by Andrea Lochen author of Imaginary Things (review coming soon!!)
What better time of year than Mother’s Day to showcase some of the most memorable fictional mothers in some of the best new novels? From loving, supportive mothers to complex, trailblazing mothers to selfish, vindictive mothers, this list has it all!
1) The Perfect Son by Barbara Claypole White (Lake Union, July 2015)
Ella Fitzwilliam, the mom in THE PERFECT SON, quit a successful career in jewelry design to be full-time parent, mental health coach, and advocate for her son, Harry, who has a soup of issues that include Tourette syndrome. She has devoted 17 years of her life to his therapy, to educating teachers, to being Harry’s emotional rock and giving him the confidence he needs to be Harry. Thanks to her, Harry is comfortable in his own skin, even when people stare. After Ella has a major heart attack in the opening chapter, her love for Harry tethers her to life. But as she recovers, she discovers the hardest parenting lesson of all: to let go.
2) Rodin’s Lover by Heather Webb (Plume, January 2015)
In RODIN’S LOVER, Camille’s mother, Louise Claudel, is spiteful, jealous, and disapproving of Camille’s pursuit to become a female sculptor in the 1880s. She also shows signs of mental illness. Because of this relationship, Camille struggles with all of her female relationships the rest of her life, and ultimately, to prove to her mother that she’s truly talented.
3) Imaginary Things by Andrea Lochen (Astor + Blue Editions, April 2015)
In IMAGINARY THINGS, young single mother Anna Jennings has a unique power that most parents only dream of—the ability to see her four-year-old son’s imagination come to life. But when David’s imaginary friends turn dark and threatening, Anna must learn the rules of this bizarre phenomenon, what his friends truly represent, and how best to protect him.
4) The Magician’s Lie by Greer Macallister (Sourcebooks, January 2015)
In THE MAGICIAN'S LIE, Arden's mother is remarkable both for what she does and what she doesn't do. As a young woman, she bears a child out of wedlock and runs away with her music teacher, never fearing the consequences. But later in life, her nerve fails her—just when her daughter needs her most.
5) Five Days Left by Julie Lawson Timmer (Putnam, 2014)
In FIVE DAYS LEFT, Mara Nichols is, in some ways, a typical mother: she loves her daughter fiercely, thinks about her constantly and goes to great lengths to balance her high-stress legal career with her daughter’s needs. But there are two ways in which Mara isn't typical at all. First, she adopted her daughter from India, making good on a lifelong promise to rescue a baby from the same orphanage where Mara herself lived decades ago. And second, when Mara is diagnosed with a fatal, incurable illness that will render her unable to walk, talk or even feed herself, she has to make the kind of parenting choice none of us wants to consider—would my child be better off if I were no longer alive?
6) House Broken by Sonja Yoerg (Penguin/NAL, January 2015)
In HOUSE BROKEN, Helen Riley has a habit of leaving her grown children to cope with her vodka-fueled disasters. She has her reasons, but they’re buried deep, and stem from secrets too painful to remember and, perhaps, too terrible to forgive.
7) You Were Meant for Me by Yona Zeldis McDonough (Penguin/NAL, 2014)
In YOU WERE MEANT FOR ME, having a baby is the furthest thing from Miranda Berenzweig’s mind. She’s newly single after a bad break up, and focused on her promotion at work, her friends and getting her life back on track. Then one frigid March night she finds a newborn infant in a NYC subway and even after taking the baby to the police, can’t get the baby out of her mind. At the suggestion of the family court judge assigned to the case, Miranda begins adoption proceedings. But her plans—as well as her hopes and dreams—are derailed when the baby’s biological father surfaces, wanting to claim his child. The way she handles this unforeseen turn of events is what makes Miranda a truly memorable mother.
8) The Far End of Happy by Kathryn Craft (Sourcebooks Landmark, May 2015)
In THE FAR END OF HAPPY, Ronnie has hung in there as long as she can during her husband's decline into depression, spending issues, and alcoholism and he will not accept her attempts to get him professional help. She is not a leaver, but can't bear for her sons to witness the further deterioration of the marriage. She determines to divorce—and on the day he has promised to move out, he instead arms himself, holes up inside a building on the property, and stands off against police. When late in the day the police ask Ronnie if she’ll appeal to him one last time over the bullhorn, she must decide: with the stakes so high, will she try one last time to save her husband’s life? Or will her need to protect her sons and her own growing sense of self win out?
9) Your Perfect Life by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke (Washington Square Press, 2014)
In YOUR PERFECT LIFE, long-time friends, Rachel and Casey wake up the morning after their twenty year high school reunion to discover they’ve switched bodies. Casey is single with no children before becoming an instant mom to Rachel’s two teenagers and baby. Despite her lack of experience as a parent, and her often comedic missteps with the baby in particular (think: diaper blow outs and sudden sleep deprivation) Casey’s fresh perspective on her new role helps her connect with each of the children in a very different way than Rachel. And when the oldest, Audrey, is almost date raped at her prom, it is Casey’s strength that she draws from an experience in her own past that ultimately pulls Audrey through. Although it is hard for Rachel to watch her best friend take care of Audrey when she so desperately wants to, she realizes that Casey can help her daughter in a way she can’t. And Casey discovers she might have what it takes to be a mom to her own children someday.
10) The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman (Bantam, 2013)
Elizabeth Bohlinger, the mother in THE LIFE LIST, is actually deceased. But she still has a big presence in her daughter's life—some may say too big! With heartfelt letters, Elizabeth guides her daughter, Brett, on a journey to complete the life list of wishes Brett made when she was just a teen. Like many mothers, Elizabeth has an uncanny ability to see into her daughter's heart, exposing buried desires Brett has long forgotten.
Andrea Lochen is a University of Michigan MFA graduate. Her first novel, The Repeat Year (Berkley, 2013), won a Hopwood Award for the Novel prior to its publication. She has served as fiction editor of The Madison Review and taught writing at the University of Michigan. She currently teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha, where she was recently awarded UW Colleges Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Her second novel, Imaginary Things (Astor + Blue Editions, 2015) is recently released and has garnered wonderful praise. With features on Barnes & Noble.com, Huffington Post, and Brit + Co., her work is being introduced to thousands of new readers. Andrea currently lives in Madison with her husband and daughter and is at work on her third novel. For more information visit www.andrealochen.com
Showing posts with label guest post. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guest post. Show all posts
Friday, May 8, 2015
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
The Unfeathered Bird by Katrina van Grouw
Today I have a guest post from my awesome cousin Maija!! This is a book I was offered for review and it looked really interesting but I knew Maija would have far more intelligent things to say about it than I.
:)
4 stars
This is a book for people who love birds, anatomy, and art, probably in that order. I have an amateur interest in all those subjects. Although I was very impressed by the artwork and fascinated by the skeletons and muscles arranged in natural poses, I was often frustrated by the fact that there were no illustrations of the whole feathered bird. I understand that the point of the book was to show the beauty of birds’ internal structure (and Katrina van Grouw does a wonderful job of this), but so many of the birds were unfamiliar to me that I found I needed to read while sitting next to a computer so I could plug the species names into a search engine and see a picture of the complete animal. The book is organized using Linnaeus’s original classifications, which is interesting and fits with the sepia-style drawings. I appreciated that the author also tells us the birds’ current classifications. The text held my attention and did not feel heavy-handed and difficult to follow. There were times when I wanted more information. Some of the birds were summarized so quickly that I again found myself consulting other sources to learn more. (You can look at this as a compliment—the author inspired me to do more reading.) I was also torn with my desire for the illustrations to function as diagrams with arrows pointing out the various features described in the text, but that would have interfered with the artistic elements of the drawings and that is probably why arrows were not used.
Overall, I think this book was designed with a very specific and small audience in mind. It does not have enough information in it to function as a reference book. It assumes that the reader has a basic knowledge about bird species and body parts, but you don’t need to be an expert. Like many coffee-table books, the contents are best suited to casual browsing. I do think that even small illustrations of the complete feathered birds to give the reader a reference point might have been helpful, especially in expanding the audience. However, I respect that they would have interfered with the artistic style of the work.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Guest Post and GIVEAWAY: EK Prescott
Please welcome author EK Prescott!!!
