Literary Magic

Lee Libro 's Book Reviews: A Surrey State of Affairs by Ceri Radford

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:26:00 +0000

Title: A Surrey State of Affairs

Author: Ceri Radford

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books/Viking

ISBN, Pub. Date: 978-0-670-02342-4, April 2, 2012

Format: ARC Paperback, 273 pp

The publicists at Author Exposure provided me with an advanced reader copy of A Surrey State of Affairs by Ceri Radford after I chose it from a selection of over fifty other titles. With a clever title, a bold cover and promise for some British wit, I was drawn to it immediately.

Usually readers relate to a story through a writers craft with dialogue. Dialogue brings the character into the here and now, allowing the reader to be a spy on the wall. Getting into the interior life of a character takes a bit of finesse with just the right amount of narrative and dialogue. Imagine a story told mostly in narrative. Sounds static. Not in the case of A Surrey State of Affairs, which is written as a series of blog entries and indeed contains very little dialogue.

A Surrey State of Affairs is Constance Hardings’ diary, so to speak. She’s a fifty-something, church-going, bell-ringing, empty-nester, wife and mother who is naïve and newly initiated into the joys of computer usage. Blogging is a newfound outlet for her and thinking nobody reads it anyway, she posts her daily observations and frustrations as she strives to be appease, support and maintain her relationships including that with her beloved parrot. Think Bridget Jones’ Diary all grown up with the quandaries of a mid-life crisis in full havoc mode, delivered with the same humorous and endearing qualities of a Bridget Jones.

We, the reader, are Constance’s invisible friend, privy to her most private thoughts and yet as good friends often do, we see realities long before she discovers them herself. But she’s naïve and we care for her. From her attempts to find a good wife for her son, who is obviously gay, to her inability to understand why she continually finds panties laying around her husband’s office, her naivety might frustrate a lesser friend, but due to Ms. Radford’s exceptional writing, so well formulated with the dry, pithy wit of a Brit, we can only stand by Constance.

We celebrate when Constance finally wakes up and embarks on a completely uncharacteristic set of behaviors. Call it a mid-life crisis, self-discovery, all in all her journey enthralls us, keeps us tethered to her blog. We can’t help but read on because A Surrey State of Affairs is both entertaining and heartwarming. I highly recommend it if you are looking for some light reading or are a fan of Chick-lit or British humor.

Apple's iBook2 Launch as it Relates to E-Book Publishing and B & N's Newly Announced Distribution Exclusions

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:51:00 +0000

Last month, Apple launched their iBooks Author program, a Mac based e-publishing program that will allow authors to publish interactive media across the Apple platforms. No less than ten days later Barnes and Noble announced its exclusion of all books outside of its Nook platform. While the licensing exclusions in the case of iBooks are attached to the use of the software used to publish iBooks, that is iBook Author, Barnes & Noble seems to be going head-to-head with Amazon and any other ebook platforms outside of the Nook, by excluding distribution of said books. What are the similarities and what are the underlying implications of these recent movements in the publishing industry?

The e-book world is being sliced and diced, divvied up amongst its proprietary principals. In the recent past, authors have been able to create one e-manuscript and distribute it to several platforms. It would seem now that we are moving toward a necessity to choose just one platform. Some say this is wrong, but nothing about these companies’ exclusive licensing requirements is illegal. In fact, it would appear that their movements are congruent with our anti-trust laws and nurture an environment of healthy competition. Readers will choose their favorite platform for e-reading. Authors will simply have to choose where to publish based on the targeted end user of the platform.

While this makes the self-published author’s job a little more difficult, isn’t it all about the readership anyway? That being said, now let’s take a closer look at the iBook announcement. With regard to iBooks I hear a lot of dismissive attitude coming from my author friends. They say that the iBook is primarily oriented to text books and that further, it’s Mac-specific. Many authors are very Word oriented, and rightly so, because most printers require files from Word. Word is a PC software staple, and given the PC-oriented world of publishing, it’s no wonder that Apple is slow to register on some authors’ radar.

I say, take another look at iBooks. Apple’s foresight extends deep into the future, not years but decades. Apple was the first to seed its product into the educational system over fifteen years ago with the donation of Macs into classrooms across the country. Later came the Macbooks. Now with iBooks 2 having sold over 350,000 text books within just the first 3 days of launch, it’s clear that Apple knows the wave of the future. The next generation is a generation of readers who have grown up with highly interactive media and that’s what they will demand in their reader experience. Authors of literary fiction can view this as either an obstacle or a new frontier.

This is the next phase of book evolution, and while it’s sad to witness the printed book go the way of handwritten letters (when was the last time you wrote a letter to your Aunt Sally?), that issue is growing old. Arguably, printed books will never lose their place in the hearts of readers, me for one, but the impact of technology on the evolution of the book is inevitable, and it’s clear that we are headed in a whole new direction. The advent of books written in interactive media is not a passing fad and not just for textbooks. Further, I argue that its application to fiction will extend beyond just the graphic novel. iBooks Author templates all offer an InDesign-like formatting environment that can include movies, photos, diagrams and yes, Word text imports as well.

Books are going to become much more interactive as the student population grows into the consumer population at large. This is a generation that has grown up on Xbox games, the wii, Kindle Fire and touch screens. They will demand interaction.

Can you see iBook interactive media applied to a favorite novel you read recently, or if you’re an author, one that you just finished writing? I can, and I’m of the older generation, you know the one that started out as a 80's yuppy in the corporate world working on PC in DOS!

I marvel at this every time I access my iPad, Kindle or iPhone. If I can evolve, then I argue that along with this new generation of readers, we all can…and without sacrificing a single drop of reading (or writing) joy. It’s just a matter of choosing your platform. Choices! We all have choices and that’s what freedom is all about.

Close Encounters with Famous Authors -- 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 03:32:00 +0000

My 2011 has been a year filled with wonderful books and authors. While I continue to work on completing my own second novel, The Love Code, much of my personal satisfaction comes from having a hand in the promotion and design of other authors’ works as well. Along the way I've embraced new landmarks in my journey as a writer, I’ve met some great people and shook the hands of a few literary icons. This year I met several, but four in particular stand out the most.

While we get to know authors through their works, for indeed the stories they tell depict at least an aspect of who they are as people, there's nothing like meeting or speaking with an author face to face. There's no greater thrill than meeting a well-known author and receiving from them a golden piece of advice or an insight.

A great way to kick off the New Year is by sharing a few of my close encounters this year with famous authors. From each of these I took away a bit of advice, some observations and maybe some juicy gossip too.

Brenda Seabrooke – Children’s book author of Wolf Pie, Cemetery Street, 'Twas the Day Before Christmas, Stonewolf , The Haunting at Swain's Fancy, The Haunting at Stratton Falls, The Vampire in my Bath Tub, Under the Pear Tree, Judy Scuppernong, The Haunting of Holroyd Hill, The Swan's Gift, The Dragon that Ate Summer, The Care and Feeding of Dragons and more.

I met Brenda through Sarasota Author Connection where she gave me and my fellow aspiring authors a small group talk about her journey as a writer. For Brenda Seabrooke the fire of storytelling was lit at a very young age. When she was a child the gears of keen listening and a vivid imagination meshed to make storytelling a natural internal dynamic for her. A story she heard might end, but the gears kept churning and she’d rethink the story, carry on the character’s action to another plot, retell it or make her own sequel. I immediately related to her when she explained how listening to stories as a child in Georgia naturally led to her becoming a story teller herself. Her journey to become a prolific writer of children’s stories published by so many acclaimed publishing houses and to belong to the Children’s Book Guild of Washington D.C. extends back to these deep roots…the simple act of listening to stories. Brenda reinforced to me the invaluable gift of reading to children. You never know what little budding writers you might have in your midst.

Lois Duncan – Author of over 50 books! She’s written some very well-known young adult suspense thrillers as well as childrens’ books, two of which have been made into movies, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Hotel for Dogs.

Lois Duncan grew up right here in Sarasota, Florida where I live so it wasn’t too unusual for me to meet her. I just happen to be lucky enough to be sitting next to her at one of my Sarasota Fiction Writer’s Group meetings and learned a little bit about her journey as a writer. Like Brenda Seabrooke, she knew from early childhood that she wanted to be a writer. She submitted her first story to a magazine at age 10 and became published at 13. She continued to write through her teens…articles, stories, poetry…but what caught my attention the most was her focus toward the young adult thrillers. Of course, everyone knows I Know What You Did Last Summer, but did you know that she may soon be getting a movie deal for another of her novels, Down a Dark Hall? It’s being optioned by none other than another well-known author (turned producer) whose name I’m not allowed to drop here. Let’s just say she’s kind of bella, her name’s not Edward, and anything she writes seems to sparkle in the limelight.

Susan Richards –Author of memoirs with a particular focus on horses and the restorative powers of taking care of animals. Her most recent book Chosen by a Horse made it to the New York Times Best Seller List.

For some reason this year, my Christmas season was jam packed with parties, but the one I looked forward to the most was the one held by my local writing group, Sarasota Fiction Writers. It was going to be held at the Ritz-Carlton Lido Key with live entertainment provided by a renowned Russian pianist, and then we’d have our usual fantastic pot-luck dinner followed by a book/gift swap. You never know who might appear at one of our meetings though, because in Sarasota there are so many wonderful artists, writers and famous personalities and we are always bringing along guests. So who should I sit right next to at dinner? Susan Richards! Though I had never heard of her before, I was so happy to meet her, because as a traditionally published author, she offered me a small tidbit of advice that’s huge really. After some small talk in which she told me she now lives here part-time to get away from the cold north, she told me that she had written novels for years, but never got published until she started writing memoirs.

Memoirs are still a hot topic for agents and publishers and she just recently published one that made it to the NYT Best Seller list. She also advised others at the table that you can’t expect to get published by sending out only a few queries. In other words, you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince.

Stephen King – Well he needs no introduction.

Stephen King is one of our most well-known resident authors here in Sarasota, and so it was with great pride and love that our local Barnes and Noble, hosted a special book-signing event in November this year. At first I didn’t think I’d go. After all, I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve never read any of his fiction. Nevertheless, I’d followed Stephen King’s career my whole life. In fact, it seemed I’d literally followed him to Sarasota from Maine, because that’s actually where I started out decades ago before moving here. Then his book on writing popped up into my radar and Stephen King On Writing became my number one favorite book on writing. So I resolved to go to the book signing and meet the man that can spin golden tales out of air with the skill of a surgeon and the magic of an alchemist.

So what did I learn at the signing? Well I learned that even though I was just one of 800 people at the book signing, I wasn’t just a little speck to him, a man that some think as being so far beyond reach. He signed my book just like everyone else’s, yes, but as I thanked him he looked at me and smiled. No words, but I gathered from him just enough of a look for me to know that he is every bit the hard-working, driven man I thought he was. You see, he had the flu, was running a fever, and at three hours into the book-signing was clearly exhausted, but you know what? He had a job to do. I realized that even though he’s king in the publishing world, he came by it not just by some luck of the draw or knowing the right people. He came by it because he worked at it. He’s as down to earth as they come, hard-working and dedicated to the craft. Years from now, when people think about this era and study the works of the late 20th century, guess whose titles will be at the top of the list? Stephen King’s.

The Five Best Novels with a Holiday Theme

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:10:00 +0000

Today I'm pleased to introduce a guest post from Brittany Lyons. Brittany Lyons aspires to be a psychology professor, but decided to take some time off from grad school to help people learn to navigate the academic lifestyle. She currently lives in Spokane, Washington, where she spends her time reading. She was inspired to write this piece so that she could share her love of literature and the holidays with others. So without further ado...

During the fall and winter months, when the winds howl and the grey skies settle heavily over the land, there is no better way to warm the heart than with a cup of coffee and a hearty holiday novel. Novels set during the holiday season are plentiful and it can be difficult to choose one from among them, so much so that you may feel like you need an online PhD just to find the right one for you. Your search just got easier -- here is a list of holiday novels, some classic, some modern classics, to enjoy this holiday season.

1) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Dickens' 1843 masterpiece, ”A Christmas Carol” endures as one of the most potent stories of charity and redemption. Visited by spectral tour guides on Christmas Eve, the greedy Ebenezer Scrooge is shown the innocence of his youth, the joy and heartache of his fellow man and the terrifyingly bleak future that awaits him if he doesn't begin to show love and charity.

2) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

This perennial favorite follows the lives of the March sisters in Massachusetts. Though the plot follows their lives over several years, it is the charming, personal way Alcott describes enduring the long, harsh Massachusetts winters that makes Little Women a supremely comforting holiday read.

3) Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

A departure from his usual legal thrillers, Grisham's “Skipping Christmas” has a "clever, curmudgeonly edge," according to Publisher's Weekly. The novel tells the story of the Kranks, empty nesters who decide to skip all the fuss of a traditional Christmas and plan to sail to the Caribbean instead. Their decision has unpleasant implications, however, as the neighbors and vendors grow increasingly unhappy with the Kranks' decision. It all comes to a head when their daughter returns unexpectedly with a last-minute request for a traditional Christmas at home.

4) The Gift: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans

Publisher's Weekly praised the "tightly honed narrative" and USA Today noted the "effective" prose of this modern holiday classic. An emotionally damaged business traveler is stranded before Thanksgiving and shows kindness to a family with a devastating secret, with tissue-drenching results.

5) The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Although a children's book, this 1985 Caldecott Medal-winner belongs on this list because it became an instant classic due to its lush illustrations and sweet, simple story. On Christmas Eve, a boy travels by magical train to the North Pole to receive the first gift of Christmas. This family favorite is all about the power of belief and the wonder of Christmas.

Whether you need to stay warm in winter's chill or escape into the holiday spirit year-round, nothing fires the imagination like a good read. This list is merely a gateway to all the literature inspired by the holiday spirit. Under a warm blanket, these novels provide the kind of wonder and spirit that the holidays are all about.

Book Review - Coming Up For Air by Patti Callahan Henry

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:15:00 +0000

Title: Coming Up For Air
Author: Patti Callahan Henry
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN, Pub. Date: 978-0-312-61039-5, September 2011
Format: Paperback Advance Reader Edition

The publicists at Author Exposure provided me with a Advance Readers' Edition of Patti Callahan Henry's latest novel, Coming Up For Air. I chose it from over fifty other books. Considering that I've never read any of the author's works and I usually veer away from books that look even remotely like a romance, why did I choose it? The title captured my attention.

At first glance, the phrase, "coming up for air", might describe either one of two things: A) quite literally, a marine mammal or diver coming up from below water to surface for air, or B) a person rising to their authentic self. I chose Patti Callahan Henry's book, hoping that it would reveal a story pertaining to the latter.

Coming Up For Air takes places largely in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, Georgia, where Ellie Eddington lives a neat, well-to-do life with her husband and one child away at college. From the beginning, however, we learn that she doesn't sit quite as comfortably into her surroundings. On the surface, life amongst her family and family friends is well-groomed and polished, but lurking below is an angst easily recognized by anyone who has ever felt displaced in life. In the last decade, Ellie has taken to painting flowers, individual flowers, each reminiscent of the garden at her childhood home. Her journey begins with a very unsure Ellie as the story opens to her first art show, organized by her reluctantly supportive mother. An art show for a high-profile charity event, however, delivers to her mother enough reason to tout her daughter's "hobby".

The next day, Ellie's mother dies and we learn that Ellie's ex-boyfriend and first love, Hutch, had been creating an exhibit to pay homage to her mother. She had been elected as one of several women to be cited for their charitable and social contributions. The extent of these contributions perplex Ellie, when she discovers that her mother, who had always kept a stiff and somewhat cold demeanor, had actually been a passionate, anti-racist, activist in Alabama during the early 1960's. What could account for the transformation of this woman who, later in life, appears to focus on status only, a woman who had grown the flowers in her garden "for their botanical and ornamental value only?"

A few days after her mother dies, Ellie comes across her mother's journal. With a visit to Alabama, she and her ex-boyfriend research together her mother's role in the very turbulent years in southern history, the Freedom bus ride, desegregation protests. Piece by piece Ellie comes to understand how her mother, whom she loved very much, had been two different people: the passionate, free-spirited one of her youth and the one she had cultivated herself to be...and the reason she had done so. Ellie is driven to understand this, because not only did her mother control many of the choices she herself had made in life, but there are parallels in the two women's' lives. Ellie has come to a crossroad in her marriage, especially with the reappearance of her first love, and she begins to feel her authentic self rising up out of the drowned existence she's suffered for two decades.

Patti Callahan Henry's prose is beautifully crafted in a way that reveals the underpinnings of the character's actions. How a mother feels when they look at their college-aged daughter, a mirror of their younger self, for example, or the suffocation one feels with a manipulative partner, are written almost poetically, drawing true empathy from the reader. As the story unfolds, Patti Callahan Henry has masterfully layered the elements with symbolism and themes that any admirer of southern literature would love. She illustrates how past history can reveal truths; how people often lock their hearts away, only for them to burst forth later in mid-life, forced to "come up for air."

I recommend Coming Up For Air to anyone who likes romance as long as they are willing to dig deeper than the physical aspects of love. You won't find any torrid affairs or bodice ripping action in Coming Up For Air. The romance in this story is tied more to how someone loves, not why they love or who; how loving a person or locking away your heart affects a person's authenticity.

I also recommend the book to anyone who loves southern literature. The story is contemporary, but certainly hits on classic themes. It is literary fiction, too, as it deals heavily with the angst of being imperfect, being human. Just as Ellie describes herself, we are all like wildflowers in Mrs. Eddington's garden, real humans who are weeded out because we haven't fit the mold of the botanical or ornamental variety.

I give Coming Up For Air by Patti Callahan Henry 4 out of a possible 5 magic books.

Meet Emlyn Chand, Author of Farsighted

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:44:00 +0000

Today I'm pleased to feature an interview with Emlyn Chand, the author of Farsighted, a YA novel that takes us to a whole new arena in the paranormal / YA genre. If you've had enough of vampires, then Alex Kosmitoras might just be your answer. He's psychic! Farsighted takes us on Alex's journey to discover and accept his psychic abilities, and along the way we're introduced us to a world where mythical elements from many cultures come into play.

1. Tell us about yourself. Describe Farsighted and tell us why you were compelled to write it.
I’m Emlyn, a 26-almost-27-year old YA author. I am also the president of Novel Publicity and a crazy bird lady too. And, oh yeah, I emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in my left

hand (at least that’s what my Twitter bio says).

Farsighted tells the story of Alex Kosmitoras. Here’s my mini teaser: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider.

Everything started with a single image—my face in these tacky oversized sunglasses reflecting out at me from the car’s side mirror. I was daydreaming while my husband drove us across Michigan for my sister’s wedding. Something about my image really struck me in an almost horrific way. I felt the glasses made me look blind but found it so weird that there was still a clear image within them; it seemed so contradictory. At the time, my book club was reading The Odyssey, which features the blind Theban prophet, Tieresias. I started thinking about what it would be like to have non-visual visions of the future and began forming a modern Tieresias in my mind. Lo and behold, Alex Kosmitoras was born. I didn’t want him to be alone in his psychic subculture, so I found other characters with other powers to keep him company. Thank God for my poor fashion sense. J

2. Who will enjoy reading this book and why? Can you compare it to any other titles with which readers may be familiar?
Farsighted is YA and thus written primarily for a teen audience. It’s a bit cleaner than other YA on the shelves so would also be a safe bet for slightly younger readers. Adults seem to enjoy it as well :-) Farsighted is paranormal that’s a touch more normal, so yes, it can be likened to Twilight, Harry Potter, or Hunger Games. But Farsighted’s world is much more like our own than any of these other settings.

