The cottage appeared to be abandoned, but something about it took hold of Peyton. The tall flight of steps leading up into the trees was worn but solid, taking him onto a deep porch that encircled it, framed with gingerbread bannisters. Between the water and the edge of the yard, if you could call it that, was a stand of mangroves so thick and tall that they would likely block the water view eventually, but for now they just made the house feel protected. He could hear Finn advising him: If there ain’t no other shelter, why, head for the mangroves. They’ll hold back the tide. Walking the circumference of the cottage, Peyton could see that it was more porch than house. On the porch ceiling, he spotted two sturdy hooks about five feet apart. They likely had held a swing or a hammock at one time—long gone now. The whole structure from floor to ceiling was built of cypress. Its tall windows were all shuttered. Peyton unfastened the shutters covering one of them and peered inside. The place looked empty. He tried the front door, which immediately creaked open into a large room with a little kitchen built into…

1–What’s the name of your latest release? The Heart of a Hero 2–What is it about?  What happens when the woman you love is caught in a hurricane—do you go after her?  And when you do…what if you, also get trapped? The Heart of a Hero is a story about two rescuers who are tasked with saving themselves—and others—when a Cat 5 hurricane hits Key West. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Aria Hathaway is a Pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon who is focused, determined and buttoned up. Until, of course, she meets former Navy Seal and Jones, Inc team rescuer Jake Silver.  Aria is adventurous, brave and the kind of woman who would give everything to save a friend, or a patient. But she is in over her head when she meets Jake and realizes that he is the one her heart wants. Because Jake is everything her brain says she shouldn’t have—Jake has no problem putting his life on the line for others. And Aria can’t lose someone she loves again…it’s better to never love at all, than to lose someone you love. 4–What makes your hero irresistible?  Jake masks his deep hurt with humor and charm, never letting anyone see…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  My latest release is called Live Like Legends. 2–What is it about?  Princess Kalista finds herself married to a man she’s never met. She has nothing in common with Prince Carson, including language. They must find a way to communicate if they can overcome the threats facing their nation. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Intellectual 4–What makes your hero irresistible?  He has infinite patience and a passionate love for the people he rules. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help?  Kalista relies on her mentor, a monk named Emmett. But, he’s hiding secrets of his own. 6–What do you love about the setting of your book?  Kalista is new to the nation and isn’t used to the weather or the people. She gets to explore it. She’s set to become the queen of the country and she learns to appreciate and love its unique attributes. 7–Are you a plotter (follow an outline) or a pantster (write by the seat of your pants)? I’m a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll. I tend to pants for a bit, the first several chapters, and outline…

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 as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Rebekah L. Purdy! Writes: Rebekah writes Young Adult books—everything from contemporary to fantasy and everything in between. Where There Be Humans is about Ivy Archer, a half goblin, who more than anything wants to figure out who or what her mother is/was. She lives in a world where humans are fairytales and sometimes the real monsters aren’t what you’d expect. But she’ll soon realize some questions are best left unanswered, and not all adventures are like what she reads in her black-market books. About: Rebekah is a video game playing, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings memorabilia collecting, nerd, who writes Young Adult books. She is a mother, and also the proud owner of lots furbabies. She seeks readers who want to unite against the forces of evil and let goodness reign. You must bring your own swords and lightsabers to the battle (armor optional but strongly encouraged). What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Must love B.A. heroines who can wield swords Must love loyal…

With COVID-19, nowadays “quarantine”, “social distancing”, and “isolate” are common parts of our everyday vocabulary. While isolating is necessary right now, it can lead to varying levels of depression and other unexpected emotions – even for an introvert like me. As I was sitting in the quiet of my apartment, with my cat keeping vigil next to me, I was longing for any type of travel and human interaction. Travel and human interaction are not normally things that are normally high up on my “must haves.” While dystopian films and novels might seem like a natural for readers to gravitate right now, a lot of my friends have avoided those types of entertainment because it seemed off-putting. It’s as I was sitting at home in isolation that I thought of some of my favorite romances that take place in far off worlds and unique characters and bizarre situations that seem like just the thing to perk up a reader longing for travel, adventure, fun, and excitement. You might not be able to go far right now, but books provide an entertaining alternative. Although I don’t normally read sci-fi, something about the Cat Star Chronicles books by Cheryl Brooks intrigued me….

