TinasBookReviews: November 2011

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

This Weeks CFBA Spotlight- Lost Melody

Lost Melody Zondervan (October 25, 2011) by Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Lori lives in the beautiful Ozarks with her husband Lance. Lance and Lori have three sons, three daughter-in-laws, and six wonderful grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. Lance and Lori are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa. Lori began her writing career in 1982, writing for the secular book market. In 1995, after many years of writing, Lori sensed that God was calling her to use her gift of writing to honor Him. It was at that time that Lori began writing for the Christian book market. To date, she has had over 100 books published.

Virginia Smith is the author of more than a dozen Christian novels and over fifty articles and short stories. Her books have been named finalists in the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the American Christian Fiction Writer's Book of the Year Award, and ACFW's Carol Award. A Certified Lay Speaker for the United Methodist Church, Ginny's messages are always well-received by a variety of audiences in conferences, retreats and churches across the country. When she isn't writing or speaking, Ginny and her husband, Ted, enjoy exploring the extremes of nature – snow skiing in the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City, motorcycle riding on the curvy roads in central Kentucky, and scuba diving in the warm waters of Mexico and the Caribbean.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The beautiful piano sitting in the corner of Jill King's apartment begs to be played. For over a year, it has sat untouched, ever since a terrible accident shattered Jill's ambition of becoming a concert pianist. The ragged scar on her left hand is a cruel and constant reminder of the death of her dream. But another dream is about to come to life---an unexpected, horrifying dream that will present Jill with a responsibility she never wanted. And choices she never wanted to make. Hundreds of lives depend on Jill's willingness to warn her small, oceanside town in Nova Scotia of a nameless, looming disaster. But doing so could cost Jill her reputation, jeopardize the political career of the man she loves, and ruin their plans for a future together. The fate of an entire community hangs in the balance as Jill wrestles with the cost of heeding one still, small voice.

If you would like to read a chapter excerpt of Lost Melody, go HERE.

Review Coming Soon~

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Shelf Cravings {35}

Welcome to Shelf Cravings, a weekly dish on all things books...New releases, coming soon, just discovered or on the Nook, I love them all. This week Im excited for:

~Coming Soon~

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

April 3rd 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Love in Disguise by Carol Cox

June 2012 by Bethany House

When costume-maker Ellie Moore suddenly finds herself out of a job in the middle of a bleak Chicago winter, she uses her knowledge of theatrical disguise to secure a position as an undercover operative with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Her assignment: find the culprit behind the theft of silver shipped from the mines near Pickford, Arizona.

Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie begins her investigation. Soon she finds she must also pose as the dazzling young Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk. Mine owner Steven Pierce is about to lose his business after the theft of several bullion shipments--until hope arrives in the unlikely form of Lavinia Stewart, who offers to invest in Steven's mine. In his wildest dreams, Steven never expected to be rescued by an inquisitive gray-haired widow... or to fall head over heels for Lavinia's captivating niece, Jessie. But then the thieves come after both Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Will she be forced to reveal her true identity before the criminals are caught? What will Steven do when he discovers the woman he loves doesn't exist.

Underworld by Meg Cabot

May 2012 by Point

Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back. Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.

Not this time. But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey. Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves. But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies. And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

Until I Die by Amy Plum

May 2012 by HarperCollins

Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.

As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.

~Just Discovered~

Falling is Like This by Kate Rockland

May 11th 2010 by St. Martin's Griffin

Tabloid-writer Harper Rostov breaks up with her boyfriend only to fall into the arms of Nick Cavallaro---certified punk-rock God who is considered a genius by fans and critics alike. Harper's newly single heart gets an overdose of chemistry from the Hitchhiker's Revenge guitarist as she falls for his intoxicating charisma. Over the course of a single week, Harper is swept up in their sexual energy and the allure of the band. But soon she can't help wondering if what she thought she wanted---what she left her sweet, caring boyfriend for---is everything she'd hoped it would be. Plotted with precise timing and set against an incredibly vivid portrait of the ever-changing East Village, Falling Is Like This is a comedic and touching account of the whirlwind affair with a rock star every girl dreams about.

