Looking for some new biography and memoir books for your library? There are so many new releases this week that you’re bound to find a new favorite. You can pick up new books from Dre Carlan, Alex Trebek, Patricia Heaton, and more. Enjoy your new biography and memoir books. Happy reading!
Does your literary fiction reading list need something new and exciting? You're in luck because we've made a list of some of our picks for the must-read literary fiction novels of July! Don't miss new books from Dominic Jennings, Lynn Stegar Strong, David Mitchell, Hazel Prior, Charlie Kaufman, and Amanda Prowse. Enjoy!
Release Date: June 8, 2020
London, 1901. The city is preparing for a race like no other. Soon, Hyde Park will be filled with flying machines of all shapes and sizes, and Oliver Withorpe is desperate to join them. Fourteen-year-old Oliver is a budding engineer who longs to invent. But his dentist father won't let him. Unbeknownst to Oliver, a secret from his family's past explains his inquisitive nature and thirst for invention. When he breaks into a private section of his beloved library one night, he will start a journey that will change his life and generations to come.
Release Date: July 7, 2020
Years after coming to New York in hopes of building a new life, Elizabeth finds herself with two kids, a husband, two jobs, a PhD... and is now filing for bankruptcy. She desperately tries to balance her dream and the impossibility of striving toward it while her work and home life feel poised to fall apart. When she reaches out to her long-lost childhood friend, Sasha, it seemed harmless. But she too is facing a crisis and their shared moments of crux may just bring them back into each other's lives.
Release Date:
The new novel from the bestselling, prize-winning author of The Bone Clocks and Cloud Atlas... Utopia Avenue is the strangest British Band you've never heard of. They emerged in 1967 during London's psychedelic scene in 1967. They embarked on a meteoric journey from the seedy clubs in Soho, a TV debut on Top of the Pops, were on the cusp on chart success, and so much more. David Mitchell's novel tells their story.
Release Date: June 16, 2020
The new book from the acclaimed author of Ellie and the Harpmaker... Eight-five-year-old Veronica McCreedy is estranged from her family and needs a worthwhile cause to leave her fortune to. After watching a documentary on penguins in Antarctica, she quickly decides that she will go and visit the scientists and won't take no for an answer. Shortly after she arrives, she manages to convince the team to rescue and orphaned baby penguin and quickly Veronica's closed heart starts to open.
Release Date: July 7, 2020
Antkind is the new novel from the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Synecdoche, New York... B. Rosenberger Rosenberg is a neurotic and underappreciated film critic. When he stumbles upon a hitherto unseen film by an enigmatic outsider, he is convinced it will change his career trajectory and rock the world on cinema to its core.
Release Date: July 7, 2020
The latest release from the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner... When her grandmother passes away, Victoria is bereft but resilient. She has survived tragedy before but her strength is truly tested when a mysterious woman attends Prim's funeral. She claims to be the mother Victoria thought was dead.
The summer season is the perfect time to dive into some exciting new mystery and thriller reads. We think you'll love these latest releases from Corey Lynn Fayman, Ace Atkins, David Archer, James Patterson, Jeff Abbott, and Paul Doiron. We hope you enjoy these new mystery and thriller reads for Summer!
The fourth book in A Rolly Waters Mystery Series by Corey Lynn Fayman... On a cool winter evening, a speedboat hurtles across the San Diego Bay and crashes into the Admiral's Club where a farewell party for the Navy's top-secret Dolphin Divers program is underway. As the guests flee the inferno, a woman named Janis Withers crawls out and screams her last words-Arion has returned! Detective Rolly Waters is pulled into the case when he makes a connection between Janis and a pair of dog tags left behind.
The 10th book in A Quinn Colson Series by New York Times Bestselling Author Ace Atkins... After being shot and left for dead, Sheriff Quinn Colson is out for revenge. With the help of his wife, rehabilitation, and sheer force of will, he is now walking again. He is eager to start work again as a southern lawman and find those responsible for his attempted murder. But someone is standing in his way.
The 12th book in A Sam and Indie Series by USA Today Bestselling Author David Archer... In Chasing Ghosts, Sam and Indie take on their strangest case ever, when they are asked to help prove a cameraman for a ghost chaser TV show didn't murder a policeman. As they dive into a world of ghosts, will they be able to find the real killer?
