Jamie McGuire, author of From Here to You, answered some questions from our contributor, Teralyn, about her recently released novel, her life, and writing. Check out the interview below to learn more about her and books!

Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Jamie. I’m a ginger, a Scorpio, mom, wife, and mompreneur. I’ll be turning the big 4-0 this month!

When did you first start writing?

I’ve always written–in a diary, journals, comic strips, plays, and in my mid-twenties began blogging. I wrote my first novel, PROVIDENCE, in January of 2009.

For you, what is the most amazing thing about being a writer?

Working from home and still paying the bills!

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I run a couple of other companies which are passions of mine, spend time with my family, my dogs and horses, and travel. My ideal day is sitting on a beach watching my kids play.

Writing can be an emotionally draining and stressful pursuit. Any tips for aspiring writers?

For me, writing is cathartic; it’s a creative outlet and then people absorb it and tell me they enjoyed it or it changed them in some way. I advise authors to finish their book and then perfect their craft. You can’t improve a work unfinished. Also, in the editing process, never ‘accept all changes’. You might find something that changes your voice or meaning, and by going through each edit you’ll learn from your mistakes. This will improve your writing.

What one piece of advice would you give to your younger writing self?

Don’t go to Goodreads.

You’ve published many books before From Here to You. How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep writing and publishing new stories?

It’s like any job. If I don’t keep writing, I don’t get paid. I just happened to do well in my dream job, which I’m so very thankful for! Ideas come to me all the time. I don’t think I’ll live long enough to write all the stories in my head.

Which book (or series) is your favourite that you’ve published so far? Why?

ALL THE LITTLE LIGHTS is so different from anything I’ve written before. It took me an entire year to complete, and it was very difficult to pull off. I loved that Elliot’s love poked holes in Catherine’s dark world, letting in light every time she needed it. It’s set in Oklahoma and Elliot is Native American. There is a lot of difficult topics touched on in the book that is the reality for so many people. ALL THE LITTLE LIGHTS is sweet and grim and complicated. I loved every second of it.

Do you have a favourite character that you have written? If so, who? And what makes them so special?

I think I give a different answer to this every time! But, truthfully, Jared Ryel is the first male I’ve ever written. I was able to spend time with him recently when revamping and adding bonus material to the Providence series, and he’s still swoon-worthy perfection. Travis is of course Travis, but Jared holds a special place in my heart. Scarlet from RED HILL is my favourite female because she’s my superhero alter ego.

From Here to You has such an interesting premise, what can you tell us about the book?

FROM HERE TO YOU went through so many transformations! The whole series did, really, but I realised early on while writing that book that what I thought was going to be a series about the Alpine Hotshots the Maddox twins worked with, there were other characters I wanted to explore, too—which I get to do in book two, THE EDGE OF US! FROM HERE TO YOU chronicles the lives of Darby and Trex, bringing back a mysterious character from the Maddox Brothers series, and Darby carries her weight in the book, too. Many of my readers have said Travis Maddox has been replaced by Trex, and that blew my mind. I wasn’t sure that would ever happen!

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

I never rule out a sequel, and like many of my books you’ll see cameos, but there are a lot of characters in this world who need their stories told.

If you had to describe Darby & Trex in three words each, what would those three words be?

Darby is sweet, determined, and cautious. Trex is strong, stubborn, and patient.

The cover for From Here to You is absolutely breathtaking! Can you tell us about the process for coming up with the cover?

I had a concept before I began writing FROM HERE TO YOU, and that concept was what nudged me to seek out a publisher for this series because I’d priced it out and the cost would’ve been outrageous. However, the more the series’ center changed the less the cover made sense, so we canned the original concept and went with something mesmerising.

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us?

I just finished THE MIRACLE MORNING by Hal Elrod, started PLAGUE by Dr. Judy Mikovits, and in the queue is GIRL, WASH YOUR FACE by Rachel Hollis, and DARE TO LEAD by Brene Brown.

Have you read any books by Jamie McGuire? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Interview: Jamie McGuire, Author of ‘From Here To You’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be reading any of them!

