Online dating isn’t going anywhere, and with one in three people meeting that way (and that number is growing every year) not being online is a problem if you want to mate/date. If you want to meet someone, get your butt online! Yes, it has its challenges. Yes, it’s time consuming. Yes, it’s depressing at times when you have to sort through the riff raff to get to the goods. BUT it is worth it and is fun, and you can meet someone really great there, lurking in the pond. Here’s the quick and dirty of what to do and what not to do when online dating. DO use recent photos! This cannot be stressed enough. Nobody needs a five-year-old pic of you lingering online. Be straight up about who you are today, right now. Five pounds heavier? So what. You are beautiful as you are, so show them all that. Confidence is sexy. Fact. DO write an upbeat profile that says a bit about who you are, what you want, and that showcases your bright, vivacious personality. Not the place to man bash, be negative, or talk down about your ex. Call your girlfriends for that session. DO be…

Since my hero in BEYOND DANGER, Beau Reese, is a mega rich playboy, a once-famous race car driver, I thought it might be fun to write about a mega-wealthy party I got invited to a few years back. Well, more than a few, considering it was a millennium party celebrating the thousand year change in our calendar. My husband and I wanted to do something really special for that night so I had been looking at different trips, hotels, and cruises. We wanted to do something we would never forget. Fortunately, about that time, I ran into an author friend I hadn’t seen in a while. When I told her I was on a quest to find something memorable to do for the millennium, she invited me to a weekend party at her parents’ home in Aspen, one of several they owned. I knew they were worth billions of dollars, had actually been to their incredible New York apartment, so I excitedly accepted. It was a magical weekend, with everything paid for by the party givers except our room–which cost a small fortune but was worth it! The party was poolside, held around an indoor swimming pool since there was…

Being that I was a shy child, I’d always escaped into books to soothe myself after experiencing a socially awkward or painful situation. As I grew older, I often fantasized different outcomes for such situations, such as smart remarks I could have said (the first of many rewrites). I loved writing letters to relatives overseas and thought myself quite good at it. But writing actual stories didn’t occur to me until I’d read the book Women Who Run with the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. As if a creative dam had broken, after I’d finished the book, I awoke the next morning from a vivid dream, went to my computer, and began to write a story. At first, writing stories was just a creative outlet. While I knew I needed to learn more about the craft of writing, I finally dared to have someone else read what I’d written. From the positive feedback, I felt encouraged enough to keep at it. After I had a dream about a man who appeared to be made from plant materials, I wrote a few paragraphs of my impressions. Then I went back to the story I’d been writing at the time and forgot…

I’m very excited to be here at Fresh Fiction. I have been a part of the FF community for a long time. Probably since my first Harlequin Nocturne was published way back in 2006, under my penname Vivi Anna. I’ve been away for a while, so it’s nice to be back and share the things that influenced me to write LIONS AND TIGERS AND BOYS. The Wizard of Oz: Which I imagine you gathered from the title alone. My book isn’t a retelling, but more of an alternate reality Wizard of Oz, with some elements in place and others absent. I liked the premise of an all-powerful Wizard, but wanted to play on how he traveled to Oz and why. Throughout the book, you’ll see sprinkles and tidbits from the original tale, like flying monkeys and magic and red ruby slippers, but others I made my own, like a shapeshifting lion and tiger, and a girl named Dani Gale. Harry Potter: One of the greatest series of books written, it’s hard not to draw from its brilliance, especially when you have a school populated with gifted students. In my case that school is the Oswald Zinzendorf School of Circus Arts,…

You know that edge-of-your-seat, what’s-going-to-happen-next, feeling? That’s one of the best parts of a thriller novel. They’re unpredictable. Exciting. Razor sharp. I could go on forever, but here are ten reasons you’ll want to pick up a thriller as your next read. They keep you guessing. Really…what difficulty will arise? Who is responsible? I adore how thrillers spin perfectly ordinary things, like a stroll through the woods, into something sinister. You can tuck yourself between the pages and get lost for hours, curled under the covers, looking over your shoulder as you read. The settings are usually eerie. Dark nights. Deserted roads. Spooky swamps. Sleepy islands. A sprawling, empty house. Ghostly coves. Shadows. Mystery. The setting itself becomes a living thing, with a heartbeat of its own. Like if you reach out, it just might grab you. The characters are sly. A thriller never fails to give you a mischievous character. You can’t figure out what they’re really up to, and that’s a good thing. Parts of them are hidden—perhaps it’s their past, possibly where they disappear to at certain hours of the day, or even their closely guarded thoughts. They make you wonder if maybe, just maybe, they could…

