Day Drinking With Authors: Recent Episodes
Molly Fader/O'Keefe
Bestselling author Molly Fader/O'Keefe sits down with the best genre authors writing today. They discuss new releases, inspirations and what's happening next in publishing. And they do it all while having a cocktail. Or three.
Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare are dear friends and amazing authors so for the last interview before summer - you get a real doozie. We talk for OVER AN HOUR - so plug in those air pods and take us for a walk and then fill up your summer TBR with all of the amazing books they have out now.
In this interview we talk about the following books:
If I Told You I'd Have to Kiss You
Cosmic Love at The Multiverse Hair Salon
Homemaker
Trust me when I say you're going to want to read all of them.
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The Phoenix Pencil Company is a Reese's Bookclub Pick!!! When Allison and I chatted this had not been announced so I didn't get to ask her about that experience. :(
But we had a fantastic conversation about the idea behind his fascinating book and it's magical premise. She talks about "hand wave" magic and the very real research she did on the historical timeline of this book - the years in Shanghai between the Civil War and World War II. This book has so much to say about privacy and the way women process their lives. Absolutely riveting. Mom you would love it.
In this dazzling debut novel, a hidden and nearly forgotten magic—of Reforging pencils, bringing the memories they contain back to life—holds the power to transform a young woman’s relationship with her grandmother, and to mend long-lost connections across time and space.
Monica Tsai spends most days on her computer, journaling the details of her ordinary life and coding for a program that seeks to connect strangers online. A self-proclaimed recluse, she's always struggled to make friends and, as a college freshman, finds herself escaping into a digital world, counting the days until she can return home to her beloved grandparents. They are now in their nineties, and Monica worries about them constantly—especially her grandmother, Yun, who survived two wars in China before coming to the States, and whose memory has begun to fade.
Though Yun rarely speaks of her past, Monica is determined to find the long-lost cousin she was separated from years ago. One day, the very program Monica is helping to build connects her to a young woman, whose gift of a single pencil holds a surprising clue. Monica’s discovery of a hidden family history is exquisitely braided with Yun’s own memories as she writes of her years in Shanghai, working at the Phoenix Pencil Company. As WWII rages outside their door, Yun and her cousin, Meng, learn of a special power the women in their family possess: the ability to Reforge a pencil’s words. But when the government uncovers their secret, they are forced into a life of espionage, betraying other people’s stories to survive.
Combining the cross-generational family saga and epistolary form of A Tale for the Time Being with the uplifting, emotional magic of The Midnight Library, Allison King’s stunning debut novel asks: who owns and inherits our stories? The answers and secrets that surface on the page may have the unerasable power to reconnect a family and restore a legacy.
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Sake!? Mary Alice's secrets come out early in this interview! And what an amazing interview with one of my all-time favorite authors about a book that feels very much in the Mary Alice Monroe wheelhouse but is SO different. It's historical, it's in first person and it's a CLIFFHANGER! We talk about the challenges and joys of taking on all those variations in her process. The historical ramifications and stretching a story across a hundred years.
It's impossible to talk about a Mary Alice Monroe book and NOT talk about setting - and the setting in Where The Rivers Merge is peak Monroe. It's deeply personal and resonates on an environmental level. I loved this book, my mom is going to love this book, so will my Aunt Cherie and so will all of you - get it now. Well, listen to the podcast and then go get it.
From New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe comes her highly anticipated Where the Rivers Merge, the first of two epic and triumphant novels celebrating one intrepid woman's life across multiple generations in the American South.
1908: The Lowcountry of South Carolina is at the cusp of change. Mayfield, the grand estate held for generations by the Rivers family, is the treasured home of young Eliza. A free spirit, she refuses to be confined by societal norms and spends her days exploring the vast property, observing wildlife, and riding horses. But the Great War, coastal storms, and family turmoil bring unexpected challenges to Eliza, putting her on a collision course with the patriarchal traditions of a bygone era.
1988: At 88, Eliza is the scion of the Rivers/DeLancey family. She’s fought a lifetime to save her beloved Mayfield and is too independent and committed to quietly retire and leave the fate of the estate to her greedy son. She must make decisions that will assure the future of the land and her family—or watch them both be split apart.
Set against the evocative landscape of the twentieth-century Lowcountry, Where the Rivers Merge is a dramatic and sweeping multigenerational family story of unyielding love, lessons learned, profound sacrifices, and the indomitable spirit of a woman determined to persevere in the face of change in order to protect her family legacy and the land she loves.
Find Mary Alice Here
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Not only is an Aperol Spritz one of my favorite drinks of all time - I have not stopped talking about this book. I told my mom. My friends. I told my teenage son about this book. There is something about the world Elisabeth makes up and the world she reveals - that has completely captured my attention. Part of it, is that the books feels a little bit like a Stephanie Plum mystery but with a more heart-breaking mystery at it's center. Please - everyone read about this so I can talk about it with someone!!
A sharply funny and moving debut in which a young woman accepts a job that takes her though the Italian Dolomites and into an international mystery far greater—and more personal—than she could have ever expected.
For someone who hates secrets, Las Vegas hairdresser Lucy Rey is about to be faced with a whole bunch of them. After discovering that her fiancé has been cheating on her with someone from his improv class, she finds herself short on funds and desperate for a change of scenery. Enter a most unusual job opportunity: a Bearer of Bad News.
Sure, it’s a little weird—the job description has few details, and the bad news is more like a vaguely worded threat—but Lucy can’t say no to the perks: an all-expenses-paid trip to the Italian Dolomites, plus a generous bonus if she proves she’s delivered the message. Then she learns that her task is just the tip of the iceberg.
Launched into a world of betrayal and greed involving eighty-year-old secrets, stolen jewels, and a World War II–era mystery, Lucy is in over her head. And she’s connected to her mission in ways she never saw coming.
For fans of Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Kirstin Chen’s Counterfeit, Bearer of Bad News is an exhilarating romp that deftly explores the weight of secrets, the power of friendship, and how, by healing the wounds of the past, we can build a brighter tomorrow.
Website: http://www.elisabethdini.com
Instagram:
@elisabethdiniauthor
@simonandschuster
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This happened. This really happened. I got to talk to Jennifer Weiner about her latest release The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits. We talked about everything - everything. How we celebrate -or don't celebrate! Her musical inspirations for this new release, she gave me some insider knowledge on how she writes men and we talked a lot about the toxic '90's in pop culture. I managed to keep my cool...sort of. She is of course exactly as warm and smart and engaged as you think she is. Check out her latest - The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits, a deeply moving novel set against the glitz and chaos of early 2000s pop stardom. Equal parts heartfelt family saga and behind-the-scenes look at fame, this is a story about sisters, secrets, and the power of second chances.
Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were thrust into the spotlight as The Griffin Sisters, a pop duo that defined the aughts. Together, they skyrocketed to the top, gracing MTV, SNL, and the cover ofRolling Stone. Cassie, a musical genius who never felt at ease in her own skin, preferred to stay in the shadows. Zoe, full of confidence and craving fame, lived for the stage. But fame has a price, and after one turbulent year, the band abruptly broke up.
Now, two decades later, the sisters couldn’t be further apart. Zoe is a suburban mom warning her daughter Cherry to avoid the spotlight, while Cassie has disappeared from public life entirely. But when Cherry begins unearthing the truth behind their breathtaking rise and infamous breakup, long-buried secrets surface, forcing all three women to confront their choices, their desires, and their complicated bonds.
With richly developed characters, a nostalgic nod to the pop culture of the 2000s, and a resonant tale of ambition, forgiveness, and family, The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits will captivate readers from the first note to the final encore. Whether you’ve followed Jennifer Weiner for years or are discovering her for the first time, this book is a must-read for music lovers, fans of sisterly dramas, and anyone who cherishes a great story of second chances.
Find more about Jennifer here: https://www.jenniferweiner.com/
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I had the privilege of reading this book months before it was released and it has felt like I've been keeping an amazing secret, but now that it's out and I really want tot talk about it with someone! Anyone! MOM! read this book!!! This book has a HUGE heart, an unbelievable protagonist and absolutely show-stealing secondary characters. Holly and I talk about how Denny just arrived in her head one day and has been with her for years. We also have a really frank and interesting conversation about the challenges and worries of writing a mystery in the POV of a character like Denny. If you read and loved The Curious Incident With The Dog In The Nighttime - you will love this book.
In this poignant and funny novel, a man who is defined by his limitations sets out to fight a murder charge—and discovers unexpected truths about himself, his family, and the world at large.
On the surface, Denny Voss’s life in rural Minnesota is a quiet one. At thirty years old, he lives at home with his elderly mother and his beloved blind and deaf Saint Bernard, George. He cleans up roadkill to help pay the bills. Though his prospects are limited by a developmental delay—the result of an accident at birth—Denny has always felt that he has “a good life.”
So how did he wind up being charged with the murder of a mayoral candidate—after crashing a sled full of guns into a tree?
As Denny awaits trial, his court-appointed therapist walks him through the events of the past year. Denny’s had other scuffles with the law, the first for kidnapping a neighbor’s cantankerous goose. And then there was the time he accidentally assisted in a bank robbery. It seems like whenever Denny tries to do the right thing, chaos ensues.
Untangling the events around the murder reveals even more painful truths about his family’s past. He’s always been surrounded by people who love him, but now it’s up to Denny to set his life on a new course.
Find Holly here: https://www.hollykennedy.com/
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You know how books are often advertised as "swoony" and it's a word that gets tossed around so much that it's perhaps lost it's meaning? I couldn't tell you before reading No Ordinary Love what it meant for a book to be "swoony."
