My interview on virtualwritersinc

http://authoressentials.virtualwritersinc.com/2013/01/the-luck-of-the-weissensteiners-by-christoph-fischer/

Guest Reviews on Readwave

Readwave have asked me to make a few quick recommendations for their new site.
Have a look!

http://blog.readwave.com/

Mr Alhourani’s Dead Man’s Spots by DM Lee

Mr Alhourani’s Dead Man’s Spots is a story about unexpected friendships, love, loneliness and loyalty and how one man’s desire to improve the lives of those around him, through simple acts of generosity, can really make a difference.

Annie Grimes moves to London in search of a more fulfilling life. However, work quickly takes over as she is faced with a demanding boss, Geraldine Hall, who runs the Golden Dawn Care Home based on timetables and targets rather than feelings. As Annie watches the life savings of the elderly shrink, she begins to question the quality and type of care provided to those who are preparing to meet their maker.

Her landlord, Mr Alhourani, a man with a strong social conscience, and an uncanny knack for saying things that most people wouldn’t dream of putting into words, tries his best to keep her spirits high and health in good check. He also possesses a deep love of London and does his best to open Annie’s eyes to the brilliance of the city that has become her new home.

When the offer of a highly lucrative job comes Annie’s way, she begins to wonder whether money is more important than loyalty and her desire to help others.

What happens if the carers become careless?

Is fighting someone else’s battle more important than protecting yourself?

When it comes to love, how can she get someone to shut their mouth and open their eyes to what is staring them in the face?

These are all questions Annie has to answer in Mr Alhourani’s Dead Man’s Spots.

My Review:

“Mr Alhourani’s Dead Man’s Spots” by DM Lee was an absolute treat for me. From the first page I realised that I had found a literary home for the next few hundred pages. The book it is funny and entertaining, has several good plotlines, is at times sad and philosophical and leaves you with a warm and good feeling in the end. 
Care taker Annie Grimes moves from Dover to London where she gradually establishes her new and own life. She finds a bedsit, a new job and makes her first friends in the cultural melting pot that London has become. Although the story has some elements of the chick lit genre there is a lot of depth to the main character. She may be young and naïve and may remind us in some of the more sad scenes of a Bridget Jones but she ultimately has a very big and good heart and a likeable warm personality that is capable of much more than just self-pity. Her desire to help people is what gets her into trouble in the first place but the way she masters her challenges is what makes her so likeable. 
Particularly great are the scenes depicting the elderly people in her care home which are written with so much understanding, respect and love for the individuals. Annie’s dignified and human approach to each of them makes her a shining example to all of us who become so wrapped up in ourselves that we don’t properly care for strangers anymore – as is often said about Londoners.
Annie’s landlord, the Mr Alhourani from the title, is another fantastic character. I had my reservations about him initially since he seemed portrayed as the typical Indian shop owner but I soon forgot all about it as he becomes a closer friend of our heroine and shares his unsolicited and undiplomatic advice and yet invaluable wisdom with her. He too is warm and caring and has a heart of gold and a deep side to him underneath the hard façade he has built around him. I already miss him in my own life.
The Dead Man’s Spots from the title refer to his hobby of looking at the blue plaques on London buildings that honour famous people who had a connection with these houses. It brings in the element of what London as a city really is and who Londoners are – or who is and who is not a Londoner. The book brings together a variety of people – as does London – and shows how they can learn and benefit from each other, regardless of their race, religion or other beliefs.
The writing is tight and flows easily and I found myself reading much faster than I would have liked in order to make the experience last. This book is lovely and highly recommended.

 

Interview with D.M.Lee

 

How did you come to writing in the first place?

For people that know me, they would probably say I’m prone to going off on flights of fancy, creating stories or scenarios based on snippets of information.   I have always enjoyed painting, still do, but probably tried too hard to make the painting talk, I believe there is a limit of a thousand words per canvas. That might not be true. Being limited by artistic talent and word space I thought about writing a novel.   At the beginning of 2012 I decided that I would write a novel, create a story that contains strong characters, written in an entertaining manner, whilst touching on subjects that I see as being relevant to today’s society. Mr Alhourani’s Dead Man’s Spots is the result.

 

What was your connection or special interest in the subject matter?

History interests me, our relationship with the past and how we try to move forward whilst improving on the past, both as individuals and as a society. Having lived in London, I always got excited on seeing a Blue Plaque. I would often cross the road to find out who lived there or what great work was conducted behind the walls of a particular home.   We all seek heroes. Acknowledging past success is important in helping us believe we can create a better future. I try to convey this in Mr Alhourani’s character, the ability of a person to make a difference, at the same time portraying him as someone who looks for inspiration in the world around him.   History trails behind us and we move on in the name of progress. But not all progress is real progress, especially if we start to leave important elements of society behind, children, the elderly, the family unit.   These are all matters that interest me and make me question are we actually moving forward.

 

When did you first have the idea for this book?

The finished story has moved a long way from the original concept. I was going to write a story based around the loneliness of one person, living in a big city, surrounded by millions. But as I developed an idea of who Annie Grimes really was, I also began to get a clearer picture of how Mr Alhourani could impact on the story, I recognised there were other elements that could add strength to the story. It was certainly an idea that evolved, even after I started writing.   Whereas, the book is based around the two main characters, I would like to think that bigger issues get brought to light, hopefully not in an over-preaching manner but in an obvious enough way for the reader to give them some thought and consideration once they’ve finished reading.

 

How long did it take you to write?

From start to finish, 9 months. I didn’t start off with a set structure, plan or idea of where or how it was going to end. I had an idea in my head, which became clearer as I wrote but I tried not to limit the story by beginning with too rigid a mind-set. Writing the first draft happened quite quickly, maybe 5 weeks.   The re-writing and editing is where it got tricky. That’s where I felt I had to be more disciplined. I came across some terrible sentences, paragraphs, and bits of dialogue. Scenes that were more for my entertainment, at the time of writing, rather than for the benefit of the story.   I will probably look back in years to come and think you should have taken more time, but there are lessons you learn through doing and lessons you learn through hindsight. I just hope I’ve left the best bits in, removed the rubbish and told a decent story that is brought to live by characters that people can relate too.

