Shail Rajan's Blog, page 5

3 Minutes with Author Sheila Athens

This week on 3 Minutes with the Author, I'm joined by Sheila Athens who writes "smart fiction set where the South meets the Sunshine state." Her new book NEENA LEE IS SEEING THINGS is being received with rave reviews, and I can't wait to dig in!

Synopsis

When a travel writer haunted by old ghosts comes face to face with a new one—who just happens to be one of the most famous men in the world—she has no choice but to dig into his past … and her own.

Join Sheila and I for our quick chat about her writing and her latest release. WATCH NOW.

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Up next, my interview with women's fiction author Julee Balko!

A burnt dinner and forgotten kids... (3 Minutes with the Author)

Let me be absolutely clear. Paulette Stout must take full responsibility for the fact that I burned our dinner and almost forgot to pick up my kids because I was so lost in her latest release!

What an absolute honor it was for me to have the multi-award winning author as a guest on 3 Minutes with the Author to talk about the third book in her Bold Journeys Series, WHAT EYES CAN'T SEE. This "bold and spicy story of love, social justice, and belonging" is an absolute must read! The fast pace will keep you turning the pages, and the spicy romance will have you...well, let's just say that it'll have you hooked!

Join Paulette and I for our quick chat about her writing and her latest release. WATCH NOW.

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Up next, my interview with Southern Women's Fiction author Sheila Athens!

Will Her Family Ties Survive Her Family's Lies? (3 Minutes with the Author)

You know that dust covered box shoved in the back of your parents' attic? Would you dare to open it? Would you be prepared for what you might find inside?

When photojournalist Rose Webster goes poking around in her mother's attic and stumbles across a dust covered box, she does dare to open it. And she is not prepared for what she finds inside.

Award winning author Jacqueline Boulden masterfully combines family drama and mystery in her new novel, the aptly titled Family Ties Family Lies, as she leads us on Rose's journey to discover the truth, and, ultimately, to learn whether her family ties will survive her family's lies.

Join Jacqueline and I for our quick chat about her latest release. (And bonus points if you can identify the awards on her bookshelf!). WATCH NOW.

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Up next, my interview with award-winning author Paulette Stout!

Estranged Besties Hiding a Secret...What Could Go Wrong? (3 Minutes with the Author)

Two estranged high school besties hiding a 20 year old secret? Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? But for Sarahlyn Bruck and her latest release Light of the Fire, it's a recipe for success! If you're a fan of relatable, contemporary fiction centered around family and friendships and featuring strong women being pushed out of their comfort zones, you won't want to miss the newest episode of 3 Minutes with the Author!

Watch my conversation with Sarahlyn in this weekly video series featuring author interviews and the latest in book news. In less time than it takes to boil an egg, I'll help you find your next favorite read, discover new-to-you authors and learn more about your favorite writers.

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Up next, my interview with award-winning author Jacqueline Boulden!

Painting Lessons from Van Gogh? Yes, Please! (3 Minutes with the Author)

Who wouldn't want to take painting lessons from Van Gogh? Yes, that Van Gogh! In Diane Byington's historical fiction release Louise and Vincent, that's exactly what the FMC wants. But will she get it? And how will the lessons go? Will they lead to something more?

In my latest episode of 3 Minutes with the Author, I chat with Diane Byington who has seemingly done it all! She's been a tenured college professor, yoga teacher, psychotherapist, and executive coach. "She's also raised goats for fiber and once took a job cooking hot dogs for a NASCAR event." And the characters in her historical fiction novels are just as diverse as her background. From a teenage girl who wants to run the Boston Marathon back in the day when women just "didn't do that" (Who She Is), to a museum curator who stumbles across a time travel machine developed by Nikola Tesla (If She Had Stayed), to Louise Ravoux, the innkeeper desperate to escape an abusive marriage and drawn to the prolific painter Vincent Van Gogh (Louise and Vincent). The one thing all of these women have in common is their resilience and determination to do what it takes to make their dreams come true.

You won't want to miss this episode of 3 Minutes with the Author! Click HERE to watch.

Up next, my interview with award-winning author Sarahlyn Bruck coming January 25!

"Things Go Wrong," but Not for Jeannée Sacken (3 Minutes with the Author)

Things do go wrong for the main character in the Annie Hawkins Green trilogy, but they've definitely gone right for series author Jeannée Sacken! If you're a fan of suspenseful women's fiction with a twist of thriller and a twist of romance, her multi-award winning books are a must read!

In this latest episode of 3 Minutes with the Author, I was honored to interview the former English Professor (from my hometown of Rochester, NY!) turned full time photojournalist and author about her books Behind the Lens, Double Exposure, and The Rule of Thirds. The trilogy follows the life of Annie Hawkins Green, a photojournalist who, despite being left with PTSD after surviving a traumatic event while covering the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, finds herself returning to the country again and again. The third and final installment in the series, The Rule of Thirds, was most recently honored by the Literary Book Awards as Best Multicultural Fiction, Best Thriller and Adventure, and as the 2023 Book of the Year Fiction. Jeannée's dedication to her craft - she writes for 12-14 hours a day - is both inspiring and humbling.

