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Interview with Beth Christopher, Author of Dubious (Belle Argo Escorts Book 4)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

My entire series is about male escorts finding love, because I’ve had friendships with s-e-x workers in the past and I found the relationship challenges and dynamics that came along with those careers really interesting. Also, a while ago, I read a romance novel by Lori Wilde where a woman has herself kidnapped to get out of getting married. The kidnapping scenario stuck with me, so when I started writing a dark MM romance series about male escorts living in a Florida beach town, I decided it would be an interesting challenge to see how the developing relationship between three men might be affected by all of them getting kidnapped together. And since it’s dark romance, kidnapping kind of fits as a trope anyway. 😀

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be? (Meant to be fun. Skip if you need to!)

My book is about a throuple, so I’ve got three: For Troy and Adam, the two childhood best friends in the story, their theme songs are “Sleep” by Conjure One and “seven” by Taylor Swift, respectively. For Wes the song is “I Wanna Be Yours” by Arctic Monkeys.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I try to read widely and I like a lot of genres, especially all subgenres of romance, mysteries, and thrillers, but LGBT romance is what I prefer to write and also usually what I prefer to read.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Just Open a Vein by William Brohaugh (nonfiction), Thrive by Brendan Brazier (nonfiction), The Ruins by Kora Nyx, Architechti By Ruby Roe, Power Exchange by AJ Rose, High Stakes and Soulmates by Alice Winters, The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer, and many, many more. I could probably never buy books again and read for the rest of my life.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

In almost every book, my favorite parts are the midpoint where a significant reversal happens, and also the moment when my hero either makes a huge sacrifice or does something they would never have been able to do at the beginning of the story. In Dubious, one of my favorites is when Wes stops fighting his feelings for the two best friends who have been pursuing him and decides to go all in.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I have mugs with different positive phrases on them (“You got this!” “Joy”) and I always make sure I have one with tea in it. I also listen to a looot of Måneskin when I write because for some reason it helps me focus.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

Anything can happen.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

It’s meant to be absurd, and it’s meant to be a fantasy. In my opinion, dark romance provides a safe space to explore things that are fun in fiction but NOT in real life.

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Beth Christopher is the author of the new book Dubious (Belle Argo Escorts Book 4)

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Interview with Christi Barth, Author of Risking It All (The Naked Men Series Book 1)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

Remember that often the most incidental, tossed-off thoughts make interesting books. Flemings Steakhouse rolls out 100 new wines every year, and does a tasting of 25 of them at a time. Yup – you drink 25 wines and have a few appetizers = more than a bit of hilarity and tipsiness. My friend Andy thought he should start a blog for guys, answering all their important life questions. That would’ve been a total disaster – but I instantly knew it would make a terrific book series!

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be? (Meant to be fun. Skip if you need to!)

It is old school, but Griffin's would be the (unofficial) theme from Top Gun, Danger Zone. Quiet-but-fierce Chloe's would be Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Mmm, I hate to limit myself by picking favorites. I love to change it up regularly. I cycle through thriller and paranormal romance and mysteries and urban fantasy romance, over to fantasy, whatever my book clubs choose, and then back to contemporary romance. I...um...won't read horror or westerns. And as I just finished writing my first women's fiction, I've added that genre into the mix.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

JR Ward's first romantasy, Crown of War and Shadow. I've loved her other genre switches, so I'm excited for this one! Killers of the Flower Moon (non-fiction) for one book club, and Shutter for the other (mystery).

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

My absolute favorite is always the big grovel/romantic gesture in the final chapter. But the most fun scene to write is when Chloe and Griffin first meet. That delicious banter and build-up to flirting is the foundation for the entire book.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I'm too pragmatic for that--while I enjoy it, I do see writing as a job I clock in to every day, no matter where I am (with or without all the comforts of my home office). I do enjoy using an aromatherapy scent that fits the book (such as writing a summer--in-LA set book in the middle of a Maryland winter). Oh, and I like to listen to Brain.fm. It uses neural modulation (don't ask me to explain the science!) to lock me into more of a creative flow state.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

I am a squishy romantic, through and through. My favorite quote (oddly enough, from an old sitcom) is: " there are hundreds of things I want, but only one I need" - which is love. Yup. I'm all about my amazing husband. But also... I guess my main driver each day is to not make excuses and just do the damn thing!

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

That sharing a life with the right person doubles your joy. Ooh, and that the Coast Guard often gets overlooked and is amazing.

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Christi Barth is the author of the new book Risking It All (The Naked Men Series Book 1)

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Interview with C.D. Tavenor, Author of Revolution (Shadows of Endari Book 1)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

Back in 2016, like so many other people in the world, I spent way too much time listening to the music from Hamilton. I've always been a fan of history and fantasy, and as I listened to the music, I asked myself: what if I wrote a political, military fantasy novel inspired by the American Revolution . . . and threw a metaphor for climate change into the mix? From that initial seed of a thought, the world of Endari was born. So many characters and events in Revolution, and its sequels, find their inspiration from history, but the story certainly won't go the way you might expect. The American Revolution served as an inspiration, but the story of Selina and Edward follows a very, very different path. I'm hopeful readers will love the world of Endari and appreciate its allusions to our own reality.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be? (Meant to be fun. Skip if you need to!)

