Jess B. Moore's Blog
September 5, 2020
Romance Review: Meghan Quinn Baseball
I’ve been reading Meghan Quinn’s baseball romance books. There are currently 5, with the next one out in 10 Sept 2020!
These are interconnected stand alones, not a series. BUT I can’t read books like this without doing it in chronological order! Haha. I asked Meghan, and she was happy to share the read order. 
So far I’ve read:
The Locker Room
The Dugout
The Lineup
I’m currently reading: The Trade
Next up is:
The Change Up
The Set Up (the one releasing on 10 Sept).
How did I find these books?
I’m in a group hosted by KU Romance authors, and Meghan is one of them. I saw The Change Up pop up a few times, and got sucked in (tattooed guy on the cover did it for me, haha). As soon as I started reading it, I realized there were other books before that one, and I HAD to go back.
Of the three I’ve read, The Dugout is by far my favorite. On account of the sweetness of the guy, and the epic awkwardness of the gal.
The Locker Room is a good intro into the world of Chicago baseball. Starts off with college ball. I liked Knox. I liked Emory. I was a little put off by their meeting and the continued crass humor.
The Dugout continues with the college level ball. I immediately fell for Carson and his drive to improve along with his willingness to train with a female coach. Millie is sweet and awkward, but also a total badass, especially about baseball.
The Lineup is professional level ball. But we met both main characters in college (this is why you read the other books first people!). I thought I’d love it, because Jason is an adorable goofball. But he’d go off on tangents that would leave me rolling my eyes. Overall still loved it, but it’s not been my favorite.
The Trade is vying for a spot as favorite! Cory is the older brother of the leading lady in The Dugout, so I already knew him and how generous and kind he was (at least with his sister, haha). Natalie is Jason’s older sister (from The Lineup) and I have loved getting to know her better! We have a case of forced proximity happening in this one, too, which is fun � but with all the tension!
Bonus: they’re all FREE to read if you have Kindle Unlimited!! (With as many books as I read, I save a LOT by reading KU books).
Get started here:
Add them to your goodreads here:
April 15, 2020
The Worth of a Penny
Of all my books, then one I was most nervous to write and release was The Worth of a Penny.
I introduced the character Dominic MacKenna is my first book � The Guilt of a Sparrow � and had fun writing his funny, flirty personality. He was always meant to be Maggie’s friend in that book, not her love interest. But so many readers came to me saying they were #TeamDominic. I could only assure them he’d get his own book one day. I had plans for him!
Then it came time to write his book, and I was super nervous about messing it up. Messing HIM up. Since so many readers loved him, all the sudden it mattered that I get him right.
The Worth of a Penny ended up being my “sweetest� book yet on the steaminess scale. But don’t let that fool you, because Penny is dealing with some major issues! Dominic befriends her, takes her under his wing, and helps bring her out of her shell. More than that, he gives her a safe place to land when she’s lived in fear for too many years. They face several obstacles together throughout their story!
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Sweetheart Penelope Davies is what her daddy calls gullible, right after he told her she was stupid and worthless. With her cheek red from being slapped by him, and her heart trampled by a worthless boyfriend, she packs up and follows her half-brother to Fox River, North Carolina, in need of a fresh start.
Dominic MacKenna is the youngest of five brothers, the friendly one with a killer smile and easy laugh. His brothers are all grown up, and one by one they’re flying the nest, leaving him out of sorts and unsure of his place. Who is he if not the youngest MacKenna?
Penny falls in with the MacKenna brothers, welcomed in as family, and offered the kind of love and support she never knew existed. With a new job and a lot of determination, she is finding out what she’s capable of. The last thing she needs now is to fall in love with the most notorious flirt in town.
Dominic falls for the sweet strong girl with a penchant for random facts and quirky homemade dresses. All he wants is to show Penny how wonderful she is, how smart and funny, and how desired and loved—even if he has to do it as her friend.
April 14, 2020
The Ripped Bodice
I had the opportunity to visit while traveling near Los Angeles, and it was a dream come true! Of course I follow the store online, and love what they’re doing, but living on the east coast, I didn’t have much chance to visit in person. Then I was invited to be a signing author at the Love N Queen Mary event in Long Beach, CA, and the perfect timing arrived for me to visit.
The shop is adorable and fun. But that isn’t the point! For me, it was walking into a safe space. A place where I wouldn’t be questioned about why I read romance. A place where it’s absolutely wonderful to be a feminist, to embrace your inner nerd with fandoms, and to stand up and be proud of the romance community!
These were my people!!
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Not to mention, they have a stellar selection of romance books, by both traditionally and independently published authors. I could have easily spent all day browsing the shelves and picking up copies of books I can normally only find online.
