Isle of Ever is a B&N Monthly Pick!
Kicking 2026 off with a bang
I have a confession: I am the slowest runner known to man. I mean it. In high school, I ran the 3200 meter race (which is slightly shorter than two miles) solely because our school needed someone to run it and I was the slowest runner of the bunch. “Just keep going!” my coach would yell. And so I did. I kept running. And while I’ve talked about this a bit before, I’ve realized running relates well to writing a book too. We train by coming up with ideas and plotting them out, and then we begin the task of writing the book, then editing the book, and awaiting the book’s completion when it (hopefully) makes its way out into the world and into readers’ hands.
When I think about the idea of Isle of Ever, I realize it’s one that has been brewing since childhood when my grandparents owned a home on the north fork of Long Island two blocks from the water, not far from where Captain Kidd supposedly buried some treasure. My grandmother, also a big reader, convinced me that if I dug for treasure, one day I might find some. I didn’t (though I’ve heard stories about people who have found treasure nearby), but I did find something even better: My story.
Isle of Ever is technically forty-plus years in the making! I’d call that quite the marathon! I didn’t start talking to my editor about the idea till 2023, and even then, my original plot line was a bit messy. The magic of the island wasn’t working just yet, and my thoughts on the timeline weren’t coming together the way I wanted. I remember thinking at times this idea might never work, but I just kept going. I kept “training” and figuring out the plot till it finally clicked. The first book in the series came out in March 2025, and couldn’t be more proud of it. Not only did it hit the New York Times bestseller list, but it became a Read with Jenna Jr. summer reading pick and won a Good Housekeeping 2025 Book Award. And then my publicist called earlier this fall with news that made me almost pass out: Isle of Ever has been chosen as the Young Readers Pick for January at Barnes and Noble!
Being the Young Reader Pick for January at Barnes and Noble means that you can walk in any location, and most likely find a paperback copy of Isle of Ever waiting in the kids’ section, and as an author, the thought of this gives me goosebumps. I’ve been driving around visiting as many locations as I can get to, but the good news, is that like treasure, you might find a signed copy of Isle of Ever at stores nationwide. I was so excited, I sent signed bookplates to at least one store in every state! And here’s the fun part: If you take a picture of the book at the store and tag me and the store in a post, a story, or on Facebook, you’ll be entered to win one of three exclusive Isle of Ever prize packs. It’s just my small way of saying thank you for reading my mystery- adventure series.
I’ve already started hearing from readers who have found Isle of Ever in their local store and tagged me in pictures and I can’t wait to hear from you as well. And just remember, whatever you’re working on—a novel, a new project, a new goal—it’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon. Keep going!
XO
Jen Calonita
How wonderful! You are such a lovely person, and a fantastic creative writer! I am so happy about this latest of your sucesses!