AWC Conference: Sell Your Books

I'm often asked where can published authors sell their books or gain exposure for their books. A great way is to sell your books at a writers' conference. Writers, authors and aspiring authors are eager to get their hands on books by new authors, especially if they have the opportunity to meet the author in person.

The Alabama Writers' Conclave is one of the oldest writers' organizations in continuous existence in the United States. Published AWC members, who attend the meeting (held during the conference), can sell their books at the bookstore. The AWC provides a bookstore and bookseller on Saturday of the conference from 8:00 AM (set up time) to about 4:00 PM. All you have to do is let the bookseller, Marie Peerson, know the number titles and copies (usually not more the 10 copies of each title) that you would like to bring. The bookseller will display the books in the bookstore and act as cashier. This is the only way books are sold at the AWC conference. Membership dues are $25 per year and include the quarterly newsletter, reduced registration costs, and reduced contest entry fees. SO JOIN TODAY! If you are already a member of the AWC and are registered to attend the conference, it cost you nothing to sell your books during the conference.

If you would like to attend the conference held July 20-22, 2012 in Huntsville, Alabama at the Space and Rocket Center Marriott Hotel, please visit the website of the Alabama Writers' Conclave for more information or go to the registration form and you can join as a member online or register for the conference online.

Below is a schedule of the Alabama Writers' Conclave Conference. I will also be conducting two workshops during the conference, so I hope to see you there!

2012 Alabama Writers’ Conclave Conference Schedule

Friday July 20

   5:00 PM                Registration in Conference area beyond the Hotel Lobby

   6:30 – 8:00           Reception Sponsored by Alabama State Poetry Society

   8:00 – 9:00           An Evening with the Poets

   9:15 –                   Open-mic

Saturday July 21

  7:30  –   9:00 AM  Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:00 AM – 4:30 PM  Bookstore Open

  8:30  –   9:30         Nonfiction Writings (Rhodes): True Stories.  Well Told.  What do

                                they ‘they’ want?

  8:30  –   9:30         Social Media (Sledge): Low Cost Creative Marketing Strategies

                                for Authors

  9:30  –   9:45         Break

  9:45  – 10:45         Poetry (Brown): Writing Your Pivotal Moments:  Tension in Poetry

  9:45  – 10:45         Fiction (Holladay): An Old Hotel by the Railroad Tracks: Sources

                                and Subjects

10:45  – 11:00         Break

11:00  – 12:00         Writers-in-Residence (Cline & Richards):  The Mystery of Writing

                                Suspense,

12:00  –  1:30          AWC Lunch

  1:30  –   2:30         Nonfiction (Rhodes): Real People on the Page: Character in

                                Creative Nonfiction

  1:30  –   2:30         Haiku (French): An Introduction to Haiku

  2:30  –   2:45         Break

  2:45  –   3:45         Poetry (Brown): For Better or Worse: Inheritance and Heritage

  2:45  –   3:45         Fiction (Holladay): Shining Stars: Developing Your Characters

  3:45  –   4:00         Break

  4:00  –   5:30         Manuscript Critiques, Formal and Informal groups

  6:00  –   9:30         Grace Gravlee Awards Banquet

                                 Keynote Address (Cline & Richards):  The Genesis of Jokes;

                                 Writing Contest Awards Presentations

Sunday July 22

  7:30  –  9:00 AM     Registration and Continental Breakfast

  9:00 – 10:00           Nonfiction (Rhodes): Show and Tell

  9:00 – 10:00           Social Media (Sledge): How to Blog, Tweet and Facebook your way

                                 to Book Sales

10:00 – 10:15           Break

10:15 – 11:15           Poetry (Brown): Portraits and Characters

10:15 – 11:15           Fiction (Holladay): The Memory Project

11:15 – 11:30           Break

11:30 – 12:30           Annual AWC Member Business Meeting and DOOR PRIZES

Top 25 Blogs for Writers

Most of you know that I have a passion for writing and that I have a few books being released soon. But I wanted to share some of the resources I use as a writer, especially other blogs I frequently visit that are geared towards providing writing resources for creative minds. Hopefully it can be of use to an aspiring writer, author or blog reader. So here they are, my top 25 blogs for writers. Plus, two bonus blogs I just had to squeeze in there. They are listed in no particular order.

