Danielle Jackson: Welcome back to Fresh Fiction, Mariah! We are happy to have you hear and celebrate the release of THE DATING DILEMMA with you. Before we chat about your book, I have to say—I love all of your TikTok and Instagram videos. They are so much fun! What do you think it is about romance writing that lends it so well to your videos? Do you have a couple of favorites you’ve made (feel free to link to them)?  Mariah Anekenman:  Thank you so much! I’m excited to be here and more excited to talk about my Tiktok addiction, lol. I have a background in theater and was raised by a professional clown so point me to an audience and I am geared up to entertain! My favorite thing about the romance genre is how vast it is. There’s a romance out there for everyone! So I like to include that in my videos and just celebrate the joy and inclusion of romance. Plus it’s always fun to take the hate this genre gets and turn it around into a celebration of success because as we all know romance is a billion-dollar industry, can’t get numbers like that unless you’re…

“Come out here,” he said insistently but not unkindly. “I have water.” “I’m fine. Really.” She was not going out there with puffy eyes and streaking mascara looking like Frankenstein’s bride. No. Way. “Tessa?” he said. She heard him pace back and forth in front of the stall. She wanted to answer him, except for some reason she started to cry. Silently, of course. But she couldn’t seem to stop. Then Leo said, “I’m coming in.” She heard the thud of his hands hitting the stall door. At the same time, the bathroom door squeaked open again. “Excuse me, young man,” a woman’s voice said, “but what do you think you’re doing?” Oh no. Who…? “Oh, hi,” Leo said. “I’m just talking to my…fiancee.” “Well, I’m in charge of this restroom, and you need to leave right now.” It was a woman with a gravelly voice, like maybe from smoking cigarettes. “Are you okay in there, honey? If you aren’t, just say the word. The police headquarters is right down the hall.” “No, ma’am, you don’t understand,” Leo said. “It’s just–hey!” A scuffling ensued. Was that the sound of Leo being dragged away? The woman’s voice was more distant now,…

Hey there! I’m Lisa Kessler and I write passionate, page-turning, paranormal romances! I’m so excited to share PIRATE’S PARADOX with you today! It’s book 6 in my Sentinels of Savannah series, but all of the books are standalone so you can jump into PARADOX and you won’t be lost. This book is a sweeping adventure that will take Caleb and Diana all the way to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean! I can’t wait for you to read it… P – is for Pirates! Immortal Pirates to be exact! They plundered the Holy Grail in 1795. I – is for Intelligent – Our hero, Caleb, has spent 250 years studying the sciences. He has numerous PhDs R – is for Rrrrrrr – Caleb would tell you no self-respecting pirate would ever say that. Only in the movies! A – is for Atlantis – The hunt for Atlantis is on and the clock is ticking. T – is for Television – Caleb has insomnia and is addicted to buying gadgets from QVC and infomercials. E – is for Eccentric – Caleb is quirky and so adorable! S – is for Sexy – The chemistry between Caleb and Diana was very steamy….

Exclusive Sneak Peek of Playing Dirty in Alaska for Fresh Fiction Bridget and Archer’s first kiss in four years …. *** “I’m still waiting for that kiss hello.” Bridget looked up at him, eyes hot, slashes of color riding high across her cheekbones. “That’s not fair. You lost the bet.” “All’s fair in love and war,” Archer informed her. She poked a finger into the center of his chest. “There’s no love here.” Another poke. “And I’m not looking for a war. All I want is to be left —” He caught her hand before she poked him a third time. “This isn’t about what you want, remember? This is about what I want.” “Why?” She punctuated the question with a stomp of her foot, followed by a swift breath of pain. Frustration got the better of him. “For fuck’s sake, Bridget, just stand still for thirty seconds and you’ll have what you want, including an answer to that question.” “Ten seconds,” she countered. He rolled his eyes skyward and fished his phone out of his pocket. “Twenty seconds. Final offer. Otherwise, I knock on that door loud enough to wake the whole god-damned town.” “Jesus. Okay.” She shoved a…

1–What is the title of your latest release? TEMPTING THE VICAR 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A tenacious vixen, a vicar in disguise, a tangled web of seduction and lies. TEMPTING THE VICAR is a Regency romance about an unconventional miss who falls for a countryside clergyman forced by mishap to pose as his worldly twin. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? London always provides a glittering backdrop for romance, but especially during the Regency. The English countryside also has a lot of appeal, however, so I decided to use both settings! 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely! I’m sure we’d be best friends and get into all sorts of trouble together, so it’s probably a good thing Olivia only exists in Times New Roman font. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Loyal, altruistic, tender 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? While researching London’s social clubs, I learned the Duke of Wellington was once refused entry into Almack’s because he was wearing the wrong kind of pants. Those Almack’s matrons certainly were strict about enforcing the dress code! I also learned how…

