Lady Emma Hardwick seems to have a lot of complications in her life in DUKES DO IT BETTER. How would you describe her as a heroine? Realistically flawed? Some of my favorite historical heroines are those written by Stephanie Laurens because I like a heroine who is shrewd and pragmatic. What attributes do you like giving your heroines? Shrewd and pragmatic heroines are always going to be preferrable in my world because I understand those! More than anything, I want my characters to be relatable in some way. Even if there are aspects we don’t like, or wouldn’t embrace for ourselves, I want their actions to make sense and ring true. Lottie (ANY ROGUE WILL DO) was a ‘control enthusiast’ because she’d learned the hard way that the only person she could rely on was herself. Phee (West End Earl) was always going to gravitate toward options where she could lone wolf to get things done, because independence meant safety. But I remember writing Emma and feeling like it Just. Wasn’t. Working. As I pushed on, it became clear that the only way forward was to really let her emotions reflect my own experiences as a single mother. When you’re…

Fresh Fiction: Tell us a little bit about your new book, FLIRTING WITH FIFTY. Jane Porter: FLIRTING WITH FIFTY is about a strong, smart, successful divorced woman who is quite happy being single, and isn’t interested in dating or marriage because it would require compromising, and she’s done enough of that in her life.  But in Paige’s desire to be safe, she’s also somewhat stuck, and a little too risk adverse.  Enter popular, handsome world traveler, renowned scientist Dr. Jack King, and everything changes, pretty quickly.  And probably far too quickly for our cautious Paige!   What inspired you to write this book? I have a very close friend–a smart, funny, loving, youthful 50-something year old friend– who decided years ago, after her divorce, that she would never get involved with a man again.  And yet men are intrigued by her, and attracted to her, and ask me to introduce them to her.  So I’ve had conversations with this friend asking her what would it take to want to date again, and she said nothing.  I still don’t accept this answer and so I created a hero that I knew my friend would fall for (I mean, he looks like High…

Fresh Fiction: For readers, like me, who may be new to this series – who and what are the “Men of Haven”? Rhenna Morgan: The Men of Haven is a series founded on a group of men who have banded together and built a tight-knit family of choice. They all grew up under less than ideal circumstances, but together they’ve banded together and helped each other find success while operating under their own unshakable principles of what’s good and right. Those principles might not always meet the expectations of others, but they stand by what they believe and support each other come hell or high water. They bring that same conviction and passion into winning and protecting the women they come to love as well.     Fresh Fiction: In your book TRUSTED & TRUE, the two main characters have a shared history. Is it more interesting for you, as a writer, to tell a story about two characters who have a complicated history? Is the second chance-at-romance a favorite trope of yours? I include characters who may not have been romantically involved in the past but had some kind of history or tension together. Rhenna Morgan: I wouldn’t say…

Thank you so much for your time and interest in the Jamie Winters Mysteries. I’m excited to have the opportunity to speak with you.   Describe your sleuth Jamie Winters for readers who may be new to the series. While she works as a secretary at an offbeat personal injury mill law firm, Jamie is a chronically insecure underachiever, a woman with a snarky inner voice who longs to be fierce and unafraid, but never quite manages to achieve that as she’s pulled inexorably along in her sidekick (and polar opposite) Maizy’s wake.   What’s the dynamic between Jamie and her “sassy teenaged sidekick” Maizy? Maizy is the niece of Jamie’s landlord/love-lust interest, Curt Emerson. Maizy is brilliant, completely without a filter, an unabashed free spirit with blue hair, body piercings, and sometimes legal-adjacent skills, who has (rare) moments where she’s vulnerable. Jamie helped mend her fractured relationship with Curt, and the two developed and maintain a friendship and partnership as they solve murders.   I usually stick with cozy mysteries, but how would you describe the Jamie Winters? Is it all suspense, murder, and mayhem all the time? Or are there some lighter moments with supporting characters? The series…

How do Conor Flannigan and Miss Delilah Rollins meet in VANQUISHED? And how would you describe their dynamic? They quite literally run into each other! Delilah’s father is a celebrated horse breeder, and while searching Tattersall’s Auction House for their wayward groom who is supposed to caring for their prized stud, Mr. Flannigan comes striding around the corner at the wrong time, so they don’t get off to a very good start!   What made you decide to write an Irish hero? That was based on the Driven Series by K Bromberg. In her novels, the hero, Colton Donovan, was adopted. He finds out later that he is of Irish descent. I asked if I could write a story based on his ancestor and Kristy loved the idea! This is the first story in the Shared World that has a historical twist.   What makes a good romantic hero? I love a good brood! And definitely some mystery. I’ve always been a sucker for the tall, dark, and handsome trope with a bit of a bad boy rake, who falls hard for the heroine, but does his best to deny his emotions.   Some of my favorite historical romances have…