Hold You Close by Corinne Michaels and Melanie Harlow
Goodreads | Amazon

Ian Chase broke my heart at seventeen, and I’ve spent the last eighteen years hating him for it. He makes it easy, with his smart mouth and playboy lifestyle—which I unfortunately have to observe since he lives behind me… London Parish is my little sister’s best friend, not that it stopped me from falling for her. Our history is complicated. The only thing we have in common is being godparents to my sister’s three adorable kids—until our lives are changed in one tragic moment. Now we’re trying to raise the children we love, mourn an unthinkable loss, and fight an undeniable attraction.

The Good Luck Charm by Helena Hunting
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Is it love, or is she just his good luck charm? Lilah isn’t sure what hurt worse: the day Ethan left her to focus on his hockey career, or the day he came back eight years later. He might think they can pick up just where they left off, but she’s no longer that same girl and never wants to be again. Ethan Kane wants his glory days back. And that includes having Lilah by his side. Just when Lilah might finally be ready to let him in, though, she finds out their reunion has nothing to do with her and everything to do with his game. But Ethan’s already lost her once, and even if it costs him his career, he’ll do anything to keep from losing her again.

Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Defense attorney Brynn Holloran is right at home among cops, criminals, and tough-as-nails prosecutors. She’s a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom, but in her personal life, she’s a mess. When a vicious murderer she once helped prosecute resurfaces and starts a killing spree to wipeout those who put him behind bars, one thing becomes clear: Brynn needs to run for her life. But when Brynn defies advice and gets involved in the investigation, even the former Secret Service agent assigned to protect her may not be able to keep her safe. With every new clue she discovers, Brynn is pulled back into the vortex of a disturbing case from her past.

From Here To You by Jamie McGuire
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

On her wedding day, Darby Dixon holds a positive pregnancy test and realises marrying her abusive fiancé would be the worst decision she’s made, so she runs. She lands a job as a front desk clerk at the Colorado Springs Hotel. Former Marine, Scott “Trex” Trexler has the chance to find peace again, which is Colorado Springs at top-secret military installation. Darby realises he’s dangerous when he walks in and as charming and devastatingly gorgeous as Trex is, he clearly isn’t telling her everything. But as wildfires rage on the mountain and Darby’s ex-fiancé shows he isn’t so willing to let her go, both she and Trex are soon to find out that what you don’t know absolutely can hurt you.

Darkest Heart by Juliette Cross
Goodreads | Amazon

Anya—a stoic, blue-winged angelic warrior— was bitten by a demon prince in battle, and now she has precious little time to find a cure for his deadly venom. But the only archangel with the power to stop the dark poison from corrupting her body and soul is missing. She’ll have to trust her guide, the outcast high demon Dommiel, who is as handsome as he is dangerous if she has any hope. An outcast of his own kind, high demon Dommiel stays under cover while the war between angels and demons rages on. But when the only person who ever showed him kindness asks for his help, he has no choice but to try to save the angel. Venturing back into the dens he has avoided for so long, Anya makes him want and feel things he never thought possible. But Dommiel knows there is no way an angel can ever love a demon…

The Chase by Elle Kennedy
Goodreads | iBooks

Everyone says opposites attract. And they must be right, because there’s no logical reason why I’m so drawn to Colin Fitzgerald. I don’t usually go for tattoo-covered, video-gaming, hockey-playing nerd-jocks who think I’m flighty and superficial. His narrow view of me is the first strike against him. It doesn’t help that he’s buddy-buddy with my brother. And that his best friend has a crush on me. And that I just moved in with them. Oh, did I not mention we’re roommates? Anyway, I’ve got my hands full dealing with a new school, a sleazy professor, and an uncertain future. So if my sexy brooding roomie wises up and realizes what he’s missing? He knows where to find me.

All The Way by Kristen Proby
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Finn Cavanaugh is known for being a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom. He owns a successful law firm with his brother and brother-in-law in Manhattan. But when Finn’s troubled niece goes to stay with him for the summer in Martha’s Vineyard, he’s reluctant to take time off from work. That is, until he meets his beautiful new neighbor, London, a Tony Award winning actress on Broadway. When tragedy strikes her family, leaving her alone and injured, she flees Manhattan for Martha’s Vineyard. Hoping she can figure out how to pick up the pieces of her life, London is convinced that she’ll never be able to return to the stage. But when she meets the charming young girl next door and her sexy uncle, they soon lure London out of her shell as she finally begins to heal from the wounds of her past.

