Author and writing teacher D. A. Spruzen brings us urban fantasy, The Flower Lady Trilogy, and more! You will love meeting this truly amazing author at Elaine’s Literary Salon

**Meet the Author:** D. A. Spruzen grew up near London, U.K., graduated from the London College of Dance and Drama Education, and earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Queen’s University of Charlotte; she teaches creative writing in Northern Virginia when not seeking her own muse. She resides in Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland. **About D.A.’s books: Odin’s Word** is the fourth book in D. A. Spruzen’s new urban fantasy series, Sleuthing With Mortals. The books are available in print and ebook formats. Find the other books in the series below. Additional titles include the historical novel *The Blitz Business* and the poetry collection *Long in the Tooth*. **Learn more: daspruzen.com** ***Scroll down for details! •*** Click here to buy all of A.D’s books! **https://elainesliterarysalon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/22Odins-Word22-by-D.A.-Spruzen.jpgOdin’s Word (Sleuthing with Mortals Book 4)** Something always seems to jolt Mary back into the reality of living with gods. The god Hoenir, known as Hunter in this world, feels compelled to climb Yggdrasil to see what, if anything, remains of Asgard. His discoveries and adventures could have a momentous and positive impact on the world—if enough people are willing to listen and believe. After a turbulent few months, the entire family travels to Austria to visit a wealthy family they met while in Copenhagen over Christmas. Mary loves to travel and is excited to visit a new country. However, their vacation is quickly upended when Hunter and his wife Lin are forced to use their formidable skills to right wrongs that go back generations. **https://elainesliterarysalon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/22The-Knight-the-Gnome-and-the-Fox22-by-Ad-Spruzen.jpgThe Knight, the Gnome, and the Fox (Sleuthing with Mortals Book 3)** After fighting evil throughout the ages, the goddess must face Loki once more… Norse goddess Lin continues to relate her hair-raising memoirs to her ghostwriter Mary, including sojourns in medieval Iceland and present-day Denmark. As always, she leaves her mark wherever she goes. Another unwelcome survivor of Ragnarok turns up, leading the family to lock horns with Loki once more. Who will prevail? **https://elainesliterarysalon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/22The-Witch-of-Tut22.jpgThe Witch of Tut (Sleuthing with Mortals Book 2)** It is their job to protect the mortal realm, but are secrets the only way they can protect each other? Lin Thoren, a beautiful Norse goddess turned private detective, embarks on a new case to locate a missing girl in London. But the fantastical always has a way of finding her. During her investigation, she meets Agna, the goddess Freya’s witch and former protector of King Tutankhamun. Meanwhile, Lin’s personal biographer Mary Lambert is contending with her new role as mother to a demigod. When Lin returns to their suburban home near Washington D.C., Agna in tow, Mary is tasked with keeping a secret that, if broken, could lead to their own personal Ragnarok. **https://elainesliterarysalon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/9175lFN3qdL._SL1500_.jpgThe Turkish Connection (Sleuthing with Mortals Book 1)** I don’t think anyone can forget their own war—the loss, the pain—however hard they try. Lin Thoren, a minor Norse goddess, is both beautiful and terrifying. While her powers have diminished over time, she can still move faster than light, shapeshift for short periods of time, and throw a grown man across the room. All of these skills make her a particularly adept Private Investigator. Mary Lambert has just earned her Master’s degree in creative writing and aspires to be an author. Lin hires her to be a live-in ghostwriter and record her memoirs, which cover many eras, cultures, historical events, and criminal cases. As Lin recounts a tale about trafficked women hidden in a D.C. suburb, Mary begins to realize just how powerful her host is. Soon, Mary finds herself becoming an integral member of the Thoren household—in more ways than one. https://elainesliterarysalon.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/HopeKatzGibbs.jpg Hope Katz Gibbs, PR director, podcast/video producer, Elaine’s Literary Salon **About this episode’s host: Hope Katz Gibbs, journalist, author, podcast/video producer, and PR director at Elaine’s Literary Salon** “Interviewing authors is a passion of mine,” says Hope, who has been a journalist since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1986. Her articles have appeared in dozens of publications including The Washington Post, The Miami Herald, Costco’s Connection, The National Press Club, Beach Life magazine, and more. She has won numerous journalism awards for her writing. Her books include **PR Rules: The Playbook, Why Divorce: 5 Reasons to Leave**, and the upcoming anthology, Walking on the Beach with Natalie. She founded Inkandescent PR + Publishing Co. in 2008, and in the decades since has promoted the work of hundreds of entrepreneurs, authors, artists, educators, and more. She is the publisher of three online magazines: InkandescentWomen.com, BeInkandescent.com Health & Wellness magazine, and InkandescentKids.com magazine. Her company produces more than 30 podcast series on InkandescentRadio.com, which gets more than 1 million hits/month; the video versions of the shows are featured on Inkandescent.tv. Her company also publishes books for its clients. Find those titles here. ElaineLiterarySalon.com: In 2024, Hope partnered with bestselling thriller novelist Jeffrey James Higgins, founder of the project and the regular host of the series. Their podcast/video show ranks #1 on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for literary salon shows: ElainesLiterarySalon.tv Find Elaine’s Literary Salon events here. Check back for new episodes of Elaine’s Literary Salon on Inkandescent.tvand listen to all the podcasts on InkandescentRadio.com. Elaine’s Literary Salon is located at Elaine’s Restaurant, 208 Queen Street, Alexandria VA About Elaine’s Restaurant:  A menu filled with delicious modern Mediterranean cuisine selections is sure to please everyone in your party. The dishes are inspired by exquisite food from Alexandria, Egypt — a blend of Middle Eastern and French, Greek, and Italian influences. Elaine’s is named for the owner’s grandmother and is based on a promise she made at the age of 12, growing up in Cairo. “I promised my grandma I would someday own a restaurant and name it after her,” shares Cynthia, who is also an author. She and her husband, bestselling thriller novelist Jeffrey James Higgins, are proud to share my family’s recipes with new friends and families in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.” Located in an 1880s building, it was the former home of the beloved bistro Bilbo Baggins for 38 years. The newly renovated restaurant is located in the heart of Old Town’s Historic District within sight of the Potomac River and Founders Park, just a few blocks from The Torpedo Factory Art Center, and Old Town Alexandria Waterfront. **Make a reservation today: elaines-restaurant.com.**