Fiction

Lauren Groff Interview

Six questions for this award-winning author. The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff. Riverhead Books. pp. 272. $28. Three-time National Book Award finalist and bestselling author Lauren Groff returns with a novel set in Jamestown during a period known as “The Starving Time” (1609-10). It follows a young girl in flight from the […]

by Konstantin Rega

Katharine Schellman Interview

A 1920s murder mystery with a twist. Last Call at the Nightingale by Katharine Schellman. Minotaur Books. pp.320. $27.99. Konstantin Rega: Which part of Virginia did you grow up in? Katharine Schellman: I was born in the Northern part, in Arlington. Then I went to school in Williamsburg at William […]

by Konstantin Rega

My Name is Yip

English writer Paddy Crewe explores the South with a character who doesn’t need to speak to be heard. My Name is Yip by Paddy Crewe. Harry N. Abrams. pp.368. $28. Paddy Crewe’s debut novel, My name is Yip, is very much like its namesake: not at all what it immediately appears to […]

by Matt Cantor

Kelly Sokol Interview

One woman’s promises to the man she loves and the boys they’re raising. Breach by Kelly Sokol. Koehler Books pp. 312. $29.95 Konstantin Rega: Breach takes place in the Hampton Roads area. How long have you been based there? Kelly Sokol: I moved here in 2003 after working […]

by Konstantin Rega

Tied Together

Tyler returns to what she does best, writing about families and making small events paramount. French Braid by Anne Tyler. Knopf. pp. 256. $27.00. Anne Tyler has been writing about families since the 1960s. In her 24th novel, French Braid, she continues that tradition following the Garrett’s from the […]

by Konstantin Rega

Jim Minick Interview

From blueberries to ravens, local author Jim Minick celebrates nature and community. Fire Is Your Water by Jim Minick. Swallow Press. pp. 352. $26.95. Konstantin Rega: So when did you move to Virginia from Pennsylvania? Jim Minick: In 1989. I was attending grad school at Radford in the New […]

by Konstantin Rega

Stacy Hackney Interview

This Richmond author offers a kid’s book about adventure, magic, and sisterhood. The Sisters of Luna Island by Stacy Hackney. Simon & Schuster. pp. 336. $17.99 Konstantin Rega: have you always wanted to be a writer? Stacy Hackney: Well, I grew up in Fairfax, and like a lot of […]

by Konstantin Rega

Spring Books

Here are some notable Southern books coming out this Spring. University of Virginia-alum Alexis Schaitkin follows up her New York Times Notable Book, Saint X with Elsewhere (Celadon Books, $26.99). Her publisher says: “Vera grows up in a small town, removed and isolated, pressed up against the mountains, cloud-covered and damp year-round. […]

by Staff

A Dream Deferred

An interview with bestselling, local author S. A. Cosby. S.A. Cosby is the author of the New York Times bestseller Razorblade Tears and Blacktop Wasteland, which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, was a New York Times Notable Book. His works discuss race, class, and sex. When not writing, he is an avid […]

by Konstantin Rega

An Interview with Amber McBride

Showing the capacity for humans to love in 5,000 different ways. Amber McBride is an English professor at the University of Virginia and holds an MFA in poetry from Emerson College. Her poetry has been published in several literary magazines including Ploughshares and The Rumpus. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with her dog, Shiloh. Me (Moth) is […]

by Konstantin Rega

A Place of One’s Own

Morgan Thomas explores identity across several Southern landscapes—including Virginia. Manywhere By Morgan Thomas. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. pp. 224. $26.00 In Morgan Thomas’s debut short story collection, Manywhere, the titular story opens with the line: “My father walks circles around my kitchen.” We learn of a man on a journey. Yes, it’s literally […]

by Lauren Carpenter

An Interview with Erika Lewis

Lewis’ newest book about misfits and magic is perfect for kindling kids’ imaginations. Erika Lewis grew up in Virginia but now resides in the sunshine state of California. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, her list of credits straddles the comics and novel space, including Game of Shadows from Macmillan’s Tor Books, Firebrand and Acursian from Legendary Comics, and The Color of […]

