The Anxious Author

   Dreia Wells is a relatively new author to me. I met her at a book release party planned by our mutual author friend, Angelina Kerner. Though Wells has not always wanted to be an author, she has a deep passion for writing and is carving out a place for herself among the world of paranormal and urban fantasy authors.      Wells is a duel-wielding author. Along with writing all things supernatural, she has a second pen name for contemporary and dark romance stories. Thus, you can find her responding to readers as both Dreia Wells and D. Sparks.       Though she is originally from Houston, Texas, in the United States of America, Wells currently lives in England with her husband and son. She's been a part of England for 13 years and has enjoyed the experiences it's given her.        "I write for adults," stated Wells. "Paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I also write contemporary and dark romances. The first book I published was the first book in The Owensen Witc

      Book hunts became briefly popular in 2020, during the Covid pandemic. Libraries and schools used them to keep kids engaged with reading while they experienced lockdowns and virtual learning. Pre-pandemic you could occasionally come across an author doing one to promote their new releases, but they were far and few between. Post-pandemic this concept all but disappeared. Instead, libraries replaced it with book walks and there was no need for book hunts hosted by schools because book fairs could once again be held. The truth is, the need for them has never gone away. We've only forgotten what the pandemic made us hyper-aware of, that there are people out there who can't afford books and that you need to get creative with your marketing strategies.     During the pandemic, I did a lot of online events and giveaways, afterwards, I signed up for some in-person events (which Mother Nature then canceled). I've been experimenting with new ways of marketing, specifically ones

      June was a difficult month to pick a favorite book from. I read 20 books, putting me at 80/200 for my 2022 reading goal. I'm currently 19 books behind schedule. It's a little concerning, but not by much. If I make it to the end of the year with only being 20 books short, I'll count it as an achievement.     Every once in a while, you read a book that feels like it was written solely for you. I was lucky enough to read two of those books last month. I also read a book that I really enjoyed beyond the normal range.     That being said, June is an odd month. Instead of having one book of the month, we have five. I couldn't decide. They were all so good.      Here are the five I picked!