I’ve been catching on some of the books I had pending, and as I’ve finally got around to reading one by our fantastic Jo Robinson, I had to share. Here it is:
Echoes of Narcissus in the Gardens of Delight by Jo Robinson
Title: Echoes of Narcissus in the Gardens of Delight
Author: Jo Robinson
ASIN: B00RBRYMD6
Published: 21st December 2014
Pages: 230
Genre: Spirituality, Personal development, genre fiction
Donna, the protagonist of this novel, has been married for over thirty years to Marco, a horrible man who has made her believe she’s unstable and unworthy of anybody’s love or attention. Their daughter, Shelley, was packed to boarding school and has avoided the family home ever since. Donna has managed to survive thanks to a huge garden (partly the land of an old farmhouse) and her renewed interest in Horticulture. Researching heritage tomatoes she stumbles upon information that makes her believe perhaps her disastrous and unhappy marriage (at least for her. Her husband seems to get all he needs from the relationship and other relationships) is not her fault. And her husband’s behaviour might not be unique either. She discovers malignant narcissistic personality disorder.
Jo Robinson creates a unique set of characters and a beautifully nuanced novel of sensations and feelings out of a story that might sound familiar (I think many people who read the novel will perceive similarities between the couple in the book and some people they know, if not in the detail, at least in the essence). Despite that familiarity, the immediacy of the story (although it is told in the third person, we see everything that happens from Donna’s point of view, live her anxieties, panic, feel her frustrations, and finally, her hopes and achievements), the elements of surprise (Donna keeps some cards under her sleeve), the sympathetic and likeable characters (except for Marco), and the overall optimism of a book that shows the positive effects of creativity (gardening in this instance) and friendship make it highly recommended.
The pace of the book changes from slow and meditative at the beginning (when, like the character, we live inside of her head, in fear of what might happen if we dare to tread outside of Donna’s house and insular life) to fast-paced and full of adventures, danger and varied characters at the end. The novel flows well and we engage and root for the main character. The ending is satisfying and the novel is a pleasurable read.
Although this is a work of fiction, it reminded me of Alice Walker’s In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens in its love for alternative ways of finding one’s calling and life-affirming creativity.
Having read the author’s blog and now one of her novels, I can’t wait to read more of her writing. I expect more fascinating topics and engrossing stories.
As a side note, I’m a psychiatrist, and narcissistic personality disorder is one of the well-described personality disorders in several psychiatric classifications. Most psychiatrists would distinguish between mental disorders and mental illnesses. Personality disorders manifest themselves as a series of traits of an individual’s personality (as such they appear from a young age, and continue to manifest themselves, in most cases, throughout the person’s life). They are considered disorders when they have a negative impact on the life of either the person, others who relate to them or often both, and in most cases are extreme manifestations of characteristics that a lot of people might share. Among other personality disorders are: borderline personality disorder, paranoid, obsessive, depressive, anxious, antisocial…Mental illnesses are mental disorders too, although those appear at a certain point in life and like other illnesses can last for a period of time and get better (with treatment in most cases, although some mental illnesses run a chronic course and it’s more difficult to be specific as to when they are “cured”. It is usually possible to recall a time before the illness became manifest). People suffering from personality disorders might present with short-lived pseudo-psychotic symptoms (delusions or hallucinations), although in the case of Marco there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of that (or at least Donna does not describe delusions or hallucinations). It is likely though that if we scored Marco using the PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist-Revised) he would score above the cut-off point for psychopathy, although this is not a specific psychiatric diagnosis.
Ratings: Realistic Characterization: 4/5 Made Me Think: 5/5 Overall enjoyment: 4.5/5 Readability: 5/5 Recommended: 5/5 Overall Rating: 5/5
Buy it at: Amazon Format & Pricing: Paperback: $8.99
Unless you’ve been hiding under a CPU and working on your own book, then you know how much I’ve enjoyed a book called Dancing to an Irish Reel by Award Winning author Claire Fullerton. But I made a mistake with that book review. And I want to correct that up front. I wrote the review too soon after reading the book and failed to give time for reflection and full comprehension to take place. I didn’t take it all in and examine all the nuances hidden within the story. Every day since then I’ve been working on some aspect of the Claire Fullerton Experience. Yes, I call time spent working with an author an Experience like that because it does not normally end with a review and/or an interview. There is a lot more going on in the background than anyone other than one of my authors knows.
During the Experience I realized just how much Claire put in her book and how much she put in to her book. The more I think about it, the more I love the book. I don’t normally dwell very long after a review and interview, I always have the next to go to and I have since. But this would had a truth about it, a realness that one connects with and it stays with you. But before I get too carried away, unless I’m already too late, let’s get to my discussion with Claire Fullerton, Award Winning author and #1 GoodReads Irish Romance.
Claire, for a book that finds itself at times falling into the category of Romance, I have to say I was surprised by what I found with keeping that genre in mind. Did you set out to write a Romance? Was that your goal?
I’m so glad you asked this question, Ronovan. Actually, “Dancing to an Irish Reel” is literary fiction, which is a genre that means true to life. It’s a story about those near misses people experience on the road to a love that endures. I can’t think of anyone I know who hasn’t been in this situation before; where all the variables of attraction are in play, while two people are coming to know each other, yet for one reason or another, they can’t seem to get it together. But there is always such hope, and I think new love is typically replete with uncertainty. There is excitement and high hopes, yet on the flip side there is unpredictability and attendant fears. Extending oneself in new love can be risky and can leave one feeling vulnerable. It’s my belief that most people experience uncertainty and doubt when in the throes of new love, it’s just a question of to what degree they’re going to admit it! This is what “Dancing to an Irish Reel” is about. This is also why this book does not fall into the romance genre, but it does explore the subject.
Actually when I was thinking about this interview and the book I thought of real life with those moments of almost romance, or more relationship to tell the truth.
I think so as well. This is why I gave the reader Hailey’s thoughts throughout this book. I’m fascinated by the way people will say and do things in order to project a certain appearance, while thinking something completely at variance with their words and actions. I wanted the reader to know Hailey’s personality as she made her way in rural Ireland; that she saw things from an American frame of reference for much of this book, yet as the story progresses, that frame of reference was changed as she came to understand the Irish culture. I think this is what people do in life: they tend to resist what is new because their mind is already made up, but if one allows themselves to be influenced, there is much to learn!
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The role of Hailey Crossan is a strong woman who knows who she is and what she wants. Where did those characteristics come from, as far as a model for her?
I love your use of the word role! I, too, see this book as a movie! You’ve just made my day! But seriously, and to your astute point, I know more women like Hailey Crossan than otherwise. When I consider all the close girlfriends, with whom I was lucky enough to grow up in Memphis, I realize they are all nobody’s fool. My mother was the same way. The women in my life have always been self-confident and self-reliant. They have a savvy, keen eye with regard to sizing people up. And the thing I’ve found with many of my friends is they rarely let on. They prefer to keep things close to the vest, so you have to know them for a while before you realize how aware they really are. This is how I wanted to write the character of Hailey. It was necessary that she was self- sufficient and sure of herself in order to move to another country without fear. She had to be able to hold her own in her new environment because she was a fish-out-of-water, so to speak.
I think your description of close to the vest fits Hailey well, now that I think about her. Cautious is another word that comes to mind. Recently I became a fan of a young man named Hozier, an Irish blues singer/musician/songwriter of about 26. I couldn’t help but picture him during my reading of Dancing to an Irish Reel. Did you have any images in mind, anyone in particular when you were writing Liam Hennessey?
Generally yes, but no one specifically. But I’ll use Hozier to make a point because the look of him is a good example; it is common in Ireland. There are many with dark hair and fair skin. And having lived in Ireland myself, I found the men to be subtle and beautiful, almost with a graceful, feminine quality. And those artistically attuned are the sensitive sort. This is what I had in mind when I created Liam Hennessey.
Oh, and one other thing before we move on, why that name, why Dancing to an Irish Reel?
Spiddal Pier Shore Galway Bay, Ireland
In Irish traditional music, a reel is a tune that is circular; it goes back and forth and in and out in its execution, and to the listener it may seem unstable, but it is not. A reel has a plan! The title “Dancing to an Irish Reel” is meant to evoke this concept. It refers to the push and pull of the story and the search for stability. Hailey’s navigation of Ireland as an outsider and her sometimes off, sometimes on relationship with Liam Hennessey left her in the position of having to artfully manage a shifting tide, so to speak. She had to learn the ways of the Irish culture in order to live there inconspicuously, and the unpredictability of Liam Hennessey’s actions left her constantly searching for solid ground!
I’ve seen your handling of Ireland compared to that of one of Ireland’s most famous and beloved authors the late Maeve Binchy. When you see comparisons like that what comes to mind?
With regard to Maeve Binchy, because she was Irish, she handled Irish nuances effortlessly, as a matter of course. They were not unusual to her at all, but she reveled in their specific, unique quality. With regard to Ireland, she was in it as well as of it, yet able to stand back and observe the islands peculiarity in a way that celebrated its facets. I sought to do exactly this in “Dancing to an Irish Reel” because I carry a love and appreciation for the land and its culture. I find the Irish people earthy and authentic, unpretentious and in possession of a good perspective with regard to what is important in life. They place importance on quality of life and seem to me to accept life on life’s terms, as opposed to trying to manipulate their way through it.
When you were writing the book, was it an organic experience or did you have a specific outline in mind first? And whichever way, is that the same way you wrote A Portal in Time, your previous release?
Spanish Arch Galway, Ireland
For both books, I had a point to make, as in something to say. I started with a premise as a statement then set about getting there via a story that unfolded. As for an outline, my process is very loose. I leave room for the story to tell itself, which is something best exemplified as I write dialogue. I never know ahead of time what the dialogue will be, yet I aim for information to be revealed. We learn about characters through what they say and what other characters say about them. In both books, I was mindful of the spirit of intention and had a loose outline of what was going to happen with regard to turning points. I simply held a firm impression of who the characters were to make the events in both books plausible.
Reading your book and the description of A Portal in Time, I get the feeling of your enjoyment of writing about past lives, mystical and spiritual elements. Is this something that comes natural to you, I mean as in the aspects of writing?
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My introspection must be showing! In truth, I’m not completely decisive on the subject of past lives one way or the other, but I do love the mystery. Perhaps the idea of past lives shares a blurred line with genetic memory, who’s to say? If you consider the idea of genetic memory, what it basically proposes is that we carry the impressions and experiences of our forebears because they are past down to us through genetics like imprints. This explains inherited talents and proclivities in an understandable way. And if you look at, say, the Druids, they didn’t believe so much in past lives as they did in the transmigration of the soul, meaning we are souls gathering wisdom in this business of living on earth, but it takes many incarnations to accumulate something with staying power. We can’t just get it all in one lifetime, if the aim is enlightenment, i.e, perfection. And because it is an ongoing endeavor, the idea is we return to this earthly plane repeatedly, where we try on different hats. I think there is confusion over the idea of past-lives because it places importance on the experience of the human as opposed to the experience of the soul as it seeks alignment with the divine, however you choose to define the divine. But this subject is important, and it’s enough for me to be mindful of the question. I think Sting touched upon something beautiful when he proclaimed we are spirits in the material world, and I know he wasn’t the first to posit this, but he did make a proclamation that brought it to the public fore.
Everyone that’s read my review of your book knows I loved it, and that I suggested a sequel. We’ve talked about it and it hadn’t come to you as an idea until then. But you set it up so well with the tarot card reading of Hailey. Do you think maybe some of those outside forces were guiding your story during certain parts? Maybe they want you to take another trip to Ireland.
Actually, I have been back to Ireland since I wrote “Dancing to an Irish Reel,” and I plan on going again! As for going back to Ireland in a sequel, I never thought along those lines because “Dancing to an Irish Reel” is a self-contained story with a point to it, which is to say we make our choices in life and from them our lives are set on a consequential course. As of this interview, I am not ruling a sequel out. I’ll let Hailey decide.
Now let’s get something a little more personal. We have a lot in common. Southern. Music business. Location of living for a time. How does your time in the South influence your writing, and is that part of your heritage something that you think might have drawn you to Ireland?
Ireland and the American South share something in common, but do keep in mind that much of the American South was settled by the Scotch-Irish, so perhaps it is something inherent in the area. Both areas spawn terrific communicators in possession of the gift of the entertaining story. It is a cultural way of being in the world, and therefore something passed down to each generation. In both the South and Ireland, I’ve found extremely colorful characters, completely unabashed in personality. As for the South influencing my writing, all I can say is that I write as I think, from the internal monologue I have in my head as well as how I see the world. The South has clearly influenced this as an environment because it is my frame of reference.
What’s the most satisfying thing that has happened to you so far while you’ve been an author?
The writer’s life style. I write daily for one reason or another. It has transpired that with two books in the world and the dynamic that promotion brings therefore, that I am always writing something, and this is due to the affiliations my books have given me. Take for instance the Irish online community “The Wild Geese.” They’re a group of the most erudite, Ireland loving writers I’ve ever come across, all with the desire to communicate and share their love of the island. I contribute to this community regularly by writing pieces that appear as blog posts, but what they really are is a way to celebrate the business of what it means to be Irish! So there is that gift, but I have also spent the last two years writing my third novel, which has been a joyous process. Then, of course, I contribute to magazines. It seems I’m always writing something and sharing it, which to me is simply the high art of communication for its own sake. All this is my idea of fulfilling days with a purpose. Can’t get more satisfying than this!
Do you have a favorite line in Dancing to an Irish Reel?
Yes, it is this: “There’s a feel about Galway that you can wear around your shoulders like a cloak.” It is very true.
Thank you, Ronovan. This has been big fun! Thank you for supporting writers through your exceptional blog.
About Claire
Claire Fullerton grew up in Memphis, TN and now lives in Malibu, CA. She is the author of literary fiction, “Dancing to an Irish Reel,” which is set in Connemara, Ireland, where she once lived. She is also the author of “A Portal in Time”: A paranormal mystery that unfolds in two time periods set on California’s hauntingly beautiful Monterey Peninsula, in a little village called Carmel-by-the-Sea. Both of Claire’s novels are published by Vinspire Publishing. Claire is a three- time award winning essayist, a former newspaper columnist, a contributor to magazines including Celtic Life International and Southern Writers Magazine. She is a five-time contributor to the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series and can be found on Goodreads as well as the website under her name. Currently, Claire is writing her third novel, which is a Southern family saga based on her award winning essay in the 2013 San Francisco Writer’s Conference.
Genres: Women’s Fiction, Romance, Drama, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Romance
The boxed set of The Crater Lake Series is comprised of three full-length novels. I will give a brief review of all three books in sequence order.
*The author provided me a copy of the series in exchange for an honest review which follows.*
“Disappearing in Plain Sight” Book One
Sixteen-year-old Lisa Marie has a dark past in Ontario that she would like to get away from, so when she is forced to visit her aunt in Crater Lake on Vancouver Island off the coast of British Columbia for the summer, she jumps at the chance.
Aunt Bethany and her partner, Beulah aren’t sure what to do with a teenager who has emotional issues. The running of their bread business is time consuming enough. In no time, Lisa Marie has her own agenda, and when she meets Justin Roberts, one of the troubled teens who resides at Camp Micah, a refuge for troubled teens who have been in the system, Lisa Marie is forced to grapple with her teenage past.
With the help of Izzy Montgomery, a trauma counsellor at Camp Micah, and owner of the Crater Lake Community, and Liam Collins, an employee of the camp, Lisa Marie attempts to deal with her own secrets and guilt from the past. Unaware that the entire community is dealing with the loss of one of their own, Lisa Marie spirals into adult situations and consequences that come to affect her entire life.
Within the tight-knit community swirl the stories of the troubled teens and the legacy of Caleb Montgomery, the man larger than life, whose dreams became a reality at Crater Lake.
“The Light Never Lies” Book Two
Lisa Marie’s story continues and she finds herself frantic to return to Crater Lake once she knows that Justin will be working at the sawmill for the summer. In typical self-centered teenage fashion, Lisa Marie is worried about herself and her needs only. However, all is not as it seems in this quiet idyllic lakeside community.
During Lisa’s school year, Izzy Montgomery and Liam Collins advanced their relationship once they realized their love and passion for each other. Liam and Izzy find their love tested with the appearance of Lisa Marie as she complicates matters further for the couple with the announcement of her pregnancy.
To add further stress to their relationship, Izzy and Liam find themselves suddenly surrounded by family. Izzy’s elderly father has come for a visit from England. In addition, Liam’s father, Alex appears with a brother named Bobby that Liam has never met. Bobby is a lovable child with a supernatural ability that bodes watching.
At Crater Lake, life is messy and never just black and white. This entire volume is dedicated to relationships, changes, new beginnings, and the realization that family comes from those you choose to let into your life.
“Chasing Down the Night” Book Three
A cougar lurks in the hills surrounding Crater Lake bringing disturbing empathic visions to Bobby Collins that usher in further changes to the residents of this small community. Bobby’s mystical qualities strengthen and he begins to associate with his spirit animal, the cougar, in an unhealthy way.
Izzy and Liam continue to grapple with home life, family, and Izzy’s challenges at work as the administrator of Micah Camp. Lisa Marie deals with the challenges of motherhood and an advancing photographic career, all the while seeking balance in her relationship with Justin.
Meanwhile, Liam’s sister, Fiona accepts an internship with Micah Camp’s local physician and arrives carrying the baggage of her Native American heritage and bringing additional upheaval to the family.
The final volume of the Crater Lake series deals with building a family, respect for tradition, and embracing the new things in life. Caleb Montgomery’s legacy at Crater Lake is secure in the community of family that meant the world to him. Recommendation:
Have you ever read a book or a series where you become emotionally bonded to the characters? This is what I did with Francis Guenette’s Crater Lake series. At the end of the last book, I was heartbroken that I would not encounter the beauty that surrounds Crater Lake and the cast of characters anymore.
Yes, I was going to miss my new friends and their lives. In fact, I had to stop reading for a few days so that I could adjust to my life without them. I had a book hangover, one of which I have not experienced in a long time!
The complexity of the characters and the realistic relationships shared between them are what propel this saga forward. Pair that with the beautiful descriptions of the surrounding area and Crater Lake comes alive in magnificent colors much like a rainbow which spreads hope in the darkest times.
There is something here for everyone. Love, sex, lust, greed, spirituality, sacrifice, death, murder, life… the list goes on and on. Each book in the series leads you on to a different life lesson much like the lessons you learn within your own family unit.
There was a kinship found within these pages where I as the reader was drawn along, all the while given permission to become part of the family. I feel my life has been enriched for having shared their lives. I will reread these books numerous times because it will feel like coming home.
Author, Frances Guenette
Character Believability: 5 Flow and Pace: 5 Reader Engagement: 5 Reader Enrichment: 5 Reader Enjoyment: 5 Overall Rate:5 About Frances Guenette:
Francis Guenette has spent most of her life on the west coast of British Columbia. She finds inspiration for writing in the beauty and drama of a lakeshore cabin and garden on the Northern end of Vancouver Island. She shares an off-the-grid home that employs a combination of micro-hydro and solar power with her husband Bruce.
