Introducing Spark authors and their books!
Introducing Spark authors and their books!
Find your next read right here in the Spark community
Welcome!
We are lucky to have many published authors and writing professionals among us. Why not make a place where readers can find new books and writers can find help right here in the Spark community?
I'm excited to introduce this new space in Spark for the authors among us to introduce themselves and their books so the many readers among us can browse there for their next read. Coming soon: We will also make a space for the professionals among us who help writers with the craft and the business of writing – editors, writing consultants, readers, etc. – so those who need their help can find them more easily.
If you are a published author or a someone who helps writers with the craft and/or business of writing (editors, readers, consultants, teachers), we would love to share your work with the rest of our growing community of readers and writers and everyone else who stops by.
The rules are simple:
Those listed must be Spark subscribers which is easy and free and brings lots of side benefits such as fun weekly discussions and essays about life and the books that help us get through it. If you later unsubscribe, no problem but your listing may be removed as we update.
If you are an author, you must have published at least one book - it can be old, new, e-book, audio, or print
The book(s) are still available through used/new bookstores, online, or in libraries
To add yourself to either of the lists, click the links below and fill out the simple forms. When we have at least ten folks listed, we’ll make the pages and keep updating them as new folks come in.
How to browse, things to know
Websites. Each profile below contains the essentials but you can easily find more when you click on the links provided. To get quickly to an author’s website, simply click on their underlined names at the top of the profile.
For Book Clubs. All the authors listed here are available to speak virtually or, if possible, in person with book clubs. To contact an author, click on their name and head to their websites where you will find their email and/or a box to fill out for contacting them.
Where to browse/buy/find. Links will take you our “Authors of Spark” page at Bookclub.org or to the author’s books on Amazon. Most of these books are available wherever books are sold and in both ebook and print formats. Don’t forget to check your library! If you can’t find a book there, ask the library to stock it — this helps support authors and readers.
And now, introducing (in alphabetical order)…
Author: Michelle Collins Anderson
Writes: Fiction, Humor, Literary, Historical fiction
Books: The Flower Sisters (release date: April 23, 2024) Available for pre-order now.
What readers say: “A vivid blend of sensorial writing, historical detail, and memorable characters await on the pages of The Flower Sisters. Poignant, compelling, and surprising, here is an insightful story of the weight of long-held secrets and the resulting hunger for truth.” – Susan Meissner, USA Today bestselling author of Only the Beautiful
Akin to: Fannie Flagg, Elizabeth Strout, Kent Haruf
Authors (three co-authors): Jackie Collins, Diana Kinared, Sally Showalter
Write: Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Poetry
Books: Telling Tales and Sharing Secrets: a narrative of a twenty-five year journey in a writers' group.
What readers say: “What happens when committed women write together and respond to one another's writing gently and with insight for over two decades? A lot! Of writing, of tenderness, of life experience, of craft learning, of adventures and personal growth. Telling Tales and Sharing Secrets is a collaborative story shaped from the contributions of three women about their decades in a writing group. Read this book and you will be treated not only to how to craft a meaningful writing group but to the writing they produced from prompts they also share in this book. And there's more: member comments on the writing shared are included, helping the book's readers understand how making an impact through writing is a fortifier for both the reader and the writer. This book is the story of how keeping on writing among a tribe of worthy writers is life-changing, writing-enhancing, and most of all joy-filled because of the commitment and intimacy it fosters. As co-author Sally Showalter writes, "Our friendship is built on a love of stories in all their various shapes, whether they are fiction, non-fiction, political commentary, or memoir." Reading their book, I am honored to experience what these three women writers' friendship produced.” --Sheila Bender, Writing Personal Essays: Shaping and Sharing Your Life Experience, A New Theology: Turning to Poetry in a Time of Grief and Since Then: Poems and Short Prose.
Interviews/articles: Tucson Local Media , Writing It Real Newsletter
Author: PJ Colando
Writes: Fiction, Humor
Books: Stashes, Hashes & Bashes, The Winner's Circle, The Jailbird's Jackpot, I AM… a Character
What readers say: “I’ve gotten a boot out of PJ Colando’s weaving of impulse, anxiety, and sexuality among her varied Midwestern characters - with steadfast family values gone awry - and The Jailbird’s Jackpot, the fourth book in the Faith, Family, Frenzy! series doesn’t disappoint. Dismayed by a cynical world gone to hell? Amy, though a felon, will lead you out of hell with laughter and determination.” --Art Plotnik, award-winning author of Spunk and Bite and other tomes on writing
Akin to: Fanny Flagg, DP Lyle, Wendall Thomas
Interviews/articles: “Planting Lettuce, Reaping Joy” (Spark)
Blog: Find weekly updates or subscribe here.
Author: Sandra de Helen
Writes: Poetry, LGBTQ+, Fiction - Mystery & Suspense
Books: (Fiction) The Hounding, Till Darkness Comes, (Poetry) Desire Returns for a Visit, Poetry for the People, I Eat My Words
What readers say: "I Eat My Words, is a groundbreaking hybrid collection, executed with creativity, skill, and humor. In this romp through the worlds of poetry and mouth-watering recipes, the author has created a book that is practical, pleasing to the poetic sensibility, and downright fun to read."
Interviews/articles: “Back Page With Jody Seay”, “The Books That Made Her”, guest essay for SPARK
Newsletter: Sandra’s Substack
Author: Stacy Ardis Dyson
Writes: Poetry
What readers say: “Your poetry is like thunder and lightning and all that it's like to be a woman. Thank you for sharing your soul in words” --Mytrae Meliana, author of Brown Skin Girl.
Akin to: Margaret Walker, Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni
Interviews/articles: Follow Me On This (TEDX Talk), Tesoro Poets Network Interview (YouTube), SPARK Interview Series: One Writer’s Journey
Author: Michael Estrin
Writes: Fiction, Humor, Mystery/Suspense, Nonfiction
Books: Not Safe for Work (Fiction/Humor, Mystery/Suspense); Ride/Share: Micro Stories of Soul, Wit and Wisdom from the Backseat (Nonfiction)
What readers say:
About Not Safe for Work: "With a reporter’s attention to detail, an uncanny ear for dialogue, and a hilarious dry wit reminiscent of Douglas Adams, Estrin takes us on an unforgettable tour of the porn industry, where a cavalcade of quirky and desperate people validated my decision to become a comedy writer, rather than a pornographer." — Joshua Sternin (The Simpsons, That 70s Show)
About Ride/Share: “As a child, Michael Estrin’s parents told him not to talk to strangers. He didn’t listen—and we’re better off for it. In this collection of micro stories, he draws on his experience as a journalist and humorist to discover life through the eyes of ride share drivers in Los Angeles. Full of heart, humor, and insight, each story reveals our shared humanity by giving voice to workers who have otherwise been rendered invisible by technology. This book is the perfect gift for anyone who has ever wondered about the stranger their ride share app assigned to drive them home.”
Akin to: Not Safe for Work, fits on a bookshelf next to Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey. Ride/Share is pairs well with David Sedaris.
Newsletter: Situation Normal
Author: Julia Carol Folsom
Writes: Fiction, Historical fiction, Romance, Young Adult
Books: Nice Girl
What readers say: "This book is the most authentic description of growing up in a small town in the South in the '60s I have ever read. Not only were the descriptions of place spot on but the emotions of girls and young women desperate to come into their own but restrained by notions of duty to family, guilt and what it requires to be loved, and the double standards of a bygone era. I loved this book and couldn't put it down." - Amazon reviewer.
Akin to: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; To Kill a Mockingbird; Ellen Foster
Interviews/articles: Has appeared in the following publications: Three Minus One, Talking Writing, Belle Reve Journal, The Voices Project; Algebra of Owls
Author: Marilyn Johnson
Writes: Nonfiction
Books: The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries, This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All, Lives in Ruins: Archeologists and The Seductive Lure of Human Rubble
What readers say:
About Lives in Ruins: “A reader said Lives in Ruins (about archaeologists) made her realize she could start living life of adventure in her fifties.” - Marilyn Johnson
About The Dead Beat: "This delightful quirk of a book is not dark or morose; it's an uplifting, joyous, life-affirming read for people who ordinarily steer clear of uplifting, joyous, life-affirming reads….Of all the personalities captured in 'The Dead Beat,' few are more endearing than Johnson, a former obituary writer. Her enthusiasm is infectious.…Writers interested in honing the craft should inhale this book. Who else might profit or delight from reading about obituaries? Just about anyone who's not yet in one, I'd wager." --Mary Roach, The Los Angeles Times
About This Book is Overdue! : "This is a book for readers who know that words can be wild and dangerous, that uncensored access to information is a right and a privilege, and that the attempt to 'catalog the world in all its complexity' is heroic beyond compare." --Cathleen Medwick, O Magazine
Akin to: Mary Roach
Interview/articles: “The Dead Beat Highlights the Joys of Obituary Writing "(NPR/Morning Edition)
Author: Louisa Locke (aka M. Louisa Locke)
Writes: Fiction - Mystery/Suspense
Books: Maids of Misfortune: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery, Victorian San Francisco Mysteries Books 1-4, Victorian San Francisco Mysteries, Books 5-7, Entangled Threads: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery Book 8, Caelestis Series: Books 1-3, Tides of Acerba: Caelestis Series Book 4
What readers say:
About the sci-fi series: "This book lives in the same neighborhood as Le Guin and Butler, science fiction through the lens of both the individual and the family." as did this one: "The author reminds me of Anne McCaffrey not only because the plot involves telepathy, including telepathy with humans as well as telepathy with animals, but because the plot moves right along. Louisa Locke has become my favorite scifi writer."
