An Exclusive Bundle Announcement!

My dear friends, Patti Callahan Henry and recently shared HERE on that we’ve created an exclusive signed-book bundle in partnership with the Oxford Exchange and I’m thrilled to share all the details with you!

With one purchase, you will receive:

• A signed, first-edition hardcover of Kristy’s Falling for Peachtree Bluff, shipping September 12, 2026

• A signed, first-edition hardcover of Patti’s Heart of the Wild, shipping April 15, 2027

• A custom acrylic “I Read Friends & Fiction” keychain

• Personalized Friends & Fiction bookplates with space for your name

• An invitation to an exclusive online book club with Patti and Kristy in December!

The books will arrive in two separate shipments around their publication dates, so you’ll have something special to look forward to now and again next spring.

If you love signed books, Friends & Fiction, and a little bookish surprise in your mailbox, this bundle is for you!

Order Now

Coming up on Friends & Fiction

Falling for Peachtree Bluff is the Friends & Fiction September Pick of the Month! Join me and my dear friends Patti Callahan Henry and as we celebrate Kristy and her new book on a LIVE episode of our show on Wednesday, September 9th at 7 p.m. ET. Return to Peachtree Bluff with us! You can also listen wherever you get your podcasts beginning Friday, September 11th!

Join Us

New to Friends & Fiction?

Friends & Fiction is a community of more than 300,000 readers that I’m so proud to host alongside my dear friends and fellow New York Times bestselling authors Kristy Woodson Harvey, Kristin Harmel, and Patti Callahan Henry. We started Friends & Fiction in 2020 as a way to connect with readers and support independent bookstores when our book tours were canceled. What began as a virtual happy hour has grown into a wonderful book-loving community. Every Wednesday, we welcome an author to our weekly web show to share the stories behind the books we love. Join us as we chat with some of the biggest names in publishing today about the books the literary world is buzzing about.

Each episode of Friends & Fiction airs on Wednesdays at 7pm ET on Facebook and YouTube, and then as an audio-only podcast two days later, every Friday, on all major podcasting platforms.

Learn More

Road Trip Is In Stores Now!

Have you read my latest novel, Road Trip, yet? It’s my most personal novel to date. Here’s a little more abut the story behind the story.

Find out more including buy links and discussion questions for your book club HERE.

Whether you’re clinging to the last days of what’s still officially summer, or embracing all things pumpkin spice, I hope you have lots of great reads lined up!

Cheers,
MKA

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

Just a quick note to let you know that my dear friend (and Friends & Fiction co-host), New York Times bestselling author Kristin Harmel, has a brand new book out today! MEET ME IN PARIS is a captivating new contemporary novel featuring several intertwined stories of love, loss, courage, and redemption set over the course of one magical week in Paris.

You probably know and love Kristin’s bestselling WWII historical fiction (like The Book of Lost Names, The Forest of Vanishing Stars, and The Stole Life of Colette Marceau). But this book is a bit of a departure for Kristin as it’s a contemporary novel set in present-day Paris. Think the movie Love, Actually except set in Paris in springtime instead of in London at Christmas. There are seven storylines that are all equally captivating and heartwarming. And then the delight sets in when you see how the stories are interwoven.

Julia Glover has brought her twenty-three-year-old daughter, Piper, to Paris for the first time—but they know it will also be their last trip here together. Julia is dying, and as the mother and daughter desperately try to make memories together as the clock ticks down, the world opens up around them. Piper meets a cute French waiter, who might just understand her better than anyone she’s ever met, and Julia meets a man at a dive bar and struggles with how to tell him the truth about her future.

Rock star Jackson Quick’s glory days are behind him. He had a handful of hit songs thirty years ago, but he hasn’t toured in a decade. This week, he’ll launch his reunion tour in Paris, the city where it all began. But he wants more out of life than being defined by fame. When he meets a woman who finally sees him for who he is at his core, the ground shifts beneath his feet.

Henry McGee has been writing hit songs for decades—including Jackson Quick’s biggest hit, City of Light. But his secret is that every love song he’s ever written is for a woman named Celeste, whom he loved a lifetime ago, when they were both teenagers in Paris during World War II. He has spent eighty years believing she died—but when a letter arrives telling him the opposite, he’s on the first flight to France. Can he break through the haze of her dementia, using the songs he’s written all these years, to remind her of who they once were to each other—and to tell her he came back for her?

Henry’s granddaughter, Melody, has just discovered that her husband of twenty years, Gilles, a French cosmetics executive, is having an affair. When she confronts him, he tearfully apologizes and begs her to forgive him. But can she? And, perhaps even more importantly, does she want to? Or is there a different kind of life out there for her if she chooses to be alone?

These intertwining stories—plus several others—unfold over a few breathtaking spring days, as an unforgettable group of Americans in Paris must find their way to their own versions of happily ever after in the City of Light.

“The emotional core of the story is strong: pursue love, be honest with yourself, and find the confidence to follow your heart,” says Library Journal in a review. “Fans will enjoy this love letter to Paris that is filled with Harmel’s signature emotional arcs.”

Kristin’s book tour kicks off this week with stops in Nashville; the Carolina coast; the Delaware shore; Scottsdale and Tucson, Arizona; Denver; St. Louis; Plainville, Mass.; Council Bluffs, Iowa; Margate City, NJ; and three stops in Florida over the next month. Click here for her full tour schedule; she’d love to see you on the road!

Get your copy of MEET ME IN PARIS wherever books are sold; find out more here.

Road Trip In Stores Now

Have you read my latest novel, Road Trip, yet? It’s my most personal novel to date. Here’s a little more abut the story behind the story.

Find out more including buy links and discussion questions for your book club HERE.

Enjoy the rest of your summer! I hope you’ve got lots of great summer reads lined up!

Cheers,
MKA

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

Today’s the day! My 34th novel ROAD TRIP is officially in stores everywhere!

The book has been named a LibraryReads Pick (where they’ve put me in the Hall of Fame, y’all!), and has gotten rave reviews from Publishers Weekly (“Andrews sparkles…this lively tale is perfect for the beach bag”), Library Journal (“These characters shine under Andrews’s established hand, and their story arc is very satisfying”), and Kirkus (“a cozy romp…a delightful tale with vivid characters”).

Book Info & Buy Links

About the Book

Parts of Road Trip were inspired by my own paternal grandmother, who immigrated to America from Ireland in 1913.

And another part of the plot was inspired by my longtime fascination with old family portraits. Seeing an auction listing for a gorgeous portrait of famed “Golden Guinness” sister Oonagh Guinness gave me an idea.

I’m excited for you to meet the Dunigan sisters and embark on an epic road trip with them—to Ireland, to their family roots, and to a mysterious crime that occurred years ago—that will entertain you for miles.

Book Info & Buy Links

The Road Trip Book Tour

My epic book tour has begun—and I want YOU to ride shotgun! Come see me if I’m in a city near you! With 33 stops in 31 cities, chances are I’ll be at a bookstore near you.

Full Tour Details & Tickets

I appreciate each and every one of you so very much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me and my books.

Sláinte!
MKA

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

I hope you are enjoying the unofficial start to summer this Memorial Day weekend! I’m here with the news that I’m headed out on an epic ROAD TRIP! (See what I did there?!) And I want YOU to ride shotgun! Come see me if I’m in a city near you! Here's all the deets…!

The Road Trip Book Tour

Full Tour Details & Tickets

The tour is massive, y’all! I cannot wait to see lots of you while I’m out on the road. I hope you will grab your tickets and grab all your book-loving friends and come celebrate with me. Several events are already sold out, so don’t hesitate!

Things get rolling with a double-header of pre-publication events on Friday, May 29th, starting out in North Myrtle Beach, SC with Litchfield Books followed by an evening event at Silver Coast Winery in Ocean Isle Beach, NC hosted by Pelican Books.

I’ll have some incredible event partners along the way!

At my Atlanta launch party on Sun., May 31st, I’ll be in conversation with the one and only Karin Slaughter.