 

How do you research?

The world wide web is a wonderful tool but you do need to double, triple, quadruple check things. Just because it is on the Google-box does not mean it’s true. Books, journals, newspapers, stories passed down and cultural references that you grew up with, they all help.   Asking questions and listening to people, who have experience of the roles you write about, is a great tool for gaining information and beginning your research. I spoke to a former carer to get a sense of their side of the story and view of what life might be like for old people in care. It certainly helped. When researching, the information you are looking for doesn’t always have to be written down. Speak to people, their experience can paint a vibrant picture which can be of great benefit when writing.

 

How comfortable do you feel writing about history?

The novel, Mr Alhourani’s Dead Man’s Spots, is based in modern day London, the historic element comes from Mr Alhourani’s interest in the people that helped make London. Hence, his interest in the Blue Plaques you find all over the city, signifying the former homes of the great, the good and the truly genius. In this story, I did not have to rewrite history or create vivid scenes to bring you back in time.   I have an idea for a novel that will require a lot more thinking from a historical context, it will be a challenge to bring all the facts, images and storylines together but I’m looking forward to writing it.

 

 

 

 

How do you write? What is your writing environment like?

I usually write 2000-3000 words at a time, every day. If I limit the distractions I can get that up to 8000 a day, during the first draft stage, maybe more at a push. The first draft, for me, is all about getting the skeleton of the story right, making sure that everything connects and makes sense.   I approach the rewriting in a slower more patient manner. Looking to flesh out scenes to add further vitality to them. I have often written 2000 words, only to realise they are not right. You have no choice but to rip them out and start again. The time you never get back but it is all practice.   Editing – is the hardest part, it’s a bit like clearing out your wardrobe, you feel inclined to hold onto things for silly reasons. In the end you have to throw away what isn’t needed. With this being my first book I thought it important that I do it. For this reason alone, if I am to become a better writer I have to be able to recognise my own mistakes, I have to be able to see what works and what doesn’t.   Proofreading – trying to eliminate every single mistake from a potential half a million. I hope I’ve done well but I will definitely get someone else to do it in the future.   With regards to my current writing environment, I’m blessed. I sit on a chair that starts by being comfortable, then becomes slightly irritating before eventually forcing me to get up and stretch my legs. I recommend this type of chair. For the last year I have been doing my writing in a cabin by the sea. So I have no major distractions. Perfectly peaceful and never too far from a coffee or a cigarette.

 

 

How many rewrites did it take you?

After completing the first draft it took 4 rewrites / edits to get it to a point where I felt it was ready. However, the temptation was still there to go over it again. But when I thought about it, I decided to step away and allow it to be what it is. Could I have improved it? Possibly. Could I have ruined it? Definitely.   One of my other big passions is painting and over the years I have learnt that, with all things creative, there comes a point where you have to accept that you have done enough, even if you still have some inner doubt. The close proximity to your work can cause your judgement to become clouded and maybe too severe at times.   At the end of the day you’ve got to trust that you’ve done enough to tell your story, and accept that each and every reader will judge it differently.

 

 

Who are your editors and how do you quality control your books?

With Mr Alhourani’s Dead Man’s Spots it is very much a one man show – writing, proofreading, editing, I even designed the cover – let’s hope the old adage ‘you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover’ holds true.   It is probably not what people would advise but it certainly has taught me a lot. Which, with this being my first book, I felt I needed to do it all, as much for my benefit as for the professionals I hope to work with in the future.   Has it impacted on my storytelling? Being honest I don’t think so, that was one thing that I tried to remain conscious of and I worked hard to deliver a story with believable and engaging characters, faced with issues that most people can relate too. I will always have niggling doubts and may even have had more with a team around me helping to polish it before publication.

 

Who are your favourite authors / influences?

I can’t honestly say I have a favourite author, people like Tony Parsons, Nick Hornby tell great stories with believable characters. Other writers like Robert Tressell manage to build a good story around a social injustice – The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. I really felt pulled into the story in Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, finding his characters nearly live like, especially Prabaker.   The above are just some examples, and it is probably unfair to list those when there are so many other great writers.   I probably fall more on the side of great storytelling rather great writing. I believe storytelling is the ability to capture the reader’s imagination, whereas, writing is the ability to capture the right words, to create sentences that add power to the telling of a story. In the end, if I am going to ask for your time, I need to be the best storyteller and writer I can be.  That’s my aim.

 

Who would play your characters in a movie?

This is a question I have thought about, it is something that often happens when reading other peoples work too.   My answer? I would rather not say. As I believe every reader creates their own idea of what characters look like based on their own imagination. All too often I have watched the movie after reading the book and felt let down by the casting.   I would rather leave that pleasure to the reader. It is one of the great joys of reading.

 

 Link:  

Amazon page for this book

 

 

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The Rose Trilogy by Christine Keleny

The Rose Trilogy by Christine Keleny

The Rose trilogy consists of Rosebloom, A Burnished Rose and Rose From the Ashes.
Book I takes Rose, the main character, from a farm in southwest Wisconsin to a Mississippi riverboat when she runs away from home. The boat takes her to St. Louis and eventually New Orleans.
Book II has Rose going to nursing school then off the war in the European theater.

Today women have a glass ceiling. In the 1930s that ceiling was made of wood, so following your dream only took you so far—especially if you went against societal norms and what your friends and family told you you should or should not do. This is the story told in A Burnished Rose, the much-anticipated sequel to the award-winning Rosebloom.
Rose Krantz, a soon-to-be eighteen-year-old, has just come home to the family farm in southwest Wisconsin after running away from home two years earlier to follow her dream. She’s home because her mother has been ill, but Rose is not looking to stay. Despite the objections of her family and a new man who comes into her life, Rose makes it back to her second home, New Orleans, and her boyfriend, Malcolm.
Then, early one morning on December 7, 1941, bombs explode on the small, distant island of Hawaii. This incident pushes Rose, who is in Baton Rouge training to be a nurse, into a global conflict that ironically will come to be known as “The Good War.”
A Burnished Rose entertains, inspires, and reminds us what life was like for women of that era, and for the nurses who, right along with the men, made significant sacrifices for their country.
A percentage of the profits of each book sold will be donated to help in the education of disadvantaged children, because Christine believes that knowledge is a powerful tool.

