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Interview with Jennifer Ann Shore, Author of Young at Midnight

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Young at Midnight?

Usually, my ideas come from fragments of dreams, but this one was born purely out of obsession—so this was definitely an interesting one to write.

I absolutely love watching hours of music videos, and it has definitely helped make me fill the void of missing concerts during COVID. I don’t remember exactly how it got in my queue, but I think YouTube’s algorithm started bringing me behind-the-scenes looks at the music videos I watched, giving me a look at how they were produced.

After that, I started doing more research into the music industry and started imagining all sorts of scenarios that these rockstars are in, which gave me the idea for Travis, our fearless performer.

But when it came to creating Dakota’s character, I thought it’d be interesting to have her immersed in the world and, frankly, have no patience or interest in the celebrity lifestyle. (I also started my career in New York in journalism, so this gave me an outlet to frame what a ten-year veteran reporter would experience...and I loved living vicariously through her.)

I’ve read a few books about getting swept up in the world of Hollywood how that’s been used as the main conflict for the story, and while Dakota does see some of the complications of fame, she’s more focused on Travis and her career than all that nonsense, which I think helps ground Travis—and in turn, he helps her see what she’s been missing by throwing herself into reporting other people’s lives and not enjoying hers.

What's your favorite scene from your new release, Young at Midnight?

Definitely the music video scene.

As I mentioned, it was the crux for this story originally, but it was also a lot of fun to write. I’ve done some video production work in the past, so I’ve definitely drawn on that experience, but researching specific to this scenario was half the fun.

In another celebrity romance book of mine, This Is Your Life, I take that main character to watch her love interest act on a film set, but I took it to another level with Dakota and actually had her be in the video. It also served as somewhat of a turning point in their relationship

If you had to write a blurb for the last book you read, what would it say?

Ooh, the last really great romance book I read was “King of the Court” by R.S. Grey, and I absolutely loved it. She did such a great job with the blurb, so I’m not sure I can build on it, but I can elevator pitch it to you if you’d like!

“Grouchy and gorgeous star NBA Player falls for sweet and snarky small-town waitress.”

What romantic couple from literature makes you swoon? Which one is over-hyped?

I will forever be an Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fan! I love Pride and Prejudice as a book, but it’s probably one of the best book-to-film adaptations I’ve ever seen as well. (Specifically talking about the 2005 one, of course!)

As far as overhyped, is it really cliche to say, Romeo and Juliet? I know a lot of romance books use it as some sort of basis, and I do enjoy modern takes on it, but the classic version...not for me. I appreciate it as a literary work and how big of an impact it has had, but I also think I just had to read too much Shakespeare and write too many papers from that time period in college to really appreciate it.

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

Within romance, there are so many subgenres that it’s almost wild to think that they’re all lumped together. Because while my books definitely have romance in them, I think they’re a little bit more than the standard of what you see—they go a little deeper with other plotlines, and while the relationship is a key part, it’s not the entire story.

That said, I can’t help but love reading a very dark and angsty romance, but I have a really, really hard time writing in that space. (And trust me, I’ve tried.) I’m truly in awe of writers who can create stories that are a little on edge, and I burn through so many of them on Kindle Unlimited.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? Where did you write Young at Midnight?

I am very, very particular about what music I listen to when I write, but everything else changes. Pre-COVID, I was writing in coffee shops and airplanes quite a bit, but now, I mostly move around all day from the couch, to the backyard, then to my office—it’s mostly based on where my dog wants to nap!

As far as quirky habits, I’ll indulge my sweet tooth while I’m writing, and it usually ends up in my draft somehow. For example, I was pounding back cereal while writing The Extended Summer of Anna and Jeremy and craving Pop-Tarts while writing Metallic Red. For Young at Midnight, there’s a reason why Travis has nostalgia for Tootsie Roll Pops—and why he and Dakota argue over which is the best flavor. (It’s chocolate, by the way!)

What's the best advice you've ever received?

I’ve got two, actually, that I think help frame my kind of personal work and writing ethic:

1. Make your writing easy to enter.

When I pick up a book, I don’t want to have to decipher crazy codes and immediately get hit with complicated world-building and character names—I want to get right into the story and stay there. There’s, obviously, a need to build the story and explain all that stuff if need be, but I want my readers to pick up my books and dive right in. At least, that’s the type of experience I try to create!

2. Don’t accept invalid criticism.

I learned this from one of my favorite professors in journalism school who made an entire career as a film and television critic.

