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Hilli Levin

Graphic Novels & ComicsBiography

The colorful life of Einstein

Review by Hilli Levin

One would be hard-pressed to think of a more beloved, admired or popular scientist than Albert Einstein. In the third installment in their graphic biographies, following Freud and Marx, writer and historian Corinne Maier and illustrator Anne Simon take us through the life of our first rock star intellectual from March 14, 1879 to April 18, 1955. 


Illustrations from Einstein courtesy of Nobrow.

Simon's cheerful illustrations, this time rendered in a limited palette of purple, brown, green and yellow, perfectly suit Maier's witty and humanizing account of Einstein's childhood struggles in school, lack of professional direction in young adulthood, tumultuous romantic relationships, flight from Nazi occupation and his uneasy relationship with wordwide fame. 


Illustrations from Einstein courtesy of Nobrow.

But perhaps the most enjoyable pages of this graphic are those that clearly explain his biggest theories: General Relativity, Special Relativity, String Theory. All are broken down into beautifully simple explainations with helpful and entertaining graphics that make this biography a must-read for Einstein fanatics and the newly curious alike. 

One would be hard-pressed to think of a more beloved, admired or popular scientist than Albert Einstein. In the third installment in their graphic biographies, following Freud and Marx, writer and historian Corinne Maier and illustrator Anne Simon take us through the life of our first rock star intellectual from March 14, 1879 to April 18, 1955.
FictionGraphic Novels & Comics

A surprisingly tender journey through time

Review by Hilli Levin

The back cover copy of Daniel Clowes’ highly anticipated graphic novel, Patience, readies readers for “a cosmic timewarp deathtrip,” and you can bet he delivers. Clowes became a crossover success with his 1997 graphic, Ghost World, which was solidified as a cultural touchstone after the 2001 film adaptation.

At the opening of Patience, we meet married couple Jack and Patience in 2012: They’re young, happy, poor and talking over the news of their surprise pregnancy. But when Jack arrives home from another disappointing day of job hunting, he finds Patience has been murdered. Thrown into the utter horror and despair of losing his true love and unborn child at once, Jack holds onto his sanity by focusing on one goal: finding the killer.

But his quest for revenge doesn’t go so well, and before we know it, we’ve rolled straight into 2029, a future in which Jack is perpetually drunk, a benevolent dictator broadcasts speeches on television monitors everywhere and blue skin is en vogue. But a chance encounter with a twitchy engineer at a greasy pizza place reveals the key to Jack’s last chance at peace—a time-travel device.

He transports himself back to 2006 in order to track down one of Patience’s thuggish exes, whom he’s convinced is the killer, but things start to go down the tube fast, and Jack is forced to continually jump backward through the years, finally landing in 1985. As the timelines begin to unfold and intertwine, we learn Patience’s backstory and come to know her as more than just a driving force for our antihero’s actions.

Clowes’ acerbic wit and pop-culture savvy are on full display, with this time-travel story bringing heady films like Looper and Primer to mind along with David Cronenberg-esque scenes of body horror. The “Juice” needed to jump through time brings on intense, hallucinogenic side-effects, rendered in fantastical, surreal and almost too-vibrant color illustrations, and soon Jack must choose between the little sanity he has left and his mission.

Patience is a hardboiled, mind-bending detective story, but it is also a tender and deeply reflective love story that will hang around in the subconscious for many days after the last page is turned.

The back cover copy of Daniel Clowes’ highly anticipated graphic novel, Patience, readies readers for “a cosmic timewarp deathtrip,” and you can bet he delivers. Clowes became a crossover success with his 1997 graphic, Ghost World, which was solidified as a cultural touchstone after the 2001 film adaptation.
Science Fiction & FantasyFictionFantasy

Waging a magical war

Review by Hilli Levin

With the blockbuster success of the Lord of the Rings series, the Wheel of Time saga and, most recently, George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, the fantasy genre has been steadily gaining in popularity for nearly a century. Are you ready to dive into a world of magic and adventure, but a bit hesitant to pick up an 800-page doorstopper with a hefty roster of characters? Then Naomi Novik, author of the best-selling Temeraire series, has the perfect summer fantasy for you in the spellbinding Uprooted. 

Agnieszka is a bullheaded and accident-prone 17-year-old from a sleepy, vaguely Eastern European village that lies in the shadow of the mysterious and malevolent Wood. Grotesque creatures and horrors of all kinds creep from its depths to terrorize the villagers. Their sole protector is the Dragon—the realm’s most powerful sorcerer, who keeps the enchanted Wood at bay. All the Dragon asks in return is a harvest of sorts—a village girl to live in his tower for 10 years at a time. Usually, he chooses the most exceptional girl, but shockingly it is Agnieszka who draws the Dragon’s attention. 

Although at first desperate to escape the gruff wizard, Agnieszka discovers a latent gift for spell casting, and when her improvised, earthy style of magic sparks the Dragon’s curiosity, an ember of friendship (or maybe something more?) begins to glow. Soon the two are sent on a deadly journey into the heart of the Wood itself in order to make their final stand. 

