Steven Rowley

Steven Rowley has worked as a freelance writer, newspaper columnist and screenwriter. Originally from Portland, Maine, he is a graduate of Emerson College. He currently resides in Los Angeles.

Rowley's first novel Lily and the Octopus.

Recently I asked the author about what he was reading. His reply:

I'm always reading three things at once. Am I alone in that? I think not. I have a book in every room. The worst thing that can happen to me is that I sit down and there's not a book within reach. The Worst Thing. (Hyperbole.)

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney. I am the oldest of four, just as Leo Plumb is the oldest of four. Hopefully I don't cause the rest of my siblings quite as much distress. Families are rich (in emotion and shared history -- I make this distinction because the titular nest is the family trust) and complicated and impossible to understand from the outside. But there is no relationship like the sibling relationship and god help anyone who tries to come between brothers and sisters. Sweeney has created four fully-realized main characters -- each who could carry their own novel. Together, however, they join forces to create a real page-turner.

Grace by Natashia Deón. Full disclosure: I met Natashia at a Southern California writer's conference and got to hear her read her book's opening chapter. I was spellbound, in awe of the voice that poured from the very first sentences. She is an author that demands your attention and holds it with two breathtakingly entwined tales, those of fifteen year-old runaway slave Naomi and her half-white daughter Josey. There's little point in being jealous of another writer's ability, we all do different things. I'm just grateful for Natashia and thankful this book and I crossed paths.

Everyone Brave Is Forgiven by Chris Cleave. War was declared at eleven-fifteen and Mary North signed up at noon. Everyone Brave is a love story that begins in London in 1939 at the declaration of war. Inspired by the love story of Cleave's own grandparents, this book is rich in detail, heartbreak and crackling English wit. It's a beautiful window into another time. I'll wait and make sure he sticks the landing, but I'm pretty confident I can say this is Cleave's best book to date!

Visit Steven Rowley's website.

Coffee with a Canine: Steven Rowley & Tilda Swinton.

My Book, The Movie: Lily and the Octopus.

--Marshal Zeringue