Sunday's Oldies but Goodies...

Greetings!

This week's Oldie but Goodie is...

Playing for Keeps

by Karen Templeton

Originally Released

October 2003

Joanna Swan, divorced mother of three, is tired. Money is tight, the roof leaks, and her ex is a tad on the forgetful side. Add to that the fact that her car is 10 years old and she hasn't shopped for new clothes in years, and you have a woman who is in desperate need of a little fun. Even she's not interested in anything like that.

Enter Dale McConnaughy. Ex-baseball star and now toy store owner, he spies Joanna out of the front window of his store one afternoon. And he couldn't look away. Her smile, not to mention her head full of unruly red corkscrew curls captures his attention more than anything has in quite a while.

Playing for Keeps tells the tale of Joanna Swan and Dale McConnaughy, two people who have decidedly different approaches to life. Joanna worries about her kids, her home, and her fledgling business selling hand-crafted Santas. She has neither the time nor the inclination for a relationship, but something about Dale draws her like a moth to the flame.

Dale, on the other hand, has decided he is going to live life for the moment. He has no desire for a relationship either, but for entirely different reasons that Joanna. Dale's childhood taught him some painful lessons, and he has sworn off ever letting any woman into his heart.

Slowly, through funny, heartwarming, and sometimes sad scenes, Ms. Templeton has woven a tale about trust, love, and forgiveness, and has done so with a deft hand. Reading the events as they unfold will have you silently rooting for the seemingly mismatched couple and the strong feelings that are obviously there. We see glimpses of Joanna's kids, and through them see an extension of her personality that may not have come through otherwise.

If you are looking for a heartwarming tale that will remind you love can overcome anything, then you need to check this book out.

To find out more about this author and check out her book list, you can visit her website at http://www.karentempleton.com/

Happy reading!

HANG A THOUSAND TREES WITH RIBBONS by Ann Rinaldi

As you all my know, I'm working on my own YA Historical, albeit with sci-fi weirdness thrown in. Hey, I'm a Trekkie, yanno. Besides the obvious research required, I've also been seeking out the finest YA Historical lit I can find. One Google search turned up HANG A THOUSAND TREES WITH RIBBONS by Ann Rinaldi. It's the story of Phillis Wheatley, a young woman who was kidnapped from her home in Senegal, Africa and sold into slavery in Colonial America. Besides learning to read and write, she composed poetry which was subsequently published. She did this during a time when a lot of white folks believed those of African descent were of a different species which was incapable of higher learning. In fact, it was generally believed to be a bad idea to educate women at all - white or black.


^


What initially drew me to this novel was the fact that the author is white-as-a-bleached-sheet - like me - and she wrote a novel with an African American heroine - like I'm trying to do. I figured if she could do it, then so could I. Of course, Ann Rinaldi's career spans several decade whilst I'm just getting started. But, what the hey.

^

One of the biggest challengs of writing Historical fiction and any sub-genre thereof is creating characters in a long-past time and place which resonate with contemporary readers. Historical Romance is especially guilty of resorting to making the characters too contemporary-feeling to accomplish this. The thing to remember is people who read Historical fiction of any kind do so because they love history. This means they're quite familiar with it. Faking it won't wash with them. Ann Rinaldi does NOT have this problem. There were plenty of teenagers in Phillis's time who condescended to their peers just as they do in American high schools today. Phillis felt the same pain and resentment. Like those who survive it today, she relied on the strength of her own human spirit.

^

The story is told in First Person through Phillis' eyes. It starts out with her preparing to accompany her master's son, Nathaniel, to meet with some of the most powerful men in Colonial America, including John Hancock. The purpose of this visit is to prove that she - an African American slave - actually created the poetry she's written. The reason this is so important is that in doing so she will prove that her race is just as capable of higher learning as white people.

