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The Story Behind Margaritas at the Beach House Hotel by Judith Keim

By Judith Keim

Margaritas at the Beach House Hotel is the fifth book in the Beach House Hotel series, starting with Breakfast at the Beach House Hotel. Then, Lunch, Dinner, and Christmas at the Beach House Hotel follow. This book might never have been written if readers hadn’t begged me to write another about Ann and Rhonda running the Beach House Hotel.

I finally had time between writing other books that made it possible to revisit the series and am I glad that I did. Ann and Rhonda are two of my favorite characters.

Two different people in every way, they first meet through their daughters as college roommates. Both dumped by their husbands, Ann and Rhonda form a connection and a strong desire to do well on their own. Though Rhonda has won the Florida lottery and is set financially, she needs to add meaning to her life. Homeless and jobless after her divorce, Ann needs to start over. With Ann’s business skills and Rhonda’s connections, the two make a go of turning Rhonda’s seaside mansion into a small, upscale hotel.

But running a hotel isn’t easy. Guests come and go, bringing all kinds of stories with them. Some good, others not. Remarried now, Ann and Rhonda, like most women, have family issues to deal with, as well, which they discuss over margaritas when they can. Their problems become even bigger when Ann and Rhonda promise to keep an abused woman safely hidden at the hotel, with all kinds of consequences.

Margaritas at the Beach House Hotel is another book readers have wanted in the series everyone loves. Stay tuned! Dessert at the Beach House Hotel, the sixth book in the series, will be released next year!

Judith Keim is the author of the new book Margaritas at The Beach House Hotel

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Interview with Amy Cissell, Author of Raising a Demon (Eden Valley Book 1)

What can you tell us about your new release, Raising a Demon?

Raising a Demon is the first in a new series (Eden Valley). It's a paranormal women's fiction book with a helping of a snarky kid who's definitely chaotic good(ish), amazing friends in their 40s who've been through thick and thin (and now hell) together, and a hot-as-sin man in town for a second chance. There's romance, friendship, and parenting and the main character (and her bff's) are all in their 40s.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I've wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember. I devoured books from the time I was a child, often clearing out the YA section of the bookmobile by the end of summer, something that was encouraged by my parents. My dad was an author, too, we did NaNoWriMo together every year until he died in 2012. After that, I set a goal to be published within 5 years. My first book was published in 2017, and Raising a Demon is book thirteen!

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

Oof. This is so hard! My number one is Good Omens. I keep copies of it on hand to give to people who've not yet read it. I love urban fantasy & paranormal romance, and Ilona Andrews's Kate Daniels series is the one I always come back to. I still have the copy of The Hobbit & the Lord of the Rings books my dad gave me when I was 11, and have read them so many times they're falling apart. (I even have a Smaug tattoo!) Madeline L'Engle's Wrinkle in Time series was the first thing that inspired me to write fanfic, and I still have a thing for Mrs. Whatsit to this day. And Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series is what made me want to write fantasy in addition to wanting to fall into a fantasy world a la Narnia.

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

I'd want to talk to N.K. Jemisin and ask her about her world-building. It's brilliant and captivating and I'm always in awe of her talents.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

I love the beginning when I'm working through a new idea and everything feels so fresh and inspiring. My second favorite thing is typing "The End."

What is a typical day like for you?

I get up at about 6 and write (with noise-canceling headphones to drown out my darling demon child) until 8. Breakfast with the kid, day job until 5, write until 6, then done for the day. (I also do freelance editing, so sometimes I'm doing that instead of writing.)

What scene from Raising a Demon was your favorite to write?

Anything with Lily (the demon child). I modeled her after my own kid, snark & language & all, and getting to write the mother/daughter relationship and basing it so much on my relationship with my kid was so much fun.

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

The first is: "If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be." - Maya Angelou & the second: "People who don't worry at least a little about semicolons aren't likely to be writers." - Ursula Le Guin

Amy Cissell is the author of the new book Raising a Demon (Eden Valley Book 1)

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Interview with Cecilia Gray, Author of That Was Then (Second Chance Book 1)

What can you tell us about your new release, That Was Then?

That Was Then follows a woman experiencing a midlife reboot during the first 18 months of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of my friends, colleagues, and family--even myself--reevaluated our lives during that period. I wanted to capture that assessment against the very real backdrop of the entire world reassessing itself. I wrote many of the scenes in real-time, so the scenes that are dated during the pandemic were actually written on those dates as the real-world event or news unfolded.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

Telling stories is something I have always done since I was a child and continue to do.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

This is difficult! I feel anxious whenever I'm asked to list my favorite books because it's an impossible question. Books can be meaningful to you for different reasons and at different times in your life. I really love Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, and The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan. They're beautifully written and say a lot in what they're not saying, which takes such talent. I'll leave the fifth book a mystery.

