Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for inviting me back to talk about THE LILAC BOUQUET. This is my 84th published book but it was the first book that I ever wrote. When my third child was born in 1973 and refused to sleep at night, I picked up a pencil and a spiral back notebook and began to write a novel that my husband and I’d talked about for years and years. I’d written Seth Thomas as a young man and if there was something that could be wrong with a book, I managed to find it. Of course, it didn’t sell but the core story stayed on my mind and through the years I’d drag it out and revise it but it wasn’t until this year that it all came together. I really think it was Emmy Jo who finally brought that story to life and I’d like to introduce you to her today. She’s a young lady from Hickory, Texas who has agreed to answer a few questions for us today. From day one she stole my heart but I shouldn’t tell you everything I know. We’ve got a few questions worked up and she’s willing to…

In my latest release, MEANT FOR YOU, Jenny Castelli is a single mom, raising her son, trying to get a new business started and caring for her aging mother. Jenny is opening a garden center and although parts of her life are chaotic, making living things grow always makes her feel centered. Since spring is finally here, I’m also planning what I’m going to plant this year. I definitely don’t have Jenny’s talent, but I still love choosing flowers and vegetables for the garden and my potted plants. There’s something about the scent of the earth and getting your hands dirty that is inherently satisfying. Going to a garden center and choosing just the right mix of flowers or the perfect tiny tomato stalk is the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Working outside is good for your body and your spirit, although not everyone has time for a big garden. I used to be more of a gardener but the past few years I’ve limited myself to a couple of pots of flowers and tomato and basil plants. Even that makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. It’s a great excuse to get outside on warm mornings and…

That’s right, I’m the little blond lady who’s scrunched in the corner of the coffee shop. I’m watching you carefully and jotting notes. I see what you’re wearing – I like that paisley scarf, by the way – and I’m scrutinizing the way you sip your coffee and nibble your scone. No, I don’t work for the CIA, FBI, or IRS. I’m an author who writes three different mystery series and I get ideas for my characters by watching all the fascinating real-life characters around me. From the folks who cross my path at the driver’s license bureau to the ones who are picking through bins of organic oranges at the grocery store or kicking tires at the local garage. You all fascinate me and give me such wonderful ideas because you’re all real, highly individual, and (this is a good thing) a little bit quirky. You see, creating literary characters is a tricky thing for an author. You want them to be loved, reviled, understood, amusing, or even feared. But characters also need to be larger than life. They need to transcend the pages, worm their way into your hearts and memories, and stick like a proverbial burr. That…

With a show of hands, how many of you felt like an outsider growing up? I suspect most hands are waving in the air right now, and if you’re reading this, you’re probably a bookworm like me, someone who hides in plain sight, escaping into books, written worlds that never judge us. It took me a long time to understand most people feel as if they’re “outside, looking in.” I suspect it’s not so much a human condition, as it is a ‘living’ condition. If you’re alive, you seek to connect with someone, be it pet or partner. Even the lowly amoeba is willing to split in two to find a friend…a place to belong. SEDUCED BY SIN is the third book in my An Unlikely Hero series, and though it’s a standalone book, it completes a series plot arc, as well as continues the theme of being an outsider. In my An Unlikely Hero world, outsiders rule, and they’re convinced being an outsider is why they survive and thrive in a world that has been cruel to them. They’re solitary creatures, hiding who they really are to blend in a world they know they don’t fit in…couldn’t fit in,…

I’m not much of a jewelry person. I wear my wedding and engagement rings and when I go out, a pair of dangly earrings if I remember to put them on. I have one of those Pandora bracelets but it was taking so long to get the charms that I went down to the dollar store and bought a bunch of replicas to fill it up. Again, I forget to wear it most times. So, when it came to writing a hero who was a jewelry designer, I had a lot to learn. I researched famous jewelry designers of the past and up-and-coming artists of today. I read up about world-renowned houses such as Tiffany’s, Cartier, Bulgari, etc. But it wasn’t until I searched on Pinterest for inspiration pieces that my heart really started pumping. Many lost hours of “research” (also known as bling envy) later, I found the premier piece for my story—a bicolor sapphire that I could wrap my book around. If you’re interested in seeing this stone, please visit my Pinterest page and click on the Masquerading with the Billionaire board. My jewelry designer hero, Remington Wolfe, was inspired by Harry Winston. Allegedly, at the age of…

