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Author Directory

Click on the authors names below
to learn about their books

Beebe Bahrami	Jane Guill	Jacquelyn Mitchard
Douglas Bauer	Elizabeth Emerson Hancock	Alyse Myers
Erica Bauermeister	Anna Hays	Noelle Oxenhandler
S.A. Bodeen	Kimberly Willis Holt	Kwei Quartey
Jessica Brody	Tara Ison	George Rabasa
Donna Woolfolk Cross	Charlotte Kandel	Kathleen Reid
Katharine Davis	Shawn Klomparens	Jewell Parker Rhodes
Barbara Delinsky	Alison Larkin	Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum
Lesley Dormen	Marie Myung-Ok Lee	Hank Phillippi Ryan
Cai Emmons	Yael Goldstein Love	Michele Scott
Jennifer Cody Epstein	Lisa Lutz	Jennie Shortridge
Ellen Feldman	Robert Marshall	Kelly Simmons
Kathleen Flinn	Robin Maxwell	Michael Sullivan
Scott Gac	Ruthanne Lum McCunn	Jodi Thomas
Heather Gudenkauf	Dawn Meehan	Michele Torrey
	Tekla Dennison Miller	Peter Zheutlin

BEEBE BAHRAMI

New Jersey
Email Beebe Bahrami
beebesfeast.com

THE SPIRITUAL TRAVELER SPAIN--A GUIDE TO SACRED SITES
AND PILGRIM ROUTES (May 2009, Hidden Spring Books/Paulist Press, pb)

A celebration of the truly sacred and spiritual places, traditions, peoples, and roads of Spain, The Spiritual Traveler is non-denominational and deeply anthropological and folkloric travel book on Spain's prehistoric, pagan, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim past. It is also a spiritual exploration of the country's diverse present, such as in emerging communities dedicated to Buddhism, Hinduism, animistic Earth-based spiritualities, as well as current revivals of the land's connection to the three Abrahamic faiths. Each chapter explores a region, a thematic route, and the most vibrant spiritual life of that area.

PRAIRIE CITY, IOWA: THREE SEASONS AT HOME
(2008, University of Iowa Press, pb)
At the age of 30, Douglas Bauer returned to the tiny rural village where he was raised but grew up barely knowing. Over the year and a half of his reunion, he met and remet the people and the places that defined where he'd come from and pointed him to where he might be going. Both recollection and reportage, the book evokes with wit and a fond but exacting eye a way of life that many, if not most of us, have little knowledge of.

DEATH BY PAD THAI AND OTHER UNFORGETTABLE MEALS

(2006, Crown, pb)
In this collection of essays by some the country's finest writers,
food is the central player in memories both exquisite and excruciating. Including pieces by Amy Bloom, Peter Mayle, Sue Miller, Jane and Michael Stern, Ann Packer, Richard Russo, and thirteen more, this unforgettable collection presents food as education, test, reward, bait, magnet, and, most of all, as gift!

THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS (2009, Putnam)
Once a month, eight students gather in Lillian's restaurant for a cooking class. Over time, the paths of the students intertwine, while the essence of Lillian's cooking expands into the secret corners of their lives. Publishers Weekly: "Remarkable debut." People Magazine: "Food network fans will devour this first novel." Indie Next Pick.

SEE ERICA BAUERMEISTER'S RECIPE FOR TOM'S PASTA SAUCE

THE COMPOUND (Feiwel and Friends, 2008) YOUNG ADULT
Fifteen-year-old Eli and his family have spent the last six years living in an underground compound after a nuclear attack. But
all is not as it seems. Starred Review, Publisher's Weekly.
Nominated for 2009 BBYA and Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers lists.

DONNA WOOLFOLK CROSS

Email Donna Woolfolk Cross
popejoan.com

POPE JOAN (1996, Ballantine Books, pb)
The dramatic story of the only woman ever to sit on the throne
of St. Peter. Los Angeles Times: "Fascinating. Explores the extraordinary life of an independent, intelligent, and courageous woman who overcomes oppression and ascends to the highest religious power." Library Journal: "Highly recommended."

SEE DONNA WOOLFOLK CROSS'S RECIPE FOR FRIED ALMONDS

EAST HOPE (February, 2009, New American Library, pb)

Several months after her husband's sudden death, and troubled by one night's indiscretion, Caroline Waverly seeks refuge in the house she's inherited in East Hope, Maine. There she finds the courage to face the consequences of her choices - her precarious finances, her alienated college-age son, and the man she left behind. Will Harmon also puts his old life behind him, arriving in East Hope to run the local used bookshop. As he questions his desires and struggles with his failing marriage, Will yearns for the wisdom to do what is right. Then Caroline walks into Will's bookstore, and they establish a tentative friendship - with the promise of something more. As they seek to rescue what is most important in their lives, they cling to a distant hope - for understanding, for family, and for love. Kathleen Maloy, author of Every Last Cuckoo:"[A] captivating novel of loss and recovery..."

SEE KATHARINE DAVIS'S RECIPES FOR SISTER MARY'S FISH CHOWDER AND CORNBREAD WITH CHEESE AND CHILES

CAPTURING PARIS (2006, St. Martin's Griffin, pb)

After twenty-five years of marriage, Annie and Wesley are living the type of elegant, sophisticated life in Paris that many Americans dream about. Their apartment in the Marais district is filled with wonderful food, accomplished friends, and good wine. All of this changes when Wesley loses his job and an attractive, magnetic woman enters their lives. Suddenly the sights, smells and sounds of Paris are cast in a different light, and may never be the same. Carolyn Parkhurst, author of The Dogs of Babel: ”Graceful and atmospheric." Katharine Weber, author of Triangle: "Haunting and evocative...an impressive debut."

