Finding a one-liner to describe my crossover speculative novel has been difficult. In this post, I thought I had it, but now I realize that wasn’t right either. During my Word Weavers International meeting on Saturday, the one liner came to me. Let me know what you think:
Tag Archives: novel
Book Review: The Art of My Life
The Art of My Life by Ann Lee Miller challenges the Christian reader with its sometimes explicit content. The novel thoroughly explores the relationship between Cal and Aly and Cal’s addiction to pot.
In her last novel, Kicking Eternity, Cal submitted to his addiction to pot after being rejected by Raine for someone else. Aly is angry because Cal slept with Evie, a drama queen and pot addict. Cal has spent several months in jail and in The Art of My Life he is determined to lead a straight life to earn Aly’s love. Aly is now a bank loan officer and living as a Christian. Her past reputation continues to haunt her mind and others reminders of her mistakes hurt.
To interrupt the story is the budding romance between Fish and Missy. That story was distracting. I really didn’t like Missy or Fish. Fish was truly an unpleasant character and while necessary to the storyline, I wish he didn’t have his own point of view. Other people will probably disagree. Ann did a great job in presenting each character with individual personalities and voices. That’s not an easy talent to achieve as sometimes every character no matter the inflection of voice in dialogue can sound like the author.
Ann’s novel is unique, getting into the uglier side of the life of an addict and the temptations involved in once having been sexually active. For those under sixteen years old, the novel is too explicit.
While Ann doesn’t write in the traditions of secular romance scenes, the scenes depicted do take a step past the edge where it’s too visual. I’m not sure how I feel about it since I do appreciate the struggle being illustrated there. Too often Christian novels don’t touch upon sexual temptation. To successfully, show rather than tell of the struggles a young girl might endure means getting into the dirty side of life. Ann does this, but I’m not sure I like how far she goes with it.
In the Christian world, her novel would probably be criticized because of this content and the heavy drug use illustrated, but in the secular world this would be considered tame.
I liked the flow of her last novel, but I felt the flow in The Art of My Life kept getting interrupted by Fish and Missy’s issues. I would have rather seen no point of view from Fish or Missy, and focused on Cal, Aly, and Cal’s mom and grandparents. Ann is probably going to use Missy and Fish in her next novel, if I were to hazard a guess by how much time these characters received in The Art of My Life.
The danger Aly and Cal faced towards the end of the novel escalated the conflict and the necessity of Cal getting rid of his pot addiction. Ann shows us the side of weed that most people who promote the so-called benefits of try to hide. Her writing of this story almost reflects a personal experience possibly with people who had this addiction. There’s a passion behind her words as she wrote Aly and Cal’s story. The nice thing about each chapter were the snippets of Aly’s “blog,” that give us a little more of Aly’s thoughts.
Overall, I struggled to come up with a rating for her novel and hovered between a three and four. A couple of grammar and/or typos were not distracting, but because of how well she showed pot’s addictive nature and the damaging effects it can have on families, I gave The Art of My Life four stars. The story of the weed’s dangerous effects on people and family upstaged Cal and Aly’s love story.
*Book given by author to review.
Today: Speaking at ACFW
Dear Friends,
Today I am speaking at ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). I would appreciate your prayers as this is my first speaking gig.
ACFW Arizona Chapter
Tempe, Arizona
Topic: What You Can Learn Through Book Reviewing
In many ways, book reviewing is a lot like critiquing a manuscript. On Saturday, June 30 from 1 – 3 p.m. Nikole Hahn will teach her method for reviewing books and show you how book reviewing will teach you to be a better writer, a better critique partner, and how reviewing can build a broader reader base for your blog and website. She will share the risks of book reviewing and what you should beware of and why you should post a bad review.
Contact: Betty Springer
Mid-June Series Introduction: What is it About?
Dear Readers,
“Christian Fiction: Is It Effective?” will post from June 13 – 20. I have come across blog posts like She Reads or Mike Duran or even A Christian Worldview that have discussed the effectiveness of Christian fiction.
In my opinion, Christian fiction is created for Christians. How can it be effective if it’s in the Christian genre? Some unbelievers feel intense anger towards the genre and won’t give it a second look. Some Amazon reviews show this anger with comments like the genre being ‘religous,’ or, ‘deceiving’ because they ‘didn’t know’ it was of the Christian genre. Some wonder if there isn’t a plan to simply eradicate Christianity from literature by sabotaging Christian fiction via reviews. So what do nonbelievers think of Christian fiction?
In this series, four Christian novelists and two nonbelievers will square off. Though I spoke with many nonbelievers, I could not get two more nonbelievers to read Christian fiction in order to participate. Some wanted to post posts to argue Christinaity instead of taking this opportunity to examine Christian fiction. This is not a debate about Christianity. The Christian novelists will write a 750-word blog post on why they write Christian fiction and how they intend to reach the unbeliever, while the nonbeliever will write a 750-word blog post about what they like or don’t like about Christian fiction, citing examples and being specific.
Comments will be moderated that week to ensure the discussion stays honest and friendly. I don’t care where the conversation goes, as long as we treat each other like humanbeings.
I only have two nonbelievers who have contributed. They have done an excellent job in answering my question. Here are their bios and photos:
David Rosman is an award winning author, columnist and educator. You can read his weekly essays in the Columbia Missourian, and on InkandVoice.com/editorials. He is also a book reviewer for the New York Journal of Books.
Originally from the New York City metro-area, having lived in Denver, Colorado for 25-years, five-months and 22-days (but who was counting), David now resides in the middle of Middle-America, Columbia, Missouri.
David is faculty of Communication at Columbia College and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer (CCBW) of InkandVoice Communication, providing communication consulting and editing services for business, political campaigns, and not-for-profits. He is the winner of the Interactive Media Council’s award for political web site design, writing and editing, and has been twice nominated for the Kulp-Wright awards for training and academic textbook and classroom excellence.
David’s most recent book is A Christian Nation?: An examination of Christian nation theories and proofs, and is available through Amazon.com in paperback or eBook formats.
He also writes: “I am a member of the Columbia Atheists Association (American Atheists). At 13, after my Bar Mitzvah, I wanted to become a Cantor and ended up at St. Louis University’s Parks College of Engineering, a Jesuit institution, where I was required to take all of the religion courses. There was a failed baptism in the Ohio River on my 25 birthday, and I was on the Board of Directors of two Temples before I discovered that I never really believed in God since I discovered quantum mechanics, evolution, and critical thinking.”
Hello, my name is Jennifer. I am the author of:
- Jen Hancock’s Handy Humanism Handbook. (offered free if you sign up for my mailing list)
http://thebullyvaccine.com
which will be out early May 2012. I write a freelance column about Humanism for the Bradenton Herald newspaper and yes, I am interested in syndicating it. I am also the Tampa Humanist and Freethought Examiner for Examiner.com and I publish the Happiness through Humanism blog and podcast. Finally, I am a speaker specializing in Humanism, ethics, morality and what motivates us to be better humans. I’m on the web at:
http://www.jen-hancock.com
Christian Novelists:
Tricia Goyer is the author of thirty books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.
Carol Cox: If you’re a lover of history, mystery, and romance, you’ve come to the right place—a place where time pauses beneath brilliant Arizona skies.
As a third-generation Arizonan, I have a special love for the Southwest and its history. Life in the Old West was never easy, but the American Frontier had a way of drawing people who were resilient, who met adversity with a quiet inner strength and a reliance on God’s provision. From the deserts to the canyons to the towering pine forests, the history of my home state is filled with tales of characters whose courage and tenacity helped shape this part of the country.
I grew up listening to stories about people like this. Men and women who possessed the qualities needed to meet the challenges of this rugged land. Men and women who experienced their share of laughter and tears while taming the Southwest . . . and learning something about themselves and their relationship with God along the way. These are the kind of men and women who inspire the books I write.
Dianne Christner lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where life sizzles, at least in the summer when temperatures soar above 100 degrees. Before writing, Dianne balanced a career of office management with raising a family and serving the Lord in her local church.
