On today’s show, we chat with Sheila Athens, who writes women’s fiction set where the South meets the Sunshine state. Her stories are about women seeking to find the peace we all deserve. Readers are drawn to her work because they believe that everyday heroes can make a difference in our world.

Her debut novel, The Truth About Love, was a finalist for the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart Award. With that background, she can’t help but weave a strong love story thread throughout each of her books, even though she now writes Southern women’s fiction. She turned from romance to women’s fiction because all the stories swirling around in her head needed a bigger canvas on which to be told.

Sheila didn’t realize she wanted to write fiction until she was in her early forties. Her first book was published two days after her fifty-third birthday, so she’s a good example for those who fear they’ve waited too long to pursue their passion.

We chat with Sheila about her latest novel, Neena Lee Is Seeing Things, features an interesting character: the ghost of John F. Kennedy, Jr. The story is set on Cumberland Island, the barrier island off the coast of Georgia, where John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were married in a private, paparazzi-free wedding.

Neena Lee Is Seeing Things is available in eBook, paperback and audiobook through all major retailers and through your local independent bookstore. Links are available on Sheila’s website: www.SheilaAthens.com. There’s also a form there for book clubs that are reading Sheila’s book to invite her to join them either in person or via Zoom

or

support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of Neena Lee Is Seeing Things at https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9798989164714

A little about today's host-

Kristi Leonard is a modern Renaissance woman deeply rooted in the book world. When she's not immersed in crafting novels, she's orchestrating writing retreats through her business, Writers in the Wild, or lending her voice to non-fiction audiobooks. She leads the Women’s Fiction Writers Association as the president of the board, and interviews her writer pals as one of the hosts of the Author Express Podcast. She will start querying her first book in 2024.

Beyond the realm of words, Kristi embraces the Florida sunshine by hiking with her writer-hiker group and leisurely walks on the beach. She and her husband juggle a couple side businesses and take turns sharing the couch with their goofy Golden-doodle, Maddie. Kristi enjoys travel adventures with her twin sister and living vicariously through her grown children. You can learn more about her and connect at: https://linktr.ee/kristileonard.

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