Kirjahaku

Black Tie Optional is a book for the front of the store, and an excellent recommendation for book clubs. Carrie Knowles' short stories are spare, tightly woven narratives with crisp, compelling dialogue. They cut to the bone. The themes in this collection are far-reaching, touching on family ties and friendship, infidelity, loss, Alzheimer's and impending death, fear of terrorism, border patrol, and life after death. The stories are guaranteed to challenge perceptions and assumptions and to spark lively discussion. As a reviewer recently said about one of her earlier books: "If all writing were this good, I'd read more books."Carrie Knowles was selected to be North Carolina's 2014 Piedmont Laureate for her work in short fiction. She has three novels: Lillian's Garden, Ashoan's Rug and A Garden Wall in Provence. In addition to fiction, she writes a regular Personal Perspectives column for Psychology Today, called "Shifting Forward." Glimmer Train, one of the top literary journals in the country, has given recognition to 6 of the 17 short stories in Black Tie Optional. 5 of the stories have been awarded honors by other literary journals.

The Last Childhood is a knowledgeable companion for anyone who has a relative with Alzheimer's. The experience of the Knowles family through their mother's lengthy decline yields much wisdom and insight about how to manage - financially, psychologically, and emotionally - and how to make the best decisions. This memoir is beautifully written, heart-felt, and generously informative.

What if the life of your grandmother, even a grandmother you never knew, is somehow woven into the fabric of your dreams, your desires, and your destiny? Knowles' riveting novel, The Inevitable Past, challenges the notion of who we are and what compels us to make life changing decisions as it carries us from the past to the present through two cities, two centuries, and some terrible secrets buried in the past.It's a timely look at women's right to not only vote, but to have a voice.It's a story that will haunt you.

A Musical Affair is a novel about divorce, deception, love affairs, expensive secrets, long overdue forgiveness, the power of beautiful music, and just how Celeste, with a little help from some new friends, manages to raise over $300,000 to fund an international music festival and turn her life around. Names have been changed in order to protect some men in the story who should have been ashamed. Sometimes it's not the music that matters, but the money. Carrie is a genius at developing captivating characters and a thick plot that pulls you in fast. A Musical Affair is a juicy, fast-paced story. It's full of intrigue, deception and interwoven stories of torrid affairs and past personal histories that quickly gets you absorbed and invested in what happens next. This book is a must-read. You'll love this journey, and you won't be able to put it down ─Tracy Friedlander, Creator of Crushing Classical Podcast

Carrie Knowles' collection of informal essays, written for her Psychology Today column, draws on a lifetime of self-reflection and people watching. A collection of delightful stories and quick insights into everyday life, Shifting Forward is a book that begs to be shared, ideally out loud, with those you love. Each piece stands alone; taken together, they have the power of memory and hope. Knowles puts a totally different spin on things that kicks us from complacency to joy and insight. The book has been described as whimsical and mercurial, joyful and insightful,