Jennifer Vido: How did your admiration for The Great Gatsby inspire your new release, BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOLS?    Jillian Cantor: I’ve long been a fan of The Great Gatsby as a reader, but I’ve also always felt there was more to the women’s stories beneath the surface. Daisy says in the original that the best thing a girl can be is “a beautiful little fool.” But I always felt certain she was so much more than that! My novel explores Daisy’s story, as well as Jordan’s, Myrtle’s, and Myrtle’s sister, Catherine’s. What happens during the investigation of Jay Gatsby’s death that sends the police in a tailspin? In the original novel, Jay Gatsby is murdered, and George Wilson is found shot dead nearby, and the police wrap up the case as a murder-suicide. In my novel, one detective finds a diamond hairpin in the bushes by Jay Gatsby’s pool, and that leads him to start looking closer at the women in Gatsby’s orbit. Let’s talk about the three suspects, starting with Daisy Buchanan. How is she connected to the murder victim? Well, as we know from the original novel, Daisy and Jay met and dated in 1917 in Louisville, where…

As an avid romance reader, I see these “Colton” books advertised everywhere, and I know they’re not all written by the same author. What’s the deal? Do the same group of characters show up in each book? Does each work as a standalone? The Colton books are known as continuities, usually a series of about six to twelve books. Each continuity features a family branch of Coltons and each book is written by a different author. We are given guidelines to write the book. Usually characters from previous books do make appearances in the subsequent books. For example, Colton 911: Chicago, Under Suspicion, is my book. It’s Book 12 in the continuity. Sean from Book 1 is friends with Harry, the hero of my book. Sean and his wife January make a few guest appearances in Under Suspicion. I do know my book can be read as a standalone, but it’s more fulfilling to read the previous 11 books in that particular continuity. How would you describe your latest book in the series, Colton 911: Under Suspicion? Would you say there is an equal amount of action, mystery, and romance – or does one dominate more than the other? In…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE PRINCE AND THE PRODIGAL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? I don’t usually create an elevator pitch, but my publisher came up with this, which I like: Two brothers among twelve. One pampered. One petulant. After a stunning betrayal, Judah struggles to forget what he’s done while Joseph attempts to move on from what’s been done to him. Is there hope for reconciliation for one of Egypt’s most powerful men and his wayward brother or will vengeance win the day? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The Bible picked the locations and approximate time frame. 4–What are three words that describe your main character? Integrity, Honest, Trusting 5–Which side character stole your attention the most from the main storyline? Judah gets almost as much page time as Joseph does because this story is really a tale of two brothers, One a prince. One a prodigal. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? God often takes many years and uses the most unlikely circumstances to mold us into the person He wants us to be. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait…

1–What is the title of your latest release? UNTIL LEAVES FALL IN PARIS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When the Nazis march into Paris, an American woman uses her bookstore to aid the resistance, while a businessman chooses to sell his products to Germany—and send vital information home to the US. Can they work together for the higher good, or will it cost them everything they love? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Paris is so romantic, World War II novels set in Paris are very popular, and I’d never set a World II novel in Paris, so it was time! I wanted a fresh spin, so when I learned of the thousands of Americans who remained in Paris after the Germans invaded—even though the US was neutral and they were free to go home—I wondered why they stayed. The hero and the heroine in UNTIL LEAVES FALL IN PARIS represent some of the reasons Americans remained in the blacked-out City of Lights. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely! Lucie Girard is delightful—creative, enthusiastic, and warm. She’s interested in everything artistic and literary, but in the…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LADY OF GALWAY MANOR 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When a descendant of the creator of the famed Irish Claddagh ring is tasked with apprenticing the daughter of the new British landlord, worlds collide. He doesn’t believe in love, she’s weary of the hate. They both long to escape, but can they do so with their hearts—and lives—intact? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I knew I wanted a book to surround the legend of the Claddagh ring, which made the decision for me! The ring was created by a resident of the area of Galway City called The Claddagh, so I knew it had to take place in that area. I also lived in County Galway for 4 years,  so it has gotten under my skin, and I just had to tell the world about it. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Oh, I totally would! She loves dresses and tea and a good dessert, but also isn’t afraid of a good pair of trousers or to speak her mind. I’d say we’d pair well together because…

