Sometime during the 1980s, as W.L. Hawkin sat in a hotel room in New York City flipping through the channels on her TV, Romancing the Stone came on HBO.
She had no way of knowing it, but that movie would change the course of her life.
After watching the film five times, Wendy decided to take a crack at coming up with her own story, one that would be every bit as exciting as Romancing the Stone—and she knew she could do it. 
"I wanted to write romantic adventures like Joan Wilder and conjure my own Jack T. Colton," she says. "I actually wrote my first romantic suspense novel not long after, then wrapped it in brown paper and carried it through many moves."
Not to spoil anything, but that novel eventually made its way out of the brown paper and became a published book—leading to a prolific, award-winning writing career for Wendy. Her latest release is To Dance with Destiny, which is Book 5 in a series she describes as "edgy LGBTQ+ mysteries and thrillers": the Hollystone Mysteries series.
And yes, that's Wendy on the cover of our magazine this month!
If you've ever tried to promote your own books ...
Don't miss my interview with Wendy, where she reveals her secret to selling tons of copies, all while making a personal connection with her readers. Best of all, her technique leaves readers wanting more, so they're not just buying one book at a time. "Often," she says, "they'll buy the entire series in print."
Enter Wendy's fascinating world →
Now, let's find out what's in the December 2023 issue of Books & Buzz Magazine:
Wait ... are women over fifty dangerous?
It's a meme I was unaware of—that women over fifty are dangerous—so I'll let bestselling author JP McLean fill you in. As time goes by, she says, she can feel her need to please others falling away. No longer willing to fall in line and conform to what society wants her to be, she finds herself taking more chances with her writing. "What I want to do now is write a good story that shatters expectations and challenges stifling norms," Jo-Anne says. "After fifty, I don't tiptoe onto the proverbial thin ice with my writing, I dance on it." If she happens to fall through that ice, she assures us that she'll be fine—the water is shallow.
Read Jo-Anne's take on life and writing after fifty →
Do you get as excited about books as we do?
"Imagine traveling to distant lands, meeting fascinating characters, and embarking on an adventure without leaving the comfort of your favorite chair," says Kim Lengling, author and podcast host. "Well, that, my friend, is the amazing world of words." As she lays out her case—that your imagination is the only limit to how far you can go and what fantastical journeys you can experience—Kim's enthusiasm for books is contagious. And it might just rub off on you, making you nostalgic for those lazy days of childhood spent at the library or bookstore, surrounded by thousands of pages just waiting to be devoured.
Rediscover your love for books →
Have you ever set a writing goal ... only to fail? Do this instead
"Achievable goals are specific and flexible," says award-winning author Roger Leslie. For example, if you tell yourself, "I will write for one hour every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday," it's too easy to miss a day, get discouraged, and stop writing altogether. So what's the best way to set goals? Whether you aspire to the top of the New York Times bestseller list or simply wish to complete the first draft of your novel, Roger shares a framework for setting realistic goals that can take you anywhere—and create an upward spiral of achievement that will turn your dreams into reality.
Start hitting all your goals →
Happy reading,
Timothy Pike
Editor-in-chief, Books & Buzz Magazine
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