Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Julie Rowe | On the Hunt for Awesome Reads!
Author Guest / September 21, 2020

Reading has always been my favorite pastime, but since Covid-19, I’ve increased the number of books I read every week. As a result, I’ve discovered several new (to me) authors with stories I can’t get enough of, and I’m on the hunt for more. Share what you look for in a good book and your favorite recent reads! What do I look for in a great story? Excellent world-building with characters who are funny during the good times and even funnier when crap is hitting the fan are two of the top qualities I want. Genre isn’t as important as a unique world and characters who are off-kilter. Give me those and I’ll become a life-long fan. Here are some of my latest finds! The Amaranthine Saga by Forthright. If you love Anime and Japanese mythology this author and series is for you! The first book in the Amaranthine Saga, Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox, hooked me for life! Every story in the series builds on the rich world Forthright has created with returning characters I can’t wait to see again. 🙂 The Case Files of Henri Davenforth by Honor Raconteur. This is a mystery series set on another world…

Stacy Reid | Exclusive Excerpt: WHEN THE EARL MET HIS MATCH
Author Guest / September 16, 2020

He suspected it was this that his father worried about, that one day he might want this love that had the power to ruin him. Rubbish. What sort of fool would he be to allow an intangible idea to inflict havoc with his life? “Love has a way of creeping upon you when it is least expected,” the old earl said with a probing stare. “You must be on your guard at all times.” “Truly? Based on your ramblings, I believe it can strike with the ferocity of lightning and thunder, and I’ve wondered why you’ve bothered to caution me against something that will come at me without warning,” he rejoined. His father scowled. It was difficult to explain to the man before him that he did not hunger for any particular connection. He wasn’t seeking love. Nor was he running from it. He was just not. . . interested. “I’ve far more important things to occupy my mind than an attachment with a lady…even the one I intend to marry.” Such as your impending death and the dark hole it will leave. And situating my family for a life of happiness and prosperity. His father appeared contemplative for a…

Stefanie London | 20 Questions: HER AUSSIE HOLIDAY
Author Guest / September 1, 2020

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  Her Aussie Holiday 2–What is it about?  Her Aussie Holiday is about a house-swap that gives an American woman more than she bargained for! Wanting to escape a failed relationship, her parents public divorce and career dissatisfaction, Cora Cabot decides to swap houses with her Aussie BFF. Only, when she arrives in Patterson’s Bluff, her friend’s older brother is camped out in the house and . . . well, hilarity and trouble ensue. At the heart of it, this story is about following your dreams, taking risks and learning to believe in yourself. It’s emotional, has loads of comic relief (including a potty-mouthed cockatoo named Joe) and definitely delivers a feel-good happily ever after. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Resilient! Cora is the kind of woman who gets knocked down but keeps getting back up again. 4–What makes your hero irresistible?  Everything! Seriously, Trent is one of those heroes who has it all. Hot, blue-collar body, charming smile, sense of humour and a big golden heart that he wears on display at all times. Oh, and a delicious Aussie accent. Who says you can’t have it all? 5–Who are the people your…

Christi Barth | Exclusive Excerpt: TEMPTING THE PRINCE
Author Guest / August 21, 2020

It can be fun to flirt. And when you know it can’t go anywhere, it can be a little more fun. You can just let loose because there’s no chance you can blow it. That’s how TEMPTING THE PRINCE starts. Two people who absolutely know they can’t ever be together, sharing a fun night. #spoiler – they do get together! #spoiler – happy ending guaranteed! So here’s a peek at an average American pushing the envelope with her *actual* Prince Charming… *** Mallory couldn’t tell if the bar was nice because everything in Moncriano’s capital was both ancient and charming–or because her bodyguard had chosen very, very carefully where to bring the princess’s sister to get wasted. Because that was, indeed, her entire plan for the night. Drink. Eat a pretzel the size of her head. Maybe flirt with the semi-hot guy who’d been eying her from the corner. Except that flirting would require conversation. That conversation. Because every conversation she’d had with a stranger since returning to the country followed the same lines: How are you? You’re so brave. What’s the princess really like? If she wasn’t fine, she wouldn’t be out at a bar, would she? As for…

Cathy Skendrovich | A Military Man + Giveaway!
Author Guest / July 27, 2020

Just like most women, I’ve always liked a man in uniform. They look crisp, clean, and very take-charge. They make a person feel safe. However, when I became an Army mom in 2017, I had a totally different opinion of soldiers. You see, my baby enlisted then. I didn’t know what was going to happen to him in the future. I wouldn’t be able to protect him. The military wasn’t so romantic anymore, although they can still put on one heck of a graduation ceremony. After my son graduated Basic Training, or BT as he called it, the worry over his safety backed off a little inside me, and the whole Army brotherhood angle began to interest me. I wanted to write a suspense novel involving soldiers. My plot was nebulous; I pitched it to my editor at Entangled. They came back with, “We want a terrorist thriller. If you do this right, it could be a series.” Whoa. I didn’t know anything about terrorists, except what you see on the news periodically. Could I write a book about them? I set out researching. I looked up Army Intelligence, counterterrorism, the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world, terrorist cells……

