Stuff and Nonsense

Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Golden by Jessi Kirby (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers hardcover, 14 May 2013.)

Good girl Parker Frost sometimes wishes she could do something improper. Not something bad, but rather rebellious and unexpected. She's always done everything she could to make her mother proud: worked hard, excelled in school and made valedictorian. She's even one of the finalists for a scholarship to the university of her choice.

But before she graduates from high school, Parker wants to -- just once -- break the rules.

A perfect opportunity falls in her lap when, as part of her TA assignment for English teacher Mr. Kinney, she stumbles across the journal of Julianna Farnetti. Ten years earlier, Julianna and her boyfriend Shane Cruz were the "golden couple" of Summit Lakes High, but on the night of their graduation, Shane's jeep slides off a mountain road. Neither of their bodies were found, but the water was so icy cold that their deaths were almost a foregone conclusion.

Parker begins to read Julianna's journal, and discovers some major secrets. Julianna had a relationship with an older guy, an artist who encouraged Julianna's own artistic aspirations. Learning how Julianna's hesitation to defy expectations was the cause of a real tragedy spurs Parker to push the envelope.

With the help of Trevor, whom she's had a crush on forever, and her best friend Kat, Parker follows up on some clues in Julianna's journal to find out who the older man might be, and what really happened to Julianna and Shane.

Not just a coming-of-age novel, this unputdownable book is a story about relationships between friends, girls and guys, and teens and parents, as well as a satisfying mystery.

FTC Full Disclosure: My thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the e-galley.

Recently received

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Strange Bird by Anna Jansson (Stockholm Text trade paperback, 10 September 2013).

When a bird flu pandemic reaches the picturesque yet uncanny island Gotland, panic spreads among the inhabitants who are frantic for an elusive cure. As the community becomes more desperate, the hunt for scapegoats begins. Extremist and anti-immigrant groups gain ground while nurse Sandra Hägg makes a gruesome discovery at the health clinic where she works—a discovery that will cost her life. Soon Detective Inspector Maria Wern is handpicked to investigate the case.

Not the Killing Type (Booktown Mystery #7) by Lorna Barrett (Berkley Prime Crime hardcover, 2 July 2013).

It’s November in Stoneham, New Hampshire, and that means it’s time for the Chamber of Commerce elections. The race is already a bit heated, as the long-standing Chamber president is being challenged by a former lover—Tricia’s own sister, Angelica. Then local small business owner Stan Berry throws his hat in the ring.

Unfortunately, it’s not there for long when he’s found murdered in the Brookview Inn. The murder weapon is a brass letter opener belonging to the inn’s receptionist. Tricia knows there’s no way the receptionist is a killer. And when Angelica asks Tricia to help clear her name and win the election, she sees little choice except to start snooping.

She soon uncovers a ballot box full of lies and betrayals, and a chamber full of people who had grudges against the victim. But were they serious enough to lead to murder? And who truly had something to gain? Tricia will have to do some serious sleuthing before she pulls the lever on a killer.

The Man from Berlin by Luke McCallin (Berkley Prime Crime trade paperback, 2 July 2013).

In war-torn Yugoslavia, a beautiful young filmmaker and photographer—a veritable hero to her people—and a German officer have been brutally murdered.

Assigned to the case is military intelligence officer Captain Gregor Reinhardt. Already haunted by his wartime actions and the mistakes he’s made off the battlefield, he soon finds that his investigation may be more than just a murder—and that the late Yugoslavian heroine may have been much more brilliant—and treacherous—than anyone knew.

Maneuvering his way through a minefield of political, military, and personal agendas and vendettas, Reinhardt knows that someone is leaving a trail of dead bodies to cover their tracks. But those bloody tracks may lead Reinhardt to a secret hidden within the ranks of the powerful that they will do anything to keep, and his search for the truth may kill him before he ever finds it.

Watching Eagles Soar by Margaret Coel (Berkley Prime Crime trade paperback, 2 July 2013).

In this thrilling collection of short stories, and essays Margaret Coel invites you to follow Father John O’Malley and Vicky Holden further into the hidden mysteries and crimes of the Wind River Reservation:

When artifacts are stolen from the Arapaho Museum, Father John and Vicky are drawn down a path of two-bit hoodlums, drug dealers, and murder…An allergic reaction lands a young man in the ICU, but his life hinges on solving the mystery of a thirty-year-old murder…Vicky finds herself in a game of cat and mouse with Lonny Hereford, the murderer they call Bad Heart, whom she helped put away three years ago…

The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker (Pamela Dorman Books hardcover, 1 August 2013).

Nora Fischer’s dissertation is stalled and her boyfriend is about to marry another woman. During a miserable weekend at a friend’s wedding, Nora wanders off and walks through a portal into a different world where she’s transformed from a drab grad student into a stunning beauty. Before long, she has a set of glamorous new friends and her romance with gorgeous, masterful Raclin is heating up. It’s almost too good to be true.

Then the elegant veneer shatters. Nora’s new fantasy world turns darker, a fairy tale gone incredibly wrong. Making it here will take skills Nora never learned in graduate school. Her only real ally—and a reluctant one at that—is the magician Aruendiel, a grim, reclusive figure with a biting tongue and a shrouded past. And it will take her becoming Aruendiel’s student—and learning magic herself—to survive. When a passage home finally opens, Nora must weigh her “real life” against the dangerous power of love and magic.

Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols (MTV Books, 16 July 2013).

Bailey Mayfield grew up playing bluegrass music all over the southern States, along with her younger sister Julie. At sixteen, Julie got a recording contract. By herself. Without Bailey.

Because Bailey handled the news badly, her parents sent her to spend the summer with her grandfather, while they toured with Julie. They even made her use her mother's maiden name: Wright. Bailey's not supposed to perform because she might "mess things up" for her sister, but her grandfather got her a job playing the fiddle for a company that provided musical impersonators for various events.

