Welcome to Fresh Fiction! Can you tell us a little bit about CRASHING THE A-LIST and what inspired it? So…I had this mild heart attack a few years back. (Don’t all books start like this or…?) Anyway, I was lying in the hospital, hooked up to a million machines, and I had this sort of drug-induced fever dream about Benedict Cumberbatch and storage units, and when I woke up I thought it was weird enough to write down on my phone so I wouldn’t forget it. Then I was like, “Could this be a book????” and within an hour I had an entire synopsis and half the outline done. Clara is so awesome – I loved her sarcastic wit! Even though she’s going through a rough time after losing her job, Clara ultimately decides not to sell the info she has on super famous Caspian. How does this decision change the course of her life? For most of the book, that decision doesn’t have a single silver lining for her. Clara is more of a Netflix and jammies gal, not so much a celebrity espionage one. She tried to do the right thing and then gets stomped on from every…

Y’all, I’m a sucker for an accent. Big time. I’m especially fond of the Irish and Scottish ones. The way the men almost purr when they speak. About two years ago, I discovered why I might have an affinity for the Irish voices. My DNA says I’m 67 percent Irish. I had no idea. Maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to that accent, or maybe, it’s just because that accent is sexy. In BET ME TO STAY, I made my new hero Liam Irish. He owns a pub in Boston, and it just felt right. Cassie was looking for a strong man, who wasn’t afraid of an intelligent woman.  And when she hears that deep, velvety, accent of his: she’s a goner. I might have also made him have an appreciation for plus-sized women, and he can cook. Who doesn’t want a man who can cook? That’s the great thing about fiction: we can create worlds that are realistic and, at the same time, take our fantasies for a ride. I fell for Liam as I wrote this. And it’s funny, so many people have commented that he’s their favorite book boyfriend. He’s far from perfect, but I love that…

When I sit down to write, usually it’s the hero I love to dream up. What perfect mix of sexy and maddening will this book need? But with Betraying the Billionaire, as much as I love my tasty hero, it’s my heroine I had a soft spot for. Holly has gone through life as an overlooked younger twin trapped in her shell and it’s a feeling I, and hopefully the readers, can relate to. So like Holly who managed to shake up her life, if you find yourself stuck in a routine while the sun shines here are my best tips to give your summer a little boost. 1) Take a road trip Trips take planning, right? Instead of researching the perfect place to stay, why not throw caution to the wind and see where you end up. All across the country there are great attractions and camping locations. Beg, borrow, or steal a sleeping back and a tent, grab your best friend (or partner), jump in a car, and see what you can discover. Some of the best trips are spontaneous ones! 2) Channel MasterChef and dial that romance up Who doesn’t love a home cooked meal? It’s a…

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 KATY AMES!  What I Write About: Contemporary Romance. Sometimes sassy, sometimes angsty, always with top-notch steam and a swoon-worthy HEA. About Me: Boy mom. Bourbon drinker. Binge-reader since I could hold a book. I love adventure, on and off the page. But I love naps even more. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Someone who loves getting swept up in a romance. Someone who’ll binge-watch every episode of Jane the Virgin because the love is epic and the #girlgang is strong (and because Jane writes romance, too!). Someone who’ll read their favorite books over and over because the characters are real, damn it, and you have to check in every once in a while to see how they’re doing. What to expect: Heroines learning to be brave. Heroes who fall hard and love forever. Flirty banter, toe-curling steam, and sweet as sin heat. Romances that get a little messy before ending happily ever after. Giveaway: Comment to Win $10…

Since very few people enjoyed the last season and most importantly, the last episode, of Game of Thrones (myself included), I started thinking of all the other shows I have watched that had equally terrible endings. These weren’t as high on the ratings scale as Game of Thrones of course, but they were still good shows with multiple seasons that finished on a sour note. These are my personal top 5 shows with absolutely dreadful endings. THE SOPRANOS This show was six seasons of crazy—death, backstabbing, lies, violence, drama—then along comes the final episode. With the family enjoying one of a few happy together moments, the screen goes black just as a shootout starts—with no resolution on who lived or died. After dutifully following the show for the full six seasons, the ending was a major let down. TRUE BLOOD This show was absolutely brilliant. It was one of the few shows where it didn’t matter what gender, race, or sexual orientation you were or weren’t—it was equal parts vampire campiness for everyone to love. Not to mention lots of Alexander Skarsgård! After all the twists and turns through seven seasons, it wrapped everything up in a pretty little end-credits…