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Calla Fletcher wasn’t even two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. But when Calla learns that her father’s days may be numbered, she knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born. While she struggles to adjust to this rugged environment, Jonah—the unkempt, obnoxious, and proud Alaskan pilot who helps keep her father’s charter plane company operational—can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. Soon, she finds herself forming an unexpected bond with the burly pilot. As his undercurrent of disapproval dwindles, it’s replaced by friendship—or perhaps something deeper?

Not So Nice Guy by R.S Grey
Goodreads | Amazon

“Oh my god. Who that?” I get asked this question a lot. “Oh him?” I reply. “That’s just Ian.”Just Ian is the biggest understatement of the century. Just the Mona Lisa. Just the Taj Mahal. Just Ian, with his boring ol’ washboard abs and dime-a-dozen dimpled smile. Just Ian is… just my best friend. We’re extremely close, stuck so deep inside a Jim-and-Pam-style friendzone everyone at works assumes we’re a couple – that is until one day, word spreads through the teacher’s lounge that he’s single. Fair game. Suddenly, it’s open season on Ian. He should be reveling in all the newfound attention, but to our mutual surprise, the only attention he seems to want is mine…

Tailspin by Sandra Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Blind Kiss by Renée Carlino
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Penny is now a suburban housewife, dreading the moment her son departs for MIT, leaving her with an impeccably decorated McMansion and a failing marriage. A lifetime ago she had a chance at happiness. After The Kiss. Before The Decision. The Kiss was earth-shattering and it was all for a free gift card. Asked to participate in a psych study that posed the question, “Can you have sexual chemistry without knowing what the other person looks like?” She never expected The Kiss to change her life forever and introduce her to Gavin: tattooed, gorgeous, and spontaneous enough to ask her out seconds after the blindfolds came off. For a year, they danced between friendship and romance—until Penny made The Decision that forced them to settle for friendship. Now, fourteen years later, both of their lives are about to radically change—and it’s his turn to decide what will become of their once-in-a-lifetime connection.

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets… Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure. That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling… and he’s in danger of falling, hard.

Check out our other August book picks on our Goodreads list!

Any other releases you’re excited to read this month? Tell us in the comments below!

The post August Book Releases: Romance appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Written by Sam Ali

Do you remember your first love? That rushing feeling you get when you meet someone who understands everything about you, and is willing to support you through anything? All the Little Lights by Jamie McGuire was a sweet story about young love, tenderness, but also has elements of mystery, darkness, and curiosity.

The book begins with a young Catherine Calhoun and her father in their backyard burying their poor dog. Catherine is crushed and heartbroken, along with her father, meanwhile her mother seems to be distracted by her own thoughts. With this, I was immediately drawn to the family dynamic within the Calhoun household—something seemed eerie, and curious about their nature.

Across the street, young Elliott Youngblood is staying with his Aunt for the summer and sees Catherine from across the street… and falls in love immediately. All he strives for is to get to know Catherine. I found this so endearing about Elliott as a character, and found myself rooting for him during all his thought processes since meeting Catherine. Fast forward a couple of chapters, and Catherine and Elliott become best friends, and he promises her he will come back every summer for her. By the end of that summer, Catherine is faced with a tragic situation, and Elliott leaves her behind—or so it seems. When Elliott returns, him and Catherine are both seniors in high school, and Elliott still determined to win her back.

But, beneath all of that… a mystery is brewing inside the Calhoun household, and Catherine is determined to keep it a secret from everyone.

That is probably my favourite part of the book since I’m an avid mystery genre reader. The way McGuire was able to intertwine aspects of teenage love and a mystery within a creepy, almost gothic-like household. Within the dialogue and character development throughout the book, you begin to wonder what exactly is going on with Catherine and her family, and how her life can possibly get better. Although it was mainly a love story between two strangers, which is outside my normal read, I really enjoyed this book! Catherine & Elliot we’re such relatable and endearing characters, and I enjoyed cheering them on throughout the book, and found it so interesting to see this mystery unfold.

If you enjoy reading mysteries, but also love the YA/love story genre, this book may just be for you!