About the mystery series: "This historical mystery set in the foggy gas-lit world of Victorian San Francisco is a complete package of a modified locked room puzzle, more than one murder, daring undercover snooping, romantic tension and a few twists and turns for a powerhouse of a debut novel." -Ariel Heart, Mysteries and My MusingsInterviews/articles
Akin to: Ann McCaffrey, C. J. Cherry, Anne Perry's Inspector Pitt series, Rhys Bowen's Molly Murphy series
Newsletter: An Aging Author’s Daily Diversions & Mary Louisa Locke's Monthy Newsletter
Author: Cynthia Newberry Martin
Writes: Fiction (Literary)
Books: Tidal Flats, Love Like This, The Art of Her Life
What readers say: "Love Like This is an astonishment. The novel comes on like a quiet exploration of the empty nest syndrome, but quickly deepens into an exploration of female identity, desire, and the utter unpredictability of love. Cynthia Newberry Martin’s prose is confident, precise, and, when required, as bold as a billboard. The story she’s crafted shocked and delighted me.” —Steve Almond, author of All the Secrets of the World
Akin to: Lily King, Anne Tyler, Ann Patchett, Dawn Tripp
Interviews/articles: The Rumpus Mentor Series: Cynthia Newberry Martin and Pam Houston
Newsletter/Blog: How We Spend Our Days
Author: Jim Mastro
Writes: Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir
Books:
Nonfiction: Antarctica: A Year at the Bottom of the World, Under Antarctic Ice (with Norbert Wu), Journeys With Emperors: Tracking the World’s Most Extreme Penguin (with Gerald Kooyman)
Fiction: Jason Hunter and the Talisman of Elam, Jason Hunter and the Hand of Osiris, Jason Hunter and the Treasure of Hathor
What readers say: Reading Review called The Talisman of Elam (re-titled as Jason Hunter and the Talisman of Elam) "...a masterpiece of science fiction." Discover magazine named Under Antarctic Ice one of the 20 best science books of the year in 2004.
Akin to: For my fiction, I take inspiration from Tom Robbins, J.K. Rowling, Louis Sachar, Kelly Barnhill, Arthur C. Clarke, David Brin, Christopher Moore, Carl Hiaasen, and Terry Pratchett.
Author: Andrew Merton
Writes: Poetry, Nonfiction
Books: (Poetry) Evidence that We Are Descended from Chairs, Lost and Found, Final Exam, Killer Poems. (Nonfiction) Enemies of Choice: The Right-to-life Movement and Its Threat to Abortion.
