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Archives - July 2013

Interview: Adelle Waldman, author of The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.

Jul 19, 2013

Adelle Waldman’s debut novel, THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF NATHANIEL P., chronicles the affairs of the titular hero (who is also sort of an anti-hero) as he makes his way through life and love in the Brooklyn literary scene. Nate is neither romanticized nor vilified as he goes from one relationship to the next, and Waldman deftly keeps him grounded in details that are almost painfully relatable. Naturally, The Book Report Network’s Nicole Sherman and Emily Hoenig jumped at the opportunity to interview the author about getting into a thirtysomething guy’s head. Here, Waldman discusses how she was able to so expertly channel the male psyche, how she feels about inevitable comparisons to HBO’s “Girls” --- the current reigning champ of Brooklyn coming-of-age --- and which of the NATHANIEL P. characters she identifies with the most. And, of course, she has lots of insightful things to say about navigating relationships, both romantic and platonic.

Interview: Sandra Lee, author of The Recipe Box

Jul 17, 2013

Sandra Lee is an award-winning expert in all things kitchen and home, and the Editor-in-Chief of the new magazine Sandra Lee. In her first work of fiction, THE RECIPE BOX, we are introduced to Grace D'Angelo, who realizes she must take immediate steps to repair her life and her most precious relationships following the death of her best friend. Sandra talks to Bookreporter.com's Bronwyn Miller about her transition from cookbooks to novels, and how she learned to believe in her story and not use recipes as a crutch in the process. Rest assured, it wouldn't be a Sandra Lee book without mouth-watering recipes, and plenty made the cut! Sandra also opens up about the transformative power of first love, the importance of seizing the day, and why she believes the metaphor of the "recipe box" is central to every woman's life.

Author Talk: Patrick W. Carr, author of The Hero's Lot: The Staff and the Sword, Book 2

Jul 17, 2013

Patrick W. Carr, author of the acclaimed fantasy A CAST OF STONES, returns with THE HERO'S LOT, the second installment in The Staff and the Sword series. Picking up where the first book left off, forces bent on the destruction of the kingdom conspire against Errol Stone, who is falsely accused of terrible crimes and sentenced to undertake a perilous quest. In this interview, Carr talks about choosing clever --- and pithy --- titles, how even authors are sometimes surprised by the way events unfold in their own books, the ongoing romance between Errol and Adora, and why writing the second book in a series is sometimes harder than producing the first.

Interview: Ben Coes, author of Eye for an Eye: A Dewey Andreas Novel

Jul 11, 2013

Critically acclaimed author Ben Coes returns with his latest Dewey Andreas novel, EYE FOR AN EYE. When Dewey uncovers the identity of a mole embedded at a high level in Israel’s Mossad, it triggers a larger, more dangerous plot. Bookreporter.com’s Joe Hartlaub talks to Coes about the inextricable relationship between political fiction and real-life politics. A former White House speechwriter, Coes has a wealth of insider knowledge, and shares his anxiety about the future of international relations --- especially considering the superstate into which China is developing itself. He also talks about the recent Snowden scandal, and what it means as far as the government's ability to become Big Brother in the future. But while the political frontier may seem grim, Coes's enthusiasm for writing fiction is boundless, and he reveals how he makes his characters and stories come to life.

Interview: Elizabeth Adler, author of Please Don't Tell

Jul 11, 2013

Elizabeth Adler, the internationally bestselling author of over 25 novels, returns with her newest thriller, PLEASE DON’T TELL. When a blood-soaked stranger shows up on her doorstep one stormy night, Fen Dexter’s quiet life is not only interrupted, but potentially put in grave danger. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Amy Gwiazdowski, Adler talks about how important the settings of her novels are --- and how traveling is her favorite kind of research! She also tells Amy why “likable” characters make the best protagonists, which of the delicious recipes from her books are pulled from real life, the perfect number of dinner party guests, and all the books in her to-read pile.

Interview: Jessica Brockmole, author of Letters from Skye

Jul 11, 2013

A sweeping story told in letters, spanning two continents and two world wars, Jessica Brockmole’s atmospheric debut novel, LETTERS FROM SKYE, captures the indelible ways that people fall in love, and celebrates the power of the written word to stir the heart. The author herself spent several years living in Scotland, so she's no stranger to the joys and pitfalls of epistolary communication. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Norah Piehl, Brockmole talks about the setting that inspired the story --- and all the tricks she used to do its visceral beauty justice. She also reveals that, initially at least, the novel was an exercise in "voice," and how Elspeth, David and Margaret's voices took on lives of their own, as well as how the story might be different (or not!) if the characters had email access.

Author Talk: Luanne Rice, author of The Lemon Orchard

Jul 11, 2013

New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice returns with her newest novel, THE LEMON ORCHARD, a love story about two people from seemingly different worlds who share a heartbreaking connection. The book deals frankly with the friction between citizens and immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border. In this interview, Rice shares how she was able to find empathy for both sides of the conflict and humanize a very polarizing issue --- including visits to the border and getting to know families with firsthand experience of it. She also talks about her fascination with anthropology --- the way people naturally move toward a better life --- as well as the danger of black-and-white thinking and the importance of compassion.