Saturday, January 30, 2016

The secret wisdom of the earth by Christopher Scotton

5 Star

After seeing the death of his younger brother in a terrible home accident, fourteen-year-old Kevin and his grieving mother are sent for the summer to live with Kevin's grandfather. In this peeled-paint coal town deep in Appalachia, Kevin quickly falls in with a half-wild hollow kid named Buzzy Fink who schools him in the mysteries and magnificence of the woods. The events of this fateful summer will affect the entire town of Medgar, Kentucky.

Medgar is beset by a massive mountaintop removal operation that is blowing up the hills and back filling the hollows. Kevin's grandfather and others in town attempt to rally the citizens against the "company" and its powerful owner to stop the plunder of their mountain heritage. When Buzzy witnesses a brutal hate crime, a sequence is set in play that tests Buzzy and Kevin to their absolute limits in an epic struggle for survival in the Kentucky mountains.


Sabrina-Kate - 5 Star

An absolutely riveting read, I am pretty sure that it will be difficult to beat The Secret Wisdom of the Earth as far as one of my favorite books of the year. I find myself stunned to discover that this is the first book that Christopher Scotton has written. I really and truly can only pray that he writes another one. And soon!

The story is set in a small town, Medgar, in the Appalachians and largely centres around Kevin, who is spending his time there to recover with his family after the untimely death of his little brother. If that wasn't story enough, more drama and unbelievable events occur that summer with his new found friend Buzzy. An incredible and almost epic tale, I really loved this book and was very sad when it was done.

It isn't a short book by any means, but felt too short when it was done as I could have continued reading on forever. The way that Scotton describes the characters and places he uses is nothing short of magical. You can tell that this is a place that is dear to his heart and he made me fall in love with it as well. Just remembering the story is making me reflect with a smile on my lips. It is just that good.
If you read one book this year that makes you believe in the power of an amazing story but also lifts you up and makes you believe that good can triumph over evil, this is definitely the one you will want to pick up.


Thank you to Hachette Books for our review copy. All opinions are our own.


Connect with Christopher Scotton:




Wednesday, January 27, 2016

The Mystery of the Lost Cezanne by M.L. Longworth

4 Star

A friend in his cigar club asks Antoine to visit René Rouquet, a retired postal worker who has found a rolled-up canvas in his apartment. As the apartment once belonged to Cézanne, Rouquet is convinced he’s discovered a treasure. But when Antoine arrives at the apartment, he finds René dead, the canvas missing, and a mysterious art history professor standing over the body.

When the painting is finally recovered, the mystery only deepens. The brushwork and color all point to Cézanne. But who is the smiling woman in the painting? She is definitely not the dour Madame Cézanne. Who killed René? Who stole the painting? And what will they do to get it back? 





Kathryn - 4 Star

I have really developed a love for Longworth’s mysteries. This is only my second but there’s something about them that I find myself immersed by, perhaps it’s the area of France where she sets her novels?  

I spent a year in Aix as a child and the streets, sights and regions of the city reminded me of that wonderful part of my childhood.  Longworth also takes simple people with normal lives and gives them intrigue while keeping the threads of a mystery with suspense through the story line.  At the end of this particular novel we are treated to a development in Verlaque’s life that makes him more realistic and made me want to call him up, like an uncle I hadn’t spoken to in ages, and have a long chat.

The novel had two threads, the current mystery of the missing Cezanne portrait and the flashes back to Cezanne himself in his own period and his relationship with the woman who may be the sitter in the current day’s missing portrait.  The story switches between past and present and I was enthralled by the whole thing, the mystery and the history both.

My only issue with Longworth’s writing is the way she switches between a character’s first and last name. It adds a host of additional names you have to sort out in your head which is unhelpful as there are enough characters to keep track of as it is.

The novel is quietly fascinating and I would recommend ML Longworth’s mysteries to anyone.


Thank you to Viking/Penguin Books for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

Connect with M.L. Longworth:
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Sunday, January 24, 2016

Guessing at normal by Gail Ward Olmsted

4 Star

Jill Griffin has mastered the art of being invisible, so when she falls in love with sexy rocker James Sheridan, at first she is content to live in his larger than life shadow. Building a ‘normal’ life together under the glare of the media is challenging and further complicated by constant touring, James’ partying and the mixed signals she gets from James’ twin brother Alex.

