Joanne Leedom-Ackerman

Tunnel of Hope…Past and Present Dear Friends,

Enjoy my November Substack, with blog “Tunnel of Hope…Past and Present," profile of Turkish publisher Osman Kavala, Books to Check Out with early novels of Graham Greene —THE THIRD MAN and THE CONFIDENTIAL AGENT, and other features. The monthly “On the Yellow Brick Road” Substack is free.

Thanks to Bargain Booksy for featuring Burning Distance: www.bargainbooksy.com/featured-books

Crisis Group celebrated its 30th year in Sarajevo with a board meeting, including four of its former CEOs, researchers, board members current & some past in the cauldron where the conflict negotiation organization was born.

Writers approve gender diversity justice resolution - Windy City Times PEN International, the largest worldwide organization of writers, endorsed a resolution “Gender Diversity Justice” at the 91st World Congress in September, Kraków, Poland. The resolution was ratified ...

Writers approve gender diversity justice resolution windycitytimes.com/2025/09/30/w...

We Are What We Think…and Eat Dear Friends,

Enjoy my October Substack, with blog “You Are What You Think…And Eat," Indian Writer at Risk Hany Babu, Books to Check Out section with John le Carré’s classic A PERFECT SPY and a television series—WHITE COLLAR. “On the Yellow Brick Road" is always free.
tinyurl.com/2z2rpksc

Enjoy the “Books to Check Out” section of my September Substack featuring a new memoir WOMAN OF FIRSTS by Kimberly Heckler and the English classic MIDDLEMARCH, a novel by George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans). Both books are about women coming into their own, written centuries apart. tinyurl.com/44uj6fkn

Weekend celebrating publication of Elliot Ackerman’s SHEEPDOGS at Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD for Shore Lit and in Washington DC at Politics & Prose along with novelist Michael Jerome Plunkett’s new novel Zone Rouge.
#sheepdogs #zonerouge #fiction #authorevent #booksigning #fallreads

Bouchercon Conference 2025 for Thriller and Mystery writers in the Big Easy. Enjoyed participating on panel “Creating a Diverse Cast of Characters” and listening to other writers & panels.
#bouchercon2025 #authorevent #thriller #suspense #mystery #bigeasy #neworleans

@peninternational.bsky.social 90th Congress in Krakow Poland “Freedom of Words, Words of the Free.” Panels on literature, climate, global conflicts, poetry reading & for me friends of a lifetime and new from around the world.
#freedomofwords #wordsofthefree #pencongress #krakow #freedomofexpression

@peninternational.bsky.social 90th Congress in Krakow, Poland celebrated Polish Pen’s centenary with 200 participants from 80 countries. “Freedom of Words, Words of the Free” discussed freedom of expression in a world in conflict. #freedomofwords #peninternational #krakow #freedomofexpression

Detecting the Counterfeit: Lies, Flimflam and the Real Deal Dear Friends,

Enjoy my September Substack, “Detecting the Counterfeit: Lies, Flimflam and the Real Deal," Cuban Writer at Risk, Kimberly Heckler’s A WOMAN OF FIRSTS and George Elliot’s MIDDLEMARCH, with other features. Hope you’ll join “On the Yellow Brick Road.” joanneleedomackerman.substack.com/p/detecting-...

Dispatches From Afghanistan Show How the U.S. Lost Its Way — and the War

Dispatches From Afghanistan Show How the U.S. Lost Its Way — and the War www.nytimes.com/2025/08/12/b...

New Thriller Blurs Lines Between Good Guys and Villains Tufts Arts and Sciences and Fletcher alum Elliot Ackerman has published a new spy thriller and buddy comedy heist novel that will soon be an Apple TV show

New Thriller Blurs Lines Between Good Guys and Villains now.tufts.edu/2025/08/25/n...

I hope you’ll enjoy The Books to Check Out section of my August Substack featuring THE RED HOUSE MYSTERY by A.A. Milne and THE COUNTRY GIRLS by Edna O’ Brien, both novels from times past, rooted in the United Kingdom.
Subscribe to my free Substack:
joanneleedomackerman.substack.com/p/finding-ki...

