Kindle Worlds

Relationships aren’t always what they seem. At least, not in Aleatha Romig’s Infidelity series, a new Kindle World opening today. The Infidelity Corporation’s clients are exclusive and successful – CEOs, politicians, and high-profile artists. Though its name implies otherwise, Infidelity turns its single clients into happy couples, and it also promises that their friends and family will never know how they really met. Aleatha is here to tell us more:

When I began Betrayal, the first of the Infidelity series, I had no idea how twisted my world would become. I immediately fell in love with Alexandria "Charli" Collins, her strength and perseverance. I was intrigued by Lennox "Nox" Demetri and his dominating yet protective ways. I loved that together they had one week of pleasure, and thanks to Alexandria's family, it was extended. The angst and conflict that pushed her to pursue Infidelity, to go beyond her comfort zone to pursue the life she wanted, was exciting and new.

Bringing her and Lennox back together was always my goal. What I never imagined was their connection, and how each of their pasts would work together to make them what they are today.

Infidelity is so much more than Lennox and Alexandria. It is the saga of betrayal, deception, entrapment and fidelity that has marked their families for generations. It is the history of the Demetris, the Montagues, the Fitzgeralds, and even the Spencers. It is the stars aligning so that one day, love would overcome.

Whether you chose to concentrate on Infidelity -- a company that creates relationships for the outside to see -- or delve into the blue bloods of Savannah or the families of New York, I’m so excited to see where you will take the Infidelity world.

Romance stories come in many forms, but those that feature wedding bells, accidental pregnancies, or Happily Ever Afters are some of the most exciting. Today, Kindle Worlds is launching Sex, Vows & Babies from the duo writing as Fiona Davenport.

In their own words:

We are incredibly excited to open up a Kindle World based upon the Sex & Vows and Yeah, Baby series. When we began the adventure of writing together as Fiona Davenport, we never realized our journey would take us to this point. We’d been critique partners for about a year and shared similar tastes in what we read. We thought it would be fun to write some sexy stories together, and then quickly became addicted to writing together. With character crossovers in several books, the Sex & Vows and Yeah, Baby worlds are already intertwined, and the Sex, Vows & Babies Kindle World only solidifies that.

We’ve both greatly enjoyed writing in other author’s Kindle Worlds, and we are blown away by the opportunity to be on the other side of the curtain by opening the Sex, Vows & Babies world. We can hardly wait to read the stories published in our world. To see where other authors take our characters. For readers to experience them in a new way and to discover new-to-them authors. For authors to find inspiration from characters we’ve fallen in love with.

There’s plenty of material for authors to choose from when writing in the Sex, Vows & Babies world. Over-the-top alphas and sassy heroines abound. Set your story in small towns or big cities like California or New York. Billionaires, architects, spies, lawyers, hackers, surgeons, dancers, and even adult toy shop workers are all waiting for the chance to find their happy ending. The possibilities for love are endless.

We hope the authors who choose to write in our world have as much fun as we have writing together as Fiona Davenport.

Ancient cities, mysterious creatures, lost treasure – these are some of the elements that make up a great adventure story. In David Wood’s Dane Maddock Adventure series, Dane and his team travel the globe to unravel Earth’s most incredible mysteries. Now, fans can unlock infinite new secrets and embark on quests of their own. To learn more about the World and upload your own story, visit the Dane Maddock submission page.

Author David Wood joins us to discuss opening his Dane Maddock universe to Kindle Worlds:

I’ve always loved adventure. I was fascinated by classic tales like The Lost World, and pulp adventures like the Doc Savage series. Indiana Jones mesmerized me, as did heroes Allan Quatermain. I devoured books about Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and other myths, legends, and ancient mysteries. While working my way through college by delivering pizza, I filled my hours on the road with audiobooks like Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt series, and the early works of such great writers as James Rollins, Douglas Preston, and Lincoln Child. When I finally decided to try my hand at writing, it was only natural that all of those loves would influence my work. The result was the Dane Maddock series.

The success of the Dane Maddock series has been both exciting and humbling, and it has shown me how many people are still hungry for the sort of fast-paced, entertaining adventure story so many of us grew up with. Looking at the success of video games like Uncharted and Tomb Raider, and television shows like The Librarians, maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise.

