chance to restore his waning powers and stave off death—and it’s Josephine’s only hope to find out if the odd cat she’s toting around is actually her late husband under an enchantment. On their way to the contest, they’ll face fiery trials, dubious soup, and raging rivers. Only one of them will win the wish, but in the end, they’ll both discover that life’s sweetest ingredient is love. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?France seemed like the perfect place for luxury-loving Ansgar to begin a new life after leaving the wilds of a German enchanted forest. At the end of The Gingerbread Queen, he’d just broken the years-long spell that had confined him within the body of a duck, so he was more than eager to celebrate being human again with every indulgence nineteenth century France offered: the latest fashions, rich cuisine, and fawning mistresses….

November, 1944 It’s funny: I’ve always lived in San Francisco, so it feels like a normal city to me. But I suppose it isn’t a typical place at all, is it? Maybe it’s the war that has made me see my hometown in a new light. For the past few years, the city has been bursting with servicemen from all across the country, passing through on their way to the Pacific. I meet lots of them through my volunteer work as a junior hostess at the USO. Many of these fellows are amazed by San Francisco, and I get to see it through their eyes. So in a way, I too am discovering my own city.  This past year, ever since I inherited the seamstress shop from my mentor, I’ve seen so many parts of it I never knew before. Take Nob Hill, for example, where the richest San Franciscans live. Cynthia Burke, the newly-married socialite, lives here. She called me to remake an evening gown for her, and I tried hard not to look too obviously impressed by her gorgeous penthouse apartment; it’s such a far cry from the orphanage where I grew up. But I’ve always had a…