On Wed., June 3rd I’ll be in Savannah, GA joined by Patti Callahan Henry, Kristin Harmel, Meg Walker & Ron Block for a Friends & Fiction Live event. See below for a fabulous giveaway open exclusively to ticket-holders for this event!

On Thurs., June 4th in Bluffton, SC, I’ll be joined by Cassandra King Conroy for an event co-sponsored by Storybook Shoppe and the Pat Conroy Literary Center.

That same evening, Thurs., June 4th I’ll be in conversation with my Friends & Fiction sister Patti Callahan Henry in Charleston, SC for an event hosted by Buxton Books.

On Fri., June 12th I will be in Huntington, NY paired with the incredible romance novelist Sarah MacLean at Long Island’s largest independent bookstore, The Next Chapter.

On Wed., June 17th, I’m looking forward to joining forces with Elin Hilderbrand for one of her weekly signings at Mitchells’ Book Corner in Nantucket, MA.

On Thurs., June 18th I’ll be in convo with Sally Page at Bunch of Grapes in Martha’s Vineyard, MA.

On Wed., June 24th I’m joining forces with my Friends & Fiction sister Kristy Woodson Harvey for a luncheon event in Atlantic Beach, NC.

On Sun., June 28th I’ll be in convo with my ATL author sister Colleen Oakley in Cumming, GA.

And then in July, I have a string of three events with my dear friend John Searles to celebrate the launch of his book, Single Girls. See us in Woodstock, GA on Sun., July 12th, in Neptune Beach, FL on Mon., July 13th, and in Amelia Island, FL on Tues., July 14th.

Full Tour Details & Ticketing Links

Win a 2-Night Stay in Savannah

We’ve got an incredible giveaway open exclusively to ticket-holders for this Savannah event. When you buy your ticket to attend our F&F Live extravaganza at the Otis Johnson Cultural Center on Wed., June 3rd, you will automatically be entered into the drawing to win a 2-night stay at a gorgeous 3-bedroom townhouse in Savannah’s historic district (just steps from Forsyth Park!) care of my friends at Lucky Savannah. So be sure to get your tickets so you’re in it to win it!

Get Tix to be Entered to Win

About the Book

Parts of Road Trip were inspired by my own paternal grandmother, who immigrated to America from Ireland in 1913.

And another part of the plot was inspired by my longtime fascination with old family portraits. Seeing an auction listing for a gorgeous portrait of famed “Golden Guinness” sister Ooonagh Guinness gave me an idea.

I’m excited for you to meet the Dunigan sisters and embark on an epic road trip with them—to Ireland, to their family roots, and to a mysterious crime that occurred years ago—that will entertain you for miles.

Pre-Order Now

I really do appreciate each and every one of you so very much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me and my books.

I hope you’re having a safe, fun, and festive Memorial Day weekend!

Hugs,
MKA

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

Hello, May — and hello, summer beach reads! And have I got the perfect novel to start the season off with a bang. Friends & Fiction co-founder and co-host Kristy Woodson Harvey’s Summer State of Mind is out TODAY. People calls Kristy “the go-to for elevated beach reads,” and her latest sun-soaked page-turner proves why!

Summer State of Mind is about Daisy, a burnt-out NICU nurse who, after the worst day of her life, escapes to the tiny coastal town of Cape Carolina. But on her first day at her new “simpler” job, an abandoned baby is discovered, sending shockwaves through the town and suddenly thrusting Daisy into the lives of an injured former baseball star, an eccentric Southern aunt, and their big, complicated family. They’ll all learn that with a lot of love, a little understanding—and a community theater production of Hello, Dolly—sometimes life conspires to bring us exactly where we belong!

This book has already found its way onto the screen at Good Morning America and into the pages of People! And Garden & Gun, Southern Living, BookBub, and Zibby Owens named Summer State of Mind a Most-Anticipated Read of 2026.

Kristy will be on tour in NC, SC, FL, IN, MO, WA, and CA, so go visit her if you can! I know from experience that there is nothing better than a room full of book lovers! Check out tour dates HERE and purchasing options HERE!

See Kristy On Tour

If you’re dreaming of a summer escape, visit Cape Carolina TODAY. As Kristy signs her new book: wishing you sunshine, blue skies, and a Summer State of Mind!

Order Kristy's Book

Come to My Atlanta Launch Party!

And while we’re on the topic of book tours and ROAD TRIPS—see what I did there? The Atlanta launch party for my new novel ROAD TRIP, is less than a month away. And I promise, you won’t want to be tardy for this party. On Sunday, May 31st, I’ll be in conversation with my friend, mega New York Times bestselling thriller author Karin Slaughter. Shenanigans are sure to ensue! This is a ticketed event, so you’ll get a signed, first edition copy of my book, a swag bag with goodies, drinks—including a Road Trip themed bourbon cocktail from our friends at 13th Colony Distillery, and a guaranteed good time. Go HERE to get the goods.

Get Tickets

Join Us for Friends & Fiction Live in Savannah!

And speaking of Friends & Fiction, we’re having another live fun-filled F&F Live in-person launch event—complete with our Friends & Fiction favorite librarian Ron Block and F&F Managing Director Meg Walker (but minus Kristy Harvey, boo hoo!) in Savannah, on Weds. June 3rd. We will be in the theater at the Otis Johnson Cultural Arts Center in Savannah’s downtown historic district with book sales from our friends at E.Shaver Booksellers. Get your tickets HERE!

Get Tickets

Watch this space for ALL the details of the full ROAD TRIP book tour coming very soon.

Slaintè!
MKA

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

As we head into Easter weekend—and now that we are just TWO MONTHS out from the release of my novel, Road Trip, I wanted to touch base with some cool little assets for you!

First, I know that many of you count on my books to be out in time for Mother’s Day gift giving. But this year’s novel comes out after that holiday on June 2nd. Never fear! We’ve got a nifty gift certificate for you that you can download to print out or share digitally by email or text.

Downloadable Gift Certificate

Grab this image. And now you’re able to let folks know they have a copy of Road Trip coming their way. So whether it be for Easter, Mother’s Day, end-of-year teacher gifts, or really any gift giving occasion you have coming up between now and early June—we’ve got you covered!

Pre-Order Now

Pre-Order Pride

Once you have pre-ordered your book, you can show your pre-order pride with this cute badge!

You can download our badge and post it to your socials, text it to a fellow book loving friend, or whatever you like. If you’ve been part of MKA Worldwide Industries for a while, by now you’re familiar with my refrain: #buymybookdammit Well, now you can let me—and the world at large—know you’re in compliance. 😊

Pre-Order Now

About the Book

Parts of Road Trip were inspired by my own paternal grandmother, who immigrated to America from Ireland in 1913.

And another part of the plot was inspired by my longtime fascination with old family portraits. Seeing an auction listing for a gorgeous portrait of famed “Golden Guinness” sister Ooonagh Guinness gave me an idea.

I’m excited for you to meet the Dunigan sisters and embark on an epic road trip with them—to Ireland, to their family roots, and to a mysterious crime that occurred years ago—that will entertain you for miles.

Pre-Order Now

Are You Ready to Party?

Mark your calendars now for the EPIC launch party for Road Trip, which will be held on at 3pm on Sunday, May 31st, at The Chapel on Sycamore in Decatur, Georgia, with sales by The Book Bird of Avondale Estates. Get tickets HERE.

Get Tickets

We’ll be announcing all the details for the full Road Trip book tour soon! For now, I do know that week one will bring me to Pawley’s Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Greenville, Greensboro, Raleigh, Savannah, Bluffton, Charleston, the Jersey Shore, and Rehoboth Beach. There will be LOTS more dates and stops beyond that, too. I promise that we will reveal it all very soon!

I really do appreciate each and every one of you so very much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me and my books.

Here’s wishing a happy Easter and sweet Passover to all who celebrate!