~On the Nook Indie Read~

Cicada by Belle Whittington

July 14, 2011- Kindle

Summertime had always been carefree and fun for Blair Reynolds and her friends--until they came upon something that was not human. As the group of friends band together in a fight for their lives, Blair's true love becomes something more than human...something unnatural. And their existence relies on their ability to keep a secret.

Well, well, look at all those beauties!! One of my favorites this year was Amy Plums Die For Me, so Im so excited to get back into Vincent and Kate's world. Im loving Cicada and cant wait to check out this Harper, find out if Pierce can escape, go on the adventure with Ellie and get completely lost in Ismae's story. What one are you excited for?

On my iPod this Week

 <img border="0" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6020/5948318008_629b81d157_o.png">

Monday, November 28, 2011

Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield

Aftertime (Luna Books)
February 22, 2010 by Luna
Paperback, 384 Pages
Bought

Cass knows pain, she's known nights of numbing pleasure after a bottle of vodka chases her inhibitions away. She's known mornings waking up to the unknown as she faces the nameless man who brought her there, needless to say, drinking has launched Cass's life into the arena of debauchery. That is until one of those nights produces a pregnancy, one that changes her, one that makes her fight to get sober, but eventually the bottle wins and her baby, her darling Ruthie is taken away.

Desperate to get clean and win Ruthie back, Cass will face the demons tormenting her, the only thing holding her back: a government California-experiment that has turned many of the residents into flesh eating "Beaters" aka zombies. Just what a recovering alcoholic, eagerly seeking her baby needs!

Nobody knows how far wide the disease has spread, but the entire country is dealing with the effects. Through the chaos Cass finally finds Ruthie and together they find shelter with a group of survivors, only to be thrust into an afternoon nightmare when Cass is attacked by Beaters and Ruthie disappears from her life again. When Cass wakes in a field, shes confused and lost, not knowing why half the flesh on her back is gone or how she could have survived the zombie attack. While details are fuzzy, her only true anchor is her missing toddler Ruthie and the desperate frenzy she feels to find her. Soon she hooks up with a small group and meets up with Smoke, a man that will help her into Hell and back and change her life forever as they rescue Ruthie from an ultra-religious women's group.

You know that fun thing that happens when you find an author that just clicks with you? That's how I feel about Sophie Littlefield, her writing, her style, her prose- it just fits me as a reader. I was intrigued by Cass's character and probably because instead of girl turns Buffy, it was more, girl with a really hard life, finally grows up and fights for something beyond herself. During the search for Ruthie, Cass flashes back on her past and fills the reader in on her messed-up life and the decisions shes made to ignore the crap she went through. That's what made her so interesting in her development, she was just a regular anti-hero woman who winds up being the hero. While we just reach the tip of the iceberg by the end, Im looking forward to getting Cass figured out in the remaining of the series.

Aftertime isn't just about zombies and death, its also a story about love and sacrifice. The romance bordered on instant but worked for the desperate place all these characters were at emotionally. Smoke (Cass's love interest) shows up rather early and adds that needed sexy man with a natural ability to lead, strongest character out of the book vibe and made the romance that hot and spicy we look for in the end of world- I- need- you- romance. Aftertime twists everything for Dystopia perfectly- from the infected beaters, to the barren wasteland, to the rebels trying to take over the country- everything just fit perfect for this story, making it a truly notable read.

Rating

Recommended to adult readers and contains: Advisory content- Graphic violence, death, zombie gore, language and graphic sexuality. Positives content: Surviving, friendship, loyalty, love and kicking zombies butts!!

4/5- Zombies-Fantasy

Saturday, November 26, 2011

The Saturday Spotlight with James Hitt & Giveaway

Welcome to The Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature showcasing debut, Indie, self-published and authors who specialize in Ebook publishing. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to

JAMES HITT

Author of Carny. Find out more on the~ Web~Goodreads~

Hi Jim and welcome to TBR's....so first question first, how did you come to write CARNY?

