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Interview with Livia Grant, author of Blessed Betrayal

What can you tell us about your new release, Blessed Betrayal?

This book is so special to me for many reasons. This is actually the first short story/novella I ever wrote. It appeared in a boxed set called Twist back in 2014/15. I loved the characters and story line so much that when I got my rights back less than a year later, it was my very first book I self published. Now, years later, I've expanded it to novel length and given it a beautiful new cover in hopes that more people find and fall in love with Nick and Cali's story.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

My mom. She read a Regency romance book every single day. I grew up watching her be a voracious romance reader and then joined her when I started sneaking her Harlequins around age thirteen. By fifteen I'd graduated to what she called 'racy romances.'  I so wish she could see me publishing now. I know she'd be scandalized by my heat level, but she would be thrilled to know I'm an author.

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

J.K. Rowlings and I would totally want to talk about how she goes about her craft. Her books are so complex with a huge ensemble cast of characters, all with such fully fleshed out personalities.  I love to write ensemble casts myself and know how hard it is to keep details straight in a series so I'd be fascinated to learn more about her process of writing such masterpieces.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

Creating something out of my own head and heart. I've never considered myself a particularly artsy person, and I'm not when it comes to traditional arts and crafts, but I do feel like I've learned how to weave a complex tale well.

What is a typical day like for you?

I would love to be a full time author in the future, but for now I have a very challenging career. I am lucky that I love my career and I get to travel a lot for work.  I've learned to give up TV and almost any other distraction because when I get home, I have to move into author mode each evening and all weekend. I can only keep up the pace because I love it so much... and because I've always been a workaholic at heart.

What scene in Blessed Betrayal was your favorite to write?

That is so hard! I always love the big reveal scene that comes towards the end of the story, but in Blessed Betrayal, the scene that takes place in the morgue was pretty memorable for me.  That, and I loved writing the epilogue.

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

There are so many! I have dozens of inspirational quotes from an old calendar displayed around my office. Literally, dozens. I love them all, but three of my favorites that I try to remind myself often are:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sail. Explore. Dream. Discover."

"It's never to late to be what you might have been."

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." ~ Gandi

Livia Grant is the author of the new book Blessed Betrayal

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New Romance Books to Read | October 16

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 Penelope Bloom, Amy Lamont, Nicole Snow, Alexia Praks, Livia Grant, and more. Enjoy your new romance books and happy reading!



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New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | October 16

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 Jennifer Jaynes, Thomas Neviaser, Sonia Parin, Jeff Wade, and many more. Enjoy your new mystery, thriller, and suspense novels. Happy reading!



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New Books to Read in Literary Fiction | October 16

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 Barbara Kingsolver, Karen Kingsbury, Paula Brackston, and many more. Enjoy your new literary fiction books. Happy reading!



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New Science Fiction and Fantasy Books | October 16

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 John Scalzi, Scott J. Holliday, and more. If Fantasy is what your library needs, you’ll be able to pick up the latest from Lila Bowen, AJ Flowers, and more. Enjoy your new science fiction and fantasy books. Happy reading!


Fantasy


Science Fiction


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New Young Adult Books to Read | October 16

Are you an avid reader of Young Adult books? This week you are in luck! With all of these new novels, you’re bound to find a new favorite book to add to your reading list. This week includes new novels from bestselling authors PC Cast, Jessica Cluess, Tahereh Mafi, and many more. Enjoy your new young adult books. Happy reading!



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New Biography and Memoir Books to Read | October 16

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 novels from Busy Philipps, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Tina Turner, and more. Enjoy your new biography and memoir books. Happy reading!



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The Story Behind Still Not Into You by Nicole Snow

By Nicole Snow

I like my romance with a heaping shower of sparks. And my, my, my did I catch the flint just right when I set out to put Skylar and Gabe's story down on paper (or is it e-ink?) in Still Not Into You.

All the good parts are there.

Growly, damaged beast man with the world's sexist southern drawl meets damaged girl.

