We asked author Kristy Kiernan, whose latest novel is Catching Genius, about books that inspire her writing. She graciously sent us these picks: (Thanks, Kristy!)

1 Dead in Attic by Chris Rose. "This is non-fiction from a journalist in New Orleans. It's a compilation of his columns from right after Katrina. The introduction gave me chills because I'm a writer; the rest of the book gave me chills because I'm human."

A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander. "Okay, I'm cheating on this one a little. I was lucky enough to get an Advance Reading Copy and the book isn't available until Feb. 1, 2008. However, this gives you time to pick up her first two books, And Only to Deceive and A Poisoned Season, and get hooked on these historical suspense novels set in Victorian England, featuring the most likable heroine I've ever read in a series, Lady Emily Ashton."

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