David M. Brown's Blog, page 88

Guest Post: Companion Novels – Lynn Hardy

We’re pleased to welcome Lynn Hardy, author of Prophecy of the Flame, who shares some thoughts on companion novels.

Companion Novels – Lynn Hardy

I’ve been walking the road of self-publishing for quite a few years. Occasionally I will get an invite to attend as a panellist so that I can share what I’ve learned with others. I always keep a pen handy because you never know what you can pick up.

At the LTUE conference in Salt Lake City, UT earlier this year, I came across a new term. It sounded so sweet: companion novel. But what was it? I never heard that term before. A companion novel is a book that is only complete when it is paired with another book in a series. They are never meant to be read by themselves.

Another unique attribute of companion novels is the size. The official term is “novel.” However, their word count is usually between 14,000 and 25,000 words. This length of book is typically called a novella. I suppose if we can call Pluto a planet, we can call these companion “novels.”

You can easily identify a companion novel by their numbering within the series. Most are labelled with a .5 or ½. (i.e. 2.5 or Three and a half) I’ve heard other authors publish them to keep readers entertained between major books in a series.  I quickly decided to take advantage of this new piece of information by releasing a companion novel of my own, although not for the typical reasons.

Prophecy of the Flame: Two and a Half – Love’s Reward was created because Book Three in the series was becoming too long.  I had several chapters that were flashbacks. A companion novel would be perfect!

It has been 2 years since I released Book Two in the series – that is a long stretch. I hope my fans are still out there. I promise to be timelier with my books in the future: I got distracted with the screenplay for Book One. But, now, the screenplay is complete. Book Three will finally be released this winter.

Love’s Reward is a typical companion novel: A collection of short stories – only 21,000 words. It could never stand on its own. However, it will give more insight into some of the characters from Book Two as well as setting the stage for some of the new characters in Book Three, soon to be released.

If you would like to know more about the movie based on Book One or the storyline for the books, there is of tons information at my official blog.

About Prophecy of the Flame (2008)

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In a blinding flash of light, five strangers are yanked from this world and thrust into a land of sorcery as they are granted the looks and abilities of the people they were playing. This band of wannabe heroes soon discovers that having the powers they have always dreamed of, does not make life a dream come true. The Crusaders of the Light struggle to form a cohesive band as they blend twentieth century technology with the supernatural powers of this new world, fighting to liberate the kingdom of Cuthburan from the evil horde threatening humanity. 

Battle is also waged within Reba, an ordinary housewife who has become the most powerful mage on the planet, as she struggles to remain true to her wedding vows. Drawn against her will to the arms of Prince Alexandros, Reba must choose between a marriage to a handsome prince in a magical world or returning to the husband she left behind.

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About Lynn Hardy
Led by a series of dreams and encouraged by friends, she began the journey to

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become an author. Lynn stored her work in a computer file labeled “second job.” Writing began as a passion she could not contain and has become much more than she ever expected.

Prophecy of the Flame – Book One became #1 on Amazon Kindle in 2010, shortly after Book Two released. There has been talk of a movie: Lynn finished the screenplay for Book One in 2012.

Lynn Hardy claims to be just your average stay-at-home mother of two. The road has been longer and more complicated than she would have ever guessed–not always smooth, but filled with wonderful surprises. Like most stories, I am sure that the journey has only just begun for this aspiring author.

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Guest Post: Companion Novels – Lynn Hardy | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

#FlashFiveFriday – Backbone

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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #FlashFiveFriday run by The Indie Exchange.

#FlashFiveFriday is a weekly flash fiction / flash blogging prompt.

The rules are very simple if you’d like to take part:

1) Write for no longer than five minutes

2) No upper or lower word limits

3) You must write something new

4) You can prepare your post ahead of time but the 5 minute limit still applies

5) If you add your blog post to the weekly linky you must visit five other blogs that week too to show your support

This week’s #FlashFiveFriday post

 

#FlashFiveFriday – Backbone

Donna says: “Poor Dave has been abandoned to a solo effort this week – I’ll be back next week!”

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I’ve never been a particularly strong person. Through school I was quiet, shy and retiring, not the sort of person to rise to a challenge. Even after leaving university I struggled. I found the office environment intense and uncomfortable. The prospect of using a phone terrified me. It still does sometimes.

