Once upon a time Emma Wildes picked up a romance novel (she was much too young to have read it, but did anyway) and has been hooked ever since. She not only is a devoted fan of the genre but is a bestselling romance author and still an avid reader. Give her a sexy hero and an independent woman to challenge him, and she is all about it. Besides the book in her hand, picture a nice fire in the hearth and a glass of wine nearby, and that is her perfect evening.
First and foremost, this author is so witty and her characters so engaging, you will be entertained from the first page. No wait, first sentence. The historical setting is perfect as love and war collide in a time when England upended the monarchy. Miles is the idealistic (and rash) hero, and Devlin, despite her independent spirit, finds herself swept along as he fights for what he believes in. Rich in history, adventure, and intensely romantic, I loved this book.
A bright future… With Devlin Chastain's wedding to the Honorable Braden Tracey a mere two weeks away, she has everything to look forward to. That is until her scapegrace childhood nemesis, Lord Myles Farringdon, returns home to announce that he has joined Bonnie Prince Charlie’s cause. Devlin will do anything to get him to leave—especially after the blackguard kisses her—even if it means helping him escape as the dragoons arrive to arrest him.A dark lord… Myles Farringdon hadn’t intended on branding Devlin a traitor, but in her haste to be rid of him, she was seen by the king’s soldiers.…
I discovered Ximaby Rich Blecher after running into the author at a convention.
The mix of genres held
my attention and was a delight to see. There’s something for most
people—fantasy, dystopia, sci-fi, escapism, etc. Check Xima out if you’re
interested in any of them, and you won’t be disappointed.
Unaware that he is in the pivot in a battle of good and evil on two planets hurtling towards destruction, Zack Bates wants only a normal life with Katia, but General Tonya Skyler traveled across the galaxy for a warrior powerful enough to free Xima from swarms of predatory humans. She trains Zack into a savior with the strength to cleanse this tortured land, while also plucking Earth from certain destruction by roiling civil wars. Torn between his true love for Katia and his new-found love for the General, Zach must save two worlds from disaster, while rescuing his heart’s…
I started reading romance because I wanted to drown myself in stories of women stepping into their power and getting everything they wanted. Romance is a genre often looked down upon because of the happy-ever-afters, but I think that’s part of why it can be so deliciously subversive. Most (but not all) romance novels are centered on women, their voices, their sexuality, their desires, and their victories. In a world that’s often cruel, escaping into a world where dreams and fantasies are possible can be liberating. I started writing romance because I wanted to be a part of these stories and craft a world for others to escape into.
Have you ever dreamed about escaping all your problems by picking up and moving to Scotland to become a sword-maker?
That’s exactly what the heroine does in this book. Contemporary romance isn’t my favorite, but everything Alyssa Cole writes is full of emotional depth, diverse characters, and chemistry for days.
The hero of this book is a sexy, lovable grouch, and the heroine battles her own insecurities and struggles with ADHD in a way that makes you want to cheer by the end of the book.
I loved the themes of finding your own path despite family expectations, and how the hero never tried to rein in the heroine but stepped up his own self-growth to meet her.
An NPR Best Book of the Year - A Bookish Favorite Book of the Year - A Bookpage Best Romance of the Year
Award-winning author Alyssa Cole's Reluctant Royals series continues with a woman on a quest to be the heroine of her own story and the duke in shining armor she rescues along the way...
New York City socialite and perpetual hot mess Portia Hobbs is tired of disappointing her family, friends, and-most importantly-herself. An apprenticeship with a struggling swordmaker in Scotland is a chance to use her expertise and discover what she's capable of. Turns out she excels…
I'm an actor turned journalist and writer. After a series of roles on low-budget movies and forgettable soap operas, I moved to Latin America to write about travel and life and all the heartbreak and humour it entails. El Flamingo follows the misadventure of a struggling actor who gets mistaken for a rogue assassin in Mexico and is forced to assume the mysterious identity in order to survive. It is a preposterous plot that could never happen in real life, yet the essence of it all was inspired by places I went, people I crossed paths with, and a sense of adventure that, to me, was authentic.
This is somewhat of an underground, little-known novel that I came across deep in the midst of a rural second-hand bookshop a few years back.