After a few days of playing the fiddle in cheesy costumes with "Elvis" and "Dolly", she's assigned to play with a Johnny Cash impersonator, Darren Hardiman and his son, Sam. Not only is Sam incredibly gorgeous, he's an amazing guitarist and singer. After their gig, he asks Bailey if she wants to play a gig with his band at a bar that night, but when she asks her grandfather, he immediately refuses.

But Sam won't take "no" for an answer, and shows up on the doorstep telling Mr. Wright that he wants to take Bailey out on a date. Bailey's grandfather is so charmed by Sam that he agrees, and they sneak Bailey's fiddle out with them.

Bailey fits in great with the band, musically, anyway. Charlotte, the drummer, who went to high school with Sam is jealous of her, and the bass player, Ace, dislikes her because Charlotte does.

Bailey is terrified that someone will recognize her, or that her family will find out. And she's embarrassed to tell the band why she shouldn't join them.

Echols is very good at portraying strong young women in difficult circumstances (see last summer's Such a Rush). We learn about Bailey's family and history organically, as the story unfolds, which makes her situation even more poignant and bleak. I do, however, have an issue with the title, which makes Bailey's "secret" seem like something dark and sordid, which it really isn't.

FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the author for the advanced reading copy.

Visit me at CFC!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:25:00 +0000

I'm over at Crime Fiction Collective today, with a review of Erin Kelly's latest novel, THE BURNING AIR. Please drop by!

Recently received

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Tarnished and Torn (Witchcraft Mystery #5) by Juliet Blackwell (Obsidian mass market, 2 July 2013).

When Lily arrives at an antique jewelry fair, her bargain sensors go off left and right—but she also picks up a faint vibration of magic. Could the hard-bargaining merchant Griselda be a fellow practitioner? It certainly seems that way when a sudden fire sends panic through the crowd, and Lily discovers Griselda murdered in a way that nods to an old-fashioned witch hunt…
A crime that hits close to home turns into an unwelcome flash from the past when the police bring in their lead suspect—Lily’s estranged father. Though he may not deserve her help, Lily is determined to clear her father’s name and solve a murder that’s anything but crystal clear.

A Custom-Fit Crime (Magical Dressmaking Mystery #4) by Melissa Bourbon (Obsidian mass market, 2 July 2013).

Harlow’s designs will be featured in a big magazine spread, but she only has a few days to finalize her collection. Plus she’s busy helping to plan her mother’s upcoming wedding, playing host to her old friend Orphie, and avoiding a competitive Dallas designer set on stealing Harlow’s ideas. Harlow’s making it all work—until someone breaks into Buttons & Bows and the rival designer is found dead.
But when a near miss makes it clear that Orphie could be the next victim, Harlow will have to untangle the threads of evidence if she wants to save her friend, her mother’s wedding, and her business from becoming fashion road kill…

Final Sentence (Cookbook Nook Mystery #1) by Daryl Wood Gerber (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 2 July 2013).

In need of a change, Jenna Hart leaves the high-pressure world of advertising to help her aunt, Vera, open a culinary bookshop and café. Back with her family in Crystal Cove, California, Jenna seems to have all the right ingredients for a fresh start—until someone adds a dash of murder.
As a marketing expert, Jenna wants to make sure the grand opening of the Cookbook Nook draws a crowd, and no one is better at getting attention than her old college roommate, celebrity chef Desiree Divine. But when Desiree arrives in quiet Crystal Cove to do a cookbook signing, the diva stirs up more trouble than business…especially when she turns up dead.
Known for stealing husbands and burning bridges, Desiree left behind plenty of suspects—including Jenna. Though the celebrity’s life always appeared to be an open book, Jenna will have to read between the lines in order to clear her name, and catch a killer before another body is served cold.

Yarn to Go (Yarn Retreat Mystery #1) by Betty Hechtman (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 2 July 2013).

Dessert chef Casey Feldstein doesn’t know a knitting needle from a crochet hook. But after her aunt dies unexpectedly, leaving Casey to run her yarn retreat business, the sweets baker finds herself rising to the occasion—and trying to unravel a murder mystery…
When Casey finds out that her late aunt’s business, Yarn2Go, has one more yarn retreat scheduled, she decides to go ahead and host the event, despite her complete lack of experience as a knitter. At least the retreat is on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula.
But the idyllic setting is soured when a retreat regular is found murdered in her hotel room. Feeling a sense of responsibility, Casey begins to weave the clues together and detects a pattern which may shed light on her aunt’s suspicious death. Despite the danger, the last thing Casey plans to do is retreat. She’ll catch this killer…or dye trying.

Laced With Poison (Sweet Nothings Lingerie Mystery #2) by Meg London (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 2 July 2013).

Emma Taylor is happy to be drawing in customers at her aunt Arabella’s lingerie shop, Sweet Nothings, but replacing the store’s broken window is going to cost a small fortune. Hoping to hoist up their sagging profits, Arabella arranges to have a trunk show at the home of a local socialite who will invite all of her friends and take care of the catering. All Emma and Arabella have to do is show up and show off their wares. Seems simple enough…
A gorgeous spread is prepared for the event, including delicious cupcakes topped with edible flowers. But after one of the partygoers takes a bite and winds up dead, the guest list becomes a suspect list. Now Emma must separate facts from idle gossip before the killer gives the cops the slip…

Dyeing Wishes (Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery #2) by Molly MacRae (Obsidian mass market, 2 July 2013).

Always up for trying something new, Kath and her friends from the fiber and needlework group TGIF—Thank Goodness it’s Fiber—are visiting Cloud Hollow Farm for the day to learn the fine art of dyeing. With spring in the air, the friends head out to greet the sheep. But the sheep are more interested in something else—two bodies spread under a tall tree. And one of those bodies is someone they know.
Kath’s friends nudge her to investigate, and no one is more adamant than Geneva, the ghost who loves to play assistant sleuth. But when Kath discovers another murder cut from the same cloth, she’s more determined than ever to hang a roving killer out to dry…

Amy Falls Down by Jincy Willett (Thomas Dunne hardcover, 9 July 2013).

