New Books - NewInBooks

6 Books To Read If You Like Lani Lynn Vale

Get ready to ignite your romance reading with authors like Lani Lynn Vale! If you enjoy books like her popular SWAT Generation 2.0 Series, The Valentine Boys, and KPD Motorcycle Patrol Series, you'll love these 6 new romance novels. Enjoy the sizzle!

Diablo Inside

by Amarie Avant

Release Date: August 28, 2020

A monster grips the city in his iron fist. The media calls him El Santo, but I prefer El Diablo... the devil. My obsession with Dominic Alvarez will be his demise. I crave the look in his captivating eyes while I crush his soul. I will not be like other women; whose hearts stop at the sight of him. They all lost themselves in the allure and temptation of El Santo before they could feel the danger of El Diablo.

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Irresistible in a Kilt

by Anna Durand

Release Date: September 7, 2020

The eighth book in the Hot Scotts Series by Anna Durand... I fell in love with Alex Thorne twelve years ago. But every word that comes out of his mouth is a half-truth, a con, or an evasion. Now I discovered my dream job at a university in America is his way of pulling me back into his world. But I won't fall under the spell of the British Bastard again.

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The Best Friend Zone

by Nicole Snow

Release Date: September 2, 2020

Just friends? Is a peach pie to the face "just" a little mishap? I know what I felt the day Quinn Faulkner saved me from death by dessert. He was my best friend and always The One. But it was impossible. He was the small-town prince of summer crushes and leagues above a tag-along dance nerd like me. Years later, my uncle needs a goat wrangler and I need an escape. It's also a great way to collide with the boy who got away.

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You Are My Hope

by Willow Winters

Release Date: September 8, 2020

The second book in the You Are Mine Series by USA Today Bestselling Author Willow Winters... The first time I laid eyes on Mason Thatcher I got chills. The good kind. The kind that makes your body ache and your heart hammer. It isn't fair that his touch eased my pain, that his lips on mine made my worries go away, or that his love gave me a reason to breathe again. I felt complete with him... Then I learned the truth.

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The Wreckage of Us

by Brittainy Cherry

Release Date: September 8, 2020

I know I should have stayed away from Ian Parker. But when my drug-dealing stepdad kicks me out, I have nowhere else to go. Squatting in an abandoned shed on Ian’s grandpa’s farm seems like the best option I have. Ian finds me there, of course, and he insists on me moving into his spare room. I should say no, but the appeal of a roof and a warm bed is too much. Not to mention Ian’s brown eyes and strong arms.

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Real Fake Love

by Pippa Grant

Release Date: September 3, 2020

Luca Rossi is my polar opposite. His butt is in the baseball hall of fame and mine is comfortably seated in the hall of lame. When he isn't snagging fly balls out in center field, he is modeling in shampoo commercials. While I once jammed my finger while stirring cookie dough and often forget what shampoo is. He is a cynic when it comes to love and I make a living writing love stories.

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Interview with Steve Moretti, Author of The Heart Beats in Time

What can you tell us about your new release, The Heart Beats in Time?

The new book, ‘The Heart Beats in Time’, is the culmination of the Song for a Lost Kingdom trilogy. Two women, Adeena and Katharine, find themselves transposed across time, living each other’s lives in an unfamiliar world.

Both are classical music composers – and both are pregnant. Adeena is caught up in the conflicts of 1746 Scotland, ten days after the Battle of Culloden, while Katharine awakens in 2019 to a world full of magic that can only mean one thing; she has died and gone to Heaven.

Somehow, either through either unknown mystical forces, or the science of epigenetics, the two are able to work together across the three centuries that separate them to complete their musical tour-de-force, ‘The Heart Beats in Time’.

The words and music of the song reflect the events unfolding around them. They are connected through a priceless musical instrument, The Duncan Cello, the oldest surviving cello in the United Kingdom.

