Susan Minot latest novel is the psychological gripper, Don’t Be A Stranger (Knopf).

Ivy Cooper is 52 years old when Ansel Fleming first walks into her life; twenty years her junior, and an ex-con, (minor drug charge). The physical chemistry between them is overpowering.

On the surface she is a responsible mother, managing friends, an ex-husband, home; but emotionally, psychologically, sexually, she is consumed by desire and increasingly alive only in the stolen moments-out-of-time, with Ansel.

“Susan Minot’s writing is like a diamond knife on ice. Always has been.” —Elizabeth Strout, author of Olive Kitteridge

Susan Minot is an award-winning novelist, short-story writer, poet, and screenwriter.

Her first novel, Monkeys, was highly acclaimed in a dozen countries. Her novel Evening was a worldwide best seller and major motion picture.

She lives with her daughter in New York City and on an island off the coast of Maine.

Ping Rose is a singer and guitarist from Memphis TN.

Using the blues as a vehicle, his musical styling is melody meets story in a guitar laden fairytale.

Blending influences like Hendrix, George Benson, The Cure, BB King, Jerry Reed, Prince, and Smashing Pumpkins into a spacey backdrop of funky alternative rock, he adds jazz, country, and blues music sensibilities that creates something foreign yet familiar.

His high energy live show with his band, The Anti-Heroes, is a must see.

His first release, Sketchbook, was well received with audiences, but his latest, Conjure Man, is a deeper look into influence and improvisation packed into a graphic novel length record.

Holley Rumbarger’s musical roots link back to her love of Alison Krauss. That early influence galvanized her to develop her own sound which incorporates folk, Americana, pop, soul and rock.

Her original music is intrinsically personal and ever adaptive on guitar and mandolin.