Characters seem to tell their authors where the story is going, and that is part of the alchemy of writing novels. Suzanne Lang talks with Ruthie Marlenee about her novel Agave Blues. It's inflected with a bit of magic realism and the voices of ancestors. Suzanne also talks with best-selling author Meredith Hall on her work, Beneficence, a powerful and moving story of love, loss, and the healing power of family. Listen to KRCB’s A Novel Idea, Sunday, March 6th at 10am PST on KRCB 104.9 FM in Sonoma County. Streaming and podcasting at krcb.org.