WHILE MY SISTER SLEEPS (2009, Doubleday)
At 27, Molly Snow is the youngest of three siblings. Feisty but
hard-working, she has always been overshadowed by her older sister, Robin, an elite marathoner who is favored to shine at th upcoming Olympic trials. When Robin suffers a heart attack during a training run and fails to regain consciousness, her family is devastated.\ As Molly's parents fold under the heartbreak and her brother retreats into the cool reserve that is threatening his marriage, Molly is the one left standing. By default, she is thrust into the role of family spokesperson, not only with friends and the media, but at Snow Hill, the family's hugely successful tree and plant nursery. More crucially, Molly becomes her sister's voice when Robin can' t speak for herself. In the process, she finds her own voice.

THE SECRET BETWEEN US (2008; pb, Broadway, 2008)

Deborah Monroe and teenage daughter Grace are driving one
night in a raging rainstorm when their car hits a pedestrian who
later dies. They share a secret concerning the accident, a lie that takes on a life of its own and threatens both their everyday lives and the special bond between them. THE SECRET BETWEEN US is about making bad choices for the right reasons. It explores the limits of responsibility and the price we pay for denying the truth. Publishers Weekly: "Absorbing, unpredictable storytelling - a winning combination."

SEE BARBARA DELINSKY'S RECIPE FOR SoMA STICKIES

FAMILY TREE (2007; pb, Broadway, 2007)

When a white couple gives birth to a baby with distinctly black features, a family is thrown into turmoil. Hugh Clarke, born into a pedigreed New England family, devotes his professional life to championing minorities but is blindsided by his daughter's color.He urges his wife Dana, whose heritage is unknown, to start digging for answers. FAMILY TREE delves into issues of trust, privilege, and identity. The London Times: "A sensitive exploration of the prejudices that many hold but few express."

THE BEST PLACE TO BE (2007; pb, Simon & Schuster, 2008)
"Virginia Woolf meets Candace Bushnell in these funny, beautiful
written stories of one woman's struggle to get through the
business of ordinary life" said Elle magazine about Grace Hanford's quirky journey from 18 to 50, Ohio to Manhattan, unhappy to happy.
O, the Oprah magazine: "Smack-your-forehead familiar, and
so crazily funny you could cry."

CAI EMMONS

Eugene, Oregon
Email Cai Emmons
caiemmons.com
Upcoming Appearances

THE STYLIST (2007, HarperPerennial, pb)

THE STYLIST is the story of a transforming friendship between
two Hoboken salon workers, Hayden, 25, and Emory, 40. Hayden
is a Harvard dropout turned hairstylist who is estranged from her family, and Emory is in the midst of hiatus on her journey to becoming a man. When the two travel to a Costa Rican eco-resort
to rescue Hayden’s injured father, what transpires there both heals and changes them.

HIS MOTHER'S SON (2003; pb, Harvest Books, 2004)

An emergency room doctor conceals a secret past that she must confront when her 6-year-old son begins to manifest behaviors
that remind her of her incarcerated brother. O Magazine: "Gripping. Brings home the power and terror of maternal love." Bookpage: "A gift of a book, an affecting story of violence and forgiveness." A Book Sense selection. Winner, 2003 Oregon Book Award.

THE PAINTER FROM SHANGHAI (2008; pb, W.W. Norton, 2009)
A re-imagining of the astonishing life of Chinese artist Pan Yuliang, who escaped a Chinese brothel to study in Shanghai and Paris, and went on to become one of the most celebrated --and controversial--painters of her time. The New York Times: "An irresistible story..luminous". A Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers pick.

SCOTTSBORO (2008; pb, W.W. Norton, May 2009)
Based on a notorious case spanning half the twentieth century, apowerful novel of race, class, sexual conflict, and a lie that
refused to die. San Francisco Chronicle: "Riveting drama. Ruby belongs with the best of William Faulkner's, or Alice Walker's, women." Atlanta Journal Constitution: "Emotionally charged...powerful." Richmond Times-Dispatch : “One of the five best novels of 2008.” Longlisted for England's Orange Prize, 2009.

THE BOY WHO LOVED ANNE FRANK (2005; pb, W.W. Norton, 2006)
A novel about the death of memory, the memory of death, and the
inescapability of the past. Chicago Tribune: “An ambitious novel about war, identity and the past.” The Boston Globe: “Inventive.” USA Today: “Engaging and morally questioning,” The Forward: “A page-turner.” A New York Times Book Review “Editor's Choice.”

LUCY (2003; pb, W.W. Norton, 2004)

A deeply affecting novel of the private lives behind a public marriage, and a love affair that almost derailed history. Baltimore Sun: “Lyrical...a gem." New York Times: “Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd is a wonderful creation.” Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.: “A touching and sensitive re-imagination of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.”

THE SHARPER YOUR KNIFE, THE LESS YOU CRY

(2007; pb, Penguin, 2008)
When the author loses her corporate job, she clears out her savings to pursue a lifelong dream – a degree from the famed Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love:“Engaging, intelligent and surprisingly suspenseful.” Kirkus Reviews: “A fascinating look inside an elite institution.” Paperback includes book club menu guide.

SINGING FOR FREEDOM: THE HUTCHINSON FAMILY SINGERS
AND THE NINETEENTH-CENTURY CULTURE OF REFORM
(2007, Yale University Press)
Quick. Name the most famous American musical act of the 19th century. Don't know? Meet the Hutchinson Family Singers, John, Judson, Asa, and Abby Hutchinson. Starting in 1841 from their family farm in New Hampshire, these siblings went on to captivate antislavery supporters like Frederick Douglass and then the world with their sweet harmony. David W. Blight, Director of the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance and Abolition, Yale University: "Behold: a time long before Bob Dylan when lyrics
really mattered, and singing abolitionists were rock stars with political
clout.”

HEATHER GUDENKAUF

Iowa
Email Heather Gudenkauf
heathergudenkauf.com
Upcoming Appearances

THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE (Mira, July 28, 2009, pb)

It happens quietly one August morning. As dawn's shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night. Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets. Diane Chamberlain, bestselling author: "...beautifully written, compassionately told, and relentlessly suspenseful...a story you won't be able to put down."

NECTAR FROM A STONE (2005, Touchstone, pb)

A medieval Welshwoman murders her brutal husband, then flees. But visions warn her that the future might be even more dangerous than the past. Booklist: "Irresistibly interwoven with elements of passion, intrigue, and the supernatural." Rain Taxi: "A feminist manifesto for a time in which neither feminism nor novels existed. Luminous."

