Gae Polisner

Gae Polisner's books include The Memory of Things, The Summer of Letting Go, and The Pull of Gravity. Her new novel is In Sight of Stars.

A family law attorney and mediator by trade, but a writer by calling, she lives on Long Island with her husband, two sons, and a suspiciously-fictional-looking small dog she swore she’d never own. When she’s not writing, she can be found in a pool, or better yet, in the open waters of the Long Island Sound where she swims upwards of two miles most days.

Recently I asked Polisner about what she was reading. Her reply:

Because I write YA, I am often reading YA (though my novels are now categorized as YA/crossover into adult), and right now that is no exception. Because I am a slow reader, and have too much I must, for various reasons, read, or simply want to read, I am often reading several books at one time. Now is no exception.

So, here you go! Given that my March release In Sight of Stars has a much to do with Vincent Van Gogh, I am in the middle of Deborah Heiligman’s Printz-honored tome, Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers. While the prose feels a bit simplistic for me at times, it is impressively chock full of fascinating facts and information, all gleaned from Van Gogh’s Letters to Theo and other such meticulous research. Additionally, I have just started my writer pal Amy Fellner Dominy’s April release, The Fall of Grace, about a girl whose family seems to be at the center of a Bernie Madoff type scandal, and was gripped from the first pages. I’ve long been a fan of Amy’s writing, and, per usual, she is an absolute pro at setting up a story in a few brief lines, thereby grabbing you from the get-go.

Last but not least, out of belated curiosity the other night, I decided to take ‘just a quick glimpse’ at my writer friend Tania Unsworth’s middle grade thriller, Brightwood, soon out in paperback. Now, more than 70 pages in and some lost sleep, I can’t put it down, and can’t wait to return to it. In the vein of Neil Gaiman or Jonathan Auixier stories, Brightwood is already a dark delight, and Tania incredible at creating both atmosphere and compelling, almost tongue-in-cheek story and characters. There are damaged people with damaged history, and a child who has suffered, who makes all around her come "alive. . . " If you have a reluctant reader, this is the type of story that will absolutely grip them and keep them turning pages long after you call lights out.

Visit Gae Polisner's website.

The Page 69 Test: The Summer of Letting Go.

The Page 69 Test: The Memory of Things.

--Marshal Zeringue