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The Best Books, Courses, & Conferences for Writers

January 8, 2019 by admin

BOOKS

Learn from the experts! Amazing inspiration and practical advice for both newbie and experienced writers.

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON AMAZON

COURSES

New York Times Bestselling Author, Alessandra Torre, knows everything there is to know about becoming a successful author. Soak up every word she says!

Publish Your First Book Alessandra Torre

Click here to learn more about each course!

CONFERENCES

Alessandra Torre (again, she’s a NYT Bestselling Author, so she knows her stuff!) has put together an amazing lineup of speakers for this innovative conference for writers! And there is a digital option if you are unable to attend in person!

Inkers Con Writer Conference Alessandra Torre

Click here for more info on Inkers Con 2019!

Top 10 Reads of 2018!

December 31, 2018 by admin

Wow!! 2018 was an AMAZING year for books, wasn’t it? My TBR list is MILES long!!!

There just aren’t enough hours in a day to get through all the spectacular words these authors have shared with us!

But, boy, will we give it a solid effort, right?

Below are just 10 (it was soooo hard to pick only 10!!) of my favorites from this past year. I know you’ll fall in love with them too!! Enjoy!!

“One mistake doesn’t make you a failure.”

LONNIE
I came to Tennessee to help a friend.
And now, I’m stuck.
By the Southern charm,
By the sweet tea and
By a tall, red-headed “Strawberry Shortcake”

And when my world crumbles apart,
Wynn is there to help me pick up the pieces.
To show me the way.

WYNN
My life was a huge disappointment.
My marriage,
My job,
Everything slipped away.

Coming home seemed like the final failure.
But then I meet him,
Lonnie Brennan, the sexy bass player,
Who adds laughter to my life.

And now, I realize that I can
Change my tune,
Sing a new song.

BUY MY LIFE AS A MIXTAPE ON AMAZON

Beau Fortier starred in most of my cringe-worthy teenage fantasies.

I met him when I was a junior in high school, a time that revolved exclusively around bad hair, failed forays into flirting, and scientific inquiries into which brand of toilet paper worked best for stuffing bras.

That is, until Beau moved into the small guest house just beyond my bedroom window.

A 24-year-old law student at Tulane, Beau was as mysterious to me as second base (both in baseball and in the bedroom). He was older. Intimidating. Hot. Boys my age had chicken legs and chubby cheeks. Beau had calloused hands and a jaw cut from steel. Our interactions were scarce—mostly involving slight stalking on my end—and yet deep down, I desperately hoped he saw me as more of a potential lover than a lovesick loser.

Turns out, I was fooling myself. My fragile ego learned that lesson the hard way.

Now, ten years later, we’re both back in New Orleans, and guess who suddenly can’t take his eyes off little ol’ me.

My old friend, Mr. Fortier.

But things have changed. I’m older now—poised and confident. My ego wears a bulletproof vest. The butterflies that once filled my stomach have all perished.

When I was a teenager, Beau warned me to guard my heart.
Let’s hope he knows how to guard his.

BUY THE BEAU AND THE BELLE ON AMAZON

It was a big lie. The biggest lie she’d ever told. It reverberated through her head as she said it, ringing eerily, and the girl behind her eyes—the girl who knew the truth—screamed, and her scream echoed along with the lie.
“Are you in love with Noah, Mercedes?” Cora asked. “I mean . . . I know you love him. You’ve been friends forever. We all have. But are you in love with him?”
If it had been anyone else—anyone—Mercedes would have stuck out her chest, folded her skinny arms, and let her feelings be known. She would have claimed him. But it was Cora. Brave, beautiful, broken Cora, and Cora loved Noah too.
So Mercedes lied.
And with that lie, she lost him. With that lie, she sealed her fate.
She was the best friend, the bridesmaid, the godmother, the glue. She was there for the good times and the bad, the ups and the downs, the biggest moments and the smallest parts. And she was there when it all came crashing down.
This is the tale of the girl who didn’t get the guy.

BUY THE SMALLEST PART ON AMAZON

On the northeast side of town, there is a house.

The house was once magical, filled with love and joy and plans for the future.

Inside its walls are many things that belong to me — my books, the china from my mother on my wedding day, the beautiful cage once home to two birds, now empty, just like me.

And a man.

A man who also belongs to me.

A man I no longer wish to keep.