Hugs,
MKA

Coming up on Friends & Fiction

Join us for our Spring season opener on Wed 4/8 when Patti, Kristin and I will be LIVE with this month’s F&F Featured Authors, #1 NYT-bestselling novelist V.E. Schwab and screenwriter and YA author Cat Clarke to discuss their new locked-room thriller (co-written as Evelyn Clarke), The Ending Writes Itself, our April 2026 Pick of the Month, which Stephen King has proclaimed as “in the running for best mystery of 2026!”

We air in video format on Wednesdays at 7pm ET on our Facebook group page and YouTube channel. All interviews are published to our podcast on Fridays. Join us on Instagram and subscribe to our Substack newsletter so you never miss a thing!

Learn More

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

St. Patrick’s Day seems like the perfect time to catch you up on all the exciting things we have planned for Road Trip, my forthcoming novel (June 2!) that takes a pair of estranged sisters from their hometown of Savannah to their ancestral homeland of Ireland.

A Special Pre-Order Gift

Did you know that when you pre-order your copy of Road Trip from our pal Tim Talks Books at Nantucket Nook Partners, not only will your book be signed, but you will also get a nifty custom-branded mini-cooler bag. This adorable insulated tote is perfect for all your favorite road trip snacks! Act fast because these are available in a very limited quantity. Once they’re gone, they’re gone! And never fear! If you’ve already previously ordered Road Trip from Nantucket Book Partners before today, you are automatically on the list to receive a cooler bag.

Pre-Order from Nantucket Book Partners

About the Book

Parts of Road Trip were inspired by my own paternal grandmother, who immigrated to America from Ireland in 1913.

And another part of the plot was inspired by my longtime fascination with old family portraits. Seeing an auction listing for a gorgeous portrait of famed “Golden Guinness” sister Ooonagh Guinness gave me an idea.

This initial spark of an idea eventually sent me on a road trip of my own, to Ireland, where I stood on the pier where my grandmother started her journey to America . . . to a country estate that was the setting for a real-life daring daylight IRA art heist . . . to a meeting with a genealogist who helped me trace my grandmother’s roots . . . to a whiskey distillery, where I found the inspiration for the perfect romantic interest for my protagonist . . . to a roadside stop where I gladly paid a couple euros for the privilege of holding a baby lamb.

Are You Ready to Party?

Mark your calendars now for the EPIC launch party for Road Trip, which will be held on at 3pm on Sunday, May 31st, at The Chapel on Sycamore in Decatur, Georgia, with sales by The Book Bird of Avondale Estates. Get tickets HERE.

Get Tickets

We’ll be announcing all the details for the full Road Trip book tour soon—(coming your way, Pawley’s Island, Raleigh, Greenville, Savannah, Bluffton, the Jersey Shore, Rehoboth, Cleveland, and more).

But whatever you do, be a SAINT and preorder my book, dammit!

Meanwhile, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! May your troubles be less, and your blessings be more.

Slaínte!

Mary Kay Andrews

Coming up on Friends & Fiction

Join us for our Winter season finale on Wed 3/25 when Patti, Kristy, Kristin and I will be LIVE with Virginia Evans (The Correspondent) and Allen Levi (Theo of Golden) to chat about these two blockbuster books that have dominated the bestseller lists in all formats and have captured the hearts of millions of readers.

We air in video format on Wednesdays at 7pm ET on our Facebook group page and YouTube channel. All interviews are published to our podcast on Fridays. Join us on Instagram and subscribe to our Substack newsletter so you never miss a thing!

Learn More

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

If you love summer reading, signed books, and a little magic in your mailbox, this news is going to make your day:

The 2026 Friends & Fiction Subscription is officially available!

I’m thrilled to be part of a truly unforgettable lineup! This subscription includes three separate shipments, each featuring a signed, first-edition hardcover from a Friends & Fiction author, along with exclusive Friends & Fiction swag.

Here’s what’s coming your way:

✨ May 2026: SUMMER STATE OF MIND by Kristy Woodson Harvey, signed hardcover first edition
🚗 June 2026: ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews, signed hardcover first edition
🇫🇷 July 2026: MEET ME IN PARIS by Kristin Harmel, signed hardcover first edition
💙 Subscribers can add a signed, first-edition paperback of THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND by Patti Callahan Henry—because one more beautiful story never hurt anyone.

You will also receive a Friends & Fiction jute mini tote, fabric sticker, and magnet (one in each shipment!)—because the only thing better than a new book is a new book + swag!

Subscriptions are available exclusively through Oxford Exchange, and quantities are limited. Once these are gone, they’re gone.

If you’ve ever wanted your summer reading handled this is for you.

Order Now!

I hope you’ll follow me on socials (linked below!) for more news and photos of me, my family, our dogs, my junk finds, and our cooking adventures—and maybe even a faux family portrait or two.

Meanwhile, as the Irish say, Slaintè!

MKA

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Stay in Touch

Follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

Brrr. I hope this newsletter finds you well and warm—and comforted by books. I wanted to fill you in on some news from my world about upcoming events—and my forthcoming novel, ROAD TRIP, which will be out June 2nd.

First off, those events…

Upcoming Events

THIS WEEKEND, I’ll be in Milton, GA. Join me on Saturday, Feb. 7th with my pal Lynn Cullen talking about her new book When We Were Brilliant at Poe & Company Bookshop for the Friends & Fiction Official Book Club Galentine’s Day party. Drinks, chocolate, nibbles—and bookish conversation. Tickets here.

Get Tickets

Then, on Monday, March 2nd, I’ll be back at Poe and Co. for a fun luncheon event with my pal Patti Callahan Henry, who’ll be kicking off the tour for the paperback of her novel The Story She Left Behind. Tickets here.

Get Tickets

Thursday, March 5th, I’ll be in Decatur, GA. at Eagle Eye Bookshop in conversation with my dear friend Joshilyn Jackson, about her riveting new thriller Missing Sister. Tickets here.

Then, on Saturday, March 28th I’ll be speaking at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains, Georgia. Mark your calendars. More information to come on that.

Come April 20th, I’ll be doing an event in Fort Myers, Florida at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center as part of their Famous Author Lecture & Lunch Series. Tickets here.

On Friday, May 8th, I’ll be speaking at the York County Virginia Public Library. Mark your calendars. More information to come on that.

And last but not least in the lead-up to my pub day for ROAD TRIP, I hope you’ll join me and Kristy Woodson Harvey for a fun Mother’s Day Brunch at Poe & Co. on Sunday, May 10th to celebrate publication of her latest, Summer State of Mind.

Mark your calendars. Mother’s Day ticketing information to come!

Recipe

This week I threw together a super yummy and comforting roasted butternut squash soup, so I thought I’d share that recipe with you here.

No written recipe, but I roasted a container of pre-cubed butternut squash with a large scallion and sliced apple, drizzled with olive oil at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, stirring every ten minutes or so. Added the roasted veggies to 2-3 cups of chicken broth. Tossed in a diced piece of ginger, some nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Simmered for 20 minutes. Finished with toasted pecans and a dollop of garlic herb Alouette. So warming and yummy!

My New Book

You’ll be hearing much more from me in coming months about the book tour for ROAD TRIP, (Pre-order now, dammit!) but do save the date, Sunday, May 31st for the official book launch party in Decatur, Ga. with my hometown bookseller The Bookbird of Avondale Estates. Can’t wait to introduce you to sisters Maeve and Therese Dunigan as they embark on a road trip to Ireland to find out the truth about an old (possibly priceless?) family portrait.

Pre-Order ROAD TRIP

Coming up on Friends & Fiction

We’re in the midst of a great Winter season on The Friends & Fiction Show. Just this week we were live with two incredible historical fiction authors—Kate Quinn & Janie Chang to hear about our dual February 2026 Picks of the Month, Kate’s The Astral Library and Janie’s The Fourth Princess. Watch or listen to that interview if you missed it live. The week before we were also live with Paula McLain to hear about her new book, our January 2026 Pick of the Month, Skylark. Watch that interview here or listen to it here. We’ve got lots more great episodes in store throughout February & March and are already hard at work locking in a fabulous Spring season, too.

