Suzanne G. Rogers's Blog, page 70
October 22, 2011
Book Review – "Blackbird Flies" by Chynna T. Laird
Blackbird Flies by Chynna T. Laird
Astraea Press
Back Cover Blurb:
Fifteen year-old Payton MacGregor is a musical prodigy. To him, though, his music is merely a way for him to escape from the chaos that surrounds him. All of his life, he's had to care for his mother, who copes with her bipolar disorder with booze instead of turning to her own musical talents. He refuses to become a statistic. Then he's thrown a curve ball.
His mother suddenly dies, leaving him to be cared for by his aging grandparents. As much as they love him, they decide to send him halfway across Canada to live with his father, Liam—the man Payton always believed abandoned him and his mother. Payton isn't making the relocation easy on anyone until he finds out he's going to attend the prestigious School of the Arts for musically gifted youth. Any second thoughts he has about his new life are erased when he meets Lily Joplin. Their connection is instantaneous.
Lily is a talented singer, but her struggles with drugs and bipolar disorder hit too close to home for Payton's comfort. And when her issues become all-consuming, he wonders if his music will be enough to carry him through.
Review:
I loved the premise of this book—a young man with a shattered background heads off to reclaim a part of his heritage he thought was lost forever. His troubled mother dies and Payton is shipped to live with his father, a man he's never known. To complicate things, his father already has a family, complete with a stepmother and siblings Payton's never met.
This is a coming-of-age novella with an important message. Payton must embrace his past and his musical gifts before he can move forward. I loved how Payton holds on to his values throughout the story. He doesn't really know how to interact with his new family, but despite his inner conflicts he treats his younger half-siblings well. His relationship with his father and stepmother opens like a flower, but not without bumps and bruises along the way. When he meets the beautiful Lily, Payton feels an overwhelming attraction, but he doesn't take ownership of her problems. In many ways, Payton is a prodigy not just in music…he often seems wise beyond his years.
Blackbird Flies is a lovely story, brushing up against mental illness and drug abuse issues. Like the haunting chorus of a beautiful song, the parallels between Payton's mother and Lily play off against one another. No spoilers here, but Payton is challenged time and time again as he struggles to find the right path. This novella, gritty in places, is well worth a read.
- S.G. Rogers
E-book available ($1.99) at Astraea Press, Amazon, BN.com and other fine outlets.
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Book Review - Blackbird Flies by Chynna T. Laird
Blackbird Flies by Chynna T. Laird
Astraea Press
Back Cover Blurb:
Fifteen year-old Payton MacGregor is a musical prodigy. To him, though, his music is merely a way for him to escape from the chaos that surrounds him. All of his life, he's had to care for his mother, who copes with her bipolar disorder with booze instead of turning to her own musical talents. He refuses to become a statistic. Then he's thrown a curve ball.
His mother suddenly dies, leaving him to be cared for by his aging grandparents. As much as they love him, they decide to send him halfway across Canada to live with his father, Liam—the man Payton always believed abandoned him and his mother. Payton isn't making the relocation easy on anyone until he finds out he's going to attend the prestigious School of the Arts for musically gifted youth. Any second thoughts he has about his new life are erased when he meets Lily Joplin. Their connection is instantaneous.
Lily is a talented singer, but her struggles with drugs and bipolar disorder hit too close to home for Payton's comfort. And when her issues become all-consuming, he wonders if his music will be enough to carry him through.
Review:
I loved the premise of this book—a young man with a shattered background heads off to reclaim a part of his heritage he thought was lost forever. His troubled mother dies and Payton is shipped to live with his father, a man he's never known. To complicate things, his father already has a family, complete with a stepmother and siblings Payton's never met.
This is a coming-of-age novella with an important message. Payton must embrace his past and his musical gifts before he can move forward. I loved how Payton holds on to his values throughout the story. He doesn't really know how to interact with his new family, but despite his inner conflicts he treats his younger half-siblings well. His relationship with his father and stepmother opens like a flower, but not without bumps and bruises along the way. When he meets the beautiful Lily, Payton feels an overwhelming attraction, but he doesn't take ownership of her problems. In many ways, Payton is a prodigy not just in music…he often seems wise beyond his years.
Blackbird Flies is a lovely story, brushing up against mental illness and drug abuse issues. Like the haunting chorus of a beautiful song, the parallels between Payton's mother and Lily play off against one another. No spoilers here, but Payton is challenged time and time again as he struggles to find the right path. This novella, gritty in places, is well worth a read.
- S.G. Rogers
E-book available ($1.99) at Astraea Press, Amazon, BN.com and other fine outlets.
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October 19, 2011
What Do Alfred Hitchcock and a YA Dragon Fantasy Have In Common?
I'm guest blogging in Europe today, at Pillings Writing Corner! I have another humorous take on publishing The Last Great Wizard of Yden. While you're there, please take a look at David Pilling's upcoming release, Folville's Law:
"Here, then, was the brutal reality behind the merry tales of Robin Hood and other fictional medieval outlaws. The history makes for grim reading, but is great raw material for fiction!" – David Pilling
http://pillingswritingcorner.blogspot.com/
- S.G. Rogers
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Pillings Writing Corner – Guest Blogging on What Alfred Hitchcock Has To Do With a YA Fantasy Involving Dragons!
I'm guest blogging in Europe, at Pillings Writing Corner! I have another humorous take on publishing The Last Great Wizard of Yden. While you're there, please take a look at David Pilling's upcoming release, Folville's Law:
"Here, then, was the brutal reality behind the merry tales of Robin Hood and other fictional medieval outlaws. The history makes for grim reading, but is great raw material for fiction!" – David Pilling
http://pillingswritingcorner.blogspot...
