Angie Gallion's Blog, page 6

Canine Plague by Burt Walker

During the summer I prefer my reading in audio form and I followed my narrator from my last listen to my next listen.   I like to do that, find authors or narrators that I enjoy and walk with them for a while.  Kevin Pierce narrates Canine Plague.  He also narrated One Man's Opus by Boyd Craven, my last review.  I forgot to mention him then, but wanted to pay a little tribute here.  Pierce does a very good job with the different characters, he has a pleasent voice that is easy to listen to, his pacing is right on target and his dialogue is inflective.  Good job Mr. Pierce.Now, on to my review of Canine Plague by Burt Walker.  This novel is a conspiracy theorists dream (or nightmare).  In this day and age, when it seems that there are hidden agendas driving politicians, it isn't hard to imagine a world where the powerful are willing to take extreme measure to move their agenda forward.  Walker captures that beautifully.  There is no catastrohpic event, no nuclear holocaust, no pandemic to decimate the population, no rising waters, volcanoes, earthquakes or meteors falling to earth that shifts the world from normal to not.    I really appreciated that about this book, the simplicity and plausibility of the transition from before to after.  I don't ever really believe a meteroite is going the hit us, and I really don't think a nuclear holocaust is on the horizon, even with all the bluster from certain sectors of the world.  But I do believe that greed and power in a strong enough combination could send our country into a state of upheaval.   There have been moments when I have felt the government is not working for the people, and that we are simply pawns to be manipulated to suit their needs.  It's an uncomfortable feeling and much of the writing from this genre is inspired by that discomfort.Burt Walker is a writer to watch.  His pacing is fantastic.  He moves the story along at a solid clip, without rushing.  His charaters are developed and complex and his dialogue comes across as natural speech patterns.  There are good guys and bad guys in this book, but nobody is painted with a broad stroke, there is definition in each character and the bad guys don't see themselves as bad guys.  There are no caracatures here.   I reached out to the author, as I often do when I'm preparing a review and he told me that he wrote this book as a bucket list project, "on a whim."  If this is what he writes on a whim, I'll be very excited to see his next offering.  As you might expect from a writer of post-apocolyptic, survivalist fiction, Walker has strong political opininions, and in general strong opinions on all sorts of things.  A perusal of his blog was entertaining and enlightening.  If your a fan of dystopian fiction you need to have Burt Walker on your radar.  You can find his website at www.burtwalker.com. 

One Man's Opus by Boyd Craven III

Some women read romance as their secret pleasure, not me.  That stuff just makes me completely uncomfortable.  My secret reading pleasure is dystopian fiction.  If you've read my books, you know I  like delving into the breakdown of the fabric of a person's life and walking with my characters as they cope and come to terms, and ultimately survive, or not.  I am always fascinated by the resilience of people, and dystopian fiction is that, on a larger scale. I will clarify, that I don't do zombies, vampires, werewolves, or aliens.  I don't enjoy that, the eating of brains or sucking of blood or transformation from man to beast.  What I do enjoy in dystopian fiction is finding of normalcy in abnormal situations.  There are moments when I have legitimate fear that our country is at a precipice.  We have become so polarized as a people that we don't consider ourselves a "people" anymore, we are us and them with all our various tribal affiliations.  Yesterday morning there was an assassination attempt on several of our senators while they were practicing for a charity softball game.  How does that happen in our country?  When we make people "them" they become less real, and therefore less human, somehow.  I am concerned about the future of our country, and I don't know that we'll be able to heal ourselves without rending entirely apart and stitching back together the scars.  This is where my mind was yesterday when I felt the need to read and I needed something that followed my bent.  I came across this book, One Man's Opus by Boyd Craven, III and I liked the sample provided by Audible, so I bought the book and listened.  The narrator is Kevin Pierce and he does a very good job, he comes across as intelligent, thoughtful and mature. This book walked me off the ledge, so to speak.  Craven is a master story teller, with an easy style that feels almost conversational.  His story is couched in normalcy.  It is more of a survival journey than dystopian fiction, although the narrator speaks to the fears I feel for our society, fears of civil unrest, fears of the justification of brutality, he even touches on the murders of law enforcement officers over the last several years.  It's not a gritty story, it's really an introverts love story, and even better than that, it's a love story to a dog.  Opus.  I have had and loved, and lost, many great dogs, and Craven's depiction of Opus brought every single one of them out of the corners of my heart to walk again in my life.   It was a surprise to me. It was not what I expected, when I chose a dystopian novel, that I would weep as Craven gave his dedication because I remember very clearly the moments my dogs, Brick, Bonnie, Oscar last laid their heads on my lap or rested on my chest before heading to the last great sleep.  This book takes a moment in time, when chaos erupts, and shows a quiet love story for a dog.  It doesn't take the disruption of society to the brink, but rather shows the reality that for some people society is already broken and they live outside of it.  It was a good read, and I'm sure I'll be reaching for his next book, the next time I wonder, "How can this happen in America?"Check out Craven's website, http://www.boydcraven.com.  He an author well worth keeping an eye on. 

