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Meet the Authors

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Mary Kay Andrews

MARY KAY ANDREWS is the New York Times bestselling author of 30 novels (including The Homewreckers, The Newcomer, Hello, Summer; The High Tide Club; The Weekenders; Ladies’ Night; Spring Fever; and Summer Rental, all from St. Martin’s Press, as well as Savannah Breeze; Hissy Fit; Little Bitty Lies; and Savannah Blues, all Harper Collins), and one cookbook, The Beach House Cookbook.

A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, she earned a B.A. in journalism from The University of Georgia (go Dawgs!). After a 14-year career working as a reporter at newspapers including The Savannah Morning News, The Marietta Journal, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she spent the final ten years of her career, she left journalism in 1991 to write fiction.

Her first novel, Every Crooked Nanny, was published in 1992 by HarperCollins. She went on to write ten critically acclaimed mysteries, including the Callahan Garrity mystery series, under her real name, Kathy Hogan Trocheck. In 2002, she assumed the pen name Mary Kay Andrews with the publication of Savannah Blues. In 2006, Hissy Fit became her first New York Times bestseller. To date, her novels have been published in German, Italian, Polish, Slovenian, Hungarian, Dutch, Czech and Japanese with more than 6-million copies of her books sold in the US alone.

Mary Kay is the co-creator and co-host of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction. She and her family divide their time between Atlanta and Tybee Island, GA, where they cook up new recipes in three restored beach homes, The Breeze Inn, Ebbtide, and Coquina Cottage—all named after fictional places in Mary Kay’s novels, and all available to rent through Tybee Vacation Rentals. In between cooking, spoiling her grandkids, and plotting her next novel, Mary Kay is an intrepid treasure hunter whose favorite pastime is junking and fixing up old houses.

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Kristin Harmel

KRISTIN HARMEL is the New York Times bestselling, USA Today bestselling, and #1 international bestselling author of The Book of Lost Names, The Winemaker’s Wife, The Room on Rue Amelie, and a dozen other novels that have been translated into 28 languages and sold all over the world.

A former reporter for PEOPLE magazine, Kristin has been writing professionally since the age of 16, when she began her career as a sportswriter, covering Major League Baseball and NHL hockey for a local magazine in Tampa Bay, Florida in the late 1990s. After stints covering health and lifestyle for American Baby, Men’s Health, and Woman’s Day, she became a reporter for PEOPLE magazine while still in college and spent more than a decade working for the publication, covering everything from the Super Bowl to high-profile murders to celebrity interviews. Her favorite stories at PEOPLE, however, were the “Heroes Among Us” features—tales of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

In addition to a long magazine writing career (which also included articles published in Travel + Leisure, Glamour, Ladies’ Home Journal, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and more), Kristin was also a frequent contributor to the national television morning show The Daily Buzz and has appeared on Good Morning America and numerous local television morning shows.

Kristin was born just outside Boston, Massachusetts and spent her childhood there, as well as in Columbus, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Florida. After graduating with a degree in journalism (with a minor in Spanish) from the University of Florida, she spent time living in Paris and Los Angeles and now lives in Orlando, with her husband and young son. She is the co-founder and co-host of the popular web series and podcast FRIENDS & FICTION.

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Kristy Woodson Harvey

Kristy Woodson Harvey is the New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of nine novels including Under the Southern Sky, The Peachtree Bluff Series, and The Wedding Veil. Her Peachtree Bluff Series is currently in development with NBC with Kristy as co-writer and co-executive producer. She is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing, a finalist for the Southern Book Prize, and her books have received numerous accolades including Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Beach Reads, Entertainment Weekly’s Spring Reading Picks, and Katie Couric’s Most Anticipated Reads.

She blogs with her mom Beth Woodson on Design Chic about how creating a beautiful home can be the catalyst for creating a beautiful life. Design Chic is the inaugural member of the design blogger hall of fame, sponsored by Traditional Home, and winner of Amara’s Best Luxury Blog, as chosen by Roberto Cavalli. She also loves connecting with readers on kristywoodsonharvey.com.

Harvey is a Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism and holds a master’s in English from East Carolina University, with a concentration in multicultural and transnational literature. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications and websites, including Southern Living, Traditional Home, Parade, USA Today, Domino, Our State and O. Henry. She has been seen in Today.com, Women’s Health, The Washington Post, US News and World Report, The Huffington Post, Marie Claire’s The Fix, Woman’s World, Readers’ Digest, Bustle, New York Live and North Carolina Bookwatch, among others.

Kristy is a co-founder and co-host of the hit weekly webshow and podcast, Friends & Fiction, with fellow authors Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel and Patti Callahan Henry. She is a proud member of the Tall Poppy Writers, serves on the board of The University of North Carolina’s Library Board, the Beaufort Historical Association, and is a member of the University of North Carolina’s Women’s Leadership Council. She is a frequent speaker at fundraisers, book conferences and private events. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and ten-year-old son where she is working on her next novel.

