We wrap up this year’s Mother’s Day Author Blog series with Fiona Davis, whose six historical novels are set in iconic New York City buildings: THE MAGNOLIA PALACE, THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE, THE CHELSEA GIRLS, THE MASTERPIECE, THE ADDRESS and THE DOLLHOUSE. Her latest work of fiction, THE SPECTACULAR, releases on June 13th and takes place amidst the glitz and glamour of Radio City Music Hall in its mid-century heyday. Fiona says, “I’ve learned that small moments are key, both in writing novels and appreciating life as it is, not as we wish it to be.” In our final Mother’s Day blog post of 2023, Fiona talks about one of those small moments, as she and her mother have become “a book club of two.”

In her debut novel, THERE ARE NO RULES FOR THIS (which releases on May 16th), JJ Elliott draws readers into a deeply affecting story of friendship, loss, guilt, healing and forgiveness. Told from the perspective of Ali, the story starts with her close friend Feeney’s suicide and progresses through its aftershocks, while continually flashing back to memorable incidents over the course of the women’s friendship. One reason JJ wanted to write this book is because she finds herself increasingly frustrated by the way suicide is treated in print and on-screen, as a mystery to be solved instead of a multilayered, complex condition that rarely can be boiled down to one specific “reason.” JJ’s blog post is a heartfelt tribute to her mother and an important reminder to those who are suffering that help is just a phone call away.

Brendan Slocumb is a musician, music educator, guest conductor, and the celebrated author of the book club favorite THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY. His latest novel, SYMPHONY OF SECRETS, is another love letter to music wrapped around a compelling mystery that echoes through generations. In his blog post, Brendan recalls growing up immersed in a culture of reading, even though he didn’t realize it at the time. As he says, “Reading was never a punishment; it was just something we did. I had no clue that my mom was quietly giving us the incredible gift of how words could entertain and create new worlds.”