Looking for some new biography and memoir books for your library? There are so many new releases this week that you’re bound to find a new favorite. You can pick up new books from Blake Bailey, Jenny Lawson, Judy Batalion, Erin French, and many more. Enjoy your new biography and memoir books. Happy reading!
It's a new month and what better to start it than adding some amazing new fantasy books to your reading list! We've compiled our latest must-read recommendation from bestselling authors Ryder Hunte Clancy, L.P. Dover, Eileen Mueller, Ivy Asher, Dakota Krout, and Davis Ashura. We hope you love our latest fantasy book picks!
Release Date: March 19, 2021
Fifteen-year-old Monte moves to the mystically jeopardized Highlands of Scotland and discovers that life as a Celtic wizard is anything but easy. Whisperings of abnormal enchantments and vicious cat siths grip the small town he now calls home. Fear is at the helm and the instigator is unknown. An indefinite moratorium on magic is enforced. In a race against darkness, Monte and his friends must choose who to trust before time runs out, even if it means breaking some rules and facing danger head on.
Release Date: March 30, 2021
The fourth book in A Roya Shifters Series by New York Times Bestselling Author L.P. Dover... As the last royal arctic female, shifters across the country are sniffing for the chance to be the lucky male mated to Faith. A bond with her would elevate her chosen to the Royal pack, allowing them to tap into unimaginable power. But Faith’s heart has already been claimed. Hidden among the Great Plains pack, she finds the missing piece of her soul in Tate. But this love comes with a fatal risk. If their feelings are discovered, a price will be put on Tate’s head. At the next full moon, their bond can be fulfilled. Until then, they wait...
Release Date: March 25, 2021
The first book in the Riders of Fire Dragon Masters Series by USA Today Bestselling Author Eileen Mueller... Being a dragon rider is not in Anakisha’s plans. And Anakisha’s stubborn. She’s not giving up her dreams anytime soon. Even the dashing Yanir—the King’s Rider, who patrols the skies on the onyx King Syan—can’t convince her to train at Dragons’ Hold. But then again, Yanir’s as irritating as he is good looking. Then Anaksiha’s gifts unfold, a dragon comes calling, and a crisis calls her into action.
Release Date: March 27, 2021
The second book in The Osseous Chronicles by Ivy Asher... I never saw it coming...the bones...the magic...the betrayal. It’s no longer a question of who I can trust—the answer is no one. Now, it’s about survival. I’m in the heart of the Order, trying to solve a series of mysterious disappearances, while doing everything that I can not to become bait. Enemies are circling, and they can’t seem to decide if they see me as a pawn or as a threat. Oh, and there’s that little issue of being tethered to Rogan, who I now want to kill.
Release Date: March 30, 2021
The sixth book in The Completionist Chronicles by Dakota Krout... Joe takes his first step into exile, and is promptly unable to breathe. This new Zone has a higher concentration of power, magnitudes denser. His first task is to survive, but mere survival is the least of his concerns. The Zone he has landed on has been in a state of constant war for thousands of years, a tug of war between the Elven and Dwarven societies.
Release Date: March 25, 2021
The second book in the Instrument of Omens Series by Davis Ashura... Cinder Shade and his fellow cadets have survived a brutal mission in the vast wilds of the Dagger Mountains. Laying to rest many of their brother warriors, they return to the Third Directorate, battered, bruised, and weary of soul. But the world turns, and new challenges press. Cinder must set aside his grief, especially when granted a task by Anya Aruyen, the elven princess with whom he shares an inexplicable bond. She urges him to further master his skills as a warrior and become worthy of fighting at her side.
Looking to lose yourself in an intriguing new historical fiction novel? Don't miss our latest reading list recommendations from authors V Bray, Jane Healey, Lisa Scottoline, Marion Kummerow, Martha Hall Kelly, and Madeline Martin. Enjoy your new books!
Release Date: January 1, 2021
Katie's beloved grandmother, the one who comforted her and wiped away every tear, has died. Without Babchi to care for and guide her, Katie feels alone. A story told in two voices, we follow Katie through her journey of grief parallel to her own Babchi's journey decades ago when she was deported and held prisoner in a WWII Siberian labor camp. Follow both girls as they find hope in an uncertain future.
Release Date: April 1, 2021
Anna Cavanaugh is a restless young widow and brilliant French teacher at a private school in Washington, DC. Everything changes when she’s recruited into the Office of Strategic Services by family friend and legendary WWI hero Major General William Donovan.
Release Date: March 23, 2021
Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro grow up as the best of friends despite their differences. Elisabetta is a feisty beauty who dreams of becoming a novelist; Marco the brash and athletic son in a family of professional cyclists; and Sandro a Jewish mathematics prodigy, kind-hearted and thoughtful, the son of a lawyer and a doctor. Their friendship blossoms to love, with both Sandro and Marco hoping to win Elisabetta's heart.
Release Date: March 25, 2021
After years of hiding from the Nazis, Rachel Epstein and her little sister Mindel are captured by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. The only ray of light for either girl is that they are together. But on arrival they are separated. As she’s seventeen and deemed an adult, Rachel is sent to work in a brutal factory whilst four-year-old Mindel is sent into the so-called “star” camp for Jewish prisoners.
Release Date: March 30, 2021
Georgeanna “Georgey” Woolsey isn’t meant for the world of lavish parties and the demure attitudes of women of her stature. So when war ignites the nation, Georgey follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women on the battlefront a bother. In proving them wrong, she and her sister Eliza venture from New York to Washington, D.C., to Gettysburg and witness the unparalleled horrors of slavery as they become involved in the war effort.
Release Date: April 6, 2021
August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and blackout curtains that she finds on her arrival were not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London.
What's better than sitting out in the sunshine with a new love story? If your Spring reading list needs some new book recommendations, we've got you covered with these fantastic new releases from Bella King, Delta James, Davina Stone, L A Cotton, Max Monroe, and Cynthia Eden. Happy reading!
Release Date: March 11, 2021
It was one incredible night, and then he vanished. But nine months later, I ended up with triplets, and they all have his tight chocolate curls and pale blue eyes. Now, he’s back, as arrogant and charming as ever. Chiseled abs and a thick Russian accent are what got me in trouble the first time. And this time, he doesn’t just want one night, he wants to claim me for a lifetime, and he’ll kill anyone who stands in his way. But there are two glaring problems facing me as I’m pulled into his sea of sinful pleasure. One – He never told me that he was a wealthy Mafia Boss. Two – I never told him about the triplets.
Release Date: March 25, 2021
The first book in the Tangled Vines Series by USA Today Bestselling Author Delta James... On the backroads of Italy, a fatal accident takes the lives of three of the four people in the car. The only survivor is an unconscious Kinzie Edwards, who is mistakenly identified as her twin sister. In a targeted act of violence, Kinzie loses her sister, Kayla and her humanity. Damian is the brooding Alpha of the Sonoma Pack and the head of the Luna de Lobo Vineyard on the California coast. When Hunters strike at his people, Damian rushes to Italy to care for the mate to his omega. Except it isn't Kayla he brings home.
Release Date: March 29, 2021
The second book in The Laws of Love Series by Davina Stone... Polly Fletcher loves marrying off her friends. Which is kind of weird considering she has no intention of ever walking down the aisle herself. Social worker by day, sex siren by night Polly has a clear set of principles that guide her life; her Tinder app, her Jimmy Choo shoes, and a packet of condoms in her clutch. So when she meets a sexy, silver-eyed stranger at a friend’s wedding, all she’s after is a wild night between the sheets.
Release Date: March 30, 2021
The first book in the Rixon High Series by L A Cotton... Lily Ford has always been a wallflower. But it’s senior year, and she wants nothing more than to try and push her boundaries and embrace the last year of high school. Kaiden Thatcher has always been the star on the football field. But now he finds himself in enemy territory forced to prove himself to his new coach and teammates. It starts with a dare. Seven minutes of heaven in a boat shed. But it quickly turns into something neither of them saw coming.
Release Date: March 27, 2021
If my time with Ryan Miller were a hit track on the radio, I imagine the lyrics would go something like this… “We’re so different, but they say opposites attract. Oops, I’ve fallen, and my heart doesn’t want to come back.” But, holy bingo night, is my attraction to the sexy, broody businessman so much more complicated than the chorus of a song.
Release Date: March 26, 2021
Adam Brody is desperate—he’ll do anything to get Maya Black to help him. And, unfortunately for him, the price of Maya’s services…is blood. A former cop turned vamp, Maya’s reputation definitely precedes her. Once upon a time, she helped the weak and innocent. Now, she spends her nights terrifying demons and all manner of paranormal beasts. According to the stories, she is the baddest of the bad…and she’s exactly the vamp that Adam needs. The only one who can help him.