I’m now thrilled to have the opportunity to share the adventure with a wealth of authors and readers. The Dane Maddock series, and its Jade Ihara, Myrmidon Files, and Bones Bonebrake spinoffs, offer a diverse cast of characters and countless possibilities for new adventures. I hope you’ll come along for the ride!

David Wood

Today, we are excited to launch a new Kindle World for fans to write in: Karpov Kinrade’s Vampire Girl. For those who haven’t yet discovered the magic of Vampire Girl, this World will appeal to fans of mystery, adventure, romance, and so much more. To welcome you, here are the authors in their own words:

What begins in a very normal, contemporary world, quickly spirals into something entirely different. It's Alice's fall down the rabbit hole, or discovering the wardrobe to Narnia, or running through Platform 9 ¾. It's that magical portal many of us in our secretest of hearts are still waiting to discover, because deep down we know it exists and is just waiting for us, for our special kind of untapped magic. We wanted to give ourselves and our readers a fantasy they could escape into. A fantasy that would capture their imagination and take them on an adventure that would leave them breathless and filled with wonder. And if the reader response is any indication, it seems we succeeded.

Now, the portal is in your hands. Now, you get to decide what happens next. Is there an Inferna Realm you want to explore more? Is there a Prince of Hell you want more time with? Is there an untapped storyline with the Fae you have ideas for? Now, Vampire Girl is yours to play in. It's our way of creating that magic portal we've all been waiting for. You are the hero. You get to tell your story. You get to step through the enchanted mirror and choose where you want to go.

We are excited for our readers to become the writers. We are excited to see the hopes and ideas this series has inspired spill into new stories and fill up blank pages and make a new kind of magic for those writing and reading them. Let the adventures begin.

Dum Spiro Spero (While I breathe, I hope),

Lux and Dmytry Karpov Kinrade

What happens when you mix a little science fiction, some paranormal, and a lot of romance? Magic happens. Magic, New Mexico.

Today marks the launch of S.E. Smith’s Magic, New Mexico universe on Kindle Worlds. To share how it all began, and where it could go, S.E. provides ingisht into the motivation around opening Magic, New Mexico to the universe:

When I first wrote Magic, New Mexico I never expected to fall in love with the world that I was building the way I did. I love Science Fiction, but I also love paranormal. This world is a combination of those two loves where my, and your, imagination is the only limit. Imagine a town full of paranormal creatures living their daily lives just as everyone else does. Vampires who are best friends with werewolves and garden trolls; shape-shifters who run track; Genies who work down at the local diner, and more. Mix in an alien world where dozens of star systems work and live together; create a magical portal between the two worlds and you have – Magic that is out of this world! Now, I have a chance to share this world with others who can add their stories to create an incredibly rich world filled with action, adventure, suspense, humor, and romance!  What is not to love about that?

Now it is your turn to write new chapters into the history of Magic, New Mexico. To get your writing started, here is how it all began:

When Star Ranger Frost is sent to Earth on a mission to capture a deadly fugitive, he has no idea he will be the most normal one of the bunch when he lands outside of Magic, New Mexico. To make matters more interesting, when he falls in love with Lacey, a very powerful witch, it opens the door between his world and the residents of Magic. Now the magical town and an alien world have created an exciting and unusual mix for love to happen. What incredible stories can you create when out-of-this-world aliens meet the magical inhabitants of Magic, New Mexico?

It’s an exciting day for Kindle Worlds with Melody Anne opening her Billionaire Universe to fans. In case you’re new to the Billionaire Universe, let’s get you up to speed:

Patriarch, Founder and CEO of The Anderson Corporation, Joseph Anderson has decided it’s time for his three successful sons to find brides. Joseph wants grandchildren to fill his mansion, and he wants them immediately. Lucas and his brothers Alex and Mark are successful in all areas of life, except love, and Joseph begins matchmaking. The Andersons are a well-known family who offer laughter, love, and support to each person they meet. Their love of family, shows in every aspect of their lives. They aren’t only rich and successful, but also kind and giving.

