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Upcoming Event: Authors in Conversation: Lynda Cohen Loigman and Heather Webb Speak About Two New Historical Fiction Novels

Event Details
Please join us for a special author conversation between two historical fiction/romance writers – Lynda Cohen Loigman and Heather Webb – on Thursday, November 7, from 7 – 8:30 p.m. For those of you who love to get lost inside the world of a book, come prepared with questions to learn how these tales are woven.

Lynda’s book, The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, is set in a dual timeline, travelling between 1920’s Brooklyn and 1980’s Boca Raton, FL. It’s not just a page-turner, but a remedy for the soul, sprinkled with a touch of magic, a dash of heartbreak, and plenty of laughter; a must-read for anyone who believes in the enduring magic of second chances and a bit of mystery.

Heather has joined forces once again with her writing partner, Hazel Gaynor, for a fourth collaboration, Christmas with the Queen, which invites readers to spend the festive season with Queen Elizabeth II as she delivers her traditional Christmas message during the first five years of her reign, and traces a tumultuous relationship between a young woman working as a royal correspondent, and a chef in the Queen’s household.

Lynda Cohen Loigman graduated from Harvard College and Columbia Law School. Her debut novel, The Two-Family House, was a USA Today best seller and a nominee for the Goodreads 2016 Choice Awards in Historical Fiction. Her second novel, The Wartime Sisters, was selected as a Woman’s World Book Club pick and a Best Book of 2019 by Real Simple Magazine. The Matchmaker’s Gift was named a Best New Book by People Magazine and a Best Book of Fall by the New York Post, Parade Magazine, Buzzfeed, and Good Morning America.com. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is her fourth novel and will be published by St. Martin’s Press on October 8, 2024.

Heather Webb is the award-winning, USA Today and international bestselling author of ten historical novels, including her most recent The Next Ship Home, Queens of London, and Strangers in the Night. To date, her books have been translated to eighteen languages.                                       

Hazel and Heather’s co-written historical novels have all been published to critical acclaim. The USA Today and international bestseller, Last Christmas in Paris, won the 2018 Women’s Fiction Writers Association Star Award, Meet Me in Monaco was shortlisted for the 2020 Romantic Novelists’ Association Historical Novel award, and Three Words for Goodbye was selected by Prima Magazine as a Best Novel of 2021. Christmas With The Queen is their fourth collaboration.

Elm Street Books will be selling copies of both books, which the authors will sign after the program. A portion of the proceeds goes to Wilton Library.

The media sponsor of our author talk is GOOD Morning Wilton.

Registration is requested. Link to register https://wilton.librarycalendar.com/event/hold-author-talk-2801

Happy Halloween!!

I wish you all a spooktacular Halloween! I hope you get more treats than tricks.

Sleepy Hollow
At a restaurant in P.A.
Windows in Tarrytown NY
When skeletons need some wine in Tarrytown
Decor at Horsefeathers in Tarrytown
Images from Salem, MA

I had a fun filled October with my spooky events.

Book Mail: The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

Goodreads Blurb

Welcome to Eris: an island with only one house, one inhabitant, one way out. Unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day.

Once home to Vanessa: A famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago.

Now home to Grace: A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.

But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling.

And the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge….

A masterful novel that is as page-turning as it is unsettling, The Blue Hour recalls the sophisticated suspense of Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith and cements Hawkins’s place among the very best of our most nuanced and stylish storytellers.

Author Biography

Paula Hawkins is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Girl on the Train, which was made into a major motion picture. Her new novel of psychological suspense, Into The Water, is coming May 2.

Review: The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics

Goodreads Blurb

Lucy Acosta’s mother died when she was three. Growing up in a Victorian mansion in the middle of the woods with her cold, distant father, she explored the dark hallways of the estate with her cousin, Margaret. They’re inseparable—a family. 

When her aunt Penelope, the only mother she’s ever known, tragically disappears while walking in the woods surrounding their estate, Lucy finds herself devastated and alone. Margaret has been spending a lot of time in the attic. She claims she can hear her dead mother’s voice whispering from the walls. Emotionally shut out by her father, Lucy watches helplessly as her cousin’s sanity slowly unravels. But when she begins hearing voices herself, Lucy finds herself confronting an ancient and deadly legacy that has marked the women in her family for generations.

My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Look no further if you are looking for a horror book with vivid, frightening scenes. This is the first time I’ve read a book by Amy, and the gore is real. You know, when you live through a terrifying nightmare and you remember everything, well, you won’t forget what you read. I cannot unsee the vomiting of teeth and everything that makes us human inside.