A man who, no doubt, has not slept, though the sun is rising. Because the house where he waits is where I laid my head to rest every night for eight years. Until last night.

No one who knows me would believe Charlie Pierce, the quiet, bookish girl who never made waves is pulling out of the driveway of a man who isn’t her husband.

But they don’t know me at all.

I don’t even know me.

Not anymore.

They say there are two sides to every story, and I suppose in most cases, that’s true. But the one I live inside of? It has three.

On the northeast side of town, there is a house.

But there is no longer a home.

BUY WHAT HE DOESN’T KNOW ON AMAZON

When I first met Jasmine Greene, she came in as raindrops.

I was the awkward musician, and she was the high school queen.
The only things we had in common were our music and our loneliness.

Something in her eyes told me her smile wasn’t always the truth.
Something in her voice gave me a hope I always wished to find.
And in a flash, she was gone.

Years later, she was standing in front of me on a street in New Orleans.
She was different, but so was I. Life made us colder. Harder. Isolated.

Caged.

Even though we were different, the broken pieces of me recognized the sadness in her.
Now she was back, and I wouldn’t make the mistake of letting her go again.

When I first met Jasmine Greene, she came in as raindrops.
When we met again, I became her darkest storm.

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From New York Times bestselling author, J. Sterling comes a thrilling new standalone romance you won’t want to miss!

I’m the hopeless romantic in the family and I don’t care who knows. My brothers make fun of me for it, calling me “Princess” and “Cinderella” every chance they get, but I couldn’t care less. I’m done with one night stands and women who mean nothing to me. My dating for the sake of dating days are over.

I know what I want and I refuse to settle for less. I’m ready to find “the one.” You know exactly what I’m talking about.

Single mom Sofia can’t stand me. I want to get to know her better, but she keeps pushing me away. I just need one chance to show her that I’m not the guy she thinks I am, but she won’t let me get anywhere near her.

Being a single mom has made her heart guarded. Being a single guy has made my heart determined.

I wonder who’s heart is going to give in first?

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From a New York Times Bestseller comes the story of a billion-dollar fortune and the sex, lies, and betrayal that surrounds it…

I’ve worked a decade for this. I’ve sold my soul and my reputation. I’ve lived a lie, smiled for the cameras, and hated myself, all for this fortune.

And then … she pops up. A mysterious heir with a rap sheet, combat boots, and a mouth that I want to pin shut with my–
It doesn’t matter. I’ve played this game for a decade. I can continue the charade a little longer, keep my hands to myself and her body out of my mind.

I can keep my secret until the ink dries and everything is mine.
Or not.

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Hunches, horse races, and heartbreak

Ten years after Simone Payton broke his heart, all Roscoe Winston wants is a doughnut. He’d also like to forget her entirely, but that’s never going to happen. Roscoe Winston remembers everything—every look, every word, every single unrequited second—and the last thing he needs is another memory of Simone.

Unfortunately, after one chance encounter, Simone keeps popping up everywhere he happens to be . . .

Ten years after Roscoe Winston dropped out of her life, all Simone Payton wants is to exploit him. She’d also like some answers from her former best friend about why he ghosted her, but if she never gets those answers, that’s a-okay. Simone let go of the past a long time ago. Seriously, she has. She totally, totally has. She is definitely not still thinking about Roscoe. Nope. She’s more than happy to forget he exists.

But first, she needs just one teeny-tiny favor . . .

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If you could read my mind, you wouldn’t be smiling. Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can’t turn off. Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn’t help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she’d be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam’s weekly visits to her psychiatrist. Caroline introduces Sam to the Poet’s Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more “normal” than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

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A Crown for Christmas by Rachel Van Dyken

The first time I met Fitz or to most of the world Duke Fitzegerald Heraldo Belleville, I punched him in the throat.
I was actually aiming for his chin, but he was a few years older, clearly not wiser, but at least taller.
He started wheezing on his candy cane.
And well, the rest is history.
Hate replaced what could have been friendship, and for the rest of my teen years, I watched him flirt with every single breathing female.
I hated him.
Plotted his death with a smile on my face.
And knew that my first decree as Queen would be to chop off his head.
Except now that I’m finally old enough to inherit the title, there’s one tiny little slip-up.
I need a man by my side.
The problem?
I may have accidentally scared them all away.
I have no options.
Until the devil rings my doorbell with a wicked grin on his face and revenge dancing like sugarplums in his gaze.
I hate that I need him.
It’s a serious problem.
We have twelve days before we say I do.
I just pray we survive without killing each other first.