She has been married for thirty-nine years. Dianne and Jim have two married children, Mike and Rachel, and five grandchildren. With several historical fictions to her credit, she hopes you enjoy her new contemporary series – The Plain City Bridesmaids. If you want to learn more about Dianne’s writing and personal life, visit her blog. She loves interacting with her readers.
C. S. Lakin is novelist and writing coach who spends her time divided between developing new book ideas and helping writers polish theirs. She is the author of twelve novels – six contemporary novels and six in the fantasy/sci-fi genre. Whether she is exploring the depths of the human psyche and pushing her characters to the edge of desperation, or embellishing an imaginary world replete with talking pigs and ancient magical curses, she is doing what she loves best – using her creativity and skills to inspire and affect her readers.
Please join us that week. This is your opportunity to share your views. Feel free to ask questions.
Readers: Will you join us on that day and share your opinion after each post? You can subscribe to my posts so it comes to your email.
Posts begin tomorrow!
Need Two More
Dear Readers,
I had hoped for a balanced viewpoint on my mid-June series, “Christian Fiction: Is It Effective?” The idea was to get four Christian novelists to write on why they write Christian fiction and how they intend to reach the unbeliever, while the atheist or non believer write a post on what they like and don’t like of Christian fiction.
You might wonder why an unbeliever would be reading Christian fiction. I asked that same question to myself when on Amazon I would see derisive reviews by non believers on Christian fiction. I sought out four unbelievers, but could only obtain two very gracious people to fill that slot. It was easy to get four novelists to contribute. Getting two more unbelievers proved unfruitful.
I either had unbelievers who wanted to argue Christianity and had never read Christian fiction, or some that felt my question was too vague. One seemed willing to write a post, but I haven’t heard back from him. I may still allow it if I get the post within a reasonable time.
If you’re an unbeliever and would be willing to write a 750-word post on what you like and/or don’t like about Christian fiction, please contact me at nikolehahn@thehahnhuntinglodge.com. You must have read or are going to read (in less than a week) a Christian fictional novel of any genre. I can make suggestions or you can go to the end of this blog to categories and read my past book reviews for suggestions.
If I can’t get two more unbelievers, then I am looking for two believers who are willing to write what they like and don’t like about Christian fiction. If you’ve had a problem with where Christian fiction is going nowadays, now is your time to be heard. Even if I get two more unbelievers, at this point if the posts you provide get written and submitted, I will still post them as I don’t usually like to waste people’s time.
Thanks to all those who have contributed to this series! Especially thank you to David and Jennifer for their time. You can read the bios and see the photos of all contributors for this series here.
Thanks, Nikole Hahn
Are You An Atheist or Humanist?
Dear Readers,
“Christian Fiction: Is It Effective?” will post from June 13-20. I have come across blog posts like She Reads or Mike Duran or even A Christian Worldview that have discussed the effectiveness of Christian fiction.
In my opinion, Christian fiction is created for Christians. How can it be effective if it’s in the Christian genre? Some unbelievers feel intense anger towards the genre and won’t give it a second look. Some Amazon reviews show this anger with comments like the genre being ‘religous,’ or, ‘deceiving’ because they ‘didn’t know’ it was of the Christian genre. Some wonder if there isn’t a plan to simply eradicate Christianity from literature by sabotaging Christian fiction via reviews. So what do nonbelievers think of Christian fiction?
In this series, four Christian novelists and four nonbelievers will square off. This is not a debate about Christianity. The Christian novelists will write a 750-word blog post on why they write Christian fiction and how they intend to reach the unbeliever, while the nonbeliever will write a 750-word blog post about what they like or don’t like about Christian fiction, citing examples and being specific.
Comments will be moderated that week to ensure the discussion stays honest and friendly. I don’t care where the conversation goes, as long as we treat each other like humanbeings.
I only have two nonbelievers who have contributed. They have done an excellent job in answering my question. I need two more. Here are their bios and photos:
David Rosman is an award winning author, columnist and educator. You can read his weekly essays in the Columbia Missourian, and on InkandVoice.com/editorials. He is also a book reviewer for the New York Journal of Books.