Need to add a little excitement to your Spring reading list? You'll love these exhilarating new thriller book releases from bestselling authors E.J. Liston, Adriane Leigh, Mike Omer, Fern Michaels, Janet Evanovich, and Laura Griffin. Enjoy your new books!
Release Date: February 21, 2021
If you mess with a Devil, there will be hell to pay... Mike Monroe’s Marine Corps platoon are more than just fellow Devils. They’re family. Rowdy, tough, and tight-knit, despite their differences, they have each other’s backs no matter what. After all, they’ve trained together, fought together, killed together, and celebrated many a drunken night together. Nothing can come between them. Until a double date turns into an ambush, one with dire consequences for all involved. But who attacked them, and why?
Release Date: March 8, 2021
When amateur thriller writer Ryn Weaver is accepted for the prestigious Writer-in-Residence program at The New York Public Library, she never expected to stumble into a real-life mystery surrounding the famous children’s book, Lillies in the Cellar. Inspired by Yara and her twin Yarrow Thornberry's eccentric upbringing raised behind the walls of the library, the siblings have long-buried their infamous literary past as Yara now mentors young authors to follow in the footsteps of her best-selling success.
Release Date: April 1, 2021
The first book in the Abby Mullen Thriller Series by New York Times Bestselling Author Mike Omer... Lieutenant Abby Mullen is no stranger to crisis. As the hostage negotiation instructor for the NYPD, she deals with worst-case scenarios every day. Nothing fazes her anymore. That all changes when she gets a call from Eden Fletcher, a fellow survivor of the infamous Wilcox cult. The two haven’t spoken since the night of a tragic, fiery massacre, when their paths diverged.
Release Date: March 30, 2021
Ellie Bowman barely remembers the incident that put her into a coma. When she awoke, filled with unease, all she knew for certain was that her boyfriend, Rick, was missing. She knew she needed to get away from her old life and recover in safety. With the proceeds of a video game she helped develop, Ellie starts over in rural Missouri, working from her cottage and trusting no one except her friend and business partner.
Release Date: March 23, 2021
The seventh book in the Fox and O'Hare Series by New York Times Bestselling Author Janet Evanovich... Straight as an arrow special agent Kate O’Hare and international criminal Nick Fox have brought down some of the biggest bad guys out there. But now they face their most dangerous foe yet—a vast, shadowy international organization known only as the Brotherhood.
Release Date: March 30, 2021
The second book in The Texas Murder Files Series by New York Times Bestselling Author Laura Griffin... When former forensic photographer Miranda Rhoads moves to the seaside town of Lost Beach, she's decided to make her living as a wildlife photographer and put crime scenes behind her. But her plans are quickly upended when one morning, she comes across a couple sleeping in a canoe, entwined in an embrace. Looking closer, she realizes the man and woman aren't asleep—they’ve been murdered.
What can you tell us about your new release, Anakisha's Dragon?
Anakisha’s Dragon, Riders of Fire Dragon Masters book 1 arose because my readers often asked me about the nuggets of back story peppered throughout my Riders of Fire series. I developed the Riders of Fire Dragon Masters series to answer their questions and also satisfy my own curiosity!
It’s amazing how—even though I’ve woven the history of Dragon’s Real into my novels—the characters take on a life of their own when I tell their stories. I expected Anakisha to be feisty and strong, but I didn’t expect her to be gullible or naïve. I knew Yanir was gallant, but didn’t realize how compassionate or humble he’d turn out to be. And Will’s journey among pirates has surprised me most of all.
So, what’s the story actually about?
When Anakisha's brother is murdered by a street gang, she joins the Night Wings, a local vigilante gang, and takes to the streets at night to avenge him. But the underbelly of Fieldhaven is rife with politics and deceit, and although Anakisha is good with a bow and a dagger, she’s not always the best judge of character.
And her plans definitely do not include a dragon.
Yanir has left behind his dubious beginnings and become the new King’s Rider. He sneaks into Fieldhaven on his onyx dragon, Syan, to uncover rumors of unrest in the south. Then he discovers a beautiful girl unconscious in an alley…
Will’s an opportunist, combing the Naobian market to feed his starving sister. Luck goes his way, until a fateful game in a dodgy tavern changes his life forever. He and his best friend wake on a ship, desperate, surrounded by bloodthirsty pirates, and armed only with Will’s gift of the gab.
