Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 141

Wouldn't You Rather Be a Minion, Too?

Actually, you're not going to be a minion, but part of my Croo.
No, that's not spelled wrong. That's a revision and deliberate twisting to get your attention.

I need a CREW to help me promote my books. Because honestly, there's just too much to do, too many places to reach, and I have too many commitments to handle it myself.

So, would you join my CROO?
It's just in the planning stages, but here are some definites:
Inside news on upcoming books.
Sneak peeks at artwork
A chance to weigh in on works-in-progress
Goodies, like T-shirts, mousepads, and other fun stuff as I find it.
A chance to voice your opinion on stories and characters and offer suggestions/requests for future stories, and advice/volunteer to help me promote my books.
And .... FREE books. Actually, ARCs -- Advance Review Copies. You'll get the uncorrected ARCs for my books when I get them, when my publishers send them to me for last-chance-to-fix-that-really-STOOOOOOPID-glitch-before-you-embarrass-yourself-in-public.

Well, maybe the books won't be free, and not everyone in the CROO will get one -- just the people who are interested in that particular series -- because I will ask you to very kindly write and post REVIEWS of the books you get to read before everyone else. Yeah, places like Amazon and Goodreads and B&N and other review sites. Be honest, but be nice??? Okay???? If you don't like the book, if it let you down completely, hmmmm, maybe just don't say anything? I'm not asking you to lie through your teeth and be like the worst used car salesman in the world, but if you could convince other people to read the book, that would be splendiferous!

Here's how to join:
Go to Facebook, find either of my pages, either personal or writing -- they're both public. Send me a message saying you want to join the CROO, and then send me a friend request. When I approve the friend request, I'll send you the invite to join the CROO page -- because this is a private, closed group. Only people who join can see what everyone is saying, can join the fun, participate in our plotting for world domination. You know, like Pinkie and the Brain did every week for three seasons ...

Interested?

Off the Bookshelf: THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN, by Terry Pratchett

The world of fantasy and humor and fantasy-humor books suffered a great loss last year when Sir Terry Pratchett died. He was an inspiration to me, and the Discworld books were a revelation that fantasy didn't have to be all angsty and doom-and-gloom-and-we-must-sacrifice-ourselves-to-save-the-world seriousness.

You know?

Discworld was a glorious romp of silliness and insight disguised as snark, and the giggling destruction of sacred cows. If you haven't seen any of the animated or live-action films of several of the Discworld books, DO. An especially wonderful version is "Hog Father," the Discworld take on Christmas, starring Michelle Dockery of Downton Abby fame -- in case you don't recognize her in her white wig, she plays Susan, Death's granddaughter.

THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN is the fourth Tiffany Aching YA fantasy adventure, the 41st Discworld book, and, alas, the final Discworld book.

The grand master of mythical humor and mayhem knew he was dying, and I believe that impacted the story, because it dealt with change and fighting catastrophe and loss -- and saying goodbye to Granny Weatherwax. And yet, like Sir Terry will be through his books, Granny Weatherwax is still there in spirit as Tiffany learns to stand up and lead in the defense of Discworld.

Tiffany is in many aspects still a girl, growing up, trying to find love, trying to figure out her own style, her destiny, her duties, and trying not to let other people shove her into predetermined molds and patterns. When the nasty elves who appeared in previous books find the barriers keeping them out of Discworld have weakened, they attack. They never learn their lessons, do they? Tiffany finds a way to defeat them once again -- and learns some valuable lessons for herself, as well.

I hate saying goodbye to Tiffany and Granny Weatherwax, Ankh Morpork, Nanny Ogg, Lancre, Queen Magret, and all the others ... but they live on in their books, and I can always go back and visit. Still, there's just something incredible about opening a NEW book about your favorite people and places.

Thank you so much, Sir Terry Pratchett. It was a wild and glorious ride.

{PS: The next book on my to-read list is RAISING STEAM, the 40th Discworld book, so technically it comes before SHEPHERD'S CROWN ... but I like Tiffany's stories so I read them out of order. So sue me!}

In the Spotlight: NIKKI'S TEST, Quarry Hall Book 8

Nikki’s first courier job included picking up Brooklyn from vacation and bringing her home to Quarry Hall. Before she got there, Brooklyn called, speaking in code, hinting at mysteries and danger. When Nikki arrived in Harper’s Point, Brooklyn was nowhere to be found.

Staying in town to search for Brooklyn while pretending not to suspect anything was harder than it sounded. Her questions never got the same answer twice, and it wasn’t long before she decided people were lying to her, and then spying on her.

A letter from Brooklyn provided some answers and Quarry Hall got to work. Joan hurried to Harper’s Point, fearing for Nikki’s safety. Before she could arrive, the enemy struck. Now the question was if Nikki’s training would keep her and Brooklyn alive until rescue came.