With a foothold firmly in the fairy-tale tradition, Novik spins an enthralling story of the classic good-versus-evil variety, where magic, monsters and romance abound. Truly beautiful prose, inventive twists and a capable, tenacious heroine make this charmingly accessible fantasy shine.

 

This article was originally published in the June 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Are you ready to dive into a world of magic and adventure, but a bit hesitant to pick up an 800-page doorstopper with a hefty roster of characters? Then Naomi Novik, author of the best-selling Temeraire series, has the perfect summer fantasy for you in the spellbinding Uprooted.
FictionWomen's Fiction

The ultimate hometown girl

Review by Hilli Levin

In the world of Texas football, team allegiances are hard-lined, and devotion runs deep. The small college town of Walker—the setting of Emily Giffin’s seventh novel, The One & Only—is no exception. Beautiful, down-to-earth Shea Rigsby is the ultimate hometown girl: She’s happily spent all of her 33 years in Walker supporting her beloved Broncos. With a messy, less than perfect family to call her own, Shea was raised alongside her best friend, Lucy, the effortlessly chic and opinionated daughter of Walker’s legendary football coach, Clive Carr.

Shea has never even considered leaving home, and she’s been working in her university’s athletic department, feeding her football obsession and spending most of the last decade either in bleachers or on the sidelines. But when tragedy strikes the Carr family, Shea’s cozy, predictable life is thrown off balance, and she starts to question her trajectory for the first time.

Emboldened by the realization of her own mortality, she plucks up the courage to pursue her dream of writing, and, with a gentle nudge from Coach, makes a call to the Dallas Post. She’s offered her dream job—taking over the Walker Broncos beat, of course—yet her professional triumph is quickly overshadowed by her relationship with the stunning star quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Though everything seems to be coming up roses, Giffin’s story soon turns to unexpectedly dark territory where emotional and domestic abuses are uncovered.

Not surprisingly, it is Giffin’s trademark honesty that makes the reader relate to and root for Shea and the rest of her female characters amongst the chaos. Shea is certainly flawed, a bit immature and often confused about what she wants out of life, but her strength is never up for debate.

The One & Only is a poignant story about growing up and into your own skin, albeit a little later in life. Shea learns to trust and follow her heart; no matter what expectations or aspirations others may have for her. Giffin makes the world of football so accessible, the reader may find themselves turning on the game after they turn the last page.

In the world of Texas football, team allegiances are hard-lined, and devotion runs deep. The small college town of Walker—the setting of Emily Giffin’s seventh novel, The One & Only—is no exception. Beautiful, down-to-earth Shea Rigsby is the ultimate hometown girl: She’s happily spent all of her 33 years in Walker supporting her beloved Broncos. With a messy, less than perfect family to call her own, Shea was raised alongside her best friend, Lucy, the effortlessly chic and opinionated daughter of Walker’s legendary football coach, Clive Carr.
Mystery & SuspenseMystery

Anne Hillerman

Interview by Hilli Levin

Anne Hillerman's debut novel, Spider Woman's Daughter, is our Top Pick in Mystery for October 2013. Hillerman, a celebrated journalist and author of eight books of nonfiction, has shifted focus with her latest release to the fictional world of the best-selling Navajo mysteries first penned by her late father, Tony Hillerman. Though longtime fans will be delighted at the return of Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, Spider Woman's Daughter brings Officer Bernadette Manuelito into the spotlight, weaving a powerful and welcomed female perspective into the series.

We chatted with Hillerman about her writing process, the best meal in her home state of New Mexico and more in a 7 questions interview.

Describe your book in one sentence.
Bernadette Manuelito witnesses a police shooting and the aftermath leads her, Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee on a quest for a killer with a secret to keep and a lust for revenge.
 
In your new book, you focus on a side character from the Navajo mysteries, Bernie Manuelito. What do you love most about her?
Bernie is smart, spunky, curious and, most of all, a strong woman who I felt deserved her chance to shine.

How does your experience as a journalist influence your process of writing fiction?
Journalism required me to get to the point quickly, to be a good listener, to do research (but not too much research) and to write on deadline. It also allowed me to meet all kinds of interesting people who probably show up in some form as characters.

What’s the best writing advice your father ever gave you?
Keep going.
 
Would you make a good detective?
Maybe, although I tend to think the best of people rather than assume they're up to something nefarious.
 
You frequently write restaurant reviews for the Albuquerque Journal. What is the one meal everyone should have in New Mexico?
Posole made from scratch with red chile sauce and a sopaipilla. Makes me hungry thinking of it!
 
What’s next?
I'm working on the next Bernadette Manuelito and company novel, using Monument Valley as one of settings.

Anne Hillerman's debut novel, Spider Woman's Daughter, is our Top Pick in Mystery for October 2013. Hillerman, a celebrated journalist and author of eight books of nonfiction, has shifted focus with her latest release to the fictional world of the best-selling Navajo mysteries first penned by her late father, Tony Hillerman. Though longtime fans will […]
RomanceRomantic Suspense

Pamela Clare

Interview by Hilli Levin

Our Top Pick in Romance for November 2013 is Pamela Clare’s new romantic thriller, Striking Distance. Part of Clare's I-Team series, this novel is filled with high-stakes action and covers some pretty dark and heavy territory with sensitivity and thoughtfulness. The story involves a broadcast journalist, Laura, recovering in Denver after enduring 18 months as a terrorist hostage while on assignment in the Middle East, and Javier, one of the Navy Seals from the very team that rescued her. Romance columnist Christine Ridgeway calls it “a steamy story filled with action, intriguing twists and an unexpected emotional wallop.”