I think as we grow up some of us are stronger than others, it comes more naturally but that doesn’t mean those who are perceived to be weaker are necessarily inferior. Compared to the popular kids at school, I wasn’t the first choice for the football team (usually last!), I didn’t have rebellious tales of drinking and smoking too much (started drinking at 15, tried smoking once at 11!) and I didn’t have enviable accounts of the many girls I had to fight off due to good looks. I had none of those things but most of the time it didn’t bother me.

I’ve faced some adversity in my life, nothing compared to what most people have survived, and though I often shrivel and retreat in the face of a challenge there are some things that I have taken on and stuck with, my writing being one. When my best friend and I were at university he once told me what he liked about me most was that I didn’t care what people thought of me, I was always just myself. Those words meant a lot to me and I realised it was true. I hadn’t changed myself to suit others, to be wanted, needed and popular, I was just me. I may have been spineless in many situations throughout my life but when it comes to being me I’m always glad to find my backbone in place.

Related articles (external)

The Indie Exchange #FlashFiveFriday: Weather
FlashFiveFriday: Weather
#FlashFiveFriday: #7 – Weather
FlashFiveFriday prompt – Weather

#FlashFiveFriday – Backbone | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Guest Post: Awesome Books Ruined By Movie Adaptations

Here at Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave we love books and films but we cringe whenever a great book is turned into a terrible movie. We were therefore intrigued when presented with this guest post. So here’s an interesting question for you… one we agree with, one we disagree with and one we’re not sure. Can you guess which is which?

Awesome Books Ruined By Movie Adaptations

Books are always seen as far superior to movie adaptations, but that is pretty understandable. Books do not have budget constraints and time issues to deal with, but every now and again movies completely lose the plot, literally! There are, of course, a few exceptions to the rule, but here are a few of the worst ever film adaptations:

I Am Legend

On the face of it, I Am Legend was a great concept for a film to be based on, a lone survivor in a post-apocalyptic New York. But if you have read the book then you would know the story is more than that, for a start, the dialog is based almost entirely in Robert Neville’s head and tracks his decent into madness. The ending of the book turns it into a masterpiece, but the movie had a completely different ending! An alternate ending released on the DVD made up for things a little bit, but not enough to keep it off this list!

Eragon

Even without comparing this to the book, the overall consensus is that it’s purely decisively average. When you do compare it to the book, then it’s an absolute train wreck of a film. Eragon is a series of books written by American author Christopher Paolini, the first was placed on the New York Times best seller list for 121 weeks and had a pretty diehard fan base. But this counted against the movie adaptation when they decided to change the book almost entirely. If you’re going to change so many details, then you need to make sure that the finished product is good, this just wasn’t, even John Malkovich couldn’t save it.

The Time Travellers Wife

The Time Travellers Wife is a great book that is fairly simple in nature (compared to most time travelling storylines); it is based around a man who has a medical disorder that causes him to travel through time, who at various stages interacts with a woman who he will eventually marry. The book did a great job of simplifying a pretty complex plotline, but the movie takes this and shakes it all about, if you haven’t read the book before watching the film, chances are you’ll struggle to get what’s going on first time round!

So there we have it! I’m sure everyone will have their own opinions as to what are the best and worst movie adaptations, be sure to leave these in the comments.

The article was brought to you by UK cinema chain Vue.

Guest Post: Awesome Books Ruined By Movie Adaptations | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

World Animal Day 10/4: Blog Hop

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Sponsored by Terri Giuliano Long, author of In Leah’s Wake, and David M. Brown, author of upcoming title Man vs Cat

 

World Animal Day: October 4th 2012

 

On October 4th help us celebrate World Animal Day with a huge blog hop event! You could win a $50 Amazon voucher just for spreading the word about the event and another $50 for taking part in the hop!

You can write about anything that celebrates animals! Why not…

Tell us about your own pets
Tell us about a fictional animal you’ve read – or even written – about
Share some pictures or a video
Share a fictional story or a poem

You can write/post about anything you like as long as the theme is animals.

