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Bogstad's Bookshelf
Greetings From Ireland on June 20, 2002:
It's about out 3:20 am Ireland's time and I am awake reading Iain Banks' A Song of Stone, A
Song
of Stone Paperback: 288 pages. Touchstone Books; ISBN: 0684855364; Scribner edition
September 1999. Price 12.00 It still reminds me powerfully of Kafka's The Castle (except that the
protagonist here lives in the castle and would very much like to leave it and it's barbaric
conquerors
whereas Kafka's Castle the hapless fellow wanted to get INTO the castle and never could. It's the
tone, really, that is similar. The haplessness of most people's lives, many times my own included,
was
a theme that always appealed to me in Kafka and also does in this Banks story. But, I don't want
my
readers to think I am spending the whole of this wonderful trip with my nose stuck in a book.
I have had a very good time, which is a bit unlike myself since I tend to be a bit shy . I have
actually
introduced myself to people, started up conversations, and hugged them. In a brief time I have
become best buds with two women from Canada who used to work for a newspaper and are now
retired and met Tommy Joyce who recommended some good bookstores in Galway which are
also
online. It turns out he is a newspaper man in Galway but , in spite of that , he was very pleasant
and
sweet as the three of us, Jean, Jan, and Fay, were sat at his table in a busy restaurant at lunch. Fay
and Jean seem to be easy company. The lady I sit with is a doctor from Washington, D.C. on
vacation with her parents. She hasn't admitted she is a doctor but like some of my friends she has
Dr.
Suzie porter's mannerisms and can't seem to avoid commenting on health, (my psoriasis and the
cortisone cream), but stops herself elegantly, remembering that even a doctor gets a
vacation.
In fact, we have at least TWO doctors on the trip. I met the second one briefly but found out he is
a
doctor from Puerto Rico when I invited myself to dinner in the hotel with him and his wife. I
forgot
to ask their names so I remember them, but we had a wonderful dinner and talked about China
(they'd been there for two weeks on a medical tour), and language studies in the U.S. and Puerto
Rican's concerns about becoming an official state and losing their linguistic identity. I forgot to
ask
about their family because we were talking about ideas (the wife who I'd talked to before as well
as
the husband). Under normal circumstances, I would have been nervous about talking to them
because I would expect to be rejected.
The lady I sat with is I understand of Philippine descent and her father was in the U.S. military in
a
submarine during WWII. She grew up in Hawaii but they moved to the continent while she was
still
a girl. She kindly wanted to include me in a picture in an old style crofting farmhouse, along with
her
mother and father and a couple of other people (a couple named David and Florence). In fact, I've
had a chance to be nice to and appreciate lots of other people and am working on getting their
names straight. For example, a lady who wears these great clothes and is almost as tall as and a
little
bigger than me. As is her husband who seems to like me also.
I expected to come back to the room and work tonight after a light supper, but the Puerto Rican
couple really wanted to talk and the lady even thanked me for my company. I must get their
names,
in fact; try to ask about them discreetly.
I am gradually potting down from work and the review and editing stuff but would pay a lot for
an
internet connection for just a few minutes so I could resolve some issues and send off some stuff.
I
am determined to write reviews and at least the basis for encyclopedia articles, for example within
the next few days. In fact, I am going to have to try the electrical outlets soon. Got an adapter but
I
hope this one is ready for it.
I talk about my husband Philip to people as it's is impossible not to. Today we briefly visited the
Galway marble workshop and saw raw green, black, and slate colored marble bits. We also got
some
stuff - I got Philip a lovely otter on a piece of Connemara green marble and a hedgehog for myself
and so ended up talking about him to several people. I miss you Philip and want to talk to him all
the
time and think, gee, Philip would love to meet these people but wonder if he would (probably)
and
then I probably wouldn't as he would be more interesting and aggressive about it but then he
would
learn more too.
The banks novel is rather depressing and I am looking forward to Feersujm Enjinn which, along
with
Look to Windward, I would like to finish before writing my short paper for the utopian
conference.
(Look to windward, Feersjum Enjinn, The Business and A Song of Stone, I think, but I got
complicity and one other in mm paperback just to be sure.
I seem to be sleeping a lot or trying to on the bus but the road really winds and the bus bounces a
lot. In any case, A Song of Stone is about this guy who owns a castle and he and his girl Morgan
are
trying to escape in a refugee situation. They are set upon my military types (though without a real
army behind them anymore) and all go back to the castle . The little troop of military are lead by a
female lieutenant and the two are immediately in a contest of wills as he tries to do minor irritating
things (not sabotage, but irritations like 'dropping' all the little birds the L. has just shot into the
river
and playing an ugly aria on the piano when asked to show his skill. They also seem to be trying to
compete for Morgan's affection and Morgan is not really resistant to either of them.
The narrative is in the first-person and HE is narrating it to Morgan, telling her the story from his
perspective and in the first person present as if he is speaking to hear but the story is told from a
future point; look for pg , and I think we are seeing a narrative where L. and the Pro. May merger
into or turn into each other - or at least it's what the Prof. fears. Commentary on identity, personal
and social and philosophical and historical about and whole chapters of it interrupt the action (like
a
long soliloquy while he is done in a well being pissed and vomited on. It is also more like the wasp
factory but the Pro. Is not crazy, the world is. It's in a state of social chaos and so centuries of
civilizations artifacts are gradually (or rapidly in one night of debauched partying in the castle
itself)
being destroyed. It is about all such occurrences in recent history (from Italy before the U.S.
entered
WWII and France) and stuff with the Tutsi and Hutu and Afghanistan under the Russian attacks,
in
between and now under U.S. attack, but it is the upper class who comments here. In Whit we had
a
social outcast in a cult society and in the business we had a member of the business elite, all of
whom have to figure out complicated social and political feints and secrets and personal
manipulations in order just to survive (which then seems also to be the way they triumph). In the
latter two, Business and Whit, however, the protagonists are female.
Well, it's almost 4 a.m. (which is 10 p.m. in Wisconsin) and I am fading fast - the night of June
18-19 (OR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY) boy THE time is really off on this machine. I will
have to adjust it when I get home it says June 18, 2002 8:55 a.m. Which seems to be five hours
ahead of and one day behind what I should be for here in Ireland So, TIME TO say
goodnight...?
Greetings from Inverness, Lock Ness and the Caledonian Mountains
Jan Bogstad, 3:26 a.m. Greenwich mean standard time, Inverness, Scotland , July 2 (that's 9:26
p.m.
July 3 for you guys in the Midwest U.S..I guess it's time to sing for my lunch at least that one that
James Cox , Editor & Chief of Midwest Book Review fame, bought me four weeks ago in the
WisCon time-space continuum. I must say, I am certainly in a different one here in Inverness,
Scotland . Or perhaps I could just hit the bagpipe on my newest hedgehog and she will play a
familiar Scottish tune for you instead. (Jan's newest hedgehog rounds off her hedgehog collection
at
somewhere between 250& 275, carved, cast, whittled, sculpted, but never stuffed or live
hedgehogs.
My favorite is a French hedgehog carved from a dried apple.)
I am in Inverness Scotland which is known to us in the U.S. for two features: It is close to Loch
Ness and the elusive Loch Ness monster. It is also very close to the battlefield of Culloden, the
last
battle fought on English soil, April 16, 1746. However, there is a lot more to see around
Inverness,
some of it on tours planned and paid for at the tourist information center in the middle of the town
and some of it unexpected and therefore even more delightful.
While I have booked tours to Culloden (a 7 pound tour takes you around the town and out to
Culloden then drops you off and you can walk around at your own pace for free or sign up for
visits
to a rebuilt cottage, slide show, museum, etc for 5 additional pounds) as well as a one-day visit to
the archeological sites on Orkney and a 7 hour trip to various castles, around the town, I also love
Inverness for, well for Inverness.
I have been here with Phil, my husband, and Cathy, my best friend. This time I came alone
knowing
that I was familiar with the town and could rest and recuperate after two conferences and that I
could go on early tours and do lots of walking (so next time I come one of these two, I won't be
so
grouchy about their collective disinterest in either of these activities. I also came because this is,
well, Inverness.
So, I will be here two more days, and I had lots of details to handle yesterday - laundry, internet
access (in the launderette, no less), post office, getting oriented. So I just had time for about three
hours of touring and took the little cream and green guide Friday tour out to Culloden and came
back on the last, 5:45 bus. I skipped lunch, so I went to Bella Pasta near the tourist office for
dinner,
stopped in the Kiltmaker's shop on the way home and got my little hedgehog highland piper, a few
minor bits of jewelry (the prices were so good) and two more pair of kilt sox - the only
knee-highs
I've ever found to fit my 6'1" frame.
On the way to cross the River Ness on my way to my B&B in Fairfield street Ardgowan, 45
Fairfield road, 18 pounds a night for a single no less and I am sitting in it at 2:30 in the morning
on
July 3, and looking back at how a little more than six hours ago I noticed a couple of men dressed
in
full tartan plaid and carrying bagpipes. (It was the red Steward plaid, I think). I snapped few
pictures
as they waited at the street crossing with a few other people. Then a few more started to emerge
from cars and minibuses until there were about a dozen pipers, one player of a big drum who
rested
it on an imitation lion pelt apron (complete with head peeping out from his back, two men with
smaller drums (one red one black) and this tallish slender fellow carrying a silver-tipped cane. By
this
time a few people were following them as they walked from the bridge to a pedestrian section that
extends from the tourist office about two blocks past shops and diners. I asked a couple of
pedestrians I had seen talking to one of the group of pipers and they told me there was to be a
performance in the town I should just follow along if I wanted to see it. Sure enough, when the
company of about 16 assembled, all in their full regalia of caps, (the four anomalous ones had
those
tall black fuzzy ones), full kilts with the over the should bit too, kilt shoes with white spats
attached,
kilt sox, short swords and many of them with a dirk slipped in at the knee of the right kilt sock,
and,
or course, their tartan bagpipes, they lined up as a troupe of four ranks of four, four and three
with
the chap with his silver headed baton in front. He raised his baton and said "Pipes and drums,
Pipes
and drums attttttten-shun. Pipes and drums on my mark," and then they began to pipe and drum
and
walk in formation to the other end of the block, followed by their band of eager observers who
grew
on the passage down the block. I certainly followed and snapped more pictures which I will be
glad
to show people.....
At the other end, they went into a circular formation and started playing a range of piping pieces
which I recognize but couldn't name. They played a couple of songs, then the big drummer put
down
his drum and they stopped for a bout a minute while people scrambled around taking pictures.
Now
these guys ranged in age from about 20 to about 70, and they had very different but
characteristically Scots faces - only a few had beards, some were about 5'4" and others over 6'4' -
the snare drummers who stood side by side were one of each. Then the leader said "Pipes and
drums, Pipes and drums attttttten-shun. Pipes and drums on my mark," and they started another
tune. This went on for about 40 minutes, with short breaks for the bid drummer to put down his
drum and everyone to get their wind back - bagpipes take a LOT of wind.
I loved the music, although there was more than one young kid in the audience with their hands
over
their ears. But I also loved looking at their faces. There was this one tall, healthy looking,
clean-shaven young man about 30 and he was a delight to behold. But than there was this fellow
whose face was slightly red, but it was also festooned (the only appropriate word I can find), with
a
beard and mustache and this grin that showed around the blowpipe of his bagpipes. Then there
were
a couple of fellows who had to be in their sixties at least, one of then with that long droopy white
mustache we used to see in the Shirley temple movie of The Littlest Sergeant. And this guy in his
50s who as a little bigger than the norm, but had this cream-white hair longer than most of the rest
that waved all over the place under his cap. I took pictures of as many as I could manage,
delighted
in the music, and finally made my way to a phone box to tell Phil all about it, because, this is, after
all, Inverness, and by now I had finally realized I was here.
( Husbands note here. Jan was staying one of the northern most parts of Scotland around 59
Degrees North Latitude which means that it stays light till almost, mid night and Scotland is six
hours ahead of Eau Claire Wisconsin. Therefore Jan called me at my office at 5:30 p.m. and
informed that among other things she was watching a 11:30 p.m. sunset. What a world, what a
life.)
For those of you interested in my literary work , I have given my outline-paper on Diana
Gabaldon's
Outlander series -Outlander-, 1991; Mass Market Paperback: 850 pages, Dell Books; ISBN:
0440212561; Reissue edition (July 1, 1992)Price 7.99 - Dragonfly in Amber,- 1992; Paperback:
947
pages; Dell Books; ISBN: 0440215625; Reprint edition (December 1993)-Price 7.99
-Voyager,-Mass market paperback ; Dell Books; ISBN: 0440217563; (November 1994)Price
7.99
-Drums of Autumn-, 1997 Mass Market Paperback: 1070 pages, Publisher: Dell Books; ISBN:
044022425X; (December 1, 1997)Price 7.99 -Fiery Cross-, 2001; Hardcover: 976 pages;
Publisher:
Delacorte Press; ISBN: 0385315279; (November 6, 2001, Price 27.95) and Soldier Farewell
scheduled to come out in 2003 at the Science Fiction Research Association conference held in the
utopian community of New Lanark, Scotland, and am now reading the third book, Voyager,
which I
never had time to read properly.
This third book of 800-1100 page novels is set around the battle of Culloden and then in the new
world of the Carolinas, so it's really appropriate and hard to tear myself away from to sleep, or
write, etc. It's historical, but also time-travel perhaps science fiction or that term I despise often
applied to women's sf, science fantasy, mystery, and romance, as I was explaining just a few days
ago on June 30 to an audience of about 20. Of course, that's one reason I wanted to come back to
Inverness, to experience it after I had read Gabaldon's books (she's American and will be visiting
Edinburgh and Inverness to meet her German publishers later this year).. Check these books out,
even if you don't usually read science fiction, science fantasy, historical, mystery, or romance
novels.
She's got a large and devoted audience already. Her third book beat out Michael Crichton for the
#1
bestseller in 1994. And reading her is precisely what I'm going to do now as I put myself back to
sleep (or maybe I will play my little piper and drift off to his mild version of a highland piping
tune.
So, tomorrow I spend 11 hours riding to the Orkneys ferry, on the ferry and around the main
island,
and back. I will see prehistoric villages found in the 1930s, standing stones, as well as the
Churchill
barriers erected in world war II, and the Italian Chapel built by 500 Italian prisoners of war who
were sent to the Islands to do war related construction. It will be a long day, but probably
well-worth it. And, of course, I will have to come back to Inverness to see the rest.
Dr. Janice Bogstad, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
International Editor, Midwest Book Review
Kaveny's Bookshelf
As some of you might remember from last month's Kaveny's Bookshelf I participated in a poetry
slam, which was really good for me in a lot of was, real people, real time, but no instant replay. So
this month I gave I gave the poetry slam at The Acoustic Cafe in Eau Claire WI another shot,
however I did not make it past the first round maybe Eau Claire is just not ready for me. This
months winner was a big bouncy blond in tight shorts in her mid twenties who won it all by
reciting
a poem about how she lost nights studying because she shallowed her boyfriends tongue, and she
didn't even have to got to the emergency room to have it removed .
I also won in a much bigger way than I ever could have expected by un-inventing television in my
personal and intellectual life. Like many great inventions this un-invention happened almost be
accident the day after me wife Dr. Janice Bogstad left for 31 days in the United Kingdom and
Ireland. Jan by the way is the international editor for Midwest Book Review , and I suggest you
check out her feature for this month with The Midwest Book Review.
Well my un-invention of television was the result of my attempt to play a tape through a VCR that
our cable service ran through. No matter what I did the screen stayed blue and nothing I did could
make it play either a tape or tune to the cable channels. Of course I could have just called the
cable
guy the next day , but that was not to be . Because , instead I picked up a thousand page book
called
Dreadnought: Britain, Germany, and the Coming of the Great War, Ballantine Books (Trade
Paper)
Paperback - 1007 pages Reprint edition (November 1992) Ballantine Books (Trade Paper);
ISBN:
0345375564 Price 13.97
Well I have been planning to read this book for the last ten years but somehow between selling
books creative writing, playing chess. Graduate School and working through my with The
University of Wisconsin Madison position to a successful early retirement , it just kept falling off
my
shelf. Which is strange since I have had an interest in "The Great War For The last forty years. My
interest in the Great War stretches back across my life. As a matter of fact I decided to include
just a
little of a conference paper revised and updated which I presented at The International Conference
on The Fantastic & the Arts in 1989, with the hope I can now turn it into a book
I was born in 1944 in the midst of another war, but my father Edward T. Kaveny 1898-1985 , was
born the same year as Albert Maria Remarque author of All Quiet on The Western Front.
Incidentally, my father was a World War I veteran and a member of THE V.F.W. (he was in OCS
at
Holy Cross University where they trained with broomsticks) though he never saw the European
theater, as I was fortunate enough to never see Vietnam. Eighty Eight years later the Great War
has
almost fallen off the event horizon, and yet its magnitude is such that it is a cultural watershed of
western civilization.
Confounding the understanding of World War I is a problem of numbers. It is popular to talk of
Vietnam and its costs to our generation; yet, more British soldiers died on two days during the
First
Battle of the Somme than the total American personnel loss throughout the course of the Vietnam
War, a fact forgotten by almost all except military historians. While World War I is lost in the
mists
of popular consciousness it still permeates the literature and literary tradition of western culture.
And in turn these images mediated through the aesthetic of literature profoundly change the way
we
look at and think about war. It is my intent to utilize various conceptual approaches and analytical
tools to discuss the way this imagery operates through the craft of the artists to assert their voice
during the process of artistic creation.
The forty-some years from the end of the Franco-Prussian War(1871) as described by such
popular
historians as Barbara Tuchman, were a period of geometric acceleration of industrialization. It
would be too boring to make a point by point comparison of western civilization in 1871 with that
of
1914. However, the statistics are certainly available for those that wish to do so. Perhaps most
importantly, the west had become mass producers and mass consumers. So the factories turned to
"producing death looking for more death." By 1914 it begins to make sense to start talking about
a
post-industrial infrastructure. All the economies, even Czarist Russia, were engaged in
exponential
growth and transformation. With the advent of Bernstein, even Marxist theorists had to redefine
the
timetable for world revolution. It seems that in August of 1914 the Great War was a war which
everyone wanted. International Socialism prostituted itself by voting nationalism and war credits.
Radicals became patriots, and territorial claims generations forgotten were resurrected by the
necromancers of the newly developed mass media. And yet it seems that almost no-one had any
idea
of what these changes could mean for the nature of warfare. It was expected that the war would
be
over by autumn. What is now so apparent to all is that the energies of the transformed economic
infrastructure were mobilized for the wholesale extermination of a generation. Some have
suggested
that the Great War was fought by opposing boards of directors. And yet, it was as if those who
ran
the war were still dominated by the romantic imagery of an earlier age, calling out the flower of a
past age to stop the onslaught of the enemy.
The thing that hooked me about Dreadnought was that it is a book about the present as it is a
book
about a Naval arms Race That may have been both the Necessary and sufficient cause for World
War One. For months I have planned to introduce my theory of varying length centuries into my
feature . Well here goes working backwards!
The 20th Century Lasted Eighty Six years form August 3rd 1914 to Sept 11 2001. The
Nineteenth
Century lasted almost exactly one Hundred from the Battle of Waterloo June 18th 1815 until the
Guns Of August of 1914. The Eighteenth Century really lasted much longer from the Treaty of
Westphalia which ended the 30 years War in Germany 1618-1648 until Battle of Waterloo June
18th
1815. This one hundred and sixty seven year period is called "The Enlightenment in European and
even American History. It's salient feature was people stopped killing each other over religion.
Sad
to say it seems as if we have come full circle in the 21st Century.
But back to Dreadnought it is a great work of history in a time when great works of history are
academically discouraged. Scholarship seems caught up in the case study and synthesis which
might
have some relevance to the present is thought only as the study of "Dead White Men. Really
Dreadnought is not a book about a battleship it is a book about a deadly race for control of the
sea
in which Great Britains Attempt to build the an all big gun battleship in 1906 second to none.
Britain
succeeded and not only made every German battleship obsolete but every made every other
British
Battleship obsolete also.
But it is also a book in which Great figures shine through. Perhaps the two greatest being Queen
Victoria who ruled sixty three years 1837-1901, and to my mind Winston Churchill 1874-1965
Victoria was the Grandmother of The German Kaiser Wilhelm II 1862-1940 and the mother of
The
British King Edward VI 1841-1910, along with several other European Monarchs. Churchill does
not get as much ink as some f the figures in the book since it only covers the period up to his rise
as
first Lord of The Admiralty, yet when one thinks that Churchill served Queen Victoria as a Young
Calvary officer in the late 1890's after his graduation from the British West Point Sandhurst, and
lived serve Elizabeth II in 1953 as prime minster his figure is like a spindle that holds together
three
centuries of world history.
For example as I turn to the Wonderfully organized and topically arranged index of Dreadnought
( A
book which weighs almost four pounds ) I find about 100 entries on Churchill I turn to pages
784-785. "the decision to convert the Royal Navy from coal power steam engines to Oil which
Churchill made in 1911 as First Lord of The Admiralty, We find that Churchill is now aware that
the
oil of The Middle East will become a critical factor in British Naval Supply, By this is decision he
may have doomed us to our present and future by the type of warship engine he chose . I have
looked at some other reviews of this book particularly on Amazon and to be as kind as I can I
found
them moronic. You just have to read this book to get a feeling of the high drama and human
frailty
that so characterized the of the period of | Dreadnought.
With my un-invention of television which is now in its sixth week I was able to turn back to some
of
my favorite books which cover some of the same themes and period as dreadnought. I have not
re-
read all these books from cover to cover, but they all have my highest recommendation and I have
included buying information from Amazon so I know they are all still available though my copies
are
out of print, those I listed are easily available from Amazon,.
The Guns of August, Ballantine Books (Trade Paper) Paperback - 511 pages Reprint edition
(April
1994) Ballantine Books (Trade Paper); ISBN: 034538623X. Price $10.50 I read this book first at
least thirty years ago, I am delighted it is still in print because there are a whole generation of
readers
and citizens that need to know how tragically the early 20th Century May come to foretell the
21st
Century with sakes of civilization raised by a whole order of magnitude.
The First World War, John Keegan Paperback - 475 pages (May 16, 2000) Vintage Books;
ISBN:
0375700455. Price 11.20 Keegan is in many ways the dean of the 20th Century Military Historical
writers. I own all of his books which I have read and all of his nearly score of books. He is able to
make the jump from the personal, to the historical and finally to the global more easily than any
writer of military history I know each time I re-read one of his books I find out something
new.
Zimmermann Telegram, Ballantine Books (Trade Paper) Paperback Reprint edition (March 1985)
Ballantine Books (Trade Paper); ISBN: 0345324250 Price 11.20. I first read this book 37 years
ago
as a result of a road trip to Valpariso University when I was a junior at UW Madison in 1965 . I
remember the blind date was a flop but by the time I was done with this wonderful book I had a
lot
better idea of the necessary cause for United states intervention in WWI in April 1917.
The Great War and Modern Memory by Paul Fussell Hardcover: 400 pages Publisher: Oxford
University Press; ISBN: 0195133315; 25th anniversary edition (April 2000) price 11.17. Fussell is
one of my favorite writers as long as he writes military history because that is where he writes like
a
pissed off nineteen year old 2nd Lieutenant who fought his way accurse Europe after D Day
rather
than the candy ass English professor
Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused
It
by Gina Bari Kolata Hardcover: 330 pages Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux; ISBN:
0374157065;
(November 1999) Price 4.99. Picture a disease that sweeps the world and kills more civilians than
all
the soldiers who died in both world wars do. Picture a disease so dreadful that it seeks out the
young and strong in the prime of their lives; picture a disease that is so virulent, that it course
knocks ten years of the predicted life expectancy of an American born in 1919 from 49 to 39
years
of age. Yes I checked detail and it is correct. That is what the great Flu Pandemic of 1918 did. It
is
part of my family history. I lost a grandfather, and uncle as an infant, and a great uncle by
marriage.
Both my mother and aunt recalled the horror the experienced in the flu epidemic of 1918 as six
and
four year old girls history has a lesson for us and this is what a natural agent did to us out of
nowhere. Read this book and try to sleep well the next night.
That's all for this month, and I still have not gotten around to calling the cable guy. But I confess
my
wife figured out what I did to the cable. But for me T.V is still un-invented.
Philip Kaveny
Literary Editor
Midwest Book Review
Laurel's Bookshelf
Interview with Karen L. Syed:
Karen L. Syed is founding partner, CEO, and senior editor of Echelon Press, located in Crowley
TX. Echelon Press is a regional publisher at this point, specializing in e-books and trade
paperbacks.
I chose to interview her because of her vision and philosophy.
LJ for MBR: I know you have a vision for Echelon, and from my previous contacts with you I
feel
you operate according to a specific philosophy. Tell us in your own words what hopes you have
for
Echelon and how you go about realizing those hopes and goals.
KLS: The main focus for Echelon is the author. Being a writer myself, I know how hard it is to
break into the market. You have to have a name to sell and you have to sell to get a name. Does
anyone else see the error in this logic? When I hooked up with Stacey King and we decided to
form
Echelon Press, we thought about all the things holding us back from becoming world famous
authors. Honestly, we write outside the box. We both have what we like to think of as innovative
ideas. We realized that there must be many others out there just like us. So we set up the
company.
We love going out and finding fresh new voices to publish. Many are first time authors who have
been rejected for any number of reasons, because traditional publisher are afraid to take a chance
on
an unknown author with a new idea. We also have previously published authors who just want to
write their own stories and not what someone tells them to write. Echelon is all about growing.
We
want to grow with the market while we help grow the market. We don't even consider previous
credits, we just look at that story and if we love it we will do what it takes to make it work. We
want to introduce fresh voices to the market so they can go on to make a name for themselves,
not
necessarily just with us, but wherever they choose to go after us. We like being cutting edge and
we
thrive on the abnormal...er...non-traditional.
LJ for MBR: That philosophy is long overdue! I know that many of the books I review by
unknown
writers simply knock my socks off. The fact that these writers are published by small presses or
e-publishers does not negate the fact that they are excellent at crafting prose.
Give me a rundown of your process then. The Echelon submission guidelines on your site are
straightforward. What happens between author query and your refusal or publication of a
manuscript?
KLS: We read! When a query comes in, either Stacey or I decides if it strikes us or not. There
have
been a couple of books that I knew after the query that I would end up buying. I always go with
my
first instinct. I have to say, we are a little slow in responding because we do read carefully. Once
we
get a proposal or a full manuscript we make marks as we read. If it starts out slow, but improves
throughout, chances are we will take the time to work with the author (this is usually after a
contract
is offered). I contracted a book recently that I only received the proposal, I was so enthralled with
the book that I rushed into my office to get the rest of the book...which I DID NOT HAVE! I
e-mailed the author and begged her to send me the rest ASAP so I could finish it. I knew after the
proposal I would buy it and I did. That just happened again this past week. I MADE myself read
the
entire book before offering the contract. I have called the author, but with it being a holiday
weekend she is gone and has not called back. I am more nervous about her accepting our contract
than she will be about signing it. I get excited about what we buy and that makes it easy for me to
work with the author. Stacey has to constantly remind me to keep a cool head or I'd have us
contracted into 2006 already. If a book is rejected by us, it is done so with a full explanation as to
why. We consider style, character development, and technical skills. We want good clean
manuscripts (what editor doesn't?) but if the story is so outstanding, we will put a little extra
effort
out to help the author hone their skills. I don't think we have yet sent out a form rejection. A
writer
will never learn or grow if someone doesn't take the time to tell them what they did wrong, or
why it
didn't work.
LJ for MBR: Well that sure blew MY vision of publishers out of the water! I always imagine
editors
mired in ennui and tossing manuscripts off to the side onto a giant slushpile. To know you reply
and
try to educate even the authors whose work you decline is refreshing, even amazing.
Do you have a set number of manuscripts you accept each month or season? How does that
procedure go, and tell us what guidelines Echelon follows regarding new releases.
KLS: heehee. oh heehee...You are cute...procedures, guidelines...ohh. Sorry. Seriously. The first
phase of Echelon has been a true learning experience. We started thinking we would get a couple
of
submissions a month. Shoot, some weeks we get dozens. We are stunned by the attention we
have
received. So far we have not even considered closing submissions (we do ask for patience). We
just
want authors to know that just because we are an independent publisher we cannot simply say,
"Okay, we buy this book and it will be out in a month." It will not happen. If we even tried, we
would kill ourselves and put out sub standard books. We are contracted well into 2003 and as
much
as we would like to publish books quickly, there is too much involved. Because some of the
books
need technical work, it might take months to edit and revise it, then we have the review process.
(Authors, it can take up to six months to get reviews back-so have mercy on your editors and
marketing department.) Then you have the actual publication process: formatting, cover art (done
mostly in house), printing, distribution, and it all takes time. We recently boosted our editing staff
to
offer a better system for our authors. We can't do everything, as much as we thought we could.
We
set out to release our titles in electronic format first, with the paper release to follow 3-6 months
later. But as you know life happens and the system changes daily, so this might not be the case
tomorrow.
LJ for MBR: Great answer with good details, Karen, and it dovetails nicely into my next question.
I
tried to do my homework before starting this interview, by checking out your website. I got the
impression that you ALWAYS publish a book in e-format first before it goes to the paper version.
Are you saying that is not the case necessarily, or that you may modify that practice? The reason I
ask that is that many authors are still hesitant about e-publishing, or know very little about it.
KLS: We get a lot of "flack" in regard to this practice, but it is the path we have chosen. In a
sense it
is a period of adjustment for the authors. Since so many of them are new authors, this offers a
chance for stepping into a new market, as well as giving us a kind of pre-promotion period. We
get
the book out into the market and build up some interest and excitement and hopefully everyone
wins
with this practice. As for what is the norm, this is what we do now, generally speaking. The only
exception will be multi-author anthologies, like our Crumbs in the Keyboard project. I wish there
was a way for writers to experience electronic books on a wider level. I am a convert. I now read
on
my Palm Pilot and I am so thrilled with it (much more convenient than carrying a book). If you
haven't read an e-book, try it, you will honestly be surprised.
LJ for MBR: You mentioned Crumbs in the Keyboard. When I first learned of this anthology I
was
impressed with the purpose behind it.. In fact, it was through the project that I originally met you
and learned of Echelon. Please tell us more about Crumbs in the Keyboard, why it's important to
you
and anything else you'd like to share about the anthology.
KLS: Crumbs in the Keyboard was a first for us at Echelon. Pamela Johnson (one of Echelon's
Award Winning authors) asked the initial question..."How do they do it?" As she can tell you, the
project snowballed from there. I became a contributor before I became a publisher and I've never
participated in anything as important. The idea came from the emotions barreling around inside
everyone after the tragic murder of Nancy Richard Akers. Obviously, as women, we are saddened
and motivated by the need to make things better in a world that is overrun with domestic violence.
Crumbs is that something for many of us. Each of the eighty contributors has their own personal
reason for being a part of it and for working as hard as they do, but they all share a common
goal--to make a difference. I became a contributor because I am a domestic violence survivor and
my life is richer because of the strength I've gained from the liberation. It is those lessons that
allowed me to move on and make something of my life. Echelon Press became involved at the last
minute because Crumbs needed a home. The editors (Pamela Johnson and Sheryl Hames Torres)
put
it together and got it to us very quickly, our staff worked desperately with Pamela to get it
formatted and ready to go, and the authors did everything they could to pre-promote and generate
the interest necessary to launch the book on June 1, 2002. It is absolutely glorious to see what
such
a large and scattered group of people can do when they share a common goal. It is safe to say that
to date, in the short time it has been available, Crumbs is our best selling book. The best part is
that
everyone is doing this out of conviction (all the authors have vowed to donate 100% of their
royalties to the education and awareness of domestic violence, with Echelon matching their
donations.) You can find out more about the cause and the contributors at
www.crumbinkeyboard.com.
LJ for MBR: WOW! What a worthy purpose, Karen! Your answer gave me goosebumps, and I
regret more than ever discovering that project too late to contribute in some small way. Give me a
second here to regroup....
Alright. You've given us a basic overview of Echelon and your vision as publisher. Would you
mind
sharing a bit of information about you, your background in education or experience related to the
field of publishing?
KLS: Most of what I know I learned from experience (bad ones). I have been writing for as long
as I
can remember. My days in college consisted of heartbreak, where my basic English professor told
me not to give up my job flipping burgers because I would never amount to anything in the
writing
industry. May I just say...JERK! I have taken as many different level classes about writing as I
could
find and I have picked the brain of any published author, editor, or agent who would stand still
long
enough to let me suck them into my learning sponge. I worked for a small pres publisher prior to
forming Echelon and was raked over the coals by several others as an author. We try to run
Echelon
on the ideas of NOT doing to others what has already been done to us. I write from the heart, I
read
from the heart, and I contract from the heart. Life has been my teacher and years of working
through
it. Then there are those people who tell me I can't, so I do!
LJ for MBR: I like that answer. You write, read, and contract from the heart. There are those
who
will say yeah, but that does not feed the bottom line. Maybe you and Echelon have found a way to
publish with heart and STILL have a healthy bottom line. That would be refreshing in the world
of
publishing, now wouldn't it!
I think this is a good place to start winding down. Is there any question you wish I would have
asked, or any other information you would like to share with our readers?
KLS: You could have asked me how it feels to be a Goddess! (laugh) I'm not sure you missed
anything in your questions. As for the bottom line? If we make the readers happy by producing
quality books we will achieve all that we deserve. Instinct has led me down many a different path.
(Unfinished Dreams by Pamela Johnson--brand new full length author who is now sporting a list
of
industry award nominations and a Crystal Globe Award for Best New Writer. I went with my first
instinct and she is golden!) How can we go wrong when the praise speaks for itself?
But I would like to encourage writers and readers alike. Writers, know your market and follow
instructions. I am finding that in the publishing end of this business, the most common reason for
manuscript rejection is failure to pay attention. (grammar, style, submission guidelines). All of
these
things are part of the business. If you want to be a professional, you must first act like one. I face
people every day who tell me that Echelon is not as important or valuable to the industry because
we
are an independent publisher. Horsepucky! Ask any reader what they want and they will always
tell
you something that they cannot get! Write from the heart and you automatically become a success
in
what you do! You must please yourself before you can please others.
As for readers, don't be afraid to tell us what you want. If you only buy what is made available to
you, that is all you will ever get. You want wild? Write a letter and tell that to your favorite
publisher. You want exotic? Shout it from the mountain tops. You want weird and freaky? Don't
be
afraid to speak up! Without the loyalty and support of the readers there is no need for publishers
or
authors. We are but one small part of the entertainment industry, and we are no good if we fail to
entertain. So let us entertain you!
LJ for MBR: If that answer does not give struggling writers a boost, nothing will! Thanks for
leaving everyone on a note of hope to keep them writing and creating.
That's all I have, Karen. I appreciate the time and thought you gave to your answers. Thanks! I'll
just
remind our readers of your website again before we close this out. www.echelonpress.com
KLS: No, thank you!!!
==================================================
Interview with E.L. Burton
I reviewed E.L. Burton's first book, $oft Money, for the August Reviewer's Bookwatch. I chose
to
interview him because of both his spoken and unspoken philosophy.
LJ for MBR: Your first book, $oft Money, had all the intrigue and excitement of any action
thriller I
have seen in recent years. Your fictional accounting of the underside of politics in Washington DC
was believable and had the ring of truth to it. What gave you the idea to write this book, and
what, if
any, research did you do to give it that realistic edge?
E.L.B.: What a fun question!! I think that the reason you felt that $oft Money had a true ring to it
was because in reality it is not too far from the truth. Just look at how bloated government has
become. Look at the laws that have been written and passed that have no bearing on or concern
for
the average citizen. I believe that the government envisioned by our forefathers has been
corrupted
by the flow of money and the access that it provides. On the final pages of $oft Money I
wrote:
"The vision conceived by the founders of this great nation in reference to the structure and nature
of
government has drifted farther and farther from its original course and ultimate destination. Gone
are
the ideals that embodied political aspirations of generations past, whose sole purpose was to
aspire
to office, to step in and serve his fellow man, and bring with him the wisdom of a life's work.
Those
intrinsic values have been replaces with individuals that have earned the moniker, Career
Politician."
The makeup of government should be that of people like you or me. People who have labored in
the
private sectors and lived a life outside the beltway. Instead we have elected and re-elected
professional politicians, people who have lost touch with what it means to be average. Even those
who come up the honest way, are soon pulled in by the lure money and the power that follows. I
could go off on a rant here, but I will save it for another day.
The inspiration for $oft Money really came from viewing what we have now and comparing it to
what I think that our founding fathers had envisioned. One of the other inspirational factors was
the
election held in 2000. The massive amount of money generated by both parties really got me
cooking.
As far as research, I read any and all articles that pertained to political campaigns as well as
special
interest groups. C-SPAN provided me with a real look at the process. The various talk shows that
permeate the airways provided me with some of the fodder for my work. As far as some of the
technological aspects of the book, I spent time on the internet researching what is available. The
internet is a phenomenal research tool.
We live in very interesting times. We have more access to our government and how it works than
in
any other time in history. I truly believe that we will see a profound change in government in our
lifetime. As people take the time to really see what is going on, more and more will find some of
the
outrage that I expressed in $oft Money. I guess that will occur when people have finally seen
enough
and had enough.
LJ for MBR: Your answer revealed the side of E.L. Burton that prowls the information highway,
devouring tidbits and grist to file away for future action thrillers. And your website says you're
working on a second book, as yet unnamed. Have you come up with a working title for that book
yet? Tell us just a bit about it so we know what to anticipate.
E.L.B.: The working title for my next book is Conspiracy of Fear. I love politics, and I have what
some might call a bit of a conspiratorial mind. The topic of Gun Control has always been a hotly
debated subject within our society. Also, there has been an explosion of random acts of violence
within our school systems, workplaces, etc... In Conspiracy of Fear I have decided to combine the
two elements. Politicians and their hunger to write and pass new legislation, and people who for
one
reason or another walk into school or their place of employment and start shooting.
I decided to write it because I asked myself over and over: Why are so many kids, businessmen,
etc... going off and killing randomly in schools and workplaces? I was also fascinated by the fact
that
legislators continually want to write new legislation surrounding guns, without any thought of
trying
to enforce the many laws that are currently on the books. So you take the explosion of violence
and
the debate over gun control, combine it with my twisted conspiratorial mind and walah!! You
have a
"Conspiracy of Fear" Those entities who want to remove guns from society, versus those who
believe it is constitutional right.
The book is based on the theory that the only way that our government will get firearms out of
our
hands is if we as a society demand it. Currently the country is polarized and frozen in a stalemate.
Conspiracy of Fear deals with the means to an end, the end of gun ownership in this country. The
means to that end are conceived by members of our government coupled with members outside of
government with a personal agenda. Their aim is to compel society to demand the removal of
firearms from the fabric of society. The only thing standing in the way of that goal is Dr. Henry
Stone, a medical examiner who discovers an anomaly in a young boy who had walked into his
homeroom and opened fire on his classmates, killing several of them before dying himself.
I don't want to give too much of the story away. But rest assured, it is a fast paced story that
delves
into the underbelly of government, our military and the gruesome life of a medical examiner.
LJ for MBR: That one sounds like another riveting scenario and a book I'll label "must have, must
read".
Alright, E.L. Our readers have learned a bit about you and your books, how you think along those
lines. But there's more to E.L. Burton than conspiracy theories and hard edged thrillers. I learned
that from reading your website. Do you mind giving us a peek at your softer side for lack of better
word? Hobbies? Other types of writing? Work world? Just tell us what you're comfortable with
sharing.
E.L.B.: My softer side.... Well that is going to be a little tough. I never really take much time to
look
at myself. My website was done to showcase my book. I decided to add some short stories /
essays
that I wrote that were kind of a peek into my personal life. In a way, I do think that it is important
for readers to get a look at who an author is outside of his or her work. I grew up in a very value
driven family. My parents did an excellent job teaching me the value and meaning of life. They
were
awesome examples of how one should live their life. I owe a lot to my parents. Without the values
that were driven into me at an early age, I probably would be wandering around, lost. I also wrote
an essay about my wife, Kelly. She is the reason I am who I am today. She encouraged me and
has
supported me in pursuing my writing. There are a couple of others on the website as well.
