End Credits-How I Broke Up with Hollywood by Patty Lin

Published August 29, 2023-Zibby Books-Memoir-376pp

A great interview from Chicago’s WGN9 https://wgntv.com/morning-news/end-credits-how-i-broke-up-with-hollywood/

Summary:

The only script you can really write in life is your own.

What if achieving your professional dreams comes at too high a personal cost? That’s what screenwriter Patty Lin started to ask herself after years in the cutthroat TV industry. One minute she was a tourist, begging her way into the audience of Late Night with David Letterman. Just a few years later, she was an insider who–through relentless hard work and sacrifice–had earned a seat in the writers’ rooms of the hottest TV shows of all time. While writing for Friends, Freaks and Geeks, Desperate Housewives and Breaking Bad, Patty steeled herself against the indignities of a chaotic, abusive, male-dominated work culture, not just as one of the few women in the room, but as the only Asian person.

This funny, fresh, eye-opening, and inside-Hollywood story will resonate with anyone trying to please their parents, maintain a love life, and find their way in the world–and will inspire countless dreamers to listen to their inner voices and know when it’s time to get out.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

“Patty Lin, a former TV writer and producer, chronicles her agonizing ten-year relationship with a dysfunctional industry she says is filled with egotistical bosses, office politics, and casual incidents of sexism, racism, and cruelty.”

Chicago’s WGN9 Robin Baumgarten & Dan Ponce:

As one of the few women and the only Asian American in the writers’ rooms, Patti Lin reveals how her relationship with her parents, a decade long boyfriend, and being a writer in Hollywood impacted her life. Patti’s words of wisdom and lessons learned are highlights throughout this memoir. The accurate descriptions of writing rooms with tedious, exhausting schedules certainly makes one wonder how or why she stuck with it so long. The LA partying, name dropping, and TV shows Patti worked on has a People magazine feel. Names like Adam Sandler, David Letterman, and Jerry Seinfeld, along with shows Freaks & Geeks, Friends, and Desperate Housewives will hold anxious readers’ attention while Patti waits for return calls from directors, her agent, and of course, her mom. Writing terms like “page-one rewrite,” “bible,” and “presentation vs. pilot” are scattered throughout. The progress in her parental relationship through hard work and painful conversations is rewarding and offers encouragement to readers. Patti Lin admits that “writing a memoir is like reliving all the worst parts of your life-voluntarily.” Like eyeing the weekly People and feeling the curiosity of “what’s the scoop?” – TV and Hollywood trivia fans will find End Credits-How I Broke up with Hollywood engaging and irresistible.

A Bakery in Paris by Aimie K. Runyan

Published Aug. 1, 2023-William Morrow-Historical Fiction-384pp

Book Summary

From the author of The School for German Brides, this captivating historical novel set in nineteenth century and post–World War II Paris follows two fierce women of the same family, generations apart, who find that their futures lie in the four walls of a simple bakery in a tiny corner of Montmartre.

1870: The Prussians are at the city gates, intent to starve Paris into submission. Lisette Vigneau—headstrong, willful, and often ignored by her wealthy parents—awaits the outcome of the war from her parents’ grand home in the Place Royale in the very heart of the city. When an excursion throws her into the path of a revolutionary National Guardsman, Théodore Fournier, her destiny is forever changed. She gives up her life of luxury to join in the fight for a Paris of the People. She opens a small bakery with the hopes of being a vital boon to the impoverished neighborhood in its hour of need. When the city falls into famine, and then rebellion, her resolve to give up the comforts of her past life is sorely tested.

1946: Nineteen-year-old Micheline Chartier is coping with the loss of her father and the disappearance of her mother during the war. In their absence, she is charged with the raising of her two younger sisters. At the hand of a well-meaning neighbor, Micheline finds herself enrolled in a prestigious baking academy with her entire life mapped out for her. Feeling trapped and desperately unequal to the task of raising two young girls, she becomes obsessed with finding her mother. Her classmate at the academy, Laurent Tanet, may be the only one capable of helping Micheline move on from the past and begin creating a future for herself.

