Fight the Dragons – Norbert Leo Butz (Big Fish cast recording)This song has always made me very emotional, whenever I hear it come onto my playlist I just stop and listen to it; the relationship between a father and his son is so beautifully portrayed throughout. I think it fits so perfectly for Jonah and his dad and the memories that Jonah is trying so hard to keep hold of, I think Jonah would really find comfort in this song. What is this feeling? – WickedI don’t think there is a better song to sum up Jonah and Dexter’s relationship in the start of the book! The sniping, the comments, the loathing. I could see them singing this and meaning every single word. 30/90 – Tick, Tick, Boom!This song resonates so well with some of the themes in the book – turning 30 and not knowing if you have your life together is a real fear Jonah has. The line “Hey, can you be optimistic? You’re no longer the ingenue” is particularly poignant for Jonah I think; he has a fear of being forgotten, of the things he’s achieved vanishing before he can really grasp them. So, although this song…

Excerpted from LUCKY SEED by Justinian Huang: Houyi was unable to see his reflection in mirrors, let alone any flat 2D image, so he always just presumed he was a very short, very wealthy human. He certainly had lived like one. Born to albino purebreds atop a grassy cliff overlooking the craggiest beaches in Malibu, Houyi was the son that Roses Sun had been awaiting all her life. Her obsessive fussing over this pit bull dominated her direct family for more than a decade. He was treated like more than human actually, more like “the living god of some prosperous country,” as Cristiano often remarked, not without a bit of envy. Houyi certainly got to go through the same general motions as the humans, if not better—sitting at the dining table on his designated seat next to Roses, riding his personal doggy elevator from her bedroom to the kitchen, chilling in his custom massage chair under the sunniest window in the sitting room. Why would he assume he was any different from the rest of his family? The dog was wrong about his identity, but despite existing primarily in one percent settings, Houyi did somehow innately understand that he was…

What is the title of your latest release?CHRISTMAS CAPTIVE What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?Someone put billionaire Jordan Campbell in a coma. Decorah Security asks nurse Hannah Andrews to use her psychic powers to reach him. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I needed an isolated mansion on the coast. Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?I never write about protagonists I wouldn’t want to party with. What are three words that describe your protagonist?Bullheaded, rich, in need of the right woman What’s something you learned while writing this book?Would you believe I learned that a writer can get her ideas from the weirdest places? I was at a conference and went up to my room. We were on the 19th floor. I looked at the room numbers, and everyone could have been a year in the 20th century. That gave me the idea of having the heroine psychically step into that hallway and start opening doors. Each one took her to a past Christmases in the hero’s life. Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?I am the queen of editing. I usually start…

What is the title of your latest release?ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A LORD What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A LORD is set in 1815 England and introduces Lady Petra Forsyth—four and twenty years of age, the daughter of the Earl of Holbrook, and having recently (and scandalously) announced that she will remain unmarried after the death of her fiancé. But when she discovers a presumed-dead friend may have been relegated to an asylum run by a dangerous, sham physician—and was sent there by her husband, no less—Lady Petra does the most unladylike and dangerous thing she can: she begins asking questions. After all, a true lady always follows her instincts, never the rules. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?London was a given with my setting of Regency-era England, but when it came to the country seat of Lady Petra’s father, I chose Newmarket, in Suffolk. First, because Petra’s father, the Earl of Holbrook, is also a racehorse trainer and Newmarket is the historic center of English horseracing. But second was because I read about Newmarket many times in Dick Francis novels, so my choosing…

When I’m writing, there’s a soundtrack playing in my head. BONES OF OUR STARS, BLOOD OF OUR WORLD has quite a few songs embedded in its DNA. Songs of horror. Songs of heartbreak and loss. Songs of loneliness. Songs about fighting back. I’m sharing a few tracks that echo the novel’s characters, events, and themes. There are secrets buried in these songs. Horrible secrets. Maybe, you’ll piece them together. Phantasmagoria (Bloody Hammers)Some who have read BONES OF OUR STARS, BLOOD OF OUR WORLD have pointed out that the book is my personal love letter to everything horror. Of course, it is! That’s why I wrote it! “Phantasmagoria” by Bloody Hammers is an anthem to the terrifying, the ghostly, and “the horror of it all.” So it works perfectly in the playlist for this novel. Psycho Killer (Talking Heads)It just makes sense, right? This song is an exploration of a frustrated, angry murderer. But it’s also about anxiety. It’s about feeling alienated from those around you. It’s about forces that are outside your control. This makes it the perfect theme for Mr. No-Face, the killer in the book, but it might apply to a few other characters, too. Swamp Thing (The…

