#John Scognamiglio Books

[bargainsleuthbooks]

New Book Round-Up Reviews #NetGalley Secrets of Rose Briar Hall; The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh; The Midnight Feast; Honey; Women in the Valley of the Kings; Simone Biles: Gymnastics Goat; The Gender Binary is a Big Lie #NewBooks

It's time for another Round-up of book reviews. Secrets of Rose Briar Hall, The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, The Midnight Feast, Women in the Valley of the Kings, The Gender Binary is a Big Lie, Honey, & a Simone Biles book. #NetGalley #BookReview

It’s been a very busy summer at Bargain Sleuth Central. I’ve been taking the time to preserve foods by canning and dehydrating them. (If this is something that interests you, look for a future post of my favorite canning/preserving books!) I’ve not reviewed every single book I’ve consumed this year here on the blog; I have kept up with at least a paragraph on Goodreads and hope to share more of…

[bucolicbook]

The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl by Bart Yates US pub date - 7/23/24

A life story told in twelve chapters, each lengthy, going into rich, (mostly) descriptive (that’s not even really fair to say, as the chapters were as detailed as the author saw fit to write even if I wanted more at some chapters. With awful acts of nature and man in each, by the time I was reading chapter three, I wondered if perhaps I’d made an awful this-is-going-to-possibly-be-not-good-for-my-mental-health-comfort-level-regarding-consumerable-media mistake. The kind that makes me wonder if I should just stop reading, because although this story is gorgeously written and I really want to know what happens to Isaac and all the other characters, it’s still wrecking me. 

This is one of those books - I can already tell that I’ll appreciate this book even more in the future. This wasn’t an easy read for me, not at all, but it was a beautiful one. As a reader of history and historical fiction, I greatly appreciated and respected the research Mr Yates put in (as I’m sure you’ve quite possibly experienced yourself, not every author does and it bothers me each time). The result of this combined with the author’s terrific storytelling talent was an engrossing tale that I didn’t want to stop reading. 

Content warnings abound and tissues will be necessary and you will likely continue to think about it, but this story was gorgeous, and if your own mental wellbeing is in a good place, I would recommend this. 

Thank you to A John Scognamiglio Book and NetGalley for the DRC 

[architectuul]

The Women Housing Architects Of Britain

Although women contributed in many ways to British architecture before the twentieth century, they officially entered the architectural profession only after the First World War. The RIBA did not admit women until 1898, when Ethel Charles (1871-1962) became a member, opening the debate on women’s role in architecture and causing a legalistic and bureaucratic resistance. 

Elisabeth Scott’s competition design for the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon (1927) marked the beginning of a breakthrough for women architects. | Photo via Architecture.com - RIBA Collections

Since then, British women architects have fought to redefine their professional identity, gaining access to education and big projects and often demonstrating to be architecturally and socially innovative. Among them, a few remarkable figures worked for local authorities in London and contributed to the public good with bold, progressive and human buildings and their multidisciplinary skills. Mainly involved in housing projects and often collaborating with each other, Elisabeth Denby, Judith Ledeboer, Rosemary Stjernstedt, Kate Macintosh and Alison Smithson can be considered inspiring and unsung pioneers who played a crucial role in social architecture and in the formulation of housing policy. 

Elizabeth Denby, the England's Jane Jacobs, was an urban planner, housing consultant and social reformer. | Photo via Architects’ Journal

Elisabeth Denby soon became a champion of urban renewal and a fundamental figure for the development of British housing program. Collaborating with Maxwell Fry who defined her as the leading spirit in housing in the 1930s, she designed several inner city flats where she applied her innovative ideas to respond to residents’ needs. Their Sassoon House has been defined the first modernist workers’ dwellings in Britain.

Denby contributed to the discussion about residential planning with the book Europe Rehoused. 

Fry and Denby used Kensal House to put into practice Modernist ideas for social change starting at home, offering carefully-planned flats with generous kitchens, bikes storages, gardens, large balconies and nursery. | Photo by Edith Tudor Hart at RIBA Collections

Elizabeth Denby was on the RIBA Housing Group with Jane Drew, Judith Ledeboer and Jessica Albery. The result of their collaboration was a report published in 1944 where they expressed their views about the future of housing, inviting decision-makers and colleagues to opt for carefully-designed terraced houses and flats instead of inhuman high-density complexes.

Born Dutch-English, Judith Ledeboer was an architect who collaborated with David Booth and John Pickheard. She became another significant voice in housing policy. Astragal, the diarist in the Architects' Journal wrote in 1934: "In our little world Miss Denby and Miss Ledeboer wield more influence and get more work done than any six pompous and prating males". In 1941 was the first woman employed by the Ministry of Health responsible for housing. Ledeboer also advised local authorities on the reconstruction of post-war Britain and contributed to the establishment of those space standards that then became mandatory in all public housing.

Poster for a new housing estate in Poplar, which is being advertised as a paid attraction during the 1951 Festival of Britain. | Photo by Festival of Britain

Also other women architects worked for the public sector and took crucial roles in Britain’s era of social housing provision with major schemes in the 1960-70s. AA-trained, Rosemary Stjernstedt moved to Sweden to work as town planner and returned to England after Second World War, joining the London County Council in the Housing Division. There, she was the first female architect to achieve Grade I status and she became the first woman to reach senior grade I status in any British council county division in 1950.

