USA Today bestselling author Melonie Johnson―aka #thewritinglush―enjoys cheap wine, expensive beer, and sipping cocktails that start with the letter m. Declared a “writer to watch” by Kirkus and a “fizzy, engrossing new voice” by Entertainment Weekly, her smart funny contemporary romances include Too Good to Be Real and her award-winning Sometimes in Love debut series: Getting Hot with the Scot, Smitten by the Brit, and Once Upon a Bad Boy. A former high school English and Theatre teacher, she spends her days in her Star Wars office, dreaming up meet-cutes. She lives in Chicagoland with her husband, their two redhead daughters, and one very large dog. Meloniejohnson.com

Melonie's Readings:

• Too Good to be Real – 13:52
• Getting Hot with the Scot – 27:05
• Smitten by the Brit – 44:44

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

• Sea Quench Ale, Dogfish Head Brewery (paired to Too Good to be Real) – 11:05
• Old Chub, Oskar Blues Brewery (paired to Getting Hot with the Scot) – 24:53
• Lager, Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Beer Americano Cocktail (paired to Smitten by the Brit) – 39:23

Beer Americano Recipe

• 5 oz. Campari
• 5 oz. Sweet Vermouth
• 3 oz. Lager Beer

Fill a collins glass with ice. Add the Campari and vermouth. Froth the beer using an Aerolatteor immersion blender and pour into the glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Interview Highlights:

• Easter Eggs vs Tropes – 21:20
• Boozy Book Broads – 22:42
• Winks & Nods – 36:34
• The author in the characters – 52:54

COMING NEXT MONTH: Eugenia Fain, poet

UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology.

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.