3. High school is a difficult time for a lot of kids. Your characters, Simmi and Alex, deal with some very unique challenges in high school. Talk about their gifts and challenges and how any aspects of your own background influenced this theme in your novel?

High school is tough! Like Simmi, Shapri, and Alex, I was also that person on the periphery. I was always different, which was both a challenge and a mark of pride. Unlike my characters, I don’t have psychic powers—not sure that having them would have improved the high school experience anyway!

4. What did you have to research in order to write the book?
I spent about three months trying to talk myself out of writing Farsighted. It’s too ambitious, my inner critic pointed out. You’ll never get it done, not in the way it deserves to be done, it pressed. But there was another part of me that couldn’t resist; I knew I had to at least try before giving up. I started by reading tons and tons of books—I read about world folklore and superstitions, religions especially Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and Sikhism, psychic powers, the occult, blindness, and even Nostradamus. I learned how to cast runes and perform a ten-card Celtic Cross Tarot reading. I had nightmares for several weeks, but then they eventually stopped, and I started writing.

5. When you write how do you approach the scope required of a novel? Do you start with a small synopsis, an outline, write the ending first, etc? Did you begin with a seed of an idea, a title that spurred your imagination or something else?
I begin with a seed of an idea and work out from there. With Farsighted, I started with Alex and created the rest of the story and characters to fit around him. Using the runes as a structural framework for this novel created an outline for me too. I’m a numbers person as well as a word person. I love things to be organized just so. If you set a stack of papers in front of me; I’m going to fuss with them until they are lined up in a perfect stack. It’s just the way I am. Shaping each chapter around a rune gave the story order, which made me feel happy and comfortable. Whenever I got stuck and didn’t know what should happen next, I was able to learn more about that chapter’s rune and get the inspiration I needed to continue. The runes themselves tell a story, one that is successfully completed. I felt that boded well for Farsighted.

6. What elements do you consider vital to a good story? How does this apply to your own book?
For the most part, I think stories live or die with the characters who populate them. Plot is important. World-building is important. But a story without strong or relatable characters isn’t going to stay with readers in the same way. To that end, it was incredibly important for me to create characters who would feel real to the story. Readers have really identified with Alex and Shapri as feeling extremely authentic. Some people like Simmi too. :-D

7. What else have you written? What have you published? Do you have any unpublished manuscripts laying hidden in your desk drawer?
Farsighted is actually my second novel. After lots of back and forth, I decided my first novel would be better off unpublished. So with that said, it’s important to remember that not every work has to be published. My first novel was important, because it taught me I could see an entire novel through from start to finish. But in that first novel, I made lots of mistakes as a writer. Luckily, I learned what my faults were and sought out ways to improve upon them. And Farsighted is the better for it.

8. What aspect of writing do you find the most difficult? How did this apply specifically to writing Farsighted.
Plotting is the hardest for me. I like to build really strong characters, and sometimes I allow them to distract me from my story. These detours can be good, or they can cripple your work. I guess that’s why Faulker said “kill your darlings.” Fortunately, my Farsighted detours were good. Shapri was never supposed to be a main character, but I let her get under my skin. Now she’s many readers’ favorite!

9. Tell potential readers what you hope they will come away with after reading your novel.
First and foremost, I hope that readers will enjoy themselves. My primary goal is to tell an interesting story that people will find entertaining and be glad they read. Secondly, I’d like to infuse contemporary Young Adult fiction with a bit more diversity and teach readers about the beauty of other cultures and other ways of life. I also hope that Farsighted is a book that leads to introspection—what would I do if put in Alex’s place? Did Alex ever have a choice or was this path his destiny? What would it be like to see the world the way he sees the world?

10. Can we look forward to more of Simmi and Alex? What are your plans for the rest of the Farsighted series?
Farsighted is a 5-book series. Each book will be told from a different character’s point-of-view, so in book #2, we’ll actually be able to see what Grandon looks like! Next up is Open Heart. I hope to have that ready by the middle of next year.

11. Where can we buy Farsighted? Please list all links where we can find out more about you, your writing and Farsighted.
You can get Farsighted as an eBook through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords. It will be available as a paperback on November 24th (for my birthday, yay!).
I am available on pretty much any social network you can think of. Visit my website http://www.emlynchand.com or search “emlynchand” on your social media site of choice, and you’ll find me. I’m most active on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, and GoodReads.

Blog Tour Notes

THE BOOK: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Get your copy today by visiting Amazon.com’s Kindle store or the eBook retailer of your choice. The paperback edition will be available on November 24 (for the author’s birthday).

THE CASH PRIZES: Guess what? You could win a $100 Amazon gift card as part of this special blog tour. That’s right! Just leave a comment below saying something about the post you just read, and you’ll be entered into the raffle. I could win $100 too! Please help by voting for my blog in the traffic-breaker poll. To cast your vote, visit the official Farsighted blog tour page and scroll all the way to the bottom. Thank you for your help with that.

THE GIVEAWAYS: Win 1 of 10 autographed copies of Farsighted before its paperback release by entering the giveaway on GoodReads. Perhaps you’d like an autographed postcard from the author; you can request one on her site.

THE AUTHOR: Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit http://www.emlynchand.com/ for more info. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky!

MORE FUN: There's more fun below. Watch the live action Farsighted book trailer and take the quiz to find out which character is most like you!

When She Awoke by Hillary Jordan

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:28:00 +0000

Is it my imagination, or are books just getting better and better? The wow factor is being ramped up. When She Awoke by Hillary Jordan certainly is a prime example of Donald Maas's Putting the Fire in Fiction. It's fiery red!

Just released on October 4th of this year, When She Awoke is a modern interpretation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. When Hannah Payne wakes up only to discover that she's been "chromed" in red, her entire epidermis dyed scarlet, she must exist in society with this demarcation of a murderer. Criminals in this futuristic world come in varying colors, each hue to denote their crime.

From Amazon....
...she finds herself lying on a table in a bare room, covered only by a paper gown, with cameras broadcasting her every move to millions at home, for whom observing new Chromes--criminals whose skin color has been genetically altered to match the class of their crime--is a sinister form of entertainment. Hannah is a Red for the crime of murder. The victim, says the State of Texas, was her unborn child, and Hannah is determined to protect the identity of the father, a public figure with whom she shared a fierce and forbidden love.

A powerful reimagining of The Scarlet Letter, When She Woke is a timely fable about a stigmatized woman struggling to navigate an America of the not-too-distant future, where the line between church and state has been eradicated, and convicted felons are no longer imprisoned and rehabilitated but chromed and released back into the population to survive as best they can. In seeking a path to safety in an alien and hostile world, Hannah unknowingly embarks on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to question the values she once held true and the righteousness of a country that politicizes faith and love.

Excerpt From When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:52:00 +0000

You've seen the bookcover plastered all over the internet, and it's intriguing, but have you really delved into what the book is about. As many of you know, Alice Hoffman, is my favorite contemporary writer, but I'm not just promoting this book here because of a blind devotion. Take a look at the book trailer yourself and decide if this book deserves to be one of the top ten bestsellers for Fall 2011. I certainly think it does and I'm putting it at the top of my To Be Read list.

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

Book Reviews --Taking it Personally

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:54:00 +0000

Recently, a friend and fellow author, Terri Giuliano Long, received a review of her book In Leah's Wake, which set me to pose a question: Should a book reviewer present from their personal outlook on life, or should they refrain from infusing their review with their preconceptions, whether they be religious, political or otherwise?

Terri's recent post, Existentialist Themes in the Novel, In Leah's Wake, written in reaction to the review, states the matter quite clearly. With regard to her creation of In Leah's Wake, "A Catholic, I can no more escape my core beliefs or heritage than a Jewish, Muslim or atheist writer could his or hers."

Novel and author are part and parcel. Creating a novel is, in a sense, an author's platform for expression and thusly reflects their world view. I would argue that reviews are not platforms for reviewers. Scratching your head? Think of it this way. A book is an author's creation, complete with the full freedom of creative license; a review is a report on that author's effort, and while creative license certainly belongs to any writer, of reviews included, the reviewer should use some restraint.

While reviewers are readers too, a reviewer is so much more. A reviewer's role is to inform, not to emote or display their own world view. It is a reviewer's responsibility to provide an objective review, while making only enough of their personality known as to be deemed an opinion. Reactions that spill further become a different animal than "review". In other words, a reviewer should not turn a review into a soapbox for spouting their own belief system, socio-political orientation, personal plight, etc.

Maybe you enjoy hearing a reviewer bash a book, because it's too Republican, for example, or it doesn't sit well with them because it touches on divorce and they have just undergone one themselves. These factors may interest some readers, but because they don't aptly illustrate the author's work or the purpose of the book, do they really belong in a review? I would argue that there's a fine line between a reviewer's personal opinion of a book and their personal views on life. A reviewer should keep their personal viewpoints out of their review. In fact, the guidelines for some reviewer organizations require that the review not include one sentence written in the first person.

Reviewers come from all backgrounds, especially with the advent of the internet. This has opened the door to anyone with access to a keyboard. Reviews come in many shapes and sizes: whimsical, academic, brief, long-winded; some are written very well, others not so much. What should be the protocol for shaping a review?

Think of what readers really need from a review. Regardless of the shape or size of the review, quite simply, readers want the facts. They want answers to questions. First and foremost, is it well-written? What's it about? To what genre does it belong? What style of writing does the author use? Who would enjoy reading the book? What lasting impressions does the book make? These last two questions do require a bit of subjectivity, but they are not an invitation for the reviewer to step up to the podium and lecture. It's this reviewer's opinion that reviews that do this invalidate the authenticity of the review.