We air in video format on Wednesday nights at 7pm ET on our Facebook group page and YouTube channel. And all interviews are published to our podcast on Fridays. Join us on Instagram and subscribe to our Substack newsletter so you never miss a thing!

Learn More

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for more news and photos of me, my family, our dogs, my junk finds, and our cooking adventures—and maybe even a faux family portrait or two.

Meanwhile, as the Irish say, Slaintè!

MKA

Leave a comment

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

Happy holidays from my home to yours. I hope your Thanksgiving was as joyous as ours, and that your turkey was moist and your pumpkin pie crust wasn’t soggy. Now we’re off to the races for Christmas! Just in case you need some holiday reads to get you in the spirit, did you know I’ve written SIX Christmas novels, plus an Amazon original short story, called HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY, which came out last year?

I hope you’ll check them out if you haven’t already.

All Books by MKA

Upcoming Events

Speaking of holidays, my last speaking event of the year will be next Tuesday evening, Dec. 9th, at 5pm at the Columbus, Georgia public library.

Hope you can join us for what promises to be a fun, FREE, evening event. The details are here.

MKA's Event Schedule

Holiday Home Tour

If you’ve been following me on Facebook & Instagram, you know that Squirrel Hollow (our Atlanta home) was filmed for an upcoming feature on Christmas decorating on Homeworthy.

This new episode should be airing any day now, so keep watching my socials for the link to watch. Did you catch the full tour of my home that Homeworthy did earlier this year?

See MKA's Home Tour

F&F 2026 SubscriptionBox

I’m doing a lot of my holiday shopping online this year, mostly with smaller, independent businesses. If you’re looking for a gift for the book lover in your life, (or for yourself!) may I suggest buying the Friends & Fiction 2026 Subscription Box?

You’ll get signed, first edition copies of my forthcoming June novel ROAD TRIP, plus books by my F&F sister authors Kristy Woodson Harvey (SUMMER STATE OF MIND, May) & Kristin Harmel (MEET ME IN PARIS, July) — with the option to add on the March 2026 paperback edition of Patti Callahan Henry’s THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND. Each book will be mailed directly to you (or your lucky gift recipient!) as it’s released, plus each shipment will include special F&F swag available exclusively through this package.

Order the F&F Subscription Box

My New Book

Speaking of ROAD TRIP, I’m overjoyed to tell you about my next novel.

It’s a real departure for me—a story about two estranged sisters from Savannah who, upon their mother’s death, are guilt-tripped into taking her bucket-list trip to Ireland to find out the truth about a supposedly priceless portrait of a supposedly aristocratic ancestor. There’s an old, unsolved murder, family secrets, lots of jaunting around Ireland, a hot Irish whiskey-maker with an irresistible accent, and even a present-day mystery. (And oh yeah, dogs. You know there’s gonna be a dog, right?) I can’t wait for y’all to meet Maeve and Therese Dunigan. Coming June 2, 2026. Pre-order now, dammit!

Pre-Order ROAD TRIP

Coming up on Friends & Fiction

We’ve got a few more shows left in the current season, beginning with a LIVE episode of The Friends & Fiction Show tomorrow night, Wed 12/3, with John Irving. Then Patti & I will interview Ace Atkins for the 12/10 episode. And Kristy and I host Jacquelyn Mitchard on 12/17 for the final show of 2025.

Stay tuned for the big reveal as we get ready to announce our Winter 2026 (January-March) guest lineup. We air in video format on Wednesday nights at 7pm ET on our Facebook group page and YouTube channel. And all interviews are published to our podcast on Fridays. Join us on Instagram and subscribe to our Substack newsletter so you never miss a thing!

Learn More

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for more news and photos of me, my family, our dogs, my junk finds, and our cooking adventures—and maybe even a faux family portrait or two.

That’s all for now.

Warmest holiday wishes from my home to yo9urs,

MKA

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Visit my WEBSITE
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I’ve got Old Glory fluttering among the limelight hydrangeas by my front door, and blueberry bushes bursting with berries in my backyard. It’s July!

If you know anything about me, you know I love decorating for the seasons, and the Fourth of July is no exception. I’ve collected vintage flags and bunting for years, and I’ve already got my dining room mantel decked out with ALLL the stars and stripes.

After a hectic season of celebrating grandson Griffin’s graduation from middle school, and the flurry of activities last month surrounding our son Andrew’s backyard wedding to his beautiful bride Meghan, (and a not-so-fun bout of Covid), I’m ready to kick back and sink into those lazy hazy days of summer.

I’ve mostly cleared my calendar so I can get back to working on my book for next summer—two estranged sisters take a life-changing trip to Ireland to uncover secrets about a mysterious family portrait, and to explore their family roots—but I do have a few fun upcoming events to tell you about.

Upcoming Events

My friend Sarah MacLean’s new novel, These Summer Storms, is a long-awaited departure from her New York Times bestselling historical romances, and I can’t wait to be in conversation with her during her book tour stop in Atlanta.

Join Me & Sarah MacLean

We’ll be together at Eagle Eye Books on Wednesday, July 16th. Get tickets HERE!

This is Sarah’s first contemporary novel, and this one is as juicy as a counter-ripened Georgia peach. Here’s the elevator pitch:

A dead billionaire, an inheritance game, a family with its fill of juicy secrets, and a romance (or two) that match the heat of a Rhode Island Summer.

Yum? Right?

Get Tickets!

Attend the F&F Book Club Anniversary Weekend

And I hope you’ll check out the fabulous weekend that the Friends & Fiction Book Club has planned in Atlanta coming up the first weekend in August to celebrate their fifth anniversary. The fun kicks off the evening of Friday, August 8th with a happy hour with Ron Block and special guests at the Lazy Dog in Dunwoody. Details on that event HERE. On Saturday, August 9th they have a Sweet Tea Social planned at Poe & Company Bookstore in Milton. Get tickets for that HERE. Then on Saturday evening Brenda & Lisa will host a fabulous event with five author guests (me, Kimberly Brock, Lauren Connolly, Colleen Oakley & Vanessa Riley) at the Atlanta History Center’s Margaret Mitchell House. You can get tickets for that HERE. Come make a weekend of it! Brenda & Lisa have arranged for hotel room doscounts at Le Méridien Atlanta Perimeter in Dunwoody. You can get all the deets about the entire weekend on the Book Club’s Facebook page HERE.

Book CLub Anniversary Weekend Details

Meet Me & Karin Slaughter

I’ll also be in convo with my good friend Karin Slaughter on Sunday, August 10th. Join us at the Woodstock Arts Theater in downtown Woodstock, GA where we will be hosted by our friends at FoxTale Book Shoppe.

Get Tickets

You can always stay abreast of all my in-person and virtual events by visiting my website Events & Appearances page.

See Full Events Scchedule

Summer Reading Recommendations

In the meantime, my TBR stack is groaning with an overflow of summer reads. Here’s a sampling of what I’m digging into:

Brooke Lea Foster’s Our Last Vineyard Summer (Out now!)
Meg Waite Clayton’s Typewriter Beach (Out now!)
Megan Abbott’s El Dorado Drive (Out now!)
Adriana Trigiani’s The View from Lake Como (Coming July 8)
Susan Wiggs’s Wayward Girls (Coming July 15)
Lisa Scottoline’s The Unraveling of Julia (Coming July 15)

Of course, I’ve already devoured my Friends and Fiction pals’ newest releases, but if you’ve somehow missed them, it’s not too late.

Patti Callahan Henry’s The Story She Left Behind.
Kristy Woodson Harvey’s Beach House Rules.
Kristin Harmel’s The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau.
Also, ahem, the paperback of Summers at the Saint is out now, too!

Summer Eats

Mr. MKA got an early start on his garden this year because of the before-mentioned backyard wedding, so we already have an abundance of yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers and peppers. We picked our first ripe tomato earlier this week, and I’ve already got tomato pie on my mind. Luckily, I’ve got a great recipe for it in my Beach House Cookbook. You can order it HERE.