In Book III, Rose comes home and has to deal with what we call today PTSD, a pregnancy and a society that didn’t want to hear about what she as a women did during the war.
My newest book: Living in the House of Drugs, illustrates the life of a recovering drug and alcohol addict from Chicago.
All books can be found on my website: ckbookspublishing.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.
My next project is an historical fiction story about on the lives of the creators and the creation of Nancy Drew. It should be fun!

Christoph’s review of “A Burnished Rose”

I have not yet read the first instalment of the trilogy. I was approached by Christine for a review and she decided that I read the second in the series. As she promised, it is not necessary to know the first part to enjoy the second.
“A Burnished Rose” by Christine Keleny is a marvellous historical novel about Rose Krantz, a young woman from Wisconsin who decides to forego a married life in order to join the American effort in World War 2 as a nurse. The book is incredibly well researched and detailed, particularly in the area of army life abroad. Whether it describes the drafting procedures, the journey across the Atlantic or the camp life in the desert, the author clearly has taken her time to get the background completely authentic which allows us to trust her and ease into the story. There are moments where the detail can get in the way of the story telling, at least for the impatient reader, but this only shows how good the story is.
The plot itself is solidly set up, the various characters are given a lot of time to establish themselves and come alive in our imagination. Rose joins the army in order to see the world – not just out of patriotism – and so she enters her new life with some naïve notion about what lies ahead of her. What she sees in the various theatres of war and how she perceives life in the army then becomes all the more real and shocking to us.
The story begins rather oddly with Rose’s return home to Wisconsin to attend to her sick mother. Not having read the previous book in the series I was a little confused as to where the story was going as explanations about the characters and Rose’s past seemed confusing. I am very much an impatient and plot driven reader and was eager to get to the more dramatic parts of this war time story and once Keleny got to it I was more than satisfied with the result and the time spent establishing the scene paid more than off. The descriptions of the war in North Africa and Italy were amazing and utterly captivating, the group of soldiers and nurses were well-chosen to illustrate the variety of experiences different people had in these trying circumstances.
As a fellow writer of historical fiction I have to applaud the author for her great skill and particularly for her vast knowledge. It has been a great pleasure to read a book about the ‘European’ War from an American perspective, with such an attention to detail and such thoughtfulness and through the eyes of such a wonderful character. I am looking forward to the next book in the series to find out what our heroine experiences next.

Interview with Christine Keleny:

How did you come to writing in the first place?

Strangely enough, I was never a big reader, at least until I got out of college and had the time to do it. So it wasn’t reading that brought me to writing. I started writing in college, I think as a diversion. My college study was in Physical Therapy, so a far cry from writing. I had very small nephews at the time and when I would read them stories I noticed some of them were very bad. I decided I could do better than that, so I did. I wrote mostly children’s stories. I have a few I would like to publish, but I need to illustrate them, and that costs more money than I have right now.

What was your connection or special interest in the subject matter?

I love history. If I hadn’t been a Physical Therapist, I would have majored in history. Luckily I didn’t because being a history major doesn’t pay very well. Anyway, it has paid off when writing my historical fiction novels. I love the research almost as much as the writing.

When did you first have the idea for this book?

This book is a departure for me. I normally write historic fiction and this one is a memoir of a recovering addict that I know. He wanted me to write his story, so I did.

How long did it take you to write?

This took me over 5 years because the gentleman whose book this is was in and out of jail and prison as we wrote the book. I also had other book projects I was working on and since he cannot pay me to do any of the work it takes to write this book, I did it when I had down time.

How do you research?

In a memoir there wasn’t much research to it. For my historic fiction, I visit a lot of libraries to get books on my subject matter, historical societies, go to locations that are part of the story, interview people if I can. It’s quite fun.

How comfortable do you feel writing about history?

I feel very comfortable about it. I try to use sources that are reliable, though strangely enough, sometimes people are the least reliable for facts. Their memories don’t always jibe with what the history books or newspapers say.

How do you write? What is your writing environment like?

I normally have a guest room with a desk that I write in. Currently, we have a Spanish student living with us so she has that room. I got moved to our loft and a card table. Not very private or comfortable, but I manage. I write on a computer. I change my mind too many times to write on paper. I end up crossing things out and writing in the margins and it gets hard to read and transcribe, so I only use paper when I don’t have access to my computer (sitting in my car waiting for my daughter, sitting at the doctor’s office waiting…)

How many rewrites did it take you?

That’s really hard to keep track of. I do a lot of little changes all along the writing process. I will even be formatting the book and find I don’t like how a word or sentence sounds so I’ll change it. Bigger changes (taking out a whole section, or adding something that is missing) usually happens after I have had a few people read it.

Who are your editors and how do you quality control your books?

I have hired editors, three to date, and I might be looking for a fourth. I wasn’t happy with the last edit I got. She did a great job on book II, so when she did book III, I just assumed she did the same good work, but she hadn’t, and I had 500 books printed that I can’t give out because of all the mistakes. It was a good learning experience for me, but now I need to find a new editor, or have a candid talk with my current one. Ah, the trials of self-publishing!

Who are your favourite authors / influences?

Present day authors, I really like Chris Bohjalian. His frequently writes historic fiction and does a wonderful job of it. I also like the Paul Coelho, Barbara Kingsolver, and Jody Piccoult. I read Dostoevshy’s Crime and Punishment not that long ago and was surprised how much I liked it. I have to read more of his stuff. I also enjoy Jane Austin and Charles Dickens along with a good Agatha Christie to name a few.