Earth Last Sanctuary by Christian Kallias

If space fantasy is your thing you should definitely get involved with Christian Kallias.  He has created a complex story line with lost civilizations, extinct races, mysterious beginnings and celestial guidence.  Universe in Flames:  Earth, Last Sanctuary is the first in this ever expanding series and moves with a quick pace even while filling in the background to set the groundwork for the rest of the series.  At first I thought this was fan fiction, and when I happened into a scene where a well known space adeventure was featured, I was convinced.  However, by the end of the novel, I thought something different.  Perhaps this is fan fiction, but it's also something bigger, Kallias didn't stop at paying homage to worlds created by others, he went in depth and created his own. It was fast paced through the battle scenes, but when it slowed down it had a message.  A message delivered by Aphroditis, of Greek legend.  He took his love of the legends, and his interest in the stars and merged them in a very unique fashion.  This book clipped along in rapid fire, and although space adventure is not my first choice for relaxation, I have no doubt that I will have to move through is series to see how it matures.  The end of Earth, Last Sanctuary leaves you with a very effective hook drawing you to the next book in the series, Universe in Flames: Fury to the Stars.Beyond this book, Kallias has built a very impressive website, which will pull you even further into the adventure.  Overall, an impressive offering.  There were moments when I felt his characters were stereotypes, then, when I had gotten comfortable with their simplicity, Kallias changed it up and built their depth.  He's an author to keep your eye on, as you are looking to the stars. Check out his website.  His books are available atamazon.comand for a limited time, some are offered at a discount.

Madam May by Janet Hogan Chapman

In my quest to spread the word about my own books, Intoxic, Purgus, and Icara (due out June 2017) I have participated in several author showcases in the area. I met Janet Hogan Chapmanat one of these events and had the pleasure of spending a quiet moment talking about her book. Janet is an avid genealogist and in her research she came across a grandmother, from the early 1900's, with secrets.  She caught the trail and started piecing the sketchy details together and was amazed at where it led.  She was so taken by the tale of misconduct, independence, and ruthlessness, that she wrote a book based on that ancestors adventures.  The book is based on true events, and backed up with resources and even occasional snapshots of the newspaper clipping.  Chapman writes in a journal fashion from several different character respective.  Each character has a disrinct voice and there was no difficulty keeping track of them.  I enjoyed the journal effect, it made me feel like I was in time with them.  Chapman's descriptions of Atlanta at the turn of the century feel accurate and congruous.  I never questioned her details because it all came so naturally from her characters experiences.  May is a small town girl with big city aspirations and she plans and connives her way from her family home to the city of Atlanta where she encounters other people with questionable morals and strong ambitions.  Her greatest friend, Maude, tries to look out for her and even encourages May to keep on the straight and narrow. May can't do it, she tries again and again to make the right choices but her ambition drives her.  She is a lovely character, full of conflict and contradiction.  I came to this book with an idea of what to expect, based on my conversation with the author, but I was still caught off guard as I walked with May through her labyrinth.  If you love Atlanta, or enjoy history, or skeletons in a closet, this is a book to get lost in.I'm looking forward to the sequel.  I am anxious to see if May ever finds her straight and narrow.  Hope you are writing, Janet!Madam May is available on Amazon and by request at your favorite book store.You can visit the author's website to be updated on her projects.  Take some time to enjoy her poetry, blogs and photography.  