The new standalone novel from New York Times Bestselling Author James Patterson... Cain Lemaire had his dream job as a Secret Service agent protecting the President, until a single night resulted in a scandal that lost him his post. Needing a new start, he gets a little help from his sister in Japan and gets a job in Tokyo as head of security details for a successful CEO. What was meant to be a simple security post turns into a tangled web of corruption, greed, and extortion.
The body of Danielle Roberts is found on a park bench in a quiet neighborhood of the wealthy Austin suburb of Lakehaven. She was a beloved member of the community and an adoption consultant who delivered the joy of parenthood to many local families. Her murder shocks the community. No one is as crushed as the Pollitts, the family who lived two houses down from Danielle. Her death becomes a maelstrom of suspicion and intrigue.
The 11th book in the Mike Bowditch Mysteries Series by Paul Doiron... "Never trust a man without secrets." These were the last words retired game warden Charley Stevens speaks to his surrogate son, Warden Investigator Mike Bowditch. That was before the old man vanished without explanation. Mike suspects the disappearance has something to do with an antique warden badge that recently surfaced at a flea market... a badge connected to a cold case from Charley's past.
Sci-Fi and Fantasy readers are in for a treat this Summer thanks to so many amazing new releases hitting stores! Take a look at our reading list recommendations from E.A. Chance, Stephanie M. Allen, Jeffrey L. Kohanek, Mary Robinette Kowal, Jim Butcher, and Rhett C. Bruno. Don't miss our picks for the best new sci-fi and fantasy novels for Summer!
Release Date: June 16, 2020
The first book in the post-apocalyptic Shattered Sunlight Series by E.A. Chance... Navigating life with PTSD is not easy for the young widowed surgeon, Riley Poole. When a global solar flare strikes and destroys the power grid, she is stranded in Washington D.C. with her teenage daughter. In a world gone mad, it will take near superhuman courage to find safe harbor. Along with quirky cardiologist Coop, Riley will have to traverse hundreds of miles of frozen terrain to get her daughter to safety.
Release Date: June 30, 2020
In the world of Erez, three kingdoms share a tentative peace. Princess Isemay resides in the far west and yearns for more than frilly dresses and etiquette classes. Her twin sisters, Alena, is preparing for life as a monarch in the neighboring kingdom but spends most of her time roaming the woods with her loyal cheetah and a hunting dagger strapped to her belt. It is only when two surprise visitors arrive at the castle that Isemay has to come to terms with her royal future.
Release Date: July 9, 2020
The fifth book in the bestselling Fate of Wizardoms Series by Jeffrey L. Kohanek... An insatiable wizard seeks to increase his might as thrones of power fall vacant. He never would have imagined a wizardess might foil his plans. A queen is rising in the south and has formed an unprecedented alliance - an army of multiple wizardoms, backed by the magic of a wizard lord. A squad of misfits have been thrust into the roles of reluctant heroes and must save the world from the Dark Lord.
Release Date: July 14, 2020
The third book in the Lady Astronaut Series by Mary Robinette Kowal... The Earth is almost at boiling point as a climate disaster from the Meteor strike becomes more clear. But the political climate is already overheated as riots and strikes plague the space program. The IAC's goal of getting as many people off Eart as possible is being threatened.
Release Date: July 14, 2020
The 16th book in the Dresden Files by New York Times Bestselling Author Jim Butcher... The Supernatural nations of the world are negotiating an end to ongoing hostilities. Chicago's only professional wizard, Harry Dresden, has joined the White Council's security team to make sure that the talks stay civil. But when dark political manipulations threaten the existence of Chicago, can he succeed?
Release Date: July 14, 2020
The first book in The Circuit Saga by USA Today Bestselling Author Rhett C. Bruno... When New Earth Tribunal's ships are mysteriously stolen, they dispatch one of their best agents to find the culprits... Sage Volus, Tribunal Executor, and Spy. Chasing her only lead, she quickly infiltrates the ranks of Caresian mercenary Talon Rayne. But the longer she's undercover, the more she finds her faith in the Tribune tested.
Have some fun in the sun this Summer and enjoy these hot new romance reads! You'll fall in love with our latest recommendations from Penelope Bloom, Cole McCade, Kimberly Readnour, Claire Contreras, Anastasia Alexander, and Willow Winters. We hope you enjoy our picks for the best romance reads for Summer!