When her poems and journal ramblings become the songs on James’ best-selling album, Jill has to step out of her comfort zone and figure out how to live her life in a spotlight all her own. With no road map to follow, she struggles to navigate her way in her search for happiness. As her professional success threatens her relationship with James, Jill questions whether she can make a living writing love songs without the love of her life. 


Sabrina-Kate - 4 Star

I always like the coming-of-age, finding oneself type stories and this oeuvre from Gail Ward Olmsted definitely fit the bill. Jill Griffin is very much doing some serious soul searching in this book and trying to find out where her heart lies at the same time.

Involved with rock star James Sheridan, she also gets mixed signals from his brother Alex which put her in doubt of the relationship she is in. What girl hasn't been there a time or two, though possibly not with a rock star. I could definitely understand the confusion that Jill found herself in in this situation because sometimes it isn't always clear what the heart wants (or needs).

Jill also felt the longing to make her own mark on the world and this is also something I could understand as I also long to make my own impact but sometimes struggle with the means of doing so, like she did.

The story itself was something that spoke to me in personal ways. Maybe I hadn't been in exactly the same places Jill found herself, but I definitely could understand the way she found herself feeling which for me, is the mark of a great story.


Thank you to the author for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

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Thursday, January 21, 2016

The Woman Who Stole My Life by Marian Keyes

3.5 Star

Stella Sweeney is back in Dublin. After living the dream in New York for a year - touring her self-help book, appearing on talk shows all over the USA and living it up in her 10-room duplex on the Upper West Side - she's back to normality with a bang. And she's got writer's block.

Stella wants a clean break as she didn't exactly leave New York on a high. Why is she back in Ireland so soon? Who is it who keeps calling? Stella wants to get back to being the woman she used to be. But can she? And should she?



Kathryn - 3.5 Star

Marian Keyes has once again brought us an involved story with a multitude of things to make you think. I wasn’t sure I was on board with Stella during the initial chapters of the novel. She grew on me though when her voice found root in the portion of her being ill. I was enthralled by her tenacity and kept putting myself in her situation without really being able to understand it in its entirety.

The relationship with Mannix was edgy from the start- I think many would find that their attraction would be a fleeting interest, as her family pointed out repeatedly, but I liked their link. They were undeniably attracted to each other physically which is what Stella desperately needed to make her life what she wanted but to their credit they did evolve into a partnership slowly and steadily. Mannix also had a number of things he was seeking in a partner and they seemed to be opposites but well suited- I was really pulling for them in the end.

One of my quibbles with the novel was Ryan. I liked his quirkiness and admired him sticking by his wife when they were obviously growing apart but I found his “artistic” desire to be centre stage frustrating and I couldn’t quite see how they’d come together in the first place. My most difficult moments though were with Jeffrey. I wanted him to appreciate his mother and even his father. Teenagers are moody, of course, but there seemed to be more than usual underlying hatred and lack of respect which I couldn’t really justify from the relationship we were shown. I felt there must have been more to it and it crept into so many aspects of the novel that I could have used more justification for the attitude to get on board with it.

All in all though The Woman Who Stole My Life was interesting, made me think and was of course fabulously written. And I laughed a lot.  I have to add also that I loved the title of this book- it fit into so many aspect of the story and was an inspired choice!  Marian Keyes will always be one of my favourite writers.


Thank you to Penguin Group for our review copy. All opinions are our own.


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Monday, January 18, 2016

A Jane Austen Daydream by Scott D Southard

3 Star


Jane Austen spends her days writing and matchmaking in the small countryside village of Steventon, until a ball at Godmersham Park propels her into a new world where she yearns for a romance of her own. But whether her heart will settle on a young lawyer, a clever Reverend, a wealthy childhood friend, or a mysterious stranger is anyone's guess.

Written in the style of Jane herself, this novel ponders the question faced by many devoted readers over the years—did she ever find love? Weaving fact with fiction, it re-imagines her life, using her own stories to fill in the gaps left by history and showing that all of us—to a greater or lesser degree—are head over heels for Jane.





Kaley- 3 Star

You've probably noticed I'm the go to reviewer for all things Jane Austen here on Novel Escapes. That's because I just love her books and the way she tells stories. By this point, I've mostly likely read more novels about Jane than actually by her! So, when A Jane Austen Daydream came across our desks, we knew I'd be the one to review Scott Southard's novel.