Many years ago I wrote a story ‘Hello, Dali.’ It never quite jelled because I had trouble with the relationship between the two lead characters,yet I never let go of the basic idea. A year and a half ago, I reworked it as a carny story. It worked, and I liked the characters. I wrote another carny story and liked it, too.

I wound up writing 19 interconnected stories that make up the book. It opens in spring of 1949 as the carny is going on the road and ends in November with them returning to winter camp.

I understand that CARNY has won some awards.

One of the stories included in the book won the 2009 Best Fantasy Story from oncewritten.com. It is the only fantasy story I have ever written. The book itself won the prestigious Grand Prize for Fiction at the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Is CARNY your first book?

I had two non-fictions books published: The American West From FictionInto Film (Mcfarland), which has been called the definitive monograph on the subject, and Words and Shadows (Citadel). Both explore literature made into films. In 2001 Adventure Books published The Last Warrior, a historical novel.

Is there a central idea that links the stories other than the carny setting?

The boss articulates when he tells one of the characters- that family is the most important thing in the world, and nobody messes with his family. The carny people are his family.What the boss feels about family and what the other carny people feel about family are, I believe, universal themes.

Do you have any experience dealing with Carny life?

My father’s second wife was a carny person. During two summers when I was a teenager, she took me with her on the circuit. Each time I worked only a couple of weeks, but I saw their lives first hand. It was a different world with a different code of ethics that I found fascinating and enlightening.

Which do you prefer writing—fiction or non-fiction?

Each has its own rewards. Right now I have a proposal for a non-fiction book all set to go.

Any other projects planned?

I am in the middle of writing a screenplay with an actor who already has several producers interested. I am also about a third of the way through anew novel based on carny life. Another novel that is complete is going through a final edit with my read and critique group. In addition, I publish an onlineliterary magazine, Straitjackets Magazine (straitjacketsmagazine.com). Weaccept new and established writers in all fields.

What advice would you give a young writer?

Read, read, read. Everything and anything. Take classes, attend conferences. I really advise any writer, beginning or advanced, to join a good read and critique group.

** Thanks James for stopping by on this Thanksgiving weekend to share those few thoughts. Best of luck on your future projects!!

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

GIVEAWAY

Today James is giving away a brand new copy of his book Carny. To enter please just leave a comment. Winner will be drawn Dec 3, 2011.

Carny by James Hitt

In1949, Warbling Brothers Road Show and Circus travels the back roads of Southern California, playing towns from Lompoc to Palm Springs. As it breaks winter camp and heads south from Richmond, THE BOSS hires Sojourn Parker, just released from San Quentin, to work with the gazonie, those potheads or winos or ex-cons who were the part of every such circus / carnival, big or small. But when Parker begins to take advantage of the other gazonie, the Boss deals with him in the carny way, having the ex-con tossed off the train while moving at full speed. Later when Parker reappears, he complains that he was only fleecing the gazonie. In this the Boss sets up a reoccurring theme......The carney is family, and family takes care of its own.......

*please note: Questions and Answers were provided by Mr. Hitt.

** Carny Photo Credit- http://www.myspace.com/armitagephineasshanks

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!!!

Hello friends!! Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Tinabookreviews is taking a little holiday break, enjoying Turkey, pumpkin pie and getting the house ready for Christmas. Have a happy turkey day and Ill see you all again next week.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Chatting with Authors featuring - Catherine Austen

Today on Chatting with Authors, I have the pleasure of welcoming Catherine Austen author of young adult dystopian novel All Good Children. As a part of the stop on the blog tour, Catherine will be sharing some thoughts on getting lost in make believe characters...

The Pros and Cons of Make-Believe Children

by Catherine Austen 2011

Like many writers in their 40s, I balance my time between the fascinating, funny, heroic children I invent in my books and the flesh-and-blood chatterboxes who fight, whine, and rattle LEGO inches from my desk, then pounce on my computer and load Minecraft the second I get up to let the cat in.

It’s a fine balance. On most days, the real kids win my heart. But there are times when it does appear that the fictional children are the more beloved. Say, when I’m writing a pivotal scene – my characters alive in my head, my emotions running high – and one of my sons bursts into the office to ask, “Did you buy more peanut butter?” and I turn on him, shrieking, “Get out! I’m working!”

The characters in my first novel, Walking Backward, borrowed many traits from my real sons. (“I can’t believe you put my Scooby Doo obsession in a book!” my youngest complained.) I thought the love I felt for them was just misplaced maternal instinct. But no. The kids in my two new releases aren't based on mine at all. And I love them just the same.

Becky Lennox, in 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6, is funny and feisty and honest. When my youngest son is funny and feisty and honest, he ends up banned from the dinner table. Becky just moves closer to my heart.

Maxwell Connors, in All Good Children, is arrogant and bright and defiant. When my oldest son is arrogant and bright and defiant, he gets suspended from school and grounded at home. Max just gets more heroic.

I loved being in Max’s and Becky’s heads while I wrote their stories. And what I loved most is that I didn't have to be their mother.

I didn't have to ask if Becky did her homework or practiced her drums. Instead, I could shake my head at those ridiculous questions because obviously finding out who Violet has a crush on is WAY more important than homework and drum practice.

I didn't have to remind Max to follow school rules and build a successful career path. Instead, I could roll my eyes at all that line-towing and go spray anti-establishment graffiti because the truth is what really matters.

My fictional children keep me young. (I know people say that about real children, but let’s be honest: real children put grey hairs on your head even as they fill your heart with love. My fictional children won’t ever come home with broken noses or drug addictions or illnesses I’m not prepared to handle. Even if they’re running for their lives, I’ll get my beauty sleep.)

Of course, I would never trade my real kids for invented ones. I wouldn't even want Max or Becky hanging round the house – Max might make fun of me for sport and Becky would say some brutally honest thing without thinking. But I adore them on the page. I’m happy to have them balance out my life. And I hope that inventing them, seeing the world through their young eyes, has helped me connect with my real kids in some way. (Though it doesn't make me any kinder when they barge in while I’m working, at least it lets me see my harpy potential from their perspective. And that’s got to count for something.)

Thanks Catherine for stopping by and sharing those thoughts on your characters. All Good Children was a fun and fast moving read, I loved meeting Max and look forward to sharing my review with readers.......Find out more about Catherine and the see all the stops on the tour at her website. All Good Children released October 1, 2011- grab your copy today.

Fall Fiction Fling- Kathryn's Fountain by David J. Claassen

This weeks Fall Fiction Cladach book spotlight is:

KATHRYN'S FOUNTAIN by David J. Claassen

Kathryn is resigned to living out her last days at Victorian Manor, a beautiful old home for senior citizens. Then one day something strangely wonderful happens to Kathryn at the garden fountain, and she begins living an adventure beyond her wildest dreams. Love and sacrifice take on new meaning as she involves a social worker and a police detective in carrying out what she believes to be her calling ~ to rescue a street child named Jasmine. The miracle at the fountain brings adventure that bridges the generations with hope and love.

About the Author

Dave writes part-time because his full-time calling is to give spiritual leadership and pastoral care to people of the Mayfair-Plymouth Congregational Church in Toledo, Ohio. Dave and his wife, Diann, make their home across the border in southeastern Michigan. They have two grown children and a growing number of grandchildren. Dave's other published books include Object Lessons for a Year (Baker Books) and Silent Words Loudly Spoken (CSS Publishing).

Buy now at: http://amzn.com/0975961993 Kindle: http://amzn.com/B006A00QJY

Find out more about CSS and the Fall Tour HERE

Monday, November 21, 2011

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

November 29, 2011 by Zondervan

Paperback, 304 Pages

Review Copy/Manuscript

Plot Line~

An ageless tale of Beauty meets Beast. In this version our Beauty is played by Annabel, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, who with bad investments and the loss of his ships, loses everything and dies of disease leaving the family a legacy of debts behind a good name. With a distant, self absorbed mother and hateful brothers, Annabel's home life is less than stellar and she longs to join the church, become a nun and study scripture.