#FF Looking to grow your followers?

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:13:00 +0000

Follow My Book Blog Friday helps you grow your followers. Hop on over to Parajunkee's Blog and join in.

Happily ever after? by Peter Murphy

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:20:00 +0000

What compells you to read fiction? Peter Murphy, author of Lagan Love, is guest posting today on the topic of fiction's purpose. Each of us do so for different reasons, but Peter's post will give you an inside look into the inner workings of his own literary yearnings as a writer.

Once upon a time many of the books I read ended with the tried and true assurance that: ‘they all lived happily ever after.’ For years I really wanted to believe it – that if you were good and nice that life would reward you. Conversely – if things went badly it was your own fault. I was raised in the Irish Catholic regime where guilt was encouraged and unworthiness was the birthright of Original Sin.

My early life was not always a rose garden. Far too often it was buffeted by the storms that erupted in those around me, and I looked to books for some reassurance, and I preferred those stories with strong morals and happy endings.

Since then, my views have changed.

But this remains an issue for anyone who would consider writing, because a great many people will expect their investment in reading a story be rewarded, and that reward must meet predetermined expectations. Never mind the idea that a good book could open doors and show things from a new perspective – when we consume we want guaranteed satisfaction. I understand that. We live in chaos and will grasp at anything that might help us deny that. I am convinced that too often we read to reinforce our convictions and shun opportunities to broaden or change our views.

That said there is nothing worse that struggling through the mental gyrations of some overly-complex work that cannot make up its mind what it is, but there has to be some middle ground in this and in all things.

For me, finding this is the role of good Fiction. It should entice us to take the opportunity to step out from all that we insulate ourselves with and wander through worlds that we would never visit physically. It should challenge us and it should make us different. But too often books are measured by their popularity rather than their effect.

And for many years books that were not popular simply vanished from the shelves – consigned to discount bins and dusty warehouses. Thankfully that is changing. One of the great advantages of ebooks is that there is no cost in keeping the book around until it finds a loving audience. This was the history of Jane Austen’s writing – her early sales were unspectacular but back then, Publishing was more elegant and committed to promoting Literature in all of its forms. Since then, like most human effort, it has become dominated by the instant gratification of immediate profit.

But with change comes challenge and I wonder which path I will take. The responses to my first novel, Lagan Love, have reinforced much of what I have said – some love it for the questions and reflections it provokes and others are uncomfortable with what confronts them in its pages.

Should I be brave and push on and out into all the Fiction can allow or should I find a niche and serve up the same fare over and over?

In the rest of my life I have made a career of saying that; ‘the Emperor has no clothes,’ so I doubt that will change too much but writers, just like the rest of us, do need to eat on a regular basis. But for now my second novel is shaping up much like the first and I look forward to the reactions it evokes. Perhaps, if the Gods and Fate are not offended, I might still have a chance at a ‘happily ever after!’

Peter Murphy was born in Killarney where he spent his first three years before his family was deported to Dublin, the Strumpet City. Growing up in the verdant braes of Templeogue, Peter was schooled by the De La Salle brothers in Churchtown where he played rugby for ‘The Wine and Gold’. He also played football (soccer) in secret!

After that, he graduated and studied the Humanities in Grogan’s under the guidance of Scot’s corner and the bar staff; Paddy, Tommy and Sean.

Murphy financed his education by working summers on the buildings sites of London in such places as Cricklewood, Camden Town and Kilburn.

Murphy also tramped the roads of Europe playing music and living without a care in the world. But his move to Canada changed all of that. He only came over for awhile – thirty years ago.

He took a day job and played music in the bars at night until the demands of family life intervened.

Having raised his children and packed them off to University, Murphy answered the long ignored internal voice and began to write.

He has no plans to make plans for the future and is happy to let things unfold as they do anyway.

LAGAN LOVE is Peter Murphy's novel.

You can visit his website at http://www.peterdamienmurphy.com/ or his blog at http://www.peterdamienmurphy.blogspot.com/. Connect with him at Twitter at www.twitter.com/PeeloMurphy and Facebook at www.facebook.com/LaganLove.

Book Review: Our Haggadah: Uniting Traditions for Interfaith Families

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:56:00 +0000

Title: Our Haggadah: Uniting Traditions for Interfaith Families

Author: Cokie and Steve Roberts

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

ISBN, Pub. Date: 978-0-06-201810-6, Copyright 2011

Format: Hard Cover

Our Haggadah: Uniting Traditions for Interfaith Families is one family's step-by-step approach to performing the traditional Jewish Seder ritual for couples and families of mixed faiths. For those who are not familiar with the Seder, the tradition of this feast marks the beginning of Passover. As I read the book, however, I realized that the approach of the Robert's household had less to do with which prayer or wine to choose than it did with a greater message: that time-honored traditions, whether cultural or religious, can be adapted to provide common ground to all.

Cokie Roberts is both a New York Times best-selling author and journalist. She served as a senior news analyst for National Public Radio, where she was the congressional correspondent for more than ten years. In addition, she has been a political commentator for ABC News. Her husband, Steve Roberts, employed by the The New York Times as the paper's Washington, D.C. bureau chief, was also a senior writer at U.S. News & World Report for seven years where he is now a contributing editor. Roberts appears regularly on ABC Radio, Washington Week in Review, CNN, Hardball with Chris Matthews and often fills in as substitute host of The Diane Rehm Show on National Public Radio.

When the two met more than forty years ago, Cokie and Steve Roberts found common ground in their shared values, despite their different religious beliefs. Steve Roberts is Jewish. Cokie is of Catholic upbringing. Choosing to honor both of their faiths and traditions, they began hosting a Passover Seder that has evolved from a small family gathering to a veritable event celebrated with loved ones from all walks of life.

Based on the time-honored Haggadah—the text read throughout the evening that gives order to the ritual meal—Our Haggadah is a practical guide for interfaith families, whether they're celebrating their very first Passover or starting a new tradition. Originally composed on a typewriter and stapled together, Our Haggadah has been the Roberts family's handbook for each Seder and comes from years of adapting and expanding their Seders to welcome all who wish to take part in the celebration. From finding a Seder plate to preparing traditional and nontraditional foods, from the customary prayers to new ways for guests to participate, Cokie and Steve share their special approach to the holiday and the lessons they've learned over the years as an interfaith couple.

Everyone has their own views of how a seder should proceed, but for the Roberts the one-size-fits-all approach just didn't work. Cokie especially wanted to use the psalms that are also used in the Easter service. So they created their own Seder, here published after decades of editing from tried and true experiences with all the people who have attended their Seders, a variety friends, family and colleagues of many faiths and backgrounds.

The first part of the book consists of two essays by Cokie and Steven explaining the history of how the Seders developed. Coming from two very talented journalist, the touches of light humor make this a warm and personalized memoir. The next twenty pages provide instructions on how to prepare for a Seder and explains the symbols of the Seder (matza, etc). The rest of the book is a Haggadah one can use for their own Seder, or from which they can build, incorporating their own unique traditions.

This compact little book is beautifully illustrated by none other than one of my many talented Lutes cousins, Kristina Applegate Lutes. The essence of this book is exemplified in the words of "The Grace After Meals":

"Blessed be God of whose bounty we have eaten and by whose goodness we live. May God bless this home, the people at the table, and all of our loved ones who are not here with us tonight. May God bring peace to all homes, all nations, and all faith traditions."

I give this book a rating of five out of a possible five magic books. Any book that can unite people of different faiths is surely magic.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Our Haggadah for review. No payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

That Day in September by Artie Van Why -- Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:38:00 +0000

Title: That Day in September
Author: Artie Van Why
ISBN: 978 1 4116 8315 0
Format: Paperback, 84 pp
Publisher: Van Hughes Publishing, Lancaster, PA

Each of us is affected differently by the upcoming 10th year anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy coming up on Sunday. Some of us are going about our daily lives just as we did before. Others painfully remember dear loved ones lost...and always will. For Artie Van Why, the author of this little novella-length book, That Day in September, I'm guessing the anniversary resonates in a most profound manner.

That Day in September is Artie Van Why's memoir of his experience that day. While most of the nation, including myself, watched the horrible events of that day unfold on TV, Artie was there. There were many there, you say, so what makes Artie Van Why's account any different than the thousands of others present that day? That Day in September weaves in the story of Artie Van Why's life journey. In so doing, we gain an internal view unlike any other I've encountered.

We get to know a little bit about Artie before his life situated him in the office building adjacent to the Twin Towers. At a certain point in the book, I was wondering why I was getting so much back story, but then I realized how wonderful this was. It provided me with a deep anchor for empathizing with him, just as one does when moving forward in fiction.

And so as Artie begins the day of September 9, 2001 as a word processor in a law firm, we know him. On the morning of the event, from the moment when he first hears the "loud boom" to the more harrowing experiences of seeing people drop from the sky right before him on the street, we understand the experience almost as if we were right next to him. His description of the experience is made real not only by his ability to write descriptively and technically well, but by the fact that he's a person to whom we can relate.

But it goes farther than this. Artie's not just our friend, someone who's shared his diary with us giving the account in incredibly articulate detail. He's our fellow human, carrying the most essential message we should all gather from 9/11. That despite witnessing "the ultimate evil that man is capable of [...the] evidence of just how deep hatred could run, how far it could go, [we shall] remember all the goodness that we are capable of, that we displayed to ourselves and to the world."

The resulting reviews of this little novella-length book have been glowing. Further, the book was made into a one-man play of the same title and has shown to sold-out audiences in New York and the LA area.

For anyone, who wants to know what it was really like, beyond the sterile canned repetitive TV clips, to feel it's impact on a personal level, I highly recommend That Day in September. Thank you, Artie.

I give the book 5 out of a possible 5 Magic Books. Though I usually reserve my magic books for fiction, That Day in September demonstrated the power to transport me to another time and place. It has the literary magic indeed.

Book Cover Design Process - Case Study - Farsighted by Emlyn Chand

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 20:56:00 +0000

The cover of a book is, most often, the first impression of a book and therefore, the author's most powerful promotional platform. As a book cover designer, my key objective is IMPACT while conveying an effective connection between the author's inner vision and the public's first impression. This requires professional design work, but just as important, proper communication with the author.

One of my more recent cover designs was for Emlyn Chand, author of Farsighted, scheduled for release in October 2011. Here's a brief synopsis of this paranormal novel targeted for the Young Adult reader.

Even though it’s not his fault that he’s blind, nobody wants to be friends with “no-eyed freak” Alex Kosmitoras. Upon meeting a kind-hearted new student from India, Alex believes that he may be in store for a more socially balanced sophomore year. Unfortunately, his new friend Simmi arrives at the exact same time as Alex’s unexpected—and often embarrassing—ability to “see” the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends that have special gifts of their own, Alex must learn to harness his talents before the events of the future come to pass.

As with all of my clients, the first step is concepting. Based on the synopsis of the book and my conversations with the author, I conjured up several images from which to begin. These concepts are then presented to the author. As you can see they each take a completely different approach to the same story and all are aimed to highlight a primary aspect of the book as discussed with the author.

Concept 1

Concept 2

Concept 3

Concept 4

Concept 5

Concept 6

Once the author has chosen the main concept I begin work on the final base cover. In the case of Farsighted, Concept 3 was chosen, however with a different model chosen than shown in the original concept. Next, various model poses and font choices were presented. Feedback from the author is incorporated as the variations are created, and finally different backgrounds are added to complement the overall look.

Variations:

The final cover is chosen: Cover C with Background 3.

With the final graphic for the cover near completion, once the printer specifications have been supplied, the file is created to exact size. The remaining elements for the spine and back cover, such as endorsements, a synopsis, biography, publisher insignia and other information will be put in place and then go through editing.

The final cover of Farsighted will have several intriguing elements added as well, all to reflect the mystical aspects of the story. You can see the final version when it's ready and stay informed of the progress toward publication at Emlyn Chand's author website.

My Book Cover Design service can take from three weeks to three months depending on the author and publisher's timeline. From concepting to the first printing of the final copy, my journey of book cover designing is in tandem with the author. First and foremost, though, the process is aimed to meet the following objectives:

1. The front cover image will peak the potential reader's curiosity about the book.

2. The cover accurately conveys the genre, theme and elements of the story.

3. All graphics are professionally executed.

4. Copy for the back cover and any additional front cover copy (written concisely) will promote the book effectively.

5. The layout of the text is balanced, that is, it provides enough weight visually, but also provides clear space or "reader relief." No need to overpower with too much text.

6. Lastly, but most importanly of all... the book cover has that one intangible element, not necessarily associated with any of the above items listed in 1 through 5. The book cover will have IMPACT! The book must have IMPACT, the ability to stop one in their visual perusal of books laid out on a table, or scanned across an array of titles on a computer screen.

If a book cover does all of these, then the only thing to do next is open the book and read it! The cover will have done its job well.

To learn more about my Book Cover Design Services, see my page on Graphic Design Services for Authors or see my services at Novel Publicity.

Meet Terri Long, Author of Amazon's recent best-selling novel, In Leah's Wake

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:10:00 +0000

An interview with Terri Giuliano Long, author of In Leah’s Wake

*Questions courtesy of BookBundlz

Terri's book was voted the 2011 book club pick of the year by the BookBundlz staff and community!

About Terri:

1. If you could have coffee with any 3 authors, living or dead, who would they be?

This is a tough question. Let’s see: Joan Didion – I love her work. The Year of Magical Thinking is a powerful book. I’d like to have coffee with her because she’s a brilliant, courageous woman, a true pioneer, and she’s led a varied and interesting life. I’d love to hear her stories.

Cormac McCarthy - although I’m not a fan of his early work – too macho for my taste - he hooked me with No Country For Old Men. I enjoyed the novel so much that I taught it in one of my classes. The Road is the most moving novel I’ve ever read. The man says to his son: "You have my whole heart. You always did.” That line has stayed with me – as have so many stark, tender moments. I’m in awe. I think I’d be too dumbstruck to talk. I’d probably just sit there.

Alice Hoffman – I love her work and I admire her ability to write a bestselling novel, year after year. It took me several years to finish In Leah’s Wake. To produce a book a year requires tremendous determination and discipline. You’ve got to be willing to sit down and write, whether you feel like it or not. That discipline helped her overcome breast cancer, after which she established the Hoffman Breast Center at the Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA. She’s also written screenplays and children’s books. And friends who know her say she’s a lovely, giving person.

2. If you could only take one book, food item and drink with you to a deserted island what would they be?

Oh, goodness, another tough question! If I had to choose one book, I’d take the Bible. The stories are fascinating, with so many layers of meaning, and the imager and language are captivating. You can read the stories over and over and never grow tired. For nourishment, champagne and dark chocolate – I’d be tipsy and fat, but I would be smiling.

3. What are your secret indulgences?

Travelling and trying new foods - my husband, Dave, and I have had the great fortunate of visiting many beautiful, interesting places. I love ethnic foods and I’m fairly gutsy when it comes to trying new dishes. In Beijing, a few years ago, we went to a tiny restaurant with two students we met. The restaurant was a local spot, as opposed to a tourist trap, the menu written in Chinese, so they ordered for us. When the steaming bowl arrived, I dipped my chopsticks into the stew – and pulled out a frog. The head was gone, thank goodness, but the body was fully intact. I realize that a lot of people eat frog; this was actually green. I thought Dave would gag when I ate it. To his credit, he didn’t.

4. What about you would surprise your readers?

When they meet me, people almost always assume I’m in my thirties, so they’re surprised to learn that I have adult children and grandkids. I was 18 when I married Dave and he’s the love of my life. Like all couples, we’ve had our ups and downs, but we still enjoy each other’s company, we have fun, and we love being together. This surprises people.

5. What is your perfect day as an author?

Being in a quiet place, with beautiful scenery, and no phone or Internet. A few years ago, we spent a heavenly winter in Stowe, Vermont. I would sit at my desk, looking out at the mountains. Dave would be working in the other room, so I wasn’t alone; we’d work all day, then have dinner together, maybe a glass of wine by the fire. Now I’m actively involved with social media, which I really enjoy, but I long for a quiet day with no interruptions, no distraction.

6. If you could be any fictional character who would it be?

Sara Paretsky’s PI, V.I. Warshawski – I have a special place in my heart for police officers. They risk their lives for us, every day, and they’re the connectors, the glue that holds communities together. I’ve always admired Gail Mullen Beaudoin, a police officer in Chelmsford, MA. Gail brings strength, dignity and grace to a very difficult job. In a fictional character, V.I. is the closet I can come to Gail - two very strong, caring, centered women. Theirs are very big, wonderfully feminine shoes to fill.

7. What are the book(s) you are reading now?

The Trust, an engaging, fast-paced legal thriller by Sean Keefer, and A Walk in the Snark, a wise, sexy, very funny nonfiction read by Rachel Thompson, and Take One Candle Light a Room, an insightful, gorgeously textured literary novel by National Book Award finalist Susan Straight.

8. What was your favorite book as a teenager, and why?

Please don’t laugh – The Exorcist. By today’s standards it’s tame; then The Exorcist was a shocking literary sensation. I was a bit of a rebel when I was younger. I didn’t use drugs or take the risks Leah takes in my novel, but I hated being told what to do. Although I’ve always loved reading, I never got the full enjoyment from the classics we were forced to read in school. That The Exorcist was forbidden gave it a wonderfully sweet edge. I also loved Exodus, a glorious book by Leon Uris, about the birth of the nation of Israel. It was, to my mind, the first truly important book I ever read.

9. (Aside from your own) What book(s) have you read that you think are perfect for book clubs?

Elizabeth Strout’s heartbreaking novel Abide With Me would make a terrific book club selection. Her Pulitzer Prize winner, Olive Kitteridge, is one of my favorite books. Abide With Me, a moving story about a young minister struggling to raise two small children after the premature death of his wife, is so real and relatable on so many levels, and it raises thought-provoking questions about family and life.

About In Leah's Wake:

10. Where did the inspiration for your book come from?

Years ago, I wrote a series of feature articles about families with drug and alcohol-addicted teens. The moms talked candidly about their children, their heartbreaking struggles. Those stories stayed with me.

My husband and I have four daughters. Most families struggle during their children's teenage years. We’re no different - though, thank goodness, we experienced nothing remotely akin to the problems and challenges the Tylers face in the book. As a parent, I knew how it felt to be scared, concerned for your children’s welfare and future. These were the primary forces driving me to write this story.

My work with families, my personal experiences and core beliefs – all these things played on my conscious and subconscious mind, and ultimately emerged as this book.

11. They say every book written is the author telling a personal philosophy. What personal philosophy are you trying to get across?

The epigraph, from The Grand Inquisitor, says it best: “everyone is really responsible to all men for all men and for everything.” Hillary Clinton famously said that it takes a village to raise a child. I believe we must all do our part, be supportive members of the village. The Tyler family is far from perfect, but they love one another. Our flaws make us human and that humanity connects us. I very much hope that readers feel this sense of connection—and hope.

12. Writers are often surprised by something that happens in their book. Perhaps a character says or does something you did not think they would, or something you thought would only be a couple of paragraphs turns into 10 pages. What surprised you about your book?

The challenges Leah faces in the aftermath of her sexual awakening. In the first draft, she lost her virginity; in the context of her rebellion, that felt right. In later drafts, darker incidents emerged. As a mom, I found these scenes hard to write, but they felt very true to Leah’s character and experience.

About Terri's Writing Process:

13. What is your writing process like?

With the first draft of In Leah’s Wake, I had no idea where I was going – in writing programs, this sort of organic writing is usually encouraged. In the revision process, I looked for and developed themes. In Leah’s Wake is character driven, so outlining would have produced a different book. I think it’s helpful to know who we are, as writers, and what our goals are. For literary fiction, the goal is to develop and understand character. I hope I’ve done this adequately.
My novel-in-progress, Nowhere to Run, is a psychological thriller, so I’m approaching that differently. I’ve mapped a partial outline - plot points to use as markers - and writing the sections organically. While I recognize the benefits of outlining or plotting, sticking firmly to either feels limiting. Giving myself this freedom allows for possibilities. Of course, it also makes for a messier process.

14. What gets you in the mood to write?

When I first sit at my desk, especially if I’ve been away for a few days, I often feel blocked, the nasty editors on my shoulders heckling: A writer? Are you crazy? Nine times out of ten, I dig in; the writing may be choppy at first, but eventually I regain fluidity. If the demons are too loud to ignore, I read. Reading, like meditation or yoga, settles my mind, calms me. Soon I find my mind wandering to my story, and I can’t wait to start writing.

15. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Believe in yourself. I know wonderful writers whose first, second or third books, really good, strong books, were rejected. To deal with the rejection, boot your computer, day after day, when it seems as if no one cares, the stars misaligned – or to indie publish in a world that still privileges the traditionally published - you have to believe in yourself.
Writing is a lonely profession. Most of the time, we’re alone with our work. The loneliness can wear on you, and cause you to question yourself. A few supportive writer friends, supporting and encouraging you, can make all the difference.
Hold onto your dreams. You can make them happen. Don’t ever give up!

Win Prizes and Money for Reading!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:39:00 +0000

Announcing the In Leah’s Wake Social Media Whirlwind Tour—WooHoo!

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by NovelPublicity.com the price of the In Leah’s Wake Kindle edition will be dropped to just 99 cents for the week of August 22 - 26th.

What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including a Kindle, 5 autographed copies of the book, and multiple Amazon gift cards (1 for $100, 3 for $25, 5 for $10, and 10 for $5 – 19 in all)! Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, August 26, so you don’t miss out. Literary Magic will be featuring an interview with Terri Long on Tuesday. Please be sure to drop on back by to read my interview and enter to win $100.00 as described below:

To win the prizes: Purchase your copy of In Leah’s Wake for just 99 cents Fill-out the form on the author’s site to enter for prizes

Next week visit the daily featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book! And I can win $100 too if you vote for my blog over on the author’s website. The blog host that gets the most votes in this traffic-breaker polls wins, so please cast yours right after purchasing In Leah’s Wake and entering the contests!

So be sure to come back on August 23 to visit me. Visit all the other bloggers on the tour throughout the week!

The featured events include:

Monday, Blogaganza on Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We’ll ask the writer 5 fun and random questions to get everyone talking. Leave a comment or question in response to the post, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Tuesday, Twitter chat with the author! Tweet with us between 4 and 5 PM Eastern Time, using the hashtag #emlyn. We’ll be talking with the author about her favorite books and best writing advice. Bring your questions about In Leah’s Wake and don’t forget to use #emlyn or to follow Terri @tglong. By joining in the tweet chat at the designated time, you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Wednesday, Google+ video chat with the author! Join our hangout between 12 and 3 PM Eastern Time to talk with the author and us via video chat. We’ll be gabbing about great books including In Leah’s Wake and about writing. Did you know that Terri is a creative writing instructor at Boston College? She’s got tons of good advice for aspiring writers. By joining in the Google+ video chat at the designated time, you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Thursday, Facebook interview with the author! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and ask Terri questions. She’s chosen three of her favorite topics to talk about: writing, parenting, and gourmet cooking. Of course, you’re welcome to ask about In Leah’s Wake too. Leave a comment or question as part of the thread, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget tolike Terri’s Facebook page or to visit her blog to enter for the other prizes!

Friday, Fun & Games based on the book! We want to close this whirlwind social media tour with a gigantic bang, which is why we've set-up two interactive book-themed features on the author’s blog. You can take the official Facebook quiz to find out which In Leah's Wake character is most like you and learn how that character ties into the story. Then try out our crossroads story game. Throughout the course of the narrative, you'll have several decisions to make. What you choose will affect the outcome of the story. Play as either rebellious teenager Leah or the trampled peacemaker and mother Zoe. Leave a comment or question on any of Terri’s blog entries, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to check out the other give-away contests while you’re on Terri’s blog!

About In Leah’s Wake: The Tyler family had the perfect life – until sixteen-year-old Leah decided she didn’t want to be perfect anymore. While Zoe and Will fight to save their daughter from destroying her brilliant future, Leah’s younger sister, Justine, must cope with the damage her out-of-control sibling leaves in her wake. Will this family survive? What happens when love just isn’t enough? Jodi Picoult fans will love this beautifully written and absorbing novel.

Book Review: The Architect of Flowers: Stories by William Lychack

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:02:00 +0000

Title: The Architect of Flowers
Author: William Lychack
Publisher: Mariner Books, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing
ISBN, Pub. Date: 978-0-618-30243-7, copyright 2010
Format: Paperback
Reviewer: Lee Libro

The publicists at Author Exposure provided me with a complimentary copy of William Lychack's short story collection, The Architect of Flowers. Such a title drew up mystical visions: expectations that the book might treat the reader to not just stories, but perhaps a brush with the Creator Himself. While this might seem like a high expectation, the writer in a way, is the God of their own universe, and in the case of William Lychack’s writing, there can be no question that he is a powerful one.

The Architect of Flowers consists of thirteen stories, most of which have appeared elsewhere including the Harvard Review and National Public Radio. Brought together as a collection, the reader begins to link them as a whole, so the book is indeed like a field of flowers, each with a unique grace and beauty.

Just as some flowers have a dark thorny side, so do some of Lychack’s stories. For example, “Stoplestad” is the story of a police officer called upon to put a family dog out of his misery. The routine of this small town police officer doesn’t normally demand crossing such a line, but his story, told by him in the present and in near staccato notes, communicates the sharp edge that separates his civic duty from his personal experience.

Nearly every sentence tells the actions as they occurred, rather quickly, as if the speaker must be numb from the experience, but must relate the event to you... almost as a confessional. This portrayal of Officer Stopelstad’s experience manages to reveal his underpinnings, makes us see him as a vulnerable man, imperfect, in fact so much so that as it turns out, he failed to perform the duty thoroughly. You see, it seems he shot the dog, but it didn’t die; it only lay there suffering more. Yet officer Stoplestad doesn’t learn of this error until later that night when he’s visited by the dog’s very angry master.

Just like the everyday life of Officer Stoplestad, the rest of the stories most often address everyday life. The artistry of Lychack’s writing is his ability to shed light on the extraordinary elements that lie behind it. As we read these stories, in the universe of Lychack’s creation, relationships and people, no matter how mundane or tortured, are inevitably imparted a certain grace. The urge to carry this grace or see it restored to the world is a common theme. How Lychack accomplishes this is much the same way that indeed I imagine God would, by revealing the intricacies of flowers, the individual shape of a species, the flower’s petal, the soft underside of its thorny stem, all so one might appreciate its nature. In keeping with the gist of the title it’s this aspect that makes Lychack’s collection of short stories truly a beautiful “garden”.

If you like literary fiction or stories with poetic leanings, The Architect of Flowers will provide you with great reading. Lychack’s writing style telegraphs meaning in dialogue and narrative that is often clipped and direct, but it never fails to deliver a full punch. I highly recommend it with a full five magic books!

Up for debate...what is Literary Fiction?

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 03:02:00 +0000

Recently I came across someone's assertion that Literary Fiction is not a genre, but rather a style. I wanted to cringe a little. Literary Fiction is my favorite reading choice and in my mind, at least, has very clearcut parameters.

Let's get something clear...Literary Fiction is not a style. Literary Fiction is a very specific genre and I'm seeing by the many Listmania list makers of so-called Literary Fiction on Amazon that its definition is grossly misunderstood.

One can't call Literary Fiction a style, because there are so many different writing styles found in Literary Fiction. In Literary Fiction you'll find writing that ranges from the telegraphed style in the short stories of William Lychack to the slow drawn out pull that is Faulkner. It can be a love story like The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard or an historical portrait like Gunter Grass's Crabwalk. Literary Fiction can best be defined as a very large genre in which you may find several subcategories: historical, southern, science fiction, etc. But above all else Literary Fiction is any fiction that focuses on the greater questions of what it means to be human.

So tell me, do you agree or disagree? Is Literary Fiction a genre? Should this even be a question, or like languages, will this genre (ok, for the purposes of my question I'll call it a category) of literature be reshaped and redefined by the populace's perception of it?

Book Review: Dead Men Do Tell Tales by Sherban Young

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Title: Dead Men Do Tell Tales
Author: Sherban Young
Publisher: Dover Publications
ISBN, Pub. Date: 978-0-486-47893-7, 2010
Format: paperback, 158 pp.

Puzzle books fall into a whole separate category of books that I review here on Literary Magic. Ordinarily I wouldn’t accept one in, given the usual premise of my search for that “literary magic” in writing, but when Sherban Young approached me and asked me if I’d review his fun little book of puzzles in prose, written for the well-known Dover Publications company, I was intrigued.

Dead Men Do Tell Tales is a collection of quickly told mysteries that the reader must solve. Each one demands that the reader tap into their knowledge of trivia from literature to art, music, math, sports, and more. Each scenario pivots on a reference in the story which must be then applied to the suspect in order to solve the puzzle.