Enter - No Ordinary Love and in particular Miles. And... I get it now. Swoony, for me, has everything to do with the hero. And Miles is a hell of a hero. So, grab yourself a Jelly Pie (not a drink) #iykyk and read this gorgeous romance that straddles the line between romance and women's fictions with such grace.
Myah and I talk about how hard it is to create romance when you're going to through heartbreak and what it's like to work with legendary Editor Esi Sogah.
Follow Myah here
Buy the book here
A PR partnership between a pop superstar and a pro-athlete bad boy turns into so much more in this swoony romance from the acclaimed author of When I Think of You.
Ella Simone’s popstar life is what dreams are made of. Her eight year marriage to renowned music producer, Elliot Majors, has helped garner the hits, awards, and adoring fans to prove it. But when Ella tires of Elliot's many infidelities, she decides to fight for her independence despite the ironclad prenup that threatens her career.
To help her case, Ella is under strict orders to stick to The Plan: no headlines, no rumors, no rocking the boat. But this strategy is thrown a curveball after an awards show wardrobe snafu and quick rescue by Miles Westbrook, MLB’s most eligible player, sends the tabloids into a frenzy. Amid tricky divorce proceedings, Ella’s magnetic connection with the charismatic pitcher might just be her downfall.
Now the pressure is on to turn a scandal into an opportunity and give their teams what they want: a picture-perfect performance that will shore up both Ella and Miles' reputations. But as the lines between reality and PR begin to blur, Ella will either stick to the choreographed life she knows so well, or surrender to a love that could set her free.
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Oh! OH! This book! This weird drink! And Lauren! What is not to love about this episode? I love everything Lauren writes - her touch with historical fiction is so deft. It's enlightening and page turning and as a reader I am never once bogged down by research - so much so her books feel like peeks into the homes and hearts of real people living in fascinating times. And this book is part court room drama, part true crime story - staring Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, before the duel.
But the part I loved the most was the story Lauren told about the heartbreaking aftermath of tragedy on real lives - particularly women. Grab this book - Mom, you'll love it.
Based on the true story of a famous trial, this novel is Law and Order: 1800, as Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr investigate the shocking murder of a young woman who everyone—and no one—seemed to know.
At the start of a new century, a shocking murder transfixes Manhattan, forcing bitter rivals Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr to work together to save a man from the gallows.
Just before Christmas 1799, Elma Sands slips out of her Quaker cousin’s boarding house—and doesn’t come home. Has she eloped? Run away? No one knows—until her body appears in the Manhattan Well.
Her family insists they know who killed her. Handbills circulate around the city accusing a carpenter named Levi Weeks of seducing and murdering Elma.
But privately, quietly, Levi’s wealthy brother calls in a special favor….
Aaron Burr’s legal practice can’t finance both his expensive tastes and his ambition to win the 1800 New York elections. To defend Levi Weeks is a double win: a hefty fee plus a chance to grab headlines.
Alexander Hamilton has his own political aspirations; he isn’t going to let Burr monopolize the public’s attention. If Burr is defending Levi Weeks, then Hamilton will too. As the trial and the election draw near, Burr and Hamilton race against time to save a man’s life—and destroy each other.
Part murder mystery, part thriller, part true crime, The Girl From Greenwich Street revisits a dark corner of history—with a surprising twist ending that reveals the true story of the woman at the center of the tale.
BUY A COPY HERE!
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The premise of this book made me gasp. Made me read far into the night. Nora is dating Garrett. Garrett works for death. Clever, right? But there's more... Garrett is middle-management for death. There's a company structure and he's working his way up the ladder. This, of course, is totally a secret. He says his job is logistics and that makes sense.
Nora is grieving the loss of her family while taking on the family business A Casket Store. Yep. In small town Alabama. So, it's quirky. It's romantic. It's got a third act love triangle. But it's also a quiet book about grief. And what happens when we die.
Did I mention quirky? Grab the second cheapest bottle of wine in your cupboard (because Nora is sad, but she's not THAT sad) and listen to a fantastic conversation about rewriting a book, finding an agent, the ideas that keep you up at night and building a business model for death.
Nora thought she was finished with Rabbittown, Alabama, for good. But an unexpected tragedy turned her life upside down, and she’s found herself back in her tiny hometown running the family casket business.
There aren’t exactly a lot of prospects for a single woman in her thirties in a place like Rabbittown. Until Nora Clanton’s ordinary, casket-selling day is interrupted by a handsome stranger wandering into her shop and asking for directions—as well as a date.
Garrett Bishop seems like the ideal guy. He’s thoughtful, he’s kind, and he has a lucrative job as a logistics coordinator, for which he seems to have a passion. She’s not totally sure what “logistics” entails, but she knows it means long hours, lots of travel, and urgent calls in the middle of the night.
When a few of Rabbittown’s residents suddenly pass away—a heart attack here, a car crash there—and Garrett is spotted at the scenes of, well, all of the deaths, his frustratingly vague job description starts to become increasingly . . . suspicious. What is it that Garrett actually does for a living?
He’s a logistics coordinator for Death.
When Nora discovers the truth, she is unable to reconcile the wonderful man she knows with the unthinkably cruel job he loves. Will she ever be able to understand how he can do what he does, or will she have to lay her best chance at love to rest?
Casket Case is the heartfelt story of a small-town girl who feels surrounded by death—literally and figuratively. This clever, endearing, and romantic debut explores how love and loss are forever intertwined . . . but death might not be as scary as it seems.
Find Lauren on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/laurenevanswrites/
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I sat down with a glass of white wine to talk to one of my favorites - Rochelle Weinstein about her latest novel We Are Made of Stars. If you are a fan of the TV show White Lotus or the book/TV show Nine Perfect Strangers - this book is for you. Strangers gather at an inn for a week and drama unfolds. There's good food, excellent wine and everyone is keeping secrets. We talk about the pleasure and PAIN of writing a book with so many points of view. Rochelle is also a passionate book advocate and she talks about what she's reading now. Fabulous book, fun conversation. Pour a glass of wine and have a listen.
Secrets, lies, and second chances are served up beneath the stars at a picturesque mountain getaway in this powerful novel about love and family by the bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends.
At the Vis Ta Vie inn, Reneé and Jean-Paul De La Rue face the daunting decision to close their beloved home for good.
They’re not the only ones going through a season of change, though. Their guests include three couples in crisis: Hollywood celebs Leo and Penny are spending their silver anniversary together while on the cusp of divorce. Lucy, a practical-minded therapist, and Henry, an astronomer with his head in the stars, are struggling to find common ground. And former lawyer and current stay-at-home mom Sienna and charismatic sports agent Adam look perfect but are hiding rifts of their own. Thrown into the mix are self-absorbed single mother Cassidy and her sullen fifteen-year-old daughter, Rosalie.
The stage is set for a week of betrayals, regrets, and shocking truths that can rend the heart or heal it. Vis Ta Vie—live your life—captures what it means to love through the darkness, and to find the light even after the magic fades.
Find Rochelle here:
https://www.instagram.com/rochellebweinstein/
https://www.facebook.com/rochelle.b.weinstein
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Oh, we all need an escape right now. The news is crushing. The weather is awful. Even my dog is bummed. Well, Jillian and Meredith have the right book at the right time - Sweet Escape. It's book two in a series but can be read alone, though, why not read the first one too? What else are you going to do? Shovel snow and doom scroll?
Come for the romance which is crackly, tension-filled and HOT, but stay for the relationships with secondary characters. We talk about how this partnership came to be and how they work together. Both answers surprised me! We also talk about the setting - a vineyard (thus the fancy wines!) which is like another character. this book was a treat and our conversation about why they write romance and how they both manage the ups and downs of this career is very thoughtful. Give yourself a break, buy the book and have a listen!
A free-spirited singer falls for her best friend’s brother—and discovers her muse—in a heartfelt novel about finding love in unexpected places by Jillian Liota and #1 New York Times bestselling author Meredith Wild.
After a heartbreaking betrayal, singer-songwriter Vivian Walsh needs a getaway. Her best friend Murphy’s family vineyard is the perfect refuge to focus on her new album, free from unnecessary distractions—like men. Few are more tempting than Murphy’s workaholic brother, Memphis. He’s infuriatingly handsome, and Vivian can’t resist teasing him whenever she gets the chance.
Memphis has a lot on his plate with his struggling family business. The last thing he needs in his life is a spitfire like Vivian. They have nothing in common but the heat between them. The good news is that neither of them are looking for a relationship. Just release from the pressure. One no-strings night with Vivian couldn’t hurt. Or two. Or three. Maybe a distraction is exactly what they need.
When Vivian’s life back in LA comes calling, both realize their feelings might have grown far more than they planned. They will have to decide: Is it time to say goodbye? Or can their sweet escape turn into their forever?
Find Jillian and Meredith on Instagram
@jlllianliota
@meredithwild
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I barely managed to stop this from turning into a fan girl moment for Elizabeth Lowell. It is so rare that I find someone who shares my outrageous fandom for that author - and here is Adriana ready to talk about her for days.
BUT we had more important things to talk about - A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke currently a USA Today Bestseller! Adriana gets very real about ending a series and how writing this series in particular was both a labor of level and very hard. And how those two things can be true at the same time. We talk about our fascination for historical medical research particularly when it comes to women's health - a really important aspect of her heroine Aurora.
We also talked about how hard it is to start a novel with a sex scene - which Adriana does VERY well in this book. It's a hard needle to thread for a couple in a third book. This is a fascinating Historical romance - highly recommend.
