Christina's second novel, AMARYLLIS IN BLUEBERRY, is forthcoming from Gallery, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. AMARYLLIS IN BLUEBERRY is a gripping family story which begins at The End, when American-born Seena Slepy—wife of Dick and mother of teenagers Grace, Mary Catherine, Tessa and Yllis—is on trial for Dick's murder in a small village in West Africa. The story then shifts to Before, when the family is summering in a small cottage in Northern Michigan. On the surface, the family seems unremarkable. Dick is a forty-year-old pathologist and devout Catholic. Seena is a stay-at-home mom. Teenagers Grace, Mary Catherine and Tessa seem typical Midwestern girls. The one exception is the youngest daughter Yllis who is a synesthete: she can see, smell, hear and taste emotion. Yet a simmering chaos lies beneath the surface of the Slepy family. When dark secrets begin to emerge, Dick flees with his family to Africa in an ill-fated attempt to save them and himself. But this decision turns out to be the first step toward his demise. Lyrical and richly atmospheric, AMARYLLIS IN BLUEBERRY captures the complexity of human relationships and the destructive power of secrecy. Advance Praise for Amaryllis in Blueberry "Told in prose that is rich and evocative, Amaryllis in Blueberry will stay with readers long after its surprising and satisfying ending, and leave book clubs talking late into the night. This lovely novel spans continents and cultures in a love story, a family saga, and an exploration of faith that is "colored by Africa and flavored by the impurity that is love."    —Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters . . . . . . . . . . . . REVIEWS MADAPPLE Now in paperback! AWARDS & RECOGNITION Madapple was a finalist for the 2009 PEN USA Literary Award. Maddapple was an ALA Best Book for Young Readers for 2009. Madapple was shortlisted for the William C. Morris award, along with four other books. The award is sponsored by the American Library Association and honors a debut book published by an author writing for teens. More information can be found here. Madapple was named to two year-end "Best" lists! Madapple is listed among Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Books of 2008 (PDF), is a Booklist Children's Editors Choice—and in addition, Booklist listed Madapple as one of the Top Ten First Novels for Youth: 2008. Madapple was named to the 2009 Tayshas Reading List (PDF). Madapple is on the cover of Booklist's Spotlight on First Novels. Amazon chose Madapple as one of the "Best Books of 2008...So Far." "Former litigator and amateur botanist Christina Meldrum has written an utterly unique debut destined to become a cult classic for teens and adults. Madapple tells the story of Maren Hellig and her 16-year-old daughter Aslaug, who live off the land in rural Maine, foraging for wild plants that nourish them physically and spiritually. The pair's mysterious existence is laid bare when Aslaug has to stand trial for her mother's murder, making Madapple a strange brew that simultaneously provokes and mesmerizes the reader."    —AMAZON Read reviews here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INTERVIEWS Interview with Ilene Cooper on Booklist Online Audio interview with Liane Hansen on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday Audio interview with Jamie Mason from North Star Guardians Audio interview with WAMC Northeast Public Radio (NPR affiliate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Information for book groups MADAPPLE has been translated into both German and Italian. In Germany, it will be published by Random House Germany. In Italy, MADAPPLE has been published by Lain, an imprint of Fazi Editore. MADAPPLE is also available in Audio CD from Listening Library, an imprint of Random House Audio.