Well, my friends, I have been writing my tailfeathers off this year, and the new series, The Texas Brand: Generations is about to get a third tale. DEPUTY BRAND GETS HER MAN releases on this most auspicious date, 11/11. It’s Willow’s story, and there’s a big series reveal at the end, so don’t skip the epilogue! I’m deep into the first draft of Book 4, HIRED HUSBAND, as we speak. There are eight planned in this series. Here’s a little taste of DEPUTY BRAND GETS HER MAN: Stu said, “You ain’t gettin’ in mah truck without a search warrant, lady deputy.” He made it an insult. Willow pressed her lips and nodded. “It’s illegally parked, I think,” and she got to her feet and started toward the truck. “It’s blockin’ the driveway. I oughtta move it. Prevent an accident.” Stu jumped up too. He put himself directly in front of her and bent so close to her face she could smell his beer breath. “I don’t think you want to do that.” “Oh, you’re readin’ me wrong, then, because I very much want to do that.” He drew back a fist to punch her. She never knew whether he’d have…

Welcome to November! I’m a usually a person who makes an effort to be thankful every day, but this is the month that I make a point to write little notes every day and put them in a jar. I then use that jar to carry me through the end of the year because there are so many things to do with all the holidays and events. I hope whichever holidays you celebrate are amazing and that you make time to find a comfy spot, wrap yourself in a blanket, get something wonderful in your mug, and read to your heart’s content. Here are some recommendations to get you through the month! Oh, and here’s a Reader Pass from me! If someone asks you to do something while you’re reading, this is my written permission for you to say no! So now that you have most of the things you need, let’s dive into the book recommendations!First, let’s look at TRAPPING, TURKEYS, & THANKSGIVING (A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery Series Book 28) by Tonya Kappes This is a couple years old but still funny today! I love the community we’re reading about and the main character is a hoot!…

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 N.J. Walters! Writes:N.J. Walters spends her days with werewolves, drakons, shapeshifters, fallen angels, and other intriguing paranormal creatures. She merely takes diction and tries to be as faithful as possible to the stories they relate. Fated mates, dangerous situations, enough passion to heat up the coldest night, and heartrending tears. The characters will take you on an unforgettable journey that always ends with a happily-ever-after. Werewolves, drakons, shapeshifters, fallen angels, and other intriguing paranormal creatures all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match:• Reader must love tall, dark, and dangerous paranormal heroes—in this latest book, a reaper—and a tough, independent heroine with a guarded heart and fiery spirit.• Crave heart-pounding passion and danger.• Be intrigued by the Grim Reaper’s personal messenger, a crow who snoops and interferes more than he helps.• Dark secrets that threaten the lives of both hero and heroine.• Sacrifice, tears, and a wild paranormal…

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.

What is the title of your latest release?TILL TAUGHT BY PAIN What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?A pioneering surgeon struggles to advance the field and make a name for himself after experiments with cocaine leave him addicted and dependent on his wife to help hide the weakness that could destroy him. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?It’s a historical novel, based on real people and events. The protagonist was the first surgeon-in-chief at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, so I knew it would be set largely in Baltimore at the turn of the 20th century. Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?I would love to! She’s smart, kind, and witty. But she’s introverted. She might not want to hang out with me! What are three words that describe your hero?Brilliant, sarcastic, tortured What’s something you learned while writing this book?I learned a lot about the history of medicine and surgery in America. I came to really admire the early Johns Hopkins physicians. They were discovering things we take for granted now. Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?I edit as I draft. I can’t…