Trisha Sugarek's Blog, page 3

Book Review ~~ Rolling Toward Clear Skies

5 out of 5 stars  Book Review

Catherine Ryan Hyde plucks her ideas for a story…where?…we can only guess.  My best guess about Rolling Toward Clear Skies is that it’s based around the horrific wildfires yearly in California.  And the author’s Doctors on Wheels loosely resembled the 58+ medical and mental health professionals that delivered direct health services to residents by the International Medical Corps.
Throw in a couple of lost kids and you’ve got another one of Catherine’s GREAT stories. 

The writing is suburb and consistently in Catherine Ryan Hyde’s unique voice. An author, myself, I’m envious of her flawless writing. 

Many years ago I stopped saying “this one is my favorite….” because every book this prolific writer puts out is my favorite… until the next one!   I highly recommend this book to my followers. 

Did you miss my interview with this author? 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts, sign up    On the home page. Enter your email address. Watch for more interviews with authors.  

A few BOOKS BY TRISHA SUGAREK

                                                       

 

 

The post Book Review ~~ Rolling Toward Clear Skies appeared first on Trisha Sugarek, Author, Playwright & Poet.

Book Review ~ By His Grace and Favor

 

5 out of 5 stars ~~ Book Review

Delicious….but more than that
the  story taught me something I previously didn’t know about.  Fleet Street Prison in London was a ‘debtor’s prison’ exclusively and notorious for its appalling conditions.  If a person, common folk or a member of the aristocracy, couldn’t pay their debts they could be charged by the creditor, tried and sent to ‘Fleet’ until their debts were paid. I don’t know how anyone could think that a person could accomplish this while incarcerated.
Many prisoners spent decades there and sometimes died while still in prison.   

By His Grace and Favor, written by Christina Dudley, is a delightful regency story that delves into the horrific conditions of the  prison and the neighborhood that grew up around it to service its needs. 

Our Founding Fathers were careful about importing any of the policies or laws that governed England at the time to our new, fledgling democracy. With regard to a ‘debtor’s prison’ I am assuming that’s why we eventually had bankruptcy relief laws. Our law makers saw the folly of Fleet Street Prison. 

The story telling is superb and the characters all engaging and well developed.  It’s book one in the series, Lord Dere’s Dependents and I can’t wait for the next one.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The post Book Review ~ By His Grace and Favor appeared first on Trisha Sugarek, Author, Playwright & Poet.

Review ~ Stone Song by Tricia O’Malley

One star out of 5  ~~~Book Review

I go to great lengths to NOT give an unfavorable review of my fellow writers.  I strive to uplift and support my fellow storytellers. But, Stone Song is a teachable moment. So I’m going to take advantage of it. 

I have preached (ad nauseam)  about those words that we writers resort to using (unconsciously) over and over. The two words that I use to excess are:
‘just’ and ‘that’. Don’t ask me why but we authors all have them. 

This writer used the word ‘squeal or squealed’ EVERY time her female protagonists exclaimed about something or someone. I gave up counting at 9 times within 50 pages!  The second word she used to excess was the word ‘core’ as in someone’s core. 

Now there are lovely synonyms for both of these words and it’s the responsibility of the author to use them in order for their book to be the very best that it can be.  ‘Squeal’ could be replaced with:  screech, scream, shriek, squawk, or howl. The word’ core’ could be replaced with: heart, nucleus, soul, essence, center, root, or mainstay. 

The story itself was a bit shallow and predictable. The premise was good but the follow through was weak. The characters were likeable but I didn’t care enough about them to finish the book.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts, sign up    On the home page. Enter your email address. Watch for more interviews with authors.  

A few BOOKS BY TRISHA SUGAREK

Now Available!

                                         

Just Released in paperback and eBook

               

 

 

 

 

The post Review ~ Stone Song by Tricia O’Malley appeared first on Trisha Sugarek, Author, Playwright & Poet.

FREE eBook of my newest novel on GoodReads.com

I am featuring a new Book Give-Away of Mother Mac’s Boarding House
beginning March 2nd.

100 eBooks FREE so you have 
a good chance of winning a free book.   