Both women must grapple with loss, learn to accept love, and face impossible choices armed with little more than their courage and a belief that a bit of flour, yeast, sugar, and love can bring about a revolution of their own.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

This review was first published in the Historical Novels Review magazine, August 1, 2023, for the Historical Novel Society.

A little bakery in the heart of Montmartre is the way forward for Aimie K. Runyan’s dual timeline set in Paris during the Franco-Prussian War and post-World War 11. Lisette Vigneau is the fiercely independent, mostly ignored daughter of wealthy parents living in Place Royal in 1870. On an unlikely errand Lisette meets Theodore Fournier, a young National Guardsman. Runyan develops a believable, understandable relationship between Lisette and Theo, a revolutionary and believer in a Paris of the People, that forever changes Lisette’s destiny. During the Prussian siege the main supply lines were blocked, causing famine and leading Lisette to open a bakery to feed her starving neighbors.

The second character is Lisette’s nineteen-year-old great-granddaughter, Micheline Chartier, now living in the same narrow, crooked streets of Montmartre in 1946. Micheline, raising two sisters since her father’s death and her mother’s disappearance, is befriended by her mother’s friend and neighbor, Madame Dupuis. Central to Micheline’s future, Madame Dupuis lends wisdom and encouragement by sharing memories, cookbooks, and providing tuition for baking school. Runyan’s key plot ingredient is the discovery of Micheline’s great-grandmother’s red leather-bound journal of recipes and kitchen notes. Lisette’s journal connects the timelines in the narrative by transporting readers with practices of bakeries in nineteenth century Paris.

Runyan uplifts characters through meaningful, sympathetic dialogue that is endearing and emotional. Especially well scaled is Pierrine, an acerbic prostitute Runyan develops into a surprising and supportive sister for Lisette; one to celebrate. Runyan brings Micheline’s war-ravaged emotions full circle from abandonment issues, jealousy, and guilt to a need for forgiveness. Through the dark green door of A Bakery in Paris readers will discover chaotic political scenes, second chances at life and love, and the choices and courage of two young women facing the consequences of war.

The First Ladies by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray

Published June 27, 2023-Berkley-Biographical Historical Fiction 352pp

Book Summary

A novel about the extraordinary partnership between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Mary McLeod Bethune refuses to back down as white supremacists attempt to thwart her work. She marches on as an activist and an educator, and as her reputation grows she becomes a celebrity, revered by titans of business and recognized by U.S. Presidents. Eleanor Roosevelt herself is awestruck and eager to make her acquaintance. Initially drawn together because of their shared belief in women’s rights and the power of education, Mary and Eleanor become fast friends confiding their secrets, hopes and dreams—and holding each other’s hands through tragedy and triumph.

When Franklin Delano Roosevelt is elected president, the two women begin to collaborate more closely, particularly as Eleanor moves toward her own agenda separate from FDR, a consequence of the devastating discovery of her husband’s secret love affair. Eleanor becomes a controversial First Lady for her outspokenness, particularly on civil rights. And when she receives threats because of her strong ties to Mary, it only fuels the women’s desire to fight together for justice and equality.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

This review was first published in the Historical Novels Review Magazine, August 2023 issue, for The Historical Novel Society

The First Ladies is a riveting look at Eleanor Roosevelt’s political rise to First Lady and her eyebrow raising friendship with civil rights activist, Mary McLeod Bethune. From their first awkward meeting at a national luncheon for the heads of women’s clubs in 1927 to the joyous day the two united to vote for the Charter of United Nations in June 1945, authors Benedict and Murray are successful in capturing the emotional connection between these two impactful women.

Told in alternating points of view, readers come to know Eleanor and Mary as their relationship blossoms. Mary, born of enslaved parents, became a supporter of education, a builder of schools and hospitals. A calm, understated, burning desire is exposed in Mary to show her indelible spirit and confidence as she garners well known businessmen to serve on boards and contribute to her causes. Meanwhile, readers are provided with detailed historical background leading to Eleanor becoming the First Lady. By 1927 Eleanor’s painful memories of Franklin’s affair with her social secretary Lucy Mercer, have them unified only in beliefs. Taking a tactful and delicate approach to Eleanor’s relationship with a female journalist, she is portrayed unlike any other First Lady.