Between May and September, Billy Bob the Bear drops over to graze and eat huckleberries and salal. Now and then cougar tracks are spotted meandering across the property. Life is good in the hinterlands, but Francis warns – you have to keep your eyes open and know where you are.
Francis has a daughter and a son – both happily married and pursuing interesting careers. She also has two beautiful and wildly funny granddaughters who provide her with inspiration for writing and living.
For most of her working life, Francis has been an educator. She has worked with special needs children and youth and taught at the undergrad level at the University of Victoria. She has a graduate degree in counselling psychology and very nearly completed her Ph.D. There was that pesky matter of the doctoral dissertation, but enough said on that score! She has worked as a trauma counsellor, a researcher, and a graduate student supervisor.
During her academic life Francis published (on her own and with others) several articles that were accepted to peer-reviewed journals as well as contributing to chapters in two published books.
Please connect with Francis Guenette through her Twitter @FrancisGuenette
Author: Claire Fullerton Title: Dancing to an Irish Reel File Size: 373 KB Print Length: 237 pages Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0990304256 Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited Publisher: Vinspire Publishing (March 6, 2015) Publication Date: March 6, 2015 Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc. Language: English ASIN: B00UCOZJXM Text-to-Speech: Enabled Word Wise: Enabled Lending: Enabled Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Literary Fiction Kindle: $1.99 Paperback: $13.99 Audible: $17.95
I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review. And of course with me, you know that’s what you get. Good or bad. Here we go!
What happens when an L.A. music exec goes on sabbatical to Ireland? Well this is a romance, so I’ll say romance, along with love, music, and most of all confusion—caused by love, language, and longing. You might think a Southern girl who moved to L.A. might be accustomed to culture shock and speaking a different language, but Ireland is an island unto itself.
Dancing to an Irish Reel is about American Hailey meeting real Ireland and new-to-love Liam Hennessey. What you get is a story of Hailey learning about the place she comes to call home and as she learns about it and begins to understand it, she also begins to understand the man she falls for.
I like the character of Hailey. She is not your stereotype romantic leading lady that people like to think of. She is strong, knows what she wants, has common sense, and above all—she doesn’t do the typical damsel in distress routines.
Men, you will like this book. I say that because men need to realize that a great deal of books with Romance in the genre are not exactly what you may think. Movies men seem to like have romance in them and could be labeled as such in genre. So get a clue.
In other words this will hit with all people.
I found this book a bit of a surprise in some ways. Things don’t happen the way you expect, which to me is good. You want to be surprised these days. I do want to say that the character of Liam, well—Fullerton does a great job of explaining the Irish male in several places from different viewpoints. Very interesting, I thought.
You might at times want to hit Liam over the head with something, like his accordion, but then, he is a man, it’s love, and he’s young, so what else would you expect? And that is one thing that makes this book real and allows the reader to connect with it. No one is perfect in the book. Even those thought to be perfect are flawed deeply, and not entirely due to their own doing. And as for the accordion, it’s a loved instrument in Ireland and makes Liam somewhat of a local celebrity.
I loved the description of Ireland, the people, how the language works and the culture itself works in so many different ways. Those parts alone make you think you have read a much larger book because you learn so much. I view the romance part of the story as a side by side symbolic representation of Hailey’s coming to terms and coming to understanding Ireland itself.
How does the book end? Is it a happy ending? That’s something you have to find out for yourself. Does Fullerton leave things open for a sequel? Could there be a trilogy or even a series of Hailey books? Personally, I would like to see more of Hailey in Ireland. How Fullerton uses Hailey to teach us about the real Ireland is something that needs to be revisited.
Recommendations:
I recommend this book to lovers of Ireland, real people, common sense romance, and reality.
Character Believability: 5 Flow and Pace: 5 Reader Engagement: 5 Reader Enrichment: 5 Reader Enjoyment: 4 Overall Rate:4.8
You may be looking at that Reader Enjoyment number and wondering why. There were certain characteristics of Liam that somewhat annoyed me at times. I think maybe it was because I’m American and he’s Irish and as Claire Fullerton explains in the book, those two types of men are different. But Liam is real to the Irish male character. Perhaps being of Scottish background, maybe it’s just me.
Claire Fullerton grew up in Memphis, TN and now lives in Malibu, CA. She is the author of literary fiction, “Dancing to an Irish Reel,” which is set in Connemara, Ireland, where she once lived. She is also the author of “A Portal in Time”: A paranormal mystery that unfolds in two time periods set on California’s hauntingly beautiful Monterey Peninsula, in a little village called Carmel-by-the-Sea. Both of Claire’s novels are published by Vinspire Publishing. Claire is a three- time award winning essayist, a former newspaper columnist, a contributor to magazines including Celtic Life International and Southern Writers Magazine. She is a five-time contributor to the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series and can be found on Goodreads as well as the website under her name. Currently, Claire is writing her third novel, which is a Southern family saga based on her award winning essay in the 2013 San Francisco Writer’s Conference.
Ronovan is an author, and blogger who shares his life as an amnesiac and Chronic Pain sufferer though his blog RonovanWrites.WordPress.com. His love of poetry, authors and community through his online world has lead to a growing Weekly Haiku Challenge and the creation of a site dedicated to book reviews, interviews and author resources known as LitWorldInterviews.WordPress.com.
Yesterday there was a Book Review put out by this LWI Team Member. I failed to do something and today I will correct that error.
I failed to mention the art work for the three book series by Olga Núñez Miret, Angelic Business. I had every intention of it but in the excitement of writing the review it completely slipped my mind. I was wanting so badly to get the review out for Olga’s usual Monday spot.
The artist/illustrator is Lourdes Vidal. Click each image to go to its individual Amazon page. The first is FREE and the other two are .99 each. Also available in Spanish.
Price: FREE (Click the Book Cover for your Kindle Copy at Amazon! And HERE for the UK!)
Genres:Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Drama
Languages:English and SpanishAvailable.
Pink is a smart, mature teenager. Is Pink her real name? Well that’s something in the book, now isn’t it? I didn’t read this book to do a review at first. I just read it because Olga, yes, Olga the LWI team member wrote it. She didn’t know I had read it until I had finished it and told her how much I liked it. She didn’t ask for a review. But if you like a book, review it, right?
I mean the price was right. FREE. I love a free book. And it’s still FREE. Angelic Business 1. Pink Matters is about high school senior Pink and her extremely odd relationship with a couple of angels. Okay, one angel might, just might be a fallen angel. Pink deals with everything else a normal high school girl has to deal with. Let me count the ways. Idiot best guy friend. Girl friends who are in their own worlds and of course have their own ideas about what Pink should do about boys.
Pink is smarter than they realize. She has her head on straight and her eyes on the prize. Then in walks the angels, or floats, or pops.
I’m being somewhat cavalier with this review because I enjoyed it so much I don’t want to go overboard with praise for the story itself. But there are areas that drew my attention away from being able to stay lost in the world of the story. The scene is west coast USA, but there is often very much British phrasing. This goes as far as to some basics of USA culture not coming off quite right. (I try avoid saying American culture because there are so many American countries that I see it as almost rude to commandeer the word.) But once you take those instances into stride then you can drift away.
As a book reviewer, even when reading this as a reader, I could not help but notice those moments and they did give me pause each time. I think as someone from the USA they gave me pause, not just the book reviewer part.
Did it ruin it for me? I bought the other two books in the trilogy. Yes, I BOUGHT books. I don’t have money, but I could afford the slight bit they did cost. I NEEDED to know what happened next. Of course now, alas, I am broke again. Once you see the prices at Amazon when you visit her author page you will be amazed at my poor standing.
The story in the next two books are very good, and the final is excellent for certain, with one weird twist thrown in there. There are some proofreading issues in those two books, especially the final one, as of my readings, but I have mentioned these to Olga. The first book in regards to typos was very nice. A very clean read.
Honestly the only thing I can find at fault with the first book is the British phrasing. I still enjoyed all three books.
Why?
There were some interesting views about Heaven and Hell and God’s role in things. What demons are and what choices they make. Being a person of faith I of course wanted to know where Olga would go with this and the twists and turns were . . . as I said, interesting. And above all made a great deal of sense in their own way and moved the story along and gave the story a purpose.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to just about any age. Olga handles several issues very well, with a thoughtful approach in considering her readers. There were many things I think young women/girls, as well as boys, could learn from this book about self-identity.
The scoring below is for the first book.
Character Believability: 4 Flow and Pace: 3.5 Reader Engagement: 3.5 Reader Enrichment: 4 Reader Enjoyment: 4 Overall Rate: 3.8
With the British phrasing and USA cultural aspects taken care of three of the five categories would have been higher. Click the Book Cover to go to Amazon for your Free Kindle copy at Amazon. And HERE for the UK!
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From the Author
After reading several exciting YA books I had an idea for a series. I wrote the first book and started publishing some of my other books. Over the last 3 years I wrote the other two books in the series and became more and more fascinated by the subject of angels, realising that there are sculptures, works of art, books, movies… everywhere. So I’m finally adding my own. I hope you enjoy them. And don’t forget to check the other two books in the series!
About the Author
Writer, translator, psychiatrist, fitness enthusiast, recently converted to mindfulness, avid reader and reviewer, lover of movies, plays and owls, I’m originally from Spain but have lived in the UK for over twenty years. I write in all kinds of genres and also read in a variety of them.