But even Will can’t talk his way out of this one…
It’s been a whole heap of fun writing this story and my readers are enjoying it, too. I’m excited to kick off this fabulous new series which will appeal to readers of Eragon, Dragonriders of Pern, Dragon School and Brindle Dragon.
What or who inspired you to become an author?
I’ve always told stories, and wrote a lot as a teen, but it wasn’t until a friend gave me her manuscript to read, that I knew I could write a book too. I wrote Ezaara in a year. At 223,000 words, Ezaara was as long as 2-3 books. I rewrote it eighteen times over nine years and finally published it in October 2018. Ezaara, book 1 in my Riders of Fire series won a Storylines New Zealand Notable Award, and so did Dragon Hero, book 2. The series has over 40 points of view, but my readers say it pulls together seamlessly. It’s so much fun writing about more than one main character and revealing all the hidden facets of their personalities. My readers enjoy getting to know cheeky rascals, stoic jaded dragon masters, marauding monsters, an evil genius and loyal dragon riders.
What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?
The Demon King in the Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima — I LOVE this story because Han Alistair, the crime lord has three identities: “Cuffs”, a tough street thug and ex gang leader, hustler and fighter; “Hunts Alone”, a respected youth in the upland tribes who wears special silver cuffs (no spoilers); and “Han”, the browbeaten son of an abusive laundress. Seeing these complex identities clash and unravel Han’s life is an amazing journey. A great mix of humor, action and emotion.
Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas — I love Celeana, the feisty, smart-mouthed assassin, and all of her cast and their adventures.
Dragonriders of Pern series — I grew up on these books and they fostered my love of dragons. When I decided to write my first novel, it was only natural that I turned to source of enjoyment I’d found as a teen between the pages of Anne McCaffrey’s novels—soaring through the sky on dragonback!
Brindle Dragon by Jada Fisher — I enjoyed this heartwarming series about a girl with a disability who fights back against tradition —and rides dragons, of course! Are you beginning to see a theme here?
Mystic and Rider, book 1 in The Twelve Houses series. I enjoy Sharron Shinn’s writing. She weaves complex characters and intricate plots seamlessly. I loved this saga and have reread it many times.
Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?
I’d like to chat with Anne McCaffrey and go “between” with her on a dragon to Pern. In return, I’d take her through a world gate into Dragons’ Realm so we could visit Ezaara and her Riders of Fire and soar on dragonback over the Northern Grande Alps.
What's your favorite thing about writing?
I love the exhilaration I experience when I create characters I love with emotions that matter. Every story is about someone going through something real, so my stories enable readers to process their own emotions while they lose themselves in a great adventure and have fun. A mum from England wrote to me and told me that my books had helped her son get through lockdown. He’d wanted to give up and was feeling lousy, then he escaped to Dragon’ Realm and saw the characters going through such hardships and trials, and it helped him cope. Fiction is an important vehicle for helping us process what’s going on around us. I love being able to brighten my readers’ lives.
What is a typical day like for you?
Every day is different, and that’s what I love about my life. I sometimes walk all day, dictating my ideas, plots and stories. Dictation takes me to the beach, out to parks and through forests. I live in New Zealand and there are beaches within a 5-minute drive in three directions. Across from my home is “the town belt” a swathe of forest which runs around our city, so I often walk there, too. Sometimes I’m out for an hour, sometimes for six, while other days I’m at my computer, shaping that rough dictation into a story that sings.
On my plotting and planning days, I’m brainstorming with beta readers or my critique group — with lots of snacks!
When I launch a book, I throw an online party in my Facebook group, and hang out with my readers and other authors. I really enjoy people. Oh yeah, and I dress up with horns, dragon wings and a tail, and I have purple-and-rainbow hair, so that’s fun too. When I had a paperback launch, I brought in archers and sword fighters, and had a giant paper castle as a backdrop and an enormous map of Dragons’ Realm on the wall so people could hunt for missing treasure chests and win prizes.
What scene from Anakisha's Dragon was your favorite to write?
