Month: January 2019

BHS Episode 2: Cooking Up Drama with Agatha Marshall

~ Erica Welch ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to the very first set of show notes for By Her Shelf with Erica D. Hearns!

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Today I have the absolute pleasure of introducing you to Agatha Marshall.

come eat with aggie

Agatha is a mom, the author of the cookbook Come Eat with Aggie*, an entrepreneur, and a publishing consultant with Lincross Publishing, an independent publisher assisting authors who want to publish their passion professionally while keeping their rights and royalties. We discuss Agatha’s work with Lincross, her cookbook “sheroes,” and the of-assigned play she dislikes so much she can barely utter its name. If you’re an aspiring author, or aspiring to put down the takeout menu and learn to cook fabulous meals on a less glamorous budget, you need to get to know Agatha by her shelf today.

Quotable:

“You have a part to play in the kingdom, and that’s my part.”

“It’s one of the jobs you don’t get tired of doing.”

“Anyone can write a book…but Lincross is about publishing purpose.”

The books (these are affiliate links. I get a small commission if you purchase books using these links. The title link is the print version):

The book that reignited Agatha’s love of reading (Kindle)

No Disrespect

The publisher Agatha works for, Lincross Publishing

Agatha’s cookbook, Come Eat with Aggie (Kindle)

Cookbooks Agatha loves:

-A Perfect Recipe (Kindle)

-Ayesha Curry’s book (Kindle)

-Chrissy Teigen’s book (Kindle)

-Pat and Gina Neely’s Holiday Book (Kindle)

Agatha’s New Auto-buy author (Kindle)

Most Underrated Book/Author (Kindle)

Agatha’s favorite assigned reading (Kindle)

Agatha’s least favorite assigned reading (Kindle)

Surprising book on her shelf (Author’s other popular book)

I have one more episode of the podcast debuting this week, so be on the lookout for episode three. After this week, new interviews will debut Mondays.

*Agatha is gluten free, mostly vegetarian/pescatarian, but her recipes range to include all types of dishes, with substitutions and modifications you can make to suit your diet.

5 Ways to Reach Your Reading Goals in 2019

~ Erica Welch ~ Leave a comment

Tis the season to talk about goals–how to set and achieve them. If you have one or two (or ten) goals focused on reading this year, here are five of my best tips, tricks, and tools to make the most out of your reading life in 2019.

  1. Utilize free or inexpensive sources for obtaining books. This is my favorite tip for readers because it removes the restrictions a lack of money places on readers. Utilizing your local public library, little free libraries, and low cost book buying options like Friends of the Library allows you to make more daring choices, get more books at once, and browse without fear of busting your budget. There are also free and low priced eBooks available on Amazon and through Wal-Mart’s eBook distributor, Kobo.
  2. Challenge yourself with reading challenges. Whether you want to read more, wider, in community, or what you already own (and STILL haven’t read *sigh*), a reading challenge might help you reach your goal this year. There are several reading challenges out there to choose from, including #theunreadshelfproject2019 Challenge, the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge, the Pop Sugar Reading Challenge, and a numbers-based challenge like the Goodreads. You can also join a subscription service like OwlCrate (YA books) or Book of the Month, or an online book club like Well Read Black Girl
  3. Develop a group of trusted review sources. A list of reviewers you trust will help you determine whether a book is for you right now. This will reduce the number of books you slog through or set aside. Find readers with similar tastes and search their feeds for book reviews or where they get their recommendations. Follow people with great taste wherever they post about books they love–Goodreads, Instagram, Pinterest, their website, etc. “Official” reviewers like Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus Reviews or lists in Entertainment Weekly, Essence, or other publications are also good resources.
  4. Create a habit or routine around your goal.  Schedule reading time. Take books with you to take advantage of wait times. Leave your current read on your nightstand or wherever you read. Participate in #readawholebooksunday. Do something to make reading a part of your routine, and you’ll be more likely to show up and READ.
  5. Get better book recommendations. The best way to reach your reading goals is to read better books. If you don’t choose books you want to read, no schedule, challenge, or price is going to help you. One way you can find good book recommendations is through sites like By Her Shelf. By Her Shelf showcases romance, YA, historical, literary fiction, memoir, poetry, thriller, horror, magical realism, suspense, self-help, contemporary fiction, non-fiction, and Christian non-fiction books. You can also find great recommendations on Modern Mrs. Darcy or genre specific sites. Another great resource for book recommendations is podcasts. Here at By Her Shelf, we’re big fans of What Should I Read Next, First Draft, DIY MFA, and The Librarian is In, along with podcasts that interview authors like The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey and That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!: I’m pleased to announce By Her Shelf with Erica D. Hearns is LIVE on Apple Podcasts and Messy.fm! BHS will be on other apps/sites soon. When I posted about buying a microphone in early November, I never imagined I would have recorded 16 interviews and launched with 3 live episodes less than three months later. For show notes, upcoming guests, featured books, and other exclusive content, subscribe to our weekly Shelf Talk newsletter here. Show notes can also be found by searching the podcast category of the blog.

