What does it mean to find where you belong?

This week in The Literary Lounge, Jennifer welcomes author Joanna Monahan to discuss her second novel, Welcome to Blooms, a warm, feel-good story about siblings Daisy and Bud, who must learn to work together to save their family's flower shop. Think of it as a Hallmark movie in book form!

Jennifer and Joanna discuss the inspiration behind the novel and explore themes of family expectations and belonging. Joanna also shares her own path to becoming a published author, from querying agents to finding the right home for her work with an independent press. She reflects on what she’s learned from publishing two novels, why working with a small publisher has been the right fit for her, and the importance of finding the communities that help sustain a creative life.

In This Episode

• Exploring themes of family, identity & belonging
• Joanna’s path from querying to indie publishing
• Finding the right publishing path for you
• The importance of independent bookstores
• Finding your writing & literary community
• How Joanna’s writing process has evolved
• Navigating the challenges of writing a second book
• How book coaches can support the writing process
• The unexpected realities of becoming a published author

Meet Joanna Monahan

Joanna Monahan is the author of the award-winning Something Better.
Her newest novel, Welcome to Blooms, was published in April 2026 by
Blue Ink Press.

Joanna writes contemporary Women's Fiction that is clean, cozy, and
full of humor and heart. She lives in North Carolina with her husband,
their two children, and two distracting cats. She is a member of The
Authors Guild, North Carolina Writers' Network, and the Women's
Fiction Writers Association.

When she isn’t writing, Joanna enjoys theater, baseball, and
bookmarking recipes she will never make. A child of the 80s, she
regrets that she no longer receives pizza coupons in exchange for
reading books.

Connect with Joanna

www.joannamonahan.com

Instagram @joannamonahanauthor

Facebook

Pinterest

Goodreads

Purchase a copy of Welcome to Blooms

Purchase a copy of Something Better

Books & Authors Mentioned

• Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
• Story Genius by Lisa Cron
• Christopher Pike
• Goosebumps series by R. L. Stine
• The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
• Beverly Cleary
• Ramona series by Beverly Cleary

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Jennifer Cash

Host, Creator, Producer & Editor of The Literary Lounge

Instagram: @readwithjennifer