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 . . .
A Writing Workshop and Reading from Waiting at Hayden’s at The Soul Project
This Wednesday June 26 from 6:00-8:00pm I’ll be leading a workshop at The Soul Project in Laguna Beach about how to get started writing a novel! The event is free, open to the public, and great for readers and writers alike. Since Waiting at Hayden's is the first shopfiction novel, I'm excited to be holding the class at one of my favorite local clothing boutiques. (Address is: 1516 South Coast Highway Laguna Beach, CA 92651) In addition to explaining my writing process and answering questions . . .
A Book Club Discussion Guide For Waiting at Hayden’s
As an author one of my favorite things to do is talk to book clubs. For such a long time I was the only person who knew the characters in Waiting at Hayden's. There were so many times during the writing process where I wished I could talk to someone other than my editor about them. I was dying to discuss the journeys they were on and the choices they were making. It sort of felt like I had all these best friends, but couldn't introduce them to anyone. Now that the book is out in the world, . . .
10 Beach Towns to Visit This Summer That Are Perfect For Beach Reading
Beach reading has always been my favorite summer activity. Come late May and early June stories by all my favorite authors hit shelves and I love throwing them in a beach bag and finding a spot to read them in the sand. This year I'm most excited about Jane Green's latest book, The Friends we Keep, which was just released yesterday. I've been a huge fan of her stories for as long as I can remember. Along with Emily Giffin and Elin Hilderbrand, she was one of the authors that inspired me to . . .
My Favorite Character Looks For Summer From Waiting at Hayden’s
As soon as I finished writing Waiting at Hayden's I couldn't wait to see the story come to life visually! I had such a clear idea in my head of what the characters looked like and also what their homes looked like and even the restaurant where the book primarily takes place. On a creative impulse I hired a videographer to help me create a video trailer for promotion and found actors, styled everything the way I'd imagined it while I was writing, and filmed a short video clip. It was during . . .
Packing for a Spring or Summer Trip To Italy
Next weekend I’m heading to Italy to celebrate one of my best friend’s weddings! I haven’t been back since the trip that loosely inspired my next novel, Map of Us, and can’t wait to spend five days in Tuscany with the bride-to-be, Kelsey, and the rest of the wedding party. Last time I was in Europe, I traveled for four months with just a backpack. I spent days searching for the right pieces that wouldn’t wrinkle, could be dressed up or down, AND were cute. Many of the travel blogs I read . . .