Steph Post's Blog, page 2
April 10, 2022
Welcome to My Instagram!
July 26, 2021
2021 Fall Book Preview!
Without Further Ado....
(Because really, you're just here for the books!)
PS- Thanks to everyone who shared book recommendations! I've included them near the end, as well as posting a few of my favorites from July, as a recap to my Summer Book Preview. Cheers and Happy Reading!
August
September
October
November
December
July (Recap!)
Reader Suggestions.....
August-
Jane of Battery Park by Jaye Viner
All the Best Nights by Hanna Earnest
The Light of Luna Park by Addison Armstrong
She Wouldn't Change a Thing by Sarah Adlakha
What We Carry by Kalyn Fogarty
The Receptionist by Kate Myles
You'll Be Fine by Jen Michalski
Clark And Division by Naomi Hirahara
The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould
September-
Her Perfect Life by Hank Phillippi Ryan
The Shaadi Set-Up by Lillie Vale
Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn
How to Walk with Steve by Rob Fromberg
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
Stories of the New West by Evan Morgan Williams
Undone Valley by William R. Soldan
Florida Hustle by Paul Wilborn
October-
All That Is Secret by Patricia Raybon
Litani by Jess Lourey
Hold Me Down by Clea Simon
The Family Tree by Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry
Fan Club by Erin Mayer
After Perfect by Maan Gabriel
Bury Me in Shadows by Greg Herren
The Gold Persimmon by Lindsay Merbaum
Every Hidden Thing by Ted Flanagan
Those Fantastic Lives: And Other Strange Stories by Bradley Sides
This Vale of Tears by Daren Dean
November-
A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
The God of Lost Words by A.J. Hackwith
Burntcoat by Sarah Hall
A Rush of Wings by Laura E. Weymouth
The Undertakers by Nicole Glover
December-
Of Daisies and Dead Violins by S.B. Borgersen
Daugther of the King by Kerry Chaput
Her Deadly Touch by Lisa Regan
The Liar’s Knot by M.A. Carrick
July 12, 2021
Birds in Literature and Life
Oh, hey! It's been a minute (err, few months) since I posted anything, but here we go....
I'm excited to announce that I'll be participating in a Birds in Literature and Life Instagram Live chat with authors Frank Morelli, Adrienne Kiner and Angel Schroeder, hosted by Sunrise Books. 8pm, 7/15/21- hope to 'see' you there!
March 2, 2021
Holding Smoke is out in Paperback!
To say that this year has been difficult feels like calling lava hot. Saying so, screaming it so (as I'm sure we've all done a few times!) feels like adding my voice to the millions- just one more grating sound to add to the awful background noise of 2020/21. But I'm saying it anyway: it's been rough. And I know how lucky I am, how absolutely like heaven my experience of this year has been compared to most. With that in mind, it feels weird to celebrate even the smallest milestone, though I tell everyone else they need to go for it. We need more celebrations in this world! We need more milestones and moments to be proud of, we need everyone we can get. But I am notoriously bad at following my own advice (like, ridiculously bad) and so I've kept quiet about my books and my author life moments.
Unfortunately, doing so also felt like pulling back from supporting my fellow authors. I've posted a thousand photos of birds and dogs and chickens over on Instagram this past year and done only a handful of interviews, written even less articles, promoting other authors and their work. So it feels doubly weird to promote a paperback release- and yet, here I am.
Holding Smoke , the third and final book of my Lightwood series came out in paperback today. Holding Smoke originally came out in late January of last year and while I managed to squeeze in a few events before everything went into lockdown, I don't feel like I pushed as hard to promote the book as I had my four others. I was already hitting burnout mode and wanting some downtime when the book first hit shelves. And then, of course, the pandemic made sure I got the time I had wanted.
So what I have done the past year? Besides photograph birds? I DID use that time. I spent the first half of the year finishing up what I like to call "the book of my heart." I spent the second half of the year researching and outlining the next book while stressing constantly, experiencing plunging self-doubt and dark moments of crushing panic as "the book of my heart" went out on submission.
