Jeff Wheeler

Jeff Wheeler's best-known fiction includes the Legends of Muirwood & Covenant of Muirwood trilogies, The Whispers from Mirrowen trilogy, and a graphic novel, The Lost Abbey.

His new novel is Storm Glass.

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

The Casquette Girls, by Alys Arden

Ok, so I’m not that keen on vampire novels, but the premise of this one grabbed me. It’s set in New Orleans after Katrina. So imagine a place with no reliable power, complete devastation, and now the undead are on the loose. I also grabbed this one on audiobook because the narrator (Kate Rudd) does my novels and she’s so amazing, I knew she’d do a great job with the characters. So far, Casquette Girls hasn’t fallen victim to some of the main vampire tropes I’ve read in other paranormal books. There is a lot of suspense, mystery, and I love the author’s knowledge of New Orleans life. She’s made the city a character and it’s easy to relate to the trouble Adele, the protagonist, faces with her dad as they try to rebuild their lives following a major natural disaster, which I imagine, turns into a major supernatural disaster as well. The author has a great voice, good tension, and an edge of darkness that’s already creeping me out.

The Honest Truth About Dishonesty, by Dan Ariely

I picked this one up after really enjoying his book Predictably Irrational. It’s a book about the science of human nature and the research done to delve into the why of what people do. In this case, specifically, why people are only honest to the point that makes them feel they are good enough. The research and case studies really showcase how people can make decisions which they then justify. I’ve always been impressed with the author’s tongue in cheek humor (for example, how so many college students’ grandparents die right before final exams…that going to college should be considered a health hazard for relatives). And it was also surprising to me how some companies don’t really want to explore this area, accepting the effects of dishonesty in their employees and customers without a willingness to understand or even improve it. As I’ve found before with this author, his insights and research are top notch and books like this give me great fodder for character development in my own writing.

Visit Jeff Wheeler's website.

My Book, The Movie: Storm Glass.

The Page 69 Test: Storm Glass.

--Marshal Zeringue