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RIF’s Favorite Reads of March 2021
They say that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, and so many of our favorites reads this month are about precisely that part of the cyclical, seasonal nature of human beings: we are...
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Five Fragments about Ghost Stories, Mysteries, Rules, and the Uncanny
I. It was called “Boy In The Shadows,” and it scared me, sure, but only enough to fascinate me, not enough to keep me awake at night. At eleven, I wanted to be mystified and amazed, maybe a little...
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Books to Binge After Bridgerton
If you’re like us and have already binged Bridgerton on Netflix a time or two, you are probably desperate to get your hands on any and all historical romance novels that will remind you of Julia...
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Why Solo Adventure Stories are Good for the Soul
When I turned forty, my best friend from college, Annette, and I decided to do it up big and have a girls’ weekend in New Orleans. We planned it for months. Being married with kids, this was the...
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Strangers in a Strange Land: Books about the Immigrant and Refugee Experience
We have all been strangers in a strange land, the Bible tells us, meaning that all of us, at some point in our lives, will feel displaced. Just as we will experience falling in love, raising children,...
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How to Get Motivated to Read
I remember when I was younger, and the possibility of sitting for an hour and diving into a favorite book was nearly the most enjoyable thing I could imagine. Just to carve out a bit of time for...
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Captivating Novels about Astrology
What does the future hold? If you ask me, that’s a mystery perfectly suited to the realm of fiction. Novels and short stories can plumb the depths of the unknown through fortune-telling, astrology, or...
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Tell Me Something I Don’t Know
Never underestimate the power of a teacher, especially when the teacher is Philip Roth. I say this because my new novel is entitled Eternal, and it was inspired by a seminar I took with the late Philip...
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Books About Power Dynamics
In The Comeback, I explore the impact of early stardom and abuse on a young Hollywood actress, Grace Turner. There are multiple power dynamics explored in the book, including the connection between...
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The Magic of Food in Fiction
“Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably.” —C.S. Lewis Take a seat at the table, get comfortable, and let’s talk about the magic of food in fiction. No matter how our memories come...
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