Hey there happy reader!

I hope that your Thanksgiving was both memorable and peaceful. We had a houseful of family, and I think I’ve finally washed all the dirty towels and sheets… it’s a lot of work but in the end, it’s all worth it! 

Plus, this was the first time that both of our grandsons were mobile! We thought we’d babyproofed the house, but of course, little boys will always find the one thing you’ve forgotten to move up to safer ground. Thankfully we all survived with zero trips to the emergency room!

Despite the toys, the cars, the basketball hoop, and every kind of ball I could think to have at the ready, these two spent most of their time looking out the windows.

They thought my gardeners were magical as they blew the remaining leaves around, securing my lawn for the winter. It was fun to watch the most mundane things through their eyes…

Through the entire week, I kept my eye on “Question Everything.” 

This book has truly taken off. If you haven’t read it yet, get yourself a copy. The reviews have been great, and the sales have been even better. Plus, it’s available through Kindle Unlimited, so if you are a member of that service, you can read it for free – lots of people have! This book has more pages read than most of my other titles combined.

This is a fast-paced romantic suspense novel that will keep you reading late into the night!

For now, I’m deep into my yet untitled Stonehenge book. 

It starts off in present day London and flashes back a few centuries to Salisbury Plain and the construction of those massive stones in the circle we all recognize. This book has two female protagonists. One is a researcher, trying to uncover the true meaning of this ancient ceremonial ground. The other is an architect of the project, a woman with great vision who can see the finished project and knows what its significance will be. They are linked through the years and generations by one similar trait…

I’m not going to tell you exactly what that is – at least not yet. I think you’ll find it fascinating when all is revealed!

Hey there happy reader,

Beyond my wildest expectations… that’s what I can say about the launch of “Question Everything.”

I know I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating. Writing is a lonely business. I sit in a room for eight to twelve hours at a time spinning stories, never sure if what I’ve written will resonate with you or not. It’s always a crapshoot… I tend to write what I’d like to read and hope that you’ll want to read it too.

This time, I decided to try my hand at a romantic suspense novel, only the most crowded segment of the romance genre.

I did it because I wanted to challenge myself, but more importantly, I did it to help deal with the reality of a friend suffering from Alzheimer’s. The concept of losing one’s memory is complex and often frightening for the person who’s living though it – I just wanted to address what happens when you can’t remember who you are. It’s a terrifying thought, right?

So, I put this title out into the world not really knowing what to expect. My last two books were historical fiction with a bit of romance sprinkled throughout. I’ve written a number of contemporary romances with happily ever afters.

This book is different, and I’m so glad for that! As I’ve mentioned before, twenty percent of my royalties from “Question Everything” will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association to help fund research. At this point I know that I will be able to send them a substantial check. Let’s keep a good thing going!

Even if you read this book in the KU program, the pages you read count toward my bottom line. The more you read, the more I can send this worthy cause…

And for those of you who posted reviews, I can’t thank you enough!

Each review helps boost my standing in the Amazon algorithm, which in turn sends more readers to my page to download or buy this title. I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart!

Finally, you can have a chance to win a copy of the paperback version of “Question Everything” this coming weekend. 

I’ll be giving books away at the Tattered Page Thanks-Book-Giving event this weekend!

Head on over and win some books!!
It’s lots of fun…

Hey there happy reader,

I know that many of you have downloaded “Question Everything,” and I hope that you’ve enjoyed it!

This may be my most widely read book yet! 

I have had more page reads on this title in the two weeks it has been in the marketplace than any other book I’ve written before it.

That’s the good news…

The bad news is that it hasn’t been widely reviewed. 

The reviews I’ve had are great, it’s just that there aren’t too many of them yet. As I’ve mentioned before, reviews are a way for readers to shower their love on their favorite indie author – and I hope I make the top of your list!

A review doesn’t need to be long. Two sentences are enough. Or, if you don’t want to write one, you can just go on Amazon and leave a star rating.

