Holy Smokes! Tobacco Sun by Lorna Hollifield has got to be one of the best written books I have had the pleasure to read this year. It was so good, when I finished reading I had to sit there and let it simmer for a bit. The story is told from three POVs, Sydra the younger sister and Hollywood Star, Jimmi-Lyn the scarred older sister, and Vanse the lifelong friend of both. As each reflects on events during their life, the author is able to slowly and painstakingly paint a picture of the results of these experiences.
Sydra left for Hollywood just before graduating from high school with no intention of ever returning. That is until her mother dies and she is drawn back to the last place she ever expected to see again. She is there less than two days and she has already seduced Vanse and killed her father. Continue reading “Tobacco Sun by Lorna Hollifield”
Infinity by Tabitha Lord is the second book in the Horizon Sci-Fi series. It can be read as a stand-alone, though the reader would benefit from having read the first book prior to tackling this one. The second book is the continuation of Caeli and Derek’s story as they return to Almagest in a covert attempt to overthrow the ruthless dictator Marcus.
The Alliance has discovered that Marcus is involved in human trafficking of the Novali people, who are empathic, as a means to purchase advanced technology. The planet is vulnerable to falling into the hands of the Alliance’s enemies who would love to use the Novali as a weapon in the war against the Alliance. Since Almagest is not a member planet, the Alliance is almost powerless to prevent this from happening hence the mission. Once a democratic government is installed, Almagest can then apply for membership in the Alliance. Continue reading “Infinity by Tabitha Lord”
Title: Good Me Bad Me Author: Ali Land Pub. Date: 12-Jan-2017 Rating: 4 Stars
Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land is a debut novel and a gripping psychological thriller. From the first page, I was lured into the dark places of a twisted and disturbed mind. The mind of Milly, who used to be Annie, and the story of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother a serial killer of children. Milly has seen and heard what no one should have to…. especially a child.
The story opens as Annie, at the age of fifteen, finally reaches a breaking point and turns her mother into the police. She tells the detective what happens in her home. What her mother does. She gives him a bloody piece of clothing and a teddy bear. She is scared. As promised, they come in the middle of the night and arrest her mother. She is given a new name, Milly, and a great foster family. They tell her how lucky she is to have a foster father like Mike, who is a psychologist. He will help her with the trauma and prepare her for the trial against her mother where she is the key witness. Continue reading “Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land”
Author: Betsy Carter Pub. Date: 12-Sep-2017 Rating: 4 Stars
We Were Strangers Once by Betsy Carter is a poignant story about relationships and survival. Set in New York City just prior to the beginning of WWII. The nation is struggling through the depression and for those who have lost everything, family, jobs and country, it is particularly hard.
The story revolves around Egon Schneider, a Jewish ophthalmologist and recent immigrant, who fled Germany to avoid persecution by the Nazi regime. Upon arriving in America he discovers that the land of opportunity does not have much to offer the flood of refugees exiting Europe. Where he was once a respected doctor, he is reduced to being the “Cheese Man” in a NY deli. He and his small group of German friends, including his best friend Meyer Leavitt, a once respected author, struggle with everyday life and assimilating into the culture of America. They struggle finding jobs, with the language and the prejudices and each, in their own way, attempt to bolster each other as best they can. Continue reading “We Were Strangers Once by Betsy Carter”
I love discovering new, or new to me, authors. I get especially excited about indie authors. I am always amazed at some of the great stories these authors write and publish. Therefore, after I read Pursuing Dreams by M. K. Clark, I knew this was the next author I wanted to interview.
ME: What motivates you to write?
Clark: I’m probably going to go against the grain here and say nothing really motivates me to write. I think, right now, it’s more that I’ve started to go down a certain road, and I refuse to quit. I’m going to keep going and I’m going to be successful, because that’s what I decided to do. Apart from that, I just really enjoy writing. It’s why I have a tech writing day job. I just really love to write. Sometimes it’s a lot of work and I have to talk myself into it, but it’s worth it in the long run.
ME: Why did you choose to write a Sci-Fi novel?
Clark: I didn’t intentionally sit down to write a sci-fi novel when I got started with The Young Soldier Series. Back then, I didn’t even consider myself to be a sci-fi person –hindsight being what it is, I totally was– I just had a story I wanted to write and it happened to be sci-fi. I’m much more intentional about my work now.
ME: Do you think it is harder for a female writer of Sci-Fi to get recognized?
Clark: This is a hard question to answer. I think it’s much easier now than, say, ten years ago. It’s like the science and tech industries, the female population is growing and becoming more respected. So I’d like to think that no, it isn’t harder, but on some level, I also accept there is still probably a cultural bias. It’s why I publish under the name MK Clark. It sounds more androgynous than my actual name.
In this same vein, I think there are other challenges to being a female sci-fi author that aren’t as actively discussed as the struggle of being recognized.
I get a surprising amount of comments from other authors and reviewers wondering why I don’t focus more on women in my book. There’s an assumption that, as a woman, I would want to or should want to write about strong female characters to provide the next generation with good role models. I find these comments to be odd. I don’t mind this idea. In some of my other works, the main character is a female character. In this case, that’s just not what this story is. The assumption that this story should have focused on a strong female character, because of my gender, sometimes makes me feel like I am being put in a creative box.
ME: What is the most rewarding thing about writing for you?
Clark: Hearing from people that enjoyed my work. I’m not talking about the “it was good” comment, but the ones where I get to hear what they loved specifically. Like, I wrote a short story and someone told me that the emotion captured in the opening letter was beautiful. I worked hard at making the emotion believable. To hear that I was successful in my goal, that is what makes my day.
ME: Are there any authors that have helped you along the way?
Recently, I’ve gotten a lot of support from the indie community, and that has been great. I’m also part of a close-knit group of writers, there’s about ten of us, and their help has been priceless.
ME: Is there a place you like to write that makes you feel the most creative?
Clark: About two cities ago, I had a writing room that was the best. I had a solar system that hung from the roof, papers and notes tagged on the wall, a huge whiteboard for scribbling things out… It was wonderful. That was where I felt most creative. I’ve not been able to recreate that, sadly.
ME: What are your long-term writing goals?
Clark: I’ve told my husband that my long-term goal is to be able to go from tech writing full-time to part-time so that I can write what I want the rest of the week. I really love my day job, so I don’t want to give it up entirely.
ME: Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, how do you overcome it?
Clark: Of course! I think everyone does from time to time. I’ve found the best way for me to “get over it” is to work through it, so if I’m ever in a slump, I force myself to write one sentence at a time. Eventually, I’ll one sentence my way out of the block.
ME: Is there anything you can share about your next book?
Clark: The first book of The Young Soldier series introduces the idea that Don betrays the Council, but readers never really get more than a glimpse of why that is. In book two, readers will be able to really grasp what those reasons are. At the same time, book two plays with the concept of identity, reality, and perception. So, in the end, one of the questions that readers will have to answer is whether or not Don’s perception can be trusted.
ME: How many books are you planning on for the Young Solider series?
Clark: I’ve outlined three books in The Young Soldier series. These books complete Don’s character arch and story. I’ve played with the idea of doing one-off novels with some of the other characters that show up throughout the series. There are two that are floating around in my head, but, at the moment, there are three planned books.
ME: What do you think is the most memorable about the main character Don?
Clark: My husband would say it’s that he’s spoiled. Of course, he’s only read part 1 and Don is a bit spoiled in the beginning. I think what makes Don stand out for me as a memorable character is that he is flawed. He’s human, and he makes bad decisions sometimes and has to face the consequences.
ME: Do you identify strongly with the main character?
Clark: Not particularly. I think I probably identify more with one of the minor characters, Roberto. I’m much more practical about things.
ME: Do you have any advice for someone just starting out as an author?
Clark: It’s the age of the internet. There is so much information and so much advice out there that it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what to listen to and what to do. I think the biggest thing is that you have to understand who you are and what your personality is. You have to do what works for you. Also, a little bit of googling goes a long way. What writers in writing groups hate more than anything is when a new writer asks a simple question that a little bit of googling could answer.
ME: Is there any question you feel I should have asked?
Clark: I get a surprising amount of comments from female authors and reviewers that it’s surprising that I don’t focus more on women in my book. I think there’s an assumption that as a woman myself, I would want to or should want to write about strong female characters to provide role models for the next generation. I always find these comments to be a little odd. I don’t mind this idea. In some of my other works, the MC is a female character. That’s just not what this story is. This story is about Don, and he’s always been a guy.
About the Author:
MaryKate Clark is an author and tech writer based out of Austin Texas. She has produced multiple children’s plays for community theatre groups, published an undergraduate thesis, and received an Honor’s B.A. in English and Literature from the University of Texas at Arlington. MaryKate currently lives in Austin Texas with her husband and her two fur-babies and works full-time as a technical writer. She is currently working on the second book in the Young Soldiers Series.
