I Read a Book Once

Giveaway: Nakba by Jason S. Walters

2013-05-21T06:03:00.000-07:00

[The following entry is part of the Nakba blog tour being organized by Tomorrow Comes Media. For a complete list of stops on the tour, see the tour page. For giveaway entry and rules, see the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post.]

Jason S. Walters’ new novel, Nakba (published by Blackwyrm Publishing) hit stores soon, and to celebrate the launch, Blackwyrm is holding an epic giveaway. The contest features a Kindle Fire with 25 ebooks loaded on it, several paperback book bundles, a hell of a lot of paperback copies of Nakba, and even more ebook bundles. But first, a little bit about the bell of the ball, Jason S. Walter’s Nakba.

A thousand years ago humanity’s dissidents fled, leaving behind a peaceful, unified world content to exist in a state of perpetual hedonism. Then a daring escape plunged civilization into chaos, forcing its rulers to expand outward to maintain order. Now all that stands between a newly imperial Earth and the rest of the solar system is a loose coalition of Maasai tribesmen, cloned feminists, shape-shifting humannequins, and vengeful Berbers led by the least likely hero in human history: a young woman with Down syndrome and a bad attitude.

The tour page also has an excerpt from the novel you might find interesting. And then there’s the author himself—which, being the RPG nerd I am, I find very interesting indeed.

Jason S. Walters is an author, essayist, and publisher best known for running Indie Press Revolution (IPR), a distributor of micro-published roleplaying games. He is also one of a small group of investors that purchased Hero Games in 2001, and serves as its general manager. After owning a San Francisco bike messenger service for 15 years, he and his wife Tina moved to Midian Ranch: a homestead near the town of Gerlach, Nevada. It is also the location of IPR’s warehousing complex. They have a daughter with Down syndrome named Cassidy and animals too numerous to mention. Find out more about Jason at on his blog or on facebook.

So if Nakba—or indeed, any of the books in the Blackwyrm catalog—sound interesting, sign up using the Rafflecopter widget and win one of these crazy-awesome prizes. You know you want to.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mailbox Monday – May 20, 2013

2013-05-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme started by Marcia at Mailbox Monday in which bloggers can ramble on about the books they received/bought/stole over a given week. Each month a new blogger hosts the meme, and this month it’s Abi at 4 the Love of Books

--- The Books ---

Title: World War Z

Author: Max Brooks

Publisher: Broadway

Genre(s): Horror, Zombies

About the Book: A while back I reviewed the abridged (freaking ABRIDGED!) audio version of Max Brook’s imagining of a global zombie conflict. When I saw that book sitting on a shelf at Target this weekend, the sticker on the cover advertising a dirt-cheap price, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to own the actual book and find out what the free-wheeling editor Nazis over at Random House had amputated from the original text when they did their backroom Hostel impression on what became the abridged audio version. Did I mention I hate abridged audio?

Relevant Links: author webpage

Title: All the Summer Girls

Author: Meg Donohue

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Women’s Lit

About the Book: Set among the sunsets and dunes, All the Summer Girls is the story of how three former best friends, their lives rapidly unraveling, are reunited at the beach town of their past, where they are encouraged to explore new experiences they would never otherwise attempt. When dark secrets threaten to survace, they begin to realize just how much their lives and friendhips were shaped by the choices made one fateful summer night years ago.

Relevant Links: author webpage

Title: Sight Reading

Author: Daphne Kalotay

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre(s): Literary Fiction

About the Book: After a long New England winter, Hazel and Remy spot each other for the first time in years. Under ordinary circumstances, this meeting might seem insignificant. But Remy, a gifted violinist, is married to the Scottish composer Nicholas Elko--once the love of Hazel' s life, now struggling with a masterwork he cannot realize. In the twenty years since Hazel' s world was tipped on its axis, these three artists have faced unexpected joys, mysterious afflictions and other puzzles of life, their fates irrevocably interlaced.

Relevant Links: author webpage

Title: Strong Rain Falling

Author: Jon Land

Publisher: Forge Books

Genre(s): Thriller

About the Book: Fifth Generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong and her lover, Cort Wesley Masters, both survive terrifying gun battles whose targets are Masters' teenage sons. This sets Caitlin and Cort Wesley off on a trail winding through the past and present with nothing less than the future of the United States hanging in the balance. Along the way they will confront terrible truths dating all the way back to the Mexican Revolution and the dogged battle Caitlin’s own grandfather and great-grandfather fought against the first generation of Mexican drug dealers.

Relevant Links: author webpage

Title: Spoonful

Author: Chris Mendius

Publisher: Anything Goes Publishing

Genre(s): Thriller

About the Book: Living in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago during the late nineties, Michael Lira and his friends are a bunch of junkies, artists and has-beens. Between slamming dope and slipping away for trysts with a free-spirited painter/stripper, Michael has what he needs but it s not enough. When he meets two frat boys from Northwestern University looking to score, Michael sees his chance and takes it. He pulls together a bundle of money and puts it in the stock market. One hot tip leads to another until it all erupts in a bloody confrontation that will change his life forever.strong

Relevant Links: Goodreads author page

And now that we’ve shown you ours, it’s time to show us yours. What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Review – The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

2013-05-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

[The following review is part of the Nowhere But Home blog tour managed by TLC Book Tours. For a full list of host blogs for the tour, see the tour page. For more on Jenny Davidson and her work, visit her website, www.helenewecker.com.]

By Jessica Veter

New York, 1899.

The flood of immigrants to the new world includes a golem, new-born and masterless, and a jinni, released at last from a thousand years’ imprisonment. Afraid that their true natures will be discovered, Chava and Ahmad try to blend into the Jewish and Syrian migrant communities of turn-of-the-century New York.

>It is not easy for them. The constant effort to be something they are not takes an emotional toll, and their meeting is an opportunity for them to be themselves. Their friendship, however, leads to a tragedy which endangers their existence and the lives of the humans who have befriended them.

Three cheers for Helene Wecker! In a market overflowing with vampires and witches and werewolves, here we have some fabled beings who haven’t been done to death. Chava and Ahmad, imperfect, unhappy, coping with tragedy as best they can and creating beauty in a society which fears them, lure us irresistibly into their world.

We are treated to a rich, layered setting, a diverse cast and an irresistible portrait of a time when promise so often gave way to hardship and indifference. From the streets to the rooftops, Wecker places us so firmly on location that the reader still catches glimpses of it just out of the corner of the eye long after the book is done.

Given the violent reputation of golems and the fiery nature of jinnis, one would expect this novel to be action-packed and tense, but the action very much takes a back seat to the deeper moral questions of the book: what does it mean to leave your homeland and how is it possible to find a place in a land and a culture that is not your own? Chava’s and Ahmad’s experiences mirror the struggles of migrants throughout history: reshaping themselves enough in order to settle into the new country, yet at the same time fighting not to lose what it is that defines them and sets them apart.

What a wonderful effect when historical fiction and fantasy are woven together! The fantastic nature of Chava and Ahmad allows every reader to recognize them as the ‘other’, while the story remains firmly anchored – on all levels -- within the Jewish and Syrian migrant communities of the early twentieth century. And as the best fantasy does, the novel makes honest observations about the past and timely observations about the present. Wecker gives voice, context and history to communities which have traditionally been silenced, and in the end, she gives us a satisfactory finale which rings true and looks forward with a healthy practicality: change is necessary, but it is not necessarily bad.

4 star-shaped cookies to Helene Wecker for THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI... with sprinkles on top.

If you want more information about New York in 1899 (and why the heck not? Don’t leave me the only one in the room with a head full of fascinating trivia) go to http://www.helenewecker.com/new-york-in-1899/

About the Author: Helene Wecker grew up in Libertyville, Illinois, a small town north of Chicago, and received her Bachelor’s in English from Carleton College in Minnesota. After graduating, she worked a number of marketing and communications jobs in Minneapolis and Seattle before deciding to return to her first love, fiction writing. Accordingly, she moved to New York to pursue a Master’s in fiction at Columbia University.

She now lives near San Francisco with her husband and daughter. THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI is her first novel. (source: www.helenewecker.com)

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About the Reviewer: Jessica Veter is a novelist raised in rural Ontario. Having escaped to Toronto, she spent the 90’s over-educating herself at York University and then the University of Toronto. Once she accepted that there were never going to be any job listings in The Globe and Mail headed “Medievalist Wanted”, Jessica went to Japan. There, she met her husband and they lived in England before returning to Canada with a son and a greyhound. Now in rural Flamborough, Jessica and her husband raise 3 boys, 6 chickens and are owned by 1 dog. You are welcome to visit her at www.jessicaveter.com.

Review - The Magic Circle by Jenny Davidson

2013-05-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

[The following review is part of the Nowhere But Home blog tour managed by TLC Book Tours. For a full list of host blogs for the tour, see the tour page. For more on Jenny Davidson and her work, visit her website, jennydavidson.blogspot.com.]

By Ryan St. Onge

Click here for the Amazon listing

About halfway through this novel I was reminded of an interactive work of theater called Sleep No More that had runs in both London and New York (neither of which I attended). According to the interview I heard with the creator of the project, Sleep No More is set in a five floor building which is transformed into a turn-of-the-century hotel. Rather than traditional theater where audience members are asked to sit and watch the action, In Sleep No More the members of the audience, who are given masks upon entry to maintain anonymity but no program, are free to wander aimlessly throughout the building and into any of the various settings. They are encouraged to open drawers and closets, read diaries and interact with the actors (who remain silent throughout the performance). The story, or what little there is of it, is loosely based on MacBeth. Like I said, interactive.

Let me be absolutely clear on something. Jenny Davidson's novel The Magic Circle has nothing to do with this macabre bit of theater, but until about a week ago, Sleep No More the closest thing to Live Action Role Playing that I had ever heard of. That's right. I have lived almost four decades completely unaware of the entire sub-culture of live action role playing games (henceforth referred to as LARP or LARPing). Some of you are probably rolling your eyes at me. How could I have never heard of LARPing? Surely I've heard of Dungeons and Dragons.

