Life on the mid-list

A publishable—nine books in print—but not star author writes about what it takes to carve out a career when your publisher isn’t investing a lot in you. Romance writer Cheris Hodges is grateful for a supportive family. “So many times my sister has been in Wal-Mart and sold my book to a shopper wandering around the book section. My mom sells my books in church—and I’m certain we’re going to hell for that because these novels are really steamy. When my dad was waiting for a kidney transplant and had to undergo dialysis, he got his nurses hooked on my books.”

Creative loafing