Category: Authors

286: All the Signs by Jessie Rosen – Summer Reading Spectacular

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In this kick-off to the 2025 Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Jessie Rosen, author of All the Signs, about the inspiration behind her book, her writing process, personal discovery in her narrative, and how much she believes in astrology! In the return of The Circ Desk segment, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika Sabat from NoveList offer reading recommendations related to Jessie’s book.

Read the transcript!

Leah Lockhart is more than her astrology. She’ll search the world to prove it.

Leah Lockhart is proudly science-minded and woo-woo averse. But the life she’s carefully curated is knocked suddenly off course, first by a destabilizing case of vertigo, and then by an astrology reading that claims she’s living way out of line with what was written in her stars. 

Incensed, Leah sets off on a mission to prove that astrology is bogus by comparing her life to that of her Star Twins around the world—people born under her exact same map of the stars. But her even deeper guides on a whirlwind journey through Venice, Istanbul, New Orleans, and beyond turn out to be three people already in her orbit: the mother she thinks abandoned her, the father she thinks saved her, and the former boy next door whose love could be the path to her truest self.

Jessie Rosen is a writer who got her start with the award-winning blog 20-Nothings. She  has sold original television projects to ABC, CBS, Warner Bros., and Netflix, and her live storytelling show Sunday Night Sex Talks was featured on The Bachelorette. She is the author of The Heirloom, and lives in Los Angeles.

SHOW NOTES:
All the Signs
The Heirloom

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Library Reads

The Circ Desk recommends:
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
Two Lives of Lydia Bird: a Novel by Josie Silver
Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne
Half-Blown Rose by Leesa Cross-Smith

282: Battle Mountain by C. J. Box

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Steve chats with C. J. Box, author of BATTLE MOUNTAIN, the 25th novel in the Joe Pickett series, about how the story picks up from the previous book in the series, Nate Romanowski’s journey of revenge, how the story mirrors real-world suspicions about the government, and what’s next for the Joe Pickett series. And stick around for The Circ Desk, where Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and NoveList librarian Yaika Sabat provide readers’ advisory suggestions for fans of C.J. Box, highlighting similar authors and series.

Read the transcript!

The campaign of destruction that Axel Soledad and Dallas Cates wreaked on Nate Romanowski and Joe Pickett left both men in tatters, especially Nate, who lost almost everything. Wondering if the civilized life left him vulnerable to attack, Nate dropped off the grid with his falcons in tow to prepare for vengeance.

When Joe gets a call from the governor asking for help finding his son-in-law, who has gone missing in the Sierra Madre mountain range, he enlists the help of a local, a rookie game warden named Susan Kany.

As Nate and fellow falconer Geronimo Jones circle closer to their prey, Joe and Susan follow the nearly cold trail to Warm Springs. Little do Nate and Joe know that their separate journeys are about to converge . . . at Battle Mountain.

C. J. Box is the author of twenty-five Joe Pickett novels, eight stand-alone novels, and a story collection. He has won the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, Gumshoe, and two Barry awards, as well as the French Prix Calibre .38, the Western Heritage Award for Literature, and two Spur Awards. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He has been executive producer on television series based on his books, including ABC TV’s Big Sky and Joe Pickett on Paramount+.

SHOW NOTES:

Battle Mountain

280: The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens

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Steve chats with Allen Eskens, author of The Quiet Librarian, about Eskens’ personal experiences with libraries, his journey into becoming an author, a deep dive into the inspiration and research behind his new novel, the Bosnian War, and Eskens’ writing process. Plus, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika Sabat from NoveList return to The Circ Desk to offer insightful read-alikes for The Quiet Librarian!

Read the transcript!

Hana Babic is a quiet, middle-aged librarian in Minnesota who wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when a detective arrives with the news that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows that something evil has come for her, a dark remnant of the past she and her friend had shared.

Thirty years before, Hana was someone else: Nura Divjak, a teenager growing up in the mountains of war-torn Bosnia—until Serbian soldiers arrived to slaughter her entire family before her eyes. The events of that day thrust Nura into the war, leading her to join a band of militia fighters, where she became not only a fierce warrior but a legend—the deadly Night Mora. But a shattering final act forced Nura to flee to the United States with a bounty on her head.

Now, someone is hunting Hana, and her friend has paid the price, leaving her eight-year-old grandson in Hana’s care. To protect the child without revealing her secret, Hana must again become the Night Mora—and hope she can find the killer before the past comes for them, too.

Allen Eskens is the USA Today bestselling author of The Life We Bury, which has been published in twenty-six languages, and eight other novels, most recently Saving Emma, Forsaken Country,The Stolen Hours, The Shadows We Hide, and Nothing More Dangerous. His books have won the Barry Award, the Rosebud Award, the Silver Falchion Award, and the Minnesota Book Award. Eskens is a former criminal defense attorney and lives with his wife, Joely, in greater Minnesota.

SHOW NOTES:

The Quiet Librarian

THE CIRC DESK RECOMMENDS:

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean
Long Bright River by Liz Moore
How Can I Help You? by Laura Sims
Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan

276: The Christmas Cookie Wars by Eliza Evans

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Steve chats with Eliza Evans, author of The Christmas Cookie Wars, about Evans’s experiences with libraries, her inspiration for the book, the influence of her journalism background on her writing, and her process of getting into the Christmas spirit during non-holiday seasons. And Rebecca and Yaika return to The Circ Desk with recommendations for similar holiday-themed reads!

