This week we bring you three author interviews that I am excited about as each author had something to share that resonated with me personally beyond their words about their books. Stephen J. Cannell writes about his thoughts on succeeding in life. I found myself sharing them with a friend this week since his views so match my own. Jacqueline Winspear talks about what she loved about learning history. It has to do with the stories behind the history. I love reading about history the same way. I thought about this when I watched the tributes to Peter Jennings this week --- he loved presenting the news like this, as good journalists do. Laura Pedersen, our Beach Bag author this week, has some great lines about the joy of love at any age and when she talks about thinking back on her life as "rerunning the movie." I love that line especially since I envision my life with a soundtrack beneath it so often it seems like a movie to me.

Our latest Suspense/Thriller Author is Paul Levine, whose new book SOLOMON VS. LORD will be in bookstores on September 27th. If you love banter between the sexes like you saw with Hepburn and Tracy in ADAM'S RIB, you will love this book. Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord are two lawyers working on the same case while they battle --- and spar --- with each other. Sparks fly. It's a fun read. We're looking for 20 advance readers to read and comment. Interested? Then send your name and mailing information to SuspenseThriller@bookreporter.com by Thursday, August 25th.

Last weekend we spent a fair amount of time in the car. My younger son, Cory, was in the backseat asking me questions such as, "Can you tell me the name of one of the Supreme Court justices?" and "Who is our congressman?" I was wondering where he was getting these questions from and then I realized he was reading VITAL STATISTICS: An Amazing Compendium of Factoids, Minutiae, and Random Bits of Wisdom, which I had brought home the day before. In between games at the lacrosse tournament we were attending he sat with my friend Jimmy's son, Alex, and read the book. I got a complete kick out of watching them. For the record, Cory is refusing to touch dollar bills after reading this. He learned that 80% of dollar bills bear traces of cocaine. If you are looking for a book that is sure to keep everyone involved and chatting, pick this one up.

As many of our readers know, I am a huge fan of the LightWedge booklights. I have one in every seat pocket of my car so we can read while riding at night. I was happy to see that the booklights are now available with a Harry Potter theme, which is sure to get kids interested in using them. Included are seven themed, interchangeable button covers such as the Golden Snitch, Harry's wand, and Harry's owl, Hedwig. Soft cases for storing the Harry Potter Lumos book light, embroidered with each of the Hogwarts house crests, are also available. Great gift idea for birthdays, or dare I say, the holidays?

So many readers wrote in to share their personal library stories that I am running them as a feature this week on the Blog. Read what your fellow readers had to say and see if these spark any memories with you. I got this note from a reader just this morning: "I always love the 'old library, book smell,' whether it is the books, the leather chairs, the index files, we all know it and can relate. I had stopped into a library in another town with my five year old. As we walked up the stairs, he turns to me and says, 'Oh, I just love the smell of libraries!'  To which I responded, 'Yes, me too!' Another reader born!"

A number of readers have written to ask that each week we give you a listing of the books featured and reviewed on the site. Jen Krieger, one of our staffers, took this project to heart and you can find this listing linked below my name. Just for good measure, we also are sharing last week's listing with you. Thanks to all of you who wrote with this idea. We hope it makes your book shopping easier. Thanks go to Jen@bookreporter.com.

Have you heard about the Quills Book Awards? They are the first national "reader's choice" book awards designed to celebrate the written word, honor excellence in writing and recognize the authors and illustrators of popular books and great literature. Beginning Monday, August 15th through September 15th, vote online at www.quillsvote.com or in store at Borders Books & Music stores across the country.

I am going to try the cream cheese and A-1 recipe this weekend. Read the Cannell interview and you will know what I am talking about. Off to float and read. Have a wonderful week...and take some time to enjoy the dog days of August.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

List of titles reviewed and featured on August 12th
List of titles reviewed and featured on August 5th

Bookreporter.com's Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Team (Carol Fitzgerald, Joe Hartlaub and Wiley Saichek) interviewed bestselling author and award-winning television producer/screenwriter Stephen J. Cannell about his recently released COLD HIT. Cannell discusses his illustrious film and TV career and segue into the literary world, as well as the controversial current political events that fuel his latest Shane Scully novel. He also describes his painstaking research methods, explains the ups and downs of writing with a learning disability, and even shares a recipe for a tasty appetizer. 

COLD HIT by Stephen J. Cannell (Thriller)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Detective Shane Scully and his partner are investigating "the Fingertip Killer," a serial murderer preying on homeless Vietnam vets in Los Angeles. A bullet taken from one victim's skull matches the bullet that killed another man, an LAPD cop, ten years earlier. Robert Allen Virtue, the regional boss of the Department of Homeland Security, wants Scully taken off the case. But why?