Metaphysics & Illusions in the Roaring
‘20s: EK Prescott on the Writing of The Ivy League Chronicles
Crafting
a story with paranormal elements from historical events was not as challenging
as one might think. In my new historical
mystery series The Ivy League Chronicles,
there are several continuing themes within each plot, one of which is
metaphysics. My goal in this series is to bring metaphysics and science
together. This was not difficult to place historically in the 1920s in that the
use of mystics was a common practice. In fact, the elitist, the character
setting of the book, always had a psychic at every event....if they were to be
considered anybody. Mystic Edgar Casey
and Helena Blavatsky, who created the Theosophical Society, as well as
witches/covens were common names and words during this time of American
history. So when creating an elitist day time TEA having a psychic at the party
was like putting on a glove. The metaphysical theme was easy to move forward
with the next goal – to explain the unexplainable events connecting the 2nd
Law of Thermodynamics, butterfly effect,
and chaos theory with the
movement of energy which takes several forms; from a sand anomaly to an
underground city which includes the Grand Ceremonial Chamber.
Another
theme which is a subset of metaphysic is the world of illusion. If I was back
in the classroom, I would love to have students find all the illusions in this
book and what part they play within the plot.
Deciding what is real and what is an illusion is a thread that evolves
within the development of the characters, the plot, and other themes - such as
true power. Are the events surrounding Maize's and Detective Professor Richard
Wikki’s investigation of the mysterious amulet true or part of an illusion
created by a shadow government? Are there layers of illusions as well as layers
of power in our world then and now?
In
fact, to highlight the metaphysical theme in the series The Ivy League Chronicles, a mystic travels with me on my
book tours (http://www.fivestarpublications.net/ivyleague/ivy_league_booktour). We offer a free psychic reading with any book purchase on
my book tours. I only bring the best! Hope to see you at one of the many events
we have planned this year in cities across the country!
-
EK Prescott, Ph.D.
ABOUT
The Ivy League Chronicles: 9 Squares
www.ivyleaguechronicles.com A former Scotland Yard detective, Richard Wikki, now a professor at
ABOUT THE AU
E.K. Prescott, Ph.D., has been an educator for 30 years, and has taught at the college level for the past 15 years. She spent many years as a high school English teacher, middle school principal, and national educational consultant.
Get Social with EK
Prescott!
- Facebook: ‘Like’ EK Prescott on https://www.facebook.com/EKPrescottWritesMystery
- Twitter: Follow EK Prescott on https://twitter.com/ekprescottwrite
GIVEAWAY!!!Comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of The Ivy League Chronicles: 9 Squares!! (US shipping addresses only please.)
Huge thanks to EK Prescott for telling us more about writing this book!!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Guest Post-- Lou Aronica
Hey Kids, Let’s Put on an Imprint!
We’ve all seen the classic old television episodes where a group of kids spontaneously decide to put on a show. This was such a common device in early TV that the phrase, “Hey kids, let’s put on a show” became part of the nomenclature. This was surely an invention of TV writers rather than a reflection of the culture. Did whole neighborhoods of kids ever just do this sort of thing? However, entirely surprisingly, I found myself doing a version of this last summer.
After six years of writing and rewriting, I’d finally finished Blue, a novel that meant the world to me. I’d published two earlier novels, both of which I’d been invested in writing, but this new novel was about things that mattered to me at a very deep level, had been inspired by some significant events in my life, and was filled with characters I’d grown terribly attached to. This book was so important to me that I decided that, rather than put Blue in the hands of another publisher, I would publish it myself. After all, I was hardly a novice at publishing. I’d spent twenty years at big New York houses, including stints as Deputy Publisher of Bantam, Publisher of Berkley, and Publisher of Avon, and in 2008 I’d started an independent publishing house, The Story Plant, with literary manager Peter Miller.
Having decided to go in this direction, I needed to figure out the right way to get the book into the market. The available self-publishing options were either too limited (setting up the book with one retailer) or too pricey (going with operations that required several upfront costs without giving the author enough of the back end). I decided to check in with an old friend at the major book distributor National Book Network to see if he’d be willing to distribute Blue. He got back to me quickly, but by the time he did, I’d already had an inspiration: hey, Lou, let’s put on an imprint! It dawned on me that if I were going to set up the architecture to publish my book, I could publish other books as well. I put out the call to some writers I admired, and the first publishing list began to take shape.
That’s how the Fiction Studio imprint happened. I expect to publish a dozen books in the imprint in 2011, and we’ll see what happens from there. At the very least, I hope to put on a good “show.”
Thanks, Lou, for dropping by!!
We’ve all seen the classic old television episodes where a group of kids spontaneously decide to put on a show. This was such a common device in early TV that the phrase, “Hey kids, let’s put on a show” became part of the nomenclature. This was surely an invention of TV writers rather than a reflection of the culture. Did whole neighborhoods of kids ever just do this sort of thing? However, entirely surprisingly, I found myself doing a version of this last summer.
After six years of writing and rewriting, I’d finally finished Blue, a novel that meant the world to me. I’d published two earlier novels, both of which I’d been invested in writing, but this new novel was about things that mattered to me at a very deep level, had been inspired by some significant events in my life, and was filled with characters I’d grown terribly attached to. This book was so important to me that I decided that, rather than put Blue in the hands of another publisher, I would publish it myself. After all, I was hardly a novice at publishing. I’d spent twenty years at big New York houses, including stints as Deputy Publisher of Bantam, Publisher of Berkley, and Publisher of Avon, and in 2008 I’d started an independent publishing house, The Story Plant, with literary manager Peter Miller.
Having decided to go in this direction, I needed to figure out the right way to get the book into the market. The available self-publishing options were either too limited (setting up the book with one retailer) or too pricey (going with operations that required several upfront costs without giving the author enough of the back end). I decided to check in with an old friend at the major book distributor National Book Network to see if he’d be willing to distribute Blue. He got back to me quickly, but by the time he did, I’d already had an inspiration: hey, Lou, let’s put on an imprint! It dawned on me that if I were going to set up the architecture to publish my book, I could publish other books as well. I put out the call to some writers I admired, and the first publishing list began to take shape.
That’s how the Fiction Studio imprint happened. I expect to publish a dozen books in the imprint in 2011, and we’ll see what happens from there. At the very least, I hope to put on a good “show.”
Thanks, Lou, for dropping by!!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Guest Post-- Stephanie Vlahov!!
The active creative child is a prime candidate for an alternative school experience. When this book was published five years ago, we as a nation were in an educational fiscal crisis.. Fast forward to 2010, and it is much worse. The financial pressures on our public schools (and political /union expenditure-but that is the topic for another book) is greatly impacting how our kids are taught. “Teaching to the test” is rampant in the rat-race for great scores and the accompanying funding. Compliance and conformity add to an atmosphere where rote memorization is praised. The squirmy kid in the corner who wants to act out his book report instead of efficiently spitting out a report is oftentimes a nuisance. Teachers love him-but “Gee, there is no time..”
The active creative child receives a lot of negative comments merely because he is well, active. He is alternately praised and punished for his precocious ways. It is imperative that he be able to wrap his creativity into an academic environ. A teacher who embraces innovation and enthusiasm is essential. If home-schooled, there needs to be an element of cooperative work between this child and others. Because the active creative child is additionally praised by many for his innovative and creative output, he can become narcissistic in possession of a gargantuan ego. Stressing to him that we all need to cooperate and conform to rules in most settings is important-because oftentimes he is wrapped up in his personal flights of fancy.
Thanks, Stephanie!!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Guest Post-- Stephen V. Masse!
The second year out of college, I wrote my third novel.
I remember in digital clarity cranking that last page out of the electric typewriter, salivating over the recognition and financial stability I would soon have. The conventional wisdom at the time was to send the book to one publisher at a time, wait for a response, and if the work is returned, then send to another. Yah, right.
For years I followed the general rules while continuing to write other novels. I got really good at playing book traffic controller between the U. S. Post Office and every publisher in the country, starting with the big guys and working my way down to the smallest art houses. My cover letters to many well-known editors at several publishing houses were answered personally, though negatively. I saved money from my day job to pay for assessments of my writing, and also began to peddle the books around to literary agencies, with the same negative results.
Whoever said, “Do what you love and the money will follow,” never talked to a writer. Here I was after a decade or so of writing like a madman, and the only signings I was doing was when I signed my name on a customer’s wall: “Paint & wallpaper by Steve Masse, almost starving writer (date).”
Now fast-forward to 21st century. Imagine persisting like this for over thirty years. Frustrating just doesn’t begin to describe it! And well-meaning friends tell you that you must be doing something wrong, or you should try writing about (*fill in the blank), or my personal favorite, “you’re not ready for success.” Then imagine finally getting that book published, and within six months winning a literary award and getting a second contract for an electronic edition.
