Conversations' Author of the Year 2013-14: Melissa de la Cruz

Photo © Denise Bovee

by Cyrus Webb

In 2013 there was one author that kept coming to mind when I thought about a storyteller with heart, a passion for her characters and the ability to take us to another world yet remind us of who we are in our own... bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

She has captivated readers of romance, mystery and the supernatural---and kept us coming back time and again. In this year alone she has been able to see her success rewarded in a big way: her beloved Witches of East End series coming to Lifetime television network.

Through Blue Bloods and now East End we are given characters that are powerful yet broken, yearning for something while in the process of losing it all. Who couldn't relate to individuals like that? And they all came from the creative mind that is de la Cruz.

Conversation salutes not just Melissa's literary skills but her example of excellence, determination and love of the craft. Listen to our interview on Conversations LIVE about her career and series here: www.tinyurl.com/melissadelacruz.

Find out more about Melissa de la Cruz at www.melissa-delacruz.com. She can also be found on Twitter at www.twitter.com/melissadelacruz.

Conversations' 10 Great Literary Finds with Young Readers In Mind for 2013

In 2013 Conversations Book Club had the pleasure of reading some great books that were designed for young readers.

Here are the Top 10 Great Literary Finds with Young Readers in Mind for 2013:

(Listed in no particular order)

1. "Second Impact" by David Klass & Perri Klass (Farrar Straus Giroux)
2. "Teardrop" by Lauren Kate (Delacorte Press/Random House)
3. "Eggplant Alley" by D. M. Cataneo (Bunker Hill Publishing)
4. "Odessa Again" by Dana Reinhardt (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House)
5. "As Fast As Words Could Fly" by Pamela M. Tuck (Lee & Low Books)
6. "Losing It" by Erin Fry (Amazon Children's Publishing)
7. "Blue Bloods: The Graphic Novel" by Melissa de la Cruz (Hyperion)
8. "The Moon Is Broken!" by Monique B. Martin (Freret Media Group)
9. "A Child's Christmas in New England" by Robert Sullivan (Bunker Hill Publishing)
10. "Vote" by Gary Paulsen (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House)

To find more of Conversations Book Club's choices for all ages visit www.conversationsbookclub.com. 

Cyrus Webb Reveals Conversations' Top 50 Non-Fiction Titles of 2013

Conversations Book Club President Cyrus Webb is always looking for ways to inspire those that he meets, and when he reads a book that fits that bill he can't wait to share it. For this years top non-fiction reads, however, he ran into a wonderful problem: too many books to name!

"This has been one of the greatest years for books," Webb, 38, says.  "I've been a reader all my life, and this year I saw authors sharing themselves and telling stories in a way that I know is going to inspire others around the world."

For the Top 50 Non-Fiction titles Webb relied on his love of powerful biographies and autobiographies as well as books that were powerful motivating tools. It is his hope they will become fan favorites for readers and spark conversations wherever they go.

Conversations' Top 50 Non-Fiction Titles of 2013
   (Listed in no particular order)