Without conferences and events, bookstore readings, traveling, meeting new writer friends and catching up, I felt like my author-fire was burning low. Hell, let's be real, I still feel that way. It's hard to complain and hard not to, but I know a lot of you are walking the same path right now. I see you and I know, it's not fun. Somedays, I'm certain that I'm not much more than a chicken-raiser who writes, instead of a writer who raises chickens. (sorry, I have a new rooster that is taking up a lot of time right now so this is on my mind...) In all reality, I'm working my ass off on the new book that is by far the most difficult and complicated project I've ever attempted. I should be proud of how hard I'm working- some days I am and some days, well, see the "plunging self-doubt" part above.
I thought about letting today just pass by, but I care too much about the Story, the world, the characters of my Lightwood trilogy to do so. With Holding Smoke, I gave them everything I could and if I didn't work as hard to promote the finale of the series, it's still all there on the page. So, congrats to me and congrats to Holding Smoke hitting the paperback mark!
And, even more importantly, MOST importantly, thank you to everyone who has supported me and this series. Everyone who wrote reviews and joined me at readings and shared book photos and cheered me on. Everyone who loved Ramey and hated Sister Tulah (or loved to hate her, rather), everyone who read the book and passed it along- thank you. An author is nothing without readers and I have the best readers.
I hope to get back to promoting authors again, so that I can give back or pay it forward to all the amazing writers I'm honored to know and will hopefully be lucky enough to know in the future. Cheers to you!
💥💥💥
Praise for Holding Smoke:
"Terrific...A born storyteller, Post expertly weaves these disparate plot strands into a wholly satisfying if inevitable ending." ―Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
"A pedal-to-the-metal tale of Southern gothic noir...Post keeps the reader guessing who, if anyone, will come out of this wild ride alive." ―Colette Bancroft, Tampa Bay Times
"Steph Post is a big, bold and welcome fresh voice in this world. Her authentic tales of those living in a whirlwind of chaos and violence is a game-changer." ―Ace Atkins
"Post draws the Judah Cannon trilogy to an appropriate conclusion here, with her trademark crisp dialogue and action-packed, dark-edged storytelling again providing the appeal." ―Booklist
Praise for Lightwood and Walk in the Fire:
“Steph Post is a great new discovery. Her stories carry a dark pulse that keeps the perfect beat in a world where people put everything they’ve got on the line.” ―Michael Connelly
"Post combines classical genre tropes with a touch of Harry Crews–style Southern gothic in this terrific crime novel.” ―Publishers Weekly (Starred Review of Walk in the Fire)
“Brilliant...Lightwood solidifies Steph Post as the official voice of working class literature in Florida, akin to what Daniel Woodrell has done for Missouri, or Ron Rash for the Carolinas.” ―Brian Panowich
"Post paints a large, vivid cast...Post's Florida is rather farther north than the world of Carl Hiaasen's fiction, but they share the dark comedy, intricate plotting and strong sense of paltry sin and mordant evil. Readers who like Hiaasen should find Lightwood well to their taste." ―Wilmington Star-News
(Thank you to these reviewers and to Everyone who reviewed and blurbed these novels- you can read their words on the book's separate pages. Much love.)
December 18, 2020
The Awesome, Amazing, Astounding Spring 2021 Book Preview!
Whew! What a year! But 2020 is almost in the rearview and here's to 2021 and all the new books hitting the shelves!
Without further ado, then, I give you:
Steph's Awesome, Amazing, Astounding Spring 2021 Book Preview!
(I'm kicking off 2021 in grand style...)
January
February
March
April
May
June
Reader Suggestions!
January
Two in the Head by Eric Beetner
The Fiddler in the Night by Christian Fennell
Fatal Divisions by Claire Booth
The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin
February
The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood
This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith
Long Island Iced Tina by Maria DiRico
A Road Course In Early American Literature by Thomas Hallock
March
No Sin Unpunished by LynDee Walker
If or When I Call by Will Johnson
The Lost Village by Camilla Sten
April
Diminished Fifth by Gabriel Valjan
Concession Stand Crimes by Nicole Asselin
Rising and Other Stories by Gale Massey
May
You Will Remember Me by Hannah Mary McKinnon
The Collective by Alison Gaylin
Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon
June
The One Hundred Years Of Lenni And Margot by Marianne Cronin
October 2, 2020
Writer Bites! With Karin Cecile Davidson, author of Sybelia Drive
It's been a minute, hasn't it? The world may seem off the rails, but at least we'll always have books... Today, I'm thrilled to bring you a Writer Bites interview with Karin Cecile Davidson whose debut novel, Sybelia Drive, hits shelves this coming Tuesday (10/6)!
