Storied Conversation

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January 2023 Featured Authors

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This year I decided to do something a little different. I will be showcasing 3 authors each month. Y’all gave me so many wonderful authors that I wanted to include as many as possible. It meant I had to change completely how I was doing things and let me tell you that was not easy.

Before where I just shared three books and a little about the author wouldn’t work as well now. It would mean the posts would be far too long. So, I shortened it all up just a bit to make sure that things read a little better for y’all.

January 2023 Featured Authors - Storied Conversation

Lani Lynn Vale

I can’t believe I haven’t showcased Lani Lynn Vale before now! I mean is is one of my all-time favorite authors and I haven’t had her as an author f the month yet. What an oversight on my part.

There are so many books and honestly breaking it down to just four was not easy. I am a huge LLV fan if you didn’t already know. So, I decided to share four of my favorites with you. Each book is linked to my review so you will know how I feel about them.

  • Highway Dont Care by Lani Lynn Vale
  • Hissy Fit by Lani Lynn Vale
  • NeverTrustTheLiving-ebook6x9
  • Hail-Mary

As I said this is just a very small number of the books that Lani Lynn Vale has written. Pretty much every single month I share her newest book that I always enjoy. She is one of my all time favorite authors.

About Lani Lynn Vale

Lani Lynn Vale is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over thirty titles. She is married with three children, two dogs, two cats, a donkey, and a couple (a couple also meaning over twenty) chickens.

When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up in her favorite chair reading.

Lani is married with three children, and lives in the Great State of Texas.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

M.C. Beaton

I haven’t read any of M. C. Beaton’s books as of yet. However, I love the television shows that were created from them if that counts at all. Agatha Raisin is one of my favorite detectives and Hamish Macbeth always makes for an interesting afternoon.

There is a new Agatha Raisin book however, Marion Chesney (a.k.a. M.C. Beaton) died in 2019, but her series has been continued by the author’s good friend, R. W. Green. So that is how the new books are coming out.

  • Devil's Delight by MC Beaton
  • Our Lady Pain by MC Beaton
  • Death of a Green Eyed Monster by MC Beaton
  • The Quiche of Death by MC Beaton

The books listed above are now on my to be read list and I went ahead and ordered them. I am very interested in how they different they are from the shows. I am certain I will get hooked on the Agatha Raisin ones.

About M.C. Beaton

Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.

Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

Diana Gabaldon

If you follow me on either of the blogs you know I love Outlander. I mean the show and the books are both so wonderful. I can’t believe I haven’t featured Diana Gabaldon before now.

Her work is something that many of you already know and love. If you are someone who hasn’t read anything by her then I highly recommend it. While it is a romance there is so much more to it than that. It’s a romance, historical, sci-fi, and fantasy all rolled into one. It is certainly one those series that doesn’t fit into any one genre.

  • Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
  • Lord John by Diana Gabaldon
  • A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
  • Go Tell the Bees by Diana Gabaldon

I have read all of these and loved each and every one of them. I love all of her work and when I want to fall into a series and just get lost this is the one that I do it in.

About Diana Gabaldon

Diana Jean Gabaldon Watkins grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and is of Hispanic and English descent (with a dash of Native American and Sephardic Jew). She has earned three degrees: a B.S. in Zoology, a M.S. in Marine Biology, and a Ph.D in Ecology, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Glasgow, for services to Scottish Literature.

She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona .

Website | Facebook | Amazon

ENTER BELOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN THE PRIZES BELOW:

  • iPad + 5 Books from Any of the 3 Authors of Your Choice + $25 Amazon Gift Card {Grand Prize- 1 Winner}
  • 5 from Any of the 3 Authorsof Your Choice + $25 Amazon Gift Card {1 Winner}
  • $25 Amazon Gift Card {2 Winners}

GIVEAWAY IS OPEN WORLDWIDE AND ENDS JANUARY 30, 2023 AT 11:59 PM EST.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. I dont have a favorite from the authors, but M.C. Beaton sounds wonderful! Death of the Green Eyed Monster caught my eye

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  5. Can’t pick just one book but Bear Bottom Guardians MC, Souls Chapel Revenants MC and Battle Crows MC series were simply amazing.

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  17. Outlander was an amazing book I loved it so much I have still not watched the show afraid it will not live up to the book.

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  20. I don’t have a favorite book from any of these authors as of yet but I have read so many of your reviews of Lani Lynn Vale’s stories over the years that most of her books are on my kindle and or TBR pile and I plan to read at least some of them this year. I love the Outlander TV series and would love to read the books that inspired it. M.C. Beaton is a new author to me but I enjoy reading a good mystery from time to time and I hope to check out some of the featured stories as well

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  21. I would love to read Outlander, I haven’t watched the show yet but I love reading a book and then watching the series

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  26. Diana Gabaldon’s books interest me – because I love the Outlander series on tv! Would love to read that series and others by her as well!

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  30. Definitely anything Outlander, I love the show and I’m currently listening to the audiobook and it is amazing, I love it! Now I want to read the whole series.

