Topping the list of this weekend’s literary events is an annual favorite: the debut of Margaret Maron‘s latest Deborah Knott novel. The new book, Sand Sharks, takes Judge Knott down to Wrightsville Beach — and wouldn’t we all like to be there right now?! But it can’t all be sun and fun, of course. Soon our intrepid heroine stumbles upon a murder, and quickly Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington seem much more dangerous places for a vacationing judge with an inquisitive mind. A recent email exchange with Maron found her hard at work on her next novel, but she agreed to an interview about this latest book, which should be posted at this site soon. In the meantime, don’t miss the Sand Sharks launch party on Friday, August 14, at 7:30 p.m. at Raleigh’s Quail Ridge Books. (Please note that this is one of Quail Ridge’s signing line events; get your ticket with purchase of the new book. And if you can’t make it, Maron has more area readings planned soon; check out the MetroBooks Calendar to the right for more information.)
While we’re on the subject of Wilmington-Wrightsville Beach mysteries, I just got off the phone with Wanda Canada, author of the delightful Carroll Davenport mystery series, including Island Murders and Cape Fear Murders. That interview is slated to appear in the North Carolina Literary Review next year, but I did want to take a moment now to recommend those books as well to anyone looking for a little beach reading — in any sense of that phrase (a book for the beach, a book about the beach, etc.).
Back to the schedule of weekend readings, another fun author also has an event this Friday: Pop-up artist Pamela Pease will unveil her latest creation, Pop-Up Tour de France: The World’s Greatest Bike Race, at the Cary Barnes & Noble on Friday at 7 p.m. For an behind-the-scenes look at how she crafts these books, check out my interview with Pease here about her previous books, The Garden is Open, Macy’s On Parade, and Derby Day.
Sorry to be off of my interview schedule lately, but plenty coming up, including the Maron interview above, and talks with Fred Chappell, Marianne Gingher, and Jessica Anthony. Stay tuned!
