Author Spotlight Interview: Greg Holman
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on January 21, 2020
In today’s author interview, we chat with serial entrepreneur Greg Holman, who in the past has treated Hidden Gems subscribers to both his books – Bill Houston Rags to Riches and Billy Houston: Fall from Grace. Splitting his time between Noosa, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, and the idyllic beaches of Thailand, Greg has used his lifetime of experience in building businesses to create a vividly realistic and visceral tale with the ups and downs of Australian/American entrepreneur Billy. HG: Hi Greg! So, in a nutshell for readers – how would YOU describe yourself? GH: I’m a serial entrepreneur full of imagination and ideas – and always looking for new challenges! I’ve lived an interesting and challenging life with ups and downs. After selling my last business in 2017 to a public-listed company I decided to retire from corporate life forever. I got sick of living a life of wearing… Read More >
The Hottest Romances of 2019
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on January 14, 2020
Romance is always one of the most popular genres of books for subscribers to Hidden Gems, and 2019 had literally hundreds of romance books offered to our readers. With 2019 wrapped up, we’ve gone through and identified 12 of the hottest romance novels our subscribers enjoyed. Now, there’s a little wiggle room behind the science of how these books were chosen – roughly one per month, based on overall Amazon review score – but I don’t think anybody will deny that they’re some of the best romance books on Amazon; and thanks to the author’s of these books working with us, all of them were sent to Hidden Gems subscribers for free – sometimes ahead of their publication date! The Road to Solace by Samantha A. Cole Author Samantha Cole has a legion of fans, but took a different direction with this story; which stands alone from her other popular series…. Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Cora Foerstner
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on January 7, 2020
This week we speak with author Cora Foerstner, the creative talent behind the Fortinbras Files series. A self-proclaimed eccentric, Cora was crazy enough to sit down with us to chat about her inspirations, motivations, and what she’s working on next. HG: So, first question – who ARE you? How does Cora Foerstner describe herself? CF: That’s a complicated question. As with all people, the things I’ve done and been have shaped the person I am. I travel and lived in South America; I’ve owned and run businesses; I’ve taught English at the university level; I raised four children. The person I was when I was twenty probably wouldn’t recognize the current me. However, I’m basically the same person I’ve always been. I’m an introvert, who can sometimes act like an extrovert. Teaching probably has a lot to do with that. Speaking in public and teaching forced me to be more… Read More >
5 Holiday Classics – As You’ve Never Seen Them Before!
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on December 31, 2019
In Iceland, there’s a Christmas Eve tradition called “Jolabokaflod” – in which you’re allowed to unwrap one specific present early; a book which you can then curl with and read on the long, winter’s night. It sounds delightful – and inspired us to look up some unexpected holiday classics that you might like to read to your family in front of a crackling, log fire. For me, the holidays isn’t just about eggnog, presents, and listening to my uncles discuss politics for three hours. It’s also an opportunity to indulge in some classic holiday capers on the small screen – like the best Christmas movie ever made; Die Hard. But unfortunately, Die Hard isn’t exactly the most family-friendly movie to curl up with the kids to watch – and, in fact, many other favorites are a little suspect today. I watched Home Alone with my kids the other day and… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Matthew E. Nesheim
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on December 24, 2019
Today’s author interview is with Matthew E. Nesheim, author of The City Above and Below. The first in the Song of the Weaver series, Matthew’s writing has won the immediate attention of sci-fi fans, including David Bowen, of MAYDAY magazine, who compared Matthew’s work to that of Patrick Rothfuss, or Ronald D. Moore, the writer of Battlestar Galactica. We were excited to ask Matthew about his inspirations and motivations – and find out what he’s working on next. HG: My first question is the most obvious. WHO ARE YOU? How you describe yourself to the world? MN: I’ve wanted to be a professional writer since I was around 13 or 14 years old. I think just how some people (both men and women) believe they can be professional athletes at a young age, I think that’s what I believed with writing, so most of the things I’ve done in… Read More >
5 Out-Of-This-World Science Fiction Stories