We caught up with Pamela Clare and asked her about where she writes, her trips to the shooting range and her favorite action hero hunks in a 7 questions interview.

Describe your book in one sentence.
A wounded Navy SEAL offers his protection to the traumatized journalist he helped rescue from Al-Qaeda—and finds redemption and love.

What’s the best part of writing romance?

"I really love the happy endings I get to create for my characters—something I wasn’t able to do as an investigative journalist."

I really love the happy endings I get to create for my characters—something I wasn’t able to do as an investigative journalist. I can start with problems that exist in the real world, truly terrible situations, and I can make them better by the end, ensuring that the hero and heroine get their reward and giving the villain what he or she deserves.

I also love my readers and fellow authors, whose support and kindness is amazing and brightens my life every day. The romance community is unique in how caring people are toward one another and how willing they are to help each other.

Striking Distance is packed with action and suspense. Who’s your favorite action hero hunk and why?
Oh, that’s a tough question! I love Indiana Jones, of course, because of his sense of humor and his ability to find solutions in no-way-out scenarios. He never runs out of options—or one-liners.

And I do love Thor . . . because he’s played by Chris Hemsworth, who is so incredibly hot. (Yes, I’m shallow that way.)

But my favorite all-time favorite action hero is Aragorn, son of Arathorn from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. He faces not only extreme physical challenges—endless battles against orcs and so on—he also faces deep personal struggles and moral battles. And he overcomes all obstacles by the end, earning that crown. The fact that he was played to perfection by Viggo Mortensen in the films doesn’t hurt either.

Where do you do your best writing?
I love working in coffee shops, and I do that as often as I can. I get more done there than I do at home. But lately, I’ve been going back and forth between my new treadmill desk and my sofa, and somehow that combination is really great, too. The motion helps me focus, and it’s good not to be so sedentary.

Trips to the shooting range are part of your research process for your I-Team series. Tell us more about your research process for Striking Distance.
Yes, I did make trips to the shooting range and fired all of the weapons my hero, Javier Corbray, an active-duty Navy SEAL, fires in the book.

Before I even started plotting the story, I put a lot of work into learning a new vocabulary. I put together my own little dictionary of Navy SEAL slang and firearms and such. I watched some documentaries, pen and paper in hand, to glean whatever I could, including the way the men talk to each other.

I also had the good fortune of making contact with an active-duty SEAL who was willing to will to answer my many questions and even read sections of the story for accuracy. Getting to know him and learn about that part of his life was fascinating. I was deeply impressed by how humble he is and how willing he was to help.

What are you reading right now?
Right now, I am reading Kaylea Cross’ Deadly Descent, which I am really enjoying. I love the level of authenticity in her writing. The detail is fantastic. You can tell she really did in-depth research because she makes that detail come alive.

What’s next?
I am getting to work on the next I-Team story, probably Holly’s story, but I’m also considering where to take my romantic suspense writing from here. I’ve worked a few possibilities for connected series into the I-Team books over the years—readers can guess what those are—and I am already contemplating what might lie ahead. I still have a few books in the I-Team series planned, however, so that’s what I’m focused on.

I would also like to get a historical romance in there somewhere. My MacKinnon’s Rangers series, which is set during the French and Indian War, has a couple of loose threads that need to be tied up. So I’m hoping to work one of those sometime soon.

Our Top Pick in Romance for November 2013 is Pamela Clare’s new romantic thriller, Striking Distance. Part of Clare's I-Team series, this novel is filled with high-stakes action and covers some pretty dark and heavy territory with sensitivity and thoughtfulness. The story involves a broadcast journalist, Laura, recovering in Denver after enduring 18 months as […]
RomanceHistorical Romance

Sarah MacLean

Interview by Hilli Levin

When Sarah MacLean writes a historical romance, you can bet she does her research. This best-selling author holds a history degree from Harvard, and she just so happens to love stories that involve a good amount of smooching, and she’s not about to apologize for it.

MacLean continues her Rules of Scoundrels series with No Good Duke Goes Unpunished. It's dark, gritty and full of conflicts that are heightened by the pre-Victorian setting, but the emotional depth will have you struggling to put it down.

It has been 12 years since Temple, the “Killer Duke,” received his infamous title after a night with Mara Lowe—his father’s young bride-to-be—went horribly awry. After waking to a blood-soaked bed with Mara nowhere to be found, he was cast out from his home and polite society. Since then, he’s made his way in London as a boxer at the Fallen Angel, a seedy club where the London elite can exercise their debauchery out of the public eye. Yet, just as Temple has resigned himself to his misfortune, Mara resurfaces and offers the one thing he wants most—redemption and absolution.

In an impressive feat, MacLean builds a captivating romantic tension between these two characters despite the anger, conflict and mistrust between them. Both Temple and Mara are quite complex, and their relationship is not a typical or easy one, but the emotional revelations and forgiveness they find through their love makes this a stand-out read.