In the course of solving each puzzle you may find yourself researching facts on anything from poetry quotes to famous biographies or that history lesson you took in elementary school. With over 60 mini-mysteries to solve, Sherban Young’s sometimes humorous and quirky scenarios both entertain and educate. This can be great fun for individuals or groups, both young and old.

If you like puzzles or mind busters, Sherban Young’s book Dead Men Do Tell Tales runs the gamut from simple to complex. For those who can’t quite crack the key to each mystery, there’s a hint and a solution published at the back of the book.

I give Dead Men Do Tell Tales five out of five magic books. The literary magic here comes in small doses, just right for someone who wants to pick up a book and jump in and out of worlds created to tease your brain.

Disclosure of Material Connection: A copy of this book was provided to me by the author. No payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Book Review: The Magpie’s Secret by G.J. Lau

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:38:00 +0000

Title: The Magpie’s Secret
Author: G. J. Lau
Publisher: CreateSpace.com
ISBN, Pub. Date: 978-1-4609-0054-3, March 2011
Format: paperback, 395 pp.

The Magpie’s Secret by G.J. Lau is the story of Frank Martinelli, a Vietnam veteran whose life, as he puts it, has gone missing in action. We learn early on that since his return from Vietnam he’s been plagued with one misfortune after another, so at the onset of the story we see a man headed down a sorrowful road. When he discovers that he’s in the crosshairs of a hit man’s target, his life takes on renewed purpose…to find out why.

The premise of the story promises the arc of a fallen hero seeking to regain wholeness. From the beginning of the story, this main character comes across as easy to empathize with. I wanted to follow Frank and see him reach that goal of reparation.

Frank’s daughter had gone missing twenty years earlier, a tragedy that is later echoed in the loss of a teen girl whom Frank failed to save while on the job as a Helping Hotline counselor. Followed by the breakdown of his marriage these events loom large in the beginning of the story, promising redemption, but somehow these vital elements, which put the real fire in the story, lose their strength and fizzle into a confusing plot.

Given the down and out aspect of Frank’s life I really wanted to see him reach his goal, but even more I wanted to see a clear connection made between the hit man’s target on him and answers to the questions about his missing daughter and Rachel, the hotline teen. Though the author does eventually reconnect us to some of these elements, his writing got in the way of the core objectives key in the shaping of the story.

Every time I became engaged with the who, what or why of the plot I found myself having to wade through descriptive narrative pertaining to Frank’s world. The author can write elaborately about the menu of the establishment in which Frank currently sits or the street where he is walking. While this may have served some minor purpose in character portrayal, only about 2% of what was written as descriptive narrative should have remained in the book. The Magpie’s Secret needs much editing. Though sentences are well formed, about 40% or more of it could simply be cut out to produce a more concise story. As it stands now, its form is much like a sculpture still emerging from a marble mass.

I think that The Magpie’s Secret has great potential to become a terrific story told Mickey Spillane style. Unless you enjoy reading very long yarns with tangential thinking, I can’t recommend this book. The plot turns need clearer demarcation. Much pruning is needed in order to achieve that literary magic that makes the writer disappear behind the veil of their creation, and seemingly immerses the reader effortlessly into the world of the story. Because of this I give The Magpie’s Secret two out of a possible five magic books.

To read more about G.J. Lau or to purchase The Magpie's Secret visit HERE on Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: A copy of this book was provided to me by the author. No payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Promote Your Book Through Karmic Liking

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:13:00 +0000

A fun way to spread the word about your work is through the karmic liking chain on Facebook. This concept was developed by Novel Publicity, one of the best little sites on the web for author advice and promotions. So if you already have a Facebook page for your book or author persona, hop on over and join the chain. If not, it's easy to create one. The karmic liking chain runs every Friday and the resulting network provides you with a pertinent newsfeed among your peers and some great tip-sharing. Best of all it will boost traffic to your page!

To join the chain visit the following link on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/novelpublicity/posts/199193026797622

What author do you write like?

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 23:03:00 +0000

This is just plain fun...a little tool that analyzes your writing style. Visit http://iwl.me and get your own badge. Here's mine!

I write like
Chuck Palahniuk

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!

Eat, Pray, Love, Write...a writer's life in Thailand.

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:05:00 +0000

Daphne duMaurier said, "Writers should be read, but neither seen nor heard." That may have applied in her era, but in this day of self-publishing, promoting oneself is key, especially if you live in a remote part of the world. Dannie C. Hill, an author of soul-seeking adventures, lives in Thailand. I was interested to know of his experience there, both as a writer and as an American living in Thailand, and I'm very pleased to present to you the account he has provided. For anyone who has ever dreamed of moving to an exotic land where life flows at a softer, slower pace, Dannie's writing life is a dream. Please take a moment to learn more about him and connect with him in this electronic world. Read on.

Meet Dannie C. Hill

Why would an American man move to Thailand to write novels? All the beautiful resorts, islands, mountains, and most of all, the luscious young women gliding along in their colorful sarongs would be a complete distraction to anyone trying to concentrate—on anything.

There is all that and more, but there is also a totally different view once one travels into the interior. Central Thailand, Issan, is a high plateau controlled by the two monsoons—wet and dry. The people are mostly farmer and like most of the people of Thailand, always smiling, friendly and yes, the women are beautiful. I live with my wife, Julee, who is Thai, in the central plateau region. We have a small farm where we grow corn, tapioca, and all the tropical and strange fruits and vegetables one would associate with the tropics. It’s a very small farm and that gives me the time I need to write.

I didn’t move to Thailand with the intent of becoming a full time writer, but it is just the place I needed to take on the lonely task of writing fiction. The sounds of English grow quiet and daydreams come alive.

I do speak the language, but one advantage of being a foreign face in a rural area is I can act as if I don’t understand. I can huddle within my own world until I’m ready to emerge. Thai’s are amazing. They will go about their business without worry but when a foreigner comes out and can speak to them it’s rather like the circus has come to town. I ride my motorcycle out to small villages, see a group of older men and women sitting under a shaded Sala, a gazebo-like structure, and try to strike up a conversation. Once they realize they can understand some of the words coming out of my mouth I become a sight to explore. Children come out and are allowed to probe and pull and generally enjoy this stranger from the far side of the world. I love it.

Back to point. I wrote before I moved to Thailand, but not with any great effort. I had a family to raise and the electronic world of America wouldn’t allow me to escape to a quiet place I needed to be, except on occasions. After the move with my wife to the other side of the world I spent my time learning and refining the language, seeing the sights, hearing the sounds and enjoying the tastes of Thailand. After a year or so I sat down to finish a manuscript I had started years before and the words leaped out. It was all I could do for my fingertips to keep up with the story. I would spend hours every day working on first one, then another, then another until I had written four complete manuscripts in three different genres. I was in love with writing again.

The best part of this is my wife! She allowed me this time and didn’t disturb me, because she could see how happy it made me. If not for her support I’m sure I would have failed. We have grown closer.
I now have two published books, a Fantasy coming out later this year and a number of manuscripts to finish and refine. That’s why I am a writer in Thailand. I have had to rejoin the electronic world and return to the States from time to time in order to try and sell my books and myself to the people I truly love—the readers! Readers are at the forefront of my writing process. I want to give them a quality, well-written, well-edited, interesting novel. I try hard to write books that I like to read. Each time I do sit down to read one of my books I am still amazed that I wrote it. I hope you will give my works a try and let me know what you think!
I hope to start a blog soon where you can read of many of my adventures in Thailand. Stay tuned!

I want to thank Lee Libro for this opportunity to come on her beautiful site and post this article. Lee Libro is so talented in all she does, I am truly honored that I have gotten to know her a little. Her writing voice in her novel, Swimming with Wings, captured me the very first time I found her. She is one to watch as a rising star in the literary world!

On Twitter you can find me at @DannieC_Hill. I would love to meet you, so please stop by and follow.
Both my published book can be found throughout the Internet in paperback and as ebooks and Kindle. Below are links to my books available on Amazon where you can read reviews from readers like you.

In Search of a Soul, A Sea Adventure.
http://www.amazon.com/Search-Soul-Dannie-C-Hill/dp/0982692420/ (Paperback)

http://www.amazon.com/Search-Soul-ebook/dp/B0048ELAJY/ (Kindle)

Tyler Hill’s Decision, A Young Adult Adventure in the Appalachian mountains.

http://www.amazon.com/Tyler-Hills-Decision-Dannie-Hill/dp/0982692404/ (paperback)

http://www.amazon.com/Tyler-Hills-Decision-ebook/dp/B003UNLJYU/ (Kindle)

Outer World Prairie, A Fantasy adventure coming later this year. For a look at this upcoming book go to my website.
http://smallmountainpub.com/comingsoon.htm

Urban Fantasy Author, Michelle I. Brooks, launches Bone Dressing Series

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:01:00 +0000

Today I'm pleased to interview a very talented author who writes urban fantasy/paranormal by candlelight! The resulting debut novel by Michelle I. Brooks promises to be an enthralling tale and is Book One of a seven part series. Bone Dressing was just published in April and promises to enthrall readers with a cast of legendary characters and the kind of mystique that keeps a book in hand until the very last page.

Brief summary: The Dark that’s been chasing Syd for lifetimes has finally caught up with her. Now, Syd must face her worst fears, her deepest desires, in order to fix mistakes she made in previous lives. Dressing in the bodies of those selves, bone dressing, this is Syd’s last life, her last chance, to set things right. What will she risk for the life of the man she doesn’t remember, the man she loves?

Book genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

ISBN: 0-615-47759-3

Publisher, Date of Publication: Savage Enterprises, LLC, 04/20/2011

Buy the Book at: Amazon.com, Smashwords, CreateSpace

In your bio you mention that in addition to being a writer you were a runaway teenager and also now a mother of teenagers and a geneticist. Tell us how any of these other roles have influenced your crafting of the story Bone Dressing.