Excerpt

Suddenly, the feeling of being in a revised Mayberry popped and shriveled up like a shredded balloon. If Chester, who looked so jolly and friendly, could be a liar and untrustworthy, what did that say about other people here? Who could she trust if Brooklyn and the sheriff could both vanish, especially when Brooklyn was expecting Nikki to come get her?

"I'll go check into the hotel and come back, check if there's any news," she said. "Thanks."

"No problem, darling." Chester winked at her and nodded like a genial old grandfather.

Nikki felt like his eyes were digging holes in her back until she had stepped outside and moved beyond the glass doors. She shuddered. Maybe Chester was mental, or just slow but functional? Shouldn't he have at least asked for her name, since she was looking for the sheriff and Brooklyn? Shouldn't he have figured that she would have a cell phone, so she wouldn't need a hotel room number where she could be reached? Besides, no matter how small this town was, Nikki seriously doubted anyone could check into a hotel room at barely nine in the morning.

Gray whined and leaped ahead of her, tugging her down the sidewalk. He led her to a telephone pole, where a man was using a manual staple gun to attach a legal-size sheet of neon pink paper to the pole. Nikki stayed a few steps back from him, waiting until he finished, glanced at her, then headed down the sidewalk. He had a sheaf of those pink sheets tucked under his arm. Nikki stepped up to the pole to see what was on the sheet. The color sparked a sense that she should know what was on the poster already.

The picture was of a little girl, with "Lost" in big letters that spanned the entire width of the paper, above and below the picture.

A chill washed over her, then her heart skipped a few beats and started racing.

That was the little girl she had seen just a few hours ago, wandering through the meadow by the side of the road. She was positive.

Off the Bookshelf: THE DISCOVERY, by Dan Walsh

I've been hearing Dan Walsh's name mentioned around ACFW -- American Christian Fiction Writers -- and saw his titles mentioned in various places. Now, I can see why people refer to his books and recommend them.

THE DISCOVERY is, at its most basic, a story-within-a-story. The narrator, Michael, has dreams of becoming a writer like his famous, much-admired grandfather, and is pleased when he inherits his grandfather's home, including his office, and the old manual typewriter he used to produce so many popular books.

There is a mystery in his grandfather's life, starting with a hugely blank past. To all intents and purposes, Michael's grandparents were alone in the world, no relatives, and didn't talk about their lives before they married. Then Michael finds an unpublished manuscript in the typewriter box, and as he reads, he discovers this is the answer to the questions he has had. This is a story of love and sacrifice, fear overcome by courage, and faith, set against a background of WWII and attempted Nazi espionage.

I just wish I hadn't waited so many years, with this book on my to-be-read pile.

In the Spotlight: ANNE'S OGRE, Quarry Hall Book 7

George, Quarry Hall's mechanic, is a broken man, haunted by dreams of a life he can't remember. Vincent fights to keep George from remembering the soulless killer he once was -- until a trip to distract George gets his picture in a magazine, and awakens the past.

Anne's past again haunts her and she struggles to regain her peace. The Ogre who molested her and killed her parents is gone -- isn't he? The Black Prince who rescued her returns, but her delight in seeing her hero is crushed when she learns the Ogre escaped and is closer than she could have guessed.

As Anne re-fights the battle of forgiveness and healing, Quarry Hall and Vincent's former commando team race to find the mystery man hunting George. Will his trail lead to an enemy from decades ago? At what point can a monster be considered truly dead and gone?

Excerpt

The big German Shepard performed with precision, ears and tail up, almost prancing as if he was in a dog show. He leaped from the back of the truck, then reared back on his hind legs, barked three times, dropped forward, and trotted halfway to her. Then, responding to more gestures, he turned around three times, sat down, got up again, ran to her and ran circles around her and Hal, weaving in and out between them twice. Hal's jaw was nearly dragging on the parking lot pavement by the time Argus finished his performance and sat down. Anne was grateful the parking lot had been scraped clean and was only a little slushy, as she bent down to hug and stroke Argus, praising him.

"How long did it take to teach him all that? What language were you using?"

"That's classified data. If I told you, I would have to kill you," Anne responded, keeping a perfectly deadpan expression.

Hal grinned, obviously thinking she was joking, but his smile faded after a few seconds when she didn't react. Then Anne laughed and he joined her, looking more than a little relieved. She answered some of his questions as they headed around the front of the building to go back inside.

"Our head of security trains our dogs. He also teaches us self-defense and gives us a refresher course every time we go home, beating us black and blue most of the time. Many of our dogs are born at Quarry Hall, our headquarters, but we get a good number from places like the DEA, ATF. We have a couple cadaver dogs, bomb dogs, border patrol dogs."

"I can't imagine road work for a philanthropic foundation can be that dangerous," Hal said as he pushed the door open for her.