Originally from the New York City metro-area, having lived in Denver, Colorado for 25-years, five-months and 22-days (but who was counting), David now resides in the middle of Middle-America, Columbia, Missouri.
David is faculty of Communication at Columbia College and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer (CCBW) of InkandVoice Communication, providing communication consulting and editing services for business, political campaigns, and not-for-profits. He is the winner of the Interactive Media Council’s award for political web site design, writing and editing, and has been twice nominated for the Kulp-Wright awards for training and academic textbook and classroom excellence.
David’s most recent book is A Christian Nation?: An examination of Christian nation theories and proofs, and is available through Amazon.com in paperback or eBook formats.
He also writes: “I am a member of the Columbia Atheists Association (American Atheists). At 13, after my Bar Mitzvah, I wanted to become a Cantor and ended up at St. Louis University’s Parks College of Engineering, a Jesuit institution, where I was required to take all of the religion courses. There was a failed baptism in the Ohio River on my 25 birthday, and I was on the Board of Directors of two Temples before I discovered that I never really believed in God since I discovered quantum mechanics, evolution, and critical thinking.”
Hello, my name is Jennifer. I am the author of:
- Jen Hancock’s Handy Humanism Handbook. (offered free if you sign up for my mailing list)
http://thebullyvaccine.com
which will be out early May 2012. I write a freelance column about Humanism for the Bradenton Herald newspaper and yes, I am interested in syndicating it. I am also the Tampa Humanist and Freethought Examiner for Examiner.com and I publish the Happiness through Humanism blog and podcast. Finally, I am a speaker specializing in Humanism, ethics, morality and what motivates us to be better humans. I’m on the web at:
http://www.jen-hancock.com
Could this be you? I need two more nonbelievers. email me at nikolehahn@thehahnhuntinglodge.com
Christian Novelists:
Tricia Goyer is the author of thirty books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.
Carol Cox: If you’re a lover of history, mystery, and romance, you’ve come to the right place—a place where time pauses beneath brilliant Arizona skies.
As a third-generation Arizonan, I have a special love for the Southwest and its history. Life in the Old West was never easy, but the American Frontier had a way of drawing people who were resilient, who met adversity with a quiet inner strength and a reliance on God’s provision. From the deserts to the canyons to the towering pine forests, the history of my home state is filled with tales of characters whose courage and tenacity helped shape this part of the country.
I grew up listening to stories about people like this. Men and women who possessed the qualities needed to meet the challenges of this rugged land. Men and women who experienced their share of laughter and tears while taming the Southwest . . . and learning something about themselves and their relationship with God along the way. These are the kind of men and women who inspire the books I write.
Dianne Christner lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where life sizzles, at least in the summer when temperatures soar above 100 degrees. Before writing, Dianne balanced a career of office management with raising a family and serving the Lord in her local church.
She has been married for thirty-nine years. Dianne and Jim have two married children, Mike and Rachel, and five grandchildren. With several historical fictions to her credit, she hopes you enjoy her new contemporary series – The Plain City Bridesmaids. If you want to learn more about Dianne’s writing and personal life, visit her blog. She loves interacting with her readers.
C. S. Lakin is novelist and writing coach who spends her time divided between developing new book ideas and helping writers polish theirs. She is the author of twelve novels – six contemporary novels and six in the fantasy/sci-fi genre. Whether she is exploring the depths of the human psyche and pushing her characters to the edge of desperation, or embellishing an imaginary world replete with talking pigs and ancient magical curses, she is doing what she loves best – using her creativity and skills to inspire and affect her readers.
Please join us that week. If you’re a nonbeliever, contact me to contribute at nikolehahn@thehahnhuntinglodge.com. This is your opportunity to share your views. Feel free to ask questions.
Readers: Will you join us on that day and share your opinion after each post? You can subscribe to my posts so it comes to your email.
Mid-June Series Introduction: Exciting News!
Dear Readers,
“Christian Fiction: Is It Effective?” will post from June 13-20. I have come across blog posts like She Reads or Mike Duran or even A Christian Worldview that have discussed the effectiveness of Christian fiction.