BUY A CROWN FOR CHRISTMAS ON AMAZON

Tripping on a Halo

December 26, 2018 by admin

A FEW THOUGHTS . . .

A refreshingly unique story!

The main character, Autumn, with all her adorable craziness, will win you over in the very first scene! And so will her little piggy friend!

It’s cute. It’s funny. It’s wonderfully original.

And even when the story takes a turn you never, ever saw coming, the sweetest-ever romantic gestures will have you swooning for days!

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SYNOPSIS:

NYT Bestseller Alessandra Torre delivers a hilarious enemies-to-lovers romance!
It’s really hard to save a guy’s life when he keeps running from you…
You might be asking yourself why I’m waving an inflatable penis in the air and screaming at the top of my lungs. If I took time to explain, Declan Moss would get hit by a bus.

Let me back up. I didn’t ask for this. I was perfectly happy–and perfectly sane–before I was tasked with keeping Declan Moss alive. It was a thankless job until the moment that my panties dropped and his delicious smirk found his way in between my thighs.

Hello, toe-curling ecstasy. Goodbye, professional boundaries. And suddenly, there’s a new danger to avoid: the falling of my heart.

WARNING: This addictive story will cause an ear-splitting smile, public laughter, and heart-tugging moments that may cause you to tear up in joy. Read and enjoy at your own risk!

Buy Tripping on a Halo on Amazon

A Crown for Christmas

December 19, 2018 by admin

A FEW THOUGHTS. . .

A Surprise Release!!

Best Christmas gift ever!!!

I had the honor of proofreading this novella and I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED IT!!!

It’s probably—no, it’s definitely—one of my RVD favorites!

Rachel Van Dyken has perfectly paired an enemies-to-lovers trope with royalty and lots of laughter!

Tons of heartfelt moments, fall-out-of-your-seat humor, and lots of sweet, sweet romance will surround you while you curl up with this novella, a cup of hot cocoa, and maybe even a candy cane…LOL (inside joke – you’ll have to read it to find out!)

And keep the tissues close by for one special scene that will melt your heart right into a puddle – I know mine did!

Make this book a part of your Christmas and enjoy this incredible story!

BUY ON AMAZON

SYNOPSIS:

Buy A Crown for Christmas on Amazon

Nine Perfect Strangers

December 12, 2018 by admin

A FEW THOUGHTS . . .

If you’ve ever read a Liane Moriarty novel, then you know she is the QUEEN OF TWO KINGDOMS: the “Things Are Not What They Seem” kingdom and the “Unexpected Turns” kingdom.

Nine Perfect Strangers is another marvelous example of Liane Moriarty’s incredible talent.

Immediately, you are pulled into the mysteries and secrets surrounding each character. Her words walk you through as each secret is held and each truth is revealed, taking you on the most twisty turny ride, shock and awe at every turn, and then planting you back on the ground, questioning everything.

The character studies are my favorite aspect of Liane’s books. The psychology behind each character’s thought processes and actions will intrigue and astound you.

As with all of Liane’s books, this one is phenomenal! And that’s all I can really say without spoiling anything! Just go read it!

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SYNOPSIS:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies

Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever? In Liane Moriarty’s latest page-turner, nine perfect strangers are about to find out…

Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be.

Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer – or should she run while she still can?

It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question.

Combining all of the hallmarks that have made her writing a go-to for anyone looking for wickedly smart, page-turning fiction that will make you laugh and gasp, Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers once again shows why she is a master of her craft.

Buy Nine Perfect Strangers on Amazon

It Started with Christmas

November 27, 2018 by admin

A FEW THOUGHTS . . .

There is truly nothing better than curling up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket, a cup of hot cocoa, and one of Jenny Hale’s Christmas novels. Even here in Tennessee where it hasn’t begun snowing yet!

It Started with Christmas easily transports you to that cozy cabin in the woods outside of Nashville where a woman and her nana are snowed in with an unexpected guest.

This is a lovely, heartwarming tale of a girl in search of her true calling and her true love while endearingly taking care of her grandmother who herself is missing the love of her life.

The gorgeous imagery and depiction of Nashville and its surrounding country is spot on. While I’m fairly new to the Nashville area myself, I know the landscapes and life are perfectly represented in this story, making you want to search for a comfy cabin in the country to spend your holiday, tour the lavish estates of Brentwood, and ring in the New Year in downtown Nashville!

