Author Archives: Jennifer Shirk

About Jennifer Shirk

Jennifer Shirk is a USA Today bestselling sweet romance author for Montlake and Entangled Publishing who also happens to be a mom, pharmacist, Red Sox fan, P90x grad, and overall nice person. Check out her latest sweet romance: BARGAINING WITH THE BOSS.

The Importance of Reading as a Writer

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Hi, all, Jennifer here!steking

I’ve had a revelation this summer. (Of sorts)

And here it is: Reading makes me a better writer.

Wow, hardly earth-shattering, right? I know. We’ve all heard this before. But not until a few months ago have I really seen it affect my writing. But what I also realized was that this summer I’ve read more books outside my own genre. I’ve read young adult, women’s fiction, and A LOT of non fiction.

I saw my writing change when I had to do major edits recently. Without much effort at all, I was able to add 8,000 words to my manuscript. And best of all, my editor loved what I wrote.

With one more month left to summer, I plan to take advantage of this time and add even more books to my reading list. It’s actually been kind of fun finding books I wouldn’t normally read.

A few of my favorites have been:

NIGHT by Elie Wiesel  The author reflects on the enduring importance of Night and his lifelong, passionate dedication to ensuring that the world never forgets man’s capacity for inhumanity to man. Night offers much more than a litany of the daily terrors, everyday perversions, and rampant sadism at Auschwitz and Buchenwald; it also eloquently addresses many of the philosophical as well as personal questions implicit in any serious consideration of what the Holocaust was, what it meant, and what its legacy is and will be.

ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick. What Lou doesn’t know is she’s about to lose her job or that knowing what’s coming is what keeps her sane. Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he’s going to put a stop to that.
What Will doesn’t know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they’re going to change the other for all time.

Do you have a favorite book you’ve read this summer?

Also, my romantic comedy WEDDING DATE FOR HIRE is on sale right now for 99 cents for one more week.

Grab me while you can!InstagramWDFH

 

About Jennifer Shirk

Jennifer Shirk is a USA Today bestselling sweet romance author for Montlake and Entangled Publishing who also happens to be a mom, pharmacist, Red Sox fan, P90x grad, and overall nice person. Check out her latest sweet romance: BARGAINING WITH THE BOSS.

Happy July 4th!

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Hi, all! Jennifer here.

To those in the United States, Happy Independence Day!

The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays because 1) it is in summer and 2) it’s such a proud, patriotic holiday.

I just recently visited Philadelphia a few days ago because I do love all the history and went to the old Christ Church. I actually sat in the pew where George Washington worshipped. The bells in the church today are the original bells that rang on July 4, 1788 bells to celebrate the ratification of the Constitution.

Cool, huh?

Today we’ll be having our annual neighborhood BBQ–we are expecting about 25-30 people–and then we’ll all walk down to the beach a few blocks away and catch the fireworks. (Hopefully the rain will clear by then)

If you are celebrating, hope you have a fun and safe holiday!

What are your plans for July 4th?untitled

About Jennifer Shirk

Jennifer Shirk is a USA Today bestselling sweet romance author for Montlake and Entangled Publishing who also happens to be a mom, pharmacist, Red Sox fan, P90x grad, and overall nice person. Check out her latest sweet romance: BARGAINING WITH THE BOSS.

Happy Birthday to Me

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WeddingsecretcoverHi, all!

Today is kind of a birthday…it’s a BOOK Birthday!

I have a new novella out today —THE WEDDING SECRET–based on Lucy Kevin’s “Four Weddings and a Fiasco” romance series.

This exciting for me for a whole new reason besides just having a new release. This is the first time I’ve ever written a Kindle Worlds story. What is that? Basically, there are certain stories or licensed “Worlds” created by other authors and a new author can sort of piggyback on that created world and write a new story out of it.

I was very excited to be invited to participate in Lucy Kevin’s world. Thank you so much for the opportunity! If you would like to read the first book in this series, it’s free now on Amazon. · The Wedding Gift ~  http://lucykevin.com/KW_Kevin1

I’m thrilled to be sharing this release day with these wonderful authors as well, so don’t forget to check out their sweet romances, too:

· A Wedding Miracle ~ Melissa Storm: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Storm
· The Wedding Arrangement ~ Stacey Wallace: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Wallace
· The Wedding Bridesmaid ~ Jennifer Conner: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Conner
· The Wedding Chaos ~ Isabel Micheals: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Micheals
· The Wedding Charade ~ Melissa McClone: http://lucykevin.com/KW_McClone
· The Wedding Day ~ Sharon Kleve: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Kleve
· The Wedding Do-Over ~ Jennifer Faye: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Faye
· The Wedding Gem ~ Ann M. Richardson: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Richardson
· The Wedding Fountain ~ Kathryn Le Veque: http://lucykevin.com/KW_LeVeque
· The Wedding Photo ~ Pamela Kelley: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Kelley
· The Wedding Secret ~ Jennifer Shirk: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Shirk
· The Wedding Snafu ~ Aaliyah Burke: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Burke
· Wedding Rules ~ Dee Tenorio: http://lucykevin.com/KW_Tenorio

Happy reading!!

~The Wedding Secret~

Ten years after a high school pregnancy left her abandoned by her family, single mother Brenna March is finally getting her life under control. In possession of her dream job as a florist at the Rose Chalet, one of the premier wedding spots in San Francisco, she’s about to prove her worth and take on her first wedding as head florist. Unfortunately, the best man is none other than Senator Ashton Mirenda—her old high school sweetheart and the father of the daughter he knows nothing about.

Ashton doesn’t have time for marriage or a family. He has other aspirations and the first is winning the next senate seat election. Or so he believes until he meets a woman from his past. Seeing Brenna again stirs something inside him he’d thought long dead, and he knows that he wants her beside him all the way to the White House. But Brenna is holding a ten year old secret, one which could not only hurt his chance for re-election but also their chance to rekindle the love they once shared.

 

About Jennifer Shirk

Jennifer Shirk is a USA Today bestselling sweet romance author for Montlake and Entangled Publishing who also happens to be a mom, pharmacist, Red Sox fan, P90x grad, and overall nice person. Check out her latest sweet romance: BARGAINING WITH THE BOSS.

Something about a New Year

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Hi, all! Jennifer here.

What is it about the new year and that special feeling I get about starting afresh?

January feels good for that reason. Any and everything seem possible. Motivation gets a jumpstart and we get start the year with a clean slate. The weather is definitely helping with having to stay home and get things done, too.

I’ve already begun some eating and exercising goals–which I’m committed to for the next 90 days. And on the writing front, I’ve written down a work plan sheet and am happy to say have remained on target with it.

I think it’s really important to have some sort of plan for the year. I am a trustee for our local library and lately we’ve been working on a strategic plan as well as a work plan for it. Every entity needs a goal to achieve.  So, I definitely thought as a writer I needed one as well.

So far so good. But it really take commitment and a want to achieve something better.

Do you have it?

I hope so. And if you do, what are you doing to achieve your goals this year?

About Jennifer Shirk

Jennifer Shirk is a USA Today bestselling sweet romance author for Montlake and Entangled Publishing who also happens to be a mom, pharmacist, Red Sox fan, P90x grad, and overall nice person. Check out her latest sweet romance: BARGAINING WITH THE BOSS.

The Death of Romantic Comedies

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Hey, all! Jennifer here. It’s Movie month here at the HSG blog. So…what I want to know is:Skeletal hands

Hollywood, why on earth have you killed the romantic comedy?

Am I right? I mean, what’s going on? Is there some conspiracy against us chicklit fans?

I’m starving here for a good one. Remember the days of fun romances with Meg Ryan, Sandra Bullock, and Julia Roberts? I do! And I want them back. WAH!

In the meantime, I’ve had to WRITE and READ my romantic comedies. Which is fine. I totally can picture Sandra Bullock as Sabrina in my romance FIANCE BY FATE. However, I would love to see a good one on the screen soon! There is something about love and laughing that I find so charming and feel-good. Therefore, if any screenwriters want to convert my work to a movie, call me. We’ll talk. 🙂

Anyhew, some of my very favorite romantic comedies include:

French Kiss

While You Were Sleeping

Made of Honor

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Ten Days

You’ve Got Mail

 

I don’t see any on the horizon coming anytime soon either. SIGH.

I guess I’ll just have to keep WRITING them.

 

What do you think? Is it me? Are romantic comedies dying a slow death?

What’s your favorite?

 

 

About Jennifer Shirk

Jennifer Shirk is a USA Today bestselling sweet romance author for Montlake and Entangled Publishing who also happens to be a mom, pharmacist, Red Sox fan, P90x grad, and overall nice person. Check out her latest sweet romance: BARGAINING WITH THE BOSS.

New Life into an Old Book

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ALittleBitCupid_cover2 (1)Hey, all!

I can feel spring is getting closer. Easter is coming up and there are little buds of new growth in the ground starting to spring up. It feels like a new beginning.

Which brings me to the title of my post.

My book (novella) A Little Bit Cupid came out a year ago. But my publisher gave a whole new look recently with a fresh and pretty cover just in time for the release of new book Fiancé by Fate coming this Monday.

Best of all? They gave A Little Bit Cupid a fresh new price too. FREE!!!

So load up your kindles! It will be free until April 26th.

Here’s a little bit about it:

Finding love should be easy, but wedding photographer Phoebe Ward knows better. When Cupid shows up on a crazy mission to help her —and save the world in the process—Phoebe realizes love might be even more complicated than she thought. Even with Cupid showing her Mr. Right , she can’t stop thinking about his best friend, Mr. Wrong.

Cal Crawford has never had time for love, but now he’s falling for Phoebe. Which means it’s got to be just plain wrong to set her up with his best friend, right? But even though seeing Phoebe with someone else will break his heart, he can’t walk away from her.

Phoebe can’t afford to choose the wrong guy with the fate of the world at stake. But maybe Cupid has it wrong. Maybe she has to rely just a little bit on Cupid, and a whole lot more on her heart.

Happy Spring!

<3

 

About Jennifer Shirk

Jennifer Shirk is a USA Today bestselling sweet romance author for Montlake and Entangled Publishing who also happens to be a mom, pharmacist, Red Sox fan, P90x grad, and overall nice person. Check out her latest sweet romance: BARGAINING WITH THE BOSS.

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