All authors have to deal with one-star reviews and people who have nothing better to do than tear your work apart. And that’s actually fine by me—for the most part—because this stuff is all subjective and people who read the book are going to have different opinions. But that doesn’t mean you have to accept it as fact into your own brain, if that makes sense.

It comes down to this: If you’re receiving criticism and reading, you must only accept criticism that’s valid.

What I mean is that people who write things like “this book was a waste of time” (thankfully, no one has said that about my work yet!) aren’t being at all constructive. They’re offering a take based on their opinion, not fact, whereas if this person said, “The first act is a little slow in the build-up, and unfortunately, it didn’t hold my interest enough to continue on,” that would be something that actually has a basis.

It’s really hard to do something as vulnerable as putting one’s art and writing into the world, and it’s just important to keep this in mind once you do! Still, when it comes down to your own writing, I think the most important opinion is the author’s. 🙂

Jennifer Ann Shore is the author of the new book Young at Midnight

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Interview with Daniel P. Douglas, Author of Showdown at Jupiter's Edge

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Showdown at Jupiter's Edge?

I wanted to write something that was a cross between Star Trek and Hill Street Blues. More broadly, the inspiration also came from my lifelong enjoyment of science fiction, especially space opera. The ideas I had brewing in my head for the story were a good fit for that genre, which is not a genre I had written in before. I guess you could say another part of the inspiration came from the idea of trying my hand at something new. It was a challenge, but that’s how we grow.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Showdown at Jupiter's Edge, what would they be?

Maxo is a man of action but he is also very contemplative and into self-analysis, at least as we see him in this book. Five for Fighting’s Superman comes to mind, just because I’m sure Maxo feels some conflict about his identity and what comes with it. Colonel Zaza D’Rump, in fact, has his own theme song and it is played, so to speak, at various times in the book. It is a flourishing anthem of harps and trumpets. I imagine it comes close to the kind of propagandistic fanfare you might hear in a corporate video. Alice, who is Maxo’s fellow cop, has a classic theme song, Respect by Aretha Franklin.

If you had to write a blurb for the last book you read, what would it say?

The last book I read would have a blurb something like, “The Bayou is all you think it is and more. Much more, so beware the flesh-eating wild child whose appetite is insatiable and whose loneliness he will not tolerate anymore…

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

I seem to enjoy writing in different genres and the same goes with reading. I usually gravitate to science fiction, but I also enjoy mysteries, fantasy, and thrillers.

Do you have any quirky writing habits?

I don’t have any quirky writing habits that I know of, although I do like to isolate myself and listen to music, with headphones, while writing.

Where did you write Showdown at Jupiter's Edge?

I wrote Showdown in my lair, which is basically my den. I share it with our three cats and three dogs, who probably wonder why I talk and laugh to myself while punching little keys on a keyboard. As pets, they are very forgiving. Humans would think I was crazy.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Turns out, the best advice I received wasn’t directed at me personally, but I went ahead and took Obi-Wan Kenobi’s observation to heart: “Your eyes can deceive you, don’t trust them.”

Daniel P. Douglas is the author of the new book Showdown at Jupiter's Edge

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The Story Behind The Junior by Monica Murphy

by Monica Murphy

Plotting out a book is not always a linear thought process. In fact, I don’t plot much at all. I know where I’m going—somewhat—but I don’t want a play-by-play. That takes all the fun out of writing for me. This means things can happen that I didn’t expect, especially when it comes to a series.

For instance, my College Years series (which is a spinoff of the Callahans series). When I wrote the first book The Freshman, I introduced a side character that was a friend of the female main character, Hayden. Gracie was her bestie and her roommate. They were both studying the same major and really close friends.

I wrote a scene where they were all getting together to go to a concert and the main male character Tony brought his friends, including Caleb. The moment Caleb and Gracie got close to each other it was as if I had no control over them. The chemistry was off the charts. They wanted to take over the story completely. I had to cut whole paragraphs out of the book in edits because these two characters were screaming at me, “We belong together!”

I still didn’t believe it. I knew Caleb was my hero for The Junior and I thought I would put him together with another character. A girl who was his sort of high school girlfriend. I thought it would be a great redemption story. I wavered back and forth as I drew closer and closer to writing The Junior. Up until a few days before I started writing it, I fully planned on not putting him with Gracie.

