Vicki Vass is visiting us today to talk about her new book Bloodlines. She was also kind enough to write us a little about what she reads for fun. Don’t forget to find the Prize Guy to enter a giveaway for a coffee mug and a print copy of Bloodline. So, take it away Vicki!
Thanks, Teresa, for letting me stop by today. I am very excited to be here and share details about my newly released paranormal cozy mystery, Bloodline: A Witch Cat Mystery. This book took over a year to write. While I was researching the book, I read many books for research, including a Pictorial History of Asheville, The Witches of Salem, Folk Medicine in Southern Appalachian.
I’ve returned to reading for pleasure. I always have an overtowering pile of books scattered on my bedside table, in my closet and on the bookshelf in my office. I would like to share some of what’s currently on my reading list, a very eclectic mixture.
First, I am three-quarters of the way through Sam Phillips, the biography of the man who discovered Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. I have been to Memphis and toured Sun Studio but was not familiar with much of Phillips’ history until I started watching the new series, Sun Records, on CMT. That led me to pick up this exhaustive biography, which includes various photos and has been very interesting for those who wish to delve into music history.
Next on my pile is Matriarch, the biography of the Queen Mother. This read was also sparked by a new series, The Crown, detailing the early days of Queen Elizabeth’s rule. I have always been intrigued by British royalty, probably inspired by my father, a history teacher. Most of my reading was about earlier Tudor royals, Elizabeth I and of course, the unfortunate wives of Henry VIII. This glimpse into the current royal family is fascinating.
I recently finished Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In, about how women need to take more of a leadership role. I had resisted reading this one for a long time but found myself compelled to so I could partake in a discussion group with my full-time job. I found many of her theories and research very interesting and true to my experience in corporate America.
On to more hopefully pleasant reads, I, like many of you, try to take on too much which is why I found the premise of Wishful Thinking fascinating. Imagine you could time travel so you could be in two places at the same time on the same day. Well, there’s an app for that and it’s in this book. I thought this was a great look into a problem that all of us who struggle with time management issues face.
I am now starting Lilac Girls, a historical fiction novel about a socialite who helps a woman held in the notorious Concentration Camp, Ravensbruck. After seeing the Zookeeper’s wife and reading the book several years ago, I am very interested to read this novel, which has received much acclaim.
After finishing Big Little Lies, I treated myself to watching the HBO series based on the book. I actually binge watched the series in one day, all seven episodes. I couldn’t quite remember the book before watching the series but enjoyed it immensely.
So, what’s on your bookshelf? What are you reading? What types of reads do you enjoy the most?
Click Here to Enter Vicki’s Rafflecopter Givewaway for a Coffee Mug and a Print Copy of Bloodline
About This Author
Vicki Vass traded in her reporter’s notebook to pursue her passion of writing cozy mysteries. Her Antique Hunter series was a finalist in the 2016 Mystery & Mayhem contest. Bloodline is the first book in the Witch Cat Mystery series.
Vicki has written more than 1,400 stories for the Chicago Tribune as well as other commercial publications including Home & Away, the Lutheran and Woman’s World. Her science fiction novel, The Lexicon, draws on her experience in Sudan while writing about the ongoing civil war for World Relief.
She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, writer and musician Brian Tedeschi, son Tony, Australian shepherd Bandit, kittens Terra and Pixel, seven koi and Gary the turtle.