Review of Novel Inspired by Music Greats

Title: Saving The Innocents
Author: Randall Kenneth Drake
Author’s Web site : http://rkdrake.com
Genre/category: Mystery/Suspense/Action
ISBN: 0-9747161-0-3
Only $5.99 only at author's Web site

Reviewed by Dianne Donovan originally for Midwest Book Review


Saving the Innocents is all about courage, strength, and personal effort;
and as it chronicles the life and efforts of one Mary Jane Chevalier (an
'everywoman' who feels powerless but in fact is powerful), it also reflects
modern society's milieu - and thus will resonate with readers looking for
positive stories about courage and determination in the face of impossible
odds.

But Saving the Innocents isn't a story without violence: indeed, the first
paragraph has Mary Jane facing death with little more than the snap of her
gum as a response: "She thought it funny . . . what went through her mind
while waiting for the bullet. Time slowed down in that moment. Several
thoughts and feelings flashed - alternating waves. Her body felt relaxed at
first, as though relief had finally come. Freedom. And she welcomed it."

The first striking thing to note about Saving the Innocents is its attention
to detail and description, which capture powerful images with a pen finely
honed by the moment: "The sound was like a bumblebee as it split the
smoke-filled air. She swung her body around with a gathering force, and
brought the cue from behind her like a broadsword - the way a Viking
marauder would in the long ago of Scotland. The wooden blade made a
thunderous crack into the side of the big man's knee, the cue splitting
apart."

Mary's passion for finding her father is only equaled by her determination
to save the weak who, much like herself, have limited choices when facing
violence. And so her very nature inevitably becomes linked to two very
special people who enter her life on the run and who create a double mystery
for her to pursue. True to her helpful nature, Mary Jane feels compelled to
assist; and that action in turn will transform her own life as she becomes
absorbed in a deadly manhunt,  determined to save the innocents she's
stumbled upon and, ultimately, herself.

Mary Jane feels like an unknown: while she makes efforts in life, she
largely feels her achievements are too little . or so her conscious says.
Her decision to search out an absent father who changed her life through his
actions is what results in the unexpected: the discovery of a man and a
little girl hiding out because they have seen too much.

Now, some notes on this novel's unusual roots: they were inspired by the
author's infatuation with movies and with the songs of Sarah McLachlan,
Alanis Morissette and Sheryl Crow. Parts of this story actually came to him
in a series of flashback-like scenes which he dutifully penned as they came;
but it was McLachlan's music that prompted a flood of inspiration prompted
by a realization that each line of one of her songs described one of the
scenes Randall Kenneth Drake was already writing.

And it was Morisette's song 'Mary Jane' and 'You Learn' combined with Crow's
lyrics in 'Am I Getting Through' which both contributed to the character of
Mary Jane Chevalier. Listen to this music for further insights into that
protagonist and her origins - at the risk of gaining advance insights into
where the plot is going. In fact - listening to the music of all three as
background to reading provides a kind of multimedia experience that any
singular song, artist or the book alone couldn't impart.

The scenes originated with a story Drake stumbled upon in a bar, of an
abandoned child left by her mother in front of the 'best house she would
like to live in'. And so psychological and physical abandonment are one
element in a novel that weaves a complicated story line powered by a woman
who is strong, but believes herself to be weak. It's unusual to find a
strong female heroine in a novel but Mary Jane IS that heroine, fighting for
the weak and making a difference not just in her world, but in the worlds of
others.

To add a dose of complexity, the protagonists all hold names indicative of
their underlying roles in the story line: thus Delphia acts as an oracle and
seer, Chevalier is actually a knight in disguise, and Mary Jane (much to the
reader's surprise) embodies ALL these qualities, exhibited during the course
of her quest.

It's all about a quest involving 'finding an angel', fantasies designed to
cope with soul-threatening encounters, issues of death and values in life,
and an epic quest disguised as a search for meaning. In this case not only
does Mary Jane find her cause and meaning from life, but events come full
circle in posing an angelic presence for Sera, the little girl who needs
rescuing.

Saving the Innocents is also about preparing for battle, caring for self and
strangers alike, and what motivates the deepest of emotions: "All her life
she had wanted to be noticed - to love and be loved - to be someone's
champion. The answers had come from the most unexpected sources. Nick,
Delphia, Jack, and Sera. An ex-fireman, a crippled, blind woman . . . an
odd, devoted, loyal man - and a little girl."

