Hilli Levin

NonfictionSelf-HelpMemoir

Madhulika Sikka

Interview by Hilli Levin

Madhulika Sikka, executive editor of NPR News, was working with her team on an interview with President Obama when she received her breast cancer diagnosis in 2010. Today, Sikka is cancer-free, and her new book, A Breast Cancer Alphabet, is here "for anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer and needs a companion."

The slim, beautifully designed volume is divided into 26 short sections and is aimed at helping both those dealing with a personal diagnosis, or the diagnosis of a loved one, make sense of their journey through "Cancerland."

From "A" is for Anxiety (over test results, treatments and everything in between), to "F" is for Fashion Accessories (scarves, hats and bold earrings can make you feel a whole lot better) and "W" is for Warrior (it's OK to be a woman with a disease instead of a warrior), Sikka's approach is unabashedly honest and wholly supportive.

We asked Sikka to tell us more about the little things—and the big things—that can make a difference for cancer patients.

What inspired you to write this book?
I actually started writing for myself, to vent and to sort out my thoughts and reactions to going through breast cancer treatment. As I talked to friends about it,they thought that there was something worth sharing and encouraged me to write more. My feelings about the disease and treatment were complex.

During your initial search for answers and information about breast cancer, were there any topics that seemed particularly taboo?
Not taboo necessarily, more like glossed over. For example, in my book I use the word amputation to describe the removal of my breast. We all seem comfortable with using the medical term mastectomy but if you use the word amputation people are shocked. Yet to me, that is exactly what it felt like. It’s funny that in this case the medical term is the less challenging one for folks to deal with.

You recently spoke out against the “cause marketing” that has become popular, especially during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, or “Pinktober” as some now call it. Can you tell us more about your thoughts on this issue?
I think that the breast cancer awareness movement was one of the most significant acts in women’s health advocacy in decades and I thank goodness for it. However, I believe we have reached saturation awareness. EVERYONE is aware of breast cancer. For me the question now is what are we doing to find a cure and while we don’t have a cure, how do we help people who are going through it? The commercialization of the awareness campaign has become off-putting. As someone who has gone through breast cancer I find it hard to make a direct connection between the disease I am going through and the entire NFL being clad in pink. If you want to use the language of the awareness movement, the battle to raise awareness has been won, now it’s time to amp up the battle to find a cure.

In the book, you point out that, unlike many other diagnoses, women with breast cancer are “expected to be upbeat,” during their treatment. Why do you think this is so?
I think it goes back to the socialization of the breast cancer awareness movement, and one of its tropes is that women can “fight” this disease and “kick it” almost as if it is a were a life passage one must pass through. I find this attitude troubling because it implies that if you do not survive that somehow you didn’t fight hard enough as if it were your fault. The writer Peggy Orenstein has described “Our Feel Good War on Breast Cancer.” and I think that is a perfect description of what it has become.

You note that little things, like pillows, can make a big impact during the toughest days of treatment and recovery. What other small comforts do you recommend?
Yes, pillows were really important for me in helping me achieve some comfort during my treatment. There were other things that worked for me and it will be different for others. A friend, and fellow breast cancer patient, gave me a beautiful soft shawl to take with me to my chemotherapy treatments: I could keep myself warm and feel loved and protected by using it. We were also due a new mattress, so we went and bought one that got a tremendous amount of use while I was going through chemotherapy treatment.

Aside from reading this book, what advice do you have for people who want to be supportive of relatives or friends going through breast cancer treatment?
I think the most important thing to do is to ask the patient what they need help with, and then I think it is important for the patient to articulate what they need and to not be ashamed to ask for help. The greatest thing my friends did for me was to arrange food delivery. For close to five months, my family was fed by a rather large cast of folks who brought over nourishing meals on a regular schedule that they organized on a calendar. For my husband and two daughters this was one of the most important things that happened for us and probably the most helpful.

In your opinion, what’s the biggest myth about breast cancer treatment—and the most surprising truth?
The biggest myth about breast cancer treatment to me is that it is a fluffy pink “journey.” My breast was removed and my body was pumped with poison to chase away errant cells—that’s a pretty terrible thing to go through. I’m a pretty skeptical person, so I don’t think I had bought in to any truths beforehand so I think I’ll pass on the second part of this question!

Tell us about some of the unused contenders for certain letters that you wish you could have included. Was it difficult to limit yourself to 26 topics?
You know, it was actually hard to come up with all 26. When I first had the idea of an alphabet I wrote some sample essays and they made perfect sense. It was when I was faced with the prospect of going through the whole alphabet I realized how hard that was going to be. A few of my rejects were I is for Implant, A is for Angel and L is for Luck, not because I didn’t have things to say, but I found I was able to incorporate these ideas in other essays and find different things to focus on for these letters.

Were there any letters that you had difficulty coming up with a topic for?
The letters I, U and X for example were hard to come up with. And I will admit that what I did come up with were rather unorthodox responses, but I think I have managed to convey something useful in my final choices for these letters. The same with Z, which is almost as impossible to come up with as X!

This is your first book—was it difficult or easy for you to transition from journalist to author? Do you have any other books planned?
I had never thought that I had a book in me, more like a two page memo. If I had told myself I was going to sit down and write a book, I might not have done it. With the structure of the alphabet what I find I have written is 26 memos that turned into a book! I want to get this book published and in the hands of people I think could really benefit from it. I’ll see how this experience goes before I start thinking about anything else.

Author photo by Kainaz Amara
Illustrations by Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich

Madhulika Sikka's new book, A Breast Cancer Alphabet, is here "for anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer and needs a companion."
Mystery & SuspenseMystery

Okey Ndibe

Interview by Hilli Levin

Okey Ndibe's newest book, Foreign Gods, Inc. is a lyrical, heavy-hitting tale that Whodunit columnist Bruce Tierney praised as "the heist novel to end all heist novels." Protagonist Ike Uzondu, a frustrated New York cab driver, has a plan to end his financial struggles—he's going to steal a god. As Ike sets off for his home village in Nigeria, his quest for Ngene—a war deity—proves a bit more challenging when he factors in his aging mother, a rather persuasive local preacher and his uncle's fierce devotion to Ngene.

In a 7 questions interview, Okey Ndibe shares his thoughts on the importance of humor, what he'd like to see in the future of African publishing and more.

Describe your book in one sentence.
Foreign Gods, Inc. is an exploration of foreignness and alienation, dramatizing a forlorn immigrant’s wacky, drink-enabled heist scheme, a clash of fates and faiths and the implacable vengefulness of a pilfered deity.

