B.J. Hyman's Blog, page 3
June 12, 2017
WHERE THE STORIES BEGIN: My Author Interview Series Introduction
Look! I’m starting a new thing!
If you’re like me, you love to find out behind-the-scenes information on your favorite stories. Most people don’t have access to talk to the authors to find out those fun little nuggets.
But…I do! At least to my own inner circle of author friends that is constantly growing the longer that I’m an author.
So, I decided to put on my question asking hat and hunt down some of those great writers that I know.
My first featured writer is Amy Patrick, the author of the Hidden Deep series. I’m still working on the editing of the video but I think I’ll be done this week.
Here’s something to whet your appetite and links so you could already get the first one in the series for FREE to read before you learn a bit more about her:
Amy Patrick is a two-time Golden Heart finalist (2013 and 2014) who writes Contemporary Romance and Young Adult fantasy/paranormal romance. She is the author of the Hidden Saga and the Channel 20 Something series. Living in New England now with her husband and two sons, she actually craves the heat and humidity of Mississippi, where she grew up. She’s been a professional singer and news anchor and currently works as a video host and voiceover artist as well as an audiobook narrator.
Social media and contact info:
website- http://www.amypatrickbooks.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/AmyPatrickAuthor
Twitter- https://twitter.com/AmyPatrickBooks
Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Amy-Patrick/e/B00MAXNU8O/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AmyPatrickBooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amypatrickauthor/
HIDDEN DEEP buy links (it’s free):
AMAZON US http://bit.ly/HIDDENDEEP
iBOOKS http://bitly/HIDDENDEEPiBooks
GOOGLE: http://bit.ly/HIDDENDEEPGoogle
NOOK http://bit.ly/HIDDENDEEPNOOK
KOBO http://bit.ly/HIDDENDEEPKobo
ABSOLUTELY FREE!!
Now that I have your attention…
Who doesn’t like getting something FREE??
Well, like any good dealer of addictive substances, I’m giving you a taste of the DAY ZERO universe for free for 5 days!
CAPTIVE is available as a Kindle Ebook for bupkis…nothing…nada…not a penny…from June 13th to June 17th.
How do ya like them apples?
Captive is the story of the punishment of the villain from the first novel in the series. Written from the point of view from an evil madman, it’s been compared to Edgar Allan Poe. (That really thrilled me.)
Make sure to get your copy before it’s over!
May 26, 2017
My Personal Book Shelf: This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti
From Amazon.com: The small town of Ashton is the unexpected setting for an epic clash between good and evil as a Christian preacher and a news reporter unearth a plot to take over their small community, and eventually the world. Unseen supernatural forces are at play, as armies of angels and demons wage battle, with groups of Christians and New Agers influencing what they cannot see by the power of prayer.
I had never read a Christian thriller before this book. I had always heard that Peretti was a great read and I wonder now why I waited so long to give him a try.
The story is complicated with lots of characters, and, I’m ashamed to admit, I got lost a few times. It seems like a book you really have to binge read to not lose the thread. That being said, it was very entertaining and I liked it a lot. I plan on reading the sequel eventually.
May 18, 2017
What I’m Listening To: Chris Cornell and Soundgarden
Chris Cornell, the front man for Soundgarden and Audioslave and solo artist, died last night at the age of 52. Not much is known yet, but it looks like he’s committed suicide.
He leaves behind a beautiful family…a wife and two kids.
His voice is one of the most incredible in rock. He had a 4 octave range, which is HUGE for a man. I just can’t understand. My heart is broken.
In honor of his amazing talent, I’m sharing the most known song from the Soundgarden catalog.
May 17, 2017
My Personal Bookshelf: The Gifted: Adversaries & Healers by L.A. Story
Quick disclosure: This is my beautiful, talented sister, L.A. Story who has written this series. That doesn’t mean that I can’t fully and completely love the story!