As protagonists join the story and begin their dance of interaction and
influence, readers are treated to much more than a mystery or crime story:
it's a story of courage, survival against all odds, and revelations that
change everyone involved. The heart and soul of Saving the Innocents lies in
Mary Jane's choices and determination which create a true heroine's journey
in which Mary Jane's emotions and observations act as a driving force behind
an epic quest for salvation that spills from the personal to (ultimately) an
entire circle of characters.

Any looking for a novel that wraps its reader in a cloak of complexity and
warmth will find Saving the Innocents filled with satisfying twists, turns,
and protagonist interactions that create scenarios of understanding,
connection and, ultimately, redemption.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Humor E-book Gets Five-Star Review

A Trip to the Hardware Store and Other Calamities”
By Barbara Venkataraman

Genre: Humor

Author's Blog:  www.barbaravenkataraman.blogspot.com
ASIN: B00IO94GAY

Available on Amazon

Available as an e-book

Five Stars

Reviewed by Serene E. Stout originally for Kindle

I don't know if these essays are based on real life, but it doesn't really matter as they are all well told stories about life. Some of the tales are laugh out loud funny and others are poignant. It is impossible to pick a favorite. Barbara Venkataraman could easily be the next Erma Bombeck or Teresa Bloomingdale if she wanted to write a column instead of these short books of essays.
This was such a great reading experience that I am hoping that she writes a third book of these type of essays.

 

 

The blurb:

 

At 8,000 words, this collection of humorous essays explores such quirky topics as: Disastrous home repairs, ("A Trip to the Hardware Store"), an unfortunate dinner party ("Dinner is Served"), the truth about lazy people ("Lazy Bones"), the weird life of a debt collector ("Your Account is Past Due") and obsessions with gadgets ("Gadget Girl"). Other essays examine how surreal the aging process is ("Where Did the Time Go?"), why you shouldn't judge a person by their job ("Beyond Belief"), and how to complicate simple transactions ("High Finance"). Like the author's first work, "I'm Not Talking About You, Of Course...," these essays will give your spirit a lift and leave you smiling.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Senior Book Review Gives Nod to Second in Olivia Series

Dear Carolyn,

I would like to request a posting for a review of my novel, The Way the World Is (Book 2 of the Olivia series). This is the third review I have submitted to your site. (The first two were for Olivia, Mourning, Book 1 of this series).

Thank you very much for this generous service,

Yael Politis
politisyael@yahoo.com

 

Title: The Way the World Is
Series: Book 2 of the Olivia series
Author: Yael Politis
Author's website:  http://yaelpolitis.wordpress.com
Genre: Historical Fiction (USA, 1840s)
ASIN:   B00H0H39JA

Available on Amazon

Reviewer: Diane Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Text of the review:

The Way the World Is - Book 2 of the ‘Olivia’ series – continues the story of teen pioneer Olivia Killion, who – in the first book of the series, Olivia, Mourning – inherited her father’s land in Michigan and began farming it, together with a black helper who became more than just her business partner.

As fans of Olivia, Mourning will recall, Olivia is headstrong, feisty, and filled with all the confidence and certainty of a seventeen-year-old who thinks she knows what she’s getting into and what the world is all about. In fact nothing could be further from the truth: while her assessment of the realities of black/white relations are spot on and her caution is survival thinking at its best, Olivia simply lacks the experience to make her way through the world without receiving some hard lessons, and The Way the World Is follows this progress and evolution.

Fans of Olivia, Mourning will find this sequel no less engrossing, with its gritty protagonist who is determined to forge her own unique path in life. Fans will also appreciate Olivia’s new challenges, which open here with a bang: a pregnant Olivia is about to give birth, with no idea whether her child will be white or black.

It does turn out that the child is Mourning’s baby – and with that comes a host of new tests – though Olivia is actually thrilled that her baby comes from her gentle, kind friend and not from the white monster who raped her.

As she contemplates her child’s future Olivia must make decisions based on what is best for both of them – and is forced to realize that in a prejudiced world there is no way that the dark-skinned baby of an unmarried white girl will be accepted for anything but what it is: “But there are dark-skinned white people that aren’t colored. Arabs. What about Egyptians? Don’t they have dark skin?” “Maybe a dark-skinned Egyptian ain’t exactly colored, but he sure ain’t white and ain’t gonna be asked to tea in any parlors in Five Rocks. You can’t pass this baby. Not in this world. Don’t even think about it. You’d only break your heart trying. And his.”

Olivia dreams that Mourning will eventually come back and raise his son safely; but now it’s time for a new life for them both. Olivia once again must rebuild her destiny and take charge, making hard decisions and hoping they will benefit everyone.

Though she never abandons her search for the loved ones who have vanished, her new life in Detroit comes with friends and healing and offers an unexpected opportunity to do good by helping fugitive slaves escape across the river. This is something she never would have contemplated, were it not for her friendship and love for Mourning and their child.

The Way the World Is covers a variety of themes: personal growth, change, destiny, responsibility and, ultimately, the costs of love. As Olivia makes her way in life and chooses the paths she takes from a smorgasbord of choices, she slowly realizes the limitations of her worldviews: “She was glad she had when she entered the tidy little town of Backwoods. Sturdy wooden sidewalks lined both sides of its Main Street, shielding brightly painted houses and stores from the mud in the road. The more she saw of the world, the more Olivia realized what a shabby little town she had grown up in.”

And as Olivia grows into a person determined to make a difference in the world, so readers come to appreciate not just the atmosphere and special challenges of her times, but the motivations behind her actions: “His wife is still down south. In slavery. He’s saving up his money to go get her.” Michelle sucked her front teeth and then held Olivia’s gaze and said, “I already know what you’re thinking. But you can’t buy all the slaves in the south.” “I know I can’t. But there’s not a single reason I can’t help buy this one.”

Thanks to her relationship with Mourning, Olivia’s search for the way she wants to live expands to include saving those pieces of the world she can touch and affect. And thanks to her wider-ranging decisions, she finds her way to an unexpected life, filled with genuine friendships and new possibilities.

In a way Olivia’s journey is the route of many in life. She begins with courage and determination and a naïveté about the world that is changed by encounters both positive and negative – but she remains steadfast, determined, and strong-willed. When her world (and preconceptions) fall apart, she rebuilds it to be stronger than ever – and with new purpose.

Perhaps the most powerful passage of all sums up in a nutshell what motivates Olivia to keep hope and determination alive, even in the face of despair: “As long as we draw breath, nothing in this life is final.”

Some books stand alone and require no prior familiarity with others in their series … but don’t miss Olivia, Mourning. It sets the stage for an ongoing saga rich in detail, history, and perspective. Together, the two books offer a powerful saga that makes for thoroughly engrossing, compelling historical fiction at its best.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Mystery Set in Texas Gets Nod from Kirkus

Title: The Fallen Body Author: Stone PatrickWeb site link: http://taylorsbookpub.com
Genre: Fiction/Mystery/General. A murder mystery set in Central Texas

ISBN: 978-1311651426

Smashwords profile: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tayman0522

Purchase on Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/402747

To purchase "The Fallen Body," please copy and paste the following link and choose your preferred format:http://taylorsbookpub.com/the-fallen-body 

 

 

 

Reprinted with permission of Kirkus Reviews 

 

In Patrick’s debut thriller, a small-town Texas lawyer may be getting too close to finding the killer who murdered her client’s husband.

When Texas Rangers arrest Sarah Baines for murdering her philandering husband, she’s already got a lawyer: Taylour Dixxon, a woman Sarah recently befriended who now has her first murder case. After Sarah is assaulted in prison while being tried, 

authorities place her in protective custody. That doesn't stop her husband’s killer, Roman Danshov, from looking for Sarah—and Taylour might be the way for Roman to find her. Patrick’s novel features a protagonist whose life outside of lawyering is often more intriguing: Taylour’s wayward nephew, Spencer, invites himself to live with her, and the boy’s father doesn't seem to mind; and other legal cases not relevant to the murder, such as homeowners in a dispute over a new fence and an Internet hookup gone wrong, leave more lasting impressions. Taylour is commendable as the lead, and she’s usually thrown into dramatic situations, as when she quickly earns Spencer’s respect by putting him to work or when she gradually falls for Philip Davidson, the Ranger keeping a close eye on Sarah—a connection that adds tension since Sarah also has feelings for her protector. Roman’s villainy is never in question; he’s determined to stop Sarah (for a reason not wholly revealed until the end), and his resolve leaves bodies in his wake and pages wrought with suspense. But he’s inexplicably omniscient, somehow knowing that Sarah is in protective custody and that, despite the case being over, Taylour is still looking into the murder. 