I have two good book store options near where I live: Barnes & Noble, and Bookmarks. I am a huge fan of both! But, neither has an amazing romance selection! Barnes & Noble has a decent aisle, but it’s all standard works, and not anything I’m shopping for these days. I’d rather read Susannah Nix than Norah Roberts. I asked at Bookmarks where to find their romance section, and they keep their romance sorted within their fiction. Luckily they carry a fair share of excellent books, but they’re difficult to find unless you have time to pilfer through the shelves.
Walking into The Ripped Bodice, I sighed in relief, and couldn’t stop smiling! No trouble finding books in there! The staff was friendly, the books well organized, and the selection fantastic. Even the bathroom was a delight! I took my time in there, reading the sticky notes covering the walls, and absorbing the good vibes of messages left.
As I would be flying back across the country, I couldn’t buy many books, but I knew I wanted to pick up something while in the store. After circling the store twice, I settle on a signed Penny Reid, a “blind date with a book,� and a shop t-shirt. My friend bought a signed Sally Thorne book, at my suggestion, and I’m only a little jealous she got the last copy!
If you ever find yourself near LA, plan a trip to visit the best little romance bookshop! Okay, okay, it’s the only all-romance bookshop in the country. But perhaps with its success we’ll see a shift. If not with more genre specific stores, then with more representation of romance in our existing book stores. They can learn from The Ripped Bodice, a store funded by the people (through Kickstarter), and doing a wonderful business because of (not in spite of) catering to predominantly women.
Happy reading, and may your life (and your books) be filled with love!
The Ripped Bodice:
April 12, 2020
Fierce Grace
My second published book was Fierce Grace, a love story about learning to trust, and overcoming your past. Did you know I actually wrote Fierce Grace before I wrote my first published book, The Guilt of a Sparrow?
When I first started writing, I was a “starter.� Every idea that popped into my mind, I opened a new document, and I wrote it out. Some of these attempts ended after scribblings of characters and a few scenes. Some developed into full-length would-be-books. Fierce Grace was one that I wrote many years prior to even thinking about publishing a book. It waited, filled with shaky story telling, and hope to see the light of day.
Then one magical day, liked my submission, and wanted to read more from me. They wanted to publish The Guilt of a Sparrow! They were upfront about having an expiration date � they weren’t going to be around forever, and wouldn’t be accepting submissions much longer either. I liked their philosophy on being author-led, and I loved their encouragement to find support within their group of other authors, and I was happy to be working with them. I even liked that they would be there to hold my hand through the daunting publishing process, guiding me while I learned to market and promote myself, then they’d step back, and I’d take over with self-publishing.
Within a couple weeks of having a deal with Crooked Cat, I submitted Fierce Grace, sliding it in their closing submission window and hoping for the best. It felt risky to put myself out there � again! They liked it, and wanted to publish it months after my first release. I then re-wrote the entire thing, and changed the story line to fit within the Fox River world I’d created for The Guilt of a Sparrow.
I knew I wanted to write a series, but it had originally been two separate series. One with the MacKenna brothers, starting with The Guilt of a Sparrow, and the other with the Grace brothers, starting with Fierce Grace.
Now, those worlds are combined � and the series are intertwined!
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I’ve since published the first two of BOTH brother stories.
If you’re into chronological order, the read order is as follows:
The Guilt of a Sparrow
Fierce Grace
The Worth of a Penny
Saving Grace
The Chapel (a spin off Fox River novel)
If you’re more into one family of brothers or the other, each book can be read as a stand-alone, and you can split them this way:
The Guilt of a Sparrow (MacKenna Bros #1)
The Worth of a Penny (MacKenna Bros #2)
Fierce Grace (Grace Bros #1)
Saving Grace (Grace Bros #2)
The Chapel (Bell Brothers spin off)
I am currently working on The Heart of a Peach (the third MacKenna brother novel), which will be available late summer or early fall 2020. Next will be Claiming Grace (the third Grace brother novel), out sometime in early to mid 2021.
April 11, 2020
Fifth Book Release
When I wrote my first book (The Guilt of a Sparrow), I still hadn’t told people I was writing. I joined NaNoWriMo, and worked diligently, but I was secretive and more than a little terrified. Writing was something I did for me, and I didn’t quite dare to think my work could be published. I met a couple people online, on the NaNoWriMo forums, and began discussing writing with them. It was through them I gained the bravery to share my work for the first time. We swapped what we’d written, and all the sudden I was a writer.
