Book series recommendation

Since I began reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon I have been searching for something equally entertaining to keep me reading until the next book comes out in 2009. Its been a chore. She's spoiled me for just about anything else!

But thanks to Mystery Scene Magazine I have found a fun new series that I can enjoy. I review books for them and they sent me Steve Hockensmith's latest novel in the Holmes on the Range series: The Black Dove. It will be released in bookstores in February, 2008. But the good news it is the third in the series, so there are two Anthony, Agatha, Dilly and Edgar award nominated books to read before the third is released.

My review will appear in the Mystery Scene Magazine sometime before February, 2008, but let me just say here that I could gush on and on about this well written book. Truly a well written, thought out, constructed, imagined, plotted book. Love, love, love the tone, the one liners -- I laughed out loud in several spots. Just couldn't stop myself; even scared the cat.

The idea of the historic series is that two brothers, down-on-their-luck cowboys, become infatuated with Sherlock Holmes, a serial of his adventures appears in the Harper's Magazine and one of the brothers even tries his hand at writing the brothers' exploits for a magazine. These cowboys decide they want to be detectives. Told in the narration of the younger brother 'Big Red' it is hilarious. Asides and relationship issues between the dower older brother and gregarious younger sibling. Multi faceted story line.

It is as the author admits, a combining of two very different eras -- the restrictive repressive Victorian era of Holmes and the wild, wild west of the 1890s.

The part I really like is that the author does not make light of death or moral issues. He highlights them and his protagonists are moral, upright, honorable, hilarious knights of the open range.

If you get a chance, please try Hockensmith's series, beginning with "Holmes on the Range" and followed by "On the Wrong Track"

Book Review: The Pirate's Daughter

Due to a contract that I couldn't bring myself to sign and a market that would not alter the contract wording to a kinder-gentler, less in your face, buy-all attitude, this review never saw the light of day.

Today I saw several reviews of Pirate's Daughter at Amazon and other online venues and think that this offers a bit more detail and information than those, so I'm posting it here. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it has stayed with me, so maybe that makes it better than I first thought.

I'm a sucker for titles that have the word 'daughter' in the title. And there seem to be a lot of them. I also stop to peruse books with 'wife' in the title and have several to be read. Too often the title is the best part of the book.

Another aspect that draws me to this book is Errol Flynn -- my husband is named after this swashbuckler -- but turned out to be a much better man than Errol Flynn, based upon Flynn's biographical information and my 35 years of marriage -- I could be a bit biased on this point.

FICTION
The Pirate’s Daughter
Margaret Cezair-Thompson
Unbridled Books, Denver, CO
392 Pages
Hardcover, $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-952961409

Two generations of women lose their innocence, face violence, rejection, and betrayals, while finding love and friendship in this coming-of-age story that reflects Jamaica’s own bid for independence. The family lineage follows Jamaica’s history from the Maroons, escaped slaves who set up communities in the mountains; to an influx of expatriates, British rule, and wealthy celebrities seeking a playground; to a discovery of balance and harmony and new birth.

The prologue, best understood after reading the book, introduces readers to May, a 26-year old young woman whose name reflects her questions – when May I, where May I, with whom May I find a place where I belong? Her I-centric mother, beautiful Ida, serves as the lynch pin on which this novel revolves. Men enter and leave the mother and daughter’s lives. Each character is allowed to be human, with flaws, strengths and mistakes to correct.

Ida, a child blossoming into womanhood and adored by her Syrian father and Maroon/Chinese mother, falls for the charming and aging Errol Flynn. The American swashbuckling movie star in real life did run aground during a storm in 1946, fall in love with Jamaica and build a home on a nearby island – a kind of Jamaican Tara. There the facts end, and fiction proceeds.

Ida gives birth to their daughter, May. Flynn flees and Ida heads to America to find work and a way to support her child. She leaves May behind to dream of pirates, hidden treasure and her movie star father. While at the mercy of caretakers who by turns ignore and abuse her, May endures the taunts of Jamaican peers “White witch! You white like duppy [ghost]!” Only her childhood friend and playmate, Derek, stands by and protects her, showing up when needed most.

Lies, drugs, and a violent tug-of-war for control of Jamaica’s government destroy the paradise. Each generation of women gains strength as the country also finds the power to rebuild. Ida and May share many of the same attributes as Scarlett O’Hara of the classic “Gone With The Wind” as they fight for home and family and men they love, but shouldn’t.

Cezair-Thompson, who teaches literature and creative writing at Wellesley College, weaves pirates and hidden treasure throughout the novel, adding another exotic element to an already rich setting. This, the author’s second novel, is told in a quiet, simple style, and sprinkled with Jamaican speech, beliefs, and details that the author learned during her childhood in Jamaica. It follows her first novel “The True History of Paradise,” a finalist for the Dublin International IMPAC Award.

