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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.

Lorhainne Eckhart is the author of the new book The Family Secret.

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New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | September 8

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 Lorhainne Eckhart, K. Patrick Donoghue, Becki Willis, J.D. Robb, Ruth Ware, Janet Evanovich, and many more. Enjoy your new mystery, thriller, and suspense novels. Happy reading!

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New Romance Books to Read | September 8

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 Willow Winters, Nicole Snow, Anna Durand, Amarie Avant, and more. Enjoy your new romance books and happy reading!

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New Books to Read in Literary Fiction | September 8

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 Fredrik Backman, Chuck Palahniuk, Sue Miller, and many more. Enjoy your new literary fiction books. Happy reading!

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New Science Fiction and Fantasy Books | September 8

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 Weisbeck, C.J. Cherryh, Griffin Barber, and more. If Fantasy is what your library needs, you’ll be able to pick up the latest from Dylan Doose, Steve Moretti, Martha Carr, and more. Enjoy your new science fiction and fantasy books. Happy reading!