Here’s the book description from Amazon:
Rachel Hannah is funny and kind. She is a second grade teacher who lives an ordinary life until she meets Sage Waldron. She is swept away by this mysterious man. What she doesn’t know is that he is an Adversary and she is his “mission.” Rachel is caught between two immeasurably powerful forces and will soon make a series of choices that will affect her future and Sage’s and will begin to tip the scales between good and evil.
There is a war going on between the Adversaries and the Healers and the general population is mercifully unaware.
There are those walking among us whose destiny will affect the fate of us all. Those people are not aware of their potential until they accept the power and the burden of The Gift. (**While this novel has some Christian themes, there is mild language and situations best suited to adults.)
THE GIFTED is the beginning of a trilogy and the second in the series is already out. The third should come out before the end of this year.
This is a Christian/secular hybrid book that crosses the boundaries between the genres spectacularly. The opening sequence is so visceral that I can imagine the whole scene: the rain, the semi screeching in the dark, the accident, the mysterious stranger who appears out of the storm. It all starts the ball rolling on a war that is timeless: good and evil, darkness and light.
The writing is perfect for fans of Frank Peretti. The series is compelling and reminds you of the hidden spiritual war going around us at all times. It’s available at all major booksellers. Here’s the link for the Amazon ebook version:
THE GIFTED: ADVERSARIES & HEALERS
This is the link for the second one in the series, Criers: The Rise of the Prophets:
CRIERS: THE RISE OF THE PROPHETS
May 15, 2017
What I’m Watching: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Oh, what fun a movie like this can be!
I went to the movies on Saturday night with my husband and our friend, Doug. If it’s a Marvel movie, this trio is going to see it together!
I’ve got to say this was one of the most fun Marvel films yet. The opening sequence has Baby Groot dancing to Mr. Blue Sky by ELO while the rest of the Guardians fight a massive space monster. There are hilarious near misses and little bits here and there. The rest of the film is really a continuation of the feeling of this TERRIFIC open.
There are serious moments and gut-busting funny moments and arm-rest-gripping tense action moments. I don’t want to be one of THOSE people who ruin a movie for others by popping out left and right with spoilers so I won’t reveal much else here. It’s just too good to not let it evolve with each surprise laugh and eye candy delirium intact.
The dialogue is snappy, the action is fast and delightful, and the characters are flawed and wonderful, as usual.
One note: once the credits begin to roll, DON’T LEAVE! There are actually 5 extra scenes that’s mixed in with the credits and the producers found ways to make even the credits entertaining. The last little one with Teen Groot is just too funny to miss.
May 12, 2017
Sneak Peek of Fire: The Book of Phoenix
Guess what? Even while working on SLEEP TIGHT, the Day Zero series just won’t shut up.
You want a peek?
Huh?
Well, do ya?
Oh…all right. Just this once. 
May 11, 2017
My Book Shelf: Security by Gina Wohlsdorf
Description from Amazon:
“Original and imaginative . . . Ripping suspense, sheer terror, and a wrenching love story.” —Sandra Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Friction
The terrible truth about Manderley is that someone is always watching.
Manderley Resort is a gleaming, new twenty-story hotel on the California coast. It’s about to open its doors, and the world–at least those with the means to afford it–will be welcomed into a palace of opulence and unparalleled security. But someone is determined that Manderley will never open. The staff has no idea that their every move is being watched, and over the next twelve hours they will be killed off, one by one.
Writing in the tradition of Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King, and with a deep bow to Daphne du Maurier, author Gina Wohlsdorf pairs narrative ingenuity and razor-wire prose with quick twists, sharp turns, and gasp-inducing terror. Security is grand guignol storytelling at its very best.
A shocking thriller, a brilliant narrative puzzle, and a multifaceted love story unlike any other, Security marks the debut of a fearless and gifted writer.
