As a writer, I’m always looking for new story ideas. For most writers, past experiences can be a very big help. Have you ever survived a dangerous situation? How did you do it? When I was first learning to snow ski, I got caught on top of Stowe Mountain, Vermont in a blizzard, after the lifts had closed. It’s a huge ski area. It was my first day on skis and somehow I got separated from my friends and wound up on a black diamond run. Of course, I started falling, and falling, and falling. Throwing myself down in the snow was the only way I knew how to stop! By the time I got halfway down, it was pitch black and freezing cold. I tried taking off my skis and walking, but the snow was deep and it was even harder than trying to ski. The clothes I had on weren’t nearly thick enough for a New England winter and I was afraid hypothermia would set in. I knew I was in big trouble. Maybe the reason I started writing Romantic Suspense had something to do with that day. Just when I was ready to give up, just sit…

A SEAL Never Quits is all about having the heart of a warrior and never letting go of a mission, whether it be your assignment in the military, your dream future, or the love of your life. While researching Navy SEALs, I found endless inspiration from my own life experiences. Military Heroes date back in my family for hundreds of years. My father served in Vietnam as a private, and by the mid-seventies became a Captain in the Army Rangers. When I began writing A SEAL Never Quits, I knew it had to be about Special Ops since my dad shared that world with me from his time as a Ranger. His stories of the bond he formed with his unit shaped my view of a do-or-die brotherhood represented in the book. The Texas Navy SEALs series takes a group of rough and tough SEALs and puts them on an undercover assignment near the Texas/Mexico border to handle a rising terrorist issue coming from Mexico, Central, and South America. The unique aspect is that these SEALs go undercover on a working ranch and must stay on top of intel in a small town. Writing about a working ranch in south…

We’re joined today by Fresh Fiction reviewer Helen Williams, with a wonderful author recommendation!  The first time I read a book by Susan Stoker was two years ago.  I have been hooked from that moment on. The thing that made me continue reading her novels is her style of writing for her female characters. I like the fact that they find themselves in hopeless circumstances but they continue to fight and not give up. These women go through horrendous situations but show tremendous character in spite of their circumstances.  I have read books before with strong female characters but Ms. Stoker’s novels drew me in like no other.  The storylines have a real-life feel to them. The different situations that her characters experience are sometimes painful to read about but Ms. Stoker’s writing style gives you hope when you see her heroines triumph over the different hardships they encounter. The novels portray some light humor between the characters but they also have some serious realities. Ms. Stoker’s books cover issues dealing with PTSD, rape, physical and emotional abuse, blindness, agoraphobia, homelessness, drug abuse, cancer, epilepsy, physical scars, and human trafficking.  Although these are heavy issues, Susan Stoker delivers them in…

Summer is a great time to catch up on your reading. Relax on the patio with a cool drink and a book and let your problems drift away. Maybe you’re doing your reading at the beach or at a secluded cabin in the woods. The days are longer and most of us will take some time away from the job to recharge. And even if you decide to stay at home, a good book is the ideal way to unwind and enjoy a few summer hours. It’s also the perfect time to dig into a series. Read the first book and get hooked, and you have time to devour the rest of them. There are so many wonderful series out there to enjoy, but here are a few suggestions to get you started. These are my FIVE picks. All are great romantic suspense series that will leave your heart pumping and you needing a fan to cool down. The KGI series by Maya Banks. The KGI (Kelly Group International) series is centered around the six Kelly brothers, all of who served in different branches of the military. They now have their own elite, top secret business. This is romantic suspense…

Who doesn’t love an old fashioned ghost story? Whether it’s something scary on Halloween or a frightening tale told late at night sitting around a campfire, ghost stories have been around for as long as humans have been telling stories. In fact, I’m such a fan of ghost stories I created a whole series “Secrets of Redemption” that combines the psychological thriller genre with a haunted house. (Because who doesn’t love a haunted house? Except … is the house even haunted? Hmmm.) And, to celebrate the launch of the 3rd book The Evil That Was Done in my award-winning “Secrets of Redemption” series, I thought I’d dive into the question of why ARE we so obsessed with ghosts. Below are five reasons to help explain our ghostly fascinations: 1. Overall, stories provide a safe container for us to feel our emotions. So many of us spend our lives trying to push our uncomfortable emotions away (such as sadness and worry and shame), or numb them or run away from them or whatever it takes to not feel them. The problem with that is if we aren’t feeling our difficult emotions, we also aren’t feeling our joyful, happy emotions. And, as…