It was great that the story took place in a Victorian mansion; it gave off those spooky vibes that would drive this story to the frightening scenes. It begins with a death and a disappearance, which leads to the unknown. Amy isn’t afraid to kill her characters; I think she enjoys it. The gruesome deaths are those that should only be kept in nightmares and not real life. The reader’s discretion is advised as this novel also has scenes of self-harm. Two characters will end their life, and Lucy Acosta causes self-harm by making cuts on her skin. This book has many emotions that, as a reader, you will feel. The story revolves around revenge. The character, Mother, manipulates people into doing her bidding. When the evil witch is released, the others will pay. In the end, you will be shocked by the disgusting gore and the fact that the story will not end happily ever after.
If you start hearing voices through the walls and scratches, I recommend you ignore them and leave that location ASAP!!!

Author Biography

Ever since she was little, Amy was especially intrigued by horror books and movies. Raised in a small mountain town in Arizona, she sustained herself on a steady diet of Goosebumps, Fear Street, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books before discovering Stephen King in her mother’s bookshelf.

Amy lives with her husband, their two precious squidlings, and an old gentleman cat by the name of Frodo. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, crafting, and playing games across many platforms.

Meeting the Dark Shadows Actors

Yesterday, I got a second chance to meet Kathyrn Leigh Scott, who plays the role of Maggie Evans and a few other characters.

A few weekends ago, the Tarrytown Music Festival was celebrating Jonathan Frid’s 100th birthday with a Q&A with a few cast members. It was great hearing how wonderful Jonathan was as an actor, friend, and friendly with the fans. If you get a chance, visit the Lyndhurst mansion in Tarrytown, where they filmed the movie Dark Shadows.

Cover Reveal: The Geography of Happiness by Jay Hogan

BOOK DETAILS:

The Geography of Happiness
by Jay Hogan
(Mackenzie Country, #4)
Publication date: November 21, 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Synopsis:

One thing I know about Terry O’Connor—the man has complicated relationship written all over him, something I’ve avoided for pretty much forever.

One thing I know about Terry’s hometown, Painted Bay—it’s a long, long way from my life as a Mackenzie Country vet and dedicated, carefree bachelor.

All in all, good news.

No reason to look twice at the gorgeous man currently staying at Miller Station with his daughter.

No reason to daydream about his soft lips, quirky sense of humour, sexy smile, or the way he blushes whenever he catches me staring which is far too often.

No reason to second guess my future plans or reconsider the no-strings lifestyle I’ve worked hard to perfect.

And absolutely no reason to feel disappointed that Terry is even less interested in a relationship than I am. I should be relieved.

Then why can’t I stop thinking about him and how right it feels when we’re together? Why does my heart spin at the very mention of his name? And why does the thought of moving on without Terry and his daughter in my life feel like the loneliest decision in the world.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220512672-the-geography-of-happiness

Pre-order: https://amzn.to/3NChSiA

AUTHOR BIO:

Heart, humour and keeping it real.

Jay is a 2020 Lambda Literary Award Finalist in Gay Romance and her book Off Balance was the 2021 New Zealand Romance Book of the Year.

She is a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense, primarily set in New Zealand. She writes character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality and a splash of angst. She’s travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life she was a critical care nurse, nurse educator and counsellor. Jay is owned by a huge Maine Coon cat and a gorgeous Cocker Spaniel

Author links:

@jayhoganmmauthor

https://www.facebook.com/JayHoganAuthor

https://jayhoganauthor.com/

https://www.subscribepage.com/jayhoganauthor

https://www.instagram.com/jayhoganauthor

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17632551.Jay_Hogan

Upcoming Book Event: Al Roker and Courtney Roker Laga

Meet & Greet NBC’s Al Roker w/ Courtney Roker Laga Sat. Oct. 26th 4pm


Come meet Al Roker from NBC and his daughter Courtney Roker Laga on Sat. Oct. 26th at 4 pm for a fun Meet & Greet!

Purchase ticket at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-greet-nbcs-al-roker-w-courtney-roker-laga-sat-oct-26th-4pm-tickets-972435118617

Location:

Books & Greetings271 Livingston Street Northvale, NJ 07647

Goodreads Blurb

Al Roker and his daughter, Courtney Roker Laga, welcome you into their home, where a good conversation or a needed dose of laughter always starts with something great to eat.

100 original and kitchen-tested dishes for every occasion, including Sunrise Burritos Shrimp and Grits with Bell Peppers and Bacon  Smothered Chicken  Coffee- and Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops Tuscan Polenta  Silky Cauliflower Puree  Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls Bourbon Apple Pie Milkshakes  Lemon Meringue Crumb Crust Pie Stunning dishes in this book will inspire you to start cooking memory-making meals.Full of cheerful family photos and Al’s frank, witty opinions on food and cooking, Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By is sure to become the most well-thumbed cookbook on your shelf, whether you’re a beginner home cook or a seasoned chef.