To watch 3 Minutes with the Author, click HERE. If you'd like to get the episodes delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to my newsletter.

Up next, my interview historical fiction author Diane Byington coming January 18!

There's a New Agent in Town (aka 3 Minutes with Rayna Flye)

Listen up cozy spy mystery fans, there's a new secret agent in town! Check out the latest episode of my weekly video series 3 Minutes with the Author featuring a fun and lively chat with Rayna Flye, wannabe spy and the author of the newly released Secrets, Lies, and Sneaky Spies!

Rayna, a researcher by day and novelist by night, is a self proclaimed scaredy cat who can't quite keep a secret. But her female main character is a different story! When newly promoted Agent Katrina Foster is sent halfway around the world on her first assignment to find out who killed Sweden's top agent, she uncovers a decade-old political assassination, a murderous mastermind, and a shadowy organization set on global disruption. Full of humor, mystery, romance, and lots and lots of spy stuff, Secrets, Lies, and Sneaky Spies is available everywhere books are sold.

To watch 3 Minutes with the Author, click HERE. If you'd like to get the episodes delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to my newsletter.

Up next, my interview with the multi-award winning author, former English professor, and photojournalist Jeannée Sacken coming January 11, 2024!

2023 in Review - 3 Minutes with the Author

Just...wow! When I first started playing around with the idea of hosting a very short format author interview, I had no idea what to expect. Would anyone be interested? How would I do the recordings? How often would I post videos? On what platforms? What video editing software should I use? How do I add closed captioning? And most importantly, would I be able to balance a new project that has so many moving parts with writing, family, and my day job?

And guess what? I figured it out and I learned that good things can happen when I push myself out of my comfort zone !

The response from authors and readers alike has been overwhelming! I’ve interviewed five amazing authors about their new book releases so far and have lined up over thirty more! That's enough interviews for a video each week through the end of August!

My goal is simple: To help readers find books and to help authors find readers.

So...if you're looking for your next fave read, want to discover new-to-you authors, or learn about some of your favorite writers, I hope you'll join me for these fun, fast, and informative chats...all in less time than it takes to boil an egg!

A huge thank you to my guests in 2023! To watch the episodes or to find books by my guests, please visit 3 Minutes with the Author.

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Guests coming in 2024 include:

Rayna Flye

Jeannee Sacken

Diane Byington

Sarahlyn Bruck

Jacqueline Boulden

Paulette Stout

Sheila Athens

Plus many more!

3 Minutes with Jen Telger

Looking for your next read? Want to discover new-to-you authors or learn more about your favorite writers? Join host and bestselling women's fiction author Shail Rajan for fun, fast, and informative chats in her weekly video series ,3 Minutes with the Author, featuring interviews and the latest in book news!

In this week's episode, Shail talks with writer and avid people watcher Jen Telger about her approach to writing and the two books in the bestselling Pullman Station series. Having grown up in the small Midwestern town of Winona, MN, Jen developed a keen eye for quirky characters, what makes a town a community, and the incredible things that happen when residents upset the local apple cart. She uses these experiences to invite and immerse you in the nostalgic and quirky town of Pullman Station in her books, What Heals the Heart and Sticks and Stones.

Watch as Jen and I also talk about an affliction common to many writers, the importance of a long drive, and how the setting of a book is just as significant as the characters.

To watch 3 Minutes with the Author, click ,HERE. If you'd like to get the episodes delivered straight to your inbox, ,subscribe to my newsletter.

If you're a fan of cozy spy mysteries, you won't want to miss my next episode with Rayna Flye coming January 4, 2024!

3 Minutes with Rachel Stone

For this week's episode of 3 Minutes with the Author, I sat down with Canadian writer Rachel Stone about her debut release Blue Iris, perfect for fans of bookclub and literary fiction! It's the story of "a group of people whose lives converge at a Toronto flower market where they unearth their deeply rooted secrets and learn to own their hardest truths while discovering the beauty that grows in letting go." Rachel described the book as This is Us x Ted Lasso x The Language of Flowers (the NY Times Bestseller by Vanessa Diffenbaugh), and Kirkus Reviews called it "a captivating read with humour and heart." Watch our conversation as we chat about the "choose your own adventure" aspect of writing, changing POV to overcome writer's block, and the beauty of finding the small town feel in a big city.

To watch 3 Minutes with the Author, click HERE. If you'd like to get the episodes delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to my newsletter.

In next week's episode, I'll be talking to Jen Telger about her heartwarming Pullman Station series!