The two main characters in your book TAKEN seem like opposites. Is that the case? And, if so, do you enjoy writing about characters who are very different from each other more so than ones who are very similar? Well, yes. I do enjoy writing about opposites, as long as they have a similar moral compass. The characters must be steadfast, good partners, good friends, honest and hard working. Those are the basic traits of a good person. But beyond that, in a couple’s partnership, I find it fun when each party brings different things to the table. In my case, my women are often arty, or nerdy. Very focused on aesthetic or intellectual issues. The guys tend to be masters of the physical world. I just like the thought of each being really good in a particular realm and the other partner appreciating it. Because together they form a whole.   The heroes in your books are dark and dangerous. What’s your inspiration?  Well, these are romances, mostly romantic suspense novels. The hero must be dangerous, in many ways. But above all, very dangerous if the woman they love is threatened. A romance novel is heightened emotion, a call…

In your new thriller SIX GRAVES, things get very personal for your detective. Tell me about Detective Kim Stone. How is she as a person, and as a detective? Because of her traumatic childhood Kim is a loner and doesn’t let many people into her circle. She is quite rude and brusque and totally lacks social skills. She doesn’t show her feelings and although she cares deeply about her team, she rarely shows it. She offers all her affection to her rescue dog, barney. As a police officer she is passionate, driven and always fights for the underdog. She believes in justice and will go over and above to make sure the perpetrator is caught and punished. Has SIX GRAVES been any more difficult to write than any of the other books in the series because of the intensity and personal angle for your main character? In some ways six graves was very difficult to write because of the scenes I knew were coming at the end of the book. in other ways I absolutely love the challenge of putting her in new situations. I actually didn’t want to stop writing this book and feel as though I could have…

Jennifer Vido: What inspired your new release, THE HOMEWRECKERS? Mary Kay Andrews:  I was watching one of those DIY reality television shows and the title The Homewreckers came to me. Not coincidentally, we’d just purchased a fixer-upper beach cottage on Tybee Island, Ga, where the book was set, so I had the title and the research, and very quickly, the plot started to come together.   Jen: What is causing angst in Hattie Kavanaugh’s personal and professional lives? Mary Kay:  Hattie is guilt-ridden because she fears that the over-budget money pit of a house she’s been restoring with her father-in-law’s construction company will bring the company to financial ruin, but on a deeper level, her emotional life has been on hold since her husband’s death, seven years earlier, in a hit-and-run accident. Faced with the possibility of romance, she’s deeply conflicted.   Jen: When Mauricio Lopez offers Hattie a starring role in a beach house reality show, how does she react? Mary Kay:  Hattie tells Mo she has zero interest in show business, and just wants to do her job, restoring old homes.   Jen: What does Hattie think of her male cast mate? Mary Kay: Hattie’s first response is…

Faye, your female protagonist, is half-faerie. As a writer, what is your fascination with all things fae? (I ask as somebody who is more interested in vampires and werewolves). Honestly, my obsession with the fae started when I was about four or five…with the movie Thumbelina. I know I burnt through at least one of those VHS tapes. But it wasn’t enough. I started searching for books on faerie tales–I was very much a library kid. I got hooked on the old school stuff, especially The Six Swans, East o’ the Sun, West o’ the Moon, and The Ballad of Tamlin. I liked that the fae weren’t really heroes or villains, but somehow both. And that to survive them you had to be very, very clever. But I’m also a fan of vampires and werewolves! Anything mythological or lore based, I’m usually 100% in.   How would you describe Faye? Faye is first and foremost, a protector. That’s who she is at her core. She has a good head on her shoulders but has a tendency to make rash decisions when the fate of those she loves is hanging in the balance. She tends to shield herself with sarcasm and…

Jennifer Vido: What inspired you to write SUMMER AT THE CAPE? RaeAnne Thayne: I have been fascinated for a long time by the unique relationship between twins. I was interested in exploring what happens to one twin when their “womb-mate” dies. Factor in another older sister who was not part of that twin relationship and I wondered how the dynamics of a family would change with the death of one of the twins. A big subplot of this book involves glamping, something that definitely appeals to me. I love the outdoors and camping, escaping the hectic pace of life in the outdoors, but I must admit I’m of a certain age where I also enjoy my creature comforts. LOL. Glamping seems like a way to have the best of both worlds.   Jen: The novel is set in the fictional town of Cape Sanctuary. From where did you draw inspiration to create this welcoming place? RaeAnne: I live in the mountains of Northern Utah, far from the ocean, but when my family vacations, we tend to head to the coast. Two of our favorite places are Cannon Beach, OR and the Monterey/Carmel-by-the-Sea areas of Central California. When I was trying…