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Andy Weir, author of The Martian and Hail Mary. I love his journey to becoming an author and how he crowdsourced his science scenes. I would ask how did he maintain his voice amidst all the content and daily feedback he received from fans? When I write, I can't read, because I find myself mimicking the author.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

For most of the process, your story feels like a hot mess but at some point, about 80% of the way through, the random scenes and snippets all seem to come together, as if your mind had planned it the whole time and is only just letting you in on it.

What is a typical day like for you?

I wake up around 8, usually to my cats trying to snuggle under the blanket with me. And yes, I reach for my phone and check my emails and texts. I usually spend an hour or two with breakfast and exercise, then get down to the business of my day job. I write after dinner, at least for an hour, and, if things are going well, far into night.

What scene from That Was Then was your favorite to write?

How to do this without a spoiler? Hmmmm. There is a scene in which the heroine finally realizes how to actually be a heroine and what it means to be heroic in your own life and the lives of others. Writing this scene was such a catharsis because it's as if I gave myself the same realization for my own life. After writing that scene, I literally changed my life....where I live, who I'm with, and what I do.

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

Manage your investment. I don't just mean financial, I mean how you invest your time, your energy, your space, and your money. It's easy to let life go by and settle into routines that don't benefit you. To really grow, you need to check in with your investments and whether they're giving you the returns that you want.

Cecilia Gray is the author of the new book That Was Then

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The Story Behind Such A Good Girl by Willow Rose

By Willow Rose

This novel was by far the hardest and most personal book I ever had to write.

I can’t believe I actually did it. Significant parts of this book are my own #metoo story. I have been dealing with this for the past year and felt it needed to be told.

It all began when I was contacted by a journalist from Denmark who was doing a documentary about sexual harassment in the Danish media. She reached out to me because my name kept coming up during her research.

I used to be a reporter at the most prominent national TV network in Denmark and was an anchor before moving to the States, where I started writing books.

When the journalist contacted me, I hadn’t thought about those old stories for twenty years. Suddenly, it was all I could think about. It came back to me in these violent flashbacks that completely floored me. Like Rachel in this book, I found myself crying for entire days and unable to function properly. I had repressed this for so long; I had almost completely forgotten it. But now, it was back, and it almost knocked me out. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, but worst of all, I couldn’t write, and that’s what I love to do. I spoke to a therapist, and she told me I needed to talk about it. I had to go through a healing process, and part of it was talking about it.

So, I finally told my story. First to my loved ones, then to some lawyers, and finally to the journalist while on camera. The documentary hasn’t been aired yet. But, it will be soon, and then we’ll see what happens. I am super nervous about when it does since the entire country will know my story, but I also know that telling my story is important, and hopefully, it will help someone else stand up for themselves. Maybe it can hinder this from happening to more women.

Willow Rose is the author of the new book Such A Good Girl.

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Interview with Cynthia Woolf, Author of Heart of Stone

What can you tell us about your new release, Heart of Stone?

I'm known for my almost sweet mail-order bride books. This one is a little more sensual and an angel is the mail-order bride. It was a little different for me because of that plus she died in 2020 and is being sent back to 1880. I loved writing this book and have a series planned.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

My mother. She was a librarian and encouraged me to read and think for me it was a natural progression to writing and I love what I do. I work harder at this than I ever did in the corporate world and that's not saying that I didn't work hard there, but now I don't mind putting in 18 or 20 hour days because it's for me, not a corporation and because I love writing. I also read about Johanna Lindsey, my favorite all-time author, and how she started out and thought if she can do it so can I.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

This is hard. I love Heart of Thunder by Johanna Lindsey,( though I love anything by Johanna Lindsey), Guardian Angel by Julie Garwood (I like all the historical books by Julie Garwood), the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, Interstellar Brides series by Grace Goodwin, and anything by J. D. Robb, (I just love Eve Dallas and Roark makes me swoon).

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Nora Roberts. I'd ask her how hard is it to write such different genres of books as those she writes as Nora Roberts and those by J.D. Robb which are totally different.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

Brainstorming.

What is a typical day like for you?

I'm usually up and have breakfast about 4 am, then I write until my husband gets up and I fix breakfast for him, then I write until lunch around noon. I do business and write or brainstorm until around 5 pm when we have dinner and watch TV. At about 7:30 pm, it's back to the office.

What scene from Heart of Stone was your favorite to write?

Probably the first scene with Caitlyn and Archangel Gabriel.

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

Tomorrow is another day.

Cynthia Woolf is the author of the new book Heart of Stone

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Interview with Pam Godwin, Author of Lessons in Sin

What can you tell us about your new release, Lessons in Sin?