Well, yes. But I had always assumed that was something that a certain demographic of kids did with dice and cards in their parent's basement. I was unaware of the massive cottage industry of dressing up, equipping oneself with all sorts of expensive paraphernalia and wandering around pre-determined environments engaging in some sort of elaborate game complete with scoring. Apparently there are literally thousands of adults who do this and I was completely unaware. Me, a self-avowed nerd. I should hand in my card.

Now, I'm not particularly interested in LARPing. I'm not about to skip out and buy myself a broadsword, but to each their own. But it's these sorts of discoveries about the world that keep me in books. I love it that even at my rapidly advancing age I am able to discover pockets and corners of this world of which I was previously ignorant. Yay books!

So anyway, The Magic Circle is about three female friends who are particularly interested in LARPing, specifically in New York City. The three friends are on a seemingly endless quest to concoct and then play an elaborate urban role playing game. But much like games, reality is not exactly what it seems. Anna, the mysterious Swedish-born, occult-obsessed woman next door isn't being entirely forthwith about her past and when her brother shows up on the scene, the lines between the game and reality begin to blur. Much like Sleep No More, The Magic Circle is loosely based on another classic story. In this case it is the Bacchae by Euripides (If you are unfamiliar with the Bacchae, never fear, Davidson has you covered. She provides a more than adequate summary of the story within the narrative).

Jenny Davidson

Viewed simply as a narrative, The Magic Circle is fairly weak. The story is simplistic, slow and often aimless, especially toward the beginning. Davidson provides very little background about the three main characters and it took me a long time to differentiate between the three as separate entities. Their careers seem to be categorically dismissed in a manner that left me wondering where these three got all their free time. But not too much, because I really didn't develop any strong feelings for her characters. The story seemed to jump across large swathes of time (work, presumably) but as the novel progressed, the narrative did began to take a certain shape and dimension, but it never fleshes out as completely as I thought it could have.

But to read The Magic Circle simply as a narrative it to sell this novel short. Behind the flimsy narrative is a discussion worth having. The Magic Circle is, at its core, a novel about infantilization and the modern glorification of games and play in lieu of earnest relationships and honest dialogue. Davidson spends a lot of time inside the heads of her protagonists, chronicling their neuroses and their inabilities to communicate with family and friends on a mature field. Instead, the characters (and many of us) use games, whether they are role-playing games, sports etc... as a form of social lubrication. Not that there is anything particularly wrong with using games as a way in which to foster and facilitate friendships but, like so much else, there is more than one face on a die.

This theme got me to thinking about an exceptional book I read a couple of years back called Consumed: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults and Swallow Citizens Whole by Benjamin R. Barber. Barber contends that modern markets and the media that drives them have created an endless maze of escapism that has ostensibly "dumbed down" our population via movies, music, television and, yes.... games. While I don't think Davidson was thinking specifically about Barber's thesis or the infantilization of adults in specific, this novel does address the issue, even if by accident, and that's a dialogue worth having.

In this vein, the thematic centerpiece of the novel (for me, anyway) is the Christmas dinner at Ruth's mother's house. Ruth's mother is a collector of vintage toys and is given a first edition copy of The Game of Life from 1860. Despite the fact that the game is a historical artifact in the eyes of Ruth's mother, Ruth's friend Anna suggests they play the game. What follows is a flash of brilliance in an otherwise mediocre read. The episode speaks volumes about the games people play with each other within their own personal relationships all within the strict confines of an actual, physical game being played. What isn't said becomes every bit as important as what is said.

In fact, had Davidson edited this already short novel a bit more and had it centered around this particular episode rather reaching for the parallelism between The Bacchae and reality, it would have made for an exceptional short story. As it stands, The Magic Circle is an accessible novel about a subject that will is relatively unknown to most readers and could potentially be an excellent way in which to introduce the notions of LARPing to readers (such as me) who have never heard of it. Unfortunately, it is a great idea fallen a bit flat. There are moments in this novel, but they are too few and too far between.

Three stars.

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About the Reviewer: Ryan is a Canadian citizen lost somewhere in Asia, which is a terrible place to be lost if you like reading English books. He gets by via second hand book stores and his Kindle. If given the choice (though he rarely is) he prefers literary fiction and non-fiction. Oh yeah... and zombies. Ryan has been an avid reader of zombie lore for over 20 years. That's either awesome or utterly sad. You can choose. And if you want to see what else Ryan has been reading, you can visit his personal blog, Reading in Taiwan.

Mailbox Monday – May 13, 2013

2013-05-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

Kind of a slow week this week, but sometimes that’s a good thing, right?

--- The Books ---

Title: Shadowborn

Author: Moira Katson

Publisher: CreateSpace

Genre(s): Fantasy, Young Adult

About the Book: It has been only two generations since Arthur Warden seized the throne of Heddred, and now the crown rests on the head of Garad, a sick and weakly youth. Catwin, plucked from her life at the edge of the Kingdom, is thrust abruptly into the world of the Court when she is chosen by the Duke of Voltur to be a Shadow—spy, shield, and blade—to his niece, the Lady Miriel DeVere. The Duke’s ruthlessness is legendary, and he will stop at nothing to become the power behind the throne, using Miriel as a pawn to catch Garad’s heart.

Relevant Links: author webpage

Title: Zombie Versus Fairy Featuring Albinos

Author: James Marshall

Publisher: Chizine Publications

Genre(s): Fantasy, Horror, Humor

About the Book: In a perfect world where everyone destroys everything and eats human flesh, one zombie has had enough: BUCK BURGER! When Buck meets a beautiful, green-haired pharmacist fairy named FAIRY_26, he quickly becomes a pawn in a Cold War between zombies and supernatural creatures. As Fairy_26 flies him between her tree-branch apartment in Fairyland and an aircraft-carrier pirate ship in a zombie-infested dystopia, Buck Burger struggles to make sense of it all and remain faithful to his overbearing wife. Does sixteen-year-old spiritual leader and pirate GUY BOY MAN make an appearance? Of course! Are there mind-controlling albinos? Obviously! Is there hot zombie-on-fairy action? Maybe! WHY AREN'T YOU READING THIS YET?!

Relevant Links: author Wikipedia page

And now that we’ve shown you ours, it’s time to show us yours. What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Review & Giveaway - Remember Why You Fear Me by Robert Shearman (5/5)

2013-05-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

[For giveaway entry, use the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post.]

By Natasha Post

Click Here for the Amazon listing

A woman rejects her husband's heart - and gives it back to him, still beating, in a plastic box. A little boy betrays his father to the harsh mercies of Santa Claus. A widower suspects his dead wife's face is growing over his own. A man goes to Hell, and finds he's roommate to the ghost of Hitler's pet dog. Giant spiders, killer angels, ghost cat photography, and the haunted house right at the centre of the Garden of Eden. Deliciously frightening, darkly satirical, and always unexpected, Robert Shearman has won the World Fantasy Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the Edge Hill Reader's Prize. REMEMBER WHY YOU FEAR ME gathers together his best dark fiction, the most celebrated stories from his acclaimed books, and ten new tales that have never been collected before.

The Amazon blurb above says that Remember Why You Fear Me is an anthology of the best of Robert Shearman’s dark fiction. I’m inclined to agree, because the short stories in this book are phenomenal. Robert Shearman is an established playwright, author and TV series writer known for works such as Doctor Who and his first collection of short stories – Tiny Deaths. As an avid reader, I’m completely heartbroken that I didn’t even know who he was until I picked up Remember Why You Fear Me. If you’ve never heard of him, this book will suck you in, make you want to comb through his works, and find more to read. There is a wonderful introduction by Stephen Jones (The Mammoth Book of Zombies, anyone?) in this book that will give you some insight on this magnificent horror author.

The first story in this book is entitled The Mortal Coil.” It immediately sucks you in with the first line:

“On first impression, it looked like an apology.”

All right, someone’s in trouble, but now I want to know who and why. The story centers on peoples obsession with death. The unnamed entities are fed up with this and decide to send everyone a letter telling them when and how they will die. It’s highly creative, completely addictive, and as soon as you’re done with one story you can’t wait to read the next. As the book progresses, each story seemingly gets better and better, more terrifying and twisted.

Shearman’s imagination is abundant and disturbing in this book. If horror is your genre, then this book is definitely for you. Shearman even manages to make Santa Claus sinister. When most people try that it usually comes off as ridiculous, but Shearman kept me enamored throughout all of his stories. He’s also very good at knowing when to use narrative description and when to use dialogue. There are small details that enrich the stories, and flares of darkness that will make you think twice about certain things in life.

Robert Shearman’s collection of short stories Remember Why You Fear me gets five stars from me for creativity, craftsmanship, plot, characters, and horror. All of those elements were present in this book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves horror, noir, and the macabre.

About the Author: Robert Shearman is a writer for DOCTOR WHO and has an ongoing association with Jarvis & Ayres productions, which has resulted in six plays for BBC Radio 4, broadcast in the station’s regular weekday Afternoon Play slot, and one classic serial. His short story collections include TINY DEATHS, LOVE SONGS FOR THE SHY AND CYNICAL, and EVERYONE’S JUST SO SO SPECIAL. He attended the University of Exeter, is owned by a cat, and currently lives in London.

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About the Reviewer: Tasha has a voracious appetite for books. They are commonly found overflowing on her shelves, littered around her house, in the car, at the work place, and just to be safe, Tasha always has her Nook stashed somewhere on her person. Besides reading, she’s an avid writer. Never wanting to be without pen and paper when inspiration strikes (as it so often likes to smack her in the face when she’s away from her desk) she can always be seen with a mini notebook and pen attached to her wrist. A wife and mother of two four legged pups, Natasha not only works full time, but she is also a full time college student working towards an AA and then to dual majoring in English and Multimedia Journalism. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or her blog, Wannabe Wild Writer.

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The Giveaway: The publisher, Chizine Publications, is being kind enough to give away two handy-dandy prizes to coincide with Natasha's review. They are:

First Prize: a softcover copy of Remember Why You Fear Me

Second Prize: an ebook copy of Remember Why You Fear Me plus another ebook title from Chizine's catalog

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review & Giveaway - The Trouble with Charlie by Merry Jones (5/5)

2013-05-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

[The following review is part of the The Trouble with Charlie blog tour managed by Partners in Crime Tours. For a full list of host blogs for the tour, see the tour page. And for giveaway entry and rules, see the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post.]