Karin Cecile Davidson has written a keenly-observed novel about the persistence of family ties and friendships, the press of history on private lives, and the tug of both home and away. At once delicate in its prose and bold in its vision, Sybelia Drive is a luminous debut.
—Elizabeth Graver, author of The End of the Point
Have you ever fallen in love with a book?
Many times. Perhaps typically, E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web was one of the first, and Richard Adams’s Watership Down, back when it first came out in 1972. I still have my first editions with their soft worn pages. My copy of Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine is a tattered paperback from ages ago that replaced the one I first bought at Prairie Lights in Iowa City in 1987, a few years after the book was published. That first copy began to lose pages and almost all of “The World’s Greatest Fisherman” disappeared, so there was no choice. I’ll always have a copy of this book. It’s been so influential and inspiring. Italo Calvino’s Difficult Loves completely captured me in the same way that John Berger’s Into Their Labors Trilogy did, their questions about society and relationships remarkably supported by inventive narrative structures. And always, always Eudora Welty’s stories—any and all of them.
Just recently I listened to Gabrielle Hamilton reading her memoir Blood, Bones & Butter. Published nearly a decade ago, and now with Hamilton’s NYC restaurant Prune closed due to Covid, it was strange and bittersweet to hear this beautifully written story read by the author herself. I felt like I was taken away, completely enraptured by her way of telling the details of her childhood, reporting in vivid terms the stress of running a wildly popular 30-seat restaurant, and describing her dishes in the clearest, most delicious prose.
How do you choose the names for your characters?
It’s funny. They simply arrive. Lord knows how LuLu and Rainey entered my novel Sybelia Drive. And LuLu’s brother Saul? Honestly, I just don’t worry about it and then they come along and steal the show. I think part of the process must be intuitive, a subconscious calling up of all the names I’ve ever known. For example, LuLu’s father’s initials, CRB, which first appear on a silver lighter he keeps in his top pocket, are the same as my grandmother’s. Completely unintentional, and yet. Charles Royal Blackwood, III and Cecile Robinson Bradley share those initials.
What is your least favorite part of the writing process? Your favorite?
The least favorite. Well, there’s a point in the final edits when I’ve got to compare manuscripts. I find that pairing amazing and dizzying all at once. The dizzying part has to do with the flood of words before me, even though the end of the entire process is near. Of course, once I finally get there, the reward is rich.
And the favorite. I love the drafting of a story when it’s going well, when one word is thrown down after another, and suddenly the page is covered with possibility. Characters become clear, along with their desires, their landscapes, and the story opens up and out.
What is your favorite form of procrastination from writing?
Research. From searching out exactly the right sort of wildflower for a scene to delving into a book of military terms or studying maps that are decades old. Certain chapters of my novel required an enormous amount of research. Eventually I had to tell myself, that’s enough. The writing doesn’t get done unless I’m at least a bit disciplined, or really good at tricking myself.
Do you write to music?
Absolutely. When drafting Sybelia Drive, I listened to music of the 1960s and 70s that became part of the character’s worlds and essentially part of the narrative. For the collection of Gulf Coast stories I’m working on currently, I’ve listened to Leontyne Price singing arias from Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, Florida blues singers Ida Goodson and her sister Billie Pierce, as well as songs from Some Girls by The Rolling Stones. Placing lyrics into the writing is something I’ve learned to steer away from, however. Too much copyright nonsense there. That said, there’s something inside the music that allows a way into a piece. Art making way for more art is something I seriously believe in and appreciate.
August 28, 2020
Writer Bites! With Heather Bell Adams
Getting to know....
Heather Bell Adams, author of The Good Luck Stone
Her desperate decision during World War II changed everything. Now, almost 70 years later, her secret is unraveling.
Have you ever fallen in love with a book?
Yes, I would say I’ve fallen in love with lots of books. So many good ones, but I’ll give one example. Several years ago, when I finished reading Bloodroot by Amy Greene, I clasped the book to my chest, in tears. I was—and continue to be—astonished at this beautiful Appalachian novel.