^

Upon arriving, Phillis flashes back to when she was kidnapped, along with her mother and best friend, from her home in Senegal by a rival tribe leader who sold them to white slavers bound for America. Ann Rinaldi doesn't sugar-coat what happens and yet she tells this story vividly for the age level it's intended. The scene in which Phillis's mother is thrown overboard for refusing to have 'liberties' (sex) with one of the white crew is chilling. Phillis fights and screams, trying to rescue her mother while the evil creature who claims to be human chops off her mother's hands as she clings to the boat. Phillis has carried these memories with her and doesn't share them with anyone.

^

Phillis is in love with Nathaniel, but keeps it to herself. He's always kind to her and he's the one who taught her to read. Despite Nathaniel's kindness, he still has no comprehension of why Phillis longs to be free. Phillis has it good compared to other African American women of the time. She's an indoor slave - well-fed, clothed, warm, treated kindly. Nathaniel's sister, Mary, is even reprimanded for hitting Phillis. Nevertheless, Phillis longs to be free.

^

As contemporary Americans, we know a cage is a cage no matter how golden. We know self-determination is a deep emotional need of the human race, regardless of color. Yet, we know there are many human beings out there driven to subjugate the rest of us. The fundemental way they do this is in believing in their own superiority. In male-dominated societies, women are believed to be inferior and less-intelligent. Oppressive political regimes believe they know better how to govern than the common slob on the street. It was the same in Colonial America.

^

Phillis Wheatley was one of the first women to begin the change for the rest of us in America, black or white. Or tan. Or olive complexion. Whatever.

^

You only need to read a history book to know how this story ends, but you'll miss out on the human experience if you do. Phillis is seventeen in this story, but I believe Ann Rinaldi's portrayel of her will resonate with us all. http://www.annrinaldi.com/

Sunday's Oldies but Goodies...

Greetings!
Today's Oldie but Goodie is.....

The Royal Treatment

by MaryJanice Davidson

Released May 2004

Imagine for a moment, if you would, a world where Alaska is it's own sovereign country. The United States never bought her from Mother Russia, and the locals staged a revolt that awarded them their own Independence. The leader of the revolt became the King, and the rest, as they say, is history.

~

Christina Krabbe is a cook on a cruise ship. At least, she was a cook on a cruise ship. Until her boss made a pass and got grabby. After she placed her knee in a very sensitive spot, he fired her, and she is now stranded in Alaska. So what's the first thing she decides to do? What else, but go fishing! And she meets the funniest guy there. He looks like he has wild animal for a beard and fish guts under his fingernails. When this unkempt stranger manages to coax Christina's tale of woe from her, he hands her a card and tells her to give him a call later.

~

She ignores it, thinking he was just being a dirty old pervert. Until she reads the card and it gives the address to the Sitka Palace, home of the King of Alaska! She figures he is offering her a job until she earns enough money to get home, but he has other plans.

~

Like playing matchmaker for his oldest son David, the Crown Prince.

~

Now, if you have ever read anything by Ms. Davidson, you will know she likes to infuse her main characters with a dash of sarcasm and droll wit, and she does not disappoint here. Christina is all that is abrupt and sarcastic, but very witty. David, a marine biologist, has no idea how to take Christina's attitude. She is like a breath of fresh air, but with a catch. And he quickly finds himself absolutely intrigued by this unique woman.

~

I enjoy a book that I can sit down to read, and know I will laugh out loud as I go. Ms. Davidson has a wonderful knack to weave wonderfully colorful characters into engaging and memorable stories. Every time I sit down to read a book by Ms. Davidson, I know I will have a hard time putting it down. The Royal Treatment is the first in a trio of stories on the wonderfully wacky Alaskan royals.

~

You can find out more about the author and her books on her website www.maryjanicedavidson.net

~

Happy Reading!