Historic and political events are recounted as the “first ladies” memories are used to fill in background. Readers experience Mary’s pain in racially explosive situations but also appreciation for her ultimate poise and absolute pride in her beliefs. The scene of Eleanor and Mary at Tuskegee Army Airfield highlighting the discrimination of blacks in the military, though hypothetical, is superb and the outcome rewarding. The concluding historical notes are informative and supportive of this extraordinary partnership.

The First Ladies friendship helped form the foundation for the modern civil rights movement. Historically illuminating; for fans of The Personal Librarian by Benedict and Murray.

THE FIRST LADIES

“First Lady of the World” Eleanor Roosevelt used her platform as First Lady of the United States and as a member of the wealthy and prominent Roosevelt family to advocate for human and civil rights. She was a prolific author, speaker, and humanitarian, and chaired the United Nations’ Human Rights Commission. She connected with the public through a popular syndicated column, ‘My Day,’ in which she recounted her daily adventures from 1935 until her death in 1962.” By Debra Michals, PhD | 2017 Read complete article from the National Women’s History Museum: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/eleanor-roosevelt

The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Mary Jane McLeod Bethune became one of the most important Black educators, civil and women’s rights leaders and government officials of the twentieth century. The college she founded set educational standards for today’s Black colleges, and her role as an advisor to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave African Americans an advocate in government. Edited by Debra Michals, PhD | 2015 Read the full article from the National Women’s History Museum here: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mary-mcleod-bethune

Victoria Christopher Murray, Marie Benedict , Previous joint novel The Personal Librarian

Blog Tour: What Would Jane Austen Do? by Linda Corbett

Published June 16, 2023-Harper Collins, UK-One More Chapter-Contemporary Romance, Austenesque Fiction, RomCom, 384pp, eBook, Audiobook

Book Summary:

It’s a truth often acknowledged that when a journalist and Jane Austen fan girl
ends up living next door to a cynical but handsome crime writer, romantic sparks
will fly!
When Maddy Shaw is told her Dear Jane column has been cancelled she has no choice
but to look outside of London’s rental market. That is until she’s left an idyllic country
home by the black sheep of the family, long-not-so-lost Cousin Nigel.
But of course, there’s a stipulation… and not only is Maddy made chair of the committee
for the annual village literary festival, she also has to put up with bestselling crime
author –and romance sceptic – Cameron Massey as her new neighbor.
When Maddy challenges Cameron to write romantic fiction, which he claims is so easy
to do, sparks fly both on and off the page…

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Despondent, Newly Fired Agony Aunt, Maddy Shaw vs. Grumpy, Crime Fiction Author, Cameron Massey

Maddy Shaw, love and relationship correspondent, admits in an interview with best-selling crime author, Cameron Massey, that “it’s not the guaranteed happy ending that readers enjoy most, It’s the journey the couple go on.” Corbett’s journey, like a layered tea tray, is laced with family mystery, romantic suspense, and plenty of “Austenesque” advice. Corbett’s musing, witty, sometimes soul-searching dialogue between the cracking characters on the festival committee is endearing as she deftly reveals failings, flaws, and family histories.

From the Jane Austen quotes opening each chapter to the myriad Austen character references, this present-day romantic journey is set amidst the hectic planning of the Cotlington Literary Festival 2022. Readers will have definitive responses to What Would Jane Austen Do?

As in the quintessentially British tradition of high tea-Linda Corbett’s What Would Jan Austen Do? suits a variety of readers, “those looking for four-star luxury with champagne or a simple spread in a local village pub.”

Like high tea-from the first morsel of scone to the last sip of tea-simply delightful.

Linda Corbett lives in Surrey with her husband Andrew and three permanently hungry guinea pigs. As well as being an author, Linda is treasurer and fundraiser for Shine
Surrey – a volunteer-led charity that supports individuals and families living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. For many years she also wrote a regular column for Link, a
disability magazine, illustrating the humorous aspects of life with a complex disability and she is a passionate advocate of disability representation in fiction. Love You From
A-Z is her first published novel. Linda’s website: https://guineapighotel.wordpress.com/

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/What-Would-Jane-Austen-Do-ebook/dp/B0B7VBBKGQ

BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-would-jane-austen-do-linda-corbett/1141898159?

