Bookreporter Talks To

As part of the Morristown Festival of Books @Home series, Carol Fitzgerald interviewed Kristin Hannah, author of THE FOUR WINDS, which debuted at #1 simultaneously on the New York Times Print, Combined Print and eBook and Audio Bestseller lists. During their conversation they discuss Kristin’s inspiration and writing process for THE FOUR WINDS, as well as so much more about her 30-year writing career, including THE NIGHTINGALE and FIREFLY LANE, which recently was adapted into a smashingly successful series on Netflix. They cover a lot of ground quickly in this interview that both longtime Hannah fans and new readers will enjoy.   

Nadia Hashimi joins “Bookreporter Talks To” to discuss her newest novel, Sparks Like Stars.

The book opens in Afghanistan in 1978, where a ten-year-old girl named Sitara witnesses and survives a government coup that has her entire family slain. She is shepherded to an American Foreign Service officer to flee the country. In her writing, Nadia captures the old Afghanistan--one that is very different from what we know now. The story skips to 2008, where Sitara is now a doctor in the United States. The intervening years have brought her unanswered questions about where her family is buried--something which troubles her and does not allow her memory of them rest.  Then someone from her past walks into a hospital exam room and questions begin to be answered.

Nadia is of Afghan heritage, though she was born here in the States. She's able to share a sharp perspective of an often overlooked part of history. Nadia and Carol talk about the troubled history of American war and politics and how certain questionable behavior from certain countries tread a grey line of morality. The two discuss the effects war has had on culture in unexpected ways and what that means for changing personal decisions as people move on.

Books talked about in this episode:

Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi:

Check out our other videos:

Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger

Bookaccino Book Club with Jeanine Cummins

Best Books of 2020

More Bookreporter Talks To:

Jane Harper

Chris Whittaker

Alexandra Andrews

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Alexandra Andrews joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her debut novel, Who is Maud Dixon?, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. In the book, Florence Darrow is early in her career at a book publisher, hoping to eventually make it as a successful author. In the publishing world, Mississippi Foxtrot by Maud Dixon is one of the hottest books on the market. The identity of Maud is unknown, as she only publishes under her pseudonym. After a fall from grace at the publisher, Florence becomes Maud’s assistant and is sworn to secrecy about the her identity. From there, the plot takes on many twists and turns, culminating in a research trip to Morocco for Maud’s next book, where readers will be turning pages quickly to see what happens next. Alexandra and Carol discuss the career decisions that inspired the book and the writing process, including changes that unfolded over the course of development. But note, they give nothing away!

Books talked about in this episode:

Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews

Check out our other videos:

Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger

Bookaccino Book Club with Jeanine Cummins

Best Books of 2020

More Bookreporter Talks To:

Janet Skeslien Charles

Jane Harper

Chris Whittaker

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here

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As part of the Morristown Festival of Books @Home series, Carol Fitzgerald interviewed Nadia Owusu, the author of AFTERSHOCKS, which is a memoir. Nadia was born in Tanzania, and raised in Italy, Ethiopia, England, Ghana, and Uganda, before moving to New York when she was 18. She talks about her background traveling the world, as well as why she sees earthquakes as a metaphor for the upheavals in her life. Her mother abandoned the family when she was a young child, and her father passed away when she was in her teens. These shockwaves took her to a place where she took a hard look at her life. They also talk about the blue chair that feels like it has a role in the book, as well as what jazz, especially Coltrane, means to her. And from the lens of being a world traveler, Nadia shares her thoughts about being Black in the United States, as compared to other places in the world.

Books discussed in this episode:

AFTERSHOCKS by Nadia Owusu
https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/aftershocks-a-memoir

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To kick off Women's History Month in March, Carol Fitzgerald moderated a panel featuring Lauren Willig (BAND OF SISTERS), Marie Benedict (THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE), Kristin Harmel (THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES) and Vanessa Riley (ISLAND QUEEN) as they celebrated the Lauren's new historical novel, BAND OF SISTERS, which is based on her extensive research into the real history of a group of alumnae from Smith College who went to France during World War I, as part of a relief effort. They also played a fun trivia game about women’s history with the audience.

Titles discussed in this Episode: BAND OF SISTERS by Lauren Willig
https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/band-of-sisters-by-lauren-willig

THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE by Marie Benedict:
https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-mystery-of-mrs-christie

THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES by Kristin Harmel
https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-book-of-lost-names

ISLAND QUEEN by Vanessa Riley:
https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/island-queen

Chris Whitaker talks to Carol Fitzgerald about We Begin at the End, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. The discussion opens with Chris sharing the circuitous --- and somewhat crazy --- route he took to becoming an author, and what drew him to write his lead character, 13-year-old, Duchess. That story alone could be a book. We Begin at the End is genre defying --- on one hand it’s a coming- of-age story, on a second it’s a mystery, but above all it’s just a great read. It’s set in both California and Montana, neither of which Chris, who lives in the UK has visited, yet the writing feels so authentic. Both Duchess and Walk are characters with tons of baggage between them. Duchess is rebellious, tough and fiercely protective of her brother, Robin. She calls herself an outlaw. Walk carries the burden of being responsible for his best friend being sent to prison for thirty years from the time he was only 15. As Vincent is finally being freed, Walk ponders what is coming to him. They cover a lot of ground, including his writing process, while being careful to avoid all spoilers about the book’s propulsive ending. You definitely want to start your listen at the beginning and follow it right to the end.