Set in 1958, the novel follows its deputy sheriff protagonist on a journey from the mid-west to Los Angeles via the famous Route 66. It has elements of noir, suspense, romance, adventure, and a good-guy vs mafia dynamic, all while tipping its hat to the American Road genre.
As a reader, you feel like you’re just another guy along for the ride, passing through state lines, watching the story unfold.
An innocent cup of coffee at a roadside diner on Route 66 embroils vacationing deputy sheriff Kevin Pulaski in a dangerous case involving a beautiful woman and missing fortune in Mafia loot.
I'm a contemporary romance writer who does some series in paranormal romance and some in romantic suspense. I know lots of romance is about the fantasy and I write to that, but I want each of my romances to have you walking away believing in real-life love, too. I want heroes and heroines who could walk right off the page! I want to acknowledge smart women finding men who love a snappy comeback and a sharp brain. My favorite stories come together when our heroine is the only one who could solve this crime or mystery. I was first invited to write RS in the Dark Falls series and I shockingly won a Maggie for my first book. I loved the genre so much that I went on to build a whole series of my own!
The Evidence series will pull you under from the first page. This is the kind of romantic escapism that we love, but with the smartest, most reliable heroines. These women are scientists, always prepared and making the best choices. They are pulled from their everyday work into a maelstrom of intrigue and romance. And the heroes? Exactly the kind of men smart women love!
"Full of secrets, deadly intrigue and steamy romance. A MUST read." - Elisabeth Naughton, New York Times Bestselling Author
A year ago she lost everything. Now she wants revenge…
Accused of stealing artifacts from a five-hundred-year-old shipwreck, underwater archaeologist Erica Kesling is determined to clear her name. She’s concealed her past and taken a job certain to give her access to the buyer of the missing antiquities. She's finally closing in on her goal when she's distracted by a sexy, charismatic intern who makes her want something other than revenge.
Ever since I was a young girl, I have fallen deeply into the pages of novels that feature strong female characters, with Anne of Green Gables and Little Women capturing my imagination early. As an Australian, I’ve also always enjoyed books set here but anywhere where I can walk in a relatable character's shoes is fine by me. The magical experience of being immersed in ‘her’ world, feeling what she feels, relating to her, being frustrated with her, celebrating with her, loving with her…what are books if not gifting us such experiences? Every book I have penned has been based on this ideal, an intimate experience, a close relationship. A BFF.
This book is the perfect read for a rainy day and I quickly fell in love with the main female protagonist, Georgina. Spirited, brave, and a bit foolhardy, she fulfills all the hopes you might have for a heroine in a historical romance, yet she will surprise you too. The river settings in Australia’s southeastern river belt in the 1890s are pure escapism and leave plenty of scope for adventure. Highly recommended.
A fast-paced historical romance adventure, set on the mighty Murray River in the 1890s with a flawed but loveable heroine.
1890s, River Murray, Northern Victoria
Georgina Calthorpe is unhappy living with her indifferent foster family the MacHenry's in their crumbling house on the banks of the River Murray.
Unlike the rest of the family, she isn't looking forward to the return of prodigal son Dane. With good reason. Dane MacHenry is furious when on his return he finds his homestead in grave decline. Unaware that his father has been drinking his way through his inheritance, he blames Georgina and Georgina…
I started reading romance because I wanted to drown myself in stories of women stepping into their power and getting everything they wanted. Romance is a genre often looked down upon because of the happy-ever-afters, but I think that’s part of why it can be so deliciously subversive. Most (but not all) romance novels are centered on women, their voices, their sexuality, their desires, and their victories. In a world that’s often cruel, escaping into a world where dreams and fantasies are possible can be liberating. I started writing romance because I wanted to be a part of these stories and craft a world for others to escape into.
This book was one of the first male/male romance novels I ever read.
I loved how the author took an interracial gay love story set in the early 1800s and made it believable and sweet without glossing over the harsh realities of the time. The romance follows the trope of “opposites attract” between a disgraced English gentleman and a Black former boxer who runs a pub.
The two characters complimented each other well, and altogether I was worried they could never truly have happily-ever-after in Regency England, the author found a wonderful way to make sure they did.
The book delves into concepts like found-family, healing from sexual trauma, classism, racism, consent, and boundaries—a wonderful, uplifting escape into history.
