Open Book with Tori Whitaker

This holiday season I have been giving thanks for so many things as we continue this difficult time in all our lives. One thing that I have been so grateful for, more than ever, is the power of storytelling and books. I sound like a broken record but the best place for me to escape these days is within the pages of a book. I am so thrilled to have Tori Whitaker as my latest Open Book as her debut novel, Millicent Glenn’s Last Wish, is a literary delight with dual timelines and complex female relationships. I also love that Tori made her book dreams come true as she always wanted to write a novel and made that goal happen. Books and authors like Tori are what make me so grateful to be a reader and author champion ❤

via Amazon ~

Three generations of women—and the love, loss, sacrifice, and secrets that can bind them forever or tear them apart.

Millicent Glenn is self-sufficient and contentedly alone in the Cincinnati suburbs. As she nears her ninety-first birthday, her daughter Jane, with whom she’s weathered a shaky relationship, suddenly moves back home. Then Millie’s granddaughter shares the thrilling surprise that she’s pregnant. But for Millie, the news stirs heartbreaking memories of a past she’s kept hidden for too long. Maybe it’s time she shared something, too. Millie’s last wish? For Jane to forgive her.

Sixty years ago Millie was living a dream. She had a husband she adored, a job of her own, a precious baby girl, and another child on the way. They were the perfect family. All it took was one irreversible moment to shatter everything, reshaping Millie’s life and the lives of generations to come.

As Millie’s old wounds are exposed, so are the secrets she’s kept for so long. Finally revealing them to her daughter might be the greatest risk a mother could take in the name of love.

1. What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with?

Sarah Jessica Parker – Like me and my book’s protagonist, she was born in Ohio. Sarah attended a school for performing arts in Cincinnati, in fact, in the historic OTR neighborhood where my Millicent grew up. Maybe author Chris Bohjalian, too, for interesting discussions about books and the world—and singing legend, Tina Turner.

2. Current binge series?

We just finished MadMen and still have a MadMen hangover. Can’t seem to settle on a new binge yet!

3. Last favorite book?

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue

4. What 3 things do you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it?

Hubs and I live outside of Atlanta and we missed our spring get-away because of the pandemic. I’m still waiting for that trip in our older Corvette convertible, top down, driving through the verdant Kentucky Bluegrass region, and touring distilleries of the Bourbon Trail the way one visits vineyards in Napa. I’d pack my “Life Is Good” ball cap, a ponytail scrunchie, and my Ray-Ban sunglasses.

5. Sunday NYT or US Weekly? NYT

6. Last movie you saw?  Rebecca on Netflix

7. Book you read that you wished you wrote?

The Guest Book by Sarah Blake. It’s got it all–unforgettable characters, fascinating historical settings, multiple generations and timelines, secrets and regrets, important themes from class to race, and gorgeous prose.

8. Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

There was Mrs. Bradbury in ninth-grade English who encouraged me, though she wasn’t a full-blown mentor.

9. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

Absolutely not. I need silence.

10. Describe your writing space?

I write in my home office upstairs—never on a laptop in a cabin or coffee shop. I have a computer desk near a bright window, tables for spreading out research materials and outlines and such, and built-in shelves stuffed with books that inspire me.

11. Tell me your coffee/tea order?

Well … I don’t drink either. My daily caffeine fix is chocolate!

12. Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

Hmm, not really.

13. Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

Ariel Lawhon’s Code Name Helene. It’s the fictionalized story of a true-life bad ass woman.

14. If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

I married at age 18, and we celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary this year. That’s a pretty big part of my life and family! So the song would probably be: Led Zeppelin’s, Thank You. Here’s a sense of the lyrics.

If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
When mountains crumble to the sea
There will still be you and me

15. Must have beauty product?

OMG, Clinique’s lipstick in A Different Grape. My friend and I met at work 15 years ago and bonded when discovering we both wore the same color. It was a minor life crisis for us when they changed the formula a year or so ago! They still call it A Different Grape, but it feels, well, different.

16. Royals- yes or no?  If so, who is your favorite?

Yes, and young Princess Charlotte is my fav. When she stuck out her tongue at reporters, I knew she might grow up to make Princess Margaret, the queen’s sister, look boring.

17. Favorite Instagram account?

Yikes, there are too many to name.

18. If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be? 

Perhaps the book, Girl with a Pearl Earring? The lipstick would be: Barely Pearl-ly Pink

19. Current #TBR pile?

I’m still waiting to read Friends and Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson.

20. Best advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t pray for things you want. Rather, pray for direction in life.