Who would play your characters in a movie?

I really can’t answer this question because I’m very bad with names of actors/actresses. I always have to ask my daughter who so and so is when we’re watching a movie.

Links:
Christine’s website: ckbookspublishing.com

A Burnished Rose:
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Burnished-Rose-Series-ebook/dp/B0050Q8EN4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1334933977&sr=1-1
Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54771
B and N
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/burnished-rose-christine-keleny/1102622882?ean=2940011300455
Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/ebooks/download/11036356-a-burnished-rose

Blog
http://www.ckbooksblog.wordpress.com

Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/@cmkbooks

Sideshow at Honey Creek by Steven D. Malone

The Battle of Dove Creek.  You’ve never heard of it have you? It was the largest battle fought between Native Americans and white men during the American Civil War. It was a great tragedy. SIDESHOW AT HONEY CREEK tells of how that tragedy never should have happened yet came to be. It tells the very human story of those involved.
Men, women, good and evil, stumbling into these events as they struggled to survive the bitter winter of 1864.
Vivid characterization, accurate vision of the times – Hell, it’s a good read. Be surprised and pleased.

My review:

“Sideshow at Honey Creek” by Steven D. Malone is a fascinating historical find about one of the lesser known stories of American History, at least it was for me, a European. It is no surprise that the author has a degree in History, the research he must have done for this book is enormous. Malone paints a credible and impressive picture of the times, climate, landscape and other historical details.

The big picture deals with the involvement of Kickapoo and Comanche Indians in Texas during the American Civil War. The smaller stories follow several groups of colourful characters and their personal ordeals during this time – too many to name individually and better left for you to discover on your own. All you need to know is that the plot lines are well chosen and skilfully developed and the connections between these people are nicely set up.

The book is a great achievement in research, execution and fleshing out of the scenes, it uses copious amount of detail, making it easy to picture the settings. It is an epic read with a lot of information on a lesser known era of American history, yet one that deserves a bit of a spotlight for those of us who take their main knowledge about Native Indians from Westerns and adventure stories. This book clears up some misconceptions and beyond the factual it provides us also with food for thought. It has stayed with me for some time after I finished it. Read it!

Steven D. Malone’s Interview

How did you come to writing in the first place?

Though always a reader, when I was about 12 or 13 our neighbour moved. After he was gone I saw boxes left by the trash cans. They were filled with paperback books – mostly cheap, tawdry men’s adventure books filled with swarthy adventurers unshaven and buxom willing skanks, violence, and exotic locations. I loved them and due several years of therapy, I’ll need to get someday. I quickly became aware of wanting to entertain people the way these books did me. I wanted to take readers to places they had never been and have adventures they had never had. From that day I schemed to turn every report assignment in school into adventurous short stories. I did similar the rest of my life.

What was your connection or special interest in the subject matter?

History is biography. Our lives are history. History is a living thing for me. That’s my connection. It is, in addition, a large enough connection to include future history (SciFi) and fantasy history (things like Tolkein and White write).

When did you first have the idea for “Sideshow at  Honey Creek”?

My father heard that people who retire can die sooner than people that work until they drop. He decided to take up genealogy to have a post-retirement focus. He dug up the basic life story of my great-great-great grandfather. I researched the times, events, and environment surrounding this man’s life. His family, friends, and brother frontiersmen kept turning up in old news articles, and Texan’s memoirs. These people seeded the evolution of the characters that populate my book.

How long did it take you to write?

The actual research and writing probably took 3 years spread over 5. However, the manuscript sat on the shelf for 10 years before my wonderful son bullied me into publishing it.

How do you research?

Any way that it can be done. This turns out to be a harder question than it first appeared. I haunt used bookstores and libraries. I stare hypnotised at microfiche film of old newspapers. I scour published genealogy books (a great source of anecdotal stories). I ruin my eyes searching google and bing. I read and read and read. I Xerox and Xerox and Xerox. I fill and store liquor boxes with it all much to my wife’s disgust.

How comfortable do you feel writing about history?

Very comfortable. It’s my first and greatest love. Sorry, wife. I do often worry about skewing exact chronologies to better fit my plot and my character’s stories but all of my favourite writers confess to this. They confess to letting their heroes do things historical people actually did. But, to paraphrase Bernard Cornwell; a hero must have something to do.

How do you write? What is your writing environment like?

I don’t want to say. But promise to keep it a secret. These days I prop myself in front of the TV showing old movies and missing them as I type on my computer. When the world was young and I was poor, I jammed a notebook in my lap under any shade I could find and scribbled with a fountain pen. I mean it about the shade: under trees at the state park I lived in with my Chevy, a picnic table on the beach I lived at with my Pontiac, bus stops, the steps of office buildings, my girlfriends porch, the floor of the unfurnished apartment I managed to find the money for.

How many rewrites did it take you?

Forty or more. I wish I could do more but it would get worse not better.

Who are your editors and how do you quality control your books?

I’m my own editor for good or ill. I think I do pretty good at it and judge my work as I judge the works I read. My quality control would be friends and family that say something like. ‘You wrote that?’ Then they say, ‘No Steve, it’s a good book, I liked it.’ Of course, once it’s out my good readers drop reviews on amazon that surprise me beyond anything I can express. This seems to work – it’s a good read.

Who are your favourite authors / influences?

Barbara Tuchman. Tolkein. Dumas. Thomas B. Constain. Robert Lowe. Bernard Cornwell. Chaucer. Robert Graves. John Gardner. The list can go to several pages if I let it.

Who would play your characters in a movie?

I have no answer for this question. First, I want my readers to envision my characters. Second, were I lucky enough to get the book made into a movie, I am humble enough to give that power to the director. The movie is his art not mine. Let him or her have that vision.

Links:

http://www.stevenspen.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16160549-sideshow-at-honey-creek

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6583887.Steven_D_Malone

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sideshow-at-Honey-Creek-ebook/dp/B00A7GPG4W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1358937264&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steven-Malone/e/B00A7W3UYE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

http://www.amazon.com/Sideshow-at-Honey-Creek-ebook/dp/B00A7GPG4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358937319&sr=8-1&keywords=steven+d+malone

 

The Palaver Tree by Wendy Unsworth

The Palaver Tree by Wendy Unsworth

Africa: beautiful, serene …… and dangerous.
Lives and fortunes change in the blink of an eye.
Now that she is alone, volunteering at a school in the Central African Republic of Ducana seems like everything schoolteacher Ellie Hathaway needs. Here is the opportunity to get away from the sleepy Cornish village where recent tragedy still haunts her and to help the children’s charity her friend has worked so tirelessly to promote.
But dark forces and ambitions are in play long before Ellie’s arrival in the dusty town of Limba. Even as she begins to believe she can at last find true happiness, she realises that something at the school is very wrong.
Is this really the place of loving and giving she had first thought it to be, and is headmaster, Gabriel Cole, really their guardian angel?
With so many questions left unanswered Ellie struggles to decide what she must do, but then political chaos descends and suddenly Ellie finds herself more alone than she had ever imagined she could be…

My Review:

I received “The Palaver Tree” by Wendy Unsworth in exchange for an honest review. It is probably one of the books submitted to me for a review that I was looking forward to the most. The subject matter of charity work and life in Africa is right up my alley. I have often toyed with the idea myself, I was 14 when Band Aid was founded and have always had a soft spot for Africa. I have also had several short and long trips to Africa to take even more of an interest. I found the description of the continent and life there very close to my own experiences and felt immediately at home in the book, too.
The story follows several women, some in the UK and some in Africa, and their connections with each other. Each of them has their own personal background which Wendy Unsworth builds up carefully and with great detail during the first part of the book when we have an idea but no a definite indication where the story is going – other than Africa of course. We jump from one character to the next as each story unfolds, which takes some time to get used to. However, given the way the lives of the women are connected I could not suggest a better way of handling the plot. The time put into the establishment of the four women really pays off later when the plot accelerates.
Fortunately I soon managed to settle into the flow and got drawn into the story completely.I don’t want to spoil the experience for you by giving too much of the plot away. The school that is subject to the charity work and its student run into a lot of problems, from funding and political troubles to personal dramas of both the students and the teachers.
It is a great insight into the real life of charity work and the many obstacles that can get in the way of good and honest people.
Because we care so much for the main characters we get to experience these issues much deeper than we would from a newspaper article or a TV report.
The writing is smooth and easy flowing, the story is less linear or predictable than my review might suggest and the descriptions of the landscape and life in Africa are beautiful and precious.
This is a great book with food for thought, warmth and humanity and I recommend you pick it up and read it

Wendy Unsworth Interview

How did you come to writing in the first place?

It’s probably a bit of a cliché but I have to say that I have always written. I know that is the kind of answer that is heard a lot, and not just about writing, but I suspect it’s because it’s true. For me, writing has always been part of my life. As a child I loved to write stories and plays. I have been lucky to travel and keeping a journal is a natural and essential part of that experience. Writing a full-length novel has been a life-long ambition, one I am so thrilled to have finally achieved. And what does someone who has always written do when they finally realise the dream of completing a novel, why, of course, they start all over again!

What was your connection or special interest in the subject matter?

I have a connection and a special interest in the subject matter of The Palaver Tree. My favourite fiction involves ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations. I am curious to explore how different characters cope and react and how experiences change their lives. The book is set partly in Africa. I lived in East and Central Africa for thirteen years. That part of my life has left a lasting influence; fond memories, great respect and quite a lot of sadness too.

When did you first have the idea for this book?

The story has been ‘gelling’ in my head for about five years.

How long did it take you to write?

3 years

How do you research?

For The Palaver Tree I drew on personal experience to a large extent. I also did research online.

How comfortable do you feel writing about history?

Comfortable. But research must be meticulous.

How do you write? What is your writing environment like?

In this respect I am lucky, I don’t need a special desk, area, corner etc though, when I am at home I do tend to work in the same place; a comfy sofa with my trusty laptop. In the past three years I have been away a lot, then all I need is a chair out of any chill breeze or bright light and a little peace. In any other aspect of my life I like to think I am a pretty good multitasker but when it comes to writing I need to give the work my full attention

How many rewrites did it take you?

Three full drafts and lots of small ‘section rewrites.’

Who are your editors and how do you quality control your books?

I have two trusted editors. They are experienced, kind, but also tough and honest.

Who are your favourite authors / influences?

There have been many; I have always loved books. I suppose it would have started with Richmal Crompton and Anthony Buckeridge, Enid Blyton and Carolyn Keene. John Le Carre, William Boyd, Charles Dickens, John Wyndham, Stephen King; lately Karen Maitland, Sarah Waters, Katherine Webb.
Who would play your characters in a movie?
Ahh! This requires some serious wishful thinking, especially as there are quite a few strong characters in The Palaver Tree.
Jennifer Connelly would play my lead female character, Ellie Hathaway. Ellie is a gentle person but has reserves of strength that she can call upon when she really needs them.
Kate Blanchette would play Diane Henderson. Diane is Ellie’s trusted friend; down to Earth, a realist,
Sophie Okonedo would play Promise. Promise is tall and graceful, a native of the Central Republic of Ducana. She has seen plenty of personal tragedy and is left as ‘mother’ to her younger sister.
Carey Mulligan would play Tiffany Harris. Tiffany is young, naive, trusting. Determined to escape the life her mother has been condemned to.
Billie Piper would play Pax; colourful, brash, fun loving, determined in her work to help and defend women in the dusty African town of Limba where she runs her clinic.
Ralph Feinnes would play Gabriel Cole; Headmaster, charity worker, tireless do-gooder with a darker agenda of his own.
Paul Bettany would play Marc Van der Rooyen; Game lodge owner, wildlife enthusiast, in love with Ellie.

