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Archives - March 2013

Interview: Therese Anne Fowler, author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald

Mar 29, 2013

Therese Anne Fowler’s highly-anticipated novel, Z, details the romantic, tumultuous and extraordinary marriage of Zelda Sayre and one of the 20th-century’s greatest American writers, F. Scott Fitzgerald. In this interview, conducted by Bookreporter.com’s Bronwyn Miller, Fowler discusses her inspiration for the book and her extensive research, which involved studying newspaper clippings, photographs, book reviews, Zelda’s artwork, even ticket stubs. She also addresses Zelda’s mental health, explains the nod to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s HERLAND in the story, and talks about the benefits and drawbacks of competition, which plays a big part in the novel.

Interview: Deborah Cloyed, author of What Tears Us Apart

Mar 29, 2013

Deborah Cloyed’s second novel, WHAT TEARS US APART, is the story of Leda and Ita’s blooming love for each other in the aftermath of the riots that ensued following Kenya’s 2007 presidential election and the secrets that threaten to tear them apart. Bookreporter.com’s Norah Piehl talked with Cloyed about her experiences in Kenya, her inspiration for the book, and how the process of writing this story deeply affected her. She also explains her intentions behind some of the characters and offers additional titles for those looking to better understand Kenya and its people.

Interview: Jane Green, author of Family Pictures

Mar 22, 2013

In Jane Green’s latest novel, FAMILY PICTURES, two women’s lives intersect when a shocking secret is revealed. Green talked with Bookreporter.com’s Norah Piehl about her fascinating female protagonists, along with the book’s contrasting settings and the huge surprise at the center of the story. She also reveals which of her main characters she fell in love with immediately, some of her favorite books and writers (particularly in the suspense genre), and the plot line of her next novel, which she has already completed.

Interview: Sophie Littlefield, author of Garden of Stones

Mar 22, 2013

Bookreporter.com’s Melanie Smith talks to Sophie Littlefield, whose latest novel, GARDEN OF STONES, revolves around a mother who makes the ultimate sacrifice for her daughter in the dark days of World War II. In this interview, Littlefield discusses her motivation for writing the book, the fascinating mother-daughter relationship that is central to the plot, and the novel’s vividly described settings. She also shares much about her firsthand experiences and perceptions in visiting Manzanar, how she went about understanding the psychological aspect of captivity for the Japanese Americans, and why she incorporated taxidermy into the storyline.

Author Talk: Kristopher Jansma, author of The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards

Mar 22, 2013

He is both everyman and no man. Kristopher Jansma’s highly-anticipated debut novel, THE UNCHANGEABLE SPOTS OF LEOPARDS, chronicles the life of an unnamed writer, who tells the truth on a “slant.” In this interview, Jansma reveals his inspiration for the book and the influences that went into developing the story, including why he left his narrator nameless. He also discusses his experiences with teaching at colleges and his rather prickly view of the state of higher education.

Author Talk: Hugh Howey, author of Wool

Mar 22, 2013

Hugh Howey’s first novel, WOOL, is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi adventure that originated as a self-published short story on the Web. Fans quickly spread the word, which led to four additional installments of the tale and eBook sales of over 400,000. The highly-anticipated print edition, which is available in both hardcover and paperback, is now in stores. In this interview, Howey explains where the idea for the story came from and the advantages of breaking the narrative down into several shorter pieces. He also talks about the two drastically disparate views of human nature that the book presents, along with his upcoming projects, which include two more books in this current series.

Interview: Becky Masterman, author of Rage Against the Dying

Mar 15, 2013

Becky Masterman’s debut thriller, RAGE AGAINST THE DYING, introduces readers to Brigid Quinn, a former FBI agent who made a legendary career out of hunting sexual predators but who resigned under cloudy circumstances. In this interview, conducted by Bookreporter.com’s Joe Hartlaub, Masterman talks about her inspiration for her tough-as-nails female protagonist, the long and arduous process of getting her first book published, the authors who have influenced her the most, and what we can look forward to in the next installment of what is shaping up to be a heart-stopping series.

Author Talk: Mary Connealy, author of Swept Away: Trouble in Texas, Book 1

Mar 12, 2013

In this interview, bestselling author Mary Connealy reveals her inspiration for her new historical romance series, Trouble in Texas, the first installment of which is SWEPT AWAY. She also explains how a novel with such serious and intense themes can have comedic elements woven so seamlessly throughout the story, why she writes about cowboys, and what she believes is the book’s deepest theme.

Interview: Christa Parravani, author of Her: A Memoir

Mar 7, 2013

HER is writer and photographer Christa Parravani’s powerfully moving memoir in which she recounts the tragic death of her identical twin sister, Cara, and her subsequent struggle to survive in the wake of this unthinkable loss. In this interview, conducted by contributor Alexis Burling, Parravani discusses the central role that writing this book played in her healing process and why she feels closer to Cara now than she ever did when her sister was alive. She also talks about the origin of the book’s cover image, her close relationship with her mentor, novelist Jayne Anne Phillips, and how Cara might have reacted to HER if she was still living.