Makenna Lee | Author-Reader Match: HER SECOND CHANCE COWBOY
Author Guest / July 21, 2020

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 MAKENNA LEE! Writes: Makenna Lee writes contemporary romance set in the Texas Hill Country. Her Second Chance Cowboy takes place in the fictional town of Cypress Creek. There’s a massive ranch with loads of history and a secret family mystery. Readers will meet James and Reese who played together as children, fell in love as teens, and haven’t seen one another since he broke her heart eleven years ago. About: Fifty-year-old introverted debut author who drinks way too much coffee while writing. Special needs mom of a twenty-three-year-old who has Down syndrome and influences her characters and stories. Has discovered a love for amateur nature photography after writing a photographer heroine. Dabbles in herbal medicine and enjoys renaissance festivals. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: -Loves a handsome cowboy who wants to help special needs children -Roots for an adventurous heroine with career goals and a romantic heart -Wants to meet a mischievous hound dog who rescues a kitten…

Ophelia London | How NEVER AN AMISH BRIDE Came About
Author Guest / July 3, 2020

Hello, Fresh Fiction! It’s been so long since I’ve been here. And I cannot tell you how great it feels to be back! Some of you may know me as the author of several sweet rom-coms, all contemporary settings. So then, how in the world did I end up writing an Amish romance novel? Did I go all “inspie” on my readers? (Which wouldn’t be a bad thing, of course!) Nope. The real story behind why I chose this path isn’t what most people expect. . . It all goes back to my sister. She moved from Tennessee to Hershey, PA about ten years ago. I was dying to go there, of course, because that is where all the chocolate lives! I mean, talk about my mecca. 😉 The first time I went out there for a visit, we did the whole Hershey thing–which was dang awesome. (PS: I have a whole series that takes place in and around Hershey, called “Sugar City.”) Anyway…what I didn’t realize then, was Hershey practically butts up to Lancaster County, one of the largest Amish settlements in the country. My sister had only been out there once, so we searched the internet and made…

Lisa Kessler | 20 Questions: PIRATE’S PERSUASION
Author Guest / June 25, 2020

1–What’s the name of your latest release? Pirate’s Persuasion 2–What is it about? An immortal pirate is haunted by the loss of his nephew 200 years ago, but when the ghost of his nephew communicates with a local medium, Drake and Heather discover there is more than a ghost bringing them together. 3–What word best describes your heroine? Unique 4–What makes your hero irresistible? His loyalty and honor 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? Agent Bale at Dept. 13 and One-Eyed Bob the immortal pirate cook  6–What do you love about the setting of your book? It takes place in modern-day Savannah Georgia. It’s such a gorgeous, haunted city with so many stories! I love it there! 7–Are you a plotter (follow an outline) or a pantster (write by the seat of your pants)? Pantser 8–What is an ideal writing day for you? As long as I have my playlist and headphones I can write anywhere. 9–Do you listen to music while you write, need total silence, or do you have the TV on? Playlist for every book. 10– How do you approach research? I usually do most of my research at the…

Abigail Owen | Exclusive Interview: BAIT ‘N’ WITCH
Author Guest / June 18, 2020

Hi, Abigail! Welcome back to Fresh Fiction. Please tell us about your latest book, BAIT N’ WITCH. Thank you so much for having me back. I always love to visit with Fresh Fiction! 🙂   Can you give our readers a “primer” of your paranormal world? Do you find creating supernatural settings difficult or easy? My paranormal world is set in the real world, but technically apart. They don’t interact with humans unless they have to, and humans don’t know of the existence of these supernatural creatures. While the dragon shifters are the focus of my Inferno Rising & Fire’s Edge series, in Brimstone Inc., we get to see other paranormal creatures in the same world and what’s going on with them. World building is one of my favorite parts of writing paranormal romance. Thinking of the powers and the world in which they would exist. Thinking of how they’d interact with others. Which would be dangerous, which benevolent, all the possibilities. It’s the best time!     What do you think people love about paranormal romance? What do you love about writing it? I can only say what I love personally. I love the escape. The real world sometimes is just a…

Tee O’Fallon | 20 Questions: TRAP ‘N’ TRACE
Author Guest / June 15, 2020

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  TRAP ’N’ TRACE 2–What is it about?  This story is about tracking an elusive killer, and the police can’t find a motive. The only link between the victims is that they were discovered by the same person–Katrina Vandenburg. Kat is a wealthy socialite with a heart of gold. She gives oodles of money to charity every year and has her own charity–the Canine Haven, a rescue shelter that finds good homes for dogs and trains some of them to be service animals. FBI agent Dayne Andrews and his K-9 Remy are drawn into the investigation and wind up protecting Kat. Despite their extremely different backgrounds, the sparks fly between Dayne and Kat. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Caring. Many people often equate wealth with snobbishness, insensitivity, and self-centeredness. Kat is just the opposite of that, and Dayne is surprised to learn just how warm, generous, and caring she really is. 4–What makes your hero irresistible?  I just love a strong hunky guy with emotional wounds from his past, and Dayne is no exception. He’s tall, dark, and broody with amazing green eyes, and he’s got a soft spot for Kat. Although it…