The endearingly bitter writer, Amy Gallup has happily isolated herself from the world spending the last two decades teaching and reviewing—she’s done a lot of thinking . . . but very little writing. On an unassuming morning, in her slippers, Amy trips in her backyard, goes head-over-heels, and into the side of a birdbath. The hospital clears her of head injury—so Amy returns home. When a local reporter shows up for a scheduled interview—Amy is not quite herself.
The article paints Amy as a the zen-goddess of writing, publishing . . . and life. Her bizarre interview was interpreted as the rambling of a true genius. But all that really happened was: Amy fell down!
The next thing she knows, friends and fans are coming out of the woodwork. Suddenly Amy is on radio shows, keynoting a major publishing event, and guiding a local writers’ retreat. But the strangest thing of all: Amy starts to write.

A Clowder of Cozies

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

A Cookbook Conspiracy (Bibliophile Mystery #7) by Kate Carlisle (Obsidian hardcover, 4 June 2013).

I'm sure I've mentioned that I want to be Brooklyn Wainwright's friend. She gets to work with rare books, and her whole family is pretty cool, but especially her sister Savannah, who is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef.

Savannah's friend, culinary superstar Baxter Cromwell is opening a restaurant in San Francisco, and Savannah asks her sister if she can restore a battered old cookbook for him. Brooklyn immediately recognizes that it's a
valuable antique, and wants to give it to a museum, but Savannah insists on giving it to the unpleasant Baxter.

Very late on the night of the new restaurant's opening, Brooklyn finds Savannah kneeling beside Baxter's dead body, holding a large knife. Brooklyn knows her sister is innocent. Besides, the cookbook Savannah gave Baxter is missing, and Brooklyn is certain that finding it will lead her to the real killer.

Monument to the Dead (Museum Mystery #4) by Sheila Connolly (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 4 June 2013).

Another protagonist whose career I envy is Nell Pratt, President of the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society. Nell lives in a charming little cottage in Bryn Mawr, and takes the train into Philadelphia to work every day. Reading the paper on the ride one morning, she sees the obituary of Adeline
Harrison, a former member of the Society's board. Not too unexpected, considering that most of them are elderly.

Then her friend, FBI agent James Morrison points out that several prominent members of the local arts community have died in similar ways in recent months. It went mostly unnoticed because they were all older, but all the deaths had been caused by an overdose of heart medicine.

James' boss doesn't see a link, so James is investigating on his own at first, and then assisted by Nell. Can they find the connection -- and the killer -- before another elderly philanthropist is killed?

Mayhem at the Orient Express (League of Literary Ladies Mystery #1) by Kylie Logan (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 4 June 2013).

Bea Cartwright left her life in Manhattan and purchased a large house on South Bass island in Lake Erie, with the intention of turning it into a bed-and-breakfast inn. But one neighbor's cat keeps "watering" Bea's garden, and the other neighbor plays loud opera music. After months of squabbling and police reports, the local judge finally orders the three women to learn how to get along by joining a book club run by his wife, the town librarian.

None of the three is thrilled about it, but none of them want to go to jail, either. Then, they run into each other at a new Chinese restaurant, and find the owner lying dead behind the counter. When the island is rendered incommunicado by a huge blizzard, they realize that the killer could not have left, and might even be one of the guests who took emergency shelter at Bea's inn.

When the power goes out, the neighbors move in with Bea because she has a backup generator, and they find themselves united in determining the identity of the killer.

This is a promising start to a series with an unusual premise. The reason Bea left New York is only hinted at until nearly the end of the book, and there is still a lot to learn about her history. There's no indication of when the next book in the series might be due, but I'm already looking forward to it.

FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher for the review copies of the above books.

A Good Day for Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:59:00 +0000

I'm at home, nursing a cold. It's cool and gray outdoors, and I'm drinking cup after cup of tea,
so I thought it would be appropriate to share my favorite "tea song" with you.

Enjoy!

Faith Goes to Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Fri, 31 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The Body in the Piazza (A Faith Fairchild mystery) by Katherine Hall Page (William Morrow hardcover, 30 April 2013).

Faith and her husband are off to Italy, sans offspring, to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They spend a few days in Rome before heading to Tuscany to attend the inaugural session of a cooking school run by Faith's former assistant Francesca Rossi.

At their hotel in Rome, they meet a charming older gentleman named Freddy Ives, who advises them on the best things to do and the best places to eat. One night during an after-dinner stroll, they stumble upon Freddy, lying in the Piazza Farmese, stabbed and dying.

Before they are able to learn much about what happened to Freddy, they must head to Tuscany, where they find a charming home and hosts, though the other students are a motley bunch. But it appears that someone is trying to sabotage the Rossis: the milk turns sour and snakes are found in some of the guests' bathtubs.

Between learning how to cook scrumptious Italian foods like biscotti and authentic Tuscan ragu, Faith and Tom try to figure out who is trying to ruin things for the Rossis and why.

I love this series, but must admit that some of the Fairchild's more quirky Aleford neighbours are a bit tiring. It's wonderful to see them out of their natural habitat, and to see another side of Tom.

Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the digital galley.

Daphne Award Nominees

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Wed, 29 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Here are the RWA Kiss of Death Chapter's finalists for the 2013
Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense (published division):

Category (Series) Romantic Mystery/Suspense

Karen Anders for At His Command
Beth Cornelison for The Reunion Mission
B.J. Daniels for Justice at Cardwell Ranch
Delores Fossen for Christmas Rescue at Mustang Ridge
Delores Fossen for Gage
Sandra S. Kerns for Her Master Defender

Historical Romantic Mystery/ Suspense

Anna Lee Huber for The Anatomist's Wife
Andrea Penrose for Recipe For Treason
Joanna Campbell Slan for Death of a Schoolgirl: The Jane Eyre Chronicles
Jillian Stone for A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis
Jillian Stone for An Affair with Mr. Kennedy

Inspirational Romantic Mystery/Suspense

Elizabeth Camden for Against the Tide
Robin Caroll for Injustice For All
Jillian Kent for Chameleon, The Ravensmoore Chronicles
Dani Pettrey for Submerged
Virginia Smith for Dangerous Impostor