From there, I got the courage to share with a couple in-real-life friends. I did multiple rewrites until I felt I couldn’t do any more with the book. Then I started submitting to agents and publishers. Rejections were par for the course, and oddly not all the disappointing, because I never expected to be published. I found my book home with an indie publisher, who helped me along, encouraged me to keep writing, and taught me how to take the reins.
Now, everyone knows I’m a writer, and I’m always working on at least two or three projects at once. My last book (The Chapel) was sent to beta readers early on, and I was happy to get the much needed feedback. I have an editor I trust and love working with. I collaborate with an artist for my book covers. I know how to format my books for ebook and print.
A couple years ago, creating a website and managing social media seemed difficult. There was a learning curve to being an author where the marketing and promotion were concerned. Back then I would never have considered self-publishing. Too daunting. Too scary. Too many what-ifs. Now I put my own books out with pride in my work. I learned by doing, from asking questions, and by befriending other authors.
One of the biggest changes from book one to book five is me.
Did you know there was a time I was embarrassed by reading romance? Yeah, that was before I started writing it! I loved the books, and my ereader reflected this, but I never wanted to admit it to anyone. Then I realized everything I wrote turned into a love story, and I had to embrace the fact I LOVE romance. Reading it. Writing it. Now, supporting and promoting it. We’re a strong group of (mostly) women, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of!
I went from someone hiding the fact I even tried my hand at writing, to someone active in the writing community. I learned to brave the critics and put my work out there, because it’s worth it when someone finds a connection to my stories. I started out wondering if I could ever finish another book, to planning dozens more!
Helpful links:
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo):
My editor:
How I format my books:
April 10, 2020
Meet the Author
Hi. My name is Jess, and I write love stories.
I’m all about flawed characters, strong emotions, and happy endings!
My first book, The Guilt of a Sparrow, was released through July 2018. I published my next two books, Fierce Grace and The Worth of a Penny, with Crooked Cat over the following year. Suddenly, I was a published author, and people were reading my books! My life had changed so quickly!
Yet, I’d been writing for years, and had slogged through my fair share of disinterest from publishers. In many ways, it seemed a long time coming to finally have found my place in the book world.
The best part of joining the Crooked Cat team has been the support system of other authors. I’ve made so many wonderful writer friends who have been invaluable on my journey.
I’ve since self-published my next two books, Saving Grace and The Chapel. I continue to write and have several more releases planned through the next year in my Fox River Romance series of novels.
First and foremost, I am a wife and mother. I stay at home with my children, and our days are filled with homeschooling and music. Bluegrass music is part of the culture where we live in rural North Carolina, and we’ve been lucky to raise our kids in this world of musical friendships. Usually we’re quite busy with the kids� gigging band, but with all the upheaval in the world this spring, we’ve been sticking to home base.
I’ll be sharing more about my books, writing, and life on my website this week, and hope you’ll join me.
First up, a series of questions to help you get to know me:
What shows are you into? My long-time favorites are Gilmore Girls and Friends.
Are you usually early or late? I subscribe to the adage if you’re on time, you’re late.
What skill would you like to master? I’m trying to improve at digital art these days. I don’t really aspire to be a maser, but I’d like to get better.
What’s your favorite book genre? Romance. Close second is YA.
What is special abut the place you grew up? I grew up in Pensacola, Florida, and we boast the most beautiful beaches in the US. White sand beaches! I’ve visited the Atlantic beaches as well as the Pacific, and neither compares to the Gulf of Mexico along Pensacola Beach.
What’s something you like to do the old-fashioned way? My calendar. I keep a paper planner each year, and it’s my lifeline!
What could you give a 40-minute presentation on with no preparation? Homeschooling, from pre-school on up through high school. Yoga, the basics, having a home practice, and the pros/cons of becoming a teacher. Dental Hygiene, as this was my job before staying home with kids and writing. Writing romance, of course.
Who’s your go-to when you can’t decide on something to listen to? First Aid Kit. Regina Spektor. Colter Wall. Tyler Childers. The Avett Brothers. Counting Crows. Nirvana. Simon and Garfunkel. The list goes on indefinitely.
If your life was a book, what would its title be?IHandle with Care
How do you get in the way of your own success? I’m not very good at self-promotion, which is a vital part of getting your work out into the world. I try to stay on top of social media, running ads, and keeping up my online presence, but sometimes I’d rather just write and not bother with the rest.
August 24, 2019
Looking for Alaska
John Green.
You’ve read (or at least heard of) The Fault in Our Stars? That’s how I found him, too.
Since then, I’ve read every book of his, listened fanatically to the, and must admit I drink the John Green kool-aid.
is my favorite. Smart. Funny. Tragic. Real. Everything!
And is making this phenomenal work into a show. With tremendous actors. And a dreamy trailer.