Well, I already mentioned the initial Hamilton inspiration! I'm not going to give specific songs for any individual characters, because that would give too much away. But I enjoyed listening to the soundtrack while writing Revolution and its sequels. I imagine at least a few readers may appreciate listening to it while reading Revolution, too.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Of course, my primary genres for reading are Fantasy and SciFi! I'm currently in the middle of reading The Poppy War by RF Kuang, my latest fantasy read. I finished The Mercy of Gods by James SA Corey, my latest SciFi read. I'm a sucker for long, epic stories.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Years ago, I read The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, and I need to finally read its sequels, The Dark Forest and Death's End. Those books intimidate me though, so it's more likely I'll first read The Fragile Threads of Power by VE Schwab. The Shades of Magic series is one of the best fantasy series I've ever read, and its fourth book is sitting on my shelf, ready for me! Otherwise, I have The Will to Battle (the third book in the Terra Ignota series) by Ada Palmer waiting for me, too. I'm envious of Palmer's ingenious writing style and the political systems she's conjured.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

So there's a chapter late in Revolution where a few characters attempt an infiltration of an enemy fortress. It was mad fun to write, and a few of my friends who are particularly clever with audio engineering are working with me to create a "radio" drama of the scene. It's an explosive moment for the "revolution"in Revolution, and I think readers will find it entertaining. Both on the page, and the radio drama version when we're finished producing it.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

There's nothing better than waking up at 6am and writing, especially on vacation. The silence is truly wonderful. Otherwise, nothing particularly quirky.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

I don't have any particular quotes or mottos I live by, but during the day, I'm a nonprofit environmental attorney. Through my work, I'm trying to leave the world a better place than I found it as an adult. I like to think I instill a similar theme into my stories, too. We should all be striving toward a better world, for ourselves and future generations.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Revolution can have so many different meanings. I named this novel literally, for there is, in fact, a revolutionary war in this story. But there are other revolutions in the book too, and I hope readers recognize what it means to pursue revolution in their own lives.

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C.D. Tavenor is the author of the new book Revolution (Shadows of Endari Book 1)

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Interview with H.Y. Hanna, Author of The Taverna at the Edge of Night (Deadly Destinations Thriller Collection)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

I have dreamt of writing this book ever since I was fourteen, when I first read Mary Stewart's "The Moonspinners" and fell in love with the wild island of Crete. I love atmospheric thrillers with rich immersive settings, and I especially love the combo of an isolated heroine becoming entangled in a murder mystery and international crime, against a menacing landscape where beauty conceals danger… Crete is the perfect setting because it embodies all those elements naturally; it has gorgeous beaches and sumptuous food and dazzling sunshine—but it’s ancient and wild and dangerous too. I'm endlessly fascinated by the "what if" of being stranded in a foreign country with no language, no local knowledge and no familiar faces to turn to—what if you're drawn into a murder, a mystery, a crime? Can an ordinary person in that situation survive on nothing but their own resourcefulness?

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

My favourite types of stories are "woman in jeopardy" thrillers with lots of atmosphere and a strong sense of place, a vivid, immersive setting. I miss the classic suspense thrillers featuring strong, resourceful women finding mystery and danger (and romance!) while travelling in beautiful, international locations. They don't seem so trendy on the market now, so this book is me writing what I want to read and can't find.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I just discovered this new subgenre of "destination thrillers" which is the closest to what I was searching for: Ruth Ware's "The Woman in Cabin 10", Lucy Foley's "The Paris Apartment", Alex Michaelides "The Fury" and Lucy Clarke's "One of the Girls" - the last 2 are both also set in Greece! I also just finished Donna Tartt's "A Secret History" and really enjoyed it, so I am trying to decide which of her other books to read next - probably "The Goldfinch".

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I love writing tense, immersive action scenes, so probably the scene when my heroine Daphne is abducted in the middle of the night from the taverna in the fishing village where she's staying. She manages to escape her captors and falls into a gorge by the sea, which she then has to navigate in the dark. It's a real page-turner of a scene, the kind you read while holding your breath—full of suspense but also filled with atmospheric details, so you really feel like you are there with her: struggling and fighting against her captors, throwing herself off a moving vehicle, falling down the mountainside... and then the long, hard trek through the rugged terrain of the gorge to reach the fishing village and safety.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

The "cat on lap" is non-negotiable - haha! But not my choice; my cat just insists on it. My only other quirk is that I need to be able to "hear" the story in my head in order to write it - it's like I can hear the sentences of prose or the dialogue between the characters, and I just transcribe what I hear. And so if I can't "tune into the right frequency", then I hear nothing but static and I can't write!

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

"Reach for the moon. Even if you fall, you'll land among the stars."

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H.Y. Hanna is the author of the new book The Taverna at the Edge of Night (Deadly Destinations Thriller Collection)

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The Taverna at the Edge of Night (Deadly Destinations Thriller Collection)

New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | May 26

Hold on to the edge of your seat as we hunt for clues and solve the case with these exciting new mystery and thriller books for the week! There are so many bestselling authors with new novels for you to dive into this week including H.Y. Hanna, James Yates, Nora Roberts, Rachel Howzell Hall, Debra Webb, and more. Enjoy your new mystery, thriller, and suspense novels. Happy reading!