“Get It On,” Demolition Doll Rods (Album: On, 2004)MOTOR CITY LOVE SONG is my love letter to the Detroit indie and garage bands that came up in the 1990s and early 2000s, full of the DIY spirit and determination the city is famous for. The Demolition Doll Rods are a great example of this, with their elemental rock sensibility and distinctive visual presence. Definitely check them out on YouTube playing live. “Running Up That Hill,” Kate Bush (Album: Hounds of Love, 1985)A key element of MOTOR CITY LOVE SONG is “Heart Fire,” Paloma’s last release before she dropped out of the public eye in 2001. When the song becomes a viral hit decades later after being featured in a hit Netflix show, Paloma is back in the spotlight … a la Kate Bush’s resurgence thanks to Stranger Things. “Running Up That Hill” is ethereal, unapologetically theatrical, and fiercely feminine. Kate Bush isn’t for everyone, and that is her greatest strength. “Times Like These,” Foo Fighters (Album: One By One, 2002)Paloma’s “Heart Fire” is a departure from her gritty punk ditties as she reflects on her troubled childhood, her hardscrabble career, and her life with Jace, her girlfriend and manager. I…

What is the title of your latest release?UNTAMED HEART What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?A British city girl escapes to her Wyoming family ranch and clashes with a rugged ex-rodeo cowboy, discovering that love, grit, and belonging might be a lot wilder (and hotter) than the life she left behind… How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I saw the TV show, Yellowstone, in 2024 – and it reminded me of my own time on a dude ranch in Wyoming years ago as a child. I’m from the UK, so to me, Jackson Hole is the quintessential, beautiful cowboy town amongst the mountains – the perfect place to fall in love! Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?Yes! Lottie and her best friend, Hestia, are a mash up of the relationship I have with one of my closest friends. There are elements of us both in those characters, so I know we’d have a blast if we hung out. What are three words that describe your hero?Oh Cole! He’s such a cinnamon roll! But in three words – loyal, genuine and grounded. What’s something you learned while writing this book?That home…

A tour of Smile given by Presley Ayers Welcome to a tiny little island on the northern tip of Michigan. Smile is home to almost five thousand people and offers year-round activities for locals and tourists to enjoy. Thanks, in advance, for visiting our website. I’m going to give you about a dozen reasons to visit Smile, and while you’re here, swing by the incredibly charming, Get Lost Lodge. River Valley Lodge (Chilliwack BC) Smile was founded by Earnest Simel who was very excited to unveil the town sign and didn’t realize that it had a misprint. And the little town that was meant to be called Simel, was aptly named SMILE. About a forty-five minute ferry ride from Mackinaw City, Smile is a bustling town with local eateries you’ll need to visit such as: Pete’s Image found on Pinterest Brother’s Pub The Beagle Pub in Victoria Petal’s Pie Palace Once your belly is full of the most delicious food (try the waffles), you can take a bike ride to Tourist Lane. If you dig a little deeper, you will, no doubt, find out that I am biased. My fiancé owns and operates Beckett’s Bikes but I promise you, my…

What is the title of your latest release?BIANCA’S CURE What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?A single-minded young woman in Renaissance Florence uses her charm and cunning to pursue early science in a world controlled by men and filled with alchemy and superstition, religious dogma, and political treachery – including within her own family. Her cause is curing malaria, and her main tool is the herb artemisia – medicine still used today. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I decided on Florence because I teach in Tuscany and know quite a bit about Florence. It’s a romantic and popular travel destination, and I thought it would be fun to describe some of the magic and mysticism of the legendary Medici family, and of a young woman trying to break into it. Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?She might be a little intense. The inspiration for my novel was the mysterious open window in Piazza Santissima Annunziata in Florence where the spirit of my heroine, Bianca Capello, is said to reside (if the window is closed, she screams) in one of Florence’s most popular squares. I guess I would hang out…

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…