With the algorithm that Amazon uses, these reviews and ratings help me cast a wider net on the platform, driving new readers to my page. It doesn’t matter if you do this on Amazon or Goodreads – whatever you do for one shows up on both. It only takes a minute… help this gal out if you can!

And, if you’re looking for a bunch of free books from other indie authors, mark your calendars! 

The Tattered Page Book Club will once again be holding their annual Thanks-Book Giving event.

There are hundreds of authors, including yours truly, who have signed up and are committed to giving away lots of their titles and even some swag. I’ve participated in this every year since it began, and I truly enjoy it. Aside from finding new books to read, the ladies of this group are lovely individuals.

Go on Facebook and check this group out!

For today, I’m just trying to sort out my Thanksgiving shopping list and stay organized. It’s the one weekend of the year when my entire family descends on our house all at once. Every bedroom is filled, every towel is used and somehow remains wet, lol! I do love it – the shared meals, the endless board games, and now my grandsons chasing each other around. In my mind, there is nothing better than that!

I’m also trying to do as much writing as I can before my life spins a bit out of control. 

I’m working on my still untitled Stonehenge book. So far, I think I know my protagonist’s name – I’m just not willing to share it yet. What I know for sure is that she’s a scientific researcher studying the ancient ceremonial ground and that she suffers from terrible migraines. Why does that detail matter? Because it links her to the past and the women who I believe were the architects of that massive structure…

That’s all for now, but you can be sure that more will be revealed in the coming weeks!

Hey there happy reader!

I’m sitting here with bated breath waiting to hear from you! “Question Everything” hit the shelves last week and lots of copies have been sold… so what did you think?

This was my first attempt at a romantic suspense novel, so I am hoping that I kept you turning the pages as you read Maeve and Kyle’s story. 

I think that the twist was one you might not have anticipated… am I right? Did you feel the heat between these two characters? I know I loved writing about them – I do hope you enjoyed them as much as I did! And as I mentioned last week, I’m donating twenty percent of my royalties from this title to the Alzheimer’s Association in honor of my close friend who is suffering from this terrible disease.

When you buy a copy, you’re helping fund research and maybe together, we can find a cure.

Now that Halloween is behind us, Thanksgiving can’t be too far away. 

This is truly my favorite time of year – I don’t mind the shorter days and cool nights. I treasure them! I always feel more productive when the weather turns colder.

Now that I’ve put “Question Everything” into the world, it’s time for me to turn all my attention to my still untitled Stonehenge book. I don’t have a lot of details to share with you about this story yet other than to say that it’s my imagining of what happened there.

I see it as an ancient matriarchal society led by strong-minded women who were the architects of this ambitious project. There may be a link to a woman living in modern day England as well…

This is the project that I will be workshopping when I attend Joyce Maynard’s writer’s intensive program later next year. 

I’m excited to have a full week of dedicated time with other authors to craft this novel into something special for you. I’ll be sure to keep you posted along the way!

PS If you’ve already read “Question Everything” and feel inclined to leave me a review on Amazon or Goodreads, I’d appreciate it. Every indie author needs help boosting their title on these sites, and multiple reviews do exactly that! Thanks in advance!!

Hey there happy reader,

After what seems like an eternity, my new romantic suspense novel, “Question Everything” is live and ready for you to purchase on Amazon!

I think that this book is perfect for right now. 

With all the noise surrounding the election, the resulting anxiety some of us are feeling, and the constant barrage of negative advertising assaulting our senses, this story will help take your mind off the current situation and draw you in to my main protagonist’s plight.

Maeve Byrne has lost her memory after a car accident. She has no idea who she is or where she was going at the time of the crash. She’s with her infant daughter Daisy and a Boston police detective, Kyle Walsh, sees what happens to her and rushes to help.