Paranormal (PTTF) Time Travel, Futuristic Romantic Mystery/Suspense

P. C. Cast for Possessed
Mary Castillo for Lost in the Light
Angie Fox for Immortally Yours
Crista McHugh for A Soul For Chaos
Crista McHugh for A Soul For Trouble

Mainstream/Mystery /Suspense

Susan M. Boyer for Lowcountry Boil
Sandy Parks for Repossessed
Hank Phillippi Ryan for The Other Woman
Rochelle Staab for Bruja Brouhaha
Helene Young for Burning Lies

Single Title Romantic Mystery/Suspense

Toni Anderson for Dangerous Waters
Cindy Gerard for Last Man Standing
Melinda Leigh for Midnight Exposure
Bronwyn Parry for Dead Heat
Leslie Tentler for Edge of Midnight

Winners will be announced in July at KOD's annual Death by Chocolate Party in Atlanta. Congratulations to all the nominees!

Please welcome guest blogger Jill Shalvis!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Tue, 28 May 2013 09:30:00 +0000

My Rescue Story, by Jill Shalvis…

At any point, on any day in the Shalvis abode, there are animals. All of them rescued, always. It’s become somewhat of a family tradition, rescuing animals in need, and we’ve found that not only is it a nice thing to do, we get a really great pet out of the deal.

A couple of years ago, our house was fairly full. Okay, so it was straining at the wall joints. We had Ashes -- our rescue Border Collie/Australian Blue Heeler. Sadie – our cat who thinks she’s a dog. Micky – a field mouse rescued from the high school science lab. And four teenage girls.

Actually, it wasn’t a house. It was a zoo.

But a year before we’d lost Izzie, our beloved brown lab. And we missed having two dogs. Yes, we’re crazy. Anyway, on that fated day I’m about to tell you about, Alpha Man (my husband) had heard about a yellow lab puppy who needed rescue.

No. No way. I was adamant. I had enough on my plate. But Alpha Man just wanted to go make sure the lab was okay.

So we left the mountain…

And drove…

We were following the sketch directions from a guy who knew a guy who had told us about a woman who lived out in the middle of nowhere, and I mean NOWHERE, and she rescues animals.

The landscape was like something out of a Criminal Minds episode, so we were wary at first. We had no idea what we were going to find. A box of puppies, or a meth lab … nothing would have surprised me. I was a little worried because the kids were with us, but it turned out the place was fifty acres of love.

Any animal in need is welcome.

He was filthy and living in a hovel. And the minute he saw us, he came alive. Wriggling, happy, loving. All you had to do was touch him and he writhed in joy and dropped to the floor for a belly rub.

And once he was picked up by the teenagers and loved up by them, he didn’t want to get down. I tried. I tried hard. But the thing had wriggled his way right into my heart. I remember looking at Alpha Man, laughing and crying at the same time.

“You didn’t want another dog,” he reminded me.

I told him to zip it. We were taking this dog and that was that. Besides, there was the little matter of him being in my arms and refusing to be put down.

So we never put him down again. Meet Frat Boy…

***

Why Dogs Make Great Sidekicks, by Jill Shalvis…

Now that you know a little bit about my rescue story, I want to share with you some of the inspiration for my Animal Magnetism series. One of the fun things about writing this series is developing complex and lovable characters… that just happen to be adorable dogs! Here’s why dogs make great sidekicks…

1. Because when you’re on the mountain trail and you come across an angry mama bear and her baby cubs, your dog will run like hell. This will warn you to run like hell as well. Just be careful because if your dog is like my dog, he will throw you under the bus (or in this case bear) to get home before you do.

2. Because when all the cookies are gone you can totally blame your cookie loving dog. No one has to know that you ate all the cookies yourself. And your dog can give you dirty looks for blaming him but he can’t actually talk and dispute your story. Solid alibi.

3. Because if you’ve eaten in a way that disagrees with your stomach, there are never any worries. Your dog will always, ALWAYS, out stink you. And if he doesn’t, you can still point the finger at him. Again, he can’t talk and dispute your story.

4. Dogs are not just great sidekicks but they also make great a really great wingman. If you’re single, you can totally put your dog to work at charming the person you’re interested in. Just make sure that person likes dog drool and dog hair all over everything first.

5. There is never a need for a pillow or extra blanket because your dog will always be willing to get into bed with you and share body heat. Always. Just be forewarned. Being a great sidekick is not the same thing as a good bed partner. They have a habit of being a total bed hog.

Thank you so much, Jill for sharing your stories with us! If you have enjoyed Jill’s stories please feel free to show your support in our comments section below and by visiting the other participating websites/blogs…

For more information on Read Humane® please visit Penguin Group (USA). To view more special features from spokesperson Jill Shalvis, please visit the following websites/blogs; each website/blog will feature a unique perspective on Read Humane, so be sure to stop by each for a new and exciting experience!

4/29/2013 USA Today’s Happy Ever After
4/29/2013   Fresh Fiction
4/30/2013 RT Book Reviews Online
5/1/2013    Happily Ever After Reads
5/2/2013    Teresa's Reading Corner
5/3/2013    The Book Reading Gals
5/4/2013 Book Crack
5/5/2013    Love Romances & More
5/6/2013    Books-N-Kisses
5/7/2013    RT Book Reviews Online
5/8/2013    Cocktails & Books
5/9/2013    The Book Pushers
5/10/2013 Kindles & Wine
5/11/2013 My Book Addiction & More
5/12/2013 Eye on Romance
5/13/2013 eBook Obsessed
5/14/2013   My Friend Amy
5/14/2013   Pretty Fluffy
5/16/2013   The Romance Dish
5/16/2013   Pretty Fluffy
5/17/2013   Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
5/18/2013   Romantic Book Affairs
5/19/2013   Ramblings from This Chick
5/20/2013   Under the Covers Book Blog
5/20/2013   The Romance Studio
5/21/2013   Chick Lit Reviews
5/26/2013   The Reading Café
5/27/2013   Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews
5/28/2013   Stuff and Nonsense
5/29/2013   Thoughts in Progress

A Conversation with Jennie Fields -- and a giveaway!!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Jennie Fields is the author of The Age of Desire, a novel about Edith Wharton.

