In Eileen Goudge's latest novel — The House on Mountain Laurel Lane, a widow and mom of two struggles to let go of the past and embrace the future in a powerful novel about friendship, love, and taking risks.

Ever since her husband Sean's death, Jo Myers just can't move on. Until she receives a video Sean made during his final days, urging her to find happiness after he's gone. Jolted from her rut, she embarks on a journey forward.

Her first step is buying a house she and her daughters can call home. Framed by the snowcapped peaks of the Sierra Nevada, it's the very house she and Sean dreamed of owning together one day. It comes with a kindly and elderly resident lodger and an opportunity to make new memories. Jo even dips her toes into the dating pool. With the support of her friends, who call themselves the Tattooed Ladies, she is determined to honor her husband's last wish. Even as reality comes crashing down again.

Eileen and I discuss how the plot for this novel came to her. And how, to some extent, it parallels her own life. We also discuss why her numerous novels—at times funny, at other times, heartbreaking—resonate with her readers worldwide.

On bookshelves now!

(c) 2026 Josie Brown

In Barbara Conrey's tragic contemporary novel of love, lust, family and redemption, A FINE LAYER OF DUST, Attorney Jake Trenton's perfectly ordered life unravels when he loses a promotion and his wife announces she wants to become a surrogate. While he spends even more time at the office to prove his worth, he worries about the effects on their family if Sophia carries a baby for a stranger.

Once Sophia explains how important it is to her to bear a child for someone who can't, Jake reluctantly agrees. However, when the embryo transfer is successful, Jake's carefully constructed world crumbles beneath the memory of his brother's death, which occurred years ago in the same month the baby is due.

With nightmares plaguing his sleep and rage consuming his days, Jake makes a devastating choice that will forever alter the lives of two families. Suddenly, he is the kind of man he never thought he would be. Jake must confront the darkest parts of himself and question everything he thought he knew about love, loss, and what it truly means to heal.

This idea for this novel grew out of a tragedy in Barbara's life. In writing A FINE LAYER OF DUST, Barbara found a sense of clarity, forgiveness, and a semblance of peace. She now shares it with us.

A FINE LAYER OF DUST by Barbara Conrey is in bookstores now.

This is a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur.

(c) 2025 Josie Brown

In Sara Goodman Confino's humorous historical novel, GOOD GRIEF, it's 1963, and Barbara Feldman, a widow of two years, finds her mother-in-law, Ruth, on her doorstep, and determined to ease Barbara's pain. Instead, her machinations exacerbate Barbara's healing. At times, Ruth's antics are as covert as they are funny, and as exasperating as they are touching.

Could you live with your mother-in-law, especially under such sad circumstances?

Sara explains where and how a similar circumstance became the basis for GOOD GRIEF's plot, and why it made it an even greater joy to write it.

She also gives us a hint of her next historical novel, which will resonate greatly with those who identify as "Spring-Nuts" — a.k.a., uber-fans of the greatly beloved living musical legend, Bruce Springsteen. Sara's tale of her own VERY close encounter with The Boss will give you a chuckle and make you wish you were there, too.

Good Grief by Sara Goodman Confino is in bookstores on August 26, 2025.

(c) 2025 Josie Brown