The novel takes a look at one of the burning questions Janeites have: was Jane ever in love? Scholars and average Joes (or Janes?) love to debate how Austen was able to write the novels she did yet had never been married. Of course, marriage doesn't equal love, especially in Jane's time. It's suspected that there was a man or two she fell in love with over the course of her short life but it's so hard to say for certain what happened. This is what makes novels like Southard's so enjoyable.

It has to be noted, however, that this novel is just that: a novel. Southard has written a work of fiction that is inspired by Austen, both her life and the way she wrote. There's a bit of truth to it but he takes liberties and imagines what could have been. He's upfront about this, mentioning in the preface that "This book is a work of fiction, only marginally influenced by the facts." This isn't a negative. In fact, it's almost welcome. So many books tell the exact same story over and over again and it can be hard to get excited about yet another book about Jane Austen's love life. Southard manages to create something a little different, which is refreshing.

I liked the romance Southard gave Jane. It was, well, romantic. I'm not certain I like the name and certain characteristics that he gave her love interest – it was just a little odd but I'm not telling you because it's sort of a surprise piece of information – but the story, overall, was lovely. I also appreciated that he allowed her to be spunky and intelligent, just as I imagine her.

Overall, I liked A Jane Austen Daydream. Scott Southard has written a story that many Jane Austen fans want to read...they, myself included, want to see a romantic Happily Ever After for the beloved author. It's not one of my favourite Austenesque novels but it was enjoyable all the same.


Thank you to Madison Street Publishing for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Scott D. Southard:
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Friday, January 15, 2016

Secrets of the Last Nazi by Iain King

4 Star

THE GREATEST DISCOVERY OF THE 20TH CENTURY. 
KEPT SECRET. 
UNTIL NOW. 
Berlin, 2015 – a well-connected SS Commander is found dead, having protected the last secret of the Nazi empire for seventy years. A discovery by Nazi Scientists so potent it could change the balance of world power – forever. 
Led by misfit military historian Myles Munro, an international team begin to piece together the complex puzzle left by SS Captain Werner Stolz. As their hunt across Europe gathers pace, the brutal killing of one of the group signals that they are not the only ones chasing the answer. 
Plunged into a world of international espionage, Myles only has his intellect and instincts to keep him alive. As the team edge closer to an explosive truth, it becomes clear to him that there is a traitor amongst them. 
Who can Myles trust? And can he unravel the clues of the past in time to save the future? 




Kathryn - 4 Star

Not my usual genre I found myself intrigued by the title of the novel before I really got into the plot. There was something about the title that made me want to find out what secrets there could possibly still be out there to find about such a horrific part of human history.  The novel is suspenseful from the first pages and though we are exposed quite early to the Nazi secrets of the title there are aspects of the plot that remain a mystery for a long time yet- thus the suspenseful nature of the book!

I was thoroughly on edge most of the read- I wasn’t sure who to trust and was convinced we were going to be losing delegate members at every chapter so was a bit wary about who I would allow myself to like. The imminent danger after the first lost member was palpable for me and yet they seemed determined to follow through on their mission. Personally I would have called in some bigger guns but that’s likely why this is not the profession for me. I loved the descriptions of the areas and it really came alive for me in many scenes. The characters were properly developed without taking anything away from the fast pace of the plot.

My only complaint was a murder scene with a hanging that left me feeling like I’d been given too much imagery to be able to sleep that night.  This is exactly why I’m not usually a suspense/thriller reader- my whole family is up at night due to my bad dreams!  Luckily I pushed through that scene and there were no others quite so gory and nightmare inducing. I was really glad I did because the novel  was full of interesting thoughts and the challenges to scientific, religious and ethereal concepts throughout definitely made me think. 


Thank you to Bookouture for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.


Connect with Iain King:



Tuesday, January 12, 2016

You are dead by Peter James

5 Star

THEY WERE MARKED FOR DEATH. The last words Nick Walton hears from his fiancée, Logan Somervile, are in a terrified mobile phone call from her. She has just driven into the underground car park beneath the block of flats where they live in Brighton. Then she screams and the phone goes dead. The police are on the scene within minutes, but Logan has vanished, leaving behind her neatly parked car and telephone.


