Long Beach Public Library

February’s authors will leave you spellbound as they share about the real-life and fictional women who shaped their latest books. Don’t forget about the live Q&A after each talk where you can join the conversation with the authors. The events are held on the dates listed below and will be recorded, so sign up and submit your questions even if you can’t attend live!

Lana Harper, Back in a Spell 
Thursday, February 9 @ 4 PM PST 

Tune in for a magical evening with New York Times bestselling author Lana Harper as she discusses the enchanting third installment of her immensely popular The Witches of Thistle Grove series, Back in a Spell.

Back in a Spell follows Nineve Blackmoore (known by Nina by most) after a year of nursing a broken heart inflicted by the fiancée who all but ditched her at the altar, Nina goes on a date with Morty Gutierrez, the nonbinary, offbeat soul of spontaneity and co-owner of the Shamrock Cauldron. Their date goes about as well as can be expected of most first dates—awkward and terrible. To make matters worse, once Morty discovers Nina’s last name, he’s far from a fan; it turns out that the Blackmoores have been bullishly trying to buy the Shamrock out from under Morty and his family. But when Morty begins developing magical powers at the same time that Nina’s own magic surges beyond her control, Nina must manage Morty’s rude awakening to the hidden magical world, uncover its cause, and face the intensity of their own burgeoning connection. But what happens when that connection is tied to Nina’s power surge, a power she’s finding nearly as addictive as Morty’s presence in her life? 

Send in your questions for Lana Harper and check out her entire Witches of Thistle Grove Series.

Grace M. Cho, Tastes Like War 
Thursday, February 16 @ 10 AM PST 

You don’t want to miss an insightful chat with award-winning author Grace M. Cho as she discusses her memoir, Tastes Like War: A Memoir.  

Grace M. Cho grew up as the daughter of a white American merchant marine and the Korean bar hostess he met abroad. They were one of few immigrants in a xenophobic small town during the Cold War, where identity was politicized by everyday details—language, cultural references, memories, and food. When Grace was fifteen, her dynamic mother experienced the onset of schizophrenia, a condition that would continue and evolve for the rest of her life. Part food memoir, part sociological investigation, Tastes Like War is a hybrid text about a daughter’s search through intimate and global history for the roots of her mother’s schizophrenia. 

Send in your questions for Dr. Grace M. Cho and check out Tastes Like War.

Sadeqa Johnson, The House of Eve 
Tuesday, February 28 @ 1 PM PST 

We look forward to seeing you for an invigorating conversation with highly acclaimed author Sadeqa Johnson as she talks about her latest historical fiction novel, The House of Eve! 

Fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college, despite having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising her daughter. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed onto her like a birthright. 

Eleanor Quarles arrived in Washington DC with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DC’s elite wealthy Black families, and his parents don’t just let anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in William’s family and grant her the life she’s been searching for. But having a baby—and fitting in—is easier said than done. 

The lives of these two women collide in the most unexpected way as they both face life altering decisions. The House of Eve is a fast-paced, harrowing story that hinges on what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal. 

Send in your questions for Sadeqa Johnson and check out The House of Eve and her other award-winning books. 

The Library's virtual author talk series is supported by the efforts of the Long Beach Public Library Foundation and its generous donors.