Release Date: July 6, 2020
The new romantic comedy from bestselling author Penelope Bloom... I remember Chelsea Cross. Five years ago she thought she could handle me and proving her wrong was very enjoyable. Now she wants a job. A smart man would have said no... but I can't resist teaching her the same lesson I taught her five years ago.
Release Date: June 30, 2020
The first book in the Albin Academy Series by Cole McCade... Summer Hemlock wasn't supposed to return to Omen, Massachusetts. But when his mother needs help, he returns home and takes up a teaching residency at the Albin Academy. There he will have to work directly under Professor Fox Iseya, the man who made his teenage years miserable.
Release Date: July 9, 2020
The third book in the Cessna U Wildcats Series by Kimberly Readnour... Garret Cartel is Cessna University's starting shortstop. He is painstakingly gorgeous and friend-zoned since freshman year. Why do I always fall for unattainable guys? I blame my trust issues. They keep me safe. But now it is our final year and I have one final chance to break the dreaded friend-zone chains before graduation. But the problem is he keeps pulling away.
Release Date: July 13, 2020
The second book in the Secret Society Series by New York Times Bestselling Author Claire Contreras... When someone tells you who you are, do you believe them? This morning I woke up in a mental institution and couldn't remember a thing. I couldn't remember my name or how I got here. I also don't remember how I left or ended up in an interrogation room. The only thing I knew came from the contents of my bag and what they told me.
Release Date: July 14, 2020
The fifth book in the bestselling Millionaire Romance Series by Anastasia Alexander... Maggie Chambers was the villain of the Millionaire Engagement reality TV show, that shocked the nation by capturing the heart of JT Devonshire. But can she keep it? Being with him means she has to move to Tucson, Arizona. It also means being the outsider in a tight-knit community and taking on Dee, the crafty TV producer, who has no short supply of meddling tactics.
Release Date: July 14, 2020
Some love stories are a slow burn but not ours. I'd describe it as quick to ignite, scorching, and branding your very soul before you've even taken a breath. Everything around me was blurred and all that existed were his lips and his touch. The chase and the heat between us was addictive. We both knew it couldn't last but that didn't change what we desired most... All we wanted was each other.
By Penelope Bloom
If you've never heard of me, I started writing romance in 2016. Since, I've penned just under 40 books, and about two years ago, I started diving into the world of romantic comedy. My debut rom-com series was The Objects of Attraction series, which ended up having four top ten bestselling books and has now been translated into over ten languages and even adapted for a mobile game (weird, I know).
So let me tell you from experience that writing for laughs is tricky.
If you want an easy way to imagine the way it feels, just picture yourself at a dinner party with a friend and some new potential friends. Now imagine your lovely (but misguided) best friend points at you and says, "This is Penelope. She's absolutely hilarious. Seriously, you'll laugh so hard you're going to pee yourself. Go ahead, Penelope! Say something funny!"
And that's kind of what happens when you decide to foolishly call yourself a rom-com author. Even from the first book, there's an expectation the moment you classify your book as some form of comedy. People walk in the "door" expecting to laugh. And if you've never tried being funny on command, it's a completely different thing than being funny spontaneously.
Growing up, I always felt like I was pretty good at making a little comment in school to get people to laugh. Or I could pick out something a friend said in conversation and turn it into a funny moment. But I had to almost learn how to be funny again when I wanted to inject that into my books.
And that brings me to one of the other challenges of writing for laughs. Not everybody will think you're funny. Just go to a comedy show and watch the audience. There are always going to be the handful of people in the corners scowling with their arms crossed while everyone else laughs so hard they cry.
I had to learn not to take every review as gospel. Sure, I'd love it if every single person who read my books laughed every time I wanted them to. But that's just not reality. There are people out there who have probably created hate shrines in their bedrooms dedicated to me, that horrible author who tried and failed to make them laugh.
So in the end, switching from plain old contemporary romance to romantic comedy has been a huge adjustment. I've had my feelings hurt from reviews. I've missed the mark and written books that weren't as funny as I'd hoped. I've even felt burnt out by the expectation to be funny at times. But I have realized this style of book is what makes me happiest to write.
