Elaine's Literary Salon

About The Mapmaker: Resistance operative Charlotte Denneau has critical targeting information for the Allies, and the Gestapo knows it. On the run across occupied France, she must prioritize her mission over the lives of the agents and civilians she needs to help her escape. Germans are taking down Resistance networks with disastrous results. Agents are being arrested, tortured, questioned, and turned. Charlotte never knows whom to trust. She communicates in coded radio calls to London, with the enemy always listening. More than anything, she needs a flight out—before the Nazis drag her to an interrogation chamber. read more...

Click here to listen to the podcast!

June 26, 2025 — It was a special treat today at Elaine's Literary Salon, where host of the show Jeffrey James Higgins launched his new book, The Havana Syndrome. This is Volume 1 in a 4-part (maybe more) series by the bestselling thriller novelist. "I wanted to write a story about what happens when devotion and duty collide, giving my protagonist — FBI Agent Nathan Burke — a heart-pounding challenge to uncover a global conspiracy to save his wife, and the nation," explains Jeff, whose critically-acclaimed books are refered to as "pulse-pounding and a must-read." read more...

Click here to listen to the podcast!

This week at Elaine's Literary Salon we meet Sarah DeBlock, author of the 2025 memoire, The Year of Sarah.

About the author: Sarah has an amazing back story. This yogi and entrepreneur who published her first novel in 2025 was introduced to yoga in 2011 when she was majoring in Chemical Engineering.

"During some difficult semesters, I was lucky to discover yoga’s incredible stress-relieving benefits and contribute these yoga classes to help me through the high-pressure environment I faced," she explains, noting that in 2015, she again experienced the healing force of yoga when she met yoga therapists at Rasa Yoga who helped her heal sciatica pain that had been ongoing for five years. Her passion for yoga was already immense, but this solidified her desire to train in-depth in yoga therapy for self-transformation and pass on this knowledge. read more...

Click here to listen to the podcast!

This week at Elaine's Literary Salon, we meet critically acclaimed bestselling author John Gilstrap and learn about his newest novel, Burned Bridges.

About the author and his books: When John Gilstrap's first novel, Nathan's Run, hit the market in 1996, it set the literary world on fire. Publication rights sold in 23 countries, the movie rights were scooped up at auction by Warner Bros., and John changed professions. A safety engineer by training and education, he specialized in explosives and hazardous materials, and also served 15 years in the fire and rescue service, rising to the rank of lieutenant. read more...

Click here to listen to the podcast!

This week at Elaine's Literary Salon we meet the author of Courage to Thrive: Finding Joy and Hope in the Midst of Mental Health Struggles, Rev. Dr. Robert D. Flanagan, also known as Father Bob.

About the author: An esteemed Episcopal priest and author, Father Bob has dedicated his life to spiritual transformation and caring for others. With a profound connection to his faith and an unwavering commitment to helping those in need, he has touched countless lives through his ministry, writings, and teachings. Bob’s book, “Letters of an Unexpected Mystic," was a 2023 Selah Book Award finalist in the Bible study category. read more...

Click here to listen to the podcast!

"In this dark, twisted tale of sex, drugs, and murder, in the book, Tom compellingly exposes the intrigue behind every locked door, our secret desires and fears, the what-ifs, and the meandering paths we take to find the truth," explains I.S. Berry, an Edgar Award-winning author of The Peacock and the Sparrow, of Tom Milani's new novel, "The Places that are Gone."

About the book: For Bennett Wilder, every day is the same-head to work, do his job, and come home to his increasingly distant wife. As a man who values routine, Bennett surprises even himself when he picks up Liz Messina, a pretty hitchhiker, on his morning commute. As he quickly learns, she's got a young child, a dark past, and a debt that needs to be repaid-or else. Even though he knows it's risky, he decides to take a chance and help Liz out. But when her trouble turns out to run even deeper than he realizes, Bennett and Liz find themselves facing off against dangerous drug dealers and fighting for their lives. Bound by bloodshed and facing a road full of wrong turns ahead, Bennett calls on an old friend with ties to a past he would rather leave hidden, as he and Liz try to decide how far they'll go to turn the tables on their pursuers-and, if they're lucky, save their own lives. Click here to buy the book. read more...

Click here to listen to the podcast!

This week at Elaine's Literary Salon we meet Glenn Cook, an Alexandria, VA-based writer and photojournalist whose work has appeared in national magazines and in newspapers across the U.S. He talks today with our show host Jefferey James Higgins about his book, Keep Your Distance: Walking Through the First Year of COVID.

A photography book that examines events in four cities — Alexandria and Richmond, Va., Washington, D.C., and New York City — the photojournalist walked almost 4,000 miles from March 2020 to March 2021, shooting images of day-to-day life, protests and their aftermath during this historic and tumultuous period in U.S. history. read more...

Click here to listen to the podcast!

Welcome to Elaine's Literary Salon: Today we meet the award winning author of historical young adult fiction, Christine Kessides, who wrote her debut novel set in the WWI era about German immigrants in Pittsburgh — MAGDA, STANDING (published by Bold Story Press in June 2023). And now, under the name Christine Kessides, she has released her first children’s book, A TAIL TALE (published by Atmosphere Press on January 7, 2025).

On today's episode of Elaine's: Host Jeffery James Higgins asks Christine about her journey to become an author, why historical fiction is a passion of hers, and what inspired her to write a children's book about tails. Don't miss it! read more...

Click here to listen to the podcast!

May 2025: In "Street Whys," the newest novel by award-winning noir author Christopher Chambers, we again meet Washington, DC’s notorious detective, former street denizen Dickie Cornish, who faces off with bloodthirsty cops and the justice department. Underground detective Dickie Cornish faces a vindictive murder rap from his past if he doesn’t agree to help prove that the fentanyl ravaging the streets of DC is bankrolled by shadowy donors of a certain former president. Broke and desperate, Cornish soon finds himself on a collision course with shady public defenders and corrupt police officers, forcing him to use his street connections to flip their plan. Or die. read more...

Click here to listen to the podcast!