Now that the brown-nosing is out of the way, allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Jonathan, and I’m addicted to old books.  Well, maybe not “addicted.”  Fond of?  Intrigued by?  Irresistibly drawn to?  Hmm.  Maybe “addicted” was the right word after all.  At any rate, I operate a blog called I Read a Book Once where I offer up armchair literary criticism on both new and old texts, but, as you can probably imagine, the old ones captivate me the most.

Which brings me to the whole point of this exercise, a little book called Catch the Gold Ring by John Stephen Strange.  As you might surmise, that name is a pseudonym.  It’s way too cool to be the genuine article.  The author’s real name is Dorothy Stockbridge Tillett, an English writer (and female!) who published 22 mysteries over a nearly 50 year career.  Since she passed away the literary establishment has largely forgotten her, but that doesn’t mean her novels are any less enjoyable.  Quite the contrary, actually.

Catch the Gold Ring was first published in 1955 (originally under the title A Handful of Silver) and tells the story of a former French Resistance fighter named Henri and his search for his brother’s betrayer seven years after the liberation of Paris.  Being the self-styled WWII buff I am, the plot immediately captured my attention.  The story begins with a series of flashbacks detailing Henri’s experience during the war, his family, and life in general under Nazi occupation.  During this period there are two defining points in Henri’s life:  his brother’s arrest and tortured execution at the hands of the Gestapo, and his love affair with his neighbor Magritte (who eventually leaves him inexplicably).  Fast-forward seven years, and Henri still doesn’t know who betrayed his brother to the Gestapo.  His Resistance friend Genet, now inspector of the Metropolitan police, has just uncovered a treasure trove of documents recording the identities of dozens of collaborators who spied for the Germans.  They make several arrests, and after exhaustive interrogations they learn that every one of them received instructions and made reports to a man over the phone they knew only as “Albert.”

The trail goes cold for several weeks as both Genet and Henri follow their own lines of inquiry into the identity of Albert.  At the same time, Henri’s old flame, Magritte, reappears along with her rich American husband.  She flirts with Henri, tries to seduce him, and then abruptly pulls back.  Henri realizes then that he still loves Magritte, and soon both his desire for her and the search for Albert begin to consume him.  As the investigation begins to pick up steam, though, it becomes obvious that his brother’s betrayer is someone close to the family, and Henri begins to simultaneously yearn for and dread the coming revelation that will turn his world upside down.

To be honest, though, the final revelation ain’t exactly very… revealing.  Astute readers out there will find the ending plot twist to be pretty transparent.  I figured it out about 1/3 of the way into the book.  That isn’t to say, however, that Catch the Gold Ring was a horrible read.  It was very well written with deep characterization, an absorbing setting, and an engaging plot.  But perhaps the most intriguing facets of the book—to this reader, at least—were the historical details with which Tillett peppered the narrative.  It prompted me to do a little research of my own on the French Resistance, the establishment of the French Provisional Government, and period of vigilante justice that took place in between.

I’m sure you’ve heard at least some of the stories about what has been called the épuration sauvage (wild purge) that took place immediately after the liberation of France.  During that time approximately 9,000 accused collaborators were executed without trial, and thousands of women accused of “horizontal collaboration” had their heads forcibly shaven (which gave rise to the term les tondues, or “the shorn”).  Then there were the trials in which an additional six thousand-some collaborators were sentenced to death and almost 50,000 were stripped of their civil, political, and professional rights, essentially making them second-class citizens.  Of course, as time went on many of the sentences were commuted or overturned, and the legal system dealt with newly unearthed collaborators much less harshly than they had during the initial purges.

And with that oh-so-appropriate segue, I would pose a question to you, gentle readers.  Well, several questions, really.  It has been said that time heals all wounds, and while that might not always be true, it does have a way of at least blunting the pain (as shown by the more lenient sentencing for collaborators brought to trial at later dates).  So now that we’re some sixty years removed from the horror of WWII, what do you think about the punishment meted out against the Vichy regime and other collaborators with the Nazis?  Do you think it was just?  If such an event happened to day, what would your reaction be?

For me the answer is a hard one.  I simply don’t know.  It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and offer even-tempered judgments, but if I had experienced some of the horrific events of the French occupation, I might have been on the street with the rest of them shouting for blood.