- S.G. Rogers
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October 15, 2011
AJ's Tattered Pages – Guest Blogging!
Please join me at AJ's Tattered Pages on Sunday, October 16, where I am guest blogging! My topic is "Between a Rock and a Publisher," and I have a hair-raising story about how I brought The Last Great Wizard of Yden to print! Between now and October 20th, follow my blog for a chance to win an e-book! AJ also asks me some fun questions. See you there.
- S.G. Rogers
UPDATE: And the winner is…J.D.!
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AJ's Tattered Pages – Guest Blogging & E-book Giveaway
Please join me at AJ's Tattered Pages on Monday, October 17, where I am guest blogging! My topic is "Between a Rock and a Publisher," and I have a hair-raising story about how I brought The Last Great Wizard of Yden to print! Between now and October 20th, follow my blog for a chance to win an e-book! AJ also asks me some fun questions. See you there.
October 13, 2011
"The Last Great Wizard of Yden" – Release Day!
Today is release day for The Last Great Wizard of Yden! Available at Astraea Press, Amazon & BN.com. Here is an excerpt:
"Where did you get that Dragon Clan ring, boy?" Warlord Mandral demanded.
"None of your business."
The congregants gasped, and Jon's reply earned him a smack on the head from the nearest cygard. Mandral, however, acted as if he hadn't heard him. He beckoned to the man with the scroll. "Minister Tyrg, what is the charge against this prisoner?"
"Theft," Tyrg said. His voice sounded almost like the hiss of a snake. "Merchant Moala has filed a claim for the cuff."
Stig pulled up Jon's sleeve to reveal the transporter cuff.
"Moala is an accomplished liar. His claim is denied," Mandral said.
Jon sighed with relief, but his deliverance was short-lived.
"Take the ring and the cuff," the warlord said. "Then whip the boy for his insolence."
Ophelia's eyes remained dull, and Jon was beginning to panic.
Stig caressed his ax. "The ring and cuff cannot be removed."
Mandral exchanged a sharp glance with Tyrg. "Is this the ancient magic of inseparability?"
Tyrg shook his head in confusion. "A wizard becomes one with his clan ring and transporter cuff, yes. But there are few wizards left, and none of them have apprentices."
The warlord studied Jon's features. He tugged Ophelia to confirm the ring would not leave Jon's finger. "Who are you?"
"No one in particular. I'm not from around here," Jon replied.
With practiced speed and agility, Mandral unsheathed a thin dagger strapped to his thigh and pointed it at the hollow of Jon's throat. "That's not what I asked."
Jon felt the razor-sharp tip pierce his skin. He had no doubt the blade had meted out its share of death. He gulped. "Jon. Jon Hansen."
A sudden commotion distracted Mandral from slitting Jon's throat. A struggle had erupted between a newly arrived prisoner and the cygard holding him captive. Half a dozen cygards descended, but Mandral forbade them from intervention. The prisoner, covered from head to toe in a green hooded cape, was besting his captor. The cygard staggered up the chamber from a well-placed sidekick to his ribs. Then, the prisoner twisted in the air to slam a nimble hook kick to the cygard's head. The cygard's helmet flew off, revealing his ugly face. Audibly disgusted, the onlookers averted their eyes until the fallen cygard managed to get his now-dented helmet back on.
Mandral laughed in delight. He directed the hovering cygards to subdue the prisoner and tie his tether on the ring next to Jon's. The dented cygard yanked off the prisoner's cape and stepped back. The crowd murmured.
The newcomer was female, and a stunning one at that. Her full, waist-length hair was a wavy chestnut with red highlights. Her eyes were a violet color, and her skin was a golden tan. Despite his own predicament, Jon flushed. He couldn't help but stare. From the expressions of the other men in the room, he knew he wasn't the only one.
http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=7105179
October 7, 2011
"The Druid" @ Musa Publishing
I've just inked a deal with Musa Publishing to release my fantasy novella The Druid (An Asgard Adventure).
There is mischief afoot in Asgard, but Odin is not there to stop it. A powerful Immortal bent on revenge devises a plot that accidentally ensnares a mortal on Earth. It's a good thing Dani Avery enjoys fantasy and fairy tales because she's about to find out the truth behind the legends. Norse mythology gets a modern twist in The Druid, the story of an ordinary mortal who meets a sexy hero from the pages of a book, bigger than life and twice as Elvish.
- S.G. Rogers
Update: Musa Publishing has also picked up the second in my Asgard Adventure series!
October 3, 2011
In Celebration of October
Boo
Nikita is our female Sphynx cat. This photo was taken several years ago in October, the day we first met. She is wearing her Halloween costume…a pair of saggy skin pajamas. She likes this costume so much she wears it all the time now. Good thing it's wash and wear.
- S.G. Rogers
September 30, 2011
The Last Great Wizard of Yden/Astraea Press
Announcing "The Last Great Wizard of Yden," a full-length e-book coming soon from Astraea Press.
After his father is kidnapped, sixteen-year-old Jon stumbles across a closely guarded family secret--one that will challenge everything he has ever believed about his father and himself. A magical ring his father leaves behind unlocks a portal to another dimension, but in using it, Jon unwittingly unchains the forces of evil. A crisis develops when a malevolent wizard transports to Earth to kidnap one of Jon’s friends. With the help of some unlikely schoolmates, and a warrior princess from Yden, Jon embarks on a dangerous quest to free his friend and his father from the most vicious wizard the magical world has ever known. In the end, Jon will be forced to fight for his life as he attempts to rescue the last great wizard of Yden.
Release Date: October 13, 2011
- S.G. Rogers
