Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Amber Royer | Top Ten Things About Cruise Ships
Author Guest / February 3, 2022

I love the chance to get to explore fun settings in my fiction.  That’s one of the reasons OUT OF TEMPER: Bean to Bar Mysteries Book 3 is set Aboard a cruise ship.  The ship in my fictional cruise line is sailing out of Galveston, from the terminal just down the street from where I placed Felicity’s shop.  In the book, she’s still active in her role as chocolate maker: this time she’s been asked to do demos of her work aboard the ship. I’ve been on a number of cruises, even done enrichment lectures aboard ships myself.  And there are so many things that make me want to go back.  Here’s my top 10. 10–Eggs Benedict.  Because I’m not going to get up early enough to make Hollandaise for myself at home. I’ve found Eggs Benedict on the breakfast menu of every ship I’ve been on. (Though I’ve by no means been on all cruise lines, so your mileage may vary.)  The fictional cruise line in my book offers a Texas-themed menu, so Felicity gets Chicken Fried Steak Benedict. 9–Shore excursions!  You never know where you will be able to go. (Bonus: It is always warm in the Caribbean.)…

Allie York | Top Five Reasons to Read Young Adult Romance
Author Guest / December 18, 2019

When I sat down to write my first book as an adult, I had no idea what I was doing or where it would lead. I ended up with a hot mess of a young adult romance mixed with a dash of dystopian. Since then I’ve gone on to write roughly twenty books, ten of them published, and none of them YA. My first series (The Broadway Series) follows a group of thirty-somethings as they fall in love and start families. My second series (The Shores) is a pair of best friends, starting their lives after college and falling for the last men they’d ever expect.  I love to read stories like this, but there is still something that pulls me back to the young adult genre every time.  There is something nostalgic about young love that I just can’t get enough of. Recipe for Disaster has it all when it comes to a YA romance. Whether I’m reading or writing, there are so many reasons to love a good YA romance: All the firsts. YA romance often features first loves, first kisses, first dates, and all the other first that come with being a teen. In Recipe for Disaster,…

Olivia Sands | Exclusive Excerpt: COLTON
Author Guest / July 2, 2019

If she was going to build a new life in Elm Ridge, she needed to become a social animal again. Basically, she needed to get a life, and that wouldn’t happen if she remained hidden under the covers. The invitation won over the impulse. “Boys,” Ashton said to his two assistants, “meet Grace Baker. She joined my firm a few weeks ago, and I still can’t get over how lucky I am to have snatched her away from the big city.” “Thank you, but I’m the lucky one.” This time she meant it. Desperate to get away from Manhattan, she’d had no idea where to go. And then, by accident, she’d stumbled onto his ad. At the time, she’d thought it divine intervention. Incredibly, there was a human-sized law firm in a small town looking for a non-belligerent general practitioner. Yep, the ad was every answer to her prayers. “Grace, these handsome devils are two of my nephews,” Ashton said. “This is Jaxon. He’s a horseman.” She shook the hand Jaxon extended. Rough and calloused, just how she’d imagined a cowboy’s hand would feel. His sky-blue eyes shone with kindness. “Nice to meet you, Grace.” He flashed a magnificent smile…