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Best-Selling Relationship Author Visits Belmont

Luanne Rice's new novel explores sisterhood.

Luanne Rice writes novels about relationships.

Some of Ms. Rice’s books are about relationships between men and women. In other books, she tackles relationships between mothers and their children.   

But if there’s one union she’s known for writing about more than any other, it’s the relationship between sisters.

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“I’ve written quite a few books about sisters. I will probably never stop writing about sisters because I think it is an endlessly inspiring and mystical relationship,” Ms. Rice said.

On Tuesday night, Ms. Rice visited the to talk about her latest novel, The Silver Boat.

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“The novel begins when the three sisters are getting together back at the family home for the first time since their mother died,” Ms. Rice said.

In The Silver Boat, Dar McCarthy and her two sisters are at the beach home on Martha’s Vineyard where they spent so much time as children. As the sisters pack up family belongings, they come across a stash of love letters that ultimately sends them on a journey to their ancestral homeland.

Ms. Rice was quick to point out to her admirers that The Silver Boat is not autobiographical. Ms. Rice said she used her real-life situation only as a springboard to explore what a home means to us as people. Is it simply a dwelling where we live or is it something more? 

After briefly discussing her life and the impetus for Silver Boat, Ms. Rice took questions from the audience.

A book signing followed the Q & A. Among those getting books signed was longtime fan Fran Vella.

Ms. Vella came across her first Luanne Rice book, Home Fires, while shopping at Costco in 1995. That first book was all it took to hook Ms. Vella on Luanne Rice books.

After Home Fires, Ms. Vella said she read the first five Rice novels and then read each subsequent book as soon as it was published.

While a fan of all the books, Ms. Vella said her favorite book by Ms. Rice is Crazy in Love.

“I just love the story about Nick and Georgie,” Ms. Vella said.

While a relatively new admirer of Ms. Rice’s work, having just discovered her books this year, Shoneen Erskine is no less enthusiastic about Rice’s work.

Having grown up in Half Moon Bay, Ms. Erskine said she can really relate to the beach settings often featured in Luanne Rice’s work.

Ms. Erskine said the subject matter that Ms. Rice writes about - the lives of women, families, loss and the healing power of love – rings true to her.

“It just really hits home,” Ms. Erskine said. “I think her writing is impeccable. It’s superb. It is exactly what I like to read.”

Ms. Rice’s visit to the Belmont Library was co-sponsored by M is for Mystery bookstore in San Mateo.

A wine and cheese reception held prior to the talk by Ms. Rice was sponsored by the Friends of the Belmont Library.

Ms. Rice has written 27 books, with many of them being on the New York Times bestseller’s list. Five of her books have been made into films, including Crazy in Love, which starred Holly Hunter and Bill Pullman.

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