Maclean answered some of our questions about bad boys, Romance snobs, old-school gambling and her ideal date night.

All three of your Rules of Scoundrels books are set in Pre-Victorian London. What is it about this particular era that inspires you?
I’ve been a romance reader forever . . . and historicals were my first love as a reader, so it seemed natural that when I wrote my first book, it would be historical. I love the breathlessness of them—the way that every glance, every touch, every movement can mean something. In this particular series, I’m also exploring the darker side of London in the early 1800s, which makes everything slightly edgier and even more fun.

"Romance is, at its core, a heroine’s journey. She’s the hero of the story, and, at the end, she wins."

Like your other female characters, Mara Lowe is empowered and strong, even during her most intimate scenes. Why is this important to you?
Romance is, at its core, a heroine’s journey. She’s the hero of the story, and, at the end, she wins. Her journey is one of becoming empowered, of gaining strength through love and partnership. Not all of my heroines start the book this way—in fact, none of them do. Mara puts on a good face, but it takes her much of the book to believe in her own power and strength. I think that’s true of so many of us. Writing heroines who have to travel this path feels authentic to me . . . which is why I’m so drawn to it as a story.

Temple, the Killer Duke, is a famous fighter at the Fallen Angel, a gambling club that features prominently in this series. What drew you to focus on gaming hells, a little-known aspect of Regency life?
I knew I wanted to move away from ballrooms and into something a little more masculine and dark with this series. I was drawn to casinos because they give off this vibe that if you just barely scratch the surface, you’ll find something desperate and nefarious down there. The juxtaposition of winning more than you could ever dream vs. losing everything was a big plus for me. I like the way it works for love, too.

During my research on early casinos, I discovered a man named William Crockford—the grandfather of the modern casino. By all accounts, there was nothing sexy about William Crockford—he was ham-fisted, pasty-faced, foul-mouthed and fouler-smelling, with a penchant for prostitutes, but he was cunning and wealthy and more than enough for me to be down the imaginary rabbit hole. Crockford’s Casino became the Fallen Angel, and Crockford himself morphed into four fallen aristocrats—Bourne, Cross, Temple and Chase—each exiled from society either by chance or by choice. Scoundrels, yes, but clean, handsome, charming (when they want to be), and in need of love.

What do you love most about your bad boy characters?
The way they fall in love: hard and intense and grumbling all the way. But once they’re there, desperate for that one woman who can change everything . . . they’re not bad boys at all. They’re tremendously heroic and perfect for their heroine.

There’s a huge secret about one of your characters that is revealed in this novel. Has it been hard to keep the secret?
Yes! I’ve known it for two years and had to do a fair share of dancing around the truth to keep it quiet. I confess, I’m happy that it’s finally out—and that I can share it with readers. I hope it was worth it!

You are an outspoken champion of the Romance genre. What do you think is the most misunderstood aspect of the genre?
I think romance is maligned in large part because at first glance, love seems so pedestrian. It’s all around us. It’s in books and songs and movies and on billboards, so how could it really hold literary value? But what people tend to forget is that the search for love—for the simple idea that there is someone out there who will see us for who we are and accept us isn’t trite. It’s a huge part of our lives. And it’s an enormous part of our dreams.

There are so many fabulous romances out there—there’s something for everyone. I really believe that. And I believe that most of the people who look down their noses at the genre haven’t ever read a romance novel. I think that if they did, they’d be really surprised by how good great romance can be.

What are your top “gateway” books for Romance newbies?
I always start everyone with Susan Elizabeth Phillips, who is hysterically funny and deeply emotional. My favorite of hers is Nobody’s Baby But Mine, which is the story of a socially inept but brilliant scientist heroine with a clicking biological clock, who is terrified of having a baby as smart as she is . . . so she goes looking for an unintelligent man who might make a decent sperm donor. She ends up “stealing” a baby from the quarterback of the local NFL team . . . and thereby hangs a tale.

If you’re watching and/or reading Game of Thrones or just into fantasy, you should absolutely try Thea Harrison’s Dragon Bound, set in an alternate universe of New York City where magic exists. The hero is the wealthiest man in New York, who happens to be a Dragon shape-shifter, and keeps his hoarde of wealth locked up in the basement of his skyscraper. The heroine has never met a lock she can’t pick. She gets herself into trouble and ends up having to steal something from him . . . so she takes one penny, and leaves a replacement and a note saying, “I’m sorry.” The story begins there.

And I have to recommend a historical, too! Loretta Chase’s Lord of Scoundrels is consistently listed as the best romance novel ever written, and it is. The hero is dark and truly alpha—a Marquess who doesn’t believe in love. The heroine is a spitfire who is his match in every way. They fall for each other with fireworks that are undeniable . . . but end up butting heads in a magnificent display of chemistry that burns you up.

What’s an ideal date night for you?
I know it sounds cheesy, but honestly? I’m still pretty crazy about my husband . . . add in a great dinner and a long conversation with lots of laughs, and I’m happy.

