Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 148

In the Spotlight: ANNE, Quarry Hall #2

Today's Spotlight is on ANNE, Quarry Hall Book 2, from Desert Breeze Publishing.

We met Anne in Joan's story, and got a hint at the wounds in her past.

Now it's time to follow Anne in action. The story starts out with her assessing a women's shelter for assistance from the Arc Foundation. Easy enough, right? The problem is that several women's shelters have come under attack lately, with accusations of abuse. Anne and other Quarry Hall girls are "under cover" at several shelters, to try to find out what is going on.

Before that assignment ends, Anne proves she and her companion dog, Argus, are a good team and
valuable members of the family at Quarry Hall. Anne is ready for some rest and relaxation at home, but gets a new assignment instead. It won't be too bad because it's close to home, and should be simple: shadow Xander Finley, Joan's friend, and owner of Common Grounds Legal Clinic, which is supported by the Arc Foundation. Arc wants to help Common Grounds grow, and Anne will be part of the process.

Simple, right? So it seems, but things get complicated before Anne even gets to Tabor. Argus is shot when Anne's truck is carjacked. Everything she owns in the world is gone. When she starts her shadowing job, her attention is divided between Common Grounds and Argus, and she has to wear borrowed clothes. Then she runs into antagonist lawyers who seem to have it in for Xander and Common Grounds. Then Hannah, Xander's Gal Friday, seems to have it in for Anne -- aren't they on the same side?

Before Anne is finished, she learns a lot about trusting God, forgiveness, and just how long it takes for old wounds to heal.

Off the Bookshelf: A LITTLE BIT OF CHARM, by Mary Ellis

I love reading a book written by a friend and discovering that even though it is not my type of story, either setting or sub-genre ... wow, I love it anyway! Now, that's a mark of a good storyteller.

Mary Ellis and I are part of the Ohio chapter of ACFW, plus we're geographically close enough we can get together semi-regularly and talk about writing. If you're a writer and you don't have writing friends close by, FIND SOME. There is nothing more encouraging and stimulating than people who know what you're going through -- even if they don't write the same type of books as you.

Anyway .... A LITTLE BIT OF CHARM is part of Mary's New Beginning Series, featuring Amish sisters whose lives are torn apart when their parents die in a fire. They create their own lives, taking chances, exploring different Amish communities and cultures, and even follow their hearts and dreams. Rachel is the third King daughter, and she decides to have an adventure after the wedding of her older sister, Nora. Instead of heading home to Lancaster, she decides to go to Kentucky -- why? Because she loves horses and wants to be near Thoroughbreds, maybe even get to work with them.

Rachel gets her chance, gets a job at a horse farm ... and soon enough finds herself pulled between two worlds. What has a stronger hold on her heart? Her Amish heritage, her family, her faith, her love for horses, her non-Amish friends, her growing comfort in non-Amish ways and clothes? And who of her three hopeful suitors will win her heart?

I'm not gonna tell you. But I will tell you that even though Amish romances are definitely not my "thing" (even though I do have plans to write a book with some Amish characters in them someday) I do look forward to reading more of Mary's books. And not just because she's my friend!

In the Spotlight: JOAN, Quarry Hall #1

Today, the SPOTLIGHT moves to the Quarry Hall series, which is an offshoot or sister series to the Tabor Heights books. Both series are published by Desert Breeze Publishing.

If you've spent any time in Tabor Heights, you've met some of the Quarry Hall girls or seen Quarry Hall and the Arc Foundation in action.

There's some "time travel" involved, because the Quarry Hall books actually start out four years before the Tabor Heights books start.

JOAN is the story of someone who has appeared in Tabor Heights several times. In fact, if it weren't for Joan and the friends she met and made in Tabor Heights, there wouldn't be any interaction between the people of Tabor and Quarry Hall and the Arc Foundation.

Joan Archer has been living on the run since her early teens -- making up new identities, and
basically avoiding any close relationships. Until now.