~

THE MASTER OF VERONA by David Blixt

*Disclaimer: This book was reviewed by someone with a severe cold. If it's lousy, it's the reviewer's fault. Not the author's!*
A few weeks back I was thrilled when David Blixt emailed me about his debut novel, MASTER OF VERONA. Michelle Moran loved it and she's such a sweetheart, so I had to check it out. I expected a paperback ARC, but was stunned when St. Martins Press sent me a gorgeous, brand new hardcover novel! It's a historical. Italian Renaissance. Shakespeare-inspired. What's not to love? Now, if you were taught to hate all that stuff in high school, let go of the pain. Your high school failed you. Don't let that experience rob you of the pleasure of this novel!
^

THE MASTER OF VERONA is not the kind of novel you cram into your purse to read while waiting in line at the grocery store. First of all, it's too dang big and heavy. Secondly, it sweeps you away to different time and place that you'll want to stay in for a good, long while, preferably without interruptions. It may work for the doctor's office. Otherwise, set aside time to curl up with it at home or in the great outdoors.

^

Don't skip the cast list or the map at the beginning. And don't skip the prologue! I almost always skip the prologue because few authors do them well. However, this one's riveting. It starts out inside the skin of a man trying to get into the city to carry out something. You have no idea if this is a hero on a mission and what task he needs to accomplish. You smell the stink of the city, feel the dirty water and slimy river bank, and you start rooting for this character. Then, towards the end of the prologue you realize something horrible and you're like, "Oh, no!" It's like a short story, because at the end you'll be stunned and you'll cheer and you'll wonder what the heck is behind it all. The prologue definitly accomplishes it's task of making you want to read the novel.

^

The novel starts out behind the eyes of Pietro, a teen on the verge of manhood. Most of the story is told from his point-of-view. He's coming to Verona with his exiled father, Dante. Yes, I mean Dante as in 'Dante's Inferno.' The famous poet. You can tell the author was once a teenage boy, because he nails the character without falling back on cliche like so many authors (especially female ones) do. You can also tell he's a public person because of Pietro's uneasy feelings about his father's fame. Mr. Blixt is a Shakespearean actor. Besides the public person factor, you can feel that experience in the dialogue and the general ambience of the storytelling.

^

In any case, Pietro accompanies his father to Verona where he meets a variety of relations, cousins, old friends of friends, enemies, and such, including a boy named Romeo who hates being called that.

^

In case you don't know much about the history of the 1300s, please bear in mind that Europe is nearing the end of Middle Ages. During this time, feudal states were constantly clashing with each other. War was a path to glory and wealth. John Lennon had not yet crooned, "Imagine all the people living in harmony..." Armies would charge into certain death just to be known as brave. Nowadays, we would call it stupid. Yet, humans are still fighting over stupid things, so I don't think we should be smug about it.

^

Wanting glory and to prove his manhood, Pietro is quickly swept into the political intrigue of Verona and right into battle. The description of battle and all of Verona is riveting. Despite his lack of experience, he survives and is hailed a hero. Then, he meets Katerina, a beautiful, married woman twice his age.

^

Ookay, I'd better stop there. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, just enough to make you want to read the novel. Despite being mostly written in Pietro's point-of-view, there is plenty for women readers to relate too as well. Katerina is a force to be reckoned with and so is Pietro's sister. The role of women in that society and time period is brought into more vivid focus than you'll ever read in a history textbook. I must confess, I always thought Juliet was a wimp and I just wanted to slap her. You won't find any heroines like that in this novel.

^

Wait a minute. I have to tell you about the baby. The plot thickens when Pietro helps Cangrande retrieve a baby. At first, you might recoil at the attitude of Pietro towards this baby. It's important to know that, at the time, children born to parents not married to each other were not well thought of and he considers this baby a bastard. There were lots of illegitimate children because marriages were arranged for polictical and monetary reasons. Love was found elsewhere. Leonardo De Vinci was illigitimate and couldn't attend the good schools because of it.

^

Back to the baby. Katerina, the woman Pietro is fascinated with, is the sister of Cangrade and they adopt this baby, which sends up a firestorm of gossip that they're trying to use a bastard as a legitimate heir. This fuels the feud which drives the story.

