1–What is the title of your latest release?WOMEN LIKE US 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?WOMEN LIKE US is a literary thriller that examines the complexities and responsibilities of female friendship—what brings women together, and what drives them apart. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?WOMEN LIKE US is a sequel to INVISIBLE WOMAN, at the end of which my protagonist Joni has left New York City and returned to Los Angeles at the start of the pandemic. Now it’s five years later and she’s still living in her longtime home in Malibu, when circumstances bring her back to Brooklyn, where her story picks up. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?Yes! I would love to have a long talk with her about…everything. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?Smart. Conflicted. Faithful. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?I learned that I could write a satisfying novel without a detailed outline and follow instinct instead. I trusted the story’s emotional landscape to lead the way to a larger degree than before, and never lost my footing, which was a great experience. 7–Do you edit as you draft or…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LOST BOOK OF FIRST LOVES 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Under the Wyoming summer sun, two women connected in ways they never imagined will uncover a lost manuscript, untangle family secrets, and discover the true meaning of sisterhood. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I love the mountains of western Wyoming. I actually spent a summer working at the Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park and truly grew to love that area. When I was looking for a gorgeous western locale that might provide inspiration to a literary icon, Wyoming certainly matched the criteria. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yes. Definitely. I would love to be friends with either of the sisters I write about in the book. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Creative, independent, fierce 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned a great deal about what goes into hosting a successful YouTube travel vlog! One of my heroes documents his travels around the world to an adoring fan base. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait…

In this week’s Jen’s Jewels, I’m thrilled to welcome Audrey Ingram, author of the captivating new novel THE SUMMER WE RAN. Set against the high-stakes backdrop of a political campaign, this sweeping love story follows Tess and Grant—former teenage sweethearts turned rival candidates—as they navigate ambition, identity, and the pull of a shared past that refuses to stay buried. With dual timelines, razor-sharp emotional insight, and a plot that reads like The West Wing meets second-chance romance, Audrey delivers a novel that’s both timely and timeless. Trust me—you won’t want to miss this one. Jen: What inspired you to write THE SUMMER WE RAN? Was it a particular place, a news story, or maybe even a “what if” scenario that sparked the idea?Audrey: This idea has been percolating for years. In high school, I worked on a gubernatorial campaign and fell hard for the drama and passion that surround elections.  I love shows like The West Wing and Scandal and thought a political campaign would be the perfect backdrop for an unlikely love story between opposing candidates forced to confront their past. Jen: Tess and Grant’s romance spans decades and political ambitions—what drew you to write a love story with…

1–What is the title of your latest release? IT TAKES A PSYCHIC 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? There’s a licensed, emotional support dust bunny in the story. Her name is Roxy. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? Illusion Town is my favorite place on Harmony.  It’s like Las Vegas, only way more weird. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Yep. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Loyal, smart, determined. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? How to attach a fascinator to your head. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? Both.  It’s a very chaotic process. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Taza brand Wicked Dark 95% dark chocolate. 9–Describe your writing space/office! Chaos. Sticky notes everywhere. 10–Who is an author you admire? There are so many, but Anne McCaffrey will always have a special place in my heart.  11–Is there a book that changed your life? RESTOREE by Anne McCaffrey. 12–Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish….

1–What is the title of your latest release? CELESTIAL BANQUET 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A hot-headed noodle chef joins a legendary cooking competition to feed the gods 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It had to take place in an alternate fantasy world that is loosely based on East Asia. This is where I want all the magic and monsters to emerge. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I totally would because I’d eat everything she cooks. She’s as passionate about food as I am. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Stubborn, ambitious, and hungry. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned that adventure and excitement are elements I want to play with more in the future. This book is fast-paced and action-packed. I had so much fun writing it. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit while I draft. I like having cleaner drafts, though I do rounds of revisions anyway afterwards. The work never ends. 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Irish oysters and salmon. I went to Dublin last year and…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Kalla Harris! Writes: I craft emotionally-charged young-adult stories that explore the darker side of humanity. My books feature vivid settings that feel alive, will-they-won’t-they romantic tension, and unique twists on your favorite paranormal tropes. Expect sarcastic, morally gray characters who’ll steal your heart (and then crush it), propulsive high stakes, and just the right amount of chaos that will keep you turning the page. About: When I’m not brainstorming new ways to make my characters’ lives more complicated, I’m likely cozied up with a new book, baking artisan bread, or rewatching Arcane for the 100th time. (And, yes, I still ugly cry at the ending.) I was born and raised in southwest Virginia and now live in the Upstate of South Carolina, where I carry a travel-size bottle of sunscreen with me wherever I go. Likes: Walking on the beach, cats, reality TV, Kingdom Hearts, manatees, and Phở Dislikes: Snakes, pickles, mint in chocolate, humidity, needles, and laundry The ideal reader for my young…

