Book Title: THE SANDY PAGE BOOKSHOPCharacter Name: Leah Powell, proprietor of The Sandy Page Bookshop How would you describe your family or your childhood?I grew up in Chatham, Cape Cod, on the coast, so my childhood was pretty idyllic. Summers were spent at the beach. My first job was at Buffy’s Ice Cream parlor. My first kiss was on Harding’s Beach. My family is very close, but sadly it is smaller now; we lost my mother to cancer five years ago, and my family has moved out of the area. At thirty-five, I’m the only one who returned to the Cape. It’s the first time I’ve returned since her passing. What was your greatest talent?Reading. Books are my greatest joy. It’s why I went into publishing career in Boston, which unfortunately didn’t turn out so well. But it’s also what drove me to renovate the old captain’s house in town and open The Sandy Page Bookshop. It’s been a labor of love and tears, and this summer will tell if it makes it or not! Significant other?Spoiler alert. My fiancé Greg and I parted ways, another reason I’m back home on the Cape. But there is someone new. Someone from…

What is the title of your latest release?THIS HOUSE OF BURNING BONES(or THOBB for short, which has the bonus of sounding a bit rude…) What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?In the heat of a blistering summer, Aberdeen’s police are struggling: half the force is off sick, all leave has been cancelled, someone’s firebombed a hotel full of migrants, and there’s a massive protest march happening this Saturday. But, as bad as everything seems, it’s all about to get much, much worse . . . How did you decide where your book was going to take place?That’s an easy one – this book marks the 20th anniversary of my Logan McRae series, so it had to be set in Aberdeen, like the first one. Plus, I grew up in the northeast of Scotland, so this landscape and its people are scrimshawed into my bones. Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?Yup. Unlike a lot of crime-fiction protagonists, Logan is a normal guy. Nearly all the big detectives are weird, larger than life characters, who’d probably get a bit wearing in normal life, but Logan’s just like you and me – only caught up in a series…

What is the title of your latest release?THE SPECTACLE What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?THE SPECTACLE is a social thriller about a powerful art dealer and his descent into the underworld. Nobody knows quite who Rudolph Sullivan is, or how he ascended so quickly to the glittering top of New York’s gallery scene. When struggling assistant Ingrid meets the charismatic dealer at a party, she falls fast – Rudolph offers her a seductive taste of luxury and an escape from her humdrum existence. But Rudolph is hiding much more than his facade lets on. With insatiable tastes and a need to keep up appearances, his debts mount rapidly, and he turns to double dealing to stay afloat. As his adversaries close in, Rudolph realizes his fall from grace could cost him more than his reputation. Panicking, paranoid, and willing to sacrifice anyone to maintain his precarious foothold, he plans his most audacious gambit yet – and Ingrid is at the center of it. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?New York has a mystery that felt intrinsic to the book: a current of gritty instability, and an atmosphere of constant, almost self-destructive socializing….

What is the title of your latest release?LOVE AT FULL TILT What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?Lia Baker is determined to win the 50th Anniversary Superfan Scavenger hunt at Fableland, her favorite amusement park, and secure a cash prize that could change her future. But when she agrees to a (temporary) alliance with Mason, a rival contestant, who wants to win as badly as she does, she discovers she may have to choose between the future she wants to rewrite and a love she hadn’t planned for. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I had just gotten home from a family trip to Disney World, and I couldn’t let go of the idea of writing a romance set in an amusement park, so I started brainstorming! Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?Absolutely. Lia is hilarious! And I love how unapologetic she is about her love of Fableland! What are three words that describe your protagonist?Funny, passionate, caring What’s something you learned while writing this book?Disney uses a very specific shade of green called “Go Away Green” that makes things like trashcans, electrical panels, etc. fade into the background. Do…

You could say Lucille Ball was my babysitter. Growing up as an only child, I had to find ways to entertain myself, and I often turned to stories. Books, movies, TV shows—I devoured them all. One particular favorite was I Love Lucy. There was so much to adore: the slapstick comedy, the friendship, the marriage. It was a perfect comfort show. My parents could always count on Nick at Nite to keep me occupied for a while when a Lucy marathon was on. I don’t live too far from Jamestown, New York, where Lucille Ball was born and where the Lucy-Desi Museum is, and I remember being so excited to visit the museum, only for it to be where I learned Lucy and Desi had divorced. (I blame not knowing sooner on my age and lack of online research capability at the time.) It was probably more heartbreaking for me than it should have been—blame my age again, since most of the stories I consumed back then gave me a far too idealistic notion of romance—but I loved knowing they were a couple on- and off-screen. I’m not the only one: How often does the public wonder if the co-stars…

What is the title of your latest release?HEART MARKS THE SPOT What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?A treasure hunter and an adventure novelist with writer’s block get two chances at finding ancient riches and the love of a lifetime. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?I knew I wanted to write a book that featured Key West the first time I visited. It’s such a vibrant place, with a truly creative history. Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?Absolutely. She’s driven but fun, brave, vulnerable, and kind of a bad ass. What are three words that describe your hero?Huck Sullivan is loyal, wounded, smoldering What’s something you learned while writing this book?When I was doing research for the first part of the book, which takes place in Iceland, I learned that there is rumored to be an actual Viking treasure hidden there. I’ve seen it referred to as Skallagrimmson’s silver and it’s even featured in a famous saga. Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?I do a bit of editing at the start of each drafting session to get back into the story, but…

What is the title of your latest release?LOVE IS A WAR SONG What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?A disgraced popstar must hide from the public eye at her estranged grandmother’s ranch in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and avoid the grumpy Native cowboy who hates her music. How did you decide where your book was going to take place?Broken Arrow is such a beautiful town with an amazing name, and I always wanted to set a story there. Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?I would do a lunch with Avery Fox, but I fear she is too young and into the nightlife for me at this point in my sleep deprived life. What are three words that describe your protagonist?Spunky, hardworking, caring What’s something you learned while writing this book?I learned so much about ranch life and taking care of horses. Things I never knew before. At one point I was stressing out and thought, “why did I choose horses?!” Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?I try not to but sometimes I get stuck and go back to the top to get back into the story and I see something…

Those reading below the equator may be experiencing cool or even cold weather, but almost every corner of the northern hemisphere has been punished lately by intense heat. I seek relief in books, and when I do have to be outside, I’m even more grateful than usual for the distraction of a great audiobook. Here are some of my recent favorites. The amazingly versatile Kelley Armstrong grabbed my attention with her new book, WRITING MR. WRONG. Debut romance writers face countless challenges, but having to do publicity stunts with a former high school nemesis (and secret crush) shouldn’t be among them. Gemma and Mason, a pro hockey player struggling to preserve his youthful appeal and popularity, reluctantly agree to the arrangement. And then, of course, Cupid takes over. Fans of witty banter and passionate interludes will swoon over this fun romance. Kelley Armstrong grew a following with her time travel books, but I was fortunate recently to discover a new-to-me talented writer in that genre. Annie R. McEwen’s BOUND ACROSS TIME captured my attention the moment a ghost began speaking to Georgia native CeCe at her new job working as a tour guide at a Welsh castle. Patrick made his…

For this month’s selections, we look at stories all set in the post-World War I era—but with characters from widely varying locales and positions in Society. However, in each one, the main characters must confront difficult and often dangerous circumstances. Beginning in the US among humble folk, we have THE BOOKWOMAN’S DAUGHTER by Kim Michele Richardson. Adopted daughter of THE BOOKWOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK, Honey Lovett knows the dangers of growing up “Blue,” inheritor of a genetic condition that makes the skin appear blue—and under Kentucky law, classifies the individual as “colored.” Since marriage between coloreds and whites is forbidden, Honey’s adoptive parents have been breaking the law most of her life. As her story begins, her parents are caught and imprisoned, and at age 16, Honey is subject to being forced into a work prison until she turns 21. Evading pursuit, Honey takes refuge with her mother’s old friend Miss Loretta—and takes up her mother’s packhorse library route, continuing to deliver books to remote corners of the Appalachians. Aided by her protective mule, Junia, and befriended by Pearl, another independent mountain girl who mans the forest fire station, Honey fights to keep her independence and build a rich and…

What is the title of your latest release?The new book is called MRS SPY – and the title says it all, I think! What the elevator pitch?A widowed MI5 worker delves deep into the nation’s secrets to solve a personal injustice. Slow Horses meets The Ipcress File. And according to one reviewer, it’s “The Thursday Murder Club for spies.” How did you decide where your book was going to take place?Given the timeline is 1965, I felt there was no other choice than London – The Beatles, Carnaby Street, all that fashion and music and the huge vibe of being the IT place. I’m a huge fan of that era, and so to write it was a dream. It’s also the year and the place I was born, which made it doubly irresistible. What are the three words that describe your main character?Maggie Flynn is determined, funny, and slightly weary (that’s two, but can I have it?) What side character stole your attention most from the main character?Undoubtedly, that’s Frank Tanner, Maggie’s partner in their surveillance team; he’s a should-be-retired police officer, battling an aging body but has always got Maggie’s back. Originally, I wrote him as a tiny bit…