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on December 17, 2019
Science fiction has always remained a popular genre, although many readers were once reticent to share their passion for out-of-this-world adventures or speculative science fantasy. Today, though, there’s been a resurgence in the genre – driven by comic book adaptations dominating the box office, and sci-fi shows ruling the roost on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+. In fact, there’s never been a better time to let your nerd flag fly; and that’s why we’ve selected some of the best science fiction books to share with you, as recently reviewed by Hidden Gems subscribers. Fight the Good Fight by Daniel Gibbs We chatted to author Daniel Gibbs just a few weeks ago, so it should probably come as no surprise that his Hidden Gems reader reviews would be good enough to earn him a place on our list of best science fiction books. Subscribers have had the opportunity to read and review… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Ian Dickerson
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on December 10, 2019
Today, we’re continuing our series of author interviews by chatting to Ian Dickerson – who has written amazing guides to some of the most iconic characters in literature and television including The Saint, Sherlock Holmes and The Falcon. Based in beautiful Hampshire, England, Ian kindly spent a bit of time telling us about the unique path that got to see his name in print, attached to some of the fictional characters who inspired and entertained him and thousands of others growing up. HG: So, tell me who YOU are, how you describe yourself! ID: How would I describe myself? Oh, husband, father, writer, juggler… HG: …director, producer, writer… Any other feathers in your cap? Man of mystery? With a furled umbrella and secret, buccaneering dreams? ID: Haha! HG: So, you write books about really cool things – Sherlock Holmes, the Saint, the Falcon. How did you end up doing… Read More >
Women’s Literature Books to Curl Up With This December
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on December 3, 2019
Tis the season for a warm couch and a good book – and we’ve got you covered. In September and October, subscribers to Hidden Gems got the opportunity to read free copies of many books in the Women’s Literature genre, and these were their favorites based on the reviews and engagement the books received. Coming Home by Holly Kerr The first book in the Sisters in a Small Town series, readers of this title were introduced to the larger than life Skatt sisters – five boisterous redheads who fight about everything, but are fiercely loyal to each other. The subject of this book is Brenna – who thought she’d escaped her small-town, Ontario roots for the bright lights of Vancouver; but was brought reluctantly home when her life spectacularly implodes. In classic Skatt fashion, Brenna wastes no time bringing scandal to her hometown as well – but she’s got competition… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Daniel Gibbs
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 26, 2019
This week we chat with Daniel Gibbs – author of the Echoes of War series, which seamlessly blends hard science fiction with deep and emotional questions about faith, morality, and religion. With dozens of rave reviews across the series, Gibbs is fast becoming one of the most respected authors in his genre – and it’s fascinating to learn a little more about the inspirations and process that led him to embark on this epic, galaxy-spanning saga. HG: Okay, so who is Daniel Gibbs? Who is the man behind this star-spanning science fiction saga? DG: An interesting question indeed! I’d say I’m a big time nerd and something of a goof. I love college football (Go Noles!), and have probably a thousand plus sci-fi novels on my various bookshelves, both paperback and hardback. I’m a defense contractor when I’m not writing military science fiction and space opera stories. Getting dangerously close… Read More >
Ten Tumultuous Romance Novels Loved By Our Subscribers
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 19, 2019
The romance genre delivers a constant stream of steamy fiction throughout the year, but this fall Hidden Gems subscribers were treated to a particularly bountiful batch of novels for FREE, to read and review at their leisure. We’ve put together a roundup of 10 of the most loved by our readers, so if you’re looking for a new romance to dig into, this list is a great place to start! Beautifully Broken Spirit by Catherine Cowles One of the best tropes in romance fiction is that of two broken people finding completeness in each other – since it’s an idea that’s so resonant with all of us. In this book, a single mom who looks after stray mustangs has to explore whether or not to pursue a relationship with her best friend – the handsome man who’s been with her through thick and thin, but seems to prefer any other woman… Read More >