This novel ends at Christmastime. Which of your characters would you most want to kiss under the mistletoe, and why?
I’m still pretty hooked on Temple, the hero of No Good Duke Goes Unpunished. He’s the gentlest of all my heroes, even though he’s made his name as the winningest bare-knuckle boxer in London. A true alpha male with a gooey, nougatty center.

What’s your number-one song to smooch to?
I’m a firm believer that the smooching makes the song . . . not the other way around.

What’s next?
Chase’s book! The last in the Rules of Scoundrels series and the one that I’ve been waiting to write for nearly three years. Readers of the series will find Chase’s biggest secret revealed at the end of Temple’s book, and they’ll get the rest of the story in late 2014!

When Sarah MacLean writes a historical romance, you can bet she does her research. This best-selling author holds a history degree from Harvard, and she just so happens to love stories that involve a good amount of smooching, and she’s not about to apologize for it. MacLean continues her Rules of Scoundrels series with No […]
Mystery & SuspenseSuspense

Ken Bruen

Interview by Hilli Levin

Irish crime author Ken Bruen is back with his 10th Jack Taylor novel, Purgatory. Frequently controversial in his home of Galway, Bruen isn’t one to shy away from harsh truths and social critiques within his lithe, biting and quick-witted prose. This time around, Taylor finds his recent stint of sobriety threatened by “C 33,” a cryptic and clever serial killer. Whodunit columnist Bruce Tierny calls Purgatory “another fine installment in the series that defines Irish noir.”

In a 7 questions interview with Bruen, we talked about classic noir films, classic albums and more.

Describe your book in one sentence.
Betrayal in all its guises. 

Jack Taylor is a deeply flawed but very popular character, especially here in the States. What do you love most about him?
His love of books and absolute hatred of bullies. 

You have a knack for exposing the darkness that lurks in Galway, but what do you find most pleasing about the city?
The people and the swans plus you are never at any time more than five minutes from water, either the canals or the ocean. 

"It seems the more I write the deeper my anger as I delve more into the Banks, the church, the so called rulers and shakers. All rotten to the noir core."

You’ve said that your work has been fueled by anger and bitterness. Have you found that writing has lessened the intensity or changed the nature of that anger?
It seems the more I write the deeper my anger as I delve more into the Banks, the church, the so called rulers and shakers. All rotten to the noir core. 

We know you’re quite a fan of American crime novels, but what is your favorite classic noir film?
Sunset Boulevard which led me to write London Boulevard. 

You are quite passionate about music, and you’ve said that you think of music as “a spiritual ID.” Which three albums would you choose to best represent you?
Astral Weeks.
The Pogues.
The Clash, which I think pretty much the blend of anger, spirit and diversity of my taste. 

What’s next?
TV series for U.S. television. I have two pilots under consideration.

Irish crime author Ken Bruen is back with his 10th Jack Taylor novel, Purgatory. Frequently controversial in his home of Galway, Bruen isn’t one to shy away from harsh truths and social critiques within his lithe, biting and quick-witted prose. This time around, Taylor finds his recent stint of sobriety threatened by “C 33,” a […]
RomanceContemporary Romance

Sherryl Woods

Interview by Hilli Levin

In Sherryl Woods' romance, A Seaside Christmas, songwriter Jenny Collins returns to her family home to nurse a broken heart. But ex-beau Caleb Green—a country superstar that was unfaithful—has followed Jenny back to Chesapeake Shores, and he's aiming to right his wrongs and win her back.

Romance columnist Christie Ridgway calls this "A warm tale about understanding, forgiveness and the persuasive power of love."

In a 7 questions interview with Sherryl Woods, we talked about country music dreamboats, her favorite Christmas movie and more.

Describe your book in one sentence.
Successful songwriter Jenny Collins returns to Chesapeake Shores to make peace with her estranged family and to heal from a broken heart. 

Your character Caleb Green is a bad-boy country superstar—do you enjoy country music?
I'm a huge fan of country music. Give me a guy with a great voice, a good love song, a snug pair of jeans and a tight T-shirt and I'll follow him anywhere.

Where is your favorite place to write?
I have two offices, one more formal than the other. One is just a little corner of a guest room. The other is a formal office and I actually have to walk to work. The truth is, though, that my mind is churning with story points no matter where I am.

Of all the books you’ve written over the years, which has been the most fun for you?
I think a Silhouette Special Edition called Riley's Sleeping Beauty was the most fun, because it broke a lot of rules. The heroine was in a coma for most of the book, for one thing. And there were scenes in various time periods. Believe me, it didn't fit in any molds, for better or worse, but I loved letting my imagination run wild.

Name one book you love that people might be surprised to know you have read.
I don't know how surprising this is for a writer, but just the other day I was going on and on about how much I loved 84 Charing Cross Road. It's a wonderful story about two people brought together by a love of books.

What’s your favorite Christmas movie?
Like just about everyone, I adore the classics like Miracle on 34th Street and It's a Wonderful Life, but I found the much more recent The Holiday, with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz especially appealing, as well.

What’s next?
Seaview Inn is being reissued at the end of December with a brand new sequel—Home to Seaview Key—coming out at the end of January. Readers have been begging for more from Seaview Key. I hope they love being reunited with Hannah, Grandma Jenny, Luke and some characters who'll definitely be shaking things up on the little island off Florida's west coast! 