She's a Keeper, Confessions from a Southern Girl's Closet by Lee St. John

I am really enjoying reading the works of other local authors, and I hope that some of the books I share might inspire you to pick up a local or indie/small press book that you maybe wouldn't have given a chance before.With the end of the girls' school year approaching we have gotten chaotic in our house.  I had another book slated for my next read, but it's a complex  piecing together of a family history, which I am excited to get into, but don't feel like I  have the bandwidth right now to give it the attention it needs.  With that in mind I was casting about for a different book and came across the She's a Keeper series by Lee St. John.  It promised to be what I need, something light and airy, that doesn't require notetaking.  I reached out to the author and she was kind enough to provide me an audio copy for my review, and you all know how much I love audio!  Lee St. John does an very nice job of narrating her book, and, having met  her, and heard how fast she talks, I respect how much she slowed down to read her work.  In life she is flying at mach speed, in narration she doesn't quite break the sound barier.  She is definitely a storyteller of the oral tradition.St. John is a southern woman, born and raised, and her books are written vignette style.  When I met her at an author event earlier this year I asked her what motivated her to write her books and she happily told me that these were stories that someday her children would want to know, even if they didn't yet.  She is a vivacious and energetic retired teacher, who quite draws that light.  She is a woman that brings air into the room, a woman who never met a stage that didn't adore her.I started listening early this morning and laughed all through the morning routine of reordering my home after the slack weekend.  Her vignette's are written as she speaks, with energy and excitement and it's a quick journey through the treasures of her closet.  Half way through her litany of practical jokes, fabulous adventures, and cock-eyed memories I felt like I had travelled her life with her.Yes, her vignettes shape to tell the story of her life, but what I loved even more, was the story of being Southern.  I am a transplant to the south and there are many things down here that are different from where I grew up.  There is a pride in the south, of being Southern the St. John captures in vivid strokes.   She's a storyteller along the lines of Lewis Grizzard.  I could absolutely see her work serialized in the newspaper.   It's a quick read, and enjoyable, expect to want to share some of the tales yourself, or better yet, invite the author to your next luncheon and she'll keep you all entertained.Nice job, Lee, it's exactly what I needed!

On Mother's Day

My mother is an inspiration to me and often, when I feel overwhelmed with the raising of people, I talk to her and she will help me put things in perspective.  She has lived her life trying to be a good mother, and made sacrifices every day for her children.  She sacrificed ambition for a career, she sacrificed society, as we lived in the country and often only had one operational car at a time.  She always bought for us, before she bought for herself.  I can't ever remember her asking anything of me, and I'm sure I didn't offer.It wasn't until I had my own girls and became a stay at home parent that I began to appreciate the life she lived raising us, a life in service to the needs of others.  It was a gift that every day when I came home from school she was there to ask me how my day was, and I've alwyas been grateful, but most days my response was "Fine" and I'd head upstairs to my room.  I never asked her how her day was.  I never asked if she was lonely during the long hours in our isolated house.  I never asked how she kept from gaining a hundred pounds thinking about what to feed everybody all the time.  I took her for granted.  I still do.What will my children remember about me when they are grown, will they remember how I sometimes yell?  Will they remember how often I have to apologize for being ugly?  Will they remember that I helped them with their homework, will they remember all the meals I tried to put together with varying degrees of success?  Will they remember how much their dad and I love each other and how seldom we argue?  Will they remember him holding my hand while we are driving in the car?Motherhood is complex.  It's something I've thought a lot about and if you've read my books, Intoxic, Purgus and Icara, you know that I have thought about it from a variety of angles.   My own mother is clearly not the inspiration for poor, broken Alice Hayes. My parents were solid and traditional, and I always knew there would be food at home and that I would always have a room wherever my parents were.  I lived in the same house from the time I was 7 until I was out of college, and sometimes even after that.  It was a good life.

Acorns to Wheat by David William Allman

I have had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Allman at several local author events, and I've been carrying his book around for months waiting for the right moment to get into it.  I found that time last week.  I preface this review by stating that I love history and really enjoy books that transport the reader to a different era.  I loved Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth and World Without End.  I devoured the Clan of the Cave Bear series back in the day, and enjoyed the simplicity of the storytelling.  I was pretty sure I would enjoy this book, as I came into it, knowing already something about it.This novel begins in the year 4040BC, long before the wheel was invented.  It is a meticulously researched work, Allman has a clear understanding of the perils that his characters face.  His storytelling technique is no-frills, and it suits his subject matter very well.  The novel follows one family who begin as hunter gatherers, living on their own and moving often. The family has two sons, one who has a stronger interests in farming than hunting.  He sees that an agrarian way of life supplies a consistent food supply and through the years he encourages other families to live near and help with the crops and form a village.  The complex relationship between the sons, Ashlan (farmer) and Dubnoald (hunter) is fraught with jealousy and misunderstanding.  Allman draws his characters with such detail in his simple way.The brutality of the times, the battles between clans that often left many dead, is handled in such a matter of fact way, with none of the goriness so prevelant in our entertainment, that it was just a part of life.  There is not a single aspect of their lives that is left out, illness, childbearing, battles, making of untinsils, day to day life, the religion of the time.  This is a lovely book.  There are many powerful moments, made more powerful by Allman's refusal to flourish.  He writes a truly amazing moment, and then he goes right past it, at a mild walk, and writes another.I certainly hope Mr. Allman continues this story.  I would love to see the children grown and transforming their world, the way their parents did.