However in her time women are looked upon as weak, evil enticing temptresses that should know nothing in a man's world, be it spiritual or political, leaving Annabel very little choice in her outcomes. Everything changes though when Lord Ranulf comes into the village seeking restitution from the slack of work Annabel's family has refused to do. As punishment for the crime, Annabel is faced with the option to marry a stinky snake of a man who will pay the family's debt or become a servant for Lord Ranulf himself over the course of three years. Annabel chooses servitude to avoid the marriage to the Lords Bailiff, even though she's frightened by Ranulf's appearance and rough personality, the thought of Bailiff Tom touching her makes her want to vomit.....better to chance it with the grouchy oaf then have a BO, dragon breathed husband.

The work is tedious and the other girl servants throw themselves at Ranulf like wet dish rags while Annabel rolls her eyes and keeps to herself, Ranulf cant help but notice that quiet difference and soon takes a liking to her demeanor. A spark between Annabel and Lord Ranulf slowly begins brewing, over night time readings and Annabel taking on the role of care nurse the two fall in love. However sinister men lurk about and one in particular is determined to have his way with Annabel, even if it means killing her and destroying the man she truly loves.

Review

I thought Dickerson captured the Beast and Beauty characters with precision, everything about the setting, the time and place seemed to work perfect. I found the historical setting and attention to cultural detail flawless in her unique spin of this classic fairy tale. Going into this I had hoped the faith aspects would be comparable to other YA Inspys on the market like that of Lisa B's Waterfall or Klavan's Homelanders, however Dickerson's novel while talented in storytelling is laced with passion for her faith, even at times a bit heavy handed, while I as a reader never thought it came off preachy or misleading, I do believe the Biblical aspects will deter secular readers from the genius work of her writing. Ill be honest I wanted more kissing and tension and less Biblical bonding over the shared belief of nighttime readings. From a historical stand point the setting and blending of faith was certainly believable due to the cultural aspects of the 14th Century and how people believed and worshiped back then, but still, I found it overshadow the romance that I was looking for.

I would encourage anyone to read this who loves a good fairy tale and enjoys faith based novels.

Rating

The Merchants daughter is recommended to readers 14&up who enjoy fairy tales and Inspirational fiction. Advisory Content includes: Violence, lying and attempted sexual assault. Positive content includes: wholesome romance, friendship and loyalty.

4/5- YA- Inspy-Fantasy

Thanks to Zondervan for review copy

Saturday, November 19, 2011

The Saturday Spotlight with Kate McMurry and Marie August

Find out more about Marie at~Web~Goodreads Find out more about Kate at~Web~Goodreads

Hi Kate and Marie, welcome to TBR's, please tell us about yourself.

We are a mother-daughter writing team who joined together to write young-adult (YA) fiction because we discovered we can both get a lot more done together than we ever could separately. Girl vs Ghost, a YA, paranormal, romantic comedy targeted primarily at teens age 12-16, is our debut published novel.

Kate completed masters work English education and creative writing at the University of Missouri. She has worked professionally as a technical writer, English teacher, private writing coach and editor. She instilled her love of reading and writing in Marie, who has been creating stories since she was a small child, with Kate’s enthusiastic encouragement. Marie is also an artist with a B.A. in visual arts from George Mason University. She has been illustrating her stories all her life, up to and including being commissioned to create the cover and internal illustrations for Girl vs Ghost. As a special promotion for our book, Marie produced a webcomic of the first chapter which is posted at misdirectedmagic.com. She also writes and illustrates a fairytale webcomic called The Fox and the Firebird at www.fairytaletwisted.com.

What inspired you to write the Misdirected Magic trilogy (Book 1, Girl vs Ghost, was released in April, 2011 and Book 2, Witch vs Wizard, is scheduled for release in November, 2011)?

Kate experimented with adult romantic comedy, picture books and a middle-grade novel prior to Marie suggesting to her a few years back that we write a YA paranormal romantic comedy together, a genre that clicked for both of us. Marie is a huge fan of manga, which are Japanese graphic novels, and the animated films based on manga story-lines called anime. The vast majority of the protagonists of these stories are teenagers, and they have served as an inspiration to her for the kind of YA plots she would like to write. Marie and Kate have also shared and discussed current YA novels for many years, especially paranormal ones, and Kate has continuously enjoyed reading YA fiction since her own teen years. We both feel that the famous piece of writer’s advice, “Write what you love to read,” definitely applies to us for YA fiction. For both of us, it is our favorite genre, particularly paranormal comedy, because there are so many opportunities for humorous incongruity in contemporary fantasy plots.

Have any authors or books inspired or encouraged you in your writing journey?

Every time we read a YA novel that we love—which is quite often in today’s amazingly vibrant YA marketplace—it motivates us all over again to continue writing within this exciting genre. In particular, we are inspired by talented authors of YA paranormal comedy, including Janet Rallison, Tera Lynn Childs, Suzanne Selfors, Wendy Toliver, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Maryrose Wood, Alex Flinn, Ebony McKenna and Meg Cabot

What are you reading right now?

Kate is reading Julie Kagawa’s Iron Prince (Book 4, Iron Fey series. Marie is reading Trial by Fire (Book 2, Raised by Wolves series) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. .

Do you have any future books in the works?

Girl vs Ghost, is Book 1 of the Misdirected Magic Trilogy. Book 2, Witch vs Wizard, and Book 3, Spells vs Spirits, are currently scheduled to be released in 2012.

Thank you, Tina, for interviewing us on your wonderful blog!

**And thank you girls for stopping by and being on the spotlight today. Wishing you the best of success for the Misdirected Magic Trilogy.

GIVEAWAY

Today Kate and Marie are offering a brand new copy of Ghost vs. Girl to one reader here at Tinasbookreviews. There is also an option for a Kindle copy-for international entry's. To enter please just leave a comment. Physical copies are available to US entry's only. No PO Boxes will be allowed. Please leave a link to your profile page or email. Winner will be drawn Nov 26, 2011.

Girl Vs. Ghost

Isabel Lindley doesn’t believe in magic, but her best friend, Tripp, is obsessed with witchcraft. Strictly as a favor, Isabel agrees to help with a spell and is shocked when the ghost of a teenage boy splat-lands in her bedroom. Her friend is thrilled—even though only Isabel can see or hear the ghost—but Isabel is horrified. She’s the most ordinary sixteen-year-old girl on the planet. What is she supposed to do with a ghost who doesn’t know his own name, how he died, or why the heck he’s tied to Isabel with a psychic chain? Her only hope to take back her life is to help him solve the mystery of his demise so he can go to the Light. Or wherever. She’s not particular, as long as the ghost is gone.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Tgif {21}- Giving Thanks....

Tgif is a weekly meme hosted and created by Ginger at Greads. This feature lets us wrap up the week and also poses a weekly question pertaining to blogging, books and what have you. This weeks question is:

Giving Thanks: Which books are you most thankful for receiving from other bloggers, friends, family members, or publishers?

Im thankful for all the books I have been graced with. Hardbacks, paperbacks, Arcs, I love them all...

Truth be told I only have one book that I don't let anyone touch and its my very lovely vintage edition of Jane Eyre- given to me by my husband. I have five different copies of Jane Eyre, my favorite copy that I read is a collection of both sisters work. My vintage copy does not get read, its for looking at only....(lol)

The Saturday Spotlight- Win A Soul Less Broken
Giveaway: Win Scrapbook Software- Ends 11/21
Shelf Cravings
Chatting with Authors- Melanie Dickerson
Tgif

Friends, school and life are kicking my butt, causing a major slow down in my reviews....this weekend I hope to find some time to write the 15+ pile of reviews I need to get on top of..... Of course Ill also sneak in a few episodes of shows Im DVRing. And has anyone caught the new Hell on Wheels? Not sure if Im going to like this show but wow does this guy make me rethink beards!!!

