Blog
Mary Pat Kelly knows a thing or two about being Irish American. She wrote GALWAY BAY about her great-great grandmother, who fled Ireland in the 1840s to avoid starvation. Its sequel, OF IRISH BLOOD --- just published in February --- picks up in the 20th century and examines the next generation living in America. Her enthusiasm extends beyond her work; she participated in not one but three St. Patrick’s Day celebrations this year --- in Chicago, Boston and New York City. Talk about the luck of the Irish! Here, Mary Pat shares with us a bit about those experiences and what being Irish in America means to her.
This past weekend, March 14 – 15, the University of Arizona campus was overrun with book lovers of all shapes and sizes, as people gathered to attend the Tucson Festival of Books. With more than 250 exhibitors and new and veteran authors including Lisa See, Deborah Harkness and William Kent Krueger in attendance, there was plenty for attendees to see. Luckily, Bookreporter.com Edy Alderson is an experienced festival-goer, and she was kind enough to navigate the scene for us. Here, Edy shares --- with infectious enthusiasm --- her favorite panels, event highlights, and which book she’s most looking forward to reading.
Jonathan Odell's deeply moving novel, MISS HAZEL AND THE ROSA PARKS LEAGUE is set in pre-Civil Rights Mississippi. It's the story of a town, a people and a culture on the verge of a great change that begins with small things, like unexpected friendship. Jonathan himself grew up in Mississippi, and here he shares his journey, as a "recovering racist," toward a greater empathy and understanding of others who are like and unlike him. Read on for his story, and click here to watch a video where he further explores the issue of race in America.
The Savannah Book Festival took place last weekend, from Thursday, February 12th through Sunday, February 15th. The Festival is a free annual event that celebrates the written word and its role in the human experience. Lucky for us, Bookreporter.com reader Nancy Bader attended the event and was kind enough to share with us some highlights, including favorite panels, most colorful speaker, and the books she absolutely cannot wait to read.
Not only is Lynne Hinton a New York Times bestselling author, she’s also a former hospice chaplain and church pastor. Her latest book, SISTER EVE, PRIVATE EYE, is the first in Lynne’s Divine Private Detective Agency mystery series --- where God is not the only thing that’s mysterious. In this season's last Holiday Author Blog, Lynne shares a more solemn holiday story from her time as hospice chaplain: a story of grief and hope; brokenness and unity; and some ill-chosen, well-intentioned gold glitter that unexpectedly illuminated a somber memorial service.
Jennifer S. Holland’s deep love for animals is apparent in all her work: bestsellers UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIPS, UNLIKELY LOVES and, most recently, UNLIKELY HEROES, which includes 37 amazing stories about the inspiring heroism of animals. Also apparent is her deep love for writing. Here, Jennifer shares that, although she was thrilled to get all kinds of books when she was a kid, the best book she ever got was one with blank pages inside it.
Not only is Judy Chicurel an esteemed playwright, her debut collection of short stories, IF I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO BE THIS BEAUTIFUL, I NEVER WOULD HAVE LET YOU GO, was published earlier this year. The coming-of-age stories are set in 1972 in a working-class Long Island community, and capture the universal experience of being poised between the past and the future. Here, Judy tells a different coming-of-age story --- one that is lovely, heartbreaking and entirely personal --- about one difficult holiday season and how a book saw her through it.
Award-winning author/illustrator Cynthia Copeland has a gift for discovering simple, timeless lessons. She did it when her children were younger with REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF MY KIDS HAVE TAUGHT ME and, more recently, in the tender, funny and irresistibly charming REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF MY DOG HAS TAUGHT ME. Turns out, Cindy’s life lessons don’t only come from her family. Here, she shares the impact one book about the amazing accomplishments of some pretty exceptional women --- written by a woman who is pretty exceptional herself --- has had on her own life and her daughter’s.
Jessica Hagy’s book, HOW TO BE INTERESTING (In 10 Simple Steps), is a charming and uniquely inspirational how-to that combines fresh and pithy lessons with deceptively simple diagrams and charts. And Jessica really does know a thing or two about being interesting; not only is she an author and an illustrator, she’s also an award-winning blogger and an Internet sensation. In her Holiday Author Blog, she talks about something else that’s interesting: how a book can sometimes be more than just a book.
Erin Healy has written nine books, most recently MOTHERLESS, a haunting tale of a mother's struggle to rekindle a connection with her estranged children. Not only is Erin a talented author and an award-winning fiction editor, she also happens to be an expert gift giver. Whether it's THIS BOOK JUST ATE MY DOG! for her four-year-old niece or ARE YOU MY MOTHER? for her own mother, Erin knows how to choose the perfect book for every person on her list. If only they could figure out what to give her!