• Allison Winn Scotch (formerly known as Ask Allison, site provides publishing and marketing info)
• Apostrophe Abuse (teaches the correct way to use an apostrophe)
• A Writer's Life (from the writer who created the books, the TV show Monk was based on)
• The Beacon Blog for Writers (resource for writers to help them get published)
• Cat's Eye Writer (for bloggers who write and writers who blog)
• The Creative Penn (provides resources for writers to write, publish and sell their books)
• Evil Editor (provides tips on defining your craft with better editing skills)
• Flogging the Quill (how to pursue the art and craft of compelling storytelling)
• Grammarphobia (readers ask grammar questions and get responses)
• John Baker's Blog (an author blog, has some great resources on writing)
• Kim's Craft Blog (tips about constraints and creativity, including memoirs, fiction & creative writing)
• Make a Living Writing (shows writers how to make a good living with their writing)
• Paperback Writer (writer of forty-five novels in eight genres, she talks about writing and her life)
• The Plotmonkeys (several bloggers talking about books and their lives)
• Scott Berkun (bestselling author and public speaker, share writing techniques for creative thinking)
• Six Sentences (write in six sentence exercise, and you can submit your own)
• Storyfix (tips to get serious about writing and writing stories that attract readers)
• Time to Write (inspiration, ideas and tips for aspiring writers, writers and creative people)
• Wordplay (provides resources to help aspiring writers become authors)
• Wordswimmer (insights into understanding the writing process)
• Write Anything (inspiration, motivation and writing challenges)
• Write Better (tips on communication, business writing and creative writing)
• Writer Beware (a publishing industry watchdog that helps writers avoid scams, pitfalls and schemes)
• Write to Done (effective ways to write better)
• Writers Write (resources about writing, books and publishing)
• Writer Unboxed (blog that dissects books and finds out what makes them great from a writer's view)
• Emerging Writers Network (info on how to work towards succeeding in writing

Do you visit any of the blogs on the list?

Do you have or know

 a blog I can add to the list?

Book Review: "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina Garcia

 

Product Details:

Dreaming in Cuban is a novel about the bonds and differences (political, geographical, and personal) of three generations of women in the del Pino family. The novel is set against the backdrop of the Cuban Revolution.

This is a beautifully written novel. It is about three generations of women; the grandmother, Celia; the daughters, Felicia and Lourdes; and the granddaughter, Pilar. The novel takes place in Cuba and in The United States. It jumps back and forth in time, linear at times, but not consistently. It is written in third person omniscient with some first person narratives told through letters.

Celia del Pino is a Cuban woman in her late 60's who supports Cuba and its revolution. While her husband, Jorge, is a supporter of the American form of government. Jorge leaves his wife in Cuba and goes to live with his daughter Lourdes in America while seeking medical treatment  for stomach cancer. He dies, never returning to Cuba, which haunts Celia, never again having seen her husband.

Celia's daughter Lourdes, who has fled from Cuba and moved to Brooklyn, opens up a bakery. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and her daughter, Pilar. Pilar is a teenager with a punk style and rebellious attitude. Although Pilar rebels against her mother, she manages to retain a connection to her grandmother in Cuba. Celia is afraid that her granddaughter will lose her Cuban heritage while living in the U.S. Celia's other daughter Felicia, lives in Cuba and becomes mentally unstable and practices the religion of Santeria.


This novel took me on a journey of highs and lows. It is a portrait of the dysfunctional relationship between mother and child. Celia and her daughters struggle for a balance in their different ideals and beliefs but never reach a fully resolved medium. The history of Cuba propels Celia to try and maintain a familial connection, while the cultural and political shackles tear her family apart. The main themes present in this novel are cultural and generational differences, forced and self-imposed exile, dysfunctional relationships, mental illness and political tension to name a few.

I think I read the entire book in a Latin accent in my mind. The words were easy, silky and rhythmic. It was as if I were reading a novel living in a poetic whirlwind. With lyrical oxymorons, the words flowed from the page with a literary cadence. The rhapsodic flow seduced me and I wanted more words to read and absorb, to practice and refine my Latin accent. There are some beautifully written sentences that are so rich, that my dislike for the structure of the novel with its jumping of location, time and place became tolerable. The narrative content is not compelling. I did not walk away with some new found enlightenment. But I did reach the end with an enhanced appreciation for storytelling. If I could sum this book into one word it would be... dreamy.  I would highly recommend this book.

4 STARS
****

Memorable Quotes and Excerpts

"Celia reaches into her straw handbag for more red lipstick, then darkens the mole on her left cheek with a black eyebrow pencil. Her sticky graying hair is tied in a chignon at her neck. Celia played the piano once and still exercises her hands, unconsciously stretching them two notes beyond an octave. She wears leather pumps with her bright housedress."


"This was just like her. Pretty words. Meaningless words that didn't nourish us, that didn't comfort us, that kept us prisoners in her alphabet world."


"My sister and I call our mother "not-Mama." As in not-Mama charred the chicken and is cursing in the kitchen. Not-Mama is playing that record again, dancing by herself in the dark. Watch out, not-Mama is feeling sorry for herself. She wants us to tell her we love her. When we don't, she looks right past us as if she could see another pair of girls just behind us, girls who will tell her what she wants to hear."

Thirsty Thursdays

Thirsty for something new to read? Well, here are a few upcoming book releases along with their release date and product details provided by the publisher. I will likely add a couple of them to my book review list to complete a review for in the future. Stay connected every Thursday for new book releases.
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"Chasing Fire" by Nora Roberts


Release Date: April 2011
Product Details from Publisher:

There's little as thrilling as firefighting-at least to Rowan Tripp. The Missoula smoke jumpers are in Rowan's blood: her father is a legend. She's been fighting fires since her eighteenth birthday. At this point, returning to the wilds of Montana for the season feels like coming home-even with reminders of the partner she lost last season still lingering. 

Fortunately, this year's rookie crop is one of the strongest ever-and Gulliver Curry's one of the best. He's also a walking contradiction, a hotshot firefighter with a big vocabulary and a winter job at a kids' arcade. 

Everything is thrown off balance when a dark presence lashes out against Rowan, looking to blame someone for last year's tragedy. Rowan knows she can't complicate things with Gull-any distractions in the air or on the ground could mean the end-but if she doesn't find someone she can lean on, she may not make it through the summer. . . .
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"The Gathering" by Kelley Armstrong


Release Date: April 2011
Product Details From Publisher:

Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations. 

It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

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"A Wife for Westmoreland" by Brenda Jackson

Release Date: April 1, 2011
Product Details by Publisher:

For weeks, Derringer Westmoreland was haunted by memories of a woman whose face he could not recall. But he wanted—he needed—to share that intense passion again. Now.When he finally traced his mystery woman, he was met with a surprise. His fantastic one-night stand was Lucia Conyers, his sister-in-law's best friend. And Lucia wasn't about to become one of Derringer's women. For the first time in his charmed life, the ranch owner had some wooing to do. And if he wanted to win Lucia's heart, he'd better be ready to risk his own.…

--------------------------

"The Peach Keeper" by Sarah Addison Allen

Release Date: April 2011

Product Details by Publisher's Weekly:

At, Willa Jackson returns to her small Southern hometown, Walls of Water, N.C., in the wake of a failed marriage to her college sweetheart. She's determined now to lead the quiet life she believes her father wants her to have, but is soon derailed by the wealthy and powerful Osgoods, the family that shaped her high school experience. The Jacksons were also wealthy once, until the logging industry failed, and Willa's teenage grandmother went to work as a maid for the Osgoods. Paxton Osgood, Willa's counterpart, has everything Willa envies—wealth, beauty and a sense of belonging—but Paxton hides a deep loneliness and discontent. To further complicate Willa's unrest, Paxton's brother, Colin, fled town years before but has returned and become an irresistible force in Willa's life. When a skeleton that holds the secret to both the Osgood and Jackson family fortunes is discovered at the Jackson family's old estate, long-held beliefs are likely to be overturned. Allen (The Girl Who Chased the Moon) juggles smalltown history and mystical thriller, character development and eerie magical realism in a fine Southern gothic drama. The underlying tension will please and unnerve readers, as well as leave them eager for Allen's next.

------------------------------

"Heartbreak of a Hustler's Wife" by Nikki Turner


Release Date: April 2011
Product Details by Publisher:


Yarni Taylor is a successful corporate attorney who wants nothing more than for her husband, Des, to renounce his hustlin’ ways and commit to his life as a pastor—especially after someone tries to kill him. But Des isn’t ready to abandon his old habits just yet. He has to find out who is behind the murder attempt, and he wonders if the brazen robbery that took place during one of his church services is related in any way. But before he or Yarni can regain their footing, a young woman shows up on their doorstep—Desember Day, the eighteen-year-old daughter Des never knew he had. And, unfortunately, she takes after her father, so trouble isn’t far behind. With their lives on the line, Yarni must sacrifice everything and take it out of the office and back to the streets to save her husband and her family from their checkered but intricately connected pasts.
-------------------------------


"Heads You Lose" by Lisa Lutz


Release Date: April 2011
Product Details by Publisher:


Meet Paul and Lacey Hansen: orphaned, pot-growing twentysomething siblings eking out a living in rural Northern California. When a headless corpse appears on their property, they can't exactly dial 911, so they move the body and wait for the police to find it. Instead, the corpse reappears, a few days riper . . . and an amateur sleuth is born. Make that two.

When collaborators Lutz and Hayward (former romantic partners) start to disagree about how the story should unfold, the body count rises, victims and suspects alike develop surprising characteristics (meet Brandy Chester, the stripper with the Mensa IQ), and sibling rivalry reaches homicidal intensity. Think Adaptation crossed with Weeds. Will the authors solve the mystery without killing each other first? 
---------------------------------


"Shady: A Novel" by Dell Banks



Release Date: March 31, 2011
Product Details by Publisher:


A world that is ruled by greed, betrayal and secrets! Giselle Whitfield's life has always been full of surprises. It all started with Ms. Greta Mitchell; her jealous-hearted mother, who abandoned her at a young age only to barge back into her life to create hell on earth. To cope with the drama of her past, Giselle does what's expected of her; scheming, lying and keeping secrets. Now, as a grown woman holding her own, will Giselle be able to extinguish the hellish flames of her conniving past and deceitful ways? Will the red carpet treatment from her Prince Charming, be the beacon of light to escape the darkness of her past? Join Dell Banks in his highly anticipated debut novel SHADY as he introduces some of the shadiest people to ever hit the streets of Detroit. Experience it all as it untangles toward a state of undoubted destiny...or fate.

Friday's Free Books for Kindle

These books are free books offered by Amazon for Kindle. I have not read most if any of these books. But they are free, and everyone likes something free. These books were offered at no cost (free) at the time I posted them, but make sure and confirm that the offer is still available before downloading. Enjoy and if you read any of the books on this list, please stop by and tell us what you thought about it.


Every Friday, new books will be added to Friday's Free Books for Kindle, so check back often.

Blessings.

"The Edge of Light" by Ann Shorey (Religious Fiction)

It is the summer of 1838 in St. Lawrenceville, Missouri, and Molly McGarvie's life is about to change forever. When her beloved Samuel succumbs to cholera, Molly is heartbroken but determined to take care of herself and her children. But when Samuel's unscrupulous brother takes over the family business and leaves Molly to fend for herself, she knows she must head out on her own. It is a dangerous journey and Molly has to leave her old life behind. Somehow she must find a way to make a living, keep her family together, and fend off some over-eager suitors. Book one in the At Home in Beldon Grove series, The Edge of Light will captivate readers with the true-to-life emotions of one woman's struggle to survive.


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"Fools Rush In" by Janice Thompson  (Fiction)

 Bella Rossi may be nearing thirty, but her life is just starting to get interesting. When her Italian-turned-Texan parents hand over the family wedding planning business, Bella is determined not to let them down. She quickly books a "Boot Scoot'n" wedding that would make any Texan proud. There's only one catch--she's a country music numbskull because her family only listens to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Where will she find a DJ on such short notice who knows his Alan Jackson from his Keith Urban? When a misunderstanding leads her to the DJ (and man) of her dreams, things start falling into place. But with a family like hers, nothing is guaranteed. Can the perfect Texan wedding survive a pizza-making uncle with mob ties, an aunt who is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and a massive delivery of 80 cowboy boots? And will Bella ever get to plan her own wedding? Book one in the Weddings by Bella series, Fools Rush In is fun, fresh, and full of surprises. Readers will love the flavorful combination of Italian and Tex-Mex, and the hilarity that ensues when cultures clash.
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"Hide in Plain Sight" by Marta Perry  (Romantic Suspense)

 "Please God, if you're listening, keep Rachel safe." She couldn't turn her back on her family in their time of need. So when her sister was injured, financial expert Andrea Hampton traded the big city for Amish country to help turn her grandmother's house into an inn. But life with the Plain People took a treacherous turn when a string of accidents and pranks threatened her family. Someone didn't want the secrets the old house harbored to come to light. Trusting anyone—even the handsome carpenter who seemed so genuine—was a battle for Andrea, but her life depended on her ability to find the truth.



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"The Homecoming: A Novel" by Dan Walsh  (Fiction)

 No sooner is Shawn Collins home from the fighting in Europe than he's called upon to serve his country as a war hero on a USO bond tour. Others might jump at the chance to travel all around the country with attractive Hollywood starlets. But not Shawn. He just wants to stay home with his son Patrick, his aging father and to grieve the loss of his wife in private. When Shawn asks Katherine Townsend, Patrick's former social worker, to be Patrick's nanny while he's on the road, he has no idea how this decision will impact his life. Could it be the key to his future happiness and the mending of his heart? Or will the war once again threaten his chances for a new start?