How do you choose the names for your characters?
What a fun question! I talk to myself a lot… I try out how different names sound and whether they fit my mental conception of the character. In The Good Luck Stone, my agent asked me to change the name of a major character because she felt it was too similar to another character. Of course I was willing to make the change, but I’ll confess that it took an entire day of talking to myself to settle on a new one. (The character went from Patricia “Tish” to Kathleen “Kat.”)
Describe yourself as an author in One Word.
Heartfelt
Do you ever experience doubt or ‘impostor syndrome’? How do you cope with it?
Oh yes, all the time… I like what Elizabeth Berg says in Escaping into the Open about playfulness: “Learn from the inherent wisdom of children. Watch them when they work: They make it fun.” That advice helps me take myself less seriously and get back to the joy of writing.
Do you write to music?
Honestly, I prefer silence or just outdoor nature sounds. But the reality is that I write when the TV is on or other people are chattering away or the neighbor is landscaping or the dog is barking. It’s okay, truly. But silence is nice sometimes too.
Heather Bell Adams, author of The Good Luck Stone
Her desperate decision during World War II changed everything. Now, almost 70 years later, her secret is unraveling.
Have you ever fallen in love with a book?
Yes, I would say I’ve fallen in love with lots of books. So many good ones, but I’ll give one example. Several years ago, when I finished reading Bloodroot by Amy Greene, I clasped the book to my chest, in tears. I was—and continue to be—astonished at this beautiful Appalachian novel.
How do you choose the names for your characters?
What a fun question! I talk to myself a lot… I try out how different names sound and whether they fit my mental conception of the character. In The Good Luck Stone, my agent asked me to change the name of a major character because she felt it was too similar to another character. Of course I was willing to make the change, but I’ll confess that it took an entire day of talking to myself to settle on a new one. (The character went from Patricia “Tish” to Kathleen “Kat.”)
Describe yourself as an author in One Word.
Heartfelt
Do you ever experience doubt or ‘impostor syndrome’? How do you cope with it?
Oh yes, all the time… I like what Elizabeth Berg says in Escaping into the Open about playfulness: “Learn from the inherent wisdom of children. Watch them when they work: They make it fun.” That advice helps me take myself less seriously and get back to the joy of writing.
Do you write to music?
Honestly, I prefer silence or just outdoor nature sounds. But the reality is that I write when the TV is on or other people are chattering away or the neighbor is landscaping or the dog is barking. It’s okay, truly. But silence is nice sometimes too.
August 14, 2020
Writer Bites! With Stephen Burdick, author of Deemer's Inlet
Getting to know...
Stephen Burdick, author of Deemer's Inlet , from Shotgun Honey.
What does your writing space look like? What does your Ideal writing space look like?
My living room and sofa. I hand-write each chapter in a notebook, editing as I go along, before entering them into the computer. Then I edit some more. A larger living room with a nicer sofa would suit me.
Go back to yourself at a very early stage in your writing career—what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Find a good writer’s group or take a creative writing class, believe in yourself and your work, and prepare for the criticism and rejection sure to follow.
What do you hope to be remembered for by future generations of readers?
A writer of crime fiction who did his best to entertain readers with stories of mystery and intrigue.
Is there anything about your writing that you wish more readers noticed?
Other authors have told me of the difficulty they have with dialogue. I try to make the exchanges between characters as realistic sounding as possible. How do you handle negative reviews or feedback? How do you handle praise?
A thick skin is necessary when dealing with negative reviews or feedback. You must resign yourself to the fact that your work is not going to please everyone. I am very thankful. For me, it is humbling to know that something I’ve created has, in some way or another, brought enjoyment to a reader.
Stephen Burdick, author of Deemer's Inlet , from Shotgun Honey.
What does your writing space look like? What does your Ideal writing space look like?
My living room and sofa. I hand-write each chapter in a notebook, editing as I go along, before entering them into the computer. Then I edit some more. A larger living room with a nicer sofa would suit me.
Go back to yourself at a very early stage in your writing career—what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Find a good writer’s group or take a creative writing class, believe in yourself and your work, and prepare for the criticism and rejection sure to follow.