“Be surprised, be very surprised: Gina Wohlsdorf brings more than just plot twists and a terrifically tender love story to this thriller . . . It’s her playful homage to Hitchcock and du Maurier that had me reading, howling, and just plain loving this novel.” —Sara Gruen, author of At the Water’s Edge
“Grand Hotel meets Psycho in the age of surveillance . . . Security is cinematically vivid, crisply written, and sharp enough to cut . . . Wohlsdorf brilliantly subverts our expectations of the action genre in this smart, shocking, poignant thriller.” —Emily Croy Barker, author of The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic
“The thrill of this novel goes beyond its wickedly clever, split-screen, high-tech wizardry—a kind of video gamer’s literary retake of Hitchcock’s Rear Window–and emanates from its strange, disembodied narrator . . . The effect is terrifying, sexy, dizzying, and impossible to look away from.” —Tim Johnston, author of Descent
“Shocking and filled with Tarantino-ish dark humor. . . Structurally reminiscent of the amazing Jennifer Egan,Wohlsdorf’s book is certainly a hybrid, like nothing else. Get ready.” —Ann Beattie, author of The State We’re In
“Flawless . . . Security is perfectly tuned for blockbuster status . . . They don’t make a hotel big enough to house all the people who will want to read this, and soon, as in Manderley, all eyes will be on Wohlsdorf.” —Daniel Kraus, Booklist, starred review
I didn’t know what to expect when I began reading this book. It’s not broken down into your usual chapter headings. It’s camera angles. When you find out why, it’s a very nice gasp moment.
I couldn’t put this down. There aren’t many books that I’ve read lately that I’ve felt that way about. I’ve been bad about letting a book linger while reading it in little spurts here and there. This one had me irritated when I had a interruption that kept me from being immersed in the writing.
Security is a novel that I’ve recommended to all my friends more than once since I read it. In fact, I should be paid to be part of the PR machine. I LOVED it. Very unique telling and Hitchcock feel. It needs to be a WELL DONE movie in the next few years.
May 1, 2017
What I’m Listening To: Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie & Lowell
I was first introduced to Sufjan Stevens’ music by my friend, Todd Gurley. I’ve been a fan of MANY musicians he’s shared with me and I’ve learned to always give my attention to what he thinks I’ll like. He gave me a copy of Come on Feel the Illinoise and I was completely won over.
The album was part of Sufjan’s very ambitious project to do an album about each state. Having lived in Illinois for a long time in my youth, it really spoke to me and brought up feelings unique to that state.
I bought other albums by Sufjan but none moved me or impressed me like Illinoise.
Until now…
I didn’t even know a new album was coming out until I heard the first cut, Death with Dignity, on This Is Us. It was magnificent…just like Come on Feel the Illinoise. I had to check out the album.
This album is so personal it feels like you are reading another person’s diary. The intimacy of the moments Sufjan shares in his music can even feel like one of those late night conversations with a friend that takes your friendship to the next level.
All the songs are wonderful. Not many albums make me feel that way. I find that I like to listen to it in its complete form while I write. The moodiness is perfect.
I’m sharing the first cut here. Give it a good listen…you’ll be glad you did.
April 24, 2017
What I’m Watching: 13 Reasons Why
“You can’t stop the future.
You can’t rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret… is to press play.
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.
Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah’s pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.”
I binge watched this series on Netflix based on the book by Jay Asher. The hardest part of watching the series is that you know she is already gone. There are no take backs. Nothing anyone does or says can make it all go away. She is dead and buried. There is only finding out why and trying to pick up the pieces.
It’s mesmerizing to watch unfold. There is the unreliable narrator factor that makes you question if her reasons are real. There are people that you hate that, as you learn their truth, you come to sympathize with. There are others that seem decent but slowly morph into monsters. None are innocent. All have guilt. But it’s not that simple.
All great stories for me are complicated and messy. This hits all those spots. Villains are rarely completely villainous and saints are rarely sinless. It rang completely true and reminded me of some of my own messes from high school. This is a good thing and a bad thing. It left me with feelings that are hard to define. It made me think and I’ll probably watch it again just to watch the process again. (I’m a glutton for punishment.)
It is really a phenomenal piece of work and I loved it even as it brought tears of pain to my eyes. The cast is pitch-perfect. Be ready for the roller coaster of emotion…but I do recommend it!