As far as the "work world," I write full time. As we talked about earlier, I am writing Conspiracy
of
Fear at the moment. After I finish that book, I will spend several months doing research for the
next
book. I hope to be able to complete one book every year for as long as people decide to read
what I
write. As for my past work life, I spent several years in corporate America. From sales, to sales
management, to just plain old management of a company. Many days of customers, numbers and
personnel. But in the back of my mind there was always a little voice that yearned to be heard. So
here I am, listening to that little voice and hitting the keyboard.
As far as hobbies go, well, I enjoy fishing. My family has a cabin in the White Mountains of
Arizona.
Your readers have probably never heard of the White Mountains, until this year. It was the
location
of the largest fire in the US this year. Thankfully, we stayed out of the path, but a lot of people
lost
everything. I usually go up there and spend the summer writing and fishing. Fishing helps me
creatively, I write in the mornings and then I fish in the afternoon. The next day the process starts
over again and that goes on until I come down from the mountain with a completed MS. The only
reason I am home now is because I am headed for Los Angeles to meet with an agent who has
expressed interest in representing $oft Money as a mass market paperback, and for other various
rights.
LJ for MBR: OH how exciting! Those are magic words that every author yearns to hear.
"Interested
agent." "Mass Market Paperback." And the ever intriguing "other various rights"! Of course, what
comes to mind is MOVIES! Let's play a little here, E.L. Indulge me. If you could choose any
actor
at all to play the main male character in $oft Money, who would it be?
E.L.B.: I don't want to put the cart before the horse here. I think we are a long way from
"interested
agent" to "who would be playing the lead character". But if we are going to play I would have to
go
with Ed Harris. Lawrence Brazelton's character seems to fit him best. He is an accomplished actor
who has proven that he can play roles that are dramatic in nature as well as that of an action
figure.
Lawrence is smart, dramatic, and as the story progresses, he becomes somewhat of an action
oriented man. As I wrote $oft Money, and as I write Conspiracy of Fear, I do tend to put faces
with
the characters I create. It helps to write the story if I can play the scenes and the dialogue over in
my
head. The character of Kelly Ford, Lawrence's interest in the $oft Money, was Laura Dern. I drew
a
picture in my mind of Clay Danvers from two sources, the actor Billy Bob Thornton and the
Political Consultant James Carville.
LJ for MBR: I put faces with characters when I read also, but I saw Billy Bob Thornton as
Lawrence Brazelton. Of course, I think Billy Bob can play every male character in every book.
Thanks for indulging my whimsy just this once.
Alright, E.L., let's return to the subject of writing. If you were in a position to advise aspiring
writers, what would you tell them, based on your experience?
E.L.B.: That is an interesting question. I look at myself as simply an aspiring author. My hope is
that
no matter what level of commercial success that I may experience, I will always be simply an
aspiring writer. I guess if I were to give advice, I would have to say start slow. Read everything
you
can on the craft of writing. Establish whether or not this is something you want to pursue. If you
feel
passionate about writing, if you feel like you have a message, then you can move on. Timelines
are
your enemy, creativity can not be forced, take your time and begin the creative process.
I have heard it said that everyone has a third place. Meaning that most people have home life,
work
life, and the third place is where you go to find peace and comfort from the rigors of life. Find
your
third place and that is where you will find the inspiration to create.
Develop a thick skin, you will need it. It comes in handy as the form rejection letters roll in.
Breaking into this business is rough. People could care less about you or what you have written.
Unless you are one of the very rare few, who writes a bestseller on the first go around, unless you
know someone in the literary community, be prepared to have to earn your shot. I have been at
this
for several years, and I am just now getting a foot in the door. Mind you, we are talking a foot
here.
This is a slow and methodical process, one that is fraught with rejections, setbacks and endless
re-writes. Take pride in your work, research the proper way to format and submit a manuscript to
prospective agents and publishers. The last bit of advice would have to be, believe in
yourself.
LJ for MBR: That was very well put. Thoughtful, sensible and to the point.
For my final question, is there anything you wish I had asked you? Or are there any thoughts you
want to leave with our readers before we bring this interview to an end?
E.L.B.: I will admit that I could talk to you for a while, the experience has been that wonderful.
As
far as I can tell, there really is nothing more that you could have asked. I do want to thank the
Midwest Book Review and you Laurel, for taking the time and having the interest in someone
who
is trying to break into this business. This is a rough road to hoe, and having you take the time to
ask
me a few questions makes me feel like a winner.
The one thing that I would like to leave you and your readers with is this: Books are one of the
few
treasures in life. Whether you pick up a book and love it or hate it, at least you have taken the
time
to expand your horizon. Someone took the time to write it, and it is up to readers to take
something
away from the experience. I have heard it said that most people don't even have one book in them.
So when you pick up a book, settle down on the couch or that favorite chair, take the time to
really
read what the author has written, and hopefully you will discover something you never knew, an
emotion you never felt or a thrill that makes it all worth while. I have read many books that I
simply
did not like, however, I have always respected the authors that have written them. In the end, I
can
honestly say that I have learned something with each book that I have read. I am sorry if I came
off
like a writer, but that is me and it is what I do and what I love.
Thank you again for the opportunity to chat with you Laurel. I want to extend my wishes for
many
years of success for the Midwest Book Review. It has been a pleasure dealing with you and your
organization.
LJ for MBR: You're welcome, E.L. And thank you for taking time to talk with me today. I do
want
to give our readers the url to your website and publisher. www.elburton.com and
www.1stbooks.com.
$oft Money: The True Power In Our Nation's Capitol
E.L. Burton
1st Books
2595 Vernal Pike, Bloomington IN 47404
ISBN 1-58820-403-0, 212 pp at 9.95 paperback or 4.95 e-book
I've heard it said that as long as the public has "theirs" - meaning the good life - they don't care
how
down, dirty, and lethal politics is played in our nation's capitol. In this fictional account of how
money rules our government, the public doesn't get enough truthful information out of D.C. to
make
that decision either way. In $oft Money, power begats power, money begats more money, and
only
a privileged few rake in the bounty. And the American taxpayers, who closed their eyes while
career
politicians took over, are reaping the bitter harvest.
E.L. Burton has created a fast-paced thriller that entertains and intrigues. I couldn't put it down.
It's
packed from start to end with avaricious power hungry villains, the hapless folks they victimize,
and
idealistic men who take an honest stand. His characters are well-developed and defined.
Clay Danvers is the smooth talking, good looking spin doctor who serves a popular President.
Clay
considers himself to be a skilled, well-paid assassin. No, he doesn't actually KILL people, but he
brings about their downfall until they might as well be dead. Whatever scruples Clay once had are
long since buried by his crimes.
Preston Wesley is the people-friendly, charismatic President of the United States. A covert group
of
wealthy, powerful, and ruthless men stay busy day and night maintaining Pres. Wesley's front and
ensuring all skeletons of the past stay hidden.
The undisputed leader of the covert group is Mike Baker, President and CEO of Bytes
Technology.
Mike is a billionaire many times over from his computer software business, but even billions are
not
enough to sooth his greed for more money and increasing power. Mike is vicious, a puppet master
with a passion to control the President and all he stands for.
Lawrence Brazelton is one of the unfortunates the group has sacrificed in protection of the
President. He's lost everything dear to him, but isn't quite the broken man he seems. He has the
hope
of loving for a second time and finding life outside the Beltway, if he can just live long enough to
make it happen. Lawrence has a covert op of his own underway, and neither the President nor his
cohorts will like it much. Paybacks will be hell if Lawrence Brazelton has his way.
I couldn't wait to see the bad guys taken down in this one, and held my breath in hopes that at
least
one good guy survived to make it happen. Mr. Burton does a fine job of holding the reader's
interest, and introduces subjects that will keep you pondering after the book ends. For certain, I
will
never use a cell phone, telephone, or connect to the internet again without thinking of this author
and $oft Money.
I reviewed E.L. Burton's first book, $oft Money, for the August Reviewer's Bookwatch. I chose
to
interview him because of both his spoken and unspoken philosophy.
LJ for MBR: Your first book, $oft Money, had all the intrigue and excitement of any action
thriller I
have seen in recent years. Your fictional accounting of the underside of politics in Washington DC
was believable and had the ring of truth to it. What gave you the idea to write this book, and
what, if
any, research did you do to give it that realistic edge?
E.L.B.: What a fun question!! I think that the reason you felt that $oft Money had a true ring to it
was because in reality it is not too far from the truth. Just look at how bloated government has
become. Look at the laws that have been written and passed that have no bearing on or concern
for
the average citizen. I believe that the government envisioned by our forefathers has been
corrupted
by the flow of money and the access that it provides. On the final pages of $oft Money I
wrote:
"The vision conceived by the founders of this great nation in reference to the structure and nature
of
government has drifted farther and farther from its original course and ultimate destination. Gone
are
the ideals that embodied political aspirations of generations past, whose sole purpose was to
aspire
to office, to step in and serve his fellow man, and bring with him the wisdom of a life's work.
Those
intrinsic values have been replaces with individuals that have earned the moniker, Career
Politician."
The makeup of government should be that of people like you or me. People who have labored in
the
private sectors and lived a life outside the beltway. Instead we have elected and re-elected
professional politicians, people who have lost touch with what it means to be average. Even those
who come up the honest way, are soon pulled in by the lure money and the power that follows. I
could go off on a rant here, but I will save it for another day.
The inspiration for $oft Money really came from viewing what we have now and comparing it to
what I think that our founding fathers had envisioned. One of the other inspirational factors was
the
election held in 2000. The massive amount of money generated by both parties really got me
cooking.
As far as research, I read any and all articles that pertained to political campaigns as well as
special
interest groups. C-SPAN provided me with a real look at the process. The various talk shows that
permeate the airways provided me with some of the fodder for my work. As far as some of the
technological aspects of the book, I spent time on the internet researching what is available. The
internet is a phenomenal research tool.
We live in very interesting times. We have more access to our government and how it works than
in
any other time in history. I truly believe that we will see a profound change in government in our
lifetime. As people take the time to really see what is going on, more and more will find some of
the
outrage that I expressed in $oft Money. I guess that will occur when people have finally seen
enough
and had enough.
LJ for MBR: Your answer revealed the side of E.L. Burton that prowls the information highway,
devouring tidbits and grist to file away for future action thrillers. And your website says you're
working on a second book, as yet unnamed. Have you come up with a working title for that book
yet? Tell us just a bit about it so we know what to anticipate.
E.L.B.: The working title for my next book is Conspiracy of Fear. I love politics, and I have what
some might call a bit of a conspiratorial mind. The topic of Gun Control has always been a hotly
debated subject within our society. Also, there has been an explosion of random acts of violence
within our school systems, workplaces, etc... In Conspiracy of Fear I have decided to combine the
two elements. Politicians and their hunger to write and pass new legislation, and people who for
one
reason or another walk into school or their place of employment and start shooting.
I decided to write it because I asked myself over and over: Why are so many kids, businessmen,
etc... going off and killing randomly in schools and workplaces? I was also fascinated by the fact
that
legislators continually want to write new legislation surrounding guns, without any thought of
trying
to enforce the many laws that are currently on the books. So you take the explosion of violence
and
the debate over gun control, combine it with my twisted conspiratorial mind and walah!! You
have a
"Conspiracy of Fear" Those entities who want to remove guns from society, versus those who
believe it is constitutional right.
The book is based on the theory that the only way that our government will get firearms out of
our
hands is if we as a society demand it. Currently the country is polarized and frozen in a stalemate.
Conspiracy of Fear deals with the means to an end, the end of gun ownership in this country. The
means to that end are conceived by members of our government coupled with members outside of
government with a personal agenda. Their aim is to compel society to demand the removal of
firearms from the fabric of society. The only thing standing in the way of that goal is Dr. Henry
Stone, a medical examiner who discovers an anomaly in a young boy who had walked into his
homeroom and opened fire on his classmates, killing several of them before dying himself.
I don't want to give too much of the story away. But rest assured, it is a fast paced story that
delves
into the underbelly of government, our military and the gruesome life of a medical examiner.
LJ for MBR: That one sounds like another riveting scenario and a book I'll label "must have, must
read".
Alright, E.L. Our readers have learned a bit about you and your books, how you think along those
lines. But there's more to E.L. Burton than conspiracy theories and hard edged thrillers. I learned
that from reading your website. Do you mind giving us a peek at your softer side for lack of better
word? Hobbies? Other types of writing? Work world? Just tell us what you're comfortable with
sharing.
E.L.B.: My softer side.... Well that is going to be a little tough. I never really take much time to
look
at myself. My website was done to showcase my book. I decided to add some short stories /
essays
that I wrote that were kind of a peek into my personal life. In a way, I do think that it is important
for readers to get a look at who an author is outside of his or her work. I grew up in a very value
driven family. My parents did an excellent job teaching me the value and meaning of life. They
were
awesome examples of how one should live their life. I owe a lot to my parents. Without the values
that were driven into me at an early age, I probably would be wandering around, lost. I also wrote
an essay about my wife, Kelly. She is the reason I am who I am today. She encouraged me and
has
supported me in pursuing my writing. There are a couple of others on the website as well.
As far as the "work world," I write full time. As we talked about earlier, I am writing Conspiracy
of
Fear at the moment. After I finish that book, I will spend several months doing research for the
next
book. I hope to be able to complete one book every year for as long as people decide to read
what I
write. As for my past work life, I spent several years in corporate America. From sales, to sales
management, to just plain old management of a company. Many days of customers, numbers and
personnel. But in the back of my mind there was always a little voice that yearned to be heard. So
here I am, listening to that little voice and hitting the keyboard.
As far as hobbies go, well, I enjoy fishing. My family has a cabin in the White Mountains of
Arizona.
Your readers have probably never heard of the White Mountains, until this year. It was the
location
of the largest fire in the US this year. Thankfully, we stayed out of the path, but a lot of people
lost
everything. I usually go up there and spend the summer writing and fishing. Fishing helps me
creatively, I write in the mornings and then I fish in the afternoon. The next day the process starts
over again and that goes on until I come down from the mountain with a completed MS. The only
reason I am home now is because I am headed for Los Angeles to meet with an agent who has
expressed interest in representing $oft Money as a mass market paperback, and for other various
rights.
LJ for MBR: OH how exciting! Those are magic words that every author yearns to hear.
"Interested
agent." "Mass Market Paperback." And the ever intriguing "other various rights"! Of course, what
comes to mind is MOVIES! Let's play a little here, E.L. Indulge me. If you could choose any
actor
at all to play the main male character in $oft Money, who would it be?
E.L.B.: I don't want to put the cart before the horse here. I think we are a long way from
"interested
agent" to "who would be playing the lead character". But if we are going to play I would have to
go
with Ed Harris. Lawrence Brazelton's character seems to fit him best. He is an accomplished actor
who has proven that he can play roles that are dramatic in nature as well as that of an action
figure.
Lawrence is smart, dramatic, and as the story progresses, he becomes somewhat of an action
oriented man. As I wrote $oft Money, and as I write Conspiracy of Fear, I do tend to put faces
with
the characters I create. It helps to write the story if I can play the scenes and the dialogue over in
my
head. The character of Kelly Ford, Lawrence's interest in the $oft Money, was Laura Dern. I drew
a
picture in my mind of Clay Danvers from two sources, the actor Billy Bob Thornton and the
Political Consultant James Carville.
LJ for MBR: I put faces with characters when I read also, but I saw Billy Bob Thornton as
Lawrence Brazelton. Of course, I think Billy Bob can play every male character in every book.
Thanks for indulging my whimsy just this once.
Alright, E.L., let's return to the subject of writing. If you were in a position to advise aspiring
writers, what would you tell them, based on your experience?
E.L.B.: That is an interesting question. I look at myself as simply an aspiring author. My hope is
that
no matter what level of commercial success that I may experience, I will always be simply an
aspiring writer. I guess if I were to give advice, I would have to say start slow. Read everything
you
can on the craft of writing. Establish whether or not this is something you want to pursue. If you
feel
passionate about writing, if you feel like you have a message, then you can move on. Timelines
are
your enemy, creativity can not be forced, take your time and begin the creative process.
I have heard it said that everyone has a third place. Meaning that most people have home life,
work
life, and the third place is where you go to find peace and comfort from the rigors of life. Find
your
third place and that is where you will find the inspiration to create.
Develop a thick skin, you will need it. It comes in handy as the form rejection letters roll in.
Breaking into this business is rough. People could care less about you or what you have written.
Unless you are one of the very rare few, who writes a bestseller on the first go around, unless you
know someone in the literary community, be prepared to have to earn your shot. I have been at
this
for several years, and I am just now getting a foot in the door. Mind you, we are talking a foot
here.
This is a slow and methodical process, one that is fraught with rejections, setbacks and endless
re-writes. Take pride in your work, research the proper way to format and submit a manuscript to
prospective agents and publishers. The last bit of advice would have to be, believe in
yourself.
LJ for MBR: That was very well put. Thoughtful, sensible and to the point.
For my final question, is there anything you wish I had asked you? Or are there any thoughts you
want to leave with our readers before we bring this interview to an end?
E.L.B.: I will admit that I could talk to you for a while, the experience has been that wonderful.
As
far as I can tell, there really is nothing more that you could have asked. I do want to thank the
Midwest Book Review and you Laurel, for taking the time and having the interest in someone
who
is trying to break into this business. This is a rough road to hoe, and having you take the time to
ask
me a few questions makes me feel like a winner.
The one thing that I would like to leave you and your readers with is this: Books are one of the
few
treasures in life. Whether you pick up a book and love it or hate it, at least you have taken the
time
to expand your horizon. Someone took the time to write it, and it is up to readers to take
something
away from the experience. I have heard it said that most people don't even have one book in them.
So when you pick up a book, settle down on the couch or that favorite chair, take the time to
really
read what the author has written, and hopefully you will discover something you never knew, an
emotion you never felt or a thrill that makes it all worth while. I have read many books that I
simply
did not like, however, I have always respected the authors that have written them. In the end, I
can
honestly say that I have learned something with each book that I have read. I am sorry if I came
off
like a writer, but that is me and it is what I do and what I love.
Thank you again for the opportunity to chat with you Laurel. I want to extend my wishes for
many
years of success for the Midwest Book Review. It has been a pleasure dealing with you and your
organization.
LJ for MBR: You're welcome, E.L. And thank you for taking time to talk with me today. I do
want
to give our readers the url to your website and publisher. www.elburton.com and
www.1stbooks.com.
Interview with Nancy Marie:
Nancy Marie is the author of When You Wish Upon a Star, which was reviewed in the June
edition
of Midwest Book Review. I wanted to interview Nancy Marie because I admire her writing style,
and because I think she's capable of writing in a wide range of genre. Whatever Nancy Marie
writes,
whether it be romance, mystery, or thriller, is created for the Christian market.
LJ for MBR: Your first book, When You Wish Upon a Star, was one of my recent favorites. It
had
a little bit of everything in it - action, suspense, and romance. What gave you the idea to write this
story about domestic violence and the subsequent redemption of two lives through courage and
faith?
Nancy Marie: Boy! What a loaded question. When I resigned my position as a newspaper
journalist
to write novels, I decided (for once in my life) to follow the advice I had been given. That advice:
write about what you know.
Well, I had tons of experience with domestic violence, I knew about it first-hand, so I decided to
write about a woman who runs away from her violent husband with her kids and ends up in
Colorado. That was what I did and that's where the basic plot for the book came from.
The rest is purely fiction, except for the emotional trauma Paige goes through. I drew heavily
upon
my own experiences of healing and recovering from abuse to add reality to the book. Even though
most of the action/suspense in the book is fiction, Paige's reactions, her insecurities, her return to
her
faith, etc. are all drawn from my own life experiences.
About the courage issue, I don't know. People tell me I have a lot of courage, but I don't think of
it
that way. Sometimes life just gives you lousy choices, and you do what you have to do to make
the
best of those situations. I don't think of it as courage, and I don't think of Paige as being
particulary
courageous. She just did what she had to do.
In that way Paige and I are a lot alike. We're both some of the most fear-filled people I know, but
neither one of us lets fear stop us from doing what has to be done. It's really a matter of
practicality
rather than courage. Courage is fighting a forest fire, taking a stand for something you believe in,
or
defending your family from attackers. Doing what has to be done, simply because you don't have
any
other choice, well...I don't call that courage. When you're backed into a corner and the only way
out
is forward, well it makes sense to go forward. Doesn't it?
LJ for MBR: That answer is a good example of why your book was so effective. You wrote what
you knew, you did it very well, and infused your lead character with the same quiet, unassuming
courage you just demonstrated in your answer. Thank you for being honest.
I know you have a second book in the works now. Would you mind giving our readers a small
preview of it?
Nancy Marie: Actually, I have three more novels completed and one non-fiction book finished
also.
Two of the fiction novels are part of a series. They are Benjamin's Bride and Jinger's Journey.
Both
of these feature three main characters: Colorado Bureau of Investigations Agent Bob Barnes (aka
Bird), Father Casey O'Flagherty and his mule Balaam. Together these three tackle a variety of
complex mysteries and problems. In Benjamin's Bride, they track down a cult that has been
kidnapping women. In Jinger's Journey, they try to save a teen-age girl from a group of
Satanists.
In future novels in this series, such as Daniel's Deliverance, Pollie's Poverty, Rozzie's Redemption,
and Abigal's Answer, Bird, Casey, and Balaam will track down international terrorists; uncover a
plot to make euthanasia of the elderly and insane part of our "constitutional rights"; expose a mad
scientist who has developed a 30-day strain of AIDS and is infecting prostitutes. I could go on but
I
won't. Let's just say I've got titles and plots to cover every letter in the alphabet.
Each novel deals with a current social issue as well as Christianity's ability or inability to deal with
it.
All are suspense novels with lots of action. I dunno but maybe somewhere along the line, in one of
them, I may let Bird fall in love and get married. I do like to write romances.
I have to admit I kind of fell in love with Bird as I was developing his character. He's human, not
real great, but trying hard to be better. I also got a kick out of creating Father Casey O'Flagherty.
He's a charasimatic Catholic priest with very unorthodox beliefs, so much so that his mother
church
sent him on a mandatory sabbatical. He has a bad cussing habit for which he is forever repenting
and
failing and repenting again. And then there's Balaam. That mule is me in many ways and it is fun
being rebellious, stubborn and sometimes plain mean and ornry through this character.
Walking In Faith, my third finished novel, is a romance that deals with both illegal and
prescription
drug abuse, and deliverance.
But my favorite book so far is my newest one, my first non-fiction book, Buttercups for Jesus:
Reflecting His Light in Your Life. I can't really say why this book has such a hold on me. I wrote
it
in just a little over a month, and the writing process itself was exciting and consuming. I lived and
breathed nothing but "Buttercups" the whole time I was writing it.
Part of me thinks I should add a subtitle to "Buttercups" and call it "Confessions of a Neurotic
Christian" because I used my own personal failings and humilations as teaching examples of what
not to do, and was as absolutely and completely honest as I know how to be. But then I show
how
God used those lessons to make me better and to "let His light shine through to others" which is
the
whole point of the book.
Hopefully these books, and all the others I want to write, will be in print someday.
LJ for MBR: Your distinctive writing style is one reason I wanted to interview you. It was what
and
HOW you told your story in When You Wish Upon a Star that blurred the genre edges and gave
it a
mainstream feel. Was that style unique to Star, or do you employ different writing techniques in
the
series books you mentioned?
Nancy Marie: When You Wish Upon A Star was unusual in that I did cross-over several genres,
something you're not supposed to do. Benjamin's Bride also crosses-over into romance, suspense,
and inspiration. Jinger's Journey does also, only it's a paranormal-suspense novel. Walking in Faith
is
a straight romance with a lot of action. About Buttercups for Jesus, though I can't really say
because
it's non-fiction and it has to be different from fiction.
I guess I could say all the books are written in the style that I enjoy reading: fast-paced, not too
much descriptive narrative, and based as closely to reality as I can make them.
LJ for MBR: I would have said the opposite, Nancy Marie. Your use of descriptive narrative was
what appealed to me. I loved your choice of words and how you used them.
You've shown us that your walk of Christian faith is a major focus of your life. Other than your
marriage, family and writing - which go without saying of course - what other aspects of your life
take a priority?
Nancy Marie: School is a real priority for me right now. I will be a senior at the end of August,
and
am planning to have my Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies by next May. I will be throwing a
big,
big graduation party and EVERYBODY'S INVITED. (GRIN!)
Do I sound a little excited? I am. You see, I never graduated from high school. They didn't have
all
those programs for unwed, pregnant teenagers back in the days when "good girls didn't do things
like that."
And, it's way to late for me to go to my junior ball or senior prom, so I am going to relive my
teen-age years and have a real college graduation with the cap and gown and the whole nine
yards.
And a BIG PARTY!
In addition to that B.A. in Religious Studies, I will graduate with a specialization in Spirituality
and
two minors in History and Communications. And, unless I screw-up between now and then, I will
also be graduating with a 4.0 GPA. And, yes I am bragging, and yes I am an over-achiever, but
this
is really, really important to me.
When you've been abused, you start thinking you are "less-than" everybody else. You start
believing
that you must be inferior, or else why would your loved one treat you so badly? And then it
becomes
a reality. You start acting and thinking like "less-than" everybody else.
So, after years of healing, when I decided to go back to school, I was out to prove something to
myself. I am not "less-than." And of course with my obessive/compulisve nature, I not only have
to
not be "less-than," I have to be perfect.
To be honest, I can't wait until I get my B.A. so that I can let up on myself in graduate school. I
figure by that time I will have already proven I can get a 4.0 GPA. I won't have to do it again in
graduate school, and can take things a little easier.
I know, I am neroutic, but it works for me.
LJ for MBR: I'd say calling yourself an "over achiever" is an understatement! I've been humbled
good and proper by your answer.
By now, with one book out there and several more to follow, you could offer words of experience
or encouragement to other writers. What would you say to aspiring writers who ask for words of
wisdom, knowing what you know now?
Nancy Marie: That's real simple. First learn the basics. If you didn't learn the difference between
accept and except, they're and their and there, way, weigh, and whey, and other word choices like
that in school, or if you just don't remember, re-learn it. If you don't know not to put quotation
marks around internal thoughts, then learn it. In other words, know how to write a proper
sentence,
use words properly, and the difference between showing and telling.
All of this is quite simple to learn and there many excellent tools out there to help you learn these
things. I recommend Sol Stein's, How to Grow a Novel and Strunk and White's, The Elements of
Style to begin with. Then, when you have written the next "great American novel," get and use,
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers.
If I sound a little adamant about this, it is because I am. One of my pet peeves is writers who
haven't
taken the time to learn the basics and refuse to learn them. All they do is clutter up editors and
publishers desks with unpublishable manuscripts. Don't let your manuscript fall into that category.
Believe me, you can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't learn the basics you are never
going to get published by a traditional publisher. Yes, there are POD publishers who will publish
anything. But if you are serious, if you really want to become a well-known and respected writer,
learn the basics.
Next and last, never, ever, ever give up. Getting published by a traditional publisher not a POD or
Vanity Press, is hard, hard, hard. But it can be done if you learn the basics, believe in yourself, and
never, ever give-up.
I strongly suggest getting involved in a writers group, either in-person or on the Internet and there
must be thousands of writers groups on the internet. These groups not only provide you with
motivation to keep going when you've just received your bizillionth rejection letter, but will often
provide you with valuable critiques of your work from which you can learn, and thus become a
better writer.
Writing is like playing the piano. You may have a natural talent for it, but unless you practice,
practice, practice and learn, your talent will not get any better.
Never for a moment, not ever, think that you've learned all there is to learn. Don't be so
closed-minded and protective of your "baby" that you can not accept helpful criticism when it is
offered. The English language is a complex, complicated and beautiful thing, and it is the medium
through which writers communicate. Because of the complications of the language, it therefore
makes sense that there will always be a better word, a better phrase, a better sentence to
communicate what you are trying to say. Don't be stubborn, accept the fact that you can do
better,
and keep trying to improve your work. You will benefit by getting published, and the readers will
benefit by finding a book they can easily understand and enjoy.
LJ for MBR: Good answer, Nancy Marie, and good practical advice.
It's time to wind things down here, but before we do, is there anything else you'd like readers to
know about you, or anything you wish I'd asked?
Nancy Marie: Yes, I'd like to invite your readers to visit my website at www.nancymarie.com.
And I
love to get e-mails from people! My book is available on the Amazon, Barnes and Noble,
Books-a-Million, and buy.com websites.
Thanks for giving me this opportunity to tell a bit about myself.
LJ for MBR: You're more than welcome, Nancy Marie. I appreciate your time, and wish you well
in
everything you do.
Flowers For Megan
Gloria Davidson Marlow
PublishAmerica
PO Box 151, Frederick MD 21705-0151
ISBN 1-58851-715-2, 184 pp at 19.95 paperback
Will Kinkaid was born exactly three hours before Megan Hardy in their tiny, safe Florida
hometown.
Through the years of childhood, they live as next door neighbors, share birthdays and holidays,
and
are such inseparable friends that everyone calls them "the twins". By their last year of high school,
Will has moved beyond that, to thinking of his long time friend and confidant in far less platonic
terms. But instead of easing into the more adult stage of their relationship as Will hopes, the
friends
encounter horror unimaginable.
After a day of swimming with their friends, Megan returns home to find her sister, niece and
nephew
murdered in a blood soaked bedroom. Will is right behind her, drawn into the gory scene by
Megan's
screams. Neither of them fare well in the aftermath of bloody murder. Megan grieves incessantly
and
withdraws into a near catatonic silence that lands her in a mental hospital. Will, in typical male
fashion, denies the horror, tamps it down inside his mind. And every time he sees the grieving
Megan, his heart and spirit break a little more for what might have been between them. Will
knows
he won't survive the sorrow or the memories very long, so he moves away from family and
Megan.
Twelve years later, he returns.
Neither Will nor Megan expect their youthful ties to be intact, but both pick up where they left off
without missing a beat. They still share an easy camaraderie, a special brand of humor and a
kinship
that goes beyond explaining. And the teenage ardor Will tried to hide when they were younger
rapidly becomes the openly desirous kisses, looks and touches of a man in love. Just when I was
settling into the relationship and hoping it would work this time, a whole new set of murders
begin.
Monstrous, inexplicable murders. And Megan starts receiving gifts accompanied by flowers, just
like
the flowers that arrived the day her sister, niece and nephew were murdered.
"Roses for funerals, flowers for Megan"
A murderer so far gone in madness thinks and speaks those words aloud in a quest to separate her
from anyone who might keep them apart. The demented monster kills with a message in mind,
murders according to well laid plan. It soon becomes apparent, as both Will and others struggle to
protect her, that the killer plans to drive Megan insane or be the instrument of her death, or maybe
both.
Ms. Marlow really told this story well, with words that raced across each page in a style I found
quite pleasing. Her characters were believable and charismatic. The relationship of Will and
Megan
was detailed realistically, with honest feelings and emotions. The author knew what she was doing
from start to finish of this story. Any reader who likes mystery, suspense, or romance should
enjoy
this book immensely.
Sarawak
Jerry Mohrlang
PublishAmerica
PO Box 151, Frederick MD 21705-0151
ISBN 1-59129-336-7, 352 pp at 24.95 paperback
The year is 1824, in those glorious days when the sun never set on the British Empire. They were
days of exploration into exotic lands and grand adventures on the high seas, days when young
men
dreamed of making their mark on the world in impossible ways. It was an epoch that would
change
the world we know in ways beyond imagination.
Lt. James Brooke of the East India Company has been commissioned by the King, as were his
father
and grandfather before him. From a life of ease and privilege in England, he travels across the
world
to India and Burma. Never one to knuckle under to authority and constraints, Lt. Brooke dreams
of
gaining riches and fame in the Far East. Not even devotion to his father or love for the
far-from-innocent Elizabeth Wethington can deter that dream for long.
Despite his young age, James Brooke is blessed with a force of character and courage that
inspires
the men he leads in battle. Those who opt to stay beside him when he resigns his commission are
an
odd mix. Si Tundok is an imposing half-breed Malay, devoted to no man or cause until he meets
Lt.
Brooke. Henry Steele is a rough-around-the-edges Welshman and former soldier of the King's
Army. Captain Timothy Irons is a seaman who finds more adventure than he wanted in the
company
of Brooke. Dr. Arthur Claygate and his wife Margaret find in James a humorous compatriot and
friend.
Random happenings and chance circumstance throw James into the adventure he seeks. He finds
his
way to Borneo, to Sarawak. And what an unexpected life he finds there, one of breathless wonder
at
the land itself and an unanticipated sympathy for the native peoples living there. Through the eyes
and experiences of James and his friends, the reader meets headhunters, fierce warriors, gentle
jungle
dwellers, and the cruel despots who have plundered Sarawak for years. The author leads us into
the
lives and longhouses of each tribe James encounters - the Punan, Kayan, Iban, Bidayuh, and
Maylay
- and documents their differences in entertaining style. We meet the villains of this story and learn
to
hate them for their callous greed. Worst of all is the Maylay prince, Api, who taxes his own
people
to the point of starvation, and whose taste for cruelty is worsened by the impotence he tries to
hide.
Not far behind Api is Geoff, the foulest Englishman who ever graced a literary page. Loi Pek, the
Chinaman, cares little for anyone or anything but opium and gold.
James Brooke becomes Rajah of Sarawak, and soon develops an almost fatherly concern for the
native people. He gains cooperation from all tribes because of their superstitions and beliefs.
James
is tall, an imposing figure to the short and stocky tribesmen. Brave in battle, as ferocious as the
most
successful headhunter, James "casts a long shadow", and one the natives would find difficult to
bury.
Sarawak is what might have been labeled an epic tale or sweeping saga in earlier times. Through
what must have been diligent research, Mr. Mohrlang makes this story come alive. A decidely
masculine writing style and focus adds to the feeling that this is James Brooke's story, told from
his
perspective in another time and age. For readers who are history lovers, Sarawak is a must read.
For
those who think that history is boring, there should be enough adventure, romance, violence,
warring and intrigue between these covers to satisfy. I recommend this book, and wonder what
Jerry
Mohrlang could possibly do to top it. I'm hoping for a continuation of the James Brooke
story.
Undo The Deed
Adam Michael James
PublishAmerica
P.O. Box 151, Frederick MD 21705-0151
ISBN 1-58851-795-0, 409 pp at 29.95 paperback
What if you found yourself transported back in time, to another generation? And what if you had
the
opportunity to undo all the awful karma that had been handed down to you from your parents and
grandparents? Don't try to think those questions through logically or explain them away by
scientific
means. Just feel, accept, and think about the possibility of undoing awful deeds. That is what
Adam-Michael James presents in this parable of domestic violence and child abuse.
The year is 1987. Amanda Grant has just been badly beaten, kicked and choked by her alcoholic
father, Matthew. As far back as her memory will go, all Amanda can remember of her father is
terrifying alcoholic rampages and vicious fists. She has all but given up on youthful dreams of
writing songs or finding stardom as an actress. And she's prayed for death, contemplated suicide,
and covered bruises with make up until she's wearied of it all. After Matthew almost kills her, the
beaten down 17 year old is driving blindly to an unknown destination. All she remembers is bright
lights, a tree, and then her world goes black.
She wakes up in the hospital to find a different world. Suspicious doctors, nurses, and police
officers
believe that all her injuries could not be caused by the accident. At least not those choke marks on
her throat. Amanda observes the strangely skewed world around her, finally realizing she is in the
year 1965. She is befriended by a kindly sympathetic couple, and by a teacher who knows far
more
than he lets on about time travel. And that is just the bare beginning of it.
1965 is a whole new way of life for Amanda. Gone are Madonna and the Bangles, and in their
place
are the Beatles and folk music. The Vietnam war is just an obscure skirmish in some far off jungle.
Sex is not openly discussed, even if you're doing "it", and discussing domestic violence or child
abuse with anyone is certainly taboo. Amanda struggles, not always successfully, to fit into this
new
world. And the worst part of it, the most mind blowing, heart chilling part of it all is that the
teenage
version of her father Matthew is a student at her school.
The 1965 version of Matthew Grant is a sweet, shy, idealistic boy who plays piano and keeps his
deep thoughts to himself. This Matthew, like Amanda, is the product of a violently dysfunctional
home and a father who beats him without mercy. Amanda can't despise this Matthew as she does
the
older version. The 17 year old boy is kindly and supportive, still has hopes and dreams despite his
lot, and she finds herself drawn to him in odd fashion. It's then she gets to thinking that it might be
possible to "undo the deed" for future generations - change the abusive father Matthew's heart by
intervening somehow with the boy. When the young Matthew falls in love with her, the tale takes
an
even stranger turn.
What Mr. James has done with this story was an emotional experience for me. To say the reading
of
it broke my heart is barest understatement. Despite the premise that some will call sci fi or
fantasy, it
all seemed real to me. While reading, I did not think of time travel, parallel universes, alternate
realities. or quantum leaps. I focused, as the author did, on Matthew and Amanda and the horrors
they were forced to live each day. I experienced the same futility and despair they lived with, and I
dared to hope along with them that someday - SOME day - they'd find a kindlier existence. I'm
relieved to report that the book does end on a hopeful note for both Amanda and her father
Matthew.
As a footnote to Undo the Deed, Adam-Michael James has included resources for those
experiencing domestic violence and child abuse. I suspect he is a weary but determined activist for
this cause. Mr. James writes well and tells the tale as if he's on the outside looking into broken
lives.
I liked this book and recommend it, even if Undo the Deed DID break my heart.
Interview with John LaurenceRobinson:
John Laurence Robinson is an enigma, a man and author not easily revealed.. But I think he is a
man
of hope and humor who is also capable of blind-siding readers with raw emotions that shock and
devastate. He is a Christian man who has not forgotten those dark days before his walk with
Christ
began. Everything he is, was, or ever will be is present in his prose. Since reading his first book,
Sock Monkey Blues, he has become one of my of favorite authors.
LJ for MBR: Your first book, Sock Monkey Blues, is a mystery suspense novel with a strong vein
of
humor running through it. It was an entertaining read, well written, but that is not what lingered
once the book was done. What surprised me was your range - the way you pulled such a variety
of
emotions from unexpected depths and made me feel them with you - and your writer's "voice".
Your
style of writing is unique. Have you crafted your individual style through study, or does it come
naturally?
JLR: Thanks for the kind words, Laurel. As a writing "newbie", I'm still a bit disconcerted to find
people actually seem to like my work. I'd say the answer to this question is, a bit of both. I come
from a long line of "talkers". My grandfather used to joke that he could talk the hind legs off a
mule.
Like my protagonist Joe Box, I also come from strong hillbilly stock. My clan enjoys storytelling,
and perhaps Joe's "voice" comes somewhat naturally from my own family memories. But having
said
that, I've also tried to stay teachable. I work daily at reading works from folks who've paid their
dues at the craft, and know the struggles we writers are heir to. Did I just end that sentence with a
preposition? Heaven forfend!
LJ for MBR: Don't start me laughing this early in the interview, John! By your answer, I
understand
that you have not studied writing at the university level then, but drew your style from the world
around you and by reading the works of those writers you admire. Who are some of your favorite
writers and why?
JLR: Oh golly. Well, let's do fiction first. On the secular side I'd have to go with Robert Crais and
James Lee Burke. Both of these guys are absolutely at the top of their craft, and always surprise
you. On the Christian side, I like James Scott Bell and Al Gansky. And Frank Peretti, of course.
Ya
gotta love Peretti; he broke the trail for the rest of us. Plus Jim Bell and I have gotten to be good
friends since we met at Glorieta two years ago, and he and Karen Kingsbury helped mentor me on
Sock Monkey Blues. Matter of fact, you'll find their names on the dedication page.
For nonfiction Christian writing, anything by Penelope Stokes and Sally Stuart; both these ladies
have forgotten more than I'll ever know about putting words on paper. And for nonfiction secular,
anything by P. J. O'Rourke. If you think no one could do comedy explaining how the United
States
government works, read Parliament of Whores by O'Rourke and be proven wrong. He's
hands-down
the funniest writer on the planet...next to me of course. JUST A JOKE, FOLKS!