Four years ago, she came to Tabor Heights looking for her baby sister. Their mother walked away during a summer storm with the months-old baby, and a few hours later came back without her. That was when Joan knew she had to flee to save her own life. Finally she dared come back to Tabor to find out what happened. She found her sister and settled in to make a place for herself in Tabor and get to know the teenager. Along the way, Joan has made some friends.

Good enough friends to risk her life for them. After an adventure that nearly got her and Matt Cameron killed, Joan returns home to turmoil, and a mysterious package on her doorstep, from a man who claims to be her father. The choices Joan makes change her life forever, and lead her to taking the biggest risk ever -- risking her soul and maybe her sanity. Are the risks worth it, to finally have a home and a family?

The BARROO Report

Every Monday, I try to post a book report, meaning my goal is to read at least 1 book each week. Sounds good, right?

Well, considering that right now, I have 75 PRINT books waiting to be read, and an estimate of a minimum of 200 ebooks that are unread in my iPad ... reading one book each week isn't going to put much of a dent in things by the end of the year. I'm trying to be "virtuous" and not buy any new books until I read at least, say ... 5 books from the physical, to-be-read rack. That isn't too hard to hold to, since there's no ROOM in the bookrack to put new books. And usually I'm good about keeping to that -- I don't "buy" these books, I either take a bunch of used books I know I'm not going to read, and trade them in, and get a few books from the used bookstore. The problem is that I've joined a bookclub online, and my writing groups keep announcing "my book is free this weekend on Kindle," or something like that ... and the ebook waiting-to-be-read portion of my iPad just keeps getting more and more full!

Another part of the problem is that I have so may deadlines right now ... *sigh* .... who has time for reading? Seriously?

I remember when I thought I was "rich" if I had five books waiting to be read. Yeah, back when I had the leisure to read 2 or even 3 books a week. When I rode the bus to work and there wasn't enough elbow room on the bus to bring my notebook computer and write during the hour-long ride ... Ah, those were the days!

Here's the situation: I promised Sandy at Writer's Exchange I would have NOVA VENDETTA Part 2 to her before the end of the month, so she could format it and release it by the end of the month. PLUS I am under contract to turn in the next Quarry Hall book, tentatively titled NIKKI'S HUNT or NIKKI'S TEST to Desert Breeze by October 1. I am almost done with the 2nd draft/1st revision of NOVA, but I was hoping to have it done by Monday, because I need to get to serious work on the 2nd draft/1st revision of NIKKI, to have it done by the 16th, so I can get to work on the 3rd draft of NOVA, to have that done by the 23rd, so I can spend the "rest" (HAH!) of the month revising and polishing NIKKI to turn in October 1.

So who has time to read?

Someone tell me how I can cut down to, say ... 3 hours of sleep each night, without killing myself or going psychotic? Please?

Okay, we have about 17 or 18 weeks left to the year, so that's 17 or 18 more books off my to-be-read rack. That's nearly a whole shelf. Can I do it? When I manage more than 1 book each week, I'll squeeze in another book report on an off-day. Let's go for 2 whole shelves cleared off my to-be-read rack. Without disappointing my publishers ...........

Off the Bookshelf: CINDERELLA SCREWED ME OVER, by Cindi Madsen

Haven't we all, at one time or another, felt that the faerie tales totally ruined us for romance? Don't we all wish for a prince -- and without even realizing it, looked past or stepped over the decent guy who would certainly consider us his princess -- and who might just turn into a prince if we gave him a chance?

Yeah, Cinderella and other faerie tales that promise happily-ever-after without considering all the problems that arise when you actually have to LIVE with the guy ... mess us up.

Then, as Darby, the heroine of CINDERELLA SCREWED ME OVER, discovered ... all those princes turned out to be problems in the making. She's been hurt, betrayed, abandoned by so many guys who started out as a faerie tale prince, that she's somewhat cynical. So when Jake comes into her life and rescues her shoe and then her ... she's hesitant to take the chance that this time, he's the real deal.

