North America loves a little bit of Scandinavia. From the so-hot-right-now concept of hygge (how to be cozy, comfy and content) to the resurgence of minimal white-painted and pale-wood interiors in home decor (thanks, Ikea!), we feel the influence. And there’s no question that residents of the Nordic countries know how to survive a long… Read More »

We’re quite lucky these days—it seems there’s more coverage than ever on some seriously fierce women making their voices heard and inspiring other women around the world, both in fact and fiction. Whether we’re reading about Malala Yousafzai or Katniss Everdeen, strong heroines are sweeping bookshelves across nations. But “girl power” has seen its forms… Read More »

A few years back, I was on a book panel with a women’s fiction author. (I understand that classifying authors by genre, especially this one, can be controversial. I only mean that she writes modern-day, relationship-driven fiction with strong female protagonists.) An audience member asked us about our writing process and this author said, “Well,… Read More »

February is Black History Month in North America, and while there are many amazing books centering on the history aspect of Black History Month, here are eight books about being black in the twenty-first century and what that means in 2017.   The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas All the hype about this book… Read More »