=======================================

About Jonathan:  He makes a living in the world of corporate IT, but he gets his jollies through the nirvana of armchair literary criticism.  Blame it on a liberal arts education and liberal quantities of whiskey.  It's a dangerous combination, one that has resulted in a blog called I Read a Book Once, where Jonathan can express his cantankerous inner literary critic to the fullest extent.  When not reading, writing, or getting his geek on (i.e. working), he mostly hunkers down in the bunker with his red-hot smokin' wife and tries to survive the hurricane that is his half-crazed toddler.

=======================================

Thank you Jonathan, great review for a wonderful book which I've added to my TBR list as well as the Man of La Book WWII store.
Don't forget to check out his blog.

Zohar — Man of La Book

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• Literary Blog Hop: Criticism as Autobiography? (jillianreadsbooks2.wordpress.com)

Not only does Valmont "valentines" every woman he sets out to get (as well as use them as a writing desk), he also convinces their husbands that he has been the one that was wronged. (Image from http://www.art.co.uk/products/p13410874-sa-i2660954/manuel-orazi-le-vicomte-de-valmont-uses-his-mistress-opera-as-a-writing-desk-whilst-writing-to-the-virtuous-mme.htm)

#4 Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

Quasimodo loves Esmeralda so much, that he carries the little bitch's body, lays down next to her and happily dies. While I love my wife dearly, necrophilia is where I draw the line…

#3 Mikael Blomkvist from The Millennium series by  Stieg Larsson

In the immortal words uttered by Carl Weathers in Predator "sexual tricerisaurus".  Some say that Stieg Larsson will describe Blomkvist in one word "me". However you want to categorize Mikael Blomkvist, his nonchalant way of getting almost every fictional woman in the trilogy into his bed is uncanny, predictable and awe (or is it oh?) inspiring.

#2 Superman

Don't you sometimes wish you could be a fly on the wall. I'm not talking about super powers, but simply change your hair, put on a pair of fake glasses and suddenly no one knows who you are. How Clark Kent does it is still an unsolved mystery but the fact remains that he does. After many girlfriends, strangely many with the initials of LL (Lana Lang, Lori Lemaris) the Big Blue Schoolboy is busy as ever.

#1 d'Artagnan from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

When we first meet d'Artagnan he is riding a lame horse which his father gave him. The short tempered protagonist gets quickly into his first fight (and loses miserably) when someone makes fun of his horse. Now,imagine if a man that loves his horse that much, what would he do for a woman?

Zohar — Man of la Book

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Excuse me lady, do you have any spare change? I am hungry.

When I heard him, I didn't really hear him. His words were part of the clatter, like a car horn or someone yelling for a cab. They were, you could say, just noise-the kind of nuisance New Yorkers learn to tune out. So I walked right by him, as if he wasn't there. 

But then, just a few yards past him, I stopped. 

And then and I'm still not sure why I did this-I came back.

When Laura Schroff first met Maurice on a New York City street corner, she had no idea that she was standing on the brink of an incredible and unlikely friendship that would inevitably change both their lives. As one lunch at McDonald’s with Maurice turns into two, then into a weekly occurrence, Laura learns heart-wrenching details about Maurice’s horrific childhood.

Sprinkled throughout the book is also Laura’s own story of her turbulent childhood. Every now and then, something about Maurice's struggles reminds her of her past, how her father’s alcohol-induced rages shaped the person she became and, in a way, led her to Maurice.

As their friendship grows, Laura offers Maurice simple experiences he comes to treasure: learning how to set a table, trimming a Christmas tree, visiting her nieces and nephew on Long Island, and even having homemade lunches to bring to school.

An Invisible Thread is the heartwarming story of a friendship that has spanned thirty years and brought life to an over-scheduled professional and hope to a hungry and desperate boy.

An Invisible Thread from UMBRASOLUTIONS on Vimeo.

–A Q&A with Laura Schroff: http://aninvisiblethread.com/author-qa
–Excerpts: http://aninvisiblethread.com/excerpts
–A reading guide: http://aninvisiblethread.com/latest-news
–AN INVISIBLE THREAD Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/An-Invisible-Thread/216913681688396
–Photos: http://aninvisiblethread.com/photos
–More praise: http://aninvisiblethread.com/praise

Additionally, readers can “share their threads” at http://aninvisiblethread.com/share-your-thread.

