Lystra Books and Literary Services

06/17/2026

I am excited about this. I will be at this event in July talking about my novel, Lammie Loves Cubby. Come see me!

06/06/2026

Join me when I interview Nancy Peacock about her wonderful new memoir, Wildwood.

When: Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Where: Orange County Library, Hillsborough, NC

05/14/2026

I love this review of Lammie Loves Cubby!
Thank you, Allie Coker.

Lammie Loves Cubby is slow-burn Southern literary suspense. Can the fire that is Lammie and Cubby be extinguished? Read Allie Coker's review and be sure to

05/06/2026

It is a special pleasure to announce this book, Wildwood by Nancy Peacock, is now available wherever you buy your books.

Wildwood is a memoir, the story of how a young woman fought through a world telling her "no" to get to "yes" and become a writer. The prose and storytelling are brilliant. Read it.

08/21/2025

Robert Lott Lee's memoir shows us how we can come to a deeper understanding of our own lives.

There are times in life that are formative, whether we know it or not. Decades later, we could examine those times, try to understand them, try to see ourselves as they shaped us, and see them through different eyes. Why don’t we? Perhaps because we lack the tools and the vocabulary.
In Making Sense of a Time, psychologist Robert Lee goes back to important years in his early adulthood, and studies them—and himself—with courage, generosity, and humor. The book does not just tell, it shows us how to understand ourselves, heal ourselves, and live better.

08/21/2025

We are proud to share a new historical novel.

It is 1898. Bridie Murphey is twenty-two years old, widowed, with three young boys, two holding onto her skirts and the baby strapped to her chest. She is in line at the port of Newry, Ireland, waiting to board a ship to America. Bridie carries deep grief, confusion, and necessity along with her scant belongings, and she carries the reader with her on her journey to a new life. We are with her for every step and misstep, every new beginning and setback, every triumph and tear shed, until more than a decade later, she finds her place in another Town Named Newry.

Immigrant stories are American stories. They resonate with readers who are still adding chapters to their own families’ immigrant stories, and aren’t we all? In A Town Named Newry, Alix Crawford Carney gives us a heroine who is both familiar and unique. Readers will remember Bridey Murphey long after the book ends.

07/10/2025

In 1965, a young American, Richard A. Berliner, graduated from college and went to Vietnam. This young man did not go as part of the military, however. He went as a humanitarian hoping to be of service and to see the world in a new way. He could have been our family member, friend, or neighbor. Now Richard A. Berliner tells his Vietnam story in a strong memoir, A Different Journey. If you lived through the Vietnam era, you will want to read this book. If Vietnam is remote history to you, you should read this book. Berliner brings it to life. Lystra Books is proud to be associated with it.

11/14/2024

Lystra Books is especially proud to be associated with The Power of a Paper Clip by Linda Hooper and Sharon Shadrick. When I wrote the introduction, I said, "The story told in this book begins before Paper Clips and extends past it, up to today, no matter day it is, no matter what is happening in the world. It also offers a view of the future shaped by young people and paper clips." We need its message today more than ever.

07/07/2024

Anyone curious about how a writer works on a novel after the first draft? Check my progress on my other page, Nora Gaskin Tells Stories. I hope you'll follow along!

07/05/2024

Five weeks ago today, I wrote "The End" on the last page of the first draft of a novel. With that "The End," the work begins. Follow my other page, Nora Gaskin Tells Stories to follow along.