Meet the author of the St. Louis Sisters Series

Please welcome my Wednesday guest, Holly Gilliatt. A self-confessed music, movie, and accessories junkie, Holly's passion has always been writing. Give her an algebra quiz and she'll curl up in the fetal position. But throw a test requiring all essay answers her way and she's in heaven. Between running a household and wrangling a husband, three kids, two dogs and a cat—it’s not easy to find time to write. So she sacrifices the laundry pile to spin her tales of laughter, friendship and love. She's proud to call the St. Louis area her home.

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Thank you, Judy, for letting me babble on your blog today! For those that don’t know, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Judy as the editor of my first three books. She has a good eye, is responsive, and always makes me look at my work from a different viewpoint—something I value greatly.

While she’s known most recently for writing cozy mysteries, I write women’s fiction. A vastly different genre, but as she and I have discussed before, it’s really all about the characters. Whether you’re writing a mystery plot with twists and turns or a contemporary look at love and relationships…it all boils down to characters that readers connect with and root for.

My latest release entitled Dreams, Interrupted just came out this week, and it’s the second in the St. Louis Sisters series. The first book in the series, ‘Til St. Patrick’s Day, was originally conceived and written as a single book. But it was Judy’s idea (thanks!) to make it a series, with a total of three books—as they are about three best friends, and each of these women really need time in the spotlight. This series highlights my hometown of St. Louis and also sprinkles in a great deal of humor along the way. I like to think of them as romantic comedies.

I adore all three of the women featured in this series—Jayne, Karen and Claudia. They are all so different, and likeable in their own ways. I think maybe you will see some of yourself or your friends in these women that I’ve grown to love. If you give them a chance, I hope you’ll love them, too.

The first book focused on the uber-optimistic Jayne as she and her twenty-something besties struggled to find their significant others, and ultimately themselves. ‘Til St. Patrick’s Day is about love, but the love between friends is explored as much as romantic love.

Dreams, Interrupted finds the three women in their mid-thirties, facing a whole different set of circumstances. The main character in this book is Karen…and there is never a dull moment when she’s involved. Karen says what she thinks, whenever and wherever she thinks it. I’ve never had more fun writing a character. She often says the sarcastic things I think in my mind but wouldn’t dare say out loud.

If you haven’t read book #1, I don’t want to ruin it for you by giving you a blurb of book #2. So here’s the blurb for ‘Til St. Patrick’s Day:

BOOK #1 IN THE ST. LOUIS SISTERS SERIES

For three best friends, one winter changes everything.

Chronically optimistic Jayne is surprised she's still single at twenty-eight. But as always for Jayne, there's hope. This time his name is Gray—a successful, gorgeous marketing VP that she can't believe is going out with her. She's never given up on the belief that the right man for her is out there. Maybe Gray could be the one...if she just works hard enough to make it happen.

Her cynical friend Karen is suspicious of Jayne's new guy with his model looks and over-inflated ego. She's concerned for Jayne, but has her own relationship to worry about. Not that anything's wrong with her boyfriend. He's actually perfect for her, which is why she's terrified. Not sure she can ever fully trust a man again, she considers bailing on yet another relationship.

Claudia is always there for her friends, mothering them like the children she craves to have. Happily married, Claudia anxiously awaits the day her husband finally agrees it's time to start a family.

'Til St. Patrick's Day explores the depths of friendship and what happens when love doesn't go according to plan.

You can watch the book trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5dAMqeAJMc

I’m thrilled that ‘Til St. Patrick’s Day was just voted #3 in the Turquoise Morning Press Reader’s Choice Awards for 2013! And now it’s available for only $.99 for a limited time, as part of a women’s fiction boxed set, Love Finds a Way. Plus you’ll get three more great stories in the boxed set. You can buy it here: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | IBOOKS | SMASHWORDS | ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS | PUBLISHER

So for less than a buck, you can start the St. Louis Sisters series and then when you’re done with ‘Til St. Patrick’s Day…don’t forget to buy Dreams, Interrupted to see what these three fun, loving, passionate women are up to. Buy Dreams, Interrupted here:

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | Publisher

 

After two books writing about Jayne, Karen and Claudia—I feel like they’re my old friends. I’m working on book three now, so I get to hang out with them again. If you do me the honor of reading the St. Louis Sister series, please get in touch and let me know what you think of these ladies!