Paris, 1889
Physician Aurora Montalban Wright takes risks in her career, but never with her heart. Running an underground women’s clinic exposes her to certain dangers, but help arrives in the unexpected form of the infuriating Duke of Annan. Begrudgingly, Aurora accepts his protection, then promptly finds herself in his bed.
New to his role as a duke, Apollo César Sinclair Robles struggles to embrace his position. With half of society waiting for him to misstep and the other half looking to discredit him, Apollo never imagined that his enthralling bedmate would become his most trusted adviser. Soon, he realizes the rebellious doctor could be the perfect duchess for him. But Aurora won’t give up her independence, and her secrets make her unsuitable for the aristocracy.
When dangerous figures from their pasts return to threaten them, Apollo whisks Aurora away to the French Riviera. Far from the reproachful eye of Parisian society, can Apollo convince Aurora that their bond is stronger than the forces keeping them apart?
Find out more about Adriana and her books here.
https://adrianaherreraromance.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ladriana_herrera/
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I know, I know, I said no more witches but who can resist a sentient garden? Who can resist ivy that senses emotions or a plum tree that's fruit is an opiate? Who can resist a heroine who feels trapped by the garden but the garden is the only thing that's ever taken care of her?
NOT ME! I CAN NOT RESIST!
The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is a delicious novel about a woman coming into her power, with touches of magical realism and a sweet hint of romance. Pour yourself a cup of tea and have a listen - and then go buy the book!
A lush, enchanting story of a woman who must use the magic of the fantastical plants that adorn her crumbling estate in Victorian London to thwart the dark plots of the men around her...
Harriet Hunt is completely alone. Her father disappeared months ago, leaving her to wander the halls of Sunnyside house, dwelling on a past she'd rather keep buried. She doesn't often venture beyond her front gate, instead relishing the feel of dirt under her fingernails and of soft moss beneath her feet. Consequently, she's been deemed a little too peculiar for popular Victorian society. This solitary life suits her fine, though – because, in her garden, magic awaits.
Harriet's garden is special. It's a wild place full of twisting ivy, vibrant plums, and a quiet power that buzzes like bees. Caring for this place, and keeping it from running rampant through the streets of her London suburb, is Harriet's purpose.
When suspicion for her father's disappearance falls on her, she marries a seemingly charming man, the first to see past her peculiarities, in order to protect herself. It's soon clear, however, that her new husband might be worse than her father and that she's integral to a dark plot created by the men around her. To free herself and discover the truth, she must learn to channel the power of her strange, magical garden.
At once enchantingly mesmerizing and fiercely feminist, perfect for fans of The Magician's Daughter and The Once and Future Witches, the vibrant world-building and sinister undertones of The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt make for the perfect modern fairytale about women taking control of their lives—with a little help from the magic within them.
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Oh! OH! This one is BONKERS! You're going to need a Bloody Mary at some point while reading this absolute page turner. Alison combines conspiracy theories, cults and grief. It's a huge story and also a very small story. I honestly feel like there were some magic tricks in the writing of We Are Watching - all of which we talk about in our fantastic conversation.
“Alison Gaylin proves once again that she is a master at mining the zeitgeist to create smart thrillers that are at once emotionally resonant and truly terrifying… utterly captivating.” — Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author of The Note
From USA Today bestselling and Edgar and Shamus Award–winning author Alison Gaylin comes a slick, riveting, and all-too-plausible tale of psychological suspense where a mother is desperate to protect her family as they become targets of a group of violent conspiracy theorists.
Sometimes the world is out to get you.
Meg Russo was behind the wheel when it happened. She and her husband Justin were driving their daughter Lily to Ithaca College, the family celebrating the eighteen-year-old music prodigy’s future. Then a car swerved up beside them, the young men inside it behaving bizarrely—and Meg lost control of her own vehicle. The family road trip turned into a tragedy. Justin didn’t survive the accident.
Four months later, Meg works to distract herself from her grief and guilt, reopening her small local bookstore. But soon after she returns to work, bizarre messages and visitors begin to arrive, with strangers threatening Meg and Lily in increasingly terrifying ways. They are obsessed with a young adult novel titled The Prophesy, which was published thirty years earlier. An online group of believers are convinced that it heralds the apocalypse, and social media posts link the book—and Meg’s reclusive musician father—to Satanism. These conspiracy theorists vow to seek revenge on The Prophesy’s author...Meg.
As the threats turn violent, Meg begins to suspect that Justin’s death may not have been an accident. To find answers and save her daughter, her father, and herself, Meg must get to the root of these dangerous lies—and find a way to face the believers head-on … before it’s too late.
Find Alison here:
Instagram
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This is one for the authors. Any author. All The authors. Forget every bit of pacing advice you've ever been given and pick up Ines' book - Page Turner Pacing How To Write a Bingeworthy Novel in 21 Days Using the Addictive Principals of Episodic TV.
This book is broken, for me, into two parts. The beats tv writers use to keep viewers coming back for more and how to use them to write a rough draft in - that's right - 21 days.
BOTH parts of this book surprised me and will be something I'll use going forward. I can't wait for all of you to read this so I can talk about it with someone!
This is a kickstarter for Ines and backing the kickstarter gets you so much more than this book. Check it out here
Find more about Ines's books and classes here
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There are a few things that make an author a favorite. And what makes Naima Simone a favorite of mine - is she always understands the assignment. This is a writer who gets romance. She knows how to pay off the tropes, how to create fully alive characters and most importantly, keep the pages turning. I've read a lot of Naima's books but nothing prepared me for Church Girl. It's hot. Like...real hot. It has an important conversation within itself about what is holy and what is profane. It's imbedded in rich deep culture. AND she had a few surprises up her sleeve. If you love romance with serious spice that doesn't back down from big issues this is ABSOLUTELY the book for you.
She’s a preacher’s daughter, a runaway bride and now the (not quite) qualified nanny for a sexy tattoo artist with a beautiful daughter—and a dirty mouth.
What’s a bad boy to do with a woman like her?
Everything…
Aaliyah Montgomery isn’t just ditching her wedding. She’s also fleeing her suffocating small town and her family’s expectations. She’s got plans—for college, for finding herself. But landing a job in Chicago that fits her schedule isn’t easy. Good thing Von Howard is desperate to find a live-in nanny. Bad thing that he’s a gritty, grumpy, gorgeous tattoo artist carrying as much baggage as he has ink.
Von’s new hire is inexperienced and a fire hazard in the kitchen. She’s also all thick curls, thicker curves, and a distracting mix of innocence and sensuality. After the upheaval of a divorce, he just needs a nanny, not a sneaky link. Meanwhile, Aaliyah is bonding with his seven-year-old and showing an unexpected flair for tattoo art. Who could resist?
Yet deep down, Aaliyah’s still running—from her feelings and her fear of losing herself to someone else’s expectations again. Even as their pasts return to haunt them, their undeniable heat says maybe it’s time to stand and fight for a love they didn’t see coming.
Buy the book here: https://naimasimone.com/
Find Naima here: https://www.instagram.com/naimasimoneauthor/
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I had no idea Queen Elizabeth II had a favorite cocktail. Did you? A Dubbonet and Gin and let me tell you, that first sip is a doozy, but after that it's delicious drinking. Much in the same way Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor's latest release: Christmas With The Queen is just delightful reading. Rich with historical details and cozy Christmas details and a lovely star-crossed love story. This is a perfect read for the holiday season. We talk about the amazing partnership between them, the division of labor, the joy of travel research and the intimidating nature of writing about The Queen. All while getting a little tipsy on her favorite tipple!
’Tis the season! The Crown meets When Harry Met Sally in the latest heartwarming historical novel from Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, bestselling authors of Last Christmas in Paris, Meet Me in Monaco, and Three Words for Goodbye.
December 1952. While the young Queen Elizabeth II finds her feet as the new monarch, she must also find the right words to continue the tradition of her late father’s Christmas Day radio broadcast. But even traditions must evolve with the times, and the queen faces a postwar Britain hungry for change.
As preparations begin for the royal Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk, old friends—Jack Devereux and Olive Carter—are unexpectedly reunited by the occasion. Olive, a single mother and aspiring reporter at the BBC, leaps at the opportunity to cover the holiday celebration, but even a chance encounter with the queen doesn’t go as planned and Olive wonders if she will ever be taken seriously.
Jack, a recently widowed chef, reluctantly takes up a new role in the royal kitchens at Sandringham. Lacking in purpose and direction, Jack has abandoned his dream to have his own restaurant, but his talents are soon noticed and while he might not believe in himself, others do, and a chance encounter with an old friend helps to reignite the spark of his passion and ambition.
As Jack and Olive’s paths continue to cross over the following five Christmases, they grow ever closer. Yet Olive carries the burden of a heavy secret that threatens to destroy everything.
Find Heather and Hazel here:
Hazel's Instagram
Heather's Instagram
Heather's Website
Hazel's Website
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Monica stops by to talk about her fascinating and fast-paced Historical Fiction - The Jewel of the Blues while sipping the most sophisticated cocktail there is - The French 75. Deliciousness all the way around. The Jewel of the Blues rich with impeccable and fascinating research about the 1920's Vaudeville Circuit. We discuss her fantastic touch with dialogue and the interesting choices she made on where and how she started the story. Mom - you would like this one! Fix yourself a French 75 and settle in!
Set in the sparkling 1920s jazz era, The Jewel of the Blues pulls back the curtain on all the romance, danger and drama in the bustling backstage life of a young performer.