CLICK on this Link

“Mother Mac’s Boarding House is an
exquisite read….”-Midwest Book Review

In a segregated town overshadowed by the aftermath of WWII, Marty ‘Mother Mac’ MacKenzie—a strong-willed and determined woman— runs a “Colored Only” boarding house that becomes a sanctuary for those in need. Seeking a fresh start away from the painful memories of Alabama. Armed with nothing but her wits, a single prayer from Reverend White, and a heart full of hope, she navigates the challenges of a segregated society, determined to carve out a life for herself.

When Marty lands a job at the local Tastee Diner, she discovers not just employment but a sense of community and a chance to reclaim her dignity. Under the watchful eyes of the fair-minded Rog and his wife, Mary, Marty learns the ropes of waitressing and forms bonds with coworkers and customers alike. With each step she takes, from a homeless shelter to her humble boarding house, she scratches out a business room by room. As she faces prejudice and hardship, Marty’s resilience and faith in a brighter future never waver.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts, sign up    On the home page. Enter your email address. Watch for more interviews with authors.  

A few BOOKS BY TRISHA SUGAREK

Now Available!

                                                         

 

 

 

The post FREE eBook of my newest novel on GoodReads.com appeared first on Trisha Sugarek, Author, Playwright & Poet.

Book Review – When I Was You by Minka Kent

5 out of 5 stars ~~~~~   Book Review

This is such a deeply psychological thriller that I had the shivers a third of the way in and then on to the last page.  Ooh, spooky! The author, Minka Kent, made the circumstances so very real and plausible. I can’t elaborate without a spoiler alert. But it’s a must-read for fans of this genre. 

I can share this much (a quote from the book’s page on Amazon) without giving away anything. 

 Brienne’s confidence in her routine is shaken when she stumbles across unsettling evidence that someone else is living as…her. Same name. Same car. Same hair. Same clothes. She’s even friended her family on social media. To find out why, Brienne must leave the safety of her home to hunt a familiar stranger.

I highly recommend this book to my followers. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts, sign up    On the home page. Enter your email address. Watch for more interviews with authors.  

A few BOOKS BY TRISHA SUGAREK

Now Available![image error]Available Now!

                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post Book Review – When I Was You by Minka Kent appeared first on Trisha Sugarek, Author, Playwright & Poet.

Newest Novel by Trisha Sugarek Now Available

 

My prequel to Ain’t Nuthin Gonna Separate Us is now
available on Amazon.com and other fine bookstores, as an eBook and paperback.   

Read the ‘origin story’ of how Mother Mac achieves her dreams of owning property and a thriving business.  

Synopsis: 

In a segregated town overshadowed by the aftermath of WWII, Marty ‘Mother Mac’ MacKenzie—a strong-willed and determined woman— runs a “Colored Only” boarding house that becomes a sanctuary for those in need. Seeking a fresh start away from the painful memories of Alabama. Armed with nothing but her wits, a single prayer from Reverend White, and a heart full of hope, she navigates the challenges of a segregated society, determined to carve out a life for herself.

When Marty lands a job at the local Tastee Diner, she discovers not just employment but a sense of community and a chance to reclaim her dignity. Under the watchful eyes of the fair-minded Rog and his wife, Mary, Marty learns the ropes of waitressing and forms bonds with coworkers and customers alike. With each step she takes, from a homeless shelter to her humble boarding house, she scratches out a business room by room. As she faces prejudice and hardship, Marty’s resilience and faith in a brighter future never waver.

Join Marty as she transforms her dreams into reality and builds a refuge for the lost and stranded souls who pass through her doors.

“Mother Mac’s Boarding House is an exquisite read…” D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts, sign up    On the home page. Enter your email address. Watch for more interviews with authors.  

A few BOOKS BY TRISHA SUGAREK

Now Available!

                                                         

 

 

 

 

The post Newest Novel by Trisha Sugarek Now Available appeared first on Trisha Sugarek, Author, Playwright & Poet.

