Let’s talk about the first lines of a book. In the industry, they are called the hook. Probably because, like an angular, the author wants to hook the reader right away and reel them into the story. As a reader, I love a really well-written first line/paragraph. They aren’t make it or break it […]
Books, Birthdays, and Birthdays in Books! (Plus a Giveaway!)
It’s my birthday in a couple of days, so I have birthdays on the brain. I had a big party for my fortieth birthday a few years ago, but since this one isn’t a milestone, we’ll most likely have a quiet celebration at home. Books make the best Christmas and birthday gifts, don’t they? And […]
Series Covers That Make an Impression
Earlier this month, K. Leah shared about the evolving covers of her Finding Home Series in this post. I’ve always loved her beautiful, soft, romantic covers! It got me thinking about other series whose covers have made an impression. Like K. Leah, I have a professional background in graphic design and have designed all of […]
Weddings, Weddings, Weddings
It’s the month of June and officially wedding season. Don’t believe me, just look and see how many of your Facebook friends start posting their wedding (or anniversary) photos, informing people how many years they’ve been married. In fact, my anniversary was on the 3rd (celebrated 17!). So I thought it would be fun to talk […]
Book Besties
I know “book boyfriends” are a thing, but what about a book best friend? Romance novels just wouldn’t be the same if our heroines didn’t have someone helping them navigate the highs and lows of love. These besties bring empathy, wisdom, and comic relief. Sometimes such beloved characters get their own story in a […]
Tropes in Fiction and Real Life
If you’ve been around romance books long enough (and I’m fairly confident we all have!), then you’re familiar with the concept of tropes. This is the literary device authors use as the theme of their romance—the means of which they center their meet-cute all the way to their happily-ever-after around. And, if we’re being honest, […]
The Setting + #Giveaway
The Setting. Every book has one. Some are fictional. Some are real. But all are essential to the story and can help bring the story alive. So how do authors choose settings? Well, I asked a few friends and I’ll also tell you how I chose the setting of the manuscript I’m currently writing. So […]
The Joy of Reading
The Book of James tells us to “count it all joy” during trials. I admit, sometimes it’s hard to count my blessings when faced with adversity. But today, when I was thinking on it, I remembered how much the joy of reading has helped me. Reading can be the ultimate escape experience. It can take […]
The Third Annual Inspy Romance Awards
It’s February! The month of love! Well, every month around here is the month of love. But February is unique because it’s the month of the Annual Inspy Valentine’s Awards. You may recall that I created these awards a couple of years ago as a way to share some fun little tidbits about Inspy Romance […]
The Year of Books
I’ve always been an avid reader, but writing has kind of eclipsed my reading time lately. I used to make reading goals like 100 books a year and wildly surpass them. Recently, I’ve been doing well to finish a book in a week. Not any more! 2022 is going to be a year of books […]