Emerald Necklace by Linda Rosen

Fitness Professional turned novelist, Linda Rosen’s multi-generational novel, The Emerald Necklace, is set between 1969 and 1971. Women are fighting for equality. Rosalee, an insecure sculptor, and Fran, a best-selling novelist, have their issues. Will their bitter envy of each other and long-held secrets destroy their tenuous friendship? Or will Jill, Rosalee’s granddaughter, and the story behind her emerald necklace bind them together?

Reviewers say The Emerald Necklace is “a clear-eyed and timely story about the joy of second acts, the unshakeable bonds of friendship, and honoring the choices others make, even when they differ from our own.” In this award-winning novel, “conflicts, hot topics, and the power of friendship are front and center…” It’s “a must-read for all women, a fantastic choice for book clubs.”

In addition to membership in the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Linda is on the board of directors of the South Florida chapter of the Women’s National Book Association and the Delray Beach chapter of the Brandeis National Committee. She is also an administrator of the 5K+ member Facebook group Bookish Road Trip and editor of Wanderlust, their monthly newsletter. Linda lives with her husband in New Jersey, but when the leaves fall and she has to swap sandals for shoes and socks, they move to their condo in Florida.

Find out more about Linda and her other books at www.linda-rosen.com. Each is set in the not-too-distant past and examines how women reinvent themselves despite obstacles, and they all feature a piece of jewelry!

Z.O.S. A Memoir.

Sex. Blood. Money. And the CIA. From 1968 to 1970, Kay Merkel Boruff’s life is frightening yet exciting: Buddhist monks immolate themselves; rockets fall in backyards; Bible study groups convene. She washes sheets in the bathtub, counts each baht, and later dresses in silks and gold and travels in Southeast Asia. Surrounded by prostitution and drugs, she adjusts to Asian mores. On February 18, 1970, her 24-carat life shatters. Her husband, Jon Merkel, was killed flying in Laos. After being told in the Air America office in Bangkok, flying back to DC, she sees a New York Times headline: “CIA Pilot Killed ~ First Casualty Plane of Jars.” A fellow passenger asks her, Anyone you know? She replies, A friend.

Kay Merkel Boruff lived in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970 and was married to an Air America pilot who was killed flying in Laos on February 18, 1970. She returned to Texas as a CIA widow with PTSD. She taught at The Hockaday School, a private girls’ school founded in 1913. She attended Burning Man 2012 and climbed Wayna Picchu in Peru on her 71st birthday. Kay lives in Dallas with her Labrador Molly Bloom and her partner Mike Fortado.

A Colorful Beginning for Texas Lifestyle Magazine

The award-winning children’s picture book A Colorful Beginning explores the ins and outs of the first day of school while tackling basic lessons about animals, colors, and working together in a communal setting.

School is starting! The green frog, the new student, is scared. The gray squirrel and yellow butterfly have jitters, too. Some worry about being late, not being smart enough, forgetting their lunchbox, and doubting they’ll fit in.

It becomes clear that everyone is anxious in some way until their worries are laid to rest upon meeting the teacher, Mr. Mole. Students are encouraged to share their distinct abilities and personalities. Soon, through cooperation and creativity, a joyous mood lights up the classroom, and new friends are made.

Raven Howell, an established children’s picture book author, is also a writer, journalist, columnist, poet, and publishing advisor. Her work has been featured in magazines such as Story Monsters Ink, Ladybug, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and The School Magazine. She’s interviewed heavyweights such as Matthew McConaughey and Jamie Lee Curtis.

“Tapping into themes of anxiety and self-doubt, the book invites readers to learn color names while exploring individuality and fitting in. A stunner.” –The Prairies Book Review

“Relatable concerns are addressed in a whimsical and energetic book that kids will enjoy more and more with each reading. Delightfully simple and simply delightful, A Colorful Beginning is a gentle tool to help little ones conquer their fears and look forward to ‘a very happy and colorful first day of school’.” –Indies Today

“As a former children’s librarian, I always received requests for books about starting school. Raven Howell’s A Colorful Beginning would have flown off the shelves immediately. Not only does it encompass the many emotions students feel as they head off for their first day, but it also includes a clever color mixing lesson. Howell’s characters wonder about all the same things kids do. Will I make friends? Will the teacher be nice? What will I learn? This provides an opportunity for parents to discuss those things with their children. This book will be welcomed by parents and teachers alike as they begin a new school year.” –Readers’ Favorite

The Purple Dragonfly Best Book Award Winner
The Wishing Shelf’s 2023 Winner/Best Book Cover

This post is a sponsored collaboration with Black Rose Writing.