Mother Mac’s Receives Stunning Review

Diane Donovan, Sr. Reviewer for Midwest Book Review gave my newest book a stunning review. I am so happy to share it with my readers,

“Mother Mac’s Boarding House is a prequel to Trisha Sugarek’s Ain’t Nuthin’ Gonna Separate Us, and will especially delight readers seeking for more “origin” detail about the Georgia backwoods orphaned siblings.

The story opens with a literal bang: Martha ‘Marty’ McBride never would have believed that a man would have gotten past her defenses and knocked her silly. Spunky, determined Marty MacKenzie is planning an escape from her abusive husband Hank, despite the major challenges of money and locating a safe haven. In 1949, there were few resources for women who wanted to flee such circumstances.

As in her previous book, Sugarek is adept at capturing the thoughts and lingo of the South to bring these Mississippi characters to life: One more meal in this house. One more night with that summa’bitch. Hopefully, this heavy meal will put him to sleep early. Then, tomorrow, if Ah’m lucky̶̶̶̶ and as Mama used to say˗˗’the creek don’t rise’, Ah’ll be gone for good.

When Marty stumbles across an abandoned once-grand house for sale, her new life begins to take shape. Again, Sugarek’s talent for capturing atmosphere, dreams, and realities springs to life through descriptions and reflections which impart a “you are here” feel to her story, where Marty: “…didn’t see the peeling paint, the knee-high weeds choking the grass out, the broken windows, or the hole in the front porch floor. Oh no, all she saw was her future home, and the home of the boarders she would rent rooms to. The meals Ah will make for the lonely traveler. The vase of wildflowers on Mah kitchen table. Marty’s heart skipped a beat as she gazed at the house. She could almost hear the laughter of the boarders, smell the aroma of home-cooked meals, and feel the warmth of a home filled with people and purpose.

How Marty confronts the “old world and its rules” with her own special brand of determination makes for an uplifting, evocative story of transformation that brings the Old South alive. Marty’s chance encounter with Hannah Mae and her brother Jerry thus becomes fuller-bodied with the backdrop of events that come full circle for previous readers while welcoming newcomers to the extraordinary coincidences and self-determined life of a woman whose dreams reach out to embrace everyone around her.

Teens, young adults, and many an adult will relish these strong female characters, which expand from Marty’s world to embrace the circumstances of Elenora Parks, an Army nurse veteran newly returned from the war who finds a new life as a teacher and a home that offers an unexpected sanctuary for a pregnant, grieving woman.

Mother Mac’s Boarding House is an exquisite read not only for its realistic Southern setting and characters, but for its uplifting display of female characters whose actions inject positivity and new options into the world around them.

In stark contrast to the “me first” sentiments that seem to permeate modern times, Marty’s desire to escape results in a creation that offers safe harbors to others, as well.

Additionally, the political and social milieu of the times, which passed many restrictive rules on African Americans, comes to life in the light of personal experience. This is a far more intimate, compelling manner of absorbing civil rights and American history than any nonfiction text could achieve, immersing readers in the life of Marty’s journey.

Marty’s confrontations with social and personal repressive elements, and how she rises above them to influence others’ lives, results in a thoroughly compelling story that is hard to put down.

Libraries choosing Mother Mac’s Boarding House will find its impeccable historical research and equally powerful mix of dialogue and atmosphere makes it a top recommendation for book clubs and reading groups interested in women’s and African American experiences in the 1950s Deep South.

It stands nicely on its own but also serves as an important prequel to the events of Ain’t Nuthin’ Gonna Separate Us, merging history and social inspection in an uplifting, revealing manner that circles around questions of safety, home, connections, and self-determination.” Midwest Book Review
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts, sign up    On the home page. Enter your email address. Watch for more interviews with authors.  

A few BOOKS BY TRISHA SUGAREK

Now Available!

                                                         

 

 

 

The post Mother Mac’s Receives Stunning Review appeared first on Trisha Sugarek, Author, Playwright & Poet.

When Writing is HOT!

Dear Readers/Writers,
Since my last posting on Jan. 4th, I’ve rarely left my keyboard, each day, from 9 a.m. to sometimes as late as 6 p.m. I’ve rounded the bend with 62,000 words to date and still writing. It would be more accurate to say I am taking dictation from all the characters in my new story. 
A Senior reviewer, D. Donovan, at Midwest Book Review, whom I’ve known for years, was willing to review the new book in a raw, very rough first draft so that I could glean a couple of ‘blurbs’ for the book’s cover. 
 I’m certainly happy I asked. Well, all I can say is Wow!

“Mother Mac’s Boarding House is an exquisite read....”  and

“Additionally, the political and social milieu of the times, which passed many restrictive rules on African Americans, comes to life in the light of personal experience. This is a far more intimate, compelling manner of absorbing civil rights and American history than any nonfiction text could achieve, immersing readers in the life of Marty’s journey….”

You’ve often ‘heard’ me describe the event where I write in my head ’till it needs to spill out (no more room) and that my characters take over their own stories and I become merely the typist. 

No, it doesn’t happen every time but when it does happen, I consider it the proverbial, “gift horse” and I’m not about to ignore it. 

As this is a prequel to Ain’t Nuthin’ Gonna Separate Us, I’ve had to work backwards weaving the dates of that book with this one while being true to the dates of documented American history. I’ve found it to be a challenge.

Just remember, your emerging characters can tell the story far better than you, the Author, can. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts, sign up    On the home page. Enter your email address. Watch for more interviews with authors.  

A few BOOKS BY TRISHA SUGAREK

Now Available!

                                                         

 

 

The post When Writing is HOT! appeared first on Trisha Sugarek, Author, Playwright & Poet.

Writing a prequel: Mother Mac’s Boarding House

I don’t know how an idea comes to other writers, but for this writer a prequel fell into my lap (brain) and I have been typing as fast as I can to get it all down. After friends and fans read Ain’t Nuthin’ Gonna Separate Us, most of them demanded a sequel, NOW!  

But, Marty’s (Mother Mac) ‘back story’ came rushing into my head, down through my fingers, and onto the keyboard. 
What drove her out of her home in Alabama?
Why Laurel, Mississippi?
How did she become a landlady and owner of a
boarding house.
Who are all these characters that have appeared to rent a room from Marty?
How do the Jim Crow laws impact her life every day?
Will the children return?

The research has been particularly fascinating.
Where did colored truck drivers eat? 
Could they get mail from home on the road?
What happens when Marty is up against two white building/health inspectors?
How can she care for a war veteran with PTSD? 
Back in 1950s we certainly didn’t have a name for PTSD. We just thought our brothers, sons and husbands came back home crazy and violent. 

I’ve never written a prequel before and it soon became apparent that I had to tie up threads hanging from the first book. So much fun!
Gotta go! My new book calls! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts, sign up    On the home page. Enter your email address. Watch for more interviews with authors.  

A few BOOKS BY TRISHA SUGAREK

Now Available!

                                                         

 

 

The post Writing a prequel: Mother Mac’s Boarding House appeared first on Trisha Sugarek, Author, Playwright & Poet.

Radiant Verses ~ An anthology ~~ Book Review

5 out of 5 stars ~~ BOOK REVIEW

This newly released anthology celebrates exquisite poetry by poets from around the globe.  Compiled by the editors at PoetrySoup.com, the collection features, Free Verse, Rhymes, Sonnets, Haiku, and lovely ‘little’ stories (Prose) . 
“…Each verse serves as a beacon of light, illuminating our shared experiences and aspirations and urging us to embrace the brighter side of life…”

 

 

The pages are randomly sprinkled with beautiful original illustrations that compliment the stirring and uplifting poems. 

 

 

 

This book is a ‘must-have’ addition to your permanent library or a wonderful gift as the holidays approach. 

My one and only critique is with regard to formatting. While I do understand the lack of ‘hard’ page breaks for each poem and the desire to feature as many poems as possible,  I don’t understand the editors foregoing of the title and author on the spine and the lack of any promo or synopsis on the back cover. Two marketing opportunities missed.  

A Writer’s Take ~~ www.writeratplay.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts, sign up    On the home page. Enter your email address. Watch for more interviews with authors.  

A few BOOKS BY TRISHA SUGAREK

 

 

  

                       

                    

The post Radiant Verses ~ An anthology ~~ Book Review appeared first on Trisha Sugarek, Author, Playwright & Poet.