‘War Is Too Serious to Take Seriously All the Time,’ So He Wrote a Comic Novel

Excellent interview and profile of @elliot.ackerman in the @nytimes. Hope you enjoy it and his new novel SHEEPDOGS.
For complete piece visit: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/b...

#sheepdogs #fiction #nytimes

Elliot Ackerman on X: "RT @AAKnopf: "Elliot Ackerman’s latest novel, a rollicking military-adjacent adventure, also shows just how corrupting a world full of crum…" / X RT @AAKnopf

x.com/elliotackerm...

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Happy Pub Day to Elliot Ackerman & SHEEPDOGS!

“Raw and real and beautifully told, Sheepdogs isn’t just a page-turner, it’s a mind-bender.”—David Ignatius

“A riotous entertainment.”—Publishers Weekly (starred)
#fiction #summerreads #fallreads @aaknopf.bsky.social

Finding Kindness and Heroes Dear Friends,

Enjoy my August Substack, with blog “Finding Kindness and Heroes,” Writer at Risk Boualem Sansal, two books —A.A. Milne’s THE RED HOUSE MYSTERY and Edna O’Brien’s THE COUNTRY GIRLS, and with others. Hope you sign up for “On the Yellow Brick Road.”
joanneleedomackerman.substack.com/p/finding-ki...

SUMMER READING! Oceanview Publishing has extended the Kindle deal on my novel BURNING DISTANCE. I hope you’ll enjoy this love story/political thriller, also available in hardcover and paperback & share with friends!
joanneleedom-ackerman.com/books/burnin...
#kindledeals #summerreads #fiction

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Thank you to Writers’ Voices and a thoughtful and fun interview with Debbie Huang Hadley.

For complete interview visit: writersvoices.com/podcasts/pol...

#thefarsideofthedesert #interntionalthriller #suspense #summerreads #fiction

Amie is ready for the 4th! 🇺🇸🎆
#4thofjulyweekend

In Search of Kindness Dear Friends,

I hope you enjoy my July Substack which includes my blog “In Search of Kindness,” new novels by James Lee Burke DON’T FORGET ME, LITTLE BESSIE and Elliot Ackerman’s upcoming SHEEPDOGS, Writer at Risk Chinese writer Zhang Zhan. I hope you’ll sign up “On the Yellow Brick Road.”

Thank you Mary Dixie Carter for including The Far Side of the Desert as a #FridayReads recommendation!
#repost
#summerreads #thrillerfest #suspense
www.instagram.com/p/DLambjuy8R...

Thank you to the National Indie Excellence Awards for selecting THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT as a Finalist in the Suspense category. Congrats to other finalists and winner Leslie Kain, Angela Douglas, Helaine Mario, Matt Barrows, Jessica Barrows Beebe, Sarah Sawyer & Zelly Ruskin
#bookaward #suspense

Another fun & substantive International Thriller Writers ThrillerFest with engaging panels, meet ups with fellow writers & friends!
Have a look:

#thrillerfest #burningdistance #thefarsideofthedesert #internationalthriller #authorevent #writers #suspense

Amie’s ode to joy and hope as summer begins…
Watch here:
@joanneleedomackerman www.instagram.com/reel/DLDqUME...

Devastation & Destruction or Resilience, Reimagining and Rebuilding? Dear Friends,

The story is in Honduras and explained in my June Substack blog open.substack.com/pub/joannele...

Devastation & Destruction or Resilience, Reimagining and Rebuilding? Dear Friends,

Sharing June's Substack, including blog “Devastation & Destruction or Resilience, Reimagining and Rebuilding?,” book news, two book reviews—THE VORY: RUSSIA’S SUPER MAFIA and THE HELSINKI AFFAIR, Writer at Risk Alaa Abd el-Fattah, and other features. I hope you’ll follow “On the Yellow Brick Road.”