Always happy to connect with readers and other writers.
Ronovan is an author, and blogger who shares his life as an amnesiac and Chronic Pain sufferer though his blog RonovanWrites.WordPress.com. His love of poetry, authors and community through his online world has lead to a growing Weekly Haiku Challenge and the creation of a site dedicated to book reviews, interviews and author resources known as LitWorldInterviews.WordPress.com.
* I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review which follows. *
Welcome to Jack Joseph’s World
Jack Joseph is a conundrum. He possesses a Master’s degree in particle physics yet owns his own pool cleaning business. Jack appears to live within the constraints of his mind while pondering the dark matter of the universe. Jack even has high aspirations and would love to find the God particle, even though he dropped out of college when he found physics to be too tedious. You see, Jack just wants to live life his way.
However, all of the brilliance of Jack is dimmed with the way he chooses to perceive the world. Jack thinks that life is governed by random coincidences. To that effect, he lets his life spiral into chaos. With a failing marriage and a wife who wants a divorce, Jack slips into the black hole of alcoholism. Mix in casual sex with multiple clients and drugs to soothe the pain of too much alcohol, Jack continues his descent out of control in a controlled world.
Jack’s Bondage Continues
After Jack’s wife Elle, kicks him out of the house, he finds solace with Rosemary, one of his clients who uses sex, alcohol, and drugs to manipulate him into her version of the perfect man. Jack in his randomness, allows the situation to proceed even though he realizes he has sold out his soul for this pitiful existence. Jack is polarized by his dependencies, unable to break free.
One drunken night, Jack meets Sarah. There is an immediate connection, something that Jack has never experienced before. Jack is smitten and when a DUI lands him in jail, he is forced to face his demons and reconcile his lifestyle to the lovely Sarah.
My Recommendation:
To me, Jack Joseph was a likable guy even though he had enough failings to make any woman run the other way. There was something about him that was intriguing and drew me to him. I found many of Jack’s viewpoints made me uncomfortable and most of his life choices were mind boggling. Although, that is what made me want to read more. I really wanted to figure this guy out and see what made him tick.
D. J. Swykert makes Jack a real person. Written in the first person, Swykert has Jack display credible addict tendencies that sometimes were shocking in their authenticity. I found myself wanting Jack to get better and to find his way through his addictive personality and lifestyle. Sometimes I felt his desperation and pain. Other times I wanted to kick him in the teeth for all of his stupidity. The next thing I knew, I liked the guy again because I finally realized, there is a little bit of Jack Joseph in all of us.
This was an excellent read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a book that makes you think about the intricacies of life in general. The story moves along quickly and the dialog makes you feel like you are in the room overhearing the characters. You feel this story through Jack’s eyes, flaws and all. Jack really got under my skin!
Author, D. J. Swykert
Character Believability: 5 Flow and Pace: 5 Reader Engagement: 4.5 Reader Enrichment: 4 Reader Enjoyment: 4 Overall Rate:4.5 About D. J. Swykert:
DJ Swykert is a former 911 operator, and wolf expert, living in Northern Kentucky, USA. His short fiction and poetry has been published in: The Tampa Review, Monarch Review, Sand Canyon Review, Zodiac Review, Scissors and Spackle, spittoon, Barbaric Yawp and BULL. His novel, Maggie Elizabeth Harrington, won a literary competition with The LitWest Group in Los Angeles in 2002.
Make certain to connect with D. J. through Twitter @MagicMastrMinds
Not long ago I met an author, one of the best I’ve come across in a one on one way ever, through another great author Dan McNeil. I’ve read and reviewed her book, and you can read the review on LWI by clicking here. What did I say? Read it, but I warn you, if you know my normal reviews and ratings…you will be shocked. Her name is Jasmine Aziz. Her book is:
First of all, I think people would like to know how in the world you got into the world of selling vibrators. I think that is somewhat important regarding your book. And in addition, how did you get out of doing that?
Well it isn’t exactly something your Guidance Counsellor in school tells you that you were born to do so no one was more surprised than me when I ended up doing door-to-door dildo sales. I went to a party (my first) with my girlfriend and the consultant that was presenting the products was stiffer than the toys on the table. She made everyone uncomfortable. Naturally, coming from a long line of sales people, I did what I know how to do best: make light of the situation to put everyone at ease. The consultant told me to keep quiet but at the end of the presentation, five women I had never met before came up to me to ask me if I could help them choose what to buy. I can’t be sure what made them come to me for guidance but I sensed I was on to something. That, or it was the “Sex Crazed Loon” shirt I was wearing.
There is an amount of honesty in your book that takes courage. How many times did you stop writing or have doubts and who helped push you to complete the project?
It took me six years to complete the book because I wasn’t sure I could face the potential wrath I was expecting from my extended family. But I had spoken to too many women and men that I felt needed the story so I forged forward. It was actually a fateful trip to Las Vegas that propelled me in the right direction. It was there that I was told I wasn’t “sexy” enough to get free tickets to a club. That made me stop and think, well, what is the definition of “sexy” anyway? It was that concept that helped me string the book together. Now if I ever go back to Las Vegas I’m just going to wear a copy of my novel and we’ll see who gets the last laugh.
How many strange men have proposed to you since the book came out?
Are you proposing? 🙂 If so, then only one 😉 Just kidding!
One thing I believe that makes the book so easy to read and perhaps become comfortable with is the humor. Where did the stories told about the sexual explorations and the disasters resulting come from? (I still laugh at the burning man scene.)
I’m often asked how much of it is based on my own adventures but the truth is, they were inspired by my protagonist Leena herself. I’ve always believed that one of the best ways to tackle difficult topics is through humour. When you are relaxed and laughing, you are more likely to be receptive to information. You don’t even realize that you’re learning something. I personally think laugh lines are extremely sexy too!
Why did you write this book? Your storytelling is great. You could easily have written a romantic comedy of the more traditional type but you chose this one. Why?
Well, thank you! In fact, I am trying my hand at a romantic comedy as we speak! The main reason I wrote “Sex & Samosas” was because I needed a way to purge my own feelings after a very bad breakup so I started writing them down. As I continued with my adult toy parties, I started to realize that other people had the same issues and insecurities that I did and that this was a story that so many others would find relatable. Page after page my personal bitterness and angst gave way to the fiction that unfolded. It’s not necessarily cheaper than therapy, but writing the book helped me work through some very difficult issues.
What has been the public reaction to the book?
I’m really blessed with the reaction. I frequently get emails and notes from people telling me that they not only loved the book and have loaned it to everyone they know, but that they have learned something from it or changed their lives as a result. No author could ask for more than that, I think.
What have men said to you about the book?
When they’re not proposing to me…more men have told me that they love the book because it has helped them to understand how a woman’s mind works. There is a voyeuristic quality to being in Leena’s head all the time that helps them to empathize in ways they couldn’t before. Some have even told me that it has helped them improve on their relationships and pick up women in the book store. It’s all good. Just name the baby Jasmine, is all I say!
I enjoyed the cultural aspects you discussed in the book. I think those parts might be the most surprising to people and maybe in some cases the most informative. Was there an intention of putting that in the book or did it just happen?
That was the starting point of the book actually. Leena and I both struggled with finding balance between two opposing cultures and asserting yourself comfortably in both. She has to find her footing and learn to love herself for the hybrid of cultures that she is as I had to when I was writing it.
What do you have to say or would say to people who say you wrote a sex book and you’ve gone against what a “proper” person should do?
If you’re going to be a suck, then at least read my book so you know you’re doing it right.
What did you want to convey to readers with this book?
My message is simple: if you can’t love yourself, don’t expect anyone else to. And that masturbation is healthy and natural. Sure, I can’t see my hand in front of my face and I have the hairiest palms on the planet, but I know better than anyone else how to please myself and that’s all that matters.
Give me your best sales pitch to get me to buy this book.
Buy my book: there’s sex in it.
Kidding again! I realize my novel isn’t for everyone so when people ask me what it’s about I tell them it’s a funny journey of self-discovery that just happens to have a bunch of vibrators in it.
When can we expect the next book to come out?
There’s the trickiest question of them all. I’ve been really busy and not able to finish my follow up memoir about the four years I sold adult toys, though the frame of the story is complete. It’s only now that I’m beginning to wonder if it should be a television series (Netflix, I’m talking to you!) instead. So I’m going to pursue that first before I head back to finish it as a novel.
Where can you connect with Jasmine? Well, she’s made it easy. Drop a hat and you’ll likely find her, and that’s as it should be with a future star of the publishing world. First go and buy the book!
Click here to find your preferred method. Jasmine has them all listed for you. @JasmineAziz www.facebook.com www.goodreads.com Jasmine on LinkedIn.
Want to discover more about Jasmine? Visit her website, JasmineAziz.com.
Ronovan is an author, and blogger who shares his life as an amnesiac and Chronic Pain sufferer though his blog RonovanWrites.WordPress.com. His love of poetry, authors and community through his online world has lead to a growing Weekly Haiku Challenge and the creation of a site dedicated to book reviews, interviews and author resources known as LitWorldInterviews.WordPress.com.
* I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review which follows. *
Recently graduated from University, James is excited to get on with living the rest of his life. His existence in Canterbury seems to crawl by and his prospects are slim. With no job, no girlfriend, and without a place to call his own James drifts, all the while self-medicating himself with alcohol and women that mean nothing to him. One night, celebrating at a local pub with friends, James has a chance encounter with the elusive and stunningly beautiful Maisie. For James, Maisie is the stuff dreams are made of and he can’t shake her memory from his mind. He can’t wait to see her again, although it seems they are never in the right place at the same time.