Until someone explained to me how much they made sense together, and I knew that she was right. I changed my mind right then and there and never wavered again. As I wrote their story, I realized Caleb and Gracie are perfect together, and though they struggled a bit (of course!), ultimately, I think their story is swoony and romantic. I hope readers think so too.

Monica Murphy is the author of the new book The Junior

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Interview with Kirsten Osbourne, Author of Mail Order Mishap (Brides of Beckham)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write the Brides of Beckham Series?

I've always loved historical romance and marriage of convenience stories. I'd read a few mail-order bride stories, and just fell in love with them, so I decided to try my hand at them.

What's your favorite scene from your new release, Mail Order Mishap?

I like the scene when they meet and go to the preacher to get married.

If you had to write a blurb for the last book you read, what would it say?

When Grover discovers there will be a monster at the end of the book he is in, he becomes frightened and does everything he can to try to keep the reader from turning pages, only to discover that the monster at the end of the book is not only not frightening at all, but a fun monster.

What romantic couple from literature makes you swoon? Which one is over-hyped?

Cyrano de Bergerac and Roxane make me swoon. Romeo and Juliet are ridiculous children who are much over-hyped.

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

I read a lot of romance, but I also enjoy children's books and young adult. I read within and outside of my genre. I will not read Western Historical romance, though, because I'm afraid I might accidentally take someone else's idea, and that's not something I will ever do.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? Where did you write Mail Order Mishap?

I write everything sitting in my recliner in my living room. People milling around me and me throwing things at them...what a joyful way to make a living!

What's the best advice you've ever received?

The best advice I've received is that there is no wrong way to write. It doesn't matter what the "experts" say.

Kirsten Osbourne is the author of the new book Mail Order Mishap

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Interview with Rosa Kino, Author of Choosing to Kill

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Choosing to Kill?

My story is based on personal life experiences. It is about people I met, who impacted me deeply. I wanted to expose the evil of some men toward women in our society. This is my chance to express unresolved emotional issues through creative fiction. It is revenge on those who hurt me and others that got away unpunished in real life. I gave my main character the power to deal with situations in her own way. It may not be what most people will expect from the young lady, however, this is fiction, and I want it to be exciting, interesting, and original. At the same time, I do not like to be too exaggerated that it becomes very unrealistic. I feel that when the story is closer to actual life, readers enjoy it more. It makes them feel as if this can happen to them.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Choosing to Kill, what would they be?

To pick a theme song for my main character is hard for me. I never thought about my character this way, probably because this writing was emotional for me on a very negative level. It brought all those bad feelings from the past. I love music very much, and to me, hearing the music is a very pleasurable experience. When I write about my character having a difficult life and being mistreated, I cannot hear any music. It is more of a pounding silence. She is a nice and sweet person at her core, which makes it more shocking to see that someone can be cruel or abusive to her. At the same time, she has that hidden pride and ambition that finally makes her act out against her abuser. The anger build up inside, and she snaps. Then, she runs away from this version of herself. So, I am not sure what song can fit well with this complicated personality. It is probably best for the true musicians to figure out.

If you had to write a blurb for the last book you read, what would it say?

I can tell you that it was a really funny book written by the brother of one of my friends. It was all about their dysfunctional family and hilarious conversations they had, which made me laugh after every sentence that I read in that book.

What's your favorite genre to read?

My favorite genre to read really does not exist. I read everything as long as it is interesting. I have read science fiction, romance, children's fairy tales, self-help psychology books, and business books. In other words, if someone has written a book in the same genre as mine, I will enjoy reading it, as long as it is also interesting like mine.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? Where did you write Choosing to Kill?

I used my laptop, and I sat on the sofa in my living room wearing only underwear and a loose t-shirt. Only because it is too damn hot in Las Vegas most of the year!

What's the best advice you've ever received?

The best advice I have ever received is: living well is the best revenge! It became my personal motto - to live well and to be happy no matter what life throws at me.

Rosa Kino is the author of the new book Choosing To Kill

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Interview with Jess K. Hardy, Author of Love in the Time of Wormholes

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write the Ignisar Series?

Sunny, the main character and single point of view in Love in the Time of Wormholes, came to me after reading Dark Age by Pierce Brown. Pierce put his character Victra through some serious pain in that book, especially regarding the death of her child. I was rattled after reading DA and turned, as I often do after reading heavier stories, to romance to help lighten things up. Only this time the romance story was my own. Sunny shares several qualities with Victra. They’re both brilliant, capable, blunt women with great big walls built up around them. Wormholes was my therapy after Pierce broke my heart, and Sunny was my attempt to give Victra a happily ever after while working through the trauma of losing a child.