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Open Book with Laura Jamison

I am continuing to spread the joy of books during this uncertain time.  What I know, is that the comfort of a book never lets you down.  I hope you all are hanging in there and staying well and safe.  I am thrilled to celebrate Laura Jamison’s debut, All the Right Mistakes and that she is my latest Open Book!  Read below as Laura’s daughters and myself share a love for Nancy Meyer’s movies ❤

via Amazon ~

Five college friends have arrived at forty in very different circumstances, but with at least one thing in common: they are among the more privileged in society. Elizabeth and Sara are lawyers, Martha is a doctor, Carmen is a wealthy and well-educated homemaker, and Heather, the most successful, is a famous tech executive―and after more than two decades of friendship, they know one another better than anyone.

Then Heather writes a women’s advice book detailing the key life “mistakes” of her four friends―opting out, ramping off, giving half effort, and forgetting your fertility―that becomes wildly popular, and Elizabeth, Sara, Martha, and Carmen all feel the sting of Heather’s cruel words. Despite their status, these women face everyday obstacles, including work problems, parenting challenges, secondary infertility, racism, sexism, financial stress, and marital woes―and as they weather their fortieth year, each one can’t help but wonder if their life might have been different if they had followed Heather’s advice.
But as these friends are continually reminded, life is complex, messy, disappointing, and joyful, often all at once―and no one can plan her way out of that reality. In the end, all five women must embrace the idea that their lives are shaped not just by their choices but also by how they handle the obstacles life inevitably throws at us all.

1. What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with?

The first three people that popped into my mind were Jennifer Garner, Reese Witherspoon and Oprah, but I’m confident that if I thought more about I would struggle for hours with this one.

 

2. Current binge series?

 I’ve been going through a phase where I am watching a lot on the PBS App, like Frontline and American Experience. I think we are all struggling to process what is happening with the pandemic and there is something about these shows that fills that need for me.

 

3. Last favorite book?

I just finished Daniel Silva’s newest, The Order. I love reading series that span the decades. A new one is like a visit from an old friend.

 

4. What 3 things to you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it?

Tevas, my favorite tunic top and cargo pants. Anywhere there is good food, good art and beautiful scenery.

 

5. Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

I read the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times every day without fail. 

 

6. Last movie you saw?

My twin girls and I are working our way through every movie Nancy Meyers ever directed. They especially liked The Intern and Father of the Bride.

 

7. Book you read that you wished you wrote?

I think anyone who doesn’t say Harry Potter is lying! I’ve also always felt this way about Liane Moriarty’s books.

 

8. Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

Yes! My seventh grade teacher, Ms. Cotterill. 

 

9. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

No

 

10. Describe your writing space?

I wrote a lot of my debut novel in my minivan while waiting for my kids to finish practice.  

 

11. Tell me your coffee/tea order?

8-ounce cappuccino, three shots. I’ve tried unsuccessfully to cut back. 

 

12. Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

No, but I should put some thought into this! 

 

13. Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

I think we need more movies from Jennifer Weiner, Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult’s books.

 

14. If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys. I’ve always been one of the busy, driven people and this song speaks to me.

 

15. Must have beauty product?

Alta MD sunscreen. Trust me, it’s amazing.

 

16. Royals- yes or no?  If so, who is your favorite?

One hundred percent, yes. See my next answer.

 

17. Favorite Instagram account?

Well, this one might make me some enemies, but it’s @kensingtonroyal.

 

18. If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be? 

My friend Amy Schmidt just published a book called Cannonball: Fearlessly Facing Fifty and Beyond and Cannonball should definitely be its own lipstick. I feel like it should be one of those nudes that looks good on everyone. But part of me is also thinking red. 

 

19. Current #TBR pile?

The Booksparks Summer Reading Camp 2020 list!

 

20. Best advice you’ve ever received?

Why not you? This was advice from my Dad and every time I think that maybe I’m setting my sights too high, I hear this in my head and it gives me to courage to try.

 

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Open Book with Suzanne Nugent

Beach season is here, although looking a littler different this year, but what remains are beach reads and fictional escapes.  Honestly the only thing that allows me to escape the news and all the dark times right now are books.  Books are the friend you need in a time like this.  I am so thankful that Suzanne Nugent took the time to be my latest Open Book because her book, debut that is,  is a great escape!  Brunch and other Obligations is a wonderful read with friendship, a sprinkle of mystery and of course brunch!  Perfect beach read ❤

via Amazon ~

The only thing reclusive bookworm Nora, high-powered attorney Christina, and supermom-in-training Leanne ever had in common was their best friend, Molly. When Molly dies, she leaves mysterious gifts and cryptic notes for each of her grieving best friends, along with one final request: that these three mismatched frenemies have brunch together every month for a year.