Edith Wharton is one of your favorite writers. How did that influence your writing?

Well, I must say, I felt very conscious of the language I used. I wanted it to be appropriate to the era, hard-working and beautiful all at once. I could never dream of writing as exquisitely as Edith. I often get chills when I read her writing. If angels could write, they’d write as she did. The music of her language is instructive and breathtaking. But I tried to write in a way that I felt might please her. Also, I often started my writing sessions by reading a few pages of one of her books. I never get tired of her books, no matter how often I read them.

The book follows Edith’s sexual awakening. What was it like writing sex scenes for such a well-known writer?

Not many people know this, but when Edith died, among her effects, her literary executor found some pornography that she’d penned. There was nothing shy about this work. It was bold, shocking, and also, of course, exquisitely written. While I did not use any of the language of this piece (named Beatrice Palmato, for those who are curious—and yes, it’s on the internet) it did instruct me as to how she viewed sex and passion, and gave me insight into what excited her.

Paris figures heavily into the book. What did the city mean to Edith? What’s your relationship to Paris and did it figure into the writing of the book?

Edith adored Paris. It was everything that New York wasn’t: culturally oriented, worldly, beautiful. She found New York society closed and stifling. She blossomed when she finally moved to France full-time, and her devotion to France is clear in how she helped the women of France during World War I with her workrooms and charities. (France awarded her the Cross of the Legion of Honor for her work during the war.) She had loved Paris as a child, and even more as an adult. And of course, she fell in love with Morton while in Paris. That would forever insure a place for Paris in her heart.

There was a period where I did not like Paris. I found it jostling and sad. But about the time I began the book, I also began a new relationship to Paris, and fell in love with it all over again.

What’s your writing regimen?

Generally, I walk in the mornings and do errands. I write in the afternoons. Usually I read starting at 1 or 2 pm. (While I was working on THE AGE OF DESIRE I always read something by Edith). Then, with a strong cup of tea I get down to work by three. I write in my writing room, a large old sleeping porch with windows on three sides overlooking my backyard. I sit in a comfortable chair with an ottoman, my MacBook Pro on my lap. I rarely write more than three hours at a time, usually less. But it’s extraordinary what three dedicated hours can generate as far as pages. If I get five good pages a day, I’m thrilled. But not every day can be a successful day. I always take weekends off—perhaps a holdover from my years in advertising. My brain needs time to recharge!

What’s next for you?

I'm working on a new biographical novel about a woman who was world-famous in the 1890's but that few people know about today. She was one of the richest women in the world, accomplished, highly intelligent, beautiful and charming. Because of her power and fame, she was able to go places where most women weren't allowed, and used her access to further the cause of women. She was also an art-lover, and one of the first Americans to purchase Impressionist paintings. She and her husband bought hundreds which now make up the majority of the Art Institute of Chicago's collection. If you can guess her name, you're good! If not, I'm hoping my book will make her far more well known.

Photo: Anthony Scarlati

Jennie Fields received an MFA in creative writing from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop and is the author of three other novels, Lily Beach, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry and The Middle Ages. An Illinois native, she spent many years as an advertising creative director in New York and currently lives with her husband in Nashville, Tennessee.

Penguin has graciously offered a copy of THE AGE OF DESIRE to one of my readers. Please comment below with your favorite Wharton novel (don't forget to include contact info). Entries from the US only, please.

Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler (Simon Pulse hardcover, 5/21/2013).

Jude is much younger than her three older sisters. She's been the only Hernandez daughter at home for the last five years, but she's graduated from high school and preparing to go to Denver University in the fall.

Meanwhile, she plans to spend the summer hanging out with her father, who's recently been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. Wanting her last summer at home to be as "normal" as possible, she decides to hire someone to rebuild Papi's old motorcycle, Valentina.

At Duchess Custom Cycles, the owner recommends a young mechanic named Emilio, who agrees to come out to the Hernandez place to work on it when he's not at the shop. Jude thinks Emilio seems like a nice guy, and he's cute.

Then she finds out that his last name is Vargas. When she was very young, her sisters made her swear a blood oath that she'd never get involved with a Vargas boy because they're heartbreakers. More than that, Jude doesn't really know.

What she does learn as the summer progresses, is that Emilio is a pretty nice guy. Even though she hasn't told him about Papi's illness, Emilio is gentle with him, and seems to instinctively know how to deal with him. But she dreads what will happen if her sisters find out about him.

The Book of Broken Hearts is a love story about Jude's relationship with her family, as well as a tale of romance between two teens. Sarah Ockler deals with the subject of Alzheimer's sensitively, but with humor in an engrossing story about a young woman growing into confidence and individuality while dealing with some issues that are just as difficult for her parents and older siblings as they are for an 18-year-old.

FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing both print and digital galleys.

2012 Nebula Award Recipients

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:51:00 +0000

The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. has announced the recipients of the 2012 Nebula Awards®.

The Nebula Awards® are voted on and presented by the active members of SFWA for outstanding science fiction and fantasy published in 2012. The awards were announced at the Nebula Awards® Banquet held at in San Jose, CA, May 16-20.

The Recipients of the 2012 Nebula Awards:

NOVEL: 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit US; Orbit UK)

NOVELLA: After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall by Nancy Kress (Tachyon)

NOVELLETTE: “Close Encounters” by Andy Duncan (The Pottawatomie Giant & Other Stories)

SHORT STORY: “Immersion” by Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld 6/12)

RAY BRADBURY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING DRAMATIC PRESENTATION: Beasts of
the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin (director), Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Abilar (writers (Journeyman/Cinereach/Court 13/Fox Searchlight)

ANDRE NORTON AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY BOOK: Fair Coin, E.C. Myers (Pyr)

2012 DAMON KNIGHT GRAND MASTER AWARD: Gene Wolfe

SOLSTICE AWARD: Carl Sagan and Ginjer Buchanan

KEVIN O’DONNELL JR. SERVICE TO SFWA AWARD: Michael H. Payne

The Nebula Awards are voted on and presented by active members of SFWA. For more information, visit http://www.sfwa.org/.