In Sherryl Woods' romance, A Seaside Christmas, songwriter Jenny Collins returns to her family home to nurse a broken heart. But ex-beau Caleb Green—a country superstar that was unfaithful—has followed Jenny back to Chesapeake Shores, and he's aiming to right his wrongs and win her back. Romance columnist Christie Ridgway calls this "A warm tale […]
RomanceRomantic Suspense

Jill Sorenson

Interview by Hilli Levin

Jill Sorenson's Badlands is our January Top Pick in Romance! Single mother Penny Sandoval finds herself caught in the middle of her father’s whirlwind presidential campaign, but things take a dark, drastic turn when Penny, her 5-year-old son, Cruz, and their bodyguard, Owen Jackson are abducted at a political event and taken to the California desert. Sorenson's combination of "taut suspense and tender romance" is sure to keep you hooked, and you'll be rooting for Owen and Penny every step of the way.

We talked with Jill Sorenson about her recent travels, the sexiest scene in Badlands and more in a 7 questions interview.

Describe your book in one sentence.
Desperate bodyguard battles the elements, a group of kidnappers and his own demons to protect the love of his life in the California Badlands.

You took some research trips while you were writing BADLANDS—what was your favorite place?
This is a tough one. The mud caves were really cool and the Salton Sea was fascinating. We also visited Slab City, an off-grid desert community. I loved the whole post-apocalyptic, wasteland vibe of that area. But I have to say the Goat Canyon Trestle was my favorite place. Even though I didn’t make it all the way to the tracks, getting a glimpse of the structure was awesome and the hike was epic.

Tell us what you love most about Owen and Penny’s relationship.
One of my readers said this: “She was the ‘gentle’ he needed in his life; he was the strength she needed in hers.” That quote sums it up pretty well! Another reader called Badlands a feminist book because of “its depiction of vulnerability and kindness as positive—yet threatened—aspects of masculinity.” I love that Owen will kill for Penny and her son, but his physical strength doesn’t make him cold or infallible.

What are the sexiest scenes to write?
The sexiest scene to write in Badlands was definitely the shower scene. Owen and Penny are handcuffed together, locked in a bathroom, unable to deny the attraction they’ve been fighting since they met five years ago, in Aftershock.

What was your favorite book as a child?
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

When you’re not busy writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to read, hike, run, watch movies, spend time with my family and hang out on Twitter.

What's next?
Next up is Island Peril, a digital novella (May 2014), and Backwoods, a full-length action adventure romance (June 2014). These are connected stories set in the Aftershock world and published by HQN.

Jill Sorenson's Badlands is our January Top Pick in Romance! Single mother Penny Sandoval finds herself caught in the middle of her father’s whirlwind presidential campaign, but things take a dark, drastic turn when Penny, her 5-year-old son, Cruz, and their bodyguard, Owen Jackson are abducted at a political event and taken to the California desert. Sorenson's combination of "taut suspense and tender romance" is sure to keep you hooked, and you'll be rooting for Owen and Penny every step of the way.

Mystery & SuspenseMystery

Harry Dolan

Interview by Hilli Levin

Harry Dolan's newest novel in his acclaimed David Loogan series delves into the past, when David Loogan was still David Malone. The Last Dead Girl, prequel to 2009's Bad Things Happen, finds a 26-year-old David quickly falling for a mysterious law student, Jana. But after just 10 short days together, Jana is murdered, and David unfortunately becomes the lead suspect. In David's first foray into the world of investigation, Dolan delivers "a tense and involving tale, with quite a number of surprises along the way," which is exactly what we've come to love about this series.

We caught up with Harry Dolan and chatted about the setting of the novel, why The Long Goodbye is a must read, his next project and more in a 7 questions interview.

Describe your book in one sentence.
Twenty-six-year-old David Malone is drawn into a romance with a beautiful and enigmatic young law student, but when she’s murdered he must delve into her past to find her killer.

What do you love most about your main character, David Malone (later known as David Loogan)?
David tends to be a loner, but he can also be a loyal friend—the kind of friend who would help you bury a body. He has a strong sense of justice and he’s willing to bend the law a little if he needs to in order to bring about the right outcome. He’s clever and quick-witted, and he has a knack for getting into trouble.

What inspired you to set The Last Dead Girl in your hometown of Rome, New York?
I originally intended to set the book in Ann Arbor, Michigan—the setting for my two previous novels, Bad Things Happen and Very Bad Men. At first, the young law student at the center of the story, Jana Fletcher, was going to be an intern at Gray Streets, the crime magazine David edits, and they weren’t going to be romantically involved. But then I realized that the story would work better if David and Jana were the same age, and if they were lovers. That’s when I decided that The Last Dead Girl would be a prequel, set in 1998. And that meant that it would be set in Rome, which is David’s hometown as well as my own. I had a lot of fun using real locations I remembered from growing up in Rome—including a footpath that ran alongside a remote stretch of the old Erie Canal, which turned out to be a perfect spot to commit a murder.