I’m still scheduling future guests. If you’d like to discuss the books you read, write, or help produce, I’d love to host you! Simply fill out the form here.

Your Turn: What are you reading goals for 2019? How can By Her Shelf help you reach those goals?

Reading Wrap-Up (2018)

~ Christina Yother ~ 1 Comment
book sunglasses old nostalgic
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I’ve always considered myself to be a rather voracious reader. A devourer of books, if you will. It’s never been unusual for me to read several books a week, to plow through them and then eagerly pick up the next one. I’ve read well over a hundred books a year in the past.

I’m sad to say that 2018 was not that year for me.

Well, what happened? Did I not read at all? Did I abandon books altogether? Did I just not find anything interesting to read? It’s actually none of the above.

I read quite a few books this year, but I didn’t track a single one. I usually keep a running list of books I’ve read and how I’d rate them through the GoodReads Challenge. This year, though, I never made the commitment. So there was no way for me to see if I reached some magical number of books. Or to examine what genre I read from the most. But, I’m not unhappy about it.

What I did read this year was done for the simple pleasure of reading. If I wanted to read a historical romance novel, I read one. If I wanted to read something contemporary, I read one. If I wanted to get lost in a bit of strange poetry, I read those, too. For the first time in a long time, I allowed the books to speak to me. I reached for what I felt like in the moment and if I wasn’t enjoying a book I just put it down for another time. No judgment. No guilt. I didn’t read anything heavy or groundbreaking to my views of the world. I didn’t grab much from the ‘hot off the presses’ section of any bookstore or library. But, I sure did enjoy some happily ever after stories, a few books that made me giggle, some crazy books with my children while snuggled on the couch, and at least one book that made every other craft book about writing look childish in comparison.

 

It wasn’t a stellar year for reading by some standards, but it was a good reading year for me. And, frankly, it was just what I needed.

So, what about 2019? Is it time to set a goal? Maybe so, but the last thing I ever want is for reading to feel like a job. So instead of giving myself a bookish number to reach or a specific goal to achieve, I’m simply going to challenge myself to this:

Read something new…

A new genre. A new author. A new series.

And when I come back at the end of 2019, I’ll be happy to share what newness I found in the literary world.

 

 

Author Interview: Jill Lynn, Author of The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby

~ Erica Welch ~ Leave a comment

Happy Tuesday, Shelfies! Today, I’ve invited contemporary inspirational romance author Jill Lynn to By Her Shelf to talk about her upcoming release, The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby. Grab your coffee (or tea, or beverage of choice) and get to know Jill By Her Shelf!

The Rancher's Unexpected Baby Cover (lower res)
What’s the elevator pitch (short summary) of The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby?

From the back cover:
After his marriage ended, Gage Frasier vowed he’d never remarry or have children—but now he’s guardian of an orphaned baby boy. Thankfully, his friend’s sweet sister, Emma Wilder, offers to nanny while Gage seeks a more suitable family for the child. But soon Gage finds himself bonding with his new son…and with Emma. Parenthood surprised Gage, but will love sneak up on him, too?
The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby is book two in the Colorado Grooms series. How did you come up with the concept for this series, and how many more books can readers expect as of now?

