**Please welcome Jessica Nathan, who attended Fresh Fiction’s Readers & ‘Ritas event in November! She has put together a wonderful overview of her time at the event, meeting authors and other readers. Look for more articles from Jessica soon, discussing the things she’s been reading and loving lately…** It is no small thing to feel welcomed. To feel as though you have arrived in a space where you are not only safe, but with others who not only appreciate your company, but enjoy it and would seek it out over others. And to create this with a group larger than three is rare. (Even more rare for a group of women) This was my first-time attending Readers & ‘ritas (RNR). I have attended numerous smaller Fresh Fiction (FF) gatherings at restaurants, member homes and the monthly tea (this year, almost everyone attended by an author). My initial “hook” for attending the two-and-a-half-day conference was the allure of the elusive and legendary author Christine Feehan. For those unfamiliar with her work, I will not spend time berating you and simply let her numerous best-selling series, one of which is over 30 books long, speak for themselves. For those who are familiar,…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with Bridget Blackwood, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. The World in Shadows series offers a variety of paranormal characters with the story always told from the non-human perspective. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? I would want to meet Varian Caina. He’s my resident mad, bad vamp. We would go get high tea at the fanciest place you can (I’d have to ask Sara Reyes). No one would dare bother to tell us we could have seconds of anything, especially the desserts. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? When I am brainstorming, I need music. More often than not, I am not brainstorming at all, but listening to music in the car when ideas hit. Most inconvenient. Which part of Readers & ‘ritas…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. LEOPARD’S RUN is an erotic shapeshifter, action/adventure thriller. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? It would be Ivory from DARK SLAYER. I would love to ask her where she gets her strength and discuss her love of animals. I would talk to her about the beautiful home she made from nothing. She is strong in so many ways, which intrigues me. I think she’d be interesting to meet in person. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? Though anything might encourage my creativity, I think that just sitting still, thinking about the character, and getting to know their past, their conflict, and the way they think and feel inspires me the most. Once I know the character, I…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with Zoe Parker, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. DECEPTION: Monsters and mayhem all wrapped up in sexy darkness and feisty claws. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? Iza from the Facets of Feyrie series, because she’s so much stronger than anyone realizes. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? Anything. I have a character based off a worm I saw in a mudhole, lol. Which part of Readers & ‘ritas are you most excited about? Seeing some of the faces behind the books. Meeting readers and having them share their own stories. We’re all romantics here, so we need to know—what is your all-time favorite love story? PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. There’s a lot of angst in it but it shows that love finds a…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with S.M. Butler, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. HIS LAST BREATH: Former Navy SEAL must protect a secretive senator’s daughter from her own family while sexual chemistry combusts between them. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? If I had to choose only one, I think I’d meet Jordan Levi, from my upcoming Reapers Strike Force series. He’s patient, easy-going, and loves to laugh. He’s also sneaky, violent, and adventurous. I’d actually like to go parasailing with him because it would definitely be an unforgettable experience. Then after, we’d hang out at the bar and he’d dazzle me with his charm while we drank a beer together. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? New characters. They always start as a small little nag in…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with cozy mystery author Kym Roberts, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. The Book Barn’s book club is stirring up a list of suspects from its latest read, and the store’s owner, Charli, finds herself defending her friend from a murder that may be fictional, but in reality is just as deadly . . . If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? Princess the armadillo. I’d give her a bath and play with her before sending her back to Charli so she can sleep on Charli’s pillow—not mine. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? Dreams—I literally wake up and start writing. The length of what I write depends on how strong an adrenaline dump I experienced 🙂 If I’m deadline driven, I talk to my number…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with Piper J. Drake, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. K9 handler Arin Siri and security specialist Jason Lande join forces to take down a human trafficking ring in the Hawaiian islands in FIERCE JUSTICE. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? I’d love to meet King, Arin Siri’s canine partner from FIERCE JUSTICE. We’d take my Corgi, Corbin, and go for a long doggy play date. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? Music and movement help my thoughts flow. I put together playlists to listen to, dance alone in my apartment or hotel room, or go for long walks. Which part of Readers & ‘ritas are you most excited about? This is my first Readers & ‘ritas and I’m very excited to meet all…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with L.P. Maxa, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. HEART STOPPING is an alpha shifter’s steamy second chance at love with a little murder and mayhem added in. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? My hands down favorite character is Brody from SANCTUARY. He is a cocky, hilarious surfer with a heart made of pure gold. And if he was real, I’d get him to teach me to surf. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? I listen to music because song lyrics tend to jump start my brain. Music is so personal, and it can strike a lot of cords at once. Memories, feelings, and ideas kind of morph into one thought and then off I go. Which part of Readers & ‘ritas are…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with JoAnna Grace, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. Be sure to include the book title. DIVIDED WE FALL leads readers deep into the dark, tortured mind of Tyrone, a leopard shape-shifter, as he battles the beast within to conquer his surrounding enemies. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? I would love to meet Amilynn from The Blake Pride series. We could spend a day at the gun range letting her teach some mad skills. Then hop on out to the dance floor and have some fun. And, honestly, I would love to pet a leopard without fear of being catnip. LOL. Ryse, from Divine Chronicles is a close second…and I would make Avery not like me very much. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? Reading, music, or travel! It amazes…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with New York Times bestselling fantasy romance author C.L. Wilson, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. In THE SEA KING, love wars with duty when a gorgeous, sea-mage prince sent to woo and wed a powerful weathermage princess finds himself inexplicably drawn to the weakest of three magical sisters, a woman whose secret, true magic is a legendary power that shocks them all, but when pirates steal away the three princesses, Dilys must race against time and draw upon all the vast power of the oceans to rescue his beloved. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? I’d probably choose to meet Rain Tairen Soul and go flying on tairen-back and visit the Fading Lands, especially the gorgeous white and gold city, Dharsa (the Fey capital), the enchanting woodland city Elverial, and the ivory towers of Kreppes…and maybe…