I love hearing about people who laughed so much in public while reading my books that they got weird looks. Or people who had their significant other come check on them to see if they were okay because they were cracking up while reading in bed. Or people who reach out to tell me I helped them smile at a time they really needed to smile.
I know it's not much in the grand scheme of things, but it's a really wonderful feeling to know I can bring happiness to people, even in small doses. So writing for laughs is one of the most challenging things I've ever tried to do, but it's also one of the most rewarding.
P.S. If you want to find out if I inspire laughter in you or the desire to build hate shrines, feel free to check out my latest rom-com, My (Mostly) Secret Baby!
Penelope Bloom is the author of the new book My Mostly Secret Baby.
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What can you tell us about your new release, Just Like That?
Honestly, Just Like That is a hard book to quantify, even if you just break it down to tropes around coworkers, teachers, childhood crushes, May/December age gaps, grumpy/sunshine. I wrote it last year before COVID-19 kicked off as part of the Carina Adores line of LGBTQIA+ romance, and I've never deliberately set out to write fluffy, sweet, internally driven low-conflict romance before. I never really imagined that it'd end up being a book that's kind of an escape from the world as it is right now, but it's something of a book about unfulfilled longings and wistful fantasies suddenly turned into reality when a former student at a boarding school returns as a teaching assistant, in training to take over from the very man who used to intimidate and electrify him during the years of a boyhood crush. It's a story about transformation, about becoming who you're meant to be, about hope--and I feel like right now, we could all use a little hope.
What or who inspired you to become an author?
This is probably silly, but the game Final Fantasy VII (which recently got a gorgeous remake) made me realize I wanted to tell stories that evoked feeling in others. When I was in high school I saw the first cinematic trailer for the game on TV, and it filled me with this breathless sense of wonder and emotion, and I realized that not only did I want to play a game like that...I wanted to create things that gave others that same sense of their heart-strings pulling too tight.
What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?
That's a hard one. I read widely across so many genres and love so many authors, but at the same time I'm intensely private about what I love. But if I had to pick, really, I'd say Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman, So You Want to Be a Wizard by Diane Duane, Prey by Michael Crichton, A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole, and Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue.
Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask
Mary Shelley! To me she's the mother of science fiction, and there's so much in the story of Frankenstein and his creation that touches on these complex layered nuances of human fears, hopes, desires, all framed by this inhuman monster. Honestly, I'd want to hear her first-person recounting of the rainy day she spent at Byron's with her husband, swapping ghost stories that led to the birth of Frankenstein.
What's your favorite thing about writing?
It's probably a cliche if I say "finishing the book." Even if it's a relief to finish, though, I think the best part is when I get so caught up in writing that I don't notice hours passing as I churn out thousands of words at a time, completely caught up in the stories until I forget to be myself. I also sometimes forget to breathe until I get a little light-headed, but, well, autonomous systems kick in sooner or later and remind me my brain needs oxygen to function.
What is a typical day like for you?
No such thing. I'm a human chaos engine and my every day is a wreck. Every time I try to establish a consistent schedule, something throws me off and sends me into a tailspin, so I just...take each day as it comes, and steal what hours I can to write in between putting out the numerous fires burning in my life at any one point in time. I just kind of attract the unexpected, and you never know when I'll be dealing with exploding plumbing or a neighbor having a meltdown or who even knows what else.
What scene from Just Like That was your favorite to write?
The scene where Summer comes back to apologize to Fox for kissing him impulsively and without permission, the first day he'd seen him after seven years away from his hometown. It's not just that I think showing respect for boundaries that way is important; it's that the conversation demonstrated who they really are. Summer is immensely shy on the surface, but he breaks that trope in the conversation to show that he's got a hidden strength that makes him brave in his own sweet, stubborn way--while Fox, seemingly icy and hardened on the surface, shows that underneath he's grieving and lost and has completely forgotten how to connect with other people. I like taking character archetypes and breaking them out of their mold, and what happened there resulted in an intimate, revealing moment that really let them start on new footing with each other as equals versus former teacher and student turned coworkers.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
"Shouganai." It means "it is what it is," loosely translated, and it's pretty much the only way I keep moving sometimes with the endless string of catastrophes that is a life governed by Murphy's Law. It's a more complex concept than what it seems on the surface, but it's basically born of a mindset that knows loss, hurt, and struggle are inevitable, but so is the ability to take a deep breath, re-assess, and rebuild what was lost or taken away. Sometimes I can get pretty bad about dwelling inside my head and blaming myself when things go wrong or I fall out of step with my goals, but when I remind myself of shouganai it's a reminder that what's happened has already happened and can't be changed, so it's time to focus on what I intend to do next.