What was the initial inspiration for this novel?
The germ for this story came when a relative told me about the mysterious disappearance of the statue of a once-dreaded deity. I knew I had to probe the mystery—and to do so with a novelist’s eye.

What did you enjoy most about writing a heist story?
The greatest joy about writing a heist story—especially one in which it’s a god that’s stolen—is the boundless opportunity to leaven the narrative with dark humor. I mean, the whole idea of stealing a god is so awful and horrible as well as wacky and absurd. Writing it, you know your readers will be astonished, appalled but also bawled over. I like to call it groaning with laughter.

This book deals with many complex, heavy subjects such as the immigrant experience, greed and the value of art, yet there is so much humor woven throughout. How important is humor in your writing?
Humor is extremely important. I consider it one of my—indeed any good storyteller’s—most treasured gifts. For that matter, humor is one of humanity’s greatest bequests, on occasion essential as air and water. Without it, we’d all be bored, miserable creatures waiting our turn to drop dead. I see humor as that potent, powerful traveler, needing neither passport nor visa to cross boundaries, times, situations—to infuse narratives.

As a professor of African literature, what is your favorite book to share with students?
No question: Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. I have read it, I am confident, more than 40 times since high school. So I bring that lifetime of reading it to my classroom.

Novels by African authors have been popular in the U.S. for some time now, but it seems that Nigerian-born authors in particular are enjoying a surge in success this year. Are you excited about the growing interest?
I’m ecstatic to see the amazing interest in books by African authors. I can’t quite explain why there’s this great, buoyant curiosity about the work of African writers, but it’s an extraordinary thing. I’d like to see a boom in African publishing; I’d like publishers based on the continent to make their voices felt, to become a more vital part of this aesthetic conversation, this rich harvest of writing that’s enriching literary culture globally. And I’d like to see a culture of leisure reading take deeper root among Africans. Nothing would make me happier than to see Africans, on the continent as well as abroad, more engaged in reading African writers’ emerging works.

What are you working on now?
Two projects. I’m writing memoir essays based on my sometimes hilarious, often scary experiences in America. It’s called Going Dutch and other American (Mis)Adventures. The other project is a novel, Return Flights

Okey Ndibe's newest book, Foreign Gods, Inc. is a lyrical, heavy-hitting tale that Whodunit columnist Bruce Tierney praised as "the heist novel to end all heist novels." Protagonist Ike Uzondu, a frustrated New York cab driver, has a plan to end his financial struggles—he's going to steal a god.
Mystery & SuspenseSuspense

Kem Nunn

Interview by Hilli Levin

Ten years after his acclaimed novel Tijuana Straits, author Kem Nunn—whom our columnist credits for the creation of the "Surf Noir" genre—returns with a compelling new psychological thriller, Chance. Set in the foggy Bay Area, the story follows Dr. Eldon Chance, a neuropsychiatrist caught up in an affair with one of his beautiful, fractured patients, Jaclyn. When her husband's jealousy grows to sinister extremes, Dr. Chance finds himself in the middle of some serious danger.

In a 7 questions interview, Nunn explains why San Francisco is the perfect setting for a thriller, how he approaches writing in different formats, what he's working on next and more.

Describe your book in one sentence.
An alluring patient leads a doctor, in the midst of his own rather spectacular decline, into an affair of the heart that quickly becomes a one-way trip down the rabbit hole, where nothing is what it seems.

You show a dark and gritty side of San Francisco in this novel. What inspired you to set a thriller there?
The genesis of the story was there—a friend who happens to be a neuropsychiatrist. And then there was the city itself, the atmosphere of the place. It is, after all, the cool, gray city at the edge of a particularly turbulent sea, with its hills and valleys, its ever-shifting winds and fogs—a useful enough metaphor in a story about secrets and hidden agendas.

What do you love most about Dr. Eldon Chance?
I suppose it is the above-cited “spectacular decline.” Given what I take to be the general condition of the species, this serves, at least for me, to make him a kind of every-man. That he is able to stare all of this in the eye, and then to make it a transformative experience . . . I find that touching.

How does your writing process for a novel differ from your writing process for television?
First and foremost, writing for television is a collaborative experience. Writing a novel is a lonely experience, which is both its blessing and its curse. And then, of course, you have different tools in your bag. Screenplays rise and fall, for the most part, on their dialogue. Novel writing allows for the creation of a narrative voice. It is my preferred mode of expression.

Name one book you think everyone should read.
Chance ☺

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
There’s a saying among surfers—if you never go, you never know. I would say that applies to life in general, and certainly to the making of art, in whatever medium. Fear of failure can be paralyzing. So take the plunge. As William James said, it’s all about faith or fear. Choose faith.

What are you working on next?
At the moment, I’m writing for the FX series "Sons of Anarchy"—headed into its final season. And of course thinking about the next book, waiting to see which of several ideas will make the requisite case for itself.

Photo by Ulrike Nunn

10 years after his acclaimed novel Tijuana Straits, author Kem Nunn—whom our columnist credits for the creation of the "Surf Noir" genre—returns with a compelling new psychological thriller, Chance. Set in the foggy Bay Area, the story follows Dr. Eldon Chance, a neuropsychiatrist caught up in a dangerous affair with one of his beautiful, fractured patients, Jaclyn. When her husband's jealousy grows to sinister extremes, Dr. Chance finds himself in the middle of some serious danger.
RomanceContemporary Romance

Virginia Kantra

Interview by Hilli Levin

Virginia Kantra's latest Dare Island novel, Carolina Man, is our March Top Pick in Romance! While stationed in Afghanistan, Luke Fletcher receives a letter that throws a wrench into his bachelor Marine lifestyle—he has a 10-year-old daughter named Taylor, and he's just become her only living parent. When beautiful and discerning lawyer Kate Dolan becomes involved in his custody case, an undeniable attraction takes root, and both of them must weigh the costs of pursuing a romance with Luke's demanding career and role as a new father.

We chatted with Kantra about her love of the Carolina coast, her caffeine habit and more in a 7 questions interview.

Describe your book in one sentence.
Marine Luke Fletcher is in Afghanistan when he learns that his high school girlfriend has passed away, leaving him the guardian of a 10-year-old daughter he never knew he had—and the lawyer responsible for the little girl's welfare isn't at all sure he's the right man for the job.

What inspired you to set your Dare Island series in the Carolinas?
Because a good book is like a vacation, and vacations are always too short. With a series, you can go back to the places that make you happy.