What readers say: "In Andrew Merton's view of poetry, brevity is the soul of wisdom. His poems are compact. He likes plenty of white space around some image or pithy utterance...Merton is like some elderly neighbor, someone we pass on the street for years without a second look, someone who--when we finally exchange a few sentences--seems to be thinking and worrying about many of the same things we have, someone we would like to spend more time with from now on." --Charles Simic
Interviews/articles: Green Mountains Review
Author: Jonathan Posner
Writes: Fiction, Historical Fiction
Books: The Witchfinder's Well, The Alchemist's Arms, The Sovereign's Secret, The Lawyer's Legacy, The Broken Sword
What readers say: “An excellent story, a book which kept me on edge the whole way through. More books of this kind please, it’s certainly one to keep anyone on the edge of their seat.” - A reader
Akin to: Philippa Gregory, Adele Jordan, Nicola Cornick, Clare Marchant
Blog: The Historical Blog - Articles based on research for the novels
Author: Gareth Powell
Writes: Fiction, Nonfiction, Science Fiction/ Speculative Fiction
Books: Embers of War Series, Descendant Machine, Stars and Bones, Light Chaser, About Writing
What readers say: “Current leader of the British space-opera pack.” – The Morning Star
Akin to: Adrian Tchaikovsky, Peter F. Hamilton
Newsletter: Gareth’s Newsletter
Author: Judy Reeves
Writes: Nonfiction, Memoir, Writing Craft
Books: A Writer's Book of Days; Writing Alone, Writing Together; Wild Women, Wild Voices: Writing From Your Authentic Wildness; When Your Heart Says Go: My Year of Traveling Beyond Loss and Loneliness
What readers say:
“Any time someone asks me for writing tips — How can I start? What do you do about writer's block? — I suggest they peruse this wonderful compendium of writing lore, empathy, and daily practice.” — Janet Fitch, author of Paint It Black and White Oleander (for a Writer's Book of Days)
“Judy Reeves has become a virtual guru for writers everywhere. In Wild Women, Wild Voices, she offers her patented inspiration, exploration, and encouragement. Her passion for writing is evident on every page. We are so lucky to have such an enthusiastic and assured guide on the journey that is the writing life.” — T. Greenwood, author of Bodies of Water, Grace, and Two Rivers (for Wild Women, Wild Voices)
“In gentle, gorgeous, and elegiac prose, Judy Reeves pulls the reader into a journey of quiet courage and insight that shines from her paragraphs in this memoir of midlife journey. Against a backdrop of foreign countries, her reverie on recovery—from alcohol, intimate losses, young widowhood—shows emergence in a woman who has spent the thirty years since then guiding others through reflection and self-inquiry. Reeves’ contributions as a teacher of the writing life are known to thousands: this is her origin story.” - —Christina Baldwin, author of Life’s Companion, Storycatcher, and other titles (for When Your Heart Says Go)
Akin to: Natalie Goldberg, Julia Cameron
Newsletter: The Lively Muse
Interviews/articles: “Judy Reeves Thrives on Pleasure Snacks” - Womancake
Author: Joyce Reynolds-Ward
Writes: Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction/ Speculative Fiction
Books: A Different Life: What If?, Broken Angel: The Lost Years of Gabriel Martiniere, Netwalk, The Heritage of Michael Martiniere, The Enduring Legacy and more
What readers say: "That said, readers won’t ever get too settled into a single idea or even the feeling of a single subgenre as Reynolds-Ward deftly juggles conflict, romance, and the core plot throughout. Broken Angel is a well-written story that sucked me in based on its characters and then sustained that interest with plenty of twists and turns and “what’s going on?” moments. Recommended for sci-fi readers looking for something very different from what they’ve read." - A reader
Akin to: Ivan Doig, Willa Cather, Lois McMaster Bujold, C.J. Cherryh, Kate Elliott, Mary O'Hara, Craig Johnson
Interviews/articles: Conversations on Hope in the Fantastical: A Conversation with Joyce Reynolds-Ward (Witty and Sarcastic Book Club); Author Interview: Joyce Reynolds-Ward, (Treehouse Writers)
Newsletter: Speculations From the Wide-Open Spaces
Author: Kathleen Rodgers
Writes: Fiction (Literary, Mystery/Suspense)
Books: The Flying Cutterbucks, Seven Wings to Glory, Johnnie Come Lately, The Final Salute
What readers say: "A rousing, timely novel of hope and solidarity among women in a family wounded by the tragedy of war and the trauma of sexual assault. Their resilience gives testament to the power of forgiveness, and the heroism among sisters." --Kathleen Kent, NYT bestselling authorInterviews/articles (about The Flying Cutterbucks
Akin to: Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes
Interviews/articles: Authors Over 50 (YouTube)