TRESPASSERS WILL BE BAPTIZED: THE UNORDAINED MEMOIR OF
A PREACHER'S DAUGHTER (2008, Center Street)

Growing up Southern and Baptist in Eastern Kentucky, Elizabeth Emerson Hancock's world revolved around Sunday School, foreign missions projects, revival meetings and of course, the Kentucky Wildcats, who "glorified God through their goal-shattering, soul-shattering play." Hancock chronicles her childhood misadventures with sardonic wit, detailing her and her sister Meg's mischievous - if harmless - abuses of power (stealing Guess jeans from the Africa donation box, or hawking backyard swimming pool baptisms during her neighborhood's annual yard sale) and lovingly recalling the wisdom imparted by her long-suffering parents as they ministered to their unruly flock. TRESPASSERS WILL BE BAPTIZED marks the arrival of a talented new voice in a coming of age story that is by turns comical and affecting.

PORTIA'S EXCLUSIVE AND CONFIDENTIAL RULES ON TRUE FRIENDSHIP (May 2009, Aladdin MIX, pb) INTERMEDIATE

When an unusual new girl enlists Portia to solve a perplexing case of a severely depressed bunny, Portia finds herself unexpectedly making a new friend while facing high drama with an old one. She soon learns that the biggest mystery of all is friendship itself and sets out to find some answers about the exclusive and confidential rules of true friendship.

PORTIA'S ULTRA MYSTERIOUS DOUBLE LIFE (2008, Aladdin MIX, pb) INTERMEDIATE
Twelve-year-old Portia Avatar discovers a mysterious photograph of her missing father. She begins a search for him, and in the process learns more about her single mother and her quirky small town than she ever imagined. The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books: "Portia's breathless 'tweeny energy fizzes on every page." TeensReadToo.com: "Move over Harriet the Spy, Portia's in town."

KIMBERLY WILLIS HOLT

Amarillo, Texas
Email Kimberly Willis Holt
kimberlywillisholt.com

KEEPER OF THE NIGHT (2003; pb, Laurel Leaf, 2005) YOUNG ADULT

Isabel's mother died peacefully. At least that's what Isabel likes to think, since no one will talk about the truth. But the truth has a way of revealing itself at night. Tata sleeps curled up on the floor right where her mother's body was found. Olivia wets her bed and wakes repeatedly from nightmares, and Frank starts carving his anger into the bedroom wall. It's up to Isabel to help her family get beyond the pain and loss — to be the keeper of the night. Publishers Weekly (starred review): "The author works magic, recreating the sights, sounds, and smells of Guam and encapsulating the essence of her characters through very few words." Kirkus Reviews (starred review): "Stunningly beautiful." School Library Journal (starred review): "A beautifully written description of sorrow and recovery that should appeal to a wide audience."

WHEN ZACHARY BEAVER CAME TO TOWN (1999; pb, Yearling, 2001)

INTERMEDIATE
Toby Wilson is having a tough summer in his small Texas town when Zachary Beaver, "The Fattest Boy in the World," comes to town. It's a summer filled with heartaches and friendships. And it's Zachary who turns the town upside down and leaves everyone, especially Toby, changed forever. National Book Award Winner.

MY LOUISIANA SKY (1998; pb, Yearling, 2000) INTERMEDIATE

Set in the south in the late 1950's, this coming of age novel explores a twelve-year-old girl's struggle to accept her grandmother's death, her mentally slow parents and the changing world around her. Booklist (starred review): "This lyrical first novel brings fresh perspective to the guilt and anger and caring that surround the mentally disabled."

Sherman Oaks, California
Email Tara Ison
taraison.com

THE LIST (2007, Scribner)

An in-love, ill-matched couple make a list of 10 things to do before saying good-bye. But the list takes a dark turn when they realize they would rather destroy each other than let go. Meg Wolitzer: "THE LIST is both wise and wicked about love." Chicago Tribune: "A tale of intoxicating love that turns toxic."

A CHILD OUT OF ALCATRAZ (1997; pb, Faber & Faber, 1998)

A mother and daughter story, set on Alcatraz Island. Boston Book Review: "A sad, often beatiful novel. Ison renders the slow disintegration of a once-vital woman, and its effect on her daughter, with perfect, heartbreaking despair."

THE SCARLET STOCKINGS TRILOGY: BOOK ONE, THE ENCHANTED RIDDLE (2008, Dutton Children's Books, pb) EARLY/INTERMEDIATE
Extraordinary magic, mystery and adventure combine, as a thirteen year-old aspiring dancer searches to find self-confidence, trust in herself and others, and a family to love her. A Peek At My Bookshelf: “Will delight fans of Harry Potter, Spiderwick Chronicles and even Anne of Green Gables. Destined to become a classic.”

SEE CHARLOTTE KANDEL'S RECIPE FOR HEARTY TOMATO SOUP

TWO YEARS, NO RAIN (2009, Bantam Dell, pb)
In San Diego County, it hasn't rained in 580 days. But for weatherman Andy Dunne, everything else is changing fast. Only a few weeks ago, he was a newly divorced, slightly overweight meteorologist for an obscure satellite radio station, hiding his secret love for a colleague, the beautiful - and very much married - Hillary Hsing. But nearly overnight, Andy has landed a new gig, flying a magic carpet in a bizarre live-action children's TV show. So what is affable, basically decent Andy Dunne going to do now that he can do practically anything he wants? With a parade of hot moms begging for his autograph and a family that needs his help more than ever, Andy has a lot of choices. First, though, there's this thing with Hillary, their heated text messages, a long-awaited forecast for rain - and a few other surprises he never saw coming... Publishers Weekly: "Compelling characters...Klomparens is frequently a funny and stylish writer."

