Books That Make You Cry Can Actually Increase Happiness

Huh? Could this be true? A June 2013 Health Magazine article highlighted a study from Ohio State University that found that, for instance, "the more sadness people experienced during a movie, the greater their reported feelings of happiness were after the flick."

I agree.

The same applies to books, doesn't it? Think of the last book that made you cry. The article goes on to say that the sadness we feel at other's misfortunes (death, unfulfilled love, cancer, natural disasters, heartache...) can make us appreciate what we have.

Do you love a good book that elicits a tear? Please share any titles of books that made you cry in the comments! Here are a few stories that made me cry (or at least feel like it!):

THE HELP (so good!)

THE SECRET JOURNAL OF BRETT COLTON (bawled!)

JUST ONE WISH (I cried and laughed)

WINTER GARDEN (couldn't stop crying, seriously)

DEAR JOHN (swoon, smile, cry...I loved this story)

THE FAULT IN OUR STARTS

THE LAST SONG

SING ME TO SLEEP

LES MISERABLES (how could I not cry?)

THE BOOK OF MORMON

CHARLOTTE'S WEB (me cry over a spider? Seriously, tell me I'm not the only one who teared up.)

LOVE YOU FOREVER (I remember my mom crying while reading this to me too)

THE GIVING TREE

And here are a few other great tearjerkers recommended by my Facebook friends (thanks to everyone for replying to my question and sharing your favorite cry-worthy or otherwise touching books!):

More about these books can be found on goodreads.com or amazon.com 

Am I missing any? Please share your favorites in the comments.

Article mentioned: "9 Way to Go on a Bliss Trip" in Health Magazine

Query Letters: What to Put in the Author Bio Paragraph

If query letters have ever given you nightmares, please raise your hand. A short intro to your book, a pitch and a brief bio about yourself. Easy peasy, right? Or perhaps not.

What to Put in the Bio Section of Your Query Letter:
How do you cram so much into such little space? And, an author bio? Eek. What should you say and what should you avoid so you don't sound like a goon? Well, I happened upon a great article by Chuck Sambuchino on writerunboxed.com that outlines what you should and should not mention in the "author bio" section of a query letter (that I want to save for later reference!).

Should I mention awards won?
Should I mention published short stories?
Should I mention series potential?

These and so many more questions answered here:
Link to What to Write in the "Bio" Section of Your Query Letter from Writer Unboxed

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Books My Kiddos Are Reading

Ah, story time. If you have kids, interact with kids around you, or were once a kid...yeah, basically, this post is for you. All of us! I love to read to my kids, and since I am currently working on a children's picture book, I thought I'd take a minute to share some of my daughters' favorite book. Please share any picture book and easy reader book suggestions you might have for us in the comments! Thanks.

My almost-four-year-old daughter is obsessed with horses, unicorns, princesses, art and anything with humor. She is currently loving:

We just finished Charlotte's Web together. SO fun.

My almost-two-year-old daughter is crazy about The Lion King, books that rhyme, dogs, horses and is learning to use the potty. As such, she is currently loving:

Summer is here and that means it's time for a trip the bookstore and the library to stock up on some summer reading. Books I think they will enjoy:

For the potty...

 For The Lion King craze...

Woohoo! A new Olivier Dunrea!

 Because this cover is irresistible...

For my four-year-old who lost her first tooth...

Since my little one loves these Baby Einstein books and loves animals...

For another good Frog and Toad laugh...

Because I love book about rain (strange, I know)... 

More Lion King...

Because this simply looks like fun...

This too...

My oldest was eyeing this one awhile ago (those sparkles caught my eye as a kid, too!)...

It's been forever since I've read an Amelia Bedelia, but I remember laughing as a kid.

Any other kid-friendly books we should read? What's on your summer reading list?

More about these books can be found on goodreads.com and amazon.com

Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Awesome Book Covers in 2013

I'm guilty. I judge a book by it's cover. Do you? At least I'm guilty of my gaze being drawn to a particular cover. And I want to read! I have always been very visual and loved art (although I have spent years at a time away from doing any kind of art work).

I couldn't help from posting about some of the book covers from 2013 that have caught my eye. My interests tend to run YA and I'm often drawn to contemporary novels, so you'll find a lot of those here. Some of the books below are from author friends and others are not. But all of them have one thing in common: they're AMAZING. (You can find a link to each book on Amazon below the book cover).

Who hasn't stared at Cassandra Clare's CLOCKWORK PRINCESS? It may be my favorite. But it's so hard to decide...

FLY AWAY                              A CHANGE OF PLANS

I love the vibrant colors in FLY AWAY. Makes me want to crawl right into that cover. And I had to add Donna K. Weaver's A CHANGE OF PLANS. Beautiful!

Help me out. Which is YOUR favorite?

SCARLET                                 (Not on Amazon yet)

 Here's another few covers that make me want to rush to Amazon and order/pre-order:

BELONGING                                FRIDAY NIGHT ALIBI

HOW MY SUMMER WENT UP IN FLAMES   THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US

   ASHES & ICE                                 THE KEEPER'S QUEST

                                                          (Author Interview with Kelly Nelson)

Wow, ASHES AND ICE looks intense. And the scene on THE KEEPER'S QUEST makes me want to walk right through that gate. I love the simplicity of Elana Johnson's ABANDON. IMPOSTOR is super intriguing especially after reading the blurb.

ABANDON                                   IMPOSTOR

                       (Author Interview with Elana Johnson)

A LITTLE BIT CUPID                              REBEL SPRING

DESCENDANT  

A LONGTIME (AND AT ONE POINT ILLEGAL) CRUSH

(Author Interview with Janette Rallison)

A LONGTIME CRUSH? I married mine. And yes, I will be reading this one by Janette Rallison for sure.

POISON ME                         MIND GAMES               

             (Author Interview with Cami Chcketts)

  RIGHT OF WAY

 Am I missing any? I'd love to know which is YOUR favorite. Visit my Amazing Book Covers in 2013 Goodreads list to find out more about these books. Thanks for visiting!

THE LUXE Book Review

THE LUXE by Anna Godbersen (and, wow, only $1.99 right now on Kindle!)

I’ll admit, I read a few pages of the prologue and put this book down. For months. I finally picked it back up and decided to give it another try. And I couldn’t put it down! Intriguing characters, mystery, plot, the historical setting and the romantic element are all to blame. I also didn't notice much swearing which I appreciate. While third person isn’t typically my favorite POV, I was absorbed in each of the POV’s depicted and super impressed by the variation in characters. They felt real, with unique weaknesses, strengths and issues. I only wish I could have seen Will’s POV! I was rooting for Elizabeth and her forbidden love with her gorgeous coachman (that’s Will) the entire way. I sure hope we see more of them in the sequels. I really enjoyed this novel! 

More of THE LUXE (which are on my to-read):