Mmmm. That’s an easy one to answer. And not.

Every breath, every drip of ice cream melting in my mouth on a hot Southern night, every drop of rain fingering its way through my hair before the storm, every kiss lingering at the corner of my lips, every giggle on a Sunday afternoon affects my writing.

I had an easy, peaceful childhood. My parents were divorced, but happily so. Christmases and birthdays always held both, and assorted by-standers. Then my dad died, and life as I knew it also did shortly thereafter.

As easy as my childhood had been, my teen years were ten thousand times harder. It was as if life had a score to settle with me, and then some … But that’s how we learn, and grow. Growing pains can hurt like hell, but when they’re done, you look in the mirror and see someone new looking back at you … someone stronger, wiser … someone who knows how to fit inside this skin they’re standing in … and just maybe you begin to actually like that person looking right back into your eyes and really seeing you, yourself.

And then, and only then, not one single second before, is when life gives you your dessert … wonderful kids who take your breath away every day, a man you would die for, a world that stands still for that kiss still lingering at the corner of your lips …

What motivated you to write Bone Dressing?

Okay. This one’s a little harder.

I love all three of my adorable, insane, chaotic teenagers! Our house literally reeks with hormones, you can even see them creeping through the cracks under the doors at times!

Anyway, one of my kids has Asperger’s, and while he can deal with it pretty well most of the time these days, a few years back it sure gave us all a ride for our money. His temper often got the best of him and one of those times found me slammed up against a brick wall.

Silver lining? Yes, there is one. During the month of recuperation it took me to learn how to breathe through the pain, I missed a date with a Thanksgiving turkey, but dreamed a little dream called Bone Dressing …

Bone Dressing is mostly me, my thoughts, stolen moments of my life, with some bits and pieces of friends and foes thrown in for flavor.

In Bone Dressing, the main character visits her past lives. Reincarnation and the idea of karmic justice seem to play a prominent theme (which this interviewer personally finds fascinating). How is this exciting concept developed in the novel and will it remain as a premise for the following books in the series?

Karma and the concepts of reincarnation, universal connection, and on a more earthly level, the innate right to screw things up from here to hell and back … and still deserve to be loved, honored and respected, are of infinite importance to me in this disposable world I find myself living in.

These concepts define Bone Dressing, Syd, Beau, and every other being in the books. It’s all here to stay. It is Bone Dressing. It is a journey for us all.

Did you experience writer’s block? If so, how did you overcome it?

In a sense I did. There were days I didn’t feel like writing. Whether it was because the day was too pretty, my candles had died (I almost always write by candlelight), the rain was calling me out to play, or I just wanted to curl up and pull the covers over my head or snuggle up with my kids and watch a whole season of True Blood, or get lost in someone else’s world with Laurell K. Hamilton or Lora Leigh, or spend the day just being lost in love.

But, as much as I can be a dreamer, I know this is my life. Right now. This moment. And I’m not going to wait around wishing for what could be. So, when I have to I plant my butt in the chair in front of that black screen, give my kisses and hugs away to those who make my world all warm and fuzzy, light my candles and incense, start some music … and write. I write until I can write. And then I finally begin to write the good stuff and delete all the words that just helped get me there.

It’s really too bad life doesn’t have a delete key … but I guess too many people would wear it out! There’s simply not enough time for any regrets.

How long did it take you to write the first book in the Bone Dressing series and when can your readers look forward to the second one?

The idea of Bone Dressing came in one dream. One night. The writing took a little longer. The editing longer still. But I also wrapped up a PhD during that time. I’d say a year for writing, another for editing, editing and still more editing. And half of another for blogs, and book cover, tweets, trailers and ta-da! Here we are!

The next book is already under way. Writing and editing should wrap up October-November of this year for a December 2011 publication.

What kind of things did you research for this book? Did you come across any particularly surprising information? What findings strengthened the story’s outline and how?

That’s funny! I’m a geneticist. Research is what I do. The simple answer is, what didn’t I research? Every symbol, every animal, every name, every place. Everything. Actually, everything for all seven books. I know this story inside out. It’s already complete. Those who read Bone Dressing are simply taking the first step of a journey unlike any they’ve ever taken before.

I’ve always been fascinated with life, and death. With the good, and the not so good. There were so many incredibly ironic, spine-tinglingly serendipitous discoveries and events surrounding my writing Bone Dressing that it would make a book in and of itself. But that will have to wait.

One really cool part of my research was a weekend fact-finding mission I went on in February two years ago. I drove down to New Orleans on my own and spent the weekend hanging out at the local cemeteries, absorbing the local flavor, and taking ghost and vampire tours. One was so good I actually went on it twice! One of the pivotal points in the series actually was inspired by that midnight tour through the hauntingly beautiful old world of New Orleans.

What was your experience with the publishing process?

Wonderful! Frightening! Exciting! Stressful! Nothing like writing the book, but absolutely essential for the book to make it into anyone’s hands other than my own.

I could NEVER in one million years have done this without my wonderful husband, William. He has been absolutely amazing. Truly. I have so much respect for him.

My kids were fantastic, too. Great ideas. Great hugs. Great at keeping incense burning and candles lit!

What is the biggest misconception about writing a book?

That you have to be something more, somebody other, than you already are to write a book. We all have a voice, our own voice. Poe, Shakespeare, Tolkien, Hemingway and the million other authors known around the world are/were phenomenal. But that’s the great thing about books, the good ones each take us someplace we’ve never been, but always wanted to go …

What do you find to be the most challenging part of the writing process?

Stopping.

What tools/methods have you employed to promote your book? What advice would you give to writers regarding promotion?

Mmm. Well, that’s my husband’s domain. So, I guess I’d have to advise them to go find a go-to significant other that’s as amazing as he is! But, as for the tools/methods aside from him, Novel Publicity, Google (I’m a recovering googloholic, they say admitting it is half the battle, so I’m hopeful!), Twitter, Facebook, Blogspot, YouTube, Windows Live Media Player, Fotolia, Adobe CS4/5.5, oxygen, life and love!

If you were set adrift at sea with no ability to set foot on land for a year, assuming you had all the food and water you needed and the books of but one author, what author would it be? Simply put, who’s your favorite writer?

Easy. Tolkien ... or Shakespeare ... or Poe ... or …oh, yeah, Michelle somebody …

Read more about Michelle I Brooks and the Bone Dressing series at http://www.bonedressing.com/

Book Review: Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington

noreply@blogger.com (Lee Libro) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:39:00 +0000

Title: Alice Bliss
Author: Laura Harrington
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books/Viking
ISBN: 9780670022786
Format: Advance Reader Copy - Proof
Release Date: June 2, 2011

Laura Harrington is an award winning playwright, lyricist and librettist. As a teacher of playwriting at MIT, she enters a whole new arena, that of the craft of novel writing, with Alice Bliss, her debut novel. I received an advance review copy from the author and am pleased to present my review on the very day of its release through Pamela Dorman Books/Viking.

With an interesting opening scene, Harrington drew me in with her story of a young girl dealing with the strains of adolescence under the hardship of her father's military sacrifice for his country. When Alice learns her father is being deployed to Iraq, she is heartbroken, because he is leaving at that crucial time in a teenager's life when all the world seems to be offering up new experiences, exciting and sometimes daunting. Such milestones are cause for celebration, but often they come with complexities and who but her father, Matt Bliss, could better help her navigate these times.

At times, the story seems as if it is set in a nebulous place and era. I wanted to feel more grounded in setting, but ultimately the more important theme, one of coming of age under the duress of grief, carries the book. As Alice copes with her father's absence, she will face issues with boys, friends and family. When two uniformed officers arrive at the family door one day with dreaded news, she is struck with the permanence of this absence. How she, at fifteen, deals with the magnitude of loss, is poignantly handled by Harrington, especially with regard to her grief during the scene where she loses her virginity. Set on a beach with a boy she truly cares for, the scene could be one from a host of other books and movies, but this one is uniquely tender because of the way Harrington so skillfully crafts every action and thought of her characters.

The story is indeed touching, with a moving and eventual uplifting message. The one drawback to the book is that while it is a novel, at times it reads rather stiffly, more like a script. The use of present tense in this case, detracts from the story, for example, in the following passage:

Next thing she knows she's behind the wheel. When they adjust the bench so she can comfortably reach the gas and brake pedals, Eddie is left with both knees jammed against the dash.

The book contains several passages like this, which seem to describe a "behind the scenes" direction, rather than anything that advances the story. Furthermore, at times the progression of the scenes can be tiresome as they bounce in and out of different characters' points of view. And yet even within these disjointed and somewhat stiff treatments, much of Harrington's words shine.

Take, for instance, her masterful description of Henry's feeling after making love to Alice.

This kind of easy closeness, this is what he wants for the rest of his life. Here is the surprise of it, the simple surprise of intimacy, the deep secret at the center of things, as clear as a glass of water dipped from a well.

There is grace in this, a blessing, a still, quiet pool for each of them.

These types of moments in the book are what make Alice Bliss an insightful peek into the lives of military children who often must deal with profound sacrifice. On the same token, however, with such a premise for the story I wanted it to be less removed and get under my skin more. The handling of the story through a sort of script-like voice didn't do it for me.

Many will enjoy Alice Bliss. The audience to which I think it is best suited, is older adults who may have come from the WWII or Korean War generation, rather than the generation to which Alice herself belongs. I would love to have read this book written for the YA/Teen crowd because overall, though the message is universal, I think it would be of priceless value to the current YA generation. The book addresses the reality of pain and grief in a military family, and if it were written strictly from the voice of Alice in a clearly modern world, it could easily be a relatable and vivid capture for every teen who has ever had to deal with loss and despair.

Learn more about Alice Bliss and the works of Laura Harrington at http://www.lauraharringtonbooks.com/

I give it three out of a possible five Magic Books!