As the men in their lives learn the true identities of Adeena and Katharine, they too must decide where their own loyalties and hearts belong.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I’ve always been in awe of how the arts that can touch our deepest emotions. The connection we feel with the characters from our favourite books and movies sometimes exceed the relationships we have with the real people in our lives.

I think that is what has driven me to try and develop stories and characters that resonate with my readers. When a story is burning within you, it is almost like you have no choice but to transcribe it and share it.

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

Here they are, in no particular order.

Roots, Alex Haley
Wuthering Heights, Charlotte Brontë
Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
2001: A Space Odessy, Arthur C. Clarke
Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell

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

Probably Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series or Stephen King. I greatly admire their work and their seemingly effortless natural abilities, which are likely the result of raw talent plus hard work.

I think my first question for Diana would be about her characters, particularly Claire. “How deep inside of you are your characters?” I’m interested in knowing more about the relationship Diana has with Clarie and Jamie.

Do they feel as real as her closest friends or family members, or is she able to segregate them emotionally into some kind of a ‘fictional characters’ bucket in her head?

What's your favorite thing about writing?

The ability to have complete control over a world of your own creation, and yet to be totally powerless to the desires of the characters who inhabitant this world.

The inner lives of my characters is a kind of push-pull relationship. I think I know them, until I set them in a scene and they start to do their own thing, even though I am the one typing away on the keyboard. I point them in a direction I think they should follow, and then for some reason, they completely ignore me.

At that point I know that I am fully immersed in the story and writing it becomes a non-optional activity.

What is a typical day like for you?

I get up early, that is about the only thing ‘typical’ in my day.

Ideally I like to hit a daily word count, but as an independent author, the realities of advertising and marketing, as well as editing, cover design, managing online bookstores, producing audiobooks, etc. have a way of making each day a little different.

I also like to spend some time outdoors every day, either in the garden, on the lake at our cottage, biking or running, or any other excuse to get outside. Having two dogs to walk helps greatly in this regard!

What scene from The Heart Beats in Time was your favorite to write?

In Book III, the last scene of the trilogy was one of the most satisfying to write. I’d put most of the characters through hell and I think this is where they finally said “enough is enough!”

Having wrapped up all the threads of the series, it felt good to have them enjoy themselves and not face another impending, life-threatening crisis.

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

Never stop learning, never stop growing and never take yourself too seriously.

Steve Moretti is the author of the new book The Heart Beats in Time.

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Interview with Anna Durand, Author of Irresistible in a Kilt

What can you tell us about your new release, Irresistible in a Kilt?

Irresistible in a Kilt tells the love story of two archaeologists, Alex Thorne and Catriona MacTaggart, former lovers whose relationship ended in disaster. Twelve years later, Cat thinks she hates Alex, and she's made up insulting nicknames for him, like the British Bastard. She knows she can't trust him, but she can't deny Alex is charming—and irresistible.

For Alex, Catriona is the Scots lass who got away. He isn't your typical romance hero since he often sidesteps the truth and sometimes "borrows" artifacts from museums. He always returns them, though! 😊 And he will do anything, even lie and connive, to get her back.

If you're new to the Hot Scots series, this is an excellent place to start. If you're already a fan, then this one will blow your mind! The audiobook version, narrated by Shane East and Elle Newlands, is phenomenal. A genuine Brit and a genuine Scot bring Cat and Alex to life.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I've always made up stories in my head, but my parents encouraged me to pursue writing as a career. My dad, who passed away in 2016, was a published author and taught me about the publishing industry. My mom suggested I try writing romance, and that was the best advice I ever took! I haven't looked back since.

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

It's a mix of classics and modern books: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, Lightning by Dean Koontz, The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning, and Dark Skye by Kresley Cole.

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

Hmm, that's a hard one! So many amazing authors out there. I guess I'd start with Dean Koontz, since his books inspired me as a teenager. That might sound strange coming from a romance author, but it's true. I was obsessed with thrillers and classic sci-fi back then.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

Everything! Seriously. I love the whole process, even editing. If I had to choose, though, I'd say writing the banter for my heroes and heroines is the best part. I have so much fun coming up with sassy, sexy, hilarious things for them to say to each other. Irresistible in a Kilt is a great example. I absolutely loved writing the dialogue between Alex and Cat, but I also had loads of fun with Alex's inner monologue.

What is a typical day like for you?

I get up at six a.m.—seriously! six o'clock—and start writing. Okay, I usually eat breakfast first. I always make my tea so I can sip it while I'm writing. My dogs make sure I take the occasional break, by pestering me to play with them. But I'm essentially writing all morning, and I often write more later in the day too. I take a break at lunchtime to refuel and relax for a while, then I'm busy doing marketing, social media, etc., all the other stuff authors have to do these days.

What scene from Irresistible in a Kilt was your favorite to write?

Chapter One was lots of fun to write. There's a prologue before that, told by a mysterious narrator, but Chapter One is all Alex Thorne. I loved writing about his reactions to Catriona, who is very annoyed with him at that point, and also his sarcastic conversation with her. The first line of that chapter sums up Alex: "The truth and I have a different sort of relationship, not best mates, but more like third cousins once removed."

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

I love the quote that says, "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." I've seen it variously attributed to Dr. Seuss and Bernard Baruch. Whoever said it, that's excellent advice.

Anna Durand is the author of the new book Irresistible in a Kilt.

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Interview with Daniel Weisbeck, Author of Children of the Miracle

What can you tell us about your new release, Children of the Miracle?

Children of the Miracle is the first book in a series which follows three Sanctuary Cities that are the sole survivors of a global pandemic. One hundred years after the virus FossilFlu took humanity to the brink of extinction, the Sanctuaries of Americas, Europe, and Asia, all self-isolated, are rebuilding their populations while trying to find immunity to the deadly virus. The odds are stacked against them as the world is also burning up as a result of an environmental collapse.

The first book in the series follows Doctor Mercy Perching, from the Sanctuary of Europe, as she is invited to the Sanctuary of Americas to help deal with a mutation of the FossilFlu. The first person to visit the isolated city in one hundred years, she is shocked to discover they have been genetically engineering human-animal hybrids in hopes to find permanent immunity to the disease. But the new Chimera species have created many other new problems, including giving the virus a host to mutate. Mercy finds herself unwillingly at the centre of a battle between the Chimera and the Pure humans for immunity. She will have to choose a side and ultimately the face of the human species.

Children of the Miracle is Brave New World meets BladeRunner meets WestWorld. It’s a dystopian thriller with a surprising romance that will force the reader to ask themselves: What would I do?

What or who inspired you to become an author?

Mostly my mother. Raising six children, she hardly had any time to herself. At night, after everyone was in bed, she would read novels as a way of having some ‘me’ time. I have fond memories of waking up and finding her in the living room with a book. When I write, I want readers to get lost in my books, escape for a few hours. It’s a gift for my mother.

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

Brave New World, Lord of the Flies, The Handmaid's Tale, The Grapes of Wrath, The Great Gatsby, (Guilty pleasure: The Hunger Games).

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

Author: Margret Atwood. Question 1: Can you adopt me and we can write books together? Question 2: What’s more important to you: the success of your books today, or a legacy where your books are still read as classics in one hundred years from now?

What's your favorite thing about writing?

Inventing. Looking into the future and contemplating where and how the human species and the planet will exist. Or if they will exist.

What is a typical day like for you?

5 AM dog’s get me up for their breakfast. Then coffee and note taking of thoughts or dreams from the night I want to add into my books. Two hours of writing. Dog walks up the South Downs on the English coast. Coffee and two more hours of writing, if I’m lucky. Then out to take care of the horses and sheep on our small hold. Then some more writing or reading, depending on mood for the late afternoon. Dinner time is for me and my partner, my husband of twenty years.

What scene from Children of the Miracle was your favorite to write?

Describing Mercy’s first exposure to the Sanctuary of Americas, a technological and environmental utopia. It’s cyberpunk city meets Jurassic Park. The scenes represent my passion for inventing cool new technologies and my obsession with raw nature.

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

One day at a time. One scene at a time.

Daniel Weisbeck is the author of the new book Children of the Miracle.

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Interview with Dylan Doose, Author of Embers on the Wind

What can you tell us about your new release, Embers on the Wind?

The contract: get to the tower and kill the beast. The heroes: heretic monk turned sorcerer, Aldous Weaver. Infamous crusader turned fugitive, Kendrick the Cold. Aristocrat, rogue, monster hunter, and legend in his own mind, Theron Ward. Joining them are a mutant gangster, a dead doctor, and Theron's warrior wife.

Embers on the Wind is book 7 in my ongoing Sword and Sorcery series. Ideally, you would read the series in order, but if you start with Embers on the Wind, you would still enjoy it. Embers on the Wind serves as the first part of the second series arc, a culmination of the friendship, loyalty, heroism, and oddity of the characters introduced in the first arc.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

Ever since I was a kid, I made up novels and movies, seeing the action unfold as if it were real. I wrote a story about a vigilante in a black mustang when I was 16, and my parents were so impressed I decided to keep going. I finished my first novel when I was 21, but when I had it professionally edited I realized I'd taken on a project too big for my experience. Using what I learned from that experience, I went on to write my next novel, my first published novel, Fire and Sword, book 1 in this series.

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

Tough question. I read across all genres, as well as a ton of non-fiction. Here are some titles that are on my top list:
The Magus by John Fowles
Redwall by Brian Jacques
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
The Plague by Albert Camus

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

My first guest would be director and writer David Lynch, best known for Twin Peaks. I'd ask him if he has any specific pre-writing ritual to get into the mind state of his characters and if that ritual has changed over the years or between projects. And if it has changed, how?

What's your favorite thing about writing?

You don't get to edit your life. You can't go back and change choices and experiences. But when I'm writing, I get to redo life over and over again. By changing the decisions, the dialogues, the actions, the loves had and lost, I get a chance to explore life in ways that the confines of reality would never allow.

What is a typical day like for you?

I like to get up at 4:00 a.m., stretch, and write for four hours. Then it's time for breakfast that might be oatmeal and eggs or a smoothie packed with fruits and veggies and almond milk. After breakfast I exercise, boxing or going for a bike ride or doing body weight training. Then I refill the well by watching a show or a movie or a documentary. Then I nap. When I get up I'll read or listen to an audiobook. In the afternoon, I edit or plot a new story or brainstorm ideas to use the following morning. Then it's dinner time, usually around 4:00 or 5:00.

I hang out with friends and/or my brother and sister-in-law who live just up the street. I live in a beautiful area and I walk on the beach, hike trails, and climb and boulder in a nearby gorge. I'm a huge gamer. I draw, paint, and sculpt. No matter what I'm doing, I absorb that experience and information to use in my writing.

What scene from Embers on the Wind was your favorite to write?

There's a scene in the story where the point of view character is a little girl lost in the woods with enemies closing in. It's a horror sequence with a twist. I was surprised by where I went with the scene and how quickly and smoothly I wrote it. When I plotted the events, I expected the writing to be a lot more challenging.

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

I have several, and they all work together to make me believe that the mountain is the path and the obstacle is the way.

Dylan Doose is the author of the new book Embers on the Wind.

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Interview with Becki Willis, author of Rose by Any Other Name

What can you tell us about your new release, Rose by Any Other Name?

This is Book 10 of the series and was fun to write because it felt more “free.” Most of the loose threads from previous storylines have been tied into neat little bows, so this book could go in whatever direction the characters decided to take it. (They’re a bossy bunch, always taking over my plots and spinning the story in a different direction than I originally intend.) This time was no different, but it came together nicely in the end, and proved that not everything can be taken at face value.