SEE SHAWN KLOMPARENS'S RECIPE FOR GRILLED POLENTA WEDGES

Email Alison Larkin
alisonlarkin.com
Upcoming Appearances

THE ENGLISH AMERICAN (2008, Simon & Schuster)

Pippa Dunn is adopted by loving British parents and doesn't meet her American birth parents until she is twenty-eight. She discovers they are southern Americans and nothing at all like the practical Brits who raised her. Chaos ensues when reality collides with fantasy and Pippa finds herself struggling with two sets of parents, two opposing cultures and the fact that she is falling in love with two very different men. With a delightful, authentic adopted heroine at its center, Larkin's novel poses questions about how much of your character is nature, how much is nurture, and how much is individual choice. Redbook Magazine Book Club Selection. Vogue Magazine Most Powerful Book of the Season. Shape Magazine, Family Circle Magazine and Women's Wear Daily Scoop Best Book Picks. Chicago Sun Times: “A funny, charming and poignant book – the kind that you can’t resist reading in a single day.”

MARIE MYUNG-OK LEE

Providence, Rhode Island
Email Marie Myung-Ok Lee
marielee.net

SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER (2005; pb, Beacon Press, 2006)
Nineteen-year-old Sarah Thorson, Korean-born and adopted by a white American family as an infant, is determined to solve the mysteries of her past. Kyung-sook, the Korean woman who has always longed for her lost child, learns her daughter is searching for her. Will Kyung-sook risk destroying the life she's built for herself and her new family to regain her daughter? Booklist (starred review): "A grown-up gem of a novel where joy mingles with sorrow, and heartbreak is laced with hope."

NECESSARY ROUGHNESS (1996; pb, HarperTrophy, 1998) YOUNG ADULT
Chan Kim's family moves to a small town in Minnesota from Los Angeles. Chan, a soccer player, throws himself into the only game in town: football. On the field, it's "justifiable violence." Off the field, it's a whole different ballgame. Kirkus Reviews: "Gritty and moving...a strong and intelligent novel." An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults.

FINDING MY VOICE (1992; pb, HarperTrophy, 2001) YOUNG ADULT
Ellen Sung, a Korean American girl growing up in the Midwest, learns to navigate between her own heart and that of her immigrant parents. Winner of the Friends of American Writers Award, The New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age and an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults. The New York Times: "Deals with the subject of racism in a way that is both explicit and sensitive."

Cambridge, Massachusetts
Email Yael Goldstein Love
yaelgoldsteinlove.com
Upcoming Appearances

THE PASSION OF TASHA DARSKY (2007, published as OVERTURE; pb, Broadway

Books, 2008)
A world-famous violinist confronts the sins she's committed toward music, men, and, most importantly, her daughter in this captivating glimpse into the world of classical music. The New York Times Book Review: "... A writer of great emotional precocity. . . The relationships she has created are genuinely affecting and complex. . . Shows signs of brooding genius. Los Angeles Times: "[A work of] fiction deeply involved with intellect and ideas, warmed by sensitively delineated emotions and propelled by strong storytelling... establishes Yael Goldstein as a writer with a distinctive voice of her own."

CURSE OF THE SPELLMANS (2008; pb Simon & Schuster,
February, 2009)

The Spellman family's adventures continue in CURSE OF THE SPELLMANS. Isabel Spellman is back and she's just been sprung from jail for the fourth time in three months. When she finds herself homeless and simultaneously barred from the Spellman offices-cum-residence by a very inconvenient temporary restraining order, Izzy meets with Mort Schilling, her octogenarian lawyer, to hammer out a defense and save her now endangered P. I. license. Over San Franciscos best New York-style deli fare, Izzy recaps the highlights of her recent past and her encounters with the man whose villainy she's determined to unveil—even if she must break the law to do it.

REVENGE OF THE SPELLMANS (March, 2009, Simon & Schuster)

Private investigator Izzy Spellman is back on the case and back on the couch—in court–ordered therapy after getting a little too close to her previous subject. Her newest client is a husband worried that his wife is cheating on him—a seemingly open–and–shut case that won't quite stay shut. When it finally explodes, the fallout reaches the highest levels of city politics. And takes Izzy into uncharted territory. Meanwhile, her brother, David, the family's most upright member, has left the country—and maybe his senses. When her wayward sister Rae aces her SATs, no one knows if it's just another scam. Even Izzy's mom might be running a con. Add to the mix a pair of mysterious women who don't quite seem themselves, a local PI out for revenge, and a car that never stays where Isabel parks it.

THE SPELLMANS FILES (2007; pb Simon & Schuster,
February, 2008)

In THE SPELLMANS FILES you first meet Isabel Spellman, private
investigator. This twenty-eight-year-old may have a checkered past littered with romantic mistakes, excessive drinking, and creative vandalism; she may be addicted to Get Smart reruns and prefer entering homes through windows rather than doors—but the upshot is she's good at her job as a licensed private investigator with her family's firm, Spellman Investigations. Invading people's privacy comes naturally to Isabel. In fact, it comes naturally to all the Spellmans. If only they could leave their work at the office. To be a Spellman is to snoop on a Spellman, tail a Spellman, dig up dirt on, blackmail, and wiretap a Spellman.

ROBERT MARSHALL

New York City
Email Robert Marshall
robertmarshall.net

A SEPARATE REALITY (2006, Carroll & Graf, pb)
Mark Grosfeld is a lonely twelve-year-old growing up in Phoenix, Arizona during the early 1970s. His life begins to change when he meets Anna Voigt, a teacher who becomes his mentor. An ex-hippie poet, Anna introduces him to a circle of teenagers who smoke pot and meet at her house for poetry readings. She also introduces him to Zen Buddhism and the writings of the popular pseudo anthropologist, Carlos Castaneda. Mark enters upon a semi-comic suburban vision quest, trying to conduct his middle school life according to the teachings he finds through Anna - most significantly, Castaneda's. The Washington Post: "As good an encapsulation of adolescence as you're likely to read."

High Desert, California
Email Robin Maxwell
robinmaxwell.com

SIGNORA DA VINCI (January 2009, NAL/Penguin, pb)
In Renaissance Italy, the illicit love affair of Caterina, a young alchemist's daughter, brings her the greatest love of her life - her genius son, Leonardo da Vinci. C.W. Gortner, author of The Last Queen: "A brilliant gem of a novel. . . the book celebrates one woman's unquenchable ardor for knowledge, and a secret world that historical fiction readers rarely see."

