Book Review: Through the Waters and the Wild

 

Through the Waters and the Wild by Greg Fields, ©2020, Köehlerbooks

Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery, hand in hand

For the world's more full of

Weeping than you can understand

~ William Butler Yeats

Through the Waters and the Wild

Somehow life has gotten away from Conor Finnegan. He's in an unhappy marriage, has a job below his capabilities, and no apparent substance to his days. High time to do something about it. So he walks away from it all and doesn't look back.

The only problem is, life doesn't get much better. 

Why is that? Like so many, Conor is stuck in the past. As a young man, he had opportunities, friends, the love of his life, and idealism by the bagful. After a knock to his ego and the loss of his first great love, it feels like everything is pointless. But he can't help going back to his grandfather, his life in Ireland during the Irish Civil War, and the lessons he gleaned along the way. There must be a way for Conor to emulate his late great kin. If Liam could escape and find a new path, why not himself too?

A journey to self-discovery is never easy though. Self reflection comes with a cost, which Greg Fields illustrates by delving into Liam's life story in Ireland and his subsequent reinvention on American soil. Fields jumps between Conor's and Liam's lives, uncovering love lost, relationships broken, and idealism smashed in both lands. While he paints youth in its precious throes, he also lays stark the insights that life inevitably lays upon one's door. Is love worth everything? Can right beget enough might to make the world a better place? And what sacrifices are you willing to make along the way?

Perhaps the trick is to listen, learn, and be open to what comes. A lesson many of us seek in our own paths in this world. Most importantly though, never forget to dream. For that is where the magic lies. That is when life begins anew. 

Spoiler alert; both Liam and Conor eventually find a way through...

~~~

If you are seeking clarity, or just want a trip away, a dip into 'Through the Waters and the Wild' by Greg Fields might be just the thing to sail into the spring with. It just might make you pause and contemplate what direction your own life is taking and whether that direction is truly what you want. Kind of timely, as we all re-evaluate life during the midst of a global pandemic. 

Kimber: An Out of this World Q&A and Giveaway

Haven't we all had enough of reality? Crazy Covid-19. Social distancing making you feel isolated and alone. Who hasn't turned to books to escape the chaos around us? The hard reality though is that sometimes that TBR pile at home finally reaches the bottom of the stack and needs replenishing. The HORROR!!!

I am here to help. Who needs a new book to read? How about something out of this world? In fact, let's leave the whole world behind and venture to another land. With the help of KIMBER, you can do exactly that! What is KIMBER? How about we find out a little more directly from the author, L.K. Hingey.

Q&A WITH L.K. HINGEY

Thank you for joining us to talk about your new book. Tell us what KIMBER: Book One of The Elyrian Chronicles is all about:

L.K. Hingey: KIMBER is a dystopian young adult novel set in the year 2209 that takes readers from the depths of an underground city to the surface of a world scarred by war and ravaged solar winds. Kimber is one of 23 of a brand-new subspecies of humans called Auroras, secretly bred by the government with the genomes of Earth’s most radiation resistant animals. The book follows Kimber on her journey through the wasteland of post-World War III America in search of proof of the inhuman genetic experimentation that could free the Auroreans from a life of lies and servitude.

Sounds fantastic and definitely otherworldly. Who do you think is your audience? Who will love The Elyrian Chronicles?

Hingey: I think KIMBER and the subsequent books in the series to come will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Maze Runner trilogies. Also, to the fans of the movie Avatar! Anyone who likes suspense, action, romance, immersive worlds, or becoming fiercely attached to characters, should definitely check out this fun new dystopian series!

Those are all amazing books! I'm sure you will hit the mark with plenty of people with it. Can you share where you draw your inspiration from when creating The Elyrian Chronicles?

Hingey: I draw inspiration from the amazing world around us. Life is full of beauty and wonder, love and friendship, and sometimes heartbreak and terror. After my spinal injury and separation from the military, I took five months to backpack the Appalachian Mountains. After years of hardship, it was the first time I could truly let my mind wander. Creativity blossomed as my husky, Colefax and I hiked over 1,800 miles. As we watched spring turn into summer, and summer turn into fall, the idea for KIMBER was born and has stuck with me ever since.

That sounds like an amazing adventure ripe for contemplation. No wonder your found inspiration. Can you tell us a little more about your book? What are some of the underlying themes that readers may pick up on in KIMBER?

Hingey: My favorite novels are the ones that not only have strong character development and immersive scenery but are layered with deeper meaning. I spent countless hours researching the science that is interwoven into Kimber’s story, and then did my best to lace a high degree of scientific plausibility with deeper themes: themes that prod and explore the complex world around us, such as government, social movements, and the institution of religion.

The question all readers will want to know once they read Kimber—What is next in The Elyrian Chronicles series?

Hingey: I am so excited to announce that I have not only begun working on books two and three of The Elyrian Chronicles but have laid out the stories for books one and two of The Elyrian Prequels! CHEYENNE: Book Two of The Elyrian Chronicles, is on schedule to debut around Christmas!

There are more books to come readers!!!! 

Now is the time to grab a copy of the first book and this is the best part. I can get YOU a copy of Kimber! Contest runs until June 28th. Good luck!

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L.K. Hingey was born, raised, and enlisted into the U.S. Army out of Detroit, Michigan. She graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2012 as a private and commercial helicopter pilot with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics, before commissioning as a U.S. Army officer. She has since medically retired from the military and continues the Army lifestyle as an Active Duty spouse. She resides with her husband, Jonathon, who is U.S. Army Blackhawk pilot.

L.K.'s many interests include her dogs, fitness, backpacking, traveling, and writing.

Upcoming works include Books Two and Three of The Elyrian Chronicles, and Books One and Two of The Elyrian Prequels.

