I love Thanksgiving because it’s all about food and family, my favorites things.  In my youth, we hosted between twenty and twenty-five for Thanksgiving dinner. My father cooked the entire meal: turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing (cooked inside the turkey), and corn. My aunts brought pies and snacks. My grandmother brought candy. Loved her! My mom sat in a recliner, read the newspaper, such a throwback idea, and did the crosswords. When the guests arrived, she rose from her chair and made orange sherbert punch. Her recipe: a can of frozen orange juice, six ten-ounce bottles of 7Up, and a container of orange sherbert. We still do this for family parties. It’s refilled several times. I only hosted Thanksgiving once. It wasn’t great, but no one died so I count it as a success. Cooking isn’t my strong suit. I relied heavily on my relatives to fill in. This year will be bittersweet. My sister-in-law and hostess with so much mostess, is planning on selling her big house. It is a perfect fit for our forty-five and growing crowd. The end of an era. Next year will be different because we may be with our individual families as opposed…

Get ready to cozy up with a heartwarming new holiday read in this week’s Jen’s Jewels! Bestselling author Jenny Hale returns with TEN CHRISTMASES WITHOUT YOU, a tender and nostalgic story about love, loss, and rediscovering purpose across the span of a decade of Christmases. In our chat, Jenny shares how she brought Emmy and Charlie’s emotional journey to life, why she decided to stretch the story over multiple holidays, and which traditions from her own life sneak into her books. Pour yourself a mug of cocoa, curl up by the fire, and don’t miss this festive interview that’s sure to put you in the Christmas spirit. Jen: What sparked the idea for TEN CHRISTMASES WITHOUT YOU?Jenny: I can’t really remember what sparked the idea. I might have come up with the title first. Many times, I think of a good title and write a retail description first. Then, I write the book that fits those two things. Jen: Emmy’s been struggling since losing her mom, and her emotional journey feels so real. How did you tap into her sense of loss and longing while writing?Jenny: I think we all experience loss in different ways—loss of a loved one, loss…

This excerpt is taken from Jake Arnott’s BLOOD RIVAL out on October 14th. BLOOD RIVAL is a neo-noir reimagining of Greek tragedy, a compulsive psychological thriller steeped in forbidden desire, family secrets, and fatal ambition. It happened at a place where three roads meet. Junction 1A of the M25, heading east towards Gravesend.     There’s a killer on the road.    Just after dawn on a bright June Sunday morning, Lee Royle was driving his dark blue Land Rover Discovery home from a long night in Essex. He’d crossed the water at Dartford, idly dreaming of his ancient homeland. Kent, he mused as he changed down to ease into the slip road.    Then a red Mazda MX-5 roadster cut him up across the right-hand side, making his foot flinch sharply on the brake pedal. Lee raged and blared his horn. He flashed his headlamps full beam and gave chase, gaining on the impudent little sports car as they approached a roundabout at the foot of the slope.    As he overtook the MX-5, Lee glanced over to judge his tormentor. Just a kid. A boy racer. A baby driver. Royle caught the youth’s eye and gazed a gorgon glare. But…

What is the title of your latest release?THE WELL-KEPT SECRET (Book 1 in The Wishville Mysteries) What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?When half-human, half-Dweller Lyra Wells inherits guardianship of Wishville’s magical wishing well, she discovers a murdered man, a missing mother, and a fragile treaty between worlds that’s beginning to crack. With a grumpy human police chief and a brooding Dweller enforcer at her side—and a sarcastic talking cat who steals every scene—Lyra must solve the mystery before both realms unravel. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I wanted a setting that felt both cozy and otherworldly, so I created Wishville, Vermont—a storybook mountain town with cobblestone streets, quirky locals, and a magical wishing well at its heart. It’s the kind of place you’d want to visit…if you didn’t mind the occasional murder or mischievous spell. Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?Absolutely! Lyra is funny, fiercely loyal, and just the right blend of awkward and brave. We’d probably spend our time people-watching at the Wishbone Café and gossiping about the latest WishFest scandal. What are three words that describe your protagonist?Curious. Compassionate. Relentless. What’s something you learned while writing…

Book Title: BLOOD FOR THE UNDYING THRONECharacter Name: Eldred Note: Read in Jeremy Irons’s voice. How would you describe your family or your childhood?My childhood happened so long ago. The closest thing to family that I still remember is my master, who taught me magic for centuries then threw me out of her land over a perceived slight. She was cruel in her tutelage, but I understood even then it was necessary. Our talents and studies remove us from the world we are born to. It is inevitable that we live differently from mere men, as birds live differently from rats. What was your greatest talent?I excelled at mind and memory magic. The art of awakening memories in dead things was invented by the first grandmaster of our school but perfected by me. My own body is now a corpse that remembers who it used to be, my thoughts mere memories folding into and overlapping itself. It’s pretty neat. Significant other?Nothing earthly is significant to me. However, in my long life I have come to regard a few as more than grass in the wind. Yuma, the insolent Chief Herder of Danras, is one. Biggest challenge in relationships?That I don’t…