Michelle Moran interviewed David Blixt September 9th at http://historicalfictionauthorinterviews.blogspot.com/



This is David Blixt's website. http://www.themasterofverona.com/ You can find his blog through that. Don't be afraid to email him with questions or comments. He responds promptly and politely.

Review will be posted Friday morning

Between you and me and bottle of Nyquil, I think the MASTER OF VERONA would fair better being reviewed by someone with a clearer head than I have tonight. See you in the morning.

Nighty-night.

Sunday's (A Day Late!) Oldies but Goodies...

Good Evening!

Life has been conspiring against me as of late, so I need to tender my apologies to you all for missing last weekend, and now being a day late for this past weekend.

So, with a minimum of sniveling and begging for forgiveness...

This week's Oldie but Goodie is...

Pushing 30

by Whitney Gaskell

Released October 2003

For those of us who have (ahem!) recently pushed past our 30th birthday, the pain is probably still fairly fresh in our minds. I know you remember the signs that surely heralded the arrival of doomsday: the appearance of crow's feet that seemed to have sprung up overnight around our eyes that are puffy from crying at the prospect of turning 30, the liver spots we imagined we could see forming on our aging hands, and if you were unmarried, the cries of your mother/aunt/grandmother/very settled and happy friend wondering none-too subtly why you haven't snatched Mr. Right, or Mr. Right Now, whichever way the wind blows on that particular day.

Well. Meet Ellie Winters. 29 years old. Litigation attorney for a prestigious New York law firm. She is single. She hates her job.

And the drop-dead handsome, older news anchor has mistaken her for a woman 15 years older than she actually is.

Not the thing a woman who is about to turn 30 wants to hear.

Complicating her life are parents who want her to succeed at a career they chose for her (but she absolutely loathes). Her mother is constantly bringing up Ellie's high-school friends who have gotten married or just had babies, always using those opportunities to needle her daughter into feeling guilty for still being single. Her best friend has just hooked up with an emotionally controlling loser.

Did I mention the drop-dead handsome, older news anchor who has mistaken her for a woman 15 years older than she actually is? I did? Well, Ellie is in for a surprise when Ted Langston, said nationally recognized news anchor, runs into her at Starbucks, on purpose!

Will wonders never cease?

Pushing 30 is a wonderfully refreshing trip down memory lane for those of us who have been in Ellie's shoes, in any capacity. Ms. Gaskill made me laugh at times, and get mad for Ellie's sake when it seemed the world was conspiring against her. All these things have made this story one of my all-time favorites. The heat level is actually semi-sweet, with the intimacy hinted at, but never actually described.

If you are looking for a funny, sometimes sarcastic, always interesting look at what it's like for a woman just beginning to get a hint of a taste of middle-age and what is to come, you need to read this book.

You can find out more about this fantastically talented author and peruse her booklist on her website - http://www.whitneygaskell.com/


Happy Reading!

STAR WARS ALLEGIANCE by Timothy Zahn

I started reading a YA Historical with Fantasy elements for this week's review. I'm working on Manic Knight in my own writing and it's YA Historical with Science Fiction elements. However, I couldn't get past the second page. The whiny Heroine resents her mother for not letting her do what she wants. This is such a worn-out cliche that I feel insulted on behalf of teenagers everywhere. Sure, some teens do whine and resent their mothers at least some of the time, but not all of them. I see this too often in YA lit.



I moved on to Timothy Zahn's latest release, Star Wars Allegiance. It takes place immediately after the distruction of the first Death Star. I consider it YA Science Fiction because three of the four most interesting characters are teenagers - Luke, Leia, and Mara Jade. Han's a few years older. As always, Timothy Zahn is a genius at telling a big story. I aspire to that skill level.