LJ for MBR: Much of your preferred reading seems to be works by Christian writers, and an
underlying chord in Sock Monkey Blues makes your Christian belief system clear. Peretti, for
example, writes stories that appeal beyond the Christian readership. Your book is the same, in my
opinion. Is it hard to write a rock 'em, sock 'em, exciting book like yours and stay within the
guidelines of your faith?
JLR: Hard?? Oh, darlin', if you only knew! I've been a Christian now for over twenty-five years,
but
back in my "B.C." days I was quite the heathen...I'll just let your readers' imaginations fill in the
gaps
on that. One of the things I've really enjoyed over the years is detective writing, but so much of it
is
filled with profanity and sex that, to me, it gets in the way of the story. So what I've done with my
Joe Box character is to take that knight-errant of popular fiction--the rough-edged, hard-drinking,
worldly-beyond-belief private eye--then get him saved and turn him loose. The challenge is to
chronicle Joe's resulting life in novels that contain no profanity or sex, but still are gritty enough
so
an unsaved person can enjoy them. The results of these efforts, I felt, would be interesting, to say
the least. I'll leave it to the reading public to see if I've succeeded.
LJ for MBR: If Sock Monkey Blues is an example, you have succeeded beyond your hopes in
appealing to the reading public at large, regardless of their spiritual beliefs..
Alright, John, let's get serious now. No jokes about this one, although I do appreciate your
humor.
As a reviewer, I sometimes sense the author's true self "shining through" the prose when I read.
That
was very much evident in yours. You've made it clear where your humor comes from. Will you
reveal a little about the deep felt, let's say more tender side of you that caught me off guard in
your
book? That had to be present, even before you became a Christian.
JLR: Tender side? That's a tough one. If I had a tender side before I became a Christian, it must
have been pretty well hidden, as I really was a selfish, hard-hearted cuss. Even today, twenty-five
years after starting this journey of faith, I sometimes have trouble keeping my flesh under and
letting
the heart of Christ show through. And that's really all that he asks of us, isn't it? To be his heart
and
hands to a dying planet? But as I walk it out, and daily make a conscious decision to let Jesus
have
his way with me, it gets easier by degrees. In another thousand years or so I should have it licked.
(grin) Sorry, I couldn't help it.
LJ for MBR: Tender was probably the wrong choice of words on my part. It was the closest I
could
come to describing that undercurrent of emotion that gave Joe Box his depth, and a sense of your
range as writer, as if you had barely begun to skim the surface of your capabilities with this first
book. I'll try to breech the subject more directly.
Sock Monkey Blues is your first book and I know you're working on a sequel, Until the Last Dog
Dies. First, tell us a little about this second book in your Joe Box series.
JLR: I'm really cranked about this one! DOG takes place three months after SOCK's conclusion,
and
once again Joe is in trouble up to his neck. But this trouble stems from a nightmarish situation
he'd
encountered thirty years ago in Vietnam, when his platoon was picked to go and eliminate a
deadly
VC gunman known only as Sammy the Sniper. In the past six weeks Sammy had killed over
twenty-two high-ranking South Vietnamese officers, and the US brass wanted him dead in the
worst
way. Three weeks later Joe and his men find him, but his identity comes as a shock. Now the man
they'd sworn to kill is whisked off by the government and locked up in a mental hospital,
supposedly
for life. Three decades later he's pronounced cured. Of course he isn't, and now Sammy is
crossing
the country, and one by one killing every member of Joe's old unit that had put him away. DOG is
the story of Joe going from hunted to hunter, and in the process discovering even more about
himself.
LJ for MBR: Great premise! If it is even HALF as good as your first it will be tremendous, but
from
that description I suspect you will surpass yourself.
Do you have any other books in the pipeline, anything you're working on that you'd care to share
with our readers?
JLR: Yeah, I do. One book that's completely done, and in the hands of my agent, is called Gravity
Fades. It's not a Joe Box piece, but is instead an end-times thriller with a twist. The premise is
simple: the Bible is clear that no one knows the day or the hour of the rapture, but it DOESN'T
say
we won't know the month. Or the week... Gravity Fades is based on exactly just such a
supposition:
what if you knew? What if every Christian on the face of the earth suddenly had two words
dropped
in their hearts: This Week. How would you live those remaining hours differently? Or would you?
Like Until the Last Dog Dies, there are some extensive combat scenes, as well as a subplot of
satanists trying to kill everyone in a church before the rapture hits. It's quite off-the-wall, and
maybe
not to everyone's liking...but I think it's swell. (grin) And of course the next Joe Box adventure,
entitled Embrace the Scorpion, is in the wings. (Each Joe Box book has an animal in the title, as
you
can tell). Other than that, I'm free for lunch!
LJ for MBR: What a great roster of books! I hope they all get published soon. That's a selfish
hope
on my part because I want to read them now, and not a year from now.
Sorry, John. You can't have lunch until this interview is wrapped up. I'll be merciful and wind it
down with one last question. Is there anything you'd like your readers to know about you, or any
question you secretly wish I'd asked you in this interview?
JLR: Yes. I'd like for the readers to know my secret vice. Here it is: I am a Mystery Science
Theater
3000 junkie. YES, I know it's off the air. YES, I know the entire crew has moved on. But
doggone
it, I like it. I have nearly every episode ever done on tape, and, since my wife cannot abide the
show
in any way, many times I'll pop one in just to get a reaction. Does that make me bad? I'll leave that
for others to judge. And for the question I wished you'd asked, it's this: why do hot dogs come
eight
to a package, while buns for the same are in packs of ten? Is Oscar Meyer TRYING to drive us
mad?
LJ for MBR: Alright, John. I get the message. The eccentric author with the zany sense of humor
wishes to remain somewhat a mystery, AND he's hungry. Thanks for coming out of hiding long
enough to talk with me. I enjoyed it.
Now, go fix yourself a hot dog, pop your favorite episode of MST 3000 into the VCR and
relax.
Editor's Note: The review of Sock Monkey Blues appeared in the July edition of "Reviewer's
Bookwatch".
Sisters Forever
Sharon D. Martin
America House Book Publishers
PO Box 151, Frederick MD 21705-0151
ISBN 1-58851-589-3, 210 pp at 19.95 paperback
Sharon D. Martin begins this poignant tale in 1822 South Carolina. It's the Old South, that
antebellum era of plantations and parties, southern belles and courtly gentlemen, free men and
slaves. Into this world of privilege, April Marie Cothran is born to wealthy plantation-owner
parents.
April is born breech, a difficult and traumatic birth. She is the only child her mother will ever
bear.
One month later, a 13 year old Cothran slave named Lilly gives birth to a girl child sired by a
Mandingo warrior. April's mother names the newborn slave May. Lilly, little more than a child
herself, is taken into the master's house as wetnurse for April. Thus begins this story of two lives
that remain entwined together for a lifetime.
April and May - one the white child of privilege, the other a result of mating slaves like prize
animals
- are raised as siblings. These two children of diverse backgrounds are oblivious to color barriers
and
taboos of the time.
Southern race and class issues mean nothing to them. In their minds, they're sisters. Sisters
forever.
Ms. Martin masterfully intertwines the lives of April and May through ensuing decades. Through
marriage, births, joys, deaths, sorrows, the Civil War and its aftermath, the author shows us the
lives
of these two women. Along the way we witness human cruelty and courage, hatred and
forgiveness ,
the blessings of unconditional love, and the surprise of reward and resurrection.
This is a beautiful story, written with honesty and compassion, about a time in our history that
was
not always pretty for either race. The surprise ending lays the groundwork for a sequel to Sisters
Forever. Readers should prepare themselves for more southern history, and another well told
story
by Ms. Martin.
Interview with Dennis Collins:
I wanted to interview Dennis Collins because the main character of his first book, The Unreal
McCoy, was a departure from conventional heroes. The author gave McCoy depth and heart
beyond
the usual in this genre, and his writing style is understated but effective.
LJ for MBR: I liked Albert McCoy the way you wrote him - slightly worn, quietly competent - as
a
realistic everyday man. And the subtle off hand way you breathed the heart and spirit into him
impressed me. Why did you choose this type of hero for your first book instead of, say, a Dirty
Harry type?
Dennis: I'm really glad that McCoy comes across that way. I didn't want another "Dirty Harry" or
any other stereotype. What I was hoping for was a new character, one who was closer to being a
real person.
When I was a kid, the man who lived next door was a Deputy Sheriff in the Detroit area and he
would come home after work and play catch with us or roast marshmallows over a bonfire or any
of
the other things that dads do. I've always known that policemen had a human side and wondered
why books and movies never showed it.
Actually, there is a private detective in the book too and he's not typical either. You won't find
him
hanging out on bars and whooping butt. If he's in a bar, he came in for a hamburger or to play the
video games. His free time is usually spent on a trout stream.
When I began writing The Unreal McCoy, I wanted it to be believable and that starts with
believable, human characters who act like humans. All of my characters have strengths and
weaknesses, virtues and flaws, and determination and fear. I've attempted to keep the story
intense
by emotionally involving the reader.
LJ for MBR: You did involve THIS reader emotionally, and accomplished it in such a subtle way
that it caught me off guard. I read and reread that passage where McCoy became real to me and I
started to care about him and your story. Did you deliberately create that silent pathos at Mike
O'Conner's bedside in the hospital, or did it just sort of happen that way?
Dennis: That was one of those things that just sort of happened (with a little nudge from a critic).
That scene wasn't in the original manuscript. Before the book was published, I sent the first three
chapters in to be critiqued at a writer's conference. The woman who read and discussed the
sample
chapters with me said that she liked the story but strongly suggested that I add something
substantive to set in motion the bond between a veteran policeman and an unconscious beating
victim. It needed to be a significant, unanticipated emotional event.
As soon as I wrote that part and then re-read it in context, I knew that I had it right. What you
see
there is the first and only draft. Imagining the scene in my mind, I put myself inside McCoy's head,
looked through his eyes and simply wrote what I saw and felt.
LJ for MBR: For me, that "first and only draft" was THE pivotal passage in your book. I knew
Albert McCoy's heart and character right then, and even marked that page. From that point on,
you
had me hooked.
So you had The Unreal McCoy critiqued at a writer's conference. Tell our readers what goes on
at
such conferences, and if, from your experience, the time and money spent attending is beneficial.
Tell us what you think in general.
Dennis: I attend at least five writer's conferences a year. I believe that conferences are the most
affordable and most effective networking resource that a writer has. One of the nicest features is
that
you can adjust your participation level to fit your own comfort zone.
When I first began attending them, I just sat in on the lectures and took notes. After I gained a
little
confidence, I began joining in the Q&A sessions and now I've moved on to doing presentations
and
sometimes TV interviews. I feel that you need the support and encouragement of your peers and
this
is how you get there. Even the most successful authors know how fragile the shell is around a
manuscript. They come to conferences to help struggling authors. I highly recommend writer's
conferences. Go at your own pace, but go.
LJ for MBR: The feeling I get is that you approach writing in a sensible, practical way, like you
would a job. You're far enough along in the process that you could no longer be classified as
novice.
What advice would you give to unpublished writers, or those who are new to the business?
Dennis: I only write fiction so I can't tell you about anything else. Right now everything I write is
part of a series featuring a core trio of characters. The plan was to get them all introduced in the
first
book and then have them step forward one at a time in subsequent novels. It's a blueprint pretty
much tailored to this particular series.
When it comes to advice, it seems that we hear one phrase over and over. "Don't be discouraged
by
rejections and don't give up." I'm actually working my way through one of those struggles right
now. I'm trying to find
representation for my latest book and I've felt the frustration.
If you have a finished manuscript, make sure that it's squeaky clean. punctuation and spelling
errors
can really distract an agent. Do your homework. Be sure that the agent you query handles your
type
of work. Check out the agent's submission guidelines. Don't try to be cute or fancy, but don't be
afraid to make a strong statement with your query letter.
It's a real trial and error business. Every agent, editor and publisher is different with different
tastes
and preferences. They are your first customers. If you can get past them, the rest gets easier. You
will get rejections, they're part of the landscape. File 'em and move on. Your agent is out there
somewhere.
LJ for MBR: Thanks for that advice, Dennis. Knowing you learned it all first hand, the hard way,
lends credence to your answer.
You mentioned The Unreal McCoy introduces characters in a series of books. Give our readers a
little synopsis of the next book in this series. What is the name of it and is it completed yet?
Dennis: The next book in this series is titled, Turn left at September, and it's the story of Monica
Wilson, a young girl who drifts into the wrong crowd and finds herself mired in the world of drug
dealers. When she lands a job with an up and coming musical group, it looks like Monica's
beautiful
singing voice might provide her with a ticket out of this dark zone.
Billy Bones, the gang leader who controls the drug network is a ruthless killer who completely
dominates his followers and never allows them to just walk away from him and his dirty business.
He
decides to make Monica an example for all to see. Monica is scheduled for a New Year's Eve
appearance at a northern Michigan casino/ski resort and Billy has a stroke-of-midnight execution
planned.
In this story, McCoy is given the opportunity to show a little more of his personality and I think
you'll find him quite a likable guy. He develops a warm relationship with Ruby, a goodhearted
waitress from Eddie's Bar on Detroit's east side. McCoy's partner, Otis Springfield has the chance
to
show his quick wit as well as his solid expertise as a policeman and their Private Investigator pal,
Michael O'Conner begins to bloom as a dependable cohort.
The book is complete and ready for publication and I'm currently seeking representation.
LJ for MBR: I find adding the young and irrepressible Michael O'Conner into that already
effective
mix of main characters quite enticing. I'm really looking forward to reading this second book, so
hope you find a publisher or agent fast!
Is there anything you wish I'd have asked you, Dennis, or any other bit of information you'd like
to
share with our readers about publishing or any other subject?
Dennis: Just a word about Michael O'Conner. He was the inspiration for this entire series.
Did you ever wonder how the tough guys like Mike Hammer and Sam Spade got started? At
some
point they must have been wide eyed rookies losing more fistfights than they won and tripping
over
their mistakes. We never seem to hear about those early days.
In The Unreal McCoy, Michael O'Conner is first introduced as an unconscious, anonymous
beating
victim lying in a hospital bed, his vulnerability undisguised. Readers will have the chance to
witness
the metamorphosis as Michael learns from his two mentors, McCoy and Otis Springfield. He is
innocent enough to be non-threatening to the male readers and the female readers will want to
mother him. The object is to make the reader feel as if they were part of Michael's growth
process.
LJ for MBR: I get the sense that your writing style is refining and maturing right along with
Michael
O'Conner. If that is the case, Turn Left at September will be at least as good a read, if not better,
than The Unreal McCoy.
Thanks Dennis. I appreciate your time.
Dennis: You're very welcome, Laurel.
Readers can learn more about Dennis Collins by visiting his website at
www.theunrealmccoy.homestead.com
Interview with Adam-Michael James:
I wanted to interview Adam-Michael James because he is a promising young writer and dedicated
activist to a worthy cause. With Undo the Deed, he took a serious message and presented it in
unique form and style.
LJ for MBR: I've read many books on child abuse, but never one like the story you created. Tell
us
what prompted you to write your story with the science fiction/time travel theme.
AMJ: Well, this is really going to date me, but this was back in 1986 when I was 17-I'm 33 now. I
was still being abused emotionally, and I was going out with someone who was dealing with
physical
abuse on a regular basis, so the whole subject was really up in my face. It was right around the
time
Peggy Sue Got Married came out, plus I was still heavily enamored of Back to the Future.
Somewhere in the back of my head, from around the age of 12, I'd decided if I ever got away
from
the abuse in my own home, I should try and help others not have to go through what I did,
because
back then abuse wasn't talked about the way it is now-hell, domestic violence wasn't even
considered
a crime then. So one day it all came together, kind of out of nowhere; I wish I could remember
more
specifically what happened the day I first came up with it. I'd always had these grandiose ideas,
especially when it came to creating my own versions of movies and TV shows I liked, but I knew
if I
was going to do something like this, it had to be my own story, even if I allowed those influences
in.
It just made sense to me at the time, so I started laying the groundwork. It never occurred to me
that
my idea was all that different, but I've gotten plenty of raised eyebrows when I've broached the
concept with people, so I guess it must be.
LJ for MBR - What you call "grandiose ideas" seem more like a creative force to me, especially
after
checking out your website. The many forms of creativity you pursue belies your young age. But I
need to stay on track here.
I did get the sense while reading Undo the Deed that you were lightening a heavy subject by
coming
at it from an angle that might provide a broader message base. Tell us a bit about what you hoped
to
achieve, or what your thoughts were as you wrote this book..
AMJ: I'll go off that track with you for a moment just to clarify: Before Undo the Deed, most of
anything I came up with-as an impressionable teenager, understand-were either spoofs or
reworkings of pre-existing ideas; they weren't wholly my own. That's what I meant by
"grandiose",
but maybe that was a poor choice of words.
Getting back to your question.I didn't want to write something too intense and depressing,
otherwise
nobody would read it, and I certainly wouldn't want to write it. And I didn't feel it would do to
have
it be a one-message book, either. There are other characters and other facets to their lives.plus I
wanted to have a little fun once in a while. I'm a big believer in humor-it's the A #1 reason I'm still
here. In terms of my target readership.certainly a big section of that readership would be
teenagers
and young adults, but it's really intended for anyone old enough to understand what I'm talking
about, say, from 13 on up. And I don't really consider this book science fiction, either, per se. It's
the
same idea-I wasn't thinking in genres or audiences when I wrote it. It's for anyone who can
appreciate what I have to say and get something out of it. I like what Madonna once said about
the
marriage of art and commerce, and I've always tried to do that in anything I've created. If you're
too
specialized, you limit your audience, but if you're too commercial, you can come off as cheesy or
sanitized. So it's a balancing act. I hope I've achieved that balance.
LJ for MBR: As an adult who is well past middle age, I can say with certainty that you
accomplished
what you set out to do. I bought into the "time travel" element - what I labeled sci fi - without
question. The story drew me in and I believed it. The characters were sympathetic, believable, and
real. That being said, I'm curious to know if you are working on another book. If so, will it be a
departure from this one?
AMJ: In some ways yes, in some ways no. I have an idea, but my focus right now is getting this
book out there, otherwise there won't be a next one. I'm not doing child abuse again, though, I
will
say that.
LJ for MBR: I thought Undo the Deed was well written and skillfully crafted. Have you studied
writing or taken related college courses to help hone your natural abilities? I ask that because
many
writers have strong feelings one way or another about formal writing courses.
AMJ: You know, it is funny, because there really do seem to be two camps when it comes to
studying writing. Myself, no; the only class I took was my Creative Writing class in high school. I
see so many books on "how to write this" and "how to write that", and my feeling is---and I know
this is a bit inflammatory---that if you need a book on writing to tell you how to write, then maybe
you shouldn't be writing. That's just my feeling. I don't believe in doing much studying on it per se
because I think it interferes with individual style, and that the creative process gets locked up if
you
get stuck thinking "this is how you're supposed to write". There's no "supposed to" anything. It
happens to actors and musicians, too. Not that any of this means I'm against studying the creative
arts as a whole. I just think people fall into a trap of thinking you're supposed to do things one
way,
and if you do them a different way, then you're not doing it right. The writing world, in particular,
can be a bit pretentious in this area. I think it's important to not go too far the other way and be
open
to criticism and suggestions and changes, but in my mind, knowing if a story is working or not is
instinctual and can't be learned in a classroom. Again, these are just my feelings about it.
LJ for MBR: Since you mentioned the creative arts and music, that gives me the perfect opening
to
bring up your other accomplishments. While preparing for your interview, I checked out your
website. You've packed a lot of experience into your young life, and have accomplishments to be
proud of besides your published book. Tell our readers a bit about your radio days, your acting
aspirations, and anything else you'd like to share.
AMJ: Well, it's true I'm my own worst critic-compared to where I wanted to be by now...well, I'm
nowhere near it. This book being published is, in my mind, my first major accomplishment. But
yes,
I have done quite a bit of radio, both professionally in Florida, as a DJ, and as a volunteer here in
the
Los Angeles area. I wrote scripts for a radio show every week for almost 3 years, as well as
performed on-air duties and produced segments. I guess it's minimizing things to imply this wasn't
an
accomplishment-I did, in fact, win the Radio and Television News Association's Golden Mike
Award for Best Entertainment Reporting for a piece that aired in 1998. I would consider that my
first major adult accomplishment. As for acting, I won all kinds of awards and stuff in high school,
but the real adult world hasn't been nearly so kind. I did tons of extra work for a few years trying
to
break in, but nothing ever came of it. I thought I was getting close when I was on Days of Our
Lives
12 times-I thought for sure I'd get a line, but it never happened. In fact, it was because of all the
brick walls I hit that I decided to take Undo the Deed out of mothballs, so that's what's brought
me
to where I am now, and there's nothing to complain about there. I really would like to act, though.
I'm doing a small production of Oklahoma! right now at a local theatre, with 7 lines and trying to
dance like I know what I'm doing! It's fun, but it sure has made me realize how much I've missed
acting and the pursuit of that. One thing at a time, though; I want Undo the Deed to be my first
priority once Oklahoma! is over with. I decided during an epiphany a couple of years ago that if
for
some reason I died and the only thing I did was get Undo the Deed out there, then I fulfilled my
mission in this life. OK, so it's out now, but it's just barely getting into people's hands at this point,
and for me it's counterproductive if no one reads it, so that's what I'm working on now. Oh, and I
always thought this story would make an awesome movie, y the way.
LJ for MBR: With that last statement, you hit the nail on the head! Undo the Deed WOULD
make
an intriguing movie, and a casting coup would be to feature you as Matthew - the abusive father
and
abused son who are both salvaged by the time travelling daughter, Amanda. You have the ideal
"look", and anyone who wonders about that statement should go check out your website at
www.undothedeed.com.
Before I end the interview, is there any question you wish I would have asked, or any other
subject
you'd like to cover? Your activism for those trapped in domestic violence or child abuse, for
example? But don't let me put words in your mouth. Tell us anything you think our readers would
like to know about you, your life, or your book.
AMJ: If I get any older, I could play Matthew! Actually, for a long time I've envisioned Jonathan
Frakes (Riker, Star Trek: The Next Generation) as Matthew. I'd love for him to direct it. I've got
a
bunch of people in mind for certain roles, and since I probably won't have much control over the
movie version, I'm going to put my dream cast up on my web site before too long. I want the web
site to kind of be like a DVD, you know, with extra features? I've begun work on that, but I've
been
so busy I haven't had much chance to work on it. As for me, I always wanted to pull an Alfred
Hitchcock and do a small cameo in the movie version, and/or have a line or two.
Let's see.anything else I'd want to cover.well, you're the interviewer! I haven't yet thought of
myself
as much of an activist, but, in essence, that's what this book makes me. So I guess what I really
want
to say is, abuse is survivable. God knows I don't necessarily know how, but the fact that I'm still
here makes it true. You either let it destroy you or you move on in spite of it. Therapy, support
groups, whatever it takes. I still have trouble with it. My biggest problem has always been fighting
that the abuse happened to me in the first place, just wanting it to go away and not be a part of my
past. I've been slowly learning to assimilate it into my life experience and not define myself by it.
It's
funny, but this book being out and not just a part of my imagination anymore is helping to do that.
If
one person doesn't have to go through what I went through because of this book, then I've done
my
job. Beyond that, I hope people will enjoy the story. I don't resonate with the teenage slant
anymore,
but even after all these years, I'm very proud of this story, and I'm grateful for the chance to take
the
negativity of my early life and turn it into something positive. It wasn't all for nothing now, you
know?
LJ for MBR: Thank you Adam-Michael. If anyone deserves success on every front, it's you. Undo
the Deed was an intriguing read, and a new take on a sad subject. Those who know first hand
about
domestic violence and child abuse, as well as those who don't, may find a revelation in your book.
I
know I did.
I know your days are full and I appreciate you taking time to talk with me. Let me remind readers
one more time to check your creative website. www.undothedeed.com.
AMJ: And thank YOU for doing my first review and interview in one fell swoop!
Laurel Johnson
Reviewer
Klausner's Bookshelf
A Rogue's Promise
Peggy Sue Waide
Leisure
Jun 2002, $5.99, 352 pp., ISBN 0843950226
Though she kept the debt collectors away for quite a long time, by 1816 Joanna Fenton is
desperate
as creditors hover closer and closer to ruining her family. Her brother has vanished and the
Chinese
sacred two-headed dragon statuette is stolen. She needs help so she boldly goes where no woman
has gone before. She enters a dive of a pub seeking to gain the assistance of nearly retired
smuggler
MacDonald Archer. Mac's plans to become respectable as an above the board shipper ends the
moment he meets the intrepid Joanna. He follows her as she takes him on a tour of London that
would frighten dockworkers. As they work in close proximity on recovering the artifact, they fall
in
love, but both have reasons to avoid commitment. ROGUE'S PROMISE is a strong Regency
romance that never allows the audience to catch their breath. Yet while all that action is
occurring,
the talent of Peggy Waide shines through the plot as she provides the audience with two complete
lead characters whose motives are understood and make sense. Ms. Waide endows readers with a
powerful historical tale worth reading by anyone who enjoys good writing.
Violets Are Blue
Ronda Thompson
Leisure
Jul 2002, $5.99, 338 pp., ISBN: 0843950293
Lilla Traften saves Violet Dalton from a life of prostitution, sending the troubled lass to live with
her
father Miles in St. Louis. For the next three years, Miles treats Violet as if she really was his
daughter, showering her with love and respect. However, in spite her host's kindness and
nurturing,
Violet carries loads of baggage that leaves her thirsting for vengeance against the person she
detests
most, her father who sold her like cattle. Eventually she flees ready enact revenge via bank
robberies
with her father being the accused. A worried Miles sends Gregory Kline to find his "adopted"
daughter though he has doubts about this once contemptible person who he fears might hurt his
beloved Violet. Gregory finds Violet and tries to get her to go home, but she is not pliable and
refuses to adhere to his desires. As they fall in love, Gregory wonders how to prevent her from
committing an act that he believes she will regret forever while residing behind bars. Ronda
Thompson can make silk out of a cow's ear as she recreates a whore and a rat into lead
protagonists
with redeeming qualities that remain true to their personalities described as secondary roles in
Desert
Bloom. The story line grabs fans wanting to observe how Ms. Thompson has succeeded in the
transformation while enjoying an engaging western romance.
Callie's Convict
Heidi Betts
Leisure
Jul 2002, $5.99, 352 pp., ISBN: 0843950307
Brady Young killed his own father, but made sure that Wade Mason went to the Texas State
Penitentiary at Huntsville for the dastardly crime. While in prison, Wade impregnates a hooker,
who
died but not before she gave birth to his son. Wade manages to escape with his plan to find his
son
and clear his name. Callie Quinn promised Lily that she would raise little Matthew as if she was
the
biological mother. However, everything changes when the infant's father shows up demanding she
hand over his son. Callie refuses, as she is willing to die to keep her beloved three-month-old
charge
safe from the filthy, leg locked dangerously looking father. In spite of that auspicious beginning
Wade and Callie begin to fall in love and shockingly she believes his claim of innocence. Now all
they have to do is find proof that Brady is the killer. The sequel to Walker's Widow, Callie's
Convict,
is an exciting western romance that stars two strong lead protagonists. Both heroes place the
interest of Matthew ahead of their own needs, but at the same time readers feel the fear that Callie
and Wade share of losing the baby to the other. The exciting story line focuses on the characters,
as
the heroine works to prove her beloved is not a killer over his objections, as he fears for her
safety.
Heidi Betts has given reader a sure bet to provide hours of solid romantic entertainment.
Sinfully Delicious
Lora Kenton
Leisure
Jun 2002, $5.99, 302 pp., ISBN: 0843950838
In 1880, desperate New Orleans socialite Kyra Lourdes arrives in Los Almas Perdidas, Texas in
search of her friend, bounty hunter and rancher Cliff Baldwin. Embarrassingly, Kyra finds her
former
chess partner in a local whorehouse that she thought was the family home of a Madame not a
madam. Shocked to see Kyra for the first in seven years, Cliff quickly escorts her out of the
cathouse
to his ranch. Kyra tells her story of having six fianc‚s in six years. She dumped each one because
they represented a deadly sin with lust being the only one she has not met. She went to see her
last
beau to plead with him to end their engagement, but instead watched Jacques Delacroix brutally
murder a woman. Jacques knows she witnessed his crime and with no hope for help from her
parents
or the law as her betrothed is politically connected, Kyra fled for the only person she felt would
keep
her safe. As they fall in love, evil is arriving from Louisiana to finish the job. Though a historical
romantic suspense, Sinfully Delicious is more an amusing Americana romance. The delightful
story
line cleverly combines humor (through Kyra's soliloquies) with intrigue as Cliff has his work cut
out
to keep his beloved safe. The jocularity will keep readers smiling, but serves as a two-edged
sword
as it also diminishes the strength of the relationship between the lead couple in spite of the
eminent
danger. Still nineteenth century Texas romance readers will take much pleasure with Lora
Kenton's
pleasant novel.
The Legend Of Lacy Black
Tory Houston
Leisure
Jun 2002, $5.99, 366 pp., ISBN: 0843950218
The world becomes excited when the media reports that the plane that crashed containing 1930s
sex
goddess Lacy Black had finally been found in the California Mountains. However, not long
afterward the shocking news is that the woman once considered a rival Jean Harlow back in the
thirties is not the female corpse found in the wreckage. Media giants like Dan Rather wonder who
is
the female who died in that early 1940s crash and what happened to Lacy. The story of Lacy
begins
in 1937 Snyder, Texas when the car of Hollywood shaker Mark Damien breaks down, which
enables
him to meet teenage Lucinda Blackburn. He rescues her from an abusive father, renames her
Lacy,
manipulates her into becoming a legend, and marries her. Eventually she tires of his cheating ways
and decides to leave her Svengali. However, he sabotages her plane, leaving the world and Mark
to
believe Lacy Black is dead. Yet six decades later, law enforcement proves that Lacy was not in
the
fatal plane crash so what really happened to her? Though an entertaining tale, The Legend Of
Lacy
Black could have been the legend of Tory Houston as the story contains the essence of a great
novel. However, instead, the plot twists back to an engaging romance rather than an incredible
romantic Hollywood mystery that E would have highlighted. Still Lacy, regardless of her moniker,
is
an enticing lead character and the men in her life provide further insight into why she vanished at
the
height of her fame. In all a strong tale, but a could have been a classic.
The Rogue And The Hellion
Connie Mason
Leisure
Jun 2002, $6.99, 369 pp., ISBN: 084395020X
In 1817 two highwaymen rob the Marquis of Bathurst, a Rogue of London. An angry Gabriel
notices the one who accosts him wears a mask, but has green eyes, read hair, and a slim built.
However, any thoughts of a counterattack end when the villain provides Gabriel the choice of
giving
up his deceased brother's ring or his family jewels. Gabriel plans to find this Ollie and Pete to see
they hang. Olivia Fairfax and her servant Peterson hate being highwaymen, but since her deceased
father left them impoverished while destroying the family name with his fatal duel over a
prostitute,
she has no choice if she is to keep her brother at Oxford. However, she never expected to meet
Gabriel at the Duchess Stanhope ball that she attends in order to rob jewels. She also never
expected
his pursuit of her. When the odious Palmerson abducts Olivia, Gabriel goes after them like a
banshee. He will never allow anyone to harm the woman he loves even if her green eyes look so
familiar to him. The Rogue And The Hellion is an exciting Regency romance starring a brave
heroine
and a strong male champion. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action even on the dance
floor. Though the villain is made to have no redeeming value and readers will wonder how Olivia's
brother could be so naive about finances, fans will enjoy Connie Mason's latest tale because of the
beguiling lead protagonists while eagerly awaiting the sequels starring the other Rogues.
I Love Bad Boys
Lori Foster, Janelle Denison and Donna Kauffman
Kensington
Aug 2002, $14.00, 320 pp., ISBN: 0758201346
"Indulge Me" by Lori Foster. Reticent Becky enters a sex shop at the coaxing of her friends.
Following her into the shop is George, who lusts after Becky. George helps Becky purchase some
items and persuades her to let him introduce her to the world of light sexual bondage. George
begins
to kiss Becky, but she slows him down. He agrees because he wants more than just a one-night
stand. "Naughty by Night" by Janelle Denison. Gabe returns to San Diego to get Chloe back in his
life after he left her six years ago. At a poker game they agree to a special stake. Chloe wins and
tells
Gabe he will service her for the next four nights. Gabe thinks this is the opportunity he needs, but
Chloe plans to use him before leaving him. "And When They Were Bad" by Donna Kauffman.
Cameron is tired of being the Good Samaritan to the world. He travels to an exclusive island club
to
play out his fantasy of being a bad boy. At the isle, he intercedes twice when males manhandle
Allison. Cam and Allie make love, but she plans to leave in the morning because she believes Cam
would never want her in his life. These three tales star couples in which an inexperienced woman
gets the man of her dreams to make love to her several times and in several ways before he
proposes
marriage to her. The stories are fun as they contain light bondage, excessive profanity, and but
heated graphic tales of sex leading to love.
Maggie Needs An Alibi
Kasey Michaels
Kensington
Jul 2002, $20.00, 310 pp., ISBN: 1575668793
Six years ago, Toland Publishing fired midlist romance writers including Maggie Kelly better
known
as historical author Alica Tate Evans. Rather than cry in her tea, Maggie switches genres trying
her
word processing on the Regency mystery sub-genre. Creating amateur sleuth hero Viscount Saint
Just and his sidekick Balder, Maggie uses the "O" filled pen name of Cleo Dooley. She quickly
becomes a New York Times best selling author. Maggie begins to wonder what is in her tea when
Saint Just and Balder appear in her Manhattan apartment. As they drive her crazy, Maggie feels
responsibility for the duo even though they adjust to modern life like ducks to water. When
Maggie's
publisher Kirk Toland dies after dining at her home, the police suspect the author killed him, as
they
were former lovers. Naturally Saint Just reverts to character and investigates the homicide in his
nineteenth century aristocratic manner that skewers urbane urbanites. Renowned writer Kasey
Michaels takes the trendy dive from romance to mystery with Maggie Needs An Alibi, but does
not
just add a lot of suspense to a tale of love as commonly done with the switch. Unlike Maggie, Ms.
Michaels needs no alibis as she satirizes the publishing industry where small success mean
downsizing. The amusing story line contains an entertaining who-done- it starring a wonderful
heroine and her now living Regency characters learning the uses of plastic faster than solving the
case. This cast humorously skewers anyone in its path while making this novel into a deserving
sure
shot bestseller.
Bliss River
Thea Devine
Kensington
Jul 2002, $14.00, 384 pp., ISBN: 1575668017
In 1898 Bliss River Valley, South Africa, while visitor Charles Elliot teaches polo, the leader
Moreton Estabrook assigns Georgiana Maitland, daughter of his lover Olivia, to have sex with the
guest. Georgiana sees this as an opportunity to escape the promiscuous valley that she hates and
join
her father in England even if she has not seen or heard from him in almost two decades. However,
though she is quite good at sex, Charles rejects Georgiana's advances. Olivia receives a letter from
her husband telling her he filed for divorce after an almost two decade separation. Moreton
decides
to steal the man's estate to establish a brothel there. However, Moreton's wife Lydia recognizes
Charles as her son who was supposed to have died when Moreton led a deadly raid that freed her
from her first husband. Lydia informs Moreton that Charles is her son. Moreton and Olivia kill
Lydia
and blame Charles. Georgiana knows that her mother and Moreton killed Lydia. She asks Charles
to
take her to her father in England if she helps free him, but insists on traveling sex rules. They
escape
the compound while Moreton follows. Bliss River has an engaging concept of a remote African
town settled by promiscuous English expatriates in which the pleasures of the flesh rule. However
that community was never explored below the epidermis. Instead a lot of unnecessary profanity
and
sex seemingly for shock value abounds even when the lead characters flee across the desert with
Moreton in pursuit. The African geography also feels inaccurate. Simply Thea Devine's book is
erotic romance aimed for the hard core fan.
Virtual Warrior
Ann Lawrence
Lovespell
Jul 2002, $5.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0505524929
Neil Scott and Gwen Marlowe own Virtual Heaven, a video game shop in Ocean City, New
Jersey.
Neil is bored with life and thinks of entering the latest virtual reality game Tolemac Wars III. His
partner pleads with him to reconsider as she previously entered that barbaric realm and barely
made
it back alive even with a warrior husband in tow. However, Neil does not care about his present
life
and takes some of his late mother's jewelry that he inherited to barter for cash and necessities. Neil
enters in time to stop the Outcasts from capturing Ardra of the Fortress of Ravens, but is critically
wounded while losing everything of value that he brought with him. Ardra and a wise man save
his
life, but she does not trust the warrior from "across the ice fields" even if he possesses the
courage,
fighting skills and leadership ability she desperately needs. Though some of the adventure may
seem
familiar to Tolemac War fans, Virtual Warrior lives up to the wild satirical romantic fantasies of
the
first two novels (Virtual Desire and Virtual Heaven). The story line is fun, filled with action and
adventure, yet contains a quirky sense of humor. Ann Lawrence has written another strong spoof
of
the sub-genre that leaves readers wondering about the plot for Tolemac Wars IV.
The Magician
Carla Cook
LoveSpell
Jun 2002, $5.99, 307 pp., ISBN: 07114500599
Ten months ago, six-year-old Gina Marlowe's father died so when the little girl had trouble
sleeping
her mother Katherine is not surprised. However, Gina fears that in her sleep she will enter the
dark
tunnel and never return. Katherine panics when she enters Gina's room to find her daughter not
breathing. Not willing to wait for 911, Katherine rushes Gina to the nearby hospital where
miraculously the youngster awakens with no apparent physical effect. Magician Lucas Connelly
senses an evil that he knows he must fight though he does not comprehend why him or the
identity
of his foe. Lucas realizes that he must protect Gina, but when he approaches Katherine, she
rejects
his premise that her daughter is in grave danger from a malevolent force. Still Katherine finds
herself
falling in love with Lucas, which reinforces her doubts that this man might be the evil out to
destroy
her beloved child. The Magician is a spellbinding horror tale that contains a secondary romantic
subplot. The story line is filled with action from the moment the beleaguered mom realizes that
her
child is near death till the finish as Lucas struggles with rage and his past lives relationships with
Katherine. The characters make the tale as the audience will believe in the wicked villain and the
reincarnation of the lead couple as well as the metaphysical attack on Gina. Carla Cook conjures
up
a strong thriller that will charm the paranormal crowd.
Wilding Nights
Lee Killough
Meisha Merlin
June 2002, $16.00, 353 pp., ISBN 1892065711
Although humans don't know it, werewolves exist right in your community. They don't think
much
of Homo sapiens believing that between overpopulation and war, eventually the "weres" will
inherit
the earth one day. They try not to call attention to themselves because the humans have superior
numbers and can easily kill them off. When homicide detective Allison Goodnight, a "were"
herself,
is called in to investigate a homicide she immediately knows that the victim was murdered by one
of
her own kind. Allison and the other "weres" on the police force are trying to track the rogue
down
before the humans on the case realize exactly what they're dealing with. Allison also has to seem
open with her new partner without revealing things to him that could call attention to her race, a
difficult juggling act at best. Lee Killough is a master storyteller who combines the supernatural
with
the mystery genre creates a novel that is original and fascinating to read. The protagonists take on
the human race adds a touch of whimsy to a serious and complex story line. Let's hope there are
more novels in the future staring this refreshingly unique heroine.
The Apple Orchard
Linda Barrett
Harlequin SuperRomance
Jul 2002, $5.25, 296 pp., ISBN: 0373710739
Psychologist Dr. Abby MacKenzie never takes time off from her job at the Los Angeles Mental
Health Associates. She police, firefighters, and medical personnel cope with the negative side of
their heroic work. Greeting her at her office today is blood as patient police officer Tom Conroy
committed suicide there. Over the next week, Abby goes over the case with every breath she
takes
trying to find where she went wrong until her boss places her on three month paid sabbatical to
regain her equilibrium. Abby goes to her aunt and to perform physical labor at Templeton Orchard
in
Sturbridge, Massachusetts. At the apple farm, Abby meets cardiologist Jake Templeton who
spends
his workweek in Boston's Massachusetts General and weekends at the orchard with his troubled
little girl Stace. Jake informs Abby he does not want her mumbo jumbo near his child, but he fails
to
count on Stace's needs as the traumatized visitor and the unhappy child fall in love like mother
and
daughter. Jake also falls in love with the Californian, but denies the sunshine Abby has brought
into
the lives of the two Templetons. Fans of relationship dramas will enjoy Linda Barrett's
contemporary
romance, The Apple Orchard. The story line focuses on three agonized souls who cannot easily
reach out to other people. The lead couple is a delectable "pear". The other New England
characters
and the readers feel Stace's unhappiness, though she seems too intelligent for even a precocious
fourth grader whose plans include dropping out to run the orchard. The audience will want a bite
of
this delightful tale.