True story. Thirty-odd years.
Lesson learned: Do what you love, get your money some other way.
Lesson 2: You’ll probably have time for both.
About the author:
Stephen V. Masse was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Educated at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, he studied creative writing and historical biography, and was the author of a weekly column, "Out of Control." His first novel, Shadow Stealer, was published by Dillon Press in 1988. When not writing, he restores and renovates homes in the Boston area, and serves as an ambassador each year in the Santa Claus Anonymous fundraising benefit. You can visit his website at http://www.ajollygoodfellowthebook.com/. You can also learn more about him at http://www.stephenvmasse.com/.
"You're not ready for success"?! Oh no! That's terrible!
Thanks for dropping by!!
I remember in digital clarity cranking that last page out of the electric typewriter, salivating over the recognition and financial stability I would soon have. The conventional wisdom at the time was to send the book to one publisher at a time, wait for a response, and if the work is returned, then send to another. Yah, right.
For years I followed the general rules while continuing to write other novels. I got really good at playing book traffic controller between the U. S. Post Office and every publisher in the country, starting with the big guys and working my way down to the smallest art houses. My cover letters to many well-known editors at several publishing houses were answered personally, though negatively. I saved money from my day job to pay for assessments of my writing, and also began to peddle the books around to literary agencies, with the same negative results.
Whoever said, “Do what you love and the money will follow,” never talked to a writer. Here I was after a decade or so of writing like a madman, and the only signings I was doing was when I signed my name on a customer’s wall: “Paint & wallpaper by Steve Masse, almost starving writer (date).”
Now fast-forward to 21st century. Imagine persisting like this for over thirty years. Frustrating just doesn’t begin to describe it! And well-meaning friends tell you that you must be doing something wrong, or you should try writing about (*fill in the blank), or my personal favorite, “you’re not ready for success.” Then imagine finally getting that book published, and within six months winning a literary award and getting a second contract for an electronic edition.
True story. Thirty-odd years.
Lesson learned: Do what you love, get your money some other way.
Lesson 2: You’ll probably have time for both.
About the author:
Stephen V. Masse was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Educated at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, he studied creative writing and historical biography, and was the author of a weekly column, "Out of Control." His first novel, Shadow Stealer, was published by Dillon Press in 1988. When not writing, he restores and renovates homes in the Boston area, and serves as an ambassador each year in the Santa Claus Anonymous fundraising benefit. You can visit his website at http://www.ajollygoodfellowthebook.com/. You can also learn more about him at http://www.stephenvmasse.com/.
"You're not ready for success"?! Oh no! That's terrible!
Thanks for dropping by!!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Guest Post-- Marshall Chamberlain
I thank Britt for inviting me to write this guest-post as part of introducing The Mountain Place of Knowledge, Book I in my Ancestor Series of adventure-thrillers. In order for readers to get a feel for me, I’m going to say a little bit about my background, how I came to be an author, what “The Mountain” and Book II, The Ice Cap and the Rift, are about, what I’m writing now, and offer short answers to several questions I’ve been recently asked by readers and writers.
SO, ABOUT ME AND HOW I BECAME AN AUTHOR:
Way before taking up the pen, I received graduate degrees from Michigan State University and The American Graduate School of International Management, served as an officer in the USMC, and spent many years in investment banking and finance. Today I live and write on Estero Island, better known as Fort Myers Beach, in an apartment near the water I refer to as “The Writing Rock.” Believe me, it was never my intent to write fiction books. I had dabbled with a novel in my late twenties, and during my career in investment banking I put together many business documents and published several metaphysical articles. But on August 14th, 1998, anchored and living aboard my thirty-foot sailboat, The Shard, in the back-bay off Fort Myers Beach, my habit was to dingy in, get in my car and go about my business. On that day I sat reading in the Fort Myers Beach Public Library when a story involuntarily began surfacing, and it spewed from my pen as fast as I could write. In a year and a half’s time the first draft of the four-book Ancestor Series materialized. Since then, it has been a long road to learning how to effectively edit and enrich a story, and prepare and guide a completed manuscript through the publishing and promotion processes. Along the way I found the need and time to author and publish the trade paperback, Creative Self-Publishing in the World Marketplace.
NOW THE BOOKS:
Although I’ve labeled the books in the Ancestor Series adventure-thrillers, they would fit well in one or more of the other thriller sub-genres: action, suspense or mystery.. BOOK I, The Mountain Place of Knowledge, centers on discovery of a mysterious place of knowledge created by “The Ancestors” 180,000 years ago and located inside a mountaintop in Belize. The plot focuses on two feisty scientists, unable or unwilling to acknowledge they care for each other, who are recruited to investigate the mysterious death of a UN administrator vacationing in Belize. The unfolding adventure turns perilous with the discovery of an ancient Mayan codex, describing the secret entrance to a mountain and unfathomable wonders inside. The two stalwart characters are forced to deal with the encroaching interests of the CIA, a local museum curator afflicted with a case of avarice, and a strange Indian monk sent to assist them. A small force of NATO troops is sent to provide security at the mountain site; a covert attack is feared from major powers intent at any cost to gain possession of what lies inside the mountain.
In BOOK II of the Ancestor Series, The Ice Cap and the Rift: A comboquake rakes the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. A fifteen-mile rift rips open across an Icelandic ice cap, dissecting a huge cavern holding mysterious ancient technology. A UN scientific expedition discovers the cave was occupied 180,000 years ago and contains a perfectly-preserved high-tech habitat and an inter-planetary traveling machine. Deceit and violence manifest as nations and terrorist groups ferret out the existence of the discoveries and mount operations to seize control of the ancient treasures. Lives are expendable in frantic action across oceans and air-lanes, from Iceland to the US, Libya, France, Spain and China.
The STORIES IN THE ANCESTOR SERIES contain scatterings of plausible technological gadgetry, are sprinkled with eastern metaphysical philosophy, and run for readers like raging rivers. Themes of the existence of mythical ancient races, adventure in strange inhospitable environments, discovery of arcane ancient technology and instruments of immense power, encounter with various forms of evil and heedless slaughter, and attraction and growth of a young man and woman sharing experiences of hazardous sojourns are ageless attractions for avid thriller readers. I’ve attempted to make the stories riveting, the characters captivating and real, and to stir the strings of excitement by luring readers into a personal sense of presence in the adventures and their mysteries.
WHAT I’M WRITING NOW:
After returning home to the “Writing Rock” on Fort Myers Beach in July of 2008 from a great conference in New York City called ThrillerFest 2008, I decided to apply my efforts to a new book I’d been taking notes on since 1999. Several authors at the conference liked the “what if” I’d developed to describe the heart of the proposed book, motivating me to put my half completed Book III in the Ancestor Series away for a while. The new book is entitled The Apothecary. It’s about a demented scientist disappearing from a DOD top-secret project along with an inventory of proprietary hi-tech nanites. Eluding his trackers, he produces a line of designer drugs for the Mafia and gains the interest of the North Koreans in the development of the ultimate soldier. When the DOD learns the scientist’s nanite replication process could easily run out of control and lead to a catastrophic event, his capture and containment become a major national security issue.
SOME QUESTIONS I’VE BEEN ASKED LATELY:
Often I’m asked about my favorite books and movies, especially ones that inspired my writing. To boil it down, I learned the most about plot development, concise writing, twists and turns, and character development by reading books in the thriller genre by authors Michael Crichton, Lincoln Childs and Douglas Preston. Outside the genre I favor James Patterson, Patricia Cornwall and Greg Isles, especially for their character development. And then there’s Faldo on Golf —sorry that just slipped in. For movies I like action and intense drama, unique stories that hold my attention and don’t rely heavily on just gory or spectacular special effects. Recent notables that come to mind are Avatar, Blade Runner, Braveheart, Jurassic Park series, Star Wars series, Terminator series, Minority Report, Man on Fire, Paycheck, Predator, Gladiator, The Kingdom, and alas and of course all of James Bond.
After checking out my Facebook profile, several curious readers wanted to know something about the “Writing Rock.” Well, it’s a generic name I’ve given to where I do most of my writing, i.e. Estero Island, better known as Fort Myers Beach, Florida. The name derives from my sense of the island as a place of power; the Seminole Indians were possessors of the land for hundreds of years. I’ll also offer this: During my years of searching for meaning I have become sensitive to “loose spots” in the fabric of reality, power spots that facilitate and foster contemplative clarity and spontaneous imagination. I am at great peace living in such an island environment.