Rosemary Stjernstedt with her fellow architects in the LCC Housing Division (1950). | Image via Guardian

Her best-known project was the Alton Estate, which she designed in the role of the team leader in 1951-55, described by Pevsner as architecture at ease. When London County Council was dissolved in 1964, Stjernstedt started working for Lambeth Borough Council under the guidance of Ted Hollamby, a committed socialist architect and planner. 

Alton Estate has over 13,000 residents with the brutalist architecture inspired by Le Corbusier’s Unite d’Habitation. | Photo via The Modern House  

Under Hollamby, Lambeth's architects produced several housing and welfare buildings, making the borough now nationally known for the ambition and quality of its output. In 1968, Kate Macintosh also joined Lambeth's Architects' Department where she embarked on 269 Leigham Court Road, a sheltered housing for the elderly. Responsible for some of the most innovative housing schemes commissioned by several local authorities, Macintosh believed that one of the generators of our work was the search for social justice. She was only 26 when she began designing Dawson’s Heights. 

Leigham Court Road Robin London. | Photo © Kate Macintosh Archive 

Among architects who contributed to London’s social housing, Alison Smithson, born Alison Gills, gave life with Peter Smithson to the New Brutalism and its interest in accommodating and adapting to the real experiences and desires of ordinary people. She worked in the architecture department of the London County Council before starting a practice with her husband in 1950.  

Alison Smithson at Hunstanton Secondary Modern School, Norfolk, during its construction. | Photo © Nigel Henderson Estate If Rosemary Stjernstedt’s Alton Estate was clearly inspired by Le Corbusier’s Unite d’Habitation in Marseille, Alison and Peter Smithson brought to light new theories in antagonism to the Swiss-French master’s principles. As the only woman in Team X, a radical group formed to replace the CIAM philosophies of high modernism, Alison stressed the importance of the real social architecture needs and housing design solutions becoming internationally influential with numerous theoretical writings. Recently, the western block of their famous Robin Hood Gardens complex has been demolished opening a large debate so that now part of the building has been preserved by the Victoria and Albert Museum and was presented at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2018.

In the Robin Hood Gardens the street-in-the-sky concept took form as broad aerial walkways into the long concrete blocks. | Photo © Lorenzo Zandri 2018

These five women are a most representative example of the extraordinary female contribution to social architecture in the United Kingdom in the post-war period when, despite the high pressure of housing needs, they proposed high quality projects designed for people. At a moment when the number of social homes being built in England is at its lowes and local authorities struggle in providing quality housing, we can learn from their experiences, projects and theories, recognising them as best practices and monitors for the current and future challenges.

---

Pioneer Architects XV by Giorgia Scognamiglio and Lorenzo Zandri

[cathygeha]

The Last Suppers by Mandy Mikulencak

 Dark, twisted, emotionally challenging this is a story of people caught up in life…and death.

 The setting of this story is Greenmount Penitentiary in Louisiana – a fictitious place brought to life through the excellent writing of the author.

 The period of time ranges from the late 1920’s through the early 1960’s.

 The issues/topics included are many and each one seems to impact another much as dominoes falling one after another. Family, abuse, lies, KKK, race, friendship, love, belonging, death, trauma, psychological issues, giving, caring, pain…and so much more.

 The main characters are Roscoe Simms – warden and Ginny Polk – penitentiary head cook.

 Peripheral/supporting characters include: Dot (cook’s assistant), Miriam (Ginny’s mother), Joe (Ginny’s father) various guards at the penitentiary and the prisoners being executed and the families of those prisoners.

 The blurb for this book gives an idea of what the book might be about but the story is so much more than the blurb. The gradual unfolding of the backstories makes each character bigger and more complex than first expected with each page read and left me pondering and wishing that for most things could have been radically different while also explaining why the story needed to progress as it did.

 I am still pondering and thinking and wishing that the characters had things easier BUT I am also thankful to have met and become acquainted with each one of them as they will remain with me for quite some time. This is a book that will not disappear from my mind quickly. It will stick and in sticking do what I like a book to do…make me care and share and think and grow.

  Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books-A John Scognamiglio Book for the ARC – This is my honest review.   5 Stars

Book Blurb:

Set in 1950s Louisiana, Mandy Mikulencak’s beautifully written and emotionally moving novel evokes both The Help and Dead Man Walking with the story of an unforgettable woman whose quest to provide meals for death row prisoners leads her into the secrets of her own past. Many children have grown up in the shadow of Louisiana’s Greenmount State Penitentiary. Most of them—sons and daughters of corrections officers and staff—left the place as soon as they could. Yet Ginny Polk chose to come back to work as a prison cook. She knows the harsh reality of life within those walls—the cries of men being beaten, the lines of shuffling inmates chained together. Yet she has never seen them as monsters, not even the ones sentenced to execution. That’s why, among her duties, Ginny has taken on a special responsibility: preparing their last meals. Pot roast or red beans and rice, coconut cake with seven-minute frosting or pork neck stew . . . whatever the men ask for Ginny prepares, even meeting with their heartbroken relatives to get each recipe just right. It’s her way of honoring their humanity, showing some compassion in their final hours. The prison board frowns upon the ritual, as does Roscoe Simms, Greenmount’s Warden. Her daddy’s best friend before he was murdered, Roscoe has always watched out for Ginny, and their friendship has evolved into something deep and unexpected. But when Ginny stumbles upon information about the man executed for killing her father, it leads to a series of dark and painful revelations. Truth, justice, mercy—none of these are as simple as Ginny once believed. And the most shocking crimes may not be the ones committed out of anger or greed, but the sacrifices we make for love.    