Billed as the Little Girl with the Big Voice, blues singer Lucille Arnetta Love always dreamed of life under the lights. From traveling family gospel band to lead singer in a riotous vaudeville troupe, Lucille is on the rise. But a devastating family secret, one that’s poised to shatter every dream she’s ever had, casts an inescapable shadow over Lucille’s career.
Decades ago, a botched robbery ended in a suspicious death—and all signs point to Lucille’s own father as the culprit. It’s a secret that Lucille’s family is determined to keep buried—even from Lucille herself. For a time, a fresh start feels possible, especially when Marcus Williams, Lucille’s manager—and sometimes paramour—sets her up with a band to tour the country: Miss Lucille’s Black Troubadours. Lucille’s dream of seeing her name in the bright lights of Broadway may happen yet, if she and the Troubadours can endure the highly competitive, rocky road to fame.
Beneath the dazzling glamour of the vaudeville scene lies a wicked underbelly, as drinking, gambling, salacious love affairs and racial tensions compete to dim Lucille’s shining star. And when shady figures from her father’s past emerge, their thirst for revenge threatens to silence Lucille’s career—and the sultry singer herself—for good.
Find Monica here:
https://www.instagram.com/monicackilgore/
Find her book here:
https://monicachenaultkilgore.com/
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Oh!!! Such a treat this week. Mimi Matthews bestselling author of The Siren of Sussex sits down to talk about the last book in her Belles of London series - The Muse of Maiden Lane. We talk about the joys and challenges of finishing a beloved series and we have a very forthright conversation about the inspiration for Teddy, her artist hero who uses a wheelchair. And while neither of us drink a Grey Ghost (she was on deadline and I struggle with St. Germaine... here is Mimi's recipie for this striking cocktail.
Grey Ghost Cocktail (in honor of my heroine's gray hair).
It's made of ½ oz Crème de Violette,
1 oz St Germain Elderflower Liqueur,
and 5 oz Brut Champagne
serve cold in in a champagne flute!
**A 2024 BookBub Best Historical Romance!
One of Parade's Best New Books of November 2024!
One of Amazon's and Apple's Best Romance Books of November 2024!
A silver-haired equestrienne and a charismatic artist turn a scandalous bargain into a vibrant portrait of love.**
Stella Hobhouse is a brilliant rider, stalwart friend, skilled sketch artist—and completely overlooked. Her outmodish gray hair makes her invisible to London society. Combined with her brother’s pious restrictions and her dwindling inheritance, Stella is on the verge of a lifetime marooned in Derbyshire as a spinster. Unless she does something drastic…like posing for a daring new style of portrait by the only man who’s ever really seen her.
Aspiring painter Edward “Teddy” Hayes knows true beauty when he sees it. He would never ask Stella to risk her reputation as an artist’s model but in the five years since a virulent bout of scarlet fever left him partially paralyzed, Teddy has learned to heed good fortune when he finds it. He’ll do anything to persuade his muse to pose for him, even if he must offer her a marriage of convenience.
After all, though Teddy has yearned to trace Stella’s luminous beauty on canvas since their chance meeting, her heart is what he truly aches to capture….
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This is the last witch, I promise! Charlotte Stein is top-tier romance. Years ago I asked her how she kept the romantic and sexual tension in her books at such an excruciating point. She gives her insightful answer in the podcast... if you love romance and haven't read Charlotte - do yourself a favor and pick up How To Help A Hungry Werewolf. It has her delightfully absurd world-building and delicious, delicious tension.
Find Charlotte:
https://www.instagram.com/charlotte.stein
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCharlotteStein
https://x.com/charlotte_stein
https://www.tiktok.com/@chazstein
Buy How To Help A Hungry Werewolf HERE
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Hey hey!!! Who wants more witches? Me! And with a Groundhog Day time twist? Yes Please! Celestine Martin sits down with the last of her stash of pumpkin cold brew to discuss all things witchy. Deja Brew is the third book in her Elemental Love series and features a dreamboat of a hero who is trying to change his bad boy ways.
In this spellbinding rom-com about a wish gone wrong, two opposites might just get a second chance at love, perfect for fans of New York Times bestsellers Payback's a Witch and The Ex Hex**.
Get your copy of the book HERE Find Celestine Martin on social media HERE**
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When will I be tired of witches? Never. And especially when they come in a quirky and fascinating debut like The Stone Witch of Florence. Anna Rasche is pretty fascinating herself - pour yourself a glass of whatever you're thirsty for and listen to this great conversation about history, folklore, The Plague, religious idols and subversive nuns.
Find out more about The Stone Witch of Florence here!
Find Anna here:
Insta/Tiktok: @by_annarasche
Facebook
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Oh! What a treat this one is. First of all, SOMONE FINALLY PICKED WHITE RUSSIANS!!! I have been dreaming of this for years. And second, The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is a magic trick of a book. A beautiful dual timeline with a historical timeline that I found fascinating.
Find more information on this beautiful book
Find Lynda here:
https://www.instagram.com/lloigman/
https://x.com/lyndacloigman
https://www.facebook.com/people/Lynda-Cohen-Loigman-Author/100057989951456/
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We're back! After a long hiatus Day Drinking With Authors is back with more fantastic interviews with your favorite authors. I'm in a seriously witchy mood right now, so buckle up for all the magical realism, Halloween, powerful female forward novels - because I'm reading a bunch of them.
First up is the writing duo of Hazel Beck sipping some peppermint tea and discussing the third book in their Witchlore series. TRULY MADLY MAGICALLY. A fantastic slow burn angsty romance with lots and lots of fabulous witchy world building.
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The Book: The Chick Magnet
The Drink: Hard Iced Tea (made by throwing a few tea bags in some booze - the way you should have been doing it all this time)
Favorite Line: "When this tension broke, when the storm came, if it came, it was going to curl her toes, her hair. It might level the house. Level the two of them."
I've been a fan of Emma Barry's work since her politics-set romances that have always scratched my Josh and Donna from The West Wing itch. She can be counted upon for excellent characters, convincing sexual attraction and world-building that does not shy away from darker subjects. Chick Magnet - with it's candy-colored cover - brings all the Emma Barry goodness in spades.
Nic is a social media star who makes a living talking about her beloved chickens. Will is a vet whose business is struggling in a post-covid world. These two have chemistry and sparks and real problems. I think that's what I love about Emma's books - the fantasy of romance set in a very real world.
If this is your first Emma Barry book - you're in for a treat. If you - like me - have been a fan for a while - it's so nice to have her back.
The book: The Vibrant Years
The drink: I honestly, can not even remember...
Favorite line: “Some accidents were actually beautiful.”
Oh my gosh! Sonali and I sat down BEFORE the holidays and then life completely got in the way. If you haven't picked up Sonali's fabulous multi-generational story DO IT NOW! Sonali is one of the most enthusiastic, wise and effervescent people I know. Spending time with her just feels good. And The Vibrant Years is a reflection of that.
We talk about the books that challenge us and lead us in new directions. What it was like for her book to be selected as the launch book for Mindy Kaling's Book Club and what Drew Barrymore smells like.
Living on their own terms means being there for one another.
When sixty-five-year-old Bindu Desai inherits a million dollars, she’s astounded―and horrified. The windfall threatens to expose a shameful mistake from her youth. On an impulse, Bindu quickly spends it on something unexpected: a condo in a posh retirement community in Florida.
The impulsive decision blindsides Bindu’s daughter-in-law, Aly. At forty-seven, Aly still shares a home with Bindu even after her divorce from Bindu’s son. But maybe this change is just the push Aly needs to fight for her own dreams.
As Bindu and Aly navigate their new dynamic, Aly’s daughter, Cullie, is faced with losing the business that made her a tech-world star. The only way to save it is to deliver a new idea to her investors―and they want the dating app she pitched them in a panic. Problem is, Cullie has never been on a real date. Naturally, enlisting her single mother and grandmother to help her with the research is the answer.
From USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev comes a heartfelt novel about three generations of hilarious, unconventional, ambitious women who embark on a shared journey of self-discovery. Join the Desai women as they come together to embrace the hijinks and heartbreak of facing their greatest fears to finally live their most vibrant lives.
The Book: Once Upon A December
The drink: Mulled wine but really a third cup of coffee
Favorite Line: Christmas wasn't a place or a season or a time. Christmas was a state of mind.
Amy writes what I call modern, midwestern folk lore. The combination of her Milwaukee setting, earnest and good people, delicious food and magic is absolute catnip! This is a fabulous, timeless Holiday Romance. She's also one of those people who - you might have never met - but it feels like you've known her a long time.
A one-of-a-kind Christmas market offers holiday magic in this new romance from the author of The Kindred Spirits Supper Club.
With a name like Astra Noel Snow, holiday spirit isn’t just a seasonal specialty—it’s a way of life. But after a stinging divorce, Astra’s yearly trip to the Milwaukee Christmas market takes on a whole new meaning. She’s ready to eat, drink, and be merry, especially with the handsome stranger who saves the best kringle for her at his family bakery.
For Jack Clausen, the Julemarked with its snowy lights and charming shops stays the same, while the world outside the joyful street changes, magically leaping from one December to the next every four weeks. He’s never minded living this charmed existence until Astra shows him the life he’s been missing outside of the festive red brick alley.
After a swoon-worthy series of dates, some Yuletide magic, and the unexpected glow of new love, Astra and Jack must decide whether this relationship can weather all seasons, or if what they’re feeling is as ephemeral as marshmallows in a mug of hot cocoa.
