We chat with Laura Rudacille, author of this month's book, CATCHING STARS. She is an author and event speaker, specializing in women’s enrichment. Laura has written five novels and contributed inspirational articles to four publications. She’s a licensed cosmetologist and salon owner in York, Pennsylvania. Yes, that’s where Linny lives! For ten years, Laura served as choreographer for a local high school theater program. Laura tells us she was never too much of a reader because she hated being told in school what she had to read. As a hair salon owner, she observed her clients’ reading books while their hair was drying or processing. Nora Roberts was a favorite. Then Laura found out that Nora lives nearby in Maryland. She went to some events Nora hosted and she found out Nora is just a regular person who took up writing when her kids were driving her crazy during a snowstorm. Later after Laura began trying to write, Laura’s mom brought her a box full of writing she had done that she had forgotten about. So, she was a writer as a youngster. Laura handwrote her first book, but a friend transcribed the book into digital form and urged Laura to get it published. Laura realizes now that she has always been an observer of people. She is a conversationalist, of course, behind her salon chair so she tends to be conversationally-driven. HERE’S THE THING was her first book. Her 9th grade English teacher gave her an exhaustive review that helped her improve it. One year, Laura’s family was vacationing in Chincoteague Island where she was inspired to envision a four-book series. She published SALTWATER COWBOY, the first book of the series. Then LATE TO BREAKFAST, and CATCHING STARS. She wrote INVISIBLE WOMAN, a woman’s fictional celebration about coming into her 40s. She thought another book of the series would be WAITING FOR SOMEDAY, but she skipped it and it is forthcoming, set in Philadelphia but with a visit to Chincoteague Island. Linny regales Nancy with stories of her recent trip to the shore near Chincoteague. Nancy updates Linny on her tennis game. Laughs abound.

It’s the summer of great beach reads on the Front Porch! This month we travel to Chincoteague Island. And, Linny this very next weekend is, in real life, on her way to the shore right near Chincoteague! But, in our book this month, CATCHING STARS, Lindy Colton tries to forget her violent father by leaving her beloved mom and their home on Chincoteague Island to chase her dream of becoming a famous potter. Soon, she seems to be achieving all she could ever desire, including an engagement to the rich, charismatic Hayward Livingston. But, as that relationship curdles into a replica of her mother’s abuse at the hands of Lindy’s father, Lindy travels back to Chincoteague Island to rediscover who she is and where is home. Nancy and Linny talk about the themes of intergenerational domestic violence and why they love the characters of Celeste and Tucker. Nancy recalls her recent pottery throwing class and Linny reminisces about her high school experience snaking a lump of clay into a mug.

In this episode, we’re discussing a brand-new book titled I WILL BLOSSOM ANYWAY by Disha Bose. This is a book about a young expat, Durga, who has moved from her native Calcutta, India to Ireland. Durga comes from an educated, middle-class family that observes traditional Indian ways, including “arranged” marriages. Durga is anxious to escape what she thinks of as the confines of her family and learn who she is without them around telling her who she must be. However, leaving their opinions behind is not as easy as she thinks it will be. This novel explores cultural differences and family conflicts but in a tender way. It would be a great beach read.

Today we interview Erica Slason about THE HEAVEN AND EARTH GROCERY STORE, by James McBride, and its setting in Pottstown, PA. Erica Slason joined the Historical Society of Montgomery County as archivist in 2022. Pottstown is in Montgomery County. Erica has written about the historical Pottstown portrayed in THE HEAVEN AND EARTH GROCERY STORE. We visit with Erica about the Pottstown portrayed by James McBride and learn there really is a Chicken Hill neighborhood and that Pottstown did experience an immigration boom during the 1910s-30s. In fact, Erica tells us, those interested in learning about Pottstown from that era wouldn’t go wrong in reading this book. Erica and Nancy discover many similarities between them: alma mater, musical instruments, and an affinity for spending childhood recesses in the library. Erica foregrounds for us the experience of those whose stories are not told as often as Christian White men’s stories, and also tells us what an archivist actually does! We also laugh.

We're dropping this episode a week earlier than usual since Nancy is heading to Boulder. And, we can't wait to introduce you to James McBride's recent novel - THE HEAVEN AND EARTH GROCERY STORE. This is a book about community and relationships, good and bad, in 1920s-30s Pottstown, Pennsylvania. We meet and grow to love the "outcast" people who live in the Chicken Hill neighborhood. These are the immigrants from other countries, the formerly enslaved people from the South, the non-Protestants (e.g., the Jews and the Catholics), and the poor. The first half of the book is almost a short story collection about these characters, each of whom steps forward for a momentary starring role. About half way through the book, the novel begins circling around the story of two of the characters: Chona, the proprietor of the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, and Dodo, a young orphan boy recently deafened by an exploding stove. It's almost like a jazz piece, perhaps not a surprise given that James McBride is a jazz musician.

Allegra Goodman, author of ISOLA joins us on the front porch. Allegra is the author of seven novels. ISOLA was a Reese’s Book Club selection. Her novel SAM was a Read With Jenna Book Club selection. KAATERSKILL FALLS was a National Book Award finalist. THE CHALK ARTIST was winner of the Massachusetts Book Award. Her other books include INTUITION, THE COOKBOOK COLLECTOR, and PARADISE PARK. Allegra tells us about the 20-year gestation period for writing ISOLA, the "inspired by a fragmentary true story" novel about Marguerite, an orphaned noble in Renaissance France. We were fascinated to hear about Allegra's exploration of the danger of being a girl and how she wove that into Marguerite's story. We also talked about the realistic portrayal of Marguerite's faith journey. Allegra tells us she enjoys writing about belief and doubt and that was a key part of Marguerite's story. If you've ever wondered about the creative and research process of writing a novel, you'll enjoy this episode. We also have some hearty laughs!

ISOLA, a brand-new novel by Allegra Goodman, takes us to Renaissance France and into the life of Marguerite, a child heir to a fortune. Unfortunately for Marguerite, her deceased parents' choice for her guardian means her life does not unfold as one of prosperity and gentility. Instead, her guardian fritters away her wealth on his desire to settle New France (i.e., Canada). Marguerite is caught up in his ambitious plans and when she objects, she is left to die on a deserted Canadian island with her nanny and a man who loves her. Aside from the beautiful writing, the most amazing thing about this story, perhaps, is it was inspired by a true story. ISOLA was a Reese's Book Club Pick, a national best-seller, and was also recommended by a friend of Nancy's. It's a good one!

We are so excited to interview Eowyn Ivey about her latest book, BLACK WOODS, BLUE SKY. Eowyn was raised in Alaska and continues to live there with her husband and two daughters. Her debut novel, THE SNOW CHILD, has sold more than a million copies worldwide and is a New York Times bestseller published in more than 25 languages and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Our book, BLACK WOODS, BLUE SKY is hot off the presses - having just been published last month. This book transports us to Alaska and the remote wilderness where everyone may not be exactly who they seem to be. Birdie, a young mom, is trying to carve out a life for herself and her 6-year-old daughter, Emaleen. Arthur, a mysterious man who rarely comes to town, seems to offer everything Birdie has dreamed of. In our interview, We have a blast talking with Eowyn about the amazing character and setting of this story. Nancy gets to talk about Sandhill cranes, who also make an appearance. We also talk about the similarities between Eowyn's writing and that of one of our recent author, Louise Erdrich. We are thrilled to hear about Eowyn and Erdrich's relationship. By the end of the interview, Eowyn tells Linny and Nancy they'd fit right in at one of her community's solstice parties. Our bags are packed!!