Some readers have asked me if the Ancestor Series is part sci-fi, and if the books were influenced by the Raiders of the Lost Ark books and movies, and why I choose Belize as the setting for Book I, The Mountain Place of Knowledge.To answer, all the books are indeed part sci-fi but within plausible reality — in other words not at all far out, and they were not influenced by any other books unless my subconscious has an agenda beyond my understanding, which I’m sure has to be the case — but which leaves me unaccountable. As far as Belize is concerned as the setting for Book I, it came about from some of the first story pouring out so long ago and that I later cut from the manuscript; the beginning of the first draft of Book I was originally about Myakka, a young girl on her path to becoming a powerful sorceress. I got the name from a river in Southwest Florida. The name sounded Mayan, so I set the first book in Belize because 600 years ago the area supported several powerful city-states.
I hope readers here will enjoy the Ancestor Series books and periodically check at my website on how The Apothecary is coming along. I look forward to any feedback — always looking to sharpen my skills to better entertain avid readers. The following links should help you searching for more info:
My Facebook Page, “Marshall Chamberlain Writes:”
My Website “Weekly E-book Gift” on the Home Page
My Website “Sample Content” Page with Book-trailers and Sample Chapters
Purchase E-books in Multiple Reading-device Formats at Smashword.com:
Book I in the Ancestor Series, The Mountain Place of Knowledge
Book II in the Ancestor Series, The Ice Cap and the Rift
YouTube.com for Book-trailer Videos
Contact Me, Marshall Chamberlain: mailto:author@gracepublishing.org
Cheers to All,
Marshall
Thanks so much for stopping by!!
SO, ABOUT ME AND HOW I BECAME AN AUTHOR:
Way before taking up the pen, I received graduate degrees from Michigan State University and The American Graduate School of International Management, served as an officer in the USMC, and spent many years in investment banking and finance. Today I live and write on Estero Island, better known as Fort Myers Beach, in an apartment near the water I refer to as “The Writing Rock.” Believe me, it was never my intent to write fiction books. I had dabbled with a novel in my late twenties, and during my career in investment banking I put together many business documents and published several metaphysical articles. But on August 14th, 1998, anchored and living aboard my thirty-foot sailboat, The Shard, in the back-bay off Fort Myers Beach, my habit was to dingy in, get in my car and go about my business. On that day I sat reading in the Fort Myers Beach Public Library when a story involuntarily began surfacing, and it spewed from my pen as fast as I could write. In a year and a half’s time the first draft of the four-book Ancestor Series materialized. Since then, it has been a long road to learning how to effectively edit and enrich a story, and prepare and guide a completed manuscript through the publishing and promotion processes. Along the way I found the need and time to author and publish the trade paperback, Creative Self-Publishing in the World Marketplace.
NOW THE BOOKS:
Although I’ve labeled the books in the Ancestor Series adventure-thrillers, they would fit well in one or more of the other thriller sub-genres: action, suspense or mystery.. BOOK I, The Mountain Place of Knowledge, centers on discovery of a mysterious place of knowledge created by “The Ancestors” 180,000 years ago and located inside a mountaintop in Belize. The plot focuses on two feisty scientists, unable or unwilling to acknowledge they care for each other, who are recruited to investigate the mysterious death of a UN administrator vacationing in Belize. The unfolding adventure turns perilous with the discovery of an ancient Mayan codex, describing the secret entrance to a mountain and unfathomable wonders inside. The two stalwart characters are forced to deal with the encroaching interests of the CIA, a local museum curator afflicted with a case of avarice, and a strange Indian monk sent to assist them. A small force of NATO troops is sent to provide security at the mountain site; a covert attack is feared from major powers intent at any cost to gain possession of what lies inside the mountain.
In BOOK II of the Ancestor Series, The Ice Cap and the Rift: A comboquake rakes the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. A fifteen-mile rift rips open across an Icelandic ice cap, dissecting a huge cavern holding mysterious ancient technology. A UN scientific expedition discovers the cave was occupied 180,000 years ago and contains a perfectly-preserved high-tech habitat and an inter-planetary traveling machine. Deceit and violence manifest as nations and terrorist groups ferret out the existence of the discoveries and mount operations to seize control of the ancient treasures. Lives are expendable in frantic action across oceans and air-lanes, from Iceland to the US, Libya, France, Spain and China.
The STORIES IN THE ANCESTOR SERIES contain scatterings of plausible technological gadgetry, are sprinkled with eastern metaphysical philosophy, and run for readers like raging rivers. Themes of the existence of mythical ancient races, adventure in strange inhospitable environments, discovery of arcane ancient technology and instruments of immense power, encounter with various forms of evil and heedless slaughter, and attraction and growth of a young man and woman sharing experiences of hazardous sojourns are ageless attractions for avid thriller readers. I’ve attempted to make the stories riveting, the characters captivating and real, and to stir the strings of excitement by luring readers into a personal sense of presence in the adventures and their mysteries.
WHAT I’M WRITING NOW:
After returning home to the “Writing Rock” on Fort Myers Beach in July of 2008 from a great conference in New York City called ThrillerFest 2008, I decided to apply my efforts to a new book I’d been taking notes on since 1999. Several authors at the conference liked the “what if” I’d developed to describe the heart of the proposed book, motivating me to put my half completed Book III in the Ancestor Series away for a while. The new book is entitled The Apothecary. It’s about a demented scientist disappearing from a DOD top-secret project along with an inventory of proprietary hi-tech nanites. Eluding his trackers, he produces a line of designer drugs for the Mafia and gains the interest of the North Koreans in the development of the ultimate soldier. When the DOD learns the scientist’s nanite replication process could easily run out of control and lead to a catastrophic event, his capture and containment become a major national security issue.
SOME QUESTIONS I’VE BEEN ASKED LATELY:
Often I’m asked about my favorite books and movies, especially ones that inspired my writing. To boil it down, I learned the most about plot development, concise writing, twists and turns, and character development by reading books in the thriller genre by authors Michael Crichton, Lincoln Childs and Douglas Preston. Outside the genre I favor James Patterson, Patricia Cornwall and Greg Isles, especially for their character development. And then there’s Faldo on Golf —sorry that just slipped in. For movies I like action and intense drama, unique stories that hold my attention and don’t rely heavily on just gory or spectacular special effects. Recent notables that come to mind are Avatar, Blade Runner, Braveheart, Jurassic Park series, Star Wars series, Terminator series, Minority Report, Man on Fire, Paycheck, Predator, Gladiator, The Kingdom, and alas and of course all of James Bond.
After checking out my Facebook profile, several curious readers wanted to know something about the “Writing Rock.” Well, it’s a generic name I’ve given to where I do most of my writing, i.e. Estero Island, better known as Fort Myers Beach, Florida. The name derives from my sense of the island as a place of power; the Seminole Indians were possessors of the land for hundreds of years. I’ll also offer this: During my years of searching for meaning I have become sensitive to “loose spots” in the fabric of reality, power spots that facilitate and foster contemplative clarity and spontaneous imagination. I am at great peace living in such an island environment.
Some readers have asked me if the Ancestor Series is part sci-fi, and if the books were influenced by the Raiders of the Lost Ark books and movies, and why I choose Belize as the setting for Book I, The Mountain Place of Knowledge.To answer, all the books are indeed part sci-fi but within plausible reality — in other words not at all far out, and they were not influenced by any other books unless my subconscious has an agenda beyond my understanding, which I’m sure has to be the case — but which leaves me unaccountable. As far as Belize is concerned as the setting for Book I, it came about from some of the first story pouring out so long ago and that I later cut from the manuscript; the beginning of the first draft of Book I was originally about Myakka, a young girl on her path to becoming a powerful sorceress. I got the name from a river in Southwest Florida. The name sounded Mayan, so I set the first book in Belize because 600 years ago the area supported several powerful city-states.
I hope readers here will enjoy the Ancestor Series books and periodically check at my website on how The Apothecary is coming along. I look forward to any feedback — always looking to sharpen my skills to better entertain avid readers. The following links should help you searching for more info:
My Facebook Page, “Marshall Chamberlain Writes:”
My Website “Weekly E-book Gift” on the Home Page
My Website “Sample Content” Page with Book-trailers and Sample Chapters
Purchase E-books in Multiple Reading-device Formats at Smashword.com:
Book I in the Ancestor Series, The Mountain Place of Knowledge
Book II in the Ancestor Series, The Ice Cap and the Rift
YouTube.com for Book-trailer Videos
Contact Me, Marshall Chamberlain: mailto:author@gracepublishing.org
Cheers to All,
Marshall
Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Guest Post-- James Boyle
Notes to a Newbie
For those just beginning their writing career, or contemplating embarking on one, please accept a few humble words of advice.