Inside the stately manor house on the TV series Downton Abbey, two different worlds exist. Life upstairs is elegant and refined. The gentry is considered superior to the working class and worthy of deference and respect because of the “blue blood” in their veins. They wear fabulous clothing that they can’t seem to put on by themselves, enjoy fine dining every evening, and have plenty of leisure time. Downstairs, servants wearing identical uniforms day after day bump elbows with each other as they work from dawn until long after dark to keep the household running in good order. The family upstairs enjoys the freedom to pursue new pastimes and careers while their downstairs servants seem destined to remain among the servant class. The divide between the classes is much wider than the door that separates them. That’s why, when the chauffeur and the upstairs daughter dare to fall in love, both servants and gentry at Downton Abbey are equally horrified. My latest novel, If I Were You, takes place in a similar setting—in a grand manor house called Wellingford Hall. Audrey Clarkson lives a life of wealth and privilege upstairs. Eve Dawson and her mother work downstairs as household servants….

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-ReaderMatch” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Cindy K. Sproles! Writes: Cindy writes Appalachian Historical (1800s era). Her stories are gritty, emotional, and full of action. What Momma Left Behind, tackles the difficult life of the orphaned children in the deep Smoky Mountains when “the fever” seemed to be taking more adults and leaving orphaned children by the droves to forge the mountains to survive. About: Author is a mountain gal who seeks friends who appreciate the sweet smell of fresh mountain air after a spring rain, and the stamina to hike to the summit. Raised in the mountains of East Tennessee, Cindy loves her mountain heritage and her desire is to keep the stories of the Appalachians in the forefront so they are not forgotten.  She wants readers to relate to the hardships but see the determination and faithfulness to others found in people “back in the hollers.” What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: *Readers must like fast hitting action. *Must be willing to plow through the hardship to see the depth of those who…

Writing is a creative enterprise for sure, but there’s also an element of pragmatism involved. While considering the setting for a new book series three or four years ago, I wanted to find a place that had some familiarity for me (theoretically cutting down on research time), but at the same time might spark curiosity in my audience. What could be more fun than reading about the beginnings of a little Southern town that spawned one of the greatest rock ’n roll legends of all time? It just so happened that Tupelo, Mississippi, the birthplace of Elvis Presley, was incorporated in 1870—precisely in the middle of the Reconstruction Era, the tumultuous setting I’d chosen for the Daughtry House series. Giving myself leeway to create whatever I needed to for the story (for example, there were no real plantations left in the area by the end of the Civil War; Ithaca/Daughtry House is based on Waverley Plantation, which is actually in nearby West Point, Mississippi), I tried as much as possible to ground the little town of Tupelo in life as it would have been back then. Boarding houses, saloons, mercantiles, and other businesses set in a grid not too far…

Chapter Three With the sun casting a glittery effect on the sand and surf, the image gave off a perfect depiction of tranquility and whispered a message that all was right. It was the same picture Josie worked diligently to showcase as well over the years to help hide the debilitating fears that were constantly threatening to overtake her. Through carefully placed smiles and keeping to the edges of every situation, she did a good job most of the time, but the unexpected visit from August Bradford had rattled her. She worried it would expose the shadows that continuously lurked just underneath her surface, at the ready to swallow up the light. It wasn’t due to the man himself, but the aftermath he would leave in his wake once another wave of an opportunity picked him up and carried him far from the shore of Sunset Cove. Opal and Sophia prattled in their lounge chairs on either side of Josie. She’d mostly tuned them out as Opal recapped her disastrous encounter with August Bradford at the diner. “He left his number. How much more obvious could the man be about his interest?” Opal snickered, straightening the top of her crocheted…

Meet the Sisters in Jamie Beck’s If You Must Know Your newest series, Potomac Point, releases this week with If You Must Know. Please tell us about the sisters that are at the center of your novel.  Amanda is the middle child. She’s diligent, earnest, hard-working, and generous. She wants the people she loves to be happy and feel her love. Her weakness is a deep-seated insecurity—a sense that she is not interesting enough to be lovable. This leads her to overlook when she is being taken for granted because her need to be pleasing is omnipresent. Erin is the baby of the family and her late-father’s pet. She is outgoing, fun-loving, and views her average intelligence as a blessing (rather than lamenting that her siblings are smarter). She is willful and has her own way of moving through the world. The big weakness she has is her impulsiveness, whether with jobs or relationships. As she approaches her 30th birthday, she’s looking to mature and create a more stable life for herself. Arguably, Amanda has led a pretty charmed life – no real worries about money, no problems in her relationships, a big house, doting husband… Then her world comes crashing…