By Kayla West

Click here for the Amazon listing

When I first heard of The Trouble With Charlie by Merry Jones, I snapped it up thinking it would be a typical murder/thriller novel where someone tries to find the killer. I was right, however, it is also so much more than that. It has a tad bit of humor (hopefully I'm not the only one who thinks this), a serious plot that seems to thicken throughout, and a possible haunting (if only in the heroine's mind). Now, before I go any further in my declaration of love for this novel, I must tell you a bit of what you will encounter if (and when) you decide to pick this phenomenal read up at your local bookstore.

The Trouble with Charlie introduces us to a woman named Elle. Her friends have yanked her arm and forced her to go to a bar to loosen up and forget about her soon-to-be ex-husband, Charlie Harrison. Being that she hasn't been out on her own "in a decade" (Elle's own words), she is uncomfortable being there. So, understandably, she decides to go home and confront her loneliness (ironically) by herself (and possibly reruns of NCIS). However, weird things start to happen after she arrives back at her own place. A rose begins to seemingly move by itself all over the house and Elle begins to hear her ex's voice and feel his touch wherever she goes. These happenings become more and more unreal when she discovers Charlie's body dead in his study, a knife from her kitchen protruding from his back.

Things take a downward spiral as Elle becomes a 'person of interest' in the case. Charlie's family suspects her, the police definitely suspect her and, after a bit of thought, she even begins to suspect herself. Holes in her memory give her doubts about what she truly knows. With the help of her four friends, a mysterious flash drive containing destructive evidence, and the will to be found innocent, can Elle find Charlie's true killer? Or will she be convicted for a crime she may, or may not have, committed?

Now back to my gushing.....

I loved this. It was written wonderfully, and the format of the novel surprised me in a way. I am a chapter girl so, looking through the book, I was shocked to find that it has no chapters! No book I have ever read has not had chapters. The parts are separated, of course, by little decorative lines (not sure about the term, haha) and IT WORKS! The story works with the format. In fact, I believe that chapters would have probably made it harder to follow the story. Kudos to you, Merry Jones, Kudos to you.

Nothing more to say, except: Five out of Five stars.

I recommend this book wholeheartedly to everyone who loves thrillers, for this has to be one of the best I have read.

Merry Jones

About the Author: Merry Jones is the author of multiple suspen novels and thrillers, as well as humor and non-fiction. Jones is a regular contributor to GLAMOUR, and her work has been printed in seven languages and numerous magazines. Her short story, BLISS, appears in the anthology LIAR LIAR, a project of the Philadelphia Liars Club. In addition to the Liars, Jones is a member of Mystery Writers of America, The Authors Guild and International Thriller Writers.

For the last fifteen years, she has taught writing courses at a variety of institutions, including Temple University and Delaware County Community College. She has appeared on radio and television (local and national), and participates in panel discussions and workshops regularly. To find out more about her and her work, visit her website, www.merryjones.com/.

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About the Reviewer: Kayla West is an avid reader who tends to read a little too much for her own good. By day she is a home healthcare worker and by night, or late afternoon, she is the lead character in any good story that can truly spark her imagination. She loves to read fantasy and historical fiction, but is ready and willing to have an open mind about any type of work. Books by unknown authors, or at least unknown to her, are her very favorites to read, because she believes that those stories, the unknown stories, are sometimes where the magic truly happens. To learn more about Kayla, visit her blog at attackofthebookworms.blogspot.com.

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The Giveaway: The publisher is giving away 10 physical copies of The Trouble With Charlie, so heed Kayla's words and sign up to win before it's too late!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review - Frozen in Time by Micthell Zuckoff (4/5)

2013-05-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

[The following review is part of the Frozen in Time blog tour being organized by TLC Book Tours. For a full list of host blogs for the tour, see the tour page. For more on author Mitchell Zuckoff and his work, visit his website, http://www.mitchellzuckoff.com.]

By Amanda Amaya

I am a huge fan of anything that is about World War II and survival under the most trying circumstances, so Frozen in Time was right up my alley. Here is the synopsis:

Click Here for the Amazon listing

FROZEN IN TIME is a gripping true story of survival, bravery, and honor in the vast Arctic wilderness during World War II, from the author of New York Times bestseller LOST IN SHANGRI-LA

On November 5, 1942, a US cargo plane slammed into the Greenland Ice Cap. Four days later, the B-17 assigned to the search-and-rescue mission became lost in a blinding storm and also crashed. Miraculously, all nine men on board survived, and the US military launched a daring rescue operation. But after picking up one man, the Grumman Duck amphibious plane flew into a severe storm and vanished.

FROZEN IN TIME tells the story of these crashes and the fate of the survivors, bringing vividly to life their battle to endure 148 days of the brutal Arctic winter, until an expedition headed by famed Arctic explorer Bernt Balchen brought them to safety. Mitchell Zuckoff takes the reader deep into the most hostile environment on earth, through hurricane-force winds, vicious blizzards, and subzero temperatures.

Moving forward to today, he recounts the efforts of the Coast Guard and North South Polar Inc. – led by indefatigable dreamer Lou Sapienza – who worked for years to solve the mystery of the Duck’s last flight and recover the remains of its crew.

A breathtaking blend of mystery and adventure Mitchell Zuckoff's FROZEN IN TIME is also a poignant reminder of the sacrifices of our military personnel and a tribute to the everyday heroism of the US Coast Guard.

This book reminded me of Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resiliance and Redemption. Much like that book, this one captivated me as well.

I grew up in the northeast, so I know cold. But not this type of cold:

“Cold in Greenland is almost a living thing, a tormenting force that robs strapping men of strength, denies them rest, and refuses them comfort. In time, it kills like a python, squeezing life from its victims.”

Mitchell Zuckoff

Mitchell Zuckoff paints such a vivid picture of the landscape. The ice, the snow, the crevasses. The day to day torment of living on a glacier with a thin skin of aluminum to block out the wind and cold.

This book is absolutely thrilling, from the dual stories of the men marooned on this barren wasteland alternating with the push for an expedition to find artifacts, both stories are equally compelling. I honestly feel that these types of true stories should be required reading in high schools. The strength and fortitude exhibited by the soldiers in WWII helps to illustrate just how much has been sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy now.

The “greatest generation” is truly that. I will always read books of this nature, and I look forward to Mr. Zuckoff’s sequel to this story, the one where the ending includes the team bringing the Duck home.

I give this book four stars for the way the information is presented and weaved into the story from today. Mr. Zuckoff’s writing is impeccable and draws the reader in and keeps them interested throughout. Although the reader knows that some of the crew survived from the very beginning, the reader just wants to know how, and what their lives were like after.

Highly recommended for those who have an interest in history, aviation, or a tale that takes place in one of the most inhospitable locations on the planet.

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About the Reviewer: Amanda was born in Texas, moved to Pittsburgh for 25 years, and now she’s back in the Lone Star State. She has been a nurse for a decade. She loves to read and will usually read anything. She prefers to focus on self-published authors and may consider writing herself one day. She is also a newlywed and a mom. You can check out her work at the examiner.com and on her blog The Eclectic Bookworm.

Giveaway - Incarnate by Lawrence Weill

2013-05-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

[The following review is part of the Incarnate blog tour being organized by Tomorrow Comes Media. For a full list of host blogs for the tour, see the tour page. For giveaway entry and rules, see the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post.]

What should a woman do if she believes she is the mother of the second coming of Christ? This is the problem Lara Joyner faces when she comes to believe, through her visions, through the look on his face, through her cards, and through the thousands of hidden signs she sees in nature, that her son is Christ incarnate.

Incarnate is driven by this woman’s character and readers struggle between wanting to sympathize and knowing she is deeply troubled. In the end, we discover how her delusion turns many worlds upside down, as well as how faith overpowers reason. The story follows Lara and her two sons as she pushes Dale to perform miracles and save humanity. Although obviously unable to do so, he goes through the motions to protect his little brother Louis. Told alternately from Lara’s perspective (in the present tense) and from the other principles in the story, the plot follows the trials brought on by Lara’s spiraling madness, her husband’s desperate search for his family, and the children’s bewilderment and fear.

Intrigued yet? Incarnate, a new psychological thriller from Lawrence Weill and Blackwyrm Press, is hitting stores as we speak, and now is your chance to snag a copy for yourself—as well as some other cool swag from Blackwyrm. But before we get into that, here’s a bit about Larry, the author.

Lawrence Weill is an author and artist in western Kentucky. In addition to novels, he writes short fiction, non-fiction articles and books, and poetry. His work has appeared in a wide range of local, regional, and national journals. He and his wife live in the woods overlooking a beaver pond. You can learn more about Lawrence at his website, www.lawrenceweill.com.

Now for the good stuff—the giveaway. Blackwyrm is offering up a helluva prize pack for all you folks. Up for grabs are:

First Prize: 1 paperback copy of Incarnate by Lawrence Weill

Second Prize: 1 paperback copy of Incarnate by Lawrence Weill

Third Prize: 10 ebooks of the winner’s choice from the Blackwyrm Catalog

In addition, 10 (ten, I say!) runners-up will receive one ebook of their choice from the Blackwyrm Catalog. So just about everyone who enters gets to take home something.

So how do you get in on this smorgasbord of literary delights? I’m glad you asked. It’s the same process as usual, but with a twist. All the normal options are still there with the addition of one option that gives a whopping +5 entries. In Incarnate, one of the belief systems that informs the main character Lara’s actions is the belief in past lives and reincarnation. So to earn those extra five entries in the giveaway, comment in the comment section below and tell us who you believe or wish you were in a past life, or who you’d like to come back as if you ever happened to be reincarnated.

Sound like fun? Then get to it!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mailbox Monday - May 6, 2013

2013-05-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

--- The Books ---

Title: Greater Treasure

Author: Karina Fabian

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Genre(s): Fantasy

About the Book: Being a detective in the border town of the Faerie and Mundane worlds isn’t easy, even for a dragon likthe ene Vern. Still, finding the wayward brother of a teary damsel in distress shouldn’t have gotten so dangerous. When his partner, Sister Grace, gets poisoned by a dart meant for him, Vern offers to find an artifact in exchange for a cure. However, this is no ordinary trinket—with a little magic power, it could control all of mankind. Can Vern find the artifact, and will he sacrifice the fate of two worlds for the life of his best friend? This novella is part of Fabian’s DragonEye series, which sounds a lot like Glen Cook’s Garett P.I. novels, which is a very good thing.