Filled with heartwrenching scenes and witty prose, Brunch and Other Obligations explores the intricate dynamics of girlhood acquaintances who are forced to reconnect as women. This upbeat novel reminds readers that there’s hope for getting through the hard times in life―with a lot of patience, humor, and a standing brunch date.

 

1. What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a book club with?

Nora Ephron, Michelle Obama, Carrie Fisher.

 

2. Current binge series?

   I am re-binging Friends from College. The dynamic in this dysfunctional group of friends makes me cringe and laugh. The writing is honest, clever, and funny. I watched it when it first came out a few years ago and it is worth a second binge.

 

3. Last favorite book?

   Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman.

 

4. What 3 things do you pack in your bag for your dream vacation? Where is it?

   I live in a warm climate, so my dream getaways usually involve cozy sweaters. Three things I always pack no matter where I travel: A notebook, a pen, and comfortable shoes.

 

5. Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

   Sunday NYT.

 

6. Last movie you saw?

   The last movie I saw in the theater before stay-at-home orders was Little Women. At home, I’ve watched a ton of brilliant documentaries and some inspiring and fun movies on Netflix. It might be impressive to list those. But, real talk? The last movie I watched (today) was High School Musical 2. My son just loves it. And I admit: I dig it too.

 

7. Book you read that you wished you wrote?

   None. If I love a book, I just want to celebrate the author who created this thing that I love.

 

8. Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

   In high school, one of my friends didn’t like writing but I loved it, so I sometimes ghostwrote her essays. Our English teacher revealed that he recognized my “voice” in her essays, even though we tried to disguise our scheme by changing the font. He always encouraged me to keep using my voice.

 

9. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

   Yes, and it changes depending on what I’m writing. I like listening to movie scores that evoke the genre I’m writing.

 

10. Describe your writing space.

    My favorite places to write are at the dining room table or in my favorite coffee shop. It’s been tricky in the last few months because my dining room has been occupied by homeschooling and my favorite coffee shop has been closed. But I write anywhere I can. If I have to, I’ll even write in my (parked) car.

 

11. Tell me your coffee/tea order.

    At home, I like just a plain black decaf coffee. But if I’m feeling fancy at a coffee place, I order an iced decaf almond milk latte. It’s a lot of words to describe one coffee and I feel very extra when I order it.

 

12. Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

    I don’t have a go-to. I try to pick something unique every time I get a book as a gift.

 

13. Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

    Can I say Brunch and Other Obligations? Well. Now I’ve said it.

 

14. If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

    Shining Star by Earth, Wind & Fire. It’s such an optimistic song that just says keep going, you’re being guided. Also… the funky riff at the beginning builds suspense and then there’s this horn blast that’s like “tadaaaaa!” so it would be a great song to play when you enter a room.

                                                                                                                                          

15. Must have beauty product?

    Sunscreen.

 

16. Royals- yes or no?  If so, who is your favorite?

    As a writer, I am most interested in the romantic rogue Royals, like Harry and Meghan or Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. I’m fascinated by people who are born into royalty and opt out. As for a favorite… everything Kate Middleton wears is perfection and I love her for it, but ultimately, my favorite Royal is Dairy Queen.

 

17. Favorite Instagram account?

    I’m brand new to social media! I just joined Instagram (@suznuge) in February and I’m still finding my favorites.

 

18. If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be?

    Untamed. And it would be just a clear gloss.

 

19. Current #TBR pile?

    The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett; Fleishmann is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner.

 

20. Best advice you’ve ever received?

    My Gramma told me: “You should write a book. Just tell it like it is.”

Open Book with Kathryn Budig founder of Inky Phoenix

I found Kathryn Budig when I was on my journey of getting certified in yoga at Back Bay Yoga.  She was one of the best instructors I had taken class from and seemed genuinely like a bad ass lady.  I would take her classes online, learn from her book and follow her amazingness on Instagram.  Fast forward to now, queue The Inky Phoenix, an online bookclub founded by the yoga queen herself.  Just when I think she couldn’t get any better, she launches a virtual BOOKCLUB!  Hello, if you know the back story of Bliss, Beauty and Books then you know it was created at first for my love of yoga hence “BLISS” and then the books and beauty came along with it.  So you may say, Kathryn has launched a bookclub of my dreams!

