13 Little Love Stories

Elise Bryant is the NAACP Image Award–nominated author of Happily Ever Afters, One True Loves, Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling, It’s Elementary, and The Game Is Afoot. For many years, Elise had the joy of working as a special education teacher, and now she spends her days reading, writing, and eating dessert. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Long Beach, California. You can visit her online at elisebryant.com.

Jennifer Dugan is an awkward romantic who writes across many genres and categories. Her debut novel, Hot Dog Girl, was called a “great fizzy rom-com” by Entertainment Weekly and “one of the best reads of the year, hands down” by Paste Magazine. She is best known for Some Girls Do, her third young adult novel which took TikTok by storm. Her adult romances, Love at First Set and The Ride of Her Life, boast “the most hilarious disaster bisexuals you’ll ever meet” per Buzzfeed. Jennifer has also collaborated with artist Kit Seaton on several graphic novels, including the GLAAD Outstanding Original Graphic Novel Nominee, Coven.

Crystal Maldonado writes inclusive stories about fat brown girls. By day, Crystal works in higher education marketing, and by night, she writes young adult novels like Fat Chance, Charlie Vega and No Filter and Other Lies. She lives in western Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and dog. Camp Sylvania: Moon Madness is her middle grade debut. Visit her online at crystalwrote.com.

Julie Murphy is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of young adult and middle grade novels, including Dumplin’ (now a Netflix original film starring Jennifer Aniston). She is also the author of Disney’s reimagining of Cinderella: If the Shoe Fits. Her books have been translated into more than fifteen languages.

She lives in North Texas with her husband, who loves her; her dog, who adores her; and her cats, who tolerate her.

Lynn Painter is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies, The Do-Over, Betting on You, Mr. Wrong Number, The Love Wager, Nothing Like the Movies, Fake Skating, and Trust Fall. She lives in Nebraska with her husband and pack of wild children, and when she isn’t reading or writing, odds are good she’s guzzling energy drinks and watching rom-coms. You can find her at LynnPainter.com, on Instagram @LynnPainterBooks, on X @LAPainter, and on TikTok @WesBennettsMom.

Laura Sebastian grew up in South Florida and attended Savannah College of Art and Design. She now lives and writes in London, England, with her two dogs, Neville and Circe. Laura is the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series--Ash Princess, Lady Smoke, and Ember Queen--as well as the Castles in Their Bones series--Castles in Their Bones, Stardust in Their Veins, and Poison in Their Hearts. Half Sick of Shadows is her first novel for adults, and Into the Glades is for middle-grade readers.

Sara Shepard is the author of two New York Times bestselling series, Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game, as well as the series The Perfectionists. She graduated from New York University and has an MFA from Brooklyn College.