The intertwining of Jamaica history and the characters’ lives elevates this novel from simply entertaining to truly memorable.###

(October 2006) Dawn Goldsmith

Birthing a book

The joy of bringing a new book into the world sets my blood swirling and my lips spreading into a big old grin. I love being privy to the back story, to the formation, to the creator's frustrations and triumphs when writing a book. I've been allowed to view this grand event several times and each time I get giddy with joy at their triumph. The fact that I may have contributed in some small way makes me content that I've not lived this life in vain.

Once again I've been watching a gifted writer put his words together into a new book. Today I read a piece he's compiling from his memoir to offer to literary magazines. He has the heart of a poet with a touch of bawdy humor here and there. My kind of writing.

And yet, the subject of his memoir, it could be so maudlin and oh woe is me or he could bluster his way through and say 'it ain't so tough.' But he does none of those things, he gives the reader total honesty. Sometimes more than perhaps you'd want because the subject does make us face our own mortality. The author was stricken with polio at the peak of his young life, as he was stepping from childhood sandals into adult dancing shoes. Well, he could say it better. But by the age of 20 he had spent time in an iron lung, gave up his hard fought, almost achieved independence, and became totally dependent, even more so than old Blanche Duboise, on the kindness of strangers. His memoir takes us into a world where he travels by wheelchair 'boob high' to the world. I think that should be his title, by the way.

He's been struggling with rewrites for the past few months. Next he will face marketing and book signings and all of the things in between that writers rarely think of when trying to get one book sold. I hope he sells tons of books, makes the best seller's list, and sits down to write several more books. He is a voice that will add greatly to those already shouting from the bookshelves.

Watch for the name: Gary Presley. He has several items available to read online, his website and his blog site and his offerings to the Internet Writing Workshop blog as well as their book review site. Here are a few urls to consider:

http://www.nd.edu/~ndmag/su2007/presley.html
http://www.nd.edu/~ndmag/su2004/presley.html
http://dir.salon.com/story/mwt/feature/2002/03/07/eating_ants/index.html

Gary isn't my first encounter up close and personal with the pains of birthing a book. I worked for a year with Peggy Vincent as she labored over her memoir Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife. Another voice that needs to be heard. And her sense of humor. I snorted my way through that book. Spit coffee on my keyboard, laughed out loud and scared the cat. And then so poignant. A life well lived. But oh, the book she could write NOW about the life she's living AFTER Baby Catcher.

And Linda Swink, a dear friend, and lifelong member of Toastmaster's and the book "Speak With Power and Grace" that she wrote about public speaking. One of the best and most helpful books I've read on the subject. It would have been longer, but she allowed me to do a bit of editing for her. "She's currently finishing up a much needed reference on men who have had a military installation named in their honor, titled Lest We Forget: The Naming of Our Military Installations." It should be published in 2008. The heroes she uncovered in her research -- it is a litany of bravery that has for the most part been long forgotten. A must read even if you aren't into military history and research.

I've reviewed a number of books through the years for various venues from Publisher's Weekly and Kirkus to Crescent Blues E'magazine and Gumshoe Review. I like to think that my reviews may have contributed a bit to the authors successes. Well, there might have been a few that I might have been a bit detrimental.... But several quote my reviews on their websites and on the back cover of their books -- those help me feel, again, as if I'm contributing something good and worthwhile.

And maybe, just maybe, after having reached my Nanowrimo goal ahead of schedule, maybe someday I'll get to go through this process with my own book. Keep your fingers crossed.

Memorial Day

Our neighbors began partying at noon on Friday. Firecrackers have been popping for weeks as people gear up to celebrate the beginning of summer with the annual Memorial Day weekend festivities.

In the small farming town where I grew up in Ohio, Memorial Day combined graduation, town reunion, barbecued chicken fundraiser for the volunteer fire department and patriotism. The parade, something every kid wanted to participate in, began at 10 a.m. The fire trucks and marching band led the way followed by scout troops, baton twirlers of all ages, antique cars, pony carts, and a military honor guard. After a rousing ceremony at the civil war monument in the center of town -- Fred Sumney delivered the Gettysburg Address, the barbershop chorus sang several patriotic or at least Americana songs, the parade continues.

The whole community lined the streets. People had returned for reunions with classmates, friends, family and neighbors. As we proceeded to the cemetery at the edge of town for another ceremony, we all took the opportunity to greet and get reacquainted with everyone we hadn't seen in the past year.

