Featured Interview With Author Celeste Fenton
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in a small town in Florida—the kind with one IGA grocery store, a diner where everyone gathered for coffee and blueberry pie, and not a single McDonald’s in sight. Back then, I couldn’t wait to get out and live in a big city like the ones I saw on TV.
Now? I live in a big city… and I love escaping to small towns. Go figure.
I’m a semi-retired professor who finds joy in writing twisty stories, taking long walks with my overly pampered Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and thoroughly spoiling my grandchildren. Life, like fiction, is full of unexpected plot twists—and I’m here for all of them.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading at age four and won my first library reading contest when I was six—though I think I was more excited about the certificate than the prize. I wrote my first short stories during high school Geometry, mostly to keep from falling asleep. But I didn’t start writing seriously until I retired. At first, I just putzed around with it—dipping my toes in.
Then, in 2021, I lost my beloved husband. That kind of loss changes everything. I realized time wasn’t going to wait for me to be ready. So I sat down, opened a blank page, and started typing. One page led to another… and another. The story poured out, and Lost Heart in King Manor, book one in the Mysteries of a Heart series, was born.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I'm really all over the place when it comes to reading. Depending on my mood, might go for a mystery, or suspense, or romance (could be contemporary or historical), thrillers…when Game of Thrones was dominating HBO/Max, I binged George R.R. Martin. My bookcases are stocked with M.C. Beaton, Janet Evanovich, Charlain Harris, Linda Howard, J. D. Rob, C.J. Box, for romance Lisa Kleypas, Sarah MacLean, Eloisa James, Emily Henry, Elizabeth Berg, Elizabeth Strout…I could go on and on.
I’ve always been inspired by authors who mix strong characters with a compelling sense of place. I love a story that’s a little mysterious, a little emotional, and makes you want to step right into the world they’ve created. Lord, I cried buckets over The Tale of Edgar Sawtelle.
Right now, I’m reading The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard—a wonderful novel inspired by true events during World War II. I’m a sucker for historical fiction with heart and grit. Waiting in the wings on my nightstand are The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Rodham, and People We Meet on Vacation.
But if I had to pick ONE…mystery romance, or cozy mystery, or romantic suspense…I just can't pick one.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
LOST HEART IN KING MANOR
Book One in the Mysteries of a Heart Series
At 45, Gabby Heart isn’t looking for drama—just quiet days on Dost Island running her village gift shop, teaching art, and keeping her past tucked safely away. But when her mother suffers a sudden health crisis, Gabby is pulled into a storm of family secrets, betrayal, and a dark legacy buried within the walls of the once-grand King Manor. What was supposed to be a safe place for her mother’s recovery becomes the backdrop for a chilling mystery. Strange incidents begin to unfold, and it becomes clear: someone inside King Manor has a deadly agenda. As a hurricane traps Gabby inside the sprawling estate, she’s forced to work alongside two very different men—her maddeningly attractive officemate and a charming new neighbor, both hiding dark secrets. One man may want her heart. The other may want her dead.
But can she trust her instincts before it's too late?
A slow-burn romantic suspense with an edgy cozy mystery twist peppered with humor, Lost Heart in King Manor is perfect for fans of strong women over 40, amateur sleuths, brooding men with buried secrets, and small seaside towns hiding deadly truths.
Because some secrets are worth killing for.
And some hearts don’t break quietly
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