What do you hope to be remembered for by future generations of readers?
A writer of crime fiction who did his best to entertain readers with stories of mystery and intrigue.
Is there anything about your writing that you wish more readers noticed?
Other authors have told me of the difficulty they have with dialogue. I try to make the exchanges between characters as realistic sounding as possible. How do you handle negative reviews or feedback? How do you handle praise?
A thick skin is necessary when dealing with negative reviews or feedback. You must resign yourself to the fact that your work is not going to please everyone. I am very thankful. For me, it is humbling to know that something I’ve created has, in some way or another, brought enjoyment to a reader.
July 14, 2020
Writing Workshops with Keep St. Pete Lit
I'm happy to announce that I'm now offering 4 online writing workshops with Keep St. Pete Lit. Workshops are short, affordable, self-paced and ALL offer prompt, personal feedback on a writing submission. Cheers and Happy Writing!
June 24, 2020
...But At Least We Still Have Books! (Fall 2020 Book Preview)
So... the world has been on fire as of late, but at least we still have books! Despite cancelled tours, pub-date push-backs and all the other chaos, 2020 has been a fantastic year for book releases, and the Fall line-up promises to continue the trend.
Whether you're stuck in quarantine, shouldering burdens or trying to keep things normal (as can be), it's time to start your pre-orders and get your holds ready at the library. Below are the books I'm most looking forward to, July-December, with reader suggestions following. Cheers and Happy Reading!
July
August
September
October
November
December
Reader Suggestions!
July:
The Fate of a Flapper by Susanna Calkins
The Silence of the White City by Eva Garcia Sáenz
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
Aug:The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna AndrewsThe Ancestor by Lee Matthew Goldberg
Spellbound: A Graphic Memoir by Bishakh Som
Sept:A Kingdom of Tender Colors by Seth Greenland
Political Sign by Tobias Carroll
The Lakehouse by Joe Clifford
Conditional Citizens by Laila Lalami
Just Us: An American Conversation by Claudia Rankine
Poetic Justice by Andrea J. Johnson
The Life Assignment by Ricardo Alberto Maldonado
You Want More: Selected Stories by George Singleton
Oct:The Better of the Bad by J.J. Hensley
The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxane Gay, Tracy Lynne Oliver, and Rebecca Kirby
A Will to Kill by RV Raman
Keep Moving by Maggie Smith
The Bitter Kind by Tara Lynn Masih
Nov:Noiryorican by Richie Narvaez
Tennessee Murder Ballad by Heather Jones
The Turning Tide by Catriona McPherson
Dec:
Grounds for Murder by Tara Lush
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
The Ballad of Ami Miles by Kristy Dallas Alley
On Fragile Waves by E. Lily Yu
When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson
Whether you're stuck in quarantine, shouldering burdens or trying to keep things normal (as can be), it's time to start your pre-orders and get your holds ready at the library. Below are the books I'm most looking forward to, July-December, with reader suggestions following. Cheers and Happy Reading!
July
August
September
October
November
December
Reader Suggestions!
July:
The Fate of a Flapper by Susanna Calkins
The Silence of the White City by Eva Garcia Sáenz
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
Aug:The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna AndrewsThe Ancestor by Lee Matthew Goldberg
Spellbound: A Graphic Memoir by Bishakh Som
Sept:A Kingdom of Tender Colors by Seth Greenland
Political Sign by Tobias Carroll
The Lakehouse by Joe Clifford
Conditional Citizens by Laila Lalami
Just Us: An American Conversation by Claudia Rankine
Poetic Justice by Andrea J. Johnson
The Life Assignment by Ricardo Alberto Maldonado
You Want More: Selected Stories by George Singleton
Oct:The Better of the Bad by J.J. Hensley
The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxane Gay, Tracy Lynne Oliver, and Rebecca Kirby
A Will to Kill by RV Raman
Keep Moving by Maggie Smith
The Bitter Kind by Tara Lynn Masih
Nov:Noiryorican by Richie Narvaez
Tennessee Murder Ballad by Heather Jones
The Turning Tide by Catriona McPherson
Dec:
Grounds for Murder by Tara Lush
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
The Ballad of Ami Miles by Kristy Dallas Alley
On Fragile Waves by E. Lily Yu
When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson
