I’ve always loved animals, but never to the degree of extreme devotion and dedication as say . . . my administrative assistant. Her beloved dogs have their own television, and she cooks them homemade macaroni and cheese. I’ve teased her that I’d love to be one of her dogs, and she invited me to do so anytime. (This is why I love her!). But I do love animals. I have two cats, Maddie and Ivy, and they are spoiled in their own right. I did crack some eggs for them this morning to dine upon as they overlooked the woods outside our house. And frogs. We have four frogs. This is what my children gift me with. Amphibians. But think about it. When animals make their way into stories, it always seems to add depth and a richness that we can all relate to. Some of the great classics are centered around animals. Or at least they’re classics in my mind. Old Yeller, Rascal, Where the Red Fern Grows . . . animals become critical characters in books. They bring an element of endearment, sentiment, and snuggle into a story that human characters often cannot achieve. In my most recent…

When we think of a romance hero we usually think of a military or ex-military man, firefighter, policeman, spy, cowboy, rancher, or billionaire businessman. How often do we think of a farmer? A reader recently commented that she was both surprised and pleased that the hero of my latest book was an organic farmer. As she put it, “Farmers can be hot too.” He’s also a half-breed werewolf, but that’s another story. I realized it’s not the first time I’ve had a hero who makes his living as a farmer. That got me to thinking about why I chose that profession for my hero. Of course the easy and true answer is, “He chose it, not me.” That’s how it works for me when I write. The characters tell me who they are and what they do for a living. I’m just taking dictation. I think there is something intrinsically down-to-earth about a man who works the soil for a living. A natural confidence that arises from working for himself and depending on his own abilities. He must be willing to trust his instincts and adapt to changing situations. So many variables are out of his control and not everything…

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas This is the highly anticipated sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses. The fantasy hooks you in with realistic portrayals of PSTD, something you don’t often see in paranormal and fantasy books, enough action and adventure to keep you on the edge of your seat, and a super sexy, steaming hot love story. Wildest Dreams by Kristen Ashley I’m a huge, obsessive fan of Kristen Ashley, having read almost all her books, with the exception of her fantasy/paranormal. I read Fantasyland book one: Wildest Dreams, and immediately fell for Frey. Never thought I’d be so attracted to the nickname ‘wee one.’ Featuring a parallel universe, a spunky heroine, and a sexy alpha male, this is a paranormal/fantasy romance that’s a must read. The Beast by JR Ward Those who know me, know I’m the number one Rhage fan in the world. THE WORLD, so nothing made me more excited to know that we were getting another book featuring him and Mary. It’s a great additional to their romance, sexy and sweet. I could spend all summer with Hollywood. Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione No one can world build quite…

Hello to all Fresh Fiction readers out there! This is Claire Davon, writer of Fire Danger, Elementals’ Challenge #1. In researching the Elementals series I found many mythical creatures outside of werewolves and vampires that I thought it might be fun to show five obscure beings that are kicking around in my head as romance possibilities! I have already written about gargoyles, lamassu, norns, huldufólk, sirens and of course Phoenix, Griffin, Ondine and Sphynx, characters from the Elementals series but there are so many more. You’ll see souls from many myths in those books which I hope enhances the fun. Without further ado, on to the countdown! Thunderbird. For anyone who hasn’t heard of the thunderbird, this legendary North American creature flaps its wings and creates thunder, and also controls the upper world. I picture a humanoid who morphs into this amazing being. He could be the protector of a family or families, watching from a distance, until distance becomes impossible. Banshee. The Banshee’s mythological heritage dates back to pre-Christian times. Imagine your voice powerful weapon that can kill, and is feared by all who hear it. I see a banshee as a kick-ass heroine, her legacy garbled into one…

The ten o’clock news came on, so Clara knew it was time for Alfred to come in. She used her remote to turn off the television, then picked up her cane and hobbled out to the kitchen. She opened the back door. A chilly wind blew against her. She took a deep breath of the fresh October air, and peered across her yard. “Al-l-l-fred!” she called. Generally, she would hear the clink of his collar tags before ever seeing him. She listened, but heard only the dry shuffling of leaves on the graveyard trees. “Al-l-l-fred?” Careful not to fall—her broken hip last year had laid her up good and proper for five months—she stepped down the three wooden stairs to the yard. She made her way across the moonlit lawn, and stopped at the edge of her flowerbed. From there, she peered through the bars of the cemetery fence. So dark over there, the trees shading the moon. “Al-l-l-l-fred!” she called. Much too loudly. She imagined heads rising in their coffins, turning—corpses listening to her voice. Softly, she called, “Here, kitty-kitty-kitty.” Her eyes searched the darkness. Saw a solitary figure near the cemetery fence. Gasping, she took a quick step…

Have you ever dated the wrong guy for the right reasons? That’s my heroine Samantha Rushford’s problem in my newest lighthearted, sexy small town romance THIS LOVING FEELING. She craves stability, and all she wants is the white-picket-fence dream of a normal home and family life. She’s dating a man who seems to be “Mr. Right”: he’s ivy-league educated, from an old New England family, has ambitious political aspirations… The thing I had the most fun with when I wrote This Loving Feeling was toying with that notion—that the perfect-on-paper guy isn’t at all, and the across-the-tracks, biker, tatted-up auto mechanic who got shuffled from one foster home to another for years is actually the Hero with the Heart of Gold. Here’s why I think Lukas Spikonos (rhymes with the island Mykonos), the “wrong” guy, is really the rightest guy of all for Sam (and I hope you’ll think so too): He’s bold and audacious, which is just what Sam needs, because she’s taken the tame, quiet path in life to make up for her previously unwise choices. At the beginning of the book, Lukas shows up to sing at her high school class’s prom…but then he calls Sam up…

The New Adult category began with pretty simple specs: 18-25, college, exploring the theme of girls and boys becoming men and women and the trials that can pop up through that discovery. But where the category might have begun in college—and some are still set there—there has been a gradual shift to post-college storylines or stories less about college and more about people working their way through life…and often finding love along the way. This move has made it easier for contemporary romance readers to take chances on NA romance, because the storylines are not so dissimilar now. A twenty-four-year old finding her way through her first real job could be a NA title or it could be a contemporary romance. But regardless of where it’s slotted, a fan of contemporary romance may grab this book without as much hesitation. There are lighter story options now, with less angst and more humor, something rarely seen five years ago in the NA world. So we have the new professional athlete stories, the first jobs, the first time getting fired, the first time Mom and Dad aren’t there to save them. And perhaps these firsts are as defining to the category as…

Well-written movies stir my creative juices. I envision sitting around a table with a team of creative writers to pen the best characters (and who’d play the roles), thrilling plot, distinct dialogue, amazing setting, powerful emotive conflict, intriguing symbolism, and everything else that makes a great movie. Then reality hovers over me, and I realize I probably won’t be writing any award-winning movie scripts, but I can write the best romantic suspense novel possible. I use the following questions to measure the quality of movies and learn how to develop my craft in the process. If you’re a fan of Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook, you’ll recognize his superior hand in some of these questions. Let me know what you think. Describe the protagonist (s). Describe the antagonist (s). What is the story problem? What makes the story problem or goal an impossibility? How does it grow worse? What happens in the first doorway? What happens in the middle? Where are your sympathies? Is there a betrayal? How is it depicted? Does the plot have unusual twists? Describe. Is there vulnerability? Describe Is there selfishness or greed? Describe Does anyone make a sacrifice? How and who? What character…

Chocolate This one’s a “duh”, right? A lot of people love chocolate, the rich melt in your mouth, ooey goodness. My best orgasmic chocolate experience was a box of Belgium truffles a friend brought me fresh off the plane from Belgium. Oh—My—Gosh—I rationed those things for a week. Each time I put one in my mouth, I seriously had to close my eyes. It was an instinctive response. Of course, watching the look on my husband’s face when he ate one… now, that was fun. Pastries I’m partial to croissants, specifically, you guessed it, the chocolate kind: a warm pain au chocolat where the outside crunches into little flakes but the inside oozes in your mouth. The variety of pastries is endless, the variety of flavors and ingredients even more endless, and my favorite part… you can eat them for breakfast. Ice Cream It’s hard to find ice cream that isn’t good, but the kind of ice cream I’m talking about is one so rich in flavor, it literally blows your taste buds. My ultimate ice cream experience was a vanilla cone in northern France, from a street vendor, no place special and it… oh wow. I’ve had lots of…

Hi Everyone! I’m Eve Devon and I’m here to celebrate the release of my romantic suspense: HEART OF STEEL. I have to tell you that writing alpha-geek Adam Steel and his assistant, reformed-rebel Honeysuckle Hawk, was an absolute pleasure. Born out of the complicated working relationships I love to see developing, Adam and Honeysuckle already have a tentative friendship. You know the kind I mean – the sort of relationship where without paying too much attention, the couple working so closely together, have fallen into a certain rhythm. They know each other’s habits. Each other’s foibles! And there’s an unwritten understanding between them, forged from an outstanding chemistry… Yep, I’m an absolute sucker for this kind of duo. Whether it’s a romance or a bromance, the myriad shifts in these types of relationships are exciting to witness. There are plenty of wonderful examples of complicated working relationships in books and films, but I’ve chosen my top three TV duos (because getting to watch these couples work out what they mean to each other week on week is fabulous entertainment). No. 1 Josh Lyman and Donnatella Moss from The West Wing During the nineties it seemed like the whole world was…