George Anderson, Joseph’s Twin Brother, also needs help in getting his stubborn children married off. He sees how happy all of Joseph's children have become, so he in lists the help of his twin. The two waste no time and start the meddling all over again. All in the name of love and family.

In addition to the plot background, Melody Anne shares more about opening the Billionaire Universe:

I am so excited to open up my own Kindle World. Wow, what a new and exciting adventure this will be. I have had so many fans tell me what the characters in my books mean to them, and I’ve even had some write some short stories. I will be thrilled to see what new adventures my characters get into, especially the Andersons. To have my stories created in new worlds is beyond exciting. It means the characters will live on forever.

When I began this adventure, I never realized the scope of how far it could go. Kindle Worlds is something that is new and exciting and there’s so much to be explored within the different universes that it shares. I can’t wait to bring in my family and friends, and people I’ve yet to meet and share this love of writing with them all. As a new author it can be quite scary sometimes to figure out the correct path to take. That’s why Kindle Worlds is so amazing. You don’t have to think of an entire storyline, you get to write from people you already love. I can’t wait to see what happens and what stories come out of this.

Melody Anne

We can see the story wheels starting to turn and that is exciting!  What Billionaire Universe story will you publish?

Romance blooms in the mind of Carolyn Brown, with each new book welcoming readers into their warm embrace. Today we are excited to partner with her and open the Blame it on Texas Kindle World to fans, continuing Carolyn’s tradition of welcoming fans into her stories. As you prepare to expand the Texas landscapes contained within her books, we’d like to share more from Carolyn about her Kindle World:

I’m delighted to open the Blame it on Texas World for new writers and hope they have as much fun writing about finding love in Texas as I do with every book I write. Location has been an important inspiration in my books and I’ve found that visiting my Texas canyon during all the seasons was amazing. Seeing how things looked with wild flowers in bloom, with snow drifts against the formations, with the first sprigs of green grass in the spring and the hot summer heat blowing in my face gave me an in depth look at each phase of the canyon’s beauty. It’s a harsh world but one that begs to be opened up for romance and love in the stark beauty of the canyon and the hard work in that area. Whether it’s a soldier who’s come home with battle scars or a young bride coming to the canyon for the first time, it’s a place to begin, to start a new life, to enjoy the daisies and the solitude that can only be found in the canyon. It’s a place to make new friends and cherish those who support you in everyday life and where you can walk through cemeteries and remember old friends who carved out a living in a world of dried up creek beds and cattle.

Sometimes in the still of the night, you can hear the birds calling out or the tree frogs and the crickets working together to bring you a concert. Often in the middle of their concerto, you can hear the bawling of a new baby calf or maybe the wind rustling through the mesquite and scrub oak as if using their gnarly old branches as musical instruments.

It’s a community within itself, where neighbors are there for each other in good times and in bad times. Where they gather up for barn parties and cattle working days. It’s where the men respect their women, both for their independence and for their love. And where the women are sassy and tough and respect their men folks for the hard work they put into digging a living out of the red clay that too often is unyielding.

A World of surprises and love awaits in the Palo Duro Canyon of the Texas panhandle. Loretta, a woman who took the ultimate second chance on love to find her happy ever after, is the only person still around who’s inclined to like her neighbor, Ezra. The eccentric rancher sent each of his ex-wives packing when they bore him daughters instead of sons. But when Ezra dies on his neighboring ranch, his three daughters are summoned to the funeral of a father they never knew. His will states that they all must live on the ranch together for one year, and if any one of them leaves, that one can have her inheritance money but not the ranch. Blame it on Texas takes place in the hard world of ranching where love can be found in a land that barely nurtures wild flowers. Where happy ever after might have to jump through hoops to be attained, but is oh so sweet when it arrives.

It’s there in the Palo Duro Canyon that people come to live. Sometimes they stay; sometimes the loneliness drives them away, but once they’ve gotten a taste of the peace there, it stays with them forever. Whether they come back or not, they will never forget the experience of living in the canyon.

No matter where the writing takes you as you explore Palo Duro, I invite you to create new love stories that will leave readers “blaming it on Texas.”

