Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Marie Bostwick | Surfside Beach Reads with Lots of Heart, and Lots to Say
Author Guest , Author Spotlight / August 25, 2023

Summer is winding down. But you’ve still got time to squeeze in one or two more beach reads, and might want to add Susan Wiggs and Melanie Benjamin’s latest novels to your TBR stack. Though set in different time periods, both stories take place primarily in California beachside communities and feature strong, athletic heroines facing big problems who find escape, purpose, and poetry in the world of competitive surfing. Susan Wiggs’ Welcome to Beach Town kicks off in the early 1980’s in Alara Cove, a fictional beachside community in Southern California.  A haven for tourists and for surfers in search of the big waves, sunny, charming Alara Cove seems idyllic. But tensions between the wealthy residents who live in newly constructed beachfront mansions, send their privileged offspring to Thornton Academy, and hold the reins of political power, and those of lesser means who work low-paying jobs and live in pre-gentrification beach cottages and trailer parks, lie just below the surface. The two worlds collide when Nikki Graziola, a scholarship student at Thornton who lives in an Airstream trailer park that some deem historic and others consider and eyesore, goes off-script during her valedictory speech, revealing secrets that the school, and…

Marie Bostwick | Women’s Fiction: A Genre By Any Other Name Might Just Be….Fiction?
Author Guest / July 28, 2023

Hi All! My name is Marie Bostwick. I’m the bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including my latest, ESME CAHILL FAILS SPECTACULARY, recently published by William Morrow. I am also the new women’s fiction columnist here at Fresh Fiction. I’ll be here with you every month, talking all things women’s fiction, sharing roundups and recommendations, and bringing you interviews with some of the best authors writing within the women’s fiction genre. This month, I thought I’d start by explaining what the term women’s fiction means and why so many writers are uncomfortable with the genre. (Spoiler alert – I’m among them.) Let’s go right to the source. The Women’s Fiction Writers Association (of which I am a proud member) says that in women’s fiction, “the plot is driven by the main character’s emotional journey”, and then goes on to list several other common elements of the genre, such as…. Writing is high quality and accessible Layered stories about one or several characters, often multigenerational Upmarket fiction often falls within this category, and is appropriate for book clubs Story tackles adult character’s struggle with world issues, resulting in emotional growth Can include elements of mystery, fantasy, and romance but cannot…

Marie Bostwick | Conversations in Character with Esme Cahill
Author Guest / May 30, 2023

Book Title: ESME CAHILL FAILS SPECTACULARLY Character Name: Esme Cahill   How would you describe your family or your childhood? My mother, Robyn, was an unwed, teenage mother with a reckless streak she never outgrew. She couldn’t keep a job for long, so we were always moving. She had a revolving door of boyfriends too, some better than others. One of them, Zip, taught me how to read before disappearing, taking money from Robyn’s purse but leaving me with my escape – books. It wasn’t all bad, but chaotic is an apt description of my early childhood, chaotic and unstable. That changed after Robyn was arrested for drug distribution and George and Adele, the wonderful grandparents I’d never known existed, took me in and raised me at the lakeside resort they owned, not far from Asheville, North Carolina. It felt like heaven, a refuge. For the first time, I got to be a child. But, as it turned out, I wasn’t very good at childhood. It always made me feel too much at the mercy of others. When an injured animal is given time to heal, there comes a day when refuge feels like suffocation. That’s why, even though I…

Marie Bostwick | Exclusive Interview: THE RESTORATION OF CELIA FAIRCHILD
Author Guest / March 2, 2021

Danielle: Hi, Marie! Welcome to Fresh Fiction. Please tell us about yourself and your new book, THE RESTORATION OF CELIA FAIRCHILD. Marie: Hi! I’m happy for the opportunity to talk with you today! I’m a lot of things – wife, mom, quilter, dog lover – but mostly I’m a writer. So far, I’ve written nineteen novels that run the gamut from historical to contemporary, set in just about every region of the country. But there’s a common thread in all my books; though my characters face the kinds of problems and challenges that resonate with women, my stories always end on an uplifting and hopeful note. That’s why I’m especially excited about introducing readers to Celia Fairchild and her story. Celia is the kind of friend we all wish we had, and her story of restoration and hope is something that I think we all need right now. Celia writes a popular advice column, called Dear Calpurnia. I loved this aspect of the novel! What sort of research did you do into advice columns and giving good advice? Do you have any favorite advice columnists?   I’ve been an advice column junkie for a long time so, in a way,…

Marie Bostwick | Fierce Beyond 50
Fierce After 50 / August 24, 2018

The latest from Marie Bostwick’s Fierce Beyond 50! Gruyere, Canadian Bacon & Corn Frittata This healthy frittata recipe will make your dreams come true. Not only is it 4 WW points, it is beautiful, easy, & seemingly indulgent with a little help from Canadian Bacon, Gruyere, and summery corn. Buon appetito! COPING WITH SUDDEN HEARING LOSS A couple of years ago, I lost all hearing in one ear due to a condition called Sudden Sensorial Hearing Loss. My purpose in writing this post is simply to use my experience to help others by spreading the word about SSHL. HEALTHY SUMMER COCKTAILS When the temperatures are blazing, there’s really only one thing to do (besides crank that AC): make refreshing low calorie cocktails! Here are four delicious recipes, most with only 3 Weight Watchers points. HOMEMADE ICE CREAM RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE With a grand-darling visit on the horizon, I reflected on the simple joys that I enjoyed with my own grandmother. Making homemade ice cream is right up there. Here are a few delicious recipes that will take you down memory lane. Join Marie Bostwick at Fierce Beyond Fifty, a lifestyle blog for women who are ready to seize and celebrate…