Dare Island is my happy place. Set among the beautiful barrier islands of the North Carolina coast, it's a community sustained by the sea and swept by changing tides.

Like Luke Fletcher and his father Tom, my husband's dad was stationed at Camp Lejeune. One of the joys of writing this series is the feeling of coming home. These are stories about the ways we help each other through tough times, neighbor to neighbor, families pulling together. Because the real search for the "happy place" is about more than setting. It's our longing for a place to belong. For roots. For family. And for love.

What do you love most about Marine Luke Fletcher?
His determination to do the right thing—for his country, for his family and for the woman he loves.

Of all the heroines you’ve written, which one is your favorite?
You do know that's like asking "Who's your favorite child?" But Kate's struggle to open herself emotionally and believe in love was very poignant to me.

What are you reading now?
I'm deep in deadline hell at the moment, but I have Mariah Stewart's At the River’s Edge as my reward for finishing.

What’s one bad habit that you have no intention of breaking?
I'm caffeine-dependent. I drink a pot of coffee every morning, and I like it.

What are you working on next?
I'm currently finishing up Carolina Blues, the fourth Dare Island story, about small town Police Chief Jack Rossi and "hostage girl" Lauren Patterson, who comes to the island to escape her 15 minutes of fame. It will be an October 2014 release.

Virginia Kantra's latest Dare Island novel, Carolina Man, is our March Top Pick in Romance! While stationed in Afghanistan, Luke Fletcher receives a letter that throws a wrench into his bachelor Marine lifestyle—he has a 10-year-old daughter named Taylor, and he's just become her only living parent. When beautiful and discerning lawyer Kate Dolan becomes involved in his custody case, an undeniable attraction takes root, and both of them must weigh the costs of pursuing a romance with Luke's demanding career and role as a new father.
FictionLiterary Fiction

Rene Denfeld

Interview by Hilli Levin

As a investigator who specializes in death penalty cases, Rene Denfeld had a wealth of real-life material to draw on when she wrote her first novel, The Enchanted, which is set on death row in a crumbling prison. A mute inmate narrates this mesmerizing story in which love and unimaginable horror coincide, making for a uniquely powerful page-turner.

What was your first spark of inspiration for this novel?
This novel was inspired by my work. I'm hired by the attorneys representing men and women facing execution. It's my job to investigate the life story of the client. I find their relatives, long-ago neighbors, teachers who taught them in grade school—anyone who can offer insight. I also spend time with the clients making them feel safe so they can tell me their secrets. It can be a very hard job full of pain and sadness, and yet it can be a wonderful job too as I get to learn why—why they became the way they did, why they did such terrible things. I feel honored that people tell me their truths—I think it is something we all hunger for, to be seen and understood. 

"I am often stunned by the courage in people, in their ability to transcend their circumstances—the prisons we all live inside, whether actual or in our fears." 

What initially drew you into your work as a death penalty investigator?
To tell the honest truth, I needed a job. I was a single mom to three kids I had adopted from foster care. I had met death penalty investigators before and was fascinated by their work. They seemed like the only people who really get to understand the roots of crime and violence. In 2008 I got licensed and quickly moved into the work in 2009. I love the job. 

What is a typical day on the job for you?
Every day is different. I spend a lot of time on the road tracking down long-ago witnesses. I drive deep in the woods, into failing timber towns. I visit tenements in the roughest areas of the country. I go into prisons, finding witnesses. I dig up ancient records in old courtrooms and hospitals. I also spend time on death row with the clients. Some days are very tough, such as when people confess to me the terrible things they have done or how they have been hurt by others. Other days can be absolutely beautiful. I am often stunned by the courage in people, in their ability to transcend their circumstances—the prisons we all live inside, whether actual or in our fears. 

What do you love most about the narrator of this book?
He has such a stunning, poetic grasp of language. He truly sees the enchantment in the world—the way life can be so magical, so beautiful, no matter where we are. 

What, if anything, surprised you the most while writing this novel?
I didn't know how joyful it would be, to be immersed inside this story. The characters seemed very real. I was rooting for the lady to find love, for the priest to become absolved, for the warden to continue in his goodness—and for the others to find their own redemption, no matter how, even in the execution chamber. 

The narrator has a very deep affinity for James Houston’s novel, The White Dawn. Do you have a favorite “comfort book” that you find yourself re-reading and re-discovering in a similar way?
I've loved books since I was a young child, when they became my solace and escape. And so there are lots of books like that! 

You’ve written three previous nonfiction books—how did you find the transition to writing fiction?
I love it. It is like discovering what you were always meant to do. There are so many layers of truth in fiction, so many other people—and their lives—to explore. 

What are you working on next?
I feel like I have many stories to tell, but I will have to keep as magically silent as the narrator of this story on the process.

Author photo courtesy of Gary Norman

As a investigator who specializes in death penalty cases, Rene Denfeld had a wealth of real-life material to draw on when she wrote her first novel, The Enchanted, which is set on death row in a crumbling prison. A mute inmate narrates this mesmerizing story in which love and unimaginable horror coincide, making for a uniquely powerful page-turner.

Mystery & SuspenseFictionMystery

Peter Robinson

Interview by Hilli Levin

Peter Robinson's absorbing new novel, Children of the Revolution, is our April Top Pick in Mystery! In his 21st novel to feature Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks, the 30-year veteran launches into a sensitive investigation of a former teacher's death, which may be linked to his checkered past and sexual misconduct with one of his students. Amid the details of the case, Banks is facing new career choices: Does he accept a paperwork-heavy promotion, or risk being superannuated in his more comfortable position?

In a 7 questions interview, Robinson shares his thoughts on keeping his beloved character fresh, the Inspector Banks television series and more.

Describe your book in one sentence.
A disgraced college teacher is found dead, and when Banks’ investigation leads him to suspect the man’s radical past might play a part, he begins to encounter opposition from powerful and privileged establishment figures.

This is your 21st novel to feature DCI Banks. Do you still discover new things you love about his character?
That’s what keeps me going. I try to find something new about Banks, however minor, in each book. In Watching the Dark, for example, I discovered that he had a bit of a cruel streak by the way he played practical jokes on one of the characters. In Children of the Revolution he even surprises himself by some of his actions, but telling would be giving too much away!

Where do you do most of your writing?
While I do a lot of writing in my study in Toronto and work steadily when I’m over in Yorkshire, perhaps the place I get most done is a lake house in Northern Ontario. There are no distractions except a beautiful view, and I get about twice as much writing done there as I would during the same time in the city.