All the Little Lights by Jamie McGuire is out now and you can find it on Book Depository, Amazon, and all good book retailers!

Have you read All The Little Lights? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jamie McGuire comes a riveting tale of first love that starts young but runs deep.

The first time Elliott Youngblood spots Catherine Calhoun, he’s just a boy with a camera, and he’s never seen a sadder and more beautiful sight. Both Elliott and Catherine feel like outcasts, yet they find an easy friendship with each other. But when Catherine needs him most, Elliott is forced to leave town.

Elliott finally returns, but he and Catherine are now different people. He’s a star high school athlete, and she spends all her free time working at her mother’s mysterious bed-and-breakfast. Catherine hasn’t forgiven Elliott for abandoning her, but he’s determined to win back her friendship…and her heart.

Just when Catherine is ready to fully trust Elliott, he becomes the prime suspect in a local tragedy. Despite the town’s growing suspicions, Catherine clings to her love for Elliott. But a devastating secret that Catherine has buried could destroy whatever chance of happiness they have left.

The post Review: All The Little Lights by Jamie McGuire appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Malcolm Hansen explores the 1960s and 1970s in They Come In All Colors when a biracial teenage boy heads to the big city, while Jessica Knoll and Brianna Labuskes will satisfy your cravings for a good mystery in both of their books.

Read on to discover some of our favourites and tell us in the comments below if there’s any May releases that you would add!

They Come In All Colors by Malcolm Hansen
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Malcolm Hansen arrives on the scene as a bold new literary voice with his stunning debut novel. Alternating between the Deep South and New York City during the 1960s and early ’70s, They Come in All Colors follows a biracial teenage boy who finds his new life in the big city disrupted by childhood memories of the summer when racial tensions in his hometown reached a tipping point.

The Pisces by Melissa Broder
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Lucy has been writing her dissertation about Sappho for thirteen years when she and Jamie break up. After she hits rock bottom in Phoenix, her Los Angeles-based sister insists Lucy housesit for the summer—her only tasks caring for a beloved diabetic dog and trying to learn to care for herself. But Lucy can find no peace from her misery and anxiety—not in her love addiction group therapy meetings, not in frequent Tinder meetups, not in Dominic the foxhound’s easy affection, not in ruminating on the ancient Greeks. Yet everything changes when Lucy becomes entranced by an eerily attractive swimmer one night while sitting alone on the beach rocks.

Blink by Sasha Dawn
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

When Chatham begins to understand more about a crime she witnessed a decade ago, she disappears . . . in a blink. Finding her means more than simply saving her. It could also be the key to the town’s longest unsolved mystery. Joshua’s in love with Chatham and he’s determined to find her and untangle the web of lies and mystery surrounding her. But who is Chatham really and what is her connection to the crime that was committed so long ago?

The Glitch by Elisabeth Cohen
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Shelley Stone might be a little overwhelmed. She runs a company Conch and she’s married with two small children. She employs a cook, a nanny, a driver, and an assistant, she sets an alarm for 2AM conference calls, and occasionally takes a standing nap while waiting in line when she’s really exhausted. Shelley takes Dramamine so she can work in the car; allows herself ten almonds when hungry; swallows Ativan to stave off the panic attacks; and makes notes in her day planner to “practice being happy and relatable.” But when Shelley meets a young woman named Shelley Stone who has the exact same scar on her shoulder, Shelley has to wonder: Is some sort of corporate espionage afoot? Has she discovered a hole in the space-time continuum? Or is she finally buckling under all the pressure?

Miss Subways by David Duchovny
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Emer is just a girl living in New York City who takes the subway, buys ice cream from the bodega on the corner, has writerly aspirations, and lives with her boyfriend, Con. But is this life she lives the only path she’s on? Taking inspiration from the myth of Emer and Cuchulain, loosely based on W. B. Yeats’s play The Only Jealousy of Emer, and featuring an all-star cast of mythical figures from all over the world, David Duchovny’s darkly funny fantasy novel Miss Subways is one woman’s trippy, mystical journey down parallel tracks of time and love. On the way, Emer will battle natural and supernatural forces to find her true voice, power, and destiny. A fairy tale of love lost and regained, Miss Subways is also a love letter to the city that enchants us all: New York.