BLOOD ON THE BOARDWALK by Donna Taylor Inspired by The Lost Boys and 90s teen horror novels, Blood on the Boardwalk is a modern day horror comedy. SERAPHIM’S LAMENT Infernum by Layla J. Omorose Demonic fun with a compelling heroine and a sexy demon hero. BEWARE THE ROSEMOND RIPPER by T. L. MacRae A friends to lovers romance between two serial killers with a Mrs. and Mrs. Smith premise! FIMBULVINTER’S FIRES by A.M. WEALD An apocalyptic sci-fi queer horror romance inspired by the legend of Ragnarök. THE WITCHWOOD BOYS ARE TRENDING, The Witchwood Boys, book 1, by C.M. Stunich A Why-Choose supernatural horror romance! LAGOON by Jove Chambers. A horror romance for the monsterf-ckers out there! BIG BOOBENSTEIN  Big Boobenstein Series, book 1, by Jeff O’Brien Hear me out. The romance is actually sweet and there’s a nice body positivity message! BARROW MAID Winnie and Crela book 1, by Dani Finn A short, sweet, and gory lesbian necromance starring a graveyard ghoul and a bookish necrologist. HUNTED BY THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN, Roars and Romances series, by Emily Shore. For the dark romance girlies, The fifth standalonein the series of old lore retellings with gripping plots and enthusiastic consent. EYES OF THE…

What is the title of your latest release?THE SOUND OF THE DARK What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?Cally Darker, a true-crime podcaster investigates a murder from the 1980s – a kind, gentle family man slaughtered his wife and children and then killed himself, leaving only the words WORLD’S END written on the wall of their burned-out home. Cally learns that the deaths are somehow linked to a long-abandoned airfield called Warden Fell. When she finds the dead man’s tape-recorded diary, she thinks she’s about to learn the answers – but they might be too late to save her from the same fate. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?North Wales, where a lot of the book is set, is my favorite place in the world. The little town of Bala has popped up in a few other things I’ve written, but I’d never set anything there properly, so I thought it was about time. Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?Oh, definitely. In fact, Cally’s partly based on one of my best friends. What are three words that describe your heroine?Scared. Brave. Determined. What’s something you learned while writing this…

What is the title of your latest release?THE EIGHT HEARTBREAKS OF HANUKKAH What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?A Hanukkah retelling of A CHRISTMAS CAROL! How did you decide where your book was going to take place?There’s nothing more magical than New York City around the holidays—so, of course, I set THE EIGHT HEARTBREAKS OF HANUKKAH there! Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?Absolutely! What are three words that describe your hero?Dependable, kindhearted, charming What’s something you learned while writing this book?Less is more. Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?A combination. I try not to edit as much on a first draft, but sometimes it’s inevitable. What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?Chocolate cake. Describe your writing space/office!I have a small office crammed full of my books, awards, and a large doggy bed loaded down with toys for my one-year-old husky puppy. Who is an author you admire?Heidi Shertok. Not only is she incredibly talented, but she’s an all-around great human being. Is there a book that changed your life?My first book., The Matzah Ball, absolutely changed my life. Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out…

Since ECHOES OF A SILENT SONG features music and musicians in both the past and present timelines, how could I not share a playlist with all of you? Here are some of the choral pieces that inspired and informed parts of this book, although I will warn the reader it is extremely difficult to avoid some spoilers here. If you’re a spoiler-phobe, bookmark this article and come back to it after you’ve read Echoes! The Times They Are A-Changin’ (Bob Dylan arr. Adam Podd)  This utterly gorgeous modern choral arrangement of Bob Dylan’s classic tune perfectly encapsulates this story’s two timelines: modern day and the late 1960s. Our past heroine, Iris, struggles with meeting her parents’ expectations of her and flourishing into who she truly is, so the line Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command felt very apt. (Fun fact: I had the privilege of playing piano for this with our auditioned choir last school year!) O Love (Elaine Hagenberg)  Hagenberg is one of my favorite modern choral composers, and her style is similar to how I imagine Callum’s compositional style. The text was written in 1882 by George Matheson, a blind Scottish minister, and contains a…

What is the title of your latest release?THE REDEMPTION OF THE DUKE What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?Faith is shocked when a Duke offers her a position as his aunt’s companion after her brother died in battle. He wants to make amends for a tragic mistake, but Faith is not interested in being rescued. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I like to choose different settings for my books, and it had been a while since I’d used London. Plus, it was easier for the Duke to keep annoying Faith until she said yes to his plans. Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?I definitely would! I usually write characters I like, even if they have to learn a lesson or two as they become the people they were meant to be. What are three words that describe your protagonist?Faith is stubborn, independent, and intelligent. What’s something you learned while writing this book?That I would never want to be a lady’s companion—unless it would be with a woman as nice as the Duke’s aunt. Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?When I begin writing…