 

How to take part

Add your name/blog URL to the linky
A few days before the event you will receive an email with all the information you’ll need, including graphics and the updated linky code (we will generate a new linky prior to the event so it links directly to all the posts)
Schedule your post to go live at 12:01 EST on 4th October and respond to our email with your direct post URL (we will add this to the new linky upon receipt and this will also enter you into the prize draw)
If you’re planning to host a giveaway on your own blog (min $10 value) let us know so we can note this on the linky and help promote it
On 4th October try and visit/comment on as many other posts as you can to spread the love!

 

Sign up

 

Grab the badge

 

Giveaway: Spread the word!

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World Animal Day 10/4: Blog Hop | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Giveaway: When Seasons Change Blog Hop

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Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave are taking part in the ‘When Seasons Change’ blog hop, hosted by And The Little Ones Too and Taking Time for Mommy.

To celebrate the changing seasons, the cooling weather, the wind, the rain and the blustery Yorkshire grey skies (we may sound bitter but actually we love Autumn!) we wanted to join in this hop. Mr B loves Spring but for Mrs B, Autumn is a great time of year. Think hot chocolate, wellies, brollies, cozying up with a good book and plenty of lovely nights tucked up warm with fluffy pyjamas.

To celebrate the changing season and the hop we’re giving away a $25 Amazon gift card. Happy changing seasons and don’t forget to visit the rest of the hoppers for more fantastic prizes!

Giveaway: $25 Amazon gift card
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The Rest of the Hoppers

(Please note that And The Little Ones Too, Taking Time For Mommy and the When Seasons Change bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prizes.)

Giveaway: When Seasons Change Blog Hop | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

#FlashFiveFriday – Weather

This month Mr B and I are taking part in #FlashFiveFriday run by The Indie Exchange.

#FlashFiveFriday is a weekly flash fiction / flash blogging prompt.

The rules are very simple if you’d like to take part:

1) Write for no longer than five minutes

2) No upper or lower word limits

3) You must write something new

4) You can prepare your post ahead of time but the 5 minute limit still applies

5) If you add your blog post to the weekly linky you must visit five other blogs that week too to show your support

This week’s #FlashFiveFriday post

 

#FlashFiveFriday – Weather

Dave

Coming from the UK I am amongst people that love a good cup of tea and one of our main topics of conversation is the weather. The UK has unusual weather patterns in that they are so unpredictable. We have just been through a summer that was a major let down, desperately hoping for some decent weather and having to make do with isolated sunshine in between rain and grey skies.

What amazes me about the British is that as soon as the weakest rays of the sun poke through the overhanging clouds the shorts, T-shirts and short skirts are out in force and the coats disappear. It’s almost as if the sun has melted the thick clothes away such is the sudden turnaround. I’m often caught out when the sun finally does show up. I am clearly not in tune with the weather as well as most.

One of the freakiest days I can recall was when I worked in Leeds and it was June, so we’re talking summer here. That day the rain came down in the afternoon and it came down hard, flooding the city centre. In fact it was so bad that we were given permission to head home early. I found that all the trains were cancelled and it took some people 3-4 hours to get home when they only lived ten minutes away. Me? Well, I got lucky. Stranded at the train station with hundreds of disgruntles commuters, some genius on the platform said to “To hell with this, who wants to grab a taxi to Huddersfield with me?” Myself and two others took the offer and we got back to Huddersfield before some people that lived in Leeds got home! There’s nothing like British weather to leave you dumfounded and inconvenienced!

 

 

Donna

We are relying on some major technology here in our old broken-down house at the moment. The bucket. The weather in the UK this year has been wet and windy to say the least – not a good time to discover several holes in the roof.

Thankfully, my Dad was able to patch them up but one needs a little more work. In the meantime, our trusty bucket is protecting us from drips and dribbles. Although I initially panicked at finding the holes in the roof, I’ve realised since that these ‘crises’ put our modern lives of convenience in perspective. We have food, heating, clothing, shelter – yet a hole in the roof causes mayhem and panic.

I saw a homeless man this week. I see him quite often, ask how he is, pass on some money. At 3 a.m. in the morning listening to the rain after one of our encounters, I realised how inconsequential a hole in the roof was by comparison to no roof. I felt shame but I also felt relief that I had realised this.

We will fix our hole before it gets a little bigger or the attic gets a little messier. In the meantime, I am happy to rely on our trusty bucket and think about how lucky we are if this is what we can consider to be a ‘crisis’.