The Notorious Mrs. Wright
Fay Robinson
Harlequin SuperRomance
Jul 2002, $5.25, 297 pp., ISBN: 0373710682
In 1979 Cleveland, weary teenager Emma Webster wants her dad Ray to stop his scams,
especially
those that use her and her younger brother J.T. Ray swears this will be the last one and Emma
acquiesces and successfully but barely pulls off the venture. An elated Ray tells her they will be
more
careful in the future. Knowing it will never end yet feeling guilty for deserting J.T., Emma
vanishes
into the night. In the present, J.T. hires private investigator Whitaker Lewis to find his sister,
missing
for over two decades. Though the trail is brilliantly covered, Whitaker thinks he may have found
the
elusive Emma in St. Augustine in the personality of Susan Wright, owner of the Illusions
restaurant.
As Whitaker continues to investigate, he begins to fall in love with his target. To her chagrin, she
reciprocates his feelings. However, what will happen to any permanent relationship not built on
trust
when she learns the truth that he is no tourist? Fans who relish an engaging contemporary
romance
will want to read award winning Fay Robinson's latest tale. The story line is fun as Whitaker and
Susan play a game of cat and mouse even while love blossoms. The support cast augments the
prime
plot by making the lead characters seem human and adding to the conflict of what happens when
discovery and disclosure occur. As she did with Mr. And Mrs. Wrong, Ms. Robinson provides a
fun
yet strong novel that shows once again this author knows right from wrong.
Duets 80
Jennifer Drew and Susan Peterson
Harlequin Duets
Jul 2002, 379 pp., ISBN: 0373441460
"Just Desserts" by Jennifer Drew. Chef Sara Madison sees a great opportunity to demonstrate her
talent at the annual Taste of Phoenix food show. However, instead of the success she expected,
reporter Jeff Wilcox manages to get her fired. She gains new employment only to have
undercover
Jeff arriving asking for her help on an investigation. She wants to say no after her first debacle
with
the handsome journalist, but ends up helping him even while they fall in love. As expected from
the
writing team Jennifer Drew, this tale is a tasty dessert. "Green Eggs and Sam" by Susan Peterson.
Due to a so-called friend Haley Jo Simpson accompanies Dr. Rocca to the New York State
Dental
Hygienist Convention. However, Haley Jo soon finds her companion is dead. Reflection Lake
Police
Chief Sam Matthews investigates the murder though he personally would prefer to examine the
key
witness, Haley Jo. As he tries to keep her safe, they fall in love, but can city girl find happiness in
the
Adirondacks amidst green eggs and his precocious ten-year-old? Though Prudie "call me Tiffany"
seems to mature for a ten year old, this is an engaging police procedural romance starring two
wonderful seemingly opposites.
A Shameless Seduction
Janelle Denison
Harlequin Temptation
Jul 2002, $4.25, 219 pp., ISBN: 0373259883
Ever since her police officer dad brought Cole Summers to their home when she was a teen,
Melodie
Turner wanted him, but the feelings were unrequited as he treated her as a kid sister. Years later,
she
works as his "Girl Friday" running the private investigation office while he works the cases. Alas
she
still desires him, but in her mind he still sees her as another younger sibling. Cole actually wants
Melodie, but he believes she represents 2.5 kids plus there is the regard he has for her father who
guided him when he raised his younger brother and sister after the death of his own dad. For the
special demand of a wealthy female client, Cole needs a siren to work his latest case. Melodie
overhears Cole asking Noah, his brother the chick magnet for assistance, but she steps in praying
this is her opportunity to open her beloved's eyes. Cole, who already has found it nearly
impossible
not to fantasize over Melodie, is put to a test that Job would have conceded as he confronts the
ultimate seduction. A Shameless Seduction is a fun tale that readers will enjoy especially when
Melodie scorches the pages while polar-like showers cannot cool Cole's desires. The story line
follows the typical heated contemporary PI romance, but the lead characters make the plot feel
fresh
from the oven as they are stimulating and hot leaving readers wanting Noah's tale released earlier
than the planned Fall.
Midway Between You And Me
Rogenna Brewer
Harlequin SuperRomance
Jul 2002, $5.25, 296 pp., ISBN: 0373710704
Amerasian Professor Tam Nguyen is the US Fish and Wildlife Game Warden on the Pacific's
Midway Islands. She meets Navy Lieutenant Bowie Prince when he and his unit step down on the
islands after a highly classified yet successful incident in Laos. Though he is grungy looking she is
attracted to him, but Tam declines to breakfast with him. Bowie attends his debriefing before
continuing on to Hawaii. Tam's mom still loves the American SEAL she met in her native Viet
Nam
in 1972. Though she has a picture of her American dad, Tam never met him and assumes he chose
not to come back or he died. Because of something Bowie said about insignia, Tam takes out the
picture, but notices that one of the other men looks like Bowie. His obvious relative can identify
her
father, but does she want too learn the truth that she believes will hurt her mother? Then there is
Bowie who she finds too handsome, but Tam refuses to become involved with a sailor like her
mom
did. Midway Between You And Me is an interesting contemporary romance that provides an
engaging look at the Amerasian population plus those Vietnamese who left for the United States
in
the late 1980s as part of the Orderly Departure Program. The flashbacks to 1972 provide
powerful
understanding into the complexity of a relationship between an American military and a local
while
the prime plot focuses on Tam and Bowie. Both themes converge into a strong "in uniform" novel
that entertains yet furnishes the audience with an insightful tale.
Spellbound Summer
Janet Lynnford
New American Library
Aug 2002, $5.99, 368 pp., ISBN: 0451410521
In 1600, Laird Angus Kilmartin gave permission to Angela Cavandish to travel to Duntrune,
Scotland in order to dig up the superior clay in support of her pottery venture. However, the burn
changes hands as Laird Geddes MacCallum and his forces routed Kilmartin from Duntrune.
Geddes
informs Angela that she is not welcome and needs to leave immediately though she protests that
the
riverbed clay is the best quality available. To his surprise, Angela ignores his order. Even more
shocking to the well- known womanizer, he finds himself quite attracted to the woman who
ignores
convention. Angela reciprocates Geddes' feelings though she received a warmer welcome from
the
former Laird. However, he fears that if she gets deeper into his heart, she will learn the secret that
he
keeps that enables him to lead his people even when he may not be what he claims to be. Though
Angela seems too independent for the era and more like a modern day woman, readers will enjoy
her
out of time antics that keep Geddes hopping with what to do next when nothing works. The story
line is fun as Geddes a very heroic person who struggles between his heart's desire and his quest.
Still Angela is the prime reason that the audience will feel Janet Lynnford has caste a spell on
readers
as the female lead makes the novel with being an engaging anachronistic protagonist.
Someone Like You
Cathy Kelly
Dutton Plume
May 2002, $14.00, 472 pp., ISBN: 0452283388
Thirty-seven year old American Hannah Campbell is not really enjoying her trysts with her
younger
perfect male specimen though the muscle bound stud helps her somewhat forget her former
spouse
whose off traipsing somewhere like the Amazon. Though Jeff Williams would have been the
leading
model for an Ancient Rome statue, a bored Hannah leaves him to visit Egypt. At the Pyramids,
Hannah meets a forty something mother of three teens (packed off to their father) Leonie and the
younger too tall and plain Emma chaperoned by her obnoxious parents. The three women become
friends and when they return home to Ireland surprisingly stay in touch with one another. Leonie
uses the personals to find dates that always end in the toilet. Emma wants to become pregnant,
but
has no success at conceiving. Hannah falls in love with a too die for actor, but doubts whether she
can stay the course and commit to anything beyond a cup of coffee fling. Troubles for the trio
multiply as family members make things worse for each one, but they have one other to lend a
crying
shoulder. Though the tale of female friendship has been told often especially of late, Someone
Like
You retains freshness due to the lead characters. The trio feels so genuine as they struggle with
their
respective situations in life specifically with relationships outside those with their two new pals.
Though the story line oozes with much angst, Cathy Kelly adds humor to ease the tension so that
the
audience has an enjoyable female buddy novel.
Stonebrook Cottage
Carla Neggers
Mira
Aug 2002, $6.50, 384 pp., ISBN: 1551669234
Larger than life Connecticut Governor Mike Parisi drowns in a freak accident while trying to
rescue
bluebird in his pool. Bluefield Detective Zoe West wonders why a man who could not swim dived
into the pool and was the explosion at a barbecue that almost killed the second in command
Allyson
Stockwell really an accident. However, Mike's death means that Allyson will finish the term as
governor. Allyson's two children (twelve-year-old Henry and eleven years old Lillian) are at a
Texas
dude ranch. However, they flee frightened as can be to the home of their mother's best friend
attorney Kara Galway, who just came home to Texas after years of practicing law in Connecticut.
They persuade Kate to take them to their country home. Kate reluctantly agrees because the kids
are
so frightened. Now everyone seems to seek the missing children of the new governor of
Connecticut, but it is Texas Ranger Sam Temple who finds Kate and the kids. As Sam and Kate
fall
in love, he vows to keep the three of them safe. Stonebrook Cottage, the sequel The Cabin, is an
exciting romantic suspense that never eases off the throttle until the final kiss. The key to the
action
packed story line is the dynamic cast, especially the lead couple and the kids. Carla Neggers
continues her climb to the top rung of the sub- genre with her usual non-stop romantic
thriller.
Just Over The Mountain
Robyn Carr
Mira
Jul 2002, $6.50, 384 pp., ISBN: 1551669404
Dr. June Hudson has served as a doctor in Grace Valley, California ever since her dad retired.
Grace
has little time to relax, but she does serendipitously see undercover DEA Agent Jim Post
whenever
he can pay her a visit. Currently, Jim is in the Ozarks working his last case before early retirement
and a permanent relationship with his beloved. Returning to town is Jim Forrest accompanied by
his
angelic-looking, troubled twin teenage sons. Jim dated June in high school, but while she attended
Berkley pre-med, he deserted her to marry Nancy Cruise. Now divorced, Jim wants June back in
his
life and most of the townsfolk think she does too since she seems to have no male leading to the
conclusion she pines for her former lover. She denies it and says no to his insistent efforts to court
her. June also contends with other issues such as her long time nurse suffering a heart attack, her
medical practice partner objecting to his own wife serving as their nurse, and human bones found
on
her aunt's estate that might prove to be her long lost spouse. Life is normal in Grace Valley as far
as
June is concerned. Just Over The Mountain retains all the quirks that made Deep In The Valley a
wonderful relationship drama. The key players return such as June and Police Chief Tom
struggling
with the ups and down of living that endears them and other townsfolk with readers. Fans of small
town contemporary tales will enjoy the return to Grace Valley as Robyn Carr provides a warm
slice
of life tale.
Still Lake
Anne Stuart
Mira
Jul 2002, $6.50, 384 pp., ISBN: 1551669080
Deciding she needed a change from her complex Manhattan lifestyle, advice newspaper columnist
Sophie Davis relocates to Colby, Vermont where she plans to run an inn. The poor man's Martha
Stewart takes her seemingly senile mother and her raging hormonal teenage half sister with her.
To
Sophie's chagrin, as she wants no nearby neighbors, John Smith moves into a nearby cabin that
has
not been used in six years. John is actually Thomas Griffin who was convicted of murdering three
teenage girls twenty years ago, but was freed five years later on a technicality. Thomas has come
back to Colby to learn what really happened on that night in which he remembers nothing. As
John
and Sophie begin to fall in love, an eerily similar homicide similar to those of past occurs just two
weeks before the grand opening of Stonegate Farm. Still Lake is an exciting romantic suspense
novel starring intriguing lead characters struggling with problems that leave both not welcoming
love into their respective lives. Though Sophie is a bit too responsible, she represents the
sandwich
generation with troubles from her senior and her younger that surround her. Thomas is a
wonderfully bewildered protagonist who does not know if he committed those murders. The
support
cast provides depth by enabling the audience to better understand what makes Thomas and
Sophie
tick as well as adding suspense to Anne Stuart's fine contemporary tale.
Prospect Street
Emilie Richards
Mira
Jul 2002, $23.95, 464 pp., ISBN: 1551669218
Though the sex lacks passion, Faith Bronson believes her life is nearly perfect, as she loves her
husband David, the Director of the family foundation Promise Our Children. However, her fifteen
years of marital bliss ends when Faith finds David in bed with his lover, journalist Abraham Stein.
David comes out of the closet, but Promise Our Children invokes the morality clause of his
contract
that leaves the Bronsons broke. Faith and her two children move into the dilapidated Georgetown
house that has been in her mother's family for years while David and Abraham openly live
together.
Faith investigates the history of her new residence where her newborn sister vanished almost four
decades ago in a kidnapping that has never been solved. She looks to renovate her new home,
which
introduces Faith to Pavel Quinn. They are attracted to one another, but he hides secrets that tie
back
to her family and she grieves her previous relationship while helping her devastated children
regain
their mental health. Prospect Street is an exciting character study that shreds the mental
masquerades that individuals use to avoid emotionally shattering situations. The story line focuses
on Faith as she redefines herself while trying to repair the damage done to the psyche of her two
children, especially the teenager. Readers will question the motives of why Faith allowed pride to
refuse needed assistance from her parents and why her prominent father put strings on his helping
his
beleaguered grandchildren as if the well being of Remy and Alex is a secondary concern. Emilie
Richards provides a thought provoking tale that peels away the visages that people use to hide
scarred inner essences from ridicule.
The Hidden Heart
Candace Camp
Mira
Aug 2002, $6.50, 416 pp., ISBN: 1551669226
Seventy-two years old General Streathern appears near death having suffered apoplexy. Besides
his
beloved great-niece fourteen year old Gabriela Carstairs and her governess Jessica Maitland, his
great-nephew Lord Vesey who likes young girls and the pervert's wife Leona who likes men
attend
the death watch. Miraculously, the retired military officer recovers and warns Jessica to take
Gabriela away to her guardian Richard the Duke of Claybourne. That night a visitor kills
Streathern.
After the reading of the will in which Gabriela inherits everything, Jessica flees with her charge for
the safety of Claybourne because she knows that the Veseys will try to control the estate through
Gabriela. Richard does not want visitors as he still mourns the loss of his wife and child four years
ago in an accident but also plans to kill himself. Everything changes when the Veseys arrive
because
Richard refuses to hand the innocent teen to this depraved duo. Shortly afterward, whether it is
the
Veseys or some unknown assailant, someone wants Gabriela dead. The Hidden Heart, the sequel
to
the delightful Regency So Wild A Heart, is an entertaining historical romance that readers will
relish.
The fast-paced story contains strong characters. Richard is a wonderful protagonist whose suicide
thoughts end when he finds something to live for, the love of Jessica and Gabriela. The heroic
Jessica risks her life for the safety of her beloved Gabriela who seems too mature for her age. On
the
other hand, the Veseys are purposely treated as caricatures of odious individuals. Thus the
audience
will enjoy this fun tale and demand more from the heart of Candace Camp.
Desperado
Diana Palmer
Mira
Jul 2002, $23.95, 304 pp., ISBN: 155166920X
They were foster siblings with Maggie Barton loving Cord Romero since she first met him
eighteen
years ago when she was eight and he was a teen. However, he marries Patricia and eventually she
weds Bart. Both widows, Maggie learns that Cord was severely injured from a bomb blast meant
to
kill him. She gives up everything and races to his ranch just outside Houston to nurture her only
true
love back to health, but he rejects her offer, misunderstanding that she came from Morocco not
Texas. When he learns the extent of her sacrifice, Cord apologizes. Maggie accepts a temporary
job
at the Lassiter Detective Agency who are working with the government to stop an abusive child
ring
that makes Dickens look like kindergarten. Her new job keeps Maggie in close contact with Cord
as
his recent near fatal disaster is tied in with what Lassiter is doing. As Cord and Maggie
acknowledge
their adult love for one another, the current case hits home too closely as a reminder of the shame
she still feels and hides about her pre foster childhood that if not revealed to her beloved could
end
their relationship. Fans of romantic suspense thrillers focused on a real social problem will want to
read Desperado, an action-packed tale that never slows down except when Cord and Maggie grab
hold of one another. Considering the sub-genre of the novel, surprisingly that romantic subplot
seems hollow when compared to the significance of the child slavery ring. Still, readers will root
for
the good guys to win over the evil corporate empire and with one another in Diana Palmer's latest
novel.
At the Corner of Love and Heartache
Curtiss Ann Matlock
Mira
Jul 2002, $6.50, 448 pp., ISBN: 155166917X
In Valentine, Oklahoma, Marilee James wonders if she lost her mind accepting relatively new
Valentine Voice editor and her boss Tate Halloway's proposal. She was married once before, but
her
former husband Stuart left her too many times for his overseas and other jaunts to photograph the
world forcing her to raise her special ed son Willie Lee by herself. Marilee also mothers her
abandoned niece Corrine. Still Tate is a nice guy and Marilee likes being with him and thinks she
loves him, but has doubts about a lifetime. Stuart has followed the Voice as much as possible
because he has never forgotten Marilee. Now he comes to Valentine to see the woman he let get
away for the first time in two years. His charisma makes Marilee wonder if she is marrying the
wrong man as the steady but kind Tate seems pale in comparison. The sequel to Cold Tea On A
Hot
Day, At The Corner Of Love And Heartache, is an engaging contemporary small-town romance.
The story line focuses on Marilee struggling to nurture her two charges, maintain her employment
and other civic activities, plan for her wedding without any motherly help to smoothly cruise her
through the prenuptial, and worse her feelings for the two adult men in her life. The characters
make
the tale work in a Running Scared style as the audience wonders who will Marilee choose, as both
are good people. Will she select the steadfast almost boring fianc‚, the dynamic undependable ex
husband, or neither? To learn whom read Curtiss Ann Matlock's wonderfully warm tale.
Clutch Of Phantoms
Clare Layton
Poisoned Pen Press
August 2002, $24.95, 323 pp., ISBN 1590580273
Twenty-five years ago Livia Claughton was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing her husband
and his mistress. The trial judge called her a harpy while passing the sentence. The moniker stuck
and when Livia was paroled at seventy-five years of age after serving her full sentence, the tabloid
press covered the event. Cass Evesham, a high flyer stockbroker never even knew that Livia was
her
grandmother until the media tracked her down. Out of curiosity and a sense of family, Cass visits
her
grandmother in Cumbria, a meeting that is fraught with tension and other suppressed emotions. It
is
only when Livia's life is placed in danger does Cass come to realize how much she truly does care
about her grandmother. Clare Layton, known to mystery fans as Natasha Cooper, has written a
poignant drama about people and their expectations. The heroine of this tale is an elderly woman
who has come out of prison as a kind and strong person who won't back down for anyone when
she
believes she's right. Clutch Of Phantoms is a novel that takes you two steps beyond the edge.
The Righteous Cut
Robert Skinner
Poisoned Pen Press
August 2002, $24.95, 259 pp., ISBN 159058029X
Councilman Whitman Richards is a force to be reckoned with in New Orleans in the days before
the
attack on Pearl Harbor. He has his hands in every racket in the city and he uses the money from
his
dirty dealings to fill his political coffers. He's madly in love with his mistress and plans to marry
her
once he divorces his wife Georgia. Whit's perfect world begins to crumble the day his daughter
Jessica is kidnapped from her local high school. When the ransom call comes in, the Councilman
learns that the kidnapper is his half brother Pete Carson, a person he set up on a murder charge
years
ago and thus ran him out of town. Sick of her husband's action, Georgia goes to Wesley Farrell, a
dangerous man who works both sides of the law. They had a fling two decades ago and Wes can't
resist Georgia's pleas to help her rescue Jessica. Even though he makes himself a target from one
of
Whit's unknown enemies, Wes goes to the wall to find Jessica. The fifth installment in the Wesley
Farrell series is a thrilling reading experience. The protagonist goes the extra mile to help out a
former friend and in the process gains a priceless gift. There is a lot of action and bloodshed in
The
Righteous Cut so fans of cozies will want to avoid this novel. Readers of historical urban noirs
will
find Robert Skinner's latest novel a very entertaining experience.
The Northeast Kingdom
Peter Collinson
Jove
August 2002, $6.99, 320 pp., ISBN 0515133612
The small town of Gilchrist in the green hills of Vermont was dying until the townsfolk invited the
federal government to build a prison there. The 312 unit Administrative Maximum Penitentiary
houses the most hardened prisoners men who have no hope of release, parole or escape. The
revenues brought in by the existence of the prison allowed the town to grow and prosper. After
years of solitary confinement, the prisoners revolt and take control of the prison. With the help of
loyal ex-cons, the prisoners escape and next take over the town, threatening to release a deadly
toxin
into two different communities if any counter offensive is attempted. It is up to the people trapped
within the town to do what the federal government is helpless to do: seize back their community.
Peter Collinson, a pseudonym for famous thriller writer Chuck Hogan, has written a first class
novel
of suspense. The thrill of seeing ordinary men and women fight for their freedom will send a
patriotic shiver up the spine of the audience. The Northeast kingdom is a top of the line reading
experience.
The Perfect Victim
Linda Castillo
Jove
Aug 2002, $5.99, 352 pp., ISBN: 0515133701
Denver coffeehouse owner Addison Fox arrives at the private investigator's office seeking to hire
the
sleuth to help her find her biological parents. Instead, the drunken detective hassles her until he
realizes he has bothered the wrong client. A few days later, her lawyer provides Addison with the
name of her biological mother, but by the time she arrives in Ohio to meet Agnes Beckett, she
learns
her mom was recently murdered. Three weeks later, Transportation Department Aviation
Disasters
Investigator Randall Talbot apologizes to Addison for his behavior in his brother's office. When a
trespasser enters her coffee shop, Randall saves her life. He insists this was a professional hit.
Later
she finds her lawyer dead and Randall proves that her adopted parents were murdered in what
was
allegedly a car accident. She has no idea why someone wants her dead and why those close to her
are being killed. As Randall and Addison fall in love, he carries baggage from his job that has left
him on sabbatical while she knows anyone close to her dies. The Perfect Victim is an exciting
thriller
that slowly builds the romance mostly to augment the suspense. The action packed story line
keeps
readers wondering why Addison is a death magnet of the killer. Though the climax seems a bit
weak
for this powerful tale, readers will root for the lead couple to overcome the impossible odds by
defeating her foe and learning who her biological father is. Linda Castillo furbishes a strong tale
that
fans of suspense will enjoy.
The Straw Men
Michael Marshall
Jove
August 2002, $6.99, 400 pp., ISBN 515134279
Ward Hopkins returns home to Dyserburg, Montana only to step into what seems like an episode
of
the Twilight Zone when he finds a book taped to the underside of a recliner. Contained inside the
book is a note that states his parents aren't dead. Tearing the house apart, he stumbles upon a
video
showing his parents and two twins, one who they leave behind in a crowded area. Unable to
believe
his parents are capable of such an act, he along with his CIA friend Bobby discovers that there is
no
record of Ward's birth. While Bobby and Ward seek the truth, a teenage girl is kidnapped in Santa
Monica with the FBI believing they are once again dealing with the Upright Man serial killer.
Former cop John Zandt and his friend FBI agent Nina look to find Sarah before she is killed like
the
three others before her. John and Nina cross paths with Bobby and Ward. They begin working
together making the necessary connections to find the Upright Man and his supporters the Straw
Men. Eerie, gothic like suspense that has more realistic twists and turns than the world's most
serpentine roller-coaster, The Straw Men never slows the ride until even Yogi would agree it's
over.
From the very beginning readers connect with a befuddled Ward at a very fundamental level. Fans
root for him and his cohorts to succeed in their interconnected missions that seem so hopeless.
Michael Marshall's debut novel is a very special reading experience for crime thriller fans.
Heart Of The Condor
Laura Renken
Jove
Jul 2002. $5.99, ISBN: 0515133353
In 1692, Gabriel "El Condor" Cristobel de Espinosa y Ramirez takes a leave of absence from
fighting for New Spain against the French and English to find his sister and her new husband
though
his sibling does not want to see him as he once incarcerated her husband. Though he has a price
on
his head among his enemies Condor does what he thinks is right anyway and sets sail for
Martinique.
Instead of his sister, Condor rescues Englishwoman Lady Sarah Drake from outlaws trying to
abduct her. Condor hates the English, but insists Sarah marry him for her own protection. She
knows of his reputation, but urged on by the local priest, agrees. However, Gabriel vows to never
give his heart to this daughter of his foes, but somehow Sarah makes him break his pledge with
her
love and caring. Still is that enough to form a trusting relationship with his personal history?
Laura
Renken has rapidly gained a deserved reputation for her exciting historical romantic adventure
novels. Her latest thriller, Heart Of The Condor, is an exhilarating seventeenth century tale that
employs rarely utilized locale to freshen up an often-used theme. The plot never slows down, but
still enables the audience to understand the lead couple and hope for the best for them as
individuals
while praying for them as a couple because fans will care. Laura Renken purveys a wonderful tale
that will enhance her esteem as readers will enjoy this book.
My Hero
Glynnis Campbell
Jove
Jul 2002, $6.50, 320 pp., ISBN: 0515133337
In 1329, eleven years old Cynthia le Wyte accompanies her father as he visits the de Ware brood
on
estate business. After two days of torture from the older de Ware siblings, Cynthia finds solace in
a
garden. She is unaware that her haven serves as the getaway of the youngest de Ware, Garth.
When
the girl reaches for a flower, Garth comes out of nowhere to stop her, but is too late as honeybees
sting Cynthia. Gently, he uses his knife to remove the stingers from her. Cynthia vows that she
will
marry her hero. Almost a decade later, Cynthia is elated that her hero is coming to her family's
castle. Her joy turns into shock when Garth arrives as the new lay chaplain. However, the
temptation of Cynthia is difficult to avoid so he behaves nastily, but she refuses to accept that the
kind soul who once saved her could have changed so much. As he watches her nurture her
people,
Garth falls in love with his heroine, but an unknown individual has different plans for them that
could
end tragically without a miracle intervening. The third de Ware tale (see My Warrior and My
Champion) is an exciting historical romance that shines a powerful light on the fourteenth century
by
focusing on several major issues including community health and alleged witchcraft. The enticing
lead couple hooks the audience from the moment a little Cynthia looks into Garth's eyes with
trust.
Though Garth seems typical of the novels of this period with his mirthless soul, Cynthia lightens
the
tone and eventually him. Glynnis Campbell provides an exciting tale.
The Diamond King
Patricia Potter
Jove
Jul 2002, $6.99, 400 pp., ISBN: 0515133329
He managed to survive Culloden, but the battle left him with an acrimonious aftertaste following
the
atrocities of the English. Alex Leslie changed his surname to Malfour and escorted children across
the Channel to France. There he found homes for all of his lost sheep except for Meg and Robin
who refused to stay with anyone but Alex. Comte de Rochemont offers Alex an opportunity to
make
money and to take vengeance on the English. The French noble obtains papers for Alex to work
as a
privateer and outfits a ship the Ami. Alex sets sail across the Atlantic to steal English cargo with
ultimately Brazil and its diamonds as his destination. Alex captures the English vessel Charlotte
that
contains Lady Jenna Campbell as a passenger. Because of a disfigurement, Jenna has been treated
by
her family as the "devil's child". She was heading to Barbados to marry before Alex abducted her.
Alex detests the Campbells for their betrayal at Culloden, but admires the courage, spunk and
nurturing of Jenna. As they fall in love, their perils have just begun. Though the aftermath of
Culloden through star-crossed lovers may be the most frequent theme in historical romance
novels,
Patricia Potter purveys a fresh look through her strong cast as readers see the impact on children.
The story line is loaded with action yet enables the audience to understand what drives both lead
characters ands several key secondary players. Fans of the era and anyone who relishes a robust
romantic adventure will want to read Peerless Potter's powerful tale.
Star Risk, LTD
Chris Bunch
Roc
August 2002, $6.99, 352 pp., ISBN 0451458893
She spent eight years of her life in the Alliance Marines but mustered out when she refused to
sleep
with her commanding officer. Now Major (Ret) M'Chel Riss is just trying to survive when she's
approached by Friedrich Van Baldur, the owner of the fledging mercenary outfit Star Risk, LTD.
He
offers her a contract, which she immediately accepts. Jasmine King, a woman who may or may
not
be a robot hires on with the new outfit as well as the alien Grok who invests his life savings in the
company. Now all they need is a job. Somebody is trying to sabotage the Transkootenay mining
company hired by the Foley System Government. Not wanting to lose the contract, the company
is
ready to hire outside security and Star Risk ensures they are going to obtain the job when they
break
out of a death row prison the brother of the manager of Transkootenay mining. Now all they have
to
do is figure out who the enemy is and try to stop them. The protagonists of Star Risk, LTD are a
charming bunch of rogues who obey no laws but their own. Their sense of ethics and
self-preservation makes them easy to like and the audience will find their antics very entertaining.
Chris Bunch known for his excellent military science fiction creates a space opera that is an
exciting
read.
Restoration
Carol Berg
Roc
August 2002, $6.99, 544 pp., ISBN 0451458007
Seyonne is an Ezzarian, a race of people who acknowledge that some of them possess mylydda or
sorcery and those who do are obligated to fight the demons. Those that have the magic are called
Wardens but Seyonne is outlawed from his own kind because he allowed the demon Denas into
his
own body, for he senses the demon war his people have been fighting is wrong. As a slave for
sixteen years in the Derzhi Empire, Seyonne became acquainted and saved the life of Prince
Aleksander, heir to the throne. As a result of his actions, the Prince freed Seyonne from his
bondage
and a friendship was struck. He now learns of a threat to unseat the Prince and rushes to his side
to
save him even though Aleksander lost his kingdom. While the Prince seeks to regain what he has
lost, Seyonne must make a long physical and spiritual journey to confront what he fears most.
Restoration answers all the questions from the first two books in the series (Transformation and
Revelation) to the readers' satisfaction. The protagonist is a true hero, one who does what is right
even when he is very scared that he will come to great harm. The world Carol Berg has invented
is a
very complex orb that fans will enjoy visiting.
Worlds That Weren't
Harry Turtledove, S.M. Stirling, Mary Gentle, and Walter Jon Williams
Roc
Jun 2002, $21.95, 304 pp., ISBN: 0451458869
"The Daimon" by Harry Turtledove. Though his admirers inform Sokrates that he has done his
public duty and need not accompany the Army in the Sicily campaign, he insists on joining
General
Alkibiades. War with Sparta is inevitable and with Sokrates to guide him, General Alkibiades
might
be able to lead Athens to the victory. "Shikari in Galveston" by S.M. Stirling. Several years have
passed since the comet changed the earth. Now Peshawar Lance Eric King is hunting in barbaric
Texas where one mistake could lead to him being on the menu. "The Logistics of Carthage" by
Mary
Gentle. A few years have passed since the Turks conquered Constantinople, but now they target
the
Gothic capital Carthage. Though the present looks bleak, Yolande sees her city-state surviving
into
the twentieth century and beyond, but how to endure the ashes of the fifteenth century is the
question? "The Last Ride of German Freddie" by Walter Jon Williams. On the eve of the street
brawl between the Earps and the Cowboys, Frederich Nietzsche arrives in Tombstone. He quickly
debates philosophical issues with the participants of the upcoming gunfight. All four of these short
novellas are well written hooking readers as each tale feels genuine due to the real figures fitting
smoothly in their substitute environs. The award winning authors provide alternate historical
readers
with quite a quartet in Worlds That Weren't to include continuity from previous books (at least on
the parts of Stirling and Gentle). This is a strong anthology that takes readers on a brilliant what if
trek.
The Isle Of Battle
Sean Russell
HarperCollins
August 2002, $25.95, 480 pp., ISBN 0380974901
Over a millennium ago, the great sorcerer Wyr gave himself up to the river Wynnd to sleep and
dream. While he slept, two families, the Renne and the Wills family claimed the throne of Ayr.
After
many centuries there is no more kingdom or throne but the two feuding families and their
respective
families remain bitter enemies, with war periodically breaking out For dynastic reasons Elise Wills
is
being forced to marry Prince Michael but rather than do it she jumps into the river and drowns. A
water spirit Sianon grants her life again and the daughter of Wyr takes over part of Elise's spirit.
She
knows her brother Haffydd, once known as Caibre, the son of Wyr, realizes she has awakened and
could stop his plans for war if he doesn't find her now. Both brother and sister, poised in a world
on
the brink of war, search for the mysterious Alaan because he holds the key to the kingdom's
secrets.
Sean Russell has brought epic fantasy to new heights. His characters are more goal-oriented than
most fantasy figures. They know what they want and will go to any lengths to achieve it. Elise is
the
character readers empathize with the most, as she is torn between what she was and what she's
become. Let's hope all the dangling threads and unanswered questions are explained in the next
episode of this enchanting saga.
Saved
Kate Morgenroth
HarperCollins
August 2002, $23.95, 288 pp., ISBN 0060192763
Lieutenant commander Ellie Somers of the US Coast Guard is currently assigned to Air Station
Sitka flying helicopters and loving every minute of it. When an inexperienced boat pilot takes his
vessel out to sea and misjudges the weather, he calls for help on his radio. Flying by the seat of
her
pants and taking some very unnecessary risks, she and her crew bring him back to safety. Ellie's
next
mission, trying to stop a boat suspected of carrying drugs, is an utter failure. She loses control of
the
helicopter and it is lost at sea. Her second in command is dead and Ellie is grounded. She can't
work
for the Coast Guard without flying so when the man she rescued from the sea, Nicolas Andreakis
asks her to go on an adventure with him she readily agrees, not knowing that he's the one who
sabotaged her coptor. While Ellie is definitely the protagonist, it is Nicolas who steals the show
because the audience is never quite sure if he's an angel or a devil. The story line is fast paced,
with
many curves and twists so readers will never be able to predict what happens next. The heroine
matures throughout the course of the book so the person who readers see at the end of the novel
is
not the adrenaline junkie we first meet.
Sorcerers Of The Nightwing
Geoffrey Huntington
HarperCollins
August 2002, $17.95, 288 pp., ISBN 0060014253
Most caring parents tell their children that the closet contains no lurking monsters. Ted March
knows they are real, demons from a hellhole demanding that six-year-old Devon to let them out.
Ted
tells Devon the truth that the monsters are real and that they won't get him because he's more
powerful than they are. When Devon turns fourteen, his father dies and he becomes the ward of
Mrs. Crandall of Ravancliff. From the time he arrives at the gothic mansion, he feels the magic
there,
and fights the demons that want him to open the portal that will let them roam free on Earth.
Devon
learns he is a Nightwing, a magical order of sorcerers who have the power to open the hellholes.
He's engaged in the fight of his life with the dead master of Revancliff, who wants to reclaim his
family home and the powers that lives there. If Devon doesn't prove strong enough, the demons
will
embark upon a reign of terror unlike any that has gone before. Fans of Harry Potter and the
Narnia
books are going to love Sorcerers Of The Nightwing. Many of Devon's questions are resolved but
there are many more that go unanswered so it seems likely that this is the start of a great new
fantasy series aimed at the young adult market. The hero is very mature for his age and though he
has the same problems as any adolescent boy he is further bewildered with a gift and a legacy he
doesn't understand. Geoffrey Huntington is a bright new star in the fantasy genre.
Law Of Gravity
Stephen Horn
HarperCollins
August 2002, $24.95, 336 pp., ISBN 0060194413
Phillip Barkley was a whistle blower in a city that puts politics above truth so now he spends his
days in the justice department in the Appellate Division writing briefs. After three hospitalizations
after the death of his daughter and a job that is going nowhere, all Phillip wants to do is quit and
open up his own law office in a small and quiet Oregon town. His boss promises him a place in
US
Attorney's office in the Portland office if he will investigate the disappearance of Martin Greer.
Martin is a senior staffer for the Intelligence Committee-headed by Warren Young, the party's
candidate in the upcoming presidential election. Warren wants Young on the case because he's
known as an honest man and he wants his office cleared of any charges if Martin turns out to be a
spy. Although evidence points in that direction Phillip thinks there's another agenda going on and
he's going to uncover it even if it costs him his new job, his sanity and even his life. This is a thrill
a
minute chiller written by an author who has the same magic touch as John Grisham. The
protagonist
is a man struggling to pick up the pieces of his life after the death of his daughter and readers will
have an immediate feeling of empathy for the man. His need to seek out the truth no matter who
gets hurt is his most endearing quality- but one that gets him in trouble many times over. Law Of
Gravity is a fantastic crime thriller.
Flight Lessons
Patricia Gaffney
HarperCollins
Aug 2002, $24.95, 400 pp., ISBN: 0060185287
In icy upstate New York, Anna Catalano ends her affair with her lover when she catches him with
her boss in her bed just after she had outpatient laparascopy. When her Aunt Iris offers her the job
of
manager of Bella Sorella, Anna decides to accept on a temporary basis though she rarely has gone
home to the Maryland Eastern Shore. Anna's Aunt Rose, whom she caught in bed with her father
while her mother was dying from ovarian cancer, owns the restaurant. The aunt and the niece are
banally civil, but truly communicate through Iris. Restaurant management proves difficult, but
Anna
handles it with aplomb. However, she has more trouble coping with her feelings towards
photographer Mason Winograd, as she does not trust relationships. More complex and harder on
Anna's soul is Rose wants a reconciliation with her beloved niece and will do whatever it takes to
succeed. Flight Lessons is a wonderful relationship drama that is at its best when the women take
center stage without any males in their way though the men are well written characters. The story
line engages the reader by looking at the impact a long-term squabble has on individuals. The
Rose-Anna situation is cleverly written so that many readers will recognize similar relationships
with
family members. However, the romance between Anna and Mason never leaves the ground, as it
seems pale next to that of the women. Patricia Gaffney provides a strong character driven sequel
to
her best selling The Saving Graces.
Leave No Trace
Hannah Nyala
Pocket Books
Jun 2002, $6.99, 388 pp., ISBN: 074341716
Tally Nowata works for the US National Park Service as a search and rescue ranger in the Grand
Tetons. Currently on a four-month furlough, Tally and her lover Paul O'Malley vacation in the
Australian outback. He leaves her at their campsite to pick up his daughter Josie at the Alice
Springs
airport with a maximum return time of four days. However, Paul fails to return and with her food
and water dwindling, Tally begins a trek out of the Tanami Desert while seeking a clue about the
whereabouts of Paul and his daughter. The desert climate is a far cry from the Wyoming
Mountains
she is used to, but even with a cracked rib, Tally finds the jeep with a dead Paul inside and a
barely
breathing Josie with him. Taking the child with her, Tally must reach civilization before their
water
runs out or the killer completes the job even as she wonders why. Leave No Trace is an exciting
survivalist adventure that leaves no reader unhappy with the action of a plot that never slows
down.
The story line feels so real that the audience will drink a lot of water while trekking along with the
two females. Tally is a great protagonist as she struggles to adapt her skills and experience to a
different, at least in her case, more hostile climate. Fans of action thrillers will want to read
Hannah
Nyala's thrilling tale.
No True Gentleman
Liz Carlyle
Pocket Books
Jul 2002, $6.99, 464 pp., ISBN: 0743437845
In 1826 Earl Harry Markham morosely knows his wife Julia blatantly has affairs with any willing
male of the Ton. Worse Harry feels helpless about her activity with his only defiance being his
refusal to beget an heir with his spouse because he simply does not trust her to not cuckold him
that
way too. Instead he chooses to allow his earldom to shift to another family member than any
spawn
of the she-devil he married. When someone murders Julia, the aristocracy and the police assume
Harry couldn't take anymore. However, Harry's sister feels that any one of the spouses of Julia's
lovers could have done the deed and pleads with Investigator Max De Rohan to find the truth.