Photo Cred- AMC

Although he did date Britney Spears....so maybe not.....

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Chatting with Authors~ Featuring Melanie Dickerson

Today Im thrilled to welcome Melanie Dickerson author of The Merchants Daughter and The Healers Apprentice to Tinasbookreviews.

Hi Melanie! Welcome to TBR's, to begin please share a little about yourself.

I am the author of The Healer’s Apprentice, a Christy Award finalist and winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award for Best First Book. I used to be a teacher of the hearing impaired, I earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Alabama, and I was a missionary for one year in Ukraine. I live with my husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama. We also have a big white dog named Ginger who loves to escape and run wild through the neighborhood. She laughs at us when we try to catch her, but she eventually comes back home. It’s become a game to try to figure out how to keep her from running away. So far, we’re losing.

That's hilarious, I have a daisy dog (Frankenstein mutt) named Oliver who loves to run away too. His legs go fast its like watching speed lightning...we have an adorable park a block away from our home and that's usually where we find him, he laughs too due to the fact that when one of us gets within grabbing distance, he's off again.....lol...it must be a dog thing. So besides chasing dogs, what inspired you to write The Merchants Daughter?

I had just written The Healer’s Apprentice, which was based on Sleeping Beauty, and I decided I wanted to write a story based on Beauty and the Beast. I've always loved the Medieval time period, and I thought a misty village in rural England would make the perfect sort of Gothic setting for my story. I also felt influenced by Jane Eyre, which has some of the same themes as a Beauty and the Beast story.

What sparked your interest in fairy tales?

I’ve always loved fairy tales. They are such timeless stories, and they seem to have characters that are larger than life and yet very relatable. We’ve all encountered people we could compare to the evil stepmother, or the poor orphan forced to work as an indentured servant, or the selfish and vain sisters. I originally got the idea to write a series of fairy tale retellings while watching the Disney movie version of Sleeping Beauty. I thought it would be fun to take the basic story and flesh it out and make it more realistic.

What is your favorite fairy tale (s)?

Beauty and the Beast was always my favorite, and I even wrote a short story retelling of it when I was still in high school. I recently found that story and the cover letter where I submitted it to a magazine back when I was eighteen. I had forgotten all about that, and had put my writing aside for fifteen year after that. It’s funny to see it all come full circle now.

~BAB was always my favorite too, that's why I LOVED The Merchants Daughter!!

Did you have to do any major research or traveling to write your novel?

The research was pretty in-depth. I had to find out about village life in the 1300’s in England, and the part about the “trial” and the “hallmote” in the book were the parts I had to do the most meticulous research for. But it was fascinating to see how the justice system worked in 14th century England. It was actually not that different from our own jury trials, although there are many key differences.

If you could pick a song that fit the mood of your book what would it be and why?

I think the book is a bit like the new Switchfoot CD, Vice Verses—kind of hard-hitting, full of truths, and it rocks! At least, I hope so.

I love Switchfoot's new CD!!! So now that were talking entertainment, what's the last great movie you saw?

I recently watched Penelope with my two daughters. It is a great movie, a modern fairy tale with a lot of fun twists, and a really sweet ending! What more could you ask for?

Can you share any future plans?

I am hoping Zondervan is going to publish my next two fairy tale retellings, a Snow White story and a Cinderella story, both Medievals, and I am also working on a Regency romance for Jane Austen lovers. I’m having a great time writing it.

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

~Wow- more retellings, call me happy. I love anything resembling a fairy tale they are the first books I usually go for. Thanks so much Melanie for stopping by today and chatting with me.

The Merchants Daughter releases on this week. Dont miss out! I look forward to sharing my review with you all during release week for the blog tour. Find out more about Melanie at her website.

Pages