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"Homespun Bride" by Jillian Hart  (Religious Fiction)

Montana Territory in 1883 was a dangerous place—especially for a blind woman struggling to make her way through an early winter snowstorm. Undaunted, Noelle Kramer fought to remain independent. But then a runaway horse nearly plunged her into a rushing, ice-choked river, before a stranger's strong, sure hand saved her from certain death. And yet this was no stranger.
Though she could not know it, her rescuer was rancher Thad McKaslin, the man who had once loved her more than life itself. Losing her had shaken all his most deeply held beliefs. Now he wondered if the return of this strong woman was a sign that somehow he could find his way home.


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"Howling for My Baby: Book 1" by Beverly Rae  (Romance)

Romeo and Juliet never had to worry about being skinned alive.
Sydney Skeller’s father is spitting bullets over her reluctance to join the family business as a shifter hunter. The last thing Daddy needs to know is why—she yearns for a lover who’s man enough for a relationship but animal enough to give her the wild ride of her dreams. After a treadmill mishap lands her in a tangled heap with Jason Cannon, she wonders if she’s finally found her beast, er, man. One session in bed and one bite later, she’s sure. Now if only she can keep her father from mounting Jason’s head on a wall…
Jason is all man on the surface, but wolf shifter down to the bone. He’s more than ready to stop “playing the pack” and find his one true mate, and Sydney of the luscious curves is the woman of his dreams. Finding out that she comes from a family sworn to eradicate his kind isn’t a deal-breaker. But her outrageous plan for him to masquerade as the wolf in hunter’s clothing, right under her father’s very nose, could be asking more than he ever expected to give.
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"The Maverick Experiment" by Drew Berquist  (Thriller)

 Breaking all the rules, a battle-hardened group of fighters confront Afghan terrorists on their own terms In wartime, some operations have to be conducted outside the normal lines of authority. Nowhere is this more true than in modern Afghanistan, the setting for this riveting military thriller. Derek Stevens is an experienced interrogator fluent in multiple languages and highly trained in weapons and escape and evasion techniques. He is the ideal candidate to lead a crew on a top-secret mission into Afghanistan to neutralize Taliban leaders. That mission, as it turns out, is much more challenging than even he had expected. Stevens’ assignment leads him and his maverick warriors through the most dangerous prison in Kabul and into the Pakistani heartland of the terrorist resistance. Working deep undercover, they deliver tough justice to the world’s toughest terrorists. Drawn from the author’s own experiences with the U.S. intelligence and Special Operations communities, The Maverick Experiment reveals the inner workings of the international intelligence machine and the gritty, blood-soaked reality of life on the front lines of the war in Afghanistan.
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"Paid in Blood" by Mel Odom   (Suspense)

 The death of a fellow NCIS agent in North Carolina leads Will Coburn and his special team of naval crime-scene investigators to discover a drug-and-arms smuggling ring. The investigation leads them to a U.S. military base in South Korea. When a body is stolen from a crime scene, the team discovers that their suspect is not who he seems. Nuclear weapons have gone missing, and it's a race against time as the NCIS team uncovers the true face of evil.





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"Stolen Hearts" by Karen Erickson  (Erotic Romance)

Stolen Hearts is a stand-alone sequel to Virgin Jewels.Celeste Anderson doesn't believe in love at first sight. She intends to marry someone with the same interests and financial aspirations and have a neat, orderly life. But there's something to be said for the thrill of the unknown — and when Alex enters her family jewelry store, her body decides it's more than ready for a few thrills.Desperate for his father's approval, ex-jewel thief Alex Moretti reluctantly agrees to steal an antique diamond bracelet from a tiny, ill-secured shop. No problem for a pro like Alex — until he meets Celeste. Now the only thing he's interested in stealing is her heart.


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"When You Went Away" by Michael Baron  (Fiction)

From Publishers Weekly:

Baron's carefully crafted debut tale, the Story Plant's first mass market original, is too true-to-life to be interesting. Gerry Rubato's wife has died and his teenage daughter has run away from home, leaving him alone to raise an infant son. Despite the recent tragedies, the focus of the novel is on rather ordinary non-events, such as Gerry's work at a catalogue company, opinions about the Yankees and tedious descriptions of food. As Gerry struggles to confront his runaway child, he chronicles his emotional reactions in a series of journal entries. A romantic subplot involving a colleague provides predictable conflict. Buried in the minutiae is an earnest tale of a man's emotional awakening and grief, but a too-easy resolution makes this more of a tour through Gerry's processing than a story.