The book: The Christmas Clash
The drink: Holiday Mules
Favorite Line: Chloe can't stand Peter Li and his smug, perfect face
Well, despite not having a holiday mule (for reasons I get into during my chat with Suzanne) I confess to some very embarrassing mall activities. (Clowning? What?) But The Christmas Clash is a fantastic YA Holiday romance that has some Romeo and Juliet vibes. Suzanne has done a lot of stand-up Comedy and we talk about how that informs her writing. One of the things I love about this book is the very careful romance and the very strong friend group each character has. It's a lovely way to spend the day this holiday season.
A PopSugar Best New Holiday Romance Book of 2022!
Who's naughty and nice at Riverwood Mall? In this hilarious YA holiday rom-com, two rivals get together to save their families' livelihoods, and Christmas, too!
Chloe Kwon can't stand Peter Li. It's always been that way. Their families don't get along either: their parents operate rival restaurants in the Riverwood Mall food court—Korean food for the Kwons and Chinese food for the Lis. Now it's the holiday season and Chloe's the photographer at the mall's Santa's Village, and Peter works at the virtual reality North Pole experience right across the atrium. It's all Chloe can do to avoid Peter's smug, incredibly photogenic face.
But it turns out the mall is about to be sold to a developer and demolished for condos. Eviction notices are being handed out right before Christmas. Their parents don't know what to do, and soon Chloe and Peter realize that the two of them need to join efforts to try to save the mall. Just when it seems like they can put aside their differences and work closely (very closely) together, they discover that the Kwon and Li feud goes far deeper than either of them realize...
Perfect for readers who...
- Love holiday rom-coms
- Enjoy rivals-to-lovers stories
- Fans of Kasie West, Rachel Lynn Solomon, and Sandhya Menon
Daphne stops by with a glass of Posset (which is essentially boiled milk and wine with spices) to discuss her swashbuckling new release The Pirate's Wife, about the life and times of Sarah Kidd. Sarah was the beloved wife of notorious pirate - Captain Kidd. This is a fascinating book that brings to life a woman that's largely been forgotten to history and overshadowed by the mythology that surrounds her husband. Daphne discusses how she uses newly-discovered, primary source material to recreate the life of Sarah and the larger community of pirates during the Golden Age of Pirates. We talk about the extremely interesting and surprisingly democratic pirate code, the myths surrounding pirates and the love story at the heart of the Captain Kidd legend.
This book is fantastic for lovers of historical fiction and non-fiction.
The dramatic and deliciously swashbuckling story of Sarah Kidd, the wife of the famous pirate Captain Kidd, charting her transformation from New York socialite to international outlaw during the Golden Age of Piracy
Captain Kidd was one of the most notorious pirates to ever prowl the seas. But few know that Kidd had an accomplice, a behind-the-scenes player who enabled his plundering and helped him outpace his enemies.
That accomplice was his wife, Sarah Kidd, a well-to-do woman whose extraordinary life is a lesson in reinvention and resourcefulness. Twice widowed by twenty-one and operating within the strictures of polite society in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century New York, Sarah secretly aided and abetted her husband, fighting alongside him against his accusers. More remarkable still was that Sarah not only survived the tragedy wrought by her infamous husband’s deeds, but went on to live a successful and productive life as one of New York’s most prominent citizens.
Marshaling in newly discovered primary-source documents from archives in London, New York and Boston, historian and journalist Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos reconstructs the extraordinary life of Sarah Kidd, uncovering a rare example of the kind of life that pirate wives lived during the Golden Age of Piracy. A compelling tale of love, treasure, motherhood and survival, this landmark work of narrative nonfiction weaves together the personal and the epic in a sweeping historical story of romance and adventure.
The Book: Miss Del Rio
The Drink: Pisco Sours - with a bonus recipe demonstration from Bárbara.
Miss Del Rio is a fascinating historical novel about a fascinating woman. For readers looking for a setting that isn't World War II Europe, I think you will find this one highly satisfying. Bárbara pulls off a neat magic trick using the POV of a fictional character to tell the story of a real person and to create a deeper, richer sense of the class struggles that created the revolution. The Hollywood details are fascinating as are the early hair salon details - which came from Bárbara's mother's experience.
1910, Mexico. As the country’s revolution spreads, Dolores, the daughter of a wealthy banker, must flee her comfortable life in Durango or risk death. Her family settles in Mexico City, where, at sixteen, she marries the worldly Jaime del Río. But in a twist of fate, at a party she meets an influential American director who recognizes in her a natural performer. He invites her to Hollywood, and practically overnight, the famous Miss del Río is born.
Dolores’s star quickly rises, and her days become a whirlwind of moviemaking and glamorous events. Swept up in L.A.'s glitzy inner circle, she takes her place among film royalty such as Marlene Dietrich and Orson Welles. But as her career soars, her personal life becomes increasingly complicated, with family tragedy, divorce, and real heartache. And when she’s labeled box office poison amid growing prejudice before WWII, Dolores must decide what price she’s willing to pay to achieve her dreams and if her heart and future instead lie where it all began…in Mexico.
Spanning half a century and narrated by Dolores’s fictional hairdresser and longtime friend, Miss del Río traces the life of a trailblazing woman whose legacy in Hollywood and in Mexico still shines bright today.
The Book: The Witches of Moonshyne Manor
The Drink: Gin Martini
My favorite line: Why were we taught to fear witches and not the men who burned them?
A reviewer called this a Golden Girls meets Practical Magic - and they are not wrong. The sisterhood who live in Moonshyne Manor are funny, wise, slightly diabolical, passionate and more than a few of them are keeping some secrets. The pages turn themselves. Bianca's writing is much like the women - in turns funny, wise and diabolical. Treat yourself and grab this book.
A coven of modern-day witches. A magical heist-gone-wrong. A looming threat.
Five octogenarian witches gather as an angry mob threatens to demolish Moonshyne Manor. All eyes turn to the witch in charge, Queenie, who confesses they’ve fallen far behind on their mortgage payments. Still, there’s hope, since the imminent return of Ruby—one of the sisterhood who’s been gone for thirty-three years—will surely be their salvation.
But the mob is only the start of their troubles. One man is hellbent on avenging his family for the theft of a legacy he claims was rightfully his. In an act of desperation, Queenie makes a bargain with an evil far more powerful than anything they’ve ever faced. Then things take a turn for the worse when Ruby’s homecoming reveals a seemingly insurmountable obstacle instead of the solution to all their problems.
The witches are determined to save their home and themselves, but their aging powers are no match for increasingly malicious threats. Thankfully, they get a bit of help from Persephone, a feisty TikToker eager to smash the patriarchy. As the deadline to save the manor approaches, fractures among the sisterhood are revealed, and long-held secrets are exposed, culminating in a fiery confrontation with their enemies.
Funny, tender and uplifting, the novel explores the formidable power that can be discovered in aging, found family and unlikely friendships. Marais’ clever prose offers as much laughter as insight, delving deeply into feminism, identity and power dynamics while stirring up intrigue and drama through secrets, lies and sex. Heartbreaking and heart-mending, it will make you grateful for the amazing women in your life.
The Book: The Witch and The Tsar
The drink: Kvass (a drink made with fermented rye bread, we didn't actually drink this, though Olesya says it's delicious)
Best line: He will be the greatest ruler that Russia has ever seen. Or he will tear her apart.
Combining Russian folklore and history - Olesya's DEBUT novel is a a stunner. That's right - it's a debut! A feminist retelling of Baba Yaga - turning the witch into a sympathetic woman fighting for her country - makes for an ambitious and fascinating read. The brutal history of Ivan The Terrible is reflective of what we're seeing now in Russia. We talk about the beauty of inspiration, balancing folklore and magic with the hard facts of history and the pleasures and pains of editing vs. writing.
If you like historical fiction and/or fantasy novels - this one is for you!
In this stunning debut novel, the maligned and immortal witch of legend known as Baba Yaga will risk all to save her country and her people from Tsar Ivan the Terrible—and the dangerous gods who seek to drive the twisted hearts of men.
As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar, and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves.
As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan—soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine.
Olesya Salnikova Gilmore weaves a rich tapestry of mythology and Russian history, reclaiming and reinventing the infamous Baba Yaga, and bringing to life a vibrant and tumultuous Russia, where old gods and new tyrants vie for power. This fierce and compelling novel draws from the timeless lore to create a heroine for the modern day, fighting to save her country and those she loves from oppression while also finding her true purpose as a goddess, a witch, and a woman.
Buy here
The book: The Thread Collectors
The author: Shaunna J Edwards and Alyson Richman
The drink: New Orlean's own Sazerac This is the recipe I used and it's spicy and delicious and packs a serious punch.
Best line in the book: "As everyone around her knew, there were so many ways to not be free.”
This is a very original story and beautifully told. And like any good historical novel - I learned a lot. Let's not get into boat schedules down the Mississippi. :)
However in this interview my mind is blown several times by how Shaunna and Alyson brainstormed and wrote this book. I've interviewed a lot of writing partners and I feel like their process is brand new and exceedingly graceful.
Grab the book here
“An unforgettable story of female strength, hope and friendship. This collaborative work is magnificent—a true revelation!” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star “A brilliant story brimming with unexpected friendships and family ties. Historically sound and beautifully stitched, The Thread Collectors will stay with you long after the last page is turned.” —Sadeqa Johnson, international bestselling author of Yellow Wife
1863: In a small Creole cottage in New Orleans, an ingenious young Black woman named Stella embroiders intricate maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. Bound to a man who would kill her if he knew of her clandestine activities, Stella has to hide not only her efforts but her love for William, a Black soldier and a brilliant musician.