Relevant Links: author webpage

Title: Prophet of Bones

Author: Ted Kosmatka

Publisher: Macmillan

Genre(s): Speculative Fiction

About the Book: Scientist Paul Carlson is summoned to a remote Indonesian island to collect DNA samples from the ancient bones of a strange new species of tool-user unearthed in a dig. The questions raised seem to cast doubt on the very foundations of modern science, which has proven the world to be only 5,800 years old. The dig is violently shut down by paramilitaries, and Paul flees with two of his friends. Within days, one has vanished, the other is murdered, and Paul loses an eye and nearly his life. Back in America, Paul tries to piece together a puzzle which seems to threaten the very fabric of society. Got this one from Macmillan Audio and will be starting it forthwith. Very excited!

Relevant Links: author webpage, author wikipedia entry

Title: The End Was Not the End

Author: Joshua H. Leet

Publisher: Seventh Star Press

Genre(s): Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic, Anthology

About the Book: This new short story anthology from Seventh Star Press collects eleven stories from as many authors, all dealing with tales of post-apocalyptic fantasy. They are stories of fallen kingdoms, monsters roaming the land, and magic gone awry—stories where the high are brought low and the common man demonstrates uncommon valor in the one and only thing that matters—survival. Kayla West has taken this book for review as part of the upcoming blog tour, so stop by on May 24^th to see what she thought of it.

Relevant Links: (none)

Title: North of Hope

Author: Shannon Polson

Publisher: Zondervan

Genre(s): Memoir, Non-Fiction

About the Book: Perhaps you’ve already heard about the fantabulous giveaway of a signed hardback copy of North of Hope going on as we speak. Well we already got our hands on a copy, though not as shiny, corporeal, or author-signed as the one being given away (i.e., ours is an ebook!). In this memoir, the author recounts her experience dealing with her parents’ death in a grizzly attack. Turning to the loves she learned from her father, Polson explores the perilous terrain of grief through music, the natural world, and her faith. Her travels take her from the suburbs of Seattle to the concert hall where she sings Mozart’s “Requiem,” and ultimately into the wilderness of Alaska’s remote Arctic and of her heart.

Relevant Links: author webpage

And now that we’ve shown you ours, it’s time to show us yours. What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Giveaway - North of Hope by Shannon Polson

2013-05-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Click Here for the Amazon listing

Author Shannon Polson is offering up a signed hardback copy of her memoir, North of Hope. It’s her own personal story of overcoming the grief of her parents death through music, faith, and the untamed beauty of the Alaskan wild. The first chapter is available for your reading pleasure, but here’s what Amazon has to say about it.

After her parents are killed in a rare grizzly attack, the author is forced into a wilderness of grief. Turning to loves she learned from her father, Polson explores the perilous terrain of grief through music, the natural world, and her faith. Her travels take her from the suburbs of Seattle to the concert hall where she sings Mozart's Requiem, and ultimately into the wilderness of Alaska's remote Arctic and of her heart.

This deeply moving narrative is shot through with the human search for meaning in the face of tragedy. Polson's deep appreciation for the untamed and remote wilderness of the Alaskan Arctic moves her story effortlessly between adventure, natural history, and sacred pilgrimage, as much an internal journey as a literal one. Readers who appreciate music or adventure narratives and the natural world or who are looking for new ways to understand loss will find guidance, solace, and a companionable voice in this extraordinary debut.

And what about Shannon herself? Glad you asked.

About the Author: In junior high school, Shanon wrote “writer, artist” on her dreams and plans list, and the rest is history, as they say. Though not really, not if you consider history some kind of linear path. During high school she flirted with law and veterinary science, returned to English literature as a major in college (along with art history), and went off to fly Apache helicopters in the army for the rest of her twenties. In the midst of school and flying came skydiving, big-mountain climbing, and long-course triathlons. To turn all that into something practical, she went to business school and worked in the corporate jungle for a few years. Then she started an MDiv (part time) and decided not to pursue it. She returned to writing for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which was because she was still trying to understand something within herself—something that said that life is short and an unauthentic one is not worth living.

Sounds like one ass-kicker of a woman, if you ask me. I like it. And if the short version of the bio doesn’t sate your curiosity, you can always go check out Shannon’swebsite for more info.

So, yeah—the giveaway. That’s what you’re here for, right? It’s the usual deal. There’s one physical (hardback) copy up for grabs. It’s only available to U.S. entrants, but international peeps can get an electronic copy instead. Everyone gets a freebie entry just for reading the blog, and you can do lots of fun stuff to earn more entries. Giveaway ends May 10, 2012. Sign up using the Rafflecopter widget down heyah.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway - Too Dark to Sleep by Dianne Gallagher

2013-05-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

Author Dianne Gallagher is offering up a signed paperback copy of her new mystery/crime novel, Too Dark to Sleep, for one lucky winner. Our own Amanda Amaya reviewed the book not too long ago and called it “an incredible piece of work that grabbed me early on and didn’t let go.” For those of you who missed her review (or are too damn lazy to follow the link I just gave you!), here’s a little bit about the book:

Avid readers of crime fiction, noir or psychological thrillers will find Too Dark to Sleep a fresh take on their favorite genre. This is the first book in a gripping new series and not to be missed.

Maggie Quinn was the top homicide detective in Chicago’s Area One before she suffered a devastating loss. Now struggling to face each day, Quinn becomes obsessed with solving her last case for the department that now bars her from wearing a badge. But is she targeting the right person or is Quinn’s tormented mind pushing her to ruin the life of an innocent man?

And then some info about the author.

Growing up in rural Minnesota, Dianne attended the University of Minnesota where she got a BFA in Theatre. Although her initial interest was in performance, Dianne eventually focused on playwriting and had competition-winning scripts performed at that school. After moving to Los Angeles so her husband could attend film school, Dianne switched focus to screenplays. While writing her own spec material, Dianne formatted, edited, critiqued and wrote independent scripts. While in Los Angeles, she was approached by writer Karen Hall and asked to edit and mentor a young writer Hall discovered while doing research on death row inmates. The professional relationship which lasted several years gave Dianne a unique look into the prison system and into the individuals sitting on death row.

A move to the Chicago area translated into a new focus on novels as well as a love for the big-shouldered city. Dianne edited, critiqued and ghosted a variety of fiction and nonfiction pieces while having great fun with her family. As projects she worked on were placed with agencies like Writers House, Dianne decided to start writing for herself. The result is the debut novel, Too Dark to Sleep.

So, what are the ins and outs of this giveaway, you’re wondering? Here’s the deal. The physical copy is available to U.S. residents only (‘cos international shipping is a B), but international entrants can still win an electronic copy of the book—so all is not lost. Sign up using the Rafflecopter widget below. Everyone gets one “freebie” entry just for being one of the cool kids, but more entries can be earned by doing stuff like following the blog, tweeting about the giveaway, and following Dianne’s twitter account.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review - The New Republic by Lionel Shriver (1/5)

2013-04-30T05:41:00.000-07:00

By Ryan St. Onge

Click Here for the Amazon listing

Lionel Shriver's 2012 novel, The New Republic, is actually a problematic manuscript with a checkered history. Originally penned in the late 1990s, this psychological novel about terrorism was dismissed by American publishers as too jejune for American readers. Following the attacks on September 11, 2001, and the proceeding years of earnest introspection (at least among literary circles) an ironic take on terrorism and journalism continued to frighten off publishers, until recently. Apparently the social and political climate of 2012 was ripe for an unabashed satire on media sensationalism and terrorism. In the meticulous Shriver style, there are no psychological tables left unflipped and no sociological surfaces left unswiped. Having recently finished Shriver's Orange-Prize winning novel We Need to Talk About Kevin, and loving it, I desperately wanted to love this novel as well. Alas, I didn't. But it's not all bad.

The New Republic is set in the fictional state of Barba, a drab, beard-like (Barba... get it?) appendage of land that extends into the Atlantic Ocean off Portugal's southern coast. Barba has recently become a European hotbed of terrorism under the guise of a paramilitary group known as the SOB – a radical terrorist cell fighting for Barban autonomy from Portugal and claiming responsibility for a seemingly random series of violent international attacks. Due to the rash of attention, foreign correspondents from the world's major media sources have descended on this European backwater previously known only for its unceasing gale-force winds, its tacky souvenir production industry and the hairy pear, a local fruit that is every bit as unappetizing as it sounds.

The foreign correspondents form a Greek chorus of media personalities (or lack thereof. Shriver's two-dimensional take on the members of the foreign press is rife with meaning), producing tired examinations, reasonings and rationales for the violence in lieu of any hard reporting on the ground. Joining this murder of squawking crows is Edgar Kellogg. Kellogg is a greenhorn journalist sent to Barba to replace Barrington Saddler, a larger-than-life personality who has gone missing and who may or may not have a lot more to do with the SOB than simply writing about them.

But the entire point of The New Republic isn't the narrative so much as the themes it illustrates, sometimes in bold relief. Shriver, obviously, takes aim at the notion of modern terrorism and the manner in which it is reported to illogical extremes but this novel is really about charisma. Why some people have it and others don't and what drives people who don't have charisma to emulate and ultimately turn on those who do have it. In this vein, Shriver is disappointingly predictable. Kellogg recounts the story of why he has quit his Manhattan law firm to become a journalist. He is determined to follow in the footsteps of his charismatic prep school friend with whom he hasn't spoken in decades. Turns out that his friend has grown up to become a milquetoast sycophant for the Daily Record newspaper and possesses none of the self-assurance that he possessed in school. This was like discovering the butler killed Lady Butterbum in the conservatory on page 12 of a 400 page book. You'd think Edgar would learn his lesson right there before shipping off to a european hellhole, but apparently Edgar isn't that bright. Diligently, Shriver trudges on and, lo and behold, exactly what she says will happen in the beginning actually happens at the end.