 

Related articles (external)

The Indie Exchange #FlashFiveFriday: Giving
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#FlashFiveFriday: #6 – Giving

#FlashFiveFriday – Weather | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Book Review: Keeping Cooper – Samantha Masone

About Keeping Cooper (2011)
It was the shoes that did it… 

I realize that you’re not supposed to base a major life decision on something as inconsequential as footwear, but these weren’t just any old shoes. These were my Jimmy Choo polka dot sling back sandals. As a starving college student I couldn’t afford to pay retail so I surfed eBay and scored a pair for less than half the original price. Even so, they represented a major indulgence for me; I saved my tip money for two solid months to pay for those suckers.

And then Johnnie ruined them and threw them out.

Maybe I should be grateful on some level that Johnnie did what he did, but I haven’t managed to evolve to that point yet. I’ve done a lot of healing and a lot of growing, as my shrink used to say, but I’m still royally pissed at Johnnie about those sandals.

So pissed that sometimes I forget to feel bad about killing him.

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Review: Keeping Cooper (2011)

Relationships are complicated things and seldom do they run a completely smooth course. Some couples can work through them, others decide it is best to part and go their separate ways. In Samantha Masone’s Keeping Cooper we have a relationship between two young people that begins well but quickly deteriorates due to jealousy and soon afterwards violence.

Casey is young and popular though her past has been a difficult one. Her mum was victim to a string of bad relationships and Casey ended up being raised primarily by her grandmother after her mum’s death. Casey is single at the outset but returning to town is the handsome Johnnie who has hearts fluttering everywhere he goes and those lucky enough to get his attention do not hold back in declaring his formidable sexual prowess. Johnnie soon turns his focus to Casey but rather than being eager to get her into bed he is patient and tender, wanting a committed and long-term relationship rather than just another one night stand. Casey and Johnnie get together and all goes well to begin with until the real Johnnie comes to the fore.

Samantha Masone’s book has a very intriguing blurb but I didn’t find the book necessarily reflected that synopsis completely. From the blurb we know that Casey had problems with Johnnie and that him wrecking her favourite pair of shoes was the last straw. Although this incident is covered it doesn’t seem as important as the synopsis suggests. We also know that Johnnie is dead and that Casey killed him so does Masone give everything away before we’ve even begun? Thankfully, the answer is no and the story remains engaging throughout, moving at a fast pace as Casey’s relationship with Johnnie begins to fall apart. Sexually demanding, Johnnie sees any rebuffed advances as evidence that Casey must be sleeping around and he even beats up a customer she is serving in one instance and Casey loses her job as a result. Johnnie’s jealousy soon turns to violence and Casey is left with no choice but to flee, only she isn’t travelling alone.

The book’s title Keeping Cooper refers to Casey’s son, Cooper, who is born when Casey is finally free of Johnnie and starting a new life far away from him. Casey’s grandmother is instrumental in her escape and she soon settles into her new life with Cooper, making friends and working for an ex-boyfriend of her grandmother’s. In Sleeping with the Enemy fashion we know that Johnnie will eventually find Casey and when he does he goes to some very desperate lengths to win back the girl he loves. He sees Cooper as evidence that Casey has not only been seeing other men but she has started a family with one of them. This does not go down well with Johnnie.

Masone’s book is a quick and straightforward read but it manages to cram a lot into its 300 or so pages. There are some uncomfortable moments of domestic abuse but certainly not to the extent that I think readers would feel alienated. Knowing that Johnnie is dead at the outset may have taken some element of surprise away but it also gives the reader something to look forward to as well. The ending is quite shocking in some ways but feels somewhat apt at the same time. It ties in better with the book blurb than the rest of the narrative seems to do.

Keeping Cooper is not an original story. I’ve seen this sort of scenario in films before but it is still a decent read. Johnnie is a vile character and you will treasure the moment he is finally ended. The novel remains an effective cat and mouse chase in its second half and the ending takes a strangely dark turn which is better than a standard happily ever after Hollywood conclusion.

Verdict: 4/5

(Book source: reviewer received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review)

Book Review: Keeping Cooper – Samantha Masone | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Guest Post: What it’s Like to be Bipolar… – D. Kai Wilson-Viola

Today D. Kai Wilson-Viola visits Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave to talk candidly about what it’s like to be bipolar and share her exciting IndieGoGo project.

