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Hannah Orenstein • Author

@hannahorens

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📚 Author of Maine Characters and more
❤️ Lifestyle & Wellness Editor at @bustle⁣⁣⁣
📍 Brooklyn & Maine⁣⁣
👉🏻 Follow for writing tips

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Maine Characters is out today! I’ve never been prouder of a book or worked harder on anything else in my life. You can buy a copy now (link in bio), and I’d be so grateful if you shared this post.My new book is a love letter to my favorite place in the world. If you’ve seen my summers in Maine, then you know exactly what to expect. All I want is to whisk you away!Every night, the characters climb into a boat with Mason jars of wine to watch the sunset. There are pink skies and bright blue afternoons. Loons, lobster rolls, and an old house packed with family history. A pair of sisters, including a girl who just wants to sit outside with a stack of books.Publishing Maine Characters kind of feels like I’m inviting everyone over to the house. Come on in. Can I get you a glass of wine?📷: @nobookmark_noproblem by @hannahorens

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a year ago

New York, I love you.⁣⁣📷: @thedeansphoto ⁣💇🏻‍♀️: @penelopeloveshair ⁣💃🏻: @reformation ⁣🍟: @sweetwaternyc ⁣ by @hannahorens

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2 years ago

Meant to Be Mine comes out *tomorrow* and I can't help but reflect on the past 2+ years that have led to this moment. ⁣⁣💚 I started writing this on April 1, 2020, and it was the one joyful thing that kept me going during those scary early days of the pandemic. I'm so grateful to have had this project to escape into. ⁣⁣💚 The heart of this book is the relationship between a granddaughter and a grandmother, partly inspired by how lucky I felt to have my grandparents in my life well into adulthood. They both died in November 2020 — just 27 days apart after spending 65 years together — while I was finishing the first draft. I wish they could have read it, my testament to how much they meant to me. He would’ve muttered his favorite lines out loud, and she would’ve shushed him, insisting he didn’t spoil the plot for her. I miss them.⁣⁣💚 You'd think I'd know how to do this by now, but my impostor syndrome gets worse with every book I write. I was feeling a little bit nervous in the weeks leading up to the launch, but the outpouring of excitement from so many early readers has been so wonderful. I'm so happy to hear people are falling in love with Edie, Gloria, Theo, Rae, Bennett, and the rest of the cast! ⁣⁣💚 I continue to be awestruck by the #bookstagram community. To everyone there: thank you for helping make this book a success! ⁣⁣💚 Most of all, I feel so grateful for this opportunity. I get to write and publish books — my biggest dream! — solely because of my incredible readers' support. None of this would exist without you. I'm forever thankful.⁣⁣📷 by @stephaniemmckinley ⁣#meanttobemine #hannahorenstein #booklaunch #bookstagram #nycbookclub #pubday #atriabooks #romancebooks #romancenovels #beachread #beachreads #bookstack #bookstacks #bookstackchallenge by @hannahorens

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4 years ago

Do you like books? Beer? New England? Then wow, do I have the event for you.On Monday, August 3, I’m joining four incredible authors of New England beach reads for a party hosted by @reedmor_books, an indie bookshop in Portsmouth, NH.Think less of a traditional signing and more like readers hanging out with authors at a brewery!I’ll be there with:📚 @megmitchellmoore📚 @deb.curtis906📚 druishamericanprincess📚 @madteawithmzHosted by @reedmor_books at @liarsbenchbeer in Portsmouth, NH.Tickets are free! Register here: eventbrite.com/e/big-beach-energy-an-evening-of-sizzling-hot-reads-and-ice-cold-beers-tickets…?aff=oddtdtcreator by @hannahorens

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11 days ago

Is there any other way to pack for Maine? by @hannahorens

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a month ago

On Ben’s birthday, I want to tell you more about him:He’s a punk rocker turned CMO, a goofball who also happens to be a grownup.He’s absurdly smart, with an encyclopedic knowledge of geography, obscure baseball stats, and British murder mysteries.He’s a cat dad who once threw Eloise a tiny birthday party.He helps me work out book ideas and made about a million Excel models to track my sales.Most importantly, he makes the people around him feel thoroughly loved!He’s a gem. I’m very, very lucky. by @hannahorens