Meanwhile Catherine Wodesway stumbles into the midst of Max's work forcing him to kiss her to
keep her safe. Soon a reluctant Max finds Catherine at his side making inquiries that place them in
danger, but also forging a deep attraction between the professional and amateur sleuths that could
lead to more if they live long enough to investigate their feelings. Fans of Amanda Quick's
March-Lake tales will enjoy Liz Carlyle's plunge into romantic historical mystery. The story line is
more who-done-it though the romance between the lead characters adds flavoring to the
delightful
plot. Clever red herrings provide readers with a taste of the end of the Regency era as well as false
clues. The lead couple is a fun pair to observe as Max is No True Gentleman, but along with
Catherine rounds out a pleasurable tale.
The Pink Magnolia Club
Geralyn Dawson
Pocket Books
Aug 2002, $6.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0743442652
In Fort Worth, three women meet in the ladies room of the Making Memories Breast Cancer
Foundation meeting hall. Middle aged Maggie Prescott is giving away her wedding gown that she
wore twenty-five years ago because she believes her husband Mike no longer cares about her.
Holly
Weeks is stunned because the man she loves has proposed, a request that goes contrary to her life
list and heats up her fears following her mother's death years ago from breast cancer. The third
bathroom buddy sixty-five year old Grace Hardeman suffers from breast cancer. Though from
three
different generations, the trio becomes friends. Grace provides a role model for her younger
buddies
as her philosophy of "today is a gift that's why it's called the present" resonates in all she does.
However, even she fears dying as it is a matter of time before she must enter the hospital with her
beloved loyal husband and her two pals providing her support. Readers who enjoy a wonderful
relationship drama that emphasizes the importance of loved ones during a health crisis will want
to
read The Pink Magnolia Club and donate to the Making Memories Foundation. The story line
moves
the audience through the three women confronting varying traumas in different ways. The
characters
seem genuine and fans will hope for the best whatever that might be for each one. Geralyn
Dawson
provides a powerfully emotional tale that will bring her much praise from fans and reviewers (and
tissue companies) for this courageous tale.
Absolute Rage
Robert K. Tanenbaum
Pocket Books
Aug 2002, $25.00, 368 pp., ISBN: 0743403444
Summer in the city means a lot more than just a loving spoonful of humidity so Butch Karp, his
wife
Marlene Ciampi, and their twin ten-year-old boys (Zik and Zak), cool off on their Long Island
beach
property. After completing the spring semester at Boston College, their "eaglette" daughter Lucy
joins them on the North Shore. Their neighbor Rose Heeney tells Marlene about her hometown in
McCullensburg, West Virginia where family feuds make the Hatfields and McCoys seem like
Manhattan debutantes. Not long afterward, Butch and Marlene learn that someone murdered
Rose
and her husband, Red, a union organizer. The West Virginia governor appoints Butch as a special
prosecutor to investigate the Heeney deaths. Butch accompanied by Marlene between canine
discussions and their three children travel to West Virginia. However, the quintet will soon find
that
Manhattan is a safer place than the small coal mining towns of West Virginia, as no family
member
will come out of this summer unscathed. The latest Karp-Ciampi tale takes long time fans on quite
a
twist as the action occurs in West Virginia with the kids playing pivotal and dangerous roles and
tragedy hitting home. Though humorous, the story line is much darker than the previous novels
with
the stunning misfortune striking one of them and with Marlene seemingly going crazier as her
dogs
hold conversations with her and not just letting her know what they want. Still Robert K.
Tanenbaum provides a powerful thriller albeit that leaves readers satiated and the Karp-Ciampi
crowd ready for their next adventure still filled with Absolute Rage.
Path Of Glory
Brett M. Funk
Tyrannosaurus Press
PO Box 15061, New Orleans, LA 70175-5061
ISBN 097188191X $19.95 http://www.tyrannosauruspress.com/
In the land of Madryn, the four races are forced to work together to defeat the evil darklord
Lorthas. The elves, the humans and the Garan'ah fought courageously at the final battle when the
mages erected the Boundary to contain Lorthas. The Boundary is a magical mountain range with
only one entrance, a portal guarded by a garrison of troops. A millennium later, the segregated
races keep totally to themselves with the worst criminals sent into the Boundary. Jeran, a young
boy who lives on a farm near the Boundary, befriends a runaway slave Dahr. The twosome share
many happy adventures together before two outlaws thought to be in the Boundary attack their
farm. Jeran's uncle gives him a message to take to the king telling him the Boundary is weakening
and the two boys do his bidding. They meet allies along the way who help them get in to see the
king but even after their message is delivered, Jeran and Dahr's adventures are only beginning.
Path Of Glory is epic fantasy in the tradition of The Lord Of The Rings and the Shannara series.
The protagonists are two young people who must learn about their different heritage if they hope
to use it in the upcoming war. No one will be in a funk after reading this novel except having to
wait for Brett M. Funk's next "Boundary's Fall" novel Sword Of Honor expected in bookstores in
late fall.
Familiars
Denise Little (editor)
Daw Books
Jul 2002, $6.99, 320 pp., ISBN: 0756400813
Based on the most unscientific survey, most readers within a mean plus or minus three standard
deviations will state unequivocally that a familiar is a magical cat that is a companion to a witch.
Obviously tales like Bell, Book, and Candle conjure up felines as companions to the Kim Novaks
of
the world. However, the fifteen contributors to this anthology demonstrate a wider girth of
sidekicks
to include the expected cats (including former White House resident Socks), dogs (feels at first
like
heresy, but it works), people (not just husbands), and insects (don't ask). Each tale as far as this
reviewer understands is new, but what this reader knows is that each contribution is well written,
remains within the theme, and provides fans with a powerful witch's brew anthology. Now let me
take a closer look at my menagerie (dogs and cats not my spouse silly) who obviously have
bewitched me as they can do no wrong (that's how one perceives exclusion of the husband).
The Lost Dragons Of Barakhai
Mickey Zucker Reichert
Daw Books
August 2002, $23.95, 376 pp., ISBN 075640091
A year and a half ago, graduate student Ben Collins followed a rat into a storeroom and wound
up in
the Kingdom of Barakhai. In that land, all humans except the Royal Family were cursed, forced to
shape shift into other bodies for half the day or night. When Ben left that world for his own, he
was
badly injured and needed medical treatment. Now Zylas the white rat says Barakhai needs him
once
more. Ben feels like Barakhai is home and Earth is just the orphanage where he was raised so he
must act. There are two young dragons held prisoner by the king and they have the power to
remove
the curse that force the humans to shift into another form. Zylas and Ben concoct a dangerous
plan
that includes using an old enemy who has the king's ear. The Lost Dragons Of Barakhai is an
adult
fairy tale with a handsome hero (make that bumbling grad student), a fair maiden (who spends
half
her life as a fair horse) and a rebel leader (who remains human even when he turns into a rat).
Mickey Zucker Reichert is a fantastic storyteller who provides fantasy readers with some of the
better tales.
The Burning Heart Of Night
Ivan Cat
Daw Books
Jul 2002, $6.99, 591 pp., ISBN: 0886777895
Interstellar Captain Lindal Karr transports humans from Sheldon's World to Evermore when a
stowaway claiming to be Lindal's guardian angel Bob begins killing the passengers while they
sleep
in a fugue state. Lindal who is immune to fugue sleep is helpless to stop Bob who perseveres in a
normal state that enables him to live with an incredibly faster metabolism that also makes him
seem
invisible to Lindal. Bob forces the Long Reach to crash into the ocean of the remote planet of
New
Ascension. The colonists on New Ascension struggle with a deadly local microbe. They barely
survive a little longer by draining the immunity serum of the native sentient population the Khafra,
an action that kills the Khafra.. Civil war is imminent with Jenette Tesla, daughter of the human
leader, desperately trying to find peace and stop the genocide. Lindal with fugue might be the
miracle if the colonists let him live long enough to help, but who to trust among the planetary
colonists, the victimized Khafra, or the mysterious angel Bob? The Burning Heart Of Night
contains
an interesting look at the cost of survival that humans will pay for a few extra years of life.
Though
Angel Bob is cloaked in mystique, the identity of the being is obvious early on. Lindal understands
being different while Jenette represents the good in mankind with her willingness to do what she
believes is the right thing. Albeit solutions to extremely complex interspecies issues are overly
simplified, science fiction readers will relish this exciting futuristic other world tale.
The King
David Feintuch
Ace
Aug 2002, $24.95, 512 pp., ISBN: 0441009026
Before dying the Caledon queen informs her son, the soon to be anointed king Rodrigo, that for
him
to keep the power of The Still to "read" still water, he must remain a virgin and never prevaricate.
However, before Roddy becomes the monarch, his Uncle Margenthar declares himself regent, as
the
teen is too young to be king. Now Roddy decides it is time for him to be the King, but
Margenthar
refuses to give up the regency. Roddy successfully takes control of Castle Stryx while rallying his
people as King Hriskil's Norlanders invade Caledon. The war is nasty and Roddy overcomes his
advisors' treating him like a dumb adolescent with the help of his buddy Rustin as he become an
adept military leader. However, he loses his most important skill, reading the wisdom of still
water
as he has wasted the Still. If he fails to regain his ability, the Norlanders will conquer Caledon.
The
King, the Sequel to The Still is an engaging young adult fantasy tale that is easier to follow if you
recently read the first novel. The story line is exciting though the continual battles become tedious
after a while except for the more military minded reader. Roddy has matured from hedonistic snot
into caring leader who proves his mettle though adults think he is a dumb teen. That angle will
hook
young readers who will root for the youth to surpass his elders. David Feintuch's work combines
epic fantasy with a coming of age hero struggling with doing the right thing.
What Harry Saw
Thomas Moran
Riverhead
August 2002, $24.95, 320 pp., ISBN: 1573222240
Following the tradition set by his father and grandfather, Australian Harry Hull is severely
wounded
serving in Nam. Harry returns to live with his father in the Sidney suburbs. His GI Joe dad, known
for drinking beer with a straw due to a World War II injury, obtains a job for his son as a reporter
with the Herald. While working there, Harry falls in love with Lucy Whitmoor. They share a
seven-year affair while he observes the deterioration of his father. When Joe dies, Harry feels
alone
and withdraws emotionally from everyone including Lucy. This ends their relationship as she can
no
longer reach him. Lucy leaves Sydney carrying Harry's child. When she returns she informs Harry
she gave up their child for adoption. Harry needs to know why, but the truth may prove more
devastating then he will ever want to see. Thomas Moran leaves no rock unturned with this
insightful look from within of an "emotionally blind" person that seems more like an everyman
"nowhere man". By the time Harry learns the meaning of life, he is too acrimoniously human. The
story line is told from Harry's Monday morning perspective as he begins to understand what he
lost.
What Harry Saw is well written and as deep and baring as a tale can be, but should carry a
warning
label that this is also as sobering as any novel has been in years. The light at the end of the tunnel
is
an on rushing train fueled by despair and hopelessness.
Never Forget
Thom Racina
Signet
August 2002, $6.99, 416 pp., ISBN 0451206746
On Rodeo Drive famous director and producer goes into Guess and meets drop- dead gorgeous
salesman Max Janson. She takes him home to her bed and he stars in her next big movie in which
he
becomes an overnight sensation. They remain lovers and friends until he met ing‚nue Kristen
Caulfield who steals his heart. They try to keep their feelings in check but Maggie knows
something
is going on between them. Maggie's stepmother Nicole wants Max and will stop at nothing to get
him. Bruce Borgie who works on the props is in love with Kristen and is intensely jealous of Max.
In
Telluride, Colorado, Max is hand gliding when a prop gun shoots him with two bullets and his
glider
rips as if somebody sabotaged it. The police have plenty of suspects who had a motive to kill Max
but only one person had the guts to carry out the diabolical scheme. Thom Racina is known for
his
many thrillers but his latest work is something a little different. It is aimed for a Jackie Collins
audience and it succeeds admirably. The characters, both villain and innocent alike are simple to
understand making it easy for the audience to feel a rapport between them. Never Forget may be
Collins-light, but is a novel that will not be forgotten by readers.
Must Be Magic
Patricia Rice
Signet
Aug 2002, $6.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0451206754
All her life Lady Leila Staines has felt like an adopted outsider as the only member of the Malcolm
women without any magical abilities. Even her hair is not the dark color that every other Malcolm
female has. Still, she has done her part by marrying to improve the family fortune. With her
husband
dead, she controls the Staines estate as long she lives and never remarries. Leila wants to grow
flowers that she can convert into perfumes as she feels she has a nose for this business. However,
she needs a land usage expert and turns to agronomist Dunstan Ives, though he is considered a
wife
killer and her own mother warned her that Ives males are bad news for Malcolm females.
Reluctantly, the landless Dunstan accepts her offer though he wants nothing to do with any
woman,
but especially those bewitching Malcolms. However, he berates himself for desiring Leila and
another lass who looks like her (because of his stereotyping he refuses to realize that his two
dreams
are one in the same) even as he struggles to learn whom killed his wife. Must Be Magic is an
engaging historical romance that uses a pinch of witchcraft to spice up a tale with a rarely seen
uniqueness. The story line mesmerizes the audience as Leila struggles with her "handicap" and her
desire to belong while Malcolm battles between desire and not wanting to be burned again. Fans
will
believe that Patricia Rice must be magical as she spellbinds her audience with a one sitting fun
novel.
The Blood Doctor
Barbara Vine
Crown
Jul 2002, $25.00, 369 pp., ISBN: 1400045045
Biographer Martin Nanther researches an ancestor, his great-grandfather who earned the family
its
peerage. The most interesting item Martin finds is a letter written five decades after the death of
his
subject by a daughter. The woman claimed that her father Henry did evil things. Following up on
that intriguing memo, Martin discovers that much of Henry's life remains hidden in gray mystery.
He
learns that Henry, a physician of Queen Victoria, was considered an expert on hemophilia who
obtained peerage in 1896. Something changed inside Henry when his friend Richard Fox Hamilton
died. Henry kept a mistress for years and a relationship with an aristocrat that seemed heading to
the
altar, but tossed both out when he became engaged to Eleanor Henderson. When someone
murders
his fiancee, Henry simply married her sister. Martin finds no solace as he begins to unravel the
mystery of Henry, the engineer of a crime that hits so close to the biographer that his findings only
substantiate the gene pool the two men share. The Blood Doctor is a tremendous work of
psychological suspense that uses biographical fiction as a tool to tell two stories one from the past
and one from the present. Barbara Vine cleverly insures neither story line falters and ultimately
merges together into a strong tale that is part detective and part relationship drama. Fans of the
sub-genre will fully relish this tale that shines a light on the darkest elements of the Nanther
souls.
The Witch Queen
Jan Siegel
Del Rey
August 2002, $24.00, 352 pp., ISBN 0345439031
She once dreamed of ruling Logrez through her son, a product of having sex with her brother the
great king Arthur but failed in her deadly scheme. Morgus hates mankind and intends to rule
modern
day England but she is not wise in the ways of the present. She plans to use the spirit of a modern
day witch, separated from her body by Morgus, to learn how to get around in the twentieth
century.
Fern Capel, unwilling to be an apprentice to such a malevolent being, fights her and eventually
thinks
she kills her dangerous "guest". Unfortunately, Morgus is a survivor and after a time of
recuperation
is back intending to destroy Fern once and for all. When it comes to Fern's attention that she will
have to fight her enemy once again, she gathers her allies for the coming battle, never dreaming
what
she will have to sacrifice for the ultimate victory. This is the third installment in the Fern Capel
Saga
and it is by far the most creative and fascinating to date. The antagonist is almost as interesting as
the heroine as Morgus is a malevolent being so consumed by hatred that it is not at all easy to
predict how she will attack only that her assault is pending. The heroine is a being of pure
goodness
so easy to predict but remains likable and engages the empathy of the audience early on. The
climax
is truly a shocker that solves the problems that plague Fern, but not quite in the way the audience
will anticipate.
The Fifth Sorceress
Robert Newcomb
Del Rey
Aug 2002, $26.95, 624 pp., ISBN: 0345448928
Over three centuries ago, the malevolent Coven nearly destroyed Eutracia. However, the
kingdom's
wizards managed to defeat the evil sorceresses. The victory resulted in exile of the surviving
sorceresses across the vast ocean to Parthalon, the ban on female magic practitioners within the
realm, and required vows by male applicators to remain on the side of the light. Plotting
vengeance
and final destruction of their enemies, the sorceresses begin a diabolical plot to obliterate Eutracia
and its magical do-gooders through the regal line. They plan to abduct Princess Shailiha so that a
special doomsday machine incantation can be completed that will result in either their victory or
the
end of the planet. Only her brother Prince Tristan and his advisor Wigg the wizard stand in the
way
of the sorceresses' success. The Fifth Sorceress is clearly one of the top three fantasy tales of the
year. The story line is typical good vs. evil epic with the forces of the light led by a reluctant hero
and his wise advisory wizard while their opponents will stop at nothing including global
destruction
to gain victory. However, Wigg, whose advice does not always work, makes the tale as he
misinterprets things leading to unfortunate calamity and even when he is on target things can still
go
wrong in a Murphy sort of way. Thus, the quest becomes real as the audience never knows what
will
succeed or fail even whether Tristan will win the day. This novel heralds a new force in the genre
as
Robert Newcomb casts quite a spell on the audience.
The Corporal Works Of Murder
Sister Carol Anne O'Marie
St. Martin's Press
August 2002, $22.95 208 pp., ISBN 0312209172
Although she is seventy years old, Sister Mary Helen of Mount Saint Frances College still tends to
her duties and has no intention of retiring even if her Sisters and the San Francisco police force
think
it would be the best thing that could happen to them. After forty years of teaching she is now
ministering at the Shelter, a refugee for homeless women. Sister Mary Helen notices a new
woman
in the shelter, who very obviously has not been on the streets long. The next time she sees that
homeless person, the woman is dying from a bullet through her chest. It turns out that Sarah was
an
undercover vice cop so when Sister Mary Helen learns this, she decides once again to insinuate
herself into a murder investigation. Readers who like the Father Darling mysteries will appreciate
this long running series. Sister Carol Anne O'Marie writes a realistic cerebral cozy starring a
protagonist it is impossible not to like. The author deals with some major social issues and she
gets
her point across without preaching.
Last Scene Alive
Charlaine Harris
St. Martin's Press
August 2002, $22.95, 224 pp., ISBN 0312262469
It has been over a year since Aurora "Roe" Teagarden's husband has been murdered but the
Lawrenceton, Georgia librarian is still in deep mourning. She is not at all happy that a Hollywood
crew is coming to town to shoot the scenes from "Whimsical Death" based on the first homicide
Roe
ever solved. Also coming to town is Robin Crusoe, Roe's ex-boyfriend, and the person who
helped
her solve the case but subsequently went on to write the book on their investigation that has led to
the movie. Roe is also unhappy that her stepson Barrett is starring in the movie because they
despise
each other. When Robin hits town, old sparks ignite and Roe begins to realize that the movie
filming
might be a blessing in disguise. What Roe doesn't know is that there is a murderer amongst the
Hollywood set. This person plans to kill the movie's star and target Roe as his next victim. Fans of
the Aurora Teagarden series will like the way the heroine displays her grief while moving on with
her life. Readers will delight with the appearance of a new man in Roe's life, one that is different
than
her deceased husband. It is very easy to see why Robin and Roe click. The story line is fast-paced,
well plotted, and exciting with enough twists and turns to keep readers on full alert.
Blood Lies
Marianne MacDonald
St. Martin's Press
August 2002, $23.95, 272 pp., ISBN 0312283059
Normally Dido Hoare is a serene even-tempered individual but the events of the previous winter
are
still affecting her and now she needs a vacation. When her old friend Lizzy Waring invites her and
her infant son to stay with her and her husband in the Village of Alford, Dido jumps at the chance
to
leave London and her antiquarian bookstore. Alford isn't the bucolic village of her imagination.
There is a dark undercurrent rippling under the surface of the pleasant little town personified by
the
presence of Teddy who was just released from jail after serving five years on a manslaughter
conviction. Teddy shot a burglar in his home but didn't offer any defense. The buried bones of a
woman who was missing at the same time that Teddy shot the burglar convinces the police to
reopen an investigation even as Dido goes into sleuth mode. Blood Lies is the story of a family
with
secrets, many of which they will go to any lengths to see that they stay buried. The heroine is a
catalyst who stirs things up and set certain actions in motion. The story line is fast- paced and
enjoyable reading for fans of amateur sleuth novels. Marianne MacDonald has written another
intriguing installment in her popular cozy series.
The Rampant Reaper
Marlys Millhiser
St. Martin's Press
July 2002, $23.95, 288 pp., ISBN: 0312290969
Though her preference would be to stay home in Southern California, literary agent Charlie
Greene
agrees to accompany her adopted mother attending a funeral in Myrtle, Iowa. Charlie has not met
this side of the family that has never accepted adoption as a source of viable kin. Still, Charlie
would
do almost anything for her mother, biology professor Edwina Greene, including meeting the
extended family even in this backwater. Once there, Charlie realizes she has an opportunity to
uncover the identity of her biological mother, but instead ends up at Gentle Oaks Nursing Home.
Though elderly, the patients seem more than senile than the average geriatrics. Most of the senior
citizens act petrified in mind and body leaving Charlie to wonder why society allows people to live
with what appears no dignity, hope or thought. Apparently someone agrees with Charlie because
someone begins killing the residents. Encouraged to uncover the truth, Charlie begins to
investigate
what seem to be euthanasia killings. The latest Charlie Green mystery, The Rampant Reaper, is a
strange eccentric amateur sleuth tale. The story line centers on what to do for the aging especially
when the mind goes and the body is not lagging far behind. However, Marlys Millhiser's efforts to
use humor to diffuse the seriousness of the topic come across as iniquitous because the cast
including the heroine is nasty. Fans who don't mind an ensemble of misanthropes will enjoy
Charlie's
sleuthing and the insight into a problem that society would prefer die away.
Rashomon Gate
I.J. Parker
St. Martin's Press
Jul 2002, $24.95, 352 pp., ISBN: 0312287984
In eleventh century Heian Kyo, Japan, Sugawara Akitada knows that he has attained his career
ceiling in the Ministry of Justice as a minor bureaucrat. Clerking is simply boring, but that is what
Akitada does now and he realizes will continue to do until he is retired. Having no permanent
woman in his life except his disappointed mother, Akitada's only passion is solving crimes, a task
that he actually has had success at solving. Akitada's former law professor at the Imperial
University
asks his one time student to investigate an apparent blackmailing scheme that needs thwarting
before
itbecomespublic knowledge and damages the schools' reputation. Seeing a chance to escape the
doldrums of his work, Akitada accepts the assignment. Pretending to be a newly appointed
teaching
assistant, Akitada begins his investigation into who his blackmailing a professor. However, a
seemingly separate second case surfaces that places Akitada in danger from wrong doers with
high
level connections. On the other hand the obstinate Akitada finds romance too. The key to
enjoying
this strong eleventh century Japanese mystery is the names that though add realism to the locale
take
a bit of adjusting by westerners so as to not lose track of who does what to whom. The story line
is
brimming with imagery that enables the audience to feel like a visitor to what was once Kyoto.
Akitada is a fascinating character disenchanted with his present life with no hope for the future yet
gives everything to solving his cases. I.J. Parker writes an appealing tale that showcases her talent
to
paint quite a picture for historical mystery fans to enjoy.
Mistress Of Rossmor
Marianne Willman
St. Martin's Press
August 2002, 320 pp., ISBN: 0312981325
In 1880, as a realistic single orphaned woman Grace Templar knows to expect little from life and
thus wants very little in return. Besides keeping a respectable job, Grace wishes she would stop
having the visions that occur anywhere at anytime. While in Rome as a secretary and companion,
Grace suffers one of her attacks during a visit to the Forum. Alistair McLean, the lord of
Rossmor,
observes Grace's peculiar behavior, which he recognizes as a gift. He sees Grace as a tool that he
needs to use to gain answers about the events behind his wife's tragic death. Alistair is also
attracted
to Grace and returns with her to Rossmor where she meets his child Janet. As Alistair and Grace
fall
in love, someone fears that the new Mistress Of Rossmor will learn and reveal the truth about
what
happened to the master's first wife. Mistress Of Rossmor is a fun tale that combines elements from
several sub- genres into a wonderful romance. The lead couple is a delight to observe especially
their
struggle to not fall in love. Janet is a sympathetic urchin who the audience will hope overcomes
the
trauma of her mother's death. Part late Victorian, part gothic, part suspense, and part paranormal,
Marianne Willman blends the elements into a pleasing reading experience for fans of each
sub-genre.
The Chase
Brenda Joyce
St. Martin's Press
Jul 2002, $24.95, 400 pp., ISBN: 0312284497
They are having marital troubles, but still Claire Hayden throws a fortieth birthday bash for her
spouse David though he told her he preferred nothing. While he gets dressed for the party, he tells
her that he screwed up big time and she sees the fear in his eyes. He refuses to elaborate and she
wonders when they stopped communicating. Later in the evening, Claire thinks David
overindulged
and is passed out somewhere. She finds him sleeping it off on a terrace chair until she gets closer
and
sees his throat has been sliced open. Claire turns to David's cryptic friend Ian Marshall for
answers
and perhaps closure. Ian explains that the killer used a World War II era knife and is probably a
former Nazi spy in hiding who has murdered with this MO before. She also learns that Ian is a
Nazi
hunter and insists she join him on The Chase of her husband's killer. Fans of romantic suspense
with
the emphasis on the thrill will rejoice with The Chase, an action-packed tale told through two
story
lines that ultimately merge into one powerhouse theme. The plots take place in the present with
the
lead protagonists seeking a murderer and in World War II providing the background that leads to
today's events. Readers will delight with the pair's investigation and want to see them on a future
Nazi hunt. Brenda Joyce purveys a strong novel that will bring the highly regarded author many
accolades from fans and reviewers.
Total Surrender
Cheryl Holt
St. Martin's Press
Jul 2002, $6.50, 384 pp., ISBN: 0312978413
In 1812 England, though the daughter of an Earl, Lady Sarah Compton knows her family is
ruined
due to the bad judgment of her kind but now deceased father and the absolute idiocy of her
brother
Hugh believing that gambling away everything is his divine right. Needing cash to support his
decadent lifestyle, Hugh demands Sarah snare a wealthy husband, but she thinks little of the idea
especially when she reflects on her one disastrous season. However, Sarah does attend Lady
Carrington's house party in Bedford not so much because of Hugh's orders, but as her last chance
for fun before poverty becomes her life. However, this is no rustic tea party as the aristocracy has
come here for sexual games. Among the participants is Michael Stevens, the most notorious rake
in
the land. Her innocence unnerves him, especially when she insists he teaches her the art of
pleasure.
As they fall in love, an unknown enemy will do anything to insure that Michael fails to find the
proof
that he seeks. This is an exciting erotic Regency romance starring two intriguing characters who
in
spite of the explicit scenes are typical of the sub-genre, i.e., the rake and the virgin. Still the story
line grips the audience from the start until the final nude setting, as the lead characters are a
dynamic
couple battling for Total Surrender. The suspense element adds tension, but the tale belongs to
Sarah and Michael. Cheryl Holt turns up the heat with this enticing historical romance.
I Think I Love You
Stephanie Bond
St. Martin's Press
Jul 2002, $6.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0312983336
In Monroeville, North Carolina, the three sisters Justine, Regina, and Mica grow up in a strange
household where their hippie parents refuse to marry though they have lived together for almost
two
decades and co-own M&G Antiques. The oldest high schooler Justine takes her siblings to spy on
lover's lane. However, what they see frightens them as they observe someone killing their Aunt
Lyla.
Since they cannot identify the murderer, the three siblings agree to remain silent. Twenty years
later,
the trio lives in separate parts of the country. Justine is an executive at a cosmetics firm in
Pennsylvania. Regina edits nonfiction self help books in Boston. Mica is an internationally famous
hair model living in Los Angeles. The threesome rarely talk to one another since the homicide
incident and Mica stealing Justine's boy friend nasty Dean Haviland. However, circumstances in
their
lives and that of their parents bring the trio back to Monroeville where they can continue to
squabble
or begin the road to healing. I Think I Love You is no bubblegum Partridge family teen tale, but
instead Stephanie Bond provides a strong look at a dysfunctional family. The story line works
because the three sisters seem like real siblings struggling with rivalries, loves, and just meeting
one
another halfway. The schism between the trio makes the tale work though their new male interests
relatively fall into place to easily. Still fans will bond with the cast and expect more lay it on the
line
type of relationship dramas from this talented author.
Inspector Anders And The Ship Of Fools
Marshall Browne
St. Martin's Press
Jun 2002, $23.95, 272 pp., ISBN: 0312278217
The Judgment Day uses terrorist techniques to try to sop the development of gigantic
international
companies that are formed through mergers. The group uses mostly words taken from a fifteenth
century manuscript, but also employ deadly tactics as when they kill sixteen high level managers
from two Germany's chemical companies, that had negotiating a merger. Desperate to stop the
Judgment Day organization before other homicides follow, the French police request help from
Italian police officer and terrorist expert the one-legged Inspector Anders and Interpol's Detective
Matucci. However, stopping the terrorists only proves slightly more difficult than obtaining
cooperation from local police departments spread across Western Europe. As the Judgment Day
seemingly commits impossible acts of atrocities, Inspector Anders and Detective Matucci do not
seem to have made much progress on solving the case. The insights into the political rivalries even
at
local police precincts add depth to the exciting tale, but also slow down the action. The case is fun
to follow as Anders and Matucci as they did in The Wooden Leg of Inspector Anders conduct a
through investigation in which the lack of cooperation hinders their efforts more than the
terrorists.
Fans who enjoy a realistic insightful look at European police (and for that matter American law
enforcement too) will relish Browne Marshall's latest tale, Inspector Anders and the Ship of
Fools.
Skeletons
Kate Wilhelm
St. Martin's Press
July 2002, $23.95, 364 pp., ISBN 0312300751
She is the ugly duckling in a family of swans. Her mother has three doctorates; her father is a
Ph.D.
who advises world leaders; while her brother is an internist. Lee Donne has changed her major
three
times and in four years she doesn't have enough credits to graduate. She takes her grandfather up
on
his offer to house sit for five months while she regroups but when she settles in, a strange man
tosses
gravel at her house at night. Lee and Casey set a trap to catch the man but it backfires and he dies.
Lee decides to find out what she is looking for but when she discovers a hidden door in the floor
of
the photo lab. There she discovers her family's darkest secret, their ties to the Klan. She also finds
existence that a third party candidate running for the president once participated in a Klan
lynching.
Lee has the journalistic story of a life time but she has to live through various attempts or her life
to
see it in print. Kate Wilhelm is the mistress of psychological suspense and she proves it with
Skeletons, an electrifying tale filled with so many serpentine twists, readers are always taken by
surprise by the plot developments. The maturation of the heroine from innocent protected
schoolgirl
to fugitive from a well hidden cell of fanatics rings true and shows the depth of the author's
skills.
Legacy
D.W. Buffa
Warner
Jul 2002, $25.95, 448 pp., ISBN: 0446527386
In San Francisco, someone assassinates US Senator Jeremy Fullerton. The police spot a young
black
fleeing the scene. They fire, wound, and arrest Jamaal Washington for killing Fullerton.
Surprisingly,
without any obvious let alone remote connection to the accused, elderly local lawyer Albert
Craven
brings in Portland, Oregon attorney Joseph Antonelli to defend Jamaal. After hearing Jamaal's
story
on why he was there and how he ended up with the Senator's wallet, Joseph thinks the youngster
is
an easy fall guy taking the rap for a devious soul. Joseph quickly learns that Fullerton had
presidential aspirations and built a cadre of cronies and supporters in the Bay area. A former KGB
agent Andrei Bogdonovitch informs Joseph he has damaging information on the senator linking
him
to his former Soviet employer, but the informant is killed with an office bomb. The trial looks
hopeless for the defense unless Joseph can pull off a last second Perry Mason-like miracle. Legacy
starts off as an incredible legal thriller, but loses steam when it jumps the tracks into a conspiracy
tale. The story line is at its best when Joseph investigates the senator and during the trial. The
personal side of Joseph that frequents the plot slows down the story line while leaving the
attorney
not behaving as expected. Though the eyes of the world will pass Judgment that Joseph is a
strong
egg, the exciting tale seems just off kilter.
Quietus
Vivian Schilling
Hannover
Jul 2002, $24.95, 596 pp., ISBN: 0963784617
The plane heading for Boston crashed in the New Hampshire White Mountains. Rescuers save
five
survivors including Kylie O'Rourke and her spouse Jack trapped inside the doomed flight. Kylie
relates a strange story that just before crashing, she noticed a raven perched on the plane's wing.
Kylie also insists that she and the other four survivors were restlessly hiking the mountain though
they were found inside the fuselage when they were rescued. No one else who lived to talk about
his
or her harrowing experience substantiates Kylie's claim. Kylie's psychologist insists what she says
she saw and believes happened was caused by post-traumatic stress combined with drug
stimulated
hallucinations. However, Kylie continues to see a raven with human eyes and turning paranoid
insists that the malevolent beings she saw on the mountain are after her while people in good
health
that she knows start dying. is a strong suspense that has readers resolving questioning whether it
is a
psychological/medical thriller in which Kylie is losing her mind, a horror tale where the spirit
domain
has entered the living realm, or a combination of both. The story line is exciting but the wide use
of
psychological, medicinal, and spiritual elements enhances the audience's perceptual guesses yet
slows down the pace of the plot. Still, Kylie is a wonderful lead protagonist walking a thin line
between insanity and real danger, which is what makes Vivian Shilling's novel hauntingly
work.
Perfect Trust
M.R. Sellars
Willow Tree Press
July 2002, $5.95 369 pp., ISBN 099678219X
Ten months have passed since Rowan Gant, a self professed witch who practices Wicca, brought
down serial killer Eldon Andrew Porter. Everyone else, including the police, thinks Porter is dead,
but Rowan knows he's alive and when the time is right he is going to go after him again. In the
meantime Rowan and his wife Felicity are doing their best to live a normal life. Up until two
months
ago, Rowan was largely succeeding but now he suffers fugue states where he loses hours of time
and goes to sleep in one place and wakes up in another. Things get really bizarre when he arrives
at
a crime scene with no memory of driving there. Homicide detective Ben Storm accepts the fact
that
Rowan is able to channel the dead and he uses him to see if there's a connection to another death.
Unfortunately a very angry cheerleader who wants vengeance on her killer is preventing Rowan
from seeing things clearly. The Rowan Gant mysteries just keep getting better and better. The
hero's
powers are increasing with each crime he becomes involved in and it's fascinating to watch him
learn
to cope with them in his everyday life. Perfect Trust is as good as the sub-genre gets because of
its
many unexpected twists and turns and that keep readers on their toes. M.R. Sellars is a creative
storyteller who knows how to keep his audience interested from start to finish.
Number, Please
Sheree Petree
Oak Tree Press
915 W. Foothill Blvd # 411, Claremont, CA 91711-3356
July 2002, $9.95, 280 pp., ISBN 1892343258
In 1965 Santa Cruz, California during the worst storm of the season, Trish Malcolm, a less than
three-week management hire by Ma Bell, is forced to work the switchboard, devices she knows
nothing about. Inadvertently, she accidentally overhears a part of a pay phone conversation placed
by someone named Jay Jay. The next night a telephone operator is run down in the parking lot
and
Trish believes it was no accident but a killer gunning for her. She locates the street where the
phone
call was placed and sees only one building in the vicinity. There's a sign in the window saying
there's
a room for rent and Trish decides to take it thinking she can find the killer. During the course of
her
investigation, somebody shoots at her, kills a tenant living in the building and set fire to the place.
Only when she comes out in the open and enlists the help of her co-workers does she have a
chance
of exposing the killer. Sheree Petree has written a very clever amateur sleuth novel that captures
the
ambiance of the 1960's America. The heroine is an admirable and determined young woman who
acts according to her own convictions, not caring if everyone thinks she's a fool though taking
matters in her own hand as opposed the police seems today as foolish, but remember the time and
generation involved. The mystery is so well constructed that readers won't guess who the killer is
until the author chooses to reveal him.
The Apprentice
Tess Gerritsen
Ballantine
August 2002, $24.95, 452 pp., ISBN 03454447859
The Surgeon aka Walter Hoyt has been in prison for over a year but the Boston police detective
who put him away still bears the emotional and physical scars he inflicted on her at their last
meeting. She is not confident in her abilities anymore and she uses three locks on her front door to
keep out the predators that she knows lurks out there. A copycat killer emulates the crimes of The
Surgeon and Jane is the lead detective on the case when Walter escapes from prison. He joins his
copycat associate with both perpetrators focusing their attention on Jane and making very sure
she
knows it. FBI agent Gabriel Dean, who is working on his own agenda, tries to get Jane to remove
herself from the case but the feisty detective is determined that she will bring down Walker and
his
partner with him. Tess Gerritsen can always be counted on to give crime thriller fans a fantastic
reading experience and she succeeds with her latest novel The Apprentice, which is heading to all
the bestseller lists. Her wounded heroine is very likable and readers feel as if they share a bond
with
her because of her emotional scars. Ms. Gerritsen's works appeal to readers who love the novels
of
Patricia Cornwell and Linda Fairstein.
One Hit Wonder
Lisa Jewell
Dutton
Jun 2002, $23.95, 358 pp., ISBN: 0525946535
Though she had not spoken with her half sister in a dozen or so years, reticent Ana Willis still
worshipped Bee Bearhorn as her idol like she did when she was a teen. Thus she handles it badly
when she learns Bee died in a dingy London flat with the police calling it a suicide. Ana travels to
London to close Bee's estate, but is stunned to learn that her sister not only adored her, but also
talked in glowing terms about her to the neighbors. Ana is unable to resist learning more about
Bee's
groovin' life in London and what really happened to drive her sibling to take her own life. Back in
the eighties, Bee had a major rock hit, but she apparently never recaptured her fifteen seconds of
fame. Now Ana meets some of Bee's friends who also seek the truth. Soon the trio begins to
uncover secrets about Bee that make them wonder if suicide occurred even as the country
bumpkin
begins to flourish in her deceased half-sister's lifestyle. Lisa Jewell shows she is no ONE HIT
WONDER with a warm witty Brigit Jonesque like chick tale. The story line contains a bit of a
mystery, but is more a coming of age story as the shy Ana leaves the cocoon to finally embrace
life.
Fans of the young single English female will find this novel is a jewel of a tale.
The Best Is Yet To Come
Judith Gould
Dutton
Aug 2002, $24.95, 320 pp., ISBN: 0525946594
Everyone who knows Carolina Mountcastle has to feel a bit of envy even as they like and admire
the
almost fortyish woman. Caroline is happily married to a stud Lyon, who loves her as if they just
met.
They have a wonderful adjusted teenager Richie. Finally she runs a very successful florist shop in
Manhattan that is thriving, as the elite seem to always want her to do their functions. Perhaps the
only downturn is that Lyon spends a lot of time conducting business in Amsterdam. However,
Carolina's ideal world crashes when she receives the call from Dutch police officer Verhoeven that
her spouse suffered a fatal heart attack. Thinking she hit rock bottom, Carolina's comfort zone
collapses further when she learns her beloved husband kept a woman in Amsterdam and sired a
child
with her. As she struggles to adjust to the betrayal, her florist business comes under attack from a
ruthless foe with no scruples. Only her brother, and to a lesser degree her son, and Seth Foster
appear in her court unless she can forgive and forget in order to embrace the future. The Best Is
Yet
To Come is an exciting relationship drama that focuses mostly on Carolina, but indirectly on Lyon
through the thoughts of several cast members. The story line is at its finest when the tale centers
on
Carolina and those close to her. The characters are well written except for the unnecessary
devious
competitor who makes Cruella de Ville seem like Mother Theresa in comparison. Still, readers
will
take pleasure from Judith Gould's inspirational tale.
Justice Betrayed
Daniel Bailey
Silver Dagger/Overmountain Press
August 2002, $23.95, 186 pp., ISBN 1570722099
Life is quiet in the small South Carolina town of Winslow, situated five miles from the Georgia
border. The sheriff's office is located in a mall because there is not much crime in the peaceful
town
that is until Richard Welch arrives on the run from DEA officials and kills state trooper Dan
Colby.