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Patti Callahan Henry

PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY is the New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail best-selling author of fifteen novels, including the historical fiction (writing as Patti Callahan) SURVIVING SAVANNAH and BECOMING MRS. LEWIS, out now, and ONCE UPON A WARDROBE, coming October 2021. She has been named The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year, and has won The Christy “Book of the Year” Award, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year Award. She is the co-founder and co-host of the popular weekly web show, podcast, and Facebook group, Friends and Fiction. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook and on her website www.patticallahanhenry.com.

FOUNDER EMERITUS

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Founder Emeritus

Mary Alice Monroe

Mary Alice Monroe is the New York Times bestselling author of 27 books, including the bestselling The Beach House series. Monroe also writes children’s picture books and a new middle grade fiction series, The Islanders . Monroe is a member of the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame, and her books have received numerous awards, including the South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing, the South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence, the SW Florida Author of Distinction Award, the RT Lifetime Achievement Award, the International Book Award for Green Fiction, the Henry Bergh Award for Children’s Fiction, and her novel, A Lowcountry Christmas won the prestigious Southern Prize for Fiction. The Beach House is a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, starring Andie McDowell. Several of her novels are optioned for film. She is the co-creator and co-host of the weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.  Monroe is also an active conservationist and serves on several boards.  She lives on the South Carolina coast, which is a source of inspiration for many of her books. 

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Have you joined #friendsandfiction on @fable yet?! Have you joined #friendsandfiction on @fable yet?! F&F is taking their immersive reading experience a step further by partnering with this unique social platform to form the “Friends & Fiction Behind the Book” Book Club! Let’s discover, read, and talk about great books together! Download the FREE Fable app for your phone or tablet. Join @marykayandrews, @kristinharmel, @kristywharvey, and @pattichenry as they talk about their own books, the books they love, and books they're just discovering together. They’ll feature a new book selection every month, plus special club events, exclusive content, and more! Join our Premium Club for just $5/month! JOIN THE CLUB TODAY at the 🔗 in our bio!
On this week’s show, our guest @jamiebrennerwrit On this week’s show, our guest @jamiebrennerwrites said we might be surprised to learn that she has #georgemichaelalife, the biography of George Michael by @jamesgavinbooks on her nightstand. Our guest @elinhilderbrand said she is reading #razorbladetears by #SACosby which she knows might seem very off brand for her. Her other favorite book this year is #notesonanexecution by @danyakukafka about a serial killer on death row. She called it “absolutely riveting” and she highly recommends it. 

If you missed this episode live, head on over to our YouTube channel or Facebook page to catch up! #friendsandfiction #authorsofinstagram #booklovers #bookrecommendations
Did you enjoy @elinhilderbrand, @jamiebrennerwrite Did you enjoy @elinhilderbrand, @jamiebrennerwrites and @robyncarrwriter on last night’s show? Have you gotten Elin’s book #thehotelnantucket, Jamie’s book #gilt, or Robyn’s book #afamilyaffair yet? Well, you can grab all three now at a discount in the F&F @bookshop_org Shop! Portions of all sales placed in our shop help fund F&F and support our guests! Proceeds from every sale made anywhere across Bookshop go straight into the pockets of indie booksellers nationwide. Since its inception, Bookshop.org has raised more than $21 million for indie bookstores! Find recent books by all of our guests past and present—as well as our hosts’ books—on our Friends & Fiction Spring/Summer 2022 Guests list at the 🔗 in our bio!
🎉Join us TONIGHT for a star-studded episode of 🎉Join us TONIGHT for a star-studded episode of #friendsandfiction!🤩 We are so excited to welcome back our dear friend, #1 New York Times bestseller @elinhilderbrand, along with nationally bestselling author @jamiebrennerwrites, plus @robyncarrwriter on the after show! 

Elin is the author of 28 novels, including #thehotelnantucket which was just released on June 14th and will debut at #1 on the #NYTbestsellerlist. During her senior year at Johns Hopkins, Elin had her first short story published in Seventeen Magazine, then spent time working in publishing and teaching in NYC, before moving to Nantucket permanently in 1994. She earned her MFA in 1998 from the Iowa Writers Workshop and published her first novel, THE BEACH CLUB, in 2000. Aside from churning out decades of chart-topping summer books, the Winter series, and the Paradise series, Elin is also the proud mother of three, a dedicated Peloton rider, an aspiring book influencer, an enthusiastic at-home cook, and a grateful eight-year breast cancer survivor. 

The author of six novels, including Blush and the national bestseller The Forever Summer, Jamie Brenner grew up in suburban Philadelphia on a steady diet of Jackie Collins and Judith Krantz novels. Like the heroines of her favorite books, Jamie left her hometown for NYC and worked at HarperCollins, Barnes&Noble.com and Vogue.com before becoming an author. She joins us to discuss her luxurious and richly compelling new novel #gilt, which Publishers Weekly says “sparkles like a diamond.”

Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, eleven-time No.1 New York Times bestselling romance and women's fiction author of more than 60 novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River and Sullivan's Crossing series. Robyn joins us to talk about her Spring 2022 women’s fiction release, #afamilyaffair, that Library Journal, in a starred review, called "a strong, uplifting tale that will lure both women's fiction and romance fans."