I am a pantser on an almost unforgivable level, so that’s all I had at the start. Only Sunny. Everyone else arrived as my secondary characters usually do, stumbling into my subconscious making loads of noise until they somehow wound up right where they were supposed to be.

What's your favorite scene from your new release, Love in the Time of Wormholes?

There are several options. The rogue pleasure pods. Talking Garran down in the ballroom. Every scene with Elanie the bionic (the star of book 2, by the way.) But my favorite scene is probably the rain scene in the sensory room. It’s the only scene I have ever written out of order but I just had to get it out. I had to have that resolve moment where Sunny finally forgives herself. And the allusion to Arrakis for a sci-fi lover like me was such a perk. It is probably the most powerful scene I’ve ever written and I still cry whenever I read it.

If you had to write a blurb for the last book you read, what would it say?

Haha. Ho boy. Well, uh, something like, “A summer job on the farm heats up when a milkmaid falls for her minotaur.” Yep. I’m reading that book.

What romantic couple from literature makes you swoon? Which one is over-hyped?

Sean Bell and Zenobia Iverson from Sinner by Sierra Simone absolutely level me. I’ve read the book five times at least and I just have so much love for those two. Also Chiara and Mason from Katie Golding’s forthcoming Relentless, the third book in her MotoGP romance series. I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of this book and these two chaotic babies are absolute steamy perfection.

I’m not a huge enemies to lovers fan so I’d say those relationships, in general, are overhyped, but I don’t have a specific couple I’d throw onto the flames.

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

It’s a toss-up between romance and science fiction/fantasy. I tend to go back and forth but I have been reading romance a bit more heavily lately. I’m definitely feeling a pull toward space at the moment. And yes, these are also my favorite genres to write in.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? Where did you write Love in the Time of Wormholes?

Sadly, my writing habits are in no way interesting enough to warrant the use of the word quirky. I work over 40 hours a week in my day job so I write whenever and wherever I can. On the couch while my husband and son watch TV, in the car when we’re going out of town or driving into the mountains, in bed after my husband falls asleep. I love writing outside on my deck with a glass of whiskey, but I have a massive bee phobia so that never lasts as long as I want it to.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

I recently received this hysterical and on-point advice from my dear friend and the author of the Under Red Sky series, J. Calamy, after I’d spent too much time reading reviews of my books. She said, “Man, you need to log out and have your dog change your passwords.”

Perhaps this is better advice on how to survive as an author as opposed to strictly writing advice, but it’s still pretty stellar. It’s also no surprise that I’m a huge Pierce Brown fan. He once recommended, as advice to new authors, to, “Howl like a motherfucker.” I’ve never forgotten that and actually have, in the privacy of my own heart, howled to get me through tough scenes. It helps. A surprising amount.

Jess K. Hardy is the author of the new book Love in the Time of Wormholes (Ignisar Book 1)

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New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | September 14

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 Lee Chappel, Vince Flynn, Liane Moriarty, and many more. Enjoy your new mystery, thriller, and suspense novels. Happy reading!

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New Romance Books to Read | September 14

Looking to fall in love with some new romance reads? You’ll adore these exciting new novels! This week you can get your hands on books by bestselling authors Jennifer Ann Shore, Kirsten Osbourne, Monica Murphy, Jess K. Hardy, Anna Zaires, Charmaine Pauls, and more. Enjoy your new romance books and happy reading!

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New Books to Read in Literary Fiction | September 14

Literary fiction readers are in for a treat. This week’s latest releases list is full of intriguing reads you won’t want to miss! The new releases list includes so many bestselling authors like Rosa Kino, Suzanne Jenkins, Colson Whitehead, and many more. Enjoy your new literary fiction books. Happy reading!

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New Science Fiction and Fantasy Books | September 14

Set off on an adventure to new worlds this week! This selection of new science fiction and fantasy books will surely please! Science Fiction fans should be excited about the latest from bestselling authors Daniel P. Douglas, Ryan W. Aslesen, Ramy Vance, Michael Anderle, and more. If Fantasy is what your library needs, you’ll be able to pick up the latest from Kristen Britain, Jay Kristoff, Seanan McGuire, and more. Enjoy your new science fiction and fantasy books. Happy reading!