https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog daily 0.75 2025-09-21 https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/my-query-letter monthly 0.5 2024-11-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/2fabf9f0-7035-4669-a742-1f617d3d363f/SUBMISSION.JPG Blog - my query letter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/eqx60mp128pir1t30fufo7j4x5hieb monthly 0.5 2024-10-29 https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/how-i-got-a-book-deal-1 monthly 0.5 2024-10-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/a706f932-33b5-4029-a8bf-23fcfb96703a/Sue+with+books.jpg Blog - HOW I GOT A book deal - PART TWO - THE RETIReMENT PLAN PART TWO — PATH TO A BOOK DEAL https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/hit-man-movie-review monthly 0.5 2024-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/ac181add-5aba-4a50-81ad-df82f9c06893/Hit+Man.JPG Blog - hit man - MOVIE REVIEW We saw Hit Man last night. Walking down the driveway, my youngest son asked why I was so keen on seeing it — I’d passed on Planet of the Apes and Furiosa, and I said: you know I have a thing for hit men. My middle son threw in: Mom literally wrote a book about one. Remember? It’s true — coming out June 2025. So we bought our popcorn and peanut M&M’s and buckled in. And we all liked it. It’s funny and smart — hands down my kind of movie. In a world where most theatre outings are blanketed with CG, pyro, and acrobatics (Fall Guy — big disappointment) it was fabulous to see a movie about people. Mind you... interesting people doing crazy s*** - but people. Even better, it’s based on a real person as written in an article in Texas Monthly (thanks to my oldest son’s girlfriend for turning me on to that publication last summer). Gary Johnson is a dorky college prof with a side hustle. His proficiency with electronics - hidden cameras, microphones and such - has landed him a gig with the police department’s surveillance team. They specialize in taking down people about to hire hit men. A surprise opening propels Gary into playing the fake hitman at the meet up — and he’s good at it. So he does it again and again — in real life he ended up with around 60 arrests — until he advises one potential customer to take the money and start a new life. Then things get complicated. Co-written and directed by Richard Linklater who brought us Dazed and Confused, Boyhood and School of Rock. And co-written and starring @glenpowell who we saw in the Top Gun remake and the rom-com resuscitator Anyone But You. Also my fave @Jasonbateman has a producing credit. I’m wondering why I haven’t seen more about it. I remember reading about it at The Toronto Film Festival, so I’ve been watching for it , but I never even saw the trailer — it’s coming on @netflix @netflixfilm but it’s worth a trip to the theatre. If you like a movie without a 20 minute car chase that makes you laugh and think — catch this. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/i-hope-this-finds-you-well monthly 0.5 2024-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/dfcfbabb-8cb9-4c80-a45c-5d6fb4052b22/book+well.JPG Blog - I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL by natatlie sue On my path to having my own novel published, I monitored book deals posted on the trade sites. I remember reading this announcement and being a) happy to see a Canadian get a good deal and b) thinking that's a book I'd want to read. And boy, was I right about that. I bought it yesterday afternoon and finished it at 1:40 am. This is the one about Jolene, an awkward 33-year-old with frizzy hair, who has shut herself off from fraternizing with her coworkers as a coping mechanism. Maybe I bought into her cynicism so well because I spent a career in TV where I constantly reminded people, there is no loyalty. Your coworkers claim to be 'family', but security doesn't escort Grandma to the parking lot when they've had enough of her. I often told younger people when they considered turning down family events so they could work -- none of these people will be at your funeral. I digress. Jolene's email mishap (haven't we all had one?) gets her in trouble with HR, and adjustments are made to her computer settings. She's mistakenly given full access to everyone's chats and emails. At first it's hurtful to read what others think about her (isn’t it always?), but with layoffs looming she decides to use the insider information to give herself a 'leg up'. But she also decides to open up, and her journey along those parallel paths kept me turning pages when I should have been doing other things. Witty, warm, sharp and sassy -- it was a wonderful ride.Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/how-i-got-a-book-deal monthly 0.5 2025-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/52b8e08b-8575-47bf-9d7e-213df0d2ed62/Publishers+Marketplace+Announcement+TRP.JPG Blog - how i got a book deal - PART ONE The first thing to know is — if you want to be traditionally published, you need to : Write a novel. I can’t offer advice on that because I barely know how I wrote my own. I will say, I read all the ‘How-To’ books, and didn’t understand any of them. So I decided to just write. Get a literary agent. There’s a specific process to follow: The first step - prep your query (in layman’s terms – pitch) materials. The second step - figure out who to query. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/none-of-this-is-true-by-lisa-jewell monthly 0.5 2023-12-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/e3baa987-d09e-4594-ad05-d4cc9ebf8d56/none+of+this.JPG Blog - none of this is true by lisa jewell - NONE OF THIS IS TRUE BY LISA JEWELL Reading a Lisa Jewell novel is like walking into a party and spotting the juicy gossip alone in the corner. You know if you wander too close you won't be able to get away. But you also know, you won't be bored. This is the one about two women who share the same birthdate and birthplace and cross paths the night of their 45th birthday celebrations. When Josie, alone with her dull, older husband spots Alix amidst a boisterous group of friends she seeks her out, repeatedly. And soon she has a proposition that Alix can't resist. The book's flap says it's a case of 'she said/she said', and so it is. From the moment you read the fabricated Netflix promo that promises the reader a binge-worthy documentary series, you know you're reading a binge-worthy book. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/huge-by-brent-butt monthly 0.5 2023-11-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/cda8afd2-399a-4a42-823a-979036c9154e/huge.JPG Blog - HUGE BY BRENT BUTT - HUGE BY BRENT BUTT Brent Butt was a stand-up comedian long before he created Corner Gas and I've always felt partially responsible for his TV success. Back in the early '90's I worked on a CBC Friday night live variety show. Brent’s clip was built into the opening animation, and every time it rolled in the control room I’d turn to the suits and say 'this guy needs his own show!’ Every week. Eventually one of those suits was part of greenlighting Corner Gas. Just sayin'. So when Brent posted a photo of a finished typewritten manuscript, I knew I'd be reading it. This is the one where three very different comedians are thrown together for a string of small town gigs. And while the terrain between Winnipeg and Northern Ontario may be predictable, their roadtrip is anything but. Along the way there's an interesting deep dive into how barroom comedy works - from a room’s layout to managing its staff, working a crowd, and crafting a joke. How to entertain and diffuse tables of hockey players, farmers and everything in between. And then things turn dark. And not dark, like daylight-saving-time-is-over-and-the-sun's-going-down, dark. But dark, like one of these comedians is messed up, and maybe not the kind of guy you want to carpool with in the middle of nowhere. It's tense but presented with the same relaxed tone that shot Brent into stardom and that keeps viewers watching him, and me, flipping his pages. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/closer-by-sea-by-perry-chafe monthly 0.5 2023-10-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/0bdf1cc6-e26f-41b7-8c7a-221849dbb588/closer+by+the+sea.JPG Blog - CLOSER BY SEA BY PERRY CHAFE - CLOSER BY SEA BY PERRY CHAFE I spent a good decade working with a fellow from Newfoundland who would talk about his home province as though she were a magical land. And this book paints the same picture. It's a self acclaimed "homage to a people and a place". What a people, and what a place. This is the one about 12 year old Pierce Jacobs. Three years ago his fisherman father was lost at sea, and now he and his mom do their best on their isolated fishing island. But it's the early '90's and times are tough. Pierce and his pals carry knives in their belt, wait to cut cod tongues at the wharf when the catch is big enough, and ride their ATV's over the rugged terrain searching for traces of a missing teenage girl. Reminiscent of Stephen King's 'The Body' aka the movie Stand By Me, I love the repartee of bantering 12 year-olds: "It'll be a fun story to tell the other kids in juvie." Maybe, because I have three sons, I might have a soft spot for young boys facing the challenges of growing up but this book just hammered me with its heart. I loved it. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/exiles-by-jane-harper monthly 0.5 2023-10-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/3c652fd5-c113-49bd-ae9d-faee14923bf1/exiles.JPG Blog - EXILES BY JANE HARPER - EXILES BY JANE HARPER I always know I'll still have room for ice cream after a big dinner. And I always know I’ll wish I’d moved to Australia after a Jane Harper novel. This is the one about reserved FBI-financial-type-investigator Aaron Falk, who visits friends in small town Australia for a Christening. He'd been there a year earlier, but the ceremony was then postponed when an extended family member disappeared -- presumably taking her own life. But maybe not. Everyone is still haunted by that night when the young mother walked away from the festival, abandoning her infant in its stroller. With so many questions still lingering, Aaron starts looking for answers. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/a-sporty-tv-roundup monthly 0.5 2023-10-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/b855215a-273b-4cd0-adc6-ab9a0c5f8ccb/TV.JPG Blog - A SPORTY TV ROUNDUP - A SPORTY TV ROUNDUP As much as I like to read ... I love watching TV so I'm going to share some shows I enjoy. These ones are on the sporty side. Full transparency, I'm not a big sports fan (although there's always a game on in my house) but I'm fascinated by athletes. Their backgrounds and sideline antics. Even as a little kid, my brother subscribed to Sports Illustrated and I would read through the cover profiles, because these people are just built on another level. Don't ask me any career statistics, but I might be able to tell you how many siblings someone has, the name of their first born, or what hurdle they had to overcome. QUARTERBACK I've never watched a complete NFL game, and didn't know who any of the players were, yet I loved this series. It focused on 4 NFL quarterbacks through last season. And while many viewers would be absorbing plays and scores ... I loved the differences in housing: Patrick Mahomes is building a mega-mansion in Kansas City with special shelves in the kitchen to showcase his trophies. while Minnesota's Kirk Cousins has a normal suburban two story, albeit with a hidden room to house his hardware. You see the dedication and support these guys need to have to succeed at this level. The other interesting thing to come out of that viewing was I picked up on Mahomes' cute teammate - a guy named Travis Kelce. And as happens when my interest is piqued, I did a deep dive into him on social media, and suddenly became a fan of a football podcast. Again -- because it's athletes talking to athletes, and generally, things get funny. And I like funny. KELCE On the heels of Quarterback, I watched this documentary about Jason Kelce — Travis’ brother and the Eagles' 35 year-old center, and loved it. Talk about differences … In Quarterback, we saw that Patrick Mahomes booked a huge, luxury Phoenix air bnb 3 months before the big game-- just in case they made it. He and his family lounged on a 15 person sectional adjacent to an open plan kitchen and high ceilings. Meanwhile, this doc showed Jason Kelce rolling back to the hotel after having his soul crushed in the big game, and flopping down on one of the queen beds in his regular room, while his two toddlers bounced on him. After watching this show, I was so invested in Jason and Travis Kelce, I should have bought stock. Because the next thing I knew, the Taylor Effect has launched them to virtually their own column on Page Six of the New York post. At dinner the other night, my girlfriends were a little surprised that two months ago I'd never heard of these guys, and now I could be interviewed on ESPN about them. As long as it's not about their stats. TED LASSO I didn't have AppleTV so was very late to the party on this one. I loved it out of the gate. But there were a few odd episodes for me. The one where Ted's assistant coach has a crazy night -- I loved the original movie After Hours (if you haven't seen it, look it up -- 1985 Martin Scorcese,Teri Garr, Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette), but 'Beard After-Hours' was just strange to me. And I also found in the third season the writers didn't really know what to do with the women.They had always seemed to randomly throw women friends in without much reason and then finally it's like they just said: 'Let's make one of them bi-sexual and put her in a lesbian relationship.' To me it was so forced and superfluous I wanted to fast forward through those scenes. And Rebecca, who had been a powerhouse in the first 2 seasons, virtually disappeared. But the show had heart and laughs and one of my all time favorite scenes -- the Darts Game. I've probably watched it on youtube a hundred times. If you get to the series finale, you have to read this article: 25 Callbacks to Previous Episodes of Ted Lasso. WELCOME WREXHAM Like Ted Lasso, but for real. And I've never watched one of these football/soccergames if I wasn't in a TV control room. This show tells how TV guy Rob McElhenney convinced movie guy Ryan Reynolds to buy this UK football team, and then follows their path as they boost up the team and win the support of team-obsessed town. There are moments you couldn't make up if you tried. Again.. not a sports fan, but this isn't really about sports. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS The goat show. (greatest of all time). It was out for a few years before I watched it, largely because, why the f*** would I want to watch a show about high school football. And now I can't even count the reasons. It was gritty, and dramatic. Great characters -- Riggins. Coach. Matt. Street. Riggins.... Texas football, means Texans. And where better to mine for drama than Texas -- Dallas, Giant, Hud. If you need a series to binge watch this winter, this would get you through the cold months https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/the-bandit-queens-by-parini-shroff monthly 0.5 2023-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/27654ac9-6758-4332-a079-3800c5dbbfe8/the+bandit+queens.JPG Blog - THE BANDIT QUEENS BY PARINI SHROFF - THE BANDIT QUEENS BY PARINI SHROFF I don't gravitate toward books that take me to another culture. I think it's because my own culture intrigues me enough. But occasionally I go there. And afterward I always wonder why I don't visit more often. This is the one about Geeta, a late-30's, seemingly widow, in a small village in India where young girls worry about being accosted on their morning trip to the fields to relieve themselves. It seems like it's another century, yet other women watch crime shows on TV and have picked up an understanding of fingerprints and shell casings. I said 'seemingly widow' because everyone in the village presumes Geeta killed her drunk, abusive husband five years ago. Since then she's been an isolated outcast 'mixed with dirt'. But now her reputation is drawing requests for help to get rid of other drunk, abusive husbands. Seeing as she has a knack for it and all. The story weaves in Indian mythology and ideology and is heavily salted with its terminiology. Words like su-su, pallu, kabaddi, Ram, Dalit, thara. But what kept me turning pages, was the wit. There's nothing I like better than reading sharp-tongued women deal with, well, anything. And that's what's at the heart of this book. Smart women making shit happen. Loved it. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/mother-daughter-murder-night-by-nina-simon monthly 0.5 2023-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/d1865acb-5e53-4d70-b8d4-d3bb0b544805/mother+daughter.JPG Blog - MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT BY NINA SIMON - MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT BY NINA SIMON There's buzz about this right now: it's a Reese's book club pick and the TV rights just sold. This is the book where I learned 'slough' is pronounced 'slew' and it's like a tidal marsh. Or something. To be honest, I got kind of lost in the geography and the difference between development rights and land rights, but that’s just me. And it didn't matter, I came for the characters. This is the one about a mother-daughter-granddaughter trio. Lana Rubicon is a high flying LA real estate developer who's forced by cancer to bunk in with her semi-estranged daughter on the edge of a Monterrey slough (slew). She's never even visited before let alone come for an extended stay, so that takes some getting used to. As well, trouble's afoot and Lana delves in for two reasons. One, to make sure her granddaughter isn't blamed and two, to give herself some much needed purpose. I'm looking forward to the movie, because the setting is like a character in this book. And one I'd like to see on screen. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/im-glad-my-mom-died-by-jennette-mccurdy monthly 0.5 2023-09-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/9257ea74-7457-4d76-9cf8-21eb1cf35846/mccurdy.JPG Blog - I’M GLAD MY MOM DIED BY JENNETTE MCCURDY - I’M GLAD MY MOM DIED BY JENNETTE MCCURDY Why do I avoid memoirs? On a scale of 1-10 of what I like to read, they hit about a 1. I think that probably says something about my depth of introspection, and I'm ok with that. But as someone who unequivocally relishes being entertained --- the last 3 memoirs I've read, have been riveting. (this one, Educated, Group) Yet I only read them because of the hype. Thank you, hype. This is the one about the child actress Jennette McCurdy and how she followed her mother up a rocky trail toward Hollywood stardom with pit stops at family drama, manipulation, cancer battles and eating disorders. She followed, until her mother died (from the title, it's not a spoiler) and she eventually found her own path. Super funny and jaw-dropping at the same time. I hated to put it down. An excellent read. (But you'll still never find me browsing in the memoir section) https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/we-were-never-here-by-andrea-bartz monthly 0.5 2023-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/901804d7-33b5-454e-925a-ff0c7a384955/never+here.JPG Blog - WE WERE NEVER HERE BY ANDREA BARTZ - WE WERE NEVER HERE BY ANDREA BARTZ I do love a page turner. This is the one about 30ish Emily and Kristen who take annual exotic trips and hook up with handsome backpackers. This year, in the mountains of Chile, Emily returns to their shared hotel room after giving her friend and her buddy an acceptable 45 minute window, only to discover the male buddy is dead. Crazy thing though, the same thing happened last year in Cambodia, to her own male buddy. What are the chances? Why does this keep happening? And, can they get away with it? Questions that kept me flipping pages into the night. This book might have hit a bit harder for me, because these seemingly disposable male companions remind me of my own sons. Specifically, the one who backpacked through Nepal and India most of last year, and Friday, is leaving on a one-way ticket to Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. It makes me think there might be another story in this scenario. One about the mother whose son goes missing. And I think I may write it. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/we-are-the-light-by-matthew-quick monthly 0.5 2023-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/deab0b0b-753f-432a-86fe-34b9e21ad075/light.JPG Blog - WE ARE THE LIGHT BY MATTHEW QUICK - WE ARE THE LIGHT BY MATTHEW QUICK I'll be honest. There's another book with a similar cover that also has 'light' in the title. I was roaming the cramped shelves of a converted bus at a flea market. It was hot and through the window I spotted a lull at the ice cream kiosk -- so when I glimpsed this novel, I snapped it up. Later, a few pages in, I was curious to see how the author was going to segue us to World War II Europe ... and then I read the back cover. Good things come to those who eat ice cream. This is the one about Lucas Goodgame, who, in the aftermath of a horrific, present day event, writes letters to his Jungian analyst, Karl, pleading for his help. They come to reveal what tragedy unfolded and how the people of the quiet Pennsylvania suburb are trying to move forward in its aftermath. We follow along on Lucas's journey of grief, delusion and ultimatey healing. It is one heck of a ride. I enjoyed every minute of it. Even though it wasn't about World War II Europe. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/cape-may-by-chip-creek monthly 0.5 2023-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/6c54ed7b-21db-4f74-a70a-3ccd22357f13/cape+may.JPG Blog - CAPE MAY BY CHIP CHEEK - CAPE MAY BY CHIP CHEEK This is a slim, spicy read that sucks you right in. This is the one about the launch of Henry and Effie's marriage. It's 1957 and not understanding the concept of resort towns' 'off seasons', the young couple is honeymooning in deserted Cape May. At first it's perfect, as they roam the quiet streets discovering the town and each other. But just as boredom sets in they cross paths with a more worldly group, from down the road. The earnest, naive couple join their party, and it changes the course of their tender union, forever. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/the-paper-palace-by-miranda-cowley-heller monthly 0.5 2023-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/813ed9db-4cf4-4f91-ad93-8c13ebb7c9ce/palace.JPG Blog - THE PAPER PALACE BY MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER - THE PAPER PALACE BY MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER Whoa. Now that's a book. This is the one about Elle, a 50 year-old wife and mother who's spending another summer at the family's rustic Cape Cod camp. The story flips back and forth between the 24 hours following her having sex with her childhood friend against a cabin wall, while their mothers and spouses sipped grappa around the kitchen table, and the 50 years that led to that point. I love stories set in sand dunes and Manhattan apartments with doormen. Where a teenage girl can stand in her bedroom and look across their central courtyard and into the kitchen to watch her mother down a glass of wine in one gulp. Where parents switch out partners like square dancers and inconvenient children get sent somewhere else. And where families have secrets. Not a thriller, nor a whodunit ....but a pageturner nonetheless. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/how-to-kill-your-family-by-bella-mackie monthly 0.5 2023-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/45d09fd8-a73a-4a24-a5ae-d992de07d7ae/family.JPG Blog - HOW TO KILL YOUR FAMILY BY BELLA MACKIE - HOW TO KILL YOUR FAMILY BY BELLA MACKIE A couple weeks ago I liked a romance book. That surprised me because THIS kind of book is more my jam. Smart, sassy, a touch dark. Books with lines like this describing a 20-something influencer type: "...she spends fifteen minutes at 7 p.m., nightly answering hard-hitting questions from fans like 'how is your hair so shiny' which she answers with the intensity and seriousness of someone testifying at a war crimes tribunal." This is the one about Grace Bernard whose life goals to-do list is repeated on the back cover: kill my family, make a claim on their fortune, get away with the above, and adopt a dog. For context, Grace doesn't really know her family. Her father is a wealthy, London playboy who deserted Grace's mother as a young, pregnant woman and left her to raise their daughter alone. Now an adult, Grace tracks him and his own family down, killing them one-by-one, leaving her father for her coup de grace. (kind of an ironic term) If you like dark and funny, you'll like this. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/romantic-comedy-by-curtis-sittenfeld monthly 0.5 2023-08-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/670a5ea3-6fd9-48e1-953b-599a2125814e/romantic+comedy.JPG Blog - ROMANTIC COMEDY BY CURTIS SITTENFELD - ROMANTIC COMEDY BY CURTIS SITTENFELD I don't know if I've read one since I was a teenager, and while I enjoy a smart rom-com movie, I have never been drawn toward a romance novel. But following good reviews and buzz, I ordered this one. And.I.Loved.It. It.Made.Me.Feel.Great. When was the last time a book did that for me? Actually lifted my heart and made me smile ear-to-ear? I was seriously rooting for Sally and Noah. This is the one about Sally Millz, a writer on a show similar to SNL. I've read most of the author's source material, and like her, have watched for years so enjoyed that whole world building. Then bring in Noah Brewster. He's a music star, and I've met plenty of them and found the curiosity and choreography that surrounds that type of talent is a story unto itself. Finally, introduce Sally and Noah, and we have a plot. Interestingly, the thing I was most surprised about was the treatment of Covid. I'm an avid listener to a podcast co-hosted by two literary agents and they've routinely advised authors to ignore the pandemic, saying publishing isn't interested in it, so steer clear of it. But this story addresses it head on. How, for some, when the world stopped, something grew. Bottom line -- if you need a pick-me-up, pick up Romantic Comedy. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/yellowface-by-rf-kuang monthly 0.5 2023-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/93ea2d6e-dbe3-4750-a361-14a7517129e6/yellowface.JPG Blog - YELLOWFACE BY R.F. KUANG - YELLOWFACE BY R.F. KUANG This book has to win awards for cover design. It is perfection. Couple that with an opening line that made me suck in my breath: "The night I watch Athena Liu die we're celebrating her TV deal with Netflix.", and I was invested. This is the one about young novelist June Hayward, who, in the wake of witnessing that first-line-death makes some dubious decisions as she forges her path in the publishing world. Starting with, stealing her dead friend's manuscript and passing it off as her own. It's a twisty-turny multi-layered journey that explores many things starting with what a person could do if they want something so badly. It's fast and deep. And current, dealing with issues of racism, diversity and cultural appropriation. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/lily-and-the-octopus-by-steven-rowley monthly 0.5 2023-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/0fb7f72b-5b8c-48af-8626-5652b36c7d1a/lily.JPG Blog - LILY AND THE OCTOPUS BY STEVEN ROWLEY - LILY AND THE OCTOPUS BY STEVEN ROWLEY I.Did.Not.Want.To.Read.This.Book. At first. Oh, I heard about it when it was published in 2016, but the story of a man whose dog has an octopus on her head was so absurd, it didn't interest me. (sorry, sometimes I fail at being open minded). Perhaps it was because I've never liked dachshunds. (Apologies to Rover and Toby -- but black lab mixes have always been my jam - shout out to Riley, Ranger and Scout xoxoxoxo) But then an unattractive, scruffy, middle-aged-corgi-mix-rescue-mutt of dubious proportions came to be fostered and wormed his way into becoming a love of my life. My idea of canine beauty changed. Significantly. But with those intense feelings toward my four-legged friend (named Kramer -- he has a wild hair-do), I was now too scared to read about a dog with an octopus on her head, and an unsure outcome. But I've come to learn my life is largely governed by FOMO, and after reading Steven Rowley's latest book The Celebrants, I bit the bullet. And I'm begrudgingly glad I did. This is the one about Ted, the middle-aged guy who's missing out on life, except for the excellent companionship of Lily, his aging dachshund. As Ted tells Lily, "Since the day I met you, you have done nothing but make my life better in every possible way." I look at my Kramer, and although I never wanted him and didn't think I could keep him, I can say the same words to him. Some people get it, and some don't. But, I think, any novel that celebrates that bond, is worth reading. So I'm glad I opened my mind for this book. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/the-celebrants-by-steven-rowley monthly 0.5 2023-07-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/3a7eac3d-c8d8-4a5d-9896-93331829dbed/celebrants.JPG Blog - THE CELEBRANTS BY STEVEN ROWLEY - THE CELEBRANTS BY STEVEN ROWLEY If you were old enough to drive in 1983, you probably saw The Big Chill on the big screen. And if you're anything like me, you loved it. Yellowstone has made Kevin Costner the current biggest star to come out of that film, even though our only glimpse of him was his chest and hands as he was dressed in the coffin. (And I emphasize current, because there was also Glenn Close, Kevin Kline and Jeff Goldblum). But it was a great story of college friends mourning one of their own. The Celebrants is as if The Big Chill had a baby that year. Same vibes, different style of jeans. This is the one about Jordan and Jordy, Naomi, Craig and Marielle. We meet them in Big Sur just after the funeral of their sixth member Alec, and just before they graduate from Berkeley. There, they make "The Pact" - a commitment to convene whenever one of them needs to be reminded they're loved. To be encouraged to not cash in their chips. We follow them over the next decades as they trigger the pact in their times of crisis. I got this as an audio book, and have ordered the hard copy from the library because for some scenes (the skydiving!!) I want to see the words on the page and move through them at my own pace. I read Steven Rowley was funny, and as I drove the backroads to the cottage, I was laughing out loud and hitting rewind. 