Links:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Palaver-Tree-Berriwood-ebook/dp/B00719ODS8

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13452959-the-palaver-tree

The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap by Paulette Mahurin

 

The year 1895 was filled with memorable historical events: the Dreyfus Affair divided France; Booker T. Washington gave his Atlanta address; Richard Olney, United States Secretary of State, expanded the effects of
the Monroe Doctrine in settling a boundary dispute between the United Kingdom and Venezuela; and Oscar Wilde was tried and convicted for
gross indecency under Britain’s recently passed law that made sex between males a criminal offense. When news of Wilde’s conviction went out over telegraphs worldwide, it threw a small Nevada town into chaos. This is
the story of what happened when the lives of its citizens were impacted
by the news of Oscar Wilde’s imprisonment. It is a chronicle of hatred and prejudice with all its unintended and devastating consequences, and how love and friendship bring strength and healing.

 “Paulette Mahurin’s first novel is surefooted and unflinching in its portrayal of a singular and unique character and her compelling struggles. Compassionate and confident, Mahurin allows Mildred’s story to burn through onto the page with all its inherent outrage and tenacious, abiding love. Here is a character we can champion—flawed, striving, surviving— and fully embrace in her awkward, beautiful navigation of a world that resists her in every way.”      Deb Norton, Playwrite/screenwriter of The Whole Banana

“If you need to question your values, read this book! The author captures the intolerance and hypocrisy of a 1895 Nevada town, and its transcendence in time through tolerance and understanding.  The angst and pain that two women feel daily, living the ‘lie’ of
their lesbian relationship, and the prejudice they must endure, is unconscionable.  I
was moved to tears by their struggle in the face of the conflicted values that continue
to dominate our ‘modern’ society.”                William K. Fox, PhD, Professor of Zoology

 

 

 

My review:

“The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap” uses two well-known scandals of 1895 to start off and move along the plot of our protagonists. It is an interesting and skilfully executed set-up, followed by an equally brilliant illustration of how the imprisonment of Oscar Wilde and the anti-Semitism shown in the Dreyfus Affair in France could have been received in a remote and isolated location such as a small town in Nevada. 
Each chapter is accompanied by a quotation from Oscar Wilde’s work. I am not usually a fan of poetry and themes used as headings, but the author has chosen them appropriately and very well.
The description of the setting succeeds effortlessly with just enough detail to make it easy for us to imagine we are there with the heroes, but without overloading us with description that gets in the way of the plot. The portrayal of the times seems also very authentic and the dialogue is also very realistic and flows easily.
The way the characters interact with each other is simply brilliantly done and gives the book a lively feeling. The story is much more complex and involved than the beginning and the book title seemed to imply to me – which made this an unpredictable and compulsice reading experience. 
The book is an illustration of hate, intolerance and gossip in a small community and is kind and politically correct in its message. At a time when Gay Marriage proposals are being voted on all over the world and homophobia comes back into the spotlight of media attention this story is reminiscent of many of our current arguments.
At first I found it unbelievable and off-putting that some of the characters would – at that time in history – have the understanding and tolerance as the author attributes to them. Then I realised that the same ancient prejudiced views that haunt our Mildred in the book are still around in 2012. 
The book is a great piece of work on human nature and I will be recommending it to my friends.

 

Paulette Mahurin Interview

 

Thank you Christoph Fischer for having me over to your great site. It’s such an honour and pleasure to be featured by an author whose work I love.

How did you come to writing in the first place?

It’s interesting because I feel as if writing came to me. I can never remember a time I didn’t write. I think we are gifted with things in life that we naturally gravitate to and so it was with writing and me. As back as I was ten years old, I was writing short stories and poems, keeping a diary of prose and things I wanted to communicate. Writing has always been a sanctuary for me, a safe place where I get to think out loud through written words, without worry or concern over what will others think.

What was your connection or special interest in the subject matter?

The main theme of my story is intolerance, bigotry, prejudice; the labelling of another using words of hatred designed to bully, put down, change, make wrong, not accept for who they fundamentally are, their natural self that can no more be changed than a bird from flying, a dog from wagging its tail, a heart from beating. The other prevailing theme is love, the love of friends, family and intimate connections and how it is this love that surmounts hostility and brings healing. I’ve been working with people in the closet professionally to help them feel good about being themselves and not feeling ashamed because of a preference. The work I had done with one particular individual weighed heavily on me. This person was molested and tortured; abuse emotionally and physically and feared coming out.

I am an advocate of tolerance, the granting of another to be who they are and do what they want, providing they are not harming another by their actions. I understand the human condition and have compassion for it, the emotions we all have in common, many we want to hide or escape. I understand how hard it is to be conditioned or programmed by ones parents with a belief or ideology that goes along with belonging to a family or group, “group think”, and how difficult it is to stand alone for what is right, what sits right in ones heart. I also understand why someone is in the closet and would want to stay there.

My special interest in writing this book was to give a voice to all those who have suffered intolerance, all those agonized cries in the night, alone in the dark for fear of persecution, imprisonment, being thrown into a mental institution, burned at the stake, put in a gas chamber, or simply not allowed to live a life as they chose. I wrote this story, not under the framework of hatred but love, the love of a partner, a friend for it is love that shines through the dark shadows of intolerance to help us see what we are otherwise blinded to.

 

 

When did you first have the idea for this book?

The first seed for the story came from a photo in a writing class. It was of two women huddled very close together with fearful looks on their faces wearing turn of the twentieth century garb. It screamed out to me “lesbian couple afraid of being found out.”

How long did it take you to write?

Six years.

How do you research?