The residents are horrified that such a crime could happen in their area and eagerly await the trial
to
see justice done. On the day when Richard Welch is to have his day in court, he escapes and a
search
of the area yields no sign of the former prisoner. Cassie O'Connor, a television reporter based in
Columbia, sees this story as a way into the big leagues but her investigation seems blocked at
every
turn. She doesn't know that the killer is tied to a drug lord's cartel or that federal investigations
have
special plans for Mr. Welch. Justice Betrayed is a fascinating tale of how far the federal
government
will go to win the war on illegal drugs. The story line is fast-paced and is so realistic that readers
will
think they have a front row seat to a riveting thriller. Daniel Bailey has a distinct and refreshing
writing style that leads this reviewer to conclude that he will have a long run as a successful
author.
Home Where The Murder Is
Carolyn Rogers
Silver Dagger/Overmountain Press
August 2002, $23.95, 187 pp., ISBN 1570721742
San Antonio Police Lieutenant Rachel Grant is injured in the line of duty and is shot in the knee
by
the local drug lord. He gets away and starts a terror campaign against her thirteen-year old
daughter,
Lauren. Mother and daughter travel to their hometown of Saddle Gap where they can feel safe
and
Rachel can continue with her physical therapy. Her return home yields a few surprises including
the
fact that her family has sold the family guest ranch Tumbleweeds to entrepreneur Stanley Fletcher.
Rachel's peace of mind is shattered when Stanley is found murdered at Tumbleweeds. She isn't
sure
if the killer is local or the San Antonio drug lord who shot at her and her uneasiness increases
tenfold when her cousin is found murdered in her grandfather's home. Unable to remain on the
sidelines, Rachel decides to start her own investigation especially when she finds out that for some
unknown reason Stanley left tumbleweeds to her. Home Where The Murder Is captures the
ambiance of a small Texas border town to perfection. Rachel's relationship with her ex-husband
and
old friends as well as family rings true and makes the reader feel as if they know the characters
that
populate the book. Carolyn Rogers has written an excellent amateur sleuth tale and it is hoped
that
this is just the first installment in a new series.
Where Darkness Lives
Robert Ross
Pinnacle
July 2002, $6.99, 384 pp., ISBN 0786014814
Ever since Kate was a little girl, she saw ghosts but her parents never believed her and she finally
learned to say nothing about the spirits who drifted in and out of her life. When Russell came into
the video store in New York City, it was a case of love at first sight. They married three months
after they met but she never told him about her ghosts and he remained silent about his first wife.
Russell's twin sister Rosalind convinces him to move back to the family home in Wrightsbridge,
Connecticut. When he broaches the plan to Kate, she eagerly agrees thinking that she will finally
have a chance to write her novel. From the time they enter the door of Russell's ancestral home,
he
becomes distant and moody, a stranger to Kate. She believes the ghosts that inhabit the place are
playing tricks with their minds. She intends to exorcise them, not realizing how powerful they are
and that they mean her harm. When Darkness Lives is a good old-fashioned gothic ghost story
that
is very scary. The audience really doesn't know if it is the ghosts or a human presence that is
trying
to hurt Kate. That makes the finale all the more satisfying. Robert Ross is the latest rising star in
the
horror galaxy. Bentley Little fans are going to love this book.
Night Moves
Janelle Taylor
Zebra
Jul 2002, $6.99, 352 pp., ISBN: 0821771450
Out of the blue, Phoebe, her best friend from her Pennsylvania hometown, arrives at Jordan
Curry's
DC home. Jordan would do anything for Phoebe, her former maid of honor who helped her get
through being jilted at the alter. However, Phoebe's request is a shocker especially since the
woman
provides no explanation as to why. Phoebe begs Jordan to watch her four-year-old son Spencer
for a
while. Jordan agrees assuming that Phoebe's desperate need has something to do with the work of
her spouse Reno. Soon afterward, Jordan's blind date Beau Somerville arrives. Seeing the kid
shakes
Beau up as it reminds him of his loss, that of his wife and child. When the media announce the
murders of Phoebe and Reno with the disappearance of their child, Beau decides to help Jordan
keep
Spencer safe. As they fall in love, a stalker closes in on the little boy, leaving two adults with no
time
to ponder their baggage obtained from the past as the demon haunts Spencer in the present. Night
Moves is an exciting romantic intrigue that is brimming with action. Jordan is an intrepid heroine
who conquers her fears to do the right thing. Though why Beau got involved is not as easy to
accept, fans will feel for a traumatized Spencer, whose apprehension of an attack seems so real
that
the audience will want to comfort him. Though the romance takes a back seat to the suspense,
readers will delight in Janelle Taylor's latest thriller.
Promises To Keep
Kathryn Shay
Berkley
Aug 2002, $6.99, 416 pp., ISBN: 0425185745
For the past five years, widow Suzanna Quinn has diligently worked as the principal of Fairholm
High School in New York. Her philosophy is openness and honesty with the faculty, students, and
parents. Until recently that has proven quite successful, but popular student Zach Riley changes
the
climate when he shockingly commits suicide leaving a note behind that warns Suzanna of a threat
to
her. Secret Service Agent Joe Stonehouse pushed the formation of the School Threat Assessment
Team after a gunman killed his beloved niece and four other teenagers. Now he believes Fairholm
High School could be in jeopardy based on Zach's suicide note and an alleged hit list. He goes
underground as a crisis counselor at the school. However, he finds himself very attracted to
Suzanna
and knows he violates everything she believes in with his covert activity. With all the incidents in
schools over the past decade and the post 9/11 homeland security question, Promises To Keep is
a
timely romantic suspense. The story line is well written as Suzanna epitomizes the struggle when
community safety tramples on individual rights and the need to know. The romance between the
lead
protagonists augments the dispute between Joe and Suzanna on what needs to remain cloaked in
secrecy. Kathryn Shay provides no easy answers to the safety and security vs. freedom debate, but
the audience will feel they have reader a thrilling complete tale.
Death Medicine
Kat Goldring
Berkley
August 2002, $5.99, 272 pp., ISBN 042518580X
Teacher Willi Gallagher is taking an early bird Amtrak train from Austin to her hometown of
Nickleberry. She leaves early to avoid running into Texas Ranger Lassiter except he boards the
same
train. Things go downhill from there as Willi witnesses a vitriolic fight between Congressman Van
Bauer and his ex-wife BeeBee. She also observes a heated exchange between the Congressman
and
the train porter Uzell Speer. When the train is forced to stop because of a blizzard and ice on the
tracks, the seven passengers are lodged in a nearby motel. On their very first night there, the
Congressman is brutally murdered and all of the guests have a reason to want to see him dead.
Willi
and Lassiter continually butt heads over her role in his investigation. Death Medicine is more
serious
in scope than the first novel in this series, All Signs Point To Murder. Still the novel contains a
humorous side as the bickering between the two protagonists masks an attraction that neither will
acknowledge. The mystery is cleverly constructed and will have readers guessing who the actual
murder is. Kat Goldring is a fresh new voice in the amateur sleuth sub-genre.
The Suitor
Sandy Hingston
Berkley
Jul 2002, $6.99, 416 pp., ISBN: 0425185435
In 1813, the Regent of snobbery is Katherine Deveraux, daughter of a marriage between a duke
and
an heiress to a dukedom. Her superior airs turn ugly when she avenges a slight from a fellow
student
at Mrs. Treadwell's Academy for the Elevation of Young Ladies. Though her actions could have
ended tragically, Katherine shows no remorse. The school's secret partner Countess Christiane
d'Oliveri worries about her charge's indifference while Katherine's father and stepmother visit
Russia.
As she heads home from London after rectifying Katherine's actions, Christiane notices Alain
Montclair enter a gentleman's gambling hall. She asks for his help with bringing Katherine down a
couple of pegs by getting her to fall in love with him before he deserts her. Kent sounds perfect
for
the part when an irate spouse decides to skewer Alain for cuckolding him. Alain turns on his
charm
on Katherine, but she ignores him. Soon he realizes that the superiority complex hides a lonely
woman seeking the love she lost when her father stopped mourning her mother with her. The
French
wastrel and the English parvenu fall in love, but can he can overcome her formidable mental
defenses? The Suitor is an amusing Regency romance that cleverly provides a subtle message on
the
strengths of women intertwined into the plot. The lead couple is a delight and the return of
Treadwell and d'Oliveri (see How To Kiss A Hero)add a feel of homecoming to the humorous
story
line. If any Regency author has a right to act snobbish it is Sandy Hingston who always furnishes
superior novels.
The Torso In The Town
Simon Brett
Berkley
August 2002, $22.95, 352 pp., ISBN 0425185028
Although Carole and Jude are both in their fifties, single and live right next door to each other in
the
West Sussex Coastal town of Fethering, they are total opposites. Jude is a free-spirited extrovert
with an easygoing personality while Carole is conservative, prim, and down in the dumps because
a
relationship didn't work out. Jude attends a small dinner party in Fedborough, eight miles upriver
from Fethering. The party comes to a complete halt when the torso of a human being is found.
The
police soon identify the body as that of Virginia Hargreaves, a woman who walked out on her
husband Roddy three years ago. Thinking that a murder investigation will lift her neighbor's spirit,
Jude involves Carole in an investigation that puts them in danger from a person who needs certain
secrets to stay buried. The latest Fethering mystery is an amusing tale where the town takes on a
life
of its own and is perceived as a separate character. The two female amateur sleuths complement
each other and make a believable investigative team. Simon Brett has written a classic British style
cozy that rivals the best of Agatha Christie.
The Uninvited Countess
Michael Kilian
Berkley
August 2002, $6.50, 272 pp., ISBN 0425185826
Former newspaper columnist turned art dealer Bedford Green is not financially solvent.
Greenwich
Village in 1925 New York City is jumping even if the gallery Bedford owns is not. Through his
assistant, the beautiful Sloane Smith, Bedford is invited to a Vanderbilt society event in Newport,
Rhode Island. The family wants him to find out anything he can about a Hungarian using the name
of Countess Zola. All his New York contacts never heard of the woman and when he reaches
Newport, the Vanderbilts refuse to discuss her. When Sloane and Bedford skip out on the party to
go to the beach, they come across the naked body of a female floating in the water. It turns out to
be
the body of the mysterious countess and Bedford finds himself investigating who she really was
and
why somebody wanted her dead. The second installment in the Jazz Age mystery series is very
atmospheric and gives the reader a glimpse of the culture of that period in Greenwich Village. The
hero is a very likable and colorful chap who easily hobnobs with the rich and powerful as much as
the infamous. The mystery is very complex and multi-layered, making for an enjoyable reading
experience.
Unnatural Instinct
Robert W. Walker
Berkley
August 2002, $21.95,320 pp., ISBN 0425184927
FBI Agent and medical examiner Dr. Jessica Coran enjoys some downtime with Richard Sharpe,
who resigned his position at Scotland Yard to become an FBI consultant. Their romantic interlude
is
interrupted when Appellate Judge Maureen DeCampe is abducted from an underground garage in
Washington DC Jessica is put in charge of this political hot potato of a case. She immediately
concludes that the judge knew her attacker and didn't feel the culprit was a hazard to her. The
judge
when confronted by Isaiah Purdy did not feel that he was a threat to her. She knew him from her
days as a judge in Texas when she sentences his son to death in the electric chair for a series of
rape-murders. After his son was killed Isaiah claimed the body, drove to Washington DC and
abducted the judge. She is now naked tied to Isaiah's son rotting decayed corpse and she will
surely
die if Jessica and her team fail to find her rather quickly. There are very few crime writers to day
who consistently write compelling and exciting thrillers. Robert W. Walker is not only of those
very
few, he is elite amongst them. Hopefully he obtains what he deserves having Unnatural Instinct on
all the bestseller lists for its powerful story line with a strong cast. The heroine, a brilliant
workaholic, might have finally met her match in Richard Sharpe. They make a good pair
personally
and professional and it is hoped that there will be more novels starring this couple in the not too
distant future.
High Water
Lynn Hightower
Holt
Jun 2002, $24.00, 336 pp., ISBN: 0805067566
After leaving the marines due to an exercise scandal leaving seven soldiers dead, former drill
Sergeant Fielding Smallwood accompanied by his family relocates in Beaufort, South Carolina.
Fielding almost immediately starts an affair with a local widow even as his wife Lena is dying. His
adult children detest Fielding, who has treated his family like he did his units, but feels they are his
failures. His son Hank returns home after doing the worst deed by going AWOL two years ago.
His
youngest daughter Claire is a loser divorcee with three children. His other son Ashby is an
unacceptable gay. Finally, Fielding blames all his trouble on his fourth child Georgie. They
become
even angrier with him when, without consulting his four adult children, Fielding has his spouse
taken
off life-support. As the children commiserate with one another, they all wish Fielding was dead.
They got what they asked for as someone murders the former marine. Law enforcement believes
that one or more of his chidlren committed the crime with Claire being the one arrested. This
leaves
it up to Georgie to uncover the truth because she cannot accept that brittle Claire had the iron to
kill
anyone. High Water is more than just a fast-paced amateur sleuth mystery. The story line focuses
on
a dysfunctional southern family struggling with self-images and interrelationships, of which none
of
the siblings seem capable of maintaining. The story line is fast-paced as expected from a Lynn
Hightower tale, but the plot clearly belongs to the Smallwood family, as the author strips their
souls
bare for the audience to understand them inside a strong mystery.
Reunion At Mossy Creek
Deborah Smith, Sandra Chastain, Donna Ball, Debra Dixon, Nancy Knight, & Virginia Ellis
Belle Books
P.O.Box 67, Smyrna, GA 30081
Jul 2002, $14.95, 400pp, ISBN: 0967303532
With the twenty-year reunion at Mossy Creek, Georgia coming soon, Creekites wonder who
burned
down the town's high school back then that has forced locals to attend nearby rival Bigelow High
School? Apparently the arsonist is taunting the Creekites by having sent to the town the ten cent
fortune telling machine used during that homecoming day when the fire changed so many lives.
Though not even born yet, wallflower Josie McClure knows the impact of the fire because her
mother was the homecoming queen who never celebrated her victory and forced her to compete
for
the Bigelow High School Homecoming Day Queen, which she humiliatingly lost. Rainey Ann
Cecil
thinks back to that fatal day in 1981 when she was twelve and with Robert Walker and Hank
Blackshear believed they caused the fire. Amos Royden is now the sheriff and would like to solve
the case that his now deceased father always felt blemished his law enforcement record. Other are
impacted by either the fire or the upcoming reunion. Will the reunion complete the destruction of
the
Creekites or refurbish the civil pride of being a Creekite? Written as a series of vignettes tied
together through the reunion, the story line is humorous and sad focusing on how a pivotal event
can change lives forever. Though an ensemble, the characters come across as genuine leaving
readers to understand their pain, loneliness, and their need to belong. Fans will enjoy Reunion At
Mossy Creek and want to read the previous slice of small town southern living, Mossy
Creek.
Absolute Certainty
Rose Connors
Scribner
August 2002, $24.00, 304 pp., ISBN 0743229061
The assistant district attorney for Barnstable County on Cape Cod believes heart and soul that
Manuel Rodriguez is guilty of murdering Michael Scott, a bright college student with his whole
future ahead of him. She is so convincing that a jury eventually finds Manuel guilty of murder in
the
first degree. One year after Michael's death on Memorial Day, a second person is murdered, a
nineteen-Navy man home on leave. A roman numeral II is carved on his chest just as the number I
was carved on Michael's chest. Assistant DA Marty Nickerson thinks the same killer murdered
both
men, but her superiors dismiss her concerns until a third person is murdered and the Roman
numeral
III is carved on his client. Marty knows she must do something to trap the serial killer before
anyone
else gets killed. Absolute Certainty is an absolutely fantastic legal thriller. Readers get an up close
and personal look at the judicial system as seen through the eyes of the protagonist, a woman who
goes from being an idealistic to a cynic over the course of the novel. The perpetrator is hiding in
plain sight but readers won't be able to recognize the essence of evil hiding behind a well-liked and
respected person. Rose Connors is clearly a gifted storyteller.
The House Of Seven Mables
Jill Churchill
Morrow
August 2002, $23.95, 240 pp., ISBN 0380977362
After her husband died, Jane Jeffrey was left to bring up their three children alone. Now her eldest
son is in his second year of college while her only daughter is a senior in high school and the
youngest child is in ninth grade. She along with her neighbor and best friend Shelley suffer from a
form of empty nest syndrome and want to do something interesting with their free time. When
Bitsy
Burnside contacts them to decorate a dilapidated old Victorian house, Shelly is intrigued and Jane
sees the possibilities. However from the first day they enter the house things go wrong. When the
contractor is found dead at the bottom of the basement stairs, Jane knows that somebody killed
her.
However, whom is nearly impossible as the victim was such an obnoxious individual, there is a
plenty of suspects. Soon a series of malicious pranks occur and nobody knows who is behind
them
or if it was the same person who killed the contractor. Anyone who likes a cerebral amateur sleuth
novel with little violence will want to read The House Of Seven Mabels. This is a lighthearted
cozy,
the perfect book for beach reading. The friends of Jane and Shelly come across as real and
believable
while the story line is filled with enough unexpected twists and turns to keep readers turning the
pages. Jill Churchill imbues her plot with enough humor to have her audience chuckling out
loud.
Do No Harm
Greg Andrew Hurwitz
Morrow
August 2002, $24.95, 400 pp., ISBN 0060008865
Dr. David Spier is in charge of the UCLA Medical Center emergency Room and he takes his
responsibilities very seriously. When someone sprays lye on the face of one of the nurses standing
in
the outdoor vestibule, the E.R. is shocked. The victim's brother is a cop who vows revenge on the
person who blinded and disfigured his sister. When a second nurse is also victimized, the police
conclude that the perpetrator has something against nurses. When the police find and arrest him
near
the hospital, the perp is covered in lye. The police take him to the emergency room where David
treats him and prevents the officers from doing him bodily injury. Fearful that if the police take
him
out of the hospital he will never arrive at the prison alive, David delays his release and in doing so
inadvertently gives him a means to escape. When the perpetrator hurts a third nurse, David vows
to
track him down and bring him in because he feels guilty that his actions enabled the nasty deed to
occur and the woman attacked means a lot to the idealistic doctor. Gregg Andrew Hurwitz is the
heir apparent to Robin Cook if this medical thriller is an indicator of the chill level that leaves
readers
reconsidering any visit to an emergency room. The protagonist is a heroic figure with strong
ethics,
but is vilified by the press and his peer's for his role in the antagonist's escape. This makes him
endearing, empathetic as well as sympathetic to the audience who will hope he triumphs. Do No
Harm is a compelling read.
Goodbye Dear, I'll Be Back In A Year
Patricia Abbott
Five Star Books
Jul 2002, $25.95, 320 pp., ISBN: 0786240776
In April 1941, the Ohio Selective Service Board sends a "Greetings" letter to an elated Jack
Andrews. Feeling a bit embarrassed because he looks forward to joining the military, Jack tells his
girlfriend, an upset Ginny Fairfax that he will be home in a year. Her younger sister Carey seems
more mature about Jack's situation so he keeps to himself his belief that America is probably
going
to join the war and he will serve a lot longer than one year. Jack is stationed in Hawaii when the
Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. He sees combat and his one-year of duty turns into four years at
war
with the thought of seeing his Ginny keeping him alive. However, back at the home front a bored
Ginny seeks solace when and where she can and that is not in Jack's letters home, which to her
describe much less than the ones he sends to her younger sibling. What will happen to this couple
so
in love before the war when Jack returns home to his Ginny after seeing the underbelly of the
world
while she remained a good time Charlotte? Goodbye Dear, I'll Be Back In A Year is an exciting
World War II drama that provides incredible insight into the period as few novels have. The story
line paints a powerful picture especially in the American Midwest during the war. Jack and Carey
are
wonderful characters, but Ginny seems too shallow as if the Greatest Generation contained a loser
amongst these heroes. Still, Patricia Abbott provides a deeply enlightened look at a bygone era of
champions.
Coming To My Senses
Addie Marsh
Five Star Books
Jul 2002, $26.95, 265 pp., ISBN: 0786230347
Her son Joe worries about his septuagenarian mother living by herself in the Colorado mountains
above Bear Lake especially since her eyesight is beginning to fail her. Her deceased husband
Jacob
encourages Addie Marsh to hang in there. So she refuses to relocate to an assisted living facility
when she feels her health is fine except for the macular degeneration that makes seeing so
difficult.
Moving in the cabin next to her is Sybil, a pregnant teenage runaway. With Sybil is her abusive
boyfriend Stony. Rather quickly Addie and Sybil form a grandmotherly-granddaughter bond
starting
with the baking of a cake. Though she has vision problems, Addie still has her faculties and
realizes
that Stoney is abusing Sybil. Addie knows she must intercede by bringing in the authorities, but
she
fears what will happen to herself and Sybil. Coming To My Senses is an insightful human drama
that
touches on several current problems facing different generations. Senior citizen Addie does no
want
to give up the loving home she shared with her deceased spouse. Joe wants to do what he
considers
best for his dear mother, but wonders if tough love intervention forcing her to move might be the
best answer to keeping her safe. Sybil represents the issues of abuse and unmarried children
bearing
children. Though there is too many issues for mere mortals to deal with as the reader is
overwhelmed at times, Addie Marsh provides a powerful melodrama showcasing the frailties and
mortality of her fine cast.
Wives And Lovers
Jane Candia Coleman
Five Star Books
Jul 2002, $25.95, 174 pp., ISBN: 0786243074
This collection of fourteen tales celebrates or castrates depending on your perspective
female-male
relationships that contain stay at home women. The sensitive starlets of each tale regardless of the
diverse time and locales between stories write down their inner feelings that they hide from their
mate. As individual tales each contribution is well written and insightful, but taken as a one sitting
anthology the lead characters of each tale show the identical traits along gender lines as every key
woman is interchangeable and so is every prime man. Though the parts are greater than the
whole,
read over several weeks, the audience will appreciate Jane Candia Coleman's lyrical wit.
In The Shadow Of The Green Line
Sophia Petrou
Five Star Books
Jul 2002, $25.95, 309 pp., ISBN: 0786241160
Her mother inherited the estate from her own father years ago, but did nothing with it because the
land is in Dhereria, Cypress while she and her husband live in Florida. However, when her spouse
becomes so ill with cancer that the medical bills leave the family bankrupt, her mother decides it is
time to sell her inheritance. She gives Alexa Karras power of attorney so that the former
University
of Miami researcher can sell the property. Alexa flies to the Mediterranean island to sell the land.
However, her cousin Nick, a former member of an organization trying to remove the Turks from
the
island, opposes the sale and reluctantly seems to help Alexa though he creates barriers instead.
Nick's wife Eve is much friendlier with the visiting second generation American. Eve asks Alexa
to
search for the origin of a Byzantine crucifix, but that leads to the police interrogating her. Soon
Alexa meets fellow Yank Peter Winters and a romance begins. In The Shadow Of The Green Line
provides a tremendous look at Cypress, a tumultuous spot that is quiet especially when compared
to
Afghanistan and the nuclear poker over Kashmir. The story line is a powerhouse when it focuses
on
how Alexa sees the island and its people. The romance is an unnecessary detour away from a deep
unique look that shows Sophia Petrou has the talent to entertain and education, but needs to stay
on
the critical path.
The Apple Orchard Bed And Breakfast
Ron & Caryl McAdoo
Five Star Books
Jul 2002, $26.95, 230 pp., ISBN: 0786242345
Wealthy recluse W. G. Preston advertises for a woman to serve as manager of a bed and
breakfast.
In fact the B&B is a front as Preston really seeks a wife and plans a competition among eight
female
applicants where one each month will be sent home packing. Preston plans to marry the final
survivor. The women are a diverse lot. The widow grandmother Marjorie is witty and friendly yet
naive. Vicki hides her enchanting vulnerability with queenly persona armor. Audrey is a great
listener
yet can be quite moody. The cute Natalie cannot make friends. The beautiful Virginia acts
snobbish.
The energetic Holly can lift anyone's spirits, but ruined her wholesome image with the implants.
Charlotte is knowledgeable but make sure everyone else knows it. Dorothy is quite a leader, but
Preston does not need a manager, he wants a wife. Which one of this octet will win the prize? If
the
audience can hurdle the moral questions of a spousal elimination contest, the story line of The
Apple
Orchard Bed And Breakfast is actually an amusing character study. The plot hooks readers
through
the depth provided to the cast, which enables the novel to avoid the pitfalls of How to Marry a
Millionaire. Each of the key players can be distinguished from one another, a difficult
accomplishment when describing eight women and a few other prime members. The story line
uses a
journal entry approach with Preston providing his perspective on the players. Ron & Caryl
McAdoo
furnish the audience with an engaging but rather different romance.
Double Bluff
Michael A. Hawley
Onyx
August 2002, $6.99, 400 pp., ISBN 0451410775
Leah Harris is a detective in the Seattle homicide unit when she catches the call about the multiple
stabbing death of a young Spanish woman. When she investigates the scene, her first thought is
this
is a crime of passion. However, things become much more complex when a picture of her lover,
narcotics detective John Darby is found there. She immediately calls her superior officer who gets
Internal Affairs involved. Sergeant Frank Milkovich immediately insinuates himself into the
investigation and discover heroin behind the stove and a million dollars in cash in the closet of the
dead woman's apartment. Frank thinks they stumbled upon a cell of a Colombian drug cartel. The
victim's father is persona not grata in the United States and no record of a John Darby exists.
Leah
and Frank realize they have muddled into something deadly that could get them killed if they are
not
extremely careful. Double Bluff is a fascinating police thriller starring two great protagonists who
each deserve their own series. Michael A. Hawley gives the reader an insider's look about what
confronts a police officer on a recurring basis. The story line is multi-layered so that when the
reader
peels one subplot off, there is something ever darker and more shocking underneath it. This crime
thriller is great escapist reading.
Manhattan South
John Mackie
Onyx
Jul 2002, $6.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0451410459
Ukrainian hitman Andrew Karis is a pro who never makes a mistake or leaves behind a loose end.
His current assignment takes place in La Florentine, a Manhattan bar just before closing. He kills
forty-five years old Candy Mayhew, her mid thirties lover miner mobster Donny Cesare, and the
bartender Hugh Byrne. However, coming out of the bathroom is private detective Tony DiLeo,
doing surveillance on Candy for her spouse. Caught off guard, Andrew shoots the sleuth, but the
last
victim barely survives and is rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Manhattan South
homicide
detective Sergeant Thornton Savage and his team head the investigation. On first look the cops
eliminate robbery as the motive. The case appears either to have been a mob hit on Donny or a
cuckold husband killing his wife and her lover. However, the investigation begins to take strange
twists that reach the highest level of political power in this country leaving a good caring cop in
jeopardy of his job and reputation as nothing stands in the way of ambition. Fans of police
procedurals will welcome John Mackie into the sub-genre after reading the powerful Manhattan
South. The story line is fast-paced, loaded with action, and filled with twists caused by external
pressures. Thornton and his crew comes across as individuals yet a professional team while the
villains include a great hitman and a Lady Macbeth type character. Though the NYPD brass is
politically stereotyped, readers will enjoy this tale that starts faster than a colt and retains the
speed
and action until the tight end.
Fatal Death
Robin Burcell
Avon
August 2002, $6.50, 288 pp., ISBN 0061061239
Kate Gillespie is a homicide inspector in the San Francisco police department. Her brother
worked
in the same department, but a dozen years ago while an Internal Affairs investigation was going
on
into his activities when he died of an overdose. Now Kate works very hard to make up for her
brother's mistakes. When a snitch calls her to set up a meeting, she goes to the meeting point only
to
find her mark gunned down in cold blood by another police officer. She calls the one officer she
trusts, police officer Mike Torrance. They meet at a local cop bar when they find out that the
officer
who killed Kate's snitch is now dead, the victim of a hit and run. Kate is assigned to investigate
the
officer's death and it doesn't take her long to learn there are other officers that are dirty and this
case
ties back to her brother's suicide. Fans of police procedurals and crime thrillers will definitely
enjoy
reading Fatal Death. The heroine is a person who obeys the rules except when the lives of her
family
are at stake, a situation that immediately endears her to the audience. Robin Burcell, a police
officer
herself, shows the gritty work involved in policing a big city.
Man At Work
Elaine Fox
Avon
Jul 2002, $5.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0380817845
In DC, personal injury lawyer Marcy Paglinowski has worked hard to achieve the professional
success she has attained and has a goal to continue to climb the legal corporate ladder. While
seeking evidence to support a negligence case, Marcy intercedes when a nasty construction
foreman
kicks a dog. However, worker Truman Fleming needs to rescue the Good Samaritan from his
boss.
For his efforts Truman is fired. Marcy offers to help him, but he rejects her attempt. Unbeknownst
to
the attorney is that Truman is extremely wealthy, but he is tired of the social whirl and thus
seeking
solace by using his hands. Marcy tries to persuade Truman to assist her on her case against his
former employer. He assumes that like him she was born with a silver spoon and rejects her
materialism. However, love still surfaces though neither has enlightened the other about their true
background. Using miscommunication, misinterpretation, and misconceptions caused by omission,
Elaine Fox provides an amusing romance with serious undertones involving work place safety and
stereotyping. The story line engages the reader who wonders when the truth will surface. The lead
couple is interesting to observe the way they stereotype and consequently put down the other, but
on the other hand this leads to questioning how a relationship can form when the foundation's
material is made of uncorrected falsifications. Man At Work is fun and will leave readers
pondering
when Ms. Fox will release her next work.
When Night Falls
Cait London
Avon
Aug 2002, $5.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0060001801
In Madrid, Oklahoma, the four women have met once a week for several years at Piggy's Ice
Cream
Parlor. Thirty-six year old Uma Thornton is divorced and has lost a child to crib death. Shelly
Craig
was an unwed teenage mother refusing to divulge the identity of the father even years later.
Successful Realtor Lauren Howard is married to a philandering indolent husband. Pearl Whitefield
lacks a few electrons but thrives as "Mrs. Perfect". Everything changes when a drive by shooting
results in the murder of Lauren. One year later the homicide remains unsolved and the three
surviving females cope with their loss differently especially with Mitchell Warren returning to
Madrid to reside in Lauren's home after an absence of almost two decades. Townsfolk loathe
Warrens, but Mitchell needs to find something to fill the void in his soul so he came back anyway.
Uma and Mitchell are attracted to one another and fall in love. Mitchell resolves to keep the
woman
who has filled his soul with joy safe and to protect her two friends as well from a killer who has
murdered again. Fans of romantic suspense will thoroughly enjoy Cait London's latest tale that
focuses as much on the tension as on the two love stories. This makes for several subplots, which
Ms. London effortlessly brings the various themes back into the prime plot though the climax
wraps
up everything to perfectly. The cast is strong and inviting while the identity of the killer is
impossible
to name. On top of that are two beautiful romances that lead to a pleasant time for the
audience.
One Night Of Passion
Elizabeth Boyle
Avon
Jul 2002, $5.99, 377 pp., ISBN 0380820897
Her guardian whom she has never met signs the document that forces his ward Georgiana Escott
to
marry a vile old geezer. However, before they wed, her fianc‚ requires proof that he is marrying a
virgin so he hires a physician to examine Georgiana. The night before her nuptial physical,
Georgie
visits the infamous Cyprian's Ball to insure she fails the test. Branded a traitor, former navy hero
Colin Danvers is a man without a country. Needing to escape his troubles, Colin goes to the
Cyprian's Ball where he meets Georgie. Both share an incredible night unaware that he is her
guardian. Georgie's ploy works in terms of marrying the geriatric, but fails because she cares
deeply
for her one night stand lover with no hope for a future with him. One Night Of Passion is an
engaging Regency romance that picks up steam from the moment Georgie and Colin meet at the
ball. From that point on Georgie comes out of her virginity in several ways that make her into a
mature individual that the audience will like. Colin is an interesting hero because his disinterest in
what happens to his ward fits a person with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Though the
story line depends on the coincidence of a rather petite sized world, fans will enjoy Elizabeth
Boyle's
entertaining historical.
A Game Of Scandal
Kathryn Smith
Avon
Jul 2002, $5.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0060502266
In 1818 London, Viscount Blaine Underwood asks his long time friend Earl Gabriel Warren for
help. At a gentleman's club, Mallory, run by a woman, Blaine's son insists he was cheated at cards.
Blaine knows Gabriel's cause to ban gambling throughout England and wants his friend to close
this
joint before some other idiot is fleeced. However, just the name shakes Gabriel to the core. Ten
years ago, Gabriel and his beloved fiancee Lilith Mallory made love, but she vanished and he
never
found her as his only information source her father died. At Mallory, Gabriel and Lilith see one
another for the first time in a decade. She wants to hate the man who compromised her, forced
her
into exile to avoid scandal, but never came for her. He wants to detest the woman who deserted
him
and his love without a look back. However, the feelings run deep in spite of their mutual hatred,
mistrust, and misconception of the other. Soon they both realize that they still love their beloved
enemy. A Game Of Scandal is an amusing Regency romance that is at its lofty best when the lead
couple exchange barbing double entendres that subtly rip skin. Though a subplot involving a
businessman is exciting, it takes away from the strong gender war between two foes that
intimately
know one another. As she did with A Seductive Offer and this novel, Kathryn Smith provides an
engaging tale starring intriguing bantering protagonists that hopefully will soon follow with the
third
buddy Gabriel and the person he does not wish to see.
Rain Fall
Barry Eisler
Putnam
Jul 2002, $24.95, 352 pp., ISBN: 0399149194
American-Japanese John Rain once served in Viet Nam as part of the Special Forces. The military
taught him one skill that of the art of the stealth assassin. For the past twenty-five years, John has
resided in Tokyo behind the guise of a loner businessman whose core product is murder by natural
cause with a 100 % guarantee. John's current target is bureaucrat Yasuhiro Kawamura, vice
Minster
of Land and Infrastructure. On a commuter train, John completes the hit using a remote device to
destroy the pacemaker of his victim. However, nothing else goes right as a Japanese speaking
Westerner "robs" the corpse and soon John believes he is he focus of several tails. Working with
his
only friend, Harry, John learns what is really happening, which leads to his rescuing Kawamura's
daughter Midori from some thugs. Everyone wants a missing disk that the deceased possessed
with
information that would shake the foundations of the Japanese government and global implications
as
an aftermath. Rain Fall is an exciting thriller that succeeds because fans will be fascinated by the
lead
protagonist. The story line is well executed almost as polished as one of John's hits. The support
cast
provides a taste of modern Japan and depth to the deadly competition, but Barry Eisler's novel
belongs to his seemingly amoral antihero who beguiles the audience with his activities so that
readers will demand a torrent of sequels.
Eleventh Hour
Catherine Coulter
Putnam
July 2002, $24.95, 400 pp., ISBN 0399148779
It's midnight in San Francisco and Father Michael Joseph is in his church to hear confession from
a
man who killed twice and intends to go on killing. Father Michael plans to inform the police
because
he feels the killer is not truly repentant, but only confessing to brag about his murders. When the
culprit realizes what the priest intends to do, he kills Father Michael, not realizing there was a
witness in the church who saw what happened. FBI special Agent Dane Carver flies to San
Francisco to find out what the police know about the killing of his identical twin. While there he
meets the witness Nick Jones, a woman posing as a homeless person because she fears somebody
is
trying to kill her. Dane sticks to Nick like she is the magnet and he is steel. The case takes a
bizarre
twist. The killer has patterned the murders out of the episodes of a new television program so
they
reason he must be somebody connected to the show, a wild bunch of characters capable of
anything.
Readers of Catherine Coulter's suspense thrillers will be pleased to know that FBI agents Savitch
and Sherlock play a key role in the Eleventh Hour. The story line is vintage Coulter: exciting,
enthralling and totally mesmerizing. The burgeoning relationship between Dane and Nick is
cleverly
interwoven into the fast paced and utterly absorbing plot. This novel is heading straight for the
New
York Times bestseller list.
Once In A Lifetime
Gwynne Forster
Arabesque
Jul 2002, $6.99, 352 pp., ISBN: 1583141936
Alexis Stevenson believes her ex-husband Jack is an idiot for giving up all rights to their daughter
Tara so he would not lose half their estate to her in the divorce. It did not matter to Jack that he
cheated on her and that his former wife cooperated with the divorce. Instead, he leaves his
spouse,
who spent much of her time in support of his career at the cost of her own profession, with
monetary problems while he continues to live the good life. Still Alexis pities him for not
understanding what is truly important. Alexis obtains work as the home manager for the three
Harrington bachelors. However, she worries that she finds herself quite attracted to one of her
employers Telford. As they begin to fall in love, encouraged by her precocious daughter, Jack,
having repeated the same error several times, begins interfering causing a distrustful rift between
Alexis and Telford. You don't know Jack if you have not read Gwynne Forster, one of the best
contemporary romance writers of the last few years. Her latest tale, Once In A Lifetime, is a
marvelous story starring a strong cast who makes the tale work on several levels. Though Jack
seems unreal at times, Telford and Alexis are a great lead duet and the support provided by Tara
and
his two siblings enhance the audience's understanding of the protagonists and the significance of
love
in anyone's life. Ms. Forster beguiles readers with this strong novel that requires loving
sequels.
The Pirate Hunter: The True Story Of Captain Kidd
Richard Zacks
Hyperion
Jun 2002, $25.95, 400 pp., ISBN: 0786865334
This book is a surprising treasure that brings to life more than just the shocking life of Captain
Kidd.
The biography also takes an up close look at the late seventeenth century on the high seas and in
the
major harbor towns. Digging into the documentation, author Richard Zacks contends that Captain
William Kidd was not a cutthroat killing pirate; but instead he was a family man renowned as a
New
York sea captain. Thus, merchants and politicians like the governor of the New York colony hired
Kidd to chase down pirates like Robert Culliford to reclaim the booty they stole. The Pirate
Hunter:
The True Story Of Captain Kidd is a fabulous historical biography that never slows down and
worth
reading for as much as learning the real record as for how well Mr. Zacks tells a nonfiction
adventure tale.
The Art Of Deception
Ridley Pearson
Hyperion
August 2002, $23.95, 464 pp., ISBN 0786867248
Lieutenant Lou Boldt of the Seattle Police department is back in the field and enjoying every
moment of it except that two women have disappeared and the police don't have a clue what
happened to them. One of the women is his wife's friend so it is very important to Lou that he
solves
the case so the families can have some kind of closure. Police psychologist Lieutenant Daphne
Matthews finds herself deeply involved in a case that might tie in to Lou's. The brother of a
woman
who was killed and thrown off a bridge insists he has some knowledge about the two missing
women. The problem is that he wants to deal on his own terms with only Daphne with whom he
has
taken an unholy interest in. Readers of this long running and popular series will feel very
comfortable with the way the characters are evolving, especially Sergeant La Moia who is in
control
of his sexual and drug addictions. His relationship with Daphne is also evolving into something
more
personal and the audience will think this pairing makes for a better story. The mystery is complex,
intricate and totally absorbing, a one sitting read that shows why Ridley Pearson is the
grandmaster
of the police procedural.
Eclipse
Richard S. Wheeler
Forge
Jul 2002, $27.95, 384 pp., ISBN: 031287846X
In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson assigns his friend fellow Virginian Meriweather Lewis to
explore the newly purchased Louisiana Territory. Lewis asks William Clark to co-command the
daring expedition. When they complete their mission, a country is dazzled by their
accomplishments
and worships the courageous duo as heroes. Clark goes on to live a productive life basking in the
glory of a living legend. However, Lewis goes into a state of mental decline that culminates in
1809
when he apparently committed suicide speculated by this novelization of their post expedition
lives
as caused by third-stage syphilis induced dementia. Eclipse is a wonderful biographical fiction that
uses Lewis and Clark to narrate alternate chapters as their lives following the expedition is vividly
described. The novel is well written and brings a slice of a bygone era to life through an in depth
psychological drama. Fans who prefer action-packed non-stop action will find the book a tad
slow,
but those in the audience who want to hear the rest of the story will appreciate this early
nineteenth
century Americana novelization.
Louisiana Big Shot
Julie Smith
Forge
Aug 2002, $24.95, 304 pp., ISBN 0765306591
Talba Wallis now has her private detective's license and works for E.V. Anthony Investigations.
