Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Annie Sullivan! Writes: Young adult fantasy and fairytale retellings A TOUCH OF GOLD and TIGER QUEEN, with my latest release A CURSE OF GOLD, book 2 in my A Touch of Gold series, hitting shelves on September 22, 2020. About: Thirty-something young adult author seeks readers who want to leave this world behind to enter one full of adventure, high seas battles, Greek mythology, and princesses with magic powers. Must be young at heart, willing to believe in magic, like handsome sea captains with a heart of gold, and want a happy ever after. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Their idea of the perfect date includes a Saturday aboard ship sailing toward an island most people don’t believe exists Loves a strong heroine and fun supporting cast Likes action-packed adventures with touches of humor Dreams of facing the unknown horizon Falls in love easily with seafaring heroes Wants to learn to love themselves, flaws and all Not afraid…

Tell us a little about your latest project, the upcoming YA science fiction novel, DEVASTATION CLASS.  EM: The book is set in the distant future, with seven military cadets and seventy civilian students aboard a starship on a mission of science and learning. When most of the adults are off-ship, the ship is attacked by the Kastazi, a vicious enemy alien race thought vanquished. Our protagonists–best friends and cadets JD and Viv–are forced to make an impossible choice that will change their lives forever: obey their superiors and die, or mutiny to save the ship and the lives of everyone aboard. But that’s just the beginning. What at first looks like an obvious re-invasion by a former enemy turns out to be something much darker and shocking, and a mystery eons in the making will have to be unraveled for them to have any hope of surviving. GZ: Devastation Class is a multi-POV story, so we get to spend time in the heads of more than one character. Viv and JD are trying to succeed under the weight and long shadows of their war hero parents. There’s Nicholas, a cypher whose intentions and motivations are shrouded in mystery, and who…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present MarcyKate Connolly! Writes: Fantasy novels with undertones of classic stories. MarcyKate’s most recent book, TWIN DAGGERS (out August 25!), is a fantasy spin on Romeo + Juliet . . . if Juliet and her twin sister were magic-wielding spies out for revenge in a world of magic versus machines. About: MarcyKate loves books, dogs (especially pugs!), and caffeine, and has minor obsessions with Jane Austen, Shakespeare, and Grimm’s fairytales. She’s a night owl who enjoys staying up late plotting all the terrible twists that will befall her characters, researching strange and/or paranormal things, or reading an unputdownable book until dawn. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: • Loves confident, mission-driven girls • Enjoys being immersed in complex fantasy worlds • Sucker for star-crossed lovers • Doesn’t mind a betrayal or two What to expect if we’re compatible: • Feminist spins on classic stories • Girls who know their own worth and the boys who love them • Ancient conspiracies…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Hanna C. Howard! Writes: Young Adult Fantasy: My debut novel, IGNITE THE SUN, is on sale everywhere on August 18! About: Thirty-something YA author seeks readers for her fairy-tale-esque fantasy novel which includes: a heroine morphing from insecure and afraid to bold and self-assured; an ensemble cast featuring a mage, an elf, a naiad, and a banshee; a cross-map journey; lots of elemental magic; a literal spin on the light and dark theme; a splash of romance; a witchy, heart-devouring bad gal. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Loves traditional fantasy (think Tolkien, Rowling, and C.S. Lewis) Is fond of curling up with a cup of tea and a book on dark, atmospheric days Falls for best friend/boy next-door type of heroes Wants to see personal growth in their heroine Likes a powerful, strong leading lady Has dealt with anxiety, depression, or SAD Likes being outdoors Goes for fast-paced action Enjoys a complex fantasy world with a unique magic…

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Leslie and congrats on your debut! Please tell us about yourself and your new book, FRACTURED TIDE. Thanks for having me! FRACTURED TIDE is the story of an ill-fated scuba charter that lands the protagonist–master diver Sia–on a mysterious, time-bending island. The situation is complicated by one of the other survivors, her seven-year-old brother, a kid who needs a lot of hand-holding. Then there’s the hot guy who’s marooned there with her. . . and his ex-girlfriend. Yeah, it gets complicated. When they find a flooded sinkhole in the middle of the island, Sia realizes she has to go down into the darkness to help them discover the secrets of the island and find a way home. When I started this story, I was inspired by my diving trips, but I also dug into my experiences as a volunteer teacher at the Atlanta Women’s prison. On my first day in the classroom, I was holding onto a lot of stereotypes about prisoners (they’re pretty much all wrong). TV and movies paint the incarcerated parent as either totally evil or completely innocent. I wanted to tell a more realistic story, so I gave Sia a positive but…

Chapter 7 Of Love and Pies “So, Isa, dish out the details. What’s the deal with Diego?” Pippa asks. I shrug and bite into the best fraisier cake I’ve ever had. I chew slowly, hoping they’ll find something else to talk about—something that isn’t “the hot Spaniard.” It’s finally Friday. Week one in Chef Grattard’s kitchen has come and gone and all I have to show for it is a bandaged finger and spoon thirteen sitting at the bottom of the rack. Not exactly what I had in mind. To celebrate this grand accomplishment, Pippa invited us to Pâtisserie Lulu, her favorite spot in Lyon, where we’ve been sitting outside, watching people walk by on the street. The only good thing to came out of this week is my new uncanny ability to memorize Chef Troissant’s instructions. It turns out fear is a great motivator. Take yesterday, for example: she was teaching us about French cheeses and opened a wooden box containing a small wheel of Époisses de Bourgogne. It has a sticky orange rind and a smell reminiscent of sweaty gym socks and filthy barn animals that’s led to it being called the stinker of all cheeses. While everyone…

from Chapter 5 of Freaky in Fresno: I crank the gearshift into park as the dust settles, and Lana and I simultaneously turn in our seats to face each other. Our eyes lock and the two of us embark on the most intense stare down of our lives. “Terrific car,” Jake says, reminding me he’s here. I just nod slowly in response without breaking eye contact with Lana. We stay focused on our no-blinking stare for so long that I can feel the lipstick on my cheek begin to melt and run liquid down my face. Eventually Jake mumbles some excuse about checking on Gwen and Brad and says, “A dark screen tomorrow night will mean everything we’ve worked for has been in vain.” I nod again, feeling like I’m already throwing everything away. But my deep anger toward Lana keeps me glued in place. Locked into our stare. Once Jake’s gone, I swear I hear a low growl emitting from my cousin’s throat. But I’m still the one in the driver’s seat. Cherishing the control I wield, I narrow my eyes at Lana and dance my fingers mockingly across the top of the steering wheel. I’m surprised to find…

When I was a teen, I wanted nothing like I wanted to be a published author, and my dream came true in 2009 when I was 23 and sold my first book to a major publisher. Over ten years later, I feel like I’ve grown up in the publishing industry. My fifth release, WARDENS OF ETERNITY, is a historical fantasy about a young woman who must use her wit and magic to outmaneuver Nazis and Ancient Egyptian gods to prevent global destruction. My dream has come with amazing experiences and daunting responsibilities, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything! My art has become my job. That’s amazing! Not many people get to do their art every day and get paid for it. That’s because it’s very hard to make a living doing art. My life depends on my writing and that’s a huge weight on my ability to focus and create. In addition, authors get paid different amounts on different schedules. There’s very little we and our agents can do about that. Sometimes an author is living on a fixed income for a long time. I’ve been able to travel and see amazing cities and meet wonderful people. Some of…