Carolyn Brown

Welcome to Barefoot Bay, the newest Kindle World open for your fan-fiction. To prepare you for the world you’re about to enter, we’ve asked Roxanne St. Claire to show you around:

Who doesn’t love a beach read? I discovered four years ago, when I first introduced the fictional world of Barefoot Bay to my readers, that there is tremendous demand for books set in a beautiful, warm, tropical world.  Over the years, I have lovingly created the people, places, and events on a lush island situated off the Gulf Coast of Florida.  What started as one woman’s journey to recover from a devastating hurricane has bloomed into nearly fifteen books and a community of friends and family. The readership as grown as quickly as Barefoot Bay, which started as a sleepy inlet on Mimosa Key and now includes an upscale resort, a small baseball stadium, a harbor, a museum, thousands of homes, and even a precious goat farm. There are billionaires, brides, bodyguards, baseball players, resort staff, local personalities, sunken treasure, wild teenagers, hot cops, competing newspapers, and gorgeous places to live, love, and laugh.

Barefoot Bay is a picturesque inlet nestled along a Gulf of Mexico barrier island known as Mimosa Key.  This twelve mile stretch of tropical paradise features an elegant high-end resort and spa, a budding minor league baseball franchise, and a delightful small beach town with quaint shops and good gossip. After a hurricane nearly wipes out the northern half of the island, four women join forces to change to the face of Barefoot Bay by building Casa Blanca Resort & Spa, which attracts wealthy vacationers and destination weddings.  Barefoot Bay is a vibrant and layered community of friends, families, enemies, and lovers that is now open to for writers to step in and make it the home for their characters and stories.  This world is full of potential for romance, mystery, intrigue, and drama all set on sun-drenched shores that are familiar to and beloved by thousands of readers of Roxanne St. Claire’s long running Barefoot Bay series.

The potential to incorporate Barefoot Bay settings and characters into any genre of fiction is limited only by a writer’s imagination.  Whether an author writes romance, mystery, women’s fiction, suspense, thrillers, young adult, new adult, police procedurals, or even paranormal, the existing world of Barefoot Bay offers a perfect universe full of color, beauty, serenity, and secrets.  The “heavy lifting” has been done in creating the community that waits for authors to bring their characters and stories to life without worrying about the work of building the world from scratch.  

Years ago, I participated in several “continuity” series launched by Harlequin Books.  I discovered then how easy and fun it was to take an existing world and use it, and some of the characters, to tell my own stories.  Using that concept in this Kindle Worlds program, I am providing authors with a comprehensive and detailed “series bible” that supplies all the information about locations, characters, timelines, and the stories that already exist.  In addition, I am committed to using all my resources to promote the Barefoot Bay Kindle Worlds books to my large and growing readership.  I want it to be easy and fun for authors to kick off their shoes and step into the world of Barefoot Bay.  And I want it to be a blast for the readers!

I plan to continue writing in the world for the foreseeable future, to meet the demands for my readers for more Barefoot Bay books. But I can only write so fast! I know readers are going to gobble up more stories set on their favorite island with appearances from their beloved characters and a chance to meet new ones.  

I can’t wait to read, share, and promote stories in the Barefoot Bay Kindle World.

Roxanne St. Claire

Today we are thrilled to join with Celia Kyle and announce the opening of Celia’s Grayslake world. Now readers of the Grayslake universe can transform their passion into shape-shifting fan-fiction romances and share them with other fans. Celia shares more about her decision to open the Grayslake world:

From the moment I began talking with Kindle Worlds, I could hardly contain my excitement. Finally, more of my characters would get their happily ever afters. Maybe not the futures I envisioned, but they’ll have lives that are just as diverse and exciting as the authors who write those stories. It’s an amazing feeling to see those characters—some almost as dear to me as my cats and I love them a lot—come to life through another author’s words and imagination. To get your ideas started, here is a little bit about Grayslake:

Even the growliest of men need love. Grayslake is home to the alpha shifter Abrams brothers who—along with their friends and occasional enemies—fight for their lives, their future, and their mates. And more than just finding love in the unlikeliest of places, these ferocious men find their perfect matches. And when they realize they’re not just mated, they’re in love, they’ll battle to the death to keep it... Lead these alpha males, and their luscious mates, to Grayslake and beyond.

It’ll be a wild ride to read someone else’s books, but I can’t wait to dive in and find out more about my own characters and what the future could hold for them.

