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Archives - October 2014

Interview: Mindy Greenstein, PhD and Jimmie Holland, MD , author of Lighter as We Go: Virtues, Character Strengths, and Aging

Oct 31, 2014

Mindy Greenstein, PhD and Jimmie Holland, MD are the brilliant duo behind LIGHTER AS WE GO: Virtues, Character Strengths, and Aging. In it, they show us that, contrary to common wisdom, our sense of well-being actually increases with our age, by exploring the positive psychology concepts of character strengths and virtues. In this interview, award-winning author Caroline Leavitt (whose most recent work is the New York Times bestseller IS THIS TOMORROW) talks to Greenstein and Holland about aging throughout the centuries --- how it is and has been perceived, the stigmas that historically have been attached to it, and its cultural implications. They especially shed light on the concept of “learning as we go” and how a greater knowledge of self (that comes from experience) can diffuse personal boundaries and create a more comfortable position in the world.

Author Talk: Andrew Grant, author of Run

Oct 16, 2014

Andrew Grant is the author of the David Trevellyan novels, a three-book thriller series that revolves around a professional spy. His latest book, RUN, is a stand-alone thriller that introduces readers to computer consultant and software engineer Marc Bowman --- who, unlike Trevellyan, is a layperson like you and me. When Bowman’s world falls apart, he finds himself in more danger than he ever could have imagined, to the point where he can no longer tell friend from foe. In this interview, Grant discusses why he chose to make his new protagonist so relatable --- including the challenges he faced in getting Bowman realistically out of sticky situations. He also talks about the surprising parallel between Bowman and pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, and why writing a book at the same time that his wife [Lady Emily author Tasha Alexander] was writing her own was less hectic than you would think.

Author Talk: Tasha Alexander, author of The Counterfeit Heiress: A Lady Emily Mystery

Oct 16, 2014

Tasha Alexander is the author of the Lady Emily novels, a historical mystery series that most recently includes THE COUNTERFEIT HEIRESS. This ninth book finds Lady Emily embroiled in the murder investigation of one of the guests of a grand masquerade ball, Estella Lamar, a sometime actress trying to pass herself off as the mysterious heiress and world traveler. In this interview, Alexander talks about how much fun the book was to write, and why she chose to set the story in London and Paris. She also discusses the collection of photographs from a 19th-century masquerade ball that inspired her latest work, and how she has allowed Lady Emily to (slowly and believably) grow up over the course of the series.

Author Talk: Lynn Austin, author of Keepers of the Covenant: The Restoration Chronicles, Book 2

Oct 15, 2014

Lynn Austin has sold more than one million copies of her books worldwide. She is an eight-time Christy Award winner and an inaugural inductee into the Christy Award Hall of Fame, as well as a popular speaker at retreats, conventions, women's groups and book clubs. Her latest novel, KEEPERS OF THE COVENANT, is the second installment in her Restoration Chronicles series. It’s based on the biblical story of Ezra, a quiet Jewish scholar who is called upon to deliver his people from Babylon to Jerusalem and to bring hope in a time when dreams of the future seem impossible. In this interview, Austin discusses the themes that tie together KEEPERS OF THE COVENANT and the first book in the series, RETURN TO ME, as well as how she thinks readers will still relate to the challenges her characters faced centuries ago.

Author Talk: Lauraine Snelling, author of To Everything a Season: Song of Blessing, Book 1

Oct 15, 2014

Lauraine Snelling has written 80 books since launching her writing career in 1982. Her latest novel, TO EVERYTHING A SEASON, marks the beginning of her Song of Blessing series. Miriam Hastings intends to complete her training to become a nurse in Blessing, North Dakota, and then return home. But her growing attachment to local Trygve Knutson soon has her questioning all her future plans. In this Publishers Weekly interview conducted by Marcia Z. Nelson, Snelling opens up about why she initially started writing, what inspires her, and how she manages to write so prolifically.

Interview: Garth Stein, author of A Sudden Light

Oct 3, 2014

Garth Stein is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN. His latest work of fiction, A SUDDEN LIGHT, is about Trevor Riddell, a 14-year-old boy whose willingness to face his family’s thorny history is the key to its future. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Kate Ayers, Stein discusses the evolution of this haunting (and haunted!) tale, including its original incarnation as a play, “Brother Jones,” and the hundred thousand words he wrote that never quite made it into the book. He also talks about why the best protagonists are always focused, his new appreciation for tree climbing (and his climbing guru), and why you don’t have to believe in ghosts to appreciate the magic of A SUDDEN LIGHT.