What Are We Reading Now?

As with writing, reading is almost a must. Not only does it help both D.A. and myself home in on our unique writing voice, but it's also a great way to unwind after a long day. I've been guilty of being the reader who devours a book long into the night (and sometimes the morning) at the expense of getting a good night's rest. While D.A. and I have many similar reading interests, we also venture into different sub-genres. For instance, I will 100% go into the fantasy, monster romance, and psychological romance scene, whereas D.A. enjoys the mafia/MC romance books or romance books with several books already published in the series. So, what are we reading?

Our extensive TBR pile we keep on trying to tackle in between life and writing.

Kelly's Reading List

Even with a crazy busy life, I still manage to find the time to squeeze in a book or two. Although I'm still way behind on my reading goals for the year, I've found a few series that have left their mark on me this year. Here are some of my favs that I've stayed up way to late reading:

• Shadows and Crowns Series by S.M. Gaither: So far, I'm to book two, but I love the storyline, the magic, the conflicts, and the forbidden romance bit. If you love your fantasy romance with a strong female lead this is a series to add to your TBR pile.

• Duskwalker Brides Series by Opal Reyne: Monster romance. That's all. But honestly, this series is so much more than that. It has brought me from laughs to tears and every emotion in between. The characters that Opal has created are complex, funny, and otherworldy. I can't wait for the rest of the series to come out.

What is D.A. Reading?

I struggle each day with the balance between reading and writing. I want to do more of each. When the book I’m reading has me fully engrossed, I argue with myself until I win. Just one more chapter. When one turns into ten, my writer side starts to win—back to work.

I read a lot of standalone books, but I find myself gravitating toward series more times than not. I like characters that are in more than just their own romance novel. Recently I found an artist in the Kindle Unlimited bookstore, Lori Matthews, and her Callahan Securities series.

Reading book 4, when she brings in characters from book one, I already know who they are. I find that it helps with the flow of the story if there isn’t a break to introduce a lot of new characters.

When I began writing, I wanted readers to feel the same. So far, all the books I’ve written are part of a series. Using the same idea, I wanted to do crossover characters.

The Z-Inc series started with the pilot who rescued three of the characters from the Perfect Series. The ResQ’d One series has crossovers from both the Z-Inc and the Perfect Series.

I’m sure that the next series will have a crossover from one…or all three of the series. Another dark hero or heroine may arise and need more than one book to tell their story.

My days start with reading, end with writing, and in bed, thinking about what kind of trouble my characters can get into tomorrow. Is it balance or obsession?

What Are All of You Reading?

As November 1st was National Author's Day, we asked you all what your favorite books are. The responses were great and are the perfect addition to any reading list or TBR pile and cross into many genres. Here's what all of you said:

• The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

• The Firm by John Grisham

• The Good Earth by Pearl Buck

• Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Did we expand your reading list enough? Want something more to read? If action romance is your thing, check out the Perfect Series and Z-Inc Series. Filled with action, unexpected plot twists, strong female leads, murder plot, trauma demons, and more, you'll be devouring page after page until two in the morning. Also, sign up for our email alerts where you can find out exclusive info and get access to samples of future works. We look forward to having you join the Shearing Club. Happy reading!