Making It

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham (Ballantine hardcover, 30 April 2013).

Franny Banks lives in a New York brownstone with roommates Jane, her best friend, and Dan, an wannabe science fiction writer. Franny had given herself a three-year deadline: either she "makes it" on Broadway, or she moves back home to marry her old boyfriend Clark. There are only six months remaining before her time is up, and the only role she has is a commercial for Christmas sweaters.

Her last hope is to do really well in the showcase for her acting class, so that she gets signed by an agent. Meanwhile, she's waiting tables at a comedy club and trying not to freak out.

Lauren Graham's debut novel is inspired by the early days of her career, living in a New York brownstone and waitressing in a comedy club. But she insists the book is not autobiographical, that

"I was so not interested in writing any kind of tell-all. If I wanted to do that, I would have just written a memoir and probably sold more copies."

It's an enjoyable read, well-written and witty. Franny's narrative is strewn with pages from her Filofax, filled with doodles and encouraging notes to herself, which adds a real sense of authenticity to the story. Franny is an engaging protagonist, talented, but insecure and easy to empathize with.

Below is a radio interview Graham recently did with Leonard Lopate on WNYC radio. It's almost twenty minutes long, but it's definitely worth listening to.

FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the e-galley.

Read Humane

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:55:00 +0000

Read Humane® is an initiative created by Penguin Group (USA) in 2012 to support our furry friends in honor of National Pet Month (May). As part of the Read Humane® 2013 campaign, six special edition, animal-themed mass market paperbacks have been reissued featuring the official Read Humane® seal. Penguin supports the fight against animal cruelty with a $25,000 donation, regardless of sales, to The Humane Society of the United States' Animal Rescue Team.

I am pleased to support Penguin Group (USA)’s Read Humane® 2013 campaign to fight animal cruelty by participating in the Read Humane® 2013 Blog Tour. Spokesperson and bestselling author Jill Shalvis will be guesting on Stuff and Nonsense on May 28, when she will be sharing with us her family’s animal rescue story and discussing her Animal Magnetism series with a piece entitled “Why Dogs Make Great Sidekicks!”

For more information, and complete lists of the six participating authors and book retailers, please visit Penguin Group (USA) or view the official Read Humane® Prezi here.

And remember to join the conversation on Twitter with @BerkleyRomance and @HSUS throughout May by using the hashtag #readHumane. Followers are encouraged to Tweet about Penguin’s animal friendly books, share their own rescue stories, and join in other pet themed conversations.

Read Humane® Blog Tour 2013!

For more information on Read Humane® please visit Penguin Group (USA). To view more special features from spokesperson Jill Shalvis, please visit the following websites/blogs; each website/blog will feature a unique perspective on Read Humane, so be sure to stop by each for a new and exciting experience!

4/29/2013 USA Today’s Happy Ever After
4/29/2013   Fresh Fiction
4/30/2013 RT Book Reviews Online
5/1/2013    Happily Ever After Reads
5/2/2013    Teresa's Reading Corner
5/3/2013    The Book Reading Gals
5/4/2013 Book Crack
5/5/2013    Love Romances & More
5/6/2013    Books-N-Kisses
5/7/2013    RT Book Reviews Online
5/8/2013    Cocktails & Books
5/9/2013    The Book Pushers
5/10/2013 Kindles & Wine
5/11/2013 My Book Addiction & More
5/12/2013 Eye on Romance
5/13/2013 eBook Obsessed
5/14/2013   My Friend Amy
5/14/2013   Pretty Fluffy
5/16/2013   The Romance Dish
5/16/2013   Pretty Fluffy
5/17/2013   Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
5/18/2013   Romantic Book Affairs
5/19/2013   Ramblings from This Chick
5/20/2013   Under the Covers Book Blog
5/20/2013   The Romance Studio
5/21/2013   Chick Lit Reviews
5/26/2013   The Reading Café
5/27/2013   Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews
5/28/2013   Stuff and Nonsense
5/29/2013   Thoughts in Progress

Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

I'm really looking forward to these books being released next month:

You Look Different in Real Life by Jennifer Castle (HarperTeen hardcover, 4 June 2013).

The premise was simple: five kids, just living their lives. There'd be a new movie about them every five years, starting in kindergarten. But no one could have predicted what the cameras would capture. And no one could have predicted that Justine would be the star.

Now Justine is sixteen, and another sequel is in the works. Justine isn’t ready to have viewers examining her life again. She feels like a disappointment, not at all like the girl everyone fell in love with in the first two movies. But, ready or not, she and the other four teens will soon be in front of the cameras again.

Deviant by Helen Fitzgerald (Soho Teen hardcover, 11 June 2013).

When sixteen-year-old Abigail's mother dies in Scotland—leaving a faded photo, a weirdly cryptic letter, and a one-way ticket to America—she feels nothing. Why should she? Her mother abandoned her as a baby to grow up on an anti-nuclear commune and then in ugly foster homes. But the letter is a surprise in more ways than one: Her father is living in California. What's more, she has an eighteen-year-old sister, Becky. And the two are expecting Abigail to move in with them.

While struggling to overcome her natural suspicions of a note from beyond the grave (not to mention anything positive) Abigail tries to fit in with her strange, new American family: a distant father with a closed past, a too-perfect stepmother, and most puzzling of all, her long-lost sister. Becky sweeps Abigail into a shadowy underground movement involving clandestine street art, jailbreaks, and a bizarre double life. Soon, Abigail uncovers something unimaginable: a plot with vast implications, one that is aimed not only at controlling her sister, but the behavior of rebellious teens across the globe.

The Secret Ingredient by Stewart Lewis (Delacorte Books for Young Readers hardcover, 11 June 2013).