Giveaway

• Give­away ends: Feb­ru­ary 20, 2012

• US/Canada Ship­ping Addresses Only

• No PO Boxes

• Win­ners will have 24 hours to write back with their address, oth­er­wise an alter­nate win­ner will be picked

  
  

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About:
The Watchman of Ephraim by Gerard de Marigny is a fictional book taking place a decade after 9/11. The book takes place in all over the United States.

The author is giv­ing away one eCopy for two winners of this book— Kindle Format Only - enter at the end of the post.

• 429 KB
• Publisher: JarRyJorNo Publishing
• ASIN: B004KAAXXU

My rating for The Watchman of Ephraim — 4

Great price on this book in paper or elec­tronic for­mat
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

More books by Gerard de Marigny

Thoughts:
The Watchman of Ephraim by Gerard de Marigny (website | Facebook | Twitter) is a fast paced thriller full of intriguing characters and suspense. The dialog is tight and the plot moves along in a fast pace.

Cris De Nero, the protagonist, is a self made man, a good father and husband. The characters, their interaction and relationships are well defined. The recruiting efforts for The Watchmen are described in a fascinating way and the way the company is transforming under Cris’ leadership could make a book by itself.

There are several themes throughout the novel, patriotism, G-d and country, safety of others, loyalty and ethics being a few. I’d like to have read more about how the protagonist, an ethical smart man, navigates the filthy swamp which we call Washington DC.

The plot is enjoyable and solid, yet somewhat predictable and the main character is somewhat hypocritical (a devout Christian drive by revenge — but it's not like there aren't enough precedences of that in history). That being said, I understand that this book is the first of a series and I know that it is always difficult to create an origin story in any medium while keeping the final product down to a manageable size.

This book reminded me of:
Pandora’s Grave by Stephen Eng­land

So tell me, what’s your favorite origin story?

Synopsis:
Cris De Nero’s pregnant wife died in the World Trade Center on 9/11/01. Ten years later, still recovering from the shock of losing his wife, Cris creates The Watchman.
The Watchman are a private organization, funded by Cris, a self made millionaire.

The organization which is made out of ex military, uses high-tech equipment and knowledgeable human resources to fight terrorism in places the government cannot or will not.

Great price on this book in paper or elec­tronic for­mat
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

More books by Gerard de Marigny

Giveaway

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• No PO Boxes

• Win­ners will have 24 hours to write back with their address, oth­er­wise an alter­nate win­ner will be picked

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Zohar — Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got this book for free.

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• Adventurer Sir Richard Branson Offers Rare Introduction To The Watchman's Rattle (prweb.com)

BOOK BLOGGERS — Have you read The Watchman of Ephraim? If so link up your review below:

About:
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is a fictional book first published in 1869. The work is regarded as one of the most important works of world literature. The copy I read was translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude.

• 1350 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; New edition
• ISBN: 0199232768

More books by Leo Tolstoy

Thoughts:
I liked Book 1 Part 2 of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy much better than part 1. This part starts with the Austrian campaign where Russia and Austria have formed an alliance to wade off Napoleon’s armies.

The campaign is told through the contrasting viewpoints of Andrei and Nikolai. Tolstoy is doing something here which has been done later (probably before but I’m not aware) to great success. Telling the story from the view of the higher-ups (Andrei – adjutant to Commander-in-Chief of the Russian forces) and from the point of view of the men in the trenches (Nkkolain – a cadet). The paths of the two idealistic men parallel along the story.

My favorite character in this section was Dolohov. From some reason I found him likeable and his charades to be funny. Dolohov’s insolence and determination really bring out his character and I can’t wait to see what Tolstoy has in store for him for the rest of the book.

Tolstoy also delves into the politics of war, where a heroic story could be spun to make the main character look like a coward. We see these types of attacks today, where a person of a lower rank is blamed for something just to get the higher ranks off. A disgusting habit which makes me cringe every time I witness it.

A scene in which the Russian army is crossing the bridge at Emms is one of the most superbly written scenes I have ever read. Tolstoy really gets across the chaos and confusion of such large force trying to funnel into a small space.

The more I read Tolstoy, the more I realize what a sense of humor he had. The scene of Andrei’s audience with Austrian Emperor Francis is hilarious. One can certainly tell, as usual, what Tolstoy thinks of the upper class in general.

