Where did you come up with the idea for A BIG FAT GREEK MURDER? I was sitting in the chair at my hair salon watching in the mirror as my stylist wielded her long sharp scissors. I started thinking about scissors as a murder weapon, and since my main character Athena’s sister Selene is a hairstylist, it seemed like a great idea to use her in a plot. As I watched customers walk past my chair, I realized how easy it would be to snatch a pair of scissors off a tray at an unmanned station and stuff them into a purse. Because the other stylists are busy with their customers, talking, snipping, blow drying, etc., no one would even notice. Naturally, it would take advance planning. Timing would have to be right, so the perpetrator would have to know the stylist’s schedule. But as I plotted out the story, I realized that a determined murderer would be able to pull it off. Then it would be a matter of wiping the scissors clean and incriminating the stylist, leaving misleading evidence in places like a dumpster behind the salon. There’s more, of course, but you’ll have to read the book…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE WORST DUKE IN THE WORLD 2–What is it about? A duke and a “disreputable” young woman fall in love; familial opposition ensues. So, a bit like Romeo and Juliet, but with a much more cheerful outcome (YAY!). 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  It’s fun writing stories that take place amidst the London haut ton, but it was equally fun setting this book primarily in the English countryside. People meet and interact under different circumstances than they would in London; their interests and occupations vary, too. My hero, for example, is a keen agriculturist, so for authenticity’s sake (and, often, my own amusement) I liked bringing in non-glamorous, necessary things like drainage ditches, apple blights, pumpkin patches, and so on. 4–How did your heroine surprise you?  My heroine, Jane, comes from a disadvantaged background and has endured a lot of hardship and insecurity; I knew she’d be a strong person, but as the writing went on I was surprised and pleased by the quiet fortitude and resilience she displays when, in her new life as a cherished member of the Penhallow family, the going gets tough. (It’s…

1–What is the title of your latest release?  OUR ITALIAN SUMMER 2–What is it about?  Three generations of women in the Ferrari family must heal the broken pieces of their lives on a trip of a lifetime through picturesque Italy. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  The book literally takes you through a tour of Italy, from Rome all the way to Tuscany. It’s full of amazing food, wine, and experiences that Italy is beloved for. 4–How did your heroine(s) surprise you?  There are actually three heroines in this book. Francesca is 49, Allegra is 18, and Sophia is 75! I love diving into the various points of view for each age. I think what surprised me the most about all of them is the inner strength each of them have to keep them pushing through challenges. 5–Why will readers love your hero(es)?  There are two main heroes in this book! Enzo is the Italian tour guide, and Ian is one of the tour members from Ireland. Enzo falls for Francesca, and Ian falls for Allegra. These love stories are both very different but extremely emotional and poignant. I know these two men will make my…

Jen: What inspired you to write OUR DARKEST NIGHT? Jennifer: After finishing work on THE GOWN, I jumped into work on a book set in…well, I don’t really want to say, since I may return to it some day! I spent months researching and plotting it, but when it was time to buckle down and write the thing, I just couldn’t do it. I was trying to figure out what to do next when my son came to me and asked if it was true that his great-grandparents, my husband’s maternal grandparents, helped to hide Jewish families from the Nazis during the war. And I had to admit that I wasn’t sure – but I told him I would try to find out. It didn’t take a lot of digging for me to discover that San Zenone degli Ezzelini, the small town in northern Italy where my mother-in-law grew up, was a focus of resistance against the Nazi occupation in World War Two, and specifically that the local priest had organized shelter for dozens of Italian Jews. Father Oddo Stocco was named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 2010, and while I wasn’t able to prove conclusively that…

1–What is the title of your latest release? ACTIVE DEFENSE 2–What is it about? As a former field surgeon in Afghanistan, Heather Fontaine is used to life-or-death situations. She just didn’t expect them to follow her home. When she returns from a party to find that someone has broken into her house–and threatened her friends–she assumes it is the stalker who has been following her and creeping her out. She hopes to find safety and peace of mind by leaving the city and hiding out in a small town. But trouble has followed her even there. Luckily, a stalker isn’t the only one watching Heather. Travis Walker has been secretly watching out for her for weeks. As owner of his own security agency, it’s what he does. Together, Travis and Heather must figure out who wants her dead–and why–before it’s too late. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  I love that it’s set in the city where I grew up–which is great because I know the “lay of the land” so to speak. 🙂  4–How did your main character(s) surprise you?  Heather was a complete surprise, to be honest. When she appeared in the other two…