Join us live tonight at 7pm ET on the F&F Facebook page & YouTube channel. Meanwhile, shop for Elin’s, Jamie’s, and Robyn’s books—plus those by our hosts and past guests—in the F&F Shop on @bookshop_org at the link in our bio.
This week's edition of our newsletter, featuring a This week's edition of our newsletter, featuring an exclusive interview with one of Wednesday's guests, @jamiebrennerwrites, lands in your inbox tomorrow! If you're not subscribed to our newsletter yet, head on over to the link in our bio to sign up and never miss another issue! #friendsandfiction #jamiebrenner
On last week's show, our guests @julieclarkauthor On last week's show, our guests @julieclarkauthor and @ericaferencik offered up these great #writingtips! If you missed this episode live, head on over to our YouTube channel or Facebook page to catch up. #authorsofinstagram #friendsandfiction
On next week’s star-studded episode of #friendsa On next week’s star-studded episode of #friendsandfiction, we are so excited to welcome back our dear friend, the No.1 New York Times bestselling superstar @elinhilderbrand, along with our good pal and nationally bestselling author @jamiebrennerwrites, plus none other than the incomparable @robyncarrwriter on the after show! 

Elin is the author of 28 novels, including #thehotelnantucket which was just released on June 14th and will debut at No.1 on the New York Times bestseller list. During her senior year at Johns Hopkins University, Elin had her first short story accepted for publication in Seventeen Magazine, then spent a short stint working in publishing and teaching in New York City, before moving to Nantucket permanently in 1994. She earned her MFA in 1998 from the Iowa Writers Workshop and published her first novel, THE BEACH CLUB, in 2000. Aside from churning out 2+ decades of chart-topping summer books, the Winter series, and the Paradise series, Elin is also the proud mother of three, a dedicated Peloton rider, an aspiring book influencer, an enthusiastic at-home cook, and a grateful eight-year breast cancer survivor. 

The author of six novels, including Blush and the national bestseller The Forever Summer, Jamie Brenner grew up in suburban Philadelphia on a steady diet of Jackie Collins and Judith Krantz novels. Like the heroines of her favorite books, Jamie left her hometown for New York City and worked at HarperCollins, Barnes&Noble.com and Vogue.com before becoming an author. She joins us to discuss her luxurious and richly compelling new novel #gilt, which Publishers Weekly says “sparkles like a diamond.”

Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, eleven-time No.1 New York Times bestselling romance and women's fiction author of more than 60 novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River and Sullivan's Crossing series. Robyn joins us to talk about her Spring 2022 women’s fiction release, A FAMILY AFFAIR, that Library Journal, in a starred review, called "a strong, uplifting tale that will lure both women's fiction and romance fans."

Join us Wednesday, June 29th at 7pm ET on the F&F Facebook page & YouTube channel.
Have you joined #friendsandfiction on @fable yet?! Have you joined #friendsandfiction on @fable yet?! F&F is taking their immersive reading experience a step further by partnering with this unique social platform to form the “Friends & Fiction Behind the Book” Book Club! Let’s discover, read, and talk about great books together! Download the FREE Fable app for your phone or tablet. Join @marykayandrews, @kristinharmel, @kristywharvey, and @pattichenry as they talk about their own books, the books they love, and books they're just discovering together. They’ll feature a new book selection every month, plus special club events, exclusive content, and more! Join our Premium Club for just $5/month! JOIN THE CLUB TODAY at the 🔗 in our bio!
We ran out of time on this week’s live show to d We ran out of time on this week’s live show to discuss book recommendations, but in our newsletter (subscribe at the link in our bio!) @ericaferencik said #thepush by @ashleyaudrain was the last book she raved about. She also said she is loving #sleepwalk by @dchaon. On the show @julieclarkauthor plugged two books, #theconfidencegame by Maria Konnikova @grlnamedmaria which she used for researching how con artists operate for her new novel #theliesitell, and #thescenebook by Sandra J. Scofield for writing guidance.
The next FRIENDS & FICTION LIVE event is happening The next FRIENDS & FICTION LIVE event is happening four weeks from today! Come one, come all! The Fab Four are headed to Rehoboth Beach, DE. Meet them there for a super fun luncheon event hosted by our good friends at @browseaboutbooks. Join @marykayandrews, @kristinharmel, @pattichenry & @kristywharvey (plus @rsblockmtm & @megwalker1225, too!) on Thursday, July 21st at 11:30am at the Rehoboth Beach Country Club. Tickets are $60 and include a delicious buffet lunch with a non-alcoholic beverage (adult beverages will be available for an additional fee), gratuity, and a $30 Browseabout credit towards your book purchase that day. The Fab Four will mingle with attendees, speak about their new books (and all sorts of other topics!), answer live questions from the audience, personalize books, and take photographs with attendees. Books from all authors will be available to purchase before and after the luncheon—along with some additional special F&F swag! GET YOUR TICKETS now at the link in our bio! We can’t wait!
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