It is my opinion, however, that Mr. Zahn does best when he's not deliberately writing for or about young people. What I mean to say is his storytelling is more appealing to young people when he's not speaking to or about them.



I tried to read a Timothy Zahn novel which is specifically Young Adult, Dragon and Thief. I found it quite boring, probably because it's obviously just for boys.

Back to Allegiance. With the distruction of the Death Star, the Rebellion has become a force to be reckoned with and is trying to expand. Luke, Leia, and Han are all portrayed believably and consistantly with their established characters. Luke still has a crush on Leia because he doesn't realize she's his sister. Han's jealous of that but, of course, won't admit it to himself.
:o)

Mara Jade is where the story falls short. Mr. Zahn created the character for his awesome Thrawn Trilogy, which takes place after Return of the Jedi. In those novels, Mara is fantastic! However, in this one she is 18 years old and doesn't come across as Mara at age 18. Since she's the most interesting bad guy (she eventually turns good in the Thrawn Trilogy) this novel falls apart for me in every scene that doesn't include Luke, Leia, and Han.
:{

I know 18 year olds vary widely on their maturity level. Some are more mature than most 30 year olds I know. Like me, some don't mature until much later. I was 26 before I started feeling grown-up. Nevertheless, Mara doesn't ring true to character. Her only interesting scene was when she discovered Darth Vader was secretly researching a young rebel named Luke Skywalker.
;)

Conclusion: If you're a huge Star Wars fan or love Luke, Leia, and Han, this is worth the money. It's not the best one to recruit new readers into Science Fiction. Hand out Mr. Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy instead. I still consider him the best regular Science Fiction author ever.

Sunday's Oldies but Goodies...

Good Afternoon...

Sorry, but due to a mini family crisis, I will not have a book review for ya'll today.

I hope to have one for you in the next couple of days.

Later, all.

The Book Trailer...

...for Patricia Wood's debut novel, LOTTERY, can now be found at the bottom of this blog.

Battle of the Book Covers

Okay, I admit, this picture of Yul Brynner as Ramses is totally gratuitous.

I hope you'll forgive no book review this week. I'm totally fried from launching The Holy Bennu into Queryland and getting a request for a Full right off the bat. Meanwhile, I'm getting my littluns back on the Master Schedule and HH is working long hours. You know the drill. Anyway...

:o)

Linnea Sinclair blogged about her new book cover for Down Home Zombie Blues Monday at http://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/ and it got me thinking about the issue of book covers. Based on what I've learned, every author who stays in the business for long gets stuck with at least one book cover they hate. Except Jana Deleon. She's two for two. Well, I think she's two for two. I haven't actually asked her.

;)

Now, here's where I get analytical. I hope the authors will bear in mind I love them and their books. 'Kay? Alrighty...here's the old Down Home Zombie Blues. Good points? Jorie looks totally hot, just like Pat Benator, and she's packing heat. Not-So-Good Points? It's an irritating shade of red. I love red, but that shade of red is physically painful to look at. Oh, and the guy doesn't look like the hero at all.

Here's the new book cover.

Good Points? It's BLUE! I love blue. In fact, I've never met a shade of blue I didn't like. Cool spaceship. Not-So-Good Points? This novel has excellent potential for snaring the male readers and the female readers who are not into the Romance genre. The kissing couple on the front screams Romance and is similar to a myriad of others.

:]

My Conclusion: It would be great if the publisher took Jacqueline Lichtenberg's advice and released the novel in both covers. If they don't and you wouldn't be caught dead reading a Romance novel, order it on-line and hide it behind a copy of Sports Illustrated. I've read it and it's worth it. Trust me.
:o)

My favorite Susan Grant book covers. Okay, right off the top we've got Star King. I've never been impressed with the male chest, except when it comes to snuggling my husband. Show me some finely sculpted male buttocks, however, and I get whiplash. Nevertheless, this bad boy (he's actually good) looks Egyptian to me with those gold arm bands. I watched Yul Brenner as Pharoah Ramses in The Ten Commandments and never quite got over it.