That same afternoon, workmen digging up an old asphalt pat in a park in another part of the city, unearth the remains of a young woman in her early twenties, who has been dead for 30 years.


At first, to Roy Grace and his team, these two events seem totally unconnected. But then another young woman in Brighton goes missing and another body from the past surfaces. Meanwhile, an eminent London psychiatrist meets with a man who claims to know a piece of information about Logan. Later Roy Grace makes the chilling realization that this one thing is the key to both the past and the present . . . Brighton has its first serial killer in over eighty years.



Sabrina-Kate - 5 Star

Lately I have been really into suspense novels and this was by far one of my favorites of this past year. I had never read any of the Roy Grace novels before but I found myself captivated by this charming somewhat awkward police detective. I also really enjoyed that this book could stand on its own and that I did not feel confused at all by missing out on the previous ten books about him yet it drew me in so much that I want to definitely read the rest!

The story itself it quite terrifying. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be abducted and the fact that you get a glimpse of what Logan is going through, as the story moves from one character to the next, really rounds out the story. I was quite nervous reading this book and was on the edge of my seat while racing through it since I could not stand not knowing how things would turn out.

I absolutely, very highly recommend, Peter James' books for his amazing talent that kept me gripped and almost shaking at times. A master of this genre, you won't regret taking a chance.


Thank you to SMP/Minotaur Books for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

Connect with Peter James:

Saturday, January 9, 2016

If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins

4 Star

Wedding-dress designer Jenny Tate understands the happily-ever-after business, yet somehow she's still involved in her ex-husband's life. In fact, Owen's new wife may—inexplicably—be Jenny's new best friend. Sensing this, well, relationship isn't helping her move on, Jenny trades the Manhattan skyline for her hometown up the Hudson, where she'll be able to bask in her sister Rachel's picture-perfect family life…and hopefully make one of her own. 

Her timing couldn't be more perfect, since Rachel will need her younger sister. Her idyllic marriage has just fallen to pieces in spectacular fashion after she discovers her husband sexting with one of his colleagues. Second chances aren't in Rachel's nature, but the desire for an intact family has her rethinking her stance on adultery, much to Jenny's surprise. Rachel points to their parents' "perfect" marriage as a shining example, but to protect her sister Jenny may have to tarnish that memory—and their relationship­—and reveal a secret about their family she's been keeping since childhood. 

During this summer of secrets and lies, temptation and revelation, Jenny and Rachel will rely on each other to find the humor in their personal catastrophes, the joy in their triumphs…and the strength to keep hanging on. 




Kathryn - 4 Star

I enjoyed If You Only Knew because of the relationship between the two sisters. For me this was the entirety of the novel. If you didn’t get a good feel for their bond then I think you miss the point of the book.  The girls’ interactions with their mother were also important, as were their relationships with their men, but at the heart of the story was sisterhood (blood or chosen- it’s all the same to me).

Upon first impressions I wasn’t sure I was going to like Jenny. She definitely came across as a bit of a doormat in the initial chapters focussing on her story.  (The woman manages to not only attend her ex-husband’s new wife’s baby shower but also delivers the baby at said shower.) I’m quite certain that’s one for the record books but at that point I was already too curious to drop her like a hot potato.
Likewise I was initially perturbed by Rachel, who also had some doormat-ish qualities but hers were focussed more on the haze of motherhood and her need to have the home run as smoothly as possible with beatific serenity.  It’s not my world to be so perfect so I had a hard time connecting with her during her first few chapters.

That seems like a lot of initial negativity but it’s a testament to Higgins’ writing that I was hooked, despite my initial feelings toward Rachel and Jenny. They both came out of the shadows quite quickly and most importantly they did it with the support of the other.  Rachel has a lot to lose and I found myself going backward and forwards with her while she tried to make things work for her family. I wouldn’t have been surprised about any outcome for her- both seemed plausible until the last straw which decided things for Rachel once and for all.

The romance in this story, though integral to the plot movement, is mostly to support the family bonds that stand stronger than those romances in the end. It was a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.


Thank you to Little Bird Publicity for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Kristan Higgins:
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Thursday, January 7, 2016

Another Night, Another Day by Sarah Rayner

3.5 Star

Three people, each crying out for help

There’s Karen, about to lose her father; Abby, whose son has autism and needs constant care, and Michael, a family man on the verge of bankruptcy. As each sinks under the strain, they’re brought together at Moreland’s Psychiatric Clinic. 