Predictability is certainly a problem, but my real problem with The New Republic was the characterization of Shriver's have-not anti-hero, Edgar Kellogg. Kellogg is simply irritating. He's blunt, rude and completely devoid of charisma. Furthermore, he seems to lack class, tact and common sense. He's also arrogant, haughty and condescending. He's incapable of hiding his true feelings and utterly incompetent at his job. I could go on, but you get the picture. Needless to say Edgar is a bastard.

Lionel Shriver

While I understand that Shriver is attempting an examination of charisma and needed a character that was indeed lacking in it, but Kellogg is so relentlessly devoid of any emotions ascribed to charisma that he almost ceases to exist in any sort of reality understood by the reader. How does someone like Kellogg even ingratiate themselves enough with anyone to discover their lack of charisma? I wouldn't give Edgar 15 minutes before standing up and walking out on him.

By way of explanation, Edgar was once a morbidly obese kid and, though he lost the weight, he never lost the inferiority complex. Fair enough, I suppose. Consequently, Edgar has awkwardly shifted into adulthood with an acute sense of both entitlement and disdain for those around him. Why shouldn't he have what others have? He deserves it more than they do, anyway. In that respect he had transferred his personal self-loathing onto everyone else. That's some serious pop psychology right there.

In literary terms, this makes Edgar not so much a character but a caricature. He is, like the blathering idiot reporters at the local Barban watering hole, a predictable cartoon cut-out of what would happen if someone had zero charisma superimposed on a novel along side the world's most charismatic correspondent. This makes The New Republic a wolf in sheep's clothing. It is less novel and more a psychological and sociological diatribe.

Which is why the novel, as a whole, fails to impress. Don't get me wrong, Lionel Shriver's acute understanding of her subject matter is apparent, especially on the subject of terrorism and the media and the elements that would be used with such effect in We Need to Talk About Kevin are manifest throughout. Furthermore, the writing is, at times, sublime and, at points, this novel can be scathingly funny. But it lacks in any real movement, drags on so unnecessarily through the middle and leaves the reader with a rather cop out ending. Unfortunately, the strong qualities of this novel only made this reader feel cheated out of what could have been an extremely poignant book.

As it stands, it simply feels like a novel that should have remained right where Lionel Shriver left it in 1998... taking up a few megabytes of space on an out-dated hard drive. Perhaps the publishers were right the first time. Perhaps we didn't really need The New Republic.

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Mailbox Monday – April 29, 2013

2013-04-29T09:45:00.001-07:00

Hey, look at me, Ma! We’re on time this week. Woo hoo!

--- The Books ---

Title: If You Can’t Stand the Heat

Author: Lawrence Block

Publisher: Lawrence Block

Genre(s): Mystery/Crime, Short Fiction

About the Book: I (Jonathan) did a review a long while back on a book by Lawrence Block called Getting Off: a Novel of Sex andViolence. It was about a female serial killer (and nuckin’ fucks little tart) named Kit Toliver who coasted through life seducing men, killing them, and taking their stuff. A pretty decent read, really. Well, Kit originally appeared in a few short stories which were cannibalized to create the novel Getting Off. Ever the generous soul, good ‘ole LB has released the Kit Toliver short stories on Amazon and recently gave away the first in the series, If You Can’t Stand the Heat. It’s a short read (being a short story and all), but knowing Mr. Block, it’s sure to be a good one.

Relevant Links: author blog, author Wikipedia entry

Title: Writer’s Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy

Author: Michael Knost (editor)

Publisher: Seventh Star Press

Genre(s): Writing, Science Fiction, Fantasy

About the Book: This collection includes essays and interviews by/with many of the movers-and-shakers in the business of writing speculative fiction. Each one touches on a specific element of the craft he or she excels in. Sometimes their opinions differ, but what do you expect? No two writers have made it to the stage via the same journey. Each has made his or her own path to success, and that’s one of the primary strengths of this book—you can get a taste of what has worked for other professional writers and see what works for you. Included are works from Neil Gaiman, Orson Scott Card, Ursula K. Le Guin ,Alan Dean Foster, Larry Niven, Keven J. Anderson, and more.

Relevant Links: editor webpage

Title: Moving In: Tales of an Unlicensed Marriage

Author: Bruce Littlefield

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Genre(s): Humor, LGBT

About the Book: NY Times best-selling author and TV lifestyle expert Bruce Littlefield takes readers on a wild and often hysterical ride through the first year spent fixing up a historic old house with partner (and unwitting handyman) Scott Stewart, one of Manhattan’s top real estate brokers. The story shows that, no matter same or opposite gender, there’s one in every couple who likes to make things look pretty and one who’ll walk across a newly cleaned kitchen floor in muddy shoes to see the results. As they say, marriage is made in heaven, but then again, so is thunder, lightning, and hail.

Relevant Links: author webpage, author Wikipedia entry, author twitter

Title: Lone Survivor

Author: Marcus Luttrell

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company

Genre(s): Military

About the Book: I (Jonathan) have this crazy crew that I work out with. We take over a corner of our gym and do Crossfit-inspired workouts together (I don’t think we can legally call it “Crossfit” without paying a huge honkin’ licensing fee), push ourselves as hard and fast as we can, and then drink beer afterward. It’s freakin’ awesome. One of the workouts we did a month or so ago was a Hero WOD (workout of the day) called “Murph.” It’s named after Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a Navy SEAL who died in the line of duty and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. One of my gym buddies, a former Army Ranger (which is kind of an oxymoron—once a Ranger, always a Ranger), gave me this book and told me to read it. It’s by the “lone survivor,” Murphy’s best friend and fellow SEAL who managed to escape the battle that cost Murph his life. It promises to be a really sobering and enlightening read, and it’ll give me a whole new perspective whenever we do “Murph” the next time around…

Relevant Links: author website

Title: The Man in the Box

Author: Andrew Toy

Publisher: BlackWyrm Publishing

Genre(s): Psychological Fantasy (is that even a genre?)

About the Book: Work provided Robbie Lake the perfect escape from his family. But his life is turned upside down when he is unexpectedly fired. When he finds a new way of escape through a cardboard box, everything changes. The imaginary world of his childhood has evolved in his absense and is now more savage and hostile than even he could have dreamed. Robbie is drawn in by the excitement of his secret world, but will the cost of abandoning his family prove too high?

Relevant Links: Facebook page, author twitter

Title: When People are Big and God is Small

Author: Edward T. Welch

Publisher: New Growth Press

Genre(s): Christianity, Religion, Self-Help

About the Book: I recently got this book for free from a church friend—she had, like, a dozen copies or something. And being the book hoarder that I am, I couldn’t turn down a free book, now could I? Edward Welch’s new book is about the way that Christians replace God with people. Of course, “fear of man” goes by other names. When we are in our teams, we call it “peer pressure.” When we are older, it is called “people-pleasing.” Recently it has been called “codependency.” Whatever the way it’s defined, it’s all rooted in pleasing man rather than pleasing God—at least, according to Mr. Welch. I’m not sure if I’ll ever get around to reading this book, but it’s in the library now, so it goes on Mailbox Monday too. Rules is rules…

Relevant Links: faculty profile at Westminster Theological Seminary

And now that we’ve shown you ours, it’s time to show us yours. What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Ask a Book Nerd - Episode 2

2013-04-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the second installment of “Ask a Book Nerd.” It’s a monthly (or almost-monthly) series we dreamed up to help all you fine readers get to know us a little better. It’s also a handy way for us to pontificate about our favorite subject (books!) and revel in our own (perceived) brilliance. But it’s totally for our readers’ benefit. Honest.

Here’s how it works. We’ll take one reader-submitted question about books and literature and let everyone on our staff take a crack at it. All you fine folks are welcome to answer the question yourself in comments section, too. And if you’ve got a question for the resident book nerds, there’s a form below to do just that.

So with all that being said, here's this month's question:

Is there a book or author that you were supposed to like but you didn’t—for instance, a piece of classic literature or a wildly popular best seller? If so, what was it and why didn’t you fall down on your knees and worship its literary greatness?

***

Jonathan Wilhoit – Jane F***ing Austen. Yeah, I said it. And I wouldn’t mind participating in a Sense and Sensibility-fueled bonfire, either. Dr. Sessoms (my senior Women’s Lit professor) would be aghast. I know “Jane” is supposed to be “the stuff” these days, but I just don’t get it. Take Pride and Prejudice for instance. I had to read that bastard three times during my high school and college career (I was an English Lit major after all), and each time I slogged through it hating every minute. It’s just… insipid. That’s the best word for it. Four daughters of an upper middle class household try to find suitable matches while navigating the issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19^th-century England and blah, blah, blah, lah-dee-freakin’-dah. I mean really, who cares? Or rather, who with a penis cares? I can see why the book would appeal to women in some respects, but I can’t understand the fanatical devotion it seems to invoke in some of you ladies. I mean, yeah, there are some interesting themes, but the writing isn’t all that good and those same themes have been beaten to freaking death over the years. As a card-caring member of the male persuasion, I just can’t bring myself to give a damn. Sorry ladies. Sorry Dr. Sessoms. I’ll report for my public pillorying in the morning…

Jessica Veter - Margaret Atwood jumps to mind first, but on greater reflection I'm going to say Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig. I was given it as a reading assignment in my fourth year at York U. I knew my prof loved it, but I couldn't get past page 50. I felt I was slamming myself repeatedly into a wall every time I opened it. By the time my interview rolled around, I still hadn't made it past page 50 and I confessed as much to my prof. I said I thought the author never intended me to be his audience. I found the main character tedious in the extreme: he was introspective and self-righteous, incapable of recognizing that that the boy traveling with him was in desperate need of his care and attention, and I simply couldn't stand being in the room with him. I said I thought the book had not been written for a woman reader. Surprisingly, I passed my interview. And why not? I had learned a great truth about art: it does not, CAN not, appeal to everyone. Otherwise, it is no longer art. It becomes part of the great 'dumbing down' of culture, an insipid offering that offends no one yet also inspires no one. I once wrote a short story and one of the responses I got from a reader was: "I hated it". A bottle of wine later, it occurred to me that hate is a pretty strong emotion, and my story had made someone feel it. Now that's a compliment.

