Frances Mayes: Every Day In Tuscany
Tuesday March 15, 7pm
First Baptist Church, Decatur
Prize-winning author Frances Mayes, a Georgia native who is one of America's most popular writers ("Under the Tuscan Sun," "Bella Tuscany") and whose work is represented on the Georgia Center for the Book's new list of "25 Books All Georgians Should Read." will be in town to talk about her latest book, Every Day in Tuscany: Seasons of an Italian Life, a lovely, inspiring look at her favorite place in the world. She offers a wonderful tour through the gentle, occasionally violent, undulations of the seasons, from winter to summer, from her Tuscan home.

Critics say "Mayes's affectionate and warm memoir vividly celebrates the lush abundance and charm of daily life in the Italian countryside." There will be copies of her books for sale and signing on hand.

Walter Mosley: When the Thrill is Gone
Thursday March 17, 7pm
Jimmy Carter Library
With more than thirty-four diverse, critically praised books to his credit, Walter Mosley has written acclaimed literary fiction, science fiction, short fiction, young adult fiction, political essays, erotica, plays, and scripts for film and television. His work has earned him numerous awards, including PEN America's Lifetime Achievement Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Award, an O. Henry Award, and a Grammy. Widely regarded as a cultural statesman of the black community in particular, Mosley has also taken an active role in various literary, cultural, and educational organizations, including the National Book Foundation, the Mystery Writers of America, and the Poetry Society of America.

When the Thrill is Gone finds McGill attempting to locate the missing wife of a Fifth Avenue billionaire – an African-American woman from humble roots who has become a successful artist. She's most likely in trouble – big trouble.
On top of that, one of the most ruthless mobsters in America – the kind of people McGill is desperately trying to get away from as he seeks to redeem the sins of his former life, which included framing innocent people – has asked him for a personal favor. Since the man was one of his vanished father's best friends, McGill can hardly say no, but the errand has got him stewing over unresolved issues from his youth. And although McGill's America is emphatically multiracial, it is assuredly not postracial. He still gets hassled by the cops simply for standing on the sidewalk in the middle of the day in a residential neighborhood.
When the Thrill is Gone is quintessential Mosley, sure to delight his longtime fans and expand his ever-growing audience. As the Los Angeles Times has written of his previous work, "Mosley’s wild and wooly pacing, the events and the larger-than-life characters are refreshing examples of why the best pulp fiction continues to be so revered." And as the Austin Chronicle has observed, –Mosley is one of the most humane, insightful, powerful prose stylists working today in any genre. He's also one of the most radical . . . . Immerse yourself in the work of one of our national treasures."

Jodi Picoult: SING YOU HOME
Monday March 21, 7:30 pm
Outwrite Bookstore
Bestselling author of seventeen novels, including HANDLE WITH CARE, CHANGE OF HEART and MY SISTER’S KEEPER – now a major motion picture - has written a novel about Zoe and Max, whose marriage breaks apart when Max can’t handle their problems with miscarriages and infertility issues.

In the aftermath of their divorce, Zoe is surprised to find herself falling in love with school counselor, Vanessa. After they wed in Massachusetts, Vanessa offers to carry one of the fertilized embryos Zoe and Max have stored. Max, however, refuses to give his permission. Told from the perspective of all three characters, the book explores what it means to be gay in today’s world, how reproductive science has outstripped the legal system and what constitutes a “traditional family”.
Don't forget to listen to Daren in conversation weekly onWABE's City Cafe with John Lemley to promote book and author events around the region.