In honor of this super fun development, I’ve made a few graphics to celebrate my (our) love of all things John Green and Alaska Young.
deeply unhappy
make me different
no matter what
quotes
scared
undertow
she was a hurricane
strange and awful things
May 22, 2019
reach for the stars
Please, download and use these images. Share them with your friends and followers.
Tag: @authorjessb
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These are my favorite sort of Instagram posts, so I made these for YOU to use and share.
Tag: @authorjessb
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The post appeared first on .
April 12, 2019
the rise of indie
Before becoming an author, I had never considered how books got published. Traditional. Indie. Somewhere in between. I bought books in stores and online from a variety of retailers and authors, never paying much mind.
But let’s back up a few years. I worked in a book store through my college years. The small mall store, Walden Books, where I fed my love of books by spending my paycheck on buying more books. This was back in the late nineties/early two-thousands, and the first I heard of Amazon.
Folks would come in, then tell me they could get the book cheaper on Amazon. There was nothing I could do about it, so I usually said, “Okay. Then buy it on Amazon.� I said it casually, but really I loathed Amazon!
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Fast forward to our current time, and you’re hardpressed to live without Amazon. (Spoken like a privilaged girl living in a first world country, I know, but that’s a conversation for another time). I held out for years. Decades. Then I found a book I NEEDED and it was ONLY available via Amazon. Eventually I caved and bought it.
I used to have a nook and I would only read books from Barnes & Noble. After going through several nooks, I got a Kindle. With the Kindle Unlimited subscription. Because I read that many books!!
It’s a slippery slope, Amazon. I can get toilet paper, new jeans, a book, and organic flour all in one go. AND it will be delivered in two days.
Back to books �
When I started submitting my work to publishers, I learned quickly that the big name tradional ones would never even bother reading my submission. That’s just the reality of it. They’re swamped with entries, and from what I can tell, they decline the vast majority without reading them first. I can’t count the number of generic rejections I recieved! It didn’t take long to notice that indie publishers were the ones reading my work, even if they still rejected it.
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Getting published meant success. My book was out in the world! What did I care if it was only available through Amazon? Most romance sales are ebooks and most are via Amazon, so I didn’t think much about it and signed on the line.
I’ve since published two more books with this indie outfit who took a chance on me, and they’ve been fabulous. Not that I know the difference, but I’m convinced a tradional publisher isn’t there to talk every day all the time. We email. We facebook. We skype. All the time. Not even just me and the publishers, but me and all the other authors published with them. We’re a brilliant support system and have become friends. What more could a girl ask for?
I’ll tell you what: a book store to sell my books.
Seriously, y’all, I WANT to have my books in stores. As of right now, the ONLY place willing to sell my books is , a coffee shop in my small town. And bless them, they’re awesome and make the best coffee, too!
A semi-local indie bookstore recently shared an aritlce about . I read it. I liked it. I commented that I wish I had another option.
The owner of the store proceeded to tell me I chose to work for Amazon, as well as the myriad of reasons that kept my book from her (and other indie) shelves.
Honestly, it stung.
Like, I cried. Then I talked with a good friend to get some perspective. Then I went online searching for Indie Bookstores that ONLY stock Indie Authors.
Right? It’s the ultimate badass dream!!
Unfortunately, I didn’t find much.
in Fort Myers, Florida looks like a dream! A real live bookstore with only Indie authors!
has an online store specifically aimed at helping authors self-publish, and if you live near Leatherhead, Surrey, then you should definitely check them out (when they open their physical store, soon)!!
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Not to be all hipster on you, but the Indie books are where it’s at! I read probably half commercially available books, usually YA or memoir. The rest are Indie books by authors who are dominating the Romance and Chick Lit genres. Books you won’t find on a shelf unless you make a trip to .
I don’t have the time/energy/money to open a book store. Maybe one day.
Until then, I’ll link to Amazon. I’ll wish I could make the Indie bookstores understand the rise of Indie authors and how that’s the future of book selling.
You can find my books on
You can find BB Easton’s books on .
You can find .
Also, .
And .
Don’t forget .
Oh, and about a thousand others (millions, probably).
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March 6, 2019
wishlist: fringe
I have been coveting the products at .
Do you ever do this? Frequent a website, marking all your favorite products, and create a wishlist?
For me wishlist = pin all the things! (Have I mentioned how much I love Pinterest?).
They have this set which includes a journal, a pouch, a tray, and a mug, and it’s divine!
Here’s everything I would buy if I had all the money to buy all the things:
Right?? The design is top notch, the colors are pretty, the words are everything.
Note: I don’t own any of these images, but I do encourage you to shop at Fringe Studio and fall in love with their products.
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