Megan Chance's Blog, page 22

Release Day gifts

Flowers from my publisher to celebrate the release of The Shadows! So beautiful! I am very lucky.

The Shadows Release Day!

The Shadows, the first book in the Fianna Trilogy (and my first young adult novel) hits the shelves today!



I'll be signing copies tonight at Liberty Bay Books in Poulsbo, WA, at 6:30--and having a glass of wine in celebration!

Author Copies!!

My author copies of The Shadows have just arrived--I always love this day so much--and they look marvelous!



Two more weeks until release day--June 3rd, when I'll be signing copies at Liberty Bay Books in Poulsbo, WA, at 6:30 p.m. So looking forward to it! if you're looking for autographed copies, you can order them directly from the store.

PW Reviews Inamorata

This week's Publisher's Weekly has a really wonderful review of Inamorata. Among other things, they say the book is "a thrilling depiction of the world of Venetian artists in the late 19th century, as well as an exploration of the myth of the muse." And also, "Chance gets better with each book, and this look at the dynamic between inspiration, desperation and creation makes for a breathtaking tale." All of which means I can now sigh deeply with relief.

The complete review is here.

Book Review: The Glimpses of the Moon

The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is one of my favorite books written by Edith Wharton. What happens when two charming and poverty stricken socialites who make their living by sponging (charmingly) off their rich friends fall in love? Susy and Nick Lansing decide to marry and live off their wedding gifts for a year--at which time they'll reassess their relationship and the problem of money--and what ensues is a complex and subtle morality play, at the center of which are questions like: what does one owe those from whom one borrows money and pleasure? At what point does accepting favors become immoral? And what if those you're begging favors from ask for favors in return that require moral compromise? What price is acceptable? More importantly, what do you do when you become better than the person who makes you a better person? A fascinating story of how relative morality is--and whether or not it changes, or SHOULD change, depending on how much money you have. As always, Wharton is a genius at depicting the dilemmas of her time, and while this lesser-known book is perhaps not as layered or complex as something like The Age of Innocence, it is an excellent and thought-provoking read.





View all my reviews

Book Review: Eugenie Grandet

Eugenie Grandet by Honoré de Balzac

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I just never get tired of Balzac's cynical and depressing view of the world. He writes it with such wit and fervor that it is impossible to put aside. This is yet another tale of cupidity and avarice, wherein a good woman suffers at the hands of misers and social climbers, but is not quite a dupe. Eugenie Grandet manages to hold her own--an admirable, moral, and emotionally true and constant character among a calculating and scheming cast of people determined to control and dismiss her. Her graciousness, and the way she manages to hold onto her self-respect even when all her illusions are shattered, are the heart of the story. If everyone in Balzac's tale doesn't get what they deserve, most come pretty close. I'm continually amazed at how modern Balzac reads--perhaps it's the translation, but I think it's more that he has a grasp of human nature that feels very true.



View all my reviews

Cover reveal for The Shadows!!

At last, at last! I've been salivating with anticipation to show you this gorgeous cover for The Shadows, which is the first book of the Fianna Trilogy. It comes out June 3rd.

Here it is!

New blog at The Authors Blog

Editing my little heart out these days (these endless, endless days with no end in sight...) so in the meantime I'll entertain you with my newest blog, wherein I speak on Ghosts in the Machine.
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Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Given that The Shadows is a story about ancient Irish legend coming to life in 19th C. New York City among the immigrant Irish, it seems more appropriate than ever that this German-Irish girl celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Not only am I wearing green socks (because really, green's not my best color, and my feet seem a good place to put it), but I'll be making one of my favorite dinners of corned beef tonight (a meat I adore in all its forms, though it's only one night a year that my family will tolerate it). One of the best things about this meal? My Guinness chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting (to look like the foam topping a pint). Here's a drool-worthy picture:



And in other news, at lunch last week, my editor handed me a copy of Inamorata, hot off the press. It looks gorgeous!



It's going to be a busy summer. The Shadows  launches June 3, and Inamorata follows on July 8. In the meantime, however, I'll be raising a pint of Guinness to Ireland. It's five o'clock somewhere, yes?

New at the Authors' Blog: On Time

I have been neglecting everything shamelessly lately, because I am buried in editing, but I will be posting the cover for The Shadows any day now--and it's a beauty!--so watch this space!

In the meantime, my latest ruminations for The Author's Blog, On Time, is up.