My deep thoughts/ review of Katherine May’s memoir, Wintering. ..
My Favorite How-To Books
Best Books to Read Now - Creative #HBIC Edition
I've been wanting to do this edition of Best Books to Read Now for a while now. So voila! Here is my list of the nonfiction books about creativity and writing that I love and, in some cases, refer to again and again.
****UPDATED in 2019!****
About Creativity...
The Artisan Soul - Erwin Raphael McManus - comes at creativity from a Christian/ religious persepective
Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert - I also highly recommend the podcast by the same name. Not a Christian perspective but definitely some #woowoo there.
About being an HBIC...
The Pro Writer Mindset - Jennifer Blanchard - practical advice on goals, writing and business. Loved this.
The Desire Map - Danielle LaPorte - I recommend this one and/or The Pro Writer Mindset when you need some concrete advice on how to get where you want to get. The Desire Map is a little more woowoo but there's some great stuff on affirmations and visualization in The Pro Writer Mindset too.
Dear Writer, You Need to Quit - Becca Syme - I highly recommend Becca’s Better Faster Academy courses to every writer I meet (she’s my writing/life coach/guru) but this book is a nice introduction to her methods and madness and empowers you to make the best choices that work for you. (Check out my Women With Books episode interviewing Becca for more information.)
The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women - Valerie Young - a good and empowering read about conquering your imposter syndrome
You are a Badass at Making Money - Jen Sincero - really, any of Jen Sincero’s books help you HBIC level up, but this one’s my favorite because cha-ching.
Atomic Habits - James Clear - I’ve decided that most productivity books don’t really apply to most multi-tasking women but this one actually spoke to me and I recommend it all the time.
About Writing and Marketing...
Romancing the Beat - Gwen Hayes - a concise, easy to read guide on how to plot a romance novel
Save the Cat - Blake Snyder - I'm a disciple of this storytelling method. It doesn't click for everyone but once you see stories through a Save the Cat lens, you'll never go back.
Writing the Cozy Mystery - Nancy J. Cohen - another great, concise and practice guide to writing a popular genre
Your A Game - Damon Suede and Heidi Cullinan - about promotion and marketing and how different personality types can approach it.
Newsletter Ninja - Tammy Labrecque - the ultimate bible on how to build and engage the most powerful marketing tool; a newsletter
And now you really want to know... what in the blazes is an HBIC?
Head
Bitch
In
Charge.
That's right. We're taking back the B-word.
It's what my friends and I started calling ourselves when we stopped and realized that (1) we really knew what we were talking about when it came to our business stuff and (2) we were stronger when we worked together and supported each other.
On a sunny Feburary afternoon, after a beautiful al fresco luncheon, we started dreaming. What if... what if more people could join our group? What if... what if we could teach and learn from each other? What if... we took over the world? Thus, HBIC Nation was born.
Founded by six authors (and badass business women), HBIC Nation is a place to learn, share, and grow your creative empire--plus have one heck of a good time while doing it. If you identify as an HBIC, you are welcome.
So if you're a creative of any type, and you identify as an HBIC, you are welcomed at the party. Come visit our Instagram, sign up for our newsletter, join our Facebook group, pour a drink and let's get to work together.
P.S. Do you love our unicorn logo? For launch week, we're offering a discount on logo t-shirts!!! Check it out HERE.
Best Books to Read Now - August 2016
Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!
No virgin heroines here!! Wives, widows, and divorcees are the focus this month! Let's get started, shall we?
by Melanie Benjamin
This was my pick for my book club and let me tell you, I was s t r e s s e d about choosing a book that was "literary" enough (even though my book club isn't snooty like that, I still want to impress.). So I selected this novel based on real people and their relationship with a "literary" author, Truman Capote. Maybe I've read too many
issues (see
) but I've had a longstanding fascination with Capote and his glamorous friends; Babe Paley, Slim Keith, Maria Guiness and the rest of his so-called "Swans."
Our group had so much to discuss about this easy, fun, yet thought-provoking read. I highly recommend it - and I'll want to discuss it with you too!
Secrets of a Scandalous Heiress
by Theresa Romain
I've been enjoying the non-traditional historical romance (is that a thing? You know what I mean) and this is one of them. The hero is mixed race and not a Duke, the heroine is an heiress but not aristocratic and it's set in Bath, not London. If that's not enough to interest you, the sexual tension in this book is set to 11.
by Loretta Chase
recommended this book to me by the pool in San Diego.
A spy.
A courtesan.
Venice.
By Loretta Chase.
Um, one click.
I bet she wanted to call this First Wives Club but that was already taken
and so not the same thing. This book is about modern First LADIES, you know, the women who are married to presidents. I was expecting tell-all behind the scenes tales and there's some of that, but what's even better are the truly heart warming stories of the First Families, their friendships with each other and the strength of the marriages in the White House. If you're sick of politics, have turned off cable news and wish you could take a nap until November 10th, I urge you to try this book out because it will make you not want to move to Canada.
What else? Check out this
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OH! And new subscribers to my newsletter during August will get an opportunity for a free download of my Sorority Sisters Mystery, RUSHING TO DIE!
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