Tips From Marie Bostwick, Fierce Beyond 50
Fierce After 50 / June 15, 2018

The latest from FierceBeyond50, a lifestyle blog from NY Times Bestselling author, Marie Bostwick. Female hand writing letter on white office paper on wooden desk.[/caption] REVIVING THE LOST ART OF LETTER WRITING Remember when we used to send and receive hand-written letters instead of using email or social media or texting? Sure, it takes longer, but it’s so much more special! Here’s why the lost art of letter writing is making a comeback. HOW TO BEAT THE BLUES WITH NATURAL REMEDIES THAT WORK We’ve all had those days. Call it the blues, the doldrums, or the depths of despair. Part of being fierce is learning to deal with those occasional struggles. Here’s how to overcome anxiety, stress, and mild depression with natural, drug-free strategies you can do at home. One of the sure-fire ways? Pick up a book. REV UP THOSE OVENS Cookies, muffins, banana bread, oh my! Here are a few of my favorite baked goods to make and share as well as a roundup of the best baking cookbooks in my kitchen. Because sometimes life calls for sugar. And carbs. And butter. And joy. PRETTY PLANTER IDEAS FOR SPRING When spring arrives, the urge to dig in the…

Marie Bostwick | Fierce Beyond 50
Author Guest , Fierce After 50 / April 27, 2018

The older I get, the more I realize that those changes keep coming. Sometimes they bring joy. Sometimes they bring sorrow. Sometimes, it’s a little of both. Part of why I started Fierce Beyond 50 was to create a community for us to not only embrace those changes together—the good, the bad and the ugly. This past month, we explored some of the harder changes in life, a few strategies for combating brain fog and mental fatigue, and the importance of taking on new challenges that scare us a little bit. HOW ONE WIDOW’S RITUALS HELPED HER NAVIGATE THE STAGES OF GRIEF AND HEALING PROCESS Grief and healing is a personal journey for everyone, especially after the loss of a spouse. There is no one-size-fits all remedy. Journalist and speaker Meg Cox shares how she leaned on rituals during the grieving process and what she’s learned from widowhood. FITTING IN AND MAKING FRIENDS AFTER A MOVE It’s easy to feel untethered after a move to a new town. For women, it can be especially difficult since we are so relationship-oriented and many times we leave friends behind during relocation. I consider myself a pro at this, having moved more than 20…

A SINGLE THREAD only $2.99 this week!
Author Spotlight / April 22, 2014

Hey, did you know A SINGLE THREAD, the first book in the Cobbled Court series, is only $2.99 this week (through April 27th). If you haven’t discovered the enchanting world of the women of New Bern, here’s your chance to get the first book for a special price on your e-reader. Kindle | nook | iTunes Determined to overcome the despair that has engulfed her since her husband of twenty-five years walked out on their marriage, Evelyn Dixon takes a spur-of-the-moment trip from her home in Texas to see the fall colors in New England. There, she falls in love with New Bern, Connecticut, a village that could have been lifted straight from a Currier and Ives print. Embracing her newfound impulsivity, Evelyn moves to New Bern and reawakens her long dormant dream of opening a quilt shop. But a shocking revelation about her health threatens to destroy Evelyn’s dream before it begins. As she struggles with the newfound challenge, one by one three unique women come into her life, each at a crossroads, all needing the support the very special bond of friendship can provide. When life’s pendulum takes an unexpected swing, these four very different women come together;…

Sandi Shilhanek | Who Is Your Best Friend? Real or Imaginary?
Sundays with Sandi / May 16, 2010

Remember when you were little and you had an imaginary friend? Do you remember how old you were when your imaginary friend moved away never to return or be heard from again? Now that I’m grown why can ‘t I still have an imaginary friend to turn to when life is overwhelming? Is it because society frowns on adults being frivolous or is it because as I’ve aged my imagination has also aged and just doesn’t run to fanciful images? Thankfully because I love to read when I feel the need for an imaginary friend I can turn to authors such as Robyn Carr who created Virgin River a town where everyone feels welcome, and a seat at Jack’s Bar is always available. Or perhaps a journey to New Bern, Connecticut and the Cobbled Creek Court Quilt Shop created by Marie Bostwick. Here are women willing and able to teach me a new skill, and make me a part of the fabric of their lives. Finally what if I were wanting a friend to share a sleep over with, and share spine tingling thrills and chills. Then I might turn to the suspense that author Beverly Barton has fine tuned…

Sara Reyes | To Read YA or Not, That’s my question…
Readers , Saturdays with Sara / May 8, 2010

What a wild week I’ve had: three signings attended (if I was a woman with super powers I could have gone to seven of interest), two author dinners, one reader lunch and one reader dinner. Today I go to our monthly tea and we’ll have a guest, Marie Bostwick. But first all this gadding about is expensive and second fun and third, exhausting. Why exhausting? Good question, I’ll tell you! Because I bought a bunch of books and oh, my, even YA ones. And now I’ve got to read them! All right I can say I’ve read YA in the recent past, after all, you’ve heard our stories of being there for at least three of the final Harry Potter release parties, which I’ll always remember until I die. They were fun and I doubt ever to be replicated no matter how hard they try to make a book or series so “important.” HP has the magical quality of reaching all generations. And it was in all the media: books, audio, movies, games. Only thing I know missing is the television and since The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ is now open, they’ve covered the theme park version as well….