Cole McCade is the author of the new book Just Like That.
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What can you tell us about your new release, Oliver Winthorpe & The Race to Paris?
First and foremost, it’s a book written to inspire readers to look at engineering and science in a different light. Oliver Winthorpe is a fourteen-year-old boy in Edwardian London who discovers the Race to Paris, a race that the creators hope will inspire Britain’s inventors to succeed where so many before them have failed: to create the world’s first manned flying machine. With both a secret family past and a group of unlikely friends to help him on his way, he builds a pioneering airship and enters the race with only one thought in mind: to win. It’s a story that combines my passion for engineering, travel and adventure, blended into a world that is both fictional and real, at a time when Britain led the world but also faced real questions about equality. And it’s the beginning of a series that will see Oliver travel around the globe, working with some very famous inventors in the hope of unlocking the secrets of an organisation that goes back centuries. And if he can realise his destiny, he’ll create something that will change the world, and history as we know it, forever.
What or who inspired you to become an author?
I’ve written stories and poems since I was five years old, but in the last few years I turned to writing in search of a creative hobby that counter-balanced my professional life. The more I wrote, and the deeper I became entangled in the creative world I’d envisaged, the more difficult it was to stop. It’s progressed from there really.
What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?
Great question. My book list is a curious combination of fiction and non-fiction that has helped me get to this point in my life. For that reason, the most important book I’ve ever read is Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts, followed closely by The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. Third on the list is a recent piece of fiction by an author whose writing style is a benchmark for me; A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. It has the potential to be quite a limiting plot, which makes it an even greater achievement in my eyes, because it covers every emotion and ends wonderfully. Fourth on the list is Dubliners by James Joyce. My grandparents were Irish, and Éire runs through my veins, but the book was also valuable for me as a piece of writing. Joyce’s ability to create real, believable characters that are so clear it’s like they’re sitting next to you, and to then weave them into such wonderfully visual everyday moments is, again, something I’ve benchmarked for myself as an author. And rounding off the list is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling. I can still remember reading those first pages as a twelve-year-old boy during my summer holidays and being transported, so vividly, to a magical (pardon the pun) world that I never wanted to leave. It’s still a wonderful example of fantasy fiction.
Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask
Another great question! I’d have to say Ernest Hemingway. And the question I would ask is: “Based on your life experience, why do you think fiction writing is so important? He’s a man who lived through a lot of harrowing experiences and who suffered emotionally. So I’d like to understand why he valued fiction, both as a writer and reader.
What's your favorite thing about writing?
My favourite thing about writing is escapism. I am where I write. The nearest equal I’ve ever found to writing is within the notes of good music.
What is a typical day like for you?
I’m afraid there’s no such thing! But if the last twelve months are anything to go by, and if I can achieve my dream of becoming a full time author, then it would certainly see me wake up in a foreign city I’ve never visited before, preferably around 7am. My day would begin with some yoga exercises to stretch the post-sleep muscles, followed by a black coffee from my Moka pot I bought whilst working in Modena, Italy. After a small breakfast, I would want to be out of my apartment before 9am and in a local cafe shortly afterwards. However, If I’m somewhere new, I usually catch a tram or other public transport to a new part of town and walk the narrow streets until I’ve found a cafe that appeals. Then I bury my head in my laptop for around three hours and progress as much as I can with the book. A couple of cappuccinos are always needed, and maybe a piece of banana bread or a croissant as a treat if it’s going well. After lunch, I would spend a few hours exploring, taking photographs and writing some more, even if it’s on a park bench with my notepad. I always dinner early, around 6pm, and then in the warmer months I will race to a viewpoint with my tripod and camera for the sunset, or perhaps some nighttime shots. And then of course, at weekends, maybe a beer or a glass of wine in a local bar with my trusty Kindle. It all depends where I am in the world really.