Do you have any unique writing rituals?
No, I just plunge right in. It’s easy to develop tools for procrastination, like entering the cold water slowly and feeling the chill creep up your legs. Best to dive right in and immerse yourself. You soon get used to it. I don’t require any weird objects on my desk or lucky charms to wear. Well, I do have a tiny skull made of jet on my desk.

Name one book you think everyone should read.
The Wind in the Willows.

Your Inspector Banks series has recently been adapted for television. Have you been a regular viewer?
I have seen all the episodes, and I must say I think Stephen Tompkinson is doing a great job in the title role. The rest of the cast is terrific, too. I do find the adaptations have diverged quite a bit from the books lately, but the result has probably been even better television programmes!

What are you working on next?
The 22nd DCI Banks book, called Abattoir Blues after a Nick Cave song. The title will probably be changed in the U.S., as “abattoir” is not a word you use, I’m told. I’ll probably call it Slaughterhouse Six! Anyway, my publishers weren’t too thrilled when I told them it was about a stolen tractor, but when I mentioned the bloodstained hangar, the burning caravan and the body parts, their ears perked up a bit.

Peter Robinson's absorbing new novel, Children of the Revolution, is our April Top Pick in Mystery! In a 7 questions interview, Robinson shares his thoughts on keeping his beloved character fresh, the Inspector Banks television series and more.
FictionDebut Fiction

Emma Healey

Interview by Hilli Levin

British author Emma Healey may be only 29 years old, but she has created a poignant portrait of a woman with dementia in her luminous debut novel, which contains a double mystery.

Was there a specific inspiration for the character of Maud?
Although my father’s mother, Nancy, has dementia and her experiences gave me ideas for some of the scenes in the book, it was my mother’s mother, Vera, who most influenced the character of Maud. Vera died in 2008, before I’d gotten very far into writing Elizabeth Is Missing, but her voice is very like Maud’s. In fact my mother recently rediscovered a tape recording of Vera, telling stories about her childhood, and I was surprised at how alike the two voices are: both slightly jokey, sometimes irritable, curious about people and full of detail.

You are in your 20s—how did you get yourself into the mindset of a pensioner with dementia?
I’m not sure I know, but that process was certainly the interest the book held for me. Writing as Maud was incredibly freeing, as I knew readers wouldn’t immediately assume her thoughts were mine or that her life was a thinly veiled version of my own.

Similarly, you obviously weren’t alive in the 1940s! How did you research that part of the book?
Part of that was down to the stories from Vera, which I’d written down during her lifetime, but I also read a lot of postwar British fiction, as well as nonfiction, published diaries and old newspapers. I watched old films (both feature films and Pathé newsreels) and spoke to anyone I knew who could remember that time.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that you were courted by publishers who wanted this novel. How did that feel?
It was very strange indeed, overwhelming but brilliant. Like most new writers, I could only hope that one day one publisher might agree to publish one of my books; I couldn’t imagine several publishers all wanting to buy the first book I’d written. It was very difficult to decide on which publisher to go with— they were all lovely and well-respected and all had great ideas. In the end, I went with the publisher whose vision for the book most nearly matched my own.

Many authors are active on social media, but your stop-motion book videos on Vine are so unique! How does that creative outlet compare to writing?
Thank you! My UK publishers told me about Vine, and as soon as they described the app I was keen to try it out.

They are quite different. Writing is the thing that pervades my whole day—I’m always wondering how I might describe something or improve my understanding, I’m constantly trying to remember an eavesdropped conversation or an idea for a story. Whereas the Vines are spur-of-the-moment and just for fun. They are wonderfully refreshing to make in that respect—taking a matter of hours rather than years.

What are you working on next?
While I was writing Elizabeth Is Missing, and struggling with the intricacies of the plot, I told myself the next book would be really simple and linear and I’d have it all worked out before I set down a single word. Now that I’m trying to begin the second book, I’ve found I have no facility for that, so I already have a very complicated novel plan. I’m still experimenting with voice at the moment, but I’m also, once again, exploring themes around memory and how the past and present interlink. 

 

Author photo credit Martin Figura.

This article was originally published in the June 2014 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read a review of this book.

British author Emma Healey may be only 29 years old, but she has created a poignant portrait of a woman with dementia in her luminous debut novel, which contains a double mystery.

Was there a specific inspiration for the character of Maud?
Although my father’s mother, Nancy, has dementia and her experiences gave me ideas for some of the scenes in the book, it was my mother’s mother, Vera, who most influenced the character of Maud.

Mystery & SuspenseMystery

Karin Salvalaggio

Interview by Hilli Levin

Karin Salvalaggio's arresting novel, Bone Dust White has been hailed as a gripping "first-rate debut" by our Whodunit columnist, Bruce Tierney. Following a murder in a small, isolated town in Montana, fiery (and very pregnant) Detective Macy Greeley is sent to head the investigation, but a young and fragile woman may be the killer's next target, and timing becomes crucial. 

We chatted with Salvalaggio about her writing process, why Joyce Carol Oates inspires her and what's ahead for Macy Greeley in a 7 questions interview.

Describe your book in one sentence.
Set in a town that’s down on its luck, Bone Dust White is a thriller about a troubled young woman named Grace Adams, who having witnessed a brutal murder, must negotiate an unseemly cast of characters with old scores to settle and evade an increasingly tough investigation led by Detective Macy Greeley.

This is your first novel—what was the most exciting part of the writing process?
When you’ve dreamt of being a published author for most of your life there is no stage of the process that isn’t exciting. First, there was the thrill of finding the story I really wanted to tell. This was key. I’ve lived with Bone Dust White for three years. I had to be excited about it. Finding support in the publishing industry was the second big development. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but the most exciting part comes now. Bone Dust White is finally available online and in bookstores. I’m not sure I can fully describe what it’s like to have a physical book out there in the hands of readers. The very notion that people are reading and collectively sharing in my imagination is nothing short of mind-blowing.

What do you love most about Detective Macy Greeley?
To tell you the truth, I love that Macy’s character isn’t fully formed. There is plenty of scope for her to grow and change and I feel like I’m just getting started. I also love that Macy is smart enough to know what’s good for her, but impulsive enough to do the complete opposite. Flawed, funny, slightly cynical and stubborn; she’s a reflection of all of us, but on a good day. Most of us are too constrained by our personal circumstances to say and do as we wish. I guess in that way Macy’s character is aspirational.