If you haven’t read Cat Sebastian, what are you waiting for?”—Lorraine Heath, New York Times bestselling author
Once beloved by London's fashionable elite, Hartley Sedgwick has become a recluse after a spate of salacious gossip exposed his most-private secrets. Rarely venturing from the house whose inheritance is a daily reminder of his downfall, he’s captivated by the exceedingly handsome man who seeks to rob him.
Since retiring from the boxing ring, Sam Fox has made his pub, The Bell, into a haven for those in his Free Black community. But when his best friend Kate implores him to find and…
Books that make me feel uncomfortable are usually the ones that have stuck with me most over the years. There’s just something so alluring to me about an author who can effectively bring out that feeling in readers. When I started writing stories, I wanted to make my readers squirm – I wanted to layer the guts and gore with underlying psychological themes that made the violence and trauma that much more impactful. These books that I mentioned acted almost as study guides on how to blend shocking violence with themes of loneliness, depression, and rage. If you layer these correctly, you’re going to effectively be able to make your reader uncomfortable and your stories memorable.
This isn’t a zombie book. It’s a book about isolation, depression, rage, and escapism. This is the book I continue to come back to and is always the first one I recommend for someone looking for a new book to read. There’s a slow ramping of violence in this book, married perfectly to the main character’s evolution – resulting in some truly bleak scenes.
“Shocking, emotional, and punctuated by moments of brutal savagery, SLOWLY WE ROT contains some of the most frightening scenes in recent horror fiction. If you enjoy zombie stories, you’ll love this book. If you believe there’s no life left in the zombie subgenre, Bryan Smith is about to prove you wrong. SLOWLY WE ROT is a searing, stunning triumph.”--Jonathan Janz, author of The Nightmare Girl and Savage Species
Long after the zombie apocalypse wiped out most of the human race, a young man named Noah resides in a remote mountain cabin. Several years have passed since he last saw another…
This is a gentle family story of loss, love and recovery for an
8-12-year-old readership.
When a grandfather suddenly dies from an illness
which is sweeping the world, 5 family members drop out of society to live in a
secret forest for seven years. This story impacted me personally, having lost
my first husband suddenly 7 years ago, and our 40-year-old daughter just as
suddenly this year. My granddaughter and her brothers lost their paternal
grandmother a few years ago.
I really identified with the family’s grief, and
their determination to go on with their lives, albeit in a self-sufficient
manner. There was also a magical side to this story, with some lovely escapism
through the involvement of horses who help the family in beautiful, and
dramatic, ways.
'This middle grade narrative by a master storyteller is an utter delight.' Books+Publishing
In the mountains there was a valley, and in the valley were the horses.
When Honey was four and her brother Rumi was a tiny baby, her family loaded up their converted ice-cream-van-camper and drove away from all they knew, as an illness swept the sad wide world. High in the mountains, they crossed a bridge to follow a mysterious herd of enchanted horses into a sheltered valley. The bridge and the track disappeared behind them - and now they are trapped in paradise.
I am a psychiatrist and public health doctor, non-fiction writer, and lay and medical editor. For over 12 years, I have taught non-fiction writing for a general audience at Columbia medical and public health schools to physicians, neuroscientists, epidemiologists, psychologists, and other professionals. I have published 14 books and over 500 written articles and videos. I love to write and help others write...well.
Yes, the same Stephen King: Carrie, The Shining, Misery, and dozens more. Fiction? Yes–his memoir is among the best books for writing nonfiction, not the best of nonfiction books.
Writers of every genre suffer the same troubles, like doubt, rejections, not enough days when the work “flows”, procrastination, alcohol, and drug abuse, having to bow and beg (until your success reverses the tables), and so on. In On Writing, Mr. King gives us his story: "the good, the bad, and the ugly", of writing.
Start with chapter 25 of “CV”, right to the meat of King’s memoir. Be sure you read his “Tool Box” for writing. From the “fundamentals” (e.g., read and write a lot, vocabulary, sentences, paragraphs) to the “craft” (e.g., subject, story-telling; clarity {again !}; people, personalities, and characters).
Twentieth Anniversary Edition with Contributions from Joe Hill and Owen King
ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S TOP 100 NONFICTION BOOKS OF ALL TIME
Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work.
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the…