What it’s Like to be Bipolar… – D. Kai Wilson-Viola

I’m going to do something heart-breaking for many of you to read.  I’m going to tell you the unvarnished truth about what it’s like to be a bipolar.

To do so, I need to introduce myself.

I’m Kai.  That’s not my real name, not really, but it’s the name everyone knows me by, and as soon as I can work out how, it WILL be my real name.

I’m an author, and the mother of two kids – trying desperately to get my books published and just *out there* so I can let go and write some more.  I’m the daughter, grand daughter and great granddaughter of a line of very….impetuous women.  We’re all Scottish, which explains a lot.

I live with a wonderful man, who mostly accepts my quirks, but has done his level best to teach me how to live with myself, for which I’m eternally grateful.

I am bipolar one.  That means that I’m suicidal when depressed and when manic.  I’m also considered psychotic because I see things.

So, what’s it like to be bipolar?  Honestly?  Even though I’ve known what I am for close to 12 years, the only thing I can do is describe it as being ‘me’. I don’t know the difference – I’ve never been ‘normal’ by anyone’s standards.  Even on medication, I run on a 60 day complete ‘sine wave’ cycle.  That is, I start at normal, drop to depressed, swing back to normal, keep going into manic, then drop again back to ‘normal’ and start again.  It really is like a rollercoaster sometimes.  Running on a predictable loop, but each day I wake up a little sadder for most of the cycle.

I spend 35 days or so either melancholy, depressed or flat out suicidal.  At my worst, I see things, I hear things, and I hurt myself.  There’s this woman that starts stalking me and telling me how worthless I am.

And what’s worse?  I believe her.  My psych tells me that this is a complication of what I am – I have very low self-esteem.  So low in fact that you can be an acquaintance, have met me once and tell me something bad, and I’ll believe you, if it’s a criticism of me.  I have a slightly better perspective on reviews, but only just.

That woman, whose face I can’t look up into, is with me 10 days of the 60.  A sixth of the cycle, I hear and see things.   That’s called psychosis, and is bad, and uncommon for bipolars.

I spend around 10 days on the first ‘normal’ streak – given that normal is a setting on the washing machine, the way my nurse talked to me about it is like a beach.  Depressed is drowning, normal is up on the sand, but where it’s wet…manic is out in the dunes and tracking some butterfly somewhere.

I spend five days manic.  I do not sleep (unless I’m on my meds), I clean and I write.  Lucky I’m a writer huh?

The problem is – I talk at a million miles an hour, I’ll agree to do *anything* and I am a bit funny about money.  Not completely crazy, but I’m a funny person to be around.  I’m happy and vivacious and bouncy, and mad.  Totally and utterly, but in a nice way.

I came to terms with being bipolar long ago – actually, most of the time, I try very hard to see the upside in being what I am.  I see the world differently.

Which, to be honest, stood me in good stead for Uni for four years.  I got to explore the reaches of my psyche, and understand more about the world in a way that actually now works in my favour.

I’m also lucky because though I have low self-esteem, I kinda believe in myself, in that deep, dark core that hides from the rest of the world.

And that’s when I decided that I’d help others.  So, I’m running a project called ‘Pictures in the Dark’.  I’ll be creating an anthology, and a funding campaign at IndieGoGo .  I have hope, even though I go through everything I do, and I want to give others that.

And that’s where y’all come in.  I need help to set up a foundation.  I’ve got a few days left, and I’d love all of the help and support I can get.  Whether you pass the link on, or donate, I am forever grateful.

“Pictures in the Dark” is part narration about mental health, learning to thrive and move with your moods, and if you’re caring for or living with a person with bipolar disorder, what to expect. It is quite literally a manual on the ins and outs of bipolar disorder, in plain English, not ‘medical terminology’. The first edition of the book, which was offered as a limited release PDF, didn’t contain information about medications, and what to expect.





About D. Kai Wilson-Viola
D Kai Wilson-Viola is a writer, bipolar, artist, photographer, mother and all round loon.  When not writing her fiction books, she can be found blogging at Bi-Polar Bears , Two Mid-List Indies and Author Interrupted.