Order My Cookbook

And those blueberries! Last summer we took a wonderful trip to the coast of Maine, and I brought back copies of one of my all-time favorite children’s picture books, Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey to gift two very special babies in our neighborhood. Maine might be known for blueberries, but it might surprise you to learn that Georgia is the third biggest blueberry producer in the country, behind Washington and Georgia. Blueberry production here far outranks peaches.

We began planting blueberries in our garden several years ago, and after a slow start, our bushes are finally yielding enough for us—and the birds. We’ve been making blueberry muffins and cobblers, but I recently found this recipe for blueberry pie bars on the always-reliable New York Times Cooking app. I switched out pricey store-bought shortbread cookies for inexpensive pecan sandy cookies for the base and crumble topping, although vanilla wafers would work too, and I added a teaspoon of lemon zest to the blueberry filling and a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and more lemon zest to the cream cheese layer—and because I’ve got plenty of berries, I added another half cup of berries.

Get the Recipe

My family declared them a success, so I’m planning on taking my version to our neighborhood Fourth of July parade gathering this week. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Coming up on Friends & Fiction

We’ve got an incredible Summer season of author interviews planned on The Friends & Fiction Show!

From July 9th - September 26th, we will have a new show every week. We air in video format on Wednesday nights at 7pm ET on our Facebook group page and YouTube channel. And all interviews are published to our podcast on Fridays. Join us on Instagram and subscribe to our Substack newsletter so you never miss a thing!

Learn More

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for more news and photos of me, my family, our dogs, my junk finds, and our cooking adventures—and maybe even a faux family portrait or two.

That’s all for now.

All best,

MKA

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And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

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Today’s the day my dear friend (and Friends & Fiction co-host) Kristin Harmel’s new book hits stores across the United States and Canada, and I’m excited to tell you all about it.

THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU is the story of two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder.

Fiona Davis calls it, “joyous and ultimately triumphant,” and Hazel Gaynor calls it “a dazzling diamond of a novel.” Madeline Martin says that it’s “a fabulous tale of heartbreak and bravery and just how hard one will fight for those they love…. Kristin Harmel has done it again.”

The novel–a LibraryReads top ten pick for June–tells the story of Colette Marceau, who has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother: take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. But on the terrible night in 1942 that Colette’s mother is arrested in Paris for stealing a priceless pair of diamond bracelets from a high-ranking German officer, Colette’s little sister is taken, along with one half of the bracelet pair. Her body is later found floating in the Seine River, but the bracelet has disappeared without a trace…

…Until seven decades later when Colette—who’s still stealing jewels to anonymously fund worthy organizations—spots it in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time, and who owns it now, she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart.

I hope you’ll pick up THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU. And I hope that if you’re close to where Kristin will be on tour, you’ll go see her. Her full event schedule can be found here. In the next two weeks, she’ll be in New Jersey (tonight, with the whole Friends & Fiction gang!), Delaware, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Massachusetts, South Carolina and southern California, and she’d love to see you at one of her events!

You can find the book at your favorite local independent bookstore, or at Bookshop.org, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, Hudson airport bookstores, or wherever you buy your books! Canadian readers can find it here, and UK readers can find it here. (The UK title of the book is ALL THE DIAMONDS IN PARIS!)

Happy reading, and don’t forget to join us each Wednesday at 7pm ET on Friends & Fiction as we welcome your favorite authors to talk about some of the season’s buzziest books.

Now in Paperback

The paperback of Summers at the Saint is in stores everywhere now! If you missed this one in hardcover when it came out last year, now is the perfect time to snap up a copy and place it right on the top of your summer TBR pile or toss it directly into your beach bag.

Order Now

Upcoming Events

I have several upcoming in-person events this summer, including a Friends & Fiction Live launch party TONIGHT Tuesday, June 17th in Manasquan, NJ, for Kristin’s latest, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau.

Get Tickets

And then, on Wednesday, June 18th Patti Callahan Henry and I will be together in Rumson, NJ for a luncheon hosted by River Road Books talking all about her new novel, The Story She Left Behind.

Get Tickets

Friday, June 20th brings me back to Atlanta for an event at the Atlanta History Center where Colleen Oakley and I will be in conversation with Kristin again all about The Stole Life of Colette Marceau. Get tickets for that HERE.

I’ve got other events coming up this summer, too, including an event on June 21st with Book People in Austin, TX and an event on August 10th with FoxTale in Woodstock, GA with my friend Karin Slaughter. You can find all the details on my website.

See Full Events Scchedule

And now, it’s back to work on my next book, which will be out summer 2026. It’s a dual timeline story that starts in Ireland in 1913, with a fictional character named Kathleen, whose journey to Ellis Island was inspired by own grandmother’s experience immigrating to the States that same year. Then we jump forward to a contemporary storyline with two long-estranged sisters in Savannah who make a trip to Ireland to find out the truth about a mysterious family portrait. Stay tuned!

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for more news and photos of me, my family, our dogs, my junk finds—and maybe even a faux family portrait or two.

That’s all for now.

All best,

MKA

Leave a comment

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

Today’s the big day! Summers at the Saint is now available everywhere in trade paperback! If you missed this one in hardcover when it was released last year, go grab a copy now in its new, beach-friendly format and stuff it into your pool tote, carry-on, or just retreat to the nearest lounge chair to escape into the world of the St. Cecelia.

Order Now!

Summers at the Saint is a fresh summer mystery full of romance, betrayal and long-buried secrets. Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . . .

When it was first released last summer, the book was an instant New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Southern Independent Booksellers Association bestseller along with being named an IndieNext and Library Reads pick.

Order the Paperback Now!

A Chance to Win!

Are you following me on Instagram and TikTok? Well, hustle on over to both platforms and make sure, because now through this Thursday, June 5th, I am giving away a dozen prize packs! Six random commenters (3 on Instagram and 3 on TikTok)—along with the friend they tag in the chosen comment—will be sent the new paperback of Summers at the Saint, a mini jute beach tote, a Saint/Ain’t paper fan, a door hanger, and a bookmark. Get in it to win it!

Enter on Instagram

Enter on TikTok

Beach Reads Giveaway!

Friends & Fiction is running a fabulous promotion offering readers the chance to win EIGHT of the hottest beach reads of Summer 2025 by me, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Annabel Monaghan, Meg Mitchell Moore, Martha Hall Kelly, Wendy Francis, Amy Mason Doan & Brooke Lea Foster. The entry deadline is Tuesday, June 10, 2025. One winner of all 8 books will be chosen at random and announced LIVE on the air on the Wednesday, June 11th episode of F&F.

🍀Good luck!🍀 Details & entry form HERE.

Enter to Win

This Week on F&F!

Tune in this Wednesday, June 4th at 7pm Eastern on F&F’s Facebook page and YouTube channel to meet all of the authors from the a above giveaway (except for Kristy who is on tour but with us in spirit!). This week’s episode is our Beach Party Kick-Off to Summer 2025 Celebration!

We very rarely do group episodes of the show anymore, but with this many hot new summer reads landing, we made an exception! Join us for this festive kick-off to summer where we’ll learn all about each of our new books, chat about beach reads, and engage in a fun summer-themed lightning round.

Watch on Facebook

Watch on YouTube

Upcoming Events

I’ve got a few events coming up. I hope you’ll join me!

First up is Tuesday, June 17th when I’ll gather in Manasquan, NJ together with all my Friends & Fiction sisters to celebrate co-host Kristin Harmel’s new book, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau. This is a super fun theater event complete with presentation by all four of us (plus Meg & Ron!) and audience Q&A. Your ticket includes a signed vopy of Kristin’s new book, plus sips & nibbles on the courtyard after the show where you’ll have the chance to mix and mingle with us, snap photos, and get books signed.