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  31. The Outlander series has been on my “to read” list for awhile. M.C. Beaton looks interesting and I may have to investigate those at a later date.

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  32. I haven’t read of other books before. Any of the M. C. Beaton’s books sounds interesting as I enjoy reading mysteries.

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  36. I was intrigued by the bio of M.C. Beaton so I am definitely going to check out her books! Looking forward to getting to know Agatha Raisin.

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  43. I know it may be a common answer but I truly loved Outlander! I’m one of the few who enjoy it when books get made into movies or tv shows! Getting to see it come to life, even just loosely is wonderful!

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  46. I don’t have a favorite author, but Diana Gabaldon’s books definitely interest me. I’d start with “Don’t Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.”

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  47. I haven’t read any of these books (yet!), so thank you for highlighting them! I think Our Lady Of Pain sounds like a book I would be interested in reading. =)

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  52. I’m not sure to call anyone as a favorite writer but this year I’m committing to read the whole Outlander series and on #2 right now.

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  53. Wow, I didn’t know that Diana Gabaldon had a degree in Marine Biology (I do also). I’ve seen the outlander tv show, but haven’t read the books. Need to read the books cause tv shows always change stuff and don’t include things from the books.

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  67. Honestly, I never read the book, but love the series. So I would have to say that if I could take the chance to read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, it probably be wonderful! I enjoy the show so much and hope they keep bringing more of this historical-style drama. It sounds like the book would also be marvelous.

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  70. I’m interested in a book by Diana Gabaldon. I like how her books fall under different genres, that intrigues me.

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  73. Outlander was really good. My sister had the the series of books by Diana Gabaldon packed in a box for me but they were accidentally given away when she moved. Would love to read A Breath of Snow and Ashes. Thanks for the chance!

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  79. I haven’t read any books by these authors yet, but The Outlander and The Quiche of Death both look interesting!

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  80. I haven’t read any books by these authors yet, but The Outlander and The Quiche of Death both look interesting! I’d like to read those next.

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  87. I don’ t have favorites, but based on the info I thought that “Never Trust the Living Sounds” would be a good one to read.

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  91. Sadly, I haven’t read any of them yet, but I’d first like to read Outlander and Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone. 🙂

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  99. Death of a Green Eyed Monster sounds great, ok.. I just really love the color and the cat! These all sound like such great reads!

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  104. I’ve never heard of these authors but Hissy Fit looks like a great book I’d love to read because I love sports romances!

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  113. I have Outlander on my to watch list. Most of the time, I will read the book before watching, and this really looks good. Going to read this one during winter and start the series in the spring.

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  117. I haven’t read any of Diana Gabaldon’s books, but I’ve watched all of the Outlander episodes.

    M.C. Beaton sounds like an author I would enjoy reading.

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  121. I know wee bit about Outlander and think I’d like to give it a try… definitely sounds interesting and a lil spicy!

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  130. I have put reading to the side for a few months. One of my goals is to read more this year. I am ready to make reading a priority again. The one book that caught my eye was Quiche of Death. It sounds interesting.

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  131. I really enjoyed this and look forward to February’s three authors in your spotlight. I think this month, I may check out Diane Gabaldon. I have been meaning to see who the author of Outlander is!

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  138. I read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon when it originally came out in 1991 – and was even lucky enough to meet her!

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  146. I tend to read biographies or quirky historical books (like Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, ….) Right now I have a stack of books to catch up on as I fell off the reading bandwagon last year

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  150. I like time travel and history novels so A Breath Of Snow And Ashes sounds like something I would want to read.

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  152. I dont have a favorite from these authors but I’d be very interested to read Devil’s Delight by M.C. Beaton

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  160. Haven’t read any of these, and none really catches my attention. Not the type of genres I’m interested in.

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  166. I’ve been meaning to read Diana Gabaldon but haven’t had the time yet. I would start with A Breath of Snow and Ashes

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  168. I have always loved Agatha Raisin mysteries by MC Beaton. I have not read the newest ones since she passed. I would love to check them out.

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  175. I haven’t read any of them, so a good project for the new year! Going to start with Death of a Green-Eyed Monster.

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  184. No favorites here, but these all look great. Especially interested in Diana G’s works. Will definitely be giving them a read.

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  193. Outlander is the only one I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I’d love to read any other of hers. Breath of snow and ashes sounds intriguing. I wouldn’t mind reading it.

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  198. I’ve read several Agatha Raisins, and a Christmas Hamish. I’ve enjoyed this author so far (as I think her books in my TBR pile attests to 😉 ).

    Thank you for the giveaway!

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  199. I’d say M C Beaton. I also enjoyed the Hamish tv show, and several of her series have sounded so good when I’ve shopped for them for my mom 😉 .

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  215. I don’t have a favorite, but A Breath Of Snow And Ashes has caught my eye several times before and I’ve just never started it!

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  217. I have seen commercials for the Outlander television series, and it looked so interesting that I can’t help but choose the Outlander book!

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  218. Out of the three my favorite author is M. C. Beaton. I love her Agatha Raisin series and she has a great series of Regency books.

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