In my opinion, Christian fiction is created for Christians. How can it be effective if it’s in the Christian genre? Some unbelievers feel intense anger towards the genre and won’t give it a second look. Some Amazon reviews show this anger with comments like the genre being ‘religous,’ or, ‘deceiving’ because they ‘didn’t know’ it was of the Christian genre. Some wonder if there isn’t a plan to simply eradicate Christianity from literature by sabotaging Christian fiction via reviews. So what do nonbelievers think of Christian fiction?
In this series, four Christian novelists and four nonbelievers will square off. This is not a debate about Christianity. The Christian novelists will write a 750-word blog post on why they write Christian fiction and how they intend to reach the unbeliever, while the nonbeliever will write a 750-word blog post about what they like or don’t like about Christian fiction, citing examples and being specific.
Comments will be moderated that week to ensure the discussion stays honest and friendly. I don’t care where the conversation goes, as long as we treat each other like humanbeings.
I only have two nonbelievers who have contributed. They have done an excellent job in answering my question. I need two more. Here are their bios and photos:
David Rosman is an award winning author, columnist and educator. You can read his weekly essays in the Columbia Missourian, and on InkandVoice.com/editorials. He is also a book reviewer for the New York Journal of Books.
Originally from the New York City metro-area, having lived in Denver, Colorado for 25-years, five-months and 22-days (but who was counting), David now resides in the middle of Middle-America, Columbia, Missouri.
David is faculty of Communication at Columbia College and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer (CCBW) of InkandVoice Communication, providing communication consulting and editing services for business, political campaigns, and not-for-profits. He is the winner of the Interactive Media Council’s award for political web site design, writing and editing, and has been twice nominated for the Kulp-Wright awards for training and academic textbook and classroom excellence.
David’s most recent book is A Christian Nation?: An examination of Christian nation theories and proofs, and is available through Amazon.com in paperback or eBook formats.
He also writes: “I am a member of the Columbia Atheists Association (American Atheists). At 13, after my Bar Mitzvah, I wanted to become a Cantor and ended up at St. Louis University’s Parks College of Engineering, a Jesuit institution, where I was required to take all of the religion courses. There was a failed baptism in the Ohio River on my 25 birthday, and I was on the Board of Directors of two Temples before I discovered that I never really believed in God since I discovered quantum mechanics, evolution, and critical thinking.”
Hello, my name is Jennifer. I am the author of:
- Jen Hancock’s Handy Humanism Handbook. (offered free if you sign up for my mailing list)
http://thebullyvaccine.com
which will be out early May 2012. I write a freelance column about Humanism for the Bradenton Herald newspaper and yes, I am interested in syndicating it. I am also the Tampa Humanist and Freethought Examiner for Examiner.com and I publish the Happiness through Humanism blog and podcast. Finally, I am a speaker specializing in Humanism, ethics, morality and what motivates us to be better humans. I’m on the web at:
http://www.jen-hancock.com
Could this be you? I need two more nonbelievers. email me at nikolehahn@thehahnhuntinglodge.com
Christian Novelists:
Tricia Goyer is the author of thirty books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.
Carol Cox: If you’re a lover of history, mystery, and romance, you’ve come to the right place—a place where time pauses beneath brilliant Arizona skies.
As a third-generation Arizonan, I have a special love for the Southwest and its history. Life in the Old West was never easy, but the American Frontier had a way of drawing people who were resilient, who met adversity with a quiet inner strength and a reliance on God’s provision. From the deserts to the canyons to the towering pine forests, the history of my home state is filled with tales of characters whose courage and tenacity helped shape this part of the country.
I grew up listening to stories about people like this. Men and women who possessed the qualities needed to meet the challenges of this rugged land. Men and women who experienced their share of laughter and tears while taming the Southwest . . . and learning something about themselves and their relationship with God along the way. These are the kind of men and women who inspire the books I write.
Dianne Christner lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where life sizzles, at least in the summer when temperatures soar above 100 degrees. Before writing, Dianne balanced a career of office management with raising a family and serving the Lord in her local church.
She has been married for thirty-nine years. Dianne and Jim have two married children, Mike and Rachel, and five grandchildren. With several historical fictions to her credit, she hopes you enjoy her new contemporary series – The Plain City Bridesmaids. If you want to learn more about Dianne’s writing and personal life, visit her blog. She loves interacting with her readers.