Meanwhile, in New York City, a Jewish woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. Between abolitionist meetings, Lily rolls bandages and crafts quilts with her sewing circle for other soldiers, too, hoping for their safe return home. But when months go by without word from her husband, Lily resolves to make the perilous journey South to search for him.
As these two women risk everything for love and freedom during thebrutal Civil War, their paths converge in New Orleans, where an unexpected encounter leads them to discover that even the most delicate threads have the capacity to save us. Loosely inspired by the authors' family histories, this stunning novel will stay with readers for a long time.
The book: Killers of A Certain Age
The author: Deanna Raybourn
Best line from the book: "It's a bad week for clowns..."
Drink: If I had my act together it would have been Killer Bee's - the top secret rum punch from Sunshine's In Nevis. Here's a recipe that we didn't make. Because I didn't have my act to together...
Welcome back to Day Drinking. I couldn't have asked for a better book to get back into the swing of things. An Instant New York Times Bestseller - Killers of a Certain Age - is fun. It's all the fun. It's every kind of fun. And I'm delighted Deanna was able to take some time to chat about how difficult this book was to write, how it came into her life and which actress was an inspiration while she was working on it.
Grab the book here or here
They’ve spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they're sixty years old, four women friends can’t just retire – it’s kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.
Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills.
When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they’ve been marked for death.
Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They’re about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman—and a killer—of a certain age.
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Brighton Walsh stops by with a Screaming Orgasm (which is a drink that needs to come with a warning) to talk about her fantastic new contemporary romance DEFIANT HEART. We talk about building amazing sexual tension, goat yoga and the tricky balance of the friends to lovers. BUT for all you indie authors out there - Brighton gets REAL about how TikTok has changed her business and her writing. She gives us her top three programs for business organization and how she uses them. If you're an indie author looking for a way to level up financially and creatively and start making money on TikTok - this interview is ESPECIALLY for you
My first 3x guest!! I love Hannah's twisty and emotional complex, surprisingly funny thrillers. This time we're talking about Never Coming Home - told entirely in the POV of a man who has had his wife murdered so he can inherit her money. We talk about the threading impossible needles, dark web research and the inherent dangers but irresistible thrill of looking at reviews.
Check out Hannah's webseries - First Chapter Fun. https://www.facebook.com/groups/589987101914728
By Her Own Design by Piper Huguley is one of the best books I've read this year because of the unstoppable and fascinating voice Piper created for fashion designer Ann Lowe. We get into the nitty gritty of bringing Ann's fascinating and overlooked story to the world. This is one you don't want to miss.
The incredible untold story of how Ann Lowe, a Black woman and granddaughter of slaves, rose above personal struggles and racial prejudice to design and create one of America's most famous wedding dresses of all time for Jackie Kennedy.
1953, New York City
Less than a week before the society wedding of the year where Jacqueline Bouvier will marry John F. Kennedy, a pipe bursts at Ann Lowe’s dress shop and ruins eleven dresses, including the expensive wedding dress, a dress that will be judged by thousands. A Black designer who has fought every step of the way, Ann knows this is only one struggle after a lifetime of them. She and her seamstresses will find the way to re-create the dresses. It may take all day and all night for the next week to accomplish the task, but they will do it.
1918, Tampa
Raised in Jim Crow Alabama, Ann learned the art of sewing from her mother and her grandmother, a former slave, who are the most talented seamstresses in the state. After Ann elopes at twelve with an older man who soon proves himself to be an abusive alcoholic, her dreams of becoming a celebrated designer seem to be put on hold. But then a wealthy Tampa socialite sees Ann’s talent and offers her an amazing opportunity—the chance to sew and design clothing for Florida’s society elite. Taking her young son in the middle of the night, Ann escapes her husband and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.
Based on the true story of one of the most famous designers of the twenties through the sixties who has since been unjustly forgotten, By Her Own Design is an unforgettable novel of determination despite countless obstacles and a triumph celebrated by the world.
It's a 1970's classic cocktail - Grasshoppers and a beautiful 1970's set novel - Lady Sunshine. Amy Mason Doan stops by to chat about musical influences, creating those razor sharp, right on the edge of disaster female teenage friendships and one of my all time favorite writer in lockdown with her family stories. Amy did some ingenious problem solving. Grab yourself a cocktail and grab this beautiful day dream of a book - and have a listen.
ONE ICONIC FAMILY. ONE SUMMER OF SECRETS. THE DAZZLING SPIRIT OF 1970S CALIFORNIA.
For Jackie Pierce, everything changed the summer of 1979, when she spent three months of infinite freedom at her bohemian uncle’s sprawling estate on the California coast. As musicians, artists, and free spirits gathered at The Sandcastle for the season in pursuit of inspiration and communal living, Jackie and her cousin Willa fell into a fast friendship, testing their limits along the rocky beach and in the wild woods... until the summer abruptly ended in tragedy, and Willa silently slipped away into the night.
Twenty years later, Jackie unexpectedly inherits The Sandcastle and returns to the iconic estate for a short visit to ready it for sale. But she reluctantly extends her stay when she learns that, before her death, her estranged aunt had promised an up-and-coming producer he could record a tribute album to her late uncle at the property’s studio. As her musical guests bring the place to life again with their sun-drenched beach days and late-night bonfires, Jackie begins to notice startling parallels to that summer long ago. And when a piece of the past resurfaces and sparks new questions about Willa’s disappearance, Jackie must discover if the dark secret she’s kept ever since is even the truth at all.
Cut your rum drink with a little vodka and don't forget the lime (for health) and join me as I chat with Brooke Lea Foster about her fabulous new book ON GIN LANE. This is the second book Brooke has set amongst the fabulous and wealthy vacationers of the 1950's - and this glamorous, glitzy world, rife with struggles is a world I will cheerfully go back to. We discuss how the setting of the Hamptons is near and dear to her family, creating female characters that make the conflict resonate with readers and what happens when you get not one, but two new editors while writing a book.
After her fiancé whisks her off to the glistening shores of Southampton in June of 1957, one young socialite begins to realize that her glamorous summer is giving her everything—except what she really wants—in this new novel from the author of Summer Darlings.
Everleigh “Lee” Farrows thinks she finally has life all figured out: a handsome fiancé named Roland, a trust in her name, and a house in Bronxville waiting for her to fill it with three adorable children. That is, until Roland brings her out to the Hamptons for a summer that will change everything.
Most women could only dream of the engagement present Roland unexpectedly bestows on Lee—a beachside hotel on the prized Gin Lane—but Lee’s delight is clouded by unpleasant memories of another hotel, the Plaza, where she grew up in the shadow of her mother’s mental illness. Shaking off flashbacks, Lee resolves to dive into an unforgettable summer with poolside Bellinis, daily tennis matches, luncheons with her Manhattan circle, and her beloved camera in tow. But when tragedy strikes on the hotel’s opening weekend, the cracks in Lee’s picture-perfect future slowly begin to reveal themselves, and Lee must look deep within herself to determine if the life she’s always wanted will ever truly be enough.
From the regal inns to the farmland, the well-heeled New Yorkers to the Bohemian artists, the East End of Long Island is a hodge-podge of the changing American landscape in the late 1950s—and the perfect place for Lee to discover who she really is.
Grab it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MIYIFc
Or my favorite Indie Bookstore - QUEEN BOOKS - https://bookmanager.com/queenbk/?searchtype=keyword&qs=on+gin+lane
Fresh starts! New Pen Names! Houses that feel emotions! Chocolate Martinis! Ellis Leigh stops by to talk about all of it. When Ellis first told me about this Paracozy mystery about a house that cries, I was all in. We discuss the challenges of writing a book that has to hit the sweet spot of so many genres - paranormal, mystery and romance. Ellis is also very honest and extremely open about starting new pen names and new series. If you are an author considering something new, under a new name - this is for you!
Elena stops by to talk about her illuminating novel A Train To Moscow. This is easily the most fascinating interview I've ever had. Elena's beautiful book takes place in Russia after the second world war and reveals a society that not only grinds it's citizen up but also leads directly to what we're seeing in the world right now. This is a beautiful coming-of-age story and a nail biting and heartbreaking thriller. Absolutely beautifully written. This book gets my highest recommendation.
Kosoko stops by to talk about his fabulous Black, Queer Adult Rom Com I'm So (NOT) Over You. We talk about the stupid shit we did in our twenties, subverting romance tropes (sometimes on accident). He shows off his amazing book pitching skills - seriously, authors take note. and the surprising way this book changed over the course of writing it.
Simone stops by to discuss her brand new New York Times Bestseller - THE BOOK OF COLD CASES! We discuss what she learned from this problem child book. We also talk about what makes a scary scene scary and how she ramps up the fear factor in her books.
Farah stops by with a Starry Fuzzy Fizz (that includes a spiced simple syrup you're going to want to drink with everything) to discuss her new rom com - KAMILA KNOWS BEST. An Emma retelling with absolutely tons of bittersweet energy - and a dog prom. So, it covers all the bases. We talk about what she's learned on this her fourth published novel and how she manages several plot threads with HUGE pay offs.
Kianna Alexander stops by to talk about CAROLINA BUILT - a historical novel about the life of Josephine Leary. Jo Leary was a woman born into slavery who became a North Carolina Real Estate Mogul. Her story has been untold for years and Kianna talks about researching this woman's remarkable life. She also talks about her choices in telling Josephine's story, focusing on love and family, rather than fear and racism. Kianna also talks about her kinship with Josephine - how what Josephine struggled with in her marriage, life and family, are the things women struggle with today. We also talk about that cover. WOW!!!