An inspiring romance that brings the enchanting magic of the holidays to life!

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SYNOPSIS:

Holly McAdams loves spending the Christmas holidays at her family’s cozy cabin, with its little red door and twinkling lights, tucked in the snowy hills outside Nashville. But this year will be different. Someone unexpected is joining them…

After Holly and her beloved Nana struggle through a snow storm to reach the cabin, they discover gorgeous and wealthy Joseph Barnes, who has been renting the cabin for the last few weeks, is now snowed in. And it looks like he’ll be staying for the holidays.

Determined to make the best of the surprise situation, Holly tries to bring everyone together by baking delicious treats and decorating the cabin with plenty of festive sparkle. She finds herself growing close to handsome Joseph, who is unlike anyone she’s ever met before, even if Nana isn’t so keen on the dashing stranger with the mysterious past.

But charming and irresistible musician Rhett Burton is also back in town. Thrown into close proximity with the person who used to be her best friend and the man who broke her heart, Holly realizes it’s time to face her feelings and figure out what she really wants from her life. But to complicate things, both Joseph and Rhett have secrets to reveal…

Will Holly be able to find herself and the love she’s always dreamed of this Christmas?

Buy It Started with Christmas on Amazon

The Best Gifts for Booklovers

November 23, 2018 by admin

The holiday shopping season has officially begun! Check out all these fantastic gifts for all the booklovers in your life!

Best Gifts for Booklovers — Just One More Chapter Bracelet

Holiday Romances

November 20, 2018 by admin

Grab your cozy blanket and hot cocoa, ladies. Then, simply decide which of these amazing holiday romances you’re going to cuddle up with first…

My Life as a Mixtape

November 13, 2018 by admin

A FEW THOUGHTS. . .

I could gush about this book all day!

It’s so much more than a love story!

LJ Evans gracefully layers friendship, hope, hardship, and family with a slow burn, friends-to-lovers romance that will work magic in your heart.

Lonnie and Wynn meet through mutual friends and are swiftly drawn into each other’s worlds.

Together, they walk through some of life’s most challenging struggles, creating a solid friendship and unbreakable bond, which ultimately turns into a love formed on a beautiful foundation of respect and caring.

It’s hard to talk about this book without spoiling the most special element, but I’m gonna make it happen.

Trust me, you will know what (or WHO *wink wink*) it is as soon as she presents herself. And then this book will skyrocket to the top of your favorites list! She is the most precious, unforgettable character, and you will fall in love instantly!

The MY LIFE AS AN ALBUM series will always be a top recommendation of mine. (I highly suggest reading them in order, but you don’t technically have to.)

This is one of those series where you read the first book and say, “That’s my favorite.” Then, you read the second book and say, “No, wait, that’s my favorite.” Then, you read the third book and say, “Hold on, that’s my favorite.” And by the fourth book, you are just in awe of this whole series and LJ’s unforgettable world she has created for us to enjoy.

And as a bonus for those who have read the series . . . there is a SERIES EPILOGUE at the end, bringing back all the fabulous characters that have made a special home in our hearts.

BUY ON AMAZON

SYNOPSIS:

“One mistake doesn’t make you a failure.”

LONNIE
I came to Tennessee to help a friend.
And now, I’m stuck.
By the Southern charm,
By the sweet tea and
By a tall, red-headed “Strawberry Shortcake”

And when my world crumbles apart,
Wynn is there to help me pick up the pieces.
To show me the way.

WYNN
My life was a huge disappointment.
My marriage,
My job,
Everything slipped away.

Coming home seemed like the final failure.
But then I meet him,
Lonnie Brennan, the sexy bass player,
Who adds laughter to my life.

And now, I realize that I can
Change my tune,
Sing a new song.

From award-winning author, LJ Evans, comes the music inspired conclusion to the MY LIFE AS AN ALBUM SERIES about hope and new beginnings.

Buy My Life as a Mixtape on Amazon

My Life as an Album Series

November 6, 2018 by admin

My Life as a Country Album

This is a breathtaking story of the truest friendship and the most real kind of love. A love that is raw…flawed…and all-consuming.

These characters are pure and unwavering, and you fall in love with their story in mere moments. She belonged to him and he belonged to her, but the thing was…she knew it…he didn’t.

