I just recorded a superb webinar with Lilian Sue where we help authors sift through the pros and cons of hiring a publicist. The Publicity dilemma webinar: Do you need a publicist to successfully launch your book? Is it worth the investment? What are the pros and cons of working with a publicist (and how do you pick the right one?) An honest “no dumb questions” session where book publicist and author coach Lilian Sue joins me to answer these questions and more! Register here to watch the replay! WATCH THE REPLAY ..read more

Traveling for the San Miguel de Allende Writer’s Conference? Or perhaps another event at the Hotel Real de Minas? I’m an author (and book marketing expert) based here, and I’m happy to share my insider tips. Welcome to The Lainey List - Your essential San Miguel de Allende toolkit from a local! Best Restaurants near Hotel Real de Minas Rustica (Breakfast/Lunch) - Local’s favorite. Good coffee and wide ranging eclectic menu in a lovely courtyard setting. Exit the Real de Minas front lobby and go right on the main road. Note: it can get busy and have a line, especially on the weekends (4 minu ..read more

Looking for a cafe to work with good wifi? The best part of being a digital nomad is choosing where to work (city, country), and at the micro level: Which coffee shop today? To me, the place to get in computer time (or do some writing) has friendly staff, decent wifi, great coffee, plenty of power outlets. Plus, it isn't so busy that I feel I'm getting in the way of their regular lunch business in taking up a table. If you're visiting San Miguel de Allende, here's a run-down of my favorite places to get connected. Inside Cafe inside cafe You can’t do better! Great coffee and best food in town ..read more

The town of San Miguel de Allende doesn’t have beaches, so the best location to enjoy fresh lime margaritas and watch the sunset is one of San Miguel's numerous rooftop bars. Since my partner and I seem to have made a habit of hanging out at them, here's our view of the best rooftop bars in San Miguel, with a few restaurants thrown in for good measure. There are also posts here on the Best Cafes to Work and What to do in San Miguel. The Big Daddys of San Miguel Rooftops  These are the bars you’ll see referenced in the tour books. For the full San Miguel experience ..read more

If you’re visiting our fair city, there is so much to see that you could stay for months (For more info, check out my popular posts on Top Experiences in San Miguel de Allende and our Famous Rooftop Bars !). But what if you only have one hour (or two) in the middle of the day, for example during a break in a conference? Here are five ideas from a local on how to use a spare hour. There’s also a map of each of the spots mentioned in this article. A note: If you’re visiting for the San Miguel de Allende Writer’s Conference, all of these can be reached in less than an hour starting from the Hotel ..read more

For those of you considering a visit to San Miguel de Allende, here's a run down of recommended must-not-miss experiences, or otherwise said, my favorite list of things to do as a local. This is in addition to my favorite activity which will always be hanging in the Best Rooftop Bars in San Miguel de Allende. Bask in the Colors This might be my favorite part of San Miguel. Just wander the town and enjoy the colors and seasons. It seems like every day is a festival here and often you'll come across some random parade. Sometimes even the locals don't know why today is a party. Ca ..read more

I’ve been asked a few times in messaging what is the flat monitor and stand that Hubby and I are both using. This is the one that let us move from packing two monitors, surrounded by clothes in a suitcase to carry-only for our current Asia trip. So far we both love! Perhaps the only downside is the stand does require a mini wrench (that comes with it) to disassemble into two parts. And one of us (that being me) had our wrench confiscated from carry on! So, just a consideration on the stand. Easy enough to replace, but still a little bit of a hassle and it is a bit heavy, too.   Full Discl ..read more

Ready to get book marketing savvy in the new year? Today’s episode of Charlotte Reader’s Podcast kicks off with insights from seven members who’ve participated in the Weekly Writer Support Group that Charlotte Dune and I host (more deets on that here!). In this podcast episode, Landis Wade and the crew at Charlotte Readers Podcast ask for our best tips and experience on what works in building author platform and selling books, how to gather reviews, and our most unique or enjoyable marketing events or tactics. I respect and have learned from each of these authors (and Landis) and I know you ..read more

Hubby and I are both tech fans (we love learning to use new gadgets!). With the awesome locations we are lucky enough to live as digital nomads, we decided in late 2022 to treat ourselves to a camera drone - just for fun! Here’s the link on Amazon to drone we chose, the DJI Mini 3 with Fly More Kit. And below is more info on why we chose this one over other (cheaper) options.   Full Disclosure: I’m part of the Amazon affiliate program, which means I get a small commission if you buy something after clicking through from a link (like the image above) on my website. Why a drone? Although s ..read more

Full Disclosure: I’m part of the Amazon affiliate program, which means I get a tiny commission if you buy something after clicking through from a link on my website. Socks Bigger Gifts Reading blankie! Booklover gift box - with socks, a tote bag, a page holder and more :)   Other Ideas! Tumbler - because wine and books are the perfect combo! Cute candle Key ring   Bookish t-shirts For the book lover you just can’t get to put that book down, lol Abibliphobia - the fear of running out of books! The purple one of this is super cute!   Gifts for the Writer in your Life Also ..read more