Interview with T.K. Thorne, author of Noah's Wife

I had the honor of meeting Ms. Teresa at the Alabama Conclave Writers Conference and she was one of the first people to greet and welcome me. Right then, I knew she had a generous and caring heart. So I wanted Ms. Thorne to be my first author interview for fiction. Her work is unique and in a category by itself. The depth and richness she gives to her work is in abundance and you can tell she has taken great care with her characters to make them believable.


Mrs. Thorne was so kind to answer a few questions regarding her novel and her writing. She has donated a free autographed copy of her book to one lucky person who comments on my blog in the comments sections at the end of the interview. Just tell us what you thought of the interview and you will be entered into the drawing. It's as simply as that. The contest drawing ends in 3 days, so good luck and please share the link and spread the word. I hope you enjoy the interview and we wish Mrs. Thorne the best in her future endeavors.

From Book Jacket:

Noah’s Wife is Na’amah, a beautiful young girl with Asperger Syndrome who wishes only to be a shepherdess on her beloved hills in ancient Turkey, a desire shattered by the hatred of her powerful brother, the love of two men, and a looming disaster that threatens her world.  Na’amah tells her story and sees the world through the unique lens of a condition known today as Asperger's Syndrome.  Her savant abilities and penchant to speak truth forces her down a dangerous path in an age of change--a time of challenge to the goddess' ancient ways, when cultures clash and the earth itself is unstable.  When foreign raiders kidnap Na’amah, her journey to escape and return home becomes an attempt to save her people from the disaster only she knows is coming.

The Biblical account of Noah's wife only gives us a nameless woman who bears Noah's children and is with him in the ark.  T.K. Thorne, an award winning author, has filled in the story with her imagination based on geological and archaeological evidence of a great flood in the Black Sea region 7,000 years ago.

1. Where did the inspiration for "Noah's Wife" come from?

I was looking for a topic and thought Sena Jeter Nashlund’s Ahab’s Wife was such a great idea—a story from the perspective of an unknown person about a really famous one.  I recently had a chance to speak with Ms. Nashlund and confessed I stole her concept.  She was very gracious and pleased that it worked for me.  (Isn’t it wonderful when writers help other writers?)

So with that idea in mind, I sat up straight when I heard a local poet, Irene Latham, read her poem, “Noah’s Wife.”  She prefaced the reading by telling us that in the Bible story of the flood, Noah’s wife is only very briefly mentioned and not even given a name.  That was an exciting moment (Can’t get more famous than Noah!) and I started researching a possible historical basis for the flood.  The clincher was discovering the geological and archaeological evidence about a great flood in the Middle East around 5500 BCE.  That gave me a date to work with and I began to play with the idea.  It took four years to write and research.

2. What genre would you classify your novel?

Primarily Noah’s Wife is an “alternative” story (It is fiction set in a historical context, and it is mostly generated from my imagination.)  That said, I tried to use all the Biblical names and follow the story from this angle:  What do I think might have really happened in that time/place without the overlay of moral/religious redacting that could have resulted in the story we have now?  It won ForeWord Review’s “Book of the Year” (2009) for Historical Fiction, so I feel pretty comfortable with that genre classification, although it has romantic elements, as well as adventure …and could fall into a literary genre too!

3. What would you like readers to get out of reading Noah's Wife?

I would primarily hope they, like me, would fall in love with the characters and feel as if they were transported back in time with them.  I’ve had many people tell me that the story they grew up with is now so much more real to them.  Like all good stories, there are multiple layers.  One of the most interesting aspects to me was learning about the historical roots of the divine feminine from which our patriarchal religious heritage grew.  Another layer is that my character, Na’amah, has a form of autism we (now) term “Asperger’s.”  I would love for my book to help open some understanding of people with that syndrome.

4. When did you begin writing?

My grandmother read to me when I was young and I learned to love books.  I wrote my first story at age ten…or at least part of a story.  It was about a girl who got lost in a forest looking for a magical fox.  I read it aloud to my parents.  My mother did the “encouraging parent thing” and praised me mightily.  My father said, “Where’s the end?”  From that day on, I always put an ending on my stories! 

My plans to be an astronaut didn’t pan out, so I had adventures by writing about them.  Then, on the way to becoming a social worker, I accidentally became a police officer.  (Too long a story for here.) That has been a rich source of experiences for me, and many find their way into my stories, including perspectives on human nature I might not have had growing up as a sheltered southern girl.

