New Arrivals: Local Luminaries Loom Large

A look at some of the new titles recently received at Accent on Books. All books are hardcover, unless otherwise noted.

The Sugar Queen, by Sarah Addison Allen. Allen's previous novel, Garden Spells, was a New York Times bestseller. In her new book, the Asheville native and resident again spins a tale of romance, humor and magic in a lovingly portrayed North Carolina town. Note: Sarah Allen will be appearing at Accent on Books at 6:00 PM on Friday, June 13 (yes, Friday the 13th). Note 2: Garden Spells is now available in paperback.

In a Dark Season, by Vicki Lane. Released the same day as The Sugar Queen -- and from the same publisher -- this book is the fourth in the Elizabeth Goodweather mystery series by Madison County resident Lane. As usual it's a tale full of mountain lore, mysticism, and menace that weaves together stories from several generations into a dangerous conundrum that Elizabeth has to solve. A paperback original. Note: Vicki Lane will be appearing at Accent on Books at 6:00 on Friday, June 20.

In the Eye of the Storm, by Gene Robinson. Undoubtedly one of the most appropriately titled memoirs of the season. Since his 2003 ordination as the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican Communion, Gene Robinson has indeed been at the center of an extraordinary swirl of controversy that has engulfed not only the Episcopal Church in the United States, but Anglicans (and Christianity as a whole) throughout the world. In this book he recounts his experiences, and reflects on the theology which has repeatedly led him to reach out to the poor and marginalized.

So Brave, So Young, and Handsome, by Leif Enger. Peace Like a River, Enger's first novel, has been a great favorite at Accent on Books and nationwide since its publication in 2001. Enger's new book, which begins in 1915 Minnesota, again deals with a journey both literal and metaphorical, as a failed writer accompanies an outlaw on a fateful trip to California

Dishing With the Kitchen Virgin, by Susan Reinhardt. Yet another local author -- the popular Asheville Citizen-Times columnist whose work is syndicated throughout the country by Gannett. Here, she tells you everything you want to know -- and probably some things you'd rather not know -- about how to be a lazy and/or lousy cook in the South, and get away with it. Included are recipes for "Big Al's Redneck Spaghetti," "The Salmon That Almost Killed My Dog," and many other tempting treats. A paperback original.

Peace, by Richard Bausch. For more than a quarter-century, Richard Bausch has been praised as a writer capable of producing both novels and short stories of the highest quality. So it's not surprising that his latest work combines the scope of a novel and the spareness of a short story to powerful effect. A parable about three soldiers in 1944 Italy, it has much to say about our situation today.

The Joys of Love, by Madeleine L'Engle. Few authors had a more diverse audience than the beloved Madeleine L'Engle, who died last year. Poet, essayist, memoirist, novelist for both adults and children: L'Engle was known to almost everyone who loved fine writing. Here, published for the first time, is a novel written in the 1940s about a young woman enjoying her first taste of freedom while working as an apprentice in a professional theatre. A book that will appeal to both older children and adults.

We hope you'll visit soon to look over these and many other new titles arriving daily.