What initially drew you to crime fiction?
I didn’t set out to write crime fiction, but as the book took shape it became apparent that this was the genre that best served the story I was trying to tell. I created a point of tension in the narrative that was no longer sustainable and then threw in an inciting incident as explosive as a murder. It’s the aftermath that interests me most. How will the victim’s family, friends and community cope? How long can the guilty party hide in plain sight? Who can sift through the lies and find the truth? What other secrets will be uncovered?

Which writer do you look to most for inspiration?
Joyce Carol Oates comes to mind immediately. Her body of work has such breadth. Her prose style is exquisite and her intelligence shines through every line.

What are you reading right now?
As usual, I seem to be reading several books at once. I’m dipping in and out of short story collections by Stephen King and Daphne du Maurier while starting Tom Rob Smith’s new novel The Farm.

What’s next?
I’m almost finished writing my second book. It’s also set in the Flathead Valley, but this time it’s high summer. A young army veteran, who has served his country in some of the most dangerous places in the world, is gunned down in his hometown of Wilmington Creek, a sleepy ranching community where there is little crime. Detective Macy Greeley is reluctant to take the case. She’s been struggling to balance work, motherhood and an increasingly fraught relationship with her boss Ray Davidson. Her nerves are shot and she has to fight hard to stay focused. It doesn’t help that the heat is oppressive, an arsonist is setting wild fires and the victim’s friends and family are keeping secrets. When an undercover officer, who’s been investigating a member of a private militia turns up dead, the scope of the case widens further.

Author photo by Ross Ferguson
We chatted with Karin Salvalaggio about her writing process for Bone Dust White, why Joyce Carol Oates inspires her and what's ahead for Detective Macy Greeley in a 7 questions interview.
RomanceContemporary Romance

Kate Angell

Interview by Hilli Levin

With summer on the horizon, now is the perfect time to start thinking about beach and poolside reads, and Kate Angell's No Sunshine When She's Gone may be the perfect fit. When Jillian Mac reveals that Aiden Cates' companion has been unfaithful in a "psychic reading," his romantic interest quickly shifts. But Jill isn't one to open up her heart, and Aiden has to work pretty hard to convince her that being vulnerable is worthwhile.

We caught up with author Kate Angell and chatted about psychic readings, what she does in her spare time and more in a 7 questions interview.

Describe your book in one sentence.
Mistaken identity leads to love with a simple twist of fate.

In No Sunshine When She’s Gone, Jill meets Aiden while masquerading as a psychic. Have you ever had a psychic reading yourself?
Several psychic readings over the years, actually. I love all things metaphysical. I read Tarot cards and enjoy astrology.

Tell us what you love most about your hunky hero, Aiden Cates.
Aidan is persistent. Once he meets Jillian Mac, he doesn’t let any obstacle stand in his way of winning her affection. He never gives up on her. He has the patience to wait for her to come around and meet him halfway.

What are the sexiest scenes to write?
I think foreplay is often sexier than the actual act. I like building the tension. Heightening the anticipation and awareness is ‘close’ to the actual orgasm. In No Sunshine When She’s Gone, I had both a shower sex scene between Aidan and Jill and a Jacuzzi scene with Mike and Carrie.

You live in sunny Naples, Florida—what’s your favorite beach read?
I just finished (mainstream fiction) Carnal Curiosity by Stuart Woods, and am presently reading (chick lit) A Total Waste of Makeup by Kim Gruenenfelder.

When you’re not busy writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?
I love to go to the movies. I see two flicks a week. I wind down with yard work. I love to plant flowers. I read a lot, too.

What are you working on next?
No One Like You is my fourth Barefoot William book, which will combine the beach and professional baseball, as the Richmond Rogues come to town for spring training.

We caught up with author Kate Angell and chatted about psychic readings, what she does in her spare time and more in a 7 questions interview.
NonfictionAnimals

Janine Benyus

Interview by Hilli Levin

Renowned biologist and animal behavior expert Janine Benyus has compiled the ultimate reference guide for zoo lovers with her new book, The Secret Language of Animals. This lovingly researched guide is divided geographically into five sections, from Africa to the poles, and focuses on each area's most watchable animals.

We asked Benyus a few questions about misunderstood animal behaviors and the role of zoos today.

What motivated you to write this book?
All of my books are about people getting outside and interacting with the natural world. I remember reading a statistic that a greater number of people go to zoos than to all sporting events combined. Zoos are how most people connect to the natural world. People only begin to care about something when they get to know it, so conservation begins with affection. If you want to reach a large number of people, you have to go to the zoo going population. An afternoon spent watching an elephant or an otter is a teachable moment. People are curious about what they are witnessing, but they don't always have a zookeeper right there. My question was, could I write a Berlitz guide to zoos and offer the translation skills of a biologist or zookeeper? Something that would give zoogoers the information they needed to really absorb the life of the animal in front of them?

People only begin to care about something when they get to know it, so conservation begins with affection.

When did you become interested in animal behavior?
I grew up in New Jersey, so I just had a backyard, but a backyard was enough of a wilderness for me. Kids just need a little green nearby. I was a budding scientist and spent a lot of time absorbing details, like where woodpeckers made their nests, or where the rabbits would hide out. I got to know the animal families. Here’s where a caterpillar has formed a cocoon and if I come back tomorrow I might be able to see it transform into a butterfly. I’d started following the squirrels in the trees and then the hawks following the squirrels. I would just spend hours of my childhood watching their Wind in the Willows kind of drama.

I actually believe that people are fascinated by science, but they want to read about it in a way that’s enjoyable and immediately relevant.

I also read some formative books as a child, and my favorites were The Wind in the Willows, Shaggy Coat and Hunting with the Microscope. Shaggy Coat was about a family of beavers and it really taught me the joy of observation. My view went from large to small when my Dad went to Edmund Scientific in New Jersey and bought me a microscope. These two books basically translated for me in layman’s terms what these organisms were doing, and it was written in a way that a kid, even 10 or 11-year-olds could grasp and understand it. I thought to myself that I would like to do this for other people—explain how wondrous life is, and let people in on the latest scientific findings. I actually believe that people are fascinated by science, but they want to read about it in a way that’s enjoyable and immediately relevant. They want to know about an ecosystem when they are picnicking in it, and that’s really how field guides should be organized, by habitat. Instead of carrying around a dozen guides—one to birds, one to butterflies and one to mushrooms—you should be able to carry one book and when you went into a marsh, you turn to the chapter on marsh and learn about the plants and animals that you are most likely to see there. So that’s what I did with my Wildlife Watcher’s Guilds to Habitats of the Eastern and Western US. This book has a similar premise about teaching in context. While you are watching the animal—at the zoo, in its habitat-based exhibit—is the best time to see why it has the adaptations it does in order to fit into its place. At the zoo, you can really start to get an insight into the survival values of that physical trait or behavior. Being generous with scientific knowledge to me means translating and giving it to people at the moment they need it and making it really relevant to them.