First off, I am thrilled to be here at Fresh Fiction— I love this website! I’ve been following for a while, so, add this to the pinch-me-is-this-really-happening list for this new author. One of my favorite things about writing YA is the relationships. Because, young love. Le sigh. So many ups and downs, butterflies and roller coaster tummy twirls. It can be exhilarating and confusing and… Bloody. Well, when you’re falling in love happens surrounded by war. In my YA debut, THE CASTAWAYS (Entangled TEEN), my main character, Olive, finds herself stranded on a middle-of-nowhere island, trapped in time and space. Now, this would be horrific enough, but there’s a decade’s long war in full-swing between two groups of kids and Olive lands smack dab in the mix of it. Some might say that a love story doesn’t belong entwined in all of that violence and upheaval. I say, bring it. Because, let’s be honest, don’t the best war stories involve romances? If you’re not so sure, here’s a quick list off the top of my head: The Winner’s Series, Divergent, The Grisha Trilogy, Harry Potter, and Angelfall to name a few. And I’m not only talking modern literature. What…

I get the sense I’m in an AA or NA meeting every time someone says: Oh, you’re a writer! What do you write? Hello, I’m USA Today Bestselling author, Christina McKnight, and I write historical romance. Narrow that down a bit, I write Regency Romance. What follows is usually wide-eyed stares that evolve into scrunched brows as people ponder what in the heck I just said. I normally go on to explain my books are set in or around London, England in 1816. Next question is always: Why don’t you write ___ ( fill in a genre here)? I smile and laugh as if their question isn’t utterly perplexing to me. Why Regency? Simply because I have not found a period in history (including modern times) that fills me with such a sense of passion, a drive to explore, and a need to envelop myself completely in the time period. One glimpse of Regency era fashion, decorum, and daily activities had me hooked. There is something about the mannerisms, the speech patterns and the grandness of everyday in London, England during the 1810s that holds my attention. Think about it, in 1813 a woman of the ton would never leave…

On the eve of her latest release, WHEN THE MARQUESS FALLS, Lorraine Heath chatted with reviewer Miranda Owen about writing historical romances, her favorite characters, and who she reads to escape. Occasionally, in one of my online book groups, the question comes up asking which books make you teary-eyed. My first instinct is to say that I usually avoid reading romances that do just that – but then I remember that your books frequently tear me up and I adore them. Since so many of your books – THE VISCOUNT AND THE VIXEN included – have such a strong emotional pull, do you intend for readers to have a visceral reaction to them as they’re reading along? Do you enjoy reading books like that as well? Lorraine Heath: I do hope that readers “feel” something when they are reading my books. When I first started writing romance, I had a goal—I wanted to make the reader smile at least once…and to tear up. So many of the books I love to read always make me experience some sort of emotion—joy, sorrow, happiness—while I’m reading them. My very favorites make me smile, laugh, cry, sigh. When I read I want to…

Marriage. Commitment. Forever. These words go hand in hand when you think about weddings and they conjure up images of white dresses, tuxedos, friends, family, beautiful locations, nit-picked details and, of course, heightened emotions. And I’m not just talking about the wedding party. Having been to my fair share of weddings as part of the party and as a guest I can say that without a doubt that there is all kinds of crazy that happens at these events. My own wasn’t without it’s hiccups. Our attempt at a low key, drama free celebration turned into anything but. Besides tripping as I walked (or should I say stumbled) down the aisle and bursting into nervous giggles as I tried to say my vows, my new brothers in law who don’t see eye to eye at the best of times couldn’t keep it together and got into an argument at the reception which then turned into a fight which of course ended up involving the food. If that wasn’t enough, our escape from the family drama turned into one of a different kind when we came home to find that our house had been covered with toilet paper and graffiti by…

Here’s the quirky mix of inspiration behind my new release, BOTTOM OF THE SKY: THE GOLD COAST, by Nelson DeMille When I finished writing my last book, Rush, I took about a month off to binge read. A friend of mine recommended this book. It tells the story of Long Island attorney John Sutter, who lives a posh life with his beautiful and extremely rich wife, Susan, until a mafia crime boss moves into the mansion next door. Reading this book made me realize how much fun I could have writing about a family engaged in organized crime and my brain started plotting. The documentary COUNTERFEIT CULTURE I wanted my crime family to be involved in something different. This documentary opened my eyes to the dangerous business of fake goods and I started to develop my plot around this theme. We’ve all seen the street vendors selling knock off sunglasses and designer purses, but the world of counterfeiting is much darker and deadlier than think the average person realizes. The Port of Seattle One of the many factors that add to the huge personality of Seattle is the shipping docks at the Port of Seattle. I’ve always wondered “what’s in…