"You'd be surprised how nasty some people can get when you come between them and the innocent and defenseless. It's like they think their rights are being violated."

"Uh huh. Not sure we want to put that in the story. If we run the story."

"We'd prefer the enemy not to know we're prepared for them," she offered with a half-smile, as she reached forward and pushed open the door into the front of the office suite. Her smile widened as she thought about the receptionist's reaction, wondering how she had gone into the back and then appeared at the front of the office without going past her.

Argus growled and pushed past her, sliding through the gap between door and frame before it was wide enough.

"What's--" Hal began.

A gun fired.

Off the Bookshelf: BROTHERHOOD IN DEATH, by JD Robb

Ah, the glories of Overdrive -- the software that lets you borrow an e-book from the library.

This latest installment in the In Death series by JD Robb was a present to myself for finishing a few deadline-driven jobs. Even better when I didn't have to pay for it. I'm kind of trying to reduce my to-be-read bookshelves to a decent level, and I just can't justify buying new books, y'know?

BROTHERHOOD IN DEATH deals with ... well ... a brotherhood. A group of men are being hunted down and tortured and then killed in rather gruesome, painful fashion. Determining what these men have in common, other than their manner of death, and what they did to justify their murderers' actions, is Eve Dallas's task.

Sometimes it's really hard to stand for the dead victims when, the more you learn, the more sure you are that these particular people might just have deserved to die.

As always, the character interactions and the constantly growing personalities and relationships are the best part of the book. I love reading Peabody and McNab, Eve and Roarke, and all the side characters who just grow on you and become more real as time goes on. A guilty pleasure!

In the Spotlight: CHARLI, Quarry Hall Book 6

Years ago, Charli Carson and her father surprised a thief searching his laboratory. She was crippled and he died.

Nightmares plague Charli, so a reclusive life is easy. Joan Archer comes to the Carsons’ hidden forest lab, seeking to save her father’s life and prompting Charli and her mother to reevaluate choices they have made.

When they shelter the children of friends in danger, a chain of events leads to the enemy striking once more. Charli must conquer her fears and nightmares to protect the children and find answers before it is too late.

Excerpt

“No, no, no,” Charli growled. Her hand shook, but she reached into the holster on her hip and pulled out the flare gun. “Please, God …” She only hesitated a second before pulling it out and pointing her arm straight up in the air.

The flare arched up high with a shriek like the cub’s, and for a moment vanished among the cloud cover before exploding in brilliant blue and gold.

“Rangers!” one of the poachers shouted. He dove into the back of the Jeep, over the buck’s carcass.

The others cursed and shouted and scrambled to get into the Jeep, nearly forgetting the guns and the flashlights. Charli stared, unable to believe their reaction. She leaned out further, watching them as the Jeep bounced and jolted out of the clearing. The grinding of gears nearly drowned out the thudding of her heart. She leaned out as far as she could, following the bouncing and sliding of the headlights until they vanished entirely.

Too far.

Charli let out a little shriek as she overbalanced and lost her grip and slid down the slope. She twisted, trying to miss that lump that was probably a boulder, then another, long dark shape that was definitely a tree knocked down during the winter storms and heavy ice load. She flipped over onto her side. Her good leg hit something hard and she pushed off, grunting at the impact.

Then suddenly she was down, rolling across the clearing, until she landed in a depression on her face. A wet depression. Charli lay still for a few seconds, catching her breath. A gasping chuckle escaped her. Then she struggled to her feet, pulled her backpack straight, brushed herself off and hobbled over to the cub. He whimpered when she bent down and touched the top of his head.

“It's okay,” she murmured. “Nobody's going to hurt you anymore.”

In the Spotlight: NIKKI, Quarry Hall Book 5

Nikki lives a faerie tale existence, but after a chance encounter with Joan Archer, she starts to rethink her choices. Brock has changed since convincing Nikki to run away from home. Now his goal is to protect her from his drug lord boss. When his DEA contacts say they can't protect Nikki, Brock must act. He must break her heart to drive her away to be safe.

Ashamed to be the prodigal, Nikki doesn't go straight home. Joan and the Quarry Hall sisters find her and start her healing and the journey home. When the drug lord decides to bring Nikki back use her to camouflage the organization's activities, he kidnaps her. Quarry Hall and its friends marshal their resources to find her before it is too late.

Excerpt

"Please, Lord, help me. Show me what to do." Nikki shook her head and watched the teardrops fall on the Bible's pages. "I know what I have to do, but I don't want to. I'm a coward. I'm selfish. I'm--" She slid to her knees again, resting her head on the open Bible, sobbing.

She didn't hear the door open, didn't feel anything until Brock caught her by her elbow and lifted her to her feet.