Her Indiegogo campaign is to support the foundation of a project designed to create a self-sustaining publishing project designed to de-stigmatise mental health.  You can help by donating as little as $5 and change someone’s life.


Related articles (external)

The Six Stages Of Bipolar and Depression
A really good summary for friends and family who love or care for a bi-polar sufferer.
Bipolar Affective Disorder
Flying high: Researchers decipher manic gene
{Review} Somewhere Over the Rainbow, I’ve Lost My Damn Mind: A Manic’s Mood Chart by Derek Thompson

Guest Post: What it’s Like to be Bipolar… – D. Kai Wilson-Viola | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Indulgent Blog Hop: What’s Your Indulgence?

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Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave have stripped back on indulgences dramatically since we became Mum and Dad to six rescue cats. It isn’t so much about the money but frankly, once you’ve had one pair of shoes pooed on, a nice piece of furniture scratched and marked, a few ornaments knocked off and broken… well, you begin to reassess.

One thing we still indulge in is our love of books. For Dave, it’s a love of history books. Though he tries to stop buying them, I keep sneaking some home or onto the Kindle because I know he’d miss them too much if he went cold turkey. For me, it’s audiobooks! I’ve found some great listens in the last couple of years that have had me giggling, crying or gasping with indignation. Here are my five indulgent listens.

Five Indulgent Listens
Where Rainbows End – Cecilia Ahern

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A bittersweet tale of childhood friends Rosie and Alex whose relationship must survive many trials and tribulations, not least the discovery of their true feelings for one another. From naughty children to rebellious teenagers, Rosie and Alex have stuck by each other through thick and thin. But just as they’re discovering the joys of teenage nights on the town and dating disasters, they’re separated. Alex’s family moves from Dublin to America — and Alex goes with them. For good. Rosie’s lost without her best friend. But on the eve of her departure to join Alex in Boston, Rosie gets news that will change her life forever — and keep her at home in Ireland. Their magical connection sees them through the ups and downs of each other’s lives but neither of them knows whether their friendship can really survive the years and miles — as well as new relationships. And at the back of Rosie’s mind is whether they were meant to be more than just good friends all along. Misunderstandings, circumstances and sheer bad luck have kept them out of each others’ arms, but when presented with the ultimate opportunity, will they gamble everything — including their friendship — for true love? Destiny, Alex and Rosie discover, is a funny thing and fate isn’t quite done with them yet…

My verdict: I gushed, I blushed, I completely turned to mush!

This Charming Man – Marian Keyes

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Paddy de Courcy is Ireland’s debonair politician, the “John F. Kennedy Jr. of Dublin.” His charm and charisma have taken hold of the country and the tabloids, not to mention our four heroines: Lola, Grace, Marnie, and Alicia. But though Paddy’s winning smile is fooling Irish minds, the broken hearts he’s left in his past offer a far more truthful look into his character.

Narrated in turn by each woman, This Charming Man explores how their love for this one man has shaped their lives. But in true Marian Keyes fashion, this is more than a story of four love affairs. It’s a testament to the strength women find in themselves through work, friendship, and family, no matter what demons may be haunting their lives. Depression, self-doubt, domestic abuse—each of these women has seen tough times in life, and it’s through Keyes’s wonderful storytelling ability that these subjects are approached with the appropriate tone and candor. Her deft touch provides a gripping story and, ultimately, a redemptive ending.

My verdict: I had a lump in my throat so often from sadness or shock but a perpetual pain in my belly from all the laughter!

Skippy Dies – Paul Murray

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Why does Skippy, a fourteen-year-old boy at Dublin’s venerable Seabrook College, end up dead on the floor of the local doughnut shop? 

Could it have something to do with his friend Ruprecht Van Doren, an overweight genius who is determined to open a portal into a parallel universe using ten-dimensional string theory? 

Could it involve Carl, the teenage drug dealer and borderline psychotic who is Skippy’s rival in love? 

Or could “the Automator”–the ruthless, smooth-talking headmaster intent on modernizing the school–have something to hide? 