Damaged girl doesn't have time for beast-man. Or any man.

They've both got a missing baby girl to save, who just so happens to be Skylar's niece.

Oh, plus Gabe's now her new bodyguard – her boss' orders – after a dangerous twist emerges.

This love story is a study in contrasts. He's a titan with a heart of gold. She's a firecracker in a small package. Deep down, their fears are very different. He's scared of a ticking time bomb left by his family history, and she's been hurt too many times to ever love again.

Fortunately for these two, Cupid is a schemer. It takes a whole lot of crazy drama, enemies-to-lovers chemistry, and a shocking mystery to bring them together. This ride is a heartache and a half, but when the Happily Ever After hits, it may just be an A-bomb.

The little details truly helped bring Sky and Gabe to life. We see heroes with a military background all the time, and this man is no exception, but what about the ladies? I gave Sky a rough and tumble background fitting for her broken glass heart. As for Louisiana boy Gabe, every line of dialogue I read off in his accent just thrilled me to pieces! The wit, the teasing, the sugary sweetness, it's there. You win this round, southern boys.

I can't tell you to rush on over to Amazon and one-click this book...but you should rush the heck over and one-click this book! It's that good. My best book ever. No exaggeration.

Some books hurt when the end finally arrives and the last page is done. This one has that pain, but it's so electric and uplifting and beautiful that I think I've found the new gold standard for all my future works.

Nicole Snow is the author of the new book Still Not Into You. 

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Interview with Alexia Praks, author of Falling for Sakura

What can you tell us about your new release, Falling for Sakura?

Falling for Sakura is a reverse harem romance featuring an orphan Asian American young woman named Sakura and her relationship with the seven Princeton brothers. The story deals with bullying, self-growth, and love. Of course, it has many themes such as the flower Sakura as well, which is continuous throughout the book and signifies the transient of things in life and nothing ever lasts.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I’ve read lots of romance books and one day just decided that I’ll write my own and share them with everyone. There wasn’t really anyone who inspired me to become an author. It just felt right at the time to start writing.

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

Now that I think back, there wasn’t really any best books in my list since there are so many of them. Although recently I tend to read a lot of manga, the Japanese, Chinese, and Korean ones because they’re unique, at last to me anyway. My favorite is Adekan manga by Tsukiji Nao. The art is simply beautiful and the storylines are unique, mixing mystery with human’s behavior such as how far one would go just for their loved one etc. My other current favorite is Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, a Chinese novel, manga, and now anime series. It’s a Boys Love but the storyline is simply amazing. It’s almost like Game of Throne but Chinese version with lots of beautiful boys and the use of magic. It’s a Xianxia/Wuxia so it’s right up my alley as I grew up watching a lot of that stuff. Although I must admit that Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation gets a bit dark at certain points but the art is simply divine to look at, especially in the anime version.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

I get to bring my imagination into the written format so that I can share what's in my head with everyone. LOL!

What is a typical day like for you?

My typical day is waking up at around 10 am (I’m not a morning person). I’d have something to eat and then check my emails (fans and work), Facebook, and Wattpad (I post some of my first drafts MS there). Then I’d start writing for a couple of hours. Then lunch and my routine day walk. After that, I write some more. Then it’s cooking dinner and having dinner at around 6 pm. After dinner, I’d either watch an anime or read a book or manga (depending on my mood). Then I’ll end my night with a bit of editing of that day’s writing. I’d be sleeping at around 1 or 2 am. LOL! I’m kind of a night owl.

What scene in Falling for Sakura was your favorite to write?

There are many favorite scenes in the Falling for Sakura trilogy, but I guess my top is when Sakura first met the seven Princeton brothers and how they’re smitten with the moment they laid their eyes on her. I had so much fun writing that scene, but of course, I love every moment when writing the trilogy.

