Southlea Bay

Series · 3 books · 2014-2017

By Suzanne Kelman

Books in series

The Rejected Writers' Book Club

2014

When small-town librarian Janet Johnson is persuaded to attend a gathering of local eccentric lady writers known as "The Rejected Writers Bookclub," she gets pulled into a kaleidoscope of craziness she never knew existed. Collecting publisher's rejection letters like trophies, this quirky society cares nothing for being in print and instead meets to celebrate in style its members' mutually spurned manuscripts. However, when disaster strikes just shy of their 500th letter and a huge club celebration, the group's survival hangs in the balance, and Janet finds herself railroaded into a madcap mission to save it. Coerced by their formidable team leader, Doris Newberry, she embarks on a crazy cross-country dash with a band of merry writers to save the club and the reputation of one very special member. As the intrepid adventurers race to complete their quest, the women's lives are irreversibly changed as they bond together through landslides, haunted houses, false labor, and first love.

Rejected Writers Take the Stage

2017

After months of playing the lottery and hoping for an uptick in her dog-boarding business, Janet’s friend Annie must face the inevitable: the bank is foreclosing on her family farm. But thanks to the Rejected Writers’ Book Club, Annie doesn’t have to face it alone. With just a few weeks to raise the $20,000 that she and her fifty rescue dogs need to avoid becoming homeless, the writers need a fund-raiser, and fast. Much to Janet’s horror, Doris has another crazy plan. In a moment of inspiration, their fearless leader declares a solution: a musical extravaganza. No one in the group has ever produced a musical, but Doris will not be deterred—they’ll write it together. And with Flora, who has never sung a note in her life, as the lead and Janet as their reluctant director—along with a hypochondriac costume designer, a pyrotechnics enthusiast, and Janet’s very pregnant daughter pitching in—what could possibly go wrong? To produce a miracle for Annie, Janet and her friends will work around the clock holding auditions, concocting elaborate costumes, and getting a little too close to blowing themselves up—but will it be enough?

The Rejected Writers' Christmas Wedding

2017

Southlea Bay's favorite sweethearts, Flora and Dan, are getting married and the members of the Rejected Writers' Book Club are excited to help. Especially the group's head honcho, Doris Newberry, who, much to Flora’s frustration, wants to control every detail, attempting to strong-arm Flora into accepting ridiculous wedding vows, wayward bongo players and into wearing a huge, old-fashioned wedding dress. But when a new resident arrives in town with information about Flora's past that threatens her chance of happiness, the overwhelmed bride-to-be disappears overnight. To find her, The Rejected Writers set off on yet another zany road trip adventure, this time to a make-believe Bavarian town. Where they meet lederhosen clad, young men, are entertained by oompah bands, go on wild sleigh rides, and sing in a yodeling competition. But when they eventually find the bride and the bridegroom learns the truth about her, will he still want to marry her or will all the wedding plans be in vain.

Author

Suzanne Kelman

Author · 13 books

Suzanne Kelman is an Amazon international bestselling author in America, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Her books have sold over 400,000 copies worldwide and accumulated 10 rights deals across eight territories. Her WW2 historical fiction books are published by Bookouture - an imprint for Hachette U.K. She is also the author of the bestselling book, "The Rejected Writers' Book Club", published by Lake Union, which is the first book in the Southlea Bay series. Other books in the series include, "Rejected Writers Take the Stage" and "The Rejected Writers' Christmas Wedding". Kelman is an award-winning writer/screenwriter whose accolades include the Best Comedy Feature Screenplay Award from the L.A. International Film Festival, the Gold Award from the California Film Awards, and the Van Gogh Award from the Amsterdam Film Festival. In 2015 her script, Held, was recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures and was shortlisted to the top ten in the Academy Of Motion Pictures Nichols Fellowship competition. As well as a screenwriter and a published author, Suzanne is also a playwright, and her award-winning comedy play, "Over My Dead Body", had its World Premiere at Outcast Theatre in Washington, Fall 2019. Born in the United Kingdom, Suzanne now resides in Washington State. Please sign up for her newsletter to stay in touch - https://www.suzannekelmanauthor.com