I love second-chance romances. Couples who fall in love only to lose each other have lots of time to stoke the fire as they search for a relationship as intense as their first love. By the time they get back together, the sparks really fly! That’s the case with Jess and Cade in Cowboy Summer, and you’ll find the same heat and passion in these classic novels by some of my favorite authors. I had to put them in alphabetical order (by last name), because I couldn’t choose a favorite! Kari Lynn Dell: Tangled in Texas Kari Lynn Dell’s books are wildly authentic because she’s the real deal—a ranch-raised cowgirl and true-life rodeo competitor. She’s a compelling writer as well, creating characters who are vivid and alive. In this story, physical therapist Tori’s latest client is her ex, bronc rider Delon Sanchez, who’s suffered an injury that may end more than his rodeo career. The chemistry between these two ranges from fiery disputes to touching love scenes, and like all her books, it’s full of heat and action as well as humor and emotional insight. If you want to get a taste of the true cowboy life, you need to…

Bowie got out with the purchases he made at Unique Boutique and headed for the door. There wasn’t a woman in sight when he let himself in, but he heard a lot of chatter coming from his bedroom. “Lucy! I’m home!” he yelled. There was a moment of silence. Then the door opened, and Ella came out, laughing. “You sure got our attention with that greeting,” she said. Pearl and Rowan were right behind her. “Bowie, do you remember all those old I Love Lucy reruns we used to watch when you were little?” Pearl asked. Bowie grinned. “I sure do.” “We’re mostly ready,” Ella said, then frowned. “Rowan doesn’t want to go.” “I think she might change her mind,” he said, and handed her the sack. “Go try them on.” Rowan’s eyes widened when she saw the Unique Boutique sack and peeked inside, then clutched the clothes to her chest and ran back into the bedroom. “I’m going to wash up and put on a clean shirt,” Bowie said. Pearl hugged his neck. “You are an old softie…getting your not–really–kin friend something new.” He shrugged. “I haven’t spent a dime of my own money on anyone but myself in…

Welcome back to Fresh Fiction! Can you tell us about your new End of the Line series, and the first book, The Friend Zone? I got inspired to write the “End of the Line” series after seeing the Netflix documentary Last Chance U. I loved the idea of a junior college that gave Division 1 football players a second chance at the NFL or to play for a Division 1 school again after they’d screwed up their scholarships. I chose football because while my family is not a typical sports family (my husband doesn’t watch at all), my oldest son played football all four years of high school and I’ve always enjoyed watching the game. Plus, isn’t there something just inherently appealing about football players? THE FRIEND ZONE is a story about Logan Hunt, a disgraced football player being given a second chance to play and graduate from college, which he is determined to do. His new coach has a lot of rules he expects his players to follow, including no dating. Jess is Logan’s math tutor and off limits, especially since she’s the coach’s daughter. They decide to stay just friends and try to fight off their growing attraction to one…

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 Magan Vernon!  Hi, y’all! I’m Magan. I write contemporary and new adult romance books with love and laughs. Dirty Irish is my latest release that focuses on the last of three Irish, playboy brothers who in order to inherit the family business, have to be married. I’ve been published since 2011, writing young adult science fiction novels. But I’d actually started writing New Adult contemporary romance in 2009, just couldn’t find a place for it. Then when my first New Adult contemporary book was published in 2012, I knew that was the place for my writing. Younger characters. Some giggles. Some heat. All of it. And always with a happily ever after. So hopefully I’d be the ideal match for a reader looking for these things. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Someone not afraid to laugh in public places Vast knowledge of the Google search bar when they want to look up Irish phrases and then start using…

Caroline had faced many challenges in her life. She’d tackled some serious life-and-death trials. She’d persevered. She’d emerged if not victorious, then at least still standing. So why was she trembling in fear at this relatively minor task laid before her? It’s ridiculous. It made no sense whatsoever. “Are you ready?” Jackson asked. No! her inner self screamed. “Sure,” she said, lifting her chin. The music started. He emerged from behind the stage onto the empty dance floor at the Last Chance Hall. It is my last chance, Caroline thought. My last chance to bolt for the door. As a native Texan, it had been her biggest secret, her greatest shame. She didn’t know how to two-step. She’d never learned. She’d listened to pop music in high school and college. Robert introduced her to classical music, but he didn’t like to dance. So, she’d never learned. That, apparently, was about to change. Keen-eyed Jackson had noticed that she always made excuses not to dance at the Last Chance and called her on it. When she finally fessed up to her lack of skill, he’d declared himself her teacher. She wanted to learn. She did. So why was she so embarrassed…