Maisie has insurmountable problems of her own to contend with as her mother continues to lose touch with reality. Maisie struggles to live up to the demands her mother places upon her. Much like James, Maisie is floundering in an adult world while desperately trying to get on with the business of living and finding her own identity.
James and Maisie’s stories wrap around each other while both live in the small city of Canterbury. Their lives intertwine through their friends, families, and life circumstances. Jakes, the narrator of the story leads you into the contemporary lives of Canterbury’s younger population who are filled with hope at the beginning of their adult lives.
Recommendation:
“The Faces of a Small City,” is Paul Stears debut novel. Although, the book starts out slowly, I found myself swept up in the descriptions of Canterbury, the people, and the many life situations that are thrown at the characters of Maisie and James. It was easy to identify with both, James and Maisie as each seemed to be real characters with strengths and weaknesses just like the rest of us.
A true coming of age love story, Stears does a marvelous job depicting and adding depth to the characters featured in this story. Many times I found myself reminiscing about my own first love experiences and how it felt to be that young again. Throughout the novel, a message of hope resounds in the face of formidable life obstacles. I really enjoyed seeing James and Maisie grow up and enter the next stage of their lives.
If you enjoy contemporary love stories with the backdrop of an English city to add culture and ambiance, you will enjoy this book. It is a quick read that will leave you feeling hope that there truly is someone out there for each of us, sometimes found right in the small city we live in.
Character Believability: 4 Flow and Pace: 3.5 Reader Engagement: 4 Reader Enrichment: 3.5 Reader Enjoyment: 4 Overall Rate:4
About Paul Stears:
PAUL STEARS has recently released his debut novel, “Faces of a Small City.” Graduating from Canterbury University in 2010, he spent his time working and writing. Born and bred in Kent, UK, he lives to write. You can follow him and find out more information about him at his blog: paulstearsauth.wordpress.com.
Please make certain to connect with Paul Stears through his Twitter @PaulStearsNews.
* I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review which follows. *
And so it began…
Peter Vandervoort, a wealthy photographer living in Mexico with his girlfriend, Xochitl, take part in a photography exhibit presenting some of Peter’s photos from around Vera Cruz. One of the photos Peter includes in the show, reveals a grainy image of a child being abducted which lends credence to the rumors circulating that organ trafficking is happening in the city. The photography exhibit fails and Peter falls into a deep depression over the rejection of his work; unaware that there are ulterior motives to the failure of his show. He has no idea what he has stirred up with that photo of the child abduction.
To bring Peter out of his depression, Xochitl suggests a trip to the local carnival. While they are getting ready to go to the carnival, Peter receives a telephone call demanding the photo of the child, including the photo negative. Visibly shaken, Peter keeps the negative with him and the couple attends the carnival. In all the gaiety of the carnival atmosphere, Peter and Xochitl end up getting separated. Peter becomes a victim of foul play, although Xochitl has no idea of what has actually transpired. She searches for Peter for days and is unable to locate him.
The suspense builds!
While Xochitl is searching for him, a drugged Peter awakens in the midst of the real organ harvesters where he witnesses the horrors taking place amongst Vera Cruz’s children. Realizing that he is next in line to have his organs taken from him, Peter escapes and makes his way back to Xochitl.
Traumatized by the kidnapping, Peter blocks the experience. He just cannot deal with the abduction and the fact that no one cares what is happening to the children of Vera Cruz. Xochitl and Peter drift apart as the experience overwhelms him and their relationship. Troubled, Peter returns to Holland and the comfort of his parents.
Slowly, Peter regains control over his life. He travels to France on vacation where a chance encounter brings him face to face with his old girlfriend, Michelle, a journalist struggling to give her career a much-needed reboot. Peter divulges his experiences to Michelle and together the two embark on a chilling investigation of what is really happening to the children of Vera Cruz.
Part mystery and suspense, part love story, the Hostages of Vera Cruz will keep you guessing until the very end.
Recommendation:
If you are drawn to romantic mysteries or thrillers you will love this novella. I found myself marveling at all the layers of romantic and suspenseful intrigue that surrounded the characters and their experiences. Grady Miller gives them breath with real situations that mimic life in a meaningful way. A novella at only 113 pages, I was mesmerized and could not put it down until all was revealed in the end!
Author, Grady Miller
Character Believability: 4.5 Flow and Pace: 5 Reader Engagement: 5 Reader Enrichment: 4.5 Reader Enjoyment: 4.5 Overall Rate:4.5
About Grady Miller:
Grady Miller’s humor appears frequently in numerous publications, including the LA Times and his popular blog at www.canyon-news.com. In “Lighten up Now: The Grady Diet,” Grady urges people to ‘count the laughs, not calories.’ He is the author of a nail-biting thriller, “The Hostages of Veracruz.”
Make certain to connect with Grady through his Twitter @GradyMiller
*The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review which follows*
What’s it all about?
This story begins in Brighton, England in 1937. Destitute and seeking a new start, Laura, and her mother leave London to find a new home where Laura’s sickly mother can recover from the ills of living in the city. Once there, life blossoms for the lovely Laura. Soon after her arrival, she meets Christian, a stagehand at the West Pier Theater. Laura falls in love with him and their life seems destined to be a happy one. However, Christian realizes that Laura has ambitions that might not include him.
Almost true to the form of a rag to riches tale, Laura embarks on a promising singing career after being discovered while cleaning up after her shift in the nearby coffee shop. Ecstatic with her new career, Laura realizes she wants the good things in life. A rich aristocrat, Charles Willard pursues Laura with the intent to make her his own. Laura’s singing ambitions create problems for Laura and Christian as Laura realizes the horrible truth that Willard has an unhealthy obsession for her.
Suddenly, it is 1987, where twenty-year-old Sofia from Athens, Greece spends the summer with her grandparents in Corfu, Greece. Her vacation is at an idyllic location near the sea with a loving family that cherishes her. In an act of defiance against her strict father, Sofia takes a job at the local boat rental shop located on the pier near the beach. One day a captivatingly handsome Englishman named Danny who is vacationing from Brighton, England appears on the beach.
Quick as a flash, Danny steals Sofia’s heart with his laughter and winning ways. Sofia cannot resist his charms and falls in love with him, all the while worrying that her family will report her activities to her strict father. Danny’s vacation comes to an end and he heads home to Brighton leaving Sofia in her beloved Corfu.
Corfu, Greece
In the midst of trying to balance her feelings for Danny and her family obligations, Sofia begins to have dreams of a strange lady in black who walks the West Pier in Brighton, of which she has never seen except for pictures in a magazine that Danny showed her. The woman resembles Sofia and somehow the woman’s pain becomes part of Sofia, deepening a haunting and mysterious connection between the two women.
And the mystery thickens…
At the heart of the two intertwining love stories are the piers – one in Brighton, and the other in Corfu. Sofia and Laura are connected through the haunting dreams even though they are separated by fifty years. Unfortunately, this is part one of the series and it does not give many answers to the questions that I was left with at the end of this book. Not that this is a bad thing.
Nevertheless, the descriptions painted by the words of Ms. Moschoudi transported me easily between the two times and locations. I loved how easy it was for me to find myself at both locations; on the Brighton pier and relaxing on the beach in Corfu. The characters were easy to connect with and I yearned for their love stories to become complete. I can’t wait to continue the series to find out what happens next!
My Recommendation:
I do highly recommend this book with the understanding that the story will continue to unfold in the subsequent volumes. There is a bewitching quality to the stories you will not forget. The second book is: “The Flow,” and the third book in the series is: “The Storm,” to be published in December 2015.
Character Believability: 5 Flow and Pace: 4 Reader Engagement: 4.5 Reader Enrichment: 4.5 Reader Enjoyment: 4.5 Overall Rate:4.5
About Effrosyni Moschoudi:
Effrosyni Moschoudi was born and raised in Athens, Greece. As a child, she often sat alone in her granny’s garden scribbling rhymes about flowers, butterflies, and ants. Through adolescence, she wrote dark poetry that suited her melancholic, romantic nature. She’s passionate about books and movies and simply couldn’t live without them. She lives in a quaint seaside town near Athens with her husband Andy and a naughty cat called Felix. Effrosyni is a proud member of the writer’s group, ENovel Authors at Work.
To watch a trailer for the book click the link below:
** This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. **
Slip into the pages of history as you step into another place and time where order exists by the totalitarian rule of a dictator. It is a struggle to live with such a meager existence until Gerald Sanpatri, an ex-writer meets Rosia, the love of his life. It is Rosia’s devotion and love that enables him to begin writing again. Gerald pours all of his pain and heartache into his tales, writing stories of a brave child who was not afraid to stand up for what he believed in to save the people of his land from the terrible despot that ruled over them.
After the last regime change, Gerald Sanpatri stopped writing because the dictator forbade it. Instead, he performed the duties required of him while sinking into oblivion, burying his past behind him. Little by little, as his past begins to resurface, Gerald is thrust to the forefront of a stealthy movement to overthrow the dictator of which he is not even aware.
Author: Mark W. Sasse
In my mind’s eye, I kept searching for a country to place these horrific events into. Several came to mind and I questioned why the author did not specify a country in the writing of this novel. Finally, I realized that the place was not the main concern. It was the message that events like these occur all over our world today that finally resonated deep within me. It wasn’t the place, it wasn’t the dictator. It was Gerald’s peaceful response that motivated a country to change.