1. "From Lemons to Lemonade" by Chicken Soup for the Soul (CSS Publishing)
2. "Always Look on the Bright Side" by Allen Klein (Viva Editions)
3. "What Are You Waiting For?" by Kristen Moeller (Viva Editions)
4. "The One Year Book of Amish Peace" by Tricia Goyer (Tyndale)
5. "Doc" by Dwight Gooden (New Harvest)
6. "Winning From Within" by Erica Ariel Fox (Harper Business)
7. "Life Check" by Robin Marvel (Marvelous Spirit Press)
8. "Imperfect Spirituality" by Polly Campbell (Viva Editions)
9. "Hillbilly Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus (New Harvest)
10. "Living a Life of Gratitude" by Sara Wiseman (Llewellyn Books)
11. "Not Quite Healed" by Cecil Murphey & Gary Roe (Kregel Publications)
12. "The Wealth of My Mother's Wisdom" by Terrence J (HarperCollins)
13. "Conquer Your Stress with Mind/Body Techniques" by Kathy Gruver (Infinity Publishing)
14. "Living and Dying in Brick City" by Sampson Davis (Spiegel & Grau)
15. "Blindsided by the Walking Dead" by IronE Singleton (Myriad Press)
16. "Miss Anne In Harlem" by Carla Kaplan (Harper Collins)
17. "Raising Dough" by Elizabeth U (Chelsea Green)
18. "Business Brilliant" by Lewis Schiff (Harper Business)
19. "Mr. Joe: Tales of a Haunted Life" by Joseph Barnett and Jane Congdon (Bettie Youngs Books)
20. "The Facebook Diet" by Gemini Adams (Live Consciously Publishing)
21. "Break Your Addiction to Conflict" by Nathan J. Snow (Snowday Press)
22. "The Smart Shopper Diabetes Cookbook" by Robyn Webb (American Diabetes Assoc)
23. "Get Back Up" by Sheryl Giesbrecht (Wheatmark)
24. "Walk In Their Shoes" by Jim Ziolkowski (Simon & Schuster)
25. "Common Sense in Uncommon Times" by Brian Crissey & Pamela Crissey (Granite Publishing)
26. "Mother Daughter Me" by Katie Hafner (Random House)
27. "Nothing In New England is New" by Rick Lupert (Ain't Got No Press)
28. "For Underdogs Only" by Kim G. Robinson (FUO)
29. "Mountain Air" by Holli Kenley (Loving Healing Press)
30. "After the Fall" by Craig Demartino (Kregel Publications)
31. "Personhood Revisited" by Howard W. Jones (Langdon Street Press)
32. "The Family" by David Laskin (Viking)
33. "Ditzabled Princess" by Jewel Kats (Marvelous Spirit Press)
34. "Long Journey Home" by Lucy Lipiner (iUniverse)
35. "What Then Must We Do?" by Gar Alperovitz (Chelsea Green Publishing)
36. "The Art of Waging Peace" by Paul K. Chappell (Prospecta Press)
37. "Records Truly Is My Middle Name" by John Records Landecker (Eckhartz Press)
38. "Great Love: The Mary Jo Copeland Story" by Michelle Peterson Hinck (Quixote Publications)
39. "The Power to Transform" by Chris Majer (Rodale Books)
40. "Silence Is Not Always Golden: A Poetic Revolution" by Joy Elan (Unknown)
41. "Billy Graham & Me" by Chicken Soup for the Soul (CSS Publishing)
42. "Love No Matter What" by Brenda Garrison (Thomas Nelson)
43. "Nothing Is Impossible" by Tom Oliver (McGraw-Hill Education)
44. "Diamond In the Dark" by Phyllis Hain (Bancroft Press)
45. "Black Caesar: The Rise and Disappearance of Frank Matthews, Kingpin" by Ron Chepesiuk (Strategic Media Books)
46. "Crafting Calm" by Maggie Oman Shannon (Viva Editions)
47. "Tasting Home" by Judith Newton (She Writes Press)
48. "Getting It Done" by Iris Dorreboom & Rudi De Graaf (Mill City Press)
49. "The Spark" by Kristine Barnett (Random House)
50. "Liberating Iraq" by Amir George (Strategic Media Books)

This list, along with Webb's Top 50 Fiction Titles of 2013 will appear in the Dec./Jan. issue of Conversations Magazine. To stay abreast of updates bookmark both www.conversationsbookclub.com and www.conversationsmag.com. CONVERSATIONS: Feeding your love of life! 

Cyrus Webb Reveals Conversations Top 50 Fiction Titles of 2013

Conversations Book Club President Cyrus Webb is excited to announce this year's "Top 50 Fiction Titles of 2013". 

"It's an amazing honor to read the word of gifted authors throughout the year," he says. "What makes it even more exciting is to share it with the world."

Webb, 38, has always been a lover of books, however with the launch of Conversations Book Club in November 2006 he has used the platform to let others know what books made an impact with him.

This year's list is one of the most diverse Webb has chosen, each title he personally read himself. It is his hope that by recognizing not just the author but the publisher as well he will be able to shine a light on literary work that deserves your attention.


