I was delighted to be asked to participate in this month’s edition of the terrific video blog WE ARE WHAT WE READ.

The episode was released yesterday. The link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhsZxFPN18k

WE ARE WHAT WE READ is a gratitude project of award-winning book reviewer Kristopher Zgorski, who’ll be honored with the Amelia Award at the Malice Domestic Mystery Convention this coming spring for his countless contributions to the crime writing community. In addition to his must-read blog BOLO Books, Kristopher and his reviewing colleague Dru Ann Love recently became published authors themselves when their co-written short story Ticket To Ride was published in Happiness Is A Warm Gun, an anthology of stories inspired by Beatles songs.

The co-host of WE ARE WHAT WE READ is Shawn Reilly Simmons, an award-winning author of nine novels, more than twenty short stories, who also is president and managing editor of Level Best Books.

Kristopher and Shawn invite a group of crime writers to gather on Zoom each month to discuss a book that moved them. The only rule is that the book must have been written by someone else.  Otherwise, the writers have complete freedom to choose a book to recommend to viewers.

It’s been fascinating to see the variety of books folks have chosen over the eight episodes of the vlog. Historical and contemporary, traditional mysteries and thrillers, long or short. Some presenters talked up a book they first read 25 years ago. Others have highlighted one they finished last month. The only requirement is that they loved the book and would like to share it with friends.

The other writers who participated in the December episode would make anyone’s all-star team: Anjili Ferris Babbar, Alafair Burke, Vicky Delaney, Carol Goodman, Kate Jackson and Gigi Pandian. They talked about wonderful books, some of which I’ve read, others I’ll be seeking out.

If you’re looking for holiday gift ideas, this episode of WE ARE WHAT WE READ is rich with ideas.

As for my book, I chose LIGHT ON BONE by Kathryn Lasky, which won the 2003 Maine Literary Award for crime fiction. Set in New Mexico in the 1930s, it features painter Georgia O’Keefe as an amateur sleuth.

You’ll have to tune in to hear more about why I chose this book, but I recommend it, and the video blog WE ARE WHAT WE READ, without reservation.

Brenda Buchanan brings years of experience as a journalist and a lawyer to her crime fiction. She has published three books featuring Joe Gale, a newspaper reporter who covers the crime and courts beat. She is now hard at work on new projects. FMI, go to http://brendabuchananwrites.com