Books & Looks: Real Books for Real Readers was started as a podcast to supplement Blaine Desantis’ website, ViewsOnBooks.com, and expand into audio and video interviews with authors.
With Books & Looks, Blaine’s goal is to focus on real books that real people will read. At least half of the books he reviews are either new authors or unknown authors that many in the general public are unaware of. After a segment reviewing books or interviewing authors, Blaine ends each episode with a discussion of the movies and TV shows he is currently watching.
This Week’s Episode
Amy Jo Burns is the acclaimed author of the novel Mercury, a captivating story that delves into the complex dynamics of a family of roofers in the small town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. With a background in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University, Amy Jo brings a unique perspective to her storytelling, crafting richly layered characters and exploring themes of secrets, redemption, and the power of choice.
Discussed in this Episode:
- The inspiration behind Mercury and the significance of the roofing profession
- Strategies for creating a vivid sense of place and capturing small-town life
- The role of secrets and revelations in driving the narrative forward
- Lessons learned from writing a multi-generational family saga
- Insights on character development, theme, and structuring a novel across multiple timelines
Links:
Listen to the latest episode of Books & Looks:
About Blaine Desantis:
Blaine is an avid lifetime reader, a retired attorney, and has been a book club leader for the past seven years. He is an active teacher in senior education classes at Furman University. Blaine loves fiction, nonfiction, histories, mysteries and almost all genres of books.