Conversations' Top 50 Fiction Titles of 2013
(Listed in no particular order)

1. "The Power Trip" by Jackie Collins (St. Martin's Press)
2. "Secrets From the Past" by Barbara Taylor Bradford (St. Martin's Press)
3. "Hollywood Forever" by Christopher Herz (Amazon Publishing)
4. "The Concealers" by James J. Kaufman (Down Stream Publishing)
5. "Winds of Salem" by Melissa de la Cruz (Hyperion)
6. "Recalled to Life" by Dan Burns (Eckhartz Press)
7. "Nitro Express" by Robert Blake Whitehill (Telemachus Press)
8. "The Sound and the Furry" by Spencer Quinn (Atria Books)
9. "The Comfort of Lies" by Randy Susan Meyers (Atria Books)
10. "The Reason" by William Sirls (Thomas Nelson)
11. "You've Got It Bad" by Marissa Monteilh (4D Publishing)
12. "Why Can't I Be You" by Allie Larkin (Plume)
13. "The Book of Someday" by Dianne Dixon (SourceBooks)
14. "City of Mirrors" by Melodie Johnson Howe (Pegasus Crime)
15. "My Mother's Secret" by J. L. Witterick  (iUniverse)
16. "Chain of Evidence" by D. B. Corey (Intrigue Publishing)
17. "The Tides of Memory" by Sidney Sheldon/ Tilly Bagshawe (William Morrow)
18. "I, Saul" by Jerry B. Jenkins (Worthy Publishing)"
19. "Revenge Wears Prada" by Lauren Weisberger (Simon and Schuster)
20. "Justice for Sara" by Erica Spindler (St. Martin's Press)
21. "Fly Betty" by Treasure Blue (Cash Money Content)
22. "Ordinary Grace" by William Kent Krueger (Atria Books)
23. "Crescendo" by Deborah J. Ledford (Second Wind Publishing)
24. "Death Never Sleeps" by E. J. Simon (iUniverse)
25. "A Criminal Defense" by Steven Gore (HarperCollins)
26. "The Theory of Opposites" by Allison Winn Scotch (Camellia Press)
27. "Becoming Me" by Gardenia Destang (CreateSpace)
28. "Last Chance Texaco" by Joe Lee (Dogwood Press)
29. "Down and Out in Bugtussle" by Stephanie McAfee (New American Library)
30. "Anybody's Somebody" by Phoenix (Oppidian)
31. "The Heavens Rise" by Christopher Rice (Gallery Books)
32. "What She Wants" by Sheila Roberts (Harlequin)
33. "After the Fire" by J. A. Jance (William Morrow)
34. "The Rockin' Chair" by Steven Manchester (The Story Plant)
35. "The Silent Partner" by Terrence King Trafford Publishing)
36. "Vengeance Is Now" by Scott D. Roberts (3L Publishing, LLC)
37. "The Broken Places" by Ace Atkins (Putnam)
38. "A Piece of Me" by Jermaine Smith (Everyday Publishing Group)
39. "The House That Love Built" by Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson)
40. "The Baby in the Window" by Alretha Thomas (Diverse Arts Collective)
41. "The Scar Letters" by Richard Alther (Centaur Books)
42. "Memory's Door" by James L. Rubart (Thomas Nelson)
43. "Raveled" by Anne McAneny (Farrington Press)
44. "Loves Me Not" Series by Kenny L. Mitchell (FreedomInk) 
45. "The Hypothetical Girl" by Elizabeth Cohen (Other Press) 
46. "Twisted Truth" by Kiffany Dugger (The Bourgeois Group)
47. "Tender to the Touch" by Nicole S. Rouse (Urban Christian)
48. "Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale" by Lynda Rutledge (Berkley)
49. "Silent Assassin" by Leo J. Maloney (Kensington)
50. "Little Green" by Walter Mosley (Doubleday)

This list, along with Webb's Top 50 Non-Fiction Titles of 2013 will appear in the Dec./Jan. issue of Conversations Magazine. To stay abreast of updates bookmark both www.conversationsbookclub.com and www.conversationsmag.com. CONVERSATIONS: Feeding your love of life!