Name: Elise Wayland, Joined in Conversation by Denise Williams
Start: 2025-09-04T18:00:00-05:00
Location: The Bookworm Omaha

Elise Wayland, Joined in Conversation by Denise Williams

On Thursday, September 4th at 6:00 p.m., Elise Wayland and Denise Williams will discuss and sign their books, "Rivals to Lovers" and "Just Our Luck".
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Mo Denton has been obsessed with the classic feminist novel The Proud and the Lost for as long as she can remember. When Mo puts everything she has into writing a modern adaptation of her all-time favorite book, her agent Yuri loves it—but can't pitch it anywhere. The original author's estate must approve any adaptation, and so far, it has never allowed one to go forward. The agent who represents the estate—Wes Spencer—is also working on an updated version of the beloved story. Promoting Mo's project would go against Wes's own interests, and he's reluctant to bring it to Estelle Morgan, the elderly daughter of the original novelist. But when Yuri contacts Estelle herself, Estelle invites Mo and Wes to her home for a weekend where they will pitch each book to her and let her decide whose book will be approved-and whose work will be destined for deletion. Soon, Mo and Wes realize that they have more in common than just their love of the original book. As they grow closer and wait for the estate's decision, will the secrets Wes is keeping ruin the bond between them, or can they find their way to a happy ending?
Elise Wayland is a Midwestern writer and humorist, recently published in The New York Times, Electric Literature, The Rumpus, Scary Mommy, McSweeney's, and other outlets.
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Sybil Sweet has always been lucky, but lately she can't catch a break. After years of bouncing from job to job in search of something that feels right and from man to man in search of something special, Sybil is worried that she's the directionless, floundering daughter her family thinks she is. All she really wants now is a little financial stability and carb comfort. Lucky for her, she's got just enough in the bank to buy a lottery ticket, and the late-night donut store is open.
Kieran Anderson put his dreams of becoming a doctor on hold to take over running his family's bakery, and after fighting a losing battle to save the place, he's exhausted, broke, and no closer to getting back to school. But when a whirlwind of a woman sweeps in late one night, flirty energy gives way to more...until she runs out the next morning, leaving behind her winning lottery ticket. Lucky for Kieran, his attempt to return the ticket looks like a grand romantic gesture and goes viral, sending sales through the roof. In an effort to keep the store afloat and to convince Sybil's family she can make good relationship choices, they agree to fake a relationship for three months. Even with hundreds of millions of dollars, finding each other might end up being the sweetest bit of luck for both of them.
Denise Williams wrote her first book in the 2nd grade. "I Hate You" and its sequel, "I Still Hate You", featured a tough, funny heroine, a quirky hero, witty banter, and a dragon. Minus the dragons, these are still the books she likes to write. After penning those early works, she finished second grade and eventually earned a PhD in education. When she's not writing, reading, and thinking about love stories, she spends her days working in university administration. After growing up a military brat around the world and across the country, Denise now lives in Iowa with her husband, son, and a dog so quirky, she really needs to end up in a book.