Lovers of historical literature and fiction will lose themselves in the events that Mark Sasse has woven around these characters. I finished reading this novel on the Fourth of July while, outside my window, fireworks were exploding celebrating the freedoms of all Americans. It was a poignant moment.
RATINGS Realistic Characterization: 4/5 Made Me Think: 5/5 Overall enjoyment: 4/5 Readability: 5/5 Recommended: 4/5 Overall Rating: 4.5
Buy it at Amazon Format & Pricing Paperback: $11.99 US Kindle: $3.99 US
You are never going to believe this! I managed to get an interview with author, Andrew Joyce about his two novels and the characters he chose called, “Redemption” and “Molly Lee.”
Andrew Joyce lives on a boat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with his dog Danny. “MOLLY LEE” is a follow-up novel to the best-selling “REDEMPTION: The Further Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer.”
Here is the description of “Redemption,” from Amazon:
“Three men come together in the town of Redemption Colorado, each for his own purpose. Huck Finn is a famous lawman not afraid to use his gun to protect the weak. He has come to right a terrible wrong. After his wife’s death, Tom Sawyer does not want to live anymore; he has come to die. The third man, the Laramie Kid, a killer Huck and Tom befriended years earlier has come to kill a man. For these three men Death is a constant companion. For these three men it is their last chance for redemption.”
Here is the description of “Molly Lee,” from Amazon:
“Molly is about to set off on the quest of a lifetime . . . of two lifetimes.
It’s 1861 and the Civil War has just started. Molly is an eighteen-year-old girl living on her family’s farm in Virginia when two deserters from the Southern Cause enter her life. One of them—a twenty-four-year-old Huck Finn—ends up saving her virtue, if not her life.
Molly is so enamored with Huck, she wants to run away with him. But Huck has other plans and is gone the next morning before she awakens. Thus starts a sequence of events that leads Molly into adventure after adventure; most of them not so nice.
We follow the travails of Molly Lee, starting when she is eighteen and ending when she is fifty-six. Even then Life has one more surprise in store for her.”
Click here to read my book review of “Molly Lee.”
Colleen: Andrew, what are the advantages and disadvantages of writing sequels to classics? How did you decide what the adult Tom and Huck would be like?
Andrew: In this case there was no disadvantage. I picked two beloved characters—the advantage was the same—everyone loves Tom and Huck.
This will probably not be believed, but I felt Sam Clemens standing behind me as I wrote this yarn. He wanted to write a sequel to Huck and Tom and I think he started to do so. However, he never finished it. Perhaps he used me as his instrument to get it off his chest, so to speak. In answer to your question, I don’t know how I decided to make Huck and Tom gunslingers in the Old West. The book wrote itself. But if you repeat that, I’ll deny it. After all, I’m the genius here!
Colleen: What is the single biggest challenge of creating the settings in your novels?
Andrew: I always write my settings from places I’ve been and experienced firsthand. So, that does not present a challenge for me. I don’t know about other writers, but I start a novel knowing the first sentence and the last paragraph. Then all I have to do is come up with 100,000 words to fill the space in between. That is the easiest part. I let my characters take me where they want to go. I may have something in mind for them, but when we get there, they may take me in a whole different direction in which I am more than happy to follow.
Colleen: O.K. Andrew, who would you most like to sit next to on an airplane?
Andrew: I don’t fly anymore. But if I did, I’d prefer an empty seat. If I couldn’t get that, then I reckon Jesus would do. I’m sure he would have some good stories.
Colleen: Who would play you in the movie?
Andrew: Depending on the day, either Matthew McConaughey or Jabba the Hut.
Colleen: What is the one thing you can’t live without?
Andrew: Oxygen.
Colleen: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever heard?
Andrew: It’s not the best advice I’ve ever heard . . . it’s the best I’ve ever given. READ, READ, READ, and then READ some more. Read every book you can get your hands on. Read Steinbeck . . . “The Grapes of Wrath” and “Tortilla Flat.”
“The afternoon came down as imperceptibly as age comes to a happy man. A little gold entered into the sunlight. The bay became bluer and dimpled with shore-wind ripples. Those lonely fishermen who believe that the fish bite at high tide left their rocks and their places were taken by others, who were convinced that the fish bite at low tide.”— John Steinbeck, Tortilla Flat
That is some damn good writing. And when you read stuff like that you can’t help but become a better writer.
Colleen: What are you working on right now?
Andrew: Making a big, tall drink that is 90% vodka.
Thank you for this fabulous interview, Andrew. It was great learning about your novels and getting to know you better. I really enjoyed knowing your inspiration came from Mark Twain himself.
If you love historical fiction based in the American old west, you will love Andrew’s books!
Contact:JasonRoyle.net Contact Form on the Right side bar for Book Review Requests.
Who is Jason?
Author Bio: Jason serves as the pastor of St. Paul’s UCC in Schaefferstown, PA. He is a graduate of Sewanee: University of the South School of Theology with a Doctorate in Ministry and Johnson University with a Master’s in Theology. He and his wife, Heather, have two children (Katelyn and Nate) and one loyal but lazy dog (Rudy). You can find his book, Judas: Misunderstood HeroonAmazon. Connect with Jason on his site,http://www.jasonroyle.net/and on Twitter at@JERoyle.
Ronovan’s Take: Jason writes from where he believes in a way to help others understand truths not traditions. He and I agree a lot on these elements. Honest, trustworthy, and a great guy.
Why is Jason here?
I read Jason’s book at his request and enjoyed it greatly. A little spin on the idea of Judas that I actually agreed with in basic meaning. I felt LitWorldInterviews needed to branch out to the spiritual and faith areas of books and Jason, after my interview with him that is here on LWI, I knew I had found the person. Non-judgemental, likes to hear other people’s ideas, a teacher and a learner at the same time.
What does Jason do here?
Jason writes Features and Book Reviews. If you want him to review a book please contact him through his contact form on his site.
Remember to check out his book on Amazon,Judas: Hero Misunderstood. It’s only .99 and worth it. A somewhat quirky read about the trial of Judas.
It’s a good idea to find out how to publish your first eBook on Amazon before, or while you’re writing it. Simplicity is the key, and if you have too many bells and whistles going on formatting wise, you might end up having to clear all formatting and start from scratch. If you use a word processor other than Microsoft Word you might have to pay for formatting, but using Word makes the process very easy. Here’s a quick overview for a standard work of fiction without images. (Click on the screenshots to view them larger)
Don’t use lots of spaces or your tab key for indents. This could result in an ebook that’s a bit of an oops. Rather set up the whole document. You can do this from your first paragraph, or you can highlight the whole document and set it up. Do this from a clean document only after you’ve removed any indents, spaces and so on. Use the Show Hide feature to check.
Go to your Page Layout tab in the top ribbon of your document, and then click on the little arrow to the right of the Paragraph selection. Select Indents and Spacing and change Special to First Line, and then change By to your preferred size of paragraph indent, and that will do your indents automatically for the entire manuscript from then on.
Then, in the same box, set your automatic spacing between paragraphs, so set your Spacing to your desired size, and set line spacing to Single.
While writing, insert Page Breaks before each chapter and don’t use headers and footers. Also no page numbers for your eBook. Kindle only uses seven basic fonts, and readers can change them according to their preference. They can also change the font size, so 12pt is probably the easiest size to choose. It’s best to use a simple font like Times New Roman or Garamond, but that’s entirely up to you.
Then you decide if you want a table of contents for your book. If you do, from your Home ribbon, highlight your first chapter heading, and then click Heading 1. You can right click on the Heading 1 box to Modify Font, Size, and Justification for your chapter headings. Once you’ve modified to what you prefer, right click on the Heading 1 box again and click on Update Heading 1 to Match Selection. Then zoom through your book and highlight each chapter heading, click on Heading 1, and they’ll all be the same.
Once you’ve done that head back to the front of your book where you’ll need a blank page. Type the words Table of Contents using left alignment, and press enter. Click on the References tab in your top ribbon, then Table of Contents > Insert Table of Contents. Uncheck Show Page Numbers, and set the Show Levels box to 1. Click OK, and voila! Your Table of Contents will magically appear. To test it, use Control > click over one of the chapters in your TOC and it should take you there.
Now to bookmark this. Highlight only the words Table of Contents. Select Bookmark from the insert tab on your top ribbon. Type in toc and click Add in the box that pops open, and you’re done with the fiddly stuff.
Assuming you’re done with your final proofing and edits, go over your manuscript, and check that your front matter is looking good. Insert page breaks between your title page, copyright page, and any other things you have there, such as a forward, prologue, dedication, or editorial reviews. One thing I haven’t done yet in all my eBooks is add a description in the front, although I’m going to. These days we have so many books on our Kindles that we forget what they were about, so a little blurb there is a nice idea.
Then check that all your links to your website or any other books are clickable, finally Save this document, and prepare for takeoff. After saving all your hard work, go to the Save As function in the top left corner and select Other Formats. Next, under the File Name select Web Page, Filtered in the Save As Type box. Click yes when the warning comes up. You’ll see that you now have your original document, and also a HTML document of the same name. The HTML is what you’ll be loading on to Amazon. (If you have images in your book, you will need to load a compressed file onto Amazon, so this is only for manuscripts without them)
Have your cover ready separately as a jpeg or tiff image. I use nice quality high resolution images sized at 6.25 x 9.5. You’re ready to rock.
If you haven’t already, open your account at Amazon KDP, and fill everything in. If you don’t live in the USA you have a couple of tax options, including allowing Amazon to withhold tax until you get around to getting to the proper processes. You can still publish and earn royalties until you do, and any withheld taxes will be paid to you when the necessaries are done.