Get Tickets

The very next day, on Wednesday, June 18th, Patti Callahan Henry and I will be in beautiful Rumson, NJ for a luncheon event at the Rumson Country Club hosted by River Road Books in Fair Haven. We will be in conversation all about Patti’s latest instant bestseller, The Story She Left Behind. Your ticket includes a full plated lunch, glass of bubbly, and a signed copy of Patti’s book. If you’ve already bought and read Patti’s book, but still want the chance to hear her speak about it and meet us both, there is a lunch-only option, too! Y’all come! It’s gonna be so fun!

Get Tickets

I’ve got a few other events here and there this summer, too, including June 20th at the Atlanta History Center with Kristin Harmel & Colleen Oakley, June 21st in Port Aransas, TX, and August 10th with Karin Slaughter hosted by FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock, GA. As always, visit my website for all the details!

See Full Events Scchedule

Of course, the big news is my son Andrew’s upcoming wedding happening THIS WEEKEND (I’m not panicking, you’re panicking!) in our backyard in Atlanta.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for more news and photos of me, my family, our dogs, my junk finds—and maybe even a faux family portrait or two.

That’s all for now.

All best,

MKA

Leave a comment

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

Summer’s biggest secret is OUT: Beach House Rules by New York Times bestselling author—and my Friends & Fiction co-host—Kristy Woodson Harvey. Think sun-soaked secrets, tangled family drama, and rules that were meant to be broken.

Our friend Lisa Scottoline said it best: “I love, love, loved Kristy Woodson Harvey’s Beach House Rules! It’s the heartfelt and dramatic story of Charlotte and Iris Sitterly, a mother and daughter who find themselves struggling at a crossroads in their lives. They join a group of single mothers, forming a remarkable “mommune,” and through the power of friendship and love, they persevere and even triumph as a family, solving a mystery along the way. Take this book to the beach and you won’t stop turning the pages!”

Friends & Fiction favorite Shelby van Pelt declared that: “Beach House Rules will rule the beach-read season!" and Cosmopolitan crowned Kristy “queen of the beach read” and shared a sneak peek you can check out.

If you’re looking for signed first editions, they are available from Nantucket Book Partners, South Main Book Company, and, of course, in our Friends & Fiction Subscription with Oxford Exchange. The book is also available from our Friends & Fiction shop on Bookshop.org, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and everywhere books are sold.

Also, Kristy will be in fifteen states, and thirty-three cities, so, if she’s close to you, go cheer her on! (Isn’t that the Friends & Fiction way?!) Her full tour dates are available on her website, kristywoodsonharvey.com.

Just remember: Life doesn’t always go as planned, but sometimes the detour is where the magic happens… Step into Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey—a heartwarming tale of mothers, daughters, and the sisterhood that lifts us when the tide feels too strong. Happy beach reading!

And you know what comes out NEXT WEEK?! The paperback of Summers at the Saint will be in stores everywhere on June 3rd! If you missed this one in hardcover when it came out last year, now is the perfect time to snap up a copy and place it right on the top of your summer TBR pile or toss it directly into your beach bag.

Pre-Order Now

And now, it’s back to work on my next book, which will be out summer 2026. It’s a dual timeline story that starts in Ireland in 1913, with a fictional character named Kathleen, whose journey to Ellis Island was inspired by own grandmother’s experience immigrating to the States that same year. Then we jump forward to a contemporary storyline with two long-estranged sisters in Savannah who make a trip to Ireland to find out the truth about a mysterious family portrait. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, I have several upcoming in-person events this summer, including a Friends & Fiction Live launch party on Friday, May 30th in North Myrtle Beach, SC, for Kristy Woodson Harvey’s latest, Beach House Rules.

See Full Events Scchedule

Get Tickets

And then, a couple weeks later, we have another F&F Live launch party on Tuesday, June 17th in Manasquan, NJ to celebrate co-host Kristin Harmel’s new book, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau.

Get Tickets

Of course, the big news is my son Andrew’s upcoming wedding, June 7^th, in our backyard in Atlanta. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for more news and photos of me, my family, our dogs, my junk finds—and maybe even a faux family portrait or two.

That’s all for now.

All best,

MKA

Leave a comment

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

As I write this, the sun is sunning here in Atlanta, birds are singing, and flowers are springing. But I’ll admit, spring hits differently this year—the first one in a long time when I’m not about to embark on a tour for a new summer read.

Fear not, though, because the paperback of Summers at the Saint will be out June 3!

Pre-Order Now

And, in the meantime, just in time for your spring/summer road trips, the audiobook off The High Tide Club is available on Audible for a crazy good price, now ‘til April 28^th.

Buy Now

The timing for this is uncanny, because The High Tide Club was my first dual timeline novel, with intertwining plots that took place just prior to the start of World War II, and the present-day on a barrier island off the coast of Georgia. Writing that book was a huge challenge to me, and several times I wanted to throw in the towel. Now I’m happy that I persevered, and really proud of that book.

I’m also happy to have had that experience because the book I’m working on now, which will be out summer 2026, is a dual timeline story that starts in Ireland in 1913, with a fictional character named Kathleen, whose journey to Ellis Island was inspired by own grandmother’s experience immigrating to the States that same year. Then we jump forward to a contemporary storyline with two long-estranged sisters in Savannah who make a trip to Ireland to find out the truth about a mysterious family portrait. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, I have several upcoming in-person events this summer, including a Friends & Fiction Live launch party on Friday, May 30th in North Myrtle Beach, SC, for my co-host Kristy Woodson Harvey’s latest, Beach House Rules.

See Full Events Scchedule

Get Tickets

And then, a couple weeks later, we have another F&F Live launch party on Tuesday, June 17th in Manasquan, NJ to celebrate co-host Kristin Harmel’s new book, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau.

Get Tickets

Of course, the big news is my son Andrew’s upcoming wedding, June 7^th, in our backyard in Atlanta. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for more news and photos of me, my family, our dogs, my junk finds—and maybe even a faux family portrait or two.

That’s all for now.

All best,

MKA

Leave a comment

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

I’m writing to let you know that my dear friend and Friends & Fiction sister Patti Callahan Henry’s new novel, The Story She Left Behind, is in stores everywhere today!

Learn More

Named an IndieNext pick for April, a LibraryReads pick for March, one of B&N’s Best Books of March, a Heather’s Pick for Canada’s Indigo bookstore chain, a SIBA “Read This Next” pick, the Reader’s Digest Book Club pick for April, a Printfresh Book Club pick, and a winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, the early buzz for The Story She Left Behind is amazing. Louise Penny calls it “brilliant, riveting, so beautifully written, impossible to put down,” Shelley Read (Go As a River) calls it a “celebration of family, hope, forgiveness, and the tender generosity of abiding love,” and Adriana Trigiani declares that Patti is “at the height of her literary powers.”

This immersive story was inspired by a real cold-case literary mystery of a child prodigy author who went missing in the 1920s, leaving behind shattered loved ones and a sequel to her most beloved novel written in a secret language that no one could decode. Patti reimagines this real-life case, introducing us to Clara, a young mother still shattered by her mother Bronwyn’s years-ago disappearance, and Clara’s precocious daughter Winnie, who’s utterly captivated by her long-lost grandmother’s stories and fictional characters. We travel with these two across the pond on a quest to track down Bronwyn’s language in hopes it might hold the key to unlock the mystery of her disappearance.

Along the way, Clara and Winnie have adventures, meet with adversity, and, with the help of the charming Englishman Charlie, begin to unravel the haunting mystery at their family’s core. Patti gives us slow burn romance, an absorbing mystery, and, as always, an enchanting story.

This captivating story takes place across three distinct settings—the languid lowcounty of South Carolina, London in peril during the Great Smog, and England’s lush and enchanting Lake District. With beautiful, descriptive prose, Patti brings each so vividly to life, that the mystical lands each become characters themselves.

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William Kent Krueger calls The Story She Left Behind, “a lovely mix of so many elements sure to please [Patti’s] universe of readers, a magical mosaic of adventure, suspense, romance, mystery, and even a sprinkle of make-believe.” This is such a lovely description of this story of longing, forgiveness, the beautiful but complicated mother/daughter relationship, and the power of language, imagination, and story.