At the ceremony the marching band played. Usually at least one band member fainted in their wool uniform under the hot May sun. A political celebrity stumping for re-election usually gave some rousing address. If it wasn't a big election year, we heard from the mayor.

One year Mom was the honored grand marshal. They honored her for her years of service as a dispatcher for the volunteer fire department.

When we got to the cemetery, the atmosphere changed as we saw the flags posted on too many graves. There was Dave Cox who joined the Navy and was killed during the Vietnam War. John Hale, a sniper in Vietnam -- what a marksman he was and a heart throb in high school. Carter and Helen Blunden's son Jack lay buried in the cemetery. He died during World War II. The picture on his gravestone will show him forever young. There are more and sadly I don't remember all of them. The 'old' cemetery is filled with Civil War dead.

The cemetery, even a quiet place on Memorial Day, doesn't begin to reflect the horror, pain, fear, suffering and heroism these dead endured to make us free. For a taste of that, we can watch the evening news. Once again a war unfolds and takes the lives of our brave soldiers.

For those fighting on this weekend, we must not forget. Visit Any Soldier to send a package or message to let them know we have not forgotten them and to thank them.

A writing friend and veteran, Linda Swink, has put together a remarkable book "Lest We Forget." It will be published soon. It includes the real people behind the names of military installations such as Camp Pendelton or Fort Hood. There are generals and history making names, but also everyman heroes such as Technician 5th Grade John J. Pinder, Jr. Pinder Barracks in Zirndorf, Germany is named after this valiant soldier from McKees Rocks, PA. He served with the 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division and died June 6, 1944.

His citation includes: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on D-day.... Technician Pinder landed on the coast one hundred yards off shore under devastating enemy machine gun and artillery fire which caused severe casualties among the boatload. Carrying a vitally important radio, he struggled toward the shore in waist deep water. Only a few yards from his craft he was hit by enemy fire and was gravely wounded. Technician 5th Grade Pinder, never stopped. He made shore and delivered the radio. Refusing to take cover afforded, or to accept medical attention for his wounds, Technician 5th Grade Pinder, though terribly weakened by loss of blood and in fierce pain, on three occasions went into the fire-swept surf to salvage communication equipment. He recovered many vital parts and equipment, including another workable radio. On the third trip, he was again hit, suffering machine gun bullet wounds in the legs. Still this valiant soldier would not stop for rest or medical attention. Remaining exposed to heavy enemy fire, growing steadily weaker, he aided in establishing the vital radio communication on the beach. While so engaged this dauntless soldier was hit for the third time and killed....."

So between bites of barbecue or while lounging on the beach, please take a moment to remember the people who are not celebrating -- those on watch, those who died, those who are dedicated to protecting your freedom and mine.

Happy Dancing Today

If you feel the earth shake, never fear, it is just me doing my happy dance.

I have several reasons today to be shaking my tailfeathers and most are related to writing successes. Not often do the planets align to give me several bits of good news in one day. Maybe it was the full moon, but I saw two of my writings posted online and two editors sent emails today to say, "Yes! I WILL buy your submission."

Happy Dancing! Happy Dancing!

My review of the fun and charming liturgical mystery The Alto Wore Tweed by Mark Schweizer is posted at Gumshoe Review: http://www.gumshoereview.com/php/Review-id.php?id=532

The author published through St. James Music Press, so the book may be difficult to find other than from his website: https://www.sjmpbooks.com/

Mark Schweizer and his protagonist Hayden Konig have such wonderful humor and I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud at a book. Portions of The Alto Wore Tweed had me laughing till I cried. And it is a first in a series with delightful titles like his most recent The Bass Wore Scales.

The Gumshoe Review is a delightful site to explore. It has many more books to recommend and the staff loves to discuss mystery in all of its many sub-genres.

My second piece of good news in print appears in the Home Forum section of The Christian Science Monitor. One of my essays that slipped easily from my pen and was my favorite from the moment it began to come together is online at: http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0502/p19s01-hfes.html and is in the Monitor's print edition, too.

I have enjoyed working with this organization and its editors for several years and never fail to get a thrill out of seeing my work published in such a respectable and respected market. (The editor let me know today that she has accepted another essay for the Home Forum section, so more happy dancing!)

It seems like I rarely go very far from home to find the inspiration for an essay. For this "Pirouette of Man and Machine," I only ventured out to the road in front of my home to watch the road crew perform their ballet. It is a little different perspective on the road construction that usually elicits frustration and slow traffic.

I could go on and on singing the praises of this day. But I have assignments to work on. Nothing gets the endorphins pumping like a deadline.

Hope your day is filled with as much good news.