Go to your Bookshelf. Click on Add New Titles, and take your time filling in all the fields. Especially don’t rush through the Categories and Tags. These are important for your book’s visibility. Select your Royalty. This can change for each book you publish. Books $2.99 and up get 70%, and below that get 35%. Put your book blurb in Description, add yourself as the author in Contributors (and any other contributors that should be there), state your right to Copyright and not Public Domain, and now it’s time to upload.
Your book file and cover file get loaded separately, both very simple processes – you just upload straight from your computer, and wait to be told that each upload is successful. Click on Upload Book, browse, and select the HTML document to upload. As soon as you see Upload and Conversion Successful, you get various options to review. I always download the Mobi file to go through on my Kindle for PC, and also to check on my actual Kindle, as well as paging through the online reviewer. Once you’re happy, click Save and Publish. Your book will then be live on Amazon within the next 48 hours. Set up your Amazon Central page, and find and claim your book.
When you write your next book, you can make a copy of the formatted one, delete the words and retain the formatting, which is a thing that scribblers as forgetful as I am might find useful. Happy publishing Indies.
When I first got the notion to put a book idea that had germinated in my head for close to twenty years on paper, I had no idea what was in store for me. Literally…not a clue.
The Judas Apocalypse was born out of an immense love for history and adventure. It gnawed at me for years. I always thought it was a really cool and original premise and it was my kind of book. I wanted to put in everything I loved about an adventure novel – an ancient secret, a long lost treasure, action and tons of twists. After vacillating for a few years, I finally decided I would give writing it a shot.
Penning a novel…how hard could it be, right? Although I had never done anything at all like it before, I did recall banging off a three page short story for a creative writing class I took when I was about 15. Got an A for it. So yeah, I figured I could do this. Piece of cake.
So I sat down at the computer and started to write the first chapter. It played out in my head like a movie. I could see the little girl, the crowd, the agonizing trek to the Hill of Skulls, the inevitable end that marked the beginning of the story. Not a problem – let’s do this!
I had the first chapter done in about an hour. Then I was faced with the next chapter and I realized to my horror, to continue this tale and hopefully turn it into a gripping and page turning historical voyage that would ultimately take place over a two thousand year span, I would have to do some research. Some real, serious historical and (yikes!) theological research.
Suddenly it was like I was back in high school. Any idea how I felt about high school? Does anyone ever really enjoy his or her experience there? I know some people do but I sure didn’t. And just like in high school, I knew the research was going to be a pretty massive undertaking. But I knew in order to make the story believable, I needed the historical accuracy. It was the only way to make the story really come alive.
Thank God things had changed somewhat since those days. No more scouring the library for four, five hundred page tomes that would have sunk me faster than Quintus Arrius’ trireme in Ben Hur (see – I had to research that.) I now had the power of the internet before me. Information was at the tips of my fingers.
A ton of information, that is…and a lot of garbage too. Man oh man, what to use? What to ignore? Wading through it all was going to take a while. Oh, and by “a while” I mean about four years. Honestly, if I knew beforehand it would take me four years to research this beast, I would have gone back to writing mildly pleasant pop songs again.
What I did to tame this beast was to work out the basic plot in my head, then on paper. Seems obvious, right? Originally, I thought I would just start writing and see where it would lead me. But it became very apparent early on it would be absolutely necessary to at least plot out the basics because I would need to limit my searches to what was germane to the story. It is soooo easy to get lost on the ‘net. One minute I’m looking up the interior of a German U Boat from 1944 (an important plot point in the middle of the book – I needed to describe it as precisely as possible) and the next minute I’m hitting a link taking me to an article about, of all things, the Montgolfier brothers and their hot air balloons. I’m not kidding – then that particular link lead me to a Monty Python sketch called “The Golden Age of Ballooning” and then before I realized it, I was on a Monty Python YouTube page that lost me a full day’s writing.
The internet is a valuable resource, no doubt, but there sure are a lot of historical inaccuracies on it as well. Because my novel was a work of fiction (with historical elements) however, the inaccuracies were not such a huge issue for me. In fact, many times, the inaccuracies would spark an idea that proved to be, for the most part, useful or at the very least, interesting. The trick was to recognize the areas where accuracy was mandatory. That was key. There were times when the publisher and I went back and forth over a particular historical point, if incorrect, could tumble the precarious house of historical cards I had set up. What it came down to in the end was, certain events, certain locations, and even some historically real characters (for example, Otto Rahn, the famous Holy Grail archeologist makes an appearance) needed to be as factually accurate as possible. That meant finding numerous sources that bore out the information. If I found at least three, I felt I was in the ballpark. The online world also provided links to encyclopedia topics and relevant magazine articles of immeasurable help. Again, as long as I could find at least three agreeable sources, I went for it.
But historical detail only goes so far. The Judas Apocalypse and my second book, Can’tBuy Me Love (a little shameless self promotion and plug!) are historical fiction after all. The accuracy goes to fostering the believability of the plot, but you can’t get mired down in all the archival veracity. Too much detail and the adventure can fall flat; not enough and it’s not believable. It’s a carefully mixed cocktail of detail and drama I hope keeps readers turning the pages and drunk with excitement.
Although it took literally years to research The Judas Apocalypse (Can’t Buy Me Love, by the way, took much less time as it was a quite a different book and, by now, I had a better idea what I was doing ), I must say the experience did soften my view of the process. It’s a tough slog, but well worth it in the end.
Maybe, by the time I’m ready for book number three, I’ll get my nose to that historical grindstone. If, that is, I can stay away from the Monty Python videos…
Dan McNeil is a Canadian author with two novels so far to his fame; The Judas Apocalypse and Can’t Buy Me Love. Both available on Amazon by clickinghere to go to his Amazon Author Page. To find out more of the man visit his website,http://www.danmcneil.ca/and follow him on Twitter@DanMcNeil888. Also read his Author Interview here on LWI by clicking here.
Virginia Woolf’s last days before her tragic suicide in March 1941, at the age of 59 years, is the setting for this partly true/fictional account told through the eyes of her family and friends. This haunting novel is written much in the first person, and you get a firsthand account of the events from her husband, Virginia herself, and her friend, Vanessa Bell. This in depth character study shows Virginia Woolf, as she truly was, a woman comprised of more than just the tragedy of her early demise.
Virginia Woolf was one of the most respected British writers of her time. Self educated at home by her father, she developed a particular writing style that was intriguing in her ability to write dream like sequences within the orderly plot line of her stories. This non-linear writing style allowed Virginia to be more creative, a form of writing that had never been done before by other authors.
In true form, Alienora Taylor employs the same non-linear writing style in her account of Virginia Woolf’s last days. At times, I felt like the author must be channeling the memories and feelings of Virginia, the writing was so engaging. Virginia came alive for me. I like to think that I now better understand her depression and the demons that pursued her. I got to know the real Virginia Woolf.
Author, Alienora Taylor
The happenings in the book are based on fact. The author studied in detail, letters belonging to Virginia Woolf in preparation for writing this novel. The only speculation can be, as to what really existed in the minds of the characters. I felt the author’s attempt to understand and empathize with Virginia’s consuming depression portrayed her, as a successful woman filled with many self doubts, much like modern women today. Virginia seemed to have it all – success, a loving husband, family. It just was not enough to help her in the end.
I loved this book. I knew little about Virginia Woolf, other than that she was a successful author who committed suicide. What I found reading this novel, was that Virginia Woolf was a strong determined soul, a creative genius, tortured by her madness. I cannot wait to read her novels!
RATINGS Realistic Characterization: 5/5 Made Me Think: 5/5 Overall enjoyment: 5/5 Readability: 4.5/5 Recommended: 5/5 Overall Rating: 5.0
RW: Tallos-Episode One (Season One) has some details very much set in the South here in the United States, is that from personal experience having lived in the area, why that area specifically, or will that give too much away of the future episodes?
GRANSER: I spent quite a bit of time there, actually. I wanted to begin the series in a familiar setting so to give it a sense of authenticity. The story as a whole will span the entire country and possibly other parts of the world. But I felt the southern states would be a good place for me to begin.
RW: What genre would you categorize Tallos?
GRANSER: I consider it Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction. It’s also categorized in Action/Adventure, but that’s way too broad and vague, in my opinion.
RW: Where did the idea come from?
GRANSER: I was approached through a friend a while back to be part of a collaborative effort based on preset story guidelines. The rules for the world were already in place and all I had to do was come up with the particulars for my installment. It actually reminded me of writing fan fiction (not something I do).
Unfortunately, about the time I had the plot more or less mapped out, I had to withdraw due to other obligations. Later, once life calmed down a bit, I decided to revisit the story. I never did like the original world in which it was set, so I made some adjustments and brainstormed for a week or so. Once I had the basic concept in my head, the rest was easy.
RW: For a post-apocalyptic story I think this is something that gives a different feel. Not that it’s my particular genre, but I am familiar enough with it to know what’s what. Did you set out to intentionally be different or did the story sort of lead itself in that direction? Were you the director or the guy typing what they characters told you to say?
GRANSER: It wasn’t intentional. Like you, I’m not what one would consider an expert in the Post-Apocalyptic genre. In fact, this is my first go at it. I think that in itself may lend to a more original feel, being that I’m not following any pre-prescribed guidelines.
Regarding my approach – I’m both. I try to be the character at times, but that’s not always practical, or even preferable, when you need to move a story along. You want to develop your cast of characters in a way that is believable, but you can’t allow it to bog you down and slow the progression of the plot.
RW: Tell us about Jim Tallos? Who is he?
