Sufjan Stevens “Mystery of Love”In one of their first conversations, love interest Elijah says he reads Sufjan Stevens lyrics in his free time. Elijah later plays a Sufjan song for the narrator, Sean, and it is likely “Mystery of Love.” The song originally featured on the soundtrack for Call Me By Your Name, a film that notably centers a young man who has physical relationships with both men and women. Yo La Tengo “Autumn Sweater”Best friend Andi still makes mix CDs, creating a collection in Sean’s glove compartment known as the Andi Lucero Mix CD Library. The first mix they made for Sean had a slipcase made of duct tape and was called Autumn Sweater. Andi listens to music from the early 2000s, as though their glory days happened before they were born. The Replacements “Unsatisfied”Unsatisifed is the title of a loud, angsty mix Andi asks Sean to play on the drive to school one morning. When I first came out as bi in 2008 and got my heart broken by a boy, I listened to the Replacements’ “Unsatisfied” on repeat. Bob Dylan “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”When alone, Sean listens to folksy Bob Dylan records from his mom. This…

The Temple of Kronos wants her dead. The Stoneslayer wants her destroyed. Neither will have her. (In the fourth book of the Stoneslayer dark fantasy series, Helen Andros awakens her spiritual mastery to gain the skills and power she needs to survive a death mark. Following is another excerpt.) Helen and Obadiah stood facing each other on either side of the redwood. Maguari directed them to open their hearts as much as possible and ask that their hearts be filled with love. “The warmth in your chest is the love,” the Mist-Weaver explained. “Claim as much of that love for yourselves as you can. It is very healing.” Asking Obadiah to place his palms against the tree trunk and keep his heart open, Maguari gave different instructions to Helen. “Once you feel that warmth and have claimed your fair share, hold up your hands and turn the palms toward the tree. With your thoughts send the excess of that love and warmth along your arms, out of your palms, and into the tree.” Obadiah gasped. “I can feel it!” “What is it like?” Helen asked. He had some trouble putting his impressions into words. “It feels like popping soap bubbles….

What is the title of your latest release?10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT ZOMBIES What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?When Portland smoothie shop owner Zoey meets mushroom farmer Nick, she places a huge mushroom order in order to get close to him…but the resulting mushroom smoothies have some strange side effects, like green skin, shuffling, and a whole lot of moaning about “brains.” Can Zoey and Nick work together to find an antidote to the accidental zombie apocalypse they’ve started – and maybe some true love as well? How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I lived in Portland, Oregon, for a few years, and knew that Portland – with its quaint shops and outdoorsy vibes was the perfect setting for this one! Plus, the city literally has an annual Zombie Shuffle – how could I pass that up? Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?Absolutely – she has excellent taste in books (Frog and Toad!) and music (60s garage rock)! She’s a wee bit grumpy, though, so maybe she wouldn’t want to hang out with me! What are three words that describe your hero?Kind, thoughtful, helper. What’s something you learned while…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Helene Wecker! Writes:I write award-winning historical fantasy (with a romantic twist!) about unlikely immigrants in early 20th century New York. My newest book, THE GATES OF MIDNIGHT, is the conclusion to the Golem and the Jinni trilogy, which draws on Jewish and Arab folklore to tell the story of two fantastical beings who must learn to navigate the human world – and their feelings for each other – while facing dangers from their shared past. About:You can take the girl out of the Midwest, but you can’t erase the hotdish from her soul! I grew up in suburban Chicago and spent my early adulthood in Minnesota, then ricocheted between Seattle and New York before finally settling in Northern California. I love to read tales of strangers in strange lands, misunderstood magical outcasts, and lonely gods and goddesses. I draw my writing inspiration from the Jewish background I was born with and the Arab heritage I married into, and I tend to write books about…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Alex Hay! Writes:Historical crime set in London, sometimes with a contemporary twist. Enjoy big houses, bad families, glittering settings and plenty of twists. In The Housekeepers, we join a disgruntled gang of female servants as they embark on the most audacious heist of the century. In THE QUEEN OF FIVES, we meet London’s premier conwoman, out to defraud the wealthiest family in town – until she realizes somebody is playing a game of high deception against her. And in THE MIDNIGHT GUESTS, we’re pulled into a dark and twisting 1920s mystery, when two ornate coffins are discovered in the vaults of London’s most lavish new hotel. About:Bestselling author of three novels, Alex Hay writes fast, twisting suspense novels layered with all the delicious sights, sounds and scents of the past. He loves the research process, uncovering the details that will bring a scene to life. But most of all he loves writing complex, secretive, scrappy characters determined to survive and thrive in the cut-and-thrust…