MADEMOISELLE BOLEYN (2007, NAL/Penguin, pb)
Anne Boleyn and her sister Mary receive their sexual education in the lascivious court of Francois I. Kirkus Reviews: "An accomplished rehabilitation of much-maligned Anne as an empowered woman." Publishers Weekly: "Maxwell delivers a ripping piece of historical romance." Michelle Moran, author of Nefertiti: "It's easy to see why Anne is the `Boleyn Girl' who changed the course of history."

THE SECRET DIARY OF ANNE BOLEYN (1998, Touchstone, pb) YOUNG ADULT
Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII's only child, Elizabeth I, reads the truth about her mother's turbulent ascendancy and downfall in Anne's long-hidden diary. Publishers Weekly (starred review): "A wonderfully juicy historical novel..." Entertainment Weekly: "History doesn't come more fascinating..." YALSA award, 1997, 1998. New York City Public Library, "Books for the Teenage List," 1997.

San Francisco, California
Email Ruthanne Lum McCunn
mccunn.com

GOD OF LUCK (2007; pb, Soho Press, 2008)
Ah Lung and his beloved wife, Bo See, are separated by a cruel fate when he is kidnapped, enslaved, and sent to the deadly guano mines off the shore of Peru. Praying to the God of Luck and using their own ingenuity, the couple struggles to reunite. Library Journal: “A real page-turner. Highly recommended.” A Book Sense Pick. A 2008 Kiriyama Prize Notable Book.

THOUSAND PIECES OF GOLD (2004, Beacon Press, pb)
Lalu Nathoy’s father called her his treasure, his “thousand pieces of gold,” yet he is forced to sell her during a famine. Polly, as Lalu is later called, is sold to a brothel, brought to America, auctioned off as a slave in San Francisco, taken to mining camp in Idhao, and wins her freedom in a poker game. Los Angeles Times: “Enthralling.” A Quality Paperback Book Club Alternate. Washington State Library’s Washington Reads Program 2006.

THE MOON PEARL (2000, Beacon Press, pb)
Three girls - drawn from the lives of China’s real nineteenth-century heroines - make the radical decision not to marry but live as independent women. Publishers Weekly: "McCunn’s vivid, intimate portrait of early women’s liberation in China is, above all, a good story, lovingly told.” Washington Post: “Bewitches...utterly inspiring and captivating.” American Library Association 2002 “Best of the Best.”

Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Email Dawn Meehan
becauseisaidso.com
Upcoming Appearances

BECAUSE I SAID SO (2009, Guideposts, pb)

Because I Said So affirms that parents are not alone in the daily chaos, struggles and joys of child-rearing. With a huge dose of laugh-out-loud, real-life examples, Dawn Meehan shares hard-won wisdom gleaned from life with six children. With refreshing honesty, she examines episodes from her everyday life and spins them in a humorous light, offering reassurance and guidance to overworked, overstressed parents. Her stories communicate that it's okay for kids to be kids. Poignant and amusing, this is a refreshing and instructive look at the mistakes we all make in child-rearing and a hilarious testimony to parents who don't have it all figured out.

TEKLA DENNISON MILLER

Durango, Colorado
Email Tekla Dennison Miller
teklamiller.com
Upcoming Appearances

LIFE SENTENCES (2005, Medallion Press, pb)

There are men who take women's lives. There are men who kill their minds. Celeste Brookstone has the perfect life. On the surface when her daughter takes a job with the Michigan Prison System, she fears for Pilar's safety. But she's glad Pilar is away from the hell on earth Marcus Brookstone has created within his home. Pilar Brookstone is an idealist. She thinks she can make inmates' lives a little better. And never, ever make the mistake her mother made. Chad Wilbanks is a serial killer serving life. Eight young women were his victims. Is he about to take his ninth?

THE WARDEN WORE PINK (1996, Biddle Publishing, pb)
This memoir tells the story of Tekla's 20 year career in corrections and introduces the reader to the best and the worst among prison administrators, employees and inmates. Warden Miller's story is a sometimes shocking, sometimes hilarious, and always honest examination of the world of criminal justice. It relates one woman's courageous journey into a difficult, dangerous, often hostile environment.

JACQUELYN MITCHARD

Email Jacquelyn Mitchard
jackiemitchard.com

STILL SUMMER (2007; pb, Grand Central, 2008)
When four friends who ruled the school twenty years ago gather for an idyllic

sailing vacation – meant to comfort Olivia, who has returned home a widow after twenty years abroad – they expect two weeks of gossip, sunbathing and drinks with little umbrellas.Instead, two days into their crossing, a single small mistake turns paradise a sun-baked hell.

The same elements that combined to make this trip an adventure in paradise combine in for survival. Surrounded by water, but with almost none to drink, with refrigerators filled with gourmet food rotting before they can used it, and a deluxe communication system ruined in an instant, the women must hide from the punishing sun and use all their strength and intelligence to try to outwit nature, their own demons and human predators.What happens when friendship must face the ultimate test? Does the better nature prevail or is it everyone for herself?

CAGE OF STARS (2006; pb, Grand Central, 2007)

12-year-old Veronica Swan's idyllic life in a close-knit Mormon
community is shattered when her two younger sisters are brutallymurdered. Although her parents find the strength to forgive the deranged killer, Scott Early, Veronica cannot do the same. Years later, she sets out alone to avenge her sisters' deaths, dropping her identity and severing ties in the process. As she closes in on Early, Veronica will discover the true meaning of sin and compassion, before she makes a decision that will change her and her family's lives forever.

THE BREAKDOWN LANE (2005; pb, HarperTorch, 2006)

Advice columnist Julieanne Gillis lives a blessed life. But when she loses her husband, her health and her confidence, her season of despair is leavened by the grit and humor of her son, Gabe, and a startling new life begins. The Minneapolis Star Tribune: "An honest, moving, passionate portrait of what happens when we fall off the track. Not one false word in the whole book."