5. What is your writing process like? (Do you have a set time that you sit down and write or just write when the urge comes)

Because I have a full time job, I am mostly a weekend-warrior writer.  But the actual typing of the words is only part of the process.  When I am working on a project, I am thinking about it constantly—in the car on the way to work and back, while I am loading the dishwasher, or even in the shower.  I have to let my imagination go and put my characters in a situation, listen to what they have to say or do about it, work out the plot, etc. and then when I do sit down to write, it goes pretty quickly.  It’s when I haven’t done all the pre-work that sometimes I do the stare- at-the-white- page thing.

6. What are you currently working on and what can we expect from you in the future?

 

My work-in-progress is Angels at the Gate.  Like Noah’s Wife, it’s an alternative story, this one of Lot’s Wife. (Yep, she's the one who turns into a "pillar of salt" looking back at Sodom.)  I know, it sounds like I have a grand plan to write novels based on little-known women of the Bible, but here's how it happened:  One  of the guys I work with (and tends toward the sarcastic) out of nowhere one day, cut his eyes sideways at me, and said, "Noah's wife, eh? What's next, Lot's wife?"  My first reaction: No way!  Sodom and Gomorrah?  Too dark.  But, as the days passed, I found myself thinking about how I would do it, until I just sat down and wrote the first sentence—

 "If the path of obedience is the path of wisdom, it is one not well-worn by my feet.  I am Yildeth, daughter of the caravan, daughter of the wind, and daughter of the famed merchant, Zakiti. That I am his daughter, not his son, is a secret between myself and my father.  This is a fine arrangement, as I prefer the freedoms of being a boy."

And then one word kept following the next!

7. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

The only way to ensure failure is to quit trying.  Rejection is hard, but you have to endure a great deal of it.  If you are like me, each time will hurt, but pick yourself up out of that hole and start typing.  Oh, and always put an ending on your stories!

Thank you Mrs. Thorne for taking the time to do the interview.

Please visit Mrs. Thorne at her website or click the amazon picture below to purchase her book. Thank you.

www.tkthorne.com

Blogging at www.tkthorne.wordpress.com 

Free Book Giveway of "Noah's Wife" ends March 30, 2011, midnight. One winner randomly selected by random.org

Book #6. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen, 52 Books in 52 Weeks

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Water for Elephants is a novel set in the 1930's and present day about an elderly man named Jacob Jankowski. He doesn't remember how old he really is....90 or 93, he's slightly bitter about it as he recounts how he has forgotten. While living in a nursing home, Jacob and some of the elderly women at the nursing home are looking out the window and they tell him that the circus is in town. This triggers Jacob's memories of working and living in a circus. He starts to recount his years spent in a circus called, The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show. The story is narrated by Jacob, alternating from past to present day through flashbacks.

Jacob's story begins with him recounting how he was set to be a veterinarian, but quit school just shy of finishing when his parents died in a car accident. Jacob is devastated and doesn't feel the desire to finish. Jacob has nowhere to go after losing his home, so he hops a train that takes the circus from town to town. As Jacob waits for the nursing home's  visit to the circus, Jacob relives his past in his mind, and the more he does so, the more he recounts the secrets that lie in his past.

Jacob is a likeable character, although in old age, his has become cranky for some odd unexplained reason. I would speculate that he is uncomfortable with being old. There are memorable characters in the story as well. The prominent character being Rosie, the elephant. Jacob was her caregiver and grew very fond of her. The novel also shows us the oppressive hierarchy within the circus, the cruelty shown to animals (which is why Jacob found it hard to leave the circus) and the relationships built and formed inside the circus.

Gruen is a great storyteller. She obviously did some research for this book due to the great lengths she goes to in order to describe circus life with great authenticity. At rare times, it felt like too much research. But the characters as odd and eccentric as they are, are very fascinating. Gruen weaved a gem of a story with humor, love, adventure, murder and loyalty....did I mention murder? I mean, who doesn't like a little suspense? Overall, I thought Water for Elephants was enjoyable. I think the love story between Jacob and Marlena should've been thoroughly developed but otherwise I would highly recommend. Now if only the circus would come to town.

**** 4 STARS

Great Quotes/Excerpts from "Water for Elephants"

"When you are five, you know your age down to the month. Even in your twenties, you know how old you are. I'm twenty-three you say, or maybe twenty-seven. But then in your thirties, something strange starts to happen. It is a mere hiccup at first, an instant of hesitation. How old are you? Oh, I'm--you start confidently, but then you stop. You were going to say thirty-three, but you are not. You're thirty-five. And then you're bothered, because you wonder if this is the beginning of the end. It is, of course, but it's decades before you admit it."

"Age is a terrible thief. Just when you're getting the hang of life, it knocks your legs out from under you and stoops your back. It makes you ache and muddies your head and silently spreads cancer throughout your spouse."