Thanks for having me at Fresh Fiction! I’m delighted to be here and chat about one of the elements from my latest release, DEADLOCK (June 25)! What strikes me most about my hero and heroine is that they begin from a place of high-stakes mistrust. One wrong move might get either of them killed. What’s more tantalizing than a couple so overcome with need for each other that they throw all caution to the wind to be together? I love it. And so I present you, in no certain order, my Top 5 enemies-to-lovers romances. A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas It’s hard to say too much about this one without spoilers, so consider this your warning! I was simply floored at how masterfully Maas took a character who seemed to be a villain from the previous book and turned him into a hero. Amazing. (A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES is required reading to get the full impact of this one, but it’s fabulous as well.) WALLBANGER by Alice Clayton When you can hear your neighbor’s, erm, very frequent nocturnal activities through the thin wall separating your bedrooms, how can you face him? This is…

What inspired me to write about the first female SEALs? It’s actually a multi-part answer: –First and foremost, the #MeToo movement made me want to revisit the idea of women finally breaking through the last all-male bastions left in the U.S. military. There are only a few career fields women haven’t entered yet, and the SEALs are arguably the most visible one of those. –Second, I wanted to put it out there in the universe, for young women who might dream of being a SEAL, that there’s a realistic path to get there, someday. Most people do, in fact, believe that the first female SEALs will come from the Crossfit™ fitness system. The top several women Crossfit athletes in the world meet all the entrance requirements for BUD/S—it’s just that none of them have wanted to be a SEAL, yet. –Third…SEALs! Who doesn’t love a hot, sexy SEAL? And who better to get to know and fall in love with a SEAL than a woman training with him? It’s the fastest and most complete way to get to know an operator—see him in his native environment! –Fourth, it seemed like an awesome battle of the sexes moment to pit a…

From Zane’s Point of View “You want to know how a werewolf realizes when they’ve found The One, that one-in-a million soul mate that’s supposed to be out there for all of us?” Zane Kendrick repeated, sure he must have heard the question wrong. When the woman sitting across the table from him nodded, all he could do was stare, not sure how this situation had turned so personal. Zane had arrived at the SWAT compound that morning thinking a local reporter was there to interview him about the narcotics case his pack had helped with recently, but instead he’d walked into the training room to find a blogger from a website called Fresh Fiction waiting for him. Everything had gone pear-shaped in a damn hurry after that. Especially when it became obvious the woman knew he and the rest of the Dallas PD SWAT team were all werewolves. “Yes,” she said. “I’ve heard it’s already happened to several of your pack mates, so I thought it would be a good question to start with. And I have no doubt my readers are going to find it interesting. In fact, several of them have already asked how they can snag…

Get ready for some fun in the sun with our Summer BBQ Recipe Roundup! All week we’re featuring a different author each day who is sharing info about her latest book release, as well as a delicious recipe perfect to take to your next get together. Be sure to check back tomorrow (and all week) for another awesome author’s mouthwatering summer recipe! We’re getting things started with romantic suspense author Kendra Elliot, who has an appetizing appetizer to share! Her latest book, A MERCIFUL PROMISE, hits stores tomorrow. Remember, come back tomorrow for more! *** FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick has a secret. She was raised in Central 
Oregon as a prepper and survivalist and hides that she continues to practice that way of life. Her fiancé Truman Daly is the chief of police in the rural town where she grew up. He knows about and supports her secret because she is the woman he loves. In A Merciful Promise, Mercy uses her survivalist skills to infiltrate a militia amassing stolen firearms in an isolated forest community. It requires that she relinquish all contact with the outside world and live in a culture where suspicion is second nature. While she is…

Defending Harlow is a story of second chances. Harlow and Black knew each other in high school but didn’t run in the same circles. When he meets back up with her years later, Black is immediately attracted, except Harlow has written off dating, especially because she’s dealing with trying to keep the residents in the women’s shelter she works at safe. Harlow always had a crush on Black but figured he was out of her league, and it’s impossible to date him now that he’s showing interest because she’s absolutely positively decided that she’s done with dating. She’s had bad date after bad date and figures she’s just not meant to be with someone. The proof is in her last five horrible dates: 1. The guy who kept leaning over the table and stealing food from her plate without asking. 2. The man who ordered for her, which she thought was nice, until he started asking about how many calories were in each dish and then ordered her the baked chicken with vegetables and no butter. 3. The date who did a background check on her to make sure she didn’t have any skeletons in her closet that would make…