First, if you want to be a writer, write. Hemingway said it best when someone asked him how they could be a writer: “Go somewhere and write.” So, go somewhere and write. Write every day. Set yourself a goal, say 1000 words, and write those 1000 words. Every day. The object is to write enough, often enough, that the mechanics of building sentences and paragraphs become second nature. You write your 1000 words a day for the same reason a musician plays scales, or an artist sketches. Practice.
Second, write what you know. This has almost become cliché, but it is often misinterpreted. This does not mean that if you're a high school student in Peoria, you can't write about commercial fishermen in Denmark, though that might be difficult. What it means is if you're a big fan of western fiction and have read every Louis Lamour and Zane Grey novel ever written, don't try to write an Agatha Christie style cozy mystery. You know the conventions, the rules, of western fiction. You know what works and what doesn't. Write a western. Write what you know.
Third, read. Read, read, read. Read everything you can get your hands on. Read fiction in your genre and out; read poetry; read history and philosophy; read the back of cereal boxes. Read like a writer. Watch how other writers put their sentences and paragraphs together. See how they handle dialogue and description. Notice what works well and why. Notice what doesn't and why. Every published writer is a teacher. Learn from them.
But mostly write and don't let anybody tell you you're wasting your time. You aren't.
Thanks so much for dropping by!! (I especially love that last line!)
For those just beginning their writing career, or contemplating embarking on one, please accept a few humble words of advice.
First, if you want to be a writer, write. Hemingway said it best when someone asked him how they could be a writer: “Go somewhere and write.” So, go somewhere and write. Write every day. Set yourself a goal, say 1000 words, and write those 1000 words. Every day. The object is to write enough, often enough, that the mechanics of building sentences and paragraphs become second nature. You write your 1000 words a day for the same reason a musician plays scales, or an artist sketches. Practice.
Second, write what you know. This has almost become cliché, but it is often misinterpreted. This does not mean that if you're a high school student in Peoria, you can't write about commercial fishermen in Denmark, though that might be difficult. What it means is if you're a big fan of western fiction and have read every Louis Lamour and Zane Grey novel ever written, don't try to write an Agatha Christie style cozy mystery. You know the conventions, the rules, of western fiction. You know what works and what doesn't. Write a western. Write what you know.
Third, read. Read, read, read. Read everything you can get your hands on. Read fiction in your genre and out; read poetry; read history and philosophy; read the back of cereal boxes. Read like a writer. Watch how other writers put their sentences and paragraphs together. See how they handle dialogue and description. Notice what works well and why. Notice what doesn't and why. Every published writer is a teacher. Learn from them.
But mostly write and don't let anybody tell you you're wasting your time. You aren't.
Thanks so much for dropping by!! (I especially love that last line!)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Guest Post-- Barry Pollack!!
In writing FORTY-EIGHT X, I wanted not only to entertain readers with a contemporary science fiction thriller but also hoped to foster debate again about the theory of eugenics. Eugenics is a scientific theory formulated by Francis Galton (Charles Darwin's cousin) in the late 19th century. It is the theory that our preeminent traits are almost entirely due to heredity. Eugenics also proposes that the human gene pool cannot only be altered by lengthy process of evolution but by man’s self involvement as well. Galton's theory emphasized that it was predominantly good breeding that allowed one to succeed in life, that nature was more important than nurture. The wealthy titled classes of that era certainly accepted that premise but it was an intolerable theory for most other people to accept since it relegated the masses of the world’s poor to a lifetime of lower class life with little chance of rising up.
Eugenics as a scientific theory therefore fell by the wayside and got a further bad rap in the 1920’s-40’s with forced sterilization of the “mentally deficient” in the United States and then Hitler’s horrific extermination of what he described as inferior races.
Eugenics took another turn in the 1970’s when Robert Graham, a eugenicist and entrepreneur, aimed to improve the species by creating a genius sperm bank, what he called his Repository of Germinal Choice, a sperm bank for Nobel Prize winners. That project also became controversial because one prominent donor to Graham’s sperm bank was William Shockley, a Nobel winner, who was derided for his views that there were inferior races, such as blacks. But unlike in decades passed, Graham perceived eugenics not as a plan to rid the world of inferior people but rather to breed better ones.
The belief that “nature is more important than nurture…. Doesn’t mean people have to be blessed or cursed by their genes – just that adjustments needed to be made.” (Forty-Eight X, page 48)
Does eugenics deserve a comeback? In today’s contest between nature and nurture, has nurture won? Why is it okay to use our limited resources to preserve and reward the least productive among us and less popular to use those resources to promote our very best? For example, American schools spend more than $8 billion a year educating the mentally deficient. Spending on the gifted isn't even tabulated in some states, but by the most generous calculation, we spend no more than $800 million on gifted programs. Does it make sense to spend 10 times as much to “nurture” those with the least potential among us than those with the greatest? Certainly no one today would fall into the trap of labeling inferior genes as malignant and worthy of destroying, like Hitler. But is it wrong to seek genetic enhancement? While we might fault the frivolous use of genetic engineering – to alter our children’s eye color, height, or color – might it not be worthwhile to engineer smarter and healthier people?
Today, we are able to manipulate genes. We’re busy doing it for disease prevention. But we could manipulate genes for other purposes, breeding preferences such as male or female, intelligence, body shape. With that capability come ethical quandaries. Are we playing god? Will manipulation of the human genome mean we can reach our higher potentials or will it pose darker risks allowing us to fall prey to our baser instincts?
I know I don't feel qualified to answer any of those questions! It certainly makes me think! What do YOU think??
Thanks to Barry Pollack for stopping by!! :D
Eugenics as a scientific theory therefore fell by the wayside and got a further bad rap in the 1920’s-40’s with forced sterilization of the “mentally deficient” in the United States and then Hitler’s horrific extermination of what he described as inferior races.
Eugenics took another turn in the 1970’s when Robert Graham, a eugenicist and entrepreneur, aimed to improve the species by creating a genius sperm bank, what he called his Repository of Germinal Choice, a sperm bank for Nobel Prize winners. That project also became controversial because one prominent donor to Graham’s sperm bank was William Shockley, a Nobel winner, who was derided for his views that there were inferior races, such as blacks. But unlike in decades passed, Graham perceived eugenics not as a plan to rid the world of inferior people but rather to breed better ones.
The belief that “nature is more important than nurture…. Doesn’t mean people have to be blessed or cursed by their genes – just that adjustments needed to be made.” (Forty-Eight X, page 48)
Does eugenics deserve a comeback? In today’s contest between nature and nurture, has nurture won? Why is it okay to use our limited resources to preserve and reward the least productive among us and less popular to use those resources to promote our very best? For example, American schools spend more than $8 billion a year educating the mentally deficient. Spending on the gifted isn't even tabulated in some states, but by the most generous calculation, we spend no more than $800 million on gifted programs. Does it make sense to spend 10 times as much to “nurture” those with the least potential among us than those with the greatest? Certainly no one today would fall into the trap of labeling inferior genes as malignant and worthy of destroying, like Hitler. But is it wrong to seek genetic enhancement? While we might fault the frivolous use of genetic engineering – to alter our children’s eye color, height, or color – might it not be worthwhile to engineer smarter and healthier people?
Today, we are able to manipulate genes. We’re busy doing it for disease prevention. But we could manipulate genes for other purposes, breeding preferences such as male or female, intelligence, body shape. With that capability come ethical quandaries. Are we playing god? Will manipulation of the human genome mean we can reach our higher potentials or will it pose darker risks allowing us to fall prey to our baser instincts?
I know I don't feel qualified to answer any of those questions! It certainly makes me think! What do YOU think??
Thanks to Barry Pollack for stopping by!! :D
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Guest Post-- Josi S. Kilpack!
Like many readers, and writers, I have a few key books that stand out above others. As I reflect on what those books were for me, it’s interesting to see how they relate to the journey I’ve taken from reluctant reader to writing novels of my own.
GARFIELD, by Jon Davis: As a child, my mom took us to the library as religiously as she took us to church (that would be weekly :-) She was a voracious reader and she, of course, encouraged us to love books as well. Alas, I did not love books. There was always something better to do. To pacify her, however, I checked out Garfield. They were the only books I was interested in, at least until The Far Side started publishing comic books as well. Certainly, the literary value of these books were minimal, however, I enjoyed them and I think that enjoyment was a key point in my personal development.