KIMBER is available on Amazon and through all major booksellers.

For more information, visit www.lkhingeybooks.com or connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.

The Wondrous and Tragic Life of Ivan and Ivana

The Wondrous and Tragic Life of Ivan and Ivana, by Maryse Condé, translated by Richard Philcox, ©2020, World Editions

Time for a trip into a wondrous life. Get ready for a look at a tragic life. Get them twinned together in one package as I jump into The Wondrous and Tragic Life of Ivan and Ivana by Maryse Condé, as translated by Richard Philcox. Not only do I have a book review for you, but today is publication day (in the US) for this Winner of the 2018 Alternative Nobel Prize in literature.

The Wondrous and Tragic Life of Ivan and Ivana

Ivan and Ivana are twins born in Guadeloupe. While all twins tend to have a preternatural bond, the link between Ivan and Ivana seems stronger than most. Joined in the womb, they struggle to separate in life, even as the world pushes them in different directions. 

Ivan is the first born, headstrong, and a rebel in their small town on the island nation. Ivana on the other hand is smart, kind, and loved by all. Their mother looks for ways to set them both on the best path, which isn't always easy. Her solution—to send them to their erstwhile father, whom they have never met, in faraway Mali. A solution that neither of the twins embraces, but finally acquiesces to, to please their mother. 

While life in Guadeloupe has its challenges—poverty, racism, classicism—it doesn't get any better on Mali's shores at their father's side. Their former experiences are mirrored in this new setting. Ivan is dropped into a corrupt military, and again finds himself friendless, but for his sister. In contrast, Ivana works in an orphanage helping the least fortunate, at the same time as building a strong bond with her father and others in their new community. While outsiders don't understand their deep bond, it remains unshakable. At times, almost illicit. 

As the narrator continues to spin the tale, we see brushes with terrorism, anti-immigration sentiments, and the struggle to escape ingrained poverty. Where Ivan and Ivana seem destined for different paths along these continuum, they remain inexplicably linked. They cannot live with each other, but cannot live apart, and time just seems to make this bond worse for both of them. Location doesn't seem to have a hope to change the outcome. 

Novel or Social Commentary?

So why does Condé use a third person narrative? It gives an omniscient feel to the events, as we oversee the struggles of the fated twins. In that voice, she has the ability to point out the bleak world that Ivan traverses and contrast it to the more hopeful Ivana. Can we have one without the other? The struggle we see the twins grapple with suggests the difficulty in that. The world still holds a tragic divide between the haves and have nots and that divide continues to have the power to destroy lives. 

Are the twins destined for destruction due to their entwined lives? Is the world? Can we separate these disparate halves to see one or the other survive or do we need to look closer at the reasons behind their struggles—the world's struggles—and work at resolving its woes for the better of all? It would seem so, but the question becomes how. 

There is a depth to the novel that Condé offers us. While it is a work of fiction, she has seen firsthand many of the scenes depicted in her book. Maybe we should take a moment to see how we can learn from her experiences. As the world suffers through a pandemic that is sweeping the globe and touching everyone, regardless of race, education, or economic class, perhaps now is the moment to break down some of those barriers. For aren't we all in this Wondrous and Tragic Life together?

One Good Reason

One Good Reason: A Memoir of Addiction and Recovery, Music and Love

Written by Séan McCann and Andrea Aragon, © 2019, Nimbus Publishing

One Good Reason

"I carried my heavy secret around for thirty years because I was ashamed of myself and afraid to tell my parents what happened. Over time this shame grew into anger and eventually into a sense of immense betrayal. Each year it took more and more booze and drugs to keep my hidden suffering at bay. My dark secret was slowly eating away at me from the inside, like a caged animal trying to get out." 

Séan McCann was sexually abused by a priest—a trusted member of his community and personal friend of his family—when he was 15 years old. He told no one, until standing in front of an audience in London, Ontario on September 26, 2014. That was nearly three years after he got sober, but was preceded by thirty years of hard drinking, excessive drug use, and the mental struggle to keep those memories at bay. It almost killed him. 

Andrea Aragon met him along the voyage, as Séan rocked out the tunes of Great Big Sea on a twenty-year-long party tour. She had her own demons, but the two of them clicked. Together, they made a life, but that life didn't erase the secrets or stop the drugs and alcohol from flowing. Somehow Andrea held onto the love that brought her and Séan together throughout many dark and confusing years. That love and a tribe of support buoyed her up and helped her remember the reason why she was there in the first place. Sometimes all it takes is one good reason.

And together they share their journey through addiction, abuse, music, recovery, and love with us.

My Reasons

Full disclosure. I have always been a big fan of Great Big Sea and love their rollicking party tunes. I saw them more than once on their constant tours and was always excited to be part of the joyous event. The energy in their music is intense, and their live shows never disappointed.

I even met Séan one evening during the Home County Music & Art Festival in London, shortly after he left Great Big Sea. He had just played a solo set on the main stage and was now part of the audience enjoying the next musicians to hit the stage. I noticed him standing behind my children and I.

"Do you know who this is?" I asked them excitedly. "It's Séan McCann. He was just onstage. And he was one of the lead singers of Great Big Sea!"

He smiled and said hello. We chatted briefly and then I thanked him for sharing his music with us. He was gracious and real, in a way I always appreciate in celebrities. Musicians might hold epic rock and roll status, but they are people with lives of their own, and stories that mirror anyone's.

Those stories are often the power behind their lyrics. The words get inside you and make you feel like the musician knows your intimate details. Ordinary Day was one such song for me after my husband's death.

"In this beautiful life, there's always some sorrow
And it's a double-edged knife, but there's always tomorrow
It's up to you now if you sink or swim,
Just keep the faith that your ship will come in.
