Essays

Thankful for stories: how books anchor us during the holidays

As the holidays approach, our lives often feel packed with family obligations, travel, and the endless bustle of preparation. It’s easy to get swept up in the chaos, but there’s a quiet refuge I return to every year: stories. Books have a way of anchoring us, even during the busiest, most stressful times, offering both comfort and connection.

Some of my favorite stories are those I’ve heard around the dinner table with family and friends!

I’m grateful for the ways reading bridges generations—like the book you lent your sister, or the series your grandma read to you as a child, which she also read to your father and that you eventually shared with your own kids. Stories create shared experiences across time, connecting us in ways that linger long after the last page is turned.

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Essays

Writing (and reading) through the holiday chaos: finding focus when life gets loud

The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and connection, but for many of us, they also bring a whirlwind of obligations: family gatherings, travel, shopping, cooking, and endless to-do lists. Amid the chaos, finding time to write, read, or simply pause can feel impossible. Yet even during the busiest season of the year, it’s possible to carve out moments for creativity and reflection—if you approach it with intention and compassion.

Amid the holiday bustle, it’s important to carve out a moment for yourself to write and reflect—even when life around you is loud.
  • Set smaller, achievable goals: When life is hectic, long writing sessions or ambitious reading lists can feel overwhelming. Break your projects into smaller, manageable chunks. Write for twenty minutes in the morning, read a chapter before bed, or jot down ideas in a notebook while sipping your coffee. Small, consistent efforts often add up more than you realize—and they keep your creative momentum alive.
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Find Your Next Read

Books to curl up with this late fall: cozy, reflective reads for Thanksgiving break

As the days grow shorter and the first hints of winter settle in, it’s the perfect time to slow down and curl up with a book that invites reflection, connection, and comfort. Late November in the northern hemisphere carries a special energy—between the flurry of holiday preparations and the quiet of bare trees and crisp evenings, readers often crave stories that soothe, inspire, and remind us of the bonds that matter most. This year, I’ve rounded up four titles that capture the spirit of the season, each in its own way offering moments of introspection, warmth, and hope.

It’s that cozy time of year—curl up with a good book, a warm cup of tea, and watch the world turn golden outside your window.

Valley of the Bees by Amanda L Webster (oh hey, that’s me!)

Set in a world where honeybees are nearly extinct, Valley of the Bees follows Valley as she navigates family, friendships, and self-discovery in a rural community. Her life changes dramatically on her sixteenth birthday, when she must balance tradition, duty, and personal choice amidst a backdrop of plague and village intrigue. At its heart, this novel is about family bonds, connection to the land, and the courage to chart your own path—perfect for readers looking for reflection and emotional richness as the season turns.

The black and yellow cover of the novel, Valley of the Bees featuring the title in bold print with a bee underneath.
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Writers on Writing

Life after NaNoWriMo: How writers can keep the November momentum alive #WriteMo2025

Every November, countless writers have opened fresh documents, brewed extra coffee, and joined a global community all chasing the same goal—50,000 words in 30 days. For twenty-five years, the nonprofit behind National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) gave structure and camaraderie to this creative marathon. But when the organization officially shut down in April 2025 due to financial and operational challenges, many writers were left wondering: Now what?

Just because the NaNoWriMo website is gone, that doesn’t mean you can’t still write a novel this month!

The good news is that the spirit of NaNoWriMo doesn’t belong to any one website. It lives in the collective energy of writers everywhere who come together to create, share, and cheer one another on. November can still be your month to write boldly and build lasting creative habits—you just might have to do it a little differently this year.

Continue reading “Life after NaNoWriMo: How writers can keep the November momentum alive #WriteMo2025”
Conventions & Conferences

Meet author Mandy Webster at an upcoming author event!

Would you like to meet me in person and get a signed copy of one of my books? Check out my events calendar for the next few weeks to find out how!

@amandalwebster

Meet me at an upcoming author event! October 18 & 19: #LouisvilleBookFestival October 26: Nightmare on 2nd Street, Chillicothe, IL November 1 & 2: Midwest Holiday Market, Effingham, IL Village Square Mall #authorevent #holidaymarket #zombiewalk #zombie #villagesquaremall #centralillinois #octoberreading #webringbookstolife #louisvilleky #authorlife #booktok

♬ Paint It Black – Wednesday Addams
Continue reading “Meet author Mandy Webster at an upcoming author event!”
NaNoWriMo, Novel Writing

2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Act 2 Scene Assignment 2

Write a scene that puts your hero and heroine in close proximity with one another where they get to touch each other. How much is up to you, but maybe hold off on actually letting them “do the deed” for the time being. Use this as an opportunity to build the tension.

 


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NaNoWriMo, Novel Writing

2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Week 2/Act 2

Do your hero and heroine now hate each other on the surface while secretly wanting to jump into bed with each other? If so, great work! Now you’re ready to begin writing Act Two of your trashy romance novel. For the next few days, I will give you brief scene ideas to keep you moving and hopefully keep your middle from sagging. Here’s the first:


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NaNoWriMo, Romance

Are you laughing yet?

The opening scene of my trashy romance novel is hilarious. Anyway, I think it is. I could be wrong.


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I’m putting my heroine – who, by the way, is terrified of water – on a boat. She comments to her sister, “It’s only a three-hour tour.” Hmmm… what do you think I have planned for my heroine?

If you’re not giggling whilst writing your trashy romance novel, then you’re not doing it right. You’re more likely to finish it if it’s fun! Continue reading “Are you laughing yet?”

NaNoWriMo, Novel Writing

2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Day 2

Okay, so I’m not going to post assignments every single day this month. I don’t have time for that. What I will do is set you up with a three-act story structure and give you some ideas for what types of scenes you should be writing at various stages of your novel. Hopefully you wrote chapter one yesterday, and now you are ready to develop your first act in more detail.


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Act One is all about writing scenes that will further expound on the notion that your hero and heroine, while wildly attracted to one another, are simply not “right” for one another. Continue reading “2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Day 2”

NaNoWriMo, Novel Writing, Uncategorized

2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Day 1

Get your NaNoWriMo Participant web graphics on the office website: http://nanowrimo.org/web-graphics.
Get your NaNoWriMo Participant web graphics on the office website: http://nanowrimo.org/web-graphics.

Well, here it is. November 1st. Day One of NaNoWriMo, and Day One of our Trashy Romance Novel Writing Challenge. I know you have a lot of writing to do, so I will get right to the day’s writing assignment: Continue reading “2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Day 1”