Zoe York stops by - Gin and Tonic in hand - to discuss the third book in her fabulous non-fiction series - Romance Your Goals. If you are a writer of any kind; trad, indie, romance, sci-fi - you name it, there is something in this series that will change how you think about your work and the business of writing. We talk about self-awareness as writers, and how to get it. When and how to pivot. We also lose the thread on a couple of questions which is what happens when you play a drinking game with Clifton Strengths and gin.
Weina stops by to talk about her bestselling novel The Last Rose of Shanghai. I've read a lot of World War II fiction and this is a look at that war from a whole new angle from the setting of Shanghai. A love story at it's core between a Chinese woman who defies society and family constraints to run a night club and a Jewish refugee who is caring for his sister and plays jazz piano in night clubs. It's also a novel about survival and what these characters will do to make it to safety. It's totally epic in scope - lots of heartache This is a must-read for people who love World War II fiction and readers who love historical novels set in different locations.
Fiona Davis stops by to discuss her instant New York Times Bestselling novel - The Magnolia Palace. Fiona answers lots of reader questions about research and where she draws the line between history and fiction. She also answers all my fan girl writing questions about pacing and creating cliffhanger chapter endings. (Seriously, she spills her secrets!)
Watch the interview live: http://bit.ly/DayDrinkingWithAuthors
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FIONA DAVIS is the New York Times bestselling author of six historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including THE MAGNOLIA PALACE, THE ADDRESS, and THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE, which was a Good Morning America book club pick. Her novels have been chosen as “One Book, One Community” reads and her articles have appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and the Oprah magazine. She first came to New York as an actress, but fell in love with writing after getting a master's degree at Columbia Journalism School. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and she's based in New York City.
Today's book is a soapy, bombastic delight! The Liz Taylor Ring has dual timelines, multiple MULTIPLE POV's, family secrets, family fighting, gambling scenes straight out of a Scorsese film... and a gorgeous 11-carat diamond ring at the center of it. Brenda stops by to talk about the allure of Liz Taylor, how those gambling scenes came to be (the answer is awesome) figuring out how to edit such a sprawling and wild book, and writing characters that aren't always likeable. I read this book as a reader and a writer and was completely enthralled.
Brenda Janowitz is the author of seven novels, including The Grace Kelly Dress. She is the former books correspondent for PopSugar, and her work has also appeared in the New York Times, Real Simple, the Washington Post, and the New York Post, among others. She is a graduate of Cornell University and Hofstra School of Law and lives in New York with her husband and two sons. Find her on Instagram, @brendajanowitzwriter, and on Twitter, @brendajanowitz.
If you are a fan of Katee's work or an author who is struggling to find the fun in writing and publishing - you're going to love this conversation. Katee opens up about her process and the creation of her Dark Olympus series. She also talks about how she creates and responds to her fandom. We discuss burnout and using sex that tells a story. Oh! And her book Electric Idol - we talk about that, too.
Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.
AMZ: https://amzn.to/3FNiJH6
B&N: https://bit.ly/3rfMuuL
iTunes: https://apple.co/3rivwMi
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3fnh3cC
Jennieke Cohen stops by with a delicious Earl Grey Glory to discuss her fabulous historical YA My Fine Fellow. This book is ALL sorts of things - a gender-swapped retelling of My Fair Lady, a Food TV meets historical fiction romance AND an alternate history YA. But at it's core it's a nuanced and fascinating look at bigotry and privilege. We have SO MUCH to talk about!
Jennieke Cohen is a Filipina-American author of young adult historical fiction. Her debut novel, DANGEROUS ALLIANCE, was a Junior Library Guild selection and has been translated into multiple languages. Jennieke studied English history at Cambridge University and has a master’s degree in professional writing from the University of Southern California. She has worked as a nonfiction ghostwriter, a literary agent’s assistant, and as a writing consultant to Silicon Valley tech companies. When not writing or researching little-known corners of history, you'll find her cooking and baking up a storm, singing show tunes, over-analyzing old movies, or getting outside to enjoy the sun in her native Northern California. Read more on Jennieke’s website http://JenniekeCohen.com or say hi on Twitter or Instagram
@Jennieke_Cohen
https://bookshop.org/books/my-fine-fellow-9798200851430/9780063047532…
https://barnesandnoble.com/w/my-fine-fellow-jennieke-cohen/1139214120?ean=9780063047532&st=AFF&2sid=HarperCollins%20Publishers%20LLC_7310909_NA&sourceId=AFFHarperCollins%20Publishers%20LLC…
https://harpercollins.com/products/my-fine-fellow-jennieke-cohen?variant=39314548391970…
https://amzn.to/3qq1uXI
Anna stops by to discuss her DEBUT romcom - Love At First Spite. Who knew Spite Houses were an actual thing? We discuss how a satisfying romance needs a good dose of heartache and how the creation of character wounds is surprisingly fun. Anna also talks about the difference between writing romance vs writing women's fiction. We also work with the same excellent editor and discussed what Melanie brought to our work.
Join the Day Drinking group here: http://bit.ly/DayDrinkingWithAuthors
Buy Love At First Spite here:
https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781525899799
https://bookshop.org/.../love-at-first.../9781525899799
https://amzn.to/3mV6fX1
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/.../love-at.../1139205092
Anna E. Collins is a Seattle-area author who writes stories about the lives and loves of women.
Once upon a time she was a teacher in Sweden, but one American husband, two children, and two international moves later, she realized she had stories to tell and picked up the pen. When not writing, reading, or raising humans, she likes to bake, draw, and hang out with her eternal sidekick—a mini goldendoodle named Archie, who is a Very Good Boy.
Therese stops by to talk about her magical romance AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER. We talk about her career writing Harlequin romances and what it takes to make the jump to single title. We talk about writing ourselves into corners, lightening strike ideas and motherhood. We talk a lot about motherhood.
Viola Shipman is the pen name of author Wade Rouse.
Well, this was the Christmas cheer we all need! A fabulous drink, lovely book THE SECRET OF SNOW and an author who gets real about the process and how he uses family history to write emotionally powerful scenes. We discuss our mothers, roadkill art (it's true, we actually do) and how the specific is universal.
Adriana stops by to talk about...well, everything! But mostly her fabulous romantic suspense Uncharted. We talk about how she challenges herself as an author with impossible and difficult plot lines. (A whole romance with the couple trapped in a mine in THE DARK!?) The escapist pleasures of romantic suspense and a place and a book called Kink Camp. Also, there's mulled wine and a delicious spiced simple syrup....
Kimmery stops by to discuss her breath-taking new book Doctors and Friends. For those of you reluctant to read about pandemics and the global experience we've all shared for the last two years - I hear you. I was the same way. But this book is cathartic in the way that only art can be. It's fascinating and heart-breaking and it is EXACTLY the book we need right now. I loved it. And I really think you will too.
Jenny Holiday stops by to talk about her fabulous new Holiday Rom Com- Duke, Actually. Recently picked by New York Public Library as a best book for adults in 2021 - this is top shelf romantic fantasy - about Dukes and Christmas and Royal Weddings. We take sides on the divisive Love, Actually scene and talk about the pleasures and pain of writing slow burn romance.
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Susanna stops by with a fabulous drink - The Braveheart and for bonus points tells us the rather gruesome story of the REAL Braveheart as we discuss her fabulous historical fiction - The Vanished Days. This book has a twist that makes you want to shut the book and immediately open it back up so you can see how she did it. It's also got a beautiful romance and all the history and intrigue one can expect from a Kearsley book. She also does a kind thing and plug my new Christmas romance - Very Merry Married.
CALLING ALL WRITERS!! This one is for you. I sit down with Theodora Taylor to talk about her mind-blowing, non-fiction book - 7 Figure Fiction. This book gives any kind of writer a guide to find and use Universal Fantasy in every part of their writing process and business - from brainstorming to ad copy. This book is an absolute game changer for writers in any genre. What is Universal Fantasy - listen. Theodora spells it out for you in this conversation.
Who are the special guests? Bestselling authors - Skye Warren, Amelia Wilde and Zoe York.
The writing duo of Karma Brown and Marissa Stapley stop by to talk about their new Rom Com written under the pen name Maggie Knox. We discuss the marrying of two kinds writers. The pleasures of HEA's and what happens when a side-project becomes successful.
Karin is not fooling around with her gin martini and spy novel A WOMAN OF INTELLIGENCE. We discuss whether women in the 50's really liked this much gin or do writer's writing about the 50's like writing about this much gin. We also talk about impeccable research, her love of ill-fated love and writing about politics.
Sally stops by with a NEW Old Fashioned (maple syrup makes it new and it's delicious!) to talk about her charming new novel Much Ado About Barbecue. Sally goes on twenty different tangents and I follow her down every one. We talk about Bess Truman, my Oma and barbecue and writing during Covid and exercise induced asthma and the pleasures of writing and reading retellings. Sally is as warm and charming as her novel!
Jaimie stops by to talk about her novel BLUSH. Blush is a tribute to all the splashy soapy bestsellers of the 80's with their complicated feminism, saga story-telling and shoulder pads. We discuss writing characters we don't like, and writing characters we love. The nature of camp and the power of the books we snuck off our mother's bookshelves.
Christina stops by with a Bunny Mother to chat about her fascinating coming of age story - Shoulder Season. Set in the 1980's in the Playboy Resort in Lake Geneva, Il - Shoulder Season is part historical novel part extremely poignant and sometimes painful coming-of-age story. We talk about feminism and the stigma around Playboy, the midwest as a universal setting and strangely...hitting deer with our cars. Which is a peak Wisconsin thing to talk about.