1–What is the title of your latest release? OUT OF THE BLUE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?  A curvaceous woman on a wellness journey falls for her personal trainer. But will her newfound courage allow her to face her biggest fear and seize the life she truly wants? 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?  OUT OF THE BLUE is the fourth book in my Perfect Fit series, and all of the titles in this series have taken place in the fictional town of Granite, Texas. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?  Absolutely! Preslee is a kind, genuine character who has real insecurities like the rest of us. She’s clumsy, playful, and has a funny—if not quirky—sense of humor. She would be so much fun to hang out with. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Kind, positive, and competitive. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?  While writing OUT OF THE BLUE, I learned that not everyone takes the same path on their wellness journey…and that there’s nothing wrong with sometimes paving your own road. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you…

Danielle Jackson: Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Alexandria! COUNT YOUR LUCKY STARS is a second chance romance (one of my favorite tropes). What were some of the challenges of writing this romance trope? What were your favorite parts of the process?   Alexandria Bellefleur:  Striking the right balance between informing the reader of Margot and Olivia’s past while not overwhelming them with backstory details proved a bit of a challenge! I didn’t want to rely on flashbacks so I tried to incorporate small memories into conversations to show how close they once were while also giving them opportunities to get to know the people they’ve become after ten years. I love the tension that’s inherent to the second-chance trope—Margot and Olivia have chemistry, they think it might be mutual but they second-guess the situation since it didn’t work out between them the first time around. They know how devastating it can be if it doesn’t work. That combination of tension and stakes was a lot of fun to play around with. Olivia is a wedding planner—what a wonderful occupation for a romance novel character! What kind of research did you do to get acclimated with the wedding industry?   I spent…

Jen Vido: What inspired your new book, THE MAGNOLIA PALACE? Fiona Davis: THE MAGNOLIA PALACE was inspired by the Frick Collection, a museum in New York City that was home to Henry Clay Frick (an industrialist and art collector), and his family. I loved that it was both a residence and a museum, which works well with a dual-timeline novel. Some of the characters are real people – Henry Clay Frick and Helen Frick, his adult daughter, in particular. And some are fictional, like Lillian, who’s inspired by a celebrated artists’ model from the 1910s named Audrey Munson. Audrey posed for the reclining nude figure that’s carved above the entrance to the Frick mansion. In 1919, what happens in Lillian Carter’s life that lands her in the Frick mansion? Lillian has been struggling in her career as an artists’ model since her mother died earlier that year, and then was accused by the police of being part of a sordid love triangle after her landlord killed his wife. (The scandal is drawn directly from Audrey Munson’s real life.) Early in the book, Lillian is staring up at the image of herself in the Frick’s doorway, wondering what’s going to become…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE GOOD WIFE OF BATH 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?  Set in the Middle Ages, it’s the story of the most infamous of Geoffrey Chaucer’s characters from his Canterbury Tales – the bold, sensual, assertive, and much-married Wife of Bath – but told in her own voice. The reader meets her at 12 years of age and we’re taken through her five marriages and what becomes of her beyond the limits of Chaucer’s poem in every way. It’s funny, heart-wrenching, infuriating, and draws on history to tell a much-maligned woman’s (mostly) true story.  3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?   Ah, that was easy. I had great source material with the original poem, so placed my characters in all the places the poem mentions – Bath in England and its surrounds, but also medieval London, Cologne, Jerusalem, Rome, Canterbury, and other places too. I was able to travel vicariously when the world was shut down. A wonderful guilty pleasure, really.  4–What are three words that describe your main character?  Sassy, clever, and kind. 5–Which side character stole your attention the most from the main…

1–What is the title of your latest release? D’VAUGHN AND KRIS PLAN A WEDDING 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?  It’s 90 Day Fiancé meets The Amazing Race when two women who’ve never met before have six weeks to convince their families that they’re marrying one another. Each week brings a list of tasks they must execute all while dragging their loved ones along for the ride, but on the way to the altar their pretend feelings turn real and when they reach the finish line they have to decide if it’s worth the risk to turn something fake into forever. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?  The setting for just about all of my books is my hometown of Houston, TX, so that made this one a no-brainer. The city is so large and diverse that it makes it easy to drop a fictional cast of characters there. 4–Would you hang out with D’Vaughn in real life?  Absolutely. She’s funny, kind, and likes to eat; all qualities I hold dear. 5–What are three words that describe Kris? Sexy, smooth, strong. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?  I learned that…