What’s on my iPod: “Blood Bank” by Bon Iver

What I’m reading: The Song Remains the Same by Allison Winn Scotch

The last person I followed on Twitter: @Thehealinggroup

1. Bringing ‘After the Fog’ to Life 

Kathleen Shoop wrote an essay, Resuscitating the past: Bringing “After the Fog” to Life, for the San Francisco Book Review. She goes into detail about her research behind the novel and her creation of the central character, Rose Pavlesic. “Writing historical fiction has taught me to be open to changes in my initial outline. In researching Rose’s character I initially thought she’d be a midwife. Then I came across a subset of women who had enormous impact on healthcare in America prior to the 1970’s.”

Kathie, a language arts coach, also just had a “teaching moment” writing an article featured in her local Plum-OakmontPatch.com.  “Donora ‘Death Smog’ Lives in Novel” discusses the “five days of fog” incident in Donora, Pennsylvania, for regional residents.  Prior to writing “After the Fog” Kathie did extensive research on the incident and interviewed victims that have survived.  The event was the impetus for the Clean Air Act of 1955 and the development of the EPA.

MORE ABOUT AFTER THE FOG:

The sins of the mother…

In the steel mill town of Donora, Pennsylvania, site of the infamous 1948 “killing smog,” headstrong nurse Rose Pavlesic tends to her family and neighbors. Controlling and demanding, she’s created a life that reflects everything she missed growing up as an orphan. She’s even managed to keep her painful secrets hidden from her loving husband, dutiful children, andlarge extended family.

When a stagnant weather pattern traps poisonous mill gasses in the valley, neighbors grow sicker and Rose’s nursing obligations thrust her into conflict she never could have fathomed. Consequences from her past collide with her present life,making her once clear decisions as gray as the suffocating smog. As pressure mounts, Rose finds she’s not the only one harboring lies. When the deadly fog finally clears, the loss of trust and faith leaves the Pavlesic family—and the whole town—splintered and shocked. With her new perspective, can Rose finally forgive herself and let her family’s healing begin?

2. On Air with Steena Holmes 

Steena Holmes was recently featured on the Chique Show with Barbara Conelli. The exciting interview shows another side of Steena that her readers aren’t able to see. During the moving interview, Steena discusses why she wrote Finding Emma, a heart wrenching story,along with other details on the novel. Don’t miss this interview!

MORE ABOUT FINDING EMMA:

A child torn from the arms of loving parents, a relationship torn apart from loss…

Megan sees her daughter Emma everywhere. She’s the little girl standing in the supermarket, the child waiting for the swings at the playground, the girl with ice cream dripping down her face. But it’s never Emma.

Because Emma’s been missing for two years.

Unable to handle the constant heartache of all the false sightings, Megan’s husband threatens to walk away unless Megan can agree to accept Emma is gone. Megan’s life and marriage is crumbling all around her and she realizes she may have to do the thing she dreads most: move on.

When Megan takes a photo of a little girl with an elderly couple at the town fair, she believes it to be her missing daughter. Unable to let go, she sets in motion a sequence of events that could destroy both families lives.

3. Ready, Set, READ! 

Our Summer Reading Challenge has officially been kicked off. Have you started the challenge? If not, it’s not too late! Join the BookSparks Facebook page for more details and to share your thoughts on the books for points to win prizes. This week we enjoyed reading “The Song Remains the Same” by Allison Winn Scotch. Prepare for next weeks book by picking up a copy of “Clean Break” by David Klein. Happy reading!

 

 

4.  Hanging Out With Dawn Tripp

Dawn Tripp, the author of “Game of Secrets”, just sat down with SheKnows to talk books, Scrabble, reading and her writing process.  Dawn also revealed some insight into her fourth book.  ” My fourth book is a biographical novel about a famous woman. What a fascinating process it has been: to hew to the facts of a life and then to write into the skinny space to illuminate what could have happened.”  Take a look at her interview!

MORE ABOUT DAWN TRIPP:

Dawn Tripp graduated from Harvard with a B.A. in literature. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and sons. She is the author of the novels Moon Tide and The Season of Open Water, which won the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction. Her recent novel, Game of Secrets, is a Boston Globe bestseller.

 

5.  What Are Your Favorite YA Novels?  NPR Wants To Know!

NPR (National Public Radio) is composing their top-100 list of the best YA novels ever.  And they’re asking for their listeners help!  For more information and to submit your top picks and for more information visit NPR’s website.  Our very own YA author, Jennifer Gooch Hummer, shared her 5 favorites with us:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty

and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.