In Shelter Me, Daren Dean brings to life the residents of a struggling neighborhood in central Louisiana. Though the town of Satsuma Grove is fictional, the catastrophic flood at the heart of this novel is based on the real and unnamed 2016 disaster, during which twenty to thirty inches of rain fell over just three […]
“Devil’s Hand” by Lori B. Duff
October 7, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Lawyer Jessica Fischer returns in Devil’s Hand (She Writes Press 2025), the second installment in Lori B. Duff’s legal thriller series following Devil’s Defense (reviewed here). This time, Jessica represents Susan Wolan in what initially appears to be a straightforward divorce case. Compared to defending a coach who didn’t want to meet the daughter he […]
Fall 2025 Books of Note
October 6, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Come Again No More (Jack Leg Press 2025) by David Williams. Erstwhile reporter Charley Hull is the latest casualty of a dying industry. It’s an elegy with heart and gallows humor, told in Charley’s lyrical and oft-salty voice. The novel is set in Memphis and steeped in the music of the city and nearby Mississippi […]
“Terra Incognita” by Steph Post
September 30, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Steph Post’s exceptional world-building is on full display in Terra Incognita, a novel that first appeared in 2024 in a limited run of 100 hand-crafted copies. The book quickly earned acclaim, winning the Florida Book Awards Gold Medal for Fiction, and was re-released as an ebook in May 2025. The story opens in 1800s New […]
Melissa Jean
September 28, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Melissa Jean is an environmental studies professor, independent researcher and writer/editor, forest therapy guide, and community educator teaching about nature-based mindfulness and creative writing. She holds a PhD in Human Dimensions of Ecosystem Science and Management and an MFA in Creative Writing. Her writing has appeared in The Colorado Review and a variety of online journals, including […]
Donna Meredith interviews Brooks Eason, author of “I Remember Everything”
September 16, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Summary: Sam and Jeff Freeman become best friends on the day they meet in 1968, the year they turn eight. I Remember Everything traces their lives for more than five decades, from growing up to growing old, and follows them on grand adventures, including two magnificent road trips, the first to New England the year they […]