Calling all romance lovers! We’re bringing bestselling author and Northeast Florida resident Valerie Bowman to talk about her popular Regency romance series, in conversation with contemporary romance author Jessica Hatch. Find out how writers make a love story feel real and be entertaining at the same time!
#JOIN:
Lit Chat Interview with Valerie Bowman, Monday, November 14 at 6:30pm. This event will take place live at the South Mandarin Library and will be livestreamed online via Zoom. Bowman will have giveaway copies of her books for attendees. Click here to register.
Valerie Bowman’s debut novel was published in 2012. Since then, her books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus. She’s been an RT Reviewers’ Choice nominee for Best First Historical Romance and Best Historical Romance Love and Laughter. Two of her books have been nominated for the Kirkus Prize for fiction.
Valerie grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of historical romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English Language and Literature with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got. Valerie now lives in Jacksonville with her family including her mini-schnauzers, Huckleberry and Violet. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or vacillating between watching crazy reality TV and PBS.
Interviewer Jessica Hatch is a professional freelance editor and novelist with more than a decade of publishing experience. She worked her way through the slush pile at New York-based literary agencies like Writers House, New Leaf Literary & Media, and Fox Literary Management, and learned what attracts readers to a book at St. Martin’s Press. Jessica’s editorial clients have gone on to receive partial and full manuscript requests from agents, to earn Kirkus starred reviews and placement on Best Book of the Year lists, and to win national awards. As a writer, Jessica has won pitch wars; attended juried workshops in Aspen, London, and Rome; and has been published in The Millions, Writer’s Digest, Fast Company, Burrow Press, and Babes Who Hustle, among others. Her debut novel, My Big Fake Wedding, debuted at #1 on Amazon's Humorous American Literature charts.
#READ:
Check out Valerie's books from the library for a great romantic read! And for a more contemporary love story, you can check out Jessica’s new book as well!
#VALERIE RECOMMENDS:
“If you'd like to learn more about Regency England, I recommend the following books:
- Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester
- Our Tempestuous Day by Carolly Erickson
- An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England by Venetia Murray
If you're traveling to England, in London be sure to take a tour of the Duke of Wellington's home (Apsley House) for some great Regency history and stop by Sir John Soane's Museum."