After I finished reading Book 1 Part 2 or War and Peace I’m surprised Tolstoy didn’t write more about war. The description of the Austrian campaign is absolutely magnificent and the battle descriptions on ground levels are superb. Not only from trench level, but also strategies, logistical troop movement as well as the confusion, suffering, fears and heroism which ones encounters in war. Tolstoy also brings to the forefront of the story the soldiers’ thoughts and feelings. It seemed to me that while Tolstoy did include minor characters there were no minor persons, each one is important to the story no matter the role.

Synopsis:
Book 1 Part 2 of War and Peace mainly follows Andrei who is now adjutant to Kutuzov, Commander of the Russian forces and Nikolai, a cadet. Both man are happy with their new sense of purpose. Meanwhile Dolohov gets in trouble, reduced to a private but acts in bravery when needed.
Soon Nikolai gets a lesson in military politics when he catches a thief, who happened to be a fellow soldier, not realizing the significance of his accusation and the danger to the regiment’s cohesiveness, especially before they are about to see action. Astonished that he is expected to apologize, Nikolai refuses knowing that he is right.

The attack starts badly when Mack, an Austrian General, loses his army. Andrei is livid because it seems to him that he is the only one who recognizes the seriousness of the situation. Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov has no option but to retreat and hope to meet up with fresh Russian troops.

Crossing the bridge at Emms Nikolai finally sees some action as his regiment is protecting the bridge while the crossing takes place. Nikolai experiences a firefight and is becoming self conscious taking every order as a personal affront. Thinking himself a coward, Nikolai is surprised no-one noticed.

The Russians achieve a modest victory over the French but Austrian General Scmidt is killed. Andrei is ordered to bring the news of Schmidt’s death to the Austrian emperor. Andrei receives a cold reception, but it is partially due to the fact that Napoleon has taken Vienna.
Andrei’s audience with Austrian Emperor Francis goes well, but surprises Andrei. It seems the emperor has no interest, or knowledge, in soldiering or tactics but pretends to by asking irrelevant questions. After answering the questions patiently, Andrei’s reception is more enthusiastic and he is decorated.

At Schon Graben the France have overpowered the Russians and cut off line communication. Andrei meets Captain Tushin on the front lines and gets his first lesson at wartime politics. Tushin who at first is looked upon as a ridiculous figure does not get the order to withdraw and fights heroically. Later Tushin is brought up on charges that he has lost his guns. Andrei, disgusted by the display, speaks up on behalf of Tushin who is actually a hero.

Nikolai gets involved in a cavalry charge and gets hurt. Coming out of his daze (or regaining consciousness) Nikolai thinks his dead but he is actually badly wounded. Seeing French soldiers Nicolai, on instinct, runs away from them even though he doesn’t understand why anyone would want to hurt him.

More books by Leo Tolstoy

Zohar — Man of la Book

Books by Charles Dickens

1 ) The first use of the world “Dickens” was in William Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor as a profanity (“What the dickens?”).

2 ) Dickens probably had an obsessive-compulsive disorder. He was known for looking in the mirror and combing his hair several hundred times a day. If the furniture in his home wasn’t “correct” Dickens couldn’t concentrate and he made sure that every bed he was to sleep in was aligned north-south.

3 ) Much like the characters in his novels, Dickens loved to give people endearing, yet odd, nicknames (think Pip).

4 ) In his study, Dickens had a secret door designed to look like a book case. Some of the fake books in the fake case were Noah's Arkitecture, a nine volume set titled Cat’s Lives and The Virtue of Our Ancestors which was so narrow the title was printed vertically.

5 ) Author Hans Christian Andersen was a close friend of Dickens. After a particularly long visit, Dickens printed a sign which he left in the guest room and read “Hans Andersen slept in this room for five weeks, which seemed to the family like AGES”.  Still, Anderson dedicated his book Poet’s Day Dream to Dickens.

6 ) On June 10, 1865 Dickens was traveling home from France when his train derailed while crossing a bridge. Seven of the eight first class carriages dropped into the river but the one Dickens was in dangled off the bridge. Dickens climbed up, found a conductor and obtained a key to free his friends. Afterwards Dickens took water and brandy rescuing some of those trapped in the wrecked cars below. When it was all said and done, 53 year old Dickens climbed back to the carriage dangling from a bridge to retrieved the installment of Our Mutual Friend that he has just completed.

Dickens was never publicly thanked for his actions, he wanted to keep it a secret because… he was traveling with his mistress.

7 ) Dickens help created “Urania House” where former prostitutes could learn to read, write and keep a house. Dickens interviewed potential candidates personally and about 100 women “graduated”.

8 ) The Old Curiosity Shop  was a phenomena not unlike Harry Potter. When the ship carrying the last installment of the series entered the dock in New York there were 6,000 impatient fans waiting.

9 ) Dickens has an amusement park named after him.  "Dickens World", in Kent, England.

10) The Mystery of Edwin Drood was never finished. Dickens died of a heart attack before writing the ending and left no clues behind as to his intentions.

Books by Charles Dickens

Zohar — Man of la Book

Q. What made you write a fictional satire about US politics?
A.  I can’t imagine not writing a satire about politics.  The things that politicians do are hilarious for the most part.  People say if it wasn’t so sad, it would be funny.  Well, it’s both sad and funny.  I don’t think I could read, much less write a dry political book.  And yet, by being funny, my book is probably more serious than most serious political books.

Q. Whenever I look at our current crop of fearless leaders, I shake my head in dismay. Is it just me or did the quality of people running for office has been going downhill? If so, why do you think that is?
A. It certainly seems like it at times, though when you think about the stamina it must take on the campaign trail, you have to give those gluttons for punishment some credit.  I don’t know if anyone has really ever figured out what type of person would make the best President or congressperson.  After the Super Bowl commercial in which Clint Eastwood gave a halftime speech to the country, maybe we need an actor again instead of electing professional politicians.

I think what bothers me most about most politicians is how they pander to the people they think comprise their base.  Then what bothers me even more is how their base eats up whatever they say.  If you’re not in their base, you look at the politician and you look at the people eating up what the politician says and you just have to shake your head.  No matter which side of the political spectrum you’re on, it’s nauseating.  Give me someone who can speak honestly. Unfortunately, that person will probably never be elected or if they are, the system will cause them to compromise in order to accomplish much of anything and after they compromise, people feel betrayed and want to replace them.

Q. While I did find the book funny, many aspects of it also struck me as sadly accurate. Which leads me to this question: is there no shame?
A. I’m not sure, but it doesn’t appear that they do.  From a comedian’s perspective, thank God they don’t or we wouldn’t have nearly as much material to work with.

Q. Several books have been written about why people vote against their best interests (for example: What’s the Matter with Kansas by Thomas Frank), do you think that’s true? If so, why?
A. It’s the old case of looking for the short term gain rather than the long term.  Politicians tend to take what’s easy and less risky.  Even if it’s against their own self-interest, or against the interests of the country, what’s most important to so many of them is to destroy their opponent, or make it more difficult for the other side to win the next election.  We need to be working together to solve the problems of our society and the world, not avoiding those problems and certainly not compounding them for short term gains.

Q.  Anymore political satires in your future?
A. I’m working on two more Nitt Witt books right now.  Unfortunately, when you’re a lawyer in your day job, it takes time out of every day you wish you could be using to write instead.  I’m trying to find a balance between being a lawyer and a writer right now.  It’s an ongoing process.

Q. Any positive or negative experiences in my book promotions so far? 
A. Not yet.  Every review has been positive so I’ve been pretty fortunate I would guess.  But I think if you’re able to write humor which rings true with readers and touches the same feelings others have about politics and society, especially just before an election when politicians are making fools of themselves, you’re more likely to receive some pretty positive responses.
Shame­less plug dis­guised as a wise ass ques­tion: Why do you love ManOfLaBook.com so much and often visit the web­site?
Wise Guy Answer: Someone told me it was a Rupert Murdoch spinoff from News of the World.  Seriously, I think it has to do with the fact they pay authors hundreds of thousands of dollars just to say how much they love the site, and let me tell you, I really love this website.

I have to say that after watching the Super Bowl, I would have voted for Clint Eastwood in a heartbeat. To my defense though, I've been an Eastwood fan for many years and would have voted for him regardless.

Zohar — Man of la Book

About:
Nitt Witt Hill by Sebastian Gibson is a political satire which brings forward the absurdities of today’s politics. Unfortunately we call these absurdities “news”.

The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy to two winners of this book— enter at the end of the post.

• 248 pages
• Publisher: Sebastian Gibson Publishing
• ISBN: 0984777628

Thoughts:
Sebastian Gibson (website | Twitter | Facebook) sets the mood for Nitt Witt Hill right on the first page with a warning from famed author, critic, and political satirist Mark Twain:

“Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot”.

In Nitt Witt Hill (named after Nitt Witt Ridge in California), Mr. Gibson leaves no political wing safe, he highlights the absurdity, corruption and idiocy of the political class (yes, class). While the situations in this books are twisted, they are also, unfortunately, sadly accurate.

I have long maintained that the politicians first job, as they see it, is to get re-elected. In order to so they must use the divide-and-conquer strategy. The political class takes issues which are unimportant yet divisive (abortion, gay marriage, etc.) and makes the elections about those instead of the important, albeit boring, issues (economy, unemployment, etc.).

The sheeple swallow this up as those issues were the Torah brought down from Mt. Sinai and the political class, who are busy finger pointing, passing laws to enrich their friends and think “long term” means the next election have no consequences to their actions (most of them get their jobs back).

So tell me, do you think there is a political class in the USA?

This book reminded me of:
Autobiography of Mark Twain by Mark Twain
Tangled Webs: How False Statements are Undermining America by James B. Stewart

Synopsis:
The book is told by Mark, a political consultant who goes by the name of Mark Twain – Twain being his beloved dog.

The Executive and Legislative branches of our government are losing their minds. New political parties form, the Nitt Witts (far righ — , "Elect a Nitt Witt and see what some real Nitt Witts can do in Washington."), the Clowns ("Isn't it time we had some real Turkeys in office instead of those Clowns?"), the Turkeys and more.

Our fearless leaders have come to the conclusion that the metal in bras is one of the causes of interference in aircraft navigation and outlaw bras on airplanes and their sale. Mark and Twain try to make sense of this situation, but is there any sense to be made?

Great price on this book in paper format
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

Give­away

• Give­away ends: Feb­ru­ary 15, 2012

• US Ship­ping Addresses Only

• No PO Boxes

• Win­ners will have 24 hours to write back with their address, oth­er­wise an alter­nate win­ner will be picked

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Zohar — Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got this book for free.

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BOOK BLOGGERS — Have you read Nitt Witt Hill? If so link up your review below:

About:
The Ruins of Us by Keija Parssinen is a fictional book set in Saudi Arabia. The book is a character study of marriage in the midst of a culture clash.

The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy of this book— enter at the end of the post.

• 352 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; Original edition
• ISBN: 0062064487

My rating for The Ruins of Us — 4

Great price on this book in paper or elec­tronic for­mat
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

Thoughts:
The Ruins of Us by Keija Parssinen (website | Facebook | Twitter) starts off slow but picks up towards the end. The protagonist, Rosalie, finds out that her loving husband has hidden a second wife from her, but Rosalie is a Texas girl.

The interesting part, for me, is the descriptions of a part of the world which, unfortunately, I will most likely never get to visit and that of a foreign culture. The descriptions of the beautiful and not-so-beautiful parts of Saudi Arabia were wonderfully written and the cultural issues expatriates have to deal with were fascinating.

The characters were engaging and some even likeable, but I felt that the story could have used a bit more emphasis on the cultural implications and acceptance of polygamy. I would have liked to read more about the relationship between the two women and about the second wife, her thoughts and feelings and cultural acceptance.

One of the things that really struck home is Rosalie’s rose colored view of her childhood world. Rosalie grew up in Saudi Arabia as a child and then her parents moved back to the US. Remembering her childhood Rosalie wanted to go back and live in Saudi Arabia and has done so with all the good and bad it entails. I know that I still feel a longing to my childhood birth place, however when I go there it’s not the same and I know that it will never be.

So tell me, have you ever went back to a place you remember from childhood? What did you find out?

This book reminded me of:
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shon­eyin

 Synopsis:
American born Rosalie grew up in an army base in Saudi Arabia. In college Rosalie met and fell in love with Abdullah Bayla who married her and they decided to raise a family in Saudi Arabia.

Rosalie discovers that Abdullah has taken a second wife. While Abdullah and Rosalie are involved in their own personal mass, they don’t pay attention to their sixteen year old son, Faisal, who is becoming more and more extreme.

