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Jenny Williams

Jenny Williams

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the heroine journey

If Your Story Had a Cover …

Jun. 30, 2024

I have a question. If whatever it is you are going through right now – your current story – had a front and back cover, would it be easier to let go of the ending? This, of course, assumes you struggle with letting go, like I do. I struggle in very subtle ways I’ve come…

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Welcome!

I’m so glad you’re here. I’m Jenny Williams, artist, author, and creator of Carrot Top Paper Shop: an online gift shop for book lovers and kindred spirits. I am passionate about nurturing creativity and approaching every area of life with a heroine mindset. Make yourself comfortable, won’t you? And I’ll pour you a glass of “raspberry cordial” …

Some literary heroines demonstrate heroic traits f Some literary heroines demonstrate heroic traits from very early on (Anne Shirley, Jane Eyre, Esperanza Ortega), some have a more dramatic character arc (Valancy Stirling, Mary Lennox), and a few are so unlikely, they make you wonder what it is you are drawn to about them …

Sarah Miles in The End of the Affair is a very unlikely heroine. 

When I re-read recently as a member of @well_read_mom, I was puzzled at first, what I found so relatable in her.

I share my brief thoughts about what Sarah taught me about true love on the Well-Read Mom blog. If you care to read, you’ll find the link in my bio.

Have you read this page-turning, leave-you-pondering-for-days-novel by Graham Greene?
It’s picnic season and I find myself eyeing pretty It’s picnic season and I find myself eyeing pretty outdoor spots while driving around town, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten in my planning for now. 😆

We’re expecting baby boy in just a few weeks and I’m seriously in nesting mode at the moment. 

But while outdoor adventures aren’t on my radar right now, maybe I’ll just enjoy a cup of tea on the back porch …

But I’d love to know: do YOU have any outdoor dining  plans in the near future? Have you read about any in a book that have inspired you? What is your favorite picnic food? 🧺 🍓🥪🍪

Photo 1 is a sketch Lorilee and I included in our Eat Like a Heroine proposal, photo 2 is a completed sketch from the book (and the May illustration in the 2026 CTPS calendar), photo 3 is a picture of joyful anticipation.
The weather the past few days has been pure perfec The weather the past few days has been pure perfection. After rain and cloudy skies last week, it seems fitting that Easter ushered in sunshine and a cool breeze. ☀️🍃

Are the birds singing where you live too? 

(And have you read Ruth, by Elizabeth Gaskell? I recently read it for the first time. What a gem!)
Do you find this to be true in your life? Or is Sa Do you find this to be true in your life? Or is Sara’s perspective only “real” in books?

These are the kinds of questions I’ve been pondering for my next book (releasing next year with Penguin Random House!). 

As I’ve reflected more and more on the heroine’s journey as we see it in stories, I am convinced it is a pattern that takes us deeper — not further from — reality. 

And the good news: that pattern is one of hope!

Also: I’ve extended the sale … now through Saturday, take 30% off (almost) everything.
(Almost) everything in the shop is 30% off right n (Almost) everything in the shop is 30% off right now! Stock up on uplifting and bookish Easter goodies or every-occasion gifts in the shop. 🥳📬💌
Right now, use code BOOKDEAL in my shop to get a f Right now, use code BOOKDEAL in my shop to get a free $10 gift of your choice when you order a signed copy of Eat Like a Heroine OR spend $20 on anything else you like. 

Be inspired by the heroines’ joy and fervor when it comes to all things food: picnics, entertaining last minute guests, throwing a fancy dinner party, or simply eating a simple lunch on a park bench instead of at your computer. 

The heroines show us that the way we eat has the power to change the world for the better. (And we aren’t talking about diets here. We’re talking fresh perspectives, gratitude, and enjoying everyday beauty.)

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