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Amy Spalding - In Her SpotlightPresented by Left Bank Books & the Left Bank Books Foundation
In conversation with Adib Khorram, award-winning queer Iranian author of I'll Have What He's Having
Please help us welcome Amy Spalding back to Left Bank Books to celebrate In Her Spotlight, the newest book in the Out in Hollywood series. Raised in St. Louis, Amy is a Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award-winning author of authentic, funny, and diverse novels representing the LGBTQ+ community. In Her Spotlight follows Hollywood actor Tess Gardner aims to prove her chops in a theatrical production directed by her ex whose heart she broke a decade earlier. In Her Spotlight is an actually hilarious, sweetly sexy, gloriously relatable, second chance, sapphic rom-com.
Spalding will personalize and sign copies after the presentation! Personalized and signed copies will be available to be mailed anywhere in the country. For personalized copies, please order before noon on February 27th.
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399 N. Euclid Ave
St. Louis, MO 63108
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About the Speakers
Amy Spalding is a Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award-winning author of authentic, funny, and diverse novels representing the LGBTQ+ community, including For Her Consideration, At Her Service, 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 has a B.A. in Advertising & Marketing Communications from Webster University and an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School. She also studied longform improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Raised in St. Louis, she now lives in Los Angeles and can be found online at TheAmySpalding.com.
Adib Khorram is the queer Iranian American author of books like Darius the Great Is Not Okay, which won the William C Morris Award, the Asian Pacific American Literature Award, a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor, and was named one of TIME Magazine's 100 Greatest YA Novels of All Time; the picture book Bijan Always Wins, which was the 2025 selection for the Missouri Center for the Book's Great Reads from Great Places; and the USA Today Bestselling romance I'll Have What He's Having. He's a Kansas City native, a MacDowell fellow, and serves on the national board of directors for Authors Against Book Bans.
About In Her Spotlight
For fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall, and Meryl Wilsner, an actually hilarious, sweetly sexy, gloriously relatable, second chance, sapphic rom-com from the acclaimed author of For Her Consideration, starring a franchise Hollywood actress aims to prove her chops in a theatrical production directed by her ex whose heart she broke a decade earlier.
Hollywood actor Tess Gardner is not the kind of famous she set out to be. She's ready to show she's more than Princess Platinum of the Vindicators series, a pretty face with CGI superpowers that literally sparkle. Tess wants to prove herself as an actor and that means theatre--the true calling of her thespian heart. But just when Tess lands a part working with an acclaimed stage director, a brewing scandal forces him out. His replacement? None other than hip, buzzy director Rebecca Frisch. The same Rebecca Frisch whose heart a firmly closeted Tess broke over a decade ago during summer stock . . .
As Tess wrestles with her lingering guilt and attraction to Rebecca, she also finds herself struggling to rein in her superstar status backstage. When things unexpectedly reignite with Rebecca, Tess bristles even more against the walls of her A-list life. Since the industry's made it clear that girl-next-door superheroes can't also be gay, coming out isn't realistic for Tess. And ultimately, Rebecca will head back to New York and likely seek out a less complicated relationship anyway.
Will the curtain close on her chance for happiness or will Tess finally take a leading role in her own life?
Praise for In Her Spotlight
"A warm and rollicking romance that makes you feel like a Hollywood insider." --Rainbow Rowell, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Slow Dance
" In Her Spotlight is Amy Spalding at the top of her game. It's laugh-out-loud funny and poked-bruise tender--and, of course, sexy as hell. This is the book you want to read right now." --Alexandra Romanoff, author of Big Fan
"Another stellar addition to the Amy Spalding Cinematic Universe! In Her Spotlight is a pitch-perfect second chance romance, full of angst, depth, and hard-won growth." --Ava Wilder, author of Will They or Won't They
"All hail the queen of the queer rom-com! In Her Spotlight is Amy Spalding's best book yet--a vibrant, funny, sweepingly romantic tribute to the importance of living life unapologetically your way. You will fall in love with Tess and Rebecca." --Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, bestselling authors of The Royal We
" In Her Spotlight is the behind-the-scenes sapphic Hollywood novel of my dreams. Filled with sizzling chemistry, thoughtful explorations of identity, and the joys of theatre, this book is a must read." --Camille Kellogg, author of Just As You Are and The Next Chapter
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Left Bank Books, 399 N Euclid Ave,St. Louis, Missouri, United States
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