March 25, 2023

The Best Book for You

Jess here. Did you know I've written 20+ books across genres? Maybe you came to me via my true-crime-inspired thrillers, like The Quarry Girls, or my laugh-out-loud-funny romcom mysteries, or my young adult fantasy, or maybe even my children's picture book. If you enjoyed it (I sure hope you enjoyed it), you might be curious which book to read next.

Please allow me to introduce you to the Book Butler.

It's a quick, fun, and easy way to be directed to the perfect book for your mood. Best of all, you don't have to enter any information; just click some buttons and voila! Your perfect pick will be revealed to you, along with several options for accessing it (including your local library or bookstore, when available).

Enjoy! And thanks for stopping by. 😊

Comments

Share it

>

Tweet

February 1, 2023

Minnesota Book Award Nomination!

The Quarry Girls has been nominated for a Minnesota Book Award! I am over the moon. The MBAs have always guided my book-buying and book-checking-out choices, and so to see my name on that list is next level. It’s extra special because I’m so proud of The Quarry Girls. It was important to me to capture the joy and terror of growing up in the Midwest in the ‘70s, and I love seeing the book resonate with readers.

Thank you to The Friends of the St. Paul Library and librarians and booksellers for this incredible honor!

--------

The Quarry Girls opening lines:

That summer, the summer of ’77, everything had edges.

Our laughter, the sideways glances we gave and got. Even the air was blade-sharp. I figured it was because we were growing up. The law might not recognize it, but fifteen’s a girl and sixteen a woman and you get no map from one land to the next. They airdrop you in, booting a bag of Kissing Potions lip gloss and off-the-shoulder blouses after you. As you’re plummeting, trying to release your parachute and grab for that bag at the same time, they holler out you’re pretty, like they’re giving you some sort of gift, some vital key, but really, it’s meant to distract you from yanking your cord.

Girls who land broken are easy prey.

Comments

Share it

>

Tweet

January 29, 2023

Women's Writing and Yoga Retreat in Colorado

Imagine waking up in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. It’s peaceful and quiet. The only thing you have to do is focus on your creativity. You don’t have to go grocery shopping or make dinner or work or cook. You only have to do gentle yoga and write.
 
How much could you accomplish? Care to join me in Colorado Springs this fall to find out? Because I'm offering a writing and yoga retreat November 13-18. There, I'll guide 22 women through my unique and gentle method of mining life experiences to create fiction, memoir, or self-help that is meaningful, exciting, and—for those who choose to publish—resonates with readers.
 
One reason why women love my retreats is they get to travel to a new place where their only responsibility is their writing. Going on a retreat like this, instead of a conference or single day workshop, removes so many of the daily distractions that can disrupt our writing.

-Keeping your writing true to the story you need to tell
-Structuring your project with the revolutionary Book in a Bag kit
-Making your writing compelling
-Bringing balance and motivation to your creative life
-Defining personal and career goals

The afternoons are free. Find a secluded spot and write, or take some time off and explore the surrounding natural beauty. It’s up to you to use your time at the retreat however you’d like. Days begin and end with gentle yoga to make sure our bodies are relaxed and strong.

Sound intriguing? You can find out more here.
 

Comments

Share it

>

Tweet