When her day job is finished she writes poetry and reads it in her persona as the Baroness de
Pontalba. One day when she is tailing a cheating husband she gets into a car injury and feels pretty
banged up. She pays a visit to healer Babalu Moya who make Talba feel as good as new. The next
time she hears about Babalu is when her boyfriend invites Talba to investigate his fianc‚'s
supposed
suicide. Since Talba doesn't think her friend was suicidal, she agrees to take the case. The answers
she needs are in Babalu's hometown of Clayton and the residents there are engaged in a
conspiracy
of silence. The deeper Talba digs, the more feathers she ruffles until it reaches the point that she
either quickly finds out who killed her friend or expect a life expectancy no longer than a week.
Julie
Smith has written another exciting private detective thriller starring a colorful and clever
protagonist
who thinks she has all the answers or knows where to find them. The author is a master at
characterizations, so much so that the audience will pity some of the minor characters for their
weaknesses. The story line is fast paced and intricately plotted, a roller coaster rider of thrills and
chills.
The Bishop In The West Wing
Andrew M. Greeley
Forge
Jul 2002, $24.95, 288 pp., ISBN: 0312868731
United States President John Patrick McGurn has enough to deal with between the eastern
established media and the Republicans. However, the Irish- American from Chicago, dubbed
rancorously by the press as "Machine Gun Jack" and want to tie him with the Irish Mafia, has a
poltergeist wrecking havoc in his new home, The White House. Jack asks long time friend and
successful amateur sleuth Father Blackie Ryan to exorcise the spirit by discovering who is really
behind the shake, rattle, and roll in the Oval Office, West Wing, and Lincoln Room, etc. Unable to
mount more than a weak argument to remain in the Windy city, Blackie travels to Washington DC
upon the orders of his superior Cardinal Cronin. Blackie quickly concludes that the ghost is more
likely a young female suffering from unrequited love or vengeance against a President detested by
his enemies as he begins eliminating the candidates one at a time. The Bishop In The West Wing is
the best Blackie Ryan novel in several years as Andrew M. Greeley provides insight into the
White
House from a guest's perspective while satirizing the seemingly endless attacks on Bill Clinton,
obviously Jack's model. The story line is fun for everyone except right wing Republicans and the
so-called liberal "muckraking" press as Blackie looks for a more mundane solution to the
poltergeist
question. Father Greeley makes no bones about his feelings towards the previous president with
an
engaging amateur sleuth tale that Mr. Clinton and many other fans will enjoy.
White Male Infant
Barbara D'Amato
Forge
Jun 2002, $24.95, 336 pp., ISBN: 0765300249
Surgeon Dooley McSweeney and his wife Claudia worries about the health of their adopted son
as
they fear he has leukemia. Thankfully, the infection turns out to be mononucleosis. However, they
also learn that Teddy's bone sample displays evidence of the antibiotic tetracycline, a drug the
McSweeney never provided to their son nor could the dirt-poor Russian orphanage be able to
have
obtained it. It seems that Teddy never came from Russia so Dooley begins a quest to learn more
about Teddy's past. In Moscow, celebrity reporter Gabrielle Coulter is stunned when someone
kills
her video-photographer and destroys their tapes that expose horrid conditions at a local
orphanage.
Though the circumstantial evidence points towards Mother Russia zealots, Gabrielle believes the
motives are more evil and economic. Soon her search for the truth joins the McSweeney efforts,
but
a bottom line only adoption factory mill do anything even murder of innocent little ones to keep
the
profits high. This is an exciting thriller that will shake readers with what feels like a modern day
Charles Dickens tale of child abuse caused by an orphanage manufacturing plant. The story line is
action packed yet quite emotional as the audience will feel for the children and the McSweeneys.
Fans of taut thrillers that provide a deep message will want to read D'Amato's tale.
Dorsai Spirit
Gordon R. Dickson
Tor Books
Jun 2002, $25.95, 430 pp., ISBN: 0312877641
"Dorsai". Among the fourteen worlds, Dorsai provides one export that is in great demand. The
planet consists of the best military mercenaries known in the cosmos. Donal Graeme is about to
go
off planet with abilities never seen before as humanity has taken a quantum leap up on the
evolutionary path. This reviewer read "Dorsai" in the sixties and found it to be a fascinating tale.
Though a powerful introduction to the Dorsai culture, the military tactics seem weak in a post
Star
Wars world. Still Donal is a great character struggling between his differences and his human
frailty.
"Spirit of Dorsai": "Amanda Morgan". While the men go off planet to fight, women remain behind
to defend Dorsai. Amanda Morgan faces an enemy with one goal in mind, the destruction of the
Dorsai culture. "Brothers". Ian Graeme feels guilt for living, grief for his dead sibling, and anger
for
not being able to keep his brother alive. Preferring to avenge his brother's murder, Ian must first
prevent a major catastrophe from occurring. This novella ("Amanda Morgan") and short story
("Brothers") provide more of a historical perspective to the Dorsai, especially Amanda's story
furnishing insight into the role of women in the culture. Dorsai Spirit is a compilation of two
previous Gordon R. Dickson's books from his Childe Cycle. The stories remain interesting and old
fans will rejoice to read them while newcomers will find the tales entertaining. Yet this reviewer
wonders why the memories of Mr. Dickson as one of the standard bearers of military science
fiction
seem weakened at least from re-reading this part of the saga.
Stories Of Your Life And Others
Ted Chiang
Tor Books
Jul 2002, $24.95, 331 pp., ISBN: 076530418X
As far as this reviewer knows, Ted Chiang has never written a novel and has never had his short
stories published in one volume until this collection. Though a multi-award winning science fiction
author, short story writers rarely gain the acclaim of novelists however, Mr. Chiang deserves that
and more. The eight stories that comprise Stories Of Your Life And Others are incredible tales
that
are fresh, unique, and well written while deploying ideas to represent deep social problems facing
individuals and society. The octet runs much of the gamut of science fiction. Regardless of the
sub-
genre exemplified each contribution shares in common with the other stories, the author's uncanny
ability to entertain an audience that ponders concepts rarely seen as deep in so few words as Mr.
Chiang accomplishes with this worthy anthology.
The Veil Of A Thousand Tears
Eric van Lustbader
Tor Books
Jul 2002, $27.95, 667 pp., ISBN: 0312872364
Riane as the prophesied redeemer Dar Sala-at saved Kundala from extinction by obtaining the
Ring
Of Five Dragons. Riane thought her quest would end with the ring. Though she and her friends
have
temporarily saved their world, their adventures have only started because the ring failed to unseal
the
spell of sisters Giyan and Bartta that closed the magical Storehouse Door allegedly containing the
secrets of the Goddess Minna. The spell merged Annon Ashera's male V'ornn essence into Riane's
dying female body saving two lives, but at the cost of providing an exit from the Abyss for deadly
daemons. Trapped daemons flee the Abyss committing atrocities in Kundala. The only chance to
stop the daemons resides with The Veil Of A Thousand Tears. Thus Riane and associates must
complete an intermediate sidebar quest before they can continue their efforts to open the magical
Storehouse Door. Part Two of the Pearl Saga, The Veil Of A Thousand Tears, is a complex
fantasy
tale that showcases Eric van Lustbader's ability to make magical alien realms seem real. The key
cast
members appear as genuine individuals through the depth provided by the author to enable the
audience to comprehend their beliefs, philosophies and religions that motivate each one's actions.
The story line is action packed, well written, and can stand alone, but easier to follow if the reader
recently read the Ring Of Five Dragons as much of the first tale's activities impact the second
saga.
Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict: Legacy
Glenn R. Sixbury
Tor Books
Jun 2002, $21.95, 335 pp., ISBN: 0765300397)
Archeologist Waneta Young uncovers a strange looking red crystal infixed inside a piece of
pottery
found at a dig on a sacred mountain in the Eastern Cherokee Nation. The crystal contains an
ancient
destructive power guarded by anointed Cherokee shamans against those who will abuse the
frightful
force. However, the human freedom resistance and the competing Taelon factions learn of the
find
and each struggles to take control of the red crystal. Each group assumes possession means world
domination. However, unleashing the genie from the bottle may prove more dangerous and deadly
than any of the competitors realize as only the Cherokee Nation understand this doomsday
machine
that the red crystal contains. Emancipated from the crystal prison will mean the end of the world
unless Waneta the chosen one retains control of a force that none of the triad will be able to
direct.
This reviewer planned to invoke the fifty-page rule expecting to waste a half an hour reading
GENE
Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict: Legacy because long running TV series adaptations into
novels
usually lose steam after a few novels. However, instead this reviewer finished a great tale in one
sitting. Glenn R. Sixbury does the impossible of adhering to the nature of the TV cast while
enhancing their known personality quirks and traits (Zo'or's depiction is amazing) yet provides
freshness with a strong tale that includes the trifecta conflict and a deep look into Cherokee
mythos.
Fans of the series will relish this powerful action-packed tale while those not familiar will enjoy a
strong speculative fiction novel.
Conan The Liberator
L. Sprague De Camp and Lin Carter
Tor Books
Jun 2002, $24.95, 256 pp., ISBN: 0765300702
A fortyish Conan leads an army trying to overthrow the maniacal tyranny of king Numedides of
Aquilonia. Conan believes his rebel force has a great chance of defeating the king's forces led by
General Procas and consequently expects to topple a monarch who abuses children and kills
concubines on some of mad whim. Conan and his advisors anticipate and plan a war they expect
fought in which blade goes against blade. Instead, the evil sorcerer Thulandra Thuu and his
servant
Alcina intercede. Soon a mysterious illness threaten to do what the king's forces have failed to do,
destroy the rebel army unless Conan can find some way of saving himself, his soldiers and
ultimately
the people of Aquilonia. This is a reprint of an exciting sword and sorcery tale released over two
decades ago. The story line is fast-paced and loaded with non-magical and esoteric action as
expected from the novels starring the pre-history hero. Conan remains dauntless while trying to
do
what he believes is right while his deadly foe Thuu will return for another day (or is that novel if
this reviewer's memory holds see Conan The Swordsman).
Archform: Beauty
L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
Tor Books
Jul 2002, $25.95, 330 pp., ISBN: 0765304333
Four hundred years or so into the future, technology and climate has changed the world, as we
readers know it. The North American east coast mostly resides under the sea so that the capital of
NorAm has moved to the center of the nation Denv. No one lacks sustenance, as there is an
abundance for everyone. However, problems remain mostly with self-actualization since people
do
not need to accomplish much to insure a full belly and a roof. In Denv, police lieutenant Eugene
Chiang studies crime statistics seeking patterns when he observes an apparent link between
seemingly unrelated events including suicide among the under twenty five crowd. Music professor
Laura Cornett struggles with today's popular music that makes her style antiquated and
unacceptable
with the fad being resonant amplification of the emotional impact causing behavioral conditioning
that would shock Skinner. Senator Elden Cannon adheres to his values trying to do the right
thing,
but his re-election is in trouble due to unknown forces wanting the do-gooder out of the way.
Media
expert Jude Parsfal learns some questionable things about the Martian Republic. Businessman
Chris
Kemal deals on anything to make for money for his family's business. These five people will clash
in
a dangerous convergence. As highly regarded L. E. Modesitt, Jr. is for his speculative fictions,
Archform: Beauty is his best work to date and perhaps the science fiction tale of the year.
Satirizing
the art vs. science war, the author provides a powerful insight into society through his five
narrators.
His ability to provide distinct lucid voices for each members of the quintet makes the action
packed
story work.
Charisma
Steven Barnes
Tor Books
Jul 2002, $24.95, 384 pp., ISBN: 0312870043
The thousand plus minority children are worse than at risk with the probability of even one of
them
making it astronomical. Thus, the theory of copying the behavior patterns that led to the
incredible
success and wealth of Alexander Marcus seems a likely winner to overcome the ravages of their
environment. The sociology experiment works as the children copy the key traits of their mentor
to
include his ambition, focus, and determination. However, along with the so-called positive
imprints,
the group also learns how to use and hide Alexander's ruthlessness and even darker secrets. Now
each member of this select thousand possesses the skill, ability, and inclination to turn into a serial
killer. This novel is based on the premise that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The
story line grabs the reader from the start because of Steven Barnes' uncanny talent to make each
member of his cast appear different so that the world becomes relative when seen through the
different characters. Psychological horror fans will have a field day with this powerful tale that
reveals nothing until the final period is struck by an author that is at the head of the class in
2002.
Argonaut
Stanley Schmidt
Tor Books
Jul 2002, $25.95, 336 pp., ISBN: 0312877269
In the twenty-first century in New York State retiree Lester Ordway enjoys spending time in his
garden. However, his repose ends when a weird bug stings Lester right between the eyes. Lester
becomes dizzy and sees his memories flash past him before grabbing the insect. Lester regains
consciousness in a hospital where he releases the bug, which has multiplied into several insects.
Medical lab technician Pilar Ramirez grabs one of the bugs so that entomologist Maybelle
Terwilliger can study it. Maybelle declares that the insect is mechanical and probably otherworldly
gathering information about humans. Soon a stranger comes after Pilar planning to silent her and
her
cohorts before they can persuade a skeptical government that an alien invasion is imminent. Few
stories start as creative as Argonauts begins with its intelligent but strange alien invades the earth
premise. The story line bites the audience from the moment that the weird bug stings Lester
through
Maybelle's pronouncement that the bug is a form of a listening device. However, the tale loses its
sting when it becomes standard "David/Davidettes" saving a disbelieving world from an alien
invasion. Though overall unique and intriguing, fans will feel a bit disappointed that Stanley
Schmidt
turns this distinctive tale into typical sub-genre fodder.
A Scattering Of Jades
Alexander C. Irvine
Tor Books
Jul 2002, $25.95, 428 pp., ISBN: 0765301164
In 1835, the great fire destroyed much of Lower Manhattan's wooden tenements. A stunned
resident
Archie Prescott knows his world has gone up in the inferno with his wife and their four-year-old
child Jane dead. Unbeknownst to the grieving father, the child's corpse is not that of Jane. Instead
a
MesoAmerican witch Lupita abducted Jane for use in a sacrifice to Thloc, but instead caused the
deadly fire. Jane received deep burns especially scarring her face. Lupita sells Jane to Riley Steen,
owner of a mummy needing virgin blood to bring Thloc to the human plane. Timing is everything
and seven years must pass before he can accomplish his deed. Seven years later, Riley travels to
Kentucky's Mammoth Cave, where another mummy of the malevolence has been found. In New
York, an eleven-year-old girl with a damaged visage keeps following Archie, insisting he is her
father. Jane has escaped Riley for now, but his thugs are coming to recapture her because she is
the
critical element in the reanimation. Only if Archie can accept the truth, will she have a champion
and
may survive the final ordeal. A Scattering Of Jades is an incredible accomplishment that combines
a
powerfully insightful nineteenth century historical novel with easy to believe paranormal elements.
The complex story line works on several levels as Alexander C. Irvine ties his varying subplots
back
into a prime theme through his key cast members. A strong dose of Dante's Inferno stood upside
down is blended with Aztec myths and Americana personage and events into a great historical
fantasy tale that announces the arrival of a talent worth following.
The Lovely Bones
Alice Sebold
Little, Brown
Jun 2002, $21.95, 328 pp., ISBN: 0316666343
Teenager Susie Salmon looks down from her heaven to observe her family suffering from grief
over
her disappearance. She also sees her killer trying to cover his odious deed. As the next few weeks
pass, Susie continues to watch as her parents' marriage seems to disintegrate as neither can cope
with not knowing whether she lived; her sister turns into an unfeeling rock to be strong; and her
little
brother cannot understand what happened to Susie. Her heaven is a playground, but the swings
are
perfect. Counselors help Susie and other newcomers cope and she makes new friends. However,
heaven cannot give her what she most desires. She wants to be back with her loving family as they
seek closure in different ways. Any reader lucky enough to peruse The Lovely Bones will know
how
fortunate they are to be in on the early stages of what appears to be a super talent. The creative
story line is deftly handled so that the audience can follow how various key players, especially the
Salmon family insuring Susie, cope or not with their loss. Alice Sebold provides a tremendous
character driven tale that though melancholy yet optimist makes reading a heaven on earth.
The Beach House
James Patterson and Peter De Jonge
Little, Brown
Jun 2002, $26.95, 368 pp., ISBN: 0316969680
Columbia University law student Jack Mullen is stunned with the drowning death of his younger
brother Peter. The police conclude that Peter died when he smoked pot and drowned on the
Amagansett estate of the wealthy Neubauer family. However, Jack looks at his sibling's corpse
and
sees the obvious marks of a beating. He feels someone killed his brother. Jack wants the truth and
with the help of some friends begins asking questions. However, as he turns up the heat on the
local
law enforcement officials and the Neubauer family, thug Rory "Fixer" Hoffman makes life
frightening and miserable for Jack and associates. Soon Jack loses his girlfriend (a Neubauer), and
his internship at a prestigious law firm as the influence of one of Long Island's most powerful
families come to bear on him. Still he presses on because justice will only be served if he takes
matters into his own hands including abducting the Neubauer patriarch. As they did with Miracle
On
The 17th Green, James Patterson and Peter De Jonge combine their talents to provide a stirring
thriller filled with non stop action. The tale focuses on a David like hero that the audience cares
about fighting a modern day Goliath in a seemingly implausible plot. Reality aside, the novel
ensnares the audience including this reviewer to cheer Jack on even when victory seems
impossible,
ultimately leaving fans relishing this invigorating tale.
Whisper Of Evil
Kay Hooper
Bantam
July 2002,$7.50, 408 pp., ISBN 0553583468
The small Louisiana town of Silence is anything but quiet these days. Four men in eight months
have
been killed and the townsfolk are afraid; they want the police to catch the killer quickly. The only
problem is the police are totally stymied so the mayor has asked the FBI to come in since their
profile suggests that the murderer is a local cop. Nell Gallagher ran away from Silence when she
was
seventeen, but has returned twelve years later to settle the family estate. Since she is also a FBI
agent, she is able to work undercover without anyone questioning her motives. She must deal
with
rancher Max Tanner, who needs to know why Nell closed the door on their relationship to run
away
after they made love for the first time. Kay Hooper's, psychic thrillers are always a delightful
reading
experience and Whisper Of Evil is no exception. Characters from previous works lend a sense of
continuity to the story line and readers will be glad to reunite with favorites who feel like friends.
The plot is complex and has so many unexpected twists and turns that readers won't be able to
predict what happens next. This is a one sitting read that will find its' way to the reader's keeper
shelf.
And Justice There Is None
Deborah Crombie
Bantam
Aug 2002, $23.95, 336 pp., ISBN 0553109731
Deputy Inspector Gemma James and Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid are finally
getting their act together. With a baby on the way, Gemma agrees to buy a house with Duncan so
that his son and her son from previous marriages, and their son to be born baby from can live
together as a family. In her professional life, Gemma is assigned a high profile murder case to
solve
as quickly as possible. Dawn Arrowood, a trophy wife married to a rich antiques dealer twice her
age, is brutally killed near her home, her throat slit. An autopsy shows that she was six weeks
pregnant and since her husband had a vasectomy the probability is it was her lover's child. As
Gemma burns the midnight out, Duncan joins the inquiry because there are similarities between
this
case and one he was investigating a few months ago. The romantic relationship between the two
protagonists is developing naturally and creates a sense of continuity throughout the whole series.
Deborah Crombie has written a delicious mystery with so many viable suspects that readers really
won't have a clue as the identity of the killer is until the stunning climax. And Justice There Is
None
is a clever police procedural as well as an exciting relationship drama.
Unfit To Practice
Perri O'Shaughnessy
Delacorte
August 2002, $24.95, 422 pp., ISBN 03850348452
After years of struggling, attorney Nina Reilly has established a very good practice on the
California
side of Lake Tahoe. She has gotten innocent clients off and is currently being courted by a very
big
corporate law firm. Everything is going great until the September night that Nina brings the case
files home and forgets to bring them into the house. When she goes to get them the next day, her
car
is stolen and her files with them. They contain information that can hurt Nina's clients and
somebody
is using them to do just that. While Nina and her significant other Paul are trying to do damage
control, one of her clients sets in motion before the bar to have her licensed revoked. The lawyer
needs an attorney steeped in the ways of the California Bar and Paul finds the expert: Nina's
ex-husband. The latest installment in the Nine Reilly series is fascinating because the audience gets
to see another side of the feisty lawyer when she is on the defensive in her professional life. The
mystery about who is out to destroy Nina is cleverly done and believable because the perpetrator's
motives ring genuine. Readers who like legal thrillers that are fit to read will want to pick up
novel
rather quickly.
Slow Dollar
Margaret Maron
Mysterious Press
Aug 2002, $23.95, 295 pp., ISBN 0892967641
Judge Deborah Knott of Colleton County, North Carolina first meets Tally Ames in the
courtroom
when the carnival owner presses charges against three local men who damaged one of her rides.
The
judge finds in favor of Tally and orders the men to make restitution. The next time the two
women
meet is at the harvest festival carnival where Deborah is taking in the sights with friends and
family.
The evening ends abruptly when Tally's son is found murdered, his face stomped on and his mouth
stuffed with quarters. As the police investigate the carny workers, the judge learns that Tally is
her
long lost niece, even though Deborah's brother refuses to acknowledge her as his own. When
another carnival worker is killed, the carny people close ranks against outsiders but none of that
fastened tight community ever dealt with the likes of an obstinate individual like the judge. The
latest
installment in the Deborah Knott's here comes the judge amateur sleuth investigation mystery
series
is a well written novel starring a secondary cast that is colorfully eccentric. The judge agrees to
marry a local man who has loved her secretly for a very long time and it will be interesting to see
if
she, in future books, chickens out before she gets to the altar. Slow Dollar is as much a family
saga
as it is a clever regional mystery.
Dead Midnight
Marcia Muller
Mysterious Press
Jun 2002, $24.95, ISBN: 089296765X
In San Francisco private investigator Sharon McCone does not know which feeling rips her guts
worse. Is it the guilt for not realizing how depressed her brother was or is the grief that Joey
killed
himself? Though reluctant to investigate the suicide of Roger Nagasawa, Sharon believes work is
the
best thing to keep her mind off of Joey even if there appears surface parallels. Roger worked for a
popular Internet magazine that highlighted the in happenings in the Bay area. Her inquiries lead
Sharon to conclude Roger was going to expose the management of his magazine that is somehow
failing in spite of strong loyalty and plenty of capital. However, Roger's proof is missing. Other
key
players also have vanished as McCone works the West Coast to keep other participants from
leaping
off of a bridge. In spite of the underlying suicide theme that is handled reasonably well though
overkilled (bad taste pun), Dead Midnight is a fun who-done-it for those readers who want a story
line faster than a world class 100 yard dash or even a quarter horse race. McCone races faster
than
speeding Flash as she overcomes her feelings of inadequacy and self-culpability with Joey's death
to
follow the clues. Marcia Muller furnishes an interesting McCone entry.
Harriet Klausner
Reviewer
Cindy Penn's Bookshelf
Becoming Angel
Jim Cherry
Xlibris Corporation
436 Walnut St., 11th Floor, The Independence Building, Philadelphia, PA 19106
ISBN 0738845388, Mass Market Paperback, 216 pages , $21.99
"I'm a beautiful wreck, a becoming angel," John Beckett informs his audience. Indeed, Beck, as he
prefers to be called, struggles with the demands of a job he hates, frequent drug and alcohol
abuse,
and too casual sex. Outwardly, Beck's life seems normal to friends and coworkers. Inwardly, he
struggles with useless encounters with his psychologist and frustrated relationships. Yet he
maintains
a fa‡ade of normality until love is added to the equation. Paige Welles relocates to Chicago,
accepting a job where Beck works. Their initial meeting seems rather mundane. Soon she joins
Beck's buddies meet after work for beer and darts, and sexual attraction brings them together.
Paige
instigates their relationship, initially taking it far more seriously than Beck. When ex-girlfriend
Carolyn reenters his life, the added complications force Beck to reevaluate the past and present.
As
his life spirals on a downward path, Beck will confront the dark night of his soul. I confess to
having
difficulty writing this review. On the one hand, Becoming Angel portrays wonderful philosophical
insight and extraordinary depth of perception encapsulating a lost of generation. Indeed, author
Jim
Cherry displays a dazzling skill with words, penning passages that border on poetry. On the other
hand, I may have encountered a lifestyle/generational gap I have difficulty comprehending.
Hanging
out in drug dealer's basements and living in a state of morbid self-pity, not to mention weekend
recreational drug use, is beyond my experience and understanding. While he does find eventual
redemption and self-understanding, Beck only achieves it in the last page and half, leaving the
reader
with an unexpectedly sudden resolution to meandering problems and self-delusion. Therefore, as a
portrait of the challenges and struggles of the twenty-something crowd, Becoming Angel works
well, but probably not for the audience already past the angst of youth. Recommended with
reservations.
Body Electric
Susan Squires
Leisure Books/Dorchester Publishing Co, Inc.
276 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10001
ISBN 0843950366, Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages , $6.99
In a world of a not too distant future, Visimorph monopolizes the computer software industry by
replacing all of the world's operating systems with PuppetMaster, a system that insures fat profits
for
owner Bob McIntire. Every time he issues an upgrade, customers must repurchase their current
software or risk not being able to function in society. McIntire draws upon the greatest talents in
the
industry, including Vic Barhardt, a hacker he rescued from prison. Vic turns her gift for hacking
into
security systems impregnable against hackers like herself. Using Visimorph resources, Vic creates
program, a form of Artificial Intelligence, that she calls Jodie. Vic dreams of imbuing the program
with the gifts of femininity without the cultural hassles. Vic feels uncomfortable with her own
femininity, disguising her looks with asexual attire so that she might be taken seriously in the
computer world. Only late at night in a dangerous world of anonymous sex does Vic indulge her
feminine needs, and then only with a mask of leather and control. Then late one night, a miracle
occurs. The breath of life transforms Vic's code to a sentient being. As Jodie grows, the AI takes
space on the latest Visimorph's server Neuromancer. Soon Jodie expands across other servers as
well, including libraries, AT&T, even the IRS. But fragmentation brings about corruption in
Jodie's
programs. In addition, Jodie declares himself to be male. When McIntire comes to realize that Vic
has been working on an AI, he makes plans to use the code for his own purpose. Author Susan
Squires plays marvelous word games in Body Electric, drawing from classical literature and
contemporary science fiction to create a dazzling world of possibility. The dangers suggested by
Hal
in 2001 A Space Odyessy, echoes from Ray Bradbury or William Gibson remind readers of the
dangers inherent in a highly technological society. But beyond the fight between the controllers of
the world like Bob McIntire and everyman, Squires strikes at the heart of the challenges to
women,from issues of femininity to the need to connect to someone. Vic, a woman of intelligence
and beauty who denies her femininity, learns to treasure it when the mask is suddenly ripped away
by
events beyond her control. Jodie's struggle with emotion and a desire to become something
"more"
adds dynamic tension as well. Rich in nuance, Body Electric is one of those rare novels that
readers
may read for simple entertainment, or for much, much more as it explores questions of sentience,
humanity, and self-identity. I confess to wishing Body Electric had been on my graduate reading
list
rather than William Gibson, although Squires gives me a new appreciation for his novels! An
electrifying novel that belongs on everyone's keeper shelf.
For The Last Time: A Sharyn Howard Mystery
Joyce and Jim Lavene
Avalon Books
160 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
ISBN TBA, Hardback, 192 pages, $19.95
Deep in the woods, Old Bell's Creek campground, nicknamed Devil's Campground, undergoes
renovation to prepare for reopening. The campground shut down twenty-five years ago following
the stabbing a young girl in her bunk. No one saw the perpetrator, and when the victim's cabin
mates
found her body, pandemonium resulted. Whispers of the devil's work closed the camp under the
orders of Sheriff Howard. Now his daughter Sharyn holds the Sheriff's badge. When a reporter
stumbles over an old suitcase, the murders of the past suddenly become dangerously relevant.
Inside
the small suitcase are a bloodstained dress, a ring, and a locket. The dress is too small to have
belonged to the girl murdered in the cabin. Consequently, Sharyn knows that not one, but two
murders occurred twenty-five years ago. And somewhere close lurks the perpetrator who seems
willing to protect himself even he must kill again. Authors Jim and Joyce Lavene create a
marvelously multi-layered plot certain to satisfy mystery lovers in For The Last Time. Sharyn
struggles with the decision to run for reelection or to take the bar and practice as a lawyer. Her
personal life adds delicious complications with the addition of the growing attraction to Nick
Thomopolis, the medical examiner. Further, she refuses to yield to the politics wielded by her
mother's fianc‚, state senator Caison Talbot and his cronies. The result is a woman whose
characters
grows and strengthens with each addition to this popular mystery series. The strength of this
talented writing duo, combined with a fascinating plot replete with twists and a rich understanding
of
human nature round out this terrific novel, making it come very highly recommended.
I Love Bad Boys
Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Donna Kauffman
Zebra Books/Kensington Publishing Corp.
850 Third Avenue, New York NY 10022
ISBN 0758201346, Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages, $11.20
Six years ago Gabe Mackenzie foolishly left Chloe Anderson hanging both physically and
emotionally. Now Gabe intends to prove to Chloe how much he wants her in his bed, in life, and
in
his future. But first he needs her forgiveness. Then a poker game provides the impetus for Chloe
to
gain control over her still raging desire for Gabe. Four nights of fantasy enacted to her satisfaction
should rid her of this bad boy rebel who starred in her every guilty, erotic fantasy since high
school.
A brief sexual fling, and she will be rid of this overwhelming obsession. Author Janelle Denison
proves raging passion does not necessarily lend itself to control no matter how many years have
lapsed in Naughty By Night. Chloe's bold statement, "For the next four nights you're mind to do
with as I please," sets a highly erotic tone. Indeed, with her characteristic flair for capturing the
emotional implications of erotic encounters, Denison creates a heated short story worthy of
motivating readers to purchase this collection just for her sexy tale. Bold, daring and endearing,
Naughty By Night comes very highly recommended.
Call Down The Night: The Macinnes Legacy
Sandy Moffett
Zebra Books/Kensington Publishing Corp.
850 Third Avenue, New York NY 10022
ISBN 0821772724, Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages, $5.99
A hundred year old curse unconsciously draws Alexandra Gables to Salem, Massachusetts. While
she has always been aware of her intuitive gifts, her arrival in Salem seems to greatly magnify
them.
A woman who defies convention, Alexandra carries a three-foot iguana in a birdcage that
manages
to make his presence known at the most opportune moments. Her summer plans to remain in
Salem
cataloguing several scientific collections for a friend of her father turn into quite an odyssey,
however, when she meets the son of her host, Pierce Williams. Pierce's conventional views of
women belonging to home and hearth take quite a beating as he comes to respect Alexandra's
abilities. Her insight in the past or future, however, takes a bit more persuasion. But when she
saves
the lives of neighbors, predicts a lightening strike and prevents a possible shipwreck, Pierce
becomes
a believer. When Alexandra's research into an ancient legend threatens danger to him, Pierce
cannot
deny the strength of her claims, or the power of his own emotions. With paranormal elements,
lurking danger and passionate romance, Call Down The Night has something for everyone.
Alexandra is a remarkably intelligent and resourceful woman filled with a zest for living and
unwilling to hide her abilities just to suit society or the man she loves. While Pierce does not
recognize women as equal to men until Alexandra proves herself again and again, he does
valiantly
defend her intellectual gifts a way that proves quite endearing. Further, the suspenseful and
paranormal elements are nicely offset by humorous attempts of the town witch to assure her
daughter's marriage to Pierce. Each time Alexandra circumvents the matchmaking machinations,
she
does so in ways both humorous and adept. Indeed, author Sandy Moffett utilizes the setting of
Salem to great affect, making her tale both ingenious and believable. Without revealing too much,
I
also feel compelled to share that the twist at the end that leads to the additional books of the
series is
rather convention defyig and absolutely delightful. I eagerly await the next of the series, To Touch
The Sky to be published in September 2002.
Toughest Battle
Regina Pride
iUniverse.com
5220 S 16th, St. 200, Lincoln, NE 68512
ISBN 0595185908, Paperback , 255 pages , $14.95
The day when he woke to fifteen empty beer cans surrounding him haunts Brian Clark. Brian had
thought his heedless pursuit of his college dreams would meet his needs. Instead, he buried the
pain
of the family he left behind in alcohol. A year of recovery in rehab facility brings clarity of
direction,
and now Brian returns to Akron, Ohio. He hopes for a reunion with brother Tommy, the sibling
he
raised and abandoned in adulthood. He also longs to meet the daughter he has never seen, and he
dreams of second chances with the woman he still loves. Brian plans to remain in Akron,
rebuilding
relationships and asking Pam's forgiveness for abandoning her while she was pregnant with their
child. Pam's engagement to another man only spurs him to further dedicating himself to regaining
her
love. The chemistry is still strong between them, but Pam does not trust easily. And just as she
learns, dark secrets of the past threaten to destroy them all. Readers who have not experienced
the
first book of the series, Small Sacrifices will find that Toughest Battle reads quite well as a
standalone. This powerfully compelling tale of second chances will touch the reader's heart as
Brian
struggles with his addiction and the consequences of his past decisions. Pam's osculation between
her fianc‚ and Brian provides tremendous tension, especially as her daughter grows to love them
both. As Brian faces his Toughest Battle yet, his growth becomes a message of hope and
redemption. Add this one to your keeper shelf; a compelling read that leads to the third book of
the
Clark/Carlyle saga, Toughest Battle comes very highly recommended.
Losing Gemma
Katy Gardner
Riverhead Books
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
ISBN 1573229334, Paperback, 368 pages, $10.40
In 1989 two best friends, Esther and Gemma, leave England to seek exotic backpacking
adventure
in India. Ester defines herself a woman of excitement, a lover of movement with no regard to
consequences. Gemma is her opposite with her reticence and muddleheaded anxiety. Although
Gemma's stolid presence counterbalances Ester's impulsivity, she still does not dissuade Ester's
perchance for impetuous danger seeking. Fate, kismet, or perhaps destiny intervenes as Ester
tosses
a tour book into the air, planning their destination by the page that falls open. Ester and Gemma
plan
to travel to Agun Mazir, Orissa, the strange little shrine of a Sufi mystic and martyr whom
spontaneously combusted in 1947. The shrine has become a holy sight for pilgrims seeking
miracles.
Disregarding cautionary voices, for this is the time of great unrest over Salman Rushdie's novel
Satanic Verses, Ester and Emma embark upon a train ride Calcutta on the beginning leg of their
journey. Between their bickering and petty complaints lie the truths they don't speak. Meeting
veteran backpacker Coral on the train heightens the unspoken tension of their relationship as
Gemma draws close to her even as Ester pulls away. Then foreboding promises of transformation
and combustion lead to a stunning loss that reaches beyond the grave. Debut author Katy Gardner
pens a haunting tale of loss of innocence, friendship, and tragedy in Losing Gemma. The gripping
tone and powerful drama will weave a spell over readers as layers peal away revealing the "truth"
beneath the every day illusions. Careful revelation of motivations, secrets and jealousies expose
their
vulnerabilities and underscore the distance between people regardless of how close they profess to
be. A poignant and powerfully penned work, Losing Gemma provides a stunning look at this
promising author. Very highly recommended.
Real Allie Newman: Superromance No 1079
Janice Carter
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373710798, Mass Market Paperback, 296 pages, $5.25
When her picture appears in a national magazine for an act of heroism, Allie Newman receives an
unexpected visit from a private investigator. Her wealthy grandfather recognized the remarkable
similarity of appearance of her photo to her mother, and sends Joel Kennedy to discover the truth.
Allie believes that her mother ran away with another man when she was three. But Joel brings
proof
that it was not her mother ran away, but her father, taking her with him. Allie is not the first
woman
whose dreams he had shattered, or whose life he would change forever. Allie's grandfather has
been
diagnosed leukemia, and hopes that Allie can provide bone marrow for a transplant. A woman
who
comes to rescue of those in need, Allie does not hesitate to offer blood for testing of
compatibility.
But her trusting nature also lands her in the lap of a family with their own agenda. Her cousins
view
with her suspicion, concerned that their grandfather might change the will in her favor. Others in
the
household drop innuendo and suspicion in her lap, forcing Allie to learn the truth regarding her
mother. Even Joel seems to have his own agenda, one he does not openly reveal to Molly. Issues
of
self-identity become a powerful theme in Janice Carter's The Real Allie Newman. While other
authors have addressed this theme, Carter maintains an unusually even hand, never allowing her
mature heroine to sink into the self-pitying quagmire that many heroines experience when
discovering that the story of parentage had been concealed. The book occurs during the course of
a
single week: a short period of time for such profound revelations. Nevertheless, Allie approaches
the
revelations regarding her father and mother with grace. She demonstrates profound maturity and
remarkable self-assurance as she examines the ramifications of the discovery that her father has a
past and she has a family of which she had no previous knowledge. Rather than being angry
regarding the secrets of the past, Allie accepts the opportunity to meet her extended family andto
learn about her mother, even if it is a rather unsavory view. Hero Joel is a bit tougher to grow
close
to, concealing his identity and struggling to maintain distance from Allie because of a conflict of
interests. Nevertheless, he does provide an anchor when Allie feels cast adrift, and his role adds a
dimension of intrigue that keeps the plot moving nicely along. An interesting afternoon's read, The
Real Allie Newman comes recommended.
Her Baby's Father: Superromance No 1078
Anne Haven
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 037371078X, Mass Market Paperback, 298 pages, $5.25
The loss of her mother left Jennifer Burns bereft during Christmas, so when her high school
boyfriend Drew looks her up after nine years, she easily agrees to meet for dinner and a chance to
catch up. He assured her that he was unmarried. When she learns of her pregnancy, Jennifer tries
to
call him, only to learn he left a number that does not exist. When she looses her job and her
apartment, Jennifer heads back to the town where it all began nine years ago. She quickly learns
that
the phone number was not the lie. The father of her baby is married and is wife is pregnant. Years
of
guilt have left Ross Griffin stoically accepting his younger brother's bad behavior. When his own
marriage ended in divorce, his brother married his ex-wife. Ross learned to live with it, treating
her
appropriately as a sister-in-law at family gatherings. But now his brother has crossed the line by
getting Jennifer pregnant and denying his responsibility. Ross' own unresolved feelings for her
only
complicate the situation when he invites her to stay with him until she get on her feet. But too
many
lines have been crossed already for Ross to willing give in to his heart's desire. Anne Haven's Her
Baby's Father examines the boundaries of ethical behavior and the definitions of fatherhood. The
plot may seem a bit overburdened with the number of stunning twists, from infertility to brothers
having been married to the same woman at different times, but the strengths of characterization
and
gentle handling of extremely delicate family matters reveals a deft authorial touch. Haven's
smooth
writing style, multidimensional characters and strong emotional conflicts make for a evocative
read.
Recommended.
The Man On The Cliff: Superromance No 1077
Janice MacDonald
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373710771, Mass Market Paperback, 296 pages, $5.25
From the moment of her arrival in Ireland, Kate Neeson experiences a sense of otherworldliness.
Directions and signposts take her away from her destination as fog shrouds the sharp edges and
planes of reality. So meeting a sexy stranger on a cliff, sharing a kiss before a name, and poetic
courting all seem appropriate to the moment. Then Kate learns the man from the cliff is
unfortunately the same man she has come to seek an interview from. The same man who
reputedly
murdered his wife. Although the trip maxed out her credit card, Kate will deem the expense
worthwhile if she can uncover the truth of folksinger Moruadh Maguire's death. But meeting Niall
Maguire in person casts doubt on the rumor and innuendo that runs wild in the local village. Niall
refuses to discuss his wife's death, or even to defend himself against the gossip. Yet Kate cannot
reconcile the tender romantic man from the cliff with cold-blooded murder. In his cliff side castle
lie
the dark answers and secrets Niall determinedly keeps if Kate dares to risk the fates and destiny to
find the answers. Author Janice Macdonald beautifully blends the mystery of Ireland with an
entrancing romance in The Man On The Cliff. An otherworldly quality pervades the novel,
influencing characters to act on their impulses and believe in the magic of destiny. The clash of
differences between Californian Kate and Irishman Niall highlights far more than a simple
geographical distance. As Ireland works its magic, however, Kate and Niall find commonalities
and
attraction that threaten to either pull them apart forever, or link their destinies forever. Further,
the
truth regarding folksinger Moruadh's death also lurks within the concealing shrouding fog, along
with those determined to maintain the secrets of the past, adding danger and intrigue to the
plotting.