Where’s your favorite place to write?
I do all my writing at home in a spare bedroom that I’ve converted into an office. I sit in a comfy leather chair and write on a laptop. I wish I had a more exotic answer to this question. I’m envious of people who can write in cafés or other public places, but I’ve never been able to; I find them too distracting.

Name one book you think everyone should read.
One of my favorites, which I’ve returned to several times, is The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler. There’s real emotion in that book; there’s a friendship at the center of it. There’s gorgeous writing and terrific dialogue—and all the brilliant scenes and twists you could hope for in a crime novel. There’s also a long dissertation on beautiful blondes that has never been matched.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about writing?
I took a course on writing from the novelist Frederick Busch, and one of the things I remember him saying is that you always have to do justice to your characters. Even in a crime novel, where it might seem that the plot is the primary thing, you have to do your best to make the characters real, to make them want real things. I try to do that, even with the villains.

What's next?
I’m working on my fourth book now. I don’t usually talk about projects before they’re finished, and I don’t want to give away anything about the plot. But I will say that this one is something different; it’s not part of the David Loogan/David Malone series. In some ways it’s a challenge not to be writing about David, but it’s liberating too. And for fans of the series, I’ll add that I have every intention of returning to David in future books.

 

Harry Dolan's newest novel in his acclaimed David Loogan series delves into the past, when David Loogan was still David Malone. The Last Dead Girl, prequel to 2009's Bad Things Happen, finds a 26-year-old David quickly falling for a mysterious law student, Jana. But after just 10 short days together, Jana is murdered, and David unfortunately becomes the lead suspect.

FictionHistorical Fiction

Louis Bayard

Interview by Hilli Levin

Louis Bayard blends historical narrative and otherworldly mystery in his reimagining of Theodore and Kermit Roosevelt’s 1914 Amazon expedition.

What was the initial inspiration for Roosevelt’s Beast?
That’s a bit shrouded in mystery. All I can remember is standing in a Borders— that’s how long ago this was—and thinking: “Wait, didn’t Teddy Roosevelt go on some crazy journey through the Amazon jungle?” 

At that point, I hadn’t yet read Candace Millard’s The River of Doubt, so I didn’t know how close Roosevelt came to death or how harrowing that journey really was—backbreaking labor, disease, starvation, drowning. The only thing I had, really, was a question. What would that experience have done to Roosevelt’s mind—or, to be metaphysical about it, his soul? The rest of the book just flowed from there. 

Did you get the chance to see the Rio Roosevelt for yourself?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from writing historical novels, it’s how elusive the past can be. You can go to Paris, you can go to London, and I’ve done that, but if you want to reconstruct Napoleonic Paris or Victorian London, you have to head back to the library. And that’s what I did with Roosevelt’s Beast. I immersed myself in primary sources until I had the clearest possible picture of Teddy Roosevelt’s jungle. (Plus I’m fortunate to live in a city that gets pretty damned tropical in the summer.)

What made you decide to focus your novel on Kermit instead of his much more famous father, Theodore Roosevelt?
I’m always looking for the blanks in the historical canvas—the people and things that nobody really knows about. When it comes to the Roosevelts, we know a hell of a lot about Teddy, but Kermit remains a mystery. Here was this gifted, courageous, accomplished young man who should have had a golden career—a golden life—and instead he lost his way. And to this day, nobody can say why. Even his own family didn’t know why. So this book is an effort to figure out, at both the psychological and symbolic levels, what happened. 

The beast in this story is quite mythical and supernatural in nature—is the beast based on any particular Amazonian or Brazilian legends?
I refer in the book to the Brazilian figure of Curupira, who supposedly defends the forest and its creatures from invaders. But I think all legends, no matter how local, draw on the same notes. Terror and the sublime, in some combination.

Many have noted echoes of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in your novel—was this particularly inspirational?
I can’t imagine a writer who wouldn’t be inspired by it, it’s such an extraordinary work. What I particularly love is how Conrad keeps buzzing around the central mystery, coming at it in fragments, but never making the grand definitive statement. Even that famous line—“The horror! The horror!”—that’s an open-ended line. The horror of what? Conrad leaves it for us to decide. 

You have written pieces for CBS News and Salon about your experiences with depression: do you personally identify with Kermit, who was also diagnosed?
Yeah, that part of the book required zero research on my part. And it makes perfect sense to me, by the way, that he would have medicated himself with alcohol because, in those days, what else was there? You begin to understand why alcohol was such a force in American life—far more than it is today.

From Mr. Timothy on, many of your novels have dealt with complicated father-son relationships, and this one is no exception. Why are you drawn to this particular dynamic? Do you have a favorite father-son relationship in literature?
I do keep coming back to that theme, and I’m not sure why. Maybe because being a father is always kicking my ass. It’s the one job I never seem to master. On the page, maybe I can get it right. 

As for fathers and sons in literature, it’s hard to pick just one. The Road was pretty damn beautiful. The Brothers Karamazov. Seize the Day. Gloucester and Edgar in King Lear. If I can pluck from the film medium, Vittorio de Sica’s The Bicycle Thief has a father-son relationship that will destroy you. 