LOOK BOTH WAYS (March 2009, Razorbill) YOUNG ADULT

Look Both Ways continues the story of Mallory and Merry, begun in the first novel of The Midnight Twins trilogy. Mirror-image twins born a minute before and a minute after midnight on New Year's Eve, they're trapped in a near-fatal fire on the night they turn thirteen. Their "twin telepathy" that has allowed them to"talk without words" all their lives turns into a terrifying psychic gift to see the heart of evil in their small rural town. Mallory can see only the future; Merry can see only the past. But when they put their visions together, they learn that Mallory's best friend, Eden, is the embodiment of an ancient Indian legend. A shape-shifter, Eden must give up her life as an ordinary girl and serve her clan as medicine woman. Whoever should see Eden in her shape as a white panther is doomed to bad luck; but, as Mallory learns, anyone who actually sees her transform must die. How can the twins save Eden, who wants to run from her ancient destiny, without risking their own lives?

THE MIDNIGHT TWINS (2007; pb, Razorbill, March 2009) YOUNG ADULT

Meredith and Mallory Brynn are mirror twins born on either side of midnight one snowy New Year’s Eve. They have always been inseparable. But after they are nearly killed in a mysterious fire on their thirteenth birthday, the bond that has always joined them unravels. They begin to have visions and dreams that reveal the deep secrets kept by the people around them. Meredith and Mallory realize they have each been given a gift: Mallory can see deep into the past; Meredith can see the future. But when they discover that one boy is not what they imagined, their lives will be changed forever. If they can survive . . .

NOW YOU SEE HER (2007, HarperTeen) YOUNG ADULT

On the surface, Hope is beautiful, a straight “A” student and a talented actress. But behind the scenes something strange is going on. When Hope is found in the woods and claims to have been abducted, her story does not make sense. Could it be that she faked her own kidnapping? As she tries to answer that question, Hope begins to doubt her own story and even her sanity. School Library Journal: "This riveting page-turner is sure to be in hot demand."

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? A MEMOIR
(2008, Simon & Schuster/Touchstone, pb)
Raised in a housing project in Queens, the oldest of three girls, Myers spent most of her young life witnessing the disintegration of her parents’ marriage and her father’s constant disappearances. Myers insulated herself from her mother’s wrath and difficult circumstances, striving to become independent of the life her mother led, causing her mother to repeatedly ask, “Who do you think you are?” At its heart, this moving book is the story of a mother and daughter with conflicting personalities and ideals. It is the touching account of an effort to understand how two women – an ambitious young girl and her unhappy, bitter mother – could spend nearly a lifetime on edge with each other. No matter what your relationship with your own mother is like, this book will stay with you long after you put it down. The New York Times: "The moving story...pleasantly old-fashioned...touching, even tender, record of Myers's thorny mother's difficult life raising three girls alone." USA Today: "An absorbing tale of love and forgiveness."

Glen Ellen, California
Email Noelle Oxenhandler
noelleoxenhandler.com
Upcoming Appearances

THE WISHING YEAR: A HOUSE, A MAN, MY SOUL A MEMOIR OF FULFILLED DESIRE (2008, Random House)

In the wake of a great life upheaval, Noelle Oxenhandler launched a year's experiment in wishing. Given her skeptical nature, it wasn't easy--but she persisted, and soon her wishes began to come true, in a ways that simultaneously met, subverted, and overflowed her expectations. Booklist (Starred Review): "She chronicles her surprising findings in 12 scintillating chapters...in a charmingly self-deprecating and anecdotal mix of the everyday ups-and-downs of a post divorce recalibration and profound questions of purpose and desire."

THE EROS OF PARENTHOOD (2001, St. Martin’s)

Tackling a very edgy subject, in tender and poetic prose, The Eros of Parenthood finds a way to celebrate the healthy physical love that exists between parents and young children. Between the poles of "too hot" and "too cold" it seeks to find the "just right" dose of nurturing affection.

WIFE OF THE GODS (July 2009, Random House)

Detective Inspector Darko Dawson, a good family man and a remarkably intuitive sleuth, is sent to the village of Ketanu - the site of his mother's disappearance many years ago - to solve the murder of an accomplished young AIDS worker. While battling his own anger issues and concerns for his ailing son, Darko explores the motivations and secrets of the residents of Ketanu. It soon becomes clear that in addition to solving a recent murder, he is about to unravel the shocking truth about his mother's disappearance. Publishers Weekly: “Quartey's winning debut, introduces gifted detective Darko Dawson...a wonderful creation, a man as rich with contradictions as the Ghana Quartey so delightfully evokes....readers will be eager for the next installment in what one hopes will be a long series.” Essence magazine feature as June Novel-of-the-Month.

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Email George Rabasa
georgerabasa.com

THE WONDER SINGER (2009, Unbridled Books, pb)

Mark Lockwood has been hired by the European opera star Mercé Casals, suddenly dying in her eighties, to write her memoirs.
The Wonder Singer sweeps Lockwood along the
dizzying chronology of the diva's life - her survival during the Spanish Civil War, her marriage to a philandering tenor, and her love affair with an exiled prince. Cleveland Plain Dealer: "A gem!"

SEE GEORGE RABASA'S RECIPE FOR CATALAN TOMATO BREAD (PA AMB TOMAQUET)

KATHLEEN REID

Richmond, Virginia
Email Kathleen Reid
KathleenReid.com

A PAGE OUT OF LIFE (2008, Berkley Books, pb)

A Page Out of Life is about love, friendship, heartbreak and scandal in the fictional city of Belloix, Alabama. It all starts when stressed-out mother of four Ashley Gates gets dragged by her best friend to a meeting of the local scrapbooking club. Ashley is surprised to meet such a diverse group of women from Tara, the single grad student looking for love to Libby, a retired schoolteacher, whose life is blown apart by scandal. These friendships become a source of strength as the women support each other through good times and bad and uncover a trail of secrets. Nominee, Library of Virginia Literary award.