Celia Kyle

 I came up with the idea for the Sydney Rye series while working as a dog walker on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It was the strangest job; I had keys to these incredible apartments and got to know the dogs who lived in them very well, but I never met the owners.

As a voracious mystery reader it was obvious to me that this dynamic was a great premise for an amateur detective. What I didn’t know was that my character, Joy Humbolt, wasn’t willing to stay on the Upper East Side solving mysteries. In fact, just solving the crime wasn’t nearly enough for her. She needed to avenge them.

Following my character opened a whole world to me. Together, along with her giant wolf dog, Blue, we’ve righted wrongs in India, Mexico, Costa Rica, China, the USA, and Europe. 

Opening the Sydney Rye World to other writer’s is a dream come true. It is inspiring to see how authors I respect so much interpret my world. How they see my characters, who I think of as my closest friend. It’s surprising and challenging and everything you want out of anything. Writing fiction is usually a very solitary profession but Kindle World makes it communal. 

I think any author, even those who have never published, are trying to touch someone else. They want the reader to feel that their story is real, to believe in the characters and the world they’ve created. 

As readers we all want to get sucked into a book, have it grab us and not let go until the last page. Is there any better feeling than ignoring your life and all it’s responsibilities by curling up with a good book? 

My goal with the Sydney Rye series was to disrupt people’s lives, to keep them up all night, to make the dirty dishes pile up in the sink because they couldn’t take their eyes off Sydney Rye and her giant dog, Blue. Over the last three years I’ve gotten that response from tens of thousands of readers. And I still strive for it with everything I write.

In all my imaginings of how my writing career would progress I never thought about the idea of other authors taking on my characters until I heard about Kindle World. Then I decided it was the new high I wanted. It was the pinnacle. For my world to be so engrossing that it inspires others to write in it is the ultimate to me. Drop the mic. Done.

Welcome to the world of Sydney Rye: 

Joy Humbolt is a hot tempered and stubborn young woman living in Brooklyn. Lost, she finds herself adopting a half wolf shelter dog and drinking a little too much. When circumstances lead her to solve and avenge her brother’s murder she knew it would change her, that she’d be a killer after it was done, that she would be running from danger for the rest of her life, and the only way to survive would be to change her name and become Sydney Rye. What she didn’t realize was that her single act of defiance would spawn a global movement, the Joyful Justice Vigilant Network, and bring her in touch with a like-minded, brilliant team who will stop at nothing to see the evils of the world stopped. There are powerful stories of people rising up to fight against injustice. What wrongs will you right? 

I can’t wait to see what writers will do with Sydney Rye, Blue and all the other characters fighting for justice in my series. I’m dying to meet the new characters who will be created. The new locations that will be explored. Ack, it’s so exciting! 

I also can’t wait to meet the readers and writers who decide to join me, Sydney and Blue on this adventure. Thank you to all the authors launching my world with me, to all my readers for “getting it”, to Amazon Kindle Worlds for creating a place where we can build a community, share our stories, and make friends.

Want to heat up your weekend? Desiree Holt's Omega Team definitely adds spark to romance. And now, with the opening of The Omega Team on Kindle Worlds, fans can share their own heroic romances. Here is more from Desiree about the newest Kindle Worlds:

 Opening up the world of The Omega Team is an exciting venture for me. There are so many possibilities to develop stories and expand the world. Giving birth to an idea is like giving birth to a child. You are excited when it is born, nervous about its development and you hope everyone will love it as much as you do. Then you get excited again when it takes its first successful steps.

 When a writer creates a world in his or her mind, they have very definite visions for how they want that world to develop. But allowing others to expand on those ideas and to bring new and fresh ones to the concept is a wonderful and fulfilling process. As the originator of a world an author sees multiple possibilities, but I am thrilled at the opportunity to see the direction in which other authors will take my world.

 One of the most exciting things is creating the original concept, setting flexible parameters and then see where other authors take it—what new characters will they introduce, where will they take it geographically, how complex will the plots be that they come up with?