What do you love most about writing mysteries?
They’re always in motion. Which is a great way to get your characters in motion—and to address the same themes that “serious” literature does, only without calling a lot of attention to yourself. I guess mysteries save me from ponderousness.

When teaching creative writing to university students, what’s the one piece of advice you try most to impart?
Put the story first. I find that young writers, in that first intoxication of language, want to create all these magical word-spells, and the spells don’t work unless there’s something to anchor them. If you get the story right, the poetry comes out of it naturally. You don’t have to lift a finger.

What project are you working on next?
I’m writing a young-adult novel, also historical, with a teenaged female protagonist. A daughter this time! I can’t wait.

Louis Bayard blends historical narrative and otherworldly mystery in his reimagining of Theodore and Kermit Roosevelt’s 1914 Amazon expedition.

What was the initial inspiration for Roosevelt’s Beast?

That’s a bit shrouded in mystery.

RomanceRomantic Suspense

Karen Rose

Interview by Hilli Levin

Our Top Pick in Romance for February is Karen Rose's newest romantic suspense, Watch Your Back. While Baltimore detective and single mother Stevie Mazzetti is still recovering from a gunshot wound, she discovers that she's the target of a very persistent killer. When the clues lead Stevie to believe the trouble might be coming from inside her own department, she enlists the help of a sharp-minded former Marine, Clay Maynard. She's turned him down before, but as they uncover more crimes, they also find more trust and respect for one another, and it just might save them both.

We chatted with Karen Rose about her interest in writing about crime, her favorite on-screen romance and upcoming happily-ever-afters in a 7 questions interview.

Describe your book in one sentence.
When detective Stevie Mazzetti and her daughter are targeted by a determined killer, she turns to P. I. Clay Maynard for help, trusting him to watch her back even though she’s terrified to trust him with her heart.

Watch Your Back, like many of your previous novels, is incredibly gripping and suspenseful. What do you love most about the combination of romance and suspense?
I’m intrigued by the criminal mind—the logic, thought processes, and motivation that enable people —sometimes seemingly normal people—to do evil things. I’m also sucked in by puzzles of any kind. Writing suspense lets me combine the two. But first and foremost, I love the happy ending that I get from a romance, the bringing together of two strong yet vulnerable characters and giving them a “forever after.” Romantic suspense lets me have a thrilling, nail-biting ride, while all along promising that everything will turn out okay. The villain will be punished and the hero and heroine will find happiness.

It’s easy to root for Stevie Mazzetti and Clay Maynard as both are such strong and scrappy characters—what do you love most about their dynamic?
Thank you! I love that both Stevie and Clay are strong enough to survive alone, but that they are stronger together. Stevie is a working mom, trying to do the whole work/family balancing act—while trying to keep herself and her daughter alive. Clay has all the techno-gadgets any alpha male could ever want, but all he really wants is to have a family. Both seem to be tough and self-sufficient, but down deep, both are vulnerable. I love how they come together so imperfectly at first, then everything settles into place. And I really love the dynamic each one has with Cordelia!

Which of your characters do readers most want a happily-ever-after for?
Well, before Watch Your Back, it was Stevie and Clay. I get the most requests for Tom Hunter, son of Caroline and Max Hunter from Don't Tell, my first book. Tom’s in college now (the kids grow so fast!), so I’m going to let him grow up a little more before he gets a HEA. FBI Agent Deacon Novak has also become a popular character with my readers—a good thing, as he’s the hero of my next book.

Your husband writes film reviews and you seem to watch quite a few as well. While we’re still in the midst of award season, I have to ask—did you have a favorite on-screen romance this year?
Long answer short: No. My husband watches a lot of movies that aren’t mainstream—old films, foreign films and indies as well—so when I watch with him, I’m not usually seeing movies that are up for contemporary awards. Because I have a hearing loss and must wait for the captioned version on DVD, I almost never see the Oscar-nominated movies before the awards ceremony. So, I reached back a few years for a favorite on-screen romance—Harold and Ana in Stranger Than Fiction. I love that movie!

What’s at the top of your TBR stack right now?
I’m reading Lisa Gardner’s Fear Nothing at the moment, but next up is Lara Adrian’s Darker Than Midnight.

What are you working on next?
I’m working on Deacon Novak’s book! Deacon was first introduced in Did You Miss Me? and simply took over the scene. I had to scold him to back off, that Did You Miss Me? was not his book. I promised him that if he behaved and didn’t try to steal all of the scenes, he’d have his own book someday. I never break a promise to my characters!

Award winning, internationally best-selling author Karen Rose earned her degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland. For a number of years she worked in the engineering field, but began writing novels in 2003. Since then, she has released 14 novels. To date, her books have been translated into 21 languages. Karen lives in Florida with her family. Connect with Karen online at www.karenrosebooks.com, www.facebook.com/KarenRoseBooks, and www.twitter.com/KarenRoseBooks.
Our Top Pick in Romance for February is Karen Rose's newest romantic suspense, Watch Your Back. While Baltimore detective and single mother Stevie Mazzetti is still recovering from a gunshot wound, she discovers that she's the target of a very persistent killer. When the clues lead Stevie to believe the trouble might be coming from inside her own department, she enlists the help of a sharp-minded former Marine, Clay Maynard.

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