"You are pathetic! How long are you going to lay around, crying and talking to a God who sure isn't listening? Can't you figure out what you need to do? What's it going to be, Nikki? Me or that baby?"

Later, all that she could remember clearly was that he called it a baby, not a thing, a problem.

She knew what she had to say, what she should say, but the words still caught in her throat.

"Are you gonna abort it, or not?" He dropped her on the bed. "How long are you going to put us through this?"

"I can't--"

He swung back, agony twisting his face. Time slowed, but she couldn't move out of the way as his hand came down and connected hard with her face. Her vision shattered, her neck snapped back and half a heartbeat later she was airborne. The thud when she hit the wall seemed to deafen her and knock the air from her lungs. Nikki slid down, gasping and blinking.

Brock snatched up her Bible and tore it apart at the spine. He yanked and ripped and threw pages across the bed, then across the room.

"Choose!" He threw the cover into her face and stormed out.

Off the Bookshelf: RUINED, by Paula Morris

Sometimes you get the nicest surprises in raffle baskets.

This YA book came in a basket I won at a writing conference, and like so many others in my to-be-read bookrack (3 shelves still) it has been waiting more than a year for me to pick it up. I finally grabbed enough books to fill the small folding bookholder that sits on the table next to my bed, committed on Goodreads to actually read these specific titles, and now I'm going through them. It's actually turning into a good system -- you commit, you've written it down somewhere, and you actually go through with it ....

This one is rather sad, and a little disturbing, when you get down to it -- but I can't tell you the disturbing part without giving away so much of the story! Other than to say that some people are so selfish and consider themselves entitled to the point that they will do in their own family so they can come out on top.  Question: Why don't people ever learn that in trying to evade a prophecy, or twist it to end up your way, you're actually causing the prophecy to come true?

What's it about? Well, Rebecca is a New York girl sent to live with some relatives in New Orleans -- only she's pretty sure her aunt and cousin aren't really blood relatives -- when her father goes to China on company business. Immediately she is flung into the conflict of the class struggle in the microcosm of an exclusive girls' school. She's an outsider, a nobody, as the girls tell her, outright or with every action and look and word. Her "aunt" is an unique character, with her own style, and tells fortunes for a living. Then there's the cemetery across the street, and the snobby kids who go into the cemetery at night to hang out. As you would expect, one of the snobby boys turns out to be angsty and unhappy with how his "gang" treats other people, and he seems to want to be friends with Rebecca. What isn't expected is that one of the friends Rebecca makes is a ghost living in the cemetery.

Secrets and curses and prophecies and class struggle and the excesses and snobbery of Mardi Gras and krewes and a strong taste and feel for what it's like in NOLA in the winter ... this one grabs your attention and carries you along to a satisfying and sad ending.

In the Spotlight: DARCY, Quarry Hall Book 4

Black Ops doesn’t begin to describe Vincent’s former paramilitary team.

When a friend of the Arc Foundation requests help for a rescue mission facing scandal, he learns two former teammates are involved. Vincent must investigate for the sake of his conscience, but can his instincts be trusted? Who has reformed, and who still waits to destroy those who betrayed him years ago, when their team disintegrated?

Joan comes along, to provide balance and a second pair of eyes. Josh is in charge of renovations. Karl is the fundraiser. Darcy, Josh’s daughter, is an idealistic young woman ready to give her life for what she believes. As Vincent and Joan track down the enemies of the mission, they uncover lies and an insidious scheme, with Darcy as pawn and prize.

Excerpt

"Coals," Josh murmured. "A new gang," he flung over his shoulder as he broke into a run. Vincent followed. They were only half a block away from Darcy, but right that moment it seemed like miles.

Knives flashed. The three Coals blocked Vincent's view of Darcy. The sidewalk cleared and the traffic on the cluttered street seemed to come to a standstill. A little old lady shrieked. It sounded more like injured pride than pain to Vincent's ears. Then he heard dull thuds and sharp smacking sounds; flesh against flesh.

"Darcy!" Josh shouted as he flung himself onto the back of the nearest Coal. The two went down in a heap.

A second gang member turned, swinging his knife at Vincent. From this close, it looked more like a short sword than a knife. Vincent ducked and turned, kicking high. His foot hit the target, bones snapped, and the Coal went down, shouting in pain, holding his hand. The knife went flying. Vincent turned, looking for the third -- Josh had his opponent well in hand, kneeling on his back and twisting an arm behind him.

The leader of the trio faced Darcy. He had her backed into a doorway, surrounded by barrels and crates of trash, with the Plinkney sisters cowering behind her. Darcy held a four-foot length of rusty, one-inch pipe in a two-handed grip, crouching low, eyes narrowed as she studied her opponent. Her sweatshirt sleeve gaped where it had been sliced and blood soaked into the material, radiating out in a spreading stain, turning the green cloth purple. Darcy seemed not to notice the wound.