The Quad Cities is a center for up-and-coming art. Places like the Figge Museum or the Center for Living Arts are perfect examples of the masterful art created in what most of the country sees as a “flyover state.” And in terms of writing, the Quad Cities is home to a plethora of young authors.
Thea Lambert is a California-born author living in Bettendorf. An eloquent and funny romance writer, she’s been working on her “Mouthwatering” book series for over a decade.
“It’s been my dream to get a book published since I was a little girl writing in her diary,” Lambert stated. “Since then, I’ve participated in [National Novel Writing Month], and written well over 10 novels. When I started self-publishing, I thought that my dream was gonna fade. My amazing marketing team has made my novels a success, and I’m so thankful to be able to publish a full series.”
The series contains four books”Food Fight,” “Sex on a Plate,” “Just Desserts” and “Perfect Pairing.” She published all four over the span of a year in 2021. They are now available on Amazon for purchase.
Pleasant Valley High School librarian, Carissa McDonald is happy to see the emerging authors of the Quad Cities. “It’s exciting when new authors enter the publishing world. It’s so important to have as many diverse voices as possible getting their work out there. Not only do more people get to tell their stories, but we all get to learn more about the world and people around us,” said McDonald.
It is thanks to emerging authors like Lambert that there has been a recent increase in the diversity and authenticity of literature.
Her books are renowned across the community. PV alum and avid reader Alex Glennon has nothing but praise to sing for Lambert’s expert story craft. “I’ve read the whole Mouthwatering series and I’ve positively fallen in love with these books. Food Fight is my favorite. It captures such a fun, carefree romance,” said Glennon.
Be on the lookout for her upcoming new novel, separate from the series, “His Blue-Collar Countess.” With authors like Lambert finding success, continuing to support local authors will produce good results.
