The Book Club Cookbook -- Invite an Author -- Author Directory

Beebe Bahrami	Anna Hays	Jacquelyn Mitchard
Erica Bauermeister	Lynne Hinton	Alyse Myers
Donna Woolfolk Cross	Kimberly Willis Holt	George Rabasa
Barbara Delinsky	Shawn Klomparens	Jewell Parker Rhodes
Cai Emmons	Alison Larkin	Hank Phillippi Ryan
Kathleen Flinn	Marie Myung-Ok Lee	Izzy Rose
Heather Frederick	Yael Goldstein Love	Jennie Shortridge
Scott Gac	Lisa Lutz	Kelly Simmons
Heather Gudenkauf	Robert Marshall	Michele Torrey
Jane Guill	Dawn Meehan	Peter Zheutlin

BEEBE BAHRAMI

New Jersey
Email Beebe Bahrami
beebesfeast.com

THE SPIRITUAL TRAVELER SPAIN--A GUIDE TO SACRED SITES
AND PILGRIM ROUTES (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.

THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS (2009; pb, Putnam, January 5, 2010)
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

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

Email Barbara Delinsky
barbaradelinsky.com
Upcoming Appearances

NOT MY DAUGHTER (January 2010, Doubleday)

A pregnancy pact between three teenaged girls puts their mothers' love to the ultimate test in this explosive new novel. When Susan Tate's seventeen-year-old daughter, Lily, announces she is pregnant, Susan is stunned. A single mother, she has struggled to do everything right. She sees the pregnancy as an unimaginable tragedy for both Lily and herself.

Then comes word of two more pregnancies among high school juniors who happen to be Lily's best friends - and the town turns to talk of a pact. As fingers start pointing, the most ardent criticism is directed at Susan. As principal of the high school, she has always been held up as a role model of hard work and core values. Now her detractors accuse her of being a lax mother, perhaps not worthy of the job of shepherding impressionable students. As Susan struggles with the implications of her daughter's pregnancy, her job, financial independence, and long-fought-for dreams are all at risk.

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 the 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."

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 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.

HEATHER FREDERICK

Portland, Oregon
Email Heather Frederick
heathervogelfrederick.com

DEAR PEN PAL

(2009, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) INTERMEDIATE
The third installment in the Mother-Daughter Book Club series finds the girls teaming up with a book club in Wyoming to read Jean Webster's classic Daddy-Long-Legs. As long as they have one another - and a good book - they're ready for whatever eighth grade has in store!

MUCH ADO ABOUT ANNE (2008; pb, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009) INTERMEDIATE
Drama is required reading in this spirited sequel to The Mother-Daughter Book Club, as the 7th grade queen bee joins the club in reading Anne of Green Gables. Can the girls work together to save Half Moon Farm? School Library Journal: "The pace is fast, the concerns and emotions real. The girls are gutsy problem-solvers."

THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB (2007; pb, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008) INTERMEDIATE
What begins as a mom-imposed ritual of reading Little Women helps four unlikely friends navigate the drama of middle school. Borders Book Club Pick. Girls' Life Top 10. Children's Book World: "4 wildly different girls + 4 slightly crazy mothers + 8 copies of LITTLE WOMEN = 1 fabulous read."

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, 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."

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."

LYNNE HINTON

Chewelah, Washington
Email Lynne Hinton
lynnehinton.com

CHRISTMAS CAKE (2009, Avon A, pb)
The ladies of Hope Springs, North Carolina, return nine years after Friendship Cake to create a cake cookbook they hope will buoy the spirits of one of their group, Margaret, whose cancer has returned. In hatching a plan to bring everyone together, they bring Margaret the greatest gift of all: friendship. Library Journal: "A tasty holiday treat... series fans will be delighted."

FRIENDSHIP CAKE (2002, Avon A, pb)

When five women from the Hope Springs Community Church in North Carolina form a committee to create a church cookbook, they embark on a project much more meaningful than they could have ever imagined. Maya Angelou: "I would welcome a friendship with Lynne Hinton. I would welcome an invitation to sit down at her table, but mostly I would welcome her next book."

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."

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; pb, Simon & Schuster, 2009)

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,
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 (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."

DAWN MEEHAN

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.

JACQUELYN MITCHARD

Email Jacquelyn Mitchard
jackiemitchard.com

NO TIME TO WAVE GOODBYE (2009, Random House)

New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard captured the heart of a nation with The Deep End of the Ocean, her celebrated debut novel about mother Beth Cappadora, a child kidnapped, a family in crisis. Now, in No Time to Wave Goodbye, the unforgettable Cappadoras are in peril once again, forced to confront an unimaginable evil.

SEE JAQUELYN MITCHARD'S RECIPE FOR NEXT DAY RICE PUDDING

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.

LOOK BOTH WAYS (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, 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."

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)

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]"

THE PACKAGE DEAL: MY (NOT-SO) GLAMOROUS TRANSITION
FROM SINGLE GAL TO INSTANT MOM (2009; Random House, pb)
One woman’s outrageously funny and poignant journey from sophisticated, single gal in San Francisco to married with (step)children in Texas, where she reinvents the stepmother role for a new generation of daring, confident women. A tribute to any woman who's ever fallen in love and then asked, What exactly
did I get myself into? Redbook: "Refreshingly honest." Library Journal: "Candid and optimistic."

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN

Massachusetts
Email Hank Phillippi Ryan
HankPhillippiRyan.com
Upcoming Appearances

AIR TIME (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 (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 innocent woman from prison: facing a powerful 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.

SEE HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN'S RECIPES: CHARLOTTE MCNALLY'S "ON-A-DEADLINE" APPETIZERS

WHEN SHE FLEW (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."

DOYLE AND FOSSEY: SCIENCE DETECTIVES SERIES (pb, Sterling, 2009) INTERMEDIATE

Polish those magnifying glasses and grab your disappearing ink! Follow science detectives Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey as they solve mysteries and save the day in The Case of the Gasping Garbage and also The Case of the Mossy Lake Monster. But wait! There's more! The detective duo are back at it again, boiling test tubes, and foiling their arch enemy in The Case of the Graveyard Ghost and The Case of the Barfy Birthday. Read all four books in this hilarious detective series!

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 (2007; pb, Citadel Press/Kensington, 2008)

"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."