Bogey and Bacall. JFK and Jackie. McQueen and MacGraw. These famous couples had wide age gaps. Add to that list Gen. Douglas MacArthur and the Filipino actress Isabel Rosario Cooper, whose romantic affair in the 1930s broke all taboos. In this article, I rounded up 10 of the most captivating May-December relationships over the years.

Can’t travel this summer? No problem. A good book can transport us to another city or country and to places we can only dream of visiting. Even when a story is sad or downright depressing, a memorable depiction of a locale can still trigger our wanderlust.

I don’t disagree with Henry Miller when he said, “Writing is its own reward.” I also believe that writers should be compensated fairly for their labor. Of all types of writing, fiction writing gets the least respect. Most people consider it a hobby (read: nonpaying job) because they have no idea how hard it is.

Zora Neale Hurston. Harper Lee. Margaret Mitchell. They are three of my favorite novelists from the American South whose books are also set in the South.

If you’re wondering whether to pursue writing, we can go over some of the most common myths about publication to help you make your decision.

The first thing a reader of a novel wants to know is the main character, according to best-selling suspense author Hank Phillippi Ryan.  If you’re writing a novel, she said your opening page must have these four important things.

When it comes to describing the physical qualities of your characters, how much is too much? Elmore Leonard advised writers to “avoid detailed descriptions of characters.” He used Ernest Hemingway’s work as an example. While the minimalist style of Hemingway and Raymond Carver can be very effective, there are many writers whose works show that descriptive writing can be equally powerful.

Forty-six out of the top 100 novels of the 20th century chosen by the esteemed Radcliffe Publishing Course at Columbia University have been banned or challenged, according to the American Library Association (ALA). Even though these books have been banned or challenged, they remain available. “This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who speak out for the freedom to read,” according to the ALA.

It’s torrid outside. It’s time for a summer fling—make that a literary summer fling. I’m talking about reading something short and sweet: a novella. It’s longer and more satisfying than a short story, without the “commitment” required by a novel.

What is a multicultural novel? Definitions vary, but the most important element of multicultural fiction is a minority point of view (POV). The novel can be in any genre, including literary fiction, romance, mystery, thriller, and others. Here are 10 of my favorite multicultural novels for adult readers.