I started generally with the time period to see how to put some flesh on the basic story line and that’s when I hit pay dirt and found out that the photo that inspired me could very easily fit into the time when Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for “indecency.”  Once I had that research, I got into a lot of minutiae about his imprisonment for homosexual activity which occurred in 1895 and other time appropriate things; such as what other news occurred around that time, what did people wear, what did houses look like, and specific to my location what was it like back then to live in a small Nevada ranching town. I constructed the geography of the town and researched everything I could about that general area logistically right down to time the sun rose, weather, foliage, etc. I got out a Sears & Roebuck Catalogue from the late 1800s and looked at articles advertised to give me a conceptual understanding of how to describe things in the story. I found an1895 New York Times article (Arpil 5^th) that described the change in attitudes about homosexuality because of Wilde’s imprisonment and used that to help me feed the attitude of the people in the town who would have received the news to keep it realistic. I researched the time it would take the pony express to deliver mail and packages so that when I needed to incorporate time elements they were accurate. I studied the laws on The Homestead Act and other ways settlers claimed land as well as the politics of the day locally and internationally. For every new concept entered, I asked myself and looked up, “How did they do it then?” Although time consuming, I loved doing the research and learning so many new things but also felt good that I took the time to lend to the authenticity of the story.

How comfortable do you feel writing about history?

If I put the time in to fact check and get the data, I felt very comfortable. I think the problem some get into with writing history is not doing the homework, being lazy. A reader picks up on these things.

How do you write? What is your writing environment like?

I have a nice office that overlooks the property I live on with lots of trees, grass and a creek running through it. I usually start out in the morning and go for several hours unless on a roll then I stay with the process. Luckily I am able to put in the time to write and love writing.

 

How many rewrites did it take you?

Several and there were whole and part rewrites. I had three different editors and went through a different process with each along the way. The first editor was a read for flow and grammar structure. That went on a couple of years. The second one was a creative editor who read for how the story sat with her, was it believable, authentic? She is a professional screen/playwright and her input invaluable. She had me look at things like, “What does Mildred look like through Charley’s eyes?”  She gave me pages of questions, suggestions, things that didn’t ring real for her and that rewrite took another year. The final one was with my publisher, again for flow and a line edit.

Who are your editors and how do you quality control your books?

I described the three above (the first one Christina Wilson, the second one Deb Norton and the final one Margaret Dodd). They do the read, mark things up, give pages of comments and it’s back to me and I do the rewrites. When I am finished it’s back to them and once in agreement I have a group of readers who I send the manuscript out to for their overall feedback, not editing but feedback on how does it read. Once through this entire process and it sits right inside of me I call it done.

Who are your favourite authors / influences?

There are so many it is too hard to pick one. Stand out among them are Steinbeck, Dickens, Harper Lee, the classic tried and true writers. I’ve read so many books by known and unknown authors that I love that it is difficult to narrow it down. Things that influence me are those things that move me emotionally and stay with me, which is probably why I want to write about them because they live inside of me for some unexplained reason and in writing sometimes the answers are revealed. In this particular story it was intolerance that influenced me. In another story I’m working on it was the heroics of an ordinary couple with an extraordinary situation that brought them together in love that influenced and motivated me to want to write about them. There isn’t one person, one author, that is my favourite or who influences me, rather situational things that land in my life and move me.

Who would play your characters in a movie?

I’ve been asked this before and my honest answer is unknown actors, great but unknown. I think it would be wonderful for the story to be the main feature and not have some big Hollywood figure distracting from the plot. Unknown actors but for one, Gus and I’d love to have Philip Seymour Hoffman do his part.

Bio: 

Paulette Mahurin, an award-winning best selling author, is a Nurse Practitioner who lives in Ojai, California with her husband Terry and their two dogs–Max and Bella. She practices women’s health in a rural clinic and writes in her spare time. She is an animal advocate and has been involved with dog rescue, along with her husband, for the past twenty-eight years. All profits from her book, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, are going to the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (the first and only no-kill shelter in Ventura County, CA).  

 

LINKS:

 

AMAZON.COM:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=The+persecution+of+mildred+Dunlap

AMAZON U.K.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+persecution+of+mildred+dunlap

GOODREADS:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14061559-the-persecution-of-mildred-dunlap

SHELFARI:
http://www.shelfari.com/books/28821838/The-Persecution-of-Mildred-Dunlap

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/ThePersecutionOfMildredDunlap

BOOK’S BLOG:
http://thepersecutionofmildreddunlap.wordpress.com/

TWITTER:
https://twitter.com/MahurinPaulette

BOOK’S WEBSITE:
http://bookpromogroup2.weebly.com/paulette-mahurin.html

PRESS ARTICLE:
VC STAR Sept. 9, 2012 Sunday Life Section:
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/sep/08/ojai-authors-historical-novel-teaches-tolerance/

SHELTER PROFITS ARE GOING TO:
http://www.santapaulaarc.org/

 

 

 

 

Congratulations Paulette!

Another great review

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/506432109

 

It is not easy to write about history if one has not lived in the moment, since what one writes is colored by the opinions of others. It is even more difficult to write historical fiction based on events that were some of the most momentous in the last eighty odd years.

Christoph Fischer pulls it off in The Luck of the Weissenteiners.

This is the story of Greta Weissensteiner and the Weissensteiner family, a Jewish family in Bratislava in war torn Europe. The scope of the book is immense, covering Bratislava in the 1930s to Germany after the World War. The characters’ looming sense of dread in the build up to the war and how they navigate life during the war is real, palpable and believable. Fischer avoids the easy tear jerking sentimentality often used by lesser writers when narrating tales of Jews in the Second World War. His sparse prose hammers home that shameful period in history that much more effectively.

The Luck of the Weissensteiners is the tale of a family. But it is also a tale about us. About some of us being evil, some of us cowards, some of us brave, but most of us innately good.

Francis Bacon said some books are to be tasted, some to be swallowed… The Luck of the Weissensteiners is to be chewed and digested.

The Next Big Thing

‘The Next Big Thing’ is about authors helping authors.  From the first day on the internet trying to promote my book I have also found a huge wealth of colleagues and great books that needed publicity and reviews. I expected a competitive world in which everyone tries to push themselves forward but instead I found generous and kind friends who are interested in each other’s work and are happy to help in any way they can. As one of them said to me: We are all connected.