JEWELL PARKER RHODES

Scottsdale, Arizona and Natick, Massachusetts
Email Jewell Parker Rhodes
jewellparkerrhodes.com

YELLOW MOON (Atria, 2008)

Jewell Parker Rhodes continues the magical, mystical story of legendary voodoo priestess Marie Laveau - begun in the best-selling Voodoo Dreams - and brings it into the New Orleans of the present day. David Morrell, author of Creepers: “Richly dark and vividly haunting…a magical, mysterious, and transfixing read." Betty Webb, author of the Lena Jones mysteries: “In this stunning novel, the author once again demonstrates that her gifts as a storyteller are unparalleled.”

SEE JEWELL PARKER RHODES'S RECIPES FOR SHRIMP AND HAM JAMBALAYA and HURRICANE COCKTAIL

DOUGLASS' WOMEN (2002; pb, Washington Square, 2003)

This historical reimagination of American hero Frederick Douglass focuses on the two women in his life and the love triangle formed as they lived under the same roof. His wife Ann, a free woman of color, bore him five children and remained at his side for over forty years, while Ottilie, his German mistress, provided him with intellectual companionship. It is a story of love and jealousy, resentment and union, and a vivid portrayal of history and a powerful man through this different lens. The Washington Post: "[A] courageous and beautiful book." Winner of the 2003 American Book Award.

VOODOO DREAMS (1993; pb, Washington Square, 1995)

Rhodes' debut novel describes the rise of Marie Laveau into the legendary voodoo practicioner of mid-nineteenth century New Orleans. Focusing on the woman behind the legend, the story weaves history and myth into its narrative fabric as Marie journeys from bayou to city in search of her lost grandmother, guided by dreams, and finds John, the voodoo doctor that opens the door for her legendary power. A bewitching read--erotic, atmospheric, exploring the intersections of race, class, gender, and feminine spiritual power. Publishers' Weekly: "Rivet[ing]"

LISA PEARL ROSENBAUM

Los Angeles, California
Email Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum
lisapearlrosenbaum.com

A DAY OF SMALL BEGINNINGS (2006, Little, Brown)

Who are we if we don't know where we came from? Set in Poland, a multigenerational story of a contemporary American family wrestling with their hidden history and the faith they left behind. The Los Angeles Times: “[a] breathtaking debut...a love story between a ghost and a Jewish family.” The Book of the Month Club: “...[it] will keep you flipping pages long after you should be in bed. We should all have a guardian spirit like Freidl - funny, unforgettable, and determined not to let us forget where we come from.” A Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN

Massachusetts
Email Hank Phillippi Ryan
HankPhillippiRyan.com
Upcoming Appearances

AIR TIME (August 2009, MIRA, pb)
Undercover in the not-so pretty world of fashion fakes, veteran TV reporter Charlotte McNally must make some life-changing choices. Problem is: she must recognize the real thing - when nothing is what it seems. Author Sue Grafton: "Sassy, fast-paced and appealing. Air Time is first-class entertainment."

FACE TIME (July 2009, MIRA, pb)

How far would a mother go to protect her child? A smart and savvy 40-something TV reporter battles to free a possibly innnocent woman from prison: facing a poweful Attorney General, a sexy cop, a dishy new boyfriend and his petulant pre-teen daughter - and her own impossible-to-please mother. Fast-paced, suspenseful, funny...and even heartwarming. (Mothers and daughters should read it together.) Author Sara Paretsky: "A gripping thriller...with an important storyline and an engaging and unusual heroine."

PRIME TIME (June 2009, MIRA, pb)

Veteran television reporter turns real-life experience into fiction: A savvy 40-something reporter wonders if that annoying spam clogging her computer is carrying secret messages - and insiders will do anything, including murder, to stop her. (And what happens when the camera doesn't love her anymore?) Author Mary Jane Clark: "Current, clever and full of cliff-hangers." Agatha Award Winner, Best First Novel.

San Diego, California
Email Michele Scott
michelescott.com
Upcoming Appearances

A VINTAGE MURDER (2008, Berkley, pb)

Nikki and her boss-turned-boyfriend came to Australia to visit the Hahndorf Winery, but it seems they've also walked onto a movie set. And when lead actress Lucy Swanson is found dead in her trailer, bitten by a poisonous snake, Nikki must comb the vineyards of the valley to catch a killer with a venomous streak-before she's struck herself.

SEE MICHELE SCOTT'S RECIPE FOR SPICY LAMB BURGERS WITH WINE PAIRING

TACKED TO DEATH (2008, Berkley, pb)

A new tack shop and a gala polo match are reasons to celebrate for horse trainer Michaela Bancroft - until equestrian Sterling Tabor is found clubbed to death with a polo mallet. Worse yet, suspicion falls on Michaela...

The weapon belongs to Michaela, her prints are all over it, and rumors of her alleged affair with the victim aren't helping. With her boyfriend Detective Jude Davis out of town, Michaela doesn't stand a chance of proving her innocence and clearing her name unless she delves into Tabor's mysterious life and death on her own. But in unearthing a real suspect and a motive, she discovers a deadly past. And Tabor's shady friends are more than willing to throw Michaela off the track - for good.

SILENCED BY SYRAH (2007, Berkley, pb)

As the Vineyard Manager at Malveaux Estates, Nikki Sands knows a lot about wine pairings, but she has a harder time making matches in her own life. Is it finally time to give up her crush on her boss, Derek Malveaux, and commit to winemaker Andrés? With big changes afoot at the Estates, Nikki's days of wine and roses may be over sooner than she thinks.

Malveaux Estates has added a boutique hotel and spa to its beautiful grounds, and everyone in Napa is abuzz about the hotel's restaurant, Georges on the Vineyard. Its opening has been delayed a bit by the quirks of star chef Georges Debussey, better known for his cuisine than his couth. When Georges doesn't return to the kitchen after a relaxing Syrah bath splash at the spa on opening night, Nikki figures the bubbles must have gone to his head. But instead of bubbles, it was a bullet - leaving Nikki to wonder what kind of wine can be paired with murder.

