Dreaming of Water- Kindle Sale

Dreaming of Water is only $2.49 on Kindle (U.S. only) for the entire month of February!

“A beautifully written piece of fiction…” —Chicago Book Review

“As usual, Banner does an outstanding job of developing believable characters, keeping the action moving, and making readers want to keep turning pages.” —Bookreporter

Here’s more about Dreaming of Water:

A woman’s investigation into her past reveals family secrets and lies in this novel of discovery, redemption, and the mutability of memory by the bestselling author of The Good Neighbor and In Another Light.

Astrid Johansen swore she would never return to Heron Bay, Washington. In that idyllic coastal town, her little sister, Nina, drowned in a reflecting pool under Astrid’s watch seventeen years ago. Though guilt has kept her away, Astrid can’t ignore her aunt Maude’s urgent plea to come back. Maude claims to have found a letter that will change everything about the past.

When Astrid arrives in Heron Bay, she finds Maude unconscious, perhaps the victim of an attack. As Maude lingers in a coma, Astrid uncovers alarming evidence that Nina’s drowning that tragic night was no accident. But in a town rife with secrets, and in a family still fractured by grief, who knows the truth?

Astrid’s investigation leads her down a trail of dark memories, lies, and betrayals that will shatter her perception of everyone she thought she knew—even herself.

Simple Joys

When the world turns upside down, I try to savor everyday moments: walks by the water, glimpses of wild creatures (Bald Eagle, Northern Shoveler, and Great Blue Heron pictured below), visits to Ace Typewriter, vegan chocolates at Creo Chocolates, indie bookstores, a library built over a river, and more. Small wonders, simple joys.

Cat’s People: A Gentle Book When I Needed One

Our ten-year-old rescue, Kali, recommends CAT’S PEOPLE!

Books I Read This Year

I’ve long wanted to move away from social media, and now I’m finally doing it. Jaron Lanier sums up my reasons succinctly in his important book, Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right now: “To free yourself, to be more authentic, to be less addicted, to be less manipulated, to be less paranoid…for all these marvelous reasons, delete your accounts.” (Page 24, hardcover edition)

Although my A. J. Banner Instagram account has been deactivated for a few years now (did anyone notice?), I haven’t yet completely deleted my Facebook account. But I’ll no longer be posting there. I hope that eventually, readers and friends who are interested in interacting with me in a more authentic way, might contact me here.

On this last day of December, 2025, I decided to type up a list of books I read this year—at least, the ones I can remember reading! I used my 1966 Hermes 3000 with Petit-Pica typeface, a true joy.

My Hermes 3000 with Petit-Pica typeface.