THE DANGEROUS YEAR, by Era Zistel: In the third grade I found this book on the shelves of the school library. I still had no interest in books but we had to check something out. I believe this was the last book on the fiction shelf and it had skunks on the cover. I didn’t like to read anything, but if I had to read, I preferred to read about animals due to the fact that people were so uninteresting. The Dangerous Year was about a family of skunks, most of whom get killed off over the course of a year, hence the title of the book. I really liked the story so I checked it out nearly every week for 3rd and 4th grade. This was an important part of my journey because it was the first book I ever loved. It didn’t cross my mind that I might love other books as well, but it was a good start.
THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND, Elizabeth George Speare: In 7th grade I put off a book report until the night before it was due. I didn’t like books, and I thought all the stuff the teacher wanted us to write about was stupid. Symbolism, characterization, story arc meant nothing to me, but my parents were teachers and I couldn't get zeros. At home, after failing to get my mom to help me by using the book she was currently reading, she handed me a copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond and assured me I would not only like it but that I would be able to read it that afternoon and turn the book report in the next day. I thought she was a danged liar, but I had no other options so I pouted to my room and accepted the miserable experience ahead of me. Well, it turned out my mom was right—I did read it and I did like it. Beyond that, I realized that a book could completely capture me, if I let it. This was a pinnacle day for me and broke me out of my determination not to like reading—other than a few select books here and there—and showed me that through a good story I could be transported. I finally understood why my mom read so much. I finally understood what it meant to become part of the story.
HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD NOVEL, by James Frey: Fast forward a decade and I’d read thousands of books. I was as voracious as my mother was and we had hot dogs for dinner a lot because I needed to read just one more chapter. During a difficult pregnancy I started writing what I thought would be a short story while on bed rest. I had played around with another story a few years earlier, but never thought about publishing it. I didn’t think about publishing this one either until friends encouraged me to do so and I decided why not. I mean, I wrote a BOOK, that must mean I’m some kind of genius, right? It was inspired, it was perfect, it was my way of blessing the whole world with my brilliance! Or not. After a few rejections I realized there was more to publishing a book than simply writing the story. So I went to the library looking for books on writing. I found Frey’s book and was amazed at how much I didn’t know I didn’t know. This book led to other books on writing which provided my education on how to write a book. I’d been learning about structure and characters for years through the books I read, but now I knew how to do it myself. I used the skills I learned and rewrote my book. A year and a half later, it was published.
HARRY POTTER, by J.K. Rowling: I heard about the series for years before I picked it up. It was a kid’s book, and I didn’t read kid’s books, not even when I was a kid myself. I was happy for Rowling’s success, but it did not grab my attention until a friend of mine, who also didn’t read kid’s books, told me how good it was. I decided to give it a try, but bought the paper book version for $7 so I didn’t invest too much in something I was still pretty sure held little interest in me. I finished the first book in a day, and by the end of the week had spent $80 on the next four books in the series. I couldn’t believe I liked it so much, so I dissected the story, the characters, and the setting in my head, focusing on those things that stood out to me. In the process I found flaws in the story and the writing (as always happens when you’re reading critically) and yet, overall, I still loved the books. This was an important day for me because I realized how much I had learned to the point where I could critique someone else's work. Being able to critique someone else meant I could critique myself. My writing improved because of this, and I waited in line for every other book in the series as soon as it came out.
LEMON TART, by Josi Kilpack: I realize it’s very arrogant for me to use my own book, but I can’t give a fair view of my lifetime relationship with books and leave this one out. It was the first book in my Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series, but wasn’t written with that intention. I wrote the first chapter for a contest I didn’t win, but I loved the story. I loved Sadie and after writing several books in my faith based market, I was ready to try my hand at a mainstream novel. I worked on it for a few years before presenting it to my publisher. I wasn’t sure they would want it, seeing as how it was so different than my other books, but they loved it and I realized I was entering a whole new level of writing, promotion, and overall storytelling. I’d become comfortable where I was, but suddenly there was a whole new world of writing for me to explore.
DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE, by Josi Kilpack: Okay, not I’m really coming across as arrogant. Sheesh. But, the fact is that this book was a big deal in terms of my journey. Lemon Tart had done really well, as had the second book in the series, but Devil’s Food Cake amplified the series into an actual SERIES. Suddenly, it seemed more real and with the great reviews of the earlier books my confidence in the future books grew even more.
And so, here I am three books into an eight book series and working hard every day to rise to the challenge of it all. I’m also a mom of four kids and encourage them to not just read, but to read what they love in hopes that whatever their journey may be, they might find books to be a worthy companion, helpmate, and vacation as they go.
Thanks so much, Josi, for stopping by to "talk" with us!!
GARFIELD, by Jon Davis: As a child, my mom took us to the library as religiously as she took us to church (that would be weekly :-) She was a voracious reader and she, of course, encouraged us to love books as well. Alas, I did not love books. There was always something better to do. To pacify her, however, I checked out Garfield. They were the only books I was interested in, at least until The Far Side started publishing comic books as well. Certainly, the literary value of these books were minimal, however, I enjoyed them and I think that enjoyment was a key point in my personal development.
THE DANGEROUS YEAR, by Era Zistel: In the third grade I found this book on the shelves of the school library. I still had no interest in books but we had to check something out. I believe this was the last book on the fiction shelf and it had skunks on the cover. I didn’t like to read anything, but if I had to read, I preferred to read about animals due to the fact that people were so uninteresting. The Dangerous Year was about a family of skunks, most of whom get killed off over the course of a year, hence the title of the book. I really liked the story so I checked it out nearly every week for 3rd and 4th grade. This was an important part of my journey because it was the first book I ever loved. It didn’t cross my mind that I might love other books as well, but it was a good start.
THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND, Elizabeth George Speare: In 7th grade I put off a book report until the night before it was due. I didn’t like books, and I thought all the stuff the teacher wanted us to write about was stupid. Symbolism, characterization, story arc meant nothing to me, but my parents were teachers and I couldn't get zeros. At home, after failing to get my mom to help me by using the book she was currently reading, she handed me a copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond and assured me I would not only like it but that I would be able to read it that afternoon and turn the book report in the next day. I thought she was a danged liar, but I had no other options so I pouted to my room and accepted the miserable experience ahead of me. Well, it turned out my mom was right—I did read it and I did like it. Beyond that, I realized that a book could completely capture me, if I let it. This was a pinnacle day for me and broke me out of my determination not to like reading—other than a few select books here and there—and showed me that through a good story I could be transported. I finally understood why my mom read so much. I finally understood what it meant to become part of the story.
HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD NOVEL, by James Frey: Fast forward a decade and I’d read thousands of books. I was as voracious as my mother was and we had hot dogs for dinner a lot because I needed to read just one more chapter. During a difficult pregnancy I started writing what I thought would be a short story while on bed rest. I had played around with another story a few years earlier, but never thought about publishing it. I didn’t think about publishing this one either until friends encouraged me to do so and I decided why not. I mean, I wrote a BOOK, that must mean I’m some kind of genius, right? It was inspired, it was perfect, it was my way of blessing the whole world with my brilliance! Or not. After a few rejections I realized there was more to publishing a book than simply writing the story. So I went to the library looking for books on writing. I found Frey’s book and was amazed at how much I didn’t know I didn’t know. This book led to other books on writing which provided my education on how to write a book. I’d been learning about structure and characters for years through the books I read, but now I knew how to do it myself. I used the skills I learned and rewrote my book. A year and a half later, it was published.
HARRY POTTER, by J.K. Rowling: I heard about the series for years before I picked it up. It was a kid’s book, and I didn’t read kid’s books, not even when I was a kid myself. I was happy for Rowling’s success, but it did not grab my attention until a friend of mine, who also didn’t read kid’s books, told me how good it was. I decided to give it a try, but bought the paper book version for $7 so I didn’t invest too much in something I was still pretty sure held little interest in me. I finished the first book in a day, and by the end of the week had spent $80 on the next four books in the series. I couldn’t believe I liked it so much, so I dissected the story, the characters, and the setting in my head, focusing on those things that stood out to me. In the process I found flaws in the story and the writing (as always happens when you’re reading critically) and yet, overall, I still loved the books. This was an important day for me because I realized how much I had learned to the point where I could critique someone else's work. Being able to critique someone else meant I could critique myself. My writing improved because of this, and I waited in line for every other book in the series as soon as it came out.