WHEN SHE FLEW (November 2009, NAL, pb)
Inspired by true events, this is the story of an Iraq-war vet raising his 13-year-old daughter in the woods, and the police woman who finds them and breaks all the rules to keep them together. Author Marisa de los Santos: "Taut, beautifully rendered."

LOVE AND BIOLOGY AT THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE (2008, NAL,
pb)

A bittersweet novel that asks: how does a good girl know when to finally let herself be bad? Love & Biology is the story of middle-aged and menopausal Mira's journey away from her "perfect" small-town married life and toward the big city of Seattle, where she will finally get to know her true self. Author Garth Stein: "One terrific read!”

EATING HEAVEN (2005, NAL, pb)
Eating Heaven is the story of large-and-lonely Eleanor, a food magazine writer and secret binge eater. When her favorite uncle is diagnosed

with a terminal illness, she becomes his caregiver and discovers the true meaning of food, and some juicy family secrets to boot. Recipes included in the back of the book. Author Ayelet Waldman: “A delightful, charming heroine plauged with an appetite smaller only than her good and gracious heart.”

KELLY SIMMONS

Pennsylvania
Email Kelly Simmons
bykellysimmons.com
Upcoming Appearances

STANDING STILL (2008 ; pb, Washington Square Press, 2009)
When Claire Cooper begs to take her daughter's place mid-kidnapping, she has as much to hide - and bargain for - as her captor. Publishers Weekly starred review: "An exhilarating debut...the perfect read for a stormy night."

THE SAPPHIRE KNIGHT (2009, PublishingWorks, Inc.)

INTERMEDIATE
The Sapphire Knight features everything a boy could want: a quest, numerous battle scenes, magic, forces of good and evil, campfires, scars, and yes, a beautiful girl. A tale told by an ancient traveler leads a young listener on a voyage of discovery; could this wrinkled, old man truly be The Sapphire Knight?

ESCAPADE JOHNSON AND THE COFFEE SHOP OF THE LIVING DEAD (2008,

PublishingWorks, Inc., pb) INTERMEDIATE
Escapade Johnson might be the most boring kid in the most normal town in the least thrilling state in the country, but he sure seems to find himself in a grande-sized cup of trouble in his latest book. What starts as simple teasing, turns into instant chaos and a life-sentence with the "undead" before coming full circle into "the best living history project ever in the history of the world." Recipient of a GOLD Mom's Choice Award.

ESCAPADE JOHNSON AND THE WITCHES OF BELKNAP COUNTY (2008,

PublishingWorks, Inc., pb) INTERMEDIATE
Escapade Johnson might be the most boring kid in the most normal town in the least thrilling state in the country, but he's in trouble once again. This time his audience is sure to be spellbound. What exactly makes someone a witch? Is it strange and unusual behavior? Insanely, dramatically different etiquette and food choices? A black wardrobe complete with pointy shoes and hat? Either Sanbornton isn't so boring as Escapade thought, or he and his friends need to learn not to judge a book by its cover.

TWISTED CREEK (2008, Berkley, pb)
Bad luck's been biting at Allie Daniel'

s heels all her life, so when she inherits a tiny café in a small Texas lake community she's sure there has to be a catch. But Allie brings her grandmother along, and the cafe gives Nana a chance to do what she loves best - cook. As Allie settles in to try and make the best of what surely must be a mistake in an old man's will, the people of the lake drop by. Lonely folk discover there's always a "table for one" available, with down home food to warm the soul. An old maid, a shy young man, a drifter who races the moon across the lake: slowly, they become the family Allie never had. And when trouble comes, Allie finds she's not alone any more - and that sometimes, the only cure for bad luck is the courage to love.

TEXAS PRINCESS (2007, Berkley, pb)
Ever since he defended the Whispering Mountain Ranch as a boy, Tobin McMurray vowed to steer clear of outsiders. But something about Liberty Mayfield has made it impossible to keep his distance. Every minute spent with the vulnerable beauty has left him hungering for something he swore he'd never have - a wife and a family. Unfortunately, the woman who's ignited his desire is about to marry another man.

VOYAGE OF MIDNIGHT (2006; pb, Yearling, 2008)

INTERMEDIATE
Caught between his lifelong desire for a family and the promise of a better life, and the shocking brutality he witnesses aboard his uncle’s slave ship, Philip must open his eyes and decide for himself the true meaning of family, freedom, and humanity. School Library Journal: “A powerful, beautifully written tale.” Named one of the “Best Children’s Books of the Year” by CBC at Bank Street College.

VOYAGE OF PLUNDER (2005; pb, Yearling, 2007)

INTERMEDIATE
Kidnapped by pirates, Daniel Markham must join the crew or die. Unprepared for the temptations of pirate life and for the captain’s inexplicable kindness toward him, Daniel knows only one thing for certain: one false step on a pirate ship could be deadly, and he’ll do anything to stay alive. Booklist: “A sea yarn that can stand solidly beside other classic pirate stories.” Finalist, Washington State Book Award.

VOYAGE OF ICE (2004; pb, Yearling, 2005)

INTERMEDIATE
Life on a whaling ship is very different from what Nick expected. He is mercilessly overworked by a cruel captain and crew. And when an awful turn of fate leaves him stranded in the harsh Arctic winter, he must battle for his very survival. Booklist: “Torrey unspools a nailbiting adventure . . . those who like survival tales will be rapt.” Nominated for Sequoyah YA Book Award.

Boston, Massachusetts
Email Peter Zheutlin
annielondonderry.com

AROUND THE WORLD ON TWO WHEELS: ANNIE LONDONDERRY’S EXTRAORDINARY RIDE (November 2007, Citadel Press/Kensington)

"The most extraordinary journey ever undertaken by a woman,” said the New York World -- an audacious ‘round the world race against time on a bicycle. In 1894, under an assumed name, a working class Jewish mother from Boston turned every Victorian expectation of female propriety on its ear. This is the remarkable story of the author's great-grandaunt, who transformed herself into an international celebrity as the globe trotting cyclist, Mlle. Annie Londonderry. Booklist: "Well researched and written...she was a remarkable woman and well worth getting to know."