Why Skippy dies and what happens next is the subject of this dazzling and uproarious novel, unraveling a mystery that links the boys of Seabrook College to their parents and teachers in ways nobody could have imagined. With a cast of characters that ranges from hip-hop-loving fourteen-year-old Eoin “MC Sexecutioner” Flynn to basketballplaying midget Philip Kilfether, packed with questions and answers on everything from Ritalin, to M-theory, to bungee jumping, to the hidden meaning of the poetry of Robert Frost, “Skippy Dies “is a heartfelt, hilarious portrait of the pain, joy, and occasional beauty of adolescence, and a tragic depiction of a world always happy to sacrifice its weakest members. As the twenty-first century enters its teenage years, this is a breathtaking novel from a young writer who will come to define his generation.

My verdict: I don’t know how something so sad can be so funny. Incredibly moving, poignant, hilarious, tragic.

The Other Hand – Chris Cleave [US title: Little Bee]

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We don t want to tell you too much about this book. It is a truly special story and we don t want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know something, so we will just say this: It is extremely funny, but the African beach scene is horrific. The story starts there, but the book doesn’t. And it’s what happens afterwards that is most important. Once you have read it, you ll want to tell everyone about it. When you do, please don t tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.

My verdict: This is an incredibly well written, haunting and stunning story. The narration only enhances that and is performed beautifully.

11/22/63: A Novel – Stephen King

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On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed forever.

If you had the chance to change the course of history, would you?

Would the consequences be worth it?

Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.

Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

Explore the Possibilities…

My verdict: I loved this book so much I think I ended up with a crush on the main character. Amazing narration and a great story made this a perfect audiobook pick.

Giveaway: $20 Amazon gift card (Run by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave)
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Giveaway: $100 Amazon gift card (Run by the Ndulgent Bloggers)
Please note this giveaway is not being run by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave. The Ndulgent Bloggers are hosting a GRAND PRIZE of $100 GF from WINNER’S CHOICE of Barnes & Noble or Amazon. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The rest of the hoppers…

Indulgent Blog Hop: What’s Your Indulgence? | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Celebrating Womanhood: The Tweedling Way

Hosted by Living, Learning, and Loving Life, Cabin Goddess, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave, Tea With Dee, and alchemyofscrawl.

I was umming and aahing about what to write about for Celebrating Womanhood, when I decided to rope David in and see what he thought. Here’s our combined effort!

Celebrating Womanhood with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Dave, where do we start with Celebrating Womanhood? I’m not a Mum but I have a Mum and I don’t even want to think about what she went through to bring me into the world. Ouch, let’s not go there.

My birth’s a taboo subject in my household. My Mum was in hospital for weeks after giving birth to me. Maybe it was giving birth to me and my massive ego.

Tish and piffle. Trust you to turn a serious discussion into a silly fest. Still what I don’t understand is they did it twice! What a sacrifice!

I find it mind-boggling why anyone would want to do it more than once but what about those who have done it many times. Isn’t the record 69?

Okay, now I’m getting frightened.  Seriously, though, being a mother – not just the birth but beyond that – is incredible. Women are amazing in so many other ways though. I mean, men are too but this is a Celebrating Womanhood day.

It’s a celebration I’m happy to be a part of. My Mum raised me and my brother alone after she and my Dad divorced. She worked too and later cared for my gran. I don’t know how she did it.

My Mum was a SAHM when we were little but worked when we got a little older.  She then trained to be a teacher after we’d grown up and left home. She now holds a great position. She’s worked so hard. Every time I need inspiration, I think about all she’s achieved.

I feel the same. My family have always been grafters and my Mum was no exception, despite difficult times. She’s pushed me – without being pushy – to make the most of myself and my education.

When I think about women I think about mothers but I think it’s the qualities that makes women great mothers that I’m really thinking about. How caring they are, compassionate and loving, patient and kind.

I think women have a natural gift when it comes to caring and being emotionally in tune. They so often seem to know the right things to say when you’re struggling. Not to bring down men, of course, but you know it’s unlikely a woman will say ‘Hey, you Pansy!’ when you need a shoulder to cry on.

Women have really had to fight hard for equality. We’re not the same as men but I’m glad our differences are finally being celebrated.

I’m all for equality of the sexes and it’s been a long time coming. There are always going to be differences but women have shown how much they can overcome and achieve. We need to support them, not block them.

Here’s to Celebrating Womanhood!

 

How are you Celebrating Womanhood?

The rest of the hoppers…

Celebrating Womanhood: The Tweedling Way | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave