Ink & Espresso: Ideas Brewed

Hey Friends, old and new! ☕📚

This past weekend I spent three days at IRAE in Jacksonville Beach. It was a book event that felt less like a conference and more like a long-overdue family reunion.

Some of these incredible readers and authors I only get to see once a year—and after two plus years apart from several of them, we picked right back up with hugs, laughter, and the kind of playful back-and-forth that only happens when people share a love for stories.

One of my favorite moments was sitting in on Q&A panels where both readers and husbands joined the conversation. Their responses had the whole room laughing, tearing up, and nodding along together. It reminded me just how special this community really is.

Between the panels were the conversations that meant the most—talking with authors who’ve walked similar roads, hearing what readers are excited for next, and feeling the kind of support that lifts everyone higher.

This community shows up. It encourages. It builds each other up.

And I’m so grateful to be part of it with you.

Speaking of what readers are excited about…

Right now I’ve been spending time with Secret Royalty, where Atlanta Metro officer Britanni Carlisle grew up believing fairy tales weren’t real—until the night her life started reading like one she never asked to be part of. If you read my Vella story, her name might ring a bell!

And this summer, I’ll also be part of a special anthology celebrating blue-collar women—strong, hardworking heroines who show up, stand tall, and steal hearts in the process. I’m especially excited to share more about my contribution soon.

Hit reply and tell me—which are you reaching for lately: romantic suspense or blue-collar heroine stories? I love hearing what you’re in the mood to read.

More details on both are coming your way 👀

Until next time,

Heather Rae B

Ink & Espresso: ideas brewed ☕✍🏽