I wrote a romance starring a quirky bookseller named Claire who adores historical romance. Namely, Regency romances featuring dukes. In the story, you’ll see that she is even a member of a club called the Triple Ds, which stands for the Dashing Duke Diehards. They meet the third Thursday of every month to see their chairwoman read a spicy scene with a real-life male romance cover model. It’s a hoot and everyone has a great time. Anyway, I digress. That was just one of the many cute and funny moments in my debut romance, HOW TO SURVIVE A MODERN-DAY FAIRY TALE, which came out on November 30th. Claire’s love of historical romance is one of the few things she and I have in common. I began my life-long love affair with romance after picking up a medieval romance by Elizabeth Lowell when I was thirteen years-old. Since then, I’ve read hundreds, but I’ve been particularly smitten with stories about dukes. So in keeping with this Duke-ish theme, here are Claire’s top 5 favorite historical romances starring Dukes: THE BEAST OF BESWICK by Amalie Howard Blurb: Lord Nathaniel Harte, the disagreeable Duke of Beswick, spends his days smashing porcelain, antagonizing his…

In the stable, Liam kicked the stall door, startling a few horses with his outburst. Their disgruntled whinnies and snorts had him apologizing to the beasts he’d upset. It wasn’t that he’d expected anything but another rejection; however, his heart was still reeling with disappointment and loss. He’d dreamed of a life with Evelyn Stewart as his wife. But, as it was with the dreams he’d had as a lad, it wasn’t to be. He often wondered what he’d done to be punished so. And from the time he’d heard the stories of God’s wrath he’d tried to atone for whatever sin he still paid for. Being a warrior piled on the debt with the lives he’d taken, but he hoped killing to protect his clan was redeemed in some way. “What did I do?” Liam’s question was for God, but he spoke it to the white mare that had come to stare at him accusingly over her stall door. She didn’t have an answer. Instead, she lifted her head a few times and snorted before pulling back inside to leave him alone once more. Alone. It seemed he’d been alone all his life. He had snippets of memories from…

Rashida Howard maneuvered to the bar to order a drink. Then, wine in hand, she scanned the room for a seat. It might’ve been easier finding a spot on a Titanic lifeboat. People were shoulder-to-shoulder and breast-to-chest deep. Every person in downtown Atlanta must’ve had the same idea—hang out here until the sun went down then make a dash for their cars and homes. She spied an empty stool and pushed her way toward it. She could almost touch it, but a suit slid onto it ahead of her. In no mood to be nice, she had an urge to grab him by the collar and dump him on the floor. Breathe, Rashida baby, breathe. Her grandmother’s voice rang in her head. That voice of reason was the only thing that stood between her and an assault charge. Rashida’s usual calm demeanor had been submerged under the recent changes in her grandmother’s life.  Her day had been one disappointment after another, culminating with her last stop at Quinn Enterprises. She’d phoned Marcus Quinn all week. He hadn’t the decency to return any of her calls, so she’d decided to forgo courtesy and just show up at his office unannounced. No…

Hi everyone, I’m A.J. Locke, author of the upcoming urban fantasy novel, MAGIC DARK, MAGIC DIVINE with Entangled Publishing. Today I thought I’d share a fun interview with my four main characters, Pennrae, Callan, Gideon, and Toji, as a way of introducing them so you can get to know what they’re like before you meet them on the page. The answers they give don’t just pull from the book either! You’ll learn tidbits about them here that don’t echo in the novel, so it’s a great bit of insight into who they are as well as what their relationships with each other are like. I hope you enjoy getting to know my crew a bit. Q1: Give one word to describe the others Penn: Oh, this should be good… Gideon: Unflattering descriptions will be heckled. Toji: Gideon is one of the most fiercely caring people I know. Penn is unfathomably protective of those she cares about. I don’t know Callan very well yet, but he has to be strong if Penn has him by her side. Callan: I definitely need my strength. She throws a mean punch… Penn: Watch it before one really comes your way. Gideon: Me next! Toji,…

2:00 pm, Monday River Thames “’Tis good to be on a boat again,” Fiona said as the Sea Rover glided along, “even though ‘tis nae like a loch.” “That is an understatement,” Lorelei answered, trying not to sound sarcastic. Loch Awe, where Strae Castle was located, was crystal clear and carried the fresh scents of forested woods and heather. The river was grey and murky and smelled awful. Hopefully, this sailing adventure would not last that long now that Erik hadn’t accompanied them. “Combien de temps avant qu’ils ne le découvrent?” the boatswain asked the first mate. “J’espère pas avant que nous soyons en mer.” He shrugged. “Je ne veux pas les attacher.” “What are they saying?” Fiona asked. Lorelei frowned, not sure she heard correctly. She’d taken two years of French while Papa was still alive, but hadn’t had much cause to use it. “Oui. C’est une bonne dizaine de jours à Tripoli.” “Avec de bons vents.” The boatswain laughed. “Nous obtiendrons beaucoup d’argent pour eux.” Those last words chilled her. She gave Fiona a look that she hoped her friend would understand before she turned to the first mate at the helm. She prayed her voice wouldn’t shake….