Similarly, for a hired gun not wanting to draw attention to himself, Roman is too conspicuous: He pulls his .22 on an annoying cabbie and is continually flashing wads of cash, even for something as simple as a clerk helping him find clothes to buy. Though the murderer’s identity is known from the beginning, Patrick throws in a surprise or two before the story’s over, and aside from a minor character whose fate remains uncertain, everything wraps up nicely.

A bit lightweight as a thriller, but the family drama and an indelible protagonist give the narrative a decent amount of depth. -- Kirkus Reviews

 

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Exrtra! Do You Have Your E-Book App from Kindle

Thank you to author  Patricia Fry for this tip on acquiring your e-book--even the promotions on Amazon's Kindle. And even when you need a copy for Nook or some other e-reader. It originally ran in my SharingwithWriters newsletter but I thought that some of my New Book Review readers might benefit from it, too.

Kindle Books for People Who Don’t Have Kindle

Did you know that you can buy your e-books from Kindle, even if you don’t have a Kindle? Patricia Fry, founder of SPAWN says, “If you’re going to order a book, just go to any Kindle book page and look for the buy options where you can buy the book for your Kindle or send a gift to someone else's Kindle. Just below that you'll see the link to the a Kindle app--inviting anyone without a Kindle to download the app to any device they have. That app allows you to get the book and read it—whether or not you have a Kindle. I believe this shows up on any Amazon page where they are selling Kindle books.

~ Submitted by Patricia Fry, author of the Klepto Cat Mystery series. First in the series is Catnapped,
http://amzn.to/14OCk0W


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Medical Writer Uses The Great First Impression Book Proposal

The Great First Impression Book Proposal:
Subtitle: Everything You Need to Know to Impress a Publisher in Thirty Minutes or Less
HowToDoItFrugally Series for Writers
Genre: Nonfiction: How-To, Writing, Marketing
ISBN: 9781453690956
Available on Amazon as a paperback and e-book
Paperback: $6.95
Free digital copy when you purchase paperback with Amazon’s Matchbook program

Reviewed by Treacy Clement, originally for Amazon

I have relied on this wonderful little guide when writing previous book proposals, and got it out again this morning as I am starting a new one. Carolyn strips all the intimidation out of writing a book proposal. Her clear, hands-on advice makes proposal writing not only less daunting, but in fact enjoyable. 

 

"This is a really smart proposal," was one comment from an agent who went on to sell my nonfiction book to a publisher. The "smartest" thing about it? I used Carolyn's guide to write it! 

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Treacy Colbert is a medical writer based in Southern California. She is co-author of End Your Menopause Misery and Before It's Too Late. When she isn't writing about health and medicine, she explores love, death, and 3-In-One Oil on her blog, The Green Side of the Grass.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

A Pause in Regular New Book Review Programming for Special Shoutout

This tip is from my newsletter--not from another reviewer or author as most of these blog posts are.  But when there is good news out there that I know will help my writing friends (and aren't we all writers in these days of cyberspace?), well, what can I do but shout it out--as often as possible!  (Anyone who wants to subscribe to my SharingwithWriters newsletter can do so on my Web site; the subscription form is in the upper left corner of almost every page. )

Favorite Tip: June Casagrande is my favorite grammar guru and former student at UCLA and she has her third grammar book coming out on April 15^th.   It is The best punctuation book, period. Yes, no caps. And the title includes the punctuation. It's published by Ten Speed.

June also writes a syndicated column for newspapers, A Word Please. AND she gave me blurbs for my The Frugal Editor, both the first edition and the newly released Kindle version of the second. I think I’m as excited as she is about this. Go by her buy page on Amazon and at least add her book to your wish list. It’s a way to support fellow authors.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.