Daughter of the Shadows Defying the Crown Series-Book 2

By Kerry Chaput

Published March 30, 2023-Black Rose Writing-314pp

Book Summary

1667 Quebec. Committed to a double life to save her fellow Protestants, Isabelle turns spy against her deceitful Catholic husband. When he devises a ruthless plan to imprison and torture her people, Isabelle learns to fight from a brave young Huron woman. Isabelle seizes the opportunity to undermine her husband’s efforts by escorting him to France. There, she plays the doting wife while she secretly works to subvert the Catholic Church and plot his demise. But Paris is full of poisons, street gangs, and cruel nobility who threaten to destroy all Isabelle has worked to protect. With her found family on the line, Isabelle must challenge the most powerful man in France—King Louis XIV.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Daughter of the Shadows was first published in the Historical Novels Review Magazine on August 1, 2023 for the Historical Novel Society.

The saga of Isabelle Collette continues in Daughter of the Shadows, second in Kerry Chaput’s IPPY award winning Defying the Crown series. In book #1, Daughter of the King, Isabelle, a French Protestant branded with an H for Huguenot, worships in secret, fears the King and the Catholic law of France. In 1661, she crosses the ocean from La Rochelle, France to the snowy forests of colonial Quebec to become a daughter of the king; promised a dowry, a farm, the opportunity to choose a husband and payment for each baby.

Chaput’s gripping adventure continues in 1667, as Isabelle who denied her faith to become a Catholic, is living with nightmares and guilt. Well-developed characters Antoinette, Catholic childhood friend and James Beaumont, Isabelle’s husband by marriage contract, have become antagonists as she leads a double life to help Protestants escape prosecution in France. Chaput supports and improves Isabelle’s spy training and chance of survival with breathtaking descriptions of Naira, a native Huron skilled hunter who teaches lifesaving skills; using senses and mental acuity to overcome enemies. Adding to the suspense is Isabelle’s dangerous return to Paris as a daughter of the shadows. She encounters liars in Louis XIV’s court, Parisian poisons, and the prison walls of the Bastille.

Kerry Chaput creates suspense and anticipation through the schemes and secret agendas involving Isabelle and conniving, greedy husband James. Between graphic descriptions of the horrors in La Rochelle, training with Naira, and fights for survival, there is humorous relief in banter between Isabelle and fellow conspirator, Andre. Within a narrative froth with twists and turns Chaput’s dialogue exudes frustration, anger, tension, and pain.

The Protestant children of France are our past and our future. Which Huguenots will Isabelle save? Book #3- Defying the Crown coming March 2024.

Kerry Chaput is an award-winning historical fiction author. Her love of the past inspires her action-adventure stories which focus on young women from history, first love, found family, and a touch of magic.

Born and raised in California, she now lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, a common setting for her novels.

The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel

Published June 6, 2023-Gallery Books-Historical Fiction-384pp

Book Summary

Paris, 1939: Young mothers Elise and Juliette become fast friends the day they meet in the beautiful Bois de Boulogne. Though there is a shadow of war creeping across Europe, neither woman suspects that their lives are about to irrevocably change.

When Elise becomes a target of the German occupation, she entrusts Juliette with the most precious thing in her life—her young daughter, playmate to Juliette’s own little girl. But nowhere is safe in war, not even a quiet little bookshop like Juliette’s Librairie des Rêves, and, when a bomb falls on their neighborhood, Juliette’s world is destroyed along with it.

More than a year later, with the war finally ending, Elise returns to reunite with her daughter, only to find her friend’s bookstore reduced to rubble—and Juliette nowhere to be found. What happened to her daughter in those last, terrible moments? Juliette has seemingly vanished without a trace, taking all the answers with her. Elise’s desperate search leads her to New York—and to Juliette—one final, fateful time.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

The Paris Daughter Review was first published in the Historical Novels Review Magazine, August 1, 2023 for the Historical Novel Society.

