Sunshine, secrets, and swoon-worthy stories—June's featured reads are your perfect summer escape.

Joanna Campbell Slan

Award-winning and National Bestselling author Joanna Campbell Slan is the creator of the Kiki Lowenstein Mysteries (an Agatha Award Finalist) and The Jane Eyre Chronicles. She also writes two other mystery series. In her past life, Joanna was a television talk show host, an adjunct professor of public relations, a sought-after motivational speaker, and a corporate speechwriter. She is the mother of Michael Slan, a professional poker player, and she is married to David Slan, CEO of Steinway Piano Gallery-DC. The Slans and their two dogs make their home on Jupiter Island, Florida. Visit Joanna’s website at www.JoannaSlan.com

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18 comments posted.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (10:22am October 15, 2013):

Great! Because then you could start on Death of a Dowager, the second book in the series!

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:13am October 15, 2013):

Kathy, Darci, Penny, and Denise. I wish you all luck! And remember, if you don't win it, you can always hit the BUY button and own it in nuttin' flat. Ah, I bet C. B. would have approved this message.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:54pm October 14, 2013):

Kathie, I flew in, did my thing at Buder, and hopped back on a plane. So I'm sorry that I missed you, too! But I loved seeing "the Lou" and the wonderful librarians at Buder, especially my pal Jim Moses.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:38pm October 14, 2013):

Mary, to figure out what her life would be like after their marriage, I did a lot of reading about the times. In the second book in the series--Death of a Dowager--I go into stories about George IV. Did you know that he died with a locket around his neck? And that the ribbon on it was worn and tattered? It held a picture of...well...I won't tell you!

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:36pm October 14, 2013):

Laura, I would appreciate that. In fact, I would urge all of you to let your library know if you hear of a book/s that you would like them to purchase. I was just visiting a library in St. Louis two weeks ago, and my librarian friends reminded me that they don't always know about every good book. So your input is valuable.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:35pm October 14, 2013):

Marsha and Cece, I believe the mystery is strong in this book. You see, I thought I knew whodunit, but as I wrote that changed. So the ending was rather a surprise to me, too! However, it was grounded in facts. I read a wonderful book called Governess by Ruth Brandon, and I combined several stories of real governesses to make up my mystery.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:33pm October 14, 2013):

Jenne, bless you. This publishing world is changing, and I am changing, too. So your encouragement means more than you can guess.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:32pm October 14, 2013):

Linda, I loved revisiting them, especially when you re-read the ending of the original as often as I did. You realize that Edward is no longer a wounded beast. Jane has new pride and self-confidence. They need each other, but in that wonderful synergistic way that happily married people do.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:31pm October 14, 2013):

Dawn, if you like chills, you'll love this. I added a touch of goth. Just a smidgeon!

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:30pm October 14, 2013):

Kai, you are very perceptive. Jane could have married St. John Rivers, but she refused. Women of the times NEVER would have refused as she did. Especially when the woman had so little to offer in terms of family and dowry as Jane did. Then to go back and tell Edward that she'd live next to him rather than leave him? Unheard of! Really a book very far ahead of the times.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:28pm October 14, 2013):

Susan, as part of my research I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about C. Bronte. Fascinating, dark stuff. I was thrilled when the Bronte blog actually liked my book! (I was so scared because I figured they would be the hardest people to please, but I felt like that old commercial, "Mikey likes it!")

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:27pm October 14, 2013):

Patricia, Jean, and Sue--what's better than a love story? More love, I suppose!

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:26pm October 14, 2013):

Juli, even if you haven't read the original, you could read my book. I hoped, however, that it would bring readers back to the original. Particularly, I hoped that young women might read about Jane and be encouraged to continue their own educations.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:24pm October 14, 2013):

Vennie, Tamara, Denise, and Mary--it's always so hard to pick a good short excerpt. Glad you liked this.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:23pm October 14, 2013):

Pam and Felicia, yes, I did challenge you! It's fascinating to think about what our fiction would be like without Jane Eyre's influence.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:22pm October 14, 2013):

Nancy, thank you.
Sharon--the award is registered with the du Maurier Estate, as I understand it, so it's a HUGE thrill for me to be the winner.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:21pm October 14, 2013):

Bonnie and Peggy, I think fall is the perfect time to read Death of a Schoolgirl because it's about a school, and about the impact teachers have.

Re: Death Of A Schoolgirl (9:20pm October 14, 2013):

Thank you all for your kind interest. I always loved Jane Eyre, as many of you obviously do, too. And I always wondered what happened next in their lives. I hope that my continuation will answer that question!