Macdonald pulls these varying elements together with finesse, creating a novel rich in atmosphere
and filled with fascinating characterizations. The Man On The Cliff comes highly
recommended.
Disappear: Superromance No 1074
Kay David
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373710747, Mass Market Paperback, 296 pages, $5.25
Harsh words flung between Alexis Mission and her parents regarding her choice to follow a
young
social worker to Peru effectively shut down communication between parents and child. When her
mother sends a Thanksgiving invitation a year later, Alexis is willing to concede her parents'
wisdom. Rather than writing or calling, she simply shows up at their home, anticipating a warm
welcome. Instead, she finds an empty house, the Thanksgiving turkey dreadfully overcooked, and
a
place set for her at the table. Her family has simply disappeared. A few hours later she also finds a
stranger waiting, who whisks her away to a new life and a new identity. Ten years later, Alexis
has
never forgotten that stranger or the horror of that day. She still longs for answers, and as she
comes
to believe someone watches, she calls government agent Gabriel O'Rourke, the stranger from that
night. She hangs up before anyone answers, but he finds out, reappearing in her living room once
again. She was the case that haunted his sleep; the one he could not forget. Layers of lies separate
them as he refuses to tell her the truth about her family, and the guilt threatens to destroy
whatever
they might build between them. In a world where the only truth that exists lives in their hearts, it
hardly seems possible that Alexis and Gabriel can span the world of hurt between them, but hearts
seem to find answers where least expected. Author Kay David pens a riveting tale of murder,
intrigue and revenge in Disappear. She captures the essence of the challenges Alexis faces with
grace. The struggle to establish a new identity, while forcibly rejecting the old definitions of self,
forces Alexis to grow in directions few people must ever experience. Gabriel's own culpability in a
mission gone wrong, and his attraction to Alexis, only heightens the tension between them. With a
fascinating plot and unexpected twists and turns, David keeps the pages turning. Disappear comes
very highly recommended.
Cowboy At The Crossroads: Superromance No 1075
Linda Warren
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373710755, Mass Market Paperback, 297 pages, $5.25
A year ago Cordell Prescott's wife committed suicide, leaving behind a traumatized family.
Five-year-old Nicki has yet to begin recovering from the loss of her mother, and after an endless
cycle of doctors and psychologists, her father Cord feels desperate. So he asks his brother's friend
Becca Talbert for help. Becca understands family trauma, having survived her own share of it.
With
a month off before beginning her medical practice, she welcomes the opportunity to work with
Nicki, using a tough love approach that brings almost immediate results. The attraction between
herself and Cord is just as immediate. But bearing undue responsibility for his wife's suicide, Cord
does not believe he deserves a woman like Becca. Author Linda Warren pens a touching romance
in
Cowboy At The Crossroads. Warren has a gift for portraying delicate family relationships and the
effect of guilt. But I must confess that Cord's bullheadedness did grow tiresome. There are times
when he belabors issues to such an extreme, their age difference for example, that I just wanted to
shake him. Nicki's refreshing personality and the unique cast of secondary characters, however,
more
than compensate for the impatience I felt with Cord. An altogether satisfying read, Cowboy At
The
Crossroads comes highly recommended.
Child Of Her Dreams: Superromance No 1076
Joan Kilby
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373710763, Mass Market Paperback, 299 pages, $5.25
Throbbing techno music, the excitement of modeling Milan's newest designer, too many cigarettes
and pills, and not enough food brings supermodel Geena Hanson crashing down on the catwalk.
Her
spirit rises, viewing the chaotic scene as if from a distance on its journey to the light. But this is
not
Geena's time, and she returns to a harsh world of recovery with new insight. Suddenly her
glamorous world seems superficial, and she wants more. Serving the most poverty stricken of
humanity in Guatemala transforms Dr. Ben Matthew's life. With his two-year stint complete, Ben
takes a temporary position stateside where he meets Geena. But Ben has little patience with a
woman that makes her living solely with her looks and often treats her condescendingly. Despite
his
attitude, however, he cannot deny his attraction to her. Then he learns of her life after death
experience, which, as a man of science, he dismisses. Geena's belief in her experience seems to
epitomize their profound differences and the impossibility of their relationship. Child Of Her
Dreams
presents an interesting hero and heroine who are total opposites, which thereby places them at
cross-purposes. Geena's life after death experience adds an extraordinary element to the novel.
While the subsequent tension between characters maintains the reader's interest, the momentum of
the tale unfortunately peters out during the second half of the novel, allowing the ending to fall a
bit
flat. I found myself feeling a bit impatient that she settles for so little after proving her abilities.
Nevertheless, I confess to admiring a heroine who swallows her pride to seek a GED while also
working hard to overcome a potential eating disorder, which makes reading Child Of Her Dreams
a
worthwhile read. Child Of Her Dreams comes recommended.
A Husband In Her Eyes: Silhouette Romance No 1577
Karen Rose Smith
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 037319577X, Mass Market Paperback, 190 pages, $3.99
Four years ago a Christmas tragedy deprived Melanie Carlotti of her husband, her daughter, and
her
sight. After months of recovery, she finally receives the cornea transplant that makes sight
possible.
She also receives dreams of a compelling man, a mountain and baby booties. The haunting dreams
drive Melanie to seek answers, so she hires a private investigator to discover if the person who
donated the corneas was somehow linked to her dreams. Zach Morgan has not looked at another
woman since his wife died. Then Melanie shows up to apply for a job for decorating the interior
of
his company. She wins the position, but not before Zach becomes away of the odd connection
between them. The job provides Melanie the opportunity to figure out what the cornea donator
Shelley has been trying to convey, a way to reach closure. She never expected to fall in love. And
Zach certainly never expected her startling story of what brought them together. Readers willing
to
suspend their disbelief regarding transplants that allow the deceased memories to be shared with
the
transplant recipient will discover a delightful read in Karen Rose Smith's A Husband In Her Eyes.
Melanie's compelling need to provide closure and forgiveness regarding Shelley's death becomes a
tender, touching story of healing and redemption. The delightful child Shelley left behind
immediately bonds with Melanie in a relationship that is both bittersweet and attention-grabbing.
Zach's need to learn to trust again, and the opportunity to find healing reveal his vulnerabilities
even
as he demonstrates his remarkable control and coping skills. In addition, the seeming impossibility
of
Melanie's claims regarding Shelley's memories maintains a subtle tension throughout the story,
culminating in an entrancing climax. Smith's charming characterizations and subtle plotting reveals
a
powerful story-telling skill. A Husband In Her Eyes comes highly recommended.
Skin Deep: Harlequin Temptation No 890
Tori Carrington
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373259905, Mass Market Paperback, 218 pages, $4.25
When he witnesses Kyra White's public humiliation at the hands of her latest short-term boyfriend,
Michael Romero cannot passively watch. In the four years of their friendship, Michael has
witnessed
more than a dozen men pass through Kyra's life. Despite his feelings for her, Michael refuses to be
added to Kyra's short timers until her remarkable transformation inspires his own risk taking,
adventuresome spirit to emerge. Following her public humiliation and Michael's rescue, Kyra
picks
up a copy of Sex Kitten 101 and uses its tips to transform her life. New clothes, new hair and a
new
attitude attract men like crazy, including the one that has always treated her as a best friend.
Certainly, Kyra never expected the complications that would evolve when Michael expresses his
desire for her. Nor does she know how to reconcile the sultry siren with the strengths of the old
Kyra in a new relationship. Writing team Tori Carrington has a knack for seamlessly blending both
the male and female perspective in red-hot reads that keep the pages turning. As Skin Deep once
again proves, sensuality and emotional complications receive remarkably deft treatment, resulting
in
unusually rounded characterizations and a fun plot. Indeed, Skin Deep is a light-hearted, playful
romp that provides just the amusing read readers have coming to expect from Carrington. Highly
recommended.
A Perilous Attraction: Harlequin Historical No 621
Patricia Frances Rowell
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 037329221X, Mass Market Paperback, $5.25
When her uncle squanders her inheritance, Catherine Maury must either give up her work of
helping
London's orphans to live a life of destitution or she must marry the enigmatic Earl of Caldbeck.
When she refuses to see him, Charles breaks the latch on her bedroom door to gain her audience
and
offer his proposal. He offers Catherine financial support and the means to continue to work with
the
orphans. In return, he admits to his desire for her beauty, her energy and her elegance. Indeed, he
admires her ability to express her passions in contrast to his always calm and cool demeanor.
Charles' arrogant exterior with his carefully restrained responses makes Catherine want to break
through the surface, at one exasperating her and challenging her. Fortunately, his teasing banter
lightens the tone, although Catherine initially is uncertain if she should take his remarks seriously.
But just when all seems to be perfect as they settle into marriage together, a dangerous man
watches. His evil intent upon destruction haunts the women of the area, and soon it becomes
obvious he intends Catherine to be next victim. Author Patricia Frances Rowell pens an intriguing
historical romance in A Perilous Attraction. The sharp contrast in characterizations makes for
delightful reading as Catherine's impulsive, emotional nature provokes reactions in her new
husband.
Rather than the typical exasperated response, however, Charles admires Catherine's temper and
joy
in living, seeking her out for the emotional reactions he finds impossible to express. The result is a
tender romance tempered by humor as their natures clash. Remarkably, Rowell never falls into the
predictable plot devices such contrasting personalities suggest, thereby lending the novel an
unexpected freshness and strength. Further, as the ominous foreboding of danger lurking ever
closer,
readers will find it impossible to put down this terrific read. Very highly recommended.
Just Kiss Me: Temptation No 889
Kathleen O'Reilly
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373259891, Mass Market Paperback, 218 pages, $4.25
Amanda Sedgewick enlists Joe Barrington's aid to dissuade his brother Avery. For twenty-one
years
Avery has assumed that he and Amanda will wind up together and refuses to believe her blatant
discouragement. So Amanda hopes that involvement with younger brother Joe will send Avery
packing, and perhaps lead to a bit of wild fun. After all, Amanda is not looking for a commitment,
although a passionate affair with Joe would certainly fill her fantasies. Amanda's cool looks have
never caught Joe's eye. He likes his women hot and passionate. But her harebrained scheme
regarding brother Avery replaces his misconceptions with expectations that exceed his wildest
fantasies. Suddenly he finds himself swept away by her playful sensuality, inspired to become
more
than just Dr Avery Barrington's airline mechanic younger brother. Unfortunately, that inspiration
can
also lead to his downfall. A message on a cocktail napkin transforms lives in Kathleen O'Reilly's
newest romance Just Kiss Me. But don't let lively romantic romp fool you; O'Reilly understands
the
insecurities created by conflicting careers and lifestyles. The strength of this fabulous tale is its
confrontation with contemporary challenges and values, and its ability to find a resolution without
compromising the strengths of the characters. On one hand, Joe's determination to blaze his own
path flags when he does not believe he is worthy of a wealthy lawyer on the fast track to
partnership.
On the other hand, Amanda treasures the spontaneity and freshness Joe brings to her life,
loosening
her inhibitions and allowing her to reevaluate priorities. Together their romance is fiery, daring
and
often humorous. Readers will be watching for a sequel as the proper brother Avery seeks his path
to
love. Very highly recommended.
The Seven Year Secret, Superromance No 1069
Roz Denny Fox
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373710690, Mass Market Paperback, 299 pages, $4.99
Six year old Liddy Forrester's kidney transplant brought about eight months of miraculous
normalcy
before her body's rejection plummets her into ill health and dialysis. Doctors remove the kidney
that
her mother Mallory donated, and place her on the national donor waitlist. Now Mallory will do
anything for her daughter, and decides to contact her child's father to ask for a miracle. Seven
years
ago Connor O'Rourke accepted his dream opportunity to develop an early warning system for
hurricanes. He left before Mallory told him that she was pregnant. When her letters went
unanswered, Mallory moved on with her life. But now she must track Connor down, announce his
fatherhood, and ask him to donate a kidney to save his daughter's life. Inadvertently interrupting
his
bachelor party only proves to be the beginning of their renewed and tumultuous relationship.
Author
Roz Denny Fox has a knack for tackling hard-hitting topics and presenting them with flair - a
talent
she dazzlingly displays with The Seven Year Secret. Having lived with a transplant patient, I've
experienced first hand the challenges Fox so deftly describes, particularly as a patient's body
rejects a
much-needed transplant. In The Seven Year Secret, such frightening issues are sharply
compounded
by this patient's tender age. On one hand, the child's mother Mallory consequently displays the
sharp
protectiveness of a lioness any time she believes her daughter to be affected by the actions of her
previously absent father. On the other hand, Connor responds with shock and love when he learns
of
his child, and persistence in the face of Mallory's resistance to his efforts - right to the bitter end.
And while I occasionally grew impatient with Mallory's tunnel vision, her preoccupation with her
daughter's health certainly justifies her attitudes. The Seven Year Secret comes very highly
recommended.
The Notorious Mrs. Wright: Superromance No 1068
Fay Robinson
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373710682, Mass Market Paperback, 299 pages, $4.99
Her father's tutelage resulted in Emma Webster's extraordinary skill with illusion. Until she ran
away
from home as teenager, Emma ran cons with her father, transforming herself into various
characters
with amazing skill. Twenty years later, living under an assumed identity, Emma must confront the
past when her brother sends Private investigator Whit Lewis to find her. Emma now lives as
Susan
Wright, proprietor of Illusions, a successful restaurant with marvelous themes enacted with
costuming she inherited from a friend. She has never told her son the truth of his parentage, of her
identity, or of the past. Whit's arrival in her life forces Emma to face the moral and ethical
dilemmas
her life chooses have created. Author Fay Robinson creates a delightful read in The Notorious
Mrs.
Wright with its unusual combination of opposites, secrets and danger. The skillful manipulation of
ethical and moral dilemmas force Emma to confront the past in order to create a future. Her
concerns for her teen son particularly reveal an endearing vulnerability; her ability to survive
extraordinary circumstances with her resourcefulness and skill reveals her incredible strengths.
Whit's nonjudgmental acceptance proves to be refreshing even as he struggles with his own ethical
dilemmas. With an unusual and fast paced plot and these eccentric, yet charming
characterizations,
The Notorious Mrs. Wright comes highly recommended.
Return To Crystal Creek
Vicki Lewis Thompson, Bethany Campbell, Cathy Gillen Thacker
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373835108, Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages, $6.50
Authors Vicki Lewis Thompson, Cathy Gillen Thacker and Bethany Campbell have made this
reviewer a new fan of the delightful small town of Crystal Creek and its charming citizens. As it
faces the radical changes of moving into the new decade, Crystal Creek's determination to
maintain
small town closeness provides a delightful refuge to readers longing to escape the hurried pace
and
impersonal feeling of big cities. "I'll Take Texas" by Bethany Campbell: In the midst of May
Madness, a stranger moves through evaluating the landscape and its inhabitants. Nick Belyle
brings
the promise of radical change in the guise of progress with his representation of Castle
Enterprises.
But his mysterious errand and its consequences promise to affect all of Crystal Creek. Worse, the
last thing Nick expected was to confront the girl he never forgot, or the explosive passion they
could
share if their interests were not so divided by his job. Author Bethany Campbell pens a powerful
tale
of lovers caught in star-crossed purposes, confronting the desires of the heart and the demands of
loyalty in a story both tender and passionate. Shelby Sprague mistrusts slick men with big city
values. Nick is loyal to Castle Enterprises and the miracles the owner made possible. While
progress
must continue, Campbell pens a solution that shakes the small town of Crystal Creek without
destroying it. "Made for Lovin' You" by Cathy Gillen Thacker: Claire Page left her groom
standing
at the altar after a stunning disclosure left her unable to marry her blue-blooded fianc‚. Now she
seeks refuge from the gossip in Crystal Creek, planning to stay away from another relationship
until
she has time to heal. However, her fierce independence only serves as a challenge to veterinarian
Dusty Turner, who cannot resist this sexy city-girl. The more she pushes him away, the more
Dusty
becomes determined to prove that time has no meaning in matters of the heart. Cowboys, pick-up
trucks and spicy Tex-mix make for a flavorful combination with Cathy Gillen Thacker's pen Claire
wisely refuses to salve one broken romance by springing immediately into a new one. Her
feistiness
and sassiness make for a lively read, especially when Dusty is equally determined to enjoy the
magic
of love, despite the unfortunate romantic circumstances that drove them both to Crystal Creek.
Thacker presents a lovely tale of small town values, healing and enchantment. "She Used to be
Mine" by Vicki Lewis Thompson: Teague Sloan Jr. returns to Crystal Creek on a traitor's mission.
Once an employee of the Hole in the Wall Dude Ranch, now he has been contracted to move their
exotic animals elsewhere to prepare for Castle Enterprise's extreme changes. Kendra Lynn Burton
fell in love with Teague during their time there, but refused to follow him to the big city when he
left. Instead, she makes plans to dig her roots even deeper, no matter how Teague uses his return
visit to lure her away. Vicki Lewis Thompson uses her skills to blend hot passion with tender
emotion to great effect in "She Used to be Mine." Teague's carefully planned seduction that goes
awry will touch reader's hearts, even as his determination to win the woman he loves puts him
directly at cross-purposes with her dreams. With a shared history but different goals, Kendra and
Teague seem to find themselves at an impasse that only the charm of Crystal Creek can overcome.
Small town Crystal Creek confronts traumatic change when Castle Enterprises lures sellers with
millions. From the first moment Nick appears in town, Crystal Creek will never be the same.
Nevertheless, authors Thompson, Thacker and Campbell confront those changes with unique
voices
even as they all move through the transitions gracefully. Readers who have not yet enjoyed a quiet
afternoon in Crystal Creek will treasure its memorable citizens and new friends. Readers who've
treasured this town through the previous twenty-seven books will take great pleasure in this
Return
To Crystal Creek.
The Apple Orchard: Superromance No 1073
Linda Barrett
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373710739, Mass Market Paperback, 299 pages, $4.99
Devoted to her job, Abby Mackenzie loves Mondays when she begins yet another week as a
psychologist. Then one Monday morning she walks into her office to find blood spattered
everywhere - a police officer she had been counseling committed suicide in her office. Now
traumatic shock syndrome plagues her life, forcing her to reevaluate her chosen profession. After
all,
if she cannot help herself, then perhaps she cannot help others either. So she abandons her office
for
the temporary physical labor in apple orchard, hoping the hard work will bring the exhaustion of
much needed sleep. Two years ago Dr. Jake Templeton and his daughter Stacey suffered the loss
of
his wife. Four therapists have not been able to bring joy back to his daughter's eyes. Believing
Stacey
has suffered enough loss, Jake cautions Abby to keep her distance from his vulnerable daughter.
Despite his determination to remain stoically uninvolved with Abby, Jake finds himself drawn to
both her strengths and her vulnerabilities. Traumatic shock syndrome brings three characters
together in an unforgettable tale of trauma and healing in The Apple Orchard. Abby's flashback
paralyze her career, leaving her questioning her abilities. Her need for healing opens the path for
young Stacey to find her own path to healing. As mistrust of therapists gives way to hope, Jake
alters his opinions of psychologists and his plans for the future. A beautifully written, character
driven romance filled with hope, The Apple Orchard comes very highly recommended.
Lone Rider
Lauren Bach
Warner Books
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN 044661114X, Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages, $6.99
Bikers, handcuffs and danger - Very highly recommended With the brilliance of the twinkling stars
of the Montana sky inspiring her creative edge, jewelry designer Tess Marsh did not notice the
light
on her dash indicating low fuel until it was too late. An out of area cell phone and a chance
encounter with lone rider Dallas Haynes thrusts her into danger when his motorcycle gang tops
the
hill and he stakes his claim. Within moments Tess finds herself on the back of Dallas' motorcycle,
a
hostage in the care of a dangerous man who carefully conceals with concern with harsh bravado.
Dallas' educated humor sharply contrasts his hoodlum appearance, and as danger escalates, Tess
finds herself trusting him. Dallas claims Tess as his exclusive property, effectively keeping other
bikers at bay. Meanwhile, she witnesses a brutal murder, knowledge of which puts her in extreme
danger. The following weeks are spent handcuffed to a bed by day, and alone with Dallas at night.
Dallas does not explain his mission, or that abducting her and holding Tess hostage is the only
way
to save her life. Lone Rider by Lauren Bach is one of the most unusual romantic suspense novels I
have ever encountered. Readers seem to either love it or hate it, especially when Dallas moves
midway from alpha male biker to carefully cultivated government agent. Indeed, the transition
may
feel a bit concerting. Nonetheless, Dallas is the ultimate bad boy fantasy come true, complete with
bike, leather and heart. His extraordinary world of drug trafficking, leather bound bikers, and
biker
chicks provide a harsh and startling backdrop for socialite Tess. Her determination to survive and
resourcefulness makes her a strong character in the face of extreme adversity. With a fast placed,
surprising plot, strong emotion and never-ending danger, Lone Rider provides an extraordinary
read
that comes very highly recommended.
Hidden Heiress: The Secret Clan
Amanda Scott
Warner Books
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN 0446610321, Mass Market Paperback, 432 pages, $6.99
In 1540, citizens on the borders of England and Scotland find their alliances sorely questioned. To
assure his position, King James takes Patrick MacRae's liege Mackenzie of Kintail hostage. In
exchange for Kin's eventual release, Patrick risks his life to spy for Cardinal Beaton while quietly
searching for the missing heiress Bessie, whom most assume to be dead. At every opportunity,
Elspeth escapes the drudgery of Farnsworth Tower to enjoy the solitude of the woods. She has no
memory of her well-born status or the life she might have led. Instead, she spends her days in
service
to the family that raised her. Then an unexpected encounter with a stranger fleeing the baying of
dogs transforms her life. She leads him to safety, and provides information that opens the
opportunity for Patrick to become the falconer for Farnsworth Tower. Through most of their
adventure, Elspeth and Patrick are unaware of the well-intentioned magical help they receive. Nor
does Elspeth recall the secret sign from her mother that provides a link to her true birth and her
link
to the Secret Clan. This marvelous supernatural element provides both comic relief and zest to
bring
this romance charmingly alive. The sequel to Abducted Heiress, Amanda Scott's Hidden Heiress
will
delight fans of the Highlands and all things fae. Scott's characterizations are richly developed and
endearing, her prose so natural that it seems to as if you are witnessing the story rather than
reading
about it. Both Elspeth and Patrick struggle with misplaced loyalties, lending both fascinating
conflict
and opportunity for character growth. In addition, Elspeth's story echoes the traditional Cinderella
tale with unusual twists that lend it striking originality. Patrick's gift for falconry, with unwitting
assistance of a magical nature, also provides an unusual yet fascinating element. Indeed, Scott's
seamless blending of historical detail, stunning characterizations and intervention of a magical
nature, for both good and ill, all combine in a memorable tale that ears its place on the keeper
shelf.
Very highly recommended.
The Legend
Kathleen Givens
Warner Books
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN 0446610526, Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages, $6.50
A lightening strike divides a mighty oak yet lives. Consequently, a seer tells the legend of the
MacCurries: three generations of lairds will be born and will die on the same date. Then twins will
be born to the third son and they will lead their people to both war and to fifty years of peace. The
twins of three generations of men who died on their birth dates, nothing has ever come between
brothers James and Neil except a woman. Ellen refuses to settle for less than a passion that
transforms if she is to ever marry. She certainly does not expect to find that passion on the road
Dunfllandy Castle as she flees her family home to warn her cousin John of a plot of murder. The
would-be assassins pursue Ellen until James MacCurrie comes to her rescue. But he cannot even
reveal his true identity since he is taking his twin's place at the gathering of clans. Even as passion
draws Ellen and James together the coming war keeps them divided in this tumultuous account of
an
exciting era of highland history. The Legend begins with James story and leads to the sequel that
will
follow Neil's quest for love. The richly developed characterization, especially the strength of the
bond between the brothers and Neil's jealousy when that bond weakens, lends the novel a
marvelous
depth. In addition, the tightly woven plot draws readers into a dangerous world of loyalty and
betrayal. A must read for historical romance lovers, The Legend comes very highly
recommended.
When Night Falls: Intimate Moments No 1170
Jenna Mills
Silhouette Books
300 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, 10017
ISBN 0373272405, Mass Market Paperback, 251 pages, $4.75
When his daughter Emily disappears, William Armstrong's past returns with a vengeance.
Seventeen
years ago his girlfriend disappeared without a trace, leaving a legacy of speculation and rumor.
Based on circumstances, speculation, and political alliance, police chief Wallace Clark was
determined to prove murder but never successful. Now his daughter investigates the
disappearance
of Liam's daughter, ever aware of possible connections to the past. Like any good cop, Detective
Jessica Clark knows emotional involvement equates with disaster in an investigation. Seventeen
years of hearing her father rant about Armstrong made it difficult to separate Liam from his past.
Now Jessica suddenly finds herself confronted by another side of the man - the father convinced
his
daughter has been kidnapped. She also feels an odd kinship for the seventeen-year-old she has
never
met. Soon she realizes that compassion mixed with attraction can be dangerous with danger
lurking
ever nearer. Author Jenna Mills pens an outstanding tale of intrigue in love in When Night Falls.
With consummate skill, she weaves a tightly woven plot that will keep readers guessing until the
last
page. In addition, these vividly created characters come alive. On one hand, Liam lives a life that
is
driven, isolated, and dangerous, softened only by his love for his daughter. His carefully guarded
heart, however, is defenseless against the beauty with a badge. On the other hand, Jessica
struggles
to reconcile rumors of the past with the father she sees in front of her. Further, Jessica lives her
father's shadow until Liam forces her to follow her instinct and her heart. Add this one to your
keeper shelf!
Cowboy Boss: Desire No 1457
Kathie DeNosky
Silhouette Books
300 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, 10017
ISBN 037376457X, Mass Market Paperback, 187 pages, $4.25
A bit of matchmaking leaves Faith Broderick stranded with Cooper Adams on a dilapidated ranch
without electricity, phone service or transportation. While there might not be anything for her at
the
Triple Bar Ranch, there certainly is nothing to return to in Illinois. Faith may have arrived to
accept
a position as housekeeper, but she soon wants to stay when she finds love amid the cobwebs,
mice,
and a bucket fed calf. Cooper finds the magnetism between them irresistible. But it will be years
before the Triple Bar Ranch becomes profitable, and right now he cannot even offer running
water.
Too bad he underestimates the power of old-fashioned bathtubs and candlelight - on both himself
and Amanda. But a man wants more to offer the woman he loves than falling plaster and leaking
roofs. Author Kathie DeNosky's pens a sparking romance in Cowboy Boss. Amanda's queasiness
regarding creeping critters lends just the light note of levity to keep Cowboy Boss a lively read.
Amanda's disillusion with marriage and her challenge to overcome the scars from the past neatly
match Cooper's challenges. Once again DeNosky demonstrates a dazzling gift for creating a
character driven tale with emotional depth balanced by the heart. Very highly recommended.
Haiku Used And Abused
Patricia Spork
Writers Graphic Image
Rt. 1 Box 180-CC, Tatum, TX 75691
ISBN 0971293929, eBook/PDF format, 32 pages, $3.95
Three lines and seventeen syllables express the height and depth of emotion in Patricia Spork's
Haiku
Used And Abused. Rain clouds on a cotton-candy flight, barren land after a forest fire, wind
across
the western plain, and moonlight on a starry night each earn a place of majestic beauty. Fertility
contrasts bleakness, nature's rhythms in the midst of civilization, harsh temperatures and startling
discover all wait for discovery in this extraordinary collection of verse. As commonality of
experience brings smiles to the reader with fire ants and grasshoppers Spork's gift with words
resonates throughout these pages, but never so profoundly as in the acceptance of personal grief
and
national pain. Death lingers on the road, in tragedy and inevitable. Yet the note of acceptance and
the contrast with living gives an unexpected message of hope. Whether a simple observation of
small
animals and insects or a child in a bubble bath, or a thoughtful statement of grief, each haiku
brings a
vision of life to light in a voice unique to this fabulous author. Taken together, these verses are
powerful and perfect to provoke each reader's own thoughtful reflection. Very highly
recommended.
Manchukuo Gold
Bob Haller
Leister & Sons
6 Forest Glen, Lake Ariel, PA 18436
ISBN 0961823445, Paperback $14.95, eBook $5.95, 332 pages
Tommy Chong offers Randy Rawlins and Vince Volcano, ex-Navy SEALS and business partners,
the perfect job. They will retrieve a fortune in gold hidden in a cave in remote Manchuria by
Tommy's grandfather at the end of World War II. During the subsequent fifty years, the valley has
been flooded, and Randy and Vince will use their diving expertise to retrieve the gold and
smuggle it
out of the Peoples Republic of China. Tommy mistakenly believes that no one alive knows of the
treasure. He is wrong. Major Nazaka made an agreement with Tommy's ancestors to hide the
gold.
The Japanese major and his vicious granddaughter want their legacy and will stop at nothing to
obtain it. But others match their single-minded determination, including Nikki Moore, a New
York
fashion designer who does not mind using romance to obtain her desires. Her business associate
Oleg Chenikoff likewise pursues a dangerously hidden agenda. A treasure hunt in China leads to
excitement and danger in Bob Haller's Manchukuo Gold. The fascinating cast of characters
heightens the difference in cultural attitudes as east meets west in this stunning tale of adventure,
danger and murder. Haller has a gift for treating these diverse cultures with realism and respect,
resulting in a gripping read filled with ethical and moral dilemmas. While the nonstop action lives
up
to the intensity of Tom Clancy, Haller's unique voice delivers an outstanding read with
unexpected
twists and turns that will leave readers ready for more from this talented author's pen. Very highly
recommended.
Light Plays: Light Play Trilogy, Book 2
N. D. Hansen-Hill
Clocktower Fiction
ISBN 0743300122, e-Book $4.80, Trade Paperback $15.25
Dr. Caroline Denaro's breakthrough experiment backfired, transforming her into a being with the
combined DNA of human and plant. Her touch transformed Rick Lockmann as well, and although
she has died, her legacy has only just begun. There are many unscrupulous players who would pay
well for the part of her body and the secrets to her transformation. Whether their motives are
altruistic or predatory, they all represent a danger to Rick as well. Some people will do anything
to
possess the DNA of his mutated body. Rick no longer breathes or consumes food; instead, he has
become photosynthetic. As he struggles with his mutant changes, so do those around him. His
bodily
changes isolate him even from his closest friends, leaving him without casual invitations, playful
fun,
and social interaction. Agents from the DSO shadow his every movement in an effort to shield
him
from outside threats, but unfortunately denying him all but the illusion of privacy. Meanwhile,
others
watch, waiting their opportunity and when they take it, a bullet rips Rick's life apart, thrusting him
into a deadly game of intrigue and suspense. A touch of irreverent humor provides comic relief in
an
otherwise very dark tale in the second book of the Light Play Trilogy. Light Plays brings
characters
vividly to life, even more rounded and fully developed than in the first of this trilogy, allowing the
novel to work well as a stand-alone as well as part of the series. As Rick continues struggles with
what it means to be human, others also become infected, calling into question the meaning and
limits
of friendship and loyalty. Author ND Hansen-Hill explores these issues with grace, yet never
backs
away from the most difficult demands of friends or enemies. Rick's out of body experience is
especially potent, especially given the similarity to his nemesis' experience. Readers who have not
read the first installment of this trilogy will find themselves scurrying to do so as the originator of
the
viris is to horrifying to miss. A gripping read that grabs th reader by the throat and never lets go,
Light Plays comes highly recommended.
The Light: An Alien Abduction
Michael L. Thal
Adventure Book Publishers
ISBN 1553130944, eBook, 148 page, Approx $4.33
His marriage in tatters, a final altercation drives Lewis to violence when his wife's acts of cruelty
and
carelessness eradicate his last shred of patience. That impact, flesh against flesh, brought him a
raw
sense of power that only ends when his eight-year-old son bites him. Fleeing his own violence,
Lewis
goes to his brother Steven's home. They walk late at night beneath a Southern California sky until
a
pale green beam of light takes them away. The brothers awaken on an Oceanic spaceship. After
testing, the Oceanians determine that Lewis will make the better subject, returning his brother to
earth with no memory of their experience. Lewis becomes a member of the crew, traveling to
Oceana and learning of their need for a new home world. Technologically advanced, their
civilization suffers from reverse discrimination, proving that discrimination can exist no matter the
cultural and technical advances. The Light: An Alien Abduction by Michael L. Thal presents a
fascinating cast of characters and contrasting civilizations that are more alike than different in
their
prejudices. Thal presents a convincing argument for end of nationalism and the need for global
unity,
and scathing social commentary guised as fiction regarding sexual discrimination. While the tone
becomes a bit preachy at time, it also offers a hopeful view of our future. The exploration of
consciousness not bound by physical limitations also provides a fascinating subplot. Thal's gift
succinct writing style brings this tale vividly alive. Recommended.
Chasing The Demons
Susan Shelley
The Fiction Works
P.O. Box 1066, Corvallis, OR 97339-1066 (Free HTML download from publisher)
Chasing The Demons begins with a gripping line: "Instead of being so amiable and demure on our
first date, I should have taken a gun with me and shot him." Fixed up by her twin sister, Susan
dates
Frank Perez out of defiance of her parents and a desperate need to get out of her family home. A
quick "I do" begins a lifetime of misery, however, with a man driven by his own personal demons.
Frank struggles with his relationship with his parents, his wife, and his children. His
bible-thumping
father cannot satisfy his mother, and their subsequent separation places a tremendous burden on
their son, who passes his responsibilities to Susan. When she and her two young children finally
escapes the hell her life has become, Frank reenters her life with promises of changes and
transformations. Promises do not last long when faced with brutal reality. Their teen son becomes
rebellious and angry, getting into trouble with school and eventually the law. The worse their
problems become, the more Frank professes a selfish need to be in control of his family. But
control
has spiraled out of all of their hands, and Susan and her family faces profound challenges they are
ill
equipped to handle. I admit to being a bit torn as to how to approach this review. According to
my
review copy of the novel, Chasing The Demons is the second novel of a trilogy, but a search on
the
web does not turn up the first of the series: Dance With The Demons. According to publisher's
web
site, this is the first of the series. Regardless, there is no traditional climax and anticlimax; instead,
the novel clearly leads to the next with repeated references to upcoming nightmare situations. The
consequence of such a global problem is that Chasing The Demons does function well as a
standalone. Nevertheless, author Susan Shelley does exhibit a strong talent for creating
dysfunctional characters drawn from her own painful life experiences. Susan's determination to
keep
her family intact in spite of her husband's irrational behavior, which boarders on mental illess, is
excellently portrayed. Frank's instability echoes the serious consequences of undiagnosed
instability.
Indeed, Chasing The Demons provides a fascinating account of a family's internal self-destruction
and comes recommended.
Fan Letters To Joanie Weston
Timothy G. Patten
Energizer Promotions
296 Church Street, San Francisco CA 94114
eBook, $24.67
Joanie Weston, The Blond Bomber, captured the hearts and imagination of roller derby fans
during
its heyday. In the 1950s Joanie skated as a member of the San Francisco Bay Bombers, proving
her
athletic finesse, yet typifying the much-ignored female athletes of her day. Women who did not
appear in proper tennis whites or with ice skates then athletes like Joanie simply were not
recognized
for their tremendous talent, especially if they were part of roller derby. Estimates of twelve million
weekly viewers suggest the popularity of Joanie during her fifty-year reign as the Queen of Roller
Derby. Letters, cards, even artwork poured in as fans followed her on grainy black and white
television sets. As technology improved, so did Joanie's letters continue to pour in. These letters
provide a fascinating glimpse into how an athlete like Joanie could profoundly touch lives during
her
nineteen seasons in roller derby. One of the biggest gripes that I have of many eBooks is their lack
to take advantage of the technology to present their stories in ways that are new and interesting.
Fan
Letters To Joanie Weston defies those weaknesses by linking to copies of the original letters and
envelopes on the web. In addition, a number of photos and drawings that load quickly are also
included in the book. One need not have been a roller derby fan to appreciate this extraordinary
compilation of letters and photos. Very highly recommended.
Interview with The Raven and Marie Claire:
A Glimpse of Russia Through the Eye of The Raven:
"The Raven" was born in Baku City, Azerbaijan, in the Former Soviet Union. In 1975 he was
stricken by an unusual childhood disease. The incorrect treatment by doctors damaged his nervous
system and led to hearing loss. Although school officials wanted him to attend a special school,
The
Raven persisted in the regular school system. He arrived in the US in 1999 and now works for a
computer company as a software licensing representative.
Marie Claire is The Raven's friend and co-author. She is a fan of German, Greek and English
literature. She inspired him to first write Russian Experiences and helped add things along the
way.
Cindy Penn: How did The Raven and Marie Claire meet? What led to the decision to collaborate
on
Russian Experiences: Life in the Former USSR and Post-Soviet Russia?
The Raven and Marie Claire: We met first online in MSN Zone (in the chess playing area) and
later
in person. Some time after that, Marie suggested The Raven should write this non-fiction book
because his russian experiences were indeed very interesting.
CP: What kinds of challenges did you encounter in writing this book and how did you overcome
them?
TR and MC: It was not very easy to start writing this novel (we just didn't know how to do that,
what to begin from and what to finish by:- )), but once we started we found we could finish it
easily
enough.
CP: How long did it take to write Russian Experiences? Describe your writing process with the
two
of you contributing to the work.
TR and MC: About 3 months. The Raven scanned his memory and wrote the text (he used his
computer for this), and Marie corrected it when needed and added things along the way.
CP: What was the most important thing the both of you learned from this writing experience?
TR and MC: That once you have firmly decided to write a novel, the rest is more or less
easy.
CP: Tell me about the research that went into this project, and how you wove the historical
elements
into the memoir.
MC: The historical elements were in The Raven's memory (except some data in the chapter 1,
which
he has taken from public sources, like the data about Soviet losses in World War Two,
"assertions"
of Marx' manifest, or the fact that the Russian Army nowadays has about 39,000 tanks, in
comparison with say the entire NATO's some 20,000 tanks. Equally, the rate of say warfare
rotorcraft is also impressive: only US Airforce have some 10,000 of them, while Russian Airforce
about 1,200); he is well educated and he has an excellent memory.
CP: What advice do you have for other authors who wish to collaborate to write a memoir of this
nature?
TR: Well, they should like each other very much -- as do The Raven and Marie Claire :). It was
painful for The Raven to recall his russian experiences sometimes :-(...
CP: How did you select a publisher for this work?
TR and MC: We just emailed a number of publishers with a standard proposal, and the contract
offered by this publisher was more appropriate than those by others.
CP: Do you plan to collaborate on more books?
MC: Yes, this novel will have a sequel. Also The Raven has written a new book, on a different
subject, but still wants to keep this in secret until the book is published.
CP: After publication, authors must work at promoting their novels. Can you share some of the
things you've done to promote your novel?
TR and MC: Some of the things we have done: we requested several reviews including those by:
WordWeaving.com, RebeccasReads Review, and The Compulsive Reader. In addition, reviewer
Denise M Clark published her review in Midwest Book Review; specifically, in the Reviewer
Recommendations column of the Midwest Book Review's Reviewer's Bookwatch of June 2002
issue, where it will be also be included in "Book Review Index", an interactive CD-ROM series
for
corporate, academic, and public library systems (more info on MBR's website, start page). As you
can see from the The Compulsive Reader page, Russian Experiences is the most read non-fiction
review at this website among other non-fiction reviews published there; hopefully reviews of
Russian
Experiences will be published in some other review editions as well. Also, book reviewer Dan
Murr
published his review with Huntress Book Reviews in the Non-fiction section and
WordWeaving.com. These listings are just the ones we are aware of; because reviews can be
freely
published, there may be other reviews of which we are not aware. More reviews by other
reviewers
to come soon :-)!
CP: What else would you like to share that we've not yet touched upon?
TR and MC: As we have stated, we will some time later write a sequel for this book; when it is
done
you will be able to read it:). We are always open to discussions. If you have any ideas or
suggestions, email us at justmarieclaire@linkeseite.zzn.com.
Where can our book be purchased? At Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, or at your
local
bookstore.
Cindy Penn
Reviewer
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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