When a writer sits in front of a blank screen, how do full blown, made-up characters that feel as real as our family and friends get conjured, with lives that unfold—as rich or richer than any actual life—in the course of a few hundred pages? Or how does an obscure piece of history, recent or centuries old, come to the attention of an author and so obsess over them that they excavate and investigate every aspect of that true tale—and deliver it to us as a finished book?

When we surveyed this summer's literary landscape, what we were drawn to were these 32 books by women writers—but what we wanted to know was: What was on their vision board as they wrote? Were there photos, or news clippings, or quotes, or books, or music that kept them engaged, that kept them inspired, that fed their imaginations and helped them create the books we're thrilled to share with you now?

Read the full story here: The Best Books by Women of Summer 2019

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