"Bookaccino Live" Book Group: Charmaine Wilkerson-Black Cake
Release Date: 12/09/2022
"Bookaccino Live" Book Group with Alice Elliott Dark
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Alice Elliott Dark discussed her novel, FELLOWSHIP POINT, with Carol Fitzgerald and readers at the September “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event. Members of the audience asked questions both on and off camera about her character development, including Maine as a character. Alice talked about her writing routine and shared insight into the editing process, where 200 pages of the book were winnowed down --- and her focus on Agnes and Polly. The ending of the book came to her quite late; she did not write towards it, and readers felt it was very satisfying. There was continuous talk about the...
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Ashley Audrain: The Whispers
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Ashley Audrain joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her new domestic thriller, THE WHISPERS, which follows on the heels of her debut, THE PUSH. Both books are Bookreporter Bets On selections. Ashley sets her latest in a neighborhood that is being regentrified. Some homes are remodeled, while others are original to the neighborhood. We follow two moms of young children, Whitney and Blair, as well as Rebecca, an ER nurse who longs to be a mother, and Mara, an older woman who is watching these families grow up. Ashley explains why she created these four characters, as well as her inspiration for...
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John Sargent: Turning Pages
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John Sargent joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about his memoir, TURNING PAGES: The Adventures and Misadventures of a Publisher. John spent four decades in the world of publishing and concluded his career in 2020 at Macmillan when he was fired, which completely surprised people in the industry. For years he fought for what he believed was right for authors, readers and the “publishing ecosystem,” the latter of which is a phrase he used again and again. But while this book is about his time in publishing, John touches on so much more. He explains how his boyhood in Wyoming influenced him as...
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Sarah Pekkanen: Gone Tonight
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Sarah Pekkanen joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest thriller, GONE TONIGHT. In this mother/daughter story, a mother will do anything she can to keep her daughter, who is now in her 20s, safe and living near her. She had her daughter as a teen and has been long estranged from her family. The book is told from the points of view of both the mother and the daughter. Sarah talks about ratcheting up the tension while also doing a slow reveal. Parts of the book take place in a memory care unit, and she explains how her earlier experience as a reporter helped her in developing character...
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Angie Kim: Happiness Falls
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Angie Kim joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her new novel, HAPPINESS FALLS, which packs so much between its pages. It’s a family story with a mystery woven through. And much of the book revolves around the young son, Eugene, who has Angelman syndrome --- and what he may know about the disappearance of their father/husband. Angie talks about how long this story was in her head --- more than a decade --- and why she felt that this was the right time to tell it. She notes that she aimed to look at the impact of someone who is verbally disabled on the entire family. And she wanted to address...
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Melanie Benjamin: California Golden
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Melanie Benjamin joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest work of historical fiction, CALIFORNIA GOLDEN. Set in Southern California in the ‘50s and ‘60s, the story is built around Carol --- a prize-winning surfer at a time when women were not big contenders in the sport --- and her two daughters, Mindy and Ginger. Melanie discusses the structure of the book with the daughters’ story coming first, then the mother’s, and finally all of them together. She also delves into how the lives of women have changed over the past decades, as well as her research on surfing and life during...
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Shari Lapena: Everyone Here is Lying
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Carol Fitzgerald talks to Shari Lapena about her latest thriller, EVERYONE HERE IS LYING. Carol has christened Shari “the Queen of the One-Sit Read,” as every time she starts reading one of her books, she does not stop until she finishes. And she is not alone; we are hearing this from other readers. Shari talks about how the book opens and sets the story up, and from there how the neighbors all become part of the plot. The ending will make you stop and say, “That is so perfect.” Shari discusses her writing process, her drafts and early passes on her books, and how she works with her...
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Tracey Lange: The Connellys of County Down
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Carol Fitzgerald talks to Tracey Lange about her second novel, THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Tracey talks about the Connelly siblings, what she thought was special about each of them, and how her background in behavioral health helped her in developing them and their various situations. The themes of loyalty and love are at the core of this book, and she discusses how they came together. And yes, she explains where she got all the jokes that Conor tells and the story behind the fairy tale. She also touches upon her debut novel, WE ARE THE BRENNANS,...
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Naomi Hirahara: Evergreen
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Naomi Hirahara joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest mystery, EVERGREEN. The story once again features Aki Ito, who readers met in CLARK AND DIVISION. Aki has now moved back to Los Angeles from Chicago where her family was displaced during World War II. Naomi talks about her research for this book, some of which was drawn from relatives, as well as her work over the past decades. She explains how EVERGREEN works well as a stand-alone novel and what brought her and the publisher to call these books Japantown mysteries. Carol shares how they give an insightful look into this...
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Liz Nugent: Strange Sally Diamond
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Liz Nugent joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her new thriller, STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Liz reminds Carol that they spoke in 2017 about her debut, UNRAVELING OLIVER; it was her first interview. She explains how she developed the character of Sally. Carol was astonished to learn that this latest novel was not plotted, but rather written stream-of-consciousness. Liz also talks about letters that were shared with Sally and why they were woven into the story. She notes that while there are a lot of dark things insinuated in the book, they are not written...
info_outlineCharmaine Wilkerson joined Carol Fitzgerald for a "Bookaccino Live" Book Group discussion about her debut novel, BLACK CAKE. Three readers shared questions on screen, and then there were numerous audience questions. Charmaine explained how she writes in bursts, and that her writing can sometimes appear in brief on the page, while at other times more is explored. She talked about her characters, her background that inspired the story…and, yes, black cake! There was also discussion about the cover and the additional materials in the paperback edition.
Check out our past "Bookaccino Live" Book Group events!
Joyce Maynard: https://youtu.be/atXP9_gxGU8
Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray: https://youtu.be/rYelwWiTJbE
Janet Skeslien Charles: https://youtu.be/47Sx9DtcAkA
Miranda Cowley Heller: https://youtu.be/gVlKvApDO8M
More “Bookreporter Talks To”:
Clare Mackintosh: https://youtu.be/yxU_npofftw
Jamie Fiore Higgins: https://youtu.be/bz6tTCLmxlE
Thrity Umrigar: https://youtu.be/295H-VzRJeU
Alli Frank and Asha Youmans: https://youtu.be/4kvcZ6nqoo4
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Art Credit: Greg Fitzgerald
Edited by Jordan Hickman