It's not so bad...

I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say... it's all right, it's all right"
~ lyrics form Ordinary Day by Great Big Sea

Yes, there was always tomorrow. And I learned to live with that double-edged knife, as awful as it felt in the moment. What I didn't realize though, was how double-edged that party was for Séan or how his story would mirror mine again later.

Séan was trying to drown his past; to forget it in a haze of drink and drugs. But life doesn't work that way. You can try to ignore past hurts, but they have a way of integrating themselves into every fibre of your being, and shaping everything. A friend recently revealed to me that he was sexually abused as a child. That revelation clarified and changed everything I knew about him. He too hid in plain sight, his pain so obvious to see, now that the secrets were cleared away. I am beginning to understand the many bad decisions he made—drinking, drugs, poor relationships, emotional detachment—in light of the trauma he went through. The journey to heal has only just begun and, in light of our current pandemic, seems harder to navigate. But as I turned the last few pages in One Good Reason, I have hope that like Séan, hopefully my friend too can heal.

Even more than that, I see a message to the wider world. Séan found healing through the power of music, but more importantly, through honest human connection. The journey isn't always easy. Sod that, it is damned hard! The whole world needs healing and connection right now. But hold faith that our ship will come in. It's not so bad...


But the book... Would I recommend it? Yes. I loved the reflection between Andrea and Séan. You see both sides of a life lived. We are offered more understanding in how the hurt and harm of secrets buried can radiate. But you also see the pure strength that can come from holding those secrets out and letting them go. It is far from easy and the road stretches farther than from where you can see. But you don't need to be alone. And that is reason enough to carry on.

Thank you for sharing your words, your music, and your love Séan and Andrea.

Conversations with Grace

Conversations with Grace by Julianne Haycox, ©2020, Köehlerbooks

Conversations with Grace

An Awakening

"We GO, GO, GO—chasing after the day, the night and the 'list'. The lists are all around us.

They are stuck to our planners, refrigerators, dashboards, phones and computers. They are everywhere. These lists take up prime, front-row space in our daily lives and keep us working into the night. Keep working out at the gym more than the next person. Keep buying everything that the 'it girl' is obsessing over. Keep doing what everyone else is doing and what others want us to do so we don't miss out. The words YOU ARE MISSING OUT should be stamped in bold, black ink across every list out there.

I realized that I was missing out when my life took a sharp turn..."
~ Julianne Haycox

Start the Conversation

Anyone relate to this? That you were missing out? That you needed to do more? That you weren't enough? This was so many of us a mere few weeks ago. Chasing lists. Running after our days. Feeling like we could never get ahead because there was always something to do, someone to impress, some task yet to master.

Well guess what? Life has definitely taken a sharp turn for everyone. Shopping malls are closed, as are gyms. The only place to go is the grocery store, but that now feels like a game of Russian roulette—has anyone touched these bananas, picked up this box, or coughed in my vicinity? You might welcome the change in scenery, but find yourself scampering back to the relative safety of your home to resume a vigil on what new drama the world is grappling with this hour. It is a scary time. And no one is immune to it.

But take heart.

There are others who have faced challenging times before, including Julianne Haycox. She is the author of Conversations with Grace and has learned a thing or two over the years. She has dealt with death, loss, and upheaval more than once, and has found grace through the process. And she shares some of that hope in her newest book.

How did she do that? Mostly through letting go of old constructs that no longer served her. She surrounded herself with people who sought to ease her suffering, and in this way found love once more. Love of self, love of life, and an embracing of the miracles that can be found each day, if we but only look for them. It is not necessarily an easy process, but Julianne understands the power found through the journey.

Right now we are all on a journey. Life looks different for each and every one of us across the globe. People are being asked to physically isolate themselves from others in order to protect our collective society. The beautiful part is that so many are going beyond to show their love for others in big and little ways. Governments are working together on all levels to coordinate responses, actions, and relief support. Businesses are changing their production to fill needs on local and nation-wide levels. And everyday people are checking in with friends, family, and neighbours in careful ways (video chats and phone calls help!) to make sure that we are all coping the best we can. It is heartening in a huge way and a reminder that we will all get through this together.

Life is always a journey, but today's course feels more powerful than most. If you find yourself struggling, don't be afraid to reach out to others for a little support. Turn to whatever means of solace helps you through this time, whether that be books, your favourite television shows, or hobbies you can do at home. Maybe now is the time to pick up your own pen and write the story of your journey through this difficult time? Sharing how you cope can be a balm and looking to those who have found a way through to grace in the past—like Julianne Haycox—serves as inspiration for us all.

Stay safe and healthy friends. 

Boekenweek 2020: Rebels and Dissenters

Boekenweek 2020

Rebels and Dissenters

Welcome to Boekenweek 2020! I am pleased to launch the North American leg of this year's Boekenweek celebrations. It is the second year that World Editions has brought the Dutch literary festival to North America and there is plenty to celebrate. Not only are there seven fantastic books in translation on this year's tour, but there are also six bloggers reviewing those books. Make sure to stop by my fellow writer's blogs to see their take on this year's Boekenweek novels.

Boekenweek runs from March 7th through to March 15th, 2020. This year's theme is Rebels and Dissenters. It is apt that Esther Gerritsen's book is therefore one of those books. And I was lucky enough to get a copy of the book to review for this year's Blog Tour.

Roxy

Roxy by Esther Gerritsen, translation by Michele Hutchison, ©2020, World Editions

Originally published in 2014, Roxy has sold over 20,000 copies in the Netherlands. It released to the US market on March 4th and I am sure Esther Gerritsen is waiting to see the response to her gripping novel. With a protagonist whom you don't know what to expect from, Roxy is the perfect image for this year's theme of Rebels and Dissenters.