Great price on this book in paper or elec­tronic for­mat
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

• Give­away ends: February 14, 2012

• US/Canada Ship­ping Addresses Only

• No PO Boxes

• Win­ners will have 24 hours to write back with their address, oth­er­wise an alter­nate win­ner will be picked

  
  
  
  

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TLC Book Tour for The Ruins of Us:
Tuesday, January 17th: Book Hooked Blog
Wednesday, January 18th: Take Me Away
Thursday, January 19th: Broken Teepee
Friday, January 20th: Bibliosue
Monday, January 23rd: Book Club Classics!
Tuesday, January 24th: Wandering Thoughts of a Scientific Housewife
Thursday, January 26th: Peeking Between the Pages
Tuesday, January 31st: Col Reads
Wednesday, February 1st: The House of the Seven Tails
Thursday, February 2nd: Raging Bibliomania
Monday, February 6th: Library of Clean Reads
Tuesday, February 7th: Man of La Book
Wednesday, February 8th: 2 Kids and Tired Book Reviews

BOOK BLOGGERS — Have you read The Ruins of Us? If so link up your review below:

Giveaway:
One signed paperback of Death Wish
Three pdf ebook versions of Covert Dreams
– enter at the end of the post 

No one likes villains — or, at least, no one admits to it. But if an author crafts villains carefully, imbuing them with disturbing ambitions, giving them access to the tools and resources they need to wreak their own, personal havoc, and notches their peculiar, twisted natures in just the right way, then we have no choice but to love to hate them. And a great thriller is born.

James N. Frey, novelist and writing instructor, explains the villainous nature and the essential role villains play in story structure, in his book, How to Write a Damn Good Thriller."The villain in a thriller is not just evil," Frey writes. "The villain is evil right down to the soles of his or her feet." But he adds, "the villain creates the plot behind the plot — the plot that has to be foiled by the hero — and that… is what thriller writing is all about."

Danielle Blanchard Benson	Mike Markel	Michael Meyer

Today, three indie authors: Danielle Blanchard Benson, author of the paranormal thriller, Death Wish; Mike Markel, author of the detective novel, Big, Sick Heart; and Michael Meyer, author of the internationally set thriller,Covert Dreams will introduce us to the villains who darken the pages of their books and compel their narratives forward. All three authors are featured in "The Last Way Station Mega Book Tour," a new concept in virtual book touring that showcases indie authors and then involves them in tag-team guest blog appearances, like this one. The tour, named in honor of founder and sponsor, Jon Reisfeld's book, The Last Way Station, is sponsoring a Sweepstakes that will award a Kindle Fire to its grand-prize winner and a series of ebook bundles to runners up. Click here to learn more about today's featured authors and the other indie writers on the tour and Click here to enter your name in the Sweepstakes!

And now, let's meet our three villains.

Book Summary. In the very near future, vampires rule the world. They control the pharmaceutical industry, the gaming industry and the world's six largest economies. But dangerous rifts are forming within their power structure as Day Walkers, a new breed of vampire that can tolerate sunlight and has a dimished taste for mortal blood, begins to displace their sun-shy cousins. As vampire civil war is about to break out, Manon Mourey, a let it ride casino card dealer, discovers she has the ability to turn herself and her newly acquired, extremely powerful, boyfriend, Mikkel into Day Walkers.

Author Danielle Blanchard Benson Introduces …

Death Wish Villain Zahara Damgaard

Zahara Damgaard, Mikkel Damgaard's former lover, serves as president of the incredibly powerful International Vampire Council. She is a cruel and inhumane creature, who gets off on seeing others suffer. Her often over-the-top behavior and bravado, Danielle Benson says, adds to her villainous appeal but also may cover up a lot of pain. "I want the audience to wonder what has happened in her life to make her so evil," Danielle says. "I believe there is a wounded aspect to Zahara that may give the audience reason to speculate about what drives her, but not nearly enough to stop loving to hate her. Finally, Zahara never seems to get her 'just deserts," further adding to the sense of injustice surrounding every outrageous thing she does.

Excerpt From Death Wish: Book I (The Vamp Saga)

She glared at me with the most beautiful pale green eyes before turning to Zahara for assistance.

"Ignore her, she's a mortal as well…well, half, at least. Don't you dare allow her to think she isbetterthan you."

"I am. I have Mikkel, and what do you have? Who is your companion for the night? Your 'evening snack,'" I replied haughtily.

Mikkel chuckled under his breath. "Priceless."

Andrine smiled coldly. "Looks like you have been training her well, brother. She will be quite the formidable adversary when she is turned."