[wordsandpeace2u-blog]

Spotlight and giveaway: The Abolitionist's Daughter

Spotlight and giveaway: The Abolitionist’s Daughter

The Abolitionist’s Daughter by Diane C. McPhail

Publication Date: April 30, 2019 A John Scognamiglio Book/Kensington

Genre: Historical Fiction

    In her sweeping debut, Diane C. McPhail offers a powerful, profoundly emotional novel that explores a little-known aspect of Civil War history—Southern Abolitionists—and the timeless struggle to do right even amidst bitter conflict.

On a Mississippi…

[therealimintobooks]

Blog Tour Featuring *The Abolitionist's Daughter* by Diane C. McPhail @McPhailDiane @KensingtonBooks @hfvbt #giveaway

Blog Tour Featuring *The Abolitionist’s Daughter* by Diane C. McPhail @McPhailDiane @KensingtonBooks @hfvbt #giveaway

The Abolitionist’s Daughter by Diane C. McPhail

Publication Date: April 30, 2019 A John Scognamiglio Book/Kensington

Genre: Historical Fiction

    In her sweeping debut, Diane C. McPhail offers a powerful, profoundly emotional novel that explores a little-known aspect of Civil War history—Southern Abolitionists—and the timeless struggle to do right even amidst bitter conflict.

On a Mississippi…

[markgottliebliteraryagent]

Kensington Publishing Editor-In-Chief John Scognamiglio

John Scognamiglio is a graduate of New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in English. He started his career as a file clerk in the Contracts Department at Pocket Books in 1986 while still a college sophomore before becoming a contracts assistant. After that, he worked for the assistant managing editor before landing where he always wanted to be: editorial. From 1989 to 1992 he worked as an assistant editor in Pocket Editorial. In February 1992, he joined Kensington Publishing as an editor and was promoted to Senior Editor in 1993. In 1998 he was promoted to Editorial Director of Fiction and in 2005 was promoted to Editor-in-Chief.  In February 2017, it was announced that Kensington would be launching his own imprint, John Scognamiglio Books, in 2018.  Among his authors are New York Times bestsellers Lisa Jackson, Joanne Fluke, Leslie Meier and Kevin O’Brien. 

In all of book publishing, you are one of the biggest buyers of fiction and debut fiction by volume. How do you find the time to read and what are the commonalities in your rather eclectic list of books?

I wish I could say I read all my submissions myself, but I don’t.  My assistant reads for me and I also have an outside reader.  Usually when a project comes in, I’ll give it to one of them (unless it’s something I decide to read.  If I could, I would read every submission that comes in myself, but then nothing would get done!).  I’ll usually give them a date I’d like the manuscript to be read by; it’s usually a month.  When their reader’s report comes back to me, there’s a plot summary, as well as their opinion on the manuscript:  good, bad or otherwise.  Obviously, if they like something, I’m going to take a look at it.  If it’s something they’re on the fence on, I’ll also take a look.  If it’s something they feel is a pass, I’ll go by their report unless I feel they may be off the mark. But they know my list and my tastes and I trust them.

I seem to gravitate to debut authors.  One reason is probably because the author has a clean slate and there isn’t any sort of bad sales history that might be problematic for our sales reps.  I also like the idea of starting out with an author at square one and hopefully helping them to build a career as we go from book to book. Being an editor is a job you can do 24/7 if you’re not careful.  I do a lot of my reading when I’m commuting and on the weekends.  For me, when I’m reading a submission, it comes down to the author’s voice.  I have to be sucked into the story as soon as I start reading.  I can usually tell by the third chapter if I want to keep reading or not.

What was it like when you were working at Simon & Schuster and how did you get your start in major trade book publishing?

I was an English major at NYU.  One day, during my sophomore year, one of my professors was out sick and our class was dismissed. There was a student employment office on campus and I walked over to see what sort of jobs might be available.  Listed that day was a job as a file clerk at Simon & Schuster in their contracts department.  I went for an interview and was hired.  I used to work part-time when I had classes and full-time during the summers.  I began as a file clerk and then became a contracts assistant, drafting contracts from the deal memos that  the editors sent down.  Of course, I always wanted to work in Editorial.  After I graduated I stayed in the contracts department and  I worked my way up to the managing editor’s office. The managing editor’s office is sort of the nucleus of a publishing house, where you work with many departments:  art, production, contracts, editorial.  So, I got an overview of everything.  Eventually, an assistant position opened up in the Editorial department at Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster’s mass-market imprint, and I was hired. When I started working in publishing in the mid-1980s, mass-market was still very big.  Hardcover was the other preferred format.  Publishers did very little trade paperback.  Now, it’s the reverse.  Mass-market seems to be fading away while trade paperback is the preferred format for many readers, as well as accounts.

Working at Simon & Schuster was a challenge. There was definitely a star system in place when I worked there.  By that I mean if you were an editor who had a roster of bestselling authors, then anything you brought in was given the red carpet treatment.  If you were lower down on the ladder, well, good luck!  It became very discouraging if you were trying to build a list of your own.

Kensington Publishing is one of the largest of the independent book publishers. What experience do you feel independent book publishing offers authors that a big five publisher cannot?

One of the joys of working at Kensington is that everybody here works together as a team and everyone’s books are important.  Our authors interact with many people from many different departments, all with the same goal of making that author’s book a success.  

Can you tell us about the elements you look for in a good story and is there a particular kind of book you are currently seeking?

As I mentioned earlier, it comes down to the voice.  I have to be pulled into the story as soon as I start reading it.  I’m a big fiction reader.  99.9% of my reading is fiction.  If I read any sort of non-fiction, it’s usually a memoir or biography.  I have a fondness for suspense thrillers, as well as historical fiction.  Horror, too!  I was a huge Stephen King, Dean Koontz, John Saul and V.C. Andrew reader when I was a teen.

There are various book publishing imprints at Kensington, such as Lyrical Press, Pinnacle, Citadel, etc. What did you set out to do in creating your eponymous imprint, John Scognamiglio Books? With my imprint, we wanted to shine a spotlight on new authors and new voices.  So far, most of the novels have been coming of age stories, although I did also acquire two novels of historical fiction from you!

You worked with Alan Hlad on his novel The Long Flight Home, the story of two people brought together and driven apart by World War II—later rekindled when the skeleton of a messenger pigeon, carrying a coded message, is discovered in a chimney. What was it like working with Hlad on this profoundly unique novel?

Working with Alan was great.  When I buy a book, the material has to be there.  I’m not looking to rewrite/rework an author’s vision of their story. All I’m trying to do is fine-tune it and make it the best that it can be.

You also worked with Diane McPhail on The Abolitionist's Daughter, a personal narrative dealing with the struggles of imperfect souls to do right in a time of bitter conflict—a view of Southern Abolitionism, a deadly civilian clash, and the emerging role of women in a world depleted by the bloody conflict of men. What was it like working with her on this incredible historical novel?

It was the same experience as working with Alan.  A pleasure.  When I send an editorial letter, the goal is to work with my author.  I don’t “tell” an author want to do.  I make suggestions in my editorial letters, not demands.  

What are you reading for pleasure right now?

The only time I get to read for pleasure is when I’m on vacation.  While I’ll read a lot of magazines and newspapers when I’m working – because the articles are short and don’t take up a lot of time -- I have to give the manuscripts I’m working on my full attention.  I don’t like starting a novel and then not being able to get back to it asap.  I’ll be going away vacation at the end of next month so my reading pile is growing!  I’ll be gone for a week and there will be travel time, so I hope to read at least four or five novels.  Right now on the “coming with me” pile are:  GHOSTED, by Rosie Walsh, AN UNWANTED GUEST, by Shari Lapena, NUMBER ONE CHINESE RESTAURANT, by Lillian Li, THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU, by Liv Constantine and THE SILENT PATIENT, by Alex Michaelides.

Do you have any advice you could share for hopeful writers eager to become published authors?

The hardest part of writing is getting that first draft done. Once it’s done, you have something to work with and revise.  Many of my authors have told me that they find the revision process to be the most enjoyable.

Can you finish this sentence? I love reading because...

It reminds me of when I was a little boy and my mom took me to a library for the very time and introduced me to the wonderful world of books.  Reading is a form of escape that you can do anywhere at any time.  There’s nothing I love more than walking into a bookstore and discovering a new story to read.  

[lzteach]

  Three wonderful book, “The Sisters of Glass Ferry” by Kim Michelle Richardson, “The Road to Bittersweet” by Donna Everhart. and “The Last Suppers” by Mandy Mikulencak and $15 gift card to Dunking Donuts, or Starbucks for one winner. WOW!  Fantastic Giveaway !! Go to @Lindas Book Obsession on my FB page. 1. Like Lindas Book Obsession. 2. Follow 3. Share 4. Comment so I can tag you, Why Family and Friends are so Important this time of the year, or just comment what you like or don’t this time of year. USA only. End Christmas Eve.

I read and reviewed “The Sisters of Glass Ferry ” by Kim Michelle Richardson, and loved everything about it. My review is below.

On my to read lists are. “The Road to Bittersweet” by Donna Everhart, and “The Last Suppers” by  Mandy Mikulencak. Information about the authors and books are below.

Warmest thanks to Kim Michelle Richardson , Donna Everhart and Mandy Mikulencak for their generosity and  Warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas (Southern style) and a Happy Healthy New Year!!

                MY REVIEW OF “THE SISTERS OF GLASS FERRY” by Kim Michele Richardson

  “The Sisters of Glass Ferry” by Kim Michele Richardson is an emotional and captivating novel. “The Sisters of Glass Ferry” is published by Kensington Publishing Corporation and will be out November 28,2017. The Genres for this story are Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Mystery. The timeline of the story is mostly 1952 through 1972, and though the present.There are some parts of the story that are before 1952 to explain the history and the characters.  The author depicts the setting in rural Kentucky in the town of Glass Ferry, which is known as “Bourbon Town”.

  The characters are describes as complex and complicated. The author describes many secrets and lies that affect the small town and characters.   In this small community everyone knows each other, and there is a lot of gossip.During the time of bourbon production there was corruption and some criminal activity. It was not unusual for children to learn to shoot guns to protect themselves.

  Flannery and Patsy are twins, separated by 8 minutes. Patsy is the elder of the twins, and the girls are close, but there is jealousy. Patsy being the older twin is given the family pearl necklace. Patsy is invited to the Junior Prom, and Flannery has to take her shift at work. The sheriff”s two sons come to drive Patsy to the prom. One is her boyfriend, and the other is his older brother who drives the car. Unfortunately, Patsy and her boyfriend never come home.

  Every year on the twins’ birthday, Flannery’s Mom makes a special birthday cake for Patsy hoping she will be coming home. After two decades of Patsy being gone, Flannery is still looking for answers.

  This is a story of heartbreak, grief, revenge, retribution and redemption. What are the secrets and lies in this town? What happened the night of the Prom? This is a story of coming of age, pressure and jealousy. I like that the author describes the problems of bullying,  alcohol abuse, emotional and physical abuse, and superstitions. I also appreciate how the author discusses the importance of family, love, hope and faith.

  This is an intriguing and thought-provoking story, and I would recommend it highly.I look forward to reading more of Kim Michele Richardson’s novels. I received an Advanced Reading Edition for my honest review.

*****”The Sisters of Glass Ferry” by  Kim Michelle Richardson is and OKRA PICK, a December Barnes and Noble Pick and RT Top Pick

    The Road to Bittersweet

by Donna Everhart (Goodreads Author)

4.14  ·   Rating details ·  35 Ratings  ·  25 Reviews

Set in the Carolinas in the 1940s, The Road to Bittersweet is a beautifully written, evocative account of a young woman reckoning not just with the unforgiving landscape, but with the rocky emotional terrain that leads from innocence to wisdom.

For fourteen-year-old Wallis Ann Stamper and her family, life in the Appalachian Mountains is simple and satisfying, though not for the tenderhearted. While her older sister, Laci—a mute, musically gifted savant—is constantly watched over and protected, Wallis Ann is as practical and sturdy as her name. When the Tuckasegee River bursts its banks, forcing them to flee in the middle of the night, those qualities save her life. But though her family is eventually reunited, the tragedy opens Wallis Ann’s eyes to a world beyond the creek that’s borne their name for generations.

Carrying what’s left of their possessions, the Stampers begin another perilous journey from their ruined home to the hill country of South Carolina. Wallis Ann’s blossoming friendship with Clayton, a high diving performer for a traveling show, sparks a new opportunity, and the family joins as a singing group. But Clayton’s attention to Laci drives a wedge between the two sisters. As jealousy and betrayal threaten to accomplish what hardship never could—divide the family for good—Wallis Ann makes a decision that will transform them all in unforeseeable ways… (less)

Meet Donna Everhart

Donna Everhart is a USA Today best selling author of THE EDUCATION OF DIXIE DUPREE, an Amazon Best Book/Debut Spotlight, Indie Next Pick for November 2016 and long listed for the Southern Book Prize, (formerly the Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize)

Her next novel, THE ROAD TO BITTERSWEET, January 2018, is a Publisher’s Lunch Buzz Book for Fall/Winter 2017-2018 and a 2018 Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Trio pick.

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, she has lived close to her hometown for most of her life. For several years she worked for high tech companies, specializing in project management and product introduction. She carries a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. She lives in Dunn, North Carolina with her husband, Blaine, and a tiny, heart stealing Yorkshire terrier, named Mister.

  The Last Suppers

by Mandy Mikulencak (Goodreads Author)

3.89  ·   Rating details ·  64 Ratings  ·  34 Reviews

“A gorgeous novel that finds beauty in the most unlikely of places.” —Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Set in 1950s Louisiana, Mandy Mikulencak’s beautifully written and emotionally moving novel evokes both The Help and Dead Man Walking with the story of an unforgettable woman whose quest to provide meals for death row prisoners leads her into the secrets of her own past.

Many children have grown up in the shadow of Louisiana’s Greenmount State Penitentiary. Most of them—sons and daughters of corrections officers and staff—left the place as soon as they could. Yet Ginny Polk chose to come back to work as a prison cook. She knows the harsh reality of life within those walls—the cries of men being beaten, the lines of shuffling inmates chained together. Yet she has never seen them as monsters, not even the ones sentenced to execution. That’s why, among her duties, Ginny has taken on a special responsibility: preparing their last meals.