Sixteen-year-old Olivia loves living in Silverlake, Los Angeles, with her dads, Bell and Enrique, and her brother, Jeremy. But when Olivia discovers that Bell's restaurant, FOOD, is in trouble, she applies for a job at a casting agency. The day of her interview, Olivia meets a psychic in an elevator who tells her that this summer will be pivotal.

Soon after, Olivia stumbles upon a vintage cookbook with handwritten notes in the margins and starts to date a gorgeous boy named Theo. As Olivia reads the notes in the cookbook and cooks the recipes, she forms a kinship with the previous owner and becomes increasingly aware of the emptiness she feels without a mother. When Olivia discovers her birthmother's name and address, there's nothing to stop Olivia from meeting her. But sometimes the things we search for are the things we've always known.

Star Cursed (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #2) by Jessica Spotswood (Putnam Juvenile hardcover, 18 June 2013).

With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

Visit me at CFC!!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:46:00 +0000

Please drop by Crime Fiction Collective, where today I'm reviewing Jenny Milchman's debut novel COVER OF SNOW.

A Safe and Cozy Place

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

A guest post by Sally Goldenbaum.

Sally Goldenbaum is the author of the Seaside Knitters Mystery series, along with two dozen published novels. Her most recent mystery, ANGORA ALIBI is available in bookstores now.

When my grandmother was eighty years old and I was ten, she taught me how to play bunko and how to knit. Jane Fitzgerald was an accomplished, amazing woman, but when it came to me, her success rate was a mere 50%. I could play bunko with the best of my eight aunts. Beat the dice off them. But knitting and purling escaped me and left me holding a lapful of yarn holes.

And then I grew up and became a writer.

And some years after that, I found out I was about to be a grandmother…

Grandchildren…. knitting.

And so it all began…

But I didn’t set out to write a ‘knitting mystery’. What I plotted and planned to write was a mystery based on the unlikely friendship of four women of varying ages (30-ish to 80). Smart, funny, hopefully wise women who care about each other and the small seaside town in which they live and love, work and eat delicious seafood. A former lawyer, a retired nonprofit director, a lobster fisherwoman, and a grand dame with a head filled with life’s lessons. Those are the women of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts.

But I needed a way to bring these four women together on a regular basis. Something that would serve as both a place—and as a metaphor for the crimes these women solve with increased regularity.

And that happened to be knitting.

A yarn shop with a room in the back that overlooked the sea and had a fireplace to keep them warm during blustery Sea Harbor winters. It’s there, in that back room, that Nell, Birdie, Izzy and Cass meet on Thursday nights to enjoy Birdie’s fine pinot grigio and Nell’s fantastic seafood pastas. It’s there they sit around the low coffee table with yarn baskets beside them—and peel away the layers of their friends’ and neighbors’ lives, discovering secrets in order to solve crimes and to bring peace
back to the town they love. Just as they scrutinize complicated knitting patterns, pick up stitches, and occasionally pull out a row of mistakes, they carefully construct, deconstruct, and reconstruct the motives and pathways that lead to a murderer.

In ANGORA ALIBI the knitters meet in the back room often, working diligently on a baby blanket for Izzy’s about-to-be born baby. And it's there they share the tensions in Izzy’s doctor’s office. It’s there they comfort a young nurse when her cousin is killed. And it’s there they chart a course that will eventually lead them to the murderer.

Izzy’s Yarn Shop is the knitters’ safe haven, the place where the women of Sea Harbor settle down with their yarn and their needles. It’s the place where they sip their wine or tea and peel away the layers of their friends’ and neighbors’ lives, discovering secrets in order to solve crimes and to bring peace back to the town they love. I would never kill anyone in the Seaside Knitters series with a bamboo knitting needles or a hand-knit noose.

No, the knitting—and the Yarn Studio—is where their friendship is nourished, right along with their sleuthing skills.

A warm, safe, and cozy place.

Click on this link for Sally's website, like her facebook page, or follow her on twitter.

Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Thorn Abbey by Nancy Ohlin (Simon Pulse hardcover, 7 May 2013).

When I was a teen, I always wanted to go to boarding school. The books I read made it seem magical (sometimes literally) and nurturing. Sure there were those where it was described as a humiliating, painful experience, but but the proportion of these was small.

Today, many books for teens are still set in boarding schools, but in general the experience is unpleasant. A good example of this is Nancy Ohlin's Thorn Abbey, being released today. It's based loosely on Daphne du Maurier's classic novel Rebecca, about a nameless young bride tormented by the perceived perfection of her husband's first wife.

The main character in Thorn Abbey does have a name: it's Tess. A newly transferred sophomore, she feels uncomfortable and alien until a boy named Franklin from her English class invites her to the Monday Night Movie Fest. He introduces her to his handsome and brooding roommate Max, by whom Tess is immediately captivated.

Against the advice of her roommate Devon, Tess and Max begin a relationship, which is troubled from the beginning. Max is at times warm and confiding, at other times he's distant and brittle. Tess eventually learns that Max's previous girlfriend Becca had been Devon's best friend (and had actually occupied Tess's spot in the room) before she died the previous year. As in Rebecca, a lot of what happens is due to misunderstanding and miscommunication.

Ohlin does a fine job of transferring the setting from an isolated English mansion to a boarding school in New England. The teens emotions are powerful and realistic, and the characters believably fluctuate from self-assurance to self-doubt, from excited glee to extreme angst.

Hopefully, if readers have not already discovered Du Maurier's novel, this will lead them to it.

FTC full disclosure: Many thanks to Edelweiss and SimonPulse for the advance copies.

Cozy Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Cat Nap (Sunny & Shadow Mystery #2) by Claire Donally (Berkley Prime Crime mass market,
7 May 2013).

When Sunny Coolidge moves back to her hometown in Maine to take care of her father after his heart attack, she's adopted by a stray tabby cat she calls Shadow. When Shadow injures his paw after running in the snow, she takes him to her local veterinarian, who just happens to be her old high school rival Jane Rigsdale. Trying to let bygones be gone, Sunny agrees to provide moral support when Jane goes to explain to her ex-husband, also a vet, why she can't lend him money.