The Paris Daughter opens in 1939, days before Hitler invades Poland, as two fellow Americans cross paths in a Paris suburb. Elise LeClair, on a life changing walk in the park to escape her demanding artist husband Olivier, meets grieving Juliette Foulon, owner of the Bookshop of Dreams. Kristin Harmel sets the stage for a lifelong friendship and emotional turmoil between the mothers and their newborn baby girls, while drawing sharp contrasts in the personalities and political beliefs of their husbands. Elise is feeling invisible as Olivier becomes passionately, overtly Communist, endangering daughter, Mathilde. Meanwhile, Juliette lives a quiet life in the bookshop with protective husband Paul, baby Lucie, and two sons. By the time the playmates are 3 years old, political and world events have led to Elise’s excruciating decision that to protect Mathilde, she will take on a new identity and leave her daughter to live in relative safety with Juliette’s family.

Harmel’s plot revolves around innocent civilians being bombed then living with fear and helplessness; exploring how Juliette and Elise survive the aftermath of war through 1960. Following the plight of Jewish widow, Ruth Levy, separated from her children and the ensuing search, the narrative reveals the inner strength required to endure trauma and face adversity. Connecting readers to current events in Ukraine, a key historical thread is that of orphanages established to reunite children with their families. Themes of home, family, and the mystery of survival strategies are emphasized.

Divided into three parts and based on the real-life Allied bombing raids of the German-controlled Renault factory in Paris, Harmel’s historical mystery crisscrosses the Atlantic, focusing on how coping with loss and grief is personal and individual. Strong character development, emotional, compelling plot twists, supported by superb historical research.

Kristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling, USA Today bestselling, and #1 international bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars, The Book of Lost Names, The Winemaker’s Wife, and a dozen other novels that have been translated into more than 30 languages and are sold all over the world.

Mrs. Porter Calling by AJ Pearce

Publishing August 8, 2023-Scribner-Historical Fiction 320pp

Book Summary:

“Heartwarming, funny, and joyfully uplifting, the third novel in the Emmy Lake Chronicles is a moving tribute to friendship and overcoming adversity.

London, April 1943. A little over a year since she married Captain Charles Mayhew and he went away to war, Emmy Lake is now in charge of “Yours Cheerfully,” the hugely popular advice column in Woman’s Friend magazine. Cheered on by her best friend Bunty, Emmy is dedicated to helping readers face the increasing challenges brought about by over three years of war. The postbags are full and Woman’s Friend is thriving.

But Emmy’s world is turned upside down when glamorous socialite, the Honorable Mrs. Cressida Porter, becomes the new publisher of the magazine, and wants to change everything the readers love. Aided by Mrs. Pye, a Paris-obsessed fashion editor with delusions of grandeur, and Small Winston, the grumpiest dog in London, Mrs. Porter fills the pages with expensive clothes and frivolous articles about her friends. Worst of all, she announces that she is cutting the “Yours Cheerfully” column and her vision for the publication’s future seems dire. With the stakes higher than ever, Emmy and her friends must find a way to save the magazine that they love.”

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Mrs. Porter Calling is the third novel in the Emmy Lake Chronicles by A.J. Pearce. Set in Central London, in 1943, Emmy Lake and her best friend Bunty share a home in Pimlico and are still volunteering at the local fire station as telephonists. On staff at Woman’s Friend magazine, Emmy responds to letters for her popular advice column, Yours Cheerfully, with compassionate, helpful ideas. When Mrs. Porter arrives on the scene as the new owner and publisher, the daily lives and schedules of the staff go rather sideways. Pearce compares time with Mrs. Porter to working with a Lancaster bomber in a hat, and as Mrs. Porter aptly put it herself, “Meetings are not my thing.” Mrs. Porter wreaks havoc on Woman’s Friend, sending the magazine circulation into a downward spiral.

A.J. Pearce develops the plot through quirky, witty characters, who become a close-knit team as they pull together to save Woman’s Friend and outwit Mrs. Porter. Columns such as What’s in the Hot Pot and On Duty for Beauty add ingenious ideas and giggly humor for readers along with columnist Pamela Pye’s penchant for French. Back at home, Emmy and Bunty are trying to “Stay Calm and Carry On” in true British fashion. The men in their lives are at war but friends and colleagues from the fire station fill in when needed. The addition of friend Thelma and her three children add to family dynamics of cooking with ration coupons, acquiring pets, and providing unexpected emotional support. Pearce highlights the stamina, patience, and love required of families to endure the war years.

