Newsflash: Amazon, literally yesterday, lowered the paperback price for my 7-time award-winning novel Beautiful and Terrible Things, to $14.50. They do this sometimes, and don’t bother telling us authors how long the sale will last. But click here if you’re interested in grabbing a copy at the low sale price. (And if you prefer to buy elsewhere, this page has a list of all available options for paperback, ebook and audiobook.)
The Best Kiss
Describing a first kiss is always a challenge for authors. Sometimes it feels like there is no fresh way to describe that incredible (hopefully!) feeling. New York Times bestselling author Helen Fremont nailed it in her new memoir, Outside the Lines:
“I felt myself swept up on wind thermals, as if my lips had become wings. Then all the symphonic side effects: lights popping up in various regions of your brain, the swell of music somewhere in your ribcage, the twinkle-toes of joy running up and down your spine.”
May we all experience a kiss like that in our lifetimes!
Holiday Gift Guide
Last year, I put together a gift guide featuring 16 books I have personally read and highly recommend. Great thing about books – they have no shelf life (see what I did there), so all of these are still great gift ideas. Click here to see the Guide and learn about the books.
That’s also a great place to refresh your memory on my own books for adults, teens and kids. (Or just go to the Books page on my website.)
My 3 Favorite Reads of 2025
I love book-finding site Shepherd because it presents lists of books using interesting, sometimes wacky categories you may have never thought of, like Microbes and Alien Minds, Erotic Fiction That Will Make You Laugh, or The Amazing Abilities of Crows and Ravens. (Okay, confession: That last one is one of the lists I created for Shepherd.) Cruise around their site to find something new to read. You can also search using a more traditional category, or you can search on your favorite author to learn what they are reading and recommending.
This time of year, Shepherd is compiling a list of readers’ favorite books for 2025. See my 3 favorites here.
And, fun fact: It’s not only authors who can share their favorite books. You can create your own “3 favorite reads” page on Shepherd here if you want. (Everything on Shepherd is free but you do need to create an account.) Or, just drop a note in the comments on this post telling me about the best books you’ve read so far this year – I’d love to know!
Happy Holidays
My Korra likes having her picture taken about as much as I do, which means – not much at all! 🙂 But know that both of us are wishing you and yours a peaceful and joy-filled holiday season. We’ll be back in touch in the New Year!!
