There’s just something about a cinnamon roll hero, don’t you think? A recent Instagram post by author J.R. Boles got me thinking about this! Don’t get me wrong—I enjoy all kinds of characters as a romance novel reader, and as a writer, too. But I have a soft, squishy, sweet spot for a cinnamon roll hero. What is a
Category: Reading and Research
Many of us have been alarmed by the number of books banned in Florida school districts in the past few years. Banned Books Week 2023 seems like a great time to blog about them, order them, and read them! When is Banned Books Week 2023? Banned Books Week 2023 is from Sunday, October 1 to Saturday, October 7. It’s a
I decided to do this roundup of fantasy novel opening examples because I know when you’re writing a book, it can be difficult to know where to start. That might be even more true with a fantasy novel, because you have a whole fictional world to introduce along with the characters! Some of my all-time favorite fantasy novels aren’t included
Gustave Caillebotte was close friends with Monet, Renoir, and other French Impressionist artists. He’s not a household name like they are…and he should be! I spent all Sunday researching Gustave Caillebotte and his family and times for my next novel, and I had to share. His best-known painting is the iconic Paris Street, Rainy Day. Even if you didn’t recognize
The wrong side of the tracks trope is a classic. I’ve written about my favorite romance tropes, and I can’t believe I didn’t include this one! Since it’s almost Valentine’s Day, I thought this would be a great time to talk about why the wrong side of the tracks trope feels oh, so right. What’s This Trope All
Books with red covers jump out on the bookshelf. If you’re thinking about commissioning or creating a red book cover design, here are a bunch of examples from 2022 and 2023 to inspire you! BookTokkers and Bookstagrammers may want to use some of these for color-themed posts for Valentine’s Day. While most of us don’t choose books by their covers
Hey friends! It’s almost time for a brilliant new year of reading! And I’m looking ahead to January for anyone who’s curious about B&N, Kobo, and Amazon hot new releases and what’s new in paperback. Here in Chicago during the winter, there’s nothing nicer than curling up on the couch with a cup of coffee or tea (and in my