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a month ago

Hop in the boat, we’re heading back to Maine! I’m ecstatic to share that my newest book, LAKE PEOPLE, will be out next summer.We’ve got:⚓️ a lake in Maine, duh👯‍♀️ childhood best friends who fell apart after a scandal🤷🏻‍♀️ what happens when life doesn’t go according to plan🚕 a dip into nostalgia for New York’s magazine world in the 2010s⏰ a dash of time travel!I’d be forever grateful if you swiped through the carousel and helped me spread the word — thank you! by @hannahorens

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2 months ago

One magical week in Switzerland! In summary:1 wrong turn, Ben hiked up the Alps in thigh-deep snow to rescue me1 accidental run down a black trail 3 times I teared up behind ski goggles… but I was brave and kept going!5 aprés-ski days7 pots of fondue 10,000 feet above sea level11 new friends, including hostess extraordinaire @rebeccalrosenthal 18 faux fur coats that came with the chalet rental… and an infinite amount of fun. À bientôt! by @hannahorens

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4 months ago

Hi! I accidentally took a hiatus from Instagram for a few months. I’d been feeling pretty burned out from social media and screens since Maine Characters launched in May, and I figured I’d get back online soon, except.... I just never got around to it.For the first time in quite literally twenty years, I wasn’t posting all day, every day, on at least one platform or another. It was so nice! My brain sprawled out and relaxed.Nap time is over, though, and I’m happy to be back. I have a bunch of photo dumps to come. Talk soon! by @hannahorens

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7 months ago

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a little nutty about sunsets. They are a BIG deal to me. The universe puts on a free art show every night! How lucky are we?I watch them daily and rate them using a super scientific, highly objective, patented, proprietary, two-prong scoring system. I despise leaving the lake after 5 p.m. because what if I miss a good one?One half of the rating is SKY.1 — rain2 — white sky3 — gray sky4 — barely colorful5 — meh6 — minimal clouds, just a gradient7 — good clouds, good colors8 — great clouds, great colors9 — a phenomenal masterpiece10 — hang it in the Louvre, requires colorful reflections on the waterThe other half is VIBES, which encompasses weather, loon sightings, noisy boats, wine, great company, etc.I have every 2025 sunset score saved to a highlight (‘23 and ‘24 too). Here are this year’s greatest hits. by @hannahorens

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a year ago

For so many reasons, this was the best summer I’ve had in years. Here are the highlights, not including sunsets and book stuff! More on that soon.1 - 2. Ben’s first Maine summer! On our second date, before he knew about this place, he mentioned that he’d like to have a lake house someday. Well, well, well. After weeks here, his official review: “I loved it.” We had a @supertotallyfuntime.3. Can you please look at this?!?4. For six years, my dad @jack0renstein has been building a sailboat in our basement. It’s done! I’m so excited. It’s named after @talkingpointsmemo, where he discovered the boat kit.5. My sister @juliaorenstein proposed back to her fiancé @jeffjeff570! He’s a huge hiker and his ring is engraved with his favorite mountain range.6 - 8. Maine being Maine. Never change.9 - 12. I spent a week in Alaska with Ben plus family and friends. I’ll never get over the bear.13 - 15. Wildlife. (Little sisters count.)16. Obligatory photo to document that I looked hot at least once this summer.17. I really adored hearing from long-time followers that they felt like they already knew the world of Maine Characters through my Instagram. I’m so happy I could share this special place with you.18. My favorite read of the summer was @ejeancarroll’s phenomenal memoir about her trials. She won! Twice! Her strength and colorful spirit are beyond comprehension.19 - 20. My cousin @zvrnstin got married! Under redwoods in California. It was such a beautiful weekend. by @hannahorens

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a year ago

My last Maine Characters event of the summer was in Kennebunkport at @lupinebooksmaine. The wonderful @stephstell, a long-time New Yorker-turned-Mainer, hosted the Q&A and signing. The audience was so much fun — what a perfect way to close the season! by @hannahorens

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a year ago