The Good Twin by Marti Green
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Mallory Holcolm is an unfulfilled waitress and aspiring artist living in a Queens boardinghouse when she learns she has an identical twin sister named Charly. Charly is a Princeton graduate, a respected gallery owner, and an heiress married to her handsome college sweetheart, Ben. Everything Mallory wanted and now it might be easier than Mallory ever imagined. Because Ben has reasons of his own for wanting to help her. As their devious plan falls into place, piece by piece, Mallory learns more about her sister and herself than she ever meant to—a discovery that comes with an unexpected twist.

All The Little Lights by Jamie McGuire
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

The first time Elliott Youngblood spots Catherine Calhoun, he’s just a boy with a camera, and he’s never seen a sadder and more beautiful sight. Both Elliott and Catherine feel like outcasts, yet they find an easy friendship with each other. But when Catherine needs him most, Elliott is forced to leave town. Elliott finally returns, but he and Catherine are now different people. He’s a star high school athlete, and she spends all her free time working at her mother’s mysterious bed-and-breakfast. Catherine hasn’t forgiven Elliott for abandoning her, but he’s determined to win back her friendship…and her heart.

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

This is a love story. Mike’s love story. Mike Hayes fought his way out of a brutal childhood and into a quiet, if lonely life, before he met Verity Metcalf. V taught him about love, and in return, Mike has dedicated his life to making her happy. He knows they’ll be blissfully happy together. It doesn’t matter that she hasn’t been returning his emails or phone calls. It doesn’t matter that she says she’s marrying Angus. It’s all just part of the secret game they used to play. If Mike watches V closely, he’ll see the signs. If he keeps track of her every move he’ll know just when to come to her rescue…

Sorority by Genevieve Sly Crane
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Prep meets Girls in White Dresses in Genevieve Sly Crane’s deliciously addictive, compulsively readable exploration of female friendship and coming of age that will appeal to anyone who has ever been curious about what goes on in a sorority house… With a keen sense of character and unflinching, observant prose, Crane exposes the undercurrents of tension in a world where perfection comes at a cost and the best things in life are painful—if not impossible—to acquire: Beauty. A mother’s love. And friendship…or at least the appearance of it.

Two Steps Forward by Graeme Simsion and Annie Buist
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

The Chemin, also known as the Camino de Santiago, is a centuries-old pilgrim route that ends in Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. Every year, thousands of walkers—some devout, many not—follow the route that wends through quaint small villages and along busy highways alike, a journey unlike any other. Zoe, an artist from California who’s still reeling from her husband’s sudden death, has impulsively decided to walk the Camino, hoping to find solace and direction. Martin, an engineer from England, is road-testing a cart of his own design…and recovering from a messy divorce. They begin in the same French town, each uncertain of what the future holds.

The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

When five hyper-successful women agree to appear on a reality series set in New York City called Goal Diggers, the producers never expect the season will end in murder… Brett’s the fan favorite and the object of jealousy and vitriol from her cast mates; Kelly, Brett’s older sister is dismissed as a hanger-on by veteran cast and shares a shocking secret with her sister; Stephanie, the first black cast member and the oldest, is a successful bestselling author of erotic novels; Lauren, the start-up world’s darling whose drinking has gotten out of control, is Goal Diggers’ recovery narrative; and Jen, made rich and famous through her cultishly popular vegan food line plays a holistic hippie for the cameras, but is perhaps the most ruthless of them all when the cameras are off.

It Ends With Her by Brianna Labuskes
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

FBI special agent Clarke Sinclair doesn’t give up easily. She’s spent years tracking serial killer Simon Cross, forced to follow his twisted clues and photographs across the country. Clarke knows that Cross selects only redheaded women and that he doesn’t target another victim until Clarke discovers the previous one. He’s never broken pattern…until now. A girl has already gone missing in upstate New York when a second one is kidnapped—a blonde. The killer’s MO has changed, sending Clarke back to the drawing board. The closer she gets to the truth, the deeper she’s drawn into an inescapable trap made just for Clarke. Whatever Cross’s ultimate game is, it ends with her.

Check out more of this month’s book releases on our Goodreads list!

The post May Book Releases: Fiction appeared first on The Nerd Daily.