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

I don’t particularly have any motto, quote or philosophy that I live by. I just take it day by day. But I guess I’m always like I’ll live my life the way I want to live it according to me and not according to anyone else’s. That’s why I read what I want to read and write what I want to write not because it’s what popular now but because I want to, I like it, and it feels right to me. Ultimately, I’m a little weird because what I like most of the time is not on trend nor is it popular. I favor uniqueness and meaning over popularity.

Alexia Praks is the author of the new book Falling for Sakura

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Interview with Sonia Parin, author of The Last Dance

What can you tell us about your new release, The Last Dance?

For this story, I plucked out one of my had-to-be-there moments. As an art student, I remember gatecrashing an opening night for a Picasso exhibition. I’d bumped into a renowned artist who’d been a mentor and teacher. He had a golden ticket and by the time we reached the entrance, he also had several plus ones latched onto him. “She’s with me… and she’s with me…”

This is the fifth book in A Dear Abby Cozy Mystery series. The story, like every other story I’ve written, is geared toward providing lighthearted entertainment. The series is set in a small town populated by quirky characters who serve as props for Abby Maguire’s adventures. She’s a newspaper reporter. After she lost her job in Seattle, she trekked half way around the world to work in a small town newspaper and, since her arrival, she has developed a knack for stumbling upon dead bodies.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

Every book I’ve ever read made me want to be an author. Also, when I was fifteen, my English teacher encouraged me to pursue a career in writing. I remember my answer being a resounding “‘Huh?!” At the same time, my Art teacher pushed me to study art. I followed that path. Even as I received awards and was headhunted by galleries, I spent most of my time reading and writing. I’d always been the kid looking out the window and daydreaming. So, it made sense to do it.

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

There are too many to count, but some do stand out more than others.

Wild Orchids - Jude Deveraux. It sat on my bookshelf unread for a long while. I simply couldn’t get into it. Now it’s one of the books I re-read every year.

L’Assommoir - Emile Zola. One of the best “classics” I’ve read. However, once was enough (too depressing).

The World According to Garp - John Irving. This author has always appealed to my sense of the bizarre. I love the way he scratches the surface and finds it lurking within every normal person.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or The Night of the Iguana (I can’t decide) - Tennessee Williams. I went through a long-lasting phase of reading plays.

The Convenient Marriage - Georgette Heyer. Actually, I love all her books.

Anything by Ernest Hemingway… Oh, that’s six…

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

Probably Jane Austen and I’d want to know if she ever came up with an idea for a character or a story she knew would never see the light of day. Also, after giving her a rundown on modern society, I’d ask what type of book she would be inclined to write now. I wouldn’t be surprised if she gave me a similar plot-line to A Clockwork Orange. Finally, assuming she’s kept up with her reading (in which case, she would not have given a similar plot-line to A Clockwork Orange), I’d like to know: if she had the chance to be reincarnated as an author, which one would she choose to be?

What's your favorite thing about writing?

Everything. Mostly, the entertainment factor. As a panster, I only ever have a vague idea of how a story will end. A couple of times, I’ve reached the end of the book and not known who the killer was going to be.

Giving characters their individual voices.

Deciding what to put into a story and what to leave out. I strongly believe a reader doesn’t need to be told absolutely everything.

Writing dialogue.

What is a typical day like for you?

My days are filled with swashbuckling battles with everything that wants to interfere with my writing. Basically, I hit the ground running early. Sometimes, I wonder why I even bother going to sleep since I’m going to get up so early because the next scene needs to be written.

What scene in The Last Dance was your favorite to write?

I try to make each scene entertaining. Keeping it simple is hard work and I like to reward myself with a chuckle - Abby Maguire’s arrival at the Venetian Ball delivered the most amusement for me.

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

I included this one in a story I’m working on: “Regret is not an ingredient for a life well lived.” I mostly adhere to the idea that if something isn’t fun, then it’s not worth doing. Stay on course… If something I write makes me laugh, then it might make someone else laugh and if my stories can do that, then my job is done.

Sonia Parin is the author of the new book The Last Dance

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