Goodness, I wish I knew better where my ideas come from. 😊 I’m a day dreamer, and I pretty much constantly have book ideas floating through my head. I loved the idea of a guest ranch setting, so the series idea came from that. Each of the Wilder siblings needed their own story, and Emma Wilder and Gage Frasier were the perfect opposites. He’s wounded and she’s giving. He’s lost his faith and she has enough for the both of them. Between the two of them, I hoped for healing and growth and a new future that surpassed what either of them had expected.

Currently there’s three books in the series for the three Wilders. We’ll see if anything else comes of the town of Westbend in the future…

He bought me books quote TRUB

Where did you get the inspiration for your hero and heroine, Gage Frasier and Emma Wilder?
Emma is so sacrificial, and I am not. So definitely not from me. 😉 I wanted to represent a woman who’s always done everything for others…and eventually has to take care of herself and stand up for herself.

Gage was inspired by the idea of a man who’d been through a disastrous marriage. Someone who no longer had faith in relationships. Can God show up even in the roughest of ruins?

What interesting fact(s) did you learn while researching The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby?

After drafting book one, I visited Lost Valley Guest Ranch. Gorgeous place and wonderful people. I learned that they constantly have guests in the summer. Guests leave on Saturday, the staff does the turnover, and the new guests also arrive on Saturday. I’d already written my series as guests leaving Saturday with new guests arriving Sunday (and it fit my storylines) so I left it. But man, do they work hard!

What can you share about upcoming releases?
The third book in the Colorado Grooms series will release in September 2019. It’s currently being titled, and I’m excited to share that news with my readers soon.

Boots quote Emma TRUB

Reading Questions

Lightning round
-print, eBook, or audiobook?
Print is my first choice. I like to read in the bath, so if it’s a library book, I’ll choose an ebook so that I’m not ruining it with any water. And I prefer audiobook for non-fiction. 😊

-Buy or borrow from library?
Both! If it’s an author I know I’ll read again, then I’ll purchase the book. But I read so much that I definitely take advantage of the library. We’re huge library fans at our house—and we go often. Especially in the summer.

-bookmark, dog ear, random paper or other to hold your place?
I would never dog ear, but I rarely have a bookmark nearby, so I’ll use whatever I can get my hands on for a bookmark.

-write/highlight in a book, or leave it pristine?
For non-fiction, I definitely underline or highlight. I don’t think I’ve ever done that with fiction!

-worst reading habit?
Not hearing anyone around me when I’m reading. It drives my husband crazy! I tune the world out.

All wrong for her quote TRUB

What book made you fall in love with or reignited your love of reading?
I can’t remember a specific book as a child, but I do remember books in general. I read the Babysitter’s club series, the Nancy Drew Series. I even dipped into the Hardy Boys once Nancy ran out. I read the Little Women series numerous times. I would come home from the library with so many books. I just loved to read.

What book might people be surprised to find on your shelf?
I struggled with flying for a while, so I have a non-fiction book called Soar that was written by a pilot. An interesting and knowledgeable book.

What are you currently reading?
Cold Case Christmas by my dear friend Jessica Patch.

What book is currently on top of your TBR pile?
Didn’t See it Coming (non-fiction).

Upcoming releases you can’t wait to read.
Becky Wade’s Sweet on You.
Denise Hunter’s Summer by the Tides.
Lee Tobin McClain’s Low Country Hero.

JL Headshot (2)Jill Lynn is an author of small-town romances filled with faith, humor and happily ever after. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bethel University and lives near the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her husband and two children. Jill loves to connect with readers on social media or at Jill-Lynn.com. Follow Jill on Facebook or Instagram.
Current Giveaway & Newsletter: http://jill-lynn.com/news/

How Do You Measure of a Year? In Books, Of Course!

~ Erica Welch ~ 1 Comment

The last few days while everyone else was sharing their reflections on their year in reading, I was scrambling to complete my Goodreads goal and editing podcast episodes (*cue confetti* *have a nap waiting in the wings*). I don’t like to review a year until I’m in the new year, anyway.