We all love our fandoms, right? I have so many but right now these are my favorites 🙂 Harry Potter I’m a diehard fan of this series and a proud Ravenclaw! My husband is a Hufflepuff, so we are a happy house united. J via GIPHY Game of Thrones I’m so in love with this show, and I’m in absolute agony waiting for the next season! We’re currently reading the books, still on book one, just to satisfy the craving! We are also of House Targaryen according to the quizzes we took. LOL via GIPHY A Court of Thrones and Roses I’m obsessed with this series and have re-read it several times already. I’m an honorable Lady of the Night court and never get tired of Wingspan jokes. 🙂 Stranger Things This is a newer fandom that I’ve recently fallen in love with, but it counts all the same! The writing on this show is so brilliant and I’m a huge fan of all the nerd-power happening on here!!! via GIPHY Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake Can this count as a fandom? I mean, I seriously can’t help, but love anything these two do together. They never fail to make…

THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER is follows the story of Eden Collins, an FBI agent who grew up as the daughter of a cult leader. She escaped her mother’s control and made a life for herself, bringing down human monsters. When someone emails her a picture of a dead girl with tattoos that mark her as a member of Eden’s mother’s cult, she goes home—despite her misgivings—to help with the investigation. I can trace the origin of this story to one specific moment. That ah ha moment where everything clicks into place. I was reading FBI Agent John Douglas’s book, MIND HUNTER. Douglas was one of the founding members of the FBI’s serial crime unit and he did a ton of research in regards to serial murder, including many interviews with incarcerated serial killers. It’s very interesting reading, and I highly recommend it if you’re intrigued by that sort of thing. The part that triggered the concept of this book was Douglas’s interview with Charles Manson. He has some fascinating views of Manson, one of which was his opinion regarding the murders perpetuated by Manson’s cult. Douglas questioned whether Manson even knew about the initial murders—or intended them (no question that he…

I started writing when I was very young, long rambling stories that went on forever. I especially liked to rewrite the end of sad movies. I hated unhappy endings. When I was about ten, I made my first attempt at writing dialogue. It was dreadful and as a kid I had an unfortunate need to be perfect (I outgrew it) so that was the end of my writing career. At the back of my mind I always thought I would try writing again but somehow life always got in the way. Then one day I had more time on my hands than usual so I just started writing. I could picture the first scene of my book so clearly and I got such a kick out of writing it that I couldn’t wait to write more. Now I can’t imagine a life without writing and I’m so sorry I gave up writing all those years ago. About Val Collins My mum taught us all to read when we were three so I can’t remember a time I didn’t read. When I was little I lived in a tiny village in the west of Ireland and there were no book shops….

I love happily ever afters and to see the romantic characters come alive on the big screen just makes me swoon, laugh and cry. There is nothing like curling up with your love watching one of these heartwarming flicks. For me, it doesn’t have to be Valentine’s Day, I can watch these movies any day of the week. What are your favorites? Love & Basketball – Childhood friends bond over basketball. I loved watching them grow up and fall in love. Of course, guy loses girl, but in the end, he gets her back. Classic romance. Jumping the Broom – Who doesn’t love a beautiful wedding? Family expectations, cultural traditions and differences try to keep this couple apart. This touching film it included all the things I like to put in my books, family, drama and romance. The Best Man – I could watch this movie and its sequel every day. I love the fact that you are privy to more than one blooming romance. And again, who doesn’t love a beautiful wedding. This one comes with a line dance at the end. Love Jones – This movie, WOW. I love the fact that the chemistry between Larenz Tate and…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Caroline Fyffe. Writes: Western historical romance. My latest release, HEART OF EDEN, is book one of my new Colorado Hearts series; it launches today. Expect book two, TRUE HEART’S DESIRE, to debut June 18th—just in time for summer reading! About: Former equine photographer turned romance novelist seeks readers who enjoy falling for a good-looking, sweet-talking cowboy in an endearing and emotional western historical romance featuring five sisters who’ve inherited a widespread Colorado cattle ranch—managed by the aforementioned hunk. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Must enjoy whiling away hours in a hot bubble bath with her perfect heartthrob (fictional, of course). Would prefer a diamond-studded night sky over a diamond ring. Anticipates the jingle of spurs. Falls head over heels for a man dressed in chaps, boots, a soft-as-butter chambray shirt and topped with a black Stetson. Relishes learning about cattle drives, buffalo jumps, nankeen fabric, or how to bake a potato cake in a wood-burning stove. Enjoys…