LEMON TART, by Josi Kilpack: I realize it’s very arrogant for me to use my own book, but I can’t give a fair view of my lifetime relationship with books and leave this one out. It was the first book in my Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series, but wasn’t written with that intention. I wrote the first chapter for a contest I didn’t win, but I loved the story. I loved Sadie and after writing several books in my faith based market, I was ready to try my hand at a mainstream novel. I worked on it for a few years before presenting it to my publisher. I wasn’t sure they would want it, seeing as how it was so different than my other books, but they loved it and I realized I was entering a whole new level of writing, promotion, and overall storytelling. I’d become comfortable where I was, but suddenly there was a whole new world of writing for me to explore.
DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE, by Josi Kilpack: Okay, not I’m really coming across as arrogant. Sheesh. But, the fact is that this book was a big deal in terms of my journey. Lemon Tart had done really well, as had the second book in the series, but Devil’s Food Cake amplified the series into an actual SERIES. Suddenly, it seemed more real and with the great reviews of the earlier books my confidence in the future books grew even more.
And so, here I am three books into an eight book series and working hard every day to rise to the challenge of it all. I’m also a mom of four kids and encourage them to not just read, but to read what they love in hopes that whatever their journey may be, they might find books to be a worthy companion, helpmate, and vacation as they go.
Thanks so much, Josi, for stopping by to "talk" with us!!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Guest Post-- Rolf Hitzer
I'm so pleased to welcome Rolf Hitzer to the blog today! (See my review of his book Hoodoo Sea.) I asked Rolf Hitzer to tell us a bit about genre classification and his inspiration for his totally unforseen ending!
The inspiration to pen Hoodoo Sea evolved from a documentary I had watched on the Discovery Channel. The program was about how technologies were advancing to achieve speed-of-light travel. My novel starts with this capability existing now in the plot and the story assumes it is science fiction.
However, just as the plot takes a twist during the test-flight through the Bermuda Triangle, the genre also moves from one place to another. As a new author this decision was taking a risk as publishers recommend against this writing style. To be honest, at the time I wasn’t conscious of the genre shift from science fiction to horror/thriller, my thoughts were consumed with the progress of the story.
Upon completion, I never read the book until late this spring when I had received the Galleys. Looking back when I was seeking representation for my manuscript, I had listed the novel in my query letters as science fiction because that’s what the first chapters were in my submissions.
Between the agent, proofreaders and editors, each had a different opinion on the novels genre. In the end it was decided to submit the book as science fiction to the range of publishers as opposed to horror, or the third label as a religious story, which had caught me by surprise. In my heart Hoodoo Sea is a horror story because good is battling over evil with the stakes being deadly. Britt, when you had posed the question as to what genre I thought the book really was, I had mentioned to you that I wasn’t entirely sure? I still feel that way.
As I was reaching the end of the novel I had mixed emotions on how the story would eventually play out. Like yourself, I don’t wish to give the ending away and I will select my words carefully. My original intention with the two characters, Scott and Deedee, would have made a feel good and predictable ending in the book. I had some anguish with the direction I ended up taking with these characters in order to have a unique story. Even now I second-guess this decision, but my desire to throw the reader off track and have them scratching their head had made my mind up on how I ended the novel. I knew it would be another risk.
My fears were put at ease when I had received an email from a reader. He is a criminal investigator and one of the things he takes pride in is his ability to successfully predict the outcome of a novel. When he had read Hoodoo Sea, he didn’t see what was coming and he was thoroughly entertained by it. That being said, I have also had the opposite opinion. Mission accomplished, I think?
The inspiration to pen Hoodoo Sea evolved from a documentary I had watched on the Discovery Channel. The program was about how technologies were advancing to achieve speed-of-light travel. My novel starts with this capability existing now in the plot and the story assumes it is science fiction.
However, just as the plot takes a twist during the test-flight through the Bermuda Triangle, the genre also moves from one place to another. As a new author this decision was taking a risk as publishers recommend against this writing style. To be honest, at the time I wasn’t conscious of the genre shift from science fiction to horror/thriller, my thoughts were consumed with the progress of the story.
Upon completion, I never read the book until late this spring when I had received the Galleys. Looking back when I was seeking representation for my manuscript, I had listed the novel in my query letters as science fiction because that’s what the first chapters were in my submissions.
Between the agent, proofreaders and editors, each had a different opinion on the novels genre. In the end it was decided to submit the book as science fiction to the range of publishers as opposed to horror, or the third label as a religious story, which had caught me by surprise. In my heart Hoodoo Sea is a horror story because good is battling over evil with the stakes being deadly. Britt, when you had posed the question as to what genre I thought the book really was, I had mentioned to you that I wasn’t entirely sure? I still feel that way.
As I was reaching the end of the novel I had mixed emotions on how the story would eventually play out. Like yourself, I don’t wish to give the ending away and I will select my words carefully. My original intention with the two characters, Scott and Deedee, would have made a feel good and predictable ending in the book. I had some anguish with the direction I ended up taking with these characters in order to have a unique story. Even now I second-guess this decision, but my desire to throw the reader off track and have them scratching their head had made my mind up on how I ended the novel. I knew it would be another risk.
My fears were put at ease when I had received an email from a reader. He is a criminal investigator and one of the things he takes pride in is his ability to successfully predict the outcome of a novel. When he had read Hoodoo Sea, he didn’t see what was coming and he was thoroughly entertained by it. That being said, I have also had the opposite opinion. Mission accomplished, I think?
Monday, October 12, 2009
Make Ahead Meals, A Recipe Guest Post
Huge thanks to Jane Doiron for this fabulous guest post! Don't these look yummy?
A Delicious Make-Ahead Dessert
~Mini Cheesecakes~
By Jane Doiron
If you’re a cheesecake fan like me, you’ll enjoy this yummy make-ahead recipe!
Mini Cheesecakes
1¼ cups Graham crackers, crushed
¼ cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup sugar
1 (21 oz.) can cherry or strawberry pie filling
1¼ cups Graham crackers, crushed
¼ cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup sugar
1 (21 oz.) can cherry or strawberry pie filling
~A Day Ahead~
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 18 regular muffin cups with paper baking cups. In a small bowl, mix the Graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, and butter. Place 2 tablespoons of the crumb mixture in each muffin cup. Press down on the crumbs with something flat to form a good crust. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and sugar and beat until smooth. Fill each baking cup with about 3 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture. Bake the cheesecakes for 17 - 19 minutes or until they crack. Cool the cheesecakes in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool. Place the cooled cheesecakes (with the paper liners still on them) in a covered container and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 18 regular muffin cups with paper baking cups. In a small bowl, mix the Graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, and butter. Place 2 tablespoons of the crumb mixture in each muffin cup. Press down on the crumbs with something flat to form a good crust. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and sugar and beat until smooth. Fill each baking cup with about 3 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture. Bake the cheesecakes for 17 - 19 minutes or until they crack. Cool the cheesecakes in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool. Place the cooled cheesecakes (with the paper liners still on them) in a covered container and refrigerate overnight.
~Before Serving~
Remove the paper liners and top each cheesecake with 2 tablespoons of pie filling. Keep refrigerated. Makes 18 mini cheesecakes
Remove the paper liners and top each cheesecake with 2 tablespoons of pie filling. Keep refrigerated. Makes 18 mini cheesecakes
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Guest Post from Elle Newmark!
Like Britt, I LOVE books. Adore them. Go through them like a drunk with a six-pack. And that’s why I now can’t live without my Kindle.
First I objected to ordering books online. Give up the ambiance of a bookstore? Lose up the comforting sight of shelves jam-packed with literary adventures? Pah! Get thee to a nuthouse.
But then one day it was raining and I was still in my jammies and I wanted to buy a book. I heard the siren song of Amazon and never looked back. It’s not only convenient it’s cheaper. And here’s the thing: They have not banned me from the bookstore. It’s not an either/or. And, like it or not, it’s here to stay.
Then came the Kindle, and I balked for the same reasons Britt did. I’m a writer. I stare at a computer screen all day. And the Kindle has such a tiny screen. What about the nice heft of a real book in my hands? What about the Pavlovian response I have to the smell of ink on paper? No Kindle for me, thank you very much.