GRANSER: He’s an interesting mix of a selfish asshole and a brave hero. I didn’t want a “super soldier” protagonist with high morals and flawless character who can get out of any situation due to his Rambo-like kickassyness (yes, that’s a word) and MacGyver-like intelligence. But I needed him to be likeable too. I decided to use other characters to help me build his personality and develop him from situation to situation.
I can’t really say who he is exactly, as that is a major plot point.
RW: You somewhat touch on some social issues of today and how they are in the after-math. Again, was that something intentional?
GRANSER: Yes. Absolutely intentional. I loathe bigotry. Whether it’s homophobia, sexism, racism, or any other ism. I don’t intend to beat people over the head with my politics, but I do want to include that particular point in this story. I think that’s evident from the onset.
RW: Are there plans for, how can I put this, spinoffs? You’ve set it up in the first Episode where there could be other storylines pay out.
GRANSER: I haven’t thought about it. When I started Tallos, I decided to model it after a television series format. This is why I’ve divided it into seasons and episodes. Each episode leads into the next, but I try to leave out the cliffhanger aspect one might find in full-length novels. It also allows for episodes which focus on the characters rather than the plot. In other words, I can have a cool idea for an episode which doesn’t necessarily move the plot along very far, yet still fits into the story.
RW: Reading the book I can tell what Tallos likes to drink to relax but what does Granser Kelly like to drink when facing demons?
GRANSER: Love me some Jack Daniel. Oh, yes I do. My wife hates it – the Jack, not me drinking it – so I rarely run out.
RW: What do you say to people who read books like this with some of the scenes you write and say “Are you completely freakin’ messed up in the head to think of this stuff?”
GRANSER: I’d say they’re right. But who isn’t? The difference is that I’ve learned to express my psychosis in words and use it to tell stories.
RW: One thing I like about the story you’ve created is we have no idea what the problem is. Do you know the end of it all or are you along for the ride as much as we are for the moment?
GRANSER: I know the story to the end – a least to an extent. That is to say I know the main plot points – the major twists and so forth. But I allow for new ideas to take things in different directions. It’s actually one of the advantages to the format I’ve adopted.
RW: What authors influenced you in this particular area of storytelling? I guess it would be horror and some psychological influences.
GRANSER: None really. Post-Apocalyptic Fiction wasn’t a genre in which I had much interest until recently. I’ve always enjoyed Science Fiction, however. Asimov was a favorite as a teen – though his approach is far more optimistic than mine. I also love Frank Herbert, Orson Scott Card, Ray Bradbury, and on the more whimsical side Douglas Adams. This is naturally only a few names on a long list of great writers.
RW: How many seasons can we expect from Tallos?
GRANSER: I’m thinking three for now. But that may change should the need arise. I wouldn’t want to end the story prematurely. And as the story will become increasingly complex as time passes, I’ll need to allow enough space to tie up loose ends without it seeming rushed.
RW: Are any of the people in the story based on any of your friends and if so do they know it?
GRANSER: Not specifically, no. Though like any writer, I draw from my own experience. My characters are a combination of personalities I’ve encountered over the years. Occasionally, I will write someone I know in. But it’s almost always an insularly character with little bearing on the over-all plot.
RW: What scares Granser Kelly?
GRANSER: Lots of things. I’m more or less a walking heap of character flaws, psychiatric neuroses, and phobias. I fear success, failure, clowns, baby pigeons, alligators, purple socks, aluminum foil, bats, things that aren’t bats, crowds, isolation, public speaking, public nudity, private nudity, sex (both the act and not getting enough), change, stagnation, and people taller than six feet. That’s the short list.
RW: How good are you with a gun and if you are good what is your choice?
GRANSER: I love to shoot rifles, handguns…whatever. Sadly, there is nothing safer than what I’m trying to hit.
RW: Tell me you write these things in broad daylight, because if I wrote some of these scenes at night I would have some serious issues sleeping? Not that they were gory or anything. In fact they were much more psychological in nature to me.
GRANSER: I don’t mind it. I had night terrors as a child, so I learned to pull myself back into a semi-conscious state when it gets too bad. Besides, my various phobias don’t differentiate between day and night.
RW: What does your wife think of the mind that produces something like this and does it concern her at times?
GRANSER: Let me explain something about crazy. A person’s crazy is like water inside a big barrel. When they meet, some people choose to just kick it over and spill their crazy all over everything – including the other person. The advantage to this is that there are few surprises down the road. You know what you’re getting into. Of course, if your barrel of crazy is too big you can wash the other person away and be left there alone with nothing but you and your crazy.
The other option is to take a ladle, dip it in the barrel, and show the other person your crazy a little at a time. The upshot is that you might not scare the hell out of a potential mate, and possibly have a miniscule chance of getting them to have sex with you. If you’re lucky, they might mistake your crazy for quirkiness and depth. This turns some people on – especially if they think you’re an artist of some sort. The downside is that should you take it to the next level, that person begins to realize just how much crazy has yet to be discovered. Hopefully by then you would have tricked them into loving you, and forced them to overlook the big barrel of crazy that seems to have no bottom. That’s me and my wife.
And there you have, folks. As far as I know, the very first interview with Granser Kelly. I do encourage you to read the book. I enjoyed the story and the idea a lot. You get a familiar feel about it but originality as well. Comfort with creativity combined. Can’t complain about that, right?
Clickhttp://amzn.to/1B8GGPZand get it now.Read my Review there and click the it was helpful button for me. That is, if it was helpful.
Title: Tallos-Episode One (Season One) Author: Granser Kelly Price: .99 File Size: 2214 KB Print Length: 66 pages Publisher: Longfire Press (March 9, 2015) Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc. Language: English Text-to-Speech: Enabled X-Ray: Not Enabled Word Wise: Not Enabled Lending: Enabled Available: Kindle here
Author Granser Kelly brings us what I like to call Mad Max with sanity meets The Walking Dead.
In Tallos-Season One-Episode One, former US Army soldier Jim Tallos is the protector of a small group of survivors about the float, a construct of a floating platform and sailboats. It’s the only way for them to stay safe from the cannibals and the Shadow People that now inhabit the southern US during this post apocalyptic world.
Tallos’ main goals are to survive and find his family. The problem is where to start and how to start. Straying too far from the float almost assures death or capture. Jim finds himself in a situation where he must leave and in so doing discovers information that changes everything he knows of the current state of things and his future.
The story has a good flow and keeps you wanting to know what happens next. You wonder who is who and what who is. Even when you think one thing you are very likely wrong. Even now as I write this I wonder about things. What more do you want from a book where there is a guaranteed next episode a month away? You want to know what happens next, right? Well, you have it in Tallos-Season One-Episode One by Granser Kelly.
Character Believability: 4.5 Flow and Pace: 4 Reader Engagement: 4 Reader Enrichment: 4 Reader Enjoyment: 4.5 Overall Rate: 4.2
Get on Kindle Today. Clickhereto go to Amazon! Check out my Book Review there as well and click if it was helpful.
Title: Judas: Hero Misunderstood Author: Jason Royle Paperback: 60 pages Print Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 18, 2014) Language: English ISBN-10: 1500884200 ISBN-13: 978-1500884208 File Size: 2035 KB Print Length: 62 pages Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited Kindle Publisher: Jason E. Royle; 1 edition (August 17, 2014) Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc. ASIN: B00MTCDRG6 Text-to-Speech: Enabled X-Ray:Not Enabled Word Wise: Not Enabled Lending: Enabled
Judas: Hero Misunderstood is the story of a man out of history that is perhaps the least known about but one of the most significant disciples during the actual life of Jesus and what happened after that night in the garden, after the Judas kiss.
Jason Royle takes the reader on a journey of what if. Or maybe it really is a journey of what did happen. The style he chose to use is contemporary in the use of language and symbolism in order for anyone today to relate and connect to the story. Unlike many other takes that are similar to what Royle has done you don’t get a preachy style. At the very end, after the story is all done and over with, you receive a look at passages from the Bible to show you what may or may not bring credence to what Royle has written.
The story itself is a journey of what happens after Jesus has been taken away, what thoughts go through the mind of Judas, and what happens after his death. Where does he go? Who does he see? We see Judas, just like all others according to the Christian faith, answering for what he has done.
The manner in which Royle chose to do this is very interesting and relatable to today and I found the use of gender at times a surprise. For the Bible Belt the book should be something that doesn’t threaten what they believe, as if one studies their Bible perhaps they might come to similar conclusions as the author has for this book, or at list not so far off as to be offended.
The story is told to educate but in a ‘what if’ kind of manner. It is meant to get the reader to thinking.
I would recommend this book to anyone really. It’s an easy and quick read. I read it in one sitting and had little problem with flow or pace. I wanted to continue on. The beginning chapter or two were a little bit, I’m not certain if confusing it the right word. What the author wrote had to be written in order to set the stage for what was to come next, to get to what would really get us in the learning mode. The author had no idea I had agreed to review the book so there was no reason I had to read it as quickly as I did, it was simply that type of book. You just don’t realize you’ve done it.
Review Rating
1 being I would almost rather die than read the book and 5 being a superior book that truly excels to perfection.
Character Believability:4 Flow and Pace: 4 Reader Engagement: 4 Reader Enrichment: 4 Reader Enjoyment: 4.5 Overall Rate: 4.1
Bio Back of Book Version:
Jason is the pastor of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania. A Social Worker before his call to full-time ministry, Jason received his Doctorate in Ministry from Sewanee: University of the South School of Theology and his Master’s from Johnson University. He and his wife, Heather, have two children (Katelyn and Nate) and one loyal but lazy dog (Rudy).
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