The novel opens with middle-of-the-night visitors for our main protagonist, 27-year-old Roxy. Her 3-year-old daughter lies sleeping upstairs. Middle of the night visitors never bode well, usually only mean one thing, especially when they are police officers. And Roxy is correct when she assumes it means her husband has died. While you might assume the novel to come is about grief and the process of it, Gerritsen throws in a twist that throws Roxy off and has her coming unhinged—her husband died in a car accident in a compromising position with a woman. While Roxy immediately tries to downplay the circumstances, it is no good. Her husband and his intern were found naked in a car together. Cue the unravelling.

Death is enough for any one person to deal with, but throw in infidelity and you've got a whole lot more to process. And as Roxy begins to process that, we begin to see a bigger picture of who she is, the choices she has made in the past, and how her underlying instabilities might be enough to see her come completely undone.

It calls for a road trip with unlikely companions; her husband's assistant, the babysitter, and her daughter. Roxy is running from grief, from life, from responsibilities—but she just can't shake them. You never can. As her reckless behaviour escalates, it looks like this rebel might implode. Or maybe she already has and is just coming back around again? It is a bumpy ride for sure and it's hard to know where it will end for Roxy or her companions. But there is definitely far more than just a grief journey going on in this novel. Roxy bucks the 'poor widow' motif and it is hard to understand where she will go from there. When you are barely holding onto reality on a good day, a major catastrophe is enough to make things untenable everywhere. But is she that much different from her road trip companions? Is her reaction that much different from anyone else's?

Give Roxy a chance and you just might be surprised by how drawn in, and repulsed, you are by Gerritsen's heroine. Michele Hutchison does an excellent job of translating Gerritsen's unbalanced characters into ones you can understand and relate to, and also be shocked by. It is a bumpy ride, so hold on.

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The Darkness that Divides Us

The Darkness that Divides Us by Renate Dorrestein, translation by Hester Velmans, ©2019, World Editions

Another rebel in the making is 6-year-old Lucy. She lives in the draughty old rectory on the village green, and her mother is different than other mothers. Her mum dresses in black, reads tarot cards to the local women, and is sought after by the local men. They live with the Luducos; two bachelors of indeterminate age and vocation, who no one seems to know much about. None of them tend to leave the house and an air of mystery surrounds them all. But feisty Lucy is a magnet for the other children in the housing development. Her magnetism changes in tone as the novel progresses though.

We are given a glimpse into the future fate of Lucy in the opening pages. She is brutally bullied by the local kids and they can't seem to get enough of tormenting her. It wasn't always that way though. Lucy has an indomitable spirit that draws people in. Like her mother, she enchants people, but she too is different. And while she starts as a leader amongst the children, a fateful event quickly divides them all. The other children still can't help but be attracted to her, but the attention shifts to a darker tone, one that none of them seems capable of breaking.

Renate Dorrestein presents the story in three parts; Lucy's life at age 6, age 12, and age 18. The first section is narrated by the other children in the village. They take in Lucy and her strange family, and then the tragic events that unfold. Their loyalty sways when Lucy becomes numb, but she is always a focus of their attentions. Only it changes from adoration to dismay, and then that attention becomes downright vicious.

By the second section—Lucy at age 12—she herself is the narrator. Where the other children try to coax by their favourite playmate by any means possible, Lucy herself is unravelling. She feels like she deserves all the anger and sorrow that comes her way. As the reader, you slip inside her head to see her personal torments and can't help but feel for the outcast child. Events whisk them away, but the shame remains and Lucy can't shake it, no matter where she lives. By the time we reach the last section though, Lucy is 18 and is ready to face the demons she has battled with for so long. Demons that have kept her apart from everyone.

I for one was rapt throughout the journey. Hester Velmans does an excellent job in translation, as evidence by my devouring the book in short work. You want to know what makes a rebel? Sometimes you have to look behind the scenes and Dorrestein holds by the curtain for us to see. A great read in my opinion.

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While these are my takes on a couple of excellent books in translation, there are other stops on the blog tour. Be sure to visit them all this week to see their take on these books and the others in the second World Editions blog tour celebrating Boekenweek. Pick up a copy of one or all of these books to join in the literary celebrations all week.

Veel leesplezier! Happy reading!

Schrödinger's Dog

Schrödinger's Dog by Martin Dumont, translation by John Cullen, ©2020, Other Press

Loss is a difficult topic for people to read about. Grief is messy and hard, and full of emotions that many don't know how to deal with. When you mix loss of spouse with critical illness of a child, the result might seem more than anyone can bear, but Martin Dumont handles it honestly in his debut novel Schrödinger's Dog.

Yanis is a single parent. His wife died in a car accident almost twenty years ago, after a serious illness. He was left with a young boy—Pierre—whom he devoted his life to. But now there is something wrong with Pierre and Yanis doesn't know how to fix it. He can avoid the issue, like he did with his wife when she was ill, but putting Pierre inside a box doesn't stop the cancer that ravages his body. Time is racing and bringing up a grief that Yanis didn't even know he had. But the box is open and can no longer be closed.

Does something exist if we don't look at it? That is a theory of quantum mechanics that Physicist Erwin Schrödinger proposed in 1935; that if you put a cat in a box with a potential poison, until you observe it, the cat simultaneously may be alive or dead. It is more complicated than that, but also simpler. It boils down to observation. Is something real if it is not directly observed? That is the story that Dumont plays with in his poignant novel.

A theory exists that Yanis' wife committed suicide. He never fully contemplates it, thus gives no life to the supposition. As Pierre's health declines, he refuses to see the signs. But can he create an alternate world for his son regardless of the reality that comes with his illness? This is something many people who have faced serious illness wish for, but the box is sadly fallible. Looking in the box or not does not change the outcome. But the story itself is yours to write.

Dumont does a lovely job of exploring loss, grief, and the emotional challenges that come with it in Schrödinger's Dog. For a slim novel, it packs a punch worth reading. 

Real Life

REAL LIFE: A Blog Tour with World Editions

Real Life by Adeline Dieudonné, Translated by Roland Glasser ©2019, World Editions

"At home there are four bedrooms: one for her, one for her little brother Sam, one for her parents, and one for the carcasses."

This is where Real Life starts. At least that is where the story begins in Adeline Dieudonné's stunning debut novel. And funny enough, it wasn't until I reached the end of the book that I noticed that the main protaganist in Real Life doesn't have a name. The narrative is written in first person, thus remains nameless throughout the book. This is telling, as her voice is poignant to the reader, but silent in her real life. Make no mistake though. She orchestrates her outward silence, all while working hard to create a better life for the only person she truly cares about—Sam. But silence comes with a cost.

Adeline Dieudonné

It is not only the narrator who remains nameless in Dieudonné's novel. Her weak and ineffectual mother is referred to simply as an amoeba; spineless and without form or creativity. Her father—a raging, brute of a man intent on pain—also gets no additional title. Even neighbours whom she forms a loose bond with only get the titles of Feather Girl and Champion. They are both adrift in their lives and only represent a means to a way out; through idyllically floating above life or dabbling in sexual escape.

Aside from Sam, the only other characters who earn titles are Monica, Professor Pavlović and his wife Yael.

Names. What do they mean and represent? 

For our narrator, she names things she loves and respects the most; her once innocent brother, a neighbour who gives her the initial spark to fight to change her life, her teacher who gives her the tools to make a difference, and his wife whose strength to stand up to violence—and the price she paid for it—all represent the best of who she wants to be. Those names are hard-earned and deserving in that vein of thought. Conversely, the decided lack of labels represent the holes our narrator sees herself needing to climb out of.

Dieudonné paints a world where family relationships are complicated, violence is endemic, and the choices we make shape everything. Make the right choice and rise above the rabble or, conversely, be destined to mediocrity or worse. Education is key. As soon as Monica's worth is spent—she gives the narrator the key to escape with the story of Marie Curie—she disappears from the story. Her role is noteworthy though, as Monica's spark, her inspiration, begins the possibility of going back and changing what the future might look like. The keys are in maintaining your innocence (Sam), hard work (Professor Pavlović), dedication (Yael), and a little insight (all herself), that she better understands the path. The trick is knowing which path to take and which parts should remain in place. Sometimes a life or death decision.

Of course, that is only my take on the book. I tried not to let in too many spoilers, but just know that I enjoyed it in its darkness and light, its violence and redemption. I happen to know that a few other people have read the book too and have insight on Real Life. Time for some blog hopping to visit the other bloggers taking part in the World Editions blog tour! If you get the chance, make sure to see what Jamie Wong, Debi Lantzer, Meredith Smith, and Kayla Whitter think of Real Life.

Even better, grab a copy yourself and let me know what YOU think.

Everywhere Holy: Review & GIVEAWAY!

Everywhere Holy by Kara Lawler, © 2019, Thomas Nelson

Do you ever stop and wonder who you are, where you are going, and how you got here in the first place? Maybe question how life got away from you or wonder where it all turned in the direction you are headed now? More importantly, have you asked yourself how you can get your feet back on the ground again?

Kara Lawler has.

Kara is the author of Everywhere Holy. She is also a wife, mother, teacher, daughter, and friend, but sometimes she struggles with anxiety and depression, and feels like she has lost her path. In the writing of this book, she has sought to recognize the good in her life and signs that prove to her that God is watching out for her. For her, seeing cows in a field, dancing in the rain, collecting eggs from her chickens, and truly listening to her children are examples of being present. More than present though. These are moments, when recognized, that are holy, and they are everywhere when you look for them and recognize them.

Giveaway Time!

Do you struggle with self worth? Have you wondered and wandered lost on your path? Time to stop. Breathe. Look around and see the miracles. Whether that is a hug from your child, a memory from your youth, a kind word from a stranger, or the sharing of a moment with someone. They might not seem like much, but when we look and start to add them up, they can change the way you look at life.

Do you need a hand with that? How would the opportunity to read Everywhere Holy yourself sound? Pretty sweet, right! It is a great book to start the year off with if you are dreaming of a new year, new you.

I am hosting a giveaway of Kara Lawler's new book Everywhere Holy. One lucky reader will win a copy of her book. All you have to do is share a moment when you recognized you were lost, but discovered ways to turn that moment around. Did you struggle to conceive, so instead adopted a child? Maybe you hated your job, and took the plunge to start a new career? Or are you at a loss with raising teenagers, so have turned to friends for advice or help?

Enter now! Contest ends January 24, 2020.

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Knives and Needles

Knives and Needles: Tattoo Artists in the Kitchen by Molly Kitamura, photos by John Agcaoili, © 2019, Schiffer Publishing

Today, you are in for a treat; a most delicious treat at that, both visually and gastronomically! I received a review copy of 'Knives and Needles: Tattoo Artists in the Kitchen' from Schiffer Publishing and was thrilled when it arrived. If you have any foodies on your Christmas list this year—who also happen to be tattoo fanatics—this right here will win you best gift of the year! You will be drooling as soon as you crack the cover—over body work and recipes galore.

Molly Kitamura started the blog Knives and Needles back in 2013. It featured tattoo artists with a penchant for food. She mixed together glossy images, culinary tips, and plenty of great recipes. It should come as no surprise then, that she wanted to take that space one step further. That step was this gorgeous book.

Ever Alice

Ever Alice by H.J. Ramsay, © 2018, Red Rogue Press

Have you read Alice in Wonderland? Who hasn't been swept down the rabbit hole by Lewis Carroll's classic novel written in 1865. Well, you are in for a treat today. This much-loved book has finally got a sequel with the help of H.J. Ramsay. Only 'Ever Alice' is a little darker than Carroll's original version.

When Ramsay reintroduces us to Alice, she is locked in an asylum; put there by her concerned parents. Alice can't stop talking and thinking about the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, and everything she saw in Wonderland. The inhabitants of Wonderland haven't forgotten her either. But the Queen of Hearts has stepped up her game. Heads are rolling faster than ever. It seems like the only way to stop her is for Alice to return to Wonderland. If Alice is willing...

Intrigued? You should be. Maybe you need a little more to whet your appetite though? How about a little taste of what Alice and the Queen are up to.

Ever Alice Excerpt

Chapter 1

Alice

Warneford Asylum, Oxford

September 15, 1888

Alice stared at the spoonful of red syrup. It may as well have had a note saying, “Drink me.”

Nurse Hazel said, “Open wide.”

Alice took the medicine into her mouth and let it pool under her tongue while she made a show of swallowing. The taste of nutmeg and something metallic, almost like blood, made her eyes water.

“That’s a good girl,” the nurse said. She wiped the spoon, capped the bottle, and left the room.

The lock clicked.

Alice waited until the nurse’s steps faded into the symphony of shrieks and moans that always rang down the hallway, and then she spat the medicine in the sink before her thoughts could curdle like an overheated custard.

She wiped her mouth on her sleeve and reached under the bed, wiggling the loose floorboard. Her tattered notebook lay in a cavity between the joists. She dusted off the cover and flipped past her drawings and recollections until she came to a fresh page.

Her hand itched to fill it, but she waited with her eyes closed. At last, he came to her, like he always did. She drew the White Rabbit, a timepiece in his paws, the chain dangling from his waistcoat pocket.

Chapter 2

Rosamund

House of Hearts, Wonderland

Lilly of the Valley 11, Year of the Queen

A light drizzle misted the air while the drummers played “March-O Death-O.”

Rosamund, the Queen of Hearts, tapped her fingers to the beat.

So very appropriate.

Of course, Rosamund wouldn’t have expected anything else. All ways were her way, and whatever way she wanted, she generally got, even if only in the end.

Her perch on the tower balcony gave her the best view of Thomas as her guards led him to the block. Her lips melted downward when she saw the proud expression on Thomas’s face.

The traitor.

Rosamund wanted Thomas to look afraid, pathetic even, but he appeared exalted, as if he were walking to his coronation, not his death. It would be better if he acted a little remorseful, but that was Thomas’s problem—he never did what she wanted.

She bit her lip until she tasted blood. Tears sprang to her eyes, and Rosamund dabbed them ceremoniously with her handkerchief. She glowed with satisfaction as her people followed suit, shaking their heads and giving her their bravest faces.

They’ll always love me.

Rosamund forced more tears to flow until she could taste them. She took a breath as the drummers rattled out a long, steady beat that reminded her of a purring cat.

She hated cats, but that didn’t concern her at the moment.

The traitor stopped before the block, and the drumming ceased. A dreadful calm lingered in the air. Slowly, he dropped to his knees and rested his chin on the chipped stump.

Thomas’s eyes flashed toward her.

She expected to see anger in them, perhaps even hatred, but there was only pity.

The executioner raised the axe and the drummers started a low and steady roll.

Brrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuummmmm…buh DUM.

The axe sliced through the air, and his white head dropped into the basket in a baptism of blood. No one turned away. Not even as Thomas’s legs twitched on the ground. They watched her, waiting for what she’d do next. She draped a black veil over her face.

“Lower the drapes,” Rosamund said to a palace servant. “I am a widow today.”

And just so you know, Ever Alice is available now on Amazon.

Mischief and Mayhem

Mischief and Mayhem: Part 1 of the Faerlands Chronicles by S.D. Nicholson, © 2019, köehlerbooks

You are in for a treat today. Not only has a new book hit my bedside table, but I have a little more insight into it and the author that wrote Mischief and Mayhem—S.D. Nicholson. As it is the first book in a series, this offers an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a new world.

Meet the Faers and the world they inhabit. And meet Samuel, our author and host, as we step into a world of fantasy that is sure to pique your interest.

Mischief and Mayhem: Part 1 of the Faerlands Chronicles

Q: This is your first novel – what got you interested in writing?

Nicholson: For the few who knew I was writing the manuscript; it was all about an escape. I was a commercial real estate agent at the time and was enjoying it, but it was a relentless grind, day in and day out. Stepping away from it, I have a far greater appreciation for the brokers who survive and keep at it. Mischief and Mayhem was my outlet into a world other than my own, dictated by the rules I chose. I feel like a broken record, but I truly believe in the concept of “escape through entertainment” and I decided then that I wanted to not only escape, but become the creator of the worlds I escape into.

Q: Where did the idea for the The Faerlands Chronicles series come from?

Nicholson: It’s difficult to narrow inspiration down to specifics. From my own childhood adventures to reading Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones to “ticking away the moments that make up a dull day,” I want to say everything has been an inspiration. I believe every interaction we have, be it with others or in an activity, shape how we view the world. In this case, I feel like the realm of the Faerlands is constantly growing and evolving as I too learn and do more.

Q: Many fantasy books today are aimed at teens. Why did you choose to write for adults?

Nicholson: Honestly, I find it easier to target adult interests more than teens or young adults. Yes, adults are more complex in their judgment and preferences, but they are also more accepting of new ideas. There are two key elements here. First, there is a level of enjoyment that nearly everyone has for fantasy, whether it be creature specific, magic, or just the general world of a “Middle-Earth.” Second, people don’t like to say it, but humans are intrigued by violence. Part of you enjoys the flutter of your heart when tension rises and emotion overtakes judgment. You cheer for some characters to live and hope certain ones to die. To make a long story short (too late), I felt I could ease adults into my world and attach them to characters, before dousing them with fantasy, and then be more violent and expletive along the way.

Q: Mischief and Mayhem takes readers into a very complex world. When you began writing, was it more around character development, or world creation?  

Nicholson: It was always world building, which is weird to say now that I’m nearly finished with Part Two and I know and love the characters to death. I knew who my characters would be and their general attitude, but until you put the letters on the page and make words come out of their mouths, you only have a description. I started writing with the idea that I’m going to let my characters evolve on their own and “grow into themselves” throughout the story. I said earlier that I wanted to escape into the world, not necessarily walk with the characters. The Faerlands is only one landmass in this world, with many others hinted at. I felt that the reader needed to see what trees and foliage surrounded them in the Woodlands. They need to smell the sweet aroma of honeysuckle and shiver during a cold breeze.

Q: Mischief and Mayhem introduces readers to a lot of new characters. Which one is your favorite? And why?

Nicholson: This is difficult, because I know more characters and more importantly, who dies (insert maniacal laugh). My favorite is by far Ophelia. In short, she’s a little badass. She’s far stronger than she realizes, but it comes at a great cost. Her power forces her to relive tragic moments and nearly drives her insane. I cannot even count how many hardships I’ve forced upon her, yet she always has a positive outlook and refuses to let any loss or wrong doing define her. It hasn’t been shared on socials yet, but I had my most recent tattoo be of her. Soon it will be done with more imagery from different scenes and fights. All in all, I couldn’t think of a better character’s mindset to tell most of the story from.

Q: Mischief and Mayhem is the first book in the series. When will the next one come out, and what can readers expect from it?

Nicholson: Hopefully soon! My goal, as I’m sure is any debut author’s, is to reach a point that I’m constantly producing content. I moved to the Outer Banks at the beginning of the off-season and right when I began the publication process, knowing that I would have a lot of free time. I’m pleased to say that in the past six months I’m just over the three-quarter’s mark with Part Two and it is full speed ahead. As far as expectations go: more story. Part One ideally sets the stage of the world and lays out what surface issues are occurring. Part Two brings in a third storyline, following the forces in the Meadows as they defend against the invaders. It also follows the antagonists more, learning a little about their story. Overall, Part Two is a hurricane of emotion, violence, and mysticism. More races are introduced and understood, along with even more fantastic creatures!

Q: What do you want the reader to take away from Mischief and Mayhem?

Nicholson: I want them to take away the concept that even when the world looks bleak and empty, you only need to turn the page and find a silver lining. Our characters face far worse problems than any of us could imagine in day to day life, yet they endeavor to persevere. I know it’s cliché, but our issues are always minute in the grand scheme. Sometimes we just need to see others, whether they are fictional or not, overcome something worse and inspire them to do better and enjoy life for what it is. TLDR…don’t wait to be happy, go seek it.

🧚🧚🧚

Thank you to S.D. Nicholson for sharing some insight into his debut novel and the worlds you can get to know within its pages. I look forward to the next installments already! If you want to learn more, visit his website for a deeper dive into his world.

Boekenweek Part 2: You Have Me to Love

You Have Me to Love by Jaap Robben, Translated by David Doherty, © 2014, World Editions

Grief is a familiar topic for me. So when I read the description of 'You Have Me to Love' by Jaap Robben, the theme spoke to me.

"On a remote island somewhere in the North Atlantic, a nine-year-old boy looks on helplessly as his father is swept out to sea. Consumed by guilt and paralyzed by his mother's frantic grief, Mikael cannot bring himself to tell the truth about what happened. As the pair struggle to restore the fragile balance of their isolated lives, the young widow starts to demand the impossible of her only son."

A woman distraught over the loss of her husband is relatable. Hearing the story from her son's perspective is intriguing. Delving into her complicated and prolonged grief is disturbing, but worth exploring with the help of Robben's powerful prose. How does anyone handle someone stuck in their bereavement, especially when you have your own loss to process and understand? That is Mikael's challenge, and he is only 9 years old when his father drowns. Plus, he lives on an isolated island with no other support at his disposal to help either himself or his grieving mother. It sounds like a recipe for disaster.

While the subject matter is challenging, Robben tackles the novel with an unexpected beauty. Guilt is a familiar emotion in grief and Mikael struggles with it, especially as he is the only witness to his father's death. As the years pass, he tries to embrace love and acceptance once more, only to be confronted by his mother's inability to process her own grief. Add to that the spectre of loneliness—another component of bereavement—and compound it with their remote island home. How is one to find hope? Readers can only pray that Mikael can find the strength and maturity to combat his mother's impossible demands. To say anything more, would spoil the plot for readers eager to dive into Robben's highly-acclaimed novel.

The book is currently being adapted into an English-language film.

Boekenweek

Jaap Robben

'You Have Me to Love' is the second novel I had the pleasure of reading for Boekenweek. What a week to celebrate; a festival of literature for 10 days! I choose to read Thirty Days and You Have Me to Love to explore both a Belgian (Verbeke) and Dutch (Robben) author—Belgium and the Netherlands being the two main host countries of Boekenweek.

While Verbeke's novel was excellent, Robben's perfectly touched on this year's theme—The Mother The Woman. The blurred lines between those roles are a stark part of Robben's engaging narrative. As a woman, where do the lines start and end in motherhood? You might want to check out more books from this year's Boekenweek theme to help figure that out.

World Editions also provides more information about Boekenweek and the many tours, readings, and festivals going on in North America from March 23-31, 2019. They are proud supporters of high-quality English literature on a world scale, with an affinity for their European and, more specifically, their Dutch roots. Care to read more of their books? World Editions can help.

Boekenweek: Thirty Days

Thirty Days, by Annelies Verbeke, Translated by Liz Waters © 2015, World Editions

The back cover of Thirty Days introduces the story of our main character—"Alphonse is a Senegalese immigrant who uproots his life in Brussels to become a handyman in rural Flanders." This is but the tip of the iceberg.

Annelies Verbeke creates a character loved by most of the people he meets in Thirty Days. Alphonse has depth, sensitivity, and a thoughtfulness borne from a caring, if distant, mother. His travels around the world help too. But while most people like and open up to Alphonse as soon as they meet him, that experience isn't universal. There are still those who have issue with him. That issue stems directly from the colour of his skin.

Thirty Days is a timely novel that scratches beneath the glossy veneer of civilization. Refugees are everywhere today and their treatment isn't always civil. While Verbeke shows us the ugly image of refugee camps on the fringes of Flanders, the presence of refugees is not exclusive to Europe. Plenty of displaced people can be found in Canada as well. Their plight is a global issue. And while many wish the problem (and people) would disappear, it would seem not enough people do their part to ease this crisis.

As Alphonse is an immigrant himself, he cannot ignore the pain of displaced people. He knows all too well of leaving family behind and the struggle to find a place to call home. Even as he is welcomed on the surface by neighbours and clients, Alphonse still comes across racism and anger on a regular basis. The obvious reactions less painful and confusing than the subtle words and actions from people closer to him. All Alphonse wants is to be loved and to belong. A noble goal for all, I believe. One that is close to Verbeke's heart and I think that she illuminates beautifully in her novel.

Boekenweek

One of the exciting parts for me about reading Thirty Days is that it is part of Boekenweek. Boekenweek is a week-long celebration of books in the Netherlands and Belgium. This year, those celebrations have spilled over into North America. So not only was I fortunate enough to read Thirty Days, but I am also taking part in the North American Blog Tour celebrating Dutch and Flemish authors.

From March 23rd to April 1st, bloggers across the continent are writing reviews, hosting Q&As, and offering book giveaways for many of World Editions featured authors. A few of those authors, including Annelies Verbeke, are even touring the United States, attending festivals and talks about their novels and the themes within them. If you get a chance, I'm sure those events would be enlightening, especially Annelies' take on racism and refugee issues inherent in today's world.

Thank you to World Editions for including me in the tour. If you get the chance, take the time to visit some of the other bloggers on the tour to see their takes on the Boekenweek novels. I plan to!

Countdown America

In celebration of International Women's Day, today I look at a book not only written by a woman, but featuring an amazingly strong female protagonist. As a woman, we often feel like we have to do it all to come close to making it in today's demanding world. As a single parent, that pressure is even more, as there literally isn't anyone else to step up and take the reins to give that much needed break on occasion. 

Author M.C. Fox gets that and created a character all women can relate to and gain inspiration from. You won't be able to put down her newest book Countdown America. Don't take my word for it though. Hear what Fox has to say about her novel in her own words.

Countdown America: Talking with M.C. Fox

Question: Tell us what Countdown America is all about.

M.C. Fox:. Countdown America is about a single mom, Isabella Bendel, who rises through the ranks of the CIA to Chief Supervisor of the Cyber Terrorism Unit. She finds herself at the other end of a case she never thought she would ever be on. Trying to figure out why she has become a target, while also trying to figure out why her family has been abducted. This is the toughest mission she has ever worked. She finds herself fighting her way through assassins, cyber-terrorists, and duplicitous fellow agents, as she uncovers a Russian plot that is hell-bent on destroying the United States.

Q: What inspired you to write this novel?

Fox: Initially it was hearing about Russia’s attacks against countries of the former Soviet Republic. More recently, the news of the moles found in the United States, the hacking of our elections, and as reported, political meddling in several other countries. I thought it was the perfect ingredients for a spy story set in the world of political cyber-espionage.

Q: Isabella Bendel seems like a fierce character. What was your motivation behind creating such a strong female protagonist?  

Fox: Firstly, I wanted to create a female lead. There are not a lot of female lead characters in the spy genre. In my mind, Isabella couldn’t be anything but strong considering she is a single mom, and in her case, her line of work. I believe she is a good role model for women. She rises above her emotional distress and her vulnerability and carries on with the task at hand.

Q: It is interesting that you created Isabella to be a single mother. What was your thought behind that choice?

Fox: My thought was to create a strong yet vulnerable character. Being a single mom can be very vulnerable. You are doing it all. There are so many single mom’s out there that feel they can’t make it on their own, can’t do what they need to do to take care of their children.  I think it can speak to those single mom’s that don’t feel they can do it all. When they see Isabella doing it, it could help them see that they can too.

Q: And why cyber security – why did you tackle that subject?

Fox: It is a very “now” thing and I thought it would make a great plot line. We hear more and more of cyber related threats out there, for example, identity theft, and hacking financial institutions to name a few. More recently Russia’s reported involvement in the hacking of the elections in the United States. Everything is cyber related and it is a real threat, as we see played out in the news more and more.

Q: Beyond being entertained, what do you hope readers take away from reading Countdown America?

Fox: I hope it moves people to rise above circumstances and succeed. To move past the notion that because they are female, or vulnerable, that success is not an option.  I also hope to bring awareness around cyber threat. We live in a day and age when everything is cyber related.  The threats are real and so too must be the efforts to remove that threat. 

M.C. Fox

For more information, please visit www.mcfoxauthor.com and connect with her on Facebook and Instagram. Countdown America can be found on Amazon and other retailers