“Rousing… movingly explores Jessie’s struggle with her eating disorder, viscerally describing her twin desires for nourishment and purging in relation to a deep need to define herself… Everhart’s story of self-discovery, rife with colorful characters and a satisfying twist, will thrill readers.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review

“Reminiscent of the novels of Lee Smith, Kaye Gibbons, and Sandra Dallas, Everhart builds a firm sense of place, portraying the tiredness and hope of a dry southern summer and voicing strong southern women.” ~Booklist

“Readers will find The Road to Bittersweet to be a lovingly crafted coming-of-age novel set in the unforgiving Carolina hills. Everhart understands the mindset of a young girl on the cusp of womanhood as her world fills with hardship, betrayal, and the wonderment of growing up. Readers will be struck by how beautifully Everhart captures the dialect of her well-drawn characters and the landscape – both harsh and beautiful. Here is a story that tugs at the heartstrings with its believability and evocative prose, leaving readers believing there is always hope when a family stands together.”- RT Book Reviews

“Young Dixie Dupree is an indomitable spirit in this coming-of-age novel that is a heartbreaking and honest witness to the resilience of human nature and the fighting spirit and courage residing in all of us, and for those who have lived in the underbelly of betrayal and child abuse. A triumphant debut novel which can transform a brokenness, bring forth a wholeness, The Education of Dixie Dupree would make a wonderful resource and academic book as well.” – The Huffington Post (Kim Michele Richardson)

Welcome to The Holley House! Each month, Holly Hart Shirley will share stories with WELL READ. In February's issue, Holly shares the story of her grandmother, Lenis Holley.

Welcome to the Holley House!

Holly Hart Shirley shares stories about her family with WELL READ. In March's issue, she introduces us to her Grandfather, Dr. Al Fonto Holley, otherwise known as Doc.

Donna Everhart is full of surprises and a pleasure to talk with!

We covered lots of topics, including her writing process, what she's been reading, what's on her to be read list, what she's working on, and lots of encouraging words for fellow writers.

Donna is the USA Today bestselling author of authentic, vivid Southern fiction, including the Southeastern Library Association Award-winning The Road to Bittersweet, Indie Next Pick and Amazon Book of the Month, The Education of Dixie Dupree, The Forgiving Kind, The Moonshiner’s Daughter, and her most recent, The Saints of Swallow Hill. Her sixth novel, currently untitled, will be released February 2024.

Originally from the Ozarks, Paulette Kennedy now divides her time between her Missouri hometown and Los Angeles, where she lives with her family and a menagerie of rescue pets.

When she isn’t writing, she enjoys tending to her garden, knitting, and finding unique vintage treasures at thrift stores and flea markets. As a history lover, she can get lost for days in her research—learning everything she can about the places in her stories and what her characters might have experienced in the past.

Jeff Arch received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay, Sleepless in Seattle, and his debut novel, Attachments, quickly became a bestseller.

The entire trajectory of Jeff’s life pivoted when, in 1976, he made a phone call to Conrad Hall, a well known and successful American Cinematographer...

Vincenzo (Vince) Spinnato, author of My Pursuit of Beauty: A Cosmetic Chemist reveals the Glitz, the Glam, and the Batsh*t Crazy, Cosmetic Chemist and President/CEO of TurnKey Beauty Inc, has been selected by The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation and Ella Fitzgerald's licensing and brand management agency Evolution USA, to create a perfume that honors the iconic “The First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald.