1–What is the title of your latest release? SIZZLE REEL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When talent manager’s assistant Luna comes out as bi at 24, she tries to “make up for lost time” by trying to seduce an ambiguously gay A-list actress client. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I knew the story had to exist in Hollywood, so LA was really the only place to set it. Otherwise, I’m from LA and I felt like I could really capture a version of LA that wasn’t commonly seen in media – a bit less polished, a bit more artsy, really finding the romantic in the mundane and strange. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Yeah, for sure! Luna’s knowledgeable, kind, and geeks out on stuff in a way that’s very similar to me. But I think we’d have to take turns having anxiety spirals. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Passionate, determined, confused 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Honestly, as this was my first rom-com I ever wrote, EVERYTHING. I learned about romance beats, how to make sexual tension really drive…
1–What is the title of your latest release? NEVER BEEN KISSED 2–What is it about? Wren Roland has never been kissed, but he wants that movie-perfect ending more than anything. Feeling nostalgic (and drunk) on the night of his twenty-second birthday, he sends emails to all the boys he crushed on before he came out. The next morning, he finds a response from Derick Haverford, his #1 pre-coming out crush. Through the exchange, Wren learns that they are going to be working together at their struggling hometown vintage drive-in movie theater. What ensues is a hazy summer consumed by a special project that draws the pair closer together. As they work to save the drive-in, they might just get a second chance at that perfect-kiss-before-the-credits Wren has always dreamed about. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book? NEVER BEEN KISSED takes place mostly at a fictional drive-in movie theater called Wiley’s Drive-In. I love the nostalgic, summery vibes it casts over the whole book. It’s both fun and cinematic. I’ll never stop picturing Danny Zuko singing “Alone at a Drive-In” from Grease, clearly a pivotal moment in my early childhood obsession with love stories and…
It was possible that his timidity and reserve weren’t just for show. The first four takes came out flawlessly; Chaudhuri requested they try again from a couple of different angles, but The Throne was off to a rocking start. A subdued thrill was running through the crew, like a shared fever. Crew knew immediately when they held on to a winner. Crew recognized talent. They recognized it now. Andrée, waiting on the sidelines for her cue, had her mouth set in a curious frown. Chaudhuri’s face was grave. Across the set, actors and DAs and camera crew were all looking at Chris. Nicholas was looking too: the trouble was looking away. Chris was enthralling. His Angelo was by turns infuriating and lovely, selfish to the point of loss and charming to the point of disbelief—his hands nervous, his body active and mobile, his face changing emotion in a flash. Nicholas kept breaking off, catching onto a different thread of action, meeting Chris’s motion with his own. Like a dance. He wasn’t used to being led. But this was not quite like being led. It was moving in one direction, and finding the movement echoed in another body. It was like…
1–What is the title of your latest release? OUT OF THE ASHES. It’s the third book in the Ashes & Dust trilogy. 2–What is it about? It’s the culmination of the story that started in book 1, when someone was threatening to expose the existence of Toronto’s paranormal community. Evan, a vampire PI who deals with chronic depression, and Colin, a creature known as a phoenix who can control fire and magical energy, thought they found out who was behind everything in book 2, but this one throws a few curveballs their way. They’ve got to work with former enemies to truly solve the mystery – but first, they have to deal with the repercussion of Colin’s decision at the end of book 2 to dissolve their forced bond against Evan’s wishes. There are lots of up and downs in this one, but a very firm happily ever after! 3–What do you love about the setting of your book? Toronto is such a great mix of diverse settings. You’ve got the old-fashioned, touristy promenade of the Distillery District, industrial areas that make for great locations for out-of-sight paranormal shenanigans, and lakefront beaches for quiet moments. In this book,…
1–What is the title of your latest release? CHEF’S KISS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A high-strung pastry chef’s professional goals are interrupted by an unexpected career transition and the introduction of her wildly attractive nonbinary kitchen manager. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Well, I live in New York City, and it seems like every YouTuber with a huge cooking channel is here, so it was a natural fit. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Yes–one hundred percent. Is Simone a super uptight person who might grate on my nerves if we were chilling out together? Maybe. Would she be cooking for me, though? Probably, and that is good enough for me. I have a ton of friends who are hardasses on the exterior and I think they’re neat. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? they/them/theirs – Kidding! I would say Ray is optimistic, outgoing… and tall. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? How to brew beer at home. I knew I wanted Ray to have a hobby that was kitchen-adjacent but not food-related, and homebrewing seemed like a perfect fit. I…