by Konstantin Rega

Boats, an Island, and Murder

Our exclusive interview with bestselling author Rachel Hawkins about her latest thriller, Reckless Girls. Rachel Hawkins was born in Newport News, Virginia, but lives in Alabama. She is the author of the bestselling thriller, The Upstairs Wife, which is followed up by her latest adult thriller, Reckless Girls (St. Martin’s Press), now out […]

by Konstantin Rega

Winter Books

Here are some notable Southern books coming out this Winter. Virginia-born, Alabama-based author Rachel Hawkins follows up her bestselling thriller with Reckless Girls (St. Martin’s Press, $27.99). Her publisher says: “Six stunning twentysomethings are about to embark on a blissful, free-spirited journey—one filled with sun-drenched days and intoxicating […]

by Staff

Favorite Books of 2021

Our picks for the best books that are written by Southern authors or that take place in the South. Matrix Matrix by Lauren Groff Full Review Here Buy a copy at The Bookshop Author Bio: Lauren Groff is a three-time National Book Award finalist and the New York Times bestselling […]

by Staff

A Mixed Bag of Stories

This Southern short story collection is a mixed bag filled with good reading treats. Getaway by Glen Pourciau. Four Way Books. pp. 176. $19.95 Getaway by Glen Pourciau, like so many bags, is mixed. However, this quirky short-story collection is filled with mostly the good stuff. Pourciau is strongly […]

by Matt Cantor

A Girl and Her Ghost

When your life is tethered to death, do you break the string or hold it tighter? Bridge of Souls, by Victoria Schwab. Scholastic Press. 320 pp. $17.99. Not only has this reader fallen in love with New Orleans, but so has our protagonist Cassidy Blake, her parents, and her ghost companion […]

by Staff

Trouble the Saints

D.C.-born writer Alaya Dawn Johnson wins the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. (author photo by Armando Vega) Beating out big book names like Piranesi by Susanna Clark and The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones, Trouble the Saints (Tor, 2021) emerges victorious. Already a Nebula Award winner and a National Book Award nominee, Alaya Dawn […]

by Staff

Inkblots: Autumn 2021

Here are our briefly noted Southern books for this autumn. Maps for Migrants and Ghosts (by Luisa A. Igloria. Southern Illinois University Press. 110 pp. $16.95) Currently the Virginia Poet Laureate, Luisa A. Igloria’s latest collection discusses some of the current problems of today with past remembrances (though one should always be careful […]

by Staff

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Events

July 10, 2025

Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace

Carlyle House Historic Park

July 10, 2025

Sounds of Summer Concert Series with The Embers

Riverwalk Landing

July 10, 2025

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Virginia Repertory Theatre

New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

Around the world, as both a beverage and a pastime, tea is steeped in history and ritual. From the casual to the ceremonial, tea is a throughline for many cultures, and now, it’s enjoying a renewed interest from beverage pros who are drawn to tea’s unique flavor characteristics, health benefits, and cultural connections. Recently, two […]

by Stephanie Ganz

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

Eight Virginia schools received the National Blue Ribbon 2024 award for their high performances. The Exemplary High Performing Schools are Spring Hill Elementary in McLean, Green Run Collegiate in Virginia Beach, Bethel Manor Elementary in Hampton, and St. Andrew the Apostle School in Clifton. The Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are Central Academy Middle […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Virginia’s Top 10 Summer Festivals and Events 2025

STAUNTON – Festival of Concerts June 26–Aug. 2: The stunning strums and resounding chords of classical music echo through Staunton’s mountain landscape as Heifetz International Music Institute students from around the world take the stage, with new concerts every day. HeifetzInstitute.org GLOUCESTER – Food Truck Frenzy July 13: Virginia’s most mouthwatering food trucks descend on […]

by Hope Cartwright

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New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

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Fiction

Lauren Groff Interview

Current Issue

Events

Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace

Sounds of Summer Concert Series with The Embers

Waitress at Virginia Repertory Theatre

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Most Popular

New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

Virginia’s Top 10 Summer Festivals and Events 2025

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today