Columbia author Keija Parssinen’s novel, The Ruins of Us, hit bookshelves in January to warm reviews, and she’s already penning another, tentatively titled The Girls of Port Sabine, a mystery set in an East Texas refinery town that risks collapse.

As for her own reading, Keija says she tends to choose books that are thematically related to her works-in-progress, as well as non-fiction for research — but she tries not to be too strict with herself, gravitating to whatever sparks her interest at the time. Check out the last three books on Keija’s nightstand. You might find familiar themes in The Girls of Port Sabine when it makes its grand debut.

Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood
The disturbing yet hilarious story of Elaine Risley, a painter who returns to her childhood home and is overwhelmed with memories about the girls she used to romp around the block with. Elaine must let go of her haunting memories and find a new identity. The complexities of female friendship is also a theme in Keija’s novel-in-progress.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Camille Preaker just checked out from a stint at a psych hospital and her first assignment from her less-than-prestigious newspaper is the murder of two preteen girls in her hometown. Another uncomfortable reunion and another confrontation with past demons, but Flynn’s writing takes a fresh take on the old tale of redemption.

Mariette in Ecstasy by Ron Hansen
Set at the turn of the century, the Sisters of Crucifixion have their quite convent life turned upside down with the arrival of Mariette, a strange, temperamental girl plagued by trances and hallucinations. But when unexplained occurrences rise to the surface, the sisters must decide if Mariette is a saint, or something else.