Podcast for Before Green Gables

Below is a podcast for Before Green Gables. The podcast interviews the author, fans, and historians. The novel hits stores today.


Before Green Gables and 100 Years of Anne Shirley



Elizabeth Ward has written a review for the Washington Post.
Read the Review here:
Before Green Gables

News N' Stuff

There is some interesting buzz about Luxe by Anna Godbersen. Some claim that Luxe is nothing more than Gossip Girl with period dresses. Other reviews have stated that it is a wonderful historical fiction novel. I haven’t read it yet; however it is on order and I plan on giving it a go when it comes in. Seeing how I write/read historical fiction and I have a degree in history, this should be interesting.

Anyway, for those who are interested Teenreads.com has posted an interview with the author.

Teenreads.com's interview with author Anna Godbersen




I learned today that author Paul Volponi will be publishing another book in 2008. It's entitled Hurricane Song and is about a teenager and his father stuck in the superdome "during those nights of hell brought on by Hurricane Katrina." This one sounds interesting and Mr. Volponi is an excellent writer so I have no doubt this will be another good book.



Stephenie Meyer fans will be excited to hear that Breaking Dawn will be released August 2, 2008. This is the fourth and final book in the series. Ms. Meyer is also releasing her first adult book entitled The Host.

One of the best books ever written!

The tragic story of Grace Brown from the small, sleepy town of South Otselic, NY has capture many people's attentions over the years. Grace was a simple farm girl who went to Cortland, NY to work in a factory. There she meets the handsome Chester Gillette, nephew of the factory owner. They fell in love and poor Grace found out she was pregnant. Afraid, distraught and unsure where to go she went home hoping and praying Chester would do the right thing and marry her.

Grace's story ends tragically, but it is because of the sad ending that it has endured for over 100 years. The story has inspired plays andoperas. Theodore Dreiser was so interested by the story that he wrote An American Tragedy, which was later turned into a movie called A Place in the Sun. The latest installment of the Grace Brown story is by Jennifer Donnelly.

Mattie Gokey promised her dying mother that she would help raise her two younger siblings even though in her heart she wanted to become a writer. Mattie was different than the other girls in her town. She was a young woman ahead of her time, stuck in a world where a woman’s only purpose in life was to marry and have children. In the novel she struggles with her role. Should she marry the handsome Royal(even if he is dull and uneducated) because that is what society and her father want for her? Or should she follow her dreams and become a great writer like Louisa May Alcott or Emily Dickenson?

When money becomes tight for the Gokey family, Mattie’s father allows her to work at a hotel. This is where Mattie meets Grace Brown and her life is changed forever.

This is one of the best novels I have ever read. The characters are so vivid and real. Ms. Donnelly does a wonderful job of capturing racism, sexism and everyday life during the turn of the century. A lot of people tend to think of history as women wearing pretty dresses, but Ms. Donnelly shreds that image and gives a harsh, brutal account of what really happened if you were a poor, young woman in 1906.

This novel should be read by teens and adults.


Grace Brown