Least Favorite. Doesn't match the story as I read it. Bummer. 'Cause it's a great story.

Now, compare this to Jana Deleon's debut novel, Rumble on the Bayou. Similar art concepts, but Jana's book was knock-down funny! I mean, good grief, the heroine finds a stoned alligator in a fat lady's swimming pool on Page One! The cover art matches up.

Michelle Moran's the new girl on the block and she got incredibly lucky with her cover art. Fits the novel perfectly and stands out on the bookstore shelf too.

This is the kind of Romance novel cover I love. And I still haven't even read My Invisible Husband by Sheila Goss. Why do I love it? The soft, tender covers convey the desire for true love in the story, the promise of love, and is soothing to my eyes. It reminds me of my own husband, tender, protective. Visually, it tells me this is a novel good for reading after a long, hard day at the dish sink and diaper table. (Psst, I'm a stay-at-home mom.)

I know book covers are supposed to entice a reader to pick the book off the shelf and buy it. More than that, the reader is being told what the story's about. If that story doesn't match up, the reader feels cheated. Now, a fantastic cover may entice a reader to buy off the shelf, but if the story does NOT match up she may never buy another novel by that author again.

:{

No wonder so much angst goes into getting it just right. And even so, readers are highly individual.

;)

Am I the only one who never got over Yul Brenner as Ramses?

On the bright side, my husband has nothing to worry about if he goes bald. I'll just sew him a kilt.

;)

Sunday's Oldies but Goodies...

Good Morning!
Today, the Sunday Oldie but Goodie is...

Divine Fire

by Melanie Jackson

Released February 2005

~

What would you do if you discovered one of history's most famous and beloved poet did not die as was originally believed, but was in fact alive and well and living in New York city?

~

Brice Ashton is a historical biographer, and her research often uncovers truths about her subjects no one had previously known. Her current biography on Lord Byron turned up quite a few unknown facts about the poet. An advance copy lands on the desk of Damien Ruthvan, New York literary critic, and noted historian in his own right. Intrigued by Brice's story, he invites the author to New York, with the tantalizing offer of setting the story of Lord Byon straight. He has possession of some of the poet's original papers, and he offers the opportunity to study them as an incentive.

~

Brice had always admired Damien's honesty critiquing others' work, but once in New York, Brice becomes enthralled with the person that is Damien. He seems to be an old soul, one who relates better to the words left behind by the poets, just as she does. Problem is, after spending time with Damien, she begins to suspect something that cannot possibly be true. Along with her growing attraction to Damien, she believes she has discovered that Damien and Lord Byron are one and the same.

~

Brice confronts Damien with what she has discovered, and when Damien does indeed admit to being the poet, he begins to weave the tale of how he came to be immortal, and the terrible price he pays for it. But the tale takes a more sinister turn when he explains how the doctor who saved him from a slow death from his epilepsy has become the hunter - tracking down others whom he had shown the way to immortality and killing them in a twisted bid to serve penance for a lifetime of immorality.

~

Damien and Brice must now fight for their lives, because the mad doctor has found Lord Byron, and he will stop at nothing to destroy what he now sees as abominations of nature - even if it means killing whoever gets in the way.

~

Ms. Jackson has skillfully woven a hypothetical "what-if" into a tale with substance and intrigue. The pace does not lag, and by the halfway point in this story, you will be emotionally invested in these two characters. The chemistry between Damien and Brice is intense from the beginning, and only deepens as the story progresses. The heat level is definitely sensual, but so well integrated into the story that it seems a natural part of the story, as well-written love scenes should seem. Overall, this book was a wonderfully well-written read that will have you wondering what happens next. (Which Ms. Jackson answers in the novel 'Divine Madness' - released Sept. 2006).

~

You can visit her website for a complete book list and other fun stuff at www.melaniejackson.com

~

Happy Reading!