What scene from Oliver Winthorpe & The Race to Paris was your favorite to write?
Oooh, I like this question. I would have to say… the early moments of the race, when London’s sky is filled with flying machines of all shapes, sizes and styles. It was this image that first triggered the idea for the book, and I spent considerable time ensuring that the reader could really feel the significance and the drama of those few minutes. The sense of freedom Oliver felt as the airship rose into the sky and the world shrank below is something everyone should try and experience in their lifetime.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
Do it now, whilst you can. It sounds morbid, but it’s actually very positive; and it’s changed my life immeasurably in the last four years.
Dominic Jennings is the author of the new book Oliver Winthorpe & The Race to Paris.
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What can you tell us about your new release, Dueling Fates?
Dueling Fates is a story that has been in my imagination for a very long time. About sixteen years ago, I was driving home one night and I had a very vivid picture in my head of twin princesses who had been separated and had chosen different paths in life. I've worked on the novel off and on since then. It has changed drastically over the last decade and it wasn't until six years ago, when I attended a writers conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, that I really solidified the story. Dueling Fates is very special to me because it's the story I've always come back to regardless of any other projects I've worked on. It's the story that won't leave my head, so to speak. As I mentioned, it centers around twin princesses, Isemay and Alena, on a continent called Erez. Both young women have to make difficult choices throughout their journey and not all of their choices are wise. But that's the fun part of writing about teenagers. They make lots of mistakes that evolve into really fantastic conflicts!
What or who inspired you to become an author?
For as long as I can remember, I have written stories. When I was younger, they all centered around animals and, as a teenager, I started writing fan-fiction. It wasn't until I read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer that I wanted to take my writing more seriously. By that time, I already had the bare bones story of Dueling Fates in my head so it was just a matter of sitting down in front of my computer and punching out the story. I would say a lot of my inspiration comes from authors like George R. R. Martin, Sarah J. Maas, and C. S. Lewis. I've always been a fantasy girl so it only made sense to me to write stories in that genre.
What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?
I am quite the avid bookworm so it's really difficult to narrow down my favorites to a top five! My favorite book of all time is A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. I absolutely love the romantic tension throughout the novel and I adore Rhysand! Other favorites would be The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (yeah, I love Cardan too), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (because it was such an inspiration for me to dive into the world of YA), and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. I'm currently finishing up the Caraval trilogy by Stephanie Garber and I have to say it might bump up to my favorites list!
Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask
If I could invite anyone from any time period, I would ask J. R. R. Tolkien to be my first guest. He was such a master at world-building and he helped to develop the fantasy genre. I would love to ask him what his inspiration was and how he conjured up the world of Middle Earth. If I were to sit down with someone from today, it would be George R. R. Martin. Game of Thrones has become such a huge part of the fantasy world. I would love to ask him how he built his world and what inspired him to write some of the characters the way he did, especially the characters he killed off!
What's your favorite thing about writing?
I love being able to share the stories in my head. For me, much of my writing is a product of the pictures/movies that play in my head. It's almost as though the story is writing itself. Oftentimes, I will put something in a book that may not make much sense to me but it fits with the story so I go with it. When I'm writing the sequels, I then see how all the puzzle pieces fit together. It's a very strange thing because it almost feels as though it's out of my control - as though I've been given a glimpse into another world and I'm simply writing down what I see. There's something really exciting about writing those moments down!
What is a typical day like for you?
Life certainly has changed since COVID-19 hit, that's for sure! Right now, a typical day consists of getting up between 6 and 7am, working out, eating breakfast with my husband and children, waiting for my husband to go off to the tattoo shop where he tattoos, and then spending some time working on the sequel to Dueling Fates. Some days, I write anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 words. Other days, I read over what I've written and add little things here or there. If I'm writer blocked (as I am right now), I listen to my Spotify playlists. I create a playlist for each book I write and often, I find the inspiration I need through music. It helps me push through the block.
What scene from Dueling Fates was your favorite to write?
