Josie Banks by Rhys Bowen

Let me say right away that six months ago I could never have imagined the life I’m leading now. There I was, stuck in a life I didn’t particularly want, with a husband I didn’t particularly want either, to be honest, trying to make a nice home for him and all the...

Sally Solari by Leslie Karst

I’m truly not all that competitive. Really, I’m not. But something about my father tends to bring out that not-so-lovable trait in me whenever the two of us are together. Maybe it’s because I have unresolved issues with being an only child and not having experienced...

Maddie Swallows by Kat Bellemore

I wake up in a strange bed. A house that’s not mine. An empty place next to me where my husband used to lie. Ex-husband, I remind myself. I’m back in my hometown, my two teenagers sleeping down the hall. When I glance at my phone I see four missed calls, all from my...

Ellie Carr by Lisa Black

I could say that it started out as an ordinary day, but that’s not entirely true. Evidence Response Team (think CSI) is a peripheral duty at the FBI, which means I’m usually following paper trails in Organized Crime and only sometimes get to snap photos and pull out...

Miranda Trent by Cheryl Hollon *plus giveaway*

Hi there, I’m Miranda Trent, owner of a cultural tourist business in the back-hills countryside of Eastern Kentucky. This is my service: I guide tourists up a mountain trail, usually an easy hike because we’re carrying art supplies. Then I instruct them in a group...

Elena Hartwell and Writing

One of the best aspects of working from home is flexibility of schedule. I love having freedom to plan my day based on mood, inspiration, and my to-do list. And the weather. It may seem weird that a writer considers weather, but I’ll explain that further down....