It's a forbidden slow burn with a snarky, spitfire heroine and her cold, rigid, deliciously irresistible Catholic school teacher, who happens to be a priest. Their chemistry is addictive, their love story reluctant but breathtakingly unstoppable. It's a standalone set in the dangerous world of the Midnight Dynasty.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

As an avid horror reader, I crave romance in my favorite chilling stories. But Dark Romance didn't exist fifteen years ago, and Erotic Horror was very hard to find. So in 2009, I started writing the books I wanted to read.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

Kushiel's Legacy by Jacqueline Carey
Land of the Beautiful Dead by R Lee Smith
Last Hour of Gann by R Lee Smith
Witching Hour by Anne Rice
The Stand by Stephen King

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Jacqueline Carey. I would ask her (beg her) to write another all-consuming fantasy universe like Kushiel's Legacy.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

The constant challenge. With every book I write, I study, research, and strive to be a master of my craft. An impossible goal, but I live to obtain it.

What is a typical day like for you?

I wake with my husband at 6:30 AM. I drink my first cup of coffee with him while watching the news. At 7:00, he goes to his home office, and I go to mine. I work until 5:00 PM (plotting, research, business tasks, writing, etc). Then I spend a couple of hours with the hubby before returning to my cave to write until early morning. When I'm on a deadline, I skip the break in the evening.

What scene from Lessons in Sin was your favorite to write?

The crucifix-kissing scene. I drew inspiration from my Catholic schoolgirl days when I was forced to kiss the feet of Jesus on the crucifix. Needless to say, the scene was cathartic to write.

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

"Everyone is suffering." There's never enough compassion in the world. So be kind.

Pam Godwin is the author of the new book Lessons in Sin

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Interview with Christian Michael, Author of Peter

What can you tell us about your new release, Peter?

Telling the tale of how Peter Baley became the most infamous Pan in history, Peter is the culmination of a nearly 13-year journey to bring a children’s fairytale to dark, adult fantasy. While working mostly full-time, blogging, finishing my degree, and trying and failing to start a few small businesses, the seven-book Legend of the Pan fantasy epic has been my passion project. Having drafted the entire series, the edits are focused to tighten the entire series as a single, flowing story while each book serves a distinct, key part.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

A voracious reader since I was old enough to begin, I devoured Hardy Boys, Isaac Asimov, Orson Scott Card, Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, the X-Wing Series, Tom Clancy and so many more. I remember attempting to write a sequel to Disney’s “Rescuers Down Under” when I was in fifth grade and finished a staggering thirteen hand-written pages. My favorite book of all time is Ender’s Game. Always, good stories made me want to make up my own and tell them my way!

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

Ender’s Game (and series)
Wheel of Time (Series)
Sword of Truth (Series)
Jack Ryan (Series)
The Night Angel Trilogy

What's your favorite thing about writing?

Other than the feel of pure creationism, I love the fact that I’m the first person ever to read these stories! I love that I got to meet Peter, Wendy, Tinker Belle, and all the others and experience their journey, all by myself, before anyone else. There’s a supreme joy about that.

What is a typical day like for you?

Get up, have some quiet time studying the Bible. Then breakfast and a few hours of writing. In the afternoon, I do some side jobs to pay my bills. I’ve committed fully to writing as my primary profession, even if I’m still working out the marketing side to start expanding my email list, driving sales, and making a living on what I’ve already been doing for sixteen years.

What scene from Peter was your favorite to write?

My favorite scene would spoil too much, but there’s a scene near the end where Tinker Belle has had wings and arms broken, blood running from her nose and face, watching the world around her burn down, and she is in a lone position to save countless lives. She refuses to give in to the agony or hopelessness of her situation, musters herself, and just gets the job done. I’ve had so many readers come back to say how much they love her and how badass she is, and this scene is just one example of how complex, relatable but inspiring Tinker Belle can really be.

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

“Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive, because what the world needs are people who come alive.” - Howard Thurman. Every individual is capable of great good, but to fully realize their potential, they must face themselves. Our greatest enemy isn’t out there, but the demons we carry inside of us, which we can’t run from through group membership, but by sitting through the difficult moments and coming to peace with old mistakes, learning to stand and sit alone, away from the group, content in isolation even while embracing the love of voluntary family and friends. To be fully realized, we must learn that controlling our circumstances is chasing after the wind; the only world that truly matters is the one within arm’s reach.

Christian Michael is the author of the new book Peter (Legend of the Pan Book 2)

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New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | June 29

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 R.C. Ducantlin, Willow Rose, John Baird Rogers, and many more. Enjoy your new mystery, thriller, and suspense novels. Happy reading!

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New Romance Books to Read | June 29

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 Cynthia Woolf, Pam Godwin, Judith Keim, Sassa Daniels, and more. Enjoy your new romance books and happy reading!

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New Books to Read in Literary Fiction | June 29

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 Cecilia Gray, Jason Mott, Beck Dorey-Stein, and many more. Enjoy your new literary fiction books. Happy reading!