Pot roast or red beans and rice, coconut cake with seven-minute frosting or pork neck stew . . . whatever the men ask for Ginny prepares, even meeting with their heartbroken relatives to get each recipe just right. It’s her way of honoring their humanity, showing some compassion in their final hours. The prison board frowns upon the ritual, as does Roscoe Simms, Greenmount’s Warden. Her daddy’s best friend before he was murdered, Roscoe has always watched out for Ginny, and their friendship has evolved into something deep and unexpected. But when Ginny stumbles upon information about the man executed for killing her father, it leads to a series of dark and painful revelations.

Truth, justice, mercy—none of these are as simple as Ginny once believed. And the most shocking crimes may not be the ones committed out of anger or greed, but the sacrifices we make for love. (less)

Meet Mandy Mikulencak

Mandy Mikulencak has been a writer her entire working life. First, as a journalist then as an editor and PR specialist for two national nonprofits and a United Nations agency. Today she lives in the mountains of Southwest Colorado with her husband, Andy. Her first book, Burn Girl, has been honored with a 2016 Westchester Fiction Award. Her next book, The Last Suppers, will be released Dec. 26, 2017, from Kensington Publishing’s new hardcover imprint, John Scognamiglio Books. http://www.mandymikulencak.com

  “Christmas Southern Treats Giveaway” on Lindas Book Obsession on FB. USA ends Christmas Eve. “The Sisters of Glass Ferry” by Kim Michelle Richardson. “The Road to Bittersweet” by Donna Everhart, and “The Last Suppers” by Mandy Mikulencak. USA only Ends Christmas Eve. Go to Lindas Book Obsession on FB. Like, Follow, Share and Comment Why Family and Friends are so important this time of the year?OR What do you like or don’t like at this time of the year? Good Luck! Three wonderful book, "The Sisters of Glass Ferry" by Kim Michelle Richardson, "The Road to Bittersweet" by Donna Everhart.

[bargainsleuthbooks]

Such Good Friends: A Novel of Truman Capote & Lee Radziwill by Stephen Greco #ARC #NewBooks #May2023Books #BookReview #NetGalley

There's a new book coming out about the relationship between Truman Capote and one of his "swans," Lee Radziwill, otherwise known as Jackie Kennedy's younger sister. #LeeRadziwill #TrumanCapote #InColdBlood #JackieKennedy #BlackandWhiteBall #BookReview

On a Thursday morning in May 1961, a well-mannered twenty-one-year-old named Marlene enters the Fifth Avenue apartment of Lee Radziwill to interview for the position of housekeeper and cook. The stylish wife of London-based Prince Stanislaw Radziwill, Princess Lee is intelligent and creative, with ambitions beyond simply jet-setting. But to the public, she is always First Lady Jackie Kennedy’s…

[markgottliebliteraryagent]

Author of Historical Fiction Alan Hlad

A Publishing Journey by Alan Hlad

My publishing journey was incubated by childhood experiences. My mother, an artistic woman and voracious reader, instilled in me a passion for music, reading, and writing. She bought me loads of books, and she would often sit patiently with me as I read aloud, fumbling through sentences. When I was eight-years-old, Mom created an enduring experience for me on a cold Thanksgiving afternoon. She and my father were preparing dinner while a medley of Tom Jones, Neil Diamond, and Engelbert Humperdinck albums spun on a stereo, and I was getting in the way by playing in the kitchen. To keep me occupied, Mom retrieved an old typewriter, paper, and a bottle of White-Out, and she asked me to write a story. Over the next hour, I typed—using two fingers—a poorly constructed tale. But when my relatives arrived for dinner, I managed to sell my literary masterpiece, damp with correction fluid, to my Uncle John for twenty-five cents. I have my mother to thank for this wonderful memory. And as I look back, I think I could have gotten a better deal if I’d had an agent.

Influenced by an entrepreneurial father—who owned two small grocery stores, claimed to have walked uphill both ways to school, and believed that his military service was a cakewalk when compared to working on his parents’ farm—I chose a path to study business at Bowling Green State University. But during college, I didn’t abandon my passion for writing; I used my elective courses to enroll in literature and creative writing classes. When graduating, I made a list of my top two dream careers. The first was to someday become an author, and a distant second was to own my own business. But when faced with the reality of paying my own bills, I gratefully accepted a job with a large property & casualty insurance company.       

I expected my career in corporate America to be temporary. But through persistence and hard work, I was fortunate to achieve success, and progressed through leadership roles and eventually became a senior vice president. During that time, I continued my writing endeavors by keeping a journal of my stories that I carried with me on business trips. I took snippets of free time to write on planes and in hotel rooms. Also, I took every opportunity to write business articles and volunteer for industry speaking opportunities. I was thankful for the experiences and rewards I gained through my corporate career, but I still had a deep desire to achieve the goals that I had drafted years earlier in college. Having developed a breadth of business relationships, I decided to leave the corporate ranks to establish an executive search firm. The new business grew quickly and, more importantly, being in charge of my own schedule gave me the flexibility to focus on writing. I wrote each day. I attended numerous writing conferences. I joined Akron Writers’ Group, which has been invaluable with developing writing skills. And in the autumn of 2017, I finished a historical fiction manuscript—set during the London Blitz of World War II, when British Services used homing pigeons across enemy lines—titled The Long Flight Home.