I always love most of the scenes in my books, but this time, the ending made me exceptionally happy. By the end of a book, I find the conclusion writes itself. I love that sense of perfection when I’ve just written the last word in a novel and the world goes silent for a few moments while I contemplate what I’ve just completed and the message of hope that will be left with my readers.
A few moments later, life jumps right back at me and I’m off running again.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
There are two mottos that characters in Anakisha’s Dragon mention. Giddi is a young mage who befriends Anakisha.
Giddi shook his head, his eyes fierce beneath his bushy eyebrows. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, Anakisha, it’s that even when you think there isn’t, there’s always a choice.”
Giddi’s perspective contrasts very strongly with Will, who often feels throughout Anakisha’s Dragon that he has no choice. This shapes his decisions, and not always in a good way.
Zaarusha queen of the dragons, also offers Anakisha some advice.
Zaarusha mind-melded. “If you don’t leave these events in the past, they’ll destroy your future. You can live life grieving for yesterday or you can put the past aside and live for what today has to offer. The future is bright, Anakisha. Seize it.”
I challenge everyone to live their lives to be themselves and to seize each day, looking forward to a brighter future. There will be difficulties, grief and heartbreak on the way, but if we reach out to others, we will emerge stronger.
Whatever makes you come alive, go and do it today. Because the world needs more people who feel alive. Laugh, live, love and cry. Be yourself, be true to who you are. And encourage others to do the same.
Eileen Mueller is the author of the new book Anakisha's Dragon
Connect with Eileen Mueller
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What can you tell us about your new release, The Last Writer? The Last Writer is the story of an ambitious young writer and a mystery surrounding a very famous children's book from the past. The beautiful setting of The New York Public Library is the perfect backdrop for a chilling story about genius, madness, legacy, and ambition. I dove into this world and didn't want to come up for air! I like to think that if Tim Burton and Stephen King made a movie together, it would look something like this. What or who inspired you to become an author? I write to understand life. From an early age I had an obsessive desire to understand all sides of it. The who, the what, the how are questions that keep me writing to this day. What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read? The Alchemist. The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Gone with the Wind. From Sand and Ash. All the Stephen King. Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask? I'd like to say somebody romantic like F. Scott or Hemingway, but the truth is, I'd love to sit down with Charles Bukowski or Hunter S. Thompson! They're wild and unexpected and refused to conform. They sought to report life authentically, if not chaotically in their art, and I appreciate that. What's your favorite thing about writing? The unexpected way a story unfolds as I write is the most exciting thing for me. I work with a brief outline and almost every chapter a character or scene surprises me in some way. What is a typical day like for you? I jump out of bed with coffee on my mind. Pack school lunches and get the kids on the bus, spend a few minutes over coffee talking to the hubby about our upcoming day. Write. Coffee. Instagram. Write. Edit. Coffee. Repeat. I end the day with administrative things because they zap my brain the most. Then the kids are off the bus and we cook and listen to music and drink wine (the adults, not the kids) and then we go to bed early. My life is boring and I love it. I used to spend more time traveling for business and hosting events for readers and authors, I loved it but after six years it left me no time for writing. I finally have time to play with the demons in my head! What scene from The Last Writer was your favorite to write? When I originally wrote The Last Writer, I imagined the entire setting in the secret apartments of The New York Public Library. Instead, an isolated ancestral home on Shelter Island continued to call me and I realized there was much more to this story than at first glance. What unfolded as I wrote is a tale that weaves a modern story about a writer with the dramatic and sometimes horrific history of a rambling old mansion on Long Island and the cracks that fracture the famous family that live inside of it. It was equal parts chilling and beautiful to write the scenes at Usher House. In my mind it exists in real life and someday I want to visit. Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by? Progress over identity is written on a sticky note above my desk (along with many more). I have a tendency to get wrapped up inside my own head, this grounds me to reality and keeps me forward-focused.