C. S. Lakin is novelist and writing coach who spends her time divided between developing new book ideas and helping writers polish theirs. She is the author of twelve novels – six contemporary novels and six in the fantasy/sci-fi genre. Whether she is exploring the depths of the human psyche and pushing her characters to the edge of desperation, or embellishing an imaginary world replete with talking pigs and ancient magical curses, she is doing what she loves best – using her creativity and skills to inspire and affect her readers.
Please join us that week. If you’re a nonbeliever, contact me to contribute at nikolehahn@thehahnhuntinglodge.com. This is your opportunity to share your views. Feel free to ask questions.
Readers: Will you join us on that day and share your opinion after each post? You can subscribe to my posts so it comes to your email.
Book Review – Armor of God: The Paladin
Armor of God: The Paladin is the work of Tracy Lesch. According to Amazon’s bio, “Tracy Lesch is an award-winning writer of Fantasy, Suspense, and other Speculative Fiction. He is a former Dungeons & Dragons illustrator, radio, and television personality. His work has appeared in books, magazines, and online venues.” That’s why it surprised me that I didn’t like the novel.
Excerpts of Armor of God: The Paladin won him Writer of the Year from the Florida Christian Writer’s Conference and his Christian Writer’s Guild mentor is Eva Everson—author of Chasing Sunsets (Baker/Revell 2011), This Fine Life (Baker/Revell 2010), and others. Tracy is a member of Word Weavers and the Christian Writer’s Guild. I can understand why excerpts of Armor of God: The Paladin won awards. Depending upon which excerpts, by itself some sections are quite well written:
“I cannot win with my own human hatred or bloodlust, but only with His righteous anger. No human could possibly stand against the unholy evils I have seen.” (Location 208-209)
“The silver was exquisite, beautiful as I softly polished the blade. When I looked closely I could see tiny rainbows in the mirrored surface.” (Location 178-179)
The novel is about a monk named Captain Jean Baptiste who is fulfilling a role as “God’s own Paladin.” He seeks demons and kills them. Part of the description states, “the hardest demons to vanquish maybe those that lurk within the human heart. What lies ahead for the one mortal on earth who can summon the very Armor of God?” There were so many problems with the novel.
Each chapter does not designate a place or date (i.e. Germany, 1505). In chapter one the line where Jean, the Paladin says, “As long as I pursued the Quest, I was very hard to kill,” made me take a pause. Also, as the talons of the monster attacking Paladin begin to tear him a part, a sword “magically” appears in his hand saving the day. Both of these items lesson the high stakes.
Why should I continue reading if Paladin is very hard to kill? Chapter two had no designation of time or place and when I read the name, “Germany,” I felt confused. Obviously, this was the past on earth, but when and where? Shouldn’t there be historical references as the story takes place on earth in the past? Chapter one also confused me because I could not tell if this was a man or a woman. If one didn’t read the description of the novel, one would be wondering about this until more information is discovered later in the novel. Voice is another issue.
Right away I don’t like Paladin. He’s arrogant, conceited, and self-absorbed. I couldn’t imagine why any farmer or lay person in that world would invite him into their house. He’s overly dramatic. The novel is written in first person and so it gets you into the head of Paladin. There are also classic writing mistakes—things most of us would get critiqued for in our own Word Weavers group.
Chapter two continues to leave the reader in a dark fog. This short chapter is all conversation with no beats, tags, or description. At this point, I have no idea who is talking to whom. Then, Tracy manages to commit massive info-dumping for several chapters as Paladin sits down with Gustav and Anna and recounts his life story to them. From chapter ten to chapter fourteen Paladin’s dialogue is mostly unbroken. The reader is forced to read his entire history in dialogue. Typically, novels I read do not force the reader to sit through what I would call a “lecture.” It loses its tension here and my interest. Then, there’s the preachy dialogue.