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Amanda! Congrats on the release of THE EVER AFTER! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?    I love all kinds of mythologies and stories, and I spend most of my free time reading fantasy and horror. I live in Minnesota, with my family and a bunch of pets, and I love writing books.   For our readers who aren’t caught up with the entire Omte Origins series, can you give us an overview of it and how it fits in with your Trylle trilogy?  The Omte Origins is set in a universe where trolls exist, living hidden among humans, but they aren’t exactly the typical depictions. They have incredible powers, but live in a very structured fantasy world.   The first trilogy Trylle follows Wendy, who discovers she was switched at birth and returns to take her place as the heir to a kingdom. The second trilogy the Kanin Chronicles builds on that, with Bryn – an aspiring guard – who uncovers a plot to overthrow kingdom and does all she can to save it.   The Omte origins is the final trilogy, and it’s led by abandoned orphan Ulla searching for her birth parents and her place in the vast troll world.   Your main…

1–What is the title of your latest release? Tidewater Bride 2–What is it about? A young woman who is the head matchmaker for a 1634 Virginia colony yet lacks her own match. Selah Hopewell is tasked with bringing ‘Tobacco Brides’ to the male-dominated New World but she never realizes by doing so she is arranging her own nuptials.  3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  Early Virginia is an explosion of all the things that make pages turn – a brave New World, handsome tobacco planters, treacherous politics, precious few women, ships, Indians, and the accompanying tumult that settling a new nation brings.  4–How did your main character(s) surprise you?  Sometimes they did things I wasn’t expecting, taking a scene in a direction I hadn’t thought of or anticipated. The mystery of creating! There’s even a bit of humor within.  5–Why will readers relate to your characters?  Their faults and foibles became very apparent to me. We all have them and characters should have them, too. Pride and false assumptions play a large part in this story, as troubling then as now.  6–What was one of your biggest challenges while writing this book (spoiler-free, of course!)?  Keeping…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  THE STORMBRINGER What is it about? A fantasy world that’s rebuilt after an apocalypse and is now in danger again, three people trying to reconcile the past with their current situation, and the value of standing together against oncoming threats. What word best describes your heroine?  Pragmatic. What makes your hero irresistible?  Amris combines a slightly old-fashioned formality with the ability to accept people for who they are–and blends a sense of honor with a sense of humor. Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? That’s a good question! Both Darya and Amris are fairly isolated: Darya by her role as a Sentinel, Amris by not being in his own time any longer. Darya has Emeth and Katrine, as well as other Sentinels that she’s friends with, but they aren’t in the same place most of the time. She and Amris both are generally closest to Gerant, which makes their relationship very awkward.  What do you love about the setting of your book?  The mythology is near and dear to my heart: a good spider goddess, a good goddess of death and vengeance as well as love…

1–What’s the name of your latest release? Teddy Spenser Isn’t Looking for Love 2–What is it about? Teddy thinks he can’t stand his coworker, Romeo. But they get stuck together on a business trip that involves some ridiculous ordeals, and Teddy learns that Romeo’s very different than he’d assumed. And, of course, there’s only one bed. 3–What word best describes Teddy? Creative 4–What makes Romeo irresistible? He doesn’t quite realize how charming and irresistible he is. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? Family! Teddy’s grandmother lives far away but gives good advice via phone calls. Romeo has a big, close family that sometimes “helps” more than he might like, but he loves them anyway. 6–What do you love about the setting of your book? It’s set in two of my favorite cities, Seattle and Chicago, both of which have lots of fun, quirky things to do. I also intentionally set it in February, which feels pretty bleak in both cities. Who wouldn’t want some love amid the cold and gray? (Well, Teddy wouldn’t—or so he tells himself.) 7–Are you a plotter (follow an outline) or a pantster (write by the seat of your…

Today we are joined by another one of our regular author columnists, Kym Roberts! She writes a monthly Cozy Corner column where she gives book recs and interviews mystery authors.  Your Name Kym Roberts How long have you been a Fresh Fiction reviewer?  Six years What are your favorite genres to read and review?  Mysteries and romantic suspense What are your TOP 3-5 Books of 2020? LOL, join me at the end of December at the Cozy Corner and I’ll share my favorite cozy mysteries for 2020! What do you like to do outside of reading? Write, swim, hike and take pictures of my little dog, Shiloh. (Mom stuff tends to dominate my time) What are some of your holiday traditions?  Peppermint milkshakes–it’s a holiday treat my hubby has mastered! Yum! What are your reading resolutions/intentions/goals for 2021?  Stay healthy and stick to my daily writing goals! What do you love about being a Fresh Fiction Book Reviewer?  I get an inside peek at mysteries by new and oldies-but-goodies authors. I love the different backgrounds and how they chose the genre. If you’re comfortable, please share a photo so our readers can see your faces! Where else can readers find…