Here, behind closed doors, they reveal their deepest secrets, confront and console one another and share plenty of laughs. But how will they cope when a new crisis strikes?





Michelle - 3.5 Star

Another Night, Another Day by Sarah Rayner is a touching novel that deals with a serious issue in a realistic, honest and often humour filled, way. 

When we are introduced to Karen, Michael and Abby they are all strangers whose lives intertwine when they all suffer a life changing event that causes them to be admitted to Moreland’s Psychiatric clinic.  

Sarah Rayner uses humour to write about something that many people don’t understand, myself included, and are often fearful of.   The characters in Moreland’s are likable, funny and everyday people we can all relate to, until they each suffer a mental breakdown and are forced to seek help before they lose everything in their life that matters.   Another Night, Another day is a great novel that entertains us, while at the same time, educates us.  People with mental health issues are often stigmatized, but Sarah Rayner opens our eyes to the fact that mental health issues can affect anyone at any time and by using characters that we the reader can relate to and feel connected to, it opens our hearts and minds and allows us to feel empathy for those dealing with mental health issues.  This novel helps to break the stereotype that many people have by giving us these great characters and inviting us into their lives, which are so normal you can’t help but relate to them. 
I really enjoyed how genuine and authentic this novel was.  The characters are flawed and likable and their stories were compelling and sad and so true to form.  Even though the basis for the novel is a serious one, the author tells it by using a perfect balance of seriousness and lightness and by having characters that are warm and genuine, who at the end of the day are struggling like most of us to find a way to deal with the stress and pressures of everyday life. 

I would definitely recommend this read to anyone looking for a thought provoking story that teaches as much as it entertains.   I look forward to reading more from this author. 

Thank you to St Martin's Press for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

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Tuesday, January 5, 2016

The Past by Tessa Hadley

3 Star

Three adult sisters and their brother meet up at their grandparents' country home for their annual family holiday--three long, hot summer weeks. The beloved but crumbling house is full of memories of their childhood--of when their mother took them to stay with her parents when she left their father--but this could be their last summer in the house, now they may have to sell it. And under the idyllic pastoral surface, there are tensions.

Alice has brought with her Kasim, the 20-year-old son of her ex-boyfriend, and he makes plans to seduce the quiet Molly, Roland's 16-year-old daughter. Fran's young children uncover an ugly secret in a ruined cottage in the woods, and observe the growing flirtation. Passion erupts where it's least expected, blasting the quiet self-possession of Harriet, the eldest sister. Roland has come with his new (third) wife, whom his sisters don't like...or do they? A way of life--bourgeois, literate, ritualized, Anglican--winds down to its inevitable end: which is a loss, and a release.




Sabrina-Kate - 3 Star

The story of a family, their painful past and difficult present. The Past was a story that I truly hoped to like more but unfortunately did not. I have heard a lot about this author previously and I do like the type of story she tells. There was just something I found somewhat awkward and inconsistent about this story. I really wish that I could pinpoint it because it definitely bothered me throughout the book.
I feel like the story was somewhat disjointed based on the fact that it was divided in thirds with the present being the start of the story and then the middle going back to the past with the final third then returning to the present. It was quite a long time to be in a different time period. I feel like the books I enjoy that go back and forth do so in shorter gaps, maybe alternating chapters for example. It was difficult to settle back into the story for the final part.

I am not sure if it was just me or if other readers would also find it difficult to keep the three sisters straight. I had to keep trying to remind myself who was who and what their story was which felt like an awful lot of work to be doing while reading a book. 

The story itself definitely had its interesting parts but the fact that it seemed to not flow easily and even dragged on at certain parts made me just really not want to keep going. I suppose I am happy that I did reach the end because I did enjoy the overall story despite it being somewhat painful to get there.


Thank you to Harper Collins for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Tessa Hadley:



Sunday, January 3, 2016

Cold Feet by Amy Fitzhenry

3 Star

Everyone’s expecting her to walk down the aisle.
But something is telling her to run.

Emma Moon's mother thinks it's acceptable to miss her only daughter's wedding rehearsal dinner for a work obligation. Her father left when she was six months old. Emma hasn't exactly been raised to be a happily-ever-after kind of girl.