This book club is all virtual and Kathryn will hand select books each month and share on her Free Cookies podcast, started with her equally bad ass wife, Kate Fagan.  This month, she picked Glennon Doyle‘s Untamed, a spiritual container of glitter and wisdom, southing of which we could ALL use right about now ❤

Kathryn is my latest Open Book and after you read her answers, you will realize she is the bookish, blissful BFF that you all need!  Thank you to Kathryn and Kate for gifting us all with The Inky Phoenix which is uniting us all through books!

 

1. What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with?

Neil Gaiman, Oscar Wilde and Barack Obama.

 

2. Current binge series?

Vikings! We are so late the the party and have been loving the blend of history and Norse mythology.

 

3. Last favorite book?

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

 

4. What 3 things are a must for your purse?  What type of bag do you carry?

My purse actually resembles a fancy lunchbox. I always have way too many lip products, bobby-pins and a bandaid.

 

5. Must read magazine or newspaper column?

We’re glued to CNN these days, and I love Alison Roman’s column for New York Times Cooking.

 

 

6. Last movie you saw?

Knives Out. Love a good ‘whodunnit’ movie.

 

7. Why the Inky Phoenix?

Aside from being an author and writer, literature is in my blood. One of my degrees is in English Literature and I’ve always noted I’m at my happiest when I have a good book waiting for me at home. I started The Inky Phoenix in hopes of building an international community, a place to gather and tickle our minds and share our stories.

 

8. Funnest fact about you?

I am the queen of butchering idioms. Seriously. Every last one.

 

9. Top 3 favorite blogs?

I honestly don’t frequent many blogs.

 

10. Describe your dream book club space?

A restored Victorian mansion with a library full of rolling ladders and secret passageways.

 

11. White, Red, Rose or no way?

All of the above, please.

 

12. Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Luiz.

 

13. Current book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

Melissa Albert’s The Hazelwood and Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere.

 

14. Top 5 favorite movies?

Clue, The Princess Bride, Goonies (you can probably guess my age by now), Love Actually and Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

 

 

15. Current must have beauty product?

Anything from Maya Chia.

 

16. Royals- yes or no?  If so, who is your favorite?

Currently, not so much. Diana forever and Prince William when we were young.

 

17. Favorite Instagram influencer?

Not an “influencer” but Kate Beckinsale cracks me up.

 

18. If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be? 

The Night Circus and it would be the color of a grape popsicle.

 

19. Current #TBR pile?

A Little Life, All Boys Aren’t Blue, Magpie Murders, Hunting Party and Salem’s Lot (Yes, I’ve never read King. Wild, I know.)

 

20. Best advice for aspiring writers/readers/yogis?

Stop waiting for perfect moments. If you want to be inspired, read. If you want to learn, practice. If you want to see your story in the world, sit down and write 500 words. Today.

 

Follow Kathryn, Kate and The Inky Phoenix:

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Kathryn

Twitter ~

Kathryn @kahtrynbudig

Kate @katefagan3

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Kathryn

Kate

Inky Phoenix

 

Practice with Kathryn:

Glo

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Free Cookies Podcast

 

Grace Kelly Open Book with Brenda Janowitz

I do not need to tell you how much I love Brenda Janowitz.  It is evident every time she writes a column for Pop Sugar or new book- she is the godmother of all bookish things if there ever was one plus her love for pop culture is unparalleled.  Her latest book, The Grace Kelly Dress, out now, is the one of her best yet!  It is the most lovely story about a dress, three lives and the interwoven secrets and love that tie them together.  I can’t tell you how much you need to read this book and you need to get to know Brenda.  She is literally the best “book” friend we need in all of our lives ❤

via Amazon ~

“Exactly the type of book I love: charming, smart, and brimming with heart.”—EMILY GIFFIN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of All We Ever Wanted

“Fast paced and entertaining from beginning to end.”—KRISTIN HANNAH, #1 New York Timesbestselling author of The Nightingale

Two years after Grace Kelly’s royal wedding, her iconic dress is still all the rage in Paris—and one replica, and the secrets it carries, will inspire three generations of women to forge their own paths in life and in love.

Paris, 1958: Rose, a seamstress at a fashionable atelier, has been entrusted with sewing a Grace Kelly—look-alike gown for a wealthy bride-to-be. But when, against better judgment, she finds herself falling in love with the bride’s handsome brother, Rose must make an impossible choice, one that could put all she’s worked for at risk: love, security and of course, the dress.