Mrs. Porter Calling is chocked full of hilarious British humor, iconic pearls of wisdom, and laugh out loud dialogue interspersed with personal and social situations that strike all the emotional chords. This novel is a comfort; as Thelma often reminded her children, “You are safe, and you are loved.”

Wine People by Michelle Wildgen

Publishing August 1, 2023-Zibby Books-General Fiction-304pp

https://www.michellewildgen.com/

Book Summary:

What happens when two ambitious young women, opposite in every way, join forces in a competitive male-dominated industry?

Wren and Thessaly collide when they land coveted jobs at a glamorous New York City boutique wine importer. Hardworking, by-the-book Wren comes from a modest background and has everything to prove while Thessaly hails from a family of prestigious California growers—but she is plagued by self-doubt. Thrown together at work, where they’re expected to have exquisite palates, endless tolerance for alcohol and socializing, and the ability to sell, sell, sell, they regard each other with suspicion.

It’s only on an important European business trip—with everything on the line for both of them—that they unexpectedly forge an alliance that will change the course of their careers and personal lives.

With mouth-watering descriptions of food and wine, Wine People takes readers from France, Germany, and Italy to the Midwest and Sonoma. An utterly entertaining page-turner that explores how close friends can both misjudge and uplift each other.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Wine People is an eye-popping, intuitive glimpse into the business of importing wine, the pursuit of friendship, and the underlying impact of alcoholism. Michelle Wildgen, like a personal guide through wine country, melds operating and financing in the wine import industry with tasting rooms and vignerons. Learning about a myriad of wines along with the stock wine types in the industry are a bonus to the central plot.

Through main characters Thessaly and Wren, Wildgen creates tension and empathy, but also the stress of mixing competition in business with burgeoning friendships. Thessaly, daughter of a Sonoma grower, golden girl of the industry and wine importing’s version of a supermodel is competing against Wren, with only five years restaurant experience, no special memories of food or childhood, but desperate to learn from observation. Both young women are coping with father issues. Wildgen uses Wren’s absent, alcoholic father and Thessaly’s famous father’s ‘nothing ever good enough’ approach to illuminate their anxiety, fears, and dependencies. Wren’s mask is competitive forthrightness and Thessaly’s excessive drinking.

Thessaly and Wren: “lifers” in the wine industry, learning to trust each other, eager to beat the ‘great men’. Ambitious, aggressive “Women in Wine.”

Wine People by Michelle Wildgen, highly recommended and enjoyed reclining on a chaise with a chilled Rosé.

Michelle Wildgen is the author of the novels Wine People (August 2023, Zibby Books— Pre-order here!), You’re Not You, But Not For Long, and Bread and Butter, and the editor of the food writing anthology Food & Booze. A former executive editor with the award-winning literary journal Tin House, she is a freelance editor and creative writing teacher in Madison, Wis. Since 2013 she and novelist Susanna Daniel have run the Madison Writers’ Studio, offering a variety of creative writing workshops and classes.

Work Jerks How to Cope with Difficult Bosses and Colleagues

Published June, 2022-She Writes Press-261pp

Work Jerks are EVERYWHERE: Corporate America, WFH, Board or Committee Members for Church, School, or Community

Book Summary:

If you’re stressed and unhappy because of problems with a boss or colleague, you pay a price. Not only can your mental and physical health suffer, your nearest and dearest get sick of hearing about it. Going to bed angry and waking up only to dread a new workday is a terrible way to live.

Remote work may have lessened the impact of annoying colleagues for a while, but they can still find ways to irritate. If you’re co-located, the “mute” and “stop video” buttons don’t exist to diminish your exasperation. Not all jerks are the same; the person you find to be a nightmare may be perfectly acceptable to others. And, astonishingly, someone else may even think you’re the jerk!

