SB Reads Romance Author Panel

Join us for a Romance Author Panel featuring authors Alisha Rai, Amy Spalding, and Jessica Joyce, moderated by Mae Tingstrom, owner of Smitten Bookstore as part of this year’s SB Reads with Santa Barbara Public Library! After the author panel, stick around to meet the authors and get your books signed. A selection of the authors’ books will be available to purchase from Smitten after the panel.

Pre-event reception hosted by the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation begins at 5:30 PM.

About the Authors:

Alisha Rai

Alisha Rai writes award-winning emotionally complex contemporary romance novels and is frequently sought as a speaker on a range of topics covering romance and media.

She is the first author to have an indie-published book appear on Washington Post’s annual Best Books list. Her books have also been featured on the IndieNext and LibraryReads lists, and been named Best Books of the Year by NPR, New York Public Library, Vulture, Reader’s Digest, Entertainment Weekly, Amazon, Kirkus, Bustle, “O”, the Oprah Magazine, and Cosmopolitan Magazine. When she’s not writing, Alisha is traveling and tweeting.

Amy Spalding

Amy Spalding is the author of several novels, including the bestselling For Her Consideration, We Used to Be Friends, and The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles), which was named a best book of 2018 by NPR, the Boston Globe, Kirkus Reviews, and more. She is a recipient of the 2023 Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award for the authentic, funny, and diverse representation of the LGBTQ+ community in her books.

Amy grew up in St. Louis and now lives in Los Angeles. She has a B.A. in Advertising & Marketing Communications from Webster University and an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School. Amy studied longform improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.

Jessica Joyce

Jessica grew up a voracious reader who loved to lose herself in books (ask her about her impressive ability to walk and read at the same time, mastered after many years of practice). Thanks to a family full of romance-novel-loving women, she discovered love stories and never looked back, especially when she realized she could lose herself in the words she created.

Mae Tingstrom

Mae is the boss lady of Smitten Bookstore of Ventura, CA and Red Kettle Coffee of Summerland, CA. She is living her lifelong dream of being a small business owner with two businesses that encompass community, supporting other small and local businesses, authors, artists, makers and well of course lots of coffee and books! Her professional career started in graphic design and marketing but her roots were working at her dad’s small restaurant and designing invitations at an indie stationery store. When she had the opportunity to open Red Kettle Coffee she was devoted to supporting her own community by serving locally roasted coffee by a small women owned business, having a retail space dedicated to locally handmade and small business retail and also a gallery space to hang local artist’s works on rotation.

After over 7 years of the coffee life Mae was ready to open Smitten, a romance and women’s literature plus gift store! She is focused on celebrating female and nonbinary authors and makers in many genres, especially romance and self care. She’s excited to bring her community lots of events, which include but are not limited to: author events, book clubs, writing and fiber arts clubs, workshops, book swaps and tarot readings.