Your heart will ache with hers.
Your tears will fall with hers.
Your devastation will burn with hers.

Every turn of the page brings all the feels. I loved Cam’s complete and utter stubbornness when it came to Jake, the strength in her resolve, Jake’s unapologetic protection of her, and even the unfairness of…everything else.

The melodic and inviting writing of LJ Evans makes you feel like you are sitting right there with Cam, hearing her tell this story. You’re on this journey with them, desperate for the next chapter, but also a little nervous about what may be coming.

But you’re with them, you’re invested, and you want to see it through…for them. And for their love.

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SYNOPSIS:

I belonged to you the moment you told my mama you were waiting for me when I was still inside her stomach.

I belonged to you as we grew up sharing a treehouse, a yard, and the lake. I even belonged to you when our three-year age difference tried to pull us apart rather than put us together.

But, I was most especially yours when you kissed me and told me you weren’t letting me go.

Except you did.

And now I’m wondering how to turn our lives from a country love song without a happy ending into one that does…

Because “loving you was a race I was determined to win.”

Inspired by Taylor Swift country songs, this is a story of aching love and loss and learning to live through life in all its pain and glory.

****************

My Life as a Pop Album

An inspiring and genuine story of overcoming the deepest grief and the most self-deprecating guilt.

Mia is a good girl. A pleaser. It’s her job to make sure everyone around her is okay. But the thing is…she’s not okay.

And when she meets Derek Waters, the rock star with his own demons that he hides behind a gorgeous smile, he pulls her well outside of her comfort zone, and she eventually has to face her grief and guilt head on. But he is with her, loving her, every step of the way. And that is the best part of their story.

The unconditional love and trust that Mia and Derek have for each other is evident in every heartfelt word that LJ Evans has written for them.

Mia’s story is a heartwarming tale of finding true love…for someone else and also for herself.

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SYNOPSIS:

Good Girl Mia feels guilty for her brother’s death. It was her kidney that killed him after all…

Four years later, Mia is back home after college and trying to pretend that she’s got it all together. She’s set to take over the family car dealership, and is determined to never make her mama cry again, but she’s also running from guilt and a boy who never really loved her.

Derek Waters has just signed with a record label and is determined to spend his summer touring with his band far away from his alcoholic dad and the whole L.A. scene. Dealing with anyone of the female persuasion is the last thing on his mind.

But then the sexy musician walks into Mia’s dealership, and they both find themselves throwing their best laid plans aside. Which leaves Mia wondering how she’ll survive the guilt of touring with this tattooed rocker in her dead brother’s Camaro. And what will become of Good Girl Mia when Derek Waters is done with her?

****************

My Life as a Rock Album

Get ready to SQUEE, ladies!!
Seth is everyone’s favorite kind of bad boy…

Fast car…check.
Surly attitude…check.
Tortured past…check.
Hidden, soft heart that melts for that one and only girl that changes all of the above…check.

LJ Evans’ writing blows me away every time. She took a broken, life-hardened bad boy and molded him into a man with a depth and power to love that will melt your heart into a puddle and have you rooting for him 100%!!!

This is a true love story full of passion, heart, and even suspense! It’s incredible!

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SYNOPSIS:

“They took broken and made it art.”

From award winning author LJ Evans comes a novel inspired by Bon Jovi songs that shows how love and acceptance can heal even the toughest scars.

SETH

I’m a trash artist. I’m a recovering alcoholic. I’m a rude bastard. It’s why I was better of alone until feisty blogger PJ Hensley entered my life with her fairy-like quality. Suddenly I couldn’t imagine a life without her in it. And when she loved me and left me, it was what I expected but it isn’t what I wanted. And because I couldn’t just let her go, I’ve spent the last five months writing her letters trying to convince her to come home even though I know she won’t. I don’t deserve for her to come back.

I was ignoring my screwed up past and a bunch of stalker like texts while focusing on graduating college. The last thing I needed was a moody trash artist entering my world. But like all things Seth, he entered my life anyway with an intensity and focus that left me breathless. And when the summer collided into one big mess, I ran. To try to heal. To try and escape. But Seth’s letters are tearing at my soul and slowly reeling me back in. He’s almost convinced me that he can weld our lives back together into something beautiful. Almost…

Check out the MY LIFE AS AN ALBUM series on Amazon

COMING NOV. 13TH …

PREORDER NOW!