"Sometimes I think if I had to choose between an ear of corn or making love to a woman, I'd choose the corn."

"Now, go shovel some shit."

BOOK #3, "Caught Up In the Rapture" by Sheneska Jackson, 52 Books in 52 Weeks

This is a novel written by Sheneska Jackson. It is about two young people who want to attain great success in the music industry in South Central Los Angeles. There is 26 year old Jazmine Deems, who has a wonderful talent for singing, but her overbearing, preacher father won't support her and wants her to go to college and have a "normal" career. Jazmine has had no luck with men and has practically given up on finding love. Jazmine has an outgoing friend named Dakota, who's parents are already in the music industry. Dakota takes Jazmine to a music  event, where Jazmine's music demo ends up in the hands of a music executive named Bobby Strong who works for Black Tie Records. Bobby Strong is striving to impress in hopes of becoming boss when his own boss leaves Black Tie Records. However, there is a younger exec who is also vying for the position name Kirk Walker. Kirk Walker has just signed Xavier Honor, otherwise known as X-Man to the label. Xavier is a gangster who is headed in the wrong direction. He hopes his shot at becoming a rap star and hitting it big will take him out of the street life.


Jazmine and Xavier hit it off at the party and begin dating. They try to make their relationship work, hoping that their careers don't get in the way. But there is a war going on within the record label. If Jazmine's career takes off, Bobby Strong will shine. If X-Man's career takes off, Kirk Walker will shine. It doesn't help matters, that Bobby Strong has a drug habit, and a failing marriage.


Jazmine and Xavier hit many road blocks on their way up the music ladder. Jazmine has issues trusting men, while Xavier is trying to run from a past that may just stop his music career before it even gets going.


The novel is told from the point of view of characters Jazmine and Xavier. This does help the reader get a good understanding of what each character is facing as they struggle with imminent crises. However, at times the story moves too slow and at times it moves too fast. There is a feeling of inconsistency throughout the book, that may have been improved if the author had let the characters resolve their issues in a timely fashion that would lend itself to a normal rise and fall pace. Overall, the book is a good read, it could quite possibly be categorized as a young adult novel if it weren't for the strong language and gratuitous profanity.


I highly recommend Sheneska Jackson's debut novel, "Lil Mama's Rules". It has a better flow, a comfortable pace, climaxes where there should be and it sustains its momentum.




** 2 STAR


Favorite Quotes/Excerpts from "Caught Up in the Rapture"


"Dakota says I'm weak when it comes to Daddy, but she just doesn't understand."

Book #1, The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips, 52 Books in 52 Weeks

A dynamic, heartbreaking novel narrated by 13 year old Tangy Mae. The setting of this book takes place in 1958 with the Quinn family which includes, Tangy Mae a black girl who lives with her mother, Rosie in rural Parkersfield, Georgia. At the start of the novel, Rozelle, "Rosie" is quitting her job and goes home, telling anyone who will listen that she is dying. Rosie nine children don't believe her, however, they would never dare to tell her so. Rosie continues with the farce that she is dying, instead of admitting to everyone around her that she is pregnant with her 10th child. Now that Rosie is pregnant, someone will have to bring in extra income. Rosie wants Tangy Mae to quit school and take a job as a maid. Tangy Mae, the brightest of the Quinn children, is determined to finish school and will do anything to graduate from high school.

Rosie who is so light skinned, she can pass for white, categorizes her children by race; White, Indian and Negroes. Tangy Mae being the darkest, is treated the worst. Often believing she is unlovable, Tangy Mae is self-conscious and feels guilty at times for wanting what little bit of happiness others find around her. Despite what Rosie does to her children, they generally return home, if not to help Rosie, for fear of the rage she might inflict on the younger siblings. The poverty the Quinn's live in, could easily be their main oppression, but at the core, it's Rosie's apathy and abuse towards her children that is the central detrimental force. This novel is gritty, graphic and in your face. Delores Phillips, does not hold back. The central themes of oppression, poverty, mental illness, racism and familial love effectively resonates throughout the book.

 

This novel is the definition of a dysfunctional family. A band of siblings, bound by love for each other, that they would endure at all cost to keep each other safe, while struggling with the desire to be free from a mother who is wrestling with her own demons. A powerhouse of emotions, readers will laugh, smile and at many times want to choke the living daylights out of Rosie.

**** 4 STAR


Great Quotes/Excerpts from "The Darkest Child"


"She took pleasure in categorizing her children by race. Mushy, Harvey, Sam, and Martha jean were her white children. Tarabelle, Wallace, and Laura were Indians-Cherokee, no less. Edna and I were Negroes."