Excerpted from COSMIC LOVE AT THE MULTIVERSE HAIR SALON: After a quick round of hugs, Tressa Fay briefly finger-styled Mary’s new cut, kissed Linds’s glossy brown pixie, and her friends left. She put her back to the door, smiling to herself. The evening was hers. She strode across her tiny living room, dropping her cardigan, then ladled herself an enormous bowl of soup with lots of parmesan, flipped over the album on her turntable, and curled up on the sofa, nearly purring over each tortellini. It had taken her such a long time to figure out that the best way to give other people what they wanted was to make sure she had everything she needed. When she started working toward her cosmetology license her senior year, it was mostly because she’d taken every art class that her Green Bay, Wisconsin, high school had to offer, and she knew she wanted to keep doing something creative, but she didn’t want to go to college. Plus, she had to earn money, because her dad had made it clear she’d be on her own once she walked across the school’s stage with a diploma in her hand. To her great luck, she was…

What’s more fun than getting a new book in your hands? Listening to a curated playlist while you’re reading! I’m so excited to introduce Charlotte, Alice, Iris, all the ladies and kids of “the mommune” within our beach house, and, of course, maybe most important, @junipershoressocialite, the snarky gossipgrammer who dishes the scoop about all the town’s residents—especially the badly behaved ones! I could have chosen dozens of songs for you to listen to as you read along, but these are my top-five favorites for getting you in the BEACH HOUSE RULES mood. I hope my brand-new novel gives you the feeling of, well, a day on the beach! “Walking on Sunshine” –  Katrina and the Waves There are plenty of twists and turns—and oh so much drama—in BEACH HOUSE RULES. But, ultimately, I want this to be a feel-good novel that can’t help but put readers in a summer state of mind! What better song to set the stage than “Walking on Sunshine”? “A Thousand Years” – Christina Perry The instrumental version of this song is playing during a pivotal moment in protagonist Alice’s love life—in front of the entire town of Juniper Shores. With three dead husbands under…

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? My father introduced me to this heartbreaking song when I was a boy. It was recorded by Bing Crosby in 1932 and was immediately popular, becoming the anthem of the Great Depression. The song tells the story of the everyman whose honest work towards achieving the American dream has been foiled by the sudden collapse of the economy, so that he is now reduced to “standing in line, just waiting for bread.” In my book, The Palace at the End of the Sea, the hero, Theo hears the song for the first time at school in England when his communist friend, Esmond plays it for him on his wind-up gramophone, and it brings back the suffering that Theo witnessed on the cold streets of New York, and encapsulates his father’s experience, who like the man in the song, had built his garment factory like a “tower up to the sun, brick and rivet and lime,” only to see it fall crashing to the ground, turning his dreams to dust. St James Infirmary Blues This is an old folk song that was immortalized by Louis Armstrong and his Savoy Ballroom Five in 1928. It has…

What is the title of your latest release? THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Growing up in 1960s Brooklyn, Lena wants to be a baker just like her mother was back in Poland prior to World War II.  But questions about those days, and about a sister Lena never even knew are ignored with solemn silence.  Nevertheless, she forges ahead, marrying a wonderful man and owning not one, but two bakeries.  The one person she can confide in is her friend, Pearl.  But when she suddenly disappears from her life, and later when that life starts to unravel, Lena is forced to confront the truth about her parents and herself.  Only then can she begin to rebuild the family and future she has always wanted. How did you decide where your book was going to take place? That was easy.  I was born in Brooklyn and lived there for twenty-five years.  Flashbacks occur in the Lodz Ghetto during World War II.  My father was a runner for the black market, just like Josef.  I wanted to explore the ambience of this place in the novel. Would you hang out with your protagonist in…