Have you ever observed an animal behavior that made you laugh out loud?
I was in Yellowstone one winter—a great time to see wolves and wolf packs. They are visible from the road, and you can follow them all day long as they travel the rolling floodplains of the Lamar Valley. On this day, there was a wolf pack feasting on an elk, having a good time and sort of relaxing and just being. At one point, this small, teenage male wolf left the pack unnoticed and went across the road and down to the river. The wolf was all by itself and it decided to play with a buffalo—a huge old bison just trying to sleep. The wolf was trying its best to get the buffalo to play. This is a great example of the kind of highly visible animal behavior that is described in the book. Wolves do what is called a “play bow,” with their front legs outstretched, their head down and their butt up in the air, tail waving. There the pup was, bowing to the bison with this happy smile on his face.  

I was watching him through the spotting scope and the buffalo was ignoring the pup, pretending to sleep. The wolf kept getting closer and closer and began yapping and play bowing. All of a sudden this buffalo had had enough, and it just stood up—and they’re amazingly fast, buffalo, even though they have so much bulk—and he just towered over this little wolf. The wolf leapt into high gear, running like one of those funny cat videos on YouTube, around and around in circles before racing away to safety. Several hundred feet downriver, he finally sat down to catch his breath. Slowly, I watched his demeanor change again as he realized, oh my god, I’m not with my pack. He looked incredibly forlorn, and there, taking up the whole of my viewfinder, he lifted his head and started to howl for his pack. I didn’t hear any response at first, maybe because his parents wanted to make him suffer a little bit. Finally, they called back to him from across the valley and he figured out where they were and went scuttling up back to them. It was quite the reunion.

I think every now and then, it’s good to turn the tables, to have humans stay in the cage and let the animals have the space. To me, that’s the proper relation.

How have zoos evolved over the years? Are there any additional changes you would hope to see implemented?
In modern zoos, zookeepers try to create natural conditions in the exhibits through “habitat enrichment.” Zookeepers will hide food in branches, for instance, or give the animals nest materials that they can build with. But there’s a limit because of the limited space. I really love the safari parks in which people stay in their cars while the animals get to roam. I love this idea more than little enclosures for a couple of reasons. A safari park allows animals to get to know their habitat and perform more natural behaviors—you can see them do things like exploring, mating and marking their territory. When they’re able to get their own food every now and then, to catch a prey animal for instance, that’s when we as visitors really start to see their true grace and prowess. I think every now and then, it’s good to turn the tables, to have humans stay in the cage and let the animals have the space. To me, that’s the proper relation.

Are there some zoos that you’re specifically thinking of?
Well, there’s the San Diego Wildlife Park, which is absolutely tremendous. The zoo has not only the largest animal collection, but also the largest plant collection. What many don’t realize is that what you see at the most zoos—the front of the house—is just the tip of the iceberg. What zoos are doing behind the scenes is serving as an ark, preserving the genetic material of these creatures and trying to keep the species viable. Zoos are trying to pull species through these evolutionary knotholes that occur when species become very rare in the wild. In reality, the endangered species benefit from having their genetic material mapped, and for them, the “frozen sperm zoo” becomes as important as the living zoo. Zoos track the genetics of their collection and are vigilant about mixing that genetic material and keeping those organisms fresh genetically. The ultimate goal, if possible, is to release individuals into healthy habitats and naturalize them again. These sperm zoos are the last resort, pulling certain species from the brink of extinction. They’re like a modern day Noah’s Ark.

I am hoping for the day when humans are sharing more of our spaces with these organisms, so we’re able to reduce the habitat fragmentation, put the habitats back together, and bring the animals back to these habitats because animals are an essential part of preserving any habitat. For instance, in the rainforest, so many of the species of plants are dependent on animals eating the fruits and then dropping and planting the seeds. Sometimes the animals and the plants are in such a close mutual relationship that without the organism you’re not going to have the plant anymore. There’s a small rat called an Agouti that lives in Brazil and other parts of the Amazon. Agoutis are the only species able to open the hard outer casing of the Brazil nut, the skull-like packaging that holds multiple nuts. Agoutis have a specialized tooth and claw setup that breaks open the case. They eat some nuts and leave some nuts, and without the nuts they “plant” we wouldn’t have Brazil nut trees anymore. No agouti, no Brazil nuts; it’s that important to put organisms back in their habitats.

Many abnormal behaviors surface when animals are kept in captivity. What is a commonly misunderstood, captivity-induced behavior? Is there a way it could be corrected?
When you see a polar bear swimming at the zoo, you may notice something strange and repetitive. You may see them swim back and forth and back and forth, and this is called a stylized, pacing behavior, which is not really a natural behavior; it’s more neurotic than natural. Instead of the polar bear doing what it would normally do—swim long, long distances—it has to curtail its swimming. Animal behaviorists in zoos are really trying to prevent animals from engaging in those types of behaviors and it takes a lot of habitat enrichment to do that, so that’s one example of a sad consequence.

What's next?
I’m working on a new book about ubiquitous phenomenon in the natural world, patterns that researchers are just starting to piece together. These patterns repeat everywhere, in all five kingdoms and all around the world. When you ask, “what do all organisms have in common?” you get interesting answers—clues about earth-friendly chemistries, energy saving structures [and] cooperative networks—things that have lasted and that work well. Together these “best practices” are like a manual for how to live on this planet over the long haul.

Author photo credit: Biomimicry 3.8
Renowned biologist and animal behavior expert Janine Benyus has compiled the ultimate reference guide for zoo lovers with her new book, The Secret Language of Animals. We asked Benyus a few questions about the role of zoos today, misunderstood animal behaviors and what she's working on next.
NonfictionHumor

Bill and Willie Geist

Interview by Hilli Levin

Bill Geist, longtime television correspondent on CBS "Sunday Morning," and his son Willie, co-host on NBC's "Today" and MSNBC's "Morning Joe," share a passion for journalism, but their real common ground lies in appreciating the hilarious, absurd and just plain odd situations in the world around them. They might have skipped the requisite father-son talks while Willie was growing up, but they're finally getting around to them in their new book, Good Talk, Dad.