Title: Pursuing Dreams Author: M. K. Clark Pub. date: 30-June-2017 Rating: 5 Stars
Friends and Enemies are made in war… But sometimes… it’s hard to make the distinction.
Don O’Hara was lucky. At least, that’s what everyone else said. Born the son of a General, with a guaranteed ticket to Commander’s School, Don had his future laid out for him. Only, he didn’t want that future. All he ever wanted was to be a Space Jumper. Lucky for him, he never lacked guts. Defying his father and sneaking off to Basic was an easy decision; a decision that forever changed the course his life would take, and not entirely the way he expected.
Pursuing Dreams is an action packed, Sci-Fi, Young Adult novel that takes the reader on a wild ride as Don fights for his dream and stumbles upon the truth about his family and the O’Hara Legacy. With his life turned upside down and unable to shake the feeling that he is being watched, Don does the only thing he can: he keeps moving forward not knowing that every step takes him closer to becoming the most hated man alive.
Title: Girls Made of Snow and Glass Author: Melissa Bashardoust Pub. Date: 5-Sep-2017 Rating: 4 Stars
The blurb about Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust describes the book as a “reimagining” of Snow White. I say it is a modern take on Snow White. It is an immensely feminist fairy tale and the story explores the complexity of family ties especially those between mother, in this case step-mother, and daughter.
Mina is the daughter of a brilliant and powerful magician. She was gravely ill as a child and would have died if not for her father replacing her heart with one made of glass. As her father explains, while this act saved her life, it left her incapable of love and being loved. Mina desperately wants to experience love. Therefore, she contrives a plan to catch the attention of the king with her beauty. Her hope is that he will love her for her beauty. Once they are married, and she is queen, others will love her also. Continue reading “Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust”
Title: Pursuing Dreams Author: M. K. Clark Pub. date: 30-June-2017 Rating: 5 Stars
Pursing Dreams by M. K. Clark is the first installment in a young adult sci-fi series that had me engaged from the very beginning. Hidden gems like this book are the reason why I accept review requests from debut and little known authors. The synopsis was enough to peak my interest and I am so very glad I choose this book to read and review.
The story is about Don O’Hara, in a lot of ways a typical sixteen year old, who just happens to be the son of a general. His father, who as a single parent, is domineering and has run Don’s life like he was one of his military subordinates. Don has always known that his father would insist that he go to Commander’s School even though all he wants is to be a Space Jumper. Continue reading “Pursuing Dreams by M. K. Clark”
Title: The Library of Light and Shadow Author: M. J. Rose Pub. Date: 18-July-2017 Rating: 4 Stars
The Library of Light and Shadow by M. J. Rose is the third installment in the Daughters of La Lune series. The book can be read as a stand-alone and is a pleasant mix of historical fiction, romance and fantasy. The setting is during the roaring twenties, known in France as “annees folles” or crazy years. This was a time when excess was all the rage and women were just starting to redefine their role in society.
The story is about Delphine Duplessi, a gifted young artist from France living in New York City. Delphine makes her living as a party favor drawing “shadow portraits” at high society parties. The portraits reveal the darkest secrets of those she draws. While this ability is a gift, it is also a curse. It can, and did, wreak havoc in the lives of those whose shadow portraits revealed secrets not meant to be uncovered. Continue reading “The Library of Light and Shadow by M. J. Rose”
I love book mail! These are the new books I received this week. One book was a gift from a friend. One came from an author for review. Another I requested from a publisher. The rest…. well, I could not pass up because they were on sale. Two of the best words in the world when said together, “Books” and “Sale”. How is a girl to resist?
Title: The Day the Angels Fell Author: Shawn Smucker Pub. Date: 5-Sep-2017 Rating: 5 Stars
The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker is a story of good versus evil and how one young person struggled with the very adult question of: Is there life after death? The story is told in the present and in the past, through the eyes of the protagonist as an old man and as a young boy.
Sam was twelve years old when it happened. The summer had been particularly bad for storms. On this day Sam’s new cat climbs the old oak tree in the front yard. When an ominous storm starts approaching Sam climbs up the branches to rescue it. Sam’s mother bargains with him, if he comes down and goes inside she will retrieve his cat. Then the lightening strikes and Sam’s mother is killed and his whole world changes. Continue reading “The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker”
I love book mail! These are the new books I received this week. One book was a gift from a friend. One came from an author for review. Another I requested from a publisher. The rest…. well, I could not pass up because they were on sale. Two of the best words in the world when said together, “Books” and “Sale”. How is a girl to resist?