Sixty years later, tech CEO Rachel, who goes by the childhood nickname “Rocky,” has inherited the dress for her upcoming wedding in New York City. But there’s just one problem: Rocky doesn’t want to wear it. A family heirloom dating back to the 1950s, the dress just isn’t her. Rocky knows this admission will break her mother Joan’s heart. But what she doesn’t know is why Joan insists on the dress—or the heartbreaking secret that changed her mother’s life decades before, as she herself prepared to wear it.

As the lives of these three women come together in surprising ways, the revelation of the dress’s history collides with long-buried family heartaches. And in the lead-up to Rocky’s wedding, they’ll have to confront the past before they can embrace the beautiful possibilities of the future.

1. What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with?

 

Well, Grace Kelly, of course! And we‘d be reading The Great Gatsby, so I’d love for F. Scott Fitzgerald to join us. Finally, I’d include Michelle Obama. I recently read her memoir, and I instantly fell in love!

 

2. Current binge series?

 

At the recommendation of Elin Hilderbrand, I binged both seasons of Succession on HBO. I love a good family drama, and Succession is all about the drama!

 

3. Last favorite book?

 

I loved Little Fires Everywhere and cannot wait for the new Reese Witherspoon adaptation coming soon!

 

4. What 3 things are a must for your purse?  What type of bag do you carry?

 

I carry a cross-body hobo bag. For a busy mom with kids, cross-body is a must! It’s big enough to carry my trusty iPad, for when I need to get work done on the go. My must haves are lip balm, my phone, and a book!

 

5. Must read magazine or newspaper column?

 

I”m completely obsessed with the New York Times Modern Love column. I recently had my own essay published there, and it was such an honor. (https://nyti.ms/2NQxDEO)

 

6. Last movie you saw?

 

My husband and I saw Knives Out in the theater. (And yes, as a busy working mom, I am bragging about seeing a movie in the movie theater.)

 

7. Favorite or film you read/watched while researching Grace Kelly?

 

I’m a sucker for all of Grace Kelly’s films, but my favorite one is To Catch a Thief. I mean, Cary Grant looking dreamy, come on!

 

8. Funnest fact you found out about Grace?

 

I was shocked to discover that Grace’s wedding dress was actually comprised of four separate parts, each of which were put on separately as she dressed for her big day.

 

9. Top 3 favorite blogs?

 

Beauty, Bliss, and Books, of course! I also love Great Thoughts, Great Readers, and Good Book Fairy.

 

10. Describe your writing space?

 

I usually write in my office, which has a large double desk that my husband and I share. It’s lined with bookcases, and thus, very inspiring. That said, I write wherever and whenever I can, so I have an iPad with an attached keyboard that I love. In fact, I’m writing this to you from my iPad right now!

 

11. White, Red, Rose or no way?

 

Rose!

 

12. Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

 

I always give books as gifts! I try really hard to match the book with the recipient and make it personal.

 

13. Current book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

 

The Grace Kelly Dress!!

 

14. Top 5 favorite movies?

 

To Catch a Thief

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Clueless

Mean Girls

Casablanca

 

15. Current must have beauty product?

 

I cannot live without SPF everyday. I love Skinceuticals and SuperGoop!

 

16. Royals- yes or no?  If so, who is your favorite?

 

Yes! There are so many to choose from, but I especially loved watching Grace Kelly’s grandchildren get married this summer.

 

17. Favorite Instagram influencer?

 

Besides you? I love Ashley Spivey’s feed.

 

18. If you could name just one lipstick after a The Grace Kelly Dress, what would you call it and what shade would it be? 

 

It would be a pale pink, and we’d have to call it— what else?— Princess Grace.

 

19. Current #TBR pile?

 

Right now, I’m reading tons of ARCs for my PopSugar Summer list.

 

20. Best advice for aspiring writers?

 

Writing is re-writing. Don’t be afraid to cut ruthlessly!

 

Bonus trio:

 

1. Favorite outfit Grace wore during her heyday?

There’s something so classic about the dress Grace wore when she won her Oscar in 1955. But I also love it when Grace let her hair down in Jamaica— that white two piece? To die for!

 

2. Favorite celebrity wedding dress?

I think this one is pretty obvious!

 

3. Tell us about selecting your wedding dress?

When selecting my wedding dress, there were so many details that I was drawn to, and it was only in hindsight that I realized that I was actually shopping for my own version of a Grace Kelly Dress. From the delicate bows that trailed down the back of my dress to the silk ribbon that tied around the waist— a nod to the cummerbund— I was channeling this iconic gown.

 

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