Ryan St. Onge - My first reaction was to say Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig but Jessica covered my own beefs with that novel so succinctly that I'll list another novel that failed to maintain my attention: The Lord of the Rings. I have actually tried to read the first novel in the trilogy on three separate occasions and each time I have stalled somewhere around page 200 (or about the second appearance of Tom Bombadil). So I've tried. I really, really have. Before all the Tolkien-ators cast a spell over me, I'm not hating on Tolkien or fantasy here. Think of it this way: If literature was pop music and Tolkien is Pink Floyd, then Lord of the Rings is The Wall. It's a classic, no doubt. But it's also pretentious and florid. That's evident. In this context (actually both contexts) I'm more of a Ramones, Clash, Black Flag fan. In literary terms, this equates to more Vonnegut and less Dickens. I understand and respect the value of both, but I hate overwrought writing and Tolkien is the worst offender I have encountered.

Amanda Amaya – The only one I can think of is the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. I had never read a romance, and although I had heard of BDSM, I knew next to nothing about it and I still don’t want to. But when I heard last spring that libraries were banning the book, I had to give it a try. I read all three books. Although I was fascinated with the story, the writing was awful. Horrendous. Atrocious. But I do have to say that reading those books helped me to realize that there might be some redeeming qualities to romances. And I didn’t hesitate when one of my friends suggested the Crossfire series, saying that it was better than Fifty. And I am now eagerly awaiting the third book in that trilogy. If you can get it for me early, let me know!

Olga Godim - One of the books like that for me is Wool Omnibus (Wool #1-5) by Hugh Howey. I read the first two stories in it, and the protagonists in both were killed. I started reading the third and stopped before the end. I never finished the entire book, although I did peak ahead, so I know that the protagonist of the third one didn’t die. So why didn’t I finish it? Because I dislike the writer’s harsh, unforgiving approach to his story and characters. I must admit that I think Howey a terrific writer. Objectively, his writing is clear and flows without a hitch, his word choice is precise, and his handling of the story structure is almost perfect. Most readers like his books, but he is too close to reality for me. Although Wool is a sci-fi dystopia, it reads like a true story. The writer doesn’t pull his punches when he talks about society and corruption; he doesn’t allow his readers any illusions, and I dislike that. I read for entertainment: light romance, cozy mystery, fantasy without too much gore in it. When I pick up a book, I expect to escape from reality with its health problems, money shortage, or general dishonesty of politicians. I don’t want to read about it. I want to forget, and Howey wouldn’t let me forget, so wouldn’t read his books.

Natasha Post - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is a classic novel that’s often read at some point in high school. I was no exception. In my English II Honors class we had to read many pieces of classical literature. There are rave reviews about Wuthering Heights and the complex issues between the Heathcliff and Catherine, but it was agonizing trying to read that book. Out of every classic book I’ve ever read, that one seemed to be the most drab, boring, put-me-to- sleep book I’ve ever read. I just couldn’t get into the story. It was possibly because of Catherine’s antics, and I know it was in a different time, and there were different social norms, but her behavior in the book just didn’t sit well with me. While many people adore this book, it’s not something I want to or will ever read again.

Kayla West - In all my years of reading, I can honestly say that I have never really encountered a book that I did not like. I have indeed encountered books that might have been a bit boring or contained ideas that have been overused and over-analyzed, but I have always been able to find some kind of interesting point in these books that pushes me to read it to the very end. I hate with a vibrant passion to put down a book, any book, so that, plus my overwhelming optimism to support any author who has the courage to write down their stories, makes me find at least one good point in any work that I read. That way I can honestly say that although I may not have liked it for certain reasons, it was still likeable to some degree (however small that degree may be).

So what about all of you out there? What book were you supposed to like but absolutely hated? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

And if you'd like to submit your own question for us to answer, just fill out the form below and we just might be pontificating to the tune of your query this time next month.

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Review & Giveaway - No Alternative by William Dickerson (3/5)

2013-04-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

[The following review is part of the No Alternative blog tour. For a full list of host blogs for the tour, see the tour page. For more on William Dickerson and his work, visit his website, williamdickersonfilmmaker.com. For giveaway info, see the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post.]

By Amanda Amaya

William Dickerson presents an interesting commentary on the culture and music of the mid-90s. From Amazon.com:

Click Here for the Amazon listing

NO ALTERNATIVE is a coming-of-age drama that drills a hole into the world of suburban American teenagers in the early 90's.

Thomas Harrison is determined to start his own alternative band, an obsession that blinds him to what's either the mental collapse, or the eruption of musical genius, of his little sister, Bridget. Bridget boldly rejects her brother's music, and the music of an entire generation of slackers, by taking on the persona of an X-rated gangsta' rapper named Bri Da B.

NO ALTERNATIVE probes the lives of rebellious kids who transition into adulthood via the distortion pedals of their lives in an era when the Sex, Drugs & Rock'n'Roll ethos was amended to include Suicide in its phrase.

I picked this book because the time period intrigued me. I was the tender age of 12 in 1994, the year the action of this book takes place. Also, I love music and love reading about the influence of current events and culture on the songs of that time period.

Has it really been nearly two decades?

Despite the passage of time, No Alternative slammed me back into the mid-90s. I was half-tempted to find my flannels and baby doll tees. But underneath all of the nostalgia, there is a deep current of social commentary that shines through from each chapter.

“We want so desperately to be fooled into believing that as long as we build a perfect white picket fence along our property line, everything will be perfect behind it."

Thomas is a senior at an exclusive all boys Jesuit high school. His idol, Kurt Cobain, committed suicide six months before the narrative begins. Thomas, like every other Gen-Xer, longs to be in a band and make music. After his period of mourning, he dusts off his drums and sets out to start a garage band. His sister, meanwhile, has no love for grunge. She likes gansta rap, the more offensive the better. She finds a keyboard one day and starts writing and performing her own music. Bridget also has mental issues and in the 90s, antidepressants were becoming mainstream, and kids were being put on them at alarming rates. Their parents are upright pillars of society. Their father is a judge sitting on the Supreme Court of New York, and their mother is an aging hippie. The different layers of teenage angst, social commentary, history and music blend together to create the story that alternates from the story of Thomas and Bridget to a dissertation on Generation X.

William Dickerson

I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of Thomas’ school. My husband graduated from Salasianum in 1997 (the alma mater of the Vice-President). He could be the one telling these stories about what it was like in an all-boys school in this time period. I frequently had to stop reading and ask him about a passage or quote that I thought would ring true for him. But the universal truths of adolescence are also prominent.

“In high school, much like prison, your reputation means your life.”

Thomas meets a girl. The girl is the product of very controlling parents. You can use your imagination to fill in the blanks. The issues with her, his rejection from his first choice for college, difficulties with his band and probably some genetic disease history combines inside Thomas with tragic results:

“Thomas is cursed with only remembering the lows, remembering the pain, the suffering, the embarrassment and never remembering the highs that often precede or follow the lows.”

This character is so authentic, his emotions and state of mind are so real that you want to hug him. You want to tell him “it gets better, just wait and see”. I can say that being in my 30s, but reading this book reminded me of what it is like to be 17. Especially a teenager with depression. I could literally look in my journals that I wrote when I was that age and it would sound very similar to this book.

My only criticisms are with the language and flow of the phrases used throughout the book. It wasn't an easy read. Sentence structure is very “clunky” at times, and I found myself having to reread passages several times to understand what actually happened. Also, I love it when authors make me reach for the dictionary, but if it is occurring every other paragraph, that takes the reader out of the narrative and interrupts the flow.

I give No Alternative three stars. The authenticity, the nostalgia, the very real context combines to make this time period come alive. I also am thankful to the author for writing about the ultimate subject of this book. It is a difficult subject to write about, but through his characters, you can see how it can occur in any family.

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The Giveaway: As part of the tour, William Dickerson is putting up all sorts of loot for grabs. Included in the giveaway are:

3 signed paperback copies of No Alternative
3 Kindle copies of No Alternative
3 Detour posters (a film directed by Dickerson) signed by Dickerson and the two stars of the film, Neil Hopkins and Brea Grant
10 DVDs of Dickerson's award-winning short film, Shadowbox
$25 Amazon gift card
1 year of FREE premium blog hosting at "Hosting for Writers"

So if you feel that the gods of luck and fortune are on your side (or you just want to hedge your bets) sign up using the Rafflecopter widget below.

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Giveaway: The New Republic by Lionel Shriver

2013-04-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

[The following giveaway is part of The New Republic blog tour being organized through TLC Book Tours. For a complete list of stops on the tour, see the tour page. For giveaway entry and rules, see the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post.]

What’s that you say? You want more free stuff? Need to get your “read on” but on the cheap? Want a book by a best-selling author that’s topical, playful, and yet poignant at the same time? Well look no further. Harper Perennial is giving away one physical copy of Lionel Shriver’s new novel, The New Republic. Read on to find out a little more about this shiny new pretty.

Acclaimed author Lionel Shriver—author of the National Book Award finalist So Much for That, The Post-Birthday World, and the vivid psychological novel We Need to Talk About Kevin, now a major motion picture—probes the mystery of charisma in a razor-sharp new novel that teases out the intimate relationship between terrorism and cults of personality, explores what makes certain people so magnetic, and reveals the deep frustrations of feeling overshadowed by a life-of-the-party who may not even be present.

Edgar Kellogg has always yearned to be popular. When he leaves his lucrative law career for a foreign correspondent post in a Portuguese backwater with a homegrown terrorist movement, Edgar recognizes Barrington Saddler, the disappeared reporter he's replacing, as the larger-than-life character he longs to emulate. Yet all is not as it appears. Os Soldados Ousados de Barba—"The Daring Soldiers of Barba" —have been blowing up the rest of the world for years in order to win independence for a province so dismal and backward that you couldn't give the rathole away. So why, with Barrington vanished, do incidents claimed by the "SOB" suddenly dry up? A droll, playful novel, The New Republic addresses terrorism with a deft, tongue-in- cheek touch while also pressing a more intimate question: What makes particular people so magnetic, while the rest of us inspire a shrug?

And a little about the author, we can’t forget that…

Lionel Shriver is a novelist whose previous books include Orange Prize-winner We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Post-Birthday World, A Perfectly Good Family, Game Control, Double Fault, The Female of the Species, Checker and the Derailleurs, and Ordinary Decent Criminals.