Author: Jim Ruland
Writes: Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Literary, Mystery/Suspense, Historical fiction, Journalism
Books:
What readers say: "Jim Ruland’s Make It Stop is an intoxicating cocktail of crime and conspiracy, set to a SoCal punk soundtrack. A neo noir thriller I found impossible to put down" - Elizabeth Hand
Interviews/articles: “Corporate Rock Sucks: Jim Ruland Interview” (The Big Takeover), “Imaginative Rebels: A Conversation Between Terese Svoboda and Jim Ruland” (Los Angeles Review of Books), “Make It Stop” (Spark Interview Series)
Newsletter: Message From The Underground
Author: Robyn Ryle
Writes: Fiction, Nonfiction/Memoir
What readers say: “Perfect for readers of any age who are questioning their genders, generally curious about gender, or interested in better understanding a loved one's identity.” - Publishers Weekly
Interviews/articles: The Case of Transgender Athletes (Newsweek)
Newsletter: You Think Too Much
Author: Jennifer Silva Redmond
Writes: Nonfiction/Memoir
Books: Honeymoon at Sea: How I Found Myself Living on a Small Boat
What readers say: "...Those who would navigate their own treacherous relationship waters to better understand their lives and the lure of travel will find Honeymoon at Sea quite revealing ... will especially delight armchair travelers interested in stories of living simpler lives and experiencing such riches." Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review
Akin to: Cheryl Strayed, Ann Patchett (memoir)
Blog: Jenny RedBug
Interviews/articles: “On the Hook,” for Brevity BlogAuthor: Marivi Soliven
Writes: Fiction
Books: The Mango Bride, Spooky Mo
What readers say: "This book entertains like a cross between “One Hundred Years of Solitude” and a Filipino soap opera. The story is fueled by a secret surrounding flawed and tragic characters whose drama unfolds across time and places. "
Akin to: Isabel Allende, House of Spirits
Interviews/articles: “On the Challenges of Being A Faceless Interpreter” (LitHub/Authors in the Tent); “The Story Begins With a Phone Call,” (Spark Interview Series)
Blog: Marivi Soliven Blog
Author: Lisa Stice
Writes: Poetry
Books: Forces; Permanent Change of Station; Uniform
What readers say: “There is so much life in these poems—daily life, and overarching life. As with Sylvia Plath, Louis MacNeice, Natasha Trethewey and others, Stice brings visions of war and peace, violence and tenderness, into the sort of troublesome, necessary contact we should always keep them in.” - Andria Williams, author of The Longest Night, A Novel
Akin to: Randy Brown, Eric Chandler, Ciaran Carson
Interviews/articles: “The Ever-Changing Normal” (Homefront Journal/Military Spouse Book Review)
Author: Kristen Tsetsi
Writes: Fiction, Literary, Science Fiction/ Speculative Fiction
Books: The Age of the Child, Pretty Much True, and (under the pen name Chris Jane) The Year of Dan Palace
What readers say:
About The Age of the Child: "THE AGE OF THE CHILD is no polemic. It's a well-told story of family, friendship, obligation, tribal affiliation and all the complications that come when human instinct collides with authoritarian living." - Jim Thomsen,
About Pretty Much True: "As a television news correspondent, I spent years reporting from military bases where young families and lovers were being separated by the decisions of old men. I had never had a better understanding of the agony of military separation until I read Kristen Tsetsi's haunting and lyrical debut novel." - NYT best selling author James C. Moore
Akin to: “Readers have said: If you like Jodi Picoult, you'll like The Age of the Child; If you like John Irving, you'll like The Year of Dan Palace; If you'd like a marriage of The Bell Jar and The Things They Carried, you'll like Pretty Much True.”- Kristen Tsetsi
Interviews/articles: Interview Pretty Much True: (Boston Small Press and Poetry Scene); Review: The Age of the Child (Journal Inquirer Newspaper); Interview: The Year of Dan Palace (Black Tortoise Press)
Newsletter: The Choice (kristentsetsi.substack.com)
Author: Andria Williams
Writes: Fiction, Literary, Historical fiction
Books: The Longest Night (2016), The Waiting World (2023)
What readers say:
“Scintillating . . . A smoldering, altogether impressive debut that probes the social and emotional strains on military families in a fresh and insightful way.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Andria Williams’s debut is an intimately detailed portrait of love, trust, and guilt in a town—and an era—clouded with secrets.”—Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You
Akin to: Rufi Thorpe, Siobhan Fallon, Betsy Marro, Celeste Ng
Newsletter (with Sari Fordham): Cool It!: Simple Steps to Save the Planet.
Interviews: Spark Interview Series
Thank you for doing this, Betsy! So nice to get to know everyone.