As you’ll see in my stats, my reading for the challenge was heavily weighted one way. While I enjoyed the books I read and look forward to reading more of the same in 2019, I want to make sure I read more of other genres I love this year. I’ll share my new reading goals in a separate post. On the positive side, I upped the number of books I wanted to read in 2018 by 15 books, and I met my goal! Without further ado, here’s my year in books *:

Books read: 65

Library books finished: 3

Read What You Own Books (that I know I owned before 2018): 6

Review/Launch Team Books: 7

Fiction: 58

Non-Fiction: 7

Romance: 54

-Romantic Suspense: 14

-Contemporary Romance: 38

-Historical Romance: 2

Non-Romantic Fiction: 4

Memoir/Autobiography: 6

These stats provide a good snapshot of my year, but for a more accurate picture, I wanted to spotlight some notable books.My affiliate links are included.

First book finished*: The Trophy Husband by Lynne Graham
This was a quick, fun read that reeked of 90’s romance tropes. If you can appreciate it for what it is–trope soup, limited POV, and 90s level of understanding of masculinity/femininity/happily ever after–it’s a fast and funny book.

Last book read: Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston

I really ended the year on a high note. I LOVED this book! This book combines many elements of my favorite reads: Zora Neale Hurston; Anthropological/Ethnographical study; a personal story told in the subject’s voice; a snapshot of an interesting time in history, etc. This story is an important one, and I’m thankful it has finally been published and disseminated.

Better Than Expected: Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

This book had some pretty harsh reviews, but I like Anne Tyler and retellings of classics are some of my favorite stories, so I decided to give this one a try. If you’re a fan of Taming of the Shrew or Ten Things I Hate About You, you might like this retelling set between academia and daycare.

FOMO Reads of 2018: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman and I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O’Farrell

I heard these two books recommended several times on What Should I Read Next. I caved to FOMO and read both, and I’m glad I did! Both of these books lived up to the hype. Eleanor is funny and endearing, and Maggie O’Farrell’s memoir is gripping and reflective in an engaging way. I highly recommend both.

Best Book for Book Lovers: I’d Rather be Reading by Anne Bogel

If you love all things books and reading, you must read this book! Anne beautifully portrays many of the joys and dilemmas of the reading life. This book is a beautiful celebration of all the things I love about literature.

Series I enjoyed this year:

The Precinct Series by Julie Miller

I read many books in this series in 2016, but I read the backlist and became current on this series in 2018. If you love romantic suspense, seeing your favorite characters in several different books, mini-series within a larger series, and heroes/heroines with real world conflicts and complications, then I highly recommend this series.

Mirror Lake Series by Kathryn Springer
This inspirational romance series was wonderful. The characters were realistic and made me root for them. Springer made the town and its inhabitants come alive, and the conflicts were just as realistic. If you’re a fan of inspirational romances set in a small close knit town involving a core group of characters, then give this six book series a try.
Get in My Kindle picks I’ve Read: Butterface by Avery Flynn and I’d Rather be Reading by Anne Bogel (I also listened to the audiobook of Remember God by Annie F. Downs, but I’m not counting this as I plan to read the physical copy)


I’ve read a few of Avery Flynn’s other books, and Butterface had the humor and heart I’ve come to expect from her. If you like hot romantic comedies (and the heat level is pretty high on this one), you might like this first book in The Hartigans series. Book two, Muffin Top, is also out now, and book three, Tomboy, will release February 18, 2019.

The books I’m Most Looking Forward to in 2019:

Inheritance by Dani Shapiro
You can read my post on this book here.
The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman
Read my reasons for looking forward to this The Next Right Thing here.

MY BOOK!!!!!
121418_SS Front CoverI’ve been holding this news in for months! If you’re an email subscriber, you might have heard about this book already, but I wanted to officially announce it to my By Her Shelf readers. The Speaking Season: Poems and Pieces, my first poetry collection, will be releasing this month! If you’re a fan of poetry, this book is a must have for your collection. More details to come soon!

*Note: I don’t track my progress/read status for every book I read through Goodreads. Sometimes I forget. Sometimes I don’t want to share what I’m reading. This post was created using my 2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge statistics. It’s by no means definitive, but it’s mostly accurate.