 There are many authors out there who will see the description of the world, it will trigger something in their imagination and they will come up with a unique plot to enrich the world. Welcome to the world of The Omega Team:

Former Delta Force team leader Grey Holden came from a long line of military who believed the important thing was getting the job done, not your ego. They called themselves Omega Men. Athena Madero, left the police department angry at all the restrictions she faced as she tried to fight crime. They collided, literally, when both were working a covert investigation, the resolution of which resulted in the birth of The Omega Team. Others will join them as the agency expands its scope of activities, everything from hostage negotiation to hostage rescue to industrial espionage to fighting drug cartels to threats to national security. They will be led by Grey and Athena, whose passion for their work is only rivaled by their passion for each other. Welcome to a series that combines high danger with intense passion and heady romance. Are you ready to play?

 I’m excited at the opportunity to bring a brand new setting to thousands of readers out there, those who follow other authors in addition to my own readers, to get their feedback and to see just how much this world can be enriched and expanded. It will be thrilling to watch this concept grow beyond any boundaries I can imagine and see the electrifying places other authors will take the concept of The Omega Team.

Thanks for reading, thanks for writing, and thanks for being a part of The Omega Team.

Desiree Holt

It’s another exciting day in the universe of Kindle Worlds. Today we are excited to open the Montana Sky World with customer favorite Debra Holland. Authors are invited to explore the old western towns of Sweetwater Springs and Morgan’s Crossing, Montana. To get you started, we’ve asked Debra to introduce the world:

I’ve been excited about opening a Montana Sky Kindle World ever since I heard about the possibility in 2014. But I knew I wasn’t ready to do my own world at that time. I had a few books I wanted to finish first, including Mail-Order Brides of the West: Prudence, which would open up the mining camp of Morgan’s Crossing, giving authors a larger scope for their stories.

Before opening this world, I thought about whether I could let go of the characters and towns I’ve created. Once I decided I could adopt a “hands-off” approach, I felt ready to jump into this opportunity and have fun!I hope that you’ll join me and give more life to the Montana Sky series. Let me help you get started:

Welcome to Sweetwater Springs and Morgan’s Crossing, Montana, where the prairie meets the mountains. Life is hard in this frontier land, but the sense of community is strong, and the beauty of the natural surroundings is uplifting. Newcomers are made welcome and a helping hand is always there for neighbors in need. Whether you are writing during the earlier years of Sweetwater Springs, or later on when the town is growing, including a fancy new hotel for guests to stay, or you chose to set your book in the small mining town of Morgan’s Crossing (two days out of Sweetwater Springs), you will find plenty of space to include your own stories and characters.

The Montana Sky books (which includes the Mail-Order Brides of the West series) range from stirring, sweeping frontier romances to small, heartfelt stories of an individual overcoming obstacles and loss. But what is next? It’s up to you!

- Debra Holland

We are pleased to welcome Stephanie Bond’s second Kindle World today, Southern Roads. Could there be a better way to kick off the month of romance than with the residents of Sweetness finding love? Here is more about the world from Stephanie:

In the Southern Roads romance series, three brothers unite to rebuild their hometown in the remote Georgia mountains that was obliterated ten years ago by a F-5 tornado. They assemble an army of men and things are going fine until the men threaten mutiny because of the lack of women. Desperate, the brothers decide to advertise for “100 women with a pioneering spirit” to help them rebuild their town. An army of men plus 100 willing women equals lots of romance and matchmaking! But there are other elements afoot: The 100 women are mostly northern and the army of men are mostly southern, so can you say fireworks when the two groups clash? Here is more about the world of Southern Roads:

Ten years ago, a tornado obliterated the remote town of Sweetness in the Georgia mountains. The three Armstrong brothers had deep roots there and now have reunited to rebuild their town with an army of ex-military men. In the beginning, they made great progress, but then the men threatened mutiny from the lack of women. Desperate, the brothers place an ad for “100 women with a pioneering spirit” willing to help build a community…and they come! Soon Sweetness is a matchmaking town, and the possibilities for romantic adventures are endless: women in need of a change, women reaching a milestone in their life, women starting over, women recovering from a broken heart, women in search of the peace of the outdoors, women looking for a second chance, women in search of their inner steel magnolia…and men, men, men! Who will you send to Sweetness to find their happy ending?