What inspired the two of you to write a book together?
Willie: When my Dad announced nearly two years ago on CBS “Sunday Morning” that he has Parkinson’s Disease, he had a longer and deeper conversation with his audience than he’d had with his own family. We stopped and wondered why, despite a great relationship, we were averse to those big talks. We then realized we hadn’t had any of the big father-son talks, really: the Birds and the Bees, the dangers of drinking, how to grill a steak and play poker. So we thought it would be funny to go back and have them retroactively. Trust me, they’re even more awkward today than they would have been back then.

Bill: My revelation to Willie and my daughter Libby that I had Parkinson’s Disease after hiding it for ten years led to our realization that we hadn’t had any of the Big Talks fathers and sons were supposed to have. So, through the back and forth of this book, we had them.

What was the most enjoyable part of the writing process?
Willie: For me the most enjoyable part of the process was sitting down with my dad, my mom and my wife and hashing through the best stories of our lives together. What a cool gift to be have the time and the space in a book to collect your family’s greatest hits and have then in one place on a shelf forever.

Bill: Recollecting all of the great family times we shared—most of them humorous. I will say that seeing all these bizarre stories in one place is rather disturbing.

What is your favorite, shared sports memory or experience?
Willie: I have so many great memories of my dad coaching little league and biddy basketball, or being the lone voice in the stands screaming at the refs during my high school games.

We’ve had fun cheering on the teams we love. I was raised in New Jersey as a University of Illinois fan (my parents met there), and my Dad and I went to the 2005 Final Four in St. Louis, where the Illini lost to North Carolina in the national championship game. We went to the 2002 Sugar Bowl where the Illini got whacked by LSU, and the 2008 Rose Bowl where they were blown out by USC. The losses didn’t bother us—it was the trip and the time together that made them great memories. My dad also swung us tickets to Games 1 and 7 of the 1986 World Series where we watched the Mets beat the Red Sox. I was 11, and I’ll never forget it.

Bill: Willie was co-captain of his high school football and basketball teams and my favorite sports memories all involve him. He loved basketball so much; I was thrilled when he scored 16 of his team’s 24 points as a fifth-grader playing his first game. His team won.

Willie, do you plan to have The Talk with your son? Or would you prefer to skip it like Bill did?
Willie: I think I’ll do better than my Dad and I did – but that’s not saying much. I’ll definitely talk to my son about the Birds and the Bees, and trust Google to fill in the blanks.

Bill, was there anything Willie revealed in writing the book that really surprised you?
Bill: I think it was his telling the complete story of his time at what his mother and I considered a great, traditional summer camp. I find out now that the counselors were rehabilitating street gang members. There were gang fights and slashed tires and much more, all in the book. 

Do you have any special Father’s Day traditions?
Willie: I think our only real tradition is spending time together on Father’s Day. These days, we’ve got my dad, me, my two kids, my sister and her two kids, so my dad gets a lot of fatherly love.

Bill: Nothing special. Traditionally, I receive either a bad gift or a good gift that someone else in the family desired and eventually takes possession of.

Willie, what one piece of advice from your dad do you most want to pass along to your own kids?
Willie: I hope I pass on my dad’s good humor, work ethic and lack of self-seriousness. Our house was always a fun place where you’d get knocked around quickly if you took yourself too seriously.

What’s the most embarrassing moment the two of you have shared?
Willie: I’ll be interested to hear what my dad says on this one. For me, it was probably when my parents finally took me to Disneyworld. By the time they granted my long-standing wish, I was 13 and not so interested anymore. They took me to the Character Breakfast where I sat, a big, lanky teenager, with the small children as Mickey, Goofy and the gang came around to the tables dancing and taking photos. I was as big as Goofy at that point. It was pretty embarrassing for me, but amusing I suspect for my Dad.

Bill: Willie suffered a multitude of continual embarrassments growing up: a plastic life-sized cow in our front yard; a bust of Elvis on a plant stand; large posters of Steak n’ Shake meals on the dining room walls; municipal-sized fireworks displays on our sidewalk; Elvis birthday parties; the list goes on and on.

What is your favorite quality and biggest pet peeve about the other person?
Willie: Favorite quality is sense of humor and skeptical eye about the world. Biggest pet peeve is when he opens the big potato chip bag by tearing all the way down the side, instead of by conventional means at the top. The Bill Geist Method means the bag cannot be resealed, and the chips go stale unless they are scarfed down in that first sitting. They typically are.

Bill: His immense talent, his sense of humor, his ability to dunk a basketball, to talk about foreign affairs with experts on “Morning Joe”, his work ethic, writing ability, thoughtfulness, humility, parental skills and on and on it goes.
My pet peeve is all of the above.

What’s your favorite thing to do together?
Willie: Sit on the back deck in Shelter Island with a drink while my kids and my sister’s kids play in the backyard below.

Bill: Get together and laugh about the absurdities we both see the same in the human condition.

Author photo by Deborah Feingold

Bill Geist, longtime television correspondent on "CBS Sunday Morning" and his son Willie, co-host on NBC's "Today" and MSNBC's "Morning Joe," share a passion for journalism, but their real common ground lies in appreciating the hilarious, absurd and just plain odd situations in the world around them. They might have skipped the requisite father-son talks while Willie was growing up, but they're finally getting around to them in their new book, Good Talk, Dad.
Mystery & SuspenseFictionShort StoriesMysteryCozy Mystery

Katherine Hall Page

Interview by Hilli Levin

Katherine Hall Page’s award-winning Faith Fairchild mysteries have delighted readers since 1991, when she released her debut, The Body in the Belfry, and introduced the world to her charming caterer and sleuth. Small Plates, Page’s first collection of short stories, is filled with wit and intricately spun mysteries, along with decadent descriptions of all things culinary. While Faith makes plenty of appearances in stories such as “The Body in the Dunes,” new characters shine just as brightly in “The Would-Be Widower” and “Hiding Places.” Cozy mystery lovers are sure to find a tale to sate their appetite here.

Small Plates is your first collection of short stories. What advantages does this format lend to the mystery genre?
The brevity of a short story gives mystery writers a chance to pack a wallop. In the traditional mystery novel, the pace is more leisurely, albeit suspenseful. The denouement comes at the end and the hope is that readers will be stunned. Yet, the end of each chapter has a tantalizing hook baited to keep those pages turning. In the short story, all this must be compressed. Poe and Saki did it best.

What are the biggest challenges in crafting a successful short story?
In the introduction I quote Henry David Thoreau: “Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short” and Edgar Allan Poe, “A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build toward it.” Taken together, these are a fine summation of the challenge posed by short story writing: that paring-down process, the examination of each word essential for a satisfactory result. I’d also add a reminder based on advice from Strunk and White—nowhere is omitting needless words more essential!

Many of these stories feature Faith Fairchild, a sleuth you have featured in 21 previous novels. Did you discover anything new about Faith during the writing process?
This is a terrific question and something I had not considered before. One of the pleasures of writing a series is “growing” a character and Faith Fairchild has certainly changed over the years—as have we all!—yet yes, I did discover something new about the character in this book, specifically in the story, “Sliced.” Not exactly a dark side, but most assuredly darker, and it was freeing to write about her this way.

Who are some of your favorite short story writers?
A wide-ranging bunch: again Poe and Saki. Theirs are among the first short stories I read when young, as well as O. Henry’s “The Last Leaf” and, similar in spirit, de Maupassant’s “The Necklace.” Others in no particular order: Melville, Dorothy Sayers, James Thurber, Willa Cather, Oscar Wilde, Eudora Welty, Alice Munro, Carson McCullers. John Cheever, J.D. Salinger, James Joyce, Shirley Jackson, Agatha Christie, Flannery O’Connor, Ellen Gilchrist, Laurie Colwin, Wodehouse, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Robert Barnard. Heresy, but I am not a Hemingway fan.

Many of these stories—especially “The Would-Be Widower”—feature some delightfully dark humor. How important is humor in your writing?
Extremely important, although in life, there is nothing remotely funny about murder. That said, I have always enjoyed crime fiction with this kind of twist. Besides the dark humor aspect to these stories and my novels, I like to add other forms of comic relief as a break from sitting on the edge of one’s chair. Often this takes the form of a character.

Are there any new characters in these short stories that could pop up in your future novels?
Yes! I became wrapped up in Polly Ackroyd in “Across the Pond,” who bears more than a passing resemblance to a Nancy Mitford-type character. I’m not sure where Polly might appear, but since I made her a friend of both Faith Fairchild and her sister, it might happen!

Many of these stories feature your famously mouthwatering descriptions of food. If you had your own restaurant, what type of cuisine would be on your menu?
Many years ago when I was young and more foolish, I thought about opening a seasonal restaurant on an island in Maine using local ingredients—the menu an earlier version of the slow food movement. While I think some of this cuisine has veered off into cloud cuckoo land (do we really need to know the name of the cow that gave the milk for the butter?), it is still what I would do. I also like borrowing from a number of regional and international cuisines with ingredients like pomegranate molasses, Anson Mills grits, elderflower liqueur and smoked paprika. I’ve never met a cheese I didn’t like, nor a salad green. Nothing fussy though, or architectural.

What are you working on next?
I am finishing up the 22nd novel in the Faith Fairchild series, The Body in the Birches. It is set on the fictitious island, Sanpere, I created in Penobscot Bay, Maine. Aside from what I hope is the gripping mystery component, the whodunit puzzle—it’s a book about families, specifically the turmoil created by the inheritance of property. In this case, the clash is over a summer home that has been in a family for generations. We all know real estate can be murder.

Katherine Hall Page’s award-winning Faith Fairchild mysteries have delighted readers since 1991, when she released her debut, The Body in the Belfry, and introduced the world to her charming caterer and sleuth. Small Plates, Page’s first collection of short stories, is filled with wit and intricately spun mysteries, along with decadent descriptions of all things culinary. While Faith makes plenty of appearances in stories such as “The Body in the Dunes,” new characters shine just as brightly in “The Would-Be Widower” and “Hiding Places.” Cozy mystery lovers are sure to find a tale to sate their appetite here.
RomanceHistorical Romance

Jennifer Haymore

Interview by Hilli Levin

Jennifer Haymore's The Scoundrel's Seduction is our June Top Pick in Romance! Sam Hawkins is an undercover agent, and is sworn to protect his king and country. When he is sent to assassinate an aristocratic conspirator, he carries out his orders, but the traitor's wife, the beguiling Lady Dunthorpe, witnessed the entire event. Sam is horrified and sees no choice but to kidnap her from the scene, yet Élise is glad to be free from her abusive husband. Soon, she is torn between her desire to escape from Sam and the heated attraction between them, but an unforeseen danger at last unites the pair, and they must put faith in each other as they run for their lives.

We chatted with Haymore about her favorite character, English history and more in a 7 questions interview.

Describe your book in one sentence.
An assassin and his target’s wife are thrown together and need to weed through the truth and the lies, and struggle against their growing attraction for each other.

What do you love most about writing historical romance?
I love so much about it! One of my favorite things is the lushness of the historical worlds I write in. Money, power, aristocracy and pomp and circumstance make a delicious backdrop. 

What traits are most important in a romance heroine?
Inner strength, intelligence and a strong spirit.

Of all the characters you’ve ever written, which is your favorite?
That’s impossible! That’s like publicly picking one of your children out as your favorite!

I guess I’ll have to say, it’s my “firstborn” hero, the should-be hero of my first book, A Hint of Wicked, Garrett, the Duke of Calton. I think his story is the most heartbreaking of all my heroes, because he really does lose everything but fights back and ultimately earns his happily ever after.

How do you conquer writer’s block?
I just write through it. I think to myself, “You’re writing crap. It makes no sense. It’s horrible. But you’re writing it, and you’re not going to stop.” Invariably, I read it later on and discover that it’s not so horrible after all.

What’s your favorite period of English history?
Another hard question! I love so many periods of post-Roman English history.  Of course I do love my beloved Regency period, but I also love the Middle Ages and Victorian England as well.

What are you working on next?
An offshoot of the House of Trent series, The Highland Knights. Many of the characters from the House of Trent will be making appearances, and some will find their own happily ever afters.

 

Author photo by Lawrence Balingit

Jennifer Haymore's The Scoundrel's Seduction is our June Top Pick in Romance! Sam Hawkins is an undercover agent, and is sworn to protect his king and country. When he is sent to assassinate an aristocratic conspirator, he carries out his orders, but the traitor's wife, the beguiling Lady Dunthorpe, witnessed the entire event. Sam is horrified and sees no choice but to kidnap her from the scene, yet Élise is glad to be free from her abusive husband. Soon, she is torn between her desire to escape from Sam and the heated attraction between them, but an unforeseen danger at last unites the pair, and they must put faith in each other as they run for their lives. We chatted with Haymore about her favorite character, English history and more in a 7 questions interview.

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