I just know you will love this book as much as I did. I encourage you to grab your copy from your local indie or on Bookshop.org, and to visit Patti on her book tour if she’s coming to a town near you!

Meet Patti On Tour

Once you’ve fallen in love with The Story She Left Behind, I hope you will leave online reviews on sites like Goodreads and Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Buy Now

Bargain Alert!

Today only—Tuesday, March 18th—the e-book of Summers at the Saint is on sale for just $1.99 at all major e-book retailers. Go ahead and download it now while this sale lasts!

Buy Now

Upcoming Events

I’ve got a couple more in-person events coming up in April in Louisiana and Kentucky. I hope to see lots of you then. Stay tuned to the Events & Appearances page on my website for news of my whereabouts.

MKA Event Details

Friends & Fiction

This week on Friends & Fiction Ron Block and Kristin Harmel will welcome internationally bestselling author of contemporary and historical fiction, Emma Donoghue, to discuss her latest book, The Paris Express, a sweeping historical novel about an infamous 1895 railway disaster at the Paris Montparnasse train station. Watch this interview on Wednesday, March 19th at 7pm Eastern or listen on our podcast on Friday, March 21st.

Join our Facebook group, subscribe to our YouTube channel and podcast, follow us on Instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a thing.

Learn More

That’s all for now.

All best,

MKA

Leave a comment

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

It’s been a minute since we’ve connected, right? Hope you had the happiest holidays and are staying warm and well-read this winter. I wanted to check in and update you with a few things I have going on. So, given today’s date, consider this overdue note my Valentine to you, my cherished readers. ❤️

My Books—Out Now & Upcoming!

Did you read my first Amazon Original short story, HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY? If not, it’s not too late. It’s available now as an e-book and audiobook. Check Amazon & Audible.) Bright Lights, Big Christmas also came out in trade paperback right before the holidays, so there’s two recent stories from me to cozy up with if you, like me, could use a comfort read right now.

We’ve had two snowstorms here in Atlanta, and one down on Tybee Island, and that’s enough winter for this Florida girl, thank you very much. In the meantime, I’ve been writing away on my next book, which has dual timelines, a mysterious family portrait which might or might not be worth millions, and two estranged sisters from Savannah who’re forced to reconnect over a road trip to Ireland. Look for it summer of 2026.

Shop All My Books

What I’m Reading

I’ve been reading up a storm too. Some of my fave recent reads include Annabel Monaghan’s It’s a Love Story (coming May 27), Joseph Finder’s The Oligarch’s Daughter (out now), and Valerie Bauerlein’s The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and The Fall of A Southern Dynasty (out now), and Colleen Oakley’s Jane and Dan at the End of the World (coming March 11).

I had the pleasure of meeting Valerie at the Savannah Book Festival last week and I’m hoping to do an event with her in Atlanta this summer. Speaking of the Savannah Book Festival, my marketing maven, Meg Walker, and one of my author besties, Patti Callahan Henry, joined me there and we had a great time spending time with Jean Hanff Korelitz (The Plot and The Sequel), and attending talks by Scott Turow (Presumed Guilty), Sebastian Junger (In My Time of Dying), and Anna Quindlen (After Annie).

And of course, I’ve got the upcoming novels of my Friends & Fiction sisters, Patti Callahan Henry, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Kristin Harmel on my TBR stack. I hope you’ll consider pre-ordering all three! You can get them all together by getting our F&F 2025 Subscription Box from Oxford Exchange

What I’m Watching

Mr. MKA and I have been watching lots of streaming shows, and they’re mostly spy thrillers or mysteries. We devoured SLOW HORSES, NIGHT AGENT, WILL TRENT and our current addictions include THE AGENCY (recc’d by Joe Finder) and Dick Wolf’s new 30-minute Amazon original cop series ON CALL.

What are you binge reading or watching?

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Upcoming Events

I’ve got several in-person events coming up in late winter and early spring, and I hope to see lots of you then, snow or no-snow.

I’m particularly excited for the Friends & Fiction Live event where I’ll be together with my F&F sisters Kristin Harmel & Kristy Woodson Harvey to celebrate the launch of Patti Callahan Henry’s The Story She Left Behind. That’s happening the evening of Monday, March 17 (yes, St. Paddy’s—or is it Patti’s—Day) at the Atlanta History Center. Get your tickets now to join all four of us before they sell out!

Get Tickets

Stay tuned to the Events & Appearances page on my website for news of my whereabouts.

MKA Event Details

Friends & Fiction

Next week on Friends & Fiction we have our one LIVE episode of the month. Join us Wed., Feb 19th at 7pm ET as we welcome Pam Jenoff to discuss her brand-new instant NYT-bestseller Last Twilight in Paris.

Join our Facebook group, subscribe to our YouTube channel and podcast, follow us on Instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a thing.

Learn More

That’s all for now.

All best,

MKA

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Happy Halloween! I’m checking in with a short note to let you know about a few things including my new Amazon Original short story (out now!), a 5-author Halloween-themed roundtable chat, and some upcoming events.

In other words, all treats, no tricks!

New Short Story Out NOW!

It may be Halloween today, but we all know that Christmas begins with MKA — and this year is no different! My brand-new Amazon Original short story HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY is available now as an e-book and audiobook!

No Kindle? No problem! You can download the FREE Kindle app for your smartphone, tablet, or computer and access your library through the app. You can also read Kindle books directly on your web browser using the free Kindle Cloud Reader feature on Amazon’s website.

Get it as an Audiobook!

You can also order it in audiobook format published only through Audible. Visit Audible or Amazon to download the audiobook version now!

ORDER NOW!

FYI, HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY will not be available in print. Amazon is the publisher and they’ve released it in digital e- and audio formats only. Bonus! If you’re a Prime or Kindle Unlimited member, it’s FREE!

Leave a Review!

If you enjoy Holiday Hideaway, I hope you will leave a glowing review online!

Leave a Review on Amazon

Leave a Review on Goodreads

Now in Paperback!

The paperback of Bright Lights, Big Christmas is in stores now and available wherever books are sold. Maybe you, like me, could use a comfort read right now? If you missed out on this one in hardcover last year — or if you need a holiday book club pick or a stocking stuffer for the bookworms in your life — grab this one now! More details including buy links HERE.

Order Now

A Roundtable Chat for Thriller Fans

Why do we like to be scared? What draws us to thrillers? Halloween seemed like the perfect time to check in with some of the masters of sleep-with-the-lights-on scary stories and ask them all our burning questions. In my latest roundtable chat on the Friends & Fiction Endless Stories Substack, I gathered around the virtual campfire to talk ghost stories and thrills & chills of all kinds with Karin Slaughter, J.T. Ellison, Lisa Unger, Paula Hawkins & Lucy Foley.

Give it a read HERE and, if you’re not signed up, hit subscribe while you’re there.

READ NOW!

Upcoming Events

I’ve got a busy fall season with several great events in store.

Next week, I have two in-person events in Florida with my Friends & Fiction crew. First we will be at the Grand Bohemian in Orlando on Wednesday, November 6th for a unique event to benefit Florida Cancer Specialists. Get tickets HERE.

Event Details

The next day (on Thursday, November 7th) we will all be together again at the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island for a fun event hosted by the Amelia Island Book Festival and emceed by Tim Ehrenberg of Tim Talks Books. Get tickets HERE, but act fast as it is nearly sold out!

Event Details

And here’s a list of my upcoming solo events happening in Nov & Dec:

Sat. Nov. 9, 12-3pm
Book signing
Seaside Sisters Holiday Open House
1207 US-80
Tybee Island, GA
Info

Thurs. Nov. 15, 6:30pm
Trussville Public Library
LBK Auditorium
201 Parkway Dr.
Trussville, AL
Tickets

Thurs. Dec. 5, 6-9 pm
St. Vincent's Academy
Annual Shopping Night
Alee Shrine Temple
100 Eisenberg Dr.
Savannah, GA
Tickets

Sun. Dec. 8, 4pm
In conversation with Vanessa Riley
Book Bird of Avondale Estates
32 North Avondale Rd., Suite C
Avondale Estates, GA
Info

Sun. Dec. 15, 12-3pm
Avondale Estates Holiday Marketplace
Avondale Community Club
59 Lakeshore Drive
Avondale Est., GA
Tickets

Stay tuned to the Events & Appearances page on my website for news of my whereabouts.

MKA Event Details

Friends & Fiction

Speaking of Friends & Fiction, check out our guest line-up for the entire Fall season (October - December). We’ve got a great season underway!

Join our Facebook group, subscribe to our YouTube channel and podcast, follow us on Instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a thing.

Learn More

That’s all for now! I hope you can all make the time this fall to cozy up by the fire with a great read!

Hugs,
MKA

Leave a comment

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

I know the fall has just begun and we are all just dragging our Halloween decorations out. But have I got a real treat (and no tricks) for you! We all know that Christmas begins with MKA, and this year is no different!

New Short Story Out Oct. 29!

My brand-new Amazon Original short story HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY (coming 10/29!) is available now to pre-order. The story will not be available in print format. But you can get the Kindle Edition from Amazon.

You can also pre-order it in audiobook format published only through Audible.

You don’t need a Kindle to read this story! You can download the FREE Kindle app for your smartphone, tablet, or computer and access your library through the app. You can also read Kindle books directly on your web browser using the Kindle Cloud Reader feature on Amazon’s website.

Pre-order the e-book or audiobook now and it will be ready and waiting for you come Tues. 10/29!

Pre-Order Now!

Now in Paperback!

The paperback of Bright Lights, Big Christmas is in stores now and available whereever books are sold. Maybe you, like me, could use a comfort read right now? If you missed out on this one in hardcover last year — or if you need a holiday book club pick or a stocking stuffer for the bookworms in your life — grab this one now! More details including buy links HERE.

Order Now

Upcoming Events

I’ve got a busy fall season with several great events in store.

On Oct. 19, I’ll be appearing at the Morristown Book Festival in Morristown, N.J. Go HERE for details.

Event Details

Before I head to New Jersey, I’ll spend a couple days in New York City to do research for my novel-in-progress. Since the book is a dual-timeline story, I’ll be visiting the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side, and Ellis Island, where my paternal grandparents arrived after immigrating to the U.S. from Ireland in the early 1900s. Did you know I spent nine days in Ireland last month, visiting locations where the book will be set? Check my Instagram and Facebook pages for photos. Of course, I’ll have meetings with my publishing team from St. Martin’s Press, and also, of course, my marketing genius Meg Walker and I will also catch a Broadway show—can’t wait to catch Julianna Marguilies and Peter Gallagher in Left on Tenth, a new romantic comedy based on Delia Ephron’s memoir.

In November I have two in-person events in Florida with my Friends & Fiction crew. First we will be at the Grand Bohemian in Orlando on Wednesday, November 6th for a unique event to benefit Florida Cancer Specialists. Get tickets HERE.

Event Details

The next day (on Thursday, November 7th) we will all be together again at the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island for a fun event hosted by the Amelia Island Book Festival and emceed by Tim Ehrenberg of Tim Talks Books. Get tickets HERE, but act fast as it is nearly sold out!

Event Details

Friends & Fiction

Speaking of Friends & Fiction, don’t miss this week’s show where Kristy Woodson Harvey and I have the pleasure of interviewing Sophie Kinsella about her new book, What Does it Feel Like?, her most personal book to date. You can watch this interview as it airs on Facebook or YouTube on Wed. 10/9 at 7pm ET, or listen on our podcast as of Fri. 10/11.

And check out our guest line-up for the entire Fall season (October - December). It promises to be a great season!

Join our Facebook group, subscribe to our YouTube channel and podcast, follow us on Instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a thing.

Learn More

Storm Relief

I am continuing to keep storm-ravaged Florida in my prayers. My home region of of St. Petersburg was devastated by Helene and is now bracing for Milton. The scope of the  destruction in FL, western NC, and east TN is overwhelming. If you’re looking to offer support for those affected by these hurricanes, I myself have donated to the American Red Cross and Chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen. Here’s another resource listing various ways to be of help.

How You Can Help

That’s all for now! I hope you can all stay safe, warm, and dry while cozying up with a great book!

Hugs,
MKA

Leave a comment

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS

Subscribe now

October is here, and although Halloween isn’t until the end of the month, I’m struck by what a scary time we are living through here in the storm-tossed Southeast.

Just a quick note to let you know that my family and I are so grateful that our homes have escaped damage from Hurricane Helene. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to check on us about Atlanta and Tybee Island. Power has been restored on Tybee, and we are hearing that things are mostly back to normal. In the meantime, I am devastated at the scope of the  destruction—particularly on the beaches in my hometown of St. Petersburg, and of course, across our region in western North Carolina and east Tennessee.  Please keep these communities in your prayers.

Storm Relief

If you’re looking to offer support for those affected by the hurricane, I myself have donated to the American Red Cross and Chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen.

Here’s a resource listing various ways to be of help.

How You Can Help

A New Paperback

It seems trivial to mention, but the paperback of Bright Lights, Big Christmas is out today and available where ever books are sold, and maybe you, like me, could use a comfort read right now? If you missed out on this one in hardcover last year — or if you need a holiday book club pick or a stocking stuffer for the bookworms in your life — grab this one now! More details including buy links HERE.

Order Now

Upcoming Events

I’ll be celebrating the paperback launch of Bright Lights, Big Christmas tonight, in Woodstock, Ga. at FoxTale Book Shoppe, in conjunction with my friend Kimberly Brock, whose The Fabled Earth is also out today. Go HERE for details.

Event Details

Also, on Oct. 19, I’ll be appearing at the Morristown Book Festival in Morristown, N.J. Go HERE for details.

Event Details

Before I head to New Jersey, I’ll spend a couple days in New York City to do research for my novel-in-progress. Since the book is a dual-timeline story, I’ll be visiting the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side, and Ellis Island, where my paternal grandparents arrived after immigrating to the U.S. from Ireland in the early 1900s. Did you know I spent nine days in Ireland last month, visiting locations where the book will be set? Check my Instagram and Facebook pages for photos. Of course, I’ll have meetings with my publishing team from St. Martin’s Press, and also, of course, my marketing genius Meg Walker and I will also catch a Broadway show—can’t wait to catch Julianna Marguilies and Peter Gallagher in Left on Tenth, a new romantic comedy based on Delia Ephron’s memoir.

In November I have two in-person events in Florida with my Friends & Fiction crew. First we will be at the Grand Bohemian in Orlando on Wednesday, November 6th for a unique event to benefit Florida Cancer Specialists. Get tickets HERE.

Event Details

The next day (on Thursday, November 7th) we will all be together again at the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island for a fun event hosted by the Amelia Island Book Festival and emceed by Tim Ehrenberg of Tim Talks Books. Get tickets HERE, but act fast as it is nearly sold out!

Event Details

Friends & Fiction

Speaking of Friends & Fiction, don’t miss our show tomorrow night (Wed. 10/2 at 7pm ET) where Patti Callahan Henry and I have the pleasure of interviewing Jean Hanff Korelitz about her new book The Sequel, the follow-up to her smash success The Plot.

And check out our guest line-up for the entire Fall season (October - December). It promises to be a great season!

Join our Facebook group, subscribe to our YouTube channel and podcast, follow us on Instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a thing.

Learn More

That’s all for now! I hope you can all stay safe, warm, and dry while cozying up with a great book!

Hugs,
MKA

Leave a comment

Stay in Touch

And of course, don’t forget to follow me online to see what kind of good trouble I’m getting into!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM
Follow me on FACEBOOK
Follow me on TIKTOK
Follow me on THREADS
Visit my WEBSITE
Follow me on GOODREADS