Also, readers keep requesting more page time for the teenagers in the series, so this book has a sub-plot where the teens tackle their own mystery.

What books are currently on your night stand?

I’m a Kindle gal, myself. I have 3 Kindles of my own. My newest, the Oasis, is by my bed and has 120 books on it, with these in my To Read queue:

The Cavanaugh House (Finger Lakes Mysteries) by Elizabeth Mayette – currently reading

Southern Bred & Dead (Southern Ghost Hunters Series #9) by Angie Fox

Gators & Garters (A Miss Fortune Mystery #18) by Jana DeLeon

The Farmhouse (A Hickory Grove Novel) by Elizabeth Bromke

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Never give up. And don’t wait for the “right time” to pursue your dreams; make the time right for you.

If you had an extra hour each day, how would you spend it?

Since the hour doesn’t exist, I think I’ll dedicate it to exercise.

What makes your world go round? Why does it bring you joy?

My family-- my husband of 39 years, two children and their spouses, five grandchildren. We live within a three-mile radius of one another and still spend a lot of time together, including holidays and vacations. I’m blessed to still have my mother. My family keeps me grounded!

What scene in Rose by Any Other Name was your favorite to write?

Any scene with Granny Bert is fun to write. She’s an 81-year-old spitfire who’s not afraid to say what she thinks, and she makes no apologies for being herself. She has a lot of quotes (most came from my own grandmother and my father), but one of my favorites from this book is:

“There are two things you can never change: your family and the past. You can learn from both, or learn to overcome them both, but there’s no use in pretending they don’t exist.”

Becki Willis is the author of the new book Rose by Any Other Name.

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Interview with Amarie Avant, author of Diablo Inside

What can you tell us about your new release, Diablo Inside?

Extreme introvert, Aria, spends days painting inside the walls of her apartment in Miami. On a chance encounter, she meets the captivating Cuban, Dominic, who she believes is a Serial Killer. The perfect prey becomes the predator, at least in her mind’s eye. Lay on the dark romance, and you have broken people, devious banter, steamy sex, and a lot of twists. Diablo was a very intriguing story to piece together. When we consider the media craze of serial killers such as Ted Bundy and how seriously bad guys like him could captivate a nation, even decades later, I hope to have conveyed that through the story. I wish every scene keeps the reader engaged and turning pages as fast as possible to unravel this sexy tale.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

My bookshelf resembles a smorgasbord. Any and everything by V. C. Andrews. Kennedy Ryan’s ‘Queen Move.’ Kitty Thomas’s ‘Comfort Food.’ An urban coming of age story, ‘The Coldest Winter Ever.' 'Alex Cross, Run,’ by James Patterson. I even subscribed to James Patterson’s Masterclass on writing in the past. Obviously, it’s not a book, but it was a fantastic testament to the craft.

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Sheesh, I would tell myself to invest and perhaps read books on investing, then I’d have enough money to buy more books and write to my heart’s content. Yup, that simple. I don’t want to alter history too much.

If you had an extra hour each day, how would you spend it?

Probably daydream. I had a surprise baby this June, which has been rather eye-opening in the middle of the pandemic. Since there’s no break from mommyhood, and I’m immensely enjoying it, I’d take a moment to breathe and contemplate my next story.

What makes your world go round? Why does it bring you joy?

My family brings me joy, and when I needed a break from them—up until the pandemic—I had a great obsession with movie theaters. I could spend every weekend at the movies, eating popcorn, candy, I’m not a soda person, so there’s that. But watching stories unfold on the screen is amazing. Now, we’re living the apocalypse, so I’m pretty content surviving with the family. And Netflix is sustaining me as well.

What scene in Diablo Inside was your favorite to write?