But then one day I had to go to India for a month-long research trip for my new novel, and I was faced with needing to carry enough books to last me. Full of shame and apprehension, I bought a Kindle and loaded up about 20 books for India.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the screen does not glare like a computer screen. It’s some kind of freaky new technology that makes it as easy on the eyes as paper. And you can change the font size! One night I was reading a really good book in bed and falling asleep, but I didn’t want to put it down. I kept making the font bigger until I was only getting like six words on a page. I finally put it down and went to sleep, and I didn’t give myself a concussion by dropping a big old hardcover on my head when I passed out.
And the books are cheap. My novel, The Book of Unholy Mischief is $26 in the bookstore and $17 on Amazon. On Kindle it’s $9.99. So if you buy enough books, the thing eventually pays for itself.
This is not an ad for Kindle and I don’t work for Amazon. I am an author and my first purchase on Kindle was my own novel, The Book of Unholy Mischief. You can read more about it on my website, http://www.ellenewmark.com/, and that was another thing I objected to at first. Put up a website?
But then one day I got this book deal from Simon & Schuster…
Thanks so much to Elle Newmark for stopping by to share her thoughts!!
First I objected to ordering books online. Give up the ambiance of a bookstore? Lose up the comforting sight of shelves jam-packed with literary adventures? Pah! Get thee to a nuthouse.
But then one day it was raining and I was still in my jammies and I wanted to buy a book. I heard the siren song of Amazon and never looked back. It’s not only convenient it’s cheaper. And here’s the thing: They have not banned me from the bookstore. It’s not an either/or. And, like it or not, it’s here to stay.
Then came the Kindle, and I balked for the same reasons Britt did. I’m a writer. I stare at a computer screen all day. And the Kindle has such a tiny screen. What about the nice heft of a real book in my hands? What about the Pavlovian response I have to the smell of ink on paper? No Kindle for me, thank you very much.
But then one day I had to go to India for a month-long research trip for my new novel, and I was faced with needing to carry enough books to last me. Full of shame and apprehension, I bought a Kindle and loaded up about 20 books for India.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the screen does not glare like a computer screen. It’s some kind of freaky new technology that makes it as easy on the eyes as paper. And you can change the font size! One night I was reading a really good book in bed and falling asleep, but I didn’t want to put it down. I kept making the font bigger until I was only getting like six words on a page. I finally put it down and went to sleep, and I didn’t give myself a concussion by dropping a big old hardcover on my head when I passed out.
And the books are cheap. My novel, The Book of Unholy Mischief is $26 in the bookstore and $17 on Amazon. On Kindle it’s $9.99. So if you buy enough books, the thing eventually pays for itself.
This is not an ad for Kindle and I don’t work for Amazon. I am an author and my first purchase on Kindle was my own novel, The Book of Unholy Mischief. You can read more about it on my website, http://www.ellenewmark.com/, and that was another thing I objected to at first. Put up a website?
But then one day I got this book deal from Simon & Schuster…
Thanks so much to Elle Newmark for stopping by to share her thoughts!!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Lisa Sweetingham-- Guest Post
A big welcome to Lisa Sweetingham, author of Chemical Cowboys!!
"Chemical Cowboys" is a non-fiction journey through the secret investigations that led to the capture of an international Ecstasy kingpin and the end of the Israeli mafia’s control of the Ecstasy trade. Although the first major Ecstasy cases sprang up in New York City in the late ‘90s, it was a 1999 story in The New York Times that first alerted me to this fascinating underworld. The article was about ultra-Orthodox teenagers who had been arrested at JFK airport trying to smuggle MDMA into the States from Belgium, Amsterdam, and Paris. (Hundreds of small, multicolored pills had been rolled up inside socks and buried deep in their suitcases.) It seemed incredible that these pious youth in dark garb could be smuggling drugs.
Years later, I’d come to discover that many of the couriers didn’t even know they were moving pills—they had been duped into being mules by a major dealer who was making millions and paying his charges $1,500 plus a free trip to Europe, all for carrying a few bags back into the country.
In 2004, when I was a reporter for Court TV online, a source encouraged me to dig deeper into the Ecstasy cases. I started by knocking on the door of New York DEA and spending some time getting to know the men and women who led the investigations. One agent, Robert Gagne, was so obsessed with taking down Israeli Ecstasy kingpin Oded Tuito that it almost cost him his career. I knew that Gagne’s personal story had the potential to be the narrative through line of a book, and once DEA agreed to cooperate and open their case files, the plot was richer and more complicated than I could have imagined.
In Israel, I had an equally compelling counterpart to Gagne in the head of intelligence for Israeli National Police, a man named Gadi Eshed, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of international mafia activity and was instrumental in helping his American colleagues to take down the Ecstasy trade. Thanks to the cooperation of INP, Eshed became my tireless guide in Israel, leading me through sights of Mafia warfare and securing interviews with top cops who continue to fight the mob bosses.
I also spent time in Amsterdam, Belgium, Paris, and Romania to retrace the traffickers’ routes and to interview DEA agents abroad who worked to bring down the Ecstasy networks. I spent four years reporting and writing "Chemical Cowboys." It was an ambitious endeavor for a first book, but I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope readers will enjoy it, too.
***
Lisa Sweetingham
Author of "Chemical Cowboys: The DEA’s Secret Mission to Hunt Down a Notorious Ecstasy Kingpin."
www.LisaSweetingham.com
bio info:
Journalist Lisa Sweetingham spent four years following in the footsteps of DEA agents and Ecstasy traffickers to bring CHEMICAL COWBOYS to life. Previously, she covered high-profile murder trials and Supreme Court nomination hearings for Court TV online. Sweetingham is a graduate of the Columbia University School of Journalism and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Parade, Spin, Time Out New York, Health Affairs, and many other publications. She resides in Los Angeles. CHEMICAL COWBOYS is her first book.
Thank you for joining us!! I LOVED this book!
"Chemical Cowboys" is a non-fiction journey through the secret investigations that led to the capture of an international Ecstasy kingpin and the end of the Israeli mafia’s control of the Ecstasy trade. Although the first major Ecstasy cases sprang up in New York City in the late ‘90s, it was a 1999 story in The New York Times that first alerted me to this fascinating underworld. The article was about ultra-Orthodox teenagers who had been arrested at JFK airport trying to smuggle MDMA into the States from Belgium, Amsterdam, and Paris. (Hundreds of small, multicolored pills had been rolled up inside socks and buried deep in their suitcases.) It seemed incredible that these pious youth in dark garb could be smuggling drugs.
Years later, I’d come to discover that many of the couriers didn’t even know they were moving pills—they had been duped into being mules by a major dealer who was making millions and paying his charges $1,500 plus a free trip to Europe, all for carrying a few bags back into the country.
In 2004, when I was a reporter for Court TV online, a source encouraged me to dig deeper into the Ecstasy cases. I started by knocking on the door of New York DEA and spending some time getting to know the men and women who led the investigations. One agent, Robert Gagne, was so obsessed with taking down Israeli Ecstasy kingpin Oded Tuito that it almost cost him his career. I knew that Gagne’s personal story had the potential to be the narrative through line of a book, and once DEA agreed to cooperate and open their case files, the plot was richer and more complicated than I could have imagined.
In Israel, I had an equally compelling counterpart to Gagne in the head of intelligence for Israeli National Police, a man named Gadi Eshed, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of international mafia activity and was instrumental in helping his American colleagues to take down the Ecstasy trade. Thanks to the cooperation of INP, Eshed became my tireless guide in Israel, leading me through sights of Mafia warfare and securing interviews with top cops who continue to fight the mob bosses.
I also spent time in Amsterdam, Belgium, Paris, and Romania to retrace the traffickers’ routes and to interview DEA agents abroad who worked to bring down the Ecstasy networks. I spent four years reporting and writing "Chemical Cowboys." It was an ambitious endeavor for a first book, but I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope readers will enjoy it, too.
***
Lisa Sweetingham
Author of "Chemical Cowboys: The DEA’s Secret Mission to Hunt Down a Notorious Ecstasy Kingpin."
www.LisaSweetingham.com
bio info:
Journalist Lisa Sweetingham spent four years following in the footsteps of DEA agents and Ecstasy traffickers to bring CHEMICAL COWBOYS to life. Previously, she covered high-profile murder trials and Supreme Court nomination hearings for Court TV online. Sweetingham is a graduate of the Columbia University School of Journalism and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Parade, Spin, Time Out New York, Health Affairs, and many other publications. She resides in Los Angeles. CHEMICAL COWBOYS is her first book.
Thank you for joining us!! I LOVED this book!
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