The heat’s still on in many parts of the northern hemisphere, mocking the pumpkins and Halloween decorations already demanding seasonal attention. The world had to say a tearful good-bye to Dolly Parton, and AI is delivering as many questions and concerns as answers. In this in-between, helter-skelter time, it’s good there are great books out there to deliver respite and distraction. None of the books I’m discussing today avoids day-to-day realities, but each one offers a chance to think about them from different perspectives, and each one delivers a satisfying conclusion. FURY IN DEATH, by the inimitable J.D. Robb, is the latest triumph in this long-running series. Detective Eve Dallas is after a violent killer (okay, no big surprise there!), but this murderer seems determined to inflict near unimaginable damage to the bodies of the men he’s killing, even after they’re dead. What could inspire such fury? As Dallas and her beloved “consultant,” Roarke, ricochet from one crime scene to the next, her understanding of the killer’s motives deepens, along with her compassion. The suspect’s hatred is personal and fueled by a demand for revenge, but that hatred was born of villainy perpetrated by international conglomerates and dirty politicians, all…

What is the title of your latest release?HIGH EXPOSURE What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?When a dead body and a meth ring turn up in a small town of Colorado, can a former DEA agent protect the intriguing travel writer intent upon investigating his town before she’s the next casualty? How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I grew up in Durango, Colorado. I knew I wanted to set a story in Southwest Colorado. Even though Silverberg is fictional, there are many real-life influences on the setting. It was so much fun to write about an area that is so close to my heart. Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?I would! But she’s a lot braver and more adventurous than I am. I want to be more like her. What are three words that describe your hero?Protective, loyal, capable What’s something you learned while writing this book?I learned the DEA does so much more than we can ever imagine to protect our citizens. It’s not always the “up front” branch of law enforcement we see, but I am grateful for their tireless work. Do you edit as you draft or…

Book Title: THREE STEPS BEHINDCharacter Name: Deckard MacLeod How would you describe your family or your childhoodIt was a really rough childhood. My parents were con men under the guise of being illusionists in Vegas. To make things worse, they dragged us into helping them with the cons. At age five, I knew how to pick a pocket. By age seven, I was counting cards and playing roles in bigger cons. The saving grace for me was my siblings. The four of us were all used by our parents, but we had each other, and that tight bond has remained, and I am blessed by them. What was your greatest talent?Spotting a con from a mile away. I now own MacLeod Investigations and Security Inc. I get the joy of busting cons for a living and protecting those who cons prey upon. I use my talents and skills for good and it’s extremely rewarding. Significant other?Harper Grace. I am falling for the lady—hard—but I swore I’d never love anyone. Attachments are too hard. They make you vulnerable and that’s something I swore I’d never be again. Where do you live?I live on my ranch—Second Chances—outside of Jeopardy Falls, New Mexico….

What is the title of your latest release?FALLING FOR PEACHTREE BLUFF What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?Each of the Murphy women come home to Peachtree Bluff facing a new problem to solve together. But when a scandal that would affect every Peachtree citizen comes to light–and it looks like Ansley’s husband Jack might be at the center of it–the women must rely on their powerful family bonds and the small-town charm of the place that always calls them home. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?It’s the fifth book in my Peachtree Bluff Series, and it’s just one of my favorite towns I’ve ever, ever written! It would be so fun to go back to! Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?This book stars three grown sisters and their mother, and I would hang out with them all the time! What are three words that describe your hero?Self-deprecating, sincere, handsome What’s something you learned while writing this book?How fun it is to write about fall! This is my fourteenth novel, and I’ve never really leaned into fall that much, which is funny because I love fall! The leaves, the football,…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present S.B. West! Writes:Hello! My debut, MORFRAN, DARK LORD REFORMED is about a runaway dark lord who is roped into leading a rebellion against himself, all the while no one knows his true identity.It’s a ridiculous comedic fantasy that blends the romance and adventure of the Princess Bride with the heart and humor of Shrek, with a dash of medieval satire seen in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. All of this is baked in with plenty of puns, pop culture references, and general idiocy on every page. About:I’m a proud Idahoan who—you guessed it—lives on a potato farm. My hobbies include running canal roads with my dogs, watching Bluey with my daughter (Sleepytime is the undisputed best episode, I will throw fists at naysayers), waterskiing when there’s water, snowmobiling when there’s snow, and consuming ice cream in all forms. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match:• Craves well-earned redemption arcs• Doesn’t mind a side of grit and higher stakes with your cozy…