When I wrote the main three books for the Southern Roads series, I had a sense of only skimming the surface of the potential storylines. Indeed, my readers have been pelting me with emails about more books for some characters who didn’t get their happy ending. Developing a series is always a double-edged sword—you hope that readers will become invested in the characters and the setting. But if they do, you run the risk of frustrating readers if the publisher decides to end the series prematurely, which is what happened with Southern Roads. To-date, I’ve written 3 full-length books and 3 novellas for the series, but there are so many more stories waiting to be told! By adding Southern Roads to Kindle Worlds, I’m hoping readers will run with all the loose ends and build the fledgling town of Sweetness into a thriving community. As an author, having Kindle Worlds as an outlet to continue a series is a tremendous opportunity not just to keep the series alive, but to allow readers and other writers to take the series to places I wouldn’t think of. I imagine it’s a bit like sending your child into the world and seeing how other people will build on your parental foundation to shape your child into an adult. I feel good about the groundwork I laid for Southern Roads, and I’m excited to see where readers and writers will take it!

-Stephanie Bond

We are excited to open the doors to the Hope Falls Kindle World and to welcome your love stories set in this small town. Melanie Shawn, author of the Hope Falls series, shares how the story was created and what it means to be able to open the town to your creativity:

   Before one long, hot afternoon in the summer of 2012, Hope Falls did not exist. It sprang to life in a flurry of excited brainstorming and hastily-scrawled notes, and nothing has been the same since. Many people may not know that "Melanie Shawn" is actually more than one person. We're a writing team. Sisters, in fact. Melanie and Shawna.

We've always been on the same wavelength about a most things. We like the same movies, the same TV shows, and the same food. But, in our entire lives, we've never been more in sync than we were on that humid August afternoon when Hope Falls sprang to life through our imaginations and conversation. It flowed out of us in just a couple of hours, fully-formed and detailed, and it felt real. It still does.

From that very first day, we knew that Sue Ann's Cafe was the social center of town. We knew that Amanda had an outdoor adventure park just over the river from downtown. We knew that down-home rancher Henry was the mayor, and the heart, of the community. And we knew, more than anything, that Hope Falls was magic.

When we released Sweet Reunion in November of that year, it felt strange for other people to know about this special place, which had only existed for the two of us (well, and a few beta readers) for the months we'd spent working on the book. Suddenly, Hope Falls was open to the world. It was a scary but oh-so-exhilarating feeling to have people taking a trip to "our" town. We hoped that it would bring them as much joy as it brought us.

Then, as we released more stories about the people in town finding their forever loves, something awesome happened. Hope Falls started to become as real (and as magical) to other people as it was to us. Of course, since, as Edmund Wilson said, "no two persons ever read the same book," everyone who read about Hope Falls had just a little bit different take on the town and the folks who live there--different from us, and different from each other. And we loved that. We still do!

That's why it's especially exciting for us to take this next step, opening up Hope Falls for other authors to write about through Kindle Worlds. Now, other people won't just be reading about Hope Falls, they'll be writing about it, too. Our feelings are much the same as they were when we hit publish on that first book--a tingly mix of anticipation and exhilaration.

Most of all, though, we are just so grateful that this town has touched people. We're honored that people love to read about it, and just as honored that people want to write about it. To get you started:

Nestled high in California’s Sierra Nevadas, Hope Falls is a small town with a big heart. It’s a place where people love and support each other, whether it’s longtime friends like the “Fabulous Four” or close-knit siblings like the Maguires or the Dorseys. Most of all, though, it’s a place where people find their soulmates. From pop superstars and Senators and Olympic athletes to cops and teachers and firefighters, in Hope Falls, everyone who comes to town has a Happily Ever After. Who’s next? Could it be a shop owner? A librarian? A vacationer in town for a relaxing weekend? It’s all up to you!

We can't wait to read what new magic you have in store for the citizens of Hope Falls!