Unfortunately, when they walk into his office, they find his corpse stretched out on his examining table. Of course, Jane is the prime suspect, but Sunny is determined to prove that her friend is innocent.

One of the cool things about this series is that some passages are written from Shadow's point of view (though not in the first-~~person~~cat). We come to understand why he's torn between the freedom of being a cat-about-town and the comfort of being a pet. And he's a big help in determining the identity of the killer.

Gluten for Punishment (Baker's Treat Mystery #1) by Nancy J. Parra (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 7 May 2013).

When she inherits her family home after her mother's death, Toni Ryder moves her online gluten-free bakery to a small store-front on the Main Street of Oiltop, Kansas. Unfortunately, Oiltop happens to be right in the middle of wheat-country, and her grand-opening celebration is marred by a protester who throws a bag of flour at her.

She convinces herself not to take the hostility too seriously, but the next morning when she calls the cops about the drunk outside Baker's Treat and he turns out to be dead, she gets nervous. He had been spray-painting a nasty message on the outside wall of the bakery, and since Toni was the only person around at that hour (preparing baked goods for her breakfast customers), she's the chief suspect. Really worried about the future of her bakery, she decides to figure out who the killer is on her own.

This is a fun-to-read humorous mystery with a well-constructed plot. The characters are believable and the premise is inventive. I look forward to further installments in this series!

FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher for sending me review copies of these books.

Visit me at CFC!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:12:00 +0000

I'm over at Crime Fiction Collective today, reviewing Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple.

Please drop by!

What I got at LATFOB*

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:57:00 +0000

I don't normally purchase books at a conference or festival unless I'm getting them signed, but many of the bookstores were giving away this fabulous book bag if one purchased three Penguin books:

What did I fill it with? These:

And, just for fun:

I must admit to being disappointed at the "free prize", which turned out to be a generic temporary tattoo which had nothing to do with Miss Jane.

*LA Times Festival of Books

Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Escape Theory (A Keaton School novel) by Margaux Froley (Soho Teen trade paperback, 12 March 2013).

After less than a week as a new scholarship student at the private Keaton School, Devon Mackintosh felt out-of-place and lonely. Deciding to dig into a package of Nutter Butter cookies that her mother sneaked into her suitcase, she suddenly realized that she needed a glass of milk to go with them. So she headed down past the library, the boys' dorms and and the teachers' lounge to the dining hall.

But the milk machine had been shut down for the night. About to head back to her room, Devon runs into Jason Hutchins, who, telling her to call him "Hutch" shows her where the fridge is.    Devon is surprised that the room isn't locked, and sure enough, while they're in there talking, someone comes along and locks the door.

Now it's Devon's junior year at Keaton.   She feels more comfortable at the school, but sometimes still feels like an outsider. She'd spent a week during the summer training to be a "peer counselor" little knowing that she'd need to use those skills almost immediately.

Hutch's body had been found not far from campus. He'd texted a "suicide note" to some of his close friends before overdosing on Oxycontin. And now Devon was being asked to counsel some of those friends.

Although they hadn't been close during the two years Devon had been at Keaton, she was certain that Hutch wouldn't have killed himself, a feeling that's shared by his best friend Matt, the first person that Devon is assigned to counsel. After sessions with more of Hutch's friends, Devon becomes even more sure of it, and decides to prove it. But how?

This is a well-constructed psychological mystery about a young woman who decides that a suicide verdict is wrong, and sets out to prove it, against the advice -- and threats -- of teachers and fellow students. One of those books that's impossible to put down once begun, it will appeal to readers who like "school stories" as well as mystery lovers.

This is Froley's first novel, but the subtitle implies that there will be more stories about Keaton, and I look forward to reading them.

FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher for the advance reading copy of the book.

Author interview and book giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The Honey Thief (released in hardcover today by Viking Books) is a collection of stories told to Australian Robert Hillman by Afghani Najaf Mazari. Below is an interview with both the authors.

In “The Behsudi Dowry,” the character of Hameed is thought to be foolish and absentminded for his love of books. His parents can see no value in reading fiction. How was reading literature for pleasure viewed in your household and community growing up?

Najaf: In Afghanistan, only a few very educated people read books other than the holy books. If my brothers or my father or my mother had seen me reading a novel, they would have thought I was insane and would have called a doctor or a mullah to fix me.

How did you become interested in the narrative of the refugee?

Robert: At the time I first met Najaf, the Muslim refugees who were arriving in Australia on ramshackle boats were being characterised as criminals and terrorists in the press. This demonisation suited the politics of Australia just after 9/11 (or “11/9” as it is known here).

It struck me that something vile was happening in my country—something that I might look back on in years to come and think, “Why didn’t you say something?”

I wrote Najaf’s story as a way of saying something. The friendship we formed led to Najaf telling me more and more about the culture of the Hazara. The stories in The Honey Thief are, in a way, the backstory of Najaf’s life told in The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif.

The themes discussed throughout The Honey Thief—the importance of love, work, hope—are universal, crossing all kinds of boundaries of culture, faith, geography, and socioeconomic status. What is your hope for this book? More broadly, what role do you believe literature can play in uniting people across borders?

Najaf & Robert: Stories like those in The Honey Thief make a small difference here and there to the sympathy for people who are struggling through life. Literature cannot change people’s hearts completely. Just a little. A little is okay.

We must remember that if stories that honour courage and enjoyment of life could suddenly change everything, then another book that teaches distrust and hatred might also change everything back. People don’t read stories like those in The Honey Thief in order to have their eyes opened. They read them for enjoyment; for pleasure.

If it happens that some readers feel that they have gained more than enjoyment, that’s a good thing. We hope that readers will enjoy this book in the same way that they enjoy fresh food cooked by someone who loves good food. We hope that people will smile as they finish each story and say, “Well, that was wonderful!”

***

Thanks to the publisher, I have a copy of The Honey Thief to give away to one lucky reader in the United States. Please comment below (making sure you include a contact email) by midnight on Friday 26 April 2013.

In honor of National Library Week...

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn Beebe) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

A scene from my favorite movie about a librarian.