Author Louise Carnachan has the credentials and experience to make her an expert in this area, but more importantly, she’s been in the trenches herself. With an emphasis on the positive actions you can take while being attentive to your specific situation, Work Jerks provides practical advice on how to deal with a variety of problematic coworkers—whether in-person or remotely—so work can stop being something you dread and start being something you enjoy.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Work Jerks is not about changing or fixing the person causing you problems, but it is about changing what you think, say, and do. Louise Carnachan has been a trainer, coach, and employee for over forty years. The book, organized by “Jerketypes,” compares figuring out a problem person to shoe shopping: you must try on, walk around, then make up your mind. The Table of Contents names ten types of Jerks along with the last chapters on toxic work culture and a summary on how to see results and take action. The reader should attempt to narrow down the most obvious issues of the problem person, realizing that there are a lot of overlapping characteristics and even variations or a spectrum within each jerk category.

Each chapter is divided into types, traits of each, a case study, and a set of questions and practical advice for a manager, a coworker, or maybe the description is of YOU! My favorite chapters are #4 The Incompetent Jerk and #8 The Jokester Jerk, but really once you start reading the traits and case studies, the analysis and advice is so compelling you’ll keep reading and remembering past bosses or colleagues, wishing you’d had Work Jerks in your desk drawer!

For over forty years, Louise Carnachan has worked as a trainer and organization development consultant helping thousands of leaders and staff members achieve interpersonal success with challenging work relationships. She has worked in manufacturing, education, healthcare, and scientific organizations. As a consultant, her clients have included Head Start programs, PNW Fertility, Bastyr University and Clinic, VA Puget Sound Health Care, a variety of Washington State departments, Boeing, McDonalds Corporation, Starbucks, University of Washington Medical Center, and the Port of Seattle. She is former adjunct faculty at Seattle Pacific University and Seattle Community College and taught a course for the University of Washington’s MBA program. Currently, she is a semi-retired coach for leadership clients and pens a workplace advice blog on her website (with debatable input from her feline office mates). She lives in a suburb of Portland, Oregon and enjoys Powell’s Books, coastal beach towns, and her local library, where she can most often be found browsing the mystery section. http://www.louisecarnachan.com.

Wednesdays at One by Sandra A. Miller

Publishing July 11, 2023-Zibby Books-Psychological Thriller-312pp

Book Summary

Dr. Gregory Weber appears to have an enviable life. He’s a renowned clinical psychologist residing in an elegant home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with his wife, Liv, and their two kids. But Gregory feels increasingly disconnected. His marriage is strained, his children are distant, and he can’t stop fixating on an unforgivable mistake he made when he was seventeen. Something no one else knows about.

So when an unscheduled client named Mira starts to appear in his office each week with knowledge about his past, Gregory quickly grows obsessed with her. Is she a new patient? A secret referral from a colleague? Someone connected to his teenage transgression?

As his attraction for Mira grows more intense with each session, so does her probing scrutiny of him. Soon Gregory’s professional boundaries begin to dissolve, and he becomes the patient, desperate to uncover his connection to this mysterious woman and find out what she wants from him.

In searching for the answers, Gregory risks losing everything that matters: his career, his family, and his mind.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Wednesdays at One is the rollercoaster of disquieting, unnerving memories of seventeen-year-old Greg, a mistake that changed his life and his lie of omission. The impact of hiding the truth for thirty years is revealed in the shattered lives of Greg, his family, and his friends. The healing powers of acceptance and forgiveness are splayed in gripping dialogue and partial flashbacks; never quite revealing the whole truth until it’s too late. Or is it?

Sandra Miller puts relationships based on fear and lies under the sometimes too powerful lens of a psychiatrist’s microscope. Through puzzling, unresolved conflicts and therapeutic sessions readers will discover satisfaction like the cool, sheltered sanctuary of Greg and Liv’s weeping willow tree.

Sandra A. Miller is the author of the award-winning memoir, TROVE, and the forthcoming psychological thriller, WEDNESDAYS AT ONE.

Her essays and articles have appeared in hundreds of publications, including the Christian Science Monitor, Spirituality & Health, Modern Bride, Yankee, Family Fun, the Washington Post, and the Boston Globe Magazine, for which she is a regular correspondent. Sandra has lived and worked in New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Luxembourg. She currently teaches English at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell and lives outside of Boston with her husband, Mark Santello.

Chicago’s WGN9 Robin Baumgarten & Dan Ponce:

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