The chapter where Aria confronts her greatest fears. Childhood tragedy pretty much left her emotionally stunted in the past, and when she breaks through, she’s pretty badass. In this one particular scene, she comes to terms with being bested by the serial killer. She will have to couple her sexy assets and wit. Aria is in the fight for her life; it gave me chills to write.

Amarie Avant is the author of the new book Diablo Inside.

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Interview with K. Patrick Donoghue, Author of The GODD Chip

What can you tell us about your new release, The GODD Chip?

The GODD Chip is a futuristic tale about a world in which genetic engineering of humans has gone awry to the point where DNA alterations are banned. But the horse is already out of the barn, as some would say. Faulty “designer” genes have resulted in widespread mutations and there appears to be no way to stop them from perpetuating unless someone is willing to defy the prohibition on genetic alterations. Enter my main protagonist, Dr. Takoda Wells, a geneticist who has seen enough of the havoc wreaked by the mutations and sets out to resurrect an experimental device outlawed twenty-five years prior, the GODD chip. But he is opposed by factions who will stop at nothing to preserve the 22nd century world order, making Takoda’s quest a harrowing adventure.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

I’m currently re-reading a WWII non-fiction book about the Battle of the Bulge titled A Time for Trumpets, by Charles B. MacDonald.

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Engage and interact more with others and don’t sweat the small stuff.

If you had an extra hour each day, how would you spend it?

In the current environment, any outdoor activity without a mask.

What makes your world go round? Why does it bring you joy?

Family. My sons are on their way out of the nest and I’m savoring the time with them before they embark on their own paths.

What scene in The GODD Chip was your favorite to write?

The scenes between a bounty hunter named Caelan Horn and an android named Ellie. Caelan was a fun character to write and I had a blast writing every scene in which he appeared.

K. Patrick Donoghue is the author of the new book The GODD Chip.

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The Story Behind The Best Friend Zone by Nicole Snow

By Nicole Snow

Love. Laughter. Friendship. Tears. Suspense. Goats. Eggplants. Steam. Scheming grannies. Fiery romance. The Best Friend Zone, my hot new release, is a lot of things, but mostly it explores one question: what happens when two stubborn hearts shatter lines?

There's nothing more fascinating in romance than when wrong feels oh-so-right. That's exactly the dilemma facing two damaged characters who spent their teenage summers together as friends, despite being worlds apart in status, dreams, and temperaments.

When Tory Redson-Riddle-Coffey escapes to little Dallas, North Dakota, nursing a broken heart and the bum knee that's trashed her dance career, she's low on hope and high on sweet small-town memories. Her curiosity is instantly lit when she literally crashes into her old friend slash secret crush, Quinn Faulkner, while playing goat wrangler for her uncle's Rent-A-Goat business. Quinn's still every delectable bit the boy she remembers, and now he's grown up hotter, growlier, and even more overprotective than he was back in the day.

Uh-oh.

No other phrase fits for Quinn. He came back to Dallas to fix up his grandpa's house, not fall for Tory again. Miss Off-limits has haunted him for years, ever since the day she slipped face-first into a Peach pie and he cleaned her up. Now, the “Peach” he knows is older, sweet, and deliriously tempting. And when he finds out a dangerous loose end from his FBI career has revenge in mind, she's also in danger.

Lines will be crossed. Reckless kisses, guaranteed. Tory and Faulk are on the road to discovering the truest, deepest, most meaningful love might be closer than they ever dreamed, if only they can be honest with themselves—with a little help from a tribe of goats, quirky friends, Tory's matchmaker granny, and one big ol' mastiff.

If I dare say more, it'll ruin the sweet insanity. But trust me, I had a total riot piecing together my usual brand of fast-paced small-town romantic suspense with this hilarious, emotional, and insanely sexy slice of friends-to-lovers goodness.

This book put me through a gauntlet of feels—all the best and worst—and I'm confident it'll do the same for you. So come on down to little Dallas and stay a while with The Best Friend Zone! Free in Kindle Unlimited.