Naima is the kind of person and writes the kind of books that pick you up after a bad day. We get a sugar high off cocoa and tell embarrassing stories about personal hygiene and deadlines. Naima also talks about her process and schedule - all of which blows my mind.
Vanessa Riley stops by to talk about her historical fiction - Island Queen. And this might be the most fascinating interview I've ever had the pleasure of being a part of. The research Vanessa had to do to unearth the story of Dolly Kirwan Thomas is absolutely astonishing. My mind is blown about seven different times - I think yours will be too...
My new romance obsession - Cate C Wells stops by to talk about her Steel Bones Motorcycle club romances series. We talk about EVERYTHING. I try to find out if Cate writes under other pen names and get disappointed. She talks about her process and how she builds her fabulous characters. The sound is a little wonky on this one, I'm loud and Cate is quiet - I'm so sorry about that.
Tessa stops by with a gin and tonic to talk about IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER - this book is the cure for the stress we're all feeling right now. It's fun and sexy and sweet and tender. I loved it. Tessa talks about her schedule and process - which is a little nuts! We also discuss Tik Tok, character development and how some books are harder than others.
Amanda visits with a Gin Rickey to talk about her fabulous historical fiction novel - The Second Life of Mirielle West. This might be one of my favorite visits to the podcast as Amanada goes in depth on her research into the Carville Leper Home in the 1920's. Absolutely fascinating.
Lexi Ryan stops by to talk about her epic YA fantasy THESE HOLLOW VOWS. Lexi tells me how she got out of her head while writing it and how she wrote herself in and out of corners with magic and romance.
Welcome back Day Drinkers! We have an exclusive this week - Vera Kurian stops by to talk about her debut thriller NEVER SAW ME COMING - which releases in September. A group of college students are taking part in a clinical study for psychopaths...and someone starts killing them one by one. Vera discusses POV, the appeal of college set novels and getting into the minds of not one, but multiple psychopaths.
My Day Drinking origin story is revealed as I talk to one of my nearest and dearest - Stephanie Doyle about her new Jane Austen/Veronica Mars/Sherlock Holmes mash-up - Enemies to Prom Dates. This book is part mystery/part romance 100% good time. And so is Stephanie... she did shake her boobs in Nora Roberts face, after all....
Xio Axelrod sips some whiskey with me while talking about her ambitious new book - The Girl With Stars in Her Eyes. Part romance, part women's fiction, part rockumentary - this book rocks in every category.
Hudson Lin and I chat about her LGBTQ romance - Hard Sell. We discuss her amazing cover with two beautiful Chinese men on it - that has to be a first in trad pubbed romance! We talk about how her job in finance informed not just her plot but her characters and their world view. We also talk about the food we perfected in lockdown and what we're excited to eat, now that we can go to restaurants again!
Thriller month comes to a close with Canadian Bestseller and my first repeat guest - Hannah Mary McKinnon! We discuss brainstorming that extra twist and how I believe that if it weren't for all that murder - Hannah would be a romance novelist!
Debut author Jessica Hamilton stops by to take a cocktail tour of NYC and discuss her thriller WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW. We talk about plotting twists and unreliable narrators who also happen to be a GHOST!!!
You should always meet your heroes - particularly while drinking Chocolate Cherry Bombs! NYT Bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson stops by to talk about her latest release MOTHER MAY I and while she's at it, she tells me about her real-life love story (delicious!) how she creates her flawed, human characters and how she views balance in her books. Oh, and we get pretty drunk... it's a good one!
It's 80's Murder Night with the author of LAST ONE HOME. Victoria talks about the intersection of unlikeable heroines, unreliable narrators and deep POV. But mostly I just tell her things I loved about my book and she asks "is that a question." It's good stuff.
Jennifer stops by with a cup of tea in a beautiful mug to discuss her beautiful and harrowing novel The Yellow Bird Sings. She discusses her research with Hidden Children and how she writes big emotions.
Wendy Francis stops by with blue drinks to talk about her summer page-turner THE SUMMERTIME GUESTS. I confess my jealousy over the plot of this book...
Denny stops by to discuss her debut novel Wild Women and The Blues. We sip a prohibition cocktail (did you know cocktails were started during Prohibition to mask the taste of bad booze?? I didn't either, but Denny did!!) called the Bee's Knees while talking about how novels change over the course of their lives and lots of other things!
Marissa stops by to talk about her latest book: Lucky. About a grifter with a heart of gold who has a million dollar lottery ticket she can't claim. She's working on the pilot script for the TV adaptation. We talk about long desert highways and I drink tequila. It's fantastic!
Farah stops by to talk about her delicious book - Accidentally Engaged. We discuss self-aware characters and lice... as you do. Our cocktail is an equally delicious Guinness Dark and Stormy.
Trish sails by to talk about her beautiful romance - FLOAT PLAN. Part romance, part exploration of grief, part travelogue through the Caribbean - Float Plan is the book to get you through the tail end of this pandemic! We talk about how Trish so expertly handles big emotions in all her books and she answers some probing Proust Questionaire questions.
Ms. Bev stops by to chat about her newest book: Wild Rain. We talk about how her grandfather inspired her love of westerns and SOMEHOW I convince her to take the Proust Questionnaire! Her answers will delight and suprise!
Kate stops by to talk about her newest swoony, slow-burn, jealousy-inducing (on my part) romance Love At First. We talk process, characters what we love in romance and I try to shriek all my compliments in question form... it doesn't really work.
Julia sits down to talk about her gorgeous historical novel: The Last Garden in England. This book is ambitious - three timelines, five POV characters spread over 100 years and bound together by one special garden. Julia and I talk about powerful ideas, research and the special connection this book has with her father.
Is Jill Shalvis one of the nicest authors out there? Yes! is she an absolute marvel of consistency? Yes! Is her book The Forever Girl another example of her delightful banter and fantastic characters! Also, yes. This conversation gets pretty writerly so if you've wondered about her process - you'll love this interview.
Suleikha stops by with some hot-buttered pineapple juice (extremely delicious, highly recommend) to talk about her audacious paranormal romance Big Bad Wolf (extremely exciting, highly recommend). We get into fandoms, world-building and nipples. Lots of nipple talk...
Kate Hilton stops by to talk about her sparkling latest release - Better Luck Next Time. We talk about our favorite Toronto indie bookstore, the problem with likeable heroines and turning domestic heartache into comedy gold.
Karma Brown, bestselling author of Recipe For A Perfect Wife stops by to talk about her new non-fiction release - The 4% Fix: How One Hour Can Change Your Life. We talk about the importance of sleep, the science of naps and creating habits that feed your goals and vision.
The authors of the fantastic historical romance anthology The Duke I'd Like To F... stop by to discuss research, consent, diversity and The Bridgerton series.
A Michelle Major Holiday Extravaganza! We drink delicious Cranberry Margarita's and talk about her novel The Merriest Magnolia.
Sherry Thomas - bestselling author of some of my all time favorite romance novels stops by to talk about MURDER ON COLD STREET. The latest book in her Lady Sherlock series (which is absolutely amazing!) Sherry talks about how to be a genius while we drink the worst drinks imaginable.
It's all things CLUE as I chat with Diana Peterfreund about her YA Mystery - In The Hall With The Knife! We also get very nerdy and nostalgic about the CLUE movie and games all while drinking my new favorite cocktail a Kentucky Flyer.
In a podcast special writing duo Christina Lauren stops by to discuss their instant New York Times Bestseller In A Holidaze. We talk about their quarantine, what Christina gives Lauren for Christmas every year and how their relationship has changed over their writing career.
The Author of the extremely charming novel - Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop stops by to discuss magical realism, how her process is changing and just how she's managing to write all those beautiful descriptions of food.
Debut thriller author Erin Ruddy stops by for a glass of wine and to discuss her book TELL ME MY NAME. I lose my mind a little bit over the changing dynamic in the book and we talk about the power of great ideas to transcend genres. I also have to sign legal documents swearing I'm not stealing her idea...
Simone St. James stops by for a few beers and to talk about her NYT bestselling ghost story - The Sundown Motel. That has some of the most chilling and memorable creepy scenes I've ever read. She also talks about the number one secret to writing dual timelines. Also, we try to remember how long we've been friends but it's been so long we can't keep track.
Author of instant NYT Bestseller WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING stops by as she recovers from dengue fever to talk about research, gentrification and world building!
Andrew Pyper award-winning and bestselling Canadian author stops by to have a beer and talk about his latest novel - The Residence!
Things get personal as I drink sangria and play two truths and a lie with two USA Today Bestselling authors of Her Aussie Holiday (Stefanie London) and Paradise Cove (Jenny Holiday)
Alexis stops by to have a booze-free Moscow Mule and discuss her novel YOU HAD ME AT HOLA, soap operas, writing in quarantine and how to accidentally stumble onto a high concept idea.
Every Thursday I'm interviewing the best authors in genre fiction.
September 3 Alexis Daria author of YOU HAD ME AT HOLA
September 10 Stefanie London author of HER AUSSIE HOLIDAY and Jenny Holiday author of PARADISE COVE
September 17 Andrew Pyper author of THE RESIDENCE
September 25 Alyssa Cole author of WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING
October 14 Elin Hildebrand author of TROUBLES IN PARADISE
October 21 Simone St James author of SUN DOWN HOTEL
October 28 Erin Ruddy author of TELL ME MY NAME