There are several that come to mind. I would say two stand out above all the others. The first is Alena's wedding. It was something that was a challenge to write but it really moved the story forward. The second is the reveal of the villain in this novel. That was one of the scenes that I had never planned on. It sort of just happened. I actually had to go back through my writing and add some foreshadowing so it didn't seem so "out of the blue". It was a very satisfying and exciting chapter to write! Oh yes. And I think one of my favorite chapters is the celebratory ball scene. There is a very sweet moment between Isemay and Jordan that I absolutely love. Jordan is my favorite character for many reasons and this was a scene I went back and added to. Like I said, it's a very brief, tender moment but it signifies such a pure, blossoming love - my favorite type of romance.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
For me, I feel it is so important to be a kind soul in a world that is full of division and hate. I try to treat others with kindness even when I don't feel like it. A kind and uplifting word goes such a long way for many people. Even a smile can brighten someone's day. That's cliche to say, I know, but it's a philosophy I try to live by every single day.
Stephanie M. Allen is the author of the new book Dueling Fates.
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What can you tell us about your new release, Ballast Point Breakdown?
This is the fourth novel in the Rolly Waters mystery series, but the first I've published with Konstellation Press. Like all of the books in the series, it features the guitar-playing private eye Rolly Waters and an unusual cases he gets hired to investigate. In BPB a friend's suicide leads Rolly the suspicious connections between a punk band, dolphin scientists, Navy SEALS, animal-rights protestors, and a harmonica-playing drifter. You don't need to have read the previous books in the series to jump right into this one. If you're interested in a new take on the old-fashioned gumshoe, like vivid characters and twisty, layered stories, then this book's for you.
What or who inspired you to become an author?
From the time I was a little kid I've always been a big reader. I was always writing things--stories, poetry, lyrics. Then I got serious and went and got a B.A. in Creative Writing/Poetry from UCLA. But I also had a strong interest in music, so I spent my first fifteen years after college playing and performing music, as well as writing songs. It was after I stopped performing and began working for a music-related internet company called MP3.com that I first started thinking about writing a novel. The idea of a guitar-playing detective came to me and I started spending my lunch hours jotting down notes about the character and what might happen to him. It was a great stress reliever for a very stressful job and I ended up with a lot of good notes! After I left the company, I made time to work more seriously on my writing and finished the first Rolly Waters novel, Black's Beach Shuffle. I reclaimed my creative side and I've never looked back.
What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?
Gringos by Charles Portis, Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, The Given Day by Dennis Lehane, The Galton Case by Ross MacDonald and The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler. I think there's a bit of influence from all of those writers in my books.
Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask
Well I was an English major, so if it can be anyone in history, I'm going with Shakespeare. And my first question would be "Did you know how brilliant this was or were you just making sure it rhymed?" If my guest has to be someone living, I'd go with Bob Dylan. Same question.
What's your favorite thing about writing?
One thing I've discovered is that creative work is essential to my own sense of self. It's energizing and important to me as a daily practice. After quitting the music business, I needed something else to fill the void and it turned out to be writing. Any day I put together a few good pages is a great day. Even on the days I only manage to write a couple of lousy pages it makes me feel pretty good. I don't want to get too mystical about it, but when creativity takes over, it feels like you're tapping into something bigger than yourself. It's a problem-solving process, too. You're fixing problems every day (well most days) and that gives me a sense of satisfaction. The world might be blowing up all around you, but at least you managed to get that little bit of a story down on the page.
What is a typical day like for you?
Pretty quiet, especially these days. I write in the mornings, and try to get to a thousand words before noon. Some days I manage a bit more, some a bit less. I eat lunch, then go for a walk with my wife. We live near the bay in San Diego, which actually inspired some of the ideas and events in Ballast Point Breakdown. After lunch I take care of business matters for an hour or two. Late afternoons and evenings are open for music practice, reading and social get-togethers. There's a great deal more music practice and less socializing these days because of Covid, of course. The good part is I'm reclaiming some of my old music chops, and learning a few new ones.
What scene from Ballast Point Breakdown was your favorite to write?
I'm not sure I have a favorite scene, but this is the first book in which I've brought Rolly's father into the action. His parents have been divorced for some time and Rolly's mother has been a key supporting character in the first three books. She's still there, of course, but it was fun to describe a different relationship between Rolly and his father. I had a lot of fun creating their conversations and the dynamic between them.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
Your first draft always sucks. Write another one and make it better. Apply that to your writing and everything else in your life.
Corey Lynn Fayman is the author of the new book Ballast Point Breakdown.
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