Each of M.J. Rose’s bestselling novels revolves around an enthralling secret trapped in time that people would kill for. The Collector of Dying Breaths introduces perhaps her most fascinating character yet! And Peter Stark chronicles one of America’s most dramatic but largely forgotten historical turning points in the conquest of the continent in Astoria. Plus we’ll meet a rising star in historical fiction, Hazel Gaynor with her debut novel The Girl Who Came Home.

Conversations Live with Vicki St. Clair airs each Monday at noon Pacific on KKNW 1150AM or 94.9FM HD. Like us on Facebook and follow Vicki on Twitter for exclusive updates and contests!

“History, mystery, ambition, lust, love, death and the timeless quest for immortality… a riveting tale of suspense.” So opines bestselling author B.A. Shapiro in describing M.J. Rose’s latest novel, The Collector of Dying Breaths. Set alternately in the 16th century and modern day France and featuring one of Rose’s most compelling characters yet in Catherine de Medici, this gothic transporting novel blends historical fiction with modern day intrigue to create the type of page-turning suspense that makes you lose track of time. Rose is the international bestselling author of 14 novels and two non-fiction books. She is a founding board member of International Thriller Writers and founded the first marketing company for authors: Authorbuzz.com.

At a time when the edge of American settlement barely reached beyond the Appalachians, two visionaries, President Thomas Jefferson and millionaire John Jacob Astor foresaw the potential of the Pacific to dominate trade much as the Atlantic did in their day. 2 years after Lewis and Clark’s historical expedition ended, Astor set out to establish a global trade network based at the mouth of the Columbia River while Jefferson envisioned a separate democracy to spread eastward and meet the young United States. The tale unfolds from 1810 to 1813., and author Peter Stark drew from numerous firsthand accounts of those who made the journey and suffered incredible hardship while embarking on soaring adventure in his new book Astoria. Stark is an adventure and exploration writer of several books and is a longtime correspondent for Outside magazine. His numerous articles and essays have appeared in Smithsonian, The New Yorker, Men’s Health, The New York Times, and many others.
As we approach the 112th anniversary of the Titanic sinking, the story of the great ship and its ill-fated maiden voyage still rings resonant and compelling. Hazel Gaynor has chosen this event to base her debut novel, The Girl Who Came Home, around a group of passengers known as the Aldergoole 14, who were members of a church parish from Ireland intent on finding a brighter future in America. Having been featured in The Sunday Times and the Irish Times, the English born Gaynor currently resides in Ireland and was the recipient of the 2012 Cecil Day Lewis award for Emerging Writers.

Listen to PODCAST –