Books talked about in this episode:

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

Check out our other videos:

Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Bookaccino Book Club with Jeanine Cummins: https://youtu.be/yY-yhIXjMYM

Best Books of 2020: https://youtu.be/Q_N6r_l1-Ss

More Bookreporter Talks To:
Janet Skeslien Charles: https://youtu.be/x0jum1ppDss
Jane Harper: https://youtu.be/vJPllZdRtQQ
Alex Berenson: https://youtu.be/FV7biRaFsXM

Sign up for the weekly

Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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Alex Berenson, joins us to discuss his standalone thriller, The Power Couple, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Both Rebecca and Brian are government agents -- one in the FBI, the other in the CIA. As the book opens, Rebecca and Brian Unsworth are on a vacation in Europe with their teenage children as they celebrate their 20th anniversary. Their teenage daughter is abducted, and both parents are tested as they work to get her back. Alex talks with Carol about the tumultuous life of federal agents, and how a life of secrecy can complicate their personal lives. And yes, they talk about the cover, with Alex sharing something that Carol completely missed on the design. As a former New York Times reporter and a correspondent in Iraq, Alex has used his wealth of experiences to enhance his novels, and in The Power Couple he ramps up the action with a sharp family story as well.

Books talked about in this episode:

The Power Couple by Alex Berenson

Check out our other videos:

Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger

Bookaccino Book Club with Jeanine Cummins

Best Books of 2020: https://youtu.be/Q_N6r_l1-Ss

More Bookreporter Talks To:

Sharon Virts: https://youtu.be/fHB_Wl1F578

Janet Skeslien Charles: https://youtu.be/x0jum1ppDss

Jane Harper: https://youtu.be/vJPllZdRtQQ

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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Jane Harper joins Carol Fitzgerald from her office in Australia to talk about The Survivors, her latest thriller. Setting has a strong influence on Jane's thriller work, and she talked about exploring Tasmania as part of her research process. Humorously, the setting had Carol looking at maps and confessing that she had no idea where Tasmania was in reference to Australia and New Zealand. They also talked about how Jane develops her plot and characters. And yes, Carol asked about the survivor statues that figure in the book. While this is Jane's fourth novel, it's the first that Carol has read; she jokes that she has some catching up to do. Right after they talked, the news was revealed that The Survivors hit #2 on the New York Times bestseller list! Also, for fans of The Dry, Carol asked Jane about the movie adaptation, which was recently released in Australia.

Books Talked About in This Episode:
The Survivors by Jane Harper

The Dry by Jane Harper

Check out our other videos:
Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Bookaccino Book Club with Jeanine Cummins: https://youtu.be/yY-yhIXjMYM

Best Books of 2020: https://youtu.be/Q_N6r_l1-Ss

Book Group Speed Dating Fall 2020: https://youtu.be/YLTXT9daUY4

More Bookreporter Talks To:
Liese O'Halloran Schwarz: https://youtu.be/JqdPYk2-VGk

Sharon Virts: https://youtu.be/fHB_Wl1F578

Janet Skeslien Charles: https://youtu.be/x0jum1ppDss

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

FOLLOW US
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter
Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Janet Skeslien Charles joins us to talk about her historical novel, The Paris Library. While working as the programs manager at The American Library in Paris, she learned the history of the library, which celebrated its centennial last year. Included in its storied history are the heroic librarians who stood up to the Nazis during World War II and smuggled books to those the Nazis deemed undesirable.

The story is told in separate points of view over two periods in time: one in Paris, 1939, and the other in Montana, 1983. In 1939, Odile stands to lose her library when Nazis invade Paris. Banding together, the librarians join the resistance, using books and knowledge to their advantage. In 1983, the teenager Lily becomes friends with her mysterious neighbor, a war bride from Paris, and what she discovers is both intense and revealing.

During the interview, Janet discusses the themes she chose to explore in The Paris Library, including the relevance of the decades-long gap in the story. She talks about how her life in both Montana and Paris influenced the book, and she mentioned some interesting tidbits about how she chose to research the novel in order to keep it both true to real life events and engaging as a story.

Books discussed in this episode:

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter
Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Sharon Virts joins us to discuss her debut novel, Masque of Honor: A Historical Novel of the American South. Inspiration for this book came as Sharon was restoring the historic home where she now lives, called Selma. During her restoration research, she learned about the home’s original owners, and that set her on a path to learn more about the people who lived in the early 1800s.
In Masque of Honor, two young aristocrats grow up together as friends and rivals. Their push and pull for power leads to a shocking duel, which changes the lives around them. It’s based on historic fact, but is infused with lively storytelling.
Sharon and Carol talk about what anchors us in history, such as ancient houses and long forgotten relics. Since this is her first book, Sharon shares the details about her journey crafting the story and the editing that brought improvements to each draft. She also talks about what she wants to share about women in her writing, which comes after years of running a company that had about 5,000 employees the day she sold it.

Books discussed in this episode:

Masque of Honor by Sharon Virts https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/masque-of-honor-a-historical-novel-of-the-american-south

Here's Sharon's house: https://www.facebook.com/SelmaMansionRebirth2/

Check out our other videos:

Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Bookaccino Book Club with Jeanine Cummins: https://youtu.be/yY-yhIXjMYM

Best Books of 2020: https://youtu.be/Q_N6r_l1-Ss

Book Group Speed Dating Fall 2020: https://youtu.be/YLTXT9daUY4

More Bookreporter Talks To:

Sadeqa Johnson: https://youtu.be/GsPQeFRbETk

Lisa Gardner: https://youtu.be/e8K2J110cJw

Liese O'Halloran Schwarz: https://youtu.be/JqdPYk2-VGk

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

FOLLOW US
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter
Website: https://www.bookreporter.com