“No, that is not what I mean. Do you commune daily with the Lord, is He part of every moment of your daily life? Do you pray?” It didn’t sound natural. While I was reviewing this novel, I was also in the midst of reviewing, “Scream,” by Mike Dellosso. He had a great example of showing why a character should believe in God instead of telling by mixing in relational issues associated with being a believer in a family of non-believers and showing the fear of the demons (hence, the screaming) in each character. I think there was way too much telling in Tracy’s novel.
The novel didn’t stir my emotions, excite me so that I looked forward to returning to its pages, or make me feel sympathy to Paladin as I neared the end of the novel and learned more about his family. I think the plot and story have potential, but in its present form I wouldn’t read it again. When I finally discovered some good emotional paragraphs I became excited because some humanity finally comes through in Paladin’s character.
Overall, I rated this two stars. To judge the novel yourself, you can buy it on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.
*Book given by author to review.
Book Review: Blue Moon Bay
Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate explores the concept of family in an intense novel about returning home, running away, and facing the shadows of the past. This southern-spiced novel brings us to Heather Hampton’s hometown of Moses Lake, Texas as she hurries to close a land deal between her family and her Seattle, Washington firm who represents Proxica—a large, Texas commercial farming company interested in developing her uncle’s land.
It’s the first time Heather has been able to head a large deal at her firm. Her reputation, her future at her firm rests upon the flakiness of her mother and her restless brother and quirky uncles. During a presentation, a phone call from her so-called boyfriend and mother alert Heather to the complications all ready arising. A disastrous flight out to Moses Lake, Texas brings her to the place she has run from all her life—a home of secrets and grief.
Her father was shot in Moses Lake in the basement of their home. Her view of the townspeople became colored by her emotions as a goth teenager, and it’s what she remembers as an adult. Circumstances force Heather to slow down and she becomes a reluctant participant in her family antics—a dog that hides her iPhone, chews her purse, and the entire clan stepping outside with spades to locate the items the dog buried. Heather meets Blaine Underhill, a high school heartthrob, and at first, I am not sure I liked him. She had so much suspicion about his intentions and involvement in the land deal.
On the surface, the deal with Proxica looks good, even healthy for the town as it would bring in so many much needed jobs. She can’t understand the secrets everyone is harboring and she isn’t sure of Blaine’s intentions with the land deal or what his involvement could mean.
Wingate manages to keep me tethered to the story even after I have temporarily put it down for the day, and I couldn’t wait to get back to it. Her romantic storyline is not predictable. You are left wondering during the first half of the book if Blaine is likable, and then if he is the one, or will she return to her so-called boyfriend that she’s mistreated emotionally—having left the boyfriend wanting in the relationship for the emotional vacuum that she herself lives in. I had marked so many quotable areas in Blue Moon Bay, but rather than tease you with that, I will encourage you to read the book. It’s worth the time. I give this book five stars. She’s earned every star.
*Book given by Bethany House Publishers to review.
Finished
My fingers typed faster as I neared the Epilogue. I had written myself into a corner and agonized how to make a somewhat happy ending out of the massive destruction the evil person in my story had done. Sometimes, life doesn’t happen the way we want and for some of us “happy endings” are not always our reality. Perhaps that’s why I loved “Ever After.” A typical Cinderella story with a twist and some insight into the evil stepmother. It’s a far cry from the original version of Cinderella where the evil stepmother and stepsisters get their eyes pecked out by birds. It’s still satisfying. So I sat down and wrote and FINISHED my novel. I wrote my way out of the corner.
It still feels unreal like I should still have that novel unfinished like clinging to a security blanket. I’m all ready thinking of book 2 of my series and a separate book in case editors don’t like it. A writer is always working, always writing. This week I will be proofing it before I send it to two of my friends for editing. Also, comes the tedious outlining of the entire plot as I proof because there are story lines yet unused in the pages of The Rose Door that will birth other books. I have to add to my genealogy of the kings and queens of my land and add to the magical of my land, too.
So here I toast to my first novel finished and celebrate the beginning of two new novels. The second novel in the Origins: Quest for Home series is tentatively called, “Firebrand.” The standalone novel I am beginning is called, “And Giants Will Rise.”
Meanwhile, I hope you will celebrate with me!