Nicole Snow is the author of the new book The Best Friend Zone.

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Interview with Lorhainne Eckhart, author of The Family Secret

What can you tell us about your new release, The Family Secret?

Lies, deception and love, a big family secret that turns into a tangled web that affects everyone in the family. The Family Secret is a family story about a crime surrounding the six O’Connell siblings and their mother, about a father who disappeared 18 years ago, and questions arise about what really happened to Raymond O’Connell. This family has deep dark secrets and when a body is found and circumstantial evidence is manufactured, the DA is out for blood and it seems it doesn’t matter whose as long as it’s O’Connell blood as small town politics come into play and lives are destroyed. Although part of a series, each book can be read as stand alone, but like all series it contains references to situations from earlier books in the series, their changing relationships and how the O’Connell family lives continue to unfold.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

My kindle is usually beside my bed, and although I just finished Karin Slaughter’s Pretty Girls, I’m now currently writing The Return of the O’Connells, so my current nightstand reading is on hold. I do not read other authors when I’m writing, as soon as I’m done, I take a few days and binge read, I don’t have one favorite author and I tend to read a lot of different genres. I do prefer series especially about families, romance, suspense, mystery and prefer a mix of all.

What advice would you give your teenage self?

If only I could go back and have a redo, in all honestly, I have reminded myself I wouldn’t be who I am today if I did. So even though I’d love to go back and give advice to my teenage struggling misfit I likely wouldn’t, all because as hard as it was, going back and changing anything with the kind of advice to make things better, easier, wouldn’t have me being who I am today. But having said that my advice then would have been to love me and who I am, and it doesn’t matter what people say or believe about you. It only matters that you love you, no one else’s opinions matter so stop worrying about what people think of you. You have a great smile, look in the mirror and love everything about you, because your perfect and there is no such thing as failing or mistakes, because not doing anything is failing, trying and not succeeding is you’ve just learned something and move on and hold your head up high and try something else, try again. That’s what I would say to the teenage misfit who struggled for years trying to find her footing never realizing that, I am enough.

If you had an extra hour each day, how would you spend it?

First, I would remind myself that the extra hour is not for working. I would spend it likely outdoors with my kids having some fun, in my garden, playing some super competitive game with my kids, maybe do some family time fun dinner together. Because working all the time writing books, promoting is a seven day a week career, and balancing family life, fun and the life of a career author for me easily slips to more hours in a day. But just as important is reminding myself to make that me time and have some fun. Family, friends and anything outdoors. Considering since covid, the super-competitive dragonboat racing team we’re part of has been has been put on hold. We’ll hopefully see everyone back on the water next year.

What makes your world go round? Why does it bring you joy?

You mean other than being an author, which is my dream job. Seriously every morning it feels like Christmas to me as I put my feet on the ground because I love everything about being a career author. My kids who are now early twenties to late teens and they are a ton of fun and then there are early mornings which is my favorite time of the day, my life. Seriously I love who I am, where I live, morning coffee outside, the forest, the outdoors, the trees, my cat. The peace and quiet and the occasional bear that is sitting on my front lawn in the morning. It’s the little things too that I really appreciate and love, the wind on my face and then the storms. I seriously love when a big windy rainstorm blows in.

What scene in The Family Secret was your favorite to write?

There were a few pivotal scenes, including the last chapter, which I really really enjoyed. But it was one destructive moment in the O’Connell family where Iris’s home had been turned upside down, the destruction from law enforcement, the very personal violation that was done in such a cruel and thoughtless and deeply violating manner that had the family rallying and then one of their own showing up and forced to arrest a woman whose life was being destroyed all because of circumstantial evidence. It was the reaction of all the family, their desperation, and the fact their worlds were turned upside down. It was the reaction of the community, the spotlight and the cruelness that the family suddenly found themselves on the other side of the law and very much in the court of public opinion.