As he attempts to uncover the mystery that surrounds this woman, she tries her best to keep her heart safe from him as she’s drawn into his life, his family, his world.

Plus, the truth of her own identity is shocking… a twist that will keep you up at night, turning the pages. And did I mention that this story sizzles? The attraction between these two characters is hot, hot, hot!🔥

It’s the perfect book for a cool autumn night. 

Pour yourself an adult beverage (or a cozy up of tea) and read. And talk about timing… this Saturday night you get an extra hour to dive into this story when we set those clocks back!

One more thing about “Question Everything.” 

I know I mentioned that the plot for this book came to me in a dream, and that I realized when I woke up that it was because I was trying to solve a problem for my dear friend suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. 

While romance novels get a happily ever after, people with this debilitating illness don’t. I’ve racked my brain trying to think about taking a positive action to help people like my friend, so I decided to follow Anne Lamott’s advice on this topic.

I’m going to turn my own election anxiety around and help someone else by donating ten percent of my royalties from the sales of this title to the Alzheimer’s Association.

By purchasing a copy, you’re helping fund research and maybe, just maybe, together we can pitch in to find a cure for this devastating disease. I think it’s a win-win, don’t you?

PS Happy Halloween!

The pre-sale is available and I’m so excited!!!

Hey there happy reader,

I told you it would happen, and it finally has! The pre-sale for “Question Everything” is live. You can head over to Amazon and pre-order a copy for your Kindle today and it will magically download at midnight on release day, which is this Tuesday, October 29th!!!

I think this romantic suspense novel is the perfect companion for you on a cool autumn night. 

It’s twisty, it’s complex, and features two characters who struggle with who they are – Maeve can’t recall her past and Kyle is running from his. It’s a slow burn, but once that fire ignites, it’s hot, hot, hot… you’ll be turning the pages long past your bedtime!

Plus, for the first time, I was able to set up the paperback publication to coincide with the Kindle version. 

That means that if you prefer to have an actual book in your hands, you can buy one at 12:01 AM on October 29th and have it the next day! You’re going to want to read this one ASAP…I’m also toying the idea of an audio version of this page-turner… so hang on for more details in the weeks to come.

I know I told you last week that this book is personal for me. The concept of memory loss has hit close, with one of my dear friends suffering from early onset dementia. I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can make a difference in the struggle to find better solutions to this horrible disease and I’m working on that now… I will keep you posted shortly about how you can help as well.

If you’re a member of a book club and are looking for a fun read around the holiday season, I’d be delighted to Zoom in and join you for a lively discussion about books, writing, where ideas come from, and how “Question Everything” formed in my mind.

I’m already scheduled for a bunch of these, and I love to connect with readers and talk about books. You can write and let me know if you’re interested at hilaritcohen.com, or send me a DM. I’d love to meet you in person!

This week I have a special reading partner. 

I’m in Los Angeles visiting our older grandson and he loves books! We’ve been reviewing the classics, such as “Go Dog Go” and “Goodnight Moon” and having lively discussions about the plot, pacing and characterizations, lol!

More seriously, it’s amazing to watch a child develop a love of reading. Familiar stories, read over and over again, offer a sense of comfort and predictability that seem to turn the world right once more. Reading with him has made my election anxiety somewhat better, I mean – how could it not? Reading aloud to a child seems to slow the day down and remind me that in an increasingly chaotic time, there is always hope.

And, if it wasn’t enough to be thrilled over my latest book release, I flew into California just in time to catch my favorite songstress, Joni Mitchell, in concert at the Hollywood Bowl. 

For one perfect autumn night, as the moon rose overhead, all those in attendance were treated to this legend prove that it’s never to late to share your gifts (whatever they may be) with the world. Sounding even stronger than she did when I saw her last year, Joni triumphed over adversity and proved that with grit, hard work and determination, anything is possible. Hearing her sing “Both Sides Now” was a shared spiritual experience that those in the audience will not soon forget. I know I won’t!