I have been tagged for “The Next Big Thing” by Kerry Dwyer, a British expat who now lives in France. She came across my humble beginnings on the internet marketing scene and kindly offered me a guest spot on her blog, asking me to write about “War and Peace in Literature”, which coincided with the release of my first book “The Luck of the Weissensteiners”. A kindness I will not easily forget.

Kerry’s first book is called “Ramblings in Ireland” and follows a small multi-national family on their holiday to Ireland, a humorous and lovely treat of a novel or in her own words:  A tangential ramble through the West of Ireland and the memoirs and musings of an ex pat Brit and her French husband.

What is the working title of your next book?

“Sebastian”

Where did the idea come from for the book?

After writing “The Luck of the Weissensteiners”, which is set in Slovakia around WW2 there were many questions still open to me, like: Were the Habsburg days really that much better, especially for Jews? How did the Monarchy fall? How different was WW1 in comparison to the next? Were times simpler then?

The other idea is plot related. My fatherly grandparents split in 1933 and my father and his sister got separated. Why remains a riddle to this day.  My father heard one story, my aunt another. The theme is picked up in “The Luck of the Weissensteieners” following one possible explanation, and the other possibility for the separation is the basic in “Sebastian”.

What genre does your book fall under?

Historical Fiction

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Sebastian would suit Benedict Cumberbatch or Simon Bird.

In “The Luck of the Weissensteiners” I had visualised a German actress called Maria Schrader for the part of Greta and Kate Winslet as her sister Vilma. Ed O’Neill as their father Jonah and Glenn Close as the farmer’s wife Johanna, whose husband Benedict looks like Harvey Keitel to me.

Both books have a lot of characters, so it would be tricky to choose.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

Sebastian: A young disabled boy in 1910s Vienna who has to assume responsibility for his family business because of the consequences of WW1 and his love life.

The Luck of the Weissensteiners: The struggle of a Jewish family in Slovakia between 1933 and 1946 as the multi-cultural country and its changing politics affect them and their friends.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It will be self-published unless I am “discovered” before then.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

I wrote the first draft in two months (three for Luck of the Weissensteiners) but rewrote it a few times following feedback or further deliberations.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Weissensteiners: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys, although I must shy away from comparing myself to such great works

Sebastian: Maybe works by Stefan Zweig and Isaac Singer

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Both books had their original idea in actual anecdotes and stories of my own family. My grandparents lived in the German-populated areas of Czechoslovakia and I always wanted to find out how they lived and what it was like for them during the war. My grandfather had a leg amputation that was not related to the war, which was the basis for Sebastian

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

Both books are part of a trilogy, called The Three Nations Trilogy.

I was particularly fascinated by the many changes of borders, the re-drawing of new nations and the concept of nationalism versus communism that swept the world during those times. What defines a nation, is it language, culture, loyalty to a throne or leader? On a more personal level is it religion, believes, family ties and marriages? While my first book homes in on the political borders, Sebastian focuses on the more personal ties – although it is impossible to completely separate them in either of the books.

The Next Big Thing tags

As part of ‘The Next Big Thing’ I am to tag five other authors. It seems so few when there are so many good authors out there who deserve a mention.  I have chosen these five who were brought to my attention during 2012.

Angella Graff is my first choice.  http://angellagraffbooks.wordpress.com/ She has recently released “Awakening”, the first of 12 books in her series “The Judas Curse”. Urban fantasy is not my usual genre but her book is not just a thriller with a supernatural twist, it is a deep and meaningful exploration of what makes people believe, e.g. the authenticity of the gospels or miracles. On top of all that food for thought the writing flows so easily, Angella could write a copy of the phone book and I would want to read it.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AMJDAJ2 (US) http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Awakening-Judas-Curse-ebook/dp/B00AMJDAJ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358179011&sr=8-1 (UK)

David E. Manuel is a talented crime fiction writer whose work I had the pleasure to review. He has published three books in the Richard Paladin series:  Killer Protocols, Clean Coal Killers and The Tree Killers. Manuel gives great detail to his characters and complex story lines and each of his books follows a different direction, making it unpredictable and entertaining. http://killerprotocols.blogspot.co.uk/

Mike Ronny is a very talented short story writer whose work in his own words can wittily be described as “bedtime stories for grown-ups”. They deal with unlikely heroes and colourful and unusual characters: Teenagers, underdogs and old men. I am not usually a fan of short stories but these are a real find in my view. http://mikeronny.com/

I came across Ty Patterson and his recent book “The Warrior” on Goodreads and a good read it was. It is on the surface a fairly typical action thriller about a personal vendetta between mercenaries in Africa but contains a lot of intelligent plotting, depth and great writing skills. http://pattersonty.wordpress.com/

Email: ty@pattersonty.com

Twitter: @typatterson67

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Warrior-ebook/dp/B00AMHDUMQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358686291&sr=1-1

Blog: http://www.facebook.com/typatterson67

Facebook: http://pattersonty.wordpress.com

My fifth recommendation is Jim Fox, an inspirational speaker and writer who published “Be Still” late in 2012, a collection of small snippets of spiritual guidance and personal wisdom – some of which are more familiar than others. All of them use the common thread, an invite to be still. I found these very refreshing and indeed inspirational.

http://www.jimfox.info/

Related articles:

• http://kerrydwyer.net/2013/01/14/the-next-big-thing/The Next Big Thing (stevebichard.com)
• The Next Big Thing (Amsterdam Oriole)
• The Next Big Thing (rebeccamckeownwrites.com)
• My Next Big Thing (youngbyname.me)
• The Next Big Thing (steve-emmett.com)
• The Next Big Thing (annettesthomson.com)
• The Next Big Thing – My Turn (ellenvgregory.com)
• The Next Big Thing (pigletinportugal.com)
• The Next Big Thing? (familyandfaithmatters.wordpress.com)
• The Next Big Thing (interview with Tara Laskowski) (ashleyinguanta.com)

 
http://pattersonty.wordpress.com/2013/01/20/the-next-big-thing/
http://reviewerteamwinz.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/the-next-big-thing/