One of the many things I do is try to support writers I like! That occasionally leads to me leading panels or being “in conversation” with them about their work. Last night, for Copperfield’s Books (an indie chain with stores north of San Francisco) I interviewed my friend Helene Wecker about the second novel in her series about a golem and a jinni, The Hidden Palace. I loved the first book and it’s at the top of my list of several I recommend as my favorites across the last decade.

The second is a great continuation, with new themes, characters, and big, medium, and little conflicts. I loved how well she paints the inner life, and makes monsters seem human (and human sometimes monstrous). It covers a span of time of about 15 years, compared with a compact passage in the first book, and encompasses world event and disasters “off screen.” Helene says a third book is under contract and she intends to write it, so here’s hoping for a third installment.

(What are my other favorite recommendations? I’ve been stalling on a blog post about that, but I’ll finish it soon.)