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What can you tell us about your new release, King and Killers? Other than it's the first book of a series (Scarlet and Gold Series), I wrote this debut novel of mine for the excitement of the plot, but more so and mainly for the characters. I devoted a good share of the novel to character development because I wanted potential readers to care about them. So much so to the point where they'd probably wished they'd actually known them and had friends like them. What or who inspired you to become an author? I've always had an imagination. Since high school, I thought film school was the medium for it. I went through it, out in LA, but it wasn't until halfway through it that it didn't feel like the right challenge for me. It didn't feel fulfilling. Then it hit me, "I've always been good at English Comp.," so I began writing the first draft of my first book. Several drafts and years later, I've finally released it on Amazon. What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read? The Stand by Stephen King, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, The King of Torts by John Grisham, The Enemy by Lee Child, Killer Instinct by Joseph Finder. Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask? Jesus Christ. If I could ask only one question, I would want to know how He and His Father created the universe. A follow up to that would be "Is the Big Bang Theory correct in how they made it?". Maybe for a second or third, "Is there life out there other than mankind?" What's your favorite thing about writing? Creating the dynamic between the characters. Also those times of "inspiration". When you finally learn your own style of writing, it can be exhilarating. What is a typical day like for you? Writing generally about 6-8 hours a day. Working out. Keeping up my personal romantic life. Keep in touch with family and friends when I can. What scene from King and Killers was your favorite to write? Probably the jovial party scene at the end of the first chapter, and when Sanderson told his Mideast story to Nina and Michelle with Mike in attendance. I always get a kick out of those sorts of good-natured social exchanges between those characters. Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by? "Writing that's worth a damn and earns your time to read. For any legacy, that's good enough for me."
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What can you tell us about your new release, Off Limits? Off-Limits is an angsty coming of age sports romance about Lily Ford and Kaiden Thatcher. He’s a star football player and she’s the coach’s daughter... and one-hundred percent off-limits. But of course, like all good romance stories, the chemistry between them is undeniable. What books are currently on your nightstand? I’m not actually a collector of paperbacks much these days – preferring to read on my Kindle App. I’m currently doing a re-read of Sarah J Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series. What advice would you give your teenage self? It’s okay to make mistakes. Don’t be too hard on yourself – live, laugh, love, and learn. If you had an extra hour each day, how would you spend it? Working – I’m a bit of a workaholic. What makes your world go round? Why does it bring you joy? I love writing and reading, and I’m so fortunate I get to do this full-time. I also love a trip to the movie theatre, and spending time with my family. What scene from Off Limits was your favorite to write? Ugh, so many. Their relationship starts off really innocent and it was amazing watch them grow together... all those first love flutters and feels. But if I had to choose just one, it’s when Kaiden persuades Lily to ride the virtual coaster simulator with him. SWOON!
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What can you tell us about your new release, The Polly Principle? The Polly Principle is book 2 in The Laws of Love series, but it reads as a standalone. Polly Fletcher is a social worker by day and a party girl by night. She appears feisty and confident, but she’s deeply insecure on the inside. Solo is a motor-bike riding beta hero who despite his insecurities, knows what he wants and stands true to his values. And while The Polly Principle is a fun read, it does touch on deeper issues such as mental health and facing how our past can stand in the way of happiness. Oh, did I mention it’s also a steamy read? The chemistry sizzles between Polly and Solo. What or who inspired you to become an author? I’ve always wanted to be an author. I was a very shy kid and books were a magical world I could escape into. Before I could write, I drew my stories. So words were a miraculous addition to all my scribbled drawings of princesses. At twelve I wrote and illustrated a gothic novel, "Grandpapa’s Secret" that won a young writer’s prize. I still have that painstakingly handwritten book. What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read? Must I really choose? Okay. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe by C S Lewis, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Where The Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens. Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask? I know this sounds totally whacky but I’d ask William Shakespeare. I mean seriously, how did the Bard write so many epic stories of passion, tragedy, comedy and love? My first question would be, "Hey Will, where did you get the inspiration for Romeo and Juliet?" What's your favorite thing about writing? When I write, everything else falls away. I am somewhat prone to anxiety, which is why I write romantic comedy. There is so much sadness in the world, it makes me happy to write stories that are a fun read and are guaranteed to end with a great big happy ever after. I hope my readers agree. What is a typical day like for you? Haphazard to be honest. I am not a linear person, which means I make lists, lose them, write plot notes, lose them, wander off and water a few plants... How I have managed to publish two books in three months is a bit of a mystery. My brain only gets into a modicum of order after two strong coffees! What scene from The Polly Principle was your favorite to write? Eek! How can I answer without giving the game away? I guess, when it all unravels between Polly and Solo. The black moment when it looks like their tender, fledgling relationship is about to blow apart. Luckily it’s a romance… so you know… love must triumph in the end. Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by? We live in the moment. So make sure it’s a good one!
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