So when her anxieties get out of hand, Emma and her best friend, Liv, decide to take a road trip to San Francisco, find her long-lost father, and put her family issues to rest.

But her quest for the truth stirs up events and emotions she didn’t expect. The urge to run away may just be a part of Emma’s genetic makeup, because she’s growing more and more tempted to do just that…




Kathryn - 3 Star

The only reason I couldn’t fully embrace this novel was because I initially found Emma really dry. This was likely because she was closed off to her emotions and, given her upbringing, that wasn’t very surprising a character trait.  However, it made it difficult for me to understand where she was coming from and the choices she was making. I felt from the very beginning that she had one foot out the door- hence the title of the novel I suppose.

I actually empathised completely with the way she felt about Sam’s revelation. Although we wanted her to just get over it and move on because he so obviously loved her, there is no way I would have been able to forgive at the drop of a hat either. I was glad her best friend Olivia wasn’t trying to make that happen by pushing her to speak with Sam. Olivia was wonderful, their friendship so obviously supportive and important to them both but I didn’t really see the point of Olivia’s relationship with the professor. It seemed to add a dimension to Olivia and their friendship that was unnecessary and frustrated me when it interfered with both their progress.  Did we need him?  And it altered my opinion of Liv- not because he was married but just that she kept going back to him when he obviously preferred to stay with his wife.  It just didn’t seem to fit with what I knew of Olivia.

Emma’s mother was another enigma. Even by the end of the book I was still confused about why she was so closed off towards her daughter- she’d been through some difficult decisions in her life but none were Emma’s fault and it seems like they should have been close.  It would have been nice if she could have moved past her own misgivings about their family life to support her child rather than every other cause under the sun.

I liked Sam- I liked that he was messy to her neat, I liked that he was still really close to his buddy from when he was fifteen, I liked that he tried so hard to help her forgive him. It was one mistake from years ago.  Would you be able to let it go?  

I liked Cold Feet for the questions it introduced about forgiveness but I was somewhat bogged down by some of the characters decisions.


Thank you to Penguin Random House for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Amy Fitzhenry:
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Friday, January 1, 2016

Would you rather with J.C.Miller

Please welcome J.C.Miller, author of Heliotrope.

J.C.Miller:


 
JC (Jeanne) Miller is an avid reader and table tennis enthusiast. She resides in Northern California.


Connect with J.C.Miller:
Website    Facebook     Twitter   Goodreads


Would You Rather... 
with J.C.Miller

Chips, chocolate or cheese?

Chocolate for sure—preferably dark, with nuts.

Bridget Jones, Becky Bloomwood or Carrie Bradshaw?

Sorry, I have no idea who Becky Bloomwood is.

Wine, beer or vodka?

Wine

Camping or spa vacation?

Spa!

Water or mountains?

If I had to pick—water.

Zombies or vampires?

Neither

Dogs or cats?

Impossible choice. I adore both.

Coke or Pepsi?

Like both—avoiding both!

Coffee or tea?

Coffee!

Dine out or take away?

Take away

High heels, sneakers or flip flops?

Sneakers.

Physical Book or ebook?

EBook

Paperback or Hardcover?

Hardcover

Pen or pencil?

Pen.

Mad Men, Downton Abbey or Breaking Bad?

Mad Men—but Downton is a close second!

Drama or comedy?

Probably drama

Plot your entire novel or fly by the seat of your pants?

I always start open ended. Nearing the midpoint, I often outline the rest.

Heliotrope

Buckle up your Birkenstocks and travel back to 1975. Discover (or relive) the pre-digital age in Arcata, a remote Bohemian college town on the northern edge of California. Meet Kit, a hard-working, bookish senior, on track for graduation—that is, until she falls for Jonathan, one-time bestselling author, now her stand-in professor. Jonathan, a master in the art of deception, isn’t who he appears to be. As their bond grows, Kit’s desire blinds her to the truth— a shocking discovery shatters her faith and ultimately tests her integrity. 

From the first blush of fall quarter to the final breath of spring, hard lessons will be learned. To “graduate” into an uncertain future, Jonathan and Kit must first embrace the present—including the injustices, ambiguities and absolute beauty of their lives. Beneath the ever-changing Humboldt skies they forge ahead; they stumble and sometimes fall. 

Heliotrope, a coming-of age story for the ages.

Available at:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Kindle Nook 


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