Read the transcript!

Eliza Evans pens heartwarming holiday rom-coms. When not writing, Evans can be found teaching Pilates or exploring the great outdoors. A lifelong Colorado girl, Evans lives with her husband, two sons, and two fur babies. She is also the author of The Christmas Café.

SHOW NOTES:

The Christmas Cookie Wars
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272: The Booklover’s Library by Madeline Martin

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Steve chats with Madeline Martin, author of The Booklover’s Library, about the inspiration and research behind her latest novel, set in a unique library during World War II, and the emotional ties between the characters and books. Later, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika Sabat from Novelist return to the Circ Desk to recommend read-alikes for book-themed novels, highlighting the enduring appeal of stories about books and libraries.

Read the transcript!

Madeline Martin is a New York Times, USA TODAY, and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty different languages. 

SHOW NOTES:

The Booklover’s Library
Library Reads
Novelist
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269: The Bourne Shadow by Brian Freeman – Summer Reading Spectacular

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As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Brian Freeman, author of THE BOURNE SHADOW and four previous Bourne novels, about his early experiences with libraries, the impact of Ludlum’s work on his work, and how he aims to modernize Jason Bourne while staying true to the original character. And in our final visit (for now!) to The Circ Desk, Rebecca and Yaika chat about Freeman’s work, page-to-screen adaptations, and cinematic novels!

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It’s been over a decade since Nash Rollins recruited a brilliant, talented, but disaffected young man named David Webb to join Treadstone. Webb became the agent known as Cain–and later took on the identity of Jason Bourne.

That violent winter–which included Cain’s first mission for Treadstone–was also a story of betrayal in ways that David never knew. So after the injury that erased Bourne’s whole life, Nash lied about the circumstances of David’s recruitment to Treadstone. He was afraid that learning the truth might drive Bourne out of the agency forever.

But now, when Bourne meets a woman who recognizes him as David Webb, the secrets of those days begin to come out and Bourne is forced to confront the dangerous ghosts of a past he doesn’t even remember.

SHOW NOTES:

The Bourne Shadow
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268: That Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk – Summer Reading Spectacular

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As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with librarian Eva Jurczyk, author of That Night in the Library, about her unique journey from a bibliographer’s kid to a renowned author, the inspiration behind her gripping mystery novels, and the intersection of librarianship and fiction writing. Over on The Circ Desk, Rebecca and Yaika discuss dark academia, locked room mysteries, and their read-alikes for That Night in the Library!

Read the transcript!

Eva Jurczyk was born in a mining town in Poland and wound up halfway around the world in a Canadian city that often masquerades as New York in the movies. As her day job, she buys books, building library collections for the University of Toronto Libraries. She travels to Paris whenever the wind is good but currently lives with her husband, son, and collections of books in Toronto, Canada.

SHOW NOTES:

That Night in the Library
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267: The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond – Summer Reading Spectacular

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As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Gwenda Bond about her career journey, her fascination with heist stories, her experiences with licensed content, including writing for Lois Lane and Stranger Things, her approach to magic in storytelling, and the vibrant writing community she’s fostering in Lexington, Kentucky. And on The Circ Desk, Rebecca and Yaika find interesting read-alikes for the Frame-Up and discuss new exciting new subgenre of romantasy!

Read the transcript!

Gwenda Bond is the New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the first official Stranger Things novel, Suspicious Minds, as well as the Match Made in Hell, Lois Lane, and Cirque American series. She lives in a hundred-year-old house in Lexington, Kentucky, with a veritable zoo of adorable doggos and queenly cats. She writes a regular newsletter, Dear Reader, available on Substack.

SHOW NOTES:

The Frame-Up
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266: Owly by Andy Runton – Summer Reading Spectacular

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As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Andy Runton, creator of the graphic novel series Owly, about how libraries influenced his work and life, the origins of Owly, the process of converting the series from black and white to color, and advice for educators and librarians on how to use Owly in their teaching. And on The Circ Desk, Rebecca and Yaika discuss graphic novels and why Library Reads solely focuses on titles for adults.

Read the transcript!

Andy Runton has always loved to draw and always loved comics. After college and a career in corporate America, he finally followed his heart, started drawing comics, graphic novels, and children’s books, and he hasn’t looked back since. In 2001 he created the all-ages series of graphic novels, Owly, which features a kind-hearted little owl who’s always searching for new friends and adventure. The Owly series has earned praise from fans and critics alike, winning multiple awards including the Harvey Award, two Ignatz Awards, the 2006 Eisner Award for “Best Publication for a Younger Audience,” and many others. He currently reside in the greater-Atlanta area where he works full-time as a cartoonist!

SHOW NOTES:

Owly: Tiny Tales
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265: The Heirloom by Jessie Rosen – Summer Reading Spectacular

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As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Jessie Rosen, author of the new book, The Heirloom, about the profound impact libraries have had on her life, the inspiration behind her novel, and how her personal experiences and superstitions shaped her writing. At the Circ Desk Rebecca and Yaika discuss how “women’s fiction” has morphed from “chick lit” to “relationship fiction.”

Read the transcript!

Jessie Rosen got her start with the award-winning blog 20-Nothings and has sold original television projects to ABC, CBS, Warner Bros., and Netflix. Her live storytelling show Sunday Night Sex Talks was featured on The Bachelorette. She lives in Los Angeles.

SHOW NOTES:

The Heirloom
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