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Author News & Interviews

Interview: Shilpi Somaya Gowda, author of The Golden Son

Jan 28, 2016

Shilpi Somaya Gowda, the internationally bestselling author of SECRET DAUGHTER, now returns with her highly anticipated sophomore effort, THE GOLDEN SON. It’s the lovely, complicated story of Anil Patel, who makes the difficult decision to leave behind his Indian village to pursue a medical career in the U.S. --- only to be called back after the sudden death of his father to fulfill his duty-bound role as village arbiter. In this interview, Gowda talks to The Book Report Network's Bronwyn Miller about why she is and always has been so fascinated by the Indian tradition of a panchayat, and how that kind of justice system plays out on a personal and communal level. She also discusses why she is drawn to stories dealing with cross-cultural issues, how volunteering at an orphanage changed her life, and what she’d like readers to take away from THE GOLDEN SON.

Interview: Gregory Maguire, author of After Alice

Oct 28, 2015

Gregory Maguire is no stranger to rewriting classic children’s fairy tales for adults. His first try was an overwhelming success; WICKED --- a vividly realized revisionist take on L. Frank Baum’s THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ --- was adapted into one of the most popular Broadway shows of all time. Now he returns with AFTER ALICE, a magical new twist on ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, which was recently published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s beloved classic. In this interview with The Book Report Network’s Bronwyn Miller, Maguire discusses what interests him about rewriting children’s stories and how he chooses his subject matter. He also talks about the importance of books in children’s lives --- a subject he is deeply passionate about --- and how he’s careful to avoid a fistfight with Harper Lee.

Author Talk: Lou Kasischke , author of After the Wind: Tragedy on Everest --- One Survivor's Story

Oct 7, 2015

On May 10, 1996, eight climbers died on Mount Everest while fighting a rogue storm in what was one of the worst tragedies in the mountain’s history. Much has been reported in the terrible event’s aftermath, but now survivor Lou Kasischke is ready to share his version of the story with the world. In AFTER THE WIND (available in paperback on October 20th), Kasischke tells the harrowing story of what went wrong that day, and how, by a miracle of love, he managed to survive.

In this interview, Kasischke explains why he waited so long to publish his story, even though he wrote it almost immediately following his experience on Everest, and how --- with it --- he hopes to honor the truth about what happened, as well as those who were lost. He also talks about why it was so important for him to preserve the authenticity of his original story and how going the independent publishing route helped him accomplish that.

Interview: Ben McPherson, author of A Line of Blood

Oct 1, 2015

Ben McPherson is a television producer, director and writer who worked for more than a decade at the BBC. His debut novel, A LINE OF BLOOD, is a thriller that also delves into the complexities of family life. When their neighbor is found dead in his apartment, Alex, his wife Millicent and their son Max are pulled into a maelstrom investigation that forces them to reexamine how they approach their relationships with each other. In this interview with The Book Report Network’s Sarah Rachel Egelman, McPherson discusses his inspiration for this crime thriller/family drama hybrid, explains the importance of the book’s setting, and reveals some of his favorite authors.

Author Talk: Jesse Kornbluth, author of Married Sex: A Love Story

Aug 25, 2015

Not only is Jesse Kornbluth the founder of HeadButler.com, a cultural concierge site, he also co-founded The Book Report Network. His debut novel, MARRIED SEX, is more interesting than its title would suggest: It’s the story of divorce lawyer David Greenfield, who --- when propositioned by a seductive photographer to be her lover for six weeks --- reasons that “it’s not cheating if your wife’s there,” and invites his wife to join. What harm could come of fulfilling his longtime sexual fantasy? In this frank interview, Jesse addresses speculation that MARRIED SEX is autobiographical, why writing (accurately) about sex is not as easy as it seems, and whether or not he’s ever actually been in a threesome.