She is widely published as a journalist, writing features, columns, op-eds, and book reviews for the Guardian, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the Economist, Marie Claire, and many other publications.

She is frequently interviewed on television, radio, and in print media. She lives in London and Brooklyn, NY.

So if all that sounds like something you’d be into (and for free, no less), sign up using the Rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway ends May 3^rd, 2013. Open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.

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Mailbox Monday – April 22, 2013

2013-04-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

Mailbox Monday is late again… but only by two days. Not that big of a deal, right? Plus, we have a gi-freakin-normous haul of books to report. It takes time to write up all that stuff. At least, that’s my story. And believe-you-me, I’m sticking to it.

--- The Books ---

Title: Perfect Flaw

Author: Robin Blankenship (editor)

Publisher: Seventh Star Press

Genre(s): Dystopian Fiction, Science Fiction, Anthology

About the Book: This anthology features seventeen speculative fiction tales, spanning many different genres, held together by the lynchpin of societies gone wrong—or, in other words, dystopia. From “utopian” societies masking an underlying controlled state, to stories of people fighting back against repression, the flaws that create a dystopian atmosphere are brought to the fore. Authors include H. David Blalock, J.L. Mulvihill, Windsong Levitch, and others.

Relevant Links: author’s goodreads page

Title: Altered – Revelations of the Evolved

Author: Shawnda Currie

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Genre(s): YA, Science Fiction

About the Book: Lacey, new resident in the Clear Waters juvenile detention center, is befriended by a mysterious young guy named Taylor who manages to convince her that she is in danger at Clear Waters. Lacey and Taylor perform a daring escape and meet up with Taylor’s friends who, it is revealed, are agents sent from the future to head off a corporate plot that will lead to a world war unless averted. They help Lacey tap into the psychic powers of the “evolved” human, and together work to… well, save the world.

Relevant Links: author web page

Title: Vaporware

Author: Richard Danksy

Publisher: JournalStone

Genre(s): Science Fiction

About the Book: Video game projects get shut down all the time, but when the one Ryan Colter and his team have poured their hearts into gets cut, something different happens: the game refuses to go away. Now Blue Lightning is alive, and it wants something from Ryan—something only he can give it. And everybody knows how addictive video games can be… Making this tale a little more interesting is the fact that the author is a bona fide video game designer. Should be interesting, for sure.

Relevant Links: author Wikipedia entry, author twitter

Title: No Alternative

Author: William Dickerson

Publisher: Kettle of Letters Press

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Coming of Age Tale

About the Book: In this coming of age novel set in the early 90’s, Thomas Harrison is an American teenager determined to start his own alternative band. His obsession blinds him to what’s either the mental collapse or the eruption of musical genius in his little sister, Bridget. Bridget rejects her brother’s music by taking on the persona of an X-rated “gansta rapper” named Bri Da B. No Alternative probes the lives of rebellious kids who transition into adulthood via the distortion pedals of their lives in an era when the Sex, Drugs & Rock’n’Roll ethos was amended to include Suicide as well.

Relevant Links: book Facebook page

Title: The Clock of Life

Author: Nancy Klann-Moren

Publisher: AnthonyAnn Books

Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

About the Book: A coming of age tale set in Hadlee, Mississippi during the 1980s, The Clock of Life is the story of Jason Lee Rainey. The adolescent boy struggles to find his way amid the old, steadfast Southern attitudes about race while his friendship with a black boy deepens and strives to be grow into the kind of man his father—a larger than life man who died in

Vietnam

—would have been proud of. The story explores who two unsettling chapters in American history—the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, affect the fate of a family, a town, and two boyhood friends.

Relevant Links: author website

Title: Hillary Hermes: Vampires vs. Witches

Author: Y. L. Parker

Publisher: CreateSpace

Genre(s): Paranormal, YA

About the Book: Hillary Heremes was once the most feared alchemist of her time. She awakens today in San Juan County, Washington as Hillary Somers, her memory gone, and all of her inherited powers trapped inside the body of a frail, timid teenager who’s filled with doubt. Time has transported her through the line of the Somers Witches. Lovers are caught in the war between vampires and witches.

Relevant Links: author twitter, goodreads bio

Title: The New Republic

Author: Lionel Shriver

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Genre(s): Literary Fiction

About the Book: Acclaimed author Lionel Shriver—author of the National Book Award finalist So Much for That, The Post-Birthday World, and the vivid psychological novel We Need to Talk About Kevin—probes the mystery of charisma in a razor-sharp novel that teases out the intimate relationship between terrorism and cults of personality, explores what makes certain people so magnetic, and reveals the deep frustrations of feeling overshadowed by a life-of-the-party who may not even be present.

Relevant Links: author Facebook

Title: It Never Was You

Author: William E. Thomas

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

About the Book: In the second book of The Cypress Branches Trilogy (book 1 of which, Pegasus Falling, was reviewed by our own Amanda Amaya), Harry Williamson, an ex-merchant seaman, successful businessman, and a loving family man, disappears from a ferry in the middle of the Irish Sea, and his grieving family are left with more questions than answers. Who is Mary Robinson, and why did Harry leave her a small fortune in his will? Had he been unfaithful to his wife Lesley? What exactly happened to him on that boat? As they delve into his past, they discover he’s been harboring a secret which threatens to tear apart the fabric of their family history.

Relevant Links: series Facebook page

Title: Nakba: The Civilizing War Volume I

Author: Jason S. Walters

Publisher: BlackWyrm Publishing

Genre(s): Science Fiction

About the Book: A thousand years ago humanity’s dissidents fled, leaving behind a peaceful, unified world content to exist in a state of perpetual hedonism. Then a daring escape plunbed civilization into chaos, forcing its rulers to expand outward to maintain order. Now all that stands between a newly imperial Earth and the rest of the solar system is a loose coalition of Maasai tribesmen, cloned feminist, shape-sifting humannequins, and vengeful Berbers led by the least likely hero in human history, a young woman with Down’s syndrome and a bad attitude.

Relevant Links: author blog

Title: The Golem and the Jinni

Author: Helene Wecker

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Fantasy

About the Book: Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life to by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic and dies at sea on the voyage from Poland. Chava is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York harbor in 1899. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire born in the ancient Syrian desert, trapped in an old copper flask, and released in New York City, though still not entirely free. The two become unlikely friends and soulmates as they navigate the streets and culture of turn-of-the-century New York.

Relevant Links: author website, author facebook, author twitter

Title: Incarnate

Author: Lawrence Weill

Publisher: BlackWyrm

Genre(s): Psychological Thriller

About the Book: Lara Joyner has seen the signs in the direction the leaves blow, in the patterns made by the clouds, in the Tarot cards, and in her prayers. Hers on Dale is the second coming fo Christ. Once Dale’s true identity is revealed, Lara will be forever known as the mother of God. Incarnate follows Lara and her sons as she attempts to have him perform miracles and realize both his destiny and hers. Meanwhile, Dale’s father and older sister frantically search for the two boys to bring them to safety. Incarnate is a story of how delusion overpowers reason and the resilience of youth.

Relevant Links: author webpage, author facebook

Title: Vampires Don’t Sparkle!

Author: Michael West (editor)

Publisher: Seventh Star Press

Genre(s): Horror, Anthology

About the Book: Vampires Don’t Sparkle! Poses the question: what would you do if you had unlimited power and eternal life? Would you… go back to high school? Attend the same classes year after year, going through the pomp and circumstance of one graduation after another, until you found the perfect date to take to prom? Would you spend your days moping and brooding, finding your only joy in a game of baseball on a stormy day? Or would you do something else? This anthology spits in the face of the rainbows and sunshine vampire ethos spawned by the Twilight series and takes vampires (and readers) back to their roots—with tales of horror, violence, and blood… and certainly no sparkles.

Relevant Links: author webpage

Title: Always: Love Is Eternal

Author: D. M. Yates

Publisher: CreateSpace

Genre(s): Romance

About the Book: Simon is a 36 year old antiques dealer who prefers a solitary, uncomplicated life. April is his best friend’s 16 year old niece who believes Simon and she were lovers in a past life and are meant to be together. Simon wants nothing to do with the game, but April will not be dissuaded. Hmm… May/December romance anyone?

Relevant Links: author blog, author facebook

Title: Birthdays of a Princess

Author: Helga Zeiner

Publisher: POW WOW Publishing

Genre(s): Psychological Thriller

About the Book: After growing too old to compete, a former child beauty pageant queen, Tiara has a mental break and commits a heinous unprovoked assault. Locked up in juvenile detention, a child psychologist attempts to unravel the childhood traumas that so scarred the young pageant queen. At the same time, her mother attempts to explain Tiara’s childhood from her perspective, all while denying any responsibility for the girl’s psychological wounds. The psychologist, with the help of police detectives, keeps digging until she find where the truth really lies.

Relevant Links: author website

And now that we’ve shown you ours, it’s time to show us yours. What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Interview & Giveaway - The Women Gather by Katalin Kennedy

2013-04-23T04:53:00.000-07:00

[The following interview is part of the blog tour for the new science fiction novel The Women Gather. The tour is being organized by BookMarketing Services. A complete listing of tour hosts can be found at the tour page. For giveaway entry and rules, see the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post.]

Interview By Jessica Veter

Joining us today is author Katalin Kennedy, author of THE WOMEN GATHER. Ms. Kennedy’s book is about a group of women who call themselves the Norean Order; it tells the beginning of the order and its hope for the future. Thank you, Katalin, for speaking with us.

Katalin Kennedy

KK: It is indeed my pleasure. Thank you so much for agreeing to let me tell you about my first novel THE WOMEN GATHER. I am delighted that you had a chance to read it.

What is your novel about?

KK: It is a story of women who see a higher calling for the future of humanity. It all begins in the late 1990s when a small group of women gather in cyberspace and chat about their hopes and wishes to alleviate the world from chaos, poverty and power-hungry aggression. Nora and her friend Sarah open a School for Women in a place called Lemuria and eventually establish The Norean Order.

I was struck by the title of your book, THE WOMEN GATHER. It works on many different levels, doesn’t it? What is the significance of the title in terms of your novel?

