Brooke Fast is a lover of dystopian, fantasy, and all things romance. When she’s not writing new worlds, you can find her curled up on the couch with her husband and their pups in their self-built tiny house in the mountains of Maine. She’ll either be consuming copious amounts of coffee and thumbing through the latest romantasy release or sharing book reviews and writing snippets under her alter-ego, @librarybrookes. 

To Cage a Wild Bird is her first novel. 

Learn more at authorbrookefast.com 

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Writing domestic suspense under the pseudonym Cleo Ballard, Nan Fischer also writes young adult novels, such as When Elephants Fly and The Speed of Falling Objects. Additional author credits include Junior Jedi Knights, a middle grade Star Wars trilogy for LucasFilm, and co-authored sport autobiographies for elite athletes including #1 ranked tennis superstar Monica Seles, Triple Crown race winning jockey Julie Krone, Olympic gold medal speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, legendary gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, and Olympic gold medal gymnasts Nadia Comaneci and Shannon Miller. A graduate of Cornell University and former Traveling Writer for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and Senior Campaign Writer for The University of California, San Francisco, Nan’s articles have appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, The Huffington Post, Powell’s Book Blog, YA Books Central, Germ Magazine, Hypable, and School Library Journal. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Henry, and the spirit of their always lovable Vizsla, Boone. When she’s not conjuring a new commercial fiction novel or thrillers or reading, Nan can be found outdoors, biking, kitesurfing, winging, skiing or planning her family’s next adventure. 

Learn more at nanfischerauthor.com 

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Stephanie Mack is an author, speaker, and podcast host with a passion for the art of great storytelling. Her novels blend women’s fiction and romantic elements with meaningful insights for readers navigating the complexities of modern life. Throughout her career, she has been trusted to craft language for individuals, publications, and Fortune 500 companies. As a podcast host, she has interviewed numerous New York Times bestselling authors and literary stars. Stephanie’s work has also appeared on Scary Mommy, Faithit, Coffee + Crumbs, and more. Stephanie lives in Orange County, California, with her husband and three daughters, balancing motherhood, creativity, and community. She invites readers to connect with her on social media and through her newsletter where she shares book recommendations, behind-the-scenes insights, and conversations about life and womanhood. Her latest novel is TWENTY SOMETHING ELSE. 

Learn more at stephaniemack.com

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Kate Khavari is the USA Today bestselling author of fiction ranging from historical mysteries to high fantasy epics. She has her parents to thank for her fascination for historical mysteries, as she spent the majority of her childhood memorizing Sherlock Holmes’s and Poirot’s greatest quips. A former teacher, Kate has a deep appreciation for research and creativity, not to mention the multitasking ability she now relies on as an author and stay at home mom. She lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas with her husband, children, and a lovely garden that contains absolutely no poisonous plants. Her latest novel is A BOTANTIST’S GUIDE TO TRADITION AND TREACHERY. 

Learn more at kkhavari.com

Special thanks to NetGalley for early previews. 

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What does it take to fold a lifelong career in cardiology into one as a successful thriller writer? 

Dr. Cristina LePort, accomplished cardiologist and Amazon bestselling author, captivates readers with her medical thrillers, which merge her rich medical background with gripping narratives. Cristina’s novels, including Dissection, Change of Heart, and Defrosted offer a unique blend of suspense, medical insight, and ethical exploration. Her journey from Italy to the U.S. and transition from medicine to writing highlights her resilience, intellectual curiosity, and dedication to storytelling. Cristina’s work stands at the crossroads of medicine and literature, engaging readers with tales that resonate with authenticity and depth. Born in Bologna, Italy, she graduated Summa cum Laude from the University of Bologna, completed her internship and Internal Medicine residency at the Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, and her cardiology training at the VA UCLA. She is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Nuclear Cardiology, and is the Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Genescient, a biotech company devoted to genetic research on aging and longevity. She lives in Corona del Mar, Southern California, with her husband Peter. They have 3 children and 3 grandchildren. Her latest novel is DEFROSTED. 

Learn more at cristinaleport.com 

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Jasper Craven is an investigative journalist covering the military and veterans’ issues. His writing has appeared in Harper’s, Politico, The Intercept, The Boston Globe, and The New York Times. He is also a fellow at the Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute.  His latest book is God Forgives, Brothers Don't.

Learn more by following Jasper at @Jasper_Craven on X and @jaspercraving on Instagram. 

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Eloisa has published over 30 historical romances, many of which have hit the bestseller lists. She also wrote a bestselling memoir, Paris in Love, as well as a contemporary novel, Lizzie and Dante. Her books are published in 28 languages and 30 countries, from Slovakia to Sweden. Worldwide, she has approximately 7 million books published in print or electronically. She lives in New York City and Florence, Italy. After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Her "double life” as a professor and romance writer is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report. Her latest novel is THE LAST LADY B. Learn more at eloisajames.com

Special thanks to NetGalley for early previews. 

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Debut novelist Andrew Forrester is a writer and former English teacher whose work has appeared in McSweeney's and Parents magazine. He holds a PhD in nineteenth-century British literature and lives in Austin, Texas, with his family. How the Story Goes is his first novel.

Learn more at andrewforresterbooks.com

Special thanks to NetGalley for early previews. 

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Kate Clark Stone’s fiction features strong and vulnerable heroines, a lot of heart, and endless love for flyover states. Kate attended her first Indianapolis 500 at six years old and wrote her first book at eleven. A former attorney, Kate relishes watching fast cars, swimming and paddling sports, the Oxford comma, and traveling here/there/everywhere.  Kate lives in southeastern Tennessee with her husband, children, and two very good dogs. While Kate has lived in the South for decades, she is and will forever be a Hoosier at heart.  Her debut novel is called THE LAST SUNDAY IN MAY.  

Learn more at kateclarkstone.com 

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Jennifer Chiaverini   is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-six novels, including critically acclaimed historical fiction and the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series. In addition to her novels, Jennifer has created six collections of quilt patterns inspired by her books. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago, she lives with her husband and two sons in Madison, Wisconsin. About her historical fiction, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, "In addition to simply being fascinating stories, these novels go a long way in capturing the texture of life for women, rich and poor, black and white, in those perilous years." Her latest novel is THE PATCHWORK PLAYERS. 

Learn more at jenniferchiaverini.com 

Special thanks to NetGalley for early previews. 

Jennifer Chiaverini has been combining two analog hobbies since 1999: Reading and Quilting. Chiaverini’s bestselling series, Elm Creek Quilts, centers around Elm Creek Manor and the generations of quilters who practice their craft there. Through quilting, characters build beautiful relationships, face difficult truths, and learn more about themselves in the process.

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