--Melanie Shawn

Today we are pleased to announce the arrival of The Royals of Monterra on Kindle Worlds. To celebrate the launch, we've invited Sariah Wilson to share more about herself and her world with you:

The very first novel-length work I ever wrote was fan fiction. I know what it’s like to love a book or characters so much you want to make up your own stories about them. And when I was approached to add The Royals of Monterra to Kindle Worlds – it was literally one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me. (There was a lot of jumping up and down involved after that phone call.) I love the idea that readers and other authors could take my royal family and their country and create their own stories and characters. I can’t possibly write every story this family has to tell, and so I invite everyone out there to add their ideas and hopes into the mix – to show your take on what happens in a world where modern-day fairy tales, love, romance, honor and an insane amount of wealth meet.

To get started, here is a little bit about The Royals of Monterra:

Nestled in the Alps between Switzerland and Italy, the small kingdom of Monterra is ruled by a loving and loyal family. Thanks to a gypsy promise, the gorgeous and charming royal Fiorellis always know when they have found their true love and partner, and they won’t let anything get in the way of their happily ever after. Along with their friends and extended family members, they travel the world in pursuit of love and adventure. Full of relatable heroines, irresistible heroes and glamorous backdrops, these modern-day fairy tales offer a perfect romantic escape. In a World where money is no object and love conquers all, whose story will you tell?

I can’t wait to read what you come up with, and I hope that everyone will check out the new tales written by some completely amazing readers and authors!

-Sariah Wilson

G.I. JOE fans worldwide had the opportunity to meet four new characters from Kindle Worlds stories to determine which one will become an action figure in 2016. The voting has now ended and the winner is...Stiletto from Bill Nedrow’s third Kindle Worlds novel – G.I. JOE: Body Count! Congratulations Bill!

We would also like to congratulate the other finalists. According to Hasbro “every character received notable support”. Great job Jim Beard, Troy Osgood and Justin Bell!

The four finalists were:

Adventure Team Marcus, from Jim Beard’s G.I. JOE Adventure Team – Mystery of the Sunken Tomb

Cobra Blackjack, from Troy Osgood’s G.I. JOE: Brainstorm

Cobra Whisper, from Justin Bell’s The Price of Peace: Snake Bite

Stiletto, from Bill Nedrow’s G.I. JOE: Body Count

At Kindle Worlds we’re celebrating the holidays by giving away books and Kindles from now through December.

Beginning this Monday (11/9) and continuing through December, the books that inspired some of our most popular Kindle Worlds will be highlighted in our Twitter #kwgiveaway. In addition, every other Friday, we’ll be giving away Kindles up until Friday, December 25th, when we end our sweepstakes by giving away a Kindle Fire 8” HD!

Below is the complete sweepstakes calendar for you to enter for a chance to win:

Monday 11/9/2015: Dare to Love by Carly Phillips

Wednesday 11/11/2015: Body Movers by Stephanie Bond

Friday 11/13/2015: Kindle Fire 7”

Monday 11/16/2015: The Wolfe by Kathryn Le Veque

Wednesday 11/18/2015: Louisiana Longshot: A Miss Fortune Mystery by Jana DeLeon

Monday 11/23/2015: Blood Orchids a Lei Crime Novel by Toby Neal

Wednesday 11/25/2015: Night with a SEAL (Hot SEALs) by Cat Johnson

Friday 11/27/2015*: Kindle, 6" Glare-Free Touchscreen Display

Monday 11/30/2015: Game of Love (Love in Bloom: The Remingtons, Book 1)  by Melissa Foster

Wednesday 12/2/2015: Timebound (The Chronos Files) by Rysa Walker

Monday 12/7/2015: Pines (The Wayward Pines Series) by Blake Crouch

Wednesday 12/9/2015: Kissing Under the Mistletoe (A St. Helena Vineyard Novel) by Marina Adair

Friday 12/11/2015*: Fire HD 6, 6" HD Display

Monday 12/14/2015: Malcolm (Southern Shifters) by Eliza Gayle

Wednesday 12/16/2015: On A Night Like This (The Callaways) by Barbara Freethy

Monday 12/21/2015: The Arrangement by H.M. Ward

Wednesday 12/23/2015: The Wretched of Muirwood (Legends of Muirwood) by Jeff Wheeler

Friday 12/25/2015*: Kindle Fire HD 8

For more details and to keep up to date on Kindle Worlds new world launches, follow us on Twitter.  

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends earlier of seven days from launch of each giveaway via Twitter or when all prizes have been awarded.