Whether your "beach" is on sand, your backyard deck or a grassy meadow in the country, the summer months mean it's time for "beach reading." Bookreporter.com is celebrating the lazy days of summer reading with a special feature, Bookreporter.com Beach Bag of Books.

Every week from May 20th through August 19th a different title will be featured with a review and author interview, as well as a contest prize --- a beach bag stocked with that book, plus summertime essentials that tie in to its theme. Five FABULOUS beach bags will be given away each week, as well as five copies of the book to additional winners.

Special Feature: Author Talk: Laura Pedersen, author of HEART'S DESIRE
In this interview Laura Pedersen talks about the themes and various social issues that are addressed in HEART'S DESIRE, the sequel to her acclaimed novel BEGINNER'S LUCK. She explains the importance of friendships in her own life, offers advice to young adults about taking relationships to "the next level," and discusses the plans she has for her protagonist in future books.

Enjoying our summer beach bag contests and want to make sure you don't miss out on the next one? Click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter and we'll alert you when the weekly Beach Bag contest has been updated.

Bookreporter.com Co-Founder Carol Fitzgerald and contributing writer Shannon McKenna interviewed Jacqueline Winspear, author of PARDONABLE LIES, the third installment in her Maisie Dobbs mystery series. Winspear talks about her fascination with history and the social, as well as emotional, resonance of setting her novel during the tumultuous period between the two World Wars. She also sheds light on aspects of her writing processes, her "influences," and the future of her literary heroine. 

PARDONABLE LIES by Jacqueline Winspear (Mystery)
Reviewed by Shannon McKenna
In this third novel of Jacqueline Winspear's bestselling series, psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs faces grave danger as she returns to the site of her most painful World War I memories to resolve the mystery of a pilot's death.

More about SOLOMON VS. LORD:
Steve Solomon is the sharpest lawyer ever to barely graduate from Key West School of Law. Victoria Lord is fresh from Yale, toiling for an ambitious D.A. and soon to be married. And Katrina Barksdale is a sexy former figure skater charged with killing her incredibly wealthy, incredibly kinky husband. With all three tangled in the steamiest trial of the century, the case is sure to make sparks fly, headlines scream-and opposites attract.

But with Solomon inventing his own laws and Lord sticking to the real ones, these two can't stop squabbling, even after teaming up to defend the glamorous widow. With crooks, con men, and a cast of colorful characters swirling around Solomon, and an anxious fiancé waiting for Lord, the two attorneys begin to believe their luscious client has been lying through her perfect teeth. Now Solomon and Lord must solve the case before they end up in ruin, in jail...or in bed.

In a book club? Then we want to know which of the following popular book club titles your book club has read or plans to read.

Angels and Demons
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Da Vinci Code
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Girl with a Pearl Earring
The Secret Life of Bees
The Kite Runner
The Lovely Bones
The Mermaid Chair
Middlesex
My Sister's Keeper
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Peace Like a River
Reading Lolita in Tehran

Sign up for the following author newsletters and be eligible to win prizes.

Nelson DeMille - Sign up by September 30th to be entered in a random drawing to win one of five signed copies of PLUM ISLAND. Click here to sign up.

Daniel Silva - Sign up by August 31st to be entered to win a signed copy of PRINCE OF FIRE. Click here to sign up.

Joseph Finder - Sign up by August 31st to be entered to win a signed copy of COMPANY MAN. Click here to sign up.

Linda Lael Miller - Sign up by Wednesday, August 17th to be eligible to win this month's contest Grand Prize: a rustic wire basket, terra cotta votive holder and candle, Arizona spa products, a pair of Linda Lael Miller "look book" sunglasses and a signed copy of the first book in the series, DON'T LOOK NOW. Click here to sign up.
 
Kate White - Sign up by August 31st to win a contest prize of a Beauty Basket and signed copies of OVER HER DEAD BODY and 'TIL DEATH DO US PART. Click here to sign up.

Kristin Hannah - Sign up by September 30th to win a copy of the paperback of THE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE. Click here to sign up.

Marcia Muller - Sign up by September 30th to win one of 5 signed copies of CYANIDE WELLS. Click here to sign up.

What book would you hand someone and say, "You HAVE to read this!"?

Please note: Our question of the week will update August 26th.

Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.

This week we have some great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of BELLE RUIN by Martha Grimes and CHILL FACTOR by Sandra Brown

Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on August 26th.