'Let me hear that again'. Much like I've rewatched The Big Chill, and wished I could have been one of their gang, I have the same feeling with The Celebrants. And because I like to laugh, I've already ordered Lily and the Octopus and The Guncle. Stay tuned for those reviews. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/apples-never-fall-by-liane-moriarty monthly 0.5 2023-07-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/c3c7af25-06f3-4956-9197-59c452e82565/apples.JPG Blog - apples never fall by liane moriarty - APPLES NEVER FALL BY LIANE MORIARTY Well, Liane has never done me wrong yet. Not since I first stumbled across her in my parents' Florida condo library back around 2010. Since that day I've known I'd never be bored at the pool as long as I had one of her novels in hand. This is the one about Stan and Joy Delaney and their four kids. Retired tennis instructors in Sydney, they're unsettled in their new life, when a desperate, unexpected, seemingly harmless visitor knocks on their door one night. The ripple effect of their offer of refuge extends to their four adult children. When Joy goes missing, foul play is suspected and family secrets are unearthed. This is what's called a propulsive plot. You keep turning pages to find out what happens next. I don't recommend starting it if you're expected to cook dinner. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/mw7qyhabkqnm9v48dghen9g748upb1 monthly 0.5 2023-07-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/04c7674a-9428-4bfe-adb1-6a394b5a9ba9/pineapple.JPG Blog - pineapple street by jenny jackson - PINEAPPLE STREET BY JENNY JACKSON Everybody has that one friend...or knows someone who does...that is uber wealthy. Or, you follow them on Instagram. Either way, they fascinate us, or at least me. So for me, this book was a 300 page post to keep scrolling through. This is the one about the wealthy Stockton family from Brooklyn. The sisters Darley and Georgina are the type that old school chums eavesdrop on at the coffee shop, while they sit in their tennis whites and gold jewelry and chat to their mom. Sister-in-law Sasha has moved into their newly vacated family home and must contend with their predilection that it remain as it was when they moved out. Even worse, her mother-in-law comes for dinner and brings an alternate main course. The petty bitchiness is so understated the poor girl can't legitimately lash out, so she's forced to endure it. I'm fuming just thinking about it ... and you've got to love a book that gets that kind of rise. No bodies turn up on the yacht, no mistresses threaten blackmail. Their trials and tribulations are more trivial than tragic, but they still make for a good ride. And the author blurbs read like a who's who off my bookshelf -- Nick Hornby, Helen Fielding, Kevin Kwan, Nita Prose, Ashley Audrain. So all in all, a great summer read. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/pcktpsrkcksj9ldybtc1wmkokq08nv monthly 0.5 2023-07-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/bc49da75-d889-4aaf-b9cb-ff685d99a0eb/the+soulmate.JPG Blog - THE SOULMATE BY SALLY HEPWORTH - THE SOULMATE BY SALLY HEPWORTH I started reading this book 27 hours ago. Since then I've walked Kramer three times, finished the last 3 episodes of season three of Happy Valley (highly recommend), slept, worked a bit, went to the beach for a swim and finished this book. They were a stellar 27 hours. This is the one told in two POV's. Pippa, the wills lawyer who lives in a small, coastal Australian town (I'm soon headed down the Air bnb rabbit hole) with her husband Gabe and two young daughters. And Amanda, talking to the reader after she plummets to her death from the cliff behind Pippa's house. As the back cover says, it's about marriage, betrayal and secrets, and as the author says herself - Although Sally Hepworth has written several 'funny books about family and murder', this is the first I've read and it won't be the last. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/lucky-by-marissa-stapley monthly 0.5 2023-07-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/83f0bc5e-ec2f-46fa-b7af-1efe6a1977e8/lucky.JPG Blog - LUCKY BY MARISSA STAPLEY - LUCKY BY MARISSA STAPLEY While I'm catching up on my mini reviews ... this has been around for a minute, but it's worth the visit if you missed it. I was lucky enough to meet the author at an event she hosted, and she was spectacularly gracious. This is the one about beautiful, young Lucky Armstrong who was raised by a single dad as a part of his con artist team (reminded me of the Paper Moon dynamic where Tatum O'Neal became the youngest actress to win an Oscar.) The dad ends up in jail, Lucky ends up with a new partner and a secret burning a hole in her pocket-- it's the winning ticket for a mega millions lottery. But given her complicated past, she can't just stroll into the office and pick up her prize. I love a story where good people do bad things, and bad people do even worse. And this is one of those tales. Full disclosure --I've written one of my own and am querying it (pitching in layman's terms) and this book is what they call a comp --- a good comparison to my story. It's been sitting on my desk for the past year as healthy inspiration. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/xshg689x4q28bh2z36q3ix0op6nntp monthly 0.5 2023-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/3f0d25e6-3ad1-4eb2-86b5-09bc4c6b50f5/the+maid.JPG Blog - the maid by nita prose - THE MAID I read this a while ago, but now that I’m back to posting the books I’m reading, I had to include The Maid. One of my favorite novels of all time is Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – I posted a review in May 2019 and if you haven’t read it yet, treat yourself – and Eleanor and Molly could be sisters, or at least cousins. This is the one about 25-year-old Molly the Maid (and she acknowledges that irony) who works at a London hotel and struggles with the grey areas of life – the social nuances, the unspoken meanings -- but thrives in the black and white areas of thorough vacuuming and neatly made beds. But when she finds a wealthy and infamous guest, dead in his room, she becomes the lead suspect in his murder, and learns to accept help in navigating the grey. I think I read this in two sittings, and Nita has written a prequel that’s coming out this winter– The Mystery Guest https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/mini-book-review-amp-a-little-opinion monthly 0.5 2023-06-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/8be7b786-86c6-4932-8420-9c12eda0cecd/chemistry.JPG Blog - LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY BY BONNIE GARMUS Every book club I know is reading or has read this, and with good reason — It’s snappy and validating Everyone loves an underdog, but when you’re delegated to that kennel merely because of your gender … well, we’ve all come a long way since then. I hope. This is the one set in the 60’s about Elizabeth Zott who is ousted from her preferred career as a chemist and falls into starring in an unorthodox cooking show, where she does more than make pot roast —she helps women show up for their lives. Aside from being a fantastic read, I am loving this novel’s success for two reasons, I love the story it tells on sex & age. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/xhjlb8qvy9pa3q4jzbprv975pogsyo monthly 0.5 2023-06-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/620c2acb-3161-46e5-91fe-af6c4b3b248b/killed+someone.jpg Blog - EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE BY BENJAMIN STEVENSON This popped up in my search for best-selling dark humour, and when I saw blurbs from two of my favorite authors -- Jane Harper & Karin Slaughter -- I was in. This is the one about Ern, the thirty-something guy behind How-to-Write-a-Mystery manuals whose brother is getting out of prison and there's a family reunion at a secluded ski resort in Australia. (All my hours of watching House Hunters International, I'd never once seen an Australian ski lodge, so I had no idea there was such a thing -- but hey — that's why we read.) It's a big family, and it's not a spoiler to say, everyone's killed someone (it's surprising how different motives and methods makes that more plausible than you'd think). Some deaths were before the book starts, and are rehashed, some happen on the page and while it's a bit more Glass-Onion-deduction than I'd anticipated, it's told in such a fresh way, you keep flippin' the pages. https://www.suehincenbergs.com/blog/thankyoubruce monthly 0.5 2023-04-04 https://www.suehincenbergs.com/home daily 1.0 2025-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/913755be-9c94-4eb0-aa68-41299fc5cc8d/IMG_1785+2.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/9ffd669d-e24e-43a2-a6ed-3dda207327e9/TRP-3D-Packshot.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/50123bdd-91d4-4afa-b4b5-c3b820bc5d7c/HEADSHOT+SNIPPED.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/7c3684e2-9d83-461c-b3b7-0b2a1540bc2c/Article+with+Bookseller+heading.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/bcbd7302-cafa-498b-a3b9-cb20738da898/keyboard+middle+space.jpg https://www.suehincenbergs.com/pre-order daily 0.75 2024-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/72f673e5-fbb0-4c41-bf0d-6ad5df1710b0/The+Retirement+Plan+-+Cover+%281%29.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/72f673e5-fbb0-4c41-bf0d-6ad5df1710b0/The+Retirement+Plan+-+Cover+%281%29.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/72f673e5-fbb0-4c41-bf0d-6ad5df1710b0/The+Retirement+Plan+-+Cover+%281%29.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/72f673e5-fbb0-4c41-bf0d-6ad5df1710b0/The+Retirement+Plan+-+Cover+%281%29.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/72f673e5-fbb0-4c41-bf0d-6ad5df1710b0/The+Retirement+Plan+-+Cover+%281%29.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6383aff3a436d13e2be232e5/72f673e5-fbb0-4c41-bf0d-6ad5df1710b0/The+Retirement+Plan+-+Cover+%281%29.png