Throughout the book, as Darby runs into situations that remind her of the un-princely princes in her life, she offers readers a case study, referring to the faerie tale and just what prince un-charming did. The entire book is clever and fun. Well worth curling up on the couch on a rainy day or taking to the beach, or in my case, sitting under the ceiling fan indoors in the shade on a hot summer day.

The BARROO Report

Yesterday, I spent most of the day at my alma mater, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, going from one English class to another, talking about writing and encouraging the students to get involved in NaNoWriMo -- National Novel Writing Month -- as well as participate in the young writers competition sponsored by EPIC -- the Electronic Publishing Internet Coalition.

Both are great programs to encourage young writers to take the plunge, get their feet wet in the writing world, and get some encouragement and recognition along the way.

Right now, I'm going full-steam-ahead on revisions and adding to/expanding NOVA VENDETTA #2: THE TRUCE, the second Nova Vendetta book, set in my Commonwealth Universe series, published by Writers Exchange. 


What's really fun at this point in the process is that I'm "discovering" all sorts of details of things I mentioned -- or left unanswered -- in Commonwealth Universe books that take place in the "future." The Nova Vendetta books take place during Age I, or what is referred to as the Downfall period, when the previous galactic civilization, the Central Allied Worlds, also known as the CAW or First Civ, was deteriorating into injustice and piracy, when the government was constantly being taken over by new regimes and the colonies were being exploited, ransacked, or even abandoned to die.

In this particular case, I "discovered" the genesis of the ship-brains. You've met Ganfer, the ship-brain of the Free Trader ship Sunsinger? You've met Watcher, the ship-brain of the Leaper ship, Estal'es'cai? This is where they got their start. And I didn't even know it when I started writing the books!

If you've been to Norbra and met Elin and the Khybors struggling for survival with her, you'll get a chance to come back to Norbra two generations later and get a glimpse of the development of their khrystal-generated talents and the genesis of the Leapers.

Hmm, I better get back to work and finish revising this book, so the publisher can get it out there for you to read!!

Off the Bookshelf: ROSE HARBOR IN BLOOM, by Debbie Macomber

ROSE HARBOR IN BLOOM is the sequel to THE INN AT ROSE HARBOR, and is a tie-in to the Cedar Cove series by Debbie Macomber. And just like returning to Cedar Cove, this book gives readers a chance to return to visit beloved characters.

Jo Marie is our host at the B&B that she bought with the insurance money when her soldier husband died in Afghanistan. She is still healing from the loss, and her pain is stirred up when, just for a short time, she is given the amazing hope that maybe Paul didn't die in the helicopter crash, but has been healing and making his way out of the country.

Meanwhile, a new set of guests are facing ghosts from their pasts, old pain, new chances at love, failed dreams and new dreams -- basically straightening out their lives and hearts. Expect a big sigh of satisfaction when you close the book. And some frustration, because the publisher has enclosed a "taste" or sneak preview of the next book, and of course, it stops at just the right place where you want to keep reading!

As always, Debbie Macomber delivers. A good book for curling up in the evening and escaping for a couple hours at a time.

In the Spotlight: NOVA VENDETTA #1: The Injustice

This week, the Spotlight is on an UPCOMING Commonwealth Universe novel, coming from Writers Exchange. It's the back story to the SF romance novella, The Pirate and the Professor. Also, for some extra fun, this book and the others in the series are based on the book and movie (starring Errol Flynn) Captain Blood, by Raphael Sabatini. Don't you just love the old-time swashbucklers?

NOVA VENDETTA #1: The Injustice

Niall Encardi, our hero, is a medical student, ready to graduate and head back to the distant colony world where he was born. Unfortunately ... yet another coups has troubled the Central Allied Worlds -- that's First Civ, if you've been reading other Commonwealth Universe books, and you're familiar with the history of the Commonwealth, back before the Downfall era.