The Corkscrew Adventure: Strange Times in Yeehaw Junction by Rick Sanders

Rick Sanders may well be the most talented person I know.  He is an artist, he is a writer, he is a teacher.  His art is amazing.  His ability to encourage others to find their artistic ability is phenomenal.  He writes with a wry eye on the world and can do serious, mysterious, and humorous.  I am beyond impressed with this man's talents and wonder what he will next pull out of his hat.Sanders' book Strange Times in Yeehaw Junction was exactly what I needed during a recovery from pnuemonia.  You must enter the world he creates with a willingness to suspend your disbelief, your preconceptions, your judements.  Leave political correctness at the door, because Sanders doesn't adhere to any version of "correct" in this tale.  I had to put it aside during my recovery because every time I laughed I coughed, and that happened a lot.  This is a story of two friends who go on a simple trip to deliver a treadmill.  Along the way, they are swept into a Twilight Zone type vortex and find themselves in the nearly inescapable town of Yeehaw Junction.  They meet the people of the town, who all seem somehow outside of the regular world, and they find themselves along the way.It was a corkscrew of an adventure.  Every time I thought I knew where we were heading the road would curve and we'd end up in some other place.  I thought I was in for some good laughs when I picked the book up, but found myself reflecting on LIFE, reflecting on the chance of choice, and rooting for the completely flawed (maybe broken) main charactors, Lee and Thomas.  I hope somebody from some Indie film maker, Amazon Video, or Netflix picks this up and sets it to script.  It would be a great series.I am not, by nature, a funny person, I appreciate humor in others but rarely find it in myself, and even less frequently do I find it in my writing.  I'm impressed with Sanders' ability to weave humor with seriousness throughout his work and I wonder at the complexity of his mind.  His descriptions are real and acute, beautifully rendered even when the subject matter is not.  More than once, at the beginning of a chapter I stopped and reread his opening hook, his is a master of the opening hook.I can't wait to see more from Rick Sanders.   If you haven't introduced yourself to his body of work yet, you are missing out.  www.strangetimesbysanders.com

The Barren

I quit my job in November of 2008.  My husband and I were trying to build a family and had suffered several miscarriages.  It was a time when I was infinitely aware of the functions of my body and completely preoccupied with all things baby.  I was loose at ends that fall, feeling strange in my new role as a stay at home, feeling strange inside my body, that refused to function properly, no matter what I did.I had written NANOWRIMO a couple of times before, but in 2008 I set to it with a ferocity.  I wrote two manuscripts that month, one that was based out of life experiences and the other that sprung wholly from my sense of failure in the department of procreating.  Both of the books have potential, I think, although I had not gone back to look at either since.  Until this morning, that is.I've got two other projects in the works, (ShelbyandCarmen) but both are intense and filled with emotion, neither of which I am prepared to tackle on a Sunday morning with the girls playing in bubbles in the tub.  I'm listening to them, talking, and laughing and making up stories, getting along for a rare moment.  I want to let the moment stretch out and last as long as it can, so I am staying out of sight, sitting at my computer.  I pulled up the two manuscripts from 2008, just to have something to look at while I wait.  I started reading The Barren, and as I went I realized that I remember almost nothing about it.  I am reading a novel by someone else. What a bizarre experience.  I moved it over to my main writing program, broke it down into chapters and am going to start editing and reworking it now.  It will be the next published work, the first after the Alison Hayes series.I'm waiting for Icara to come back from the editor, and expect to have it out to you later this month.  Wish me luck.

The Curse of the Edit

I have always loved the writing process.  The ability to publish and share my work with others has been truly transformative.  I used to think I had difficulty completing things, but looking back, I understand that it wasn't completing that was the problem, it was editing.  I was perpetually in a state of editing.    INTOXIC took me 25 years to fully complete, because every year I rewrote it.  Editing for me is less about checking the punctuation and more about  adjusting the words to make them better.  I could never share it because it never felt done.  Even now, if I go back and look at it or even listen I see what I want to change or adjust.  Especially in audio.  I really notice it there, where the rhythm breaks or a word repeats itself too close on its heels.  That feels like a failure to me, but I don't think it is.  I think it is exactly what it needs to be and I have to move forward.  That is the key, forward motion.  Purgus doesn't cause me such angst because I think it inspired and wrote and came exactly as it should.  Of course I've not heard it in audio yet, that's when I'll know.I am now on book 3 of the Alison Hayes Journey, in the most dreaded phase of editing.  I sat down with a a paper copy and crossed out and made notes and changed words and added punctuation.  That is the most exhausting piece of the whole process.  The paper edit is time consuming and frustrating.  It takes more time to work through that process than to write to original rough draft. I did it, though, and now I've sent it on to my editor and am waiting for her to work through the frustrating part.I think there is a process to editing that I haven't mastered.  The sheer act of rereading what I've written feels strangely daunting, as if the writing of it is all I can manage.  What is the most difficult part of writing for other people?  I'd like to know...