This summer I had the opportunity to meet with many amazing book club groups in person, at Barnes & Nobles, and over Facetime. For those who’ve chosen Waiting at Hayden’s as a pick and hosted me, I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed getting to know you all and how much I’ve enjoyed the interesting discussions we’ve had. Not surprisingly most of our discussions have ended up straying from the actual story itself to talking about our own love lives—the risks we’ve all taken when it comes . . .
10 Page-Turning Beach Reads To Add To Your Summer Reading List
I just spent the last week in my hometown in Oregon working on my next book and working my way through this summer’s most anticipated beach reads. While I still have several books to go, so far I’ve really enjoyed The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren and The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth. Both Sally Hepworth and Christina Lauren are authors I discovered more recently. As soon as I read Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren I was hooked on their romantic stories that have a more . . .
Easter Dresses & An Island Egg Hunt For Waiting at Hayden’s
Over the weekend I hid several signed copies of Waiting at Hayden’s in the free little libraries on Balboa Island. I’m always borrowing books from these little libraries to take to the beach. I love finding new reads here that I wouldn’t have picked out at the bookstore and sharing my favorites with others on the island as well. A while back I did a post about creative ways to use your books for home décor, but sharing, re-gifting, and donating books is my favorite use for them—especially . . .
Writing Advice I Wish I Knew When I Started Waiting at Hayden’s
When I took a year off school and moved across the country to Charleston, South Carolina to write the first draft of Waiting at Hayden’s ten years ago, I knew very little about writing a book; all I did know was that I needed to get my story idea down on paper. I think that’s the case for most writers—and to be honest, it’s sort of wonderful to only know that and nothing more. If you’re in the early stages of writing a book, the words are flowing, and you’re feeling that “writers high,” feel . . .
This App Allows You To Watch Scenes & Shop Characters’ Clothes in the PRINT Version of Waiting at Hayden’s
As most of you know, Waiting at Hayden’s is the first book to be published in the new reading experience format shopfiction™, which I coined and branded last year. Links in the digital version of the book and web addresses in the print take you to video highlights where you can watch key scenes come to life and shop the characters' clothes. There are also links the in the digital version each time an outfit is described. You can click on the link and see the character come to life in the . . .
My Favorite Beach Bags and Cover-Ups
This past weekend my cousin and blog photographer, Ryan, moved right onto to the beach, so I got to spend some time in the sand! Though the water is still too cold (for me!) to swim, the temperatures are heating up in Newport Beach and with my brother, mom, and dad coming into town Wednesday, I know we’ll be spending lots of time when I'm not working reading on the beaches in CDM or down the street from my cottage on Balboa. I’ve been looking for a new cover-up for a while now, and . . .