The new government of the CAW set about early to rid itself of all dissidents, even if their only "crime" is to belong to a colony world that hasn't declared its loyalty to the new regime even before news of the coups has reached them. Niall and many of his medical student friends are tossed onto a ship and hauled home, considered criminals when they haven't done anything at all.

New regimes rise and fall almost faster than word can reach the far distant colonies. Niall and his friends go from one false accusation and prison to another, shaped by circumstances and injustice, until what emerges at the end ... will be a captain and crew who will become legends, considered pirates by some, and heroes by many others. Witness the birth of Captain Niall Encardi of the Nova Vendetta.

The BARROO Report

Join the fun! Check out my work-in-progress, "Friendly Fire," on Wattpad. What's it about? Well, there are starships, and landing parties, and miniature dragons, and humor, and exploration, and mysteries, and nasty aliens who would sooner shoot you than make peace, and .... Well, honestly, the other book in the series I'm creating, called Seed Worlds, is a recycled Star Trek fan novel. Does that give you a good idea of what it's like?

I would love to get feedback, ideas, speculation on what's going to happen next. Remember: this is a work-in-progress, meaning what eventually gets published could be very different than what you read today....

NEW BOOK
Writers Exchange, on Monday, released the first book in the Nova Vendetta series, part of the Commonwealth Universe. If you read the SF romance novella, "The Pirate and the Professor," this is the story of the heroine's parents and how they met.

NOVA VENDETTA

Niall Encardi is a medical student, ready to graduate
and go home to his colony world and spend his life as a doctor. Unfortunately, yet another revolution occurs in the Central Allied Worlds. Anyone from a colony world that didn't declare unwavering support for the revolutionaries is considered an enemy, and taken prisoner. No matter what Niall and his friends do, resisting their captors, trying to protect their homeworld, they keep ending up on the wrong side of the government -- a government that keeps changing hands. From that prison existence, Niall is formed into a man who will become a legend someday: Captain Niall Encardi, of the pirate ship Nova Vendetta. NOVA VENDETTA, Part 1: The Injustice, is now available from Writers Exchange.

I'm working on Part 2: The Truce, RIGHT NOW. Look for Part 2 late in September/early October.

And if you loved the old black-and-white swashbuckler starring Errol Flynn, CAPTAIN BLOOD, I guarantee you'll enjoy NOVA VENDETTA.

Off the Bookshelf: THE LIGHT OF EIDON, by Karen Hancock

This is one of those times when I just kick myself for not having read a book sooner. I've had this ebook sitting in my iPad for a few years now.

Karen Hancock has created a solid, multi-layered, complex world in this first book in the Legends of the Guardian King series. THE LIGHT OF EIDON deals with prophecy and politics and treachery and the search for truth and loyalty and hope and ... yeah, there's a LOT to take in. Intense.

Our hero is a young prince named Abramm who has gone into the holy orders. He doesn't see himself as a warrior and politician like his many older brothers, and has a true hunger and thirst to know Eidon, the god of his land of Kiriath. However, on the verge of taking his vows, Abramm's world starts to fall apart. He learns that his family has been decimated and he is next in line to take the throne if anything happens to the current king. It doesn't matter that he doesn't want the throne, there are those who consider him a threat, and others who consider him a pawn.

Before he knows it, Abramm is fleeing for his life, not sure who to trust -- and ends up on a slave ship, bound for a brutal land where evil forces rule and even success in the game of combat can result in punishment. While Abramm fights for his life, and struggles with painful spiritual questions as he doubts Eidon and everything he has believed in, his twin sister hunts for him, to rescue him. She must deal with her own questions and crises and lack of faith, as well as a society that denies her everything she took for granted as a princess and a free woman.

I hope I didn't give too much away -- and I'm frustrated that I have so many more books waiting to be read! It's going to be a while before I can justify buying the next volume in the series. But the wait is going to be well worth it.