KK: The title THE WOMEN GATHER came to me almost immediately. Perhaps it came from my own experience. I have a fairly soft voice, and I have found that I was often dismissed while others took over the conversation. When speaking on behalf of a group, however, I came to realize that people took more notice and considered my point more significant.

Yes, the term 'gather' has many meanings, most of which work within the novel. The term is woven through various aspects of the stories told in the novel: we hear about the first time the women met face to face which evolved into the establishment of the initial Sanctuary; they assembled as a group to gather information about women's role in history. So the term 'gather' and 'gathering' has various nuances. Because of the increasing number of women’s Sanctuaries and the knowledge they’ve accumulated over many years, women begin to accept their worth, speak out and make plans to present to the Outerworld.

Gatherings of women, in the past as well as today, have often been marginalised. Do you see the title of your book as a way of reclaiming what society has traditionally ignored?

KK: I think that fear on the part of mainstream has caused dismissal of women's organizations. When women's gatherings are large, we are mighty and maybe threatening to the status quo. Major women's organizations in Canada and elsewhere have placed significant issues on the political agenda (violence against women being just one of them). Some organizations struggled to survive, others were perhaps maligned. Sadly, significant issues continue to be with us, 15, 20 years later.

I don't want to throw the blame onto society. Perhaps we have lost energy and momentum; I also think that every generation has to find its own voice. In my novel, it is Aideen who needs to consider what direction she will take. I would like to throw the torch to her. But then, the naive best part of me still feels that we (even at my age) can be heard by gathering together.

In the novel, the Norean Order has cloistered itself in Sanctuaries. Women (past and present) are cloistered for any number of societal and religious reasons. While often seen as a patriarchal imposition, the Noreans see it as beneficial. What are your thoughts?

KK: In the 'real' world, I'm not comfortable with cloistered groups. We only see these groups through the eyes of the media, which of course places its own spin on it. And we only hear about these cloistered groups when there has been some very negative issue raised. I don't consider polygamist groups as an answer to world harmony; I'm not convinced that the various monasteries in the western or the eastern religions are thriving. I believe that some do more than be simply cloistered; they provide service to the world around them. Mother Teresa founder of the Missionaries of Charity clearly is an example we can praise.

As for the Norean Order, it represents my world of imagination. I cannot help but wonder how absolutely glorious it would be if all the kind, compassionate, caring, creative, intelligent women whom I know could live together and invent a new world order. I am a firm believer in consensus building - which perhaps is not part of the patriarchal agenda. In the end, the plan is to bring to the Outerworld an order rooted in communication and consensus building among all areas that would be affected by any issue. This of course is the supreme challenge which may only come to fruition in the imagination.

The Noreans have cloistered themselves in order to study the lessons of the past. What can such an historical context provide when preparing for the future?

KK: In all the knowledge accumulated on this planet, there have been profound insights on how to deal with great issues. When one studies the history of an event 50 years after it took place, the learned of the past, as well as those now, have perspectives on how situations should have been handled. We have the most accumulated knowledge base of all time at our fingertips by means of the internet. Imagine what knowledge could be gained if schools were established with a focus only on researching how the world can be saved from repeating horrible histories. But perhaps these schools already exist.

There is one character in the book, Veryalda, who argues that the Order must be seen as progressive if they want their message to be heard. This is a sentiment that many modern religious congregations are faced with today. What is the significance of Veryalda’s voice and the Order’s fear of hearing her?

KK: When I initially developed Veryalda's character, I was pretty much following the classical style of recognizing the need of a strong antagonist. But, like all people, she is three dimensional. None of us are all good or all bad. In the bigger picture, Veryalda represents all those whose views are not linked to any ancient beliefs held by religious institutions.

I don't think the Order will ever see Veryalda as anything but as a heretic and evil. There is some doubt expressed both by Nora and later Tunde indicating that they, perhaps, are not on the right track.

Generally speaking, the Order is steeped in the 'I believe' tradition, but they are open enough to be promoting a borderless faith. This is far more progressive than the divisive, diverse, religious institutions that exist in our communities.

Only Aideen seems to recognize that perhaps Varyalda is not all dark and evil. And that is where I personally need to leave the reader.

It could be argued that the Order, in silencing Veryalde and twisting her words, is guilty of the same silencing they are trying to correct. This leaves the reader with a sense of dis-ease. What are your thoughts?

KK: That is precisely the sense that I hoped the reader would be left with! Initially, I think I was heading for the Order representing all goodness but as the writing evolved, I could not help but intersperse some ideas that imply something else. Of course you realize that now I can potentially be 'excommunicated' from all religious institutions, and equally from the humanist camps, depending on which perspective was perceived.

The specifics of what the sisters have learned in seventy years, and their plans for the future of mankind, is never revealed. Why?

KK: I guess that could be another book! You are correct. I didn't delve much into what the women have learned. I did give bits of knowledge through the key note Speakers during the symposium. The solution offered was to work hand in hand with confidence as equal partners with their male counterparts; the plan is to bring to the Outerworld an order rooted in communication and consensus-building among all areas that would be affected by any issue. Beyond that, I am an ordinary person, with no other answer to world harmony.

Your own career with Health Canada must have exposed you to a number of marginalised person’s stories. How has that experience informed your writing and your perspective?

KK: I worked with major national, community based, religious, academic etc. organizations, including women from all walks of life. What I learned from that experience is echoed throughout the novel, in various voices.

Women have incredible stories to tell; they not only survive horrendous life circumstances but thrive and make a new world for themselves. I have seen it with my own mother, but through everything she experienced, including raising a baby as a single mom, she believed that God would take care of us. And in truth He did.

My novel is a praise to women because we can accomplish great and wonderful things and affect immense change. And I'm not convinced we do it all alone. I do accept that within us there is a speck of something that we can only call mystical.

Going beyond the end of THE WOMEN GATHER, what do you imagine they accomplished? What stories will Aideen will be telling her grandchildren?

KK: First and foremost, I think their accomplishment was an understanding and an acceptance of their value, worth, confidence, strength, stamina, and inner subconscious spark. Using all these abilities, they in fact can make a difference; in harmony with one another, what they can accomplish is boundless. What will Aideen be telling her grandchildren? that she was there just before the Portal opened and that that changed everything.

What do you hope readers will take from your book?

KK: I hope that some of the messages resonate with the reader. I know that the world is filled with horror like the senseless tragedy of the Boston Marathon, but I would rather that the message of the book is to look for how we can harness the goodness.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to respond to these most thought provoking questions. All the best.

Thank you for your time, Katalin.

If you would like to learn more about Katalin Kennedy or her work, you can visit her at her website, katalinkennedy.com.

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About the Interviewer: Jessica Veter is a novelist raised in rural Ontario. Having escaped to Toronto, she spent the 90’s over-educating herself at York University and then the University of Toronto. Once she accepted that there were never going to be any job listings in The Globe and Mail headed “Medievalist Wanted”, Jessica went to Japan. There, she met her husband and they lived in England before returning to Canada with a son and a greyhound. Now in rural Flamborough, Jessica and her husband raise 3 boys, 6 chickens and are owned by 1 dog. You are welcome to visit her at www.jessicaveter.com.

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The Giveaway - Katalin is giving away three signed copies of her novel, The Women Gather. To enter, just sign up using the Rafflecopter widget below.

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Review - Dead Peasants by Larry D. Thompson (4/5)

2013-04-22T05:35:00.003-07:00

[The following review is part of the Dead Peasants blog tour being organized through Partners in Crime Tours. For a complete list of tour hosts, see the tour page.]

Click Here for the Amazon listing

The first thing that intrigued me about Dead Peasants by was the title. I found out that it’s based on a slang term for “Corporate Owned Life Insurance” (or COLI) in which an employer is compensated if an employee dies—hence the term, “Dead Peasants Insurance.” It intrigued me so much, in fact, that I immediately had to look it up on Amazon just to see what it could possibly be about. Reading through the excerpt given, I just wasn't sure if I would like it. I mean, I like thrillers, but I had no idea if this book was for me. After much deliberation, I finally decided to at least give it a chance. It's like the saying goes.....Don't knock it 'til you've tried it.

Dead Peasants starts out by introducing the reader to the main character Jack Bryant, a lawyer in Beaumont, Texas who is definitely good at his job. He's been in the business long enough to know some of the tricks to obtaining settlements that would shock the best of us—most of them being in the million dollar range. As we delve into the first chapters, Jack is working on his most recent of cases trying to get appropriate settlements for three families who each lost loved ones in a refinery explosion. Of course, the refinery is fighting so as to lessen the settlement, but Jack does not back down. He ends up getting each family quite a sum of money, meaning he gets quite a profit in the long run. The outcome of this case is so great, in fact, that afterwards Jack decides he is going to retire and move back to Fort Worth to watch his son play football for the TCU horned frogs.

In arriving back in Fort Worth, Jack decides to buy a big house to prove to all his old acquaintances that he has finally made it to the big leagues. The real estate agent selling the house, Colby Stripling, underestimates his ability to buy and is greatly surprised by the fact that he can pay for the house in cash. However, after an explanation of what he does (or did) for a living, Colby decides to give him a chance and the two become fast friends (or maybe more...).

Things take a nosedive in his happy retirement when Jack is visited by a mysterious woman with a check. A life insurance check made out to her late husband's former employer, Allison Southwest. The woman deems that this is a very suspicious case, considering her husband has not worked at that particular facility for fifteen years. Jack looks into it, but finds that not everything is as it seems. Things could take a turn for the worst as the body count begins piling up.

I enjoyed this book immensely. What surprised me most out of anything was how the writer transported me to Fort Worth so easily. I felt, literally, as if I was there with the characters, and I loved that. I will be looking forward to more books from this particular author in the future. He is someone to watch.

I recommend this novel to people who love legal thrillers and just a plain good read. Four stars.

About the Author: Larry D. Thompson is a veteran trial lawyer and has drawn on decades of experience in the courtroom to produce riveting legal thrillers. Dead Peasants is is third After graduating from the University of Texas School of Law, Thompson founded the Houston trial firm where he still serves as managing partner. The proud father of three grown children, he lives and works in Texas but spends his summers in Colorado, where he crafts his novels and hikes the mountains surrounding Vail. His greatest inspiration came from Thomas Thompson, his brother, who wrote many best-selling true-crime books and novels.

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