Details: blanket: similar via Etsy & linked below // tote bag: Skinny Dip Nantucket {similar: Anthropologie} // book: Feels Like Falling c/o 

Female Founded Business Spotlight…

We’re approaching the season of beach days and beach reads and I am so thrilled to share an expert on just that! 😊This female-founded business spotlight features Kristy Woodson Harvey (@kristywharvey), who I connected with a few years back and have been inspired by ever since.

Kristy is both a USA Today bestselling author for her *addictive* southern novels, and a design blogger for Design Chic, a blog she runs with her mom that covers beautiful traditional homes. She is just as kind as she is talented, and I know you’re just going to fall in love with her writing and design sense, if you haven’t already!

All of Kristy’s books are worth reading, and I started with the Peachtree Bluff Series, which I listened to on my work commute about a year ago. They’re meaningful and feel-good all at once, and truly portray the intricacies and love between sisters and families. I adored the characters and would highly recommend the series as the first “beach reads” you pick up this summer!

Kristy also just released Feels Like Falling, which she describes in the interview below. It sounds like it’s a story full of optimism and hope, and I couldn’t think of a more perfect message for right now. She was kind enough to allow me to spotlight her in this post (I’m such a fan girl omg 😊) and answer the below questions about how she got started writing, blogging, and launching her latest book… and doing it all with poise and southern charm!

Tell us about your background! How did you get started writing, and what inspires your novels?

KRISTY: I think I’ve always been a writer at heart. I used to carry notebooks around and fill them up with stories when I was little. I got my first newspaper column when I was sixteen, and I think that was a big turning point for me. It was when I decided to go to journalism school. I said I’d never write a novel, but these ideas just kept finding me. And, the more I wrote, the more ideas I got! It was like once I started it was very clear that this was what I was supposed to do!

How did you gain an interest in design, and how did that lead to your blog, Design Chic?

KRISTY: Mom and I were both redoing historic houses, and we really started Design Chic just to share ideas with each other. We never expected anyone to read it, and we certainly didn’t expect to be here ten years later! It has been a gift in so many ways–especially in the friends we’ve met, like you!!

Your style and design sense is so timeless– what are your #1 outfit and decorating must-haves?

KRISTY: You are so kind! Design wise, I love incorporating a key antique or two into a more modern room. English antiques never go out of style but you can make them fun with the other elements. Then, when it’s time to redo, you don’t have to buy your major pieces over, just upholstery and accessories, which tend to be far less expensive! Style wise, I’m pretty simple! I wear dresses almost all the time because I love the ease of only having to choose one thing. And fun, trendy pieces that you’ll only wear a couple times can be totally elevated by a nice piece of jewelry or a great pair of shoes that you can wear over and over again!

What is the premise of your latest book, Feels Like Falling, and who would you recommend it for?

KRISTY: Feels Like Falling is a story about unexpected friendship, overcoming hardship and second chances at finding love. It’s an optimistic story and, really, I don’t think it could have come out at a better time. It’s about how we pick ourselves back up when our lives feel like they’re falling apart, and we’re sort of all in that space right now, I think. Anyone who likes fun summer beach reads with a bit of depth to them–especially people who like Southern settings–would enjoy this one, I think!

After Feels Like Falling, which one of your books would you recommend to someone who is reading your work for the first time?

KRISTY: Slightly South of Simple, the first book in my Peachtree Bluff Series, has really taken on a life of its own. It released three years ago and still, every week, so many new readers are finding it. It’s amazing to me! Peachtree Bluff has also been optioned for a TV series, so–fingers crossed–we can all watch the Murphy sisters and their mom after we’ve read about them!

Much love to Kristy to sharing her history and tips with us all in this post! I seriously couldn’t recommend her books more, and hope this post helps you kick off your summer reading list! xx