5 Questions with Two-Time Diamond Reviewed Author James Markert [INTERVIEW]

James Markert

Each week, countless books come across our desks. Over time, we’ve learned to be quite discerning about which titles we share with you, and which we would just as soon brush under the carpet and forget about altogether. It is one of the reasons we introduced our Diamond Reviewed titles in the first place, to make it easier for you to find compelling selections to add to your to-be-read pile. Last summer, we were thrilled to introduce you to author James Markert’s unforgettable fiction, first with What Blooms from Dust, and most recently with Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel. As our very first author to receive two of these distinguished reviews, we wanted to find out a bit more about Markert, his writing style, and his captivating new book. We hope you enjoy the following interview. —J&H Read more of this post

‘Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel’ is Fueled by Heart and Hope [REVIEW]

Italian Hotel

Can an old hotel restore damaged lives to their former glory? (Photo by heartburn, Flickr)

Diamond Review BannerA famed artist stricken with dementia. A shell-shocked soldier. And a wife at the end of her rope. When an old hotel draws them together, will it be able to repair the lives time has sought to destroy? Find out in James Markert’s latest spellbinding novel, Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel.  Read more of this post

An Artist Faces His Greatest Fears in Sydney Jamesson’s ‘The Darkest Corners’ [EXCERPT]

Sydney Jamesson's THE DARKEST CORNERS Blog Tour Banner

Sydney Jamesson’s new novel, The Darkest Corners, isn’t another romance. Rather, it’s a tale of psychological suspense with a complex love story woven through it. Packed with lots of angst, loads of emotional turmoil, and fraught with edge-of-your-seat suspense, it’s the story of a single dad and a troubled young woman who must confront their deepest, darkest fears together. Take a sneak peek inside the novel with the excerpt below. Enjoy! —JRW

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National Geographic’s ‘The Splendor of Birds’ Is Simply Breathtaking [REVIEW]

Blue-Footed Booby

The blue-footed booby is only one of the many birds featured in National Geographic’s The Splendor of Birds. (Photo courtesy National Geographic)

Birds. There is something truly special about these creatures that captures the imaginations of all of us. Whether we’re feeding ducks at a park or hummingbirds nectar outside our window, watching predatory hawks soar high in the sky or an ominous flock of grackles loom overhead on power lines like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock film, or laughing at the antics of waddling penguins and precariously poised flamingoes, these winged animals are everywhere and yet each is stunning in its own way. Over the years, National Geographic has shared our fascination with them, and now they are revealing all their hard-won wisdom and stellar photographs and artistry in one incomparable volume, The Splendor of Birds: Art and Photographs from National Geographic.  Read more of this post

Artist Defies Conventional Society in ‘A Different Kind of Fire’ [BOOK BLAST]

Suanne Schafer's A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRE Book Blast

In a time when women seldom dared to be different, there was once a Texas girl who dreamed of something more. Her aspirations would challenge society’s ideals, lead her into love, and even give her a career. But will she be able to maintain the life she’s built, or will it all come crumbling down around her? Find out in Suanne Schafer’s dazzling new historical novel, A Different Kind of Fire.  Read more of this post