"Don't bet on it!" Zahara exclaimed harshly. "Don't forget your place, girl. You are nothing and therefore no one gave you the permission to speak freely. You are in the company of greatness, as is myhuman companion. You're no different than she is. You are merely a living, breathing blood bank for one of the cruelest vampires who has ever been brought into existence. You aren't special by a long shot, no matter how much he has tried to convince you differently."

I glared at the woman I had grown to hate in the short time we'd known of one another. "If that is so true, why are you bothering to even argue with a 'small fry' like me? I thought I was a bug you could easily squash. Stop treating me like your equal if I'm so insignificant, Zahara. It makes you look foolish and petty. Aren't you getting a little long in the fangs to be acting like an adolescent bitch?"

Her eyes paled and she unsheathed her fangs. "Mikkel, shut your human up before I do it for you."

"Retract your fangs and act like the President you are," a gentleman with a deep French accent cut in. "This is a civilized vampire function, not a cheesy movie based upon a Bram Stoker novel. That kind of behavior won't be tolerated from anyone-whether you are President of the IVC or merely a guest."

"Hervé, you know I meant no offense," Zahara exclaimed, bowing her head in shame.

Book Summary. Police Detective Karen Seagate is having a rough time with her family, the police department, and her drinking. A high-profile murder has the Chief breathing down her neck is the last thing she needs, especially when she has a brand new partner, fresh from uniform rank, to break in. The victim, Arlen Hagerty, created plenty of enemies as he clawed his way to the top of his Soul Savers organization. But who would kill a man who was dying anyway?

Author Mike Markel on …

Big, Sick Heart Villain Arlen Hagerty

Arlen Hagerty is the president of Soul Savers, an evangelical organization that saves people, one soul at a time. Where does he find these people? Mostly in the Colorado Springs area, near his organization's headquarters. Who are they? Mostly runaway girls who need a place to sleep. What does he ask in return? Not that much, really, considering he's giving them room and board. A little more if he finds them attractive.

Excerpt From Big, Sick Heart

"Arlen Hagerty laughed all the time, usually right afterhe said something. It was a big, braying, spit-launching cackle. He was a toucher, always grabbing an arm, poking a chest, or slapping a back, like a salesman who was running out of month and hadn't made his quota. Even with his expensive dark suit, there was no way he was ever going to look like anything other than what he was: a five-four, two-eighty troll with a sweaty scalp shining through a dyed comb over."

Book Summary. COVERT DREAMS is an international thriller that roars through London, Rome, Munich, and Saudi Arabia. It is the story of a murder mystery that collides, head-on, with an international conspiracy as elements of parapsychology blur the lines between what's "real" and "imagined."

Author Michael Meyer Introduces

Dr. Harry Folsom, Villain of Covert Dreams

"Dr. Harry Folsom, alias Parker, is such a great villain because he believes very strongly in his work, not realizing its pure evil nature. He is committed to what he has been assigned to do, completely oblivious to its diabolical nature. He sees things only through the prism of following directions and performing at his very best. He is meticulous at what he does, fully prepared for any contingency. Hidden from prying eyes in his state-of-the-art facilities in Saudi Arabia, he is able to do what he does best, blindly unaware of its horrifying implications. He is totally committed, and that is what makes him such a scary villain.

Excerpt From Covert Dreams

Dr. Harry, also known in some circles as "Wholesome" Folsom, but only behind his back, was trembling slightly as he hung up the phone. The call he had just completed to the unknown person in the unknown office of the American embassy in Jeddah had been terse, brutally so. Dr. Harry had put his life into his work, but he now had visions of his project dying a quick death. With all the preparation that had gone into it, the elaborate precautions and concealment, could it be revived elsewhere, if need be? Would the so many meticulous hours of research and practical application and further study and modifications and then rethinking the entire process over, again and again, be lost forever? Or could it be regenerated again, probably back in Munich, despite the shudders that thought brought?

Thank you, Man of La Book, for allowing us to give your readers a peak under the hood of these three, distinctive thrillers. — Jon Reisfeld

Give­away

• Give­away ends: Feb­ru­ary 14, 2012

• US/Canada Ship­ping Addresses Only (for signed copy only)

• No PO Boxes

• Win­ners will have 24 hours to write back with their address, oth­er­wise an alter­nate win­ner will be picked

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