Like many aspiring authors who plan to query their manuscript, I made a list of my ideal literary agents and agencies. Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group was at the very top. I deliberated for weeks while polishing a query letter. I only have one chance to make a first impression, I told myself. And as I sent out queries, I prepared myself for inevitable rejection. But I was delighted when the story gained interest, and I was thrilled that one of the requests for a full manuscript submission was from Mark.

I didn’t expect to hear anything for months. But less than a week after sending the manuscript to Mark, I received an email from him while my wife, Laurie, and I were on a Sunday hike with our golden retrievers. The email said that he liked the story and wanted to discuss representation. I was excited to call Mark, but with spotty cell reception in a national park, as well as the fact that we had been carrying doggie waste bags for the past few miles, I thought it would be best to schedule a call. We spoke the following morning, and I was immediately impressed with Mark’s professionalism and knowledge, as well as the capabilities of Trident Media Group. Convinced that Mark and Trident were the best fit for me, I accepted his offer for representation. Less than forty-five days later, Mark arranged to sell the manuscript to John Scognamiglio for his eponymous imprint at Kensington. One year later—and six months before the release of The Long Flight Home—Mark arranged a deal for two additional books with Kensington. I’m deeply thankful and proud to have Mark as my agent, and I’m honored to have my first three novels published by John Scognamiglio at Kensington.  

I often reflect on my publishing journey, which was fostered many years ago by my mother’s encouragement to read and write. At times, I wonder what might have happened if I had chosen different paths. But I don’t dwell on past choices. I like to believe that good things can happen, regardless of which routes one chooses. For me, the paths I have taken—both long and short—have helped me reach my goal of becoming an author. And for anyone who aspires to be a novelist, I encourage you to be a voracious reader, writer, and—most importantly—never give up on your dreams. 

   Bio

Alan Hlad is a corporate executive turned writer. He is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Literary Cleveland, and the Akron Writers' Group. Alan lives in Ohio with his wife and children. The Long Flight Home is his first novel. You can find him online at alanhlad.com, Facebook.com/AuthorAlanHlad and on Instagram @AlanHlad.

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  Three wonderful book, “The Sisters of Glass Ferry” by Kim Michelle Richardson, “The Road to Bittersweet” by Donna Everhart. and “The Last Suppers” by Mandy Mikulencak and $15 gift card to Dunking Donuts, or Starbucks for one winner. WOW!  Fantastic Giveaway !! Go to @Lindas Book Obsession on my FB page. 1. Like Lindas Book Obsession. 2. Follow 3. Share 4. Comment so I can tag you, Why Family and Friends are so Important this time of the year, or just comment what you like or don’t this time of year. USA only. End Christmas Eve.

I read and reviewed “The Sisters of Glass Ferry ” by Kim Michelle Richardson, and loved everything about it. My review is below.

On my to read lists are. “The Road to Bittersweet” by Donna Everhart, and “The Last Suppers” by  Mandy Mikulencak. Information about the authors and books are below.

Warmest thanks to Kim Michelle Richardson , Donna Everhart and Mandy Mikulencak for their generosity and  Warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas (Southern style) and a Happy Healthy New Year!!

                MY REVIEW OF “THE SISTERS OF GLASS FERRY” by Kim Michele Richardson

  “The Sisters of Glass Ferry” by Kim Michele Richardson is an emotional and captivating novel. “The Sisters of Glass Ferry” is published by Kensington Publishing Corporation and will be out November 28,2017. The Genres for this story are Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Mystery. The timeline of the story is mostly 1952 through 1972, and though the present.There are some parts of the story that are before 1952 to explain the history and the characters.  The author depicts the setting in rural Kentucky in the town of Glass Ferry, which is known as “Bourbon Town”.

  The characters are describes as complex and complicated. The author describes many secrets and lies that affect the small town and characters.   In this small community everyone knows each other, and there is a lot of gossip.During the time of bourbon production there was corruption and some criminal activity. It was not unusual for children to learn to shoot guns to protect themselves.

  Flannery and Patsy are twins, separated by 8 minutes. Patsy is the elder of the twins, and the girls are close, but there is jealousy. Patsy being the older twin is given the family pearl necklace. Patsy is invited to the Junior Prom, and Flannery has to take her shift at work. The sheriff”s two sons come to drive Patsy to the prom. One is her boyfriend, and the other is his older brother who drives the car. Unfortunately, Patsy and her boyfriend never come home.

  Every year on the twins’ birthday, Flannery’s Mom makes a special birthday cake for Patsy hoping she will be coming home. After two decades of Patsy being gone, Flannery is still looking for answers.

  This is a story of heartbreak, grief, revenge, retribution and redemption. What are the secrets and lies in this town? What happened the night of the Prom? This is a story of coming of age, pressure and jealousy. I like that the author describes the problems of bullying,  alcohol abuse, emotional and physical abuse, and superstitions. I also appreciate how the author discusses the importance of family, love, hope and faith.

  This is an intriguing and thought-provoking story, and I would recommend it highly.I look forward to reading more of Kim Michele Richardson’s novels. I received an Advanced Reading Edition for my honest review.

