Caper Crush is a 2023 Independent Press Award Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite. Woo hoo!

In 2023, the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD had entries worldwide.  Authors and publishers from countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Norway, Scotland, and South Africa participated. Submitted books included writers based in a variety of cities: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Cape Town, Halifax, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, New York City and many others. Submissions came from well-known indie publishers such as Barefoot Books; Friesen Press; Greenleaf Book Group, Koehler Books; Loyola Press; Merack Publishing; Red Chair Press; Red Hen Press; Rowman & Littlefield; Rutgers University Press; SAE International; She Writes Press; and TouchPoint Press. And now Strawbundle Publishing!

Caper Crush also placed as a QuarterFinalist in the Screencraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition.

One day, I hope to write a screen play version.

Caper Crush

Caper Crush is my opposites attract, slow burn romantic comedy caper wtih a mystery.

Here’s the blurb:

Somebody stole my painting! The one I need for the career-defining Vertex Art Exhibit. This upcoming art show is my chance to finally be recognized as an artist—after ten years of waitressing and being asked if I still have that “lovely painting hobby.”

I have mere weeks to find my painting or lose my artist dream forever—but it’s going to mean working with William.

William Haruki Matsumura. Good-looking, if you like the Secret Service type. You know, law-abiding, protector of women and children. That’s all fine, but I can never tell what he’s thinking. Which drives me crazy.

He insists on coming along to do “damage control.” As if “accidentally” wandering into certain areas is “breaking and entering.” I may be an emotional artist, but William shouldn’t dismiss my investigative skills yet.

William is definitely my opposite, and if there’s one takeaway from my parents’ divorce, it’s that opposites might attract, but it doesn’t last. But detecting with William is kind of fun—and fluttery. I definitely can’t trust these feelings, or can I? However this caper ends, I think this may be more than a crush.

K-Drama Recommendations

I’ve also been meaning to write a post with some more K-Drama recommendations. Here are a few new favorites.

Love to Hate You (Netflix)

An enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. A woman who hates losing to men meets a man (one of the top romantic actors) who she thinks is a misogynist and decides to teach him a lesson.

Call It Love (Viki)

Another enemies-to-lovers K-drama. In Call It Love, Woo-joo wants revenge on her father’s mistress and decides to target the son of her father’s mistress. Only he is a good person, and she’s falling in love with him and wants to protect him. I’m watching this one right now and loving it. Kim Young-kwang and Lee Sung-kyung are conveying their characters brilliantly and with such subtle nuance. They are both very talented actors, and their previous shows, Gogh, The Starry Night and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, have been among my favorite k-dramas.

Let’s Talk

I’m so thrilled that Caper Crush is a 2023 Independent Press Award Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite and that it placed as a quarterfinalist in the Screencraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition.

What are you reading or watching right now?

Happy Spring!