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 Cait Nary! Writes: I write character-driven M/M hockey romance that’s not scared to tackle the darker side of hockey culture. As a hockey fan with her eyes open to the sport’s shortcomings, I wanted to write a book that grappled with the challenges of falling in love in an environment that is profoundly heteronormative and steeped in toxic masculinity. In SEASON’S CHANGE, Olly and Benji spend all their time together—on the ice, in the locker room, in their shared apartment—and learn that ignoring their unspoken feelings isn’t an option. About: A Southerner who somehow managed to stumble my way into hockey fandom, my interests include yelling “Shoot!” at the Philadelphia Flyers; cheering for whoever is playing against the Washington Capitals at my closest geographic hockey arena; and refusing to learn how to interpret advanced hockey analytics. I’m a big fan of arena-sized light beers and collecting more hockey-themed snapbacks than I will ever be able to wear. What I’m looking for…
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 A.M. Arthur! Writes: LGBTQ+ romance with heaping doses of angst, probably some tears, but always a Happily Ever After for my main characters. While I do dabble in paranormal, I mostly write contemporary, such as my brand new cowboy series, HIS FRESH START COWBOY, which launches the Woods Ranch series with Carina Press. There are plenty of sexy times and romance to be found on the ranch, especially in this best friend’s-brother story set in a north Texas cattle ranch. About: A small-town girl who loves writing about equally small towns and characters who find big love there, I am avid reader and cat lover. I also enjoy cooking at home and experimenting with new flavor profiles, so you will frequently find food references in my stories. My favorite thing to do in the evening is cuddle up on the couch with a fuzzy throw blanket, my two cats, and a good book. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match:…
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 James! Writes: I write sweet and sexy romance stories that get to the heart of falling in love and finding one’s place in today’s world, and where the happily-ever-afters are satisfying, empowering, and available to everyone. In my debut romance, TOO MUCH MAN, Gavin is a retired hockey star about to leave Philly to work for his hometown team. Piper’s a bisexual cafe owner who doesn’t want a relationship with a cis man. They agree to a no-strings-attached sex deal, because what could possibly go wrong? TOO MUCH MAN is the first in the Firebirds series, with book two following in Summer 2022. About: Hometown: I grew up in the Boston area, but over twenty years ago moved “for just a couple years” to Philadelphia—and never left the area. Currently: I live in an adorable historic town close to the city. When I’m not writing, I’m a single mom and work as an archivist and rare book librarian. Hobbies: wrangling…
It didn’t take long to finish the details and open the account. I let [Diego] know how to set up the online portal and gave him the usual rundown on our services. Blah blah blah, don’t hesitate to contact me, you might find X, Y, Z interesting, here’s a big packet of things you won’t read. I set his own folder on top and settled it on the desk in front of him. “That’s it? That was…relatively painless.” I couldn’t help allowing the hint of a smirk into my expression. “Did you think it would be painful?” “Not exactly. But when you put something off for years before doing it, I think it tends to collect an…air of morbid dread around it. When it’s then accomplished in thirty minutes sitting across from, uh, you, I guess it seems a little silly to have worried about it for so long. Of course until recently I wouldn’t have had a you to take the edge off.” “I’m…glad I could help. In all the ways.” Which felt true. All the ways. The account. The alleviation of dread. The…mutual appreciation. He patted down his pockets, pulling out a crumpled receipt, keys tangled with a…
We settled into a silence that was less awkward than I’d worried it would be. Colin played with his phone—he’d discovered a daily crossword puzzle app that could keep him occupied for hours. I thought about sketching, but decided I had a better way to spend the time. I pulled up a website I’d scoped out earlier on my phone. “Hey, Col?” “Yeah?” “Can I ask you some questions?” “I guess. Why?” I shrugged. “Oh, I dunno. To get to know you better.” “Sure, shoot.” He turned his attention back to his game. “Would you like or dislike inspecting a roof for leaks?” “Considering I have no idea how I’d do that, dislike.” “No, but, pretending you did know how to do it, would you like doing it?” He looked off into the distance for a moment, and I took the opportunity to make sure Evelyn’s house remained still and inactive. “Yeah, I guess if I had the skills, I’d like it. It would get me outside.” I clicked like on the form. “Okay, cool. What about analyzing the structure of molecules?” “What? No. I’d be in a lab all day.” He shuddered. Dislike for sure, then. “Coordinate a business…