*****”The Sisters of Glass Ferry” by  Kim Michelle Richardson is and OKRA PICK, a December Barnes and Noble Pick and RT Top Pick

    The Road to Bittersweet

by Donna Everhart (Goodreads Author)

4.14  ·   Rating details ·  35 Ratings  ·  25 Reviews

Set in the Carolinas in the 1940s, The Road to Bittersweet is a beautifully written, evocative account of a young woman reckoning not just with the unforgiving landscape, but with the rocky emotional terrain that leads from innocence to wisdom.

For fourteen-year-old Wallis Ann Stamper and her family, life in the Appalachian Mountains is simple and satisfying, though not for the tenderhearted. While her older sister, Laci—a mute, musically gifted savant—is constantly watched over and protected, Wallis Ann is as practical and sturdy as her name. When the Tuckasegee River bursts its banks, forcing them to flee in the middle of the night, those qualities save her life. But though her family is eventually reunited, the tragedy opens Wallis Ann’s eyes to a world beyond the creek that’s borne their name for generations.

Carrying what’s left of their possessions, the Stampers begin another perilous journey from their ruined home to the hill country of South Carolina. Wallis Ann’s blossoming friendship with Clayton, a high diving performer for a traveling show, sparks a new opportunity, and the family joins as a singing group. But Clayton’s attention to Laci drives a wedge between the two sisters. As jealousy and betrayal threaten to accomplish what hardship never could—divide the family for good—Wallis Ann makes a decision that will transform them all in unforeseeable ways… (less)

Meet Donna Everhart

Donna Everhart is a USA Today best selling author of THE EDUCATION OF DIXIE DUPREE, an Amazon Best Book/Debut Spotlight, Indie Next Pick for November 2016 and long listed for the Southern Book Prize, (formerly the Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize)

Her next novel, THE ROAD TO BITTERSWEET, January 2018, is a Publisher’s Lunch Buzz Book for Fall/Winter 2017-2018 and a 2018 Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Trio pick.

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, she has lived close to her hometown for most of her life. For several years she worked for high tech companies, specializing in project management and product introduction. She carries a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. She lives in Dunn, North Carolina with her husband, Blaine, and a tiny, heart stealing Yorkshire terrier, named Mister.

  The Last Suppers

by Mandy Mikulencak (Goodreads Author)

3.89  ·   Rating details ·  64 Ratings  ·  34 Reviews

“A gorgeous novel that finds beauty in the most unlikely of places.” —Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Set in 1950s Louisiana, Mandy Mikulencak’s beautifully written and emotionally moving novel evokes both The Help and Dead Man Walking with the story of an unforgettable woman whose quest to provide meals for death row prisoners leads her into the secrets of her own past.

Many children have grown up in the shadow of Louisiana’s Greenmount State Penitentiary. Most of them—sons and daughters of corrections officers and staff—left the place as soon as they could. Yet Ginny Polk chose to come back to work as a prison cook. She knows the harsh reality of life within those walls—the cries of men being beaten, the lines of shuffling inmates chained together. Yet she has never seen them as monsters, not even the ones sentenced to execution. That’s why, among her duties, Ginny has taken on a special responsibility: preparing their last meals.

Pot roast or red beans and rice, coconut cake with seven-minute frosting or pork neck stew . . . whatever the men ask for Ginny prepares, even meeting with their heartbroken relatives to get each recipe just right. It’s her way of honoring their humanity, showing some compassion in their final hours. The prison board frowns upon the ritual, as does Roscoe Simms, Greenmount’s Warden. Her daddy’s best friend before he was murdered, Roscoe has always watched out for Ginny, and their friendship has evolved into something deep and unexpected. But when Ginny stumbles upon information about the man executed for killing her father, it leads to a series of dark and painful revelations.

Truth, justice, mercy—none of these are as simple as Ginny once believed. And the most shocking crimes may not be the ones committed out of anger or greed, but the sacrifices we make for love. (less)

Meet Mandy Mikulencak

Mandy Mikulencak has been a writer her entire working life. First, as a journalist then as an editor and PR specialist for two national nonprofits and a United Nations agency. Today she lives in the mountains of Southwest Colorado with her husband, Andy. Her first book, Burn Girl, has been honored with a 2016 Westchester Fiction Award. Her next book, The Last Suppers, will be released Dec. 26, 2017, from Kensington Publishing’s new hardcover imprint, John Scognamiglio Books. http://www.mandymikulencak.com

  “Christmas Southern Treats Giveaway” on Lindas Book Obsession on FB. USA ends Christmas Eve. “The Sisters of Glass Ferry” by Kim Michelle Richardson. “The Road to Bittersweet” by Donna Everhart, and “The Last Suppers” by Mandy Mikulencak. USA only Ends Christmas Eve. Go to Lindas Book Obsession on FB. Like, Follow, Share and Comment Why Family and Friends are so important this time of the year?OR What do you like or don’t like at this time of the year? Good Luck! Three wonderful book, "The Sisters of Glass Ferry" by Kim Michelle Richardson, "The Road to Bittersweet" by Donna Everhart.